National Aerospace Laboratories

 Well, since I have no other thing to do this week, other than seeing movies, TV shows and listening to yet another new crappy album by a young wannabe star, I have decided to blog about my visit to NAL last Sunday! (Who wants to talk about that Ayodhya issue, its too damn boring for my tastes :P.. Anyway because of that I've holidays for 4 days in a row!! Don't know whether to rejoice or grumble!)

Kodihalli Campus

 It was a technological exhibition day at NAL organized as part of the Foundation Day celebrations of CSIR - Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. So my classmates and me made it to their Kodihalli campus by 9 in the morning. To enlighten everybody what NAL is, its a high technology oriented institution concentrating on advanced research in aeronautics and related disciplines.

Belur Campus

The day long event was hosted by NAL's Belur campus. When they first told us to board their buses and go to Belur, we were like WTF!!! It would take most of the day just to get there! And what will they show there, historical statues and tourism spots! No thanks, we have seen all of it! Then they put some sense into our very over excited brains saying it was just another campus some distance away. We felt relieved and went to the other campus and it was quite nicely done. Most of the popular themes being composite materials as the future of Indian aviation industry and prototypes and main frames of Airbuses, planes, etc. The NAL's technological innovations and recent achievements were on display as well. The exhibits included tapping of wind energy, power generation from solar ponds, support to India's space program, smart materials and structural health monitoring materials, among many others. 

Inside the Belur campus

 Collaboration between the different fields of mechanical, computer science and electronics was highly stressed at the event. Then we came back to the main Kodihalli campus' cricket field where there was the real highlight of the event, meant for most of the audience which consisted of parents and kids who expected some kind of flashiness and not just the boring scientific talk which went on inside the Belur campus. It included live flight demonstrations of NAL developed MAV's (Micro Air Vehicles) and radio controlled UAV's (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).

MAV: This costs about 4-5 lakhs!!

  MAV is an autonomous flying vehicle capable of carrying a payload and a miniaturized video camera which can locate nearby enemy troops, support military and civilian missions, weather observations and help in anti-terrorist operations, much like a drone. The different maneuvers can be done by a skilled operator. Anyways, if you have seen the air show on Independence Day on TV, its very much the same, except on a small-scale and there are no human pilots inside the vehicles, not that one can actually fit in even if they try!!

Supernatural

Something Wicked This Way Comes!

  

Jensen Ackles as Dean & Jared Padalecki as Sam

My Spn fanvid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnZKRpJugrQ

Since the 6th season of the show premiered in the US last night, I thought I would give my opinion on the series. I have been a fan of 'Supernatural' for quite a few years now and the series is still as awesome as it first started. It is about two brothers, Sam Winchester and Dean Winchester's journey to find their father in the first season, while dealing with demons and monsters using the techniques that their father had taught them. Their car, the Chevy Impala is their home and all the gears needed to take down the preternatural enemies is stored in the trunk! From there it goes through fighting with the 'yellow-eyed demon' who had killed their mother, in the second season, to Dean going to HELL in the third season, literally. And then my most favourite season 4 when Castiel enters the fray. Castiel passes through every demon shackle spell and drawings in the whole building and comes to Dean introducing himself as 'I am Castiel, I am an Angel of the Lord!!'. You wouldn't believe the chills this revelation gave me, the hair on my skin stood up. The 5th season is about the impending Apocalypse, the battle between good and evil with Earth as their war field and the choices Sam and Dean have to make. The atmosphere this show has is downright chilling and it compels the viewer to get hooked.

 Sam and Dean are contrasting characters. Sam is the younger brother of Dean. He is calm, innocent and good-hearted. But, some situations make him the bad guy against his better judgement. Dean is the cool one, he kicks back on the couch with a beer in one hand and a hot chick in the other hand and seemingly doesn't give a damn if the world ends or not. He is the guy who takes the risks. They con people; do credit card scams and cheat at pool to pay for their food and shelter. But despite their differences, the brothers have an unbreakable bond between them and they will fight till death for the safety of each other. 'Safety' being not going to hell after they die. This is what makes them so great, their chemistry is there for everyone to see. Angel Castiel is an excellent addition from the 4th season, he made the show so much more awesome than it already was. He delivers his dialogues, many of them quite funny with so much intensity and a straight face that you can't help but laugh! The characters make you care for them so much that you don't want to miss a single moment of their journey. 

Dining With Death Himself!!

The series was expected to end after the 5th season. But due to its ever increasing popularity, the makers decided to make more seasons. Thank heavens they didn't finish up! Supernatural series is a treasure trove of possibilities and ideas!

Fallen Angel, Lucifer!

  

Dean is a vessel of archangel Michael and Sam is the vessel of the fallen angel, Lucifer. So, now every demon hunter in the country want Sam dead, before he can accept Lucifer's offer to take over Sam's body. There are also many allies for the brothers as the series continues. This is a very different show from others as it deals with a different demon every episode and the main story also continues. You never get bored as the special effects are awesome and even the actors who play the demons and fringe characters are also very good. The guy who plays Lucifer also played the island protector or God in the hit tv show LOST. He's a great actor and no wonder he only takes on guest appearances in popular shows!!

 The show isn't all gloom and doom. In fact, it has many humorous moments. Also it doesn't hurt when you have two amazing actors who are also good-looking. Many say that X-Files is the best show in the supernatural genre. But I haven't seen X-Files as I was just a kid back when it ended, so I don't have a yardstick to compare this show to. Therefore, I think this is the best supernatural show ever. The strong point of the show is also the visual imagery which is a treat for the viewers and the background score. Also it gives real legend stories or myths, as you prefer, every episode, like the Bloody Mary, Hindu Gods, vampires, zombies, hookman, ghost insects, scarecrows, memory traps, nightmares, evil children, werewolves, basically every legend and scary story you have ever heard and not heard. The car, 1970's Chevy Impala is very cool. 

Angel Castiel!

Download the show if you still haven't seen it, as each episode is exciting. There is always something new brought to the table by the excellent screenwriters. Why are you still reading my post! Go and watch Supernatural: The Most Thrilling, Awesome and Coolest Show Ever To Adorn The Small Screen :)

(Oh yeah, comment what you think about this post and then go to watch it! Hehehe)

Below are some of Supernatural casts moments from Comic Con 2010 held on July 26!

So Funny!

PS: You may also like this: The Vampire Diaries

Bannerghatta (Thottikal) Falls!

Last week a bunch of us decided to bunk the boring classes and go for a short trip. We were all itching to get out of the dreary confines of college, class, assignments, the freaking traffic of Bangalore city, for atleast a day. Each and every one of us were thinking about how kick-ass the last 3 day trip to the serene and beautiful Madikeri was a couple of months back. So we all planned to go to Bannerghatta Falls. Its not the sanctuary, that's totally different. This was just a small water fall and not exactly a major tourist attraction. Of course, we didn't actually know how small the fall really was! So it was still a mystery to us. 

My Friends!!

Since nobody knew the route, we took the trusty bmtc bus at 8.30 in the morning. The sky was clouded and the weather was quite chilly. My kind of climate, loving it! After 90 minutes of insane laughter and general drowsiness because of the weather, we alighted the bus and made our way up a small mountain which had a couple of temples.

None of us went INSIDE the temples! (If there are no elders around, tell me who would really want to go inside the temples!!) It was a good thing the temperature was so pleasant. We ended up trekking for more than 12 kms through rocky terrain and wilderness which had a couple of temples inside!! We were surprised seeing the hordes of people on a weekday in the morning! Then we asked around and they said it was 'Amavasya', so naturally all the god fearing folks had come out in strong numbers to get blessed by their deity! Our final destination was actually still a long way to go. We spent some time at one temple and then carried onwards on our quest for the mythical falls. We saw some cows and deers grazing at a long distance away. That was our only contact with animals much larger than a centipede after that. 

Stone formations like these were all around the place, albeit in lesser magnitude

Finally, by 12 noon, we had reached the entry point of the falls. There are many entry points, but we didn't know about the rest of them. We were conned out of some of our money by a woman claiming to be the sentry for the falls, while no such thing was legally put up by the government there. The climb to the top of the falls can be treacherous for older people as there are no natural footholds which are safe and the ground would be slippery because of recent rains. We made our way slowly upwards as there was no way we would turn back after coming all this way.

I have to admit, I am scared of water as I don't know how to swim. Even streams which come up to my midriff scare the crap out of me. I didn't even get within 10 feet of the water fall, Abbey in Madikeri!! But still I love the experience I get to enjoy with all my friends. Though the falls wasn't exactly majestic or grand, we had fun and made very fond memories and that's the important thing.

If u study in VTU, you start to worry in all kinds of places in all situations!!

For those who don't know, this is me (well, I was dripping before)!!

My friends pulled me inside this and I got all wet and I nearly got my head banged against the rocks if not for some quick thinking by my friend, Jitendra! Some guy from another group threw a bottle which shattered against the rocks and we were all scared to move around with shards jutting out at dangerous angles. Damn him! We went back up and demanded an explanation and he said it slipped and he was very apologetic. Anyway, in hindsight, it was only a minor inconvenience and we just got back to enjoying ourselves. We came back to KBS by 5.30 PM joyful, tired and already planning our next escapade!!

PS: Had a great weekend with all the festivals! Hope all of you also enjoyed the festivals :)

PPS: Click to see more pics from this trip

PPPS: I  know you'll all kill me for posting so many ps', still here I go :P


V RuLe d WoRlD-(MECH)
V CrEaTe MaGiC-(CSE)
V r d PoWeRs-(EEE)
V made d WoRlD SmAlLeR-(ECE)
V BuIlD d NaTiOn-(CE)
V r d world
V r Engineers
Wish u a Happy"ENGINEERS DAY" on account of Sir. M. Vishveshwaraya's 150th B'day..
(Most amazing person to have ever been born..!

And he's from my state.. Yay)

Random!!!

Here's a lowdown on the week that went by in my life!

ಪಂಚರಂಗಿ (5 Colours) (2010):

My eyes are burning!!

Finally, after 3-4 months, I saw a Kannada movie! Directed by Yograj Bhat, this movie had huge expectations. His last 3 movies; Mungaru Male, Gaalipata & Manasare were all huge hits. Bhat's name has become synonymous with bittersweet love tales, & its for this reason he has become my only favourite director in Kannada! He doesn't give you eye-catching, titillating dance numbers or violent fights. He presents a simple, yet complicated story, with beautiful dialogues, soothing music and mesmerizing scenic locations. The only thorn was that in the theatre, a huge man was sitting in front of me & I had to sway from side to side to watch the movie. I felt like punching the fellow for being so huge & ruining my experience!

Diganth & Nidhi

Two families meet to see if their older siblings are meant for each other. While everything seems to be going just fine on the surface, there is nothing going alright. The younger sibling, Ambika (Nidhi Subbaiah) falls in love with the lazy Bharath Kumar (Diganth) who is also a younger sibling and seems to have an uncanny, if slightly exasperating, hold on the kannada language and treats everything around him (even people) like non-living things. He doesn't reciprocate and advises her to search for someone who is worthy of her and not a good for nothing guy like him. 

So cute

Loads of witty sequences, catchy dialogues which are sure to be a hit among the college going youth, highly interesting characterizations, background commentary, perfect cinematography along the beach ensure that there is enough to keep one's attention on the screen all the time. Diganth, still the chocolate boy, sports a rugged look and his acting has leaped in quantum amounts compared to previous attempts. Nidhi is gorgeous and sexy as the modern village belle (well, she is actually a city college girl who has gone home for the holidays), her acting also matches up with elan. The rest of the cast delivers up to expectations. There's a hilarious spoof on Nithyananda and other quack swamis. Watch this film with friends and family, you'll have enough material to keep yourself entertained for days! 

A small dialogue or whatever; me & my friends created it:

ಅರ್ಥ ಆಗದ ಪಾಠಗಳು,

ಉಸೆಲೆಸ್ಸ್ ಸಬ್ಜೆಕ್ಟ್ ಗಳು,

ಸಿಗ್ನಲ್ ಸಿಗದ networkಗಳು,

Heartbreak ಮಾಡೋ loversಗಳು,

ಬರಿ ಗೋಳು ಹೊಡಿಸ್ಕೊಂಡು ಇಂಜಿನಿಯರಿಂಗ್ ಮಾಡೋ ನಾವುಗಳು ನೀವುಗಳು... 

ಲೈಫ್ ಇಷ್ಟೇನೆ!!!

[Lessons cannot be understood,

Subjects are useless,

Worthless signal in all the networks,

Heart broken by our lovers, 

Listening to boring stuff, completing engineering, myself & yourself,

That's all there is to life!!]

Umm, yeah, much more cooler & humorous in my language!!
By adding 'galu', it is like treating everything like an inanimate object.

In College:
 
I found out there is a humbling and embarrassing feeling you get when you find out that the thing you were good at some time ago, you are not so good at it now. I had a passion for Table Tennis & I used to play for my school TT team and that was 6 years ago! After that I got immersed in other activities & TT lost out. Due to the excess of free time in college nowadays, I decided to hold the racket again to see how I fared, whether my skills had stood the test of time. The first day I played like a complete novice. My partner, the racket, betrayed me and I was spilling the ball all over the place. I got segregated in the beginner's court (there is no apparent divide between the players, but you get pushed to the side when you don't play well!) I played against a girl & some guys who couldn't even do a proper serve. But thanks to them, I found some kind of footing and within a week I have become an average player, don't have the same kind of reflexes like before in my glory days, but I now know that I can compete without fumbling around like a fool like that sad first day.

Korean movies:

Yippee, watched two Korean movies after a long time and loved both of them!

Windstruck (2004):

When police officer Kyungjin met with Myungwoo accidentally in a crime scene, she found that this responsible teacher who acted like a conniving thief was a really nice guy. One night, Kyungjin got into trouble & found herself in the middle of a gun fight between rival drug dealers. Myungwoo tried to help her & then something happened that forced them to stay together all day long. They got closer to each other and Myungwoo was not able to repulse the strange but pure natural attraction towards her. One day, when Kyungjin was chasing a notorious criminal, Myungwoo helped her again, however, not knowing that was the last day for him on Earth!

This has a tongue-in-cheek atmosphere for the most part and its a real fun movie. The emotional scenes seem too forced and tries hard to tug at our heartstrings. The sudden jumps from emotional scene to a funny scene is quite distracting. Still, it worked on some level. Oh yeah, the guy looks quite average and cannot act properly. But the girl is beautiful and acts wonderfully. Told from the girl's point of view, this movie will appeal to girls who like sad romantic stories.

A Moment to Remember (2004):

A heart broken girl probably would like to get the bitter past erased, but what if it happened to a 27 year old woman. In A Moment to Remember, the young couple Sui Jin and Cheol-soo struggle with the fatal Alzheimer which ruins their marriage step by step. Cheol-soo could save Sin Jin from a bitter past, but how can he deal with his wife who is losing her memories of love and life? 

Being a guy who loves romantic movies, I cried for the entire second half of the movie! I felt transported back to my teen years when I saw 'A Walk To Remember' for the first time. The physical loss of a loved one seems much more kinder when you see this movie. I totally connected with Cheol-soo, in his love for his wife and getting his heart ripped apart when his own love didn't recognize him. Many cute aww moments. Major recommendation to any Korean & romantic movie fan. Be sure to keep lots of hankies in hand! You'll need it!