Watta Transition ...........

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Ajith appreciates Vijay

Last Sunday, Vijay received a phone call which overjoyed him. The voice on the other end was Ajith’s. Awed by Villu, which he is rumoured to have watched at Praarthana drive-in theatre, Ajith rang up his friend and colleague Vijay right away. Profusely appreciating the film and Vijay’s work in it, Ajith said that Villu is definitely one of his best films. Ajith was full of praise for the film’s astounding stunt scenes and Vijay’s efforts in them. Apparently, he also advised Vijay not to take so much risk while doing stunts. Well, all this must have left Vijay elated!

While Vijay will get busy with Vettaikaran soon, Ajith has already started working on his next film Asal. He is frequently involved in the film’s brainstorming sessions with director Saran on phone. Recently, Saran declared that Asal’s filming will begin in March and Ajith has already started working on his new get-up for the film.

Next step for Shanthanu

Eminent director-actor Bhagyaraj’s son Shanthnoo announced his arrival in style in Sakkarakkatti. Now, he is acting in Moser Baer’s Puthiya Vaarpugal, directed by his father. With this film nearing its completion, Shanthnoo has been involved in talks with many directors of Kollywood for his next film. And it looks like Shanthnoo will work in director Udayan’s Athakalam (also spelt as Adhakalam) reportedly. The buzz is that the film will be produced by Lakshmi Movie Makers who produced Silambattam. It is said that when the director approached Shanthnoo with Athakalam’s script, the young hero was very impressed and readily agreed to be a part of it. Shanthnoo feels that a film with Udayan, the director who gave the hit Perarasu (Vijaykanth), will do his career a world of good.

There is no doubt Shanthnoo’s career will head in the right direction after the release of Puthiya Vaarpugal, a beautiful love story. Being directed by sharp-minded and witty Bhagyaraj, Puthiya Vaarpugal has kindled the cinemagoers’ curiosity. There is no doubt the film will be abundant in witty dialogues and beautiful screenplay, as Bhagyaraj is an exceptional dialogue and screenplay writer too.

A new heroine, Chandini, gets introduced to the Kollywood through this film. The entire unit of Puthiya Vaarpugal agrees that Chandini and Shanthnoo’s onscreen chemistry is one of the film’s attractions.

An Emotional event

Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America, broadcast live worldwide was an emotional ceremony. From the moment he stepped onto the Capitol Hill podium, there were cheers and tears.

The US got its first black president when Obama took oath with the words: "I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President."

A sea of humanity more than 2 million strong watched the words in silence, and with tears that recognised the journey Obama had come.

"A man whose father wouldn't have been served at a restaraunt today stands before you to take this oath." Obama's entire inaugural ceremony was a recognition of that triumph of civil rights in the US. The anthem "My country tis of thee" was performed by America's first lady of soul Aretha Franklin and was a recognition of the many minorities in the US that feel proudest of Obama's presidency.

It was followed by a performance by Chinese-American cellist Yo-yo Ma, Jewish violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianist Gabriela Montero - entitled "air and simple gifts". Each piece of music as well as the poem that followed was picked personally by the man who's moment it was. A day that moved millions, was watched by billions, and gave people everywhere a new world leader.

Vivek as Suruli Rajan

With his incredible observational skills, Vivek presented the eccentricities of veteran actors Sivaji and M.R. Radha with hilarious effects to audiences. Now, it is the turn of Suruli Rajan, a famous comedian of Kollywood. In his upcoming Vaada, Vivek will look and speak like Suruli Rajan. Vivek, a great fan of Suruli Rajan, says this is his way of paying tribute to this wonderful artist. And by imitating him, he is also introducing this great artist to the younger generation who might not know much about him. Vivek is very confident that his “Suruli Rajan act” in Vaada will be totally enjoyed and appreciated by audiences.

Coincidentally, Vivek also stars in the remake of Murattu Kalai (Rajinikanth) reprising the role of Suruli Rajan in the original! But he did not reveal yet if he has any plans of imitating his style again.

The year began with a bang for all of us with Vivek’s comical adventures in Padikkathavan. It will continue with Guru En Aalu, Aynthaam Padai (also spelt as Iynthaam Padai) and Perumal, all of them with Vivek in prominent roles.

First love can damage future relationships

First love can be joyful, passionate and intense, but if you're looking for happiness in later life, it's best to avoid it altogether, says a new research.

In a book called Changing Relationships, a collection of new research papers by Britain's leading sociologists, edited by Dr Malcolm Brynin, principal research officer at the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, the claims have been made.

According to Brynin, the euphoria of puppy love can damage future relationships, reports the Guardian. "Remarkably, it seems that the secret to long-term happiness in a relationship is to skip a first relationship," said Brynin.

"In an ideal world, you would wake up already in your second relationship," the expert said. While searching for the ingredients of successful long-term partnerships, Brynin found that intense first loves could set unrealistic benchmarks, against which we judge future relationships. "If you had a very passionate first relationship and allow that feeling to become your benchmark for a relationship dynamic, then it becomes inevitable that future, more adult partnerships will seem boring and a disappointment," he said.

Adults in successful long-term partnerships are those who have taken a calm, pragmatic view of what they need from a relationship, Brynin found. "The problems start if you try not only to get everything you need for an adult relationship, but also strive for the heights of excitement and intensity you had in your first experience of love. The solution is clear: if you can protect yourself from intense passion in your first relationship, you will be happier in your later relationships," he said.

How a Bird Crashed a Jet

Early reports suggest that a bird strike caused a jet plane to crash in the Hudson River near Manhattan today, leaving questions about how a little flying animal could down a big airliner.

More than 200 people have been killed worldwide as a result of wildlife strikes with aircraft since 1988, according to Bird Strike Committee USA, and more than 5,000 bird strikes were reported by the U.S. Air Force in 2007. Bird strikes, or the collision of an aircraft with an airborne bird, tend to happen when aircraft are close to the ground, which means just before landing or after take-off, when jet engines are turning at top speeds.

The incidents are serious particularly when the birds, usually gulls, raptors and geese, are sucked into a jet engine and strike an engine fan blade. That impact displaces the blade such that it strikes another blade and a cascade can occur, resulting in engine failure.

A 12-pound Canada goose striking an aircraft going 150 mph at lift-off generates the force of a 1,000-pound weight dropped from a height of 10 feet, according to Bird Strike Committee USA.