A R RAHMAN AND ILAYARAJA

It is really difficult to compare and contrast two stalwarts in music belonging to different eras. And when you are talking about Ilayaraja and A. R. Rahman, who have brought fame to Tamil music to place it on the international map, the task becomes all the more difficult. It is a coincidence that while Ilayaraja is the master, A. R. Rahman is his protégé. Whereas Ilayaraja chose to remain confined to Tamil music scene, Rahman stepped onto Hindi Films from where he started his career and used it as a launch pad to capture the imagination of music lovers all across the country. Both composers are however, living legends and this article is just a humble attempt to find difference in these two towering musical personalities. I beg pardon from those who may be ardent fans of either of these two legends.
Ilayaraja
The music maestro Ilayaraja is one music composer who is revered not just by Tamil music lovers, but by music lovers irrespective of language. His music is ample proof of power of music that transcends all geographical boundaries. He is not just a composer but also a fine singer and lyricist who has been providing the highest quality of music in Tamil films for the last 30 years. He has over 5000 compositions to his name and has given music in almost a thousand films so far. His music has regaled millions with generations of Tamils enjoying his melodious compositions.  Ilayaraja was born on 2nd June, 1943 and had very humble beginnings as he served in a traveling musical troupe. He is a gold medalist from Trinity College of Music and has to his credit a full symphony that was performed in London by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He is the first Asian to get that honor. It was in the eighties that Ilayaraja shot to fame through his melodious compositions in Tamil films. He caught the imagination of the Tamil film and his mere presence became a guarantee of success of the film. His composition Rakkama Kaiya Thattu was placed by BBC in the top ten compositions in a world wide poll.  Ilayaraja has won umpteen music awards including National Award for best music direction, best background music and scores of other awards. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Padma Bhushan Awards from Government of India.
A.R. Rahman 
A. R. Rahman was born as Dilip Kumar in Chennai in 1966 and benefited from a background that was musical. At the tender age of 9, Rahman created a rock band called Nemesis Avenue. It was the beginning of a journey that took him to Trinity College where he learnt and also performed in concerts with other stalwarts such as Zakir Hussain and L. Shankar. Rahman also worked as a keyboardist for some time in the traveling troupe of Ilayaraja.  Rahman was a genius right from his childhood, and he proved his mettle in his debut film Roja directed by Mani Ratnam. For his music, he received the best music director award at national Film Awards. Rahman never looked back and gave melodious compositions in his subsequent films such as Bombay, Taal, Yuva, Ravana.and Delhi-6. For his music for Slumdog Millionaire, Rahman bagged two Academy Awards, which is a first for any composer from India. 

• Ilayaraja and Rahman belong to two different eras as far as Tamil music is concerned 

• Ilayaraja is considered to be more melodious while Rahman is credited with bringing technology into music 

• Ilayaraja had no global ambitions and remained confined to Tamil music whereas Rahman ventured on to Bollywood and then on to Hollywood through his modern music full of beats 

Arctic Ice Melting Rapidly Than Expected

                                                   

A new assessment of climate change in the Arctic shows the region's ice and snow are melting faster than previously thought and sharply raises projections of global sea level rise this century.The report by the international Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, or AMAP, is one of the most comprehensive updates on climate change in the Arctic, and builds on a similar assessment in 2005.

The full report will be delivered to foreign ministers of the eight Arctic nations next week, but an executive summary including the key findings was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

It says that Arctic temperatures in the past six years were the highest since measurements began in 1880, and that feedback mechanisms believed to accelerate warming in the climate system have now started kicking in.

It also shatters some of the forecasts made in 2007 by the U.N.'s expert panel on climate change.

The cover of sea ice on the Arctic Ocean, for example, is shrinking faster than projected by the U.N. panel. The level of summer ice coverage has been at or near record lows every year since 2001, AMAP said, predicting that the Arctic Ocean will be nearly ice free in summer within 30-40 years.AMAP also said the U.N. panel was too conservative in estimating how much sea levels will rise – one of the most closely watched aspects of global warming because of the potentially catastrophic impact on coastal cities and island nations.The melting of Arctic glaciers and ice caps, including Greenland's massive ice sheet, are projected to help raise global sea levels by 35 to 63 inches (90-160 centimeters) by 2100, AMAP said, though it noted that the estimate was highly uncertain.That's up from a 2007 projection of 7 to 23 inches (19-59 centimeters) by the U.N. panel, which didn't consider the dynamics of ice caps in the Arctic and Antarctica.

"The observed changes in sea ice on the Arctic Ocean, in the mass of the Greenland ice sheet and Arctic ice caps and glaciers over the past 10 years are dramatic and represent an obvious departure from the long-term patterns," AMAP said in the executive summary.

The organization's main function is to advise the nations surrounding the Arctic – the U.S., Canada, Russia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland – on threats to the Arctic environment.

The findings of its report – Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic – will be discussed by some of the scientists who helped compile it at a conference starting Wednesday in the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

Mani is likely to drop Ponniyin Selvan

Director Mani Ratnam was actively involved in the groundwork of 'Ponniyin Selvan' and was making all arrangements to get the film on floors .
He had in fact roped in Vijay, Mahesh Babu, Anushka, Priyanka Chopra and others for this movie. But, it now looks like, the film may be dropped. Sources close to Mani Ratnam say that the director is likely to drop the project but has not disclosed any reasons for it.
Several actors in the past have expressed their desire to make 'Ponniyin Selvan' and notable among them are MG Ramachandran and Kamal Haasan. Though, both of them announced the project they could not go further with it, it may be recalled.

President Obama confirms death of Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans, was killed in an operation led by the United States, President Barack Obama said on Sunday.

"Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaida, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children," Obama said in a surprise late night White House address.

The world's most wanted man had been killed in a Pakistani compound in an operation on Sunday, which had been carried after cooperation from Islamabad, the US leader said.

Obama said in the historic address from the White House that he had directed the US armed forces to launch an attack against a compound in Pakistan on Sunday acting on a lead that first emerged last August.

"A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties."
A jubilant crowd gathered outside the White House as word spread of bin Laden's death after a global manhunt that lasted nearly a decade.

"Justice has been done," the president said.

The development comes just months before the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, orchestrated by bin Laden's al-Qaida organization, that killed more than 3,000 people.

The attacks set off a chain of events that led the United States into wars in Afghanistan, and then Iraq, and America's entire intelligence apparatus was overhauled to counter the threat of more terror attacks at home.

Al-Qaida organization was also blamed for the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some foiled.

KO - REVIEW

The film Starrer with Jeeva (Ashwin), Karthika (Renu), Ajmal (Vasanthan), Prakash Raj, etc.It has  all the ingredients .Director K.V. Anand has done a great job here. It is purely a commercial movie which has all the  elements to be registered in people’s mind. Cinematography was excellent, Music was good, and Characterization was classy. ”Jeeva, Karthika, Piaa and Ajmal in the lead. Karthika & Jeeva are journalists working for a leading newspaper. Jeeva plays a photo journalist who does an investigative story that disappoints the political mafia that rules the state, Karthika and piaa are his colleage.The Movie starts with a bank Robbery with few people covering the bank & stealing Money, Jewels, etc. Jeeva get success in clicking their photos.

Ajmal is an IIT Passed out and wanted to join the political party to change the future of the India. So he starts a new community called “Sirugugal” which is run by the young generation group. The Election fever  was on, so all the political party was on song for the public support.Jeeva covers the election story and showcases the other politicians and their  illegal works, meanwhile Ajmal is busy with his campaign and helps poor people and gains a place in their heart.Both heroines love Jeeva and the Movie  heads to a love triangle but it was not supposed to be.Piaa understands the true feeling between Jeeva & Karthiga and leaves them.Ajmal in the meantime organises a big meet where all people gather around. Suddenly bomb explodes there  and many lose their lives and some escape with injuries.Piaa dies in the accident. 

The first half is all about Race, Chase, Romance, Drama etc. 

The second half starts with scenes  very devastating which makes  Ajmal to get out that political rage. He  announces his step back from the political career.Jeeva finds a clue for the death of Piaa, from a shot captured during the accident in which Piaa was murdered. He starts collecting the details . On the other hand Ajmal was forced to lead the community once again; first he refuses & then accepts to proceed. When he started it was 10% support but now it was 50% support. Election ends and as expected  Ajmal’s Sirugugal wins & Ajmal becomes the CM. Jeeva traces & finds out the person behind the blast which was none other than the one who escaped from the bank robbery. Then the film starts blasting where a lots of twists and turns arrive.

The most admirable aspect is the fact that despite the slumps in narration, the film manages to engage and has us hooked to the proceedings from the word go and carries us to an interesting and intelligent climax. The twist in climax is the biggest plus. Overall, Ko impresses, entertains and is likely to click with all kinds of audience.