Life, Style, Lifestyle and more......

Restaurant Review - Arusuvai Arasu, Chennai.

2010-08-31T21:35:00.003+05:30

This joint by the king of delicacies (Arusuvai Arasu) Mr. Natrajan. He is thus also called Arusuvai Natrajan. It is located in East Coast Road in Chennai and recently a branch in G N Chetty Road has started.

Sri Arusuvai Natrajan has been caterer to many Indian marriages for very many years and this venture is by one of the best man in the industry.

Arusuvau Arasu is a pure veg south Indian restaurant. It has all traditional south Indian menu including a-la-carte and meals. Recently they have also introduced chat items. But I would consider south Indian cuisine to be their forte. The one at ECR has better ambience than the one at G N Chetty Road because of sea breeze, more area and location.

The pluses of this hotel would be good food quality, minuses would be some items being bit costly.

This is one good place of food I would recommend to south Indian cuisine lovers.

Funny Video 3 - Stupid people and funny bloopers!!!

2010-08-23T20:03:00.000+05:30

Restaurant Review - A2B Restaurant, Adyar Ananda Bhavan, Chennai.

2010-08-15T15:54:00.005+05:30

Ananda Bhavan or Adyar Ananda Bhavan as it is known famously is a chain of restaurants which opened initially in Adyar and expanded in areas like Mylapore and T Nagar.

This started as a sweets and snacks shop but diversified into a restaurant chain called A2B Restaurant. This is a multi-cuisine restaurant. I would consider this to be the cheapest and best in Chennai. But then non-availability of some items especially in Mylapore joint makes one feel bad. The one in L B Road, Adyar is much better with some new items like kambu cholam dosai and ragi dosai and specialities like bread pakoda and chat items. I love the bread pakoda available there. It consists of bread coated with groundnut flour, fried in oil and stuffed with masala and paneer. Paneer in bread pakoda makes this really special. Apart from this, I also love chat items like bhel puri, sev puri, dahi papdi etc and special chat items like special tokri chat and katori chat. I would recommend people to taste the special delicacies at L B Road branch. Veechu parotta is really superb. It may not be available on all days, but is very tasty.

The quality of specialities here are very good and food is really available at reasonable price. But do not expect much in terms of ambience in mylapore branch. L B Road branch has better ambience.

I would suggest people to visit this place for lunch and evening snacks.

Video of the week - Narayanamurthy on his successor.

2010-08-11T20:44:00.001+05:30

Restaurant Review - Murugan Idly Shop, Chennai.

2010-08-07T12:34:00.003+05:30

Murugan Idly shop, Chennai.

Started as a humble idly shop in Madurai, this expanded really as a south Indian high quality restaurant in Madurai and Chennai. In Chennai, it is located in Besant Nagar and T Nagar.

(Murugan Idli Shop at G N Chetty Road, T Nagar).

The speciality with this is the tradition it has maintained. It serves distinct south Indian traditional cuisine including tamarind rice (pulianchaadam), chakkara pongal, ven pongal. Apart from this there are usual iteme like idly, dosa, vada, uttapam etc. Take it from me, you cannot get all of these traditional delicacies together in any other joint.

There is one lunch (mini meal) available for around INR 50 which contains Tamarind rice, sambar rice, curd rice, sidedishes and appalam. The one at North Usman road in T Nagar also has a separate floor for unlimited south Indian meals.

But you may find big time crowd during lunch hours as there are lots of companies located nearby. Service may get slow during that time.

All in all, I would rate this restaurant from good to very good.

Interesting read - 'Solar tsunami' may hit Earth anytime: Scientists

2010-08-04T20:27:00.002+05:30

The Earth could be hit by a 'solar tsunami' anytime now as an unusually complex magnetic eruption on the Sun has flung a large cloud of electrically charged particles towards our planet, scientists have warned.

Several satellites, including NASA's new Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), recorded on Sunday a small solar flare erupting above sunspot 1092, the size of the Earth.

The satellites also recorded a large filament of cool gas stretching across the Sun's northern hemisphere also exploded into space.

The explosion, called a coronal mass ejection, was aimed directly towards Earth, which then sent a 'solar tsunami' racing 93 million miles across space. When the violent cloud hits, which could be anytime now, it could spark aurorae in the skies around the poles and pose a threat to satellites, although not a severe one, it said.

Despite being separated by hundreds of thousands of kilometres, the two events may be linked, said astronomers who studied the images from SDO that hint at a shock wave travelling from the flare into the filament.

"These are two distinct phenomena but they are obviously related," said Len Culhane, a solar physicist at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London.

Experts said the wave of supercharged gas will likely reach the Earth on Tuesday, when it will buffet the natural magnetic shield protecting Earth.

It is likely to spark spectacular displays of the aurora or northern and southern lights.

"This eruption is directed right at us," said Leon Golub, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics.

"It's the first major Earth-directed eruption in quite some time," Golub was quoted as saying by the Telegraph.

Scientists recently discussed the implications of volatile space weather at the Space Weather Enterprise Forum. One of the biggest concerns is the potential for a major blackout.

Daniel Baker, Space Scientist, University of Colorado-Boulder says, " One of the that things we really saw the major impacts would be on the power grid. That a major storm could cause immense damage. It could cause major blackouts that could last for weeks, possibly months or even years."

In August 2003 a computer malfunction played a major role in the US's worst blackout putting 50 million people in the dark, including all of New York City.

The effects of a solar storm on the power grid are still unknown, but researchers are trying to assure they are prepared for the worst case scenarios.

Richard Fisher, head of NASA's Heliophysics Division says, "Hours is okay, you can get along. A few people stuck in elevators, a few people on heart-lung machine, it's very important for them. As you go into days our water supplies are impacted. And that's an essence of life. So it's potentially a devastating blow. But we think it's an unlikely blow."

NASA recently warned that Britain could face widespread power blackouts as well and be left without critical communication signals for long periods of time, after the earth is hit by a once-in-a-generation 'space storm'.

Earlier scientists had said that they believed the Earth would be hit with unprecedented levels of magnetic energy from solar flares after the Sun wakes "from a deep slumber" sometime around 2013.

It remains unclear, however, how much damage this latest eruption will cause the world's communication tools.

Dr Lucie Green, of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Surrey, who followed the flare-ups using Japan's orbiting Hinode telescope, said this was a very rare event.

"Not one, but two almost simultaneous eruptions from different locations on the Sun were launched toward the Earth.

"These eruptions occur when immense magnetic structures in the solar atmosphere lose their stability and can no longer be held down by the Sun's huge gravitational pull. Just like a coiled spring suddenly being released, they erupt into space."

"This means we have a very good chance of seeing major and prolonged effects, such as the northern lights at low latitudes."

So how should individuals prepare for solar storms?

Richard Fisher says, "I think a little bit of extra water, a couple of flashlights, and a transistor radio are a few good things to have."

Scientists are preparing, too.

(Source: NDTV)

Travelogue - Madurai and Kodaikanal: Part 3.

2010-08-02T21:00:00.001+05:30

Just on the way back from Berijam lake, we saw a very good view point. It is called the Coaker's walk. It 's truly a walker's paradise as the name suggests. We were simply spell bound with some of the most beautiful views. Just check this out.....

We wrapped up our trip to Madurai and Kodaikanal with a visit to Silver cascade falls:

View from a view point:

This is a view of the surroundings from the same viewpoint:

And here is the close-up:

A view of God Vishnu (the protector god in the Hindu mythology).

So, it was a superb trip to one of the most sacred pilgrimages and the most famous and beautiful hill stations. Kodaikanal also seems to have got commercialized like Ooty but if you want to enjoy the nature's bounty then "be lost" in to one of those view points or walks along the mountains.

Restaurant Review - Punjab Restaurant.

2010-07-31T12:00:00.000+05:30

Delhi is especially known for Punjabi cuisine. And this restaurant does full justuce to that. This place has been there since long time in Ajmal Khan road, Karol Bagh and one of my favorites. I remember my hay days when I used to buy samosas in the evenings whenever snacks was not available at home. At that time there used to be a non-AC restaurant and a place for making and serving chats and sweets. It was initially called Punjab sweets corner.

Now it has grown into a biggie. Now called Punjab Restautant, this has all the needs of a good restaurant, superb food, quick service, couteous staff etc. Dont go by its name because it does not only serve Punjabi food but also South Indian items, chats and chinese cuisine.

Apart from a-la-carte items, you can also oget deluxe thali (Punjabi meal) for INR 150 which is reasonable enough. The meal includes 2 pieces bread, 3 tandoori side-dishes, one rice item, sweet, papad, salad, pickle etc.

Problems: Crowded, being in main area and a commercial centre, and at the corner which is the intersection of Ajmal Khan Road and Valmiki marg. Service may become a little bit slow during peak hours.

But as it is for any other restaurant in Delhi, the superior food quality will make sure you would complain neither about the crowd nor about the slower service.

Interesting read - Stocks and bonds to become hazardous to wealth?

2010-07-27T10:00:00.000+05:30

Within the next 20 years, the most profound changes in economic history will sweep the globe. The economic chaos and turbulence that we are now experiencing are merely the opening salvos in what will prove to be a long, disruptive period of adjustment.

At least that's my theory, and careful investors owe it to themselves to hear me out. If I'm right, long-term investing in stocks and bonds will deliver lackluster returns at best and be destroyers of wealth at worst.

To explain why, I need to tell you about how "Three Es" -- the economy, energy and the environment -- are interconnected and why we need to consider all three at once.

The first "E" refers to the economy. Even if we were to limit our analysis to this realm only, I could make a compelling case that stocks and bonds face the most daunting structural headwinds seen in generations. As I argued in The Great Asset Bubble, as baby boomers transition from being net savers to net spenders, this will have a dramatic downward effect on the value of the stocks, bonds and real estate that they will need to sell.

Further, we might note that the developed world has doubled its debt load over the past 10 years and seems unlikely to be able to do so again. Even more dramatically, there has been an explosive expansion in unmatched pension and entitlement liabilities. Without these increases in debt and unfunded liabilities, global growth over the past decade would have been a great deal less than it was.

Source: Federal Reserve

Figure 1: Total credit market debt in the U.S. doubled from $26 trillion to $52 trillion between Jan 2000 and Jan 2009. It also doubled in the 1990's, as it did in the 1980's. Can it double again? To continue the trend, it would need to go to $104 trillion in the 'twenty-teens' somehow piling on an incremental $52 trillion, or more than $5 trillion a year.

Can debt continue its parabolic growth? If it doesn't, it's safe to say that the behavior of the economy that most investors accept as "the way things work" will change, and probably quite dramatically. By extension, much of what we've learned about investing in stocks and bonds during this period will mislead rather than guide.

The Second "E" -- Energy

When we bring in the second "E," energy, the story quickly compounds in urgency. Our economy is dependent on growth. Not just any kind of growth, but some percentage growth every year. Not much, just three or four percent -- but such growth is an absolute requirement for stocks to grow and for bonds to get paid back, at least in aggregate.

Petroleum -- oil -- is the undisputed king of fuels that drive economic expansion. It has no substitutes and no replacements. And it is depleting. There is growing alignment between various government and private institutions in predicting the date when an irreversible peak of oil production will occur. This does not mean "running out," mind you, just that slightly less and less will be available each year -- though at increasing extraction costs, despite our best efforts.

Some say the peak has already happened (not me), some say it will happen by 2015 (I'm with them), and a shrinking few say it will be around 2020. We have no substitutes ready to take its place. Alternative fuels are decades away from being able to operate at a scale sufficient to make up for the gap left by depleting oil.

To a long-term investor, none of these are acceptable outcomes because they all indicate that the mechanism of economic growth and wealth creation will profoundly change within zero to 10 years.

It's easy to model, predict or even intuit that a peak in oil will coincide with a peak in economic output. After Peak Oil, when there is incrementally less oil to divvy up across the global landscape, economic growth will stagnate and then decline.

The Third "E" -- The Environment

What else comes with Peak Oil? A peak in everything that depends on oil, which brings us to the minerals and other resources that we secure from the environment. Again, this is not a story of "running out" -- this is a story where things get just a little bit harder and a little bit more expensive. As a result, fewer and fewer resources will come up out of the ground and course through our economic body.

We can already see the possibility of reserve depletion of five key mineral ores over the next 15 years:

Source: www.theoildrum.com

Figure 2: Left to right, the first five elements are: Strontium, Silver, Antimony, Gold and Zinc.

Does all economic activity cease with the depletion of a few key elements? No, of course not. But neither does our economy continue to operate in precisely the same way that it did when demand alone dictated supply.

And that's my key message here. There is a wealth of data suggesting that a period of profound change is either already upon us or coming soon enough to capture the attention of any serious long-term investor. We can no longer constrain our thinking to just one "E," the economy.

Conclusion

If my thesis and data are correct, corporate earnings will falter in the coming years. The vital ingredients needed for economic growth will be in short supply, and stocks will fail to grow. Similarly, bonds require repayment of both the principal and the interest components, which means that, in aggregate, bond values are explicitly dependent on growth. Yet Peak Oil looms in the near distance.

With this in mind, our financial models go straight out the window. We'll need new thoughts, tools and expertise to guide us towards wealth creation and maintenance. Stocks and bonds in general simply will not behave as they have in the past as we enter a new world of constant economic shrinkage. Current discount models feed on earnings growth and compounding interest that will no longer be obtainable.

In a world without continuous economic growth, we'll need a lot more than a formulaic approach allocating assets into broad market categories. Investing will have to transition away from following time-tested formulas that no longer apply. It will require a good understanding of the changing circumstances and their effects. We'll need an exceptional amount of due diligence in order to pick out the individual winners from the losers.

As I see it, trends in energy and the environment have gained too much momentum to mitigate, and global economic stagnation is the new normal. Though more effort will be required than in the past, those who can understand this and adapt have a good chance of preserving and even growing their wealth. Unfortunately, most will miss the turn. Don't be among them.

(Source: Yahoo Finance)

Funny Video 2.

2010-07-25T10:00:00.001+05:30

Compilation fo funny video. Enjoy your week-end.

Restaurant Review - Saravana Bhawan, Chennai.

2010-07-23T20:00:00.000+05:30

In my opinion and as far as I have heard, this is the best south Indian restaurant in terms of food quality and uniform standards of food preparation and service. Saravana Bhavan is a chain of restaurants head-quartered in Chennai and located at many places in India and around the world. There is one in Connaught Place in Delhi and many in Chennai.

The best thing about this is that they are time-tested. They have rendered quality since day 1 and are continuing to maintain and striving to improve quality even to this date. They also have diversified into Italian, Gujrati and Rajasthani cuisines wherein they have performed decently well. But South Indian cuisine is their forte. The yummy dosas, uttappams, vadais, rice items, meals etc are hallmarks of this chain of eateries. 14 idly is a speciality of this place. It is nothing but 14 small idlies in a small tray drowned in yummy sambar. A more recent addition has been paneer dosa. It serves masala milk in the evening which is again a Saravana Bhavan speciality. It has self-service as well as full-fledged service restaurants. So, this caters to all segments of people.

Pluses: Quality, standard, good service, self as well as full service and diversification into other cuisines.

Limitations: Some people, especially Chennai's locals find this place too costly. They have another complaint, viz. quantity of food has reduced considerably over the years vis-a-vis the cost. For example the size of Dosa or uttapam or quantity of rice has reduced.

But still, they have maintained the same flavour and taste in their delicacies over a period of time, which many restaurants have failed to do.

Video of the week - Murali magic !

2010-07-22T20:03:00.002+05:30

Kumble speaks on Muthiah Muralitharan's magic on his retirement...

(Source: NDTV)

Travelogue - Madurai and Kodaikanal: Part 2.

2010-07-21T19:29:00.000+05:30

We then went to Kurinji andavar temple which is a temple of lord Kartikeya who is the main deity in Kodaikanal.

The temple: It is said to be a sub-temple of Palani which is one of the six sacred abodes or Arupadaivedu of lord Kartikeya.

The handsome lord:

Image: Kurinjiandavar, Kodaikanal.

Lord Dandayutapani, Palani.

Our next target was to reach Berijam lake which is a high altitude lake located more than 20 kms from Kodaikanal:

For this we needed to get permission from the forest rangers which we got. The route to this lake was through dense forests, but I was stunned by the nature's beauty and bounty there. There was no question of any pollution or big crowd there, though there were some vehicles going towards the lake.

These are the sort of the places I am talking about, totally stress relieving and pure. See this ......

This is the view of the lake from one of the view points on the side of the road leading to the lake:

And then we reached the lake ........

Rest in the next post. Meanwhile do keep visiting.

Interesting read - Fake court and fake police station.

2010-07-20T19:11:00.002+05:30

'Fake' is a big industry in Indian cities. But while fake medicine or fake mark sheets are common place, a bunch of conmen took the art of faking to quite another level. They ran a fake police station and a fake court in the heart of Chennai.

The modus operandi was to target innocent victims looking for legal succour. Pretending to help them, the gang would extort money from the other party threatening police and legal action. The gang had even appointed inspectors and a judge to fool gullible people.

The racket was busted with the arrest of two members of the gang. Ten others are absconding.

The police are red-faced. "When greed takes over man anything may happen...But whenever it comes to our notice we act ruthlessly," offered Shakeel Akther, Additional Commissioner of Police, Chennai. But the Chennai Police are hard put to explain the sheer audacity with which the gang went about its business in the city.

(Source: NDTV).

Video of the week - Funny video.

2010-07-17T20:58:00.003+05:30

So here are our funny videos for this week so that you can just enjoy your week-end happily. Here we go...

Restaurant review - Gyan Vaishnav Dhaba, Chennai.

2010-07-16T10:14:00.001+05:30

This mini Punjab in Chennai has big history of its own. Earlier, Vellore (In Tamil Nadu, South India) lacked good restaurants. There were not many restaurants near the bus stand and railway station. This dhaba was started initially in Vellore. For this reason, this dhaba is also called Vellore's Gyan Vaishnav.

The owner, a sardarji is wonderful and courteous. Gyan Vaishnav dhaba is a specialist Punjabi joint. I bet this is one of the best dhabas in Chennai. And am big fan of this.

You can find lot of portraits in the dhaba- One features the owner standing with Shah Rukh Khan, and the other, with Amitabh Bachhan doing the grand gala innauguration of the great dhaba.

I have probably diverted too much away from the topic 'food'. Ok ok... Let's come back to the main matter. The dhaba is pure veg as the name 'Vaishnav' suggests. It is completely air-conditioned. It attracts huge crowds during lunch and evening times of the weekdays and week-end evenings.

The menu consists of a sum total of all Punjabi veg items. You can start with one or more of the manchurians and 65s (Gobi, Paneer). Some prime dishes being Tandoori breads like Naan (Plain, butter, garlic, kashmiri), Roti (plain, ghee, romali, makki), Parantha (Tava, Tandoori, Paneer, Aloo, Gobi, Meti) , Kulcha, Chole Bhature. The sidedishes are malai kofta, chilly paneer, kaju paneer, paneer butter masala, kadai vegetable, bhindi do pyaza, baingan bharta and scores of others. Apart from the a-la-carte items, the dhaba also offers thali or meals. Apart from Punjabi thali, a special Jain thali is also available. Jain thali does not have onion and garlic. Still the dhaba has expertise in bringing flavour and taste to the Jain thali.

You can finish your delicious lunch or dinner by having badam kheer or lassi. These two dishes, though not being part of the meal, is irresistible because of the flavour.

This dhaba is also not devoid of its limitations. Some people may find it a bit costly. You may find it crowded almost daily. Lassi is sometimes a bit too sweet than required.

But all in all, this dhaba has some really good authentic punjabi cuisine. It is located in mount road (anna salai) in Chennai near Anand theatre.

Video of the week - The 'peepl'e person

2010-07-15T09:00:00.002+05:30

It's Aamir at music launch of 'peepli', his new film. Watch him as he plays drums and sings !

(Source: NDTV)

Travelogue - Madurai and Kodaikanal: Part 1.

2010-07-14T09:15:00.003+05:30

Madurai:

Also called the city of temples, it is located in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the major pilgrimage centres. The most famous amongst the temples is the goddess Meenakshi temple. There is also one St. Joseph’s church but we couldn’t find time to visit there. Nor could we visit Meenakshi temple because of some big festival held there.

I am giving details of the places we visited in this post. The first place we visited was the temple of lord Azhagar (also called Sundararaja Perumal temple or Kallazhagar temple). It is one of the 108 Divya desamsdivya desams is said to have been done by Ramanuja who is placed in the level just below lord Vishnu himself. or sacred shrines of Vishnu. The classification of

So, here are few snaps of the temple:

The Rajagopuram or the spire in the main gate.

A view of the temple complex:

You can find lots of Monkeys outside the temple complex.

Beware of these dangerous human predecessors. They can snatch away your belongings. They sit in trees as a clout.

Our next visit was to the Murugan or Kartikeya temple at Pazhamudircholai which is the sixth amongst the six sacred abodes of the lord which are also called Arupadaiveedu.

We then went to Vedanta Desikar temple.......

and then to Koodalazhagar temple

After this we went to Kodaikanal by road, the next day. The route we took was the Madurai-Vathlakkundu-Kodai Road-Kodaikanal. One normally pass through only one hill while climbing to a hill station due to which there is a constant increase in altitude. But while going to Kodaikanal, one passes through many hills. One needs to climb up and down a hill and then sevral such hills might make one feel giddy. So just be careful in this route.

Rest everything seems to be totally fine in this place - much less commercialized as compared to Ooty. You may not have much siteseeing to be done at Kodaikanal but can find much of the nature's beauty in and around the city.

Here you can find the places we visited and their snaps.

Kodai lake:

There have been occasions earlier when wild bulls have attacked the Kodai lake region from open unfenced jungles along the corner of the lake like these.

More snaps........

Part 2 of this post will appear the coming week. Please do keep visiting.

Interesting read - Solar storms.

2010-07-13T11:00:00.001+05:30

The sun is about to get a lot more active, which could have ill effects on earth. So to prepare, top sun scientists met Tuesday to discuss the best ways to protect Earth's satellites and other vital systems from the coming solar storms that can damage power systems. The sun's activity typically follows an 11-year cycle, and it looks to be coming out of a slump and gearing up for an active period.Solar storms occur when sunspots on our star erupt and spew out flumes of charged particles.

"The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and in the next few years we expect to see much higher levels of solar activity," said Richard Fisher, head of NASA's Heliophysics division "At the same time, our technological society has developed an unprecedented sensitivity to solar storms. The intersection of these two issues is what we're getting together to discuss."

Bad news for gizmos

People of the 21st century rely on high-tech systems for the basics of daily life. But smart power grids, GPS navigation, air travel, financial services and emergency radio communications can all be knocked out by intense soilar activity.

A major solar storm could cause twenty times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina, warned the National Academy of Sciences in a 2008 report, "Severe Space Weather Event —Societal and Economic Impacts." [Photos: Sun storms.]

Luckily, much of the damage can be mitigated if managers know a storm is coming. That's why better understanding of solar weather, and the ability to give advance warning, is especially important.

Putting satellites in 'safe mode' and disconnecting transformers can protect electronics from damaging electrical surges.

"Space weather forecasting is still in its infancy, but we're making rapid progress," said Thomas Bogdan, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space weather prediction centre in Boulder, Colo.

Eyes on the sun

NASA and NOAA work together to manage a fleet of satellites that monitor the sun and help to predict its changes.

A pair of spacecraft called STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is stationed on opposite sides of the sun, offering a combined view of 90 percent of the solar surface. In addition, SDO (the Solar Dynamics Observatory), which just launched in February 2010, is able to photograph solar active regions with unprecedented spectral, temporal and spatial resolution. Also, an old satellite called the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), which launched in 1997, is still chugging along monitoring winds coming off the sun. And there are dozens more dedicated to solar science.

"I believe we're on the threshold of a new era in which space weather can be as influential in our daily lives as ordinary terrestrial weather." Fisher said. "We take this very seriously indeed."

Click here for a video on the solar storm.

(Source: Yahoo news)

The new world order of football.

2010-07-12T11:34:00.002+05:30

Octopus Paul gets it right this year also. As per his predictions, Germany won the third spot as consolation for not being able to make it big this year. But the real change has been brought about by Spain. With a thumping win in yesterday's grand finale, they have not only become this year's football champs but also ending an era of Brazil and Argentina's dominion in this game.

So, Spain has created a new world order of football !!

We also have a non-human Nostra Damas in the form of a tentacled creature.

The grand finale !

2010-07-11T13:31:00.004+05:30

Octopus Paul gets one of his predictions for this year right. Germany beat Uruguay by 3 goals to 2 yesterday. Today is the D Day. Will Spain able to win as expected, or Holland spring up a surprise? Who will win - the Octopus Paul or the Bhagat, the Parrot? That will be decided tonight.

Video of the week: Of octopus and parakeet.

2010-07-10T12:42:00.004+05:30

The world cup football is as exciting as it is. On the field as well as off the field. It's Spain Vs Holland tommorrow on the field and Octupus Vs Parakeet off the field. Paul, the octopus predicts Spain's win in the WC whilst Mani, the Parakeet predicts the opposite. With on and off field competitions getting tighter, it would be good to see as to really who finally wins this year's WC.

And Bhagat, the parrot has predicted a win for Spain. Here you go....

Hmm. I thought Indians are superstitious, but I find that westerners are as superstitious as the Indians are.

A really inspiring interview by The Dalai Lama on the occasion of his birthday

2010-07-08T07:47:00.000+05:30

The Dalai Lama is truly an inspiration since he has struck the right balance between spirituality and science. This great legendary philisopher is and will always be my inspiration.

(Source: NDTV).

Restaurant review - Udupi Restaurant, Delhi

2010-07-07T09:00:00.005+05:30

This seems to be one amongst the most inspiring restaurants I can find in Delhi. Not only in terms of the food available but also the ambience. Specialities start from the very entry point. The below pictures show the way in to this place of food:

Udupi restaurant hosts an open-air garden restaurant and two air-conditioned restaurants.

This is a pure veg restaurant specializing in both North Indian and South Indian cuisines. You can order A-la-carte (individual items) or Thali (Meals). You can have North Indian as well as South Indian meals. You can have a mega North indian meal for INR 150. This meal would contain tandoori naan (with or without ghee), rice, Dal Makhni, Paneer side-dish, Raita, Salad, Pickle, Sweet, Papad etc. You can order Tandoori dishes A-la-carte.

South Indian meals include Rice, Kootu, Poriyal, Sambar, Rasam, Curd, Appalam, Pickle, Roti, Sweet etc. You can also order items individually, like Dosa (Plain, Masala, Rava, Onion Rava, Paneer, Ghee dosas), Uttapam (Plain, Onion etc), Rice items (Sambar, Curd rice).

Chat items like Bhel Puri, Masala Puri, Dahi Puri, Dahi Papdi, Kachodi, Samosa etc are also available. Do remember to get the taste of the delicious and variety Indian sweets like Halwa (North indian) and Mysore Pak (South Indian).

Though the name of the restaurant is of South Indian origin (Udupi is a place in Karnataka, South India), you can find a mix of Indian delicacies in this heaven of food on earth. This is located in Munirka near Munirka market in Delhi. This would surely be one of my all time favorites for long time to come.

Restaurant reviews.

2010-07-06T20:23:00.000+05:30

This blog will also feature reviews on restaurants in India. India is a country with rich cultural diversity and food is an important and indispensable part of Indian lives. The type of cuisine(s) available at various restaurants with each restaurant's speciality will be highlighted. The tastiest and the not so tasty items will also be mentioned. Hope this would be useful stuff for sure.

Further, I would also like to add more places of food outside India from time to time when I happen to visit any of them.

Happy Diwali !!

2009-10-17T08:24:00.002+05:30

Here is wishing one and all a very happy Diwali and a prosperous year ahead !!

The swine flu pandemic.

2009-08-11T14:12:00.003+05:30

The following is a reproduction of FAQ and information dossier on swine flu issued by Indian Medical Association:

What is H1N1 (swine) flu?

H1N1 (referred to as "swine flu" early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the

United States

in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and

Canada

, have also reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas.

In the beginning it was difficult to predict the effect of this virus on general population. In seasonal flu, there are certain people who are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people with 65 years of more age, children below five years, pregnant women, and people of any age with chronic medical conditions.

This virus is contagious but, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people. The symptoms of H1N1 swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhoea and vomiting associated with H1N1 swine flu. Severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and even deaths have been reported with H1N1 swine flu infection. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic diseases.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Fast breathing or difficulty in breathing

* Bluish or gray skin colour

* Not drinking enough fluids

* Severe or persistent vomiting

* Not waking up or not interacting

* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath

* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

* Sudden dizziness

* Confusion

* Severe or persistent vomiting

* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

How do you catch H1N1 (swine) flu?

Spread of H1N1 (swine) flu can occur in two ways:

H1N1 virus appears to be transmitted the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people can infect others right from day one even before they themselves develop any symptoms up to seven or more days after becoming sick. That means that one can pass on the infection to someone else before he/she even knows that he/she is sick, as well as while one is sick.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against H1N1 (swine) flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

* If you get sick with influenza, you should stay at home and not go for work or school and limit contact with others to prevent them from getting infecting by you.

* Reduce the time spent in the crowded settings.

* Improve airflow in the living space by opening the windows and proper ventilation.

* Practice good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.

How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?

Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches his own eyes, mouth or nose before washing hands.

Are there medicines to treat H1N1 (swine) flu?

Yes, use of oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu?) or zanamivir (brand name Relenza ?) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these H1N1 (swine) influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within two days of symptoms).

Follow the advice of your local public health department regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other measures to reduce flu transmission. These measures will continue to be important after a novel H1N1 vaccine is available because they can prevent the spread of other viruses that cause respiratory infections.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where people have been identified with new H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhoea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people, except to seek medical care. If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed.

Antiviral drugs may reduce the symptoms and duration of illness, just as they do for seasonal influenza. They also may contribute to preventing severe disease and death. WHO is in touch with public health authorities and clinicians in affected countries and is gathering information about how effective the drugs are.

What about using a mask? What does WHO recommend?

If you are not sick you do not have to wear a mask. If you are caring for a sick person, you can wear a mask when you are in close contact with the ill person and dispose of it immediately after contact, and clean your hands thoroughly afterwards.

If you are sick and have to travel or be around others, cover your mouth and nose.

Using a mask correctly in all situations is essential. Incorrect use actually increases the chance of spreading infection.

How do I know if I have influenza A (H1N1)?

You will not be able to tell the difference between seasonal flu and influenza A (H1N1) without medical help. Typical symptoms to watch for are similar to seasonal viruses and include fever, cough, headache, body aches, sore throat and runny nose. Only your medical practitioner and local health authority can confirm a case of influenza A (H1N1). If they suspect any symptoms they will send your blood sample, throat swab and nasopharyngeal (nose to mouth) for testing to laboratories. Presently this facility is available only at certain specified government laboratories

Video of the week: Mumbai's high tide - highest in 100 years.

2009-07-30T17:10:00.005+05:30

The torture teacher.

2009-04-17T20:03:00.002+05:30

We often talk about teachers being strict on students; to inculcate discipline or to make students excel and shine. But there have been incidents where the limits have been crossed and the teachers have gone overboard. I call them torture teachers or terror teachers or terrorist teachers. They might not at all be the majority, but some baddies spoil the name of the entire teacher's clout.

One such incident has happened in Delhi in one of the Municipal Corporation schools when a child was punished severely. On not doing her homework, Shanno Khan's head was banged over a bench and then asked to stand in sun for hours on before she became unconscious. Then she was shifted to a nearby hospital and kept under life support. But nothing could save her, as she succumbed to the corporal punishment.

I would consider it as a failure in the system. The government should provide counseling to teachers and parents on sensitivities involved and care to be taken while handling a child. The accused torture teacher should be treated as criminals by our legal system. It is the collective failure and thus collective responsibility of all of us belonging to the civilized society to ensure that incidents of such gravity should not happen. Only then this world would become a better place to live in for us and for our future (generations).

Sehwag - the sizzler !

2009-03-11T19:22:00.004+05:30

That's true and when he starts, the opponent only wonders when the action is gonna end. He is the bowler's nightmare. He can be accused of inconsistencies but he has provided is with some moments to cherish with his tremendous shots. Well, if you are a bowler not from the Indian team, you would certainly not be happy with this. Here is a man who is a bowler's nightmare.

His stunning innings has led to India's historic victory over the New Zealanders in their own land. A win after 41 years is considered to be really a great moment for India. When such a batting is evident, even records are definitely destined to be broken. This was seen in Sehwag's ton in 60 balls which is the best knock ever by an Indian, thereby breaking the record of Mohammad Azharuddin with a 62 ball ton.

Hope this is carried on forever. India needs ro create many

The terrorising numbers

2009-03-10T17:30:00.000+05:30

This is a shocking email I got recently. This might be in circulation, but still thought might be in the interest of the civilized society. Here it goes.

"Please take care.

If someone asks you to dial '#09' or '#90', please do not dial this when asked, please circulate urgently.

This is the new Trick of Jehadi Muslim Terrorists to Frame Innocent People!!

If you receive a phone call on your Mobile from any person saying that they are checking your mobile line, and you have to press #90 or #09 or any other number. End this call immediately without pressing any numbers. Friends there is a fraud company using a device that once you press #90 or #09 they can access your SIM card and make calls at your expense. Forward this message to as many friends as u can, to stop it.

This information has been confirmed by both Motorola and Nokia.

There are over 3 million affected mobile phones. You can check this news at CNN web site also."

Recovering Bapu's heritage.

2009-03-06T16:33:00.003+05:30

Some of the most priced but yet priceless possessions of the father of Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi are all set to come back to India. These are the glasses he wore, the plate he used to eat, a tumbler and his blood count report from Lady Irwin hospital, New Delhi.

The items were under hammer as they were put on auction in the wee hours of today. Even after much protests from India and all across the world and the last minute pull out attempt by collector James Otis, the auction went on. There was also a Delhi High court stay on the auction. So, Indian g9vernment could not participate directly in the auction. It claims to have worked in close cooperation with Vijay Mallya, a leading industrialist and owner of the United Breweries group here. His was the highest bid of $ 1.8 million or Rs.9 crore. This has saved India's legacy. There are speculations that these will give donated free of cost to the Indian government.

There is a short waiting time for these items, for 1 week for the auctioneers to see whether there are any other claimants for these before they could be handed over to India.

My views: Why does the Indian government on the first place ignore such objects of national importance? Now that the legacy has been retrieved, they should try to declare these as items of national prode and heritage. The government should also try to make a list of all similar items that could have been looted from India in the past and make efforts to recover them.

We as people should see Gandhijis vision and the mission he accomplished to achieve his vision. It is not only through our thoughts, but also care for all the movable and immovable properties related to this great man, can we really claim really that we are following his footsteps.

Jai Hind !

The cricket carnage.

2009-03-03T13:32:00.002+05:30

Now, this is too much. It was the civilian population which was targeted by the terrorist attacks. Sportsmen were fired upon by unidentified masked men in an area that is supposed to be high security. The road leading to Gaddafi stadium was in utter commotion this morning when such an incident hapened with the ill-fated Sri Lankan cricket team. But they were lucky enough to escape without casualties.

The bus in which they were traveling wasn't a bullet-proofed one. With so much of security presence this could have been avoided. Why was the Pakistan team's cavalry not attacked? Why did thye Sri lannkan team at the first place go to Pakistan when they knew the situation there? With all these questions unanswered, I leave it for the viewers of this blog to decipher what would have hapened.

Democracy's D Day.

2009-03-02T14:11:00.003+05:30

The poll dates for the 15th Lok sabha (lower house) elections are announced and we will have the elections in 5 phases between April 16th to May 13th this year. With this announcement, the moral code of conduct of the Election Commission of India will be in place. The ruling party cannot use government machinery for their election campaigns as this would give them the undue edge over opposition. The latter would not have access to such a facility.

With all this happening, political parties in India have started their alliance game. We are all set to witness the elections to be held in one of the largest democracies in the world.

Reliving the moment.

2009-02-27T23:07:00.004+05:30

I am still out of words for the great achievement by Slumdog and especially the three great Indians, A R Rahman, Resul Pookuty and Gulzar. So I am expressing it through the following videos:

A R Rahman and Gulzar (Oscar for Jai Ho).

(Courtesy: Youtube).

Gulzar interview (Oscar shared with Rahman for Jai Ho).

Resul Pookuty (For best original sound mixing)

Nano - The people's car.

2009-02-24T21:36:00.002+05:30

The cheapest car in the world, Tata Motor's 'Nano' will be launched around March this year. Initially it will be made available to select customers, until bulk production starts by 2010. It was initially priced at Rs. 1 Lakh but was increased to around Rs. 1.34 Lacs beacuse of the Singur controversy due to which production was stopped.

Tata Nano:

It was then shifted to Gujarat. Initially only around 3000 cars will be produced every month befire mass production starts. It is believed that the car has been driven to various pilgrimage centres. Two things evolve now. This car would be rather test-driven to the pilgrimages, some of whom are atop hills proving its worthiness, as well as blessings sought. I am eagerly waiting to get one soon. So, come soon Nano !!!

Slumdog sweeps- Rules Oscars.

2009-02-23T10:00:00.005+05:30

Its really ruling the roost in the Oscars. As the academy award function is underway, I am deeply pleased that Slumdog Millionaire has bagged 8. A R Rahman, the Indian international music director has become the first Indian to win two Oscars in a ceremony held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles and watched by the world. He is also the fourth Indian ever to make to it. He has bagged for best original score and for the song "Jai Ho".

Resul Pookutty is yet another Indian to win for best sound mixing. Danny Boyle won for best director and Simon Beautulay, for best adapted screenplay.

Sean Penn and Kate Winslet won for best actor and actress (for a different movie). It's just now coming in that Slumdog has won the best picture award too. I am speechless.

Mylapore Teppam festival !

2009-02-21T14:19:00.000+05:30

Mylapore, a centrally located area in Chennai in south India, is always abuzz with events. Especially the tank of the temple of lord Kapaleeswara witnessed a lustrous event recently, The Teppam festival.

It is held during the Tamil month of Thai. The teppam is a type of boat or a water floating body on which considerable amount of artwork is done. On it the lord is usually seated. It is usually open on te four sides for people to watch any festive proceedings. On the serene and calm waters of the Mylapore tank were carried the main lord, Kapaleeswara on 9th February and on the next two days lord Singaravelar. There was a huge crowd to witness the event. Thanks to the police regulation and patrol, the event went through peacefully.

Here are some photos of this grand event:

The Oscar rumour !

2009-02-20T17:26:00.003+05:30

This is really shocking ! There is a rumour going around in the internet as a document containing the list of Oscar awardees. Even more surprising was that Slumdog has only been selected under two categories including the best director's award for Danny Boyle.

There is no award for A R Rahman according to the document !!!!

The Slumdog juggernaut !

2009-02-19T13:06:00.002+05:30

It does continue as Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire yet again sweeps the Brit awards with selections in seven categories including the award for best picture. This comes after the success in golden globe and the BAFTAS.

So, what's next? Oscars? Let's see.

Magic of the Marina.

2009-02-11T09:30:00.007+05:30

For those who don't know, this is a beach in Chennai, south India. This beach acts as a good short getaway for the Chennai junta. The cool breeze and the view of the sea is in itself a treat to watch and stress busting.

The Marina beach, Chennai, India:

Light house at the beach:

It is frequented by couples- both single and married. The best time to visit this is evening or night when you can see the beauty of it being lighted. The luxury and charm of strolling around the place and viewing the sea, eating bajjis, bhel puris or chat items are very common is unmatchable. Working individuals come here after hectic office schedule, spend an hour or two and forget office tensions.

Expressions of the sea:

Whilst there are better known beaches like those in Goa, Gokarna, Puri, Kovalam etc., for Chennaites at least, the Marina beach is an integral part of their lifestyle.

Nagesh.

2009-02-01T17:04:00.004+05:30

I am deeply shocked and saddened after hearing the news of the passing away of south Indian actor, Nagesh. He has always been known as a legendary comedian. Several of his films are still known and remembered by his fans. To name a few, Kadalikka Neramillai, Thillana Mohanambal, Server Sundaram, Pattanathil Bootham have been super duper hits.

His death was deeply mourned by all from Kollywood (Tamil film industry).

Chennai Metro Rail project.

2009-01-30T10:00:00.001+05:30

The success of Delhi Metro rail project is known to all. It is acting as the lifeline to Delhi's commuters. Delhi is known for its heavy road traffic, overcrowded buses........ movement was very difficult. With the coming of the metro, people could save time on commuting, in fact it was reduced. Substantial crowd in the road also reduced. With the coming of buses running on CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), air pollution also has been reduced to some extent.

Such a plan for Chennai was also indispensable. Chennai has rapidly grown, is expanding still. Most of the areas covered in the project would be those not so much covered otherwise. Connectivity between otherwise unconnected areas also increases.

It is a very good supplement to the already existing MRTC over-bridge rail between Chennai Beach and Perungudi. So, Chennai Metro is a great boon to Chennaites. In my opinion, it would enhance the lifestyle of Chennai.

India's shame.

2009-01-29T10:00:00.000+05:30

I am proud of my country for various reasons. Its varied culture, variety of languages, dialects and still unity for what it is known. But why the hesitation in welcoming new culture or a new thought.

I am a hindu Brahmin and a vaishnavaite. I believe in god Vishnu one of whose incarnations is god Ram. Sri Ram is known for his trueness to his wife, virtousness and honesty. And some people are creating havoc in the name of the same Ram. They have terribly misused his name.

The sequence of incidents that have happened in Mangalore in Karnataka, India have brought a huge shame for India. A group of girls were attacked and molested by a group of men from a Hindu organization called Sri Ram Sena. Its vice-president has been arrested after three days of the incident and the delay owing to his political connections.

First in first, violence of any sort is not welcome for any reason whatsoever. Further it is no one's business to go and stop anybody from going to pub or doing anything until it affects someone. It is up to the family of girls to question them or deal with the matter. And all pub goers do not consume alcohol or drugs. Men also visit pubs. In fact men can be much more devastating to the general public. Most (almost all) of the drunken driving culprits are men. So, infact men should first be stopped from this.

I am a teetotaller and am aware of the illeffects of alcohol and drugs. But moral policing is not the solution for the current problem. Late or no legal actions against the accused, and gimmicky remarks even from the so called secular political parties have only worsened the matter. The head of the group behind all these is feeling proud of whatever has hapened. He went on to say that girls are like his sisters. And this is the way he treats his sisters. He aleady has a large number of legal cases against him. So he is no angel.

I think India must get rid of these "internal terrorists" first. This will give us a lot of confort an concentration in tacling the main issue of cross-border terrorism. I dont want to post videos of this incident. I am deeply saddened, shocked. If this is the way we respect our women, then there is no way our soeciety can flourish. We need to change this.

I only remember Obama's speech when he took oath - "One is only known by what he /she creates, not what he/she destroys...." and "Change - Yes we can....". I think that more pressure on the administration and appeals to them would help in bringing the perpetrators of this heineous act to justice and would create a better place to live in for now and forever.

Indian cricket - the redefining.

2009-01-28T20:52:00.001+05:30

The haunting ghost called loss:

The pain of consecutive losses by Indian cricket in the past used to haunt on me like anything. I avoided seeing many matches. It was not my expectation of the team to deliver and be victorious in each and every match they play, but the feeling of oneness and patriotism And added to all that was match fixing by some which tainted the image of the game. India had many legendary players even at that time.

I, for some time had literally stopped watching this game.

The relief:
Some relief though came in the form of some youngsters who had athletic capabilities apart from being good cricketers.

Yuvraj Singh

Mohammad Kaif

Virender Sehwag

Some of them are still hanging on to the team with consistent performance.

Then came the man who is known for probably his most successful captaincy. Saurav Ganguly or Bengal Tiger or Dada as he was known, was also in controversy for several reasons like alleged absense from practice sessions, alleged irregularity in attandance or alleged attitude problem and what not. But according to me, he is one of the most spectacular player India has ever produced. And we do have a living legend in the form of Sachin Tendulkar. He has been in the helm of affairs for a very long time.

The renaissance:
But the person who has brought change into the game in Indian perspective is this man.......

Yes, Mahendra Singh Dhoni or shortly MS. These are his merits (my viewpoints):

Tactical- He is the captain with capabilities of forming tactics or carving out clear cut for taciling any kind of situation in the game. And most of them have been executed, and have worked well.
Consistent- He has been very consistent with his performance. Has never mixed and messed up with captaining and his personal performance.
Youth development- He is believed to be a person who constantly motivates everyone, espacially the youth. In fact, he is a role model for them. He himself is a youth for that matter.
Minimal controversies- I haven't heard of much controversies about this captain of India. Have anyone?
Calm and composure- He is "cool as a cucumber(sidhusim)" in any situation- normal or extreme. His unusual calm, usually is calm before the storm.
Out of the box- His thinking is simply out of the box. May it be bringing the last powerplay in the fag end (slog overs) of the game or banking on the power of youth or anything I might have left out.

This calm and composure and the habit of not panicking has dawned upon the entire Indian team. It is the calm and composed mind and self that makes correct decisions and does everythong right. I think this is one of the most important reasons of the winning habits of the team.

This was seen in today's game with Sri Lanka. The calmness was evident , with the team not giving away too many wickets even during demanding situations (just 4 till the end). The storm was the final powerplay during the slog overs and ofcourse the subsequrent victory for India.

Dhoni's performance in any format of the game, be it one-day, test or 20-20 is impeccable.

Is he the "Obama" of Indian cricket or world cricket for that matter? Or is it vice-versa?

Hmm.... Ok.... Let's hope that the juggernaut continues !!

About, as usual

2009-01-28T20:52:00.000+05:30

This blog aims to capture events in our life and lifestyle- my observations on them. I want to present it in this form, through this medium. I would like to cover various topics ranging from what's latest, movies, music, travel, tragedies, sports....... literally anything which appeals to me, which affects me, which influences me, my thoughts, my actions etc.