A Long Walk Home....

I shot this picture when I was trekking in a rural locale about 60 km from Bangalore. The picture was obviously shot from atop a hill. This image shows how this villager has to struggle to lead her life. She is ok with the risk of walking along the railway tracks for long distances to collect firewood from the forest. Life is so easy for us in the city and yet we still complain that government is not doing enough. Here is this lady who has to walk long distances over uneven ground just to survive... It is time we appreciate the good things we have...

Accessories for your Harley Davidson

America has a few non-negotiable icons. One of them is the legendary Harley Davidson Motorcycle, the dream machine of every biker in the world. The motorcycle is one of the most popular, desired and revered two wheeled steed in the US. During my short stay in the Texas, US I have come across several ardent bikers who own a harley and spend thousands dollars not only to buy one but to add accessories.

While browsing the internet I found this website that is solely selling harley-davidson accessories at discounted prices. They site is an ideal place to purchase everything that can be added onto your Harley Davidson motorcycle to make it look and feel better and more utilitarian. Things like touring bags can be added to carry stuff on long rides.

The site is user friendly and one can browse by model to find the exact part to fit into the motorcycle. Each model has numerous accessories that fit in as if it were stock equipment. The net result, your motorcycle will look even better and the next time you hit the road on your favorite set of wheels you can be sure to attract several envious and admiring stares.

For a short time they are also offering free shipping on all orders.

Salary Raises in 2011 - Is History Starting to Repeat?

The other day as I drove home listening to public radio one particular story made my ears perk up. The radio newsreporter was talking about the average salary raises that an American employee and CEO received and the disparity thereof. I somehow couldn't find that article again to cite here but I managed to find a whole lot of other news sources that present more or less the same statistics for this year.

According to CBS News: "The CEOs of most S&P 500 companies raked in an average compensation of $11.4 million in 2010, amounting to a 23 percent pay raise over 2009, according to a new study from labor union coalition the AFL-CIO." That means despite the flagging economy that has resulted in a record unemployment rate of 10 percent CEOs continue to enjoy their benefits and have not compromised on their pay raises and bonuses.

The other end of spectrum, struggling employees of these corporations. Those who have unprotestingly taken the brunt of the economy and have been working hard at their jobs, taken on additional responsibilities, and put in extra hours just to keep their jobs, received pathetic raises, if at all. Another news article on the same subject published in the USA Today mentions that an average American employee received a salary raise of just 2.1%. The article goes on to mention that corporations did not really make large profits to award high raises and bonuses to CEOs, rather they just laid off large number of employees so that they can pay their CEOs.

I believe this is nothing but exploitation of the American worker. Awarding pathetically low salary raises to few employees and laying off many more, while the executives make tons of money is simply exploitation. I wonder how long this kind of corporate exploitation can continue in the US. Of course unions, workers movements, and mass mobilization is not allowed or shunned by the Americans because they represent communist ideology. If that is true then this kind of exploitation of the workers represents what America stood for before the Civil War - "Slavery, Exploitation and Murder of the poor by the rich and powerful"

Predict your life span with a blood test!

Every life form on this planet will fight to the end with any greater force for existence... i.e. to preserve its life, to thrive, to live longer. Human beings are the smartest of all life forms and have devised ways and means to combat common diseases and live longer.

I remember one Hindi saying on this subject: "Jaan Hai to Jahan Hai" meaning if life is there then the whole world is there. I heard this quote in the film the Mummy: "Live today to fight tomorrow". Life is celebrated and death is feared in almost all cultures across the world.

In this quest there are hoary sciences such as astrology, palmistry, tarot, etc, whose practitioners claim to accurately predict the future. Unfortunately most of them fall short sometime or the other. To this list of paranormal/ occult/ predictive sciences we can add biology/ medicine. A new test devised by scientists in Europe is said to effectively predict how many years one is going to live.

I read about the test online on Washington Post. According to the article the Telomere test, a simple blood test like the can predict the lifespan quite effectively.

Now wouldn't that put a spanner in the works of astrologers who have hitherto held sway over people who have been trying to unravel the mysteries of their future. It would also create a great catastrophe like the author points out if Insurance companies were to come to know about your test results, or even if your employer were to know your test results.

I think this is a great test and should be made accessible to everyone, making the results public could be left to the discretion of the individual.

Sewing Machine Parts and Accessories

A major feature of the American lifestyle that is often not understood enough by immigrants is the necessity to be able to do everything. From cleaning the house, to washing the cars and from changing fused bulbs at home to using the sewing machine to alter, fix, embroider clothes. Talking about sewing machines, most people in India don't own one. I am talking about India because I am from there. Most people who own these implements are professional tailors. Those individuals who own one use it to stitch all kinds of clothes, curtains, etc at home.

In the US, for everything that is available in the market, there are an array of accessories to make it look, feel, or work better. Similarly with the sewing machine there are numerous accessories and several industries actually owe their existence to this secondary market. Another secondary market is for sewing machine parts which are a big draw among owners and prospective owners.

I know people who have invested several hundred dollars on sewing machine parts and accessories simply because they enjoy creating new fabric with the machines. There are numerous parts that are consumed by sewing enthusiasts on a regular basis. These parts include bobbin cases foot pedals, footwork kits, sewing machine foot, etc.

During the recent years the convenience of the internet has enabled all sewing enthusiasts to buy lots and lots of parts online. The online businesses are also thriving because they can sell cheaper to the consumer because middlemen are eliminated. The consumer is happy that he/ she can see pictures of the part before ordering and also that there is a money back guarantee on most online purchases. Then there are auction sites where people go scouring for bargains.

Once again I would like to reiterate that the internet may after all be the best source of news, views, and opinions.

Bedroom Set - Important Facet of Your Home

After moving to the United States I am getting exposed to stylish living. Here everyone wants to have everything and as such the economy is doing so well. I have decided to join the rat race and among my first acquisitions will be bedroom sets for all the rooms at home. These sets make the room look spacious, elegant and luxurious and most importantly they make life easy.

Whining and Complaining is pretty bad!

I heard a famous radio anchor say this on air and was pretty struck by this message. I had thought about it before but coming from this personality it sank into my psyche deep and firm. The quote below is a modified version of what I heard, this is more suited to my situation in life.

I will not complain about things going wrong in my life because 80% of the people don't care, 5% really care but can't do anything about it and the remaining 10% are actually happy that I am having these problems

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One Week Later.....

In the US people always say one thing: "Life Happens". This is to explain sudden and unexpected happenings which change the course of people's lives. Well nothing of that sort has happened in the past week in my life. But then I use this term to explain why I have not been doing things that I routinely do... like blogging.

School and work have been taking up so much of my time that I haven't spent any time on the internet for a while. Now today I have this opportunity window and hence here I am. Will be back in a bit to post more..

One stop shop for your flooring needs...

Home improvement, and upgrades are commonplace in the entire United States. Most homes are built with carpet, vinyl, tile, or Hardwood Floor. Home owners often feel the need to replace or upgrade the floors once every few years. Some floors last longer while others don't. Whatever the case maybe one needs to find a reliable company which will execute the job to your fullest satisfaction.

In the past few years that I have lived in the US I have noticed that many people do their flooring themselves. They rip apart the carpeting and install hardwood floors, or else they take the hardwood out and install granite or ceramic tiles.

There are several companies in the country offering these services but what makes Sears Home Services different from all of them is their quality of material and great customer service. This is one organization where they place value on the customer's convenience, time and budgets. Once you place the order they will designate one of their executives as a project coordinator to help you.

It is the project coordinator's responsibility to help you from beginning to end. They help you choose the perfect floor for your home and keep your job on track. The job will be executed by Licensed Sears flooring contractors who are experts in installing laminate, granite, tile, ceramic, vinyl, or hardwood flooring or carpeting quickly and safely.

If you need some home remodelling or upgradation just get in touch with Sears Home Services and you can be assured of being taken care of.

HCG Diets promise to help you achieve weight loss goals!!!

There are a set of national cultural values in the US. One of the predominant value is to be young and beautiful throughout life. To be healthy, young and beautiful the prerequisite is to be skinny and light. This is easier said than done. With so much of junk food being consumed it is very difficult for people to be thin. There are thousands of companies selling dietary supplements and slimming foods that it gets confusing.

In this cacophony of advertising there is a small revolution taking place: HCG Diet is slowly but surely capturing the market of healthy eating. This comprises of healthy eating of very low calorie diet, supplemented by HCG hormone treatments. The program promises 20-30 lbs loss over a period of 30-40 days.

For several people this diet could come as a lifesaver and for others face saver. Whatever it is the ultimate result seems to be a more youthful looking personality.

Foggy Morning Drive

Winter has set in... the evidence is this picture shot while driving to college couple of days ago. The visibility was pretty low but everyone was still driving at 50-60 miles per hour. Anyway that is life in America, fast and furious.

Rise in Marijuana Use among American Seniors

A strange and rather surprising trend was reported in today's news. The headline screamed out "Marijuana Use by Seniors Goes up as Boomers Age". These were the same folk who enjoyed the magic drug back in the 1960s and 1970s. Now they are back at it after retirement, to have some senior fun and relaxation.
I wonder if this is the example today's youth should be emulating? What will be the future of today's youth if the trend continues? During the 1960s and 1970s the communications and transportation was not so rapid. Drug trafficking was not so rampant, even if that generation was hooked on "grass" it was not this easy to get it, I suppose. Now with the proliferation of markets and easy availability of the drug and with so many senior people to emulate, I wonder what lessons the youth will learn when they read this article.
Too many questions and too few answers...

A gap of two days!

Since several days I have been posting about books, news, sights, propaganda, international politics etc.. For a change I thought I'd just post about what is happening in my life now. Even as I drive through the mega roads of Texas, trying to get where I want to go: pretty much the same destinations, college, our friend Mary's home, library, sometimes to some restaurant/ bar to be part of an adventure club meeting. And the occasional visit to the Chinmaya Mission center to participate in some hymn chanting activities.

Sounds pretty boring... huh... well it is not so boring as it sounds. First four days of the week i.e. Monday - Thursday I am kept on my toes, 4 hours of classes everyday and at least two days there will be exams and of course there are homework assignments to complete too. Then there is the commute to school, at least 30-45 minutes each way. This may sound a lot of time and if anyone knows what I feel about driving here, it is downright STRESSFUL. So by the time I reach my destination I will be a bundle of nerves and need at least 5-10 mins to cool off and relax my nerves, before I can do anything else. I usually take a long walk in the green spaces of the campus before starting any academic activity so I feel relaxed.

I am not saying it would be better in India but in India stress is the way of life. There is stress in every aspect of life, so it is not noticed. Here several aspects of life are easy and can be taken for granted.

Now coming to the interesting things that happen everyday. Internet is one of my most favourite things now... online gaming... browsing, blogging etc keeps me fairly occupied. Sitting either in the apartment cybercafe or in the college library I pretty much pass long hours on the net. I hope my fingers don't give way to carpel tunnel syndrome.

That pretty much sums up what I am upto most of the time...