Ancient Monument or Modern Store?

Grand Canyon 051
Originally uploaded by srinidhilv.

I shot this picture at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The first impression I got when I saw this building was that this must be some ancient, Native American ruins. But on getting closer I noticed that this is actually a recent construction or rather a recreation of an ancient building using the materials found here.
Currently a part of the building hosts a souvenir shop where all kinds of Made in China trinkets are sold to visitors and tourists.

Worried about property? Need efficient management?

One of the biggest challenges both individual home owners and real estate investors face is how to manage their property without getting into the details of it. If a home owner has to move to another city, then the home has to be leased and someone has to make sure that the house is kept in order. While for investors they are busy turning money around and don't want to get into managing their assets.

To bridge this gap, Real Property Management has been set up to offer management support. Irrespective of whether you own a single home or hundreds of properties they will service you and fulfill your needs. Real Property Management (RPM) has been recognized and awarded on several occasions for its great service to clients. Their awards and recognitions include, "Franchise of the Year Honarable Mention" award; the Bizjournal of Cincinnati and Columbus featured RPM Midwest.

Their great service is evidenced by the fact that owners of over 20,000 units nationwide have trusted RPM with their properties. RPM Midwest has been striving towards attaining higher standards and recently joined the National Association of Residential Property Managers.

Tusayan Museum, Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon 052
Originally uploaded by srinidhilv.

This is picture of the entrance of one of the several museums located on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. When I first saw the building, I thought that this must be a very old building renovated to house the museum. But I was wrong, according to a local official, this building was re-built in the style of the ancient buildings using locally available material and some debris of the old ruins.
Though the exteriorl of this building makes it appear like a ramshackle hut, the insides have all the modern comforts such as fire place, air conditioning etc. It is definitely worth a visit.

Rolex Watches at Discounted Prices

Every connoisseur of wrist watches has one desire, to buy and wear an original Rolex Watch. Well Rolex watches are among the world's most expensive and exclusive time pieces. It is hard to even imagine spending thousands of $$$s on a wrist watch, but several of us would happily spend that money on a Rolex. But now thanks to www.bestoftime.com aka Alex Jewelry, proud members of Better Business Bureau (BBB) are providing a unique opportunity for everyone to own a Rolex. They have received the A+ rating (the highest) from the BBB.

Best of Time aka Alex Jewelry has some amazing Rolex Watches at real low prices. Don't worry all the watches here are 100 percent genuine, certified and authentic and come with a 3 year warranty. The store invites you to visit their premises at 3180 Presidential Drive, Suite J, Atlanta, Georgia or call them on Tel: 888-721-1979 to fix a suitable appointment to view their fantastic Rolex collection. If you don't live in Georgia, you could simply visit their online store @ BestOfTime.com and browse through their collections. For further information you could e-mail them @ customerservice@bestoftime.com also.

How is it possible for Best of Time to sell Rolex watches at prices lower than the manufacturers suggested retail price? The company claims that they are an independent dealer and can decide on their pricing and margins and hence they prefer to sell more at lower prices than few at high prices.

If you are planning to buy a Rolex, just to to Best of Time.

Grand Canyon: A preferred getaway

Grand Canyon 019
Originally uploaded by srinidhilv.

Since early adolescence I had been awe struck by the sheer beauty and enigmatic presence of Grand Canyon. The frothing Colorado river beckoned me to raft on its waters and the deep ravines and remote crevasses along the Canyon has held some kind of mystery to me.
In 2007 when I landed in the US one of the first major destinations I visited was Grand Canyon.

When I saw the extreme level of commercialization and urbanization that have been put in place around the Grand Canyon, I was rather disappointed. I expected to find some Native Americans still attired in traditional clothes, riding horses and manning visitors. But things have changes quite a bit and I don't know whether it is for the better.

One way to look at it, with modern infrastructure, lot more people visit the place and the state and hundreds of people earn their living thanks to this. This provides access to the old, weak and challenged. But on the other side, considering the nature and the original inhabitants (Native Americans), the commercialization has pretty much uprooted them people and transformed the nature. I wonder what it will be like after 20 years.

Ultimate Online Employment Reference Guide!!!

In this economic scenario the biggest challenge faced by most college graduates is to find a suitable job. For those already employed retaining their jobs is posing a true challenge. Thousands have lost jobs due to recession and are scrambling to find alternative employment. Some have gone back to school in the hope of acquiring new skills and becoming employable in this economy, while others are contemplating becoming self employed.

Under these circumstances it becomes imperative that one needs to be of informed about important factors affecting their careers such as, best cities for specific professions, Job Salary Information, what extra skills needs to be acquired to get ahead, etc.

The internet is a great resource for such articles. The Career.QandAs.com offers some great information and resources in the form of over 1,000 articles on employment related topics such as, salary, career progression and interviewing. If you are in the market for a job or contemplating a career switch, this is where you go before taking the plunge.

World's longest motorcycle

While browsing the internet I found this interesting video and thought I'd share it on my blog. It is about how the World's Longest Motorcycle was built. This motorcycle was created/ engineered by Colin Furze of United Kingdom and measures 14.03 meters (46 ft 3 in) in length. Colin had to ride the home-grown motorcycle for about 100 meters to be accepted for the record. Nevertheless I think this is a spirited effort. Technologically it is nothing of any use to the human race but in terms of personal achievement, I think he has gotten there. Good for Colin.

Visit the Blu World and Win Fantastic Prizes

Online contests are fun, they offer opportunities to win really cool prizes. The best part of the online contests is the fact that some of them are absolutely free and don't even involve purchases. Now the latest such contest to open its doors for entries is "It's a Blu World Contest" by BluFrog.

Participants can walk away with cool prizes including a BluGamer - the ultimate gaming package, Happy Blu-Year - a trip on New Year's eve to NY, Blullapalooza: a trip to Lolapalloza in Chicago, BluStreak: a Richard Petty Racing Experience and of course XtremeBLU: A trip to the Winter X Games in Aspen. Now how would you like to be one of the winners to walk away with any one of these cool prizes? I bet every one of us would love to be in fray for the rich pickings.

You the funny thing is that entering this contest and winning is very easy. It is as easy as sending a Tweet. Yes! You could win this contest by Tweeting, commenting on their blog or by posting a note on your blog about the contest.

Speaking for myself I'd love to win the Happy Blu-Year prize, because this will help me accomplish two things. One of course being in the most happening place on New Year's eve and two visiting my dear brother who lives in NY. It would be a grant surprise for him and a very happy one at that. Me and my brother could get together and head to the Time square and have a blast with the Blu World.

So now if you want to win some cool stuff, just sign in and enter. The contest ends soon and you will be disappointed if you don't take action right now.

Tank in Texas Military History Museum

Tank in Texas Military History Museum
Originally uploaded by srinidhilv.

Since childhood I have always been attracted to these large weapons/ vehicles of destruction. I don't know why, but I have been impressed by these vehicles sheer powerful and scary looks. When I was a kid I used think of becoming a soldier and work in the tank regiment and fight the enemy if an eventuality arises.

As I grew older, life took me on a totally different path and here I am in the US studying business management and looking for a job. The only thing I do which gets me close to war machines is when I visit military and war museums.

Play Multiplayer Games Online

Online gaming is the biggest craze since internet speeds rose and high end graphics came into being. Starting from young children to seniors everyone is slowly but surely getting hooked to online gaming. The most popular online games include Billiards, Word games, fighting games etc. Speaking of Billiards I recently came across a fantastically graphic website http://www.8c1.net which lets people play multiplayer games online.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of online gaming websites, what makes this different? In my opinion it is the high-end graphics, 3-D feel of the games, fast downloads and amazing sound effects is what sets this site head and shoulders above the rest of the crop.

My verdict is simple, if you are into online gaming just go to www.8c1.net and you will not go anywhere else.

Efficient Resource Management

houston-oct-4- 024
Originally uploaded by srinidhilv.

One of the things I like about the US is the way they manage their natural resources. Take for example rivers, streams, creeks, brooks, lakes and other water bodies. I have traveled to several different cities, both large and small across the US and no where have I seen a water body being killed to make way for commercial or residential development. Town planners always leave certain amount of space around the water body so that the natural elements are not hindered and earth retains at least some of its moisture and ground water content.

Take for example this river which flows right by Downtown Houston. If it were elsewhere it would have probably been closed down and buildings built atop its dried up bed. Or perhaps they would have used this as a natural sewage line and emptied untreated domestic sewage into the water body thus killing it slowly.

But in the US most water bodies are usually left alone and development takes place along side. Of course the river does get polluted, but not as polluted as it would get if wastes were directly emptied into them.

I think back home in India town planners need to realize this and learn to conserve resources so the future generations can have water, the elixir of life.

Contact Lenses or Lasik, which is cheaper?

People with eye problems often face several dilemmas. The first being choosing between spectacles and contact lenses. Spectacles if not created to suit the user can mar the beauty of the wearer. Contact lenses are expensive and need continuous care and replacement. Now with advancement in eye care and medical therapies, there is a new dilemma contact lenses or LASIK. In this case also the primary concerns are the cost.

In the short term it appears that contact lenses are cheaper compared to Lasik. According to a new quantitative research, wearing contact lenses could actually prove more expensive over a lifetime. For example the research states that a 25 year old wear extended wear contacts will spend over $20,000 through his/ her life. That is a very steep number, my sister and brother both wear contact lenses and I need to tell them about these costs.

I feel that with iLASIK one can completely avoid contact lenses and eliminate recurring costs. The savings will prove phenomenal in the long run.

Historically we are living in tough economic times and every penny saved is a penny earned. It is time we let eye care experts take care of our eyes and junk those contact lenses and go in for the most modern LASIK. This procedure is covered by most health savings accounts which provides a tax deductible method to pay for better vision.

Patients who have had the LASIK procedure done are extremely happy with the results and they feel that the costs are not as high as they thought it was. Moreover the elimination of recurring contact lens costs came as a big boon.

Collin Classic 2009

Over the weekend I participated in the Collin Classic 2009, a bicycling event which took me along with about 2,000 other riders through the rolling hills of Collin County. One thing I have realized after participating in couple of bike events is that country roads in Texas are not as big or good as the highways. Country roads are narrow and often potholed. The villages are quite similar to Indian villages barring couple of differences, which are actually quite significant.

The first and primary difference between an American village and Indian village is the road infrastructure. Many Indian villages don't have proper roads, and often times the roads are just mud tracks. Another difference is the housing, here the houses are built of wood and some are mobiles homes and trailers. Barring difference in material the quality of homes seem quite the same as in most prosperous villages in India. The biggie in terms of difference is the fact that every home has couple of cars/ trucks. A fact which is impossible to see in India.

Anyway I didn't carry a camera to the ride and hence I have had to depend on the internet to scout for pictures of Collin Classic. I found a trove of pictures shot by Ateupamateur on Flickr and thought I'd post them in here.

Uniquely Refreshing Ideology

Reading all kinds of non-fiction and non-science books, literature, articles and websites is one of my big passions. Recently I came across The Voluntaryist Website, which presented a totally ideology to me. The idea and thought of Voluntaryism. Feeling interested I browsed through the site reading the various articles posted online. The site belongs to the Voluntaryist newspaper which propagates the idea of Libertarianism or voluntaryism, meaning live freely and responsibly. Voluntaryists don't want government or any other body controlling their freedom and tell them what to do or what not to do.

One of the articles in the website defines freedom as a "Mental condition - a condition of the spirit". Another article on the website by Carl Watner describes the Pennsylvania Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 and how the US Government handled the situation.

It is a different thing whether I agree with the idea of Voluntaryism or not, but one thing I definitely say is that this website is a treasure trove of human knowledge and everyone interested in free society, true liberty and responsibility must read it.

Campus Rumpus

Summer classes started on Monday and things have become atrociously busy since then. Six hours of classes every evening with at least one quiz, test or exam every day. This semester is short, just five weeks, 20 days of classes and in that we need to cover 10 quizzes, 5 tests, 3 exams and one comprehensive final exam. What does this mean? 18 out of 20 days we will be having something or the other. The only way to excel or get an A grade is to obtain 90-100 in every one of the test, quiz or exam.

When I first started college in the US last year somethings were shocking. For one thing students never address professors as sir/ madame, it was by their name. On the contrary some professors address students as sir and madame. Something almost impossible in India... at least in my college days.

When I told people that I was studying, they would ask me "Which school do you go to?" Initially I wondered whether I look like a high school kid or are they pulling my leg. But later I came to know that here, a university is referred to a school and a PhD research scholar is also going to "school".

Students come in and go out of classes whenever they please, no need to ask permission of the faculty.

Most students come into class carrying bottles of cool drinks, tall mugs of coffee/ tea, snack boxes, sandwiches, etc. Classes are like picnic spots, students can eat, drink, chew gum, etc. The only requirement is to listen to the lecture and not disturb other students. Even professors bring drinks and sip on during the lecture. This never happened in India. I remember in my college days if anyone was found eating in class, he/ she would be sent out.

There are hundreds of similar differences I could write about. For now this is enough I guess. Would like to know your thoughts.

Harley Davidson - My Dream Motorcycle

Every biker's dream would be to own a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The deep throaty thumping beat of the motorcycle generates flutters in everyone's heart. I have been attracted to this big V-twin motorcycle ever since my teen years. At that time I was in India and it was impossible to even see a Harley, let alone ride or own one. But being a great fan of this legendary motorcycle, I bought several Harley Davidson Accessories such as a jacket, key chain, cigarette lighter, etc.

I moved to the US 18 months ago and now I live in Texas, the big state where one can ride motorcycles almost round the year. Here is where I got an opportunity to ride a Harley and also visit a showroom. I now understand that the cost of owning a Harley is quite high. Buying a new Harley is quite expensive and in this country, insuring one is even more expensive. Then there is the cost of maintenance. HD Parts can be expensive if bought at the wrong place.

One thing I must say here is that Texas is definitely an out and out Harley Davidson state. On clear days one can see hundreds of Harley riders enjoying their ride on the highways. These guys attired in leathers, astride on gleaming motorcycles, ride on without a care in the world enjoying the sun and winds blowing against their faces. Sometimes I do stop by and have a chat with the owners of these beautiful motorcycles.

Somehow or the other the topic moves to maintenance and I have gathered that most people don't patronize a mechanic or repair shop. They work on their motorcycles and fix problems, if any were to occur. One owner was very candid and said he would simply go online and order Discount Harley Parts because it is a lot faster than fixing a repair appointment and taking the motorcycle to a shop. I guess the high labor costs at official Harley Davidson shops could be quite a deterrent. But looking at the other side, I'd say it gives the owners immense pride to say that the motorcycle is self maintained.

Benjamin Bolger - A Saga of perseverence

There is something special about some people, I guess they are gifted with one special quality, perseverance. This was my first thought when I read about Benjamin B. Bolger, a 33-yr old dyslexic individual who has obtained 11-advanced degrees from the premier universities across the world, including Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. Being dyslexic his reading and understanding ability is still at grade 5 level. This makes him take much much longer than any normal individual to read through and under the same material.

Bolger was diagnosed dyslexic when he was 2-and-half years old. Since then his parents, especially mother, have been very supportive. They searched around and put him a school which caters to special needs children and when they couldn't find one suitable, they just home schooled him.

The fact that he is a gifted individual became obvious to me when I read that he enrolled into college at 12 years. Despite his dyslexia, he was able to enroll into college at the age of 12 and that is not all, he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I am sure lot of us would want to be in Bolger's shoes and achieve such grades.

Anyway, I think this guy should be looked up for inspiration by parents with dyslexic kids or even teachers who work with children. This proves that when an individual is under-endowed in one area, he is gifted in some other... it is only a matter finding the area in which he/ she is gifted and work on that.

Head to Branson for a Fun-filled Summer Vacation

Hey friends! Summer is already here and my gosh I still haven't made my travel arrangements. Luckily for me I don't have to make new plans, I have decided to visit Branson, MO and take in the fantastic festivities and shows that is on offer there. My New York-based friend is going to book ouaccommodations at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and all I have to do is to pack my bags and get onto a plane that will get me to Branson. I am all the more thrilled because I am staying at a hotel which is close to the center of all action. I will have easy access to all the shows, museums and other attractions of the Midwest's entertainment capital.

Now isn't that cool, enjoying summer vacation at Branson, where all the action happens. I have told you all what I am going to do this summer, now it is upto you to decide and if you want to join me and my friends, book your accommodations immediately at Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. We could hang out together and enjoy a great summer.

The reason why I insisted on staying at one of the Hilton hotels is because, they provide access to every conceivable attraction in Branson. Shops, restaurants, boutiques, river walk, tourist attractions and even a beautiful golf course. Now that is what I call real enjoying a holiday. With all luxury and facilities at our beck and call, the days in Branson would be packed and relaxed.

Whenever I visit Branson I look forward to their live entertainment and theaters. Of course there are other attractions such as the Father's Day Salute, Annual Clown Jam, etc. I hear that there are 49 live entertainment theaters in Branson, I have been to three and would love to take in the remaining 46 or at least three more in my next visit. My most favorite attraction in Branson, continues to be the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery, a great family attraction. I simply feeding the fish and watching gobbling down the fish food. The guides out there are simply cooperative and they will talk to you and explain interesting features about the fish.

So are you coming to Branson with us this year? If you are still contemplating, the special packages offered by the Hilton hotels in Branson should convince you to vacation there this summer. Check it out and you will definitely create memories this summer.

Re-discovering Kannada Movies

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is a common saying that people use while talking about their loved ones, especially when they are away. It is true we miss our loved ones when they are not with us. Having moved from Bangalore to Dallas, I miss my parents and my home town. But after moving here one thing I find myself missing is Kannada films. That is surprising because back in Bangalore I rarely watched movies and Kannada movies were only on TV and probably one in a few years.

But having moved here I began to miss Kannada films and that is when I started searching online to watch movies in my mother tongue. I agree the films are not as well made as Hollywood flics or even Bollywood movies. But nevertheless there is some strange joy when I watch these Kannada movies. Even though the, barring a few, heroes look like ogres and heroines are almost always garishly made up, making them look more like vamps than heroines.

Anyway the purpose of posting this was to drive home the point that when one is away from an object of affection, be it an individual, vehicle, language or place, it is highly possible that the love for that something will increase multifold. This will make us do things which we would normally not do. In my case watching Kannada movies.

Speeding up your computer!

I have been using computers since the past 15 years, both for work and for personal use. Over the years the bulky desktop computer has made way for sleek and light laptops and tablet computers. But advancement in technology has come with its own problems, memory issues, compatibility, software upgrades, new operating systems, etc.

In my previous PC the most frequent problem I used to face was shortage of memory. The moment I started multi-tasking by opening more than 5 windows the computer would become painfully slow. Those were frustrating days and the only way to fix the issue was to spend hundreds of $$s and expand memory. A few years ago Microsoft came out with, what it claimed to be a radical change in operating system. The Windows Vista was launched and the geek in me wanted it so I bought it and installed it on my computer.

The frustration began then, slow speeds, frequent crashes and painstakingly slow operating system. I was desperately trying to get it fixed and approached several technology professionals and the standard quote was that they would charge $50 just to look at and diagnose problems in my computer. I felt let down.

A few days ago I came across this fantastic solution online. This group offers a great software solution to improve our productivity. Their promise: 30 seconds is all it takes to increase power and productivity by 500%. Well even if they live up to their promise by half i.e. improving my productivity by 250% I'd be overjoyed.

The price for this is just $12.95 and there is a money back guarantee too. The next time I have a problem with my PC I know where to go to improve my computing experience without spending hundreds on memory. I can finish my work faster and accomplish more.

Weekend Picnic: Visit to an Automobile Junkyard

Yesterday we did something totally outrageous and sort of adventurous. We went to an automobile junkyard looking for a set of good used tires for our Toyota 4 Runner. After visiting couple of junkyards and looking at what they have to offer, we simply decided to forget all about it and buy brand new tires from Firestone or some such store.

Thousands of dead cars, awaiting a decent funeral. Being mauled and molested even after their demise...

The first place we visited was a U-pull it yard. What does that mean? Well simply put, it is a vast area.. maybe 40-50 acres of open space piled up with crashed, trashed and junked cars of all perceivable models, makes, sizes, shapes and colors. One has to pay $1 to enter inside and pull out anything from any car out there, come out pay for it and take it home. In a nutshell, I'd call this place as a big graveyard for cars and a few motorcycles. People come here and salvage the parts they need and repair their cars cheaper.

Parking lot or a stack of crashed cars?

Anyone who is proud of their car and feels like a king behind the wheel should not visit this place. The once proud boy toys lie in mangled heaps all over the place. There are ice-cream vending vehicles, automobile maintenance vehicles gone into disuse, church vans and many more.

Once Proudly owned and lovingly maintained cars.. now nothing but a stack of sheet metal..

There's beauty at the far end of the junk yard... a quaint lake with beautiful bird life. But I wonder how long the lake is going to live? As Americans use and crash more cars, many more are going to end up in places like this and when space becomes scarce, the first thing to get hit is the creek. I hope it doesn't happen.

Nature thrives, where human beings don't meddle... even in junk yards

Sourcing Parts for my cars!

Since moving to US about 18 months ago I have been learning a lot of new stuff. I have learned that one has to do his own job here because labor is very expensive. Another important part of shopping for anything in the us is to look for the same product in multiple locations, to make sure you are not being ripped off.

One area where I was not doing this much is when buying auto parts. I would let the repair guys take care of it. But recently I got top-dollar repair estimate. I decided that I need to check out if the parts they are quoting for really cost so much. I just got online and searched.

I found a website known as GreatAutoParts.com where one could buy almost every part of the car and being an online entity the prices are great too. The exhaustive parts catalog is easy to use and it takes only a few minutes to find what you are looking for. Curiosity helped me find a wonderful new resource and saved me lots of $$$s. Unfortunately I didn't do this earlier, I wish I had. It would have saved me much more.

So if you are in the market for auto parts, don't let the dealer decide. Take matters in your own hand and visit Great Auto Parts website. You may be surprised by what you find.

Poolside Barbeque Party

What do Texans do on weekends? Poolside Barbecue in summer and Estate sales and shopping in winter. That pretty much sums up the activities possible here. Dallas is a pretty boring place, flat as a chapathi and boring as a solid state physics class. People here have invented pastimes such as eating out (Dallas has the largest number of restaurants per capita in the world), shopping, estate sales and the most favorite Texas Barbeque.

Being vegetarians we don't fit into a Barbeque party where meat of every possible animal is smoked over coals and consumed. But our host invited us to have fun by the pool and have salad. Well we agreed and proceeded to Ben's home for an afternoon of fun by the pool. Ever played pool volleyball? Well it is lot of fun, string a net in the center of the pool and start hitting the ball across and that is it.

During a break from the game our host asked: "Are you vegetarian for religious reasons?". "Well!" I replied, "I am an animal lover, so I don't like them being killed to end up on my plate,". Ben laughed out loud and said: "I love animals too. Whenever I see a cow, I think of what a tasty steak she will make.". Very funny and totally different perspectives I thought.

Anyway after few more games and a dinner of salad and veggies we returned home tired and sleepy.

New Attractions at Sea World Orlando

Traveling is my most favorite hobby. I particularly love visiting places associated with water. Oceans, riversides, water parks, aquariums and sea world are among my most visited destinations. Quite naturally when I heard about SeaWorld Orlando's new attractions I am feeling thrilled. This month the newest attraction here, the
Manta, is opening. I wish I could go there now and be one of the first people to enjoy the experience. I will definitely visit it later the SeaWorld later this summer.

In commemoration of the arrival of these new attractions, SeaWorld is offering complimentary "Front-of-the-line passes". Isn't that great, you just register and win the simple contests on the website and you will be eligible to win these passes to Manta at SeaWorld Orlando. There are six different activities in which you could participate to win these "Front-of-the-line" passes. There is one hint though, all the contests are centered around one theme: The Manta. The answers are all hidden in various pages of the website. Easier still to get your answers is to follow @RealShamu on Twitter and you will get closer to win these cool Manta prizes.

One of the things I found on this website is this wonderful video which gives you a first hand experience of Manta.



Now that you have seen the video I am sure you are all the more thrilled about SeaWorld's newest attractions. The best way to get there and get "Front-of-the-line" pass to Manta at SeaWorld Orlando is by participating in the contest. There are six steps to the contest and participate in all of them, there are no restrictions to the number of entries in each section. If you want to win the passes you need to participate in all the six steps.

Dry Zone in Dallas

Yesterday I got the biggest surprise of my life since I arrived in the US. There are areas in DFW Metro and rest of the US where prohibition is in force. Yes stores in these jurisdictions can't sell alcoholic beverages including Wine and Beer. And if you want to have a drink with your meal at a fancy restaurant, you will have to get a Unicard - basically fill up some paperwork. The restaurant will take care of your paperwork. Much like the Permit Room system in Maharashtra, India.

We were trying to buy a bottle of wine to take to a friend's birthday party. The area was unfamiliar but we thought that every grocery store should have a wine section. But to our surprise we discovered this is indeed untrue and after visiting two grocery and couple of convenience stores at gas stations, intrigued we asked the last store why nobody seems to want to sell wine. Then the store executive explained that we were in the dry zone and we had to travel few more miles to get into a wet zone so as to be able to buy wine.

However there is no prohibition at home, one can drive to the next city buy as much wine and bring it back home. It is only that stores can't retail alcohol, and restaurants need Unicard to serve Alcohol.

Finding this type of zoning regulations in the US was a huge surprise. There are strange laws here too. I am definitely surprised.

Branson, Missourie: A place for fun and festivities this summer

Summer is the time when almost everyone in the US travel. While teenagers and older people travel by themselves to Europe, Mexico or Caribbean islands, families with children drive/ fly across the country visiting remote and well known parts of the US. This is the way young kids get to know their country and appreciate its recent history and heritage.

One of the most popular destinations I have heard about is Branson, Missouri. Sited in the Midwest region of US and famously known as the entertainment capital, Branson is famous for its shows. Summer is already here and the top destination on my list is Branson, MO. My internet research led to one of the most famous hotels: Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing. I have heard this hotel offers the most comfortable rooms and easy to access to all the shows and important tourist attractions. When I stay here I am sure to be in the center of all the action. Another hotel on my list of preferred places to stay is Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, also situated bang in the center of Branson, MO.

When I travel I like to stay in the heart of the city so I will have easy access to shopping, restaurants, attractions and in Branson, I am fond of the river walk. I would like to go for a stroll across the river walk every morning and do some window shopping, grab a leisurely breakfast. Another great place I look forward to spending quality time during my vacation is at the new Payne Stewart Golf Club, set amidst breathtaking scenery.

Branson's events are the most important attractions of this city. Summer events include the Father’s Day Salute, National Kid’s Fest at Silver Dollar City, the 10th Annual Clown Jam, etc. Apart from these mega events, there are hundreds of live entertainment, theaters and magic shows, musical performances etc. For those like me who want a little outdoor activities and regular attractions, there are numerous lakes, museums and theme parks, too.

Feeling geared up to visit Branson, this summer, I researched more about accommodation options and came to know that the Hilton hotels are offering some cool packages. Their advance purchase rates are applicable on online booking and it is lot cheaper than their regular rates. I am sure going to take advantage of this feature and book online.

My summer vacation is going to be a fun filled holiday at Branson, MO. What about yours?

Panoramic Summer Views

Summer in Texas is the season I dislike, the heat is searing and pierces into one's being. I would fall sick if I am out in the sun the whole day, probably because during the past year and half of being here I have been primarily indoors. Not like in Bangalore when I would be out in the open exposed to the elements more than one day a week. Anyway, one thing I like about summer in Texas is the opportunity to capture some great pictures in natural light. Beautiful cloud formations, colorful flowers, vast open spaces, large fresh water reservoirs, etc. I think the presence of over 100 large (really large) lakes in and around Dallas area makes it a tad cooler otherwise I am sure this place would have bee hot as hell.

Exposed to Asbestos at work? Get a good lawyer to fight your case?

One of the biggest risk Industrial workers face in their daily lives is that of exposure to hazardous chemicals. This day-to-day exposure to often-carcinogenic substances could lead to health disasters, not only affecting the workers but their families as well.

One of the industries predominantly related to exposing its workers to hazardous chemicals is mechanical fabrication. Individuals working in the areas of shipbuilding, automobile, building demolition and related areas are at high risk to asbestos exposure. These people and their families are highly susceptible to an often fatal form of lung cancer called Mesothelioma.

But what is worse is that workers diagnosed with Mesothelioma don't receive any compensation from their employers, though they are legally entitled to it. Though it is seems like a simple case of employee rights, organizations try and often succeed in avoiding payments. It takes an expert Mesothelioma Lawyer to get compensation to affected workers. The lawyer has to be aggressive and smart to be successful against corporations.

If you or your loved one is affected by this type cancer due to exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos, get in touch with the right Mesothelioma Lawyers who will ensure that you receive the right compensation you deserve.

Movie Review: Never Back Down

I watched this teenage fighting movie recently. This movie showcases how teenagers in the US are addicted to youtube and mobile video devices. The movie features illegal fights, teen rivalry in high schools, Multi media messaging and how videos are propagated among school kids in the US.

The movie starts off with a high-school football (American of course) game. One of the star players Jake Tyler (Sean Faris) of the winning team is taunted about his father by a disgruntled opposing player. Short-fused Jake gets into a fight and beats him up, this brawl is captured by spectators on mobile phones and uploaded to YouTube.

Quite expectedly Jake gets benched, but he is not worried because he transferring to a different school. Along with his younger brother Charlie (Wyatt Henry Smith) and widowed mom, Jake moves to Orlando, Florida where the latter has received a tennis scholarship. Jake's penchant for fighting and getting into trouble, upsets his mom (Leslie Hope).

At school, Jake attracts the attention of an attractive girl, Amber, and thinks he is set. But there is more in store for him, the boy friend of the girl who has seen his football brawl on youtube invites him for a party and challenges him for a fight. Inevitably Jake ends up broken and with a black eye. Jake feels let down by the girl who is having feelings for him and ends up becoming angry and frustrated.

One of Jakes class mates takes him to 365 Combat Club in which he starts training in Mixed Martial Arts. Finally after some twists and urns, Jake ends up it n the Beatdown, a free no holds barred illegal fight. There he gets even with the senior and earns the respect of all school.

While the plot is quite mediocre, the execution and story telling is very effective. The photography is excellent and of course the girls are easy on the eyes. I'd probably suggest watching it once, that too only if you are a big fan of free style fighting.

Accessories for meditation, music and therapy

The Buddhist and Hindu societies in India, Nepal, Tibet and other Asian countries are globally famous for their traditions, mythology, spirituality, music, etc. Over the past several centuries these societies have developed and fine-tuned several unique musical instruments which help individuals to meditate and attain deep relaxation of the mind. Nepal and Tibet are specially important in this respect because they have made significant contributions to the realm of spirituality.

Now thanks to globalization and convergence it is possible to live in the West and still have access to these exotic musical instruments and techniques. Silver Sky Imports has set up a new and unique online store to sell various musical instruments such as Gongs, crystal singing bowls, chakra singing bowls, Nepali gongs, among others.

If you are a meditation practitioner like me or a music lover or even a person seeking spiritual relaxation, this is the best place for you. The diverse array of products available will definitely fulfill your needs.

Colorful Texas Summer

Summer has started and heat is back with vengeance. But this is also the time when we get to see color in nature. A welcome change of scene from the boring grey and brown, leafless trees. This is the season when wild flowers blossom everywhere, in the parks, along side walks, creek sides, beside highways etc. I took this opportunity to shoot some of these wild flowers and here they are for you all to see.

Ultrafast Internet from Charter

I am one of those people who works out of home and most of my job requires me to be on the internet. So it is quite natural that reliable high speed internet is of critical importance to me. One of my biggest hobbies is to read about new technologies. Recently while I was reading Charter’s Twitter Feed, I came to know about the company's Ultra60 Mbps internet service. Charter claims that this is among the fastest Internet speed offered by any provider in the US. This got me keyed up and I wanted to read more. The claim is that Ultra60 is the fastest internet in the St. Louis market. Well I wish I had that speed here in Texas.

Feeling interested and enthused to know more about this fast internet service of Charter I visited the Ultra60 Information Page and was pleased to know that Ultra60 will be rolled out in other areas during 2009. I am thrilled to know this and I am waiting for Ultra60 launch in Texas. With Ultra60 I will be able to do my work faster and be more productive on the job and also use it to watch movies without streaming delays.

Another area where Ultra60 will give me great pleasure is in online gaming. I love online gaming and try to catch up at least few hours of gaming every week. Now with Ultra60 I am sure online gaming will be a whole new experience. I am looking forward to Ultra60, are you?

Movie Review: Appaloosa

I watched this Western set in New Mexico in the late 19th century (around 1880s). Based on a novel by Robert B. Parker, Appaloosa has all the elements that are in Westerns: stunning photography, friendship, romance, betrayal, gun fights, horse riding, etc. But this has a little twist, there is a little politics which involves high powered people no less than the President of United States, himself.

Refreshingly in this movie there is not much "Native American Battering". There is only one brief scene when a group of natives attack the bad guys. But we will talk about it later. One thing I still don't understand about people here. Even in this day and age (Appaloosa was shot in 2008), they want to present Native Americans as Indians. I wonder when these people will understand that Indians are the peoples from the country of India. These tribals here are Native Americans

Let us get on with the movie now. Set in the city of Appaloosa, the movie starts with a cold blooded murder of a sheriff and his two deputies by a private rancher and settler Randall Bragg. The town's folk are worried about this and call in the deadly duo Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and his partner Hitch (Viggo Mortensen). Two expert gunmen who are lawmen for hire, they help towns enforce law and tackle their lawless folk.

Barely have they settled in than a beautiful women named Alison French (Renee Zellwigger) alights from the train. Quite expectedly, Cole falls madly in love with her and she seems to reciprocate. But Allison is not the typical girl-next-door, she is one scheming individual who always wants to be the top-man's partner. This leads to loads of complications in the lawmen's work.

The rest of the movie is a tale of deception, gun fights, courts and how anarchic the US was during the late 19th century. The scenario was like who shoots first lives. I wonder how it would be to live in such situations. Anyway I'd recommend the movie to anyone who is interested in westerns. Otherwise just pass it.

Win Grand Prizes with Charter Cable

How would you like to win $10,000 cash or a 52" HDTV? I'd say "Awesome". Well you can win just that. Charter is having its sweepstakes in which they are giving away one $10,000 prize and four 52" HDTV's. All you need to do is to visit Charter's Win 10 Grand Contest Page and answer a simple question about Charter On Demand.

The contest is open through the month of May and every week there will be a new question. Winning a 52" Sony Bravia HDTV is easy, as there are four of them being given away, one every week. You have more than one chance to win and don't miss this opportunity to have your own Sony Bravia HDTV. You answer one week you will be entered into the drawing for the $10,000 grand prize, answer all the four weeks and you will have four chances to win that fortune.

If you are not an existing Charter subscriber and want know more about its services there are two ways to do that. One is to simply follow Charter’s Twitter Feed and receive all the updates online. Second method could be simpler for some, just visit Charter On Demand website and you are bound to be amazed by the fantastic library of 6,000 plus movies and shows. There are lots of free content too and new releases too.

Last month (April) Charter conducted a similar sweepstakes and gave away HDTVs and a home theater system too along with a year's free Charter Digital Cable with HD programming. Isn't that amazing, imagine the value of these giveaways. And not to mention last year's gifts that included laptop computers, Xbox 360 consoles and a Honda Civic Hybrid too.

That is why I personally like Charter On Demand so much. Apart from providing quality programming, they conduct cool sweepstakes such as these, which are beneficial to end users. Sign up with Charter and you will be benefited immensely. And of course don't forget to enter the sweepstakes, today maybe your lucky day.

Movie Review: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Year of Release: 2006
Genre: Comedy
Director: Adam McKay
Cast: Will Ferrell, John C Reilly, Gary Cole and others

If you are not first then you are last -Reese Bobby.

Young Ricky Bobby is waiting for his father to show up for the school's career day and talk about what he does. All other kids parents come and talk about their jobs but not Ricky's dad. After a while a totally stoned-on-pot Reese Bobby arrives and starts talking about his job: Part time racing driver and pot dealer. He makes a nuisance of himself and is thrown out of the school. As he leaves the school he advises his son: "If you are not the first then you are last". A statement that stays with Ricky.

When a quirk of fate gives him a chance to drive on the racetrack, he remembers his dads words and wins at all costs. Soon Ricky Bobby becomes a NASCAR stock car racing sensation and a national hero. Along with his loyal racing partner, childhood friend Cal Naughton Jr., call themselves the "Shake" and "Bake" team and always come finish in the #1 and #2 positions.

When everything is going fine flamboyant (gay) French Formula One driver Jean Girard arrives on the scene and challenges the "Shake" and "Bake" team. In the first race Ricky crashes and becomes a nervous wreck. The crash not only makes him lose his health, but also his career, wife and home to his best friend Cal. Devastated he moves in with his mom and starts delivering pizzas on a bicycle.

Reese Bobby once again enters the scene and helps Ricky get out of his nervous breakdown and hit the race track again, where he wins his title, fame and money.

The entire movie is one hell of a comedy with a number of amazing car races thrown in. Dialogues of Reese Bobby and his grand children are funny. Ricky's experience with the Cougar and his driving test all make it one entertaining film. Definitely worth watching once.

Guaranteed Car Repairs

During the past year and a half in the US I have come to realize one thing. It is near impossible to live in this country without a car. Public transport facilities are abysmal and even the poorest sections of the population have a car. Anyway cars come with their own costs and problems. One of the main issues with owning a car is its maintenance and god forbid if you get into an accident.

Getting a real good autobody shop to restore your car to its gleaming best and guarantee the repairs is probably tough to find. The internet perhaps is the answer, everyone searches for an answer on it. The internet is where you can find America's best autobody shops. The auto body shop yorba linda offers guaranteed repairs for life, all the body work, paint work and engine work will be done here to your complete satisfaction. What more would you possibly want? Oh! Yes, are these shops insurance approved? Is it possible to run a successful autobody shop without getting insurance company approval? Quite impossible.

So be rest assured if are in Yorba Linda, CA the best autobody shops are found online just visit the website and find the nearest auto body shop yorba linda.

Revisiting the Blue Bonnet Trail

On couple of occasions I had blogged about Blue Bonnet Trail in Plano. What is so great that it needs to be blogged about again? Plain and simple, I love cycling on this trail, it is great exercise and a wonderful way to get fitterr and slimmer. Apart from the exercise it provides, the trail offers a variety of scenes for the discerning/ observing eye. First off there is the soul soothing greenery.. though manicured.. occasional clumps of trees. The creeks that wind their way across the trail. Whenever I ride above the creeks the bridge feels different... yes I may be sounding ridiculous but the bicycle seems to glide smoother on the bridges than the rest of the trail.

Yesterday I took the racing bicycle for a spin on the Blue Bonnet trail and was surprised to see the number of people riding road bikes on the trail. It has been the opposite experience for me when I ride on the Univega road bicycle on this same trail. And yesterday I saw a couple laboring on a bright yellow tandem bike, riding really fast. And surprisingly there were lots of walkers all over the trail. There was one solitary rollerblader who was trudging along. His expertise didn't seem as good as the others I had come across on other trails, but he nevertheless was doing the full ten miles of the trail. I am waiting for the day when I will be able to do that.

Summer without air-conditioning

Before I came to Texas, I heard from loads of friends that the weather here is similar to India. But what they didn't tell me was that the weather here resembled Delhi's and not Bangalore's. Coming from Bangalore I was expecting a nice salubrious climate throughout the year. But no, Texas is characterized by extremely hot summers (100+) and bone chilling winters.

We moved to Texas during winter and were hoping that we would experience mild summer and wouldn't need air conditioning in the house. But we were grossly mistaken, it is impossible to survive a Texas summer without air conditioning. But what we did was to minimize the use of air conditioning so we could save some valuable $$$s. Something that everybody would love to do in this tough economic times.

Anyway as a first step effort we maintained the indoor temperature only slightly cooler than the external temperature. Say when it is 100 outside, the inside would be 80. Next step was to insulate the home by placing barriers to prevent heat from coming in. Yes we have double pane windows, but they are not much help during summer. First step, we installed wooden blinds and heavy curtains, always drawn during sunny days. The ceiling fans are always on to keep air circulation going on. The patio is west facing and the maximum heat comes from the afternoon sun into our living room. We tried to avoid sun coming in by installing bamboo shades and it worked pretty well.

With all these steps in place we were able to keep our electricity bills low even with the air conditioning system running. Because we cooled the house we didn't have to keep the temperature too low and stress out the air conditioning system.

Frisco public library, etc...

I am an avid reader and love books. Visiting libraries to read is among my favorite hobbies. Libraries in the US are not merely places where one can read books and magazines, these are spaces for the community to get together, foster the love of reading among kids, talk about books, etc. Every library I have been to has a community room, study rooms and computer labs. The community/ meeting rooms are usually occupied with groups into various activities such as discussing books, reading, writing, etc.

Yesterday, I went to the Frisco Public Library, sited in the historic Downtown of Frisco. Thus far I can easily say this is the best library building I have ever seen in the US. I have not seen the grand libraries in Washington DC but within the DFW metro area I think Frisco Library wins hands down when it comes to the architecture. The fact that the library shares its space with the city hall is what makes it so unique. The city hall in every city is always a grand building and Frisco is no exception. The library housed in the same building makes it all the more important and of course grander.

Here are some images of the library, take a look and let me know what you think.

Finding Office Space

The slump in economy has not hurt only the residential real estate sector. It has hurt the commercial real estate also. But even in this economy it is difficult to get a good deal on Office Space Rental. It is in times like this that everyone would want to save more, especially on the real estate costs.
One way to get a good deal on office space rentals is to get in touch with an expert commercial real estate company. This will lead to endless meetings, showings and negotiations before you finally land in your office. There is another way, an easier method in my opinion. Just sign up with Office Space Local, a real estate search service and they will do the rest. Their website's simple search and browse features are designed for busy executives like you. You don't have to spend endless hours looking for office rental.
Office Space Rental frees your time to do what you enjoy doing and not looking for office space.

Blue Bonnet Trail, Plano

Yesterday I went cycling on the Blue Bonnet Trail in Plano, Tx. The trail is within a mile from our apartment and hence very easily accessible. Before I go on to describe the 5-mile paved bicycle trail I'd like to say something about the planning that has gone behind creation of this trail. Blue Bonnet trail is the by-product of electricity. Yes the entire trail runs along high-voltage cables and electrical transformers. Town planning engineers/ architects have utilized this trail so efficiently made use of this trail to create a green space for the entertainment of all city folk.

Thinking back about my home town (Bangalore) in India I have seen similar large electrical cabling and transformers back home in India and these are usually converted into medians of main roads. Lack of space coupled with insensitive planning has led to these grotesque steel monsters being installed on roads close to homes. This is not only unsafe but also makes it very difficult to service in case of problems.

But I certainly am impressed by the thoughtfulness exhibited by the town planners of Plano who have created this unique space for sports, leisure and entertainment of the tax paying public.

Starting point/ trail head

Efficient land management between the electrical pillars

Wild flowers make the trail appear beautiful

Anyway coming to the train per se, Blue Bonnet Trail is 5-miles in length and starts at a stadium on Alma Road and ends rather abruptly at Preston Road. In my eye estimate the average width of the trail would range from 75 meters to 500 meters. The grass along the trail is neatly manicured and at places there are mounds of earth to give a landscaped effect. There are quaint bridges when a creek intersects the trail. The best part of the trail is the wild flowers, every season has its own variety of blooms giving an aesthetic feel to the trail. The trail is good for both the individual like myself who cycles for pleasure and love of bicycling and for the serious cyclist who trains for races.

Bridges across creeks make the trail more interesting

Creeks with water support aquatic life forms

PS. Lance Armstrong the 7-time Tour De France winner is a Texas Boy.

Power Steering Makes Driving Easy and Safe

Everyone who owns a car knows the importance of the steering wheel. If there is any problem in this section of the automobile, it would be dangerous to drive. With advancement in technology steering has become powered. Gone are the days when one had to have powerful arms to steer a large truck or car around.

But one has to understand that modern technology will function only when one takes care of it. Mechanical parts work most efficiently when they are well maintained. Let me tell you all a bit about Power steering and its mechanism. Most power steering mechanisms employ hydraulic system which makes it easier for the driver to turn the vehicle's wheels. The power steering apparatus comprises of a steering rack, steering box and hydraulic rotary pump among others.

Spares for a power steering system are difficult to find. Hitherto only dealers had access to the high quality parts. But now thanks to several online stores end users can go online and order the same high quality parts. If you are looking for a steering box or rack for your car you don't need to spend huge amounts of money at dealerships. You can simply go online to Power Steering Pros website and order the part you need.

Whatever part of power steering you may need, http://www.powersteeringpros.com/ has it all. In order to ensure 100 percent customer satisfaction, the company offers full warranty and free shipping. So go ahead and shop online with full confidence for your power steering parts.

Mobile Photography

Morning started cloudy and drizzling, as I ran errands driving up and down DFW Metroplex I snapped few pictures from the mobile camera. Here they are....

Politician's Drama

Back home in India the elections are going on to elect a new government. Around this time every politician worth his salt will indulge in tactics to gain sympathy, support and finally garner enough votes to win. And of course once they win, politicians will get busy in their own lives... making money, partying, foreign junkets, transfers, getting their loyalists into key positions, etc.

Couple of days ago I received these e-mail forward of two images about two well known politicians in India. One young and inexperienced and another old and a tad too experienced. But both have one thing in common: Political Drama. If the younger one wanted to show that he is with the people in their struggle, the older one wanted to struggle for the people. But both ended making a fool of themselves in front of the thinking class (educated people in India who don't vote but comment liberally about what should be done to make the country developed).

Anyway the pictures are self explanatory, do take a look at them and let me know what you feel.

Rahul created a ripple by acting like a laborer.

Veteran politician Karunanidhi created a world record, the shortest Fast unto death. Yes the septuagenarian fasted for 4 hours by sleeping in air conditioned comfort. The fast started after breakfast and ended before lunchtime

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I am sure Indian politicians would have made lot more money and achieved respectable fame if they had become comedians. But now they are making a joke of our country by behaving in this ridiculously comical fashion.

Playing Raquet Ball

Since coming to the US I have done lots of things for the first time in my life. Rollerskating, hiking through forests on a fenced up trail, exploring underwater caves, driving on the right side of the road, etc. Today I added one more thing to this list... Playing Racquetball. Well our new apartment has some cool sports facilities including a beautiful Racquetball court and the management company lends the equipment required, rackets and balls. We just need to get there and play when the court is free. And that is what we did this evening after I came back from college.

I found the game to be a highly intensive and fitness oriented game. As we chase ball in the wooden cage we will lose calories and gain strength. I like this game and hope to continue playing. Both here at the apartment and also outside when I get the opportunity.

Website and Hosting Solutions

I have been using the internet since the past 10-12 years and have seen how the world wide web has evolved. Initially the websites were meant for information, communication and little bit of entertainment. Over the years websites have transformed into portals which provide live news, information, videos and audio entertainment, interactive discussion platforms etc. All these has been possible because of two things 1) Advancement in technology and 2) Enhancement of hosting services.

A few years ago companies had one domain but now every corporate worth its name opts for multiple domain web hosting only. The virtual world has become a very competitive space and to remain at the top one has to constantly innovate and change strategies. One way to do it is to continuously upgrade websites and get better and faster hosting service. But finding a good website hosting company whose prices are competitive is the greatest challenge of every entrepreneur.

I recently came across this website aptly titled Web Hosting Geeks. This website is all about informing people about the top-10 best hosting service providers. Their list is constantly updated with new information about various aspects of website hosting, design, technologies, etc. I feel this is a very important reference guide for all those who are looking for website hosting services. This site could give them the right information and empower them to make informed decisions.

One of my favorite sections of this website is their blog. I love to read their well-written and informative blog posts on interesting topics such as Search Engine Optimization, web technologies, hosting, IFrames, etc. My suggestion to all of you reading this post is to visit Web Hosting Geeks and learn about website hosting and internet technology.