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.