Happy Independence Day 2012

Today is India's Independence Day and I am amazed how naive Indians in the US are. They call it India's birthday and there is no greater absurdity than this. India was not born on August 15, 1947! India was freed from the clutches of the oppressive British and we gained independence. That is it.

I would like to think this as some sort of a conspiracy of the liberal media, the so called intelligentsia, and of course those who consider it fashionable and cool to say that India was nothing till the British occupied and gave us an identity. I wonder when Indians will really recognize their true heritage, history and identity and say the right things.

The way things are going on, I don't think it will ever happen. Our people will unfortunately remained enslaved by the popular myths and media images that make them think and identify with this erroneous image.

Save a Life only if you have money to pay the bill!

In America everything comes with a price tag, even performing acts of kindness and bravery. Even if you save someone's life you have to pay a price for it. This is what a young American found out recently. I read about this lifeguard on Yahoo News. He rescued a drowning boy off the west coast of America and was promptly slapped with a $2600 hospital bill. It is routine in the US that everyone is taken to the emergency after the slightest adverse event. This lifeguard was also transported in an ambulance, even though he was fine, uninjured and he was the rescuer not the one who was drowning. After a few weeks he got a bill from the hospital. Of course there are enough generous souls in the US and someone footed the hospital bill. Instead of commending him for saving a life and giving him some kind of a bravery award, he got a bill from the hospital. It does really sound absurd to me. Next time I see a drowning person I should think twice if I have the money to pay the hospital, before jumping in to rescue.

Tissue Donation/ Trade continues....

I listened to another episode of the story on human tissue business on radio today. This part of the story focused on the scams, rackets, and frauds that had taken place in this $1 billion business. The story focused on one funeral home director from New Jersey who made so much money out of this business that he had heaters installed under his driveway because he didn't want to shovel snow during winters.

This guy is a dentist who had lost his license and yet he lived in style in a mansion with all the comforts. How did he manage this, he simply bought corpses from other funeral homes and sold them to tissue banks, who in turn sold it to doctors and hospitals. Everyone in the loop made a profit for themselves.This guy apparently forged documents that reportedly created a paper trail showing that the family of the deceased had consented to the tissue harvesting and continued on with his murky deals.

What is next? Is it going to be human farms, breed people in order to kill and harvest their organs and tissues? Or would it be go to war with a nation so you can kill their citizens and harvest tissues? What will it be? I definitely don't want to guess!

The Murky side of tissue donation!

English: Logo of NPR News. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I got my drivers license renewed one of the questions in the form asked me if I wanted to be registered as an organ donor. Feeling righteous and thinking that my body will be helpful to fellow human beings even after my death I obviously ticked the box and enrolled as one. When I signed up I was not aware of how much money my body was worth and who would benefit from it. Now after listening to a series of news reports on National Public Radio I have become painfully aware of the sleazy market that exists in this country for human tissue "donations".

As I listened to the radio program I was shocked to know that the organizations that harvest tissue and organs from dead humans are actually "For Profit" corporations whose CEOs I am quite sure make millions off of salvaging dead bodies who sign up for donations thinking that some poor soul somewhere in the world would benefit. That is not true either. Most of these 'donated' tissues are used in cosmetic surgeries.

That is not all, there is a well oiled machinery in morgues across the world to harvest human tissues and sell it to these corporations who pass them on to doctors and hospitals in the US for a fee of course. Most of these dead bodies are scavenged without the permission or even knowledge of their families, clandestinely in morgues.

Since there is little or no regulation or tracking of these tissue grafts nobody knows whose organ is being transplanted on whom and who is making money.

I am amazed at the way corporations are cheating common people even in their death to make a few $$$. Wonder what it will be next, will there be human farms to harvest organs in third world countries like Sub Saharan Africa, and South & South East Asia??? I wouldn't be surprised if these corporations powered by their capitalist arrogance and greed attempt this.

Like Geeky Stuff? Here is News you could use!

I consider myself a gadget lover/ geek/ gizmo freak or whatever you call people who love to have the latest and coolest electronics. I always look for and try to acquire the most cool gadgets and gizmos for myself. I visit various websites and online forums to keep myself updated about the latest gadgets that are hitting the marketplace.

One of the best sources of information on this subject is the ThinkGeek site that provides fantastic details and features all the latest cool gadgets, quirky gizmos and geeky stuff. The website is unique in many ways. First it provides the latest news and information about state-of-the-art gadgets and new innovations. Second it is a great place to find coupons, discount promo codes and free stuff. These things help you save money and enable you to buy more cool gadgets.

This week the site features a Home Depot coupon that will help me get some real cool home improvement tools and implements. Then there are GoToMyPC promo codes that help me get some real cool accessories for my computer.

Among the gadgets I found on the site I simply loved the I Sight Twin LED lights, a simple attachment that helps you keep your hands free while you negotiate your way in the darkest of the nights.

Crazy or Stupid or Plain Idealistic - I don't understand

The Fort Hood Massacre by US Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hassan made headlines across the country several months ago. Then there was a lull as the army decided to investigate the case and court martial Hassan. Meanwhile he was placed in a military prison in solitary confinement.


This morning I read a news item titled  Juror bias worries Hasan’s legal team which elucidates that the legal team appointed to defend the renegade ex-soldier's religion will have an adverse effect on the case. My first reaction was of shock, which soon transformed into outrage and then frustration not only with the media for publishing such a news item but also about the army lawyer who is stating such.

In my opinion a nation's most important citizens are the soldiers - those who defend the borders, followed by the police - who maintain peace in the civil society and then comes everyone else. This man who belonged to the first group turned his guns on his colleagues and killed 13 soldiers in cold blood. There should be no doubt about what he did and how it will impact the society. I don't care if he is a Muslim or Christian or Jew the fact is that he killed soldiers who are the protective arm of this great nation. He should be brought to justice and given the highest punishment that he deserves.

Instead of urging the jury to pass the most severe judgement these lawyers are worried about the murderer? I simply don't understand. I just hope the jurors will take the right decisions and pronounce the appropriate judgement.

The Most Modern and Latest in Eyeglasses

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Nobody knows who actually invented the eyeglasses. Historical records state that as early as 5th century BC Egyptians were using simple glass lenses to magnify things. Then in 1st century AD Roman emperor Nero's tutor has recorded how the emperor was using emerald lenses to watch Gladiatorial games.

Since then glasses have come a long way. stylish glasses are an essential part of almost everyone's wardrobe. Even if one doesn't have sight problems they are recommended sunglasses so as to protect their eyes from the harsh sun rays.

For some eyeglasses are an essential fashion accessory. They are functional in enabling the user to see better but also stylish making the user look better. Now with new technological evolution Zenni Optical has totally changed the landscape of eyeglass market.

Check out the Emerging Technology Info Graphic and visit Zenni's website and you will agree with me that they offer some of the best deals on eyeglasses. There are new technologies that Zenni Optical uses on a daily basis to give you the best solutions, take a look at the latest technology by visiting their website and the link below.

One you take a look at the emerging technology and become aware of Zenni's offers I am quite certain you will never shop for eyeglasses elsewhere.

My Latest Project

1982 Yamaha Seca Turbo For Sale (Photo credit: Ryan Frost)

I used to be a biker when I was in India. Now after almost five years I have bought myself a motorcycle - a Yamaha Seca Turbo 650cc motorcycle. This was made in 1982-83 as the precursor of all the modern crotch rockets like the Yamaha R1, Honda CBR series, etc. It is shaft driven, so no question of chain adjustment for life time. Hopefully I will be able to get it running quickly and start enjoying it on the streets.

This is not a running bike, it is a project. My friend has been kind enough to agree to help me strip it apart, fix it and put it together again. We managed to get it started last week and now we still have some work pending. Here are some pictures of what the bikes looks like now. The picture on the side is what a complete bike looks like. That picture I found on the internet and is a bike that doesn't belong to me....

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Enjoy Summer Vacation and SAVE in San Antonio

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of SAVE for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Where are you going this summer? What are your holiday plans for the next few weeks before school starts again in August? If someone were to ask me this question my answer would simply be "San Antonio, TX". I visited San Antonio once before in 2010 and ever since I have been waiting for an opportunity to go there again.

Now with the value packed offers that come with the San Antonio Vacation Experience (SAVE) program I don't think there will be a better time to visit the Alamo city, enjoy the river walk, shop in the top shops, participate in historic tours, and basically have a blast of a holiday.

Let me tell you about the SAVE – San Antonio Vacation Experience, it is a discount program that provides more than $600 in savings when you visit San Antonio. This wonderful saving program makes the already affordable vacation destination even more value for your money and in this economy, one couldn't ask for more. The $600 can be applied on savings to theme parks, shopping, historic tours, hotels, and on adventures too.

Some of the hotels where you could save include the best San Antonio resorts too. Of course there are a number of budget and mid-range hotels are also in the SAVE partnerships. Some SAVE partner hotels are sited across the area along the riverwalk, near theme parks, in downtown, etc.

I would typically visit San Antonio over weekend, stay at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk (SAVE rates $89 - Sunday-Thursday and $99 over Friday-Saturday), visit Six Flags Fiesta Texas the same day where SAVE enables a savings in the form of adults pay kids price, buy an adult ticket and get a child’s free, next day free and more. I'd cool off the evening with a shopping trip to the La Villita historic arts village and cap the day off by watching a movie at Alamo IMAX Theatre Rivercenter where childs admission is free. The next day I will head out to the SeaWorld where SAVE discounts include deals on family-four packs, second day free, $10 off admission and more. A visit the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch and San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Of course there are lots more I'd do along with taking a Alamo Helicopter Tour, which has a saving of 10% because of SAVE. Some of these are Limited Time Offers so it is better to grab them when they are available.

In order to keep abreast of the happenings I am going to first follow  @SAVEinSA on Twitter, so I can get to know the latest offerings.

Artificial Waterfalls

In the Prairies and Lakes area of Texas the landscape is flat and houses seem like outcrops. The landscape is quite boring so what do builders do, they create artificial landscaping. If you want a hill they will go and dig up some dirt from somewhere and pile it up to create one. If you want a waterfall they can do that too. I recently saw one such feature at a premium residential neighborhood where they have created an artificial river and a waterfall, here are some pictures:

July 4th Celebrations in Castle Hills

I blogged about the American Independence Day celebrations at Castle Hills, Lewisville yesterday but I wasn't able to upload any pictures of the event. Here are some pictures of the event for your reference.

July 4th celebrations at Castle Hills

Independence Day! (Photo credit: CR Artist)

Yesterday was America's independence day and I visited couple of friends in a nearby city to participate in their community's celebrations. For a small residential community the celebrations were pretty well orchestrated. The center of attraction was a live band belting out hit numbers. There were numerous games for kids to play, bounce houses, and of course lots and lots of eating stuff in the form of food trucks, booths and vendors.

Fireworks #1 (Photo credit: Camera Slayer)

Of course the highlight of the evening was the fireworks display. The fireworks were staged near the commercial strip of community and we got lucky in finding a slightly elevated spot which served as a vantage point for viewing the fireworks. The display started promptly after dusk. In the beginning it was rather slow and staid but soon picked up tempo and started attracting applause from the viewers. It ended as quickly as it started. The good part was that from our location we could view the fireworks of two other communities quite well and as we watched we drew comparisons and the one in Castle hills was not as good as the other one.

Even so I believe the other display we got to see was a city organized event and funded by the government. The one we were attending was a community organized event and there is a definite disparity in funding so I guess it was a pretty good effort despite a rather mellow showing.

A day in the Lake!

Lake Tawakoni at Hideaway Estates (Photo credit: Houstonian)

After many years I got the opportunity to swim in the open waters of the vast Lake Tawakoni. It was one of those rare summer days when the temperature was not too hot and the sun was not blazing town threatening to melt and vaporize our bodies. Along with a few friends we headed out for the Lake Tawakoni State Park sited about 60 miles from Dallas and one of the largest lakes in the state of Texas.

Few things bring me the peace of mind and pleasure like that of a large water body. Just sitting and looking at the vast expanse of azure beauty soothes my mind out of the worst crises and helps me find solutions and think of creative options.

Lake Tawakoni (Photo credit: Houstonian)

Anyway that was not the reason we went to Lake Tawakoni it was a pleasure picnic to enjoy the waters. The weather was just right, not too hot, not cold at all, the water was warm towards the bank and became refreshingly cooler as we waded deeper into the lake. The swimming area has been cordoned off with buoys by the state par authorities so that visitors may not venture out too deep and get drowned. The swimming beach, hiking trails, picnic areas, and boat ramps provide amazing activity options for the entire family.

We spent the whole time in the swimming beach, resting, dipping in water and enjoying the day.

Enter Atlantic/Legoland Sweepstakes to win a 2 day family vacation!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Atlantic Luggage for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It is summer and in this economy vacations can be a strain on families. If you are wondering how to take your family on a great vacation and yet not hurt it is a good idea to enter the Atlantic Luggage and Legoland Sweepstakes. You may win their grand prize of an all expense paid family vacation to Legoland Florida.

Atlantic luggage is well known for their highly stylish, durable, affordable and lightweight travel accessories. Their luggage is the preferred travel accessory of families on the move. This year Atlantic Luggage is offering all American families a chance to win a free family holiday to Legoland in Florida.

The holiday prize package includes a 2 day vacation for two adult and two children to Legoland in Florida. Two nights in a comfortable hotel (one 4 occupancy room), a car voucher, a free set of Atlantic Luggage for your easy travel and a chance to meet with one of the Master Model Builders of Legoland is included in the package. Now that is what I call a real prize, it includes everything except you. All you need to do is to enjoy the holiday. Everything else is arranged.

Why is this holiday unique and different? That is because Legoland Florida has a spanking new attraction - a waterpark that was inaugurated in May 2012. The waterpark features a lazy river which is 1,000 ft and families on this holiday will have the opportunity to design, build and set afloat a Lego vessel. I am totally excited at this prospect and just think how thrilled kids are going to be if they can create a boat with their hands and see it floating.

Don't wait for too long the sweepstakes end soon. This is your unique opportunity use it immediately and wisely.

Now if you haven't used Atlantic Luggage, it is one of the most perfect travel accessory for families. There are a variety of styles and sizes offered and everyone is bound to find something that suits their needs.

Crazy Conditions in US Kills 15 and inconveniences many more

Waldo Canyon fire, Colorado Springs, CO (Photo credit: Beverly & Pack)

This summer has been odd in the US. Some states like Colorado, and New Mexico have been experiencing enormous wildfires that are causing damage to houses. The fire has led to evacuation of several thousand homes and many of these evacuees are wondering if they can return to their homes at all. Some of the neighborhoods have been flattened completely without trace thanks to the raging inferno that fire fighters have not been able to tame... yet.

Move south to Florida and the people there are facing the fury of nature in another form - floods and storms. Washington DC has been hit by a storm that has made thousands of homes go without power and in this triple digit summer heat it is almost impossible to stay alive. In Ohio over a million homes and businesses have no power today and there is no way it is going to be restored over the weekend. It is going to be a warm or rather a hot weekend for these people.

I wonder how these natural disasters will affect the economy of the states and the nation. There will be massive insurance payouts required and I am pretty sure corporations will not like to pay up. There will be NGOs asking for donations in the unaffected parts of the country to help in reconstruction efforts.

Fire Rages Across America

It is the same story every year this time. Wild fires across the dry parts of America i.e. mostly in California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and this year Colorado also. The southern states mentioned here are known for their dry, arid and rugged landscapes. During summer months when mercury hits 100+ the surroundings become so dry that a small spark is enough to start a major blaze.

This has been happening with clockwork precision every year.. at least since 2008 when I began following the news and events here. It is hard for the thousands of people who are evacuated from their homes, harder for those who actually lose their homes to the fire. Then there are millions of $$$s spent on fire fighting and reconstruction.

I wonder if there could be any preventive measures that could be put in place so that this tragedy doesn't repeat year after year. This way everyone will be happy and there is no collateral damage to the environment.

Free Disney DVD! Just login and order

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Car-Mercial for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

An offer like this doesn't come around every day - A Free Disney DVD for you and your family. How do you get it, all you have to do is to visit the website of Disney Vacation Club and order your copy of the DVD. At the Disney Vacation Club you will discover much more than this free DVD you can learn how you and your family can enjoy unique vacations. The club now provides members access to all the Disney Vacation Club resorts and other exotic resorts at over 500 destinations worldwide.

Once you become a member you don't have to worry about your holidays for the rest of your life. There are enough and more Disney Vacation Club properties that offer unique and enjoyable experiences for the entire family.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrj0t6_disney-timeshares-for-sale-disney-vacation-club_travel

Now as part of their 20th anniversary Disney is offering unique new programs. Whenever you buy 100 vacation points you will get 10 extra. That is an amazing offer. You can avail this offer and become a member you have the flexibility to choose when, and where you want to enjoy your holiday and what you want to do during those days.

Hurry this offer expires on September 29, 2012. There is some time out there but not a whole lot, get in quick and you can start enjoying quicker.

Bridges that link people!

The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco, CA at sunset taken from the Marin Headlands (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bridges are mostly man made features that link places. It may be across a river, lake or even across a city/ neighborhood so that traffic can be avoided. I have found many bridges that serve only pedestrians, yet others that serve only fast moving vehicles, and there others that are shared by pedestrians and vehicles alike.

One unique feature of bridges in the US is that they are built in such a way that most of the time one can't see what is below the bridge. I am guessing this is done purposely so that the drivers concentrate on the road and not on the scenery around and stray from their lanes.

The Walnet Street Bridge, packed with pedestrians on Memorial Day weekend. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Bridge In the Tree Tops (Photo credit: Jon Person)

Road Trips!!!

Route dans les Pyrénées françaises (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Youth Hostels International has an interesting tagline:

Wandering one Gathers Honey

In short they were encouraging members to travel to different places and gather the honey of wisdom and travel survival skills. I have had the good fortune of having been part of many road trips in the past.

When I was in India a 60km (40 mile) bike ride would be a road trip to enjoy for a day. Here in the US I travel that much to reach my work. Road trips here take a completely new dimension. Long distances can be covered in short periods of time thanks to the super smooth, and relatively empty roads. No question of dodging people or cattle, or poultry. Of course there are small animals on the road that get squished under the tires of automobiles, but hey! who cares.

Then there are people who take their home with them while on the road. They travel in a recreational vehicle across the length and breadth of this continent-sized nation. How much ever one travels it is impossible to see everything in a small state let alone in the nation or the world. It takes a few lifetimes if one has to see the entire state of Texas for example. Then by the time one completes traveling there are bound to be some changes here and there which will need to be seen and experienced.

That makes one set off on yet another road trip!

Memories!!!

Memory is such a unique thing for everything with a brain... or a chip or a hard drive. An inanimate object like the computer hard drive doesn't have the choice of what to remember. We as living and autonomous creatures have this choice of storing what we want in our memories.

When we are young and cramming for exams we wish we had more memory. When we forget someone's phone number and trying desperately to remember we beat ourselves up for not noting it down. Even as the modern gadgets are making our memories smaller and smaller we rue the fact that there is so much information to remember while at school.

As we age our memories become weaker and we don't remember as much as we used to in our youth. For some of us this may be a great blessing because it is an opportunity to permanently forget all the bad things that happened to us. For others it may be a curse because we can't seem to remember those wonderful moments of our life.

Wouldn't it be nice if selective memory were possible. Just imagine if like all the physical enhancements are possible by modern medicine, mental or memory tuning were possible? I am pretty sure many of us would want to go in and get certain incidents of our life erased permanently from our memories.