VIJAY KUMAR ND

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2008-12-20T00:50:00.000-08:00

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Tata Indica Vista Interiors - Pictorial Review

2008-11-06T00:26:00.000-08:00

Tata Indica Vista Safire: The interior space has always the favour of the Indica, the indica vista is no different. To be right, the comfort and spaciousness has become even better. The dimensions are big (3795mm * 1695mm * 1550mm). But the raised shoulder line of Indica vista make you feel like being in enclosed spaces. The boot / luggage space is 232litres which can be enlarged by folding the 60:40 foldable seats.

Tata Indica Vista Safire: The seats at the front comes with lumbar support. Though the engine does not offers spirited driving, the driver seat is the big change over the previous Indica. Driver seat is height adjustable and 2-way adjustable lumbar support. What’s more on the offer is the tilt adjustable steering wheel and absence of instrument panel ensures comfortable driving position and better visibility for drivers of all height. Steering is also mounted on the front sub frame and vibrations are largely reduced.

Tata Indica Vista Safire: Two tone interiors really makes a difference and every swift owner is sure to envy on you. The carefully selected textures and nice plastics makes the cabin lively. But the fit and finish is not top notch, especially the fitment of glove box,steering wheel and plastics around the door handles are reminiscent of the older one. Again i cannot stop praising about the Indica vista’s storage spaces. A smart tray below the seat and a laptop fitting glove box.

Tata Indica Vista Safire: On the road prices of Indica Vista in chennai are

Indica Vista Safire Terra - Rs3,95,158

Indica Vista Aqua - Rs4,20,657

Indica Vista Aura - Rs4,48,398.

The prices include Tata’s extended warranty (24+24 months) for Indica vista

For more details visit:
http://cars.tatamotors.com/indica/indicavista/index.html

How to reserve a train ticket online

2008-10-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

URL- http://www.irctc.co.in
Long ago in India we used to hate to book train ticket... why because of those stupid lines and lazy govt. officials in ticketing counter who used to take unnecessary tea breaks, lunch breaks, system shut down... horrifying. It used to be a nightmare for each one of us when we were to book tickets for summer holidays… stand in that long long queue and still cannot figure out if we tickets are available or in waiting list and then after standing in the line for hours we come to know that the waiting list if 150 or so…. Daam you are lost and have no option but to curse Indian Railways….

Gone are the days. Today if you see IRCTC which brought in eTicket has become so very convienient and easy to use. Also if not eTickect we can atleast see if the tickets are available which all trains go from where and to where… we salute Indian Railways for running so much trains and that too daily. Hats off to Indian Railways Network.
Now lets me analyze on 3 points on IRCTC
Point 1. Is it user friendly ?Now those of you who are regularly using IRCTC.co.in for railway booking might wonder what’s big deal... we have to deal with it, taxing maybe at times but not that bad after you get the end result. Hmm so why am I asking to myself is it usable enough.
Let me now go round and round.... first of all the whole booking area is fantastic, but the home page is like an Kumbh MELA... don’t know why are some weird ads kept in chaotic manner. These ads can be grouped at one area. You will feel relived once you enter the your user name and password. Aah at least you get the screen wherein you get to see the actual screen. SO now you are logged in. The page looks good at the start wherein you see all the possible links like your booked tickets, cancel tickets, special trains and all others… maybe too long list in left links but if you come to see all are important links. You may feel that it’s of no use to you but in future you will use it mark my words. But But hey this can be improved more by grouping items and placing it in proper place. Like for example some elements are in one group and the same interlinked element of that is in some other group. SO you need to really search for that…. Naah that’s OK we are Indians we are used to these.. that’s our mentality NO PROBS, chaltha hai….
OK lets look at the actual one to book trains…. Now if you look at this there are 2 simple columns like From and TO destinations where you enter some text and it opens in popup (for e.g. I type in Mumbai and press the icon it opens up the popup stating some station code like ddr (dadar), CST and so on….) that’s perfect because they have made it work according to station names, but many a times as the bandwidth is slow, the pop up doesn’t display at times due to overload of traffic. Now how to tackle it ???
There comes AJAX technology, if you type in DADAR and click on the icon, they can display the list of stations at the same page with tree structure and the even the page doesn’t refresh, that’s the beauty of ajax…. OK ppl you would say AJAX cannot be used in this technology… then some other alternative like usage of javascript to display on the same page without refreshing. Now if nothing is possible then display a link which will have all the station names with their station code names… this will be either downloadable one or a simple HTML.
Another useful thing which they missed is to explain what is eTicket and what is iTicket… even till now I get confused, as iTicket is for printing and eTicket is for paper ticker. SO that can be shown as Paper Ticket and Print Ticket or some other words so that the confusion can be avoided
Now lets get to point 2
2. How is the steps of online transaction ?
This is the most important and very much what we are looking and have come to do… booking a ticket. Now the steps of transaction is shown excellently and there is no need for a change as its already user friendly. We can’t get friendlier than this…. Now this is Ok if we are going in for iTicket, but some improvisation can be done in eTicket address saver….
How, though they have the provision to save but many a times it dosen’t work, don’t know why??? Now here user should have provision to save some 5 to 6 different addresses so that every time he doesn’t need to type in address and there will be a time out.
3. Is it safe enough to book or can we rely on it ?
Now comes the important point where all of us in India face… faith on electronic media ??? do you trust these online….
But I will give you an example why this is most secured and reliable. I had faced this problem… I booked this ticket and while ending the transaction there was an error and page was not getting displayed, this is after I paid through my bank online and amount was also debited, but no ticket was booked. I was worried… but I received an eMail from IRCTC that the amount will be credited to my account. Though it takes time for these processing of refund but it happens… we can rely on them. This is good thing about IRCTC we don’t have to be behind them like it happens with some private travel agents like YATRA and CLEAR TRIP, wherein we need to really push them and keep on following up for the refund. Even many of my friends said the same thing… it takes time but you will get your money refunded within a week…
So that’s my view on IRCTC…. So next time if you are against online train booking at-least in India…. Think again… This is one of the best online ticketing and that too which has world’s largest railway network.

BMW car in INDIA

2008-10-23T01:28:00.000-07:00

PUNE: Luxury car manufacturer BMW India is conducting a market study on the feasibility of a small car in the luxury segment. “We have not decided on our plans for small cars in India... but are conducting a study to analyse the market,” BMW India president Peter Kronschnabl said. “Our small cars cost Rs 10 lakh overseas. Importing them here will increase the price by more than 100%. We are not sure whether a small luxury car with such a pricing will work in India,” he added.

The BMW study is scheduled to be completed over the next three months, after which the company would decide whether to introduce the small car in India or not. “We are pretty upbeat about the market in India and have invested around Rs 110 crore so far,” Mr Kronschnabl added. BMW is targeting the top position in India in the luxury car segment over the next three to five years and has decided to focus on the Indian market. It has no plans of exporting the BMW 3 and BMW 5 series cars manufactured at its Chennai plant. The company is also planning to increase its dealerships to 12 by 2009, having opened a ninth dealer outlet in Pune in partnership with the Pune-based auto retailer Bavaria Motors. “There is a good potential for luxury cars in India. While the total car market in India was growing at 16%, luxury car market is growing at more than 50%. There are close to 3,500 luxury cars in India now and 2008 will add almost 4,500 luxury cars in India. We aim to achieve the top position in this booming market,” said Mr Kronschnabl. BMW India will also focus on increasing India’s share in sourcing components for its global branches. “We have set up an international purchasing office at our headquarters in Gurgaon,” Mr Kronschnabl added. The existing team would be expanded to 10 members. The purchasing office will explore opportunities for sourcing components from India. Although the company hasn’t finalised any plans for sourcing, it would focus on procurement of production components as well as IT and engineering services, Mr Kronschnabl added.

2008-10-22T20:37:00.001-07:00

Expat and Travel

Sripuram Golden Temple Vellore

2008-10-22T01:38:00.000-07:00

Golden Temple - when uttered this word, immediately people thinks of Amritsar and the Highest Body of the Sikh's pride Golden Temple. But now it has got a good competition! Yes, an estimated over 600 Crores of Indian Rupees spent, to construct a true Golden Temple for Goddess Mahalakshmi, the presiding deity, (installed and maintained by Sri Narayani Peedam) in this Temple at Sripuram, which is situated 6 km away from the District Headquarters - Vellore, North Arcot District in Tamilnadu. Now, the temple is complete, open to the general public; this town Sripuram has all the facilities one can visit to enjoy his/her spiritual experience.

A Mahalakshmi temple called 'Sripuram' and made of more than a ton of pure gold will glitter and gleam under the sun on August 24 when it is unveiled for consecration by the Sri Narayani Peetam headed by a 31-year-old godman who calls himself Narayani Amma. Devotees hail the temple as 'one of the wonders of the world' and say that it is the only temple covered fully with gold.

More than 400 gold and coppersmiths from the Tirupathi Thirumala Devasthanam are said to have worked for six years to craft the Rs. 600-crore golden temple located on 55,000 sq ft of land on a 100-acre salubrious stretch in Malaikodi, about 6 km from Vellore in north Tamil Nadu. According to official sources, the gold bars were purchased through RBI in "a transparent manner "

First the coppersmiths set to work creating a copper base on the temple structure with engravings and etchings before the gold, beaten into nine layers of foils, was draped around it. The sanctum sanctorum will hold the deity of Mahalakshmi made of stone granite, but covered with gold protection layers. (Kavacham - adornments).

" The Sripuram or Spiritual Park is Amma's dedication to the world and mankind," said P Murali, a trustee of the Peetam, adding that the temple has more gold than the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

Messages by 'Amma' have been laid out along the path to the temple with messages from the Gita, Bible and Quran. "When one enters the Sripuram, their focus is just on the magnificent temple. But when they leave, they cannot do so without taking some messages and gaining some wisdom," according to a booklet detailing the 'services' rendered by the Peetam. "In this quagmire of materialism, Sripuram rises as an inspiration to man to find the divinity within him," adds a Narayani Peedam brochure.

The arrangements were being made to hire personnel to throw a security cover around the temple. "But the gold sheets have been laid out in such a manner that it would cost more to rip it off than purchase the gold," said a top Vellore district official.

How to reach Sripuram Golden Mahalakshmi Temple? Location, Distance, Route & contact details: ( Katpadi Longitude 79 Deg. 8' East, Latitude 12 Deg. North 59' )

Whatsoever may the cause, the Temple location, its surroundings and the peaceful atmosphere are the added attractions for the visitors and it is sure worth to visit this place once. The Maha Laksmi Temple is now an attraction even for the tourists and pilgrimage. This temple is located at Thirumalaikodi; Katpadi is the nearest Railway station in the Chennai-Bangalore route of Southern Railway. How to reach Sripuram? It takes about 3 and half hours drive from Chennai, in the Chennai - Bangalore road. It is in the National Highways NH46 that connects Chennai - Bangalore (Bangaluru) and in NH4 from Ranipet to Bangalore. From Katpadi, one can reach by state owned bus to Sripuram which takes about 15 minutes drive or less. Or, one can reach Thirumalaikodi by bus from Vellore to Anicut / Odugathur route. The State run buses ply via Thirumalaikodi in this route. From Tirupati (Tirupathi) to Katpadi, there are shuttle train services available upto Katpadi or Jolarpettai (Jolarpet Passenger) or one can travel by train from Tirupathi (Tirupati) by Kanyakumari Express from Tirupati to Katpadi which takes less than 3 hours journey. Direct bus services available from all major points to Vellore from Chennai, Chittoor, Bangalore, Kanchipuram, Kanyakumari, Tirupathi & Thiruvannamalai - all being major Temple towns and picnic spots. Vellore is well connected by road with all the southern states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala & Pondicherry. The approximate distance from each major station to Vellore is listed below for the convenience of the visitors:

Chennai - Vellore about 150 kms (Via Sriperumpudur, Sunkuwar Chathram, Kaveripakkam, Wallajahpet, Ranipet, Arcot, Ratnagari - or Arcot by-pass from Ranipet) - 3 and half hours drive from Chennai.

Bangalore - Vellore (via Hosur) - 220 kms (On national highway routes - NH7 > via - Hosur Road - Electronic City - Attibele(NH7) - Hosur - Kamandoddi - Shoolagiri- Melumalai - Kurubarapalli - Krishnagiri > NH46> - Bargur - Vaniyambadi - Ambur - Pallikondaj - Vellore. - around 4 hours drive)

Kanchipuram - Vellore - 58 kms

Tirupathi - Katpadi - 95 kms

Ranipet - Vellore - 26 kms (via Arcot bypass - highways 22 kms)

Hyderabad - Vellore - 510 kms

Mysore - Vellore - 270 kms

Thiruvannamalai - Vellore - 85 kms

Vellore - Sripuram Sri Mahalakshmi Golden Temple - 8 KM

While traveling through National Highways, you will find many toll gates where you need to pay toll fee at different locations, for private cars, taxis, vans etc toll fee ranging from Rs.38 up to 65 and for busses and trucks the charges are still more. (valid for entry-exit 24 hours only).

Temple Darshan Timings & applicable current official charges (donations!) are as below:

Darshan Timing 8 am to 8 pm on all the 365 days!

The Sevas available right now and are likely changed/modified by the Temple authorities as per the trustees discretion:

Swarna Pushpa Archana Seva; In this seva Archana will be done with 108 gold flowers and out of which one will be given to the devotee after the archana seva. The donation for the seva is 1508/- for a couple and 1008/- for one devotee. (All days from 0800Hrs to 2000Hrs)

Veda Parayana Seva; In this seva One devotee will be allowed to sit in front of goddess Mahalakshmi and will be given Aarthi Dharsan (Mondays to Fridays 0800 to 2000) Rs.250/ per Head

Divya Dharsan Seva; In this seva one devotee will be permitted for Divya dharsan of Goddess Mahalakshmi. (only Dharsan- No Aarthi) Rs.100/ per head on Saturdays and Sundays and National Holidays

Abishekam: In this seva 4 members are permitted for Abisekam, Alankaram and Aarthi Dharsan Rs.3006/- on all days except Fridays (No accommodation)
Rs.5004/- on Fridays (One Non A/c Room accommodation will be given) The accommodation facilities presently available as below:

NON A/c -Rs.300/- for 2 members (Add Bed-Rs.100/-) Max 3 members permitted in one room
A/c -Rs.500/- for 2 members (Add Bed-Rs.150/-) Max 3 members permitted in one room

One can send an advance DD in favour of "Narayani Siddar Peedam Charitable Trust" payable at Vellore and book for your requirements.

For more details one may contact the PROs of Sri Narayani Siddar Peedam at Sripuram at the following cell phone numbers:

+91 9942993009 ( Sri R Baskar), +91 9942993010 (Sri B V Karthik) or +(1 9345136189 (Mrs Srimathi Ramsingh).

The Temple is constructed, managed and maintained by Shri Narayani Amma of Sri NarayaNi Peedam, (known as Amma of Sri Shakti Peetam). Further details and arrangements can also be made by the Shakti Sri Narayani Peedam at phone numbers (STD code included) : +9104162271202 or +9104162271 844. Sri Shakti Peetam of Sri Narayani Amma also arrange for your visit and provide hospitality on special and individual requests. There are numerous state run bus services available from most of the nearest towns to/via Sripuram. Nearest Railway station:- Katpadi, Chennai-Bangalore rail route. Nearest big town:- Vellore, District headquarters of North Arcot, Tamilnadu (South India). Nearest Airport, Chennai - Meenambakkam (about 135 kms.) or Bangalore (Bengaluru) Airport (180 kms) and from Tirupathi Airport about 100 kms. Email contact for Sri Narayani Peedam office is : contact@sripuram.org

Here are few suggestions, useful tips, do's and don'ts for a first time visitor:

There is ample car parking space available @ Rs.20/- per vehicle.

Here, the security measures are more stringent as alike Sri Balaji Temple of Tirupathi. Long queue makes one exhaust soon, more so during the summer days. It is recommended to take drinking water bottles & towels to fight the thirst and sweat!

Please do not carry your Mobile phones and cameras which are strictly prohibited inside the temple premises. Separate counters are there to deposit your cell phones, cameras as also your foot-wear. It is highly recommended not to take it with you to the temple at the first place, as it is not going to help you in any way as you have to deposit the same at the counters before entering the complex. Also do not carry cigerette, or tobacco in any form as this too would be confiscated while frisking and checking.

Dress Code: Only children can visit in half pants and elders and grown up should wear decently and Dhoti/Angavastram is strongly recommended. If you do not have one, as like in Kerala Side, here too these are available on hire. Better you take one with you. For women too, a decent and acceptable dress code is there so do not visit here with your shorts and skirts or with ultra modern dress. Or else, you may even be denied entry!

Security Check: As is in Tirupathi, here too the queue control system exist. A special structures erected to control and regularize the moving crowd is put up that extends up to 3 kms stretch from the temple! From here, you are allowed to move inside the star shaped ( Sri Chakra) corridor of the temple, only after proper security check by the security personnel both men & women; there you will have to undergo strict security checks viz. scanning, frisking and all the sort of personal/belongings etc.

Senior citizens are accompanied by the escorts from the temple are allowed to join in the main queue directly, but no family members are allowed to accompany them. Free wheel chair for physically challenged persons and elderly persons are also available and they are directly taken to the temple by the volunteers of Sri Narayani Peedam. No family members allowed to escort or accompany them, as the Golden Temple authorities arranged to give a very good care for them.

By the time you reach the Sanctum Sanctorum, oh, by now you have walked almost 3 kms distance from the entrance! Oooops! after taking such a trouble to reach to the inner temple, here is the real hitch.... you're allowed to take Darshan only from a distance of about 100 meters. Beyond this point, one has to pay INR.250/- per head. Wow, after Tirupathi Balaji, now Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi too wants her devotees to pay for a darsham!!! If one prefers to perform Abhishekam or Archana they need to book well in advance, say at least two months.

At the exit point, the volunteers of the Ashram would hand you prasadam viz. Kum-kum and Sweet rice or pongal. Though the entire system is most organized, one would feel exhausted - that too after you're told to view the Darshan only from a specific distance. But it is more worthy to pay a visit. The landscape, beautiful scenery, tranquil atmosphere, greenish lawns and fine architecture all combined makes one feel worth of the visit.

For those who wish to stay overnight or a couple of days, hotel accommodation can be arranged through the administrators, Sri Narayani Peedam - who maintains a hotel, hospital, Orphans home etc.

The photographs, images and photos that I obtained from my sources are displayed below for the readers to enjoy a virtual tour to Sripuram Narayani Peedam Amma's Golden Sri Mahalaxmi Temple near Vellore. After having taken the tour, Please sign in the guestbook with your valuable comments, suggestions and criticism as well.

VIDYA BALAN

2008-10-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

Vidya Balan (Tamil: வித்யா பாலன், Malayalam: വിദ്യ ബാല൯, Hindi: विद्या बालन, born January 1, 1982[1]) is an award-winning Indian actress who appears in Bollywood movies.

Balan, who began her career starring in many music videos, soap operas and commercials, made her acting debut in the Bengali film, Bhalo Theko (2003), for which she won critical acclaim. She later made her Hindi film debut with Parineeta (2005), for which she received a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award, and received her first commercial success with Rajkumar Hirani's Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006). Balan has thus established herself as one of the most promising actresses of the industry.

Career

Early life, until 2002
She was born to a Tamil Palakkad Iyer[3] family in Kerala. Balan grew up in Mumbai and attended St. Anthony's Girls High School in Chembur. She later attended St. Xavier's College, where she graduated with a sociology degree, and the University of Mumbai.

Her movie career started when she was signed to appear in the Malayalam film Chakram, alongside superstar Mohanlal but the movie was shelved. After that, she was signed for a Tamil film, Run, but for reasons undisclosed, she was dropped after a first schedule and replaced by Meera Jasmine.In the jinx driven industry, Balan was dropped from her second Tamil movie Manasellam opposite Srikanth, on the grounds of 'non-performance' and was replaced by Trisha Krishnan.

She then turned to television advertising. From 1998 onwards, she appeared in numerous television ads, many of which were directed by Pradeep Sarkar. She also took supporting roles in music videos, appearing with singers and bands such as Euphoria, Shubha Mudgal, and Pankaj Udhas. Balan also portrayed the role of Radhika Mathur in a few episodes of the first season of Hum Paanch, but was later replaced by Amita Nangia at the end of the first season.

Breakthrough, 2003 - present
In 2003, she appeared in the Bengali film, Bhalo Theko, for which she won the Anandalok Puraskar Best Actress award in Kolkata. Balan next made her Hindi film debut in the critically acclaimed Parineeta. Though the film didn't do well,[5] her performance was acclaimed by critics, earning her a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award and a nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award.

After the success of her first two films, the same producer who dropped her from Manasellam was keen to sign her opposite Kamal Hassan for Dasavathaaram but she rejected the offer and Asin Thottumkal was signed instead. In 2006, she appeared opposite Sanjay Dutt in the blockbuster film Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Once again her performance was well received by critics and the film went on to become the second highest grossing film of that year.

Mani Ratnam's critically acclaimed Guru was Balan's first release in 2007, in which she played a woman with a physical disability. The film did very well at the box office[9] and her role was appreciated.Her next two releases, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love (2007) and Eklavya: The Royal Guard (2007) failed to do well[9] but the latter was selected as India's official entries to the Oscars for the 80th Academy Awards.Balan's last two releases of the year, Heyy Babyy (2007) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) have fared very well at the box office.

Personal life
Her father, P. R. Balan, is the Vice President of ETC Channel whilst her mother is a homemaker. Balan also has an older sister named Priya. In a video interview, she stated that she was "extremely spiritual", had a "firm faith in God" and visited temples every Thursday.

Gossip columnists have linked Balan with many of her co-stars but she strongly denied the allegations, saying that they were "vile".Priyamani , a tamil actress who has won the National Award for the best actress - Paruthiveeran is Vidya Balan`s first cousin.

Mitsubishi Pajero

2008-10-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

In Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) segment a king-size entrant, Mitsubishi Pajero has entered, courtesy Hindustan Motors. Dressed with two tone flashy metal body, and armed with proven technology, Mitsubishi Pajero is set to deliver the luxurious comfort and mighty power in any road condition, be it the calm or the toughest.

Pajero is simply the perfect balance of comfort, performance and safety. The Pajero boasts a roomy, sporty cockpit with plush dual tone interiors combined by leather upholstery, convenient multi meter, wood print panels, adjustable lumbar support, the 06 occupants of this SUV would have a relaxed, cushion comfort riding experience. Mitsubishi Pajero marks its grand presence on the road with its distinctive color scheme, bigger alloy wheels, catchy door garnish and chromed, handles & rear view mirrors.

The power of 2.8 L diesel engine makes this giant SUV to generate gigantic power of 118 bhp. Supported with advanced stabiliser and secured with enhanced safety features let Pajero take on any terrain without any hiccup. Available with sizzling color options with combination of white warm pearl, Mitsubishi Pajero is bearing a price tag starting from Rs.18.00 lacs.

Striking Features of Mitsubishi Pajero
->Built on sturdy ladder type frame

->Dual tone color scheme giving distinctive presence to the SUV

->Sporty inter cooler vent

->Multi reflector halogen head lamp

->Chromed outer door handle and rear view mirror (electrically adjusted)

->Bigger 06 spokes alloy wheels

->Door garnish with Pajero decal adds life to the beauty of Pajero

->Sporty cabin with dual tone interiors dressed by leather upholstery

->Door pads with leather inserts

->Tilt adjustable steering wheel

->Integrated cassette player and MP3 CD player

->Adjustable lumbar support

->Secured with dual air bags, 03 point ELR seat belts and thick side impact bars

Available Color Options of Mitsubishi Pajero
->Carbon

->Navy

->Graphite

->Blaze

->Glacier

Price of Mitsubishi Pajero
The grand Mitsubishi Pajero is available for sale throughout India having a price tag of Rs. 18,81,000 (ex-showroom)
(Please Note: The price range is ex-showroom and based on the close approximation. Please check the latest prices and variant specifications with your dealer)

Salman Khan Biography

2008-10-12T01:05:00.000-07:00

Career
Salman Khan made his acting debut in the 1988 film Biwi Ho To Aisi where he played a supporting role. His first leading role in a Bollywood movie was in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romance Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). The film went on to become one of India's highest grossing films.[3] It also won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award, and a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor Award.

1990 saw only one film release starring Khan, Baaghi, co-starring alongside southern actress Nagma. The film was a box office success,[4] and was followed by another successful year in 1991 when he starred in three hit films, Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa and Saajan.[5] Despite these tremendous early box office successes, all of his 1992-1993 releases resulted in box office failures.

Khan clawed back his previous success in 1994 with his second collaboration with director Sooraj Barjatya in the romance Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, co-starring Madhuri Dixit. This film was the biggest hit of that year, and turned out to be one of Bollywood's highest grossing films ever, becoming the fourth highest earner of all time.[6] Apart from being a commercial success, the film was widely acclaimed and Khan was praised for his performance, earning his second nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare. Three more films released that year featured Khan, none of which making a significant impact on the box-office as was the case with the previously mentioned title. He did however win praise for his performance in Andaz Apna Apna, alongside co-star Aamir Khan, which has gained a cult status since its release. In 1995 he cemented his success with Rakesh Roshan's blockbuster Karan Arjun, co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan.[5] The film was the second biggest hit of the year, and his role of Karan once again put his name among the nominees for the Best Actor award at the Filmfare, which was eventually won by his Karan Arjun co-star Shahrukh Khan.

1996 was followed by two successes. The first one being Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directional debut Khamoshi: The Musical, co-starring Manisha Koirala, Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas. Though a box office failure, the film was critically acclaimed. He next starred alongside Sunny Deol and Karisma Kapoor in Raj Kanwar's action hit Jeet.

He had only two releases in 1997: Judwaa and Auzaar. The former was a comedy directed by David Dhawan co-starring Karisma Kapoor, where he played a dual role of twins separated at birth. The film was a box office hit. The latter, co-starring Shilpa Shetty failed to do well, but developed a cult following after its video release.

Khan worked in five different films in 1998, his first release being the comedy Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya opposite Kajol, one of the biggest commercial successes of that year. This was followed by the moderately successful drama Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai.[5] Khan played a young man who has to take a child who claims to be his son, under his custody. Khan's performance in the film earned him several positive notices and favourable reviews from critics. He rounded of the year with Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, he had only an extended cameo playing the role of Aman. However, it eventually turned out beneficial to him, as his performance earned him his second Filmfare Award under the Best Supporting Actor category.

In 1999, Khan starred in three hit films: Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United, which reunited him with Sooraj Barjatya for the third time; Biwi No.1, which became the top grossing film that year; and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which was a major critical success, and earned him another Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare. In 2000, Khan acted in six films, most of which failed critically and commercially, except for the two moderately successful films, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, both of which co-starred Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta. His performance in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, the release of which was delayed until 2001, was received well. The film was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the issue of surrogate childbirth; Khan played the role of a rich industrialist, who hires a surrogate mother after his wife becomes infertile. Critics noted his turn towards a more serious role, which reportedly had more substance in comparison to his previous roles.[7][8] In 2002 he starred in the delayed release Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam which was semi-hit at the box office.

Khan's following releases failed at the box office until he made a comeback in 2003 with Tere Naam. The film was a major earner and his performance was praised by critics, with film critic Taran Adarsh noting, "Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid..."[9] He subsequently continued his success at the box office, with comedies like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) and No Entry (2005).[5] 2006 was an unsuccessful year for him when Jaan-E-Mann and Baabul both failed to do well at the box office.

Khan started 2007 with the ensemble film Salaam E Ishq which failed to do well at the box office. His next release Partner did very well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster verdict.[10] He next appeared in his first Hollywood movie, Marigold: An Adventure in India opposite American actress Ali Larter. Telling the love story of an Indian man and an American woman, the film was a major failure, both commercially and critically.

In 2008 Khan made his debut on the small screen with the game show, Dus Ka Dum based on the international show The Power of 10.[11]

Personal life
Khan is the eldest son of celebrated screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Salma Khan. His stepmother is Helen, a famous yesteryear Bollywood actress, who has co-starred with him in Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). He has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, and two sisters, Alvira and Arpita. Alvira is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri.

Khan is a dedicated bodybuilder. He trains everyday and is famous for taking off his shirt in movies and stage shows alike. In 2004, he was voted 7th best-looking man in the World and the best looking man in India by People magazine, U.S.[12] Khan has been involved in several charities during his career.[13]

Despite being romantically linked with several actresses, and having relationships with ex-girlfriends Aishwarya Rai, Somy Ali and Sangeeta Bijlani, Khan is frequently featured by Indian media as Bollywood's most eligible bachelor. He has been dating model-turned-actress Katrina Kaif since 2003.[14]

On October 11, 2007, Khan accepted an offer from Madame Tussauds wax museum in London to have a wax replica made of himself. His life-size wax figure was finally installed there on January 15, 2008, making him the fourth Indian actor to have been replicated as a wax statue in the museum .[15] [16]

Rajinikanth's Endhiran

2008-10-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

It’s official at last. The shooting of Shankar’s Endhiran (Robot), which is being billed as Kollywood’s most historic venture, is to begin on September 8.

Industry sources said director Shankar, superstar Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai Bacchan left for the US on Friday along with a 40-member crew to film two songs for the film.

The movie, which has generated a lot of interest, boasts of a fabulous creative team including director Shankar, music director A R Rahman and ace cameraman Rathnavelu.

While Mary E Vogt, the well known designer who has worked in Hollywood movies like Men in Black, Batman Returns and Inspector Gadget will be designing the scientific outfits for the sci-fi movie, the animatronics of the film will be handled by the Stan Winston Studio (USA), which was responsible for the impressive animation sequences in movies such as Predator, Jurassic Park, Pearl Harbor, Iron man and the Terminator. The visual effects and animatronics co-ordination will be done by Indian Artiste.

Stunt director Yuen Woo Ping, who made audiences gasp with his stunts in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Matrix and Kill Bill, has been put in charge of the action sequences of the movie.

Hollywood companies like ILM, Tippet, Café EFX; and Hong Kong companies like Centro and Menfond have been roped in to work on VFX. The movie is being produced by Ayngaran International Films Pvt Ltd., and Eros International.

How to create a Compact disk(CD)?

2008-10-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio. The CD, available on the market since late 1982, remains the standard playback medium for commercial audio recordings to the present day.

Standard CDs have a diameter of 120 mm and can hold up to 80 minutes of audio. There is also the Mini CD, with diameters ranging from 60 to 80 mm; they are sometimes used for CD singles, storing up to 24 minutes of audio.

The technology was later adapted and expanded to include data storage CD-ROM, write-once audio and data storage CD-R, rewritable media CD-RW, Super Audio CD (SACD), Video Compact Discs (VCD), Super Video Compact Discs (SVCD), PhotoCD, PictureCD, CD-i, and Enhanced CD. CD-ROMs and CD-Rs remain widely used technologies in the computer industry. The CD and its extensions have been extremely successful: in 2004, worldwide sales of CD audio, CD-ROM, and CD-R reached about 30 billion discs. By 2007, 200 billion CDs had been sold worldwide.

Physical Details:
A Compact Disc is made from a 1.2 mm thick disc of almost pure polycarbonate plastic and weighs approximately 16 grams. A thin layer of aluminium or, more rarely, gold is applied to the surface to make it reflective, and is protected by a film of lacquer. The lacquer is normally spin coated directly on top of the reflective layer. On top of that surface, the label print is applied. Common printing methods for CDs are screen-printing and offset printing.

CD data is stored as a series of tiny indentations (pits), encoded in a tightly packed spiral track molded into the top of the polycarbonate layer. The areas between pits are known as "lands". Each pit is approximately 100 nm deep by 500 nm wide, and varies from 850 nm to 3.5 µm in length.

The optical lens of a CD drive.The spacing between the tracks, the pitch, is 1.6 µm. A CD is read by focusing a 780 nm wavelength (near infrared) semiconductor laser through the bottom of the polycarbonate layer. The change in height between pits and lands results in a difference in intensity in the light reflected. By measuring the intensity change with a photodiode, the data can be read from the disc.

The pits and lands themselves do not directly represent the zeros and ones of binary data. Instead, Non-return-to-zero, inverted (NRZI) encoding is used: a change from pit to land or land to pit indicates a one, while no change indicates a zero. This in turn is decoded by reversing the Eight-to-Fourteen Modulation used in mastering the disc, and then reversing the Cross-Interleaved Reed-Solomon Coding, finally revealing the raw data stored on the disc.

While CDs are significantly more durable than earlier audio formats, they are susceptible to damage from daily usage and environmental factors. Pits are much closer to the label side of a disc, so that defects and dirt on the clear side can be out of focus during playback. Discs consequently suffer more damage because of defects such as scratches on the label side, whereas clear-side scratches can be repaired by refilling them with plastic of similar index of refraction, or by careful polishing. Early music CDs were known to suffer from "CD rot" or "laser rot" where the internal reflective layer itself degrades. When this occurs the CD may become unplayable

What is Meditation?

2008-10-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

If you go to your Doctor for stress related problems, she or he will likely tell you that perhaps the best treatment for stress is Meditation. They will suggest that you start meditating and this leads you to two problems. The first is where to get appropriate direction in how to meditate. By finding Meditation Station, you've already solved that problem. The other is understanding exactly what Meditation is.

Normal Mind:Money,food,Job,Family,Hobby,Friends..

Concentrating Mind:Distraction<-Object of meditation,Distraction

Meditating Mind:Object of meditation

Contemplating Mind:OBJECT OF MEDITATION

Meditation is a three step process that leads to a state of consciousness that brings serenity, clarity, and bliss. As depicted in the first illustration, our "normal" state of mind is actually quite abnormal. We receive sensory stimuli and react in a completely uncontrolled way (although we tell ourselves we have great control). We bounce from one thought to another and follow with our emotional and physical reactions. The same thought can bring about diametrically opposite reactions at different times. For instance, we may see a dog and then start a thought process that reminisces about a pet dog we once had and loved. Emotionally, we then start feeling all warm and cuddly; physically, we feel very relaxed. Another time, we may see the same dog and fear it may attack us and start thinking paranoid thoughts, get fearful and uptight physically.

The second illustration demonstrates Concentration. This is the first step in Meditation and is the start of gaining control over the mind and thereby life. The procedure is deceptively simple and seems like it would be very easy to do, but there are few tasks more difficult to master. The idea is to pick an object/subject to place your attention on and then to focus exclusively on it without diversion.

An example of this would be if you decided to focus on love. To start, you would relax your body, sit in a comfortable position, calm your emotions and begin repeating the word "love" over and over. The problem is that your mind has been your master your whole life and won't easily relinquish its position. To trick you back into obedient slavery, your mind will divert your attention, often by giving you a tantalizingly interesting distraction. It usually goes something like this: You're sitting there repeating love, love, love when your mind suddenly adds "I love candy. They sell the candy I love at the 7-11 up the road. I can get into my car and drive there and get that candy. I know it will be delicious when I bite into it ..." and so there you are --- instead of concentrating on love, you're eating an imaginary candy bar at a 7-11. What you are supposed to do is to witness your being distracted and return to concentrating on the object of your meditation. Concentration is well worth persevering in and ultimately liberating, spectacular and a blessing.

The third illustration depicts Meditation. Here we have unbroken attention. The classic description of the difference between Concentration and Meditation is given in the example of pouring oil from a bottle into a bowl. At first the oil drips out a drop at a time. This is concentration. Then the oil comes out in a steady stream. This unbroken pouring out is Meditation. If you really examine the process closer, you would notice that when the oil was coming out drop by drop, each drop caused a splash and the droplettes of the splashing can be considered analagous to the distractions that interrupt our concentration. Once the stream starts becoming steady it flows effortlessly. Similarly, when Concentration flows into Meditation, the attention paid to the object of Meditation becomes deeper and deeper effortlessly and spontaneously, true knowledge about the object presents itself.

Using love as the example again, you would concentrate on love, love, love, love. You might then find your mind filling with thoughts of love -- motherly love, fatherly love, love of country, love of money, qualified love, unqualified love, puppy love. Everything in the universe that love is connected to will come to you. Every feeling of love, every sensation, every thought. And since, as Albert Einstein tells us, everything in the universe is relative to everything else, ultimately your meditation on "love" will connect you to everything.

At this point, the unity of the object of your meditation and your mind, as illustrated in the fourth illustration, occurs. This is the state of Contemplation and is the ultimate state of consciousess. Where we usually are only conscious of our body and ego and consider ourselves apart from the rest of the universe, with the experience of Contemplation we become conscious of the cosmos and know ourselves to be a part of it and realize our unity with all of it. This is Realization, Cosmic Consciousness. It is our birthright and destiny to know this exquisite state first hand and enjoy the Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss that is our eternal true nature. Thus the justification in expending whatever energy is necessary to learn to meditate and to begin to make Meditation an important part of our lives.

THE TOTAL MEDITATION SYSTEM:
This form of Meditation is called Total because the practice calls for a continuous state of Meditation. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Yes, it is beneficial to do one specific meditation for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening, but Total Meditation suggests that at all times you witness your interactivity with the universe and control your reactivity while maintaining a serene, blissful state. By having dozens of techniques to draw upon, no matter what situation you face in life, you will have a weapon in your arsenal to fight any oppression that is presented. There are specific Meditation techniques for emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual activity and reactivity, all of which bring a connection to the Witness within that is our Real Self.

No matter what you are doing at any given time, you will be able to maintain a calm self-control that lets you avoid the emotional distress, mental confusion, and physical helplessness that not being in a meditative state always brings. Most systems emphasize only one meditation technique. As so many practioners have found out the hard way, you may not always be able to do the one technique in every situation. For instance, if your exclusive technique is the repetition of a mantra, what do you do if your boss calls on you unexpectedly to do a presentation? You can't chant and talk at the same time. But you could do breathing or body awareness or emotional calming techniques. Similarly, lets say you have been focusing your meditative efforts on Hatha Yoga postures. What happens if you have a spinal injury and no longer can interact with your body? Once again, knowing breathing, emotional and mental techniques would allow your continuing meditative connection and thus enable you to handle this tremendously life-changing situation in the most advantageous way possible.

If you only know one road to take to get to your job, and that road becomes unpassable, you're out of business. It makes sense to have many alternative routes available and that is exactly what Total Meditation offers.

For more details visit:
http://www.meditationsociety.com/index.html

Ajith heads for Cannes film festival

2008-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Billa will be screened on May 18 in Grey Three screen for the Cannes film festival. Ajith is bearing the costs of an all-expenses-paid holiday in the French Riviera for the “Billa” team, which is set to fly to Paris today, since Billa gave a turning point in his acting career.

Many of critic circle who are familiar with Cannes pointed out that a multiple remake will have more than a curiosity value there. Ajith will also be present for the screening at Cannes. Made in Hindi starring Amitabh Bachchan in 1978 as “Don” - it has had three remakes the first in Tamil as Billa starring Rajnikanth, later in original title in Hindi starring Shah Rukh Khan and finally in Tamil again featuring Ajith Kumar.

Ajith is also set to do the Biila2 sequel to Billa which is being produced Ocher Films and Warner Brothers. Billa was produced by Ananda Suresh and directed by Vishnuvardhan, the movie features Ajith, Nayanthara and Namitha in lead roles. Yuvanshankar Raja has scored the music.

History of Indian Rupee

2008-10-02T00:36:00.000-07:00

India was one of the earliest issuers of coins (circa 6th century BC). The first "rupee" is believed to have been introduced by Sher Shah Suri (1486-1545), based on a ratio of 40 copper pieces (paisa) per rupee. Among the earliest issues of paper rupees were those by the Bank of Hindustan (1770-1832), the General Bank of Bengal and Bihar (1773-75, established by Warren Hastings) and the Bengal Bank (1784-91), amongst others.

During British rule, and the first decade of independence, it was subdivided into 16 annas. Each anna was subdivided into 4 paise (also written pice) or 12 pies. Until 1815, the Madras Presidency also issued a currency based on the fanam, with 12 fanams equal to the rupee.

Historically, the rupee, derived from the Sanskrit word raupya, which means silver, was a silver coin. This had severe consequences in the nineteenth century, when the strongest economies in the world were on the gold standard. The discovery of vast quantities of silver in the U.S. and various European colonies resulted in a decline in the relative value of silver to gold. Suddenly the standard currency of India could not buy as much from the outside world. This event was known as "the fall of the rupee."

In 1898, the rupee was tied to the gold standard through the British pound by pegging the rupee at a value of 1 shilling 4 pence (i.e., 15 rupees = 1 pound). In 1920, the rupee was increased in value to 2 shillings (10 rupees = 1 pound). However, in 1927, the peg was once more reduced, this time to 1 shilling 6 pence (13⅓ rupees = 1 pound). This peg was maintained until 1966, when the rupee was devalued and pegged to the U.S. dollar at a rate of 7.5 rupees = 1 dollar (at the time, the rupee became equal to 11.4 British pence). This peg lasted until the U.S. dollar devalued in 1971.

The Indian rupee replaced the Danish Indian rupee in 1845, the French Indian rupee in 1954 and the Portuguese Indian escudo in 1961. Following independence in 1947, the Indian rupee replaced all the currencies of the previously autonomous states. Some of these states had issued rupees equal to those issued by the British (such as the Travancore rupee). Other currencies included the Hyderabad rupee and the Kutch kori.

In 1957, decimalisation occurred and the rupee was divided into 100 naye paise (Hindi for "new paise"). In 1964, the initial "naye" was dropped. Many still refer to 25, 50 and 75 paise as 4, 8 and 12 annas respectively, not unlike the usage of "bit" in American English for ⅛ dollar.
French Indian one rupee(1938)

British Indian 1 rupee (1917)

One rupee - Obverse

The two-rupee banknote

About Dead man Underataker

2008-10-02T00:09:00.000-07:00

Height: 6 foot 10 1/2
Weight: 299 pounds
From: Death Valley
Signature Move: Chokeslam; Tombstone; Last Ride
WWE Debut: Nov. 22,1990
Career Highlights: WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, World Tag Team Champion, WCW Tag Team Champion, Hardcore Champion, undefeated at WrestleMania (16-0)

Undertaker's History of Hell
There have been 15 Hell in a Cell Matches, and as it stands, Undertaker has the most appearances inside the Cell with eight - a fitting amount of trips to Hell for the Superstar known as The Deadman. No one knows firsthand the dangers of the unfriendly confines better than Undertaker; that said, while he may be 15-0 on WWE’s biggest stage of WrestleMania and a five-time World Champion, The Phenom is only 3-4-1 inside the Cell.

Entry to WWE:
From the moment his signature gong fills the air, The Undertaker captivates WWE fans by his mere presence. The Deadman from Death Valley is usually a man of few words, but he can intimidate even the toughest WWE Superstars with just one glance. His somber persona has been a terrifying trademark of WWE for nearly two decades and no list of WWE all-time greats can be considered complete without Undertaker.

First seen at the 1990 Survivor Series, Undertaker was introduced as the final member of Ted DiBiase’s “Million Dollar Team.” Since then he has come to be a multiple time WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, and maintained a WrestleMania undefeated streak that stands at an impressive 16-0. The Deadman has defeated such Superstars as Randy Orton, Triple H, “Sycho” Sid, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Bret “Hitman” Hart and Jake “The Snake” Roberts to earn his many titles and keep his WrestleMania streak intact. In October 2007, The Deadman also became the first man to break free from The Great Khali’s Vise Grip to defeat the 7-foot-3, 420-pound colossus as well.

Throughout his time in WWE, Undertaker has notoriously disappeared for months at a time; often thought dead and “resting in peace,” The Phenom always mysteriously returns to the ring to seek vengeance against those who have sent him away. From Yokozuna to Kane to Edge, Undertaker always finds a way to claim the souls of those who have wronged him.

In addition to his solo success, Undertaker has been quite the team player throughout his career. From his lengthy relationship with manager Paul Bearer to spearheading the Ministry of Darkness (which included the recruitment of Superstars such as the Acolytes, The Brood, Mideon & Viscera), The Phenom has been successful in every venture. He has even earned multiple World Tag Team Championships, standing alongside the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold, Big Show and his own brother, Kane.

Undertaker Entrance video:

In fact, the Big Red Monster is the ally-turned-adversary (and often back again) that Undertaker continuously comes to crosses with. Kane made his WWE debut by costing his brother the first-ever Hell in a Cell Match, and while their relationship is always turbulent, they have seen eye-to-eye on many occasions as well. They’ve been opponents at multiple WrestleManias, but they’ve also held the World Tag Team Championship together; a true theme for brothers in all walks of life.

The Undertaker also has many firsts to his credit. Aside from being the originator of the Tombstone Piledriver, he has also taken part in the inaugural Hell in a Cell Match – against Shawn Michaels in October 1997 – as well as the first-ever Casket Match, which saw him defeat Kamala at Survivor Series 1992.

Undertaker had never beaten Edge, so his perfect WrestleMania streak was in dire jeopardy going into WrestleMania XXIV. The Rated-R Superstar proved that he was up to the task of withstanding The Phenom’s mightiest blows, including a Tombstone Piledriver and Last Ride, until Undertaker locked Edge in his mysterious submission hold. Edge finally tapped out, relinquishing both his World Heavyweight Title and unbeaten record against The Phenom. The win boosted Undertaker's astounding WrestleMania streak to 16-0.

Five-time World Champion Edge ended the legendary WWE career of Future Hall of Famer Undertaker at One Night Stand in San Diego on June 1, 2008, after a carefully laid-out plan with SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero. However, a pre-wedding betrayal by the Rated-R Superstar caused Guerrero to have a change of heart, reinstituting The Phenom and opening a new era of dominance by The Deadman.

Throughout it all, Undertaker has remained one of WWE’s most popular Superstars, almost cementing his place as a Future Hall of Famer.

Ford Endeavour Thunder

2008-09-30T01:26:00.000-07:00

Endeavour is the only true SUV available in the market; the SUVs are not meant for city or highway driving but truly make its sense in off-road. But the concept of crossover has diluted Hyundai Tucson and Honda CR-V. The bold and tough styling of the new Ford Endeavour gives it a commanding presence on the road. With the overall length of 4,998mm the Thunder+ makes a Mercedes M class shorter and could rightly be called the biggest SUV around.

A distinctive chrome front grille, prominent wheel arches, extra large wing mirrors with in-built indicators and puddle light and a dominant power dome on the hood all add to that strong look, thats unmistakably Ford. The toughness is more than skin deep.The engine is 3 liters with a larger bore. The Duel Overhead Camshaft technology remains the same as in the previous model. The engine has 16 valves and variable Geometry Turbo.

The engine reaches from zero to hundred at a short time. The staggering 380Nm of torque is produced at a maximum rpm of 2,500 and 156bhp of power developed at a maximum rpm of 3,200. Thunder+ boasts on 4x4 transmission which makes it fitting for off-road rides. It comes with 5 speed automatic transmission system though manual may be offered in India.The new five-speed automatic transmission system features an innovative Transmission Control Module (TCM) that can automatically detect and quickly adjust to the changing engine speed and driving condition.

It keeps the transmission system always at its peak power band, thus making the vehicle more responsive. The new endeavour's 4WD transmission system is equipped with the world renowned Borg Warner transfer system and electronic Active Shift-on-the-Fly, allowing a driver to shift the driving mode from 2WD to 4WD at high driving speeds of up to 100 km/h. There are number of attractive features in the car, it got a dual air conditioner, which is environmental friendly.

It has as much as seven cup holders, leather steering, and a gear knob as well. It got two-sunglass holders with easily tilt able steering in it. It comprises of the tachometer, which lets you know the engine power as well as the footrest for the clutch. The seats of the car folded easily and split for the convenience of the user. It got a back pockets for the front seat as well as the door map seats for all the doors in the car.

VEHICLE SUMMARY
Name :Endeavour
Model :XLT 4X4
Car Body Type :UV
Segment :D+ Segment
Top Speed :142kmph
Fuel Consumption:Highway 8.00 kmpl.

Price:Rs.1,639,000
* Mumbai.May vary.

SUN DTH Vellore

2008-09-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

Video QualityThe exceptional digital and DTH transmission ensures you; watch all your favourite programmes in true DVD quality.
Sound qualityThe Sun Direct transmission treats your ears to a true theatre experience by providing awesome CD quality sound.
Convenience
You can watch all TV programs without any cable directly from Sun Direct dish.
With Sun Direct DTH Service at your home, as long as your equipment is connected to a power source you can enjoy uninterrupted transmission of your favourite programmes.
Dedicated and committed distributor and dealer network.
Strong installation franchises and customer care
Call centers at your service with 6-language support 24x7.
Break free from the hassles of cables with Sun Direct. 100+ TV channels and 23 radio channels in digital glory with DVD quality pictures, CD quality sound.
Tamil Nadu: 044-39407575
Andhra Pradesh: 040-39407575
Kerala: 0495-39407575
Karnataka: 080-39407575
SUN Direct distributers vellore:

Officers line:
Darling Electronics
Mr. R Navaraja Murugan
No.3/2 officers line, Vellore 632001
darlingdarling2000@yahoo.co.in
0416-2227451
9894630144

Sankaran palayam:
Palaniappa Marketing Visions
No.31A, R P M Street, Opp to Lakshmi Theatres, Sankaran Palayam, Vellore, Tamil
sethupalaniappa@yahoo.co.in
0416-2212591
9486563303

Sathuvachari:
Net Pro
Mr. Srikanth
No.3A/C12,phase I Near vallalar bus stop, Sathuvachari. Vellore 632009
netpro18@yahoo.com
0416-2252652
9786622115

Gudiyatham (Recharge Voucher Distributor):
Sri Ganesh Traders (Recharge Voucher Distributor)
No.2 GPM street, Gudiyatham - 632602
sriganeshtraders123@rediffmail.com
224539/03

Royal Enfield Thunderbird

2008-09-29T01:39:00.000-07:00

Royal Enfield Thunderbird is a cruiser that offers comfortable ride with sufficient power on tap. Thunderbird is stacked with plenty of modern technology to make it more proficient. Royal Enfield Thunderbird features an all new left side gear-shift matched with the AVL 350 Aluminum Engine and a CV carburetor.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird is attractively styled with loads of chrome. There is minimal graphic display, the cumbersome fuel tank extensions are absent and at the same time weld lines are cleaner. The paint job is eye-catching with strong vibrant shades. The one-piece stepped seat provides adequate comfort and a firm cushioned backrest in true cruiser tradition has been added for the pillion.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird is equipped with single cylinder, 4 stroke 350cc engine that delivers a peak power of 18 bhp @ 5500 rpm. The engine has a constant vacuum carburetor which aids combustion and improves initial pick-up. The CDI ignition system of Royal Enfield Thunderbird eliminates cold start problems.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird's front suspension employs hydraulically damped telescopic forks and the rear suspension is outfitted with a short swing arm with five way adjustable shock absorbers.

Mahindra Scorpio

2008-09-29T01:17:00.000-07:00

Scorpio is the flagship product from Mahindra & Mahindra that has also been successfully accepted in international markets. The car bridges the gap between style and adventure, luxury and ruggedness, and performance and economy. It has strong engine along with good looks and sophisticated interior design.

Mahindra Scorpio is fitted with SZ 2600 plus DI diesel engine that gives 109 bhp of power with a great torque of 26 kgm. The 0-60 speed could be reached within 9 seconds. The petrol version of the vehicle has 116 bhp engines from Renault that reaches 0-60 in just under 8 seconds

Striking Features

->CRDe Engine
->5-zone cushion suspension
->Tower tail lamps
->Middle row sliding seats (only in 8 seater)
->Tiltable steering
->Tubeless tyres
->New spaces for storage on centre bezel, IP and console

Model Variants

->Turbo 2.6
->Turbo 2.6DX
->Sportz
->Turbo 2.6SLX

Color Variants

->Nobel Black
->Diamond White
->Coral Blue/ Warm Grey
->Engine Silver

Awards and Recognition

Car of the Year 2003 BBC World's Wheels
Business Standard Motoring
CNBC-Autocar
Most successful brand launch of 2003 Business Standard Brand Derby

Price Tag

Model Variants(Ex-showroom price)
Turbo 2.6 :Rs.7,13,822
Turbo 2.6 DX :Rs.7,69,387
Turbo 2.6 SLX:Rs.8,28,132
(Please Note: The price range is ex-showroom and based on the close approximation. Please check the latest prices and variant specifications with your dealer)

Hyundai Elantra

2008-09-29T01:03:00.000-07:00

Hyundai Elantra has a distinct European exterior styling and body design. It is India's first 'Performance Luxury Sedan.' The car has Advanced Brake Assist System, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, and Traction Control System.

The vehicle is fitted with two different engines - a 2.0 litre CRDi (Common Rail Direct Injection) diesel engine and another 1.8 litre DOHC (Dumi overhead Camshaft) petrol engine. The 4-cylinder CRDi variant churns out an amazing 112.2 bps at 4000 rpm and the DOHC variant delivers 127 bps @ 6000 rpm. These makes Elantra one of the most powerful yet refined sedans in its segment on Indian roads.

Striking Features of Hyundai Elantra

The new Hyundai Elantra Car is intelligent enough to sense the temperature. It has independent suspension. Apart from these two, the car has many other features that provides the highest level of comfort. Few of the features of Elantra are as mentioned below:
->Ultra smooth all wheel independent suspension.
->Front & rear gas filled shock absorbers.
->Advanced tubeless tyres.
->Generous room space.
->Ultra-sensitive automatic temperature sensing.

Colors of Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai has launched only two color variants of its Elantra model in the Indian market. They are as mentioned below:

->Noble White (NW)
->Ebony Black (EB)

Awards for Hyundai Elantra

According to CNBC TV 18, Hyundai Elantra has been awarded as the 'Best Value for Money Car of the Year 2005.' Hyundai Elantra car review as a whole is very good and it seems that the car is just made for Indian roads.

Price Tag of Hyundai Elantra

Between Rs. 7 Lakhs to Rs. 9.5 Lakhs.

(Please Note: The price range is ex-showroom and based on the close approximation. Please check the latest prices and variant specifications with your dealer)

Safety and Security of Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai has taken some extra care in providing the safety and security features of Hyundai Elantra. Just check out the safety measures and see it is one of the best among the same segment Indian cars.

->Electronic Brake Force Distribution System (EBD)
->Passenger Presence Detector (PPD)
->Traction Control System (TCS)
->Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
->Brake Assistance System (BAS)
->Pre-Tension Seat Belts
->Energy Absorbing Collapsible Steering Column

Chiranjeevi's mega party launch in Tirupati

2008-09-29T00:44:00.000-07:00

Chiranjeevi, the celebrated Telugu superstar's venture into the political arena is nothing less than yet another high intensity popular reality show springing up surprises now and then. The actor who believes in the dictum that 'show is the supreme master' has always been in the limelight either for his movies or recently for his newly formed political party. Starting with inaugurating his party office for his 'pro-poor party' close to midnight on August 17th in the company of his dear and near, Chiranjeevi clearly laid the bedrock for yet another innings.

If that was not enough the actor has decided to officially launch his political party in Tirupati, right in the abode of God. Knowing clearly the bumpy ride in politics, the actor has decided to get Lord Almighty as his confidante. It is estimated that as many as over eight lakh people are to rush to Tirupati to catch a glimpse of their favourite matinee idol launch his party in the Avilala Cheruvu ground. As far as the proceedings are concerned, the actor would also showcase his party flag and announce the party name and the future plans and motives. Accompanied by his wife and son, the actor is to be the sole speaker in the meeting.

Lavish arrangements have been made for the function – a massive set, a stupendously large digital screen, cut outs of the actor himself alongwith those of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, B R Ambedkar and others and two helicopters to stage an aerial flower show and to record the proceedings. The actor has made arrangements for his huge fan following and for their safety by making arrangements for conveyance including the state sponsored 18 special trains apart from the Road Transport Corporation's 1500 buses and the numerous private vehicles to cater to the demands of the enthusiastic fans. The temple town is immensely decked up and all set for this mega drama in the name of politics.

The actor who recently turned 53 has bid farewell to his film career to enter politics to serve the poor and needy and thus engross himself in charity work. That the actor has chosen august 26th, the birthday of mother Teresa to launch his party is even more interesting. Wishing him all the best, everything rests in the hands of the Lord and Lady Luck to make or mar his political career.

Nano suppliers also to pull out if Tatas shift from Singur

2008-09-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

Kolkata/New Delhi/Chennai, Aug. 22 About 20 of the 56 suppliers for Tata Motors’ Nano, who have been allotted land at Singur, have started construction of their plants at the suppliers’ park , some of them in advanced stages of completion.

The others will put up their plants in due course, according to industry sources in the know.

These 20 suppliers have to be ready to supply parts to Nano right from the first day, according to the sources.

Those who have been allotted space in the suppliers’ park include some Tata group joint venture companies such as Tata Ryerson, Tata Johnson, Tata Auto Plastic and others including JBM, Caparo, Rasandik, Lumax and Sona Koyo Steering.

Contacted shortly after Mr Ratan Tata’s press conference, when the Tata group Chairman said Tata Motors would not hesitate to pull out of Singur if violence against the company continued, some of the suppliers said they would have no choice but to also move out of Singur if Tata Motors shifted its plant .

The ancillary units at the Tata Nano factory will have to be pulled out in case Tata Motors chose to pull out from Singur, said Mr Sandipan Chakravorty, Managing Director, Tata Ryerson Ltd.

Tata Ryerson is in final stages of setting up its unit at the vendor park in Singur, Mr. Chakravorty said. The unit will supply six crucial components to Nano, including the chassis for the car.

“The ancillary units cannot survive without the parent plant and if Tata Motors pulls out from the project, all proposed ancillary units at the factory would also have to be removed,” he told Business Line. The whole issue now depends upon political consensus and whether the people of this State want the project to materialise, he added.

Asked if the ancillary units were planned to be set up initially along with the main factory, Mr. Chakravorty said, “All the ancillary units are an integral part of the Tata’s small car project and plans for the units had been laid at the very outset.”

The Trinamool Congress leader, Ms Mamata Bannerjee, recently claimed that the ancillary units were not a part of the small car project and, therefore, could be shifted elsewhere and the land allotted to the units be returned to the ‘unwilling’ farmers.

As regards progress at Tata Ryerson’s component factory, Mr. Chakravorty said, “95 per cent of work at the unit is complete and we are waiting for the machines to be installed soon.” The unit would be ready for operation from middle of September, he added.

Most of the suppliers said they have capacity at their existing plants to support the launch of Nano from alternative destinations such as Pantnagar in Uttarakhand where Tata Motors has a manufacturing facility. The company could consider rolling out the Nano from its Pantnagar plant initially. The suppliers are confident that commercial production of the Nano will begin as scheduled in the festive season of October.

A number of auto component companies such as Sona Koyo Steering System, engine parts maker Amtek Auto, automotive lighting company Lumax, Aurangabad-based Endurance group, Avtec and Kinectic Engineering have announced their plans to set up dedicated plants to cater to Nano.

While many of these companies have acquired the land entailing an investment of Rs 30-40 crore, they are yet to start the construction of the plant.

“We have already acquired the land and are in the process of constructing the plant. We are also prepared to meet supplies as per the schedule. Whether we will move out from Singur or not will depend on what Mr Ratan Tata says as they are our customers. We will go wherever they ask us to supply from," said Mr Deepak Jain, Executive Director, Lumax Industries.

Officials from various companies declined to give specific comments considering the sensitivity of the matter. However, most of them indicated that Tata Motors had not given any notification to them on delaying the production.

Vendors whom Business Line spoke said that Tata Motors had started procuring engine parts for Nano and production for those parts had begun in Singur. Supplies for other casting components from Uttarakhand were also likely to begin shortly.

A Maharastra based component company also said that its Singur facility may take some more time to start supplies for Nano. “However, from our Pantnagar facility supplies would start very soon."

Qureshi to be Pakistan’s Foreign Minister?

2008-09-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD: Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a respected leader of the Pakistan People’s Party from southern Punjab, is expected to be named Pakistan’s Foreign Minister in a 24-member federal Cabinet that will be sworn in on Monday.

Mr. Qureshi was in the running for Prime Minister and once he was out of that, the Cambridge-educated politician was considered a natural choice to head the Foreign Ministry.

According to a well-publicised but not yet official list, Sherry Rehman, who headed the “information secretariat” of the PPP and was one of its most articulate spokespersons, gets the crucial Information Ministry. Ms. Rehman was a journalist before entering politics.

Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, who was also in the running for Prime Minister, has been given the Defence portfolio, while the Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas portfolio has gone to Kamar Zaman Kaira

The all-important Interior Ministry has already been spoken for, with the appointment of Rehman Malik, a close aide of the late Benazir Bhutto and a former boss of the Federal Investigation Authoity, as the Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Interior and Narctoics.

Mr. Rehman, who has been accorded the rank and protocol of a federal Minister, is the Interior Minister in all but name, possibly to sidestep the requirement that a member of the Cabinet should be an elected representative.

Not counting the Interior portfolio, 11 Cabinet slots have gone to the PPP, eight to the Pakistan Muslim League (N), two to the Awami National Party and one each to the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islami and a National Assembly member from the tribal areas.

President Pervez Musharraf will administer the oath of office. Members of the Pakistan Muslim league (N), which does not recognise General(retd) Mushaaf as a legitimate President, have agreed to be sworn in by him. PML(N) leader Nawaz Sharif described it as “a bitter pill that has to be swallowed for the greater good.”

Rs.4.9-crore plan for railway works

2008-09-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

Tuticorin: The pit line would be lengthened and yard remodelled on a total outlay of Rs. 4.9 crore to augment the infrastructure at Tuticorin railway station, said Hemant Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager, Southern Railway (Madurai division).

Speaking to The Hindu here on Saturday, he said that once the project was completed in 2009-10, the pit line would accommodate 24 coaches, instead of the present 21 now.

Cement concrete aprons would be laid under sleepers to a length of 540 metres each at tracks on platforms 1 and 2 in Tuticorin at a cost of Rs. 90 lakh. Since ballasts had been laid between sleepers now, night soil and waste stagnated, emanating stench. The project, to be taken up after getting clearance from the General Manager of Southern Railway, was expected to be completed in a year.

Road over-bridges

Mr. Kumar said that the railways had requested the Collector to ask the Highways Department to prepare a plan for unidirectional road over-bridges at railway gates 1 and 2 to ease traffic congestion in the town. The railways would build them on a cost sharing basis with the State government.

A Rs.28-lakh scheme had been chalked out to beautify Tuticorin station. The entrance to the station would be widened, circulating area in front of the main building improved to allow more space for parking vehicles, and greenery established.

Broad gauge train services on Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli sector was expected to commence in May.

Shimla to impose water rationing

2008-09-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

Shimla: Faced with water shortage, the Shimla Municipal Corporation has imposed water rationing in the city. Now water would be made available to households every alternate day for an hour, Corporation Mayor Narendra Kataria said on Sunday.

He said rationing had been ordered in view of shortage of water in the town.

Against a requirement of 40 million litre per day (mld) for a population of 1.5 lakh in the hill station, current water supply is about 28 mld, he added.

Kataria said that rationing would continue till water from Giri water scheme is received. The scheme was to be made operational on October 2 last year but could not be launched so far, he said, expressing hope that the scheme would start from April 15 now.

Shimla would get an additional 20 mld water from the Giri water scheme which would fill the shortage .

China seeks India’s support

2008-09-22T06:39:00.001-07:00

Beijing: China on Sunday sought India’s “understanding” and “support” on the Tibet issue as it tightened security on the eve of receiving the Olympic torch, apprehending protests by the supporters of the Dalai Lama, whom it accused of trying to “sabotage” the Games.

Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo spoke to National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan over phone and briefed him on the “violent crimes” in Lhasa and “expounded” China’s stance on and concerns over the Tibet issue.

“India will always stick to this position as it has been doing all along,” Mr. Narayanan was quoted as having told Mr. Dai by the State-run Xinhua news agency. Mr. Narayanan wished a “complete success” of the Beijing Olympics. China had summoned Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao to Foreign Office recently to convey concerns over storming of its Embassy in New Delhi by a group of Tibetans and had ignored India while taking foreign diplomats to riots-hit Lhasa. — PTI

A beach cleaning machine

2008-09-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

KOLLAM: The Kollam Corporation has made a provision of Rs. 20 lakh in the 2008-2009 budget for importing a beach cleaning machine. Mayor N. Padmalochanan told The Hindu that the import is part of the civic body’s beach beautification programme. The aim of the programme is to make the Kollam Beach complex complement Ashtamudi Lake as a major tourist destination of southern Kerala.

How it works

Beach cleaning machines are specially made vehicles that move along the beach, penetrating the sand to a depth of 12 inches with a comprehensive sifting action to dry and ventilate the soil. The vehicle has a multi-gauged mesh which sieves the rubbish littered on the beach and deposit them in containers that can be emptied.

At present there is no arrangement to clean the beach, which is visited by hundreds of people daily. Kollam beach will become the first beach in the State to have such a machine. An imported beach cleaning machine is currently operating at the Marina Beach in Chennai.

Mr. Padmalochanan said that the equipment will be imported by June. Formalities regarding the import procedure will have to be completed.

Several European countries manufacture the machine and the one most suited for Kerala conditions have to be selected.

The Mayor said that the Kollam beach beautification programme also comprises reviving the botanical garden parallel to the Kollam Canal on the eastern side of the beach.

In addition to planting trees and shrubs, the garden complex will be landscaped with a lawn. Adjacent to this complex, a water sports complex and an aquarium will also come up.

He said that a private firm has come forward to develop and maintain the botanical garden and the Mahatma Gandhi Park of Kollam beach on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis. But, government policy stipulates that BOT moves for public parks should be advertised. Then selection is made from the bidders. The Corporation would strictly abide by the policy, Mr. Padmalochanan said.

Tata Sumo Grande

2008-09-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Tata Motor's third launch on the first day of the Auto Expo at New Delhi was the Sumo Grande, a freshened up version of its aging work horse multi utility vehicle which was launched in 1994 and immediately became a success with taxi operators becoming the primary buyers. Tata wants to desperately change that with the Sumo Grande. One look at the new Sumo and you know that it's been re skinned to give it a more upmarket SUV look. The edges have been rounded and its looks chiselled to give it a muscular presence. The front has been redone with clear lens headlamps and a large air dam incorporated into the front bumper. The rear no longer has a spare on the tail gate as it has been moved under the body. The Sumo Grande has a longer wheelbase at 2550 mm (was 2400 mm earlier) resulting in more interior space and enough leg room for all three rows.

The interiors have been give the 'beige' treatment to make them more upmarket along with an introduction of a dual HVAC, power windows and CD/MP3 music system. Power has been boosted to 120 PS thanks to the the 2.2 litre DICOR (commom rail diesel) engine being put in which is likely to increase the Sumo Grande's driveablity and fun factor. The Sumo Grande goes on sale in three variants - Lx, Ex and Gx with a 6+1 and 7+1 seating configuration. The Sumo Grande range would retail at Rs. 6.55 - Rs. 7.49 lakh )ex-showroom Delhi) and goes into showrooms early February 2008. The Sumo Grande is a tempting package if you have a large family, travel outstation often or ferry goods often and need a roomy vehicle but not a pricy SUV and cannot digest the looks of bare bones MUVs.

Skoda Fabia

2008-09-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Skoda Fabia
Love at First Drive
European Car maker Skoda Auto India Private Ltd. through its Indian Arm Skoda India, will soon launch Skoda Fabia in the premium hatchback segment of India. Dynamic looks and fresh design of Fabia gives it outstanding presence on road. Skoda Fabia will guarantee world-class luxury, with smart technology and state-of-the-art safety features.

There will be two versions of all new Skoda Fabia:- the 3 cylinders/1.2 litre engine in Petrol and 3 cylinders/1.4 litre engine in diesel version. Flourished with new design Skoda Fabia is equipped with appealing external colors and high-quality material in the interiors. The sale of Skoda Fabia car may start by end of 2007. Priced between Rs.5-6 lakh, the Skoda Fabia will be true travelling comfort and will sell like hot cakes.
Striking Features of Skoda Fabia

->Available boot capacity of 300 when the rear seats of Fabia are folded down, it will increase to 1163 litres.

->Larger legroom for all passengers making it true travelling comfort.

->For a wide and much better view the seats are at high position for driver and the front passenger.

->High end audio-system enabled for external attachments like MP3 and I- Pod.

->The external measurements of Height, Width & Length makes this car the largest in its segment.

->Effective usage of the space in the Front and Rear Seats.

Comfort & Safety

The Fabia is armed with state-of-the-art safety features, have a look :

->Side air bags to reduce the risk of injury for the passengers on the front and the rear seats.

->Electronic Control for opening & closing of windows, 06 CD Changer music system, elbow rest at rear and a cup holder will definitely take care of your comfort zone.

->There is a Seat Belt on the rear seat that reduces the risk of forward movement for a child in the event of collision.

->The very base of Skoda Fabia is equipped with ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System), Dual Rate brake booster, ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) and ESP (Electronic Stabilization Program).

Model Variants of Skoda Fabia
->1.2L (1198cc) Petrol

->1.4L (1422cc) Diesel

Competition For Skoda Fabia

Both the petrol & diesel versions of Skoda Fabia will face and provide tough competition to Chevrolet U-VA, Hyundai Getz, Zen Estilo, Swift & Tata Indica.

Price of Skoda Fabia

The Skoda Fabia will be Priced between Rs. 5-6 Lakhs.

(Please Note: The prices are ex-showroom and based on the close approximation. Please check the latest prices and variant specifications with your dealer)

Paypal

2008-09-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

About the Pilot Study Grants

2008-09-19T08:52:00.002-07:00

The NBCF continues its innovative program of breast cancer research through a new Pilot Study Grant scheme.

Increasingly, research applicants need to include pilot data if they are to have any chance of success. The costs of conducting pilot studies are often not trivial, and to date, there have been limited avenues for obtaining funding for these studies. In an effort to increase the likelihood of studies relating to breast cancer being funded, the NBCF is offering funding to conduct pilot studies for larger research projects. These awards will provide investigators with funds to obtain preliminary data regarding methodology, effect sizes and possible findings relating to new research ideas relevant to breast cancer. It is anticipated that research completed through a NBCF Pilot Study Grant will provide sufficient preliminary data to enable the investigator to prepare a hypothesis-based proposal for future research funding. It is not expected that researchers applying for this award will present preliminary data with their application.

From 2006 the NBCF has directed its funding support towards research projects that are in line with the priorities and direction of the National Action Plan for Breast Cancer Research and Funding (2004).

Applications are invited from the entire continuum of breast cancer research, from basic science to prevention, treatment and care, insofar as the proposed idea has the potential to help prevent breast cancer, improve survival and/or enhance quality of life. The NBCF also has an interest in fostering research in lymphoedema and complementary and alternative medicine.

->Funding for Pilot Study Grants can be requested for a maximum of $200,000 for up to 2 years.
->Depending on the number and quality of the applications, it is anticipated that up to 5 proposals will be supported.
->The NBCF Research Advisory Committee (RAC) sub-committee process, coordinated by the NBCF, will assess applications. The RAC consists of respected researchers from across the spectrum of breast cancer as well as at least one consumer representative. The RAC makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees for approval. All applications are treated as confidential.
->The NBCF relies on public donations for its funds and this governs the level of funding available for new research projects each year.
Pilot Study Grant applications are advertised in the Weekend Australian in the Early General News Section in April, and research offices in relevant higher education institutions are notified.

Interested people can download the Guidelines for Applicants and Application Forms for Pilot Study Grants from the How to Apply page. Completed applications are to be submitted to the NBCF by 5pm on Friday 23rd May 2008. Applicants will be advised of their success in Septembert. The funding year commences in October.

Applicants must be Australian citizens, or be graduates from overseas with permanent Australian resident status, must reside in Australia throughout the funding period and not under bond to any foreign government. Evidence of permanent resident status shall be provided.

Researchers are not eligible to apply if they receive tobacco sponsorship or are from institutions that allow sponsorship from the tobacco industry. This scheme is currently approved for DEST funding.

MRF TYRES

2008-09-19T08:52:00.001-07:00

MRF tyres are developed in the toughest lab known to man

MRF is the pioneer of motor racing in India. The gruelling race track has been the laboratory for testing our tyres. Every MRF tyre designed is the result of a special acid test (that’s sheer torture) on the race and rally tracks. Sharp turns, abrupt braking and straight stretches of steaming asphalt. Excruciating conditions... but then only the tough can survive, and only the toughest win.

At MRF, all this is put to good use. MRF’s tyre experts and rubber technologists are present at every stage, and epecially during those crucial moments, to study tyre behaviour.

MRF tyres are made to run at speeds exceeding 150 Kmph, at which they are exposed to extreme conditions of heat 1and traction. The molecular stability of the rubber compounds is tested against severe gravitational stress. Our experts observe, analyse and gather information at the pits and the dirt track, which they pass on to the R&D department. This is then reviewed and used to develop safer, better quality tyres, not only for formula cars and racing bikes, but also for cars that rough it out on the tough Indian roads everyday.

Bio graphy of superstar Rajinikanth

2008-09-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

Date of Birth
12 December 1949, Karnataka, India

Birth Name
Shivaji Rao Gaekwad

Mini Biography
The Tamil megastar of the 80s and 90s he was one of the highest earning actors at his peak. He has also worked in Hindi, Telugu and Kannada and even an English film. Born in Bangalore (India) he was the son of a police constable. He was employed as a bus conductor before he joined the Madras Film Institute. He made his debut in Katha Sangama (1975) and became a star with Apoorva Raagangal (1975). His unique acting style is characterised by a trademark gesture: flipping a cigarette in the air and catching it in his mouth. His dark skin and heavy-lidded eyes have made him the hero of the lower classes. His fans conduct poojas on huge cutouts of Rajnikant just before the launching of his films to ensure his success. His fans collect opening day ticket stubs of his movies and even buy them at exhorbitant prices. Directors cannot 'kill off' his character in the movie for fear that the theatre will be burnt down to prevent future runnings of the movie by his 'crazed' fans who consider him almost a god. He is said to "explode like a tiger on screen".

Mini Biography
Shivaji Rao Gaekwad (Rajnikanth) was born on December 12, 1949 in Karnataka. He was a bus conductor during which time he reportedly caught the fancy of the bus travellers with his mannerisms and style of issuing tickets and blowing the whistle and so on. Looking to become an actor, he moved to Chennai and joined the film institute. It was here that he caught the eye of K. Balachander, a director known for introducing talented, new faces into the tamil film industry.

Balachander gave him a small role - as the no-good husband of Srividya - in Aboorva Raagangal and the rest, as they say, is history. Rajnikanth soon graduated to playing villains and his style, swagger and casually unique brand of villainy vowed the movie-going public. Be it the sadistic husband of Sujatha in Avargal or the wolf in sheep's clothing in Moondru Mudichu or the lust-filled village rowdy in Bharathiraja's 16 Vayadhinile, Rajnikanth was the villain the people loved to hate.

From here, it was a small step for Rajni, playing the anti-hero and finally, the hero in Bhairavi. Rajnikanth firmly captured the vacant, action-hero slot in tamil movies with a series of movies where he routinely bashed up the bad guys who had done him injustice in one way or the other. Once in a while he did movies like Aarulirundhu Arubadhu Varai or Johny which gave us glimpses of his acting potential. But action was what the fans expected from a Rajni movie and action was what he gave them. He has been superstar for the past 25 years.

Spouse
Latha (26 February 1981 - present) 2 children

Trivia
Tamil megastar, worshipped like a god by his fans

Despite being a megastar of Tamil movies, he is not Tamil.

Father of Aishwarya Rajinikanth

Father of Soundarya Rajinikanth

His mother-tongue is Marathi.

Personal Quotes
Meditation is the key to his energy.

The happiest men in this world are child, lunatic and a sage.

Holiday craft tips: making easy wooden holiday yard art

2008-09-18T06:01:00.017-07:00

If you’ve stopped by a roadside vendor or at a specialty Christmas store to admire the hand crafted wooden holiday yard art you were probably smitten right up until you saw the price tag! Hand made items bring a premium price due to the amount of time and work put into them. If you are a little bit crafty, and are willing to invest the time, you can make your own beautiful yard decorations for a fraction of the price of buying them ready made.

To begin, you will need to gather your supplies together. The supplies you require will depend on the size and type of decoration you will be making. Lighted holiday displays will of course require outdoor strand lights. A basic supply list will include:

Jig saw

Paint grade plywood (large enough for your artwork)

Paint (crafters latex paints work just fine and are available in numerous colors)

Primer

Sandpaper, fine and coarse grade

Spray enamel sealant

Strand lights

Wooden stakes, height depends on size of project

Butterfly nuts and bolts

Drill

Large sheets of craft paper for drafting patterns

Tape or spray adhesive

Large lead pencil

Safety goggles and gloves

Once you have all your supplies and are ready to begin creating you will first need to settle on a design. There are many ways of going about creating the design, or pattern for your project. A good rule of thumb is to keep the outline of the pattern and smooth and simple as possible. Intricate designs are harder to cut with the jig saw and more time consuming. Of neither of those issues is a factor, feel free to get intricate in your design work! However, if you are a novice woodworker it would be best to keep the pattern simple. For design inspiration, children’s’ coloring books are wealth of potential! The simple line drawings are easy to enlarge either on a copy machine, or by free hand drawing using the coloring book image as a guide. Book stores often sell a variety of craft books that include patterns indented for replication and use in craft projects. You can also hire (or ask an artistic friend) artists to draw out a pattern for you. Once you have established your pattern, draw or transfer it onto a single piece of craft paper (for very large designs you may have to tape several sheets of paper together). Cut the design out and view it from a few feet back to make sure you are happy with the proportions before you cut it out of plywood. Make any necessary changes to the pattern and again, transfer to a sheet of craft paper and then cut it out.

Lay your cut out pattern on a piece of plywood. If you are using plywood that only has one good side, place the pattern on top of the good side. Secure the pattern with tape or spray adhesive. Trace around the pattern with a pencil (pencils with a large lead point, such as a carpenters pencil are easiest to work with and make a smooth, thick line that is easy to see when you begin to cut the wood). Remove the pattern and check to make sure it was completely traced. Put on your safety gear and carefully cut out your design with a jig saw following the pencil pattern lines.

When you are done cutting, sand the rough edges around your design using the rougher sandpaper first, then the finer grades until the edges are smooth. If the surface of your design is also rough it would be best to sand it smooth. When you are done sanding use damp rags to wipe the piece clean of all dust.

Prime your design with 2-3 coats of a primer/sealer that is designed for plywood. This will prevent the plywood from soaking up your decorative painting work and ruining your paint job. Let the piece dry between each coat of primer. When the piece has been primed and is thoroughly dry you can finish with decorative painting. The final step once your decorative paintwork is done is to finish it with a spray on enamel sealant to weatherproof your paint.

Using your drill equipped with a bit that corresponds to the size of the bolts you purchased drill at least two holes in your finished project and your wooden stake. Leave 6-12 inches of the stake extended below your project to be driven into the ground to hold it in place. Thread the bolts through the holes on your project and the stake and secure in back with the butterfly nuts. The butterfly nuts are easy to remove so the stake can be removed for storage each year.

If you would like for your piece to be lighted, use a pencil to mark dots on your design where the lights will go. Drill holes with a drill bit slightly larger than the base of the lights you are using. From the back of your project, insert the lights through the holes and staple in place. Be sure NOT to staple through the wiring of the lights! If the bulbs are larger than their base, unscrew them, insert the base of the light bulb from the back of the piece and then screw the bulb back in from the front. Now your yard art is done! Use it to decorate your own yard, or give away as a gift.

iPhone 3G: Keep trying, Apple.

2008-09-18T06:01:00.016-07:00

Now that everything is official, it's time to look at what Apple has done. iPhone fans may disagree with the points below but they are made from the out-of-box perspective without warranty-voiding jailbreaking and 3rd party apps.

3G: A welcome addition, but still without a tethering option. 3G is nice on a phone but truly shines when it can be shared with a laptop.
Application Store: Okay Apple. You've made a token effort to get 3rd party applications into the iPhone but why stifle innovation by making them ONLY available through your store? Why are you taking 30% off the top for every sale in that store?

Price drop: This is one of the best things you've done with the iPhone. A $199 device is very compelling. At that price, the iPhone looks like a good secondary device as opposed to the normal gauntlet of an iPod touch, an N810, and an N95-3. Sometimes it'd be nice to just carry one device. However, Matthew Miller of The Mobile Gadgeteer points out that the iPhone with the matching AT&T data plan actually costs $40 more than the previous iPhone over the course of the contract.
GPS: It's nice to have location based services, but don't think you invented it. The N810 comes with a mapping application and has an upgrade option for turn-by-turn voice navigation. Why doesn't the iPhone have that upgrade option?
Enterprise support: Good work. There's nothing bad that can be said about this new feature - unless it bombs fantastically when put into real use.
Browsing: Still that same 480x320, 160 pixels per inch (compared to the N810's 800x480, 225 ppi) display. Still no Flash in the browser. While multi-touch zooming helps make up for this, constant scrolling is no solution for full page reading. Keep trying.

About Yamaha R15

2008-09-18T06:01:00.015-07:00

R -15 has set fire to all the bike lover’s across the country.Yes it is R15 - the only indian Bike which has some great unique features in it - such as ----Six Speed Gear Box----17bhp Power in an 150cc(confirmed)----Dual Head lamp----Front and Rear Tubeless tyres----Full Front Fairing----Digital Speedoconsole.----Front and Rear Disc Brakes (already implemented in 220)----Delta Box Frame----Diasil cylider.----Split Grab Rail----Mono-shock suspension.----India’s first liquid cooled engine.The price is also confirmed as 1.04lacs on-Road.Detailed TECH Specs as followsOverall length x width x height 1,995mm x670mm × 1,070mmSeat height 790mmWheelbase 1,290mmMinimum ground clearance 160mmDry weight / Curb weight 120kg / 131kgEngine type Liquid -cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4-valveCylinder arrangement Single cylinderDisplacement 149 .8cm3Bore x Stroke 57×58.7mmCompression ratio 10.4:1Maximum power 17 Ps / 8,500rpm Maximum torque 15 N.m / 7,500rpmStarting system ElectricLubrication wet sumpEngine oil capacity 1.0 litersFuel tank capacity 12 litersFuel supply system Electronic fuel injectionIgnition system T.C.IPrimary / Secondary reduction ratio 3.042 / 3.000Clutch type Constant-mesh wet multi-plateTransmission type Return type 6-speedGear ratios 1st=2.833, 2nd=1.875, 3rd:=1.364,4th=1.143, 5th=0.957, 6th=0.84Frame type DeltaboxCaster / Trail 26° / 100mmTire size (Front / Rear) 80/90-17 / 100/80-17Brake type(Front / Rear) Hydraulic, single disc (Front / Rear)Suspension type(Front / Rear) Telescopic / Linked type MonocrossHeadlight 12V35W / 35W+35Wthough ZMA has come up with an Full fairing - it was not that much impressive as that of R15As they say it is an DNA taken from R1 - 1000ccTHe bikes pick-up is not much greater - its of equal to all the higher bhp bikes - but the main advantage is of its handling - better handling and cornering - the engine does sucks really in 1,2,3 gears but after that we can see a better pulling power from it - the 6th gear doesnt have much to do - as in the 5th ger itself it touches to the max of 90 - 95.There is no Centre-Stand provided with this bike.............Saree Guard is Optional - and also the Gap is very much Huge.It is really annoying to drive it in the City Traffic - as the Fairing is way Broader and the Mirrors are much more broader.

The Lower end of the Fairing is noisy when the bike is driven in Traffic - as the sound is from the Fuel Pump.As the engine is an liquid coolant - Yami has asked to check the coolant Fluid time and again - whenever we take the bike - coz this may affect in the Engine Performance.It is easily touching 80KMPH in 5th gear itself.So at 6th Gear think Off !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The looks of R15 - definetely may kill all the PULSARS and ZMAS and JUNKS in the Indian Biking World.One thing to consider 17 bhp in an 150cc will definetely drink away large amount of Fuel - and rewing the engine as lot it can.So fuel consumption cannot be excepted in it - as it is named as a Performance bike.Mileage freaks - this is not for you...Mileage figures are still Unpredictable - though from the formal measurements it is returning about 30KMPL ---- but this is only during the Initial Runin Period - so after the 1st service only we can come to an conclusion about the mileage figures.The Top speed is not been tested as to run the first runin period but it is said to be of 140KM - which never ever an INDIAN based bike has done it before - except RX 135, and RD350 and some bullet’s........but still needs to check it up.........And the tyres are also not Bigger they should have atleast implemented atleast 120/ 110 for this beast - it looks something like that of an after sales moded bike - though the tyres are of tubeless technology from MRF stable.This kills the looks of the Bike - but less than that nothing to tell about it.The Brakes though its an Disc on both end’s - are not Gripper enough to stop it in better position.The brakes are really not that much great as it is in the ZMA and pulsars and RT’sTyres does skids in very gravel surfaces - but other then that sand and wet surface there is not much skid as it happens in all Pulsar’s - the rubber is of really of greater grip and it does also easily wear’s a lot - belive to change the tyres soon as it is wearing easily - due to its softness.SO over all R-1-5 has crashed all the expectations setWell watch this review time and again for the updates Who is going to win the Battle ---P220---ZMA-----R-15------------ wait for the Thrill ------------ by end of this year

Tamil video songs

2008-09-18T06:01:00.014-07:00

Dear Google: Stick with Software

2008-09-18T06:01:00.013-07:00

Everyone is no doubt already aware of Google's entry into the Mobile market. [Thanks to RogerS at InternetTabletTalk for the link.] It's software only, which is a good move on Google's part. They KNOW software. They KNOW how to integrate their products. Now I'm going to tell Google some things they know already: Don't make a phone of your own. Why?

They're better than you. Nokia, Motorola, HTC, and others have been doing this for years. They have dozens of phones on the market, brand trust, and experience to make hardware and an integrated OS.

You're not ready to support hardware. Google products (excepting the Google Search Appliance) are all software and are offered without warranty of any kind. In fact, many are still tagged with "beta." You can't do that with a consumer electronics device. You have to offer warranty support, distribution channels, a call center, and a "finished" product out the door.
People already have phones. That's right. NEW phone sales are slowing with carriers now requiring two-year contracts. Ask any consumer what they hate about their carrier. Count how many times "two year commitment" shows up.

Software can stay carrier independent. Look at the iPhone and how the lust for the word "unlocked" drives people to spend so much more for them. The Nokia Nseries, including the internet tablet, are available on all GSM carriers without commitment.

Now let's talk tablets:
Imagine, if you will, Google for Maemo. This will incorporate a series of software package to run on top of Internet Tablet OS and will combine Google products:

Gmail
Google Calendar
Google Documents
GTalk

YouTube

Picasa
Blogger
Jaiku

And (fanfare) Google Gears for offline use

Now imagine all this linked to a single Google Account driving the whole tablet. Take this suite of online-to-offline applications and put them on a phone too. Now let that suite run on all phones, all carriers, and in all countries. There's your Google phone - and it's already in everyone's pocket.

Mylo com2 First thoughts

2008-09-18T06:01:00.012-07:00

In case you missed it, I had a brief hands-on video with the Sony Mylo com2 on UltraMobileGeek.com. The mylo (Intentional lowercase portmanteau for "My Life Online") spec sheet sounds familiar.

800x480 touchscreen
Sliding backlit keyboard
Linux based core
Widget interface with quick links to Facebook and YouTube
WiFi, and Skype, but not a phone
The mylo is going after the 13-18 market. It is more durable than the N810 and thicker. There will be no "open" Linux access to it and no development kit (as per Sony's reps on site.)

Even so ... I want to put this one through the paces. I want to see what they did right and wrong on it and give my comparative experience with other devices. I am glad to see the original mylo plans in the trash and was impressed with how far they have come. In a battle between the Nokia N810 and the mylo COM2, it's a race to see if a device with an expensive development and marketing budget can battle a device with hundreds of third party apps and an SDK.

NOKIA N800

2008-09-18T06:01:00.011-07:00

So far, nearly all my posts about the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet were intended for my existing audience of Nokia 770 Internet Tablet owners or interested parties. I spent too much time comparing it to it's predecessor and have yet to take the N800 as a device all by itself and review it. This is a mistake I will remedy now: This article is meant as a companion to my First Look article. All screenshots are clickable for full clarity.

The Nokia N800 Internet Tablet is not a PDA, ultra-mobile PC, smartphone, or eBook reader. It is an Internet Tablet. In my interview with Dr. Ari Jaaksi of Nokia, he emphasized that the device was built from the ground up to focus on Internet functionality. How well is this accomplished?

The Home Screen with default applets.
Design and Interface
The N800 fits in your hands like a PSP is designed mostly for two-handed operation. The left hand holds it, controls menu, application, and directional keys on the front and zoom and maximize keys on the top. The right hand can be used for the stylus. In most applications, dragging the stylus over an inactive screen area (an area without a button or hyperlink) will grab and scroll the screen for you. This is quite conducive to widescreen web browsing, but an actual "scroll wheel" would have been a welcome addition. The 800x480, 4.1" widescreen display is bright and sharp, if a bit tiny for some eyes.

The Home Screen is full of applets that can be removed, changed, replaced, or resized. The icons on the top left are similar to Windows' system tray, offering both status and shortcuts. The left buttons are Bookmarks, Contacts, and Applications. The beauty of the Applications button is that it knows if you tapped it with your fat finger or the sharp stylus and gives you either large or small icons accordingly.

Hero honda Karizma

2008-09-18T06:01:00.010-07:00

Hero Honda Karizma is a top-end bike from the Hero Honda stable and targets the niche section of customers that prefer performance to economy. Karizma comes with a 223cc single cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke engine that packs a maximum power of 17bhp at 7000rpm. Apart from breaking the 200cc barrier, the bike breaks fresh grounds in the acceleration front. Karizma conquers the four-second barrier for zero to 60kmph, doing it 3.8 seconds. On the styling front, Karizma draws inspiration from Honda's cult VFR 800, the legendary and largest selling superbike from the Japanese giant. Striking similarities exist in the alloy die-cast wheels, the tailpiece, the front indicators, the fairing, the silencer unit, seat, panel shapes and instrument binnacle.
Top speed 140kmph

The Karizma comes with factory-fitted mag wheels and the long wheelbase at 1355mm provides stability to the bike. The motorcycle has a top speed of 140kph and performs commendably at speeds around 100kph. The Karizma is equipped with a massive 15-litre fuel tank (FT) with a 2-litre reserve. The Karizma ensures excellent breaking with the 276mm disc up front (largest so far) and the 130mm rear drum brakes. The mag wheels give a very un-cluttered look to the rear wheel.

For a phot gallery visit:
http://bikeadvice.in/bike-photos-and-videos/hero-honda/karizma/

Price:Rs. 82,220
* Mumbai. May vary.

Reliance DTH

2008-09-18T06:01:00.009-07:00

Reliance’s BigTV is launching it’s DTH service on august 15th.
The service will have 32 cinema channels, and will be distributed via 700 distributors across the country.
The company is believed to have placed order for 5 million Set Top Boxes with Korean and Taiwanese vendors to meet its requirements in the first year. The company has already completed trial runs across 2,400 towns and the service is currently available for customers of other Reliance ADAG group companies for Rs 1,000. – source

Quick look at Indian DTH Market
Two key players – DIshTV and Tata Sky.
Current subscriber base stands at 6.5-7 million (total TV household in India ~124 mn).
By 2011, the DTH subscriber base is expected to grow to 25mn.
Currently, Tata Sky and ESPN are fighting a legal battle over pricing issues. Expect more such stuff, as the market is evolving and new entrants like Reliance might play on underpricing strategy which incumbents might fight difficult to catch up with.
Airtel too is launching it’s DTH service in the next 2 months.
» complete coverage of indian telecom industry
Update: Reliance has launched BigTV.

Honda stunner bike

2008-09-18T06:01:00.008-07:00

Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India today unveiled the Honda CBF Stunner in New Delhi.
The 125cc Honda Stunner produces 11bhp at 8000rpm and 11nm of torque at 6500rpm. Honda claims the Stunner can achieve 60kmph from standstill in 5.2 seconds, which ought to make the Stunner one of the fastest 125cc motorcycles in India, if not the fastest.
Loaded with goodies like front and rear tubeless tyres, alloys, half fairing and stepped up seat, the CBF Stunner is the most beautiful and loaded 125cc motorcycle in India.

However all this comes at a price, the basic kick start drum brake version of Honda CBF Stunner would Rs. 47,070, while the self start drum brake version costs Rs. 49,820, while the top of the line disc brake version (with self start) would set you back by Rs. 51,655 (prices ex. showroom Delhi).

Technical Specification of Honda CBF StunnerEngine type: 4 stroke, Air cooled OHC single cylinderDisplacement: 124.7ccMax power: 11bhp @ 8000rpmMax Torque: 11Nm @ 6500rpm Starting system: Kick/selfGear shift pattern: 1 Down - upHeadlamp: 35/35W 12V HalogenFront suspension: Telescopic hydraulic forkRear suspension: 3 step spring loaded hydraulic shock absorver with recangular box type swing armFront tyre: 80/100-17″ 46p (tubeless)Rear tyre: 100/90-17 55p (tubeless)Front brake: 130mm drum (optional 240mm disc)Rear brake: 130mm drum brakeLength: 2012mmWidth: 734mmHeight: 1113mmWheelbase: 1271mmGround Clearance: 173mm Fuel tank capacity: 10 liters (2 liter reserve)Kerb weight: 129kg

36 Million Motorcycles from China and India by 2010

2008-09-18T06:01:00.007-07:00

By 2010, China and India will produce a combined total of 36 million motorcycles per year. Let me repeat that, … 36 MILLION motorcycles PER YEAR!
That number was buried in a news item this morning about a new microcontroller chip for motorcycle engine management systems. These chips precisely control the fuel/air mixture, ignition and who knows what else to keep the engine running at its most efficient while creating the least pollution. The chips are needed, the article stated, because of the growing number of motorcycles being produced and purchased in China and India. It went on:
China and India, the world’s largest motorcycle markets, are also developing tougher emission control standards for vehicles in the upcoming years, driving the need for cost-effective electronic engine management systems. Indian companies expect to manufacture 15 million two wheelers a year by 2010, up from 6.7 million in 2005, while China expects to make 21 million two wheelers a year in 2010, up from about 17 million in 2005.

Does anyone else find that statistic mind boggling? Those kinds of numbers mean the motorcycles will be a cheap throwaway, used by one person and not worth repairing when they break. If they were to last longer, the market, no matter how large you think it might be, would soon be flooded and the companies producing these little machines would have to find something else to do. If they were expensive, they would not be able to find enough buyers. And, too, this does not include Japanese, Italian, German or U.S. motorcycles.
The overwhelming majority of motorcycles in China and India are the very small displacement variety. If you’re unclear as to why many manufacturers concentrate on larger bikes, re-read that first sentence.

World time machine

2008-09-18T06:01:00.006-07:00

Cooking tips

2008-09-18T06:01:00.005-07:00

When you soak rice and urad dal for idlis and dosas, wash everything thoroughly before soaking. Later use the soaked water while grinding. If you wash rice and dal after soaking you will lose most of the vitamins.

Excess salt in any dish can be brought down by adding diced potatoes, tomatoes or a teaspoon of sugar.

When you are making vadas, if the batter is watery - you will have the problem of oil splattering when you fry it. Add a tablespoon of ghee to the batter and your problem will be solved.

Don't salt meat before you cook it. Always salt meat halfway through cooking. (little less than what is required). Then taste the meat when it is done and then add salt as needed.

To thicken any gravy or soup add corn flour to it. It is an excellent thickening agent. Remember to mix it in good water before adding to avoid lumps.

While making any pasta add salt to the boiling water in which you are cooking it. That will be the only chance you get to salt it. Add salt after the water boils. If you add it before , it will take a longer time to boil.

To avoid sticky rice, soak washed rice in water for at least ten minutes before cooking. A teaspoon of oil can be added to get separate grains of cooked rice.

While make any deep fried dish, if the hot oil starts foaming and rises in the pan, add a small piece of tamarind to the oil. This will prevent foaming and spill over.

If you want to have soft idlis, do not beat the batter before pouring idlis. The air bubble sin the batter helps you to get soft idlis. Beating the batter removes these air bubbles.

Chill onion is refrigerator before cutting to avoid tears. One other way to avoid tears is to soak peeled onion is water before cutting.

To get crisp, golden dosas add a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds to the urad dal and grind it.

To make a healthy chicken dish remove the skin from the chicken. This will remove the major fat content on the chicken.

Add a pinch of sugar while cooking any green leaf vegetables. This will help maintain the bright green color.

For maintaining the bright color of any vegetable don't forget to put it in ice cold water as soon as you blanch them.

To keep apples from turning brown, add little citrus juice like the juice of a lemon or orange and toss apples in it.

A pinch of turmeric powder added to all kinds of dal when cooking hastens the cooking process.

Remove the stems from chilies before storing them. This will keep them fresher for a long time.

It is better to use round dishes in the microwave oven rather than square or rectangular dishes as round dishes spread heat faster.

Oil applied to dal before it is cooked helps it to cook faster by softening the proteins.

Healthy tips

2008-09-18T06:01:00.004-07:00

If you are from a family where diabetics runs in the hereditary, try having few curry leaves every morning for 100 days. This is believed to prevent diabetics

Taking raw curry leaves daily helps prevent premature graying of hair.

Are you having high blood pressure or excessive cholesterol - take raw garlic in empty stomach everyday. This significantly reduces blood pressure and cholesterol.

Indigestion ? - Add 3-4 crushed cloves of garlic to boiling milk and drink it. It gives immediate relief.

Are you having difficulty sleeping ? - Take the juice of a few coriander leaves by grinding them. Mix it in hot water and have it before going to bed. You will have a restful sleep.

Mix coriander juice with buttermilk and drink it to treat indigestion.

If you are anemic - add fenugreek leaves (methi leaves) to your food more often. It really helps.

For cold relief - take the juice of ginger, mix it with honey and lime juice and drink it.

For indigestion/acidity - drink lime juice mixed with ginger juice.

Pudina (Mint) helps in digestion

For asthma relief - take 3-4 cloves of garlic. boil it in milk and drink it every night.

Banana helps wash fatty wastes from kidneys, is soothing to the digestive tract and helps relieve constipation and diarrhea

Oatmeal helps reduce cholesterol. Regularly eating oatmeal for breakfast results in significant reduction of cholesterol in a few days

Household tips

2008-09-18T06:01:00.003-07:00

Store coffee powder in the freezer to retain the freshness for a long period of time.

To remove greasy/oily stains from any metal, wooden or plastic surfaces, apply a dap of Vaseline over it and work the stain with your finger for a while. Then wipe it off. the stain will come off easily. Same can be done to remove grease from your hands.

To easy clean greasy pans, soak the pans in hot water and then scrub it with a lemon peel and then wash it as usual.

To shine silver utensils/jewellery, wash them using toothpaste.

While cleaning your storage containers add a pinch of baking soda. This will help to remove all odors and cut grease.

Every weak disinfect your kitchen cutting boards and knives in hot water added with bleach and vinegar. Bleach disinfects and vinegar removes odors.

Beauty tips

2008-09-18T06:01:00.001-07:00

To have healthy shiny hair, treat your scalp with a mixture of almond oil and olive oil, leave for 10-15 minutes and wash your hair. This also reduces hair loss. You can also wrap a hot towel over your head for the oil to seep in easily and also to open all your pores.

Mix honey with finely ground almond paste. Add little lime juice. Rub gently on your face and neck. Rinse off with warm water. This acts as an excellent cleansing scrub.

To get firmer skin, take a egg white, add little sugar to it. Wisk it and apply on face and neck. Leave for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with Luke warm water. This prevents fine wrinkles and gives a firmer skin.

Cut a ripe tomato and rub it on your skin. It will become very shiny.

Place slices of cucumber over your eyes to remove black circles around the eyes. This also cools your eyes and relaxes you.

Placing a slice of potato over your eyes helps reduce black circles.

For healthy looking skin apply olive oil or almond oil to your face everyday. Leave it for ten minutes and wash thoroughly.

To remove dirt from your face make a mixture of besan/channa flour and cold milk and apply it on your face. Leave it until it dries thoroughly . Scrub slowly with your hands using lukewarm water and then wash your face.

Drink plenty of water. This will automatically solve most of your hair and skin problems.