tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20556872013744440782024-03-13T05:10:02.735-07:00Alex's SpaceAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-55766046421479847672014-11-12T10:47:00.001-08:002014-11-12T11:10:53.142-08:00Disney World- Orlando!Trip: August 13, 2014- August 19, 2014<br />
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<b>Arrival:</b><br />
Took a 9:30 flight from Dallas and reached Florida by 1:30. Went to magic experience counter and realized that we forgot to attach the tag to our checked in bags. But with the boarding pass they were able to sort it out. Cool thing is that we don't have to claim the bags as Disney will deliver the bags to the hotel.
Took the Disney bus to our resort which was 20mins away. Resort was huge, little outdated but decent enough for our stay. Resort has Mexican - South American theme with few restaurants inside along with pool and other water activities inside. Room was ready when we checked in, but the bags was not there yet! Went back to resort lobby where a NICE lady helped us to sort out our plans. She was patient and gave us few extra FunPass which was a birthday gift for Gia.
Even-though bags was not in the room yet, got refreshed and went out for dinner. Place we choose was at Disney Boardwalk which was at Hollywood Studios. Went to the bus station close to our room and took the bus to Hollywood studios. Without getting into the park there was an option to take a boat to the boardwalk. It's a 20mins boat ride where they stop at few resorts before the boardwalk. Technically you can walk to boardwalk which is faster, but we took the boat for the fun and we are lazy!
Walked around the boardwalk and checked in for the dinner. It was a Greek Restaurant which we never tried.<br />
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Food was great, obviously. Since we had the dinner plan we only paid the gratuity on a cheque for $110. Tell us about being tired at this point…was so ready to be back at the hotel. But we had to take the boat and bus back which took another hour. On the way back on the boat ride we saw fireworks all over the place.
So happy to be back at the hotel where our baggage was waiting for us. Which had my goodies too! Kids managed to take a shower and they were OUT for the night. Spent some time to plan out the next day. Since the lady helped us everything was so easy, it was a matter of when and where. Speaking of which we have to be at the park at 9:30 tomorrow, means we have to wake up by 7am, which is 6am in Dallas. So nite nite.
Takeaway:
Since the baggage can come late make sure to get enough stuff needed once you get to the resort in your hand carry.
Try to find a Restaurant inside where you are staying if you don't want to go out on day1.
With that said, since baggage was not in we went out and figured out how bus service works between resort and the parks. It's the best, you will find a ride every 15mins to and from!
Nit nite from Disney !<br />
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<b>Day1: EPCOT </b><br />
Started the day at 8 and got to the park before they even opened the gates. When they opened the gates it was a mad rush to get to the rides. We had our plan and ended up going to all the rides and activities as planned. Ate lunch at 'Electric Umbrella' and retuned to hotel by 2. After a well deserved break we went back to Epcot by 6. It was drizzling so took the monorail before the dinner. Ate at 'Garden Grill' and took pictures with characters in between. Food was buffet and it was good. Ended up paying just the gratuity for a cheque of $130 since we had the dining plan. Had to run to see the fireworks afterwards. It was well worth it; amazing, I will leave it that! Got back to hotel by 10 and hit the bed. Tomorrow fun starts at 11, so going to sleep in.<br />
<br />
<u>Takeaways:</u>
Take umbrella if chances of rain in the forecast.
FunPass is the best, well worth it.<br />
<br />
<i>Rides:</i>
Mission Space
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Spaceship Earth
Soarin
Missed 'Test Track' which looked good, but was closed due to rain and didn't work with our schedule. Other than that all the rides we went was amazing!'. 4 rids may sound less but it's perfect for a family as long as it's planned rather than running around and killing yourself.' Attention to detail'…one word or few to explain all the rides and activities.
Nite nite from Conorado Springs, Disney :)<br />
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<b>Day 2: Hollywood Theaters</b><br />
Day stared at 11 and weather was just beautiful. Happened to see Frozen parade as soon as we got in. As always even the parade was attention to detail as they even had snow coming down while Anna and Elsa came in. Took few fast rides per kids request thru fast pass and it was fun. Ate at 'Fairfax' some BBQ food for lunch. Relaxed at the lunch place little bit as we had some time before the next ride. Final show of the day was the 'movie stunts- cars and motorcycle', best of all for me. The show was packed and we barely missed the rain…or else the whole Show would have been canceled. It's amazing how they do it for the movies…light, action, stunts!!
Dinner at 'Hollywood Vines', which was American buffet. Food was okay, but the bill was $130, ended up paying just the gratuity due to dining plan. Returned to hotel by 7:30 on the bus and called it a night.
Hotel has a free drinks refill option, but it's a 5min walk to the lobby where you can refill which defect the purpose. That just the downside but we are staying close to a pool and the bus station, so it's evens out.<br />
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Last note of the day, today is the last day of Gia's 9…she will be 10yrs old when we wake up tomorrow. Kinda sad that she is growing up so fast, but happy for her that she will be in her 'double digits' starting tomorrow. We will be going to magic kingdom tomorrow for her birthday, so we hope it will be a great day for her and us…after all it's Magic Kingdom!<br />
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<i>Rides:</i>
Rock n Roller coaster
Tower of horror
Voyage of mermaid
Light, motor, Action-Extreme stunts
Takeaways:
Fast pass is still the best, considering the wait.
Bring lot of water as you need it through out the day. Anytime you buy one from here it cost your one snack pass.<br />
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<b>Day 3: Magical Kingdom </b><br />
Had a early start and reached park by 9:30, happens to see the morning parade where lot of characters walked thru the street. Took few fast rides along with a Water splash one. Kids were not afraid at all, but we were! Watched Mickeys' stage show at the castle. Rain stopped the show towards the last and we had to run to a Restaurant to take the cover from rain. It happened for a reason as it was lunch time and ate at 'starlight café'. Took few more rides and headed back to the resort for a break. Rested, even took a power nap before returning to park by 6.
Ate dinner at 'Tony's', Italian and the food was good. As usual only paid the gratuity. Took a good spot in Main Street and watched Disney Light Parade, Castle illumination and of course the Fireworks. We were standing for the whole time and the kids were so tired and sleepy. For the first time they wanted to back to resort…so imagine how tired they were!
Took the bus back to resort and I decided to go to front lobby for a refill. Resort has this free refill option but it's a 1mile (I think as I felt that way ) walk back and forth. Got back the room and so ready to hit the bed.<br />
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<i>Rides:</i>
Big thunder mountain rail road ride
Splash mountain
Space mountain
Jingle cruise
Stitch's great escape
Morning and evening parades
Castle illumination
Fireworks
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<u>Takeaways: </u>No alcohol at Magic Kingdom, so be prepared.
Write notes if you don't mind as you are doing so many things in few days and lost track of everything…just my 2 Cents
Magic kingdom is one of the popular park, so be planned otherwise you will be lost. You
would think kids are the ones into characters and Disney, but saw lot of adults who were more excited than kids. Rain may interfere your plans as some of your rides or activities can be cancelled or delayed, so always have a Plan B within the area you are in.
That's it for now…nite nite!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Day 4: Animal kingdom</b><br />
Stared the day by 10 and stared with a safari jungle. Watched lion king show which was pretty cool as got the front seat. GABI get to play with the crew for a while as well. It was a hot day with humid and we felt it for the first time during this trip. After lunch we got to ride few fast rides. Surprised to see lot of Indian themes in Animal kingdom. We had plans to watch one more show before the dinner, but was too tired to stay that long. So we decided to go back to hotel and changed the dinner reservation to 'Mayan Grill' Restaurant which located inside our resort. We had to pay $40 for changing the reservation but it was well worth it. After dinner stopped at a gift shop to collect some souvenirs. Packed the bags and hit the bed.<br />
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<i>Rides:</i>
Kilimanjaro Safari
Festival of lion king
Expedition Everest
Kali river rapids<br />
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<b>Departure:</b><br />
We took the resort check-n option so we get to check-in there all the bags rather than the airport. We almost missed the bus to the airport as we missed our pickup time noted in the checkout letter. Called front office and got some help in carrying our bags to the lobby. 25minutes ride to the airport and we are ready to head back to home..sweet home.
Now in the plane and wrapping up the journal so I don't forget the details of our trip. Overall it was a fun, exhausting trip…but was well worth it<span style="background-color: white;">.
<span style="color: red;"><b>Adios</b> </span>!
</span>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0Walt Disney World Airport (DWS), Orlando, FL 32836, USA28.4024535 -81.57301869999997728.4015835 -81.574279199999978 28.4033235 -81.571758199999977tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-70843833897238682302010-10-22T14:01:00.000-07:002010-10-22T14:22:39.725-07:00Vacation 2010 - CruiseOn the <strong>Embarkation day</strong> we reached Galveston around noon. After dropping the luggage at the terminal, we parked the car at official parking area. From the parking area we took the free A/c shuttle to the terminal. Porter checked in the luggage for us, so we didn’t have to walk around with our luggage. After that there was a 2hr long queue to get to the ship; 1st the itinerary check and then the Customs. Around 2’oc we got into ‘The Ship’. <br /><br />Once you are in you feel like you are in a mall or something. We got confused and not sure where to go or how to get to our room. Later we realized that the room number along with the deck name/number was on the ‘sail and sign’ card. Next task was to get to our room thru the elevator. The way deck names displayed on the elevators are confusing. For example for Deck R, press ‘Rivera’ on the elevator! By the time we got to the room, our luggage was waiting for us. We got refreshed and while getting ready to explore the Ship we were informed to report to the Muster station. It is a place where everyone in the deck has to report in case of an emergency. After a 20mins of safety briefing at the Muster station we were told to walk towards the life-boat station, where we watched ship moving away from the port.<br /><br />We went back to the rooms for a break and got refreshed. After exploring the rooms and the amenities we were ready to explore the Ship more. Every time we get to the elevator we saw people trying to figure out which floor to go and how to map the deck names with the display names on the elevator. At least we were not alone! We then went to the Club Carnival seminar where you can drop the kids off for Free until 3:00Am most of the night. Unfortunately our kids were not trained for that and they stayed with us all the time. For dinner, there were many options; buffet, dining, grill were few of them. We kinda tried all just to explore our options. After the dinner and few picture sessions we went back to the room. Ladies and the kids decided to stay at the room while the guys went out to explore more. I know I have used the word ‘explore’ a lot , but that’s what the cruise all about! That was the end of our 1st day on the Cruise.<br /><br />There were lot to learn about the room service and other charges associated with it. Room services are free, but the sodas and bottled drinking water in your room are NOT! We learned that only after opening few..LOL! The daily program chart or the Fun Pass we get in the room is very helpful in scheduling our daily activities. About the rooms; we stayed at the interior state rooms and it’s of 10x12 in size. There are bunker beds for the kids and TV with few channels options. Two of the interesting channels are live ocean view of front and back of the ship; it’s nice to watch especially when docking and un-docking the ship.<br /><br /><strong>2nd day</strong> was a day at sea and we started around 7:30Am. It’s hard to wake up especially in interior room coz there is no sunlight to wake you up! We started our day with buffet breakfast. Now about the food on the ship- Amazing and it’s a lot! If you didn’t gain few extra pounds after a cruise trip you didn’t really enjoyed the trip, that’s all I have to say! While kids and the ladies attended some kid’s shows, the guys went to explore the ship more. Now, for me the word explore also means ‘chilling’. So in other words ‘guys went to chill more! After the lunch we all went back to the room for an afternoon power nap. Since we slept for 2-3hrs I don’t know the word ‘Power’ nap applies here! But we rested well enough. Later that day we went to the upper deck of the ship with the kids, where there are water activates, like slides and pools for kids. Kids had lot of fun! We went back to the room to clean up and to get ready for the formal night. After few photo sessions we went for the formal dining. Our dining option was ‘any time dining’ and it was easy with the kids to show up whenever we are ready other than a set time. Again, the food was amazing! That completes day#2.<br /><br /><strong>3rd day</strong> the Ship docked at Progresso port by 7Am. After the breakfast we got off the ship by 9Am. At the port there is not much to do, so we took a 20 min free shuttle bus to the Downtown. We walked towards the beach and sat there for few hours. Beach was kinda crowed with locals and tourist but we managed to find a place to sit where you have to pay for the umbrellas and chairs. Since we ordered the food from the beach they waved the fees for us. Food was not that good though! Guys found few places down the street where you can get $1 beers and free tequila shots. After few hours we decided to head back to downtown and then back to the ship. We did some shopping on the way back. The key for shopping at Progresso is bargaining! By the time we got to the ship we were so ready for our afternoon ‘power’ nap. In the evening we went to the upper deck of the ship and hang out. We explored the stern and bow areas of the ship. Since they don’t let us to go to the bow of the ship we missed the Titanic shots. Even though it’s windy it’s a nice view from the upper bow area. Later that night we went for dinner. The crew there is amazing; they are very friendly, they dance, they sing and they serve great food! After attending few shows we all went back to the room. That was the end of day#3.<br /><br /><strong>Day#4</strong> was at Cozumel. Ship docked around 8’oc and we got off the ship by 9. There are lots of shops at the ports itself. It’s a good 10min walk to get off the port. At the front of the port there are lots of tourist guides to guide you and to misguide you sometimes! We took a taxi to our beach. We went to Paradise beach, which was a 20mins drive from the port. Beach was very nice; small but clear water and lot of things to do. We spend most of the time at the beach. Kids loved the beach. For the 1st time in my life I did Jet skiing at the beach. It was kinda scary, but I did it. We ordered the food and drinks from there and the food was okay compared to Progresso. After few hours at the beach we decided to head back to the ship. I tried to do some shopping in Cozumel, but it was expensive. Bargaining is good in Progresso than Cozumel. Prices are high to start with so there is little room to bargain and to get things for a good deal! I ended up buying nothing from Cozumel other than few shot glasses as a Souvenir. There were Indian buffet foods waiting for us at the Ship, so we cleaned up and went to get the food. As always, we ate a lot and were ready for our nap. In the evening we walked around the ship and attended few shows and then dinner. That was the end of day#4<br /><br /><strong>Day#5</strong> AKA last day AKA day at sea started as usual with heavy breakfast. By Day#5 you are kinda ready to get back to the land. We didn’t feel like doing much, so we kinda spend the day by being lazy. More food and more resting was the highlight of day. Later that day we went to attend the Debarkation seminar, which was really helpful in understanding the process. We packed our luggage by midnight and left it outside the room for the crew to pick up.<br /><br /><strong>Debarkation day</strong>, started with an early breakfast. We were told that our deck will be called by 10’oc, so made our plans accordingly. We waited at the waiting area until our deck name called for debarkation. It took only 15mins to get off the Ship, but it took almost 2hr to complete the immigration process. We got off the ship by 10:45Am. It was a long 1+hr wait at the immigration. There was a line to get a Porter and to get a cart to push our luggage. After immigration we took a shuttle to the parking lot to get our car. After a small wait to bring the car to the pier to load the luggage by 12:30 we started our journey back home.<br /><br />Overall, it was a great memorable vacation. Now, Am I going for a cruise next year again, <strong>No!</strong>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-41072152880841692292010-09-22T14:39:00.000-07:002010-09-22T14:45:09.365-07:00Carnival Cruise<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/TJp40aUtR3I/AAAAAAAAIO4/mxqT81pb4ug/s1600/CARNIVAL_ECSTASY.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 183px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/TJp40aUtR3I/AAAAAAAAIO4/mxqT81pb4ug/s320/CARNIVAL_ECSTASY.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519857135110670194" /></a><br /><br />Carnival Cruise Lines is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Miami, Florida.. Originally an independent company founded in 1972 by Ted Arison, the company is now one of eleven cruise ship brands owned and operated by Carnival Corporation & plc. The company has the largest fleet in the group, with twenty two vessels currently in operation.<br /><br />Carnival was a pioneer in the concept of shorter, less expensive cruises. Its ships are known for their Las Vegas-style decor and entertainment. The line calls its ships The Fun Ships, and there are a wide range of activities offered on board. Its trademark is the smoke stack, or funnel, which is red, white and blue and shaped like a whale's tail. The mascot for Carnival is "Fun Ship Freddy", a character in the shape of Carnival's distinctive funnel. <br /><br /><strong>Carnival Ecstasy</strong><br />The Carnival Ecstasy is a Fantasy class cruise ship, which began operation with Carnival Cruise Lines in 1991. Features include three pools, whirlpools, a variety of dining options, nightclubs, a casino, and duty-free shopping. She is currently offering four- and five- day Western Caribbean itineries out of Galveston, Texas.<br /><br />The ship suffered heavy damage in 1998 after the laundry room in the ship's stern caught fire damaging much of her stern and aft section. On the afternoon of July 20, 1998, MS Ecstasy had departed the Port of Miami, Florida, en route to Key West, Florida, with 2,565 passengers and 916 crewmembers on board when a fire started in the main laundry shortly after 1700. The fire migrated through the ventilation system to the aft mooring deck where mooring lines ignited, creating intense heat and large amounts of smoke. As the Ecstasy was attempting to reach an anchorage north of the Miami sea buoy, the vessel lost propulsion power and steering and began to drift. The master then radioed the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance. A total of six tugboats responded to help fight the fire and to tow the Ecstasy. The fire was brought under control by onboard firefighters and was officially declared extinguished about 2109.<br /><br />After Hurricane Katrina, the ship spent six months in New Orleans serving as quarters for refugees and relief workers. Now, the Carnival Ecstasy travels on four and five day itineraries throughout the Western Caribbean from Galveston, Texas.<br /><br />On July 1, 2007, David Ritcheson, the victim of the April 22, 2006 Harris County, Texas assault incident, jumped off the MS Ecstasy and died.<br /><br />April 21, 2010 at approximately 12.55 pm U.S. central time, the cruise ship Carnival Ecstasy was forced to perform a maneuver to avoid an object in the water, near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, which resulted in the ship listing 12 degrees to the starboard side. The object was a large buoy which was adrift and mostly submerged thereby preventing it from being detected by the ship’s radar. Injuries included 60 guests and one crew member. The ship safely docked the following day, Thursday 22 April 2010, at its home port in Galveston, Texas.<br /><br />Carnival has announced a new program that will be applied to all Fantasy class ships. It involves many upgrades to the Fantasy ships. After Ecstasy completed its Hurricane Katrina charter, it went into drydock. While there, it received some of the upgrades that are part of the Evolutions of Fun program. These include a new mini golf course on the sports deck, refurnishing of all the staterooms, new children's facilities, and the remodeling of the gift shop and Lido deck restaurant, The Panorama Bar And Grill. In 2009the ship received the Full Evolutions of Fun which includes the children's water parks and "Camp Carnival" where parents can drop off their child, "Serenity" adult only decks, refurbishing of the ship's aft lounge, additional 98 balconies and other small improvements.Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-56533874987928930102010-02-01T08:53:00.000-08:002010-02-01T08:55:27.478-08:00BharatanatyamBharatanatyam is a classical Indian dance form originating in Tamil Nadu, India. One of the oldest of the classical dance forms in India, it is also known as the fifth Veda. It has its inspirations from the sculptures of the ancient temple of Chidambaram located near Pondicherry. Bharatanatyam is usually accompanied by the classical music. It has its inspirations from the sculptures of the ancient temple of Chidambaram. Bharatanatyam, as the name depicts is the combination of:<br /><br />BHA- Bhava (Expression), RA- Raga (Music) and TA- Tala (Rhythm) Bharatanatyam is a traditional dance-form known for its grace, purity, tenderness, and sculpturesque poses. Today, it is one of the most popular and widely performed dance styles and is practiced by many dancers all over the world.<br /><br />The Basics Of Bharatanatyam (3N)<br />Bharatanatyam is generally referred to have three distinct streams or aspects:<br />1. Nritta<br />2. Nrittya<br />3. Natya<br /><br />Nritta is pure dance or sequences of dance that are non interpretative in nature. This means that these steps, movements or gestures are not meant to convey any message or thought. They are primarily meant to add beauty to the dance form.<br /><br />Nrittya on the other hand is an interpretative dance and involves a lot of sentiments, emotions and description. The gestures in this stream convey messages like depicting a king, indicating that it is morning time etc. This consists of leg, hand, neck, head and eye movements to convey the message.<br /><br />Natya is dance drama and its main technique is Abhinaya. It involves acting out a story for the audience using expressions. Also the actors may dress like the character. Natya is usually performed with a mythologial theme, like on the stories of Ramayana or Krishnaleela, etc. For eg. This would involve enacting parts of Ramayana or Mahabharata.<br /><br />HASTAS:<br />A distinctive feature of Bharata Natyam Dance is the use of expressive hand gestures as a way of communication. Hastas refers to the varieties of hand symbols that a dancer can use. Many of these hand gestures are well known.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.generalism.net/lakshmi/Dance/mudras.html">http://www.generalism.net/lakshmi/Dance/mudras.html</a><br /><a href="http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2008/01/asamyukta-hasta-or-single-hand-gesture/">http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2008/01/asamyukta-hasta-or-single-hand-gesture/</a><br /><br />There are two types of Hasta Mudras: Asamyuta and Samyuta (single and combined, respectively).<br /><br />There are 28 Asamyuta Mudras which are: Pataka, Tripataka, Ardhya-pataka, Kartari-mukha, Mayura, Ardha-chandra, Arala, Shukatundaka, Mushti, Shikhara, Kapittha, Kataka-mukha, Suchi, Chandra-kala, Padma-kosha, Sarpa-shirsha, Mriga-shirsha, Simha-mukha, Langula, Sola-padma, Chatura, Bhramara, Hamsaya, Hamsa-paksha, Samdasma, Mukula, Tamrachuda, and Trishula. Note that hand "mudras" are usually spoken in sanskrit (which is the proper language, used for saying the gestures in the Kalakshetra style).<br /><br />There are 24 Samyuta Hastas which are: Anjali, Kapota, Karkata, Svastika, Dola, Pushpaputa, Utsanga, Shivalinga, Kataka-Vardhana, Kartari-svastika, Shaktata, Sankha, Chakra, Samputa, Pasha, Kilaka, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Garuda, Nagabandha, Khatva, Bherunda, and Avahittha.<br /><br /><br />Adavus in Bharatanatyam:<br /><br />Tatta Adavu (8)<br />The word Tatta literally means “to tap”. In this adavu, we are taught the Bharatanatyam way of leg tapping. This adavu involves only the use of legs unlike most other adavus.The Bol for Tatta adavu is “tai ya tai hi"<br /><br /><a href="http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2007/07/first-adavu-in-bharatanatyam-%E2%80%93-tatta-adavu/">http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2007/07/first-adavu-in-bharatanatyam-%E2%80%93-tatta-adavu/</a><br /><br />Natta Adavu<br />“Natta” means to stretch and so the Adavu involves some stretching .Natta adavu involves heel contacts of the feet. Thus word “Nattu” in Tamil is also referred to “Perching of heels”.The bols (sollukattu) for this Adavu is “tai yum tat ta tai hi ya ha<br /><br /><a href="http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2008/04/natta-adavu-in-bharatanatyam-2/">http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2008/04/natta-adavu-in-bharatanatyam-2/</a>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-18304538128612591022009-10-29T12:03:00.000-07:002009-10-29T12:08:07.024-07:00My Heart Will Go On<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SunnXDKUklI/AAAAAAAAH-E/Ug-RBloXU58/s1600-h/titanicsongwords.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 316px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SunnXDKUklI/AAAAAAAAH-E/Ug-RBloXU58/s320/titanicsongwords.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398100011551855186" /></a><br /><br />"My Heart Will Go On" is the theme song of the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. With music by James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings, and production by Walter Afanasieff, it was recorded by Céline Dion. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, and was the world's best selling single of 1998.<br /><br />The song was recorded in one take and without instrumental accompaniment. Horner, Dion, and later Sony Music Entertainment decided to use this first recording because "Dion's voice was perfect."<br /><br />Horner had originally composed the song as an instrumental motif that is used in several scenes during Titanic. He then wanted to make a full vocal song out of it, for use in the end credits of the film. Director James Cameron did not want such a song, but Horner went ahead anyway and got Jennings to write the lyrics. Dion was Horner's first choice to sing it, but when she heard the song, she did not want to record it. It was her manager and husband, Rene Angelil, who convinced her to record a demo version, which was something she hadn't done for many years. <br /><br />Horner waited until Cameron was in an appropriate mood before presenting him with the song. After playing it several times, Cameron declared his approval, although worried that he might be criticised for "going commercial at the end of the movie."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saalGKY7ifU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saalGKY7ifU</a>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-19391143353644059692009-06-22T06:38:00.000-07:002009-06-22T06:43:08.996-07:00Morphea<strong>Morphea</strong>, also known as localized scleroderma, is a thickening and hardening of the skin and subcutaneous tissues from excessive collagen deposition. Morphea includes specific conditions ranging from very small plaques only involving the skin to widespread disease causing functional and cosmetic deformities. Morphea tends to affect only the outermost layers of your skin, with no damage to internal organs. Sometimes, morphea can restrict movement in your joints. <br /><br />Treatment depends on the severity. With morphea, you may naturally be concerned about your appearance. Your doctor may recommend medications and other treatments to help with your appearance and other symptoms. <br /><br /><strong>Symptoms</strong><br /> <br />Morphea is a form of scleroderma, a term that literally means "hard skin." Symptoms of morphea include: <br /><br />- Hardening of the skin.<br />- Thickening of the skin.<br />- Discoloration of the affected skin to look lighter or darker than the surrounding area. Most people develop one or two oval-shaped patches that start out red, purple (lilac-colored) or yellowish and gradually develop a whitish center. Over time the patches may turn brownish in color and eventually white.<br /><br />Morphea usually affects only the uppermost layers of your skin, but in some cases may involve fatty or connective tissue below your skin<br /><br /><strong>Causes</strong><br /> <br />The exact cause of morphea is unknown. It's believed that a reaction of the immune system plays a role in the development of this rare condition. <br /><br />Experts have explored a possible connection between morphea and infection, such as measles or chickenpox, but recent research doesn't support this theory. Other factors that may be associated with the onset of morphea include radiation therapy or repeated trauma to the affected area. <br /><br /><strong>When to seek medical advice</strong><br /> <br />If you notice patches of discoloring, hardening or thickening skin, see your doctor. An early diagnosis allows for the most successful treatment of affected skin, may help slow the development of new patches, and allows your doctor to identify and treat complications before they progress. <br /><br /><strong>Tests and diagnosis</strong><br /> <br />A doctor who specializes in skin conditions (dermatologist) may confirm a diagnosis of morphea based on: <br /><br />- <em>Physical examination</em>. Discoloration combined with skin firmness is a good indicator of morphea. After inspecting your skin and discussing other signs and symptoms you may have, your doctor may recommend taking a tissue sample for analysis.<br />- <em>Tissue sample</em>. Your doctor may remove a small tissue sample (biopsy) of your affected skin to be examined in the laboratory for abnormalities that allow for diagnosis, such as thickening of the collagen in the second layer of skin (dermis). Collagen is a protein that makes up your connective tissues, including your skin. It helps make your skin elastic and resilient.<br /><br /><strong>Complications</strong><br /> <br />The most common complication of morphea is a possible negative effect on your self-esteem and body image if discolored patches of skin appear on your arms, legs and face. <br /><br />If your face is involved, your skin may appear depressed and discolored. Often only one side of the face is affected, extending from the scalp and forehead to the chin (en coup de sabre). Though your skin will likely soften and become less obviously discolored over time, some discoloration may last for years. <br /><br />Morphea that affects the arms and legs impairs joint mobility in up to one in five people with the condition. The pain may subside in the following months or years, even if discolored patches of skin remain. <br /><br />Sometimes new patches of hard, discolored skin appear in such numbers that some may seem to join together. This more extensive condition is called generalized morphea. Rarely, morphea may be part of a more serious condition called progressive systemic scleroderma, which may affect your blood vessels and internal organs<br /><br /><strong>Treatments and drugs</strong><br /> <br />Morphea has no known cure. Treatment of morphea focuses on controlling the signs and symptoms and slowing the spread of the disease. The earlier you begin treatment, the more effective it is. The precise treatment depends on the extent and severity of your condition, but may include: <br /><br />- <em>Corticosteroid</em>s. Your doctor may prescribe these medications early in the course of treatment, to reduce inflammation and prevent thickening of the collagen. They can be taken either orally or topically or both.<br />- <em>Antimalarial drugs</em>. Medications such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) or chloroquine (Aralen) may help reduce inflammation and slow the progress of the disease.<br />- <em>Immunosuppressive medications</em>. Your doctor may prescribe these drugs to control your immune system and reduce inflammation.<br />- <em>Physical therapy</em>. This type of treatment uses stretching, strengthening and range-of-motion exercises to improve the mobility of your joints.<br />- <em>Laser treatments</em>, topical creams and chemical peels. These approaches help bring the look of natural color back to affected skin after the inflammation has subsided.<br />- <em>Plastic surgery</em>. Cosmetic surgery techniques may improve the look of discolored skin in highly visible places.<br /><br /><strong>Lifestyle and home remedies</strong><br /> <br />The sun can darken skin already discolored by morphea, so be sure you wear sunscreen, cover affected skin and avoid direct contact with the sun whenever possible. In addition, use moisturizers to soften and improve the feel of your skin. <br /><br />If you have morphea in more visible locations, makeup and other topical treatments may help to hide the condition and make your skin appear more natural.<br /><br />More details: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/morphea/DS00718Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-68880976687654651452009-05-07T10:29:00.000-07:002009-05-07T10:35:58.702-07:00CAR’S COUNTRY OF ORIGN<strong>Audi</strong> is a famous <em>German </em>luxury car maker founded in Zwickau, Germany and now based in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. The Audi car company was founded by August Horch, starting the A. Horch & Cie. company in 1899. Horch became Audi in 1909, officially becoming Audiwerke GmbH on the 25th of April, 1910.<br /><br /><strong>BMW</strong> is a famous <em>German</em> luxury car and motorcycle maker founded in 1916. The BMW company originally made aircraft engines, then started making motorcycles in 1923, and automobiles in 1929. The BMW brand is now synonmous with luxury and high performance.<br /><br /><strong>Porsche</strong> is a famous <em>German</em> sports car maker founded in Stuttgart and now based in Zuffenhausen, Germany. The Porsche car company was founded in 1931 by the Ferdinand Porsche, along with his son Ferry Porsche. The first Porsche design took much from the Volkswagen Beetle, which the Porsches also worked to create.<br /><br /><strong>Volkswagen</strong> Group is a famous <em>German</em> car maker founded in 1937 by the Nazi goverment to build the Volkswagen or "The People's Car" for Germans. Ferdinand Porsche was employed by the government to develop the vehicle.<br /><br /><strong>Ferrari</strong> S.p.A. is a famous <em>Italian </em>sports car manufacturer based in Modena and Maranello, Italy. The Ferrari car company was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929 and was first called Scuderia Ferrari. The Italian car makers first built their reputation on the car racing track and didn't start making street legal Ferraris until 1947. Much of the car technology that Ferrari learned from racing was transferred to their road cars, which has created the Ferrari legend and made them highly sought after by motorists around the world.<br /><br /><strong>Lamborghini</strong> or Automobili Lamborghini is a famous <em>Italian</em> sports car maker founded in Sant'Agata Bolognese and still based in the small Italian village near Bologna, Italy. The Lamborghini car company was founded in 1963 by the tractor maker Ferruccio Lamborghini.<br />Chevrolet or Chevy is a famous American car maker founded in 1911 by the Swiss/French racing car driver Louis Chevrolet and the American automobile pioneer William C. Durant (also founded General Motors).<br /><br /><strong>Ford</strong> Motor Company is a famous <em>American</em> automobile maker founded in 1903 by the man that revolutionized the car industry, Henry Ford. The Ford company continues to manufacture vehicles and is one of the largest car making companies in the world.<br /><br /><strong>Chevrolet</strong> or Chevy is a famous <em>American</em> car maker founded in 1911 by the Swiss/French racing car driver Louis Chevrolet and the American automobile pioneer William C. Durant (also founded General Motors).<br /><br /><strong>General Motors</strong> Corporation or GM is a famous <em>American</em> car maker founded in 1908 by William C. Durant. The GM auto company continues to manufacture vehicles and is one of the largest car making companies in the world.<br /><br /><strong>Honda</strong> Motor Company or Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki-gaisha is a famous <em>Japanese</em> automobile maker founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda. Honda has grown to become one of the most respected automobile companies in the world with a reputation for quality, reliability, and more recently economical.<br /><br /><strong>Mazda</strong> Motor Corporation or Matsuda Kabushiki-gaisha is a famous <em>Japanese</em> automobile maker founded in 1920 by Jujiro Matsuda. The company was first called Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. Mazda is one of the largest auto companies in the world, selling more than one million vehicles worldwide in 2007.<br /><br /><strong>Toyota</strong> Motor Corporation or Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki-gaisha is a famous <em>Japanese</em> automobile maker founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda. Toyota has grown to become one of the largest automobile companies in the world with a reputation for afforadability, reliability, and more recently economical.Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-45790552371509194682009-03-31T10:31:00.000-07:002009-03-31T11:37:13.305-07:00Jury Duty<p class="MsoNormal">I got the Summons for Jury duty before completing my 1st year of citizenship. You have to fill out the questionnaire in Summons thru online or in Summons sheet before you report.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I reported to the Court house on time as scheduled in my Summons. There were 250+ people reported that day for 189 candidates. You have to check-in at the front desk where they will scan your Summons that will feed your attendance to the system.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Process started by <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>watching a 10min informative Tv session about Jury duty. After that Judge read all the exception options for Jury duty and asked to form a line for those who qualify for exceptions. That was a line of 25 and 15 of them got excused that day. Then they started dividing into groups and I ended up in Group 1 which is suppose to report to Count#158. After a 15mins break we all reported to the Court assigned to us. We have to follow the seating arrangement inside the court as the lawyers uses that order to identify you. We saw Judge, lawyers along with the parties inside the Court. Judge gave us a introductory speech about the process.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Lawyers from each party will then spend 45mins to ask questions. These Q&A will help them to pick a 'weak' Jury. Thru the questions they will find out the people who has any case related interest or bias towards any client or any other personal issues toward the nature of the case. Lawyers tries to eliminate strong Jurors by these questions which will help them to win the case.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">After the questionnaire Judge picked the final 12 Jurors and I was not in that list, which I was very happy. We were send home with a Work excuse letter which will give you a day Off from work . You’ll be awarded $6 for 1<sup>st</sup> day of Jury service in Texas. That was the END of my 1st Jury duty.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">www.courts.state.tx.us/tjc/jury-home.htm</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-19554954525034617542009-01-22T06:55:00.000-08:002009-03-13T12:00:45.113-07:00Inaugural Address<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SbqtKViKe4I/AAAAAAAAF8k/WHGz62jXBiM/s1600-h/obama_inauguration451x500.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 212px; HEIGHT: 229px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312749103527656322" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SbqtKViKe4I/AAAAAAAAF8k/WHGz62jXBiM/s320/obama_inauguration451x500.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>By President Barack Hussein Obama<br /></strong><br />My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you've bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.<br /><br />I thank President Bush for his service to our nation -- (applause) -- as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.<br /><br />Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.<br /><br />So it has been; so it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many -- and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.<br /><br />These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.<br /><br />Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met. (Applause.)<br /><br />On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation. But in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. (Applause.)<br /><br />In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.<br /><br />For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops, and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip, and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sahn.<br /><br />Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.<br /><br />This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week, or last month, or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. (Applause.)<br /><br />For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift. And we will act, not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We'll restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.<br /><br />Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.<br /><br />The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.<br /><br />Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. (Applause.)<br /><br />As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers -- (applause) -- our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man -- a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake. (Applause.)<br /><br />And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead once more. (Applause.)<br /><br />Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.<br /><br />We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.<br /><br />We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken -- you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. (Applause.)<br /><br />For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.<br /><br />To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. (Applause.)<br /><br />To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. (Applause.)<br /><br />To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.<br /><br />As we consider the role that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who at this very hour patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.<br />We honor them not only because they are the guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service -- a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.<br /><br />And yet at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do, and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child that finally decides our fate.<br /><br />Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.<br /><br />What is demanded, then, is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.<br /><br />This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall; and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. (Applause.)<br /><br />So let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At the moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words to be read to the people:<br /><br />"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."<br /><br />America: In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.<br /><br />Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.<br /><br />Watch video: <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/inaugural-address">http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/inaugural-address</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-60044588842501243672009-01-19T09:28:00.000-08:002009-07-20T06:48:26.563-07:00Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)<p>The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously. Based on the recommendation of the High Level committee on Indian Diaspora, the Government of India decided to grant Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) commonly known as 'Dual Citizenship'. Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) of certain category as has been specified in the Brochure who migrated from India and acquired citizenship of a foreign country other than Pakistan and Bangladesh, are eligible for grant of OCI as long as their home countries allow dual citizenship in some form or the other under their local laws.<br /><br /></p><p>Persons registered as OCI have not been given any voting rights, election to Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha/Legislative Assembly/Council, holding Constitutional posts such as President, Vice President, Judge of Supreme Court/High Court etc. Registered OCIs shall be entitled to following benefits:</p><p><br />(i) Multiple entry, multi-purpose life long visa to visit India;<br />(ii) Exemption from reporting to Police authorities for any length of stay in India; and<br />(iii) Parity with NRIs in financial, economic and educational fields, except in the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.<br /><br /><strong>Implementation and Application Procedure</strong></p><p>Visit MHA OCI page : <a href="http://www.mha.nic.in/">http://www.mha.nic.in/</a></p><p>1. Click Online registration and complete the form (Part A) online</p><p>2. After Part A is filled out, click save. A print window would appear. Click OK to print out the requisite application form consisting of Part A (which has been completed as online registration). The blank form of Part-B will automatically print itself along with Part A. (Print 2 Copy- Original and Duplicate) </p><p>3. Copy of the already registered applications can be obtained using REPRINT FORM </p><p>4. The applicant must then fill-in Part B, which should be preferably TYPED Alternatively, it may be handwritten in capital letters with Blue or Black Ink only </p><p>5. The completed application form (Part A & Part B) along with supporting documents must be submitted in duplicate (two sets) by mail to the Consulate<br /><br /><strong>Photograph<br /></strong>Four (4) color Photographs (size 3.5 cm X 3.5 cm), taken against a light color background. Two of them should be pasted on application(original and duplicate) and two stapled with the application.<br /><br /></p><p><strong>Fees</strong><br />The application fee for registration under the OCI Scheme is US$ 275. An additional amount of US$ 20 towards return mailing charges should also be sent along with a self-addressed envelope accompanying the application (One money order for $295 payable to the "Consulate General of India’ should be fine)<br /><br /></p><p><strong>Address<br /></strong>Send Application to Consulate General of India, 1990 Post Oak Blvd. # 600 Three Post Oak Central, Houston, TX-77056. <br /> </br></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Documents:<br /></strong>a) Copy of first and last pages/pages containing personal details of Indian Passport held by the applicant prior to acquiring foreign citizenship. Please do not attach photocopy of all pages of the passport.<br /></p><p>OR </p><p>Birth Certificate in case of minors and applicants born outside India who did not possess Indian Passport; and copy of Indian passports of parents or grandparents (pages containing personal particulars only) where applicable (please do not attach photocopy of all pages of passport </p><p>b) Copy of US or current nationality Passport. (Please attach copies of pages containing personal particulars only). </p><p>c) Photocopies of all documents enclosed with the application may either be <u>notarized or self attested </u>i.e. signed by the applicant himself/herself.</p><p><br /><strong>Application Process<br /></strong>1. Use the Postal tracking number to confirm receipt of application at the Consulate.</p><p>2. Status of the OCI card can be tracked at <a href="https://passport.gov.in/oci/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp">https://passport.gov.in/oci/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp</a> </p><p>3. Allow 30days to acknowledge the application and for online status inquiry </p><p>4. The status report will show dates of "Registration Status", "Documents Printing Status", "Documents Printed On", "Documents Dispatched to concerned Mission/Office on" and "Documents Received at". </p><p>5. Once the application is GRANTED and the documents arrived back at Houston, send both passport to Consulate to complete the process. While mailing passport do not forget to write the file number in a covering letter along with the passport(s). </p><p>6. OCI visa will be stamped on the US passport and along with a ‘Cancelled’ stamp on the Indian passport<br /><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><strong>REISSUE OF OCI STICKER:</strong><br /><br />Q. Will a new OCI visa sticker be issued on the new foreign passport after the expiry of the old passport?<br />A: Yes. On payment of requisite fee, a new OCI 'U' visa sticker will be issued. However, the applicant can continue to carry the old passport wherein OCI 'U' visa sticker was pasted along with new passport for visiting India without seeking a new visa, as the visa is for life long.<br /><br />Details: http://www.cgihouston.org/OCIMisc.html<br /><br /><strong>Process:</strong><br />Suggestions/representations have been received from Indian Missions/Posts and registered OCIs regarding facilities/procedures for re-issuance of OCI registration certificate/visa in certain situations viz:<br /> (i) In case of issuance of new passport.<br /><br /> (ii) In case of change of personal particulars viz. nationality etc.,<br /> (iii) In case of loss/damage of OCI registration certificate/visa.<br /> (iv) In case of filling of wrong personal particulars while submitting online applications viz. name, father’s name, date of birth etc.,<br /> (v) In case of manually filled in applications (discontinued now) mistakes have been committed by the Indian Mission/Post/Office while entering the personal particulars.<br /> (vi)In case of change of address/occupation<br /><br />I.<em> In case of issuance of new passport</em><br />OCI registration certificate and visa carries the passport number of the registered OCI. Accordingly, each time a new passport is issued to an OCI holder; it has to be captured on the registration certificate and visa. This would require re-issuance of OCI registration certificate and visa each time a new passport is issued. However, as the major benefit of OCI Scheme is lifelong visa to visit India, problems arise each time a new passport is issued. In some countries old passports are not returned. Further, in many countries, the validity of passport is for 5 years. To obviate these difficulties, the following scheme has been incorporated:<br /><br />(i) Up to the completion of 20 years of age, OCI documents have to be re-issued each time a new passport is issued.<br />(ii) After the completion of 50 years of age, OCI documents have to be re-issued once after issuance of a new passport.<br />(iii) Between 21-50 years of age, there is no need to seek re-issuance of OCI documents each time a new passport is issued. However, if the applicant desires, he may avail the service for re-issuance of OCI documents.<br /><br /><br /><strong>PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE APPLICANT</strong><br />A software module has been developed by NIC named as OCI Miscellaneous Services. The public interface for this has been hosted on MHA’s website: MHA OCI Page. The procedure to be followed by the applicant is as under:<br /><br />http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=553<br /><br />(1) After accessing the OCI Miscellaneous Services and going through the Guidelines and Instructions for filing the application form, the applicant has to fill in at least one of the following data fields:<br />(i)U-Visa number<br />(ii)OCI Registration number<br />(iii)OCI File number<br /><br />(2)Thereafter, the applicant has to fill in all the following fields:<br />(i) Current Passport number<br />(ii) Date of birth<br />(iii) Place of birth<br />(iv) Mother’s name<br /><br />The applicant would be able to proceed ahead and seek the particular service(s) only if, the above data (except 2 (i) above) matches with the OCI database. This feature has been incorporated as a security measure so that the scheme is not misused.<br /><br />3)The applicant thereafter has to select any one or many of the following services:<br />(i)Change of Passport particulars<br />(ii)Change of Personal particulars<br />(iii)Loss/damage of OCI certificate/visa<br />(iv)Change of Address/Occupation<br /><br />(4)After selection of the service(s) to be availed, a Registration Form will appear having only the relevant fields, which need to be entered as per the services(s) sought. The applicant has to fill in all the relevant fields afresh online. The reasons for availing the services shall also be filled by the applicant.<br /><br />(5)Upon submission of the Registration Form, a hard copy of the application with Reference number along with the instructions for filling application form shall be printed. The applicant has to sign the application form, paste the photograph and append his signature in the box provided and submit one copy of the application form along with the relevant enclosures and fee as mentioned in the instructions. The application can be submitted to the Indian Mission/Post/Office in whose jurisdiction the applicant is ordinarily residing irrespective of the fact whether the same Indian Mission/Post/Office has issued the original OCI documents or not. Each applicant shall submit separate application form.<br /><br />No hard copy of the application shall be generated in case of change of address/occupation since no application needs to be submitted to the Indian Mission/Post/Office.<br /><br /><em>Enclosures</em><br />(i) Copy of OCI registration certificate and visa<br /><br />(a) In case of issuance of new passport, copy of U-visa pasted on the old passport along with copy of registration certificate has to be enclosed. If the old passport is not returned by the concerned authorities while issuing new passport and copy of the U-visa had not been taken prior to the surrender of old passport, they may not be enclosed. A copy of new passport also to be enclosed. <br /><br />(b) In case of loss of OCI Registration Certificate and/or Visa, copy of the complaint lodged with Police authorities and copy of visa and registration certificate to be enclosed. If a copy of the registration certificate and/or visa was not taken prior to the loss, they may not be enclosed. <br /><br />(c) In case of change of personal particulars (due to change by the applicant or wrong filling of particulars by the applicant or Indian Mission/Office), copy of the document (s) relevant for affecting the requisite changes viz. Nationality Certificate in case of change of nationality etc to be enclosed.<br /><br />(d) In respect of the service for change of address/occupation, no hard copy of the application shall be submitted to the Indian Mission/Post/Office. Accordingly, the issue of Enclosures and payment of fee does not arise.<br /><br /><em>Fees</em><br />(a) US $ 25 by Money Order/Cashier Cheque drawn in favour of CGI, Houston for re-issuance of OCI documents in case of issuance of new passport, change of personal particulars, wrong filing of particulars. <br />(b) US $ 100 by Money Order/Cashier Cheque drawn in favour of CGI, Houston for issuance of duplicate OCI documents in case of loss/damage. (Both OCI registration certificate and visa shall be issued in respect of any/all service (s)).<br />(c)Mailing Charge: Please add $ 20/- to the fee towards return mail charge.<br />(d)Refund: No fee shall be refunded if the requisite service(s) are not granted.<br />(7)Submission of print out of online application<br /><br />The print out of the completed application, duly signed, with supporting documents and fees (including mailing fee) are required to be sent by Mail only to:-<br /><br />OCI Section,<br />Consulate General of India,<br />1990 Post Oak Blvd # 600,<br />Three Post Oak Central,<br />Houston, TX-77056.Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-55910699822950772252008-11-14T22:58:00.000-08:002008-11-14T23:12:13.052-08:00Barack Obama<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SR509eb_NKI/AAAAAAAAEUo/FIi0RPw0vHs/s1600-h/untitled.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 120px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268777213561353378" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SR509eb_NKI/AAAAAAAAEUo/FIi0RPw0vHs/s320/untitled.JPG" /></a><br /><div><em>"I'm asking you to believe </em><br /><em>Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington</em><br /><em>I'm asking you to believe in yours"- Obama</em><br /><br />Barack Hussein Obama II, born in August 4, 1961 is the President-elect of the United States and the junior United States Senator from Illinois. Obama is the first African American to be elected President of the United States. Taking office on January 20, 2009 succeeding George W. Bush. </div><div><b></b><br /></div><div></div><div>Barack Obama was raised by a single mother and his grandparents. They didn't have much money, but they taught him values from the Kansas heartland where they grew up. He took out loans to put himself through school. After college, he worked for Christian churches in Chicago, helping communities devastated when steel plants closed. Obama turned down lucrative job offers after law school to return to Chicago, leading a successful voter registration drive. He joined a small law firm, taught constitutional law and, guided by his Christian faith, stayed active in his community. Obama and his wife Michelle are proud parents of two daughters, Sasha and Malia. </div><div><br />Obama's Stand on,<br /><br /><strong>Economy<br /></strong>Barack Obama has offered a detailed plan to get America’s economy back on track, by creating new jobs and easing the burden on hardworking Americans by offering middle-class tax cuts three times the size of McCain’s.<br /><br /><strong>Education</strong><br />Barack Obama puts children first by investing in early childhood education, making sure our schools are adequately funded and led by high-quality teachers, and reforming No Child Left Behind.<br /><br /><strong>Energy & Environment</strong><br />Barack Obama will invest in alternative fuels and renewable energy, including a plan to increase America’s energy efficiency and create 5 million new “green” jobs.<br /><br /><strong>Foreign Policy</strong><br />Barack Obama will continue the long American tradition of smart diplomacy to keep the country safe while improving America’s standing in the world.<br /><br /><strong>Health Care</strong><br />Barack Obama’s health care plan will provide accessible, affordable coverage for all, and it will reduce health care costs for families.<br /><br /><strong>Homeland Security</strong><br />Barack Obama supports increased security measures for our airports, ports, and land borders, part of a national plan to protect American’s infrastructure and keep our communities safe.<br /><br /><strong>Taxes</strong><br />Barack Obama provides a middle class tax cut for 95 percent of American workers. Middle class families will get three times the tax relief from Obama than they would from John McCain.<br /><br /><br />Election nite speech: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfHbw3n0EIM&eurl=http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfHbw3n0EIM&eurl=http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog</a><br /><br />Blueprint for change<br /><a href="http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf">http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-57574418477386030562008-11-05T12:05:00.000-08:002008-11-05T12:09:32.332-08:00US Election 2008<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SRH9dqtn_UI/AAAAAAAAEUI/EZO_dPgSMAU/s1600-h/vote.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265268125496507714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 314px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SRH9dqtn_UI/AAAAAAAAEUI/EZO_dPgSMAU/s400/vote.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-73257416541331234542008-08-12T06:21:00.000-07:002008-11-14T22:03:34.803-08:00Olympics 2008<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SKGQvRYhCpI/AAAAAAAADK8/vIG1eqOS9_o/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 309px; HEIGHT: 189px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233623383775709842" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SKGQvRYhCpI/AAAAAAAADK8/vIG1eqOS9_o/s400/1.jpg" /></a><br /><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><span style="font-family:';font-size:12;">India’s Olympics 2008 Team</span><br /><br /><u>UPDATE: This year India did good by winning 3medals; 1 Gold and 2 Bronze<br /></u><br /><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} h2 {margin-right:0in; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-outline-level:2; font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} h3 {margin-right:0in; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-outline-level:3; font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p.txt, li.txt, div.txt {mso-style-name:txt; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --></style><strong></strong><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Archery</span>: Dola Banerjee, Pranitha Vardhineni, L Bombayala Devi, Mangal Singh Champia.</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Athletics</span>: Anju Bobby George (Long Jump), Krishna Poonia (Discus), Harwant Kaur (Discus), Preeja Sreedharan (10,000m), Manjit Kaur (400m), Chitra Soman (4×400m relay), Sini Jose (4×400m relay), MR Poovamma (4×400m relay), Mandeep Kaur (4×400m relay), S Geeta (4×400m relay), K Mridula (4×400m relay), J J Shobha (Heptathlon), Sushmita Singh Roy (Heptathlon), G G Pramila (Heptathlon), Vikas Gowda (Discus), Renjith Maheswary (Triple Jump), Surender Singh (10000m).</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Badminton</span>: Anup Sridhar, Saina Nehwal</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Boxing</span>: Jitender (51kg), Akhil Kumar (54kg), A L Lakhra (57kg), <span style="COLOR: rgb(102,51,255)">Vijender</span>(75kg) and Dinesh Kumar (81kg)</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Judo</span>: Khumujam Tombi Devi, Divya. Rowing: Bajrang Lal Takhar (Single M1X), Devnder Khandwal and Manjeet Singh (Light Weight Double Scull).</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Shooting</span>: Manavjit Singh Sandhu (Clay Pigeon Trap), Mansher Singh (Clay Pigeon Trap), Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Clay Pigeon Double Trap), Gagan Narang (10m Air Rifle), <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">Abhinav Bindra</span> (10m Air Rifle), Samresh Jung (10m Air Pistol), Sanjeev Rajput (50m Rifle 3 Position), Anjali Bhagwat (50m Rifle 3 Position), Avneet Kaur Sidhu (10m Air Rifle).</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Swimming</span>: Virdawal Khade (50m, 100m, 200m Freestyle), Ankur Poseria (100m Butterfly), Sandeep Sejwal (100m, 200m Breaststrokes), Rehan Poncha (200m butterfly).</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Table Tennis</span>: Achanta Sharath Kamal, Neha Aggarwal.</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Tennis</span>: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi (doubles), Sania Mirza (singles and doubles), Sunitha Rao (doubles). Weightlifting: L Monika Devi (69kg)</p><p id="font_text" class="txt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Wrestling</span>: <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,153)">Sushil Kumar </span>(66 kg Freestyle), Yogeshwar Dutt (60 kg Freestyle), Rajiv Tomar (120 kg Freestyle)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Yachting</span>: Major NS Johal (Heavyweight Dinghy).<br /></p><table border="0" madebyme="true"><tbody><tr><td><div><strong>Medals per year</strong></div></td><td><div></div><br /></td><td><div></div><br /></td><td><div></div><br /></td><td><div></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" madebyme="true"><colgroup><col style="WIDTH: 0px"><col style="WIDTH: 0px"><col style="WIDTH: 0px"><col style="WIDTH: 0px"><col style="WIDTH: 0px"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td><b>Year</b></td><td><b>Gold</b></td><td><b>Silver</b></td><td><b>Bronze</b></td><td><b>Total</b></td></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>1928</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1932</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1936</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1948</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1952</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>1956</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1964</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1972</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td><b>Total</b></td><td><b>8</b></td><td><b>2</b></td><td><b>5</b></td><td><b><br /><br />15</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-63225791685005503142008-07-31T09:42:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:59:35.017-08:00Vineeth<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SJHsgCGYQdI/AAAAAAAADKM/9eT1jVzQkfk/s1600-h/916B_vineeth_bi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SJHsgCGYQdI/AAAAAAAADKM/9eT1jVzQkfk/s200/916B_vineeth_bi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229220677417451986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">V</span>ineeth Sreenivasan, great Malayalam singer and actor. Mechanical engineering student from KCG College of Engineering in Chennai, Vineeth Sreenivasan is the son of the Malayalam film actor and film-maker Sreenivasan.Young talented singer had his break with the film, Udayannanu Tharam, with the hit song `Karale, karalinte Karale' is to lend his voice again for his father and actor cum director and script writer Sreenivasan.<br /><br />He is a part of the band Malayalee with Jakes Bejoy, Shaan Rahman and Arjun Sasi. He has also acted as one of the main protagonists in the Malayalam film titled Cycle which did well at the box-office. He writes the lyrics of most of his album songs and has also shown his direction skills, directing his own music videos<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Album- Malayalee (2007)</span><br />The album Malayalee is the first directional venture from the uprising young singer Vineeth Sreenivasan “Minnalazhake” is the most popular song in the album Malayalee. The music is scored by Jakes Bejoy and Jelu Jayaraj wrote the lyrics. “Minnalazhakey” is sung by Vineeth Sreenivasan himself.<br /><br />http://malayaleethealbum.blogspot.com<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Latest Album: Coffee @ MG Road (2008)</span><br />College-Coffee @ MG Road is my favorite. College is a melody from Vineeth Sreenivasan’s new album Coffee@MG Road. The music is scored by Shan Rahman. College is sang by Vineeth Sreenivasan. Vineeth Sreenivasan and Shaan Rahman have acted in the song.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpBj6vNGJVkAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-25424834470024327182008-07-07T11:17:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:59:35.413-08:00Technology from Japan<div align="center"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SHJe5zdcF2I/AAAAAAAADAw/zc88haR6VDc/s1600-h/2.JPG"></a><div align="center"><strong><u>Technology from Japan</u></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><u></u></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><u></u></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><u></u></strong></div><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220339868913668034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SHJfc8Voj8I/AAAAAAAADBI/cHfc-P-B3ZM/s320/1.JPG" border="0" /> Any guess what it is?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SHJeXzf3f2I/AAAAAAAADAo/gxOX5MjrsoE/s1600-h/1.JPG"></a> Pens with Camera? </p><p align="center">Congratulations, You have just looked into the future. Yep, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">that's</span> right. This will <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">replace</span> your PC in the near future.</p><p align="center">Here is how it works <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220339387289151826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SHJfA6JZqVI/AAAAAAAADA4/JdTHrU3SVOQ/s320/2.JPG" border="0" />In the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">revolution</span> of miniature computers, scientists have made great developments within <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">bluetooth</span> technology... <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220339746710079506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SHJfV1GByBI/AAAAAAAADBA/wwtD47yKRZc/s320/3.JPG" border="0" /> </p><div align="center">This is the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">forthcoming</span> computers you can carry in your pockets. This 'Pen sort of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">instrument' produces</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">the</span> monitor as well as the keyboard on any flat surfaces from where you can carry out functions you would normally do on your desktop computer </div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-36622008898636066322008-06-06T09:29:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:59:35.868-08:00Comedians<strong><u>Saleem <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Kumar</span></u></strong> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SEloj-pMzUI/AAAAAAAAC3g/sXYx5nZFLHs/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208809411351203138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SEloj-pMzUI/AAAAAAAAC3g/sXYx5nZFLHs/s200/3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />He is a comedian, but has handled serious roles in films such as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Achanurangatha</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Veedu</span>.Saleem <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kumar</span> is an actor entertain <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">malayalees</span> with his on style of dialogs and expressions. He has done his best on various stage programs in many part of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Kerala</span>.<br />'Glamour <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ellakillum</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">oru</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">vakkilanno</span>' from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Meesa</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Madhavan</span> look simple but every one enjoyed it. He proved Glamour <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ellakillum</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">oru</span> comedian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">akkam</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ennu</span>.<br /><br />Few from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">YouTube</span>:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atn2KF2cB38">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atn2KF2cB38</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8QTmyR4iBo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8QTmyR4iBo</a><br /><br /><strong><u><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Suraj</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Venjaramoodu</span></u></strong><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SElorOpMzVI/AAAAAAAAC3o/hNw16b6Of_g/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208809535905254738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SElorOpMzVI/AAAAAAAAC3o/hNw16b6Of_g/s200/2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error">Suraj</span> came out with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Trivandrum</span> ascent and conquered the audience. I watched his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Ujala</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Asianet</span> Award <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">nite</span> performance and he is quite superb. Also got a chance to watch live his stage performance at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Mohanlal</span> US program in 2007, he performed very well even though the entire US program was a flop. He is a down to earth guy, which reminds me of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Kalabhavan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">mani</span> when he started in movie.<br /><br />'<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Thallea</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">evan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">pullianno</span>' is one of the best. Hope he will be able to deliver more comedy varieties to Malayalam.<br /><br />Few of the best:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyW7HHnGkLk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyW7HHnGkLk</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDMIRsyCjhY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDMIRsyCjhY</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiFAJfHfX_E">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiFAJfHfX_E</a>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055687201374444078.post-13070962146859321542008-06-05T14:20:00.000-07:002008-12-10T16:59:36.047-08:00My Vacation<span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">My two </span>week trip to India was not only a vacation but an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">experience</span> for sure. It all started at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">DFW</span> airport. After just the security check I was ready for my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">vacation</span> to be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">over and</span> to go back to work. I strongly recommend wearing your house clothes to the Airport and changing into your good clothes after the security check. After a 2hr wait at the Airport we entered the plane for a 10hr flight to Frankfurt, Germany. We requested bassinet for our daughter so we got the middle seat, right behind the business class. This is the worst place to sit in a plane because you can see the great treatment given to business class passengers.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SEnOhupMzWI/AAAAAAAAC3w/oTapdGRwUp0/s1600-h/1.gif"></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Dfw</span>- Frankfurt is the longest flight of the trip, so you better find a way to entertain yourself. We get 2 meals and have to pay $5 for liquor; of course! By the time we reached Frankfurt I lost track of the time zone. From the plane a bus took us to 'a' terminal. One thing you should learn before landing in Germany- People are rude! Considering I was wearing a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NYPD</span> labeled T-shirt they were 'not' that rude. After a long walk we reached the correct terminal where we can catch our connection flight. Guess I have to rephrase the word 'terminal' as there were no seats to sit until you pass the security check. Since we were little early we waited at the 'terminal'.<br /><br />Finally someone showed up at the counter and started the check-in process. Here comes the next surprise; hand carry weight restrictions are different and you can carry only 25lbs (It was 40lbs at Dallas). Sure enough, here comes the next surprise- me and my dad have the same seat on the same flight. Somehow we solved the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">lima</span> and moved to waiting area; we have a place to sit now. But that waiting area doesn't have a restroom, a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">water fountain</span> or anything. Just a small square area with a few seats where about 200 people have to wait. After a small wait we entered the plane for the next 6hr fly to Bahrain.<br /><br />Surprising enough, the liquor was FREE on this plane and I took advantage of that. I forgot to mention the plane seat features. Due to the fuel prices there are no more jumbo planes, only airbuses. Now they have 5seats in the middle, which used to be 4. I have to wait for the person sitting next to me to finish eating so that I can take a bite, so now you imagine the seat space we have. Granted I gained weight, but its ridiculous how narrow the seats are now. I killed my time by watching the treatment given to the business class passengers, thinking to myself that one day I will also fly in business class.<br /><br />We reached Bahrain and waited for our next connection flight. I would say we need signals and stop signs at that airport because it is so crowded. We got into the plane after a small wait at the ticket counter. One thing you need to be aware at the boarding pass counter- carry all the documents you have. Some airports need just the boarding pass, some need passport, and some 'great' airports need visa, passport and the boarding pass. Don't make me repeat about the seats inside the plane- it was spacious. After few hours they stopped the A/c. The fan is on but it feels like hot air coming <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">thru</span> the vent. I informed the flight attendant the 'A/c' <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">wasn't</span>' working and she went inside to notify the Captain/Pilot. 3 sec later she came back and stated everything has been taking care of. I know she never did anything, she just acted like she spoke to someone. I had to come up with plan B; I used the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">magazines</span> provided in the plane as a fan to cool myself down. We were sweating inside the plane. I guess they figured we are going to INDIA so we needed to get used to the heat. This was suppose to be the shortest flight but it turned out to be the longest flight.<br /><br />Finally we reached our destination- Gods own country and had a great vacation regardless of the hot climate. I'm writing this so I won't repeat the same mistakes on next vacation to India.<br /><br /><u>LESSONS IN BRIEF<br /></u><br />1.Avoid Gulf Air (Narrow seats and waste of time in change over)<br />2.Avoid going <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">thru</span> Frankfurt or Paris<br />3.Never go on vacation in summer to India<br />4.Less hand carry makes the trip smoother<br /><br /><em>Best Cartoon I can possibly get,</em><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SICaNv9V4GI/AAAAAAAADIw/08UK6FKxFWY/s1600-h/f7cb6a1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224345128752504930" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CdFsba0XURk/SICaNv9V4GI/AAAAAAAADIw/08UK6FKxFWY/s320/f7cb6a1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983656208166940582noreply@blogger.com3