Trials and Tribulations by Fire

The is based on true facts Please do not turn on the A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car. Open the windows after you enter your car and switch the air-conditioning ON after a couple of minutes. According to a research done, the car dashboard, sofa, air fresheneremits Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen - take note of theheated plastic Smell in your car). In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia,and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia,increasing the risk of cancer. May also cause miscarriage.Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft... A car parkedindoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level... & the people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins. It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give ...

I always thought I knew the difference between these three, Veg pulao, Veg fried rice, and Veg biriyani. Did you know that actually there is no difference among the three items? Well, if you go by the number of veg-non veg restaurants dotting the panorama, the dish looks pretty much the same. Here is how a dish of Peas pulao will normally look like: In the rest of the world also the above dish looks the same. But, only in southern India, especially in the bustling city called Chennai, the dish takes various forms and names. Here, the same Vegetable fried rice is sold as Veg biriyani, Veg pulao, Peas pulao, Mixed fried rice, Veg rice, Colored rice, Mixed rice, Variety rice, and so many more. Phew. The poor pulao has got so many names here that it would have forgotten how it originally looked like. Well, let me not resort to anthropomorphism. Let us now see how a normal (to the rest of the world) Veg fried rice looks like: I ate a dish today that was called Veg fried rice in the menu,...

Golden rules for finding your life partner by Dov Heller, M.A . When it comes to making the decision about choosing a life partner, no one wants to make a mistake. Yet, with a divorce rate of close to 50%, it appears that many are making serious mistakes in their approach to finding Mr./Miss. Right! If you ask most couples who are engaged why they're getting married, they'll say: "We're in love"; I believe this is the ..1 mistake people make when they date. Choosing a life partner should never be based on love. Though this may sound "not politically correct", there's a profound truth here. Love is not the basis for getting married. Rather, love is the result of a good marriage. When the other ingredients are right, then the love will come. Let me say it again: "You can't build a lifetime relationship on love alone"; You need a lot more!!! Here are five questions you must ask yourself if you're serious about finding and keeping a lif...

Happened to watch a Bong movie with my half-Bong hubby. He runs after Bangla and I can only follow a bit now. I have lost touch with the language. So, we were watching this movie called Hotath Nirer Jonne. It means, "Suddenly for Nire". That is what it means literally! Now, this post is not about its review. This post, is about the central theme of the story: Infidelity and longing for a, now married beloved. Bikram Ghosh, who now calls himself Bickram Ghosh, is a famous singer who suddenly calls upon his childhood playmate, Jaya Seal. (This is one woman who looks absolutely gorgeous!) She struggles with her emotions for a few days after the phone call. She had been in love with the singer but he rejects her proposal to focus on his career. When he attains his goals in life, he remembers his yearning for this woman. Incidentally, he has moved on with life and has had numerous affairs. But somehow something seems to be missing in all his relations. In the back of his mi...

During these difficult times, I got to read a very nice speech, given by Mr. Chetan Bhagat, the famous IITian. I have reproducced it here with nobody's permission. I am sure he won't mind: Inaugural Speech for the new batch at the Symbiosis BBA program, Pune - 23rd June, 2008 - By Chetan Bhagat Good Morning everyone and thank you for giving me this chance to speak to you. This day is about you. You, who have come to this college, leaving the comfort of your homes (or in some cases discomfort), to become something in your life. I am sure you are excited. There are few days in human life when one is truly elated. The first day in college is one of them. When you were getting ready today, you felt a tingling in your stomach. What would the auditorium be like, what would the teachers be like, who are my new classmates - there is so much to be curious about. I call this excitement, the spark within you that makes you feel truly alive today. Today I am going to talk about keeping t...

Job cuts, salary cuts, and pink slips are the order of the day. Circa 2009: The year started with a bang, but ugliness has reared its head. Recession is hitting every industry badly. The education sector and the BPOs are making a lot of money and are still recruiting. But others are eyeing the costly employee. Ousted, fired, polite pink slips are a reality this month. January has had a bleak start. Let us wait and watch how the recession wipes out the corporate sector. What with Satyam going down faster that a meteor, things are not going to be rosy for the ID card-toting software types. People have been laid off in most divisions of the eLearning division of Satyam. Managers and Project managers who considered themselves demi gods are looking at cheaper paychecks to atleast survive in the market. An Edutech or an Aptech has become a viable option. An unknown Teledata has become the recruiter of the day. Snobbishness has given way to desperation. Hurrah! The recession has finally made ...

Saw Dostana on Monday. Worth the money you pay for the plush seats. It was a visual treat to watch John saunter around in a itsy bitsy undy. For women who fantacize the hunk, this would have been an orgasmic experience. The camera loves to roam all over John's chiselled body. Abhishek on the other hand chooses to remain clothed, as he plays the "woman" of the gay couple. This John-Abhi-Priyanka starrer is a hit. Surely. I liked the movie for these reasons: Visual treat: Oh! what pristine beaches Songs: Maa kaa laadla rocks John and Priyanka look stunning Story: A completely entertaining, no-brainer Light-hearted take on gay relationships Boman, as the gay Editor-in-chief is worth the money Kirron Kher, she asks John to perform "Karva Chauth" for the longevity of her son after handing over the "Khandani Kangan." Rolled on the chair laughing... Need more reason to watch this one. Check out these... Need more reasons..C'mon, its a Yash Raj production...

Yeah, that's me. In exactly 2 days time, I will become the stereotypical TamBram bride. With Jadai and Madisaar I will strut around and join the premier league of "Kosavam Kattina Iyer Maamis". I shall follow the dictats of the community and swear by my Vadu Maanga Oorugaai. I shall...err. Forget it. :-) Heehee. Atleast till now, I am the single bird who wanted to fly far away and high. I am still (for 11 hours more) the single-ready-to-mingle woman who was high-spirited and high in spirits (sometimes). Though my soul would not have undergone a change, my external persona has certainly undergone a tremendous change. I have become the typical bride-to-be. With a feigned coyness and shyness, I am ready to become a Mrs. Well, it sounded like a very nice prospect till yesterday, but now since the day has dawned I am kinda queasy. I know all the right things and the right words. But the question is will I be able to say all of them at the correct time and in front of the righ...

Have you ever looked at married couples of long-standing and wondered what their secret was? Do you know a couple whose marriage seems to be “almost perfect?” How do they do it, these couples? What are they doing in their marriage that we don’t do and why do we somehow feel second rate to them? What’s WRONG with MY marriage, you may want to scream! Why aren’t WE perfect? Don’t scream and don’t feel that your marriage is inadequate because it doesn’t “measure up” to someone else’s. First of all, there are no perfect, or “almost perfect,” marriages. Anyone who feels there are has bought into the Disney version of love: Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, and, my personal favorite, Sleeping Beauty. While the “happily ever after” image of true love and marriage is hard to resist, these stories are what they are; fairy tales. They are not real life. So why do some couples seem to live in “happily ever after?” Though we may not want to use the expression, couples who seem to be hap...

I remember the time when Akshay 'Khiladi' Kumar used to be a heart throb for Indian girls. His charisma left none untouched. With his toned muscles and gravity-defying acts, he made inroads into the hearts of the fairer sex easily. Then came the downfall. Too many movies with an eye on the 'Khiladi' magic were churned out that turned out to be complete box-office duds. A decade passed with forgettable films. Akshay Kumar metamorphosed into Rajeev again and became Twinkle's baby sitter. After a period polishing his prowess and skills, he returned with a bang. Literally. In the past few years, Akki gave hits at the drop of a hat. Movies like Namastey London, Aitraaz make the viewers sit up and take note of the hunk. They had forgotten that this muscle man could emote as well. After trying hard to regain his lost sheen, Akki, rose like a phoenix. Now, he is ruling the box-office with Punjabi-toned hits. Sing is King is one such movie that rests solely on Akshay...