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Cooking: Onion chatni in 15 mins

It's been a boring Saturday and decided to eat at home. Quickly probed the kitchen to find that there was dosa flour. So all that was needed was some chutney. Here is a quick survivor guide for singles. (yeah yeah, married men could use it too)

Ingredients:

Onions (preferable small onions) - 250 grams

Red chilly - 3 nos

Tamarind - a round like an 1 rupee coin

Salt - as much as you'd need

A bright side of this chutney is that you need not chop the onions and cry like you had lost the Wimbledon finals. Just peeling off the dry layers is enough. Now take a pan and add 3-4 tea spoons of oil. Add onions, red chilly and tamarind in the pan and fry.Fry until the onions lose their freshness and become pink. Now take them and add needed amount of salt with water and smash it in a mixer. Its ready you know!

What if you goofed up?

It becomes too spicy! Just take a note that when you are adding more onions you should add less chilly. Now to fix this, add a bit of salt and tamarind water.

Dear Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav

March24, 2009

Bangalore.

Sir as I'm suffering from fever, I would like to... No its not my leave letter, Hello Lalu ji.. How are you doing? hope things are good out there. Well, have you got a chance to visit this place called Coimbatore, down south in Tamilnadu. You know its a beautiful place and you should pay a visit sooner or later. It has one the best climates I have ever absorbed through out the year. Make sure you drop by to taste my mom's pulli kolambu. :-)

I love Indian Railways. Well, right now I live in Bangalore I have a concern. Something that is under your administration. You know there is very good amount of people commuting from Bangalore to Coimbatore. So many Software Engineers, business men, families in bunch commute between Bangalore and Coimbatore. But the trains between Bangalore and Coimbatore is very less.


When I said less this is why..
1) Coimbatore Express: This train commutes from Mumbai to Coimbatore. So the train is almost full when it reaches Bangalore. Also the number of seats that we get through Bangalore station quota is less.
2) Kanyakumari Express: This train commutes from Bangalore to Kanyakumari via Trivandrum. Yes all the way through Kerala. This train now is loaded with all sorts of people other than who want to go to Coimbatore. Esp when the train goes thro three states, just think of the rush it would have.
3) Eranakulam and Trivandram express: Completely ruled out because of the not so ideal time they leave Bangalore. My boss will not be happy if I start at 4 from office every friday, to catch the train.
4) Only two train at ideal timings.

Ok, some how I booked the tickets from Bangalore to Coimbatore. Now I need to plan my return journey. This is what I have to plan my return journey. Half the apple for everyone.

1) Only one ideal train from Coimbatore to Bangalore that starts at night. So the people who travelled in two trains now have to squeeze them in one train.
2) Bangalore Express (6265) starts from Kanyakumari. So it will be loaded with people during holiday season. I have seen the TTR getting fed up with the crowd and not checking the tickets even.

Just look at Chennai. They have 3 trains starting at night. In that 2 dedicated trains that run all day! I find my Chennai friends get a ticket any time they would need. Here is the availability status to Coimbatore of some coming weekends. (You got available status on May 1st because its a long weekend and Friday is a holiday)

1 27-Mar-2009, Friday WL 102/WL 51 WL 15/WL 15
2 03-Apr-2009, Friday WL 22/WL 16 WL 135/WL 116
3 10-Apr-2009, Friday WL 77/WL 67 WL 19/WL 19
4 17-Apr-2009, Friday WL 57/WL 41 WL 12/WL 12
5 24-Apr-2009, Friday WL 31/WL 22 WL 5/WL 5
6 01-May-2009, Friday AVAILABLE- 0093 WL 9/WL 9

If you can do something useful after this general election would be to have one (just one, Lalu) dedicated train from Bangalore to Coimbatore. It would be great!

Thank You.

Yours sincerely,

IPL Fame to Shame

The "Indian" Premier League will be hosted outside India. Primary reason, the General elections will be held at the same time and security will not be adequate to cover both the events at the same time. Fair Enough.

First the UPA Government should have taken all the necessary measures to see if they could host both the event at the same time. A body on power showing its incapability to give adequate security is a shame. Esp from the Mumbai and Andra Pradesh police withdrawing to give security for IPL. This will project a wrong image on the nation and its security. Yes the general election is a big event, but so was the IPL. India should not be a portrays as second Pakistan in the eyes of the other nation. What if in future another international event like the common wealth games or Cricket world cup is on schedule and a general election falls at the same time?

IPL season1 was a super hit for Indian Cricket and Lalit Modi. But season2 beginning was a disappointment. What is IPL all about? Its about Cricket, Super starts, Sixes, Fanatic Fans and Indian atmosphere. Its not about SKhan, PZinta, VMaliya, LModi and ICC. But now who is taking charge. Its the stakeholders who invested are the rule makers. Whats the whole benefit in watching the whole event in TV. Damn! Tell me a crowd that makes more noise than Chennai, Mubai, Kolkatha! Will this event get the atmosphere we wanted. A BIG NO from me. Its not just the fans who are disappointed since they cant watch the match. Its the small businesses that run around the whole event, from a T-shirt manufacturer to a Pan shop owner will not see profit. Its gonna hit them badly. Indian economy/sports will not grow if this happens again and again.

Angel in disguise of the young players who will get a chance to play in South Africa or England. Something what I would suggest would be play all the league matches in what ever foreign venue you want to. But play the knockouts in India. Yes, its hard for the players to adopt for different conditions. But still its more fun you know.

Photo shoot - Subject: Lightning

It was an unplanned Photo shoot I would say. It was a hot day and sudden formation of dark clouds over the sky. It was just about to rain, when I took my camera to run to the top of my house. I was planning to take the silhouette evening shades. Got some nice shots of them.

I was never really prepared for this! First question was what settings to use for this shoot. Immediately I mapped lightning to Fireworks and used the same settings I used for it.


This is how it started, with light fading out and lightning cracking across the sky. This shot was taken in a typical setting of long exposure (15 sec).


If you are not prepared. Hold your nerve. Its a scary photo shoot and here is an example. This wacky one was like 10-15 kms long. One of the biggest in the evening. The shake in the images is the outcome of fear. :P Purple sky was a treat to watch.

Sense of timing was very important. The above one was in sports mode. Not bad except for the grains.


I got an interesting video too. Will upload, when I'm on a better bandwidth. :) take care and safe clicking.

Now that I decided to read upon photographing lightning. Came across these interesting links
http://www.lightningphotography.com
http://www.weatherscapes.com

Responsible Guys

Responsible Guy 0: Calls... Responsible Guy 1, On the other end.
Responsible Guy 1: What time is the train? Where are boarding it?
Responsible Guy 0: 10:15PM I remember, but not sure! I will be in Cant..
Responsible Guy 1: Do you have the ticket printout, I don have. (just 2 hours for train..)
Responsible Guy 0: yeah I have.

Responsible Guy 0: Do you know what to do after getting down at the station? Where is the lodging and what's the Wedding hall name?
[Silence Prevails...]
Responsible Guy 1: NO, I don know. Guess we should ask Responsible Guy 2. Since he is coming from Hyd.
[Both Responsible Guy 0 and Responsible Guy 1 decided to get the info..]

Responsible Guy 0: Calls... Responsible Guy 2. Hey whats the plan da..
Responsible Guy 2: I got all info from Responsible Guy 3 (the bride groom) will send you them as Text message.
Responsible Guy 0: Oh! Cool thanks.

Responsible Guy 1: (takes a different route) Calls... Responsible Guy 3, directly..
[too much noise, was barely was able to hear anything..]
Responsible Guy 1: Dei, Responsible Guy 3. Where are you da? Whats this sound. Are you traveling in a bus or in a cinema theater.
Responsible Guy 3: Dei, I'm in my wedding reception da. :)
Responsible Guy 1: Oh ok sorry da , entha #$%@#$ da appo phone ah edutha ,call you later

Responsible Guy 4: (its 4AM..) Calls Responsible Guy 0. Dei, I have reached this place. What should I do now, where should I go.. ?
Responsible Guy 0: Immediately says, I will send you a Text message (He got this from Responsible Guy 2) follow that. :)
Responsible Guy 4: Oh ok da.. Thanks..

Responsible Guy 0: Whats your plan after the wedding? When are you starting back?
Responsible Guy 5: Yeah, I got to start back by afternoon I guess.
Responsible Guy 0: Have you booked tickets?
Responsible Guy 5: No not yet.. Dei, Responsible Guy 4, whats the train no you have booked the ticket for the afternoon.
Responsible Guy 4: I don know da.. The ticket is in my bag.
Responsible Guy 5: I will find it out.

Out of all there is our leader "Responsible Guy" sitting at New Jersey and laughing at it. :)

Thanking You.
Yours Faithfully
Responsible Guy 0.

100 Rupee

Myself and my prodigy room mate were heading to office. It was late, that we decided to have lunch out. :) Turn one from home. Four police traffic inspectors in their white and khaki are standing. I stopped the bike in the signal and paid less attention to the police. But then luck knocks at your door when you least want it. A police man walks to us and asks to bring the bike aside.

Ok, I held myself cool and pushed the bike aside.
Police: papers?
Me: Licence first.
Me: Here are the rest of the papers, Sir.
Police: flips through the papers, it did not have the RC book at all. Still he flips them through.
Me: Is it done?
Police: Ok, give me emission certificate.
Me: Ah, what is that? I know there is no spoke from this bike. Its a 2008 purchase.
Police: We want Emission certificate! Or pay fine.
Me: Ok! Let me pay it. Else this conversation will never end.
Police: You should have taken the Emission test in Petrol pumps.
Me: I know I din do it, I pull my purse out. (noticed that, there is no receipt book.) Err
Police: Give me ....
....

I wish I should have recorded this conversation. Next time, I will. Though I was cool, my hands were shaking. Afraid ah? :)

Pay it Forward

The Rules

1. Be one of the first Three (3) bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me.

2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love! If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Post it on your blog; start your own 'Pay It Forward' chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same! I will leave a list of names who were the first 3 on my blog as soon as I receive them! I have no clue what it is I will make you.

I got this from (not worth linking..) and in fact waiting for my gift. Now that I have started reading my Origami lessons, I should be able get something interesting out of it. Cheers and have a nice March ahead. :)

::Updated::