Solution to Corrupt Politicians....

Is there any country that does not have corrupt politicians? I don't think so. Doesn't matter if it is a powerful country like America or a growing country like India. There are too many politicians being indited on money and sex scandals. And sometimes their lack of leadership is shown by attacks on innocent people like the recent terror attacks in Mumbai. It is sad but true that the people in power cannot be trusted. The root cause of this evil is none other than 'MONEY'.
It is very easy for someone to be corrupted by money. So when politicians come into power, they have a lot of money at their disposal. Most of it comes from tax payers and then more from people who want you to make a few favors for them. You can go into politics with your ideals and ethics but if you are not a team player (that is if you are not corrupt) then soon you will be isolated or worse - disappear. So, how can this problem be solved?
There is only one solution: When a politician comes to power he/she should make theirs and their families assets public. The public who pick their leaders should have a right to know how much money their leaders are making. This also needs to start at the top of the chain and trickle down. This is the only hope to have leaders who can be trusted.
I know it is easier said than done. But if all raise their voice to implement this, we can have better leaders.

Bottom Line: Can we make a difference? Let's not talk...but act.
Let me know if you agree with this.

When the Battle is at your doorstep.....it really does get personal...

When the cold war was going on....I said, "I am glad to be kid. I will not have to fight a battle."
When the Hindu-Muslim riots happened...I said, "I am glad to be a catholic."
When 9/11 happened.....I said, "I am glad that I am not living in NYC."
Every time there was a problem in the world, that did not effect me, I was always glad to be on the other side. But today the battle is on my door step. Catholics in my parents city of Mangalore, India faced atrocities by the government.
BJP a hinduist party in India came into power a few months ago. Believe me when I say that these people only care about Hindus. They are responsible for every hindu-muslim riot that has occurred in India. On September 14th, a massive organized attack on Catholics and churches was executed by the party leaders. Several churches were ransacked, people beaten up and innocent imprisoned with erroneous charges. When the people protested, the police charged them with canes and tear gas. The police are arresting people for no reason and they state, "We are being told to do so by the higher ups." The worst part is that even the women including the nuns were attacked. Shame on BJP.
Catholics have always been persecuted and this is nothing different. And this incident is nothing different. There are plenty of missionaries in India who build churches and schools in tribal places. And the BJP party have always been there to crucified these helping people. I still remember when these illiterate fucking assholes burnt a Australian missionary and his son alive when they were sleeping in the car. His wife with a lot of grief said, "I forgive them." One of these missionaries is my uncle. My uncle who is a priest and other missionaries have spent their entire adult lives living in tribes and helping people who are consider untouchable by the society. These tribals hardly have any support from the government and are never accepted by the Hindus. These missionaries give them a home, education, and most importantly a religion to follow. And the BJP thinks they are 'CONVERTING' people.
What happened in Mangalore is outrageous. If you want to get the complete story, go to
www.daijidubai.com. I cant help feel outrageous and helpless. Today, I know how people feel who have been through these situations. The soldiers who fight for their country, the Muslims in India, the victims and their families of 9/11. I am one of them.

Bottom Line: Today the fight might be mine......tomorrow, it just might be yours.

And yeah.....I am back blogging.

KARMA.......do you beleive it?

I sure do. If you believe in Karma then you always think about what did he or she do wrong to deserve that. "What goes around comes around." You probably heard this before. I am a hard core believer. I also believe in something my mom always says, "Whatever you do, your children will pay for it". Even the bible says 'As you sow, so shall you reep".
So what made me write about this. I was always a little pissed of about China's hostile take over of Tibet. Tibetans always seemed to be calm, quite and minding their own business people. And China took advantage of this harmless country mostly inhabited by monks. I do not know what prompted China to do this but it left thousands of Tibetans homeless. Was that right? I personally do not think so. And I always thought that karma will come back.
On May 12th, 2008 northern China experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killing thousands and rendering 100's of thousands homeless. Not to mention this is the year that China hosts the Olympics. It is really sad to see all those innocent people in pain. I count my blessings everyday that I do not have to go through that. But I can not stop thinking that Karma is playing its role. In real harsh words, China got what they deserved. I know that innocent people are paying the price but then again What you do in life, your children will pay for it. In this case, the governments innocent citizens (children) are paying for.
Can there ever be peace in this world? Is the world coming to an end because sins are rising? I don't know. All I know is treat others the way you would want to be treated. Because Karma is real.

Bottom Line: Whether you believe in karma or not.....it does not give you the right to treat others inferior.

Visiting Niagara Falls in Canada.

One of my good friends asked me to write more about the different states in the US that I have visited. Great feedback. I would love to. So let me start with Canada since I visited it recently. I know....I know.....it is not a US state. I don't think it should be either. Anyways, I did not get too far this time but I did learn a few things. Me and some friends of mine went to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. I heard from a lot of people that the Canadian side was great. That there was a lot of things to do. The casinos are awesome. And so on. What I realized was that nothing is all great. There is always something negative that you have to experience to learn. So if you ever decide to go to to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, here are a few tips.
It is true there is more stuff to do on the Canadian side than the American. There are more clubs, and attractions like the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, The Screamers horror show, etc. But if you are just looking to visit the Falls then there is no point in going to the Canadian side. Take the Maid of the Mist boat ride which takes you right upto the falls. The same is done from the Canadian side. So unless you want to spend money for some different attractions, there is no point in going to the Canadian side.
One of the main reasons people go to Canada is for the casinos. That's a butt load of bull. I realized that you have better odds of winning in the American casino, Seneca Falls Casino than the ones in Canada. I just played BlackJack at both the Casinos and noticed that in the Canadian casino, the dealer will take all the cards after every game and instead of stacking it up will place it back into the deck box. And the deck box is not a clear box. You cannot see if the cards are being shuffled or what and you never know how many decks are in there. Also, you have to pay for your own drinks at the Canadian casino and parking is $15. Drinks and parking are free at the American Casino. So I do not really see why would someone want to gamble at the Canadian casino. Although I denounce gambling but if you ever get the munchies to try your luck, go to Seneca Falls Casino in America.

Bottom Line: Everything that glitters is not gold. Before you decide to spend a lot of money do your research.

What the Canadian Consulate will not tell you?

There are hundreds of people who get a Canadian visa everyday for visiting or migrating. And just like other consulates the Canadian consulate has its own secrets. Let me tell you what they are. I recently applied for visitors visa at the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo, NY. There is a lot that the Canadian Consulate does not tell you on their website. In fact, their website seems to be in need of update.
1. First of all, let me tell you about the most important thing I found out. This can save you $75. When you apply for a canadian visa, eg. visitors visa, you have two options (a) Single Entry, $75 or (b) Multiple Entry $150. If you didn't know any better you would think that Single Entry will let you into Canada only once and that Multiple Entry will let you into Canada more than once. That is exactly what the Canadian Consulate wants you to know. The truth is that, Single Entry means you can enter Canada as many times as you want as long as the visa is valid (usually 6 months) from one single country. So if you were applying from the US then you can go to Canada as many times as you want as long as you return to the US. A Multiple Entry visa means that you can go to Canada from any country and leave Canada to any country. So, if you are looking to go to Canada from the US only then just apply for a Single Entry.
2. Please bring along all necessary and recent documents. If you are working then make sure you have a letter from HR stating you work for the company and that it is a recent one. If you are a student bring in your I 20 and an official class schedule showing that you are enrolled currently. Without proper documentation your visa might be rejected.
3. Get there between 8 AM and 9:30 AM. This way you will be done before lunch and will not have to wait an extra hour. Also, try not to get there on a Friday. It is more crowded on a Friday than any other day.
4. You can pay cash. The website says you can't.

Bottom Line: The governments can try to trick us into scamming our hard earned money. It is upto us to inform everyone.

Speeding ticket: To protect you or to get into your wallet?

Did you ever get a ticket and felt that it was only fair that you should pay the fine? I sure did not. Because every time I got a ticket I never intended to speed. The times I did speed, I never got a ticket. They say that, you get pulled over for speeding for keeping others safe. I think people who drive slow or rash is the dangerous ones not necessarily the ones who are speeding. Especially 10-15 miles above the speed limit.

I believe that the whole reason the cops/state troopers are out to give you tickets is not to keep the drivers safe but to fill up the city treasury. Let me tell you why I think so. A couple of months ago I got a ticket for speeding. The ticket issued was for speeding at 49 on a 35 mph zone. First of all, that place is a trap. It is one of those little cities with 2 buildings on each corner of an intersection. You drive at 55 mph and then all of a sudden it is 35. I guess, I was at fault but I felt that since I wasn’t intending to speed I should get a chance to explain myself. So I pleaded not guilty and decided to see a judge. When I got to the court there were about 50 -70 people there with various citations. I was 8^th in line. Everyone who went before me had a citation for speeding at 49 mph in a 35 mph zone. Coincidence? I didn’t think so. Here is the best part. The District attorney tells us what the procedure is and that they are in accord with the city police, the judge and everyone else and in order to not prosecute everyone for speeding, violation within 15 miles over the speed limit is reduced to a parking ticket and you pay $150. This way the ticket doesn’t go on your record. Notice how 49 mph is just below the 15 mile limit.

It seems like you are getting a good deal. You pay a fine for $150 and you get away clean. But if you look at the bigger picture you will see that this is a fucking scam. Everyone is in on this. When the city budget is low, the cops are on the streets handing out tickets. And they know exactly what to cap the speed limit at. Because at 49 mph your ticket is reduced to a parking violation and it seems like it is just not worth the hassle to fight it. You accept it, the city doesn’t have to spend money and time on a court date and they get their pockets full. I know the police force is important on the streets but I am sure they can do more to help the community than sit on the side of the street all day and give out tickets to hardworking people. How many criminal cases go unsolved?

Bottom Line: Are our protectors really protecting us or is it a way to scam in more money?

Working at 70!!!!!

When would you like to retire? If you do plan to retire at the right age then have you planned for retirement. Have you set enough money aside for old age? Don't forget that people are living longer now than ever. And don't think you will get any social security from the government. There won't be any left.
I see a lot of old people working in their 70's and I really feel bad for them. I am sure there are some who just love to work and need to do something all the time. I am also sure that passing out smiley faces at a supermarket is not really something that an old person would love to do. My point is that, there are a lot of old people who do not have any financial support and a lot of times no family support either. In order to make a living they have to take jobs that no one else wants to do. If the reason is that they never saved enough for retirement then we need to learn from them and not repeat their mistakes. I hope the government can help them as much as possible. But there are those who come from other countries like India and have to do the same. Who will take care of them?
Then there are people who have to work in their old age because all the money they saved they spent it on their kids and the kids now do not care for them because they have their own family to worry about. I got one thing to say to those ungrateful kids, "What goes around, comes around." I hate those people who can't take care of their own father and mother. I pray that I never turn into one of them.

Bottom Line: Are you saving for retirement or banking on your kids to care of you?

New York, NY: What I DON'T like about New York City

There is always good and bad about a place. I have yet to find a place that I just love and can't find any reason to not live there (obviously, I have not been to Greece Islands). In my last blog I wrote about what I like about NYC. Now, let me tell you what I do not like about NYC.
1. "NYC is the melting pot for the worlds culture." That statement is inaccurate. NYC is just a pot not a melting pot. Even though you have all these people from different cultures living in NY, you do not see them mix up with others. They always tend to stay among their own people. When I was in NYC, I would hear all these people speak in their own language. But then I realized that the other person would have to of the same culture. This is the reason you have China Town, Little Italy and Jackson Heights (Indian Town).
2. New Yorkers have a real attitude problem. No one seems to care about others. Everyone is for themselves. People don't seem to greet others or most are not even nice. It seems like everyone is upset about something and just rude unless you are buying something from them. Also, no one feels like they need help. My friend who lives in NYC said that he offered an older lady his seat at the subway one time and she refused saying that she was fit enough to stand. When I say this I don't mean everyone. There are a few really helpful and nice people too.
3. It is just too damm expensive. Everything in nyc is expensive. NY state has pretty high income taxes and in addition to that you pay NYC taxes if you live in the five burrows. Not to mention the food, shopping, rent and everything else is expensive. In NYC, there are two kinds of people: One who have education and really good jobs making a lot of money. On the other hand you have people who really struggle because they do not have degrees and they have to work at minimum wages in NYC.
4. I asked my friend what was the one bad thing that he finds in NYC. He said, "I don't like the fact that I never see a single plant everyday." Unless you live close to central park, you will never see green. If you are used to living in the country, you will in for a concrete surprise. We take green for granted. I am sure it will get to me if I don't see any plants around.

Bottom Line: What does it take for one to pack their bags and move to NYC?

New York, New York: What I Love about NYC.

I went to NYC this past weekend. I have been there before and done all the toursist stuff. Everytime I go there I fall in the love with the place and want to move there as soon as possible. This time was no different. Especially, after checking out the view from my friend’s apartment.

NYC is truly a unique city. People compare Mumbai, India to NYC and I gotta say that there is absolutely no comparison there. Yes, Mumbai is big, lot of people (lot more than NYC) and lot of things to do, house to Bollywood stars, etc. But some of the things that NYC offers can never be found anywhere else. Eg.
1. The cultural diversity in NYC is amazing. I think Americans might be a minority there (no pun intended). I hear more people talking in foreign languages than English. People who have been raised with a foreign cultural have a chance to connect with that culture. I went to place called Jackson heights in Queens where most of the residents are Indians. Couple of the blocks is filled with Indian stores and restaurant. The whole block actually smells of Indian food. There is Chinatown for the Chinese and Little Italy for the Italians.
2. The list of things to do NYC is neverending. Restaurants, thearters, museums, sports games, nightlife, shopping; you name it, NYC has it. This weekend I visited the South Street Sea Port. It was such a laid back rest place with restaurants and shopping stores on the banks of the manhattan bay. I can not find a place in Rochester like that where I could go in the evening to relax and have a beer. Last time when I was in NYC, I walked into a street fair with atleast a hundred thousand people who were celebrating Brazilian day at Times Square. All these people dancing to the beats of loud drums and having the time of their life was a sight to see and place to be.
3. The history of NYC is nothing less than ordinary. The Immigration Museum has the names of some of the first Americans. What country still has that (even though other countries have a lot longer history)?
4. NYC is house to some the most amazing engineering marvels. The biggest thing that boggles my mind is the ability of the city to maintain heat, electricity, water and sanitory conditions 24/7 – 365/year. This is not an easy task. The other thing that is really interesting is the subway system. The subway is the main source of transportation in the city and not only does it run all over the city, it also runs in layers one above the other.
I can go on and on about how cool NYC is. It really is.

Bottom Line: What does it take for one to pack their bags and move to NYC?

A deaf generation.

Being deaf is not easy. I live in Rochester, NY which is house to Rochester Institute of Technology where deaf students can get degrees in engineering, medicine, etc. I have noticed that the deaf people always seem to be in their own group with other deaf students forming their own community. Well, when our generation gets to being 50, this community will be much larger.
60% of today's youth use MP3 players and most of them use it more than they should. Extreme exposure to loud music will eventually make you deaf. This is something we do not understand today and we think that MP3 players are cool and necessary. But the truth is that they are not cool when you look at the long term risk. The worst is using ear phones that go inside your ear. With these the audio is directly exposed on your ear drum. My suggestion is to use ear phones that sit around your ear. MP3 players are not necessary all the time and if you do use them keep the volume low. I actually gave up using mine. Just because I do not want to be deaf and not be able to hear my grand children some day.

Bottom Line: Is it worth trading your ear drums for a MP3 player?

PS. Notice I did not say iPod.

Is the world coming to an end?

You probably have heard about the world ending on December 21st 2012. If you have not then you should definitely look into it. The History Channel always runs a show on this topic. According to "experts" the world is supposed to end in 2012. The way they identify this is through a series of historical data. These are a few of them:
1. The Mayan calendar is considered the most accurate of all. More accurate than the one we use today. This calendar ends on December 21st 2012.
2. The I Ching was developed by a Chinese to for tell the future in certain ways. A genius did some math on the I Ching (there are 64 combinations that can occur) and plotted it over a time line with the start as the start of when the I Ching was developed. The lows in the plot seemed to coincide with major downfalls eg. The fall of the Roman Empire, WWI, etc and more astonishingly this plot ended in 2012.
3. The book of Revelations talks about dooms day, but does not specify December 2012 as the day.
4. Other fortune tellers like the Oracle at Delphi have also predicted the dooms day.
5. Last but not the least, my favorite "WEB BOT". The web bot is a program or automated script which browses the world wide web in a methodical, automated manner. This was initially introduced to make predictions on the stock market. But soon they noticed a certain pattern and actually were able to predict that something big was happening on September 9th 2001. Now they predict that something much much bigger will happen on December 21st 2012.
As a man of science I tend to believe some of these predictions. But as a man of faith I ask myself, "Who are we to say when the world ends?" We are not the creator of earth. Only GOD can end the world if tends to. He has done it once before. He can do it again, if he pleases.
There have been numerous people who have predicted the end of the world and have been wrong about it. All we can do is speculate when the world will end. But I know it in my heart that it is not time yet.

Bottom Line: Do you believe that GOD will really end this world?

Man of Faith......Man of Science

There is always a big difference between science and religion. Everyone has heard about the 'Big Bang' Theory or Darwin's Theory of evolution. If you were a man of science you would believe one or the other. But if you are a man of religion you would believe that GOD made man, earth and the whole universe. Either way there is room for argument.
A brief background about me. I was born and raised Catholic. Went to church every Sunday and recited the rosary almost everyday. My grandparents were Catholics and my parents are too. My dad goes to church every day. I try to make to church every Sunday and give up meat and booze for lent. So you can say that I am semi hard core catholic. But I always questions my religion never my faith. You make ask what's the difference. Religion is something you follow and faith is something you believe in.
I believe that GOD made man and earth and the universe. But I also believe that the Bible is not complete. There is more to Jesus and the words of GOD then what we know. I always watch the shows on History channel that are about the Catholic religion. These are few things that I questions:
1. Did Jesus have a brother or sister? Joseph was a man and I there is a possibility that Mary and Joseph could have been intimate after Jesus.
2. The Bible talks about Jesus when he was a kid and then it start again when he is 30. What happened between that time? Why isn't there any information about his life during the middle 20 years or so?
3. If Mary did have a child besides Jesus. Do we have a descendant among us today? (The whole idea behind Davinci Code)
4. This is interesting. According to certain scrolls that were discovered recently, Judas is Jesus' favorite disciple and he was asked by Jesus to betray him. The other disciples were jealous of Judas and give him a bad name according to the bible.
Do I really believe all this? I am not sure. But I do believe that these are possible. As a man of religion I pray to GOD all the time and as a man religion I will always question my religion. But I will never loose my faith. What do you believe in?

Bottom Line: It doesn't matter if you believe in religion or science, make sure you know where your faith lies.

Eliot Spitzer.....should he have resigned?

For those who do not know Eliot Spitzer, let me brief you up. Spitzer comes from a wealthy family, born and raised in the Bronx. He got his law degree from Harvard and practiced law in NY. He was elected as New York State Attorney General in 1998. He did a great job prosecuting cases related to white collar crimes. In 2006, he was elected as Governor of New York. Spitzer was involved in a several controversies when he proposed a bill for same sex marriages in NY and when he issued an executive order to issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens. But the most controversial was when was caught in prostitution ring doing the dirty deed. This lead to a demand in his resignation from the opposition and the community. Eliot Spitzer resigned as Governor of New York on March 12th 2008.
As a Governor he was doing a great job. As a father and husband not so good. My question is: Should Eliot Spitzer have resigned because of his immoral act with a prostitute?
I know what he did was illegal and Spitzer should be prosecuted and depending on the verdict he should be able to decided on his own if he should resign or not. Could he influence the verdict as a Governor? I am sure he could. Counter Argument: Could a fair prosecution be held? Again, I am sure there could be.
I my personal opinion is that Spitzer was bored, horny and stupid to get involved with a prostitute. First of all, Spitzer comes from a very wealthy family. His father is a real estate tycoon and I am sure Spitzer never had to work for a living. People who have too much money can get bored easily. That is why they do stupid things. I mean look at most of the celebrities. Remember when Wynona Ryder was caught for shop lifting? Second thing is, have you seen the prostitutes (Ashley Dupre is one of them)? THEY ARE HOT!!!!! So, you take a wealthy middle aged man, add power, boredom and hot prostitutes to the equation, what do you think you gonna get? A Prayer Group? I am sure someone was calling out 'Oh God' or else it wouldn't be worth the money.
I am sure all big politicians and the filthy rich have been with someone on the side. Not everybody gets caught. "It is not crime till you get caught." Spitzer was a good governor and should not have stepped down. We live in a very different world. And I will never understand it. People who are doing great in the government office are asked to step down because he spent a few dollars on a hot piece of a$$ and people who are screwing the economy and who are responsible for 4000 American deaths get re-elected.

Bottom Line: I believe that people should be judged by their actions and not their words. But should we judge people on their moral behavior or their actions for the community?

What I learned in College: There is Free Money.....

College tuition is rising every year. In a survey conducted, it said if milk prices increased at the rate of college tuition then we would be paying $16 per gallon. I really don't know where all that money goes that they charge for tuition. The professors hardly get a raise (they just get paid a lot from the beginning). On a side note, I think universities should have their expenditures available to the public. Anyway, my point is that tuition is expensive, it is just gonna increase and yet it is a necessary.
But all hope is not lost. Read the rest of this blog and you might get some ideas on how to save money in college. First option is to have a good GPA in high school. And also have some useful extracurricular activities under your belt Eg. volunteer work, some important club affiliation, being school president, etc. With a good resume and a kickass SAT score (also very important) you can get a good scholarship.
I know what you're thinking. "What if I am not good at studies?" Don't worry I was always average in studies. If you are the same, then you better be athletic. Universities always want good athletes. And the sport doesn't have to be limited to football, soccer, lacrosse, or track and field. Universities have other sports too eg. Swimming, fencing, horse riding, golf, rowing, etc. In the movie 'The Thomas Crown Affair', Pierce Brosnan says that he went to Harvard on a boxing scholarship. There is always room in the athletic dept at universities. If you know where you want to go for college, check on what sports are supported there and see if you can make it that way.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "Hey...dickhead...not everyone is born athletic." You are right. I sure was not. I still try very hard to be athletic. Truth is, that you do not have to be a geek or a jock to get scholarships. There are several ways you can get a scholarship. A few things I did were: Enter the Engineering Ambassador and the Peer Mentorship program. As an ambassador my job was to go on recruiting events for the university and as a peer mentor I spent time with freshmen students to make sure they are not flunking their classes. They provided some scholarship money for little work. I would apply to every scholarship I could find. Anything that provided a scholarship, I was there. I lost a few but I did get a few. Thing is, if you don't ask, you won’t find it and if you don't go for it, you will not get it. There are several things you can do to earn a scholarship. Research. Ask your seniors. Scholarship doesn't have to be an application. It can be a little work but a lot of money.

Bottom Line: You do not have to be a geek or a jock to get a scholarship. Learn to look for opportunities. Learn to ask for them.

Commenter’s: If you have input on ways to get a scholarship please post it for other readers.

Cultural Shock: One life - One job

When I was growing up in India, I and my family lived in the same place for 17 years. Like NYC, in Mumbai you do not have to go too far or drive for necessary stuff like groceries, movie rentals, hair cuts, etc. Everything was available within a radius of 1 mile. After seeing the same people all the time, you get to know them very well. You are good friends with your barber, the grocery store manager, the office supply store guy, family doctor, etc. Now these people knew me very well. So when I first left to the States I went and told them that I was leaving and that whenever I came back I would surely visit them. I went back to Mumbai after 2 yrs and visited the store owners like I said I would. 2 yrs later I went back again and did the same. Then I visited after 4 years. By this time I was working and had gone through 6 jobs (including part time jobs in college) in 8 yrs and guess what.....EVERYONE WAS STILL THERE DOING THE SAME THING. This is when it hit me, that these people have spent their at least 20 years doing just one job. Holy s*%#!!!!!
After working in the States and realizing the opportunities that we have here, I don't think I would be able to do the same job forever. Even if I really loved what I did (testing PS2/xbox video games) I know at some point I am going to get bored and will look for more responsibilities. A lot of these people in developing nations do not have that luxury. Just having a job is the biggest achievement for them and they spend their entire life working at the same place without even thinking, "Can I do more?" I know that there are people in the Sates that have spent their entire life working for one company. But I also sure it is not the same repetitive thing that they did every day.
Then I thought about it. Would I think the same way that these store owners and workers think if I never made it to the States? Would I be happy with just one job? Maybe.

Bottom Line: Some people spend all their life doing one job and some do all the jobs in one life.

Dad's...... we love them

My Dad celebrated his birthday a couple of days ago. He is 60 something. I couldn't stop thinking about how great of a person he is. I wasn't even born when my dad went to the gulf for a better job so he could give his children more than what his dad could give him. My mom had to work and take care of three boys on her own. Dad would come home every 3-4 months, try to run the house and then leave. We always used to say that he had the life. No kids to worry about and no wife to nag him. But now that I think about it, he had it toughest of all. I can't imagine how he lived without holding his kids or hugging his wife for so long. He made the biggest sacrifice a parent could ever make. If it was not for his sacrifice, we probably would never have made it to the States.
Everyone’s Dad is different. And they have a unique way of showing their love. It is always tough love. They never tend to show how much they love you like moms do. They always tend to think about the future of their kids and what can they do to make it better. When we are small we never see that and we hate them because they won't let us play video games for a minute longer than the allotted time. But they are right in doing so. We should thank them for being tough.
I realize this doesn’t apply to all Dads. Some dads never care about their family. I count my blessings that my dad didn’t do that. I believe we should try and look at the good in a person and learn from their bad.
Making sacrifices for the family is what I learned from my Dad. If you give it some thought I am sure you will be able to think of the sacrifices your Dad made for you. If you get a chance tell him how much that means to you. And if you are a Dad try to give your kids the best you can without ever thinking about yourself. I hope to do so when I have kids of my own.

Bottom Line: Dad's Love and Sacrifices are never noticed. But we all feel it inside us. Thank you Dad. Love you.

What a deal....

Everyone loves a great deal. And we like to think that we got a great deal. But is it always true that an item marked %50 off is really %50 off? Or do they want us to believe that it is %50 off when in fact we are paying 3x the real price. One thing that bothers me a lot is how marketing gets the best of people. I hate it when they say, "A diamond is rare." It is not rare. In a mall, I see more diamond stores than toy stores. And the prices are freaking ridiculous. The same applies to a lot of things.
"Doesn't matter how good of a deal it is. If you don't need it, it is not a good deal."I learned this after I used to buy cheap clothes thinking that it was a good deal and I should not miss out and then never would wear it because it looked cheap. I have gotten better at shopping. Now, I never buy as soon as I need something. I usually wait for a price drop. eg. My old DVD player died on me and I waited 2 months before I got a new one. I could have spent $80 on a reasonable dvd player but I waited for Thanksgiving Black Friday sale and got myself a Sony 5 DVD Home Theater System for $200, Tom Tom One for $120 and a Dell laptop $550. Thanksgiving sales are great but be careful of advertisers. Just get what you want and not what looks like a good deal. This is how they lure you into buying everything and in the end you pay more by buying more. Last year, at these Thanksgiving sales, stores like BestBuy, CircuitCity, etc were giving out coupons on high priority items on a first come first basis. So you would have to come in extremely early and get a coupon which guaranteed you that item. This was done mainly to reduce the crowd rush into the store and avoid injuries when trying to grab the item. Good idea. But then you had people who didn't really need the coupon and started selling them to others. I will admit that I get in line a few hours before for certain things but I will never camp out like some do.
If you every need to buy electronics, online seems to be the best option. I usually research on an item. www.cnet.com is a very good resource. Then I visit sites like slickdeals.net and edealsinfo.com on a regular basis to see when the item goes on sale. You can also get good deals on ebay and ioffer.com. Except for groceries, I buy everything online. Someday I think I will also do groceries online. Always try to use only one credit card with a very low credit limit.
There are lot of ways to shop and spend money. Try to get what you need and not what you want.

Bottom Line: How far will you go to save a few bucks?

Sports that demand blood......

"Hit em hard", "Give em Hell". These were some of the slogans we would shout out cheering our college football team. Yesterday, I went to a hockey game. I noticed the same there. People were cheering when our team player would hit an opponent. People also cheered for a fight. I have to admit, I was one of them. Why do we like to see people get hurt?
Football and Ice Hockey are very popular sports in America and the roughest. I don't understand why it gives us so much pleasure when someone beats the crap out of someone else. And then we are praying when the player doesn't get up. Some get seriously injured and never recover. On the other hand, sports like baseball, soccer and basketball are just as popular and require no hitting. Then why ask for violence in sports. It just doesn't make sense.

Bottom Line: Do we really need to see someone die before we realize that violence in sports is not necessary?

Cultural Shock: YOUR MAMA.....

Ever cracked a mama joke? Goes something like this: Your Mama so fat that her ass is in a different zip code. This is a very common way of joking among friends or taunting someone, but only in the US. In India mama jokes are considered very rude and quite insulting to the point that fights can break out.
The first time I got introduced to Mama Jokes was in my first year in the States. I was a freshman living in the dorms sharing a room with an American kid named Mark (name changed). One day I came back from work and saw a pic of a naked woman stuck to my door and on it said, "Marks Mom". I was furious and scared too. I didn’t know if Mark had gotten into a fight and someone was getting back at him or someone was playing a crude joke. I figured it was better he doesn’t see it, so I took it down. When Mark got in I showed him the pic and not knowing how he would react, I was trying to calm him down by saying that we should go to the proper authorities or that he should just let it go and it is not worth fighting and so on. He had a weird look on his face and he say, "I saw that pic earlier. I left it on there because I thought it was cool." I was in shock for a second. Did I miss something? Didn't take me too long to realize that this is a version of "Your Mama" jokes.
Now I do mama jokes a lot. Especially, with some of my friends. When someone cracks a mama joke on you, the key is to not take it seriously and start thinking about how to get back with a better one. Sometimes they really do get nasty and then you gotta stop your self. Mama Jokes are also used as a competition to see who wins the rap battle or a ghetto debate.
I really don't know how I adopted to this concept. I love my mom just as much as I did when I was in India. Maybe even more. I wonder what the threshold is for a person till he/she can't take it anyone and snaps breaking the other persons jaw.

Bottom Line: Mama Jokes......Good or Bad?

Cultural Shock: When in Rome, do like the Romans

Coming from India when your 17 to a totally new country with no family close by can be a scary thing. It has been 8.5 years since I came to America and I have settled well. I do miss my family and friends at times. I always get one question when I meet new people, "How come you speak such good English?" What they mean to say, "How come you don't have an accent?" I usually tell them that I learned English as my first language in school. The truth is that I embraced the culture and I still try hard to learn certain things. eg. right way to pronounce the V's and W's. This doesn't mean that I have forgotten my Indian culture and that I want to be all American. I just think that if we live in someone else's country then we should learn a few things about that country and the people. We don't have to adopt their culture or be 'all american'. At the same time, you can't be 'all Indian' when interacting with Americans. Is there a solution? I really don't know.
I have been told before that when I am speaking to an American I have a totally different accent than when I speak to an Indian. It is a very subconscious thing. I like a lot of american things: food, football, movies, etc. But I also like indian food, cricket and bollywood movies. Someone once told me that we should not forget our culture, thinking that I was turning American. The truth is that I am proud to be an Indian and I could never consider myself American. I can never lose my culture, my identity. I only think that When you are in Rome, you should do like the Romans.

Bottom Line: How far can one go without losing your identity to fit in?

WAR: What A Reality.....

Wars have been fought since the dawn of mankind. Some for land, some for respect and some for love. One thing is always common: Greed. I remember a quote, "War is old men talking and young men dying". How true it is. I can't stop thinking, what is the real reason for a war. The war between India and Pakistan: One country divided into two fighting over Kashmir. The Pakistanis say that Kashmir belongs to them since it should have been a part of Pakistan after independence and the Indians say it has been a part of India after independence and so shall it be. I don't know who is right but did we ever think about the people who used to stay in Kashmir. Now they are only Kashmiris by namesake.
What about the war US is fighting in Iraq? What is the true reason for that? Does US really care about the people in Iraq or do they just don't want to pay high gas prices. Each person has his/her own opinion. And everyone talks about the war. But what I don't really get is, are the wars necessary? Could they have been avoided? Could the lives of hundreds of soldiers be saved? I am sure they can if one side could just say F**** it. But it will never happen because of that thing we have in us.....Pride. We would rather die than give up. Patriotism or Stupidity.
Let me ask you, what do you think?
When I was young my favorite toy was a gun and I loved watching war movies. I still do. But now my perceptions of war movies have changed. Now when I watch a war movie, I can't stop thinking about that soldier as a person, father, brother and not as an actor. I have been lucky that I was never involved in a war or the war never came to my door step. Thanks to the soldiers who fight them and let me live free. I have the utmost respect for them.

Bottom Line: War - Patriotism or Stupidity?

What I learnt in College: Part 1

I believe learning is a lifetime process. You will never be able to learn or know everything. But it is always important to share life experiences. There are so many things that I learnt in college that I wish someone had told me or warned me about. Some of my blogs will be about my experience in college and hence Part 1.
One of the most important things I learnt was that nothing else matters but your GPA. When you get out of college and try to look for a job the first thing an employer will look for is your GPA. Your GPA may not reflect all your capabilities but it sure does reflect how good you are at learning and how good you are at taking test under stressful situations. There are many things you can do to keep your GPA up eg: attend class regularly, submit homework’s on time, work with proffers on tough subjects, etc. But one bad semester can ruin everything. A bad semester can be caused by some unavoidable issues like family problems, death of a close relative, etc. Most of the time it is due to other avoidable issues like party and drinking too much, getting addicted to video games or worse, drugs, taking curriculum too lightly etc.
There is one other issue that not too many people think much about and that is a 'Bad Relationship'. A bad relationship is not healthy any time but when something important is at stake then you definitely should avoid it. A bad relation will make you weak in mind and lessen your determinism. You are constantly thinking about your spouse and lose focus on important things such as school and your family. There can be many things that can cause a relationship to go sour. Remember one thing: if your spouse can't make you smile or happy and be yourself way early in the relationship then that is just not worth it.
Most of the time we never know what’s best for us. Listen to your family and close friends. Make sure you know your priorities. Sometimes it is best to let go.

Bottom Line: In College, nothing is more important than your GPA. Even a relationship.

My First Blog

Hi,
This is my first blog and I want to tell you about what I plan to write in my Blogs. I don't think anyone cares about what pizza I had today or what I chatted with my friends about. I really want to write about things that matter to everyone. I want to focus on the meaning of why we do something. I want to write about things that we can learn about and gain valuable insight on anything important. Help me understand my experience better with your input.

Bottom Line: Can I keep my Blog going?