Emu

Last time, when i met my friend, he told me that he was going to start the poultry farm in large scale(apart from his main business). I was expecting something he was talking about white Leghorns Hen, Black Leghorns Hen, Red Rhode Island Hen, Goose or Turkey. I was really excited when he told that he was about to do Emu farming.

Emu is flightless bird (Cousin to Osterich in africa, cassowary in australia, kiwi in Newzeland & Rhea in S.America ) in Australia. It will be around 5-6 feet in height and around 45-60 kg in weight. This bird is much suited to Indian tropical climate. I was really excited to see these species. After seeing it for first time from very closer, i didn't have courage to touch it(Its having strong beak).

Hope i would get chance to see more many Emu chicks soon.

Once again air travel mess

Last week, i took 2 days leave along the long weekend and went for a long round trip (Delhi -> Bangalore -> Virudhunagar -> Tirunelveli -> Chennai -> Delhi). Attended marriage reception of Bala and attended Jagan's marriage.So could not blog for a while.

Since i had planned my trip in last moment, i booked tickets through a famous low cost airlines. I had booked my flight to BLR from DEL at 7:40 pm. The day before departure, i got a SMS alert that my flight is re-scheduled to 9:30 pm (I wondered how they could predict the delay of departure of flight before 36 hrs). On the day of travel morning, i got another SMS alert that my flight is schedule to 10:20 pm.I was really puzzled whether to leave office after lunch (to catch the flight at 7:40 pm) or in the evening. Since i am not sure about SMS alerts, i managed to reach the airport at 7:30 pm. While i am going to airport in cab, i got another alert that my flight is re-scheduled to 11:05 pm. I am now damn sure that i am going to wait in airport for a long time. when i reached the counter, they told that only i could check-in my baggage after time of departure is confirmed. In the mean time, they announced that "They regret for delay in departure, this is due to delay in arrival of incoming flight". While all the airlines are keeping their timings, we are the one waiting for the flight whose departure is not confirmed yet. Even we are not sure that whether we will fly or our flight will be cancelled. At last we are allowed to check-in our baggage. I had word with the attendant , he told that they are expecting aircraft from BLR at 11:25 pm , once it landed, then they could take off at 11:55 pm. I was astonished to hear that their aircraft is covering almost 10 destination daily.(really wondered..!! how come second hand aircraft can really fly continuously more than 20 hours daily)

There was another interesting incident happened. In our flight, there was family of 15 people who had finished marriage of their son in DEL and taking the new Dulhan (newly married girl) to BLR. When they announced the boarding for our flight at 11:45 at gate no 1, everyone formed the queue over there. In the mean time, one person from the marriage group tried to intrude the queue in the front, telling that they need adjacent seats as they were 15 people (as no seat number in boarding passes). The airlines attendant requested him to come in queue, but chaos started when the few people from the marriage group started arguing. So flight attendant gave another announcement to form queue in the gate no 2, so all started boarding through that. But no one the marriage group boarded, they challenged how they could take off flight without them.After arguing for 20 minutes, they boarded the flight(Really pissed off with attitude of the people, we all were waiting for last 4 hours , whats going to happen if we boarded after 10 minutes.).Atlast our flight departed to BLR at 12:35 am. I reached the BLR at 3:00 am and knocked home at 3:45 am (felt like i am returning from abroad .... :-) ). Everyone asked me whether i came by flight or by bus.

Same thing repeated during my return journey from Chennai to Delhi in same airlines. My flight was scheduled at 4:10 pm, i was happy that i didn't receive any SMS alert (Bomb..!!). After reaching airport, it was announced our flight will depart at 5:45 pm. I checked in my baggage and finished my security check. Then gotta next SMS Alert that our flight is scheduled to 7:40pm. I felt in my inner mind that things are going to repeat like my onward journey. Around 7:15 pm,our flight name was displayed along with gate number for boarding in the display board for departing flights. As soon as it was displayed, everyone was stand in the queue. We waited until 7:45 pm , no official from the concern airlines came near. They announced after few minutes that our flight is re-scheduled to 9:40 pm with same announcement that "They regret for delay in departure, this is due to delay in arrival of incoming flight". Most of passenger were annoyed and was about to trash the airline officials. Few foreigners watching the chaos told that airlines were crazy. One of co-passenger told that he asked his family to wait for him in airport, to attend the marriage in town near by delhi. One foreigner told he had to catch the train at 10:30 pm from New delhi Railway station. At last i managed to reach delhi at 2:35 am.

I was really fed up with this airlines, so decided not to opt for it even though they give free tickets. Their claim that they had simpli-fly but actually they made everyone to fedup-fly.

I think i had booked my tickets at wrong time. :-) It was gr8 experience.

Recent Controversy - Real Hype

Recent participation of bollywood actress in the English reality show has created lots of controversies. We all should accept her situation was awkward in the show.

- She had been paid around few crores for her participation in this show. How can she accept this offer without the knowledge of the shows ? Haven't she see any previous episodes ?

- Is this really so important that both prime ministers and other ministers need to justify it ? There were lots of serious issues yet to be sorted out in our country like recent disruption in NE by ULFA, Bengal disputes over agriculture land, Nithari killings.

Even with in our country, there are lots of discrimination (in different forms) happening daily in our society. In the mean time, how can we criticise people of other country ??? Atleast we should try to eradicate discrimination based on caste, religion in our country, we all should feel One Indian (like BSNL and Airtel latest STD plan).

Guru - Abhishek in full swing

After long interval, I thought of going for movie with my friend. I book the tickets in night show in the waves. As usual combination of ManiRatnam & A R Rahman, expectation was very high.

This movie depicts about an young lad from gujarat who is aggressive of becoming pioneer in business based on his dream and his strong willpower. Abhishek has shown his maturity in acting. Thumbs Up for him. Gr8 performance. Aish is utter waste. Another promising performance is by Mithun chakraborty by his dialogue "Bahut aacha", actor has proved himself. Back ground music is rocking especially in the first half. ManiRatanam excels in the way of screenplay.

Director conveys message that its better to work of our self rather than working for someone which will improve our country.

X ray of Flowers

We all know about the X-Rays which are used mostly in field of Medicines and Airport screenings.

It reveals more than a actual picture. X-Rays of Flowers are known as Floral Radiography. It reveals the inner structure of the flowers(way the petals, sepals are arranged).

An interesting pic i feel. courtesy some forward mail.

NOIDA's Shame - Nithari Killings

NOIDA, popularly known as Satellite town, belongs to NCR (National Capital Region, surrounding New Delhi), Industrial Area, one of few planned city in India (next to Chandigarh) and considered to be good residential area.

Nithari Killings had really shocked everyone across the globe. Series of crimes really rocked the security concerns in Noida.Few months back when a famous kid was kidnapped, there was an article on Noida additional pages of famous National daily revealing that more than 15 kids were disappeared in Nithari(Nithari is small village before Noida was planned, after that its part of Sector 31 of Noida, Mostly people in Nithari were Rickshaw pullers and servants) and seeking the answer from police.But no response from them at that time.

One of my friend's servant maid was from Nithari whose sister is mother of Bina(13), who was the one of the victim. Bina disappeared in the mind 2005. Though her parents went to complain many times, they didn't get proper response. Once culprits in D5,Sec 31 were nabbed by the police, Bina's dress and chapel helped their parents identify her remains(very pathetic). Another victim is 3 yr old boy, who was asked by his lame father to get something from the shop (opp to their house), disappeared.The list goes on. Till now, no one exactly knows how many kids were victims , what happened to them and who were involved in this.

Even few statements were really surprising after the Narco test. Hope CBI will identifies everyone involved in this crime.May we cud have save more life, if police had alerted few months back.

May we all pray for the souls to rest in peace and words to victim's parents.Lets all hope that incident like this wont occur in future.This had been compared with Anthony Hopkins "The Silence of the lambs" movie.

Water Bed

Must watch video. Enjoy :-)

Harvest Festivals: Pongal, Makara Sankranti, Lohri

Harvest festival is one celebrated all across India in almost the same time in different names. Its the Indian version of ThanksGiving to God. Its celebrated as Pongal (TN), Sankranti(AP, Karnataka), Makara Sankranti(Maharashtra, Gujarat) and Lohri (Punjab, Haryana).

Even though every festival is celebrated in different way as the culture differs, but ultimate aim is one. "Unity in Diversity"

Happy Pongal
Happy Sankranti
Happy Lohri

By the way, Does people in US copied ThanksGiving day from India or its viceversa ?

Air travel from Delhi - Full of Surprises

Last week, I had travel to Bangalore by air. Since i don't believe in the CAT III trained domestic airlines and also weather (coz Fog could cover the runway any time in morning and in evening), I booked tickets in the early evening flight. As usual i reached the airport one and half an hour before the departure. I got astonished to see the queue for X-Ray screening, its so long and zigzag(AirDeccan, GoAir, Jagson, SpiceJet and IndiGo).I feel like that i could not check-in before one hour of departure time. At last managed to reached the Check in counter which is about to close. Another surprise was the two long queue until Airport entrance from the waiting lounge. At last managed to reach the waiting lounge 15 minutes before the departure.There was another surprise that my flights got delayed another 30 minutes.

Even though our government had increased the airport tax (Including Congestion Tax), there is no sufficient security check counters, X-Ray Screening terminals and waiting lounges. we could see the temporary waiting lounges made in the parking area opposite to the Departure terminal, which will be used by passengers during delay if flights in winters.

- How come these delays happens only with domestic flights in India every India? we don't often hear delay of flights in busiest airports like Frankfurt, Paris , Amsterdam (with some exception like it happened few days back in Heathrow & Boston)

- Don't Government should think about developing Infrastructures before granting license for new Airlines ? (Heard lots of airlines going to have debut very soon in this year)

so guys, plan yourself to reach airport earlier anticipating the crowd. Its really full of surprises.

Apple iPhone

Few months back, when i got my Apple iPod Nano, My friend Kapil told that its better to get Music players with Mobile Phone like Sony Ericsson W Series , Nokia N Series. Coz it wud better to carry one gadget instead of two (mobile + Mp3 Player).

Now Apple launched with iPhone powered by OS X which is iPod + Mobile + Browser with Wifi. This will give a great competition to leading SmartPhone manufacturers like Nokia, Palm , Blackberry.

Its really Gr8. But to get it , I need to subscribe to cingular for 499$. Hope to get the same in India soon. :)

specification more pics

Two Brothers

Last week, When i was browsing through channels in my TV, I got a chance to see this movie "Two Brothers" in HBO. This film is directed by famous director Jean-Jacques Annaud (Seven Years in Tibet (starring Brad Pitt) - Story of Dalai Lama Childhood).He depicts the cruelty done to Predators.

This is about Twin tiger cubs--one shy and gentle(Sangha), the other bold and fierce(Kumal), born amongst the ruins of an ancient temple in the jungles of Indo-China some time early last century.However, on a fateful day, the brothers are separated by fate. The bold brother is sold off to a circus, where homesickness and living in a cage rob him of his spirit. Meanwhile, the shy cub becomes the beloved companion of the governor's lonely young son, until an accident forces the family to give him away to a man who resolves to break his gentle nature and turn him into a fighter for sport. When they are fully grown the brothers find themselves reunited--but as forced enemies, pitted against each other. Atlast they reunite with their MOM.

Though i agree , it has some director's imagination. It reveals the way the Kings in last century use to kill these fascinating animals for just fun. I guess, more than thousands were hunted in the Royal hunting grounds like Ranthambore and Sariska by Maharaja's of Modern India.

I really appreciate theme of the movie - Pls do watch it, Dont miss it.

But still we are having chance to save our Big cats. So guys, Just give a thought about this.

You know a fact , India is only country to have four species of Big Cats(Royal Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Snow Leopard)