ஓட்டு போடுவது மக்களின் உரிமையும் கடமையும் ஆகும்.

ஆனால் சராசரியாக எந்தத் தேர்தலிலும் வாக்காளர்களில் நூற்றுக்கு 45 பேர் ஓட்டு போடுவதில்லை.

ஏன் ஓட்டு போடுவதில்லை என்று கேட்டால் பல பேர் சொல்லும் காரணம் இதுதான். “எந்த வேட்பாளரும் சரியில்லை; இருப்பதில் ஒருத்தருக்கு ஓட்டு போட எனக்கு பிடிக்கவில்லை,” என்று சொல்லுகிறார்கள்.

அப்படி நினைப்பவர்களும் கூட போய் ஓட்டு போட முடியும். சட்டத்தில் அதற்கு வசதி செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.

அதுதான் 49 ஓ.

எல்லா வேட்பாளர்களையும் நிராகரிக்கும் உரிமையை நமக்கு இந்தப் பிரிவு கொடுத்திருக்கிறது. வாக்குச் சாவடிக்கு சென்று ஓட்டு போடுவதற்காக விரலில் மை வைக்கபட்ட பிறகு, எந்த வேட்பாளருக்கும் ஓட்டளிக்க விரும்பவில்லை என்று நாம் தெரிவிக்கலாம். அதை ஓட்டுச் சாவடி அதிகாரி பதிவு செய்தாக வேண்டும். இதுதான் தேர்தல் விதிகள் (1961)ன் 49 (ஓ) பிரிவு. வாக்காளர் இதற்காக எந்த விண்ணப்பத்தையும் நிரப்பத் தேவையில்லை. ஓட்டுச் சாவடி அதிகாரியிடம் சொன்னால் போதும். அவர் தன்னிடம் உள்ள பாரம் 17 ஏ என்ற பதிவேட்டில் இதை எழுதிக் கொள்வார். அதில் நாம் கையெழுத்திட்டால் போதும்.

எந்த வேட்பாளரும் ஏற்கத் தகுந்தவராக இல்லை என்றால் அதை அரசியல் கட்சிகளுக்கு நாம் உணர்த்தவேண்டும். அதற்கு சிறந்த வழி ஓட்டு போடாமல் இருப்பது அல்ல. 49 ஓவின் கீழ் பதிவு செய்வதே சரியான முறையாகும். அரசியலே சரியில்லை என்று அலுத்துக் கொண்டு நாம் ஓட்டு போடாமல் இருந்தால், அதனால் அரசியல் கட்சிகளுக்கு எந்த நஷ்டமும் கிடையாது. ஆனால் 49 ஓவின் கீழ் நம்முடைய ஓட்டைப் பதிவு செய்தால் நமது அதிருப்தியை அவர்களுக்குத் தெரியப்படுத்த முடிகிறது.

ஒரு தொகுதியில் ஜெயிக்கிற வேட்பாளரை விட , 49 ஓவுக்கு அதிக ஓட்டு விழுந்தால், எப்படி இருக்கும் என்று யோசித்துப் பாருங்கள். அப்போது ‘இனி நேர்மையான அரசியல் செய்ய வேண்டும், நல்ல வேட்பாளர்களை நிறுத்த வேண்டும்; இல்லாவிட்டால் மக்கள் தரவு கிடைக்காது’ என்பது அரசியலில் உள்ளவர்களுக்கு உறைக்கும். மக்களுடைய அதிருப்தியை அரசியல்வாதிகளுக்கு தெரியப்படுத்த சிறந்த வழி – 49 ஓ.

ஓட்டு போடாமல் இருப்பது, நம்மை நாமே ஏமாற்றிக் கொள்வதாகும்.

49 ஓ போடுவது, நம்மை இனி ஏமாற்ற முடியாது என்று அறிவிப்பதாகும்.

ஓட்டு போடுங்க. 49 ஓ போடுங்க. 

RCB brings you Car-Pooling facility for all RCB Matches!!

The joy of hopping into a car and driving in comfort all the way to the stadium along with your friends is here. RCB is bringing you this opportunity right to your doorstep!

RCB has launched a portal where you can book a cab at highly subsidized rates to take you to the Chinnaswamy Stadium for any of the RCB Bangalore matches and back. Just call this number 43434343 to book your own cab.

You can book a cab with your friends or relatives; or if you are a lone person, you can book the cab, and travel with other RCB fans staying close to your neighbourhood. The cab will pick you up from your doorstep, drop you till the stadium and the very same cab will drop all of you back too!

This Green Initiative not only helps in easing the burden on our environment but is also easy on the pocket and a sure shot way of making lots of noise and lots of hardcore RCB friends!!

Take a look at the tariffs given below:

S. No. Fixed Kms/Zone wise               Rate/Trip

1)             0-5 Kms                                100/Pax

2)             0-10 Kms                         120/Pax

3)             0-15 Kms                         150/Pax

4)             0-20 Kms                         200/Pax

5)             0-30 Kms                         300/Pax

Note: The trip includes to and fro charges. 

The tariffs have been decided by a unique method. Chinnaswamy stadium has been taken as the centre point and the whole city of Bangalore has been divided into 5 different Zones. People falling in a particular zone will be charged as per the tariff mentioned. (eg. A person falling in zone 1 i.e within the radius of 5 KMs of Chinnaswamy Stadium will be charged only Rs 100 for the to and fro trip).

So leave home the tension on how to reach the Stadium this IPL season!!Just call 43434343 & book your cab today!

Note**: Choose the Number 7 option from the list of options that the telephone operator provides you

RCB is Game for Green, Are you?

Terms and conditions

• Considering the comfort of people, not more than 3 people will be allowed in a cab to         car-pool.

• The cab booking will be confirmed only if there are minimum 3 people in the cab.

• RCB is just providing a portal to book the cabs any interaction for booking the cab has         to be only made with the cab agency

• RCB is not responsible for loss of belongings or any risks associated with the cab               travel to and from the stadium

• RCB does not take any responsibility for the quality of cab service provided

How we can curb the corruption

Existing System System Proposed by civil society
No politician or senior officer ever goes to jail despite
huge evidence because Anti Corruption Branch (ACB)
and CBI directly come under the government. Before
starting investigation or initiating prosecution in any
case, they have to take permission from the same
bosses, against whom the case has to be investigated.
Lokpal at centre and Lokayukta at state level will be
independent bodies. ACB and CBI will be merged into
these bodies. They will have power to initiate
investigations and prosecution against any officer  or
politician without needing anyone’s permission.
Investigation should be completed within 1 year and
trial to get over in next 1 year. Within two years, the
corrupt should go to jail.
No corrupt officer is dismissed from the job because
Central Vigilance Commission, which is supposed to
dismiss corrupt officers, is only an advisory body.
Whenever it advises government to dismiss any senior
corrupt officer, its advice is never implemented.
Lokpal and Lokayukta will have  complete powers to
order dismissal of a corrupt officer. CVC and all
departmental vigilance will be merged into Lokpal and
state vigilance will be merged into Lokayukta.
No action is taken against corrupt judges because
permission is required from the Chief Justice of India
to even register an FIR against corrupt judges.
Lokpal & Lokayukta shall have  powers to investigate
and prosecute any judge without needing anyone’s
permission.
Nowhere to go - People expose corruption but no
action is taken on their complaints.
Lokpal & Lokayukta will have to enquire into and hear
every complaint.
There is so much corruption within CBI and vigilance
departments. Their functioning is so secret that it
encourages corruption within these agencies.  
All investigations in Lokpal & Lokayukta shall be
transparent. After completion of investigation, all case
records shall be open to public.  Complaint against any
staff of Lokpal & Lokayukta shall be enquired and
punishment announced within two months.
Weak and corrupt people are appointed as heads of
anti-corruption agencies.
Politicians will have absolutely no say in selections of
Chairperson and members of Lokpal & Lokayukta.
Selections will take place through a transparent and
public participatory process.
Citizens face harassment in government offices.
Sometimes they are forced to pay bribes. One can only
complaint to senior officers. No action is taken on
complaints because senior officers also get their cut.
Lokpal & Lokayukta will get public grievances resolved
in time bound manner, impose a penalty of Rs 250 per
day of delay to be deducted from the salary of guilty
officer and award that amount as compensation to the
aggrieved citizen.
Nothing in law to recover ill gotten wealth. A corrupt
person can come out of jail and enjoy that money.
Loss caused to the government due to corruption will
be recovered from all accused.
Small punishment for corruption- Punishment for
corruption is minimum 6 months and maximum 7
years.
Enhanced punishment - The punishment would be
minimum 5 years and maximum of life imprisonment.

Anna’s letter to PM

India Against Corruption
A-119, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad – 201010. UP Ph: 09868069953
www.indiaagainstcorruption.org
Dated: 8th March, 2011

Dr Manmohan Singh,
Prime Minister of India
New Delhi

Sub: Our discussions regarding the Jan Lokpal Bill

Dear Dr Singh,
We thank you for the courtesies extended to the team of “India against Corruption (IAC)” when we met you on your invitation for discussion on the Jan Lokpal Bill.

At a time when the whole country is bleeding due to corruption, we are concerned that you expressed inability to act against corruption till 13th May due to ongoing Parliamentary session and forthcoming
assembly elections. You suggested that a “symbolic” meeting of a sub-committee of Group of Ministers could be held after 25th March with the representatives of IAC.

Rather than have this symbolic meeting, we feel that a genuine beginning could be made if the following steps were taken:

1. As written in my earlier letter to you, the government should immediately constitute a “Jan Lokpal Bill Committee (JLBC)” which should consist of five members of civil society (to be suggested by IAC) and an
equal number of members from the government to draft a Lokpal Bill on behalf of the Government. The committee should be headed by a civil society representative.

2. The JLBC should treat the Jan Lokpal Bill prepared by IAC as its working draft.

3. JLBC will submit its final report by 13th May 2011.

4. The report submitted by this committee should be treated as final and should not be subjected to scrutiny by yet another committee. Therefore, we request that such people from the government
should be included, who either have direct power to make decisions or would be in direct contact with key decision makers.

5. The government should introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill as prepared above in the monsoon session of Parliament, with a view to get it passed through both Houses of Parliament by the end of this year. This
was promised by you in the meeting.

I am continuing with my decision to start my indefinite fast from 5th April, unless the Government demonstrates its genuine intentions to act against corruption by implementing the above steps.

Yours sincerely
(Anna Hazare)

1. Who is Anna Hazare?

Anna Hazare is a 72 year young ex-Indian army man. Fought 1965 Indo-Pak War

2. What's so special about him?

He built a village Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahamad Nagar district, Maharashtra

3. So what?
This village is a self-sustained model village. Energy is produced in the village itself from solar power, biofuel and wind mills.

In 1975, it used to be a poverty clad village. Now it is one of the richest villages in India. It has become a model for self-sustained, eco-friendly & harmonic village.

In August 9, 2006 (Mumbai): Anna Hazare has begun an indefinite hunger strike to protest against changes to the RTI Act (To make RTI less powerful against politicians).

4. Ok,...?

This guy, Anna Hazare was awarded Padma Bhushan and is a known figure for his social activities.

5. Really, what is he fighting for?

He is supporting a cause, the amendment of a law to curb corruption in India.

6. How that can be possible?

He is advocating for a Bill, The Lok Pal Bill (The Citizen Ombudsman Bill) that will form an autonomous authority who will make politicians (ministers), bureaucrat (IAS/IPS) accountable for their deeds.

8. It's an entirely new thing right..?

In 1972, the bill was proposed by then Law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Since then it has been neglected by the politicians and some are trying to change the bill to suit their theft (corruption).

7. Oh... He is going on a hunger strike for that whole thing of passing a Bill! How can that be possible in such a short span of time?

The first thing he is asking for is: the government should come forward and announce that the bill is going to be passed.

Next, they make a joint committee to DRAFT the LOK PAL BILL, 50% government participation and 50% public participation because you can’t trust the government entirely for making such a bill which does not suit them.

8. Fine, What will happen when this bill is passed?

A Lok Pal will be appointed at the centre. He will have an autonomous charge; say like the Election Commission of India. In each and every state, Lokayukta will be appointed. The job is to bring all alleged party to trial in case of corruptions within 1 year. Within 2 years, the guilty will be punished. Not like Bofors scam or Bhopal Gas Tragedy case that has been going for last 25 years without any result.

9. Is he alone? Who else is there in the fight with Anna Hazare?

Baba Ramdev, Ex. IPS Kiran Bedi, Social Activist Swami Agnivesh, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and True Indian Citizens.

Prominent personalities like Kapil Dev, Aamir Khan are supporting his cause.

10. Ok, got it. What can I do?

Least you can do for the man willing to die for a cause that is entirely for you and your future is spread the message. How?

Word of mouth: talk about it to your family and friends. Make them understand what this is about.

Putting status messages, links, video, changing profile pictures on your social networking (facebook, orkut, gtalk, buzz etc).

At least we can support Anna Hazare and the cause for uprooting corruption from India. (You can give a missed call to02261550789 to register your support, it’s free)

At least we can hope that his Hunger Strike does not go in vain.

At least we can pray for his good health.

And at least have a positive attitude towards it. (I heard people say ‘nothing can/will happen in India’, do not be such pessimistic)

How to Teach Your Kids Good Habits

Every parent will commiserate with me, especially parents with a good number of kids (I have six): for awhile now I’ve been trying to teach my kids the habit of putting things back where they belong when they’re done with them. As you can imagine, it hasn’t exactly been a rousing success.

So I’ve been giving it some thought, and have hit on some new ideas. The main idea: turn it into a game.

I love creating charts, so I plan on making one that give points to each kid for putting stuff away. They get additional points for helping remind each other (I told them to help their siblings remember as an act of consideration). There will be treats for making a minimum number of points, so they can all win. This will be set up as a friendly challenge, not a cut-throat competition, where they can all help each other win. I don’t like to set up competitions for my kids where there are winners and losers, because the only lesson the losers learn is that they are losers. That’s not a lesson I’m teaching my kids.

Some tips on creating good habits with your kids:

1. Use the carrot, not the stick. I’ve tried punishment as a way of teaching them to remember things, and it not only doesn’t work, it’s no fun for anyone. Kids learn more about their faults than about the habits you’re trying to create. Use fun games or rewards instead, and plenty of praise. This is something I need to work more on.
2. Be their focus. I’ve written before about how maintaining focus on a goal is one of the main keys to sticking with it and actually accomplishing the goal. Well, kids have a hard time maintaining focus — you have to do it for them. Or better yet, teach them ways to keep that focus. You’ll have to remind them, post up visual reminders, and remind them some more.
3. Provide multiple means of motivation. I’ve written about my Top 20 Motivation Hacks, which work well for adults. They also work for kids. Provide not only one kind of motivation, but as many as you can. Rewards, praise, positive public pressure (tell not only the whole household about their goals but their grandparents and others), friendly competition, journals, charts and more can all be effective ways of creating motivation for your kids.
4. Try to be consistent for at least a month. After that it should get easier, but you’ll still need to provide motivation to keep it going. Consistency, in the beginning, is important in creating habits. There will be failures, sure, but learn from it and don’t drop the goal and then pick it up the next week. You need to maintain that focus consistently, so that they are constantly working on improving it (and having fun while doing so!).
5. Remember that kids aren’t perfect. They will make mistakes. They will fail. Do not put a tremendous amount of pressure on them to succeed. Gently help them along. Encourage them, but don’t criticize them. And remember that it could actually take months or even years before they learn some habits. Remember that you didn’t learn good habits overnight (and may still be trying to do so yourself). Don’t expect them to be better than you.
6. Join them. It would be even more fun if you all did the game together, if you had a joint goal of learning good habits. If the parents are part of the game, the learning process, the fun, the kids can learn from the parent’s example of how to set a goal, how to maintain focus, how to motivate yourself, how to reward yourself for doing well, and how to feel great about any accomplishment, no matter how small.
7. Celebrate often! Kids need positive feedback. If they do something good, no matter how small, celebrate like they just landed on the moon! Have fun, and show them that achieving goals can be a great feeling. Go out for a fun dinner, go to the park or beach, really reward them, especially in the beginning.

As of now...such is life

As of now...such is life

As of now it is the month of september in the year 2008.Its 1:33 am and i can't sleep yet.
I feel blessed,i feel anxious,i feel at peace and i am so very glad to be alive.
The extramentals are going to start playing again and hitting the practice pad after a sabbatical of one and a half months..my throat itches to sing(wait thats also the weather change)The band has evolved from a tiny idea to this giant mountain,that it is today.Atleast in our minds.
I am amazed at the plan set out for us as we scurry around articulating plans and ideas of our own into our everyday life..thinking that yes...this is the day.
Thanks to my wonderful friends those who make music with me,those who will always be up for a random coffee or tea or the most retarded conversation or the most meaningful discussion,i have finally learnt to let "that" go.Life is the most amazing mystery there is,as cliche as it sounds and i am subtly gripping the edges of this book waiting to see just what might happen next.
"that" to me means just about a 100 different things and by letting it go i have gained a 1000 different keys to doors that open and doors i needed to lock.."that" is the things people may say to bring you down when they barely know you at all just so they won't fall."that" is the feeling you get when you think everyones watching only to see that no one looking at you at all."that" is the voice of doubt that you were never meant to be here or be this being that you have unwillingly found a way into."that" is the hours you spend becoming your today and always yearning to be more.
"This" i what i have now...
"This" is the feeling i love the most..of being content at night."This" is the life i love within these walls of red and black singing the songs that i know best in a language that is meant only for the best."this" is the moment i feel sane here beside me lays the truth and love that has held me so tight with love only to set me free in ways i knew nothing of."This" is what it feels like to fly without wings or engines.."this" is the silence that reminds me that you may not always fall by lending your hand to those who regret your standing tall.
"this" is the word i have for those who believe in more that whats within,the thought the breath and all of what we thinks makes us live at all."this" is the all and "this" is the nothing.

I have seen the most amazing places in my life...i have seen them in land in water in peoples eyes and in their fears their love their doubts their strengths i have seen the best sceneries in their lives.

I am blessed and i shall never forget it.I am the change for myself...my hand is yours whenever you need one my words are for you when you feel you must hear them.For all those who love me and show me how to love for all those i am yet to love...for all those friends i am yet to make and all the souls that have saved mine....
i am forever yours

Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya: A Fairy tale love.

We ve heard of the Romeos and Juliet from the west, but only last year on the same day we saw them come to reality on screen in Tamil cinema.
A fairytale love story, narrated by Gautam Vasudev Menon , enacted by Young superstar STR and Trisha , Vinnai thaandi varuvaaya captured many hearts and won many laurels even from the toughest critics. It was praised by Iyakkunar sigaram K balachander to have given life to his memories of love.  But why was that really possible , Simbucentral does a research on VTV -

1. Haptics – the science of touch was subtly used by the director to create a feel to the audience, which even million words would not create, the scene where simbu holds trisha’s legs in the train, expressing he would keep the world under her feet and  the scene where simbhu holds trisha’s hands tightly  during manippaya song’s lines “Enakathu thalai anai, nanaithidum neramm”  conveying that he will be with her through all troubles were brilliantly executed in this film..

2. Fingers in our hands are well enough to count the number of films, which portrayed  the present day’s confusing love this perfectly.
The inability of the modern day girl to take a decision during crunch time was unbelievably brought in screen by the director and the heroine!

3. In a day where love has been degrade and its stature being diminished to being a tool to attain money and fun , Vinnai thaandi varuvaaya was a inspiration for every youth to fall in love, pure love blindly and to all who are addicted to other temporary pleasures, vtv managed to convey a strong message that pure love is the greatest pleasure a man can go through..

4. Another striking aspect in this film which attracted brightly was the use of colours. If you clearly watch each and every scene of the film some aspect or the other will be in blue or white. ( eg: Simbhu’s shirt or Trisha’s saree)

5. Music and Lyrics – If Gautam Vasudev Menon created the perfect love body on earth A R rahman gave soul to it. Who can forget the bgm’s which gave blankness when karthik sees Jessie first, the comicality during the KFC conversation , the tension during interval block, the anger during break up. If BGM’S weaved love all over the film, songs poured love with Hosanah, shattered a woman’s silence with kanukkul , pleaded with mannippaya and re gave memories a life with Aaromale.

6. Some real life duplicates – I’m happy to have numerous friends who say happily that it was not simbu but its them, who is karthik, this connection was beautifully brought out by gautam with scenes like simbu falling on the gate when he sees her , when he plays with the ropes of the washing clothes in terrace when waiting for her sight and goes with a long drive in his bike to regain the past memories.. plain brilliance

7. Last but not the least the combination of cinematography and editing was top notch . For a film to succeed you need this partnership to cross a hundred and they did it the Shewag way .. amazing .. the blue of the sea , the silence of the church , the beauty of the moon were shot with love by manoj. And editing was spell bounding when Antony showed the days karthik waited for jessie at the same place when one continous scene was made by a transition of different clothing….

We end this never ending research by saying VTV was nothing short of a magic which was weaved by this crew in a month known for love – FEBRAUARY  and we thank each and every one of you for making this a ever green movie.

50 Tips for Grocery Shopping

As you might already know, I’ve got a big family — the wife and I plus six rugrats. Plus a cat and a dog. We can go through an awful lot of food. Groceries (along with the rent and car and gas) are one of our biggest expenses. I allocate as much in our budget as I can to groceries, simply because I want to make sure we’re never short on food. Also, cooking our own food is just so much less expensive than eating out.Tangled

And as I figure that most of my readers, whether they have big families or not, go grocery shopping now and then, I thought I’d pass along some of my favorite tips. These are not all my original tips — I’ve picked up dozens over the years from magazines, books and websites. But these are the best of them, plus some I’ve figured out on my own.

So pick and choose from among these tips, which I hope will be of use to you and your family:

1. Always go with a list. If you go without a list, you may as well just throw your money away. Better yet, donate it to me — I probably need it more than you. :) Seriously, though, you need to prepare a list of everything you need, pulling from your weekly menu (next tip) and checking to make sure you don’t have it in your pantry, fridge or freezer. Make sure you’re not forgetting anything. Now stick to that list.
2. Plan out a weekly menu. This is the best way to ensure that your list is complete, and that you have enough to serve your family dinner for the week. I often plan a weekly menu and then duplicate it for the next week — this way I can shop for two weeks at once. Be sure to plan a leftovers night.
3. Don’t go when you’re hungry. This is a common tip, but it’s true: when you’re hungry, you want to buy all kinds of junk. You’ll end up spending a lot more. Eat a good meal first, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your list.
4. Have a budget. When I go to the store, I know exactly how much I can spend. Then I try my best to stick within that limit. If you don’t know how much you can spend, you’ll certainly spend too much.
5. Do a rough running tally. Related to the above tip, if you want to stay within your budget, it’s best to know where you’re at. Then, when you can see you’re going to go above it, you can decide whether you really need that 10-lb. box of bon bons. I keep a running tally on my grocery list, just rounding off so I can do some quick math. An item costs $1.85? I say $2. Then I don’t need a calculator or all those complicated math skills.
6. Keep a list on your fridge, and write things down immediately. When you run out of something, don’t leave it to your memory. Jot it down immediately, and you’ll never have to run back to the store because you don’t have eggs.
7. Make a pantry checklist. Make a checklist of everything you normally stock in your pantry. Keep it posted on the pantry. Put a slash next to each item for the number of items you have (if you have two cans of stewed tomatoes, put two slashes). Then, when you use something, turn the slash into an x. This makes it much easier when it comes time to make your list.
8. Keep things stocked for quick-n-easy meals. Easy meals for us might be spaghetti or mac-n-cheese or a quick stir-fry. We’ve always got the ingredients on hand, so we can whip something up fast when we’re feeling lazy.
9. Buy in bulk when it makes sense. If you can save money, over the course of a month or two, by buying in bulk, plan to do so. But be sure that you’re going to use all of it before it gets bad — it isn’t cheaper to buy in bulk if you don’t use it.
10. Keep your receipts, then enter into a spreadsheet. This will be your price list. Use it so you know when bulk or sale items are a good deal. It’s also a great way to comparison shop between stores — buy your baking goods in Store A but your fresh fruits in Store B. The spreadsheet can also serve as a checklist to use when you’re compiling your shopping list.
11. Buy frozen veggies. While fresh veggies are a little better, frozen veggies are almost as good, and much better than nothing. And since you can keep them in the freezer, they rarely go bad.
12. When you’re running low, write it down. Don’t wait until you run out. when you see there’s only three toilet paper rolls left, put it on your list. Because when you run out, it will be too late. :)
13. Cut back on meat. Meat is expensive. We have vegetarian meals several times a week (think pasta or chili) and for other meals, you could just use a little meat as a kind of seasoning instead of the main ingredient — think Asian, Indian and other such cultural food. Actually, I eat vegetarian all the time, but the wife and kids do a little of each.
14. Pack your own lunch snacks. Buying pre-made snacks is convenient, but a big waste of money. Buy little baggies and buy the snacks in bulk, then it will take just a few minutes to pack some snacks for lunch each day.
15. Make leftovers for lunch. Plan to cook a bit extra for each dinner, so that you’ll have leftovers for your lunch and for the kids’ lunches. Pack it right away, after dinner, so you don’t have to worry about it in the morning.
16. Cook a lot, then freeze. Alternatively, you can cook a whole mess of spaghetti (for example) and freeze it for multiple dinners. A great idea is to use one Sunday and cook a week’s (or even a month’s) worth of dinners. Plan 5-6 freezable dinners and cook them all at once.
17. Always have batteries, toilet tissue and light bulbs. And other necessities that you always seem to run out of — buy a whole bunch when they’re on sale, or buy in bulk. Be sure to check to see if you have these items before you go to the store.
18. Try crock pot dinners. We discovered these in the last year, and they are easy and cheap and tasty. Cut up a bunch of ingredients, throw them in the pot in the morning, and have dinner ready for you when you get home. Can anything be more perfect than that? I submit that it cannot.
19. Clip coupons. I know, sometimes they seem like too much trouble. But it’s not really that hard to clip a few coupons and toss them in a coupon envelop to take on your grocery shopping trip. And you can save 10-20% of your bottom line with coupons. Check store entrances, newspaper and flyers for coupons.
20. Only use coupons for items you were already planning to buy. Don’t let them trick you into buying something that’s not on your list, just to “save” money.
21. Look for specials. Every store has specials. Be sure to look for them in the newspaper, or when you get to the store (they often have unadvertised specials — look on the higher and lower shelves for deals). Don’t buy them unless they’re things you always use.
22. Try the store brands. Brand names are often no better than generic, and you’re paying for all the advertising they do to have a brand name. Give the store brand a try, and often you won’t notice a difference. Especially if it’s an ingredient in a dish where you can’t taste the quality of that individual ingredient.
23. Cut back on your “one-item” trips. They waste gas, and almost inevitably, you buy more than that one item. If you plan ahead, make a weekly menu, and shop with a list, this should drastically reduce the number of trips you make for a small number of items. But if you still find yourself running out for a few items, analyze the reason — are you not making a good list, are you forgetting some items from your list? Stock up on the things you frequently go out for.
24. Sugar cereals are a bad buy. Lots of money for no nutrition. Look for whole grain cereals with low sugar. Add fruit for better flavor.
25. Be watchful at the register. Keep an eye on the scanner — you’ll keep the cashier on his toes, and catch any mis-priced items.
26. When there’s a sale, stock up. Sale items can be a great deal. If it’s an item you normally use, buy a bunch of them.
27. Comparison shop. Look at the different brands for a certain type of product, including store brands. Sometimes there will be a significant difference. Be sure you’re comparing apples to apples — you need to divide the price by the amount (ounces, pounds, etc.) in order to get the comparable unit price.
28. Go during slow times. One of my favorite times to shop is late at night. But during working hours or other non-peak times is good too. Avoid right after 5 p.m., on paydays and near major holidays.
29. Know when the store stocks its fresh fruits and veggies. In my area, that makes a big difference. Fruits and veggies can go bad quickly, because they have to be shipped. So I know that the store re-stocks on Thursdays, and so I usually go on Thursdays or Fridays, otherwise I’ll be getting old items.
30. Plan one big trip a month for bulk staples. You can get fresh items at another store on other weeks, but doing a big bulk trip will cut back on the expense and amount you have to carry for the other three weeks. Avoid buying on impulse at the bulk store too — just because they sell a lot of it doesn’t mean you’re saving, if you weren’t planning on buying it in the first place.
31. Avoid trips to the corner store. Or the gas station! These are some of the most expensive stores. (Ranking right up there with airport stores.)
32. Try co-ops. You can often save a lot of money at these types of places for staples.
33. Consider shopping at two stores. There’s no store with a monopoly on savings. Each has savings on different items on different weeks. You might switch between two stores on alternate weeks.
34. Think deep freeze. If you really want to save, you’ll need a big freezer. Ask around — someone you know might have a relatively new model they don’t need anymore. You can use freezers to stock up on meat, frozen veggies, and similar staples, and to freeze big batches of pasta, casseroles, and other dinners you prepare ahead of time.
35. Use everything possible. Got a bunch of leftover ingredients (half an onion, a bit of tomato, some pasta, a few other veggies?) … combine them for a quick meal, so that these don’t go to waste before your next grocery trip. The more you can stretch the food, and the less you waste, the less you’ll spend in the long run.
36. Don’t waste leftovers. Have a list on your fridge of what leftovers are in there, so you don’t forget about them. Plan a leftover night or two, so you’re sure to eat them all. Pack them immediately for lunch, so they’re ready to take the next morning.
37. Don’t buy junk food (or buy as little as possible). Junk food not only costs a lot of money for about zero nutrition, but it makes you and your family fat and kills you. Talk about a bad deal! Opt for fruits and veggies instead.
38. Rain check. If an item is on sale but the store has run out of stock, ask for a rain check.
39. Go when the kids are in school. When you bring kids, they will pester you and pester you until you buy some kind of junk food. Even if you’re able to stick to your guns, it’s not pleasant saying no 10 million times. In most cases, you’ll save money shopping without the kids.
40. Go for whole foods. The processed kind is lacking in nutrition and will make you fat. Look for things in their least processed form — whole grain instead of white or wheat bread, fresh fruit instead of canned or juice, whole grain cereal or oatmeal instead of all other kinds of cereal. You get the idea.
41. Read labels. Look for trans fat, hydrogenated oils, high amounts of sugar, saturated fat, lots of sodium, cholesterol. Then avoid them like the plague. Look instead for fiber, good fats, protein, vitamins, calcium.
42. Clean out your fridge. You’ve got stuff growing in there and turning from solids to liquids. The leftovers have begun to organize their own political party. Toss em out and make room for the new.
43. Stick to your list. Avoid impulse buys. They are almost always bad, and even if it’s just a couple dollars, they will add up to $50-100 for a trip. Over the course of a year, that can mean thousands. Tell yourself you will not buy anything that’s not on your list unless it’s an absolute necessity (why isn’t toilet paper on my darn list?).
44. Use store savings cards. These can add up to big savings over the long run.
45. Cut back on your restaurant eating. It’s never cheaper or more nutritious than eating at home. Plan your dinners (see above tip) and bring your lunches to work and save a ton of money.Tangled
46. Avoid frozen dinners or prepared entrees. Again, these cost way more and are usually much less nutritious.
47. Drink water. If you regularly drink iced tea, Tang, sodas or other types of drinks, cut those out completely and just drink water. It’s much better for you, and much cheaper.
48. Prepare your grocery list by aisle. If you regularly shop at the same stores, organize your list so that you can easily find and check off items as you walk down the aisle. We always shop from right to left, so we’re not constantly running back and forth in the store.
49. Get cloth grocery bags. You’ll save tons of plastic over time, and help the environment tremendously.
50. Pack healthy snacks for the kids. Whole wheat crackers, popcorn, cut-up fruit, raisins, and other kid-friendly snacks are much better than the junk you often see in kids’ lunches. And cheaper

::::MS Dhoni about Sachin Tendulkar::::::


After Rahul Dravid, Indian skipper MS Dhoni has joined the group of people of who think Sachin Tendulkar deserves the Bharat Ratna award.

Speaking to members of the press, Dhoni said that Tendulkar has been at the helm of cricket for a long time and should be given the award for his services in the sport. This closely follows the statement made by Dravid calling the batting maestro as a Bharat Ratna. "I do not know about the rules in conferring such an award but he already is a Bharat Ratna for the manner in which he has served the sport,"

பிறந்தேன், படித்தேன், வேலை செய்து சம்பாதிக்கிறேன்,
என்று சுற்றும் இளவட்டங்களுக்கு மத்தியில்
சாதிக்க துடிக்கும் இளைஞனாக இருந்தாய் நீ - பெருமையாய் இருந்தது உன்னை சந்தித்த போது,
பெருமையாய் இருக்கிறது உன் எண்ணங்களை சிந்திக்கிற போது,
உன் கனவு நிறைவேற எனது இதயம் கனிந்த வாழ்த்துகள் தோழனே, இதோ இந்த பிறந்த நாள் வாழ்த்துகளோடு!!!

Watch out for April Fool Game!

Don’t mistake this article as an April Fool prank. Yes, director Abhinay Deo is releasing his debut film Game on April Fools' Day (April 1) but he is not here to fool the public. The fact that he has stuck to the scheduled release date in spite of the present frenzy over cricket, sends out the message that he is very sure of his product.

Many may question Abhinay’s idea of releasing Game at a time when cricket fever is on a new high. Indians all over the world are yet to settle down after India’s thrilling win against its arch rival Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semi final match. Another big match is up on Saturday (April 2) where India play Sri Lanka for the World Cup title. But Abhinay is unperturbed by all these. He is confident that Game would do well at the box office.

In fact, it looks like Game will benefit from the ongoing Cricket World Cup. It’s worth taking the risk because people are in celebration mood at this point of time. Many may celebrate India’s win against Pakistan by catching up a film or two. And if India beats Sri Lanka in the final and lift the cup this weekend, people could flock to the theatres in delirium.

Well, Game is a mystery thriller and not related to cricket or any other game for that matter but people would do anything when they are happy. Anything can happen to this film starring Abhishek Bachchan, Sarah Jane Dias, Jimmy Sheirgill and Kangana Ranaut – as unpredictable as the India-Pakistan match.

Watch out for Game!

Watch out for April Fool Game!When You Went Away

Actor Hugh Jackman is quite optimistic about his upcoming Wolverine movie, which is sequel to X-Men series, despite facing several problem. Sources claim that the Hollywood star is now in search of new director for the film after director Darren Aronofsky was dropped out of the film. It is reported that the production of Wolverine sequel is facing a few problems. The story was set to have Wolverine combating ninjas and samurais. It was to be shoot in Japan, but recent flooding and earthquake disasters has now posed threat for the production of film. But Jackman remains optimistic that the film will be able to get underway soon. However, Hugh Jackman recently made an appearance at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Addressing his fans, the actor has reportedly revealed his fans that the search for a new director is on. The production house is determined to find a good director, who will be committed for the project.

Actor Hugh Jackman is quite optimistic about his upcoming Wolverine movie, which is sequel to X-Men series, despite facing several problem. Sources claim that the Hollywood star is now in search of new director for the film after director Darren Aronofsky was dropped out of the film.

It is reported that the production of Wolverine sequel is facing a few problems. The story was set to have Wolverine combating ninjas and samurais. It was to be shoot in Japan, but recent flooding and earthquake disasters has now posed threat for the production of film. But Jackman remains optimistic that the film will be able to get underway soon.

However, Hugh Jackman recently made an appearance at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Addressing his fans, the actor has reportedly revealed his fans that the search for a new director is on. The production house is determined to find a good director, who will be committed for the project.

All is not well between filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Siddharth of Rang De Basanti fame. Something that started off as a friendly banter turned into something ugly with the duo exchanging heated words on a socio-micro blogging site.

It all started when a fan of Siddharth posted on Twitter - “You look so much like Karan Johar!” The actor then sparked the fire by replying that his fan needed spectacles. Karan, who is active on socio-micro blogging site, retorted and tweeted, “Didn't know I looked that bad Sid! Apologies!” Siddharth then tried to add humour to his comment by saying, "Ha! Ha! Of course you don't. Welcome back Karan." But the harm was already done, and Karan kept away from the site.

On learning that the director has not taken his comments lightly, he tried to make peace with him and apologized by writing, “Karan Johar is a very genuine, respectable filmmaker who I am very fond of and have enjoyed meeting and knowing. He has always been a very helpful senior and friend. If a silly, unintended joke goes awry, let me just say I had absolutely no intent to hurt Karan or his many admirers. That's all there is to be said! No more comments! Peace!..”

Well, we hope this is just a friendly banter. After all, Karan is known for being a jolly man!