Garmin 2-state problem

Lately we'd this problem in our Garmin (C340) where when you tried to specify the address it gave you only two states and the worst part was that none of those two was our state. We contacted customer support and she asked us to reset the unit - yes, there's a reset button hiding behind the front frame; but that didn't help. She then asked us to get back to her when we were in front of a computer. However, my DH decided to do it without her help. Lo and behold! The problem went away when the software update was done.

I feel that the quality of things in general has degraded. What's the point in buying a nice expensive branded unit, if you've to contact the customer support within a year of date of purchase. This was not the first time that we were contacting CSR, we'd had to send the unit to their repair facility earlier and since it came back from repair the previous problem was fixed but it had this new one. I'm sorely disappointed in Garmin.

Vacuum Space Bags

I felt that I must leave a good word for this wonder space saver - the Vacuum space bags! It was magic to see two queen-sized comforters and 4 pillows reduced to a flat mass. Though, it works better on stuff like comforters and pillows as compared to woollens; that's because the former have a lot of air inside and hence there's potential for reduction. So basically it'll work better on things which have ample air inside. Not that it doesn't work on clothes/woollens, it does a good job; and no I don't get any commission from the company :). I'm generally skeptical about buying things which are labeled "As seen on TV", so this review is to help others like me. I think you get the best deal at Costco.

(Teachings from Gita) How can one know which deeds would take him closer to God and not tie him to his birth? It is commonly thought that only one who becomes a priest, devotes his life to the worship of God, can get closer to God. That's not true. According to Krishna depending on a person's class, position, occupation and situation there are various deeds which can bring you closer to God.

Here's how different people work to be with God:

• Some see a supreme spirit, an absolute power in everything living or non-living.
  
• Some worship God and pray to him.
• Some unite their soul with God.
  
• Some control their senses and that which appeals to their senses.
  
• Some gain control over themselves.
• Some who earn material objects like money through legitimate means do not harbor any attachment to it and selflessly use it for the benefit of others.
• Some perform tapasya, by keeping fast (abstaining from food for a given period), etc.
• Some undertake yoga or incorporate extreme discipline; specifically ashtang yoga. It comprises of the following: yam, niyam, pranayam, aasan, prayahar, dhaarna, dhyan and samadhi.
• Yam: Defines the moral codes - non-violence, truthfulness, principle of non-stealing, following celibacy and non-possessiveness.
  
• Aasan: is posture; a posture to attain mental equilibrium.
  
• Niyam: emphasizes on self-purification. Outer and inner purity of self, being content, self-study , worshipping with complete faith and endurance.
  
• Pranayam: The ability to control the inhaling and exhaling of breath.
  
• Pratyahar: The ability to control one's senses; withdrawal of senses; and hence increase the power of mind.
  
• dhaarNa: is concentration on an object.
  
• dhyaan: is meditation.
  
• samaadhi: is salvation.

This is not a complete list but some examples of what one can do.

Recipes from other blogs

I'm very fond of searching good recipes on other blogs and try them too, the two frequencies may be quite different :). There are so many epicurean recipe blogs out there. In fact my inspiration for blogging comes from one such blog. Coming back to what I was saying, so here I'll maintain a list of what recipes I've tried from different blogs.

• Kothimbir vadi(6/28/07): I'd once tasted kothimbir vadi at a maharashtrian wedding and since then wanted to make it. Finally, roaming around the web I came across this recipe and I decided to give it a try. It came out just as I'd expected! It's a crunchy tasty snack!
  
• Onion Chutney(6/6/07): Excellent recipe! My blender was too big for the small quantity and hence I didn't get it to grind finely but the taste was awesome. I just couldn't wait to put up the review till the next time I made it perfectly. I didn't have red onions so I used yellow ones instead but that too tasted good.
  
• Malai Kofta(6/6/07): A nice recipe, the koftas turned out great. One thing that I didn't realize was that the koftas weren't to be fried like cutlets, they'd to be just golden brown. The recipe mentions that. I fried them nice brown like cutlets and that's why they didn't blend with the curry. Even then they tasted very good.
  
• Chole: I seem to be making a whole lot progress on my to-cook list! This recipe is great, the chole looked as well as tasted great! I used tomato paste instead of canned/fresh tomatoes and that worked out well. It gave the sauce a nice color and texture.
  
• Banana chips: They turned out to be delicious! I'd taken a photo for proof-sake but of the two photos that I took one got blurred and the other was over-exposed. I didn't have either peanut oil (as recommended by the recipe) or coconut oil (which is used in Kerala) so I just used my corn oil. Maybe that's why they didn't become as yellow as shown in the recipe; but other than that they were really good; much better than teh stale ones you get in Indian stores out here. It was totally worth the effort. Banana chips and I go way back; when I was a kid I was the only one in my family who used to like banana chips fried in coconut oil. During the time my brother was in Kozhikode (in Kerala), everytime he came home he would bring around 1.5 kgs of the best banana chips!
  
• Huevos Rancheros: A mexican version of scrambled eggs; because it's very flavorful appeals to the Indian taste-bud. It reminds me of the scrambled egg my father used to make for me: he would add coriander powder, garam masala and what not. The only change I made to this recipe was that I increased the quantity of ingredients other than egg to avoid a very "eggy" flavor.
• Lemon rice: It turned out really well, though it lacked tanginess and that's not the recipe's fault I think it was my hesitation in adding so much lime. It looked beautiful, there's no doubt about it. Though while adding the ingredients, my husband and I were so suspicious that how come it needs x in so much quantity.
• Sakarai Pongal: This was my second time I was preparing sweet pongal. The first time I did, let's not even talk about it. So I was very determined to follow the recipe by the T. I'm very health-conscious when it comes to adding butter/ghee to any dish and this recipe wanted 1/4 cup of it!! So with reluctant hands I put the ghee, I could almost see the ghee floating; but it was worth it. Pongal turned out to be simply delicious and my family just loved it!

Recipes that I intend to try (they'll be upgraded after I try them):

• No-Fry Karela chips.
• Dark Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake.
• Khasta Kachori.
• Kerala Parantha.
• Veg Manchurian.
• Til-Kobi Cutlets.
• Suralichi Vadi. (my favorite!)
  

Praise be to Lalu

Any amount of praise is less for this person. I'm totally stunned! About a year back, I completely detested Lalu Prasad Yadav for what he'd done to Bihar. It was surprising to see that someone could be so corrupt; but now I'm all praise for him. From being the world's worst chief minister he's transformed to world's best railway minister! Isn't that incredulous?!?! That is a big transformation! Not that I'm complaining, I'm happy as long as what he's doing doesn't have anything hanky-panky behind it.

Talking about his laurels, he surfaced up the railways from crores of loss to crores of profit, started the "Garib Rath", and now the "Janta Meal". He's implemented some very innovative policies which would benefit the consumer as well as the Railways: a win-win situation. What makes me particularly happy is his efforts to smoothen the ride for the masses of India. It's easy to add technological conveniences at a high price but it's very difficult to cut the cost and at the same time provide amenities. We can aim to be a developed nation only if we bring up the standard of living in our country and it's not uplifted by having a 10% of the population live in nice luxury apartments but yes we do move a step forward when we can say that all our trains are clean, safe, air-conditioned, punctual and provide meals - all at a very affordable price.

A while back I was reading about various innovations that he's done: he has asked that the new coaches be manufactured such that the seat widths are shorter by 1-2 inch. This would be hardly perceptible by the consumer but it would enable adding some extra seats to the coach hence bringing down the fare. He got the linen room removed, again to get some extra seats. I think these are specifically for the Garib Rath so others needn't complain about the inconvenience to carry your own bedding. Even if it was applicable to all trains in general, I think it's a good idea as it makes AC class affordable to a lot of people. Those who don't want to carry their own bedding still have the option of more expensive classes. I'd also read somewhere that he's planning to build budget hotels in the vicinity of railway stations and restaurants inside railway stations. Way to go Indian Railways!

I hope other ministers would follow Lalu's example.

Water for elephants

Author: Sara Gruen

It has taken a lot of time to decide how to rate this book: it was definitely not a must-read but it wasn't too bad also. Slightly slow in the beginning , but once the pace kicks-in you'll not find yourself yawning.

The story is mostly in flashback. It revolves around a young boy, Jacob, who's thrown into the jaws of the cruel world when his parents die. He realizes that he's no possessions in this world - living or non-living. He decides to flee from his present and bumps into a circus train, where he also meets the love of his life. Eventually, circus is where he wants to be for the rest of his life. The narration toggles between his present - the life of a 93-year old in an old age home and his past. Most of the story concentrates on his life in the circus until he gets married. What's appreciative of this novel is the research done by the author regarding life in a circus. Additionally, the illustrations give the effect as if you're reading a real-life story.

I liked the story but not so much that I would call it a New York Times Bestseller. That would be something like Kite Runner. Maybe that's where my disappointment lies, having read that it was a NYTB, I was expecting much more.

Why the name "Water for elephants"? I think it's because in his old age home Jacob had a fight with another resident who claimed that he worked for a circus and brought water for the elephants and that brought back the memories.

Bottomline: A nice read.

Good deeds...(contd)

Before I got a chance to expand further on my previous post, Prajakta's comment said it all. As she says, the deciding factor is whether that deed is your duty or not. If it is and if you're doing it for the good of others then it can never be wrong. She has put beautifully what I'd been trying to frame for so long: "...all good deeds take you closer to moksha".