My world?

In my post Its fine...You Nut!!, i had asked 2 questions....


Have you tried unlocking your house door by showing or swiping your badge and wonder why the door has not opened? 

Were you trying to increase the TV volume with your cell phone?

Most of us proudly proclaimed that we did it and that we ARE nuts. But reiterating on the same, are these to be dismissed off as an aberration? Isn't it that it needs some thought?

One could say, What big deal? I was just pre-occupied or engrossed in some thoughts. Even so, isnt that your first instinct relies on technology? At the switch of a button, your AC is turned on, at the swipe of a card; money at your disposal. Don't you feel empowered?

You don't have to walk to the switchboard to control the AC, you don't have to run to the bank, wait in queue to withdraw money. Your favorite songs are all loaded into your ipod. Your contacts are all at the flick of your finger tips, imagine jotting them down in a diary and carrying that book around everywhere you went.

You have created a virtual world around you. If you have a problem, tweet it and just watch how many advices, support and sympathies you get. So many virtual shoulders to cry on huh!....If you feel alone, just pick your phone, choose, call and connect.Technology lets you keep connected emotionally and mentally with one another, empowerment.

But is it really what it sounds? Are your online friends really friends? Do you really get peace of mind after sharing your sorrows online with a virtual entity. Are those smileys real emotions? Are we not creating a distance with those physically present around us? How awkward it is to be frowning at your spouse but smiling at your laptop!!!!! Is it not weird?

You get irritated when the door bell rings, but you are glad when your cell phone rings. You wait for those calls which never come, keep looking for the messages that was never sent. We create our own little kingdoms, keeping the friends we need, play the games I want....in silos. You are glad when your online friend sends a message but peeved when your spouse wants to have a chat with you.

So while you tweet, your spouse scraps. Instead of sharing the thoughts with each other, its tweeted and scrapped!!!

But when its a hassle to keep away people who are physically with you, isn't it just a click of a button to shoo away those who are part of your virtual world? No expectations, no complaints. Click away your relationship :-P

Edakkal caves and Kannur Fort

This was my 2nd trip to Kerala in the last 4 months. It was to attend a marriage in Kannur, the route was through the Bandipur reserve. Didn't manage to catch a glimpse of any animals this time, it was hot and dry. Decided to take a detour to visit Edakkal caves in Wayanad.


Edakkal Caves

These are fascinating neolithic natural cave site with pre-historic rock etchings. on the walls of these caves.The earliest works seem to date back to 8000 years ago. The word EDAKKAL means "a stone in between", describing how the caves are formed. A heavy boulder straddles a fissure in the rock.

The walk to the cave is very tiring, steep and needs lot of stamina. There are ladders at places, but it would only make it difficult..Quite slippery but worth it at the end :-)

The rock carvings are quite fascinating, proof that they had tools well defined. There are pictures of chieftains, man, wheel, elephants...

More about Edakkal caves here - Ambukuthi Mala and Edakkal caves. Did click few pictures. Here they are.

Steep, uneven ways leading to the cave.

To the cave

The EDAKKAL - boulder in between the caves

Stone carvings on a wall

A chieftain

An inscription

Wheels

A pattern

St. Angelo's Fort

It is also called as Kannur Fort and is built along the shores of Arabian sea. It was built in 1505 by the Portuguese, just like For Aguada in Goa. The seashore is picturesque, natural fishing bay . The fort is built of laterite, triangular and the walls protect the inland from the rough sea.

More about the fort here - St Angelo's Fort. Now for some photos

The wall against the sea

The sea

Canons facing the sea

Light at the end of the tunnel :-)

Storage rooms maybe

Laterite wall and a canon

A wall

Taxes and Tax Breaks

This post was supposed to be on my trip to Kerala. But I got an email from a friend which had a link to an article where American Mustache Institute wants tax break. for mustached people.

Funny and weird. Here is the link - Click

The longer the mustache, the more you save money!! Oh yeah!! why not? Think of its maintenance!! Now now!! this idea is great..Even Mona Lisa would grow one....:-)

But it was just the other way during the reign of Peter the Great, the Tsar of Russia. Known to tax beehives and drinking water, he levied taxes on men who grew beard in 1705. It was an attempt to ramp up his people with modernized Europe. 

There are few weird taxes and tax breaks all over the world. I read them in a leading newspaper during our Budget. Here are few wackiest ones.

 Tax on possession of illegal drugs in the state of Tennessee.

Tax for prostitution in few countries.

Training in the fine art of WITCHCRAFT in Netherlands gives you a tax-break!!. Now who wants to be a witch!! Brooms are also tax-free!!

Swedish Tax authority has the right to decide if the names parents chose for their children is acceptable or not. Its not taxable, but they have the final say!! Weird and offensive names are NO-NO

Until recently, Germany allowed tax breaks on bribes for businesses.

Taxes on cow burps and farts in countries like Denmark because these emit more methane than car!! What if this tax were implied to human beings as well?

Tax breaks to relocate your pet...Happens in America!! :-)

Tax breaks for business meetings held in the Bermudas and the Caribbean Islands!! Exotically business!!

Swimming pool for medical purposes!! YES!!!!

Tax breaks on cat food, they kept out rodents, why not!!

Foreign nationals gambling in the US are exempt from 30% of tax on their earnings in the USA.
I didnt know this when i went to Vegas!! :-(............Errrrrr..as if I would win!!

Tax breaks for sex toys in Australia....hmmmmmm..........

Decks of playing cards in Alabama gets taxed. Play and Get Taxed!!

Here are some of strangest tax laws in America

Now I have some ideas for tax breaks in India.

- Men must get tax breaks for not urinating on the road. Now how to track it??? I dont know.

- Tax breaks for not spitting on the road. Definitely.

- Tax breaks for not jostling.

- Tax breaks for using the dustbins.

- Tax breaks for following traffic rules.

- Tax breaks for following the queue.

- Tax breaks for not prompting "Adjust Please"

- Tax breaks for not groping at women in public transport.

Awwww.......I can go on and on......

Any more?

The King Arrives

I traveled to Kerala last weekend. Will write about it in my next post. That morning when we started our drive to Kerala, we decided to have breakfast at a restaurant on the outskirts of Bangalore. That place has varieties of birds as pets, hens, turkeys, parrots.....

I decided to take few pictures of the turkeys and other birds. They are amazing birds, resilient and prolific. The Tom Turkey(male) has a bright red fleshy wattle which protrudes from its forehead.

I took few pictures when one of them was roaming around and later went near the cage where parrots were kept to take few pictures. I turned around to see a Tom Turkey in FULL PLUMAGE DISPLAY. It was strutting proudly, magnificent walk, in all glory with fanned tail and fluffed feathers. It was as if The King Arrived.

I was astonished and fascinated and immediately started clicking few pictures. But as I was clicking, I was constantly walking backwards as this bird was strutting towards me. It was a majestic sight. After a couple of minutes, I got really scared when it came close by. I thought its a strategy to scare foreign bodies and decided to leave it alone.

Just sometime back, i wanted to confirm if they were in full display to scare or was there some other reason. The real reason is this - The display is a MATING display. :-S They strut proudly for the hens, and the wattle turns a bright red during this mating display. Observe the picture again.

So did this creature think I WAS A HEN? And was he trying to seduce me??? :-S

Dear me!!

Wicked

Now, how many are already having those wicked smile :-P I see it!!
However angelic we claim we are, we would have done some harmless wicked stuffs. You bet!!! The happiness we get out of it...:-)

ITS WICKED

- When a lady bluntly rejects a friend request from a handsome hunk.

- When you inform your manager in the team meeting that he has not completed a task that YOU are depending on.

- Fill the remaining can of diet Coke with water before your colleague gets back to his desk.

- Send a mail from your friend's mail ID to the whole bunch that "I am getting married" when he is away leaving his system unlocked.

- Offer coffee mixed with salt to your guest who has dropped in unannounced, and then profusely apologize.

- Call up your colleague's cellphone in the midst of meeting and the phone sings "Kajraa re....Kajraa re"

- Give wrong directions to some one seeking directions on the road, instead of saying that you didn't know the place.

- Cut the strap of the footwear and ask your mom to buy a new pair.

- Wake up a soundly sleeping person and tell him/her that its late for work; when its actually dusk.

- Raise a false fire alarm at office and say "Oh, I accidentally pressed the switch".


Dont ask me what all I did. What all I did not do will be a shorter list :-P

Anymore to add to the lists :-P

Is this Summer or Spring?

Summers coming along well. The days are hot, longer and sweaty. The breeze blows hot, the sun seems to show no mercy. Any amount of liquid doesnt satisfy the thirst, beads of sweat falling on the dry hot earth......

 But there's something that brings a smile on your face and wish the summers prolong. Yeah, really!!! Thats why they say "A silver lining in the cloud".

The colorful lively flowers, the trees have shed their leaves, all barren, but the flowers give so much of life to them.
Is this why they say NOTHING IS LOST. You could learn so very much just by seeing them.

I see these beautiful views while commuting to my office everyday. It makes me happy, and wish the summers stay just for these.

Why do people laugh?

Well, I am sane and not a zombie. I am laughing regularly; morning, noon and night. I am also laughing during mid-morning and late noon.

So why the question? I just observed a father and his teenage son on the way while commuting. My thought process kicked then. Why do people laugh? Obviously, laughter is the expression for happiness and joy.

And why do people feel happy and gay? Not GAY but gay :-D So did you laugh now? If yeah, you are perfectly normal, if you did not, please consult a psychologist.

Yeah, whoever laughed, it was because the statement was humorous. Obvious!! What a big deal?

Have you noticed how laughter comes to our rescue when you do a mistake? A blunder? You ride on the wrong side of the road, people abuse you and show fingers at you. You laugh at your foolishness.

You are almost on the verge of entering the restroom meant for opposite genders. Such a dangerous thing!! You realise your folly and then laugh about it.

Yeah, talking about the man and his teenage son, they were trying to cross the road, then stopped. They were undecided and when they walked across, vehicles came to a screeching halt. The father and the boy laughed coyly while the drivers frowned.

We do laugh when we are in deep sorrow. Yeah!! right! have you ever experienced it? You laugh, and then think if you have gone mad!!

Oh!! who can forget that open heart loud laugh which is contagious. You laugh your gut out at a joke, continue laughing for a long time, actually forgetting why you started laughing in the first place.

Ohhhhhh!!! Hmmm......when someone tickled you. you laugh...laugh until tears flow out.

We would laugh when tickled by someone known to us, but not definitely if a stranger does it. So laughter is related to personal relationships. 

And yes, your boss laughs more than you. Your wife laughs more than you. So its the dominant individuals who laugh most.

Here are few interesting facts about laughter.

1. Human beings are only species capable of laughter, and an average adult laughs about 17 times a day.
2. Laughing 100 times is equivalent to about 10 minutes of exercise on a rowing machine.
3.We use 17 muslces to smile and 43 muslces to frown, so its easier to laugh.


So to laugh now, a cute little story.

There were two brothers, aged 6 and 8. They were very naughty and inflicted damages around in the neighborhood. Everyone believed they were the reason when the windows broke, or when the cars were damaged or the potted plants pulled out or if something was lost. A priest upon knowing the problem offered to solve it. He asked these two brothers to meet him. When they went to meet him in his room, he asked the younger one to stay and the elder one to come back later. When they were alone, he asked the boy calm but stern 

"Where is God?"

The boy was silent, he again repeated strictly "Where is God?"

He waited for a while and then went close to the boy, his nose almost touching the boy's nose and shouted "Where is God?"

The kid ran away as fast as he could and searched for his elder brother. The brother was shocked to see his sibling with fear and asked "What happened? What did the priest say?"

The younger boy replied; "Something terrible has happened".

The elder one asks "What happened?"

The boy replies "God is missing and they think we are the reason behind it".