Indians in Rome

Starry, starry night

2010-12-17T03:44:00.000-08:00

Explore spectacular photos of the universe taken by the Hubbel space telescope here.

True or false?

2010-12-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

The more news there is, the less informed we are. The NY Times believes that the world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano is in deep trouble. But Italy's La Repubblica thinks that the car is on an irresistible growth path Tke your pick.

River to River Film Festival

2010-11-30T23:38:00.000-08:00

All about the 10th Indian Film Festival at Florence starting this weekend.

Best views of life

2010-11-29T04:50:00.000-08:00

A collection of stunning images of life captured through microscopes from the Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition. Enjoy!

The REAL social network!

2010-11-19T03:23:00.000-08:00

The Facebook story has come to celluloid and with rave reviews to boot but then it is virtual. It cannot match the current unfolding story of a closely networked Indian industry and media. Read and listen.

Italy from the cupola of the space station

2010-11-18T04:52:00.000-08:00

(courtesy: ESA)

We all saw this coming....

2010-11-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

Fed up of the multitude of functions on your cell phone and just want to make calls? Here is the phone of your dreams, complete with a paper phone book and a one-page manual.

Two sides

2010-11-17T00:43:00.000-08:00

The stark reality of the Rajasthan village which had its 15 minutes of fame during the US President's visit.

The perils of Cut and Paste!

2010-11-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

The editor of the newsmagazine, India Today, (no less!) had to own up and apologize after a plagiarism charge. Regardless of the cop-and-paste supply chain that led to this fiasco, why would an Indian periodical even need to look up an American e-journal, Slate, when writing on a 100% pure Indian phenomenon called Rajanikanth?

The Orator

2010-11-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Whatever may or may not be the gains of the US President's trip to India, the stand out performance was the speech to the Indian Parliament (full text). Incorporating the the thoughts of Gandhi, King, Tagore, Ambedkar, Vivekananda, even our favourite Panchatantra tales, its sweep and significance is unmistakable.

The festival of lights - enjoy!

2010-11-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

What is this moaning about?

2010-11-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

On the one hand, the American President is about to visit India with the single objective of beefing up job creation. On the other hand, look at the sums spent by individuals in the recent elections to Congress in the name of employment. Some things never add up.

Marco Polo in reverse

2010-11-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

China’s state-run Cosco shipping company is leasing Piraeus, the port of Athens. In Italy, Cosco is expanding the port of Naples. Another logistics company is in talks to build a giant air terminal north of Rome for cargo arriving from China. All this and more here.

The dark side of social networking

2010-11-02T02:39:00.000-07:00

Virtual communities cannot replace real people, flesh and blood friends. Getting out and about is more important than networking in cyber space.

Always keep your trusted alarm clock handy

2010-11-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Many people who relied on their iPhone were late for work last Friday. The reason: it did not adjust to daylight savings time. Whatever happened to adjusting the time manually and changing the alarm as required?

Slow Food

2010-10-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

Possibly the tastiest movement to have come out of Italy. Delicious food and saving the world in the process.

Same ol' story!

2010-10-28T23:31:00.000-07:00

Napoli and its perennial garbage crisis. Deja vu.

Good ol' Deccan Chronicle!

2010-10-28T23:28:00.000-07:00

Hyderabad's favourite daily comes up with a story of live-in relationships, but what's the photo got to do with it ?

The woman who launched a 1000 tirades

2010-10-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Arundhati Roy's views always cause a furore and if the issue is that of India's northernmost state, emotions are likely to boil over. A sampling from the popular blog Churumuri (1) and news channels (2).

Blackburn Roosters

2010-10-27T04:37:00.000-07:00

Possibly the new name for the English Premier league club, Blackburn Rovers, after they have been bought over by Venkateshwara Hatcheries.

Tourism Tip

2010-10-27T02:10:00.000-07:00

According to the Times of India, the CM of Karnataka has visited at least 32 temples in the last 15 days seeking blessings to defuse the political crisis in his state. It also obliges with a short list of the temples. That is indeed a useful to plan an itinerary for the next trip to South India.

Walkman retires!

2010-10-26T04:12:00.000-07:00

Sony has ceased production of the classic Walkman in Japan.

Living it up

2010-10-25T01:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Aurangabad - tour the Bibi ka Maqabra, the fabulous Ajanta and Ellora caves and watch 150 Mercs flit by!

Rough patch for Korea's staple dish

2010-10-21T06:21:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, South Korea's most serious problem is not its thorny northern neighbour but the spiralling price of cabbage. As a result, the price of its favourite dish of fermented cabbage, kimchi, has skyrocketed causing a lot of heartburn.

The new map of the world

2010-10-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

A social networking map which represents websites and web communities as countries and sized on the basis of their popularity reveals interestng details. For instance, some websites are not as popular as one thinks they are and thankfully, the spoken language still rules.

The mind boggles

2010-10-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

Coal India Ltd., almost the Bheeshmapitamah of India's public sector has offered an IPO to collect the neat sum of Rs. 15,000 crores or 15 followed by 10 zeroes. More power to it!

The Blame Games

2010-10-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

Now that the CWG in New Delhi is over and done with, the passing the buck fest and investigations by law enforcement agencies has begun. Did it really showcase India? Hopefully, the 101 medals won and their winners will not be forgotten.

Exploring deeper

2010-10-18T03:46:00.000-07:00

Another fascinating layer of the gladiatorial contests in the Colloseum of Rome has now been opened up to the public. Read about it here.

A new Indian language

2010-10-14T00:48:00.000-07:00

Did you know Arunachal Pradesh is home to 120 languages? Linguists have stumbled on a new one, Koro, while hunting for an old one, Aka. the bad news: only about 800 people speak Koro.

Chakka jam!

2010-10-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Mumbai (or Bombay for the old fashioned) saw a strike by taxi and autorickshaw passengers. For the second time. While the impact of Meter Jam at best is likely to be limited in a city as big as Mumbai, it might be a something to consider by the average Roman, who is harassed every week by some sciopero or the other.

Mindblowing but temper the celebrations

2010-10-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

India's growth rate is predicted to go past China's by as early as 2013, according to the Economist. Two billion people plus economies booming is good news for the world. The sobering thought, the Global Hunger Index finds the nutrition situation for Indian children alarming at rank 67 out of 84 countries. Time to channel the trillion dollar economy into addressing their basic needs.

What's on in Italy?

2010-10-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

As autumn builds and winter approaches, art exhibitions are the perfect place to spend chilly weekends. Here is a list of art exhibits over the next quarter.

Where do you want your kids to study?

2010-10-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

The world of education has changed enormously. Young talent from a country going abroad to study is no longer 'brain drain' but 'brain exchange'.

Stereotyping....eh!

2010-10-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Indians have been worried about the national image being cast in the bad old dirty-toilets-and-rope-tricks mould in the run up to and during the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. But probably no Western country is as stereotyped as Italy. Pasta, pizza, scooters, Mafia, pickpockets - from 'Roman Holiday' to 'Eat,Pray,Love', from travel books to Ipad app-the same images flit across. No wonder, Italians are complaining (oops, that is a stereotype too!).

A home in the wall!

2010-10-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

This former porter's closet in the heart of Rome is currently the smallest apartment in the world and costs

€ 50,000. One person may be one too many for what the French would call a petite pied-à-terre (or foot on the ground)!

Van Gogh in Rome

2010-10-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

An exhibition of more than a 100 works by this Dutch artist will be showcased at the Vittoriano (also known as the Big White Building in Piazza Venezia) from October 9,2010 to Februarr 6, 2011.

Full length movies on You Tube

2010-09-30T01:27:00.000-07:00

Indian movies are slowly spreading all over the world but if you are ever hardpressed to find a DVD, just go to You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/movies/bollywood). As a bonus to make you feel good, they are all legally uploaded!

The other

2010-09-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

SPQR or Senatus Populus Que Romanus (the Senate and People of Rome) is the tagline of the city. Like all acronyms it has an alternative and derisive expansion, recently used by Berlusconi's most important ally. Much fun and indignation in the press.

Believe it or not.....

2010-09-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

.....the University of Vienna is holding a 3-day international conference from the 30th of September to the 2nd of October on "Shah Rukh Khan and Global Bollywood"! (Link in German)

Italian affairs... update

2010-09-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Read here about the recent churning in Italian politics (that can betranslated as Aaya Ram and Gaya Ram in Indian politics!)

The Billboards of Venice

2010-09-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

Venice today is one big advertising board albeit a tastefully designed one. But it has a crucial benefit, funding the tottering city's maintenance. Link.

The eccentric Kishore Kumar

2010-08-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

The owner of this immortal voice (watch some some gems here) was also a comic genius and a weird character. Read his rollicking madcap interview of 1985 here.

.... and being Indian

2010-08-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

The New Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010, 7 years in the works and still churning. Read.
But did you know that the Asian Games 1982 organising committee still exists? Read.
We are like this only!

Being Italian...

2010-08-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

All about boutique merchandise and the problem with guilds (better known as unions or sindacati). Read.

Is there a modern Rome?

2010-07-09T04:11:00.000-07:00

The New York Times asks the Eternal question.

Azzurro!

2010-06-30T06:12:00.000-07:00

Sad about Italy's exit from the World Cup in South Africa? Never mind, here's something as blue as the colours of Gli Azzurri, soft mozzarella cheese. To bite into it, click here.

To tap or not to tap!

2010-05-31T07:15:00.001-07:00

No, this is not about water supply. According to the New York Times,
"Last year, the Italian authorities monitored more than 112,000 phones and 13,000 locations, according to the Justice Ministry, figures widely seen as among the highest in Europe. "
Interested in recent wiretaps? Click on the NYT link.

La Dolce Vita- here and now

2010-05-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

Worried about the Euro, the hung parliament in the UK (how familiar that sounds to Indians!), or the volcanic ash! Here's a tip from columnist Ayaz Amir: "We are too grim about things. If we need a strategic partnership with any country it should be Italy. At least we would take a less frenzied view of the universe. La Dolce Vita, the sweet life, is not just about material things."
Indeed! Maybe the IPL could consider this.
In passing, the article from the NY Review of Books quoted by the writer.

Ok, tata, bye bye!

2010-04-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

One is India's first home grown car, the other is an evergreen, all terrain scooter which at one point had years of waiting lists. Both vehicles - the Maruti 800 and the Bajaj Chetak -are now being phased out. A trip down memory lane from Time magazine.

Business as usual

2010-03-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

A stampede in a temple in Uttar Pradesh kills scores in another entirely avoidable tragedy. The state government has no money to compensate the hapless victims as all the currency notes have been sewn up in garlands. Meanwhile, Rome (and Italy) is having its second transport strike in 2 weeks.

Recommended: Always cap your lunch with a caffé!

2010-03-09T05:22:00.000-08:00

This is fast moving field of research. In December 2009, an article reported that people drinking three to four cups of coffee or tea day had a 25 percent lower risk for Type 2 diabetes. Now a new study shows, that for optimal results, it is best to combine lunch with black coffee. It lowered the risk of Type 2 diabetes by one third (in a study that involved nearly 70,000 women).

Of course, it also keeps you awake the rest of the day!

Hindi,Chini, Fratello, Fratello!

2010-02-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

The most popular bit of news among Indians here is that China Airlines now offers direct flights to New Delhi from Rome. Something that Air India should have done but can't be bothered. No doubt, Indians in Italy will add another 0.1% to Taiwan's burgeoning GDP!

The youth and print media

2010-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

The 459 million strong youth population of India is holding up the popularity of newspapers, in the age of 24 hour TV channels and the Internet. A sharp contrast from the situation in the West but owes much to the relatively poor penetration of the Internet in India. Details here.

60th Republic Day

2010-01-26T04:47:00.000-08:00

The Republic of India turns 60. The popular blog Churumuri calls this, the country's sashtiabdhapoorthi, an opportune moment to lean back and look into the rear-view mirror. Also a link to a remarkably mature view of Indian patriotism (' not nationalistic, not imperialist, not aggressive, but rather self-critical') in Slate. Last but not the least, the new version of 'Mile sur mera tumhara' (in two parts) released today.

IPL on YouTube!

2010-01-21T08:03:00.001-08:00

IPL 2010 and 2011 will be telecast live on You Tube. That certainly is good news for Indians living in the backwaters of the cricket world (like Italy!). YouTube claims that this is the first major sporting event to be streamed across the globe. That the IPL and Google are confident of making money out of free webcasting suggests that T20 can spread virally but is not a virus as suggested by some!

60 for Rajnikant

2009-12-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

Rajnikant's 60th birth day (shashtipoorthi) has touched off a wave of articles on his legendary mannerisms. Here is a link to a collection of them.
Sample: #Rajini once hit 10 runs in 1 ball. One piece of ball he hit for four and another piece a SIX!
Enjoy!

बनारसी साडी/ Benarsi saree

2009-11-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

Enough of cheap Chinese imitations. The Benarsi saree, possibly the most important component of a traditional Indian wedding, has been granted the Geographical Indication or GI certificate by the Indian government. Only saris produced in Varanasi, Azamgarh, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Mirzapur and Sant Ravi Dass Nagar (Bhadohi) -all in Uttar Pradesh-will be considered Benarsi saris. This also covers Jamdani, Jangla, Jamawar Tanchoi, Tissue, cut work, butidar and silk embroidery saris.

Indian classical dance for Diwali

2009-10-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2009
5 - 6.30pm

DIWALI – THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT
An evening celebrating a beautiful event, the re-igniting of the lamp of the soul, by the Great Light. In these times of greatest need, the Light of hope, courage and wisdom guides us back to our home of light, the land of peace. This evening will consist of a description of the spiritual significance of this festival.

The evening will include classical indian dance by Dhruv Pandey together with other cultural items.
FREE ADMISSION
sabato, 24 ottobre – ore 17:00/18:30

‘DIWALI’ LA FESTA DELLA LUCE
Musica, performance artistiche e
meditazione per celebrare una delle più
avvincenti festività indiane.

Danza Indiana…… canzone……..musica…………!

Una serata per celebrare un evento magnifico, la “riaccesnione” della fiamma dell’anima, attraverso la Grande Luce. Nel nostro tempo di estremo bisogno, la Luce della speranza, del coraggio e della saggezza, ci guida e ci riporta alle nostre origini là dove dimora la Luce, nella terra della pace. La serata consisterà in una descrizione del significato spirituale della festa.

Presso
UNIVERSITA’ SPIRITUALE MONDIALE BRAHMA KUMARIS (ONLUS)
Via Laura Mantegazza 59/c - 00152 Roma (Monteverde). - Tel: 06 5342405
E-mail: info@it.bkwsu.org
Sito: www.bkwsu.org/italy

Happy Diwali

2009-10-16T04:50:00.001-07:00

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous Diwali to all.

Join the dots below

2009-10-15T01:23:00.000-07:00

They say that the charges against this man, the alleged mastermind of 26/11 in Mumbai, are not worth the paper they are written on. His organisation continues to function with impunity. Another horrific bloodbath today in Lahore.
Chickens coming home to roost?

Particles and Pasta

2009-10-15T01:16:00.000-07:00

A delightful article on pasta with appetizing pictures from the New York Times. In the same paper, an article on the Return of the Large Hadron Collider after a year out of action and the continuing quest for the earliest particles.

The misnamed spectre

2009-10-08T03:54:00.000-07:00

It is ironic that a bunch of violent, bloodthirsty extremists are called the Taliban. The word itself means 'those gaining knowledge' or in short, students. 4 days ago, they inhumanly killed 5 humanitarian workers of the World Food Programme (headquartered in Rome) in Pakistan. Today, they attacked the Indian embassy in Kabul and the toll so far is 12. This is the second attack in a year on the embassy. The earlier one in 2008 claimed as many as 41 lives.

Unfortunately, there is unlikely to be any let up in their campaign of senseless killing.

For more disturbing news about what this means for India, read here and here.

Wherever you are, stay safe.

The ubiquitous code!

2009-10-07T00:37:00.000-07:00

Google marks the invention of the bar code in it's own style.

Wiki-building Rome

2009-10-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

Millions of tourist visit Rome every year and click even more millions of photos. Now, a computer algorithm uses these tourist images and synthesises 3-D views of Rome's most famous landmarks. Enjoy them through this link.

Happy Dusshera and Shubho Bijoya!

2009-09-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all for Vijay Dashami and Bijoya. Do visit the pujas latest by 28th evening (locations in the previous post) before Durga returns to Shiva at Mount Kailash. These pictures are from the celebrations at Teatro San Luca in Rome.

Durga Puja 2009 in Rome

2009-09-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

The festival season is here. Like every year, Durga Puja will be celebrated at the the following locations from the 24th of September:

Teatro San Luca, Via Renzo da Ceri, 136 (Map)
Organised by Om International.

Casa Popolare, Viale Irpinia 50 (Map)
Organised by Hindu Puja Udjapan Parishad.

All are welcome.

Cursive writing, filling a fountain pen.....

2009-08-30T05:42:00.000-07:00

.....using log tables,formatting a floppy disk, ironing clothes are now termed obsolete skills! If need be be,you can refresh your memory here.

At last, a reality show with genuine winners

2009-08-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

This stunning dance of Sri Krishna by a troupe from rural Orissa won the inagural edition of 'India's Got Talent. Watch and shake your head in disbelief!

From the NY Review of books

2009-08-06T03:51:00.000-07:00

Two articles, one on how journalism could rejuvenate itself through the Internet even as newspapers struggle to survive and the second on a exhibition of Venetian masters -Tiziano, Tintoretto and Vernonese.

Four of the finest

2009-07-30T01:59:00.000-07:00

India lost four of its finest and most beautiful citizens last week. Gangubai Hanagal and Damal Krishnaswamy Patammal were doyens of classical music who overcame economic and gender prejudices. Leela Naidu was the ethereal beauty of the Hindi film, Anuradha (1,2) also marked by its outstanding music score composed by Pt.Ravi Shankar. Gayatri Devi was in many ways the last of the Rajputana Royals with lineage, class and mass appeal. Rest in peace.

Clones take on drugs

2009-07-21T05:52:00.000-07:00

South Korea's Incheon airport has started using a group of cloned sniffer dogs to detect drugs. Science fiction is here and real.

Berlusconi,Tehran and Kung Fu panda

2009-07-16T01:11:00.000-07:00

This article in the London Review of Books links the three.

No tigers in Panna

2009-07-15T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Panna National Tiger Reserve has no tigers left.

Follow the monsoon

2009-07-13T05:09:00.000-07:00

Will there be sufficient rain this year? Regular updates via the Indian Met Department.

No charisma required

2009-07-13T05:05:00.000-07:00

This article from Time magazine on the most Obama-unlike world leaders - Merkel and Manmohan Singh.

Spend,spend,spend!

2009-07-13T04:55:00.000-07:00

Budget 2009 in India is a reaction to the current state of the world economy apart from rewarding the electorate for re-electing teh government- increase spending and cut taxes. With cold capitalism locked in the deep freeze especially in the West, what are the prospects of reforms -read here and here. Does anyone have a shadow budget to suggest?

For the off beat traveller

2009-07-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

From the world's largest man-made swimming pool to a petrified forest, a collection of beautiful and bizarre tourist destinations.

Speechless!

2009-06-19T04:49:00.000-07:00

courtesy Churumuri.

Desperation vs Hope

2009-05-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

A cautionary tale of the Maoists' hold in India's tribal belt by Sudip Mazumdar (author of the book,Red Sun). By the same author, another article chronicling the rise of Rahul Gandhi in the Hindi heartland. Mihir Bose, BBC columnist,waxes eloquent on why Indians are high individual achievers but India has yet to assume its position on the world stage.

Real scandal or storm in an espresso cup!

2009-05-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

The right-wing politician Francesco Storace said in a recent radio interview, “People don’t vote for Berlusconi because he tells the truth; they vote for him because they like him.” More about the recent events in Italian politics in this New York Times article.

Diamonds on show

2009-05-30T22:08:00.000-07:00

Bulgari is holding its first retrospective of diamonds in the brand’s history, in Rome at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni on Via Nazionale. It is open to the public from May 22 to September 13, 2009.

The incredible Dr.Singh!

2009-05-17T14:26:00.001-07:00

Who would have ever thought that a soft-spoken economist would become a cult figure!

Delhi does not show up either

2009-05-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

50% voting in Delhi in the Lok sabha elections. Going the same way as Mumbai.

Delayed by late arrival of the Sheikh!

2009-05-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

'There is a delay folks. The game will only start after the Sheikh arrives, so we'll just have to wait it out. We've seen matches delayed by rain, fog, a wet outfield - just add this to the last. An unprecedented stoppage this, as far as I know. Not because of weather, but because a dignitary is not on time.'

The reason why the T20 match between Australia and Pakistan started late in Dubai.

Didn't turn up

2009-05-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

South Mumbai, scene of the 26/11 attacks, recorded 45% polling last week.So much for all the outrage and anger at politicians over the tragedy. A tongue in cheek look at it here but apathy is a very serious issue nevertheless.

Andhra Curry!

2009-04-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

Shrimp pulusu made easy!

The Jumbo election

2009-04-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

'The Economist's' lead story on India's marathon democratic exercise. Tomorrow is round three.

Bigger than the IPL!

2009-04-28T01:10:00.001-07:00

Gossip served hot, complete with funny nicknames and every ingredient of a Hindi masala movie. Fake or genuine, it's the most popular blog on the IPL.

Chuck the shoe!

2009-04-28T01:07:00.000-07:00

The epidemic is in full flow this election season !

Cartoon courtesy the Deccan Chronicle.

Lonely Planet should bookmark this!

2009-04-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

A lone voter in the wilderness with 300 lions around!

Ha!

2009-04-21T02:53:00.000-07:00

Players in the cricket IPL2009 are not happy with the 7 1/2 minute break after 10 overs (ostensibly to strategise but in reality to advertise). But those playing in the Indian Political League should be happy, according to Deccan Chronicle.

Wives in the poll game, husbands campaign!

2009-04-21T02:47:00.000-07:00

A tale of an all women - an ex-actress vs a minister vs a greenhorn- contest for the Andhra assembly. The winner will be decided on the 23 rd.

A for आम चुनाव!

2009-04-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Interestingly, the general elections began in the states (AP, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh) and union territory (Andamans) whose names start with A. This kicks off the month long democratic exercise.

Happy New Year

2009-04-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

It is Baisakhi in Punjab, Poila Boisakh in West Bengal, Bohaag Bihu in Assam and Visu in Kerala. In short, Happy New Year in many languages.

35th among democracies!!!

2009-04-08T01:38:00.001-07:00

For once, Indian political parties have good reason to sneer at the 'Economist's Democracy Index'. India is ranked 35th overall and 5th among 'flawed democracies' just below South Africa, Chile, Taiwan and Cape Verde. The combined population of these 4 countries would barely equal a couple of Indian cities not to speak of the diversity of religion,culture and language that exists in India. In an election year with 741 million eligible voters, all we can do is snort!

Earthquake in Abruzzo

2009-04-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

The deadliest earthquake (6.3 on the Richter scale) to affect Italy in 3 decades hit L'Aquila in Abruzzo this morning at 3:30. Strong tremors were felt in Rome and plenty of us woke up to buildings shaking. While little or no damage has been reported in Rome, there has been heavy loss of life and property in L'Aquila. We sincerely hope that your near and dear ones are safe.

Chandni Chowk vs China!

2009-04-03T02:13:00.001-07:00

Chinese chowmein and Indian curry account for 70% of the ethnic food market in Britain with the Chinese dish ahead. The battle continues!

Surf and browse and be better employees!

2009-04-02T04:14:00.000-07:00

Given the obsession that most firms have with blocking easy Internet access,blogging and social networking, this may come as an eye-opener. Allowing workers to browse in moderation may actually make them more efficient. This is the link to the results of the study done at the University of Melbourne. Sounds reasonable that surfers have varied interests and may be good multi-taskers.

April Fool!

2009-04-01T04:53:00.000-07:00

Deccan Chronicle posts its annual spoof headline. Too bad, though, that the IPL will not be held in India. Better to play safe by exporting the event than risk sullying India's election process with overstretched security.

The Gita on Good Friday

2009-03-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

Gandhi's thoughts on ahimsa and the Bhagavad Gita's message of selfless action are to be incorporated in Good Friday prayers this year by the Vatican. This is the contribution of the Catholic Archbishop of Guwahati.