"Saved"

There are many times I feel like god isn't on my side. If only he had protected me or sheided me from that speeding ticket, or the public speaking (since people fear public speaking more than death), etc. I guess many of us feel this way from time to time. I recently had an experience where I felt that he had my back and would like to take a moment to note it down. So that the next time I feel like he isn't there for me, I remember this moment. Also, I hope I realize that whatever I'm going through at the moment is something that I need to go through.

I hope that whoever reads this will note it down whenever they feel as if they've been "saved" for a later time when we weren't.

$25+ Bank of America Bonus

You can get $25 and the person you refer can get $25 when they:
Open a Bank of America personal checking account with a Bank of America Visa® Check Card. $25 minimum balancee

Add any Bank of America savings account and they can get an EXTRA $10. Open that account with at least $1,000, and we’ll increase that bonus to $25.
Offer expires on 1/24/07 and is available in any Bank of America banking center or online when this referral form is presented at the time of account opening

email id you would like to use with your BOA Account
to sheel1@gmail.com

I will enter your name into Bank of America's referral page, and it will send you an email with the information necessary to sign up for the account.

$25 ING Direct Bonus

ING Direct's $25 referral sign-up bonus plan is still valid. The person joining gets $25 and the referrer gets $10. Currently to receive the $25 referral bonus requires you to open the account with a deposit of $250.

To get a referral send an email to me with your

first and last name

email id you would like to use with your Orange Savings account
to sheel1@gmail.com

I will enter your name into ING Direct's referral page, and it will send you an email with the information necessary to sign up for the account.

The bonus is given pretty much right away, within the next day of signing up.

Important Questions for Harry Potter Book 7

In my mind, the questions JK Rowling can't answer are the ones that are important.
So here they are questions that she didn't want to answer from the Mugglenet/Leaky Cauldron interview:

ES: What would Dumbledore see?
JKR: I can't answer that.

ES: What would Dumbledore's Boggart be?
JKR: I can't answer that either, but for theories you should read 6 again. There you go.

MA: R.A.B.
JKR: Ohhh, good.
JKR: No, I'm glad! Yes?
MA: Can we figure out who he is, from what we know so far?
JKR: Do you have a theory?
MA: We've come up with Regulus Black.
JKR: Have you now?
MA: Uh-oh.
JKR: Well, I think that would be, um, a fine guess.
MA: And perhaps, being Sirius's brother, he had another mirror -
JKR: [drums fingers on soda can]
MA: Does he have the other mirror, or Sirius's mirror -
JKR: I have no comment at all on that mirror. That mirror is not on the table.


I plan to re-read the books and figure this out.

Krishnashraya Stotram

Having memorized it for years, I'm surprised that I just recently learnt the meaning of the words of the Krishnashraya Stotram. It was composed by Shree Vallabhacharya at Adel and addressed to Bula Mishra of Lahor. It gives the historical Background of his time in India. He describes the worst state of affairs in India at that time, relating to holy places, rituals and their extinct power, the self seeking learned men, the worthlessness of mankind etc., and on the other hand the effectiveness of the refuge in Shree Krishna (Krushna). Shree Vallabhacharyaji advocates taking shelter under Shree Krishna and none else but Krishna under all circumstances. These words are truly beautiful..and thanks to websites such as the ones listed, I think people have a better understanding.

http://www.pushtikul.com/

http://www.yamna.co.uk/

http://www.geocities.com/pushti_marg

http://www.shrivallabhsharanam.com
_____________________________________
The Meaning of Krishnashraya Stotram
----------------------------------------
When in this Kaliyug (Evil era), with villainous characteristics, all ways of attaining God have vanished and hypocrisy is rampant in people, Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (1)

When the country is besieged by invaders and is the home for only sinners, and when people are worried due to torturing of the good people, Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (2)

When the most holy places of pilgrimage like Ganga and others are encircled by only the wicked people, and when the divine sanctity has disappeared from those places, Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (3)

When even the good people are dulled with pride, follow the sinners and aspire only for wealth and prestige, Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (4)

When due to absence of knowledge of real meanings, the scared hymns are almost destroyed and there is no propriety for observing of vows and when the efficacy and deities of Mantras have disappeared, Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (5)

When, due to all sorts of interpretations of all ritualistic acts and keepng vows etc., are worthless and when all are in the pursuit of hypocritical attempt, Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (6)

It is our experience that Shree Krushna has done away with all shortcomings of people like Ajamila and thus has displayed his supreme greatness. Therfore Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (7)

All deities are just ordinary. Even the Brahma (Akshara Brahma, abode of Supreme Spirit) is one with limited joy. Whereas KRUSHNA is perfect joy. Hence Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (8)

I am deviod of discreet understanding, patience and devotion etc., and much more, I am addicted to sins; I am without any means to achieve GOD. Shree Krushna alone is my resort. (9)

He is the omnipotent, the one who fulfils all desires everywhere and who gracefully uplifts all those supplicating to him so I beseech to Shree Krushna (10)

For anyone who recites this Krushnashrayam Stotram in the presence of Shree Krushna, The God himself becomes his refuge. So said Shree Vallabha. (11)

The Race towards Oscar

It's that time of the year where I check out Oscar contenders and Golden Globe nominees for the Foreign film section and see if India has made the cut. Not that it matters.
"On a daily basis I educate Hollywood Studios that Bollywood represents 3.8 Billion fans worldwide compared to Hollywood 3.6 Billion fans worldwide, it's time for Hollywood to wake up." Said Sheeraz Hasan (founder of www.Hollywood.tv).

I find this quote to be amazing. I must say that I new this to be true years ago. I find it amazing that Indian movies are watched by more people than any other country's films and that too with a language not spoken by the majority of the world. I have people with non-Indian ancestry coming to me from Russia, Guyana, Nigeria, etc. telling how they are big fans of Indian films and how they've been watching since they were kids. I get so surprised since they can't otherwise speak the language, yet are fans of the films.

Anyhow, it seems like this years contenders for Golden Globe Nominations, "Rang De Basanti", "Omkara", and "Lage Raho Munnabhai" didn't make the final list. I wish them better luck at the Oscars. My favorite in all of these is RDB, although I haven't seen Omkara. LRM was good, but I still LOVE RDB.

Harry Potter Final Book

Most of us can't wait, so here are a few details that I have read about Book 7:

• It's either Harry or Voldemort, right, one of them is dead at the end of the book.
• No more school for Harry, he will be attempting to find and destroy Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes
• Harry will return to the Dursleys' during the school vacation, but the magical protection Dumbledore arranged will expire on his 17th birthday when he comes of age --so what does that mean??
• Harry will visit Godric's Hollow --- Godric's Hollow is where Lily and James Potter were hiding from Voldemort, where they were killed and where their graves are. The fact that the name of the town is Godric like Godric Gryffindor is imporatant.
• Viktor Krum will return -- good or evil, I think he will have been made evil by his former headmaster, Igor Karkaroff. Ofcourse hat night of the Goblet of Fire, Igor didn't make it to the Dark Lord as some of the followers. Evenso, once a deatheater, always a deatheater. Lets see if Igor has any influence on his life still.
• Gain knowledge about Lily Potter and the fact that Harry has her eyes are important.
• Something will be revealed about Petunia Dursley (she isn't a Squib)
• One thing that sucks is that there won't be anymore Quidditch matches -- I strive to play this game one day...it seems like a fun game and the only thing getting in my way is that I can't fly.
  

Anwar Lyrics

I think I've said before "Music haunts me." I think this song is a perfect example. I can't listen to anything else but this song right now; it's so well written, well sung, and blended together perfectly. Anwar is one movie I'm looking forward to seeing. The first time I heard the song when I was viewing the trailer for the movie, it caught my attention --the smoothness of the song.

maula mere, maula mere maula mere, maula mere - 4
aankhein teri - 2, kitni haseen
ke inkaa aashiq, mein ban gayaa hoon
mujhako basaa le, inmein tu
(ishq hai maula mere, maula mere maula mere, maula mere - 2) - 3

ki inakaa aashiq, mein ban gayaa hoon
mujhako basaa le, iname tu

mujhse yeh har ghadi, mera dil kahe
tum hi ho uski aarzoo
mujhse yeh har ghadi, mere lab kahe
teri hi ho sab guftagoo
baatein teri itni haseen, main yaad inko jab kartaa hoon
phoolon si aaye, khushaboo

rakh loon chhupaa ke main kahin tujhko
saayaa bhi tera na main doon
rakh loon bana ke kahin ghar, main tujhe
saath tere, main hi rahoon
julfen teri, itni ghani
dekh ke inako, yeh sochta hoon
saaye me, inake main jiyoon
(ishq hai maula mere, maula mere maula mere, maula mere - 2) - 3

(meraa dil yahi bolaa, mera dil yahi bolaa,
yaara raaz yeh usne hai mujh par kholaa
ki hai ishq mohabbat, jiske dil mein
usko pasand karta hai maulaa) - 3

There's another song on the album that is really good, Javeda Zindagi (AKA Tose Naina Lagey) ..The album as a whole has more than one music director, but both of these songs are by the same one, Mithoon. This is his second album after 'Bas ek Pal'. You know music is good, when it changes your mood to reflect the mood of the music.

Phone-Tax Refund

In August, the Treasury Department stopped collecting a 3 percent surcharge on long distance calls and bundled service that dated back to 1898 - a tariff often referred to as the Spanish American War tax because Congress passed it to help fund that conflict. The tax is still being assessed on local phone service.

In announcing the exclusion of long distance in May, Treasury also said it will refund any money collected under the tax since March 2003, a total of 41 months overall. The Internal Revenue Service is adding a line to its various 1040 forms to claim the refund on 2006 tax returns filed next year. Businesses and tax-exempt organizations need to fill out Form 8913, "Credit for Federal Telephone Excise Tax Paid," to claim the refund with their returns. Those who wouldn't otherwise need to file tax returns can file a form called "1040EZ-T" to request the refund.

Individuals can claim a standard refund of between $30 and $60, as follows: $30 for one person plus $10 for each additional exemption claimed on the return. So a solo filer would claim a refund of $30, while a married couple with two children would claim $60. The IRS said it devised these standard amounts based on phone usage data for households of different sizes.

This is how I plan to calculate my Excess Federal Taxes:
1) Get a copy of the new bill post August 2006, when they stopped collecting the Federal Tax (i.e. Oct. 2006)
2) Get a copy of an old bill of yours prior to August 2006, when they were collecting the Federal Tax (i.e. June 2005)
3) See which tax appears in the old bill that doesn’t appear in the newer one…and that is your excess amount.
4) You can take that amount and multiply it by 41 and that is your refund amount or you can total the amount in the previous 41 bills, which also is my option…just gotta find the old bills.

Directly from the IRS website:
IRS announcement of Telephone Tax Refund: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=161504,00.html

IRS Q&A on telephone tax refund for individuals: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id161506,00.html

IRS Q&A on telephone tax refund for businesses:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id164310,00.html

Other good Freebies:
http://www.google.com/notebook/public/15076703108624276567/BDRNQSwoQluXO0N4h

Get a Human when calling Customer Service

I like to pretend that I don't have a touchtone phone, so I can directly go to customer service.

This is increasing becoming harder since they have come out with computers and you no longer have to push buttons, but just talk and tell the computer what you need, which is a headache by its self.  

Here's a list that has been put together for some of the most popular companies:
http://www.gethuman.com/us/ 

Target Heart Rate

For those of you working out just like me.  I'm currently doing 3+ days a week.  I get confused between the different target heart rates.  

Men: 220 - your age = Maximum Heart Rate (mhr)
Women 226- your age = Maximum Heart Rate (mhr)

TRAINING ZONES
Healthy Heart Zone (Warm up) --- 50 - 60% of maximum heart rate: The easiest zone and probably the best zone for people just starting a fitness program. It can also be used as a warm up for more serious walkers. This zone has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also decreases the risk of degenerative diseases and has a low risk of injury. 85% of calories burned in this zone are fats!

Fitness Zone (Fat Burning) --- 60 - 70% of maximum heart rate: This zone provides the same benefits as the healthy heart zone, but is more intense and burns more total calories. The percent of fat calories is still 85%.

Aerobic Zone (Endurance Training) --- 70 - 80% of maximum heart rate: The aerobic zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system AND increase the size and strength of your heart. This is the preferred zone if you are training for an endurance event. More calories are burned with 50% from fat.

Anaerobic Zone (Performance Training) --- 80 - 90% of maximum heart rate: Benefits of this zone include an improved VO2 maximum (the highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise) and thus an improved cardiorespiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance ability which means your endurance will improve and you'll be able to fight fatigue better. This is a high intensity zone burning more calories, 15 % from fat.

Red Line (Maximum Effort) --- 90 - 100% of maximum heart rate: Although this zone burns the highest number of calories, it is very intense. Most people can only stay in this zone for short periods. You should only train in this zone if you are in very good shape and have been cleared by a physician to do so.

Interesting Links @ Swadhyaya

http://www.swadhyayee.org/

I came across this site when I researching swadhyay, it is quite interesting.  It says its a website for people hurt by swadhyaya and for followers of real religion and philosophy.

Update: The site is down. I don't know why.
Try this forum, which discusses Swadyaay heavily - http://vmehta.conforums3.com/index.cgi?board=Religions

Salman's Phone Conversation

Ever since I have found out about the Salman Khan's phone conversation with Aishwariya Rai about how he is connected to the Indian Underworld. I was dying to hear it or at the least read the transcript.

Well here it is:http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1407052,0008.htm
and here's another part:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1431068,000600010004.htm

But its not the whole thing..its edited and some places it doesn't make sense.
I so feel for Preity Zinta in all this....first she was named in the whole Shakti Kapoor casting couch incident. And now Salman Khan's saying stuff about her.. BTW the girl he refers to in the Chori Chori Chupke Chupke is Preity.

There is another part of the audio/transcript that Salman talks about him and Dia Mirza, still gotta find more of the transcript.

I saw this press conference or it was more like a gathering of Indian film Industry people pleading that just because one person is constantly in the news for his controversies, they shouldn't label the entire industry as being tainted.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince **SPOILER WARNING**

I was so happy to get my hands on the book.
I needed to know what was to go down.

I finished the book and I cried for an hour after I read that Dumbeldore was killed by Snape.

What going to happen next? I can't wait till Book 7 comes out.
Of course, people have started to ask me when it will come out. Like I coordinate these things.
Couple of questions I had:

• Is Snape really on Dumdeldore's side?
• Has Dumbeldore really died??...I know he died and people tend not to come back from the dead in Rowling's world but I grew up on Soap Operas and "People never really die!!" in Soap Operas.
• Who do those final initials belong to?
• What will happen to Ron/Hermoine & Harry/Ginny?
• Will Parvati get a bigger role, her role keeps diminishing?

White Water Rafting!!

We went White Water Rafting today...it was a lot of fun.

We went to River & Trail in Knoxville, MD. From there we were taken to the Shenandoah River near Harpers Ferry, WV. We rafted for 6.5 - 7 miles, about 3 -4 hours. We tumbled into the Potomac River carving our way through the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was really beautiful. There was this one time where we were in 3 different states all at the same time (MD, VA, and WV).

I think I did a good job planning, except we forgot the camera and got pretty thirsty and hungry midway through the trip. There was an option to have lunch/dinner, but I chose instead to save $7, some of my friends were so upset.

It was a class I to III..so easy that I got a little bored. I guess I am quite wild and audacious; I want more thrills. I expect the next rafting trip to be a class IV - V. During the calm part of the river, I was so tired of paddling that I started to contemplate that if I lost the paddle I wouldn't have to paddle anymore. Right when I thought that, the paddle escaped from my hands. Unfortunately, our guide was able to get the paddle back in 2 minutes. I was thinking, "No thanks, throw it back."

All in all, we had a great time.

Forget about Rainin' Men..its Rainin' Money Tonight!!

June 11:
What started as an fun evening turned into something we would remember forever..

Some friends and I had planned to meet at Sequoia's in Georgetown for a bite to eat and drinks..
We chilled there and walked around a bit on M St., until we finally decided to go to Modern.

Modern is a nice place with a caved in bar area. The club is underground..so I was a little scared that the roof would cave in..but I had a great time regardless.

We left the club at 2 Am..passed by Prince Cafe..were commenting on Prince Cafe and the hookahs when suddenly people bust out of the restaurant towards a building across the street.

We looked in the direction, they were going..someone was throwing what looked like paper confetti from the building of a 6-8 floor building. Priyanki or Rima shouted its money but I didn't believe them. Just as I said, its probably fake..they left to go closer to the building.
I knew that any minute now they would come back and say that it wasn't money or it was Monopoly money..and I could laugh at them. So I didn't go far...But then I heard someone say it was a dollar bill. Contemplating whether I was too classy to pick up dollar bills, I climbed a hill near the building, which had a lot of bills on the ground.

Ended up with more than $40 bucks in my pocket that night. Our entire crew ended up with approximately $200 in paper...we estimate that the dude must've thrown out $500 to $1000 that night. What a night!

The guys ended up throwing money in 3 batches. The homeless people were jumping the air to catch money..not noticing the cash around there feet..I would swoop in after they had moved on..to collect the dough on the ground.

Some homeless people left after the first batch..so surprised..we kept goading him to throw more and he did..until the police came and stopped it all..why oh why?? Was this a crime??

Bathroom Ethics

I want to write a book about bathroom etiquette. I'll call it Bathroom Ethics.

• If you meet people in the bathroom you know (at work), just say hi. Don't start up conversations with them. Especially, if you know they are going to be lengthier then hi/hello/how are you?.
• Don't brush your teeth in a public bathroom. So beyond gross, for the person that passes by. Make sure if you brush your teeth in the public, that no one is going to walk in.
• If person is in Stall # 1, do not go to the stall next to it. Keep a distance of one stall (at the least)
• Don't talk to a person in another stall while you're doing your business.
• If you hear some sounds coming from another stall..be courteous..finish up before them and get out of there...so they won't be embarrassed. (I have to do this a lot. LOL)
• If you are travelling and use public bathrooms at fast food restaurants...you don't have to eat there..its nice to get one or two items..but its not necessary.

Rima's House Warming Party

Highlights from the night:

1. Everyone that came had a blast
2. Kings

• Tarjani pointed to me during Busta Rhyme and said, "That girl is fat." I got her back when my turn came though, pointed at her and said, "That girl is flat."
• Nipa during Categories (which were Words for boobs), said "Puchcha Oshika" (Soft Pillows). I do believe that's an Anand orignal and was the funniest moment that night. I couldn't get why Zeel said, "Tic Tacs." People were talking so big (Watermelons, Jugs, etc), and she was the only one that said something small. Maybe she was talking about her own size, who knows. LOL.

3. The guy's fly was down: One of Rima's neighbors came over and brought their friends. The girls kept giggling in the corner. I later found out that Nipa had noticed that one of the guy's fly was down. I was like hmm...not something a not-so-single woman should be first to notice.

4. Jungle Juice. I think I made a particularly good batch of Jungle Juice that night. We also had some good pics from that night.

I fell asleep during White Noise; must have been a very boring movie.

Party @ Chaluz

Chaluz Back..Back again..Chaluz Back Tell a Friend.

What a party: Lots of food (Mexican Lasagna, Bean Dip, Rima's Bhel, Ojas' Homemade Salsa, which was just excellent, my brother's Pico De Gallo, etc.)

This night marked the debut of "The Chhahe Koi Mujhe Jungli Kahe"Juice. (AKA Jungli Juice or Jungle Juice)
I think it was so good even Rinku drank it.

I think Priyanki makes the best Yager Bombs. Frankly, I hate the drink, but she loves it. And I know I suck at making them. I am glad Satyam brought my Fobbed out receipe cards..didn't make any this time, so they came in handy. I love my receipes..(Check out the Drink Recipes Blog)

One of the funniest moments of the night were when we played Kings: Categories. All I know is Avni needs to learn new words for the male reproductive organ. "Boat & Car," I don't know what she was thinking. I guess it was okay this time, since you got the 4th King had to drinkall that stuff. yuck!

We had a great time playing with Satyam's new poker set. We had some good games of BlackJack. Ofcourse, I lost all my money and made a terrible dealer as well.