tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:02 +0000I log in; My mind Slogs out! My mind Clogs up;I Blog down!http://raapi.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (rajesh)Blogger604125Raapihttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-4072819960188148249Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:34:00 +00002009-11-02T08:34:42.584-08:00Are you on twitter? If not go to www.twitter.com and create yourself a username You can then follow a number of people who cater to your likes.Some big names like Pritish Nandi,Sashi tharoor,Anand Mahindra regulalry send 140 character messages called "tweets".These are really interesting.My twitter username or "Handle" as it is called is 'raaapi'. Then in firefox you can install an addon called 'http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/ONn7o5C6NZo/are-you-on-twitter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/ONn7o5C6NZo" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/11/are-you-on-twitter.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-1770071855814587412Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:39:00 +00002009-10-08T11:11:26.894-07:00I have not been blogging regularly but this incident stands out to such an odd magnitude that I have been compelled to jot it down in my blog for people to read about it and be aware of British Airways and Orbitz' shenanigans. The US businesses speak high of their customer focussed attitude and going to any extent to honor their word but this incident is a blatant reminder that all those words http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/KHguduU2xY0/british-airways-and-orbitz-goof-up-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/KHguduU2xY0" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/10/british-airways-and-orbitz-goof-up-on.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-3504900000324370997Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:36:00 +00002009-09-23T18:37:37.870-07:00    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/gRTipjpiP7c/golu-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/gRTipjpiP7c" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/09/golu-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-9109964110249481298Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:27:00 +00002009-08-23T08:27:37.471-07:00 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/TB24JRVpWjs/at-duomo-florence-jan-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/TB24JRVpWjs" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/08/at-duomo-florence-jan-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-2673013408052670624Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:05:00 +00002009-08-15T09:06:14.882-07:00    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/eY6LibUXFSc/krishna-jayanthi-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/eY6LibUXFSc" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/08/krishna-jayanthi-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-7420594256909427922Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:21:00 +00002009-07-09T17:39:45.742-07:00IlayarajaViolinHow to name itCarnatic MusicV.S.NarasimhanAt the outset, I have to admit that I am very bad when it comes to carnatic music details.I know for a fact that I like Carnatic music and like it better when it is fused with western elements.It kind of makes a mark even in an ordinary person like me who has not made too many attempts to understand the nuances of the music. I happened to listen to V.s.Narasimhan's fusion music through youtube(http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/MwPz0B62l34/vsnarasimhanwish-i-had-discovered-his.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/MwPz0B62l34" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/07/vsnarasimhanwish-i-had-discovered-his.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-1261675502823460584Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:39:00 +00002009-06-04T10:00:45.591-07:00blogssocial mediainternettwitterThe underlying write up is based on my reply to a friend who questioned the use of the social media tool twitter.His point was that twitter carried incoherent snippets of personal details of people who didn't really know that well and that how it could possibly help him in any possible way.Getting into the twitter bandwagon and posting pithy snippets of info that one deems interesting is not justhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/909IrE4ioI8/twitter-how-to-tap-its-hidden-potential.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/909IrE4ioI8" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/06/twitter-how-to-tap-its-hidden-potential.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-2439063565162945244Thu, 28 May 2009 16:45:00 +00002009-05-28T10:14:02.074-07:00PrabhakaranLTTEKarunanidhiAlbeit my indifference or unbiased emotions towards the whole LTTE issue and the recent news about the wiping out of the controversial group - LTTE and its self-made megalomaniac leader - Prabhakaran's death, I have been intrigued by the development and history behind the LTTE group. This new article that appeared on the UK Mirror online gives a very good outline about the history of LTTE's http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/UCJyrqRSv8A/karunanidhi-manthe-machinethe-villian.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/UCJyrqRSv8A" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/05/karunanidhi-manthe-machinethe-villian.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-3991455632513204298Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:43:00 +00002009-02-25T08:47:12.647-08:00blogtwitterMy blog has been getting step-motherly treatment or rather step-fatherly treatment from me in recent times.The main reason I think is the popularity with twitter.The short,pithy messages with tinyurl based condensed content seems to be more interesting nowadays rather than the lengthy posts in the blogs,which does not guarantee a definite readership.ANyways, I still like blogs better because of http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/6EmWjmkdujc/step-motherly-treatment-to-blog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/6EmWjmkdujc" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/02/step-motherly-treatment-to-blog.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-1765700981454100820Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:40:00 +00002009-01-11T23:40:56.402-08:00    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/as9GOq5NLBw/leaning-tower-of-pisa_11.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/as9GOq5NLBw" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/01/leaning-tower-of-pisa_11.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-444755611573543790Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:28:00 +00002009-01-11T23:28:59.586-08:00    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/Sf8m2251Vew/leaning-tower-of-pisa.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/Sf8m2251Vew" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/01/leaning-tower-of-pisa.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-1383678745425215109Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:22:00 +00002009-01-06T04:23:01.414-08:00 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/4D9ZQYuqr20/french-couple-touring-rome.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/4D9ZQYuqr20" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/01/french-couple-touring-rome.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-4391677697571928568Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:21:00 +00002009-01-06T04:21:37.396-08:00 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/yz29K_Siiio/me-at-colloseum.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/yz29K_Siiio" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/01/me-at-colloseum.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-1433940508117071069Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:20:00 +00002009-01-06T04:20:19.839-08:00  We had the luck of seeing the Pope in person at the Vatican on the new Year's eve Papal address welcoming the new year.There were lots of celebrations and the choir kept singing the christian sermons.It was really awesome.-Rajeshhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/3L8rPE1ugLs/pope-at-vatican.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/3L8rPE1ugLs" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/01/pope-at-vatican.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-5138879182158482838Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:16:00 +00002009-01-06T04:17:09.081-08:00    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/EQGyhc6DuRc/colloseum-in-rome.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/EQGyhc6DuRc" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/01/colloseum-in-rome.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-5241593025560757088Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:13:00 +00002009-01-06T04:13:45.044-08:00Taken during our trip to Rome in Janurary 2009. -Rajeshhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/Tm-5vr7cvzE/modern-day-gladiators-at-colloseum.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/Tm-5vr7cvzE" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2009/01/modern-day-gladiators-at-colloseum.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-8156884199122892279Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:15:00 +00002008-12-26T12:18:24.127-08:00chicagoZooMSPVisited Chicago in dec 2008.spent time at the Field museum/Adler planeterium/Shedd aquarium on 24th dec.(No photos as we forgot our camera in our hotel) :(Spent 25th at Lincoln park zoo.Was an awesome experience at the Zoo.Here are some photos.http://picasaweb.google.com/raaapi/Chicago2008#Now going to Minneapolis from chicago using Megabus-Raapihttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/gaPUCgNnaC8/chicago-2008.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/gaPUCgNnaC8" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/12/chicago-2008.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-6520401990106504753Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:38:00 +00002008-12-19T11:38:52.129-08:00Rome, Italy to Monaco di Baviera, Germany - Google MapsPlaces of visit in europe:rome..naples..florence..pisa..venice..paris...lausanne...interlaken..lucerne...munich-Raapihttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/ovfkR6t-5WI/my-europe-trip2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/ovfkR6t-5WI" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-europe-trip2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-5306197189044162196Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:51:00 +00002008-12-19T09:03:27.463-08:00refinancepointsAPRmortgage brokerorigination feeA few months ago I refinanced at 5.5% thinking the rates had come down a lot from the 6.25% rate I had from my original loan.Of late the rates have been decreasing even more.My mortgage broker,Brad Walters is helping me refinance again for a lower rate.Here is my Linkedin recommendation for Brad and I could say again that hes really a nice guy to work with.He offered all options of refinancing http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/zJx38d_mW8w/refinancing-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/zJx38d_mW8w" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/12/refinancing-again.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-5972991655689576964Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:13:00 +00002008-12-11T10:13:54.083-08:00green cardvisa bulletinVisa Bulletin for January 2009I got my green card few months ago and since then had stopped following the Visa bulletin.Took a peek at it today and was amazed to find that nothing has changed since when I used to follow this.Irritating to say the least!When will this system be set right?-Raapihttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/e1JnNKfgLDM/visa-bulletin-for-january-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/e1JnNKfgLDM" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/12/visa-bulletin-for-january-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-5483423415690684520Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:42:00 +00002008-12-03T16:50:05.003-08:00Hondaradio codeMy Honda accord's battery died and it locked up my radio system in the car.The anti-theft thingy associated with this radio system gets locked up and needs a special code to make it work again.Little did I know that it was so sophisticated system.Since I had bought the car as a second hand car, I didnt have the original secret code/key and couldn't find it stuck anywhere in the glove compartment http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/7iV1rU3nrog/honda-radio-code-episode.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/7iV1rU3nrog" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/12/honda-radio-code-episode.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-8429795721872024558Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:31:00 +00002008-12-01T09:31:58.741-08:00India Security Faulted as Survivors Tell of Terror - WSJ.comI was wondering all the while during last week's attack at Mumbai, as to how any article would be able to capture the entire episode vividly with all relevant details.Here is one such article!Great piece capturing all the details.Really sad to go through it and realize the ordeal faced by innocent people who were just going ahead with http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/uNGnKtJTZgc/india-security-faulted-as-survivors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/uNGnKtJTZgc" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/12/india-security-faulted-as-survivors.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-6067138896997778888Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:23:00 +00002008-11-18T08:23:46.121-08:00AUSTIN BANK ROBBED - Google SearchWhats with Austin and its endless bank robberies?Almost every other week,I seem to read of someone just entering a bank and decamping with undisclosed sum at gunpoint.Can't they hire one of those retired ex-servicemen or someone who can work for cheap just holding an unloaded gun in front of the branch akin to the good old way it is followed in India?That thing http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/q6zbWwlF15U/austin-bank-robbed-google-search.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/q6zbWwlF15U" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/11/austin-bank-robbed-google-search.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-8197281396478494942Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:50:00 +00002008-11-10T08:50:31.977-08:00EETimes.com - Shedding light on solar cell technologyJust capturing this link for reading sometime.Looks like a very nice intro to Solar technology.-Raapihttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/_aCdCJGz378/eetimescom-shedding-light-on-solar-cell.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/_aCdCJGz378" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/11/eetimescom-shedding-light-on-solar-cell.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5348887.post-7009755855551673269Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:26:00 +00002008-10-27T13:34:20.858-07:00diwaliboringDiwali 2008 just passed away silently devoid of any glimpse of reminding me of the festive mood in India.No crackers,no exchange of sweets,no calls from relatives with the clichéd question "Ganga snaanam aachaa?".Well.Its been the same since year 2000 since I came to the US, the only change this time being that we had some friends at home and went out for dinner.Also, shwetha made it a little http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Raapi/~3/UBa-uP7TL08/just-another-diwali.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (rajesh)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Raapi/~4/UBa-uP7TL08" height="1" width="1"/>http://raapi.blogspot.com/2008/10/just-another-diwali.html