Kadzilla's Lounge

Kadzilla Says – New Beginning Marks an End

2011-01-03T08:59:00.007+05:30

First of all, a Very Happy New Year to all of you! Hoping that 2011 brings to life all your most precious dreams… and that you’re blessed with good health, prosperity, happiness and loving relationships throughout the year and beyond!

And now for the bad news… this January 2011 issue is the LAST issue of Kadzilla’s Lounge. Yes. The magazine will not be continued after this issue, though the archives will remain here for anybody who drops in. I know some of you will be genuinely disappointed with this news, but, it is not possible for me to continue the magazine single-handedly anymore with all the last-minute submissions month after month!

I started the magazine with the intention of creating an online community – a group of friends – who would interact with each other, encourage each other and attempt to share their creative skills and knowledge with each other. Obviously, this vision was not shared by the others. At least, that’s how it looks if I have to send repeated reminders to people for sending in their contributions! And also when people say they’re too busy!

Just like the rest of you, I also have professional obligations, that don’t miraculously disappear at the end of every month, so as to allow me to work full-time on the magazine instead during those last 4-5 days! Neither do I have a full-time maidservant at my disposal, to take care of all the domestic responsibilities! So I’m in the same boat as any of you guys. And it feels a little illogical when I hear the “too busy” excuse.

Nobody is ever “too busy” for something s/he really wants to do. Where there is a will, there is always a way.

I realize this was my magazine, my idea (an impractical one apparently). So there is no obligation on anyone. And I thank you all for putting up with it for so long. But, I can also see that it’s time to move on now.

I have no wish to convert this into a direct commercial venture. Neither do I wish to create another “blogging community” that gets its traffic solely on the basis of promises of personal interviews, or vote-based contests in which entries are voted for without even being read!

The USP of Kadzilla’s Lounge is its high standard of writing and presentation – the quality of content, combined with an equally powerful visual appeal. If there are not enough takers for this, then there’s no reason to continue it. Nevertheless, it was good fun while it lasted. So wish you all success in all your ventures.

Cheers! :D

Blogosphere - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:58:00.008+05:30

This time, we have published two posts in Blogosphere:

* “How To Embed Flash Files Into Blogspot/Blogger”.

* A hilarious joint effort by Shobhit, Pramathesh and Kaddu – “What Bloggers Say Vs. What Bloggers Mean”.

Change Makers - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:57:00.005+05:30

In Change Makers, Restless Mind shares her thought-provoking post on the prevalent Indian mentality of worshipping fair skin. She asks our readers whether this “Indian Obsession with Fair Skin [is] a Colonial Hangover”.

Review Bench - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:56:00.005+05:30

Kadzilla’s Review Bench apparently got completely caught up in Christmas and New Year celebrations this time! We have only one post for you in this section this month – “Quasar by Jesus Del Pozo” – the review of another male perfume by Akshay.

Mind & Body - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:55:00.010+05:30

In our B+ section this time, we have two posts:

* “Change Your Perspective” by Kaddu, and

* “Power of Love” by Mahesh Nayak.

We also have a contribution by Shobhit, in our Health section – “Eye Strain: Causes, Symptoms and Management”.

Travel - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:54:00.004+05:30

Unfortunately, we do not have anything to share with our readers in the Travel section this time. The two writers who promised to send in content for this section in this issue got caught up in something else at the last minute.

Library - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:53:00.005+05:30

Saudamini, of Spaces Talk Architecture, offers tips on Office Décor this time – “Space Utilization & Design: Contemporary Office Interiors”.

And our new writer in the Technical section, Lalit Indoria, tells our readers how to “Access Deleted Photos on Facebook”.

Studio - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:52:00.008+05:30

This is the last issue of Kadzilla’s Lounge, and we have featured six posts in our Studio this time. Have a sneak peek…

Roshmi Sinha’s fiction, based on the period of British rule in India – “Culture Vulture”.

Garima’s poem, inspiring us to discover our hidden strengths – “Frozen Wings”.

Shobhit’s reflections on modern relationships – “Decision or Emotion”.

Rachit’s reflections on “Globalization and Indian Festivals”.

Our Featured Post by Abhiroop, a humorous take on “The Sad Pitfalls of Bibliomania”.

And a “Pencil Shavings Scenery”, made by Kaddu, in our Art section.

Please DO NOT send in any further articles for this section; this is the LAST issue of the magazine. Thanks.

Kitchen - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:51:00.006+05:30

From Kadzilla’s Kitchen this time, we bring an easy-to-make dessert delight for your little ones – “Yummy Rainbow Treat” – by Manjusha.

Regular Features - Vol. I Issue 7

2011-01-03T08:50:00.005+05:30

The Regular Features in Kadzilla’s Lounge include:

And the winner of the Lateral Thinking quiz of our last issue, as already featured above in the special place of honor, is Abhiroop Banerjee. Please don’t miss out his special featured post this time!

Hope you enjoyed reading this month’s issue.
Keep smiling.
Cheers!

How To Embed Flash Files Into Blogspot/Blogger

2011-01-03T08:49:00.002+05:30

The December issue of Kadzilla's Lounge was quiet educative for me. I got to learn how we can embed Flash files (the ones with .SWF extensions) into a blog post at Blogger/blogspot. I was familiar with embedding videos from YouTube... the embed code is given below each video and you simply need to copy it from there and paste into Blogger's "Edit Html" tab. But embedding Flash files was slightly different.

The screen shot above has been taken from our last month's Lateral Thinking Puzzle. You can click on the link for that post to see the embedded flash file in action. You can also view this post on my own blog where I have embedded a different .SWF file which is quite entertaining... "Animator Vs. Animation - Alan Becker". Here is a screen shot of that post too.

This is the code that you need to use if you ever wish to embed a flash (.SWF) file in a blogger post. Just replace the "SOURCE SWF URL" with the complete URL of the file you want to embed. And replace the "HT" and "WD" with the required height and width settings that will fit most appropriately in your blog's post section. All these three parameters are mentioned twice in the code. So make sure you give their values at both occurrences.

<object height="HT" width="WD">
<param value="SOURCE SWF URL" name="movie">
<embed src="SOURCE SWF URL" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="HT" width="WD"></embed>
</object>

An important thing to note here... when I embedded the flash file in that Lateral Puzzle post last month, I later discovered it wouldn't show up in the published post, even though it was working fine in the post preview of blogger. After much research on Google, I discovered that the file I was embedding was actually hosted on Google sites, and apparently, blogger no longer works for (supports?) such files hosted on Google sites.

So I eventually had to download that flash file to my own computer first, and then upload it on the third-party hosting I use for my files. It started showing up in the post only after that. But the SWF file that I embedded on my own blog was hosted on Deviantart, which gave no such problems. So you just need to make sure that the file you are trying to embed is not hosted on google sites. And you should be all set to go with the code given above.

EDITOR'S RECOMMENDATION: Adding Animated .GIFs to Blogger

What Bloggers Say Vs. What Bloggers Mean

2011-01-03T08:48:00.003+05:30

(Please right-click on the images, to open them in new tab, for their full-size view.)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Multiple Credits for this post...

1. The text content contributed by Pramathesh
2. Visualized as Cartoon strips by Chief Editor, Kaddu
3. Cartoons designed by Shobhit

Indian Obsession with Fair Skin - A Colonial Hangover?

2011-01-03T08:47:00.001+05:30

Why is fair skin the barometer of beauty? Does this question come to your mind too?

I like Sushmita Sen for her individuality and, of course, her dusky looks. Same goes for Konkana Sen and Nandita Das. Still, the fair skinned Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka etc. are the queens of Bollywood. Aish is talented and got ample opportunity to show her versatility, but, the three dusky Bong beauties are no less. It's about opportunity, which does sometimes come from popularity - as depicted from the success of a movie seen by the masses. The Indian masses generally want to see fair skinned ladies, therefore, the alleged success of all the Neha Dhupias. All this is perfectly alright; it’s a part of life. We've got used to it now.

I am reminded of this topic because of an advertisement on TV, featuring one of my favourite actors of Bollywood, who has always, ALWAYS flaunted her sun kissed skin tone with élan! She has carried her natural eye brows, which seem to be joining slightly from the middle! She is no ‘size zero’ and we just love her for her vivaciousness and spontaneity! Could you guess? Of course, you could! She is Kajol!!

But when I saw her in the Olay Total Effects (Anti Ageing cream) advertisement, she’d donned a fair look, of course by applying make up! And the fair - so fair and so chalky white a look, that I couldn’t believe it was her! It was only her signature style of eye brows and bright doe eyes, due to which I could place her! Ironically, in another advertisement (Knorr soup), she does not put that same kind of make up and looks natural and nice. So what happened to that Olay effect now?!

I was saddened. Did she really need to work for this advertisement and show that fairness is what she's got after using this product? A healthy, problem free skin doesn’t mean it has to be low on melanin. Could she not have flaunted her wheatish complexion, which still radiates and shows her good health? Why is fair skin the ultimate barometer of beauty? And is beauty just skin deep? Even now? Is it a colonial hangover?

I, like all of you, have seen those endless number of 'fair n lovely' kind of advertisements all my life. Want success? Be fair skinned. Want confidence? Want acceptability in profession? Want your lover to propose you? Use a fairness cream!! Another most ridiculous one was of that cyclist who becomes the brand ambassador of a sports goods company after she starts applying the fairness cream, despite the fact that she sweats and toils, cycling all the time!

So fair skin is the only mantra then - no marks to talent, no marks to over-all personality, nothing to do with your attitude! Just have fair skin and be the undisputed charmer!! The craze for fair skin is so much, especially in north of India, that you got to see matrimonial advertisements in newspapers too, where grooms especially ask for fair and slim brides!!! Phew! Just right-click on this image below to open it in a new tab/window!

The market is hotting up for even men now! There are at least three brands today that are selling fairness creams for men. Whatever happened to the rugged look of men? Or is the metro sexual male catching up?! All groomed with manicure and pedicure and facial? Well, even that is not bad, but attributing success to fairness of skin… has it not gone really overboard now?

The question is: why are we Indians so obsessed with fair skin? Why do we still drool over the colour of the skin, as if the colour of the skin translated to power? Has it got etched in our psyche somewhere so deep, because the whites ruled us for ages, that a part of our sub-consciousness has simply accepted that fairness means being superior? Doesn’t complexion play a vital role today in how people treat you? Isn’t his fact surprising? What is your personal experience about this? Have you ever experienced any such discrimination on the basis of skin color? Please do share with me.

Quasar by Jesus Del Pozo

2011-01-03T08:46:00.001+05:30

Jesus Del Pozo is one of the lesser known designers and doesn’t have the marketing muscle of say Calvin Klein or an Armani, but in 1994, from the House of J. Del Pozo, came an absolutely brilliant men’s creation – Quasar.

Men's Quasar by Jesus Del Pozo Eau de Toilette Spray - 6.7 oz.

The nose behind Quasar, Christopher Sheldrake, did just enough to make sure that Quasar did not slip into the overcrowded space of hundreds of wannabe fresh colognes launched after the phenomenal success of CK-1.

A quasar is an extremely dense star that radiates intense energy. And like its namesake, this fragrance is extremely diffusive, yet at the same time, has very good lasting properties.

Having aspects of both an Aromatic Fougère and also fresh cologne, the creator has intelligently combined two different categories of fragrances in one, without letting the fragrance becoming murky and muddy.

Quasar opens with a whiff of banana leaf (not the fruit… the leaf) and a hint of tropical fruits, just enough to keep the fragrance interesting and not so much that the fragrance could be called fruity. Complimenting the fruit is the freshness of lLime, lemon and Yuzu. (Yuzu is a Japaneese Citrus fruit somewhere in between grapefruit and orange.)

Then comes the monster blast that characterizes the fragrance... lavender, lavandin, rosemary, White Sage, traces of Thyme and Geranium… all blended with very subtle jasmine notes. The plethora of herbal notes is complimented by the use of oceanic, fresh water and sea wave notes. The base note is a very soothing musk-amber-Vanilla-Moss Complex.

The stand out of this fragrance is a dry (almost fresh newspaper like) smell that is evident from the first sniff to until the dryout, which is approximately 5-6 hours, along with a faint top note of Rum.

The bottle is an industrial looking Vial and the packing -- one with nuts and bolts -- very masculine, very rugged!

Clean, fresh, long lasting, and rugged, yet aristocratic - I highly recommend J. D. Pozo’s Quasar for men. Girls, if you are looking for a nice gift for your husband/boyfriend… give this one a try.

Power of Love

2011-01-03T08:45:00.001+05:30

The most powerful weapon man has always possessed... is not a weapon of destruction. It is the weapon of creation, of life and of celebration. It is called love. The strength of love is very deep. Look at a mother's love. The mother is willing to sacrifice everything and undergo any amount of pain (or suffering) and yet, she is crying out of happiness when her child smiles. Look at the couple that is deeply in love with each other. They are ready to face anything, including death, if their love is not fulfilled.

That made me think: If a human being's love is so powerful, how much more powerful could God's love be?

We need not go far. History gives us many examples of the love of men/women of God. It is hard to imagine the amount of tremendous pain that Jesus Christ would have endured on the cross. If any other human being had encountered even a fraction of such pain, they would have lashed out back physically or verbally at the perpetrator. Imagine how much beautiful unconditional love He had, for the very people who had tortured his physical body, that He requests His Father in heaven to forgive them for their ignorance.

India gained independence due to the efforts of the great saint of India, Mahatma Gandhi. He inspired thousands of people into the path of Non-violence. Gandhiji led the freedom struggle with firmness and determination, but, always with the undercurrent of love. Although he was jailed many times, he never had any intention of malice or anger towards the British.

It is needless to mention the love that Mother Teresa had towards the poor, sick and the dying. I remember reading one incident in which she had approached a rich person for some donation for these poor people. The rich man spat in her hands out of disgust and she responded calmly by wiping her hand and saying, "Thank you for your gift to me. Now can you please give something for these poor children as well?"

Love creates miracles. Love changes people. I would like to mention a small experience I had recently which re-affirmed my strong feeling towards love.

I have a morbid fear of snakes. One night, I had a very bad dream (I could call it a nightmare!) of a close encounter with a snake. Shaken, I woke up from my sleep with a start, although I was still afraid of opening my eyes. With beads of sweat on my forehead, my heart was racing and I was shivering from the nightmare, when suddenly, something within me prompted about the power of love. Immediately I consciously focused on looking at snakes with love, in line with the argument that if we truly love God, we should be able love ALL of God's creation.

I visualized myself standing in an open field with my arms spread out, with the strong feeling of love in my heart, as many snakes came towards me (poisonous, non-poisonous, yellow, green, etc). I even visualized their frightening body as they crept towards me. It was truly very hard to do it, especially when I had just woken up from a nightmare moments ago! And for a few moments, I even found myself shivering and my heart racing faster! For those few moments, the fear within me reached such a peak that it was almost killing me, but, with a steadfast resolution, I continued visualizing about looking at those snakes with love... with the thought that even if I die, I'd rather die out of love than fear.

And then suddenly, it happened. The moment the resolute thought came into me - about hanging onto love even under the threat of death - something within me just gave in and relaxed completely. It happened within the blink of an eye. The whole fear feeling that was within me, was completely replaced and flooded with love. I suddenly felt a very warm feeling... like being hugged by a loved one, without a care in the world. Surprisingly, even my racing heart beat relaxed into quietness, as my breathing pattern changed too. All this happened so fast and I felt so peaceful inside that I immediately fell into a deep slumber, without even being aware of the fact that I had a nightmare moments ago!

This dream made me marvel at the power of love. I had only visualized love, and even that was strong enough to change my state of mind. So my friends... go out and love thy neighbors, but just don't get caught!! (wink, wink)

Change Your Perspective

2011-01-03T08:44:00.003+05:30

I’m going to re-use part of some material that I posted on my blog long ago… this image.

There is a very simple trick behind this optical illusion – you need to back off from the screen a bit, squinting a little with your eyes barely open. As soon as the image goes slightly “out of focus”, you are able to read what it says. If you wear specs like me, simply take them off, and the words will be clear to you immediately.

That’s exactly what we need to do when life suddenly stops making sense any more – shift our focus to get a new perspective.

Place a gigantic dice on the floor and make four different people stand around it, facing one side each. Each of those 4 people will see a different number. Make them move 90 degree clockwise around the dice. Their entire perspective about the dice is changed.

A person standing inside a house sees a different view. A person standing out of that same house gets to see something completely different. And from the top of a 20-storeyed building, you can see for miles around in any direction.

A movie director checks out the same scene from N different angles before he finally decides on one. The reason is clear:

Everything looks different from a different perspective. That includes life.

You might seem to think that everything in life is lost; but if you just change your way of looking at it, you’ll realize that’s not true.

My friend once told me about her father-in-law (FIL). He seemed to be developing a heart condition, and had been advised Angioscopy, which apparently required “something” to be inserted into his body, to do “something” in there! But he was so scared of the idea of something being inserted in his body that he jumped out of the hospital bed and rushed back home! His strong fear of doctors and hospitals gave him a completely different perspective on his health! And he started doing Pranayam and Yoga, and got completely cured in 3 months… just so he wouldn’t have to go for the Angioscopy again!

Changing your focus and perspective in life can often lead to some drastic changes.

And over the last few years, I have learned that small kids can help you see a lot of things that you miss out on your own. It’s almost as if they are standing on top of that 20-storeyed building, while you are just looking at things from a narrow window on the ground floor!

For that reason, whenever I am with kids, I usually let them do all the talking, while I just observe how they interpret and respond to various situations. I try to look at things from their perspective.

You can do that too.

Also, try to listen attentively to the problems of the people around you… you’ll suddenly realize you are so blessed!

Nothing in life happens without a reason. But, with our limited perspective, we are usually not able to see that reason. By getting a fresh perspective on life, we’ll find that it starts making sense once again.

Eye Strain: Causes, Symptoms and Management

2011-01-03T08:43:00.002+05:30

Due to the changing lifestyles and the never ending ‘rat-race’, people are being subjected to spending more time at work which requires hours and hours of reading or sitting in front of a computer screen. Invariably, sooner or later, this overuse of the eyes leads to eye-strain which is also known as aesthenopia.

What causes eye-strain?

By simple logic, any muscle of the body, when held in a particular position for too long, gets strained after some time. The eyeball is controlled by no less than six muscles outside the eyeball itself, which aid in directing the gaze and stabilizing the eye at a particular object. In addition, the ciliary muscles of the lens get strained on prolonged focusing of the eye on an object. As these muscles strain, they cause the eye to become dry, irritated and uncomfortable, while also causing general discomfort to the body.

Common causes of eye strain are:

Computers
Television
Glare from Bright Lights
Prolonged Reading
Driving

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Eye Strain?

Eye strain is characterized by the following symptoms, usually occurring in combination of more than one at a time:

Headaches or Migraines
Fatigue
Vertigo and Dizziness
Pain in the Eye
Red, Watery Eyes
Blurred or Double Vision
Changes in color perception
Dry eyes that feel scratchy
Burning sensation when you close your eyes
Neck aches
Back aches
Aching heaviness of the eyelids or forehead, especially around the eyebrows
Twitch in the eyelid

How to Prevent, Control and Manage Eye Strain?

The easiest remedy to relieve eye strain is to close your eyes for a few minutes to ease the strain.
You should also blink or roll your eyes at regular intervals. Blinking moistens the eyes and relieves tight eye muscles. And rolling exercises the eye muscles and strengthens them.
Take regular breaks to relax eye muscles. Occasionally look away from the monitor and focus on a distant object for a few seconds to give your eyes a rest.
Use a glare filter on the computer screen and turn up the contrast.
Computer monitors and television screens should be positioned at eye level so that you can look down towards it.

While reading, hold your book at least 30 to 40 cm away from your eyes.
Wear a hat or a cap when outside in the sun, to reduce glaring and squinting. Use sun glasses.
While watching television, the lighting of the room should be about 50% dimmer than the screen.
Avoid watching television at an angle or in darkness.
Take sufficient nutritional supplements, such as Vitamin A and beta carotene, which are good for the eyes and reduce the risk of eye strain.
Use of cold compress (cotton soaked in ice water), or even tea bags, provides wonderful relief from burning sensation in eyes, due to strain.
Ayurvedic eye drops, called Itone, help in reducing the stress induced by working long hours in front of a computer screen.

In today's hectic times, it is quite impossible to completely eradicate all the above mentioned causes of eye strain. Well, at least not unless you decide to give up the high-tech city life and become a farmer (a real one that is, and not just a Farmville player)! So your best bet would be to follow the recommendations given above, for preventing and controlling eye strain, and taking extra care of your eyes, to compensate for the extra load put on them.

Access Your Deleted Photos on Facebook

2011-01-03T08:42:00.002+05:30

Even though Facebook boasts of its privacy, there have been many issues that are yet to be solved by Facebook. These things are not noticed by the users until someone draws attention towards such issues. Previously, on my own blog, I wrote about how Facebook Apps allegedly transmit user information. Another issue about which I will mention in this post is that you can access your deleted photos in Facebook.

The fact is that the photos which you delete from your profile in Facebook remain on the server for almost 30 months!! Several copies of your photos are created, and are available on various servers, for easy access from any location. After you delete one of your Facebook photos, that photo is no longer visible in your profile, but, even then, it can be accessed if a person knows the URL of the image.

This was reported by a Facebook user who said that the photo which he deleted around 2.5 years back was still accessible in Facebook’s Continent Distribution Network (hereby referred to as CDN). Yet another user named Fillipo reported that he deleted this photo in April 2009, and as you can see on the right, the image is still accessible at the time of writing this post (December 2010). The URL of this image confirms that it was uploaded on Facebook’s Server, and that it is still available on its CDN.

I personally tried this with my own photos and yeah... it is true! You can watch this video below if you don’t believe me.

NOTE: The link in the video is old. Please refer to the Author Bio below for the updated link.

Facebook’s spokesman, Simon Axten, said that they are working with the CDN to reduce the amount of time that the photo remains in its cache. The same issue arose for videos which has already been fixed. Let us hope that this issue is also fixed as soon as possible. Till then, keep your fingers crossed that no one knows the URL of your deleted photos!

Space Utilization & Design: Contemporary Office Interiors

2011-01-03T08:41:00.001+05:30

Whether it’s about designing a small office with few people or a large office for many people, a contemporary design style will provide you with a modern, sleek place to work. Lots of colours, textures and materials work with contemporary design, but the key is to keep the overall look minimal.

Designing Professional Reception Areas:

The reception room is the face of the office. It is also the first and last point of contact. The reception should be well lit. Lighting plays a very important role in creating the right ambience. The lighting in an office reception must be in keeping with the practical requirements. While decorating the reception, it is important to keep both the aesthetic and utility aspect in mind.

There are several modern materials available today ranging from steel to glass. The sofas must be comfortable. You could even have a coffee table and place a few magazines that the client could read while waiting. The reception table should be neat and well-organized. The cabinets and other fixtures should be properly organized. A neat and organized look is very important in the reception; only then would it look professional and welcoming.

Using Colour Schemes for the Contemporary Look:

When you're thinking about the colour scheme for your home office, remember that most contemporary spaces stick to just one or two colours. Perhaps the most classic colour scheme for a contemporary space is black and white which moves on to beautiful shades of browns as well. This works very well in an office, because almost any piece of office furniture (desks, chairs, file cabinets) is available in black or white or browns.

If you choose just one colour for your office, you can accent that colour with different coloured accessories, as long as you don't have too many. If you choose to do two colours, don't stray from those two colours, and make sure each colour matches. For example, if you choose to do a black-and-white colour scheme, and you choose a stark white, don't try to incorporate off-white as well, because the overall look will be mismatched and busy.

Playing with Textures and Furniture:

Because your contemporary office colour scheme is not varied, it's a good idea to play with texture in your space. You can do this through the materials you use. For example, you could incorporate fabrics for pinup boards, or cushions on chairs, and then contrast those soft textures with rougher textures, such as a wood or a bevelled-edge glass tabletop.

Using wood in your office is a great way to add natural elements to your space. Natural wood flooring in any finish is a popular contemporary style, and it will help warm up your colour palette and add interest to the room.

Contemporary style is achieved when the space is clutter free. Your office should be, first and foremost, functional, so you don't have to get rid of everything you need to work. Try some streamlined drawers or cabinets to put your things in at the end of the day. Think about minimization when you pick out your furniture. To achieve a contemporary style, your eye should move freely around your office without having to stop to take in too many details. So, simple and straight-lined furniture always looks better.

Improving Functionality with Appropriate Lightning:

Uniform lighting is hard on the eyes, so choosing a few fixtures for the ceiling, wall and desk are suitable. When there is uniform lighting, the eyes tire more quickly because they are trying to find the brightest light, which is difficult in a room with the same level of lighting. Another recommended source of lighting is through indirect methods. Lights that bounce off walls or ceilings are easier on the eye and still provide ample lighting.

Whether it’s a home office, a small office, or a large multi-national corporation staffing hundreds/thousands of employees on any given day, well designed office interiors are a must for each one of them. Office is a place where people spend a major portion of their day, and very often under quite stressful situations. It becomes essential, therefore, to design office spaces providing just the right kind of ambience and functionality to your employees.

Culture Vulture

2011-01-03T08:40:00.007+05:30

Well, a while back I wrote a post (flash fiction) that introduced the protagonist. For those who need to refresh their memories (since it is quite foggy and chilly these days *wink*) or require an introduction... you can quickly click on to read my previous micro fiction “Communication”.

In fact, before you proceed any further on this post, I advice you to read the earlier story (link given above) so as to get the drift and avoid any disconnect.

He was mighty pleased at the simple, yet effective, way the 'solution' presented itself, and above all, worked. It was quite innovative too. All thanks to his senior colleague. He was beginning to feel at home... at ease with all the sudden changes that he had to encounter over the last month and half -- those of culture, tradition, language, gastronomic and climatic. After all, he had sailed half-way around the world to arrive here, on the shores of Bengal. He had managed quite well until then... managed to survive the transition between the known world and the unknown. He felt adventurous... maybe he need not learn the alien language after all. He was a part of “the Raj” at the end of the day. Or so he thought.

It was a weekend and the weather was pleasant - a perfect day for venturing out and exploring the area on his own. In the evening, there was a garden party - the khansamas (head cooks), khitmatgars (waiters), malis (gardeners) and the other servants would be busy with the arrangements already. There were an awful lot of servants, he noted. People had far fewer servants back in England, except for the inhabitants of the Buckingham Palace, of course. He checked the British made Smiths Empire contraption in his pocket; it was nearly breakfast time. He continued to read the newspaper. Rather, he pretended to read it... his mind was elsewhere. He thought about the things he had seen and heard in the last 6 weeks or so, in this British dominion.

Memsahib (the Governor General and Viceroy of India, a.k.a. the Laat Sahib's better half) had taught the Khansamas about cutlery. The Bawarchis (cooks) were taught to make puddings, pies and pastries using local ingredients. Memsahib did not consider Indian food fit for the civilized masses (meaning the 'Goras'). They hated the smell of Indian foods being cooked. The Goras (Whites) had become self-absorbed and refrained themselves from learning anything about Indian Cuisine, while the Indians did not accept British food beyond the tea and the Ketchup. The tea was modified to 'Garam Chai’, and Ketchup was spiced up to 'Curry Ketchup', to suit the Indian palate. The Anglo-Indians (children from mixed marriages between the locals and the British) accepted the 'Western bread loaf' (Double Roti), cakes and cookies. In 1887, the British had opened a bakery in Delhi which was doing decent business (this later became the giant known as the 'Britannia Biscuits Company'.)

To the displeasure of the Memsahib and other aristocratic Memsahibs, some British fell in love with Indian Cuisine and created their own versions: Mulligatawny soup, Jalfrezi, and Worcestershire Sauce. The British coined the term 'Bombay Duck' to describe a lizard like fish found under the piers of the Bombay dock. George V had 'curry' for lunch almost everyday. In 1884, a group of nuns set up a factory in Meerut to manufacture 'Macaroni', 'Spaghetti', and 'Vermicelli'. (The Vermicelli has been well fused into Indian Cuisine as Sevian Kheer.)

What a strange name - 'Jalfrezi' - he had wondered, while a colleague had volunteered to enlighten him. The British created this method of reheating left-overs, and the credit went to the then Governor General for the state of Bengal, Lord Marcus Sandys, who enjoyed spicy Indian foods. He is also credited with converting Tamarind/Jaggery Chutney into Worcestershire Sauce. In Bengali, 'Jhal' means 'spicy hot'. 'Jhal' led to 'Jal'. And 'Frezi' is thought to have been derived from the Urdu word 'Parhezi', meaning 'a person with discriminating taste'. Some believe it is just a slang for “Fried, zee!”, where, 'zee' is the Urdu word to emphasize on the instruction to fry.

'Mulligatawny Soup' was quite a tongue-twister for him, and his tongue had still not won the battle. But he found the history attached to it very interesting indeed. Indian cooks (during the British Raj) served a soup course to their rulers, who actually christened it thus: The name is derived from two words from the Tamil language - 'Millagu' means 'pepper' and 'Thanni' means 'water'. So, the name 'Mulligatawny Soup' or 'Pepper water' was born. He smiled at the memory of his first encounter with this 'red-blooded' soup. He had almost called the fire brigade!

His mind now drifted to the 'Worcestershire Sauce'. In 1835, Lord Marcus Sandys, an ex-Governor of Bengal, approached chemists John Lea and William Perrins, whose prospering business in Broad Street, Worcester, handled pharmaceuticals and toiletries, as well as groceries. He asked them to make a sauce from a recipe which he brought back from India. While his lordship was apparently satisfied with the results, Messrs Lea and Perrins considered it to be an "unpalatable, red-hot fire-water" and consigned the quantity they had made for themselves to the cellars. During the stocktaking/spring cleaning the following year, they came across the barrel and decided to taste it before discarding it. To their amazement, the mixture had mellowed into an aromatic, piquant and appetizing liquid. They hastily purchased the recipe from Lord Sandys and, in 1838, the Anglo-Indian Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce was launched commercially.

One of the myriad 19th-century pungent English sauces, based on oriental ingredients, it had many imitators sporting pretentious names such as "British Lion" and "Empress of India". Its exact recipe remains a secret. All that is known is that it includes vinegar, sugar, soya sauce, molasses, tamarind, shallots, anchovies, ginger, chili, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom. He has yet to taste it though. The very mention of the word 'chili' sets off alarm bells in his head.

Words can be deceptive. The 'Bombay Duck' taught him this lesson without a shred of doubt. Expecting a well-cooked and delicious dish consisting of a member of the feathered species, he was instead greeted with a scaly inhabitant from the salty waters. He had been so overwhelmed by its 'fragrance' that he had choked and nearly fainted, and had to be carried away to safer environs. Later, yet another colleague “tutored” him.

'Bombay Duck' is not a 'Duck'. 'Duck' is a slang for the Hindi word 'Dak'. 'Dak' in Hindi stands for 'mail'. 'Bombay Duck' is a small fish normally called as 'Bumla', found near the piers of Bombay (Mumbai). The fish is scaled, cleaned, filleted as strips, salted and dried. After it is dried, it has a very strong and distinct fishy odour. In an air tight jar, it can be stored indefinitely. The British could not say 'Bumla', so they called it 'Bombay Dak', referring to the smell of the 'Bombay Mail'. The fish was not transported by train, but the mail was. And the mail would gather/catch the strong fishy odour from the area where it was loaded. He was also told that fresh fish is used to make 'fish fry'. His GK had been constantly traveling northward ever since his arrival.

The Memsahibs brought and planted new fruits: Apricots, Peaches, Pears, and Plums in the Nilgiri Hills. The British improved the local strawberry (Fragaria indica) in Mahabaleshwar. From England, they brought new vegetables and planted here -- Cauliflower (Gobhi), Cabbage (Bund Gobhi), and Kohlrabi. The Memsahibs brought in flowers to decorate their homes, and planted Carnations, Dahlia, Daisies, Gladiolas, Impatience, Lilies, Pansies, Petunias, Poinsettias (red), and some varieties of roses.

He was deep in thought; the punkah-wallah was at his job. Suddenly, the door was flung open and two servants rushed in. They spoke excitedly... simultaneously. It was a strange cacophony... he was baffled.

The Gowala (cow attendant) was saying, "I go up" over and over again... pointing to his right eye.

The other, a Coolie, was saying, "We go down"... breathlessly.

He did not understand what they were trying to convey, even though the words were English sounding. His senior had indicated that the servants here spoke a kind of Pidgin English. But he couldn't comprehend anything at all. He sat there, stunned. Then, with a wave of his hand, asked them to leave.

Still no sign of the breakfast…

He decided to skip it and explore the area instead. He could even have it at a restaurant if he wanted to. He stood up, put on his hat and coat. His Chopdar (silver stick bearer), an old man, handed him his walking stick. He set off.

It was quite pleasant outside, with a nip in the air. There were few people or transport on the road. He walked on.

He came across a few flower-sellers on the pavement. The flowers looked fresh and he was struck by all the myriad kinds in a variety of colours. He stopped to admire them. One of the flower-sellers, an old woman, kept saying "bouni, bouni". He shook his head and kept on looking at the flowers. Now, two others joined the old woman in chanting "bouni, bouni". Confused, he walked away.

Another seller, a younger woman, approached him. She had a young boy with her. They came beside him, with a bunch of flowers, "Take take, no take no take, ekbar toh see!"

At this he shook his head even more vigorously and quickened his pace. Feeling quite hungry now, he looked at the shops, searching for a restaurant. He found a signboard proclaiming "Mr. Beef Seafood Restaurant". There were some Chinese characters following it. He stood for a while, with raised eyebrows, on the pavement across the road.

Moving on, he came across a few more signs. "Brain Disease Curing Set", "Oil Gates", "An Excellent Winding Smoke" and a small signboard which stated, "The slippery are very crafty".

He walked on, his mind still absorbing all of this - the newly acquired 'knowledge-cum-cultural orientation' that is.

After a while he came across another restaurant offering "Mixed Chow with Garlic Mud". By now he was quite famished and decided to try out this one. But before he could push the door open, a Chinese man appeared before him, blocking the way, and respectfully said "No go". He tried to reason with him, but the man merely repeated those two words each time.

He shrugged his shoulders and moved on, and after a while, came across a bilingual signboard: "Bengal Famous Oil-Fried Shop".

He walked on and found himself staring at "Copulation Accessories" with "No can do" written underneath.

He retraced his steps...

Picture Credit: GherkinsTomatoes, Google Images

Frozen Wings

2011-01-03T08:39:00.002+05:30

Thousand of dreams this mind weaves,

Thousands of time it insists to leave,

From the world of dreams… back to reality,

With the Frozen Wings… back to reality.

Wish dreams could stay a li’l longer,

Should help us become a li’l stronger,

Push us towards the honour…

…of being A King of Fate,

Pulling us out of the dark corner…

…before it’s too late

We possess the energy to rise above,

To fly proud and unique like a Dove,

We all can make ourselves The Kings

Only if we dare to use our Frozen Wings

~::~::~::~

Picture Credit: Skyart82

Decision or Emotion...

2011-01-03T08:38:00.001+05:30

A few months back, I saw the movie Love Aaj Kal. Though I’m not a big fan of any new Hindi movies (I'm not even a small fan actually!), but since "the pumpkin" (a.k.a. 'Kaddu') had suggested me to give it a look (and she never asks me to watch any movies!), and also because it was one of those nights when sleep was nowhere in sight, I decided to… well… give it a look, as she'd said.

There are movies which entertain you right throughout. And then there are movies which portray reality. But then there are a few which, while portraying reality, also try to send across a message. Most often, it is a rather concealed message, which only those with ample understanding capabilities can actually gather after watching that movie. This was one such movie.

This movie aptly depicts how the present generation of youth treats love. If you look around yourself, you will see people running helter-skelter in pursuit of their careers. This is something actually quite good for both an individual and for the society in which he or she lives. But, it is when people complicate things, by bringing love or relationships in between their career goals, that the problems start.

In fact, what I don’t understand is whether people are in search of love or in search of a relationship in their lives! Personally, I’ve started to feel that there is a difference between the two.

A person always tries to achieve all the requirements of a successful life. It begins with acquiring the best of education, leading to a job which earns him a handful more than what’s required for a luxurious life. I guess that should be satisfying enough for anyone who intends to be successful. But somewhere I feel that in today’s times, people consider themselves to be successful by not what they have achieved, but by what others think that they have achieved.

I guess I’m drifting from the topic here. So coming back to it, a relationship is now just another necessity people tend to add to their achievements. Just like a car is a necessity for a working person in today’s times, so is a relationship. People today, more than anything else, need to be known to be going around with someone. But just as a person cannot take his car along with him if he shifts to another country, similarly does he act in case of relationships.

And that is what this movie, Love Aaj Kal, portrays very well -- for today’s youth, long-distance relationships don’t work. So, as a person is happy to sell off his old car before shifting to a new place for better work options, he is equally happy to break off his or her relationship too when relocating. Even to the extent of throwing a break-up party… !!!

I agree to the fact that people have their own career dreams. Some are nurtured right from childhood. But, should the pursuit of a dream be such that it doesn’t even care about the most important people in one’s own life? In other words, can a dream career/ fame/ big pay-package take preference over love in one’s life?

It can’t! And if it does, it is not love. It is just a relationship. Because love can never be a hindrance to any dream. In fact, it is one of the great motivating factors towards any achievement a person dreams of. One can break-up a relationship. But one can never break-up love.

In today's times, people seem to show different priorities. For them, their career dreams are above anything else... even love. But personally, I feel that such people have never loved. How can a job/ money/ fame be more important than a soul mate?

And that is probably what this movie portrays about "love aaj-kal". The youngsters of today are confusing love with relationships. They consider a relationship to be an essential part of their success in life. And for that, they use their brains in the matters of the heart.

But what they don’t understand is, if it’s really love, there is no amount of thinking the brain can do to get matters straight. It is only the heart that can.

Sometime back I read a quotation somewhere which said, “Love is a decision, not an emotion.”

But personally, I always feel that...

‘Love is a wonderful emotion; it can never be a decision.’

Globalization and Indian Festivals

2011-01-03T08:37:00.001+05:30

This year, I celebrated Diwali and performed the Chhat puja with more fun and much more pomp and show then the previous years. Festivals have changed now. Ten years back, when I was a kid, we used to have two types of festivals in India - one with pan India presence, like the Diwali and Holi, and the other with limited presence, like Chhat puja, Lohri and Onam. But, as I said, that was something ten years back.

Liberalization of our economy in the early 90's brought with it big MNC's into the Indian market. Advertisement became the need of the day. Manufacturers started luring the customers with added gifts. Diwali, Holi and Christmas Dhamaka became common marketing ideology. Competition started rising up with each festival, and so did the reduction in MRP of products during festive occasions. Then, in order to increase their sales, and also because of the market demands, companies took a smart step. They globalized the second type of festivals. This led to the narrowing of the gap between the two types of Indian festivals.

Lohri, a festival of the state of Punjab, which was traditionally celebrated with singing Geedha and performing Bhangra, is now celebrated with loud remix music across the country. People in Tamil Nadu also celebrate it now. The same happened with Chhat puja which was traditionally celebrated across the banks of a river in the Hindi heartland, and is now also celebrated in Mumbai, inside a swimming pool. Even our government recognizes this change in Indian thinking, and now we get a day off for Onam in the state of UP, very far away from the actual place of its evolution.

So how did globalization bring about this change?

Hindi speaking heartland of India missed the aftermath of liberalization of economy, even as many new industries and ventures came into existence in other states post liberalization. More and more people were now required to work in these newly set up industries. So, skilled labor from the Hindi heartland migrated to other states in search of jobs. People in the other states welcomed them with open heart because they brought in prosperity with them. These people (the immigrants from various states) also brought their tradition with them. Gradually, their population in other states rose. They started contesting in local elections and took active part in local activities.

As the customs and festivals of the immigrants seeped into the host states, a gradual blending of cultures took place. And this is the reason why now Chhat puja is celebrated in Kerala. To add further fuel to the fire, market analyzers sensed this change and started marketing these festivals on the same line as that of festivals having pan India presence. This media coverage further gave a national level recognition to these local festivals, such that festivals like Lohri, Chhat and Onam, that were unheard of outside their State until a decade ago, are now celebrated with much zeal throughout the nation.

The Sad Pitfalls of Bibliomania...

2011-01-03T08:36:00.001+05:30

Biblio - of or that relating to books
maniac - A person who has an obsession with or excessive enthusiasm for something (Syn: lunatic, madman)

When my mother brought home a copy of Gulliver's Travels one day in May many years ago, it was simply meant to keep me out of mischief during my summer holidays. Little did she realize then that she'd just doomed her 6 year old to lifelong lunacy of another kind, one that eventually turned him into an incorrigible bibliomaniac! Today, it seems to be a lost case.

Deep introspection and careful observation of individuals suffering from this insidious malaise has revealed some truly alarming symptoms. For the readers of Kadzilla's Lounge, I present an exclusive list of results from the ongoing studies for my research paper, The Sad Pitfalls of Bibliomania. Remember, even one of the following common symptoms is a sure sign of full blown BM!

Disclaimer: According to Wikipedia, Bibliomania is a real disease. But please remember, all material presented in this write-up is to be taken for its entertainment value only, and not as an educative guide.

You may have turned into a sorry old book snob. “People who read Chetan Bhagat are absolute philistines. Second to Dan Brown enthusiasts. Those clods are sub-human.”

You never have any extra cash/credit. This may result in you becoming a biblio-bandit. Ebooks are stupid, of course.

You have those crummy, free bookmarks, lying around everywhere.

At some point in your life, you have been a Howard Roark wannabe.

You waste 30 minutes on the potty every day, setting up your imaginary bathroom library.

Being asked to lend a book can cause respiratory problems.

You've never quite forgiven your mother for giving away your moth eaten collection of MAD Magazine and Champak to the ‘raddi walla’ when you were 13.

You buy books from a bookshop 12 miles away because the one nearby puts a tiny rubber stamp on the flyleaf. You have no issues, however, buying cheap library discards with rubber stamps on every centimeter of the flyleaf.

You've begun dreading the arrival of the Sunday paper because there's just too much good stuff to read and you're not even done with Saturday's.

You start carrying a book everywhere, including to your own birthday party.

You pause a movie just to make sure you get the name of the book which somebody in the scene is reading.

Multitasking is being able to turn the pages with your chin while holding a book with one hand and hanging on to the Metro/bus rod with the other.

You start living as far away from your office as possible, just so you can read during the commute.

The biggest fear in your life is breaking up with your girlfriend/boyfriend because then they would want their books back.

Your steamiest fantasy is cuddling up with her/him and... reading Dostoevsky... together.

You have a regularly updated list of fictional people you want to date.

You actually start believing that you are more intelligent than the guy on the street because you managed to finish A Brief History of Time.

Moving house is impossible because your book rack is heavier than the truck.

You read a list like this and smile knowingly/nod furiously without feeling that there is anything wrong with you. Or me.

Intensive research into what is now a worldwide epidemic has failed to reveal a cure. Bibliomaniacs are a part of society. They could be anyone. They are everywhere. Some are known to be armed with paperbacks and camouflaged by spectacles. Or not. That is the most diabolical aspect of bibliomania. A regular guy walking down the street in front of you could suddenly bend down without warning, pick up a crumpled biscuit wrapper and start… reading. There is simply no way to know. The list above is meant to be used as a check list to see if, God forbid, you too are a bibliomaniac.

Are you one then?

Picture Credits: Jason Love

Pencil Shavings - Scenery

2011-01-03T08:35:00.006+05:30

Pencil Shavings: Scenery