Movie Pick : Kindergarten Cop (1990) - 3.5/5

A good Action Comed for a change

Hard-edged cop John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger) gets more than he bargained for when he goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to get the goods on a brutal drug lord (Richard Tyson) while at the same time protecting the man's young son. Pitted against a class of boisterous moppets whose antics try his patience and test his mettle, Kimble may have met his match … in more ways than one. Pamela Reed also stars in this engaging action comedy.

Nokia N900

Nokia N900 - its a pretty impressive phone .. as close to a PC as it can get in the size of a pack of cigarette. There are some pretty good deals available also for the same. Check out the phone at Nokia Site.

Wanted to buy it as a gift for someone in India....but with the phone supporting only T-mobile 3G frequencies in US and the fact that 3G is still not available in India .. does not look like a great gift now as in India only EDGE will work. Still looking for a new mobile to buy.

Google Wave

Well just got an invitation to try out the new preview of Google wave. Still trying to figure out how the thing works and if its really as revolutionary as Google claims it to be. The demo videos sure do look pretty impressive and kind of cool.

Fight the Flu - Fever Foods

When fever strikes, weare forced to spend days in bed with antibiotics by your side, drained and trying your best to recover.

A fever is the body’s warfare to viral or bacterial infection. It creates an arduous possibility for bacteria and viruses to survive and multiply. The higher the temperature, the most opportune it gets for the bacteria.


A fever brings with it:
- A loss of appetite making food intake almost negligible.
- A 13 % increase in body’s basic energy expenditure (for every 1 degree Celsius rise in body temperature).
- A decrease in Glycogen (muscle) stores to generate this energy.
- A high breakdown of proteins generating nitrogenous wastes like urea and uric acid. This puts a load on the kidneys for purification.
- A loss of body fluid from excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea and urine formation.

Feed the fever with the following:
- A high energy high protein full fluid diet within intervals of 3 hours is advisable. Include gruels, broths, soups, stews, milkshakes etc.
- As per your tolerance level, move from full fluid diet to semi solid meals of khichidi, rice with curd, mashed potatoes and finely cut veggies, kheer etc.
- Plenty of fluids like fresh juices, soups and broths can give you the required energy. Fluid intake should reach 2.5 to 5 liters per day.
Also include
- Milk and milk based beverages, milkshakes and smoothies
- Buttermilk or lassi with added whey to increase the protein content
- Refined cereals and de-husked pulse preparations
- Eggs, soft cheese, tender meats, fish and poultry
- Gelatin based desserts, sugars, honey and jam

Winters - Tough for Feet !!

Harsh, dry weather can have your feet screaming for help. Sure, you have those uber chic boots and roman sandals to cover them up but cracked heels and flaky skin can turn awfully painful if not fixed in time.

Soft and pretty feet will be yours to keep with these simple precautions and home remedies.

Tuck them in before you sleep
The skin on your feet is thicker than other parts of your body which is why it needs intense moisturizing and nourishment to stay soft and supple. Wash your feet at night and slather them with a generous dollop of petroleum jelly, coconut oil or foot cream and pull on a pair of thick cotton socks to seal in the goodies. This is probably the best anti-crack and crack-prevention home remedy known to mankind.

If the thought of sleeping with socks on seems a tad uncomfy, consider going about the rig earlier in the evening and take off the socks just before hitting the sack.

Scrub ‘em pretty
Banish dull, scaly skin forever by using this simple homemade exfoliating scrub - mix a handful of granulated sugar (the less fine, the better) with a teaspoon of lemon juice and glycerine. Massage you feet with this grainy mix for about 5-10 minutes, wash off and moisturise while your feet are still damp. You will be surprised at how smooth, pink and shiny your feet look after this.

If you want to give the messy routine a pass, keep a commercially available foot scrub handy (the ones containing sea salt and sea weed extracts work wonders).

DIY pedicure in 15 minutes
If your pedicure is long overdue and you still can’t find time to hit the salon, consider doing it at home. Soak your feet in a bucketful of warm water with a few bath salts or foot frizzies added in. Give it a few minutes to do its job and then slough of the dead, thickened skin on your soles with a foot file or pumice. Pay special attention to every nook and cranny including areas like the back of your feet and the top of your toes. Use a greasy cream, body oil or Shea Butter to lock in the moisture and finish off with a coat of your favourite nail polish.

Hema Singh, Manager and Spa Consultant at Coco Salon & Spa, Noida, lets out a little DIY secret - “Though it is always advisable to get a foot massage done professionally, one can massage the feet with therapeutic essential oils like Lavender and Jasmine mixed in a carrier oil to relieve stress off the feet and soften the skin.”

Keep odours at bay
Feet that are squished into closed shoes and boots all day tend to get smelly. Use socks and pantyhose made from ‘breathable’ fabrics and use a foot deodorant if the problem gets overwhelming. Take care to clean the insides of your nails and use refreshing foot sprays and creams with anti-microbial properties to combat foot odours.

Clip away those nails
Winter may not be the best time to maintain long toe nails. Packed feet can result in ingrown nails and cause dirt to settle in difficult-to-clean corners. Long nails can also make your toes hurt when you walk around in closed shoes for too long. Clip them short until the sun shines again. And yes, don’t forget to use a transparent base coat before swiping on nail paint to prevent yellow and discoloured nails.


This winter I'll surely try to follow this...

Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body - Martha Graham

I feel so Happy to Dance, and I am sure everyone does...it brings smiles, passion,
creativity...and enjoyment to life
When I dance i really dont care what are others thinking because when I see someone else dancing, no matter good or bad, I am always smiling and only smiling...Dance truly is a language of soul...so true in words of Martha Graham...

Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.

To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking...

Dance for yourself, if someone understands good. If not then no matter, go right on doing what you love..

While I dance I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole. That is why I dance....

So Dance to the rythm dance on the beats ...dance for yourself and so shall we...:)

Moie Pick : Made of Honor (2008) - 3.5/5

A well do to Romantic Comedy....An old story but few good sequences...

Happy-go-lucky playboy Tom (Patrick Dempsey) finally decides to propose to his best friend, Hannah (Michelle Monaghan), when she returns from a trip. But when she gets home, she announces that she's engaged -- and asks Tom to be in the wedding. Can Tom work his way back into her heart before it's too late? Sydney Pollack and Kadeem Hardison co-star in this whimsical comedy from director Paul Weiland.

Movie Pick : As Good as It Gets (1997) - 3/5

When acerbic, reclusive and obsessive-compulsive author Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) lets stressed-out single mom and waitress Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt) and gay neighbor Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear) and his dog into his life, profound changes await them all in this touching dramedy. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay, the film won Oscars for Nicholson's and Hunt's heartfelt performances.

Movie Pick : The Spanish Prisoner (1997) - 3/5

Never trust what you see. When a naïve inventor (Campbell Scott) develops "The Process," a top-secret program guaranteed to make billions for his company, the wolves come out -- to fleece him. David Mamet wrote and directed this twisty mystery with masterful sleight of hand. Powerful performances by Ben Gazarra and Steve Martin, plus plenty of surprises and stings, make The Spanish Prisoner the ultimate con flick.

Rating : 3/5

I Love being a women...

Being a woman is so much cooler and definitely more fun.
Off course there are things we cannot do but there are things we do better and only we can do :)
Here are a few of the million other reasons why being a women is the bestest thing ever.....

1 Our shopping choices and looks for the season aren’t limited to stripes and solids.

2 We can order colourful, fruity and delicious drinks at a bar without being judged.

3 We’re less likely to go bald.

4 We can cry when we’re stressed without being charged with metrosexuality.

5 We can co-ordinate a work event, update the boss on Bluetooth and flash smiles at a friend’s wedding, all at the same time.

6 We don’t have to love sports to be respected by our gender.

7 We can read maps and stop to ask for directions.

8 We can have a baby....nature's gift

9 We can get into the poshest clubs wearing open footwear and jeans.

10 We don’t have to shave everyday, and no one needs to know

So Hurray...Be happy and celebrate :)

When 30 calls....

What an interesting read..........
When 30 calls, here is a list of ‘Do’s’ ....

- Increase vitamin C, E and A, they are beneficial in reducing sun damage to skin and are rich in antioxidants saving you from a potential heart attack. Play with all colour vegetables and fruits. They are a treasure trove for the need.
- Use a sun block of SPF 30 at least. Give it 15 minutes to become effective before you step out into the sun. Carry an umbrella if need be. It’s better to be safe than to be bothered about looking hideous. These petite precautions during the day will help you looks stunning during the night.
- Moisturise your skin as it gets older. Use day and night creams and hydrating gels. Consult your dermatologist for your skin type. Do not allow your skin to feel dry.
- Your meal and its time also play a big role in keeping you looking and feeling young. Functions of digestion, absorption and utilization of nutrients are visible in healthy looking skin. So, respect your body clock and abode by set meal timings.
- Drinking plenty of water (minimum of 1.5 L/day) will flush out toxins. Do this without fail. (This does not include soups, coffees, teas and sodas).
- Eyes are very sensitive and therefore they are the first place to get wrinkles. 7 to 8 hours of undisturbed sleep is essential.
- Exercise helps you sweat. Sweating flushes out dead cells and waste materials. It releases blocked pores in the skin that cause acne and pimples. Hence, exercising to sweat is out is a good bet. Find at least 30 minutes, 5 times a week, to exercise.
- Keep alcohol consumption to a bare minimum of once a week, while the cigarette at a barge poll’s distance.

Taking care of yourself is an effort but the effort will feel worth it when someone mistakes your age to be 5 years younger than what you actually are.

Movie Pick : Snow Dogs (2002) - 3/5

A coo,Family Comedy....A must watch if you are a dog lover...

Miami dentist Dr. Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) treks to Alaska to claim an inheritance that turns out to be a team of champion sled dogs. Trouble is, old curmudgeon "Thunder" Jack Johnson (James Coburn) wants the canines for an Arctic Circle dogsledding tournament. But plans change when Thunder turns up missing, and it's up to Ted to save the day. Director Brian Levant's family-centered comedy combines flinty humor and heartfelt drama.

Movie Pick: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) - 4/5

No doubts on Mrs. Doubtfire or a 4/5

Loving but irresponsible dad Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams), estranged from his exasperated spouse (Sally Field), is crushed by a court order allowing only weekly visits with his kids. When Daniel learns his ex needs a housekeeper, he gets the job -- disguised as an English nanny. Soon he becomes not only his children's best pal but the kind of parent he should have been from the start. Not surprisingly, the film won an Oscar for Best Makeup.

Movie Pick : My Cousin Vinny (1992) - 4/5

My Cousin Vinny may seem boaring for 1st 15 mins...but slowly catches pace and gets too hillarious by the end...a light refresher comedy...:)

When teenage buddies Billy (Ralph Macchio) and Stan (Mitchell Whitfield) are falsely accused of croaking a convenience-store clerk in a backwoods Southern town, Billy calls on his Noo Yawk cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci), a fast-talking personal injury lawyer who's never tried a case. Vinny's crass demeanor lands him in hot water with the judge, but the lippy Brooklyn barrister has a few tricks up his sleeve. Oscar winner Marisa Tomei plays his gal pal.

Rating : 4/5

Movie Pick : The Fugitive (1993) - 4/5

A good thriller work I must say...though there could have been better suspense though...but a good watch....A sure 4/5 :)

Wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) escapes from custody after a ferocious train accident. But as he tries to find the real killer -- a mysterious one-armed man -- gung-ho U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) is hot on Kimble's trail. Jones bagged an Oscar for his flinty performance in this classic action-thriller, which features one of the grizzliest train wrecks ever put on celluloid.

Movie Pick : The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition (1994) - 5/5

This is the best Criminal Drama I have seen till date...hats off to the performances, story and just everything in the movie....a sure shot 5/5 rating for the movie...Must Watch...

You may find it boaring initially but you will get hooked on to the characters eventually...

Framed in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden (Bob Gunton). During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman) -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.

And the end is amazingly framed....

Most Irritating things while browsing the Internet

Whenever I browse the internet there are so many interesting and soooooooooo many non-interesting and irritating things around
1st to top the list : irritating pop up's full of ads - Internet Marketing...can be avoided by using block pop up feature of the browser....but then sites have come up with a new feature in built popup's.
2nd : Session timeouts...specially in case you are on your banking site.
3rd : Irritating browser crashes
4th: Unknown people sending friends invite on orkut, facebook etc....I call it trespassing in Internet social society
5th: Having IE hangs on problem; you're not only unable to work when that happens, you may not have a clue as to what to do to repair whatever's at fault.
6th: Unexpected Internet Connection Issues
7th: Wireless modem not getting connected
8th: Virus intrusions and a scan is started which itself is a virus


Still I would say Happy browsing...and I am so hooked onto the internet ...its a part of my lifeline...

My Little Sisters

Recently I was missing my sisters (We are 3 sisters) so much ...so just got this...

You've been my sisters
for many years...since the time you were born,
We've laughed together
And shed some tears.
We've had harsh words,
And pulled some hair
But against the world
We are a terrific trio.
Now Our times together are very few,
I just want to say I LOVE YOU!
N I MISS U !!

My FOOD GUIDE Basics

Over the last decade I have seen everyone in my family to friends talking about healthy food, low calorie food...so thought let me find out the basic concept of all this....and my research ended on this....



What’s Food Guide or rather Food Guide Pyramid ?

A food guide is a simple way of knowing what are the kinds of food one needs to consume and in what amounts to ensure good health.

It is obvious that there is interplay of nutrients in the body. When we talk about nutrients it is important to know the quantity i.e. how much to take. This can form a foundation for a good diet selection, providing the essential nutrients.

Definition of RDA

RDA or Recommended Daily Allowances are levels of intake of essential nutrients which are on the basis of scientific knowledge and are adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of all healthy persons.


FOOD GUIDE FOR VEGETARIANS

FOOD GROUPS

Cereals: Cereals form the staple diet in India e.g. rice, wheat, maize. Cereals generally lack lysine, however rice is richer in lysine compared to other cereals. Ragi, a millet, is a rich source of calcium and known as poor man's milk. Cereals do not contain Vitamin A and Vitamin C except yellow maize, which contains carotene.

1 Cereal serving = 1 katori of cooked rice or 2 phulkas or 2 slices of bread.

1 Cereal serving will supply about 100 calories and 2-3 gms. of protein.

Legumes (Pulses and Dals): Pulses are rich sources of protein (upto 22-25%). Vegetarians can meet their protein requirement by including different pulses in their diet. But they lack Vitamin A and Vitamin C. However, germination of pulses increases the Vitamin C levels. Soaking and cooking of legumes destroy their anti-nutritional factors like tannin and trypsin inhibitors and make it easier to digest. Cereal-pulse combination in a proportion of 4:1 or 3:1 is enough for its supplementary effect.

1 serving = 1 katori of cooked dal or pulse

1 serving of legumes = 100 calories and 6-7 gms. proteins.

Vegetables : Green leafy vegetables are very rich sources of Vitamin B, carotene, iron, calcium, Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C. At least fifty grams should be consumed daily by each person. Yellow-orange vegetables are good sources of Vitamin B, carotene, and lycopenes.
Roots and tubers are rich in carbohydrates and contain some vitamins and minerals. Three to five servings of vegetables per day is a must and one of them should be a green leafy vegetable.

Fruits : They are rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibres. Green, yellow and orange fruits like mango, papaya contains beta-carotene. Amla, citrus fruits and guava are a rich source of vitamin C. Dried fruits like dates supply iron. Banana and jackfruit are good sources of energy.
Two to three servings of fruits per day are recommended.

Milk and milk products : Milk is a good source of protein, calcium and vitamins. It is deficient in iron and Vitamin C. Whole milk has high percentage of fat (8-12%) whereas low fat or toned milk has about three percent fat. Skimmed milk has very little or no fat. Recommended servings per day is two to three servings where one serving = 1 cup (225 - 240 ml).


FOOD GUIDE FOR NON-VEGETARIANS

FOOD GROUPS

Meat / fish / Poultry : Egg, fish, meat etc. are included in this group. Eggs supply good quality protein, vitamins and fat. Fish, meat and chicken are good sources of protein and vitamins. Meat has more fat compared to poultry and fish. Omega 3 - PUFA in fish protects against cardiovascular diseases.

Two to three servings/day are recommended.

One serving has about 30 gms of cooked meat.

One serving provides 100 calories and 7 gms of protein.

Fat / Oils : Calories from fat should not exceed 10-15% of the total calorie intake. Fat is made use of not only during cooking (visible source) but it is also present within the food we eat such as seeds, nuts, pulses etc. Fifteen to twenty grams of visible fat (oil/ghee) is recommended per person per day.

One gm. of oil or ghee gives 9 calories.

One tsp of ghee, butter, oil = 45 calories.

Sugars : This group includes sugar, honey, jaggery, etc., which are concentrated sources of energy. Jaggery provides little iron. This group has to be used sparingly. Excessive intake of sugars is not desirable due to wide fluctuations in blood sugar and leads to obesity.
1 tsp. sugar = 20-25 calories.