Buy an expensive car; go green!

The latest news on Indian media - the rise of prime lending rates by half a percentage point. RBI says this is necessary to control inflation that has touched 11 percent. The RBI hopes that increased interest rates will reduce the demand for goods, thereby, reducing inflation. High inflation can slower down any country's growth rate.

The major reason for inflation is the hike in fuel and food prices. Demand for fuel is growing by the day. The more oil is extracted from the earth's crust the more demand grows. The greed for energy is now leaving many oil wells dry. Old wells don't bear oil and new wells are hard to find. Even if new oil reserves are found, they are in challenging locations. Saudi Arabia plans to extract more oil to meet the demand. But this will take at least a few years. Till then, don't be surprised to see oil prices going up each day.

In this situation, the last thing India needs is Tata's Nano. The one lakh car is easily affordable to any middle class family with a decent income. Gone are the days when cars were for the affluent. With the induction of Nano in the showrooms, the number of cars on the Indian streets is sure to rise. More cars easily means more pollution and global warming (as if we bother about it) and more fuel consumption. Easily, increased consumption means increased demand and hence, even higher prices. This again means, higher inflation and increase in lending rates by RBI. And the cycle continues!

The least we can do is pledge to buy only expensive cars. Wait till you have saved enough for it and get your money's worth. Till then, we always have the public transportation.

It all happens for good

Not so long ago, I had a full time, well paying job, was free of family responsibilities and commitments, holiday meant relaxing at home and eating mom made food and going out with friends and not to forget shopping. I felt I was one in a million then.

But all of a sudden, things are different now. I don't have a job, I have to cook and look after my house and dear husband, holidays are still fun but I miss mom made food, friends are too far away to meet, shopping still continues but it is mostly for the house. Today, I feel lost in the Indian diaspora.

This was quite frustrating earlier but not anymore. Today, I am much more happier and all for the same reason - feeling lost in the Indian diaspora.

With no job on hand, I have a lot more time for myself now. It is like having extra 15 to 17 hours a day. This extra time has given me an opportunity to know myself better.

I recently took charge of the canvas and the brush. I loved to paint as a child but couldn't persue the same. It really feels great to do something that connects me to my childhood, brings out the real me and express myself through colours. As I painted, I met the otherside of me.


I never realised being out of job and different from 'the modern, independent girl' could be so satisfying and rewarding. Today, I see a lot many ways opening up for me, a lot many opportunities coming my way. Staying at home, spending time on myself allows me to follow my heart and frees me from all obligations.

It is like living a dream and I now know that it all happens for good.

Is fuel price hike for the better?

I always believed that nature knew how to maintain its equilibrium. It masters the art of regaining the lost balance in any extreme condition. And its latest trick is making fuel dearer.

Not so latest news is the hike in fuel price. As a result of this people are protesting in India, Malaysia, Spain and the list might get longer. The governments in these countries fear tumbling any time. The poor are forced to choose between lunch and dinner and the rich are painfully settling for more fuel efficient and hybrid cars. Life has become difficult.

But if there are people celebrating the hike in fuel prices then they are the environmental activists. The traffic levels on the US roads are dropping, people all over the globe are opting for public transportation and car pooling. SUVs are being replaced with hybrid cars. Two wheelers are getting popular. Cycles might soon make a comeback!

Not many may appreciate a hike in fuel price but the environment surely stands to gain. Did you know, city traffic along with buildings and manufacturers emits 70 per cent of world's greenhouse gases? This figure should come down with decreasing traffic movement all over the globe thereby reducing global warming.

I guess nature patiently waits for us to correct our mistakes but sadly, it realizes that we humans always learn the hard way!

Advantage vegetarianism!

Everybody knows about the advantages of being a vegetarian. A lot has been said and written about turning vegetarian and living healthy. I am certainly not getting into it. However, we now have a new reason to give up eating meat - global warming.

Did you know that every piece of beef you eat adds to global warming? This might sound strange but it is true. Going by the United Nations' estimates, rearing cows, processing beef and dairy products, packaging and transporting them to supermarkets and then to your kitchens accounts for 18 per cent of world's greenhouse gas emissions.

Be it feeding a cow or slaughtering it and everything in between needs fossil fuel. Therefore, the more the beef is eaten the more fossil fuels are burnt, which only means more global warming. Moreover, cows themselves pass gas, mostly methane, which is more harmful than carbon dioxide.

So, all you beef lovers, time to start loving cows when alive. For more on this, go to http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4845543&page=1

Most beautiful sunset

This is one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. This was on a wonderful evening on my honeymoon in Sanibel Island in Florida. I guess my husband managed to capture the beauty along with the romance in this picture.

It could easily be one of the many sunsets that fills hope and love in the hearts of the people viewing it.

This sunset promises a better tomorrow and leaves behind a beautiful today.