Srinivas Padma: Personal Musings on Life, Growth, and Connections

Olympus E-3 Fastest Autofocus

Controversial Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds [Images] could face a serious punishment from the International Cricket Council for man-handling a streaker during the second finals of the tri-series against India in Brisbane on Tuesday. When the man ran onto the pitch naked, trying to evade the police by approaching in the direction of Symonds, the all-rounder leaned onto him in a rugby style shoulder charge and grounded him in the 10th over of Australia's chase of 259. Indian Won by 9 Wickets. The pitch invader falls to the ground as Symonds looks on

Sixty chefs, ten hours and 13,000 kg of vegetarian biryani and a new world record for the largest vegetable biryani entered the Guinness Book of World Records in an event by Kohinoor Foods Ltd in association with HT Media Ltd. Ingredients 2600 kg Traditional basmati rice 130 kg Salt 510 kg Refined oil 375 kg Green peas 375 kg French beans, cubed 375 kg Carrot, cubed 500 kg Cauliflower, cut 780 kg Onion paste 750 kg Tomato paste 500 kg Whisked curd 5 kg Clove powder 50 kg Green cardamom powder 2.5 kg Cinnamon powder 2.5kg Black peppercorn powder 4 kg Bay leaf powder 5 kg Cumin seeds 260 kg Garlic paste 160 kg Ginger paste 20 kg Green chilli paste 6 kg Green chilli, julienne 7 kg Red chilli powder 25 kg Garam masala 10 kg Fennel seeds powder 10 kg Jeera powder 4 kg Coriander powder 250 kg Mint leaves, chopped 600 kg Green coriander leaves, chopped Method Soak the traditional rice for two hours. Mix oil, tomato paste, onion paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, dry sp

Are you at risk for creeping weight gain? Knowing is half the battle. 1. Diet. Regularly consuming too many calories, especially from high-fat foods and calorie-laden drinks. 2. Physical inactivity. Inactive people are more likely to carry excess body fat. 3. Genetics . If one or both of your parents is obese your risk rises by 25 percent. 4. Age. As we age we lose muscle to fat and our metabolism declines, reducing calorie needs. 5. Gender. Men expend 20 percent more calories than women, making weight control a tougher challenge for women. 6. Psychological factors. Some people overeat to cope with emotional problems. 7. Pregnancy. A woman’s weight can rise 4 to 6 pounds after each pregnancy. 8. Medications. Some corticosteroids and antidepressants can result in weight gain. 9. Illness. Any medical condition that leads to decreased activity can result in weight gain. 10. Quitting smoking. Smokers can gain up to 8 pounds when quitting

If you believe Robin Ryan, America's most popular career counselor, the largest raises you are likely to ever get are when you quit your current job for a higher paying one. Today, however, there are many people who manage good salary hikes without leaving their current job. Here are some tips that could help you break out of a low-raise rut: Remember, good performance always pays. So work hard, remain focused, and always show your willingness to take new responsibilities. If things are not going the right way, go for self-appraisal. Are you able to execute your work well? Does your employer value your work? Do you need to improve in some areas? If this is the case, first work on your shortcomings and then seek results. Keep getting your boss' feedback regarding your performance. This will help you identify both your weak and strong points. Are your seniors especially your boss aware of your performance? You might hate to brag, but the boss should know what you have been doing.

The Coen brothers completed their journey from the fringes to Hollywood's mainstream, their crime saga No Country for Old Men winning four Academy Awards, including best picture, in a ceremony that also featured a strong international flavor . Europeans swept the acting categories on Sunday night. British actor Daniel Day Lewis and France's Marion Cotillard were best lead actor and actress. The supporting actor and actress prizes went to Spain's Javier Bardem and British actress Tilda Swinton . The only other time in the Oscars' 80 year history that all four acting winners were foreign born was in 1964, when the recipients were Britons Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews and Peter Ustinov and Russian Lila Kedrova. Javier Bardem won for supporting actor in No Country for old men, which earned Joel and Ethan Coen best director, best adapted screenplay and the best picture honour as producers. Accepting the directing honour alongside his brother, Joel Coen recalled h

Auctioneer Richard Madley could not have imagined the impact of his words on the glittering gathering at the plush Hilton Towers here on Wednesday. Neither could his vast experience at running auctions have prepared him for the frenzy that was to follow his announcement that India one day skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had raked in a cool $1.5 million (Rs 6 crore) to top the charts at the auction of players for the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League. Marking the dawn of a new era in cricket, the bid process saw the Deccan Chronicle's Hyderabad team emerge as the most balanced of the eight outfits, with Andrew Symonds its star buy at $1.35 million (Rs 5.4 crore). The colourful Symonds will be joined by iconic Aussie wicket keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist ($700,000), Pakistan's explosive batsman Shahid Afridi ($675,000) in a team led by the stylish Venkatasai Laxman. Chennai forked out the massive amount spent on Twenty20 world championship winner Dhoni, and he was