The cyclone gave Mumbai a cold shoulder (!) and there was a collective sigh of relief! But that didn't stop a friend from sending me these SMSs:

The reason of sudden rain and that also in November and so heavily and constant is not a climate change as you may be thinking. It is nothing but promotion of movie "Tum Mile" :-)

Why did cyclone change its path?
Breaking News - MNS refuses to allow the cyclone to enter Mumbai - unless it is given a Marathi name.

Here we were worried sick about the cyclone that never hit us while an asteroid came within striking distance of our planet. Check out http://sify.com/news/asteroid-almost-smacked-into-earth-on-november-6-news-scitech-jllm4gbhdjh.html

Of course, the scientists say that even if it had collided with us it wouldnt have made much of an impact. But isnt that what the NASA scientists always say in the Hollywood movies before all hell breaks loose!

The rain has let up a bit in the city and the cyclone has bypassed us. But the forecasts of heavy rains still stand. A friend forwarded this SMS to me:

बेगानोसे प्यारकी गु़जारिश नही होती
मौतके बाद कोई ख्वाहिश नही होती
शायद कोई प्यारभरा दिल टूटा होगा
वरना नोव्हेम्बर मे इतनी बारिश नही होती :-)

It has been raining since yesterday in Mumbai - highly unusual for this time of the year. It's a welcome relief from the blistering heat of the past few days though - in itself an unusual experience for the coastal city in November. The only worrying thing is that this sudden change in weather is going to play havoc with peoples' health for sure :-(

This smells "phishy" :-)

I burst out laughing when I saw the following email in my mailbox the other day:

Dear India Banking Customers Upgrade

For the safety of your Online BankingAccount we have issued this Warning message.
Due to Various Online Banking Frauds going on in the country, The Reserve Bank Of India and the management of the Banks Listed came out with a solution to Secure and Upgrade Your Online Account, You are madated to Update your banking Details to enable us secure and Upgrade your Account to Match with our Latest secured server.

To update your Bank records Click Here To Select and Upgrade
Thank You.

Reserve Bank Of India(Indian's Central Bank)

Are you one of the admirers of our winged friends?
Do you drop all the work you are doing when a pigeon or a sparrow lands on the window sill?

Check this site out: http://dilawarmohammed.googlepages.com/feedersforsale

Buy one and invite the birdies in your garden, in your home, in your life! :-)

Here's something that I stumbled upon while surfing the net over the weekend:
http://www.stay-sharp.in/staysharp/liptonLogin.aspx

Must say that though I am a fan of jigsaw puzzles, solving them online is not "my cup of tea". :-)

Why is it that bad news always gets front-page publicity whereas the news that fosters peace and goodwill in the community is always tucked in some obscure area where it largely goes unnoticed? The fatwa by Jamiat-Ulama-e-Hind was highlighted in the headlines but a little group of Muslims who saw no harm in singing the national anthem hardly found a mention in the press.

Here goes: http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20091109/1416/tnl-muslims-defy-fatwa-sing-vande-matara.html

Do you wonder about the traditional recipes in different countries? If so, then the Season 2 of "Food Lovers' Guide to Planet" that has started on NatGeo is a must for you. I watched part of an episode on the Korean food this weekend and it was fascinating! My jaw dropped in awe when they explained the laborious process of making "Khimchi". Incidentally, a version of this Khimchi can be found in chinese restaurants where it is served as an accompaniment along with vinegar -soaked carrots and cucumbers. My all-time favorites!

Sometimes I am amazed at the power of the internet in general and that of Wiki in particular. By the time I finished reading Forsyth's "Icon" (will post review later) I had jotted down a couple of things at the back of an envelope - things I wanted to find out about on the net.

First of course was the reference to Babi Yar as mentioned in my earlier post. Here's the rest of the collection -

- Chaika
- House of Grimaldi
- Morganatic Marriage
- Great Patriotic War

If you are as curious as I am about these, get a cup of steaming tea/coffee and hit the net. You will be amazed at what information you can find. :-)

I had not heard of Babi Yar till I came across it in Frederick Forsyth's "Icon". Check out http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babi_Yar at the risk of throwing up whatever you ate for breakfast. :-(