If you thought watermelon is just a fruit that refreshes parched throats, here’s something you should know - the juicy fruit has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido

The finding results from a study led by an Indian researcher in US. “The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center. "We’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important health benefits grows longer with each study,” he added.

Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said. In watermelons, these include lycopene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline, whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. It has the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.

Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said. “The citrulline-arginine relationship helps the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat ED and maybe even prevent it,” he added.

While there are many psychological and physiological problems that can cause impotence, extra nitric oxide could help those who need increased blood flow, which would also help treat angina, high BP and other cardiovascular problems.
“Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra, but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects,” Patil said.

The benefits of watermelon don’t end there, he said. Arginine also helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from our bodies. Citrulline, the precursor to arginine, is found in higher concentrations in the rind of watermelons than the flesh.

Thank god the congestion on all Metro roads will be off from today onwards if the truckers strike go on indefinite strike. ( Pun intended ) The demands of the truckers being withdrawl of service tax ( 12.5%), withdrawl of diesel hike, abolition of toll tax, non inclusion of transport in service sector nett, and abolition of speed governors.

Truckers have been generating lot of black money in earlier days. Unaccounted goods were transported, sand was ferried in overloaded trucks, illegal mining is still rampant, etc. The government has been trying to tame the powerful truckers lobby for a long long time. In the bargain tax officials pocket a large sum of money to let them off the hook. In this circumstances the finance ministry should go for step by step approach in introducing taxes. The service tax should 1% so that the truckers and the industries would not mind shelling out. Then gradually it can be increased on .5% basis. The introduction of higher incidence % of taxation is obviously going to fuel inflation and make avenues for tax officials to pocket money.

Overloading of trucks by sand and mining industry is another bane. Huge amounts of black money is being generated. They are also creating infrastructure problem of roads being destroyed. Instead of loading 5 tonnes if a truck is carrying 15 tonnes obviously straining the road network. Further the trucks become accident prone. How do we regulate this issue. Further tarpaulins should be made madatory otherwise trucks should be siezed by RTO so that there is no spillage of dust or iron particles on the road causing broncho and lung problems.

Speed governors need not be introduced if lane discipline of truckers is made mandatory. Trucks should use only the left side of the road trucks only for turning should be allowed to come to the centre. Time zone restrictions for entry of trucks into the city should be introduced. Urgent need for parking bays of trucks is necessary to control their movement. It will provide a security check to avoid transportation of RDX too inadvertently.

Overall the govt needs to have a fresh look at the Truckers demand at the same time regulating them in a desired manner to smother inflation, control pollution and enhance productivity.

Saw Palmetto was accidentally discovered by the red Indians or native Americans in a routine hunting expedition. The berries extracted from Saw Palmetto had wonderful curative properties. Initially berries were consumed for the kick of it I suspect. Over a period of time, they found the linkage and curative properties to various disease such as puberty issues, urinary infections, prostrate enlargement, urination problem etc. Some use this wonder drug to enhance their sexual prowess too.

Sometimes when we are afflicted with some major health complication we let our guard loose and forget to check the pricing MRP and its labeling. This particularly applies to Homeopathic medicine. I feel the trend is prevalent in Ayurvedic drugs too.

I went to purchase a tonic or syrup named Sabal Serrulata 100 ml which was prescribed to control my prostrate inflammation. The initial treatment dose of 30ml was free courtesy an NGO. I did not want to avail of this free facility and strain the organization, even though I donated in their drop box. Since Homeopathic treatment in general is long term, without much side effects, obviously it meant that I should have a full year stock of this wonder drug.

When I approached a homeopathic medical store in Shivajinagar, I was shocked at the pomp and show of the outlet. Normally I associate an ayurvedic or homeopathic outlet with traditional approach. My senses were awakened. I just went and gave the counter chappie the prescription, he refused to part with 100 ml SKU or bottle. He said only 30 ml is allowed for a retail customer which costs an Indian make Rs 100/- and German make Rs 175/- I did not check the packed unit. I just left because my logic was strong that I was being taken for a ride. My car was parked in a no parking zone too LOL. The security guy assured me there is no issues since the outlet owners have good rapport with cops. Maybe with cops help they have installed a no parking board to cater to their customers only.

Next outlet I just landed after parking in a hospital and walked up to the outlet. The owner was casually reading a newspaper. She then became alert and ordered her servant to get me the medicine quickly, bypassing other customers. I was surprised. The counter guy came with 100 ml bottle which was leaking. I just saw the bottle and verified its label I was shocked that there was no manufacturers name

Nor MRP only a small rubber stamp of the medical store. It shocked the hell out of me. I told her I want a sealed pack from the manufacturer. She avoided giving it to me on an excuse stating that it was out of stock. She thought I will purchase the 100 ml without any issues.

Next day I sent my wife, whom I informed regarding the developments, she went and asked for the medication in 450 ml, luckily the owner was not present. The counter boy came proudly with a sealed pack of Naturae Homoemed, who too seems to be an importer, so it obviously means the differentiation is created by the clever middlemen to enrich themselves. My wife paid Rs 340 for a 450 ml. Otherwise if had to buy in 30 ml pack I would have ended up paying Rs 1500/- A margin over above his normal profit margin of 25%. It works out to 341% margin for repacking. If had to buy a foreign make probably the same product being labeled as foreign make I would have paid Rs 2625 a phenomenal profit margin of Rs 672%.

For obvious reasons I have hidden the names of the middlemen, but alerting MSians to be aware of such unethical practice. I don’t know how the Drug controllers have let loose such practices. The government is loosing huge revenues too because none of these products seemed to be accounted or billed to the customer.

The battle of blogs between Big B & other heavy weights in public life continues unabated.

Big B added, "We fake it on screen. Diluted tea, honeyed water, an aerated drink, soda watered to match the colour of champagne. That’s what we are actually drinking on set to simulate the whisky. Our intoxication, minister, is in the credibility we bring to a drunken scene without being literally drunk, not to propagate alcoholism."

Ramadoss had lashed out recently at actors, iconised by India’s young and old, for portraying scenes of them consuming alcohol, to drown their sorrow. Ramadoss on Tuesday had appealed to film stars not to promote alcohol advertisements — direct or surrogate.

The minister had said that movies at present had started to use drunken scenes as a tool for humour more often that before.

Ramadoss had said, "Earlier villains were shown consuming alcohol. Now, heroes have started to portray alcohol consumption, more often on screen." Bachchan took a dig at the powerful alcohol lobby as well. The actor’s reaction came came even though Ramadoss had not named Bachchan during his remark.

Bachchan further writes, "You have not named me on this factor. It is perhaps the general knowledge amongst most, that I do not consume alcohol, nor smoke, nor eat meat, nor drink tea or coffee, nor Coke or Pepsi, nor paan or paan masala, nor Indian sweets or chocolate, nor cake nor pastry and recently no rice. I am grateful for this mercy."

It is surprising that Big B was a brand ambassador for Pepsi along with Sachin sometime back Lol.

"But I have been named on your no-smoking campaign, along with my colleague the great King Shah Rukh Khan. Some of my posters of two of my not too recent films have led you to believe that there has been a grave destruction of the ethics of your campaign."

"I applaud your concern Sir and applaud the choice of your example, in my dear friend and colleague, the other true king of cinema, Rajnikanth, but honored Sir, could we perhaps dare to inquire whether you, have considered first, to ban this dreaded habit from all government servants in the country," Bachchan signs off.

This is the second strong reaction made by a Bollywood biggie this week to Ramadoss’s comments.

Sharmila Tagore, chairperson of the Central Board for Film Certification had recently asked Ramadoss to do something about the growing menace of fake medicines in the country instead of showing concern over film actors being shown consuming liquor on screen.

Superstar Rajnikanth has enacted in two of the recent blockbusters Shivaji and Chandramukhi without his famous trademark Cigarette stunts in reverence to the wishes of ministers request.

Please treat this latest episode as a rejoinder to my POST on LIR


Mom comes to visit her son Kumar for dinner.....who lives with a girl
roommate Sunita. During the course of the meal, his mother couldn't
help but notice how pretty Kumar's roommate was. She had long been
suspicious of a relationship between the two, and this had only made
her more curious.
Over the course of the evening, while watching the two interact, she
started to wonder if there was more between Kumar and his roommate
than met the eye.
Reading his mom's thoughts, Kumar volunteered, 'I know what you must
be thinking, but I assure you, Sunita and I are just roommates.'
About a week later, Sunita came to Kumar saying, 'Ever since your
mother came to dinner, I've been unable to find the silver plate. You
don't suppose she took it, do you?'
Kumar said ,'Well, I doubt it, but I'll email her, just to be sure.'
So he sat down and wrote :
Dear Mother:
I'm not saying that you 'did' take the silver plate from my house,
I'm not saying that you 'did not' take the silver plate.. But the fact
remains that it has been missing ever since you were here for dinner
Love, Kumar

A few days later, Kumar received an email from his Mother which read
Dear Son:
I'm not saying that you 'do' sleep with Sunita, and I'm not saying that
you 'do not' sleep with Sunita. But the fact remains that if she was
sleeping in her OWN bed, she would have found the silver plate by
now under the pillow...
Love,
Mom.
Lesson of the day:
Don't Lie to Your Mother...... .....especially if she is Indian !

Goodbye Windows XP, one of the best softwares released by MS is being discarded by the soft ware giant. It is a rare instance of killing a cash cow brand, with their own hidden Logic. Along with the exit of MS chief Bill gates this move preplexes many a internet users. What is baffling many is that Vista has many a bugs to be fixed and yet windows xp is being disbanded. I hope some overhaul is undertaken to Windows XP and released in a new avataar. I presume that is what they are hinting to undertake. Please read on TOI article.

REDMOND: Microsoft Corp is scheduled to stop selling its Windows XP operating system to retailers and major computer makers today, despite protests from a slice of PC users who don't want to be forced into using XP's successor, Vista.

Once computers loaded with XP have been cleared from the inventory of PC makers such as Dell Inc and Hewlett-Packard Co, consumers who can't live without the old operating system on their new machine will have to buy Vista Ultimate or Vista Business and then legally "downgrade" to XP.

Microsoft will still allow smaller mom-and-pop PC builder shops to buy XP for resale through the end of January. A version of XP will also remain available for ultra-low-cost PCs such as the Asus Eee PC.

A group of vocal computer users who rallied around a "Save XP" petition posted on the industry news site InfoWorld had been clamoring for Microsoft to keep selling XP until its next operating system, Windows 7, is available. The software maker has said it expects to release Windows 7 sometime in 2009.

Last week, Microsoft said it would provide full technical support for six-year-old Windows XP through 2009, and limited support through 2014.

Getting Hooked to the wonderdrug viagra or desi one's is becoming a current rage, according to newspaper reports. Viagra was discovered for people who are having ED ( erectile dysfunction ) but now it catching like wild fire among youngsters. The placebo effect after consuming 40+, Agni, etc which i know off, since I have not purchased one so far though, seems to magnetic. Well i was surprised when I was given free 40+ strip of 4 tablets free after purchasing a movie ticket for Halla Bola sometime back. Well i am still to consume that tablet, it must be lying somewhere in the shelfs. Maybe got to use it one of these days to try its poweress. Lol.

Some of the known side effects of consuming Viagra are :

Common

flushing headache nasal congestion stomach discomfort following meals

Less Common

abnormal vision including blurred vision, seeing shades of colors differently than before, or sensitivity to light bladder pain cloudy or bloody urine dizziness increased frequency of urination pain on urination diarrhea

Rare

bleeding of the eye convulsions (seizures) decreased or double vision or other changes in vision prolonged, painful, or inappropriate erection of penis redness, burning, or swelling of the eye anxiety

Viagra in rare cases have been known to cause chest pains and siezures, it is better to consult one's doctor rather than popping the pill at will. Doctors too have to excercise caution to guide the intake of this so called wonder pill.

The need to satisfy one's partner is ever increasing. My friend used to call himself stud bull everytime. After his crossing of 50, he started complaining of decreased libido, when he checked up with the doctor. The doctor opined that he has been consuming outdated drug for BP. He prescribed alternative now he is back to the status of Stud Bull. He does not need 40+ anymore Lol.

As the prostrate gland enlarges one gets to experience superman status too. This is one of the positive effects of a painful physical condition. One has to undergo corrective surgery sometimes, or has to undergo homeopathic medication which can retard the enlargement process.

Overall caution is better than valour on the mattress with one's mistress. Lol.

Modern trend of couples choosing to “ LIVE-IN “ should be regulated in terms of Licensing. Many a times parents are taken in for a surprise when they come to know that their daughter has started a Live In relationship with her colleague or boy friend. It comes as a shocker to the family.

90% of the Live-in relationship head for a break-up citing in compatibility as the reason for separation. In the initial stage of Live-in relationship all things are hunky dory. Enjoying un limited sexual freedom comes as a boon to the couple in relationship. Slowly partying becomes a norm in their household rather than attending parties outside. This obviously reveals the fact of their status to their colleagues and friends inviting gossip and rumour mongering.

The rift starts appearing after a year when the partners no more find their mannerisms and physical attributes attractive enough. The girl in a relationship is left high and dry. This has invited NCW to bring in alimony clause for separation. Separation after a period of 1 year should qualify for alimony. If the women bear a child the compensation factor should be higher.

Logically the convenience of Live-in relationship citied is to share common facilities of housing and furniture, need for a partner to discuss, get to know each other before marriage, baptism by trail of fire, Go Dutch, etc. Recent trend of gays and lesbians sharing a live in relationship is also noticed. In such cases people totally ignore it as mutual admiration. I personally feel it is a mature way of extending friendship rather than opposite sex.

Considering the sanctity of marriage all types of Live-in relationship should have a registration so that at the appropriate time frame, may be 3 to 6 months it should be revealed to the respective parents. This will avoid lot of mis-understanding and maybe result in marriage rather than divorce. A detailed counseling session can be held to formalize Live-in arrangement. Overall some regulation needs to be in place for ensuring the sanctity of Live-in relationship to avoid the animal instinct in a regulated society.

BJP has come to power with an agenda & mandate to improve infrastructure of Bangalore. Despite sabotage by opposition parties, our CM has been on the dot with his agenda to improve the Infrastructure. A seminar was organised in IISc to unravel the plans.

To surmise the urgent needs of Bangalore citizen are :

1) Signal free commuting to Blore airport - Blore can do it.
2) Clean Foot paths and drains being covered to eliminate foul odour and safety.
3) Patch up road scheme to be implemented to avoid costly relaying roads.
4) Parking bays underground and over head, subways for pedestrain crossing.
5)Metro Railway and circular railway activation for commuters.
6)Public water supply & toilet facility at all important junctions even if it is tolled.

Beyond this Yeddi may have to wait for the next term. I am sure with the help of IT Czar lot of developments can take place at a rapid pace. If Yeddi pulls it off he will be a real boon for Bangalore and Karnataka. The promise of providing more jobs and parochial considerations can wait.

Another important development which is taking place is the replantation of trees which are slaughtered for road widening. It is utmost vital since Blore is becoming extremely hot during summer. This will increase the load on power consumption which is a dangerous trend. Solar industry needs an impetus along with aircraft industry. It will be in the interest of public to postpone real estate investment or purchases since the prices have shot up 600%. There is a need for 50% correction on the price front. Artificial escalation fuelled by speculators has been the bane of unbridled development for Bangalore.

We wish our CM Yeddi and NRN all the good luck to bring back grace to Bangalore.

The four pillars of democarcy are obviously known to many. They are :

1. Legislature 2. Executive 3. Judiciary 4. Press.

Now to strengthen the roots of Indian democracy 5th Pillar has come into existence. The primary goal of the organisation is :

Objective

Mobilising people power and making it ‘Social Capital’ through 5th Pillar's coalition of citizens to fight corruption thereby strengthening the four pillars of democracy

Mission Statement

Encourage, Enable and Empower Every Citizen of India to Eliminate Corruption at All Levels of Society

ACTIVITES :

To Realise "Anti Corruption Objective" To get remedy for citizens particularly the common man by use of the Right to Information Act Curb Corruption in Government and Public Sector, both of elected representatives and officials Prevent Corruption in Private Sector Get support from other Pillars and extend support to other Pillars in fighting corruption Organising the “bribe-givers” against bribe “No bribe-Red badges” to be given to honest officials and workers To work for Stricter laws to curb corruption and ensure stronger action Make propaganda against corruption and create awareness Get information on the evils of corruption in the school curriculum Information sharing and dissemination Recognition of Honest Men Giving HONESTY Award to Offices where every one is honest. Recognition of honest elected representatives : The idea of writing this post is to begin the Bangalore chapter of the 5th Pillar, whose tentacles are growing fast across India. Those interested to join the bandwagon and create their own chapter in unrepresented territories can go through this link :

http://indi
a.5thpillar.org/activities.html


Let us wish 5th Pillar a grand success, I have an open invitation from the organisation to begin the Blore chapter along with Mr Arka Gupta. Any more members interested please feel free to be in touch with me on mail derebail2005@yahoo.co.in , we can catch up to finalise the agenda along with the directions of HO. Good luck.