Cost of green

I had been thinking a lot about installing a solar water heater for two reasons - decreasing my electricity bill, and to make use of the 10 hours-a-day sunshine here. I called up the dealer of a famous solar water heater manufacturer and found out it was not worth buying a solar water heater at all!
1. I can't have hot water whenever I want, even during the day time. I was supposed to let the sun "boil" the water for a whole day and I can use the water heated today only the next day.
2. The cost is prohibitive - Rs. 20,000 + taxes + installation charges + "misc. expenses". The cost of an instant water heater is Rs. 4000, and the annual electric bill (all the appliances) is only another Rs. 4000. So, if I get this installed, it will take me 4 more years to break even.
3. I can't install it in my flat as the heater has to be placed only on the open terrace.

Why go through all this trouble if I have to lose all the convenience??

Yahoo Messenger Spam

I've been having this problem for the last few days - with spam messages coming from my contacts. The case used to be that I got lots of spam messages from people I've never known, nowadays, these messages seem to come from people in my contact list!!

The messages come with the audible Ping, which till now I've understood to be followed by an urgent message by my friends...

Mutiny

1971: India helps Bangladesh free itself from brutal Pakistan.
2001: Bangladesh returns the favour - sending back the mutilated bodies of BSF soldiers tied up like they were game gathered by the maharaja's hunting party.
(Image from Sify)
2009: Bangladesh Rifles in the news again
(Image from BBC)

The number of dead bodies in the grave could rise as the search continued, fire service operations chief Sheikh Mohammad Shahjalal said.
“It’s beyond comprehension how one human could have done this to another. They not only shot them dead but some bodies were badly mutilated with bayonets,” he said.

I wonder why nobody in Bangladesh asked this question in 2001. Maybe they don't consider citizens of a "Hindu country" as humans?

It has been known for some time that Pakistan's ISI has had a free reign within Bangladesh for creating trouble in India. If it is proved that ISI (or some other Paki organization) is behind this mutiny, will Bangladesh kick ISI out of the country? Or, will it try to "forgive" this mutiny and show some other reason?

Economy

If there's anything I would like to see go down because of this bad economy, that would be Dubai and it's associated hype.

Then and Now

pre-1987: Ceylonese government creates an apartheid state, with Sinhalese only as full citizens. Contrary to widespread belief that Buddhists are peaceful dopes, Tamil Hindus and Muslims are massacred and maltreated throughout the country by them.

1987-1991: Civil war in Sri Lanka, government forces fought against LTTE. Tamil Politicians openly supported the resistance/separatists. Indian armed forces forced to intervene by Tamil and Union politicians. All organizations, except LTTE lay down weapons; LTTE calls IPKF the "Satanic Force", "get the hell out of our country!" LTTE and Sri Lanka got together to fight back IPKF. IPKF Withdraws after huge losses. An ex-Prime Minister assassinated by LTTE.

1991-1996: See-saw between LTTE (now the sole "representative" of Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil politicians' shrill voice is mostly muted due to aforementioned assassination.

1996-2005: See-saw between LTTE (now the sole "representative" of Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil politicians' shrill voice raising slowly. Tens of "sole voice of Tamil conscience" join hands, along with Dalit "leader" Thirumavalavan.

2005-mid 2008: Civil war in Sri Lanka, government forces fought against LTTE. Tamil Politicians openly support LTTE. LTTE wants India to intervene now and save their arse.

mid 2008-present: LTTE on verge of losing everything tries to whip up emotions comparing what happens in Israel/Palestine to this Civil War. Both are sad events, but LTTE is not truly concerned about the civilians, they just want to hold on to the power they have tasted, and not getting killed once they lose their status. In Tamil Nadu, anyone who criticizes LTTE or the "Tamil Cause" is immediately denounced and silenced ever since a guy burnt himself up.