Smartass Sundar

Driving back from work to home on one of the worst highways in the local area. Worst in the sense that the highway is in really bad condition. As soon as you merge in, the noise level increases tremendously due to the roughness of the surface and the numerous bumps.

As is customary, I just have the radio on and drive, zombie mode. The dude on the radio is going on and on about greenhouse gases, auto industry, environmentalists recommendations and suddenly something jumps out and wakes me up..

"we can significantly reduce greenhouse gases if everyone in America can inflate their vehicle tires to the correct pressure! under inflated tires cause not just more wear and tear and frequent tire disposal, but they also decrease gas mileage!"

the inventor in me went to overdrive!

What? Is that really that simple? Half the time I dont check my tire pressure. Is this the real reason for all the noise or is it the crappy highway. In this day and age when we have diapers which turn color on the outside, when the little one does a number on the inside, how come we dont have an automatic tire pressure indicator that goes red or green? Should I patent that and make millions? If it is that easy to improve gas mileage, there should be one already? and given free with every tire! Hell, it should be built into the tire and there would probably be a law that mandates all tires have built in pressure sensors that alarm when the tire needs to be inflated some more! So far we have not seen anything like it!

Smiling from ear to ear on hitting a possible jackpot and visualizing myself as the next tire sensor baron, I came home, logged on and went on the internet and checked for tire pressure indicator ... and the future tire sensor baron sank into the couch more like a tired senseless moron.

Looks like there is one out there (or god knows how many more). But they want 15 bucks for four sensors. Now, I am upset! Why shouldn't tire manufacturers who charge 75$ a tire add this under 5$ sensor to the tire? Why doesn't the state of California which is hit so hard with emissions, mandate that all tires come with sensors?

I am going to see if someone gives out these things for free. In the meantime, if any of you who read this blog, know of any other such indicator that is cheaper or free, let me know. For now, it is back to the gas station to check tire pressure...

ps. there is an automatic tire pressure indicator in my Toyota Sienna van. But this light is perpetually on!! I know my tires have the right pressure (every local mechanic has told me so, except the toyota service!).
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Out of the blue

During our long weekend visit to the east coast, we stayed in a hotel near the BWI Airport. After a long days sightseeing in DC, we wanted to go get some Indian food.

Called the lobby and they suggested a small Indian Restaurant nearby. It was the only Indian restaurant in that small town on the phone book. We had nothing to lose and so off we went.

We were pleasantly surprised by the ambience and the food!

In about an hour we were seated, we had finished a sumptuous meal and were out!

The prices were reasonable too (12$ a person)

The naan, matter panner and poori's were awesome.

But if you are in the BWI airport area, this place is a good spot for a nice Indian dinner. It is called Indian Delite and is in Catonsville just outside Baltimore. It is on Frederick road (two blocks behind where route 695 intersects route 40 aka National Pike).

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Cannonites vs. Nikoneers

No we are not talking religion here, or are we?

This is a response to The Visitors question on Canon vs Nikon digital SLR's.

More specifically the EOS 400D vs the D40.

First, the EOS 400D (drool, drool, look at it on the shelf, more droooool)..

A thing of beauty and a joy for at least the next 4 years! (the only beauties that will be retained in my head longer will be the Mrs. and the little ones! There, that should improve the longevity of this blog!).

I digress, predictably. So far, the 400D has done a fantastic job of taking pictures. If the pictures are crappy, it is only because I forget to switch that little button from MF to AF or I have given the camera to someone else to take the picture. (if you are used to a slower digital camera, you better watch out.. all it takes is a feather touch to click the shutter). The pictures are coming out great (I dont use a Canon Lens but a Tamron Lens which was way cheaper than the Canon and which also happened to be a single lens that went from 18-200mm).

Now for the Nikon.

The noticeable absence of drool does not necessarily indicate a lack of love or respect for the Nikon. It is just that I have become a Canon loyalist for various reasons..

1. I am familiar with the Canon dial, the menus, the look and feel.
2. It is a coke vs. pepsi thing. On a blind test I would probably identify coke only 90% of the time but somehow I always ask for Coke. I drink Pepsi when Coke is not around. I would probably go for a Nikon if a Canon was not around. In short, if the Canon was my wife, the Nikon is like a long lost girlfriend. It is a "what if?", that is never considered (that should also improve the longevity of this blog, neh?). Once again, I ramble.

I know a lot of people who have a Nikon who are extremely happy with Nikon and would present the Visitor with a similar message with the two models reversed. The D40/D80 are definitely cost competitive and the Nikon lenses are amazing(Or so I have heard from other Daddy photographers at Daycare functions. We usually stand in a corner and talk about our cameras during fathers day, thanksgiving lunch, graduation parties for pre-kindergarten, etc. etc.).

Reviews say that the Nikon D80 has beat the next generation Canon because Canon has become somewhat complacent over the success of the Digital Rebel that it did not improve significantly on the Rebel XTi aka EOS 400D (you can read Phil Askey for the scoop. I use this site as my camera Gita, Bible and Koran.. not that I have read any of those books!)

So, dear Visitor, I can only offer you a one sided view and hence cannot give you an honest comparison, but dpreview can!

On second thought, Boo was got a D40 the same week I got my 400D. You can ask her about the D40 and compare notes!

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