I want to believe: Bigfoot edition (UPDATED)

Looks like you are new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!I confess to a healthy interest in all things paranormal. Alas , not too many of my friends or family do the same. I am always on the lookout for someone to play Mulder to [...]

India, Brazil have most eco-friendly consumers, US least

In a recent worldwide survey of most and least eco-friendly consumers, India and Brazil topped the list, while US came last. [Science Daily] (tip Spee via email)
India: Crowded but eco-consciousimg: via AFP
I can’t speak for Brazil but given the amount of pollution encountered in Indian cities, this comes as a surprise. But this is how [...]

Desi scientist in major alcoholism breakthrough

Indian-American Subhash Pandey and his team have identified the molecular link between anxiety and alcohol addiction, which is likely to spur new therapeutic strategies in its treatment. “The association of anxiety with increased alcohol use is a key factor in the initiation and maintenance of alcohol addition,” said Pandey of the University of Illinois [link].
No [...]

Young People Who Rock: Isha Jain

“Young People Who Rock” is a weekly show on CNN.com Live on Fridays at 3pm Eastern. This week’s interviewee is Isha Jain, a desi math and science prodigy. [via CNN]

img: via CNN

Her taste for science started at 9 when she created a paradigm to explain the molecular structure of candy. It sounds sweet, but also [...]

Indian volcanoes caused dinosaur deaths

Supervolcanoes near the Deccan Traps may have caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs nearly 65 million years ago. Now you know. Everything has a desi connection, even Jurassic Park.

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Al Gore and Indian scientist share Nobel Peace Prize (Update)

I will say it again, we @ ÜberDesi have a soft spot for Al Gore, the almighty creator of the Internet.

Party time for ÜD favorite, Al Gore, and his desi buddyimg: via TOI Online

It is but natural that when our favorite adopted politician wins something our eyes well up (with tears of joy) and chests [...]

Sunita Williams center of politics in Gujarat

India loves Sunita Williams, plain and “zimble”.
“Discovery to Houston, kem cho, majama……”img: via Hindustan Times
Some people like to point out that she is not Indian - she is only of half-Indian heritage, her mother is Slovenian, and we should not be celebrating her successes, but we @ UberDesi don’t discriminate on such superficial grounds. [...]

Al Gore honored by Khasi tribe

It is not often in the annals of UberDesi’s (admittedly fledgling) history that two of our favorite characters cross paths.
“Two children per family is good enough” - Al Gore’s message to the Khasi
Remember our friends - the Khasi tribe of Meghalya who are intent on solving India’s population problem by reproducing more and often? I’m [...]

Surgeries using flashlight, what’s next?

A flashlight saves lives in South India.
Image from Chealion
In some very disturbing news, the Press Trust of India reports that surgeries deep in the South, Tirunelveli to be specific are carried out with battery flashlights aka. torch lights.
In a shocking instance of poor infrastructure in government hospitals, surgeons of the Tirunelveli Government Hospital in [...]

From winning the ignominious Ig Nobel to becoming Reluctant Entrepreneur

Remember when Gauri Nanda, the inventor of Clocky, was awarded the Ig Nobel, for pointless or humorous scientific research?
Gauri Nanda, reluctant entrepeneurimg: via Inc.com
She went on to sell her products online and became such a success that Inc.com, the magazine for entrepeneurs has a story featuring Gauri.
Actually she was featured on the cover of the [...]

Fusion reactors and global warming. India playing a part.

A rendering of the ITER reactor from iter.org
The Indian Cabinet approved 25 billion rupees, USD595 Million, which enables India to play a part in the International Thermonuclear Experiment Reactor, which is to be built at Cadarache in the South of France.
At a cost of USD 12.8 Billion, the experimental reactor should be completed by 2040 [...]

ULFA ♥ Orkut

Orkut seems to have developed this knack for staying in the news, at least in India.
Tech-savvy seperatists (pc term for terrorists) in North East India are using Orkut for anti-India activities. Paging the keepers of “communal peace”, burners of cybercafes, guardians against evil online comments, self appointed doorkeepers of India and Indian culture - our [...]

Mumbai Mamus, Marathi Maanus and Orkut: part Deux

Lets start with Orkut: Orkut allegedly has certain communities that speak up against the Thackeray clan and contain “derogatory” language against Shivaji.
Marathi Maanus: The Shiv Sena and its minions consider Orkut to be “the devil” because certain users on Orkut have formed groups that target criticism at Thackeray and Shiv Sena. Reminds me of an [...]

PETA: Give tax breaks to vegetarians ……..

…. because “[V]egetarians are responsible for far fewer greenhouse-gas emissions and other kinds of environmental degradation than meat-eaters.”. In other words, vegetarians slow down global warming. Woohoo! More power to the veggie desis. In support of their letter, they cite this study which was conducted by the UN and the University of Chicago.
Being a vegetarian [...]

Does the Ethical Man make a point?

To answer my own question, he does - sort of.
The Ethical Man completes his “exotic experience” with a rickshaw rideimg: via BBC
BBC’s Justin “Ethical Man” Rowlatt, after spending a year living ethically, translation - reducing his carbon footprint, takes a trip to India to create an Indian version of the Ethical Man and comes away [...]

Shocking findings at UberDesi HQ: Sanjaya not top search result for UberDesi

If you missed it, Uber blogger and Desipundit contributor, Gaurav of Gauravnomics fame, selected UberDesi as his “Desi Blog of the Day” yesterday. Thanks Gaurav.
One of his observations stood out to me in particular.
My tip to Uber Desi: Think of what next after Sanjaya Malakar.
So this got me thinking. Over a few beers and pizza [...]

Rocket Science - Desi Ishtyle

UberDesi Tip (free of charge - desi ishtyle): Do not look at the moon during a solar eclipse or you shall incur bad luck. Maybe marrying a tree might fix it.
From the tip link: Ganesha softened his curse such that anyone who looks at the moon during a Surya-grahan (solar eclipse) would incur bad-luck.
It is [...]

Beating around the Mulberry bush

“Here we go round the mulberry bushHere We Go Round the Mulberry Bush………”
So goes an old nursery rhyme.
Environmentalists and asthma sufferers seem to be singing the same tune on Mulberry trees in Islamabad, Pakistan.

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Global Warming: a polarizing issue?

You think?
When members of the US Congress were asked: Do you think it’s been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth is warming because of man-made problems?

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The Whale Shark Whisperer

India, where even sharks are vegetarian
This may be one of the rare instances where state sponsored religion achieved something positive.
A religious man has convinced fishermen in Gujarat to stop hunting whale sharks where hundreds of them are killed despite a government ban.

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Peanut Butter Jelly Time

As a PIG (poor Indian graduate) student living in the US on a limited budget, I still remember the times when all I had in my food cabinet was bread and peanut butter. Often, in between paychecks, literally speaking, this was my bread and butter.
Peanut butter and bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner was [...]

Jabalpur Park

India’s own dino-land
Long before the Babus and even the Maharajas, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, India, was ruled by a different, pardon the pun, creature.
Jubbulpuria (”Jubbulpore one”) is the name given to a dubious genus of small dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous.

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