Month: August 2022

Four Weird Laws In Vietnam

- Roshan

It’s illegal to have more than two people on a motorbike at the same time. Believe it or not, topping this list of weird laws in Vietnam is having more than two people on a motorbike. Vietnam is flooded with motorbikes across the country. However, a hard pill to swallow is the existence of this law. Local police officers don’t enforce this law as they know there are a lot of people who do not abide by this thus it just became something that you just have to see everyday.

Another weird law in Vietnam is that whether you’re an expat or just a tourist, as long as you’re a foreign citizen, you are required to register with the local police when you move into a residence. For tourists, you can skip the hassles as your hotel/hostel usually takes care of this for you. (Thus the need for your passport.) But for expats who are planning to stay for a long term, your landlord is required to do it. Why? Simply so they know you live in that place and that you’re accounted for.

Expats Can Buy Property but Not Land This one is gold! Wanting to settle down and purchase your own piece of land in the country? One of the weird laws in Vietnam is owning an establishment or property without acquiring the land where it is built on. Yup, you read it right. According to Vietnamese law, you can basically purchase a house but not the land. So you can still live that dream to buy a house, or a mansion, but the land wouldn’t belong to you and you will have to lease it.

You’re Not Allowed to Gamble. Generally, gambling is deemed illegal in Vietnam with the exception of licensed casinos operating within the country. Anyone found to be in violation of this law is subject to steep fines and/or a severe prison sentence. Access to licensed casinos is restricted to holders of foreign passports. Otherwise, you can still spend the money on seeing several attractions across Vietnam!

The Top 5 Grocery Delivery Services I Use In Kochi

- Roshan

Since Covid-19 there has been a growing spurt of online grocery store services that sprung up and have been doing great business. Most people, me especially, do not want to go out to a store and get my family’s grocery. Want to avoid it? Order groceries online from the top online grocery store and sit back and relax. There are several apps that you can choose from and not all are available throughout India. I use a few on a regular basis and chose based on options and availability. If I were to rate them that’s a different thing altogether as I feel that Lulu is probably the worst in service.

1. Big Basket

Big Basket is India’s leading online grocery store. Here you will get quality products, be it rice, dairy, spices, gourmet products, or any other items related to your grocery needs. And if savings on grocery shopping is at the top of your mind, Big Basket is the place for online grocery in India. Here you can get various discounts and offers such as a 10% cashback or an extra 5% off on your orders using the Big Basket coupons.

Other than the quality and discounts, they also ensure on-time delivery, same-day or express delivery, and signature packing.

2. JioMart

JioMart is one of the top online grocery stores in India. Launched as a joint venture by Reliance Retail and Jio Platforms, Jiomart was founded in 2019. It works as a mediator between the nearby grocery stores and end customers. It mainly deals with the delivery of groceries and daily essentials. Currently present in more than 200 cities and India’s towns, it is also known for offering products at an affordable price range. Jiomart has posted a 3x growth in customer acquisition in 2020-2021.

3. Amazon Fresh

Amazon expanded its horizons in the grocery industry and became one of the top grocery shopping sites in India. You can now shop online for your monthly groceries with Amazon Fresh. Shop from a wide range of items, cooking essentials, beverages, household supplies, and other daily necessities. You can also get an extra 5-15% cashback if you purchase more than Rs 1000. Visit the site for more information.

4. Lulu Hypermart

Lulu is a global chain of malls and they have one in Kochi, established in 2014 and a newer one that opened in Trivandrum. With its pleasant and novel variation from the usual supermarkets, LuLu offers grocery delivery and more with their app and website. When it comes to grocery though, they have a lot more variety that they do not offer on the app, which is odd but I guess they want to save some for the huge throng that come in daily to the mall.

5. Swiggy Instamart

Swiggy (and Zomato by the way) is the newest entry and one that I have really started to use these last few days. They offer delivery in different & convenient slots from within an hour or you can chose a slot during the rest of the day. This is very convenient and I like ordering during my work but having a delivery slot when I am more free or done with my work. Their new store in the city helps to have them deliver from the stocks there rather than what they did earlier and have their delivery partners go to different stores.

Alien (1979)

- Roshan

Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon. Based on a story by O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, it follows the crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo, who, after coming across a mysterious derelict spaceship on an undiscovered moon, find themselves up against an aggressive and deadly extraterrestrial set loose on the Nostromo. The film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. It was produced by Gordon Carroll, David Giler, and Walter Hill through their company Brandywine Productions, and was distributed by 20th Century Fox. Giler and Hill revised and made additions to the script; Shusett was executive producer. The Alien and its accompanying artifacts were designed by the Swiss artist H. R. Giger, while concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss designed the more human settings.

It was met with mixed reviews on release but was a box-office success, winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, three Saturn Awards (Best Science Fiction Film, Best Direction for Scott, and Best Supporting Actress for Cartwright), and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Critical reassessment since then has made Alien widely considered to be one of the greatest science fiction and horror films of all time. In 2002, Alien was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. In 2008, it was ranked by the American Film Institute as the seventh-best film in the science fiction genre, and as the 33rd-greatest film of all time by Empire.

Define What Healthy Means To You

- Roshan

If you had asked me a few years ago my answer would be different. I would have said that it meant an athlete’s physique, a toned, muscular body, clean living and regular gym visits. When the doctor sees your bi-annual test results, he/she should take them and frame them in his/her office as a living example of a medical marvel. Now I am no where close to being fit, and never have I ever been. I was a fat child who from the ages of 12 to 21 wasn’t really as I was kinda active but still on the plump side. After my mid-to late 20s I stopped trying and even though I went out more, I ate a lot and sometimes I ate just because it was a kind of escape from being depressed and lonely.

I gained a lot of weight – which was easy for me to do anyways – and I didn’t do any kind of exercise other than walking in places. But I never thought of myself being unhealthy other than having a high BP and cholesterol, the latter of which has been in control for a very long time since.

However now, with all the issues that I have not having them would be considered as healthy to me. If I don’t get colds and sinusitis so often, be free from my vertigo and definitely not get any of these cramps due to Myositis. If these things and yes occasional bad back goes away (and while we’re at it, can I also lose like 30 kilos) then I will be extremely happy. And consider myself much healthier.

Prompt from 30 Random Blog Post Ideas at My Inner Shakti

Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

- Roshan

A slow-steeped custom blend of Starbucks Cold Brew coffee accented with vanilla and topped with a delicate float of house-made vanilla sweet cream that cascades throughout the cup. It’s over-the-top and super-smooth.

If you have a problem with just the cold brew – I might never order just the plain cold brew as it is their black coffee with ice. After Starbucks’ Cold Brew first launched at Starbucks, they talked a big game about how it would be iced coffee but more. It however will taste like a good premium black coffee over ice. Then they started experimenting with, releasing a variety of new Cold Brew versions one of which is the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. The vanilla cream adds just the right amount of punch, without stepping all over the flavor of the cold brew underneath.

You should watch your barista make it. The way the cream is splashed in and mixed with a little shake is weirdly magical. The cream seeps into every corner of the drink and just kind of stays mixed in there. Anyways, if you like the taste of coffee with it’s bitterness you will love this. a smooth coffee experience tinged with a some acidity at the tail end. You’re not going to get the harsher, bitter or charred notes that sometimes accompanies their brew. The combination of vanilla and cream also rounded out the citrus-y end note. The coffee flavor is strong and, unlike a lot of their syrup-flavored drinks, it’s very much the star rather than a bit player.

8.5 outta 10 for me!

A Week, A Month Or A Year!

- Roshan

Blog Idea #13. What would you do if you only have one week, month, or year to live?

I do not know what the reason is for my demise, whether it is the one week or month or year left to live. In the case of both the one week or one month left to live, I will immediately quit my job and inform my family that the end is near. They deserve to know as well.

I will then go and see a few family members and some friends so I can say goodbye. Perhaps share a meal and some drinks with some of them at our favourite restaurants or bars for old times sake. Indulge in some memory lane musings, sharing our favourite times together and make everyone laugh some jokes and antics. When the time comes to leave them, I will hug or shake hands and then take my leave and come back home.

So if I have the time I will also go and enjoy a good rest period in a luxury hotel or resort – always wanted to do that but I haven’t been to a 5 star one yet – and just chill and enjoy myself. Once that part is also done, I might indulge in some feminine companionship and enjoy an orgy or two. Hey, no point in going out unless you do it in some style. And without sex, how can you possibly go out in style?

If I had that one year before the end and know about it, I would keep the information under wraps until I had 1 month left to live. I would continue work till then but then quit and do all the things I said I would do if I only had a week or a month to live. Life is good and if you can enjoy it a lot with things that you want to do, then it is beautiful no matter how long it lasts. I would want to go out with a smile on my face.

Prompt from WHAT TO BLOG ABOUT: 101 IRRESISTIBLE BLOG IDEAS at Oberlo.in

Living In The Limelight – The Universal Dream, For Those Who Wish To Seem

- Roshan

Celebrity status – would you want it or not?

I have thought about this for many, many years. Ever since I was a kid of say 12 or 13. Watching my favourite sports teams and players, I wondered what it would be like to win Wimbledon or the World Cup and be adored by millions, get paid tons of money and be endorsed & sponsored by multi-billion dollar companies just so they can use me as their brand ambassador. And when I got into music, I wonder how it would be to perform a guitar solo and sing in front of a crowd of adoring fans.

Or be in the movies and have paparazzi follow me and take my pics while fans rush to a venue just to meet me and take a pic with me and have me sign autographs. And you know, have the lovely ladies kiss and have me sign certain parts of their boobies bodies. And you know, have the more glamourous and sexiest of the lady fans meet me in my hotel room so we can discuss the complexities of the universe.

But at the same time, I do not like crowds, pleasing too many people with fake and insincere answers and quotes and well I like the peace & quiet. So although I might enjoy the odd fanfare I think what I will love about being a celebrity is the money and perks that come with it. I wish that could come true.

Prompt from 30 Random Blog Post Ideas at My Inner Shakti

Bournemouth 0 Arsenal 3

- Roshan

Arsenal swept aside Bournemouth to continue their perfect start and rise to the top of the Premier League table. Captain Martin Odegaard put the Gunners in control inside the opening 10 minutes with a well-taken double. After the break, William Saliba curled home a beautiful third before Gabriel Jesus saw his clever finish ruled out by VAR for offside. It is the first time Arsenal have won their opening three fixtures since the 2004-05 season. Bournemouth had won their first home game back in the Premier League against Aston Villa and there was a rousing feel to this Saturday teatime kick-off at the division’s smallest ground.

It took a mere five minutes for that feeling to be punctured as Odegaard tapped in after Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers had saved Gabriel Martinelli’s low strike. The Norway midfielder struck again shortly after when he nabbed the ball off Jesus’ toes to sweep a clinical left-footed finish past the helpless Cherries keeper. Arsenal bided their time before sealing the win but did it in style when the impressive Saliba elegantly found the top corner from the edge of the penalty area. Jesus was then denied a deserved goal by a tight VAR review that ruled him just offside from Odegaard’s clever through ball.

It is very early days – and there are far harder tests to come – but the Gunners have laid down a marker with their superb start to the season. Wins against Crystal Palace and Leicester meant Arteta had no qualms naming the same starting line-up for this one, the first time Arsenal have had an unchanged team for their opening three fixtures since the 2003-04 season – the last time they won the league. It was clear from kick-off that confidence is high and Odegaard’s early opener was reward for fine build-up, including a dynamic run from Jesus to create the chance for Martinelli.

Odegaard’s quiet influence on this Arsenal side was made more obvious when he doubled the lead five minutes later. Young France centre-back Saliba has won plenty of plaudits already this season and capped another fine performance with a delicious strike into the top corner from Granit Xhaka’s cutback. For the raucous travelling fans, the only thing missing from a perfect away day was a Jesus goal, the Brazil striker having one disallowed before being denied by a fine Travers save late on. With an appealing run of fixtures ahead, the Gunners have a chance to make their presence felt at the top of the table.

9 Fun Facts About The Whopper From Burger King!

- Roshan

It predates the Big Mac

By more than ten years, as a matter of fact. While McDonald’s and Burger King have both been around since the 1950s, Mickey D’s didn’t introduce the Big Mac until 1968. The Whopper, meanwhile, debuted in 1957, when co-founder Jim McLamore noticed that a rival burger joint was having success with an extra-large burger. He chose the name “Whopper” to automatically conjure thoughts of something big.

Its original price was 37 cents

Ah, how times have changed; when the Whopper first debuted in the 1950s, it would only set you back 37 cents, according to Politico. Today, you’ll get one for an average of $4.19. In celebration of the burger’s 55th anniversary in 2012, the price did drop back down to 55 cents for a brief time. Well, sort of—it was a buy-one-get-one deal.

Whopper or Big Mac?

This seems to be the primary question that American burger aficionados are most inclined to argue about, simply because these are the two most popular burgers at their respective franchises. But in actuality, it’s not an apples to apples comparison. The Whopper, with its quarter-pound patty, is actually much more similar to a McDonald’s Big N’ Tasty, a 1997 addition. Burger King had introduced a Big Mac equivalent with two patties called “the Big King,” also in 1997. Despite each brand’s not-so-veiled attempts to recreate the competitor’s signature sandwich, the primary rivalry between the Whopper and the Mac continues to this day.

It temporarily couldn’t call itself a “Whopper” in one U.S. city

The Burger King franchise ran into a little trouble when it first tried to expand into the San Antonio, Texas, area. A totally separate, unaffiliated chain called “Whopper Burger” held all rights to the name “Whopper” in that area. And this copyright snag actually successfully kept the King out of San Antonio for several years—for the most part. My San Antonio reports that there was, temporarily, a BK open in San Antonio, but it couldn’t drop the W-bomb in any of its advertising. It had to call its famous burger the “Deluxe,” and it didn’t last very long. The dispute was resolved in 1983, when the widow of Whopper Burger’s owner sold the franchise to Pillsbury, who also owned Burger King at the time.

There was once a Halloween version with a black bun

If you’re saying, “Wait, wasn’t it green?” you’re recalling Burger King’s bizarre introduction of a green-tinted “Nightmare King” burger for Halloween 2018. But that wasn’t the chain’s first strangely colored Halloween special, nor was it actually a Whopper. The first oddly colored burger that Burger King introduced, at least to its American customers, came in 2015 with the announcement of the “A1 Halloween Whopper“—a special edition that used A1 Steak Sauce to spook-ify the bun.

Say cheese!

If you’re a Cheesehead living near Green Bay, Wisconsin, you’re one of the lucky few who may have had the chance to try out the latest variation on the Whopper. Last fall, six different Wisconsin locations sold an extra-cheesy Green Bay Whopper with a *whopping* eight slices of American cheese. The Green Bay Whopper was available until December 2.

Whopper, hold the meat, please

As of April 2019, Burger King announced that it would be introducing a… meatless Whopper. No, we’re not kidding—the meatless Whopper will be made with a vegetarian patty supplied by start-up Impossible Foods. The Impossible Whopper, as it will be called, will first be rolled out to 59 Burger Kings in the St. Louis area, according to the New York Times. If consumers like those meatless burgers, we can expect to see the Impossible Whopper expand into every Burger King in the nation.

There was an “Angry” version at one point

In 2009, Burger King released a limited-edition burger called the “Angry Whopper.” In addition to all of the usual Whopper components, this burger also had spicy crispy onions, pepper jack cheese, jalapeños, and a spicy “angry sauce.” Some consumers thought that it wasn’t spicy enough to merit the “angry” descriptor, but that didn’t stop BK from releasing a follow-up: The “Angriest Burger,” with a red-tinged, hot sauce-infused bun, was introduced in 2016.

The Whopper Jr. was a happy accident

In 1963, Luis Arenas-Pérez was opening up a Burger King restaurant in the Puerto Rico municipality of Carolina. Pérez discovered that the shipment of molds for the Whopper buns from the United States hadn’t arrived in time for the grand opening. So he decided to improvise, using the regular-size buns and calling the creation the “Whopper Jr.” The name and the product stuck, and Pérez’s quick thinking and lasting impact on the company earned him a spot in the Burger King Hall of Fame.

Would You Work Or Entertain Yourself On A Flight?

- Roshan

What type of work do you try to accomplish while traveling on an airplane?

I don’t really travel and I haven’t been on an airplane since 2016. Since 1987, when we – my dad, mum & I (my sister was already in India) – flew from Kuwait City having said goodbye to our life there along with our then home apartment and our family friends, I have only been in a plane 4 times. To and from Chennai in 2015 and to and from New Delhi in 2016. Both times were for work and hence the tickets were paid by the company.

If I were flying now, I would probably take out the laptop and work on some reports or maybe create content. I would perhaps write up some blog content, even write about my experience in getting to the airport, getting through check ins, security and boarding and then the in flight experience. How good or bad is the in flight meal and what drinks do they serve? Did I have to visit the facilities for a leak? Was the flight eventful or just a calm and peaceful one?

Other than that I do not think I would do much. Perhaps play some games on my phone or laptop. Solitaire anyone? Maybe some FIFA 21 (I know 22 has been released a while back but I don’t have it) and then perhaps listen to some music on Spotify or Amazon Prime Music. That would be about it. Maybe watch a movie.

Prompt from 103 Blog Post Ideas That Your Readers Will LOVE [Updated] at OptinMonster

Pics Of My New Phone – The IQOO 9T

- Roshan

Ok so I have now used the phone for a couple of days and I love it. I am sharing a few pics from the time of unboxing, which was on Tuesday. The IQOO 9t sells at a beastly price of Rs.49,999 or Rs.50k. I bought it off Amazon India, with a discount of Rs.1000 for taking it on EMI, another Rs.750 for buying it on a card, Rs.4000 which is an ICICI Bank discount – I don’t have an ICICI card but transferred money to a friend who does and placed the order using that card.

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I also exchanged my 2+ year old RealMe X2 Pro for which I got a discount of Rs.13,053. Not bad eh? So even the box is so wonderful to look at. A well designed box with a slightly textured finish and an awesome pattern and rather stylish look. The top of the box is a diagonal cut and makes it stand out even more as the gap is slightly indented – looks nice!

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Love that white finish on the phone with those beautiful three racing track stripes and it is so smooth to the touch. The stripes feel different enough on my fingers but overall it is so smooth but a little slippery. Hence it is always good to keep a case on the back, which is something I always do anyways. I choose to always go with the company provided clear TPU back cover so that I can enjoy the look of the original back cover. And I love the black rectangle on top which is for the camera part.

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Overall it is a very smooth phone to use though since I have been very busy with work related stuff and others, I haven’t yet fully explored the phone. I plan to do so and finish installing all the apps I need tomorrow and on Sunday and will play around with it a lot more. I did install a couple of games and have played a few rounds when I got time. So far everything is top notch. And the battery charging – so damn fast!

5 Weird Laws In Romania

- Roshan

1. The punishment for rape in the Code of Constantin Mavrocordat : 1750 – People who committed rape in that era were punished with the cutting of the sexual organ. Nowadays, raping is punished with imprisonment.

2. Law against drunkenness. In accordance with its name, this law determined how the alcohol was made and sold. Also, the number of innkeepers was strictly determined by the law: one drinking house for 150 men and one drinking house for 50 men in isolated areas.

3. Banning Mickey Mouse : It is said that in 1935 the Govern of Romania decided to ban Mickey Mouse because it was thought that the animated character was scaring the children.

4. Prohibiting abortion : The communists aimed to increase the birth rate and the natural growth of the population. Thus, starting with the October 1966 and ending with December 1989 (when the decree was abolished because of the fall of Communism) all the abortions were prohibited in Romania. Only in special circumstances the abortion was allowed (for ex.: when the pregnancy was the result of a rape or incest; when the woman was more than 45 years old or had 4 children to take care of; when one of the parents suffered from a serious disease with hereditary transmission; when the pregnancy put the woman’s life in danger).

This is how the generation of the ‘decree children’ appeared. Besides the growth of the young population, this had many other negative effects such as the death of more than 10.000 women due to illegal abortion.

5. Marital rape : The criminal Code from 1968 regulated that the author or any other participant in rape was not punished if he married his victim before the judgment became definitive. In other words, the rape between spouses was not punished back then, because it was considered that it was the ‘woman’s duty’ to have sexual relation with her husband any time he wanted. Rape between spouses was incriminated just in 2000 in an aggravated form (as rape against a family member) and nowadays marital rape is regulated without an aggravated punishment.

3 Most Haunted Places In The State Of Kerala

- Roshan

1. Lakkidi Gateway, Wayanad

Wayanad district in Kerala witnesses flocks of trekkers who turn up in large numbers to explore the peaks and enjoy the soothing weather during peak tourist season. Lakkidi Gateway is a route through which you can pass the Tamarasseri pass which gives you the entry to the hilly district of Kerala, Wayanad. The place is known for its thick forests and cold temperatures. Lakkidi gateway remains the shortest route to cross Tamarasseri pass but it is unknown to many travelers. The people who know the route prefer not to use it because of the different haunting stories related to this place. A few of the locals know the route and the frightening stories associated with the place.

2. Bonacaud Bungalow, Trivandrum

In the capital city of Kerala lies the dilapidated and forgottenBonacaud bungalow. The cottage has a very old construction and is supposed to have been built during the colonial era. Spread over the mystic hills, waterfalls and streams, the place gives you the perfect picture of the haunted and overlooked lodgings that you have always read about in horror stories. The broken windows, decrepit walls, and hangings are bound to stun your senses.

3. Kariavattom, Trivandrum

Although Technopark is the IT hub of Kerala where several multinational giants have their offices, Kariavattom campus road from Technopark back gate is the location where several enigmatic rumors have been reported. The place gets hushed at night and a walk through the campus is a daring journey. Many stories have been described by passengers about odd happenings taking place here. The noises and squeals that break the silence will give you chills and thrills.

Three Adventures To Blow Your Fragile Minds

- Roshan

Three adventures you want to experience in your lifetime.

Hmmm, this is a difficult one as there are so many I would love to experience.

I’d like to be able to go on a cruise and then discover a lost land or a land which has not been seen before or unknown till now. Like the lost city of Atlantis or something like that. And having to prove to people and show them that “Hey, here is that land which we didn’t know we had. Let’s go explore.”

Similarly I’d like to be the person that stands in front of the United Nations, in front of all these leaders of the nation, and being on tv live across all the television channels & streaming services of the world and tell that aliens are real and have visited us, we are not created by any god or gods and instead our species existence was actually a result of the seeds that these aliens planted on this earth so to speak and we are a secondary offshot of theirs, space travel is a real thing and that we aren’t that special as we think we are as there are many such beings like us throughout the galaxy and galaxies (I watch too much Stargate) and blow the minds of everyone.

Also the biggest adventure of all – I want to go to outer space! See the universe and explore the galaxies. Check out various planets, chase a comet, meet new alien species, try out their food and drink and share ours. See the various cultures and really experience the universe in all her glory. And ofcourse, to bed the sexy alien women! Now that’s an adventure.

Prompt from 30 Random Blog Post Ideas at My Inner Shakti