Ultrasound video of ectopia cordis

This sonographic video shows a fetus with severe kyphoscoliosis and pulsating fetal heart lying almost outside the fetal thorax. Note the close relation between the fetal heart and fetal bladder.


The fetal abdomen shows almost no contents. The aborted fetus showed omphalocele with ectopia cordis. There was only a thin transparent membrane overlying the fetal heart, lying almost entirely outside the thorax.

SECONDHAND SMOKE...FIRSTHAND PROBLEMS

Much has been said and printed about the dangers of Secondhand Smoke, as it relates to humans. However, only recently have we become aware of the dangers of secondhand smoke for our pets, both dogs and cats. The ASPCA released a news alert this past week for the purpose of helping pet owners become more mindful of the imminent dangers posed for their dogs and cats if they are exposed not only to secondhand smoke but also to other tobacco products and by-products. More on this topic will follow below....

Helpful Buckeye is very grateful that there will plenty more opportunities to see and visit with...Junebug, as a result of things that happened this past week! Ah, yes, our long-time readers will remember that Junebug was the lead "guest" for our first issue of June 2008 and she prompted numerous positive comments. Helpful Buckeye and Desperado are also thankful that Junebug's human "mama and papa," our two favorite "Cowpokes," will continue to be enduring friends and, in the words of Simon & Garfunkel, Old Friends: "Old friends, Winter companions, The old men Lost in their overcoats, Waiting for the sunset. The sounds of the city, Sifting through the trees, Settle like dust On the shoulders Of the old friends. Can you imagine us Years from today, Sharing a park bench quietly? How terribly strange to be seventy." Hold that thought and listen to Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel perform the song from 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPTOY8FrvNw
The "Cowpokes" will understand the significance of this....the rest of you can just sit back and enjoy a really nice, sentimental oldie!

Helpful Buckeye is always trying to learn something new and what I have learned this past week is that perhaps our readers aren't interested in a polling question that resembles a test question! We had the fewest responses to last week's question since the introduction of this feature. For those of you who were interested in the difference between infectious and contagious but were reluctant to answer the question, all 6 choices are infectious but only 3 choices are contagious. From the definitions you were given last week, that a contagious disease is easily passed directly from dog to dog or cat to cat, the correct choices were Sarcoptic Mange, Roundworms, and Rabies. The other 3 choices, Heartworms, Lyme Disease, and Tapeworms, require some other form of life in between. Be sure to take a look at this week's poll questions (If you dare!)...that's right, there are two questions this week in the left column and participate.

For those of you who are new to Questions On Dogs and Cats, you will find a listing in the left column under the heading of "Labels." These topics serve as an index of what we've covered the past year. Click on any of those topics and it will take you to the particular issue with that topic.

CURRENT NEWS OF INTEREST

1) As an important follow-up of the news release from the AVMA last week, the Environmental Protection Agency has provided a more thorough description of the flea and tick products that are under more intense scrutiny: http://www.pawnation.com/2009/04/20/flea-medications-injure-44-000-pets/?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl5link4http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2009%2F04%2F20%2Fflea-medications-injure-44-000-pets%2F

As many as 44,000 pets were adversely affected by over-the-counter flea and tick products in 2008 and the EPA has offered this further news release: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/flea-tick-control.html Their product information is currently being updated; therefore, if you are using any over-the-counter products, you should check back with this web site soon to see if you need to be more careful in your choice of products.

2) From the AVMA, a New Jersey appeals court issued a precedent-setting decision this week when it ruled that a pet's "special subjective value" to its owner should be considered in custody cases. Previously, courts have ruled that "pets are personal property lacking in the unique values typically associated with heirlooms, family treasures, and works of art that induce a strong sentimental attachment." For the rest of the story: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/may09/090501j.asp

3) The Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine has announced that the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology, launched in late February, will be based in the university's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in Stillwater. The whole news release: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/may09/090501l.asp 4) Regular readers of Questions On Dogs and Cats will remember that we have addressed the topic of bequests for dogs in 2 previous issues, which can be found at: http://questionsondogsandcats.blogspot.com/search/label/Bequests%20for%20Dogs . The original news report stated that Leona Helmsley's estate of $8 billion would go mostly "to the dogs!" Now that the estate has been allocated by the trustees, the Humane Society of the US is disappointed in the results. The $8 billion now translates into just $1 million: http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2009/04/leona-helmsley.html

5) Normally, Helpful Buckeye steers away from news items that seem to be mostly of "shock" value...however, I'll let you decide on this one. A group of scientists in South Korea has come up with a "glowing puppy!" Here's a picture of the puppy, followed by the news release:

http://news.aol.com/article/glowing-puppy/445317?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl1link3http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fglowing-puppy%2F445317 Read the report and you make the call....

DISEASES, AILMENTS, AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Helpful Buckeye can remember when the concept of Secondhand Smoke and its effects on non-smokers was first being discussed. As evidence piled up, the direct relationship was established beyond a doubt. During my years of veterinary practice, we may have felt that there was some type of influence on respiratory function of pets by secondhand smoke, but there was no medical evidence to back that up. Well, now there is medical evidence and it's piling up as more research is done. The ASPCA has now taken up the cause of calling attention to this growing problem of dogs and cats being kept in an environment where there are smokers: http://www.aspca.org/news/national/04-24-09.html#1

Helpful Buckeye addressed this concern in a previous issue: http://questionsondogsandcats.blogspot.com/2008_11_02_archive.html , including references to some of the studies done on the subject. In addition to the established links to nasal and lung cancers in dogs and lymphomas in cats, secondhand smoke has also been implicated in many inflammatory-type respiratory disorders in pets.

Let's let Maggie, of the Utah Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (http://www.tobaccofreeutah.org/smokingpets.htm), describe the further concerns about pets living in a smoking environment:
OTHER PROBLEMS IN ADDITION TO SMOKE:

• Ingestion of cigarette or cigar butts which contain toxins


• Drinking water that contains cigar or cigarette butts (which usually have high concentrations of nicotine)


• Ingestion of nicotine patches or gum

HEALTH EFFECTS:

• Breathing problems in dogs and asthmatic-like symptoms in cats


• Salivation


• Diarrhea


• Vomiting


• Cardiac abnormalities


• Respiratory difficulties and/or distress


• Death....From 1-5 cigarettes and from 1/3-1 cigar can be fatal if ingested

PREVENTION:

• As in the case of children and others in the home, don't smoke in the house


• Don't allow others to smoke around your pets


• Keep ashtrays clean....Don't leave butts in them for pets to find


• Dispose of nicotine gum and patches in receptacles that can't be accessed by your pets

Lastly, Breathe New Hampshire has published the following considerations at http://www.breathenh.org/Document.Doc?id=29 :

• Dogs that inhale secondhand smoke are three times more likely to develop lung or nasal cancer than dogs living in smoke-free homes.


• Dogs can experience allergic reactions to secondhand smoke. Common symptoms of this allergic reaction are the scratching, biting, and chewing of their skin. Their owners often confuse this action with fleas of food allergies.


• Cigarette butts can also be deadly. Two butts, if eaten by a puppy, can cause death in a relatively short period of time.


• Birds can react badly to secondhand smoke and may develop eye problems, as well as other respiratory problems like coughing and wheezing.


• Birds that sit on a smoker's hand can experience contact dermatitis from the nicotine that remains on the smoker's fingers. This can cause them (the birds) to pull out their feathers.


• Cats exposed to secondhand smoke in the home have a higher rate of an oral cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, which may be due to the way cats groom themselves. When cats groom themselves, they swallow the poisons from secondhand smoke that have settled on their fur.


• Cats exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher rate of feline lymphoma, a deadly form of cancer, than cats not exposed to secondhand smoke.


• Cats can develop respiratory problems, lung inflammation, and asthma as a result of secondhand smoke.

NON-MEDICAL CONCERNS

1) As Sharon Peters writes in her recent column in The USA Today, there are so many things to be aware of that might be a danger for your pets. To this list, she has added...the retractable leash. You've all seen these and probably have used one on your dog.

Ms. Peters presents several scenarios involving retractable leashes that you will want to avoid: http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-04-14-retractable-leashes_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

2) An ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Officer made an interesting discovery when responding to a call about a dead dog. He started the ball rolling for what would be a nice adoption story later on: http://www.aspca.org/news/national/04-24-09.html#2

GENERAL INTEREST

1) The American Kennel Club maintains a list of Breed Rescue Groups on their web site. Many of the AKC-recognized pure breeds are represented on this list. If you might be considering adopting a rescued pure breed dog, check out the list at: http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm

2) To see some of the "Top Dogs, by City," browse through these photos. Perhaps you'll see one of your "Top Dogs!": http://www.pawnation.com/2009/04/21/top-dogs-by-city/?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl5link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Ftop-dogs-by-city%2F

3) Singer Sara McLachlan accompanies this Public Service Announcement from the ASPCA: https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=6521&6521.donation=form1&autologin=true&s_subsrc=07pc3&JServSessionIdr010=3j4kwiah95.app28a

4) "A white-and-ginger-colored cat with odd markings, lopsided ears and a grumpy expression has become an online celeb with followers so devoted they eagerly await his every post and rally to contribute to animal causes he promotes." So begins a story in The USA Today by Sharon Peters about Romeo, the "Twitter Cat." Read Romeo's fascinating journey through the cyber world of Twitterers in his efforts to raise donations for animal shelters and rescue groups: http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-04-21-romeo-cat-twitter_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

5) The Mayo Clinic has published a column on Friendships: Enrich Your Life and Improve Your Health. One of the many suggestions they offer concerns pets: Get out with your pet. Seek out a popular dog park. Make conversation with those who stop to talk on your daily neighborhood jaunts, or make pet play dates. For the rest of this informative column, go to: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/friendships/MH00125 ....Sounds a little like the movie, Must Love Dogs, huh?

6) A heart-warming story from Minnesota showed up this week about a large cat named Bob, which got lost from his owners. Read the story and watch the video of his reunion, thanks in part to a Facebook entry his owners had made: http://wcco.com/pets/cat.found.facebook.2.984902.html

7) A few weeks ago, Questions On Dogs and Cats ran a story about Pet Hospice and several of our readers sent in positive comments about it. The Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine has a Pet Hospice Program which has been receiving some attention as well: http://www.argusinstitute.colostate.edu/PHabout.htm

8) An innovative program, Paws To Read, combining the efforts of the local medical center, the school district, and Delta Society-registered therapy dogs, has been showing some success in Flagstaff, AZ. Paws To Read lets students practice reading aloud by reading to a therapy dog. For the rest of the story, go to: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/04/26/20090426edpeck0426.html

9) Just 28 years ago, on 24 April 1981, IBM introduced the first personal computer. Not so long ago, is it? Without the PC, we wouldn't be doing this blog.

SPORTS NEWS

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently tied for the best record in the National League. Our hitters have been getting the job done even though some of our pitchers haven't.

The Arizona Cardinals have made "Beanie Wells," from Ohio State, their #1 draft choice. Helpful Buckeye is already looking forward to summer training camp, here in Flagstaff.

The San Antonio Spurs are down 3-1 in their playoff series. This series will be over shortly.

PERSONAL STUFF

This past Wednesday was Earth Day. Any special observances on your part? To some, it was just another day. As Jay Leno said: "Happy Earth Day... or as the oil companies call it — Wednesday."

Helpful Buckeye will leave you with these two thoughts on happiness: First, from Mahatma Gandhi: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Second, from Vincent Van Gogh: "Happiness... it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort."

~~The goal of this blog is to provide general information and advice to help you be a better pet owner and to have a more rewarding relationship with your pet. This blog does not intend to replace the professional one-on-one care your pet receives from a practicing veterinarian. When in doubt about your pet's health, always visit a veterinarian.~~

Namitha, breaking all taboos

Namitha has been in the Tamil industry for less than a decade but she has stacked up a great many hits in this short span. Be it her very first role in Engal Anna or that of the vamp Lisa in Billa, she's proved that it's not just her sex appeal that backs her up but her acting prowess as well.

It's not easy to meet the expectations of oneself and the audience, but Namitha's got her loyalists twisted around her li'l finger. While she unfailingly sizzles for her ardent fans, she also throws in some surprising acts in meaty roles.

Her rather in-yer-face, unabashed approach to 'skin show' makes even the most conservative cine-goer give her their grudging respect. There's no denying that Namitha's brazen act is here to stay.

Here are exclusive images of the star who owns oomph!

Tips to Buy Quality Gold Jewelry Pearls And Pearl Jewelry:

Having a gold jewelry is really fashionable and symbol of richness as gold is one of the most precious metals in the world. Quality of good gold makes it classier. So before buying gold or gold made jewelry, you need to learn some tips and advices.

First of all choose any good jewelry shop for buying gold or gold jewelry.

If you are planning to buy gold as fixed assets, then pick purest quality of gold. You can choose some less pure gold for making jewelry.

Check quality of gold. Gold purity is noticeable with karat quality marks. 24k gold is purest form of gold. And in 22k, 23k or 21k there are some impurity of other metals. So check carefully about gold mark as well as trademark on gold jewellery.

If you are planning to buy gold jewelry having stones like diamond and other metal, then check quality of both. Check the weight of gold in that jewelry.

Never buy gold plated jewellery as it contains negligible quantity of gold.

Always ask for receipt of jewellery you bought and make sure that the invoice you received has printed the karat quality of gold.

 

Gold has always been treasured for its value, both as a metal and in the form of ornaments. We all buy gold for both of these reasons, directly or indirectly. If you’re buying gold as an investment, go for the purest form that you can buy. If buying simply for ornamentation, you may opt to choose a less pure form.

The purity of gold is displayed in karats: 10, 12, 18 and 24 karat gold. The number indicates purity. 18k gold is comprised of 18 parts of gold and 6 parts of other metals. 12K gold contains 12 parts of gold out of 24 and 10K gold would contain 12 parts of other metals. 24K gold is the purest and does not contain any other metal.

Gold jewelry uses gold of one or the other karats. Always ask about the purity of the gold used in the jewelry you buy. Very versatile, gold can be shaped into different forms: wires, flat sheets, rings or poured into a mold for custom shapes. This is why gold is widely used in jewelry.

If buying gold jewelry with stone insets like diamonds, rubies, emeralds or any other gemstones, always ask about the quality and purity of the stones used. The jeweler should be able to provide you with a certificate of authenticity of the gemstone, preferably from the GIA, Gemological Institute of America or the AGS American Gem Society.

You may have heard of White Gold. White gold is a gold alloy containing a percentage of nickel or platinum. Some people experience allergic reactions to white gold. Jewelers are now shifting to palladium as the other metal used in white gold since it does not create allergic reactions. Always ask for gold mixed with palladium when you buy white gold.

Avoid gold "plated" jewelry, unless you plan on infrequent use. Gold plating usually consists of a very fine layer of gold. The thinner the plating, the faster it will wear off and begin to look tarnished and worn out.

Buying quality pearls and pearl jewelry is as important as buying any other types of jewelry items. One needs to know few useful tips that can help you get the right type of jewelry at right price.

 

Unlike diamonds that are evaluated on four factors: Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat popularly known as 4 Cs among diamond jewelers, pearls are graded from A to AAA depending upon the followings key factors:                              

 

 

1.Pearl luster - a combination of surface brilliance and inner glow. A very good luster means it has higher pearl value.

 

2.Pearl Size - Pearls are commonly measured in millimeters (mm) in their diameter. Large size pearls carry higher prices. Even 1 mm makes the difference. 80 % of the pearls sold in international market are between 6mm to 8mm. Small sizes often preferred by young girls.

 

3. Pearl Nacre - The iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell. It is a natural substance that pearl oysters secrete to protect their sensitive flesh. The thin nacre is very prone to peeling and chipping whereas thicker layer means good high nacre and obviously will command higher price.

 

4.Pearl Surface - Outer surface should be absolutely clean and shining. That means no blemishes on the surface. Higher quality of pearls have mirror like finish and without any blemishes on its surface.

 

5.Pearl Color - Body color or Surface color. Most irradiated or dyed pearls have surface colors. The natural pearl colors are white, black, champagne, green, gray, aqua and gold. Again within each category there are common overtones. White pearls with rose overtones look great especially on fair skin and the cream or the golden overtones look fabulous on darker complexions. Most important is woman's own personal taste and preference.

 

6.Pearl Shape - The perfect round shape pearls command higher price than near or off round shape. Pearl jewelry is not restricted to round shape pearls only and other shapes like tear drop, pear, potato, coin and irregular baroque shape pearls are equally popular for variety of reasons.

 

7. Price - Finally the price. There are four types of pearls; Freshwater pearls, Akoya Seawater pearls, Tahitian Pearls and South Sea pearls. Each of these types comes with different price tags. The most affordable are freshwater and then comes the akoya.

Adhinetha Movie Review

The idea of entering politics has always been for those who have some political connections or family background. But here is one man who rises from the people and this common man becomes the Chief Minister and tries to do his bit to bring a change in the society. But it is not before he has to make few sacrifices and face enemies. How does he do that, let us see. Story Suryanarayana (Jagapathi) is a failed graduate who is basically jobless but then he is one man who stands first when it comes to helping others and bashing the baddies. Worried by his nature, his parents (Annapurna, Chalapathi Rao) decide to speak to the local MLA Sri Ramulu (Paruchuri) and he recommends Suri to the CM (Ahuti Prasad). However, Suri gets to see the level of corruption that is currently on including the CM who takes money. Meanwhile, Suri meets Rajeshwari (Shraddha) and falls in love with her but as destiny would have it, his life takes a turn when Sri Ramulu is killed by the villains (Anand Raj, Supreeth etc) including the CM. Sri Ramulu is more like the godfather for Suri and before he dies, he takes a word from Suri that he would enter politics. true to his word, Suri becomes an independent MLA and with a twist of change, he ends up becoming the CM. Here, he assigns the police inspector Hamsa (Hamsa Nandini) for a special task and even she gets killed. Meanwhile, the former CM begins his plans to oust Suri. How all this is resolved forms the rest of the story. Performances Jagapathi Babu came across with a neat performance and though he is still struggling with his dance and swift movements during fights, his voice and expressions make up for his presence. Shraddha Das looked a bit different given her non-urban role but she has to work on her dance and expressions. Hamsa looked neat and she has enough oomph in her. Ahuti Prasad was effective, Anandraj was standard, Chalapathi Rao and Annapurna did their bit with grace, Krishna Bhagawan’s comedy was okay. The others came and went. Technical aspects The narrative has not been that great and even the presentation was just average. The dialogues failed to capture the audience except twice or thrice. The script was written lengthily and the screenplay was quite haphazard. Music failed to impress as most of the songs looked taken from other tunes and the cinematography was not able to capture the locales or get the moments correctly. Even the angling of the cameras was not apt. editing was curt and it was not smooth and in sync with the sequence. Costumes and art department could have been better. Director’s portrayal The director attempted to come up with a political thriller and his focus was to create an awareness among the audience. He also wanted to show that politics is something that requires service oriented people and the entire system has gone corrupt so it is time to get some fresh blood. Not stopping at that, he has also shown some satires on the existing parties that are currently in the state. But then he should have focused on keeping the script under tight grip and also cut short the length. Even the dialogues required punch since it was a political genre and such movies run only on dialogues and not on glamour. He still needs to work on improvising few basics if he is looking at making movies. Critic’s view The film wanted to show that a common man can also become a Chief Minister but then it lacked the depth or the gravity that could convince the audience. Few scenes were uncalled for and it was an unnecessary drag on the length. The first half of the film was quite stale and things like rugby in village with a coconut and making Jagapathi Babu stand for almost 20 minutes and deliver a long lecture after being shot in the heart and slit by a sword is something the makers should learn to come out of. The sequence and arrangement of the storyline was not smooth and there were few patches that came in between drifting the audience away from the plot. The good side is the masses will have something to relish given the glamour songs and also some scenes from Jagapathi Babu. Otherwise, there is nothing much in it. Verdict Nothing interesting, just average and very lengthy. Cast: Jagapathi Babu, Shraddha Das, Hamsa Nandini, Neelima, Ahuti Prasad, Anand Raj, Paruchuri Gopalakrishna, Chalapathi Rao, Annapurna, Sivaparvathi, Krishna Bhagawan etc CREDITS: Banner: Sri Satya Sai Arts Music: Srikanth Deva Camera: Prasad Babu Director: V Samudra Producer: K K Radhamohan Release date: 24/04/2009

Barah Aana Movie Review

On the buttons, final take for ‘Barah Aana’ is that it’s a flick meant strictly for few amongst miniscule groups. Well, there aren’t many chances for single screens to fill their sacs with profits. Incisively, Raja Menon can be praised for his most adept efforts of delivering a piece of out-of-box. Picking the characterizations of a driver, a watchman and a waiter, (categories of people who face the hardest things in Maxim City of Mumbai), the filmmaker weaves a tale of drama that’s enjoyable in few parts. Certainly, not everyone would love to watch this film for it’s the kind of genre that Raja has worked on. Merely not everything is laudable when it comes to screenplay and other narrative vistas.

Take a glimpse on this synopsis and let’s get through a clear-cut analysis…

Barah Aana is a comedy of real life set in today's Mumbai. The story revolves around three unlikely friends: a driver (Naseeruddin Shah), a watchman (Vijay Raaz) and a waiter (Arjun Mathur). The driver is an older man, stoic but dependable. The watchman, in his 30's, is a pushover at work but otherwise mischievous. The waiter is a young, swaggering chap, brimming with ambition. Living together, their different attitudes make for an interesting banter.

At some point, misfortune befalls the watchman, and due to a series of chance events, he stumbles into a crime. Striking upon a seemingly low-risk way to make good money, and discovering a new sense of self-confidence, he tries to entice the others to join him in a series of such crimes. Cat and mouse games ensue between the three as personalities change, but events soon spiral out of control, leading them in a direction that none of them had ever wanted to take...

Getting on with these three actors, they’ve strongly depicted the characterization of most complicated jobs of a chauffeur, night watchman and waiter. Fine, for sure you’ll have those residents in apartments and posh colonies getting through such kind toughest encounters faced in reality. The first half goes flimsy very the filmmaker brims it all plainly with establishing characters. But on the pars, things gets-goes in the latter part and to a higher degree, the kidnap mission of the trio is really interesting. 

Indeed, Naseeruddin Shah’s pictorial in the past films A Wednesday and this week release in ‘Firaaq’ have been terrific. Over there, you don’t watch him articulating more and more words, but his gestures and actions takes us for a great fascination. Possibly, Arjun Mathur who could’ve felt bit unconvinced with his ‘Luck By Chance’ show in minor role has reasons to rejoice. It’s a commendable effort rendered by him. Vijay Raaz is extremely decorous in enacting his role.

Apart from cinematography, Director Raja should’ve tried for getting other technical aspects on the screens with finesse.

Certainly, as the verdict is written right over the top, the film goes close to title that’s been named uniquely. But such an unparalleled comedy-drama wouldn’t savor to everyone’s tastes.

Verdict: Watch it good efforts.

Rating :**½

Ek - The Power of One - Strictly for ‘Masala’ buffs

It isn’t all the same this weekend. Three films with different genres hitting screens should be a real fiesta for all film buffs… If Aa Dekhen Zara is about ‘Supernatural Thriller’ and Deepa Mehta’s ‘Videsh’ a dramatic theme, Ek – The Power of One is a well-tailored commercial cinema for B and C Centres. Yeah! For those who had missed a hero skipping from air-to-grounds, running faster than a bullet train, cracking down at least 25 bullies and more, here’s a perfect kickshaw.

‘Ek – The Power of One’ is a faithful remake of Mahesh Babu’s Telugu film ‘Athadu’ which can be best regarded to be a different version of ‘Tom and Jerry’. A cop with sense of humor chasing a gangster who’s dwelling with hidden identity… It has a perfect mix of action, here-and-there humors, lots of sentiments, a long-time love story and an inexcusable traitor.    

Appropriately, this isn’t a gonzo flick… as you would’ve frequently seen such movies in Bollywood before couple of decades.

Nandu (Bobby Deol) an orphaned gangster is hired by opposition party leader Anna Mahatre (Sachin Khedekar) to carry through a political gimmick. Nandu had to barge the bullets close to the politician during a public meet, which will win him sympathy votes. Isn’t that a smart move? Well, much before Nandu could set his focus from a rooftop, he’s blown of waters to witness the politician’s assassination. With no options left, Nandu runs into a train where he meets Puran (Akshay Kapoor). He’s a boy from Punjab heading to meet his relatives after long time of his childhood. Meanwhile, cops have reached the next station where train will have its arrival. Turn the tables, there’s a cop who loses his focus on Nandu and bumps off Puran instead. Much before cops could reach the train, Nandu has vanished.

To convey the news about the innocent’s death, Nandu reaches Puran’s ghar only to be misidentified. Aye! The family members assume Nandu to be Puran and emotions take over everyone as each one comes forward to meet him. Drenched in pains of being an orphan and gangster, Nandu for the first time tastes the sweet pangs of love and care from the family. Nandu sees the hidden pain in this family and yet the strength with which Puran's grandfather has held the family till date. His decides to remain there as Puran. 

Thus Nandu now Puran starts living within the family as its own member. He experiences, love, care, pain and goes through a lot many emotions as he is showered by so much love from all within the family. He bonds the most with the grandfather and the eldest bhua. Gradually he also starts falling in love with Preet. Nandu has forgotten his past and becomes Puran, helping the family in all its needs as if the family is his very own. 

In the interim, case pertaining to assassination of Anna Mahatre is handed to CBI Inspector Rane (Nana Patekar)… Fine! He’s a brilliant guy cracking jokes to his best and on the pars close on tracks of Nandu’s hidden place. When time urges both to encounter each other, Nandu has to gear up for his own investigations of raveling the mysterious death of Anna…

Will Nandu be able to come out of the crisis? Will Puran's family find out the truth? Who is the real killer of Anna Mahatre? 

Sangeeth Sivan, who dangled with comedy entertainers jaise ‘Kyaa Kool Hai Hum’ aur ‘Apna Sapna Money Money’, goes for a bold attempt. Hats off to Sangeeth!! In this era where ‘A Wednesday’ and ‘Rock On’ kind of films are topping, Sangeeth presents an old-fashioned masala in a complete new package. As it goes, ‘An Old Same SIM Card in a new mobile’ (polished take on ‘Old Wine in New Bottle’), he has embellished the clichéd tale with stylish technical aspects. Be it Peter Hein’s spellbinding stunts or the sleek editing that enhances the powerful feels of thriller: they’re fantastic.

Bobby has a fair comeback with his adept show. Nana Patekar steals the show with his witty behavior. ‘Awarappan’ and ‘Mission Istanbul’ could’ve disappointed Shriya, but the desolated girl has a convincing approach. Perhaps, she could’ve made it yet more impressive… Alongside, Sangeeth could’ve conceived something more innovative on delineating romantic sequences between Bobby and Shriya. He seems to have simply copycatted the Telugu versioned style. Pradeep enacting Bobby’s friend does a superb performance and he can expect best offers in tinsel town. Jackie Shroff and Zareen Wahah dash down our hopes to a greater extreme… Again, Chunky Pandey slips out from this list by few marks.

The film goes flawless expect mawkish factors overloaded in tons. Every family member seems to be over-emotional. Again, the Telugu style could’ve been reworked for the adaption of Bollywood style.

Valuating ‘Ek – The Power of One’, the film is sure to make it big across B and C centres while miniscule audiences may term it to be ‘absurd’. But that wouldn’t stop the good business of this film…

Verdict: Ek – Dekho Ek Bar, Agar Tum Chaho    

Rating:**1/2

Videsh Movie Review

Hop-skipping through contrasocio themes, Deepa Mehta strikes with yet another flick that flavours with a strong feminism. Precisely, the film’s female protagonist has many similarities with Aishwarya’s role in The Provoked… Indian brides battered black and blue in soul and body – these similarities tags them together. Of course, scenarios go straight on the same lines where families are prone to ‘Devil-may-care’ motive of barging their daughters in foreign countries after their marriage.

Vibrant and irrepressibly alive, Chand (Preity Zinta) is a young bride leaving her home in Ludhiana, India, for the cavernous landscape of Brampton, Ontario, where her husband Rocky (Vansh Bhardwaj) and his very traditional family await her arrival. Everything is new to Chand everything is unfamiliar including the quiet and shy Rocky who she meets for the first time at the Arrivals level of Pearson Airport. Chand approaches her new life and her new land with equanimity and grace, and at times the wide-eyed optimism of hope-her first snowfall is a tiny miracle of beauty, and the roar of Niagara Falls creates the excitement of new beginnings.

But soon optimism turns to isolation as the family she has inherited struggles beneath the weight of unspoken words, their collective frustration becoming palpable. No one feels the pressure more than Rocky, weighed down by familial obligations. A controlling mother, who can't let him go, a sweet but ineffectual father, and a sister whose two children and unemployed husband are also a burden, all live with Rocky and Chand in a two-bedroom house in the suburbs of Toronto. To make matters worse, Rocky is expected to find the money to bring his extended family to Canada. Unable to express his anger, he finds other ways to release it and it's Chand who bears the brunt of his repressed rage. 

Trapped in a world she cannot comprehend and unable to please her husband, Chand is desperate. Hope comes in the form of Rosa (Yanna McIntosh), a tough and savvy Jamaican woman who works alongside Chand in a factory where immigrant women from all over the world clean and press dirty hotel laundry. Rosa sees past the make-up that covers Chand's bruised face. Realizing Chand has nowhere to turn, Rosa gives her a magical root advising her "to put it in whatever the bastard drinks." The root is supposed to seduce the one who takes it, making them fall hopelessly in love with the person who gives it to them. Chand's attempts with the magic root lead to surreal incidents and her life gradually begins to mirror an Indian fable involving a King Cobra. As the lines between fantasy and reality converge, Chand and Rocky come face to face with each other and themselves. 

It’s as the famous saying goes, ‘One step away from striking Gold’, Deepa Mehta stops halfway… An auteur who established extraordinary versions of substantial women-oriented scripts, this is quite an absurd one.  Ever imagined a socio-drama coalesced with fantasy. A rare cocktail that was supposed to be churned in early 70s; Deepa! You’re too late with this show. Possibly, an ardent film researcher may pick this one to be his case study while for others; they may feel uncomfortable with fantasy barging in through ‘Cobra Ka Khel’…

Pertaining to onscreen performance, doubtlessly it’s Preity Zinta who has trenchantly spelled her characterization. Getting to watch a bubbly missy who often glued herself to glamorous appeals on contrastive grounds is mind-boggling. Nothing much to mark on other star-casts as Preity herself eclipses everyone around…

Giles Nuttegen’s cinematography is honky-dory of its kind. Especially, in the frames where we get to watch the shots placed within the confined walls of Toronto’s house is top-notching. Giles has been so keen on filling the screens with specified tones adapting to scenarios. Moreover, he treads applying the psychological-aspects of getting viewers adhered to screens.  Nothing else to do with other technical aspects as musical scores could’ve been furthermore better; editing is simple sans innovativeness.

Deepa deserves a grand round of applause for her yet another approach towards feminism. But what stops us from getting ahead of appreciating her is dropping an inappropriate idea of fancy into a serious subject.

Certainly, it would have worked if Deepa had set out of her box and adapted some fantasy-based stories like Cinderella. Why not? ‘Alice in the Wonderland’ and ‘Cinderella’ haps to be carrying strong female personas…

Verdict: A slight disappointment from Deepa

Rating : **

8x10 Tasveer Movie Review

Well, here’s another new genre of ‘Supernatural Thriller’ persistently hitting screens sans a pause. Glimpse through previous weeks’ releases. ‘13b’ dealt with a phenomenal idiot box, ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ – about a mysterious camera unveiling future’. Here goes, ‘8 X 10 Tasveer’ right on similar notes. This time it’s all about a ‘photograph’ that will unravel the frizzled scenario.

It’s really surprising to watch Nagesh Kukunoor taking up a new avatar of treating an unparalleled script – ‘Murder-Mystery’.  He takes off with a perfect narration all throughout the show and naturally holds onto a perfect climax. What else should a film possess to carry the label of best verdicts? Obviously, Nagesh seems to have focused more on technical aspects that helps a lot for a positive approach on audiences.

Perfect cinematography – sleek editing – dazing locales of foreign countries; here’s the mantra of delighting audiences with a visual treat.

But the film stops an inch from reaching the destination of triumph. It all goes with a slight stumble in the latter part and the reasons justified for murders. Nagesh Kukunoor sports himself bounded with amateurishness on dropping such motifs on the screen.

‘8X10 Tasveer’ is a story about young man named Jai Puri, (Akshay Kumar), who possesses supernatural powers. Jai is of Indian origin who works as a forest ranger in Canada. His life is shattered by the loss of a very important person in his life, his father (Benjamin Gilani). This personal tragedy leads him to use his unique supernatural power to unravel the mystery behind the murder. ‘8x10’ is a supernatural thriller with a nail-biting finish to come up with startling answers.

Getting on with performance, Akshay Kumar excels with his decent show. Perhaps, if you ever felt that Akki had overdone acting in many of his previous flicks, here’s something that proves his adeptness. Be the sequences, where he’s woe-stricken by his father’s loss or the part where he shares elated moments with his sweetheart, he’s cool. Ayesha Taakia goes about with her middling act and Nagesh could’ve depicted her characterization that would’ve had a better impact. Man who steals the show is Javed Jaffrey. He’s sure about sparkling smiles on your faces when he says ‘My name is Happy… Happy without ‘I’ and you are pulled in more with his witty mannerisms, particularly ‘Aaj Mera Happy Birthday Hai’ quotient works out well. Sharmila Tagore, Benjamin Gilani, Ananth Mahadevan and Rushaad Rana score 5/5 for their best take. Credit goes to Nagesh for a perfect casting.

Vikas Sivaraman’s cinematography is scintillating. As mentioned earlier, his works on the stunning locales are sure to carry your senses straight to those places. Songs are quite mediocre and it could’ve been done better while the background score by Salim Sulaiman has been done stylishly.

On the terms of scripting and narration, Nagesh excels with extraordinary skills. Of course, you are bounded with so much of suspense that you’ll really get mystified about the murderer. But then, if you’re really a wizard, the mystery is disentangled right before the intermission.

On the whole, ‘8 x 10 Tasveer’ is all about a faultless thriller that should get you hooked for a couple of hours. If few garbled vistas were pulled out from the reels, then the film is worthy getting ennobled as a ‘Best Thriller’.

Verdict: A gratifying entertainer.

Rating : ***

Aa Dekhen Zara Movie Review

Obviously, very few auteurs composed unique fictions on the supernatural thriller genre. Well, none presumed to go for the most speculative take on such genres. Perhaps the raise of new filmmakers inspired by western flicks is coming to the forefront with groundbreaking motifs.  Aye! You know something…. It all started when the Japanese filmmaker Tsuruta Norio’s ‘Yogen’ (Premonition) topped the charts of World Box Office. If you’re all guessing what this plotline is all about, it’s there right in the title. A Newspaper carries stories that would happen the very next second once read.  Japanese flicks never left anyone getting inspired, even Hollywood.  Things got more exemplified with ‘Grudge’, ‘Ring’ and more that were marked coherent factors sans absurdities that we often notice in other films.

If ‘Yogen’ was all about newspapers, Ring - ‘A Video Tape’, ‘13B’ about TV Series, how about a phenomenal camera exposing future. Quite interesting, isn’t? Befittingly, the film top-notches with a brilliant script unforeseen ever in Indian film scenarios as it treads interesting parts.

‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ goes far-fetched with powerful characterizations and substantial screenplay, though it stumbles at few points.

Not all wildlife photographers do become Mohit Chauhan who’s prone to ‘Thrills’ n ‘Chills’ across every moment. Surely, his famous statement “a wildlife photographer in India, being charged by a tiger sometime in your life is almost a certainty” hasn’t got anything to do for a guy like Ray Acharya (Neil Nithin Mukesh).

Ray Acharya is a struggling wild life photographer who finds ‘misfortunes’ right on his shoulders. The guy hasn’t got a single paisa to run around for his every need until his grandpa dies passing on an extraordinary camera. Nevertheless, Ray who isn’t aware about the supernatural powers of this photo-cam clicks it haphazardly on Simi (Bipasha Basu), an aphrodisiac DJ who resides in the opposite apartment (this guy has been drenched with peeping-tom mania into her Kidkiyaan…). Ah! He’s stuck in appalling waters as one of the photographs depicts herself getting shot at a bar. It’s almost like Ray’s fortune gushing through boundlessly. Not just does he save his girlfriend’s life, but also turns into a millionaire overnight as he clicks at the lottery ticket, race horses to auspicate the right one.

Meanwhile, you’ve the worst baddies in town knocking his door for grabbing the sorcerous camera.  In some manner, he sorts out things through hand-to-hand combat. Wait! This isn’t a happy ending for the lad. He’s topsy-turvily frizzled with the most awful situation, where camera starts prognosticating his awful future.

When previous week’s releases catered to specified groups: either multiplex or single screen audiences, ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ savors to the best for all… Possibly, for those buffs of ‘Final Destination Series’, it may not exceed your expectations. But, pace dropping off in the latter part adds to the negative traits though loaded with finest songs, it eclipses those diminishing factors.

Neil Nithin Mukesh is simply his best as Ray. The actor had proved his adept skills with in his debut ‘Johnny Gaddar’. He doesn’t strain himself overreacting to the riskiest situations in the frame.  Neil is cool striking limelight with a naturalistic appeal. Totting up is his elegant looks and gestures that draws commendable conclusions. Scrumptious Bipasha shares best chemistry with Neil. Rahul Dev as the baddie does a laudable performance. Musical score by Gourov and Pritham are pleasant to the ears though the camera could’ve been far better. 

Jehangir goes proficient with an unparalleled film. As mentioned, fine screenplay and powerful characters (including the strange camera) grounds the film on best remarks.

‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ - Zaroor Dekhna  Hai… At box office, the film is sure to sustain for next couple of weeks. It’s a doubtless statement, that we can ensure.

Verdict: Don’t miss it.

Rating:*** ½

Dashavatar Movie Review > Hindhi

By all odds, Kamal Haasan has been universally acclaimed as ‘Jacks of all trades in tinsel town. Watching this fantastic actor over on a show of grandeur isn’t something off-the-wall. On the dots, there doesn’t need to be an illustration for his record-breaking attempts for that would be a cliché. But, donning 10 roles isn’t a history-breaking record of this. If you’re an ardent buff of World Cinema, then you wouldn’t have missed the flicks made in ancient times.  Who can forget Rolf Leslie who appeared in 27 different looks in LIFE STORY OF QUEEN VICTORIA (1913)? On the pars, Lupino Lane donning 24 roles in Only Me (1929), Joseph Henabery – with 14 characterizations in BIRTH OF A NATION. More than all, Robert Hirsch picking 11 roles in NO QUESTIONS ON SATURDAY will remain cherished in the pages of World Cinema forever. Certainly, that isn’t an end to the list of actors who’ve created history with multiple roles. It keeps going on and on including Eddie Murphy and our own Sivaji Ganeshan.

Well, looks like it would turn to be an exclusive rather than a review. Let’s put a full stop and get on scrutinizing Kamal Haasan’s brilliant attempt with 10 different roles.

You can whole-heartedly appreciate this man who has stridden marking his best efforts. Nevertheless, not do all 10 roles impress you. For sure, the characterization of Fletcher – Ex CIA Agent was really an outstanding piece of recital. Watch these portions; he has distinctly picked the mannerisms of ALGORE, United States’ most stylish politician.

On the other side, what’s really disappointing with this film? Again, it’s all about Kamal Haasan’s 11th Avatar – Screenwriter. You’ve to be more noetic to grasp what’s actually being presented on the screens, especially for the first 30mins. Looks like both screenwriter and filmmaker were both perplexed in designing particular sequences. Joining the list of absurd factors is unwanted characterizations and situations that coalesces them.

The film opens at the backdrops of 12th century where Vishnu Rangaraja Nambi (Kamal Haasan) is thrown into deep oceans tied to God’s statue. The phase shifts over to 21st Century where you notice Govind (Kamal Haasan), an intellectual scientist excogitating a bombastic biological weapon in the form of a computer chip. When US President Bush (Again played by Kamal Haasan) are appreciating his feat, there happens to be another team trying to grab it illegally. Of course, they’re ready to pay Govind figure of 100Crores. Here begins the ride of roller-coaster thriller where Govind has to get back the Chip that’s been accidentally couriered by himself to Chennai. Rest of the film is all about what happens in next 4 days before horrible accident of Tsunami had grudged thousands of lives…

As mentioned earlier, Kamal Haasan deserves appreciations for his adeptness in endeavoring through the speculative project. But, things would’ve been better if more prominence was thrown on narrative aspects too. Well, that’s the problem when it comes to dubbing films as the tastes vary from Kollywood to Bollywood. That includes comedy tracks too… However, Kamal’s smart move is so blatant with unparallel intonation of RAW Investigation Officer. Surely, you’ll have lots of grand humorous stuffs from him.

When it comes to other star-casts, Asin’s characterization as a Brahmin girl is really ludicrous. This missy had spelled a glorious performance in her debut ‘Ghajini’ and this doesn’t actually elevate anything in Asin’s graph… Mallika Sherawat steals the show with her alluring and sleek looks steals the show. Don’t miss her stunning dance in ‘Black Ya White’. Jayapradha hardly appears not more than 15mins and she could’ve been depicted with yet more importance.

Technically, the film goes extraordinarily sumptuous. In particular, the opulent visuals during climax part are mind-boggling. Ravi Varman’s cinematography is quite impressive but unneeded Jimmy-jib shots really annoy the most. Musical score by Himesh Reshammiya goes middling on certain numbers. The song that has appraisals on Kamal Haasan during final credits is commendable while ‘Mukundha’ is feet-tapping.

On the whole, Dashavatar is all about experiencing a passable show for 185mins brimmed with excellent factors that go in hand with more absurdities too.  It would’ve been better if Kamal Haasan had attempted for a separate version for Bollywood rather than merely dubbing it. In box office, the film has little chances of sustaining for few weeks as there aren’t any big releases on the race.

Verdict: watch it for Kamal’s speculative show 

Rating : **

Mariyadhai Movie Review

What happens when people of contrasting style come together for a film? Vikraman, the director known for his melodrama and Vijayakanth, who made a name for himself for his action-packed ventures team up to render an emotional drama loaded with a strong message. It’s more a ‘Vikraman movie’ with his typical sentimental dialogues and feel good characters.

Seemingly an extension of Vikraman - Vijayakanth’s earlier outing Vanathai Polae, Marriyadhai too has ‘Captain’ playing a dual role – that of a father and son. As expected the senior shares more screen space and leaves a strong impression.

Vikraman has not deviated a bit from his formula films of the past. The story is as old as that of  ‘Adam and Eve’. Vikraman has woven the script around a happy and a most respected family in the village, which counters troubles. Eventually the male protagonist overcomes all challenges and rise up in life. It is all well that ends well.

At a time when the grammar of filmmaking has touched new heights and technology has overtaken all departments of the industry, Vikraman still firmly believes that the best way to attract womenfolk to theatres is by churning out a cocktail of emotions and sentiments. Marriyadhai, which has all essential aspects of a melodrama, sadly looks a bit outdated and Vikraman ends up standing in an alien land. It is artificial and clichéd right from the first frame.

The story unfolds in a small village near Pollachi. Annamalai (senior Vijayakanth) leads a contended life with his wife Alamelu (Ambika), his daughter Sumathy (Ammu) and his son Pichai (senior Vijayakanth). A caring a loving father, he even allows his son to change his name from Pichai to Raja, when he is made fun of by his friends when he was very young.

A respectable man in the village for his philanthropic activities, Annamalai gives enough liberties and freedom to his son Raja, who emerges out as an agriculture graduate. All troubles begin when Raja loses money by cultivating dates in the barren land owned by his father. Meanwhile an industrialist eyes the land for setting up chemical factory which is resisted by bother father and son. But Raja comes across Radha (Meena), a music teacher and he falls for her immediately. Raja’s wedding is arranged with Radha by elders of both the families.

Couple of days before their wedding after Raja gives up his property to Radha only to bail her out of trouble little realizing that it was a conspiracy hatched by Radha to take away his land. Their wedding gets stopped. Raja vows to get back the land. Enters Chandra (Meera Jasmine) in Raja’s life. She comes to know of his bad past and vows to change his heart and marry him. Eventually it’s how Raja comes up in his life and marry Chandra.

Vikraman can be appreciated has stressed the need for alternate farming in rural Tamilnadu which is facing water shortage and also there are enough barren lands. Unfortunately the pace in which the movie progresses and outdated characters in the movie are its major eyesore.

Vijayakanth hogs the limelight as father and a lovable son. It's a meaty role for Ambika after she chose to make a comeback recently. Meena looks totally alien in a negative role, while Ramesh Khanna tries to tickle the funny bone in vain. Sampath has been wasted in the role of villain. Meera Jasmine's dignified portrayal and natural expressions impresses.

Vikaraman has brought outs A Rajkumar from ’Nakka Mukka’ man Vijay Anthony. Half-a-dozen ‘Vikraman type’ melody finds it place in the movie with the exception being the remix of Idhayakani song (Inbamae).

Produced by T Siva of Amma Creations and presented by Raj Television network, Marriyadhai is for ardent Vijayakanth fans.

Choosing an Air Conditioner Complete Review

Summers are approaching,therefore its the time to rush to the nearest dealer to get the best deal in airconditioners.but the question arises,which a/c would best suit the budget and the requirement?

My review consists of a few guide lines which may help prospective buyers looking for an airconditioner.i have categorised splits and windows as seperate entities with pros and cons of each.

WINDOW AIRCONDITIONERS-

window airconditioners are the simplest airconditioning machinery having all the part assembled in a compact unit.window airconditioners are best suited for places with an exposed wall or if you have a balcony attached to the room you want to aircondition.window acs are easy to install and are the most common in the indian market,though splits are catching up.

REMEMBER-acs are not only about aesthetics,cooling is the first priority.

points to be noted before buying a window ac-

1.EER(ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATIO)- always look for this prior to all ur requirements.acs with eer higher than 10 are the best.

2.CFM(AIRFLOW IN CUBIC FT MTR.)- this is the most important aspect of a windor ac.acs with more airflow would be the best in energy efficiency too.you would definitely not want to sweat with the ac on.the higher the cfm,the better the cooling too.cfm should be between 500 to 550.

3.POWER INPUT(WATTS)-window acs generally consume more power than splits ,but then again,selecting a unit with the least power consumption is useful.windows generally consume between 1800-1900 watts.leave out any ac which consumes more power,it will burn ur pocket and would turn out to be more expensive than the machine itself.

4.DURABLE CONDENSER FINS(BACKSIDE)- remember to check it out yourself at the shop by pressing the fins urself.it might seem awkward to the people around u,but its ur money,they wont pay for it! those acs where the fins twist easily are the worst,the harder the fins,the more durable the machine.dont be fooled by gold fins and blue fins. they all turn black within a years time.

5.COMPRESSOR- rotory compressors are the best suited for indian climate.dont go for reciprocating ones,they are noisier.

6.BTU(COOLING)-leave the ac with less btu.18000 and above is favorable in 1.5 tr category.(19789 for ogeneral)

performance coupled with looks would be invited for sure.features are secondry,but timers and dry mode are important.

PROS-

cost effective,easy to install,easy to maintain,fresh air intake.

CONS-

wear and tear increases with time, become noisier after a few years,start consuming more power if not maintained,dont last long(brand dependant).

good window ac brands are- OGENERAL(25990),HITACHI(25990-26990),CARRIER(19000-22000),WHIRLPOOL(16000-21000)

.rest are all the same.(1.5 tr prices)

SPLIT AIRCONDITIONERS-

split airconditioners have the evaporator inside and the rest of the machinery outside.they are best suited for the place where aesthetics are the prime concern or there is no exposed wall.splits are a bit expensive,but they tend to save a lot in the long run.they dont produce noise(though its brand dependant)at all.in splits ,inverter models are good which save 40%of power by decreasing the rate of compression of gas,and hence requiring less power than to switch the compressor on and off,as in coventional splits.

points before buying splits are-

1.LAMBDA COIL-this being the latest in design,saves upto 30% of indoor shape and increase the cooling too.

2.LENGTH OF CONNECTING PIPE-should sopport upto 25mts.if the length is less than that,its not worth buying.

3.SIZE OF THE OUTDOOR UNIT-though u may not find outdoor units on display anywhere in the market, its the main factor to consider.the lager the unit,the bigger the condender coil,the better the cooling.

4.CFM(AIRFLOW)- VERY IMPORTANT INCASE OF SPLITS,BECAUSE AS SUCH SPLITS HAVE LESS AIRFLOW.cfm more than 450 is desirable.

5. GAS COLLECTION SWITCH-thoug very few might be having it,but its very useful feature as it doesnt require the ac to be charged with gas ,when u shift ur residence.

6.POWER INPUT-ranges between as low as 1600 to 1900 watts.if more than this,look out for the other model.

7.BTU(COOLING)-FOR 1.5 TR, anything between 18000 to 20400 is good.20400 is for hitachi star.

8. ANTI CORROSION TREATEMENT ON THE OUTDORR UNIT-should be preferable ,as the life of the ac is dependant on the outdoor unit.

9. NOISE LEVEL-since its a split,it should be taken into consideration.22db -39 db is good.

splits also mean looks.go for the flat panels(dont make it the only guiding point!).they are easy to clean and maintain.

good brands of split ac are- DAIKIN,OGENERAL,HITACHI,PANASONIC,MITSUBISHI,CARRIER,TOSHIBA and VOLTAS to some extent.rest are the same.

pros-

good looking,low noise level,last long(brand dependant),better cooling,lower power consumption

cons-cant be shifted to new locations easily,inappropriate piping can ruin the ac,inapt drainage can give you nightmares,not installing the outdoor unit on a firm platform can disbalance the compressor and the fan motor.require professional maintenance.,no fresh air intake.

also its to be noted that the airconditioner,be it a split or a window, should be of the appropriate tonnage,higher tonnage would result in frequent compressor on offs,increased wear and tear and reduced level of humidity.on the contrary,lower tonnage wouldnt cool the room properly and would increase the load on the unit.

to conclude,atlast its the brand that matters .i have 2 ogeneral and 2 hitachi acs,they havent given me a chance of complaint.u dont buy an ac every year,so make a sensible purchase.

Happy buying! 

THERE WILL BE BLOOD...FOR A TRANSFUSION

No, this is NOT a sequel to the bloody movie from a few years ago, featuring the Oscar Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. The main topic for this week in Questions On Dogs and Cats arose from a question that was sent in to the Phoenix newspaper, combined with some questions to this blog by our readers. More on this will follow below....

From time to time, Helpful Buckeye has been fortunate to be able to exchange information with other web sites and blog sites that deal with matters of concern to dog and cat owners. One of these sites, All About Dogs and Cats, http://www.allaboutdogsandcats.com/ , has published one of Helpful Buckeye's recent columns this past week. Go to this web site and right there on the home page under the heading, New Articles This Month, you'll see the topic of Seizure in Dogs, from one of our recent issues. All About Dogs and Cats provides extensive breed rescue information for dogs and cats, Dog Breed list ( 400 +), Health, Nutrition, and Pet Behaviour articles by veterinarians and animal specialists, as well as information on travel with pets and shopping. The site administrator offered this statement: "I am always interested in offering my visitors worthwhile information and advice on caring for their furry friends." Sometime this week, take a few minutes to check out this nice web site...there are numerous options for you to explore from its home page!

Even though this issue of Questions On Dogs and Cats is set to go out to the public late Sunday night, and most of you won't read it until Monday morning or later in the week, Helpful Buckeye has this great recap to offer about 2 nice bike rides over the weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feegxv4goKo Go ahead, turn up the volume on your speakers, and enjoy this hand-clapper and toe-tapper. It's a feel good song from 1972 and its infectious beat was running like an endless loop through my mind as I pedaled away the miles on Saturday and Sunday.

Speaking of an "infectious" beat to that song, it's time to review the difference between infectious and contagious. How many of you can describe the difference and what it might mean when characterizing a disease? Infectious is a term used to describe a disease that is caused by bacteria, a virus, a fungus, a parasite, or a prion...in other words, diseases caused by transmissible agents. Contagious is usually reserved for those diseases that can be easily passed from human to human, dog to dog, or cat to cat. If you feel you understand this difference, take a look at this week's poll question in the left column and test yourself. The poll will refer only to those dog and cat diseases that we have already discussed. Last week's poll question about which of the external parasites you or your pets have experienced was top-heavy with fleas, ticks, and ear mites being most represented. Sarcoptic mange was only mentioned a few times and Demodectic mange wasn't mentioned at all.

For those of you who are new to this blog site, you will find a listing in the left column under the heading of "Labels." These topics serve as an index of what we've covered the past year. Click on any of those topics and it will take you to the particular issue with that topic.

CURRENT NEWS OF INTEREST

1) In this news release from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Environmental Protection Agency is increasing their scrutiny of topical flea and tick products: In response to more than 44,000 potential adverse reactions to spot-on flea and tick products reported in 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its evaluation of these products. No recalls have been issued at this time. The AVMA will continue to maintain contact with the EPA and monitor the situation, and updates will be posted as they come to our attention. For the rest of this release, go to: http://www.avma.org/aa/EPA_flea_tick_product_scrutiny.asp

2) By now, most of you have seen the new "First Dog" for President Obama's family. Yes, it's the Portuguese Water Dog, that will be known as "Bo." The AVMA has issued this press release about the occasion, along with a nice overall evaluation of the situation by one of our esteemed animal behavioral specialists, Dr. Bonnie Beaver: http://www.avma.org/press/releases/090414_obama_canine_in_chief.asp

DISEASES, AILMENTS, AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Now, for the question that was sent to the Arizona Republic columnist, Clay Thompson, this past week: "If your dog needs a blood transfusion, where do they get the blood?" To read Mr. Thompson's complete answer, go to: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/04/17/20090417clay0418.html

From time to time, dogs and cats may have need of a blood transfusion. This can arise as a result of either internal or external bleeding caused by trauma, hemorrhaging during surgery, ingestion of certain toxins, and many other diseases that can cause a pet to lose red blood cells and develop a life-threatening anemia.

Red blood cells, among other functions, incorporate the hemoglobin molecule which carries oxygen throughout the body. If their concentration level drops enough, then a transfusion becomes necessary. Blood transfusions must be given with care because they do have the potential for further compromising the recipient dog or cat. The diversity of blood groups in animals make blood-typing and matching difficult, but not impossible. The most serious risk from a transfusion is hemolysis (breaking down and destroying) of the red blood cells, which, fortunately, doesn't happen very much anymore, now that crossmatching is available and there are more accessible blood banks for dogs and cats.

Blood is species specific, in other words, dogs can receive only dog blood and cats can receive only cat blood. Both species do have different blood types, therefore they require blood-typing and crossmatching before the transfusion can proceed. As with human blood donors, animal donors are tested to make sure certain blood values are high enough and no infectious disease is present before the blood is collected. Donor dogs and cats usually have to also meet minimum weight requirements, approximately 50 lbs. for dogs and 10 lbs. for cats.

The different blood components (red blood cells, platelets, and plasma) can be separated if needed. Red cells are given to a patient that may be anemic due to trauma or due to a treatable disease. Plasma is used to build up blood volume in situations where the animal is not making enough protein or is losing too much protein. Platelet-rich plasma is used for those patients whose platelets are depleted or dysfunctional.

Pet blood donation is an essential resource for veterinarians and their patients. Private veterinarians sometimes will use their own pet dogs or cats as blood donors when emergencies arise. Some animal hospitals will maintain a list of prospective donor animals from their regular clients as well. In addition, there now many centralized animal blood banks around the USA which can get blood to a needy patient very quickly.

For more information about pet blood transfusions or blood donation, talk with your regular veterinarian. For a really nice over-view of blood donations and blood transfusions in pets, spend a few minutes watching this very informative video from the Southern Arizona Animal Blood Bank: http://www.southernazvets.com/blood_bank2.htm Another web site, The Pet Blood Bank, has a well-presented set of "Frequently Asked Questions" about blood donations and transfusions at: http://www.petshelpingpets.com/faq.htm

Any questions or comments, please send an e-mail to: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com or make a comment at the end of this issue.

NON-MEDICAL CONCERNS

1) The American Kennel Club offers puppy training tips for both the White House and your house!

"All of America has been anxiously awaiting the pitter-patter of President Obama's Portuguese Water Dog in the White House. But now that the Obamas' new dog has arrived, how will they prepare him for his high-profile life in Washington? And, as the Obamas are not only a First Family but also first-time dog owners with the eyes of of the world upon them, what can the public learn from their experience?" (From the AKC) For a sometimes tongue-in-cheek training proposal for the First Family, read the rest of the AKC's list: http://www.akc.org/poll/special/white_house_tips.pdf

2) For the purpose of a nice review about ticks and your pets, listen to this AVMA podcast: http://www.avmamedia.org/display.asp?sid=136&NAME=Ticks_and_Our_Pets

3) The AVMA has also produced a podcast that helps the public understand all the different roles played by veterinarians in our society: http://www.avmamedia.org/display.asp?sid=137&NAME=Chew_on_This:_The_many_roles_of_veterinarians

BREEDS OF THE WEEK

For this week, just a few words about the Retriever breeds of dogs will be the subject. Retrievers are a part of the AKC larger group of Sporting Dogs. Naturally active and alert, Sporting Dogs make likeable, well-rounded companions. Members of the group include pointers, retrievers, setters and spaniels. Remarkable for their instincts in water and woods, many of these breeds actively continue to participate in hunting and other field activities. Potential owners of Sporting dogs need to realize that most require regular, invigorating exercise. Of 27 breeds in the AKC Sporting Dog group, 6 are known as retrievers. These are the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Curly-Coated Retriever, Flat-Coated Retriever, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. A retriever is a type of gun dog that retrieves game for a hunter. Retrievers were bred primarily to retrieve birds or other prey and return them to the hunter without damage. To this end, retriever breeds are bred for soft mouths and a great willingness to please, learn, and obey. A soft mouth refers to the willingness of the dog to carry game in its mouth without biting into it. "Hard mouth" is a serious fault in a hunting dog and is one that is very difficult to correct. A hard-mouthed dog renders game unpresentable or at worst inedible. The retriever's willingness to please and trainability have made retrievers such as the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever popular as Service Dogs. Does this cartoon from The New Yorker illustrate the spirit and performance of a Retriever in the great outdoors?:

GENERAL INTEREST

1) The ASPCA has been observing April as its Prevention of Animal Cruelty month and it brings to mind this quote from George Bernard Shaw: "The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity."

2) Regardless of one's opinion of Rush Limbaugh, he does deserve credit for his sponsorship of these messages for The Humane Society of the United States: http://video.hsus.org/index.jsp?fr_story=63b8bbe59d872482559c1667e638a8fd839efe38 and http://video.hsus.org/index.jsp?fr_story=01f14a8cb1f4072456aa8bf2df1095db48bc4c86

3) The AKC has just recently begun a program designed for mixed breed dogs. "Our goal in creating a program specifically designed for mixed breeds is to share our passion for dogs and our sport," said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung. "AKC will broaden its legislative influence by representing more dog owners and achieve greater exposure for our responsible dog ownership messaging. But ultimately, the positive developments that this program creates will benefit dogs the most, and this is what we value above all." For the rest of the details of this interesting program, go to: http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3810

4) Walmart has gone "ORANGE" along with the ASPCA during April by offering certain pet supplies at discounts: http://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-april/aspcas-corporate-partners.html#Walmart_Goes_Orange_with_the_ASPCA Take a look at this list...you might find just what you've been looking for!

5) Under the heading of "What was she thinking?," a woman in Colorado was charged by police for taping her boyfriend's dog to their refrigerator! She obviously had issues with the boyfriend, but why does the animal always seem to be what suffers? Here's the whole story: http://news.aol.com/article/dog-taped-to-fridge/432937?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl1link4http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fdog-taped-to-fridge%2F432937

6) This past week, a 4-month old puppy is being credited for helping to save a 2-year old toddler who had wondered away from his house. As the article explains, the young boy was really fortunate to be found unharmed: http://www.parentdish.com/2009/04/17/puppy-saves-toddlers-life?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl5link5http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parentdish.com%2F2009%2F04%2F17%2Fpuppy-saves-toddlers-life

7) On 18 April 1775, young America was treated to the "Midnight Ride" of Paul Revere, during which Paul Revere was heard to be yelling, "The British are coming!" Enjoy a latter day version from Paul Revere & The Raiders, in this 1966 rocker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9887UCYtW8

8) Also, on 18 April 1906, the San Francisco earthquake decimated the "City By The Bay." If Jerry Lee Lewis had been around at that time, he would have been singing, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On!" Join the Killer in this rock and roll classic from 1957: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yRdDnrB5kM

SPORTS NEWS

My former business partner and his wife have been in Boston over the weekend, enjoying a chance to see their beloved Red Sox beat the Orioles.

The LA Dodgers won their 8th game in a row today to take over 1st place in the NL West division. All 11 of our games so far have been against divisional opponents, which admittedly might not be the strongest teams in the National League. On Tuesday, we step out of the division, so we'll start to get a better idea of how good we really are.

The San Antonio Spurs lost their fist game in the playoff round, which was not entirely unexpected since Manu Ginobili is out for the rest of the year.

PERSONAL STUFF

Our reliable friend, Mark Twain, had this to say about possibly being sick: "....as far as being on the verge of being a sick man, I don't take any stock in that. I have been on the verge of being an angel all of my life, but it's never happened yet either." --Mark Twain, a Biography

Roger Caras, American wildlife photographer and writer had this to say about dogs: "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." How about a show of hands on this one? OK, just what I thought...it's unanimous!

Even though it was pretty windy over the weekend here in northern Arizona and tough on bicyclists, the warm temperature made the bike riding a real joy! It reminded me of a popular bumper sticker that I'll paraphrase: "Even a windy day biking is better than a calm day sitting inside and watching TV."

While biking on Saturday, Helpful Buckeye pulled up to a stop sign beside a motorcyclist who had a pug-type dog strapped to his chest by some form of harness. I hollered at the guy to ask him how it worked out with the dog strapped to his chest. He replied that the dog seemed to tolerate it without struggling at all. The harness looked pretty sufficient and the dog also had on a set of goggles. The guy then said that his dog used to be a smallish-sized German Shepherd, but after riding so many miles at high speeds had acquired the face of a pug! At that point, Helpful Buckeye realized that he had just been punked! Was this a conventional way of doggie transport? Probably not! Was the dog adequately protected? Probably....

To close out this week's issue, let's turn to Samuel Johnson, British writer, for this thought on remaining silent: "Silence propagates itself, and the longer talk has been suspended, the more difficult it is to find anything to say." Don't be silent when reading Questions On Dogs and Cats! If you have a thought or a question, please send an e-mail to: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com or make a comment at the end of this issue, just below.

~~The goal of this blog is to provide general information and advice to help you be a better pet owner and to have a more rewarding relationship with your pet. This blog does not intend to replace the professional one-on-one care your pet receives from a practicing veterinarian. When in doubt about your pet's health, always visit a veterinarian.~~