CHAKRAS
And Your Hormones
Blue star software reaches for the stars with its Chakra Discovery program. Touted on its website (www.chakrastar.com) as "virtual exercises enhancing the endocrine system by combining ancient discoveries and recent scientific research," we wouldn't recommend this as a substitute guru, but the on-line "chakra analysis" is a fun, interactive way to find ways to improve your life.
CYBERCAFES
Netcafe@India Taps Globe
Trying to access web and e-mail at home from Chennai? Watching your connection drop every three minutes can be frustrating. Well, slip downtown and check out the one-year-old Netcafe@India on Cathedral Road. With a 64 Kbps leased line using radio modem, visitors have hassle-free, high-speed access. You can also sip coffee with businessmen and a few kids who can barely afford the steep log-on price of Rs. 80 per half hour. Clerks say business is booming. Bangalore is host to another popular cybercafe.
CINEMA
Screen for Content
Movies are overhyped these days, and it's hard to tell whether they're suitable for your kids. That's where the Screenit folks (www.screenit.com) come in. They provide invaluable evaluations of all Hollywood movies. Each review is categorized into potentially offensive areas: alcohol/ drugs, gore, disrespectful attitude, frightening scenes, sex/nudity, profanity, violence and more. So now you can get the scoop ahead of time on exactly what the kids would see.
GURUS
Youthful Swami
Leaders in India often don't comprehend what Hindu youth face growing up in the US, but Swami Shuddhananda Brahmachari of Calcutta is different. He knows their minds and is quite popular with youth. You can learn about his Lokenath Divine Mission at www.flash.net/~jemini/. A disciple of Baba Lokenath (1730?1890), Swami gives a fascinating account of Baba's magical 160-year life, plus on-line short discourses. Shuddhananda designs programs for West Bengal's suffering population to achieve self-sufficiency. And he's good at it–the website has inspiring photos of his Mobile Clinic serving 195 Bengal villages and slums.