Going by the Vishu post's comments I believe many of you might have an interest in things Indian.... a write up on one of them follows...

April 22 was Akshay Tritiya ( AT ) - same as 'thithi' to the Tamils, methinks - an auspicious day to make a beginning. AT symbolises the end of dark days of winter and the beginng of new dawn.
(are your jaws unhinged with my utterings ? I confess, I am usually quite oblivious and /or ignorant about most matters, let alone these esoteric 'tritiyas' linked to planetary positions ) .
My gyan (if I may call it that, is largely thanks to my terrific uncle who sent out a mail on this topic, _he_ relies on the daily press!!)

For those more hungry to know about AT- its is the day for beginnings and one of the 4 most sacred days in the Hindoo (I know the accepted is Hindu, but isn't this more fun!) calendar. I believe it is known as 'Ahsay Tadige' in Kannada (not to be mistaken as Canada!) and reportedly, Ved Vyas started chronicling the Mahabharta on this very day.

People up north (north of Bombay that is! north indians, not afghanis!!) opt to buy property , gold etc in a big way on AT. Idea being, if you buy gold on AT, it pours in the whole year through. Goddess Laxmi will bestow riches untold upon ye! (last line is _pure_ guess work!)

I guess some ancient marketing whiz kid must have thought up of AT to drum up sales for some merchant in the hoary past, considering March/April are slack periods generally - what with exams to fret over & cricket matches to be played!
It also seems to be a jolly good time to get married if the marriage processions on the roads are anything to go by. (not to mention fire crackers at all hours of the day! and yes, fire crackers for weddings!! Indians are a happy lot, and more often then not we want to tell the world and his dog bout our joy!)
I need every bit of good luck and fortune and heres hoping the celestial bodies pitch in, now !
Well, thats all for this session kids, tune in for your daily dose, same time, same place, every hour on the hour! ;)

May Akshaya Tritiya (analogous to the horn of plenty or cornucopia, to you Western kids) bring effects to your enterprise.

May the Force, as ever, be with all of you!