Update: I have decided that sometimes pictures convey a thousand words..........while i have received a lot of feedback and sometimes flak for the subjects i have been posting recently, i have decided that i will try to convey the same with comic strips.
A little bit of me and a little bit of everything around me has helped me conceive of the comic strip. Hope you find it a good read........
PS: I will be posting more on my ramblings on a less frequent matter maybe in the near future.....
class 10 - i thought i was smart
college - i thought i was very smart
mba college - i thought i was the smartest
job – enlightenment !!!! I thought I was definitely not one of the smart ones especially with the kind of smart illustrious colleagues and seniors I was working with in the medical devices & life sciences arm of a top Indian IT company.
Well then again a man sometimes needs a boost to flap up his flailing ego……….i got my chance of retribution taking a few IQ tests online. Well my score read 135-142 on an average………..and sure I could find ways like reading more often into previously discarded pieces of algebra, trigonometry and geometry and especially pure maths.
However one such quiz that gave me intense satisfaction of cracking (well almost……….and no there was no cheating involved) was that of http://www.impossible-quiz.com/
I took my seat on a shared auto (a three wheeler of complete fun and joy – akin to a bike but slightly safer………..well almost) in Pune the other day as I was traveling from Hadapsar to M.G.Road. Well there was probably a strike called in by one auto union probably as a measure to counter the govt’s decision to increase fuel prices. I got into a an auto whose driver warned me beforehand that he would probably pick up some more people on the way – his way of making more money that eventful day. As a hapless consumer in
As the posh area of Hadapsar became a distant memory the first actual public transport users on the route got on, unfortunately a group of female friends – 3 to be precise decided to wave their arms in unison and get in – the driver was more than happy to oblige. Quite regrettably I had to show my chivalry (not that I have loads of it J ) I had to shovel my way trying to find a nook on the driver’s seat in the front. The auto posed an ugly site, one man against a crowd (read three) of women. I was never going to be the same again, I had no choice but to surrender, my punishment was to have to listen to them cackle on about women's things for the remainder of the journey. My ever rambling thoughts were still not enough to shield my innocent little ears and the junction at
Anyway, I'll get on with it. They were going shopping – probably first Laxmi road to pick up some cheap (read inexpensive) stuff and then probably flaunt their goods at the mall. And the description of t-shirts, lingerie and the works left me bewildered – how could these women spend so much time discussin such trivial issue – but then again I was but a mere mortal here trying to survive the journey. One of the birds shouted to her mate (translated in English it goes on………) "Kiran was at this last night, she was trying desperately to fit into size 30 jeans – but the binge at a couple of weddings left her in a plight with the improbable reality of not fitting in", while another went on “ The guy at college who she was seeing was probably two-timing her and hence she decided to do the same”. Then it started – the fact that mankind (read men) was probably the most inexplicable, untrustworthy, species on the planet – this was blatantly sloganized ( I coined the term from the innumerable rallies called by the Left Front Govt. that had become a way of life in Calcutta) by the chicks (read girls) in the back.
And no I for once did not complain – surprisingly. It was then I realized that age & experience gives us the realization and the vision to see things in different light – things which are important and those which are irrelevant. Thank God – I did not get into a discussion with those beautiful ladies regarding their beliefs – I let nature take its own course of action.
Sphere: Related Content
“Inflation”……………..”Mahangai”!!!
…………….the words that so marked the 80s are back in business, worldwide and how. In India, while basic food inflation has reached a back-breaking 10%, for many items, it has reached 100,000% as in Zimbabwe (remember a article where yours truly Virender Sehwag during the T20 world cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe was highly amused with the price of a bowl of noodles reaching about a million in their local currency).
A case in point is the popcorn available at multiplexes, so expensive that De Beers is thinking of entering the popcorn business with a tagline “Popcorns are forever”. Then again 300 ml of soda drinks are available at Indian airports for upwards of Rs 30 (sweetened water that too this expensive) - I wonder what supply chain they use. Taking the cue, the IIMs have trebled their fees since they rightly believe that they are the worst affected by rising sugar, edible oil and food grain prices.
In
As such, there is a need for drastic measures to curb inflation even if they sound hilarious to some. One can learn from Philippines where legislators have suggested making it compulsory for the top 100 companies in the country to produce rice & foodgrains – move over to India; think of tata rice, (experience certainty in taste) reliance moong dal (le lo khana muththi mein or mere paas MA brand dal hain) & infosys wheat (eat in the f-L-at world) !!!!
One way could be for the government to vigorously promote the religious practice of Upvaas or fasting to ease demand. Public TV stations need to telecast messages like “Zaraa sa upvaas, fir inflation bakwaas” in lines with that messianic family planning PR effort of “Zaraa si savdhaani, zindaagi bhar asaani”.
Alternately we should invest in R&D by people like Baba Ramdev so that he can develop new breathing techniques to control craving for food.
Serious and long term measures such as making another push for land reforms are unlikely to be taken up in
All the same, there is one quick fix which can immediately solve the inflation problem and that is to make it compulsory for tele-shopping companies to sell food grains, edible oils, sugar etc. Given their practice of offering seemingly huge discounts on everything and selling many things for the price of one, these tele-shopping networks will help solve food related inflation in a jiffy. Indeed, a combo of 15 kilo of basmati, a free shree-yantra, and a jogging simulator thrown in, all for the price of one, will go a long way in solving our inflation owes.
PS: And Mr. President - average daily calorie intake for an average Indian is about 2000 calories only.
