My thoughts on the arrest of drug dealers.

Recently news items regarding nabbing of drug peddlers and users hogged lime lite and went into oblivion in the mainstream media. The names of a few people connected to film industry were propped up.
A lot has been discussed about narcotic drugs, which I would not repeat.
I think the entire episode is enacted to benefit certain people. The possible motives seem to be :
1) To kill the careers of the targeted people.
2) Police want to show that they are serious about the drug abuse menace. Only for the sake of records.
3) Police want to raise protection money.
4) Drug peddlers want to increase the price of the commodity.
5) Internal squabble among the peddlers.

Dont't Have A Television? Thats Wierd!

I believe that the other name for television is "Idiot Box" is true.
I have been resisting having a Television at home for a long long time. I have been made fun of by relatives, friends and foes (if I have any) alike for this. Yet I stuck to my guns steadfastly. Before marriage some people thought that marriage would 'transform' me. Possibly they thought that there would be no woman who cannot stay away from the idiot box.

But I have proved them wrong. I have never coerced or forced my better half. I have rather convinced her. I don't think she regrets for that. Luckily my parents also never protested my decision.

When people (in my circle) came to know that there was no TV at my place, the most frequent questions I faced were "Then what do you do for entertainment?" or "How do you get to know the current affairs?" or "Don't you get bored?".

Most of my friends think that watching TV is pretty useful, that it improves their GK. I could never convince myself that watching a program like 'Kaun Banega Karodpati' would really enhance my general awareness. I would rather read a lot more in 1 hour. I am definitely not interested in participating in quiz competitions. But National Geographic Channel, Discovery, History channels are exceptions.

Here are some of the barbs thrown at me :
- Even slum dwellers watch TV.
- How much money would you save by sacrificing your entertainment.
- Why do you make your parents (wife after marriage) suffer.

We had, sometimes, to witness funny reactions of others. Once a guy came to our house for some survey about programs people watch on TV. It took some time for him to believe that we did not have a TV. Why not. May be our house could be the only one without TV in hundreds of houses that he went to survey.

I have displeased so many of relatives, who visited our house,that they missed one or more episode(s) of their favourite serials, to which they were addicted to.

Finally my reasons for not having a TV are simple. Others may think they are trivial, which is again subjective. Here are a few of them :
1) I do not want flavoured and coloured news.
2) Channels bombard us with more of negative things (like gory murders, robberies, murders, etc.). I certainly don't need this s**t.
3) Serials drag on with little content, waste of time and emotion.
4) Vested interests manipulate us, our thinking and the way we live. Without the power of TV, I cannot imagine how acids could be passed off as soft drink, junk could become happy meal and baby foods could substitute breast-feeding.
5) Unnecessary items are thrust on us like Bill Clinton's affairs or Sarah Palin's daughter's marriage or Prince Williams marriage. Why do I need all this. And finally...
6) Fear that I would interact less with the members in my family.

These People Are Mean!

One day I was on my way to office. As I got down the public transport bus, I heard Sri (not the full name), a colleague of mine, saying "These people are mean!". I did not understand whom she was referring. While walking to office from bus stop, the following conversation took place between us :

I : Excuse me!.
Sri: Oh! These bus conductors are mean.
I : What happened?
Sri : They don't return the change. They loot us.

I felt 'loot' was unwarranted and a bit too strong a word in that context.

I : Do they? Strange it did not happen to me not even once in more than 10 years. (With a puzzled look.)
Sri : I can't believe it. You are kidding.
I : Not at all. I am not a big fan of RTC bus conductors (to back them).

We dropped the conversation as I felt continuing any further would put me in a tight spot.

I will share the secret which saved me from accusing others of cheating. I always carry/carried enough change for my daily travel in buses. When I told this to a few friends, their reaction was either "It's not possible." or "It's difficult." or "Conductors should keep enough change. It's their duty." or something else of that sort.

In fact, often during my travel back to home, it would be last trip for the buses. Conductors end up having lot of change. So I exchange notes for coins, when they don't need them.

I would have found so many items in the Sri's handbag at the time of conversation - lipstick, powder, creams, soap, etc. except a few coins.

I do this only in my interest. I just do not want to upset myself over such a trivial and avoidable issue like this. Finally, as a matter of fact I rarely had trouble with auto drivers and fruit vendors over change.

Government has the right to kill you if you are 'Ordinary'!

Another proof of the 'world class quality' is revealed with the collapse of suspension pedestrian over-bridge at the venue, Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium a couple of days ago in New Delhi. Strangely no one seems to be accountable to it.
Public works minister told the reporters that the bridge was meant exclusively for athletes and officials. But later Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit played it down saying that the over-bridge was meant for ordinary spectators.
What a shame, for a chief minister to say those words. Does it mean that this Public works department is not concerned about the safety of ordinary people. It has right to kill anyone who is 'ordinary'. Or are the lives of ordinary people so worthless? It is nothing but the crass insensitivity of the people in power.
God save India with such people at power.

Environmental Friendly Vinayaka Idol

We have been celebrating Vinayaka Chaturthi with fervor at home as well at community level for years. There has been a steady evolution of idols.

Years ago we used to install an idol made of plaster of Paris, painted with synthetic colours. As my environmental consciousness has increased, we changed to an idol made of clay. This year there has been a talk of idols made of paper. Taking a leaf out of the environmental friendly book, we too have performed puja to a "green" Vinayaka this year. It is made of dough. All credits to my better-half for making it.

Here are the pictures of the 'Dough Vinayaka'.

This picture is taken before performing puja, Vinayaka sitting in palm.



This one after we performed puja.

The 'Aam Admi' Ministers

The PMO a few days ago made public the ministers' assets and liabilities giving over 400 pages of complete details filed by the elected representatives. It took PMO a year after, Subhash Chandra Agrawal, a RTI activist, filed an application regarding the assets and liabilities of Cabinet Ministers.

It has proved that India is ideal place which gives equal opportunity to all. Even aam admi can win in general elections and become an MP and then become Minister.

According to the reply to the RTI request :
1) Commerce minister Anand Sharma's personal wealth is Rs.26,741
2) Food Processing minister Subodh Kant Sahai has assets of Rs.1.4 lakh
3) Urban Development Minister S.Jaipal Reddy's assets are worth just Rs.3.3 lakhs
4) The Renewable Energy Minister, Farooq Abdullah, maintains his flamboyant lifestyle with Rs.6.5 lakhs assets.

These are only a few of such great revelations. It is no secret that their assets are registered in the names of wives and children , and may be 'loyal dogs'.
Why don't they own large assets? or Why do they hide them? What do they fear if it is not ill-gotten wealth?

All this is nothing but a big mockery perpetuated by people at highest level. They are in fact showing the asli aam admi's the path to take.

Honey, Who Shrunk the Soap Cake!

So many things in our daily life go unnoticed. We do not pay attention to these because we take them for granted. I will give an account of what I have observed.

For some time I was wondering why the soap cakes at home are getting finished sooner. I have been using the same brand of soap 'M' for almost a decade and a half with the exception of a couple of weeks in between. Long ago these were available in 75gm (small) and 150gm (big). I cannot say much about smaller ones, but the weight of the bigger one is reduced to 125 gm and the price increased, may be a couple of years ago. When I go to shop I ask for 'big', I thought I am buying 125gm ones. Off late I have been observing that they are not lasting the same no. of days they used to. When I looked on the pack it is written 125g with a check box ticked. I was wondering if the composition in the soap is changed that it gets worn off quickly. Or is it the rats that started eating them mistaking them to be candy?

I understood why it was happening only when I read what is written on wrapper. And it was written in a very small font. The reason is that the soap is not weighing 125g as mentioned prominently, but weighing less : it is actually 113g.

May be the changed economics or competition with other brands or whatever it be that these companies are facing that they employ such tricks, the fact is I got less than what I thought I was getting.

When I looked at other brands the same thing is happening. And if it goes on like this, the soap gets smaller and smaller, may come in the size of match box. But still the weight mentioned as 125g, without people ever raising an eyebrow.

People are more interested in IPL and soap shows than to know what is happening around us that concern our lives. No one is really bothered. Then why should I?