Author: charukesi

I got this on email…. Tempted to believe it…. Speaking at a press briefing, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tried to clarify the situation in Iraq. “Reports that say something hasn’t happened are interesting to me, because as we know, there are known unknowns; there’re things we know we know,” Rumsfeld said.“We also know there are… Continue reading Bush ka baap?

While Arjun Singh and the new Congress Government have been busy wiping out all traces of saffron effected by the late NDA Government’s over-zealous Murli Manohar Joshi, newer and newer names have found their way into the history text-books… The Prez Dr. Abdul Kalam might criticize ‘indiscriminate and too frequent’ changes in school textbooks but… Continue reading Just absurd… or atrocious?

At a time when in-programme advertising and product placements are getting unbearable (shudder shudder), I saw an ‘ad’ on the tv serial Sanjivani (India’s answer to ER) that made me stop and smile. In the scene, a character playing a senior doctor explains to a child’s parents about the ORS (Oral Rehydration System) of WHO. The scene was… Continue reading Hidden persuasion

The rain gods have finally smiled (ok, frowned, considering the state of clothes which don’t dry and walls which leak) upon Bombay…. The annual ritual of train stoppage happened yesterday…. And with it went our building’s main cable…. Which has stopped the lift and the cable television service (which was restored first, which makes me think… Continue reading Life incommunicado

It is like you never blogged….. Ouch! That hurt, Chandru… That public memory is short, I knew… But after almost a year of blogging, it’s like I never blogged 🙁 I’ve been away for just over a month and… Patrix in typepad and Jivha lost in cyberspace somewhere….? And what else ? But I cannot… Continue reading Back in blogland….

Thank you everyone who’s written in with your condolences…. Grandmoms (and granddads too) are indeed great people…. And I suppose they have all the fun…. Been there, done that – no responsibility and lots of fun pampering and spoiling their grandchildren…. How many times has your mother said to you in exasperation – I am… Continue reading More on Grandparents….

My grandmother passed away yesterday… at the age of 84…. She’s lived a full happy life…. No regrets….. A person for whom the house and kitchen was the whole world…. Who was never happy unless she was doing something or giving something to others…. Who has never gone to school but still use to devour… Continue reading Paati passes away

What is with Vanilla Coke? Vivek Oberoi and his retro ‘wakau’ act? I’d like to buy the world an ice-cream flavoured Vanilla Coke just doesn’t ring right…. Curious – what is the idea behind Vanilla Coke? Traditional cola drinkers? Non cola drinkers but ice-cream eaters? Pepsi loyalists? Seems to me whenever Coke is faced with… Continue reading Vanilla Coke and ‘Wakau’

As a researcher, I am always meeting people and asking them questions. Questions ranging from the Stupid (so, what do you do in your free time), to the Difficult to answer (what were your thoughts and feelings when you saw the ad), to the Irritating (can you describe this again in detail) to downright Personal… Continue reading The other side of the mirror*

Am beginning to feel more and more optimistic about India’s future….. Beginning with the Move Out Modi Movement (now that sounds good!) Okay, so a few farmers agitating is not going to make a difference to moron Modi… but this? And this from BJP MPs (rebels, so what? I am still thrilled). And these demands… Continue reading The shape of things to come?