THOSE ADS & OTHER THINGS.

This is sequel to my earlier write up regarding the vulgarism in the modern commercial. Some of my friends were really upset and embarrassed by the matured contents of that blog naming Those Ads & Those Things. I had anticipated that when I wrote that blog and in fact got a stiff opposition from my better half who protested tooth and nail and warned me about possible protests from my friends. But somehow I was determined to write that just to highlight the fact about vulgarism that we are subjected to in our day-to-day life. It is never direct. It is never continuous. It is never primary too. It is conveyed in a very subtle and sure way in a secondary manner, which is well packed and well conceived and well concealed. Like slow poison it cuts into our morality without becoming too apparent. So my friends will excuse me for writing that type matured content. Now let us talk about other things in advertisements. Let us discuss how misleading these other things are.

Let me go back to year 1977 when I was studying in 10^th standard. I was brought up in totally rural back ground though I was born in a major metropolitan city. But by the time I started realizing and understanding the world around me I got exposure to my village, thatched houses, cows, rivers, boats, cultivated lands and village temple. Brought up in a very conservative back ground which preaches honesty, politeness, respect for others and kindness, I had developed a high and unshakable regards for the newspaper that comes to my village. I always believed that contents in those brownish papers were gospel truths.

Now please do not laugh at me. Novice I was. For that only, I painstakingly described my background.

Yes, what I was telling? For me, the contents of newspaper were gospel truths and nothing wrong and misleading or false gets published in the newspaper. I had no idea about publicity, sales promotion and advertisement. (Laughing? Please hold it. Please.) Whenever I see any advertisement in newspaper, I always assume that as a news article published for public knowledge and it conveys one hundred percent truth.

It should be like that. Is not it? I know youngster will not agree with me and they must have already branded me as NOVICE NO-1. No problem! I helped you only to generate another Bollywood film name after COOLIE NO-I, HERO NO-1, BIWI NO-1, JODI NO-1 and etc, etc, etc. Somehow I only do not agree with the concept of BIWI (WIFE) NO-1because for me they are always no-1. Hey, do not say me HEN-PECKED NO-1. Now, let me come back to main topic. Enough breaks.

We used to get lot of well concealed sale advertisements in the newspaper of late 70s. It comes in the form of crossword puzzle. Solve the crossword puzzle and send it so and so address. The first correct answer received will get Rupees One lakh as first prize and the rest of the senders of correct answer will get a Radio set in 50% of actual price. When I grew up, I realized that nobody gets first prize. Everybody (including those who have sent the incorrect answer) gets second prize. The declared 50% of actual price of the product is in fact equal to actual price of the product. And most important for novices like me that it was not a talent hunts by the newspaper but it was a paid sales advertisement.

You must be wondering how the novice like me became smart and came to know so many things. Boss. Experience is the greatest teacher but it is an expensive teacher too. Got it. Must be. After all my friends are not novices like me. SMMMAAARTTT !!!

Crossword puzzled has been replaced by so many innovations but the essence is still intact. Till today, in most of the cases (all cases) nobody gets the first prize and everybody gets consolation prize. I need not elaborate. You see those in plenty. "UP TO 50% DISCOUNT", "GOLD COIN INSIDE THE BATHING SOAP", "BUY TWO GET ONE FREE" etc.etc. Still there are novices like me who believes that he/she got the third one in free. But the truth is that it is a good bundle offer based on the concept of maximization of wealth rather than maximization of profit. But honestly speaking it is not that misleading like "UPTO 50% DISCOUNT" which actually ends with discount of much less than 50% because by the time you reach the venue the stuffs having 50% discount tag are already sold out. Who purchased those? Is there a way to check out those? Yes. Right to Information Act.

One should and one must seek this information. Otherwise the vandalism will continue. Here are some ads for you and their interpretations in Munna Bhai's style. Hey, please do not send me a notice under "Right to Information Act" for my misleading interpretations.

Do not chew that otherwise you will replace the street light.

Breast feeding is injurious to baby's health.

Here is the secret of India's Gold medal hunts in Olympic.

I am sure Mr.Dhoni has not forgotten the "Nimbu pani" (Lemon water) of Ranchi.

Send this to Michel Jackson.

26

We were not together when I first saw the world on July 29^th. You had come three days before me. I do not remember my association with you in my early childhood. You might be knowing better than me. I do remember when I realized you as part of my life in that sleepy afternoon of June 1980, the day you brought me luck, sheer luck, a feeling so rare and so fulfilling. I looked back and stretched my fragile memory, I saw you, and there you were with me in another day of bygone time, in a drowsy afternoon of June 1978.you had brought me luck, sheer luck then too. Alas, I realized looking at me scornfully that it had taken two years for me to see your love and care for me and your association with me. If I could have stretched my memory a little more, perhaps beyond 1978, I am sure, I should have seen there with me many more times. I know you love me. I am sure you love me.

It is irony of life that one misses very soon when one gets. One cries very soon when one laughs. One goes very soon when one comes. It is not really so soon but we feel it is so for the time appears to squeeze itself in pleasure of "getting", "laughing" and "coming". You left. I searched. I looked for you here and there. I looked for you in the shoe stands before I entered into a temple. I too looked for you in the vehicle stand before I entered into a shopping mall or a theatre hall. No, I did not get you. You were with somebody. But I missed you. I do not know where you went. But I am sure you were with somebody.

Many days passed. I did not get you. But not for a moment did I forget you. Time slapped me on my face and called me fool. But I remain cool as somebody inside me sang and sang a song, you will come, you will come and you will come???!!!

Yes, you came and came back like a homing pigeon again in a drowsy and sultry afternoon. I do not know why you like afternoon but all I know, for me, you only come in the afternoon. The whisper of air kissed me aloud when I saw you there smiling and sitting pretty on the pillar of my new house. For three long years, on every occasion I saw you there smiling and waiving as I go out and come in. And ultimately one day I left that house. You were there, smiling and bidding an adieu. I too smiled for I knew you would follow me soon.

But I did not know how soon will be that soon or how late will be that soon! But I knew you will come back soon in one afternoon. But this time you came in a sunny noon. But I did not know how I could live nine long years without you. You had brought a gift big and lovely. It was really lovely, lovely and lovely. You did not stay but you left. I wondered and wondered, pondered and pondered. When? When?? When??? But I called and cried. Come again! Come again!! Come again!!!

The search inside me grew and flew. I found you soon. You are already there. I went I stayed there along with you. It was a lovely stay together, each moment of it I cherish till date. Time and duty called me again to move and I moved leaving behind you, your presence, your love, your love care, but I carried the memories of all, ecstasy and agony, loving and quarreling and struggling and winning laced with whimpering and smiling. Five long years of staying together had taught me enough. I did not look back when I left for I knew you will be there with me wherever I am and if we are made for each other, I should not measure distance and departure. We are always together!

Nine years passed again but you remained as memories. I did tumble and rumble because your memories alone were not enough for me. But you came again with a promise to talk to me always and listen to me always and since then you are with me. But your concerned for me forced you to diagnose me bisecting and dissecting. You introduced to me a wonderful world with wonderful people with smiling hearts to care and share. Again you are today with me when I completed one year living in the new world with my new friends. But I know you were with me, are with me and will be with me, always, forever and together till I say and bid a final adieu. For you are my life and lover.

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MY FRIENDS, NOW MEET MY LOVER.

1978: My High school certificate examination roll number was an alpha-numeric number ending with 26.

1980: My Intermediate in Science examination roll number, another alpha-numeric ending with 26.

1981 to 1984: I stayed in a house bearing a number 26.

1993: I received the appointment letter of my present job on 26^th October.

1993 to 1998: I lived in an area with code number ending with 26.

2006 to Till date: My cell phone number ends with 26.

2006: I opened my Yahoo 360 page and wrote my first blog on 26^th August.

2007: I completed one year in yahoo 360 and wrote a blog about my lover on 26^th August.

Till today when I keep my shoe on a shoe stand before going to a temple I always wish my coupon number should be 26 and same is the expectation while parking vehicle.

Hey, nobody has wished me till now Happy Anniversary. haaaaaaaaha! Have you seen better idiot and shameless than me? Yes, that is yours Munna Bhai.

By the way let me share one information with you that I had taken the permission of my lover (forced to call) in flesh and blood before writing this blog. Otherwise, I know, no 26 shall work. Haaaaaaaaaaaaha!!!

THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA(PART-1)

THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA

For a change I thought let me present something which are buzzing around in Indian news circle. Neither I am going to tell about the political crisis the Indian Government is facing with respect to nuclear agreement with USA nor I am going to predict about Indian share market which is in a deep slump. News headlines are screaming negatives like India lost to England in cricket match, media hype that has led to killing of kidnapped boy in Mumbai, new MMS clip of sex involving students of Hyderabad, so on and so forth.

But there are some great news about India which has far reaching implication on society, environment and mankind as a whole. Here there are three news reports for you, which shall certainly bring smile on your face.

CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD FROM PLASIC WASTES

Meet Mr.Ahmed Khan, Founder of KK Plastic Waste Management, who uses plastic waste to construct road. The technology is patented by him. He has already constructed 430 k.m. stretch of road by mixing plastic wastes with bitumen. The technology has also given the city of Banglore, the Information Technology capital of India, a way to get rid of the 9,000 tons of plastic waste it generates every day. The roads so developed have also shown great amount of durability by surviving several rainfalls over past five years.

E-policing

This news is from central Indian city of Nagpur famous for its superb quality oranges. The Nagpur rural police have introduced an Internet-based e-policing system called Lok Samwad that connects district police stations with the headquarters. The Lok Samwad not only represents a new face of policing but it is also an award-winning initiative introduced by the Nagpur police that allow the complainants to register their grievances through the Internet. Howard University's Kennedy School of Governance has awarded Nagpur police this year's innovation in governance award. With 22 police stations having been fitted with the video conferencing system, the innovative e-policing concept has several benefits.

People are not required to travel long distances to meet the police. Complaints are addressed instantaneously. Transfer of documents through the Internet means policemen need not do a postman's job. And finally these conferences save time and money.

Stem cell cure for diabetes

And this news is from western Indian city of Ahemedabad. Dr H L Trivedi and his team from Ahmedabad claim that they have discovered a cell that is present in human fat that can produce insulin, when cultivated.

”If we could transplant stem cells which have the ability to cure diabetes, then it's the final of final and ultimate of ultimate as far as cure for diabetes is concerned,” says Dr Trivedi, who is the director of Institute of Kidney Diseases.The miracle stem cell can be transplanted into the liver, where it not only multiplies, but produces insulin as well - much like the islet cells that produce insulin in the pancreas.With the cells present in fat, it would side step the controversy associated with embryonic stem cells. In fact Trivedi feels this could be nature's way of countering insulin. “There is a strong reason to believe that this is a back-up system generated by nature. Nature has stored these insulin producing cells in our adipose tissue,” says Dr Trivedi.The discovery couldn't be more relevant today, with India considered the diabetes capital of the world. However, if Dr Trivedi's team manages to develop this, it would mean treatment for a condition that is the 4th leading cause of death in the world. So what is the next step?

To begin with, the team will now seek permission from the Internal Review Board of the institute to start using this technique on patients. Says Dr Trivedi, “Once we get the permissions, we should be able to treat the first 10 patients in a month or so."The institute has decided to use this technique to treat children with diabetes first.The treatment will initially cost about one lakh rupees and doctors hope that this will mean the final word in diabetes treatment.