Today is the last day of the 98th Indian Science Congress at Chennai and despite every attempt to put a different spin, a cheerful picture does not emerge. On Monday, all the newspapers carried this advertisement.
The cribbers started almost as soon they had the paper in hand. From fetch-the-milk time (5:15 AM) in the morning till the after-dinner-smoke time (9:30 PM), at least 2 score and half a people were commenting on the piece.
The foolish were sniggering that the photo strips have been reversed; that the picture strip of the Nobel Laureates should have been on top while the images of the Ministers should have hugged the ground. No amount of reasonable explanation seemed to assuage the spite reserved for the ad. I mean it is not as if every advertisement, every invitation where the Ministers appear is scrutinized and approved by the Ministry or the PMO.
Surprisingly, the idiocy developed a virus like infectious property and like the common cold, started to spread - from
The Mumbai brats appeared equally amused that the Nobel Laureates were put up in the 2nd row of the dais, while the politicians hogged the 1st row.
By mid morning the smart brats had counted the number of images on the ad and started calling it ‘Six Jokers in the pack’
8-O
By noon, almost choking at the disparaging comments, I pointed out that a pack of cards has 13 and this ‘pack’ lacks the 13th card. By now, I should have learned that the contemporary brat pack is the smartest, brightest yet. Without hesitation the retort came out that the lacking 13th card is the ‘King’ - the spectrum ‘Raja’ - keeping his head down. Me and my big mouth!
Further arguments that it is still an ‘alleged’ scam, either at the common people or the brats were met with a knowing sneer and a wink.
Going further with the pack of cards allegory, it is clear that the formerly discarded Queen of Hearts is the toast of these citizens. Also clear that the current UPA partners are likely to face disaster in the forth coming TN Assembly Elections. Unless the alliance partners (at least one of them) pulls out an Ace in the hole.
During the early morning pow-wow, happened to eavesdrop on a couple of house maids off to work - the morning sweep and clean of house/apartment entrances. And surprised to hear them chatting about the merits of ECE versus EEE including the subjects and topics covered. My shock trebled when the staid, solid codger chatting with me began to stare at one
He took one look at me, laughed and confessed. That particular maid was indeed engaged to clean up his apartment complex. A couple of years back she had brought around her daughter for his advice. On whether the daughter should concentrate on getting though to Engineering or opt for a Commerce Degree.
It seemed that both the daughter and her mom - the house maid - were ignorant of how to go about it at that time; weren’t even able to comprehend what exactly a science or a commerce degree was for. Today, the daughter either must be readying to get into college or in her freshman year and the same woman seems capable of enlightening us about the merits of ECE and EEE.
Which brought out the facts of life! The brat pack once it learns to use technology, mainly the internet, is far more smarter and wiser. Moreover the brats wise up their near and dear ones too.
If the brat pack decides on the political situation, hereafter, the situation is that they will take their family along. There is no way even today, that I can convince my father or mother to alter their political thinking. But the present day brat pack, by showing their parents that they can make a giant intellectual leap (and by making much more moolah than their parents ever did), would be able to do that.
The cribbers started almost as soon they had the paper in hand. From fetch-the-milk time (5:15 AM) in the morning till the after-dinner-smoke time (9:30 PM), at least 2 score and half a people were commenting on the piece.
The foolish were sniggering that the photo strips have been reversed; that the picture strip of the Nobel Laureates should have been on top while the images of the Ministers should have hugged the ground. No amount of reasonable explanation seemed to assuage the spite reserved for the ad. I mean it is not as if every advertisement, every invitation where the Ministers appear is scrutinized and approved by the Ministry or the PMO.
Surprisingly, the idiocy developed a virus like infectious property and like the common cold, started to spread - from
- the labourers who appear in the early mornings,
- to the middle class office goers rushing around at mid morning,
- to the yuppie professionals out for power lunch at noon time,
- to the ‘already-there-business-honchos’ relaxing in the evening.
- teens just into their freshman years,
- to the all knowing sophomores,
- to the quick as silver Gamers,
- to just-out professionals with great jobs & couldn’t care attitudes,
- to post-grad types working at F500 multinationals, home for holidays
The Mumbai brats appeared equally amused that the Nobel Laureates were put up in the 2nd row of the dais, while the politicians hogged the 1st row.
By mid morning the smart brats had counted the number of images on the ad and started calling it ‘Six Jokers in the pack’
8-O
By noon, almost choking at the disparaging comments, I pointed out that a pack of cards has 13 and this ‘pack’ lacks the 13th card. By now, I should have learned that the contemporary brat pack is the smartest, brightest yet. Without hesitation the retort came out that the lacking 13th card is the ‘King’ - the spectrum ‘Raja’ - keeping his head down. Me and my big mouth!
Further arguments that it is still an ‘alleged’ scam, either at the common people or the brats were met with a knowing sneer and a wink.
Going further with the pack of cards allegory, it is clear that the formerly discarded Queen of Hearts is the toast of these citizens. Also clear that the current UPA partners are likely to face disaster in the forth coming TN Assembly Elections. Unless the alliance partners (at least one of them) pulls out an Ace in the hole.
During the early morning pow-wow, happened to eavesdrop on a couple of house maids off to work - the morning sweep and clean of house/apartment entrances. And surprised to hear them chatting about the merits of ECE versus EEE including the subjects and topics covered. My shock trebled when the staid, solid codger chatting with me began to stare at one
He took one look at me, laughed and confessed. That particular maid was indeed engaged to clean up his apartment complex. A couple of years back she had brought around her daughter for his advice. On whether the daughter should concentrate on getting though to Engineering or opt for a Commerce Degree.
It seemed that both the daughter and her mom - the house maid - were ignorant of how to go about it at that time; weren’t even able to comprehend what exactly a science or a commerce degree was for. Today, the daughter either must be readying to get into college or in her freshman year and the same woman seems capable of enlightening us about the merits of ECE and EEE.
Which brought out the facts of life! The brat pack once it learns to use technology, mainly the internet, is far more smarter and wiser. Moreover the brats wise up their near and dear ones too.
If the brat pack decides on the political situation, hereafter, the situation is that they will take their family along. There is no way even today, that I can convince my father or mother to alter their political thinking. But the present day brat pack, by showing their parents that they can make a giant intellectual leap (and by making much more moolah than their parents ever did), would be able to do that.
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