Don't Spit in Public

Does it sound dirty?

It is a way of life in India. Walk up the staircase, on every break in the flight you will find the corners pitch red. No it's not painted, it is the pan masala spat on the walls. Stand near the tea shop and watch smokers. Spit, spit, spit.

Don't think you can get away from it when you are driving. In addition to watching for signals and traffic, please do watch out for the head which suddenly pops out of the bus/car/lorry or for that matter any goddamn vehicle. Spit, spit, spit.

We, Indians, can spit our way to glory.

So, I opened a new Community (my own) in Orkut. Called it 'I Won't Spit in Public'. Sent invites to more than 80 friends. Guess, how many joined? Seven.

Coming back, why do we spit?

I am no different. During my hotel management, I went to Park Sheraton for an outdoor party (to serve, not to enjoy). After crossing the security, I felt this sudden Indian Spit Urge (ISU). And, I did it. Unfortunately for me, the chief security officer saw me committing the act. He promptly came to me and asked a simple question "Will you spit inside your house?"

Do we spit inside our house? Of course not. Do we spit in the living room while watching TV? Do we spit while we are lying in the bed? Do we spit around the dining table?

Yes, I know we do spit in bathroom. But that is a place we can spit.

In that case, why do we mindlessly spit in public?

It is so much in our genes. It is something that we are proud off. There is a Tamil film song which describes how one can chew beeda and spit anywhere we want. I used to like the song then, but no more.

Forget illiterate crowd. ISU is as prevalent amongst the highly educated in India, young or old.

If a board comes up somewhere requesting people not to spit, next day you will find that board completely covered with colorful spit.

We don't realize that spitting helps transmit diseases.

What perplexes me is that we would not dare spit in public when we cross our borders. Guess, that is hypocrisy!

At least for our well being, can we stop it?

Hold on, don’t we have a bigger problem? Pissing in public!

Most Loved Company

With so much competition for manpower, every corporate worth its salt wants to portray itself as the best employer. And I am sure the magazines and HR agencies are making a killing.

Recently, I heard about an incident in this IT Company which is probably the most favorite brand in the country. It is said to have made many of its employees (drivers, gardeners...included) multimillionaires. It is a brand that every Indian Software Engineer would want to work for. The company also constantly wins many of these Best Employer surveys.

A Software Engineer posted in of the Development Center of this company located at the Southern most tip of Chennai was traveling to office in the company vehicle. Suddenly, the driver applied brakes and because of the impact, he hit against the front seat and broke his nose. For treatment, he was admitted into a hospital. Due to the injury, he lost seven days. After which he joined office and resumed his work.

How would you expect yourself to be treated if you had gone through such an incident? Empathy?

On the salary date, the engineer realized that he received a lot less of salary. Upon checking with the HR, he was told that the seven days he lost due to the injury was taken as LoP (loss of pay).

Astonished with this behavior and feeling let down of such treatment by the company, which is 'supposed' to be the most employee-friendly organization in India and what with its visionary leaders, the employee quit.

Now, this is what I heard from my friends. I am not sure how true this is.

If this is actually what happened then there is something wrong with the company. The leadership cannot take shelter behind Processes.

Maybe then companies should participate in Best Process Driven Company.

Pic source: http://www.whyvancouver.com/images/hollow-tree-close.jpg

SMS De-Addiction

Very recently, I got addicted to messaging. Smsing. I am sure many of you have experienced it or are still addicts.

Mobile Service Providers offer many packages that offers unlimited messaging which makes keyboard communication more preferred.

My problem was compounded because my wife has taken about two month holiday and visiting her sister in UK. With no one around, I took to messaging. Helped with a lil one who patiently replied to all my queries and stupid jokes, the addiction went to such a level that I was looking forward to sms-es and would so hurriedly reply to messages that sometimes I would respond even before the messages are delivered (exaggeration for elucidation).

If I did not get messages, I would get Withdrawl Symptoms .

I realized my situation pretty early. I think the first step in addiction to recognize your problem. Having done that various measure were taken to fight back the urge.

While this is not an attempt to draw a map for de-addiction, what I have realized from my recent experience is that one must be aware of oneself's behavior.

My situation now is under control (that is what I would like to believe).

But what does one do if the drug is freely and mutually available.

Pic sourced from www.telegraphindia.com

Sanjay Dutt, Sorry For You! But...

Sanjay Dutt has finally been sentenced.

Poor thing! But hold on! He was in possession of AK 56, wasn't he? Oh, what did you say? It was to safeguard himself and his family during the communal violence. Good point.

Mr. Sunil Dutt was an MP, if I am not wrong. I am sure he could have arranged security. Again, I read that Sanjay Dutt bought it from Abu Salem. Why would he buy it from an alleged terrorist/mafia man?

Could it be because he didn't trust the Indian Police system? But AK 56, was he trained to use it? If so, from where?

Anyway, that is not what I wanted to write about.

I am pretty aghast by Bollywood fraternity's sympathy to its family member whenever they do wrong.

Salman Khan mauls people sleeping on the road. Drunken driving, I am told. Maybe, he was drowning his sorrows in the event of Loosing Aishwarya. But guys, he took away lives of people who matter a great deal to their families. Then, there is the adventure of shooting wildlife.

I am not sure how Sushmita, who vehemently supports and defends Salman, will behave if her near and dear one is run over by someone. Will she still say 'Oh, she/he is a nice guy!'

I am aghast at the way the Bollywood, instead of condoning these acts comes out in (the) open and displays its empathy to wrong doers. And the media reporting their QUOTES set a wrong precedent.

What is wrong with us? Why can't we just accept that Sanjay is being penalized for the wrong that he has committed? The intensity of this period in life may become more bearable.

Btw, I witnessed another incident while traveling by a suburban train. A guy got into the first class compartment without a valid ticket and was cornered by the TT. Instead of gracefully agreeing to pay the fine, the guy kept explaining the situation to the TT and requesting him to pardon him without having to pay a fine. Of course, the TT wasn't moved. I was reminded of a similar incident that occurred to me. I also did plead.

Pictures sourced from www.thehindu.in