Why Blame India?

Every news channel and newspaper around the world are talking about the rise in crude oil prices and the prices of the food grain. Looking at the current scenario no doubt India is consuming but it does not mean to say that the consumption levels have gone so high that the US is unable to withstand the rise in prices. The US Prez blatantly blames India for having adopted a higher standard of living and hence the rise is attributed. I recently went through an article which gave a clear cut position of India and the US in terms of consumption of food grains.

Source: Food and Agricultural Organization of UN Statistics

 India in the last year has added another 20mn people and the percentage change in the consumption has gone by just 2.17%. Now does it mean that an average middle class family’s standard of living in India has increased to that an extent that the rise in the food prices can be attributed to India. For that matter look at China, it has added only 1.8% in its consumption levels. Even though these 2 countries compete in terms of population but the level of consumption is almost the same. Now if I have to question back the US, how on earth is US seeing a growth of 11.81% ? This is approx. 6 times the growth in India in food grain consumption levels.

The numbers are here to speak and I wish that higher officials better have their numbers ready before making a public statement and thereby creating a chaos all over the world.

Can anyone tell me what is my role?

I was thrilled and excited to join the company for which I was recruited after my campus placements. A fat pay package, good perks, recognition of the brand in the industry, more responsibilities, great career path, good growth prospects within the organization and of-course the curiosity to know the designation and role given to me at the start of my career. I was making plans as to how would I organically grow within the organization and develop the skill sets which would eventually increase my market value. Never did I expect that I will be in a big mess like this.

I joined in the month of May and the first time I entered the workplace I was all excited and the excitement went to that extent where I literally had goose bumps. That excitement did not last long. I was taken into a room with many others and was given a session about the businesses in the organization. All this was good until I discovered that the unit manager allotted to me had no no idea that I was recruited for his unit. Now, that was too hard to believe when the same person said ”I was unaware of the fact that you were joining this unit. Now that you have joined we will try to provide you with something you can work on”.  I was baffled with such a comment made and suddenly it occurred to me as if I am going to end up in some deep shit… “Manaki mundey shani-devta top nundee manchi influence kadaa, aaiyana chusi natu unnaru, inka tapadu kadaa, thathasthu annesaaru” (in Telugu)

Since that day to till date I have not been in a position to figure out what am I doing in office and I am scared as to how long this phase would continue. Presently, I am glad that I could make some progress in terms of getting into the city which I wanted to be in…  The real hunt starts here… However I feel like screaming at the top of my voice questioning “Can you tell me what is my role?” If someone up there is listening to my concern, then please answer them!!

Hotel Kerala-fonia by Y E A G A L S

Sing along… 

On the road to Trivandrum

Coconut oil in my hair

Warm smell of avial

Rising up through the air

Up ahead in the distance

I saw a bright pink tube-light

My tummy rumbled, I felt weak and thin

I had to stop for a bite

There he stood in the doorway

Flicked his mundu in style

And I was thinking to myself

I don’t like the look of his sinister smile

Then he lit up a petromax

Muttering “No power today”

More Mallus down the corridor

I thought I heard them say

Welcome to the Hotel Kerala-fonia

Such a lousy place,

Such a lousy place (background)

Such a sad disgrace,

Plenty of bugs at the Hotel Kerala-fonia

Any time of year

Any time of year (background)

It’s infested here

It’s infested here

His finger’s stuck up his nostril

He’s got a big, thick mustache

He makes an ugly, ugly noise

But that’s just his laugh 

Buxom girls clad in pavada

Eating banana chips

Some roll their eyes, and 

Some roll their hips

I said to the manager

My room’s full of mice

He said,Don’t worry, saar,I sending you

meen karri, brandy and ice

And still those voices were crying from far away

Wake you up in the middle of the night

Just to hear them pray

> Save us from the Hotel Kerala-fonia

Such a lousy place,

Such a lousy place (background)

Such a sad disgrace

Trying to live at the Hotel Kerala-fonia

It is no surpriseIt is no surprise (background)

That it swarms with flies 

The blind man was pouring

Stale sambar on rice

And he said

We are all just actors here

In Silk Smitha-disguise

And in the dining chamber

We gathered for the feast

We stab it with our steely knives

But we just can’t cut that beef

Last thing I remember

I was writhing on the floor

That cockroach in my appam-stew was the culprit,

I am sure

Relax, said the watchman

This enema will make you well

And his friends laughed as they held me down

God’s Own Country? Oh, Hell!                                           

 —— The Yeagals…