Weekly Point to Ponder - Part 2

 A Compilation of My Thoughts!

I have been publishing my thoughts as 'This Week's Point to Ponder' since June 2, 2024, to a limited group on WhatsApp. 

These are my life experiences, and a few are related to traffic anomalies, observation of people's behaviour and such others..

Most of these were widely acclaimed by members of my limited circulation group, and this prompted me to keep writing about relevant topics. 

Below is Part 2 of the weekly collection.

Hope you will enjoy my thought-provoking 'Thoughts'!! 

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 16/03/2025

Electric Vehicles – EVs (4-wheelers in particular) are sparsely sighted on roads after sunset!?

With the proliferation of EVs in mainline traffic, we see them zipping across during the day. Whether two/three or four-wheelers, they are omnipresent in a crowd of vehicles.

However, come sunset, the bigger vehicles (4-Wheelers) are too shy to come out (like the girls of the yesteryears). My colleague and I, noticed this strange phenomenon earlier this month while driving back from our office. In a total of 12 km, we hardly found one EV-SUV but enough EV 2-wheelers.

I wonder if it has to do something with the available power for these vehicles to ply after sunset or if they are retired a tad too early, for a recharge.

Alternatively, are the drivers scared to bring out fully charged vehicles during the night, lest it drains power from the source due to energy consumption for Head Lights, etc.?

Have you noticed this strange habit of EV Owners/Users, particularly of 4-wheelers?

Just pondering!

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 23/03/2025

It is time for Elders to become Children, all over again!

Context: My own life (style) and those of my friends.

During our childhood, we were craving and so eager to get away from wearing shorts/half pants and graduate to wearing trousers.

I still remember my first pair of trousers, a light brown one at that.

I basked in the limelight for the best part of a month, wore it almost every day till the novelty wore out!

Wearing shorts after progressing to our High School life, was considered a taboo and we wore trousers for almost the next 35-40 years.

Saving those who went out of country, many of us considered it below our dignity to wear shorts/half pants at any time.

Fast forward to last decade!!

Life has come a full circle for us and these days we are back to wearing shorts/half pants with passion and at the drop of a hat!

We don't even blink an eye to wear this outfit, at any time of the day save while working in an office environment or partaking in formal gatherings.

"Just another example of elders becoming children all over again"!?

Can't say the same to ladies though!

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 30/03/2025

Laws, Rules, Governance and Short Memory of Public:

Post Nirbhaya Case – remember that horrible rape case that shook the nation in the last decade!? Well, policing all over the country was strengthened to prevent plying of any vehicle with dark tinted glasses or films on the glasses below a particular percentage of transparency.

How soon the public and especially those, involved in governance of laws, forgot this inhuman act of violence against women?

We see dark tinted glasses on the vehicles these days and the police are turning the other way. What can be more ironic than Government vehicles sporting these dark tinted glasses?

Does it require a sacrifice from another Nirbhaya to implement these rules all over again?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 06/04/2025

It is IPL Season again! How about a quick peek at the type of Commercial Ads?

I wonder how many of you have noticed the logic in the type of commercial ads, during the breaks, on your handheld and on your TV, that are churned out by the Channel – Jio Hotstar?

Well, I suggest you take a peek at it to get a full picture if you haven’t noticed.

There is a distinct difference between the types of commercials played on the handheld versus those played on the TV.  

You will be shocked to see only Gaming and Pan Masala ads on the handheld and mostly FMCG and other commercials on the TV.

Why is there such a sudden diarrhea in such commercials on handhelds?

IMHO, cajoling the user to download the Gaming App or forcing the customer to visit the nearest shop for a Pan Masala fix is very easy when you are on a handheld.

Can you see the bigger picture of this logic!?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 13/04/2025

Context: Genesis of the Ride-hailing Apps, Pros and Cons.

Looking back at the last decade-and-a-half or so, commuters were exhausted to deal with the attitude of the Autorickshaw drivers to ply on a particular route, demanding excess fares from their passengers, non-availability of cabs at the beck and call of passengers, etc., was the genesis of the Ride-Hailing Apps a la Uber, Ola et al.

These apps to some extent crushed the High & Mighty attitude of the drivers of the vehicles that weren’t affiliated to the ride-hailing apps.

Indicative Pros to the Commuters who are users of these Apps – No haggling of fares or destination, route or guiding the driver to destination, safer travel at any time of the day or night, etc.

Indicative Cons – Expensive than the regulated metered fares, waiting period could be irritating,  

Major disadvantages are for those commuters (including many senior citizens) who are non-users of these Apps. The Autorickshaw drivers rarely switch on their fare meters and mostly a fixed amount is negotiated. Else, the demand is for a specific sum of money over the metered fare. This is pale when we consider the high and mighty attitude of the drivers who refuse to ply to the destinations of the commuters and if they agree, it will be a ransom fare.

Any thoughts??

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 20/04/2025

Lack of Commonsense amongst GenZ and queerly, in elders too – particularly road-sense!

A peek at some of the atrocious behaviour currently exhibited on our roads by the road users, irrespective of their age!

1.    Wriggling and squeezing through the traffic as if playing a game on TV.

2.    Overtaking on a road curving to left – why can’t they understand they are in a blind-spot.

3.    Honking at the traffic signal – will the honking make traffic move fast?

4.    Making a right-turn from extreme right of the road – where is the place for vehicles turning to the left!?

5.    Disregarding signals and ploughing through the Red!

6.    Disrespecting traffic laws and rules – Not wearing Helmets/Seatbelts, using cell phones while driving or riding a two-wheeler, etc.

7.    Driving a four-wheeler with a child on their lap!

8.    Passengers on the front seat wearing seatbelts but carrying a child on their lap!

9.    Children sitting on the front seat, extremely dangerous though wearing seatbelt.

10. Children standing on the seat and peeking through the sun-roof! Sudden braking will launch them to the orbit!

I’m sure there is much more to add to the above list.

What do you think!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 27/04/2025

Is there a need for Glass panelled buildings, Sunroofs on four-wheelers, etc.

Do we need so many glass-panelled buildings in our country? Such are more beneficial in countries where sunlight is scarce and the weather is cold. Won’t the cost of air-conditioning such glass-panelled buildings, go through the roof while the cost of maintenance of glass surfaces, far more than the conventional buildings?

Similarly, why do our four-wheelers need a Sunroof? Except for aesthetic value and satisfying egos of the vehicle owners, this has been heavily abused by the users of such vehicles. Children and adults alike, peep out of the sunroofs posing a huge risk should the vehicle come to a sudden stop! Additionally, with most vehicles in the already congested cities with scant parking, a small mishap like falling of a tree branch, or a coconut, etc will mean an expensive repair.

Why then we have the craze for such buildings and four-wheelers, except to show-off or to blindly emulate the countries, where necessity compelled them to have such buildings and vehicle aesthetics!?   

Just thinking!

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 04/05/2025

Context: Cricket, since IPL is in full swing! Past, Recent Past and Present celebrations at the fall of a wicket.

Being referred to as a gentlemen’s game, during the past, any fall of wicket resulted in a subtle celebration amongst the fielding team. There was no swearing by the bowler or by other team members.

The advent of the likes of Jeff Thompson, Merv Hughes, etc from Australia and some others from other countries, the complexion of celebrations at the fall of a wicket, started getting animated and intimidating the batsman who got out. The crowd of spectators too, started crying for the blood of the batsman, more so if it was in their home team playing the visitors.

Sledging is a topic for another day.

Currently, such celebrations at the fall of a wicket, have reached a different level and all matches have been a proxy war, if not less. Competitive spirit apart, the game and the attitude of the players do get on to the psyche of the spectators even, creating a very unhealthy atmosphere.   

Any thoughts?

This week’s Point to Ponder: 11/05/2025

Context: The recent decimation of terrorists’ training grounds in Pakistan, Escalation by Pak forces, thumping offensive by India and the Ceasefire thereof.

The definition of war in agreement with ceasefire, may perhaps include – any further act of terrorism on Indian soil by any Pakistan-sponsored group or faction (if not verbatim, in as many words, to mean any act of terrorism).

Intelligence Agencies must now be extra vigilant and very particular about the terror inflictions by local outfits, sympathetic to Pakistan’s agenda or sponsored by Pakistan, in disturbing the peace in our country, and in containing these disturbances.

Any thoughts!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 18/05/2025

Capabilities of many, in our mid-late 50s and above – also called Gen-X & Baby Boomers, respectively!

We, the people in our mid-late 50s and above, are one of the most versatile and adaptive generations as compared to our successive ones – Millennials, Gen Z (we blindly follow what US defines).

Take for instance – most of us started our lives not knowing ‘Computers’ in our vocabulary, graduating to start operating it when we were introduced to it’s Personal Computer (PC) version in the mid-late 80s, mastering the use of laptops in the 90s, in being productive at our workplaces.  

Similarly, we were adept in learning the basics of operating a Pager (remember those small windowed gadgets that we used to show-off hanging around our waistbelts or for on the belts of the handbags of female users) or the first mobile phones which could just operate on making calls and sending text messages and graduating to using the all-in-one gadgets, making a lot of usual productive tools redundant.

Who thought the evolution of a cell-phone would see the end of wrist-watch, alarm clock, radio, music system, calendar, diary and a few other tools. Best part was, you could still make and receive calls on that handheld gadget and play a game as well!  

Our generation excelled in adapting to the changing times and I think, we are perhaps more versatile than other generations, as we were thrown at the deep end, to survive the fast-growing technological advances, should we be interested in staying relevant to the times!

What do you think!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 25/05/2025

Impractical and lopsided pre-election manifestos of most Political Parties.

We, the electorate in India, are always starry-eyed when various political parties propagate their manifestos to lure us in voting them to power.

At the drop of the hat, we have a law for this, that and sundry other things. This is, despite the repealing of so many redundant laws, in the last couple of years.

What prevents the common sense of the powers that be; in promulgating a law, preventing any and all political parties from publishing their manifestos, if it is harmful for the country or a State (Province) or will cause a severely damaging hole in the budget of the exchequer?

In my humble opinion, there must be a compulsory audit by Accountants and Economists of all such manifestos, prior to their publishing by the political parties and particularly, if it involves freebies and other social grants that are lopsided and to only benefit a particular section/s of the population!

The Supreme Court of India acts high and mighty in so many instances. Can’t it Suo Moto take cognisance of such issues that are of wider public interest?

Any thoughts on this!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 01/06/2025

Today marks 52 completed weeks (except 2 weeks of bereavement when my youngest brother passed away earlier this year) of the publishing of my first ‘This Week’s Point to Ponder’.

Initial few weeks were dedicated to the haphazard traffic system, highlighting a ‘Method in Madness’, accidents waiting to happen, caring two hoots about Safety, lack of commonsense on roads, etc. and many more current issues were touched upon.

It gives me a great sense of satisfaction that many of you have appreciated my writeups for bringing many of the issues, seldom discussed but were ‘elephants in the room’.

Though I have plenty of topics to point my readers ponder over, I invite you to send pointers to some of the points that you may lack time or inclination, to write about.

Nevertheless, my point to ponder for this week is, usage of public transport in daily life.

Many Western countries lack the public transport infrastructure, though many of them have an elaborate rail system, more by design than default. The cartel of motor industry, perhaps have prevented the development of an effective public surface transport infra in those countries.

Take USA for example; Most cities there lack a good network of surface transport. One has to rely on cabs or own vehicles to take you from Point A to Point B.

On returning to India, though I came from a country lacking a decent and safe public transport system, I have never hesitated to take the City Bus transport and Metro services. Metro in particular, as it is probably the fastest mode of travel.

A few of my friends were gobsmacked when I mentioned about me taking the public bus transport. They probably feel that they can’t be seen taking this mode of travel.

Any thoughts on this?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 08/06/2025

Disturbing sleep and peace in the midnight. Reason – Celebrating Birthdays & Anniversaries!?

This happens mainly in India, and that too in cities with a majority of Educated Illiterates who lack civic sense. Can you believe it?

The last couple of months, particularly post Deepavali, the residents of the whole area have woken up to the cacophonic sounds of bursting fireworks, bang at midnight!

Well, one man’s food is another’s poison, and the reason when you enquire with the perpetrators about this frenzy of bursting fireworks at midnight, forget an apology for disturbing peace, but they proudly and coyishly respond that they are celebrating a birthday (some, even of their pets) or a wedding anniversary.

So much for the civic sense of the educated class. These same people will behave and respect the law when they go to another country. Why this lackadaisical attitude in our own country?

Is it because their itch of such unruly behaviour gets unshackled here or is it because there is no enforcement here or better still, they can use influence and act high and mighty to all those who question their unruly and rowdy behaviour or are they trying to exhaust the stock of fireworks and crackers they had over-stocked??  

What are our enforcement agencies doing to control such acts of civil disobedience?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 15/06/2025

Evolution of Personal Payments – Cash to Credit/Debit Cards to Scan & Pay!

Somewhere in one of the WhatsApp Groups, there was a message, recently, of how impulsive and compulsive buying of unnecessary items stemmed from the use of UPI Payments like GooglePay, PhonePe, Paytm, etc.

There was a mention that the use of hard cash in the years gone by, had a placebo effect on the buying pattern of consumers as they avoided many purchases lest they have to part with hard cash, and how, with the advent of modern payment methods, it has increased the spending on frivolous items.

My observation – the spending pattern changed when Credit cards were introduced. The lure of procrastinating payment for today’s enjoyment is too tempting to avoid, what with so many Banks and Finance companies vying for a share of the spoils at the expense of consumers. Many ended up paying part of the balance due and were forced to pay huge interest on the overdue balances. With Debit Cards, however, the case is a bit different, as you can only spend if you have money in your bank account, tied to these cards.

Now, with UPI being pervasive, there are no holds barred, as long as you have money in your bank account linked to your UPI app. Yet, the ease with which we scan and pay, at the drop of a hat, for all and sundry things, is mindboggling.

Icing on the cake is the availability of disposable surplus amongst the middle class, who are the major spenders using UPI!

What are your thoughts!?

This week’s Point to Ponder: 22/06/2025

Cutting, Felling of Trees along Public Roads.

Last week, a couple of trees in front or my place were chopped off. Agreed, this caused a peril to the tin shed of neighbouring temple and I accept that this was done with the full approvals of the power that be, to take such decisions.

Won’t the contractors, entrusted with this job, contact necessary service departments like Electricity Supply, Telephone service providers, TV Cable Operators, Broadband service providers, Municipal Cleaning Service personnel, etc.?

Many in our neighbouring buildings were impacted by loss of connectivity, power, etc. and also the broadband service provider suffered damage to the distribution boxes, which was destroyed completely, by falling branches. I must commend the prompt response from my Airtel broadband service, for restoring my service in a day. But the engineers on the site complained that if they were provided information before the start of cutting the trees, they could have saved some cables that were cut off by falling debris.

During earlier years, the horticulture department of the Municipality would plant and take care of these by the roadsides, only to be chopped off by the Electricity service providers, lest it caused short circuit by touching the overhead lines.

Many such trees still exist as arrogant specimens, while many of their brethren had succumbed to torrential rains and strong winds. Simple science tells that regular chopping of trees unscientifically would render them out of balance and eventually the skewed weight, would topple the tree. Another reason – concrete surfaces all around the tree shoot, with no space for water to nourish or soil to breathe, rendering no support to strengthen the roots.

What are your thoughts!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 29/06/2025

Technology doesn’t assist in improving the ill-habits of educated illiterates!

Context: Indicating turn signals without or with the aid of indicators.

In the decades gone by, indication to turn left or right while driving the two, three or four wheelers would be by show of hand. This was one of the tests conducted by the RTO authorities, while testing the candidates prior to the issue of their driving licenses.

While most vehicle drivers were religiously following the traffic rules in those years, there were truants even then.

Vehicles evolved over the last few decades and electronic indicators were introduced by these manufacturers progressively.

However, the habits of vehicle drivers have regressed – while some religiously follow the traffic rules, most care two hoots about these rules and for them, the indicators in their vehicles are optional extras, perhaps!

And for a few more drivers, it is the question of puncturing their egos as to why they should let others know, if they are turning left or right, on the lighter side of it!

Be that as it may, the users of the road on which such errant drivers recklessly drive, are at a risk of accidents waiting to happen and injuries or fatalities, following it!

Any thoughts on this!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 06/07/2025

A bit off-subject this week around – How about …… Liquor!?

Having been in the Alco-Bev industry for over 3 decades, I must discuss this point on the subject of Alcohol, in the Indian context.

India annually produces 15-18 million tonnes of molasses, as a by-product of sugar industry. Most of this were converted to RS (Rectified Spirit) the basic raw-material for distilling ENA (Extra-Neutral Alcohol).

The final product – ENA, has been used by the alcohol industry for the last century or so, as the base material in the manufacture of all types of liquor viz. Whiskey, Brandy, Rum, Gin, etc.

You may be wondering – how could this ENA be the mother of all liquor? There is something called food flavours and colourants used widely in the food and beverage industry. These have been the magic ingredients and formulae for the run of the mill brands at the bottom of the segment. The better ones were a blend of this base with the spirits distilled from grains like rice, etc and the premium ones were purely a blend of grain and malt spirits, aged or otherwise. The super-premium ones were blended, additionally, with imported whiskies. So much for Whiskies.

Brandies, on the other hand, were made with a blend of grape spirits in addition to the base while Gin was a blend with an extract of Juniper Berries.

The industry has gone through a metamorphosis after the opening-up of the economy and liberalisation. The consumers are spoilt with choices, what with the advent of multinational liquor giants in the last few decades, excessive disposal incomes, exposure to fine liquor from their trips to foreign countries, et al.

You must be wondering if I missed out on Rum! Well, Rum is basically a spirit made from molasses and therefore, all the so-called Indian Made Foreign Liquor – IMFL of the yesteryears, was just a Pseudo-Rum with added colour and flavour.

And Beer – well, it is a topic for another day!

Any thoughts on the above?

This Week's Point to Ponder: 13/07/2025

How about something on Discipline, Enforcement and Culture?

Time and again, I have seen that Enforcement of Rules have been diluted by Cultural Practices that has led to failure of Civil Discipline.

A case in point is, the Culture of not wearing helmets for short distances by two-wheeler riders, hindering enforcement of penalising helmet-less riders and enforcement officers falling for the pleading errant riders.

Another case in point is that of riders of a particular religion, not wearing helmets but feel that protection of their heads with caps is more than enough.

Mediocrity in enforcing agencies is the hallmark of such civics lacunae.

What are your thoughts?

This Week's Point to Ponder: 20/07/2025

How about something on Extreme Dependencies on the so-called Mobile Numbers and Smart Phones?

Our mobile number (let alone the phone as an instrument) has become such an integrated and inseparable part in our daily life: Including that of Government's Aadhaar authentication, any bank related issues and payments in particular, security, hospital admission, insurance, AMC of various equipment at your house or office, food delivery, cab hailing services, IT return filing, quick commerce, service of your vehicles and also the pollution under control certificates for your vehicles, et al.

It's so ingrained in our life that we virtually cease to exist without a mobile number, whether we use it for talk or not. It's more important than our Aadhar or PAN (of Income Tax).

Added to this, the advent of smart phones in the last 2 decades has pushed the dependencies to these phone numbers, further.

Gone are the days; when you had a contact number of a land line, that you proudly dished out to all and sundry. Land lines these days are the dinosaurs left far behind by advanced technology. However, I see a section of the population, using the old 2G compliant phones that are used to send SMS, make calls – and just that!

The status symbol of having a landline in the last 2-3 decades has been replaced by having the latest and most expensive Mobile Phones.

End of the day, as a single equipment, it has replaced more than 10 separate equipment used for various needs.    

What are your thoughts?

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Reiterating my point to ponder, on unseasonal veggies!

Just this evening, I saw a cartload of fresh green peas, on sale by a greengrocer. I was flabbergasted as this vegetable is predominantly a winter crop, along with cowpeas or hyacinth beans (Avarey Kayi as it is known in my mother tongue, Kannada) and a host of other similar crops.

On cowpeas, I did a bit of research and found that there is a new cultivar named Hebbal Avarey Kayi that can yield crop throughout the year sans the Sogadu (the characteristic Aroma).

Genetically modified food has been the hallmark of the excessive yield but at what cost!?

Any thoughts on this?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 10/08/2025

How about charging full fare for female passengers (who travel free in my home state), for occupying seats supposed to be for male passengers (who face the full brunt in subsidising their counterparts) and won't vacate their seats to the standing gentlemen⁉️

Any thoughts on this⁉️

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 17/08/2025

Aesthetics of the City destroyed – one cable at a time!

In the earlier decades, the explosion of Cable TV networks that had sprouted in most areas were the culprits in destroying the aesthetics of an area. What with cables dangling from rooftops, pole-tops and even tree-tops let alone hanging in midair, that destroyed the beauty of any area.

Prior to that, we just had either electricity or telephone cables messing with the aesthetics.

Now, cometh the direct to home (DTH) cables for broadband, fibreoptic et al, the beauty of any residential or commercial area has been rendered close to that of an informal settlement (loosely called as a slum). Is this the way to provide service to residents and commercial establishments? It is such a pathetic sight resembling huge cobweb like strands, except that these are black in colour!

Providing utilities like broadband, telephones, electricity, etc. doesn’t mean you mess up the appearances of buildings or an area.

What are the Town Planning, City Corporations and other Enforcement Authorities doing about this menace?

It is high time that somebody has to take the responsibility in bringing back the beauty to our Cities, Localities and Streets!

Any thoughts on this⁉️

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 24/08/2025

How about discussing the retirement age for politicians, our elected representatives!?

When there is a retirement age for the civil servants and employees of most of the public and private sector enterprises, why not for the elected representatives (MLAs & MPs)?

The hunger for power and the associated money as collateral advantage, leaves behind the megalomaniacal attitude as a residue in these persons. The clout they exude with sadistic pleasure, is really obnoxious and obscene.

I wonder if we can change our system in letting those who complete two full terms of their office (10 years) either continuously or in broken periods, be retired compulsorily.

That their pension for life, after even completing one term in the office, is a discussion for another day!

Any thoughts on this⁉️

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 31/08/2025

How about the orphaned cables left either hanging from poles, rooftops or just left on the roads and footpaths!?

Two weeks ago, I had pointed out the blue murder of our city’s aesthetics. This week I bring out the horrific accidents or those about to happen inevitably and/or imminently, due to this menace.

I have seen or heard many an accident happen due to these orphaned rolls of cables left on the footpaths, which are meant for people to walk on. As such, most of the footpath is usurped either by shops illegally displaying their boards, or by parking of vehicles, if not used as a pseudo road by two wheelers riders.

People, particularly senior citizens, trip on these left-behind cables as it happened to my cousin a week or two ago. Luckily, he escaped with bruises and no bones were broken or had head concussion.

Who is to be blamed for this? What is BBMP doing? Why can’t the enforcing agencies take cognisance of such things? Are they on the payroll of these companies who leave the cables behind? Why can’t we even protest and stop availing services of such cable companies, till they behave in a socially responsible way?

We Indians, are so fascinated about anything of foreign country but if such a thing happens in any foreign country, the enforcing agencies will be taken to task first and then the companies, to whom these cables belong, will be stripped naked by the courts.

Any thoughts on this!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 07/09/2025

How about deaths at young age and dependency on various supplements!?

These days, we are inundated with deaths of young people, be it at the gyms or on playground or in the office, in a very unexpected and horrifying way.

Studies must be done on these instances to check the correlation of these untimely and ghastly deaths with the use of food and medicinal supplements, resulting in these deaths.

Alas, who will check this as the companies manufacturing these supplements are just interested in lining their pockets and hospitals and other agencies (including irresponsible media and advertising agencies, models representing these companies) are more than interested in running all the way to their banks.

Medical Associations care two hoots about the health & welfare of the youngsters but they only look at what is in it for them by supporting these companies. 

Who will protect the naïve or innocent youngsters who use these products and are led astray!?

Just thinking and what are your thoughts on this!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder: 07/09/2025

Why are Mobile Phones called Smartphones these days?

We are so dependent on these gadgets. Not even a single hour or tens of minutes goes by without us consulting our omnipresent and omniscient gadget for one reason or another!

Be it for a simple calculation, taking a quick photo, listening to a music track, a quick look at social media apps, browsing the internet, catching up our email or text messages, or for just using the gadget for what it was primarily meant - yes, making or receiving calls!

You just can't avoid this ubiquitous gadget for whatever it is worth and it has made us all, its slaves.

In a way, it has made us all duds, making us all severely dependent on it while it is getting smarter with every new version of it.

What are your thoughts⁉️

This Week's Point to Ponder: 21/09/2025

Evolution of Eating & Drinking Habits & its impact on human health and consequential drain on their resources in treatment of ailments!

Gone are the days when we were eating simple food (unprocessed) and leading a healthy life. Agreed, in those days, the life expectancy was pale when compared to the current period. Yet, the illness wasn’t as rampant, and spending on healthcare was minimal.

As the saying goes ‘You Are What You Eat’, and we are being truthful to this axiom.

Processed food these days, IMHO (In My Humble Opinion), are the main reason for many illnesses that has manifested amongst us. Protein and other supplements, have added their own flavour in impacting the health, particularly amidst youngsters. Influencers (mainly film and sports personalities) create an illusion about the perceived positives on using these products. At the same time, all the negatives are relegated to fine print that needs a magnifying glass to uncover their hidden flaws.

Additionally, there is a nexus between Medical, Pharmacy, and Insurance Companies to prioritize the ROI (Return on Investment) of their shareholders, and to promote these products using unfair means.

I wonder when the so-called intelligent people realise these and call the bluff of all these companies.

What are your thoughts⁉️

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Making difference, one girl child at a time!

I was invited to the 8th Induction Ceremony of an NGO specialising in not just funding the financial needs of girl child/ren in economically challenged families, but also developing their character with the intervention of Mentorship and other programs. Due to preoccupation, I reached the event a tad later than I anticipated.

First impression – what a gathering as the auditorium was packed while my eyes searched for some familiar soul, and there she was. Dimple, the cherubic and chirpy beneficiary of this NGO, who had assisted me very efficiently in my first assignment, welcomed me and ushered me to sit amongst the mentors.

The event was conducted by the girls who were incumbents and alumni of this NGO, and what an event it was! Inspiring words from a plethora of Social Activists held, not just the girls, but the whole audience in awe. Experiences of the Alumni were not far behind, and the roll of drums didn’t cease till it was time to call it a day!

Hats off to the NGO, its organisers, mentors, and the children who are benefiting from this ecosystem.

I am really lucky to be associated with this NGO, albeit in a minuscule way, and wish the team and the beneficiaries all the best! May your tribe increase!

Any thoughts on this or such NGOs?

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

When will India decide to levy Tax on Agricultural Income⁉️

World over, though there is distinction between the types of income, one derives for a living, they are taxed homogenously.

Why then, in India it has been a non-taxable income? Reasons are various and no political party wants to stir the hornets’ nest, lest they get a flak during elections, from the powerful agri-lobby.

That said, I know I’m touching a raw nerve here by deliberating on this taboo topic. Nevertheless, somebody has to bell the cat and I don’t have any qualms doing it. During the 70s, the then government came out with ‘Land to Tiller’ concept that deprived many land hoarders who used to let their land tilled by tenants and getting rich (?), which prompted this reform.

However, powerful (both materially and physically) individuals and groups started usurping the lands of those small tillers, who were given their lands by these reforms, for a pittance and dominating the Agri-World. Added to this, the nexus with the middlemen to sell their produce, with the powerful ‘Farmers’ messed up the whole ecosystem. Adding fuel to fire is the tax-free status of central tax on the agricultural income in India, as it is a State (Provincial) subject and dealt with differently.

This has made “Rich Farmers”, richer and the others are getting marginalised gradually.

Isn’t it time to bring about homogeneity in taxing all incomes⁉️

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Autorickshaw (Tuk-Tuk) Drivers’ attitude – A comparison between Mumbai and Bengaluru.

I have been in Mumbai for over 10 days now and my local travel, other than Metro Lines, is more in autorickshaws (autos) as it is more in the suburbs than in Southern Mumbai where cabs rule the roost.

Surprisingly, I haven’t had a chance to use the cab-hailing services as I’m sure to have wasted my time if my choice of travel is by Autorickshaw. They are available at your doorstep and there is no need to wait for them, as we do in Bengaluru.

Additionally, the metered amount is what the driver expects you to pay and nothing more. I was reminded of the novel by Sidney Sheldon – Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less, in a different way. They don’t even expect you to forego small change of a rupee or two and to my surprise, none of the auto drivers have asked for a rounded-up amount. They always have small change in coins and ever-obliging to receive the correct fare for your travel.

In short, the attitude of these auto drivers hasn’t changed even a wee bit, over the last few decades, as I have experienced firsthand.

I can never expect such an attitude from auto drivers in Bengaluru. Firstly, if you don’t use the cab hailing services for hiring an auto, God help you with your transport need of an auto. If we are lucky to get an auto without the help of the cab-hailing apps, the driver demands, repeat demands, an additional Rs. 30-50 over the metered fare, if he activates the meter, else demands an arbitrary amount. The ride-hailing apps are quick to encash our naivety by suggesting a mark-up and while we refresh our search.

This is just one of the reasons, Namma Bengaluru can’t be compared with Mumbai or some other major cities.

What are your thoughts?

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

How about comparing a few points of interest, between Mumbai & Bengaluru!?

Living in Mumbai over the last couple of weeks, I have been trying to distil a few points to compare my two favourite cities in India. Below, are just two points of comparison between them.

Having lived in Mumbai for over a decade, in the past, and visiting occasionally, I find the metro city fascinating in more ways than a few, when comparing it with Bengaluru. Fact of the matter, just like we don’t get to choose our parents, the two cities couldn’t choose their geographical environs. However, their residents are the change drivers. 

How we live in these places and how residents adapt to the geo-environs, make these cities unique and comparable at the same time. While the uniqueness is the geographical location and the way both cities topography pervades its character, the comparable points refer to the man-made adaptations.

Mumbai gets a regular 2200mm of monsoon rainfall every year, predominantly in the summer months while in Bengaluru, it is scattered across the months from March to November, showering around 1,000mm of rains.

Despite this, the condition of roads in Mumbai have matured to restrain the onslaught of rains, while the pathetic work of the Municipal Contractors who lay the roads in Bengaluru, pale in comparison with their Mumbai counterparts. Many, if not most, of the Mumbai roads are concrete surfaces, which Bengaluru is now trying to adapt, for many of the arterial roads.

My second point of comparison is the degree of traffic law enforcement. Just as an instance (people who are conversant with the Mumbai topography can easily appreciate and relate to this), Sion Circle in the mid-Northern suburb, is a major junction with Eastern Express highway traffic merging from the east and the traffic from Western Express highway from the West. In the decades gone by, this traffic junction was managed by just one Traffic Cop and there was never any traffic violation in terms of jumping the signal, etc. Even today, many busy intersections are just managed by a couple of Traffic Cops and traffic life goes on autopilot. I don’t say there are no traffic violations in Mumbai at all but it pales when compared to Bengaluru’s traffic violation woes.

Likening this with Bengaluru’s traffic plight would be like comparing Chalk and Cheese, what with unruly traffic and violations being the norm, while Traffic Cops are busy on their Mobile Phones. The pretext is that there is a BIG EYE watching the errant drivers and ultimately, they will pay for their violations. There is no will to even implement a deterrent.

And we are debating about other big things – Global Business Entities setting up their shop in other neighbouring States!

Any thoughts on this!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Role of Olive Oil in Indian Cuisine!?

Olive oil is increasingly used in Indian cuisine for its health benefits, light flavor, and versatility—especially in sautéing, grilling, and salad dressings.

Of late, there is a marked increase in the promotional ads on Olive Oil, with influencers ranging from movie stars to other public figures, stressing on it as a Health-Conscious substitute. The stress is on virgin oil as well and the taste, of foodstuff made using these oils, is an acquired one.

Extra virgin olive oil has a distinct taste that will not suit most Indian dishes, but light olive oil (when used sparingly) blends well without overpowering spices.

While not traditional, it’s gaining popularity as a modern alternative to ghee and refined oils, with so many of the populace visiting European and American countries and having acquired a taste of this oil in the cuisines, native to those countries, want to show off their shallow knowledge in adapting this to our cuisine.

One must understand to avoid deep frying with olive oil due to its lower smoke point and cost. However, it can be combined with traditional oils for hybrid flavour profiles in fusion dishes.

At best, IMHO, its cold application is what I like the most; ideal for chutneys, raitas, and salad dressings, where its raw flavor and nutritional value are preserved, Sautéing and stir-frying, and flavour balancing.

Bottomline of Indian Cuisine; apart from the main ingredients are flavours, fragrances, taste of the spices used in cooking, and the presentation of food that creates an appetite for consumption.

What are your thoughts!?

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Impact of IT Industry on the Cost of Living in Major Indian Cities!

Despite all said and done about IT and related industry elevating the standard of living of the middle-class families, the cost of living; for those middle-class families who don’t have the blessings of jobs in the IT and associated industries and the stupendous pay packages they offer, are indeed burdensome.

What surprises me is the fact that the cost of various services (domestic help, laundry, house maintenance, et al) has increased in geometric progression in line with the increase in IT/related industry and jobs with influx of migration into these cities from across the country. No respite for the families with the fancy non-IT incomes as these costs are democratic.

Haven’t you observed this?

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

A bit of an Off-Subject this time – Just an observation – Notice the Fancy Chairs (mostly rotating) in Hair Dressing Outlets!?

Most hair dressing outlets boast of fancy chairs, mostly rotating and some with long leg rest to stretch your legs. Though the chairs during my childhood years was mostly fixed wooden in such outlets, in the last four-five decades, I have never seen anyone use these fancy chairs for its one characteristic – rotating!

This said, is there a need to invest in such a jazzy equipment, which doesn’t serve the main purpose?

I would be lying, if I mention that I have never seen anyone using these chairs for its rotating nature. That exception, I must award it to a barber at Kalyani Market (near Kolkata), where I used to get my hair cut during my days there in 2000-01.

This particular barber stationed himself at a particular point on the ground and rotated the chair as he cut the hair, while all others treat you as the centre and revolve around you!

How are chairs being used, at your regular barber’s place?

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Deep Correlation Between Night Shift Working & Ill Health Amongst Youngsters!

Night shift work among young adults is strongly correlated with increased risks of sleep disorders, metabolic issues, mental health challenges, and long-term chronic diseases. These effects are largely driven by circadian rhythm disruption and lifestyle changes associated with nocturnal schedules.

Why Young Adults Are Especially Vulnerable?

Recommendations for Young Night Shift Workers:

Any thoughts on this?