One of my favourite jokes-
Bono was supposedly playing for charitable cause-'Help Rwanda' in a concert in Scotland. The band gets stupendous appreciation- people are screaming, yelling out his name, not just cos they are drunk but they like the band probably. While taking a small interlude for a drink of water, Bono starts to spread a message. He spreads his hand and slowly starts clapping. He says to the crowd, "Every time I clap my hands, a person is dying of hunger in Rwanda". There is silence. Out of nowhere, a drunk Scotsman yells "Then stop deein' that ya filthy basterd!"
To me such sentences don't make any sense. Unless someone comes up with technology to teleport matter, how can you send food from Scotland to another continent. I am sure Bono drinks only tap water in his home, drives a eco friendly electric car with a top speed of 50mph, sends atleast 60% of that concert profit to Africa and is seriously thinking of adopting kids from certain areas of adversity in Africa. It's very impressive.
My friend used to work part time in Edinburgh for a very fast food joint, Burger King. Over there, they stress that you' ll only get what you want in your sandwich. Like say, you asked for no onions in your sandwich, they mark the wrapping paper to indicate that theres no onions in there. Same goes with the other ingredients- lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, ketchup etc. I guess its paradise for veggie haters. But what happens when you do find an onion ring in your sandwich when you asked for none? You take it back and show it to the cashier. She/he takes it back to the person incharge of packing. The sandwich finally makes it to the bin, without second thought. The best part is this- the customers who had ordered a full meal ( drink and a side) complain that the fries got cold and soggy because of their fault. So, the fries make it to the bin and the customer is all happy when he gets piping hot replacements.
"Bin full of food is wasted on a weekday", he said, "..and you won't believe what its like on a weekend". That gets to me a little bit. People wear ' Livestrong' bands, AIDS ribbon loop and PETA t-shirts etc. I wonder if the company that manufactures the merchandise is the only body profiting from the actual concept.
To me, it hurts when I waste food. I don't need to see videos of severely undernourished kids in Africa to understand that you don't waste food or atleast that you have to be as efficient as possible when you eat. I ask for tap water in restaurants and certainly am not interested in forwarding emails and texts and slogans that are forwarded to me that are supposed to create awareness with 'moving' pictures and videos. But thats just me- I Waltz to my own tune.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/games-quizzes/food-wasted-quiz/
February 21, 2011
February 20, 2011
Mother natures favourite toy- Sweden
Just when you have given up on that newsflash that Sweden will have its coldest winter yet, you begin to wonder if its true.
For people who recollect what it was like in beginning of Feb, you might probably recollect some nasty falls and slips while walking the mushy pavements. I say it was more like major 'Slushy' spill on all walking surfaces. The weather was mild and the ice was melting. People lost a layer of warm clothing again and cycling was back in fashion for most commuters. Just when you think you have beaten the 2011 winter peak, Mother nature presses the 'Freeze' button. Everything gets 'whiter'. People behave like bears- they hibernate ( some of them atleast-me). Snowfall for a complete day. Instant facial numbness when you head out. And all of a sudden you think its necessary to have a dip in a bath of Vaseline everytime when you have to head out. Some random collage of pictures from fellow bloggers and friends might narrate to you how icy it is.
A derelict bicycle on the bridge at Uppsala Centrum.
'Frostrees' show that they can still be great background for a picture.
An example of a group of very talented people who understand Uppsala weather better than most are the sculptors who invested their time and effort in making these ice sculptures all over town to add to aesthetic beauty. And it does that exactly.
With lights to highlight these pieces of fine art against the contrasting twilight, Marine Deck, a good friend of mine contributes these pictures to my blog.
The one on the left depicting the curves of a voluptuous woman, done most artistically, I thought.
I guess its an animal hybrid.
Thats Marine Deck on an Ice Diwan. She was really upset when she tried lifting it to take home.
The sculptors probably understood that the winter wasn't over yet and that their pieces will have ample lifetime and appreciation before they melt off and when life springs back.
For people who recollect what it was like in beginning of Feb, you might probably recollect some nasty falls and slips while walking the mushy pavements. I say it was more like major 'Slushy' spill on all walking surfaces. The weather was mild and the ice was melting. People lost a layer of warm clothing again and cycling was back in fashion for most commuters. Just when you think you have beaten the 2011 winter peak, Mother nature presses the 'Freeze' button. Everything gets 'whiter'. People behave like bears- they hibernate ( some of them atleast-me). Snowfall for a complete day. Instant facial numbness when you head out. And all of a sudden you think its necessary to have a dip in a bath of Vaseline everytime when you have to head out. Some random collage of pictures from fellow bloggers and friends might narrate to you how icy it is.
A derelict bicycle on the bridge at Uppsala Centrum.
'Frostrees' show that they can still be great background for a picture.
With lights to highlight these pieces of fine art against the contrasting twilight, Marine Deck, a good friend of mine contributes these pictures to my blog.
The one on the left depicting the curves of a voluptuous woman, done most artistically, I thought.
I guess its an animal hybrid.
February 13, 2011
Field trip
I can't remember the last time I went on a college field trip, but this recent one to a Pasta/Cereal factory was good fun.
Our course is 'Plant food science', mainly focussing on the chemistry of grains and cereals and then a great deal about processing it to different products. The trip was to this company called Kungsornen in Jarna.
The trip started with assembly at 7 30 AM by our library. The weather was soggy and damp. Despite the slips and groggy mood, I made it to the spot on time. The bus was wicked. Everyone had snuggled up to a seat and were looking forward to sleep the hour and half journey time, not me and the few others. The class wasn't familiar with the fellow mates. I grabbed the 4 seater with opposite facing seats so that I could stretch me legs. Luckily for me the opposite seat was occupied by a very energetic classmate. I didn't feel like sleeping, so we started talking. The morning was gloomy.
We reached the place at 09 30 as per the plan. We were greeted by a Bosnian bossman and in we went to their conference room. They had presentations ready with stats and info about the company and their product development team. I know, it aint the typical field trip that requires you to just walk around and pretend to listen. This was handled pretty seriously. Having worked for a Blue chip beef manufacturing before, I know how they deal with visitors. Act like they are NASA scientists- busy as FCUK. ;)
No, these guys were real important people in the company who had great patience and composure, genuinely interested in telling us about them. The presentation was handed to different team members based on the expertise.
The clothing to ensure GMP of the site. Some of us did look like dibs. The coach driver had a goatee, so he got that 'Beehive' mask that made him look like Santa Claus.
Some sights from the tour.
Thats Marine on the left so pleased with the line. Pointing out to us, her favourite box of cereals.
Then came the part where we got to the exploration bit. The site was HUGE. The class was split to teams and the managers took us to show the processing units and storage. Without getting into I leave it to your imagination, the things you will find in a pasta and breakfast cereal producing site. Interestingly, the man who was our coach driver decided to join us in our presentation as well as the tour. Smart thing to do instead of waiting in the coach for the day to end.
We had a great lunch in the cafeteria with 'all-you-can-eat' buffet. I had sausages and roast potatoes. Post lunch we went on with the tour. We got together in the conference hall again to ask them questions and conclude the day. I was really impressed with the overall presentation cos it wasn't just for the sake of it. On the way out they asked us to consider working for them. I already had plans of applying anyway. As a parting gift, each of us got a big bag with goodies that they produce from their latest range of cereal to cake making flour.
The generous contents in that box of goodies.
Thank you for arranging such a lovely tour of the Kungsornen site in Jarna.
Our course is 'Plant food science', mainly focussing on the chemistry of grains and cereals and then a great deal about processing it to different products. The trip was to this company called Kungsornen in Jarna.
The trip started with assembly at 7 30 AM by our library. The weather was soggy and damp. Despite the slips and groggy mood, I made it to the spot on time. The bus was wicked. Everyone had snuggled up to a seat and were looking forward to sleep the hour and half journey time, not me and the few others. The class wasn't familiar with the fellow mates. I grabbed the 4 seater with opposite facing seats so that I could stretch me legs. Luckily for me the opposite seat was occupied by a very energetic classmate. I didn't feel like sleeping, so we started talking. The morning was gloomy.
We reached the place at 09 30 as per the plan. We were greeted by a Bosnian bossman and in we went to their conference room. They had presentations ready with stats and info about the company and their product development team. I know, it aint the typical field trip that requires you to just walk around and pretend to listen. This was handled pretty seriously. Having worked for a Blue chip beef manufacturing before, I know how they deal with visitors. Act like they are NASA scientists- busy as FCUK. ;)
No, these guys were real important people in the company who had great patience and composure, genuinely interested in telling us about them. The presentation was handed to different team members based on the expertise.
The clothing to ensure GMP of the site. Some of us did look like dibs. The coach driver had a goatee, so he got that 'Beehive' mask that made him look like Santa Claus.
Thats Marine on the left so pleased with the line. Pointing out to us, her favourite box of cereals.
Then came the part where we got to the exploration bit. The site was HUGE. The class was split to teams and the managers took us to show the processing units and storage. Without getting into I leave it to your imagination, the things you will find in a pasta and breakfast cereal producing site. Interestingly, the man who was our coach driver decided to join us in our presentation as well as the tour. Smart thing to do instead of waiting in the coach for the day to end.
We had a great lunch in the cafeteria with 'all-you-can-eat' buffet. I had sausages and roast potatoes. Post lunch we went on with the tour. We got together in the conference hall again to ask them questions and conclude the day. I was really impressed with the overall presentation cos it wasn't just for the sake of it. On the way out they asked us to consider working for them. I already had plans of applying anyway. As a parting gift, each of us got a big bag with goodies that they produce from their latest range of cereal to cake making flour.
The generous contents in that box of goodies.
Thank you for arranging such a lovely tour of the Kungsornen site in Jarna.
February 04, 2011
True genius
Many years ago in Southern India there was this boy in class who asked a stupid question in a Mathermatics class that made the whole class laugh and left the whole world in awe afterwards. We hold ourselves back while asking questions in classes. We would rather ask the question to the person sitting next to us and let them laugh, rather than the whole class.
'What if they think of me as an Idiot/silly/moronic/ignoramus/nincompoop?' is the most common text in the thought bubble perhaps. But look what happened further down that lane in India.
The question asked by the teacher in the math class while trying to simplify the mysteries of simple division was- " What if I brought in a basket with 31 oranges and asked you to share it amongst you students (31 students), how many oranges will each of you get?". The answer that the class shouted back was, "One". It went on- "What if the basket had only 4 oranges? How many of you will get an entire orange?". The class worked out the right answer too. The class went on, and they were working on slightly challenging divisions. Right then, out of nowhere a question came from a whimpering voice- " What if the basket had no oranges and no people in class looking to eat an orange?".
I don't know how the teacher could've reacted to that. I'm guessing, each reader can come with a unique reply the kid might have got. Back then, it was common to discipline student with a beating from a bamboo cane also. As funny as it may sound, as made up as it may sound (religious people dare not laugh, cause you believe in books that are more comic than a fairy tale), it is what happend to the math genius Ramanujam (full name, Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srinivasa_Ramanujan
Questions have to be asked with an intention of knowing an answer. Sometimes, it maybe to be a clown of the class but thats something else. If you have a question thats lingering in your head, you cant be a judge if it's silly or not. Ask it, dont worry cos it might sound strange with your accent, or the clothes you wore that day. Questions make a clear platform to understand any new concept. The one with a strong foundation and no cracks. Because the concepts that build up further on from there will be like climbing a squeaky ladder.
Moreover, for people who remember Jim Morrison and his widely followed quote- " Where is your will to be Weird?"
I can't help it. I am a fan.
'What if they think of me as an Idiot/silly/moronic/ignoramus/nincompoop?' is the most common text in the thought bubble perhaps. But look what happened further down that lane in India.
The question asked by the teacher in the math class while trying to simplify the mysteries of simple division was- " What if I brought in a basket with 31 oranges and asked you to share it amongst you students (31 students), how many oranges will each of you get?". The answer that the class shouted back was, "One". It went on- "What if the basket had only 4 oranges? How many of you will get an entire orange?". The class worked out the right answer too. The class went on, and they were working on slightly challenging divisions. Right then, out of nowhere a question came from a whimpering voice- " What if the basket had no oranges and no people in class looking to eat an orange?".
I don't know how the teacher could've reacted to that. I'm guessing, each reader can come with a unique reply the kid might have got. Back then, it was common to discipline student with a beating from a bamboo cane also. As funny as it may sound, as made up as it may sound (religious people dare not laugh, cause you believe in books that are more comic than a fairy tale), it is what happend to the math genius Ramanujam (full name, Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srinivasa_Ramanujan
Questions have to be asked with an intention of knowing an answer. Sometimes, it maybe to be a clown of the class but thats something else. If you have a question thats lingering in your head, you cant be a judge if it's silly or not. Ask it, dont worry cos it might sound strange with your accent, or the clothes you wore that day. Questions make a clear platform to understand any new concept. The one with a strong foundation and no cracks. Because the concepts that build up further on from there will be like climbing a squeaky ladder.
Moreover, for people who remember Jim Morrison and his widely followed quote- " Where is your will to be Weird?"
I can't help it. I am a fan.
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