B-Log

It was a surprising way for me to be served tea in the above manner. Amusing and confusing at the same time.
I had to raise the cup and slurp in the chai from the saucer first, while the cup’s bottom rim dripped. A few other first timers with me chose to finish some from their cups first and then pour the chai from the saucer into the cup. And the others decided to leave it as it is.

I later learnt it is a common practice in the interiors of Gujarat. The probable reasons for them to do it, is to make the quantity of tea look more which is to be served in such a small cup. Like a 10% extra free, which fits very well with the Gujarati mindset I suppose. Lesson to be learnt by retail chains like Big Bazaar and Reliance fresh which have recently closed a some stores in Ahmedabad. Serve what they want and serve it with discounts and offers. The 30% retail space lying vacant in the city shows the lessons we have chosen to forget.

Let’s go back to the roots. Let’s understand the history before we invent the future.

(The above is my interpretation of the experience. There must be other reasons to why this is done. I would love to know if you have any knowledge about it.)

This upward curve is the simplest universal language we are born with.
A language we have learnt to unlearn.

Just back from Bhuj. Had an amazing trip. Saw lots of places. Experienced different cultures. Heard many stories. Would share the pics on fotu soon.

There are days when you feel you were someone else.
Even the person in the mirror would do.
Afterall, reflections are skewed too.

“When you’re on an airplane and your life depends on it,” Mr. McCloud said, “comics are going to tell you how to open an emergency exit.”

Archie and Jughead? No, Javascript - NYTimes.com.

Google employed a top comic artist to introduce and explain it’s new browser, Chrome, through a 38page comic book!
Read more!

As small laptop sales increase, their popularity is redefining the nature of the computing experience, taking it off the desk and making it an integral part of peoples’ lives, wherever they are.

Mini-Laptops Fuel PC Sales Growth - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com.
(The comments at the end of the article make an interesting discussion)

I am personally looking forward to buying one of these.

But then again, on a larger scale, would these gadgets create unseen walls in real life interactions of people while bringing the virtual space closer. It isn’t an odd sight to see two or more people on the same table, busy on their laptops or phones with total disregard to the people accompanying them. It has become acceptable to do it. I do it myself.. pinging and chatting with the person sitting in the same room.

There are cafes which discourage people with laptops. As per an article I was reading, the owner of a certain cafe sends the staff every now and then to the table where a laptop is being used, giving a subtle hint and making the person uncomfortable.

We need to build systems and products which can bridge the gaps in both virtual and real life. We need to think smart. How?

To work on that, I am waiting for the small laptops to arrive in India :P