Comic #66: Phantom - The Corba Diamonds - by Johnny Hotwire

This is also post #99.Thanks Johnny Hotwire. And all you lovely people, you really make it worth the effort for the contributors on TCP. The encouragement is just fantastic. And regarding the previous post, thank you. I choose not to respond.

Btw, Joe, IP responded to your comment. Ok, time to po, 5 AM wake up tomorrow. Some conference to attend. So I enter. Organize comic. Type a few words. Post. and Po.

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NY Times: NASDAQ touches 3000 on Diwali Weekend

Alright..that is pure fiction and I don't mind if it stays that way. An American newspaper talking about NASDAQ touching whatever number on a DIWALI weekend is as unlikely as Sachin Tendulkar sounding like Amitabh. But but but can we say the same about an Indian newspaper? You would think not, but on a visit to the Indian Express website, I saw this article by Sucheta Dalal and the first words read "The Sensex closed at an all-time high on Thanksgiving weekend".

Thanksgiving weekend? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Since when did "Thanksgiving" become a event on the calendar for India? (Except for the thousands of Indians who use this weekend to go to Disneyland or California. No offence to those who end up eating a turkey at an American home.)

Please don't get me wrong, I am not against celebrating any festival - no matter what country or culture it belongs to. (In fact, festivals are our national timepass as we have one for everything. Which is good because it ensures that a certain of the billion or so Indians are happy for some reason or the other, since we all can't be happy at the same time. But then this post is not about festivals)

I am not pure swadeshi or one of those Left wing loonies, nor a spokesperson for Indian traditions or culture. But I find statements like those of Sucheta Dalal a little weird..not offensive but weird, strange even ridiculous. It shows a trend that I have observed over the last few years. Two examples:

1. When BBC says "Mr.President", it is but obvious that it refers to the American President George W Bush because it doesn't have a President of its own. But when I hear a Indian newschannel say that, it makes me wonder who they are referring to: the 70+ year old brilliant-Indian-scientist-turned-President-who-badly-needs-a-haircut or the American president? Hello Sir Mr Newschannel... we do, unlike the Brits, have a President of our own/

2. War against terror: There was a time when we fought against "terrorism". Terrorism in Punjab, Kashmir, Assam, Nagaland, Naxalites, Police(?). Then 9/11 happened and suddenly we were fighting against "Terror". Not terrorism, but terror. A term used by the media because it would be easier to pronounce for the Americans? Used 3 characters less? I know the word Terror brings many more things under its domain, but terrorism is definitely more representative of the situation.

Hey I love the Microsofts and Googles and Walmarts(?) and Amazons and many other things the Americans have given us all, but I do find the instant adoption of all things American a little weird. But Thanksgiving weekend?? Get out!!!

P.S. Sensex touching an all-time high on Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gandhi Jayanti weekend would sound equally ridiculous but atleast it represents more of India than Thanksgiving. Or did everything change while I was asleep?

Comic #65: Phantom - The Return of the Beast

Been busy. So no Paris. No timepass. Only Comic. Thanks Johnny Hotwire!!!!!!!!!!! for this story.

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