"Blow some my way" - For those who love to smoke

A few facts and some funny ads on smoking....I am not going to sermonize. So you can take a puff and relax.

Just would like to take you on interesting commercials on smoking. Close to 50% of world population smokes including women. Tobacco originally was used by men and was considered style in men and unsexy in women.

"Blow some my way" the first ad which pulled women upright and made them think "Why can't we?" and the gentlemen were seen asking women, "Would you care for a cigarette?".



It was after this ad, women found smoking sensational. That was a great campaign and wonderful service rendered to this world community by Chesterfield. Then Salem Cigarettes... Wow amazing creativity. Any one who watches these ads would definitely reach for cigarettes.



This continued to the level were a full blown satirical comedy, "Thank you for smoking" was screened recently.



What is so special about smoking? Why people with tight budgets are willing to spend money on cigarettes... several packets. Is smoking just a habit? Does smoking helps to clear your mind, to relax, or is it just for pure enjoyment? Why people who smoke always points out to other things like Caffeine, alcohol even chewing gums as addictions?

Most of the smokers want to quit and several times would have tried quitting but come back to it the moment they face a small trouble.

Some people believe in immediate quitting while others cut down the numbers. Some of them take a puff or two at a time and throw it away. But the question remains. Can any one truly quit smoking? What is there in a cigarette? I have heard that certain additives are added to this sophisticated slim roll which young men and women today feel proud to flaunt. These additives make you reach for your box again and again.

Anti campaign ads on smoking, pleads to those who smoke on the danger of lung cancer and putting your kin next to you to danger too.

But an anti smoker probably would never have touched Cigarette in his hands and being a non smoker he may not know the pains involved in quitting.

More than a debate on smoking is hazardous or not, interested on how people are convinced on trying out a potent poison, which can result in lung cancer. Commercials lure people to try smoking and everyday at least a new batch is getting ready to get slaughtered. More than commercials, young men are the honorary ambassadors who undertake the campaigning activity on spreading the message of huffing and puffing and blowing a heart in the air.

If you feel that Cigarette is good for health and does not cause, in fertility or lung cancer or any other ailments listed out there in the internet.. please let me know. Will definitely write another posting on how good smoking is....

For people who take things light and love to argue for the sake of arguing...


But why am I writing this? I want a friend of mine to quit smoking.

"Please stop smoking; you're killing yourself."

Sorry for sermonizing he he.... I am a non smoker : )

On Finding things

Funniest things happen at the most serious hours. Today was one such day. I wanted to wear a simple kurti and Jeans to my office. Chose my favourite kurti and walked towards my iron board and stretched it open (due to space costraint, I always fold the board)...crackkkk one of the screw got screwed. Upset that it broke and more upset when my whole family laughed at my face. I am little? on the heavier side, I had always been a target and was made fun of because of this. More determined, carried the iron box and spread a blanket on my bed and switched on the iron, it was then the most ridiculous thing happened, I smelt fire and in a second the wire caught fire... short circuit and voltage fluctuation is something that Chennai can always boast about. It was then I became angry and threw the kurti and decided to wear a sari instead.

My whole cupboard was in utter chaos. Everyday I pick up a dress and dump it back to chose another. Though people vouch for me as being the most organised one at work, am not so at home to my mom's despair. She keeps straightening things but finally gave up on me and left the cupboard intact with all my dresses strewn and hung with no semblance whatsoever. I chose a saree, and started to search for the blouse. As the hunt began, I found my wrist watch which I lost almost two years back, feeling happy and proud of myself "On finding things", stretched it before my mom's face, only to be put back in to my place by her simple statement "if only u cleaned your cupboard before". I made a face and started to proceed with the treasure hunt. Half a dozen dead small cockroaches and a box full of naphthalene balls lying innocently next to those insects : ( a broken anklet, finally a dress which I bought 14 yrs back soon after my wedding. I took it out, shook it and closed the door, wanting to try it very badly. Apart from few extra kgs I had accumulated, I felt that the dress should fit me fine. But I never expected the dress to have shrunk with many washes. These days quality is lacking in all the products. If a dress can get shrunk this bad in just 14 years something is grossly wrong. We seriously need to rethink on changing our government. The quality is totally at stake. How can India even think of competing with other countries while we lack in quality especially when we're next to China in quantity? Now I started to think about the improving measures on my country, I lost interest in a sheer dress. Gave an earful to my mom, dad and Suresh on how we should all play a part and try to improve our country's status. Ani was the only person missing. I very much wanted him to be there as a responsible young citizen. The culture, tradition and ofcourse thoughts of quality should be imbibed in him.

May be when I go back, should have a serious talk with him.. I started to leave in a hurry. My mom was yelling behind my back for leaving the iron board, iron and cupboard open with dresses hanging around. She was talking about my quality of work at home, I do not understand why moms always make big issues out of nothing. Trying to pose trivial things like these as big crimes. Why can't she think of improving our country instead of thinking about the stupid quality and cleanliness at home.

Got any clue?????

Ani's Birthday and Richard Lederer

My son's birthday today and I wanted to relish the moment and celebrate as he is stepping in to his teens. He is no more my baby now; a young man. Suresh and I took him out to his favourite haunt Citi Center Plaza. Ani's favourite shop is Landmark as he is always fond of looking at books and buying them and take out every now and then, dust, admire and stack them back in his library... yes of course, without reading them.


While he was browsing through his favourite authors as he calls them.... may be that author would have had the privilege of being Ani's favourite because his friend happened to find one of his book attractive. Usually Ani's pick would be Archies, Twinkle, Tintin. At the maximum it could stretch to Hardy Boys.... I never say NO to books as I strongly believe that if not today may be in a year or two he will acquire the habit of reading and enjoy reading good books and develop the sense of not buying a book just for its cover.

As always I roamed about in the book section picked a book at random and started to read the preface and the first few pages. Today I saw a book by name " The revenge of Anguished English" by Richard Lederer. I started to read the book, time flew and I almost completed 42 pages when people at Landmark switched off the light... I realised it was late and the clock in my cell phone said it was close to 9.15 PM. Looked at the price and cursed myself for not bringing my credit card. I was short of 100 Rupees and the book costed around 459.80. I very badly wanted to complete the book. Came home and checked for an online copy but for vain. But I was able to find 95 pages picked out random from this book and I started to read greedily....




I never knew the meaning before for rip roaring laughter but experienced it today. You got to read it to believe it. It is all about how tricky English language can be. A simple "Hello" can be taken as an insult...

Just to quote a few from the book:

More after the jump and an explanation of where they came from.

Continued:

To pick a few from this link..for people who are lazy to visit the link, even after reading the sample quotes.... More quotes for you guys :)

On language of signs:

hmmm... that's what the good book is supposed to do. Make you rush to the nearest shop and not feel rested till you get the book in your hands. I am waiting too.... with due regards to my son, without whom I would have missed the book. How many good books are waiting patiently in those book racks to be touched, read and pampered?