How the Google search engine helped me

Last week, I had to attend a two-day training programme sponsored by my firm. I had to go our training center that was located at another part in the city. The first day, I had boarded a bus to reach the training center.

For some reason, I did not remember the bus stop name. The bus conductor started giving out tickets to the passengers. When he came near to my seat, I gave him a fifty-rupee note and said in Thamizh “Oru, manapakkam” (One Manapakkam”).

Conductor looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

Conductor: Manapakkam is near Porur. Do you want to go to Porur?

*He was about to tell me to get out of the bus and take another one that goes to Porur.

Me: No, I want a ticket to that bus stop that is the second one after the tollgate. The one where ASV Sun Tech Park is. It has a name that starts with M.

*Conductor again looked at me and started giving out tickets to the other passengers.  I tried very hard to get the name of that bus stop. As usual, my brain failed in tracking down that name from my memory storage system J

* That is when I realized that even if my own memory storage system did not work, the internet will work. I pulled out my phone and typed in “ASV Sun Tech Park bus stop”.  Voila, the search engine gave me the result – Mettukuppam.

I looked confidently at the conductor 🙋

Me: Antha bus stop peru Mettukuppam. Oru ticket (That bus stop’s name is Mettukuppam. One ticket for that).

Conductor: Ithe muthalaiye solli irukkalaam (you could have told me this before).

He then gave me the ticket and the change.

The next day as soon as I boarded the bus, I looked up the name in Google to verify if that was the right name. I don’t know why my brain does not like to remember this one name 😁😁😁

Connection between methane gas emission, yoga and water shortage

I was watching a regional TV news channel tonight. There was a political debate that was going on about the water shortage in the state and what reforms the state government had taken on this problem.

The panel included 5 people - spokesperson for the state ruling party, state opposition party, the national ruling party and two journalists. The anchor started the debate with a brief introduction on what they wanted to discuss for tonight. The spokesperson from the state ruling and opposition party were each given time to talk and they put forth their own arguments.

After that, the opportunity was given to the nation ruling party spokesperson. Here is what he spoke (tried to do my best of getting closer to the exact words that he spoke) -

National Ruling party SP - See, it has been proven scientifically that cows that give milk release a lot of methane gas. This release of methane gas causes global warming.

Anchor - Ok, do you have proof for this?

National RP SP - You can search in the internet for what I am saying. All of you have smartphones. Why don't you look it up and verify the facts for yourself?

Anchor - Ok, we will all assume that what you are saying is true. We believe in you. What has that got to do with water shortage?

National RP SP - Allow me to speak. You never give me time to speak at all.

Anchor - I do give you time. Please tell us what is the central government going to do about this?

National RP SP - I am trying to get to that point. As I was saying, it has been proven that global warming to a large extent is because of the methane gas that the cows emit. Our PM had given a speech in the United Nations a long time back. When he addressed them he said that pollution is caused due to vehicles. As a developed nation they can take steps to stop this, but we cannot do that in India since we are a developing nation. We cannot stop usage of vehicles. He also talked about the benefits of Yoga. Do you know many countries have accepted the benefits of Yoga?

** At this point, Anchor stopped him since he was talking too much

Anchor - N, what are you trying to say? What has that got to do with not having rains in our state or water shortage problem.

National RP SP - Let me speak. This is a problem with state channels like you. You never give us time to talk. Are you saying that what I am saying is wrong. Yoga is ...

** Anchor stopped him again

Anchor - But N, what are we going to do about the water problem? Why are you talking about irrelevant topics?

National RP SP - K, stop it. Allow me to speak. You cannot interfere in what I talk. Everyone can verify about methane that Iam talking about

Anchor - Not all the viewers will have mobile or internet to verify about the issue with cows producing methane gas.

National RP SP - Then you verify it. It is true and it has been proven.

Anchor - So now cows emitting methane is a problem for water shortage?

National RP SP - Don't talk sarcastically to me.

**The other panels kept quiet, silently watching and wondering what is happening. The opposition party spokesperson started laughing. One of the journalist folded his hands, looked up and then down. He gave out an exasperated sigh.

** Me and my dad couldn't stop laughing. We asked my mom to keep quiet to hear what else stupidity the national ruling party spokesperson was going to say.

** This went on for a few minutes between anchor and RP SP

Finally, anchor could not take it anymore. RP SP was furious and started talking about how bad the anchor is.

Anchor - Iam the anchor of this debate and we need to tell the viewers clearly on what you are saying. Iam not able to understand what point you are trying to make.

National RP SP - You don't understand what I am trying to say.

Anchor - N, are you then saying that Yoga will help in solving our water shortage problems and in getting rain?

Finally, Anchor was so frustrated that he asked for a short commercial break.

Me and my dad continued to laugh. After the break, the discussion continued with the other panels and the show ended.

Where are we heading to? Do these politicians think we are all fools. If I was in that party that guy was from, I would have asked that spokesperson to stop participating in these talk shows in future. He was talking utter nonsense.

Was I duped in paying extra money to the auto driver?

Two days back, I had to take a cab to go to office. I booked an auto for the ride.

As soon as I got into the auto, the driver immediately started talking to me. He told me that in the last Chennai flood, his belongings were washed away. He has two daughters and one son. He was living with his family in a rented accommodation. His son passed away from college and has started earning very little. His two daughters are studying in college and he is not able to afford for their college. Someone helped him to pay the college fees for one daughter and he finally paid it at the last minute. He still needs money to pay for this second daughter's education. He then proceeded to tell me that his second daughter's college starts in two days and he needs money to pay the college fees. He asked me to help him financially to pay his daughter's fees.

I really did not know what to do. I had never expected him to ask me this. I would like to pay for someone's education but how do I find out that he is not lying. I could have asked for proof but I was surprised when he asked me that. When I reached my destination, I gave him a little more money than the amount on the app. He did not even thank me for that extra money.

Was he hoping that I would accept to pay his daughter's college fees? How can he expect a stranger who had met him for just 15 minutes to agree to pay for the education? Was he trying to dupe me? If he had wanted to convince someone, he should have shown proof. He could have at least thanked me for the extra money.

I don't know if I was a fool to believe his story and pay that extra money or I had escaped from being duped or if I had just lost a chance to help a poor girl's education?