Rose & Grape

Winter is here and so are the days of cold cream and moisturising lotions. Back when I was young(er), there used to be simple white Vaseline/Ponds/Nivea cold cream. Things are different now. Last night as I was going through a medicine cabinet, I found a small box of cold cream - it contained rose and grape. It got me thinking - Is there any combination of fruits, vegetables, flowers & herbs the cosmetic companies haven't used to tempt the user into buying their product? And don't label me an MNC basher yet. This is the situation even for companies touting herbal or ayurvedic remedies. Rose & grape, honey & almonds, cucumber & avocado, chocolate, apple & lavender. The list goes on. Just get two nice sounding names, preferably one of them a little exotic, and add a little perfume/essence and sell it in a new box - Voila. Orange essence in your toothpaste will take care of your gums, cucumber will help you get rid of dark spots under your eye. Ok, some of them may be effective, but many of the others ride on the mindset of the customer to try out new things, to keep up with the Joneses. Bathing with a soap - or rather a daily bathing lotion - containing lavender & apple sounds so much cool than scrapping your skin with Lifebuoy.

"So how much does this bottle cost?"
"Sir, the price is written on the bottom."
I turn around the bottle, and look at the price. The amount was roughly equal to the price of normal soap bars for an entire semester while in college. I tell him that.
"Oh sir, but you see, these herbal extracts are not available in India, they have to be imported from Brazil. Also it contains one-fourth moisturing lotion!"
Yeah right, I thought. As long as it contains three-fourths BS.
I ask him with a deadpan look, "I've heard that they have come up with a new toothpaste containing karela and cauliflower. Do you have it in stock?"
The shopkeeper scratched his head, "Oh really? No sir, not right now. But I'm sure if you check next week, we'll definitely have it."
I buy my usual brand of soap and leave the shop, shaking my head in wonder.

Bas karo Lalooji

Recently we had Laloo Prasad Yadav give a lecture on the Indian Railways in IIM Ahmedabad. But as it turned out, he was there only for eye candy (An oxymoron, if there ever was one!) The answers and explanations were given by his subordinates - the actual people responsible for handling the changes. Now there are news reports of Laloo Prasad being invited to Wharton and Harvard, probably to do the same thing. I do not oppose the Indian Railways being discussed & studied at these B-schools. What I wonder is why does the railway minister need to go along too? I don't think his contribution is required much there. If all he is going to do is to quip a few sound bites, I think it would be better for him to concentrate on doing that to his political rivals here in India. Udhar kya woh Bush Presidentwa ko paath padhayenge?

Further it seems to me that Laloo's role in the Indian Railways turnaround is a bit overhyped. If we go by the facts, it seems that Laloo is just enjoying the fruits of the hard work put in by railways officials in the last five years. It is just Laloo's fortune that he happened to be the Railway Minister when the turnaround showed some results. And I do not blame him. I'm sure his rival Nitish Kumar would have done the same thing. That's what politicians all around the world do - Promise. Not act. Claim. I don't think Laloo's the kind to miss out on such an opportunity. I just hope he doesn't take the whole family and a dozen of his favourite cattle along with him as well. But then again, he could teach them Americans a few things about milking cows efficiently.