I want to be horrified again

Today morning, while I was still drinking my first coffee, my friend told me about this horrific incident that happened; a four year old child was raped, sodomized, mutilated and then left to bleed by railway tracks in Delhi. A voice inside me said "Please lets not discuss such unpleasant things first thing in the morning". The moment I formed this thought in my head, I realized how complacent and insensitive and selfish I was in that moment. 

kafila.org

It reminded me of this article I had read a few days ago on Kafila. The article talked about the Dadri incident where a person was killed by a mob that falsely accused him of eating beef. The author, Gautam Bhan, talks about how forms of violence against certain sections of society becomes so routine, that it becomes the order of things. Towards the end he said:

We must assert our words so that the violence slowly, painfully becomes less banal, less ordinary and we are horrified again.

These words struck a chord in me - I want to be horrified again by how commonplace violence has become. In this context, reading about Pinjratod felt great. I've lived in PGs and hostels and faced all the things that these brave women are protesting against. I had honestly accepted them as facts of life, so it is very refreshing to see comrades taking on everyday forms of sexism.

I like this platform and websites like News Laundry (full disclosure: while I support NL financially by buying a subscription, they haven't paid me anything to write this) because they question the dominant narrative and because they do not come down to morbid sensationalizing of non-issues. Most of the popular news media is basically reporting on the verbal ping pong matches between politician while Rome burns. 

Of the disappointing Love affair that is Indian webcomics

Bhujwasis (and other junta) still recovering from the bought of loud fervor of Ganesh-utsav will totally relate to this webcomic:

Permalink: crocodileinwatertigeronland.tumblr.com

crocodileinwatertigeronland.tumblr.com

Can I just say I'm in Love with a capital L. I found this really awesome, super sarcastic and super meta webcomic that updates every Monday (the minuscule regular readership will know how I struggle with Monday mornings). Introducing Crocodile in Water Tiger on Land. I love everything about them including their introduction:

Crocodile in water tiger on land is a non-profit equal opportunity collection of below-the-belt cheap shots in comic form. Look for updates every Monday morning, the best time of the week for insults.

as well as their interview in Helter Skelter (which is where I discovered them)

flyyoufools.com

Not that I've not been in love before. There was Fly You Fools back in the day when Google Reader was a thing. [I have no idea who I have to thank for sharing this one but I definitely know who I have to curse for taking that beautiful community away from me. (Google, you are quite evil).] FYF had awesome pop-arty graphics and the foul-mouthed sarcasm that made it very relatable for me.  But it didn't last; not a peep from them since Feb 2011. 

mantaraycomics.tumblr.com/thesmallpicture

Then I discovered Manta Ray Comics and I used to look forward to their weekly comic, The Small Picture. It had so many things going for it: it had great art (Prabha Mallya, you're awesome!) and it was political and subtly sarcastic. It even had syndication; it used appear in the Live Mint. 

My favorite was this comic titled Toasted because it referenced Mad Men and when it came out, I was having a Don Draper moment. Needless to say I was floored (I loved the idea of Don Draper having to wrestle with advertising in the smartphone era.). However, all good things come an end and just like that, they went quite. But it was good while it lasted and it wasn't me, it was YOU. 

Any-the-who, one mustn't let past disappointments color one's judgement about future dalliances. Here's looking forward to Monday Mornings. 

An ode to how much you stink, Rambo

Rambo on a rare rainy afternoon in Bhuj

Meet Rambo, the dawg who lords around the entire office like he owns. And he is just as badass as his namesake. 

Image Source: rambo.wikia.com

He has multiple scars and presumably alpha-bragging rights. He will plonk his arse wherever he likes it and there aint no thang you can do 'bout it. Even if he creates a massive stink under your desk space. He'll just sit there and lick his balls and if you create a ruckus about him sitting there, he'll calmly raise a lazy, disinterested eye and then completely ignore you.

All Hail The Supreme Indifferent Master!