Eavesdropper / Getting the creeps

There’s more in Rasna’s (remember the soft drink?) ‘Naya Pranky’ consumer offer that meets the eye. The new package design displayed creepy-crawlies – snakes, lizards, cockroaches, beetles, – by the dozen. These were ‘Naya Prankies’ or replicas of insects which could be worn as rings or used as finger puppet.
Eavesdropper proceeded to buy the pack and then opened it with some trepidation. Only to spew out an innocuous looking eraser in the shape of a little ol’groundnut! Whatever happened to getting the creeps, we ask.

There are brilliant suggestions going around on how to reverse the economic slowdown in the United States. Some like President Bush want a trillion- dollar tax cut though many question the efficacy of that proposal and of Mr Bush himself. Some — unhappy with the magnitude of interest rate cuts engineered to date — want Al Greenspan, the Federal Reserve chief, to work some more magic.

But while the above are quite boring, here’s an interesting, though somewhat macabre suggestion. A senior official of an Indian telephone company wants the US to go to war. “That’s the only means to jumpstart the economy”, says he. Well, even though historical evidence — the boom following the two World Wars and the Gulf war — does support the gentleman’s argument, could we request for something less drastic?

Journalists have innovative ways of extracting mobile numbers from potentially valuable sources. One enterprising newshound approached an industry honcho for an autograph. The industry big-wig was flattered, embarrassed and proud all at once. After all, it’s not often that journos ask for autographs. He however burst out laughing when he was asked to write the “98 wala number” instead of the traditional signature. And yes, he did oblige.