Reliance Fresh - Cheating??

I am regular shopper in the Reliance Fresh store in Dhole Patil Road, Pune. I must have shopped there for over a 50 times. I normally do not check the bill except to see if all items that I have bought have been billed and any extra item has not been added. I do not check the total amount.

Recently, when I went to the Subiksha store in Nigidi, my aunt and I realized the bill amount was something like Rs 105.50 while he charged us Rs 106. So we went back and got the change. After that, I had decided to check my bills in the Reliance store too and I was shocked to see that everytime, the bill had amounted Rs. XXX. 50 and they had always charged me a round figure (something like 150, 147 and so on).

Now calculate for yourself, I must have shopped there atleast 50 times and if each time, they swindled my 50p, then it totalled to Rs. 25 just from me. Assuming there are about 200 customers a day, (which is a hypothetical number.. I am sure there are more people because it is always crowded), and they looted 50p from each, that s about Rs. 100 a day, and about Rs. 3000 a month and Rs. 36000 an year. That certainly is not a small amount.

Even when I offered to pay 50p and asked the guy in the cash counter to give me Re. 1, he said he did not have Re. 1. What a blatant lie :O

Looks like all these guys need an "anniyan" to come and screw their happiness. And wonder why most of them dont raise this issue.. either they think 50p is too small an amount at a particular point of time, or they dont care or they just dont want to create a scene with these goondas.

Wonder if this will reach the management and they do something about it? I will be sending an email to the feedback cell, with the contents of this blog. Please pass this on to as many people as you can.

I have henceforth decided that I d pay these guys exact change, like what happened yesterday. The guy said the total was Rs. 148, I asked him if it was 147.50 or 148. Now he did not have a choice as I tendered the exact change. Wonder why they dont price their items such that it never tallies to 50p in the end, or the government should stop the 50p in circulation to prevent these guys from looting.

Laaga Chunari mein Daag

I aint going to waste precious space here. And for those of you who havent watched this film, please dont waste your time and money !! That s all there is to it...

The oxymoron called -public figures and private lives-

It is not often that one comes across a news paper that publishes relevant news. Now, that depends up on what you identify as news.

I am sure the reporters today are being trained in such a way, they are able to collect very "valid" information about their nation. Oh yes, if you don't believe me, pick up a copy of today's Times of India, Pune Edition. The front page talks in detail about how Sachin Tendulkar has bought property worth 40 cr in Bandra, Mumbai. Isnt this of national importance, taking precedence over N-deal?

Even newspapers like DNA that launched with much fanfare, strive to provide such news article, in an effort to stay in competition.

Midday shot to fame, posting pictures of Shahid-Kareena episode. Princess Diana was killed in a vain effort to ward off paparazzi. Newspapers are running short of "valid" news, so they are creating news everyday. Saif-Kareena-Shahid-Amrita-John-Bipasha and now currently Deepika-Dhoni..whew the list never ends.

What frustrates me more is websites like rediff have chosen to play along the same lines. Articles like "who is more hot in a bikini - Bips or Amu" evoke super public response and have the most number of comments. It is certainly okay to talk about their career, Cinema , politics and also a bit about their personal live to spice it up.

But what has happened is the spice has become the main ingredient with the rest all taking a back seat.

So why is media behind the private lives of these public figures? Just to get TRP, more hits and increase sales.. crap... Princess Diana has been dead for over a decade now. Let her atleast stay that way in peace. For heaven's sake, stop hounding her soul. Yes, justice should be done to her, but not this way please.

I still remember an incident where were a couple of army guys who fought against some terrorists and laid their lives for India, but the so called Breaking news and Flash news on all the Indian channels read "Abhishek proposes to Aishwarya, she says yes. Bollywood's first family to announce engagement soon".

BBC happened to relay the news on the Indian soldiers.

It is extremely sad that what should be a total private affair has come under public scrutiny, while all the other issues of national and world importance have been thrown to the dogs.

There have been articles like Sandeep Soparkar adopting a kid.. - Good job on that one but how many such articles do you see everyday?

I would not be surprised, if one day there is article that describes how Mr. ABC shit in the loo for 15 minutes in the morning, while reading some book on biography, with a Marlboro cigarette and whether he used brand A tissue or brand B (the brands will capitalize on this and make Mr. ABC their brand ambassador).

All you public figures out there, check your loos for bugs.

And would someone teach media how to behave?

For all you book lovers out there...

Hyderabad is known for its biriyani.. Now there s something else to look forward to... http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2007/aug/21book.htm Read this to know more about the Hyderabad Sunday Book Market.

Hit the city over a weekend, gorge on those mouth-watering biriyanis, and grab a good collection for your bookcase.