IIT is featured on Sunday's Dilbert issue. Click here. One of the newer characters, Asok, is from IIT. He is portrayed as super-intelligent, but extremely naive and gullible. He demonstrated his powers in earlier issues by first heating a cup of coffee using only his mental powers, and then single handedly finishing an entire project because none of his project mates would return his calls. This issue is no different. He demonstrates his 'mind blowing' intelligence, quite literally.
Suprisingly, or not so surprisingly, Rajat Gupta (ex-ceo of McKinsey) reacted quite negatively. He said that the geeky image created by these strips was not accurate.
The latest Doonesbury strip also features Indian Engineers. Click here. It is mostly a reference to the outsourcing phenomena. The smartness of Indian engineers thrown in as an afterthough.
In a weird co-incidence, both came out on the same day.
On that topic, there was another strip which I encountered a while back that ran something like this:
(Picture from 1970s)
Dad to Kid: Eat your breakfast! Children in India are starving!
(Picture from 2000s)
Dad to Kid: Do your homework! If you don't, the kids from India will make you starve!
PS: The template has become a mess. Need to clean it up!!
Suprisingly, or not so surprisingly, Rajat Gupta (ex-ceo of McKinsey) reacted quite negatively. He said that the geeky image created by these strips was not accurate.
The latest Doonesbury strip also features Indian Engineers. Click here. It is mostly a reference to the outsourcing phenomena. The smartness of Indian engineers thrown in as an afterthough.
In a weird co-incidence, both came out on the same day.
On that topic, there was another strip which I encountered a while back that ran something like this:
(Picture from 1970s)
Dad to Kid: Eat your breakfast! Children in India are starving!
(Picture from 2000s)
Dad to Kid: Do your homework! If you don't, the kids from India will make you starve!
PS: The template has become a mess. Need to clean it up!!
15 comments:
The presence of Indians in American jokes and comdey is a sign that they are starting to make it in the country. I'm sure that it is terribly offensive to most people from India and that's understandable. but isuppose that on the up side it means that Americans have notised that there are a great many Indians of great intelligence and promise in the ol' USA. Theplacement of such characters as 7-11 clerks and such is probably a way for Americans to feel better about the fact that people from-dare I say it?!-a 3rd world country are going to be taking over. I think it's great. I'm glad to see that India is going to take over the hi tech world. I think it's about time for a change in that industry. also, I think it's about time for someone else to hold the reins. The US has proven itself unworthy to be a major world leader. The fact that Bush was allowed to return to office after he clearly cheated the election the first time shot down my hope for improvement in my home country. I think that the only thing that can save my motherland now is a big frothy cup of poverty to wake up the drive to make itself a great nation again. The dollar is going to fall. Will it be replaced by the rupee?
Here's link to the " single -handedly finishing project" one ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3231561.stm
Really like your new template
hmmm too much of orange is not what i expected of you,
but looks coooool !!!
Ramani, that Anon was me.
Some days back, I decided to attach my nick to all my posts, but due to quantitative limits on my attention span, I forget ...
I hardly get the feel of any festive season around ...
Yeah I see the 'ghostly spirit' Halloween all around - spooky masks, pumpkins, candies everywhere...
but.. heck its diwali time..
Happy Deepawali !!!
I want the firecrackers, sparklers, rockets... all the noise!!
I see you've even dressed your Blog in new attire. Now that was a stupid joke! bah!!! But I really really like this new format - No Jokes here!!!
-Intern
Happy Diwali Ramani. Happy Diwali Intern.
Wishing you wealth, knowledge and prosperity in the coming year. Enjoy the festive season with great spirit! :D
Regards
-Divster
[divster] thank you thank you. you too. and intern. and everyone else!
What is Diwali about? I heard that it was happening and that people were getting ready for it, but I've never heard of it before. Do you think you could write a little post about it for me? But happy Diwali, anyway.
And by the way, I'm not from the Far East. I'm from Massachusetts in the U.S.A. My father is from Argentina, that's where I get my complexion and hair color. The photo was taken at the Saco River in Maine/New Hampshire.
Actually, dictionary.com has Diwali listed as "the Hindu festival of lights. It commemorates the beginning of winter." That's not an idea people would embrace here in Iceland where the days are getting shorter and shorter. On the winter solstice there will be only 3.5 hours of direct sunshine here.
Hero.. As per ur request...
Diwali, as u might hav guessed, is this Indian festival celebrated nation-wide. The word DIWALI itself means "row of lights". Thats why its often called Festival of Lights.
Basically this festival is supposed to 'symbolise' the end of darkness and bring light and joy and prosperity in our homes. So, we have this custom of lighting up candles/lamps around the house. We also burst firecrackers throughout the week. Specially on the festive night.
As per Hindu mythology, this festival denotes two major events in Ancient Indian Epics. One is that a King called "RAMA" returns to his kingdom called AYODHYA after a long 14 yrs gap. The other event being Lord "KRISHNA" killed an evil demon Narakasura on this date. Both Rama and Krishna are said to be manifestation of One God only. So the message is simple.. we celebrate the victory of good over evil and just enjoy with our family and friends.
Hope I was of assistance.:D
-Divster
[hero] The dollar is going to fall. Will it be replaced by the rupee?
I really wouldn't mind that !! :D..
Well I do think you have a point..Indians dominate the high tech industry..you will be surprised to know what percentage of doctors/scientists/engineers in the US are Indian...
I think with increasing globalization..world wealth is going to be a lot more evenly spread out...a lot of big companies are now outsourcing to India..increasingly more and more of the core areas are going to india..but i think there will be a limit to that..
India lacks the educational infratstructure to support high-end research...and from a purely political point of view the US would be averse to it..
what if the latest Pentium chips were made in India..it would scare a lot of people..
[intern] thanks! the link was good too. i had read it a little while back, nice to read it again :D.
haloween was wonderful. we went out on saturday night, and everyone was dressed in colorful clothes. so much spirit. and spirits :D. good fun.
[divster] so how was diwali in hungary. went to a nice indian restaurant???:
[hero] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali
Divster version is the South Indian version. The North Indian version is different. We are a huge country so there is a lot of variation in language, culture, customs etc.
Well, it is closely connectected to an event in one of our epics. It was the day that the hero of the epic Rama returned after rescuing his wife from the evil King Ravana.
Actually, the biggest festival event in the western world Christmas, is scheduled during peak winter. I think it provides a means to uplift people during the winter and make the winter months more bearable.
Diwali signifies the conclusion of the Indian harvest and the beginning of winter.
We have another festival in January, Pongal which is also connected with the harvest. In some way it signifies the onset of spring, and the beginning a new harvest.
In a lot of India, we do not have very strong winters, so these festivals primarily indicate when the harvest is done, and the farmer earns a period of rest.
Have you been to Argentina? It's a great country. I have always wanted to visit South America.
Hmm...interesting..maybe I will make a Diwali post.
Hehe. My Diwali has always been celebrated in one major expensive way. "new dresses".. The nicest Indian restaurant in the world is right here in my own house..:P
Agreeing to the fact that I did post a 'south indian' version of this festival. The North complies more of worshipping the God(s) to bless us with good harvest this year. But invariably children r the ones who luv this festival the most! Time to burst crackers! scare ur sisters! :p
As for the end of harvest and starting of Spring, it is marked by the festival called Pongal (as per south india Pongal refers to a rice-dish). The North calls the same festival as "Baisakhi". Its a country folk festival.. started majorly by farmers.
Ramani.. come over sometime. I will treat u to a home made pongal and chutney food.:D
-Divster
Ahhhhh what I won't give for some kaju kathli now...
My mom has made Kaju Katli.. any takers...
Hehehe..Well.. now wat do i ask from Prashu. Basic courtesy towards women? naah. he knows he owes me that one.. hmmm (thinkin)
Ramani.. Loot adichiko! Unakku Kaju Katli free :D
Intern.. yah i checked that out. Hehe, i like ur style of writing girl. Checked out ur blog too. Certainly surpassed ma expectations. Keep writing.
-Divster
[intern] i have replied to that :D..
sorry people for being absent from blogland. me had interview in SFO. me could not refuse trip. me too happy to go. yes yes.
[prashanth] you should have come to UIUC. we had some great stuff :D. he he....will cost you a trip here ..happy diwali ..belated...
[divster] happy diwali..and to intern too.. :D..he he...yes yes...i want free kaju katli..since your mom has made some..can you send some to me :D...and some chutney and dosa wouldn't hurt as well..seriously..he he he he
[intern] thanks..yeah..those were great times...maybe one of the most enriching experiences of my short life :D...you like photography..put up some good photos along with the music stuff :D..
[divster] hmm...you should read the wikipedia article on Diwali..it didn't have the part on Narakasura..which I added :D..
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