Seshadri's Musings

Nowadays there are so many money-making machinery available, that we do not even think about how much is made by these institutions/companies/organisations.   I don’t know if these “extra” money is suitably taxed or they just end up making someone’s pocket fatter.   I am just illustrating a few of them below.   I have not mentioned any names as this is a generalized malaise across all the industry. First on the list are the Schools and the Colleges.   In schools, many of them have started their own store where you have to buy the books, uniforms and other materials related to the school work.   Since the school is availing one vendor for sourcing all these items, the schools will be getting some “huge” discount on these items.   But the parents are sold all “these” items at the MRP!!!   The discount that the school has worked out with the vendor, goes to fatten its own pockets!!   It is another matter that most of the items are available outside also, with discounts thrown in.  

Continuing with the games that I had played during my childhood, here are 2 more that I enjoyed! Pittoo – This is played outdoors in a park or a ground.   You need 7 stones, preferably flat ones that can be arranged one above the other.   Marble stones are preferable as they are flat.   And one tennis ball.   This is a team game. You can have any number between 3-7 in a team.   In the center of the ground, the 7 stones are placed one above the other, as displayed below. A toss is done to determine which team gets to hit the stones first.   The hitter of the team stands some 15 feet away from the stones and throws the ball to hit the stones.   A player of the opposition team stands some 15 feet away from the stone, on the opposite side, to catch the ball in case the player is not able to hit the ball.   In case the player is not able to hit the ball 3 times, he is declared out and does not participate further as long as his team is hitting.   The next player from his tea