PVR and other multiplexes - Overcharging and Cheating

I am sure most of us must have watched movies in the multiplexes that are mushrooming everywhere these days. The have become so popular that people now avoid going to the good old theatres. I agree that these new halls give a superior experience of watching movies, be it the the sound, seating comfort etc. Though the charges for a movie is more than double what you might pay in the good old theatres, the wholesome experience might justify the extra cost.

But nowadays these multiplexes have started making rules which cause inconvenience to the customers and give them a handsome profit. They do not allow you to take anything inside the hall except your mobile, wallet and clothes that you wear(thankfully!!). The other day a friend of mine had a packet of mouth freshner and the security at the entrance would not allow it inside. I fail to understand how that could be a security hazard?? This particular case happened in one of the largest multiplex group in India - PVR. They made him throw it away in the dustbin. People who had shopping items/carrybags were asked to deposit them at a retain chain in another floor.

One is not allowed to carry anything eatble/drinkable. So when you spend about 3.5 hours(most hindi movies are about 3 hours+time b4 and after the movie), you are bound to feel a little thirsty or hungry unless you have just had something before you come in. This in turn increases the sales of items at their counters inside the premises. And the prices are exhobitant to say the least. The prices are at least twice the normal and in many cases over 3 times. They do not sell packaged items in most cases as it restricts them to charge MRP. This is a sort of looting the public. And the authorities just dont care (or maybe they dont want to care).

A few months ago a TV channel had highlighted the case where bottled water was being charged Rs. 20 whereas the retail price is Rs.10. What was surprising was that the MRP itself was printed Rs. 20??? Now does not anyone smell irregularties here!!!!!!

What I fail to understand is that:
1) How can something that has been allowed to be carried into the mall/building be a security hazard inside the hall?
2) Why dont the authorities wake up and check the overcharging for the food at these theatres?

(ok... feeling lazy now.. wud add more later...)

Quiz

Hi frenz..

Sorry, no quiz again this week. Guess this shows how busy work is keeping me these days ;)

Quiz - VIII

Friday and its Quiz Time:

1. What is the name of the last(soon to be released) Harry Potter book in the series.
2. Now most of us must have travelled by Indian Railways. What does reservation status RAC stand for?
3. Whose logo is this?
4. Which brand has the punchline "How many do you have?"
5. Which company recently purchased the online portal CricInfo and from which company?
6. Connect: Spiff, Rosalyn, Susie Derkins, Moe, Wormwood. (Sitter... moreso if you know me:)
7. Another Connect: Home, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, Ultimate
8. We all know the the Amul ads with witty takes on several topics. What is the advertisement below a take on?
9. Who coined the term BRIC (as in BRIC Countries, when they came out with BRIC report)?
10. Which films had the following tagline:
    The Fastest Hands In The East Meet The Biggest Mouth In The West
    A Hero Will Rise

Check out the comments for the answers.

Reservations II

For my earlier post refer -> Reservations

I am sure many of us (at least those in North India) must have face some trouble due to the Gujjar Reservation issue a few weeks ago.

These incidents of violence were just a trailer or where things might go from here.
For those who are unaware of the issue: Gujjar is a community which is categorized as OBC and enjoys limited reservation privileges. Now they want to be downgraded to ST(Scheduled Tribe) status.(ST is considered to be lower in the social ladder and so enjoy a lot more benefits from education to government job postings) . Not that they do not enjoy any but stepping to a lower rung would get them more.

Though they have calmed down now after an assurance that a committee would look into the issue in 3 months. But consider the consequences if they are granted the status!!!
Every other community would come on the road, hold governments to ransom and demand to to be downgraded. And then 100s of committees can be formed to look at it. And everyone can then be put into Scheduled Caste. (That would be wonderful).
All the politicians can then make election promises to get the community added to ST and thus procure votes.

On one hand, the ******* politicians are trying to divide on OBC status by getting them reservations in premier educational institutes, OBC communities are trying to move down to ST, and unreserved are trying to get into OBC. Now that is what I call "Survival of the weakest"(considering the social status), though nothing showed that they are underprivileged.

If only politicians start to realize the problems due to increasing reservations(I know they do realize but just that declaring it openly is not favorable to them..). Hoping at the judicial system takes notice and instructs the government to lay a concrete path to removing reservations gradually(wishful thinking!!!)

On the other hand... there is the Meena community...
(got to go... will continue some other time)

So much for equality...

Friday Quiz

Sorry, no quiz this week.
But do check out next week.

Quiz - VII

Here goes this week's quiz:

1. Which airline is going to be the first to introduce the Airbus A380, world's largest aircraft in its fleet?
2. Expand NASDAQ.
3. Whose logo is this?
4. Identify the advertiser.
5. Connect: Green, Gellar, Bing, Buffay, Tribbiani.
6. What are you referring to when you say 'Google Doodle'?
7. There are 6 Indian companies on Fortune 500 list currently. Reliance Industries, IOC, Bharat Petroleum, HPCL, ONGC are five of them. Name the missing one.
8. Though the theory has note been proved conclusively, what does 'six degrees of separation' mean/state?
9. what is ISBN and what is it used for?
10. Where is the famous museum Louvre located? (yes, the same museum from the Da Vinci Code)
    

Good goin everyone... for the answers chek out the comments...

Quiz - VI

Its Friday again.. and here is this week's quiz:

1. B.Tech.,Chemical Engineering ,Osmania University; MBA- IIM Ahmedabad; Member of the Rohinton Baria award winning Osmania Univ. team; Biographer for Mohammed Azharuddin; Worked for sometime at the Clarion ad agency; researcher for Sunil Gavaskar presents on Doordarshan.Now a scribe in his own right. Whom am I referring to?
2. Which four titles together constitute the Grand Slam in Tennis?
3. Connect Alerts, Labs, Scholar, Sets and Trends ?
4. Whose strapline is : "Kal par control" ?
5. In Bollywood, how do we better know Mumtaz Jahanara Begum?
6. Which state in India has its only official language as English?
7. What is the meaning of the word "Hi-Fi"?
8. Identify this.
9. In 1939, Ernest Vincent Wright wrote a novel 'Gadsby'. What is its claim to fame?
10. Who wrote Jana Gana Mana - the Indian national anthem? (u ought to get this...)

Check out the comments for the answers...