Taco Bhel

Bachi Karkaria's Erratica and its cheeky sign-off character, Alec Smart, have had a growing league of followers since 1994 when the column began in the Metropolis on Saturday. It now appears on the Edit Page of the Times of India, every Thursday. It takes a sly dig at whatever has inflated political/celebrity egos, and got public knickers in a twist that week. It makes you chuckle, think and marvel at the elasticity of the English language. It is a shooting-from-the-lip advice column to the lovelorn and otherwise torn, telling them to stop cribbing and start living -- all in her her branded pithy, witty style. LESS ... MORE
Street food always comes up Trumps
It also gets tarreefs. Wall Street has been unkind to versatile taco by associating it with a guy who's merely versatile in changing his mind/policies/friends/foes. Its acronym has been particularly snarky to a President for whom all things Mexican are difficult to swallow. It's doubly delish that TACO was dished out by a street called Wall, coined by Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong. Should I succumb to the temptation of bringing in the 'strong arm' tactics of the present POTUS? Na–chhod do. Letit pass. 'Trump Always Chickens Out' has bred a brood of jokes, but the ones laughing all the way to the bank are street-smart dealers who bought when a tariff announcement took a bite out of a stock, and sold when a rescinding made it regain its mojo. Takings have been plumper than a Butterball turkey since Trump has see-sawed 50 times on tariffs since he returned to the menu. So, there's much Thanksgiving there.
'Good friend Modi' may not use the TACO jibe about 'Good friend Donald', but 'taycos' have plenty of takers in Gujju-land. In fact, Taco Bell has Mehtamorphosed to Taco Bhel, stuffed with anything. This has also been the fate of the traditional quintessential Bombay dish. Indeed noun has become verb; it's been 'bhel-puried'. Actually all dishes 'Make-see-kun' have been revolutionised, ordered from outlets called Pancho Villa, and polished off in a 'Zapata'. That's when the hungry aren't leaning towards 'peeza'.
Masalafied Mexican and Italian have a pan-Indian following but nowhere more than in Ahmedabad. Remember, it was called the experimental theatre of Hindutva, but I've always found it to experimental theatre of food. Anything goes, even ingredients/toppings/fillings that don't conventionally go with one another. I'll get sarson da saagified for saying this, but culinary 'new normal' was first institutionalised in the khao galis of Amdavad. Like in another context, if others gave you a 'goli', they'd give you an ice 'gola' – in 22 flavours. The laadiwalas' of Manek Chowk had innovative pani-puri pani long before fancy fusion chefs started serving it in cutesy containers, and at distinctly uncutesy prices.
Yes, there may be plenty of Ahmedabaddies, but I'm all for streetside Ahmedagoodies.
***
Alec Smart said: 'Drones are now the worker bees of the war-hive.'
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author's own.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

First Post

20 minutes ago

• First Post

Why Donald Trump is desperate to win Nobel Peace Prize

Donald Trump has once again ranted about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize. In a long post on Truth Social, he listed a number of reasons why he deserves it. Now, Islamabad has nominated him for the honour for his 'decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis'. But why does the US president long for the validation of the prize so much? read more US President Donald Trump has once again complained about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize. AP United States President Donald Trump has made no bones about coveting a Nobel Peace Prize. He brought up the award again while reiterating his claim of ending hostilities between India and Pakistan — an assertion rejected by New Delhi. Trump has mentioned the Nobel Peace Prize dozens of times publicly, be it in his speeches, interviews or campaign rallies. After failing to get the award in his first term, his obsession with the prestigious award has returned. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But why does Trump desire the Nobel Peace Prize so strongly? We will take a look. Trump says 'won't get Nobel Peace Prize' US President Donald Trump reiterated his claims of brokering a peace deal between India and Pakistan, griping he would not get a Nobel Peace Prize for 'stopping' the 'war' between the two South Asian neighbours. In a long post on his Truth Social platform on Friday (June 20), the Republican leader mentioned the prestigious award six times. He listed a variety of reasons why he should get the award. The Republican leader complained he would not get the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the Russia-Ukraine or Israel-Iran conflicts. 'I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize, no matter what I do,' Trump said in his post. The US President began the post saying he was 'very happy' to report that he, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has arranged a 'wonderful treaty between Congo and Rwanda, in their war, which was known for violent bloodshed and death, more so even than most other Wars, and has gone on for decades.' He went on to say that representatives from Rwanda and Congo will be in Washington on Monday to sign documents, adding that this was a 'Great Day for Africa and, quite frankly, a Great Day for the World!' Donald J. Trump Truth Social 06.20.25 05:58 PM EST — Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 20, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump said he 'won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for keeping Peace between Egypt and Ethiopia.' The US president has claimed multiple times that he halted the 'war between India and Pakistan' . New Delhi has, however, maintained that an understanding to cease fire with Pakistan was reached after direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries. Trump then said that he 'won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing the Abraham Accords' in West Asia, which, 'if all goes well, will be loaded to the brim with additional countries signing on, and will 'unify' West Asia 'for the first time in 'The Ages!'' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Abraham Accords, signed during Trump's first term at the White House, are landmark agreements to establish ties between Israel and four Arab countries. Trump ended his post with: 'No, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and that's all that matters to me!' Trump's obsession with Nobel Peace Prize This is not the first time that Trump has lamented not winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He has spoken about it several times, and as per New York Times (NYT), complained 'publicly and privately' about not getting it for nearly a decade. As Trump pushes for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and a peace deal in West Asia, the 'award is looming large in his mind', the American newspaper reported, citing current and former advisers. At an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February, the US president said: 'They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize.' 'It's too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has been nominated many times for the Nobel Peace Prize. A wide variety of people can nominate someone for the honour. Last year, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, a Republican from New York, nominated him for brokering the Abraham Accords. Norwegian politician Christian Tybring-Gjedde and a Swedish political figure, Magnus Jacobsson, nominated Trump during his first term. But the esteemed prize evaded the US president. Trump has been nominated once again. In February, Anat Alon-Beck, an Israeli-born professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, submitted a letter to the Nobel committee, arguing that Trump should get the award for his early work on securing a peace deal in West Asia. 'By securing the release of hostages, standing firm against antisemitism, and fostering historic agreements that bring stability to the world's most volatile regions, [Trump] has once again demonstrated why he is a deserving recipient,' Alon-Beck wrote, as per Axios. The Trump administration officials have also rallied behind the US president in his quest for the prestigious prize, which is decided by the Nobel Committee – appointed by Norway's parliament. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The Nobel Peace Prize is illegitimate if President Trump — the ultimate peace president — is denied his rightful recognition of bringing harmony across the world,' Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, said in a statement earlier. Speaking to Fox News in February, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump deserves a Nobel for his efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. 'If it were fairly awarded, I think in a year, he should get it from what I've seen,' he said. US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and New York Representative Elise Stefanik have also advocated for Trump winning the Nobel. Meanwhile, Pakistan has nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize 'in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis'. 'At a moment of heightened regional turbulence, President Trump demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship through robust diplomatic engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi which de-escalated a rapidly deteriorating situation, ultimately securing a ceasefire and averting a broader conflict between the two nuclear states that would have had catastrophic consequences for millions of people in the region and beyond', a statement by Pakistan on Saturday (June 21) claimed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The announcement came just days after the US president hosted Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir at the White House for lunch. Islamabad has parroted Trump's claim that he 'helped settle' the hostilities between the neighbours. ALSO READ: Not so Noble: How the Nobel Prize has become the most controversial award ever Why is Trump pushing for the Nobel Peace Prize? Trump's obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize may have to do with former US President Barack Obama, who had won the award less than nine months after taking office in 2009. Obama, who was a highly controversial choice, got the prize for his 'extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples'. Trump has criticised the Nobel committee for picking Obama for the award. In 2019, the Republican leader said he should get the prize 'for a lot of things, if they gave it out fairly — which they don't. They gave one to Obama immediately upon his ascent to the presidency, and he had no idea why he got it. … That was the only thing I agreed with him on.' Towards the end of his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly brought up Obama's Nobel Peace Prize, ranting that he did not deserve the award. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'If I were named Obama, I would have had the Nobel Prize given to me in 10 seconds,' he said. John Bolton, who was ousted by Trump as his national security adviser in 2019, told NYT, 'The centre of his public life is the greater glory of Donald Trump, and the Nobel Peace Prize would be a nice thing to hang on the wall.' 'He saw that Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize and felt if Obama got it for not doing anything, why should he not get it?' he said of the US president. While Trump longs for the validation of the Nobel Peace Prize, critics say he does not deserve it, as there is no guarantee he will achieve a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine or in West Asia. They also accuse the US president of aligning himself with aggressors. With inputs from agencies

Time of India

38 minutes ago

• Time of India

Japan scraps US meeting after Washington demands more defense spending: FT reports

Japan called off a key meeting with the United States. This followed a demand from the Trump administration. The US wanted Japan to significantly increase its defense spending. The request was higher than previous expectations. This development occurred before crucial upper house elections in Japan. It also precedes a NATO meeting where similar spending demands are anticipated from European allies. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Japan has canceled an annual high-level meeting with key ally the United States after the Trump administration demanded it spend more on defense , the Financial Times reported on of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had been expected to meet Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Washington on July 1 for the yearly 2+2 security Tokyo scrapped the meeting after the U.S. asked Japan to boost defense spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product, higher than an earlier request of 3%, the newspaper said, citing unnamed sources familiar with the Nikkei newspaper reported on Saturday that President Donald Trump 's administration was demanding that its Asian allies, including Japan, spend 5% of GDP on defense.A Japanese foreign ministry official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters on Saturday that Japan and the U.S. have never discussed 3.5% or 5% targets for defense spending. The official also said he had no information about the FT is generally difficult to coordinate such four-way meetings, especially as Hegseth is busy with the crisis in the Middle East, he said.A U.S. official who asked not to be identified told Reuters that Japan had "postponed" the talks in a decision made several weeks ago. The official did not cite a reason. A non-government source familiar with the issue said he had also heard Japan had pulled out of the meeting but not the reason for it doing Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said she had no comment on the FT report when asked about it at a regular briefing. The Pentagon also had no immediate embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. The nation's defense ministry and the Prime Minister's Office did not answer phone calls seeking comment outside business hours on FT said the higher spending demand was made in recent weeks by Elbridge Colby, the third-most senior Pentagon official, who has also recently upset another key U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific by launching a review of a project to provide Australia with nuclear-powered March, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said that other nations do not decide Japan's defense budget, after Colby called for Tokyo to spend more to counter China in his nomination hearing to be under secretary of defense for and other U.S. allies have been engaged in difficult trade talks with the United States over President Trump's worldwide tariff FT said the decision to cancel the July 1 meeting was also related to Japan's July 20 upper house elections, expected to be a major test for Ishiba's minority coalition move on the 2+2 comes ahead of a meeting of the U.S.-led NATO alliance in Europe next week, at which Trump is expected to press his demand that European allies boost their defense spending to 5% of GDP.

Mint

an hour ago

• Mint

Trump Says Spain Has to Pay as NATO Seeks Deal on Spending

NATO allies are pressing Spain to sign on to a stepped-up defense spending target and end a holdout that US President Donald Trump portrayed as unacceptable. Ahead of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit starting Tuesday that Trump is scheduled to attend, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is the only leader who's outright opposed to the proposal to raise outlays to 5% of gross domestic product. 'NATO's going to have to deal with Spain,' Trump told reporters during a trip to his New Jersey golf club on Friday. 'Spain's been a very low payer. I think Spain has to pay what everybody else has to pay.' Ambassadors of NATO member countries held inconclusive talks in Brussels on Friday and are expected to continue into the weekend, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked for anonymity to discuss private consultations. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is negotiating directly with Sanchez, the people said. Others among the alliance's lowest spenders, such as Italy and Belgium, have expressed doubt about the 5% goal and asked for flexibility but eventually came on board. The two-day NATO summit in The Hague begins on Tuesday. While Rutte initially proposed a 2032 target, the latest draft pushes the date back to 2035. His wish to see mandatory yearly increases has also been stripped, which should make the process easier for laggards. NATO's existing target calls for member countries to spend 2% of GDP on defense. Under the new target, 1.5% would go to broader defense-related spending such as cybersecurity as well as infrastructure for moving troops and military equipment. The agreed criteria are broad enough that all allies should be able meet that part of the plan quickly, according to the people. The increase in core defense spending from 2% to 3.5% will be much harder to deliver. What could help bring Spain on board is that NATO will review the equipment and troops it deems necessary in 2029. The price tag attached to its capabilities could be tweaked at that point, potentially providing some breathing room for countries, according to the people. With assistance from Skylar Woodhouse. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.