It has been 29 years since computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, and we can’t imagine life without it. As one humourist noted, “I put so much more effort into naming my first Wi-Fi than my first child.” For many of us, surfing is now our major form of entertainment:
“9 a.m.: I’m very busy today, I need to focus and stay off the internet.
“1 p.m.: *watches YouTube* baby giraffes can stand [and] run within a hour of being born.”
— @THATERICALPER (Eric Alper)
And it’s the primary way we express ourselves:
Facebook: “My kids are perfect.”
Instagram: “My kids are beautiful.”
Twitter: “My kids are why I drink.” — @XplodingUnicorn
In true Digest tradition, we’ve collected the best online gags, giggles and spoofs. Do you have a favourite? Send it to us at editor.india@rd.com.
The FUNNIEST
INTERNET STAR
Finicky Feline
Grumpy Cat (that’s her frowning to the left) made a name for herself in 2012 when her dour puss struck a chord with like-minded humans. Kitties, it turns out, are the cat’s meow online, and former web editor Emily Huh has a theory why. Unlike dog owners, who can visit dog parks, “Cat owners don't have a cat park where they can congregate to talk about their cats,” she told hellogiggles.com. In other words, the internet is the dog park for cat people. Sadly, the internet’s most famous critter passed away on 14 May 2019 after an illness at the age of seven, but her legacy lives on in countless memes shared by millions.
SIGN LANGUAGE
This story is from the October 2019 edition of Reader's Digest India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2019 edition of Reader's Digest India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi
Pushpesh Pant, one of India’s pre-eminent food writers, is back with a comprehensive food history of the capital.
Who Wants Coffee?
It’s bitter—but beloved around the world
Prevent The Pain Of Shingles
You don't have to suffer, as long as you take two important steps
The Best And Worst Diets For Your Heart
Dozens of diets are touted as ‘best’, but it’s easy to lose track of the fact that healthy eating needs to be about overall wellness, not just weight loss.
ME & MY SHELF
Journalist Sopan Joshi has worked in a science and environment framework for nearly three decades. His book Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango (Aleph Book Company) synthesizes the sensory appeal of India's favourite fruit with its elaborate cultural roots and natural history. He writes in English and Hindi.
SWITCHED
In 1962, nurses at a small Canadian hospital sent home two women with the wrong babies. Then, 50 years later, their children discovered the shocking mistake.
ECHOES OF THE PAST
A VISIT TO THE ANCIENT BARABAR CAVES IN BIHAR REVEALS A SURPRISING CONNECTION TO A LITERARY CLASSIC
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honour the many men who helped her survive her childhood
Fiction's Foresight
British-Bangladeshi author Manzu Islam's works reveal startling parallels to recent political upheavals in Bangladesh, begging the question: Besides helping us make sense of our world, can stories also offer a glimpse into the future?
It Happens ONLY IN INDIA
The Divine Defence Picture this: A tractor in Rajasthan‘s Banswara district,a group of loan agents closing in to seize it and the defaulting farmer and his family standing by.
