KHATI CORNER

AI muddleInternationally acclaimed sand sculptor Sudarsan Patnaik was recently taken by surprise when Bollywood showman Subhash Ghai sent him an appreciation message, thanking him for making a fabulous sand sculpture of Ghai himself. Taking to X, Ghai showered praise on Sudarsan, calling him the finest sand artist in India. It was all very flattering, except for one tiny detail — Sudarsan never made it. Naturally confused, Sudarsan responded with all politeness. He thanked Ghai warmly, said he was a huge fan, and then gently delivered the plot twist — the sand sculpture seemed to be AI-generated, and there may have been some misunderstanding.Numbers matterWhile talking about the LPG situation, civil supplies minister Krushna Chandra Patra earlier this week claimed that while the daily requirement is around 2,000 cylinders, nearly 14,000 are currently available. It left many scratching their heads and reaching for the calculators. The statement drew flak online, with users calling it vague and asking the question — 2,000 cylinders for Bhubaneswar alone or the entire state? "Kindly specify the geography before the math," one user quipped. Another suggested the minister might want to double-check his figures before going public. "A little homework could save a lot of guesswork," the user wrote.Motivational postBMC has been posting photographs of apartment and housing societies on its official X handle, lauding their sincerity in paying the user fee that many residents seem reluctant to pay. Its X handle never usually see such postings. But this one was understandable — to motivate people to follow in the footsteps of those who complied. Bumpy rideHealth minister Mukesh Mahaling, allegedly riding a motorcycle without wearing a helmet during a Ram Navami rally, has become a hot topic of discussion. BJD issued a statement, criticising the minister. The minister's alleged ride without a helmet was also shared by social media users. In response, a BJP office-bearer said BJD members and leaders had doing this several times in the past, but BJP never turned into a political issue. "This shows the BJD has enough time to nitpick over such trivial matters," said the BJP member.(Contributed by Team TOI)