A 7 year old boy died in my city last week. Got electrocuted by a cable tv wire. A million visits by so-called VIPs to the dead boy's house later, nothing seems to have happened. The cables still hang, the rains still wash away wires, and to top it the city is being held at ransom by a bunch of luncatics called cable-tv operators, and officials of the BCC-BMP-Bescom and MLAs.
One look at the following list and you'll understand what's happening:
1. The CM visits the boy's family and announces a cash compensation (Rs.1 lakh??), which they promptly refuse. Fires a couple of officers of Bescom and orders and enquiry from the Secretariat.
2. The Power Minister visits the spot. Fires a couple of more Bescom officers and orders another enquiry from his ministry.
3. The Bescom chief visits. Doesn't fire any of his officials, but announces yet another enquiry!
(What will be the outcome of these politically backed enquiries is anybody's guess.)
4. Bescom annouces that it will cut down all illegal cable wires that are using their electric poles. Incidentally, there are about 400 km of legal cables and 12000 km of illegal ones in this city! Were the Bescom engineers napping when these guys were laying the cables? Or were they feeding their pockets with kickbacks from the operators?
5. Bescom cuts down illegal cable wires arbitrarily overnight. In the process, it cuts down some legal ones also ;-) .. This enrages the cable guys who cut off all cable transmissions in the middle of the Asia Cup cricket tournament .. The people are held at ransom for no fault of theirs!
The enquiries are still happening .. The cable guys are still striking .. The power guys are still blaming them .. The politicians are still milking the issue for political mileage .. The citizens are still gaping in utter confusion .. And everyone is passing the buck!
Indeed I feel sorry for the boy .. But not as much as I feel for the plight the city has come to .. Think about the glory that Bangalore was to become - The next Singapore, huh?! Forget Singapore, we will be the next Bermuda Triangle at this rate .. With so many suckers around!
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Ithaca
When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.
Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.
Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.
~Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.
Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.
Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.
~Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Phantom Phone Vibrations
The phenomenon of experiencing a sensation of vibration in the pocket-region, leading one to believe their cell phone is vibrating. The sensation can be triggered by other vibrations, such as the engine in a car, but can also appear when no external stimuli is present.
Ever happened to you? I swear it has happened to me .. Wonder when we'll start having illusions of phone calls themselves!
Ever happened to you? I swear it has happened to me .. Wonder when we'll start having illusions of phone calls themselves!
Sankey
So, here I was, fresh like a cuppof coffee and cruising the few miles to Sankey from my home. Everything seemed normal except the time - it was 5 in the morning. Not once in the last i-wonder-how-many years have I seen this unearthly time of the day, except, of course, returning from The Club or elsewhere after a night-out.
I hadn't been sleeping well, in spite of having taken multiple ceterizines to put me into slumber. Traveling across the globe does this to you. So, I was cruising I said. Yeah. Reaching Sankey at that odd hour, I was surprised to see I had company. A handful of people had already started on their morning strolls around the now beautifully made lake and the joggers' track that runs round it. It's a sight to behold on misty mornings. Specks of humans walking along the periphery of the glistening water! The sun's rays through Sadashivnagar's trees crisply touching the surface .. I suppose it's the closest you can get to nature in the midst of the fastest growing city in Asia.
I took a quick jog to the far end of the lake and stopped for breath. By now, a few hundred people had appeared from nowhere and were going about their routine morning walk. No pets allowed here, thankfully. Just stray dogs here and there, marking territory or chasing others of their kin. Jogging back at a lazy pace to the entrance of the park, I did a few fake exercises, all the while eyeing the cheese(!) and admiring the beauty around.
A stone's throw away is the Sadashivnagar Park, a one of its kind park in the city. Aesthetically made up, this park is managed by a body of the locality's residents. It's a pay-and-use facitlity. A pretty nice example of how a little bit of involvement and interest from civilians can make a difference to the city's landscape.
I've been going there regularly now. It's something I look forward to in the mornings. Wonder how long it'll last, the novelty-seeking type that I am. But when it is around, it's almost as good as it can get!
I hadn't been sleeping well, in spite of having taken multiple ceterizines to put me into slumber. Traveling across the globe does this to you. So, I was cruising I said. Yeah. Reaching Sankey at that odd hour, I was surprised to see I had company. A handful of people had already started on their morning strolls around the now beautifully made lake and the joggers' track that runs round it. It's a sight to behold on misty mornings. Specks of humans walking along the periphery of the glistening water! The sun's rays through Sadashivnagar's trees crisply touching the surface .. I suppose it's the closest you can get to nature in the midst of the fastest growing city in Asia.
I took a quick jog to the far end of the lake and stopped for breath. By now, a few hundred people had appeared from nowhere and were going about their routine morning walk. No pets allowed here, thankfully. Just stray dogs here and there, marking territory or chasing others of their kin. Jogging back at a lazy pace to the entrance of the park, I did a few fake exercises, all the while eyeing the cheese(!) and admiring the beauty around.
A stone's throw away is the Sadashivnagar Park, a one of its kind park in the city. Aesthetically made up, this park is managed by a body of the locality's residents. It's a pay-and-use facitlity. A pretty nice example of how a little bit of involvement and interest from civilians can make a difference to the city's landscape.
I've been going there regularly now. It's something I look forward to in the mornings. Wonder how long it'll last, the novelty-seeking type that I am. But when it is around, it's almost as good as it can get!
Inimitable La Loo
Laloo, in his inimatable style yesterday, fended off a reporter's question after having made his maiden Railway Budget speech.
Reporter: Where do you expect to bring in the funds for the sops?
Laloo: Why should I tell you? If I tell you, everybody will be alerted. But, chinta ki koi baat nahin, sab intezaam ho chuka hai. Manmohanji has assured me ...
Reporter: Where do you expect to bring in the funds for the sops?
Laloo: Why should I tell you? If I tell you, everybody will be alerted. But, chinta ki koi baat nahin, sab intezaam ho chuka hai. Manmohanji has assured me ...
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