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Prasant's colleague got a couple of helmets from the UK - both BELL Ventures (reviews here). Picked one up - seems very nice - especially with the adjustable "head-grip" or whatever.
Finally, will look weird riding to work :D
Got a helmet - Bell Venture
Prasant's colleague got a couple of helmets from the UK - both BELL Ventures (reviews here). Picked one up - seems very nice - especially with the adjustable "head-grip" or whatever.
Finally, will look weird riding to work :D
Bangalore Commute Data Update
Update for this:
- 66 responses so far.
- 51.5% ppl commute <>
- 56% take the car(25.8%)/2 wheeler. And this survey first went out to a cyclists' (15.2%) list
- 71% people have divided roads - Bangalore sure has improved. A mere 10.6% have unpaved surfaces enroute.
- 30.3% folks go at 8-9am, another 30.3% at 9-10am
- 77% people leave bet 5-8pm. Shows on the roads
- Average Speeds: 37.9% < 20kmph, 41.4% between 31-45kmph
- 30.8% ppl encounter a jam once a day, 29.2% find multiple jams everyday
- 65%+ folks do groceries within a km! Thats nice. Walk ? Drive ?
- 39.4% exercise rarely, another 24.4% only "sometimes"
Free Geek Giveaways!
SDRAM
AGP Video Card
These are from a pal - check out and let me know if you're interested.
400kms up!
Got past the 400km (of cycling on the Merida) mark last evening. here's the reading after this morning's ride to work:
Some other random pics of the bike:
Bharath makes cars go at 180kmpl!
http://specials.rediff.com/money/2008/aug/07sl1.htm
Bharat - one of Shubha's cousins - was involved in the above project. He's been pretty passionate about it - and good to see the young team manage both the tech and the PR this well. I'm hoping they are able to impact the auto scene in India building upon ideas demonstrated here - all thats needed is some faith and a free hand given by the suits at the auto companies. Or maybe there's value in striking out on their own - creating a consulting and maybe a components startup that helps multiple automakers achieve better efficiencies.
Alien Alert - Holy Cow!
C`est La Vie: BREAKING NEWS indeed!!!
Holy Cow - and broken news :)
Now we know why milk's more expensive....
Commute Data for Bangalore
Am trying to gather commuting data for Bangalore. The idea is to see whats happening, and whats possible. Of course, will pass this on to those promoting cycling, and hope to see a lot more pedallers on the roads :)
Will keep this open till there's enough data and then publish it here.
Please take this survey and pass it on to colleagues/friends.
Survey : Commuting in Bangalore
Update:
- 66 responses so far.
- 51.5% ppl commute < 15kms to work
- 56% take the car(25.8%)/2 wheeler. And this survey first went out to a cyclists' (15.2%) list
- 71% people have divided roads - Bangalore sure has improved. A mere 10.6% have unpaved surfaces enroute.
- 30.3% folks go at 8-9am, another 30.3% at 9-10am
- 77% people leave bet 5-8pm. Shows on the roads
- Average Speeds: 37.9% <>
- 30.8% ppl encounter a jam once a day, 29.2% find multiple jams everyday
- 65%+ folks do groceries within a km! Thats nice. Walk ? Drive ?
- 39.4% exercise rarely, another 24.4% only "sometimes"
This is weird : SIMI ban lifted
SIMI is now an officially acceptable organization.
Given how many blast related articles this org's name has appeared in - this is extremely weird. Perhaps they were just following the law literally - as they should - or maybe the govt decided they'd be easier to track if they are official, and record whatever they do (they hardly fizzled out just because of the ban). But even so - almost sounds like an endorsement. While I'm loathe to tie community specific org's to specific activities, SIMI is highly suspect and this does not sound right.
Edit: On the other hand, there is a silver lining, however disconnected to the main story. It does show that the executive cannot influence the judiciary directly, and that can only be a confirmation for our democratic health. Not to imply that I agree with the judgment itself, but this aspect's certainly positive.
Given how many blast related articles this org's name has appeared in - this is extremely weird. Perhaps they were just following the law literally - as they should - or maybe the govt decided they'd be easier to track if they are official, and record whatever they do (they hardly fizzled out just because of the ban). But even so - almost sounds like an endorsement. While I'm loathe to tie community specific org's to specific activities, SIMI is highly suspect and this does not sound right.
Edit: On the other hand, there is a silver lining, however disconnected to the main story. It does show that the executive cannot influence the judiciary directly, and that can only be a confirmation for our democratic health. Not to imply that I agree with the judgment itself, but this aspect's certainly positive.
Akshat's first bike trail
This was organized by some really enthu bikers from bangalore-bikers@googlegroups.com. 12+kms x 4 laps was the full race - and I thought it would be both inspiring and fun for Akshat to see a bunch of riders and a real trail.
Perfect weather, and Akshat managed to get up in the nick of time. We filled up on fluids, chocolates and were off. Took him through the bigger roads rather nervously - he has not yet figured out directional control that well - and made it to the starting point ok - about 2.5 kms from home. Over the next half hour over 25 people joined, and Akshat was easily the youngest of the lot!
Ravi and gang had been working hard, recce'ing the trail and marking it in detail for the rest of us - and there were arrangements for a toolkit, snacks and I even got a spare helmet. We started off around 9 - and everyone pretty much dissapeared within minutes while I kept pace with Akshat to get him comfortable riding given the new bike and new terrain. we soon hit a major stretch of slush, which he found extremely tough to negotiate - and perseverance on his part and some motivational effort on mine saw him not only carry on, but with a firm resolve to just ride through any slush he encountered later!
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Akshat completed a full lap - a little over 12kms - and was not too tired at the end. I did another lap by myself - a lot quicker - and then headed home. Total ride for the day - 30kms for me and 17 for Akshat - not bad for a first attempt :)
A great way to spend a Sunday morning. Most importantly, Akshat proved to be a way better rider and showed much better stamina than I'd expected.
Edit: Some trail pix courtesy Pradeep.
A great way to spend a Sunday morning. Most importantly, Akshat proved to be a way better rider and showed much better stamina than I'd expected.
Edit: Some trail pix courtesy Pradeep.
Free Stuff ?
Started yet another blog - to connect people who want to get rid of stuff, to people who want to help them get rid of it.
http://givefree.blogspot.com/
This is part social experiment, part curiosity, part a need waiting for a solution. Also, want to see whether the spirit of giving has any virality built into it.
The Li'lfox Demon
Got Akshat one of those over the weekend. He's totally thrilled, and its a proper bike. hope to go on rides with him now that his knees won't bend all the time. Gotta teach him how to use brakes, first...
Oh yeah, the blasts
Bangalore got away relatively unharmed, and not too perturbed. Its the Ahmedabad folks who had it really bad. Sad. Confounding.
We're a very weird species.
We're a very weird species.
Paper, Plastic, Cups
A lot of offices use paper cups. Lots of paper cups. For water, tea, etc. Sometimes even plastic ones. A discussion on one of the yahoo groups I'm a part of brought out this. Apparently, one floor uses 4000+ paper cups in month!
A simple and effective way out - gift each employee a basic ceramic mug or even a pseud looking stell one when they join - and a hip looking bottle they can refill for water. Saves infinite plastic/paper. [Increases the amount of water a person drinks too and thats usually healthy.]
Styrofoam is even worse - its got similar problems as plastics, and more so from a health pov.
Finally, nothing quite beats "wash and reuse". Especially so for personal mugs/cups which don't really need as much water or detergent as shared ones, especially for mere swigs of water.
Reuse. Not Recycle. Wherever possible.
A simple and effective way out - gift each employee a basic ceramic mug or even a pseud looking stell one when they join - and a hip looking bottle they can refill for water. Saves infinite plastic/paper. [Increases the amount of water a person drinks too and thats usually healthy.]
Styrofoam is even worse - its got similar problems as plastics, and more so from a health pov.
Finally, nothing quite beats "wash and reuse". Especially so for personal mugs/cups which don't really need as much water or detergent as shared ones, especially for mere swigs of water.
Reuse. Not Recycle. Wherever possible.
Bike and save - a lot of things
Pledge some miles:
You'll save:
- Your health
- fuel
- money
- pollution
- traffic stress/chaos
- and, in the inner cities, time!
Hat tip: BOTS
Kungfu Panda - wonderful movie
Watched this with Akshat on Sat - a delightful, well made movie. A trifle complex for younger kids, but they sort it out towards the end and love the action anyways.
Best part - Innovative was nearly empty - got tickets 10 mins before the show. And even better - they had kept an extra cushion on EVERY seat - keeping in mind the audience. Very very impressive!
Best part - Innovative was nearly empty - got tickets 10 mins before the show. And even better - they had kept an extra cushion on EVERY seat - keeping in mind the audience. Very very impressive!
No Parking!
No Parking for cycles!
On the one hand there's a certain population trying to make cycling "acceptable" again, thus presenting a very viable alternative to the traffic and pollution issues we've come to expect as de facto, and otoh there's short sighted "rules" preventing usage of this amazing means of transport.
C'mon business owners - if each of you dedicates a lot of 3-5 bikes each you'll help kick-start a revolution. The malls can surely do this much, and more. In fact the city should too - GWiz's get free parking and zero congestion tax in London, surely bikers here deserve that much.
On the one hand there's a certain population trying to make cycling "acceptable" again, thus presenting a very viable alternative to the traffic and pollution issues we've come to expect as de facto, and otoh there's short sighted "rules" preventing usage of this amazing means of transport.
C'mon business owners - if each of you dedicates a lot of 3-5 bikes each you'll help kick-start a revolution. The malls can surely do this much, and more. In fact the city should too - GWiz's get free parking and zero congestion tax in London, surely bikers here deserve that much.
Another Brick in The Wall
A little overdone, but gets a very useful message across.
Change to CFLs, put that brick in the cistern, and remember to switch off.
BIAS Routes Info
The Vayu Vajra/BIAS route info can now be found on the phone browser on http://zook.in or by sending an SMS query to 57575665. Queries could be "late night jayanagar bias" or "koramangala afternoon bus to bial", etc. The SMS interface is still being tweaked, but I hope its helpful in more people finding out more about the BIAS service, and taking them more often.
Children's Festival and learning
Shubha's helping out with the Festival starting tomorrow, and it got TOI coverage! Rainwater Club is surely doing a lot for awareness too.
Vir Sanghvi on Bottling Water
Vir Sanghvi writes in LiveMint about the idiocy of bottled water. Fortunately, Bangalore seems to be an exception inasmuch that most restaurants do have water filters and I've seen most people trust these and ask for "regular, not bottled".
The shipping part is very irksome - for water more so.
The shipping part is very irksome - for water more so.
Choosing kids' bikes
We have been looking around for an upgrade for Akshat's current bike. Came across this:
http://www.ibike.org/education/buying.htm
Sadly, there's very little knowhow amongst bike dealers around here.
Lovin' it ?
After a long time we mustered up the courage to venture out on a Saturday evening - albeit to the close-by Total Mall in Madivala. Following Akshat's keyboard performance at school, the kids had been promised a much awaited trip to the Golden Arches, and their excitement itself was reason enough to brave traffic, the rain and the crowds.
Surprisingly, it was a nice experience at McD's for a change. Not the food - there are better burgers all over town - and the Fish Fillet I tried was the suckiest fish I've had (tho I'm no connoiseur when it comes to any form of meat), but the overall experience was definitely good. For one, the kids totally loved it and there were no bored-kids-to-be-distracted fires to be put out :) Also, the staff is trained to be kid friendly, and I even sent Akshat to get stuff, and both of them seemed at ease. Of course, the "window" seat, the India-Bangladesh match on the TV right in front, and the gentle rain outside helped the mood overall.
I'd never imagined I'd be caught saying this - but I came close to kinda lovin it.
Surprisingly, it was a nice experience at McD's for a change. Not the food - there are better burgers all over town - and the Fish Fillet I tried was the suckiest fish I've had (tho I'm no connoiseur when it comes to any form of meat), but the overall experience was definitely good. For one, the kids totally loved it and there were no bored-kids-to-be-distracted fires to be put out :) Also, the staff is trained to be kid friendly, and I even sent Akshat to get stuff, and both of them seemed at ease. Of course, the "window" seat, the India-Bangladesh match on the TV right in front, and the gentle rain outside helped the mood overall.
I'd never imagined I'd be caught saying this - but I came close to kinda lovin it.
How expensive is that bike again ?
100kms Up!
Crossed the 3 digit mark on the way to work today on the bike! Haven't missed a single day of commute-on-the-bike since I started 6 days ago. Had a chain slip today - and it got caught between the front cog and the cover - and wouldn't budge. An auto guy smilingly obliged when I asked for a screwdriver, and that was fixed in a jiffy.
Yesterday was great too -
Cut pasting from an email thread:
Yesterday was great too -
Cut pasting from an email thread:
Yesterday got "mobbed" by 3 traffic cops at Sony World while I waited for traffic to pause :)
what is this - battery ? no, lights
geared ? yes, 24
Cost ? 15k [ ok i lied, tried to lessen shock, to no avail ]
15k ???? 1-5-0-0 ? No, 1-5-0-0-0
why? Sir you can easily go up Nandi Hills on this.
Alone ? No carrier/lover-geever along ? (smile) no sir, alone. Married, two kids, saar.
(Vigorous head-shake) ? Exercise, saar, and no pollution
Good good! (way clear) ok sir, have to go now....
:) I think I'll meet all the people I've never met on my commute
In fact the commute's been full of interesting episodes - for other people as well. Here's a link to a thread where people are posting their road experiences.
More Less-Fumes, in Chennai now
Techies on bicycles Quintegra chants green mantra - CIOL Feature
This is pretty cool - either I'm getting to know more and more of this, or its just spreading faster. (Especially in Chennai's humidity - its very commendable!) Hope its the latter, and at least in the urban context we take off at least a few thousand cars of the road over the next year or so.
Baby's Day Out
Took Akshat out on his bike on Haralur Road while I rode "guard" alongside to shield him from the traffic and vice-versa. We did the 2-km "round trip" twice - and this included a slope (both up and down), a road crossing, a u-turn and light to moderate traffic crossing us, with a few pedestrians thrown in for good measure. He totally loved it, and so did I (top speed 8 kmph, lowest about 4). Realized how tough riding on the bike he has is, and have decided to get him a better/larger one.
All our wheels
Added pics for all the wheels we have at home here. Overall, the bias towards less fuel consuming modes is evident, and hopefully, we'll be able to add more cycles and less cars on the roads.
First ride to work
Had Cramsters to carry for a fellow (motor)biker - so asked Nikhil to swing by in an auto and carry them for me. Handed them over near Springfields and left along with the auto.
The butt felt a little sore from last evening's ride - though surprisingly that was the only noticeable after-effect. In a few minutes that eased up - and the gears slotted relatively easily - though shifting the front gears will take me some more practice. Soon was climbing the only (gentle) ascent of my entire commute - from the ORR intersection towards Iblur Camp - at a fairly easy pace since I did not want to push myself too hard all of a sudden. From thereon it was gentle easy riding, took the first right after the lake and stayed as much as possible on the back-roads. Getting past the Sony World lights was a breeze, cause the pavement was suddenly legitimate territory, and drop-offs not a problem :D
As I got to office, Nikhil was just walking up the stairs - so I managed the same time as an auto, at least. And as the legs get more used to this, I should manage an average speed of more than the 18.3kmph that I did today.
Update:
The ride back was a bit more strenuous - my limbs were beginning to speak to me a bit, plus right from Sony World all the way home is a gentle upslope except a short patch or two. I was probably also a little tired after a long day at work. But the after effects wore off in 10 mins and a glass of water, so the optimism is alive!
Is my carbon-credit meter ticking on nicely or what :)
The butt felt a little sore from last evening's ride - though surprisingly that was the only noticeable after-effect. In a few minutes that eased up - and the gears slotted relatively easily - though shifting the front gears will take me some more practice. Soon was climbing the only (gentle) ascent of my entire commute - from the ORR intersection towards Iblur Camp - at a fairly easy pace since I did not want to push myself too hard all of a sudden. From thereon it was gentle easy riding, took the first right after the lake and stayed as much as possible on the back-roads. Getting past the Sony World lights was a breeze, cause the pavement was suddenly legitimate territory, and drop-offs not a problem :D
As I got to office, Nikhil was just walking up the stairs - so I managed the same time as an auto, at least. And as the legs get more used to this, I should manage an average speed of more than the 18.3kmph that I did today.
Update:
The ride back was a bit more strenuous - my limbs were beginning to speak to me a bit, plus right from Sony World all the way home is a gentle upslope except a short patch or two. I was probably also a little tired after a long day at work. But the after effects wore off in 10 mins and a glass of water, so the optimism is alive!
Is my carbon-credit meter ticking on nicely or what :)
Black, White, Wheels!
Got it! The Merida SUB 40-V in Black and White, with a touch of Red!
Rode 15+kms to home. Got the first flat within 5 kms - a sharp nail being the culprit.
Venkatesh was there to help right away - he and Prashant - another rider - fixed the flat in moments. Gotta learn this stuff. Prashant rode back upto BTM - did a lot of pavement riding too.
I will take a couple of days to "slot" into traffic. Gotta get a good helmet, too.
Feeling good - a little surprised how easy the first 15 felt. Am looking forward to both the commute and some serious riding. More pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/get.sameer/Merida
Edit: And I must mention this - what got me started on this journey was BOTS - and Rohan and Nikhil's infectious enthusiasm and help with the entire process.
Rode 15+kms to home. Got the first flat within 5 kms - a sharp nail being the culprit.
Venkatesh was there to help right away - he and Prashant - another rider - fixed the flat in moments. Gotta learn this stuff. Prashant rode back upto BTM - did a lot of pavement riding too.
I will take a couple of days to "slot" into traffic. Gotta get a good helmet, too.
Feeling good - a little surprised how easy the first 15 felt. Am looking forward to both the commute and some serious riding. More pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/get.sameer/Merida
Edit: And I must mention this - what got me started on this journey was BOTS - and Rohan and Nikhil's infectious enthusiasm and help with the entire process.
Born Again Biker ?
Have been deliberating for some time now - and with a heart of steel, have decided to go ahead and get the Merida Matts Sub 40-V 18" :)
Lets see where this goes. If it does go well, I'll save fuel, be healthier and would have done that little extra for the planet. Its also a slower-than-(motor)bikes mode of transport, so I should get to see more.
Next Question: where does one park these things. Home ? Office ?
Oh, and the extra vocabulary I picked up in all of this:
Hardtail : no suspension at the rear
Lockout : Switch to a "no-suspension" mode for serious climbs etc
apart from the usual dérailleurs, new frame fundaes, etc.
Cheap Plastic, eh?
Reusable Bags - The Real Cost of "Free"
Shouldn't everything packaged, especially in plastic, have a carbon-credits cost added to it ? Similarly, shouldn't stuff transported over a long distance have a larger carbon credit tax added as compared to stuff brought in locally ? Should not it be worth it to NOT chop down Amazon forests for crop grown for producing bio-fuels?
Oh I nearly forgot! We're the generation who merrily borrows from our future. We're the ones who're "tactical" - and have ensured "better lifestyles" at the cost of risking life itself as we know it. We're the civilization which competes amongst us for "growth" - whether we need that growth or not. The endless debates on the definitions of various needs is pointer enough. We're a bunch of short-sighted morons, nothing less.
Sorry - feeling a little grumpy, cynical and pessimistic about our planet and us. Actually I take that back. The planet will probably survive.
Shouldn't everything packaged, especially in plastic, have a carbon-credits cost added to it ? Similarly, shouldn't stuff transported over a long distance have a larger carbon credit tax added as compared to stuff brought in locally ? Should not it be worth it to NOT chop down Amazon forests for crop grown for producing bio-fuels?
Oh I nearly forgot! We're the generation who merrily borrows from our future. We're the ones who're "tactical" - and have ensured "better lifestyles" at the cost of risking life itself as we know it. We're the civilization which competes amongst us for "growth" - whether we need that growth or not. The endless debates on the definitions of various needs is pointer enough. We're a bunch of short-sighted morons, nothing less.
Sorry - feeling a little grumpy, cynical and pessimistic about our planet and us. Actually I take that back. The planet will probably survive.
Reva (H)2.O ?
Thats a Reva shell - if Maini has any connection with this - its good news for emissions in Bangalore, but perhaps not-so-good news for water ?
Bengaluru Railway Station Revisited
Had gone to SBC after a long time yesterday to see parents off. They were carrying 140kgs of luggage - moving cities after retirement - so we thought it best to book the extra luggage.
Here's a quick recap of/facts from the experience:
- The allowance on a IInd A/C fare is 50kgs per head for free, though you can carry upto 100kgs inside the compartment itself.
- The luggage booking office is on platform #1 - close to where the subway stairs are.
- You get trolleys and porters to ferry it for you - we parked near PF8 and paid about 400/- to PF1 and back.
- Wanted to book stuff in the break van, but they insisted we should've "come in advance" for that. We did not get to figure out what timeframe that implied.
- It was about 10/- per kg for excess luggage over 100kgs
- Since the idea was to avoid inconveniencing other passengers, we "requested" the attendant on the Rajdhani to manage some of the luggage in the space where they store blankets etc. 200/- :)
- There's now a passenger/freight elevator leading to the subway - and its made life very convenient. Carting the trolley to PF1 took barely 10 mins.
- The Rajdhani looks pretty funky now with Airtel having redone most of it. Here's a pic:
- The platform ticket through SMS still works - very cool
- Platforms are pretty clean, mostly
There's a temple on the platform at SBC!! Never noticed it in all these years. [ Courtesy M S Gopal ]
ICICI makes a statement
| 1 | 06/06/2008 | GREENODH THIGH | DR | INR zzzzzz.00 |
This if from an ICICI Bank statement for the fee cheque paid to the kids' school - Greenwood High :)I dunno if someone speaks the details out to someone else, or whether its OCR based, or speech to text, but it surely does not work!
Convenience/Effort
deep_thought: Chota sa break
I have similar feelings about the anytime-you-need-just-ask bakery at the new Total near home. I mean there's some niceness about putting in effort/thought/planning into gifts, flowers etc. Or are we so focused, as a people, on getting it absolutely right and making it worth it that we've started ignoring the reasons and thoughts behind some of these actions ?
Nursery A
Alankrita started school yesterday - and went all by herself by bus. The first hour was anxious, expectedly, especially for her. But then (reportedly) she settled down well and "played in the sandpit" and danced to rhymes and painted, and had "cherry bread" and a banana (?)
She did seem rather proud of boarding the much awaited yellow bus this morning, so I guess one can believe most of the above :)
[ This also means rushed mornings, and a little more free time post 7:40am ]
She did seem rather proud of boarding the much awaited yellow bus this morning, so I guess one can believe most of the above :)
[ This also means rushed mornings, and a little more free time post 7:40am ]
Relive Adrian Sutil's Worst moments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSK4kb8He_8
Gotta be one of his worst moments, while its merely a racing incident in the life of motorsport, and Ferrari.
BIAL Tips
AIRLIFT ONLINE : Anywhere in bangalore
Sounds like a good service! At 300/- a trip, with WiFi, A/C etc, its very cool.
Sounds like a good service! At 300/- a trip, with WiFi, A/C etc, its very cool.
BIAL impact stage one
Chennai to Bangalore: For once, trains are faster-Chennai-Cities-The Times of India
This was bound to happen - and is very logical. Actually, even with HAL, it often made a lot of sense to drive, if one was ok driving highways. Cheaper, quicker, and if you do like such things, more fun!
This was bound to happen - and is very logical. Actually, even with HAL, it often made a lot of sense to drive, if one was ok driving highways. Cheaper, quicker, and if you do like such things, more fun!
Kanua Again
Friends from Hyd were here - took them and a bottle of Grover's to Kanua. Peeked into Quetzel for a few minutes before that - its always a delight to see the store with its smart designs and bright colours.
Kanua, as always, was a delight to just enter and sit down in. In fact, with the great weather and gentle breeze, even more so. Soft lighting, soft music and a relax-all-you-can ambience helps the mood. Had Soorna Kachdi, Podhis, and some great food after that. They requested we keep the bottle with them - regulations, I guess - and served wine in regular glasses. But very very nice evening with good company and free flowing, candid conversation.
There are some places, people and times of life that make you feel very positive. T'was one of those.
Edit: Their contact/numbers here. No kids allowed for Fri/Sat/Sun dinners these days :(
Kanua, as always, was a delight to just enter and sit down in. In fact, with the great weather and gentle breeze, even more so. Soft lighting, soft music and a relax-all-you-can ambience helps the mood. Had Soorna Kachdi, Podhis, and some great food after that. They requested we keep the bottle with them - regulations, I guess - and served wine in regular glasses. But very very nice evening with good company and free flowing, candid conversation.
There are some places, people and times of life that make you feel very positive. T'was one of those.
Edit: Their contact/numbers here. No kids allowed for Fri/Sat/Sun dinners these days :(
Small big step towards plastic degradation?
TheRecord.com - CanadaWorld - WCI student isolates microbe that lunches on plastic bags
Sounds simplistic, but I'm sure a lot of "wow" stuff gets overlooked for similar reasons. While there is some cynicism, am staying positive on this till there is definitive negative news. If true, this guy should get the biggest VC funding to start his company around this idea - this will do us all a huge favour - way more important than anything else we've "invented" in the last couple of decades.
Bravo Adrian Sutil
Sutil devastated at losing fourth. - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
It was the saddest moment of my F1 viewing life - Kimi Raikkonen taking out Adrian Sutil's Force India car that he'd driven so amazingly to get upto fourth from 19th! And with merely 3-4 laps to go!!
Somehow - both Ferraris had seemed twitchy for a lot many laps before the incident itself. And after the pitstop where Sutil took over 4th place from him, Kimi was looking rather desperate and edgy, only to lose grip horribly in whats ultimately a racing incident, but way more than that for Adrain Sutil and FI.
Drive of the day, Sutil! And I hope the opportunity is created again for a fantastic race like you drove yesterday.
Somehow - both Ferraris had seemed twitchy for a lot many laps before the incident itself. And after the pitstop where Sutil took over 4th place from him, Kimi was looking rather desperate and edgy, only to lose grip horribly in whats ultimately a racing incident, but way more than that for Adrain Sutil and FI.
Drive of the day, Sutil! And I hope the opportunity is created again for a fantastic race like you drove yesterday.
In this book
Comes v late, but this is the book the Ladakh trip got published in. Check out the last part of the ToC.
Coalition groanment [edit:maybe not!]
Coalition government likely again in Karnataka
Oh no. Hope there's a swing in someone's favour - don't care who as long as its not the Gowda gang. Unlikely tho - given that he could provide the "support from outside" to either party and have his say in everything. Yet another series of frozen-in-time, inactive, governance-less governments ?
Did my vote even matter ?
Update: Looks like the BJP is headed for a 112+ seats, based on leads. Phew. Yediurappa is certainly not my first choice as CM, given his flair for melodrama and his demonstrated small-thinking ways. But most importantly, no coalition, and then there are a few sane leaders in whats a rather centrally controlled party and hopefully Yediurappa will have decent orders from upstairs guiding policy etc.
The BJP has sobered down a lot, but for Monster Modi, and I'm staying positive on this for now. Biggest takeaway is that Mr. Gowda will have not too much of a say. Not that earlier single party govts have always been forward thinking and development focused, but this is nearly the last chance we have to move forward.
Phew!
Update 2: Looks like the BJP will fall short of 112 by 4-6 seats. Oh well, they should still manage to "woo" (read, cash, Ministers posts and other benefits) a few independednt - but am sure wily old HDDG will be trying his damndest right now to manufacture some way of having a say. Hope I'm wrong and he's merely considering retirement from politics. That'll be really good for the state.
Did my vote even matter ?
Update: Looks like the BJP is headed for a 112+ seats, based on leads. Phew. Yediurappa is certainly not my first choice as CM, given his flair for melodrama and his demonstrated small-thinking ways. But most importantly, no coalition, and then there are a few sane leaders in whats a rather centrally controlled party and hopefully Yediurappa will have decent orders from upstairs guiding policy etc.
The BJP has sobered down a lot, but for Monster Modi, and I'm staying positive on this for now. Biggest takeaway is that Mr. Gowda will have not too much of a say. Not that earlier single party govts have always been forward thinking and development focused, but this is nearly the last chance we have to move forward.
Phew!
Update 2: Looks like the BJP will fall short of 112 by 4-6 seats. Oh well, they should still manage to "woo" (read, cash, Ministers posts and other benefits) a few independednt - but am sure wily old HDDG will be trying his damndest right now to manufacture some way of having a say. Hope I'm wrong and he's merely considering retirement from politics. That'll be really good for the state.
BIAL online
New Bangalore airport handles 341 flights Day 1
Phew, finally. Love it or hate it, Bangalore has a new airport now.
The poor connectivity between the
gridlocked city and the new airport did not impact much the vehicular
movement due to less traffic on the weekend. The magnitude of the
connectivity problem will be known on working days from Monday, as the
arterial road to the airport is used by vehicles hitting the National
Highway No.7 towards Hyderabad.
I have a feeling that people will get used to the above too, like most other things. Taxi guys from Mysore are recommending people leave about 10 hours before the departure time!
Phew, finally. Love it or hate it, Bangalore has a new airport now.
The poor connectivity between the
gridlocked city and the new airport did not impact much the vehicular
movement due to less traffic on the weekend. The magnitude of the
connectivity problem will be known on working days from Monday, as the
arterial road to the airport is used by vehicles hitting the National
Highway No.7 towards Hyderabad.
I have a feeling that people will get used to the above too, like most other things. Taxi guys from Mysore are recommending people leave about 10 hours before the departure time!
Crash Boom Bang
Wanted to go to Wayanad/Coorg for a weekend. Left around 8:40, got the helmet beading fixed and refuelled right after Bidadi.
Wrist still hurts, so here's copying from a mail i'd sent out earlier to folks:
ran into an innova. nobody/nothing serious but everything/me hurt.
innova at a u turn with indicators a km after wonderla, me switches to left lane.
innova swings to the left as i get close (later realized he was swinging to accomodate his huge turning radius) and i move to the right.
he moves to right too.... braaaaaaaaakkkkkkkeeeee.
Boom (probably at 40-50ish) and the Pulsar's tyres and fork took a lot of it, and the Innova took the rest. Me flew onto the rear windscreen or thereabouts (tough to be precise abt these moments, really) and helmet took the windscreen out, and the sheet metal made glorius contact with my pelvic region, thighs.
Me on the road - ppl around - get up - things moving! Specs ok, jeans dont even have a scratch, hands, fine.
Someone points to the chin/neck - thick drops of blood, and pieces ox ex-indicator from the Innova around two smi-deep wounds. Wash, wash, wash, drink water, Innova guys help me catch my breath.
Some says hospital/stictch and all that. I just sit.
Innova guys were on their way to Kerala too and had decided to take a u-turn for breakfast.
Both said sorry to each other - and i guess both of us had indeed screwed up.
Called wife (who was on her way to Vadakara for a rendezvous) and asked her to return to Tvm.
My right wrist hurt a little and palm felt sore. So pleaded with Venkat to send help to pick bike.
Finshed some juice i had, felt ok, ate chikki, washed some more blood. Meanwhile Innova guys said bye after confirming with me if i'd be alright.
AutoSvc guys, one rode the bike, i went pillion on the other. Interceptor charged the guy 300/- for 74kmph
Went to AS and to the hospital closeby - got an ATS in the rearside, wounds cleaned and dressed and hazaar antibiotics etc. That *really* scared me.
Anyhow - took an auto back home. Visions of a great weekend mauled and oh-man-what-do-i-do-for-3-days
Wrist still hurts, so here's copying from a mail i'd sent out earlier to folks:
ran into an innova. nobody/nothing serious but everything/me hurt.
innova at a u turn with indicators a km after wonderla, me switches to left lane.
innova swings to the left as i get close (later realized he was swinging to accomodate his huge turning radius) and i move to the right.
he moves to right too.... braaaaaaaaakkkkkkkeeeee.
Boom (probably at 40-50ish) and the Pulsar's tyres and fork took a lot of it, and the Innova took the rest. Me flew onto the rear windscreen or thereabouts (tough to be precise abt these moments, really) and helmet took the windscreen out, and the sheet metal made glorius contact with my pelvic region, thighs.
Me on the road - ppl around - get up - things moving! Specs ok, jeans dont even have a scratch, hands, fine.
Someone points to the chin/neck - thick drops of blood, and pieces ox ex-indicator from the Innova around two smi-deep wounds. Wash, wash, wash, drink water, Innova guys help me catch my breath.
Some says hospital/stictch and all that. I just sit.
Innova guys were on their way to Kerala too and had decided to take a u-turn for breakfast.
Both said sorry to each other - and i guess both of us had indeed screwed up.
Called wife (who was on her way to Vadakara for a rendezvous) and asked her to return to Tvm.
My right wrist hurt a little and palm felt sore. So pleaded with Venkat to send help to pick bike.
Finshed some juice i had, felt ok, ate chikki, washed some more blood. Meanwhile Innova guys said bye after confirming with me if i'd be alright.
AutoSvc guys, one rode the bike, i went pillion on the other. Interceptor charged the guy 300/- for 74kmph
Went to AS and to the hospital closeby - got an ATS in the rearside, wounds cleaned and dressed and hazaar antibiotics etc. That *really* scared me.
Anyhow - took an auto back home. Visions of a great weekend mauled and oh-man-what-do-i-do-for-3-days
Oh well
Now that I look back at it - the hit was probably at 20-25, and I must have braked hard enough by then. The bike was actually ridden back to Banashankari, None of my clothes, jacket etc had even a major scratch - and even after one night I'm not hurting too badly. The wrist is still sore but given how the crash happened, got away cheap.
First "proper" crash in my riding life - there've been a couple of the usual city - scrapes and slides but nothing really. Partly a funny and late overtaking manouvre, partly my error of judgement, partly mushy front brakes.
But for all you riders out there, invest in good quality safety gear - it really really helps. Not just a helmet, but a good jacket, riding pants and possibly even boots. I do not have the last two and that will soon be corrected. The jacket and helmet surely saved me majorly. I could not believe I had such (relatively) little injury when I saw the Innova later - possibly also its crumple zone or whatever ?
Anyhow - my long solo ride's still pending...
Trash Check
Six Million Pounds of Trash On Beaches » Celsias
The amount of plastic/packaging one sees being used in our cities too is scary. We seem to be consuming more and more prepackaged. Imagine a small darshini buying a fews tens of litres of milk in plastic packets - there has to be an alternative.
BIAL Go-live on 23rd May
Bengaluru International Airport - Team-BHP
The info available on the above page should be useful to many, especially those filled with uncertainty and misgivings. (So far, I belong to this brigade though the sudden flurry of activity - new buses, shared shuttles, magic boxes, etc, give one hope than in a year the drive there should be easier)
Edit:
The maps etc seem to be on the BIAL page as pdfs.
Edit:
The maps etc seem to be on the BIAL page as pdfs.
Wayanad
Did a quick dash to Wayanad and back over the weekend - a rather rough-it-out stay in the Banasurasagar Hills - a tiny house under construction with a mat+sleeping bag for acco, instant noodles ("Magic") for dinner and some tough-by-our-sedentary-lifestyle-standards mini-trek up the hill in the evening and early morning to see the place. Also went to the Banasurasagar Dam after a driver through some very pretty roads.
Travel Bug
Why do I travel ?
Discover.Taste.Learn.Feel.
Relax.Do Nothing.De-stress.
Excitement.Fear.
Appreciate.Share.Make Friends.Accept
Escape.High.Romanticize.
Beleive.Feel-good.Claim.Self Image
Ride.Walk.Push Hard.
Write?
Earn?
Why do I think ?
Addendum:
http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/06/18/specials/theroux-travel.html talks about why a travel book should be written ? Yeah, sometimes you do get bits and pieces of anthropology and politics as you travel, but similarly, there's history, food, traditions and most importantly, the sense of connections with something else you've seen somewhere else, the similarity, or contrast, that make it an adventure. At the end of the journey, there're a hundred new questions, and the start of another journey in them.
I guess each of those that Theroux castigates is one or piece of the complete story, and from the camera toting tourist to the 6 month-trip backpacker they all take some of it, a little at a time.
Uttarakhand Trip: Part I (Blore-Corbett)
Took a long vacation from Apr 15th-Apr 30th - Akshat had vacations, there was a wedding to attend in Meerut and it'd been a loong time since a proper long break.
Brief Triplog:15th - 17th : The Sampark Kranti from Yeswantpur-Delhi via Pune takes forever.
Of course, we had all six berths to ourselves for nearly half the journey, and the kids totally loved it. Train trips are still a perfect way to start a long vacation - destress, catch up on a book, talk a lot, have numerous cups of chai, see the countryside...
At Delhi our cab guy - Kulvinder Singh - met us as planned, and we had a decent looking Indica for our trip. Amazingly, all the luggage fitted into the boot despite my fears to the contrary.Apr 17th-18th: Meerut
Apr 19th: Meerut - Ramnagar - Kaladhungi
Left Meerut early morning towards Mawana. Nice and cool - Kulvinder insisted the Moradabad route would have way more traffic, and someone had assured him of an equally short, quicker route via Bijnor. We hit a few back roads from Bijnor - towards Kashipur. Most roads were decent, if narrow. We made quick progress. Shubha was enthralled by the wheat being harvested/threshed all along. Vast, flat plains of wheat, sugar looked pretty indeed.
There's a US Nagar, UK!! Thats Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand :) A little into this district, we stopped for breakfast - our first Aloo Paranthas for the trip, with fresh curd and tea.
A little later the surroundings got less flat, though not quite hilly. There were also sporadic traces of woods as we got a little beyond Kashipur - and lots of things started getting called Corbett this or that. Soon a sign welcomed us to "Corbett City" and we were in Ramnagar.
Staying inside the Corbett National Park (the Dhikala FRH being the best place for this) needed arrangements to made by faxing a request etc at least a month and a half in advance, we had picked the KMVN place at Kaladhungi, about 30kms from Ramnagar, for our stay. The resorts outside the park, mostly along the road to Dhangarghi Gate are quite nice (most sell the banks of the Kosi as their USP) but quite expensive, especially in the context of a long drawn vacation across the region. Kaladhungi also offered other charms - being the winter home for Corbett. His house there has been converted into a museum dedicated to him. The village he bought there (and later gifted to the locals, who revere and adore the man even today) was named "Chhoti Haldwani".
We had been advised - over the phone - to come in a day earlier and ensure our permits/reservations for a Gypsy or bus safari inside the NP. The Visitor Centre was a very confusing place, but we soon realized that we'd have to turn up before 6am, when they open, and stand in queue to get ourselves into the "Canter" Safari list or to get a permit so we could hire a Gypsy.
Ok, here's the dope on the permit/safari deals for future time-constrained visitors:
There's a US Nagar, UK!! Thats Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand :) A little into this district, we stopped for breakfast - our first Aloo Paranthas for the trip, with fresh curd and tea.
A little later the surroundings got less flat, though not quite hilly. There were also sporadic traces of woods as we got a little beyond Kashipur - and lots of things started getting called Corbett this or that. Soon a sign welcomed us to "Corbett City" and we were in Ramnagar.
Staying inside the Corbett National Park (the Dhikala FRH being the best place for this) needed arrangements to made by faxing a request etc at least a month and a half in advance, we had picked the KMVN place at Kaladhungi, about 30kms from Ramnagar, for our stay. The resorts outside the park, mostly along the road to Dhangarghi Gate are quite nice (most sell the banks of the Kosi as their USP) but quite expensive, especially in the context of a long drawn vacation across the region. Kaladhungi also offered other charms - being the winter home for Corbett. His house there has been converted into a museum dedicated to him. The village he bought there (and later gifted to the locals, who revere and adore the man even today) was named "Chhoti Haldwani".
We had been advised - over the phone - to come in a day earlier and ensure our permits/reservations for a Gypsy or bus safari inside the NP. The Visitor Centre was a very confusing place, but we soon realized that we'd have to turn up before 6am, when they open, and stand in queue to get ourselves into the "Canter" Safari list or to get a permit so we could hire a Gypsy.
Ok, here's the dope on the permit/safari deals for future time-constrained visitors:
- They allow some 30 vehicles on every trip - twice a day. The enrty timings for these are 6:30am and 2:30pm or so. The vehicles are allowed in the Bijrani range and "lesser" places. To travel around Dhikala in a private/hired vehcile, you need to be staying inside. The permits are cheap - though scarce - and the Gypsys cost about a 1000/- or thereabouts for a 3 hour trip.
- The Park organizes "Canter" rides - these are open bus-like vehicles with stepped seating and good views all around. The vehicles-on-hire guys tell you that these are noisy diesels and scare all the animals away. The Park and KMVN guys tell you that these are your best bet since if you're staying outside the park, this is the only way to get deep into the park - near Dhikala, where the reservoir and hence most animals are (esp in the drier seasons). The ride lasts a little under 6 hours, and I'd agree with the latter view after our experience. Of course, sightings are all a matter of chance - and just the experience of the deep woods and driving through the place itself are a treat.
Best time to visit Corbett is supposed to be mid Feb-mid March. Here's a link for reservations. The recommended way is to fax a request, receive a confirmation and send them a DD etc. About 2 months in advance, ideally.
So off we went to Kaladhungi, had a huge room with 2 double beds to ourselves for a mere 400/- and walked around town. Owing to some local elections, the Muesum was closed though we walked around its gardens and caught up with a little of Jim Corbett's amazingly diverse, rich life. The man did a lot in his life - from serving in the war, to being a Railway guy. But he was at his core a man who loved and loved the forests of Kumaon, spoke the language of the people, understood that of the animals, and took it upon himself to protect these.
Earlier in the afternoon we had visited the Corbett Falls about 5 kilometres from Kaladhungi. Nice pretty place with the falls
With no real restaurants around, we walked up the few metres to the end of Kaladhungi looking for tea, and an Aunty's Chai Stall near the culvert at the end of the village on the road towards Nainital became our defacto place.
We took the Canter, eventually, and had a lovely few hours inside the park.
Some Pix:
So off we went to Kaladhungi, had a huge room with 2 double beds to ourselves for a mere 400/- and walked around town. Owing to some local elections, the Muesum was closed though we walked around its gardens and caught up with a little of Jim Corbett's amazingly diverse, rich life. The man did a lot in his life - from serving in the war, to being a Railway guy. But he was at his core a man who loved and loved the forests of Kumaon, spoke the language of the people, understood that of the animals, and took it upon himself to protect these.
Earlier in the afternoon we had visited the Corbett Falls about 5 kilometres from Kaladhungi. Nice pretty place with the falls
With no real restaurants around, we walked up the few metres to the end of Kaladhungi looking for tea, and an Aunty's Chai Stall near the culvert at the end of the village on the road towards Nainital became our defacto place.
We took the Canter, eventually, and had a lovely few hours inside the park.
Some Pix:
All time favourite ad
I just revisited this courtesy God knows what link trail - it was fantastic the first time I saw it, and the music and the visuals are still as perfectly in sync for the same effect. Brilliant.
Another great one.
Over time, the truck has also gotten that much more capable, and is probably now way more deserving of the ad :)
Vote!
Useful resource: bangalorevoterid.org
Have figured out that we're in Mahadevapura
| 1 | 174 | Mahadevpura | 160 | 2802 | C 208 | Sameer Shisodiya | R S Shisodiya | 34 |
from here
The name's been misspelt a wee bit (reverse translation from the Kannada version, I guess), and I hope that does not throw the spanner in my first-sincere-attempt-at-voting-works.
Here's the list of candidates I need to pick from:
http://search.eci.gov.in/ae_2008e/pollupd/ac/states/s10/aconst174.htm
On what grounds ? Am not sure. What I do know is my vote's not going to a certain Impediment-to-Bangalore's-progress that we often read about.
Come to think of it, we're really outside the whole governance loop. Sad, true.
Riding Risks and Safety
CHP - Motorcycle Safety - Informational Video
The video is a grim reminder to not start to feel invincible - and that happens a lot to riders - especially in the early days. Similarly for drivers and passenger of cars who do not lay enough stress on buckling up - you're as vulnerable as a guy on a bike without the seat belt.
The real costs of globalised, cheap, 24/7
Environmental Cost of Shipping Groceries Around the World - New York Times
I used to love waiting for red juicy carrots in the winter. Our kids pretty much have no clue that carrots and the winter have a correlation.
Have always held thats it merely absurd economics and artificial calculation of costs that make it worthwhile to ship stuff like everyday food needs, toys etc across continents. This kind of stuff should be sourced as locally as possible. Specialized produce, say, Chinese Silk, or high-grade electronics, etc, is worth shipping around and the fact should get reflected in its costs, which include huge costs in terms of environmental damage caused by a lot of not-really-necessary shipping. Its the mad urge for "growth" not really needed by the market, but only be the sellers and their shareholders, that perpetuates this. Of course, the consumers now been "trained" to expect anything, anytime, and cheap.
Its also nice to go someplace and discover its food and produce. Not have it available in your neighbourhood mall, all year round, for a pittance.
Also, often, since the export market is more lucrative, the local market may be deprived of certain products.
How blind have we been ? And continue to be. I hope this move catches on.
And the carrots are merely orange, and not quite the same.
Have always held thats it merely absurd economics and artificial calculation of costs that make it worthwhile to ship stuff like everyday food needs, toys etc across continents. This kind of stuff should be sourced as locally as possible. Specialized produce, say, Chinese Silk, or high-grade electronics, etc, is worth shipping around and the fact should get reflected in its costs, which include huge costs in terms of environmental damage caused by a lot of not-really-necessary shipping. Its the mad urge for "growth" not really needed by the market, but only be the sellers and their shareholders, that perpetuates this. Of course, the consumers now been "trained" to expect anything, anytime, and cheap.
Its also nice to go someplace and discover its food and produce. Not have it available in your neighbourhood mall, all year round, for a pittance.
Also, often, since the export market is more lucrative, the local market may be deprived of certain products.
How blind have we been ? And continue to be. I hope this move catches on.
And the carrots are merely orange, and not quite the same.
Positive Swadeshi
Sena plans vadapav stalls to counter Mac
I'm probably the least likely Sena supporter ever, yet the above must be commended. Of course, its still possible that its a gimmick, and merely to make a point, rather than a real marketing strategy, but this is surely a more preferable approach to popularizing ethnic foods, languages, etc, in comparison to the decidedly Neanderthal approach of, say, smashing McD's glass frontage.
A brief glimmer of hop for positive politics (especially coming from its most unlikely quarters!) ?
A brief glimmer of hop for positive politics (especially coming from its most unlikely quarters!) ?
Entrepreneurship along a different dimension ?
open free world: Roy's Experiments with Life
Its anyhow about exploring, creating value, starting something new, daring to think different, bring value to an existing space and work hard, for immense amounts of satisfaction. No 10x scale, yes, but not everything needs to - ?
Its anyhow about exploring, creating value, starting something new, daring to think different, bring value to an existing space and work hard, for immense amounts of satisfaction. No 10x scale, yes, but not everything needs to - ?
Food Honour!?????
Bush’s Food Remark Irks India
Whats the big furore about ? Bush might be wrong, or partially right, but all he's said is that we're getting more prosperous, which is good, and when people get more prosperous they eat better and (especially if they were eating less than normal), more. If "people" is a sizeable number, which we are, its bound to affect demand supply!
I would have never imagined a day I'd be "defending" Gerorge W, but the affront that India collectively took was mystifying. Did nobody read beyond the screeching, shrill headlines ?
Its not my call to say whether this was the only factor contributing to the food crises and prices going northwards. But if I were in a generally speculative mood, it would surely be one possible factor, and I'd actually be quite happy and take pride in the reason, while worrying about the impact. Shouldn't we be happy that at least a decent percentage of the population is eating better?
Weird.
Franchise!
Yeah, finally got successfully registered as a Bangalore voter! Now to figure out what else one needs to go vote...and of course, who for :)
Lead to believe its progress ?
Damn Interesting » The Ethyl-Poisoned Earth
Very very scary read. Is it the age of smugness, or ignorance, or paranoia ?
TOI again ? A little tired of the Hindu's agenda.
The Hindu : Opinion / Readers' Editor : Online : Balance: Readers’ perceptions, and the practice
The Readers' Editor has indeed done a little soul searching on the Hindu's behalf, but to little effect, I think.
This gives a comprehensive ringside view of the debate about the Hindu's leanings, which I had not known or anticipated at all when we switched to the daily, but perceived very quickly.
The Readers' Editor has indeed done a little soul searching on the Hindu's behalf, but to little effect, I think.
This gives a comprehensive ringside view of the debate about the Hindu's leanings, which I had not known or anticipated at all when we switched to the daily, but perceived very quickly.
Yet another dream
sudipto.dg - Bicycle tours in Eastern Himachal Pradesh
Start cycling again and do this trip (that we did on the Pulsar earlier) slooowly. Need to get started, first. I'm sure I'll collapse after a couple of kilometres in my current state :)
Road Rage Stats
Synovate In:fact July 2005 - Is the leisurely drive on the road to extinction?
How do various people define "rude" and "aggression" probably has a role to play too.
BIAL is probably better than this tho...
Heathrow Horror Show | Autopia from Wired.com
This is not very surprising :) I've heard worse tales of Paris, and its all good fun. Except for the passengers. That reminds me - got a flight to catch early am, should go to sleep....thankfully its only from HAL so I do not have to start in an hour.
There we go again
Tamil film screenings disrupted in Bangalore
Step 1. Find a random, preferably soft target to represent whatever it is that you disagree with
Steo 2. Smash, stone, hit, kill, main, burn.
What a wonderful way to voice one's protest, and to gain the moral upper hand. The word "Vedike", in the Bangalore context, is rapidly deteriorating into meaning "thugs". Unfortunately it will get coverage in the print and electronic media, and without being the voice of the real Bangalorean (which is a far more sober, friendly and sane voice), will end adding some smear on our city's face.
A lot of good men continue to stay silent, and the noisy, shrill fringe gets a bolder voice. Once again.
Steo 2. Smash, stone, hit, kill, main, burn.
What a wonderful way to voice one's protest, and to gain the moral upper hand. The word "Vedike", in the Bangalore context, is rapidly deteriorating into meaning "thugs". Unfortunately it will get coverage in the print and electronic media, and without being the voice of the real Bangalorean (which is a far more sober, friendly and sane voice), will end adding some smear on our city's face.
A lot of good men continue to stay silent, and the noisy, shrill fringe gets a bolder voice. Once again.
Cycling ?
One Way to Encourage Urban Cycling: Traffic Protected Bike Lanes | Autopia from Wired.com
Given enough bike lanes - Bangalore would be perfect to bike in. Short distances, good weather, no major slopes. Safety, as the article and subsequent comments demonstrate, is a function of a multitude of factors. And any mode of transport can be less or more safe than any other, given the right circumstances. Idiot bikers, idiot drivers, idiot pedestrians, we're all part of the problem awaiting a solution :)
Tension in Tibet
The Dalai Lama finally did speak for peace, and has threatened to resign if the violence continues. Of course, actions would have spoken louder, and this episode has made me see the strength of Gandhi's conviction in his idea.
China continues to say the Dalai Lama wants a free Tibet (and I'd say he should) despite his repeated protestation that he's looking merely for greater autonomy and freedom within China, and that the Tibetans should befriend the Chinese. The Chinese line is beginning to sound like a not-really-disguised excuse.
The Indian position continues to disappoint - though the GoI has asked China to talk, but the Chinese have expressed satisfaction at the Indian stance. This is also a great opportunity to hold a few cards against someone who plays hard all the time - we WILL have to negotiate on Arunachal too, sooner or later.
China continues to say the Dalai Lama wants a free Tibet (and I'd say he should) despite his repeated protestation that he's looking merely for greater autonomy and freedom within China, and that the Tibetans should befriend the Chinese. The Chinese line is beginning to sound like a not-really-disguised excuse.
The Indian position continues to disappoint - though the GoI has asked China to talk, but the Chinese have expressed satisfaction at the Indian stance. This is also a great opportunity to hold a few cards against someone who plays hard all the time - we WILL have to negotiate on Arunachal too, sooner or later.
Tibet Trouble
This is sad indeed, on many levels.
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Dalai Lama's Tibet bloodshed fear
On my Ladakh trip, I've come to admire Buddhism even more for its base thought-process. Also have always had a huge soft corner for Tibetans - they've had it really bad, and merely because of China's might, there isn't too much support for their cause.
(Ok there go my chances of ever being able to bike in China. Oh well!)
I'm also a little disappointed with the GoIndia for not speaking up for the Tibetans a little more. They're toeing the China line a little too much. Pragmatism and poilitical expediency is ok, but on the other hand they don't have to keep reiterating that they believe China rightfully owns Tibet.
I can empathise with the Dalai Lama's stance - though I wish he played the role of the Spiritual Leader a bit more and made the Chinese cringe. He's had the opportunity to play today's Gandhi - and that includes not giving in - but I do think he's squandered it a little bit.
The deepest anguish is with the Tibetan people. When Indians resort to violence it feels sad - when Tibetans (or any other Buddhists) do, one feels a little hopeless - if those who've grown up in the tradition of the middle path shed it and cannot force matters without hurling stones and bombs, there's very little hope for peace in the rest of the world.
I certainly cannot understand the Chinese point of view. Its a culturally different region. Its tough to maintain and administer, and can only be a drain on resources. It did have its usefulness as a buffer between China and India, and controlling it made sense from a military strategists viewpoint, but is that a valid concern or need in this day and age ? On the global stage, its only a blot on China's image - but for a few issues like these everyone's pretty impressed with them and wants to do business.
The only rational explanation one can forward is that the Chinese establishment still harbours thoughts of military expansion - and thats very scary for the rest of us, and regressive for them.
The whole thing's gone downhill in every aspect. I hope the Dalai Lama - like Gandhi always did - feels ashamed of his followers and apologises to the Chinese on their behalf. This might shame them towards a more peace-led yet resolute approach, and in turn put greater pressure (with less of a moral ground to stand on), on the Chinese. Right now they can very easily point to all those pictures of mob violence and justify a crackdown. When you're in a fistfight, who started it first stops mattering.
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Dalai Lama's Tibet bloodshed fear
On my Ladakh trip, I've come to admire Buddhism even more for its base thought-process. Also have always had a huge soft corner for Tibetans - they've had it really bad, and merely because of China's might, there isn't too much support for their cause.
(Ok there go my chances of ever being able to bike in China. Oh well!)
I'm also a little disappointed with the GoIndia for not speaking up for the Tibetans a little more. They're toeing the China line a little too much. Pragmatism and poilitical expediency is ok, but on the other hand they don't have to keep reiterating that they believe China rightfully owns Tibet.
I can empathise with the Dalai Lama's stance - though I wish he played the role of the Spiritual Leader a bit more and made the Chinese cringe. He's had the opportunity to play today's Gandhi - and that includes not giving in - but I do think he's squandered it a little bit.
The deepest anguish is with the Tibetan people. When Indians resort to violence it feels sad - when Tibetans (or any other Buddhists) do, one feels a little hopeless - if those who've grown up in the tradition of the middle path shed it and cannot force matters without hurling stones and bombs, there's very little hope for peace in the rest of the world.
I certainly cannot understand the Chinese point of view. Its a culturally different region. Its tough to maintain and administer, and can only be a drain on resources. It did have its usefulness as a buffer between China and India, and controlling it made sense from a military strategists viewpoint, but is that a valid concern or need in this day and age ? On the global stage, its only a blot on China's image - but for a few issues like these everyone's pretty impressed with them and wants to do business.
The only rational explanation one can forward is that the Chinese establishment still harbours thoughts of military expansion - and thats very scary for the rest of us, and regressive for them.
The whole thing's gone downhill in every aspect. I hope the Dalai Lama - like Gandhi always did - feels ashamed of his followers and apologises to the Chinese on their behalf. This might shame them towards a more peace-led yet resolute approach, and in turn put greater pressure (with less of a moral ground to stand on), on the Chinese. Right now they can very easily point to all those pictures of mob violence and justify a crackdown. When you're in a fistfight, who started it first stops mattering.
State of _ ?
the need to fly usurps
besieged by questions, though
how do i spread my wings ?
can i even walk anymore ?
is it my own, or,
did i just borrow desire ?
will i merely burn down to cinder
if i do ignite the fire ?
is it free, or high, i seek ?
do i want to fly at all ?
perhaps my road is different.
or am i afraid to fall ?
is it a rush i'm after ?
or an elevated zone ?
perhaps
all i need is to explore
before i turn to stone.
State of mind/city/stock market/economy/nation/startups ? A little bit of each, i guess.
Spokeo Alert/Apologies
I responded to a friend's request to signup for Spokeo - with my gmail id.
Without realizing it, in a few moments, effectively ended up spamming all contacts in my address book - tried sending apology mails - after the first lot seem to not be able to send mails using my gmail account any more. For those of you who got that Spokeo spam - my apologies.
Without realizing it, in a few moments, effectively ended up spamming all contacts in my address book - tried sending apology mails - after the first lot seem to not be able to send mails using my gmail account any more. For those of you who got that Spokeo spam - my apologies.
The Cup Runneth Over
I consciously paid for a coffee at Barista after a while today. What I mean is I actually looked at the bill, and saw the prices.
"51? Isn't the regular Cappuccino 34/- ?" I asked [ I'd asked for "1 cappuccino please"]
// a cup of coffee for a dollar and a half, in Bangalore!!? Ridiculous by most yardsticks
"No sir - its 51 - where does it say 34/- ?" said the man.
"Isn't that 34/- there on the menu there...." I pointed to the wall, which, to my embarrassment, was 34/- only for the Espresso.
Ah - there was no "Regular" Cappuccino any longer. 51, plus taxes - nearly 58/- for a cup of coffee and a few minutes of chair occupancy! I was both embarrassed, and shocked, with the latter feeling winning the mindspace battle and slowly turning into a slight feeling of having been had. I expressed the same to my colleague, and said CCD seemed to be relatively more reasonable (though neither could get close to the VFM a regular darshini offered). He remarked that I seemed to be biased against "large corporations" and chains.
Hmmm, was I ? Before I was anywhere being closed to being a grown-up - I remember as Bata being a "large chain" we could trust anywhere. Good shoes, good prices, even an exchange policy! Shubha and I have leaned towards Titan, and Tanishq, for their respective wares. I do like my Dominos/Pizza Hut pizzas more than the ones that Pizza Corner delivers - so I don't think I'm that much against big brands (though I do love to see a local store take on the biggies, and succeed). I even appreciate what Namdharis sells despite them never offering even a slight discount, ever.
Yet, there was an element of truth in what he said. I guess it was the feeling of having-been-had, or trying-to-charge-infinity-more-cause-i'm-a-big-brand alone! Titan makes great watches, yet tries to "compete" and provide "value". I know its intangible, but thats what it is! HP seemed like a rip-off when they asked me to change the entire LCD screen cause a teeny diode in the screen's power supply - a distinct component - was all that was not ok. BPL, otoh, has impressed in the past with great after sales and their attitude of fixing-the-small-issues-with-small-fixes approach. Even a surge at my parents' place merely meant a 40/- buck fuse replacement, not some major "oh but we have to change the whole component" crap.
If you run a consumer product company, or a chain, or whatever - remember - I - and many consumers - hate the feeling of having been had, whether its a legally tenable position or not.
It didnt help that the Barista dude was not too polite, either, even though I was wrong. [ Pizza Hut once gave me a free Pepsi refill that I dropped! ]
"51? Isn't the regular Cappuccino 34/- ?" I asked [ I'd asked for "1 cappuccino please"]
// a cup of coffee for a dollar and a half, in Bangalore!!? Ridiculous by most yardsticks
"No sir - its 51 - where does it say 34/- ?" said the man.
"Isn't that 34/- there on the menu there...." I pointed to the wall, which, to my embarrassment, was 34/- only for the Espresso.
Ah - there was no "Regular" Cappuccino any longer. 51, plus taxes - nearly 58/- for a cup of coffee and a few minutes of chair occupancy! I was both embarrassed, and shocked, with the latter feeling winning the mindspace battle and slowly turning into a slight feeling of having been had. I expressed the same to my colleague, and said CCD seemed to be relatively more reasonable (though neither could get close to the VFM a regular darshini offered). He remarked that I seemed to be biased against "large corporations" and chains.
Hmmm, was I ? Before I was anywhere being closed to being a grown-up - I remember as Bata being a "large chain" we could trust anywhere. Good shoes, good prices, even an exchange policy! Shubha and I have leaned towards Titan, and Tanishq, for their respective wares. I do like my Dominos/Pizza Hut pizzas more than the ones that Pizza Corner delivers - so I don't think I'm that much against big brands (though I do love to see a local store take on the biggies, and succeed). I even appreciate what Namdharis sells despite them never offering even a slight discount, ever.
Yet, there was an element of truth in what he said. I guess it was the feeling of having-been-had, or trying-to-charge-infinity-more-cause-i'm-a-big-brand alone! Titan makes great watches, yet tries to "compete" and provide "value". I know its intangible, but thats what it is! HP seemed like a rip-off when they asked me to change the entire LCD screen cause a teeny diode in the screen's power supply - a distinct component - was all that was not ok. BPL, otoh, has impressed in the past with great after sales and their attitude of fixing-the-small-issues-with-small-fixes approach. Even a surge at my parents' place merely meant a 40/- buck fuse replacement, not some major "oh but we have to change the whole component" crap.
If you run a consumer product company, or a chain, or whatever - remember - I - and many consumers - hate the feeling of having been had, whether its a legally tenable position or not.
It didnt help that the Barista dude was not too polite, either, even though I was wrong. [ Pizza Hut once gave me a free Pepsi refill that I dropped! ]
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