काल निदा फ़ाझलींचा एक शेर वाचला.
पहले हर चीझ थी अपनी मगर अब लगता है
अपनेही घरमे किसी दुसरे घरके हम है
वारंवार होणारे अतिरेकी हल्ले बघून आता असंच वाटायला लागलंय़ :-(
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
This post was supposed to be for the victims of blasts that happened on 11th July, 2006. Unfortunately, some more names have got added thanks to the morons who harmed innocents in 3 separate blasts in Mumbai yesterday. :-(
Every time this happens, there are the same inane statements from politicians, same blame game for intelligence services, same salute and kudos to Mumbai's indomitable spirit and same instructions for ordinary citizens to be vigilant about their surroundings. Yeah, sure, people will remain vigilant for 1-2 days but we are not staying in forests anymore. So man has lost his primeval instinct of always being alert through centuries. It's just not wired in our genes anymore. This vigilance cannot be maintained on a sustainable basis unless we set up special squads for this and this duty alone - sort of 'Neighborhood Patrol'.
People seem to be getting more and more organized as far as disaster management is concerned, judging from the use of Twitter and other social networking sites for rescue and relief work. But we need to bring about a method to this. Start 'Disaster Management' programs in localities across the country. Train people in first aid. Mind you, no politician is going to step forward to do this. You, me and people like us have to step in.
There can be no two opinions that intelligence network needs to be overhauled but we ordinary citizens cannot do much about it. We just have to make sure that we build a close community network so that outsiders will be unable to employ local help in carrying out such terrorist activities.
I just hope and pray for peace for those who lost their lives and for speedy recovery of the injured!
Every time this happens, there are the same inane statements from politicians, same blame game for intelligence services, same salute and kudos to Mumbai's indomitable spirit and same instructions for ordinary citizens to be vigilant about their surroundings. Yeah, sure, people will remain vigilant for 1-2 days but we are not staying in forests anymore. So man has lost his primeval instinct of always being alert through centuries. It's just not wired in our genes anymore. This vigilance cannot be maintained on a sustainable basis unless we set up special squads for this and this duty alone - sort of 'Neighborhood Patrol'.
People seem to be getting more and more organized as far as disaster management is concerned, judging from the use of Twitter and other social networking sites for rescue and relief work. But we need to bring about a method to this. Start 'Disaster Management' programs in localities across the country. Train people in first aid. Mind you, no politician is going to step forward to do this. You, me and people like us have to step in.
There can be no two opinions that intelligence network needs to be overhauled but we ordinary citizens cannot do much about it. We just have to make sure that we build a close community network so that outsiders will be unable to employ local help in carrying out such terrorist activities.
I just hope and pray for peace for those who lost their lives and for speedy recovery of the injured!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
"And you will have to send the package by Speed Post" said my CA.
"Speed Post? You mean courier, don't you?" I asked hopefully.
"I mean Speed Post. You will have to go to the post office for that." I think I detected a bit of pity in his voice. He might have rolled his eyes but since we were talking on phone I couldn't see that.
"But it has been ages since I have gone to a post office" this was my weak attempt at protest.
There was no answer to that.
"Okay, I will see what I can do. I will let you know" I said meekly and hung up.
At first, I couldn't think of any post office in the vicinity of my place. Then some memory stirred - of sending a package for a friend eons ago. Do they close post offices if there isn't much of a traffic? I was not sure and so decided to check it out the next day.
But a full week passed before I could do that.
I told the driver which road to take. 'I have to go to a post office there' I added in the same breath.
"Post office?' this was a new destination for him as well, it seems.
"yes"
"Is it on the left or right side of the road?"
"On the left"
5 minutes later I asked him to park the car at a spot where, I believed, no one would angrily honk even if he waited for 15 minutes.
I started walking towards the old location of the post office. The building came into sight but looked so old that I suspected for a minute that it was closed for business. A few seconds later, I found that my fears were baseless. I could detect human beings inside so I ventured in.
There weren't any customers there, only staff and no one showed any sign of seeing me. All the employees had taken utmost care to stay as far away from the windows as they could. After staring helplessly around for 2-3 minutes, I located a person within shouting distance of a window. So I addressed him.
"Do you have Speed Post facility?" I had seen the poster outside but couldn't think of any other question.
"Yes, but we will not be able to do it today as some work is going on" I didn't have the heart to ask exactly what this work was.
So I asked "Is it only for today?"
"Yes, today morning."
"So I can get it done if I come in the afternoon?"
"Yes"
"What time?"
He wasn't sure. He turned to someone and asked. But that person wasn't interested in answering. The man turned back to me with a sheepish grin.
"It's okay. You are sure I can get it done tomorrow?"
"Oh yes"
"What time does this post office open?"
"9am"
I thanked him and stepped out. I was supposed to go there today morning but couldn't. I am going there tomorrow. If you are interested in knowing what happens, check this blog in a day or two :-)
"Speed Post? You mean courier, don't you?" I asked hopefully.
"I mean Speed Post. You will have to go to the post office for that." I think I detected a bit of pity in his voice. He might have rolled his eyes but since we were talking on phone I couldn't see that.
"But it has been ages since I have gone to a post office" this was my weak attempt at protest.
There was no answer to that.
"Okay, I will see what I can do. I will let you know" I said meekly and hung up.
At first, I couldn't think of any post office in the vicinity of my place. Then some memory stirred - of sending a package for a friend eons ago. Do they close post offices if there isn't much of a traffic? I was not sure and so decided to check it out the next day.
But a full week passed before I could do that.
I told the driver which road to take. 'I have to go to a post office there' I added in the same breath.
"Post office?' this was a new destination for him as well, it seems.
"yes"
"Is it on the left or right side of the road?"
"On the left"
5 minutes later I asked him to park the car at a spot where, I believed, no one would angrily honk even if he waited for 15 minutes.
I started walking towards the old location of the post office. The building came into sight but looked so old that I suspected for a minute that it was closed for business. A few seconds later, I found that my fears were baseless. I could detect human beings inside so I ventured in.
There weren't any customers there, only staff and no one showed any sign of seeing me. All the employees had taken utmost care to stay as far away from the windows as they could. After staring helplessly around for 2-3 minutes, I located a person within shouting distance of a window. So I addressed him.
"Do you have Speed Post facility?" I had seen the poster outside but couldn't think of any other question.
"Yes, but we will not be able to do it today as some work is going on" I didn't have the heart to ask exactly what this work was.
So I asked "Is it only for today?"
"Yes, today morning."
"So I can get it done if I come in the afternoon?"
"Yes"
"What time?"
He wasn't sure. He turned to someone and asked. But that person wasn't interested in answering. The man turned back to me with a sheepish grin.
"It's okay. You are sure I can get it done tomorrow?"
"Oh yes"
"What time does this post office open?"
"9am"
I thanked him and stepped out. I was supposed to go there today morning but couldn't. I am going there tomorrow. If you are interested in knowing what happens, check this blog in a day or two :-)
Monday, July 11, 2011
कानडा हो विठ्ठ्लू!
आज आषाढी एकादशी! तसं माझं आणि उपवासाचं कधी जमलं नाही. उपवास म्हटला रे म्हटला की मला जास्त भूक लागते. त्यातून शेंगदाणा असं नुस्तं म्हटलं तरी पित्ताने डोकं जड झाल्यासारखं वाटतं. मुंबईत विठूरायाचं देऊळ नाही असं नाही पण ’कशासाठी, पोटासाठी’ करणायां माझ्यासारख्यांना तिथे जायला वेळ पाहिजे ना? त्यामुळे कसली एकादशी आणि कसलं काय! पण वेळ मिळाला तर संध्याकाळी धिंगाणाच्या साईटवर काही अभंग ऐकता आले तरी सार्थक होईल. बाकी वारी वगैरे ह्या जन्मी तरी नशिबात असेल असं नाही वाटत. असो. जसं त्याच्या मनात असेल तसं. बोलावलंच त्याने तर तोच व्यवस्था करेल प्रवासाची. तोवर इथूनच विठूनामाचा गजर - पुंडलिकदा वरदे हरि विठ्ठल!
चार आणे चलनातून बाद झाल्याचं वाचलं. चला, सुटले बिचारे! चार आण्यात काही मिळायचे दिवस कधीच मागे पडलेत. आमच्या शाळेत पाण्याने भरलेला तो पेप्सीकोला (!) नामक पदार्थ ह्या किमतीत मिळायचा बहुतेक. बाकी त्याचं ’पेप्सीकोला’ नाव का पडलं असावं हेही एक कोडंच आहे. कधी कोणाला सुटलं असेल असं वाटत नाही. हं, तर ह्याच चार आण्यांवर लोकप्रभेत एक लेख आलाय, वाचा जरूर. तेव्हढीच आपल्याकडून ह्या चवलीला श्रध्दांजली!
Something that made me wish I had been an archaeologist instead of a software consultant - 2,000-year-old shipwreck reveals ancient medical secrets
The Wolf At The Door - by Jack Higgins
I don't know about you but if I am not well, I generally prefer to be left alone with a good book. Sometimes, just sometimes, God does listen to such teeny weeny prayers and so when I was down with upset stomach over the weekend I fortunately happened to have Jack Higgins's 'The Wolf At The Door' with me.
It has been quite some time since I last read a Jack Higgins novel. So I had to get myself reacquainted with Ferguson, Roper, Miller and Sean Dillon. I didn't remember the Salter brothers so I am not sure if they were part of the cast in the Higgins novels that I have read before or not. This time the plot has all the trappings of an international mystery and more. The "bad ol' Russian" side is represented by Putin himself plus assorted KGB chaps. IRA and Sinn Fein are also thrown in for good measure - which reminded me once again that I must read up on this whole chapter that was never part of the Indian history textbooks.
All in all a wholesome clean entertainment and certainly recommended for a rainy day!
It has been quite some time since I last read a Jack Higgins novel. So I had to get myself reacquainted with Ferguson, Roper, Miller and Sean Dillon. I didn't remember the Salter brothers so I am not sure if they were part of the cast in the Higgins novels that I have read before or not. This time the plot has all the trappings of an international mystery and more. The "bad ol' Russian" side is represented by Putin himself plus assorted KGB chaps. IRA and Sinn Fein are also thrown in for good measure - which reminded me once again that I must read up on this whole chapter that was never part of the Indian history textbooks.
All in all a wholesome clean entertainment and certainly recommended for a rainy day!
Elevator Rudeness
I generally don't use elevators but I was a little bit under the weather that day. Plus I was carrying some stuff from the market. The elevator as usual was racing upwards to touch its goal of the highest floor. I had no other option to wait patiently. It was rather hot so I decided to turn on the fan.
Soon enough another woman with her daughter in tow joined the queue which so far had consisted of only poor me. As the elevator neared the ground floor I stepped out to turn the fan off. As I stepped out the woman took my place in the queue and her daughter followed her example. I was aghast when I returned back and glared at them both.
I would like to believe that the woman must have felt quite silly when she saw me come back though it is highly unlikely that she had assumed I was gonna take the stairs when the elevator was on its way down. She was distinctly uncomfortable though as she stood very close to the elevator doors muttering to herself about its slow speed. How I wished a crowd would step out of it and glare at her for bumping into them!
No such luck though, the elevator was empty when its doors opened. The woman walked in followed by her daughter. I walked in last. I had to muster every ounce of energy to prevent myself from muttering 'mannerless' as I passed her when I stepped out on my floor. I did, however, manage to glare once again.
I have always wondered why people are so prompt in jumping the queue in this country. The so-called sophisticated ones are the worst when you would think that they should know better.
I was mightily miffed about this even after reaching home. Then an idea struck me. Next time someone does this to me, I am going to fish my mobile out before stepping out of the elevator, make sure it is on silent mode and then say "Hey, I just remembered about that survey you are doing on 'elevator rudeness'. I just had an amazing experience....." :-)
Have any more ideas on curbing this menace without ourselves being rude? Let me know.
Soon enough another woman with her daughter in tow joined the queue which so far had consisted of only poor me. As the elevator neared the ground floor I stepped out to turn the fan off. As I stepped out the woman took my place in the queue and her daughter followed her example. I was aghast when I returned back and glared at them both.
I would like to believe that the woman must have felt quite silly when she saw me come back though it is highly unlikely that she had assumed I was gonna take the stairs when the elevator was on its way down. She was distinctly uncomfortable though as she stood very close to the elevator doors muttering to herself about its slow speed. How I wished a crowd would step out of it and glare at her for bumping into them!
No such luck though, the elevator was empty when its doors opened. The woman walked in followed by her daughter. I walked in last. I had to muster every ounce of energy to prevent myself from muttering 'mannerless' as I passed her when I stepped out on my floor. I did, however, manage to glare once again.
I have always wondered why people are so prompt in jumping the queue in this country. The so-called sophisticated ones are the worst when you would think that they should know better.
I was mightily miffed about this even after reaching home. Then an idea struck me. Next time someone does this to me, I am going to fish my mobile out before stepping out of the elevator, make sure it is on silent mode and then say "Hey, I just remembered about that survey you are doing on 'elevator rudeness'. I just had an amazing experience....." :-)
Have any more ideas on curbing this menace without ourselves being rude? Let me know.
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