Just curious #4 – Worst world cup yet?

No no, not talking as an India fan. Too long a tournament (players are complaining), too many inconsequential matches, (is super 8 a bit much, was super 6 better?) – forget those things. The biggest gripe I have, and via his column this morning, Steve Waugh agrees, is about TV coverage which has been [...]

2-3 vs a billion

A fellow in dark glasses and uniquely-Indian bow-tie took potshots at our courts and got away with it. And I was like why so much noise over it? Go ahead with IIM admissions, and admit ‘quota’ students later if and when courts have a final verdict. The new students may miss a quarter or so, [...]

A Bollywod script – “Full circle”

Flashback. The Girl came home. And told her dad, “The name is Khan, Mrs I Khan”. Dad, a popular leader, an upper caste Hindu with rich roots and cultured upbringing, stared at her young husband who had a Muslim sounding last name. He said, “No way”. Tension persisted, and a few tactical moves later, Dad [...]

Indus valley or not?

I have been reading tidbits about the debates – was Harappan civilization truly the “Indus valley” civilization? Or were those cities built around some other river as well (Saraswati, Ghaggar-Hakra?) that doesn’t exist today? How did it end, an invasion, or geographical changes? In that context, I looked up the latest class XII NCERT text [...]

Complaints: a tale of few cities – #1

E-governance is a two way street, no initiative is complete without an electronic and easy way of taking in suggestions and complaints, and may I add – RTI (Right to Information) applications as well. How about we look at relevant online systems of a few city governments?
KALYAN-Dombivili gets cited for having one of the best [...]

Wowfee thoughts

While at Jayanagar last month, cousin S and I went to a cafe. Asked for the menu card. Opened it, and wham, there was wowfee! That very first item on the list – Windows Vista Coffee – made me brew some instant thoughts:

Control theory

Had read this news last month that IIT Mumbai (also called IIT Bombay) plans to put some controls on internet access in its hostels (Stop surfing). BTW, don’t go by the headlines alone. The idea is to cut you out from 23:00 to 00:30 hrs – 1.5 hrs of control, thats it.
“There has been a [...]

Overheard … #4 – Burnt a bus? Pay up.

… that Maharashtra state government is going to bring in a legislation that will ask the organizers to pay up if a rally organized by them leads to damage of public property.
After Mr H D Kumaraswamy talked about acting tough a few months ago (when an anti-conversion rally lead to acts of arson in [...]

The traffic socialists?

When I talked about the socialists (see Traffic clubs), this is the sort of thing I was referring to. Find this  small piece from TOI Bangalore, April 6, page 3:
A frenzied crowd in Chandapura, Bangalore Rural district, threw stones at buses and tried to torch a truck after a scooterist knocked down by the truck [...]

Another death and I wonder

This morning.

Venue: Kundalahalli Gate, Airport road between the signal and new Marathahalli railway bridge.
Fatalities: One, died on spot.
Who: Pedestrian, crushed by a Scorpio.
How: (Disclaimer: reconstructed from one quick glance at the gut-wrenching scene, good chances of inaccuracy) One pedestrian, trying to cross over. Jumps on to the road from median. A speeding Scorpio swerves to [...]