Toe Knee Unplugged

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Let sleeping dogs lie

During a recent trip to Delhi's Qutab Minar (mandatory whenever relatives drop in), I saw these stray dogs sleeping next to three tombs.

Waiting for their masters' call, eh?

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Taking the red bus home: a joyride in New Delhi

Riding home in the air-conditioned comfort of a gleaming red bus, I find it hard to believe I am travelling in New Delhi.

Squeaky-clean seats, no crowds jostling for room, automatic doors and huge windows offering panoramic views of the bustling streets — it's a far cry from the torture I have endured in the past.

Click here to read more.

(Photo by Vijay Mathur)

RELATED POSTS
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part 1, 2, 3

Monday, September 29, 2008

And here's a picture of the devil's pet

Evil Bunny link from here

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Dog Wars: The Poop Strikes Back

Heard of the "dog poop DNA reward & fine scheme" yet?

Okay, it's not called that but believe me -- this is exactly what a program launched in a Tel Aviv suburb is doing.

Using a DNA database to match faeces to a dog and identify its owner. Ensuring that people clean up after their pets.

Isn't technology wonderful? Stock markets are in a turmoil, people are dying in floods, bombings, shootings (you-name-it and they are dying of it) and what do the people of Petah Tikva do? Worry about the origins of canine poop.

I wonder who came up with the idea. P Diddy?

Last week, hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs stepped in a dog's leftovers - literally.

Or was it someone who hates Britney Spears? Remember how the pop star let her puppy poop on a $6,700 Zac Posen gown during a photo shoot last year.

Anyway, the scheme is doomed to fail in India -- where millions of stray dogs rule the streets. Imagine the time and effort it will take to test their collective poop.

Of course, there's no one to pay the fines. Unless you consider these dogs property of the state. And make the municipal authority cough up the money.

On second thoughts, that's not a bad idea.

By the way, did you hear some crap about Indian stray dogs being voted the world's sexiest?

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Losing sleep over Apple's iPhone 3G

I am not crazy about cellphones. So when I was asked to cover the midnight launch of the Apple iPhone 3G in India, it didn’t really seem worth sacrificing my sleep.

I walked half-heartedly to the Vodafone store in nearby Connaught Place, hoping to see frenzied youngsters jostling for vantage position outside its shutters.

I had read horror stories of people abroad queuing up 60 hours ahead of schedule for a chance to buy the iPhone first.

For more, click here

Monday, August 11, 2008

Jesus played cricket? It's an Olympic campaign

No, I really don't think Jesus Christ played cricket as a child as some media reports would have us believe.

That seems more like a conspiracy, to establish cricket as the game played by the saviour of the world -- and then use it to squeeze cricket into the next Olympics.

I am not complaining though coz India has a good chance of winning a medal in cricket.

But if you ask me, Jesus would have been a sure winner in the walking on water category, if that ever becomes an Olympic sport.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Surviving Delhi Bus Rapid Transit Corridor III

Want to irritate me? You can show me the Delhi government ad on television that lists the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor project as one of its achievements.

Just because it's disappeared from the front pages of newspapers doesn't mean commuters are now in some sort of heaven. They are just resigned to the fact that there's no getting away with the bottlenecks at Chirag Dilli and Archana crossings.

The time taken is the same but the hot May sun is no longer beating down on motorcyclists and cars.

When you are waiting in the BRT line in August, the rain splashes down, dribbling down the car's windscreen and you can sit back and relax, armed with the knowledge that the car in front won't move another inch anytime soon.

Yes, the rain gods had pity on Delhi's hapless BRT commuters -- making that interminable wait at least tolerable.

But that doesn't make the corridor project a success. Hindustan Times claims people are adjusting to BRT, that Delhi has learnt to live with it. They should have asked me, I guess. Or anybody who goes through the BRT corridor day after day, month after month.

What worries me is this Times of India article, which says the Delhi government is planning more BRT stretches. It seems Sheila Dikshit hasn't learnt her lesson yet. Does she really want to lose the next election?

If only she had spent a few extra crores and extended the Delhi Metro till Khanpur. People would have been singing her praises. Alas! Each commuter on the corridor has only curses to offer.

My colleagues don't believe me. They feel I use BRT as an excuse.

"How bad could it be?" they ask.

"Travel down the corridor and you will see," I reply.

Unfortunately, they don't live anywhere near the BRT. And they will never experience the torture. After all, the rains will go away soon, the sun will come out and the commuters will sweat again -- and their murmurs would grow louder and louder still.

ALSO READ
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part I
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part II

The best of August 2008 blog mela
	Asal Tamil Penn
	Lucifer House Inc
	Twisted DNA
	Toddyshop
	IndieQuill
	Anjali
	Jabberwock
	Great Bong
	Mudra Mehta
	Gawker
	None of them were that good

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The best of July 2008 blog mela
	Twisted DNA
	Nomad
	Bikerdude
	Silverine
	Mama Says So
	Jabberwock
	Idea-smithy
	18,000 RPM
	Madhusudan Katti
	YOnEarthNot
	None of them were that good

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