Misuse of Words

I am getting tired of seeing words like grateful, honoured and a few more (Humbled?) used anywhere and everywhere.

Honoured to present a paper? Honoured to be invited as a speaker? Why, were you unqualified? 

Was it not a professional decision to invite you because you have something to contribute? 

Being grateful generally is a good thing. But irritating when it is not a fit. You don't have to be grateful to everyone for everything.

Grateful to be promoted? Why, you didn't deserve it? You don't have to be grateful, just be happy you got what you deserved and worked for.

A fawning mentality does not help the cause of Meritocracy. Watch what you are saying. And what it implies.

The Invite- Film Review

 Watch it if you are an adult. The movie is A rated. It's a funny take on marriages, and relationships. 

Two couples are all that the star cast has- kind of like Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf? That one I saw a few years ago, and was good too.

This one is more light-hearted, and pokes fun at how marriages get into the Fight Mode, with each blaming the other, while refusing to change for the better.

The younger couple is more Woke, and liberal, and give the older one a lesson or two, through clever dialogue and situations. Penelope Cruz is a bonus.

Watch it if you like the subject.. I liked it.

City Ratings - Pune

 I had floated the idea of rating cities by a few things that matter to a common citizen. Here is my first attempt, at rating Pune, where I live.

Commuting. Buses.. reasonable, but not as well-maintained as Bangalore. Some areas over-served, some under. 6 on 10

Metro- inadequate network. Last mile connectivity not well thought out. Cost is reasonable though. 6 on 10.

Cleanliness- roads are not cleaned adequately, particularly garbage clearance is sloppy.. 5 on 10..

Autorickshaws- very good, both metered and Uber are available at most places. 8 on 10.

Weather- better than most places, except Bangalore- 8 on 10.

Food/drink options- plenty, and growing. Seafood, North/South Indian joints are plenty, so are pizza places. Craft beer is homegrown too, like Effingut, Pune-based. We also have TOIT, and Doolally's at Corinthian Club.

Internet- good speed, options. Or else my blog and fb participation would go for a toss.

Overall, quality of life is decent. Pollution is a problem, with too much construction.. road quality needs to improve. 

Taare Zameen Par- Music Show by Children

 It was an endearing show of Bollywood songs across decades. The orchestra was superb, and so were the kids who performed. A novel idea, to present a kids' performance instead of one by grownups, and well-handled. Some songs rendered were done professionally. Two that stood out for me were Husn ke lakhon rang from Johnny Mera Naam and Ek chatur naar from Padosan. Happened at Yeshwantrao Hall in Kothrud yesterday.

Vedanshi Modha was a great compere and her dad was on the keyboard, as well as the organiser. Some good guys on the guitar, tabla and drums. Makrand Patankar and Radhika Atre were in the audience, both good singers themselves.. 

A rocking performance!

 

Rating Governance and Civic Facilities

 One way to keep governments in check is through Rating their performance on various counts that matter to you and me.. 

I propose a Rating on a 1 to 10 scale on the following-

1. Commute- ease, cost and availability of options

2. If there is a metro, ease of getting there and last mile connectivity

3. Cleanliness- availability of dust bins and garbage clearance on roads

4. Enforcing traffic rules - stopping errant drivers of all kinds, crazy parking and so on..

5. Ease of business at any govt. office we encounter.. RTO Passport, or any other

These will do for a start. Periodically do this through public posting based on actual experience, through independent agencies and individually through social media instead of stupid Whatsapp forwards.

Accountability

What is accountability? There is none in an autocracy, unless the King feels it is needed. 

Bu there is shame, or should be, in any system of governance.

When there is no shame, we end up with the Emperor's New Clothes kind of situation.

The damage done by Yes-men (gender-neutral) is enormous, in any system.

The bureaucracy by its nature has no spine. But others are expected to have it.

It took 25 days to show up the rulers for what they are.. 

Hope they reform themselves, so that we don't regress any more than we have already..

 

Right to Protest

 Democracy has some inbuilt assumptions.

One of them is a right to peaceful protest. The prime example of non-violent protest would be Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

It really does not matter how serious the ruling party thinks the issue being raised is. If a number of people think it needs to be raised, it is serious for them. The rest of the citizens can decide for themselves and either support, oppose or be neutral to them.

But if you take away that right, it can have serious consequences, as history has often shown.

It is in the interest of the government in a democracy to heed such protests, and do something about them before they go out of hand. It's just a part of the democratic structure.