Bus day

Yesterday (Feb 4th) was Bus Day in Bangalore.

We were supposed to use public transport and I had been flooded with mails/forwards/pamphlets about Bus day. So much that I thought it would go pretty well and maybe there would be lesser traffic on the roads (if not cleaner, less pollluted air etc, as the pamphlets had suggested!).

Morning came, and I went to office as usual (in company bus, which I thought was public transport enough) and we were stuck in Airport Road for the same number of minutes that we are stuck every morning (if not a few more). We nearly hit (but never really hit) the same number of vehicles and pedestrians who were callously crossing the road few cms in front of our vehicle. 

And did I see crowded buses? Nah! If you have stood at Adyar Depot at 8.30-9 in the morning (Aside: Why is it that we Indians can never tell the time accurately? I have never heard anyone say 4PM, only 4-4.30!), and tried to squeeze yourself into the lopsided 21H, you would know what a crowded bus is. But even by Bangalore standards, I don't think buses were any more crowded than usual. Not noticably.

Which makes me conclude the Bus day wasn't a success at all.

And why?

We know that, don't we? Lack of direct buses, infrequency, and of course, the fares. In Chennai, I can go pretty far (as in more than just walkable distances) on 5 bucks. Here, it takes me 5 from just Bhima Nagar to CMH (which I sometimes walk). Plus the conductors never know where to go. I have some infamous experiences of landing in the wrong places (and being late for office) because of misguiding conductors. And after 8.30 PM or so, the bus frequency drops to 40%, I think (I have waited for long long long times to get buses on otherwise popular routes!), which makes it necessary to take an auto.

Besides, there was no incentive as such to take the bus on Bus Day (unless you wanted to prove to your friends you were environment-friendly or something, which I don't think is all that motivating). BMTC could have subsidized rates for the day. Or increased frequency of buses. (I would prefer them to give a toffee to every passenger, but that is not economically feasible :( )

I don't know if BMTC is listening, though they have this survey. Since govt organization surveys are pretty much treated equal to kadalai-madikkara-paper, I guess not. But if they are, I hope they change Bangalore bus services at least slightly, so that Bus day is not just an over-hyped ineffective fiasco, but a real Bus Day.

And I do wish they start a follow-traffic-rules day! My heart is really exhausted with the BP shoots every time we are about to dash into a scooter gone mad on the roads.

Too much to ask for, I guess ....

Update--

Check this link...  I am surprised!

Are you significant? -Part 2

Before I begin- link of the day. Makes me nauseate and I don't know what else :( (Got it from Shruthi's blog)


(Continued from Part-1)

So yes, I am back after quite a few months with that same nagging question- Are you significant?

On Blogging and Grammar....

I read this on Laugh it Out :) and LOL ever since...

The original post is here!

The Auric-models-of-the-Earth and the cinema-of-rebirth

Is this the season of screwed up awards?!

Maybe the end of the world is really nearing, so people thought they could just give away awards to whoever they please. (Or wish to please).

Obama getting the Nobel was one thing, and now Avatar getting the Golden Globe! Whatever happened to the days when a movie had to be "good" to win an award? Or a person was expected to really "do" something before getting the Nobel?

Maybe 6 months down, we can get degrees without even being a student of the college (or being a Tamil politician!). Imagine how good it would be to chuck the whole coaching-entrance-counselling routine! Or to get jobs without the written-GD-PI process! (Maybe you would suggest one gets married without the muster your courage-propose-date routine, but that is already there in the Indian system!)

But hey, you tell me, the Avatar guys made a movie after all! And they earned a lot of money with it! Ya, they pleased the masses. And ya, they had good graphics. But since when have we started calling technological advancement as artistic greatness?! Then I guess we should start awarding the Googles and TIs (and Intels ;) ) and Microsofts of the world the Oscars for Best Motion picture, Best OST etc. And the Sunfeasts and Tru-Nices the Olympic medals for weight-lifting and archery! (No. They have no connection AT ALL with sports!) Or Sania the Wimbledon! (Don't tell me she shouldn't be awarded, because she really plays tennis!). Or how about "Two States" for the Man Booker? …

Ok. Enough of that. But seriously, after you see a movie like "The Lives of Others", how can you even imagine Avatar is good?! (No, I am not going to tell you how beautiful TLO was, or how they had narrated an utterly simple story so well!) And after you read this perfect description of Avatar's story, how can you even call it 'good' cinema, let alone 'great'?!

Well, well, I only hope the world doesn't get stuck in this award-anybody-anything mode!!

Epilogue ...

Trinnnggg!!!!

"Hello… Ya, speaking… What? Did you say you want to award ME "The Best Trasher Award"? MEEE??? :) :) :) Instead of Sudish Kamath (THE HINDU) and The Vigil Idiot? But… of course… I truly deserve it, don't I? Ya, ya, thank you…. And ya, the Nobel guys were right… and so were the golden globbies… oh come on, who cares about TLO………"

Another idiot review

3 idiots.

Much has been told about this movie already, if not too much. And yet, when I saw the movie, there was at least one minute when it touched my heart. And for the fact that most movies don't do that these days- the movie was awesome! :)