Jokes apart, though, it is always painful to see the city use water in a callous manner. We often see tankers on the roads transporting water while they spill most of it en route. Every area and locality will have their share of water wasters. This current shortage cannot be attributed solely to the administration. It is of our own doing as well.

It helps to realize that the authorities are as helpless about lack of rain as the common man is. It is pointless going to the met . . . → Read More: Pune is a dry city now]]> It had to happen sooner or later. The amount of water Punekars waste was soon going to come back and leave them high and dry. And with no rains for over a month now, the time has come. Starting tomorrow, Pune will receive water supply only once in two days. Which will mean everyone is storing enough water to fill up swimming pools!

Jokes apart, though, it is always painful to see the city use water in a callous manner. We often see tankers on the roads transporting water while they spill most of it en route. Every area and locality will have their share of water wasters. This current shortage cannot be attributed solely to the administration. It is of our own doing as well.

It helps to realize that the authorities are as helpless about lack of rain as the common man is. It is pointless going to the met department as asking why their predictions went wrong. Using water based on weather forecasts is like spending money assuming you’ll earn it. If the predictions are wrong, you’re in a world of trouble! And that’s just what has happened. While the blame is currently being laid squarely on the powers that (are supposed to) run the city, citizens would do well to introspect and still mend their ways. This is not the first water shortage this decade either. It seems we refuse to learn.

For the part of the administration, one wonders why we make provisions for water only till July 15 every year. Is it assumed that there sill be enough rain every year by then to take care of the next year? For the last three years, Pune has ‘almost’ been in this situation. Yet we didn’t learn. And this year, the situation has come pass. So what now? It may still rain enough in the next two months to make up for the lack of water and give us enough water. Till next July 15. And then what?

As a city, Pune needs better facilities and infrastructure. That doesn’t merely confine itself to roads and power and bus stops and non-functional BRTS plans. Water must be part of that. And the authorities and citizens need to start planning for this today. Not after this crisis is past us.

Till then, I wonder how the city will survive on one bath every alternate day. That stinks!

In the “Kheema in Eggs” one, is there more Kheema or more eggs? The waiter at the restaurant answered, “One way or another, it’s the same thing!”

So there.

We ordered. Was great.

Also seen at the restaurant, a signboard declaring:

Don’t sit here without any work.

Do not comb or brush your hair. It may fly into other people’s food.

Both the instructions were on the same paper stuck between papers announcing Malai Kulfi for Rs 18 and other desserts on the menu (namely Caramel Custard, Caramel Pudding, Bread Pudding and Fruit Funny). We don’t think there’s any connection between the two instruction, but there could be. See, someone sitting without work is more liable to comb and/or brush hair thereby sending it into other people’s food. These old-time restaurants have it all figured out, I say.

Jus sayin’!

Speaking of desserts, we also asked . . . → Read More: Food, Pune and the Irani restaurant.]]> On the menu card at Good Luck, Pune: Tawa Kheema and Kheema in eggs.

In the “Kheema in Eggs” one, is there more Kheema or more eggs? The waiter at the restaurant answered, “One way or another, it’s the same thing!”

So there.

We ordered. Was great.

Also seen at the restaurant, a signboard declaring:

Don’t sit here without any work.

Do not comb or brush your hair. It may fly into other people’s food.

Both the instructions were on the same paper stuck between papers announcing Malai Kulfi for Rs 18 and other desserts on the menu (namely Caramel Custard, Caramel Pudding, Bread Pudding and Fruit Funny). We don’t think there’s any connection between the two instruction, but there could be. See, someone sitting without work is more liable to comb and/or brush hair thereby sending it into other people’s food. These old-time restaurants have it all figured out, I say.

Jus sayin’!

Speaking of desserts, we also asked the waiter the difference between Caramel Custard and Caramel Pudding.

He said, “Custard is made with powder and pudding with eggs.” He then proceeded to point at a neighbouring table where he had just delivered the goods.

We said, “…”

“Well?”, said he.

“Ok bring us the pudding,” said we!

Much joy came with the pudding – caramel and bread!

So last weekend, I had a minor run-in (of the verbal sorts) with one such free-willed driver. While planning, attempting and then being halfway through the U-turn, the following ensued:

As I flicked on the indicator and initiated the right turn, I realized that I wasn’t going to make the turn unless I started a tad wider. So I made the minor adjustment and then proceeded to turn. In the meantime, an enterprising driver decided he should go ahead from my right (while I turned). Upon suddenly finding my car blocking his way, he became angry. Rightfully so. Who would want their progress stalled suddenly by a car across the road. He proceeded to reprimand me for my callous ways…

Driver: . . . → Read More: The indicator has two meanings…]]> Pune’s roads are notoriously unsafe. And free-willed at the same time. They run on the will of the drivers. Who run about freely without any regard for safety or rules. Ergo, free-willed.

So last weekend, I had a minor run-in (of the verbal sorts) with one such free-willed driver. While planning, attempting and then being halfway through the U-turn, the following ensued:

As I flicked on the indicator and initiated the right turn, I realized that I wasn’t going to make the turn unless I started a tad wider. So I made the minor adjustment and then proceeded to turn. In the meantime, an enterprising driver decided he should go ahead from my right (while I turned). Upon suddenly finding my car blocking his way, he became angry. Rightfully so. Who would want their progress stalled suddenly by a car across the road. He proceeded to reprimand me for my callous ways…

Driver: Kidhar jaata hai?

Me: Right ko.

Driver: Haath to dikhao…

Me: Indicator on hai…

Driver: Indicator on hai to kahi bhi turn lega?

Me: Right ka indicator hai, right turn hai, main right turn le raha hoo… problem kya hai?

Driver: Gaali kyon diya?

Me: …

Driver: Kidhar bhi turn karega kya?

Me: …

Driver: Right turn lena hai to haath dikhao.

Me: Indicator chalu hai boss.

Driver: Indicator ke do matlab hote hai. Yaa to tum right le rahe ho, ya mujhe aage jane ko bol rahe ho. Tum mujhe aage jaane bol rahe the…

Me: … … …

Driver: Vroom

Me: … !!!???

This is a real life story. No fiction. Really.

But, with a renewed site design (only the first change of 2010!), I hope to be back to more regular blogging. Much has happened since my last post… India became the number 1 Test team, Serena Williams played the Australian Open and almost forgot her undies, Season 5 of Lost has come and gone and we are none-the-wiser for what in God’s name is going on on that island, Shahid Afridi has started his new diet of cricket balls and worst of all, Pune had a bomb blast.

Much is being written and discussed and analyzed about the blast. I have little or nothing to add to it. Except that it was a cowardly attack. Like all terror attacks.

While a month-and-a-half of . . . → Read More: Going thin.]]> Yes, the blogging has been thin for a while now. However, that doesn’t mean I have been completely out of action. Work and familial pressures have kept one busy. Too busy.

But, with a renewed site design (only the first change of 2010!), I hope to be back to more regular blogging. Much has happened since my last post… India became the number 1 Test team, Serena Williams played the Australian Open and almost forgot her undies, Season 5 of Lost has come and gone and we are none-the-wiser for what in God’s name is going on on that island, Shahid Afridi has started his new diet of cricket balls and worst of all, Pune had a bomb blast.

Much is being written and discussed and analyzed about the blast. I have little or nothing to add to it. Except that it was a cowardly attack. Like all terror attacks.

While a month-and-a-half of 2010 has gone by, there are still 10.5 months remaining. With F1 coming up, the IPL almost here, the Football World Cup in June and the T20 World Cup in April, much time shall be spent in front of the TV. If I ever leave the office!

So expect all those updates, analysis and whatnot coming up here.

Till then, I’ll crawl back under the rock I came out from… where did I move it… ?

P.S.: Yes, I have also gone (marginally) thin

Nagpur, on the other hand, gets four games. Including some big tickets ones including AUS v NZ and IND v SA  in addition to two smaller games. So where does that leave Pune?

The MCA has done nothing of note to build a stadium worthy of international games in the city. Even recent Ranji Trophy matches have taken place at the Poona Club ground or at the Deccan Gymkhana ground neither of which have seating.

It’s pitiable, but a reflection of what the city is doing to itself. While definitely lacking in basic infrastructure, it is certainly better in support infrastructure (hotels, restaurants etc) than Nagpur. But the basic missing link – a ground – has yet again cost the city.

As Mr Kalmadi, our esteemed MP continues to bungle the . . . → Read More: No World Cup matches for Pune]]> What a sorry, sorry state of affairs. The World Cup cricket returns to India after 1996 and there is no game for Pune.

Nagpur, on the other hand, gets four games. Including some big tickets ones including AUS v NZ and IND v SA  in addition to two smaller games. So where does that leave Pune?

The MCA has done nothing of note to build a stadium worthy of international games in the city. Even recent Ranji Trophy matches have taken place at the Poona Club ground or at the Deccan Gymkhana ground neither of which have seating.

It’s pitiable, but a reflection of what the city is doing to itself. While definitely lacking in basic infrastructure, it is certainly better in support infrastructure (hotels, restaurants etc) than Nagpur. But the basic missing link – a ground – has yet again cost the city.

As Mr Kalmadi, our esteemed MP continues to bungle the CWG2010, the city reels. Sure, building a ground is not his job, but he does have a finger in every pie in the city’s development. Or the lack of it.

Much has been said about this, and it is really pointless crying over this. We will perhaps need to plan to catch the games in Mumbai (the Final is there) or Nagpur. Or maybe Bangalore or Ahmedabad… all accessible. Of course, none closer than a ground in the city, but one can’t live on pipe dreams, now, can one?

2. The disclaimer above is to ensure that none of those big stores sue my a** off! Now that we’re done with disclaimers (and their disclaimers!), it’s time to tell you the dirty truth about electronics store chains in Pune.

Recently, I have been around looking for an iPod docking station, a laptop, an LCD/Plasma TV and cell phones. I have bought all these items from different stores. That itself begs the question: what are these massive one-stop stores good for?

Yes, the hint is at Croma. As someone who takes his electronics quite seriously, I do expect store salesmen to be well informed. I don’t expect them to know . . . → Read More: Electronics shopping in Pune]]> 1. Some of the comments in this article may well apply to stores of the chains mentioned in other cities as well, but my experiences are limited to the specific outlets I visited. I don’t aim to generalize my opinions for the entire chain.

2. The disclaimer above is to ensure that none of those big stores sue my a** off!

Now that we’re done with disclaimers (and their disclaimers!), it’s time to tell you the dirty truth about electronics store chains in Pune.

Recently, I have been around looking for an iPod docking station, a laptop, an LCD/Plasma TV and cell phones. I have bought all these items from different stores. That itself begs the question: what are these massive one-stop stores good for?

Yes, the hint is at Croma. As someone who takes his electronics quite seriously, I do expect store salesmen to be well informed. I don’t expect them to know all the minute details, but their suggestions should mean something. And at no store in Pune have I found this. The obvious incentive for them to push a brand/product is the commission they or the store stands to earn. In this regard, Vijay Sales (Sadhu Vaswani Chowk) is perhaps the best of the lot.

Plasma TV
42″ Panasonic Viera. At Croma (Aundh): Rs 50,000. At Vijay Sales (SV Chowk): Rs 40,000. At Xcite (Aundh): Rs 40,000.

No prizes for guessing that I didn’t buy at Croma. I bought at Vijay Sales. Because the sales people there were willing to take the effort of connecting a DVD player to the TV and demonstrating the quality to me. Because they didn’t cringe when I asked them to do it. That the cashiers are also smiling helps.

At Croma, I fail to understand the reason for the 25% excess price. It isn’t like their sales guys are really well informed or that Croma was offering me something additional with the TV. The same was experienced even when buying a cell phone and laptop.

Conclusion: Stay away from Croma. They don’t have decent parking either. Xcite is pretty good… I did buy the iPod dock (JBL) from them and almost bought the TV as well. Just that their staff is fairly aloof to your presence. It could mean they don’t get in the way of browsing. But it also means they aren’t around when you ask questions. Vijay Sales offers the best prices by far of all these. Whether kitchen electronics and appliances or entertainment of cameras. Be sure to tell them that you won’t pay the 1% or 1.5% extra they ask for on use of a card and they may agree! For Laptops, I’ve started to like House of Laptops (Aundh). The staff is very well informed and the range, although somewhat limited, is good enough for most consumer needs.

I was to interview someone today at 11.30am. The candidate had applied for a job and after exchanging a few mails, the time was fixed. She turned up half an hour early. Great. But I was out and came in about 20 minutes before the scheduled meeting time. I was told she had come and left. Strange!

So about 45 minutes after the scheduled time, I messaged asking if she was coming in. No reply. Then I called. And she told me that since this is a start-up, she had changed her mind. She wants to work for a bigger company! Wow. Jobs must be easy these days again. Anyways, to each their own. But what baffles the mind is there are ways of turning down a job offer/interview. There are ways to research a company you want to . . . → Read More: Professionalism and the job market]]> See, we’re expanding. So I’m interviewing a lot of people for various positions.

I was to interview someone today at 11.30am. The candidate had applied for a job and after exchanging a few mails, the time was fixed. She turned up half an hour early. Great. But I was out and came in about 20 minutes before the scheduled meeting time. I was told she had come and left. Strange!

So about 45 minutes after the scheduled time, I messaged asking if she was coming in. No reply. Then I called. And she told me that since this is a start-up, she had changed her mind. She wants to work for a bigger company! Wow. Jobs must be easy these days again. Anyways, to each their own. But what baffles the mind is there are ways of turning down a job offer/interview. There are ways to research a company you want to interview with and then apply.

Despite the fact that we are no longer a ‘start-up’ (we do have some clients, you know, like Epson, SOTC, Ad Club, TOI, Yahoo!, AOL etc, but perhaps they aren’t large enough for her) this candidate made her decision based on what our waiting area looks like. She didn’t talk to anyone, didn’t wait to find out the company plans, current profile or anything that someone looking for a career tries to find out. So how will she know we got acquired and are now part of a US outfit? She won’t!

Either I’m out of touch with how job hunting is done these days or the recession is well and truly over and candidates have many many options to choose from. The first may be true, but the second, certainly isn’t. Whose loss? Time will tell. I do have a few more people to meet for that position. So maybe not mine.

Professionalism? Very low indeed. For the record, the candidate is not from Pune, but has just moved here. So don’t say Punekars are unprofessional!

Good luck, candidate. You know who you are!

As of Tuesday morning, Pune had reported 5 H1N1 deaths of the total 8 in India in addition to over 300 other confirmed cases. While this hasn’t come about overnight, it is a typically lazy response to what now seems like a pandemic.

So what one saw on the streets of Pune this morning was a Sunday-like but only eerie silence. There was a heaviness about and one could really gauge what was being thought. As everyone adorned the “bandit queen” look, the ridiculousness of the entire situation was overwhelming. Despite repeated reports that the masks are to be used for just a . . . → Read More: You Swine!]]> That would be the normal retort if we knew which pig to blame for the flu. As cities start to panic and people start to believe anything they hear, the government is starting to make some knee-jerk decisions. Take Pune, for example, where the outbreak seems to be the worst.

As of Tuesday morning, Pune had reported 5 H1N1 deaths of the total 8 in India in addition to over 300 other confirmed cases. While this hasn’t come about overnight, it is a typically lazy response to what now seems like a pandemic.

So what one saw on the streets of Pune this morning was a Sunday-like but only eerie silence. There was a heaviness about and one could really gauge what was being thought. As everyone adorned the “bandit queen” look, the ridiculousness of the entire situation was overwhelming. Despite repeated reports that the masks are to be used for just a day and not all masks are useful, people continue to buy them en masse. A report claims that almost 250,000 were sold across the city on Monday! Good business!

The solutions by the powers that be? One of the first things that the authorities have done is stay away. Pune’s two ‘powerful and influential’ ministers — Suresh Kalmadi (Congress I) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) have been conspicuously absent. Except for Mr Kalmadi’s face on posters welcoming Digvijay Singh to Pune, the city hasn’t heard so much as a peep out of him. And Mr Pawar responded to a newspaper report about his absence by making some nonsensical statement. Ignore, please. Then, remotely, they have administered the shutdown to the city. For those who aren’t aware, all schools, colleges, malls and movie halls are to remain closed for 3-7 days starting Tuesday. When some people were asking for this action about a week ago, there was ridicule that we should not bow down to it.

It is one thing to show such solidarity and strength in the face of let’s say, terrorism. But in the face of a virus? Just plain stupid. Perhaps some lives that were and will be lost may have been saved. The number of deaths that is sure to rise in the coming days can still be brought down if only the government opens up the testing and treatment to more private hospitals. At present, only 8 private hospitals in addition to 4 government hospitals can administer treatment and test for H1N1.

As the situation remains grim, there seems to be movement in the right direction finally to contain further spread. Now we need to ensure that those affected have easy access to treatment and quarantine. In the meantime, the deserted city roads come as an awkward reminder and bring fear along of what currently threatens us.

Originally published on AOL.

She beat him up!

. . . → Read More: This is my Pune]]> It’s sad. But true. And very believable. See this all the time.

She beat him up!

Hurrah!

. . . → Read More: Coffee at Barista is not too bad today]]> Remember that incident? Today I’m at MG Road (Barista again) and it’s better. I have managed two coffees and a glass of water.

Hurrah!