I was wondering how was it possible to make a road in a single day when there is a politician coming and at the same time it is so difficult to make a usual road.
The answer I got is "patch work".
I am seeing the chennai roads for more than 20 years and the scenario has not changed a lot to be frank. The roads are there but not in a proper form. Some places are really shabby for the past two decades.
There are some reasons (excuses) given by the authorities that the roads are made by contractors and the roads may get spoiled because of rains.
I have some questions in my mind and here they are;
Are the roads made properly?
Are they made up of quality products?
Is the process is quite fine?
If not what is the next plan we have?
If we notice the British period roads in Chennai, they are just fine. Then why not the new roads?
When there are some areas in the city have no issues on the roads, there are some areas where they hardly see a new road. Is it because of the VIP’s staying there?
Most of the road projects happens in the summer and they are getting spoiled in the rainy season. So shall we think of a new technology that will stand fine for all the seasons?
If the cost is the issue with the new technology implementation, isn’t it better to spend some more instead laying new roads every summer and patch working on every rainy season? As a result it will save money I guess!
I anticipate the new roads will be ready by February as the elections are approaching and the roads are going to be good as the elections are approaching.
It was a Monday morning. It was raining so heavy but still had some work to be done. So got into my green rain coat and kick started my black panther (my regular readers know what it is). I was riding my bike on the road and I could notice that the roads are pretty much filled with vehicles and there were no school and college buses.It would have been amazing if it was a normal day without rains. But unfortunately it’s not.
The road had too much of damages and it was pretty much difficult to ride the bike. At the same time the traffic was relatively lesser. I was wondering why there is a need for holiday in schools and colleges on a heavy rain fall day.
·It is going to be really tough for the kids to commute as the roads are bad and the water is flooding everywhere.
·It is going to be unhealthy as there is a chance of decease spread across due to rain.
These are the two major reasons. Let us think the other way.
·If the roads are laid well then there is no problem for the kids
·If the waterways are maintained cleaner and stronger then the water will be flowing free and it will go to the respective destinations like sea, river, etc.
·If the city cleanliness is maintained properly then there is no need to worry about the deceases because of water blocks or heavy rains.
We all would have seen different theme based hotels around the world. And there is one in Kodambakkam which is very much thematic with the local flavour. The hotel is called,
"Hotel Town Bus".
Town Bus is the generic term used in the chennai sub-urban and the other smaller towns with rural flavours in TN. I dont know how many people came across this, but its a pretty much rural term here in TN.
As soon as we enter into the parking lot, there is a signal which looks like our usual "bus stop" signal says "veg stop".
Got pretty much interested about the hotel and there is a huge mock of a bus is there on top as elevation.
Check out at Arcot Road, Kodambakkam "Hotel Town Bus"!!!!
I was reading the newspaper in the morning and realized that October 16th, 2010 is the International Food Day.
Let all of us take the oath on this great day saying that we will not waste the food as there are so many people starving around the world, and I would be really happy if the Government makes proper arrangements for storing and distributing the food grains.
Come, let us help ourselves by not wasting the food!
MARG LIGHTSOUT! You people would have seen the advertisements for them in different mediums like print, radio, internet, etc. Are we going to participate?
It’s been a long time since I meet Mr. Nirmal, founder of EXNORA who are into environment care and I am really impressed by his passion. I remember my school days when I used to attend his meetings around the school I was studying.
MARG properties have tied up with EXNORA and doing a wonderful campaign to reduce global warming. On 10th October 2010, exactly at 10 pm, they are requesting people to switch off the lights for ten minutes. It may look like a small task but when it is going to be executed at every one’s home and office, the carbon counts gets reduced a lot and that’s gonna be a great saving for the globe.
I was just thinking whether we could extend the campaign a little and switch off not only the lights but all the electrical gadgets. It might save even more.
Come, let us work towards helping ourselves and contribute our part in reducing the global warming! Switch off the electrical gadgets from 10 to 10.10 on 10.10.10.
There are lots of categories in the snakes and I saw one rare close to my house. Its called 'Siru Paambu' in tamil which means ‘Tiny Snake’. It usually does not come out because of two reasons. 1. It cant survive in the hot sun. 2. The other bigger snakes like Cobra eat these as food (May be a Chinese snakethat love snakes food! He he).
It is too tiny to an extend that a fully grown snake will be of half a foot.
I shot it in my mobile camera and wanted to post it here.
It was the day after my birthday and had an SMS from my friend, the great one and only Niru saying “Oy, Budday boy, gud afternoon.” The crazy spelling made me to smile a little and kindled my mind to go a little wild in English to add some more fun to it. Here is the conversation.
Niru: Oy, Budday boy, gud afternoon
Me: I am budday only last day. No curret day.
What lunch you eat this day? I no lunch this day. Only apple apple (I mean two apples)
Niru: haha… Appl apple. I had puliyodharai (one of her favourites)
Me: How much rice you was eat?
Niru: 1 tupperware square dabba
Me: Big square dabba? Or soppu dabba size?
Niru: 15 by 15 cm
Me: That much eat enough you for?
Niru: Rough size. Me v much enuf
Me: Ok. We meet next day (tomorrow) inside sandy?
Niru: Yessu. We meet 2mrw inside sandeeee
Me: I have one meeting alwarpet signer near. I finish that after then we meet?
Niru: Evening?
Me: S. Round 6.30
Niru: 6?
Me: I plan that like only but I not can push that person
Niru: Wokay. Isn’t eet better to meet during lunchtaim? Kaapi day near my office?
Me: I need come there two times. That reason only I telling. I planning his meeting at 5. After I finish meeting along with him I call you can. That ok on you side?
Niru: Where ur client place?
Me: Eldams Road
Niru: Um. Ok. Evening’s ok then. But, shall we meet @ Arun Unlimited instead?
Hi All, There are so many things that we would like to share with each other but we may not find time to talk about it in detail.
Its like a fresh fruit. You have to pluck it from the tree and if you leave it then it becomes useless. So instead of finding time to write so much about a particular stuff will it be better and easy to write short blog posts like our SMS messages?
It’s a trial that I am doing. Please let me know your feedbacks so that it could improvised – constantly.
I was working in another agency in RA Puram when I first heard about Sandy’s Chocolate Laboratory. Couple of art directors over there were the regular visitors of Sandy and some how it happened to me to go there. May be because I was too much into Arun unlimited at that time (I meet my friend Niru almost every time at Arun Unlimited as we both were passionate about it)
The Friday evening when I was in my friend John’s marriage, I had a message from Niru (Niru is my close friend who is ass passionate about food especially chocolates – just like me) about Sandy’s. There was another friend who was also coming for the same chocolate meeting (he he) there. So I was sure that its gonna be a great time.
As the meeting with the client postpones, our meeting time was postponed twice. This is again because of the creative person, Niru (Just kidding). We were suppose to meet up at 3.30 pm and our copy lady wanted to have at 4.00pm and by 3.45 pm there was a call “ Do you mind meeting at 4.30???”.
As you people know, it is really awesome to ride bikes on Chennai roads during holidays (especially with my rugged black panther). I was in my brother’s place and I came to sandy’s in just fifteen minutes. I was actually expecting 25 minutes but it was too earlt and I was the first among the three. So I took a walk. I left my bike at Sandy’s so that Niru will know that I am here (my bike is one of rare pieces you see in Chennai).
I went till Arun Unlimited. I was mulling over the days when we spent so much of time to decide on what we are gonna eat there. Sometimes Niru keep looking at the display and menu again and again and get confused (The same happens at Sandy’s). I think Arun moments are worth a new blog post. Let me think it later.
As I passed Arun Unlimited, I wanted to give a small gift to both the friends. And I was sure that they will like chocolates. So just grabbed couple of dairy milk packs and started walking back to Sandy’s. And has a message saying “I am here at Sandy’s. Seen your street. Where are you?”. I purposely wanted to tease her and replied, “Walking down from Arun Unlimited”.
As I expected, she was looking at me and as soon as I entered Sandy’s she asked me whether I had anything at Arun without inviting her there. I just smiled and she understood that I am kidding. Then we were chatting for sometime. We both were going through the menu booklet again and again and getting confused of what to order (you know, it’s quite difficult to choose when you have too many good choices). The poor bearers were waiting for us to make an order. At last we have decided that we will have waffles till the third person comes (Now the bearer was happy that we made an order but I am sure he must be cursing for sitting and fiddling with the menu for a long time).
By another few minutes the other person came. It was Sneha, who is a HR as well as a very good blogger. She writes a lot about food.
She entered Sandy’s with a nice smile pasted on her face. Had a nice friendly attitude. Niru gave the intro about both of us to each other and we started talking (sorry, I could not talk much to Niru and she was RELATIVELY quite). Series of jokes were shared and the time went well. The bearer was once again so much worried because we decided to share the waffles. And he gave the plates and we were relishing the taste of it. I remembered the last visit to Sandy’s when I just swallowed the entire maple syrup and Niru finished the chocolate syrup. So we have decided to have proper this time. I will make a separate posting for the first visit to Sandy’s with Niru later.
We were chatting a lot about the food category as we all the three people (I was about to write three idiots but I did not wanted to call myself an idiot, he he). The ABCDE joke was made us laugh for a while (Meet me atSandy’s to know about it).
It was quite happy moments till the bearers were asking us whether we need anything else (indirectly saying get out you idiots) with a smile. We clearly understood the meaning and came out after spending two (too) happy hours there.
We had the hang over of the happiness and we had a small chat about the films. Niru remembered that she had seen “The Mask of Zorro” and was talking about the hot guy Antonio Banderas. And we said a good bye to each other and I was just looking at,
Light! The one which decorates the darkness. The one which shows the world to us because I read somewhere that the regular colour of the world is black since its nothing but dark. I happened to come across an interesting article in wikipedia and wanted to share the same with you guys. It’s the bulb made in 1901, and still functioning properly (believe me people). Its called Centennial Light and I just took the history of it from wikipedia for you all.. The same has been given here below.
The Centennial Light is a four-watt, hand-blown, carbon-filament, common light bulb manufactured in Shelby, Ohio, by the Shelby Electric Company in the late 1890s; many just like it still exist and can be found functioning. According to Zylpha Bernal Beck, the bulb was donated to the Fire Department by her father, Dennis Bernal in 1901. Bernal owned the Livermore Power and Water Company and donated the bulb to the fire station when he sold the company. That story has been supported by firefighter volunteers of that era.
The bulb's history is difficult to ascertain, although evidence suggests the bulb has hung in at least four locations. It was originally hung in 1901 in a hose cart house on L Street, then moved to a garage in downtown Livermore used by the fire and police departments. When the fire department consolidated, it was moved again to a newly constructed City Hall that housed the unified departments. Its unusual longevity was first noticed in 1972 by reporter Mike Dunstan. After weeks of interviewing people who had lived in Livermore all their lives, he wrote "Light Bulb May Be World's Oldest", published in the Tri-Valley Herald. The article came to the attention of Charles Kuralt of the TV program On the Road with Charles Kuralt. Kuralt contacted Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and General Electric who all confirmed it as the longest-lasting bulb known in existence. In 1976, the fire department moved to Fire Station #6 with the bulb; the bulb's cord was severed for fear that unscrewing it could damage it. It was deprived of electricity for only 22 minutes during the transfer, which was made in a specially designed box and with full firetruck escort. An electrician was on hand to install the bulb into the new fire station's emergency generator. Ripley's Believe It Or Not stated that the short delay would not mar the bulb's continuous burning record. In 2001, the bulb's 100th birthday was celebrated with a community barbecue and live music. As of 2009, the bulb hasn't been shut off for over 32 years.
The bulb is cared for by the Centennial Light Bulb Committee, a partnership of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Livermore Heritage Guild, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and Sandia National Laboratories. The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department plans to house and maintain the bulb for the rest of its life, regardless of length. When it does go out, they have no plans for it, although Ripley's Believe it or Not! has requested it for their museum. The bulb's long life has been attributed to its low power, near continuous operation, and dedicated power supply.
Let us hope we invent light like this for the poor people and the deep rural India.
I would definitely say that the college days are one of the best days of anybody and I hope all of you agree with me. Its nothing but full of joy, enjoyment and the transformation of maturity.
But the sad thing is we get lost in the swinging life after the college and get into the swirls of career, marriage, etc. But when we meet our friends and recollect those days, it becomes a wonderful moment. It happened to me on Friday (17th September, 2010).
It was a Friday (as usual weekend plans were getting ready inside every one’s mind) and I was having couple of jobs to be finished. The advertisements were ready by Thursday and we (me and the creative) wanted to finish the job as soon as possible. So we were making the ad very effective and exactly how a client will expect. And then it was sent to the client and we were just waiting for the feedback (with keeping fingers crossed, hoping no major changes). The amazing fact is we were working on Friday with the speed of Thursday deadline (sometimes it helps to get the approvals on time – the typical technique of a client service person). I should definitely thank my clients because the thinking is very much similar between me and the client (thanks to telepathy. I think you can laugh as its nothing but a joke).
My friend john was getting married on the same day evening and I was invited (John is one of the closest guys I mingle with. We sat next to each other for five years in college – both UG & PG). And that sweet guy remembered me thrice about his marriage which made me feel so much and I have decided to be there for sure.
I was on a full swing and the advertisements were done by 4.30 pm. Luckily I had a call from my Director and he was in a very good mood (it happens to every one when Vitamine ‘M’ comes in). I spoke to him and got the permission for leaving early and confirmed that the jobs for the day are done (Ensuring that I am perfect and made an indirect statement to him as I am expecting an appraisal). My mind was flying before me to Vijay Park Inn (even in the heavy peak hour traffic of Chennai! He he). I just came down to the parking at 4.50 and jumped on to my bike (I call it a black panther). As I cross the parking exit, I just realized that I look shabby (obviously after a hectic day). So I started riding towards my home.
I was so lucky that the traffic was relatively lesser at that time and I could reach the home in 40 minutes. Had a Quick shave & shower (after one week I had the shave thinking that I will look better). Then Came out, locked the door and started riding my black panther (my black panther looks very small as it’s a 1998 model hero Honda street – one of the rare pieces in the city) again towards the hall.
After riding for about half an hour I came to the hall and called up my friend (the other guy with whom we spent two years in PG). He asked me to come to the sixth floor. Then only I realized that I just got into Radha Park Inn which is just the building before the actual venue. Then I have to take my bike again outside and went to the venue (Later I found that lots of people had that confusion).
The moment I got in I could see the momentum happening there. My eyes were surfing so fast among the crowd for my friends. My guess was right. My PG classmates were together and they started waving their hands to me with 1000 watts lights bright smiles. I approached them and I found that my sweet friends booked a seat for me there (the usual Chennai style of keeping the gift on the chair). John was peacefully sitting on the stage as the rituals are happening.
By another five minutes, I realized a hand on my shoulder. It was Jagdish my UG classmate. The happiness gone a notch ahead. And He asked me to come and sit with him. Then I had to request my PG guys to excuse me and jumped out of the seat with Jaga.
The entire UG group got together then. Jaga, Nithyanand, Jude, Charles, Lokesh, Madhuri, Rajesh, Latha, Muth, Sathish Chand and so many others. All were with their own families & kids and so much of fun. And amazing fact is that the entire group happened to be as we were in the UG days. The same happiness, friendly smiles, pulling legs, and so on and on and on (I could not find the appropriate words to expose the happiness). We really enjoyed each and every second there and the kids were so much of attraction among us. Madhuri’s 3 year daughter wanted me to take her and go for a walk and Jude’s daughter wanted to be with me till her father got into the car ( You know we get a heavenly feel and forget the environment sometimes with kids).
10.00 P.M.
One by one started saying Good bye with no mind to leave but they have to. It was a great moment to have every one and that’s really nice to see every one of them who were there with you in one of the best moments in life. It was so nice to see them back after a long time and mull over those sweet days. Me and Jaga was talking about having a get together with all the UG guys another day. Let us hope!
I left the place around 10.30 and when I came down my black panther was waiting for me as a girl waiting to go home in the late night (he he). I took off straight from the parking and said a final good bye to Jude’s daughter as she was smiling and waving her hands to me from the car.
Left the hotel with a smile and I was riding back to my place, with overflowing happiness at heart!!!!!
The open terrace of your house opens up in my heart a flood of memories As fresh today as it was then
There still reign in that concrete fort remnants of our togetherness
Even at the midst of unmerciful daily grind memories about the four feet parapet wall seep through the core of my being and wet my heart
Oh! My Srirangam Angel!
There's no other world except the one we've found on the terrace, leaning on the broken parapet wall The world peopled with only you and me Is still waiting for us with friendship and smiles!
