It seems that Mumbai, as usual, just keeps on ticking. Trains services are back. Schools and Offices are open. People who don’t want to use the train are apparently being offered lifts by just about anyone on the street with a car or bike. The city was last on a list of ‘Politest Cities’ just a couple of weeks ago.*
* – This was based on three tests, apparently. Seeing if someone kept a door open for you, if someone picked up a paper you dropped and returned it to you, and if a store clerk thanked you for your patronage.
…Sigh…
Look, it’s a culture thing. In Mumbai — especially Mumbai — we consider that if you are able enough, you can and should be allowed to take care of yourself and your stuff, whether it’s a door or a piece of paper. Personally, I have seen both the first two events occur so many times in the city that I don’t even notice any more. It’s not special if someone leaves it up to you to open you own door, it’s not special if someone does it for you.
As far as the last test goes, that is something I find quite annoying, because over here in the ‘civilised world’ I get it at every single PoS, and it is always fake, Fake, FAKE. It was in the training manual for the poor minimum wage guy. It was drilled into his/her head. If anything, I feel sad that people are reduced to a set of rote instructions and actions that are supposed to denote politeness.
Give me the quick eye contact, the half nods, the silent, non-codified,non-standard, unique-to-every-transaction and person and place methods we use in Mumbai. Because that, for us, is genuine. No nakhra. We’re from Mumbai, we despise nakhra.
I think yesterday’s incidents prove beyond a doubt that when the shit hits the fan — really hits the fan — the people there would do things for each other that probably everybody should, but sadly nobody would. Forget that, even during very day life without the backdrop of tragedy, people you have never even said two words to will just do stuff for you that takes your breath away.
So, to conclude, Life Goes On. And so should we. Links:
Up Periscope! Is there a hybrid version with flexible solar-panel skin and regenerative braking systems?
The self-stirring mug. Does it come in an anti-clockwise version for the southern hemisphere? My main problem with this one (other than the obvious point that spoons give you so much more flexibility), is that it takes 2 AAs to power, and still only stirs. Fo that energy cost, why can’t it keep the beverage warm too? How about a frother attachment? My 5 dhiram drink shaker from Daiso has more features, and it doesn’t even require a battery!
When the travel tripod met common sense. Granted, a good solid tripod is an essential, but methinks kit like this will become essential for photographers who like to click stuff off the beaten path, or are just in a hurry (as most photographers usually are).
M$ nixes Win98 support. I still use it. It works okay. The trick is to use it as your OS and then only use Open Source software on it to avoid viruses and stuff. Loaded Xp on my work comp a month ago and it’s a really problematic system at the best of times, but some new software just only works with it right now. When I actually don’t have any projects pending that necessitates having productivity software on hand at all time, I’m going to have to comprehensively switch to Linux. Already use a liveCD of Mepis when I take my netcomp’s disk over to the other one to transfer files and clean it up, since XP won’t let me load new hardware easily.
This is cool in the dangerous-enough-that-no-helmet-can-save-you kind of way. Forget the snow, I want a road version!
Like the Irishman said, “I thought you were after the 100 pounds in my shoe!”
This billboard is quite nice. Of course, in this part of the world McDonalds isn’t considered a place to eat before lunch time (and their menu reflects that), so I still find the concept of breakfast there — especially the “breakfast burger” — disturbing.
And finally…
The Most Memorable moment from the Biggest Event in the Entire World.