Not a day goes by that I don’t have to call up Airtel for one service or the other, be it broadband, digital TV, or for my wife’s mobile phone (I thankfully left Airtel six months ago.) The latest issue is that I need to recharge my TV account but can’t log into the site. It isn’t necessary for Airtel simply believes in expanding its footprint while existing service are plagued by problems.
In all the years I have been an Airtel customer, I have never understood the logic behind asking the customers for their name, phone number, billing address, alternate contact number or e-mail before answering any customer query. Their 121 executives simply refuse to proceed until the caller confirms each of the above. I do not understand how anyone can harm me by calling up Airtel pretending to be me. Even if I give the benefit of doubt to Airtel and accept that misuse is possible, how do they ensure that the person who’s calling is really Manu Khanna, and not an imposter who has my personal details. The details they ask for is information that can be easily ascertained.
The point that I am trying to make here is why have processes that don’t solve their intended purpose? Might as cut to the chase and answer what the caller wants to know.
Last two days have been really entertaining, getting to see Ramdev’s ass kicked was real fun. The highlight was his claim about being like Mahatma Gandhi, this despite having tried to hide from the Police in a ladies salwar suite. I don’t remember any story of Gandhi doing even anything remotely similar.Ramdev deserves what he got, he tried to double-cross the Govt during his so-called fight against corruption and black money.. First he took permission for a Yoga camp, but started a hunger strike. Then after committing to announce the closure of his protest on the evening of June 4th, he backed off. Now after getting kicked, he’s claiming that Govt. wants to kill hum. This is hilarious!
Actually the peopleof India are to blame. He is a Yoga teacher, but we have made him God. Before pointing fingers at opthers, he should first explain where did he get the property and assets worth over Rs.2000 crores.
Edward Earl Johnson, convicted by the Mississippi, U.S. for the murder of a policeman, and the sexual assault of an old woman was executed on May 20, 1987 . Throughout his eight years on death row he continued to plead his innocence. In the months after the execution, a book claimed that the key witness was unreliable, changing her story and identification of her assailant several times at the time of the event and in subsequent questioning.
Another woman who wanted to testify that Edward was with her when those crime happened was prevented from appearing in court by cops.
Here’s the documentary about the case.
The Indian Railways network stretches across 64,000 KM, fourth largest in the world after the US, Russia and China. This fact makes me proud, but what follows are facts that can make any Indian’s head hang in shame.
Disastrous Numbers
- More than 1,000 accidents since 2004 alone.
- In 2008-09, the number of accidents declined to 177, down from 320 in 2003-04, and a shocking figure of 2,000 in 1960-61. Bet this was the year when they tried running the trains on the fields rather than the tracks.
- In 2008-09, over 200 people died in railway accidents. This year has already seen 200 dead, wonder what the count be at year-end.
- The railway safety fund has $3.6bn (£2.4bn) to make trains safer for the millions who use the rail network every year. Little surprised that most railway officials have palatial houses and luxury cars at their disposal.
- Nearly 17,000 unmanned railway crossings across India allow people to walk or drive through them without wasting precious time waiting for the train to pass. So what if every once a while they get hit by a train. Believe it or not, these have amount to over a third of all railway accidents since 2004.
I can write more, but what is the point? Accidents are not going to end anytime soon.
Forgive me for my pessimist views, but hey, this is what history has taught me. Just when we are about to forget about one train accident, another one happens.
As part of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games, Delhi Traffic Police will begin blocking one lane of several carriageways across the city to test a traffic plan that will be in force during the Commonwealth Games in October. The restrictions will be in place for all 24 hours of the day and are likely to stay in force till and during the Games.
Doesn’t the Delhi Traffic Police know that the traffic in Delhi is as it is chockablock, that it now plans to further congest it? While this plan may help ease commuting for the Game participants, what about the public?
My office is in Gurgaon, and I drive down the 45 KM from NOIDA in about 90 minutes (if I leave office before 5:30 PM). Unfortunately, a good portion of the carriageways where these restrictions will apply fall within the route I take to office. So my travel time is bound to increase substantially. Don’t even want to think b how much!
Why isn’t the media talking about this and what about the already suffering public that is about to be hit with yet more suffering?
If someone doesn’t create a noise about this soon enough, countless motorists such as I are doomed. Especially, if you take into account how impassible Delhi roads become just after 30-minutes of rain, imagine what will happen when the monsoon hits us with full force.
Read more.