I am a new blogger so when I read the news about the Supreme Court ruling saying that bloggers should be held accountable for what they blog, I wondered oh dear why did I start blogging?
Then I thought again. Should people be careful while blogging? Yes, to a certain extent definitely. Let me state at the outset that these are my very personal opinions. :)
Years ago I was giving job interview and was asked what I thought about censorship in the press. Of course the first reaction of any person who cares for democracy is"censorship..no way!"
was I supposed to give a political correct answer or was I supposed to state what I felt. I remember feeling cornered because while the independent freedom loving part of me balks at the thought of censorship, another part of me has an opposite opinion!
Take the recent Mumbai attacks. After a while I found the TV coverage appalling. Like every other person I was initially glued to the TV. Then I thought this is just overdoing it and I switched off the set telling my children enough was enough. At a time like this should there be certain rules for censorship? I would think so. OK as a news reporter you are just doing your job but what about as a good human being? TV journalism and its hunger for sound bytes is of course altogether another topic!
The same I feel holds true of a blog. Oh sure write want you want, trash the person, but think how would it feel if you were the victim? I for one would rather avoid a libel suit against my writing. It's not worth it.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
It's That Time of the Year...
It's that time of the year when all over the country parents are pulling their hair out because their kids have board examinations. With an exam going child I know what exactly it means to be in this situation.
Two years ago my son did his 10th std boards and I smiled throughout. "No big deal I thought.Why do parents make an issue of it? Now I am two years older but feel twenty years older. Why oh why did I laugh at all those fussy mothers? I can see myself turning into one of them too!
The newspapers are full of articles with good advice for parents and students. Take it easy, don't get stressed out, don't pressurise your child etc etc. Oh sure I know the theory but what can one do when your teenage son has decided he has a mind of his own? I hear myself constantly telling him, "Go and study son!"
Never did I think that the generation gap would affect me and my kids. wasn't I the cool mom who was every one's best friend? When did I turn into this horrible version of a a suspicious cranky, over protective woman? I was the one who prided myself on the fact that my kids were independent yet knew their limits, then why this paranoia now?
This generation of kids is different consoled a friend. Don't worry you'll be fine once the exams are behind you. I hope she's right and that once these silly exams are over my original positive smiley self will return intact!
Best of Luck kids.... and parents too. :)
Two years ago my son did his 10th std boards and I smiled throughout. "No big deal I thought.Why do parents make an issue of it? Now I am two years older but feel twenty years older. Why oh why did I laugh at all those fussy mothers? I can see myself turning into one of them too!
The newspapers are full of articles with good advice for parents and students. Take it easy, don't get stressed out, don't pressurise your child etc etc. Oh sure I know the theory but what can one do when your teenage son has decided he has a mind of his own? I hear myself constantly telling him, "Go and study son!"
Never did I think that the generation gap would affect me and my kids. wasn't I the cool mom who was every one's best friend? When did I turn into this horrible version of a a suspicious cranky, over protective woman? I was the one who prided myself on the fact that my kids were independent yet knew their limits, then why this paranoia now?
This generation of kids is different consoled a friend. Don't worry you'll be fine once the exams are behind you. I hope she's right and that once these silly exams are over my original positive smiley self will return intact!
Best of Luck kids.... and parents too. :)
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Imposing your view on others
A friend asked me, "So have you sent a pink chaddi?" I said I hadn't. She was horrified"Why not?" I didnt want to I said.
I can see raised eyebrows all around me. What happened in Mangalore was deplorable, God forbid it happens anywhere else. Of course I am against Talibanisation of any sort. But I just didn't feel the need to send a Pink chaddi to someone who isn't going to change his view anyway.
A remark in the newspaper by someone said that he thought these kind of campaigns were elitist. Others thought it was an excellent idea. In a democracy you are bound to get several more views. That is what democracy is about. The point is that no one should impose their views on anyone else.
Who are these people who think that dancing,drinking and eating out by women is against Indian culture. Yet hitting a woman in public is alright according to these Indian cultural pundits?
The problem of all Indians is that they always think they know best. It is my opinion that is correct and not yours! But beware, if that person has clout he may try to impose his views on you.
Don't be surprised if after the pubs it is the non vegetarians who are targetted next. After all aren't all good Indians supposed to refrain from eating meat? Never mind that thousands of Indians may be non-vegetarian fom birth. If the so called moral upholders of the land decide that we need to only eat Spinach, you may sudenly discover that the chicken shop next door has been cleaned up and a vegetable mandi come up in it place.
Democracy gives us many rights. Don't misuse it.
I can see raised eyebrows all around me. What happened in Mangalore was deplorable, God forbid it happens anywhere else. Of course I am against Talibanisation of any sort. But I just didn't feel the need to send a Pink chaddi to someone who isn't going to change his view anyway.
A remark in the newspaper by someone said that he thought these kind of campaigns were elitist. Others thought it was an excellent idea. In a democracy you are bound to get several more views. That is what democracy is about. The point is that no one should impose their views on anyone else.
Who are these people who think that dancing,drinking and eating out by women is against Indian culture. Yet hitting a woman in public is alright according to these Indian cultural pundits?
The problem of all Indians is that they always think they know best. It is my opinion that is correct and not yours! But beware, if that person has clout he may try to impose his views on you.
Don't be surprised if after the pubs it is the non vegetarians who are targetted next. After all aren't all good Indians supposed to refrain from eating meat? Never mind that thousands of Indians may be non-vegetarian fom birth. If the so called moral upholders of the land decide that we need to only eat Spinach, you may sudenly discover that the chicken shop next door has been cleaned up and a vegetable mandi come up in it place.
Democracy gives us many rights. Don't misuse it.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Pedestrians First...Naah Discipline first
Anyone who has interacted with me knows that traffic/road discipline is my pet peeve. Never get me started on drivers and their myriad annoying ways. But let me not dwell upon that right now..it is the pedestrians I want to talk about.
This new NGO in the city asks why pedestrians are always ignored. There are no proper pedestrian crossings and the less said about footpaths the better. Okay, so our civic bodies don't care about us, but do we care about ourselves? Where there are footpaths how many people use them?
Take an early morning walk anywhere in Pune and you will see morning walkers obliviously walking in the middle of the road. I hate to use unparliamentary language but what do they think they own the road? Just because there are fewer cars on the road at that time that doesn't make it right to walk in the middle of the road.
I blame my obsession with road sense on the British! As a child of six I remember being taken from the classroom and walking in pairs down the main street near the primary school where I studied. It was a typically overcast dull London day and we were made to wear our overcoats with fluorescent bands on our arms. We were taught how to look out for traffic at the zebra crossing and then cross safely to the other side. Those lessons, taught young, have stayed with me for life.
The problem in Pune is Indiscipline, yes with a capital I. Even where there are footpaths they are never utilised. As for crossing the road, a foot high divider is no deterrent. People just clamber over it and jump off. The driver driving in the "fast"lane had better be alert because he may need to brake suddenly. No one and I mean no one is ready to walk that extra twenty or metres to the traffic signal to cross the road. After all if the shop I want is in front of me, why should I walk twenty metres away from it to cross the road?
The other day an old gentleman was walking on the road. There was a newly constructed footpath to his left. A car came from behind and had to swerve to the left towards the footpath to avoid an oncoming large heavy vehicle . The wing mirror of the car brushed against the old man and he started shouting and screaming. The driver got down saw that it was nothing serious and then told him that he should not have been walking on the road with his back to the traffic. He was so affronted that he began shouting again. The driver just ignored him , got into his car and drove away.
With parents setting a poor example how on earth will the younger generation learn any better.
I agree pedestrians have rights, car owners should not hog the roads, but hey isn't everything in this world give and take.
Start using the footpaths and then demand better ones. Learn to follow and obey rules and then demand your rights.
This new NGO in the city asks why pedestrians are always ignored. There are no proper pedestrian crossings and the less said about footpaths the better. Okay, so our civic bodies don't care about us, but do we care about ourselves? Where there are footpaths how many people use them?
Take an early morning walk anywhere in Pune and you will see morning walkers obliviously walking in the middle of the road. I hate to use unparliamentary language but what do they think they own the road? Just because there are fewer cars on the road at that time that doesn't make it right to walk in the middle of the road.
I blame my obsession with road sense on the British! As a child of six I remember being taken from the classroom and walking in pairs down the main street near the primary school where I studied. It was a typically overcast dull London day and we were made to wear our overcoats with fluorescent bands on our arms. We were taught how to look out for traffic at the zebra crossing and then cross safely to the other side. Those lessons, taught young, have stayed with me for life.
The problem in Pune is Indiscipline, yes with a capital I. Even where there are footpaths they are never utilised. As for crossing the road, a foot high divider is no deterrent. People just clamber over it and jump off. The driver driving in the "fast"lane had better be alert because he may need to brake suddenly. No one and I mean no one is ready to walk that extra twenty or metres to the traffic signal to cross the road. After all if the shop I want is in front of me, why should I walk twenty metres away from it to cross the road?
The other day an old gentleman was walking on the road. There was a newly constructed footpath to his left. A car came from behind and had to swerve to the left towards the footpath to avoid an oncoming large heavy vehicle . The wing mirror of the car brushed against the old man and he started shouting and screaming. The driver got down saw that it was nothing serious and then told him that he should not have been walking on the road with his back to the traffic. He was so affronted that he began shouting again. The driver just ignored him , got into his car and drove away.
With parents setting a poor example how on earth will the younger generation learn any better.
I agree pedestrians have rights, car owners should not hog the roads, but hey isn't everything in this world give and take.
Start using the footpaths and then demand better ones. Learn to follow and obey rules and then demand your rights.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Administrative reforms
"Time for administrative reforms" was the title of Tavleen Singh's column on Sunday. And I couldn't agree more with what she has written.
Every time I walk through immigration and the officer takes my passport and stares at each and every page, I wonder where are Indian computer expertise has disappeared. Okay so we don't have the Iris programme which recognises eyes, but surely we have scanners which recognise passports?
Wouldn't it help frequent travellers if their details popped up on the computer screen in front of the immigration officer? Wouldn't it help the immigration officers help clear the crowds faster?
It's not only the customs department. My recent visit to the collector office for a domicile certificate for my son made it very clear that what Ms. Singh is saying is so true.
Along with the application for the domicile one has to submit electricity bills for the past 10 years to prove residence in the city. Don't get me wrong. I am not grumbling because I didn't have the bills. My earlier experience with my daughter some years ago had made me well prepared.
My point is if the child has attended school for the last 12 years in the same city and has a school leaving certificate to prove it what is the need for electricity bills. Obviously he couldn't attend the school residing in another city could he?
As if that was not enough. The child's father's school leaving certificate also has to be attached. I had no problem in getting the certificate but I hate to think what would have happened if my husband has been in a transferable job. I am sure that there are many others with tales to tell. Ultimately however it all boils down to one thing the need for change.
Every time I walk through immigration and the officer takes my passport and stares at each and every page, I wonder where are Indian computer expertise has disappeared. Okay so we don't have the Iris programme which recognises eyes, but surely we have scanners which recognise passports?
Wouldn't it help frequent travellers if their details popped up on the computer screen in front of the immigration officer? Wouldn't it help the immigration officers help clear the crowds faster?
It's not only the customs department. My recent visit to the collector office for a domicile certificate for my son made it very clear that what Ms. Singh is saying is so true.
Along with the application for the domicile one has to submit electricity bills for the past 10 years to prove residence in the city. Don't get me wrong. I am not grumbling because I didn't have the bills. My earlier experience with my daughter some years ago had made me well prepared.
My point is if the child has attended school for the last 12 years in the same city and has a school leaving certificate to prove it what is the need for electricity bills. Obviously he couldn't attend the school residing in another city could he?
As if that was not enough. The child's father's school leaving certificate also has to be attached. I had no problem in getting the certificate but I hate to think what would have happened if my husband has been in a transferable job. I am sure that there are many others with tales to tell. Ultimately however it all boils down to one thing the need for change.
Starting Off
How does one write a blog? Who would be interested in reading my random thought anyways?
For a person who earns a living through writing these are doubts which shouldn't arise. Shouldn't I be able to write anything at the drop of a hat?
As a full time journalist who chose to work part time and then diversified into all other kinds of writing...content, brochures, books and even letters.... literally a jack of all trades, why do I get jitters at the thought of writing a blog?
Like any self respecting middle class Indian who is an armchair critic of everything under the sun, I surely have lots to say about many many things. From the condition of civic amenities in our city to the lack of social consciousness and from who should be in our cricket team to global warming . After all , aren't we all experts?
But I must give credit where it is due and the person who really set me off on a blog is senior journalist Tavleen Singh. No, I don't know Ms. Singh and I am sure she has never heard of me. Yet it was her column in yesterday's Sunday paper which has literally forced me to pick up my pen again! (or to be more honest tap away at the keyboard!!)
Since I don't have a column in a newspaper and I am sure that my letter to the editor will get be sent to spam. I decided to start a blog.
For a person who earns a living through writing these are doubts which shouldn't arise. Shouldn't I be able to write anything at the drop of a hat?
As a full time journalist who chose to work part time and then diversified into all other kinds of writing...content, brochures, books and even letters.... literally a jack of all trades, why do I get jitters at the thought of writing a blog?
Like any self respecting middle class Indian who is an armchair critic of everything under the sun, I surely have lots to say about many many things. From the condition of civic amenities in our city to the lack of social consciousness and from who should be in our cricket team to global warming . After all , aren't we all experts?
But I must give credit where it is due and the person who really set me off on a blog is senior journalist Tavleen Singh. No, I don't know Ms. Singh and I am sure she has never heard of me. Yet it was her column in yesterday's Sunday paper which has literally forced me to pick up my pen again! (or to be more honest tap away at the keyboard!!)
Since I don't have a column in a newspaper and I am sure that my letter to the editor will get be sent to spam. I decided to start a blog.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)