Physical Keyboard ?

Couple of days back, I had to call the Citi NRI service for transferring money, I always use the Citi website for doing this, but for some reason the website was down.  When I contacted the service, I asked the consultant about why their site was down and when it will be up and running ?  I got the reply that I half expected from him, "I can see the website, why can't you ?"  I told him that he probably might be able to see the website because he is connected to the Intranet.  As expected, he did not agree.  

I was advised by the consultant to type "http://www.citibank.co.in" through the physical keyboard (!!), as if there is any other keyboard to type with.  At last he advised me to contact a Network Engineer to get around the problem.  I said every other website is working except the Citibank.  He still maintained that he was able to see it, but could not understand why that site was down, just for me.  I was really surpised at the physical keyboard being such a factor in our conversation. 

Stopped breathing

I had a few minutes yesterday on the tram when my breathing stopped, but at the end of it, everything was alright.  It all started because of a sight impaired lady who boarded the tram yesterday afternoon with her guide dog, a wonderful brown Labrador.  I have seen her quite a few times down the Glen Hunlty road with her dog.  As soon as she boarded, she sat on the seat reserved for people with such difficulties, and told the tram driver of the stop that she needed to get off.  The tram rolled on and when the stop came, the tram driver stopped just a few steps away from the tram stop.  Now, I did not know that this was so crucial for sight impaired people.

Now since the tram driver stopped a few steps away, she alighted from the tram and made her way across the Nepean Highway where the cruise speed for vehicles is 70 kmph.  Usually near the tram stops on the highways, there will be a signal with a passenger crossing button that anyone can press so that the signals change and the vehicles stop.  This lady stepped right onto the highway with her dog and to be frank, I became very scared for her, there was one car that whizzed past her and there was a collective “Ohhhhhhhh” from the passengers.  Luckily, two things happened, the other cars slowed down and stopped and by this time the tram driver got off the tram and led her to the other side of the road.  This took probably a minute or so, and in all this time, no swearing from the drivers, no car honks and the cars moved only when the tram driver was back on the tram.  I really appreciate the kindness of the drivers and their thoughtfulness in avoiding a potential fatal accident.

Van Nguyen and Trinh Huu

First it was Van and now it is Trinh Huu – an Australian of Vietnamese origin who has been sentenced to death in Vietnam for smuggling 2 kgs of heroin into that country.

I was not able to find the date of the execution in any of the news sites, but this provides a good time for watching how the media in Australia play this one out. And not to mention “Vox Populi” here. Some things waiting to happen, if this is going to be anything like Van Nguyen …

– have to find the religion practised by Trinh, now that Van converted to Christianity from Buddhism after being jailed.

– will Trinh find GOD during incarceration or has he already ?

– will the Australian public protest against the Vietnamese govt outside the embassy in Canberra ?

– if Trinh is executed how deep is the media coverage to be ?

– who are the people that will get their own 2 minutes of fame in this process ?

And as we are pondering about all of this, what about the fate of Bali Nine who caught with enough drugs on their body in Bali, even when Schapelle Corby was making big news ?

It is going to be a long and hot summer and not only for cricket !!
Related news item at BBC News.

A (Non)Interesting person

Recently, I met one of my long forgotten acquaintances here in Melbourne, near the KFC outlet at Elizabeth St.  This guy was a friend of a friend of mine.  When I first met him nearly 1.5 yrs back, first impression was that, too loud spoken to strangers, a condescending attitude, too much to take in the first meet. This time around, he started to talk about the ISKCON temple in Melbourne and the virtues of praying, good thoughts, being a brahmin etc etc.  I have nothing against ISKCON or have nothing for them, to me, they exist in a parallel universe. 

This guy was asking me how I manage to do Sandhya vandhanam in Australia, where do I get my poonal here, is Sandhya Vandhanam possible both in the morning and in the evening ?  Too much of personal questions … He is a brahmin or claims to be, that is how I think of it.  I am not able to do Sandhya Vandhanam for a long time now, that does not make me a non – brahmin.  He went on about he submitted a project for review in his univ in just 7 hrs whereas others took nearly 2 months to complete it (!!), could be true, for all that I know.  He also went on to say that he quit his software engineer job in the USA to come here to study, again, could be true, for all that I know. 

I looked in the mirror today morning while shaving, I certainly dont look like a Ilicha vaayan.  I know I dont.  In this world, where everyone’s son or daughter is abroad on a project or working for Microsoft, Cisco, studied at UCLA or UIUC, this guy was pretending to be the ONE who accomplished.  Bravo, for being the complete ONE.   He went on about his girlfriends, Indian and Australian, to a point where I could not bear it … And, ultimately, was saved by the bell, rather call from my Manager and had to run off to work. 

Seriously, Bhoomi maatha thaanga maata, intha maathiri makkal irunthaa.

New Kid on the Block

And it is Martin Halstead … Protege of Sir Richard Branson, Martin is only 19 years of age, who is already launching his own airline called AlphaOne in early December between Southampton and Isle of Man in England.  With ticket prices to be only GBP 49, this new airline is tipped to carry nearly 75,000 passengers in the first year. He also plans to introduce services between Oxford and Cambridge.
Martin started Alpha1 by using money left to him by his grandmother and his own savings from doing part time jobs.   

This kid also has had his share of problems in life, his girlfriend dumped him for another man, on the day when Richard introduced the service between Heathrow and Mumbai.  The result was that Richard introduced him to 12 airline stewardesses to keep him company on the flight.  

The airline’s website is www.flyalpha1.com.