Disillusionment!

Goans are disillusioned by the CONGRESS

Goans are disillusioned by the MGP

Goans are disillusioned by the BJP

(And, if the broom sweeps hard,

they better get ready

to be disillusioned by the AAP)

Now,

For those who are remaining,

here we are coming,

The masters in Disillusioning! 

My Scooter And My Sentiments

This is how my LML Vespa Alfa looked when I bought it about twenty eight years back. It has been running ever since but had almost retired since the last rainy season.  My son, who is very much attached to the senior scooter, found that the heart and skeleton were in good shape, sent it out for a whole body scan followed by surgeries and a major face lift.  It is back in ‘mint’ condition. To look at, I mean. Effect of some brain damage persists and it wobbles a wee bit to the right. And at times you may feel that the handle is going to come out of its socket.  But it runs well and as long as MY brain and limbs are in good shape, I should be able to handle it.

Since it has crossed 15 years, the registration has to be renewed every five years. I took it for renewal when it was twenty five. A young inspector came to examine the vehicle. He objected saying that there are no side indicators on the scooter.

“I agree. But there were no side indicators at all at the time I purchased this scooter”

 “How is it possible? We register dozens of scooters every day and all of them have indicators. In fact, I have not seen any scooter without side indicators in my life”

“That may be true but probably you were not yet born when I bought this”

He laughed and signed the form.

It is my first vehicle. My children have grown standing in front of the handle bar. They were holding it for dear life then and now they hold it to control the scooter. Same with my hand. They were dependent up on it for support once and if I am lucky enough they will hold it and lead me when I become dependent on them.  My wife is alive in spite of being a pillion rider for two decades. The scooter has served me well.

 I bought it for Rs 11,000 and have spent about 15,000 on insurance and possibly double that on two body and face lifts. We hope to keep it in running condition for some more time.

Sentiments like this are expensive but probably worth it.

My wife read this and asked me if living things are also eligible to be objects of expression of my sentiments! 

Letter to PMO regarding Medical and Dental admissions

Sub: Medical and dental admissions , Ref: Order of the Hon Supreme Court regarding NEET.

Sir,

The Hon Supreme Court has ruled that all medical and dental admissions be carried out only on the basis of a common national level entrance test, the NEET, from the academic year 2016 - 17.

This is something that all the students depending on merit over the generations have been aspiring for.

The private medical colleges and deemed universities in this country, with the kind help of DCI and MCI, have managed to destroy  medical and dental education and consequently the profession in this country.

The above mentioned supreme court order is a ray of hope in the otherwise gloomy scene.

Now, I understand that there is a move to bring about an ordinance to bypass the order of the Hon Supreme court and continue destruction of whatever remains of medical and dental education.

I request you to kindly use your good office to prevent such a move and allow the order of the Hon Supreme court to be followed.

PMO seems to be the only hope left for millions like me who want our country to shift to the right path.

Hope we will not be disappointed.

With regards

Dr M S Raghunandan
139/6, Curti Zari, Ponda Goa
9890322334

My Social Service and The Traffic Police

I am sure that I have mentioned in one of the earlier posts that I am a member of a social group and in the course of our ‘Social work’, we poke our nose in everybody’s business. One such business is that of the police inspector in charge of traffic.

Ours is a small town not worth noticing but we have our share of traffic woes. Wrong parking, rash driving, disregard for traffic rules and all other wrong practices are sincerely followed in our city. We do have traffic police who stand at strategic junctions chatting with their colleagues or talking on their mobiles while the erratic traffic finds its way around them. Sometimes they swing into action very kindly helping out a car driver trying to ENTER a ‘No Entry’ lane or holding down other vehicles to help a pickup truck take a wrong right turn.

Having decided to do something about improving the traffic situation in our city, we went to the traffic police station to meet the inspector but he was not present. His deputy was there and we explained to him our mission and requested him to instruct his staff to be vigilant and take strict against offenders rather than helping them out. He listened to us very politely, offered us tea, nodded his head in agreement with whatever we said, promised to do the needful and saw us off at the entrance.

A week later the things were same. This time we got an appointment from the inspector, met him with a written request and insisted that something be done to improve the situation.  He was equally courteous and understanding and he assured us that he would take necessary action.

Another ten days and things were as they were. We got pissed, wrote a strong letter and addressed a copy to the Dy Sp (Traffic) at the headquarters. We waited to see the effect.

Few days later I had a patient from the US who was in Goa on a holiday. He had some trouble with his tooth which I attended to. He paid my fee, said that his insurance company would reimburse the expenses and gave me a form to fill. It was to be filled in black ink and I did not have a black pen. I rode to the nearby multipurpose store to get one. They had pens, blue and red, but no Black.  The stationary shop was just about a kilometer away in our market complex. The patient was waiting in the clinic and I was in a hurry. I zoomed ahead towards the market and as I did, saw few traffic police constables standing at the junction. They were flagging down vehicles and were doing something.  I was happy to see our traffic police acting against errant drivers and was thinking of returning later to compliment them when one of them signalled me to stop. I thought that he must have recognised me from my visits to their office and was inviting me to see them in action. He came near and said,

“ You are not wearing a helmet, sir”

“Oh I am sorry. I was in a hurry and was just going to that shop”  I pointed to the shop.

“That is OK sir but riding a two wheeler without a helmet is an offence”

“ I know that but it is not compulsory to wear a helmet in municipal limits"

"I do not know about it sir, we have been asked to go strictly by the MV Act and wearing a helmet is compulsory"

" You see, I was..........” I tried to give further explanation justifying my riding without a helmet. He ignored it.

“May I see your licence?” Luckily I had it in my pocket and I gave it to him.

He wrote down my name and licence number in his book, mentioned “driving without helmet” against the ‘offence commited’ coloumn , tore the page out and handed it to me.

“Hundred rupees sir”

There was nothing else to do. I took out a hundred rupee note from my pocket, handed it to him and returned, forgetting the black pen.

We had succeeded in making our traffic police act, at last!

Latest communication systems for a better life!

My son came home early today. We (me, my wife and son) had dinner together. After that I sat in front of my desk top to type a letter to a friend about a matter which concerned all three of us. I typed the letter and shouted for my son to come and see it. No response. He is always like that. Once he gets into his room he will be in front of his laptop with the earphone plugged in. It irritates me. I was about to go and bang on his door. Then I thought for a second. I sent the draft to his mail id and also sent a message by Whatsapp  “Check mail” .

Within three minutes I got his message “OK.”  And  “Take Amma’s approval”.

My wife is in another room watching her favourite TV serial. She will be very much annoyed if someone opens the door (It allows mosquitos in, diverts her attention from the important piece of conversation on the TV and it nullifies the cooling effect, which our dying AC has produced after lot of hard work).  So, I sent another message  “Come see the draft”.  The lady who gets infuriated if I shout from the next room to call her attention, walked in calmly, saw the draft, said “fine” and left.

I sent the mail. 

The process, which could have taken around half an hour to complete through direct interaction (with irritations, accusations, counter accusations interspersed) was over in six minutes in a very cordial atmosphere!

Look how the

latest communication systems have bettered our life!