Those were the days my friend

I read today about the accident on New Years eve on Marine Drive. My mind drifts back about 20 odd years.

The strains of Bobby Vinton on the Pioneer deck with orange glow and quadraphonic speakers rigged from Lamington Road. Jazzzed up cars with spoilers and wheel arches doing drag races down Carter Road belting out "Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end, we'd sing and dance forever and a day"

I remember how we had souped up a brand new Fiat (Called premier padmini in those days) with twin Webber carburettors, extra wide tyres so that it looked like a grounded duck, the regular LED lights dancing on the dashboard panel, rear spoiler and fur lined seats and two glass holders at a convenient hands reach.

I remember a late night phone call from a friend saying his dates friends boyfriend had not turned up and and would I like a blind date.

I remember being picked up 10 minutes later.

I remember a blur of a night of just one more for the road which wont do any harm upturned Rum mixes and non stop bingeing till 3 am.

I remember driving down Carter Road like there was no tomorrow.

I remember my newly found date telling me that she would like a hand at the wheel and thinking what the hell she cant drive worse than I am doing right now, and then staggering out to let her drive.

I remember a lamppost rushing at me at approx 80 kmph.

I remember the sudden loud explosive thump, the feel of glass embedded in my face and the engine slam landing where the drivers seat was.

I remember the sounds of an emergency room at 3 am and the pain of glass being pulled piece by piece out of my face.

Oh yes, those were the days my friend.---the song goes on to say" We'd live the life we choose, we'd fight and never lose, we were young and sure to have our way. Then the dizzy years went by us and we lost our starry ways......"  

Not all of us are as lucky as I was, not everyone can have an Annirudha Bapu to attribute your narrow escape to........ DONT DRINK and DRIVE 

Folks if someone in your family does drink and drive, don't condemn him / her. Thats the fastest way to make them do it more, try to understand what makes them do it and then be there to support them. I know I only survived due to 2 friends who talked to me for hours on end and somehow saw me out of the madness of my youth. Some of us do come to our senses sooner or later for others and their families, the following New Year will never be the same again.

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Absolute power corrupts absolutely

Guys, I rubbed my eyes this morning when I saw the papers and almost fell off my chair. I could not believe how stupid and gullible we Indians as a race are.

The newspapers were actually cheering that MSEB ( sorry Maha Vitran I think we should call it now after the split making it into 3 loss making companies instead of one) is going to reduce its T&D losses from 28.8% to 22%.

For those who don't understand what I'm talking about T&D ( also known as transmission and distribution) losses are a nice name for electricity stolen or used but not paid for. What this statement today means that instead of paying 1/3 extra approx on my bill for the inefficiency of the Maha Vitran I will now only pay only 20% extra. Hurray !!!!

Guess what there's more good news, They expect to reduce the 14% technical losses by 5-6% by upgrading the network at a cost of 10,000 crores, for the uninitiated in simple English this means that  the new people in charge perhaps did not get a share of the spoils the previous chaps who order the shitty quality stuff they use got so now comes their chance.

( I remember I once complained about a faulty meter to MSEB and the person in charge there said no problem this happens all the time and was nice enough to knock off 33% of my bill after he got a test report which said meter was faulty from their test lab. I also remember him saying that 70% or more of the meters are that way and almost anyone who complains gets a refund)

28% in T&D, 14% in technical losses means 42% of the bill I pay is for electricity that I never use.  Let me do the simple math, 1% of T& D losses means approx between 150-200 Crores in real money terms. Guess what 42% means

No wonder Reliance is coming out with a power IPO.

Mera Bharat Mahan.