Easy Run - Saturday, 6th February 2010

Did an easy run of 30.03 minutes, just limbering up after a whole week of non-activity.

Rahul Gandhi's remarks

Rahul Gandhi made a foot in the mouth statement when he stated that Biharis are needed to save Mumbai. What does Rahul know of Mumbai. Has he stayed here for more than a few hours. We don't need Biharis to save Mumbai. We can do it ourselves. Shiv Sena is as much needed in Mumbai as the carpenters from Bihar but not the thieves from Bihar. We need Shiv Sena to protect Mumbaikars.

MMRDA and infrastructure projects

Since MMRDA is implementing so many infrastructure projects in the city, they should also look into pedestrian rights around the construction area. Most often it is found that the area around the construction site is littered with steel bars, rods, cement bags, huge stones, bamboos, wood, etc. that it is difficult to manoevre across the road while walking. Also water, sparks from welding works, and other construction materials sometimes fall down on the people walking beneath the roads, making it very difficult for the pedestrians.

 

Sometimes walking across the roads is barred which forces pedestrians to take a long detour which is also ridden with potholes, blockages, too much traffic etc. This very much inconveniences the pedestrian public and it is a violation of their right to easy use of the roads.

 

During construction of any projects be it flyover, metro or monorail, there should be a clearly earmarked space for the exclusive use of pedestrian, which should be free from litter and on which hawkers and motorists should not have any access. Also the exclusive area should have a proper roof which prevents water, sparks from welding work, and other construction work materials from falling down. It should be clearly indicated that such road is for the exclusive use of pedestrians only. I believe this is the right of pedestrians in this country.

--
Ram
Mumbai

Cat O' Nine Lives

Just finished reading "Cat O' Nine Lives" an excellent collection of short stories by Jeffrey Archer in his inimitable narrative style, which is brilliant. "The Man who robbed his own post office', "Don't drink the water", "The commissioner" were some of the best tales, though in my opinion, all the stories were outstanding.

Strand & flea market

Picked up few books from Strand book stall today, "Esquire - the big book of fiction", "The case book of forensic detection" and "Thriller", no relation to MJ hit.

Also picked up 4 books from the flea market, "superfreakonomics", "The nine lives", a book by tim waterford of "undercover economist' fame and a legal thriller by scott thurow.

SCMM - Personal Best time

Successfully completed my 6th Mumbai Half Marathon in a PERSONAL BEST time of 2.25.56 hours today. The race started with a melee today at the starting point, and I started with a good pace and kept at it till about 9 kms mark after which i started sagging a bit. from Mahalakshmi race course onwards, the sun was directly affecting the runners and the pedder road climb took a heavy toll on the legs. Passed the magificient african athletes at about that time. The marine drive stretch also took a heavy toll and i started walking to the count of 30 steps each time to recover my energy. From just before the turn into V.N. Road, i started again strongly, and kept at it without stopping, slowly increasing my pace all the time. At the flora fountain turn, i was determined to run strongly to the finish and i started accelerating my pace all the time and from about 200 metres to the finish, i started sprinting strongly to finish strongly in a good time of 2.25.56 hours. If i had not taken those walking steps, i could well have finished under 2.15 hours, which was the target.

Cat O' Nine Tales

Just finished reading "Cat O' Nine Lives" an excellent collection of short stories by Jeffrey Archer in his inimitable narrative style, which is brilliant. "The Man who robbed his own post office', "Don't drink the water", "The commissioner" were some of the best tales, though in my opinion, all the stories were outstanding.