Shameful incidents... MLA beats up cop (March 2013)

When push comes to shove ... these "brave", "macho" men run scared !

It is a shame to see such a display of highhandedness. Politicians today are a rule unto themselves and unfortunately every section of society makes them larger than life. And then.... as they say "Power Corrupts" 

A cop is beaten up by a MLA because he had the temerity to challan him for overspeeding ! And the government cannot do anything because they just do not have it in them to take action. Read Chanakya's wisdom that explains the inaction 

If the king is pious, the subjects become so; but if the king is vicious, the subjects become the same. If he be indifferent to both (virtue and vice), then they too bear the same character. In short, as is the king so are his subjects.              - Chanakya   

Today morning I read about these guys running all over the Vidhhan Sabha building trying to pull the correct strings to avoid arrest. Why ? Scared to go behind bars ! 

Check the media coverage...

FIR does not cover non-bailable charge !http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Non-bailable-charge-not-in-FIR-against-MLAs/articleshow/19101975.cms

And they are just suspended (didn't the same charade happen when some folks were caught watching porn)

Kings get away easy !http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_maharashtra-mlas-get-away-with-suspension_1813695

Finally, who says that the cops stood up for their own ! No, even they are scared ao one finds no action taken against them ... 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Kid-gloves-used-for-politicians-iron-fist-for-common-man/articleshow/19099155.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/No-action-taken-when-Kadam-threatened-government-officials-earlier/articleshow/19099119.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Thane-cops-left-Thakurs-out-of-drive-against-tinted-windows/articleshow/19099147.cms

Just wondering when will we come of age and cease to be a banana republic - or do we really deserve to be called human beings ? 

IndiGo ... etc - how do we decipher airfares and airmiles?

Over a period of time you learn about the scams in the airline industry and how you get worthless offers for cards, upgrades, etc.

Sometime back Jet Airways splashed every inch of online and offline media announcing a giveaway of 2 million seats for around Rs 2300 ! And their site crashed. Before them it was another airline company and they too had a bad IT infrastructure to support the promotion. 

Now I was looking for a ticket for Delhi and saw IndiGo offering a good price and I go to book it and what do I see ! The ticket offered for 3995 is actually being charged 7k something !

So how does a regular user decipher these airline scams ? 

It is normal for airlines to charge taxes etc when you purchase a ticket against your miles. Imagine my shock when this happened to me a few months earlier  -  I wanted to redeem my miles on Jet Airways for a ticket Bombay - Dubai, I was asked to redeem about 25,000 miles and the taxes etc to be paid in cash was about Rs. 18,000 !!! Well I'll be dammed ! I walk into Jet Airways or any other airline I can purchase a return ticket for about Rs 25K and here Jet is asking me to pay 25k in miles PLUS 18k in cash !

Is there any word which can describe an act which is more than 'daylight robbery' or 'pulling wool over your eyes' ?

Then there are hidden gems - you cannot do a web checkin on the low cost airline (or what they call 'codeshare') and claim miles. 

Oh yes - all airlines and co-branded credit cards offer free tickets and upgrade vouchers. These pieces of paper are not worth the ink used to print on them so you might as well throw them away on receipt. The upgrade is valid only on full fare economy fares and if you can afford to buy a ticket BOM-DEL on full economy fare then there is no reason for you to travel economy as you should be buying a business / premier seat. The free ticket is only for the base fare and again you have to opt for a full fare! Who can afford to do this especially when cattle class is the same - whether you have paid more or less.