Point taken

Sample this ufffd park officials in China have found a way to stop people from hogging their benches for too long ufffd by fitting steel spikes on a coin-operated timer. If visitors at the Yantai Park in Shangdong province linger too long, dozens of sharp spikes shoot through the seat. The spikes are too short to cause serious harm ufffd but long enough to prevent people from being comfortable. Parks in China suffer from chronic overcrowding at weekends when millions of people try to escape the country's teeming cities.

Now, I'm just thinking aloud, would this idea work with our timeless politicians? How about the top dogs of sports federations who deserve gold medals (rare commodities in India) just for longevity? Or would they perceive this as just some acute acupressure therapy?

Fine, most of this bitterness stems from the CWG tangle. To be fair the nation is facing much larger issues at the moment ufffd Kashmir, Naxalism, drought, farmers' agitation. And corruption is nothing new in India. Starting from your first breath to your last, if you need any sarkari kaagaz (well if the documents are for your benefit, it's highly unlikely that you'd be the one queuing up for the first and the last ones), passing the buck is essential to get the job done.

It's just that the Games are a soft target for the media. What I'm trying to say is that we all knew the CWG was just another opportunity for bureaucrats, politicians and even smaller fries to secure their post-retirement life. So newspersons were just waiting to take their pick; and with scams and scandals in matters ranging from acquisition of umbrellas and toilet paper (not sure if the latter was procured on rent like the former) to renovation and development of stadiums, there are choices galore.

It was sad to see the PM act only after several bubbly primetime news anchors were frothing at their respective mouths. But the problem is, right now Kalmadi's half-truths are being perceived as complete lies. While in trying to be too clever he has become the media's favourite whipping boy, the Capital's civic agencies and the two governments have somewhat escaped the wrath.

I hope all the infrastructure projects are completed before the hooter goes off, the other option being blindfolding visitors en route to the Games village from the airport. I am more concerned about the structures that have already come up. With my demented imagination I can see flyovers crashing down, roads crumbling, buildings keeling over, once their warranty period runs out (that is once the Games are over). Phew! I need to sit down. Anyone got a coin?