Ticket Vending Macnine Vandalized

NS Railways in Netherlands has touch screen ticket vending machines installed at every railway station. This is how they work. Great use of Flash to teach you how to use the machine.

The day we were to visit Keukenhof (Tulip Gardens), the first machine we encountered had its touch screen vandalized. The machine was rendered completely useless. By the time we were back from our trip, it was back in action. I was not surprised. Here is why.

If all the machines at the station you wish to take the train from are not working, then its a valid reason for you to travel without ticket. Hence it makes all sense for them to rectify the faulty machines as soon as possible.

Photo Album - Flowers

My latest photo album, this time on Flowers.
This one is a work in progress, and the updates will be posted here too.

Picasa Web Albums - Sandeep Thukral - Flowers

Postal strikes hit Netherlands

This morning I went to my local post office to get proper stamp affixed on a letter I wanted to send out. The lady there told me that the franking machine was not working. On being asked, she told me that it would not be working in the evening too (this post office opens for 2 hours in the morning and then for two hours in the evening).

Now I know why. Postal staff is on strike today in Amsterdam. I don;t understand why the lady was there in the first place. If you are on strike, you don't open or man your office. Another thing that surprises me is why she did not tell me about the strike.

Read it here (English)
DutchNews.nl - Postal strike hits Amsterdam

One world, many rules, even more interpretations

Look at the picture above. Its taken from inside a train yesterday. I happened to notice the piece of paper in the dustbin.

In Netherlands (or most of Western Europe), hardly anyone would give this piece of paper a second look.
The same paper in a country like India might be 'picked' up when no one is looking, and stashed under the mattress , for a few 'private viewings' later.
And if you were to be spotted with this paper in, say, Saudi Arabia, you would be going straight to jail, at the least.

One world, many rules, even more interpretations.
PS: Maybe interpretations is not the appropriate word here.

Top 100 Web Applications of 2008

This is the list of top 100 Web Applications of 2008 as judged by over 1.9 million votes on CNET. Check them out. I did not even know a couple of them. And there were a few which I had tested out sometime last year and then forgot about them.

Welcome to Webware 100 Awards 2008

Bhootnath (2008) sound track is great

Its really lovely. All songs sound fresh and the whole album just rocks.

Listen online at
http://www.raaga.com/channels/hindi/movie/H001241.html