Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Right to High Speed Broadband as a Human Right?
Access to high speed internet - a legal right in Finland
Since July 1, 2010 every citizen of Finland has been given the legal right to access to a 1 megabit per second broadband connection, with a goal of a 100 mbps connection by 2015.
Vichy Washy
I was in Tamil Nadu recently and while buying a bottle of mineral water, chanced to see a brand called ‘Pondicherry’. Being interested in France and things French, I bought a bottle and found the taste of the water to be quite nice. I discovered that it belongs to the category of natural mineral water and is packed exclusively from a single source. It reminded me of the ‘mother’ of all mineral waters— Vichy mineral water of France. Of course, France markets a number of other popular brands like Vittel, Volvic and Evian, but somehow Vichy mineral water has a place of its own.
This reminded me of my visit to Vichy way back in 1982. Before departing for Paris, my father, a doughty disciplinarian and teeto-taller, advised me, in his usual stern style, not to be naughty during my stay in France. By then I was married and had a small kid, but the fashion in which this advice was imparted prevented me from reacting and I maintained a poker face. Then, as if to clear up the embarrassment in the air, he mentioned in a more friendly fashion that when I was in my mother’s womb, he had procured some crates of Vichy mineral water and my mother was given that as a tonic for months. This was in 1943, when World War II was at its height. The father-to-son talk ended and, next day, I was on my way to Vichy.
It was my first visit to France. After reaching Paris, the very next day, I was supposed to go to Vichy, a town that reminded me of my world history lessons and World War II. Vichy is, of course, famous for its natural water, which besides being good for health, is credited with curative properties. The few weeks at Vichy were meant, not to fortify my health, but to build up my knowledge of French.
The six-week stay in Vichy was interesting and educative. We were a group of five officers from India. Along with learning the language, we gradually discovered various facets of French culture. I decided that, while returning to India, I would take two bottles of Vichy mineral water as a souvenir for my father. From Vichy we moved to Paris. A year later, the fellowship ended and I was back in India. My father had expired a few months before my return.
Thereafter, I have visited France a few times and with every visit my interest in France and its culture has been growing. Even as a school boy when I used to collect postage stamps, my favourite stamps were of France. I started learning French when I was just out of school. I do not know the reasons for this love affair. But at times I do think about the crates of Vichy water consumed by my mother…
(Published in the Times of India, New Delhi, January 4, 2001)