Aug 18, 2002

And while on the subject...
... of BCL, I have seldom seen an organization that invites both derision and pathos, though it cops the former in greater quantities, IMHO. They have such a bloated sense of self-worth that they could give a corporate balloon an anorexia complex. What else explains their letter-bomb detector, metal detector and sullen female security guard (who doubles up as bag-watcher) after 9-11. I have a problem imagining someone would want to attack BCL of all places, as a symbol of Western presence in India. The only disgruntled visitors to the place are the members: the service that is dished out is as friendly as a POW camp. German Shepherds can take diploma courses there in snappy service (where you use your teeth to provide the snaps). And ironically, it is a centre for the BEC examination, which teaches Business communication. Don't buy the books for that for the BCL is a live example of the dont's. And the rates get hiked each year, the number of books you can borrow goes down. In what must be a grave loosening of morals, they have started stocking local authors in their IT & Management sections: Balguruswamy now rubs hardcover with Joyce. In the process, decent fiction shelves don't always make the cut.
I wonder if it is the fact that they've Brit affiliations makes the Indian employees do the things they do. But going by their "attract-the-desi" campaign, we'll soon have a board: "Only Indians allowed." Not sure that even the dogs would prefer the current standards of hospitality.

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