A rather disturbing incidence took place yesterday at the Srinagar airport. A Sahara airlines plane literally bumped into an Air India plane after getting the clearance to land on the same runway by apparantly overworked ATC (Air traffic control) tower. The passengers were lucky survive, a midrunway collision with the landing plane more than 250km/h would have surely resulted in total annihilation.
The incidence points out the dire need of modernization at Indian airports, but what is apparantly more interesting is the take on the incidence by the Indian express. Check out the wording:
"Hundreds of passengers had a close shave today, when two planes—a Sahara Airliner and an Air India plane, carrying Haj pilgrims—grazed each other at the Srinagar airport."
Frolicking around with words on an incidence that might have costed the lives of nearly 300 passengers.....
A new definition of Irony that is.
The full report is on:
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=86912
Monday, January 30, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
India vs China
As sleazy as the heading may sound, this one is going to be about economy again.
The biggest buzz on US, and European media is about the India vs China issue, an issue that the media has invented for itself. It is rather peculiar of modern civilization that whenever they see two comparable entities trying to succeed they assume that they would be competing each other. Although both the countries are talking about symbiotic growth, and both do have extremely specific strengths and weaknesses, it is pretty apparent that they are aiming for the same stake in the market through different approaches. In other words, competing.
On one side we have China, a juggernaut with forced efficiency, little opposing forces and hence concentrated strength to one and only one goal. MONEY. They have the cheap labor, industries, infrastructure, and most importantly the power to make the laborers work in any condition.
On the other hand we have India, a multifaceted, diverse, fused, contradicting mix of cultures, peoples and views who all want to have a say. The only problem is, they want to have it at the same time, resulting obviously in clamor and apparent chaos. Indeed, this is the first impression of many foreigners have of India. The delicate balance of forces and the fact that not everyone agrees on one point, or even has a point are things that Indians have taken forgranted for the last 50 years. The knack of always thinking locally but being aware of the big picture is infact the main reason why today's Indian thinks on global terms, acts on global terms and competes on global terms . So our apparent weakness has turned to our strength!
It has made us adopt a foreign language, a language of our previous oppressors whom we so enthusiastically kicked out. Logic would dictate that we overthrow their customs and language, but it is our diversity and the ability to think in the bigger picture that we retained the gift of global perspectives that the British gave us.
And a decision well made I say!
btw. NY time's interesting take on India's presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/26/business/worldbusiness/26india.html
I like the last paragraph, free Ipods with Indian music on, if you needed proof on Indian entrepreneurship look no further...
The biggest buzz on US, and European media is about the India vs China issue, an issue that the media has invented for itself. It is rather peculiar of modern civilization that whenever they see two comparable entities trying to succeed they assume that they would be competing each other. Although both the countries are talking about symbiotic growth, and both do have extremely specific strengths and weaknesses, it is pretty apparent that they are aiming for the same stake in the market through different approaches. In other words, competing.
On one side we have China, a juggernaut with forced efficiency, little opposing forces and hence concentrated strength to one and only one goal. MONEY. They have the cheap labor, industries, infrastructure, and most importantly the power to make the laborers work in any condition.
On the other hand we have India, a multifaceted, diverse, fused, contradicting mix of cultures, peoples and views who all want to have a say. The only problem is, they want to have it at the same time, resulting obviously in clamor and apparent chaos. Indeed, this is the first impression of many foreigners have of India. The delicate balance of forces and the fact that not everyone agrees on one point, or even has a point are things that Indians have taken forgranted for the last 50 years. The knack of always thinking locally but being aware of the big picture is infact the main reason why today's Indian thinks on global terms, acts on global terms and competes on global terms . So our apparent weakness has turned to our strength!
It has made us adopt a foreign language, a language of our previous oppressors whom we so enthusiastically kicked out. Logic would dictate that we overthrow their customs and language, but it is our diversity and the ability to think in the bigger picture that we retained the gift of global perspectives that the British gave us.
And a decision well made I say!
btw. NY time's interesting take on India's presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/26/business/worldbusiness/26india.html
I like the last paragraph, free Ipods with Indian music on, if you needed proof on Indian entrepreneurship look no further...
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Airports India, Good news...
BTW, to avoid suspense the self appointed special panel of ministers have declared that airports will be privatized and they will select a bidder in the next two days. Hallelujah the system does work!
Now for the background fundaas,
So, since new airlines are springing up and the aviation sector is booming like there is no tomorrow (Air India ordered 68 brand new Boeing planes, and this is an airline that had no new plane till last year! other airlines went crazy too, it was almost ludicrous at a point, my German friends were asking me if I was going to set up an Airline too, hmmm maybe.......). The airlines and the investors were obviously not happy with the current pathetic (ill)condition of our airports and the government decided to pull up its sleeves and modernize the airports.
Manmohan Singh's government and Praful Patel decided that airports had to be privatized to allow for foreign investment and some efficiency. So bids were invited from eligible investors. However, the leftist supporting wing in the coalition started crying about privatization, and were supported by airport baabus who were afraid of loosing their cushy jobs and the "incentives" that they would get in it, slowing down the process and at a point even threatening to grind it to a halt, staging strikes and everything. It was while following the news that I was so frustrated, the decision was delayed twice, big players like Singapore Changi airport commission withdrew, Sridharan and his gang of bureaucrats advised a re-bidding while the communist wing and airport employees association were staging dharanas and strikes all the time. It looked like the end of the tunnel was leading to a darker pit. And hence the frustrated blog entry......
Well anyway, it is all good now, a decision will be made, airports will be privatized and efficiency will restore. For once I am sure that atleast after a couple of years I won't have to bear sneering remarks from foreigners about the shanty condition of Indian airports while I am abroad, and a bright shiny revamped terminal will welcome me home......
Dream on I say!
ps. for the interested reader this news link covers the whole issue quiet concisely:
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Wednesday/Corporate/BT546313.txt/Article/
Errata, or correction to post:
The plans to privatize airports were actually kicked off by the BJP (NDA) goverment early last year, the UPA goverment is doing a great job in navigating them though...
Now for the background fundaas,
So, since new airlines are springing up and the aviation sector is booming like there is no tomorrow (Air India ordered 68 brand new Boeing planes, and this is an airline that had no new plane till last year! other airlines went crazy too, it was almost ludicrous at a point, my German friends were asking me if I was going to set up an Airline too, hmmm maybe.......). The airlines and the investors were obviously not happy with the current pathetic (ill)condition of our airports and the government decided to pull up its sleeves and modernize the airports.
Manmohan Singh's government and Praful Patel decided that airports had to be privatized to allow for foreign investment and some efficiency. So bids were invited from eligible investors. However, the leftist supporting wing in the coalition started crying about privatization, and were supported by airport baabus who were afraid of loosing their cushy jobs and the "incentives" that they would get in it, slowing down the process and at a point even threatening to grind it to a halt, staging strikes and everything. It was while following the news that I was so frustrated, the decision was delayed twice, big players like Singapore Changi airport commission withdrew, Sridharan and his gang of bureaucrats advised a re-bidding while the communist wing and airport employees association were staging dharanas and strikes all the time. It looked like the end of the tunnel was leading to a darker pit. And hence the frustrated blog entry......
Well anyway, it is all good now, a decision will be made, airports will be privatized and efficiency will restore. For once I am sure that atleast after a couple of years I won't have to bear sneering remarks from foreigners about the shanty condition of Indian airports while I am abroad, and a bright shiny revamped terminal will welcome me home......
Dream on I say!
ps. for the interested reader this news link covers the whole issue quiet concisely:
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Wednesday/Corporate/BT546313.txt/Article/
Errata, or correction to post:
The plans to privatize airports were actually kicked off by the BJP (NDA) goverment early last year, the UPA goverment is doing a great job in navigating them though...
Airports India
The state of the affairs is simply unacceptable, I am totally convinced. As I walked into the Mumbai airport's international hanger run by Air India last year, I was embrassed to be an Indian. The sleazy, greedy eyed airport officials, in faded blue unclean uniforms were bugging foreigners, desis (especially ladies travelling alone) to "hire" their services in order to get some excess baggage through, or jump a queue. In other words, they were offering illegal services, and the police didnt seem to give a rat's behind. Then there were other idiot officials pretending to give unwanted help to foreigners and begging for tips in return. It was so disgusting that I was ashamed of being an Indian. This has to stop, and that is for sure.
The ideal way would have been for the Aiports Authority of India (AAI) to strap their shoes and get rid of this nuisance already. But seeing as they have not been able to curb it, the only other way is to get a profit motivated private firm in charge in order to clean up the bull that's lying around and get affairs in order.
So, the next time you see a demonstration of indian airport workers opposing privatization, dont't fool yourself in thinking that every single one of them is an honest to heart worker who only cares about the community and the poor. Half the place is full of sleazy, corrupt baabus who need a kick on their lazy buttocks to clear their heads. People that we Indians have been so accustomed to around in other state run offices.
Privatization will surely mean a few job cuts in order to INCREASE efficiency at airports, which are already seriously over-manned with officials standing around looking like dumb lamposts all day and biding their time by resorting to corruption. But if the result is a fresh, clean, and efficient airport, which is not only a bliss for the desi traveller but a great first impression on the foreign visitor; then its worth it!
Its a growing economy anyway, if you have the skills you will find a job.
The ideal way would have been for the Aiports Authority of India (AAI) to strap their shoes and get rid of this nuisance already. But seeing as they have not been able to curb it, the only other way is to get a profit motivated private firm in charge in order to clean up the bull that's lying around and get affairs in order.
So, the next time you see a demonstration of indian airport workers opposing privatization, dont't fool yourself in thinking that every single one of them is an honest to heart worker who only cares about the community and the poor. Half the place is full of sleazy, corrupt baabus who need a kick on their lazy buttocks to clear their heads. People that we Indians have been so accustomed to around in other state run offices.
Privatization will surely mean a few job cuts in order to INCREASE efficiency at airports, which are already seriously over-manned with officials standing around looking like dumb lamposts all day and biding their time by resorting to corruption. But if the result is a fresh, clean, and efficient airport, which is not only a bliss for the desi traveller but a great first impression on the foreign visitor; then its worth it!
Its a growing economy anyway, if you have the skills you will find a job.
AI
You cannot know perfectly the past, you cannot perfectly predict the future, and you hardly understand the present... then what should be the truth?
Maybe the truth lies in your want to understand. Maybe it is the fact that we try to understand and know our world is what makes us different, I mean isn't that intelligent afterall. But I think the strogest connotation of intalligence is not only the understanding or perception, rather it is the ability to change the environemnt to serve the required purpose. The purpose can be something simple, e.g. it is too cold, cold must be avoided, build a shelter and generate heat to warm the shelter. This process indicated a simple chain of events and rationale that may define intelligent interference with the environement. The logical outcome is that the intelligent being will use his perceptory skills to study the environemnt, use his logical skills to learn about the environment and then employ the resources at his hand to creatively alter the evironment to suite his needs, i.e. build a shelter. It would also be appropriate to say that the being will try to optimize its results.
However, environment is a very deceptive word, the evironment is as rigid as it can be fictious, because your interaction with the evironement are limited by your perception, and your ability to change the environemnt is limited by your resources. Then, learning and trying to change the environemnts should also indicate changes in understanding of the environemnt and one's capablity and the desire of the intelligent being to be optimal.
Maybe the truth lies in your want to understand. Maybe it is the fact that we try to understand and know our world is what makes us different, I mean isn't that intelligent afterall. But I think the strogest connotation of intalligence is not only the understanding or perception, rather it is the ability to change the environemnt to serve the required purpose. The purpose can be something simple, e.g. it is too cold, cold must be avoided, build a shelter and generate heat to warm the shelter. This process indicated a simple chain of events and rationale that may define intelligent interference with the environement. The logical outcome is that the intelligent being will use his perceptory skills to study the environemnt, use his logical skills to learn about the environment and then employ the resources at his hand to creatively alter the evironment to suite his needs, i.e. build a shelter. It would also be appropriate to say that the being will try to optimize its results.
However, environment is a very deceptive word, the evironment is as rigid as it can be fictious, because your interaction with the evironement are limited by your perception, and your ability to change the environemnt is limited by your resources. Then, learning and trying to change the environemnts should also indicate changes in understanding of the environemnt and one's capablity and the desire of the intelligent being to be optimal.
So, why 22.847297049248
So....now this is the first entry of this blog, I would really really like it to be something meaningfull and interesting and something that really states the purpose of this blog.
Ahh welll, such is life... right!
Ahh welll, such is life... right!
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