Innovation in Terrorism

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Tamil Tigers unveil latest tactic

"Whatever you may think of their goals and methods, Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers have always been innovative."

The above quote is by a BBC writer called Roland Buerk. Wonder Buerk will call the 9/11 bombers "innovative" - after all no one had flown hijacked commercial jets into buildings until then. And, what about Al-Qaeda operations which usually have multiple synchronized attacks? Maybe, we should call the London subway bombers pioneers - afterall, they were the first to bomb the venerable tube.

Fat chance that the service will improve

BBC NEWS | Business | Victory for 'fat' air hostesses

Congratulations to the air hostesses. Indian Airlines could have handled this issue in a different way and still achieved its goal. Instead of using a height and weight measure they should test the air hostesses and the flight crew on their efficiency in evacuating the plane in an emergency. I bet this would eliminate the fat ones that can't move and the lazy ones. And, it may in the process improve the on-board service.

Chicago's olympic folly?!

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Olympics budget rises to £9.3bn

Yes, the mayor wants it - really badly. The politicians want it. So, do the business. Most people think it would be "cool". But, is it worth it? I don't think so. I am pretty certain that if Chicago gets it the people can expect their taxes to go up, construction to be pain for years, the temporary stadium to become permanent and the city to be in deep red for years.

So, why do these people who want the Olympics in Chicago want it? I think for the mayor it is to satisfy his ego afterall he runs Chicago pretty much the way Jayalalitha a.k.a "amma" (mother) or "puratchi thalaivi" (revolutionary leader) used to run Tamilnadu. For the politicians it is way to win elections - olympics will create construction and jobs related to that. For the business, construction is a great way to make money off the city and its people.

None of the recent Olympics effort have been anywhere close to the original budget. London is running at about 3 times its initial, Beijing is even higher (but they are closer to end line). So, if the city is expected to have $500million reserve on the original budget how much will it have to shell out if it actually lands it.

As far as I know none of the cities that have hosted the Olympics in recent times have made any money off it. Montreal recently paid off the last installment on the amount borrowed. Chicago is expected to make about $5billion, roughly 5 days worth of local economy if the budgetted numbers are going to be right.

I love Chicago and I hope the city does not get to host the Olympics.

Remember when a "great tree fell"?

'84 anti-Sikh riots: Sajjan, six others get bail

The title says it all - over 20 years later the case is nowhere near an end. For those who are too young to remember or were not born, these riots were in 1984 when people (possibly Congress mobs) went killing Sikhs as revenge for killing Mrs. Indira Gandhi. And, her son Rajiv (the great Indian hope that fizzled) said something like ..." the ground will shake when a great tree falls."

Anyway, the reason I bring the issue up is to remind the people and media who are eager to get justice to the Gujarat riots that there are others who have been waiting for a long time. I have always wondered why the "secular" press, people and politicans don't talk about the riots of 1984. Is it because some of the "secular" parties were involved in the riots? Or, is it that the Sikhs don't merit justice? Or, is it that Congress-Sikh riots don't have the same ring to it as Hindu-Muslim riots? But, look at the similarities between the Gujarat riots and the Sikh riots. If riots of '84 were in "response" to the killing of Mrs. Gandhi, the Gujarat riots were in "response" to the Godhra incident. In both cases the government machinery remained a passive observer (or, even active supporter). But, both are examples of total failure of law and order. And, failure to bring the criminals to justice is a continuing failure of the judicial system.