She rode fearlessly. And they got her. Benazir Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan, is dead. The news channels hung on to some hope initially, saying she was injured. Not for long though. Word quickly got out putting out that optimism mercilessly. Another South Asian leader had met a gruesome end.
The legacy of the Bhutto family has a chilling parallel in India's Gandhi family. Benazir's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto started Pakistan's nuclear program and pursued a progressive agenda. His Indian counterpart, Indira Gandhi gave impetus to the Indian nuclear program and green-lighted India's awkwardly-termed first peaceful nuclear explosion. The two managed to broker the Simla agreement between India and Pakistan, which they hoped would be the basis for a lasting solution. With the end of the '70s decade, came a ghastly end to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's life. He was hanged after the government was toppled in a coup. A few years later, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh militants.
Indira's son Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India when Benazir Bhutto was Pakistan's Prime Minister is late '80s. Theirs was a missed opportunity however. They could not capitalize on the gains of their parents, and Indo-Pak relations slipped back into familiar territory. Rajiv was campaigning for a return to power when a suicide bomber blew herself up just a few feet from him. Benazir met with a similar cruel fate just days ago.
Rajiv's children, Priyanka and Rahul are both in the Indian political scene now. (Priyanka less so, compared to Rahul Gandhi). It would be unsurprising if Benazir's son Bilawal Zardari stepped into her shoes as the head of Pakistan People's Party sooner or later. One hopes that the curse of two generations does not follow them.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
On a jetplane
On a recent journey across the empire, I found myself on a packed red-eye flight. Nothing surprising I suppose. These days most flights are seeing high load factors. As we settled in, sipping water, while waiting for the boarding to complete, a fellow passenger beckoned the flight attendant. "Err, excuse me," he says rather loudly, trying to get her attention. I am thinking "dude, she's right there. Quit yelling." So not jellin'. She turns around and looks down at him through her black rimmed glasses that are perched on the tip of her nose, as though waiting for a take-off clearance. Smiling a non-smile, she says "yes, sir?" without actually saying those words.
"Can I get a thicker blanket? This one is too thin," he says. I try hard to suppress a he's-so-green smile when the FA bursts out, quite joyously, "you are kidding, right?" Chuckle, chuckle. Managing to regain her voice, she continues. "You should be happy that you have a blanket at all." Gesturing to the main cabin, she adds bitterly, "Folks in the back don't even get that often. We carry fewer and fewer blankets these days."
Duly chastised and feeling quite embarrassed, the poor sod adds, "oh, I didn't know. I was just asking..." Dismissively, she continues her commentary, "The ones on transatlantic flights are slightly thicker." Big difference, that makes, I think. We are only hopping coast to coast, not the pond after all.
Is it too much to ask, Madam Flight Attendant to show a little courtesy and not laugh at a customer's request? Sure, he may have seemed clueless, but to laugh at his question like that. Tsk, tsk. Scary customer service.
"Can I get a thicker blanket? This one is too thin," he says. I try hard to suppress a he's-so-green smile when the FA bursts out, quite joyously, "you are kidding, right?" Chuckle, chuckle. Managing to regain her voice, she continues. "You should be happy that you have a blanket at all." Gesturing to the main cabin, she adds bitterly, "Folks in the back don't even get that often. We carry fewer and fewer blankets these days."
Duly chastised and feeling quite embarrassed, the poor sod adds, "oh, I didn't know. I was just asking..." Dismissively, she continues her commentary, "The ones on transatlantic flights are slightly thicker." Big difference, that makes, I think. We are only hopping coast to coast, not the pond after all.
Is it too much to ask, Madam Flight Attendant to show a little courtesy and not laugh at a customer's request? Sure, he may have seemed clueless, but to laugh at his question like that. Tsk, tsk. Scary customer service.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Guns, Generals and Cable TV
A few weeks ago President Musharaff declared emergency in Pakistan citing vague reasons. This declaration, in itself, was perhaps nothing surprising in a country that has become accustomed to emergency rule over the many decades. Pretty soon, the media was reeling off statistics and comparing the latest emergency to the ones in the past. Leaders around the world were suitably outraged, but none too seriously. They called for a swift return to democracy and proclaimed their solidarity with the people of Pakistan. How utterly boring. I suppose a declaration of emergency in Pakistan is as newsworthy as a declaration of bankruptcy by one of the major US airlines. Been there, done that. At any rate, all this has been reported ad nauseam.
The President, who has since given up his army uniform, initiated a set of predictable steps. Get rid of pesky judges, clamp down the media. Most of the cable channels in Pakistan, which have mushroomed in the last few years, were taken off air. Some were allowed to continue, but were subject to censorship. There was a "first" in this emergency, however. Most private news channels were off the air in Pakistan. But at least one channel, Geo TV, continued its broadcast from its Dubai center. Its reporters were speaking of events unfolding in Pakistan, but the citizens of Pakistan were not privy to it all. Some Indian news channels quickly took their regularly scheduled programming and began airing Pakistani news as told by Pakistani channels!
I am sure whoever thought of the idea received a healthy bonus! He/she is surely entitled to it. I was in India at the time, watching TV. When channel surfing I came across a news being read by unfamiliar anchors in an unfamiliar studio. One of the anchors had a decidedly American accent, and looked desi. Hmm, odd, I thought. Some Indian anchors may try to fake an accent, or at least, speak in - an - exagerrated - tone. Let us blame it on Prannoy Roy. It took me a while to realize that it was not an Indian channel after all. It was strangely reassuring to know that news channels in Pakistan tend to be obnoxiously repetitive!
The President, who has since given up his army uniform, initiated a set of predictable steps. Get rid of pesky judges, clamp down the media. Most of the cable channels in Pakistan, which have mushroomed in the last few years, were taken off air. Some were allowed to continue, but were subject to censorship. There was a "first" in this emergency, however. Most private news channels were off the air in Pakistan. But at least one channel, Geo TV, continued its broadcast from its Dubai center. Its reporters were speaking of events unfolding in Pakistan, but the citizens of Pakistan were not privy to it all. Some Indian news channels quickly took their regularly scheduled programming and began airing Pakistani news as told by Pakistani channels!
I am sure whoever thought of the idea received a healthy bonus! He/she is surely entitled to it. I was in India at the time, watching TV. When channel surfing I came across a news being read by unfamiliar anchors in an unfamiliar studio. One of the anchors had a decidedly American accent, and looked desi. Hmm, odd, I thought. Some Indian anchors may try to fake an accent, or at least, speak in - an - exagerrated - tone. Let us blame it on Prannoy Roy. It took me a while to realize that it was not an Indian channel after all. It was strangely reassuring to know that news channels in Pakistan tend to be obnoxiously repetitive!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Can't we all just get along?
I mean, really. Don't we have enough people telling each other off these days? Look at Turkey. They are p***ed at the US House Congressional Committee for passing a (non-binding) resolution saying that Turkey committed genocide against Armenians about a hundred years ago. So Turkey, wagging its finger at the US, threatens to block access to an air base.
Then there is China. China is p***ed at the US for giving the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama. Warning of serious retaliation, China pulled out of a six-nation meeting that something to do with the Iranian nuclear program.
Then there are the taxi drivers in DC. They are p***ed at Mayor Adrian Fenty for passing a law that requires DC cabs to have meters. I know what you are thinking. What?! DC cabs don't have meters?! You see they operate based on a quaint zone system. Regular customers who have memorized the zone boundaries can save a buck or two by hiring a cab across the street. Nuts, I say.
In any case, I am sure no DC resident - Turkish, Armenian, Chinese or American - wants DC's zone system to persist!
Then there is China. China is p***ed at the US for giving the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama. Warning of serious retaliation, China pulled out of a six-nation meeting that something to do with the Iranian nuclear program.
Then there are the taxi drivers in DC. They are p***ed at Mayor Adrian Fenty for passing a law that requires DC cabs to have meters. I know what you are thinking. What?! DC cabs don't have meters?! You see they operate based on a quaint zone system. Regular customers who have memorized the zone boundaries can save a buck or two by hiring a cab across the street. Nuts, I say.
In any case, I am sure no DC resident - Turkish, Armenian, Chinese or American - wants DC's zone system to persist!
Saturday, October 06, 2007
The wheels keep turning round and round ...
To say that the proposed Indo-US nuclear deal has gone through its fair share of ups and downs is an understatement. In July '05, the leaders of the two countries took a revolutionary step when they announced the broad terms of the proposed nuclear co-operation agreement. Cameras clicked, people smiled (some with disbelief), and the wheels of legal machinery began creaking forward. In a world where even the incremental, evolutionary changes are contested, it should come as no surprise that this revolutionary deal would face severe challenges in the months and years ahead.
Briefly, the agreement promised India access to nuclear fuel/technology that has long been denied to her chiefly, because of (a) refusal to join NPT and (b) conducting the nuclear tests in 1998. In return, 14 of the 22 nuclear reactors in India would be placed under international safeguards in perpetuity. You can read more about the deal here and here.
As early as the end of '05, some US lawmakers like Sen. Richard Lugar raised their doubts, which could seriously jeopardize the deal. In his prepared comments, he made it clear that he did not like that the Congress had not been consulted prior to the deal. The subtext of his remarks was that he did not trust the Indians' offering of "voluntary" compliances. He sought US control over any technology/fuel that was being considered. Moreover, he wanted more, i.e., all nuclear reactors in India under safeguards.
Then in early '06, the New York times gave a two thumbs down to the deal, before Bush's visit to India. Other hoped that the President's visit would in part, nudge the deal along. Around the same time, noted Indian scientists like Dr. Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Dr. Banerjee, director of BARC issued their support to the deal. This was echoed by several policy experts in the US and abroad like Stephen Cohen at the Brookings Institution, Walter Andersen at JHU, Frank Wisner and William Clark, former US ambassadors to India and importantly, Dr. El-Baradei, the head of the IAEA.
Within a couple of months after President Bush's India visit, the Indian Americans began galvanizing support for the deal. This was perhaps one of the first times that the community had managed to organize itself to the extent it did. Irrespective of the fate of the deal, one hopes that the Indian-American community will strengthen its newly-found confidence and voice.
By the middle of that year, some in the Indian scientific community voiced their opposition to the deal amidst calls of India becoming subservient to the US. At the same time, India's Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran was jetting around winning support for the deal. Within the end of the year, countries like UK and Italy would offer support even though Australia dilly-dallied. China, as expected, did not welcome the proposed agreement.
In October '06, North Korea rocked the boat by testing a nuclear bomb. And the shadow of the mushroom cloud threatened to engulf the Indo-US deal. That did not happen.
That brings us to the present year. 2007. The discussion in some sections of the Indian media, notably the Indian Express, got very detailed. Experts started analyzing the deal with a fine comb. Amazingly, the no-nonsense, technical discussion thrived in the newspaper. And this, in a country, where printing titillating pictures in the Times of India passes for journalism!
Prakash Karat, the articulate communist in India, issued his shrill opposition to the deal. For a while the left party opposition led by Karat threatened the survival of the Singh administration. That fear seems to have abated even as cooler heads prevailed on the left end of the spectrum. Notably, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee the West Bengal Chief Minister and Jyoti Basu, its former CM unequivocally expressed their support for the deal. Amidst this hooplah, Prime Minister Singh made a an astonishing statement -- one that could come from either a visionary or one who had nothing to lose. Rubbishing Karat's stand, the Prime Minister said that history would judge the deal favorably. Now that takes some courage!
Just as the left worries were starting to subside in India and the Indian administration soldiered on with their business, the next step was launching into discussions with the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG).
And in what can only be described as deja vu, some lawmakers in the US (this time, the House) and the New York Times upped their ante and have come out against the deal. The House issued a non-binding resolution, which essentially seeks to do exactly what Karat wanted. Throw a spanner into the machinery, jam the wheels and bring it to a halt.
Dr. El Baradei will be in India on a 3-day visit shortly. But the officials are tight-lipped about the NSG discussions -- whether indeed, there will be any discussions. The Left parties are meeting around the same time. Oh, the drama! But it is difficult to imagine that Dr. El Baradei will go all the way just to shake hands and see the sights.
The picture is the US is shaping up more unfavorably. The next few weeks are sure to be taken up in talking about the President's veto of the SCHIP act and the Congress' attempt to override the veto. And of course, there is the Iraq war. Along with the immigration battle, the proposed deal may simply be passed on to the next President. As far as the nuclear deal goes, passing the buck would effectively kill the deal.
Briefly, the agreement promised India access to nuclear fuel/technology that has long been denied to her chiefly, because of (a) refusal to join NPT and (b) conducting the nuclear tests in 1998. In return, 14 of the 22 nuclear reactors in India would be placed under international safeguards in perpetuity. You can read more about the deal here and here.
As early as the end of '05, some US lawmakers like Sen. Richard Lugar raised their doubts, which could seriously jeopardize the deal. In his prepared comments, he made it clear that he did not like that the Congress had not been consulted prior to the deal. The subtext of his remarks was that he did not trust the Indians' offering of "voluntary" compliances. He sought US control over any technology/fuel that was being considered. Moreover, he wanted more, i.e., all nuclear reactors in India under safeguards.
Then in early '06, the New York times gave a two thumbs down to the deal, before Bush's visit to India. Other hoped that the President's visit would in part, nudge the deal along. Around the same time, noted Indian scientists like Dr. Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Dr. Banerjee, director of BARC issued their support to the deal. This was echoed by several policy experts in the US and abroad like Stephen Cohen at the Brookings Institution, Walter Andersen at JHU, Frank Wisner and William Clark, former US ambassadors to India and importantly, Dr. El-Baradei, the head of the IAEA.
Within a couple of months after President Bush's India visit, the Indian Americans began galvanizing support for the deal. This was perhaps one of the first times that the community had managed to organize itself to the extent it did. Irrespective of the fate of the deal, one hopes that the Indian-American community will strengthen its newly-found confidence and voice.
By the middle of that year, some in the Indian scientific community voiced their opposition to the deal amidst calls of India becoming subservient to the US. At the same time, India's Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran was jetting around winning support for the deal. Within the end of the year, countries like UK and Italy would offer support even though Australia dilly-dallied. China, as expected, did not welcome the proposed agreement.
In October '06, North Korea rocked the boat by testing a nuclear bomb. And the shadow of the mushroom cloud threatened to engulf the Indo-US deal. That did not happen.
That brings us to the present year. 2007. The discussion in some sections of the Indian media, notably the Indian Express, got very detailed. Experts started analyzing the deal with a fine comb. Amazingly, the no-nonsense, technical discussion thrived in the newspaper. And this, in a country, where printing titillating pictures in the Times of India passes for journalism!
Prakash Karat, the articulate communist in India, issued his shrill opposition to the deal. For a while the left party opposition led by Karat threatened the survival of the Singh administration. That fear seems to have abated even as cooler heads prevailed on the left end of the spectrum. Notably, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee the West Bengal Chief Minister and Jyoti Basu, its former CM unequivocally expressed their support for the deal. Amidst this hooplah, Prime Minister Singh made a an astonishing statement -- one that could come from either a visionary or one who had nothing to lose. Rubbishing Karat's stand, the Prime Minister said that history would judge the deal favorably. Now that takes some courage!
Just as the left worries were starting to subside in India and the Indian administration soldiered on with their business, the next step was launching into discussions with the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG).
And in what can only be described as deja vu, some lawmakers in the US (this time, the House) and the New York Times upped their ante and have come out against the deal. The House issued a non-binding resolution, which essentially seeks to do exactly what Karat wanted. Throw a spanner into the machinery, jam the wheels and bring it to a halt.
Dr. El Baradei will be in India on a 3-day visit shortly. But the officials are tight-lipped about the NSG discussions -- whether indeed, there will be any discussions. The Left parties are meeting around the same time. Oh, the drama! But it is difficult to imagine that Dr. El Baradei will go all the way just to shake hands and see the sights.
The picture is the US is shaping up more unfavorably. The next few weeks are sure to be taken up in talking about the President's veto of the SCHIP act and the Congress' attempt to override the veto. And of course, there is the Iraq war. Along with the immigration battle, the proposed deal may simply be passed on to the next President. As far as the nuclear deal goes, passing the buck would effectively kill the deal.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Science and public
Not too long ago, Big Brother decided to continue funding the enormously successful Hubble project. NASA can be justifiably proud of its baby that continues to outperform design expectations. In the next few years, NASA will send a space shuttle to Hubble to give her a new lease of life. Nice read about in the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/science/space/07hubb.html
I am simultaneously encouraged and disheartened by the recent turn of events. That Hubble will continue to soar is a source of great joy. The uphill battle that led to that result is discouraging. If convincing the administration about the continued importance of a project whose brilliant performance is impossible to miss, is such an uphill task, surely, it does not augur well for other science and technology projects that may not produce visible results right away.
How should the scientific community engage the administration and the public at large, in its undertaking? This is a question that troubles every group within the scientific community. Clearly, some groups have been more successful in making their case! Look at the dollars that have poured into supercomputing, for instance.
I am simultaneously encouraged and disheartened by the recent turn of events. That Hubble will continue to soar is a source of great joy. The uphill battle that led to that result is discouraging. If convincing the administration about the continued importance of a project whose brilliant performance is impossible to miss, is such an uphill task, surely, it does not augur well for other science and technology projects that may not produce visible results right away.
How should the scientific community engage the administration and the public at large, in its undertaking? This is a question that troubles every group within the scientific community. Clearly, some groups have been more successful in making their case! Look at the dollars that have poured into supercomputing, for instance.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Last on board!
I had to travel to Boston for a meeting this past weekend and I opted to fly out early Saturday morning and get back home late the next night. My itinerary had me on the 6am US airways out of Baltimore-Washington (BWI), connecting in Pittsburgh (PIT) within a 30 minute window to arrive in Boston at 9am. (Of course, I could have taken a non-stop flight, but that would only give me half the number of miles for the same price!)
My journey had four segments in all: two each way. Baltimore-Pittsburgh-Boston and Boston-New York-Baltimore.
I didn't stick to any of the four flights however! Talk about planning...
Saturday morning:
4am: Got up n(note, I don't say woke up!); had my morning tea; took a quick shower and logged in for a quick email check. My 'quick mail check' turned out to not so quick after all.
5:05am: Look at the watch. Whoops! The flight leaves in less than an hour!
5:05:00-5:07:00: Throw in a change of clothes into the bag; stuff the printout of the boarding pass (I had checked in online the previous night). Hunt for a towel.
5:07:30: Still no sign of my travel towel. Think of giving up search.
5:07:40: Decide to do a last sweep.
5:07:54: Find towel. Stuff that in. Grab keys.
5:08:15: Turn off lights in the room; sprint to the living room; wear shoes. Run to my car. (Shoot! Its raining!)
5:09:40: Coughs to life - my car, not me.
5:10:00: Exit apartment complex.
5:12:00: Enter the B-W parkway (highway to the airport).
5:16:00: Encounter a left-lane-hugging low-life (LLHLL).
5:16:10: Flash light. And speed away.
5:18:24: Another LLHLL.
5:18:38: Still behind the same LLHLL.
5:19:35: Forced to pass on right.
5:27:00: Signs to airport... yippie!
5:33:00: Pull into daily parking garage.
5:35:23: Park car; make a dash to the nearest shuttle bus stop.
5:36:00: Come on, come on, come on! Where is the bus?!
5:38:00: Contemplate running to the terminal.
5:38:30: Reconsider - it is raining and I don't have an umbrella.
5:39:23: The shuttle bus arrives!
5:41:00: Still on bus - waiting at the traffic light.
5:43:10: First stop at the terminal. Though my flight leaves from the next terminal, alight at the first stop thinking its faster to run than wait for the bus to move.
5:43:45: Running on wet sidewalk - stupid idea. Slow down running speed.
5:44:45: Inside D terminal! Join the long security lane!
5:53:00: Still in security line. Move it, people!
5:55:10: A flight attendant cuts in front - ugh.
5:55:20: Bag, shoes, wallet, keys all go through the X-ray.
5:56:30: Finally, past security check. No time to wear shoes. Grab shoes in one hand, jacket in the other, toss shoulder bag on the back. Run, Forrest, run!!
5:59:34: Still running, dodging holiday-makers and their HUGE bags. The gate is at the other end of the terminal D-45. Run down the final flight of stairs. Turn right. Spot the gate agents.
6:00:10: At the gate finally!
Customer agent (CA): Which flight, sir?
Me: The one to Pittsburgh.
CA: Sorry, sir. You missed the flight.
Me: Is it still at the gate? Has it pushed back yet?
CA: Sir, you missed it. What is your final destination?
Me: Boston.
CA: (Typing furiously). Tell you what, I'll get you on this plane (there is a plane to Philly boarding at the moment).
Me: When does the connecting flight from Philly reach Boston?
CA: Umm.. 8:54.
Me: (inwardly, yaaye! that is a whole 6 minutes before my actual flight!) Ok. Many thanks.
CA to another CA who is handling boarding for the Philly flight: Wait, don't close the door. One more coming up.
So at 6:04am, I run down the jetway and board the plane to Philly. The last one to board the plane. Phew.
The flight and the connecting one was both quite uneventful. We landed in Boston a few minutes earlier than scheduled but spent 20 minutes taxiing (oh, joy).
Sunday evening:
My return flight is scheduled to depart at 7:00p. I reach the airport at 6 to find that my flight is delayed by over an hour. Looks like many flights are running late. The 5:00p shuttle hasn't departed yet. I go to the gate to see if I can get on that plane. Turns out I can! The plane was about to leave and they didn't have time to print a new boarding pass for me! The gate agent took my 7:00p boarding pass and sent me scurrying down the jetway with the words "open seat". Again, I'm the last one to board the plane.
A short hop from Boston to New York. The pilots decided to stay high up longer than usual due to turbulence in lower altitudes. The quick descent wasn't exactly kind on my ears. Stuffed ears for a long time is no fun!
Same story at New York's Laguardia airport (LGA) - more delays! Thanks to the magic of standby, I put my name down for the earlier flight from LGA to Baltimore, which was delayed! You know where this is going - again the last one to board! Taking off runway 31 for a gorgeous view of Manhattan on the left, we cruised at 18,000 feet for a short 30 minute flight to Baltimore.
My journey had four segments in all: two each way. Baltimore-Pittsburgh-Boston and Boston-New York-Baltimore.
I didn't stick to any of the four flights however! Talk about planning...
Saturday morning:
4am: Got up n(note, I don't say woke up!); had my morning tea; took a quick shower and logged in for a quick email check. My 'quick mail check' turned out to not so quick after all.
5:05am: Look at the watch. Whoops! The flight leaves in less than an hour!
5:05:00-5:07:00: Throw in a change of clothes into the bag; stuff the printout of the boarding pass (I had checked in online the previous night). Hunt for a towel.
5:07:30: Still no sign of my travel towel. Think of giving up search.
5:07:40: Decide to do a last sweep.
5:07:54: Find towel. Stuff that in. Grab keys.
5:08:15: Turn off lights in the room; sprint to the living room; wear shoes. Run to my car. (Shoot! Its raining!)
5:09:40: Coughs to life - my car, not me.
5:10:00: Exit apartment complex.
5:12:00: Enter the B-W parkway (highway to the airport).
5:16:00: Encounter a left-lane-hugging low-life (LLHLL).
5:16:10: Flash light. And speed away.
5:18:24: Another LLHLL.
5:18:38: Still behind the same LLHLL.
5:19:35: Forced to pass on right.
5:27:00: Signs to airport... yippie!
5:33:00: Pull into daily parking garage.
5:35:23: Park car; make a dash to the nearest shuttle bus stop.
5:36:00: Come on, come on, come on! Where is the bus?!
5:38:00: Contemplate running to the terminal.
5:38:30: Reconsider - it is raining and I don't have an umbrella.
5:39:23: The shuttle bus arrives!
5:41:00: Still on bus - waiting at the traffic light.
5:43:10: First stop at the terminal. Though my flight leaves from the next terminal, alight at the first stop thinking its faster to run than wait for the bus to move.
5:43:45: Running on wet sidewalk - stupid idea. Slow down running speed.
5:44:45: Inside D terminal! Join the long security lane!
5:53:00: Still in security line. Move it, people!
5:55:10: A flight attendant cuts in front - ugh.
5:55:20: Bag, shoes, wallet, keys all go through the X-ray.
5:56:30: Finally, past security check. No time to wear shoes. Grab shoes in one hand, jacket in the other, toss shoulder bag on the back. Run, Forrest, run!!
5:59:34: Still running, dodging holiday-makers and their HUGE bags. The gate is at the other end of the terminal D-45. Run down the final flight of stairs. Turn right. Spot the gate agents.
6:00:10: At the gate finally!
Customer agent (CA): Which flight, sir?
Me: The one to Pittsburgh.
CA: Sorry, sir. You missed the flight.
Me: Is it still at the gate? Has it pushed back yet?
CA: Sir, you missed it. What is your final destination?
Me: Boston.
CA: (Typing furiously). Tell you what, I'll get you on this plane (there is a plane to Philly boarding at the moment).
Me: When does the connecting flight from Philly reach Boston?
CA: Umm.. 8:54.
Me: (inwardly, yaaye! that is a whole 6 minutes before my actual flight!) Ok. Many thanks.
CA to another CA who is handling boarding for the Philly flight: Wait, don't close the door. One more coming up.
So at 6:04am, I run down the jetway and board the plane to Philly. The last one to board the plane. Phew.
The flight and the connecting one was both quite uneventful. We landed in Boston a few minutes earlier than scheduled but spent 20 minutes taxiing (oh, joy).
Sunday evening:
My return flight is scheduled to depart at 7:00p. I reach the airport at 6 to find that my flight is delayed by over an hour. Looks like many flights are running late. The 5:00p shuttle hasn't departed yet. I go to the gate to see if I can get on that plane. Turns out I can! The plane was about to leave and they didn't have time to print a new boarding pass for me! The gate agent took my 7:00p boarding pass and sent me scurrying down the jetway with the words "open seat". Again, I'm the last one to board the plane.
A short hop from Boston to New York. The pilots decided to stay high up longer than usual due to turbulence in lower altitudes. The quick descent wasn't exactly kind on my ears. Stuffed ears for a long time is no fun!
Same story at New York's Laguardia airport (LGA) - more delays! Thanks to the magic of standby, I put my name down for the earlier flight from LGA to Baltimore, which was delayed! You know where this is going - again the last one to board! Taking off runway 31 for a gorgeous view of Manhattan on the left, we cruised at 18,000 feet for a short 30 minute flight to Baltimore.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
China Vs. My Husband
Well, not my husband! This poor Chinese lady tells her heart-wrenching story in today's Post. Her husband was taken away by the Chinese authorities on charges of "intentionally destroying property" and "assembling a crowd to disturb traffic" and tortured. Torture tactics used on him and three others would easily trump the American ones. Talk about "either you are with us or against us." Sick.
China Vs. My Husband - washingtonpost.com
China Vs. My Husband - washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The Monarch Butterfly Migration
The Monarch Butterfly Migration Mystery - Donald G. McNeil Jr. - New York Times
Absolutely fascinating read! I had heard of bird and animal migration over long distances; not about monarch butterflies that cover 4000 miles roundtrip! From Canada, across the US to Mexico and back up north. Who'dve thunk it?!
Can you imagine their less-than-pea sized brains guide them in this amazing endeavor? It's not like they learn from its parents. With a life expectancy of nine months, ma and pa butterflies don't live long enough to take them on this trip even once!
Check out http://www.monarchwatch.org/
A quote from the NYT article:
Absolutely fascinating read! I had heard of bird and animal migration over long distances; not about monarch butterflies that cover 4000 miles roundtrip! From Canada, across the US to Mexico and back up north. Who'dve thunk it?!
Can you imagine their less-than-pea sized brains guide them in this amazing endeavor? It's not like they learn from its parents. With a life expectancy of nine months, ma and pa butterflies don't live long enough to take them on this trip even once!
Check out http://www.monarchwatch.org/
A quote from the NYT article:
"But those lifting off anywhere from Montana to Maine must aim themselves carefully to avoid drowning in the Gulf of Mexico or hitting a dead end in Florida. The majority manage to thread a geographical needle, hitting a 50-mile-wide gap of cool river valleys between Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Tex".
Thursday, September 28, 2006
About time!
Finally! Someone had the "courage" to point out that the proverbial emperor isn't wearing any clothes! A leaked British report says that Pakistan, through its intelligence agency ISI, has been supporting terrorism and extremism; that it has been supporting Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Afghanistan.
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Leak highlights a complex relationship
During their visit to Washington a couple of days ago, there was no love lost between Pak's General Musharaff and Afghanistan's President Karzai. Karzai did a diplomatic smack-down by not shaking hands with Musharaff in front of the clicking cameras.
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Leak highlights a complex relationship
During their visit to Washington a couple of days ago, there was no love lost between Pak's General Musharaff and Afghanistan's President Karzai. Karzai did a diplomatic smack-down by not shaking hands with Musharaff in front of the clicking cameras.
English or Kannada?
On the one hand, you have Friedmans of the world proclaiming that the world is flat; praising technology and English for bringing Bangalore closer to the Bay area. On the other, you have politicians in Karnataka who want to stop kids from learning in English. Regionalism? Nationalism? Linguistic zeal? Cheap gimmick to secure votes? Perhaps all of the above.
Here's a discussion on the issue:
The Indian Economy Blog » English Language Schools In Karnataka
Here's a discussion on the issue:
The Indian Economy Blog » English Language Schools In Karnataka
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
My first race!
DCRRC Larry Noël 15K and 3K
15k (9.2+ miles) in 1:22:12.
The numbers may not be anything to write about. It was my first race, after all. But, brag, I shall!
I have been running regularly for the past two months. In fact, this race comes two months to the day since I started. I could barely manage to run halfway around the lake before losing my breath. (A loop is 1.25 miles). Two months later, I ran over 9 miles at a pace less than 9 minutes per mile!
Yesterday, I rewarded myself with a book "The geometry of geodesics" and a masala dosa at Udupi Palace!
15k (9.2+ miles) in 1:22:12.
The numbers may not be anything to write about. It was my first race, after all. But, brag, I shall!
I have been running regularly for the past two months. In fact, this race comes two months to the day since I started. I could barely manage to run halfway around the lake before losing my breath. (A loop is 1.25 miles). Two months later, I ran over 9 miles at a pace less than 9 minutes per mile!
Yesterday, I rewarded myself with a book "The geometry of geodesics" and a masala dosa at Udupi Palace!
Friday, August 18, 2006
Dirty Dishes and Global warming
Limiting Climate Change: The Neglected Obstacle
Inconsideration is human. You see that when the US and China refuse to clean up their mess with a 'hey, it doesn't bother us!' Apparently a touch of global warming would be welcome from Chinese point of view as it would be favorable to their agricultural industry! India and Africa, the article says will be the most hard-hit.
This perhaps, is a sadly sobering reminder that nation states and their leaders can be just as inconsiderate as people we encounter in the mundane. Just this morning, I stumbled into the kitchen, still half-asleep, to make my cup of tea. With the soft groan of the AC in the background, the kitchen sink that was overflowing with my roommates' dirty dishes greeted me rather loudly. Inconsiderate, I thought as I loaded the dishwasher.
Very soon, the gurgle of the dishwasher drowned the groan of the AC. Before long, I was rewarding myself with the cup of tea and planning out the day ahead.
Will India and Africa have to clean up other people's dirty dishes? Oh wait, haven't we done that already!
Inconsideration is human. You see that when the US and China refuse to clean up their mess with a 'hey, it doesn't bother us!' Apparently a touch of global warming would be welcome from Chinese point of view as it would be favorable to their agricultural industry! India and Africa, the article says will be the most hard-hit.
This perhaps, is a sadly sobering reminder that nation states and their leaders can be just as inconsiderate as people we encounter in the mundane. Just this morning, I stumbled into the kitchen, still half-asleep, to make my cup of tea. With the soft groan of the AC in the background, the kitchen sink that was overflowing with my roommates' dirty dishes greeted me rather loudly. Inconsiderate, I thought as I loaded the dishwasher.
Very soon, the gurgle of the dishwasher drowned the groan of the AC. Before long, I was rewarding myself with the cup of tea and planning out the day ahead.
Will India and Africa have to clean up other people's dirty dishes? Oh wait, haven't we done that already!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Middle East Mess
A friend of mine commented that this blog was unusually silent on the latest mess in the middle East. I have had several discussions on the topic, often animated, with folks around here. There is talk at the water cooler, a two minute discussion on the elevator liberally sprinkled with tsk-tsks, more drawn-out discussions on the metro (that's DC's subway), and the list goes on.
The middle East thing seems to be one big unending soap opera. You can tune in and tune out periodically without missing a beat. There are always going to enough and more finger-pointing, innumerable "but he did it first"'s, ever-present pissing contests. And of course, bombs.
Who cares about the hundreds of dead and injured, anyway?
The middle East thing seems to be one big unending soap opera. You can tune in and tune out periodically without missing a beat. There are always going to enough and more finger-pointing, innumerable "but he did it first"'s, ever-present pissing contests. And of course, bombs.
Who cares about the hundreds of dead and injured, anyway?
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Train bombings
Unless you were hiding under a rock, you probably heard about the series of bombings in Mumbai, India. Events surrounding it and following it have been so expected that it hardly qualifies as an 'event'. No, I am not trying to be cynical. But everything about it is so gut-wrenchingly familiar that people are almost used to it.
This type of attack goes back to at least 1993 when more than a dozen bombs rocked the city - in the Bombay stock exchange, even. What happened? The city dusted itself off and life moved on. The stock markets rallied. The people stepped back on those Crowded (yes, crowded with a capital 'C') trains to chase their hopes and dreams.
This time around as well, the city that is always in a hurry, will wipes off its tears and go back to business as usual in a day or two.
The Indian government will make the usual statements. Mumbai police will detain hundreds and arrest a few. Some will face justice. But the real murderers? I wouldn't bet on them being caught. After all, Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind behind the '93 attacks, enjoys Pakistani patronage even today.
Terrorists do the same thing over and over again. The government reacts the same way over and over again. Nothing unfamiliar. No events here.
But look at Israel. Today, we heard about their strikes on Lebanon. After a few strikes, Beirut's airport resembled the surface of moon- all three runways rendered inoperable. Why all the bombing? Hezbollah militants who are holed up in Lebanon apparently kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others. Then came the no-nonsense reaction from Israel.
Look at India and her response to all the militants holed up in Pakistan. You have to wonder, will India shed its path of remarkable restraint?
This type of attack goes back to at least 1993 when more than a dozen bombs rocked the city - in the Bombay stock exchange, even. What happened? The city dusted itself off and life moved on. The stock markets rallied. The people stepped back on those Crowded (yes, crowded with a capital 'C') trains to chase their hopes and dreams.
This time around as well, the city that is always in a hurry, will wipes off its tears and go back to business as usual in a day or two.
The Indian government will make the usual statements. Mumbai police will detain hundreds and arrest a few. Some will face justice. But the real murderers? I wouldn't bet on them being caught. After all, Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind behind the '93 attacks, enjoys Pakistani patronage even today.
Terrorists do the same thing over and over again. The government reacts the same way over and over again. Nothing unfamiliar. No events here.
But look at Israel. Today, we heard about their strikes on Lebanon. After a few strikes, Beirut's airport resembled the surface of moon- all three runways rendered inoperable. Why all the bombing? Hezbollah militants who are holed up in Lebanon apparently kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others. Then came the no-nonsense reaction from Israel.
Look at India and her response to all the militants holed up in Pakistan. You have to wonder, will India shed its path of remarkable restraint?
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
United 93
A couple of weeks ago, I saw the movie United 93. It chronicles UA93's flight into history books as one of the ill-fated aircrafts lost on 9/11. Supposedly headed for the White House, the flight came down in Pennsylvania, less than 200 miles from Washington.
The movie opened to mixed reactions from people debating whether we needed to be reminded of an attack that is still fresh in our minds. Just a couple of days ago, as a reminder of 9/11, a small plane was escorted safely out of the controlled DC's airspace by military jets. When incidents such as these serve as grim forget-me-nots, it is fair to ask whether United 93: the movie's time had come. At any rate, I don't have a problem with the movie's timing.
The more important question is how the movie is made, not its timing. And on that point, the moviemakers score well, I think. The movie makes the real seem very real -- the tension is palpable as events of the day unfold, the 'grip' heightens as the day progresses. The camera work, the abrupt dialogue, unrecognizable actors, real pilots as actors -- it all fits rather neatly. Though there is nothing neat about the day.
On the aviation aspect of the movie, too, it does a remarkably good job. Aviation geeks will probably spot a goof or two. Overall, though, the movie pays close attention to detail and gets it right.
The movie opened to mixed reactions from people debating whether we needed to be reminded of an attack that is still fresh in our minds. Just a couple of days ago, as a reminder of 9/11, a small plane was escorted safely out of the controlled DC's airspace by military jets. When incidents such as these serve as grim forget-me-nots, it is fair to ask whether United 93: the movie's time had come. At any rate, I don't have a problem with the movie's timing.
The more important question is how the movie is made, not its timing. And on that point, the moviemakers score well, I think. The movie makes the real seem very real -- the tension is palpable as events of the day unfold, the 'grip' heightens as the day progresses. The camera work, the abrupt dialogue, unrecognizable actors, real pilots as actors -- it all fits rather neatly. Though there is nothing neat about the day.
On the aviation aspect of the movie, too, it does a remarkably good job. Aviation geeks will probably spot a goof or two. Overall, though, the movie pays close attention to detail and gets it right.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Ethics in Science
In a Scientist's Fall, China Feels Robbed of Glory - New York Times
In recent weeks, the scientific community has had to deal with ugly episodes of unethical conduct. There was the case of the South Korean doctor whose claims of breakthrough in cloning was found to be nothing more than a fabrication. Today, the NYT reports that a Chinese computer scientist stole chip designs from a foreign company, and passed them off as products of his own research.
These are examples of irrecoverable falls from grace magnified by the greatness that could-have-been. Sad and tragic episodes, but not surprising given the way the research community functions and interacts with the rest of the society.
For a long time, the phrase 'publish or perish' captured the pressure under which every scientist functions. There is another dimension that may not be immediately obvious. In addition to continually publishing as a testament his scientific credentials, a scientist is expected to bring in the moolah. Writing proposals, presenting results -- I italicize intentionally -- has become as important as doing quality work.
Any person under the appropriate stimuli can be made to do tasks that are otherwise unthinkable. Scientists are not immune to this sociological phenomenon either. I am not trying to condone or justify such actions; but merely explaining them.
It is almost ironic to read this op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal (requires subscription). I'll summarize a couple of points.
It goes on to claim that India's continued adherence to and strengthening of the IPR regime will translate into rich dividends -- as an example, it says, annual revenues from Indian software exports are expected to reach $50billion in the not-too distant future.
Here we are, on the one hand, trying to sanctify intellectual property. On the other, some are abusing the scientific process and manufacturing results!
In recent weeks, the scientific community has had to deal with ugly episodes of unethical conduct. There was the case of the South Korean doctor whose claims of breakthrough in cloning was found to be nothing more than a fabrication. Today, the NYT reports that a Chinese computer scientist stole chip designs from a foreign company, and passed them off as products of his own research.
These are examples of irrecoverable falls from grace magnified by the greatness that could-have-been. Sad and tragic episodes, but not surprising given the way the research community functions and interacts with the rest of the society.
For a long time, the phrase 'publish or perish' captured the pressure under which every scientist functions. There is another dimension that may not be immediately obvious. In addition to continually publishing as a testament his scientific credentials, a scientist is expected to bring in the moolah. Writing proposals, presenting results -- I italicize intentionally -- has become as important as doing quality work.
Any person under the appropriate stimuli can be made to do tasks that are otherwise unthinkable. Scientists are not immune to this sociological phenomenon either. I am not trying to condone or justify such actions; but merely explaining them.
It is almost ironic to read this op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal (requires subscription). I'll summarize a couple of points.
India is rapidly evolving into Asia's innovation center, leaving China in the dust. Its secret weapon? Intellectual property-rights protection. In recent years, New Delhi has taken big steps to protect these rights, and the results have been dramatic.
It goes on to claim that India's continued adherence to and strengthening of the IPR regime will translate into rich dividends -- as an example, it says, annual revenues from Indian software exports are expected to reach $50billion in the not-too distant future.
Here we are, on the one hand, trying to sanctify intellectual property. On the other, some are abusing the scientific process and manufacturing results!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Condescensional Wisdom
In his column today, George Will mounts a spirited attack on John Kenneth Galbraith, an economist who passed away not too long ago. Now you may disagree with Galbraith's theories, but let the man rest in peace! Common wisdom flowing from the herd of masses of not-so-independent thinking says that one does not spout bitter babble toward a man whose grave is still warm. Perhaps in this regard, Will should condescend to learning from the masses!
Monday, May 01, 2006
United 93, the Movie
This entry is my take on:
Blogpourri: United 93, the Movie: Would You Watch It?
I fail to see the argument that its too soon, too traumatic to watch the movie. I too, remember the Day vividly. Living about 10 miles northeast of Pentagon, I can understand Sujatha's comments about the raw nature of that day.
There are several instances of art imitating life where you know the end even before the beginning - all those World war movies for example. For veterans of that war, I'm sure some wounds never healed. Making movies about those events does not in any way, demean their experiences. If potrayed with historical accuracy, these movies can serve as useful reminders for a long time!
Too traumatic? Sure, it was. And it still is for many. So is the AIDS epidemic. But movies like Longtime Companion, And the band played on, and Philadelphia were made. They have had a significant impact on how we even look at the subject today.
At the risk of sounding flippant, I would add that terrorist attacks like 9-11 seem to have a less traumatic impact on the Indian psyche. How many people remember the Bombay bombings today - or even the more recent Delhi bombings?
Long story short: I hope to see the movie United 93 soon - this weekend perhaps.
Blogpourri: United 93, the Movie: Would You Watch It?
I fail to see the argument that its too soon, too traumatic to watch the movie. I too, remember the Day vividly. Living about 10 miles northeast of Pentagon, I can understand Sujatha's comments about the raw nature of that day.
There are several instances of art imitating life where you know the end even before the beginning - all those World war movies for example. For veterans of that war, I'm sure some wounds never healed. Making movies about those events does not in any way, demean their experiences. If potrayed with historical accuracy, these movies can serve as useful reminders for a long time!
Too traumatic? Sure, it was. And it still is for many. So is the AIDS epidemic. But movies like Longtime Companion, And the band played on, and Philadelphia were made. They have had a significant impact on how we even look at the subject today.
At the risk of sounding flippant, I would add that terrorist attacks like 9-11 seem to have a less traumatic impact on the Indian psyche. How many people remember the Bombay bombings today - or even the more recent Delhi bombings?
Long story short: I hope to see the movie United 93 soon - this weekend perhaps.
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