Saturday, December 30, 2006
Corporate rivalry v/s fertile land
As West Bengal remains exercised over whether or not Mamata Banerjee’s protest was instigated by ‘corporate rivalry’ as claimed by Ratan Tata, one issue has vanished from the media pages.
The Singur land handed over to the Tatas is fertile, two-crop land. It may be recalled even Sonia Gandhi had publicly asked all states under Congress rule not allow land under cultivation to be given away to SEZs .
Why should the same logic not apply in West Bengal, which is ruled by a Congress ally? Why would the Tatas not be willing to accept alternative, non-agricultural land? Simply because of Singur’s proximity to Kolkata and the access it provides to markets and transportation facilities.
What does any of this have to do with the ‘nameless’ corporate rival? In any case, the only company capable of providing serious competition to the Tata plan to make a Rs 1 lakh car is probably Maruti Suzuki, where the centre has a little say. Another company that may pip the Tatas its neighbour in far away Pune. In a liberalised economy, where licenses do not rule decisions, companies are expected to fight fiercely for every percentage point of market share. In this changed scenario, even the Tatas must learn to identify the rivals and expose them in order to make their charges credible.
For those who know very little of the matter: The Naxalites, the BJP and a lot of other people support Mamata, and the Left (about as left as UK 'New Labor' is becoming I'd say and they by now are beginning to look about as 'left wing' as Adolf Hitler) support the Tatas.
IMO: If the "Indian Express" assessment is correct, then Tatas are not credible on this issue. So the prospects for a worthwhile 1 lakh car are also small. We need something more along the lines of the Tesla electric car if possible. I would have thought even, say, Bajaj could have had a try at that. JRD Tata used to 'think big' but the Tatas now seem to have lost that capacity and confuse economic size with longer term credibility. And on the Singur issue they now seem to even lack short term credibity. It is a pity.
The Singur land handed over to the Tatas is fertile, two-crop land. It may be recalled even Sonia Gandhi had publicly asked all states under Congress rule not allow land under cultivation to be given away to SEZs .
Why should the same logic not apply in West Bengal, which is ruled by a Congress ally? Why would the Tatas not be willing to accept alternative, non-agricultural land? Simply because of Singur’s proximity to Kolkata and the access it provides to markets and transportation facilities.
What does any of this have to do with the ‘nameless’ corporate rival? In any case, the only company capable of providing serious competition to the Tata plan to make a Rs 1 lakh car is probably Maruti Suzuki, where the centre has a little say. Another company that may pip the Tatas its neighbour in far away Pune. In a liberalised economy, where licenses do not rule decisions, companies are expected to fight fiercely for every percentage point of market share. In this changed scenario, even the Tatas must learn to identify the rivals and expose them in order to make their charges credible.
For those who know very little of the matter: The Naxalites, the BJP and a lot of other people support Mamata, and the Left (about as left as UK 'New Labor' is becoming I'd say and they by now are beginning to look about as 'left wing' as Adolf Hitler) support the Tatas.
IMO: If the "Indian Express" assessment is correct, then Tatas are not credible on this issue. So the prospects for a worthwhile 1 lakh car are also small. We need something more along the lines of the Tesla electric car if possible. I would have thought even, say, Bajaj could have had a try at that. JRD Tata used to 'think big' but the Tatas now seem to have lost that capacity and confuse economic size with longer term credibility. And on the Singur issue they now seem to even lack short term credibity. It is a pity.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Mamata ends fast - condition still worrisome
Mamata had again to be put on oxygen. The doctors attending on her said her blood pressure had dropped to 96/52, coupled with low pulse rate, chest pain and muscle cramp.
Her condition is worrisome, the doctors said, adding that though Mamata needed to take some oral fluids, she had refused it.
Mamata Banerjee ended her fast after 25 days - but not before making Singur land acquisition and reckless industrialisation a national issue.
IMO: Best to 'run away and live to fight another day'. I am really glad she may be back with us. What the world may need is a new Rosa Luxembourg / Mahatma Gandhi / Che Guavara style figure And the land is valuable. Some (hopefully all) of it may be swapped for less valuable land. It is not in the world's interests for valuable agricultural land to be used for making stinky small cars. Tata could benefit themselves and their shareholders by building truly pollution free small cars. Even Michael Dell, Schwarzegger and many others are trying to show the way forward. Tata should try to grasp real investment opportunities and not create further pollution. Even the Chinese are getting sick and tired of pollution already, and they do not even have democracy yet.
Her condition is worrisome, the doctors said, adding that though Mamata needed to take some oral fluids, she had refused it.
Mamata Banerjee ended her fast after 25 days - but not before making Singur land acquisition and reckless industrialisation a national issue.
IMO: Best to 'run away and live to fight another day'. I am really glad she may be back with us. What the world may need is a new Rosa Luxembourg / Mahatma Gandhi / Che Guavara style figure And the land is valuable. Some (hopefully all) of it may be swapped for less valuable land. It is not in the world's interests for valuable agricultural land to be used for making stinky small cars. Tata could benefit themselves and their shareholders by building truly pollution free small cars. Even Michael Dell, Schwarzegger and many others are trying to show the way forward. Tata should try to grasp real investment opportunities and not create further pollution. Even the Chinese are getting sick and tired of pollution already, and they do not even have democracy yet.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
UFO ‘secrets’ could land UK hacker in Gitmo
A UK hacker who studied US military computers to find secret evidence of alien life and technology faces up to 70 years in a US prison.
In an interview with the BBC, McKinnon said he got into the networks quite easily, simply by using a Perl script that searched for blank passwords. Embarrassingly for the US military, that means computers in the top-secret networks could be hacked using active default passwords.
Unsurprisingly, McKinnon wants to be tried in the UK because he says the crimes were committed on UK soil. He also says he did not damage the systems he trespassed on.
IMO: This seems to be yet another foolish act by the British Courts, who are excelling even themselves these days. This is possible because of foolish US extradition legislation by Blair and hamfisted actions by the Labor authorities. Labor seems to be begging us all to vote Tory by now. I know for a fact that UK judges are often too incompetent to give correct verdicts nowadays, and that is what seems to have happened in this case too. People can go out and take drugs and alcohol, be promiscous and have their bastards supported by UK taxpayers - that shows what a 'liberal' country the UK is. But if a devout Muslim woman wears a nicab then she'll be publically admonished by a Labor MP. And if a hobbyist writes a Perl script some Yankee General disapproves of as it show up his incompetence then the judge won't even know what a Perl script is and he'll send you to Gitmo ! (of course, the judge may well be too busy carrying out his normal pedophile activities anyway).
In an interview with the BBC, McKinnon said he got into the networks quite easily, simply by using a Perl script that searched for blank passwords. Embarrassingly for the US military, that means computers in the top-secret networks could be hacked using active default passwords.
Unsurprisingly, McKinnon wants to be tried in the UK because he says the crimes were committed on UK soil. He also says he did not damage the systems he trespassed on.
IMO: This seems to be yet another foolish act by the British Courts, who are excelling even themselves these days. This is possible because of foolish US extradition legislation by Blair and hamfisted actions by the Labor authorities. Labor seems to be begging us all to vote Tory by now. I know for a fact that UK judges are often too incompetent to give correct verdicts nowadays, and that is what seems to have happened in this case too. People can go out and take drugs and alcohol, be promiscous and have their bastards supported by UK taxpayers - that shows what a 'liberal' country the UK is. But if a devout Muslim woman wears a nicab then she'll be publically admonished by a Labor MP. And if a hobbyist writes a Perl script some Yankee General disapproves of as it show up his incompetence then the judge won't even know what a Perl script is and he'll send you to Gitmo ! (of course, the judge may well be too busy carrying out his normal pedophile activities anyway).
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
India hopes Saddam won't be hanged
India has traditionally had friendly relations with governments, including Hussein's in West Asia, and is concerned at the fallout of popular unrest on its four million citizens who live and work in the Gulf.
Hours after an appellate court in Iraq upheld on Tuesday the Tribunal's earlier verdict and death sentence against former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, the Indian government reacted, hoping the verdict would not be carried out.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is on record as saying that the United States' decision to invade Iraq was a "mistake".
When Hussein was sentenced to death in early November, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had cautioned that "such life and death decisions require credible process of law, which does not appear to be victor's justice, and is acceptable to the people of Iraq and the international community."
IMO: It does seem that Saddam Hussein seems to have been misled into hoping for constancy and coherence in US policy and this has been sadly lacking in recent years by all administrations. The bad part really began when he invaded Kuwait, which was a nice little place (relatively speaking) but both he and the US newspapers (e.g. Barron's) seem to have mostly taken the view that the US approved of his activities. A fair trial would have been in order, if only that had been easy.
Hours after an appellate court in Iraq upheld on Tuesday the Tribunal's earlier verdict and death sentence against former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, the Indian government reacted, hoping the verdict would not be carried out.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is on record as saying that the United States' decision to invade Iraq was a "mistake".
When Hussein was sentenced to death in early November, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had cautioned that "such life and death decisions require credible process of law, which does not appear to be victor's justice, and is acceptable to the people of Iraq and the international community."
IMO: It does seem that Saddam Hussein seems to have been misled into hoping for constancy and coherence in US policy and this has been sadly lacking in recent years by all administrations. The bad part really began when he invaded Kuwait, which was a nice little place (relatively speaking) but both he and the US newspapers (e.g. Barron's) seem to have mostly taken the view that the US approved of his activities. A fair trial would have been in order, if only that had been easy.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Joyful News for Xmas !: The Holy Ganges River has improved water quality.
New Delhi, 24 December: The river Ganges, the most important river system in India, is more fit for taking a holy dip than it used to be 20 years ago.
This being said, I advise sticking to the higher reaches, as far upstream as possible,well above the polluted cities and not drinking any of the water at all, even if it looks fairly clean. Many Hindu pilgrims are reported to be refusing (rightly for medical reasons) to immerse themselves in its waters in their ritual bathe. Read here and here, not just here.
Not only has the holy river become better for holy bathing, there is more oxygen to breathe for the riverlife in it, according to figures available with the Environment and Forests Ministry. Since the launch of Ganga Action Plan in 1986, the Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), an increase in which reduces the chances of survival of riverlife, has fallen from 6.2 milligramme per litre (mgl) to 2.7 mgl in latest count last year. On the other hand, the Dissolved Oxygen (DO), essential for underwater flora and fauna, has shown a marginal increase from 7.22 mgl in 1986 to 7.73 mgl in 2005.
Both figures spell good for the humans as well as the fish and waterlife, who depend on the river for a myriad reasons. DO and BDO are two key indicators of a river's health. On an average a river is considered to be fit for bathing if it has dissolved oxygen above 5.0 mgl and biochemical oxygen demand below 3.0 mgl.
The model of clean Ganga campaign has not been emulated by the state governments entrusted with cleaning of all major rivers flowing in 14 river basins in the country under National River Conservation Plan, the report observed. The ministry underscored the need of sensitizing the people about the importance of cleanliness of the rivers, saying their cooperation is must to achieve the goal of cleaning the rivers in the country.
This being said, I advise sticking to the higher reaches, as far upstream as possible,well above the polluted cities and not drinking any of the water at all, even if it looks fairly clean. Many Hindu pilgrims are reported to be refusing (rightly for medical reasons) to immerse themselves in its waters in their ritual bathe. Read here and here, not just here.
Not only has the holy river become better for holy bathing, there is more oxygen to breathe for the riverlife in it, according to figures available with the Environment and Forests Ministry. Since the launch of Ganga Action Plan in 1986, the Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), an increase in which reduces the chances of survival of riverlife, has fallen from 6.2 milligramme per litre (mgl) to 2.7 mgl in latest count last year. On the other hand, the Dissolved Oxygen (DO), essential for underwater flora and fauna, has shown a marginal increase from 7.22 mgl in 1986 to 7.73 mgl in 2005.
Both figures spell good for the humans as well as the fish and waterlife, who depend on the river for a myriad reasons. DO and BDO are two key indicators of a river's health. On an average a river is considered to be fit for bathing if it has dissolved oxygen above 5.0 mgl and biochemical oxygen demand below 3.0 mgl.
The model of clean Ganga campaign has not been emulated by the state governments entrusted with cleaning of all major rivers flowing in 14 river basins in the country under National River Conservation Plan, the report observed. The ministry underscored the need of sensitizing the people about the importance of cleanliness of the rivers, saying their cooperation is must to achieve the goal of cleaning the rivers in the country.
Archbishop attacks Israel over Bethlehem barrier
THE Archbishop of Canterbury turned his sights on a new political target yesterday, accusing Israel of hindering pilgrimages to Bethlehem, the town where Jesus was born.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, who is with Williams on a pilgrimage to the Middle East, said he and his fellow archbishop shared concerns.
The Jews in Israel are certainly not presenting well, and I've heard bad stories about learned Jewish intellectuals planning, perhaps naively, to live in Israel and they have had to come back to the UK. It is certainly not the 'promised land' for those guys. But Israel now seems to see non Israeli Jews as foreigners, almost as bad as non-Jews. And certainly I have spoken to Indian Jews refused admission to Israel as they claim they were considered 'not rich enough'. Dame Shirley Porter, the well-known rich London asbestos poisoner, was very welcome though, as she had a lot of money. The term 'cretins' used towards ''Christians' by Jews is one I've also heard frequently in the past.
Unfortunately Israelis neglect Bonhoeffer's admonishments when these apply to themselves, shame on them. It is now as hard to get poor honest Jews into Israel, some say, as it used to be to get them out of Hitler's Germany. And yes, sadly the holocaust does seem to have happened. Iran is wrong, perhaps intentionally, on that. But Adolf Hitler does sound like a really nice chap, holocauster or not. More than can be said of some.
IMO: Israel is not yet presenting such a sick face to the world as Iran, but it is, literally, little short of that. It is all such a pity but many things are.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, who is with Williams on a pilgrimage to the Middle East, said he and his fellow archbishop shared concerns.
The Jews in Israel are certainly not presenting well, and I've heard bad stories about learned Jewish intellectuals planning, perhaps naively, to live in Israel and they have had to come back to the UK. It is certainly not the 'promised land' for those guys. But Israel now seems to see non Israeli Jews as foreigners, almost as bad as non-Jews. And certainly I have spoken to Indian Jews refused admission to Israel as they claim they were considered 'not rich enough'. Dame Shirley Porter, the well-known rich London asbestos poisoner, was very welcome though, as she had a lot of money. The term 'cretins' used towards ''Christians' by Jews is one I've also heard frequently in the past.
Unfortunately Israelis neglect Bonhoeffer's admonishments when these apply to themselves, shame on them. It is now as hard to get poor honest Jews into Israel, some say, as it used to be to get them out of Hitler's Germany. And yes, sadly the holocaust does seem to have happened. Iran is wrong, perhaps intentionally, on that. But Adolf Hitler does sound like a really nice chap, holocauster or not. More than can be said of some.
IMO: Israel is not yet presenting such a sick face to the world as Iran, but it is, literally, little short of that. It is all such a pity but many things are.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
It is a reverse brain drain to India now
32,000 Britons of Indian origin have already returned to India to be part of a resurgent economy, The Times (India) reported here today.
The report said the rapid development of India's hi-tech economy has created particularly attractive opportunities for second and third-generation Anglo-Indians, who are using their knowledge of both cultures to seize the chance to develop their careers, earn comparatively high salaries and enjoy a luxurious standard of living that they could not dream of in Britain.
IMO: Anyone thinking of living permanently in India should think very carefully before taking steps which cannot be readily undone. That being said, India is a great place, finances and any wouldbe 'luxurious living' aside.
Others add: If you do not have any money, you go right down the drain - but nobody starves at least so far.
The report said the rapid development of India's hi-tech economy has created particularly attractive opportunities for second and third-generation Anglo-Indians, who are using their knowledge of both cultures to seize the chance to develop their careers, earn comparatively high salaries and enjoy a luxurious standard of living that they could not dream of in Britain.
IMO: Anyone thinking of living permanently in India should think very carefully before taking steps which cannot be readily undone. That being said, India is a great place, finances and any wouldbe 'luxurious living' aside.
Others add: If you do not have any money, you go right down the drain - but nobody starves at least so far.
Friday, December 22, 2006
US losing war of web to terror groups
A team of tech and culture experts from several US universities compared 86 websites from groups labeled as terrorist orgs to 92 US state and federal government websites. The researchers determined that the government sites lagged behind in advanced web technologies. In short, they said, the terrorist groups demonstrated greater sophistication in their use of Web 2.0 tools.
IMO: In the UK this is understandable because of the high level of personal corruption, such as use of drink, drugs and promiscuity by the technically enabled and by the highly offensive encouragement of this behaviour by "New Labor". This leads to a general public devaluation of the intellectual underclass by the silent majority and its effective disempowerment. Particularly, it means the further disempowerment of honest sober poor intellectuals which has always been a part of the British Class system. And New Labor still ask : Why are so few people studying science? Oh, New Labor's policy is "corruption, corruption and corruption". No reason why this can't change, other than maybe the hypocrisy of the New Labor would be oligarchs. We know that when Harold Wilson took his possessions from Nr 10, he just need two Minis. How many Jags have New Labor got now?
IMO: In the UK this is understandable because of the high level of personal corruption, such as use of drink, drugs and promiscuity by the technically enabled and by the highly offensive encouragement of this behaviour by "New Labor". This leads to a general public devaluation of the intellectual underclass by the silent majority and its effective disempowerment. Particularly, it means the further disempowerment of honest sober poor intellectuals which has always been a part of the British Class system. And New Labor still ask : Why are so few people studying science? Oh, New Labor's policy is "corruption, corruption and corruption". No reason why this can't change, other than maybe the hypocrisy of the New Labor would be oligarchs. We know that when Harold Wilson took his possessions from Nr 10, he just need two Minis. How many Jags have New Labor got now?
UK soldier ‘gave secrets to Iran’
As an interpreter for the British general who commands some 30,000 Nato troops in Afghanistan, the soldier would be privy to highly sensitive military and political information. Common in such circumstances but unless he is a double agent, quite a blow to the West. Officially Iran long supported the opposition Mujahideen against the Taliban until the radical Sunni government was overthrown by US-led forces in late 2001.
But some analysts have suggested that Tehran may now be partially backing the Taliban to embarrass Western forces and ensure they are bogged down in Afghanistan.
In Dubai. Blair had said: "There is a monumental struggle going on worldwide between those who believe in democracy and moderation, and forces of reaction and extremism," "there were elements of the government of Iran, openly supporting terrorism in Iraq to stop a fledgling democratic process; trying to turn out a democratic government in Lebanon; flouting the international community's desire for peace in Palestine at the same time as denying the Holocaust and trying to acquire nuclear weapons capability; and yet a large part of world opinion is frankly almost indifferent. It would be bizarre if it weren't deadly serious."
On Tuesday, the Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, predicted that Britain, Israel and the US would eventually disappear, like the Egyptian pharaohs. "Any power that is close to Allah will survive while the powers who are far from God will disappear like the pharaohs."
IMO: Both of these dodgy guys, Blair and Ahmadinejad, are stating their rather one-sided views. Fortunately for the West, Blair has science more on his side and the Iranians, whilst moderately correct in their own way, must know by now that the right course is sensible moderate secularism for a Govt (especially after the 'marxist' USSR). Sure we should all want our favorite, Allah or Jesus or whoever, to be top dog but no way will that happen soon. OTOH, AFAIK Iran has 30,000 troops on the Afghan border to stop drug trafficking whilst poor Bliar has Pak at his border, a leaky drug sieve though to Turkey, and he may well have interests in leaving open the border if he does (as some say) get 'bungs' from the drug traffickers, whether known to him or not. Iran on the other hand is trying to build up actual civilisation (after a fashion) in Iran/Afghanistan. Doubtless Bliar would like to as well, at least in theory. If only both of these would see sense, not likely simultaneously and useful actions on Bliar's side are so far unlikely. Bliar really should close the Paki border now. Bombing Iran, another option, could leave a clear way open for the drug peddlers which might or might not suit Bliar.
But some analysts have suggested that Tehran may now be partially backing the Taliban to embarrass Western forces and ensure they are bogged down in Afghanistan.
In Dubai. Blair had said: "There is a monumental struggle going on worldwide between those who believe in democracy and moderation, and forces of reaction and extremism," "there were elements of the government of Iran, openly supporting terrorism in Iraq to stop a fledgling democratic process; trying to turn out a democratic government in Lebanon; flouting the international community's desire for peace in Palestine at the same time as denying the Holocaust and trying to acquire nuclear weapons capability; and yet a large part of world opinion is frankly almost indifferent. It would be bizarre if it weren't deadly serious."
On Tuesday, the Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, predicted that Britain, Israel and the US would eventually disappear, like the Egyptian pharaohs. "Any power that is close to Allah will survive while the powers who are far from God will disappear like the pharaohs."
IMO: Both of these dodgy guys, Blair and Ahmadinejad, are stating their rather one-sided views. Fortunately for the West, Blair has science more on his side and the Iranians, whilst moderately correct in their own way, must know by now that the right course is sensible moderate secularism for a Govt (especially after the 'marxist' USSR). Sure we should all want our favorite, Allah or Jesus or whoever, to be top dog but no way will that happen soon. OTOH, AFAIK Iran has 30,000 troops on the Afghan border to stop drug trafficking whilst poor Bliar has Pak at his border, a leaky drug sieve though to Turkey, and he may well have interests in leaving open the border if he does (as some say) get 'bungs' from the drug traffickers, whether known to him or not. Iran on the other hand is trying to build up actual civilisation (after a fashion) in Iran/Afghanistan. Doubtless Bliar would like to as well, at least in theory. If only both of these would see sense, not likely simultaneously and useful actions on Bliar's side are so far unlikely. Bliar really should close the Paki border now. Bombing Iran, another option, could leave a clear way open for the drug peddlers which might or might not suit Bliar.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Still Singur I'm afraid
Saoli Mitra is one of the leading theatre personalities of India. Saoli said : 'After the events of Dec 2 (when police committed atrocities on farmers and their women and children to stem their protest against fencing for Tata Motors) we sent people to Singur and got the true picture.' 'I am at least not attached with any political group. I don't even vote.'
Amid the raging controversy over land acquisition in Singur for the proposed Tata Motors project, the West Bengal government on Thursday decided to acquire 500 acres in Howrah for a foundry park that is slated to attract Rs 3,000 crore of investment. The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting.
Stocks who led the NSE advances include Tata Motors, which advanced up 3.48%, to finish at Rs 865.05.
IMO: Global warming needs serious consideration and it is still being taken lightly. This is quite wrong.
Amid the raging controversy over land acquisition in Singur for the proposed Tata Motors project, the West Bengal government on Thursday decided to acquire 500 acres in Howrah for a foundry park that is slated to attract Rs 3,000 crore of investment. The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting.
Stocks who led the NSE advances include Tata Motors, which advanced up 3.48%, to finish at Rs 865.05.
IMO: Global warming needs serious consideration and it is still being taken lightly. This is quite wrong.
Tapasi Malik is Immortal
Naxalite bloggers say: "Tapasi Malik is Immortal" “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Tapasi shall never die as long as we all pledge to live for her. What she has done in life shall echo throughout eternity Let us pledge to redouble our efforts and carry forward the struggle in Singur and other parts of the country. This is what Tapasi would have wanted us to do.
It has appeared on Google India at last - the protests, it seems, cannot now be ignored.
DailyIndia: The body of Tapasi Malik was recovered in a farmland, about 40 km from here in Hooghly district, sparking fresh tension with villagers and Trinamool Congress alleging that the victim was raped and burnt by men guarding the controversial land.
Calcutta Telegraph: There has not been much headway in the probe into the gruesome killing. “We do not yet know the reason behind the killing,” said CID inspector-general D.P. Tarenia. “But it seems that the killers were known to Tapasi.”
It has appeared on Google India at last - the protests, it seems, cannot now be ignored.
DailyIndia: The body of Tapasi Malik was recovered in a farmland, about 40 km from here in Hooghly district, sparking fresh tension with villagers and Trinamool Congress alleging that the victim was raped and burnt by men guarding the controversial land.
Calcutta Telegraph: There has not been much headway in the probe into the gruesome killing. “We do not yet know the reason behind the killing,” said CID inspector-general D.P. Tarenia. “But it seems that the killers were known to Tapasi.”
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Mamata defers bandh
Mamata defers bandh - but will it ever happen ?
Fasting Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who had called a 48-hour shutdown from Dec 21 over the handing over of land for a Tata Motors factory in Singur, Wednesday deferred the general strike keeping in mind the Christmas festival. However, Banerjee warned the industrial house against setting up the project in the disputed land.
Comparing the Tatas with the East India Company, Banerjee said: 'I warn Tatas against building their plant at Singur. You cannot do that so long as we are alive. We will not allow that.' 'don't force the farmers to shift from their fertile fields'
There may be a CBI probe into the death of Tapasi Malik, whose charred body was found inside the fenced off land acquired for Tata Motors in Singur.
IMO: Tata is still quite a good firm, seems rather a pity. But why use good land to destroy the enviroment and rip off the peasants yet again. But I do not see Mamata's success in view, it looks more to me like being an Indian Tiannaman Square, but that effect may be long term.
By the way, I don't notice the bandh mentioned on 'Google India'.
Fasting Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who had called a 48-hour shutdown from Dec 21 over the handing over of land for a Tata Motors factory in Singur, Wednesday deferred the general strike keeping in mind the Christmas festival. However, Banerjee warned the industrial house against setting up the project in the disputed land.
Comparing the Tatas with the East India Company, Banerjee said: 'I warn Tatas against building their plant at Singur. You cannot do that so long as we are alive. We will not allow that.' 'don't force the farmers to shift from their fertile fields'
There may be a CBI probe into the death of Tapasi Malik, whose charred body was found inside the fenced off land acquired for Tata Motors in Singur.
IMO: Tata is still quite a good firm, seems rather a pity. But why use good land to destroy the enviroment and rip off the peasants yet again. But I do not see Mamata's success in view, it looks more to me like being an Indian Tiannaman Square, but that effect may be long term.
By the way, I don't notice the bandh mentioned on 'Google India'.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Medics sentenced to death in Libya
A Libyan court today condemned to death six foreign health professionals accused of infecting over 400 children with HIV in 1998.
"We are appalled by the decision of the Libyan court to sentence the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor to death," says a statement from The World Medical Association and the International Council of Nurses. They emphasize that the denial of health problems that can promote the accidental spread of HIV, such as the use of dirty needles, is an ongoing, dangerous situation in Libya. "How many children will go on dying in Libyan hospitals while the Government ignores the root of the problem?"
IMO: A lot of people say the Soviet Empire died because of bad science (Lysenkoism etc.) rather than smart US politicians (almost a contradiction in terms, the latter, anyway). Will the hopes of Islamism end in the same way ? More importantly, with global warming is there time for all this ?
There is currently a link to Nature magazine where you can state your views on the matter.
"We are appalled by the decision of the Libyan court to sentence the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor to death," says a statement from The World Medical Association and the International Council of Nurses. They emphasize that the denial of health problems that can promote the accidental spread of HIV, such as the use of dirty needles, is an ongoing, dangerous situation in Libya. "How many children will go on dying in Libyan hospitals while the Government ignores the root of the problem?"
IMO: A lot of people say the Soviet Empire died because of bad science (Lysenkoism etc.) rather than smart US politicians (almost a contradiction in terms, the latter, anyway). Will the hopes of Islamism end in the same way ? More importantly, with global warming is there time for all this ?
There is currently a link to Nature magazine where you can state your views on the matter.
Monday, December 18, 2006
TATA AND CARING BUSINESS - we should at least hope for an Indian Tesla car.
The late JRD Tata epitomised a way of life and a culture of business that cared, without thought of reward or riches, for the country and its people
Now the Tatas are taking peasant's land to build a cheap stinky £1000 car!
Well a better continuance of the Tata tradition, which is clearly far from dead but some would say on its last legs, could include a pollution free car, eventually at a price all Indians could afford. The prototype or concept car, difficult as it sounds, could be something like the new Lotus Tesla.
In Bay Area, California they say "the Tesla roadster will be the most desirable car in the world next year". This has a 50 kilowatt-hour battery pack, a 248-hp electric motor, a 0-60 time of 4 seconds and it will travel 250 miles without recharging. It also looks good. Purchasors include the founders of Google, the founders of eBay, Michael Dell, George Clooney and many others.
IMO: The Tatas were pioneers of international aviation, some would say more innovative than Howard Hughes. We can only hope that any new Tata vehicle will not stink us off the planet but help India and the world obtain a pollution-free envirnment.
Now the Tatas are taking peasant's land to build a cheap stinky £1000 car!
Well a better continuance of the Tata tradition, which is clearly far from dead but some would say on its last legs, could include a pollution free car, eventually at a price all Indians could afford. The prototype or concept car, difficult as it sounds, could be something like the new Lotus Tesla.
In Bay Area, California they say "the Tesla roadster will be the most desirable car in the world next year". This has a 50 kilowatt-hour battery pack, a 248-hp electric motor, a 0-60 time of 4 seconds and it will travel 250 miles without recharging. It also looks good. Purchasors include the founders of Google, the founders of eBay, Michael Dell, George Clooney and many others.
IMO: The Tatas were pioneers of international aviation, some would say more innovative than Howard Hughes. We can only hope that any new Tata vehicle will not stink us off the planet but help India and the world obtain a pollution-free envirnment.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
India-China inks MoU for co-op in E&P activities in 3rd countries
New Delhi, Dec 17 (UNI) India and China today inked an memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Beijing for strategic cooperation in Exploration and Production (E&P) activities in the third countries.
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora signed the MoU with his counterpart Mr Ma Kai, Chairman, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) signifying expanding hydrocarbon cooperation between the two countries.
Mr Deora expressed the hope that the cooperation document will not only give a fillip to joint E&P efforts but also pave the way for national oil companies of the two countries to successfully bid for overseas hydrocarbon assets.
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora signed the MoU with his counterpart Mr Ma Kai, Chairman, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) signifying expanding hydrocarbon cooperation between the two countries.
Mr Deora expressed the hope that the cooperation document will not only give a fillip to joint E&P efforts but also pave the way for national oil companies of the two countries to successfully bid for overseas hydrocarbon assets.
Climate change may induce a more deadly dengue
New Delhi, Dec 17 (UNI) A more deadly dengue may be an indirect off-shoot of the impending climate change besides its direct effects like rising sea level, intense cyclones, floods and droughts, says a World Bank study.
Higher temperatures (between 0.9 to 1.3 degrees celsius by 2050), changes in water supply, extreme weather events and decline in agriculture would have significant impact on public health and safety, says the study on adaptation to climate change, released at an international conference here.
The changes could cause a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of vector-borne and water-borne disease like dengue and malaria.
Higher temperatures (between 0.9 to 1.3 degrees celsius by 2050), changes in water supply, extreme weather events and decline in agriculture would have significant impact on public health and safety, says the study on adaptation to climate change, released at an international conference here.
The changes could cause a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of vector-borne and water-borne disease like dengue and malaria.
Islamists setting up their stall as an "Evil Empire" again: U.S. Responds to Demolition of Hare Krishna Property in Kazakhstan
The U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan has condemned the recent destruction of a dozen homes of Hare Krishnas in the central Asian republic as unjust treatment of the religious group.
"The forceful eviction of homeowners in freezing temperatures and the destruction of their possessions contradicted principles of due process and fairness," the embassy said in a Dec. 5 statement. It urged authorities to halt "further aggressive actions" and seek a peaceful end to ongoing legal disputes with Hare Krishnas, who are members of a Hindu devotional movement.
This comes close to attempted genocide and UN forces should be available to handle this matter, but the UN has (and still is) allowed Muslim genocide already in Darfur, presumably as the Chinese want oil. Not a pleasant picture. And Islamists are setting up their stall again as an "evil empire" since they are cowing the US.
The BBC say of Kazakhstan : "If it's a small Christian group you belong to, or a non-traditional Muslim group, if you are Baptist or member of some Sufi brotherhood - then you will run into problems."
To religious minorities it serves as an example that in Kazakhstan stability is not always guaranteed, and that religious harmony does not always stretch very far.
IMO: People of all faiths and no faith should protest to their own Governments and elsewhere about this sort of thing. And that's at the very least. Who would not say "humbug" to Islamism after they protest against a few peaceful cartoons of Mohammed but are happy to allow ethnic cleansing.
"The forceful eviction of homeowners in freezing temperatures and the destruction of their possessions contradicted principles of due process and fairness," the embassy said in a Dec. 5 statement. It urged authorities to halt "further aggressive actions" and seek a peaceful end to ongoing legal disputes with Hare Krishnas, who are members of a Hindu devotional movement.
This comes close to attempted genocide and UN forces should be available to handle this matter, but the UN has (and still is) allowed Muslim genocide already in Darfur, presumably as the Chinese want oil. Not a pleasant picture. And Islamists are setting up their stall again as an "evil empire" since they are cowing the US.
The BBC say of Kazakhstan : "If it's a small Christian group you belong to, or a non-traditional Muslim group, if you are Baptist or member of some Sufi brotherhood - then you will run into problems."
To religious minorities it serves as an example that in Kazakhstan stability is not always guaranteed, and that religious harmony does not always stretch very far.
IMO: People of all faiths and no faith should protest to their own Governments and elsewhere about this sort of thing. And that's at the very least. Who would not say "humbug" to Islamism after they protest against a few peaceful cartoons of Mohammed but are happy to allow ethnic cleansing.
Friday, December 15, 2006
William and Harry call for end to speculation over mother's death
PRINCES William and Harry last night called for an end to the speculation surrounding the crash which killed their mother after a police investigation concluded Diana, Princess of Wales, died as the result of a tragic accident.
IMO: I hold basically little sympathy for the UK royal family, but on for example Prince Charles's own description of his unenviable school day experiences it really is necessary to be reasonable about all this when there is no serious evidence for anything other than the sort of accident one well might have expected from somebody in Diana's final circumstances. In fact I can recall when I heard, shortly after the accident happened and my reaction was that it was about what you'd expect.
It is not even sensibly favoring poor old Mohammed Al Fayed to bother further. Al Fayed with his dodgy souvenir shop 'Harrods' - nothing like as good as say even Macy's or Bloomingdale's - has surely already wasted enough of the UK time and money - and Egypt's - in exploring this obvious Diana nonsense. Decent people have to suffer for the whims of lunatics and it is not just that we should do so further. Al Fayed would be better lowering prices in Harrods, selling better stuff there and stopping offending people.
IMO: I hold basically little sympathy for the UK royal family, but on for example Prince Charles's own description of his unenviable school day experiences it really is necessary to be reasonable about all this when there is no serious evidence for anything other than the sort of accident one well might have expected from somebody in Diana's final circumstances. In fact I can recall when I heard, shortly after the accident happened and my reaction was that it was about what you'd expect.
It is not even sensibly favoring poor old Mohammed Al Fayed to bother further. Al Fayed with his dodgy souvenir shop 'Harrods' - nothing like as good as say even Macy's or Bloomingdale's - has surely already wasted enough of the UK time and money - and Egypt's - in exploring this obvious Diana nonsense. Decent people have to suffer for the whims of lunatics and it is not just that we should do so further. Al Fayed would be better lowering prices in Harrods, selling better stuff there and stopping offending people.
India eyes first US military aircraft
India has sought information on buying what would be its first U.S. military aircraft, six Lockheed Martin C-130J "Super Hercules" cargo planes, U.S. Air Force officials and others said Friday. Two other people familiar with the matter said India had asked about buying six C-130Js in a letter received by U.S. officials Thursday. The four-engine turboprop C-130, built by Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Corp., is the U.S. Air Force's workhorse cargo and personnel transport aircraft. The "J" is its latest model
It would be the first Indian purchase of U.S. military aircraft. U.S. President George W. Bush has sought to develop closer operational ties with India's armed forces .The Bush administration already has offered India a choice of two U.S. fighter aircraft -- Lockheed's F-16 and Boeing Co.'s F-18 SuperHornet -- as entrants in a multi-role fighter aircraft competition New Delhi is organizing.
It would be the first Indian purchase of U.S. military aircraft. U.S. President George W. Bush has sought to develop closer operational ties with India's armed forces .The Bush administration already has offered India a choice of two U.S. fighter aircraft -- Lockheed's F-16 and Boeing Co.'s F-18 SuperHornet -- as entrants in a multi-role fighter aircraft competition New Delhi is organizing.
V P Singh joins "Singur chorus"
Former prime minister and prominent Left Front ally V.P. Singh met with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Friday.
Banerjee apprised him of the Singur situation and how 'women and children are tortured there' and 'democratic rights of the people are being curbed'.
She told him that the state government was 'giving the land almost free to the Tatas along with electricity and water'.
'It is a six crop land in many places. It is a model agricultural land. Some industrial units which have come up there have also been asked to leave in favour of the Tatas,' Banerjee said. After meeting Mamata, Singh also voiced his protest against the land acquisition and said that 'free market' theory should also determine the land prices in Singur that has been acquired by the government.
"If every thing has to be in the free market, then land should be acquired in the same way. Thought I am not a supporter of a free market, however, since the private industrialists adhere to this policy then why is it that they go to the government for cost benefits? They should also go to the farmers directly and buy the land from them," he said.
V.P Singh, 10th Prime Minister of India, first made a name for himself in the state Congress Party for his unfailing rectitude, a reputation that he would carry with him throughout his career.
IMO: Well I hope the peasants get a fair deal and I really do not think the world needs more cheap stinky cars. As Tehelka said, what was really needed was more sensible planning - no good reason why new cars should be real pollutants, and Tata may eventually give the peasants a fair go: but it's the pollution we need to leave out and Tata surely has the resources to lead the world on this. They could also make a lot of money with a near-zero pollution vehicle. There is short sightedness and bad judgement all round - a real pity.
Banerjee apprised him of the Singur situation and how 'women and children are tortured there' and 'democratic rights of the people are being curbed'.
She told him that the state government was 'giving the land almost free to the Tatas along with electricity and water'.
'It is a six crop land in many places. It is a model agricultural land. Some industrial units which have come up there have also been asked to leave in favour of the Tatas,' Banerjee said. After meeting Mamata, Singh also voiced his protest against the land acquisition and said that 'free market' theory should also determine the land prices in Singur that has been acquired by the government.
"If every thing has to be in the free market, then land should be acquired in the same way. Thought I am not a supporter of a free market, however, since the private industrialists adhere to this policy then why is it that they go to the government for cost benefits? They should also go to the farmers directly and buy the land from them," he said.
V.P Singh, 10th Prime Minister of India, first made a name for himself in the state Congress Party for his unfailing rectitude, a reputation that he would carry with him throughout his career.
IMO: Well I hope the peasants get a fair deal and I really do not think the world needs more cheap stinky cars. As Tehelka said, what was really needed was more sensible planning - no good reason why new cars should be real pollutants, and Tata may eventually give the peasants a fair go: but it's the pollution we need to leave out and Tata surely has the resources to lead the world on this. They could also make a lot of money with a near-zero pollution vehicle. There is short sightedness and bad judgement all round - a real pity.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Strike near total in West Bengal - I said this would happen and mentioned some details in this blog
Trade union leaders claimed that the strike call was "near total" and evoked a "spontaneous response" from the people. High value cheque clearing was the worst hit in Mumbai, but there was action all over India.
In the three Left-ruled states, there was a complete shutdown of industries, banks and financial institutions. Even shops, government offices, post offices and educational institutions were closed. Roads in Kolkata wore a deserted look through the day. Train services were also affected with Rajdhani Express from Howrah and Sealdah stations being rescheduled.
All airlines had earlier announced cancellation of their flights to and from Kolkata airport
The all-India strike called by CITU on Thursday is an industrial strike and has been called in order to protest against the TMC’s decision to stop the Tata’s from acquiring land in Singur for its Rs 1-lakh small-car project.
In the three Left-ruled states, there was a complete shutdown of industries, banks and financial institutions. Even shops, government offices, post offices and educational institutions were closed. Roads in Kolkata wore a deserted look through the day. Train services were also affected with Rajdhani Express from Howrah and Sealdah stations being rescheduled.
All airlines had earlier announced cancellation of their flights to and from Kolkata airport
The all-India strike called by CITU on Thursday is an industrial strike and has been called in order to protest against the TMC’s decision to stop the Tata’s from acquiring land in Singur for its Rs 1-lakh small-car project.
KGB influence 'soars under Putin'
BBC: Four out of five political leaders and state administrators in Russia either have been or still are members of the security services, a study suggests.
The unprecedented research implies a huge expansion of KGB-FSB influence in politics and business in recent years.
How different Russia looks from other formerly communist countries in eastern Europe, where there have been attempts to identify individuals who worked for Soviet-era security services, many of which were highly repressive.
So far, unhappiness about Russia's new ruling class has been expressed only by the country's beleaguered liberal minority.
IMO: I was once threatened with a free trip to Siberia in Kruschev's days - not a joke to me, anyway.
The unprecedented research implies a huge expansion of KGB-FSB influence in politics and business in recent years.
How different Russia looks from other formerly communist countries in eastern Europe, where there have been attempts to identify individuals who worked for Soviet-era security services, many of which were highly repressive.
So far, unhappiness about Russia's new ruling class has been expressed only by the country's beleaguered liberal minority.
IMO: I was once threatened with a free trip to Siberia in Kruschev's days - not a joke to me, anyway.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
US now censoring scientific research.
The Bush administration is clamping down on scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, the latest agency subjected to controls on research that might go against official policy.
Federal criminal investigators are looking into allegations that USGS employees falsified documents between 1998 and 2000 on the the movement of water through the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump in Nevada. The USGS had validated the Energy Department's conclusions that water seepage was relatively slow, so radiation would be less likely to escape.
At the Environmental Protection Agency, scientists and advocacy groups alike are worried about closing libraries that contain tens of thousands of agency documents and research studies. "It now appears that EPA officials are dismantling what it likely one of our country's comprehensive and accessible collections of environmental materials," four Democrats who are in line to head House committees wrote EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson two weeks ago.
Bush administration tried to censor government scientists researching global warming at NASA and the Commerce Department, according to New York Times.
IMO: This is probably to try to cover up global warming and various foul political practices. It won't work in the long term as people are bound to find out but it the short term will do much damage. But in the US, no doubt they will go on trying the insane cover up.
Federal criminal investigators are looking into allegations that USGS employees falsified documents between 1998 and 2000 on the the movement of water through the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump in Nevada. The USGS had validated the Energy Department's conclusions that water seepage was relatively slow, so radiation would be less likely to escape.
At the Environmental Protection Agency, scientists and advocacy groups alike are worried about closing libraries that contain tens of thousands of agency documents and research studies. "It now appears that EPA officials are dismantling what it likely one of our country's comprehensive and accessible collections of environmental materials," four Democrats who are in line to head House committees wrote EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson two weeks ago.
Bush administration tried to censor government scientists researching global warming at NASA and the Commerce Department, according to New York Times.
IMO: This is probably to try to cover up global warming and various foul political practices. It won't work in the long term as people are bound to find out but it the short term will do much damage. But in the US, no doubt they will go on trying the insane cover up.
Rashid Rauf acquitted of terror charges
RAWALPINDI: A British man of Pakistani origin implicated in this summer’s foiled trans-Atlantic terror plot was on Wednesday acquitted of terrorism charges.
But Rauf, A UK citizen,was arrested and apparently tortured by Pakistan as mentioned in earlier blog entries to appease Musheraff and the US without good reason. The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the judge's decision has reinforced the already widespread scepticism there about the airliner plot. As I pointed out then, that plot looked like total rubbush set up by Bush and Musheraff to suit their interests. Rashid Rauf, a Briton, has been moved from an anti-terrorism court to a regular court, where he faces lesser charges such as forgery. A Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Judge, Justice Safdar Hussain Malik, passed orders on November 21, 2006, approving his judicial custody in the Adiala jail. This could rule out his early transfer to the British Police for interrogation.
Under the joint anti-terrorism mechanism recently set up by the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan, India should also request the Pakistani authorities for permission to interrogate him on the LET training camp in Bahawalpur. If Pakistan refuses to co-operate, the international community should be informed about it.
As Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed has pointed out, there's been precious little serious discussion of any of the Rashid Rauf case in the British press during the past few months. Blair's recent visit to Pakistan was apparently part of a concerted effort to break a deadlocked struggle for an extradition treaty . But no treaty and now the Brits seem obliged to support Pakistan torture camps and Madrassas to the order of a further few hundred million pounds - perhaps a billion pounds. Detailed account under "Tony Blair Makes a Donation -- to a Government including an International Terrorist".
IMO: Yet again the UK and its taxpayers is facing the bill of murder and torture to no apparent advantage to its citizens or anybody else. Why should Toady B. Liar be publically humiliated yet again by foreigners. Surely that can be done well enough back home in the UK ?
But Rauf, A UK citizen,was arrested and apparently tortured by Pakistan as mentioned in earlier blog entries to appease Musheraff and the US without good reason. The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the judge's decision has reinforced the already widespread scepticism there about the airliner plot. As I pointed out then, that plot looked like total rubbush set up by Bush and Musheraff to suit their interests. Rashid Rauf, a Briton, has been moved from an anti-terrorism court to a regular court, where he faces lesser charges such as forgery. A Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Judge, Justice Safdar Hussain Malik, passed orders on November 21, 2006, approving his judicial custody in the Adiala jail. This could rule out his early transfer to the British Police for interrogation.
Under the joint anti-terrorism mechanism recently set up by the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan, India should also request the Pakistani authorities for permission to interrogate him on the LET training camp in Bahawalpur. If Pakistan refuses to co-operate, the international community should be informed about it.
As Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed has pointed out, there's been precious little serious discussion of any of the Rashid Rauf case in the British press during the past few months. Blair's recent visit to Pakistan was apparently part of a concerted effort to break a deadlocked struggle for an extradition treaty . But no treaty and now the Brits seem obliged to support Pakistan torture camps and Madrassas to the order of a further few hundred million pounds - perhaps a billion pounds. Detailed account under "Tony Blair Makes a Donation -- to a Government including an International Terrorist".
IMO: Yet again the UK and its taxpayers is facing the bill of murder and torture to no apparent advantage to its citizens or anybody else. Why should Toady B. Liar be publically humiliated yet again by foreigners. Surely that can be done well enough back home in the UK ?
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Singur yet again...
Hindustan Times says: The Singur agitation can be seen as an effort by Mamata Banejree to replenish her political clout. But she is on the wrong side of the wind. The process of globalisation and the associated industrialisation is irreversible. Singur is just a manifestation of this truism.
But from the US we have: Nothing better illustrates the relentless rightward thrust of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM] than the pro-investor economic policies that West Bengal’s CPM-led Left Front government is implementing with the support of the police and courts. West Bengal’s Stalinist-led government has responded to the anti-land seizure protest campaign, which has included petitions, demonstrations, strikes, and sits-ins, with derisory propaganda and by unleashing violent state repression
And even the "Hindu" admits: Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee, today said she would not oppose the proposed Tata Motors plant in Singur if it was not built on multi-crop land. "Almost across the road from where the Tata Motors' car plant is proposed to be set up, vacant low-lying plots are available. "Tata Motors can go there to set up its factory. We will cooperate in identifying the plots."
Tehelka also has something to say: Of people’s rights, of displacement, Patkar can pick Singur up and link to a long chain of issues lashing against such giants as the State and Globalisation. The Left Front and the CPM would do better to explain their position on private investment and enterprise — to Patkar and to their larger constituency — in a more layered and articulate fashion.
IMO: Pity yet another pollution causing car plant is to be built. Japanese manufacturers claim they cannot reach even the relatively low anti-pollution standards of India at the price quoted by Tata. I wonder if Tata can. And if the land is available elsewhere nearby anyhow it seems a pity that the protests apparently meet with police violence and newspaper lies.
But from the US we have: Nothing better illustrates the relentless rightward thrust of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM] than the pro-investor economic policies that West Bengal’s CPM-led Left Front government is implementing with the support of the police and courts. West Bengal’s Stalinist-led government has responded to the anti-land seizure protest campaign, which has included petitions, demonstrations, strikes, and sits-ins, with derisory propaganda and by unleashing violent state repression
And even the "Hindu" admits: Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee, today said she would not oppose the proposed Tata Motors plant in Singur if it was not built on multi-crop land. "Almost across the road from where the Tata Motors' car plant is proposed to be set up, vacant low-lying plots are available. "Tata Motors can go there to set up its factory. We will cooperate in identifying the plots."
Tehelka also has something to say: Of people’s rights, of displacement, Patkar can pick Singur up and link to a long chain of issues lashing against such giants as the State and Globalisation. The Left Front and the CPM would do better to explain their position on private investment and enterprise — to Patkar and to their larger constituency — in a more layered and articulate fashion.
IMO: Pity yet another pollution causing car plant is to be built. Japanese manufacturers claim they cannot reach even the relatively low anti-pollution standards of India at the price quoted by Tata. I wonder if Tata can. And if the land is available elsewhere nearby anyhow it seems a pity that the protests apparently meet with police violence and newspaper lies.
Mamata warns of more protests
Mamata Banerjee made it amply clear that the fight would continue and Singur would rock the streets of Delhi on December 20. We now certainly can't assume we can believe the Press reports on Banarjee, let us see how it turns out in Delhi.
According to CPI(M) leaders, Tuesday’s “meeting” will try to resolve the core dispute between the government and the Trinamool leader. While Banerjee claims that the government has taken over land by force, the latter insists owners of 965 acres, out of the total of 997 acres, gave up their land willingly. (I suppose 'willingly by force').
Hindustan Times says: The average market price of agricultural land in Singur is Rs 1.5-Rs 2 lakh an acre. The government is paying Rs 4-11 lakh per acre to farmers, depending on whether it is single- or double-crop land. And it is really much more than a land deal. With the Tata Motors project up and running, some 2,000 of the 11,500 people of Singur will be directly employed in the plant. Ancillary units will provide further jobs, not to mention the opportunities that come in a place where benefits from an agrarian economy have long been stagnant.
IMO: Probably an element of correctness in all these views, but may still not be enough jobs. The situation is clearly unwelcome but AFAIK Tata usually makes pretty beneficial offers if pushed, the most important aspect being the possibility of some work for the farmers. My late father in law seems to have been treated reasonably by Tata, and most people who work for the firm in Pune (and I'm not just speaking of Oundh colony people - he lived in Pimpri) seem to think the same. So if we must have more industrialisation in North India, that is at least one way, if not totally acceptable. But I look at global warming and pollution. China is said to be 'succeeding' - and it is certainly 'succeeding in increasing global pollution' but athletes for the 2008 Olympic games are already literally going 'cough cough' and it will likely be appalling. A bit later, we will all die, except for a few oligarchs as it is going now.
According to CPI(M) leaders, Tuesday’s “meeting” will try to resolve the core dispute between the government and the Trinamool leader. While Banerjee claims that the government has taken over land by force, the latter insists owners of 965 acres, out of the total of 997 acres, gave up their land willingly. (I suppose 'willingly by force').
Hindustan Times says: The average market price of agricultural land in Singur is Rs 1.5-Rs 2 lakh an acre. The government is paying Rs 4-11 lakh per acre to farmers, depending on whether it is single- or double-crop land. And it is really much more than a land deal. With the Tata Motors project up and running, some 2,000 of the 11,500 people of Singur will be directly employed in the plant. Ancillary units will provide further jobs, not to mention the opportunities that come in a place where benefits from an agrarian economy have long been stagnant.
IMO: Probably an element of correctness in all these views, but may still not be enough jobs. The situation is clearly unwelcome but AFAIK Tata usually makes pretty beneficial offers if pushed, the most important aspect being the possibility of some work for the farmers. My late father in law seems to have been treated reasonably by Tata, and most people who work for the firm in Pune (and I'm not just speaking of Oundh colony people - he lived in Pimpri) seem to think the same. So if we must have more industrialisation in North India, that is at least one way, if not totally acceptable. But I look at global warming and pollution. China is said to be 'succeeding' - and it is certainly 'succeeding in increasing global pollution' but athletes for the 2008 Olympic games are already literally going 'cough cough' and it will likely be appalling. A bit later, we will all die, except for a few oligarchs as it is going now.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Jack Straw and Marathi villain - are they related ?
Jack Straw helped Augusto Pinochet, said to be a mass murderer and torturer of thousands of innocent people, to escape from a fair trial. In his private life, he assisted Toady B. Liar to send Muslims, many believed innocent of any crime, to the Gitmo torture camp of Toady's pal George (believed by many people to have a fat mother called Barbara).
My wife has always said that Jack Straw looks like a Marathi villain.
Jack Straw should, however, not be confused with a Marathi villain. In one role a Marathi villain boiled up enough lizards in water to poison an entire family, but was discovered when a live lizard dropped into the poisoned food. In fact it was rather like the current radioactive Polonium 210 matter in some ways. Jack Straw actually told Berezovsky (a Russian mathematician supposedly earlier saved from death by the murdered Litvinenko) 'to shut up about Putin', saying his refugee status might otherwise be 'reviewed'. So now we know how Jack Straw deals with mathematicians - GITMO if possible ?. For all their acting skills, in their private lives Marathi film villains were often good men.
Jack Straw as a "new labor" 'man of the people', was said at one time to want to be the Baillie Vass of the Portacabin (sic), (translator: a 'new labor' PM), but unlike Marathi villains, was regarded as too pusillanimous to be likely to be a success even in that role.
Which is which ? One is Jack Straw and the other a Marathi villain. Pictures above. You choose.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Singur slogan in train raid
Dec. 10: A second chapter was added to Singur’s Naxalite link today when 25 armed rebels raided a Kharagpur-bound local train in Jharkhand shouting slogans against farmland acquisition for the Tata Motors factory.
The attackers, who carried carbines and pistols, did not harm the passengers but robbed two Railway Protection Force jawans of their rifles, throwing one of them out of the train when he resisted.
The attack on the Tatanagar-Kharagpur Passenger came around 10.15 am minutes after it had left Chakulia station — about 110 km from Kharagpur — where some people had stuck posters warning the Bengal government not to snatch farmers’ land in Singur.
The posters bore the name of the SUCI, a party to the December 2 farmer-police skirmish at Singur spearheaded by the CPI (Maoist).
The above information was from the (Calcutta) Telegraph. Many other news reports did not mention the Singur matter in connection with the train raid but suggested that the Naxalites had simply raided the train to acquire more weapons. Maybe the journalists are afraid of being beaten by the police again in another lathi charge so they are keeping their mouths shut. Who knows ?
The attackers, who carried carbines and pistols, did not harm the passengers but robbed two Railway Protection Force jawans of their rifles, throwing one of them out of the train when he resisted.
The attack on the Tatanagar-Kharagpur Passenger came around 10.15 am minutes after it had left Chakulia station — about 110 km from Kharagpur — where some people had stuck posters warning the Bengal government not to snatch farmers’ land in Singur.
The posters bore the name of the SUCI, a party to the December 2 farmer-police skirmish at Singur spearheaded by the CPI (Maoist).
The above information was from the (Calcutta) Telegraph. Many other news reports did not mention the Singur matter in connection with the train raid but suggested that the Naxalites had simply raided the train to acquire more weapons. Maybe the journalists are afraid of being beaten by the police again in another lathi charge so they are keeping their mouths shut. Who knows ?
Hong Kong holds limited elections
Al-Jazeera and others say:Hong Kong is to hold limited elections to appoint the 800-member committee that is to select the city's next leader. Some hope Sunday's poll will pave the way for a pro-democracy candidate.
The poll will involve only about 200,000 franchised voters in 38 business and community sub-sectors.The committee election process has long been criticised by democrats as most of Hong Kong's seven million inhabitants have no involvement.
Priscilla Lau, a Hong Kong deputy to China's National People's Congress, said: "I think Beijing is worrying about some people thinking of this time nominating Alan Leong. "Beijing would like to show absolute support to Tsang."
IMO: Better than nothing - let us hope things improve.
The poll will involve only about 200,000 franchised voters in 38 business and community sub-sectors.The committee election process has long been criticised by democrats as most of Hong Kong's seven million inhabitants have no involvement.
Priscilla Lau, a Hong Kong deputy to China's National People's Congress, said: "I think Beijing is worrying about some people thinking of this time nominating Alan Leong. "Beijing would like to show absolute support to Tsang."
IMO: Better than nothing - let us hope things improve.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Mamata intensifies movement, mass fasting at Singur - Journalists suffer Police lathi charge
Dec 10: Mamata stated that any organisation or individual opposed to the government policy of taking over farm land was free to join the mass hunger strike from 1000 to 2000 hrs today and the assembly on Monday.
Presumably this includes Naxalites.
Denying that she had rejected the talks offer by the Chief Minister on the whole episode, Banerjee said she had only wanted that the government stop acquiring land and lift prohibitory orders from the area before holding dialogues.
Meanwhile, social activist Medha Patekar was today arrested when she along with Naxalites was marching in a procession here to protest yesterday's police ''lathi charge'' on journalists in Hooghly district.
Tata Motors says Mamata did not respond to its feelers They also say the state government had been very supportive and the project would prove to be a milestone for "re-industrialisation" of West Bengal.
This is the first time the automobile giant has made its willingness public for talks ever since its plan to set up the ambitious small car plant at Singur in West Bengal hit the roadblock.
It seems to me that the problem concerns the annexation of peasant's land instead of available brown field sites. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Saturday said he would not budge and that “industrialisation is a must” for the state. But it seems that nobody makes significant objections to this if peasants's land is not used.
IMO: It almost looks as if there should now, in classical Walton-McKerzie terms, be a settlement but all want to show they are good negotiators. But surely the peasants are the people and their rights, within reason, predominate and the bureaucrats and politicians (and to a lesser extent Tata) are now definitely the ones at fault as there seems a clear answer to the dispute: build the factory but use a suitable brown field site, or at the very worst give heavy and relevant recompense if that fails.
Presumably this includes Naxalites.
Denying that she had rejected the talks offer by the Chief Minister on the whole episode, Banerjee said she had only wanted that the government stop acquiring land and lift prohibitory orders from the area before holding dialogues.
Meanwhile, social activist Medha Patekar was today arrested when she along with Naxalites was marching in a procession here to protest yesterday's police ''lathi charge'' on journalists in Hooghly district.
Tata Motors says Mamata did not respond to its feelers They also say the state government had been very supportive and the project would prove to be a milestone for "re-industrialisation" of West Bengal.
This is the first time the automobile giant has made its willingness public for talks ever since its plan to set up the ambitious small car plant at Singur in West Bengal hit the roadblock.
It seems to me that the problem concerns the annexation of peasant's land instead of available brown field sites. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Saturday said he would not budge and that “industrialisation is a must” for the state. But it seems that nobody makes significant objections to this if peasants's land is not used.
IMO: It almost looks as if there should now, in classical Walton-McKerzie terms, be a settlement but all want to show they are good negotiators. But surely the peasants are the people and their rights, within reason, predominate and the bureaucrats and politicians (and to a lesser extent Tata) are now definitely the ones at fault as there seems a clear answer to the dispute: build the factory but use a suitable brown field site, or at the very worst give heavy and relevant recompense if that fails.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Mamata threatens boycott call on Tata products
Kolkata, Dec. 7: Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee, today threatened to give a call for boycott of Tata products. "I am telling the Tatas don't take things to such a pass that we are forced to call for people's boycott of Tata products. We have not said anything against the Tatas so far," Banerjee, on hunger strike for the fourth consecutive day, told reporters.
Her party would have no objection if the Tatas set up their car plant on non-agricultural land. "We will help them in finding a suitable plot," she said. Alleging that the CPI(M) was trying to muzzle the voice of peasants at Singur, Banerjee thundered "Till our last breath, we will resist the establishment of the plant there."
Nationalist Trinamool Congress is not the same as Congress Party. NTC was formed in 2004 when the All India Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee merged with P.A. Sangma's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party. NTC is a member of National Democratic Alliance, a coalition led by BJP.
IMO: I assume that NTC aims are roughly in accord with BJP aims, which makes a boycott of some importance. Whether it will succeed is of course another matter, Obvously one would have to be on the spot to know how important the use of that land is to the car company but I would have hoped that Tata would find itself able to come to some agreement as just taking agricultural land is not appealing, and Tata's record is not altogether bad, oligarchy or not. The rough situation suggested here, still seems to apply, and Indiadaily's hopes may still apply ("The communists and the oligarchs both will be defeated hands down by the people of democratic India").
Her party would have no objection if the Tatas set up their car plant on non-agricultural land. "We will help them in finding a suitable plot," she said. Alleging that the CPI(M) was trying to muzzle the voice of peasants at Singur, Banerjee thundered "Till our last breath, we will resist the establishment of the plant there."
Nationalist Trinamool Congress is not the same as Congress Party. NTC was formed in 2004 when the All India Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee merged with P.A. Sangma's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party. NTC is a member of National Democratic Alliance, a coalition led by BJP.
IMO: I assume that NTC aims are roughly in accord with BJP aims, which makes a boycott of some importance. Whether it will succeed is of course another matter, Obvously one would have to be on the spot to know how important the use of that land is to the car company but I would have hoped that Tata would find itself able to come to some agreement as just taking agricultural land is not appealing, and Tata's record is not altogether bad, oligarchy or not. The rough situation suggested here, still seems to apply, and Indiadaily's hopes may still apply ("The communists and the oligarchs both will be defeated hands down by the people of democratic India").
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Muslim women's rights improve in Saudi Arabia, get worse in UK
The photo (from metro.co.uk) shows the first women's car agency in Saudi Arabia, where a Muslim saleswoman is showing a Muslim woman purchaser the workings of a car engine. The Holy Koran, it is believed by many, allows women to drive cars and this may soon be legal in Saudi Arabia.
On the other hand in the UK, women are often discouraged by the Government to marry before they have children, and they have done this by amending tax laws. To do so seems almost certainly to run against the Holy Book (and may Allah praise the Holy Book !) and to make it more difficult for Muslim women to have a good sex life. This also encourages use of the nicab in the UK when it is not normally worn and promotes controversy and even criminal violence. Women who are not Muslim find other problems in the UK such as the lack of adequate provision of vegetarian foods, essential for many Hindus, and often preferred by Muslims and others.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Is Singur under siege?
The Bandh in Kolkata: Indiadaily says "Violence and protests against Tata car project is the start of a revolution in India where Indian socialists will fight against Indian and International oligarchs ... Like in China, the Indian communists have joined hands with the local and international oligarchs to exploit the common people and regard little for the human rights and environment." The point being made seems to be that the Tata company has annexed farmers land as part of a deal to build a cheap car and they have received a $100 million software contract from the Bank of China. This gives a picture of international Communism working hand in glove with state monopoly Chinese Capitalism in a way I expressed dread of in earlier blogs.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Tuesday continued her hunger strike for the second day Tuesday against farmland allocation.
However there is a growing perception that Naxals are taking over the anti-Tata Motors agitation from Mamata Banerjee. These apparently are urban Naxal sympathisers and not rural Maoist Naxalites, a different bunch but presumably also potentially embarrassing to Banerjee.
Indiadaily says "The communists and the oligarchs both will be defeated hands down by the people of democratic India"
IMO: Lets hope so, if that is an accurate presentation of the facts.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Tuesday continued her hunger strike for the second day Tuesday against farmland allocation.
However there is a growing perception that Naxals are taking over the anti-Tata Motors agitation from Mamata Banerjee. These apparently are urban Naxal sympathisers and not rural Maoist Naxalites, a different bunch but presumably also potentially embarrassing to Banerjee.
Indiadaily says "The communists and the oligarchs both will be defeated hands down by the people of democratic India"
IMO: Lets hope so, if that is an accurate presentation of the facts.
Litvinenko affair
John Reid, the Home Secretary, who was also in Brussels briefing his European counterparts on the Litvinenko affair, said: “The police will follow the evidence wherever it goes.”
In interviews before his death, Litvinenko seems to claim he was ordered to hire assassins to kill rivals to Kremlin-favoured business leaders and execute whistle-blowers who threatened to expose corruption.
The main figure that the British counter-terror team want to question is Andrei Lugovoy, a former FSB agent. He made three visits to London in the fortnight before Mr Litvinenko fell ill and met him four times at various restaurants and bars. Mr Lugovoy, who is a successful entrepreneur, was briefly imprisoned in Moscow after he left the FSB. After his release his business career thrived and his company is reported to be worth more than £100 million.
Albawabaforums say he was "a former KGB colleague and bodyguard to one-time Russian Prime Minster Yegor Gaidar" (the guy who got bad guts in Ireland recently).
Well, the Eurasian Secret Services Daily Review give his history here.
Georgian TVs appear to have clashed with one another over accounts of Litvinenko's death. Rustavi 2 TV reported in its recent primetime news programs that Lugovoy has recently visited Georgia several times through the invitation of Badri Patarkatsishvili’s Tbilisi-based charitable foundation. The station said that Lugovoy could have been linked to the poisoning of the ex-Russian spy. Rustavi 2 TV, which said that officials from Patarkatsishvili’s charitable foundation were not available for comments, described Lugovoy as a person in charge of Patarkatsishvili’s security during his foreign trips. Imedi TV said that Lugovoy “has nothing to do” with Patarkatsishvili’s security service. Now if I have it right, Rustavi 2 supports the government and Imedi supports the opposition in Georgia. Latvia supports Georgia's NATO aspirations. So as Georgia could join NATO, the British could have a real interest in this Litvinenko matter.
IMO: The Kuwait Times mentions that Lugovoy was apparently one-time head of security at a television station owned by controversial Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky. Pretty good to go from a TV station employee to £100 million, eh?.
In interviews before his death, Litvinenko seems to claim he was ordered to hire assassins to kill rivals to Kremlin-favoured business leaders and execute whistle-blowers who threatened to expose corruption.
The main figure that the British counter-terror team want to question is Andrei Lugovoy, a former FSB agent. He made three visits to London in the fortnight before Mr Litvinenko fell ill and met him four times at various restaurants and bars. Mr Lugovoy, who is a successful entrepreneur, was briefly imprisoned in Moscow after he left the FSB. After his release his business career thrived and his company is reported to be worth more than £100 million.
Albawabaforums say he was "a former KGB colleague and bodyguard to one-time Russian Prime Minster Yegor Gaidar" (the guy who got bad guts in Ireland recently).
Well, the Eurasian Secret Services Daily Review give his history here.
Georgian TVs appear to have clashed with one another over accounts of Litvinenko's death. Rustavi 2 TV reported in its recent primetime news programs that Lugovoy has recently visited Georgia several times through the invitation of Badri Patarkatsishvili’s Tbilisi-based charitable foundation. The station said that Lugovoy could have been linked to the poisoning of the ex-Russian spy. Rustavi 2 TV, which said that officials from Patarkatsishvili’s charitable foundation were not available for comments, described Lugovoy as a person in charge of Patarkatsishvili’s security during his foreign trips. Imedi TV said that Lugovoy “has nothing to do” with Patarkatsishvili’s security service. Now if I have it right, Rustavi 2 supports the government and Imedi supports the opposition in Georgia. Latvia supports Georgia's NATO aspirations. So as Georgia could join NATO, the British could have a real interest in this Litvinenko matter.
IMO: The Kuwait Times mentions that Lugovoy was apparently one-time head of security at a television station owned by controversial Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky. Pretty good to go from a TV station employee to £100 million, eh?.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Britain probably to retain nukes
Beckett joined Defense Secretary Des Browne to support the plan at a Cabinet meeting today. Beckett seems to have seriously supported the Cabinet plan and that impression remained even after she was quizzed by the BBC, very likely correctly as it does sound like common sense. She also pointed out that much of the opposition to continued nukes is 'irresponsible'.
The country does need proper defence, and I'm told for example that Bin Laden may soon get actual nukes from Pakistan, which certainly hands them out on request, is a 'bust country' and Bin Laden has 'loadsamoney'.
Conventional weapons like fuel/air bombs may perhaps suffice simply to hold the Pak/Afghan border if the idea of seriously winning the Afghan war is ever put into place, which hopefully will soon happen, even with the present UK level of corruption which wants to turn us all into mindless drug addicts. But I doubt if the people who oppose the nuclear bomb in the UK are of the temperament to stand against us all being turned into mindless drug addicts, as mindless drug addicts are easier to preach at and also there is the 'cash nexus'.
Labour lawmakers including Clarke, John Trickett, Gordon Prentice, Jon Cruddas and Michael Meacher argued against replacing Trident. They say the money would be better spent on fighting terrorism and on improving roads, schools and hospitals. Thirty-five Labour lawmakers have already said they will oppose replacing Trident, the Financial Times reported.
The country does need proper defence, and I'm told for example that Bin Laden may soon get actual nukes from Pakistan, which certainly hands them out on request, is a 'bust country' and Bin Laden has 'loadsamoney'.
Conventional weapons like fuel/air bombs may perhaps suffice simply to hold the Pak/Afghan border if the idea of seriously winning the Afghan war is ever put into place, which hopefully will soon happen, even with the present UK level of corruption which wants to turn us all into mindless drug addicts. But I doubt if the people who oppose the nuclear bomb in the UK are of the temperament to stand against us all being turned into mindless drug addicts, as mindless drug addicts are easier to preach at and also there is the 'cash nexus'.
Labour lawmakers including Clarke, John Trickett, Gordon Prentice, Jon Cruddas and Michael Meacher argued against replacing Trident. They say the money would be better spent on fighting terrorism and on improving roads, schools and hospitals. Thirty-five Labour lawmakers have already said they will oppose replacing Trident, the Financial Times reported.
Ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko requested Muslim burial
MOSCOW: Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian intelligence agent poisoned in London, requested before his death that he be buried according to Muslim tradition, his father said in an interview published on Monday.
"He said I want to be buried according to Islamic tradition. I said okay son. It will be as you wish. We already have one Muslim in our family. The important thing is to believe in the Almighty. God is one," he said in the interview.
IMO: To me, this is getting 'curiouser and curiouser'. It sounds worse than le Carre by now, but the fact is if I were Russian I would back Russia and I am left so far with the impression that Putin does just that. Also I'm far from sure about this 'God is one' idea ; many reasonable people in the UK are agnostics and atheists and I for one prefer the Hindu tradition, which encompasses Jesus and Allah and all our other Gods anyway if required.
"He said I want to be buried according to Islamic tradition. I said okay son. It will be as you wish. We already have one Muslim in our family. The important thing is to believe in the Almighty. God is one," he said in the interview.
IMO: To me, this is getting 'curiouser and curiouser'. It sounds worse than le Carre by now, but the fact is if I were Russian I would back Russia and I am left so far with the impression that Putin does just that. Also I'm far from sure about this 'God is one' idea ; many reasonable people in the UK are agnostics and atheists and I for one prefer the Hindu tradition, which encompasses Jesus and Allah and all our other Gods anyway if required.
A point I was asked today
If Afghanistan grows so many drugs, why can't they be flown directly to the UK rather than through Pakistan and Turkey ?
Well there are at least two reasons, lack of availability of decent inhouse processing in Afghanistan presumably being one of them, but the main one being lack of a good direct plane route from Afghanistan. However the NATO forces will presumably be in a position to remedy that UTAP. An experience of US R&R leave in Sydney suggests that bad effects may be retained afterwards ,again UTAP, if the war in Afghanistan does end. So right now the answer seems to be to close the Pak border by whatever means needed like nukes and win the war, using many more troops not shirkers and would be TV stars. Blair did say he'd supply anything necessary to win, HOW ABOUT NUKES ? Sorry nobody likes that, but we have an unwholesome world.
By the way it looks like the French could get the big Saudi contract, really the Saudis should clean up their act as I said before.
Well there are at least two reasons, lack of availability of decent inhouse processing in Afghanistan presumably being one of them, but the main one being lack of a good direct plane route from Afghanistan. However the NATO forces will presumably be in a position to remedy that UTAP. An experience of US R&R leave in Sydney suggests that bad effects may be retained afterwards ,again UTAP, if the war in Afghanistan does end. So right now the answer seems to be to close the Pak border by whatever means needed like nukes and win the war, using many more troops not shirkers and would be TV stars. Blair did say he'd supply anything necessary to win, HOW ABOUT NUKES ? Sorry nobody likes that, but we have an unwholesome world.
By the way it looks like the French could get the big Saudi contract, really the Saudis should clean up their act as I said before.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Pakistan still sanctuary for Taliban
It is believed from a number of sources, for example Hindustan Times and Gulf Times and indeed even the BBC World Service that Pakistan is still a serious sanctuary for the Taliban. For example "informed opinion is unanimous that the cause of Nato’s difficulties is the sanctuary that Pakistan is so readily providing to the Taliban in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata)".
Something has to be done about this as NATO seems to be still fighting, in effect, unlawful elements in Pakistan.
IMO: Already it is widely believed that we see gross corruption in the UK because of the smuggling of drugs from Afghanistan through Pakistan. Disgraceful. And the old phrase "stoned right up to the wigs" was never more appropriate, but then it seem Reid cannot even cope with his own in-laws having a drug problem, let alone sacking dodgy judges. But he does seem to have tried to push the Home Office about a bit, a bit more than Jack Straw or that blind bloke did, lets hope we see more action.
One answer here.
Something has to be done about this as NATO seems to be still fighting, in effect, unlawful elements in Pakistan.
IMO: Already it is widely believed that we see gross corruption in the UK because of the smuggling of drugs from Afghanistan through Pakistan. Disgraceful. And the old phrase "stoned right up to the wigs" was never more appropriate, but then it seem Reid cannot even cope with his own in-laws having a drug problem, let alone sacking dodgy judges. But he does seem to have tried to push the Home Office about a bit, a bit more than Jack Straw or that blind bloke did, lets hope we see more action.
One answer here.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
UK corruption
A bribery investigation threatening the future of 50,000 British jobs followed heavy pressure on Tony Blair from George Bush's administration, The Independent on Sunday said..
Seems to be the 'usual thing', enormous tips in the right direction, immediate silence insisted by Saudi Arabia, USA apparently taking the view that it wants a deal (including tips of course) with the Saudis instead, and British workers can lose their jobs rather than scum American politicians lose theirs. After examples like Flint, Mich. it seems clear that the American workers will probably lose their jobs soon anyway simply because US big business is too unwieldy to adjust to new circumstances.
The UK Guardian weighs in here with "Some commentators seem to think that evidence of arms deal corruption is just the price of doing business. How cynical - and wrong." I leave aside the Guardian's comments about the Daily Mail like "spittle-flecked rants against Polly"; this sort of thing is like two worn out old TV comedians insulting each other for joint publicity.
However the moral indignation sponsored by the Guardian in that article is reasonable. For example "How does the ministry of defence know that the company from which it buys arms for British soldiers and pilots stops its habits of bribery at Dover?". The intended answer presumably is that it does not.
IMO: It is certainly all true that it would help us all if the Saudis and many others would bring their business methods into the requirements of 21st Century to retain world peace. It would also be honorable and probably more in accordance with the holy Koran.
Seems to be the 'usual thing', enormous tips in the right direction, immediate silence insisted by Saudi Arabia, USA apparently taking the view that it wants a deal (including tips of course) with the Saudis instead, and British workers can lose their jobs rather than scum American politicians lose theirs. After examples like Flint, Mich. it seems clear that the American workers will probably lose their jobs soon anyway simply because US big business is too unwieldy to adjust to new circumstances.
The UK Guardian weighs in here with "Some commentators seem to think that evidence of arms deal corruption is just the price of doing business. How cynical - and wrong." I leave aside the Guardian's comments about the Daily Mail like "spittle-flecked rants against Polly"; this sort of thing is like two worn out old TV comedians insulting each other for joint publicity.
However the moral indignation sponsored by the Guardian in that article is reasonable. For example "How does the ministry of defence know that the company from which it buys arms for British soldiers and pilots stops its habits of bribery at Dover?". The intended answer presumably is that it does not.
IMO: It is certainly all true that it would help us all if the Saudis and many others would bring their business methods into the requirements of 21st Century to retain world peace. It would also be honorable and probably more in accordance with the holy Koran.
Turkish Daily News approves Pope ?
According to the "Turkish Daily News", Pope Benedict XVI was so humble and generous all throughout his four-day stay and he acted with such deep understanding towards the values of Islam that it would not be an exaggeration to say he has won the minds and hearts of Turks, if, unfortunately, not the entire Muslim world.
The "San Diego Mercury" and other papers were not fulsome with their praise. "Many remained dubious about a man who had been roundly criticized for comments earlier this fall about Islam." and Turkish President for Religious Affairs Ali Bardakoglu - who in September had accused the pontiff of "having hatred in his heart" for Muslims - told the Pope that leaders have a responsibility to stem the tide of Islamophobia in the west, not feed it.
"Praise and fears" sum up the smarmy UK Guardian's comment. and they mentioned that they take the "Turkish Daily News" main comment as "Pope Dashes Turks' Hopes for EU Support". They also say "some Christians will be less than impressed".
But the Turks want to join the EU and no sane EU member who has looked at the issues wants that anytime soon, hence perhaps the difference in reported Press comment.
The "Hindu" said that the Pope's visit made a "striking demonstration of a point he had made repeatedly - that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.". "This visit,'' the Pope told the grand mufti as they emerged from the spectacular mosque, ``will help us to find together the means and paths of peace for the good of humanity.'' It also said, apparently quoting the UK Guardian. that the "Pope indirectly took a swipe at the Turkish state, which does not recognise the Roman Catholic minority. ``We urge all world leaders to respect religious freedom as a fundamental human right,'' he said"
Well, the Pope may have prayed in a mosque and the Muslims put up with that, and that is about it. Islamism still there and Turkey has no better a case to join the EU than it had before a little newspaper spin. That being said, things could certainly have gone worse, and the Pope was jolly wise to secure maximum protection on his visit.
IMO: I'll stick with Ganesh, Shiva and indeed Hanuman and all the Gods.
The "San Diego Mercury" and other papers were not fulsome with their praise. "Many remained dubious about a man who had been roundly criticized for comments earlier this fall about Islam." and Turkish President for Religious Affairs Ali Bardakoglu - who in September had accused the pontiff of "having hatred in his heart" for Muslims - told the Pope that leaders have a responsibility to stem the tide of Islamophobia in the west, not feed it.
"Praise and fears" sum up the smarmy UK Guardian's comment. and they mentioned that they take the "Turkish Daily News" main comment as "Pope Dashes Turks' Hopes for EU Support". They also say "some Christians will be less than impressed".
But the Turks want to join the EU and no sane EU member who has looked at the issues wants that anytime soon, hence perhaps the difference in reported Press comment.
The "Hindu" said that the Pope's visit made a "striking demonstration of a point he had made repeatedly - that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.". "This visit,'' the Pope told the grand mufti as they emerged from the spectacular mosque, ``will help us to find together the means and paths of peace for the good of humanity.'' It also said, apparently quoting the UK Guardian. that the "Pope indirectly took a swipe at the Turkish state, which does not recognise the Roman Catholic minority. ``We urge all world leaders to respect religious freedom as a fundamental human right,'' he said"
Well, the Pope may have prayed in a mosque and the Muslims put up with that, and that is about it. Islamism still there and Turkey has no better a case to join the EU than it had before a little newspaper spin. That being said, things could certainly have gone worse, and the Pope was jolly wise to secure maximum protection on his visit.
IMO: I'll stick with Ganesh, Shiva and indeed Hanuman and all the Gods.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Dodgy info on 7/7
Unusually I quote an entire Usegroup mailing.
"London has 1 security CCTV camera for every 14 people. The whole Underground train network is covered by CCTV right? Most of it yeh.
And yet on 7/7/05 the only imagary we have ever seen of the bombers is a single STILL FRAME from Luton Station and yet none of the mainstream media ask "Where is the footage of the bombers", "Why have the authorities only shown us this one single image" and most conclusively "Why is this image of the 4 bombers entering Luton Station a photoshopped fake? "
And amazingly Mr Default, are the people brain dead? Why does everyone believe the official story?
default wrote:
> Someone has taken the trouble to collect information on the various
> Transportation Surveillance systems, and what effect this will have on
> privacy. They are shooting for a 2022 rollout for the GPS/transponder
> installation requirement in new vehicles.
>
> Scary but a lot of good information
>
> http://www.permatopia.com/wetlands/spyroads.html "
"London has 1 security CCTV camera for every 14 people. The whole Underground train network is covered by CCTV right? Most of it yeh.
And yet on 7/7/05 the only imagary we have ever seen of the bombers is a single STILL FRAME from Luton Station and yet none of the mainstream media ask "Where is the footage of the bombers", "Why have the authorities only shown us this one single image" and most conclusively "Why is this image of the 4 bombers entering Luton Station a photoshopped fake? "
And amazingly Mr Default, are the people brain dead? Why does everyone believe the official story?
default wrote:
> Someone has taken the trouble to collect information on the various
> Transportation Surveillance systems, and what effect this will have on
> privacy. They are shooting for a 2022 rollout for the GPS/transponder
> installation requirement in new vehicles.
>
> Scary but a lot of good information
>
> http://www.permatopia.com/wetlands/spyroads.html "
Star trek 'will save humans'
Mankind will need to venture far beyond Earth to ensure the long-term survival of our species, Professor Stephen Hawking said.
Of course Hawking may have a special short term interest - life extension by Einstein special relativity contraction, particularly if antimatter drives can be developed quickly.
I would give my own theory (based on A series plus B-series MWI) more immediate hope, as it could be more inexpensive and even quicker. However the theory in the Einstein method is by now very solid and has all been worked out, though long term it is only a partial answer to life extension.
Of course Hawking may have a special short term interest - life extension by Einstein special relativity contraction, particularly if antimatter drives can be developed quickly.
I would give my own theory (based on A series plus B-series MWI) more immediate hope, as it could be more inexpensive and even quicker. However the theory in the Einstein method is by now very solid and has all been worked out, though long term it is only a partial answer to life extension.
Democracy in Iraq
Arianna Huffington said today on whether US troops should stay in Iraq. "Let's put democracy to the test in Iraq and find out."
This sounds a good idea, and could well give those with social concerns important evidence as to how current democratic voting procedures are weighted by populism in a genuinely unsuitable (or suitable) fashion.
Also, the Iraqis might like a vote. It seems that 61 percent of Iraqis approve of attacks on U.S. forces. If Iraq is going to turn into total chaos, at least then it will have occurred after a vote by Iraqis.
This sounds a good idea, and could well give those with social concerns important evidence as to how current democratic voting procedures are weighted by populism in a genuinely unsuitable (or suitable) fashion.
Also, the Iraqis might like a vote. It seems that 61 percent of Iraqis approve of attacks on U.S. forces. If Iraq is going to turn into total chaos, at least then it will have occurred after a vote by Iraqis.
UK Home Secretary Reid's father-in-law arrested in £280,000 drugs bust
In the circumstances of my recent blog entries, further comment seems needless.
Iran's successful campaign reverses drugs transit route
Iran's drugs police chief, General Hamid-Reza Hosseinabadi said here Tuesday that Iran's successful drugs campaign has resulted in change of the route of drugs transit to Central Asia and Pakistan.
The stronger presence of Iran on the eastern borders has made the traffickers more frightened and forced them to move farther from the region, turning to the Central Asian and Pakistan route for transit of drugs, he noted.
In a period of seven months since the start of the Iranian year, Hosseinabadi said 210 tons of drugs, including 6,641 kg of heroin, have been confiscated from traffickers by Iranian police. The figure shows a 117-percent growth compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year.
This is about the best drugs policing in the world, if accurate. I understand they have 30,000 police on the Pak and Afghan borders so it is believable.
At the same time, the drugs are clearly getting in "somewhere" from Afghanistan. The obvious route is through Pakistan, a fact I implied here. UK intelligence officers say “Since the 1970s, Turkey has accounted for between 75 and 90 per cent of all heroin in the UK. The key traffickers are Turks or criminals who operate along that route using Turkish contacts.” and "Customs could not get at the Turkish kingpins because they are “protected” at a high level."
IMO: Turkey to join EU ? On the face of it, we'd be better off with Iran as a member.
The stronger presence of Iran on the eastern borders has made the traffickers more frightened and forced them to move farther from the region, turning to the Central Asian and Pakistan route for transit of drugs, he noted.
In a period of seven months since the start of the Iranian year, Hosseinabadi said 210 tons of drugs, including 6,641 kg of heroin, have been confiscated from traffickers by Iranian police. The figure shows a 117-percent growth compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year.
This is about the best drugs policing in the world, if accurate. I understand they have 30,000 police on the Pak and Afghan borders so it is believable.
At the same time, the drugs are clearly getting in "somewhere" from Afghanistan. The obvious route is through Pakistan, a fact I implied here. UK intelligence officers say “Since the 1970s, Turkey has accounted for between 75 and 90 per cent of all heroin in the UK. The key traffickers are Turks or criminals who operate along that route using Turkish contacts.” and "Customs could not get at the Turkish kingpins because they are “protected” at a high level."
IMO: Turkey to join EU ? On the face of it, we'd be better off with Iran as a member.
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