TOW we choose easy targets

There is this lady who sits in my office in the row behind me and whose telephone's decibel levels are exceeded only by white ambassador's 'power horns'. She made a loud (as usual) comment on how MB has set the Indian industrial development back by a few decades. Before you start visualizing factory workers engrossed in sleazy literature (MB) ignoring work at hand, let me warn you. It turns out, the issue is far more serious.
MB here stands out for Mamata di. From Kolkata.
She is the one who is allegedly inciting violence in Tata's Nano plant. She is the one allegedly responsible for the bundling away of the plant and the prevention of many more investment projects from coming to Bengal.
It is a very easy thing to do - see the one person who is the face of the violence and blame her. What people who take up these issues during office lunch hours do not bother to do is to dig deeper and separate the two issues.
Let me ask you:
(i) Do you know how much the affected farmers are being compensated for their land?
(ii) I want to build a factory over your land. The government *forcibly* takes it away from you to give it to me and pays you less than what you expect to be paid. Will you not protest?
(iii) Do you know that the government has the right to take away your land for public purpose? Do you know how wide the net of 'public purpose' has been cast by our lawmakers?

The two issues are - land rights and mob violence. In both of these, the Indian government and the state governments have been errant - giving far too leniency in the latter case while limiting a citizen's rights far too much in the former.

Two related articles:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=a4Iv4YW9ggb0&refer=home
http://ajayshahblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/mystery-of-capital-by-hernando-de-soto.html

My understanding of law in this case is low but clearly the individual's property rights are limited. That is an issue which needs to be tackled as we proceed on our path of industrialization.

Companies will have to improvise on how they compensate landowners. The government needs to make the process more voluntary and transparent. We need to think before we take sides on such serious issues.

If we want to curb violence, we need to listen to the non violent voices of protest. That is the best way to prevent dirty politicians from hijacking genuine socio-economic issues.

TOW I link a lot

I spent Sunday morning reading articles on the web. There was the usual Lehman drama. Then Ike. And now, there's the news on New Delhi bomb blasts.
Chronology of major bombings in India
How many more blasts will it take for the government to take a more stringent attitude against terrorism? This is not going to help:
Shivraj Patil mouths old statements, old excuses
Sometimes I really really wonder how shameless these people can be. I mean, I can't see any change of tone in his voice. He is saying the same thing he said last time. That the situation is turning more grave with each serial blasts incident does not seem to be having an effect on senile ministers incapable of strong and firm action. 
Anti-terror law: NSA backs Gujarat demand
This is just one of the instances where he has simply refused to accept advice coming from several quarters - state governments and police officers included. We can speculate and discuss his reasons but the outcome of his actions is being seen in the way serial blasts recur as the headlines of daily news.

Shame on you Mr Patil. 

Shame also on people who are creating a issue of a convicted terrorist's execution. 

Ms Mehbooba, and all your supporters, a terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist. He must be executed. While Arundhati Roy raises several pertinent questions about human rights violations, nothing in her article is a justification for the execution once the guilt has been established. There IS a hurry to punish terrorists, Ms Roy, and that is needed to send a strong signal. 

Now I am not saying that the police do not inflict human rights violations. Sure they do. That needs to be enquired and brought to light. But when several courts convict a person of a terror act, it is but natural justice that he be punished. 

Google is starting to act like a monopolist
I guess Google doesn't think monopolism is an evil. 

Scary, Isn’t She?
Mighty talented and very tall, yes. But scary as well. Lucky for her that she is born in USA where she is at least getting the opportunity to shape her career. In India, the idea of a girl competing in a male dominated sports, or for that matter, considering sports a full career itself would be frowned upon. Such a world we live in. 

TOW I try to be funny

Hmm. I have been to Germany twice, and I thought it was so cold that I really wished I could bath with my sweaters on - for most of the year except June. Contrast that with Mr Kranig:

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL343921120080903

In the same country, this happens: http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL336567920080903

I dread the consequences of skateboarding half that fast on any Indian road - even the expressways these days sport speedbreakers - a misnomer since they should be called carbreakers.

Also noteworthy is this:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/03/opinion/edconley.php?WT.mc_id=rssmostemailed

This Wednesday, I saw Rock On. And it really does rock. I mean, which was the last Hindi movie I enjoyed so much? Rang De Basanti, Taarey Zameen Par, Dil Chahta hai? In fact, there is an eery commonality in these - Aamir Khan and Farhaan Akhtar. 

On personal fronts, life is going through a rough patch. The time when I wrote the last email was a particularly nasty one. Things are cool now, though it  is somewhat like sitting on a hot stove after coming out of a furnace.

From Jodha Akbar, beautiful lyrics....

Kaise kahen kya hai sitam
Sochte hai ab yeh hum
Koi kaise kahen woh hai ya nahi humare

Karte to hai saath safar
Faasle hain phir bhi magar
Jaise milte nahi kisi dariya ke do kinare

Pass hain phir bhi paas nahi
Humko yeh gum raas nahi
Seeshe ki ek diware hai jaise darmiya

Sare sehmein nazare hain
Soye soye vaqt ke dhare hain
Aur dil mein koi khoye si baatein hain