Sunday, November 16, 2003
Value of life --
I was watching the movie Black Hawk Down today on TV. Set me thinking on whether after 9/11 Americans have got used loss of life and whether death of Americans is now making much less news than what it was before.
In the Black Hawk Down incident, 19 Americans died and the resulting ruckus at home made Clinton remove the American troops from Somalia the very next day. Now in Iraq, already a Black Hawk and 3 other helicopters have been shot down. More than 150 Americans have been killed since "major combat" was declared over on May 1st by Bush. And still, the news channels report the American deaths in the same pitch as they cover the Kobe Bryant or Laci Peterson case :-(
I hope that Americans do not forget the value of life. I had always appreciated Americans for the value they put on each and every life. Hope the increasing number of casualty does not bring to Americans the same apathy that we Indians have towards life.
I was watching the movie Black Hawk Down today on TV. Set me thinking on whether after 9/11 Americans have got used loss of life and whether death of Americans is now making much less news than what it was before.
In the Black Hawk Down incident, 19 Americans died and the resulting ruckus at home made Clinton remove the American troops from Somalia the very next day. Now in Iraq, already a Black Hawk and 3 other helicopters have been shot down. More than 150 Americans have been killed since "major combat" was declared over on May 1st by Bush. And still, the news channels report the American deaths in the same pitch as they cover the Kobe Bryant or Laci Peterson case :-(
I hope that Americans do not forget the value of life. I had always appreciated Americans for the value they put on each and every life. Hope the increasing number of casualty does not bring to Americans the same apathy that we Indians have towards life.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Road-widening!
If you think acquiring lands to widen roads is a probem only in India (I know the Golden Qudrilateral project also has got delayed because of this), think twice! In US also, this is a quite debated issue. I find this surprising because this country has seen the rewards of having a fantastic road system, and I would have expected people to realise the benefits of it. I dont know how big an issue this was when the existing freeways were built and the existing beautiful road system was painfully developed, but I have seen ppl cribbing now when some 2-lane roads are planned to be converted to 4-lane roads. Hope better sense prevails among ppl - east or west!
If you think acquiring lands to widen roads is a probem only in India (I know the Golden Qudrilateral project also has got delayed because of this), think twice! In US also, this is a quite debated issue. I find this surprising because this country has seen the rewards of having a fantastic road system, and I would have expected people to realise the benefits of it. I dont know how big an issue this was when the existing freeways were built and the existing beautiful road system was painfully developed, but I have seen ppl cribbing now when some 2-lane roads are planned to be converted to 4-lane roads. Hope better sense prevails among ppl - east or west!
"Teardown houses"
One striking feauture of American (as well as British) neighbourhoods is the striking uniformity among the houses. If you peep out of the window when your flight is taking-off or when it is landing, then the sight of the uniform houses across neighbourhoods is really striking. What a contrast to a view of Indian landscape, where you will see a slums and high-rises living together.
One increasingly common phenomenon in the suburb I live in is what is called as "Teardown houses". It is a single big luxuriuos house built by pulling down two smaller houses. These houses destroy the beauty of the colonies and also tranquility in the neighbourhood. This is becoming more and more common here and is now prompting the authorities to come up with regulations for buildings. Guess they can do with some KT from B'lore City Corporation! Here an FSI of 1.45 is laid down. However, again, there are real estate sharks who would make more money by building luxuriuos houses. It would interesting to see who wins the battle!
One striking feauture of American (as well as British) neighbourhoods is the striking uniformity among the houses. If you peep out of the window when your flight is taking-off or when it is landing, then the sight of the uniform houses across neighbourhoods is really striking. What a contrast to a view of Indian landscape, where you will see a slums and high-rises living together.
One increasingly common phenomenon in the suburb I live in is what is called as "Teardown houses". It is a single big luxuriuos house built by pulling down two smaller houses. These houses destroy the beauty of the colonies and also tranquility in the neighbourhood. This is becoming more and more common here and is now prompting the authorities to come up with regulations for buildings. Guess they can do with some KT from B'lore City Corporation! Here an FSI of 1.45 is laid down. However, again, there are real estate sharks who would make more money by building luxuriuos houses. It would interesting to see who wins the battle!
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