Mar 2, 2006

Protests and rockets

Time of India carried an article on the first rocket launch in anticipation of the nuclear deal between US and India. A fantastic photograph by Henri Cartier Bresson of a rocket cone being wheeled into Thumba in a bicycle adorned the front page. Reading about the young scientists giving a fresh coat of paint to the rocket just before it blasted off, someone scraping something off so the payload would fit in, the difficulties of synchronizing the timing with a four way conference call was so interesting. It catches ones imagination so much. Kalam was then a young man working for Sarabhai. Why do we not have personalities like Sarabhai anymore?

And Bush arrived yesterday. It looks like everyone turned up for the protest. I'd like to do a survey of the economics related to the protestors. How many are rich? How many are professional protestors [that is belonging to a political party and thus expenses taken care of]? How many lost money because of this? How many gained money because of this?

March 02, 2006