23 Jun 2005

Made in India, Best in the World

A U-2 spy plane crashes while returning from a surveillance mission in Afghanistan, killing the the pilot. Remember Gary Powers and his U-2 which was downed in Russia in 1960, at the height of the Cold War ?

The Business section in Rediff.com proclaims - Tata Steel is world's best steel producer. This “news” appears to be a straight take on the information made available at the Tata Steel website. While i am none to deny the venerable Tata Steel its due credit, this "news" appears to be a careful compilation of data, presented to create a marketing and promotional “coup”.

This is a more of a press release by Tata Steel, crafted into headline “news” by some Great Indian Couch Journalist. Of course, i'm looking forward to many more respectable journalists to report the same in our esteemed news media, glorifying yet another desi-turned-“World’s Best” !

A little research (also conducted comfortably seated !) indicates that the World Steel Dynamics (WSD) is a leading steel information service. To quote the WSD website, “The WSD regularly analyzes and publishes reports on - Steel Prices, Steelmakers' Costs, Steel Supply/Demand and Steel Finances. WSD also undertakes customized steel research assignments - Specialized In-depth Studies, Private Consulting Studies and Financial Valuations”. The WSD DOES NOT crown the “World’s Best Steel Producer“! Grow up, Honey, earn the money…!

Truth prevails when there are flag-bearers

Would we (dare to) do a Bugsy ? Hilarious stuff here !


Liked this post-script in the book. ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Hunter S Thompson is the author of Hells’ Angels, The Great Shark Hunt… Generation of Swine and other major statements of our time. Fear and Loathing in LAS VEGAS – A SAVAGE JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM was written in 1971.

After the mayhem of “Fear and Loathing…”, i have started reading Richard Preston’s non-fiction “Hot Zone”. The unnerving account of the Ebola (and Marburg) virus. “Ebola is a simple virus – as simple as a firestorm. It kills humans with a swift efficiency and with a devastating range of effects…Ebola does in ten days what it takes AIDS ten years to accomplish”. Refer my earlier posts
Bugsy and here.
Feels like my gooey brain will be poured from the blender onto a roaring fire…

Richard Preston’s “The Demon in the Freezer” and “Hot Zone” are suggested reading.
On an entirely different flavour, i strongly recommend Waiter Rant.

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