Wanted: Kidneys

Indian officials have uncovered a kidney racket. The Washington Post reports the network operated by robbing kidneys from poor people and selling them to the wealthy for a handsome profit. Some of these organs have even found their way to the United States. It is good to see that people are always willing to meet demand in a scare market.

Elitist Bullshit At Its Finest

An Indian automotive company has developed a car that not only gets 50 miles per gallon, but sells for roughly $2500 new. Goddamn, this is great news for both the Indian people and the environment, right? Well, maybe not:

While the price has created a buzz, critics say the Nano could lead to possibly millions more automobiles hitting already clogged Indian roads, adding to mounting air and noise pollution problems. Others have said Tata will have to sacrifice quality and safety standards to meet the target price.

[...]

Chief U.N. climate scientist Rajendra Pachauri, who shared last year's Nobel Peace Prize, said last month that "I am having nightmares" about the prospect of the low-cost car.

If you oppose Indians driving a compact car that gets fifty miles to the gallon, I guess that means you oppose Indians driving anything at all. After all, what would be the better option? I guess you think the current state of India is preferable to one in which the common person or family can afford a car, right?

I wonder how Dr. Pachauri gets around as a U.N. scientist. Does he walk on water to get to Belgium? Assuming he obeys the laws of physics and takes an airplane (or even a boat), why does he think he deserves fast and efficient transportation while the common Indian shouldn't even have a fuel-efficient compact car?

I suppose that overcrowding on the roads could be a concern. But if millions of Indians are suddenly able to afford this car, then wouldn't that suggest that there's a market for new roads also? I guess not if you operate under the meta-context that requires that the government and only the government to provide roads.

Dr. Pachauri should be ashamed of himself for spewing this garbage. That cushy U.N. job must really be getting to his head.

U.S.-India Nuclear Pact Put on Hold

The Washington Post reports that India has encountered “certain difficulties” that will prevent it from signing a nuclear deal in the near future. It is believed that leftist parties in India fear that the country is becoming too cozy with the United States. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signaled that a signed deal could spell the end of his coalition government. Indian communists factions were a primary reason for the disintegration of negotiations.

This is major setback for the Bush Administration. The deal with India and a warming of relations was a bright spot of its foreign policy. Looks like plans of finding a regional counter weight to China have been put on hold.

Indian Marxists to Prosperity: Stay Out

On the front page of the newspaper delivered to my hotel room every morning is an article detailing the influence of the Communist Party of India. About midway through the article:

In a vague bit of saber rattling, [Communist Party leader Prakash] Karat has threatened "serious consequences" if Singh's government advances its negotiations on its nuclear deal with the United States. He sees it as a part of a strategic alliance with the United States, intended to increase American weight in Asia — and he wants none of it.

"We don't want to be another Japan," Karat said. "It's not in our interest."

Emphasis mine. Online version of the full article here.

I'm sure the Indian people will appreciate a leader of one of the (apparently) major political parties saying that he prefers the Indian status quo to the widespread prosperity of Japan.

If someone was to take a worldwide poll asking people whether they would prefer to live in India or Japan, is there any doubt as to what the results would say?

Indians Mooching Off the Rest of Us

In the south of Indian state of Kerala, many suffer from high rates of poverty and widespread unemployment. The state does offer first-class health and education services. The New York Times reports that this socialist state can pay for these basic services for its poor population through remittances from surrounding liberal oriented regions. The rising tide of India’s liberalization can lift even ineffective governments.