Hi Belgium!
I'm here in the airport at Brussels waiting for my connecting flight. I've got a hot travel tip for all of you: Jet Airways. That was one of the nicest transatlantic flights I've ever had. I'd never heard of them before. I just bought the ticket because it came up on Priceline. (Actually, my mom bought it: She was my secretary for a day and she did a great job. I'm thinking of giving her a promotion.)
Jet Airways is an Indian carrier, and they're flawless. It was a beautifully maintained plane; the seats seemed to have more legroom than most; they've got exquisitely well-mannered ground staff and flight attendants, excellent food--the service in economy was equivalent to many airlines' business class. Two thumbs up for Jet Airways. The difference between them and all the other airlines I've flown lately was night and day.
I spoke recently to a historian whom I greatly admire. He was of a gloomy kidney--pessimistic about the future of the West, resigned to the idea that the future belonged to China and India. I was a bit depressed myself after that conversation. But if this airline represents India these days, they really deserve to own the future.
So you win, India, fair and square. What's Mumbai like these days?
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Comments :
Aug '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
Fairly nice stewardess uniforms, too. Very modest -- you definitely can't fault 'em for being too immodest to be professional. Yet at the same time, the uniforms play nice with the ladies' curves instead of fighting 'em. It's also hard to forget that yellow color.
Re: Hi Belgium!
Actually, the uniforms didn't look like that--they were nice, but not that color. The stewardesses really do look like Bollywood stars, however. All of them.
Re: Hi Belgium!
And when they serve your breakfast, they ask in a genuinely concerned voice, "Did you sleep well, madam?"
Sep '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
Your friend may be half right.
According to Mark Steyn, China has a serious demographics problem. "The Chinese will get old before they get rich." So we can discount the Chinese.
India is another story. They have a billion people and a surging economy, filled with immense energy. More significantly, they are displaying a remarkable level of entrepreneurship – the kind that America used to monopolize. In particular, they seem to be specializing in "ultra-cheap" technology.
The car company Tata has developed the "Nano," a four-seat automobile priced at just $2500.
Jaipurfoot is an organization that makes cheap (but very efficient) prosthetics. An artificial leg sells for $20-40.
Currently, several Indian companies are working to develop an ultra-cheap laptop, priced no higher than $100 (ideally much less).
The point is, these products are not shoddy. They are the result of extremely sophisticated design-work, which cuts frills but maintains quality.
India has a real shot at becoming an economic superpower.
May '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
Claire -- Apologies for veering off topic but wanted to let you know how delighted I have been to pass along your excellent NR Ban the Burqua piece to friends struggling with France's recent decision. They were moved by your logic (as I was) and continue to pass it along to their friends. And trust me, these are not natural National Review readers. So thanks again for that!
May '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
There is something higher than Queen Mother?
Jul '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
OT Alert Here!
Sorry but I have to (I can't let it drop):
Remember when everyone here was bashing Assange? My argument was that the government had done such a poor job protecting the classified data that attacking Assange was akin to shooting the messenger.
Here's an IT perspective on classified info:
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/66215
Disclaimer, I am a veteran, and was frustrated by the whole way this was handled when I was active.
Jul '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
I think you mean Bombay.
I'm all for a surging India, so long as they change their culinary arts and adopt Judeo-Christian values.
Jun '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
In India, the missing piece is education, but that's something that can improve significantly in one generation. Especially with new online forms of education.
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Kapil Sibal, India's minister for human resource development, reported that by 2050, the percentage of people above the age of 65 will be 39% in the U.S., 53% in Germany and 67% in Japan. India, by contrast will have only 19% above age 60, according to an International Labor Organization paper. "I've had sleepless nights; the task is daunting," Sibal said at the USIBC conference, referring to the infrastructure required to educate and train India's workforce of tomorrow. "It's not just India's problem; it is a global issue." Sibal's goal is to get at least 30% of India's 240 million schoolchildren into higher education over the next decade, up from the 12.4% currently. "Any nation must ensure that a critical mass of people move into the university system -- not less than 30-40%. [Otherwise], it cannot build wealth," he noted. (from: Bridging the Talent Gap in India's 'Demographic Dividend', June 17, 2010, http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4487 )
Jun '10
Re: Hi Belgium!
If Ricochet could recruit someone living in India or China to be a regular contributor, it would certainly be a wise business move, but more importantly, we'd all learn a lot about our future economic and political environment.