Day: September 1, 2007

Karachi Bridge Collapse

While the Benazir Bhutto / Musharraf talks have stalled, a brand-new overpass collapsed in Karachi, killing four people. Designed to alleviate the crushing traffic jams that last for hours in Karachi, the overpass bridge and the Northern Bypass are now not usuable.

karachi-bypass-bridge.jpgWhile the Benazir Bhutto / Musharraf talks have stalled, a brand-new overpass collapsed in Karachi, killing four people. Designed to alleviate the crushing traffic jams that last for hours in Karachi, the overpass bridge and the Northern Bypass are now not usuable.

This was contracted out to Army firms, and not only will the design and architecture come under fire, but also the materials, and construction process. This is bound to raise some cries against the government and in one of the few areas where Musharraf still has reasonably strong support. The cry of corruption will undoubtably ring through the city.

Video below the fold Continue reading “Karachi Bridge Collapse”

A Successful Operation in Afghanistan

70 Taliban have been killed in Afghanistan, three miles from the Pakistan border in a village near a crossing spot. A bomb making factory was destroyed along with armaments.

 The AP report gets this right, but their exaggerations of the Taliban’s failed offensive this year — calling this the “worst since…” etc. are getting old. Looking back at their own reports they can verify that US and Nato forces were averaging 1500 to 3500 Taliban killed per month last year. It was not unusual to read about 50-70 Taliban killed two to four times per week last July through September. Continue reading “A Successful Operation in Afghanistan”

Beslan Remembered

Sometime in the far future the name of Beslan will be forgotten; but not today; not while parents still mourn for their children murdered three years ago today. A tragedy is a tragedy, but for some it’s an opportunity for propaganda and politics

beslan-memorial.jpgSometime in the far future the name of Beslan will be forgotten; but not today; not while parents still mourn for their children murdered three years ago today. A tragedy is a tragedy, but for some it’s an opportunity for propaganda and politics.

Just as we have our “truthers”, in Russia there are those would rather blame the authorities than the evildoers. Continue reading “Beslan Remembered”

Airbus Ills Continue

An Airbus A380 on a world demonstration tour scraped its wing on an hangar door while exiting in Bangkok, Thailand. The tips of the wings, or winglets, had to be removed before the flight could continue which caused a three hour delay.

An Airbus A380 on a world demonstration tour scraped its wing on an hangar door while exiting in Bangkok, Thailand. The tips of the wings, or winglets, had to be removed before the flight could continue which caused a three hour delay. Story here.

Officials said the accident at Suvarnabhumi Airport was related to the unusually long wingspan of the plane, for which the hanger whose door it hit had not been designed. “It was not due to problems with traffic control or human error of the captain,” said Thai Airways President Apinan Sumanaseni.

He said that the left winglet of the plane had been damaged, but that engineers would remove the winglets ahead of the postponed flight.

“The device removed is useful but we can fly without it … I don’t think it will affect the operation of the aircraft at all,” said Terry Lutz, the plane’s captain and head test pilot for Airbus.

A winglet tips up and back from the end of a wing, improving aerodynamic efficiency.

Mehsud Taliban Hold 208 Pakistani Soldiers Hostage

Baitullah Mehsud’s Taliban in the South West Frontier Province of Pakistan is holding 208 Pakistani army and Frontier Corps peronell hostage.

Baitullah Mehsud’s Taliban in the South West Frontier Province of Pakistan is holding 208 Pakistani army and Frontier Corps peronell hostage. The government has been denying the rumors, but now the reality appears. Continue reading “Mehsud Taliban Hold 208 Pakistani Soldiers Hostage”