i do remember you arvind dubeyji. hope u r fine. we can meet here
often

--- In indiansciencefiction@..., arvind dubey
<drarvinddubey2004@...> wrote:
>
> Wecome Mohan Ji, welcome on the forum. We met in the National
discussion on Sf in Varanasi. Do u remember?
>
> arvind dubey
>
> --- On Sun, 11/30/08, sundaraselvan <sundaraselvan@...> wrote:
>
> From: sundaraselvan <sundaraselvan@...>
> Subject: [indiansciencefiction] Hi everybody!
> To: indiansciencefiction@...
> Date: Sunday, November 30, 2008, 7:18 PM
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I am K.Mohan(Mohan Sanjeevan). joined the group today. my yahoo
name
> happens to be sundaraselvan. kindly remember this name though i
would
> be posting my name alomng side the messages i post here. The mind
is
> still come to grips after the dasdardly mumbai terror attack. I
feel
> there is intelligence failure which failed to notice the initial
> movements of the terrorists from the water front. Public can also
play
> a part in alerting the authorities. They need to be trained as
well by
> a massive educatinal program
>
> Any science fiction ideas?
>

Dubey ji you are right. Many peole were involved with writing of the
story of Fantastic voyage but final shape to the story was given by
Issac Assimov.
Tinkoo ji yu are right Assimov did write The Fantastic Voyage-II also.
Its plot is slightltly different. Here the scientists of both the
nations worked togeather. However speaking for my self, I enjoyed the
first one
--- In indiansciencefiction@..., arvind dubey
<drarvinddubey2004@...> wrote:
>
> Sir
> May I add some thing? It is based on information provided by one of
my close and learned friend. Actually the film "The Fantastic Voyage"
is written by one Harry Kleiner". When the film making was in
progress, it became a hot news so a publisher Bantam Books obtained
the rights for a paperback novelization and approached Issac Assimov
to write a novel based on this theme. This way screen play of the
movie"The Fantastic Voyage" was written first and by Harry Kliener not
by Issac Assimov and that to earlier than the novel of the same name.
Because the novelization was released six months before the movie,
many people mistakenly believed Asimov's book had inspired the
movie.However this information needs some more research and
confimation. Would any learned member of our group throw some light
over this issue.
> Regards
> Arvind Dubey
>
>
>
>  
> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1087521/
> Fantastic Voyage (2010) More at IMDb Pro »
>
> advertisement
>
> Overview
> Director:
> Roland Emmerich
> Writers:
> Jerome Bixby (1966 storys)
> Harry Kleiner (1966 screenplays)
> more
> Genre:
> Adventure | Sci-Fi more
> Plot:
> A scientist with a potentially fatal health problem takes a risk on
his only chance of survival: For five of his colleagues to be
miniaturized in a ship and injected into his bloodstream. | add synopsis
> Plot Keywords:
> Shrinking | Miniaturization | Shrink
>
>
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this.className='keyword-spoiler';}
>
> NewsDesk:
> New 2012 Movie Trailer Hits The Net
>  (From toxicshock. 15 November 2008, 11:43 PM, PST)
> Production Notes/Status:
> Status:
> Pre-production
> Comments:
>  
> Status Updated:
> 6 September 2008
> Note:
> Because this project is categorized as being in production, the data
is subject to change; some data could be removed completely.
>
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> Parents Guide:
> Add content advisory for parents
> Filming Locations:
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> Fun Stuff
> Movie Connections:
> Remake of Fantastic Voyage (1966) more
>  
> Fantastic Voyage
>
> From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Fantastic Voyage is a 1966 science fiction film written by Harry
Kleiner. Bantam Books obtained the rights for a paperback novelization
based on the screenplay and approached Isaac Asimov to write it
(Asimov 1980:363). Because the novelization was released six months
before the movie, many people mistakenly believed Asimov's book had
inspired the movie (Asimov 1980:390). According to Fred Schodt's The
Astro Boy Essays, FOX also approached NBC to get the rights to an
Astro Boy episode which had the same premise, but they never contacted
the manga artist or credited him in the final product.
> The movie inspired an animated television series, as well as a
painting of the same name by Salvador Dalí.[1]
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Contents[show]
>
> 1 Plot
> 2 Cast
> 3 Production
>
> 3.1 Reuse of sets and props
> 4 Background
>
> 4.1 Logical flaws
> 4.2 Related novels and comics
> 5 Adaptations
>
> 5.1 1968 Animated television series
> 5.2 Cartoon spoofs and imitations
> 5.3 Remake
> 6 References
>
> 6.1 Bibliography
> 6.2 Notes
> 6.3 See also
> 7 External links
>
> //
>
>
>
> [edit] Plot
> The United States and the Soviet Union have both developed
technology that allowed matter to be miniaturized using a process that
shrinks individual atoms, but its value is limited because objects
shrunk return to normal size after a period of time - the smaller an
object is made, the quicker it reverts.
> Scientist Jan Benes, working behind the Iron Curtain, has figured
out how to make the shrinking process work indefinitely. With the help
of the CIA, he escapes to the West, but an attempted assassination
leaves him comatose, with a blood clot in his brain.
> To save his life, Charles Grant (the agent who extracted him, played
by Stephen Boyd), pilot Captain Bill Owens (William Redfield), Dr.
Michaels (Donald Pleasence), surgeon Dr. Peter Duval (Arthur Kennedy)
and his assistant Cora Peterson (Raquel Welch) board a submarine, the
Proteus, which is then miniaturized and injected into Benes. The ship
is reduced to one micrometre in length, giving the team only one hour
to repair the clot; after that, the submarine will begin to revert to
its normal size and become large enough for Benes' immune system to
detect and attack.
> The crew faces many obstacles on their journey. They are forced to
detour through the heart (a temporary cardiac arrest must be induced
to avoid destructive turbulence), the inner ear (all in the lab must
remain quiet to prevent similar turbulence) and the alveoli of the
lungs (where they replenish their supply of oxygen). When the surgical
laser needed to destroy the clot is damaged, it becomes obvious there
is a saboteur on the mission. They cannibalize their radio to repair
the laser. When they finally reach the brain clot, there are only six
minutes remaining to operate and then exit the body.
> The traitor, Dr. Michaels, knocks Owens out and takes control of the
Proteus while the rest of the crew is outside for the operation. Duval
successfully removes the clot with the laser. Michaels tries to crash
the sub into the clot area to kill Benes, but Grant fires the laser at
the ship, causing it to veer away and crash. Michaels is trapped in
the wreckage and killed when white blood cells attack and destroy the
Proteus. Grant saves Owens from the ship, and they all swim
desperately to one of the eyes, where they escape via a teardrop.
>
> [edit] Cast
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Stephen Boyd as Grant
> Raquel Welch as Cora
> Edmond O'Brien as General Carter
> Donald Pleasence as Dr. Michaels
> Arthur O'Connell as Colonel Donald Reid
> William Redfield as Captain Bill Owens
> Arthur Kennedy as Dr. Duval
>
>
> Jean Del Val as Jan Benes
> Barry Coe as Communications aide
> Ken Scott as Secret Service
> Shelby Grant as Nurse
> James Brolin as Technician
> Brendan Fitzgerald as Wireless operator
>
> [edit] Production
> The "whirlpool" scene where the two-inch Proteus miniature was spun
around and sucked into a fistula shortly after the sub was injected
into Benes' bloodstream was made using a large punch bowl,
strawberry-flavored milk, and three cups of Cheerios cereal. According
to L.B. Abbott,[citation needed] a bird stole the miniature while it
was drying on a window sill following a paint touch-up. It has never
been recovered, and Abbott jokingly theorized that it is probably
still part of some bird's nest up in some tree.
> Donald Pleasance's final scene involved a lot of screaming in agony.
Much of that turned out to be real,[citation needed] as the soap suds
that were used to represent the white blood cells attacking him had
gotten into his eyes, and as he was trapped in the command chair as
the scene called for, he was unable to wipe his eyes free of the suds
or receive medical attention until the scene was safely 'in the can'.
> Much of the interior scenes of the secret complex were filmed at a
football stadium at night. Brief glimpses of the outside playing field
area can be seen as General Carter takes Grant through the complex on
a small golf cart, as they pass the stairway entrances to each section
of the stadium.
> The entire operating theater, control room, and miniaturization
chamber were all one contiguous set. The only piece of this area of
the complex that was separate was the sterilization chamber.
> The film was originally planned to have an epilogue,[citation
needed] with Dr. Benes having recovered from the microsurgery.
However, despite the success of the mission, he still suffered some
minor brain damage; specifically the portion of his memory that
contained the secret of how to maintain a miniaturized state for
longer than an hour. Verified as genuine,[citation needed] copies of
scripts containing this ending have circulated in conventions for
years, and can be found on the Internet. Asimov's novelization
includes a similar epilogue, though omitting the memory loss.
>
> [edit] Reuse of sets and props
> The actual full-sized set and prop for the Proteus was placed in
storage at the 20th Century Fox backlot for years,[citation needed]
and maintained in relatively good condition. It was brought out of
retirement briefly for use in filming a Public Service Announcement in
1972 for the American Medical Association on the risks of heart
disease. Shortly afterwards, it was painted orange and modified for
use as a rescue vessel in Irwin Allen's disaster film, The Poseidon
Adventure.[citation needed] However, due to budget constraints, all
scenes featuring the rescue craft were cut before any scenes were
filmed, and the hull of the modified Proteus was later scrapped.
> Parts of the miniature sets, as well as some of the full-sized sets,
were "borrowed" by Irwin Allen for use on some of his various TV
shows. The season one Lost in Space episode, "The Derelict" features
the brain set used as the interior for the alien spaceship that has
swallowed the Jupiter 2. The brain cells were explained to be a
"crystaline power source." One of the blood vessel sets was used as a
conveyor tube in an episode of Lost in Space where Will Robinson has
just been converted into a diminutive duplicate of Dr. Zachary Smith.
Part of the inner ear miniature set was used in the episode "Jonah and
the Whale" on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. The laser gun was used
on several of Allen's series as an alien weapon prop.
> Much of the aforementioned usage of sets and props from Fantastic
Voyage in Irwin Allen's TV efforts can be attributed to two
facts[citation needed]: Special effects for both efforts were
supervised by L.B. Abbott, and both were filmed in adjacent stages at
the 20th Century Fox studios. Paul Zastupnevich, Allen's associate
during the majority of his science-fiction TV work, stated in numerous
interviews that the use of the Fantastic Voyage sets and props was, at
times, due to "midnight requisitioning" on the part of both Allen and
Abbott. Richard Basehart also referred to specifics on filming the
episode "Jonah and the Whale" of having to film certain scenes long
after normal studio hours because they were "borrowing" a set from
another production and had to finish shooting before that production
resumed shooting the following morning.
>
> [edit] Background
>
> [edit] Logical flaws
> In the original movie, the crew (apart from the saboteur) manage to
leave Benes' body safely before reverting to normal size, but the
Proteus remains inside, as do the remains of the saboteur's body
(albeit digested by a white blood cell), as well as several gallons
(full scale) of a carrier solution (presumably saline) used in the
injection syringe. Isaac Asimov pointed out (Asimov 1980:363-364) that
this was a serious logical flaw in the plot, since the submarine (even
if reduced to bits of debris) would also revert to normal size,
killing Benes in the process. Therefore, in his novelization Asimov
had the crew provoke the white cell into following them, so that it
drags the submarine to the tearduct. The submarine (or rather, the
wreckage of it) then expands outside Benes' body.
> Moreover, the scene where the crew collects air from Benes' lungs
after their own supply is sabotaged should not work, as the air
consists of normal-sized molecules. Asimov's novelization solved this
problem as well by including a miniaturization device in the
jury-rigged suction machine. However, in the movie, the unminiaturized
air was used only to pressurize a tank for ballast, not for breathing.
> According to the introduction of the novel, Asimov was rather
reluctant to write the novel because he believed that the
miniaturization of matter is physically impossible. But he decided
that it was still good fodder for story-telling and that it could
still make for some intelligent reading. Plus it was known that 20th
Century Fox wanted someone with some science-fiction clout to help
promote the film. To his credit, aside from the initial
"impossibility" of the shrinking machine, Asimov went to great lengths
to accurately portray what it would actually be like to be shrunk to
that scale, such as the lights on the sub being highly penetrating to
normal matter, time distortion, and other side effects that are
completely ignored in the movie.
>
> [edit] Related novels and comics
> Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain, was written by Isaac Asimov
as an attempt to develop and present his own story apart from the 1966
screenplay. This novel is not a sequel to the original, but instead is
a separate story taking place in the Soviet Union with an entirely
different set of characters.
> Fantastic Voyage: Microcosm is a third interpretation, written by
Kevin J. Anderson, published in 2001. This version has the crew of the
Proteus explore the body of a dead alien that crash-lands on earth,
and updates the story with such modern concepts as nanotechnology
(replacing killer white cells).
> A comic book adaptation of the film was released by Gold Key in
1967. Drawn by industry legend Wally Wood, the book followed the plot
of the movie with general accuracy, but many scenes were depicted
differently and/or outright dropped, and the ending was given an
epilogue similar as that seen in some of the early draft scripts for
the film.
>
> [edit] Adaptations
>
> [edit] 1968 Animated television series
> Two years after the film was released, ABC aired an animated series
on Saturday mornings. The series was produced by Filmation.
> In the series, a different team of scientists performed their
missions in a craft known as Voyager, a submarine which featured
wedge-shaped wings and large, swept T-tail, and was capable of flight.
A model kit of Voyager was offered by Aurora Model Company for several
years, and has become a sought-after collectors' item since then. As
of June, 2008, the Voyager kit has been re-released by the Moebius
model company.
>
> [edit] Cartoon spoofs and imitations
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please
relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or
articles. (July 2008)
> The idea of shrinking people down for the purpose of traveling
inside another human's body has been frequently used in animated
cartoons. Many of these shows, including The Simpsons, Futurama,
Family Guy, Sealab 2021, The Fairly OddParents, Rugrats/All Grown Up!,
Teen Titans, Invader Zim, Jimmy Neutron, ReBoot, Muppet Babies, The
Magic Schoolbus, Beetlejuice, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Dexter's
Laboratory, The Ren and Stimpy Show, Robotboy, Aqua Teen Hunger Force,
Transformers, Yin-Yang-Yo!, Phineas and Ferb, Happy Tree Friends,
Super Friends SpongeBob SquarePants, Pucca, Ozzy & Drix, Chowder, The
Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Making Fiends, George of the
Jungle, Camp Lazlo!, Codename: Kids Next Door, Duck Dodgers, Cow and
Chicken, I AM WEASEL., Evil Con Carne, Johnny Test, The Grim
Adventures of Billy & Mandy, and ¡Mucha Lucha!/¡Mucha Lucha!: GIGANTE
also with Totally Spies & Tom Goes to the Mayor have directly spoofed
or imitated Fantastic
>  Voyage.[citation needed] Footage from the movie was used in a
commercial for General Electric, in which a surgeon daydreams in the
middle of an operation and this leads to an embarrassing moment when
he says "Get back to the ship."
> At least one animated, full-length feature film was produced on the
same basic premise, the 2001 movie Osmosis Jones, featuring the voice
talent of actor Bill Murray.
> In a rare non-animated example, the third season Mighty Boosh
episode "Journey to the Centre of the Punk" involves a spoof of the
concept, complete with the miniature submarine and colourful special
effects.
> Disney made a Motion Simulator ride in Epcot called Body Wars that
shares similar concepts. Passengers of a submersible are shrunk and
placed inside a human body to meet with a scientist studying white
blood cells effects on a splinter. When the scientist ends up in the
blood stream passengers are taken on an emergency mission to save her.
> The band Placebo also made a music video inspired by the film for
their song, "Special K".
> The 1987 film Innerspace, directed by Joe Dante, produced by Steven
Spielberg, and starring Martin Short, Dennis Quaid, and Meg Ryan,
doesn't depict a medical emergency, but the ideas of miniaturization,
the submersible, and some direct referential imitations (such as
Quaid's character collecting Southern Comfort liquor as Short's
character swallows it) are carried across.
> The film is referenced in Metal Gear Solid: Portable ops by
Para-Medic during a codec conversation.
>
> [edit] Remake
> Plans for a remake or sequel have been in discussion since 1997, but
the project has been stuck in development hell ever since. James
Cameron was initially interested in directing a remake,[2] but decided
to devote his efforts to his Avatar project. He still remained open to
the idea of producing a feature based on his own screenplay, and in
2007, 20th Century Fox announced that pre-production on the project
was finally underway. Roland Emmerich agreed to direct, but rejected
the script written by Cameron.[2][3] Marianne and Cormac Wibberley
were hired to write a new script, but the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of
America strike delayed filming, and Emmerich began working on another
film instead.[3][4]
> Antibody (2002) was another spin-off starring Lance Henriksen and
Robin Givens, with a premise of a team of scientists being
miniaturized to find a nuclear bomb inside of a human body and prevent
it from being detonated. [5]
>
> [edit] References
>
> [edit] Bibliography
>
> Asimov, Isaac (1980). In Joy Still Felt: The Autobiography of Isaac
Asimov, 1954-1978. New York: Avon. ISBN 0380530252. 
>
> [edit] Notes
>
> arvind dubey
>
> --- On Sat, 11/29/08, Unmukt <unmukt.s@...> wrote:
>
> From: Unmukt <unmukt.s@...>
> Subject: [indiansciencefiction] Movies on Assimov's books
> To: indiansciencefiction@...
> Date: Saturday, November 29, 2008, 1:28 PM
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Isaac Asimov is one of the greatest science fiction writer. He did
> write story for one science fiction movie - The Fantastic Voyage. One
> other of his story, later on novel, was made into movie - The
> Bicentinnel Man. Now two others are bing made into film - The End of
> Eternity and Foundation.
> The End of Eternity is difficult novel and I am not sure how popular
> the movie will be. However Foundation series is if not the best then
> atleast can always be counted among the best science fiction ever
> written. The novel is fast moving and gripping. Well the movie if well
> made could become the biggest money grosser of all times. You can read
> about making into film about these novels at:
> http://sffmedia. com/films/ science-fiction- films/257-
will-asimovs- foundation- saga-be-lord- of-the-rings- in-space. html
> http://sffmedia. com/films/ science-fiction- films/258- asimovs-the-
end-of-eternity- follows-foundati on-adaptation. html
>

I am K.Mohan(Mohan Sanjeevan). joined the group today. my yahoo name
happens to be sundaraselvan. kindly remember this name though i would
be posting my name alomng side the messages i post here. The mind is
still come to grips after the dasdardly mumbai terror attack. I feel
there is intelligence failure which failed to notice the initial
movements of the terrorists from the water front. Public can also play
a part in alerting the authorities. They need to be trained as well by
a massive educatinal program

Any science fiction ideas?

Original Fantastic Voyage book by Asimov is an adaptation of the movie,
as you say.

Asimov also wrote a second book that apparently is more easily available
in India - "Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain". This is the only
one I've read, & this is said to be unrelated to original. For those
interested in using science fiction for education, this story may be a
great example: uses a hand wavy magical technology to reduce the value
of Planck's CONSTANT to teach human anotomy! A bunch of guys enter a
submarine, are reduced by this magical technology to microscopic size, &
injected into the bloodstream of a man in coma. It's an adventure as we
are introduced to physical structure of human blood, fighting & dodging
the body's natural defenses against this foreign body, difficulties
navigating through blood stream at microscopic level, blood/brain
barrier & its crossing, how brain physically uses sugar for energy, & a
substantially long adventure *inside* a single neuron.

I wasn't aware of the third book in your quote - "Fantastic Voyage:
Microcosm" by  Kevin J. Anderson.

arvind dubey wrote:
>
>
> Sir
> May I add some thing? It is based on information provided by one of my
> close and learned friend. Actually the film "The Fantastic Voyage" is
> written by one Harry Kleiner". When the film making was in progress, it
> became a hot news so a publisher Bantam Books
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantam_Books> obtained the rights for a
> paperback novelization <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelization> and
> approached Issac Assimov to write a novel based on this theme. This way
> screen play of the movie"The Fantastic Voyage" was written first and
> by Harry Kliener not by Issac Assimov and that to earlier than the novel
> of the same name. Because the novelization was released six months
> before the movie, many people mistakenly believed Asimov's book had
> inspired the movie. However this information needs some more research
> and confimation. Would any learned member of our group throw some light
> over this issue.
> Regards
> Arvind Dubey

--
<http://variety-sf.blogspot.com/>


Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com

Isaac Asimov is one of the greatest science fiction writer. He did
write story for one science fiction movie - The Fantastic Voyage. One
other of his story, later on novel, was made into movie - The
Bicentinnel Man. Now two others are bing made into film - The End of
Eternity and Foundation.
The End of Eternity is difficult novel and I am not sure how popular
the movie will be. However Foundation series is if not the best then
atleast can always be counted among the best science fiction ever
written. The novel is fast moving and gripping. Well the movie if well
made could become the biggest money grosser of all times. You can read
about making into film about these novels at:
http://sffmedia.com/films/science-fiction-films/257-will-asimovs-foundation-saga\
-be-lord-of-the-rings-in-space.html
http://sffmedia.com/films/science-fiction-films/258-asimovs-the-end-of-eternity-\
follows-foundation-adaptation.html

I am stupefied and dumbfounded with a lot of suppressed aggression !
We have been caught unaware !India's sovereignty has been attacked !
Can an sfean remain silent on the developments ! How could we show our
reaction to  the happenings like these ?
Greg Bear has recently dealt with the issue of terrorism in his recent
blockbuster ,QUANTICO but has not suggested any concrete method to
deal with the menace sternly ?
In one of my stories  I suggested a method of screening the brain
through out the lifetime of any individual through a central AI system
but it has its own limits and limitations .And may be the idea is
perhaps disliked by those who do not like any intervention in the
freedom of expression of any person ,terrorist or otherwise.How long
we could manage to remain silent when there is  need of hour to
express ourselves ?
What do you say friends ?

Thanks Manofasan for making us available those magnificent
photographs/images  sent by Chndrayaan-1 .
arvind


-- In indiansciencefiction@..., "manofsan"
<manofsan@...> wrote:
>
> Chandrayaan-1 Lunar Flyby Video  (only works in IE, not Firefox)
>
> http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/videos/tmca.htm
> <http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/videos/tmca.htm>
>

These photos (doctored or real) do not hint at "the future in many parts of the world when population outstrips resources." They are meant to draw one's attention to the past and present of a particular region, India, and the whole purpose is obviously to urge the authorities and the people to work for a better future. But it has been a long-standing tradition in the West to either "travel backwards in time" by looking at images of India and see their Black Ages in our present OR to foresee its future doom and dystopian visions, again in what is our present.

Second, the paucity of resources in India is "manufactured," by mismanagement and apathy both of the authorities and the people. I'll draw a comparison with my experience in Australia. The trains always have vacant seats except in the peak hours. If Australian transport was handed over to the Indian bureaucracy, its first step would be to stop plying all trains except 1-2 in the morning and the evening peak hours because according to it, that's all that is "required." On the other hand, an Australian, whatever his/her need be, will simply refuse to travel in the way shown in the photos, especially if that need consists of going to a fair. This thought will never even occur to an Indian. To Indians, this is what modern transport is like – fast but risky – and that's how it will always be unless you are rich or migrate "abroad."

And this has a lot to do with the history of modern transport in India. Railways began in India in order to transport goods and Britishers. Indian passengers were unwanted extras and the uniquely inhuman "third class" travel was invented. And then there is the Indian tradition of being accommodating and using everything to its "full" capacity.

"Population" is the excuse, not the cause of this situation in India. Because populations should always be judged according to population density, not simple numbers of people. In that sense, India's population is far lower than that of Japan.

And I wholeheartedly embrace Arvind ji's idea of SF that imagines a society with a large population but enough of everything for everyone. That'll be a breather from the same old Western dystopias repeated ad infinitum.

-Reema.

On 11/27/08 4:02 AM, "swapnil BHARTIYA" <arnieswap@...> wrote:

Correct, Arvind ji, and I cant find the point of showing this so called image of India on a SF forum?????

ONLY this is what Happens in India? If we do want to be critical of India, the right way would be Arvind Adiga's. Let's hit the pain points which could lead to some progress...

Well, I can see the future in many parts of the world when population outstrips resources, for example. Too many people, not enough transportation. Japan still has this, though only on the inside of busses and commuter train cars. When I first came to Japan in the mid-1970s, 200-passenger capacity train cars were routinely packed with upwards of 600 people. "Sardine can" failed to really describe the experience. Extra platform personnel were always on hand to make sure people were crammed in far enough for the doors to close.

Similar scenes (though not as dramatic) can be found elsewhere in Africa and Central and South America, but the dramatic aspect is absent only because population is no so high.

That "Only in Such-and-Such-a Place" is a bit chancy. I think it's intended mostly for people who already live in that place with the implication that what you are seeing isn't likely to happen elsewhere. USA Americans are especially fond of the statement, especially when they are patting themselves on the back.

Cheers,

Gene van Troyer

Correct, Arvind ji, and I cant find the point of showing this so called image of India on a SF forum?????

ONLY this is what Happens in India? If we do want to be critical of India, the right way would be Arvind Adiga's. Let's hit the pain points which could lead to some progress...

I doubt the photos are doctored. While this level of overcrowding on
trains is *very* rare, bus case is not so unfamiliar - though
probably not so in large cities.

On a smaller scale. Ever traveled in Bombay commuter trains during rush
hour? People on roof of electric trains with high voltage wire just a
foot away! Many do get executed. Squeezed in the open space between
cars! Occasionally do fall. Hanging on door footboards & windows.
Regularly fall off - either because of lost grip, or sometimes hitting a
pole that is too close to tracks.

That's without counting related but invisible casualties - being hit by
a train at level crossing or because the tracks pass a couple of feet
from your door! We do have a very unsafe public infrastructure.

arvind mishra wrote:
>
>
> The scenes in question appear to be some sort of photo tricks
> Gene!.Situation is not that much bad.
> arvind
>
> 2008/11/26 Gene van Troyer <gevantry@nirai. ne.jp
> <mailto:gevantry@...>>
>
>     On 11/26/08 5:09 PM, "Bimal Srivastava" <bksrivastava2000@ yahoo.co.
>     uk <mailto:bksrivastava2000@...>> wrote:
>
>                     /It Happens Only In India/ /
>                     /
>
>
>
>     Forgive my perhaps inappropriate sense of humor, but the overloaded
>     bus and train photos had me literally thinking about passengers
>     dropping off at their stops (or anywhere they happened to lose their
>     grips...)
>
>     Cheers,
>
>     Gene van Troyer
>
>
>
>
> --
> arvind mishra
>



Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com

They do regularly fall off - India is yet to learn to respect human
life. In Bombay city alone, half a dozen individuals die EVERY SINGLE
DAY in accidents involving unsafe local commuter trains.

Yours is not an "inappropriate sense of humor". Original poster probably
meant irony rather than fun for some of the pictures.

--
<http://variety-sf.blogspot.com/>

Gene van Troyer wrote:
>
>
> On 11/26/08 5:09 PM, "Bimal Srivastava" <bksrivastava2000@ yahoo.co. uk>
> wrote:
>
>                 /It Happens Only In India/ /
>                 /
>
>
>
> Forgive my perhaps inappropriate sense of humor, but the overloaded bus
> and train photos had me literally thinking about passengers dropping off
> at their stops (or anywhere they happened to lose their grips...)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Gene van Troyer
>


Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com

The scenes in question appear to be some sort of photo tricks Gene!