Fears that Bhutto assassination will further destabilize Pakistan and the region

The news has been filled with images of rioting in the streets all over Pakistan since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. We are paying particular close attention since we were contacted by a client last week to provide an executive protection team to accompany their executives to the troubled country in the New Year.

There are many theories floating around as to who is responsible for the assassination. The Musharraf Government is blaming al-Qaeda, who definitely stand to gain from instability and chaos in the region. Then there are those who blame Musharraf himself. In this article by Reuters, they speak about America being responsible for coaxing Ms. Bhutto to return to Pakistan and once again particpate in the political scene.

Whatever comes about in the weeks and months ahead, one thing is for certain - businesses who have a need to send staff members to this dangerous part of the world need to take every precaution. The first thing to seriously decide upon is the need. Is it imperative that you travel at all? If the answer is yes, then make sure that you hire professionals who have an abundant knowledge of overseas assignments. In addition, make sure that they have good local knowledge and local contacts where you will travel.

The world is not getting any safer anytime soon. Preparation and knowledge is the key. Be informed and be prepared.

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It may be fashionable in Paris, but will lipstick and high heels keep Qaddafi Safe?

News reports were buzzing after Libya's controversial leader, Col. Qaddafi visited Paris. Most focused on the extravagance of the trip. Many appeared mesmerized by his all-female protective detail.

While we are used to seeing females as part of protective details, especially where female principals and children are involved, there is something that does not appear right about the Libyan leader's detail. There seems to be too much emphasis being placed on their looks and style. Afterall, it is quite difficult to imagine an attack scenario on a Principal being handled professionally by a security detail where everyone is wearing high heels and smiling at the cameras.

At the risk of sounding sexist or demeaning to women, these Libyan bodyguards look more like flight attendants than any kind of presidential Secret Service type of unit. While a strong case can be made that these women are helping to promote women's rights in the Islamic world, one wonders if they offer the kind of serious protection needed by a country leader.

This is even more relevant in today's climate with reports that Al Quaeda consider Qaddafi as an enemy of Islam for having "sold out" to the West. No doubt, his cruising around Paris with French President, Nicolas Sarkozy will not help his cause back at home.

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Providing executive protection for Lindsay Lohan, Brad Pitt, Mel Gobson and other Hollywood stars

I've been hearing a lot of talk this past while about Hollywood stars hiring ex-Israeli Commandos to protect them. Reporters are calling it "the latest craze".

As a security professional, I am always suspect about anything that can be described as a "craze" or a "fad". Executive Protection or Personal Protection is not a new phenomenon. Unfortunately, Hollywood celebrities have not always proved to be the best judges in the past when it comes to deciding who to pick for their personal protection.

Many of Hollywood's leading stars have had (and some still do) big burly guys with names like "Tiny" and "Big Mo". Astute corporate executives on the other hand, realize the importance of hiring intelligent agents who can make split-second decisions and assist with the planning of the client's itinerary.

Hollywood clients beware; not every Israeli soldier belonged to a crack counter-terrorism unit. As a security employer, I am all too aware of how the truth very often gets stretched. It is not difficult for a truck driver to turn into a special forces commando merely by traveling to a new location.

Caveat Emptor; even those who are assigned to apecialized units need to have their credentials checked. This article from an Israeli publication highlights the fact that one of the Israeli bodyguards who "protected" Prime Minister Rabin on the night he was assasinated in 1995, is now the senior Israeli in charge of the security detail that will be protecting President Bush when he travels over there next month.

Maybe Hollywood needs to think less about muscle and hype and rely on U.S. companies who hire professionals with Secret Service and Diplomatic Security Service experience and whose backgrounds can be easily verified.

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Good luck, Mr. President!

Apparently, President Bush will be visiting Israel in the coming weeks. He is but one of many Presidents and diplomats who have tried and are trying to bring peace to the troubled region. However, Mr. Bush should pay extra attention to his own security while there.

According to an Israeli Magazine, a bodyguard from the security detail that failed to protect Prime Minister Rabin on the night he was murdered in 1995, has now been promoted and will be the senior Israeli responsible for protecting the U.S. President in January.

Speaking as someone who hires executive protection specialists, the last thing I would have done with that ill-fated security detail would have been to promote any of them. Actually, I can not see how any of them would have been allowed to keep their jobs. One wonders how much difference there is between the public and private sector there.

For the president's sake, I hope they are big into "learning by their past mistakes".

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Careful - you just might be hiring a "brutal rapist".

So, you want to hire a bodyguard? Who should you call - your brother-in-law, your high school buddy, a sexual predator? I can hear you gasp in shock eventhough the ink has barely had time to dry on the paper. Read down through this blog and you will see how some people make strange hiring decisions.

Ricky Hatton is a boxer from Britain. He has hired another boxer to be his bodyguard, or as they often say in the U.K., his "minder". Ricky's "minder", John Paul King, was unable to accompany his employer to Las Vegas last weekend for Ricky's WBC welterweight bout against Floyd Mayweather. The reason King could not attend was due to his having to stand trial for triple rape during the time when he was working for Hatton. King will not be attending any other fights any time soon after being handed down a life sentence.

Shame on Ricky Hatton and anyone else who hires a guy based on his size and/or brute strength. This is what separates the amateurs from the professionals. Hiring a thug is bound to lead to trouble - costly lawsuits and bad publicity are but a couple of examples. It is no wonder that Kevin Hallinan, the former Major League Baseball security director warns against hiring bodyguards, because many "hire their brother-in-law or a friend of a friend".

While we understand Mr. Hallinan's comment, he should have gone on to say that if you need to hire an executive protection agent, make sure you hire one with credentialed training and experience. If someone broke their leg, of course they shouldn't go to a "friend of a friend" to reset it, (unless that person is a qualified doctor)but at the same time, they should not be warned against getting their leg set in place.

Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley, recently decided that there are too many dangers out there facing professional athletes today. He now has a Personal Protection Specialist accompany him everywhere he travels. How does it make him feel? "It's a blessing", he was recently quoted as saying.

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Sports stars to practice self-protection?

My recent posting regarding the safety of sports stars and the need for Risk Management appears to have been quite timely as USA Today followed-up with their own article on athletes and security.

It is obvious from the article that many professional NBA and NFL stars are concerned for their safety and are talking about purchasing guns and dogs to help protect themselves. While I fully understand their concern, the athletes involved need to be aware of the danger that some of these ideas may pose. For instance, the NFL has strict guidlines restricting the carrying of weapons on their property. Likewise, cities such as Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, all have very strict laws that make it very difficult to carry a concealed weapon if you are not a law enforcement officer.

Even if an athlete could carry a concealed weapon, there are no exceptions covering Federal Buildings, establishments that serve alochol, crossing State lines, etc. As Kelly Davis, a Chicago police officer who worked for three years as a bodyguard to NBA star Denis Rodman said; "if you feel like you need to carry a gun....you need to hire security". A gun is not the ultimate solution to every security threat and guns in the hands of non-experts pose a serious risk factor and open the door to huge liability problems. It is much better to rely on the services of a professional Security firm for these reasons.

Some athletes, such as Torii Hunter of the Los Angeles Angels, intends to "keep a lower profile". While this sounds fine in theory, in reality, it may be very difficult to put into practice. Sports stars, like the President of the United States, will continue to be in the public eye. It is unrealistic to believe that they will stay behind guarded walls when they are not on the field. That is why they need security professonals to "watch their backs" as they go about their lives with as little interruption as possble. The President continues to travel about the country and the world, and in so doing, is protected by highly trained professionals who spend all of their time ensuring that their Principal is safe.

Unfortunately, there appears to be an increase in violent crimes - robberies and burglaries occurring in the player's homes these days. We agree fully with Antwan Jamison of the Washington Wizzards when he says; "you have to take precautions now as far as being at home". Our theme of "target hardening" has never been so approporiate as it is today. The NFL league spokesman, Greg Aiello sums it up perfectly when he says; "don't make it easy for people to target you".

Like we have said many times before, thieves and criminals are opportunists. If they see that a home or an athlete is being protected, they will move along to the one that is without security. For those with a particular axe to grind, the security professional will advise his client on the best way to alternate routes and times of travel, using decoy vehicles, etc. We could go on, but we do not want to give away too many secrets.

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Michael Vick's journey from the NFL to a jail cell

I watched CNN this morning as they announced that Michael Vick had been sentenced to 23 months incarceration for his part in organizing illegal dog fighting and animal abuse. I have never been a star quarterback so I do not know how it feels to go from being a NFL superstar to a Felon, but I bet it can't be easy.

There's not much upside to this story either. The sentencing Judge, Henry E. Hudson, was not buying the idea that it had been a "momentary lack of judgement." He described Vick as being a "full partner" in the crime. He also told him that he owed an apology to the young children who used to look up to him as a role model.

As if all of this humilation was not enough, Vick is still liable to be prosecuted under State Law. Other than an acquital, which is highly unlikely after his conviction in Federal court, the best he can hope for is to have all of his State sentence run concurrently (at the same time as the Federal time).

I recently wrote about Risk Management. For the life of me, I do not understand why one of the highest earning super stars in the NFL (his 10 year contract was reportedly worth $130,000,000.00)would not hire personal security consultants to keep him out of trouble. While a personal protection agent's main role is usually keeping his client safe from outside threats and attacks, in the case of celebrities, this often means keeping them safe - from themselves.

A colleague and I were talking last year about an assignment that involved protecting a world famous boxer who had a penchant for getting into trouble. He said that he never worried about anyone attacking his client, but he constantly worried about his client getting into trouble. This was most especially the case where females were involved. As a result he was like a baby sitter and was never able to take his eyes off of the client (baby) for more than a second. He said the money was great, but in the end it just wore him down too much.

Guys like Vick are really to be pitied. Most of them go from relative obscurity and poverty to overnight stardom. Which of us would not fold under that pressure? We see Lotto winners losing fortunes all the time. There are always too many hanger-ons, both from the old days and new found friends who are afraid to speak their minds. However, having the courage to speak up and voice an unpopular opinion might be just what it takes to keep these guys out of trouble.

They need tough love so they don't swap their Armani for prison stripes. If you come across any super stars to be, tell them about us. We'll keep them safe. At the same time we'll keep them out of lawsuits, gossip columns, bankruptcy courts and jail. It's probably too late for Vick. At the time of writing his houses are being auctioned off and the creditors are moving in.

As I said before, this is the opposite of Risk Management. This is avoidance. We all have risk. The secret is knowing how to best manage it.

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Would armed security officers in Omaha have saved lives?

Last week seemed to be a bad week for Malls and Churches. In Nebraska and Colorado, gunmen killed innocent people who were merely going about their daily lives. The situation could have been much worse in Colorado Springs but for the quick repsonse and bravery of a female security officer. The Pastor, Brady Boyd, rightfully cited the security officer for her brave actions and said; "she probably saved 100 lives".

That is why it is difficult to understand the comments made to CNN from certain security sources. Don Greene, a retired FBI agent said that it would be difficult for anyone to have predicted the actions of the killer at the Westroads Mall in Omaha. Fair enough. However, the Omaha Chief of Police reported that mall security officers actually noticed the young gunman when he entered the mall.

Being unarmed, that is all they could do - observe. That is what they would have had to do in Colorado Springs if none of the security officers had been armed. According to the Pastor there, more than 100 people may have been murdered by the high-powered rifle wielding killer. However, one officer was armed and the news is now hailing this officer as a heroine.

Back to Mr. Greene. Mr. Greene was asked, in his expert opinion (one presumes as a retired FBI agent), if he believed that mall security officers should be armed. "Absolutely not", shot back Greene. He further added that had security been armed it could have resulted in a "gunfight at the OK Corral" scenario. For some inexplicable reason, he added; "then we might have had 23 dead instead of 8".

I wish I knew how to contact Mr.Greene today. I would love to ask him if he wished to stand behind his original comment. When I was at it, I can assure you that I would ask him to explain how he arrived at his calculations.

Lou Palumbo is another security source that I would like to interview. Mr. Palumbo told CNN that Malls should have Law Enforcement personnel watching people as they enter the Mall. I would tell him; "Mr. Palumbo, please do some research. The Council of International Shopping Centers tells us that there are 1,200 enclosed shopping malls and 50,000 shopping centers in this country. If you assign a Police Officer to watch every entrance, you would need more than 250,000 Police Officers to report for duty on the first day".

That does not even take into account the number that would be needed to relieve officers on sick leave, admin leave, vacation, promotion, etc. Does anybody really think that we will have a 400,000 strong Federal Mall Police Department any day soon? Be thankful for private security.

It makes one wonder where CNN finds their security sources.

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Church killer stopped by private security officer

Yesterday's deadly church shootings in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ended when a brave security officer used her concealed weapon to prevent the killer from taking any more lives.

Reports state that the security officer was one of three security officers working at the New Life Church service on Sunday where more than 7,000 people attended. She was the only armed officer. The Pastor, Brady Boyd, described the security officer as a hero who "probably saved over one hundred lives" by her quick thinking.

The Pastor himself deserves a lot of credit for his proactive measures. He increased his security team for yesterday's service and ensured that at least one security officer was armed, following the shooting incident at a church in Arvada, about 70 miles away. As the Pastor said; "increasing security right after the Denver shooting saved hundreds of lives".

This is a prime example of the capability of the private sector when it comes to assisting Law Enforcement. This cool-headed security officer showed incredible judgement and compsure in dealing with a deadly situation. There is no doubt that her prior training and dedication to duty was largely responsible for the way in which she acted.

Reports tell us that she fired one shot and hit the gunman first time after realizing that he had shot and possibly killed innocent church attendees. Although wounded, he was still intent on continuing his deadly spree as evidenced by the fact that he reached for a grenade. The officer then warned him to stop and keep his hands where she could see them. Obviously fearing for her life and the lives of others, she fired another round which killed the gunman.

Speaking as a former Law Enforcement Officer, this officer's actions appear to be not only justified, but a text-book perfect example of how an experienced and highly competent Police Officer would have handled the situation under the same circumstances.

The public and the citizens of Colorado Springs in particular, should be proud and grateful to have security officers of this calibre protecting them.

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Be careful what you ask for.

As professional investigators, we get involved in a mutlitude of different cases and investigations. Many times, clients do not know exactly what they want and sometimes we are asked by a client to do something that maybe illegal or unethical.

The decision is an easy one for legitimate and ethical private investigation firms. Under no circumstances would we do anything that involved breaking the law or conducting our business in an unethical manner. Unfortunately, there are those who are more intersted in making money than being ethical and law abiding.

Mr. Bill Lowrance, President of the Professional Investigators Association of Virginia, has recently highlighted the case of ten investigators who ran afoul of the law for supplying information to a host of clients, including attorneys, to which they were not entitled. It appears as if these investigators and attorneys will now face serious legal action and rightfully so.

One of the most frequent illegal requests that we get is from clients wishing to "tap" a phone line. These clients are immediately informed that the tapping of a phone in order to discover the conversation between two or more people is a Federal Crime. In certain States, and Virginia is one, a person can covertly record a conversation that they are having with another person. They do not need the other person's permission when it is done in a "one party" State.

A "one party" State is exactly as it sounds. It means that as long as one person gives their permission (the person making the recording), it is perfectly legal to record that conversation. Be advised that the person making the recording must be the other party. In a "two party" state, both parties involved in the phone call/canversation would have had to give permission before it could be legally recorded.

Another area where people get themselves into trouble is with surveillance. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, only Police Officers and properly licensed investigators are allowed by law to conduct surveillance. Believe it or not, a husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other can get arrested for watching or following their partner around even if they believe the partner is cheating on them with somebody else.

The last thing you want is to unknowingly get yourself into trouble. Be sure to do your due diligence and only hire qualified, licensed, insured and ethical companies when you have an investigative need. This goes for individuals and Law Firms alike.

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Killing spree at Omaha mall

I was wathcing this morning's edition of "Bulls and Bears" on Fox television. The host, Brenda Butner was talking about the Omaha, Nebraska mall killings of this past week and talking about the likelihood of many people staying away from the mall when it opens today, for the first time since the massacre.

Ms. Butner's guests rightfullly pointed out that while it was a very violent and unfortunate incident, it would not force consumers to stay at home nor bring down the economy. People know that a crime perpetrated by a disturbed teenager,albeit heinous in nature,is a "once off" type of incident and hopefully will never re-occur - at least not at that particular location.

One thing that does strike me however, is the importance for mall security to be ever vigilant and proactive in spotting danger as early as possible and endeavouring to "nip it in the bud". After the terrible events of 9/11, many people tend to think that all terrorists have a "certain" look - perhaps they expect them all to look Middle Eastern. However, this disturbed teenager, Robert Hawkins and if you go back to the Oklahoma bombing, Timothy McVeigh, looked like your typical "guy next door" american. I think there is no question in any of our minds that they both inflicted terror into the hearts of their victims and survivors alike.

Much information has come to light about the mindset of those who mean us harm folloing 9/11. We now know, through the disemination of seized terrorist training manuals and interviews, that terrorists plan to attack us in places where large crowds gather - malls, cinemas, football games, concerts, etc. Mall management companies owe it to consumers to protect them as they go about their daily lives spending money in their premises.

One of the first rules that we teach security officers is to always be aware and questioning their surroundings. Malls should post security officers at entrance doors and observe those entering. If a person entering a mall is smuggling in an assault rifle, as Robert Hawkins did, they should appear suspicious and have been approached. Surveillance cameras should be placed liberally throughout the mall and the entire area should be kept under observation and continually scanned for suspicious behaviour.

The world has changed greatly these past six years and malls need to realize that where 5 officers may have been sufficient in the past, now twice that number may be needed. Sure, it will be extra cost, but at the end of the day these management companies have a responsibility to protect us and we expect and deserve to be kept safe. If they fail to do that and terrible situations happen that may have been avoided if adequate security measures had been taken, the subsequent lawsuits are very likely to far outweigh those additional security costs.

While we are talking about safety, let us all do our parts to look out for each other. If something does not seem right, do not hesitate to bring it to a security officer's attention. We are all in this together.

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A law suit waiting to happen.

In my last posting I talked about employers being vulnerable when it came to law suits for not properly protecting their employees. As a security consultant, I am often asked to advise on ways to protect a client from such exposure. This process is called Risk Managment.

All of us can assume that we face some form of most of the time. A perfect example would be when driving your vehicle. We buy an insurance policy that will pay out in the case of an accident,fire or theft of the vehicle. In this way, we manage that risk. By doing nothing and taking a chance that nothing will ever go wrong, we would be ignoring the risk.

Smart companies and individuals who believe in being proactive, often call upon an experienced security consultant to advise them on how best to protect their assets. When I come across a situation that is so obvious that I am sure that if action is not taken the consequences may prove drastic, I make it a point to bring it to someone's attention.

One such occassion happened a few years ago at a fitness center. The center operated on a 24 hour basis and it meant that people were coming to exercise at all hours, day and night. I noticed that not only did the center not have any physical security presence, but they did not even have any security cameras. The parking lot was huge - it needed to be to accomodate the many thousands of members.

One day I brought my concerns to one of the senior managers. I made it a point to conduct research prior to asking for a meeting. The research showed many examples of how owners/managers of shopping centers were held liable in a court of law and sued for umpteen millions of dollars when women were raped and assaulted at night in the parking lot after coming out from shopping. The courts held that the management was liable as they did not provide any security guard or any camera that could have caught the crimes on tape.

I thought that I had provided a great service by bringing the matter to their attention and of course hoped to be chosen to provide the interior and exterior cameras at the facility. The manager did not seem to comprehend the seriousness of the situation and casually mentioned how they had been thinking of putting in two cameras inside the basket ball court where fights broke out sometime!

It therefore did not surprise me to recently hear that the same fitness center was in trouble when it was learned that a married manager was having affairs with a couple of sub-bordinates at the same time. Not only that, but the manager was also having sexual relations with a number of the married members.

What has this to do with Risk Management I hear you ask? Well, it so happens that the manager involved got transferred, not fired mind you, but transferred without any reduction in rank or responsibility. The worse part of this story is that one of the victims, a sub-bordinate who eventually rasied the alarm, was also transferred and advised that if they made a formal complaint that they would be immediately fired. Apparently upper management has no problem with breaking Federal laws since under Federal Law, the victim in a sexual harrassment case can not be penalized for reporting the abuse.

Do these guys need help in managing their risk or what? Actually, I think they are gone way beyond managing their risk. I think they will be in need of a good PR firm. Before that though, they had better find themselves the best attorney that money can buy.

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Wrong way to get the Senator's attention.

I was in Asia last week when a disturbed male walked into the Rochester, NH campaign office of Hilary Clinton and held staff hostage saying that he had a bomb strapped to his body. For some, it highlighted the fact that campaign workers are fairly much "lone-gunning" it out there and they could do well to excercise caution and realize that they are not bulletproof. As Ms. Parker suggests; they should follow their intuition and listen to their "inner voice" as talked about in Gavin DE Becker's book; "The Gift of Fear".

It was interesting to note that one local blogger was convinced right from the beginning that the crisis would end peacefully and he even stuck his neck out well in advance and made the call. It seems that this is some kind of NH modus operandi. Crazed people giving up peacefully - not local people sticking their necks out.

There were even those who viewed the whole incident as a positive for Senator Clinton and spoke about how it made her seem "Presidential". That is all well and good but this could have just as easily turned out much worse and then we would be talking about the casualties instead of the way that a politican had "kept their cool".

As a security person, I view the incident as a reminder that people operating in the limelight should always be careful and cautious as you never know how many enemies may be mixed in along with the fans. John Lennon and RFK are two prime examples. The question of responsibility for the safety and security for one's employees, even at the voluntary level, should always be in the forefront and not relegated as an after-thought. Many employers all over the country who do not provide adequate protection for their workforce and clients are leaving themselves exposed to huge liability.

Perhaps it is not unreasonable to suggest that each candidate's campaign office should have a security person to watch over the people who are out there working hard - sometimes too hard to even stop to think of their own vulnerability. If a person has their head down all day making and receiving calls and running in and out of offices, they can not really be expected to be able to concentrate on the manners and body language of those visiting their offices.

Afterall, Senator Clinton is protected by one of the most professional security teams in the world, every minute of the day. Maybe she should give some thought to the welfare of those who are out there giving of their time in an effort to help her get back into the White House.

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A risk management lesson in culture learning

Today saw the release from prison of Gillian Gibbons,the British teacher arrested in Sudan for blasphemy. Miss Gibbons had recommended that the students should name a teddy bear "Mohammad". By law, Miss Gibbons could have received 40 lashes for taking the name of the prophet in vain, but there were many protesters demanding that she receive the death penalty.

By all accounts, Miss Gibbon did not realize the seriousness of her statement. The school Director, Mr. Robert Boulos told the BBC that the whole incident was a "completely innocent mistake". The school was originally founded by Christian groups, but now 90% of the students are from the Islamic faith.

This case should be noted by all companies who intend sending employees overseas and into different cultures. Without proper cultural training, the employee is not going to know how to act and may make mistakes that can not only get him/her into trouble but it could also cause embarrassment to the whole corporation and draw much negative press. Not only could the employer lose out on a lucrative contract but in severe cases such as this, be liable for legal costs and lose out on future contracts in similar countries.

Do not let your employees "wing it". Organize the needed training before they depart. Let the records show that you did everything in your power to prepare them for the particular theatre of operations. Instead of worrying about damaged diplomacy, let them be shining ambassadors for your firm and reap the benefits when word gets around to other potential clients.

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The last thing you want to see before boarding a plane

It's 6am on a Sunday morning and Delhi's international airport is jumping like Grand Central Station. After battling my way through the teeming masses and procuring a life-saving "emergency aisle" seat, I decided to celebrate with a cup of coffee. As I sat down to enjoy my addiction, I was delighted to view a Sunday paper sitting on the empty seat next to me.

What I saw next belonged more on a Monty Python or Mr. Bean comedy skit than in a departure lounge. The front page headlines shouted out; "Fear of Flying With Unfit Pilots". The article advised me that "the next time you take a commercial filght in India, do not forget to say a prayer. If lady luck is on your side, you should have nothing to fear most of the time you fly".

I knew that my departure tickets were dated the 2nd of December so there was no way that this was some kind of April Fool's prank. I read on. "If you are unlucky, you could be flying on an aircraft whose pilot is either half deaf, a drunk, someone proclaimed medically unfit, has only one kidney, suffers from cardiac problems, or worse, someone without adequate professional flying experience". I looked around the waiting area to see if I could see any hidden cameras. Surely Ashton Kutcher was about to jump out from behind a pile of luggage to tell me that I'd been "punk'd". According to the article, I was probably better off trying to fly the plane myself.

Apparently there is such a shortfall of qualified pilots in India, that airlines are recruiting those who have been let go from other airlines due to serious medical conditions and those who are too old to fly in their own country. The ironic part of this story is that I was supposed to fly with Air India, but their issuing of a paper ticket did not suit my 48 pre-departure purchase. Instead I flew Qatar Airlines on an e-ticket.

As if flying has not become difficult and stressful enough this past six years, now we have to worry about the pilot being deaf, or drunk, medically unfit or just not having enough professional flying experience (at least they don't give credit for video game experience). I am grateful for an honest Indian Press and can at least be somewhat prepared when next flying to this exotic land, but what do we do if we need to get around the country once there? The Darjeeling Express is starting to have a good ring to it.

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