I can be so stupid some times, it makes me Sikh.

[captainsblog]

Number of days since US media first reported the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India: four.

Day on which Ray finally saw a reference in one of those stories which clarified that they were referring to the huge Indian city historically referred to as Bombay: um, today?

Am I the only one to be this clueless?

Apparently, the official name change was rolled out in 1996. There were few, if any, announcements in the fashionable magazines and colour supplements.

I know how important political correctness is, even to the point of insisting on referring to Burma as [insert name preferred by the murdering dictators here cause I ain't gonna use it], but when a city that big somehow manages to keep itself out of relatively big trouble for 12 years and then gets this much shit rained down on it? A clarification in first reference would be useful.

Kthnxbye,

captainsblog, Cornell Daily Sun copy editor, 1979-81 (ret.)

Comments

[mayiwrite.livejournal.com]

I am fortunate to live with someone who's from India, and I had Thanksgiving dinner with a friend's husband who is also from India, and "Mumbai" sounds enough like "Bombay" in my head that when my roommate first mentioned the city's name four days ago THEN immediately followed it with the old name as an afterthought, I thought, that was a natural and nondescript enough transition. It didn't occur to me the name change happened that long ago.

A lot of geography is like that for me. I was not in the know about Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic or all the -akhstans in central Asia for a very long time. They should make these things more well known. They can't bust out a new edition of an almanac every time it happens. Send a messenger pigeon or something.

[schmedgar.livejournal.com]

It took me a while of reviewing studies being done in Mumbai and thinking "Why aren't they working in a big city like Bombay." before I realized the change. Thankfully, I didn't actually ask anyone because, around here, that would would have been the kiss of social death.

[headbanger118.livejournal.com]

You are not the only one that didn't know this until recently,and I'm a Poli Sci/History major for cripes sake. I say nix on all these name changes. They're just doing it so school systems have to buy new books! :P

And at the other end of the spectrum....

[angledge.livejournal.com]

I was watching CNN on Thanksgiving & every third use of the name Mumbai they said "formerly known as Bombay". I was getting annoyed by them.