http://www.scribd.com/people/view/55-firoze-h This a feed for documents on Scribd written by philippi666 30 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:54:21 GMT Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:54:21 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3753550/KIDS-SENDING-NUDE-PICS-ON-CELL-PHONES Technology is wonderful, but more and more examples are coming to light about how it can become a dangerous tool in the hands of those not mature enough to handle it. Junior and High school crushes and fledgling romances have been a part of growing up for centuries. Before the advent of technology, it was a relatively harmless and pleasurable pastime. You passed a mushy note to a member of the opposite sex that you fancied; or you had rambling hour-long private conversations on the phone without actually saying anything much. It was cute; and a source of tolerant amusement for parents. No long Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:54:21 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3753550/KIDS-SENDING-NUDE-PICS-ON-CELL-PHONES http://www.scribd.com/doc/3753242/That-Hit-The-Spot Since time immemorial men and women have been attempting to jazz up the simple act of coitus – add pizzazz to it, if you will. From erotic sculpture, to the Kama Sutra, to “Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex – But Were Afraid to Ask”, couples have been trying to lend excitement to – when all is said and done – the action of a piston moving in a lubricated shaft. Of all the sexual myths and legends, probably the most enduring has been the fabled G-spot – that mysterious protuberance that is tantalizing difficult to locate but which, when stimulated, results in orgiastic nirvana. Now for a Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:34:39 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3753242/That-Hit-The-Spot http://www.scribd.com/doc/3607117/SOME-TERRORISTS-LOOK-JUST-LIKE-US SOME TERRORISTS LOOK JUST LIKE US Mention the words Al Qaeda or terrorist; and chances are that you will conjure up images of swarthy, bearded men with cold, ruthless eyes – who never smile. Well you are far from being the unique. This is the image implanted in the minds of airport security guards; and these are the type of individuals inevitable singled out and grilled. And not just at airports. Spot such a person in some place as innocuous as a shopping mall; and your gut instinct will tell you to steer clear of him. Now it seems that Al Qaeda and others of their tribe have cottoned on to th Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:54:06 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3607117/SOME-TERRORISTS-LOOK-JUST-LIKE-US http://www.scribd.com/doc/3246155/THIS-RING-IS-MINE THIS RING IS MINE Consider this hypothetical scenario. A young woman has been in a relationship with a man for some months; and he has even proposed to her. In the course of their relationship, he has given her a bracelet, a Rolex, other gifts and, finally, a diamond ring. The girl later finds out the lying scumbag has been cheating on her; and breaks of the engagement. What does she do with the gifts he’s given her? In an earlier, gentler time, when couples actually courted, perhaps her conscience would have prompted her to return the gifts, even if the guy was a philanderer. But the modern w Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:49:54 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3246155/THIS-RING-IS-MINE http://www.scribd.com/doc/3222874/US-PRISON-SHIPS US PRISON SHIPS In recent times, a new word has entered our vocabulary. Well, it’s not exactly a new word, but it has acquired a sinister connotation after 9/11. The word is “rendition”. There’s even a recent movie named after it. In its simplest terms, rendition means questioning prisoners and crime suspects without regard to legal niceties like Miranda rights and such. Till a couple of years ago, the really bad guys – translation: suspected Al Qaeda terrorists – were ‘rendered’ in countries like Syria, where torture is not only legal, but a routine method of interrogation. Unfortunately for Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:41:10 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3222874/US-PRISON-SHIPS http://www.scribd.com/doc/3153176/HAVE-CONDOM-GOT-MILK HAVE CONDOM. GOT MILK? Once in a while, you come across a reassuring piece of news which proves that computers will never replace humans. Call it innovativeness - or just plain lunacy - but we humans are in a different zone that even the most advanced technology cannot replicate. This latest revolutionary concept was spawned, unwittingly, by something as mundane as a government survey. The Australian state of Queensland does not make condoms available to male prisoners; unlike the neighboring state of New South Wales. So a survey was carried out, involving 900 male prisoners. The high minded p Thu, 29 May 2008 16:12:03 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3153176/HAVE-CONDOM-GOT-MILK http://www.scribd.com/doc/3144676/ILLEGAL-SCHOOLS-IN-MUMBAI-SUBURBSAC ILLEGAL SCHOOLS IN MUMBAI’S SHANTYTOWNS A newspaper report highlighted the fact that illegal primary schools, which have not been registered with the education ministry, are springing up with alarming frequency in Mumbai’s sprawling shantytowns. Many of these “schools” are makeshift affairs, set up in small dilapidated rooms with almost zero facilities. The ‘teachers’ too, are mostly unqualified; usually individuals with a smattering of secondary education. For the benefit of those of you who do not live in India, let me give a brief overview of the primary school system in that country. There Thu, 29 May 2008 02:08:40 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3144676/ILLEGAL-SCHOOLS-IN-MUMBAI-SUBURBSAC http://www.scribd.com/doc/3086438/ITS-A-HARD-LIFE-BEING-A-MAN IT’S A HARD LIFE BEING A MAN It’s a hard life being a man. Guys have to worry about paying the bills, coping with domineering wives, trying to prevent teenage daughters from going totally wild (usually with a singular lack of success); and so on and so forth. It’s small wonder, then, that many men cope by drinking a lot of beer. Well, guess what? That no longer makes a guy just a slob, it can damn near kill him – and I’m not talking about alcoholics, but normal beer guzzlers. A new study carried out by researchers at Michigan University (don’t those people have anything better to do?) has reve Sat, 24 May 2008 13:13:19 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3086438/ITS-A-HARD-LIFE-BEING-A-MAN http://www.scribd.com/doc/3039884/WASTE-NOT-WANT-NOT WASTE NOT, WANT NOT If you’re into guessing games, I’m going to throw a number at you and ask you to figure out what it stands for. The number is 30 million tons. I’ll give you a hint. It concerns something edible. If you guessed that was the amount of food Americans consume every year, you’re so near and yet so far. It is actually the amount of food Americans throw away every year. This statistic is even more scandalous in the present context, when food prices are on the rise all over the world – and there is a genuine threat of food shortages. According to an article by Andrew Martin in the Wed, 21 May 2008 12:39:09 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3039884/WASTE-NOT-WANT-NOT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3018219/TO-PEE-OR-NOT-TO-PEE TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE Many young boys want to be astronauts or fighter pilots when they grow up. Nothing wrong with that. Those guys can be heroic figures and worthy role models to emulate. In one respect, however, these heroes are just as human and vulnerable as you and I. I’m talking about bodily functions. Whether you’re a tough guy or a wimp. When you have to go, you have to go. We desk jockeys may not realize it, but an activity we take for granted can become real yucky for the fly boys. Consider this scenario. You are a top gun hurtling through the skies in your F-16 at Mach 6. Suddenly y Mon, 19 May 2008 06:49:33 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3018219/TO-PEE-OR-NOT-TO-PEE http://www.scribd.com/doc/3003199/FAT-CHANCE-OF-CURBING-GLOBAL-WARMING FAT CHANCE OF CURBING GLOBAL WARMING If you are one of those who has had it up to here with the current price of gas and rising grocery bills – and are concerned about global warming - blame it on the fat people – or the obese, if you want to be politically correct. A study carried out by a team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has concluded that obese folks use up more fuel, not only to transport their bulky derrieres, but the humungous amount of food they consume. Naturally this adds up to food shortages and high energy prices. A short physiology lesson here, for the sci Sat, 17 May 2008 13:31:42 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/3003199/FAT-CHANCE-OF-CURBING-GLOBAL-WARMING http://www.scribd.com/doc/2988360/INDIAN-BUREAUCRACY-IS-BIGGEST-ALLY-OF-TERRORISTS INDIAN BUREAUCRACY IS BIGGEST ALLY OF TERRORISTS Today’s Times of India (TOI) (May 16) carries a telling graphic. It lists the nine major terrorist bombings that have taken place in the country since 2005; and the current status of the investigations to trace the culprits. In a word, the current status of the investigations is pathetic. Most of the bombers have escaped or remain untraced; and few of the masterminds behind the attacks have been conclusively identified, let alone brought to justice. The reaction of India’s security agencies in the aftermath of a terrorist incident has become so Fri, 16 May 2008 06:41:45 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2988360/INDIAN-BUREAUCRACY-IS-BIGGEST-ALLY-OF-TERRORISTS http://www.scribd.com/doc/2981763/FALLING-INTO-THE-TEXT-TRAP FALLING INTO THE TEXT TRAP In these recession-hit times, an increasing number of folks are falling into the debt trap. Many more – although they may not realize it – are also falling into the text trap. I am referring to those ubiquitous text messages that anyone with a cell phone – which means just about everybody – sends out by the hundreds with reckless abandon. Heck, it’s only ten cents a message, right? And what can you buy with a dime these days? Well, those dimes are adding up. Think about it. You’re on the road and you get a bright idea; or maybe a friend messaged you a joke that is to Thu, 15 May 2008 15:35:17 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2981763/FALLING-INTO-THE-TEXT-TRAP http://www.scribd.com/doc/2971410/YEH-HAI-MUMBAI-MERI-JAAN YEH HAI MUMBAI MERI JAAN I grew up in the 1950’s in a city called Bombay. It certainly could not rival London or New York, but it was a pleasant enough town with a population of around half a million Bombayites. So just who was a Bombayite? That was the beauty of it; it could be just about anybody – Tehmina Batliwalla from Cusrow Baug, Balakrishnan from Matunga, Gidwani from Pasta Lane, Nanabhai Patel from Gamdevi, or Anthony Gonsalves from Bandra. At worst, they tolerated each other, but that was the exception. As a rule, there was an easy camaraderie amongst them. They made jokes about each Wed, 14 May 2008 15:48:35 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2971410/YEH-HAI-MUMBAI-MERI-JAAN http://www.scribd.com/doc/2971398/NO-LONGER-DISPOSABLE NO LONGER DISPOSABLE Consider this scenario. Two young women are rummaging through a storage bin and smile when they find two bottles of expired salad dressings. Their smile widens when they discover dented cans of vegetables and crumpled boxes of candy bars. The ladies are not scavengers. They fully expect to pay for the gods. They are smiling because it will cost them a fraction of the normal sale price. You might be forgiven for surmising that I am describing the situation in Zimbabwe. Except that this is in the United States; or Mesopotamia, Ohio, to be precise. Amish-run salvage stores, s Wed, 14 May 2008 15:46:50 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2971398/NO-LONGER-DISPOSABLE http://www.scribd.com/doc/2944969/READYMADE-BABIES A READY-MADE BABY In this wondrous technological age we live in, some of the most significant advances have occurred in the area of childbirth. No longer does a woman, or her male partner, have to be fertile or potent in order to experience the joys of motherhood. It started with wives, whose husbands' joysticks malfunctioned. A few years ago, In-Vitro Fertilization, or IVF, became popular. This basically involved having test tube babies through artificial insemination. Then fertile single women, who wanted children without the nuisance of a live-in male partner slobbering all over them and ge Mon, 12 May 2008 12:29:08 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2944969/READYMADE-BABIES http://www.scribd.com/doc/2941766/A-READYMADE-BABY A READY-MADE BABY In this wondrous technological age we live in, some of the most significant advances have occurred in the area of childbirth. It started with wives, whose husbands’ joysticks malfunctioned, having test tube babies through artificial insemination. Then fertile single women, who wanted children without the nuisance of a live-in male partner slobbering all over them and getting in their hair, started getting the job done by visiting sperm banks. Now even this is becoming old hat. Janice is a 39 year old woman living in England. When Janice was 29, her uterus had to be removed du Mon, 12 May 2008 02:35:45 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2941766/A-READYMADE-BABY http://www.scribd.com/doc/2911910/BE-TAHNKFUL-FOR-YOUR-BIG-BUTT BE THANKFUL FOR YOUR BIG BUTT If you are one of those who reluctantly forgoes sinful desserts and pepperoni pizza, because you think it goes straight to your posterior, stop right now. Indulge yourself to your heart’s content; and ignore those extra inches building up on your butt. It’s actually good for your health. Research done by some eminent doctors has revealed that a type of fat that accumulates around the hips and bottom may actually offer some protection against diabetes. The medical term for fat that collects under the skin is subcutaneous fat. It seems likely that subcutaneous fat h Thu, 08 May 2008 16:16:39 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2911910/BE-TAHNKFUL-FOR-YOUR-BIG-BUTT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2899786/HYPERMILING-TO-SAVE-GAS HYPERMILING TO SAVE GAS The present exorbitant price of gasoline has divided Americans into two categories. The first comprises those who moan about it; and cut back on groceries and even delay paying insurance premiums, in order to fill up the tank. The second category consists of those who have decided to do something about it. They are responsible for a new word having entered the American lexicon – hypermiling. Simply put, hypermiling has the potential to increase gas mileage, even in gas-guzzling SUVs. And it does not involve high technology; simply the application of simple laws of physi Wed, 07 May 2008 10:10:59 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2899786/HYPERMILING-TO-SAVE-GAS http://www.scribd.com/doc/2873406/THOSE-GLUTTONOUS-INDIANS THOSE GLUTTONOUS INDIANS As if I did not have enough to worry about with global warming and skyrocketing fuel prices, I now find myself in a further quandary. It appears that I am to blame for the increasing cost of groceries at Wal-Mart. My dilemma is intensified because I love America and Americans; and it wrenches my gut to realize that I am contributing to their agony. Let me explain. According to the Great White Hope, George Bush, middle-class Indians – a category to which I belong are getting more prosperous and, consequently, eating two square meals a day instead of one, as they used to Sun, 04 May 2008 15:09:04 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2873406/THOSE-GLUTTONOUS-INDIANS http://www.scribd.com/doc/2868017/Thinking-Big-30-Billion-A-Gold-Pram THINKING BIG – A $30 BILLION BOUNCED CHECK & A GOLDEN PRAM As these two little snippets illustrate, two categories of people qualify among the oddballs who make the diversity of the human condition so fascinating. The first individual does not have much in terms of material wealth, but he had billion dollar ambitions and balls to match. The second category has the stuff in bushels and an in-your-face desire to flaunt it. I realize that folks think big in the big state of Texas, but this guy takes the cake. Charles Ray Fuller, a 21 year-old guy from North Texas, coolly strolled into a bank in F Sat, 03 May 2008 15:12:33 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2868017/Thinking-Big-30-Billion-A-Gold-Pram http://www.scribd.com/doc/2836839/OUTSOURCING-TORTURE OUTSOURCING TORTURE Remember the flap a few months ago; when it was revealed that the United States was transporting prisoners suspected of belonging to Al Qaeda to Arab countries, where the security agencies were not so squeamish about using torture to extract information? Now it turns out that America’s good friend and number one ally, Great Britain, has been doing the same thing too. The British establishment newspaper, The Guardian, has reported that MI 5 (if you have to ask, you obviously haven’t read John Le Carre) is outsourcing the torture of Pakistaniorigin Britons, suspected of havin Fri, 02 May 2008 13:27:17 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2836839/OUTSOURCING-TORTURE http://www.scribd.com/doc/2771969/IS-HANDWRITING-DEAD-NOT-QUITE IS HANDWRITING DEAD? NOT QUITE One of the major casualties of the computer revolution is the art of handwriting. It has reached such a stage that the only time most of us pick up a fountain pen or a ballpoint is to sign cheques or credit card slips. Even greeting cards only require you to type out the recipient’s name and your own. I know my handwriting has suffered greatly. The few times I use a ballpoint to jot down an idea, while on the road, I have great difficulty deciphering it later. My doctor would be proud of me. Newspapers are no better. Reporters and editors pound out copy on a keyb Thu, 01 May 2008 09:20:34 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2771969/IS-HANDWRITING-DEAD-NOT-QUITE http://www.scribd.com/doc/2732816/WHO-GETS-THE-DOG WHO GETS THE DOG? So many couples get divorced these days – particularly in the US – that it almost qualifies as a lifestyle. A recent survey revealed that less than half the number of couples in a live in relationship are married. After a divorce, apart from the emotional baggage each party carries around for a long while, there are practical matters to attend to. To put it colloquially, the big question to be resolved is who gets which part of the loot. Property is the relatively easy part to split up; but what happens when some of that property is alive? Nowadays, in m any households, pets Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:28:21 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2732816/WHO-GETS-THE-DOG http://www.scribd.com/doc/2678197/THE-HINDUS-FIGHT-BACK-REVERSE-CONVERSION-IN-INDIA THE HINDUS ARE FIGHTING BACK – REVERSE CONVERSION IN INDIA We seem to have entered an era where certain individuals have suddenly become suffused with overwhelming religious zeal – and I am not talking about Taliban-like groups. These are rational ‘leaders’ whom I would hesitate to label as fundamentalists but who, nonetheless, feel a desperate urge to set themselves up as arbiters and champions of whatever religion they happen to espouse. In India, over the past hundred or so years, Christian missionaries have proselytized with great determination, bringing thousands of impoverished Hindus ‘t Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:45:50 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2678197/THE-HINDUS-FIGHT-BACK-REVERSE-CONVERSION-IN-INDIA http://www.scribd.com/doc/2671535/YOURE-NOT-A-JERK-IF-YOU-JERK-OFF YOU’RE NOT A JERK IF YOU JERK OFF I was not a precocious child growing up. I must shamefacedly admit that I never once rebelled against my parents. I got straight A’s right from kindergarten to graduation. I did not smoke or drink; and I never experimented with drugs. In short, I was a total bore. Not surprisingly, the girls at my school thought I was a freaking dweeb; but my parents loved me. Believe me when I say it’s not an acceptable trade off. There was one silver lining, however. In one aspect, at least, I was not a model son. I managed to piss off my mom whenever she caught me jerking o Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:09:40 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2671535/YOURE-NOT-A-JERK-IF-YOU-JERK-OFF http://www.scribd.com/doc/2622396/DEBATE-OVER-SEX-EDUCATION-IN-INDIA DEBATE OVER SEX EDUCATION IN INDIA There is a debate going on currently about the advisability of providing basic sex education to school children in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The state education minister had recently announced that sex education would be made compulsory. However, this announcement is being greeted with heated opposition by other legislators in the House. Our legislators, once again, are displaying their head-in-the-sand mindset on the very important issue of sex education - or lack thereof. They seem to be governed by the dictum that if you ignore a problem, it does no Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:23:26 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2622396/DEBATE-OVER-SEX-EDUCATION-IN-INDIA http://www.scribd.com/doc/2585975/MEDICAL-TOURISM-IN-INDIA MEDICAL TOURISM IN INDIA Traveling in India is often a mixed blessing. My country offers 7000 years of history, enormous ethnic and economic diversity and breathtaking scenery. The beaches of Goa, which have been almost completely taken over by foreigners, offer – apart from almost perpetual sun and acres of golden beaches – easy availability of pot and other stimulants guaranteed to give you a high. However, tourists also encounter gut-wrenching poverty; and being pestered by beggars and urchins, who – for a price – are quite amenable to satisfy sexual perversions. Women tourists, although se Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:04:42 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2585975/MEDICAL-TOURISM-IN-INDIA http://www.scribd.com/doc/2561735/Jesus-On-A-High JESUS ON A HIGH There are two fundamental tenets of Christianity which, in the eyes of Christians, justifies their assertion that sets Jesus Christ apart and above the heads of other world religions. The first is that he is the only human known to have resurrected himself from death: and the second is that he performed an impressive number of miracles. Let us focus on the ‘miracle’ part. Christians accept Christ’s miracles, based on faith alone, as indisputable proof of his divinity. Scientists and skeptics , however, are not easily convinced. Anything they cannot prove, either by theory or ex Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:00:45 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2561735/Jesus-On-A-High http://www.scribd.com/doc/2535309/CIVIL-LIBERTIES-IN-BRITAIN-BEING-ENCROACHED-IN-NAME-OF-SECURITY CIVIL LIBERTIES IN BRITAIN BEING ENCROACHED IN NAME OF SECURITY Many Americans who feel that their civil liberties are being curtailed – and law enforcement excesses perpetrated – in the name of homeland security, may derive a certain measure of comfort from knowing they are not alone. Britain, the country that gave the world the Magna Carta – and whose name, for centuries, has been synonymous with fair play and citizens’ rights – now seems to have joined the club. Just as 9/11 changed the United States forever, the July 2005 train bombings in London woke Britain up to the new realit Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:20:40 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2535309/CIVIL-LIBERTIES-IN-BRITAIN-BEING-ENCROACHED-IN-NAME-OF-SECURITY http://www.scribd.com/doc/2511583/BOYCOTTING-THE-BEIJING-OLYMPICS BOYCOTTING THE BEIJING OLYMPICS – A GOOD IDEA? I just read a very interesting article by Chinese actress and director, Joan Chen in The Washington Post. The thrust of the article is that the current clamor for boycotting the Beijing Olympics – or, at least, the Opening Ceremony – by some people and politicians in the West is likely to prove counter productive. For the uninformed, Chen is an acclaimed actress, both in Chinese and Hollywood movies. Her list of international acting awards would be the envy of many Hollywood stars. Although she now lives in San Francisco, she was born in Sha Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:32:31 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2511583/BOYCOTTING-THE-BEIJING-OLYMPICS http://www.scribd.com/doc/2459695/YOU-MAKE-WAR-ME-NO-SEX YOU MAKE WAR, ME NO SEX Men like to fight. It’s in their genes. This perhaps explains why wars have been a fact of life since the dawn of civilization. Throughout most of history, the womenfolk have had no option but to endure the mayhem, which killed fathers, sons and husbands; and destroyed entire families. They hated war, but there was not much they could do to stop it. Now, some enterprising women in Sudan have decided that enough is enough. They have thrown down the gauntlet. A bitter civil war has been raging in Sudan for the past 19 years. An entire generation has grown up knowing not Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:31:55 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2459695/YOU-MAKE-WAR-ME-NO-SEX http://www.scribd.com/doc/2450395/Sexual-offender-at-age-of-six CAN SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT REACHED PUBERTY BE A SEXUAL OFFENDER? In my last article, I wrote about a new website called Miss Bimbo which encouraged young girls to grow up much quicker than nature intended. But why blame only the website promoter, whose motives – reprehensible as they seem – are largely monetary. In this age when political correctness is getting almost out of hand, even administrators and law enforcers seem to be suspending common sense. Randy Castro attends the Woodbridge school in Virginia. He is an aspiring soccer player, an accomplished Lego architect and a Royal Ranger at Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:17:18 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2450395/Sexual-offender-at-age-of-six http://www.scribd.com/doc/2438922/Say-Hello-To-Miss-Bimbo SAY HELLO TO MISS BIMBO We are already witnessing an alarming new trend, where advertisers are targeting very young children – and it is no longer with traditional products like toys and board games. Cell phones in the shape of cartoon characters, meant for five year-olds are already on the market; and so are fragrances and make up targeted at pre-teens. Now a website has got into the act – and is raking in dollars as a consequence. The website is named Miss Bimbo; and was launched in Britain last month. One could call it a high tech version of Barbie dolls. Indeed, it describes itself as Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:47:49 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2438922/Say-Hello-To-Miss-Bimbo http://www.scribd.com/doc/2415130/HAS-THE-WHITE-MAN-HAD-HIS-DAY I just read a fascinating article by Roger Cohen, in the New York Times, where he postulates that the white man’s era is virtually at an end. In support of his theory, he contrasts the booming economies of Asian countries, like India and China, with the economic decline of the United States and many countries in Europe. I would not go so far as to state that centuries of world domination by the white man has ended, but it is heading there; and at a far more rapid pace than he realizes. Those who scoff at this absurdity may not, perhaps, be aware that in the 17th century, India and China did Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2415130/HAS-THE-WHITE-MAN-HAD-HIS-DAY http://www.scribd.com/doc/2409036/Tax-Anything-But-Our-Beer The British are a fairly tolerant, who have learnt through bitter experience to take adversity in their stride. As several Brit old-timers have reminded me during my travels, if they could survive the Blitz, they can survive anything. Well, almost. Right now, they have Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (equivalent to the Treasury Secretary in the US) squarely in their sights. They bore it – with grumbling and a sense of resignation – when the honourable gentleman raised taxes on cars and cigarettes, but this time he has gone too far. He has imposed new alcohol duties—whi Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:59:33 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2409036/Tax-Anything-But-Our-Beer http://www.scribd.com/doc/2389377/SECURITY-MINUS-COMMON-SENSE While most of us have grumbled at what seem like excessive security screening ay airports – like taking off our shoes, for example – we grudgingly put up with it as an inescapable fact of life in this era of terrorism. Not easy though; I’m still fuming over LA airport security confiscating a completely sealed and expensive bottle of Napoleon Cognac, last year, merely because I had it in my hand baggage. Still, I recognized that they were only following orders. Sometimes, however, this blind adherence to following rules causes an absence of common sense, bordering on lunacy – as this tr Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:21:50 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2389377/SECURITY-MINUS-COMMON-SENSE http://www.scribd.com/doc/2374449/No-Sex-Please-Were-Indians A recent newspaper report about a parent-teacher-student forum held in Mumbai highlighted the alarming statistic that cases of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), among teenagers in the city, was on the rise. While the attempt by the speakers at the forum to explain away the rise in teenage promiscuity in India as resulting from inadequate sex education is laudable, it does not go far enough. One needs to dig deeper to discover the roots of this recent phenomenon. First, a brief explanation for those not familiar with Indian culture. Although still a relatively conservative society, societal Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:49:17 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2374449/No-Sex-Please-Were-Indians http://www.scribd.com/doc/2364476/Why-Did-She-Do-It I am sure, by now, most of you have heard or seen the news about Hillary Clinton’s ‘Rambo moment’ that went horribly wrong. For the benefit of those whose television viewing is restricted to ‘The Young and the Restless’, I shall briefly recapitulate. During a campaign speech last week, Clinton virtually bragged about her courage under fire (probably hoping to imply that Obama, by comparison, was a wimp). She had spoken about her March 1996 goodwill visit to war torn Bosnia before, citing it as a sterling example of her foreign policy experience (where have you been, Barack?); but thi Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:37:47 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2364476/Why-Did-She-Do-It http://www.scribd.com/doc/2355902/OLD-HABITS-DIE-HARD Although India has been supposedly “liberalized” for over 15 years now, the new reality does not seem to have percolated down to our politicians and our labour courts. A minor news report, published on Sunday, provides one more illustration of this. The report states that the Maharashtra Home Department has asked public prosecutors to withdraw judicial proceedings against four Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), who had been charged with dereliction of duty and endangering the lives of members of the public. Calling a flash strike in 1999 the four men had instructed ATC officers not to give any Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:59:53 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2355902/OLD-HABITS-DIE-HARD http://www.scribd.com/doc/2347518/BHUTAN-A-NOBLE-EXPERIMENT If you have never heard of Bhutan, don’t feel bad. Outside of India, few people have. Bhutan can be regarded as the Liechtenstein of Asia. It is a very tinny, isolated kingdom, tucked away in the Himalayas and cheek by jowl to its giant neighbour, India. Bhutan is a land of spectacular mountain peaks and glorious vistas, so it is little wonder that its main industry is tourism. Bhutan is also one of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the modern world. Right now, this remote nation is in the throes of a noble experiment. It is trying to establish a democracy within its borders. What mak Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:55:19 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2347518/BHUTAN-A-NOBLE-EXPERIMENT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2313364/LOVE-IN-A-TIME-OF-WAR For the past five years, the news coming out of Iraq has been almost universally depressing: suicide bombings, marines getting killed or severely disabled, civilian casualties. Therefore, it is refreshing to come across a story which proves that love can blossom even in the most adverse circumstances. Sean Blackwell was little more than a fresh faced young soldier, when he arrived in Baghdad at the start of the invasion. There he met an attractive young Iraqi doctor, named Ehda’a. They fell in love. That was the easy part. Remember, this was the start of the war; and the army has rules about Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:35:05 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2313364/LOVE-IN-A-TIME-OF-WAR http://www.scribd.com/doc/2304136/ITS-NOT-THE-ECONOMY-STUPID-ITS-YOU There is universal agreement that the US economy is currently in a mess. Calling it a recession or not is merely a matter of semantics. The American people are blaming it on the government, the war in Iraq and, in particular, the greedy banks who were so generous in handing out sub-prime mortgages at enticing lending rates, even to families who really did not have the financial capacity to keep up the interest payments. And now they are foreclosing and driving innocent families out into the street – the cruel bastards. There is merit in this argument, of course, but it is not the whole pictu Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:33:06 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2304136/ITS-NOT-THE-ECONOMY-STUPID-ITS-YOU http://www.scribd.com/doc/2293844/A-Plague-On-Pets I am definitely not a pet person. How some people can derive pleasure or comfort from watching half a dozen gaping fish swim around in a glass tank is one of the great mysteries of life. Cats are ungrateful, slinky creatures who love to snarl; and leave fur balls all over the sofa. Dogs have the annoying habit of hovering around the kitchen table when you're eating; with their tongues hanging out and disgusting saliva dripping all over the floor. I live on the second floor of an apartment building. My downstairs neighbour - a widow in her late sixties - has a dog and six cats. The dog, thankfu Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:59:38 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2293844/A-Plague-On-Pets http://www.scribd.com/doc/2293612/THE-ASSISSINATION-OF-MY-PATIENCE-BY-BRAD-PITT Last evening, I rented the DVD of “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.” Nursing a large goblet of Pinot Noir, I sat down to watch it with great expectations. The movie, after all, had been nominated for an Oscar; and Casey Affleck’s acting was said to be a revelation. A numbing two hours and forty minutes later, my brain was in a fog (it wasn’t the wine); and one question kept reverberating in my brain – why? The credit titles informed me that Brad Pitt not only starred in the movie; he produced it. I surmised that this was one of those projects that actors, w Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:41:52 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2293612/THE-ASSISSINATION-OF-MY-PATIENCE-BY-BRAD-PITT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2275984/Profiting-From-Infamy The big news story this week is New York Governor Elliot Spitzer’s dalliance with a prostitute; and his subsequent resignation. I do not intend to pass moral judgment on the Governor’s actions – although personally, I believe this to be a matter between him and his wife; and his conscience, if he has one. It is not really the public’s business; except for the suggestion that the Governor may have used tax dollars to finance his escapades. Pretty stupid to leave a paper trail, if you ask me. Even a dumb crook knows that, if you’re carrying out a transaction you want to keep secret, yo Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:24:26 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2275984/Profiting-From-Infamy http://www.scribd.com/doc/2263404/Indians-Rock-In-USA A report carried by some Indian newspapers yesterday threw up some pretty amazing statistics. The report stated that 12% of scientists, 38% of doctors, 36% of the scientists at NASA, 34% of the employees at Microsoft, 28% at IBM, 17% at Intel and 13% at Xerox are Indian-Americans. The report later turned out to be unsubstantiated; and the figures are probably exaggerated. However, there is no gainsaying the reality that, in relation to their physical numbers, a disproportionate percentage of Indian-Americans hold down high end jobs and professions in the US. Is this a good or bad thing? Obviou Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:03:49 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2263404/Indians-Rock-In-USA http://www.scribd.com/doc/2259448/Who-Needs-Technology Sometimes the old methods work best. I got a vivid practical demonstration of this today morning, when one channel of my stereo amplifier went dead. Those who know of my maniacal passion for music would appreciate that this was a very big deal indeed. If I am deprived of music, even for a few hours, my brain fogs over and I exist in a semi-catatonic state, like some zombie. I should mention that I am one of those cerebral type, who is an absolute klutz when it comes to doing things with his hands (no wicked innuendos, please). And this was too important to mess around with anyway. A frantic ca Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:57:12 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2259448/Who-Needs-Technology http://www.scribd.com/doc/2251487/LOVE-BY-CLOCKWORK Trust the Swiss do everything with admirable efficiency and military precision. A bit too efficient, if you ask me and, sadly, at the expense of old world charm. My wife and I were in Switzerland last summer and I don’t think we saw a single cuckoo clock. What we did see was people walking purposefully (the Swiss do not stroll – too inefficient) and trains that arrived and left so punctually that tourists set their watches by them. The Swiss, of course, always know precisely what time it is. Now those Rolex-toting automatons have extended this efficiency to romance, for God’s sake. Upwar Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:32:12 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2251487/LOVE-BY-CLOCKWORK http://www.scribd.com/doc/2238440/Were-No-Angels Last night, I watched a repeat telecast of the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. I could pretend that I am a connoisseur of fashion – or at least of women’s undergarments – but I don’t think that would fool anybody. I watched it for reasons that women will call all the wrong ones; and men will applaud. Since many of the gals walking the ramp were professional models, it wasn’t exactly a T & A show but, to the credit of the organizers, the models were respectably endowed. Thank God for that. I cannot think of a less titillating vision than a bony, flat-chested female in a bra and pant Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:02:54 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2238440/Were-No-Angels http://www.scribd.com/doc/2224628/AN-OUTSIDERS-VIEW-OF-BARACK-OBAMA- There He is sweep young seems to be an Obama mania sweeping across the United States at the moment. being variously portrayed as the new Messiah, the new broom that is going to away the sorry legacy of George Bush; and the brand ambassador of a vibrant, America. I am not so sure that all this euphoria is justified. In Obama's case, obvious and predictable comparisons are being made with John F. Kennedy. Was Kennedy really as great a president as he is often made out to be? Personally, I believe that his untimely assassination added to the halo of greatness that surrounds him. If he had been Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:35:07 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2224628/AN-OUTSIDERS-VIEW-OF-BARACK-OBAMA- http://www.scribd.com/doc/2206117/GLOBAL-WARMING-A-BIG-CON Just yesterday, I watched a news report on CNN that showed inordinately high snow banks in Maine. According to residents, they haven’t seen this much snow in the last 15 years. In Chicago, citizens are fed up of stepping into mushy puddles of sleet, while grimly hanging on to their newspapers to prevent them being ripped out of their hands by strong, icy cold winds. I told a lady friend in Minneapolis that she looked adorably polar bearish in her white fur parka; but she wasn’t amused. I’m afraid some very unladylike language was employed, with chattering teeth. The weather this winter t Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:46:21 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2206117/GLOBAL-WARMING-A-BIG-CON http://www.scribd.com/doc/2191094/ANTIMISSILE-OBAMA Some political commentators and talk show hosts are having a field day with Barack Obama’s middle name. They refer to him as Barack Hussein Obama every chance they get – usually accompanied by a thinly disguised sneer in their voices. I’m surprised they haven’t stumbled upon another delicious pun. Barak happens to be the brand name of an anti-missile defense system manufactured by Israel. An Israeli connection would be difficult to exploit though. You cannot accuse the man of being Al Qaeda and an Israeli sympathizer all at the same time. Forget the Israeli connection. Heck, Obama’s Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:02:40 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2191094/ANTIMISSILE-OBAMA http://www.scribd.com/doc/2178385/Tip-Your-Hat Remember when you were little and your parents encouraged you to study hard, so you could ‘make something of yourself’ by becoming a doctor, or a lawyer, or an engineer? Well, after reading this, some professionals – particularly those for whom money is everything – may start to wonder if all those years in college, not to mention those hefty tuition fees, were really worth it. In terms of making a fast buck, one of the most lucrative jobs going around these days is as a doorman at a Las Vegas casino or night club. At several clubs, these professionals are clearing $8,000 to $10,000 a Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:11:15 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2178385/Tip-Your-Hat http://www.scribd.com/doc/2172665/An-Ozzie-Twist Most Americans, if they think of Australia at all, vaguely recall it as that land ‘down under’ – where everything is upside down. They celebrate Christmas in summer, for Pete’s sake. The Yanks may be on to something. Here’s another example. In testosterone-driven America and most of Europe, it’s the man who is willing to play any angle to get some sex – either free or paid for. Turns out, some Ozzies like to live up to their reputation and turn things upside down. Beth Morgan, 32-year-old town planner in the steel-and-surfing city of Wollongong, south of Sydney, was on a “missi Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:22:16 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2172665/An-Ozzie-Twist http://www.scribd.com/doc/2167789/India-At-The-Crossroads This may seem like an alarmist and premature statement, but I believe this chaotic land of diverse languages, cultures and skin tones, that we call India, is under attack - not by an outside power, but from within. Let me explain. In my opinion, the real miracle of modern India is that - in spite of apathy, corruption and gross misgovernance - it remains not only a single nation, but a functioning democracy. This miracle has been achieved by defying history. For millennia, India was a loose conglomeration of warring kingdoms, condemned to inhabit adjoining space. The few times India has achiev Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:38:25 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2167789/India-At-The-Crossroads http://www.scribd.com/doc/2163719/Change-Your-Name-Bud Once in a very long while, even a technologically-challenged individual like me comes across a piece of information that brings a smug smile to his lips; and an I-told-you-so hovering on his lips. I’m talking about those infernal machines, computers, of course – those awesome marvels that can make even a human genius look like a moron, when it comes to number crunching and processing information. Turns out, those behemoth brains have a problem with names – and not just exotic names either. Say you are O’Hara or an O’Connor. A very common name, right? There are probably millions of yo Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:41:35 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2163719/Change-Your-Name-Bud http://www.scribd.com/doc/2150863/Cherchez-La-Femme-The-Mccain-Affair As an outsider, I find it surprising how often US political debate descends to the level of cherchez la femme. This is particularly apparent during Presidential campaigns. Dukakis had his dangerous liaisons, Bill Clinton had Gennifer Flowers; and now John McCain is purported to have had (literally) a former female lobbyist, Vicky Iseman. Discovering that a candidate has had an amour proper is regarded as the ultimate smoking gun; one that has the potential to annihilate entire careers. The French, of course, would laugh at this absurdity. Nicolas Sarkozy positively flaunted the gorgeous Carla Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:36:04 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2150863/Cherchez-La-Femme-The-Mccain-Affair http://www.scribd.com/doc/2099380/GoingGoingGone Yesterday’s Indian Premier League (IPL) auction has certainly made headlines, not only in the Indian media, but internationally. It was even featured on the BBC World sports program last night. I was both surprised at the figures quoted; and a little amused at the spectacle of international cricket stars being sold off like prize thoroughbreds. Personally, I would feel a little embarrassed at being bought and sold like some commodity, but I suppose a few crores in the pocket would go a long way towards alleviating that momentary discomfort. Many of the buyers are top industrialists and I am Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:13:28 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2099380/GoingGoingGone http://www.scribd.com/doc/2098869/CONSPIRACY-THEORY-FANTASIES I am kind of surprised that conspiracy theorists and assorted nut jobs have gone underground in this US election year. Come to think of it, they haven’t surfaced at all. Come on guys, some of the Presidential candidates are out there are tailor made for spinning conspiracies around. Get your heads out of your rear ends and start squawking. I’ll even give you a few pointers to start you off. Let’s start with Republican Ron Paul. This guy has never got more than five percent of the votes in any of the primaries or caucuses held so far; and yet he refuses to call it quits. So he must have s Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:55:31 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2098869/CONSPIRACY-THEORY-FANTASIES http://www.scribd.com/doc/2088823/Sex-In-The-House-Of-God And you thought it happened only in America. Taking heed of the age-old axiom “sex sells”, a church in Australia is inviting around 25,000 households for a course in sex, marriage, adultery and pornography. Riverside Church pastor Andrew Newbold and his wife Megan have launched a fourweek series on sex, marriage, adultery and pornography. They are advertising this seminar on a flyer that reads: “The best sex you’ll ever have.” The flyer shows two pairs of feet, belonging to Newbold and his wife Megan, protruding from under the sheets. Talk about grabbing eyeballs. Madison Avenue shou Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:24:49 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2088823/Sex-In-The-House-Of-God http://www.scribd.com/doc/2079705/I-TOLD-YOU-I-WAS-NICE- George Bush's perpetual smirk has recently got smirkier. After years of being booed and hissed at, folks were finally beginning to appreciate that he is really a nice guy. Take this week, for instance. A reigning pop diva had composed a song especially for him. And what inspiring lyrics. "Thank you for democracy Thank you for the rule of law Thank you for debt relief" Ok, so it didn't rhyme, but it's the thought that counts. He witnessed rapturous crowds singing hosannas to him for his role on terror. They cheered his forward thinking foreign policy; they sang paeans to his magnanimous aid pac Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:16:58 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2079705/I-TOLD-YOU-I-WAS-NICE- http://www.scribd.com/doc/2076437/MediaCreated-Monsters I am often surprised by the hypocrisy displayed by our print and electronic media. They make gratuitous folk heroes out of total nonentities; and then they appear pained at the excesses perpetrated by them. The latest example of this is the ridiculous fuss – and the media hype – being created over the film “Jodha Akbar”. A hitherto fringe group, calling itself the Rajput Karni Sena (Army) (the Shiv Sena has displayed a lack of foresight by not taking out a patent on the ‘sena’ nomenclature: now ‘senas’ of various hues seem to be mushrooming all over India), has taken umbrage be Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:52:17 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2076437/MediaCreated-Monsters http://www.scribd.com/doc/2067348/The-British-Are-Coming Remember John Cleese, that really funny Englishman who split our sides in “Fawlty Towers” and “A Fish Called Wanda”? Recently he sent this tongue-in-cheek message to the residents of a former British colony. I think it is a classic in wit; and definitely worth sharing. A Message from John Cleese - British comedian: To the citizens of the United States of America: In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her Soverei Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:44:02 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2067348/The-British-Are-Coming http://www.scribd.com/doc/2062088/Hooray-For-Low-Tech If you are an old fashioned technophone like me, you are going to love this snippet. Rack Hill in the English village of Chalford, is a small community, whose residents are reasonably well off. They can afford many of the creature comforts and own good cars. The only thing different about the homes on Rack Hill is that they have no need for garages. You see, they have a great view, but the hill is too steep for cars to climb. Some would argue that walking up the hill is great exercise. Maybe so, but as Rack Hill residents will inform you, it’s not that great when you have to carry a he Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:45:46 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2062088/Hooray-For-Low-Tech http://www.scribd.com/doc/2052604/THE-SOUND-OF-MUSIC-MATURE-VERSION If you are a sentimental sap, like me, you have to love “The Sound of Music”. OK, so it’s as schmaltzy as treacle, but dang, it does leave you with a happy glow. And of course, you cannot think of Sound of Music without remembering Julie Andrews. Well, the grande dame of stage and screen turned 69 on 1st October last. To commemorate her 69th birthday, Ms. Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP. One of the musical numbers she performed was "My Favorite Things" from the legendary movie. Here are the lyrics she used: Maalox and nos Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:27:06 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2052604/THE-SOUND-OF-MUSIC-MATURE-VERSION http://www.scribd.com/doc/2049838/NOT-SO-MUCH-PASSION-OF-CHRIST Remember the Mel Gibson movie “The Passion of Christ”? Part of the reason for its immense popularity was the realism with which Christ’s crucifixion was portrayed. Audiences were both fascinated and repulsed by all the blood and gore. It reinforced the predominant Christian tenet that Jesus endured an enormous degree of suffering, in order to take the world’s sins on his shoulders. The brutal flaying depicted in the movie was regarded as a sort of visual proof of this. Now, a noted literary theorist has sparked fury among Christians by uttering that the Crucifixion of Christ was not as Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:47:39 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2049838/NOT-SO-MUCH-PASSION-OF-CHRIST http://www.scribd.com/doc/2025450/YOURE-MY-SUGAR-MOMMA It had to happen sometime. One of the last remaining bastions of maleness has been breached by the feminists. The rich sugar daddies of legend are now being challenged by a new species: sugar mommas. The idea is being promoted by a man (traitor). His logic is rather appealing. He argues that ugly – and often old - rich men have attracted young, gorgeous, money¬hungry women for cen¬turies; it's now the women's turn. And make no mistake. There are a lot of mature rich and bored widows and divorcees – not to mention married women – out there who are craving a little action. Until recently Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:38:30 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2025450/YOURE-MY-SUGAR-MOMMA http://www.scribd.com/doc/2022309/Load-It-Up-Americas-Crazy-Economy Remember this old song? “You load sixteen tons and what do you get Another day older and the deeper in debt” Just substitute “spend” for “sixteen tons” and what you get is, well, an average American. Let me clarify at the outset that my knowledge of economics is limited to balancing my cheque book – and I don’t do a very good job of that either. So perhaps it is naïve of me to wonder why, at a time when the United States is heading towards a recession, their government is asking its citizens to spend more. My simple mind has always imagined that the more you take away from a f Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:17:24 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2022309/Load-It-Up-Americas-Crazy-Economy http://www.scribd.com/doc/2022293/STGEORGE-AND-THE-MULLAH If I was to start this article with the sentence, “I have a problem with George Bush”, the predictable response from many Americans would be, “doesn’t everybody?” My problem is different, however. I genuinely want to like the guy. Let’s face it. Bush may be a moron when it comes to foreign policy, but his heart is in the right place. My problem is that Bush makes it so hard for me to like him. Take this whole Iran situation. There is little doubt that Ahmedenijad character is a piece of work. Here is this down home farm boy who has been catapulted to global prominence; and he is re Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:14:22 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2022293/STGEORGE-AND-THE-MULLAH http://www.scribd.com/doc/1698629/Whose-Copyright Are we carrying this copyright business too far? Recently, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) slapped a federal case against a man for transferring 2000 songs from legally-purchased CDs onto his personal computer. The RIAA contends that the man’s action is illegal. Give me a break. If I want to transfer legal music to my personal computer, why is it anybody’s business but my own? How does it become illegal – especially since there is no commercial transaction involved? On the contrary, I would regard it as an invasion of my privacy. As a sort-of writer myself, I fully a Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:30:03 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1698629/Whose-Copyright http://www.scribd.com/doc/1698367/Are-Americans-Racist The simple answer is: no they are not – not in the conventional sense, anyway. White Americans can take justifiable pride in how far and how rapidly they have allowed their black fellow citizens (I apologize for not using the politically correct nomenclature “African-American”, but “black” is much shorter) to progress during the past four decades. To get a palpable sense of this, just watch any Hollywood movie made in the 1930s and 1940s. The only roles written for blacks were those where they were portrayed as mentally-challenged, wide eyed zombies who referred to all white men as Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:21:56 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1698367/Are-Americans-Racist http://www.scribd.com/doc/1361859/TECHNOLOGY-IS-NOT-IDIOTPROOF Here is one of those charming little cautionary tales that illustrates, yet again, that even the smartest, most sophisticated technology is no match against an idiot. The Berlin police department was really proud of its brand new $150,000 BMW squad car. It boasted of high-tech surveillance equipment and sophisticated electronic locks and immobilizers, guaranteed to make it virtually theft-proof. So what happened? Just a few days after it was put into service, the car was stolen. No, the thief did not employ some state-of-the-art technology to defeat the protection devices. He simply got in the Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:10:14 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1361859/TECHNOLOGY-IS-NOT-IDIOTPROOF http://www.scribd.com/doc/1249298/Humor This is one of those witty jokes I wish I had dreamt up. Here is a question placed in a recent Dear Abby column. Dear Abby, My husband is a liar and a cheat. He has cheated on me from the beginning;and, when I confront him, he denies everything. What's worse, everyone knows that he cheats on me. It is so humiliating! Also, since he lost his job six years ago, he hasn't even looked for a new one. All he does all day is smoke cigars, cruise around and shoot the bull with his buddies, while I have to work to pay the bills. And since our daughter went away to college,he doesn't even pretend to li Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:35:43 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1249298/Humor http://www.scribd.com/doc/1026651/She-Smelt-A-Rat I have always been fascinated with bureaucrats and bureaucratese. These folk seem to inhabit a fantasy, rarified universe that we ordinary mortals are not meant to comprehend. Consequently, very little that they say or do surprises me anymore. That said, the following true story knocked me for a loop. A Slovenian woman, from Ljubuana, found a mouse foot in a jar of pickles she had recently bought: a rare occurrence, but it happens. The real surprise came when contacted the Health Ministry, as she prepared to sue the company produc¬ing the food. She was, perhaps, being overly optimistic if she Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:43:49 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1026651/She-Smelt-A-Rat http://www.scribd.com/doc/1017068/Anything-for-a-Drink I know there are some alcoholics who are prepared to do almost anything for a drink, but this is ridiculous. A 58-year old alcoholic in Texas had a double problem. Not only was his craving for alcohol unending, he could not satisfy it. Not because he could not afford a steady source of liquor. He literally could not drink it, due to a painful medical problem in his throat. It was just too agonizing. So what did that right. through his shoving two our innovative genius do? He gave himself a sherry enema. You read The dumb jock tried to satiate his craving by ingesting alcohol rectum. I don’t Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:06:50 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1017068/Anything-for-a-Drink http://www.scribd.com/doc/1016983/Rape-or-Opportunity There are a number of news reports regarding the arrest of Mumbai cosmetic surgeon, Vijay Sharma, on charges of molestation. I am sure the majority of the general public is more than ready to believe the charges, but I would advise a little introspection. I certainly hold no brief for Dr. Sharma - and he well may be guilty as charged but the two incidents he is charged for do appear a bit fishy. In the first incident – where is charged with forcing himself on a young female reporter - my observation is that today's young women; and especially those in the journalistic profession, are well ab Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:20:53 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1016983/Rape-or-Opportunity http://www.scribd.com/doc/1008675/NICOLAS-SARKOZY-NATIONAL-HERO For many years now, the French have been furious with – and a little envious of – Bill Clinton: not because of his foreign policy, but because of his sexual dalliances. He was giving them a bad name. France, after all, is the original land of amour; the nation that gave the world the French kiss – and frustrated Victorians, French postcards. For too long had this Yankee upstart been stealing their thunder with his romps with Gennifer Flowers, Monica Lewinsky – and God knows how many others. It was humiliating. Now all that has changed. Nicolas Sarkozy has restored their national honour Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:19:14 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/1008675/NICOLAS-SARKOZY-NATIONAL-HERO http://www.scribd.com/doc/982841/Tears-on-Demand Spurred on by Hillary Clinton’s surprise comeback in New Hampshire, an enterprising young woman in Washington DC has opened America’s first “Tears on Demand” salon; just off DuPont Circle. The lady sure knows how to pick her location. Outside of Hollywood, Washington probably has more failed actors than anywhere else in the US. Sure, most politicians have their personal handlers (euphemistically referred to as Chefs of Staff), but they are only good at teaching their wards how to smile confidently, give a cheery wave; and other happy stuff like that. No one knows how to fake sadness. N Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:51:49 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/982841/Tears-on-Demand http://www.scribd.com/doc/973610/WHAT-IS-HAPPENING-TO-CHILDRENS-TOLERANCE-LEVELS A 12 year-old boy in Florida beat a toddler to death with a baseball bat, because the baby girl was crying while he was watching TV. The boy was home alone; and babysitting his10 year old brother and a 17 month old baby girl. He lost his cool because the baby’s crying was interrupting his television watching. While the crime is horrific and senseless in itself, what is equally frightening is the motive behind it. Disturbing a TV program is sufficient incentive for murder? What is happening to our children’s’ tolerance levels? Are material benefits coming so easy to them, that the slighte Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:14:09 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/973610/WHAT-IS-HAPPENING-TO-CHILDRENS-TOLERANCE-LEVELS http://www.scribd.com/doc/969625/ARE-AMERICANS-UNCOMFORTABLE-WITH-INTELLECT If the present trends continue, the big political story of the 2008 US Presidential elections will be the rise and fall of Hillary Clinton. Pundits are likely to tie themselves in knots, trying to explain her precipitous decline. I have a slightly different theory; and I am backing it with history. Let me try and explain my convoluted logic. If one examines all the US Presidents Americans have elected since World War II, the only ones who could be termed as intellectual giants were Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton – and possibly John F. Kennedy. Even before Watergate, Nixon was never a popular Tue, 08 Jan 2008 06:17:31 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/969625/ARE-AMERICANS-UNCOMFORTABLE-WITH-INTELLECT http://www.scribd.com/doc/966606/The-Sarkozy-Affair-What-Do-We-Do-With-Her The Indian government is currently on the horns of a delicious dilemma. Let me explain. Every year, on January 26, India celebrates it’s founding as a republic in 1950. The occasion is marked by an elaborate military-cum-civilian parade down the main thoroughfare of the capital, New Delhi. For several years now, it has become a tradition to invite a foreign head of state to be guest of honor at the spectacle. This year, the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been selected for the honor. So why is that a problem? After all, India and France are on excellent terms and a sense of cordial bo Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:07:26 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/966606/The-Sarkozy-Affair-What-Do-We-Do-With-Her http://www.scribd.com/doc/966605/Bharat-ratna-for-Sachin-Tendulkar So Sachin Tendulkar scored his 38th Test century at Sydney; and our print and electronic media predictably went into rapturous overdrive. A foreigner could be forgiven for believing they were heralding the Second Coming of Christ. A certain amount of adulation may be appropriate, but sometimes this is carried to ridiculous extremes. On Friday night, one English TV news channel conducted a poll asking if Tendulkar should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. 85% of the respondents said yes. This, incidentally, was the same channel that had received an award for Best English News channel for 2007. This w Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:05:22 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/966605/Bharat-ratna-for-Sachin-Tendulkar http://www.scribd.com/doc/965886/Bharat-Ratna-for-Sachin-Tendulkar So Sachin Tendulkar scored his 38th Test century at Sydney; and our print and electronic media predictably went into rapturous overdrive. A foreigner could be forgiven for believing they were heralding the Second Coming of Christ. A certain amount of adulation may be appropriate, but sometimes this is carried to ridiculous extremes. On Friday night, one English TV news channel conducted a poll asking if Tendulkar should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. 85% of the respondents said yes. This, incidentally, was the same channel that had received an award for Best English News channel for 2007. This w Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:18:25 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/965886/Bharat-Ratna-for-Sachin-Tendulkar http://www.scribd.com/doc/961301/WHAT-FOOLS-WE-MORTALS-BE There is a story in the Times of India about a Muslim gentleman in Mumbai, who has put his goat up for sale for a whopping Rs 5.5 crores ($1,375,000). Why does he think the goat is worth this exorbitant price? Apparently, the goat has markings on its body that resemble the names (in Arabic) of the Prophet and Allah. The owner has found no buyers yet, but I am sure someone will be prepared to pay at least a couple of crores for the animal. How gullible can some people get? First of all, it takes quite a leap of faith and imagination to decipher the random black markings as holy names - and even Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:25:55 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/961301/WHAT-FOOLS-WE-MORTALS-BE http://www.scribd.com/doc/961280/INDIANS-WELCOME-BEING-BOSSED-AROUND I read a news item recently about a telemedicine project that was ready for use, but not made available to potential beneficiaries because the powers-that-be could not get hold of a suitable celebrity to inaugurate it. This project would link the premier King Edward Memorial in Mumbai to three district level hospitals; and thus make specialized health care available to those who could not afford to come to the metropolis for treatment. This is hardly an isolated incident. Time and again, we hear of public projects being held up for weeks, even months, because some pompous VIP cannot ‘find th Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:02:24 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/961280/INDIANS-WELCOME-BEING-BOSSED-AROUND http://www.scribd.com/doc/961257/BORN-AGAIN-HUCKABEE Before I am pilloried for sticking my egotistical Indian nose in places it has no business being, let me clarify that this article reflects exclusively my personal opinions. It is not based on political acumen (I have none) or scholarly research (no patience). It is, however, based on personal observations gleaned from living, for 10 days, among an evangelical Christian community in Ojai last summer. So Mike Huckabee has won the Iowa caucus. He defeated his closest opponent, Mitt Romney, by a wide margin. My first reaction to this news was a sense of optimism that Iowa voters were finally sign Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:46:56 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/961257/BORN-AGAIN-HUCKABEE http://www.scribd.com/doc/960961/THE-BAD-GUYS-ARE-WINNING-AND-IM-SCARED This may start out weird, but stay with me. For the past few years I’ve been playing simple video games on my computer. Nothing sophisticated, you understand: not the type of games that require strategy or role playing. Just straightforward shoot-em-ups. You know, where you try to bring down as many bad guys as you can, before they get you. No, I am not regressing into second childhood – although some well meaning friends have warned me I’m getting there. I don’t play the games because I am a bloodthirsty s.o.b, but for a mundane reason. I’ve been using the games as a gauge to test m Fri, 04 Jan 2008 04:58:19 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/960961/THE-BAD-GUYS-ARE-WINNING-AND-IM-SCARED http://www.scribd.com/doc/958823/IS-MUMBAI-SAFE The molestation of two young women at Juhu, on New Year’s Eve, has provoked predictable newspaper headlines like, “Is Mumbai Safe?”. The question is asked with a sense of wonder and shock, as if it is a rare occurrence. The truth of the matter is that no major metropolis in the world – especially one with a burgeoning population – can be termed as completely safe. If you are a woman living in a very large city, risk of molestation is an occupational hazard. Old timers will argue that the Bombay of their time was indeed a safe city; where women could fearlessly travel in local trains Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:40:20 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/958823/IS-MUMBAI-SAFE http://www.scribd.com/doc/955338/Happy-New-Year For me, New Year’s Eve has always been the most over-hyped night of the year. The hoopla starts about a week earlier; with all the fancy hotels and restaurants announcing their gotta-have-it New Year’s Eve spectaculars. In Bombay, there is a peculiar species, who go by the name of “item girls”. These are essentially limited-talent semi-entities, who possess all the right ‘equipment’ and are quite happy to shake it – for a price. What surprises me is that there is a growing tribe of voyeurs who are more than willing to pay that exorbitant price. It surprises me, because after six Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:50:46 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/955338/Happy-New-Year http://www.scribd.com/doc/952566/IMPACT-OF-BHUTTO-ASSASINATION-ON-US-PRESIDENTIAL-RACE What impact will the assassination of Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto have on the US presidential race? The simple answer is: none at all. For sure, the presidential candidates from both parties, who may have had a couple of conversations with Bhutto in the past, are trying to score political brownie points over those opponents who cannot claim this dubious privilege. It may make them appear more ‘presidential’, but they know it is just a passing blimp that holds no interest for the average American voter. It is a sound bite that will soon be forgotten. It may surprise them to know that what t Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:40:41 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/952566/IMPACT-OF-BHUTTO-ASSASINATION-ON-US-PRESIDENTIAL-RACE http://www.scribd.com/doc/939917/IM-GOING-GREEN-AT-THE-GILLS Are we going overboard with this ‘save the environment’ gig? I can tell you it’s starting to get to me. It’s like a monumental guilt trip laid on us average folk. For example, I like brightly lit rooms in my apartment; they cheer me up. But now, I’m supposed to be using up too much energy and, thereby, hastening the demise of the planet. Ditto for my shirts. I prefer nylon-blended shirts; because you can just hang them up after washing and that’s it (all-cotton shirts – unless they’re the expensive wrinkle-free kind – are murder to iron). I’m an insensitive jerk if I do not Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:23:00 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/939917/IM-GOING-GREEN-AT-THE-GILLS http://www.scribd.com/doc/932873/A-REAL-OLD-FASHIONED-CHRISTMAS Here is a lovely little Christmas story. Just before Xmas every year, The Parkers of Wiltshire in England bring down their artificial Christmas tree from the attic, brush it off and hang up the decorations and lights. That’s nice, but so do millions of other families. So what’s the big deal? The big deal is the tree itself. No it is not the world’s largest, nor does it have the most spectacular decorations. Truth be told, it is a puny little thing; and kind of scruffy. What makes it special is that it is the world’s oldest fake fir. The little tree that would not give up was created 11 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 15:56:11 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/932873/A-REAL-OLD-FASHIONED-CHRISTMAS http://www.scribd.com/doc/925433/WHERE-HAVE-THE-REAL-HEROES-GONE Have genuine, flesh and blood heroes in battle become a dim memory to the present generation – and will they be merely the stuff of legends for generations to come? I am talking about those brave men who put their lives on line for a cause, very often armed with nothing more than raw courage and a willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for a cause they believed in. This chain of thought was set off by a very unlikely circumstance. I have just finished watching a DVD of that classic Western, High Noon, with Gary Cooper. As the story unfolded of this US Marshall – who was certainly no su Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:36:37 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/925433/WHERE-HAVE-THE-REAL-HEROES-GONE http://www.scribd.com/doc/918044/LEAVE-SHIVAJI-IN-PEACE The Bible exhorts us not to take the Lord’s name in vain. The same maxim could well be applied to poor old Shivaji Maharaj. He has become the most overused – and abused – personality in India’s commercial capital. Maharashtra’s political parties – displaying a singular lack of imagination – go and name some public building or monument after him, every time they want to score gratuitous political brownie points. The Maratha warrior was, no doubt, a great leader; but he would never have imagined that his heirs would elevate him to the status of a demigod – when it suited them, th Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:24:55 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/918044/LEAVE-SHIVAJI-IN-PEACE http://www.scribd.com/doc/917820/Aspects-of-Love Love can roar in like thunder Tear you asunder And leave you in flames Love can slide in like satin Soft as a matin A gentle caress Love can be breezy So nice and easy A child at play Love can be passion It’s always in fashion A strong heart for that Love can leave you smitten Purring like a kitten Cream on its whiskers Love can swoop in and haunt you Tease you and taunt you Love loves playing games Sometimes love hurts A fragile heart bursts And withdraws in pain If love brings you pain What do you gain? Safer to guard your heart? No, it’s love you must choose Better to love and lose Than Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:58:12 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/917820/Aspects-of-Love http://www.scribd.com/doc/904467/Move-Over-George George Bush probably believes he makes a big splash – and impresses the hell out of the natives - when he visits a foreign country in his huge, hi-tech Air Force One. However, he could take a lesson or two in showmanship from Libya’s colorful President Muammar Gaddafi. On a very recent state visit to France, the Colonel traveled with an entourage of 400 in three chartered aircraft. And that was just for starters. There was also a fourth aircraft, to carry his camel and the royal tent (heated and with all modcons). Oh, he was put up in a five-star hotel in Paris, but he didn’t do anything Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:08:10 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/904467/Move-Over-George http://www.scribd.com/doc/900235/THE-DELICATE-AMERICAN Foreigners like me could perhaps be forgiven for believing that it does not take a whole lot to cause mental anguish, pain and suffering, blah-blah, to a typical American. This thought occurred to me, as I was reading a rather silly news report about a man in Connecticut, who bought a south-western whopper sandwich from a Burger King and found an unwrapped condom inside. So naturally, he is suing Burger King for ‘emotional distress, pain and suffering and medical expenses’. I am sure the claim will run to a few hundred thousand dollars. I concede that it must have been an icky feeling to b Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:21:23 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/900235/THE-DELICATE-AMERICAN http://www.scribd.com/doc/815431/CRY-DESPAIR The real tragedy of yesterday’s senseless massacre by a 19 year-old at a mall in Omaha, Nebraska, is that it is no longer news. Incidents of mindless mayhem by young people in the US have been occurring with despairing regularity this year. I am aware that this latest atrocity will have absolutely no influence on America’s champions of the right to bear arms; so I am not even going to go there. In a suicide note left behind by the shooter, Robert Hawkins – who, almost inevitably, turned his gun on himself after the carnage was over – indicated that he wanted to go out in style. It is t Thu, 06 Dec 2007 05:47:45 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/815431/CRY-DESPAIR http://www.scribd.com/doc/687637/HOW-TECHNOLOGY-KILLED-CHRISTMAS Call me old fashioned, but I think electronic greeting cards suck – especially at Christmas. This realization was brought home to me when I went shopping for Christmas cards this morning. Two years ago, my wife would have carefully prepared a list of fifty-plus friends who deserved cards – and even some who did not, but whom we were obligated to send cards to because they sent us one. I would happily spend an entire morning in the card shop, carefully matching each card to the personality of the recipient. This morning, my list had dwindled down to a mere eight. I was in and out of the sho Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:52:34 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/687637/HOW-TECHNOLOGY-KILLED-CHRISTMAS