How does one accidentally decapitate? Is anyone in the Iraqi government under any illusion that anyone sees the hangings of first Saddam and now Barzan Ibrahim and Awad Hamed al-Bandar as anything but petty revenge killings? The unprofessionalism and the underlying thought processes that have led to it are chilling in their very incomprehensibility. Saddam Hussein is now a martyr and we're left with at least a vague feeling that those who hanged him were the brutes.
And now they botch up these hangings again. Decapitating a condemned prisoner and then flippantly describing it as a "mistake" is to my opinion disgusting. I cant claim to speak for anyone else but right now my overriding emotions constitute sympathy for the two hanged and revulsion towards those who killed them. By no account am I condoning the actions of these men in the past or the incident that led to their ultimate execution. But when something like this comes to pass how reassured can we be that tyranny, corruption and murder at the top levels of Iraqi government have been laid to rest? Can anyone tell me with any certanity that any of the people who killed Saddam Hussein were better than he was? (And this by the way is completely bypassing all my reservations about the death penalty in the first place).
What has ultimately been achieved? Can anyone convingly argue that these executions have not been counter productive? Who's the barbarian and who's the martyr?
The absolute hard headedness and stubbornness in the face of international criticism and local dissent displayed by the Iraqi administration are amazingly familiar. Who's with my theory that Nouri Maliki has been taking Bush lessons?
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
The primates we live with
SO I go to Negombo Browns Beach Hotel for a weekend trip with Hus, thanks to her very generous office that gave her a weekend package for two with full board for winning EIGHTH place at the company office party raffle draw... (we didnt even have a party... if my boss is reading this he can consider it a broad hint)
Anyway we go.. all prepared to have fun... and we do.. for the longest time.. but with one recurring and very strong annoyance. The Sri Lankan men at that place.
WHAT is it about them? Is there an innate genetic flaw that dictates that they act like testosterone ridden maciacs at the sight of two girls who seem to be on their own? And not foreign girls mind you... they can parade around in a bikini top and the shortest shorts and not one of these morons would DARE make any comments... but see two Sri Lankan girls sitting alone and enjoying some music and they not only have to comment, but stare, sit at every table adjacent to us and then leer suggestively. And as for the moron who kept throwing his tennis ball in my direction while in the swimming pool over and over again..because (as he remarked to his friends) He felt sorry for me because I was alone... I hope the fleas of a thousand camels invade his armpits.. yes I do indeed!
But this was just such a problem that these men had!!! They think that any and every female unaccompanied by a man is fair game! And so they come.. these predators.. with their pot bellies, thin arms and leering smiles...regular little casanovas...
The fact that we had to put up with this on such a regular basis and by SO MANY Local men speaks volumes not only about what makes their moronic minds tick, but also the ideologies that we as women have to deal with here... its sickening, its nauseating but most of all its sad... are these the mindless boobs who will be procreating and giving us our country's future?
two words.
Nuclear Holocaust.
Anyway we go.. all prepared to have fun... and we do.. for the longest time.. but with one recurring and very strong annoyance. The Sri Lankan men at that place.
WHAT is it about them? Is there an innate genetic flaw that dictates that they act like testosterone ridden maciacs at the sight of two girls who seem to be on their own? And not foreign girls mind you... they can parade around in a bikini top and the shortest shorts and not one of these morons would DARE make any comments... but see two Sri Lankan girls sitting alone and enjoying some music and they not only have to comment, but stare, sit at every table adjacent to us and then leer suggestively. And as for the moron who kept throwing his tennis ball in my direction while in the swimming pool over and over again..because (as he remarked to his friends) He felt sorry for me because I was alone... I hope the fleas of a thousand camels invade his armpits.. yes I do indeed!
But this was just such a problem that these men had!!! They think that any and every female unaccompanied by a man is fair game! And so they come.. these predators.. with their pot bellies, thin arms and leering smiles...regular little casanovas...
The fact that we had to put up with this on such a regular basis and by SO MANY Local men speaks volumes not only about what makes their moronic minds tick, but also the ideologies that we as women have to deal with here... its sickening, its nauseating but most of all its sad... are these the mindless boobs who will be procreating and giving us our country's future?
two words.
Nuclear Holocaust.
A rhetorical Question...
As I walked down the road to office on a Sunday morning, I smiled at a couple of people down the road: A garbage collector and an old security guard outside the Hallmark Building. Their response was instantenous - er.. that means that they smiled back. Then suddenly I remembered one of those cheesy notices that someone had stuck on one of the notice boards near our grade block in school - something about it taking only 17 facial muscles to smile while it took 32 to frown or some such thing aimed at lightening the disposition of some 125 sulky teenagers who thought they knew it all...
And then it struck me...
Why does it then hurt your face to continously smile whereas frowning can be mantained for an idefinite period of time with minimal facial discomfort? 
If smiling is less effort as the notice insinuated, why is it harder to maintain? Can the answer be found in economics? The more effort you put it into the production of something the better it will work? Or is it that smling is a more alien state of being to man?
Just wondering...
Friday, January 12, 2007
Top 5 Reasons to be a MP in Sri Lanka
5. The Power! The prestige! The fame!
4. You only have to make an appearance in parliament a few times a month
3. Subsidised food! (And not the crap we get at university..! Rumour sayeth that buriyani is on the menu!
2.I can shout and hurl abuse at people I dont like under the pretext of debating important national issues in the sure knowledge that no one can sue my ass.
1. The fact that all MPs in Sri Lanka got a 145% salary increase! (so I got a friend to do the calculations!)
But seriously check this out:
Increased salaries
Prime Minister & ministers From Rs.34000.00 to Rs.71500.00
Speaker From Rs.31000.00 to Rs.68500.00
Leader of the opposition From Rs.29815.00 to Rs.65000.00
Deputy Minister From Rs.28750.00 to Rs.63500.00
Member of Parliament From Rs.22100.00 to Rs.54285.00
I kid you not! Read the BBC Article!
And all of a sudden I'm all for the President calling for early elections! Where do I sign up dammit???
4. You only have to make an appearance in parliament a few times a month
3. Subsidised food! (And not the crap we get at university..! Rumour sayeth that buriyani is on the menu!
2.I can shout and hurl abuse at people I dont like under the pretext of debating important national issues in the sure knowledge that no one can sue my ass.
1. The fact that all MPs in Sri Lanka got a 145% salary increase! (so I got a friend to do the calculations!)
But seriously check this out:
Increased salaries
Prime Minister & ministers From Rs.34000.00 to Rs.71500.00
Speaker From Rs.31000.00 to Rs.68500.00
Leader of the opposition From Rs.29815.00 to Rs.65000.00
Deputy Minister From Rs.28750.00 to Rs.63500.00
Member of Parliament From Rs.22100.00 to Rs.54285.00
I kid you not! Read the BBC Article!
And all of a sudden I'm all for the President calling for early elections! Where do I sign up dammit???
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
more on directions
A random google search on directionally impaired has generated 97,000 hits in 0.23 seconds. However no one as far as I can see has provided a guide on "What to do when you country becomes paranoid and changes the flow of traffic on every road that was once familiar to you". Most had pointed to google earth as a reliable prop, but as far as I can tell, they havent marked which way the traffic can flow on what roads in Sri Lanka as yet. And I'm not really holding my breath.
To completely change the subject... Is there such a thing as saturated with tiredness? I can feel it seeping through my muscles and into my bones where it manifests itself with a huge yawn that is transferred there by some lazy neuron receptacles.
Today is as random a day as it gets - my quote for the day is "And my time is a piece of wax fallin on a termite Thats chokin on the splinters"... yes my fascination with Becks' "loser" is not quite done. As random goes random does.
Ok I'm too spaced out and sleepy and doggone tired.
Why?
I'm getting old.
To completely change the subject... Is there such a thing as saturated with tiredness? I can feel it seeping through my muscles and into my bones where it manifests itself with a huge yawn that is transferred there by some lazy neuron receptacles.
Today is as random a day as it gets - my quote for the day is "And my time is a piece of wax fallin on a termite Thats chokin on the splinters"... yes my fascination with Becks' "loser" is not quite done. As random goes random does.
Ok I'm too spaced out and sleepy and doggone tired.
Why?
I'm getting old.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Politically incorrect one way system marginalises directionally impaired!!!
Getting around in Colombo at the best of times is a talent that has long eluded me and countless others like me who are directionally impaired... Oh you may laugh! But only those like me will be able to truly understand the sweaty, 'clammy- palm' feeling of sheer terror when you get to a junction that "looks familiar" but you cant decide which way to turn... the mental trauma caused by irate friends, family and relative strangers when you take them down some wild goose chase down a road for 20 minutes to destination A when said destination could have been reached a good 15 minutes before... the uncertanity of leaving a place without knowing if you can ever find your way back to it.... ah me... no you wouldnt laugh.
But what is Happening to Colombo? Where are things one way? Where can I take the bus from? How do I get to my friends houses? HOW do I get to classes from office? My considerably underdeveloped geographical senses are screaming blue murder.... I am THIS close to shrieking uncontrollably, spinning erratically in one place and collapsing in a sizzling heap of overheated neurons... even the little that was certain is not anymore! The short cuts I have gathered over the past so many years have been dissipated... rendered useless in a single fell blow! The insensitivity of this move to impaired people like me is shocking in its brutality... every fibre of my being is screaming for vengeance. VENGEANCE!!!!!
I need action! The power of the people must be invoked! I am in the process of organising a protest rally at the Fort Railway station - if I can find my way there...
But what is Happening to Colombo? Where are things one way? Where can I take the bus from? How do I get to my friends houses? HOW do I get to classes from office? My considerably underdeveloped geographical senses are screaming blue murder.... I am THIS close to shrieking uncontrollably, spinning erratically in one place and collapsing in a sizzling heap of overheated neurons... even the little that was certain is not anymore! The short cuts I have gathered over the past so many years have been dissipated... rendered useless in a single fell blow! The insensitivity of this move to impaired people like me is shocking in its brutality... every fibre of my being is screaming for vengeance. VENGEANCE!!!!!
I need action! The power of the people must be invoked! I am in the process of organising a protest rally at the Fort Railway station - if I can find my way there...
Monday, January 1, 2007
towards a better year!
If any song symbolises my relationship to 2006, it would be 'Loser' by Beck. What a year... details are unnecessary and sordid but I'll just say that I'm glad its over. Being an eternal optimist I have great hopes for 2007... and "Three little birds" by Bob Marley which was played at some point of out house party will hopefully be my theme song for this year!
Too sleepy and too traumatised by the fact that I'm at work to write properly. Happy new year to all and hope 2007 is your lucky year! The fact that Prasad and I almost got killed on the way to work is maybe symbolic of last year and the saying that, that which does not kill you makes you stronger!:
yawn. aaaaaargh. sleep needed.
Too sleepy and too traumatised by the fact that I'm at work to write properly. Happy new year to all and hope 2007 is your lucky year! The fact that Prasad and I almost got killed on the way to work is maybe symbolic of last year and the saying that, that which does not kill you makes you stronger!:
yawn. aaaaaargh. sleep needed.
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