Indian English: A Sure Way To Feel Bamboozled
Indian English is a language apart. Spoken well, as it is by millions of Indians, it is a joy to the ear. Educated urban Indians often speak embarrassingly eloquent English. But, there are many millions more in India for whom English is not their natural language. This fact doesn’t stop them from using the language with gleeful gusto, bending it as they please and cheerfully making up new words as they go along. After all, Indians are great at “chalta hai,” which... Read More
Hurricane Irene: Gay Marriage Is To Blame
As Hurricane Irene approached and New York braced itself for impact, most people were too busy evacuating their homes or checking their insurance policies to ask themselves if there was a reason behind the coming apocalypse. The cause of natural disasters can be hard to pin down, but some experts have claimed that one result of climate change will be more frequent and severe storms. It could be that Irene is the consequence of our wasteful Western lifestyles. Or it could be... Read More
Are We Facing The End Of Gender?
I am seeing a higher frequency of stories having to do with gender issues such as the androgynous model Andrej Pejic being censored for appearing shirtless on the cover of a magazine, the parents that want to keep their baby’s gender a secret with the hope that he/she will grow up without societal definitions, and the uproar earlier this year about a J. Crew catalog featuring a 5-year old with painted toenails in neon pink. What’s going on? Well, Linton Weeks... Read More
Man Gets Arrested For Selling Fakes Meant To Be Fakes
Wing Sun Mak was arrested in Chinatown last week for offering fake Louis Vitton and Gucci bags to an undercover policeman. Before concluding that this is what Mr. Mak justly deserved for selling fake handbags, you need to know that these bags were supposed to be fake. Furthermore, they are in high demand along with other fake luxury items like the iPad. The store, Fook On Sing Funeral Supplies, on Mulberry Street along what is known in Chinatown as Funeral Row, sells traditional... Read More
On Melody, Lyrics And My Eminem Dilemma
When It Comes To Music Do You Prefer Lyrics Or Melody? I have a theory about people and music, one I’ve verified to my satisfaction, after multiple late-night conversations with friends. It’s a pretty simple theory. Most people will fall into one of two musical camps: the melody camp or the lyrics camp. For those in the melody camp (let’s call them “melodyphiles” for the sake of brevity) how a song sounds is paramount. In case you’re wondering I consider... Read More
The Exorcist: A New Career Opportunity for Teenage Girls
What Will Your Teenage Daughter Choose As A Career? There’s a list of subjects most parents of teenagers learn to avoid: tattoos, Justin Bieber, website security, phone bills and whether Cheerios count as a fruit. Another item I have recently added to this list of forbidden topics is career choices. At age six, my kids wanted to be “train drivers” and astronauts. At sixteen they want to be the world experts in Grand Theft Auto and Facebook. My gentle queries about... Read More
It Worked For The Mahatma; Will It Work For Anna?
Gandhi Did It Mahatma Gandhi did it. He fasted. And, in so doing, he forced the hand of the British colonial powers of his time. Aware of the Mahatma’s huge following, and fearful of repercussions that would arise from his untimely death, the British could not afford to let Gandhi starve himself to death, be it over the issue of separate political representation for the lowest caste, or to stop communal fighting between Hindus and Muslims. And so, they acceded to his demands. Fasting... Read More
Parents Of Obese Kids To Lose Custody?
Everyone knows you could lose custody of your kids for child abuse and neglect, but Dr. David Ludwig from the Children’s Hospital in Boston wants the state to be able to take obese children away from parents that aren’t looking out for their children’s weight problems. [Ludwig] said the point isn’t to blame parents, but rather to act in children’s best interest and get them help that for whatever reason their parents can’t provide. State intervention... Read More
iPads In Airplane Cockpits: A Sign Of Things To Come
Due to the insane amount of booklets that pilots apparently have to have with them at all times in the cockpit, someone came up with the great idea to use iPads as a paperless alternative. Implemented, American Airlines claims that the weight reduction will save $1.2 million in fuel annually, give accurate information, and improvement in employee safety. “American Airlines and the Allied Pilots Association, the union for American’s pilots, are testing the use of tablet... Read More
Ladies: You Might Be Single, But You Are Not Alone
“Look at me, I will never pass for a perfect bride or a perfect daughter. Can it be I’m not meant to play this part? Now I see that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family’s heart…” - Mulan. The lyrics may be from a Walt Disney cartoon but the sentiment of that song is held true and dear by women all over the world. That’s certainly true for me. I’m nearing the BIG 30 and I am still single. Very, very much single. ... Read More
