Masiakasaurus knopfleri

One of the benefits of being an 80s rock singer is that people actually listen to you two decades later. One of the benefits of being a really good rock singer is that people listen to you while digging deep into the earth for fossils. If you are the Sultan of Swing you even get a dinosaur named after you. This is an old news, but if you are a Dire Straits fan this news would interest you!

Neither fair nor lovely

Once, when I told my Afro-American friends about the racism of Indians, they would not believe me. I remember reading in the TOI abt an Indian woman who married an African (a well-educated one at that) and settled down in a Bombay suburb (ulhasnagar, if I remember right), only to face the harshest of questions from "friends", "well-wishers" and others. This is, of course, the other side of the historical (historic, too - it led to colonialism in India) Indian fascination for the white skinned. Here is more on this issue.

Ruchir has mixed up too many issues in this article, but his basic point is well-made.

If at 25 you are not a communist, you don't have a heart

If after 25, you are still a communist, you don't have a mind...

Need proof of the hold that "socialism" had over the Indian public in the 1980s (and still does in many cases)? Watch any movie from the those years. All those Robin Hoods represented the worst of that ideology. Here is a mind exercise that involves a "revolutionary" (revolting, actually) thought abt the India of 2006 - what if India were ruled by the Marxists?. Actually, India was, albeit by communist ideology rather than by the communists themselves all the way from 1947 to the 1990s.

One important point needs to be highlighted from among all those that the writer makes - India almost never became a software power because the communists strongly opposed computers in the 1980s. Sweet irony that the technology that was forecast to take away millions of jobs is instead creating them. Not to forget the important roles played by Rajiv Gandhi (hardly my favourite Indian PM) and Sam Pitroda in bringing new technology to India.

Could Wal-Mart's populist strategy prove to be more "sustainable" than Whole Foods?

Consuming organic food is a health choice for many. But, is that the same as buying organic food for a good cause? The line between the two is often blurred, often deliberately by the sellers of organic food. Result - consumers often pay extra for organic food not just for health, but also to feel "virtuous". Obviously, they are entitled to spend their hard-earned money as they please. Question, do consumers really think through their logic before feeling good about their decisions? An organic food store has evolved into an outlet where you make health choices, help the small farmer, save the world from global warming, preserve the "traditional" way of life, etc., etc. Really?!

Here is an article that dares to suggest, lo and behold, that Wal-mart probably does more good than Whole Foods....

to each according to his English

an interesting narration of one man's findings on how early immigrants chose the vocations they did. the immigration model he presents is the old one - arrive in the country and find your vocation, not the other way around (incidentally, this old model is still followed in Canada, Oz and NZ among other countries that award "points" based on qualifications, experience, etc.).

"this man threw you out of the country and you worship him?"....read on

blogspot, blogpsot, bible studies and the internet

click on this link . now click on this one

The only difference in the URLs is the interchanging of S and P in blogspot. Interestingly, ANYTHING.blogpsot.com will give you the same result. Now, is this guerilla marketing, missionary zeal or just plain subterfuge? A little bit of each. But I do not blame the site hosts entirely because they are doing nothing illegal. Nor do they claim to do one thing while doing another. All they are doing is hoping for a spelling mistake from those typing in URL ids. And then, since P occurs before S in the English alphabet, blogpsot is always ahead of blogspot! Voila!

The power of the internet is immense, especially against those who are not careful....

With no McDonalds and Burger King, why is Bermuda's obesity rate – 20 percent in 2002 – higher than the US'?

It's true. There is no BK or McD in Bermuda. I learnt that from a visiting colleague who went to meet friends at........ the local BK. She said that tourists to Bermuda do not want what they get at home, so no BK or McD. Really? I always thought that BK and McD marketed themselves as providers of boring but very standard stuff around the world, attracting visiting Americans and Europeans.

But here is an interesting question that one netizen. Take time to read the comments at the end. Blaming BK and McD for obesity is like blaming TV channels for TV addiction. Why not shut the damn thing off?

what would you do if you had $200 mln to spare?

well, here is an idea - build the largest aquarium on the planet. that idea is already taken - and implemented - by the co-founder of Home Depot. the Georgia Aquarium opened late last year and is a gift of Bernie Marcus. now, THAT is a unique gift! what came to Bernie first - the idea or the money?

And that's just the ones who told the truth.....

Results of a survey indicate that British men prefer to attend the football World Cup than their own wedding!

Is it a football thing? What is it abt football that makes men forget everything else?

Is it a British thing? Why do British men prefer football over everything else? Would anyone from any other country do this?

Is it a man thing? Would women do such a thing? May be they would miss the World Cup for their wedding!

Perhaps it is a wedding thing! When reminded of their wedding, men prefer the escapism of enjoying the World Cup!

Wonder what the national coach thinks?