One of them was wearing a light orange and white top with no bra. Its no big issue for me. Ive seen enough topless girls in my time but apparently the other men in the super market haven't. Soon my line became a bit crowded and there were now two bag boys pitching packing without even looking at what there were putting in the bags.

Soon the girls felt a bit uncomfatable about the sudden crowdness. The probably felt they were in scouting camp with all the pitched tents around them. They paid for what they bought and left in quite a hurry, eyes following them all the way outside.

This really shows whats on the mind of Sri Lankan men.

Solo un tavolo, degli oggetti caratteristici della storia, qualche documento e delle manette al polso del giornalista, trasportato con estrema enfasi nel racconto. Potete trovarlo qui. Aldilà dell'altissima qualità del programma quello che mi ha colpito è un altro aspetto.

Piroso ha utilizzato uno stile asciutto, ma forte; ha citato le fonti; ha fatto i nomi degli accusatori, in tribunale e sui giornali; ha contestualizzato alcune situazioni.

Senza paura di parlare di idoli incontrastati della cultura alternativa a quella standard dei giornali e dei media "schiavi" del sistema.

Ha citato senza paura un editoriale scandalo di Montanelli che si meritò una querela da Tortora. Ha detto che uno dei falsi pentiti del processo è stato assolto in un altro procedimento con una formula quanto meno particolare dalla Forleo. Ha parlato male dell'ANM, a volte eccessivamente chiuso a riccio su posizioni di protezione di casta. Ha approfittato di una citazione per parlare di Furio Colombo e dello scivolone in cui è incorso nel caso Newsweek e del suo autore Jacopo Barigazzi, bollato come "inesistente" con relativo film sul suo articolo, quasi solo perchè su google non lo si trovava. Caso di cui ho scritto anch'io ma di cui non ho riportato poi rettifica una volta spuntata la notizia.

Proprio questo è un episodio che mi ha fatto riflettere. Mentre leggevo l'editoriale di Colombo pensavo anch'io che qualcosa non quadrava, ma poi mi sono detto "Oh, lo scrive lui... l'avrà fatto con cognizione di causa". Invece ha preso un granchio grande quanto la sua professionalità. E io appresso.

Si può essere schierati. Si può essere faziosi. Si deve avere un proprio punto di vista. Ma bisogna diffidare di chiunque. Del politico con la fedina penale lunga quanto il Transatlantico di Montecitorio, di quello immacolato, del ladro, del paladino della giustizia, di quello per cui si è votato, di quello che non si voterà mai, del proprio maestro, dei giudici corrotti, dei giudici per bene, dei bersagli facili, dei miti inattaccabili, dei monumenti e dell'ultimo degli umili. Senza per questo bollare a vita una persona per un singolo episodio. Non esistono idoli incontrastati, non deve esistere per un giornalista un guru dalla penna d'oro.

Solo così si potrà raggiungere serietà e credibilità. E indipendenza, nonostante un'esplicita faziosità o un chiaro schieramento a favore di qualcuno. Ieri Piroso, direttamente o indirettamente, mi ha dato una lezione importante. Spero di poterla mettere a frutto. C'è tanta strada da fare.

            Before this event, it was announced that the organizers of the gig, Stigmata and Serenity Dies were looking for a third band to play at their show. They did this by means of a competition that required all bands to send in profiles, recorded demos and videos etc. and the band chosen was to be announced at the event. Initially, I found many people asking who the opening act is, but I guess that the news either leaked out of people just figured it out but after a while, pretty much everyone knew who the third band was. At roughly 8.15 p.m, Sword of the Spirit made their way to the stage.

            SOS (www.myspace.com/swordofthespiritsl) has been a band that has gone through many drastic lineup changes since they began in 2004. But they’re a different band from what they started out as. I’m not talking about the members, I’m talking about the sound. They weren’t however greeted that enthusiastically by the crowd. I was rather pissed off to hear many “funny” remarks being passed as they were setting up, but they just left the music to do the talking. They started out with an original titled “Blinded by the wrong eye,” an extremely powerful song that involves a lot of gut, so the first shot was fired. I loved the song and the fact that the delivery was very tight, and the general response towards the band from the crowd started changing. The music was doing the talking as frontman Hasyth said. My favourite song that night by SOS was their original “hypocrite”. This song as a gripping intro and can get anyone’s attention in a heart beat. And the lyrics and the overall composition is brilliant. Love the grooves, the riffs, and the feeling the song creates. I’m sad to say I missed the cover they played that night as it was one ripper of a track. “Blacken the cursed sun” by “Lamb of God” was the SOS cover choice for the night, and this broke through any ice with the crowd. Shame I didn’t get to see it. Their other originals like Pit Decorum, the Wrath and broken chains that bound us were all very well executed and if I had more space I would go on about, but overall, Sword of the Spirit played a very tight set and set the venue up with the perfect atmosphere for the next two bands.

            Next to take the stage were Maldivian Thrash Metal giants Serenity Dies (www.myspace.com/serenitydies). Since their debut performance in 2004, this band has made a mark as one of the bands that kept metal alive in the Maldives during a phase of pop/alternative/grunge madness in the country. With one album to their credit, titled “murder,” which was released in 2006, the thrash metallers have gone on to grab their country and the rest of Asia by storm. The Band was greeted with a round of applause that was far too polite for a metal gig. Mainly because I guess a lot of people haven’t heard a lot of their material. And we all know Sri Lankan crowds take a while to warm up to new things. Serenity Dies performed a wide selection of music, which included their own material and some kickass covers. I don’t remember the exact order of the songs they played, but thanks to their myspace and some other music sites I was able to listen to some of their music and I recognised most of what I heard at the concert through the tracks I heard later. When I saw the guys right before they started playing, I sensed a bit of nervousness. Right after the first song however, I stopped getting that vibe. Serenity dies were delivering and the crowd was starting to get more and more pumped up. My personal favourite from the originals was their track “Prisoner of Mayhem” I love the energy of this song and the attitude displayed by frontman Chuck when he sang. Other originals like “Hatred within”, “The Deceiver” and their album title track “murder” were all instant in the reaction they grabbed from the audience. The venue was going insane. Their first cover for the night, unless I’m mistaken was “DNR” by Testament. In all honesty I’m not that familiar with a lot of testaments music but I knew enough to say that they did perfect justice to the cover. This song managed to get all the metalheads in the place on their feet. Slayers “Angel of Death” was also on the list of covers that night. Wow…What can I say? If I was listening to an audio of these guys performing this song, I would have a hard time figuring out that it’s a band covering it and not the real thing. Really, it was that damn brilliant. By now the moshpit was raging in full swing and the Slayer cover added even more to the ambience of absolute mayhem that was residing in the place. Also on their cover list was that well loved Heavy Metal classic “Holy Wars” by Megadeth. This too was tackled brilliantly and personally, my favourite cover Serenity Dies played that night. Their other cover was “Walk with me in hell” by Lamb of God. Another kicker that got the crowd going nuts considering the fact that Lamb of God is a band that gained fast popularity among Sri Lankan Metalheads. All in all Serenity dies in my opinion played an impeccably tight set. Kudos to the boys and hope we get to see you guys here again very soon.

            Last but not least, Stigmata (www.myspace.com/stigmatasrilanka) got on to the stage. First of all I need to say that this was not the tightest set I’ve seen the stiggies perform. I noticed there were issues with timing in certain sections and also there were times I couldn’t hear the guitars and vocals. Very few instances I might add. That being said, as always the stiggies delivered right to the core (“Bokkeng Dunna” as we Sri Lankans like to call it). Opening with their original “Swinemaker” from the album “Silent Chaos Serpentine”, the Stigs got the moshpit raging once more. I always find something new to admire about these guys every time I see them play. While I know that all of the guys are improving by leaps and bounds at what they do, Suresh’s vocals, I feel are something to marvel at. I heard him doing some really crazy variations and improvisations in his screams and growls as well as his clean highs. Especially in the newer tracks, the vocal melodies and the phrasings are really unique. The dude just keeps better and better. They went on to perform most of their songs from Serpentine like “Jazz Theory”, Solitude and My Malice and also, in celebration for the five year anniversary of their first album “Hollow Dreams’, the stigs went back to give us some favourites such as “Dezra” and of course that cult anthem “Andura”. The newer songs are something else all together. Material that the stiggies are composing for their third record really proves that this band is all about progression. “The summoning cry of Aries” is an amazing track that carries in it all the ingredients for an insane trip. Heavy as fuck with Psychedelic and tripped out elements, this song really got me going. The same, if not more can be said about their song “Spiral Coma” this song literally makes me feel like I’m going on a journey out of my body. The way the music is structured and also the lyrics and that unexpectedly melodic guitar solo Andrew plays really does have the power to take you somewhere else. The most recent composition the Stigs have performed live is “Nothing”. This song starts out with a really groovy tribal sounding drum and bass line that made me start dancing and jumping all over the place. It then intensifies and progresses to an insane riff and from there, the song goes all over the place, quite literally. Notable fact is that this is the first Stigs original where Axeman Tenny plays a guitar solo. And what a solo it is. It literally sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard before further adding to widely acclaimed speculations that this guy is not from this planet. The cover for the night began with that all familiar drum solo. “Pain Killer” by Judas Priest was amazing. Everything from the drumming to the vocals was simply amazing. No other way to describe it. Word was that the boys had another cover and a few other earlier songs lined up, but passing midnight, the club insisted that the band stops and so things turned a bit sour. Initially it was said that after the gig, there would be a metal after party, but it appeared that that wasn’t going to happen and the Stigs performed their final two songs much to the dismay of the onlookers who started booing at the employees of the club and creating quite a stir. The last two songs for the night were “If Alpha meets Omega”, an amazing burst of energy in the form of an instrumental with some amazing guitar work by Andrew and a killer bass line, and “March of the Saints”, the traditional Stigmata closer. Apart from that bit of ill feeling towards the end of the show, it was one hell of a night for Sri Lankan Heavy Metal. And a statement to all non believers and enemies of the cause. Heavy metal lives. It rushes through our veins as one common stream that feeds us all. And it will not be stopped no matter how much shit it gets from anyone.

Horns  to you all

The Rebel Maniac

Quando começaram os americanos a comer carne?

Quando lá chegou o Cristovão Colombo.

caracteres: 83

por: desconhecido

revisto: tavjo

enviado: tavjo

Today i got stopped at a check point on a lovely road overlooking the sea. The asked my driver out of the vehicle to open the boot. The van had a few shoes here and there in the back seat and they just inspected the boxes. He picked up the shoes and starting joking with his men whether it will fit the only female office in that check point. I turned around and for about a few minutes we shared a few laughs about whether the  shoe will fit her and if we're going to sell it to her for a good price. At that moment we all laughed and joked as human beings as Sri Lankans. Soon he sent us off without even checking my ID. The only guy who missed out the fun was the guy behind the barricade.

This cop experience was much better than the one i had last week.

I was copped the usual routine check. The cop looked new. In his early 20's no extra badges on his uniform. The other two officers were also new. Both of them from the STF armed with high powered rifles. The asked me to get out of the vehicle and he kinda regretted it when he realized i was about a foot taller than him. They checked the front seat, the doors, the cubby, under the seat, under the cubby and he even put his fingers into the tape player. The other guy was harassing my driver to open up the boot. Once he did the checked everything. Even under the carpet and inside the speakers. He sent me off soon. Disappointed that im not a terrorist or remotely close to one. All this without a smile.

We cant exactly blame the police for being bitter. They're probably frustrated that they're stuck in Colombo with nothing to do but check vehicles. Imagine everytime a bomb goes off every police officer at a check point feels like shit cause who knows the vehicle they didnt check well enough might have carried the bomb. And if they did they probably would have saved lives.

Some are bitter some are nice. Whatever mood they are. Just let them do they're job and get on with your journey :)

Social problems are prevailing in every developing country. In Sri Lanka too there are several such problems. The problem of street children is one of them.
Hundreds of street children can be seen in our populous cities like Colombo, Kandy and Kurunegala. Most of them are in the age group of 5-10 years. The number of street children is increasing day by day.
Why have they become street children? This situation has been arisen due to several factors prevailing in our society. Unemployment, parental death and illness and acute poverty are some of them. These factors have paved the way for these children to leave their homes in search of jobs.
It is said that parental love and affection is essential for both mental and physical development of a child. All these children have lost their parental love and affection. There is no one to look after them. So they roam here and there in the streets. The chief means of living of most of these children is begging. Some children are engaged in odd jobs like pushing carts, washing plates and scavenging. They earn a few rupees by doing such odd jobs. Most of these children compel to engage in illegal and anti-social activities. It has been revealed that certain affluent people employ these children in their illegal businesses such as selling drugs and illicit liquor.
There children have no permanent abode. They have no beautiful clothes to wear. They have no chance of receiving education. They have no comfortable beds to sleep. They sleep in a corner of a building or under the shade of a tree or somewhere in the street. They wear ragged clothes. They eat rubbish dumped in dust bins. They have been deprived of all the privileges enjoyed by the other children.
The government has set up a separate department called “The department of Probation and Child care” for the benefit of these children. But the government alone cannot solve this problem. There should be benefactors for them. The chances of enjoying the Child’s rights depend on the generosity of the more affluent. The social services organizations and other voluntary organizations should extend their co-operation towards the government to solve this problem.

Main Pettah Bus Stand in peaceful times

A bomb exploded in central Colombo "Olcott Mawatha" in Pettah near the Bodhirajaramaya around 12:15 p.m. wounding 45 people.  All injured have been admitted to the National hospital and are receiving treatment.  Of the injured 2 are children and 4 are women.  The hospital director speaking on a local news channel said one or two have serious injuries and are undergoing major surgery.  No deaths have been reported so far.

The bomb was an improvised explosive device (IED) with low amounts of explosives said the military.  TV reports said the bomb had exploded in front of a small shop selling watches and clocks, close to the mainbus stand in Pettah.  Agence Fraqnce Press reports that the bomb was in a parcle left near a flower seller.  The main Pettah bus stand is the central starting point for buses to many outstation towns.

Visuals on TV news bulletins show that police have cordoned off the area.   There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The Government's news website (www.news.lk) reports that security forces on the 22 August had uncovered accessories of suicide jackets from a Catholic Church premises on the same street where the bomb went off today - the  Olcott Mawatha in Pettah. In addition Detonators, switches and few other items have also been concealed inside the St. Phillip Nerish Church premises, according to defence sources.

For more scenes from the world youth Congress, see these pictures from Flickr or visit the WYC youtube channel. A video of the World Youth Walk is also on youtube.

COLOMBO – Das Territorium der Tamil Tiger schrumpft kontinuierlich. Der von den Norwegern unterstützte Friedensprozess ist zeitweilig ausgesetzt. Und es gibt keinerlei Anzeichen dafür, dass in nächster Zeit irgendwann wieder aufgenommen wird.

Westliche Diplomaten sagen, dass die Bemühungen der norwegischen Friedensvermittler zum Stillstand kämen, so lange noch die Kämpfe toben. Es sei unwahrscheinlich, dass es in der nahen Zukunft irgendwelche Fortschritte im Friedensprozess geben wird.

Obwohl aber die norwegischen Diplomaten derzeit nicht mehr in LTTE-Gebiete reisen, sind sie dennoch mit den Tamil Tigers in ständigem Kontakt. Norwegen ist auch in engem Kontakt mit Indien, und jeder in Sri Lanka stimmt darin überein, dass dies am wichtigsten sei.

Sri Lanka weiß, dass es Indien an seiner Seite behalten muss. Jedoch scheint sich Indien zum ersten Mal seit langer Zeit nicht viel darum zu bemühen, in Sri Lanka neutral zu sein. Obwohl es Pro-LTTE-Gerüchte in Tamil Nadu gibt, weigert sich Indiens Offizielle, öffentlich irgendetwas zu kritisieren, von dem sie meinten, es würde an der Kriegsfront in Sri Lanka schief laufen.

So hat der Premierminister Manmohan Singh vergangenen Freitag eine Reihe von srilankanischen politischen Kräften in Colombo auf dem SAARC-Gipfel getroffen. Unter denen, die er traf, waren auch tamilische Gruppen, welche einerseits gegen, andererseits Sympathisanten der LTTE waren. Für jeden hatte er nur eine Botschaft: Indien sähe es sehr gerne, wenn die demokratischen Kräfte in Sri Lankas Nordosten die Oberhand gewinnen würden.

In der Zwischenzeit ist der Strom der Flüchtlinge nach Indien leicht zu handhaben. Auch Neu Delhi verfolgt die LTTE unerbittlich - in Tamil Nadu und anderswo, so dass die Terroristen in Indien keine Kriegsmaterialien sammeln können. Dies ist natürlich wahre Musik in Colombos Ohren.

Tamilischen Aktivisten sowie diplomatische Quellen sagen, dass die Befreiungstiger von Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in den weniger als drei Jahren, in denen sie sich Colombo mit erneut mit agressiver Kriegstreiberei entgegengestellt haben, nun verzweifelt nach Kämpfern suchten.

Nach tamilischen Quellen aus dem unruhigen Nordosten der Insel drängt die LTTE tamilischen  Familien, wenigstens eine Familienmitglied – egal, wie alt und welchen Geschlechts – die paramilitärische Laufbahn bei der LTTE einzuschlagen.

Momentan kontrolliert die LTTE ungefähr 4.000 Quadratkilometer – oder gerade sechs Prozent von Sri Lanka. Und man sagt, dass die Bevölkerung, die sich unter ihrer Kontrolle befindet, ungefähr 250.000 Menschen umfasst – lediglich 1,25 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung des Landes.

Dies ist eine gänzlich andere Situation, als es dies noch im Jahre 2005 war, als die LTTE ein großes Gebiet in Sri Lankas Norden und Osten kontrollierte. Jedoch ergriff die LTTE, nachdem der Präsident Mahinda Rajapaksa im November des Jahres die Macht übernommen hatte, die Offensive und schürte erneut einen Krieg, der bis zum heutigen Tage tobt.

Militärische Funktionäre sagen, dass in den vergangenen Jahren die Fähigkeit der LTTE zu einem Gegenangriff in größerem Stiel ernsthaft gelitten hat. Der Verlust der Gebiete im Osten bedeutet, dass die LTTE wertvollen Übungsgrund und eine Region verloren hat, in der sie vorher Kader für den Krieg rekrutieren konnten.

Während die politischen Führer Sri Lankas zugeben, dass es unmöglich sein wird, die LTTE zu "zermalmen", so lange noch eine Spur von tamilischem Nationalismus existiert, scheint doch die LTTE im Norden verstärkt auf dem Rückzug zu sein. Aber jene, welche die LTTE kennen, warnen, dass diese nicht aufgeben werde, komme, was da wolle.

Die meisten Diplomaten sind der Ansicht, dass weder Colombo noch die LTTE Gespräche führen möchten. Es gilt als sicher, dass Colombo denkt, dass es den Krieg gewinnen werde. Und obwohl die Medien, die auf Seiten der LTTE sind, sich sehr über die Notwendigkeit zu einem Dialog auslassen, gibt es keine Garantie dafür, dass die LTTE den Dialog auch wirklich möchte.

Auf alle Fälle werden die Rufe nach Friedensverhandlungen von Colombo als verkappte Stellungnahmen pro LTTE abgetan. Der Staat weigert sich, sich das lästige Einfordern der Menschenrechten noch länger anzuhören. Den westlichen Aktivisten wird gesagt, dass sie nicht über einen bestimmten Linie hinausgehen könnten. Und wenn sie dies machten, würde man rasch darauf zu reagieren wissen.

In Sri Lanka scheint es, dass die beiden hauptsächlichen Anti-LTTE Wortführer, der vorherige, tamilische Tiger-Kommandant Karuna sowie sein Abgesandter und gleichzeitig Ministerpräsident der Östlichen Provinzen, Minister Pillayan, sich versöhnt haben. Leute, die im Osten wohnen, sagen, dass Karuna sich künftig um die Geschäfte der Partei kümmern wird, während Pilalayan sich um die Geschäfte, die sich auf die Provinzregierung beziehen, kümmern werde. Ein Zweckbündnis also.

Wie derweilen bekannt geworden, suchen die Männer von Karuna 300 desertierte LTTE-Kader, von denen sie glauben, dass sie sich in Colombo verstecken. Sie versuchen, sie mit Hilfe der Sicherheitskräfte in den tamilischen Vierteln der Hauptstadt aufzuspüren.

Zur gleichen Zeit scheint sich Sri Lanka nicht sonderlich damit zu beeilen, das politische Paket zu enthüllen, welches selbst für die gemäßigten Tamilen - im Falle einer Kapitulation der LTTE - für alle Beteiligten akzeptabel wäre.

Recentemente, in occasione delle Olimpiadi di Pechino, tutto il mondo - o gran arte di esso - ha riflettuto sulla questione tibetana e sulla Cina che da più di 50 anni gestisce a suo piacimento le sorti di un paese. Ma il popolo tibetano non è certo l'unico ad essere nelle condizini in cui si trova e spesso si uccide anche senza bomba, ma solo con l'indifferenza.

Così succede per i Nativi Americani che da centinaia di anni subiscono le pressioni e devono seguire le volontà dei paesi colonizzatori.

Per questo, vorremmo proporvi un interessante blog/sito su questo argomento, molto ben curato che più che sulla storia - di cui molto si sa - si concentra sull'attualità di queste popolazioni che ancora riescono ad avere poca voce per difendere i propri diritti.

Il sito si chiama nativiamericani.it dal quale vorremmo proporvi un video emozionante sul genocidio di queste popolazioni.

Sulle cifre dei caduti da parte dei Nativi c'è ancora un caldo dibattito, anche perché non si sa per certo quanti fossero in realtà prima dell'arrivo della "civilizzazione" dei colonizzatori, ma secondo le ultime ricostruzioni si tratterebbe del 90% della popolazione indigena morta in meno di un secolo“

Secondo quanto afferma lo studioso David Carrasco: «Gli storici sono stati in grado di stimare con una certa plausibilità che nel 1500 circa 80 milioni di abitanti occupavano il Nuovo Mondo. Nel 1550 solo 10 milioni di indigeni sopravvivevano. In Messico vi erano circa 25 milioni di persone nel 1500. Nel 1600 solo un milione di indigeni mesoamericani erano ancora vivi».

Se ti interessa la sorte dei popolo Nativi Americani e vuoi dare una mano, firma le petizioni a loro favore.

Petizione per salvare la Terra degli Apache

Petizione per la libertà religiosa dei detenuti Nativi Americani

Petizione per salvare Bear Butte

Su sito trovere molte altre petizioni e molte notizie interessanti sui Nativi Americani.

Segundo ela, a jovem recebe atendimento psicológico diário. “A menina vai ter problemas para se readequar à sociedade, mas acredito que, apesar de ser um tratamento a longo prazo, ela consiga pensar em ser mãe de família e uma mulher adulta. Ela ainda não conseguiu demonstrar as perdas”, disse Marina.

A adolescente presenciou o pai, um pedreiro de 34 anos, assassinar a tiros o namorado. “Ela foi levada pelo pai até onde estava a vítima. Lá, ele teria desafiado o jovem e cometido o crime. Fica até difícil de tratá-lo como pai da menina”, disse a conselheira.

Segundo a polícia, ele confessou o crime e disse que tinha ciúmes da filha, com quem mantinha relações sexuais. “Isso acontecia, segundo a menina nos disse, havia quatro meses. Ela só não denunciou antes por medo das ameaças do pai”, afirmou Marina.
A garota teria iniciado o namoro, o que deixou o pai com ciúmes. Quando a polícia conseguiu prender o pai da menina, ela estava presa em um barracão ao lado construção onde o pedreiro trabalhava, com ferimentos feitos por chicote.

Os policiais encontraram no local uma faca de caça, uma pistola e o chicote usado para agredir a adolescente.

O delegado Hamilton da Paz, responsável pelo caso, deve indiciar o pedreiro por porte ilegal de armas, contrabando, lesão corporal, estupro e homicídio.G1

Allora fatevi un giretto QUI.

Fundamentally your place within the hierarchy of the cooled is dictated by the pervasiveness of air conditioning  in three overlapping areas of your daily existence. Work, regular travel such as the commute, and the home. There are a mind numbing array of nuanced secondary factors that apply if you want to fine tune your status calculation. These include nosy inquiries such who pays for your air conditioning, the degree of control you have over adjusting it etc. I will not trouble my limited time, intellect, and imagination analysing such details.

Work place air conditioning is the only criteria that applies broadly across the cooled caste. I won't be bothering with the exceptions. A majority of public spaces in Sri Lanka are not air conditioned. Therefore regular access to such environments as part of your job emphasises the fundamental elitism of the cooled. The lower tiers depend on this exclusivity to qualify and sustain their membership. Naturally all workplace air-conditioning is not created equal. It has distinct hierarchies. Identifying the basics will show where you stand.

At the dregs is the cheap air-conditioning where the temperature is only 2 degrees lower than the sweltering outside. Classic examples: large retail/service spaces like Majestic city and Liberty Plaza (where I have thankfully avoided for the last few months). Incense is burnt to in a futile attempt to camouflage the fragrance of stale sweat loitering in the re-circulated air. The House of Fashion is an example of a body odour infused low end air conditioned environment endured in the name of bargains. It doesn't seem to slow the frantic pace of the employees or the shoppers.

At the top of the heap is the meat freezer air-conditioning of hotel ballrooms. An essential requirement for weddings to help the guys wear suits.

In between is the workplace with genuine air conditioning. Which is cool enough for the gents to wear long sleeve shirts with ties and the ladies to decked-out in power suits. These I am told, are very rare.

Genuine workplace air-conditioning is naturally in the service of efficiency, productivity and technology. Basically it lets you go about your business without the misfortune of sweating. Sweat has odious cultural associations in the exotic east which deserve a separate post.

From a management perspective, genuine workplace air-conditioning caters to the basic physical needs elaborated in Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Besides propping up human endurance, air-conditioning ensures the survival of delicate technology that require dry cool environments. The higher end factory floor, the intensive care ward, the data centre, the office that require ties. A bank's server room for example, won't last through a Colombo day without air-conditioning.

Such cooling means expensive power bills AND the ability to operate a massive stand by generator for the inevitable power outage. A company capable of providing genuine air-conditioning  makes a statement about its financial capabilities. Specially when energy costs are always increasing - along with strain of the electricity infrastructure.

Slaves of a  genuinely air-conditioned work place are upper echelon members of the cooled caste. They work in fields associated with high value/volume transaction, technology, and access to first world markets. Associations that make enslavement at a genuinely air-conditioned workplace a status symbol. It proves that you are not one of those perspiring menials. You are person with "prospects". The best indicator of which (for the unmarried) is the number of aunties bearing marriage proposals at weddings.

Workplace AC just one leg of the tripod prize of total coolness. The middle tier is the quality of air-conditioning in your transport. At the top is air conditioning at home. Both slippery beasts requiring their own post - coming soon.

Ha fatto in modo che Newsweek parlasse bene dei suoi primi 100 giorni di Governo, con un corrispondente inesistente. E oltretutto italiano, su un giornale americano. Leggere Colombo su l'Unità per credere. Uno sputtanamento che è valso la reazione stizzita de il Giornale, i cui editorialisti hanno liquidato le parole del vecchio Furio come deliri di un povero nonno babbeo, di quelli che ti fanno sorridere per l'esagerazione anzichè arrabbiarti. La volpe e l'uva.

Poi, dalle colonne di Tempi, compatisce Veltroni tacciandolo di essere vittima dei giustizialisti. Queste affermazioni mi suonano sempre come tentativi continui di far isolare Di Pietro dagli amici-nemici del Pd. Tipo "Waaaaalter... da te non me l'aspettavo! Tu che sei un ragazzo così per bene...". Spero l'abbiano capito anche i vertici democratici.

Nella stessa intervista inventa ispirazioni a Falcone sulla rimozione dell'obbligatorietà dell'azione penale a favore di un intervento più "mirato" e altre castronerie, prontamente rimandate al mittente dall'allievo Ingroia.

E in ultimo, il vero miracolo italiano, la paternità della fine delle ostilità in Georgia. Putin ha fermato i carriarmati solo grazie al suo intervento. Cosa non fa uno spettacolo del Bagaglino, formidabile. Una balla così grande da essere smentita da Palazzo Chigi stesso.

Tutto su un giornale così prestigioso da chiudere un articolo di confronto tra il Governo Berlusconi e quello Prodi con

Ragazze immagine. Quella del governo Prodi era Vladimiro Guadagno detto Luxuria. Quella di Berlusconi è Mara Carfagna. E si è così detto tutto.

Ancora una volta si è detto - davvero - tutto.

2 - No, il dibattito no. Troppo spesso si parla male del centrodestra campano. Dicono che quei poveretti non fanno niente e pensano solo a sopravvivere. Ma non è così. Si pensi che le ultime giornate sono dilaniate dal dibattito interno al Pdl: chi candidare alla presidenza di una regione che sulla carta è già vinta? Mara Carfagna è una delle risposte che è stata data. Al momento però risulta che l'onorevole Bocchino, forse inacidito per essere stato mediaticamente battuto sul terreno del potere evocativo del suo cognome, non ci sta: troppo poco esperta, dice. Sarà.

3 - Angiolo Bandinelli verga la solita colonna su il Foglio. Spiega cos'è un chopper. Posto che non si capisce cosa possa interessare al lettore che cazzo sia un chopper, urge comunque avvertire: non date retta a Bandinelli. Il chopper non è il più antico arnese di pietra forgiato dall'uomo, come dice il professore, ma semplicemente dicasi di un motore ironhead montato su telaio rigido con ciclistica azzerata ed assenza di freno anteriore. Sei poi al chopper aggiungete anche un serbatoio da sei galloni tutto stars and stripes siete anche pronti per il live to ride.

As for me I cant believe people still think that some guy called god exists.. the very idea of god is hilarious and primitive to me. Now, of course no one ever proved that Zeus or Athena doesn't exists, but I don't see anyone worshiping them.. It's just that a more 'powerful god' entered the picture and pushed them out. They are all the same if you take all their characteristics together and compare them, its just that people forgot the earlier gods and adopted a new single god. Like a corporate merger i guess.

Ok, i could atleast understand why people who lived in a world that was riddled with myths and legends believed in god, but these days it seems totally unacceptable considering the fact that we know almost every nook and cranny of the world (except the sea maybe), our solar system and to a certain extent the galaxy.

Anyway I was hoping to type some more, but our Susanthika ran in the 200m Heats (she was second, looked like the first three were running a marathon).

As an Indian user of high technology products to interface with my top quality and latest Ubuntu Linux PC Desktop or Laptop Computer from high technology companies - I have started REJECTING those peripherals and those companies which have not bothered to release free and open source Linux drivers for their devices. As with the best printers and high performance graphic cards, it is always best to do some research on whether a foreign company well known for manufacturing and distributing.

Many white goods companies are going ballistic in advertising that they sell a ( High Quality ? ) product to Indian users and in Indian markets EVERY three SECONDS. But do these companies sell products that play well with your Ubuntu Laptop ?

Make sure before you buy. Let them WAIT for THREE HOURS before they sell a product to Indian consumers.

Olympus is one of those companies making small and tiny Digital Voice Recorders - (good for sting operations on Indian politicians who excel in buying Votes for Notes for Civil Nuclear Treaty and solving the power and energy crisis of Indians - hamara nara, ghar ghar mein bijli pahuchana .... )

Unfortunately Olympus has not bothered to release free and open source software drivers for their Digital Voice Recorders. As far as I am concerned Olympus Digital Voice Recorder is USELESS till it makes available free and easily downloadable software drivers to work with my UBUNTU Laptop running on BSNL Broadband Internet.

No point buying rubbish electronic junk and e-waste which DOES NOT work with Ubuntu Linux computers in India. And this will be public service of voluntary nature as Indian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has hardly any guidelines for disposing electronic and computer junk and how to penalise those foreign companies which sell outdated technologies in India - Litter packaged up as Glitter . So before investing any rupees in more electronic junk and devices, ALWAYS check if it WORKS well with Ubuntu Linux.

Other than that I've watched Hellboy 2 and it sucks very much just like the first one. Also, Hancock sucks Han's COCK ! Oh and There Will Be Blood is too awesome to describe. I haven't seen acting like that in months.

Let me recap the movies I've watched recently for the benefit of myself -

Hancock - DO NOT WATCH AGAIN !

Hellboy II - WHAT THE HELL were they THINKING ?

There Will Be Blood - Too great to be described with my limited vocabulary.

Rocky Horror Picture Show - WTF ! But still great !

Persepolis - A fun ride.

Wanted - Seriously, how idiotic can hollywood get ?

Oldboy - A really fucked up film, in a very very good way. You will not believe the ending !

Anyway I think that sums up the movies I've watched for the last 3 weeks :)