text:
Monday, April 5, 2010
So, who's the liar??Yawn Yawn - not Sania-Shoaib again!!!
Khair, we can keep our 'Mubarak ho' on hold for now.
Obama is officially Black. Tiger Woods remains in the dog house. And the IPL bores me.
For whatever it is worth.... read on....
My fiction writer's mind is in overdrive. This is one story that cannot be topped by even the most enthu Bollywood script writer . It has enough masala in every twist to keep the masses ( and asses) salivating for more. Nothing gets readers and viewers as fired up as a salacious story involving young, good looking, affluent celebs. And if one of them ( guess who?) has loads of attitude to boot – wow!! The media has got itself a whopper of a winner. Sania-Shoaib ka gadbad ghotala has been front page news for days. And it is also the number one breaking news story on every channel, never mind the horrific rape of an MBA graduate in Pune. At the time of writing everyone including his uncle, aunt and neighbour , had been interviewed - from Lahore, Sialkot, Hyderabad and beyond. There were Sania sightings on the balcony of her Hyderabad villa. And we had been treated to theories galore, culled from available information. But despite the bombardment on all fronts, one thing is still unclear – who is the liar in this drama?? And above all – who is Ayesha?
I may be in a minority of one on this, but I am pretty sure Shoaib was misled at some point. The girl he thought he was marrying ( and he definitely did marry someone in this rather bizarre episode) may not have been the girl he thought he was in love with. Chances are, he met two girls ( Ayesha and Maha), fell for one, but accidentally married the other! Sounds absurd, but given the craziness of this entire set up, it is also possible. Somehow, and this may sound cruel, I cannot see a handsome, ambitious Pakistani cricketer falling for the rather plain looking, overweight girl - the same one we have been watching on television. These guys have the world's best looking females throwing themselves at them. Why would he settle for someone like her, that too when his career was rocking, unless there was a catch in the story? I listened with interest as his brother- in- law Imran from Lahore, patiently and politely took viewers through the rigmarole, while Ayesha's mother wept hysterically on Arnab's show. Imran maintained that the girl who wooed Shoaib over the phone and internet, was in fact, not the same girl he'd flipped for in person, but her clever friend. He also said that the two or three times Shoaib went to Hyderabad to meet his bride-to-be, she was never there! And the family would come up with some lame excuse ( she had to leave town suddenly, she was in hospital undergoing surgery, she was in some other city on work) and distract Shoaib. Assuming Shoaib really and truly fell for this ruse, he must be one hell of a dumbo. And if he is such a dumbo, why is Sania the Smartie, marrying such a guy? Can't be for the money ( she has much more), can't be for the fame ( she is way ahead in the fame stakes), then why? Aaha – she has fallen for his boyish, good looks and rakish sex appeal. That's it! She's a woman in love, and as we all know, a woman in love will do anything… defend a scoundrel, stand by the fellow and agree to marry him, even though he may be married to someone else.
The date's set. The wedding is on. Unless something changes between now and the 15th of April. Something significant and dramatic. Unless the real Ayesha turns up. The one Shoaib fell in love with. In which case, what will his current wife do??? Oh my God. This is getting a bit too complicated even for me. Must be the heat. I think I'll go cool off and watch some cricket – oops, wrong game. Too many maidens getting bowled over.
73 comments:
- Trendsetters said...
Last sentence is very witty, Madam.
- April 5, 2010 at 7:46 PM
- Kaps said...
Hi de!!!
I was waiting for your write up on this issue.Ofcourse I too have also masala to add to it because for years I have been her fan because she was the only Indian tennis player .
But for years i tolerated her pathetics second round exits on court and this .Even Indian guys started having interest in the game becuase of her ever increasing love handles(dont kill me for this but we girls couldn't even ignore it)
Interesting part of this story is if Sania ex also join in and would say that Sania did nikah with him after the engagement in his dreams and she should take legal divorce from him...
what say?? - April 5, 2010 at 7:55 PM
- anamika said...
Hi de!!!
I was waiting for your write up on this issue.Ofcourse I too have also masala to add to it because for years I have been her fan because she was the only Indian tennis player .
But for years i tolerated her pathetics second round exits on court and this .Even Indian guys started having interest in the game becuase of her ever increasing love handles(dont kill me for this but we girls couldn't even ignore it)
Interesting part of this story is if Sania ex also join in and would say that Sania did nikah with him after the engagement in his dreams and she should take legal divorce from him...
what say??
sorry i posted from my husband if my comment.He will kill me for this:d - April 5, 2010 at 8:04 PM
- anamika said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 5, 2010 at 8:09 PM
- Crazy Blogger said...
wow I like that " woman in love"
- April 5, 2010 at 8:25 PM
- Unknown said...
haha, was looking forward to your take on this whole tamasha! good read! :)
- April 5, 2010 at 9:00 PM
- kirti said...
I am more worried about , what if Ayesha was really married or very close to married....and he really told her to reduce the wt to 58 kg.
OMG! how preposterous. that means the our Indian smartie girl has got an upper limit fixed for her wt.
what if she does not stay in her limit?
I think she needs to have her vision restored which has been temporarily defunct b/c of luv. - April 5, 2010 at 9:45 PM
- Unknown said...
Shobha,I too like your last line.Am glad this muck has been kicked up by the press......there's never a dry day in the Indian news scene.
- April 5, 2010 at 9:50 PM
- Saji Oommen said...
Its very interesting that when one story fades another story comes up. My wife is glued to the idiot box to catch the latest happenings...
- April 6, 2010 at 12:11 AM
- goodluck said...
Interesting write up. My sympathies are with dumbo. That Maha is making herself a laughing stock.
- April 6, 2010 at 12:16 AM
- Anil Kumar said...
FIRST marriage is triumph of imagination over intelligence.
SECOND marriage is triumph of hope over experience.
The above lines apply for Shoiab Malik.
As far as Sania is concerned she was hyped by media as a star. Yes...Our DISGRACED TV media.
Her tennis credentials and achievements are similar to that of Anna Kournikova. Anna was hyped so much that she never won a tournament in her 10 years of career. Sania's looks are probably 10% of Ms Kournikova. BUT then she is a tennis star in media circles.
People say marriages are made in heaven but for some reason they both look loser in this. Seems like a case of "apane paaon per aap kulhaadi maar li dono ne by agreeing to marrying...I will eat my words if things go well after 10years. - April 6, 2010 at 12:23 AM
- Sidhusaaheb said...
"I cannot see a handsome, ambitious Pakistani cricketer falling for the rather plain looking, overweight girl - the same one we have been watching on television. These guys have the world's best looking females throwing themselves at them. Why would he settle for someone like her, that too when his career was rocking, unless there was a catch in the story?"
I completely agree with you on that. - April 6, 2010 at 1:47 AM
- Vikram The Prodigal said...
Well, what to say..You have trivialized the rape of the MBA graduate yourself...A contradiction in your point. If you had thought the rape as important, you would have written about that. I agree that you have written about these before. But the point is, the mention makes the blog awkward!
Again, I see Sania being let down...May be we have the right to elevate a person beyond measure and let them down immediately.
When you could easily let MS Hussain go unscathed (at least in your blogs! In fact you supported his move..) why hit Sania.. I mean she is not something to ridicule about..Do you or do you not respect ' an independent person's ' privacy and freedom. Another contradiction! - April 6, 2010 at 5:49 AM
IPL bores???
Ohhhhh common.
Look SRK partying. - April 6, 2010 at 6:05 AM
- silverine said...
Agree with you that he might have been misled into marrying another girl than the girl he had flipped for. But why did he admit in TV so lovingly that he was playing in his wife's city? Something fishy here.
- April 6, 2010 at 6:58 AM
- anupamaa said...
Shoaib tried to marry Sania also through phone some time ago, but it seems he got the Engaged tone ...
Seriously, whattay drama.
Ayesha has proved that love is blind, and Shoaib has proved that marriage is an eye opener. No offence to Ayesha or the rest of womankind, but she does not seem like a person that a glamourous 20 year old cricketer would jump in to marry...and BTW if shoaib was just 20 when he married her was it even legal in India?
But in the end...who cares? - April 6, 2010 at 8:18 AM
- Unknown said...
et tu, mz de? the last bastion of good sense has fallen!! please, nimbly jump over the fence and join the minority who knows this drama for what it really is - domestic-drama-for-moolah! she is a queen outside her four walls (direct translation of "chardiwari") but inside, different story! she does what she is told. i want to tell you a leetle story: there was this girl, some martial arts champion of israel. i saw a short film based on her life (Shadya - the true story of a 17-year-old Muslim girl from North Israel who becomes a karate champion in the Israeli national team, to the horror of her conservative brothers). she is a member of the national team, against all odds. then her marriage is fixed, her groom-to-be is all smiles about her career and international hopes. then comes the fateful wedding day, a storm erupts: the groom sends a message: no career after marriage. weeping and wailing in girl's room. her family is siding with the groom! and the film closes with a despondent, desperate national champ. the end. also, this country's pre-occupation with all matters personal is astounding! just because she was allowed to be a number one in tennis, does it also mean she has the freedom to be number two in her domestic front? and i loved the way shoaib (number one sleaze) said on TV, "sania will be my #1 wife"!putting a number on sania implies that #2, #3 and #4 are also on the way! such is love! now they are saying that the ayesha nikaah took place over the phone. naive people of this country, hark my words: this marriage is nothing but an AA (athlete acquisition) by our wily neighbour! is our sports federation in danger of losing all our national sports stars (of the female variety)? help, mz de!
- April 6, 2010 at 10:04 AM
- Neha said...
Just yesterday I was telling a friend that I feel that Shoib has been duped and fooled here; while my friend insisted that cannot be the case (of course because of his nationality that we Indians swear by!). Whatever be the case, men are the same the world over, across all continents and countries and a man of Shoaib's talent, fame and looks, he is not a fool to fall in for the girl we are seeing a lot of these days! And another question is that why is the family raising a hue and cry after two years of silence??? Moreover, the supposedly first wife is bringing out yarns one by one....bit by bit...why not the whole thing in one go??? Whatever be the case, we can only sit back and watch the drama unfold little by little!
- April 6, 2010 at 11:42 AM
- Pooja Rathore said...
I was surprised by sania,s choice .But i agree with you she is in love and as you have put in your book 'Spouse' - Jab pyar kissi se hota hai , forget reason , logic , goodsense Just go for it! but also to be realistic .I wish her well God bless her!
- April 6, 2010 at 12:07 PM
- goodluck said...
On second thoughts, Ayesha is quite a good looking girl with flawless complexion and a pleasant face. Take away her baby fat and specs, she may become another Jassi. On the otherhand this dumbo Shoaib is lying. And Sania is accepting and endorsing a lier. Ayesha deserves a better human being than a goodlooking lier. It seems she is basking in all that media attention. How we try to dismiss her? If she is our own sister or mother, will we talk like that? Ultimately, it all boils down to winning a trophy spouse.
- April 6, 2010 at 12:32 PM
- Unknown said...
hi!!!!!! this is isha well i would like to say that everybody have their own personal lives and have right to do so. but the good part is that they both will play for their countries no matter sania marry a pakistani guy,,,,
- April 6, 2010 at 12:36 PM
- Crazy Blogger said...
I like goodluck's comment, If u look at her closely she is much better than that pimply Sania
Very well said goodluck! - April 6, 2010 at 1:15 PM
- goodluck said...
Thank you Manjari singh.
- April 6, 2010 at 2:22 PM
- Nandinikakoti said...
And if one of them ( guess who?) has loads of attitude to boot – wow!! .....
Sania only has major attitude problem.. I don't like that dame... However, I M sure Shoaib is right to some extent and hope justice prevails at the end. - April 6, 2010 at 5:36 PM
- Harish said...
they always skirt important issues...
... it all started with her flying skirt, then her dates, and now her life mate.
the hyderabadi biryani has been seen as a mere masala by the digghaj's in the media.
Everything she does becomes a headline. whom she courts, concerns us more than, how she plays in the court.
wallah... i dont know why the media want to play the villian in this Veer-Zaara love story.
And the engendered tigers have also roared.. tehy are singing " you are my... you are my... you are my SHO-NIA"... wish they did for the pune girl... who was raped too.. with teh same vengeance. But khair, rape and rapists are non issues. Teh Sho-Nia love story is where the real meat story.
TOI has become a ghanchakker running behind stories of peoples chakkars. They are fast becoming yesteryears Mid-Day- minus the mate, but with stories of Dates.
whether Shoaib had hallu hallu "hello hello" nikaah... or did Ayesha dupe her by actually showing someone elses pics.. who cares. Ayesha ulf Maha should just stop churaooing plots from bollywood films... (remember The angry Chetan ka Chetna)
And about Shohaib. What a loss to the indian media.
The Indian Tiger Wood that he is made. is not even indian.
Shame Shame. - April 6, 2010 at 7:49 PM
- Nandini Rao said...
..that just shows how money can buy everything else but culture & decency. i have lost all respect for Sania. it's disgraceful how they proclaimed their innocence before the press, even while both of them were mocking the third, 'other' person.
disgusting! especially, if this is what a public school education teaches you, then we have no right to blame the lack of education as a cause for poverty in this country.
poverty is in our hearts & minds.
earlier, when children behaved a certain way, parents were blamed for the kind of upbringing they had.
now, it is portrayed as though things like these happen out of unavoidable life experiences, that which is no ones fault but a part of our growing up! absolutely ridiculous!
i don't find any difference between these guys & the road side loafers who would go any length to create public nuisance & drama!
or maybe, it's the age of these shameless, culture-less people, otherwise how does one explain the huge following these people have.
it shows what kind of role models we are churning out. tragic. - April 6, 2010 at 7:54 PM
- Unknown said...
You are right, Shobha.This whole story stinks to high heavens!
Which man in his right mind will marry a girl based on a picture,without ever meeting the girl?That too, an international cricketer?
Sania is making a mistake...this marriage will not survive. - April 6, 2010 at 8:11 PM
- Mohsin said...
I wish Shobha de had better things to do. Good luck with your pie of the controversy.
- April 6, 2010 at 11:30 PM
- Mohsin said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 6, 2010 at 11:40 PM
hahaha, this can only happen in India ! *sighs*
And howcome the Cricketer got so much time to be online and meet girls !
Online dating huh ! - April 7, 2010 at 4:23 AM
- sam said...
It makes lot of Sense on Sohaib Mulliks account , that just leave those crap allegations as it is and ... go on time with Sania
- April 7, 2010 at 9:09 AM
- Nile said...
I guess they should not be given the kind of importance which media is giving ... They are matured individuals and can take decision on their life ... Leave them alone ...
- April 7, 2010 at 1:02 PM
- Herxlnc101 said...
"I cannot see a handsome, ambitious Pakistani cricketer falling for the rather plain looking, overweight girl - the same one we have been watching on television. These guys have the world's best looking females throwing themselves at them. Why would he settle for someone like her, that too when his career was rocking, unless there was a catch in the story?.." ----- Disgusting ..Shallow and absolutely sad Ms.De. Keeping all things aside, it just shows you sordid your thought process is ... Don't you have a party or a fashion show to attend????
Plus , you may wanna get your facts right – Your handsome guy's career isn't rocking – I hope you know about the matchfixing case…!! - April 7, 2010 at 1:19 PM
- manoj said...
oops, wrong game. Too many maidens getting bowled over.
what a six..madaam...landed all the way to ShoaibnSania stand...hehehe.. - April 7, 2010 at 1:24 PM
- mikimbizii said...
I am bowled by razor sharp witticism. =)
- April 7, 2010 at 1:51 PM
- t O m S o N said...
...u sure know how to sign off....." maidens bowled....."
very funny,ma'am - April 7, 2010 at 5:31 PM
- Herxlnc101 said...
So.. turns out that your "handsome guy" and "according-to-you-his-overweight first wife " were married because he finally divorced her today....
And you Ms.De, who I previously thought had some substance, are equally shallow !! - April 7, 2010 at 5:53 PM
- gs said...
well if he was cheated he should have gone to court or rather raised the matter at some social level between families , denialas and denials and than acceptance it proves he is lying
- April 7, 2010 at 7:42 PM
- neerajpanjiyara said...
i think what sania is doing is not good considering the feeling & rsepect her countrymen have for her. people started giving her name to their babies. sania's name become synonymous with tennis in INDIA. definitely it must be her personal choice, but considering that pakistan is our enemy country since its origin, sania should take some moral & responsible desicion.
- April 7, 2010 at 8:34 PM
- a hindu seeker said...
i completely agree with you on the sordidness of this old grumpy ms. de.
she tends to judge people on their face-value. (she was in the meat business of modelling, never forget that.) even if ayesha would have looked pretty hot and after marriage if she would have put on much weight due to pregnancy, ms. de would have considered the divorce-filed by shoieb on the basis of lack of beauty- completely fair.
remember, the freda-pinto case, where freda divorce the guy who she was engaged to and who was financing her modelling profession. and ms. de considered the act of freda dumping the guy completely fair. she said that it would be socially embarassing and burdensome for a woman to be married to the guy who is not as successful as her, so the divorce is fair. ayesha's case brings up the case of plight of ugly women, who are plenty in numbers and spend their lives alone. (ayesha's mom said she's never been out of the house for last 6 years, as she feels embarrased). women like ms. de objectifies women, and compels the generation of men to judge solely on their beauty, as if good nature, commitment, dont count.
she happens to be in the business where she gets hell lot of time to put cosmetics on her face and look beautiful. not all women are that lucky.
i really laugh at the idea of she calling herself a rebel. who does she think she is? she is just a gossip columnist. everybody in this world can be a gossip columnist. she doesnt have a take on some scientific invention, and some economic policies. but she opines on rakhi sawant's implanted things and paris hilton. a couple of male-bashing feminist articles. that's it. that's what she is famous for and she thinks that she is contributing to the society.
as for the wittism in her writings, i am not quite impressed. besides after spending years in one business you have to be this much good atleast.
and as for the whole case , i dont think sania getting married to a pakistani should cast aspersion on her loyalty for india. and there is nothing wrong with getting married to a pakistani. - April 8, 2010 at 9:41 AM
- tipsi said...
This comment is not about this post. I have been reading your blog, and i can see you have lost your sting, dear! You are becoming generous in your comments about people whom you castigated in the past. Perhaps you are mellowing with age and don't want to make too many enemies!! You have never been politically correct,and this goody-goodiness is becoming trifle boring, or maybe it is just this mean streak in me!!
- April 8, 2010 at 9:42 AM
- a hindu seeker said...
damn!! you got the (illusioned)tiger by its tail. you are right about she not wanting to make more enemies. she knows that she is getting old and has got few years left. has already offended many people but still got labelled as a sharp and bold toungue for the sake of formality. i really liked her initially for her zeal, stamina and versatilities. but as i came to know about the inner grumpy ugly soul, i detest the whole unpredictable package. - April 8, 2010 at 9:49 AM
- Chandni (Chanz) said...
hahaha... i too thought on the same lines though I believed Ayesha's story in the beginning... and the hulla gulla is only because it is an indian player marrying a pakistani player... People just find issues to indulge in.. Total nonsense.. And now, it is confusing too.. Who is who.. It is total nautanki..
- April 8, 2010 at 5:57 PM
- Unknown said...
It's nothing but the good old Indian (South Asian) wedding. Malik married Ayesha, in all probability, against his better judgment (for a better looking person). He was not that wealthy then, I guess. Money must have been the major consideration. His father, who may have "persuaded" Shoaib, supposedly, stood by her. Then Ayesha put on weight, and Malik gained money and fame. Obviously, he didn't want to have anything to do with her. Now, when he was moving on to the best girl in the Muslim community, Ayesha wanted a public acknowledgement of her marriage to him. I say, kudos to her for standing up for herself and demanding that she be acknowledged and not be negated like she was a total nonentity. And that must have been so hard to do all this in front of the whole world ! And she has thrown light on the plight of obese girls.
- April 8, 2010 at 7:04 PM
- Latha said...
That was a good one. I really enjoyed reading it.
I thought you'd keep mum on this issue just like in the mid air scuffle one. I expected a juicy article from you on that - the Air India one involving the pilot Ranbir Arora, Komal singh & Khanna (Casting couch ?). As someone said the tigress in you is losing teeth. - April 8, 2010 at 7:32 PM
- ~*. D E E P A .* ~ said...
Ha ha !!
The entire episode is so ditto Bollywood ... aint it ??
I wonder if it is real life copying reel life , or vice versa ! - April 8, 2010 at 10:02 PM
- honestinjun said...
A guy who can lie to the world without blinking and face the cameras is someone without and iota of integrity. A dangerous insect who must be warded off.
- April 8, 2010 at 11:24 PM
- Usha said...
is drame ko maaro goli!
I'm plain disgusted by your logic (if that's what you call it), Ms. De.
""I cannot see a handsome, ambitious Pakistani cricketer falling for the rather plain looking, overweight girl - the same one we have been watching on television. These guys have the world's best looking females throwing themselves at them. Why would he settle for someone like her, that too when his career was rocking, unless there was a catch in the story?.."
This could have very well been said by that silly neighbourhood aunty who has no better thing to do than poke her nose into every nonsense.
I used to really like your columns since my schooldays.. from a gawky teenager to a 30 year old woman, I feel I've grown up and am more mature than you at that.
You've really let me down Ms. De. The last time you did that was when you wrote that you think the housemaid who raised rape charges against Shiney Ahuja was a 'conniving bitch' because a film actor like that would be having the best of women dying to sleep with him. You were proved wrong there too. I hope you realise the shallowness in such views.
btw, I don't think the Maha/Ayesha lady looks even 5% as ugly as your thoughts on this issue. Neither do I find that shameless liar of a sportsman handsome.
Sad. - April 9, 2010 at 12:33 AM
- Anil Kumar said...
I have said this before and have to repeat this again.
CHUTTAD Journalism is at it's peak in India. This breed of chuttad journalists on TV/Newspaper media should be given citizenship of Qatar. Either they will mend their ways or they will perish in the bylanes of Qatar.
MF Hussain's fragile ass has chosen to mend his ways so far. Let's see if Ms De's friend decides to paint a NAKED PROPHET Mohammad CHASING a GOAT and we can get to see picture of his fragile ass hanged by a thread on Qatari streets.
After Sania now they are focussing on other Pakistani having affair. The same guy who is convicted of drug abuse.
What the F&%# is wrong with these RAAND and RANDUVE in the journalism business. Why can't they utilize this medium to educate and improve the life of people.
Honour killing by brother of a 16 year old is next BIG HEADLINE. how would a brother who finds her sister who is just 16 year old in compromising position react???. Offcourse killing is absolutely wrong but in a fit of rage anything is possible.
The daily dose of news in TV and newspapers showing bollywood RAANDS kissing, having affairs fuels the kind of behaviour which is rising rapidly among teenage girls.
THESE RAANDS are visible on cricket fields too which is watched by millions. Then there are some HARAAM KI AULLAD who do fashion shows b4 and after the match where models show their ASS and players and MEDIA highlight those MOVING ASSES. Some white and some brown... THE MEDIA shows this day in and day out. The youth of India gets deflection in their penis and with no outlet like STRIPTEASE clubs in the western world they end up raping young girs, married women. Pune being a recent example.
THIS RISE OF CRIME against women is directly proportional to huge number of CHUTTAD JOURNALISTS in TV AND PRINT MEDIA.
We need to cleanup the media from such anchors and producer before India becomes a CHUTTAD state.
Ms De if you read and try to understand the relationship then I think you will not be outraged by the kind of crimes happening against women. Because those in the media are creating an atmosphere in India which ultimately targets the women for their sexuality.
WHAT SAY MS. DE??? Or you will ignore the comment and move on...
Pardon my crude language but I think that's the only way left now. - April 9, 2010 at 7:48 AM
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- April 9, 2010 at 11:05 AM
- Me_ 2010 said...
Why do these guys make it a big meadia issue.
- April 9, 2010 at 11:20 AM
- Me_ 2010 said...
Why do these guys need to make a media fuss about their personal life...
- April 9, 2010 at 11:40 AM
- Unknown said...
Ms. De, You have really lost it. Whatever you were saying earlier, falls flat on your face. You should appologize to another Indian Aayesha for you being so rude. You appear so educated, talented, mature and sophisticated. It all seems fake when you comment on someone's physical appearance (Aayesha being fat). I wonder what will be your reply if some one start calling you Kaali Badsurat Buddhi who was never satisfied with one man in her life. Angry?????????, I guess so.This is what could have been reaction of family member of Aayesha. Now truth is out and everyone is aware about the wrong things which Shoaib did to her. Instead of feeling sorry for her, you choose to critisize her (also about her physical appearance). SHAME ON YOU. Now on, you have lost at least one fan of yours.
- April 9, 2010 at 12:40 PM
- Pooja Rathore said...
Ma de you have your own imprint for penguin and the first indian author with this distinction ( i read your interview in TOI 'shobhaa de , penguin script a new chapter') very happy for you and proud and i know you will do your job well as you always do.Best wishes.
- April 9, 2010 at 4:45 PM
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- April 9, 2010 at 5:06 PM
- Unknown said...
you have a lot of free time don't u?
- April 10, 2010 at 9:10 AM
- Unknown said...
I really feel this issue was being undue importance..leave them alone who cares what sania mirza does and who she marries??it is not of national importance. And our country definitely does not need to plead..it was us who gave her a platform to represent our nation and she did not respect that!
Sania is pathetic and lets just not feed her ego!!! - April 10, 2010 at 11:07 AM
- tipsi said...
If none of you (the posters here) were interested in the Shoaib-Ayesha saga nobody would have read this blog entry - so don't be hypocrites and say why is the media making a ruckus about this issue! Let's face it - whenever there is some masala, everybody is interested..my husband too said that the media is going overboard...so i told him why don't you tune off and listen to other stories..
- April 10, 2010 at 1:58 PM
- Harish said...
where are u De??? kiti diwas happened.. no word from you ... missing you.. come back soon naa!
- April 10, 2010 at 2:45 PM
- Anil Kumar said...
Forget about Sania's coverage. The issue is bigger than that.
The argument you are making is a typical American argument.... If you don't like it don't watch it. That argument holds good if you are past your puberty age and matured into an adult and know what is right and what is wrong.
Don't forget that there are millions of youngsters who are exposed to such masala news day in and day out. When both you and your hubby are out for work they watch everything in countless serials and hot bollywood movies present. And they want to experiment with what they saw.
THE PRIME REASON there are more shocking rape cases happening frequently against women comes down to CHEAP journalists in every news channels and people who control news media. They are fueling the mindset of youth towards nudity, vulgarity and disregard for morality.
Remember what goes around comes around. If these masala news comes after 11:00PM at night...no one should be bothered. But to show CHEAP advertisements even during the kids cartoon programs is a national disgrace. Only a country like India can allow it.
IN A NUTSHELL THERE ARE LOADS OF PIMPS WHO ARE RUNNING TV MEDIA AND THESE PEOPLE HIRE HALF PROSTITUTE AND HALF JOURNALIST TO DELIVER THE PROGRAMS. There are always exceptions but right now they are in minority. - April 10, 2010 at 8:21 PM
- Rachana Shakyawar said...
@Shobhaa de Maam
TODAY my hubby said looking a couple celebrity in IPL,"Ahh..they dont have an affair.."!
My reply,"TRue it cant b an love Affair, she is his MAHA Aapa"!
The whole personal issue turned public! No one to blame! Just cash cache and TRP flames!
~ Perhaps celebrations follows!
A true MAHA drama...having true colors and MASALA, perhaps a path from Maha-Mockery to Maha-Marriage through all the Maha to S4 brand..!
S4=Sania+Shoaib+Sports+State/ country
Let's CELEBRATE life:)
~Keep the Spark ALive.. - April 11, 2010 at 12:57 AM
- Pem said...
Thanks for your interview with Aishwarya in Hello Mag.
How come it wasn't longer though? I wanted to read more about her. - April 11, 2010 at 3:55 AM
- Parender Sethi said...
Really nice comments on the issue madam. i have done hand analysis of shoiab and sania u can view that at my blog. http://palmistryforyou.blogspot.com/
- April 11, 2010 at 9:16 AM
- Aparna Velankar said...
Hi Guys,
Our dearest Shobhaa, THE Glam GrandMum of Penguin will now be running her own imprint- Shobhaa De Books- with Penguin.
check this out...
1. http://www.financialexpress.com/news/-For-publishing--India-has-been-a-mature-market-for-long-/603277/
2. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Mumbai-in-print/604131/
3. http://toi.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/biz/india-business/Shobhaa-De-Penguin-script-new-chapter/articleshow/5775981.cms
4. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Shobhaa-De-Penguin-in-co-branding-deal/articleshow/5772184.cms
5. http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_aishwarya-s-life-is-a-fantastic-story_1369614
6. http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/slideshow_super-do_1369738 - April 11, 2010 at 1:06 PM
- tipsi said...
@ Anil Kumar
Wow! That was a lot of vitriol spewed!! I don't know whom you were raving and ranting against?? Was it against the news media, entertainment channels, Bollywood films, music channels, or is it that you are generally angry that girls are having a good time now…. Frankly I don't watch most of the programs on TV. I take serious offence to the term 'half prostitute and half journalist'- it displays the typical Indian male mindset towards the female!! I think some of the journalists/reporters/ news channels do a commendable job bringing so many stories to light, exposing scams which we would have been unaware of, if it wasn't for the media coverage!! As far as corrupting children's minds is concerned, I would consider the Internet a more dangerous medium than the TV. The graphic pornographic content in some of the sites is enough to blow even an adult's mind! How do you shield your children from that? There was one poster who said he does not find anything wrong in a honor killing coz the relative/brother would have done it in the 'heat of the moment' and that he was justified. That kind of thinking is really scary!! Rape happens not because the perpetrator has had an overdose of 'Saans ki bahu thi' or has spent the night watching semi-clad women gyrating to Bollywood numbers. Rape is a tool used by the male to dehumanize the woman! It happens everywhere even in the remotest corners of the world the Congo, Darfur Liberia, Sri Lanka, or our Indian villages where people live a subhuman existence, forget about TV exposure! I grew up in a one-horse town, in an extremely restricted society, where females (particularly college students) were subject to groping, touching and lewd comments about body parts! When I came to Mumbai, I felt so liberated –such things did not routinely happen there, where there was a healthy interaction between sexes.
We are definitely moving towards a freer society...girls are getting financially empowered and they want their voices to be heard too! The West too had their puritan and Victorian eras once upon a time. There is always a price one pays for progress, unless you want to go back to the Palileolithic Age! Don't get so worked up about TV programs. There is a voyeur in every one of us and that is why people get so excited over the Shoib/Sania/Ayesha type of masala stories!! It is the Western tabloid culture which has pervaded our society too. We want our daily fix of sensationalism. In fact the day the divorce took place, 75 jawans got slaughtered by the Maoists – but I bet you very few would have watched that news coverage. I was tuned to Times Now and Ms. De was on the discussion panel and being a fan of hers, I was curious to know what her take was on the Sania/Shoaib story! - April 11, 2010 at 2:40 PM
- Anil Kumar said...
You must be from journalist breed or your close one is in this profession. That's why you are fuming.
Don't put words in my mouth. A country can't progress without the role of women in every sphere of life. I want to empower them with every possible way and I am not against it. I am opposed to their ways of becoming BAJARU and doing vulgur /masala gossips on TV in the name of journalism. There are loads of crap journalists both male and female who have become Dada Kondke.
I am not against Shobha De...I think she does fantastic job most of the time.
Mr. Lalit Modi has still not answered to my request on sending his wife as IPL cheerleader in two piece bikini??? May be she can go one step forward and come as topless...Why ape the west??...Show them we are ahead of them...
Who told you that you need masala news to have healthy conversation between opposite sexes...:)
You are right...you need daily dose of sensationalism...EDUCATED class of this country still has this mental block. Whatever west does people like you follow blindly. Unfortunately we follow mostly bad stuff. There are loads of GOOD stuff in western country too where every member of society contribute for the well being of those who are not so fortunate. But the good things take a back seat in this country because we have too many people with your mindset.
If we continue to follow American path...and stay their puppet...very soon you will find out bollywood actress will start giving NUDE scenes. And their argument will be same as their Hollywood counterpart...which is I wanted to liberate myself and I feel very confident now.
Believe me it's just a matter of time. - April 11, 2010 at 6:44 PM
- a hindu seeker said...
@anil kumar and
i completely agree with your arguments, anil kumar. as for the comments of tipsi about typical mindset of male about women, it is completely feeble.
tipsi, if you would be concerned about the mindset that men have about women, you would be thougthful about plenty of beauty contest for women. it's surprising that women themselves happily participate in these beauty contests, where they walk on the ramp wearing those bikinis, and bras and swimsuits and urge people to judge them on their quality of flesh-and-bones, thereby objectifying themselves, and consequently when men look to them as sexual objects they have got objections to it. those women who participate in those almost-nude modelling shows are happily exploited and are paid millions of dollars to do nudity, so dont bring up the illusioned plight of these women in the media. there are plenty of women who give out nude photos on porn-websites to earn money, exploiting the vulnerable male libido and then if men instigate some rape, they are not solely responsible for that. women dont want to put any cloth-displine on them saying that 'if men dont put any displine on them, why should we'. but men dont go around exposing their penis in the world (they pose topless, but for them chest isnt a sexual organ, but for women breast actually are).
as for the western society, that you are giving example of, let me make you acquinted with some facts. 44% of marriages in america end up in divorce with child custody always going to women (due to their stereotypical image of being primary care-takers, it's surprising that women dont hate stereotypes here) and the husband has to pay alimony to her as well, thus creating a world where fathers have been made disposable entities and boys are raised up by single mothers who grow up becoming unattractive 'mama's boys'. that's why we have 13 million families in america being raised up by single parents, and 85% of them being raised by single mothers. women's liberation movement in america has just led to promiscuity, prostitution, divorce, break-ups, and reservation,quotas, funds, concessions exclusively for women at the cost of diminishing the needs,wants and contributions of men. and due to that in american universities, women make up 56% of graduation seats, and 61% of post-graduation seats, and now they are celebrating v-day for women. because it wasnt about equality for them, it was about take-over. in the name of equality, they promoted sexism, misandry and seeked exclusive concern, special attention and privilages for women. you will witness a steep fall of america in the years to come.
@anil kumar,
you are right, every single hollywood actress has done nudity in america to make their way to fame quickly. (and i really mean, every actress)
tomorrow, women's sexuality will become so common, that it wouldnt be this much charming and appealing. (the accessible something becomes, the more it lessens its value). this leads to teenage pregnancy, objectification of women, and legalisation of prostitution. all these thing will happen in india, like u said, it's just a matter of time. - April 11, 2010 at 7:32 PM
- Aditi joshi said...
Very nice article.
Best wishes
aditiart.blogspot.com - April 11, 2010 at 8:23 PM
- Me_ 2010 said...
I was waiting for new post over the weekend. I m sure loads of your followers were waiting too.
- April 12, 2010 at 10:45 AM
- Parender Sethi said...
You can read on "Salman Khan: will he ever marry?" at http://www.palmistryforyou.blogspot.com/
Parender Sethi - April 13, 2010 at 8:22 PM
- Anil Kumar said...
Thanks for making it clear for woman like Tipsi with statistics. I am always in minority on these issues. The people who are shaping this country have sold their souls for quick bucks and call themselves journalists. They are worst than politicians in many respects. - April 15, 2010 at 8:20 AM
Mam...i have always loved the way u write ...but when i read ur article in BT i thought u were a bit too harsh on the girl...and now since we know she wasn;t lying...put urself in Ayesha's shoes when u said that a handsome guy wouldn't fall for someone plain - The girl probably read ur article and felt miserable about herself and how others view her.
Yes u had an opinion and voiced it (democracy et all) - but it would be gracious to admit u were oh so wrong on this one...to the girl and her family at least!
P.s Shoeb Handsome??????? - April 29, 2010 at 11:08 AM
- Kalyan Panja said...
That was interesting reading. The joke going on currently is, Without being selected for his national side Shoaib happily enjoyed his wife's income for a year.
http://icetrail.blogspot.com/ - May 1, 2011 at 3:08 PM


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text:
Now, as a long-time Florida resident, I feel I should defend my fellow Sunshine Staters by informing the rest of you that they make some *very* dressy flip-flops. Have you seen the ones with the little rhinestones on the straps? [sing-song voice] Daaar-ling! And totally black-tie appropriate, I might add.
Anyway, during the summer months it quickly becomes obvious which Wreckerators have not only never worn flip-flops, but have probably never even seen a pair, either.
What the...?
Good grief, that almost makes the cupcake cake [patooie!] version look decent:
No...no, it doesn't. Never mind.
Must be a Canadian thing.*
It gets worse when Wreckerators introduce a 3D element:
Here's one using either a piece of electrical wiring or a radioactive Twizzler:
Shana M., Kelly M., Hannah H., Xiaomi Q, Beth C., D'Anna, & Gins V., thanks for taking a step in the wreck direction.
*Yes, actually, I do think that's funny. (Love ya, Canada!)
Note from john - Sorry everybody; I didn't get to comments for fifteen minutes and it appears we have a "bacon" EPCOT. Completely my fault. Sorry and wreck on!
UPDATE: Once again, Google Adsense wins the day! Check out the screen shot Tara G. sent in:


text:
Winchester Super-X ammunition has developed a reputation as being hard hitting and reliable. This ammunition is loaded with Super-X Power-Points which feature a unique, exposed soft nose jacketed bullet design that delivers maximum energy on target. Strategically-placed notches around the jacket mouth improve upset and ensure uniform expansion for massive energy release. This ammunition is new production, non-corrosive, in boxer primed, reloadable brass cases.
Technical Information
- Caliber: 270 WSM
- Bullet Weight: 150 Grains
- Bullet Style: Power-Point
- Case Type: Brass
Ballistics Information:
- Muzzle Velocity: 3150 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 3304 ft. lbs.
***Unfortunately due to our courier we do not ship ammunition to All Territories,Yukon, or Alaska. Sorry for any inconvenience***


text:
Special Feature
"I want to be the best and I want to continue to get better. I've made some mistakes in my career, I've made some bad decisions, and there's been multiple times where I was growing up and I got sucked into the limelight. But right now, I realized in my last fight that when it's all said and done, it just comes down to earning the W."
The return of Diego Sanchez to the welterweight division in May wasn't supposed to go this way. But sometimes, all it takes is a well-placed knee to the head to change everything, and no one knows this better than Sanchez, who was the recipient of said knee, delivered by England's John Hathaway in the first round of their UFC 114 bout.
From there, it was all downhill for the "Nightmare."
"That was basically a 10-8 round because I got dropped with the knee and he got on top," said Sanchez, recalling the shot that sent him on the road to a three round unanimous decision loss to the then-unbeaten Hathaway. "I came back right away and I was able to defend myself, but from the guard he had some legit ground and pound, he stayed real busy, and it was just karma catching up with me."
Karma, in the form of believing that simply being Diego Sanchez was enough to beat a youngster with talent, but not nearly the world-class experience he had. And on paper, this should have been Sanchez' fight. He sprinted out of the gate in his pro career, earning an Ultimate Fighter season one title and getting up to 19-0 before back to back losses to no slouches in Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck. Following those bouts he won two in a row before dropping to 155 pounds and winning two more, with his streak only getting stopped by BJ Penn in a December of 2009 title shot. In other words, going back to 170 pounds and beating Hathaway should have been a foregone conclusion. Unfortunately, Sanchez thought the same thing, and Hathaway wasn't buying it.
"I took him lightly," said Sanchez. "I said I'm gonna dominate this guy, and knock him out on the feet or take him down. I just totally underestimated my opponent, made that mistake, never gonna make it again, and it was hard to come back from that (knee) because it forced me to become desperate. I was trying to force the knockout, force something to happen, and I couldn't just find my flow and my rhythm. I had to really be desperate and try to come back and knock him out or find some way to win, and then it was too late."
And in 15 minutes' time, Sanchez went from contender to question mark. But the questions about the 28-year old's viability in the welterweight or lightweight divisions all came from the outside. Internally, the New Mexico native knew what he needed to do, and the first step was to go back to his first coach, Greg Jackson.
"Greg had told me that the door was always open and they always treated me like a family member, with open arms," said Sanchez, who split with Jackson after his first loss to Koscheck. "And I was just being stubborn. I wanted to try to do a camp myself, but I was still in the process of moving. I went to do my camp in New Mexico (for the Hathaway fight) because I felt I needed to do that, but I still had my place in San Diego, still had ties to my previous team, and I wanted to do it right when I made my return to Jackson's. Right now, everything's perfect."
And if you hear the word coming out of the gym on Acoma Road in Albuquerque, it's that it is pretty good to have Sanchez back in town. Yet while it's obvious what benefits Sanchez gets from being around Jackson, Mike Winklejohn, and some of the best fighters in the sport on a daily basis, what does he bring back to the already stellar fight camp?
"I'm a leader and a motivator and I love to get in there and work hard," he said. "That's what I like to do and when you've got great guys around you, like all the guys on the team, it's great. When we're in there training and it comes to the wrestling and the grappling, I bring a high-paced, relentless style and I keep everybody on their toes when it comes to that scramble, because that's my style. I'm a scrambler and that's probably the main thing I bring back to the camp, but I also bring my love and my positive energy and my hard work ethic."
Sanchez has also developed a new attitude for his upcoming bout this weekend against Paulo Thiago, one that he can thank John Hathaway for.
"I want to be the best and I want to continue to get better," he said. "I've made some mistakes in my career, I've made some bad decisions, and there's been multiple times where I was growing up and I got sucked into the limelight. But right now, I realized in my last fight that when it's all said and done, it just comes down to earning the W. So my mentality now is, I'm just gonna earn it. I'm gonna earn the victory, work hard, and when I go in that gym, I want to be the hardest worker in there. That's my whole new mindset on mixed martial arts and my career – be the hardest worker and earn the victory. John came in there, he worked harder than me, he earned the victory, he was more disciplined, and that's the way it goes in MMA."
Thankfully, in MMA, what's also par for the course is that you're only as good as your last fight, so come Sunday morning, should he get by Thiago, Sanchez will once again be the flavor of the week in the sport. Beating the tough as nails Thiago is no walk in the park though.
"He's a tough guy," said Sanchez of his upcoming foe. "I think his striking's good, but I don't think it's great. I think he kinda got lucky with the Koscheck knockout and I don't think he's some flashy standup guy. I see a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guy; that's his base, that's his foundation, and that's his strength. As far as his wrestling goes, he's been outwrestled in the past by several guys so I see holes in his game. I think he's very tough and I think he's the perfect opponent for me right now in my career."
Given the fact that Sanchez has never shied away from tough challenges in his over eight year pro MMA career, it's not surprising to hear him say that. But what did come as a surprise was his next statement.
"And just for the record, I do plan on dropping back to 155 after this fight," he said. "Me and Greg (Jackson) and the team are just gonna work together and see what (UFC matchmaker) Joe (Silva) can get lined up for me. And like I said, my whole mindset is to earn the victory and that's it."
Is this a permanent move south for Sanchez, who is currently 2-1 at 155 pounds, or will he bounce between the two divisions?
"I think it's gonna depend on the fight," he said. "For now I think it's basically gonna be permanent, but that all depends because I feel like I can fight in both weight classes. There's 125, 135, 145, 155 – I wish we had a 165 and a 175 (pound division). That would make it a lot easier for me because I could fight 165, but we don't have that yet and I've got to make a decision. So now it's 170, after this fight I'm gonna get down to 155 again, try to make a title run, and there will be time later down the road where I can make something happen at 170. For right now, I've got my mind set on beating Paulo Thiago, but I am looking to the future and seeing my drop back down to 155."
It's a risky move, not only planning your future before a pivotal fight that's on your plate in a few days, but going back to a division where you'll basically have to start over after losing a previous title shot. But when it comes down to it, you get the feeling that Diego Sanchez likes the challenge, likes the fact that there are doubters out there, and likes that he will most likely get the opportunity to silence them. More importantly though, he loves this sport, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to be successful in it and one day hear the words "world champion" in front of his name.
"It's my blessing," he said when asked for his thoughts on fighting and its place in his life. "I feel like I was blessed with the fighting ability and that's my calling. It's what I love to do and it's my passion. You've heard me say this way back in the beginning of my career that I feel it's my destiny to fight and to be champion, so I'm not letting go of that. I'm gonna continue to work hard, and I really feel like I've got my head on my shoulders finally after so many trials and tribulations. I've got my feet digging down in the ground, I'm standing firm, I'm working hard, and I'm gonna show everybody how hard work can pay off, because talent can only take you so far."
Power Slap


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NEW YORK (AP) — PepsiCo is its cutting ties with Lil Wayne after the rapper made a crude reference to civil rights martyr Emmett Till in a song.
Lil Wayne, one of the biggest stars in pop music, had a deal to promote the company's Mountain Dew soda.
PepsiCo said in a statement late Friday that Wayne's "offensive reference to a revered civil rights icon does not reflect the values of our brand." It declined to provide any further comment.
A publicist for Lil Wayne, Sarah Cunningham, said in a statement that the split was due to "creative differences" and that it was an amicable parting.
Bing: Tyler, the Creator, ad pulled
"That's about all I can tell you at this time," the statement from Wayne's publicist said.
The controversy erupted after Wayne made the reference to Till on Future's song "Karate Chop" earlier this year. He refers to beating someone during a sexual act and says he wants to do as much damage as was done to Till.
The black teen from Chicago was in Mississippi visiting family in 1955 when he was killed, allegedly for whistling at a white woman. He was beaten, had his eyes gouged out and was shot in the head before his assailants tied a cotton gin fan to his body with barbed wire and tossed it into a river.
Two white men, including the woman's husband, were acquitted by an all-white jury.
Till's body was recovered and returned to Chicago where his mother, Mamie Till, insisted on having an open casket at his funeral. The pictures of his battered body helped push civil rights into the cultural conversation.
Wayne had sent the Till family a letter offering empathy and saying that he would not reference Till or the family in his music, particularly in an inappropriate manner.
The Till family, which this week had called for a meeting with Wayne and PepsiCo representatives, was made aware of the decision Friday but did not immediately have a statement.
Earlier this month, Rick Ross also lost his deal with Reebok after he rapped about raping a woman who had been drugged.


text:
Microsoft releases IE 10 browser for Windows 7
The latest version of Microsoft's Web browser is now available to the vast audience connecting to the Internet on personal computers running on the Windows 7 operating system.
The latest version of Microsoft's Web browser is now available to the vast audience connecting to the Internet on personal computers running on the Windows 7 operating system.
The redesigned browser, Internet Explorer 10, made its debut last month when Microsoft released Windows 8, which makes dramatic changes to an operating system that has been powering PCs for decades.
Internet Explorer 10 initially is being introduced Tuesday to Windows 7 users in a 'preview,' or test, mode. The new browser isn't compatible with XP, Vista and any other older Windows version.
Although Microsoft is staking its future on Windows 8, far more PCs rely on Windows 7. Microsoft Corp. says more than 670 million licenses for Windows 7 have been sold since its release in 2009. Windows 8 is unlikely to approach that level of usage until at least 2014, based on analyst forecasts.
Desktops, laptops and tablet computers running on Windows 8 are sold with Internet Explorer 10 already installed. Those with older Windows versions will have to download and install the new browser separately.
Although Internet Explorer 10 is supposed to process Web pages more quickly and smoothly than its predecessors, it may have limited appeal to Windows 7 users.
That's because Microsoft primarily designed Internet Explorer 10 for tablet computers and other devices, including a new breed of PCs that have touch-screen displays. Relatively few Windows 7 PCs can be controlled with fingers on a display screen.
Microsoft is hoping many website developers will download and install Internet Explorer 10 on their Windows 7 machines and see the browser's potential for making online services more compelling and dynamic. If that happens, more websites may include features that take advantage of Internet Explorer 10's full capabilities on the bevy of Windows 8 machines expected to be sold during the next year, said Ryan Gavin, Microsoft's general manager for the browser.
Internet Explorer 10's main purpose is to make viewing websites as enjoyable and convenient as using applications tailor-made for specific mobile devices.
For instance, when reading an article on a news site, users of Internet Explorer 10 can just swipe across the screen to continue reading the next page instead of having to scroll down to click on a link, as most browsers require. Microsoft also says games such as 'Contre Jour' played on Internet Explorer 10 will work as well, or even better, than those packaged in applications.
Realizing that goal is crucial to Microsoft as it tries to make a bigger splash in the smartphone and tablet markets. It probably will take years before mobile devices running on Windows 8 boast as many applications as their competitors, giving Microsoft an added incentive to build a superior Web browser. The mobile operating systems designed by Apple Inc. and Google Inc. each boast more than 700,000 applications.
Microsoft also hopes Internet Explorer 10 can reverse recent trends in the Web browser market. By some estimates, Google's Chrome browser has supplanted Internet Explorer as the world's most popular browser. Other research firms still assert that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used, although all measures show it has been losing market share to Chrome, Mozilla's Firefox and Apple's Safari.
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text:
Appam,known by many names-Palappam,Vellayapam,Aappam is a fluffy rice pancake made originally with kallu[toddy] which gives it the unique sweet and sour taste.It is a quite popular breakfast item in Kerala and a rockstar during Christian wedding feasts and festivals.Paired with Stew[mostly mutton] it has a very homely tag attached to it.
Most recipes use yeast for the fermentation of the Appam batter.Long back,my amma tried to recreate this recipe from Vanitha and had to serve it to our maid since none of us liked the smell of the yeast and we wouldn't go anywhere near it.Then one day,she made some yummy Potato stew and such delicious looking lacy appams and they smelt wonderful too,with none of that funny smelling yeast and I was eager to know what the magic was.
Adding Eno fruit salt to a simple rice and coconut batter did the trick.We were instant appam converts!I have been following the same recipe too and it has never failed me.
Ingredients[makes 8-10 appams]
Raw rice – 1 cup
Cooked rice – ½ cup
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Salt to taste
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Eno Fruit salt – 1 sachet
Soak the raw rice for 4-6 hours.
Grind to a smooth batter adding the cooked rice and grated coconut and enough water.
Add the baking powder and salt.
Mix well and keep it covered for 8-10 hours.[I keep it overnight]
Next morning add sugar and mix well,add more water if the batter is too thick-it has to be of pouring consistency.
Just before you start making the appam,add eno fruit salt to the batter.
The batter will froth up instantly,mix gently.
Heat a non stick appa chatti[appam pan] or any non stick kadai.
Pour a ladleful of batter into the pan when it is hot and swirl the pan in a clockwise motion spreading the batter to the sides of the pan.
Swirling the pan gives the appam the customary pretty lace edges and a spongy centre.
Close the lid and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.
Remove the appam to a plate and serve hot with Stew,Mutta roast,Kadala curry or just sweetened coconut milk.


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Wednesday, December 28, 2011
German Apple Pudding
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the dishes we had last week was a Bavarian potato soup called Kartoffel Suppe. The soup, which you can find here, is very easy to make and it is a great way to beat back the damp chill of a winter evening. It is, however, peasant simple in its construction and demands some extras to perk it up and help make it a satisfying meal. A salad and a good seeded rye bread helped round out the menu but the coup de gras was an apple dessert that scores points for its down to earth good taste and the memories it evokes. The Silver Fox had this often as a child and despite its simplicity, it remains a favorite of his. His mother was a wonderful cook and I have good reason to suspect he finds my version almost, almost mind you, as good as hers. The dish is quick and easy to make and it is delicious in the way that only comfort food can be. It can be assembled in about 15 minutes and on the table in an hour. The recipe is uncomplicated save for one instruction that will seem counterintuitive. You will be asked to pour boiling water on top of the apple mixture but not to stir in in. It is really important that you follow this directive even though the pudding will look really strange until its fully baked. I promise it will come together and you'll have a lovely dessert that resembles apple pie filling, but is less sweet and more intensely apple flavored. The pudding should be served while it is warm. It is wonderful served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and delicious if you can add good coffee and great conversation. Here's the recipe.
German Apple Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
4 cooking apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups boiling water or boiling hot apple cider
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) In a deep 2 quart baking pan, mix together sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add apple slices and mix until coated with flour mixture. Combine milk and vanilla and add to flour mixture. Stir until everything has been moistened. Smooth out the top.
3) Place softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and cover with boiling water. Blend with a whisk until cheese dissolves and mixture looks milky.
4) Put filled baking pan on rack in oven. Pour milky mixture over top. DO NOT STIR.
5) Bake for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle extra cinnamon-sugar on top if desired. Yield: 8 servings.
One Year Ago Today: Fennel and Saffron Bread
Two Years Ago Today: Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
27 comments :
- David said...
Mary, Great looking apple pudding! I've printed this recipe for our file...can't wait to try it. Maybe on New Years Day! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
- December 28, 2011 at 12:37 AM
- Foodiewife said...
I have Bavarian roots that are still strong. I've never heard of this, but it has our names written al over. Look fantastic. Kartoffel suppe is something I make for my family often. It's pure comfort food.
- December 28, 2011 at 12:54 AM
- Chiara said...
Mmmmm, this looks wonderful Mary ! Happy New Year!
- December 28, 2011 at 1:14 AM
- Ginny Hartzler said...
This is a rather strange recipe, but it looks so good!
- December 28, 2011 at 1:29 AM
- What's Baking?? said...
Great looking dessert.
- December 28, 2011 at 1:48 AM
- cocoa and coconut said...
I love apple pie so I bet this would also be a favourite of mine. Puddings are so comforting in the night time..I'd love this now actually
- December 28, 2011 at 2:38 AM
- Kavi said...
there's no eggs in the pudding! Looks great! I'm gonna try it out soon.
(Edible Entertainment)
Ongoing events:
Jingle All The Way &
Microwave Easy Cooking - December 28, 2011 at 3:54 AM
- Coleens Recipes said...
This recipe is perfect for us, thank you!!
- December 28, 2011 at 4:35 AM
- Sandra said...
Mmmm, apples and cinnamon, the best combination!
Mary, happy New Year! - December 28, 2011 at 5:19 AM
- Rita said...
What a perfect sim[le fruit dessert after getting an oveload of rich food.
Hope you are a having a gret week.
Rita - December 28, 2011 at 6:34 AM
- Claudia said...
Love the idea of a comforting apple pudding - especially with the cream cheese. Can smell the aroma of the spices cooking.
- December 28, 2011 at 6:41 AM
- Sprigs of Rosemary said...
That Silver Fox is one lucky guy! My SIL has a recipe that calls for pouring boiling water over a pudding. Maybe this is it! (She swears by it!) At any rate, I'm sure it was the perfect ending to your warming soup. Best wishes for a happy and blessed new year, Mary!
- December 28, 2011 at 6:45 AM
- Clint said...
Ummmmm.....with vanilla ice cream.
That's the way uh huh uh huh I like it uh huh uh huh.... - December 28, 2011 at 7:30 AM
- That Girl said...
We usually do apple crisp but this looks just as easy!
- December 28, 2011 at 8:06 AM
- Tanna said...
Ahhhh... along with the good coffee and great conversation... an unbeatable combination. blessings ~ tanna
- December 28, 2011 at 8:10 AM
- Saucy Siciliana said...
Yummy, that is delicious! I am following you from Rome, I have a sweet tooth!
- December 28, 2011 at 9:15 AM
- Kim said...
I really like this kind of dessert. It's simple, but it's so tasty! I hope you're having wonderful holidays, dear Mary!
- December 28, 2011 at 9:16 AM
- Unknown said...
Ooooh... that looks sooooo good!!!!
- December 28, 2011 at 9:22 AM
- Karen (Back Road Journal) said...
Thanks for the tip...i think I would have stirred the mixture otherwise. Such an easy apple dessert to make when our trees are loaded with fruit.
- December 28, 2011 at 10:02 AM
- Jeannie said...
I don't mind eating this, looks so delicious! Apple pie without the crust is yummy!
- December 28, 2011 at 10:44 AM
- Alicia said...
Seems so simple, yet so decadent with all that cream cheese. I bet it would go great with vanilla ice cream and coffee...black. Yum!
- December 28, 2011 at 3:43 PM
- Terri @ that's some good cookin' said...
Mary, this looks delicious. I am excited to make it for myself...I mean my family and myself. It sounds like home.
- December 28, 2011 at 3:52 PM
- Joanne said...
I've seen a lot of puddings before but none that were apple flavored! I bet it's like apple pie filling in a bowl!
- December 28, 2011 at 7:53 PM
- Lyndas recipe box said...
This sounds delicious Mary, and I will try it as I adore apple desserts. You just can't have too many in my opinion.
- December 28, 2011 at 8:51 PM
- Shug said...
Indeed, this is great looking pudding! I am adding this recipe to my files. I am crazy about baked apples and I know this recipe has to be great..
Love the history behind all your recipes.. - December 28, 2011 at 9:46 PM
- Coleens Recipes said...
I used your recipe for German Apple Pudding this afternoon and it is delicious!!! It will be a perfect ending to our (light) chicken soup dinner. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
- December 30, 2011 at 9:25 PM
- Sharon Koenig said...
That seems like a really simple dessert, I bet it's great with the brown sugar in it.. and can't forget that vanilla Ice Cream on top. :)
- January 5, 2012 at 9:39 PM


text:
Of shepherds and sheep
Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, March 6, 2013
John Stuart Mill's classic essay "On Liberty" gives reasons why some people should not be taking over other people's decisions about their own lives. But Professor Cass Sunstein of Harvard has given reasons to the contrary. He cites research showing "that people make a lot of mistakes, and that those mistakes can prove extremely damaging."
Professor Sunstein is undoubtedly correct that "people make a lot of mistakes." Most of us can look back over our own lives and see many mistakes, including some that were very damaging.
What Cass Sunstein does not tell us is what sort of creatures, other than people, are going to override our mistaken decisions for us. That is the key flaw in the theory and agenda of the left.
Implicit in the wide range of efforts on the left to get government to take over more of our decisions for us is the assumption that there is some superior class of people who are either wiser or nobler than the rest of us.
Yes, we all make mistakes. But do governments not make bigger and more catastrophic mistakes?
Think about the First World War, from which nations on both sides ended up worse off than before, after an unprecedented carnage that killed substantial fractions of whole younger generations and left millions starving amid the rubble of war.
Think about the Holocaust, and about other government slaughters of even more millions of innocent men, women and children under Communist governments in the Soviet Union and China.
Even in the United States, government policies in the 1930s led to crops being plowed under, thousands of little pigs being slaughtered and buried, and milk being poured down sewers, at a time when many Americans were suffering from hunger and diseases caused by malnutrition.
The Great Depression of the 1930s, in which millions of people were plunged into poverty in even the most prosperous nations, was needlessly prolonged by government policies now recognized in retrospect as foolish and irresponsible.
One of the key differences between mistakes that we make in our own lives and mistakes made by governments is that bad consequences force us to correct our own mistakes. But government officials cannot admit to making a mistake without jeopardizing their whole careers.
Can you imagine a President of the United States saying to the mothers of America, "I am sorry your sons were killed in a war I never should have gotten us into"?
What is even more relevant to Professor Sunstein's desire to have our betters tell us how to live our lives, is that so many oppressive and even catastrophic government policies were cheered on by the intelligentsia.
Back in the 1930s, for example, totalitarianism was considered to be "the wave of the future" by much of the intelligentsia, not only in the totalitarian countries themselves but in democratic nations as well.
The Soviet Union was being praised to the skies by such literary luminaries as George Bernard Shaw in Britain and Edmund Wilson in America, while literally millions of people were being systematically starved to death by Stalin and masses of others were being shipped off to slave labor camps.
Even Hitler and Mussolini had their supporters or apologists among intellectuals in the Western democracies, including at one time Lincoln Steffens and W.E.B. Du Bois.
An even larger array of the intellectual elite in the 1930s opposed the efforts of Western democracies to respond to Hitler's massive military buildup with offsetting military defense buildups to deter Hitler or to defend themselves if deterrence failed.
"Disarmament" was the mantra of the day among the intelligentsia, often garnished with the suggestion that the Western democracies should "set an example" for other nations — as if Nazi Germany or imperial Japan was likely to follow their example.
Too many among today's intellectual elite see themselves as our shepherds and us as their sheep. Tragically, too many of us are apparently willing to be sheep, in exchange for being taken care of, being relieved of the burdens of adult responsibility and being supplied with "free" stuff paid for by others.
(Thomas Sowell's website is www.tsowell.com)


text:
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text:
Monday, May 26, 2008
Unexpected Visitors
A silver BMW with spoke wheels had parked in the driveway. Two men with blue shirts were standing on the front porch.
I reached for my sketch pouch and stepped outside. The younger man said, "Are you concerned about the future?"
"Sure," I said. I opened up some folding chairs and invited them to sit down. I asked the younger man if he would be willing to sit for a sketch, and he agreed. He opened his Bible and read the stories of Adam, Noah, Job, and Lazarus.
"According to Jehovah," he said, "God is bringing this system to an end, and suffering will come to mankind."
The older man followed along with his index finger in his own Bible. He glanced up from time to time to watch me draw. I was using a 4B graphite pencil. After I sharpened it a couple of times the pencil became almost too short to hold. The older man said, "I was wondering when you were going to get a new pencil."
The younger man said that no one had ever sketched his portrait before. He brought out a camera and asked to take a picture of the sketch and of us together.
The older man reached into a leather case and handed me a book entitled "WHAT DOES THE BIBLE Really TEACH?" and "SHOULD YOU FEAR THE FUTURE?" They said they would be back again. I'll have my watercolor kit ready.
44 comments:
- Erik Bongers said...
I have a problem with psychological manipulation.
Yes, I do.
The story as told here clearly shows how to do it.
Be very friendly and patient.
Pretend that your motives are absolutely harmless.
Have a seat and talk a bit.
This will create a good starting atmosphere.
Once that is established, present a gift of any form. Say that you want to do something for the other person.
This will break their last suspicion.
They are now defenceless.
This is the moment to STRIKE!
And strike hard: show them that portrait and BINGO !
A new soul lost to Dinotopia!
So watch out for people wearing Dinotopia T-shirts! - May 26, 2008 at 7:05 AM
^ lol
- May 26, 2008 at 8:14 AM
- Laurel Neustadter said...
This is a beautiful story and portrait. When people come to my door preaching, my first reaction is to get angry and to tell them to go away. I like your reaction better. Looks like everyone won.
- May 26, 2008 at 8:50 AM
- Erik Bongers said...
My father use to let them in too.
For a long discussion.
But I stick to polite rejection as I think it's pointless to try to get my point of view through.
However, I saw a documentary on I think young American Mormon's "recruting" in Germany.
At the end, one of the US boys who was raised in a Mormon family(!) was really getting doubts about it all as a result of all these discussions. He said something like he'd "heard some things that he found difficult to ignore".
So what's the lesson here?
Germans are manipulaters to!!
Knew it. - May 26, 2008 at 9:02 AM
- innisart said...
Free models!
- May 26, 2008 at 9:11 AM
- Daniel Hardesty said...
Wow, just when I'd thought I'd seen everything on your blog Jim! This is a really interesting post.
Nice of you to invite them in and have a chat. People so often say that "you shouldn't talk about religion and politics", but I find that those topics are often the ones that reveal our hearts making us question and interact with the things that really matter in this life. Keep us posted on the return visit!
Fun sketch too, how long did they stay?
Have a good holiday! - May 26, 2008 at 9:42 AM
- jeff said...
Praise the Lord and pass the pencils and paper...
This is great, where we live we get the Mormons, they don't come around very much. When they do I have to say I will have to try this next time they show up.
Interesting that they drove such a nice car, the lord has provided for these gents... - May 26, 2008 at 10:02 AM
- Unknown said...
Great story! And great picture.
Very funny Erik! - May 26, 2008 at 10:19 AM
- Shane White said...
I never answer the door unless I'm expecting someone.
98% of the time it's someone I don't want to talk to and my time is far too valuable to me.
Certainly an interesting way to abate the situation and get a live model to sit for free.
Anyone ever accuse you of being too nice? :)
=s= - May 26, 2008 at 11:52 AM
- Erik Bongers said...
No such thing as 'too nice' me thinks. People that are nicer than me are better than me. Period.
How nice you are is a good barometer for how positive your attitude is. (provided you don't fake it of course)
It's a mental healthcheck.
Besides, didn't James Gurney just illustrate that you can be 'too nice' and still 'take advantage' of a situation. Someone here called it a win-win. - May 26, 2008 at 12:13 PM
- ZD said...
That is awesome
- May 26, 2008 at 12:40 PM
- Susan said...
I like the way you handled it! We used to have people who came around to "talk". They didn't recruit me, but they were kind and interesting. The first time that they came, I had just moved to this area and my dog had puppies the day we moved. I said that I would listen, if they promised to come back for puppies. When the puppies were ready...they took three. (Three more went to a Catholic church festival. God stepped right on in there and dispursed 'em. LOL) Mahatma Gandhi said, "Religions are different roads converging upon the same point. What does it matter that we take difernt roads so long as we reach the same goal?"
- May 26, 2008 at 12:50 PM
- James Gurney said...
Thank you! These are wonderful philosophical thoughts that you are all raising. Radikin, I think they were here for about 45 minutes.
I had another memorable encounter a few years ago. A car packed full of young missionaries pulled up and three stepped out, getting ready to engage me in a discussion on religion.
Instead on a momentary whim I handed one guy a baseball and said "You're pitching," and gave another a plastic bat and said "You're up." I told the third one, "We're the outfield." And so began a game that went on for an hour, with all the other people coming out of the car one by one--all of them wearing suits and dresses, mind you.
They never got around to their other "pitch," but one of them said, as he was getting into the car, "This is the most fun we've had. Maybe that's what the Lord is all about."
So you see, Erik, baseball is a religion here in America. - May 26, 2008 at 1:12 PM
- Erik Bongers said...
Manipulating a whole congregation?
Now you really got me scared. - May 26, 2008 at 1:27 PM
- Sarah Stevenson said...
Wow! I'm impressed.
I used to be able to get rid of religious solicitors (as recently as a few years ago) by claiming that I was not an adult and my parents weren't home. That only works if they're elderly, since 31 is not exactly the teenage years... - May 26, 2008 at 1:41 PM
- Tim said...
My dad also invited some churchies in once. Lets just say that my parents house isn't on their list anymore.
- May 26, 2008 at 2:36 PM
- Tony Shasteen said...
Mr. Gurney, you obviously have a confidence that most people, including myself, don't share. That's impressive!
- May 26, 2008 at 3:35 PM
- Unknown said...
That is a brilliant way to get a free model to sit for a bit. You rock.
- May 26, 2008 at 4:03 PM
- Unknown said...
everyone wins! way to go jim!
smiles around the table served!
buen trabajo! - May 26, 2008 at 5:52 PM
Winter time and the frigid chill cut to the bone.
The mighty Mormon male duo appeared and I allowed them to enter to bask in the delightful warmth inside.
I laid the ground rules... stay until thoroughly warm but no proelytizing since I was already well-versed in their cult's ways and means... and I view all religions as cults.
Nice kids appreciative of the warmth.
They became regular visitors. Perhaps my offering prevented frost bite.
It was also an opportunity to introduce the lads to the "dirtier" side of life, relating tales of what occurred in Oriental ports and at various places across the USA.
Who knows what tales of lust and greed and a plethora of other sins made it back to Utah. - May 26, 2008 at 7:01 PM
- Susan's Scribbles said...
Mr. Gurney,
I'm impressed that you handled it this way. They make an honest, loving effort to go door to door to share the scriptures and encourage people as Jesus did. No need to fear them or hide from them. This way you all had a nice conversation and everyone felt good. Nicely done Mr. Gurney. - May 26, 2008 at 8:58 PM
- Jorge Bustamante said...
Genius. just genius... maybe when i grow up a little i can be as cavalier as you. Im barely able to draw people on the train without fearing theyll catch me...
- May 26, 2008 at 10:06 PM
- - Paul Hastings said...
Forgive me for my ignorance, but where did you get your shirt? Was it a custom printing or was it once an available piece of merchandise?
- May 27, 2008 at 1:14 AM
- Jen Z said...
Hahaha, priceless! I like Jorge's comment about growing up to be as cavalier as you. I love stories where people engage strangers in a way only commonplace in the "good ol' days" where one was innocent until proven guilty and not the other way around. We all have a great potential to bring happiness to those around us, and you seem to use it to the max.
- May 27, 2008 at 5:04 AM
- Random York said...
That is a fantastic idea! I've gotten where I (I don't want to be rude) either act like I'm not home- that doesn't work because I'm a poor actor, or I open the door quickly and say "no thank you!" and close it quickly... But a model... deliverd to your door for FREE! That's a great idea! Thank you, I can hardly wait for my first unsuspecting victim/model! Bwa-ha-ha!
- May 27, 2008 at 10:39 AM
- Enzie Shahmiri said...
James, I laughed so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks! This is awesome! Good for you to be able to make good use of a situation and make this a memorable encounter for all.
- May 28, 2008 at 12:50 AM
- Neil Davies said...
Found this blog through Pharyngula - great story and your artwork is stunning.
I had JW's call a couple of weeks ago and I invited them in for a very enjoyable debate - it never even occurred to me to draw them! Brilliant. :) - May 28, 2008 at 4:30 AM
- Roberta said...
You rock! What a great story. Wholehearted fun!
- May 28, 2008 at 9:07 AM
- Mark Reep said...
Great approach, great post.
- May 28, 2008 at 10:47 AM
- Mark Reep said...
Great approach, great post.
- May 28, 2008 at 10:50 AM
- Mimi said...
what a great idea!! I am not sure I could pull it off, but I'm glad YOU did.
- May 28, 2008 at 11:03 AM
- David Lobenberg said...
y, Very cool story. The sketch is cool too!
- May 29, 2008 at 10:35 PM
- Leonardo F. said...
That Mormon or Jehovah Witnesses gives me creeps :| ... Every religious fanatic does, indeed.
But you managed it very politely and kindly... You are my hero. - June 1, 2008 at 10:51 PM
- Unknown said...
haha free models in the comfort of your own home, you're my hero
- June 2, 2008 at 4:55 AM
- amig said...
Just thought I'd share: I was recently in Brazil at an outdoor bar sketching. Some little girls came up to try and sell me fake flowers. I was a bit annoyed - mostly that little kids had to sell flowers. Then one girl asked me to draw her so I did. I didn't buy any flowers but I gave her the picture. I'm sad a didn't get a photo of the drawing but I'm sure it meant more to her than me.
I've also heard of people going to poorer areas of town and setting up a free portrait stand. Sounds fun . . . - June 3, 2008 at 2:41 PM
- Memra said...
I must complain!!! My shirts are white, not blue, but I have also given out those publications, and no one has drawn my picture!!!
I want a picture, LOL
Great web site, and I am sure your kindness was appreciated. - June 4, 2008 at 8:07 AM
- Downstrike said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- October 26, 2008 at 6:40 AM
- Downstrike said...
Hugs for Gurney!
I would not feel psychologically manipulated by such a welcome. I wish I could come to your door, and see what new way you find for me to participate in your life!
For a really interesting story about Noah and his grandchildren, have them read it to you from our paraphrase version, The Bible in Living English. It's a work of linguistic art.
I think you probably designed that shirt yourself, didn't you? - October 26, 2008 at 6:45 AM
- treplovski said...
I actually enjoy chatting with the various missionaries who come around, but maybe I'm just starved for companionmship! At any rate, I am certainly going to use this technique next time they come by.
Also, a bonus to JW literature: Frequently it features (unsigned) illustrations by none other than Drew Struzan, who famously joined their ranks a few years back. - December 21, 2009 at 5:32 PM
- jytte said...
Very gentlemanlike way. Reminds me of my mother. When I was a child we had a visit of mormons. Two very handsome looking young men well dressed. My mother showed them in. They had a little paper theatre to show the birth of Christ. I enjoyed the play and afterwards my mother asked if it was true that mormons could have two wives. They smiled and admitted that if was true. Then she asked if a woman mormon could have two husbands. They said no. Then she said that in that case she vould not join the mormon religion. They went out laughing.
- March 15, 2012 at 2:35 AM
- eignh said...
i know this post is years old by now, but i've been reading through your blog (start to finish, oi!) and i had to comment once i got here.
there is so much good stuff in here. your positive approach and ability to find a drawing opportunity where most would usually not even look are as inspiring as the content i read from you on your blog and in your books.
thanks, i've learned so much from you. both on the page and off, so to speak. - July 9, 2012 at 2:34 PM
- James Gurney said...
Hey, Eignh, Thanks for leaving a comment. Wow, that's a lot of reading. You're not even halfway.
I do get email alerts from earlier posts, so feel free to leave comments along the way. - July 9, 2012 at 3:11 PM
- justin said...
Interestingly enough, despite the comments, these two aren't Mormons, but of another sect, possibly Jehovah's Witnesses?
- August 5, 2021 at 1:17 PM
- James Gurney said...
Justin: Yes. I didn't mention the affiliation because I wanted people to hold off their assumptions.
- August 5, 2021 at 1:26 PM


text:
France Pushes Ahead On Gay Marriage Amid Dissent
by Thomas Adamson, Associated Press
PARIS (AP)—President Francois Hollande's Cabinet pushed ahead with a controversial French bill Wednesday that could see gay marriage legalized early next year, defying vocal opposition in the majority Catholic country from religious leaders, the rural heartland and the conservative opposition.
The French leader's top ministers approved the bill legalizing marriage and adoption for same-sex couples, sending it to the legislature for debate, only one day after two American states, Maine and Maryland, became the first in the U.S. to approve same-sex marriage in a popular vote.
Gay marriage has become a contentious issue in France, where Hollande made it a liberal cornerstone of his campaign, hoping it would create a clean break from his conservative predecessor. At the time, it appeared to have the backing of a majority of the population, but it has since turned into a politically sensitive issue.
Though France would become the 12th country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage if the bill passes, the country of 60 million people would become the biggest so far in terms of economic and diplomatic influence.
Polls show a majority of French support gay marriage, but it has divided the country's left and right, with lawmakers from the conservative UMP denouncing the Cabinet approval Wednesday.
"It's the end of the family, the end of children's development, the end of education. It's an enormous danger to the nation," UMP Senator Serge Dassault said on the radio show, France Culture.
In France, a prominent conservative and former prime minister, Francois Fillon, has opposed any gay marriage legislation, and he plans to run in this month's election for the UMP leadership.
Amid the clamoring, the Socialists have decided to delay the parliamentary debate about the bill until January, knowing that it risks being modified or diluted by legislators.
Elsewhere in Europe, gay politics has also come to the fore this week.
On Tuesday, Spain's Constitutional Court upheld the legality of the country's gay marriage law, which was approved in 2005 when the country's parliament was Socialist controlled.
The court rejected an appeal contending that marriage in the constitution means only the union of a man and woman. The county's top court voted 8-3 to dismiss the appeal filed by the conservative Popular Party.
The Popular Party took power late last year after the Socialists were ousted over their handling of the country's economic crisis.


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text:
Security guards prepared to strike
Published 9:14 am Monday, February 25, 2013
MINNEAPOLIS — About 2,000 Twin Cities area security guards are preparing for a one-day strike sometime this week.
Service Employees International Union members gathered Sunday to learn more about the status of the talks and to review a tentative deal reached for last week for 4,000 janitors represented by the union that includes a raise of $1.20 an hour over three years.
But officials say several sticking points remain for security guards. They're seeking raises and more affordable health care. Their contract expired in December.
The one-day strike would target seven security companies and several large corporations that contract with those services, including Target, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.
David Duddleston, a lawyer for the employers, says there's been progress and that both sides had agreed to resume talks March 12.