Negative Blogs

Read a news story about a part-time Professor in Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, who lost her job because of her blog (phantomprof.blogspot.com). I looked through it. While it is very well written (she teaches English literature), I cannot help observing how negative she is about everything. She is critical of the students, administration, cafeteria and almost anything she comes across in the campus. Is blog only for releasing ones anger and frustrations? While there certainly is relief in expressing ones frustrations, trying to balance it with positive things in life should be more beneficial to everyone, including the readers.
I do not blame SMU for not renewing her contract (although they have given some other excuse for it). I will not want someone so cynical and critical teaching the students either. The story ends in a positive note- the professor is now flooded with 'offers' including one for a movie deal, and she has signed up with a ‘top agent’. Cheers!

The style of the Big Boss

I have worked for a number of large corporations, each with its established ‘culture’ and way of working. But I have noticed that the noble tradition and lofty goals of an organization are completely overshadowed by the style of the most visible 'big boss’ in the company. If the big boss is a decent person who values and respects employees, the underling managers follow suit, and everyone is civil and nice to each other. On the other hand, if there is a tough dictatorial boss who treats his direct reports with little respect, the same attitude is transmitted to the ‘trenches’. The work environment becomes quite unpleasant marked by intense office politics and backstabbing. I thought about this phenomenon when I read the recent report by the Amnesty International. The report said,

“The USA, as the unrivalled political, military and economic hyper-power, sets the tone for governmental behavior worldwide. When the most powerful country in the world thumbs its nose at the rule of law and human rights, it grants a license to others to commit abuse with impunity and audacity. From Israel to Uzbekistan, Egypt to Nepal, governments have openly defied human rights and international humanitarian law in the name of national security and ‘counter-terrorism’ ..”

What a complaint against a country constituted on the motto 'Liberty and justice for all'!

By the way, the Amnesty International reports hardly get any coverage in the news media ('They are always complaining.').

I am not getting it!

I was reading the process used by the South Korean scientists for stem cell research. They take a female egg and replace its genetic material with the DNA from a patient, and prompt it to grow into an embryo. From that embryo they develop stem cells, which are a genetic match to their donors. This technique of creating the exact clone of ones cells has the potential of treatment for body transplants, spinal injuries and genetic diseases like diabetes, so on. According to some scientists, the stem cell research may even find cures for diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Opponents to stem cell research appear to have two major concerns. One is that in creating stem cells one is destroying the ‘potential of human life’. I do not understand this. Do they want ALL female eggs to achieve its potential of becoming human beings? (Are they sad when a woman has her period??) The other concern appears to be that an “embryo is a person”, and hence one is killing a person when they make stem cells from it. This also does not make sense to me. The eggs are not ‘fertilized’ with male sperm to create embryos for stem cell research; hence cannot ever develop into a human being. Am I missing something here?

One thousand down today, two thousand up tomorrow

As a semi-retired person, I watch the total value of my retirement funds carefully. A good portion of my funds is invested in the stock market. So, everyday I see its value fluctuate up or down , often in thousands. Yesterday, I got the bill for my wife’s recent hospital stay, which came to thousands of dollars. It did not faze me. It only felt like a single bad day in the market!

What I like about a Sunday church service

I go to church almost every Sunday. I am never keen about it. In fact, I would have skipped many church services if not for the necessity of accompanying my deeply religious wife. My mind wanders during most of the liturgy and I get restless. (My wife often complains about my deep sighs and fidgeting). Interesting thing is that after every church service, I am glad that I attended it. Why? First, there are portions of the service I make special effort to concentrate on. One is the prayer for the departed, which makes me remember my father, favorite uncles, aunts etc. The thanksgiving prayer forces me appreciate what I have. I enjoy the Gospel readings (I marvel at the wisdom and clarity of the teachings of Jesus Christ). Occasionally, I may even listen to the sermon of our well-liked Reverend (he tends to read his sermons making them hard to listen to). I love listening to the singing of my daughter who has a beautiful voice. After the service, I enjoy talking to my business partner who also attends the same church.

No wonder I am never disappointed after attending church!

Hypocrisy at its worst

The Pentagon reaction to the recent Saddam Hussein photo spread in the British tabloids is truly amusing. The U.S. military officials have expressed concern that “the photographs may have violated the former Iraqi president’s rights under Geneva Convention rules in the treatment of prisoners….”. When did this concern about a prisoner's rights under Geneva Convention start? I wonder. It certainly was not seen in the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay. “We take seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all detainees”. I guess the ‘safety and security’ mean making sure that the prisoners are 'safely' kept so that they do not escape; not that they are treated humanely!

Short cut for happiness

Today I was watering the plants in front of my house, when a young Latino guy came and gave me an advertisement about some gardening service. He then started asking something in Mexican. I tried to brush him off by saying I already have a gardner. He repeated talking, and pointed to the garden hose on the ground which was still running water. It took me a few seconds to realize that the poor guy was asking for a drink from it. (It was a warm morning). I gestured O.K., and he drank and left muttering something like a 'Thank you'. I felt quite good about making the day of that poor immigrant a little easier. I think this 'mood elevation’ about ones good deed happens to most of us. The scale of this joy and happiness is almost proportional to ones effort in making someone happy. This is something to be pointed to the many who seek happiness by acquiring money, fame etc. Helping others may be an easy short cut.

How do one flush a book down the toilet?

There is a lot of fuss in USA about the Newsweek story about ‘Flushing the Koran in the toilet’. Almost all the news commentators are criticizing Newsweek for ‘shoddy’ reporting. There is very little discussion on if this method of torture actually occurred. “What type of plumbing they might have had to flush a book down?” some asks implying that the story is really bogus. What they do not know, or bother to understand, is that the toilets in these prisons are of the primitive Asian type with a hole on a slab with a bucket or just open ground underneath. Imagine throwing a Koran in it. Now the prisoner cannot use the toilet unless he wants to do his ‘job’ on top of the Koran! Imagine how much of a torture this will be to a Muslim? I feel that these commentators should be the ones charged with shoddy reporting. Not Newsweek.

My first Blog

Hi. This is my first Blog. I am fascinated with the Blogging phenomenon. I am hoping to experiment and learn more about it as I use this blog site. I am not expecting any audience for my blogs -- but putting your thoughts in writing should be a positive and therapeutic experience. So, I look forward to writing a few blogs on my thoughts (a few raves and rants).

More later.

Cheers!