Quote of the Day - so true!

"You know, you can … wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change, it’s still going to stink after eight years."

---Sen. Barack Obama (responding to "phony outrage" over lipstick on a pig comment in the race up to the US presidential elections 2008)

Best Animation of Our Times

Came across this list of the top 50 Animations ever.
1. The Simpsons
2. Batman: The Animated Series
3. Cowboy Bebop
4. The Family Guy
5. G.I. Joe
6. South Park
7. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
8. Berserk
9. Justice League
10. Trigun
11. Tenchi
12. Transformers
13. Record of Lodoss War
14. X-Men: The Animated Series
15. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
16. Teen Titans
17. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
18. Looney Toons
19. Tweety and Friends
20. Thundercats
21. Garfield and Friends
22. Aeon Flux
23. Dinosaucers
24. Duck Tales
25. The Real Ghostbusters
26. Go-Bots
27. Heathcliff
28. C.O.P.S.
29. Captain N: Game Master
30. Inspector Gadget
31. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
32. Daria
33. Captain Planet
34. Dragonball Z
35. King of the Hill
36. Neon Genesis Evangelion
37. The Super Mario Brothers Super Show
38. Voltron
39. Robocop
40. Dino-Riders
41. Super Friends
42. Beavis and Butthead
43. Gummi Bears
44. The Flinstones
45. Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers
46. Exosquad
47. The Incredible Hulk
48. The Jetsons
49. M.A.S.K.
50. Richie Rich

Good ole Voltron is at number 38, cartoon series I used to watch dubbed in arabic as a kid. Other shows I remember watching as a child are Super Mario Bros, also in the list, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Incredible Hulk, Daria...But Captain Majid, Tom and Jerry, and Pink Panther are nowhere to be seen!

ISI behind fake currency racket in India

In its anti-India efforts, Pak's "government" agency, ISI launches a fake currency racket in India.

"LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: As it reels under the mounting terror menace with the fundamentalist outfits bombing cities to kill and maim innocents, India may also be faced with a grim threat of economic subversion.

A spate of seizures of fake currency notes across Uttar Pradesh with the trail leading towards Nepal has confirmed the fears of what the authorities call 'economic terror'.

While Indian agencies have for long been aware of ISI's plan to bleed India economically, having been engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with the the plotters, the scale and sophistication of the operation has come as a shock to them. After the initial recovery of Rs 5 lakh from one Abid in Doomariaganj in UP, seizures have been reported from all over the state — Aligarh, Lucknow, Gonda and places neighbouring Bihar — leading the authorities to suspect that counterfeit currency adding up to Rs 40 crore may have been in circulation in Uttar Pradesh alone.

But what has stung security agencies this time is not only the quantum of the seizure but the fine printing and high quality currency paper that has been used to print the currency notes and strong evidence of collusion between banks and those working at ISI's instance."

Read the entire story here.

How much more proof is needed before something is actually done against the ISI and Pak supported terrorism? The only language that these folk understand is that of terror. They have to be taught a lesson in their own language. Soon.

Summer Festivals

With the arrival of summer, Spain sees the return of BLOOD FESTIVALS. Summer is here and as much as most of us look forward to this time of year to enjoy the sun, the sand, beaches and the outdoors, lets try not to forget the less fortunate ones for whom this period is very very far from celebration.

Many Spanish villages each summer begin their "festivities" by torture, humiliation and finally slow death of bulls, goats and other non-humans victims. The idea of "fun" for many in this country, including people with secondary "education," includes un-speakable barbarities and enjoyment from the pain and suffering of others. Sadistic? Do these people have massive Sadistic Personality Disorders? Are they mentally deranged? Let alone allow these barbaric traditions, how do they enjoy them?

What is Sadistic Personality Disorder?

Wikipidea Definition: a pervasive pattern of cruel, demeaning, and aggressive behavior, beginning by early adulthood, as indicated by the repeated occurrence of at least four of the following:

• Has used physical cruelty or violence for the purpose of establishing dominance in a relationship (not merely to achieve some noninterpersonal goal, such as striking someone in order to rob him/her).
• Humiliates or demeans people in the presence of others.
• Has treated or disciplined someone under his/her control unusually harshly.
• Is amused by, or takes pleasure in, the psychological or physical suffering of others (including animals).
• Has lied for the purpose of harming or inflicting pain on others (not merely to achieve some other goal). Gets other people to do what he/she wants by frightening them (through intimidation or even terror).
• Restricts the autonomy of people with whom he or she has a close relationship, e.g., will not let spouse leave the house unaccompanied or permit teenage daughter to attend social functions.
• Is fascinated by violence, weapons, injury, or torture.

I have come across people that enjoy and defend bullfights. Although I didnt get to know them personally (completely intentional), I can comfortably state that these people would display some of the above characteristics. Moreover, these are the same characteristics that serial killers, rapists, child molesters demonstrate. Shouldn't somebody conduct a scientific study of the link between abusing 3rd parties and crime?

I recently discovered a journalist called César Javier Palacios whose article Crónica Verde appears in the free daily "20 minutos" in Spain. I'd like to link to his recent work here, for those who are interested.

On my behalf, all I can say is, I'm delighted that summer is here; however, seeing things from where I am, its sometimes hard to believe that I'm living in 21st century Europe.

Work Life Balance

I've been working almost 11 hours straight over the last few weeks. I may be about to lose my (in) sanity. Any tips on keeping healthy and sane?

Joke

Dad sent me a joke today by email. Its called "Appraisals and Increments;" here it is.

I'm wondering, if any of my ISM buddies are around- could you read this text without getting frustrated? How about in less then 5 minutes? I can't, and unfortunately didn't decipher the joke.

PS. U might have to click on the text to make it a readable size if too small.

The New Barcelona

The Asian diaspora in Barcelona is now not only seen in the Raval, but all around town. Next to my office, in what could be classified as the business area of the city (Diagonal), there is a Bangladeshi store that sells yummy aloo samosas for 1€, although the price seems criminal for what in Oman used to cost me - mind you, an aloo samosa double the size and double the taste - only 50bz, which amounts to a grand .10 €, only ten times less. However I try not to think of that when I enter that Bangladeshi's store and buy samosas for breakfast on days I feel like treating myself. Back to Asians in Bcn, its commonplace to see Pakistani and possibly Indian, Punjabi guys walking around town, on the buses, in the metro. Many a times they look at me, some recognizing that I'm one of theirs, while others don't. I wear my hair local style with long bangs, and can easily pass for a Brazilian or even Moroccan, Arab, Tunisian, eh you get the point.

However, I do get the biggest kick when I walk into Desi/Paki/Bangadeshi stores and upon greeting me with an "hola" they get a "namaste" in return, and thats me jumping over to Hindi. They get a pleasant shock, continue the conversation, while trying not to let their smiles be too obvious. I love keeping a straight face and pretending that the most normal thing in the world when one enters a shop in Barcelona, is to speak Hindi. Then, just before they can ask where I'm from and whether I live here, etc., I say thanks and walk out of there, leaving them slightly puzzled.

When I have a lot of time on my hands though, or when feeling homesick with a desire to speak my language, I will walk these streets, engaging in conversations about my entire life and how I've ended up in Spain. Usually turns out that many of the Pakistanis have lived in the Gulf (either UAE, Qatar or Saudi Arabia) before moving here. What this brief exchange gives them, I guess, is a temporary escape from monotony, and what it gives me is a temporary feeling of home.