'Book-Burning -- Persian Style'

A friend's friend is not always a friend, but an enemy's enemy always is. This is a prime reason why we see rogues and radicals of all sorts gaining more and more support even among the ranks of the rational and the educated.

Various aspects of the US foreign policy has been causing animosity all of the world for many decades now. So, it is a given that we all know the reasons to hate/dislike the US. There's also the psyche of disapproval of the super-power's every action. We know that, too.

What we don't know are the reasons to approve of/like the US. Those, in my experience, can be learned readily when one comes in contact with an American. This nation is by far the most accepting and friendly one, but that knowledge is suspect to the rest of world; and understandably so. Not everyone has had my luck of living a life in the melting pot, after all.

Anyways, anecdotes of my gracious experiences in the US will be discussed in another entry. This one is not about friends, it's about enemy's enemies.

In theory, any nation has the right to achieve any level of scientific progress. In theory, every nation should have the right to own nuclear weapons. Living by the book of logic until this morning, I supported Iran's claim on nuclear weapons. They can have it if they can make it, I thought.

There is also the painful truth that the world still runs according to religious maps. There is the graciously overlooked fact that Muslims all over the world are persecuted almost as badly as the Jews were during the Holocaust. Some Muslim countries with nuclear weapons looks to be the only 'solution' to the global persecutions in the short run.

These are all in line with the logics that made Muslims tolerate the Taliban until it was too late. Still, I opted for a generous, sparing, and utopian view, hoping that dialogue will resolve the crises; eventually.

After reading THIS (purging "secular" teachers from faculty positions in the academic institutions) in the news this morning, all I want is to see these nutcases' a**es kicked. As soon and as hard as possible. Iran's move is not a 'resistance' against the West, after all. This country isn't coming out of the decades of darkness, either. Their only agenda is to spread an ultra-conservative brand of Islam. That brand of Islam isn't the Islam I know.

We all know what "book-burning" means. We saw it when the Catholic Church denounced science, we saw it when the Nazis denounced people's rights. This recent "purge" of Iran is all but a modern variation of book-burning. It is time for moderate Muslims to let go of all hesitations and unanimously denounce this crooked, medieval regime.

The only thing worse than a nutcase is a nutcase with a nuclear bomb.

"My Views as a Muslim"

No, I am not going to address any issue here. Just read the following article in National Geographic Magazine. If anyone ever wants to hear a moderate Muslim speaking out, please read it. I agree with every word/letter/punctuation of this interview.

Enough said.

"Numbers in My Life"

Some numbers in my life. If anyone who stumbles upon this entry has something similar, please include a comment.

Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam in 2000. Total score: 920.
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam in 2002. Total score: 920.

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 2003. Total score: 1330.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in 2006. Total score: 1330.

Coincidence? Perhaps once too many.

"Life Expectancy"

In a recent invitation, heard a doctor say that every human offspring borns with 100 years of "life". Anyone who dies before 100 years has committed some kind of "suicide". Interesting, I thought.

"Disaster Relief: Katrina to Hezballah"

I was within 90 miles of both the Category-5 hurricanes last season. Katrina was 90 miles west of us, while Rita was 90 miles east. I felt the part of the force of a hurricane on both occassions. I have been to New Orleans a few times since the landfall. The city was a wreck. A complete, hopeless wreck.

Just when I was almost certain that no other city/country could have the misfortune similar to that of the "Big Easy", there was Lebanon! In this case, it was man-made, was spread over an entire country (not just a city), and did not allow the population any chance to withdraw or evacuate (unlike New Orleans which had 36 hours of counter-flow evacuation through major highways).

All of it is past now. Time has taken its course, and it is time alone that will re-instate the balance. Events belong to time, but the response to those is what we -- the human beings -- own. It is in response that we earn our worth as the best creation. It is in response that some cement themselves as heroes while other wither away. Consider the following irony.

Heard on CNN couple of nights before: every house which has been bombed will get double sets of furnitures and every suffered family will get $12,000 in cash. All from Hezballah, and all of it has been arranged even before the aid workers have reached the refugees.

Heard on NPR last evening: after almost a complete year, cadaver-dogs are finding dead bodies in New Orleans. Let us also remember the disasterous response from FEMA and the mere $3500 that the people of New Orleans had received. Many of the homeless are not getting re-building assistance due to lack of "flood-insurance".

America has hundreds of pro-people programs at home, but is disliked by all. Hezballah was the reason a country has been reduced to rubble, yet they are the heroes! I guess it's all about speding the right amount at the right time.

The pro-freedom are hated for putting insurance companies above their own people. The pro-hate maniacs are still "heroes".

Seleucus!!

'BUET & Lebanon'

[Recently in BUET: A student-protest to postpone the finals by a week was met with police-force. Some students attacked the teachers' quarters during the riot.]

The situation in BUET is similar to that in Lebanon.

The analogy might seem far-fetched to some, but it carries a similar message.

Cause-and-effect is a part of life, not an option or privilege. We see that here, too. True solution to any problem requires us to step back and identify the original incident that started the ripple-effect.

In case of Lebanon, it was the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers. It was a wrong, profane act. It deserved repremand and retalliation. Israel had the right to pursue aggressive tactics. It was OK as long as they took out selective targets.

However, continued rape and pillage of a country for three weeks, killing civilians including one-day old boys, etc are wrong. It is wrong because the "effect" is very DISPROPORTIONATE compared to the "cause". An Israeli life has its value, but so does a Lebanese life. Nothing justifies putting 350+ Lebanese lives beneath one Isreali life.

It's kind of same in BUET now. Whatever the cause, the final "effect" turned out to be violent attacks on teachers and their FAMILIES. However it is you have been wronged, my dear friends, that is the point where you lost the right to be on the receiving end of sympathy.

Nothing justifies it. Absolutely nothing. Just like nothing can justify Israel's offensive at the moment.

Harry Potter: Doom Factor

Liked this article on MSNBC. Discusses the "doom factor" of various Harry Potter characters.

"Talking about Laying odds in the Harry Potter dead pool - BOOKS - MSNBC.com"

Quote

Laying odds in the Harry Potter dead pool - BOOKS - MSNBC.com

"Britania... oops! Germania!!"

Read a very interesting short-article on BBC. It refers to a research suggesting apartheid in Britain during the Anglo-Saxon era. It explain the dominance of German gene and linguistic elements in Britain. Intersting. Click here.