End of an Era?

I do not secretly wish the downfall of the US economy as some think. I know I can be opinionated sometimes and do not hesitate to give my two cents but I do not (let me emphasize) DO NOT wish that the world's largest economy goes into a recession or worst case scenario, stagflation.

Yes, I do in alot of ways despise the over-consuming nation and do not quite, how do I put it... "appreciate" the current leadership, BUT I respect the place that provided me with a great education, and despite its troubles it is a land that gave us over the years: McDonalds, Coke, Google, Microsoft, NBA, Tiger Woods, MTV, Star Wars, iPOD, Simpsons, Ketchup as we know it today... and my personal favourite - blackberry - yeah yeah I know it's not an american invention, but I always assumed it was, until the day I found out RIM was a neighbour! Anyways you get the drift, I'm not anti-American! As a matter of fact I love America - zoom in alittle - LAS VEGAS to be abit more precise :)

The point I am tryin to make is, I dont hate the country... on the contrary I love it coz it's a land of the opportunist... the capital of capitalism! BUT in recent years I believe the image has been tarnished by reckless spending and an idiot of a leader; all this against the backdrop of a more sensible, and ever strengthening Communist China. Cant help but wonder if it's time for America to retire from the status of "THE superpower" - especially amidst the greenback losing its value. Time for - The Asian Dream?

Bottomline: I'm pretty bearish on the prospects of the country - where I perceive the leadership to be without vision, strategy, and diplomacy; on depleting resources.

SO you can imagine the surprise I felt, during a fund raising dinner, when I heard Nobel Laureate Robert A Mundell say the end of the USD era will not be for another 100 years! Thus, perhaps I shouldnt' be too hard on the country after all, maybe like all it's previous downfalls, it'll be able to weather this one too - "The era of the BUSH admin"

Kiss Goodbye!

One whole page on the AWJS is dedicated to disapproval of public affection in India:

"Whether to kiss a cultural taboo goodbye divides Indian society"

I aint gonna give my opinion on the whole drama that has caused so much upheaval in India, as I am sure to cross afew people by airing my views, but I would definately say that this is just unbelievable, ridiculous, and to a certain extend disgusting on the part of the whole nation to be focusing on such trivial issues when there are bigger problems to be dealt with.

"Where's the outrage when a woman is raped by her brother-in-law or when thousands of daughters of India are killed every year for an unpaid dowry?" asked Girija Vyas, chairwoman of the National Commission for Women. - AWSJ

I do agree, and I think people should start putting things in perspective. Just bloody ban the channel that aired the damn thing, penalize the organization, write an article or two denouncing R Gere or S Shetty, do whatever it takes to constructively deal with the grievances BUT for heavens sake stop wasting resources on issues that really dont F***in matter in the long run. I presumed more shit was consumed by the Indian masses on a daily basis thru the Bollywood movies and music videos, that the country was getting comfortable with the notion of sexually charged youth as part of life. But comes a "farangi" and patience gets tested - I guess Indians like to keep it Indian, or perhaps enjoy it while it's just happening behind the screens - like the time Ash was gettin hot and bothered in "Mistress of spices" and "Bride & Prejudice".

Anyways, what a coincidence, SCMP was also carryin a whole back page article on India today - "Current Affairs - Soaring demand for power is undermining development in the subcontinent"

Dont even wanna go there, I can carry on and on about the state of Indian affairs...

Love the country but people get your act together and

Live and let live