People evacuating their wallets to get their driving licenses…must have heard about this ample number of times! But here comes another shocking piece of news- people paying huge amounts up to £500 to the fraudsters to take driving tests in their place!!

The scam works by people passing themselves off as the person in a provisional license photo that candidates take to their test at different driving centers around the country. With such easy ways available at hand will the learners even try to acquire proficiency in driving?

And look at the shockingly alarming scale of the issue- a sole impostor clearing about 200 tests and approximately tens of thousands of people involved in paying off such bribes, as reported by the Driving Standards Agency.

“As the tests get harder, to make the roads safer, more and more people will do whatever it takes to get around the hard exam.” said the AA’s head of road safety, Andrew Howard.

The driving tests that metaphorically suggest safety and security are actually propagating perils and risks. People, despite having never sat a practical road examination are easily gaining full driving licenses. This issue needs severe and immediate attention because it might result in disastrous and deadly consequences. And then no amount will be able to buy a life…

via itv

How many of you thought that the Arab scholars are limited to the domain of politics only? The Lebanese sociologist, Samir Khalaf, has triumphantly blown away this belief. Khalaf, a professor at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and director of the Center for Behavioral Studies, honored by the Harvard University primarily for his work outside the subject of politics, is certainly not the first Arab academic to gain recognition in the West, and he isn’t likely to be the last either.

Khalaf has made a career of producing what Harvard professor Steven Canton characterized as “splendid,” “illuminating” and “unique” works on topics as varying and complex as Arab sexuality, urban sociology and modernity - works that fall outside the mainstream political discourse in and about the region. His proficiency goes so far as to teach a master class for doctoral students on sexuality, urbanism, violence and identity.

To get honors from Harvard is one of the rarest things that a sociologist trapped in Lebanon can ever hope for. And so its like a dream come true for Khalaf. He has to pinch himself to believe it to be really true! To be admired not only in one’s own country but also attaining a seat of esteem across the boundaries, and especially in the west is worth commendable. As Khalaf also puts it, “How [would] you feel if you were doing good work and only your mother realized?”

And this not only contributes to his personal aggrandizement, but also makes a way for the others to explore topics of a sensitive nature that are still taboo [in other Arab countries], instead of being gobbled away in only political writings. His extraordinary endeavor has diminished the preconceived notion about Arab academicians and has set an example for the others.

So Arab scholars are out to win more accolades to remedy the “praise-free zone” of Arab academia.

via dailystar

“Love is a wonderful inconsistency into which the nicest and wisest of men fall every day”, said Charles Dickens. Being in love implies all sorts of instabilities and fluctuations, but the crux of this whole drama of emotions lies in the question: for how long all the lovey-dovey couples find it “wonderful”! The moment the smooth sailing of love is struck by an unfortunate storm, the entire sugary love-story turns sour. And the onus of the tragedy lies mainly with the female species.

Journalist and Story Writer Kamala Sarup, specializing in in-depth reporting and writing on Peace, Anti War, Women, Terrorism, Democracy, and Development came up with such a tragic story. Kumari, daughter of wealthy village leader, lovely, beautiful and attractive young girl, suffered this kind of misfortune. From living in comfortable luxurious home to accommodating herself in rented room, from being a Barbie doll playing with flowers to working as a laborer…what not she did for her love…

But destiny had something else in store for her. She fell from the roof and all her charming beauty collapsed along. This unbelievable incident brought eclipse in her life.
Bahadur, her husband indulged in all sorts of whims and fancies of the youth to attain his love. But now after fifteen years he has no place for her, neither in his heart nor in his home. He is happy with his step-wife.

Kumari, who was once promised by Bahadur to be kept as a queen, is now treated as a beggar; who once eloped from her home is again rendered homeless. Basundhara a neighbor and aunt in relation remarked in fury, “Men are too selfish. They love the women until they are young to satisfy them”.

If even a fifteen years relationship can terminate so easily, then where should one search for the meaning of commitment? If accidental physical distortions disrupts love, should one conclude that love is only physical? If even the lover-husbands cant be trusted, is it just for the fair sex to sacrifice their homes, families, kiths and kins for the sake of love? If the ultimate consequences of love are so disastrous, should the females fall in love?

via mediaforfreedom

It is a world of males,
In understanding ‘her’, ‘he’ always fails!
Politely, silently, ’she’ bears it all,
After all for help, whom can ’she’ call?
And ‘her’ life still goes on…
March 8- Women’s Day: a day to mark their empowerment and to acknowledge their rights all over the world. But how far has this day attained its meaning? Though some cudgels have been taken up by the Hindu women but there have been no or very few attempts for the upliftment of the Muslim women.
Islam means submission to the will of God, but does the Almighty’s will beseech injustice for half of the population? Women are oppressed not so much by the religion as by the society. No religious ethics constitute imposing restrictions on women. Social conservatism and societal limitations play dominant roles for the inferior position of women.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, 37,who has renounced her Islamic faith and considers herself an atheist, was speaking in Sydney as part of the Writers Festival.The author of Infidel, survived a civil war, female circumcision and escaped an arranged marriage in her homeland before fleeing to the Netherlands.

She says Muslims must examine their religion and “review the example of the prophet Muhammad.” she told a sell-out audience at the Sydney Theatre.”if we who were born into Islam do not get our act together and reform our faith, our future might be that we tend to clash even more. It will only get bloodier”.
“Reforming Islam, changing it from what it is now, will benefit women and as women benefit from it they will become educated, become owners of their own bodies and their own destinies.”
Women are not only mothers but also the teachers. It is they who can make or break the future of their sons. So she says, “As women we make men, we bear the boys. It’s really important how you bring them up. If we encourage the mentality that they are wild dogs and that we are raw meat, that’s how they will behave.”
Ali has had an around-the-clock guard since 2004 when death threats were made against her because of her outspoken views on Islam.
The plight of the Muslim women is still pitiable. Ali dared to be different, but one question knocks at the back of our mind: Is renouncement of religion necessary for reforms? Can’t the obligatory amendments be made without relinquishing one’s religion? One needs to ponder over these questions before daring to be different.
via smh

How many times you have skipped tipping after scrumptiously feasting in a not so fancy restaurant? Or how many times you just tipped just 5 percent of your bill? Well, you are not alone the celebs are with you on this miser trip. Another reality biting novel is now on stands revealing tipping secrets of celebrities like Madonna, Tobey Maguire, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rupert Everett.

“Rules for saying goodbye”, by Katherine Taylor a New York waitress is a slapstick revenge on celebrity bad tippers. The protagonist also called Katherine Taylor lists the worst tippers and true anecdotes as told by a waitress in distress.

A preview to what the secrets of bad tippers hold: “Gwyneth Paltrow came in. I wanted to tell her that I had been making a list and she was on it, but Gwyneth was not stingy, only stupid. I thought she probably couldn’t calculate 15 per cent.”

Katherine’s publishers confirm that she has worked as a West Village bartender and swear by the authenticity of the anecdotes. Other famous people on the list are Everett and Madonna named for leaving no tip. And Madonna has been awarded the worst tipper ever.

Other small tippers include Maguire, Barbra Streisand and John Travolta’s wife Kelly. And some people were too drunk to tip like our very own Paul McCartney.

Via postchronicle

Tired of bearing teenage to mid 20’s testing your patience in an attempt to fulfill their dreams? Welcome to reality TV fever – you want to see them dance, sing, act stupid, cry, throw a tantrum? Everything is fair in Talent shows and reality scoops.
The problem with these shows is there is a single concept, similar looking 15 seconds of fame hungry youngsters stomping all over your living room daily. You cry with them, you smile at their laurels but at the same time you want rip them off – they are just everywhere!

Indian Idol running for the third year on Simon Fuller’s American Idol, Voice of India another singing talent hunt for those serious musicians and a bunch of others.

If you thought you aren’t having enough laughs?

Well, there is Great Indian Laughter Challenge also doing its third round at making people laugh on “new” jokes. You love Raju Srivastava well he’s everywhere – Star One, Star News, Commercials and now you can find the bandwagon on Bombay to Goa, the latest comedy flick waiting in the wings to hit the box-office.

Not to forget the late night Crime Shows on every News Channel on your idiot box starring the most hideous of anchors and more than often scarier than criminals.

So, what’s new? We have had our share of sobbing womenfolk on every soap, reality shows, rip offs on Mad TV and News Breaking every hour on tinniest of “scoop”.

Time to put a stop on the show, the clone show.

Talk about being abstract or rather think about offending someone deliberately. This is how Barack Obama would have felt when he arrived for a campaign fundraiser at a Virginia art gallery. Thankfully Obama’s staff saved him from encountering Jamie Boling’s controversial paintings. One of his paintings was covered by a curtain and another had been removed entirely before the Democrat’s arrival. Obama’s staff apparently was concerned that the paintings would somehow embarrass the Illinois senator.
One of the paintings, a 6′ x 10′ work titled “Snake Charmer,” is a reproduction of the famous paparazzi photo showing Britney Spears, sans underwear, stepping out of an automobile driven by Paris Hilton. The 33-year-old Boling’s oil painting can be seen below. This picture had created a huge chaos few months back. Britney and Paris were linked romantically after Spear’s Divorce.

The second work, “Honest Abe,” shows a woman wearing a t-shirt with the words “Kill Lincoln.” Fans of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” will recall characters from the 1982 movie wearing a t-shirt with the same slogan (though it referred to a rival high school, not the 16th president)

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So, now do you prefer seeing this kind of art piece in your drawing room? well, Britney would sure win more than thousands of hands raised.

Via Bheadlines