The case of human rights in the move towards economic development is a curious thing. It is generally perceived, regardless of academic definitions, that democracy is the political system where human rights are basically recognized, promoted, and protected. On the other hand, communism and socialism are the political systems that essentially do not prioritize individual human rights over the rights of the state. All these ideologies, however, have the common desired end result of general progress even if they belong to opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Operationally, the evaluation of these ideologies has rested on the belief that a more socially (centrally) controlled economy that does not take into account each and every possible human right will move much faster. This is for the reason that expediency in progress, translated into political and economic choices and decisions, rests in the hands of only a few.

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According to international nuclear inspectors, a Russian scientist helped the Iranians with technical know-how and also helped them conduct complex experiments on ways of detonating a nuclear weapon. The fact that this information was revealed excitedly on the New York Times has more political reasons� than any real danger from either the Russian scientist or the Iranian nuclear hounds.

The U.S. has been trying to create the image of an impending calamity due to Russian aggressive behaviors when the real reason why Russians are growing increasingly aggressive is because they have their own fears. The Iranians may or may not pose a threat to the world, but a bigger threat to the world lies in the form of American foreign policies and propaganda such as the one about the Russian scientist. What appalls me is that a venerable newspaper like the New York Times is also not immune to prejudice and, directly or indirectly participates in the dissemination of American propaganda.

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It is surprising to note that Muslims in the U.K have a greater freedom than anywhere else and they receive governmental grants and funds to build mosques in prime locations in British cities including London. A predominantly Christian society, the British have been quite tolerant in accepting immigrants and also allowing them to practice their personal beliefs. However, the fate of Christians in the Muslim world is one that has to be dealt with cautiously. Christians have been persecuted and marginalized in most Middle Eastern countries and recently, in India too.

However, the idea is to live peacefully and with religious tolerance. Though Atheism and non-religious societies are always welcome and of course safer too, it is difficult to change the way people think. If the British decided to avenge the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and promptly persecute the Muslims of Britain, it would be harking back to the Middle Ages. The Old Testament law of an eye for an eye and a hand for a hand would not work in a modern society and free societies must set up an example by not tolerating ‘other’ religions but in fact discouraging overt religious behaviors anywhere. In fact, avoiding religious topics and stopping the funds for religious institutions would do well and the money could be diverted to saner purposes like education and research.

The concept of religious tolerance must be thought over and when it is thought over, we would know that there really isn’t much to think, except allow others to live productive lives while we live our own live productively.

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Via: Guardian

Sharon Stone has been the daughter of controversy ever since she crossed or didn’t cross her legs in that notorious movie a couple of decades ago, which we all know. The smoking blonde has always managed to gain publicity whether negative or positive. This time however, she has gained a lot of negative publicity thanks to her bad mothering skills, which apparently are as much in mess as her. Californian officials have criticized and also rejected her request to change her child’s custody arrangements.

They have blamed her for overreacting to her son Roan’s medical issues. The court was especially infuriated with Stone’s suggestion that her son must be treated with botox as his feet were smelly. Now it has also come to notice that Bronstein will have complete custody over the boy and Stone may just have to worry endlessly if he would be taken care of by the jubilant father properly. The crux of the matter is not the custody of the child or Stone concern for her son’s health but the fact that celebrities usually end up over reacting to every tiny incident no matter what.

Probably, the entire attention and media glare showered and sometime forced upon them make them notice even small changes and worry about that endlessly. Probably the celebrities must be left alone and allowed to live a life in privacy. And the ones that like to be in the media glare are best avoided.

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Via: IMDB

If you had been wondering from where all the heroin of the world comes, it must not be too difficult to guess. It’s from the most troubled nation on earth, Afghanistan. The country depends literally on the money that comes from the sale of homegrown opium and poppy and also the derivatives like heroin and morphine. These narcotics make way to Western Europe through the neighboring Tajikistan.

Just 13 hours ago, many afghan smugglers were killed in a shootout in Tajikistan when they were caught red handed smuggling heroin into Tajikistan’s borders. These drugs after reaching France, Germany and elsewhere, are sold at exorbitant prices. What I fear is that the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan has actually encouraged the Afghan opium farmers to grow more as lawlessness has increased many folds after the Americans have entered.

Only through proper negotiations with the U.N. and afghan government can the drug route and trade be blocked. I wonder how things will go in the near future. Though listening to the news of the smugglers being shot dead isn’t a very pleasant one, it may just have the right thing to do, for the Tajik forces, whose land is being used as a transit for drug delivery to Europe.

Via: AfghanConflictMonitor

Robert Mugabe has been one of the most enigmatic and disastrous leaders to ever walk this planet. White farmers have been ousted from their land and have been subjected to heinous treatments under a lawless government. The fact that Mugabe still is in power and that the power sharing business has no value is a matter of great concern to me. What I refuse to accept is that a white man can be killed because his ancestors were bad to the black.

What we are seeing right now is a reverse racism where white people have been subjected to racial attacks in Zimbabwe and South Africa. In fact, many Southern African leaders have supported white killings and many have been killed too. Of course all these incidents are seldom reported because of the so called ‘white man’s guilt’. The guilty must definitely be brought to justice and handed over to law. But the farcical nature of the entire issue is that there is neither any law nor any justice.

I would like to ask the readers which court of justice could try and hang Mugabe and his cronies or the political but terrorist-like Zanu PF that is in fact behind President Robert Mugabe! This is shocking and unacceptable that we continue to watch such incidents take place in a modern and developed society.

Via: TimesOnline

It’s more than shocking when I read Maati Saari’s merciless psychedelic killing spree that took ten of his classmates’ lives and also his own post the massacre. The most horrible part of the whole scene was when he put them on fir post the massacre. The victims have been left beyond recognition due to the results of the severe burns received by the corpses. What dumbfounded me the most is the bold step that he took by uploading a video on YouTube, which shows him shooting at a range. The question is, why couldn’t the Law react to this illegal video on time? Reports validate that this particular video was posted on Finnish social networking site and with circulation it had reached the YouTube.

It seems to me that the Law is washing its hands off and not taking the charged completely on its own, obviously for political issues. But who will control this killing spree which is reported to occur frequently especially in educational institutes. It’s a tough nut to crack, as nothing seems to be conspicuous. Nobody has the precise clues as to why this heinous crime is committed by the school and college students. What stimulates these youngsters to take themselves into this scandalous crime should be the Law’s concern. This merciless crime should be nipped in the bud not by the Law alone but collectively which involves all the citizens.

Educational institutes are no more safe. Acquiring education has equally become as dangerous as facing a troop of army in the battlefield. Who will save the innocent people now? Whose fault is it that the innocent lives have been taken forcefully. Maati Saari killed his ten classmates but who will control this insane crime? How many more Maati Saari are people going to withstand? Acting upon this serious issue at once will perchance ameliorate the safety of the innocent people. It’s time to wake up and be harsh on the concerned people who are responsible for this kind of an unforgiving crime. One must obliterate this crime forever. Can a one person alone do this? Possibly not, so join your hands together and allow no more such a crime to be registered in the history.

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Via: TimesOnline

Backpackers are the soft targets for the notorious and merciless thieves in Southeast Asian cities especially in Phnom Penh. It surprises me to know that the thieves have obliterated the conventional way of bag snatching and they have adapted the unconventional art of bag snatching, like comfortably knocking off the victims while they are on a motorbike ride. This sends the warning bell to the Backpackers who are already alienated by the locals.

The precautionary measures taken by the Backpackers by carrying their bags in the front and stretching a helping arm around their bags simply do not seem to be of any help when these thieves outsmart them completely. If you thought, you could take care of yourself without facing any problems, you could yet once again be proven wrong for the these thieves are well equipped with weapons which could do you harm any moment.

So, the trick is to be on a high alert and walk in groups in the streets and not alone. It shocks me to learn that the crime rate has risen in Phnom due to the deterioration of its economy. Survival of the fittest has once again come into practice literally. You must be smart enough to brave the animal instincts of those thieves who may hack you off any moment. So, arm yourself with high alerts and a defending weapon perhaps.

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Via: GadLing

‘Muslims are turning away from terrorism and the world is turning against them’. This line caught my attention in a very interesting blog I read today. It was heart warming to finally have a non-Muslim discuss the plight of an ordinary God-fearing Muslim who just wants to lead a peaceful life like the rest of us. The blog discussed the Pew Global reports that have found anti-Muslim feelings increasing significantly between 2006 and 2008 the world over. And perhaps this was exactly the time when the rigid domination of fundamentalists was being taken over by modernisers within the Islamic community across the globe.
Then again we must remember Muslims do not support the terrorist attacks but the irony is that these very attacks that they condemn further increase the hostility that non-Muslims already feel towards them.
My question is will Muslims be the next Jews? An act that the generations to come will repent all their lives!
Please read
http://nitawriter.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/muslims-turning-away-from-terrorism-but-the-world-is-against-them/

Zubeida Qureshi

In a moment of its kind, the mother of the main accused of the serial bombing in Delhi on Saturday declared that if her son is guilty “hang him”. Our country has been faced with many terrorists but for the first time ever, a mother, yes the 60 year old Zubeida Qureshi came out to face our rat like media sending out a message to her son Abdul Subhan Qureishi, “come back and stand trial”. With a trembling voice, she said that if her son is guilty he should be hanged before her eyes so that no one else commits such a heinous crime again.
Maybe it is the undercurrent of suspicion and dislike that Muslims in India have faced at the hands of other religious groups that Zubeida came up with such a brave stand. Those doubting every Muslim they see as a terrorist will perhaps realise that only a few are infected with the anti-humanist strain and not the whole clan. After all, people dying in the terrorist attacks are not all non-Muslims. Due to the actions of a handful, the others are being subjected to a life of renewed shame and embarrassments. Landlords do not like to lease the flat to a Muslim surname. Parents don’t want their children to get their Muslim friends home. Muslim kids are asked for reactions to the terrorist activities in the class. The traditional Muslim ‘burqa’ or ‘hijab’ or even the scarf and cap evoke a discomfort to others around.
Well, this is the treatment meted out to an average Muslim in India. Perhaps, Zubeida’s courageous words can make a change. I’m just hopeful.
Via hindustantimes