Generic

The word generic has a totally different connotation in Brazil. It is the more acceptable terminology for a pirated/ripped off product. Sao Paulo even has a couple of malls dedicated to such products right in the middle of Downtown. Here you can find anything w.r.t software, music, movies, technology and such.

They had Spiderman 3 a month before it was out on the theaters. If you want the windows OS, all you have to name is the version. Most shops have catalog books that gone on for couple of hundred pages. The best part is : they give you three months money back guarantee for their their products (take that Microsoft!). The cost: 5 dollars if it is a CD and 7.5$ if it is on a DVD. And when you want to Music, you don't just get an album but the artists who discography!

I did take advantage of this offer!

Smoking in Brazil

Though there are countless smokers in Brazil. These warnings do help in keeping new converts down! For a culture that is very accommodative of smokers, these are truly strong!

Mother's Day with a twist

So whats the most commercialized day in Brazil ? No not Christmas ... and they haven't there are no turkeys running around ... apparently the Brazilians think more of their mother than anybody or anything else. The most astounding part is that certain prisoners are let out of the jail for a day to go see their mothers. And the craziest part is that 98% return to their cells!

This is one part that I really don't understand about the Brazilians right next to their two hour lunches!

Did you say slave labour?

So the Indian government finally banned all kinds of child labour effective from the 10th of august. The only downside remains the government's ineffective way of rehabilitating the rescued children combined with the lack of a viable and effective strategy to mitigate the circumstances forcing the children to such a resort.

Though this is a very welcome ban, the ground realities still remain the same. These are kids of parents who cannot even provide one square meal a day. The fact that the kids cannot work will put a further strain on such families. Some governments provide a lunch with free schooling ... but sometimes that one meal is not enough. What I am hinting at is that private organisations and corporations should take a more active and constructive role in the local community. Indian corporations are woefully lacking in this respect when compared to their "capitalistic" western counterparts.

Someday maybe there would be social capitalists!

American "Geography"

I finally have proof for what I already knew, the war in Iraq is not helping increase American's geographical knowledge! According to latest studies two thirds of Americans in the 18 to 24 age group still cannot pinpoint Iraq. Worse one third don't even know where Louisiana is.

Its not even funny when almost don't even know where New York or Ohio was. My grandma would know that, inspite of the fact that she has never been to the US of A. The only 'positive note' of the study was that 70% of the respondents could pin point China. 33% also thought that the US-Mexico border was the most fortified in the world ... helloo... shut down that reality show and watch some news for a change.

On a more 'serious' note, a 104 year old lady just married a 33 year old man as her 21st husband in Indonesia. Some people never learn!

"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography"
-Ambrose Bierce

P.S: We just proved that wrong!

Guns

Guess what relaxation for me was? Going and testing out my rifle with a couple of friends who had bigger guns. Mr. Daffy has enough guns to arm a whole neighbourhood and break my shoulder. Also got to shoot the 44 Magnum amd M1 carbine . My gun ofcourse is the 30-30 centrefire Marlin. Next time it would be the AK-47 the best gun in the world!!!

I have officially hit the 80 hour a week mark. Though I still don't accept the fact that I am a workaholic, not even after staying up last night working and still continuing to work. Anyhoo I shouldn't be complain 'cause I get paid for it.

People always want somebody else to pay for them, as the age old tradition of child-sacrifice continues.

One more reason not to be an atheist they don't trust you