A Salute To Klute: 1 Man 1 Vote, But 6 Men 1 "Whore"?

A Salute To Klute? One Man One Vote, But Six Brave Men & One "Whore"?

Imran Anwar Comments On American Soldiers' Rape Of Young Filipina

I am sorry that this is a tongue in cheek look at something that is a terribly serious issue. I hope this calls attention to the seriousness of the crime, while the tongue in cheek comment exposes the hypocrites and defenders of rapists.

As you all know, I generally support the vast majority of our brave US troops. Most of them unflinchingly and unquestioningly serve our country, wherever our greedy and currently clueless leaders send them, even while I criticize and oppose the Bush government's policies in places like Iraq.

But, there are times when it's not all Pride and Glory. "A Few Bad Men" (starring Tom Screws?) can show their true colors, and embarass us all.

In many cases their actions are actually driven by, if not approved, condoned and enjoyed by, vile power hungry leaders above them. In such cases, even though the soldiers are guilty of their own evil actions, they usually get away with murder or some of them become the only ones to take the fall.

Abu Ghraib prison abuse, the torture and beating deaths of Iraqi and Afghan prisoners without soldiers being punished for murder and many deaths of people who were not even charged with a crime, are some recent examples.

On the other hand, we can have people who are just low life, scumbags, who just happen to join the Army, show their true colors, do nasty things, embarras our military and our nation.

One such possible example was the recent rape (a girl passed out and sexually attacked by six soldiers is probably rape in most languages in the world) of a Filipina student by six (or at least four) American soldiers at Subic Bay, in the Philippines. The US military has not even handed the soldiers over for prosecution by law enforcement.

But, there are many here in the United States, who are actually attacking the victim! For example, on a Yahoo message board, under the title "SHE WAS LIKELY A PROSTITUTE", someone called jamesrobertdupree so philosophically contributed to the discussion, by saying that the girl must obviously have been a prostitute. "A hooker is a hooker" he wrote with great flourish.

That makes me worry about many other things. I will not even try to argue with that imbecile. Thankfully many other fellow Americans (including apparently an American female soldier) are putting him in his place.

But, if he is right, then I wonder, are these six soldiers, wearing our nation's uniform, such low life slime that Six of them can't find their own dates, or even six HOOKERS - one for each of them?

Is there a shortage of hookers in the Philippines? Can we send in Haliburton to set up a few new brothels?

Or, are these men so pathetic that they have to share one hooker? Yuck. I hope they at least take baths after raping, I mean, serving and protecting, such "hookers" in a country that has been our ally and strong supporter. We are supposed to win hearts and minds, not arms and legs, of our allies' citizens. And, even IF the girl had been a prostitute, does that make raping her OK?

You know me, I get to analyzing things. Now I am worried about our soldiers.

They had to share one "hooker"? Does this mean we need to increase our soldiers' salaries, so they can at least get one hooker each? Democracy would require that.

Would we have to give a Hooker Allowance based on the country they are stationed in, because, one would presume that, a hooker in Germany would cost more than a hooker in the Philippines?

Does the military have to set up a Tribunal to decide the Cost Of Hooking Allowance? Is it based on the length of service - or the length of something else?

Is there an annual change? Does it always go up (the allowance, I mean)?

What heading does that go under in the national defense budget? Could it be the Foreign Undocumented Communal Kinship account?

Then I wonder about the fairness of it all. We are just not being fair to such proud warriors as we have in these six soldiers. We promote the concept of One Man One Vote around the world, so our soldiers deserve One Man One Whore. It's only fair, even if the "hookers" are dark. And, I am sure to these soldiers they all look the same anyway, especially in the dark.

Then, I am also curious about the safety of our soldiers. Who knows what danger they put themselves in so you and I can sleep (separately!) safely at night, or do whatever we like to do at night.

To imagine six brave men are taking on this dangerous passed out hooker who was probably a grave threat to our national security and to your home and mine. I shudder... but that's all.

Did these soldiers use protection? I mean, did they use PROTECTION? Yeah, that's what I meant.

So, do they carry condoms among other "protective" equipment in the backpack?

Does the military get volume discounts for Trojan? Is Durex now a military supplier?

Are condoms carried by the US soldiers "weapons grade", because these brave men are obviously "battle hardened"?

I am sure for safety reasons, "Glow In The Dark" condoms must be forbidden, in case the enemy sees and targets them. (Though there would be no protection from a heat-seeking missile, I think).

After all that, I have to think about the social issues. Do these soldiers have wives here at home? What kind of "souveniers" are they bringing back home to their families? "Look honey, I picked up this hot case of gonorrhea" ?

And, finally, their parents must be proud of them, as we all should be, for their raising our flag "pole" so proudly INSIDE another country's "dark territory".

I am sorry, but I don't want to get hooked on this discussion.

In the end, it's probably best just to march on ---- after a Salute To Klute.

That's jsut In My Humble Opinion.... What do you think?

Imran

Holiday Is Not War

Sunset At Old Inlet, Fire Island, Long Island, New York © Imran Anwar
---

On this great evening, let me say to you:

A Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Great Kawanzaa, Good Divali, Eid Mubarak, and Happy New Year to you and everything else that you may celebrate.

Even as a Muslim living in America, I have no problem with Merry Christmas being said when it IS Christmas time. But, obviously, it does not make sense for me to say that to my Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim friends. So, Happy Holidays is pretty safe and especially when greetings people whose religion you do not know, or when emailing several people, for example.

I cannot stand the dumb political correctness of some quarters calling a Christmas Tree put up on December 25 as a HOLIDAY TREE. I also have a problem with the other extreme of political correctness (and being fair too) of including every group in every greeting.

SO, for short, Happy Holidays is fine, smart, and convenient, as long as it's not done for PC reasons. So, what's the problem with THAT?

Saying HAPPY HOLIDAYS is not some sort of "War against Christmas" but simply common sense and convenient. I think it is DUMB when people say Christmas is under attack, as if there is some group of people waiting to have this fun time of year banned in the USA.

What IS and SHOULD be under attack is religion and its symbols being shoved into government, where they do NOT belong.
The Government should not be putting up Christmas Trees. If a Borders Book Store allows the local Jewish community to hold functions at their holy days inside the store's premises, one would like to believe they would extend the same courtesy to Muslims, if asked. (I am looking into that right now actually).

In the meantime, Happy Holidays everyone, everywhere! Don't forget to check out the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center!

Imran

USSR Style Gulaglopoly Government, Now In USA

The whole world knows how stupid and how un-American the behavior of the Bush government has been towards people it detains, whether in Iraq or in Guantanamo Bay. It is even worse to find out that the vast majority of detainees are NOT a threat. NO credible information to prevent terrorism has been found there.

The latest news item really shook me. It relates to two Chinese minority Muslim detainees who have been found to be completely innocent, no threat to national security or any kind of problem, but according to a judge, the court does not have the authority to free them.

I remember growing up in Pakistan, reading about the kinds of "permanent limbo" critics of the evil Soviet empire would fall into, and never be able to get out of. And, I remember reading how strong and freedom-protecting American law was. Well, that was then, this is now.

Let's be clear on one thing. I don't have any sympathy even for AlQaeda / Al-Qaida sympathizers.

But to have innocent people put away into a black hole from which they are not let go even when they are innocent makes me shudder. Amazing, sad and scary that this gulag mentality governemt is running today in the USA and not the USSR.

ADDED: The biggest laugh I got this Christmas was not from some fat Santa saying Ho Ho Ho but from reading a New York Times news report that the US will not hand off Iraqi detainees to Iraqi authorities, "officials are satisfied that the Iraqis are meeting United States standards for the care and custody of detainees."

Oh, yeah. THAT is what we want. Everyone else should follow the great standards and lessons of prisoner treatment at Abu Ghraib prison, prisoner rights abuse at Guantanamo Bay and prisoner "rendition" and flying around the world to be tortured.

The Bush government is definitely the shining light of how to treat prisoners.

Imran

Better Never Than Late, Better Late Than Now

The simple fact of the matter is, the Patriot Act has done little (if anything) to prevent Bin Laden or his henchmen from plotting our destruction, regardless of what country we live in or come from. Yet, our Constitution and civil rights are being shredded, every day, not by AlQaeda but by George Bin Bush.

The latest news reports say that the US Congress temporarily extended the so-called Patriot Act (what its highly un-American nature has to do with Patriotism can only be explained by some Bush-whacked fascist or neo-con) until February 3, 2006, thereby avoiding the pressure for some people to make it permanent.

This delay is a good thing. The way this Act is written or being pushed, it's Better Late Than Now, and Better Never Than Late.

One hopes there will be some serious debate on the dangers it poses to AMERICAN values, and how little it does to stop AlQaeda from killing people around the world.

Imran

Grady's White Is Black?

You already know that MORE than 2125 Americans are already dead in Iraq while George Bush & his henchmen celebrated Mission Accomplished with his dumb stunt aircraft carrier landing. An apparent supporter of George Bush, Grady, actually posted a reasonable comment in reponse to my commentary on the topic.

He disagrees with me, but the reason it is worth mentioning is that it is actually different from the usual "Support Bush or You Are a Traitor" 'logic' that neocons and Bush supporters, as well as modern day crusaders, spout in the name of "patriotism".

Even though the vision of Grady's White (sorry, couldn't resist), where Black still pervades, is wrong, I respect the sincerity. He seems hung up on my being "hung up" on the words "Mission Accomplished".

But I am not hung up on "Mission Accomplished" but the fact(s) that

a) Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
b) regime change was NOT described as the mission (check a great posting found online on how many dozen times WMDs were mentioned in Bush' speech before attacking Iraq compared to ONE mention of democracy)
c) end of bombing a place does not make a mission complete
d) MORE Americans died since then by Bush's CHOICE
e) almost 2200 MORE Americans are dead and no end is in sight
f) Haliburton is making all the money while American lives pay for it
g) NO WMD were found as they did not exist
h) Iraq went from secular to Shiite pro-Iran dominated
i) Iraq went from stable to an ALQAEDA HQ
j) MORE terror attacks have happened since then worldwide
k) Americans are STILL at risk even AT HOME despite 9/11 and the 9/11 Commission's recommnedations NOT being put in place.

The only one whose Mission seems to be Accomplished is Bin Laden, and that Thanks To Bush.

Imran

Howard's End. Siriusly speaking

I am all for free speech (something I complain about all the time as the Bush administration tries to turn the USA into a dictatorship ripping Constitutional freedoms to shreds). But I also do not think someone just being obnoxious or vulgar on-air makes them some sort of hero.

What amazes me is this. Howard Stern, the "shock jock", whose shows on radio and TV have merely or at least mostly consisted of rude, vulgar, obnoxious, borderline pornographic, profanity laced insignificant drivel, is being considered a martyr or some sort of hero for being "pushed out" of FM radio.

On top of that Sirius Radio is reportedly paying $500 million (over several years) basically to have Howard Stern all to themselves. Good for them, and Good Riddance from Radio and TV that everyone else enjoys.

I admire him for learning to play the media to his own ends, and something a lot of people try to copy. I do respect him for openly criticizing George W. Bush before the election.

But how impotent, politically speaking, Howard Stern is, was proven when George Bush actually WON this last election - despite Stern's calling to his "huge" audience to oust Bush.

I was amazed to read this "article", on AOL, basically sucking up to Howard Stern - as if Nelson Mandela had been sentenced to life in prison by the South African government.

What's next? An article crying that Paris Hilton is a great actress who does not get good movie parts (except the kind she makes herself) because she is being discriminated against?

Sorry, but that kind of idolizing of Stern does not make any sense.

I can put anyone on air with 1000 F-words per hour, and transvestite midget guests who love to have sex with their 7 feet tall sisters, and you would basically get a Howard Stern replacement show.

With Sirius paying $500 MILLION for that, I made sure to pick XM Radio as my satellite radio provider. I would not want my subscription money going to finance pure crap and trash. So, if Sirius wants to pay an obscene amount of money to start up Howard's obscenities again, more power (and Watts) to them. But, In My Humble Opinion, it will not last long.

To me this is not a new start but just a certain Howard's End. Siriusly speaking.

What do you think?

Imran

Ford's Hot New Slogans (Caution, Racy Language)

You have already seen the earlier posting on this topic of Ford's decision to stop advertising in gay media and now reversing that decision also. Now that we have seen Ford cave in twice, first to the fundamentalists, and now to the gays, it's time for some hot new slogans for Ford. Please ignore this if you find commonly use racy language offensive. Thanks.

- Ford: Quality is (blow) Job 1
- Built Ford Soft
- Ford Bends Over For You
- Ford We Try (But Can't Get) Harder
- Ford: I'm Shoving It
- Ford Model 8: We'll Leave The Blinkers On For You
- Ford: We Cave In To Both Sides

Bronco tagline: Ford Bucking The Trend,
or wait, is it: Bored Fvc#ing The Rearend ?

As I said, sorry for the crude language but Ford remains a joke of a car company.

Anyway, wherever you stand on the issue of gay rights, at least Ford made a business decision based on business, not the demands of some religious or fundamentalist group. What do you think?

Dictator Saddam Or Daily Death? What A Pick(le)!

Iraqis go to the polls today, while George Bush finally mentions that about 30,000 Iraqi CIVILIANS have died since his elective war for oil began. Who knows what the actual number of casualsties is. We already saw how well the Iraqi insurgents greeted the US as liberators.... We already saw how Bush declared Mission Accomplished... We already saw how Cheney said the Iraqi insurgency was in its dying throes... We already saw how Iraq went from a dictator run stable secular country to a breeding ground for terror, on the verge of civil war.

What I hope we never get to see is the return of Saddam Hussain.... How sad that an evil man like Saddam Hussain would get elected if he was allowed to run for Iraqi elections.

Iraqis who hated and feared him probably think at least they were not getting blown up taking their kids to school....

Saddam killed his opponents (as every dictator in the world and some elected rulers do too, with the blessings of the USA) but the rest of the country was safe. Now, no one knows if they will make it back home alive on a daily basis.

Give them Saddam or give them daily death? They'd sadly pick Saddam. So, Bush would have killed 30,000-100,000 for nothing but oil company profits and Dick Cheney's Haliburton friends. What do you think?

Imran

You go, gays... I mean, guys!

This is an interesting news issue. Some radical Christian and anti-gay activists have been pressuring American businesses, like Ford, Wells Fargo bank, etc. to pull advertising from "gay" publications.

On the one hand, even as an independent, not tied to "I cannot accept this as a Republican" or "Everything goes, because I am a Democrat" points of view, I can see SOME logic, as discussed here in this blog, to religious institutions' tryig to stick to their century old traditions and values when it comes to dealing with sexuality-related issues. e.g. the Catholic Church and its (somewhat strange and illogical) stance on gays in the clergy.

On the other hand, I think it is borderline fascism, reminiscent of the Taliban in Afghanistan, to have religion-driven neo-con Bible-thumpers attacking and pressuring legitimate businesses, like Ford or Wells Fargo, from marketing to legitimate customers, in legitimate media, using legitimate ads, which do not in ANY way get in the face of these nut-case religious fanatics.

It would be one thing for these Bible-thumpers to condemn Ford (which I do not much care for anyway, and it seems which consumers don't much care for either) if Ford was showing two gay men kissing in an ad for a Ford FOCUS ;-) in, say, a "general/family" magazine. But, if Ford is catering to a demographic group, gays, by advertising to them in "THEIR" media, much like they could marked their lousy cars to Hispanics in Spanish media, or in local Indian/Pakistani publications read by engineers with jobs in Silicon valley, WHAT is the problem? It is merely intolerance of the right wing fanatics, doing its best to impose its will on the nation and society.

Quite frankly, I support gays having the right to live together in official relationships especially when the bast majority of people in gay relationships are not about "in your face" statement-making. Yet, I do not agree with their demanding such a relationship being officially called "marriage". (Check out the podcasts at http://imran.com/media/podcasts/ for more on that).

I somewhat understand, if not agree, with the Church or religious organizations limiting how they deal with openly gay people (or women) in the clergy. But, I think this attack on businesses by right wing fundamentalist Christians should be unacceptable to all Americans, gay, straight or confused.

This is one slippery slope that will lead to the eventual erosion of religious and social freedoms that make this country the greatest place in the world to live, no matter what we believe, no matter what we practice.

I am told by a commentator that Wells Fargo did NOT cave in. But, if Ford and others are caving in, Shame on them. What valid customer group will they pull back from next based on some (a)moral religion-thumping non-majority's demands? What will be the next pullback criterion? Color? Race? Marital Status? Religion?

This is an important issue for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation. What the gay community needs to do is show their own clout, by boycotting Ford and closing their accounts at any vendor that sells them out as a group. You go, gays, errr, guys, I mean, people ....!

Imran

Sellout Judy Miller Sells Out Even More

Yes, it is true, sometimes I cannot stand Ariana Huffington's huffing and puffing commentaries, but her blog has been a pleasant surprise. I had seen a very interesting piece she wrote (and on which she got flak but was proven true) about the world famous sellout from the New York Times, Judy Miller.

Judy Miller, if you recall, was the person who was in bed (figuratively, but I would not be surprised if there was something more literal to the story) with Hailburton, I mean, US Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief Of Staff, Scooter Libby. She was helping spread lies about Iraq and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that Iraq never had! She chose to go to jail rather than say what she was up to. But she made it sound like it was a great sacfrifice for journalism. No such truth. She has a lot of financial rewards lined up after she got out of jail.

That there is a book deal at the end of Ms. Miller's great "mission" and "sacrifice" and "stand on principles" is not the surprise. It is that she claimed she was standing on principle when in fact it was personal glory and (if this news item is true) financial benefit she was fighting for.

I am all for standing by one's word. I am all for protecting your sources.

But, if I have a source that tells me about a murder that has been committed would I not have to divulge the details to law enforcement?

If the law is clear on protecting US operatives undercover, why would Ms. Milller have the right to choose to break and ignore the law?

So, I am not surprised by the news/claims I am hearing about Ms. Miller, and I am not surprised at how the whole issue of outing a CIA operative is being minimized by the administration to protect M/s Libby & Rove.

I am just surprised that things can be so blatantly done all around, and we, living in the most informed society in the world, can merely express ourselves on blogs?

Imran Anwar

2125 More Americans Dead, Mission Accomplished?

Update: Number of American War Dead In Iraq Approaching...OOOOPs, PASSED 2000...OOOPS 2125

I wonder when George W. Bush will do his next carrier landing --- when the number of Americans killed in Iraq & Afghanistan exceeds those killed on 9/11 by non-Iraqi terrorists?

And what will the banner say behind him next time?

"Bring It On"? "Mission Accomplished version 3000"?

Imran
http://imran.TV

Blog, Or Not A Blog? That is the question

Not long ago, I had read an article in a newsweekly magazine, which mentioned some of the more popular Blogs out there. It included mention of some that were getting lots of traffic (and hence revenue too).

One that was mentioned was Wonkette. I went to that site, and enjoyed the witty, sarcastic and biting humor of that team. What I could not find, for the life of me, was a place to comment on any entry.

Eventually, giving up, I wrote to them by email. I did not get a response. I wrote again, and asked, something like, Is this a blog and if so where can I comment. And, I got a short, curt, reply saying that there was no place to comment and they/he/she guessed Wonkette was not a blog.

That got me thinking. (Yes, I know, a dangerous activity).

What exactly is the most common perception of what we Bloggers are as a group? Are we individuals or are we just one small aspect of a whole big media opportunity to control another form of communication with the public?

How important is it for a what most people consider a person's BLOG to be driven by that person (with maybe a few helping hands for HTML, promotion, etc.)?

How essential is reader/writer interaction for a web page or web site of commentaries to be called a Blog? If there is no reader input, no comments area, then, sure, it is still a "web log" of someone, but how different is a site like Wonkette with a team of 15-20 people from an opinion site like a conservative or liberal magazine's web site with 20, 30, or 300 staffers?

Does a Blog not conjure images of us as solo-fliers expressing opinions for all (or no one) to see and read?

Is a Blog still a Blog if 30 people put it together? Should such a site's revenues be considered money going to "bloggers" or to "medium-sized" or big-media?

A good example (though non-Blog example) is Maureen Dowd of the New York Times. She does not have a blog (at least I could not find it) but ype in MaureenDowd.com in your browser and you are taken to the New York Times' site. So, if she wrote a blog, and it generated revenues for the New York Times, is that money considered revenues of "us" bloggers or more money going to big media.

What do you think?

Imran

(Let's just) PLAN FOR VICTORY

George Bush made yet another speech, and we got yet another "plan for victory". Maureen Dowd wrote a great piece in the New York Times about it today. After Bush's speech and the events of the last two days, where do we stand with this new plan?

Let me see...

- The Iraqis are so well trained that they are losing more SOLDIERS than insurgents every day.

- We (the US) are executing on our plan so well we lose like 15 soldiers as soon as Bush's speech is over.

- SECULAR Iraq under evil Saddam is now ETHNIC Iraq under incompetent leaders.... and falling deeper under the influence of Shiite Iran....

Could Khomeini and Bin Laden COMBINED have planned it better than Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld?

I wonder.

Imran

WHO wants to encourage censorship!?

The other day I read a posting on a Yahoo message board, where some lame-brained RIGHT-WING neo-con was accusing the liberal LEFT of promoting censorship.

And, I had to say, How IDIOTIC to say that the LEFT wants to encourage censorship.

I am no fan of often Democratic AND Liberal led POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.

But the real enemies of freedom of speech, and liberty, are now the RIGHT WING, mostly Republicans now backed by fundamentalist Christians.

They would not want anyone to question any government policy set up by Bush, Cheney and their gang of secretive, court-constitution-congress-bypassing war-mongers. They would shove the constitution into a museum, and would insist that questioning torture, corrupt government, Haliburton driven wars etc. should not be allowed. Yet, we are expected to do that, and BE PATRIOTIC by giving up the VERY BASIC rights that this country gives us, the right to speak freely AND to hold our government accountable.

These RIGHT wingers are censoring facts, truth and even the news (when they are not planning to bomb Al-Jazeera TV!), yet they ARE adding another kind of speech... where it does not belong..... RELIGION in SCHOOLS and GOVERNMENT places.

Don't forget to say your prayers before doing your government court or school job, or teaching Adam & Eve to SCIENCE students.

Imran

Hang 'em High, and on PPV TV

It is expected that the United States of America will carry out its 1000th execution of a convicted killer since the death penalty was reinstituted. There are many who oppose the death penalty (mostly people who have not lost a loved one to violent murder).

I always felt the death penalty, as meted in the USA, is too gentle for some of the worst violent killers.

I mean, they are allowed to basically doze off to permanent sleep with a lethal injection. Where's the fun in that? Where's the justice in them suffering what they did to their victims?

I believe killers should be killed in exactly the same manner as they killed their victims in.... and, if that is too complicated, then just Hang 'em high, in Giants Stadium.. and put it on PPV (pay per view television).

Let's give the money to victims' families, or, if there is no next of kin, to pay the cost of having tracked and proesecuted the killer. $9.99 paid by 100,000 viewers oughta be a good start.

Imran

For Sale: Slightly Abused Government

High torque rhetoric, lots of power to abuse at will, including NUCULAR power. Moderately used military muscle. New In Box completely unused Intelligence.

2004 model operates without need for Shame, Ethics, Honesty or any such old technologies.

Requires lots of oil and blood but mostly provided by American citizenry, no cost of ownership to Washington operators.

Fly-by-"hire" lobbyist-driven system proudly built in Texas, removes need for owners' manual (Constitution). Completely self-contained unit, blocks light totally, ensuring Zero forward vision. Convenient no-bid systems ensure smooth transfer of funds to excutive's former company without interruption. Proudly offered to highest bidders by the sales team of Cheney, DeLay, Abramoff, and more.

Serious inquiries only. Curious? George @ 202-456-1111.

Liberal Muslim Agrees With Catholic Church's Conservative Stance?

You probably think a Muslim commentator, especially a liberal one, is least likely to support a tougher conservative stance of the Roman Catholic Church on a socio-political issue.... But, in this particular case, where the Church is taking a harder, I mean, tougher, line on limiting or refusing gay clergy in the Church, I do. I do. I do.

OK, OK, I was just kidding on the last two "I do"s. I am not married to this issue!

Back to the topic at hand. Yes, I somewhat agree with the Catholic Church on one of its recent decisions. Here's why.

Like most major religions, Christianity in the Catholic Church is not a free-floatin', easy-goin', come 'n hang out, everythin's cool commune or open-air concert.

It is a system of beliefs, values, traditions and rules. You and I may disagree with those beliefs, values, traditions or rules, but no one is forcing us to JOIN the Church.

Unlike a place like, for example, Saudi Arabia forcing (my religion) Islam down everyone's throats (except the rich and Royal family members), No one is forcing anyone, in America, or Italy, or Pakistan, to BECOME a Catholic or Christian.

So, if someone wants to be a CATHOLIC the way the Church and other Christian Catholics define it, (and as long as it does not require them to kill others, or burn people at the stake, hold inquisitions or bombing nations the way George Bush seems to be doing "the Lord's work") then they ought to abide by the rules of the Catholic Church.

If they disagree with some of the things that are fundamental to Catholic values, they should consider joining another denomination, or a different Church, or a different faith that tolerates, accepts or celebrates whatever it is that the Church does not accept. But, I disagree with politically correct changes being shoved upon a religion and its followers, even though I do not personally belong to that religion.

It is one thing to have religions "change" with the times, e.g. having web sites, TV sermons, etc. but it is a whole different thing to try to change the fundamentals of that religion just because certain things are more socially acceptable today than 2000 years ago.

So, I can accept and support gays having equal rights as citizens of a nation, members of society, workers in a company, etc. but forcing established institutions or a few Billion people to give up their fundamental beliefs, whether right or wrong, just to placate a "a few thousand" members of a certain sexual orientation is definitely not right.

At the same time, my main concern still remains.

The Church has still not done enough to address the serious issue of pedophile priests. It amazes me how some of the worst sexual predators and offenders still enjoy positions of power and prestige --- even after their roles in sexual abuse of children and protecting guilty priests became publicly known.

Punishing decent gay people who may be good Christian human beings, while protecting "straight", but truly evil, child-raping priests.... now that's a crime that ought to be dealt with more seriously.

What do you think?

Imran

New Reality Movie: CWI - Civil War Iraq

Bush Father & Son Present
A Cheney Rumsfeld Production Of

:::::: CWI - Civil War Iraq ::::::

Based On A False Story By Colin Powell
Screenplay By Wolfowitz & Rice

A Cost Of Billions, A Cast Of Millions, Body Count Of Thousands.

Coming daily to a cemetery near you.

Church & Science: Hey, who're you callin' 'Infallible'?

I read with interest an Associated Press story about the Vatican's stand on the Intelligent Design vs. Evolution (non) debate going on in some Retarded States of America. But the story left me quite confused.

I am sorry, but after reading this story the Church sounds more like Senator John Kerry than I could imagine. Kerry is Catholic, maybe that explains his self-contradictions!

The current Pope says intelligent something is at work here, his Science official says intelligent design is not science, the previous Pope seemed to support evolution but some other papal figure says what the Pope said was not important. Huh? ..... So, which one is the Infallible one?

A poster on the Yahoo message groups, from a rather irate Christian writer declared how the Church has always been the one to promote science, and I was amused and amazed by that. I think history books are full of examples of then religious figures in Christianity persecuting people of science who dared say the Earth was NOT the center of the solar system, etc.

As a Kerry inspired Church statemet would say....

We persecuted science before we promoted it?

So, am I right, or am I correct, or am I not wrong, or am I not incorrect... dare I say it, by that token and logic am I always right, and thus, infallible? ;-)

Imran

Some Great Reasons For More Tax Cuts

It is so nice to hear that a new tax cut has been approved. OK, let's see. We have nation-wide devastation by hurricanes. We have schools without teachers for lack of funds. We have the biggest deficit. We have all good jobs going overseas. We have high rates of uninsured people. We have ONE big oil company making $10 BILLION in PROFIT in ONE QUARTER. We have a war draining our resources...

Coooool, plenty of good reasons to hand out some more tax cuts.

Oh, and let's make sure not to tax any of that windfall profit because the oil companies finance people like Bush and Cheney. So what they screwed everyone in the USA to achieve those profits.

Imran

Is Musharaff On Drugs, Delusional Or Just Stupid? - Really....

I posted this on November 13, and 2 days later this was proven true with AlQaeda or someone immediately carrying out a terror attack in Pakistan. I did not see any more claims like this from Busharraf. Did you?

Imran

Is Musharaff On Drugs, Delusional Or Just Stupid?

I am flabbergasted that Parvez Musharraf, Dictator of Pakistan, would make such a DUMB statement...

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The president of Pakistan said Sunday it was highly unlikely his country would have to deal with the kind of terrorist attack that killed 57 people last week in Amman, Jordan."

I am not sure if he is on drugs (as just drinking too much would make his speech slurry) or just delusional from all the Yes men around him, or if he has (being a military man) actually become more and more stupid with time in power.

His statement has the kind of dumb bravado that His Master's Voice quality as when the Other Idiot In Power, George W. Bush, made a landing on an aircraft carrier with a "Mission Accomplished" banner in the background, and asking AlQaida to "bring it on".... only to see 2000 more Americans get killed in Iraq.

It is almost like Musharraf is asking for AlQaida to conduct such similar stupid, easily carried out, murderous attacks as we saw in Jordan. Maybe he is.... What do you think?

Imran

George Washington & George Bush

How sad to have gone from an "I cannot tell a lie" President named George to the "I cannot tell the truth!" George.

Bush is getting buried in the polls, but sadly it is American soldiers dying for his lies.

Here is a living epithet, "Here LIES Our President".....

Imran
http://imran.tv

Incredible Exclusive News From Iraq & War On Terror

IMRAN.TV reports these exclusive news items from Iraq today.


President Bush Guarantees Bin Laden's Death

President Bush announced another victory in the war on terror, when Saddam's aide died in hiding, never having been caught. Bush felt that the stress of running must have killed Izzat al Douri. According to President Bush, this proves his plan to BORE Bin Laden and his team to death is working. Bush said he can guarantee that this will cause Bin Laden to die within the next 100 years and the war on terror will be won.

UN's Kofi Annan In Iraq Seeking....

Since UN Secretary General Koki Annan sees little hope for peace in Iraq after the war Bush started, he felt it was his duty to visit Iraq. He is there seeking not peace but a piece, of the action.... He is there to find any opportunity.... to get some Hailburton contracts for his own son.

How To Treat A Wannabe Suicide Bomber Iraqi Woman

OK, let us get one thing established. I abhor violence and torture, and would never condone hitting a woman. However, now that we have this live specimen of human filth Iraqi wannabe suicide bomber woman under arrest, here are some ideas I have for her treatement.

I disagree with blowing her up. :-) Blowing up her sorry ass on global TV would be a waste... I mean, that is what SHE wanted in the first place.

Much better TV ratings (and ad revenues) would come from a pay-per-view on-air special of putting her in the camp with the 600 sex starved men in Guantanamo Bay.

The real "jihadis" among them can get one non-virgin right there to meet their needs to blow something, and the others, who may be incorrectly held by the US can get some much deserved free sex. If suicide bombers think they get 72 virgins somewhere above, a woman suicide bomber should get 72 virgin terrorist men have their way with her right here on earth.

After that, I consider this woman perfectly suited for being tortured in EVERY known way to make her talk, to get information on where other terrorists are hiding, planning and preparing for more murder of innocent people around the world.

THEN, finally, I would like to see her blown up on TV, but, to make the show longer, thereby increasing the opportunity to get more advertising sponsors (like Kevlar, Hummer, Smith & Wesson, Haliburton, CIA, US Army) I suggest strapping mini-explosives to her body so she is blown up, bit by bit.

First the left middle finger, then the right middle finger, then the right big toe, then the left shoulder, then the right ear, and so on.... You get the idea. And, hopefully, any other wannabe volunteers to suicide bombings will get the idea of what awaits them.

What do you think.... am I being too soft? :-)

On Immigration, Assimilation, Technology & Riots

FREEMUSLIMS.ORG sent out an interesting email today, titled "Why is France Burning? Is America Next?" by Kamal Nawash.

It made some good points but one of them caught my eye. "Unlike past immigrant generations who quickly assimilated, today's immigrants take much longer to assimilate if they assimilate at all. This is due to technology. In the past, immigrants were generally cut of from their mother countries which made assimilation much easier. Today, satellite technology brings movies, news and culture from an immigrant's home country to the living room of his adopted country via TV, the internet and other forms of media."

In response, I wrote to them stating that I am proud to be a Muslim from Pakistan and proud to be an immigrant and proud American. I can HATE American POLICIES but still LOVE America, and its people. I am more American than many Americans in how I believe in true American values (not the Bush-Cheney-Rice-Rove-Haliburton version) and am an "assimilated patriot" yet remain dedicated to helping Pakistanis and Muslims achieve progress and socio-economic success in the future.

Your posting below has many good points but I seriously disagree that Technology is to blame for the LACK of assimilation of immigrants, in Europe or America. Assimiliation is a CHOICE, and younger people in well off, educated families/cities will assimilate better than un-educated, down-trodden, unemployed youth who may also have poor, uneducated and unemployed, possibly overly religious parents.

Contrary to the writer's opinion, I feel immigrants today have a CLEAR picture of the kind of society they will have to live in, thanks to cable and satellite TV and the Internet, before they ever buy a fake visa or crawl over the border or float into Miami.

They can see that if they move to Miami, FL, they should expect to see lots of thong-wearing babes. They cannot claim to not have known the cultural differences, that they could easily have seen in ANY TV show, if nothing, then Baywatch! If they move to Nice, France, they should expect (and probably look forward to) nude sun-bathers thronging the beaches that they will ogle, all the while complaining about the "evil and shameless" Western culture.

So, the real problem is people coming "HERE" (whether Europe or America) and CHOOSING to still live in a little mental and geographic ghetto that looks (and usually smells) like where they came from..... Such immigrants should not come "here" and if they hate it so much "here", they ought to go back where they came from..... Those that do come here, and have the requisite drive and skills, do not need to make an effort to assimilate. Success is assimilation in this culture. Doing well is assimilation. We/they can stay true to their cultural values as immigrants, whether it be saying prayers or not eating pork, speaking Urdu or wearing shalwar kameez, yet be considered assimilated simply by being productive, proactive, ACTIVE members of the society we CHOOSE to make our (new) home.

Blaming the host for everything, or blaming technology for the choice of people not to move into the mainstream, are not the answer. That's just In My Humble Opinion. Comments welcome.

Regards

Imran
http://imran.com

From Enron To Exxon, How Bush Supporters Screw US

Hmmmmm..... let me see, its them damn Saudis pushing up the price of oil and them damn Chinese and Indians and others buying up all the oil and US oil companies are only passing on the additional cost to customers..... except... oooops, damn, unlike Bush-supporting Enron's FAKE profits, these Bush-supporting oil companies are making $10 BILLION+ in REAL PROFIT in ONE QUARTER alone for just ONE company.... Whose side is Bush on?

From Enron to Exxon, Americans get screwed by greedy corporate America, and Bush provides the screwdrivers.....

More at http://imrananwar.blogspot.com

Imran

How Do You Say "Distraction"?

Just who are they fooling? It sometimes amazes me how transparently and blatantly our politicians can put politics above ethics, or duty to the Constitution.

It appears some in Congress want to investigate the leaked news of our government keeping ILLEGAL prisons to keep and likely torture anyone they want. They are doing it obviously to deflect attention from the Valerie Plame CIA agent outing leak investigation, which should possibly bring down Dick Cheney at the least; and to divert attention from the actual fact that such prisons would be illegal by OUR laws.

My opinion is quite simple.

Leaking a CIA operative's name to PUNISH her husband for DOMESTIC POLITICAL reasons is as bad as treason.  

Someone having the courage to let US AMERICANS know that, AGAIN, our government is breaking OUR LAWS, is also a LEAK…. but instead of treason, it would qualify as an act of patriotism in my humble opinion.  

If such a leaker had leaked info as to how AlQaeda could attack such illegal prisons or kill American guards there then it would be treasonous. Otherwise, it was a great American who believes in what our values are (Hint: They are not what George Bush and Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, Haliburton or the CIA represent).

What do you think?

Imran

To Buy Or Not To Buy: Lexmark Printers

Forbes magazine (web site) has an interesting analysis/article by Danit Lidor, asking Why Aren't Consumers Buying Lexmark?

Since I get asked by friends and family on what gadgets to buy or not to buy, here was my comment related to that story/question:


In one sentence, a company cannot give away crap, and expect to make money on crap add-ons or supplies.

Lexmark is NOT the only one hurting for that reason.

SO many companies think they can make money using the Razors and Blades business model. Well, guess what? No matter how many free razors you give away, no one will buy blades if the razor is ugly, cheap looking, poor performing, and the blades are more expensive than buying yet another new and better razor from someone else.

I HAVE "bought" Lexmark printers.... each time ONLY when I got them free as a rebate item on an Apple Macintosh or PowerBook purchase. Each time I have thrown or given them away even before the first ink cartridge ran dry....

The product felt cheap, looked cheap, printed cheap looking prints and inks were more expensive than fancy colognes.... Thanks, but No, Thanks.

What do you think?

Imran

Responding to a bigot

This is based on a comment I posted on a Yahoo news discussion relating to the recent killing of some Israelis.
==

No one can condone killing people going about their lives IF they are not occupiers or parts of a standing army or enslaving someone else. Killing children in a school, etc. should earn people a place in hell, regardless of what cause they claim to fight for... BUT, in regards to your dumb rant about killing Muslims, Palestinians, etc. starting with the text:

> Isreal has every right to protect their's.

I hope that one day soon, unlike Zionists, bigots, Palestinian or Israeli terrorists, good people on all sides can sit down and solve the problem of Occupied Palestine. Without freedom and a nation of their own for the Palestinians, I do not foresee an end to the killings on both sides. And, a good start would be for Israel to follow the United Nations resolutions... and for America to stop vetoing justice just to appease the American-Jewish and Zionist lobbies in the media.

> No more peace until all Palis are DEAD!

Oh, and the Palestinian's should just watch Israel continue to steal more of THEIR land, kill innocent civilians in retaliation to suicide bombers' acts, drop 1000 lb. bombs in NEIGHBORHOODS *hoping* to kill ONE terrorist (and missing him), KILLING teenagers with TANK SHELLS....? Hmmm... gee, I wonder why they don't just roll over and die...

I am sorry, if the Russians or the Chinese or the Martians invaded OUR country, took OUR land and did the same thing as Zionist Israilis do, I would HOPE you are man enough to stand up and fight for America.... even if we are all enslaved.

Oh, BTW, ISRAELIS also bulldoze AMERICAN peace activists to death, AND they are the ONLY "ALLY" with ACTIVE SPIES here in America... the country that feeds and arms them.

And, if you are a Zionist and think ISLAM or MUSLIMS are the problem, may God serve up a nice new Christian Adolf Hitler from Europe to deliver you to the place you ought to be... Ouch! Which?

Take a deep breath....the answer will come to you.

Watergate Or Spying Are "Technicalities" Too?

This is amazing. And, scary...

We are supposedly living in such dangerous times that you can get arrested for even having a camera on you crossing some bridges (pictures of which can easily be seen in postcards and online satellite photo banks)....

But, people who gave out STATE SECRETS (no matter how small), or names of CIA operatives, and/or abused power to start an illegal war are being defended, BY OUR OWN GOVERNMENT. Fitzgerald is prosecuting for justice, to punish those that abused power, or gave away names of CIA operatives, or obstructed justice, or commited similar CRIMES. These are being defended by some Republicans as "technicalities". You have got to be kidding me.

I wonder if, by the definition of some of these Republicans and their defenders, Watergate was a mere technicality. Would anyone next caught passing any kind of information to the Russians, or the Chinese, or any of our enemies, also enjoy the "technicality" defense? Would any President ever be impeached if he abrogated the Constitution, which, after all, could really be considered merely a technicality?

This is NOT about being Republican or Democrat (I am neither) but about being a PATRIOTIC American and LOYAL citizen. So, whose side are the Bush government and these "defenders" on? America's or Bush/Cheney/Rove/Libby's?

In my humble opinion, as an American, they're either for US (USA) or against us...

Imran

COMMENT ON YAHOO BOARD:
> By: the_coqui
> So where again is the crime?

IMRAN RESPONSE:

I am sure Mr. Fitzgerald will be happy to tell the Grand Jury. I am sure you will hear the details. Stay tuned, read newspapers (and please tell Bush, as he proudly tells everyone he does not (cannot?) read newspapers.)

If there is NO crime, I am sure the dictator/traitor team of Bush/Cheney/Rove/Libby have nothing to worry about.

And, if there was no crime, why are Republicans having to jump up to defend them....?

Let Fitzgerald make a case, or make a fool of himself.

After all, if he is going to indict a sitting President/VP or their staff for NON-Crimes, HE better have a good attorney to save his own skin AND have his unemployment benefits lined up.

Imran

Patently Getting Beaten Black & Blue(berry)

Reuters reports that Research in Motion Ltd. moved closer on Friday to an injunction that could halt U.S. sales of its popular BlackBerry wireless device after it lost a bid to suspend a patent case against it.

(I like to think that) I am an inventor. :-) So, I do see the value and need of patents. But, without commenting on the specific validity of this particular case, I do think the USPTO is issuing so many frivolous, duplicate, incorrect and incredibly broad patents that only lawyers must be happy. They make fees writing the absurd patents, and then make money challenging them and then make more money when cases go to court.

I think the USPTO should get a patent on how to issue frivolous, obvious, non-novel or overly broad patents that will eventually harm all industries, especially technology.

That's just IN MY HUMBLE OPINION. What do you think?

Imran

Fight The ADIZ: Freedom to fly = Freedom from fear

I am a pilot, though I have not had much opportunity to fly recently. But, the ability, and freedom to fly anywhere in this great nation, the home of general aviation, is one of my cherished freedoms. It is freedom from the bounds of earth, and freedom from fear. It is freedom from crazy, fearful, dictatorial governments where "ordinary" people cannot have planes or fly wherever they want.

Yet, that is exactly what the government is now slowly trying to do in the USA. To curtail the areas where general aviation pilots can fly. To curtail who can fly. To curtail flying itself.

That it is all being done in the name of security in a post 9/11 world is even more ridiculous because no small planes were used in the attacks.

As anyone can calculate, a rental truck like the one used by Timothy McVeigh (the Christian terrorist) in Oklahoma was much more devastating than a small plane flown by some (Muslim?) terrorist would be. It would have been a lot easier for the 19 hijackers of 9/11 to steal 19 small GA planes than to expect to even succeed in hijacking 5 airliners. But they chose the jet airplanes obviously because they could do a lot more damage.

Everyone probably remembers that stupid Florida teenager who flew a Cessna into a building. He died but the plane did not even manage to destroy ONE ROOM on ONE FLOOR of ONE SMALL BUILDING.

Yet, that is the "picture" the government is painting as it tries to curtail one of America's great freedoms, the freedom to fly anywhere (except obvious places like military installations, the White House, nuclear reactors, etc.) as a private pilot that a commercial airplane can fly. The following is a comment I posted (alongside more than 10,000 others) at a government web site discussing the "ADIZ" areas that are popping up to limit where we can fly:

How ironic is it that the 19 now dead terrorist hijackers not only used our civilian (COMMERCIAL NOT GA) aircraft against our civilians in NY and DC, but seem to be also succeeding in

a) having our government departments create policies seeming to be based on living in a state of constant fear,
b) managed to make us try to destroy instead of develop general aviation,
c) made us look like fearful living in cities with virtual ADIZ type moats around us,
d) helped set in motion the actions that would eventually kill off one of the greatest contributions of our country to the world, aviation and
e) make us more and more likely to get used to living under constantly changing and onerous rules that one would expect from governments in Cuba or Russia or Pakistan or Iraq, not the United States of America.

I am a pilot in NY, with family and friends in the DC area. I had been close to buying a plane to see them regularly, but have held off doing so because of these ADIZ regulations.

How many others are held back, I can only imagine. How many planes will rust away, I can only imagine. How many new planes will not be sold, I can only imagine. How many skilled workers capable of making new planes will lose jobs, I can only imagine. How many mechanics and ground crew who support a thriving GA industry would lose jobs, I can only imagine.

How loudly the dead terrorists and their supporters must be laughing at us, I can only imagine. Can you?

Please support us living, and flying, in a nation of freedom, freedom from fear and freedom from dictatorial rules.

Imran Anwar
http://imran.com/flying/

2Buy/Not2Buy: Sony Ericsson P990

Comment on Sony Ericsson P990 Camera Phone PDA WiFi Handheld:

My brother (who will start posting to his own blog any YEAR now) and I have a Sony Ericsson P900 & P910.

I still LOVE the P900 as one of the coolest gadgets ever. and chose not to move up to the 910 because the 910 had a lousy numeric keypad compared to the P900. I see that in the P990 SE has decided to bring the P900 style numeric keypad instead of the P910 type. Enough said on that.

They seem to have done the WORST disservice to users by moving the P910's keyboard from the inside flip portion onto the screen area, reducing significantly the beauty and usability of the screen, compared to the P900, on which I can literally view full web pages on Opera.

The P900 and 910 had PATHETIC cameras so this P990's camera enhancement is good, but still not enough to make me leave my P900. Yes, WiFI is useful, but I already have that on my Nokia 9500 Communicator.

I HATE Nokia (even as a one time unhappy shareholder) as a designer of low performing SLOOOOOW CPU based phones, but for keyboard, decent camera and WiFi the 9500 is more than enough for my needs. Its mini-laptop size makes it larger than the P900 but typing on it is so great, it is worth carrying around.

So, dear buyer, if you intend to spend $1200 on the P990, be VERY sure you are using it for LOTS and LOTS of WiFi based TYPING applications, otherwise the smaller screen makes it much less usable (at least to me) than the now old but still great P900.

That's just IN MY HUMBLE OPINION. Comments welcome.

Imran

To Buy Or Not To Buy: New Section

As somewhat of a gadget lover, I often give advice on things to buy or not to buy. I am considering adding a new blog but for now it is just easier to post here. So, if you enjoy my political and social commentaries, please do not mind an occasional post about consumer goods and things. Comments welcome.

Imran

God, please help these people evolve!

First things first. As a (not so great) Muslim, I do believe in God. And, yes, even though I believe that evolution is a force at work, I also believe that there is some higher power that shaped us to be intelligent creatures. So, I am not your typical religion-bashing Evolution-touting scientist.

That being said, I do NOT believe that "Intelligent Design" has any place being taught in SCIENCE classes as some fanatic and fundamentalist religious folks are pushing for.

Yahoo's message boards have a great thread going on about this. One particularly interesting one is a response by someone (senafrancais) very eloquently and intelligently responding to one such ID poster... a 43 year old male, as I am. :-)

The original poster ventured:
>>>In this age of intellectual and technological advancements, why should we NOT allow our students to hear other theories on creation? Why must it be 'religion' to propose that there is something smarter and bigger at play?<<<

to which senafrancais (43/M) replied:
[SIGH] OK, for the billionth time....the scientific method requires anyone to support their claims with EVIDENCE. If you can't show evidence to support your arguments, then it CANNOT be taught in science class. Beliefs in a "higher power" are simply that - BELIEFS. They are not facts, nor can they be proven with any physical evidence.

I had to respond, one, in appreciation for senafrancais (whom I do not know) and, two, to add one more aspect.... that is:

I would just add one more word to the mix.... people are talking about Intelligent Design as a Theory, which, as you said, is really about Beliefs... the additional word they need to know is HYPOTHESIS. So, if they BELIEVE there is Intelligent Design at work, they can and should be welcome to HYPOTHESIZE (spelling?) that some great power is shaping our beings... (and is also responsible for our cancers and pains and evil aspects).... THEN, if they can show some PROOFS, then they can talk about ID as a THEORY.... and then they should be welcome in the classroom. Otherwise, I hope God's intelligent design will help these people evolve to be less of a threat to what makes America a great place to live for everyone... the separation of a majority's religious beliefs from every day life for everyone. Amen/Aameen.

Just In My Humble Opinion.... What do you think?

Imran
http://imran.TV

More on making the iPod a Computing Platform

Carl Wolf commented: Are you saying the iPod is a "hybrid platform'? Are you saying the success of the iPod will lead Apple to develop yet another computer paradigm? Please help me understand - your blog didn't.
----

Good point, Carl. The blog comment on Apple's iPod tended to focus more on countering some negative points I saw in a Forbes article. You are correct, it did not state this hybrid platform idea in much detail. Sorry. Here is just a brief idea.

Right now people are counting Apple's success based on the Mac's market share --- and complaining that it is so small. (Though, in reality, Apple's maintaining market share in a growing market could be considered a positive too.)

Anyway, there is no way someone is currently going to count the 20 (?) million iPods out there as having any relevance to the Mac's market share. Sure, we all hope that the "halo" effect --- which I have witnessed in my own family and friends now looking at the Mac again ---- will add to Mac sales, but what if the iPod goes a step further.

In one case, supposing a video capability can be given to iPods (which has since been proven true), then later perhaps it can have a mini-Mac OS X version on its hard disc that enables you to at least run some "Mac" (like) applications, e.g. PIM, etc. With a few iterations, such a machine could become less and less different from a Mac mini (which is larger also because of video circuitry, CD, etc. enabling such devices to help Apple claim some more of the "computing" market share with what would otherwise simply be "MP3 player" sales.

Even if iPod does (had) not become a video player, it already has the ability to boot up my machines in OS X and run as my pocket Mac. It can already display output to a TV so enabling more video display options could be done. It already has audio in and out ability (so many third party vendors offer such things) so (with a more speech recognition driven interface) it could conceivably be useful even before a small external (like iPaq external) keyboard or a full keyboard can be connected to it via USB.

So, people could even literally carry their music AND their Mac in their jeans pocket, basically plugging it into a display and keyboard at work and do the same back at home.

Thanks for your comment and question, it forced me to think more clearly and express it in more detail.

I actually have to leave for a trip in a few hours and it is already midnight so I hope this will give a better idea of what I meant. I will add this to the blog also to better explain what I am thinking of this new hybrid platform/paradigm.

Sincerely

Imran

Get The Book

During one of my regular radio interviews this morning, one of the hosts tried to slide in a comment about how Pakistan trained the Taliban... and I was quick to respond "Paid for by the CIA and George Bush Sr." Here is a really good book that is inexpensive but offers a great explanation of how the US is today paying the price for creating terrorists in the first place. Please use the link below and get the book. Thanks.

Imran

Thanks to Bush, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft...

I read this subject "Thanks to Bush, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft..." and "post" on a Yahoo newsgroup and had to respond.

> by:utsoo
>Only place al Qaidas can Not funtion is U.S.A.

Huh? Are you for real? Not only is the BUSH family friends and business partners with the BIN LADEN family, George W. Bush is the best friend Osama Bin Laden ever had. From only having a hellhole stone quarry basketcase Afghanistan cave to eat, sleep, sh!t and operate in... Bin Laden now has oil-rich, central, well developed cities of Iraq to thrive in.

> U.S. law enforcemnent agencies did Hard Works

Yes. It took a lot of hard work to miss all the hijackers who were running around here planning 9/11. Thank God our President is "Hard Works" on the Golf Course.....

The score? 2000 MORE Americans dead, tens of thousands of Iraqis dead, no Iraqis involved in 9/11, no WMD, no Bin Laden... the terrorists reload their canon while Bush practices his Golf swing.

Imran
http://imran.com <-- View blog & comments welcome.

About Arabs / Muslims (& Allies!) Voting "Against" The USA at UN

I got this typical forwarded email from some friend about how Arabs/Muslims voted "against" the US at the UN. It would have been funny and dumb had it not been so dangerous, because many people read such stuff and think it is true. Please feel free to share this blog article with friends so decent people do not become bigots based on reading junk stats they get in forwarded emails from unknown sources.

The original item is marked with ">" marks, my comments are entered between the lines. This is something I have seen before but the person who put together this list forgets (and deliberately ignores) what the fasts are.


> This oughta upset everybody:

This selective and thinly veiled bigotry of the writer against Muslims oughta upset people more.

> How they vote in the United Nations:
>
> Below are the actual voting records of various Arabic/Islamic
> States which are recorded in both the US State Department and
> United Nations records:

It is interesting to see most Latin American, European and African countries not included here. Unfortunately it would show that they TOO often disagree with US and its policies. Additionally, look at CLOSE US allies on that same page at snopes.com and you see how often these allies voted "against the US". ''

Even Israel, which sucks up more US resources than everyone else AND ALSO SPIES ON THE USA, opposed us 11% of the time.

Australia 33 26 44%
Canada 31 32 51%
Israel 56 7 11%
Japan 26 36 58%
UntKng 40 27 40%
France 36 31 46%

An intelligent person would then at least ask the question, "Hmmm, could the whole world be wrong, or could it be that my government does things almost everyone else hates?" Ah. but asking that question in America today would get you labeled "unpatriotic."

> U S Foreign Aid to those that hate us:
>
> Egypt, for example, after voting 79% of the time against
> the United States, still receives $2 billion annually in US Foreign Aid.

I am laughing my butt off. This is the country were the US has kept a dictator in power for THIRTY YEARS and where Laura Bush was just recently PRAISING his sham elections (HE picked who could run against him!!! And Laura loved it).... You will love this piece, it's a must read (on this blog)... "BUSH BURNING (IN) THE MIDDLE EAST" ...Comments welcome.

> Jordan votes 71% against the United States
> and receives $192,814,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.

Another country where we keep an unelected so-called King in power....

> Pakistan votes 75% against the United States
> receives $6,721,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.

Pakistan is ANOTHER country we ONLY give aid when military generals overthrow elected governments. I am from Pakistan before I became an American. I have seen this happen over and over, even today. Also, what is amazing is how the writer shows this HUGE number as the aid to Pakistan.... it was just over Six Million Dollars... Just for comparison we are spending $186 MILLION DOLLARS EVERY DAY in our self-inflicted war in Iraq that Bush started with lies and to enrich Haliburton.

> India votes 81% against the United States
> receives $143,699,000 annually.

This is amazing.... I did not realize India was an Arab or a Muslim country.... in either case, this is the country that American companies are falling over each to export American jobs to, which was a Soviet ally for 50 years, and is now allying with China and IRAN.... while Bush has promised to give them nuclear (well, he said NUCULAR) technology too. How else can we shoot ourselves in the foot?

> Perhaps it is time to get out of the UN and give the tax savings back to the
> American workers who are having to skimp and sacrifice to pay the taxes (and gasoline).

Yes, let's start with $186 MILLION DAILY being burnt in Iraq, not counting Afghanistan and not counting the 2000 Americans killed there to avenge those killed on 9/11 not by Iraqis but by Saudis ( whose King Bush KISSES {yewwww} and HOLDS HANDS with and Bush family does business with... INCLUDING the Bin Laden family )....

> Pass this along to every taxpaying citizen you know.
> And send to your congressman, who should be disgraced but couldn't care less.

We really oughta find the person who wrote the original piece and ship him off to serve the country for real, in Iraq.

Let's face it....

First he spits on the world's face, then he has Iraq blow up in his face, now he is begging for the world's & UN's help to fix Iraq with egg on his face.

Let's face it....It's George W. Bush who is not relevant anymore.

Imran

The Harder They Fall, The Higher They Go™

Bush and his team of "leaders" is helping me enter a new business... I am ordering T-Shirts....

The Harder They Fail, The Higher They Go..... is the slogan I am putting on them.

Imran

With Great Failure Comes Great Reward

At no time in history have I seen a President publicly praise so many obvious and abject failures.

Even worse, the harder they fail/fall, the higher they go in George Bush' book.... ooooops, sorry, I used Book and Bush in the same sentence.

Look at some recent examples of failures and the "punishment" they gave. Why can't we all get jobs like these?

Person /Failure/Punishment/Result
-------------

- W Bush / War On Terror, Iraq, North Korea / Actually Elected President this time / We are hated AND at more risk

- Bolton / Nuclear Nonproliferation, Diplomacy / UN Ambassador / Laughing stock, face to sink a thousand ships

- Brownie / Katarina / Back to DC instead of in unemployment line / Thousands dead, even more devastated

- Roberts / Can't Differentiate Legal Work and Lobbying / CHIEF Justice nomination / Farewell Constitution.

What do you think?

What if.....?

The media has reported George Bush supporter, fundamentalist Christian extremist preacher, Pat Robertson's calls to assassinate the President of Venezuela.

How ironic. It made me wonder, "What If...?"

Had it been a Muslim bearded religious extremist murderer Taliban cleric like Mullah Omar or even some fundamentalist Jewish terrorist settler rabbi, who had called for taking out the American President then this guy Pat Robertson would have been preaching against "those" religions of hate.

Shame on George "Duh" Bush for not even having the morals (or intelligence) to speak out against Robertson's ugly message..... probably because Robertson DOES speak for Bush.... well, actually even a retard like Robertson speaks a lot more clearly than Bush does. ;-)

If you disagree, feel free to comment.

9/10/2005 1020 PM: (Since this posting the outcry has made that Christian fundamentalist terrorism inciting figure to back down from his dumb statements, more for PR than for genuine change of heart).

If The Iraq Adventure Is Like World War II...

If, as George Bush thinks, his Iraq adventure is like World War II, then I wonder:

- How many days was FDR on vacation then?
- Was the biggest news story a missing teen in Aruba?
- Were most Americans discussing American Idol?
- Were movie or music stars visting troops or dancing on SUVs outside a courthouse?

Yeah, sure, I can see we are in the middle of World War III. But we can sleep well at night simply because our combat-avoiding Commander in Chief George Bush is SO hard at work.... playing Golf AND taking more vacations than any President in HISTORY.

Good Night.... We'll chat about Michael Jackson and American Idol in the morning.... Zzzzzzz....

Murder's OK, But Make Love & You're Dead!

Let me get this straight.

The US military, with two recent draft-dodging Presidents as Commanders-in-Chief, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, has punished and dishonored a General who actually proudly served this nation in Vietnam and elsewhere. Because he committed..... adultery?

And, even that he did with someone who is neither his subordinate, nor his intern and not even a vendor offering him a job on retirement.

Yet, today a military court (where else but in Texas) let Pfc. Willie Brand go with a slap on the wrist, though he basically murdered two Afghan prisoners.

Way to go. Murdering unarmed prisoners under your control is fine, but God help you if you make love to an adult consenting woman. What would Jesus think.

You never know how much a top General can learn from a soldier. Perhaps the decorated General should have learnt from the murderous Pfc. Willie Brand.

The General would have been better off having sex with a non-consenting woman, that he should have held prisoner; torturing, maiming, raping and finally murdering her. The punishment would have been less severe than what he got now!

That's just, In My Humble Opinion.

All Roads Lead To 'Bridge To Nowhere'

You probably think I always say the current President Bush says ONLY dumb things or tells lies only. Not true. For once, he IS right (not just too Far Right). We DO need more (or at least better) roads. OK, STOP. That is as far as I can Yield to his point of view, which is too driven by extreme agendas, instead of middle-of-the-road policies. And, yes, enough with the bad traffic puns. Let's get back on course. (Sorry, can't resist!).

This latest highway bill will probably do some useful road building, some repairs, some new stuff, but does it matter how great a road is if it goes to Nowhere, or as in this case, to the $231 MILLION Dollar bridge to nowhere that will be built in Alaska?

What road are we on? As a nation. With Bush, it's "My Way Or The Highway" except, in this case, the highway our nation is on, is going his way, the wrong way --- and there's no two ways about it.

I know we do not have job security, or even security in the subway. Many of us have no medical insurance (health security) nor do we have financial security. Even he says social security is a mess and security around the world is even worse for us Americans.

So, the only hope we have is to make a brighter future for kids here. A road for smart, hardworking people to reach an environment in which high-tech, high-quality, high-paying jobs ensure our economic well being, and standards of living.

Bush says this bill will create jobs of the future.

THAT has me worried. Really worried.

We put man on the moon (forget Bush's now totally MIA plans to visit Mars). We built F16s, Stealth bombers, nuclear weapons, microprocessors, laser surgery, microsurgery, software, operating systems, artificial intelligence, speech recognition, telephones, the Internet and all the jobs Bush can promise are road building crew or bulldozer assembly plant jobs?

Should we allow our nation to stay on this road? To Nowhere?

I say, No. Let's take the next exit behind the Bush.

Whose Dying Throes? Rumsfeld's Living Dream

Sorry, I am still trying to figure out if it's the insurgency in its dying throes or Bush/Rumsfeld's political future. More than 2000 more Americans are dead because these people sent them off to war, while their kids are getting arrested for underage drinking and partying.

Bush says this is making us safer at home..... just like Blair made London safe? Now Rumsfeld makes it sound like the insurgents are just fighting because there is no constitution.

So, as soon as a constitution is done, they will say, "Great, I don't need to kill Americans. Who needs 72 virgins anyway, I got me a new constitution, Hallelujah."

I am not holding my breath for that, but I await with bated breath what new idiotic logic or white lie or laughable excuse is invented by the White House, Bush, Rumsfeld and Rice. The suspense is killing me, while unfortunately, their policies are killing American soldiers and putting us all at greater risk.

Imran

Can (they) handle the truth? Re: "logical plan" supposedly from Robin Williams

God Bless America for being a free country that allows anyone to spout any kind of "logic".... even such selectively bigoted stuff as the purported "Robin Williams proposal" I see recirculated every few months.

I am told Robin Williams is NOT the source of this list, but someone is obviously trying to make SOME point, and my response applies to the person(s) who wrote it and those who so gladly forward it to their mailing lists. Can they handle the truth?

The writer is correct on many counts, but we should not be selective in applying this "logic". Here is how it actually looks when you read the reality. So, shall we apply this "perfect plan" or are we having second thoughts?

Imran
http://imran.TV

====
> You gotta love Robin Williams...... Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.
>
> Robin Williams' plan....(Hard to argue with this logic!)
>
> I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan."
>
> 1..) "The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those 'good ole boys,' We will never "interfere" again.

Hitler was allowed to run amok with the US looking the other way. American companies continued to do business with Nazi Germany. Jews were being killed off but the US did nothing (see NY Times {I think August 6, 2005} piece for a historical timeline of what the US did and when) until Japan attacked US.

Stalin was allowed to rape Eastern Europe, the US also sold out Poland to the Soviets. Noriega was a CIA paid killer friends with Bush Sr. Saddam Hussein was a US supported killer (I love those pics of Donald Dumbsfeld hugging Hussein while he was carrying out gas attacks on Iranians). I do not even have time to go into the list of Latin American dictators we kept in power to brutalize their populations.

> 2..) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea, the Middle East, and the Philippines. They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.

I fully agree. There are too many Hispanic vote seeking politicians who are selling out the US. Heck, I am all for the vigilante patrols on the Mexican border. If a Mexican drug dealer and gang member can crawl in, how difficult will it be for AlQaeda to hop on over too? Shoot anyone coming over illegally.

> 3..) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of who or where they are. They're illegal!!! France will welcome them.

90 days? Why? 30 oughta do it. And, if politicians and "activists" cry out to support illegals, have each one house at least 6 of them in their own homes and pay their bills (and TAXES).

> 4..) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!!!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in.

I assume that includes terrorist nations like Israel (with an indicted war criminal Premier) that occupy civilian populations, use OUR tax-payer financed "defense" F-16s to drop 1000 lb. bombs in civilian neighborhoods killing 27 innocent people, while missing the ONE suspected terrorist they wanted to get. Oh, sorry, saying anything against Israel is so politically incorrect lest one be declared an anti-Semite for that. I am amazed that we Americans are made afraid to criticize Israel because we will be called anti-Semitic. That is baloney. I say, if someone us caught spying, as 3 American Jews were just charged, shoot them the same way as a Russian, Chinese or Saudi would and should be. Does saying that make me anti-Semitic? No, it makes me a loyal, patriotic American.

> If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

Nor do we need any more people whose alliances are with the state of Israel or any other country instead of the United States. We should also ship off any people who are hyphenated Americans. Be an American, nor NOT an American. If you are "African-American" but do not speak an African language, were not born in African, do not have family in Africa, do not have property in Africa, heck, have not even visited Africa, then wake up, you are an American. If you do not like that, take the next ship to whatever country in Africa will take you. Now, for those pure racist readers smiling at my words, this applies to you. If you are Italian-American, Irish-American, Israeli-American, Indian-American, Pakistani-American or whatever hyphen you belong to, go ahead, take pride in your parents' heritage, but be a proud American or take the next flight/ship to your country of hyphen.

At the same time, if immigrants from Nigeria, Korea, Pakistan, Phillipines, India, Poland and other places are willing to come here and work in nail salons, newspaper kiosks, 7-11s, cabs, nurses, caregivers, or other jobs that do not require a rocket science degree but are not done by hyphenated-Americans, then welcome the immigrants and stop giving welfare to such hyphenated-Americans. For example, If a Korean can apply nail polish on a woman's hands, a person getting fat on welfare ought to be able to do the job.

> 5..) No foreign "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a "D" and it's back home baby.

Ironically, if it was not for foreign students, many engineering schools would actually shut down as local American kids focus on courses that will make them burger flippers. The luckier ones may become B-grade movie actors or comics. Mr. Williams should know.

> 6..) The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.

But, the Bush family, with decades of brotherhood with the evil corrupt Saudi regime, (I love the pics of Bush kissing the Saudi King ..... eeeewww and holding hands with him) stands to gain.

Did anyone notice the latest energy bill passed while diverting our attention to the "abortion" debate? Exxon-Mobil types, that made $25 BILLION in Profits last year, get BILLIONS more in tax-breaks. The caribou can rest easy knowing the ass in the White House is an oil industry stooge. So, with oil industry agents in the White House, the bigoted whiner who wrote the list will have to cope for a while.

> 7..) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel! for their oil. If they don't like it, we go some place else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)

Hahahaha. I love Robin Williams; witty, often brilliant. The above logic more likely came from someone with the wisdom of an 11 year old redneck. But this is funny. We are the ones sending Cheney and Co. over to suck up to the Saudis to please keep their oil lines open for us, instead of selling it to China and India, the next two countries who will swallow our lunch ---- and our oil.

> 8..) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not "interfere." They can pray to Allah or

Ah, could we get any more bigoted and Muslim-bashing than this. Allah is the Muslim word for ONE GOD, the same one Christians and Jews believe in. Interestingly, most US AID goes to Christian nations in Africa etc. and also to Muslim and non-Muslim countries. But Jewish/Zionist ISRAEL sucks most US resources, even without a catastrophe, WHILE it SPIES on the US. But, of course, Mr. Williams is Jewish and I do not expect him (or the writer claiming to be Mr Williams) to remember that.

> whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

VERY true --- because it is the US that keeps evil dictators in power in most countries around the world. Noriega, Hussain, Zia etc. in the past, Saudis, Musharaff, Mobarak, and many more, today.....

> 9..) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island some place. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

It could also make a good place to arrest and detain so-called Americans who spy on America because their alliances lie with another state. I would also throw in people who are getting fat on welfare, redneck militia members, drug dealers, organized crime family members, latin gang members, and other assorted scum. Let's unite them and then gas the building.

> 10.) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH.....learn it...or LEAVE.....

I agree with that....... unfortunately, considering the poor state of English (and education in general) we would probably lose half our own native-born American population in that case.

> Now, isn't that a winner of a plan?

Yes, when you fill in the blanks, I think we have a more fair and equitable plan. That is just In My Humble Opinion ( http://imrananwar.blogspot.com - comments welcome)

Regards

Imran
http://imran.TV

Posted August 10, 2005

"Didn't Bin Laden work for the CIA?" . "Well,...."

Someone asked recently, "Didn't Bin Laden work for the CIA? Didn't they train him and give him loads of money?"

Well, I do not think Bin Laden was technically a direct recruit of the CIA or an employee.

I understand he went to Afghanistan on his own to fight the Russians, for their invasion of a Muslim land. US said he is a good man for feeling that way.

The CIA and the US Govt. were busy actually promoting the word JIHAD in Muslim countries like Pakistan so uneducated masses could be exhorted to volunteer to go into battle against Russians, many times knowing they would be suicide missions. So, Bin Laden was a Godsend to the CIA and they worked well together. Training and resources were surely provided to him.

Of course, now we are paying the price. We said he was a hero when he wanted outside armies out of Muslim lands like Afghanistan. When he said OK, now American armies out of Saudi Arabia (his actual home country)Blair and Bush started talking as if this is some ideology from 1000 years ago. Now, last time I checked 1979 was not 1000 yers ago when the US Govt. and CIA created the JIHADI soldier.

The Russians are probably laughing at us every day we get mad dogs we trained biting at us around the world now.

Imran

Post date: Aug 4, 2005

Bolton, Liar And/Or Idiot, Is Ideal Candidate For Bush

So, our lying, idiotic, President, has done it again. He has picked another candidate who all intelligent and patriotic Americans oppose. But, I think Bolton is the perfect candidate, at least in Bush' book. Here's why.

It is one thing to be a determined President, another to be a stupid, stubborn, scumbag shoddily installing incompetent idiots like Bolton. My Bush-worshipping fellow Americans have to take a pick.

Bolton is either:

a- A LIAR, who lied to lawmakers
b- An IDIOT, who cannot remember being questioned by a select committee or a grand jury or a special prosecutor.

In either case, such an idiot or liar would be the perfect choice to be our face to the United Nations only under a lying, stupid, President like Bush, who can surely relate to him on BOTH counts.

Imran

Imran interview in Beijing Review, China

This is an interview in the latest edition of Beijing Review, discussing the "war on terror" and many other issues. Please read. Comments welcome.

http://imran.com/IMRAN/MediaCoverage/BeijingReview_WarOnTerror.html

IMHO: Imran Anwar videolog statement on London Bombing Terror Attacks

Please take a look at the vlog statement at:

Imran Statement On London Bombings & Terrorist Attacks .

You decide if the London terrorists' actions were dumb and evil, or not.

Guilty or Not? It's Backbreaking Work Being Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson had to go to hospital for back problems. Awww....that is so sad. His back gave out.

The lower back is a really strange part of the body.

One day you can be out dancing on the roof of an SUV, giving high fives and the next thing you know you need 5 hours in hospital to be able to move again.

Either way, Michael Jackson needs a much stronger lower back now.

He'll need it to give pelvic thrusts to the next underage male victim if he's found Not Guilty, or.... for receiving them from some 7 feet tall guy named "Bubba" in prison, if he is found Guilty.

Imran

How Traditional Publications Can Become The Future Of Publishing

How Traditional Publications Can Become The Future Of Publishing
--- The Shape Of Prints To Come ---

Comment By Imran Anwar

People often ask me "Is there a future for traditional newspapers and magazines, and will digital devices not make these "traditional" publications obsolete?"

Well, the answer depends on how "traditional" publishers respond to the threats from digital devices - as their doom, or as new opportunities for them to expand the horizons of publishing.

What we call traditional publications may likely not be around in 25 years, much less in 50. However, I still see a bright future for magazines and newspapers, if we look at them from just two of several possible new angles I can imagine.

One, is a magazine or newspaper considered that only if it is printed on paper? Won't it still be a "traditional" newspaper 50 years from now if I, or more likely my children, are sitting at the beach, flipping the pages of a silicon film digital ink based publication that can be refilled with tomorrow's newspaper wirelessly every night or every few hours even?

Two, even if almost all of the content we seek becomes available in various colorful, handheld devices, traditional magazines can still make a niche for themselves.... by being non-traditional.

The digital devices most people envision replacing paper publications have their own limitations..... e.g. the need to have a one-size fits all device, regardless of whether I am reading the NY Times' news or MacWorld's reviews.

But, "traditional" publications can be printed in almost any size or shape, and, thanks to modern printing technology, on almost any material.

Thus, content design for these new shapes, textures, materials and sizes will allow publication designers huge opportunities of expression that no "all purpose" digital reader can match.

I do not see any reason why imaginative publishers will not create and design their publications in varying paper sizes (poster size or pocket) or with irregular shapes (triangle, continuous scroll, 100-fold single sheet) or having unique textures (cotton, holographic paper, parchment, aluminum, suede) or have different pages filled with aromas (for recipe pages for example) and who knows what else.

Their imagination is the limit. With so much creative freedom in "paper" publications, digital devices may then seem to be limited and limiting of the "reader experience"!

Imagine people wondering, in 2025 perhaps, if "traditional electronic reading devices" will be around in 20 years and if the "real" and "sensory" (i.e. including touch, feel, smell....) magazines and newspapers will replace them. Never say Never.

====
© 2005, Imran Anwar
IMRAN.TV

Imran Anwar condemns suicide bombers, demands their excommunication

Newswire: (New York - February 28, 2005) Respected and popular media personality and community leader IMRAN ANWAR, regularly a guest on Fox News Channel and CNN, issued an urgent statement on the latest suicide bombing reported in the news today.

In his media statement, Mr. Imran Anwar:

*CONDEMNS SUICIDE BOMBER AS HELL-BOUND EVIL-DOER WHO SHOULD BE EXCOMMUNICATED FROM ISLAM
- Calls it as it is, helps wake up silent Muslims who are looking the other way
- Helps prevent other illiterate idiots from signing on as bombers if they know they will go to hell

*CALLS ON MUSLIM LEADERS AND ESPECIALLY CLERICS AND IMAMS TO DECLARE THAT SUCH BOMBERS WILL GO TO HELL, AND NOT TO ANY PARADISE
- It is the DUTY of Muslim clerics to save Islam from these heretic murderers and to prevent future bombings
- Islam requires people to stop, prevent and speak against evil when they see it

*AKS WHY US GOVT. HAS NO DIRECT OUTREACH TO MUSLIMS THAT TERRORISTS ARE ENEMIES OF MUSLIMS EVERYWHERE
- No effort to speak directly to the Muslims of the world using plain facts, terrorists are killing more Muslims than Americans
- Bombings are killing innocent civilians, not soldiers
- Can bring Muslim majority on board to help eradicate insurgency

Opinions? Ideas?

How iPod will become MyPod - Response to Forbes magazine

How iPod will become MyPod: And, Why Forbes Is Wrong About The Future Sales Of iPods

By Imran Anwar

The media, and consumers, are excited beyond belief at the incredible performance of Apple Computer in the last few years. It's recent release of a Mac MINI and an iPod (mini) Shuffle has generated even more buzz. It sold close to 5 MILLION of the existing iPods in just the last quarter. Even previous naysayer journalists have begun to sing praises of the iPod and Apple.

Forbes generally has great analysis. Their Mr. Hesseldahl usually writes logically and sensibly on technology issues. His recent piece (When iPod Sales Run Out Of Steam - Forbes 1/14/05) on iPod sales sounds similarly logically written. But, unfortunately, the logic is so flawed I had to laugh. Except, I am a satisfied Apple iPod user, MacUser and currently also hold a few hundred shares in Apple - so I had to respond to it.

Using the logic of his article, Microsoft should have gone out of business a few years ago, as well as IBM. After all, PCs and clones reached a much higher penetration of the market than iPod enjoys at present. Yet, more personal computers are sold today than ever before. People's needs increase. They upgrade. CPUs become more powerful. Applications require more resources and new hardware is needed.

Eventually, as machines become more affordable, people buy more PCs.

Similarly, with Apple's new $499 Mac Minis I can bet millions more of these and Windows PCs will sell even where people already have PCs

In My Humble Opinion, Apple iPods can conceivably sell in much higher numbers than personal computers, for various reasons.

A personal computer has the word "personal" in its name but often a whole family can share a SINGLE personal computer, especially because MacOS, Windows, etc. also allow separate user accounts to run on the same machine.

The iPod on the other hand is a TRULY Personal device. You take it with you. You keep your music on it. Your spouse or brother has their own iPod even if you both share the same computer. So, conceivably, a family with 2 parents and four kids that shares one PC (which could be in the range of $500-$3000) can easily also own six iPods.

If this family has a Mercedes or BMW or one of the newer models coming out with iPod support built-in, I could also imagine there being an iPod just for the car.

Sounds far-fetched? Think about it. We have cassette and CD players at home and in the car. For more than 5 years I have had a car with an integrated Motorola cell phone.

Now I have more than one cell phone. And, I am not even including the cellular numberless cell phone that is built into the car for the security and tele-aid system.

Over time, I just got used to leaving the Motorola cell phone in the car. Calls to it are automatically forwarded to my "handheld" cell phone when I am not driving. So, having a "car-iPod" in addition to the family's various iPods is not unthinkable.

This past Christmas, I bought a 40GB iPod for a friend who had done me a favor. I had considered taking his wife and him to dinner and a Broadway show. Instead, I spent approximately the same money on getting him the iPod. Whether he uses it (on his boat, car, motorcycle, hotrod, or just tooling around his family business where he is first to arrive and last to leave) or gives it to his wife or son or grandchildren, the iPod was the perfect gift. And, it will last a lot longer than that dinner I would have taken him to.

In the meantime, we got two more iPods, for my siblings, and I am now in the market for a replacement. My 30GB iPod is close to full and I also want the iPod Photo version. The 80GB version of that should be here soon, and as soon as it does, I hope to get one.

With the launch of the $99 iPod Shuffle, I can actually get these for my sister and her husband, who both like music but are not listening to it all the time to justify getting them the high-end units. At $99, at their birthdays, I would have no problems getting one each for the kids in the family.

So, as far as I am concerned, even if Apple does not add video to iPod (I have no interest in that at present), I can see MUSIC-ONLY driven sales continuing to rise. Add the explosion of podcasting, and more audio-books, and one can see how even "serious" people can happily tote iPods on the subway or on the plane, on their walk to the beach or walking in the mall.

If, as I have been begging for years, Apple re-releases a PIM (personal information maanger) or PDA, built either into the cell phone they are launching with Motorola or into the iPod (I already carry my contacts, calendars, and some documents on the iPod) with or without Bluetooth - you can see the implications of the iPod becoming even more a MyPod.

What do YOU think?