Just to ruffle a few pretty feathers!

FG, after having worked with many female colleagues, superiors and subordinates have come to the unshakable belief that increasing the female workforce in the country to 55% by 2015 spells trouble. It would definitely be trouble for him at home and would probably have to sleep in the kennel for the rest of his life. And definitely would not be in favourite lists of feminists who are still in the euphoria of celebrating 100 years of being deemed intelligent enough to vote for their own leaders. And they are still going on listing trying to list down their 100 best female heroes of all time.

International Women's Day was celebrated the world over on 8th March 2011. I do not know when the original idea came on celebrating the success of the women from their non-existent status in the Middle Ages or whether they meant to include transsexuals and cross-dressers in the regatta but BFM radio had interviewed many of these trapped souls and they seem to be rejoicing too!

As FG easily succumbed to their feminine persuasions, he had been taken for a ride many times by the weaker sex. You cannot really blame him for his weakness as even God's first prophet, Adam, felt weak in the knees and fell flat for the charms and lure of Eve. Little did he realise that it was actually the eve of his fall of grace from the Garden of Eden to lowly Earth and the rest is history as we know it.

Coming back to ladies in the workforce, they have come a long way by leaps and bounds from the time of WW2 when the housewives start shedding their kitchen apron, headed to the factories to send supplies to the battlefield. They have led the biggest democracy of the world and led one of the newer post-WW2 nations situated in midst of pouncing ferocious neighbours. But still...

Golda Meir (1898-1978)

Through his limited experience in the working life, he has discovered the many challenges that these PYTs (pretty young things) have to face in the workforce. Besides battling with their monthly swings of hormones, they have to combat other social obligations in keeping with their marital status and age.

Their seemingly seamless work will take a dent when they are somehow shaken and stirred when they are newly and deeply in love. [Like P. Ramlee would say, "Gila Bayang, makan tak kenyang, tidur tak nyenyak, mandi tak basah!"] Again, if God forbid, if she does not find love when her younger colleagues are jumping in matrimony and moving in pairs, her work may suffer. Of course, lovers' quarrels have their toll as well. If wedding bells are heard, then it is time for the pre and post-wedding blues as well as honeymoon cystitis. Pregnancy will follow and may bring with it some anxious moments - morning sickness, lethargy, bleeding in early-stage, antenatal check-ups, complications of late pregnancy, confinement, time-off for lactation and the list goes on. Without proper contraceptives, the above will repeat itself pretty soon. Time away from work will be required when the new addition falls ill. With the expansion of the family and commitments, the zest to excel in work will take a back-burner.

Of course, these are all exaggerations. There are many hardworking and dedicated ladies in the workforce the entire world over. Happy International Women's Day. I thought it was Malaysian Political Tsunami Day - 8th March!

Gory historic details or gore fest?

Razakar: The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad (Telegu, 2024) Director: Yata Satyanarayana In her last major speech before her disposition, Sheikh Hasina accused those who opposed her rule in Bangladesh of being Razakars. The opposition took offence to this term and soon widespread mob throughout the land. Of course, it is not that that single incident brought down an elected government but a culmination of joblessness and unjust reservations for a select population group. In the Bengali psyche, Razakar is a pejorative term meaning traitor or Judas. It was first used during the 1971 Pakistan Civil War. The paramilitary group who were against the then-East Pakistani leader, Majibur Rehman, were pro-West Pakistan. After establishing independence in Bangladesh, Razakars were disbanded, and many ran off to Pakistan. Around the time of Indian independence, turmoil brewed in the princely state of Hyderabad, which had been a province deputed by the Mughals from 1794. The rule of N...

The products of a romantic star of the yesteryear!

Now you see all the children of Gemini Ganesan (of four wives, at least) posing gleefully for the camera after coming from different corners of the world to see the ailing father on his deathbed. They seem to found peace with the contributor of their half of their 46 chromosomes. Sure, growing up must have been hell seeing their respective mothers shedding tears, indulgence in unhealthy activities with one of them falling prey to the curse of the black dog, hating the sight of each step sibling, their respective heartaches all because of the evil done by one man who could not put his raging testesterones under check! Perhaps,the flashing lights and his dizzying heights that his career took clouded his judgement. After all, he was only human... Gems of Gemini Ganesan L-R: Dr Revathi Swaminathan, Narayani Ganesan, Dr Kamala Selvaraj, Rekha, Vijaya Chamundeswari and Dr Jaya Shreedhar. ( Abs: Radha Usman Syed, Sathish Kumaar Ganesan) Seeing six of Ge...

Chicken's Invite? (Ajak-ajak ayam)

In the Malay lingo, the phrase 'ajak-ajak ayam' refers to an insincere invitation. Of course, many of us invite for courtesy's sake, but then the invitee may think that the invitation is for real! How does anyone know? Inviters and invitees must be smart enough to take the cue that one party may have gatecrashed with ulterior motives, or the other may not want him to join in the first place! Easily twenty years ago, my family was invited to a toddler's birthday party. As my children were toddlers, too, we were requested to come early so that my kids could run around and play in their big compound. And that the host said she would arrange a series of games for them to enjoy. So there we were in the early evening at a house that resembled very little of one immersed in joy and celebration. Instead, we were greeted by a house devoid of activities and no guests. The host was still out shopping her last-minute list, and her helper was knee-deep in her preparations to ...

RIFLE RANGE BOY

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