This was coming sooner or later! I believe it will be a miracle for India if somehow the Nukes of India do not fall into the hands of these Mullahs.... for the days of Musharraf seem to be numbered. Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has called on Pakistanis to rise up against Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf following the storming of a mosque in Islamabad. Read more

Here is an interesting video of the debate in Pakistan over Religion and Music. It is not the first one in this vein. It has happened before.... when the great Mohd Rafi (God's own voice) was persuaded by someone during his Haj to not to sing as it was against Islam. He was finally persuaded by his sons to come back. In fact, one of his sons - Ibrahim Rafi is a playback singer in Pakistan. I once met another Pakistani gentleman here in Houston who actually when to his kids' public school to protest that his kids should not be given any music, dance or any art form lessons - for it was against Islam!! We had become good friends before he told me this. It took me a while to recover from that shock for I had thought that this "Jahaalat" was the preserve of radical bearded mullahs only not one who was living and prospering in the United States! It sometimes amazes me that Sufism could actually come about when it did from within the throes of Islam with its ideas of Spirituality that would go directly against some of these hardliners (with their emphasis on beloved/wine/intoxication as expressions of God/bliss/enlightenment and art forms like poetry and music). In fact, I have been told by a few Muslim of Arabic descent how Sufis were Anti-islamic. So, what is true? Is Islam against Art and Music? Or is it just an interpretation? Well, even Aurangzeb had banned dance and music in his time. It is time that the Islamic world comes out with one answer! Read more

There is this Five Second Rule to food hygiene. What is it? Let's hear it from a sixth grader: It means that if you drop something on the ground, you can still eat it if you pick it up in five seconds And why should it be so? Well lets check out how the little ones see it: "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt.. But after five seconds, it's nasty." says Chris Evans, 13. But scientifically, it was said that five seconds is too short a time for bacteria to latch onto the food. That is why, whenever one drops the last piece of his best cake, one just surreptiously picks up and gobbles it back in! Well, the scientists at Clemson University (I haven't heard of it but since NPR is featuring it, it ought to have some weight!) now say that is all bunk! They have now concluded that that even carefully observing the 5-second rule will not protect your dropped food from gathering bacteria. Read more

Ok, so SIX years and over 3600 US Deaths and over 70,000 Iraqi civilian deaths later... the "War on Terror" is a resounding FAILURE. According to the latest report from the Government itself (wow!) that Al Qaeda has rebuilt its Operating Capability to the same level as in the Summer of 2001!! Hmm.. so we are back to square one! A new threat assessment suggests the group that launched the most devastating terrorist attack on the United States has been able to rebuild despite nearly six years of bombings, war and other tactics aimed at crippling it. Read more

How can I accept or reject anything? Is there anything apart or distinct from Brahman? Now, finally and clearly, I know that I am the Atman, whose nature is eternal joy. I see nothing. I hear nothing. I know nothing that is separate from me. -Sankara Read more

We all know that Bhagat Singh and his friends were never the favorites of Gandhi. But how much the followers of Bhagat Singh dislike Gandhi is apparent from this headline from New York Times dated March 26, 1931: 50 DIE IN INDIA RIOT; GANDHI ASSAULTED AS PARTY GATHERS; 200 Wounded in Cawnpore as Hindus and Moslems Clash in Protest Over Hangings. MAHATMA ESCAPES BEATING Aides Seize Youth Who Tries to Strike Him With Flag of Mourning at Karachi. HIS LEADERSHIP AT STAKE Ratification of Truce With Viceroy Is First Matter on Agenda of Congress Opening Tomorrow. Yorth Tries to Strike Gandhi. Leaders Agreed on Policy. 50 DIE IN INDIA RIOT; GANDHI ASSAULTED Communal Accord Sought. Troops Patrol Cawnpore. Read more