Rogue Trader

I am currently working on a short-story about a day in the life of a prostitute. And no, although it seems to be a common reaction, I am not and never was in the business of soliciting (ie. selling my body for sex). My work is written purely from a fictional point of view and I have never (knowingly) been friends or acquaintanced with someone in this industry. However, the theme has got me thinking about how we abuse our minds and bodies every day as human beings albeit in different ways.

In a way, I think very few of us can ever truly say that they haven't had to forgo the dignity of our true interests, or passions in the pursuit of making money, which is ultimately what most people consider to be so wrong about prostitution: dignity. In the minds of some the art of making money itself commands respect. Let's face it, if our closest friends and family had sold sex for money then we wouldn't be happy, but if they made loads of money and never told us then we would think they're doing quite well? I mean, I would soon begin to ask where the money is coming from, so they'd have to at least make up a good story.

Money is money. Isn't it?

Rachid Nekkaz

French Businessman to pay all burqa fines. See the article here.

Finally! I am so glad people are beginning to realise what a stupid idea the burqa ban is. When people remove emotion from their perspective on the situation they'll notice the hypocrisy. I am not a Muslim and I do think the burqa segregates women from society (it is not something I would ever wear), however, this act more of a political and racial target than it is about women's rights. The worst thing is that it adds fire to the arguments of ignorant and narrow-minded people.

Women may be 'freer' in today's societies but in gaining that freedom we have taken on other pressures; to be successful career-women, wonderful mothers, housewives and all the while looking like a supermodel. Our society is just as hard on women as some that you'd consider 'backwards'. Sure, our women can drive and vote, but is pay equal for men and women? No! How many modern protagonists in novels are women? Very few. How many of the world's leaders are women? Has France EVER had a female president? No! How many CEO's of the Forbes-100 companies are women? Very few again.

Regime Change - Andrew Motion

Advancing down the road from Nineveh
Death paused a while and said 'Now listen here.

You see the names of places roundabout?
They're mine now, and I've turned them inside out.

Take Eden, further south: At dawn today
I ordered up my troops to tear away

Its walls and gates so everyone can see
That gorgeous fruit which dangles from its tree.

You want it, don't you? Go and eat it then,
And lick your lips, and pick the same again.

Take Tigris and Euphrates; once they ran
Through childhood-coloured slats of sand and sun.

Not any more they don't; I've filled them up
With countless different kinds of human crap.

Take Babylon, the palace sprouting flowers
Which sweetened empires in their peaceful hours -

I've found a different way to scent the air:
Already it's a by-word for despair.

Which leaves Baghdad - the star-tipped minarets,
The marble courts and halls, the mirage-heat.

These places, and the ancient things you know,
You won't know soon. I'm working on it now.'

Richard Haass

I am not convinced by the following report made by the BBC News about 10:30 am today:

Richard Haass, president of the US Council of Foreign Relations, has told
the Financial Times that an international force is "likely to be needed to
restore and maintain order" [in post-Gaddafi Libya].

Hmm...I wonder if protecting oil is something at the top of America's priorities? I'm just sayin'.

Asmaa Mahfouz

The now well-known Egyptian blogger Asmaa Mahfouz has allegedly been detained for making the following comments on her Facebook page about the Supreme Council of Armed Forces in Egypt: "If this judiciary doesn't give us our rights, nobody should be surprised if armed militant groups appear and conduct a series of assassinations because there is no law and no judiciary."

Now, for all those that don't know who Asmaa is, watch this. About a week before the Egyptian revolution in January Asmaa, aged 26, posted this video calling her fellow countrymen and women to protest against human rights abuses in the country and to demand a change in government. To me her language and persuasion is a bit excessive, especially the part where she says: "if you stay at home, you will deserve all that is being done to you". Errr, okayyyy. So, because Godfather 3 (my favourite by the way) was on the night of the revolutions, I deserve it if my family and neighbours are beaten, or worse?

Okay folks, by my own admission I am not so politically active; and I know it is easy for me to criticise sitting here in the 'Western World' where, hey, I have all the human rights I need, right? But, to me democracy is not just about shouting in the streets, or painting my face red and breaking a few car windows in protest (sorry, that's called 'rioting'), it's about choice. I feel mildly political about certain subjects, but have I ever donned my hat, made a twelve-foot banner saying 'Free Palestine' or 'Eggy-Cleggy' (referring to Nick Clegg, the somewhat haphazard deputy Prime Minister)? No. Why? Because that just ain't my thaing. And also because I think that if I want to see change in something, I have to do something about it, rather than just throw hand rockets in the street.

Now I am not averse to studying - even if minutely - the effectiveness of protests. I was apprehensive about the Egyptian Revolution as it was happening and I am thoroughly glad things seem to be moving in a good direction. No doubt, this is a credit to the Egyptians and couldn't have been done without people like Asmaa. However, while some people enjoy being active in politics and shouting out in the streets, sitting at home doesn't mean that you do not love your country, as Asmaa would have us believe. Yes, it was good old People Power that stormed Egyptians to victory in defeating the mighty monster Mubarak, but as I stated during the time, look at the demographics.