Rangoonism

In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. In her acceptance speech, she called for the world to be “FREE OF THE DISPLACED, THE HOMELESS, AND THE HOPELESS.”

Suu Kyi, a student from the Convent of Jesus and Mary School in New Delhi, had graduated in Politics from Lady Shri Ram College. Suu Kyi later obtained a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and an M.A degree in Politics from St Hugh's College, Oxford. She was also later elected as an Honorary Fellow of St Hugh's in 1990.

After graduating, she lived in New York City and worked at the United Nations for three years, primarily on budget matters and shortly thereafter married Michael Vaillancourt Aris, a British historian who wrote and lectured on Bhutanese, Tibetan and Himalayan culture and history. He was the then State Counselor of Myanmar.

Unfortunately, Aris died of prostate cancer on his 53rd birthday in 1999, in Oxford.

After 1989, when his wife was first placed under house arrest, he had seen her only five times, the last of which was for Christmas in 1995, after Suu Kyi had been released for the first time.
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Today, Suu Kyi is under attack for not taking a stand against the brutality and wave of terror unleashed on the Rohingya Muslims.

Am not going to details here, but according to UN reports there have been close to 300,000 Rohingya Muslims, who have crossed over to Bangladesh to escape persecution by the MYANMAR ARMY. Furthermore, it is reported that over 1,000 Rohingya people have also been killed.

Oxford Council had bestowed the freedom of the city on her in 1997, when she was being held as a political prisoner by Myanmar’s military junta for her "struggle for democracy."

Well, what I now find funny is that it is the same Oxford Council that is stripping Aung San Suu Kyi, of the Freedom of Oxford over the Rohingya Muslim crisis. The governing body of St Hugh’s college has also decided to remove the painting of the Nobel laureate from its main entrance. According to Beebs, the council leader, Bob Price, had supported the motion, reportedly calling it an “unprecedented step” for the local authority. They believe that the City's reputation has been 'tarnished by honoring those who turn a blind eye to violence.

What I find it even more amusing is that a number of British institutions say they are reviewing or removing honors bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi during her campaign for democracy.

Little do people realize Beebs has a love-hate relationship with Suu Kyi?

It is claimed that Suu Kyi made an angry 'Muslim' comment after a tense exchange with BBC presenter Mishal Husain
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Mishal, whom I personally knew as a kid while in the Middle East has blossomed well… Born to an erudite Pakistani Doctor, and an even more charming wife, Shama!

Like the usual story, Tazi Husain and his wife were neighbors in Rawalpindi. They got married and moved to the UK where he specialized to become a Surgeon and later moved on to the Middle East.after getting his FRCS.

Mishal was their progeny and if I remember clearly, she had a brother too. She was there during my time in Middle East, and like all Expat children, she did her schooling in the International School. Little did I realize she would go on to become a News Anchor and that too with Beebs…? All I remember about her was a shy girl with ponytails laughing off at parties with big eyes.

Having said that, I am not taking sides here, Mishal is a good presenter and can stand her ground. Adding to Suu Kyi’s misery, the whole issue was just blown out of proportion.

I wish it was some other presenter who had done this... I sometimes shudder to think, if it was Christianne Amanpour.

Anyway, this should not in anyway deviate from our main issue.

For someone who has spent over 15 years in Prison, I think there is something wrong somewhere… Of course, I could always be wrong.

Besides, I have this habit of mouthing myself off in the wrong places.

Aung San Suu Kyi‘s STORY IS ONE OF COURAGE AND DETERMINATION, ESPECIALLY THE WAY SHE TOOK ON THE MIGHT OF THE MILITARY JUNTA FOR RESTORING DEMOCRACY.

Now, that takes a lot of spunk!

She also spend over 15 years in prison... that takes even more guts!

Although in the 1990 general elections, Suu Ki’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), witnessed a resounding victory, the MILITARY JUNTA refused to recognize the results.

The military kept Suu Kyi under house arrest for 15 years. In spite of her captive years, she kept fighting for the restoration of democracy and for ensuring the fundamental rights of the people.

In the 2015 general elections, her party once again achieved a landslide victory. This finally forced the military junta to call Suu Kyi to form the government, and consequently ended 50 years of military rule.

Funnily, she was unable to become President because of a constitutional amendment her father had formulated, which debars citizens married to foreigners from taking the Presidential office. Therefore, she now holds the position of the State Counselor, a position akin to a Prime Minister.

Tell me, Rangoonwala… is there not something fishy?

For someone who studied in India, imbibed its culture, went to the UK, and qualified in multiple specialties and worked in the UN…it just isn’t right (personal opinion, you might say)… Married to a English Historian who specialized in Bhutanese, Tibetan and Himalayan culture and history…

And now being blamed for ethnic cleansing...

Ethnic cleansing is something you associate with Hitler, or Heinrich Himmler, or Joseph Goebbels or in the modern day times… Radovan Karadzic, or the Bosnian Serb military commander, General Ratko Mladic….not some lady who spent 15 years in prison.

There is something wrong somewhere.

Besides, this is not surprising given Myanmar’s history with the Military Junta. It had been in power for over 50 years.

They say that Nawaz Sharif is just a puppet in the hands of the Army, and he virtually has little control in the running of the state. Now that is no state secret. I am not saying that it could be a similar scenario in Myanmar, but it is a possibility, and this needs to be sorted out at the earliest.

Isn’t it strange that a Buddhist country have abandoned the teachings of Gautam Buddha, who advocated non-violence, compassion, and brotherhood?

Now they want to strip her off her Nobel Prize as well.

If Suu Kyi fails to act, she will go down in history as an unworthy recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize. She should heed the advice of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In his open letter to her, he said,

“If the political price of your ascension to the highest office is silence, the price is surely too steep… We pray for you to intervene in the escalating crisis and guide your people back towards the path of righteousness.”

IN THE MEANTIME, THE UN SHOULD PRESSURE MYANMAR’S MILITARY JUNTA TO PUT AN END TO THE KILLING AND FIND A SOLUTION TO RESTORE PEACE IN THE REGION.

I think it would be nice if someone traveled to a neighboring country, Malaysia, and interviewed Mahathir Mohammed and the supposed sodomizer Mr. Anwar Ibrahim. The poor bloke has been serving term for close to 19 years, and for what… Sodomy!

Maan, here we are talking about ethnic cleansing and Suu Kyi!

Mahathir has recently stated that he has no objection to Mr. Anwar Ibrahim being Premier and will support him in the coming elections. What a joke, after 18 years Malaysia’s Mahathir plans to support Anwar.

Hoo La… what a Backing (pardon the pun)!

The world has truly become a place of hate.

To quote Bob Geldof in a recent interview…and to think that I once admired this bloke (perhaps it could be senility... am still willing to forgive him for his rant!)

Bob Geldof says Aung San Suu Kyi has become 'one of the great ethnic cleansers'.

I am sick of these leaders. I am sick of Putin. I’m sick of Xi Jinping. I’m sick of Trump. I’m sick of Erdogan. I loathe these people. I despise them. How dare they behave in the manner they behave?

Geldof also took aim at the current problems facing the world and said that the “old traditions have failed us.” “They give us this imbecilic inequality,” he said. “How did we allow it to happen? How is that just? And, how is it human? It is a world without leadership.”

Monay Boba...you tell us!

He closed by urging the young people in attendance to come up with the ideas that would change the world for the better.

Pinne…

Young guys to come up with ideas, so that you can point fingers later.

Nee Poda…

Pappa Baranam Vendappa!

Where Do You Go To My Lovely When You Are Alone In Your Head

We all live two identities, but are afraid to openly express and live the other identity, because of the social ostracism that we may have to face.

I decided to write this, where I interconnected my Dr. Jekyll identity with my alter ego, Mr. Hyde, and found it rather thought provoking.

People always speak about their forever non-dominating, non-controlling, and non-resistant Dr. Jekyll sides, but never their alter egos. Therefore, I thought it would be unfair if a piece was not written for Mr. Hyde, (pardon me if he resembles any living character, as this was written out of pure Saturday blues, and some excess malted barley water for company!).

Jekyll & Hyde Together

Mr. Hyde is a control freak and does not like being laughed at!

But then, control dramas, never work the way that we want.

Even with a child, control tactics will only meet with resistance. You are not running a boot camp, you could be running an organization, perhaps even a country.

Is There A Way Out?

Begin with trusting employees, who by nature, want to do good work. Always be available to guide and provide them advice, if and when necessary.

You have to also realize that it has become increasingly difficult to function with virtual images these days. As a result, psychic communication is increasingly becoming passe.

Hence, most visions end up as hallucinations. As a result, people who end up trying to execute their visions, eventually fail. It is the ability to distinguish the vision from the hallucination that really matters.

This is the reason that people fail to realize, that, it is a thin thread that separates Mr. Hyde with Dr. Jekyll, and one slip could easily end up classifying Jekyll as a Mr. Hyde!

An Analysis Of Your Hyde Levels

Now returning to where we started… most of the market today, works on AI (Artificial Intelligence), which incidentally works on a funny code. That is, a 1, 2, and a 1, 2, 0 standards. More like a binary code in computer jargon.

For somebody not quick on the uptake, and not familiar with the binary code, you will surely be lost!

Is There an Alternate Way?

NLP or neuro-linguistic-programming should be a lot more organized… as few seem to understand it.

Now did someone say something?

Yes, I heard it… you said something!

Must make an appointment with my psychiatrist!

So, how do we solve this?

Now let us create A as the demand, and B as the supply, and C as the constant, so that whenever there is a break in communication we can always move over to the other side. In other words, you have to know both sides…

Oops, ego beckons…. Let us bathe in it… or else one cannot control the neurotic… I mean Hyde!

Where Does The Male And Female Elements Fit In Such A Process?

One of the hottest ideas in today’s minds, or let me put that it in a better way “the current market mindset” is driven by female masturbation…

Personally, I have nothing against it, nor in anybody pleasuring herself, it is just the fact that I don’t own a vibrator store, or else, I could have at least made a killing out of such a market mindset.

Leaving bad investments and dreams aside, if this mindset continues we can definitely expect many ideas to “flow.”

The most interesting and humorous aspect is that the female community is going at it with no “hang-ups” let alone, any qualms in discussing it. It is just another “finger in the pie” aspect. Worst case – fingers in different pies, at least from their point of view.

They do not even need a Gynecologist these days.

Does this mindset extend to the male species, some of you may ask.

Most definitely, the male has been at it for centuries.

Unfortunately, this turn of mindset has been quite shocking for the male member. He for one, has never thought of competition from the opposite species. In a way, the male member has lost its usual regalia and position, and as a result needs some coaxing to even to get in to his previous position, let alone get going…

The jamming is so much that he misinterprets any ideas and as a result, he ends up in the manhole… this for sure is not the right path to ecstasy.

It’s funny that all this while, the male species have had their fingers in any hole they could find and suddenly, they are out of a job and landing in their own.

Absolutely a drastic thought…

We need a change…

They are even making movies about it in India.

“Toilet Ek Prem Katha!” (Toilet, A Love Story)

Now, Where Do You Go My Lovely When You Are Alone In Your Bed?

After the glitter fades, beneath the leather and lace, we are just scared, trying to learn how to love, amid the gaudy after images. And, when darkness falls, and we crouch naked and are alone in our slack, aging bodies, snuffling with fear, and snarling at the grinning phantasms of our toilet-flushed dreams, with a fistful of pills to keep us company.

For starters, we could try and think the opposite, with their members and the male manhole.
Masturbation apart, let us take on another issue – to use our ability to laugh.

It is the most powerful thing that we have been given, and it is our greatest gift, especially if we can “laugh at ourselves.”

When you make fun of what frightens you, you get a mastery over it and gain control.
So go ahead, act silly.

When you throw your head back and laugh, you are not thinking of anything else.
So, here is your anecdote for the day…

It is a beautiful spring day and a man and his wife are at the zoo. She has on a close-fitting, low-cut, summer dress with spaghetti straps. As they walk through the ape exhibit, and pass in front of a very large gorilla, it goes agape.

He jumps up on the bars, he grunts, he pounds his chest. He is obviously excited at the sight of the young lady in the sundress. The husband, noticing the ape’s excitement, suggests that his wife tease the ape a bit.

The husband suggests that she pucker her lips and wiggle her bottom. She does, and the ape gets even more excited, making noises that would wake the dead.

Then her husband suggests that she let one of the straps of her dress slips down. She does, and Mr. Gorilla nearly tears down the bars.

Her husband suggests she lift her dress up her thighs and she does. This drives Mr. Gorilla absolutely nuts.

Then quickly the husband grabs his wife, rips open the door to the cage, flings her inside with the Gorilla, slams the door shut and gleefully rubbing his hands together says.

Now, tell him you have a HEADACHE!

Laughter is the best thing you can do for your health.

“The old saying that ‘laughter is the best medicine,’ definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart,” says Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine. It not only protects your heart, but also prevents a stroke!

So, go ahead and laugh at yourself, and appreciate the importance of laughter.

After the glitter fades, beneath the leather and lace, we are just scared, trying to learn how to love, amid the gaudy after images. And when darkness falls, and we crouch naked and are alone in our slack, aging bodies, snuffling with fear, and snarling at the grinning phantasms of our toilet-flushed dreams, with a fistful of pills to keep us company.

For starters, we could try and think the opposite... with their members and the male manhole...

Masturbation apart, let us take on another issue - to use our ability to laugh.

It is the most powerful thing that we have been given, and it is our greatest gift, especially if we can "laugh at ourselves."

When you make fun of what frightens you, you get a mastery over it and gain control.

So go ahead, act silly.

When you throw your head back and laugh, you are not thinking of anything else.

So, here is an anecdote for the day...

It is a beautiful spring day and a man and his wife are at the zoo. She has on a close-fitting, low-cut, summer dress with spaghetti straps. As they walk through the ape exhibit, and pass in front of a very large gorilla, it goes ape.

He jumps up on the bars, he grunts, he pounds his chest. He is obviously excited at the sight of the young lady in the sundress. The husband, noticing the ape’s excitement, suggests that his wife tease the ape.

The husband suggests that she pucker her lips and wiggle her bottom.... She does, and the ape gets even more excited, making noises that would wake the dead...

Then her husband suggests that she let one of the straps of her dress slips down... She does and Mr. Gorilla is about to tear down the bars...

Her husband suggests she lift her dress up her thighs and she does. This about drives Mr. Gorilla crazy...

Then quickly the husband grabs his wife, rips open the door to the cage, flings her inside with the Gorilla, slams the door shut and gleefully rubbing his hands together says...

Now, tell him you have a HEADACHE!

Laughter is the best thing you can do for your health.

"The old saying that 'laughter is the best medicine,' definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart," says Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine.

If not only protects your heart, but also prevents a stroke!

So, go ahead and laugh at yourself and just appreciate the importance of laughter...

You Can Run But You Can’t Hyde

(With due apologies to the late Peter Sarstedt)…

Where Do You Go To My Lovely When You Are Alone In Your Bed… I Know The Thoughts That Surrounds You, Cause I Can Look Inside Your Head!

I Read Playboy For The Articles

As a semi-struggling writer, I would just like to say a few words about Hefner, the quintessential Playboy…

Let's also take a moment to remember that "I read Playboy for the articles" is more than just a joke.

Way back when I was up to the nose in puberty and the Internet didn't exist for us commoners, when I did happen to come across a 'Playboy', I'd ... err ... peruse the pictures quite a bit… After a while, the reading addict I am, would inevitably get caught up in one of the articles and start reading it. And then all of them. To be honest, I was surprised at how well written some of those were.

That said, I've never bought a 'Playboy' or similar magazine as an adult… (Much as some college friends might disagree!)

The Playboy's literary aspect was vast... most readers would agree with me on this aspect.

Mentioned below are some of the many such pieces that further substantiates this, and just does not view Playboy with the brand marketing it is associated with.

  Ayn Rand's Playboy Interview

 Stephen King publishes poem in Playboy

Orson Welles Playboy Interview

Now to highlight the literary aspect… (I just copied this from the net about a ’68 Playboy issue) …

It's December 1968 and you grab a mag at the local newsstand. (picture given below)

The table of contents includes the following... A quartet of short stories by Alberto Moravia... a symposium on creativity with contributions from Truman Capote, Lawrence Durrell, James T. Farrell, Allen Ginsberg, Le Roi Jones, Arthur Miller, Henry Miller, Norman Podhoretz, Georges Simenon, Isaac Bashevis Singer, William Styron and John Updike.. Humor pieces from Jean Shepherd and Robert Morley… An article on pacifism in America by Norman Thomas… A piece on how machines will change our lives by Arthur C. Clarke…An essay on "the overheated image" by Marshall McLuhan… Contributions from Eric Hoffer and Alan Watts…An article in defense of academic irresponsibility by Leslie Fiedler…A memoir of Hemingway by his son Patrick… Eldridge Cleaver interviewed by Nat Hentoff…A travel piece by the espionage novelist Len Deighton…And the first English translation of a poem by Goethe.

Yes, folks, that was Playboy!

And lest you think that issue was a fluke, an overstuffed Christmas goodie, the ad for the January 1969 issue promises a story from P.G. Wodehouse, an article by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, fiction from Robert Coover and Sean O'Faolain, and a never before published tale by Lytton Strachey.

Phew!

Now back to Hef and Playboy...

 1973 Playmate of The Year party at the Playboy Mansion with Hefner

Playboy's pages became cherished terrain for writers who wanted to experiment and stretch their boundaries. Playboy "was bold and frank… Contributors over the years have included a galaxy of stars, among them Kurt Vonnegut, Jack Kerouac, Margaret Atwood, Shel Silverstein, Norman Mailer, Jimmy Breslin and Joyce Carol Oates.

Sure, the reason most of us started reading Playboy was for the girls!

Still, Playboy did appeal to a much broader audience than its advertising and brand identity suggested “If you take nudity out, what’s left?”

Over the years, to be fair, Playboy faced the same issues that porn companies have faced for years. How do you make money in a landscape overflowing with free pornography?

Adult-industry experts lament at the porn glut and wonder how to stay alive. Playboy finds itself now just as disposable as the beautiful women who have worked for it as models over the years.

Hugh Hefner, once told Playmates at a reunion: "Without you, I'd be the publisher of a literary magazine."

Playboy Editorial Board 1970

And then what is any piece nowadays without the mention of the Big T!

 Donald Trump and 'Playboy': A lengthy history

People may never be a fan of Hugh Hefner, but I will say his publication has and had more intellectual merit than many realize.

Of course, when buying one and checking out, remember to ask for a brown paper bag!