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January 29, 2008

This Just In: Guess I Was Wrong About Harry Potter Readers

Well, I was bound to get one wrong.  Those of you who read my blog regularly may remember that back in July of 2007 I wrote a blog called “This Just In: Harry Potter Readers Won't Go to Hell”.  Perhaps I spoke too soon since on January 17, 2008 Telegraph.co.uk ran a piece explaining that Harry Potter has been condemned in the official Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano.
 
See what I said in 2007.
 
See how wrong I was here.
 

Sorry Harry fans, as far as the Vatican is concerned…you’re doomed.

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January 17, 2008

Malaysia: The Saga Continues

Yes, it’s back to Malaysia.  Those of you loyal readers know that in June of last year I visited the quagmire that is the Malaysian Constitution.  Well, you’ll be pleased to know that the kids there still aren’t playing nice with each other.
 
This time it’s all about Mazu, the Taoist goddess of the sea.  More precisely, it’s about the construction of the world’s tallest statue of the goddess that is causing trouble.  The selected site for the statue is the coastal town of Kudat in Sabah state on the northern tip of Borneo Island.  Seems appropriate, right?  Guess again!  According to AsiaNews.it, “After the state government halted construction Sabah’s mufti issued a fatwa saying the statue was ‘offensive to Islam’ because it was too close to a mosque.”  The Associated Press (via International Herald Tribune) points out that the statue is being constructed on private property.
 
Obviously this is annoying, but why is this issue getting so much attention?  As the Tribune points out “Malaysia has prided itself on decades of multiracial harmony”.  Those of you who read my last Malaysia blog know that this is simply not the case, and hasn’t ever been, thanks to the conflicting messages of their Constitution.
 
AsiaNews.it says, “Malaysian commentators and minority leaders have sounded the alarm over the growing ‘Islamisation’ of the country.”  Seems to me, they have reason for concern.

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January 10, 2008

Some Thoughts on Underwear....

Okay, so I stumbled across the BEST story at Earthtimes.org right before the holidays hit.  I became caught up with the holidays, etc. and didn’t get around to sharing it with you until now.  Here it is.
 
According to Earthtimes.org, “India’s eastern state of Orissa has lodged a protest with the US government seeking action against a California-based website for hurting religious sentiments of people by selling undergarments with images of Hindu gods.”  It goes on to say that “Hindu priests and religious groups had slammed the website, cafepress.com, for selling undergarments embellished with faces of several gods and goddesses, including the presiding deities of Jagannath temple, considered among the most sacred Hindu temples in India.”
 
I get it, no one wants to see their deities on underwear, but I’m forced to ask…was anyone buying it?  And if so, who?  I mean, when it comes to underwear, I’ll admit it, I’m a pretty boring lady, but if I was going to hit Cafepress for some fun undies, I certainly wouldn’t start with some that had Hindu deities on them.
 
I’m forced to mention, because it was so clever, that Jim said that many bachelors should consider buying boxer shorts with the Hindu God Ganesh on them.  After all, Jim points out, he is the remover of obstacles.  Get it?  Yep, that’s the level of high intellectual discourse in our household.
 
Of course, I’m no better.  I suggested that you could get much more entertainment by visiting my friend Greg’s food blog, What Greg Eats.  At his Cafepress store you can buy ladies underwear that says “What Greg Eats” on them.  Now that’s comedy!

Not to make light of the obvious pain that all of this is causing to the folks in Orissa, but trust me guys, I can’t imagine anyone is wearing that underwear!

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