House of horrors...

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A huge avalanche knocked two cars off a mountain pass Saturday, on the main highway to one of Colorado's largest ski areas, shortly after crowds headed through on the way to the lifts.

The gruesome tale of India’s “house of horrors”, a serial murder case that has transfixed the nation for a week, took an intriguing twist yesterday, when forensic scientists investigating the killing of at least 17 people in an upmarket Delhi suburb, prepared to apply truth serum, sodium penthanol, to the two prime suspects.

Momofuku Ando, the Japanese inventor of instant noodles, a dish that has kept me alive for a long, long time, has died. And who said that instant noodles are not good for your health? He was 96 year old when he died.

Those were the headlines for today. I knew of course what was happening in India, the serial killing of children and all of that, but I didn't mention it as I thought that other things were more important. Oh boy, was I wrong. Why, well there are several very interesting points to make here.

1. Although the missing children were reported to the police, they didn't do anything. The house owner was rich and influential, and the children were poor.

2. It looks that the organs of the victems where harvested. Police are now investigating a medical doctor as well with regards to this case. It's very noble of people to offer a kidney or any other part of their body to help people in need. It's morally wrong to pay a poor person to offer his organs for transplantation. But to kill, and not just one person, but loads of them, for this purpose is macabre.

3. Police is using "Truth serum" to find out if more people have been killed. The same article went on telling that other interogation methods would be used as well, for about 3 days in a row. This looks like that the police decided to start using methods which are illegal, and any evidence gathered will not be admissable in court. This would mean that in any western country, just by using these interogation tactics, the murderers would be free within days. Nice country India.

And lets all be quiet for 1 minute. The inventor of instant noodles has died. He died at age 96, so my guess is that living on a diet of instant noodles can get you very old.

But, as usual, I don't care whatever you do, for whatever reason, as long as you don't forget to love a soldier. Love, Jenifer Bloom. bloomjenifer@yahoo.co.uk

Trial Playboy Indonesia's editor closed to public...

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Saddam Likely to Be Hanged Before New Year.

50 Unpaid Child Laborers Freed in India. Twelve-year-old Bhola worked more than 15 hours a day for two years, without being paid, or allowed to visit his parents. On Thursday, a local non-governmental organization freed him and 49 other such children.

Islamic Hardliners Outraged as Trial of Playboy Indonesia's Editor Is Closed to the Public. The trial of Playboy Indonesia's editor-in-chief was closed to the public Thursday, angering dozens of Islamic hard-liners, who threatened to break down the courtroom doors, if they are not granted access to the proceedings. The picture says it all. The red cover, on the left, is Playboy Indonesia. Need I say more?

Those were the headlines for today. According to the article I read on the Playboy Indonesia's editor, and just have a look at their one and only cover which I reproduced as the tumbnail for this entry, Playboy Indonesia was a much watered down version from the American one, or for that matter, any western country's edition. No nudety at all. The article continued saying that, although illegal, porn movies on VCD and DVD are openly on sale in many places in Indonesia, and many magazines published are sexually for more graphically then Playboy Indonesia ever would be. The problem here is that Playboy is seen as one of Westerns great icons, representing in this case everything what is rejectable. Indonesia is home to the largest Muslim population on earth, and most of them are practizing their religion in a moderate manner. There are however hardliners who are seriously trying to go back to the basics. For all those people who are so opposed to sexy looking girls I have one question. Where do babies come from in Indonesia? Are they bought in a supermarket, or were they preceded by some serious sex between husband and wife? Don't tell me that I can't be proud of my body. And not everything that comes from the West equals bad influence.

And I'm afraid that Saddam is going to die very, very soon. His lawyer made a very reasonable request to all countries in the world by requesting that Saddam would not be handed over to the Iraqi authorities. He is, so argued the lawyer, a prisoner of war, and should not be handed over to his enemies. My best guess is that the Americans will hand him over, as soon as they can, and get it over with. But I think, that hanging Saddam would be a very, very big mistake. That could be the prelude to a very serious, filled with much violence, period. Hanging Saddam could make living and working in major cities around the world dangerous.

But as usual, I don't care whatever you do, and for whatever reason, as long as you don't forget: love a soldier. Love, Jenifer. bloomjenifer@yahoo.co.uk

India toughens laws to prevent child marriages

India tightened laws against child marriage on Tuesday, with priests, police or local leaders facing jail and fines if they permit the widespread but illegal practice. Renuka Chowdhury, minister for women and children, said the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2006 passed on Tuesday gives protection to tens of thousands of children forced into marriage every year.

"When we tell our children that they cannot vote when they are 15 years of age, we do not allow them to drive or to drink, then how is it that we think that they are capable of getting married?," Chowdhury asked the Lok Sabha.

It is strange isn't it, to arrange for your child to marry on such a young age. Before they know what love is. Before they are actually interested in the opposite sex. The reason is not clear to me: Are there not enough suitable partners, thus the ratio boys/girls is off balance, so one has to marry a partner as soon as one is spotted. Is it economically stability where the parents are looking for? I really don't know.

What I do know, from documentaries and articles, is that the girls have to move to her husbands family's home, and most of the time she will not have a very good time. I'm happy. I'm 26 years old, and no one told me, or is going to tell me, that I have to marry. That is up to me. And that is how it should be every where in the world. Don't spoil your child's youth by asking him/her to act as a grown-up. Childhood is short enough to start with.

But, as usual, I don't care whatever you do, for whatever reason, as long as you don't forget to love a soldier. Love, Jenifer Bloom. bloomjenifer@yahoo.co.uk

Indian city bans hand-pulled rickshaws

The east Indian city of Kolkata has banned hand-pulled rickshaws after a debate that raged for more than a year and ended in a vote boycotted by the opposition.

I never realized that there were still places on earth where people were pulling rickshaws. And why would they not be pulling rickshaws? The poor people who are pulling the rickshaws HAVE to do something to feed there families, and this is as a god and honest job.

The city of Kolkata is endangering the livelyhood of all those poor rickshaw-pullers by introducing this ban. But those who are in charge have obvious enough money to drive around in big cars, so they won't care.

I was just wondering if the next step would be something like: everyone has to prepare his/her own food, as it is rediculous to have someone preparing your food. And the same can be said of course for cleaning your house etc.

Please get real there in India. People will have to work to eat. And if their job is: pulling a rickshaw, so be it. Don't take away someone's job, especially if you can't make any other suitable work offers.

What ever you do: Don't forget to love a soldier. Love Jenifer. bloomjenifer@yahoo.co.uk

And, come November 2008: Hillary for president. Power to us girls.

P.S. I have a beautiful picture of a poor Indian guy pulling a rickshaw, borrowed it this morning from Yahoo, but Blogger doesn't let me upload it today. Bad luck, tomorrow better.