20 questions

10

How do I phrase this delicately? There is this man of strong views. He knows almost everyone on this planet. Everyone who matters anyway ... He has an opinion on almost everything. And also, I almost forgot to mention, he is the editor of one of the most influential newspapers in the country. Like all ordinary mortals, I look at him with a mix of awe, suspicion, envy and sexual longing .. cross that last one out ... He could be the next Jean Paul Sartre, if he had more hair and waxed his beard ... or the next Simone de Beauvoir if he went in for a sex change operation/switched mode of dress to long flowing robes ... or maybe even Sean Connery if he was a foot taller ... or even Nehru but for the rose .. one never knows, he may have one tatooed onto his hairy....

The win-win formula

5

Is it possible to mix ideals with politics and win? There is a new group of Europeans. And they are planning for an eventual parliamentary seat by 2009. They are neither Right, nor Left nor does the group seem to be centrist. Newropeans is supposed to be the first trans-European political movement for the democratisation of the European Union. Newropeans is a political answer to the lack of leadership which is demonstrated in everyday policy making and to the growing will of European citizens to have a say on European Union decisions. This is their website www.newropeans.org. There is a new group of Indians. They are 5 IITians in their 20s. They have formed a political party called Paritrana. These boys are neither right nor Left nor do they seem centrist. This is their website http://www.lokparitran.org. Win-win for both by 2009? ....

Dirty Dancing ( with addendum)

6

Bombay this is for you: In New York City there's an infamous Cabaret or the Footloose law. (information: thanks to New York Press) It dates back to 1926. The law says it requires any establishment that sells food or drink to have a cabaret license if three or more people move in a synchronised fashion or three or more musicians are performing. For fun's sake why doesn't Bombay have a law like this. The New York laws are rooted in racism acoording to Paul Chevigny who wrote a book, 'Gigs, Jazz and the Cabaret Laws in New York'. For Bombay, the laws should provide unadulterated fun to the city's moral police. Once the Footloose Law sets in Bombay, the city can fight again and stop its dance bars. There are hardly any Gigs or Jazz in Bombay, but there are dance bars and so there is a....