Readers (if any) of this blog will know I carefully follow the US Elections. I dutifully get up in the mornings to watch the results coming in and the debates. Yesterday was the Democratic Debate at the University of Texas. Amid heehawing cowboys and hemhawing professors, Hillary Clinton made her last stand at the Alamo, and if things go according to plan, lost. To resurrect her candidature, she needed to beat Obama in the debate, and beat him good. I think she actually beat him, but only just. Her last line, however, might just swing this election as much as her New Hampshire sob story. It had no substance, she didn't answer the question she was asked, but she touched an emotional cord. And that, in a country made up of, well, morons, was what was required.

The American voter is an interesting study. There are two kinds - the rural Republican and the urban Democrat. The rural voter is more fascinating. He is definitely a moron. He loves America, and the guy who criticises America is a Communist spy who's there to take his religion away. He wil believe whatever the white GOP candidate will tell him. He is also a definite bigot. And that's where another dichotomy steps in. One kind is the racist prick who doesn't mind being called a racist prick. He hates all niggers and Ayrabs and Jews and Eyeranians, and will only vote for the whitest candidate in the fray. The other kind has a conscience. Vaguely, he feels that being perceived as a racist is not good. So he goes out of the way to befriend blacks, Hispanics, Indians, Pakistanis, Polynesians, Martians... anyone who's not white. Of course, the frendship is like that between a person and his favourite dog. But then, only Caucasians are humans, aren't they? This is the kind of voter who will vote for Barack Obama, not because he's any good, but because not voting for him will be racist and derogatory to the African-American community. Of course, illegal immigrants should leave immediately and America should make their homelands a living hell, but they should be welcome in this great nation.

However, all American voters are united in voting for the guy they identify with the most. Of course, they'll say, "We're voting for McCain because he's gonna make sure we win in Eyeraq," but they're actually voting for him because he's a war veteran who was tortured by the Communists in 'Nam. That's probably why all the candidates left in the fray are the ones with a gimmick. Hillary's got her woman, Obama's black, McCain's a war-hero and Huckabee's a lovable former minister, who's anti-abortion. The fact that Hillary's going for universal healthcare, Obama was right on Iraq and McCain has the right immigration plan have nothing to do with it. I hope for the sake of the world, Obama wins, but if he does, don't expect him to do so because he's a great leader, he'll win because he was an inspiring talker who gave the American public short and catchy dialogue that they could understand.

God bless America!

Real Indigestion

So, just eight days left for my board exams, and I am getting the willies, whatever they are. It's really amazing how every year I manage to end up eight days before the exams, and find that I know absolutely nothing. It is a feeling to remember. Really amazing...

Fidel Castro resigned as president this week. Here is a man who is the perfect pain in the backside, which he proved to be for nine US Presidents. It is an indictment of the silencing of the voice of the poor in a country how an entire country could be subjected to the mass hysteria of the fear of Communism. I was born after the Cold War ended, so I cannot claim to be an expert, but I find it laughable that a country can fear an idea, which would basically equalise the economic status of all citizens. The only bad thing about Communist states, which I have found in history, is the creation of a totalitarian state. Is it impossible to create a state where everyone is created equal, and civil liberties are conserved? I guess not. But that's not because the idea is impossible. It's because the nature of man rejects it.

The other big story of the week is the declaration of independence in Kosovo. This wasn't as unexpected as Castro, but as big, if not bigger. It is a fascinating study in geopolitics, and how the leaders of the free world can pragmatically sign the death sentences of potentially hundreds of people in order to further their goal of world domination. For the moment, the US recognises the independence of Kosovo, the Serbian minority in the north, which basically gets cut off from their homeland, will fear retaliation for the heinous ethnic cleansing of Slobodan Milosevic. This will prompt them to go on the offensive. Also, elements within the Albanian majority will attack the minority in what the US will not term genocide. The move will also give impetus to other separatist movements in the Balkans - especially Serb movements in Bosnia, an impetus to fight for their own countries, an atmosphere which could lead to another 1992.

However the most fascinating story of the week is yet to unfold. Pakistan - well, a little less than half of Pakistan - finally came together to give the boot to all the king's men in possibly the feel-good story of a week full of turbulence. Yet their penchant for playing politics is coming to the fore with the PPP keeping its options open, which might just - and I have a sneaky feeling, that it will - save the dictator. This was probably the worst result that could have come out of the elections. A sympathy wave majority for the PPP would have meant a triumphant return to power and a definite boot for Pervez. A PML(Q) victory would have united the country under the banner of rigging accusations. But with the PPP not winning a majority, it opens a myriad of possibilities, which could involve a PPP government which does not impeach Musharraf. Or the ever growing threat of another Emergency. Mr Zardari isn't exactly the most trustworthy person around, and Nawaz Sharif will have to look behind his back for some shenanigans, which sink Pakistan even further.

And now for some domestic news. Raj Thackeray's antics set a dangerous precedent for out-of-luck politicians resorting to playing the xenophobic card to resurrect their political careers. It is the fundamental right of every citizen of India to travel and settle wherever he or she wants, and nobody has the right to target him for not having lived there for six generations. The most disturbing fact of this incident was the fact that nobody fro Mumbai's famed intelligentsia, or anyone from the political spectrum bothered to say this or speak out against this heinous crime. By keeping their silence they have sent the message that the act is condoned by them. In fact another twopenny politico in Bengal went and bashed the Meros in Bengal.

The IPL - the BCCI's attempt to make city loyalties appear from thin air was one thing that actually excited me this week. However, you cannot expect these franchisees to dish out huge moolah for a month every year. The BCCI should seriously consider replacing the worthless Ranji system with a yearlong professional league, which includes Twenty20, one-day and four-day matches. Of course their has to be the provision of a No-Objection Certificate for international players to play in the league. I believe that when you put the franchiser's money at stake, they will be forced to go and look for the exciting talents our team really needs.

Wow, a really long post, this. What a great way to release three weeks of pent-up tension!