Category: Fourre-tout

I was flabbergasted to read that In Indonesia (the world’s most populous Muslim country) a woman must pass a “virginity test” to become a police officer.
And nothing scientific about this degrading assessment mind you.

According to The Guardian, an Indonesian police spokesman declared, “the exam was used to establish whether applicants have a sexually transmitted infection. “
This is the most sexist and asinine statement that I ever heard!

Even if a police officer was afflicted with a sexually transmitted disease, what does it have to do with police work?
Are the people in charge afraid that the new female recruits would go on a sexual rampage and infect the entire police force?

In addition, all females must “follow a recognized religion”, be single and not marry until several years after entering the force.

Again, what does religion and virginity have to do with police work? And why does this so-called “test” pertain to women only?
Why aren’t male police officers also required to be virgins?
It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?

I don’t know why some people are so obsessed with this overrated virginity business.
Virginity is often equated with being naive, innocent, or inexperienced.
That’s not what a police force needs.
In my humble opinion prostitutes would be much better recruits than virgins.
They have experienced it all and are not likely to believe any cock and bull stories.

Who would you trust to do a better police job? A virgin or a strumpet?
Personally I would prefer the latter.

I have always thought that women can practically do anything that men can do.
They can be as good or as vicious than any man, and they often are.
But if a male supervisor is unpleasant, an unpleasant female supervisor is automatically a bitch.

As usual I see the pernicious influence of religion in this pathetic charade.
Religion demands unconditional obedience. It is a form of mind control as old as Herod and it has no bounds.
It is the antithesis of democracy and should always be subservient to freely elected (nonclerical) officials.

No man (or woman) will ever be truly free as long as clerics control his destiny!

Diderot said it better:

Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest. — Denis Diderot

It sounds a little extreme, but there is a nice ring to it.

Alain

There is nothing more vexing than recommending a restaurant to some friends and being told a few days later that your suggestion was way off the mark.

But I was there two weeks ago and everything was perfect you tell them.
Maybe they say, but yesterday the food AND the service were terrible.

Crikey!

You usually go to a restaurant to savor some particular dishes, and you know exactly what to expect. But sometimes after a few bites, you realize that your favorite fare doesn’t taste the way it should.
Something happened in the kitchen. Somebody left and the new guy is not up to speed.
Blimey! (I watch too many British productions).

In small restaurants you seldom have a “chef” (a skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation).
They are too expensive or too ambitious.

You might have a “cook” (a person who prepares and cooks the food) but most of the time the kitchen is run by people who never went to a cooking school and don’t even know how a certain dish should taste.
They go strictly by what they have been told and never bother to taste their preparation.

If a new guy shows up, he is probably not familiar with the menu and preparations will suffer.
And that’s when you fail the “consistency” test (something that does not vary in quality over time).
A major sin.

To be successful in any field, you need to be consistent. You need to fulfill customers’ expectations.
Especially in the fickle food business where you don’t often get a second chance. If dissatisfied, a customer might not return for a long time, if ever.

Nobody can afford to be a flash in the pan, a one-time wonder.
You have to be able to repeat past successes again and again to be credible.
If you can’t, your glory days will be short-lived.

Alain

Every morning while chomping on fruit and oatmeal, I scan the news on the Internet.
Obama in China… Ukraine… Iraq… Ferguson… banks fined (about time)… Kim Kardashian…
What is she up to now? Another provocative selfie?

No siree! This time she went all out with a spectacular display of her most valuable asset.
In Paper magazine’s front cover, Kim Kardashian exposes her fabulous naked oil lathered “derrière » in all its splendor.

It is a perfect, very professional shot and a PR masterstroke for the publicity seeking diva.
As a matter of fact, some people seem to think that it is too perfect (especially that unbelievable thin waist) and suspect that Photoshop might have something to do with these amazing curves.
But let’s not have an ass-inine discussion.

It is obvious that Kimmie is a narcissistic exhibitionist bent on attracting attention, but this time she succeeded beyond her wildest dream.
The Internet is ablaze with pictures of her famed caboose.

Many people believe that this provocative move was orchestrated by her dour looking husband/promoter Kanye West.
She is his personal property and he seems to think that all the attention paid to his wife will favorably reflect on him.
That remains to be seen. The creation sometimes overshadows the creator.

It is interesting to note that over the years, the emphasis of a woman’s anatomy has shifted from top to bottom.
Twenty years ago, boobs reigned supreme. The bigger the better.
Today more attention is paid to the rear end and ever-alert fashionistas have taken notice.
They will wear tight fitting clothes showcasing their gluteus maximus, and if not satisfied with the effect they will seek butt enhancement.
Today’s derriere has to be bigger, rounder and firmer and women will spare no expense to reach that Holy Grail.

There is no question that sex sells, and Kimmie undoubtedly will reap nice dividends for exposing her ass-tonishing assets.
I wouldn’t be the least surprised to see her soon in a national commercial, but better her than any carpet cleaning infomercial.

Alain