Malaysian Exquisite Batik Used in Drug-Smuggling Ploy

No one would even dare to link the beautiful batik silk with drugs, to some fierce batik artisans, that is comparable to lighting fire under Karl Lagerfeld's empire.  The Malaysian...

Thaksin's Moment: To Be or Not To Be?

First it was just rumours, then a few hours afterwards it was proven to be true - atypical of theatrical Thaksin, the scorned but once beloved ex-Prime Minister of Thailand to lead the local...

Sunday's Fancying a Day at the Uffizi

Opinion: I have a very soft spot for acutely detailed art and my favourites ranges from the ever popular High Rennaisance to the much criticised Impressionist era. So when I was going through some of the...

Disturbing Trend of "Accidental" Killings

Its difficult enough to wake up in the morning and read news of politically-inflicted wars, of gruesome beheadings and the wobbling state of the world financial market. And oh yes, we haven't included...

Global Talks, De'tente and Tea with Mussolini

Opinion/news: I have no brilliant fireworks like Beijing's Olympic opening for you here but I'm up for some boring world news if you are. So let's permit ourselves for a second to move away from...

Covering Art or Covering the Truth My Dear Berlusconi?

If art work could talk, then I think Picasso's 'Garcon ala Pipe' (Boy with a pipe) the most expensive* painting ever sold in an auction would certainly say: "Hey chump, I know you just paid like $140* million...

We Quote, Unquote and uh... "Misquote"

Say Prof, what is the definition of history again? In my (small and dusty) dictionary it says and I quote: History\His"to*ry\[Latin: historia, Greek: 'istori`a, English: hysteria} - oops.....

Getting Jiggy With Your Plants and Animals

" Researches to herd headset-wearing cows from afar - August 5th, 2008 - U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher Dean M. Anderson, work to corral cattle remotely through a high-tech device that funnels sounds...

Attack of Jellyfish Swarm:Ocean's Alarm for Help

"Beware of the attack of the jellyfish swarm". Sounds like a cheesy tagline of a grade-B movie isn't it? Well rest assured that this isnt a movie review and before you squirm away from reading the rest, try...

Sunday's Reflection on 'Rubaiyat' (Poems) of Omar Khayyam

Eli Khamarov once said " Poets are soldiers that liberate words from steadfast possession of definition"  while Yolanda Giovanni Jr described the best poet is when he captures a reader ...."Ever...

Animal Rights:Our Consciousness and Better Policies

In our quest for the most delicious hamburger... admit it, we usually don't give but a passing thought to the fate of the cattles that we're chewing on. The most important thing to us at the time is...

Post-Mortem : A Change in World Trade Process

This is a follow up story and I'll just cover this briefly for those who followed the news on the collapse of global trade talks after 7 years of negotiations since the Doha round in 2001. " GENEVA: 1st August...

Greek's Ancient 'Antikythera' Computer Deciphered

I think someone else on NP had higlighted the story of this ancient computer, but I find it too interesting not to do a little bit more research, find out the story behind it and not share it with...

World Trade Talks Collapsed After 7 Years

There has always been a double edged sword in the fight for economic freedom. And with the rise of China and India in power and economy, the US is finding it more difficult in making them heel and sing along to...