ROCKING CONTROVERSY: Michael raps US policy

George Michael was better known for his changing sexual preferences and permanent tan rather than for his political views. So the British singer's blatant assault on the US foreign policy and UK's acquiescence in it in his new single Shoot the Dog did raise more than a few eyebrows.

The animated pop video shows British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a poodle being cossetted by US President George Bush as a ship's captain steering Britain towards America. It also shows the singer attempting to seduce Cherie Blair. A line targeting the US policy on 9/11 goes like this: "Nine nine nine gettin' jiggy. People did you see that fire in the city? It's like you are getting fresh out of democratic. Gotta get yourself a little something semi-automatic."

Speaking to The Daily Mirror, the singer who has long courted controversy in his musical career said, "Our Government needs to reassure our Islamic population that we are not going into the Middle East with a gung-ho attitude, blindly following America." In a way the whole episode has shown how the changing political dynamics, post 9/11, has captured the global imagination, as wildly as it can get.

-Ishara Bhasi

INDIANS ABROAD
Eating Disorders

Far removed from Karol Bagh's cultural menu, the Punjabi guy wasn't sure whether to eat non-veg meals in Malaysia or not. Eating joints here display "halal" certificates, perplexing religiously confused Indians who go on "phoren" holidays to eat gourmet non-veg meals. "I want to eat the Lebanese meat rolls but is it a paap (sin)?" he asked pointing to a Kyros Kebabs counter. His wife, who was looking for "perfume-verfume" at KLCC, a huge mall beneath Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers shrugged dismissively.

Malaysia has a number of Tamil-speaking immigrant Indians. They are really hospitable. "Specially for you miss," said the taxi driver as an obnoxious remix of Hindi songs belted out from the cassette player. "I often park my 'teksi' and sit back to watch Indian tourists," he quipped. We know what he means. The rupee may be worth whatever, but Indians abroad provide an endearing mix of colour and entertainment.

-Shefalee Vasudev

Systemic Collapse

Eight months ago, Enron was an aberration. Now, after Arthur Anderson, Global Crossing, WorldCom and Xerox, the energy giant's collapse seems to be part of a systemic collapse facing corporate America. Analysts say that over 1,000 top corporates have revised their results in the past one year, showing that window dressing in the US has become a norm than an exception.

The White House, facing a crucial Senate election this November, has been quick on damage control. For Dubya the ignominy was greater at the G-8 summit in Canada, where the US was rapped for corporate misdemeanours.

-Anil Padmanabhan