The day after Apple introduced the iPad, Macmillan went to Amazon to negotiate the pricing of their products. Amazon was selling their ebooks at $9.99, when their print versions normally go for between $5.99 and $14.99. Amazon was also taking a huge cut of commission, but Macmillan basically wanted to get the same deal they were getting with Apple. So, as a result, Amazon stopped selling Macmillan books. However, on Sunday, Amazon said it would start reselling Macmillan books because they have a “monopoly over their own titles.” [1]
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Tags: Ethics, Technology
A French parliamentary committee has recommended banning Muslim headcoverings. The committee’s report claims that it “is the symbol of the repression of women, and… of extremist fundamentalism.” [1]
BBC reports that many in the UK also want this ban, claiming that it is “not British.” There is obviously a racist underpinning to such a statement, but I’m not even going to go there for now. What really unnerved me was what the journalist was implying about freedom of religion: “In a country [France] where the separation of state and religion is enshrined in law, a parliamentary committee report ruled the veil as “contrary to the values of the republic’…” [2]
And now begins my rant. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: China, Christianity, Ethics, United Kingdom, USA
Maybe I’m just a bit emotional right now, but I really do miss my dear husband. He’s been away on an extended business trip, first to Frankfurt (the expected part) and now to Bangalore (the unexpected part). I know he is in good hands, with good friends and colleagues. I know he misses me too. But I do miss him so.
I watched a girly chick flick tonight too “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” and that made me cry and miss Alex even more. All very much my own doing, I know. During this ‘alone’ time, I do realize how much I take Alex for granted. I suppose that’s one aspect of the famous quote “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”. When Alex is with me, I don’t really see so clearly how much he loves me. When we are apart, we make more effort (well, we need to make the effort) to talk to one another and to really treasure the little time we have to talk with one another. And we make the effort to say the little things that we don’t say as much normally on a day-to-day basis, like “I love you” instead of “how come this huge dining table is filled with books??” Yeah, I know that I nag too much (sorry dear!). I just pray that I will remember these times of absence so that my heart will always grow fonder, regardless of where the both of us are 
Tags: Relationships
I just watched the UK’s most recent episode of Ugly Betty, and I was pretty shocked by it. I know it’s TV and all, and I hope there’ll be a good redemption episode upcoming, but I was pretty appalled by the way people acted in this episode.
1. Betty made a ‘terrible’ mistake in befriending a competing magazine rival. She was betrayed by that person who impersonates her and steals something precious from Betty. Okay, this does unfortunately happen in real life.
2. Betty and colleague go and basically steal that precious thing back and are praised for it by their boss. What’s with that? I know, once again it’s TV and I suppose it’s entertaining but still! I wonder if this would happen in real life.
3. And then all these affairs happening, not exactly affairs and I suppose relationships have all these layers of issues. But this part, I was not as surprised by, which makes it even more sad because now I’m numb from hearing/seeing people basically betraying their loved ones.
Maybe I’ve been a little sensitive today. I’m just sad to find the state of our society’s morals… albeit in the virtual world of the television.
Tags: Entertainment, Ethics
In literature, there is a concept known as a “suspension of disbelief” where you are mentally are willing to belief in the unbelievable. This then allows the story to make sense, despite the fact that chipmunks don’t sing and different worlds don’t exist deep inside your wardrobe.
Since coming to England for my postgraduate, theological studies, I have come to the realisation that there needs to be a “suspension of belief” — that, in my writing, I cannot appeal to my biblical or doctrinal convictions as authoritative. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Dissertation, Education, Theology
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