IF, Volume1

IF we're supposed to wipe with the left, why is toilet paper always on the right?

So much on PostSecret these days...

One of the cons of the freedom to talk about subjects that used to be taboo. I can see how it could happen, though. I drove past a man who I thought needed medical attention because I was scared it was a trap and I'd get kidnapped and raped. In broad daylight.

----Email Message-----
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 11:55 AM
Subject: 4/19 Chapstick

This is the first time a secret has compelled me to email you. When I saw this, I thought to myself... there is no chapstick in my country either. My country feels like prison to me.

My first thought was that this must be a Muslim woman. Is that wrong?

-----Email Message-----
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2008 10:10 PM
Subject: Life is easier

I am a medical student who recently heard a doctor who works with people who are going through gender reassignments. The (male) doctor said that as part of the pre-surgery counseling, he always asks the male-to-female patients if they are ready to give up their privileged-male status in society. He said the patients often come back to him after they have completed their transition into a female. They tell him that they didn’t realize how significant the privileged-male status is.

And then there's always the cold hard slap of the truth. No matter how much we
try to lie to ourselves about it.

BBC: Polygamy no fun, admits Ethiopian

From BBC: Polygamy no fun, admits Ethiopian:

An Ethiopian man with 11 wives and 77 children is urging people not to follow his example and is giving advice on family planning and contraception.

After seeing his fortune disappear under the competing demands of his enormous family, Ayattu Nure, 56, even urges people not to get married.

Mr Ayattu says he used to be rich and wanted to share his wealth around, which is why he took so many wives.

But now he struggles to feed them all.

"I feel like killing myself when I see my hungry children whom I cannot help," Mr Ayattu says.

His wives have given birth to more than 100 children but 23 have died.

Too much of a good thing.

The news report

From The Star: Minor hiccups and a handful of arrests during run:

KUALA LUMPUR: Two minor incidents occurred during the Malaysian leg of the Olympic torch run here, resulting in several foreigners including a monk being detained.

At Dataran Merdeka, where the event began, a Japanese couple and their five-year-old son and another foreigner were detained for wearing T-shirts with the wordings “Free Tibet.”

Another scuffle also ensued before the run in Dataran Merdeka when a group of Chinese national students took away a banner emblazoned with the word “Liberty” from a 24-year-old woman known only as Gek.

It was learnt that the group hit Gek’s head at least three times and chanted “One world, one dream, one China”.

The situation was defused when another woman calmed the members down and told them not to create trouble.

It was revealed later that the banner did not belong to Gek, but to Hafiz Noor Shams, 26, who said he came to the torch relay “to witness things”.

Asked on his intentions in bringing such a banner, Hafiz said that it was only a one-word banner.

“But they are free to interpret however they like,” he said, admitting that he was pro-Tibet.

And now we know more behind the Malaysians support China, demoralizes Tibetans story. And while I was reading that, I saw this gem:

Malaysians support China, demoralizes Tibetans

Eyewitness account, reproduced as per email received, complete with typos and errors:

Just came back from dataran merdeka.

see the olympic torch relay,

Many people with China flag then suddenly saw one guy with a card board saying 'liberty' (tibet supporter i guess).

not even 3 seconds he hold up the card, suddenly came a wave
of people with China flag covered him.

he managed to slip through, then he passed the card board to his fren a lady,

then one guy with china flag gave fying kick kung fu style to the lady then she dropped the card then another guy with china flag took the card away and brought it to his group of about 200 people holding china flag. then that poor lady tried to run away from the crowd and misteriously ran towards us [editor: names omitted]followed by group of jounalists and followed by a wave of people with china flag. so if u see us in any newspaper or magazine ,just act cool okay.

then lastly about 1000 people with china flag swarmed that lady and the police didnt do anything .thats the end of tibetan protest at the Malaysia olympic torch relay.

lesson learnt: if u want to do a protest make sure they are more than 2 of you muahahahaha

Didn't even know we had China supporters. Keep this in mind if it hits the papers.