Daily Lessons from Life 08-09 September 2013 - Two to comment on ...

On the plane last night and did not get to write the blog. So, catch up tonight. "1. Girl, 6, ordered to marry rapist's 10-year-old son - The Star/Asia News Network Sep 09, 2013 A village panchayat (council of elders) in Kota district in Rajasthan made a shocking order that a six-year-old rape victim has to marry the 10-year-old son of the alleged rapist, Malaysia Nanban reported. The 40-year-old man had allegedly raped the girl twice, a fortnight ago and again on Wednesday in Kota, about 250km from Jaipur, capital of the northwestern Indian state. But the accused refused to obey the order, and offered to marry the minor himself. A local NGO had reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused on Thursday." It has to be in India. WHY? Whatever happened to the rapist? He is not charged for raping, let me get this right, a 6 years old girl!! If this is true, what on earth has happened to human decency of the elders? Elders are meant to be wiser. Right? This decision is totally stupid by any logic BUT I guessed there must be 'traditions' involved here or just plain 'idiotic people who happened to be old'!! This is sickening news. Shame to the 'elders'. What about the villagers? Unable to tell the right from wrong or just being 'traditionalists' and 'Conservatives'? Sad news. "2. China offers grudging Olympic congrats to Japan - Reuters Sep 09, 2013 BEIJING - China grudgingly congratulated Japan on Monday on its successful bid to host the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, after the government had initially refused to offer any praise over the supposedly non-political event. Ties between the world's second- and third-largest economies have been shadowed for years by what Beijing says has been Tokyo's refusal to properly atone for wartime atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers in China between 1931 and 1945. More recently, relations have been troubled by a sovereignty row over tiny, uninhabited islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. In a statement posted on the Foreign Affairs Ministry's website after the news conference had ended, the Spoke-person Mr Hong said that the Chinese Olympic Committee had in fact expressed its congratulations. It did not elaborate. "We have said many times that we pay great attention to relations with Japan," he said. "At the same time we ask Japan to earnestly face up to history and facts."" I PERSONALLY was shocked the IOC awarded the 2020 Olympics Game to Tokyo with the messy Fukushima nuclear plant still threatening lives with the 'hey-what-should-we-do-with-all-the nuclear-wastes/radioactive water' saga, or disaster to be exact, still catching headlines globally! Even though it is supposed to be a NON-Political event, it is clear that MANY attached GREAT political value to the Olympics Game. Any nation that get to host it somehow get recognized politically though some of the host cities are still paying debts for the 'investment dumped in hosting the Olympics'! The hawkish government of PM Abe will feel that it has more ground to push its nationalistic agenda and re-arming Japan soon no longer just 'Self Defence Force. Development that most upset China, and possible South Korea, and the lesser 'aggrieved nations' during World World II in Asia. It also gives a boost to Abe's government with his other 'reforms' like sales tax, printing money to boost the economy, etc. Steps that are 'great' on a short term basis while long term someone, anyone as long as it is NOT the people who issued the debts, has to pay for it!! Anyway, congratulation to Tokyo for winning the right to host 2020 Olympics. Maybe a driver to get they to REALLY CLEAN UP!?