I am Paul Singh

As most of you know, I was born and raised here in the U.S. I’d like to think that I’ve got a good mix of “East and West” in myself but after reading rules like this, I think I may get into trouble when I head back to India.

Men should never touch women in public, even to help a woman out of a car, unless the lady is very elderly or infirm

In Indian culture… men socialise with men, and women with women

Married couples in Asia do not hug, hold hands or kiss in public. Even embracing at airports and train stations is considered out of the question

Generally it is improper for women to speak with strangers on the street and especially to strike up a casual conversation

Drinking alcohol or smoking in public, no matter how innocent, are interpreted as a sign of moral laxity and are not acceptable.

For anyone else that has been to India at any point, what the F is up with the “holding hands” rule? Uhhh, I distinctly recall almost every boy in New Delhi holding hands with some other boy. Why is it OK for same-sex hand-holding to occur? I thought that homosexuals weren’t at the top of the social chain over there.

Anyways, let’s tackle the REAL problem first: boys and girls shouldn’t talk to each other! Go get ‘em guys! While you’re at it, why don’t you spend some time addressing the population problems over there too. How about pollution, corruption or the roadways?

Same sex socialization only? Embracing/PDA out of the question? Damn, I must have gone to all the “modern” shopping centers, taxi stands and restaurants. These rules clearly didn’t apply there. Enough said.

No drinking/smoking in public? Do these rule-writers live in a cave somewhere? I’m done.

I think these rules are way too strongly written. Or maybe I’m just different. Who knows.

Whatever, Sukhi and I are going to have a second wedding reception in India a few months after the wedding. Y’all are coming. You can see India for yourselves. It’s gonna be badass.

Read the full article: Indecency guide for tourists to India.

A few days ago, I blogged about the Gallows-wallah Uncle, Darshan Singh.

It appears that his superiors weren’t so happy about the publicity he got and have fired him.

“They called me a few days ago and said I don’t have to hang Nguyen and that I don’t have to work anymore,” Mr Singh told Reuters news agency.

“I think [the prison authorities] must be mad after seeing my pictures in the newspapers.”

Full article: Singapore executioner ’sacked’

They just opened a new one in Regal Shopping Center. Hot damn, I am excited.

Working from home is only getting better and better. Heh.

This dude is so LAUNCHED by a… a what? a jetpack made of WATER BOTTLES? SWEET!

Water Bottle Rocket Pack

I stole this cartoon from Neera’s AIM profile:

Boys!

My friend, Wyatt Ammon, passed away last week.

Remembering Wyatt Ammon

He was an old coworker and my friend. Thanks for all the good times, old buddy.

Here’s another one from this guy. Politically incorrect, but he’s just sayin’ in public what y’all say in private.

Russell Peters in New York - Google Video

“We do not rule out that Mr. Cohen is serving someone’s political order designed to present Kazakhstan and its people in a derogatory way,” Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman Yerzhan Ashykbayev told a news briefing.

Political order? Comedy? WTF are they smoking over there? Sure, it sucks to have your country made fun of… but I don’t see how you can draw a connection to the political world.

Man oh man. I love Ali G.

Read it: CNN.com - Kazakhstan threatens to sue comedian - Nov 15, 2005

It seems that every time we hear anything on the news about the UN trying to take over the internet naming system, they try to portray us Americans as some tyrants that controls who-sees-what on the internet.

What’s up with that? Sure, we may not have the best management all the time, but we sure don’t restrict access like.. oh, I dunno… China?!

Despite having made a declaration of support for freedom of speech, many WGIG members come from nations that severely curtail this right; China, for example, has one of the most restrictive and sophisticated Internet control mechanisms in the world. Just as other UN bodies have been “co-opted” by non- democratic governments, “an ‘International Internet Commission’ chaired by China might not be far off,” Rasmussen observed.

And who could forget some of the scandals that have plagued those UN boys recently.

Given recent oil-for-food scandals, UN-style Internet agencies would present the inherent risk of “giving ruling members of regimes in the developing world shiny new computers rather than furnishing the poor with Internet access,” Rasmussen said.

Come on guys. Sure, we may not be on top of the ball all of the time… but I think the UN has enough problems to deal with right now. Why add this into the mix now?

Read the full article: Study Predicts Political, Economic Turmoil If UN’s Internet Governance Schemes Succeed - Yahoo! News

People still get hanged these days? Man, I really am out of the loop here.

The hangman who will execute Australian drug trafficker Van Tuong Nguyen in Singapore has been revealed as a semi-retired 73-year-old grandfather.

In a matter of weeks, Darshan Singh will place a rope around the 25-year-old’s neck and say the words he has spoken to more than 850 condemned prisoners during his 46 years as Singapore’s chief executioner.

Read more: Nguyen executioner revealed