DISCUSSING PUBLIC POLICY, POLITICS, CREATIVE WRITING AND LITERATURE
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died today. She was 96 years old at the time of her passing. The news of her death shook the entire world. In this context, I want to share something that I know from my family’s history. My maternal grandfather, Mr. Ansaruddin Khan, was a businessman and was also…
The campus of the University of Wisconsin – Madison is once again full of young men and women who have arrived in the city to start the new school year. As students are moving in, my mind is taking me back to the years I spent at this university. Move-in days are bringing back memories….
Some believe that one’s life flashes in front of the eyes, right before the person’s death. There may be no known scientific way to test and validate that claim, because there is no apparent return from that point. As such, there is no way to write about that experience, except using one’s imagination. Additionally, the…
For the writer, words are flowers that can be woven together to create a garland. The scent from the garland can be intoxicating, not just for the readers, but the writer too. No wonder, reading and writing are both addictive. A writer can forgo sleep to maximize the number of hours spent in creative expression…
Poetry is the highest form of expression. If you want a definition of poetry, there is not one. You can feel free to look for a definition in a dictionary, but that would not tell you much about poetry. Poetry is recited, as much as it is written. But most importantly, poetry is felt. A…
Never in my life did I think that the government, here in a major American state, would try to dictate people about what kind of vehicle should be used for transportation. But here we are. Reportedly, the California Air Resources Board decided that, by 2035, all new vehicles in the state would be required to…
Human beings are mortal. Yet, there is a way to continue to live, long after one’s earthly existence has ceased. “Publish or perish,” said one of my professors at North South University, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As far as I can recall, he had heard it during his time as a student, and as a teacher…
Words do not attach themselves to each other to create sentences. A writer puts one word after another for the expression of ideas, thoughts, and feelings. What happens when a writer fails to produce new pieces of writing, particularly fiction? If you are a storywriter, you are likely engaged in producing novels or short stories….
As a child, I did not spend much time around animals. But I have always learnt to appreciate God’s creations. We are all created by the same God – humans, animals, plants, and all other beings. Since my childhood, I have always been fascinated by the wide variety of animals that are here on this…
The city of Madison, in the beautiful state of Wisconsin, is known as the best place to live in America, according to Livability.com. I decided to make Madison my home, many years ago, and I think it is one of the best decisions I made in my life. When I came to the United States,…
Is Chicago the second-best city in the world? It certainly is, according to a new list that was published recently. But what about the rise in crime in Chicago, and how is that affecting residents and visitors? According to TimeOut, Chicago is the second-best city in the world. The Midwestern city has excellent dining options,…
I started creating my own library when I was a young boy. From British literature to Bengali mystery books, from Tintin comic books to encyclopedias and books on history and geography, I enjoyed a wide variety of reading materials. I read the works of Satyajit Ray, Rabindranath Tagore, Charles Dickens, John Keats, Lord Tennyson, and…
Since the outbreak of COVID19, many people continue to be affected by never-ending fear. I think it is time to eliminate the fear from our hearts. There are individuals who are still wearing masks due to their fear of coronavirus. I completely respect people’s freedom to wear or to not wear masks in public settings….
Climate activists want people to make lots of sacrifices to fight global warming – giving up fossil fuels, giving up cars and choosing public transportation, giving up beef, etc. The things that people should sacrifice in order to meet the climate activists’ expectations are limitless. It is only the hardworking people of America who are…
President Joe Biden does not want to admit it. But let me tell you that it is now confirmed that the American economy is in recession. Latest data show that the gross domestic product (GDP) fell 1.6 percent in the first quarter and fell 0.9 percent in the second quarter. Many textbooks define “recession” as…
Climate activists, to combat global warming, want to reduce the consumption of meat, including beef. The efforts to push people to give up meats goes against the religious freedom of Muslims. Many climate activists are pushing for people to give up real meat and start consuming “plant-based meats“, to fight global warming. “Plant-based meats” are…
The power of American citizenship depends on the right to vote. If the right to vote is extended to non-citizens, American citizenship will be eroded. Recently, the New York City Council approved a measure to allow non-citizens to vote in municipal elections, for the offices of mayor, comptroller, borough president, and council member, as well…
Time is perhaps the most finite, as well as the most valuable, resource that a person has. The flow of time is beyond our control. To devote one’s time on an activity or effort for the benefit of society, in the absence of renumeration, is a very noble thing that a person can do. That…
The freedom of religion is included in the Bill of Rights, and people in America can practice any religion or not practice a religion. The freedom of religion is what helps America become more diverse. Conflicts, due to religious differences, occur in many parts of the world. In various places around the globe, there are…
I am a conservative. Being born and raised in Bangladesh, I did not grow up in a Republican or a Democrat family. I arrived in the United States when I was 19 years old, as an adult. My faith, my family, the way I was raised, and the principles I inherited from my mother make…
Gavin Newsom, governor of California, is proposing to provide direct payment to vehicle owners, as relief for rising prices of gasoline. Unfortunately, such a proposal would not address the core of the problem that is leading to the rising prices of gas. According to Governor Newsom’s proposal, Californians would receive debit cards, worth 400 dollars…
A writer is not one who puts the tip of a pen on a piece of paper and proceeds to use language to craft an essay, state an opinion, present a poem, or create a story. A writer is someone who does either one, some, or all of these, not as tasks, but as a…
The world has suffered a massive blow. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the global community’s failure to prevent the onset of such brutal attacks on innocent human beings have resulted in the erosion of people’s confidence in the civilized world. Many countries, including some of the largest industrialized nations, have expressed their commitment to…
Here’s the reality that climate activists won’t tell you: fossil fuels help drive America forward. The Biden administration has imposed restrictions on domestic oil and gas production, and also canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline project. As a result, America is now dependent on foreign oil producers. Dependence on foreign oil producers makes the American economy…
Lack of reliable transportation is one of the greatest challenges that senior citizens face. But assistance from family members can help meet such needs. Many senior citizens have physical challenges due to old age. They need timely and safe transportation to go grocery shopping, visit the clinic for medical appointments, visit places of worship, travel…
Life is full of uncertainties, and we learn that at every step. Yesterday, my mother lost her only brother, and I lost my uncle, who left this earth for the afterlife. My uncle, late Mr. Nasir Khan, was the only son of my grandparents, and was my mother’s younger brother. He was a resident of…
Given that the United States has an aging population, the demand for medical services is growing. To ensure a robust health care workforce and to meet the needs of the population, we must address the problem of physician burnout. According to the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, physician burnout refers to the “long-term…
President Joe Biden has nominated a judge from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. With the seat of Justice Stephen Breyer still not vacant, and with growing domestic and international crises that require American elected officials’ attention, now is not the time to talk about a Supreme…
If you thought that the problem of shortages at grocery stores is over, you may be wrong. Over a period of many months, I have experienced the lack of availability of products when shopping for groceries. To this day, the problem continues. Even when products are available, the range of brand options have been reduced….
I do not support mask mandates. I believe that there should not be any mask mandate. Americans must be free to choose whether to wear masks or not. We continue to see how mask mandates are enforced on the general public, while celebrities continue to openly disregard COVID19 rules. A mask mandate is in effect…
Since the outbreak of COVID19, there came a wave of public health guidelines, rules, restrictions, and mandates. As a result, Americans suffered financially, emotionally, as well as physically. Americans of all ages, from all walks of life, suffered from the intrusive government orders that affected their personal, professional, and social lives. Many working-age Americans saw…
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was seen, without a mask, taking photos with NBA legend Magic Johnson and Mayor London Breed of San Francisco, at a sporting event. The elected official was seen maskless at SoFi Stadium that has a mask mandate in place. Therefore, Mayor Garcetti’s action is a clear violation of the stadium’s…
The United States of America is a nation of laws. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the erosion of law and order in major American cities. To protect our freedom and to ensure the safety of our communities, criminals must be caught and prosecuted, and crimes must be prevented. We must strengthen law enforcement agencies, provide police…
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) of New York was seen spending time vacationing in the state of Florida. Her visit to Florida highlights the contrast between the two states. While New Yorkers continue to face intrusive government mandates, the people of Florida live in freedom. AOC’s visit to Florida also highlights the double standard – AOC…
Americans expect gasoline to be affordable. Unfortunately, we have experienced high gas prices for months. Back in October, I asked the question: “When will gasoline prices go down?” Sadly, it has been reported that prices may rise further to reach a national average of four dollars per gallon. High gas prices are causing hardship for…
This month, the vaccine mandate for private businesses in New York City, announced by outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, went into effect. The mandate will hurt the private sector. Unfortunately, Mayor-elect Eric Adams has said that the vaccine mandate will remain in place. According to the mandate, all private sector employees in New York City…
According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the United States should consider COVID19 vaccine mandate for domestic air travel. In my opinion, an air travel vaccine mandate would threaten freedom and give government greater control over the lives of Americans. There is nationwide opposition to vaccine mandates. People believe that the decision to take or not take…
I was thrilled to learn from news reports that a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) spacecraft has “touched” the Sun. I have always been curious about space exploration and learning more about our universe. As I grew older, my interest in astronomy became stronger. Few years ago, I wrote a blog post, celebrating the…
The United States of America is a free country. COVID19 vaccine mandates infringe on people’s freedom and also hurt the economy. Bill de Blasio, the outgoing mayor of New York City, recently announced a vaccine mandate for all private sector employers. I believe this mandate should be withdrawn or overturned. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced…
Reports of recent smash-and-grab crimes are extremely disturbing. If such crimes are not prevented and if criminals are not prosecuted, then property rights in America will be eroded. In the United States of America, individuals have the right to own private property. America is a nation of laws. This means that the state must enforce…