Beauty and the bounteous beast; Cheerless X’Mas

Cassandra is not only vicious-mouthed but she also has a wickid wickid strain in her brain. She often gloats over others’ justified downward floats.

Beauty gets too avaricious

That spot poetic intro above is a preface to Cass’ sharp comments on Bahraini-Sri Lankan beauty queen turned Bollywood star now being questioned by the Indian police on her intimate link with con-wizard Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The list of gifts she received from the fabulously wealthy rogue and her intimate expression of thanks to him are out for everyone to hear and see. She must have thanked him day and night because his gift-giving was not only to her but to her sis in the US, a car, and two sports cars to her parents in Bahrain. See where beauty of face and form have led Jacqueline Fernandez, on two prongs of publicity: One of coming on top in Bollywood, so full of beauteous, talented home-grown creatures; the other of shame and utter disgrace. Cass supposes she won’t receive much of a punishment by law, only a downgrading worldwide or wherever her name and face are known. (Cannot add fame here.)

She is truly to be looked down upon for being not only a cunning gold digger, willing to sell herself and her soul for magnificent pottage, but she is a liar in the face of the law. She denied knowing anything about Sukesh C, let alone knowing the man himself, but once photographs of her kissing the bearded Johnny appeared, the gifted cat and all were out of the bag and made public. She has now Judas Iscariot-ed herself and agreed to cooperate with the Enforcement Directory in its investigations. The horrendously expensive horse, Siamese cat, Tiffany bracelet, Cartier bangle, diamond earrings, top brand handbags and shoes gifted to her will probably have the conman crucified for acquiring money through vile means.

Will she be able to ride her horse, pet her cat, wear all that stuff and enjoy (as we say) with her conman-endowed family? Maybe. But her reputation is gone with the conman. It was reported that she ran to Salman Khan the moment the conman gossip was whispered. Wonder whether he told his early protégé and whatever else, ‘I’ll be there for you,’ or ‘go lie on the bed you have made for yourself, alone this time’.

Cass does not consider herself defamatory or mean, not at all libellous, in what she has written. She feels justified because here was greed bringing down a woman who could be, and was admired. Pride goeth before a fall. In Jackie’s case pride was joined by avarice, and the notion she was above being toppled from her stardom. We do not want our country to be named when she is spoken of because our country has already earned a stinking name, due to the insatiable greed of most politicos and top bods.

Methinks, Jackie would fit well into the present Cabinet where greed for wealth and material possessions induces snatching whatever opportunity that comes their way. Jeff and Mutt voted a recent gold chain snatcher as fit to be an MP. We all know their reason. It may even come to pass that dethroned from Bollywood, Jackie, hoping to head to Hollywood, may decide to return to her parent’s country to roost and altruistically ‘serve the people’, propelled by young politicians. She may even be nominated outright, slapping the public, as has often been the case before, by inducing a Ministerial sycophant to step down to accommodate her. Other local beauts have made it at the polls. A Cabinet post could be created for her, of Beauty and….(whatever). Better sounding than Minister of Clay and Pottery; shorter than some of the titles of State Ministers!

Applause to graduates

We need to present garlands, and bouquets if women followed their male co-students, to the graduands of the Colombo University whose graduation ceremonies were held at the BMICH. Cass relishes the scene she sees through her third eye of imagination, built on the photograph in the newspapers, of the Colombo University Chancellor, the vociferous monk in robes, also ex-prez of the Nurses Union, seated with scrolls or certificates in hand to present to passing graduands. They did pass him, but without even a passing glance at him. The new graduates descended the stage crowned with pride at expressing their disapproval of the President’s choice of Chancellor. This they achieved with dignity and stupendous impact.

Come to think of it, this monk has not uttered a squeak since his appointment to Chancellorship. Remember how he summoned the media to his temple daily so he could publicly berate the government, the Prez and the Rajapaksa clan? We also remember the stinging slap we, as citizens of this country, felt when his appointment was announced. What diabolical hypocrisy lies covered by a saffron robe, discrediting the entire Bhikkhu Sasana and Buddha Dhamma.

JVP announcement

Almost all the voting public of (un)Free Sree Lanka will applaud the latest JVP proposal of “doing away with MPs’ pensions, maintenance of retired presidents, mansions for ministers, etc.” We do hope the etc includes new vehicles for MPs that turn out to be expensive limos. Of our leaders Dudley S, Kotelawela, W. Dahanayake, D.B Wijetunga and JRJ left office with no material handshake at all. And they were honest (even JRJ personally) and retired to near penury to live on meagre incomes. Not after them. Rampant corruption reared its Medusa head. Those who left the presidency from Premadasa onwards could afford to live fine. Consequently, retired Heads do not need the Treasury to support them. The JVP with this announcement alone will garner thousands, nay millions of votes come the next general election.

How to barely exist

So, many of the Diyawanna folk have gone abroad or to cooler climes for R&R. They hardly need such; it is the farmer, the daily bread earner, the health sector (not GMOA), even the housewife who need R&R, but keep having burdens piled on them, by the government, no less.

Admittance

Dr. Godahewa smilingly announces in the print media of Wednesday, December 22, that “undue haste in banning agrochemicals caused irreparable damage.” But he diverts the blame from the Prez, weaving a fairytale about “someone’s decision to issue a gazette banning the import of agrochemicals.” Stop smiling Dr. G and catch and hang that someone. Elusive since there is no such someone. Cass heard the Prez announce that chemical fertilisers and pesticides would be banned forthwith and Sri Lanka would be the first country to do so.

A Presidential Committee finds “Change in gas composition main cause of explosions.”

The people responsible, including government top brass, do not seem to comprehend the severity of the issue, let alone commiserate or attempt to alleviate the huge harm done to the public, killing some, injuring others and starving most. The two crimes of fertiliser ban and tampered gas mix in cylinders are unforgivable and demand immediate punishment.

Cass saw pictures of the destruction caused in the Philippines by typhoon Rai. That is enraged Nature reacting to Man’s greedy exploitation and mean manipulation of her resources. It is a natural disaster and we feel great pity. But in our lovely country, more or less spared by nature’s wrath, people suffer due to the country’s own vile men. The suffering is fear of being blown up by a gas cylinder; unaffordable prices of goods and starvation due to reduced harvests. Cass turns Kuveni in her curses, joined by a 20+ million-strong chorus.

In the next breath, she wishes her readers as happy a Christmas season as is possible!