Well, that's the title of the latest John Grisham novel... only, this is his first work of non-fiction. And guess what, he turns out to be as good with reality as with fiction!
It's an amazing read, and made even more so by the fact that it's all true... It sometimes makes you shiver at what all can go wrong, sometimes makes you distraught at the inefficiency of the "system", and always keeps you glued to the book.
This is one book that we should all read, if only to get ourselves out of the comfort zone of the idea that the legal system and police work is always, or at least mostly, right. Perhaps it is mostly right... but maybe not as mostly as we would like.
Perhaps we should also consider if every undergraduate course should include a basic course on Law, and legal procedures. Just as we are given courses on Sociology, Economics, and Accountancy as part of our Engineering coursework (albeit, just the basics), maybe there should also be something on Law.
After all, we are all required to stay within the law at all times, and being unaware of our legal rights and privileges can sometimes put an innocent man to great danger...
As this novel proves chillingly.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Beauty is only skin deep...
Yes, that is the message some recent advertisements, and by extension, the companies concerned, are trying to give out.
One such ad is that of a fairness cream. In it, a lady describes how after using the cream, she "got her yesterday's husband back", and received as much care as before. She was even treated to a private dinner at a suitable restaurant!!! In other words, before the arrival of the particular product, the husband was not caring for the lady as much as he used to!
Then, pray what does the lady plan to do when she is not in her late 30s, but in the late 60s?? Does she plan to plaster her face with the product in question, attempt to look as though she were 30, and hope that her husband care for her?
It's surprising how ad ideas such as these come up, and it would be even more surprising if the target audience actually buys into them. Surely, most of us do realise that it is not really how we look that determines how people feel towards us??
Had the ad been for a product aimed at me, I'm not sure I'd have gone ahead and bought it...
Or am I being too idealistic??
One such ad is that of a fairness cream. In it, a lady describes how after using the cream, she "got her yesterday's husband back", and received as much care as before. She was even treated to a private dinner at a suitable restaurant!!! In other words, before the arrival of the particular product, the husband was not caring for the lady as much as he used to!
Then, pray what does the lady plan to do when she is not in her late 30s, but in the late 60s?? Does she plan to plaster her face with the product in question, attempt to look as though she were 30, and hope that her husband care for her?
It's surprising how ad ideas such as these come up, and it would be even more surprising if the target audience actually buys into them. Surely, most of us do realise that it is not really how we look that determines how people feel towards us??
Had the ad been for a product aimed at me, I'm not sure I'd have gone ahead and bought it...
Or am I being too idealistic??
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