*******************************************
THE HUMOR OF MELVIN DURAI
Life can be so funny!
*******************************************
Original, thought-provoking humor
*******************************************
You are receiving this weekly humor column because you
subscribed to it or a kind soul forwarded it to you.
To subscribe, send a blank email to:
join-funnycolumns@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
WEEK'S COLUMN:
(To see a related photo, click on relevant links and leave
comments, go to http://N****ma.com,
where this column was
first posted.)
"TOO OLD TO RULE? ONLY IF YOU DROOL" <a
href="http://www.n****ma.com/2008/02/dont-discount-a.html">
WebColumn</a>
Fidel Castro ruled Cuba for almost 50 years, but the 81-
year-old is ailing, so it's not surprising that the presi-
dency of the country has been officially passed to his
youthful brother Raul, who is only 76.
Raul's top vice president, Jose Ramon Machado, is young too.
The revolutionary leader is only 77. The other five vice
presidents are 56, 80, 68, 63, and 71. If you're good at
math, you've already figured out that the average age of
Cuba's top seven leaders is 70. And you've also realized
that there must be something wrong with a political system
that doesn't give op****tunities to people in their late
eighties and nineties.
If you're 92 and want to hold a top political post, you
should be given a chance. I say this because one of my
readers, Ernestine "Ernie" Stripe, is 92 and she would make
a fine Cuban vice president. (If you're reading this Raul,
please appoint Ernie as one of your vice presidents, so
people do not accuse you of age discrimination.)
Just because you're old, it doesn't mean you can't be a good
leader. Old people have a lot of wisdom, and they also have
lots of experience doing what politicians do the most:
sitting around and talking. They're also good at shaking
hands and waving.
If you don't think those are im****tant skills, you probably
don't follow politics closely. You probably didn't pay
attention to President Bush's recent trip to Africa, in
which he and several other presidents did a whole lot of
"sitting around and talking." In Tanzania, for example,
Bush sat around and talked to President Jakaya Kikwete.
Kikwete: "Welcome to Tanzania, President Bush."
Bush: "Thank you, President Kikwete. Things have changed a
lot since the last time I was in West Africa."
Kikwete: "Yes, things have changed in East Africa too."
Bush: "I'm pleased to hear that. I will be going there
next."
Kikwete: "I have some gifts for you, specially from our
country: a stuffed leopard and lion, and a zebra skin."
Bush: "Thank you. I have a gift for you, specially from
our country: a pair of Shaquille O'Neal basketball shoes."
Kikwete: "Thank you. They will be a good addition to my
house."
Bush: "Yes, I suppose so. But don't you already have
enough guest rooms?"
As you can see, Bush is getting good at this. He has seven
years of experience. At 61, he's at an age where he can
keep a conversation going with anyone, even himself. Just
imagine how good he'll be in 20 years. But instead of
bringing his wise leader****p to America, he'll be taking
it to the Crawford, Texas, Shuffleboard Team.
Even at 81, Bush would be younger than one of the most
successful leaders in Canada: Hazel McCallion. She's 87
and is serving her 11th consecutive term as mayor of
Mississauga, Ontario. Forget the rocking chair, she's got
city councilors to scare.
Let's face it: Age is just a number. At least that's what
Mick Jagger says to all the schoolgirls.
Age is often an asset, not a handicap. John McCain, the
Republican Party's presidential nominee, is 71 years old and
has been through a lot in his life, including being a
prisoner of war. That's got to be a major asset.
Don't tell me he's too old to be president. If anything, he
might be too young.
----------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright 2008 Melvin Durai. All Rights Reserved. <a
href="http://MelvinDurai.com">MelvinDurai.com</a>
BLOG AND OTHER REPRINTS The above column may be reprinted in
other newsletters, blogs, discussion groups and joke lists,
as long as the website link and copyright information are
included.
Melvin Durai is a Winnipeg-based writer and humorist. Born
in India and raised in Zambia, he has lived in North America
since 1982. Through the Internet, his column is read by
thousands of people in more than 90 countries.
----------------------------------
TO SUBSCRIBE: Send a blank email to:
join-funnycolumns@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
or go to: <a
href="http://MelvinDurai.com/sub.html">MelvinDurai.com</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------
Reverse parts of the user name and ISP name for my e-address
|
