The Cosmopolitan Blog

What makes large tragedies tragic are the personal stories behind them. On 9/11, i remember being glued to the television in Boston, watching these images all day, and never really being able take it in. It wasn’t until a few days later, that i heard the story of the small company (20 or so) in one of the towers. I work in a 20-something person company, so i know how quickly a place like this becomes like your family. The company owner had gone golfing that morning. Everyone else had gone to work. He was saved. They weren’t. In one moment, he had lost his entire family. There are no words for a story like this. It’s only when i heard that story that the pain became real and i balled uncontrollably for a long time.

Today i was watching a documentary called “at the moment of impact” about one of the worst plane crashes in Montreal in 1963, killing 118 people. At the start, we’re told the story of the “Murray Hill Limousine Service” of Montreal, who prides itself for always getting their passengers to the airport on time. That day, drivers remembered it for the worst traffic jam throughout downtown Montreal had ever known. One of the drivers was carrying a coach of 18 people to catch the 6.30pm plane to Toronto, and he used all his skill to get the passengers to the airport on time. He even used the incoming traffic lanes when he could. He got them to the airport at 6.10. The airline, hearing that 18 people had made it, agreed to keep the gate open. The driver of the limo was so happy, partly because of the generous tips his 18 passengers had given him in recognition for his efforts. 23 minutes later, all his passengers were dead.

The story of the CEO in New York, the story of the Murray Hill limo driver. These are real personal tragedies that happen everyday, and that we rarely hear about. A pain that cannot be described in words. It makes you grateful for everything you have. Every morning, when i wake up, i spend time thinking of the things i’m grateful for, i try to find something unique everyday. On days where i can’t, these are the kind of personal stories that help me remember.

I started using Firefox over 2 years ago, and i have to say, i haven’t looked back once. I was even on the IE7 beta team for a while, and realizing that Microsoft STILL didn’t get it, i continued my love affair with Firefox. The combination of add-ons, themes, customization, security and simplicity makes Firefox the leader in browsers by far.

Firefox 3 is coming out next week. Mozilla, the company that owns them, wants to set a world record for the most downloaded software in 1 day, so please help. This is quality software at its best. This is as worthy a cause as poverty and… ok, maybe not, but it’s close. And it won’t cost you anything except a few clicks. You won’t regret it.

Strangely though, i noticed, amongst my non-geeky friends (yes i do have a few, they’re a dying breed though) that Firefox is still very unknown to them. They think it’s a geek’s tool. So i used one of them as a guinea pig and got him to install Firefox, download 2-3 essential add-ons, and then expected him to have an “ah-ha!” moment…. yeah, not so much! He didn’t feel there was anything different to IE.

And then i figured, well, maybe there are some internet surfers for whom, the browser experience REALLY doesn’t matter. So i stood corrected, was willing to accept i wasn’t always right, and continued my love affair with Firefox.

I’d love to hear your opinion…

So i went to see Sex and the City. Twice. Loved it. Warning: if you’re not a fan of the series, don’t even bother with the movie. If you’re a guy, don’t bother either. Well, generally, if you don’t like shopping, shoes, girl talk or New York City, don’t go.

I loved it. But i was it’s exact audience. And while they know they’re alienating the entire non-gay male audience, they also know that chances are, most girls will go twice. I wanted to know what happened to the girls. I wanted to know if Big and Carrie would make it. I even wanted to know if Samantha and Smith forever was possible. So this didn’t disappoint.

It was as shallow and girlie as i could have wished for. I turned my brain off, sat back, and lapped it up. I am in love with New York, so any movie that makes the city a character, i’m all for.

While i don’t exactly relate to any one girl, because i think each of them is actually 1 type of stereotype, the truth is we all have a bit of each of them inside us, which is why girls relate. I adore Carrie for her need to love, for her fashion sense, for her mix of carefree and care-a-lot attitude, for being so confused about feelings all the time, for asking such existential questions, for just being a real woman. I love Charlotte because she dares to dream and i think we all shoud. I love Miranda because she’s so dedicated to making her life perfect than she sometimes forgets to live in the now, which is something i do often. And i love Samantha. Who doesn’t? She’s the liberated woman we sometimes wish we all were… in smaller doses

First time i saw it, was with a bunch of girlfriends. As it should be. Second time, i went with my boyfriend. Yes, girls, i have the ONLY boyfriend in the world who actually enjoyed the movie . There were 3 other guys in our party that 2nd time, and none of them enjoyed it. I don’t blame them.

I was watching CNN’s videos this morning, and listening to what the world’s reaction is to Obama becoming the presumptive nominee of the Democratic party. Interestingly, in places like Lebanon, it was more important to them for a woman to have won. I think that the impact of a woman winning would have been greater around the world, because women’s struggle is a concept universally understood, which touches everyone in some way. On the other hand, the fact that a black man won a victory in the US is probably harder to understand for those who don’t follow US history as we do, and who don’t understand the African-American struggle.

Other reactions around the world: Germans are delighted, seeing Obama in a similar light as they did John F. Kennedy 50 years ago. In Japan, a group of female fans dream of meeting Obama. And in China, they seem happy with the fact that Clinton did not win, seeing her as a old-style hardliner who would perpetuate the impression Americans have of China. …and it India, they just want to see a president who will push India further up on the world map. Maybe they think the US government should outsource to India like the rest of us!