Friday, December 31, 2004
An embarrassing defeat...
Paper cranes... so creative.
http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=177333
Stewart Loses Contest in Prison
Dec 31, 3:28 AM EST
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart, who built a billion-dollar media empire based on her holiday and home decorating tips, was unable to lead her team to victory in a prison decoration contest, a magazine reported.
Stewart and a team of fellow inmates at a federal prison camp in Alderson, W.Va., crafted paper cranes to be hung from the ceiling, People magazine reported in an article posted on its Web site Wednesday. They lost out to a competing team that built a nativity scene showing "pictures of snow-covered hills and sleds and clouds on the wall," the magazine quoted an inmate as saying.
Each team was given $25 worth of glitter, ribbons, construction paper and glue to build a display based on the theme "Peace on Earth," the magazine said.
http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=177333
Stewart Loses Contest in Prison
Dec 31, 3:28 AM EST
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart, who built a billion-dollar media empire based on her holiday and home decorating tips, was unable to lead her team to victory in a prison decoration contest, a magazine reported.
Stewart and a team of fellow inmates at a federal prison camp in Alderson, W.Va., crafted paper cranes to be hung from the ceiling, People magazine reported in an article posted on its Web site Wednesday. They lost out to a competing team that built a nativity scene showing "pictures of snow-covered hills and sleds and clouds on the wall," the magazine quoted an inmate as saying.
Each team was given $25 worth of glitter, ribbons, construction paper and glue to build a display based on the theme "Peace on Earth," the magazine said.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
SIGN ME!!!
http://www.petitiononline.com/TruthPet/petition.html
This is a petition everyone should sign.
"We, humanists, human rights activists, majority of Indian population and citizens of this world call on your Excellency for a "Commission of Truth and Justice” under the auspices of the UN to comprehensively investigate the mass murders of Indian Sikhs in 1984 and label it as genocide as defined in the “Genocide Convention and the relevant international law".
The Golden Temple at Amritsar is the holiest of Sikh Shrines. In 1984, the ruling Congress party of Indian government attacked it, killing thousands of innocent children, women and old men who were pilgrims in the temple. Major portions of the complex were destroyed.
The Indian government in addition to the attack on this most important temple, also simultaneously attacked 31 other Sikh temples throughout the State of Punjab.
In November 1984, thousands of Sikhs were killed, or burnt alive in front of their families by the roving mobs of Congress party workers with the connivance of leaders of Congress Party, which ruled India. Those murders were pre-planned and carried out systematically in the Indian Capital, Delhi. Indian Government owned and run television was used to broadcast inflammatory slogans against Sikhs before the massacre happened. In one of the saddest chapters in the history of humanity, innocent Sikhs were doused with petrol and burnt alive. Rajiv Gandhi, the newly appointed Prime Minister justified these killings as expected occurrences when a significant event takes place..."
This is a petition everyone should sign.
"We, humanists, human rights activists, majority of Indian population and citizens of this world call on your Excellency for a "Commission of Truth and Justice” under the auspices of the UN to comprehensively investigate the mass murders of Indian Sikhs in 1984 and label it as genocide as defined in the “Genocide Convention and the relevant international law".
The Golden Temple at Amritsar is the holiest of Sikh Shrines. In 1984, the ruling Congress party of Indian government attacked it, killing thousands of innocent children, women and old men who were pilgrims in the temple. Major portions of the complex were destroyed.
The Indian government in addition to the attack on this most important temple, also simultaneously attacked 31 other Sikh temples throughout the State of Punjab.
In November 1984, thousands of Sikhs were killed, or burnt alive in front of their families by the roving mobs of Congress party workers with the connivance of leaders of Congress Party, which ruled India. Those murders were pre-planned and carried out systematically in the Indian Capital, Delhi. Indian Government owned and run television was used to broadcast inflammatory slogans against Sikhs before the massacre happened. In one of the saddest chapters in the history of humanity, innocent Sikhs were doused with petrol and burnt alive. Rajiv Gandhi, the newly appointed Prime Minister justified these killings as expected occurrences when a significant event takes place..."
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
"Unseasonable kindness gets no thanks"
Last night my friend Amandeep and I saw a man with a yellow sign that read “HOMELESS WITH NO DISABILITY…” I thought it would be nice if we got him some coffee. We went to Tim Horton’s and bought coffee and a muffin for the guy. Amandeep had some cake she wanted to give him as well.
We had to drive around a little to find him, and I said “I have a feeling this is going to backfire.” We found him sitting outside Shopper’s Drug Mart, and I told Amandeep she was the one who had to get out of the car to give him the stuff. Surprisingly, she obliged.
I think she said something like “Excuse me sir, would you like some coffee?” I saw his arms flailing about and he was yelling something at her (haha). She took a step back and stood there listening to him. I don't think she was able to tell him about the muffin and cake. Then she turned around and came back to the car.
He told her that he couldn’t drink coffee and was allergic to sugar, cheese and something else. He also said “Why can’t someone just give me some money so I can buy Q-tips for my infection?”
Maybe he should have specified his allergies in the sign? Also, it would be helpful if he had mentioned his need for Q-tips. How were we to know? We just assumed a homeless person would need/want something warm to drink.
We had to drive around a little to find him, and I said “I have a feeling this is going to backfire.” We found him sitting outside Shopper’s Drug Mart, and I told Amandeep she was the one who had to get out of the car to give him the stuff. Surprisingly, she obliged.
I think she said something like “Excuse me sir, would you like some coffee?” I saw his arms flailing about and he was yelling something at her (haha). She took a step back and stood there listening to him. I don't think she was able to tell him about the muffin and cake. Then she turned around and came back to the car.
He told her that he couldn’t drink coffee and was allergic to sugar, cheese and something else. He also said “Why can’t someone just give me some money so I can buy Q-tips for my infection?”
Maybe he should have specified his allergies in the sign? Also, it would be helpful if he had mentioned his need for Q-tips. How were we to know? We just assumed a homeless person would need/want something warm to drink.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Ek, dho, then...
I'm always so shocked when a Punjabi person from India tells me they don't know the Punjabi numbers. Just recently my aunt argued that the numbers on the Khalsa Credit Union calendar were in Hindi. How much sense does that make? She kept telling me that Punjabi numbers were the same as English ones.
A long time ago I filled out a form for Gurdwara membership entirely in Punjabi... numbers and everything. When I took it to the Gurdwara two grown Amritdhari men couldn't decipher the numbers. That doesn't make much sense either. How could they do paaht properly?
I don't understand why Punjabi people from India don't know their numbers. If you know "English" numbers then zero, one, two, three and seven are pretty easy to figure out. That leaves four, five, six, eight and nine. It doesn't take much effort to learn 5 numbers, does it?
A long time ago I filled out a form for Gurdwara membership entirely in Punjabi... numbers and everything. When I took it to the Gurdwara two grown Amritdhari men couldn't decipher the numbers. That doesn't make much sense either. How could they do paaht properly?
I don't understand why Punjabi people from India don't know their numbers. If you know "English" numbers then zero, one, two, three and seven are pretty easy to figure out. That leaves four, five, six, eight and nine. It doesn't take much effort to learn 5 numbers, does it?
Sunday, December 26, 2004
"I don't mind being called a liar when I am lying, when I am about to lie, or just finished lying. But not when I am telling the truth!"
My parents would tell people that I was doing two degrees, and no one they told really believed them. They thought(think) I was(am) lying to my parents.
I should have been taking one or two extra courses each semester, but because I went to India last year and because there weren't any classes I could take in the summer I was kind of behind with my requirements.
It wouldn't have mattered to me if I had to drop the second degree, but it bothered me that people thought I was lying. For that reason only I took 10.5 extra credits this last semester, and I just found out I did well enough to complete the requirements. Now I just have to complete 6 more credits next semester to graduate on time.
I have to admit that it's kind of flattering that people think I'm lying. They think I'm doing (well... not doing) something that's not doable (by me at least... so maybe I should be offended?).
I should have been taking one or two extra courses each semester, but because I went to India last year and because there weren't any classes I could take in the summer I was kind of behind with my requirements.
It wouldn't have mattered to me if I had to drop the second degree, but it bothered me that people thought I was lying. For that reason only I took 10.5 extra credits this last semester, and I just found out I did well enough to complete the requirements. Now I just have to complete 6 more credits next semester to graduate on time.
I have to admit that it's kind of flattering that people think I'm lying. They think I'm doing (well... not doing) something that's not doable (by me at least... so maybe I should be offended?).
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Quote of the day (week? month?)
"Dumb people are just blissfully unaware of how very dumb they are."
-Patrick Star
-Patrick Star
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Yipppeee....the next Harry Potter book will be out July 16th! Apparently J.K. Rowling has already delivered the manuscript to her publishers. It takes that long to edit and print a book? That's ridiculous. I probably won't even want to read it by then.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Thanks...
I never thought I would praise someone who wore such a large bindi.. but thanks, Shonali Bose, for your attempts to bring some awareness to the massacre of thousands of Sikhs in 1984.
`AMU,' WHICH was premiered in Thiruvananthapuram today, is a powerful depiction of the trauma undergone by victims of the anti-Sikh riots in New Delhi in 1984.
"A lot has been written about and films have been made on the Mumbai and Gujarat riots. But it is as if the anti-Sikh riots never took place. An attempt, covert or otherwise, seems to have been made to erase this from public memory."
All over Delhi, horrified residents came forward to protect their neighbours. There was no official help at all. But for a few stray incidents, the violence was orchestrated. The State seemed to be turning against the very people it was supposed to protect. It was a collapse of the State and its machinery," Shonali says.
She points out that nine commissions of inquiry failed to pinpoint the guilty or punish them. Although the Film Certification Board insisted on five "political cuts," the film has not yet been certified, she says. "One of the protagonists in the film says: "Only two people were punished - the killers of Indira Gandhi." That dialogue was removed. I accepted the cuts. The widows silently moving their lips are an indictment of the establishment.
One of the members of the Censor Board [an idiot] had said: "Why bring up a history which is best buried and forgotten?"
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Christmas Quandary
Looking at some of the posts I’ve written I realize that I may come off as a “downer”. I wanted to clarify that I’m not totally Anti-Christmas. Christians should celebrate Christmas, and since this applies to the majority of North Americans non-Christians like myself are obviously going to be affected by Christmas festivities. There is nothing wrong with that.
The Christmas season does bring out the good in people, and that is always a good thing. Giving gifts, making donations to charities, sending cards to family and friends are all aspects of “Christmas” that aren’t necessarily focussed on Christianity. A Christian friend of mine told me that Jesus is believed to have been born in the spring. According to her the reason Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th is that there used to be a pagan festival around that time of the year, and Christians decided to substitute the pagan rituals for a more religious celebration.
I don’t want to feel obliged to “celebrate”, and it isn’t the Christians that feel I should, since for them it is a religious holiday. After all, I don’t expect any non-Sikh to celebrate the Birth of Khalsa, or the numerous other important days in Sikh history. What I don’t understand is why have Sikhs adopted Christmas so strongly? Doesn’t this offend Christians? Since some Sikhs and other non-Christians are celebrating Christmas as a “ritual” without religious meaning, isn’t it going back towards a pagan-like celebration?
The Christmas season does bring out the good in people, and that is always a good thing. Giving gifts, making donations to charities, sending cards to family and friends are all aspects of “Christmas” that aren’t necessarily focussed on Christianity. A Christian friend of mine told me that Jesus is believed to have been born in the spring. According to her the reason Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th is that there used to be a pagan festival around that time of the year, and Christians decided to substitute the pagan rituals for a more religious celebration.
I don’t want to feel obliged to “celebrate”, and it isn’t the Christians that feel I should, since for them it is a religious holiday. After all, I don’t expect any non-Sikh to celebrate the Birth of Khalsa, or the numerous other important days in Sikh history. What I don’t understand is why have Sikhs adopted Christmas so strongly? Doesn’t this offend Christians? Since some Sikhs and other non-Christians are celebrating Christmas as a “ritual” without religious meaning, isn’t it going back towards a pagan-like celebration?
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Sticks and stones...
I know I have a name that is difficult for most people to pronounce, but imagine someone telling you that you were saying your own name incorrectly. This is kind of what I experienced in grade 1.
At the beginning of the school year, our music teacher had all the kids sit in a circle, and one-by-one we were to stand and “sing” our name. The kids who did this successfully were exempt from having to sing their name ever again. In addition, they would receive a certificate and a sticker.
Every week 3 or 4 students would sing their name properly, freeing themselves of further torture (lucky bastards). Unfortunately I was never one of those students, so week after week I would have to stand and sing my name. Eventually I was the only one left, so the music teacher would have me do it over and over again.
I think the other students felt sorry for me. I remember that a girl in my class lied and told the teacher I had sung my name correctly, the week before. It didn’t work, the teacher didn’t buy it. I had accepted that I couldn’t sing my name, and I knew I would never be able to. Looking back at the “incident(s)” I’m thinking… what a stupid thing to make kids go through!
Now (20 years later), I’ll answer to anything that sounds remotely like how my name is supposed to sound. If even I can’t sing it properly, how can I expect others to say it correctly?
At the beginning of the school year, our music teacher had all the kids sit in a circle, and one-by-one we were to stand and “sing” our name. The kids who did this successfully were exempt from having to sing their name ever again. In addition, they would receive a certificate and a sticker.
Every week 3 or 4 students would sing their name properly, freeing themselves of further torture (lucky bastards). Unfortunately I was never one of those students, so week after week I would have to stand and sing my name. Eventually I was the only one left, so the music teacher would have me do it over and over again.
I think the other students felt sorry for me. I remember that a girl in my class lied and told the teacher I had sung my name correctly, the week before. It didn’t work, the teacher didn’t buy it. I had accepted that I couldn’t sing my name, and I knew I would never be able to. Looking back at the “incident(s)” I’m thinking… what a stupid thing to make kids go through!
Now (20 years later), I’ll answer to anything that sounds remotely like how my name is supposed to sound. If even I can’t sing it properly, how can I expect others to say it correctly?
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Jesse Dhindsa (1982-2003)
I really wanted to put something up about Jesse that captured his essence, but I can't capture who he was in words. I remember him kind of how he looks in this picture: cute, shy, funny, goofy, and nice all at once.
Jesse had the best dipper Punjabi, so one time I told him to call some Punjabi tailors and inquire about "neekers". I can't explain how funny it was listening to him telling the confused person on the phone how he wanted really long "neekers" made with silk... hahhahaha.
There was the time we went over for dinner, and I think he was trying to impress my brother. Jesse was acting really cool... he was sitting in the recliner and kept leaning back... he was the king, and that was his throne... until he fell. (hahha) I think he muttered something in Punjabi and then started laughing. I don't think I'll be able to forget how he would just pick up his mom if she was mad at him... and of course that would cause her to burst into laughter. He was just so carefree and fun to be around.
Jesse was always really nice and respectful to me and my family, and we all miss him. He would come over with Amandeep, because even though he was a lot younger than her he liked spending time with her. I know he didn't always show it but you could tell he really loved his family, and that's why they miss him so much now.
Jesse had the best dipper Punjabi, so one time I told him to call some Punjabi tailors and inquire about "neekers". I can't explain how funny it was listening to him telling the confused person on the phone how he wanted really long "neekers" made with silk... hahhahaha.
There was the time we went over for dinner, and I think he was trying to impress my brother. Jesse was acting really cool... he was sitting in the recliner and kept leaning back... he was the king, and that was his throne... until he fell. (hahha) I think he muttered something in Punjabi and then started laughing. I don't think I'll be able to forget how he would just pick up his mom if she was mad at him... and of course that would cause her to burst into laughter. He was just so carefree and fun to be around.
Jesse was always really nice and respectful to me and my family, and we all miss him. He would come over with Amandeep, because even though he was a lot younger than her he liked spending time with her. I know he didn't always show it but you could tell he really loved his family, and that's why they miss him so much now.
Sunday, December 05, 2004
"Sikdu"s
After offending one of my readers in my last post I think I’m down to 2 loyal readers. Oh well… I’ll take quality over quantity any day. I think I should provide some additional reasons as to why I hate hindi movies and anything associated with “bollywood”. I’ll start with the very first reason:
This is actually extremely difficult for me to write, because by doing so I have to admit something I am deeply ashamed of… I used to watch hindi movies when I was 4 or 5.
When my brother started school I would go over to my cousins house and we would occasionally watch hindi movies. I know… so sad. A hero in those movies was Amitab Bachan. Then one day I saw him on tv at Indira Ghandi’s funeral… he was friends with the enemy! Even worse... he supported the massacre of thousands of Sikhs. He said something like “khoon kay budlay khoon”. I felt so betrayed, because I was actually cheering for this guy, the “good” guy, in the movies I had been stupidly watching. I decided I wasn’t going to watch those movies again.
A little while after that I was at my cousins house, and he (yes, “he”) wanted to watch a hindi movie. I told him we couldn’t anymore. I was 6 by then, and no one had told me we couldn’t watch hindi movies… but I knew it was wrong. How could we be entertained by the very people who were condoning the violence in Punjab? Just didn’t make sense. My cousin asked his mom if he could watch the forbidden movie, and she told him he could. When I spoke up to say “but he’s Indira Ghandi’s friend!” my aunt told me that we wouldn’t be doing anything wrong just by watching the movie. My cousin decided to watch the movie, but I went home.
Many years after that I would watch the occasional hindi movie… not because I wanted to, just if I happened to be in the room and someone else was watching. About 6 years ago I decided to officially stop watching them. I feel so much cleaner now.
These movies have done a HUGE amount of damage to the Sikh community. They have robbed Sikhs of their identity…making hindus and Sikhs interchangeable. “Sikhs” in India think its cool to speak hindi, they think it’s cool to do hindu rituals. It’s unfortunate that the majority of “Sikhs” are blind to the harm “bollywood” has done.
Sometimes my friends will try to justify the watching of hindi movies by saying they include Sikhs in these movies now. No… they don’t include Sikhs… they include sikh/hindus… “sikdu”s. It’s a type of “Sikh” that’s acceptable to Indians (hindus). This propaganda is working. “Sikhs” are actually paying to be brainwashed by the GOI and RSS. Think I’m crazy? What interest would the GOI and RSS have in diluting Sikhi? Read this.
It’s quite tragic actually. I can only pray that in my lifetime Sikhs will wake up and realize what is happening.
This is actually extremely difficult for me to write, because by doing so I have to admit something I am deeply ashamed of… I used to watch hindi movies when I was 4 or 5.
When my brother started school I would go over to my cousins house and we would occasionally watch hindi movies. I know… so sad. A hero in those movies was Amitab Bachan. Then one day I saw him on tv at Indira Ghandi’s funeral… he was friends with the enemy! Even worse... he supported the massacre of thousands of Sikhs. He said something like “khoon kay budlay khoon”. I felt so betrayed, because I was actually cheering for this guy, the “good” guy, in the movies I had been stupidly watching. I decided I wasn’t going to watch those movies again.
A little while after that I was at my cousins house, and he (yes, “he”) wanted to watch a hindi movie. I told him we couldn’t anymore. I was 6 by then, and no one had told me we couldn’t watch hindi movies… but I knew it was wrong. How could we be entertained by the very people who were condoning the violence in Punjab? Just didn’t make sense. My cousin asked his mom if he could watch the forbidden movie, and she told him he could. When I spoke up to say “but he’s Indira Ghandi’s friend!” my aunt told me that we wouldn’t be doing anything wrong just by watching the movie. My cousin decided to watch the movie, but I went home.
Many years after that I would watch the occasional hindi movie… not because I wanted to, just if I happened to be in the room and someone else was watching. About 6 years ago I decided to officially stop watching them. I feel so much cleaner now.
These movies have done a HUGE amount of damage to the Sikh community. They have robbed Sikhs of their identity…making hindus and Sikhs interchangeable. “Sikhs” in India think its cool to speak hindi, they think it’s cool to do hindu rituals. It’s unfortunate that the majority of “Sikhs” are blind to the harm “bollywood” has done.
Sometimes my friends will try to justify the watching of hindi movies by saying they include Sikhs in these movies now. No… they don’t include Sikhs… they include sikh/hindus… “sikdu”s. It’s a type of “Sikh” that’s acceptable to Indians (hindus). This propaganda is working. “Sikhs” are actually paying to be brainwashed by the GOI and RSS. Think I’m crazy? What interest would the GOI and RSS have in diluting Sikhi? Read this.
It’s quite tragic actually. I can only pray that in my lifetime Sikhs will wake up and realize what is happening.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Interesting conversation had with hindi movie fan...
If this does ever occur (highly unlikely), I will edit this post and provide details of said conversation.
(Just to clarify... the "highly unlikely" refers to the fact that (most) people who watch hindi movies on a regular basis have been sucked dry of any creativity they possessed making them incapable of saying something interesting or thought provoking. They are devoid of any knowledge of current events, and believe the stereotypes protrayed by these movies to be true. I'm not positive about which came first... the hindi movies or the lack of thought... but I firmly believe they are related.)
(Just to clarify... the "highly unlikely" refers to the fact that (most) people who watch hindi movies on a regular basis have been sucked dry of any creativity they possessed making them incapable of saying something interesting or thought provoking. They are devoid of any knowledge of current events, and believe the stereotypes protrayed by these movies to be true. I'm not positive about which came first... the hindi movies or the lack of thought... but I firmly believe they are related.)
