- vicissitudes -

more Plagiarism in the news

2006-04-24T10:12:00.000-04:00

Author Dan Brown has been making waves in the news, allegedly for signs of plagiarism in his book Da Vinci Code. Here's another similar news story about a young writer who's recently been caught up in the plagiarism trap. Kaavya Viswanathan got a $500,000 2-book deal and she's still an undergrad at Harvard. The passage quoted in the article from Viswanathan's book Opal Mehta... unfortunately does bear close resemblance to a passage in Megan McCafferty's Sloppy Firsts. I wonder how the allegations will be resolved.

What's special about the number 6174?

2006-04-23T23:36:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of the 'Kaprekar Constant' - 6174? Basically, is you take 4 numbers and create two 4-digit numbers - one with them in ascending order and the other in descending order, and if you perform the Kaprekar Routine (subtract the smaller from the larger) then, within 8 iterations, you will end up with 6174. Try this out... It's amazing!

2006 Pritzker Award to Brazilian Architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha

2006-04-10T12:06:00.000-04:00

Paulo Mendes da Rocha of Brazil Wins the Pritzker Architecture Prize

"Paulo Mendes da Rocha of Brazil, known for his provocative ways with concrete and steel, has won the 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered the profession's highest honor. Mr. Mendes da Rocha, 77, is best known for his Brazilian Sculpture Museum in São Paulo, where he is considered the unofficial dean of the city's Brutalist movement."

Read more at The New York Times

The Ramon Magsaysay Award

2006-04-07T17:34:00.000-04:00

This award is named after "Ramon Magsaysay [who] was the third president of the Republic of the Philippines after World War II. His life had great impact not only in his country but on many people in many lands. He was one of the outstanding leaders of his time."

Here's some brief history about it - "In April 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award was established by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) based in New York City. With the concurrence of the Philippine government, the prize was created to commemorate late president of the Philippines and to perpetuate his example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society."

"The RMAF recognizes and honors individuals and organizations in Asia regardless of race, creed, sex, or nationality, who have achieved distinction in their respective fields and have helped others generously without anticipating public recognition. The awards are given in five categories: government service; public service; community leadership; journalism, literature, and creative communication arts; peace and international understanding."

Here are some highlights of Indian awardees. Did you know that M.S. Subbulakshmi was awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1974 for her extraordinary voice and cultural contribution to India. Baba Amte was awarded the Magsaysay in 1985 for his work with 'social outcasts' in rural Maharashtra, guided by his "philosophy that 'charity destroys, work builds'." And Dara N. Khurody was recognised in 1963 for his efforts in helping start and evolve the Aarey Milk Colony back in 1949. Amazing work, isn't it?

Other famous Indians who have received this honor are Kiran Bedi, Vinoba Bhave, Mother Teresa, Satyajit Roy, Arun Shourie, Ravi Shankar and many more... check out the list for more awardees.

Special Time & Date - tomorrow -

2006-04-04T13:31:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday April 5th,
at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning,
the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.

Happy Gudi Padva

2006-03-30T14:22:00.000-05:00

According to the Hindu/ Marathi lunar calendar, today - March 30, 2006 - is the beginning of the new year. It's an auspicious day to start something new...

Happy New Year or as we say in Marathi, Happy Gudi Padva.

The Arab Critique... and Defense of Islamic values

2006-03-29T20:17:00.000-05:00

In my recent research on Somaliland, I've come across several articles that argue and critique various aspects about Arab and Islamic culture. Although the two articles suggested here contain some good ideas and some interesting points, they are also sometimes not convincing. Even so, I present them here to add to the highly polarising topic because the issues are very important too.

For a critical point of view of Arab society, here's Barry Rubin's piece excerpted from his book The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East - What's Wrong: The Arab Liberal Critique of Arab Society.

"Arab liberals have become vocal critics of their societies in recent years, making the question of democracy one of the most important issues facing the Middle East. But what do the reformers actually say about the problems facing their countries and the shortcomings in the current systems there? This article presents the key arguments of the liberals, and those opposing them, showing both their common analysis and the different viewpoints or strategies making up the reform movement."

"The Arab liberals' most impressive achievement has been to provide a thoroughgoing critique of what is wrong with Arab society. This is such a persuasive indictment that it is critical to remember it is also one relatively hardly heard in an Arab world flooded by a sea of official statements, self-congratulatory proclamations, calls to militancy, and claims of victimization by outside villains. As a result, many Arab liberals show a profound frustration about their inability to convince others of what to them seems so obvious."
[follow the link to read the rest]

For an opposing perspective, here's Dr. Ali A. Mazrui's article Islamic and Western Values.

"Democracy and The Humane Life
Westerners tend to think of Islamic societies as backward-looking, oppressed by religion, and inhumanely governed, comparing them to their own enlightened, secular democracies. But measurement of cultural distance between the West and Islam is a complex undertaking, and that distance is narrower than they assume. Islam is not just a religion, and certainly not just a fundamentalist political movement. It is a civilization, and a way of life that varies from one Muslim country to another but is animated by a common spirit far more humane than most Westerners realize. Nor do those in the West always recognize how their own societies have failed to live up to their liberal mythology. Moreover, aspects of Islamic culture that Westerners regard as medieval may have prevailed in their own culture until fairly recently; in many cases, Islamic societies may be only a few decades behind socially and technologically advanced Western ones. In the end, the question is what path leads to the highest quality of life of the average citizen, while avoiding the worst abuses. The pat of the West does not provide all the answers; Islamic values deserve serious consideration."
[follow the link to read the rest]

I encourage any thoughts and discussion on this post.

Hokusai - the masterful artist -

2006-03-25T17:45:00.000-05:00

I am in DC to get a glimpse of the much-written about cherry blossoms and since I am a couple of days too early for the divine sight, I ventured to the Sackler Gallery to check out the Hokusai exhibit which did not fail to awe and inspire.

Although the image shown here is arguably Hokusai's most easily recognised work titled "Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji: Beneath the Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa" from 1830-31, I loved his etching of spring flowers - cherry blossoms - some were pinkish, reddish, and white (I wasn't able to find an image of it). The white flowers were basically indicated only via the pressure of the etching with no paint/ color used at all. This print could only be appreciated in person since the images/ postcards etc of it were could not sufficiently capture the non-paint white flowers. Amazing!

The adjacent image is a work titled "Boy Viewing Mount Fuji" from 1839.

Here's an art review from the NY Times.

OBIT: Pio Levya, Buena Vista Social Club

2006-03-23T12:06:00.000-05:00

From the BBC story, Buena Vista singer Pio Leyva dies

"Cuban singer Pio Leyva, who gained global fame with the Buena Vista Social Club group, has died at the age of 88. Leyva, who collaborated on more than 25 albums, died of a heart attack on Wednesday evening, his family said.

"His work with the late guitarist Compay Segundo - perhaps the best known of the Buena Vista group - stretched back to the early 1950s. They joined forces again in the late 1990s when the Grammy award-winning Buena Vista group was formed. Leyva showed early promise as a child, winning a bongo competition at the age of six. He went on to sing with Cuban legends including the late Beny More and Bebo Valdes.

"The Buena Vista Social Club group found international fame after being promoted by the US guitarist Ry Cooder, and featuring in a film by Wim Wenders. Leyva is the fourth member of the band to die in the past three years. Segundo and pianist Ruben Gonzalez died in 2003, while singer Ibrahim Ferrer died in a Havana hospital in August 2005."

ART: two mediums - sand & chalk - in a new light

2006-03-20T15:36:00.000-05:00

Check out Ilana Yahav's Sand Paintings, which are so simple yet fluid and enchanting and Julian Beever's Chalk Drawings, which are so 3D that they defy the senses

ART: MoMA exhibit

2006-03-19T15:03:00.000-05:00

Without Boundary: Seventeen Ways of Looking
February 26–May 22, 2006

"An ever-increasing number of artists, such as Mona Hatoum, Shirin Neshat, and Shahzia Sikander, have come from the Islamic world to live in Europe and the United States. Without Boundary brings together some of these major contemporary voices. The exhibition features the work of artists of diverse backgrounds—Algerian, Egyptian, Indian, Iranian, Iraqi, Lebanese, Pakistani, Palestinian, and Turkish—across a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture, video, animation, photography, carpet and textile, and comic strips."

The Twelve Word Project

2006-03-18T15:00:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting new project - The Twelve Word Project

"The world will be polled. Twelve words will be chosen to represent humanity. These words will come from the people of earth. Representing any and all walks of life from black to white, rich to homeless any social, political, cultural, sexual, background from any location on earth. All are welcome.

"These twelve words will be thought provoking, eliciting diverse interpretations. We will provide a window into human complexity, while highlighting its core commonality. Shielding the voices of the masses against the constant bombardment of subjective exploitation. Creating a platform to think and speak, for all willing to partake in this worldly discussion."

So, any thoughts about what those twelve words should be? Peace? Technology? AIDS? Hope? Community? Cancer? What will your list be?

Black History Month

2006-02-12T02:34:00.000-05:00

Since 1926, February has been Black History Month. In light of this celebration, I want to raise awareness of some amazing programming on PBS (Channel 13 in the NY-NJ area) -

One - the documentary African American Lives hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., which traces the family history and lives of eight prominent African Americans namely Dr. Ben Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Mae Jemison, Quincy Jones, Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Chris Tucker and Oprah Winfrey - oh and Henry Louis Gates Jr. himself too. All the stories are fascinating but the best I think are of Tucker and Winfrey.

Tucker's family on his mother's side is one of the few examples of black families and a community staying the south instead of being part of the largest migration in the US - of blacks from the south moving north after the Civil War. The most compelling reason for why Tucker's maternal family stayed back was the strength of the church where his great-great-great grandfather (maybe even another generation beyond) was pastor.

Winfrey's story is amazing simply for the fact that going back five generations (and maybe more); Winfrey men have been great proponents of the importance of education. Soon after reconstruction, her paternal grandfather five generations back taught himself to read and write in ten years; furthermore when the local black school was in trouble and was likely to be shut down due to lack of funds from Washington, he moved the school on to his property and supported it - he knew that education was the way to break the long legacy and chains of slavery and bondage. Watching Oprah now, it is clear that education is her mission too; it seems to be in her blood.

I could go on about this but I will not - instead, I would recommend highly, that everyone make an effort to view this series and appreciate the rich history, in a way, of us all.

Two - the film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman based on the novel of the same name by Ernest J. Gaines, which is a great epic story of Miss Jane Pittman - born into slavery in the 1850s to part of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Amazing history. On a side note, Cicely Tyson won an Emmy for her portrayal of Miss Jane Pittman in 1974.

Cartography and Development

2006-02-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

The NASA affiliated website Earth Observatory (EO) has some of the best images of Earth taken from space. These photos aren't just pretty pictures like the Aster Mexicali image at left; also check out this aerial of Rio de Janeiro!

On the development front, the Aiding Afghanistan section of the site talks about the efforts of the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET), who using maps, "works to avert famine, particularly in Africa, Central America, and Afghanistan." Amazing work. Contrary to what one might think about the need for high-resolution and detailed images of land, the work of remote ecologists is based on wide, low-resolution regional images.

"The images [...] produced are not like photos; they are a vegetation “index,” or scale, based on the kind of light reflected from the ground or vegetation surface in a region. Plant leaves absorb visible light for photosynthesis and reflect near-infrared light. If a satellite detects significantly more near-infrared light than visible light, the region is likely to be densely vegetated. By comparing the difference in intensity between visible and near-infrared light measured over crop areas in current imagery with the difference measured at the same time in past years, Tucker can tell how leafy a crop region is compared to normal. Plotting out the anomalies reveals where vegetation is thicker than normal because of good conditions or thinner than normal as a result of drought."

satire or not?

2006-02-08T22:13:00.000-05:00

The Danish cartoon-gate story has brought to mind the question of satire or not. What is the relevance of satire and when is it productive? I finally saw the much discussed cartoon by Kurt Westergaard and frankly, I don't think it is funny. Maybe I just don't get it. The issue really is the reasoning behind such a cartoon. Who is its audience? In this day and age - the whole world. What is its purpose? and Why?

I'm all for a good laugh but I really question the motives behind this particular cartoon. Shouldn't satire in the media be a way to make light of dysfunction common to all in society, like collective constructive criticism? Rather than to mock a particular group or way of thinking? Now, the competition to find cartoons that satirize the Holocaust is a knee-jerk reaction at best. I do not condone the violent reaction opposing the cartoon. This is just it - has the cartoon sparked any real, meaningful dialogue? From all the hoopla, probably not. There is much discussion about Islam but not much in a reconciliatory way.

Here's an article by a Danish Muslim from the Guardian We have lost our voice that presents another point of view.

The - rigor - of Boxing

2006-02-05T15:09:00.000-05:00

As much as I don't necessarily get the idea of boxing as a sport, time and time again, I am confronted with its positive force along with the belief that boxing is a thinking sport. I don't watch the sport not because of the violence per se but American boxing seems far too commercially motivated to be pure sport. But then I guess most sports in the US or for that matter, in the world are propped up by commercial sponsorship; nothing exists without money.

Back in 2004 when Clint Eastwood released his masterful film Million Dollar Baby, I went to see it in the theater and absolutely loved it. Maggie Fitzgerald's (Hillary Swank character) passion for boxing was deeply evident in every part of her being. And such rigor for boxing stood right alongside the harsh brutality of the sport. Maybe the truth is that boxing offers an avenue out of whatever and wherever one might be. It is not necessarily the nature of boxing that helps in the journey out... but one could find release and solace and acceptance via any passionate means - whether it be boxing (sport), or writing, or film, or social work.

For some reason, the rigor of boxing is very compelling. Today's Guardian online has Hanif Kureishi's interview with Amir Khan - 'the future of British boxing...' that sheds some light on the young boxer's life, his views on the precarious state of Muslims (young esp.) in Britain and the paradox of being British, Pakistani and a boxer.

Photo: a hippo enjoying the surf

2006-02-02T19:22:00.000-05:00

You can find this photo by Michael K. Nichols at the National Geographic website, under their Photo-of-the-Day section for February 2, 2006.

Although this hippo enjoying the surf off the coast of Gabon appears cute and cuddly, I know from personal experience that hippos in general aren't so. In September 2000, I traveled to Africa, specifically South Africa and Zimbabwe, for almost three weeks. I consider this time of my life as the best I've ever had; maybe an upcoming journey to Mongolia might raise the ante.

In Zimbabwe, while at the Mana Pools camp, I decided to canoe down the Zambezi river a few miles. My guide for the day was Trust Moyo (I am not kidding about his firstname) and was only 20 I think - younger than me. In anycase, he proved his trust-worthiness on several occasions. Our first encounter with an elephant was when we came across an old female, happily chewing off the juicy insides of some exposed roots at the side of the river bank. Trust brought our canoe up really close to the her, challenging me on my request to get close to the animals as he said, "How close do you want to get? A foot away? Six inches? You want to touch the elephant?" Okay, so it was amazing but very scary too. We stayed by the old elephant's side for a while, against the down river current - enjoying her beauty, her long eyelashes, her dexterous manouverability with those wily roots. I did get very close to a wild elephant that day.

But Trust had more for me that day on the Zambezi. We kept out canoe close to the river bank in case we got into trouble - just a safety precaution. On one such occasion, we were so close to the river bank that we grounded our canoe. Trust and I got out and pushed the canoe back into slightly deeper waters.

We stopped for lunch under a shady tree along the river. Trust insisted on an hours siesta before continuing; I could hardly sleep since I could see crocodile in the distance basking in the sun, some antelope far off by the river's edge. When we finally set off to complete the last few miles of our canoe adventure for the day, is when Trust truly saved the day. We canoed past a pod of hippos and made sure to stay clear of them. Trust was regaling me with stories of travelers and guides alike who had gotten into tough situations with hippos. Although hippos are vegetarian, they will not think twice about attacking and killing anyone who threatens them, especially mama hippos with babies. And just then, out of the clear blue, I noticed a wall of water charging towards us. I had no idea what was happening and thus did not scream nor take any photos. I just was frozen at the site of the wall of water, fast moving towards us, with no effort to stop. Trust stood up in the canoe and brought the paddle high up in the air, flat onto the river water, right in front of the charging wall of water. It made that awful sound like when a diver into a pool falls flat onto their body - a painful sound. It worked. The wall of water stopped charging to reveal a young male hippo behind. We were going to be fine. Trust explained that it had only been a 'mock' charge. Were it not so, I might not be writing this blog today.

The above account is all true. But maybe time has replaced the grisly detail reality of the situation with nostalgic wonder and thankfulness of my time at Mana Pools and for Trust and his quick thinking. :)

Ferguson's eulogy

2006-01-30T06:18:00.000-05:00

Craig Ferguson's [from The Late Late Show on CBS] eulogy to his father Robert Ferguson was so moving. I wish I had a transcript to share but here's a link to the video of his heartfelt opening segment - please watch.

A Modern Tocqueville

2006-01-29T00:53:00.000-05:00

Charlie Rose interviewed Bernard-Henri Levy regarding the new book American Vertigo: Traveling America in the Footsteps of Tocqueville; a look at American society much like the way Alexis de Tocqueville did so back in 1831-32. Tocqueville traveled with Gustave de Beaumont; the official purpose for the trip was to ‘study the US prison system and report back to France’ but the unofficial purpose was to ‘observe America’. Their travels resulted in Tocqueville writing the much-famed volume Democracy in America, which was first published in 1935.

Levy was in the media back in 2003 when he wrote the book Who Killed Daniel Pearl? I like the way Levy thinks and writes about events and thus decided to take notes during this interview. The following quotes are my quick notes as Levy spoke with Charlie Rose. Please excuse any errors.

In response to what the state of democracy in America, Levy said that although he found a “school of conformity, a pattern of consensus” individuality had not disappeared, that “civil societies [were] winning [and are the] real democracies.” People are talking, there is a “battle on values, on political issues, and that people are concerned beyond self-needs.” With all this though, “the left had her golden age in the 60s & the 70s but today they are frozen.” There are still many “new issues - like poverty, fight against poverty, that the task of the state should be to protect its citizens against poverty. [And] what about the death penalty? And creationism?”

It was interesting to note that Levy considers himself “a European of French origin” much as Charlie Rose is an “American of Carolinian origin.” Levy continued with “America for me is one of the proofs for the possibility of [a new] Europe, [with] all sorts of people, with different roots, different ethnicities, and at the end of the day they are all American. America should be a model for Europe, instead it is an anti-model.” In traveling around the nation, Levy met with 100s of people; he met people who were comfortable with their myriad identities. For example, with the Arab population of Dearborn, MI, they said to Levy, “Firstly, we are Americans and we would like to succeed like the Americans. [We believe in] assimilation while keeping [our] own roots.” Levy compared this situation to that in France and the recent riots.

There is also much to worry about the “the fate and destination of Jews in France, [about the] anti-Semitism in France.” There are two reasons for such anti-Semitic movement in France, firstly the “radical Islamists in France that feed the beast and [secondly] also homegrown traditional anti-Semitic [views] from writers and intellectuals from the right and the left.” America in its long tradition of a melting pot offers another means to reconcile identities; “the dialectic between being an American and another identity is more subtle and more fine. [There is a] way of telling somebody that you have to be an American and [at the same time] remain what you were; [it] is a good pattern.”

Find out more about Levy's book at the New York review of his book.

NYC's affordable housing dilemma

2006-01-28T00:19:00.000-05:00

Tonight’s WNET New Voices program addressed an increasingly important issue in NYC, that of affordable housing. But what does affordable housing really mean when there are so many different levels of income and needs of people in the city, affordability for a middle income couple with children who earn a little more than $100,000 a year is very different from affordability for a single mother earning $45,000 a year.

The show focused on The Aspen, a luxury rental in Harlem that is a mixed-income building. With financial incentives from City Hall, developers who buy the land for a nominal amount ($1 I believe) agree to divide the building 50-30-20, which means 50% of the apartments are available at open market rate, 30% for middle income earners and 20% for low income earners. This is an interesting concept and in the case of The Aspen, not only does the new luxury building gentrify the area, raise the police presence etc but also since everyone in the building enjoys the same amenities, there is a sense of democracy.

Naturally, getting a spot in a building such as The Aspen is difficult. For the 108 units, almost 5000 people applied for assignment via lottery. The lottery, credit checks and affordability of the exact apartment assigned are daunting obstacles to get through. Those that do are indeed lucky, as they are likely to have a 2-bedroom apartment for less than $2000, in Manhattan too!

Mayor Bloomberg has okayed a plan to create 165,000 affordable housing units over the next seven years.

Housing sites to visit for more information:
Housing First
New York City Housing Authority
Division of Housing and Community Renewal

Surprise! It's a Hammas victory!

2006-01-27T17:11:00.000-05:00

From my friend PD:

"As for Hammas in 'Palestine', and even in Bangladesh, or in the Future perhaps in Egypt, or possibly Saudi Arabia, there is definitely a wave going through the Islamic countries. Let's see what happens, I realize that these religious parties are usually repressive towards women & men, & religious minorities.

"By the way, DollyWood, in Dacca according to this radio program I heard makes a lot of Steamy Sex filled films. Apparently, only working class men go, and they sometimes even have porn not related to the film thrown in the middle of the movie, to satisfy their customers, otherwise there maybe riots.

"I am sure that there are Islamist groups in Bangladesh who'd like to burn down such cinemas, and throw acid in the faces of the actresses. Off course as with all acts of "Great Cowardice", they pick on women first. Since our family spent about Six years in Pakistan in the late 70's, we witnessed our fair share of Corruption & Islamisation go hand in hand. Of-course Pakistan's military is the final stopgap, so hopefully Pakistan will not become like Iran. Most of the military leadership in Iran was killed by Khomeini in the early years of the revolution, so they missed their chance at a military dictatorship. Anyhow, the Clergy in Iran has always been very strong, at least since the 18th century.

"The Sunnis in Pakistan love to kill Shiites because as you well know all the Hindus & most of the Sikhs left a long time ago. The Sad thing is that when the Shiites come out to protest against the massacres, their slogans are always anti-American, anti-Israel, Anti-India, because if they dared to say anything against the Majority Sunnis in Pakistan they would be butchered en-masse.

"What I truly love about the politics in the wider region, is that the Secularists who are very corrupt, brutal and of course heavily tilted towards the US, because they receive large paychecks, so called foreign aid from Uncle Sam keep on using what happened in Iran as the boogie man to legitimize their intolerable behavior. A good example of this Mubarak in Egypt, he is truly a dictator and he sees himself as a bulwark against Iran in the region. You will note that within the Mid-East there is a general rule that has been true for the past 5 years at least. Any country whose government is Pro-American, has a population that is anti-American, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi, and vice versa, being Iran, to a degree Syria. The Iraqi invasion made a huge of mess of things obviously.

"Of course, each country, and each region has its own particular dynamics. The 'Subcontinent' as the Brits call it operates under different circumstances. But I am so glad that India is doing well. By the way, I don't know if you heard that the United States would withdraw cooperation and Technology developing India's Civilian Nuclear Program, If India does not vote against Iran in the United Nations. How do you feel about that, The World's Most Power full "Democracy" Blackmailing the World's Most Populous democracy?

"The point is that Hammas had to win, if they do a decent job governing, then they deserve to have a say in the future of Palestine, if they don't and they become corrupt like Yasser Arafat’s Fatah circle, then Hammas should be voted out. I am shocked that people in the west are shocked by Hammas wining the elections. It seemed so obvious to me. The last thing we need is for the U.S. or Israel to meddle even more. Of course, the U.S. did help Fatah, and Iran funded Hammas. Again no surprise there. You'll note that it is Part of Iran's Foreign policy in the region to back Islamist Parties or regimes, even be they Sunni, and not too virulently anti-Shiite. What we don't need is what happened in Algeria in the early 90's now that would be disaster.

"By the way how do like Manmohan Singh? Is he popular? I also wanted to congratulate the people of Gujarat for doing such a great job rebuilding after the 2001 earthquake. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the Iranian Bam Earthquake of 2003 or the recent one in Pakistan. Very simply because of their respective governments. I really wish that Human life mattered more, and accountability… which is why Hammas was voted into power."

Sharon's position(s)

2006-01-26T10:36:00.000-05:00

The most recent New Yorker magazine - January 26 & 30, 2006 has an article about Ariel Sharon by Ari Shavit – what kind of man & leader is Sharon? [The article is not online yet, although here is an interview with Ari Shavit about the author's meetings with Sharon.]

Shavit met Sharon several times from 1999 till mid-2005 and through these interviews/ breakfast meetings, Sharon is fascinating in the way he considers himself an intuitive leader making decisions based on facts and not a ‘thinking/ man of letters’ kind of leader. I think this strategy for leadership led Sharon to make decisions about Israeli-Palestinian relations that over time seem to contradict. In April 2001, Sharon believed in the importance of having Jewish settlements in Gaza, that they “had strategic meaning for Israel.” When asked about the possibility of evacuating isolated settlements like Netzarim, Sharon responded “No. Absolutely not. […] No. Not at any price. […] Why is it necessary to evacuate Netzarim? What for? … Netzarim has strategic importance. It was built as part of a concept that a barrier has to be create between Khan Yunis and Gaza City, and that we should have access to the coast. Therefore Netzarim is of enormous importance to security. It is essential.” (55) But then, Shavit continues, in February 2004, “Sharon acted on his commitment to make “painful concessions,” and described his disengagement plan. […] By the end of the summer, there was no Netzarim, no Kfar Darom.” (56)

So what of the strategic importance of those settlements? And what about the many Israeli’s displaced because of changing winds and Sharon’s ‘windsurfing’ type of leadership? Shavit writes, “Thirty-eight years of Israeli occupation of Gaza came to an end with televised scenes of Israeli soldiers dragging Israeli settlers from their homes and synagogues, and of bulldozers leveling Israeli buildings. And it was Sharon – the man who himself was know as “the bulldozer” for both his desire to build new outposts and his brutal means – who had done it.” (56) The effect of Sharon’s changing decisions about Israeli settlements is evidenced in a letter from a woman from Netzarim who writes. “I want to ask you whether you are able to look me straight in the eye and tell me to leave my home, the same home where my son grew up until the age of eighteen, and give it as a gift to the murdered of my son?” (60) Sharon reconciles his decisions and the effects they have had on Israeli settlers by responding, “She [the mother] is right in her arguments, but she doesn’t bear the responsibility for the Jewish people on her shoulders. This responsibility is incumbent on me.” (60)

There’s much much more about Sharon and I encourage anyone interested in world affairs to seek out this article and read it. For me, Shavit’s profile of Sharon was not about Israeli-Palestinian politics and land rights necessarily; instead, the article highlighted the process of politicking itself. There is no foresight in decision-making, no real thinking about repercussions to decisions. This point is distressing particularly when I read how Sharon in his early career, did not believe in peace agreements, did not believe that Israel had to compromise to bring about some resolution. It is ironic then to know that in April 2003 Sharon said “Well, I have made up my mind to make a real effort to arrive at a real agreement. I’m seventy-five. I have no political ambitions beyond the position I now hold. And I see it as an aim and a goal to bring this people security and peace. Therefore I shall make very great efforts. I think that this is something that I need to leave behind me: to try to reach an agreement.” (56) When questioned about ‘dividing the land between Israelis and Palestinians’, Sharon said, “I believe this is what will happen. It is necessary to see things in a very realistic way: in the end, there will be a Palestinian state… I don’t think that we need to rule over another people and run its life. I don’t think that we have the strength for that.” (56) What? It is sad to see such a realization so late in his life…

Film: Les Invasions barbares

2006-01-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

The award-winning film Les Invasions barbares [The Barbarian Invasions], released in 2003, is about everything (life, sex and friendships) but invading medieval or gothic barbarians. Although this movie is a sequel to Denys Arcand's 1986 film Le Declin de l'empire americain [The Decline of the American Empire], the film stands on its own and can be appreciated as such too. I liked this film because even though the basic theme of the film is familiar (the reconciliation of a dying father with his estranged son) the story weaves in and out of the lives of the various characters and thus the viewer is exposed to a myriad ideas, opinions, and perspectives. While the film openly critiques the state of modern Canadian medical system - its the bureaucracy, corruption, and the state of labor unions, it isn't just about that. There is a sense that the way things are now are a reflection of decisions made by leaders of the past, based on what they thought was best for their people and nation. And so the criticism is tempered with the acknowledgement of human frailty. The film also includes other aspects of modern life - gay marriage, older man with younger woman, drug addicted daughter with helpless mother, capitalist attitudes vs. socialism, and the specific situation of Quebec and Montreal.

Here's an inteview with filmmaker Denys Arcand; his moniker is 'Jesus of Montreal'...

Whale in the Thames

2006-01-23T14:04:00.000-05:00

Unique but sad news story from BBC news about an adolescent whale seemingly lost in the River Thames. Authorities hoped that the whale would swim back towards the sea since they feared it would get beached in the shallow river water at London, where the Thames at low tide is now more than 2 meters (6 feet) deep! Whales when beached suffer from heat exhaustion, sun burn and the inability of their bodies to support their weight. Unfortunately the whale died during the rescue mission; it was already bruised in several parts and was most likely disoriented when it swam upriver in the Thames.

Walking along the river in NJ, I sometimes dream of seeing a dolphin or whale. Sea water in the Hudson goes up quite a way upriver so the animal wouldn't suffer from fresh water. After reading this most current story about the whale lost and dead in the Thames, I guess I need to give up on my fantastical dream of seeing one of those giant and mesmerizing creatures in the Hudson; they are better off in the depths of the ocean.

Fighting Terrorism the French Way?

2006-01-22T14:02:00.000-05:00

Reading the article by Marc Perelman 'How the French Fight Terror' - about the 'French Way' of fighting terrorism - provides a serious cause for concern. The French, unarguably, have been the recipeints of far more terrorists attacks (sponsored by foreign states) than the US or the UK. Further more, attacks on French soil began back in the 1950s by the Algerians, then in the 1970s by the Palestinians. However, does the French 'headstart' in having to deal with terrorism translate to a better way to counter terrorism? I did not know this prior to reading this article but it is commonplace in France (and maybe Europe too) to be stopped by the police without any obvious cause, for an ID check. Even though the idea of a national ID card in the US is utterly anathemas, we have to seriously question whether such a drastic measure will indeed be a positive step to counter terrorism.

Middle East history lesson #2

2005-04-02T14:48:00.000-05:00

From my friend PD:

"Persian is related to Arabic due to the Islamic/Arabic Invasions of the 7th Century and the Subsequent cultural influence of Islam.

"Arabic as you know is a Semitic Language related to Aramaic the ancient language of the Near East spoken during the time of Christ. Aramaic and Hebrew are sister languages.

"Old Persian, Known as Pahlavi is closely linked to Sanskrit. This is why the links between Iran and India are much older than the Mughals, Much older than Islam. They go back some 4000-5000 years at least. Please keep that in mind.

"After the Islamic-Arab Invasion of the 7th Century, Persian was flooded with new Arabic loan Vocabulary words, to accommodate the New Islamic Religion. These words then were brought to India through Modern Persian, or Farsi, some 500 years later. I hope that you are understanding the timeline, and that the Geographic locations. As you know, the Indian Subcontinent has always been open to invasion from the North West. Before the Brits came from the sea."

Middle East history lesson #1

2005-03-29T18:27:00.000-05:00

From my friend PD:

"As for Iraq or Mesopotamia, Iraq has never been independent in its history, until the Brits created it out of thin air in 1920. What we call Iraq today was always a part of some larger entity, or it ruled another entity next to it. Iraq and Syria for example can hardly be separated, and you must realize that the Ottoman Turks, who ruled the region for 500 years, unified it fairly well. So that you had Baghdadis living in Istanbul, and that you had Cairenes (Cairo) living in Damascus.

"Just like you had people from Lahore before the partition living in Lucknow or Allahabad and you had People from Bombay trading and working in Karachi and vice versa. Nationalism is the problem in many ways. This is why I like what Arundhati Roy has to say about it this particular "ism" that we tend to cling on to.

"As for Iran, and Persians in Particular, since 3000 years ago they have thought of themselves as a group apart from the rest in their immediate vicinity. This has to do with the fact that when the Indo Aryan tribes came south from southern Russia, the main Eastern branch went towards Ghandhara, a region of Eastern Afghanistan and North West Pakistan and then they descended into the Indo-Gangetic Plain where they supposedly overcame the native Dravidian civilization.

"A smaller part of this tribe instead of heading south, kept on drifting westward, towards the Iranian Plateau and finally had to settle there, because all along their western periphery they had to contend with more established older civilizations that were stronger militarily, like Babylonia, and Assyria, and Uruartu. Okay this is how Iran and India have a common heritage. The later shared Islamic heritage comes much much later. Also for some reason many Indians think that it was the Persians who brought Islam to India. This is an error. They also attribute Islam to Persia. Islam as you know is from the Hejaz region of Arabia, and the Sasanid Persian Empire due to constant warfare with Rome finally succumbed to the Muslim armies by 650 A.D.
Before Islam the religion of Iran Proper was Zoroastrian (like the Parsees) in Mumbai and Pune.

"Before Islam the Religion of what we call Iraq today was primarily Christian (Nestorian) and Chaldean believe it or not. But at the time Iraq (Mesopotamia) was ruled by Persia (Iran) and so the Roman (Christians) did not like the fact that Christian peoples were being ruled by Persians of another faith.

"Sasanid Persia and Byzantine Rome fought more than 26 major wars over three hundred years. The Syrian portion of the Euphrates River became the defacto border between the two empires. On its Eastern border Sasanid Persia constantly fought with Turks and Huns from Central Asia, and she traded extensively with China and India. The border there was near the region of what is today central Afghanistan, including Turkmenistan and ran south to the Arabian Sea. All these "stans" are Persian words for "State of" so Afghanistan means state of the Afghanistan and Uzbekistan means the State of the Uzbeks and so on.

"After that it took about two centuries for Iranians to recover from this blow and to Persianize and Iranianize Islam. The first major Arab Muslim advance towards the Indian Subcontinent did not occur until the 10th-11th centuries under central Asian Turks who had adopted this Islamic-Persian Civilization and brought it to Northern India. These are the people who built the Quteb Minar in Delhi. Later Mughal invasions like that of Akbar in 1526, battle of Panipat where again another tribe of Turks who had adopted Islamic-Persian Culture and came to India with it. Wow somehow I've managed to cover thousands of years of history...His Story..."

Volleyball

2005-01-30T23:05:00.000-05:00

Couple of Fridays ago, I was at the gym and noticed that there was a game of volleyball on. I inquired further and found out that it was a typical Friday night pick-up sort of game and that anyone of any level could join. This was GREAT news.

In high school, I played team volleyball everyday. Rain or shine. We had a wonderful group of people who shared the same interest in playing this dynamic team sport. Our ringleader aka coach - our math/ physics/ chemistry teacher JT - was good at the game. I think he still plays the game with students. We learnt to call out our shots "it's mine" or "I got it" or better "leave!" We were a mixed bunch. I was neither tall nor a smasher but a fair player. Playing volleyball in high school didn't seem like a competitive event. It was just a great way to spend the evening PE hour. We had some great players though. One that I remember distinctly is Nagesh who had large, solid hands that enveloped the ball and a high jump that let him smash some real doozers. I think I defended just one of those smashes in all the years I played in high school.
Oh, great memories of those volleyball games. :)

my humble blog

2005-01-28T10:49:00.000-05:00

I decided to start this blog because I felt it was a good venue to share my thoughts. For a while now I've been sending out emails to friends about events in the city and also about news and my thoughts to it - as a way to start discussion and engagement with the community at large. I hope this blog will continue that tradition. I welcome comments and feedback.

The name of my blog comes from a quote that my maternal grandfather believed deeply. Here is the quote in entirety...

"Vicissitudes of life suffer us not to be elated by any present position or to admire that felicity which is liable to change. Futurity carries in its bosom various and uncertain events. He therefore, whom Heaven blesses with success to the last is in our estimation, the happiest man. But the happiness of whom who still lives and has the dangers of life to encounter, appears to be no better than that of a champion before the combat is determined."

- Solan in Solan & Creasus