Monthly Archives: March 2005

Tragedy at Bhangra Blowout

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This year’s Bhangra Blowout festivities ended in tragedy, as 20 year-old Ranjit Singh was fatally stabbed outside an afterparty for the event, held at the Old Post Office Pavilion in downtown Washington, D.C. The stabbing occurred around 3 a.m., almost an hour after the sold-out party ended according to police.

According to the story from the Washington Post,

after a fight broke out, a 5-foot-8 man of either Hispanic or Indian ethnicity, wearing a white shirt and braces on his teeth, pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed Ranjit Singh, 20, of Phillipsburg, N.J., police said. Two friends of Singh’s pursued the attacker until they were stabbed by him at 12th and Pennsylvania, police said. The assailant escaped in a green car, and Singh’s two friends were taken to a local hospital.

According to the Post article, and an article in the GW University newspaper the organizers capped party entrance at 1250 people, half the amount from the previous year, and had more security than required by the Old Post Office Pavilion. Partygoers also needed to pass through a metal detector because the pavilion is part of a federal complex. I am not really sure what more the organizers could have done to prevent such a tragedy.

When I was at GW, part of the reason BB was so successful was that fights and other such nonsense was checked at the door so that all could revel in the weekend. It wasn’t just about the show or the party, but about people coming together as a group, as one collective, as a sea of sepia youth. Maybe I am just being nostalgic, but we didn’t have to worry about being killed.

GWU said it would conduct a full review of Bhangra Blowout and decide if the event should be run differently, or if it should even continue to be held at all.

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Bhutan designs democracy

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While Nepal’s king does away with elected governance, the Himalayan hamlet of Bhutan gears up to embrace it. The country just unveiled a new constitution, which will convert its monarchy into a multi-party democracy:

King Jigme Singye Wangchuk says the draft will be sent to all 530,000 citizens, asking for their views…The king told the country’s only newspaper Kuensel: “The sovereignty, stability and well-being of the country must be placed above everything else. The country is more important than the king.” King Wangchuk assumed the throne at the age 16, the fourth ruler in the Wangchuk dynasty that came to power in December 1907. The transition began four years ago when the king handed down powers of daily governance to a council of ministers and even empowered the national assembly to force a royal abdication if the motion was backed by three-quarters of its membership. [BBC News]

You can read the constitution on its official web site, presented in both Dzongkha and English. Check out Article 9, Section 2 (via Boing Boing):

The State shall strive to promote those circumstances that will enable the successful pursuit of Gross National Happiness. [Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan]

Let’s hope promoting “gross national happiness” means sweet, sweet bourbon will now flow freely out of every tap in the kingdom. If that’s not the case, The New York Times’ travel section offers up a list of Bhutan’s other major selling points.

BBC News: Bhutan unveils new constitution

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Legit brownout

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Could there be anything better than an orgy of sepia theatre? Yes. An orgy of lesbian strippers. Aside from that, this is tops:

Los Angeles

“The God Botherers” — Actress Reena Dutt performs in an ensemble comedy about aid workers in Tambia, a place where there’s no rule of law, the last war’s ruined everything, and the next war will ruin everything else. So it’s like a session of the U.S. House acted out on stage. Mar. 25-Apr 24, Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7:30 p.m., $15-24, Pasadena Playhouse. (via Hollywood Masala)

“Pounding Nails in the Floor With My Forehead” — (Insert any random joke here about the title describing the dating scene in L.A.). Actor Mark Antani performs a one-man show originally written in 1994 by playwright Eric Bogosian. It’s a collection of eight pieces, with each showcasing a different character expressing rage and unhappiness in a humorous and witty fashion. Mar. 25-May 1, Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m., $15, Third Street Theatre.

“Are You With Me? F**k the Middle East — What’s for Dessert?” — As character Vinay Khan, actor Ajay Mehta performs a solo comedy about growing up in India, moving to New York, and becoming the banquet manager of the United Nations. It’s partially based on his real life. We’re guessing that the part about the U.N. is fabricated, as Mehta’s performance demonstrates an effectiveness and efficiency rarely seen from the league of nations. Mar. 23-31, Wed.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., free, reservations required, The Complex.

San Francisco

“Mamlet” — Writer Nihar Patel’s David-Mamet-ized version of Hamlet gets a staged reading by members of the prestigious American Conservatory Theatre. It joins other winners of the 2005 "Write Like Mamet" contest. Rumor has it that Mamet himself entered, but wasn’t chosen. We’re assuming that it’s because his newest piece performs earlier in the evening, and the theatre didn’t want patrons to O.D. on pure street-grade Mamet dialogue. Apr. 2, Sat. 10:30 p.m., free, Geary Theater.

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Missing in Acton

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The Washington City Paper covers the M.I.A. buzz with some true musicology:

… M.I.A. [is] a battlefield acronym that’s also a play on her real name and the London neighborhood of Acton… despite being an exotic and a refugee, M.I.A. is no primitive. She found a well-worn DIY-aesthete’s path out of London’s housing estates, leading to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. As much a pop-music finishing school as anything else, Saint Martins offered an art career, but also introductions to Elastica’s Justine Frischmann, Pulp’s Steve Mackey, and electroclash diva Peaches… In her glammier shots, she looks a bit like multi-ethnic actress Rosario Dawson…

The title [‘Galang’] sounds Malay or Indonesian, not Tamil, although some experts insist that it’s actually a dancehall contraction of “go along…” “Pull Up the People” is a potential Peace Corps anthem with Baader-Meinhof attitude. “Fire Fire” name-checks the Pixies, the Beasties, and Lou Reed, but also invokes “Growin’ up brewin’ up/Guerrilla getting trained now…”

She’s been officially classified as a rapper, and though she’s no Celine Dion, that’s not quite right. M.I.A. is more of a chanter, and such vocal hooks as “Hello this is M.I.A./Can you please come get me” come as close to singing as the vocals of any monotone rocker… Arular recalls minimalist proto- and postpunk–maybe not Wire or the Stranglers, but definitely Suicide, T. Rex, and Bow Wow Wow…

There are but a handful of conspicuous samples on Arular, including the sitar bit that opens “Hombre”–ironically, given that the tune is a lustful plea to a Spanish-speaking hunk. (Sitars, by the way, aren’t prevalent in Sri Lanka, which feels almost as Indonesian as Indian, and where the dominant music is baile, derived from the Iberian dance music of the island’s former Portuguese rulers.)

Billboard reveals M.I.A.’s given name is Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasam (subscription required). The magazine says she’s viewed by some as not a mere Asian, but rather the potential savior of UK rap (Dizzee Rascal has plateaued). She swaggers, saying she signed with XL Recordings because it was closest to her house, and so they’re lucky to have her. There’s this delicious little bit of braggadocio: she says she told the label, ‘Trust me, you’ve been looking for me,’ dropped off the ‘Galang’ tape, and they called her back 20 minutes later. She says her dad asked her not to use his name as the album title (maybe it increased his risk in the field?), but she refused. She’s sad he chose his cause over his family.

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U.S. to sell F-16s to Pakistan

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Despite losing Osama Bin Laden, harboring A.Q. Khan, and participating in illegal nuclear deals, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was told by the U.S. on Friday that they will reward him with a long-sought-after sale of F-16 fighter jets. In order to spice things up, the Bush administration simultaneously promised Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a chance to bid on similar U.S. fighters. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explained that the sales would bring stability to the region:

“What we are trying to do is solidify and extend relations with both India and Pakistan, at a time when we have good relations with both of them — something most people didn’t think could be done — and at a time when they have improving relationships with one another,” (she said). [The Washington Post]

Unlobotomized members of both parties aren’t buying it:

Critics in Washington assailed the decision, saying the administration would effectively supply both sides in a new arms race in one of the world’s most dangerous hot spots, even as it rewards an authoritarian government in Islamabad in conflict with Bush’s stated commitment to promote democracy around the globe…Former senator Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), who sponsored the 1985 law that ultimately forced the cancellation of the original F-16 sale, called Friday’s decision “an atrocity” that goes against “everything the Bush administration has stood for.” [The Washington Post]

The administration trumpets the sale as an integral part of its revamped South Asia policy, which aims to provide both countries with better ways to annihilate each other. Economic policymakers also praised the move, saying it would offer a badly-needed boon to U.S. defense contractors, and that the resulting nuclear holocaust would effectively end corporate America’s dependence on outsourcing.

The Washington Post: Bush: U.S. to Sell F-16s to Pakistan (free registration required)

Update: “Left, Right and Center” contributor Robert Scheer decries Bush’s Pakistan folly:

The announcement Friday that the United States is authorizing the sale to Pakistan of F-16 fighter jets capable of delivering nuclear warheads — and thereby escalating the region’s nuclear arms race — is the latest example of how the most important issue on the planet is being bungled by the Bush administration. [Los Angeles Times]

Los Angeles Times: A con job by Pakistan’s pal, George Bush (free registration required) Continue reading →

Woman weds clay pot

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Spurned women and distinguished tandoori chefs agree: It’s so hard to find a good clay pot these days. When you do, you best get that piece of ceramic to the altar:

An Indian bride was married off to a pot by her relatives after her groom failed to turn up for the ceremony. Savita took her vows with a clay pot when her fiance Chaman Singh, an officer with the Indo Tibetan Border Police, reportedly got stranded on the border because of heavy snowfall, reports newspaper Deccan Herald. [Ananova]

The newlyweds honeymooned at a local Williams & Sonoma, while Singh vowed to never again date women from the nearby insane asylum.

Ananova: Woman marries clay pot Continue reading →

Aasif Mandvi on tonight’s “Law & Order”

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Actor Aasif Mandvi plays the role of irrational Judge Patel on tonight’s episode of “Law & Order: Trial by Jury”:

Assistant District Attorneys Kibre (Bebe Neuwirth) and Gaffney (Amy Carlson) prosecute a young nanny Katie (guest star Elizabeth Moss) who is accused of murder for shaking an infant and bashing in her head — but they run into a stone wall when the presiding Judge Patel (guest star Aasif Mandvi) intentionally blocks every move they make. After Kibre rejects Gaffney’s desperate offer to resign to blunt the judge’s irrational ire, they discover the tough defense attorney has coached his client well and intends to point the finger of murder elsewhere. [NBC]

Some argue that placing the word “irrational” before “Patel” is redundant. I must disagree, and for no good reason. Continue reading →

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“Clocky that’s designed to get sleepyheads moving”

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I am most definitely not a morning person. I prefer working into the night when things are quiet and nobody can bother me. Consequently it makes it very difficult to get out of bed in the morning. About four years ago I perfected a technique that serves me well to this day. I set my clock-radio to NPR a half hour before I need to be out of bed. I set the volume so that it is just loud enough to first wake me, and then allow me to fall back into stage-one brainwave activity. A half hour later, there is a second alarm clock across the room which has a shrill beeping sound. It will not be pacified until I am fully up. Within that half hour however I am able to induce dreams based upon NPR’s stories, to actually live out, the days news. Over the past year I have battled insurgents in Iraq, sat in during Supreme Court hearings, and walked through tsunami devastated villages. I do all of this before even brushing my teeth. After experiencing so much at dawn everyday it becomes a little easier to get out of bed. The problem is that my technique isn’t patentable. I simply advise friends to try it. 25 year old inventor Gauri Nanda of MIT’s Media Lab has her own method of waking up that’s gotten her some publicity lately.

alarmclock.jpg

Clocky is, quite simply, for people who have trouble waking up.

When the alarm clock goes off and the snooze button is pressed, Clocky will roll off the bedside table and wheel away, bumping mindlessly into objects on the floor until it eventually finds a spot to rest. Minutes later, when the alarm sounds again, the sleeper must get up out of bed and search for Clocky. This ensures that the person is fully awake before turning it off. Small wheels that are concealed by Clocky’s shag enable it to move and reposition itself, and an internal processor helps it find a new hiding spot every day.

I don’t like being told when to wake up but I’ve come to terms with the idea that I have to. In designing Clocky, I was in part inspired by kittens I’ve had that would bite my toes every morning. Clocky is less of an annoying device as it is a troublesome pet that you love anyway. It’s also a bit ugly. But its unconventional looks keep the user calm, and inspire laughter at one of the most hated times of the day.

I’ve been known to hit the snooze bar for up to two hours or even accidentally turn it off. I’ve known people who put the alarm clock in the living room, but then forget to set it before going to sleep. Others say they are trying to wean themselves off of snoozing, as if it was a bad habit like smoking or drinking. In the foggy logic of our drowsiness, we disable the very device that is meant to wake us up. Having the alarm clock hide from me was just the most obvious way I could think of to get out of bed.

Clocky is not trying to solve all of the problems of alarm clocks—for example how they disrupt other people in the room—but I think maybe someday it can. I think the answer rests in the usage of multiple Clockies. Let’s say there are two people with different sleep schedules sharing a room. Maybe one person’s Clocky can tell the other to hush up if it has sounded off one too many times. Or, maybe they can form an alliance and simultaneously target the offending over-sleeper. I have adopted the philosophy that when two devices communicate, they can solve more problems—that is, two Clockies are better than one.

Also check out the rest of Nanda’s website. It’s very cool. I must confess that I surfed away with a little crush.

See also: New York Daily News article Continue reading →

‘Out of Fashion’ at the QMA

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Playwright Anuvab Pal has a new play in staged reading this Saturday, March 26th, 7pm at the Queens Museum of Art. The play is ‘a historical comedy set in a Savile Row suit shop.’ He writes:

It’s called Out of Fashion and it’s an hour long comedy about British tailors, Indian fashion designers, Irish patent clerks and Indian freedom fighters. It attempts to be funny. Would be great to see you there.

The QMA is currently hosting art exhibits from both American desis and the subcontinent. Here’s the rest of their theater schedule:

  • Saturday, 6:30-7pm, preview of Seven.11
  • Sunday, 4:15-5pm, staged reading of Deepa Purohit’s Exile: ‘a story of a South Asian woman’s journey through memory which spans two continents in search of lost loves’

The museum is also hosting dance performances throughout this weekend. Full details here.

Update: Vernacular Body reviews Out of Fashion:

The play was good fun, despite the absence of props and an abundance of wild accent shifts: neither the upper-crustish (fathers) nor the Dublinish was particularly convincing, and the cockney (sons) was a complete cock-up.  Had a good mind to send them tapes of David Beckham talking, innit?  But there was much wild punnery to be had, Alfred J. Prufrock played a major role, andapt indeed was the nudge-nudge wink-wink cleverness of the Monty-Python-meets-Falstaff variety (which I happen to like) as the play was set in a Saville Row tailor shop.  I confirmed with the playwright afterwards that Wilde and Stoppard were major influences on his sensibility.

Tragedy in Virginia- updated.

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In one of DC’s outlying suburbs, 52-year old Kiran V. Kadian was murdered yesterday.

Her husband, Dr. Rajesh Kadian–who has written books about India, Pakistan and Kashmir, angered Gurmit Singh Aulakh, lobbied on behalf of India and appeared on TV for his subcontinental expertise– found her body when he arrived at their home. Kadian was described by neighbors as “a lovely woman, a very devoted mother. She was very religious, spent a lot of time going back to India in the summers.”

From WaPo:

Kiran Kadian was stabbed several times in the upper body, Fairfax police spokeswoman Mary Mulrenan said last night. The couple has lived in the brick house on Thompson Ridge Court, just off Walker Road, since 1992, according to land records and neighbors, and they have two daughters and a son.
The daughters, both college graduates, do not live with their parents, but police said their brother, Jayant, does. Mulrenan said police were looking for the son to be sure he was safe. But the homicide detectives huddled outside his house last night were hoping to ask him questions about more than just his health.

A news report mentioned that there is some concern that Jayant Kadian might “harm himself”, adding to the urgency regarding finding him. The same neighbor who praised Mrs. Kadian stated that she had been trying to secure help for her only son’s mental health.

Police described Jayant Kadian as 6 feet 1 inch tall and 130 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. They said he may be driving a black 1994 Geo Prism with Virginia license plate ZHL-1262.

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