Category Archives: News

MTV’s Aftershock (updated)

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MTV has been showcasing the efforts of young Pakistani-Americans involved in Earthquake relief on many of its cable channels. As an example, you can head over to MTV Overdrive. Click on “Play Now” and then go to the “News” menu. One of the links in the menu is titled “Young People Pitch in for Pakistan.” This leads to a series of short news clips with enough music and fast camera work to hold the attention of young desis long enough to inspire them. It’s worth it just to hear aging hipster John Norris say the word “desis.” I’m digging the girl’s “I Love Nerds” shirt. The group featured in the news clips is Developments in Literacy (DIL):

The Developments in Literacy organization (DIL) was launched in February 1997 in Southern California. Its main purpose is to work for the eradication of illiteracy, in the remote and neglected areas of Pakistan, by establishing primary and secondary level non-formal schools for underprivileged children.

DIL, a nonprofit, voluntary organization has succeeded, in a period of five years, at establishing 200 schools in collaboration with various NGO’s…

In addition, a press release from MTV announces that their dreamy young newsman Gideon Yago, will be reporting from Pakistan all this week, culminating in a video diary titled, “Aftershock: Diary of Gideon in Pakistan.” Presumably the clips will be uploaded onto MTV’s website throughout the week. I will try an update this post if/as I discover those links.

Starting today [Monday], MTV News will turn over a week of its programming – on all platforms – to report on the aftermath of the October earthquake that rocked northwestern Pakistan and Kashmir, leaving 87,000 dead and 3.5million homeless. MTV News correspondent Gideon Yago will report on what’s being done to aid and rebuild after the disaster – from Pakistani-American marines assigned to humanitarian relief to a local movie theater turned rehab center for women. Yago’s reports will air on MTV, MTV2, mtvU and MTV Overdrive and will culminate in the documentary “Aftershock: Diary of Gideon in Pakistan,” premiering Friday at 7:30p.m. [Link]

I’m actually looking forward to seeing it. I think the interaction between young Pakistani-American Marines and the local population could make for some powerful television.

Update: The Vice President of MTV news, Ocean MacAdams, has provided us with direct links

The Diary Of Gideon In Pakistan (FULL SHOW plus exclusives)

Gideon In Pakistan: Exclusive Clips

Aftershock: South Asian Earthquake (Comp of news briefs)

Young People Pitch In For Pakistan (Desi packages)

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It’s a Boy: Naveen Joshua Andrews

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naveen_andrews_98.jpgThe tip line is burning up with news from readers about the latest scandal to put the drama in ABC’s hit “Lost“. I was ready to credit one of you helpful email-senders for this post, but it turns out Lulloo beat you to it. Who cares, pour some tea, call your neighbor and start gossiping!

Naveen Andrews, who plays Mystery Island’s resident Iraqi Republican Guardsman Sayid Jarrah, has admitted that he fathered a child last year while briefly separated from longtime companion, Barbara Hershey.

Andrews’ publicist released a statement to E! Friday saying that Andrews, 36, and Hershey, 57, “quietly” split for a period early last year, during which Andrews had a fling with another woman. He recently learned that he is the father of her baby boy.[E!]

No worries, Sayid fans. Your boy intends to do the right thing AND stick with his Hershey Bar…ba..ra:

“Andrews has every intention of assuming appropriate responsibility for the child and proceeding with all integrity in this matter,” the statement says.[E!]

Who’s calling Naveen her baby-daddy? A Czech acting student who met the star at a New York bar. Nope, I didn’t intend to rhyme.

The baby’s mother is pretty student Elena Eustache, who has alleged in the past that…he regularly flew her to the Lost set in Hawaii for love-making sessions.[tabloid]

That’s one way to conceive of “room service”. Anyway, she said they were hooking up for a year. He said something which sounded like a forgettable Shaggy song featuring Rik Rok. The paternity test proved that indeed, it WAS him.

When Elena announced she was six months pregnant following a year-long affair with Naveen, the actor denied those claims, branding her claims of an affair as “ridiculous.” Elena claims Naveen told her that his relationship with Hershey was over…[tabloid]

Sigh. Who knew you couldn’t trust boys you meet in bars, who are on the rebound?? I think we’ve all learned something here today (besides “The Pill is only effective when taken”). Continue reading →

Containment

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In the ’60s, the U.S. Department of Defense grew increasingly worried about containing the USSR and funded departments of South Asian Studies at many American universities. Ironically, many of the beneficiaries of the grants were exactly the kind of free spirits that granite-cut DoD types abhorred. As time went on, this faculty started facing 2nd gen desis asking to learn about modern South Asia rather than psychosexual analyses of Radha-Krishna, and asking for native language instructors rather than those one step phonetically removed.

Today the Hindoo Peril arises anew, and this time around it’s that the Axis of Non-English has imbibed capitalism too deeply (thanks, Joby):

President Bush is asking for Congress for $114 million in next yearÂ’s budget to push Americans into uncharted linguistic territory under what is being called “National Security Language Initiative…” Hindi has been identified as one of the critical foreign languages that Americans need to learn… Americans are also being urged to study Farsi, Arabic, Chinese and other languages… [Link]

Note the clumping of the language of potential military enemies with economic competitors. OTOH, since oil supply is an economic chokepoint, maybe it’s all about dem billz over at Larnin’ ’bout Furriners, Part Deux.

Hey, you might even get a Tamil, Gujarati or Telugu class resurrected out of this. All in the name of knowing the ‘enemy,’ of course 😉 Continue reading →

Make the trip worth it

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The annual South Asian Student Alliance (SASA) conference begins next weekend. I think that SM bloggers and quite a few of our readers have made it pretty clear what little respect we have left for SASA, which seems to have lost its way (see previous posts 1,2). If you are a student who has not yet arrived at the conclusion that we have, and you have decided to attend next weekend, then I have a critical mission for you. I believe that there exists a way in which you can make the trip to New York worth it. The SASA conference will once again hold a Bone Marrow Drive. Make sure that you take the time to give just a few drops of your blood.

Thursday Jan 12th: 1:00pm – 10:00pm
Friday Jan 13th: 10:00am – 10:00pm

Ballroom Floor
At The New Yorker Hotel
481 8th Avenue at 34th Street
New York City

Take a look at these faces…they are just like you and me! Look at the fellow South Asians and ask why can’t we save them and help many more, who are likely to be in same situation in the future. It does not matter if you are from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh; it does not matter if you are Hindu, Moslem, Christian or Jain. What matters is, that we all share the same genetic pool, and we save each others life!

You can probably show up for the drive even if you aren’t there for the conference. Need more motivation? Help Save Ashish:

Ashish has undergone a great deal of suffering since first admitted at Texas Children’s hospital on September 26, 2005. He has been in and out of the hospital, first admitted at Texas Children’s hospital on September 26, 2005. requiring transfusions, fighting infections, undergoing bone marrow biopsy’s and surgeries. He has to check his blood levels every week and needs transfusions regularly. In spite of the pain he has gone through he has an incredible inner strength that is portrayed in his beaming smile and good nature. While we pray for a miracle his only medical hope for survival is a bone marrow transplant.

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There is no place to hide it in India

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The New York Times today examines Playboy’s designs on India in greater detail. In order to penetrate the Indian market they must tread carefully. There definitely isn’t going to be any kissing on the first date but I’m sure the end goal will remain the same.

…there is another story behind Playboy’s discovery of India. The magazine once saw itself as America’s gateway to a sexual revolution. Now, with that revolution won and its societal impact fading, Playboy has a chance to renew itself as a magazine of high living in a country that celebrated sex in antiquity, then grew prudish, and is now loosening up again.

Ms. Hefner has said that an Indian version of the magazine “would be an extension of Playboy that would be focused around the lifestyle, pop culture, celebrity, fashion, sports and interview elements of Playboy.” But the magazine would not be “classic Playboy,” she warned. “It would not have nudity,” she said, “and I don’t think it would be called Playboy.”

In the U.S., Playboy Magazine’s fortunes have been declining for quite some time because their content isn’t considered “daring” enough anymore. Americans aren’t really shocked by anything on the pages of Playboy when compared to its raunchier competitors. If they want to find success with this magazine in India I would think that the name “Playboy,” and all the heritage the name carries, would help it compete with Maxim India and some of the filmi magazines which are already fairly risque. If there is no nudity then what can Playboy offer besides its brand name? Therefore, it makes no sense to me why they would name the magazine something else in India except to fool the censors.

Indian law prohibits the sale or possession of material that is “lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest” and that is without redeeming artistic, literary or religious merit. Soft-core pornographic magazines are available in India, but are taboo. They lurk behind other publications at newsstands, available only by whispered request. They also attract few lucrative advertisers.

“There would only be a few brands that would look at these magazines,” said Paulomi Dhawan, who runs advertising for Raymond, a leading Indian apparel maker. “We would probably be more in the business or news magazines or the male-oriented serious magazines.”

There is another problem: if you are 26, living with prying parents, where do you hide your stash?

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California Dreaming

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Author Gurmukh Singh is set to release his new book this month titled: California Dreams – India shining in the land of Hollywood:

Four British Army Sikh soldiers who landed in San Francisco April 5, 1899, were the forerunners of a massive wave of Indian migration to southern California – the region that is home to a staggering 200,000 of the over 1.5 million Indian Americans in the US.

It is in southern California that people like Dilip Singh Saund began the Asian struggle for equal rights; it is there that Indian mystics and yogis like Paramhansa Yogananda and Jiddu Krishnamurthy started preaching the wisdom of the East; it is there that transcendental meditation and yogis gained global recognition.

“California Dreams – India shining in the land of Hollywood” (British Columbia Books) traces this magical journey as author Gurmukh Singh skilfully chronicles the contribution of 24 Indian Americans in propelling the Sunshine State to a major economic powerhouse within the US. [Link]

One of the selling points of this book seems to be that it is filled with lots of pictures (some rare) which would make it a good coffee table book even after you’ve finished reading it.

“The inspiring life stories of these most remarkable Indian Americans are a testament to ever growing enterprise and ingenuity,” notes Stanley Wolpert, professor emeritus of South Asian history at UCLA, in his foreword to the 208-page, profusely illustrated book priced at $20 (Rs.999 in India). [Link]
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Sri Lanka Cracks Down

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This weekend, almost one thousand people were rounded up in Colombo by Sri Lankan police officers and military personnel, during a massive security operation. After being questioned, hundreds were let go:

By the end of the day, only 53 remained in custody; the police said 5 were members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrilla group. The rest, charged with minor crimes, were released on bail.
…The house-to-house sweep on Saturday was carried out primarily in the Tamil enclaves of Colombo by about 2,400 police officers, backed by 2,000 soldiers, sailors and air force personnel. “The operation was aimed at preventing future L.T.T.E. attacks and to ensure the security of Colombo,” said Pujith Jayasundere, deputy inspector general of the police. He said the police were also looking for organized crime figures.[nyt]

Even when the authorities are polite and professional, memories of sadder times are summoned:

…the police were cordial and explained why they were there. “But it did bring back memories of the frequent searches we were compelled to go through before the cease-fire,” Mr. Joseph said. “I guess we may have to go through more of these in the coming days.”
…”It was a little inconvenience, but it is our duty to cooperate, especially under the present security situation,” said Sonali Silva, an ethnic Sinhalese and also a resident of Wellawatte.[nyt]

The nation’s current events are worrisome (from the BBC):

The recent wave of violence is the worst since the February 2002 ceasefire, which was called after a two-decade conflict had claimed more than 64,000 lives.

On Sunday, Joseph Pararajasingam, a Tamil MP representing a party with close links with the Tamil Tigers, was shot dead in the eastern city of Batticaloa while celebrating a Christmas Mass.

On Tuesday, international peace monitors overseeing the truce said they were “very concerned about the future of the ceasefire agreement”.

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Happy New Year

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Happy new year or, as we say here in North Dakota, (smack) ‘More rum, in-tern!’ Inspired by a Rushdie fable, I’m spending a couple of days traipsing around Moorish country without a Moorish girl.

I have lost count of the days that have passed since I fled the horrors of Vasco Miranda’s mad fortress in the Andalusian mountain-village of Benengali; ran from death under cover of darkness and left a message nailed to the door. [Link]

True melodrama. Take that, writing workshop.

Orangedrinks. Lemondrinks. CocaColaFantaicecreamrosemilk… In pointy shoes and a puff… With his Fountain in a Love-in-Tokyo… [Link]

May all your Orangedrinks Lemondrinks dreams come true.

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Bangla woman killed by celebratory gunfire in Queens

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A 29-year-old Bangla woman from Queens was accidentally killed two nights ago when a new army recruit fired celebratory shots outside her window:

Selina Akther was shot in the head and died instantly at the window of her fifth-floor apartment in the Queens borough of New York. Police arrested a US soldier who they said was on leave and had been drinking when he fired shots into the air. [Link]

It had been a night of celebration for the young Army private, who had just returned from basic training at Ft. Hood, Texas. “We believe he was out partying with his girlfriend and he comes upon his friends,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said at police headquarters. “He approached his friends, and that’s when he fires the shots in the air.” [Link]

After being shot, Ms. Akther lay bleeding on the living-room floor by the bullet-pocked window for about 20 minutes until her husband saw her and realized she was not breathing…

According to a law enforcement official, Private Carpio was extremely remorseful, and was cooperative in trying to help police find the gun, which he said he threw away after firing into the air. The official, who requested anonymity because the investigation was continuing, said Private Carpio had told investigators that while home on leave, he had visited his goddaughter, drank some beer and vodka, left his family and bumped into some old friends, and then, he said, did “something real stupid.” It was not until the next morning that he saw on the news that a mother had been killed. [Link]

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