Bibliophilia

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Sikhs from New Orleans used equipment popular with Navy SEALs to rescue their copy of the Guru Granth Sahib from a gurdwara under nine feet of water (via Amardeep):

… the United Sikhs sought the help of one of its volunteer Ranbir Kaur, a US Army National Guard [soldier], to hire the rescue services of SRT, a private helicopter special response… firm… [The] operation… lasted over a period of 22 hours…

Zodiac boats equipped with underwater cameras and rescue equipment were used to reach the flooded gurdwara, which was completely damaged inside, but [the] Guru Granth Sahib was on the ‘palki’ (palanquin) and floating on water. “I was amazed, looking at the Guru Sahib’s ‘sukhasan’ on the palki, floating on 5 feet of water and untouched by the flood waters,” Hardayal Singh was quoted as saying. [Link]

The immense value the Sikhs place on this religious artifact reminds me of synagogues’ ingenious solution to the theft of Torah scrolls. To protect priceless ancient work, they’re using digital watermarking:

Like many Torah scrolls in active service, the one stolen from Temple Sholom last month is an antique, and is believed to have been crafted in the Middle East several hundred years ago… With a fair market value of around $50,000 for a new scroll, $9,000 for a used one, Judaism’s sacred text is in some ways a perfect underground commodity… Torah scrolls are inherently anonymous. Jewish law dictates that not one character can be added to the 304,805 letters of the Torah’s text. That means no “property of” stamps, no serial numbers, no visible identifying marks of any kind…

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"Suicide blond, was the color of her hair…"

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Ever since Cicatrix made herself at home here in our North Dakota HQ there has been a plethora of attractive men featured on our website.  Consider this a push back.

Meet Canadian rocker Priya Thomas– “Hot body-check”

PRIYA THOMAS may well be one of Canada’s best-kept secrets. Long considered bold and innovative, Canadian songstress, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist PRIYA THOMAS has built a solid reputation for her work by bucking trends and never underestimating her audience. And hers is a rabid audience that just keeps growing.

On a recent tour of the UK, Thomas was hailed by the BBC for her jaw-droppingly intense live show and highly original songwriting. A suicide blonde with an adrenalin-charged stage presence and unusual lyrical complexity, she’s been likened to an odd cross between Debbie Harry and Neil Young, not to mention countless other artists such as Tom Waits, Pj Harvey, Madonna and even Mick Jagger. Originally trained as a dancer, Priya Thomas’ live show is a force of nature to be reckoned with; as Priya steers the audience through her uniquely kamikaze performance energy. And with The blast of 7, a kicking 5 piece band behind her, the live presentation of the new record is a sonic assault of blazing rock riffs, post-punk trash drum loops, crafted melodies and Priya Thomas’ charismatic performance.

Priya Thomas grew up the daughter of a Syrian Orthodox minister and a phycisist mother who gave up working as a professor after moving to Montreal, Canada from the Southwestern state of Kerala in India.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing cooler than a lady rocker.  Best of all her website features videos of her live performances as well as audio clips.  There is none of that hopping in place.  She appears to rock the stage.  You can check out her old CDs here.  There is also an article about her in August’s issue of Elle Magazine Canada.  She has a parrot named Magnus who keeps her company while she writes her songs.  Sigh…

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Spy vs. Sipahi

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A new history of the KGB alleges that the Soviets had deeply infiltrated Indira Gandhi’s government in the 1970s. Based on the KGB’s own documents, the book argues that:

Russia’s feared KGB spy service penetrated all levels of the Indian government under Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and became a major cash backer of her Congress (R) party.

The KGB operation in India during that period was its largest in the world outside the Soviet bloc and it even had to create a new department to handle it… suitcases of money were regularly taken into Gandhi’s house to fund the Congress party, and in the 1977 poll which she lost, nine party candidates were KGB agents.[Link]

“It seemed like the whole country was for sale” — Former KGB general Oleg KaluginThe general argument here is nothing new, but these details had not been heard before and they’re causing quite a kerfuffle in India.

There is the claim, for example, that the KGB convinced Indira Gandhi to declare a state of emergency in 1975.

The book also points out that the CIA had tried to infiltrate the Indian government as well:

The inquiry “uncovered two occasions” during Jawaharlal Nehru’s prime ministry when “the CIA had secretly provided funds to help the Communists’ opponents in state elections, once in Kerala and once in West Bengal.” …  ”Both times the money was given to the Congress Party which had asked for it. Once it was given to Mrs Gandhi herself, who was then a party official. [Link]

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Back to the Dunce Corner

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The internets were alive this morning with the news that Sri Lanka was about to drop its age of consent from 16 to 13 (thanks Enivhsay): sepiagirlstanding1.jpg

government spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva, who is also the minister of health, told a weekly Cabinet briefing on Friday that the government was planning to lower the age of consent. He gave no reason, but said the proposal was approved “after much debate and a long review.” [link]

Ah, yes. Debate and review. Ve have heard the words, but the meaning is escaping us still. However, in a startling turnaround of events:

The government reversed its decision after a flurry of telephone calls from incensed citizens following the announcement, The Sunday Island newspaper said.

“There is no proposal, whatsoever, to reduce that to 13 or to any other age,” it quoted Dhara Wijayatillake, a secretary in the Ministry of Justice, as saying Saturday. [link]

Que rapido!! When did the Sri Lankan government start pay attention to “incensed citizens”? Did I miss something important during my time here in Amrika?

The Minister [Justice Minister John Senevirathne] said that the government is concerned of the increased number of young men detained in remand prisons as a result of sexual encounters with their girlfriends.

He said: “Many girls are requesting to release them saying the encounter happened with their consent.” [link]

Holy Mammajamma! I’ve missed so much!! Here I was, happily warbling away my speculative fantasies that Sri Lanka may be one of the more progressive South Asian countries…but this much? When I was a wee kella (er, ladki. Indocentric, what?) sex did not exist, no one had ever heard of it, and even if those damn suddhas (goras) couldn’t keep in in their pants, that was still no reason why we Sri lankans couldn’t quietly continue asexually budding. Encounter, bencounter! Sekshuval is a vestern invention, no?

So vat the bluddy hell is going on? Continue reading →

DCCC launches IAC

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On the heels of the recent outreach by Howard Dean, the website of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announces the creation of an Indian American Council (IAC):

[On Sept. 15th], the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced the formation of an Indian American Council to provide the party with valuable insight on a broad range of issues important to the Indian American community.

Ro Khanna, appointed as chair of the Council by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, said “The creation of this council is a historic step for the Indian American Community, and attests to the party’s appreciation for what the community has contributed to this country. Leader Pelosi has once again demonstrated her extraordinary vision in harnessing the talent, passion, and energy of the community…”

The Council will be sponsoring an inaugural issues conference entitled “Innovate America: A Vision for the 21st Century.” The conference will initiate a dialogue between leaders of the community and the Congressional leadership about ensuring that our country remains competitive and generates high quality jobs and new opportunities throughout the 21st century. It will take place on October 1, 2005 in Fremont, California. [Link]

NewKerala.com has more:

The council has been launched as part of the party’s Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on the eve of the 2006 elections for the US Congress where it has no majority in the House or the Senate.

But with controversial issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme where some Democrats accuse India of soft-pedalling, and US-India civilian nuclear cooperation against which a number of Liberal Democrats have spoken out, the party is going to be hard put to bring Indian Americans around.

Prior to the 2004 presidential elections, the Democratic Party had formed an Indian American Leadership Council at the Democratic National Committee (DNC). It is a sign of the increasing clout of this community that the Democrats have established the IAC as part of the more powerful DCCC.

See, this is where I get frustrated.  I am a young liberal Democrat and I think India is soft-pedalling on Iran.  I support some of the Democrats who are taking a hard-line against India on the nuclear issue.  If this new IAC caters to older first generation Indian Nationalists living in America (there is no reason yet to believe they will), they will not have my support.  As an American I want India to cut off support of Iran on all nuclear issues.  Period.  I do not want this newly formed committee giving into the demands of old Indian uncles living here simply because they control the purse strings for congressional donations.  Khanna is also young and I hope his strategy shuns old first generation money AND issues if they run counter to American interests.

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Peter Sellers still outsells actual desis

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Peter Sellers outsold actual desis at the Emmy Awards last night. The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, an HBO biopic of the guy who made a career of mocking the desi accent, won three awards. Naveen Andrews was nominated but Lost.

“The Life and Death of Peter Sellers,” an HBO movie, won three awards early in the ceremony, including one for Geoffrey Rush as best actor…

“Lost,” which helped vault ABC’s prime-time ratings by fusing elements of the film “Cast Away,” “Survivor,” “The Twilight Zone” and even a dash of “Gilligan’s Island,” had received 12 nominations, including two for supporting actors – Naveen Andrews and Terry O’Quinn. (They lost to [William Shatner, for Boston Legal].) [Link]

Geoffrey Rush is a fine, fine actor, but it’s an interesting contrast. By the way, check out the chunni Barbara Hershey’s sporting. Stand by your man indeed.

Previous posts: one, two, three, four

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T minus five

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MTV Desi has posted a dilatory yet strangely hypnotic video clip of their launch. The fetching Niharika Desai speaks a single line in an Amrikan accent.

0:04: Hard Kaur raps ‘Glassy‘
1:07: Psychedelic Bollywood tabla clip (can you ID the movie?)
2:53: Talvin Singh beat-boxes a tabla tal
3:00: Skinny uncle type says, ‘the boogie-voogie blaster’
3:04: Niharika yells, ‘We’re live!’
3:05: Eerie, screaming glasses man
3:11: A clip from Indian Cowboy, I think
3:31: Running sadhu, naked and in ashes
4:01: Bhangra troupe dances under the Williamsburg Bridge to the MTV theme (reverse fusion, cheeky!)
4:31: Tim Kash says, ‘Our first video of the night’
4:35: Clip of Karmacy’s ‘Blood Brothers’
4:39: M.I.A. massacres the word ‘desi’ (says ‘dessy’ instead of ‘they-see’)

Interspersed are some random Green Day and Madonna filler clips.

As Abhi posted earlier, you can also watch Rabbi’s ‘Bulla Ki Jana’ video. It has a beautiful, washed-out humanist palette and wiggly English supertitles in black marker on clear plastic.

The images would be postcard-trite in a Red Cross ad. But with the handsome Sufi Sikh dressed all in white, the track comes across as spiritual, a folk bhajan with a bass track and synth. It feels less snarky than earnest, less ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ (Buggles) than ‘Fragile’ (Sting).

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She’s “hot now, you’ll see” (slightly updated)

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Mathangi rocks DC.jpg London calling and speak the
slang now, boys say wha,
go on girls say wha wha

66 hours until MIA destroys the 9:30 club, kiddies. That picture was taken at her last concert in DC; without a doubt, it was one of the greatest shows I’ve EVER been to, and I saw the Pixies final gig at Hammerstein Ballroom last year, so I don’t sling such words sans souci.

People who are new to the Mutiny often out themselves by leaving a comment like, “I don’t get it…why is she successful?” when that subject has been debated and dissected every time we post about her. I’d like to add another dimension to the discussion.

I firmly believe that groups who give good show should be recognized– and that it’s possible that a band you normally dislike can impress you live. Case in point: Smashmouth at the 9:30 club, 1999. I do NOT like Smashmouth, but I was surprised at how their concert didn’t blow. So, even if you can’t stand exoticized, objectified, overexposed Mathangi and you think her music is beyond lame, you should know that she is AWESOME on stage.

I’m thrilled she’s playing the 9:30 club again; it’s such a wonderful, intimate venue, easily my fave place for a concert in swamp city. When MIA opened there for LCD Soundsystem, I was four feet away from her, wishing I had remembered earplugs because the screams were even louder than what was spilling out of the speakers. Oh, and speaking of LCD Soundsystem…I totally dig them, but after the party Miss Arulpragasam threw on stage, they bored me to the point that I left early. I never leave concerts early, yo.

Anyway, unbelievably (and unlike sold-out, Craig’s list-desperate last time) tickets are STILL available, not to mention affordable. The next time she plays DC, it may be a different, bigger venue; she’s blowing up. Anyone catch the advertisement for the newest Civic Si? Sick animation, executed flawlessly to the unmistakable thrum of “Galang”. You love it. And even if you hate it? I’m not trying to hear that, see. 😉

:+:

I’m watching VH1’s “Best Week Ever” as I type this and what are they playing in the background of one of their segments? Yup. “Galang”. That song is tighter than a hoochie ‘fit at a Bhangra party. 😀

Ah, I love synchronicity. 🙂 Continue reading →

Nepal takes another step into the modern world

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I don’t understand the practice of hiding women away somewhere dirty while they’re menstruating. Men say a woman’s “impure” then. Hello? If she didn’t bleed, you never would have been born. If you’re going to have a segregation practice, shouldn’t it at least be something nice for a woman, like a Mikvah?

Women’s rights activists in Nepal have hailed a Supreme Court order to end discrimination against women during their menstrual cycle. 
Women in poor villages in much of western Nepal are forced to stay in dirty cow-sheds outside the home for four days during their monthly period. They are often given unhygienic food and suffer verbal abuse.
The Supreme Court has ordered the government to declare the practice as evil and given it one month to begin stamping the practice out. [Link]

That’s plain wrong, just like hitching a woman to a plow. You’ve still got a long way to go baby, and honestly, a legal change is just the first step.

p.s. Take it from me, Nepali men, yelling at a woman who has the cramps is just not a good idea.

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