A Time for Renewal

sigalph235 #583
``Long-surviving multi-party legislatures have their own way of `civilizing` the most firebrand extremists, be they socialist, communist, or fundamentalist. It is in the nature of the institution.``

sigalph235, I agree with you totally and I too believe India cannot turn non-secular anytime soon for this reason. We not only have the Parliament but 25 state assemblies and local governments too. Even Bangladesh is maintaining its faith in legislatures, which is a great sign.

But remember at least 200 people lost their lives during the B`desh elections. The situation may be only marginally better in India. Why should we lose even a single Indian/Bangladeshi life to political conflict? Thats the ` endemic violence in the developing world ` thing which I think its time that educated S.Asians should stop rationalizing and put an end to, because its time we moved to a different `level` in public affairs and governance.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/oct/20rhino.htm

Water Rs 12 a litre, rhino urine Rs 250 a litre!

Krittivas Mukherjee in Calcutta Criminal minds will never cease to innovate. But, even in these times when one`s familiarity with crime is more than a passing nod, this one racket will leave most stumped -- making money from rhinoceros urine. Calcutta Police seem to have burst a flourishing illegal trade in rhino urine in the city zoo. The Alipore Zoo has two rhinos that are allegedly being made to relieve themselves `numerous` times a day for their `prized` urine which sells for as much as Rs 250 a litre. According to joint commissioner of police Raj Kanoria, rhino urine was being sold outside the zoo for its supposed curative powers by quacks. Gullible buyers are being told that rhino urine is an important ingredient in Chinese and Unani systems of medicine. The racket`s chain begins inside the zoo where unscrupulous elements make the animals urinate, allegedly by using drugs, at night. The urine is then collected in plastic bags and stored in the zoo staff quarters. According to figures provided by zoo authorities, the two rhinos relieve about 10 litres of urine everyday, but investigations now reveal that racketeers could be doping the animals to make them relieve more often. The packed urine is then sold as medicine for as much as Rs 250 a litre. Kanoria said police were trying to ascertain how the animals were being made to relieve so many times a day. The whole operation takes place around midnight near the staff quarters opposite the zoo. Police began inquiring into the racket after receiving complaints from residents of the area. Zoo authorities have said three staff members look after the zoo`s two rhinos. Police suspect the involvement of zoo staff in the racket. Rhinos are a protected species and sale of rhino urine is prohibited under wildlife laws. It is a popular belief that urine of tiger and many other animals, including rhinoceros, have medicinal value, but wildlife experts denied this. ``There is no medicinal property in the urine and faeces of the rhino, tiger and other animals. A section of unscrupulous people just make money out of such claims,`` according to wildlife expert Atanu Raha. Police have so far questioned four people in the case, but it was not yet known if any arrests had been made. Indo-Asian News Service Back to top Tell us what you think of this report

Re: hamidm

Read the latest New York Times Magazine.

Dost Mittar:

I have friends and family all over the world who send me information regarding the upcoming events as well as programs. I have simply stopped following any nonsense on these sick men: hijackers as well as their accomplices. By the way, msnbc showed a program today on Ossama`s life. The same info was published sometime back in the NY times . So there is nothing new :( The info is being repeated 10 million times on different channels. Americans can become very obsessive when it comes to beating an issue to death. Best thing to do is, do not watch the news. Informative Programs is one thing; paranoia is another.

Nowadays, the anthrax-hoax is becoming a nuisance and it`s causing quite a bit of havoc. Even, in the mall, I was at, a few days back, I found some security agents with gloves, blocking different entrances. It seemed they were investigating some powder that was found in some kona. The sickos are having a ball. They have started taking advantage of human tragedy and playing their sick games. It`s simply disgusting when you hear the number of false alarms and phone calls and rumors and etc. It`s simply pathetic! I am glad such folks are being punished.

One cannot even reach any place on time any more. I always drove to the City and now in order to avoid the delays, I have started taking a train. Having been near the rubble a number of times, I could not resist applauding the spirit, of all those, who have been in that area and saw the planes hitting the WTC. In fact, I was in a meeting with a chap, who had seen the planes crashing into the towers and was still back in the building the next week or so. A lot of friends, who worked in various financial institutes, were made to work without any break for three weeks or so after that disaster. One of them told me that she never had any time to recuperate from what she saw.

On the other end, the firefighters have started a buk buk. They have been stopping the traffic to collect money on main signals. This has caused terrible traffic delays. How can people go back to normal routine with thsi chaos? In short, the whole system is upside down.

Thank God, the fall colors are around, the season is changing and the colorful spirit is trying to catch up with the change :)

Hope you are enjoying the change of colors in Ottawa!

Best Wishes for the new season.

Re: hamidm

hah, that`s some hilarious writing man. keep em coming.

Saxena,

``India has to advertise its secularism to ensure that the world continues to see the hypocrisy that is Pakistan.``

And it works very hard to sell itself.

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saminashah # 615

LOL, Samina, but that is how cultural change is effected. A few people begin to aggressively promote a change under some pretext (though I can`t see why Allah Hafiz will be preferred over the much more pleasant and traditional Khuda Hafiz), if others don`t resist, and if others begin to slowly conform for whatever reasons, very soon there will come about a complete societal shift. When that happens, people will look back at the usage of Khuda Hafiz disapprovingly, as if that beautiful greeting should never have been used; or worse, will deny it ever was used!

So, if you like it, please stick with it :)

Thanks Eklavya and Faiza for clearing my doubts about Javed Akhtar. I think he was estranged from his father for most of his (the father`s) life and much closer to his extended maternal family and hence claims to be from Lucknow.

Hamidm:

I am glad that you consulted the appropriate magazines! Just do not get carried away with them. OK!. Buzurgs of your category, have some strange tendencies. Midlife Crises, I guess! By the way, the question was asked to kick you in the right place and tell you that next time when you get an urge to utter BS, go and consult your buzurgs. OK! Personally, I do not have any interest reading a sick retard like you. Oh, does not mean that you should put a hold on your mental diarrhea! How else will one know of your disturbed mental state?

Happy Halloween!
and
Best Wishes,

Re: saminashah

``I am saddened to hear about the Taj Mahal; my ummi jan`s family is from Agra and we were hoping to take her there. Hopefully, we will be able to.``

Despite the alarmist, sensationalist response on Chowk, the fact is that a bunch of hooligans urinated on it, gargled in the fountains, plucked flowers, and threated to beat up security guards. Nothing more...be assured that the place is fine and will be there.

``What makes you think tree huggers don`t wash, yaar? I should introduce you to some of the South Asian tree huggers I know-they`re quite heartbreaking...and CLEAN! And SMART!``

Do they use soap? If so, they are not real tree huggers. Real tree huggers oppose the damage to the environment from soap factories and the harsh chemicals they process. And South Asian tree huggers are often wannabes...they reject capitalism by not working for corporates who pollute the environment and abuse third-world labor, as long as daddy continues to pay the big allowance and given them shelter in the 2-car-garage suburban house.

Finally, all tree huggers are obsessed with flannel. That alone is enough...

Faiza, what do you mean by India displays secularism in bold neon lights?

And do you have a problem with what Shabana Azmi said?

Re: Faiza

``I am not the final authority,``

Glad you realize that.

``America doesnt have SCULARISM written in neon lights boldly in Time Squares ,isnt there more tolerence for differences than India?``

America doesn`t have Pakistan as its neighbor fomenting religious intolerance in North Dakota and using terrorism to pursue it. India has to advertise its secularism to ensure that the world continues to see the hypocrisy that is Pakistan.

MastRam,

A few years ago I heard an interview with Javed on radio. He himself claimed to be from Lucknow. Nowadays, ofcourse, Barabanki has become just another suburb of a rapidly growing Lucknow.

It is possible he is not a REAL Lucknowi but likes to believe he is. Kya karein, hum kuchh cheez hee aaisee hain.

....... the wahabi sheikh has spoken

After praising and thanking Allaah and sending prayers and peace upon the Messenger, Shaykh Saalih as-Suhaymee said this about the taliban :

`` They are a mixture of Soofiyyah and other things, but they are still Muslims, most of them in that land are Muslims. And we do not say that just because of that it is permissible to raise a war against them. But most of them are not upon the correct `aqeedah and the correct form of Islaam. And what is amazing is that some people want to help Islaam but by not having the correct `aqeedah they do more harm to Islaam. But we still do not say that they are Kuffaar. Because Afghanistan is a Muslim country overwhelmingly. As for what is happening now of aggression against Afghanistan, we hold it is not from wisdom and it is not correct to do this. Since there is no proof at all. Even some of the so called hijackers, some of them have actually been dead for a number of years [and others alive]. So there is no clarity yet at all.

And the Afghanis, they used to fight each other for power and other affairs. But now they must unite together and come together and they should unite upon the word of Tawheed and purify themselves. As for what happened on 11th September then that does not justify in any way, making conquests in the lands of the Muslims.``

uh ???

zahra #611

........ sorry, i didn`t know i was supposed to reply to something specific .... i believe that in one of your posts, in your rather convolutied and inchoherent manner, you had suggested that i seek the advice one of my buzurgs ...... unfortunately, at this stage of my life i am approaching buzurgi myself and feel quite qualified to advice youngsters seeking the truth ....

.......... any questions that might be ailing you today ? .... if i don`t have the answer, i will look it up in the kiran - i have three copies and maulana maudoodis tafseer as well ........