Echoes

Beej,

Lying won`t get you anywhere, you were flooding FP with pictures, I told you to stop. So much for your credibility.

And she spoke
``Speak wisely -- you will be heard``

FV as editor-in-chief... I don`t know whether I should laugh or cry...

#25, #3

I doubt that there is any chance of Chowk becoming any kind of site other than what it is. Here is what I think:

1. When Chowk started back in 1997, it was a one of a kind place for opposite viewpoints.
2. Over 8 years, Chowk has strongly set a precedent for fairness--each viewpoint will feel a loss if the other is gone. For Chowk to be Chowk we need all those opinions. Chowk without polar opinions is unthinkable. Just try and imagine Chowk without controversy. Unthinkable?
3. I expect Chowk to get even stronger. The Mullah must have his Pandit after all. So, I expect that all identities of Chowk will be stronger.
4. No one can really tamper with Chowk`s democracy--just look at the design of it.

Safwan Shah, Ginni Dhindsa and Saima Shah,


I am very disappointed by your choice. It should have been a democratic election. Or was she the only running candidate? I would have loved to see someone like Shandana Minhas or Bina Shah or temporal as EIC. These people are well respected and good writers.

Judging from her articles and ilogs, Farzana Versey is too self absorbed and prejudiced to be the editor in chief of a major website.

Plus bringing an editor in chief into the limelight was a disastrous decision. Where`s the chowk staff who was humble and modest. The chowk staff who worked diligently behind the purdah to bring us a wonderful website. Where`s the chowk staff that stayed out of the limelight and in that quality, showed class and sophistication.

I have a feeling that this decision starts the demise of Chowk.com The quality of articles on the front page is also diminishing. Whose idea was it to put self published and published articles together on the front page?

In any case, I do not support the current `regime.`

I have nothing against Farzana, I just don`t think she`s EIC material. You might as well have put an end to the website. Even long running and successful sitcoms end before settling for less.

You should have gone the Seinfeld route and ended Chowk before it became bad.

Safwan Shah, Ginni Dhindsa and Saima Shah,


I am very disappointed by your choice. It should have been a democratic election. Or was she the only running candidate? I would have loved to see someone like Shandana Minhas or Bina Shah or temporal as EIC. These people are well respected and good writers.

Judging from her articles and ilogs, Farzana Versey is too self absorbed and prejudiced to be the editor in chief of a major website.

Plus bringing an editor in chief into the limelight was a disastrous decision. Where`s the chowk staff who was humble and modest. The chowk staff who worked diligently behind the purdah to bring us a wonderful website. Where`s the chowk staff that stayed out of the limelight and in that quality, showed class and sophistication.

I have a feeling that this decision starts the demise of Chowk.com The quality of articles on the front page is also diminishing. Whose idea was it to put self published and published articles together on the front page?

In any case, I do not support the current `regime.`

I have nothing against Farzana, I just don`t think she`s EIC material. You might as well have put an end to the website. Even long running and successful sitcoms end before settling for less.

You should have gone the Seinfeld route and ended Chowk before it became bad.

Beej,

Come on man, you think the clique that runs this site is unaware of Farzana`s ``unique`` viewpoint. Its obvious that they are in agreement with her worldview and aim to promote it. Slowly we will see the direction of discourse steered towards the particular brand of hate Yasser, Aisha and Farzana (prominently among others) dispense. Lets have no doubt about that.

congrats farzana!

Farzana

First, let me congratulate the publishers of Chowk for selecting Chowk’s best writer as Chowk’s Chief Editor. They could not have made a better choice.

Having said that, Farzana, in all those years I have been at Chowk, being an editor of Chowk is perhaps a lot easier than making a decision of how to handle the interactions and responses to articles. One cannot deny the importance of interactions, which perhaps form the core of Chowk and gives Chowk its uniqueness. They are viewed and read a lot more than the articles themselves. But, unfortunately more often than not, the exchanges not only have nothing to do with the articles, they become very personal and, perhaps true to South Asian form, sexual attacks.

As you must have observed, the exchanges on Saima’s recent “Black Pakistan and White Pakistan” sank to a nauseating low. Everyone was caught in a frenzy of “out-sticking” the other and it went from sugarcanes to anal-sex to attacking daughters. Just as everyone else, and now to my regret, I was also caught in that frenzy.

One hoped, when Chowk’s new editor was announced supplementing the outlay change and re-arrangement of the Front Page, that the interactions will also change due to implementation of Chowk’s strict posting guidelines under the new command. But alas. Chowk seems to be long on words and short on actions. What we see is the usual. Here’s a sample from “Indo-Pak History via Mail” board (and it’s still early in the game):

Post #13: “we don`t give a flying f***”

Post #23: “Hello porky..”

Post #38: “juices oozing out of code cooley`s infrastructure”

Post #41: “You are a nakd little pip squeak. go elsewhere and spread your backside for the sugarcanes. as they say in your texan backwater, bondooks, brothel - piss-off!”

Post #51: “paki I fantasizes about sodomizing some Indians”

How long before this board degenerates yet again into sexual fantasies about the adversary’s mother/sister/daughter and his genitalia?

It is this that has held Chowk back and has prevented decency to come in. Does one need to ask why there are no women interactors on FP anymore? You think that the likes of Pervez Hoodbhoy will ever interact at Chowk even if they would like to?

The culprit seems to be the interactor’s ability to post in real time without worrying about editor’s knife. I have a solution to it: all those interactors whose index is 2 or below should not be allowed to post in real time but must go through the editing process. The editing of the post will be in strict guidelines of Chowk posting policy. And if any of the interactors with an index of 3 or above abuses his/her privilege of posting in real time and posts something which is either offensive and/or gets legitimately complained by another, that poster will lose his/her index of “privilege,” could post no more in real time and must go through the editing process.

Controlling the interactions at Chowk is thus the most taxing task and the most difficult part of being the Chief Editor. If my solution is not acceptable then the question to you, Farzana, is, as a Chief Editor of Chowk, what’s your plan to control the posts? Or, as they say, the more things change, the more they remain the same?

Should decency at Chowk be thrown out the window in the lofty goals of “freedom of speech” and “censorship”? How many decent and thinking interactors, who most certainly have the most to contribute to Chowk, you think that policy has attracted and will attract?

Dear Editors,
I am sorry to say, but the choice of Farzana Varsey is possibly the worst mistake that can be made. She is no way honest, unbiased or fearless, at all. She is completely and utterly biased against everything Hindu and Indian, which of course means she is not at all honest with herself or her readers, and she is only fearless when writing against Hindus and Indians. Her absolutely incoherent mumblings on chowk are now going to floodlight every anti Hindu and anti Indian article she can lay her hands on. I wouldnt be surprised to see the next ``Special Chowk Announcement`` being a request for funds for the Jihadi outfits.

Re: # 12
I must say that having the editors being anonymous had its virtues. No ad hominem attacks, for one.

A more serious question is about the ethics of an editor also being a lead writer. Chowk-staff? Farzana? Anyone?

chowk announcement says...``We believe that Farzana Versey is one of the most honest, unbiased and fearless person we have met``

...maybe you guys just need to get out more?

fv as headmistress? heh..heh...quoting kashmir propaganda numbers from pakistani websites does have its rewards....

Congratulations Farzana! Hope you know what you`re getting into: it`ll be a full-time job for sure :)

Congrats FV on your appointment as the Chief Editor.

I hope pink will remain only one shade of this pastel.

The current trend of censorship and banning of interlocutors worries me also.

Congratulations, Farzana, on your new assignment. I am sure that you will use your passion to improve and enhance chowk. I do hope that you can also do something to make chowk a dignfied and respected website. The Front Page, at least, should be a vehicle for intelligent debate and discussion and not a place for sleaze and namecalling.
My best wishes are with you.

#8 yaah! where shall we start mantolives.....


No seriously, congrats farzana. You are a cool lady and know how to handle the prittle-prattle, pitter-patter of various kinds.

My only request is PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE (is that enough of grovelling etc ) can WE HAVE SMILIES/EMOTICONS on FP as well please. IT MAKES LIFE EASY and MORE INTERSTING

Otherwise really - evolution of chowk is great - seen it from the start to now, and Hope it gets better - and you are it!