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The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry
Re#100 by SaimaShah

Dear Saima;
(not to be confused with Sai-baba)

Since “Free Soul” has freely vacated these premises – hopefully the soul still hangs around somewhere close by – perhaps I could volunteer to elaborate his(?) points and answer your very legitimate questions – strictly a janitorial interpretation, of course.

[And how do you propose `people` should `adapt` to `change.` For example: ]
[1. Who should adapt?]
He probably means the “loser” groups (for example, Bronx-based Benazir Bibis and Bashir Bhais).

[2. What does adaptation mean?]
Doing what the answer to 1 (given above) is – stopping stooping to complaining and start working to keep from stumbling – for a change.

[3. What does the change you talk about look like? What is changing? who is changing IT? and why?.]
The change can take many forms – sometimes the form is subtle – so subtle that most people can not see it (a bit like Versey’s opposition to the subjugation of women in her religion – she says it is there, but it is really difficult to see). The surroundings change (a bit like switching from democracy to dictatorship – you feel those shackles – but they (and their mindless cohorts) keep telling you that you are unshackled). Who? The dictators, of course. And why? Alas there is no simple explanation of how the mind of dictators works (or if you wanted to be accurate about it, fails to work.)

[4. How should we convince people that it is they who need to adapt to change?]
There is no need to convince anybody – people find it for themselves – based on results – a brick on the head is mostly quite self-explanatory – of course, some heads are stronger than others (e.g., the head-strongs)

[5. If they agree to `adapt` to `change` what can they do to prove they have successfully `adapted?`]
The results will speak for themselves – nobody needs to prove anything to anybody.

And now, since this is the first article in your series – “The Square World” – can you satisfy my following curiosities?

All squares are flat! Yes?

Therefore, a square world would automatically be a flat world! Yes?

Therefore, your article is one of a series which essentially says – it’s a flat world.

You (and the editor who came up with this title) is fully entitled to your/his views, of course.

Sincerely,
Beej.

Echoes
Okay, dear chief editor – let me answer it EXACTLY the way you LIKE to hear it.

[We value your voice as much as ours.]
That is impossible to believe – it is like closing eyes and pretending that the day is night – a skill that most in this crowd – and the editor-in-chief, in particular – appears particularly good at.

[Echoes is your space to send feedback, suggestions and criticism.]

Here goes:

(feedback) – the web page is full of bugs which the crowd here has been fully aware of for ages – one possible reason could be an inept programmer – who is even unable to count the days properly – however, the real reason could be the management’s unwillingness to pay these programmers minimum wages – Desi bosses have a reputation for being makkhiee-choos, and it appears to be validated here.

(suggestions) – fire the current editor and chowk staff (and just to make sure it gets done properly, also tar and feather them) and bring back the old crowd – which had some integrity and was not despotic like the current pipsqueaks!

(criticism) – I would like to reemphasize the above two paragraphs in stronger words, but can not do so because there may be some ladies present (outside of the chowk administration group, of course).

[… what you think about the site, the editorial and the overall look.]
All three stink – especially the second one does.

I hope the above write-up serves some useful purpose, in all probability by providing a degree of mirth to its addressees. I hope they enjoy laughing together, after reading the comments – and then they will be deleting them promptly, of course!

But the bottom line is as follows:

(1) You alienated a lot of people – in my view, absolutely unnecessarily. The new editor also established in no uncertain terms that she is only capable of burning bridges and lacks the skills to build them – a far cry from getting

(2) You helped reinforce the very prevalent stereotype that Desis – no matter where they live – always splinter, and will continue to do so – no matter how educated or smart they might think they are.

(3) By NOT banning me from this site, when I challenged you (many may think I insulted you) the way I did in the #100, and #103 – you establish clearly that you are still ambivalent which way to go – you do not want to fully close the door on me because that somehow scares you! It is the classical “snake and mole” situation for you – the worst possible position to be in.

And so, I challenge you once again – ban me permanently – if you DARE – because I intend to violate every one of your cocka-mammy make-shift asinine guidelines always – until you are forced to do so anyway – and THEN start looking even more foolish than you already do.

And if you fail to ban me – it proves that you did NOT dare.

And by the way, I still think very fondly of Godot – with the same hearty sentiments which got that “two day” ban started a week ago.

Need I even bring up what I think of the new chief editor? It won’t surprise me if she is perhaps looking back and exclaiming – “my best days are behind me”, then sobbing into her hanky!

Echoes
Dear chowk staff/editor(ess),

During last week’s heated encounters, a request was made to you to ban all nicks of this interactor permanently. You have obliged the request, but because of some oversight, on one of them the banning period appears to have been only two days. Because of some further oversight, that two day period has been over for five days, yet the status has not changed.

At this point, you are requested to make up your mind and either

(1) make that banning permanent, or

(2) lift the ban.

This will end the uncertainty and help make me clear decisions on how to proceed next.

In either case, I can make absolutely no promises to tone down any of my responses, because the content of those responses is not determinable till the moment they get created – and once created, they shall stay unchanged.

However, as a special concession to you, if the ban is immediately lifted – I promise not to address you (and other candidates) by using such words as “moron” (which you apparently find objectionable).

For a whole day!

Please consider this request. (I would, if I were you.)

Sincerely,
Beej.