Dear XXXX,
Thank you for confirming that you have registered me for the 'Dialogue Session with the Indian Community on Budget 2008'.
The topic for discussion, namely 'Dialogue Session with the Indian Community on Budget 2008' sounds a little strange to my ears.
Is there something in it which would affect them in particular as a communal group for the need to single them out conspicuously?
To my simple mind, I would think that the nation's budget is something that would affect all residents equally without the special need for dialogue on a racially-segregated basis.
I can well understand that a budget would/could affect different income-groups in different ways, and perhaps the organisers could enlighten me if there are indeed certain aspects which require the dialogue sessions to be conducted on an ethnic basis.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Narayanan N
This was written by a dear friend of mine to REACH singapore, who, with the Ministry of Finance Singapore, is counducting a Feedback Exercise for various communities in conjunction with next years Budget debate.
The series of dialogue sessions organised by REACH is for the various 'communities' and will be held from November 2007 to January 2008.
"The topic for discussion, namely 'Dialogue Session with the Indian Community on Budget 2008' sounds a little strange to my ears.
Is there something in it which would affect them in particular as a communal group for the need to single them out conspicuously? "
Now don't you think Mr. Narayana has a point?
This is a nation that still clings fast to the idea that race differentiates its population in its actions, while saying all the while that it is a multi-racial and racially tolerant society. I personally cannot concieve of any race or religion specific issue that needs to be raised in a national budget debate.
In fact, this smells an awful lot like a racial profiling excercise.
Lets call these folk up and ask them for their opinions. Then lets collate their views. Since these are racially segregated views, lets attribute these views to the person's race.
So in other words, if you're an Indian and you made a comment about the rising cost of milk, someone is probably going to prepare a report that would read 'Indians concerned about rising costs of milk'.
While I am a very objective person in general, my ire is often roused by examples of institutionalised racism which seems inherent in Singapore.
Interestingly, REACH Singapore is yet to provide an answer.
deviousDiv
Showing posts with label deviousdiv. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deviousdiv. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Komalas, Are You Listening?
Hi Everyone,
I came across this letter in today's ST Online edition. It seemed amusing!
This is an issue of poor customer service more than anything else. If the person taking orders had been kind enough to mention that the 'mutton' was made from soy, vegetable gluten and other vegetable products, I think Mr. Srinivas might not have gotten so upset.
Maybe they should have better informed people manning the cash register! Or at least those who are polite enough to refrain from saying 'if you don't want, don't order'.
As someone who frequents vegetarian restaurants myself, I can tell you that Anand bavan, the other big indian vegetarian restaurant chain in Singapore also serves 'mock meat' on its menu. The stark difference between the two restaurants is that Anand Bavan advertises the 'benefits' of eating 'soy meat', and has educated its staff to answer customer queries.
Komalas might do well to take a leaf from Anand Bavan's book!
On the issue of mock meat itself, I have very mixed views. On one hand, I am not about to dismiss out of hand the health benefits that soy based products offer. As a vegetarian gourmand however, I find the idea of 'mock meat' very limiting. The challenge of cooking with vegetables is something that marks the true gourmet giants of Indian cuisine.
Did you know for example, that Hotel Saravanabavan in Chennai has over 120 varieties of DOSAI alone? In case you were wondering, Hotel Saravanabavan a vegetarian restaurant. One in which you are required to queue for two and a half hours in a mile long queue in the sweltering heat to get a place to eat.
My great grandmother, my grandmother and my mother have been cooking and eating 'meatless' all their lives. I will probably inherit their recipies and their proud traditions as well, and I will pass them down to my own children.
Ultimately, I am not in a position to comment on the virtues of a vegetarian palette over a meat eating one since I don't eat meat myself.
However, let me add that KOMALAs could be a little more creative in naming their dish. Mock Mutton Biriyani seems decent enough to me; at least you inform people that this isn't the real thing.
I came across this letter in today's ST Online edition. It seemed amusing!
Mutton Biriyani in a Vegetarian Restaurant?
ON A recent visit to Komalas restaurant, I noticed that it has introduced a dish called mutton biryani.
The response I got when I enquired further on this item was that it was 'vegetarian mutton', followed by 'Don't eat if you don't want'.
I fail to understand how mutton biryani can be vegetarian.
Many people go to Komalas, thinking that it is a fully vegetarian restaurant as they have reservations about mixing vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
Komalas needs to clarify if its restaurant is a fully vegetarian one and the ingredients used in all its preparations are also the same.
A. Srinivas
17 July 2007
ST Online
This is an issue of poor customer service more than anything else. If the person taking orders had been kind enough to mention that the 'mutton' was made from soy, vegetable gluten and other vegetable products, I think Mr. Srinivas might not have gotten so upset.
Maybe they should have better informed people manning the cash register! Or at least those who are polite enough to refrain from saying 'if you don't want, don't order'.
As someone who frequents vegetarian restaurants myself, I can tell you that Anand bavan, the other big indian vegetarian restaurant chain in Singapore also serves 'mock meat' on its menu. The stark difference between the two restaurants is that Anand Bavan advertises the 'benefits' of eating 'soy meat', and has educated its staff to answer customer queries.
Komalas might do well to take a leaf from Anand Bavan's book!
On the issue of mock meat itself, I have very mixed views. On one hand, I am not about to dismiss out of hand the health benefits that soy based products offer. As a vegetarian gourmand however, I find the idea of 'mock meat' very limiting. The challenge of cooking with vegetables is something that marks the true gourmet giants of Indian cuisine.
Did you know for example, that Hotel Saravanabavan in Chennai has over 120 varieties of DOSAI alone? In case you were wondering, Hotel Saravanabavan a vegetarian restaurant. One in which you are required to queue for two and a half hours in a mile long queue in the sweltering heat to get a place to eat.
My great grandmother, my grandmother and my mother have been cooking and eating 'meatless' all their lives. I will probably inherit their recipies and their proud traditions as well, and I will pass them down to my own children.
Ultimately, I am not in a position to comment on the virtues of a vegetarian palette over a meat eating one since I don't eat meat myself.
However, let me add that KOMALAs could be a little more creative in naming their dish. Mock Mutton Biriyani seems decent enough to me; at least you inform people that this isn't the real thing.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Irate Mango Makkeh
My dear readers,
I must admit being a little confused at the understanding that some Indians have, with regards to their imaginary 'divine right' to bully hapless customer service personnel, especially if said customer personnel are Indian themselves.
Now I am not going to leave this statement hanging in the air like forgotten laundry, but rather highlight to you my encounter with one of these individuals. I think that my poor ears are bleeding from the encounter.
This lovely Gentleman calls me, and then proceeds to launch a complaint against one of my company's employees. Since my company is a big one, and I was hearing his complaint FOR THE FIRST TIME, I was naturally unable to give him a detailed outcome and action taken against said employee. When the conversation began, it was all polite and nice, when my name was revealed, the excrement well and truly hit the fan.
When I tried to highlight to Mr. Irate Gentleman that we will need some time to investigate the incident, he had the temerity to scream at me and accuse me of poor customer service. When his first tirade was over, I reiterated that we need to investigate the feedback. He then launches another tirade. His constant mention of my name, and my awareness of his name made the whole incident very unpleasant.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but as I perceive this whole matter, which after some time had degenerated into nasty name calling and threats, he was just excercising his 'divine right' to bully me because I was an Indian. After all, the phone conversation took a headlong plunge down the drain after I gave him my full name.
This is hardly the first time I have recieved rude behaviour from fellow Indian complainents once it is revealed that I'm Indian.
I think I missed the memo which said that Indians warrant special treatment by other Indians because we are all Indians. I'm all for celebrating identity, but this is taking things too far don't you think.
To my fellow Indians, you know that I am an advocate of gracious behaviour. Please extend this graciousness to phone conversations. We are not interested to hear how proficient you are at using the various permutations of the f-word and other vulgarities.
Somehow, using the term Mango Makkeh is not enough for Mr. Irate Gentleman.
So my fellow KLKlan members, what should we call rude, unreasonable makkehs?
Leave your suggestions in the comment column! My challenge to you is to not use ANY VULGARITIES! But you can call him a fruit if you so wish. However, the best suggestion will be printed in high gloss paper to be framed and hung in my cubicle.
I must admit being a little confused at the understanding that some Indians have, with regards to their imaginary 'divine right' to bully hapless customer service personnel, especially if said customer personnel are Indian themselves.
Now I am not going to leave this statement hanging in the air like forgotten laundry, but rather highlight to you my encounter with one of these individuals. I think that my poor ears are bleeding from the encounter.
This lovely Gentleman calls me, and then proceeds to launch a complaint against one of my company's employees. Since my company is a big one, and I was hearing his complaint FOR THE FIRST TIME, I was naturally unable to give him a detailed outcome and action taken against said employee. When the conversation began, it was all polite and nice, when my name was revealed, the excrement well and truly hit the fan.
When I tried to highlight to Mr. Irate Gentleman that we will need some time to investigate the incident, he had the temerity to scream at me and accuse me of poor customer service. When his first tirade was over, I reiterated that we need to investigate the feedback. He then launches another tirade. His constant mention of my name, and my awareness of his name made the whole incident very unpleasant.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but as I perceive this whole matter, which after some time had degenerated into nasty name calling and threats, he was just excercising his 'divine right' to bully me because I was an Indian. After all, the phone conversation took a headlong plunge down the drain after I gave him my full name.
This is hardly the first time I have recieved rude behaviour from fellow Indian complainents once it is revealed that I'm Indian.
I think I missed the memo which said that Indians warrant special treatment by other Indians because we are all Indians. I'm all for celebrating identity, but this is taking things too far don't you think.
To my fellow Indians, you know that I am an advocate of gracious behaviour. Please extend this graciousness to phone conversations. We are not interested to hear how proficient you are at using the various permutations of the f-word and other vulgarities.
Somehow, using the term Mango Makkeh is not enough for Mr. Irate Gentleman.
So my fellow KLKlan members, what should we call rude, unreasonable makkehs?
Leave your suggestions in the comment column! My challenge to you is to not use ANY VULGARITIES! But you can call him a fruit if you so wish. However, the best suggestion will be printed in high gloss paper to be framed and hung in my cubicle.
As for me, I was going to think of him as a rat fink who crawled out of a sewer to make my life difficult, but that would be such an insult to the poor rats and other creatures like homeless heroin junkies, who consider the sewer system their humble abodes.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
KLKalifornian Malaysians
Editor's Note: Picked up by Malaysian bloggers earlier, an example of the rage it induced back up the peninsular, HERE. Sometimes, things get taken a step too far. Layman maybe forgivable. Minister? Hell no!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Kiss That Nobody Could Miss
Via e-mail. Hilarious, Author: Melvin Durai.
What a year it’s been for Shilpa Shetty. The Bollywood actress has gained immense exposure around the world, grabbing headlines in major newspapers and getting every TV host in America, even the national ones, to mangle her name.
Shetty first drew worldwide attention when she appeared on the British reality show “Celebrity Big Brother” and endured offensive comments from other contestants, triggering protests in India and the requisite effigy-burning. (More effigies are burned in India than in any other country in the world, according to Raj Sharma, spokesman for the Indian Effigy Manufacturers Association. George W. Bush has been burned in effigy numerous times, but isn’t quite in the Top Ten. (The only way for him to move up would be to join the Indian cricket team.)
Shetty’s activities have been a boon to the effigy industry. Three months after winning “Celebrity Big Brother,” she was embroiled in another controversy, having made the mistake of standing too close to Hollywood star Richard Gere.
The pair were at a televised AIDS awareness event in New Delhi, appearing on stage in front of thousands of people, when Gere kissed Shetty on the hand, embraced her, bent her backwards and kissed her several times on the cheek. To some onlookers, it looked like a demonstration. Gere was showing everyone that you can’t get AIDS, of course, by kissing a Bollywood actress. (You can’t get AIDS by kissing anyone else either, but you can get slapped. Trust me, I know.)
Many men in the audience were naturally upset. It was rude of Gere, even disgraceful, not to invite them to participate. “Demonstration is all well and good,” one man said. “But we wanted to see for ourselves that it’s safe to kiss Shilpa. We were ready to form a neat line.”
Some political activists and others in India were outraged by Gere’s act. They called it “obscene” and “vulgar,” causing millions of youngsters to go online to view it. “We were very disappointed,” a teen-aged boy said. “She kept her sari on the whole time.”
Many others felt that Shetty acted improperly. “She didn’t resist at all,” said a middle-aged Mumbai woman. “She could have pushed him away. She could have pepper-sprayed him or something.”
Several young women from Chennai insisted they would have acted differently. “I’m a Christian,” one of them said. “If Richard Gere kissed me passionately on the cheek, I’d show him the other cheek.”
Most of the anger on the streets was directed at Gere. Protesters, egged on by political activists, didn’t just burn effigies of Gere, they beat them with sticks. That sparked a dozen more protests, most of them organized by PETE (People for the Ethical Treatment of Effigies).
Shetty said people were overreacting and that Gere was just being sweet, prompting an Indian tabloid to print a tongue-twister of a headline: “Shapely Shilpa Shetty shockingly shows no shame!”
Then a lawyer filed a complaint accusing Gere of an “indecent act” and a judge in Rajasthan issued an arrest warrant for Gere. He faced a potential penalty of three months in prison, a fine or both. He’d better watch out or he could find himself sharing a cell with a burly man named Munna.
Gere: “Hello, what are you in here for?”
Munna: “Armed robbery. I robbed a bank and shot three people. What about you?”
Gere: “Kissing.”
Munna: “Oh my God! You kissed someone?”
Gere: “Yes, but it was just an innocent ...”
Munna: “Guards! Get me out of here! I don’t want to be with this man.”
Gere: “Come on, relax. I’m harmless.”
Munna: “Stand back, man! Don’t come near me with those lips!”
Gere has apologized for the kiss, saying he was just mimicking a scene from his 2004 movie “Shall We Dance” and evidently misread Indian customs. He plans to continue visiting India, but from now on will wear a hockey mask in public to keep himself from kissing anyone.
His experience might give people the impression that public kissing does not occur in India, that no one ever does it. But that’s not true at all. A few cases of public kissing have been recorded.
In 2001, for example, a Delhi man and his wife won a new Maruti car in a contest. The man was pictured in the Times of India planting a loving kiss on the front bumper. The next day, members of the right-wing group Shiv Sena burned effigies of the man. Some accused the man of “auto-erotic behaviour.”
In 2004, a Madurai man was spotted kissing a donkey. The donkey belonged to the man’s boss, a flour merchant. The man was arrested and taken to court. “It’s my wife’s fault,” he told the judge. “She told me that if I want the boss to give me a promotion, I need to kiss his ass.”
What a year it’s been for Shilpa Shetty. The Bollywood actress has gained immense exposure around the world, grabbing headlines in major newspapers and getting every TV host in America, even the national ones, to mangle her name.
Shetty first drew worldwide attention when she appeared on the British reality show “Celebrity Big Brother” and endured offensive comments from other contestants, triggering protests in India and the requisite effigy-burning. (More effigies are burned in India than in any other country in the world, according to Raj Sharma, spokesman for the Indian Effigy Manufacturers Association. George W. Bush has been burned in effigy numerous times, but isn’t quite in the Top Ten. (The only way for him to move up would be to join the Indian cricket team.)
Shetty’s activities have been a boon to the effigy industry. Three months after winning “Celebrity Big Brother,” she was embroiled in another controversy, having made the mistake of standing too close to Hollywood star Richard Gere.
The pair were at a televised AIDS awareness event in New Delhi, appearing on stage in front of thousands of people, when Gere kissed Shetty on the hand, embraced her, bent her backwards and kissed her several times on the cheek. To some onlookers, it looked like a demonstration. Gere was showing everyone that you can’t get AIDS, of course, by kissing a Bollywood actress. (You can’t get AIDS by kissing anyone else either, but you can get slapped. Trust me, I know.)
Many men in the audience were naturally upset. It was rude of Gere, even disgraceful, not to invite them to participate. “Demonstration is all well and good,” one man said. “But we wanted to see for ourselves that it’s safe to kiss Shilpa. We were ready to form a neat line.”
Some political activists and others in India were outraged by Gere’s act. They called it “obscene” and “vulgar,” causing millions of youngsters to go online to view it. “We were very disappointed,” a teen-aged boy said. “She kept her sari on the whole time.”
Many others felt that Shetty acted improperly. “She didn’t resist at all,” said a middle-aged Mumbai woman. “She could have pushed him away. She could have pepper-sprayed him or something.”
Several young women from Chennai insisted they would have acted differently. “I’m a Christian,” one of them said. “If Richard Gere kissed me passionately on the cheek, I’d show him the other cheek.”
Most of the anger on the streets was directed at Gere. Protesters, egged on by political activists, didn’t just burn effigies of Gere, they beat them with sticks. That sparked a dozen more protests, most of them organized by PETE (People for the Ethical Treatment of Effigies).
Shetty said people were overreacting and that Gere was just being sweet, prompting an Indian tabloid to print a tongue-twister of a headline: “Shapely Shilpa Shetty shockingly shows no shame!”
Then a lawyer filed a complaint accusing Gere of an “indecent act” and a judge in Rajasthan issued an arrest warrant for Gere. He faced a potential penalty of three months in prison, a fine or both. He’d better watch out or he could find himself sharing a cell with a burly man named Munna.
Gere: “Hello, what are you in here for?”
Munna: “Armed robbery. I robbed a bank and shot three people. What about you?”
Gere: “Kissing.”
Munna: “Oh my God! You kissed someone?”
Gere: “Yes, but it was just an innocent ...”
Munna: “Guards! Get me out of here! I don’t want to be with this man.”
Gere: “Come on, relax. I’m harmless.”
Munna: “Stand back, man! Don’t come near me with those lips!”
Gere has apologized for the kiss, saying he was just mimicking a scene from his 2004 movie “Shall We Dance” and evidently misread Indian customs. He plans to continue visiting India, but from now on will wear a hockey mask in public to keep himself from kissing anyone.
His experience might give people the impression that public kissing does not occur in India, that no one ever does it. But that’s not true at all. A few cases of public kissing have been recorded.
In 2001, for example, a Delhi man and his wife won a new Maruti car in a contest. The man was pictured in the Times of India planting a loving kiss on the front bumper. The next day, members of the right-wing group Shiv Sena burned effigies of the man. Some accused the man of “auto-erotic behaviour.”
In 2004, a Madurai man was spotted kissing a donkey. The donkey belonged to the man’s boss, a flour merchant. The man was arrested and taken to court. “It’s my wife’s fault,” he told the judge. “She told me that if I want the boss to give me a promotion, I need to kiss his ass.”
N.B. Gere is now scot free after a public apology. Judge who issued the arrest warrant however has been transferred. Div had her own take on Shilpa Shetty a while back. Published for your perusal. Fictional but provoking.
A "WHAT IF" story
As we all know, Jade Goody, Shilpa Shetty's co-star in Big Brother, and the one who got even Tony Blair talking about racism has been invited by the government of India 'to visit India and experience the country's healing nature.'
Lets assume Goody will accept the invitation; after all she would want to be 'cleansed' of the bigotry she discovered she carries within herself.
Jane boards Kingfisher airlines, one of the up and coming 'cool' domestic airlines that now fly all over India, and the moment she enters, she has an astonished look on her face.
"Is anything the matter Ms. Goody" ask the indian official who has been assigned to be assist with her Indian Government sponsored 'healing programme'.
"Yes!" says Ms. Goody, "I thought Indians were brown!"
"Most of us are" said the Indian official, happy to help her in the discovery of the Indian people.
"Then why are the flight stewardesses so fair. That woman is probably whiter than me!"
"The Kingfisher airline is very particular!" says the official proudly, "They only pick the most beautiful women to be their stewerdesses."
"What about the brown skinned women?"
"The darkies!" exclaimed the official, "Why would they want to hire some ugly dark skinned woman?"
Miss Goody then opens the Times of India and the matrimonial section catches her eye. The official notices. "Are you planning on getting married?" he enquires politely. Ms Goody seems excited, "I don't think I'll have a problem in your country!" she adds.
"Why madam?"
"All the ads are asking for a fair skinned bride, and as you can see, I'm very fair skinned myself."
The two spend the rest of the journey uneventfully, and they finally land at the capital, New Delhi. Jade and the government official walk out of the plane and they are waiting at the baggage collection area.
A beareded man recognises Jade and comes towards her, holding out his autograph book and pen.
"Don't" hisses the government official, as he steers her away.
"He wants my autograph" she added, puzzled and a bit hurt, "how sweet of him. Why did you stop me?"
"Have nothing to do with him!" whispers the official staring daggers at the bearded man.
"Why not?" asks a puzzled and very confused Jade.
"He is from the scheduled caste! It will not help to be seen talking to him! People like him are only trouble."
"So?" asks Miss Goody, genuinely puzzled, "isn't he an Indian?" Jade looks expectantly at the official who has been designated to help heal her. The official had no answer for her.
She then pulls out her Lonely Planet Guide and opens the book to an earmarked page. She shows it to the official. "I would like to visit this religious place that I have heard so much about!" she gushes.
The official looks at her with a frown. "Oh no Madam! It is not possible."
Taken aback at his fierce response, she asks "Why not?"
"The temple is only open to men, women are not allowed; they will pollute the holy temple."
It is a slightly different Jade who finally lands up in Bombay where she meets her fellow housemate Shilpa for the first time after the gameshow. "Shilpa!" she yells.
"Hi Jade!" says Shilpa, turning around to smile for the hundreds of cameras. "How is the healing coming along?"
"You bitch" murmurs Jade under her breath concious of all the rolling cameras, "you've got more bigotry, chauvinism and racism here than was found on our show! You've grown up with it, what made you shed all those tears?"
"Ah!" says Shilpa, "I'm a good actress no?"
Link
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Blog Like Div
My dear readers,
I was excited that the debate on Pesuvom was going to discuss Blogging. I maintained hope that the debate will actually focus on what I would see as the issues on hand. After watching the show, I was disappointed that the producers missed out on an excellent opportunity for a debate, instead choosing to focus on miniscule issues that don't even merit mention in the larger scheme of things. So much potential, such a loss!
I was excited that the debate on Pesuvom was going to discuss Blogging. I maintained hope that the debate will actually focus on what I would see as the issues on hand. After watching the show, I was disappointed that the producers missed out on an excellent opportunity for a debate, instead choosing to focus on miniscule issues that don't even merit mention in the larger scheme of things. So much potential, such a loss!
I must add at this juncture, that the participants on both camps were making many attempts to engage the issues of social responsibility and freedom of speech. And in my perception, the moderator of the dialogue failed in her objective in addressing the issues, choosing instead to focus on miniscule and irrelevant things like the use of vulgarity. It became very monotonous after some time, when she began to harp on things like 'but don't you think about how you are going to hurt the other person's feelings?'
She is a good speaker, but this episode seemed to reveal that she had clearly not done her research, and failed to raise some pertinent points that ought to have been raised. I'd like to think that the whole debate was flushed down the big sewer otherwise known 'the PR circus of showbiz'.
Throughout the show, I noticed that there were mixed definitions on the understanding of a blog. As I see it, proclaiming a blog as an online diary is a wrong parameter to work with. If you are making an entry to a blog, there are certain steps you follow. Most importantly when you finish with your entry, you push the 'publish' button. Here we have an obvious indication that the blog in question is a publication, very much like a newspaper column on cyberspace. What you say, you say it in one of the most vast and wide open spaces ever created, to an audience that constitutes anyone in the world with internet access. The term 'diary' indicates that your blog is a private one and for private consumption only.
Another paradigm of blogging that the show tried to address, but failed spectacularly, was the issue of ethical or responsible blogging. I feel that an average blogger often fails to grasp the ethical considerations of posting his or her opinions online.
The argument that a person can choose not to read a blog is immature and limited. It just reveals that the blogger is trying not to take ownership for his or her words and opinions. So when one of the panelists raised this opinion, I was itching to get up there and give her an intellectual slap.
While many might disagree with me on this, I felt that the introduction of the Ms. Vasantham contestants into the panel, as 'victims' of negative comments on blogs was a master stroke which brought home an important point. More often than not, the erstwhile blogger is imbibed with a false sense of isolation and privacy when he types from the relative anonymity of his personal computer. He forgets that there are others who read his blog and people who are impacted by his words. The idea of 'putting a blogger in a tight spot' by making him confront the very people he was making a negative comment about was in theory a good one.
Of course, the producers lost the plot when they kept harping on the issue, not giving the blogger a chance to defend himself and develop his argument about how as a celebrity in the public eye, one must be prepared to deal with all kinds of comments. As the debate sunk into finger pointing, I was saddened.
The idea of "Freedom of Speech" being interpreted as 'using bad words, four lettered words and vulgarity' was the biggest disappointment of the show. As bloggers, we all know that freedom of speech extends beyond that. While some attempt was made to define parameters of this freedom to exclude personal attacks and racist attacks, as dictated by the law, it once again failed to address the main issue of this whole debate.
Ethical or Responsible Blogging in the context of Freedom of Speech.
Ultimately, what we wish to write on our blogs is our choice. But as bloggers we have to take ownership for what we write, and stop ducking behind regulations and definitions. We have to be responsible bloggers. This does not mean 'writing about social issues' as some of the panelists seem to think. In fact, it has very little to do with the content of our entries.
As an Indian, I take a step back to look at the culture that weaned me and made me the person I am, to define my role and responsibilities as a blogger. The Second Law of Manu, the great Indian political philosopher states that a king does not rule for himself, his dynasty, his clan, his varna [caste] or family. He rules for his people.
While we bloggers are not leaders of great nations, we are leaders in our own right, expressing opinions that will shape the ideology and opinions of our readers in this exciting new medium of blogging. It is in this context that I frame my opinion. I believe in the freedom of expressing one's opinion, but I strongly believe that this has to be tempered by a sense of what impact these opinions will have. Ultimately, this is what we must carry within our hearts when we try to be a responsible blogger.
Why do I say this? As bloggers, it might help if we remember that the pen/keyboard is a powerful instrument. To cite Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility. We can instead turn this powerful medium of free expression towards making a positive impact.
Plato alludes to his cave of ignorance where the inhabitants view the shadows of people going and coming and decides that that is the world. Most people are inhabitants of that metaphorical cave, and the 'shadows' they see are in the Internet and on television. We the enlightened ones must lead them to the light. Bloggers are the enlightened ones of cyberspace, since people will read our writing, and form opinions on the things they don't know or understand based on how we explain it to them.
However benign the writer's intentions were, emotional pain and a ruined reputation are not things that can be fixed with an apology and cash settlement. One cannot mitigate the fact that lives have been ruined, and will continue to be ruined under the weight of irresponsible journalism, both on print and online.
Blogging fails in its objective the moment it crosses the boundaries of graciousness, because it reveals that the blogger has failed to understand his position as a person with the power to shape the opinions and ideas of his readers.
As Indians, we are weaned on a culture that advocates graciousness, with our literature, myth and legends ripe with heroes who were generous and kind. As Indian Bloggers, we really must remember to spread this very graciousness that is such a big part of our culture. It will only serve to cement our KLK identity.
In other words, think before you blog.
At the end of this post, you would have realised that I have very grandiose opinions about blogging. However, I do hope that this post at least shows the world that not all bloggers have fluff between their eyes, and that some of us do make an effort to understand our roles as bloggers and warriors on the frontier of free speech, and defendants of the KLK-identity in cyberspace.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
EZ Link Mango Makkeh
I must report to all my readers a very strange incident that happened today, which involves a Makkeh and his energetic reverse pelvic thrusts.
It was about 0745 hrs. I was on the bus 55. And there was a Tamilan sitting in the seat in front of me.
How did I know he was a Tamilan? His hand phone's ring tone was 'Maamaa Maamaa Maamaa'. It rang fifteen times in the forty minute bus ride. I was intrigued enough to count. While I wish I could recount the content of his conversation, it was utterly forgettable.
He wanted to get off the bus at one of the bus stops along Jalan Eunos. He rang the bell to signal his intention to alight. He moved towards the door and waited for the bus to stop.
When the bus stopped and the door opened, he turned around and started rubbing the left part of his 'behind' on the EZ Link machine, or it seemed to be that way from where I was sitting.
He then uttered a sound of frustration, his forehead creased in concentration. He was thinking hard.
He decides on his course of action, which involved him using his entire behind, and began earnestly bumping against the EZ Link machine making all kinds of weird noises. One bump, two bump, three bump, four bump...
By this time, the bus driver and the five passengers were all watching him with utterly incredulous looks on their faces. I was involved in a tremendous personal battle to keep my face completely immobile.
Then suddenly we heard a loud beep. Our friend seemed relieved to hear this beep and bounded down the stairs. The driver moved off, and I saw the poor chap shaking his head in bewilderment.
Apparently, namba makkeh had put his EZ Link card in the back pocket of his jeans, and thought to tap his card to exit.
Only a mango makkeh will think that the most logical course of action to take when one has an EZ Link card in one's back pocket is to tap one's entire behind against the machine.
As the bus rolled away, I saw him take out the standard issue orange plastic comb from his back pocket, and run it through his greasy blonde streaked hair. I tried to picture him trying to comb his hair with his behind, and failed spectacularly. Unfortunately, my imagination at 8 am only goes so far.
It was about 0745 hrs. I was on the bus 55. And there was a Tamilan sitting in the seat in front of me.
How did I know he was a Tamilan? His hand phone's ring tone was 'Maamaa Maamaa Maamaa'. It rang fifteen times in the forty minute bus ride. I was intrigued enough to count. While I wish I could recount the content of his conversation, it was utterly forgettable.
He wanted to get off the bus at one of the bus stops along Jalan Eunos. He rang the bell to signal his intention to alight. He moved towards the door and waited for the bus to stop.
When the bus stopped and the door opened, he turned around and started rubbing the left part of his 'behind' on the EZ Link machine, or it seemed to be that way from where I was sitting.
He then uttered a sound of frustration, his forehead creased in concentration. He was thinking hard.
He decides on his course of action, which involved him using his entire behind, and began earnestly bumping against the EZ Link machine making all kinds of weird noises. One bump, two bump, three bump, four bump...
By this time, the bus driver and the five passengers were all watching him with utterly incredulous looks on their faces. I was involved in a tremendous personal battle to keep my face completely immobile.
Then suddenly we heard a loud beep. Our friend seemed relieved to hear this beep and bounded down the stairs. The driver moved off, and I saw the poor chap shaking his head in bewilderment.
Apparently, namba makkeh had put his EZ Link card in the back pocket of his jeans, and thought to tap his card to exit.
Only a mango makkeh will think that the most logical course of action to take when one has an EZ Link card in one's back pocket is to tap one's entire behind against the machine.
As the bus rolled away, I saw him take out the standard issue orange plastic comb from his back pocket, and run it through his greasy blonde streaked hair. I tried to picture him trying to comb his hair with his behind, and failed spectacularly. Unfortunately, my imagination at 8 am only goes so far.
Editor's Note: Perhaps these videos should shed more light on Yindian bus menaces.
Yindian decides he is too good to pay the bus fare
His brother-in-law joins in the fray
Not forgetting our senior citizens' contribution to the public transport system
His brother-in-law joins in the fray
Not forgetting our senior citizens' contribution to the public transport system
Thursday, April 19, 2007
The Indian Vegetarian's chronicles
Don't we all love Indian food! Our mummy's cooking, our restaurants, our packed lunches, our kovil offerings, every little thing that makes up the garangutan whole of Indian food!
Wait a minute. Isn't indian food 'UNHEALTHY'!
I have to report my complete and utter frustration at people who like to examine my packed lunches and wonder just how much poison I am pouring into my veins because I am eating 'INDIAN FOOD'.
The last time I was eating my 'thayir saadam' [yoghurt rice] at work, my colleague thought it was coconut milk porridge.
When I tried to explain to her that we use other ingredients besides coconut milk, she had the cheek to reply "Where got? All Indian food got coconut milk what!" I gave up and went back to eating my thayir saadham.
Then it happened again.
I went to Komalas and bought back some pulisoru [tamarind rice].
Another colleague comes to see what I'm eating. "Oi, what is that ah?" I answered that it is Assam flavoured rice. "Hah? Indian food got such thing meh? I thought you all eat birr-yaaani ony wat?"
Then she asked me if the curry is "fish, chicken or mutton ah?" Hmmm... I told her that it is vegetarian food.
Which makes her stop, think and ask, "So the curry fish, chicken or mutton ah?"
I called my office phone with my handphone to get her out of my cubicle.
But that's not where it stops.
Just yesterday, I was explaining to my doctor that I am a vegetarian.
She then passes the assesment that the reason why I'm falling sick [as I had gastric flu] was because I don't eat meat.
She wants me to start eating more fish and lean meats. She said something like 'Look at the Shaolin monks in China, they are so fit and healthy because of their balanced diet.' She then goes on to talk about "Halal food being easily available everywhere". Errr... my patient card states that I'm HINDU.
I couldn't resist adding there that "I'm Hindu."
She looks at me perplexed, and asks, "So there is no problem there, then why don't you want to eat meat?"
I wanted to add that the Shaolin monks are strictly vegetarian, but I couldn't be bothered.
She wrote my prescription and waved me away.
Dear Singaporeans, please take note of the following.
Wait a minute. Isn't indian food 'UNHEALTHY'!
I have to report my complete and utter frustration at people who like to examine my packed lunches and wonder just how much poison I am pouring into my veins because I am eating 'INDIAN FOOD'.
The last time I was eating my 'thayir saadam' [yoghurt rice] at work, my colleague thought it was coconut milk porridge.
When I tried to explain to her that we use other ingredients besides coconut milk, she had the cheek to reply "Where got? All Indian food got coconut milk what!" I gave up and went back to eating my thayir saadham.
Then it happened again.
I went to Komalas and bought back some pulisoru [tamarind rice].
Another colleague comes to see what I'm eating. "Oi, what is that ah?" I answered that it is Assam flavoured rice. "Hah? Indian food got such thing meh? I thought you all eat birr-yaaani ony wat?"
Then she asked me if the curry is "fish, chicken or mutton ah?" Hmmm... I told her that it is vegetarian food.
Which makes her stop, think and ask, "So the curry fish, chicken or mutton ah?"
I called my office phone with my handphone to get her out of my cubicle.
But that's not where it stops.
Just yesterday, I was explaining to my doctor that I am a vegetarian.
She then passes the assesment that the reason why I'm falling sick [as I had gastric flu] was because I don't eat meat.
She wants me to start eating more fish and lean meats. She said something like 'Look at the Shaolin monks in China, they are so fit and healthy because of their balanced diet.' She then goes on to talk about "Halal food being easily available everywhere". Errr... my patient card states that I'm HINDU.
I couldn't resist adding there that "I'm Hindu."
She looks at me perplexed, and asks, "So there is no problem there, then why don't you want to eat meat?"
I wanted to add that the Shaolin monks are strictly vegetarian, but I couldn't be bothered.
She wrote my prescription and waved me away.
Dear Singaporeans, please take note of the following.
1) Chapatti is not Roti Prata.
2) Vegetarian does not mean eating raw vegetables.
3) Vegetarians are not on the verge of death, in fact they are pugnaciously healthy and have better skin than the lot of you.
4) Indian food is not limited to roti prata, 'tho-say', fish head curry and birr-yaaani.
To my colleagues: The next time I'm eating my thayir saadham, leave me alone. Unlike the Laksa you polished off at lunch, my thayir saadham is healthy and home made. At least I don't drip COCONUT MILK CURRY all over my shirt.
To my doctor: Please don't dish out advice to patients anymore. You might succeed in killing off one of them. And NO we are not MUSLIM, and NO vegetarian is not the same as being Halal.
To everyone else: Please respect our dietary choices and spare us the inquisition. No WE ARE NOT OBLIGED to explain for the one millionth time why we choose to be vegetarian, and what we can or cannot eat.
Some Indians are Vegetarian. Deal with it.
To my colleagues: The next time I'm eating my thayir saadham, leave me alone. Unlike the Laksa you polished off at lunch, my thayir saadham is healthy and home made. At least I don't drip COCONUT MILK CURRY all over my shirt.
To my doctor: Please don't dish out advice to patients anymore. You might succeed in killing off one of them. And NO we are not MUSLIM, and NO vegetarian is not the same as being Halal.
To everyone else: Please respect our dietary choices and spare us the inquisition. No WE ARE NOT OBLIGED to explain for the one millionth time why we choose to be vegetarian, and what we can or cannot eat.
Some Indians are Vegetarian. Deal with it.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
KLKNational Language
Salutaions my fellow KLKlan-ites!
Redefining the KLK-Identity is something I'm sure all our faithful readers must have thought about at one point or another.
As A KLKlan-ite myself, I often find great frustration in the following four alphabets of the english language.
C. M. I. O
In Singapore, KLK-ites are all classified as an ubiqutous 'I', for Indian, lumping us all into one formless nameless entity. Our Department of Statistics defines ‘Indians’ as a ’race’, comprising “persons of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan origin, such as Tamils, Malayalis, Punjabis, Bengalis, Singhalese, etc.” The term 'Indian' therefore refers broadly to people of South Asian descent, rather than those from the Republic of India.
[Interestingly, also applies to Malays in Singapore where they can define race as "Boyanese", "Javanese" etc. Whereas Chinese are simply Chinese with no demarcations of different dialect groups]
Consequently, the Singapore definition of 'race' is problematic for many, and in several cases fails to reflect the culture and ethnic identity people.
And ultimately, this is where all the divisions in our community begin and end.
They call us 'Indian' but what is 'Indian'? It most certainly is not a nationality. Historically, our ancestors came from a place that didn't even exist. India after all was a British possession and not a sovereign nation when most of our forefathers came here.
So why call us Indian?
Is it because we look different?
Then how does one account for North Eastern Indians? Wait a minute, they are 'not indians now are they', they are 'Nepali' or "Gurkha".
As a KLKlan-ite, I feel that the Singaporean Indian identity should move beyond an artificial government appointed classification, and as members of the community, we must seek to define our distinct identities.
And what better place to begin than with a KLKlan-guage?
Diss it as much as you wish, but one can only marvel at the sheer genius of Anjadi speak.
Its a mixture of an almost poetic tamil, english, a mixture of hokkien and malay words and sometimes even Hindi and Punjabi words, which all add up to make for a very lyrical language in its spoken context.
While I don't profess to be big expert of the language, my malayalee accent will spoil the whole effect, I am a huge fan of it.
So now that we have a manifesto and a language in place, as well as a cultural bank [Vasantham Central] [Editor's note: I badly beg to differ that they are a bank of any sort], we are on our way to KLK-unity.
All we need is a KLK-Anthem and a KLK-Pledge.
So my dear readers, how many of you want me to put my muse to use and come up with a KLK Pledge? [If I get enough response, I might be persuaded to make it rhyme]
Redefining the KLK-Identity is something I'm sure all our faithful readers must have thought about at one point or another.
As A KLKlan-ite myself, I often find great frustration in the following four alphabets of the english language.
C. M. I. O
In Singapore, KLK-ites are all classified as an ubiqutous 'I', for Indian, lumping us all into one formless nameless entity. Our Department of Statistics defines ‘Indians’ as a ’race’, comprising “persons of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan origin, such as Tamils, Malayalis, Punjabis, Bengalis, Singhalese, etc.” The term 'Indian' therefore refers broadly to people of South Asian descent, rather than those from the Republic of India.
[Interestingly, also applies to Malays in Singapore where they can define race as "Boyanese", "Javanese" etc. Whereas Chinese are simply Chinese with no demarcations of different dialect groups]
Consequently, the Singapore definition of 'race' is problematic for many, and in several cases fails to reflect the culture and ethnic identity people.
And ultimately, this is where all the divisions in our community begin and end.
They call us 'Indian' but what is 'Indian'? It most certainly is not a nationality. Historically, our ancestors came from a place that didn't even exist. India after all was a British possession and not a sovereign nation when most of our forefathers came here.
So why call us Indian?
Is it because we look different?
Then how does one account for North Eastern Indians? Wait a minute, they are 'not indians now are they', they are 'Nepali' or "Gurkha".
As a KLKlan-ite, I feel that the Singaporean Indian identity should move beyond an artificial government appointed classification, and as members of the community, we must seek to define our distinct identities.
And what better place to begin than with a KLKlan-guage?
Diss it as much as you wish, but one can only marvel at the sheer genius of Anjadi speak.
Its a mixture of an almost poetic tamil, english, a mixture of hokkien and malay words and sometimes even Hindi and Punjabi words, which all add up to make for a very lyrical language in its spoken context.
While I don't profess to be big expert of the language, my malayalee accent will spoil the whole effect, I am a huge fan of it.
So now that we have a manifesto and a language in place, as well as a cultural bank [Vasantham Central] [Editor's note: I badly beg to differ that they are a bank of any sort], we are on our way to KLK-unity.
All we need is a KLK-Anthem and a KLK-Pledge.
So my dear readers, how many of you want me to put my muse to use and come up with a KLK Pledge? [If I get enough response, I might be persuaded to make it rhyme]
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