I honestly don’t read many blogs – severe lack of time being the primary reason. Hence, my blogroll remains stagnant unless one of my gentle readers comments and leads me back to their house. So, for Blog Day, I decided to highlight some blogs that I only get to read now and then but which [...]
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Just upgraded to MT 3.2 and took out MTBlacklist. Not sure if either are wise decisions in this day and age. You may have to re-authenticate to comment.
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Saw the 40 year old Virgin recently. Best abstinence propoganda ever made [only if the Xtian Right can overlook the nudity, insanely hilarious bad language and winking adoration of gays]. No reviews I read had pointed out the two desi scene-stealers [Shelly Malil and the awesome Gerry Bednob] who were like the anti-matter to Wes [...]
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In your 8/25 column, Divided They Stand, you conclude: But when you get Galbraith and Gerecht in the same mood, you know something important has happened. The U.S. has orchestrated a document that is organically Iraqi. It’s their country, after all. However in your entire piece there is not a single quote from any actual [...]
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The air recently has that tinge of cold which I have dreaded my entire life. It means that school will soon start. Here at Chicago, we do not start until late, late September but a lot of places should already have begun the 05-06 school year. Shudder. I am not teaching this coming quarter but [...]
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There is an undeclared civil war in Iraq. I am not talking just about the war over the drafting of the constitution, either. Kurds and Shi’a parties are busy writing while the Sunnis are reaching the breaking point. After reading this CSM report, I think that the outlook is grim that the US will be [...]
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In 1892 The Century, a New York based quarterly magazine, published a small piece by one James S. Dennis. It was probably reprinted from another source. There is nothing special about this piece. Working in the archives of nineteenth century, one sees such writing everywhere. I chose this one almost at random and am recreating [...]
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“Last week, I couldn’t work a suicide-bombing shift because I had to be alive early the next morning for patrol duty,” Hassim said. “I was calling everyone, but I had a hell of a time trying to find someone to replace me. At the last minute, Fathi [Abd al-Khalid] agreed to take the shift. That [...]
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I don’t really know what happened in Bangladesh yesterday but scores of homemade bombs exploded across Dhaka killing one and injuring hundreds. Claiming responsibility is the Harkat ul Jihad-i Islami. This is one of those nebulous Kashmiri, Talibani, Checheni outfits that markets in trained jihadists across international lines using various bases in Pakistan, Afghanistan and [...]
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The Rising is a Bollywood movie – with a vibrant palette and a song on the lips – unless it is a historical epic with a vibrant palette and a scowl on the lips. Oscillating between scenes of village life, romantic intrigue, communal harmony and British racism, oppression, exploitation, it sets the viewer up perfectly [...]
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Happy Independence Day, homistans. I wanted to write a long post about how much I abhor The General and how I wish there would be a uprising against these cookie-cutter dictators that shadow my nation’s every step….but, I am tired and, really, what is the point? Let’s just remind these midnight children of their trysts [...]
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On April 6th, 1857, the martial court assembled in the 34th Regiment Mess House to try Sepoy Mangal Pandey. Presiding was Subadar-Major Jawahir Lal Tiwari, with fourteen other native subadars as members of the court. The Judge-Advocate was Captain Hatch and Lt. James Vallings undertook the interpretation duties. Mangal Pandey, sepoy number 1446, 5th Company, [...]
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Like all stories, this story starts in capital and industry. Small arms and guns manufacturing using interchangeable parts took off in America in the first half of nineteenth century. In the 1851 Great Exhibition, the gun exhibits by US companies attracted great fanfare. In 1853, a Royal Commission was formed to figure out why the [...]
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This last, for now, entry from CM readers comes courtesy of Saurav. A genial fellow, he lives in NY and claims to have seen the ghost of Vivekananda at Columbia. Ok, I totally made that up but wouldn’t that be cool? On his post today, I have to say that I taught Ross Dunn’s Adventures [...]
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update: Ok, ok. ok. Now, I am in it for the glory. We shall compile the Top 25 of Indian Cinema for a newbie. The movies should be representative of genres, influential directors or stars, cultural themes or epochs, and regional film industries. They should have had popular appeal. They should be available on DVD [...]
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What follows is the uncut version of an article i wrote recently about a hotel. the hotel is in Jangpura/Bhogal, a locality where I’ve been living for just over a year now. It’s not the usual CM style, but it says something about the city and its hidden histories, and its (even more hidden) traditions [...]
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Rob is a fine young scholar raising hell across the pond. His post came right before I saw Hanif Kureishi’s piece in the Guardian, The Carnival of Culture. With a 600 percent increase in hate crimes, Blair announcing further support for faith schools and deportation for hate-mongers, it appears that the conversation about multiculturalism is [...]
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My bilious nature has interrupted my “hiatus” [maintaining radio silence is more often than not a supreme skill taught only to those inducted into the daiymo Bloguwa]. But while contemplating my silence, I had decided to do what everyone who really knows me says I do best: Delegate. I emailed some of my readers and [...]
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Remember those “Not in my name” signs that Muslims lifted up after London bombing. Today, I feel like walking around campus with a Not in my name placard around my neck. Problem is, this IS in my name. You see, I may not be responsible for the acts of deranged Muslims in Kashmir or Lahore [...]
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Not that I am interested in bashing David Adesnik, but the man writes some serious inanities. In his latest post – sticking up for Irshad Manji – he concludes: “Wouldn’t it be curious if American Muslims became the driving force behind the anti-terrorist movement in the Islamic world? These days, Americans talk more and more [...]
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