Sunday, February 22, 2004
A Fallen Star
Kalpana Chawla was on the space shuttle Columbia during its fatal re-entry into Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003.
An inspiration to millions of Indians, she is now the subject of her own biography, Dilip M Salwi's Kalpana Chawla: India's First Woman Astronaut.
(from the Ayn Rand Meta-Blog)
Kalpana Chawla was on the space shuttle Columbia during its fatal re-entry into Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003.
An inspiration to millions of Indians, she is now the subject of her own biography, Dilip M Salwi's Kalpana Chawla: India's First Woman Astronaut.
(from the Ayn Rand Meta-Blog)
Monday, February 16, 2004
21st Century Sexual Girl
There was a time I lost all my dimensions
I found no path in our stream of conscious lives
Self absorbed to the point of alienation
Out of touch and out of reach and out of style
If love was an answer then I had no questions
If you were an answer then why was I so blind
Abstraction to the height of self evasion
It was time to find a change of heart and mind
I have to space to make the same mistakes
I have no time for all the same old pain
For what I think I owe you can demand
One more time and time and time again
I'll follow my judgment and will not be distracted
I'll be compromising only to survive
I'll turn away and think about us later
And build and build and rise against your tide
I'll escape from what was never my home
I'll forgive when it's not a word so kind
Communication was miscommunication
I know that silence can kill you off this time
There was a time I lost all my dimensions
I found no path in our stream of conscious lives
Self absorbed to the point of alienation
Out of touch and out of reach and out of style
If love was an answer then I had no questions
If you were an answer then why was I so blind
Abstraction to the height of self evasion
It was time to find a change of heart and mind
I have to space to make the same mistakes
I have no time for all the same old pain
For what I think I owe you can demand
One more time and time and time again
I'll follow my judgment and will not be distracted
I'll be compromising only to survive
I'll turn away and think about us later
And build and build and rise against your tide
I'll escape from what was never my home
I'll forgive when it's not a word so kind
Communication was miscommunication
I know that silence can kill you off this time
Tommy the swami
Vinod writes an interesting post on the mighty Thomas Sowell. This man is my guru!.
Sic semper tyrannis
The wicked rise as wicked fall
So light the way as curtains call
To the enemies within our halls
Liberty and justice for us all!
Never again
Some will hide within us
Some will burn away
Some will turn against us
Their confusion can prevail
But when we see a purpose
Our leaves can fall away
We can never lose our focus
We can never forget that day
Vinod writes an interesting post on the mighty Thomas Sowell. This man is my guru!.
Sic semper tyrannis
The wicked rise as wicked fall
So light the way as curtains call
To the enemies within our halls
Liberty and justice for us all!
Never again
Some will hide within us
Some will burn away
Some will turn against us
Their confusion can prevail
But when we see a purpose
Our leaves can fall away
We can never lose our focus
We can never forget that day
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Somaland
When Yama thinks you're yummy
And Bhima grows a tummy
And Jane keeps taking aloo out the pan
When Devas take the thunder
And Asuras take the plunder
Its time to find the way to Somaland
Lord Shiva has the boons
If we sit for thirty moons
And never think of mango pie again
Then we churn the ocean
To earn the lovely potion
And never have to die to start again
Kalki's comin' with a vengeance
To put down all the tensions
And Kali-Ma shall rule the world of Man
Hey Eka we still love ya
But Drona had to shove ya
That's the way it works in Somaland
(What can I say, I love Indian mythology!)
When Yama thinks you're yummy
And Bhima grows a tummy
And Jane keeps taking aloo out the pan
When Devas take the thunder
And Asuras take the plunder
Its time to find the way to Somaland
Lord Shiva has the boons
If we sit for thirty moons
And never think of mango pie again
Then we churn the ocean
To earn the lovely potion
And never have to die to start again
Kalki's comin' with a vengeance
To put down all the tensions
And Kali-Ma shall rule the world of Man
Hey Eka we still love ya
But Drona had to shove ya
That's the way it works in Somaland
(What can I say, I love Indian mythology!)
Saturday, February 14, 2004
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
An immigrant song
Dinesh D'Souza's Ten things to celebrate why I am an anti-anti-American is a worthy read. He makes a few wrong turns (he considers America's "kind and gentle" foreign policy to be a virtue rather than a vice, and blabs about "sacrifice"), but is generally on the right track with his observations.
Dinesh D'Souza's Ten things to celebrate why I am an anti-anti-American is a worthy read. He makes a few wrong turns (he considers America's "kind and gentle" foreign policy to be a virtue rather than a vice, and blabs about "sacrifice"), but is generally on the right track with his observations.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Thoughts on beauty
With all the talk on global standards of beauty lately, I am reminded of two sites that discuss the philosophy of beauty (very explicitly, I might add):
SuperBeauty.Org is a group of independent websites united in a modern movement to change the world and improve the human condition through the creation, admiration, understanding, moral defence and political protection of female beauty and sexuality throughout the world.
We believe that with the exception of the human mind, there is no more powerful and moral tool for human survival, success and happiness than the female body. We believe it turns women into goddesses, not anorexics or sluts. We believe it turns men into lovers, fathers, creators and providers, not monsters. Rather than robbing children of their innocence, we believe it gives them their very lives, and turns them into healthy adults, not perverts. Rather than eventually destroying the world, we believe it is here to save it. Thus we believe that the attacks we see on female beauty and/or the women who possess and use it are attacks on all of us, on our children, on our motivation and moral rectitude, on our future, and on our essential humanity.
Body in Mind finds female beauty to be "perfectly, brilliantly, glowingly good...It has never been bad in any way and can never be...It is imperative for the survival of society for mankind to realize that beauty is a vaunted thing, more about our values, than real women. It's not about sex, or self-esteem, it's about self-realization. Beauty has more to say about us, than about the women who possess it."
All I can say is: indeed. (And while I'm on the topic of beauty, I should mention my fiancee. Hi Babe!)
With all the talk on global standards of beauty lately, I am reminded of two sites that discuss the philosophy of beauty (very explicitly, I might add):
SuperBeauty.Org is a group of independent websites united in a modern movement to change the world and improve the human condition through the creation, admiration, understanding, moral defence and political protection of female beauty and sexuality throughout the world.
We believe that with the exception of the human mind, there is no more powerful and moral tool for human survival, success and happiness than the female body. We believe it turns women into goddesses, not anorexics or sluts. We believe it turns men into lovers, fathers, creators and providers, not monsters. Rather than robbing children of their innocence, we believe it gives them their very lives, and turns them into healthy adults, not perverts. Rather than eventually destroying the world, we believe it is here to save it. Thus we believe that the attacks we see on female beauty and/or the women who possess and use it are attacks on all of us, on our children, on our motivation and moral rectitude, on our future, and on our essential humanity.
Body in Mind finds female beauty to be "perfectly, brilliantly, glowingly good...It has never been bad in any way and can never be...It is imperative for the survival of society for mankind to realize that beauty is a vaunted thing, more about our values, than real women. It's not about sex, or self-esteem, it's about self-realization. Beauty has more to say about us, than about the women who possess it."
All I can say is: indeed. (And while I'm on the topic of beauty, I should mention my fiancee. Hi Babe!)
Monday, February 09, 2004
A beautiful contradiction
Poonam, a Miss India contestant in 2003, says:
"I believe that every creation in this world has a divine purpose. The purpose is to bring peace and happiness in the world...winning [Miss India] would give me chance to serve the nation as an ambassador of peace and harmony." When asked who inspired her the most, she says that "I admire the compassion and selfless nature of Mother Teresa..."
Blah, blah...maybe she has to say stuff like this to get the crown (especially in India). But then she goes on to list Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead as her favorite book! Did she even read it? Maybe she should read Lindsay Perigo's (funny and on target) thoughts on The Diabolical Works Of Mother Teresa first!
She should also take a few tips from model/Fountainhead fan Saira Mohan, who takes a more attractive approach:
"...I find myself contributing to a longstanding, steadfast goal of mine: the constant betterment of me."
Poonam, a Miss India contestant in 2003, says:
"I believe that every creation in this world has a divine purpose. The purpose is to bring peace and happiness in the world...winning [Miss India] would give me chance to serve the nation as an ambassador of peace and harmony." When asked who inspired her the most, she says that "I admire the compassion and selfless nature of Mother Teresa..."
Blah, blah...maybe she has to say stuff like this to get the crown (especially in India). But then she goes on to list Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead as her favorite book! Did she even read it? Maybe she should read Lindsay Perigo's (funny and on target) thoughts on The Diabolical Works Of Mother Teresa first!
She should also take a few tips from model/Fountainhead fan Saira Mohan, who takes a more attractive approach:
"...I find myself contributing to a longstanding, steadfast goal of mine: the constant betterment of me."
Friday, February 06, 2004
Vishakanya
She was everyone when anyone would do
She was of a dream when a dream came true
What more did she ever have to be
She was hard to trust never hard to love
Hers was a kiss that led a way above
What more did I ever have to fear
Untimely passings had come her way
They never gave one look away
What more did we ever have to see
So much for those other lives
So much more of the whispered lies
What more did I ever have to hear
Quiet meditation upon a death
Soft warm winds and turmeric breath
Her cold air rose with the setting of a mystic sun
What I sought I never found
What I found was never shown
My eyes had closed with the setting of a mystic sun
She was everyone when anyone would do
She was of a dream when a dream came true
What more did she ever have to be
She was hard to trust never hard to love
Hers was a kiss that led a way above
What more did I ever have to fear
Untimely passings had come her way
They never gave one look away
What more did we ever have to see
So much for those other lives
So much more of the whispered lies
What more did I ever have to hear
Quiet meditation upon a death
Soft warm winds and turmeric breath
Her cold air rose with the setting of a mystic sun
What I sought I never found
What I found was never shown
My eyes had closed with the setting of a mystic sun
