we're different or the same?

dalits in india
hazara in afghan
Probably everywhere, people find some groups to discriminate again. And a lot of time the discriminated would just accept it that way. "The resigning eyes of a sacrificed sheep."

You know what's oft said by tourists/travelers, how children in developing countries still enjoy themselves despite all their daily (and very likely lifetime) hardship, unlike the spoilt kids in materially advanced countries like the U.S.? i wonder if that's true, that the lack of material wealth, instead of not "corrupting" them, blunt them? just see all the street kids struggling with hunger... what does it mean for them to grow up? not having the joy that's commonly associated with childhood: being free from all concerns, what's the word, carefree? and another truth is that, poor people here can get by with so little. we don't want to use the word "development," ok, but poverty is still a reality.

Just Read

One night @ the call center: mediocre, but still learn some cultural happenings among the urban Indian youth. Don't know why the author could have said that the story represented Indian youth.

The kite runner: gripping and moving, no, heart-breaking. Pretty much finished it off in one day, in 2 seatings (had to put it down to go out to dinner). Stayed up late and skipped yoga this morning. Cried for at least half of the novel. Beautifully written. Again, a story with a background of upheaval, revolution, and immigration. Fear. The worst thing that you could do to any one. That permeating fear. Don't even know if you can trust a single soul. And then another fear, the implied one. When fear has been inculcated into a culture, when kids learn violence and suspicion the moment they are born, grow up knowing only the sounds of bombs and shootings, how could they envision and aspire to something else more humane? How could they escape or kill that haunting ghost?

Interestingly, the author of one night also asks what readers fear?

And i also fear at this moment: 1 month away from the american election. Who would win? i'm even not american. But sometimes fear signals a good thing. Elections in VN, you don't even have the privilege to have fear.

fucked up priority

every one's been talking about it: the $700 billion Wall Street bailout. An economics illiterate, i cannot comment. Let's just assume that this in the long run is better for tax payers. It's taking some money away from them, true, but the other scenario would be much worse. So the government is just choosing the lesser evil. Let's agree on that.
But what about all the public schools, healthcare system, pollution, ok, nothing new, they're all so old, but they're not worth rescuing?

contradictions

- those who don't have access to running water, who have to ration their use, who treasure every single drop, would pay ten times more than those who can turn on the tap 24/7

- those who live next to electric dam or who were displaced by its construction would be the last to get electricity.

- those who would never kill stray animals, who observe strict vegetarianism, would still kill other human beings, people of other religions.

- those who are so devout that they would wage a war to triumph their religious conviction would blow up themselves and others during the holy month.

Just Read: The First Promise

The rural life in West Bengal in the tide of colonialism. Descriptions of customs, traditions (child marriage, puja, etc.) the women and their roles, how they change and are changed. the transition, the uncertainty and the inevitable. the fundamental part of identity that is challenged and that is bound to change (caste, e.g.)

Women are oppressed (and this goes for many other groups) certainly not only because men are sexist. A sexist society nurtures a sexist mentality in both men and women, so women can certainly be oppressive to themselves. They have to find the empowerment to break through. Liberation doesn't lie in the hands or at the mercy of the sexists.

contradictions

- always accumulate for themselves, live selfishly and yet, always live in the fear of rumors and yield to others' judgment.

- go to temples and pray to the Buddha; Buddha teaches - at least this is what i think - not to be self-absorbed, not to avoid hardship in life, and to be detached to all wants, and yet they only pray for more wealth and more success

question

why we keep lying to kids?

no head or no heart?

picked Dave up at Daewoo hotel, went to look for a xe om driver to take him home. Seeing his white skin, they decided to double the price. I could have easily paid 15,000VND but didn't like that attitude so I bargained. All of them made a volte face and started berating me.

at each crossroad, after the red light's turned green, everyone, lips tightened, struggles to speed forward, but sometimes no one can move because it's too crowded. And for some reason, people still honk endlessly. What do they think it'd solve? I notice that most of them drive (or at least the honk sounds like it comes from a car).

today when we got to Canh, there were cars in both directions so they slowed down so as not to scratch each other. Some motorbikes "mindlessly" took to the left and ended up stopping right in front of the cars going in the other direction. Traffic Jam!

Sometimes it's just hard to understand. Is it because they think for themselves (although in the long run they don't gain a thing) or because they can't think for others?

thief hunting

an article on vnexpress
a spectacular thief chase in the middle of Sai Gon
if only people could be that gung ho and keep up their joint efforts until the last minute in combating other things.

chess playing

Took Dave to Ngoc Son (Pearl Mountain?) temple. As we walked pass a group of men playing chinese chess, Dave commented that he really liked it because it was social. Vietnamese styled, 1 game = 2 players + 10 bystanders who are advisors, commentators, and supporters at the same time.

3rd day in Ha Noi

likes:
- friends
- food
- tree shaded streets

dislikes:
- dirt
- humidity
- no urban planning
- race of house building, banging and smashing deafeningly from dawn till dusk, nowadays the tearing down and building up houses has even surpassed road repair.
- bicycle has almost disappeared from the street
- gasoline fume
- food hygiene and inflation which drive everyone into superstores.

and a little bit sad because
- banaba has died and flamboyant is no longer flamboyant.
- no Euro scene. no atmosphere (probably because of inflation)