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we think its ok to act condescending towards a people if we share a nationality with them. so if a white man says “Africans are so deeply rooted in tribal culture that they cant progress” he’s a racist and a bigot. but if a black man says “take an African, give him a bit of power, and he will likely become bumptious, arrogant, intolerant, and jealous of his prerogatives” (p 70, Etouna-Mangelle, Does Africa Need a Cultural Adjustment Program?) he’s enlightened. and moderate, leave us not forget.

Does Africa Need a Cultural Adjustment Program? a Cultural WHAT?? are you fucking insane? how do you pass that off as fucking academia? how? how? I’m having fits trying to get through this. i have to dig my nails into my palms, bite my teeth to keep from tearing this book up (edited by Lawrence E. Harrison, author of Underdevelopment is a State of Mind.) oh lord, give me strength.

this is for all those who hoot on mightily about “low levels of interpersonal trust in Pakistani society” and how the poverty and totalitarianism we’re facing is an outcome of the “Pakistani mentality.” there is no such thing as a “mentality”, alright? not since the colonials left, and believe me, they’re GONE. they only live on in the way we think. who is the “the average Pakistani”: the guy who snatched our mobile phone, the jirgas and rapists, the mob that burnt the bank, the lady who cleans for you, the woman with ten children? how stupid, right? how stupid and lazy and UNEDUCATED and jaahil, right? when was the last time you shared a meal with “the average Pakistani”? when was the last time you embraced “the average Pakistani”? when was the last time you worked besides her? then what the FUCK made you authority on her?

but arrogance aside, how does such bigotry make it into a field that is supposedly governed by academic rigor and careful, conservative emperical-based judgements? people have nightmares about the statements they make based on even slightly dubious data, and you just get up and call an African fat, stupid and narrow-minded and thats ok? did i miss something? is no one worried about this.. at all? or are we going to hold our tounges for fear of being “ideologically loaded?” as if anti-capitalism, anti-consumerism is the only IDEOLOGY. you know when that happens? in the middle of a goddamn HEGEMONY. and we play along, insecure in what we feel and know, scared of being left out of the loop, scared of not gleaning knowledge that might be TRUE, just because, well, everyone says its true.. there must be some truth to it, right? lets be objective, now. they are intelligent people, there has to be something to what theyre saying.

boil, toads, boil.

[ for the SS kids. hilarious. ]

All you’ll ever need to know about the arts
Stephen Moss

History
…
English freedom was enshrined in Magna Carta in 1215; the Wars of the Roses were long and largely impenetrable; Richard III was a monster (he may be due for a spot of revisionism); Henry VIII was fat, decapitated a couple of wives but created the modern English state; civil war raged in the 1640s (actuated by religion, politics or economic change? — discuss), but this being England, everyone soon wearied of ideology and gladly embraced the sex-and-shopping era of Charles II.

The Glorious Revolution was glorious; the 18th century can be largely skipped; we won the Napoleonic wars (Scotland was on board by this point and we had become “British”); the “Great” Reform Act of 1832 gave a few more people the vote; the greater (but largely ignored) Reform Act of 1867 gave a lot more people the vote; Ireland was given home rule, except for the northern bit; the first world war was bloody and pointless; the second world war was bloody and just. Since then we’ve lost our empire, though we did win the World Cup in 1966, regained the Ashes in 2005 and like to send small detachments of troops to global troublespots….

Philosophy
…
Plato, who was born in Athens in 427BC, was a pupil of Socrates. His key work is The Republic, which examines notions of justice and morality. Plato thought the ideal society was one ruled by bright, aristocratic Greeks — a bit like himself. Everyone else should be factory workers, farmers and Big Brother contestants. He was pro state education, anti the nuclear family (believing family loyalties undermined the state), and very keen on philosophers and poets. He was also fixated on shadows in caves — a metaphor for the difference between the visible and the true.

Other useful footnotes supplied by Aristotle (whom he taught), Spinoza, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, Rousseau, Mill, Marx and Nietzsche. Might also be worth mentioning Heidegger, Kant, Hegel, Adorno, Descartes, Schopenhauer, Wittgenstein and anyone mentioned in the Monty Python philosophers’ song. And, yes, they’re all men — see Social anthropology.

….

English literature

“Lo, praise of the prowess of people-kings/ Of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,/ We have heard, and what honour the athelings won!/ Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,/ From many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,/ Awing the earls”, etc, etc for 3,000-plus lines. English literature starts with the eighth-century poem known as Beowulf. It is not an encouraging beginning.

fun sunday afternoon reading for bugger’d SS majors wondering what, exactly, to do with a liberal arts education. just hope my parents dont see this- they might take it seriously

[ picks of the day ]

This bawdy world of boobs and gams shows how far we’ve left to go
Ariel Levy
Friday February 17, 2006

This is not about the sex industry; it’s about what we have decided the sex industry means … how we have held it up, cleaned it off and distorted it. How we depend on it to mark us as an erotic and uninhibited culture at a moment when fear and repression are rampant. In 2004, George Bush, the leader of the free world, proposed an amendment to the United States constitution to for ever ban gay marriage – which was already illegal. In opinion polls, about 50% of respondents said they thought Bush had the right idea. If half my country feels so threatened by two people of the same gender being in love and having sex (and, incidentally, enjoying equal protection under the law) that they turn their attention – during wartime – to blocking rights already denied to homosexuals, then all the cardio striptease classes in the world aren’t going to render us sexually liberated….

also check out

Judge’s anger at US torture
Richard Norton-Taylor and Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Friday February 17, 2006

The UN inspectors refused a US offer to tour Guantánamo after they were barred from visiting the prisoners. The 40-page document is the UN’s first to address Guantánamo. Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, dismissed its findings as a “rehash of old allegations” and “a discredit to the organisation”. “The detainees are being treated humanely,” he said. “Remember these are terrorists.”…

35 rescued, hundreds feared dead in S. Leyte landslide

At least 35 people were rescued after a massive landslide buried three villages in Saint Bernard town, Southern Leyte province, Friday.

A rescue worker said the next 24 hours would be crucial in pulling out survivors trapped underneath tons of mud and rock in Barangay Cabagawan, Sug-angon and Guinsaugon.

Initial reports said a large portion of a mountain in between Sogod and Saint Bernard towns buried at least 300 houses including two school buildings in the area.

“It sounded like the mountain exploded, and the whole thing crumbled. I could not see any house standing anymore,” Survivor Dario Libatan told DZMM.

“It was like the whole barangay was wiped off the map,” added Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado.

Authorities said a minor earthquake and heavy rainfall might have caused the landslide.

Renato Solidum, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director, said a 2.6 magnitude earthquake hit the southwestern portion of Southern Leyte at 10:36 a.m. He said the quake was felt at intensity 2 in Sogod town.

“This earthquake could not have triggered a landslide alone. You need an intensity 7 to do that. Other factors were also present especially heavy rainfall. You only need 100mm of rainfall to trigger a landslide,” he told ANC.

Officials said rainfall in Southern Leyte hit a record 500mm from February 1 to 16 due primarily to the La Niña phenomenon.

Mercado also blamed unchecked logging activities in the area for the disaster. He said he had informed environment authorities about the logging problem, which had been ongoing for the past 30 years.

Southern Leyte Gov. Rosette Y. Lerias said the landslide happened around 11:15 a.m. Many of the casualties were feared to be children as classes were going on in an area school when the disaster occurred.

Lerias said bodies have been retrieved in barangays Cabagawan, Sug-angon and Guinsaugon. PNRC officials earlier estimated the death toll at 200, with 1,500 residents still missing.

Lerias said most of the residents evacuated the area earlier this week but returned after the weather cleared up.

“The daytime has been sunny lately but the rains usually come at night so that’s when the people evacuate. Unfortunately, the landslide happened in the daytime,” she said.

Emergency teams from the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and the Southern Leyte provincial government have been deployed in the area, Lerias said.

Didita Kamarenta, who lives on a mountain next to one of the villages in Saint Bernard town in Leyte province, said the earth shook and there was a strong gust of wind.

“I felt mud at my feet. I heard someone outside screaming for help,” she said on radio. “All the children, including my two children, are lost. They might have been buried.”

Like much of Eastern Visayas, Southern Leyte has been experiencing continuous rainfall for the past two weeks, which experts attributed to the La Niña weather phenomenon.

Last Sunday a landslide hit Sogod municipality, also in Southern Leyte, where eight people died.

The Philippines is lashed by about 20 typhoons each year, including a series of storms in late 2004 that left about 1,800 people dead or missing in provinces northeast of the capital, Manila.

[ more ERRAs. ]

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Ex-ERRA chief says he was fired

ISLAMABAD: Lt Gen Muhammed Zubair, the former head of Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA), said on Tuesday that he had been fired and an opposition party welcomed the move, accusing him of inaction in the aftermath of the October 8 earthquake.

Zubair said that he was sacked as the chairman of ERRA after President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told him on Monday that he was to be replaced by a civilian.

“No, I have not resigned. The decision was taken to replace me with a civilian,” Zubair said, dismissing media reports that he had stepped down after three months in office. Zubair said that he had been given no reason for the dismissal.

He said that he was proud of the pace with which he had secured planning approvals for the reconstruction projects covering six cities devastated by the earthquake. “The World Bank and the donors agree with us that our speed has been very fast during the past three months,” he said. “They’re happy with us, there’s no problem.” Musharraf’s spokesman declined to comment and Aziz’s spokesman was not immediately available. Media reports cited a government statement saying that the 56-year-old career soldier was leaving his post because he had skillfully accomplished his assignment. The development was welcomed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which had opposed military control of the earthquake response after the initial rescue effort.

Aitzaz Ahsan of the PPP accused Zubair of ‘having done nothing so far’ to relieve victims’ suffering. “If there is criticism, it is for the absolute inaction of Zubair in this period,” Aitzaz said “He has absolutely nothing to show for himself on the ground,” he added. ap

DailyTimes.com (where you’ll find a very funny pic of Gen Z, looking rather huffy)

uff, the righteous indignation at being replaced by a civilian. damn those buggers. think they know how to run a country. we will miss you, General.
no, really.

dead week. assignments, finals, rescheduled classes. and someone in the IT dept gets into their head that the Faculty and TA email server could use a facelift. so while we sit here like idiots, twiddling out thumbs….

i sincerely hope its worth the eye candy.

CHOKE-GASP-SPUTTER- DYING.. MUST.. GET… FRESH…. AIRRR!!

[ sweatshop v1.2]

if you feel your head go woozy
its the lab
and the elevator’s a doozy
its the lab
if the bathrooms couldn’t get more shitty
and the decor isn’t pretty
if you’d rather eat dead kitties
its the lab.

if the air is unbreathable
its the lab
if they confiscate your eatables
its the lab
if you’re dying of asphyxiation
and would leave without hesitation
and go worship your playstation
its the lab

if the net is down again
its the lab
if the cooler is your best friend
its the lab
if the PC’s are DOA
and the assistants are MIA
if you don’t remember seeing the light of day
you’re in the lab.

if you’re boiling in mid-winter
its the lab
if you want to burn the printer
its the lab
if your neighbour is obnoxious
and the smell leaves you unconscious
and cs majors make you nauseous
its the lab

[ kudos, gentlemen. much respect. ]

From: Asif Iftikhar
Sent: Fri 2/10/2006 1:27 AM
To: Faculty
Cc: STUDENTS
Subject: “Freedom is Slavery”

On the Cartoons Issue:

I agree that freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental right of any
human being or society. However, limitations have quite often been used in
many laws and constitutions of democratic societies to uphold restrictions
on hate speech and obscenity. In French law, public speech or writings
that incite racial or religious hatred, for example neo-nazi ideas, are
prohibited on the same basis. Similarly, Article 5 of the German
Grundgestez (“basic Law”) includes some restrictions on free speech, for
example personal insults or hate speech (Volksverhetzung). The Irish
Constitution categorizes “blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter” as
that which cannot be granted the right of free expression. In fact, on
July 18, 2003 Dorota Nieznalska was sentenced to six months in Poland for
publishing an art work that showed a penis on a cross, which was
considered to be an insult to religious sentiments. Similarly, On January
5, 2005 another man was sentenced to a fine of about 5000 euros for
insulting Pope John Paul II. The European Convention on Human Rights
(November 4, 1950) sums up many of these restrictions on freedom of
expression:

The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with itduties and
responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions,
restrictions or penalties as areprescribed by law and are necessary in a
democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial
integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for
the protection of health or moralsfor the protection of the reputation or
the rights of others,for preventing the disclosure of information received
in confidence, or for maintaining the authorityand impartiality of the
judiciary.

How exactly should the Muslims and their governments protest against the
publication of these cartoons is a separate question. The fact that some
Muslims resorted to arson is indeed wrong. But, it would be unfortunate if
that made the world forget the most important thing about free society:
that all humans have certain inalienable rights; but, they also have some
basic responsibilities. It is on the basis of this principle that we
regard calling a black man a nigger or a Jew a kike as indecency rather
than free speech as such, for all human experience has shown that, whether
we wish to criticize an idea or justify it, the all-important battle of
ideas can never truly be won without superior morality. The question,
therefore, is Couldn’t the same ideas be expressed as effectively in a
decent way? Academic critiques on Islam and vociferous criticisms against
the Muslims by many renowned scholars (as Bernard Lewis for example, who
is still widely read in Pakistan) have shown us that they can be. However,
without responsibility, freedom can quite easily become what it was never
meant to be: indecency and oppression.

It must also be emphasised time and again that quite often it is we who
choose the shackles of slavery ourselves by the choices we make. It is
here that “Freedom is Slavery” (in Orwell’s words). Who is stopping the
Muslim world from making a strong statement economically? What is it that
we truly and really need from the West? Technology? Maybe. Maybe not. But,
at least, let’s stop buying European products that are not our dire needs.
It became quite obvious after the Bajour bombing how much spine we have as
a people. Economic sense. Maybe. At least, that’s some kind of twisted
justification. But, do we or do we not have any dignity? Can’t we even
abandon the purchase of a few European luxuries to defend our Prophet’s
sacred honour (sws)? Maybe I am just overreacting, but I don’t think I saw
even half the emotion on this one that LUMS demonstrated in the wake of
the earthquake.

Asif Iftikhar
Lecturer, Islamic Studies

From:Miguel Loureiro
Sent: Fri 2/10/2006 3:24 AM
To: Asif Iftikhar; Faculty
Cc: STUDENTS
Subject: RE: “Freedom is Slavery”

As a “European” and a Muslim let me elucidate some points:
First of all, as we are supposedly all inteligent and well-read people (we do attend a university) I’m pleased to see that very few people at LUMS buy the “Clash of Civilisations” theory (where do the Mediterraneans like me fit?). But it is as erroneous as to generalise about Arabs and Muslims as it is talking about a unified “West” or even a generalised “Europeans”. There is a stark difference between Southern, Northern and Eastern Europe. Just because some countries have strong economic (and in the near future legislative) ties, does not mean we are “one”.
Secondly, the vast majority of “Europeans” are against these cartoons, for the simple fact that they would not like their own beliefs to be ridiculed. Also, they know when newspapers are reprinting stories for the sake of “freedom of expression”, or for the sake of making a quick buck.
Thirdly, all the newspapers that printed the cartoons are private companies that have very little to do with the governments ruling these countries. And although stopping consuming their commodities is a very good way to get the message through (hit them where it hurts), it will not directly affect these newspapers.
What is interesting is that during the Iraq invasion discontent Muslims all over the world had the possibility of having a bigger impact by boycoting American companies (many which contributed monetarily for the present administration’s re-election campaign) and did nothing.
You see, it’s always easier to burn a few flags than to stop drinking Coca-Cola ($1 million contributions) or Pepsi ($2 million), eating McDonald’s ($0.8 million), using Windows ($0.7 million), Dell computers ($0.4 million), putting Chevron/Texaco ($2.4 million), or Exxon/Mobil/Esso ($2.8 million) in your car, or smoking Phillip Morris ($6.9 million).
By the way Asif, you’re not overreacting, but asking the “burger-batchas” not to consume…

From: Asif Iftikhar
Sent: Fri 2/10/2006 4:47 AM
To: Miguel Loureiro
Cc: Asif Iftikhar; Faculty; STUDENTS
Subject: RE: “Freedom is Slavery”

Thank you for your comments, Miguel. Since I completely agree that it is
not fair to make sweeping generalizations about any people, I apologize
for any statement that you might have seen as critical of all Europeans.
That was certainly not my intent. While suggesting a boycott of some
“European luxuries” I used the word “European” synecdochically and assumed
that it would be taken as such in the given context. Nevertheless, I
apologize if this point was not clear in my message. Furthermore, it would
be great if Muslims could make an impact on the concerned companies
directly. But, if that is not possible, I don’t see why it would be
against any democratic or civil norms to make our displeasure known to the
governments that “harbour” such miscreants as misuse the idea of freedom
to insult our Prophet (sws). The statement we’d be making through an
economic boycott would still be much more civil than “Either you are with
us or against us” rubric to illegally invade an independent country or
bombing on remote parts of an allied country to hunt down an elusive
phantom terrorist.

Best,
Asif

—–Original Message—–
From: ITSC HelpDesk
Sent: Tue 2/7/2006 10:13 AM
To: G-Host; B-Host
Cc:
Subject: SSL-Tunneling behind Hostels

Dear Hostilities,

As part of monitoring Internet access from hostels, some systems are
found chocking the Hostel LAN by using SSL-Tunneling softwares. While we
are in a process to define and implement subsequent rules to restrict
these kind of softwares, you are requested to avoid using these
softwares to download irrelevant stuff like movies, songs etc. which can
cause chocking of the Internet link.

Your cooperation will be appreciated.

Regards,

–
ITSC HelpDesk
Ext: 4149

alright. this is rubbish. i know we’re a university FULL of apathetic fucks, but i’m sure hostelites have enough stake in the lifeblood of their stay at LUMS to do something about this.
primarily, i love the whole “irrelevance” bit. you dont let people of the opposite sex get into each other’s dorms. you have hysterical raving fits everytime you see “person(boy)-such-that-their-head-was-in-lap-of-person(girl)” so its not like you have ANY sex life on campus. as it is, dating is a huge taboo around these parts. add to which no pubs, discos, bars, theater, gaming arena, pool, arcade, bookshops, cafes, cinemas on or near campus, accessible to the hostelites…
sports complex, super store and library close at 12. defence market shuts down around 1. can someone explain to me what the hordes of shagless, dateless, entertainment-starved hostelites are supposed to DO aft 2am? sit around and twiddle their thumbs? play a game of fucking LUDO? oh wait, i know. we’re supposed to offer a breif and sincere remembrance to god, brush our teeth and go to sleep. alternately (just for variety) we may study.

im not saying we go and bash their heads in with big sticks. there has got to be a way to make the admin aware of the fact that theyre not dealing with “users” and “nodes” and “IPs” anymore. theyre not even dealing with “students.” theyre dealing with 19 to 25 year olds. and theyve got to be seriously FUCKED in the head to think that after having sysmatically deprived that particular group of adults the opportunity to do just about anything, they can trivialise things like music and movies. which is seriously, sadly, all that we (and most Pakistani 19 to 25 year olds) have to do. dont even get me started on the legal crap. every movie, cd and book in the market is pirated, and even then, we cant possibly afford to pay for a bloody mp3.

but as it so happens, its the same people shouting, all over again. same five-six people. if those crack-heads ever emerged from playing dota or half-life long enough to give a little support, show a little concern about the the people living on this campus, maybe we’d get somewhere. and its not even that hard. i know of one person who has d/l rights. just expand that to about five people per dorm. and as sweet as it was that the man who came up with the plan was made automatic rep, i’d much rather we vote on it.

also, stop blocking bloody gtalk, msn and skype on and off. this is the FIRST internet service in the world that actually asks its users to cut down on their usage, rather than trying to improve or better manage their own systems. i mean, imagine if WorldCall called you up and said “we hear youre downloading irrelevant things like Grass-Chewing Rituals of Siberian Herdsman. please stop.”

and learn how to spell choking, you shmucks.

[ wagha ]

we didnt take any pictures. although everyone around us did. big festival, push and shove, go and see the other side…
we missed the change of guards. apparently thats the fun bit.
one man with a huge green flag smiling and taking pictures with everyone. clearly, a professional. little kids with bags of chips, little girls in high heels.. a few hundred yards away a group of kids in navy blue school uniforms. mums and dads in sweaters grabbing hands, herding families. bubblegum-snapping, slicked-haired teenagers in jeans and sweaters, cars and buses and vans lined up on either side. guards in turbans like pecock crowns keeping a steady flow of spectators… so you walk up to the gates… smile wave boo holler as prescribed by the current political situation… walk by the double gates and head back. like a zoo.

india, the indian pointed.
yeah.. that looks like i…nuh..duh…i..
what are you talking about?
the hindi thing. im trying to read it.
it says “bharat”.
oh.

so think of this field. its exactly the same on either side, the same shade of green, the same kinds of trees and buffaloes. and if i were to drive a stake into the ground, and another stake some distance away, and another… and link the stakes with barbed wire.. its meaningless to me. you’ve just made my feild very dirty and ugly. i can climb over in a second.
no, but you can’t.
what do you mean? i jump gates all the time. and this one isnt even that high. i bet i could jump it.
no, but you can’t.

you’ve driven through indian punjab, right? so is it exactly the same?
richer.
in what way? buildings?
buildings, structures, roads… its cleaner, people are better off.

i just dont get it. i cant twist my mind around it. the whole concept of borders and territory.. it just doesnt make sense. its very disturbing. i think im beginning to get a bit of toba tek singh syndrome.
same thing on the mexican border. the americans can go into mexico, but those guys cant get into the US.
they must feel like shit, not being able to go across.

i keep thinking of the trains that came in, during partition.. and all that violence by either side. it feels terrible, standing here, on all that blood. are you familiar with wilfred owen? he wrote this great poem called Futility… and theres this line in it which goes like “was it for this the clay grew tall”… and standing here all i can think of is that… was it for this…

strangest ive ever felt in a while. sanaa, i owe you an apology… you do feel like crying.