During the day, do you read a story and you feel it is worth sharing? Where to place it? I don’t like to disrupt someone’s thread or thoughtful post and it is not worthy of posting a lengthy article, do you? Let’s try to leave this up in speakers corner and we can share some news!

From the Afghan Women’s Writing Project

Colorful Days after Black Nights”

I remember the Taliban were searching houses ten times a day with different groups to find a book, cassette, picture, TV, or video game. If they found any of these, they shot the whole family. After we returned home, my mom burned books that my older sister and brother had collected over many years. She burned most of the books in our mud-brick oven, then threw the rest away in sacks very far from the house so the Taliban would not know they were ours. My heart was broken and I was at a loss……

I wove carpets for four years and forgot everything about studying or getting an education. We were stuck at home, and never allowed to go outside. When the Taliban were removed from power in Afghanistan after almost five years, most of the schools eventually reopened. My siblings returned to school, but I did not, because I was so afraid of everyone, still thinking that Taliban were close.

Read More…..

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Khirad
Member

So, seeing as I’m a lonely hearts club of one tonight, I’ll post a story I saw today from NPR.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/02/muslim-hindu-punk-rock-bands-part-new-movement/

And, apparently the Wash Times is ripping off a story the NYT’s and Guardian covered a couple years ago.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/apr/28/popandrock.culture

What is new is this movie with some Taqwacore music:

More:

My personal favorite song title in quite a while: “suicide bomb the GAP”

escribacat
Member

What is Taqwacore? That movie looks good, Kh.

Khirad
Member

I found the NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=107010536

Apparently it is also an old story recycled today on the radio, or something.

Basically, as I see it, it’s Muslims (although there’s a bit of a Jewish identity thing to this, as well – like it’s about more than religion) who want to be themselves and rock. It’s deeper than that, of course; but nevertheless it is quite healthy IMHO – for them to vent against the fundies and conservative Muslim community that want them to act and believe a certain way. Punk ethic for Muslims and a big middle finger to paranoid xenophobes who cry that shari’a is coming to the USA, along with those who would actually advocate it, etc.

The movie I’m on the fence about. It could be really good or fall flat. You know what I mean? Still, the trailer is worth showing everyone who has one idea of Pakistan. Islamabad is a bit of its own world though, too. I would’ve liked to have seen a movie like this in Lahore or Karachi. But, I think the fake nature of I’bad adds to it maybe.

Anyway, this was the first I’d heard of it, but I’m already liking some bands like Sagg Taqwacore Syndicate, and Al Thawra. Muslim rap has been around for quite a while, I was hoping for something like this to take root.

Edit: Scratch all that, just watch this:

escribacat
Member

Wow. One thing I never expected to see is a nice Pakistani boy singing a Sex Pistols song.

Pepe Lepew
Member

You can take me now, Lord. I’ve seen everything.

Khirad
Member

And this Pakistani boy was way ahead of the pack. 😉

Example.

…my subcultural musical trivia amazes even myself, sometimes.

escribacat
Member

You ARE amazing, Khirad. Good stuff.

Chernynkaya
Member

Khirad, for some reason, I am not shocked by this– or am I missing something? I see it as something I would expect from any religious group’s kids, no? I mean, that’s the nature of youth, and these are kids in the West, right? And they remind me of another group (whose name I love): The Dead Bhuttos! Nevertheless, I am happy to see these groups.

BTW, you probably know this, but Taqwa (meaning higher-, or God-consciousness) sounds a lot like the Hebrew word Tikva (hope). Probably the same root, I’ll bet.

I remember being a little shocked from my synagogue days when Jewish kids got tattoos as rebellion– tattoos are forbidden as is any body modification. They were first made known by “Heeb Magazine in the 80’s and it was a scandal! Check it out– you’ll enjoy it! http://www.heebmagazine.com/

escribacat
Member

I’m surprised by this because it always seemed to me that the nature of these kids’ rebellion was to migrate to radical forms of Islam — not to move to the “bleeding edge” of western culture.

I actually find it a huge relief to see this stuff.

boomer1949
Member

I posted a note to Scott Simon at Saturday Weekend Edition (NPR). He did the interview with Josh Turner (I posted the video and Happy Valentine’s Day Wishes to everyone at Speaker’s Corner earlier today). Please note my reference to http://www.planetpov.com — 🙂

Dear Scott and Saturday WE,

Absolutely love this. I am not a die-hard CM fan; I don’t listen just to listen. However, I have come to enjoy and respect artists who feel comfortable enough in his/her own skin to step outside the proverbial box.

I was driving home from work Friday, February 12, when the Saturday WE promo ran. What caught my ear and interest was the reference to “Josh Turner being Country Music’s Barry White;” Although I’m not sure who came up with the analogy, the phrase hit the nail on the head — for me at least. I got home, changed my clothes, poured a glass of wine, and proceeded to Google Josh Turner.

Mr. Turner’s voice is rich, the video is absolutely fun, and I’ve sent Scott’s interview and resulting story to many friends. I even posted it at the one and only blog I proudly frequent, http://www.planetpov.com, as a “Happy Valentine’s Day” wish to all of my friends there.

I have appreciated Scott’s openess to experience life outside the confines of a box dictated by others. It was apparent during the interview that Scott had researched Josh Turner and his music. Had I not heard this promo and subsequent interview, I doubt I would have heard such a sultry country voice. Excellent piece Scott, and Bravo Josh!

Sunday, February 14, 2010 4:23:01 PM

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

This was in my local Sunday Newspaper, letter to the editor regarding CT State Public Campaign Finance Laws:

http://www.thehour.com/story/482218

Here is the program – “Citizens Election Program”

http://www.ct.gov/seec/cwp/view.asp?a=3556&q=420276&seecNav=|

If you go to the list of State Senators and other elected officials who chose to be in this program, not one Republican was listed.

SueInCa
Member

That is great BDM, more states and the fed gov should follow suit. Can you imagine the outcome nationwide?

Pepe Lepew
Member

There’s a really bright yellow thing in the sky today. It hurts my eyes to look at it, yet I like it. It’s vaguely familiar; I feel as if I seen it before, but it was so long ago, I can’t remember.

Anyone know what it is?

For now I am calling it “Ra!” I shall worship it.

escribacat
Member

I have the address where you can send your gifts and donations.

Pepe Lepew
Member

All hail the great and mighty Ra!

SueInCa
Member

Not sure if anyone is interested, but I found the OMB website where you can check for fed funds going to states. They also are tracking the stimulus with amazing detail on projects. You can see which reps got which money. It also gives out yearly budget and guess who is number 1,2,3
Florida 375b
Tex 217b
CA 183b

And Texas is talking about secession? I give them the green light right now.

http://www.fedspending.org/

Chernynkaya
Member

I actually have seen it and it’s cool! I would love to not be so lazy– I’d write to every local paper of each Reptilian who took even one dime. I’d love to point out their hypocrisy.

SueInCa
Member

Cher
I will give you a list. I downloaded it and it is in my email. As soon as I have separated out all the R’s I will let you know LOL

Chernynkaya
Member

Good–thanks! I was thinking just California would be a huge job though.

SueInCa
Member

Cher and Bito
Here is the page with all the funding by each congressperson by state……………….it is a long ass list lol

http://www.fedspending.org/rcv/tables.php?tabtype=t1&rowtype=a&subtype=a&sorttype=name

Chernynkaya
Member

Sue, on that page, what does the column on the far right mean: FY rank? Fiscal Year rank, but what does the “rank” refer to?

SueInCa
Member

Their ranking in funds taken for their district

SueInCa
Member

And Lamar Smith R Texas is number 4

Chernynkaya
Member

Yep and my rep who is a liberal is ranked 433!!!

Chernynkaya
Member

California 46 (Dana Rohrabacher) $708,367,394 #47

And he’s a RW asshole!

Chernynkaya
Member

And you know what else? I don’t need to expose the hypocrisy of these guys everywhere– There are PLENTY in my own state! Darryl Issa, e.g.

PatsyT
Member

Dems in Orange County !!
Bill Hedrick for Congress to replace
Ken Calvert
http://www.hedrickforcongress.com/2009/11/03/dont-let-ken-calvert-buy-election/

Chernynkaya
Member

I gotta go–later guys!

Pepe Lepew
Member

Hey, E’Cat, here’s a great one for your weekly feature. HP headline spinning a real WHOPPER…

…. even for them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/13/mowing-the-grass-marine-s_n_461329.html

escribacat
Member

Pepe, It took me a bit to figure this out! The headline implies that the current strategy is “Mowing the grass,” when in fact it’s the old rejected strategy. Wow. Good one. I have a short writing project to finish first and then I will see what I can find. Thx.

Khirad
Member

And 70% of the comments were mocking it.

escribacat
Member

Interesting article on Washington Post about Obama’s anti-lobbying efforts. It says Obama has gone further than any other president — yet it seems to me that so many headlines and stories I read are about the influence of lobbyists. Either I’m not reading the right news sites, the news sites are not accurately portraying what’s really going on, or it’s impossible to know what’s really going on. I’m betting on number 3.

“A recent Pew Research Center poll ranked lobbying reforms as third from the bottom in voter concerns for this year.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/13/AR2010021301186.html?hpid=topnews

SueInCa
Member

Finally, Tim Kaine has sent out correspondence. I guess better late than never. The link provided can be used to write letters to the editor in your are. It can also be used in the future for other letters you might write………

Susan —

“A million dollars is not a lot of money.” That’s what RNC Chairman Michael Steele thinks, anyway.

To most Americans, that’s crazy talk. But it’s no surprise coming from the head of a party that prefers favors for Wall Street to jobs on Main Street.

How long would it take you to earn $1 million? Click here to find out — then write a letter to the editor exposing the GOP’s agenda.

The average American household makes $52,000 per year. Only 2% make more than $250,000 — and millions are out of work in a recovering economy.

But while arguing to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy last Thursday at the University of Arkansas, Steele let slip that he thinks a million is “not a lot.” It’s outrageous — but sadly, not surprising.

Greed and excess on Wall Street nearly brought down our economy, health care costs are drowning families, but the GOP is fighting to protect big banks and block health reform while proposing more and more tax cuts for the rich.

What’s worse, the leading Republican on the House Budget Committee just proposed a budget that privatizes Social Security and shreds Medicare — two programs that millions of middle-class Americans rely upon.

Republicans are going all out to be seen as defenders of the “little guy” this election season. But Chairman Steele’s comment last week made it clear they’re not. We need to make sure every American hears about it.

Use our calculator to figure out how long it would take you to earn “not a lot of money” — then use our easy letter-to-the-editor tool, your own story, and our helpful tips to expose the GOP on the widely-read letters page of your local paper:

http://my.democrats.org/MillionGOP

Thanks,

Governor Tim Kaine

boomer1949
Member

A boomer follow-up to Vox Populi After-Chat…and everyone has either gone to zzzzzz, is watching the Olympics Opening Ceremonies, or is having a much more enjoyable 🙂 evening than I.

Regardless…

Shame on this production company for the mockery (not to mention the Court allowing them to pull such a stunt):

The original wedding dance video which went viral on YouTube has generated $26,000+ in donations towards Domestic Violence Prevention. I must say I am impressed by this young couple, who found a cause, put themselves and their wedding party “out there” and, as a result, have generated (as of 12/1/2009) $26,802:

If you would like to further the cause of domestic violence prevention, please visit Jill and Kevin’s website.

http://www.jkweddingdance.com/

I’ve watched the original video quite a few times. Each time this video has made me cry, but has also filled my heart with joy. Why? Because these kids (okay kids to me anyway) saw an opportunity to sow the seeds of their love and happiness into something beyond themselves. Just when I think I’m leaning toward cynicism, something happens to kick me in the ass.

And…if I were in such a position at this time in my life, I would do exactly the same thing these two chose to do. Makes one stop and think about what is really important.

A cause, a feeling, a belief, a conviction, a motivation to effect change, a desire to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.

It’s what separates us from the likes of Boehner, McCain, Wilson, Conrad, McConnell, Graham, Lieberman, and the remaining, selfish members of the Grand Obstructionist Party (GOP).

And yes, I made a donation.

Mightywoof
Member

Ah Boomer – you and I both have water hoses attached to our eyes – tears stream down my face every time I see the wedding video as well.

“A cause, a feeling, a belief, a conviction, a motivation to effect change, a desire to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.” …….. yes, yes, yes. Thankyou for those words!!

javaz
Member

Thanks for this, boomer.
I was aware of the video due to seeing it on TV not long after the wedding, but it’s so wonderful to know that the couple have put the money to such a great cause.