As is pretty noticeable from the side panel on my blog, the Darfur crisis has been on my mind a lot recently. Primarily, because I just finished a book entitled "Not On Our Watch - Ending the Genocide in Darfur". Now, one wonders why I would choose to read such a book - well, two reasons:
1) Before this book, I knew little or nothing of the crisis in Darfur and this came as an Amazon recommendation when I purchased A Mighty Heart
2) I don't have the new Harry Potter book - still waiting for AA to give it to me.
This book has really opened up my eyes to the dismal situation in Dafur and the lack of public outcry against it. More than four years have passed since the start of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Over 400,000 innocent people have been killed and more than 2.5 million more have been driven from their homes. These refugees now face starvation, disease, and rape, while those who remain in Darfur risk torture, death, and displacement. It really is the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with little done about it until last year, only because of increased public persistence and more media coverage.
What I particularly commend the authors for is how the book focuses on strategies to negate the crisis as opposed to focusing on the atrocities inflicted on Southern Sudanese. This book aims to reform, not drown us in a downward spiral of hate and injustice. Some of the actions and stratgies outlined are as simple as sending an email to President Bush or organising a bake sale.
Among the many heroic stories of activism and human effort to end the crisis, one that I found particularly relevant and well, amusing, is the Harry Potter Alliance for social justice. This alliance seeks to motivate Harry Potter fans to take a stand against tyranny, genocide, global warming and more using parallels to the book series. Inept political leaders become the Minister and Ministry of Magic, while the oppressive and tyrannical are depicted as Voldermort and Deatheaters. Innovative - eh?
It amazes me how good and evil exist simultaneously in this world - there are so many poeple willing to devote their lives to humanitarian activities and so many others willing to kill and be killed under the disguise of "fighting for a cause".
If you are interested in learning more about the Darfur crisis, click on the side panel and follow the links - there's just so much we can do!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Up, Up and Away....
This weekend we went up to the White Mountains in NH...and I really felt like I was touching the clouds...In Akshay's words, "the clouds seem so much closer"....we drove up the Kancamagus Highway...it was just breathtakingly beautiful...could have watched the blue skies and the "green" mountains for hours...
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Shooting for the Stars....
This is the second year I am pledging for a cause that's very dear to my heart - that of diabetes and especially juvenile diabetes or children, infants, toddlers affected with diabetes. I have seen diabetes very closely, among my very own family and friends, and I continue to partake in a global, extensive effort to find a cure for a disorder that affects millions and more everyday.
This year, I'll be taking part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes along with a half-million other walkers across the country. Our goal: To raise $90 million to help fund research for a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.
Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes, is a devastating disease that affects millions of people--a large and growing percentage of them children.
Many people think type 1 diabetes can be controlled by insulin. While insulin does keep people with type 1 diabetes alive, it is NOT a cure.
I work regularly with this foundation and together some significant strides have been made in the area of diabetes research and finding a cure. A cure for type 1 diabetes is within reach. In fact, JDRF funding and leadership is associated with most major scientific breakthroughs in type 1 diabetes research to date. And JDRF funds a major portion of all type 1 diabetes research worldwide, more than any other charity.
I'm writing to ask for your support because now more than ever, EACH of us can be a part of bringing about a cure. Each of us can make a real difference. I am extremely passionate about this cause and as a friend or family member I reach out to you to aid me in my effort. My own personal goal is $2,000 - so yes, I am shooting for the stars and hoping you will help me in my endeavor.
Even $10 from each one of you makes a difference. This money will go towards path breaking research and hopefully one day, millions of people, specially children will be cured of diabetes and its complications and lead the healthy life they deserve. I know each of us has certain causes dear to our heart and the funding season is upon us, but I stress again, that any contribution, however small, is still a big drop in the ocean.
Your support can make the cure a reality.
Please visit my Walk Web page if you would like to donate online or see how close I am to reaching my personal goal. Alternatively, the sidebar has a link for donations and more information. Please also forward to anyone you know who is interested in volunteering, participating in the walk or donating or even interested in Diabetes research efforts and cures.
Thanks!
This year, I'll be taking part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes along with a half-million other walkers across the country. Our goal: To raise $90 million to help fund research for a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.
Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes, is a devastating disease that affects millions of people--a large and growing percentage of them children.
Many people think type 1 diabetes can be controlled by insulin. While insulin does keep people with type 1 diabetes alive, it is NOT a cure.
I work regularly with this foundation and together some significant strides have been made in the area of diabetes research and finding a cure. A cure for type 1 diabetes is within reach. In fact, JDRF funding and leadership is associated with most major scientific breakthroughs in type 1 diabetes research to date. And JDRF funds a major portion of all type 1 diabetes research worldwide, more than any other charity.
I'm writing to ask for your support because now more than ever, EACH of us can be a part of bringing about a cure. Each of us can make a real difference. I am extremely passionate about this cause and as a friend or family member I reach out to you to aid me in my effort. My own personal goal is $2,000 - so yes, I am shooting for the stars and hoping you will help me in my endeavor.
Even $10 from each one of you makes a difference. This money will go towards path breaking research and hopefully one day, millions of people, specially children will be cured of diabetes and its complications and lead the healthy life they deserve. I know each of us has certain causes dear to our heart and the funding season is upon us, but I stress again, that any contribution, however small, is still a big drop in the ocean.
Your support can make the cure a reality.
Please visit my Walk Web page if you would like to donate online or see how close I am to reaching my personal goal. Alternatively, the sidebar has a link for donations and more information. Please also forward to anyone you know who is interested in volunteering, participating in the walk or donating or even interested in Diabetes research efforts and cures.
Thanks!
Monday, July 9, 2007
Weekend at Akshay's
This past weekend was spent in NY with ma-in-law and my parents...I gotta say, despite the hectic schedule, I had a great time with ma-in-law and my parents...felt pretty special to spend time with the "whole" family...apart from meeting Akshay, of course:) and yes, contrary to popular Zee TV soaps, I think I have a very sweet ma-in-law who pampered me with all her yummy cooking, making most of my favorite dishes and told me cute little stories of Akshay....It was really cute watching the two moms chatting away and trailing the pack while we were walking through Manhattan.
Some of the things we did this weekend:
- UN Building tour: This was actually a pretty informative and interesting tour. Especially fascinating were the gifts from different countries that are members of the UN - The Chinese gift was particularly spectacular, carved ivory which took 2.5 years to make (and I forget what it symbolizes) but it had carved trees, bridges, etc. I'd kill to get one of those little trees! Akshay has been on the tour several times so he was able to provide more nuggets of information than the tour guide herself. The tour guide was an interesting woman named Olga, who was dressed in traditional Swedish clothes, but at the end of the tour, when people asked where she was from, pat came the reply "San Fransisco"...hmmmm..... should have guessed! She was relatively stern and unfriendly, but was able to narrate the mission of the UN and stories of histroical significance at around 200 WPM. One piece of information that stuck out in my head was that as soon as we enter the UN building area, we are on international territory, and not US terrirory. As my Dad recalled later, When the President of Iran needed to visit the UN, the US refused to give him a visa, even though he agitatedly debated that the UN was international territory. Every part of the building reeked of power and made me feel very important as I sat on wooden chairs in large auditoriums, thinking to myself that some of the world's most powerful people gathered here to make decisions of tremendous significance - walking into the General Assembly and the Security Council, my instant wish was someday to be sitting on these wooden chairs, with the golden dome in the background, commanding the world's most important diplomats. It's always debatable how successful the UN has been in brokering peace...but nevertheless, the corridors of power beckon me....Till then though, I'll just have to make do with tours of the building...
- Chicago Musical: the Ma and pa in-laws need to fill in this one
- NY Philharmonic: This was AWESOME! The conductor Bramwell Tovey was fantastic - he knew his music and had the ability to narrate its virtues in an extremely entertaining and simplistic manner....Kevin Kline narrated Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and the overral experience was refreshing and mesmerising. It would be wonderful to catch more of their concerts in the park. We are scheduled to see John Williams at the Philharmonic on Sept 15, thanks to Akshay:-)
- Rockerfeller's Top of the Rock: This was proudly proclaimed by Akshay to be the best view of NY city and Jersey, better than the Empire State Building...well, I kinda agree...gorgeous views of the Upper East and West side, the Hudson river, Central Park, etc. etc. Akshay has the view up on his blog. I am still waiting on the pics he took from his camera. We took one of us with Upper East Side in the background, With Akshay beaming and hoping and proclaiming this to be our future residence. It was a blistering 96 degrees, so we din't stay up too long, but worth a trip nonetheless.
- Brunch at Mon Petit Cafe: This is a cute little French restaurant on the Upper East Side, very close to Akshay's place. The story goes that this is where he wanted to take me on our first date, but I, exhausted from partying all night and eager to catch the play I had gotten tickets for, gave him one hour and one cup of coffee. So, this time round, Akshay was insistent that we go here for brunch. Despite the lack of vegetarian options, the food was um um good....Especially the Brioche French Toast and the chilled Tomato Soup (who knew chilled soup could ever be this tasty!)...a good two hour long brunch to get us ready for a 20 block walk to the Rockerfeller in 96 degree heat....boy! we sure worked the brunch off!
Some of the things we did this weekend:
- UN Building tour: This was actually a pretty informative and interesting tour. Especially fascinating were the gifts from different countries that are members of the UN - The Chinese gift was particularly spectacular, carved ivory which took 2.5 years to make (and I forget what it symbolizes) but it had carved trees, bridges, etc. I'd kill to get one of those little trees! Akshay has been on the tour several times so he was able to provide more nuggets of information than the tour guide herself. The tour guide was an interesting woman named Olga, who was dressed in traditional Swedish clothes, but at the end of the tour, when people asked where she was from, pat came the reply "San Fransisco"...hmmmm..... should have guessed! She was relatively stern and unfriendly, but was able to narrate the mission of the UN and stories of histroical significance at around 200 WPM. One piece of information that stuck out in my head was that as soon as we enter the UN building area, we are on international territory, and not US terrirory. As my Dad recalled later, When the President of Iran needed to visit the UN, the US refused to give him a visa, even though he agitatedly debated that the UN was international territory. Every part of the building reeked of power and made me feel very important as I sat on wooden chairs in large auditoriums, thinking to myself that some of the world's most powerful people gathered here to make decisions of tremendous significance - walking into the General Assembly and the Security Council, my instant wish was someday to be sitting on these wooden chairs, with the golden dome in the background, commanding the world's most important diplomats. It's always debatable how successful the UN has been in brokering peace...but nevertheless, the corridors of power beckon me....Till then though, I'll just have to make do with tours of the building...
- Chicago Musical: the Ma and pa in-laws need to fill in this one
- NY Philharmonic: This was AWESOME! The conductor Bramwell Tovey was fantastic - he knew his music and had the ability to narrate its virtues in an extremely entertaining and simplistic manner....Kevin Kline narrated Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and the overral experience was refreshing and mesmerising. It would be wonderful to catch more of their concerts in the park. We are scheduled to see John Williams at the Philharmonic on Sept 15, thanks to Akshay:-)
- Rockerfeller's Top of the Rock: This was proudly proclaimed by Akshay to be the best view of NY city and Jersey, better than the Empire State Building...well, I kinda agree...gorgeous views of the Upper East and West side, the Hudson river, Central Park, etc. etc. Akshay has the view up on his blog. I am still waiting on the pics he took from his camera. We took one of us with Upper East Side in the background, With Akshay beaming and hoping and proclaiming this to be our future residence. It was a blistering 96 degrees, so we din't stay up too long, but worth a trip nonetheless.
- Brunch at Mon Petit Cafe: This is a cute little French restaurant on the Upper East Side, very close to Akshay's place. The story goes that this is where he wanted to take me on our first date, but I, exhausted from partying all night and eager to catch the play I had gotten tickets for, gave him one hour and one cup of coffee. So, this time round, Akshay was insistent that we go here for brunch. Despite the lack of vegetarian options, the food was um um good....Especially the Brioche French Toast and the chilled Tomato Soup (who knew chilled soup could ever be this tasty!)...a good two hour long brunch to get us ready for a 20 block walk to the Rockerfeller in 96 degree heat....boy! we sure worked the brunch off!
For a glimpse of an Afghan women's life...
read Khaled Hosseini's second novel: A Thousand Splendid Suns...I completely agree with this review - what started as a fairly predictable, almost boring storyline quickly turned into a treasured novel that almost had me in tears!!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Indians Vs. Chinese
Ok! This I have to write about. I was having major issues with my blackberry for the last couple days - I was unable to receive work email - the primary function for which I use my Blackberry. Now, our internal IT services help desk is based in (gasp!) Bangalore, India. How do I know - there's a time lag in the conversation and they can pronounce my name crystal clear (I almost squeal in delight at their perfect pronunciation!). Their perfect pronunciation apart, I had great faith in them being able to resolve my Blackberry issues - I mean, you know, we Indians are smart, techie, and well, smart.
After three days, atleast 15 calls to the Help desk and numerous half hour long discussions, my Blackberry issues were still not resolved. Why is this important? I'm going to NY tomorrow and I need to check my emails, Dammit!!! Short of using four letter swear words, I was at my wits' end....and then who else to come to my rescue, but a Chinese woman, based out of (gasp!) Cambridge, who within 10 minutes, wiped out my handhled, restored my settings and got it working with no data loss!!!
So, lesson learned: the Chinese are smarter than the Indians!!! I pay homage to them humbly and mental note for next time: Call the Chinese first!!!
After three days, atleast 15 calls to the Help desk and numerous half hour long discussions, my Blackberry issues were still not resolved. Why is this important? I'm going to NY tomorrow and I need to check my emails, Dammit!!! Short of using four letter swear words, I was at my wits' end....and then who else to come to my rescue, but a Chinese woman, based out of (gasp!) Cambridge, who within 10 minutes, wiped out my handhled, restored my settings and got it working with no data loss!!!
So, lesson learned: the Chinese are smarter than the Indians!!! I pay homage to them humbly and mental note for next time: Call the Chinese first!!!
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