I just came across this article after searching for this word after being called a 'desi' by another Indian living in the UK.

I have never understood the word desi before, known where it came from, nor why Indian people kept on using this word to describe themselves and other Indians, so I first looked up the definition of desi:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Desi (or Deshi) is a word originally from Sanskrit literally meaning "from the country" or "of the country". The term "Desi" refers to a person of South Asian heritage, from either Pakistan, India, or Bangladesh

It is mainly used by those of South Asian origins themselves, rarely by the majority population, and carries a subtext of inclusiveness and unity. It allows South Asians to refer to their broader immigrant community, rather than requiring a specific, nationalistic label such as "Indian" or "Pakistani". As such, its connotations are positive, alluding to the shared values, bonds and experiences of descendants of the entire region.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

This definition makes the word sound fine to use, but I still did not feel too comfortable about people running around yelling 'desi' at me, so I furthur looked up desi and racism and read this artice:

http://www.indiacurrents.com/news/view_art...4472a08cf77270c

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->My friend’s five-year-old came home from school one evening with a note. She had referred to her Chinese friend as a “Chinki” and her teacher wanted to know why. My friend looked sheepish as she read the note.

“She must’ve picked it up from us. We sometimes do say ‘Chinki,’ you know,” she revealed guiltily.

We Indians love labels, don’t we? And I don’t mean Guccis and Pradas. I mean labels for people, of both Indian and non-Indian origin. It helps us match person to personality, gives us a ready manual for assessing behavior and associated characteristics. We don’t like being caught unawares by unfamiliar personality types and don’t seem to realize that our love for quick allocations could amount to a serious affliction: racism.

We are desis in a foreign country. Indian-Americans raised in the United States are promptly tagged ABCDs (American Born Confused Desis). And for a certain population of desis, the Chinese become “Chinkis,” African-Americans become “Kallus,” and white people become “Goras.” We see nothing wrong in making casual use of these names. We permit ourselves to do the very thing that would likely offend us if we were on the receiving end. If one were to ever refer to us as “brownies” or, even more disturbingly, as “rag heads,” we would be screaming “racism!” from the rooftops.

Racism is ill defined within the Indian community. I have come across people who think that only the discrimination on part of white people is racist. Their own discriminatory behavior, however, is permissible.

Bollywood’s portrayal of Caucasians, for example, makes me wonder if we have been fighting the freedom struggle a little too long after independence. Most white characters are portrayed as money-hungry, double-crossing villains who the hero mocks in Hindi or triumphs over in the end.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Is ethnic labeling within the Indian community itself considered to be acceptable and fine? I have never been comfortable with my parents over use of the words 'Gora' and 'Kallah', and feel uncomfortable when these racial words are used, often in a deregratory manner. I have however, never heard my parents, nor anyone of the older generations in my familly and Indian community use the word 'Desi' to call each other, in fact this word seems to be rarely used if anyone does use it, and only seems to be spoken carelessly by members of the younger Indian generation living in the UK who think it is a 'cool', or 'modern' name to call each other by (I am from the UK and rarely ever hear the word Desi used, and when I do I feel just as offended as the words 'Gora' and 'Kallah' have made me feel throughout my years, and also just as offended as a black person would be if called a N*gger, or a Pakistani person in this country called a P*ki).

So am I the only Indian person that finds it offensive for someone to come up to me and call me a 'Desi'? What is wrong with calling me by my name, or if my race is being discussed, reffering to me as an Indian instead of a desi? Do you think that this label of desi is fine and acceptable to use? Do you or do you not refer to other Indians as desis, and would you like it if people of other races, e.g. 'Goras' and 'Kallahs' used strange words to refer to you by your race or skin color as well?

I know that I do not accept, nor like any kind of labelling or branding based on the grounds of skin colour and / or race. I have never been called anything personally at school, university, at work, or by friends, teachers and employers of all races other then my name, and my race is never discussed in any enjoyable social situation, I find that I am better able to integrate and mix with people of any background if racial names, which I will in my opinion brand as racist name-calling, are left out of my discussions, and I only refer to people by their name, or preffered nick name, and not a name describing their race or skin colour.

I posted the below as a new thread, but apparently, the moderator doesn't want me to start new threads and wants me to use existing thread. Although, it beats me as to why, since there's no thread relevant to my post anywhere. But here goes nothing...I am reposting it below.

Discuss, if you care to. I've already lost faith in Hindus, so mean and cold, even when dealing with new posters. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' /><!--endemo--> And we wonder why Hindus have so few friends.


Hello Friends! smile.gif

I've always been a social democrat, but the recent events (not just terrorism but also political developments) made me rethink my beliefs. It's clear that Hinduism and Hindus are under threat, but I am still not convinced that social democracy isn't the right way. And when I say social democracy, I am referring to the systems prevalent in Scandinavian countries, NOT to the nonsense being done in the name of socialism by our Indian communists/Nehruvian socialists. mad.gif So please, let's be clear on that.

I am confused as to how Hindutva or any ideology that's based on nationalism can ever be free of conflict, because inherent in such philosophies is the 'us vs them' attitude. So I'd like some clarification on that.

Also, I am surprised as to why no Hindu here and elsewhere fails to recognize capitalism as the real problem behind terrorism. For instance, if A is a terrorist and B the victim of the said terrorist, then a capitalist would rather sell arms to both parties and expand profits. So why would he try and solve the problem of terrorism, when keeping it alive would benefit him? mad.gif He wouldn't, which explains why western countries and our money-minded politicians keep terrorism alive. Capitalism views everything as a business opportunity, and terrorism is no exception.

Second, if we identify ourselves as Hindus, we're pitted against Muslims, Christians, communists, capitalists, and these people are a huge number controlling 100 nations, oil and other resources, a powerful military, amongst other advantages. It's impossible to fight against such odds. sad.gif More importantly, a Hindu in India has nothing in common with a Muslim in Pakistan. But the same Hindu as a worker has a lot in common with the muslim worker in pakistan. So would it not be better to approach the whole problem as a socialist, rather than as a Hindu, because that way, we'll have something in common with all nations/cultures/races/religions?

Hopefully, I haven't offended anyone with this. I am not trying to impose socialism, just wondering whether Hindus, like the Jews of the 20th century, are in a position where they have to become socialists (by political orientation, NOT that they have to give up their religion) in order to become an international movement, and thereby gain strength. smile.gif

If you are an Indian Citizen, above age of 18 years as on 1-1-2008, and not yet a voter, or living at a place far from where you are registered, then <b>HURRY, Register Now!</b> to be able to vote for Lok Sabha 2009

<b>Am I eligible to vote? </b>

You are eligible to vote if:

1. You are an Indian citizen
2. You are 18 years or older as on 1st January of the year when the electoral rolls are getting prepared. Currently, this will be 1st January, 2008
3. You are an Ordinary Resident at your current location i.e. you have been living at your current address for 6 months or longer.

Here is a very good website which allows you to fill up all your details online, generate a pdf, take a print, and go submit it at the ERO office (the address of which in your city is also mentioned). Site even sends you SMS on status of your application.

http://www.jaagore.com/

You will need to submit an address proof and date of birth proof from a list of admissible documents.

Since it takes several weeks before you get your voter ID Card, DO IT NOW! It is easy. Also spread the word.

(Mods, kindly merge it to suitable thread after a couple of days.)

<b>Dawood provided logistics for terror attacks</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A Colaba-based businessman, suspected to be henchman of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, handed over arms and explosives to the Lashkar e Tayiba terrorists for carrying out the attacks on Mumbai, in what is emerging as the first major joint operation by the Karachi-based gangster and the banned outfit, official sources said in Mumbai. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<b>10 killed in Mumbai terror attack</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Mumbai was rocked by several incidents of firing at four different public places on Wednesday night, and ten people were reportedly killed in the suspected terror attacks. All incidents were within a radius of three kms in the posh South Mumbai.

The first incident of firing was reported at Leopold Cafe, a well-known watering hole for tourists and foreigners in Colaba.

The second incident was near Taj Mahal [Images] hotel, the third was near Oberoi hotel in Nariman Point and the fourth one was at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. Two of them are Mumbai's iconic and best-known five-star hotels and the third is one of the busiest railway stations in the city.

No one including the police will confirm the reason behind the firing except the fact that some unknown people started firing indiscriminately.

Eyewitness also said that some grenades were thrown at a police van and also of two bomb blasts near the Oberoi hotel but it was not confirmed by officials. The Mumbai police have cordoned off all the areas.

A blast was also reported in a cab in Vile Parle in suburban Mumbai. This is near the Mumbai airport.

Additional Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti confirmed the shootout at Colaba but did not give out details.

Two persons armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades are reportedly holed up inside CST station.

Sounds of gunshots are still being heard. Hundreds of onlookers gathered outside the station. The station and premises have been evacuated

Sources in the Cuffe Parade police station said that the police was still looking for the miscreants behind the firing at Colaba Causeway.

Eyewitnesses said that they heard at least 20 shots in CST station. Policemen and ambulances have rushed to the affected areas, they said.
....

Maharashtra Director General of Police <b>A N Roy said </b>that this was a suspected terror attack. "The terrorists have been surrounded in Oberoi Hotel. Right now, the encounter is going on," he said.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Now lets see whom Indian Government will blame, come on Shame of India, you can do better. Hindu hater Roy is investigating , he can blame some Sadhu from Gangotri.

Hello frineds

I started this thread before, but couln't find it after a couple of good responses. Hence I am re-initiating this interesting thread about your experiences in indian airports and opinions on security that exists in ground and air. Do you think the system is capable of ensuring seamless security? Please write the various experiences that you have undergone at indian and other airpots abroad. It could be a good lesson for lot of others.

The History of Western Philosophy-Bertrand Russel

History of Western Philosophy

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3054580/The-Hist...Bertrand-Russel

The Catholic Church was derived from three sources. Its sacred history was Jewish, its theology
was Greek, its government and canon law were, at least indirectly, Roman. The Reformation
rejected the Roman elements, softened the Greek elements, and greatly strengthened the Judaic
elements. It thus co-operated with the nationalist forces which were undoing the work of social
cohesion which had been effected first by the Roman Empire and then by the Roman Church. In
Catholic doctrine, divine revelation did not end with the scriptures, but continued from age to age
through the medium of the Church, to which, therefore, it was the duty of the individual to submit
his private opinions. Protestants, on the contrary, rejected the Church as a vehicle of revelation;
truth was to be sought only in the Bible, which each man could interpret for himself. If men
differed in their interpretation, there was no divinely appointed authority to decide the dispute. In
practice, the State claimed the right that had formerly belonged to the Church, but this was a
usurpation. In Protestant theory, there should be no earthly intermediary between the soul and
God.


<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->
Betrand Russell was an eugenist:
<b>
"The ideas of eugenics are based on the assumption that men are unequal, while democracy is based on the assumption that they are equal. It is therefore, politically very difficult to carry out eugenic ideas in a democratic community when those ideas take the form, not of suggesting that there is a minority of inferior people, such as imbeciles, but of admitting that there is a minority of superior people. The former is pleasing to the majority, the latter unpleasing. Measures embodying the former fact can therefore win the support of the majority, while measures embodying the latter cannot." ( from The Sanctity of Life and the Criminal Law)</b>

These are the words of Bertrand Russell, who is being quoted by Professor Glanville Williams. Williams is the Rous Ball Professor of English law at Cambridge University, a fellow of the English Eugenics Society, and, for the last twenty three years, head of the English Abortion Law Reform Association. What Williams is saying is that the elitist ideas of eugenics can come to power in democracies by encouraging attacks on minorities, much as Hitler came to power by scapegoating the Jews.

...
It's time to debunk the myth of this "grand philosopher"
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Check the comment section
http://www.dailytech.com/Indian+Moon+Probe...rticle13450.htm


<b> Indian Moon Probe Hits Moon Surface at 3,100 MPH</b>
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - November 17, 2008 2:35 PM Smilin.. on Nov 18 at 9:49 AM )

Indian scientists say they meant to do that and hope for a future "soft" landing

Going to the moon is old news to most Americans after we sent a manned mission to Earth's satellite in the 1960's. Since then, several other countries have sent unmanned missions to the moon to study the satellite, but no one has yet replicated America's manned landing.

India has now joined the small cadre of nations to send unmanned missions to the moon including the U.S., China, Russia, ESA, and Japan. India launched its moon mission in October sending its spacecraft called Chandrayaan-1 towards the moon with a lunar probe onboard.

The probe was sent hurtling towards the surface of the moon to an eventual crash landing in the Shackleton crater on the moon's south pole. The lander was emblazoned with the Indian flag and hit the surface of the moon moving at about 3,100 miles per hour.

Indian scientists say that the crash was planned and that they will use the data collected by the probe during its descent to plan a future soft landing on the moon. The descent to the surface took 25-minutes according to Space.com. Instruments on the probe included a video imaging system, radar altimeter and a mass spectrometer.

The video system took pictures of the moon during the decent while the altimeter measured the rate of decent and the mass spectrometer studied the thin atmosphere on the moon. India released some raw images taken and said that it had not yet begun to analyze the data returned by the probe. India has plans to land a rover on the moon in 2011 and hopes to one day send a manned mission.


Check this bozo

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/81702

Many studies of the past have confirmed that India lacks a Higher Defence Organisation that compares to the advanced countries. All debates start and end at CDS. Can CDS be the solution for all ills? Is there a need to completely revamp the system? Has the status and decision making of service chiefs been systematically degraded? How effective is the NSC? ACM Typnis in his book has confessed that there was none-to turn to, during Kargil crisis. Politicians hardly understand the military business. Bureaucrats have very limited exposure to the realities. How do you think the country should go on from here to deal with the issue?

While we await the election results I wish to remember GWB for the following:

The prompt invasion of Afghanistan and dislodging the Taleban about two years after IC 814 hijacking.

Recognizing the roots of Islamic terrorism originating from greater Middle East.

Seizing the initative in Middle East by his Iraq invasion. Yes aftermath was mixed.

Recognizing the need to bring India back into the gamut of nations to balance Asian stablity.

Lastly for proposing and seeing through the nuke deal wich returned India to the high table.

The biggest failing was not understanding TSP is the linch pin of modern Islamic Sunni terrorism-Listenting to Colin Bin Powell.

The next is not pre-empting the Wall Street collapse - Listening to Paulson.