A couple of days ago, I took some time out to do a little bit of a house-cleaning.. I chanced upon an old magazine that had a review of Armageddon, the Bruce Willis movie.. I am sure you have seen it.. you know, the movie in which an asteroid the size of Texas is headed for Earth, and the world's best deep core drilling team is sent to nuke the rock from the inside, and the associated drama..
One particular scene had caught my attention. In went something like this. The world began to understand the potential mass destruction that was about to be unleashed and all the world went about to 'pray' for um.. not getting their tushies vaporized. They (the movie makers, that is..) then show a shot of people from India praying. So far so good. That is a fair and logical thing to do, you know the eastern types and all their prayer and medidation.. But the shot had something incredible. They showed a whole bunch of poor Indians (not the urban civilized educated types who I suppose figured out the end was near and went to the local bar to get sloshed!) folding their hands over their head worshipping the.. get this.. the TAJ MAHAL!!
The Taj?? To those who are not familiar with the Taj Mahal, it is a 17th century monument that was, legend has it, built as a sublime memory of love, by Shah Jahan, for his beautiful wife Arjumand Banu Begum, a.k.a Mumtaz Mahal. It is considered to be a proud member of the modern seven wonders of the world. What it is not however, is a place of worship. Ofcourse, there are thories that the Taj Mahal was really an old Hindu temple that was destroyed by Shah Jahan and converted to a mausoleum.. but I am fairly positive that this thoery was not what the director was comtemplating on when he took this shot.
Now really... how long have Indians lived in the USA? In particular, how many Indians live in California? Surely someone from the director's team could have stepped out of the office and yanked the first Indian he saw minding his own business and could have asked him how poor Indians worship in India.. that sounds fairly reasonable for a big-budget movie production director to do right? But no.. It's akin to showing a bunch of Chinese folks worshipping the Great Wall of China.
It is pathetic and smacks ignorance. Oh well.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Monday, November 14, 2005
And this??
I am curious. What would be an Atheistic reaction to this article? Let's for the moment give the benefit of the doubt that this was not concocted or planned... An article in the Hindustan Times.
Child identifies killer of last birth!
Alka Rastogi
Lucknow, November 14, 2005
In a baffling case of reincarnation, a five-year-old kid recognised his murderer of 'previous birth'! The incident might raise questions and objections by those who support the theory of life after death.
The case is about Durgesh, a five-year-old child, who identified his murderer of "previous birth" and pointed his finger in packed courtroom at the alleged killer.
Five years ago, on February 28, 2000 Mahipal, a resident of Chhonk in Hathras town was murdered. On the basis of circumstantial evidence the police had arrested Ved Prakash. However, Ved Prakash was released on bail after which he left Hathras and shifted to a distant place.
Recently, the grandmother of Durgesh brought him to court and told her lawyer in the bar room that her murdered son Mahipal has been re-born as her grandson! Durgesh is the son of Mahipal's brother. He is therefore nephew of Mahipal.
The Additional District and sessions Judge, SP Arvind, at first thought the plea to be nonsensical but later permitted District Government Counsel Sahib Singh Chauhan to record statement of Durgesh (Mahipal in previous birth) under Section 311 of the Criminal Procedure Code that allows the prosecution to present new evidence in support of its accusations.
Durgesh was allowed to stand in the witness box. In the court, Durgesh presented a graphic and scenic description of the place of his own murder by Ved Prakash on February 28, 2000 in a rose farm. He also identified the parts of his body where he had received injuries as a result of attack by Ved Prakash.
Ved Prakash's counsel rebutted the statement as a tutoring done by the prosecution. But the court was baffled when the child identified Ved Prakash as "his murderer" in the courtroom.
The judge was taken aback as ved Prakash was never seen in Chhonk village by anyone after the murder, as he was an outsider. The DGP pointed out that there was no possibility of the child having ever seen Ved Prakash in Chhonk ever before or at any point of time of his short life of five years. After the murder Ved Prakash had never visited Chhonk and had even left Hathras town.
The DGC also pointed out that in many international journals accounts of rebirth had been narrated.
After recording the statement of the re-born Mahipal the court adjourned the case till November 30.
Child identifies killer of last birth!
Alka Rastogi
Lucknow, November 14, 2005
In a baffling case of reincarnation, a five-year-old kid recognised his murderer of 'previous birth'! The incident might raise questions and objections by those who support the theory of life after death.
The case is about Durgesh, a five-year-old child, who identified his murderer of "previous birth" and pointed his finger in packed courtroom at the alleged killer.
Five years ago, on February 28, 2000 Mahipal, a resident of Chhonk in Hathras town was murdered. On the basis of circumstantial evidence the police had arrested Ved Prakash. However, Ved Prakash was released on bail after which he left Hathras and shifted to a distant place.
Recently, the grandmother of Durgesh brought him to court and told her lawyer in the bar room that her murdered son Mahipal has been re-born as her grandson! Durgesh is the son of Mahipal's brother. He is therefore nephew of Mahipal.
The Additional District and sessions Judge, SP Arvind, at first thought the plea to be nonsensical but later permitted District Government Counsel Sahib Singh Chauhan to record statement of Durgesh (Mahipal in previous birth) under Section 311 of the Criminal Procedure Code that allows the prosecution to present new evidence in support of its accusations.
Durgesh was allowed to stand in the witness box. In the court, Durgesh presented a graphic and scenic description of the place of his own murder by Ved Prakash on February 28, 2000 in a rose farm. He also identified the parts of his body where he had received injuries as a result of attack by Ved Prakash.
Ved Prakash's counsel rebutted the statement as a tutoring done by the prosecution. But the court was baffled when the child identified Ved Prakash as "his murderer" in the courtroom.
The judge was taken aback as ved Prakash was never seen in Chhonk village by anyone after the murder, as he was an outsider. The DGP pointed out that there was no possibility of the child having ever seen Ved Prakash in Chhonk ever before or at any point of time of his short life of five years. After the murder Ved Prakash had never visited Chhonk and had even left Hathras town.
The DGC also pointed out that in many international journals accounts of rebirth had been narrated.
After recording the statement of the re-born Mahipal the court adjourned the case till November 30.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
FSM
I have not taken permission from Bob, but I am sure he will be ok,after all - FSM belongs to all people.
Balajee
OPEN LETTER TO
KANSAS SCHOOL BOARD:CC:
DOVER SCHOOL BOARD (PENNSYLVANIA)
OHIO STATE SCHOOL BOARD
RIO RANCHO SCHOOL BOARD (NEW MEXICO)
GRANTSBURG SCHOOL BOARD (WISCONSIN)
COBB COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD(GEORGIA)
SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD(TENNESSEE)
CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD(MARYLAND)
NAPERVILLE SCHOOL BOARD(ILLINOIS)
DARBY SCHOOL BOARD (MONTANA)
BLUFFTON-HARRISON SCHOOL BOARD (INDIANA)
I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them.
I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design.
I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him.It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories. In fact, I will go so far as to say, if you do not agree to do this, we will be forced to proceed with legal action. I’m sure you see where we are coming from. If the Intelligent Design theory is not based on faith, but instead another scientific theory, as is claimed, then you must also allow our theory to be taught, as it is also based on science, not on faith.Some find that hard to believe, so it may be helpful to tell you a little more about our beliefs. We have evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. None of us, of course, were around to see it, but we have written accounts of it. We have several lengthy volumes explaining all details of His power. Also, you may be surprised to hear that there are over 10 million of us, and growing. We tend to be very secretive, as many people claim our beliefs are not substantiated by observable evidence. What these people don’t understand is that He built the world to make us think the earth is older than it really is. For example, a scientist may perform a carbon-dating process on an artifact. He finds that approximately 75% of the Carbon-14 has decayed by electron emission to Nitrogen-14, and infers that this artifact is approximately 10,000 years old, as the half-life of Carbon-14 appears to be 5,730 years. But what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage. We have numerous texts that describe in detail how this can be possible and the reasons why He does this.
He is of course invisible and can pass through normal matter with ease. I’m sure you now realize how important it is that your students are taught this alternate theory. It is absolutely imperative that they realize that observable evidence is at the discretion of a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Furthermore, it is disrespectful to teach our beliefs without wearing His chosen outfit, which of course is full pirate regalia.
I cannot stress the importance of this enough, and unfortunately cannot describe in detail why this must be done as I fear this letter is already becoming too long. The concise explanation is that He becomes angry if we don’t. You may be interested to know that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking numbers of Pirates since the 1800s. For your interest, I have included a graph of the approximate number of pirates versus the average global temperature over the last 200 years. As you can see, there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between pirates and global temperature.
In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to hear our views and beliefs. I hope I was able to convey the importance of teaching this theory to your students. We will of course be able to train the teachers in this alternate theory. I am eagerly awaiting your response, and hope dearly that no legal action will need to be taken. I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence.Sincerely
Yours,
Bobby Henderson, concerned citizen.
P.S. I have included an artistic drawing of Him creating a mountain, trees, and a midget. Remember, we are all His creatures.
Balajee
OPEN LETTER TO
KANSAS SCHOOL BOARD:CC:
DOVER SCHOOL BOARD (PENNSYLVANIA)
OHIO STATE SCHOOL BOARD
RIO RANCHO SCHOOL BOARD (NEW MEXICO)
GRANTSBURG SCHOOL BOARD (WISCONSIN)
COBB COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD(GEORGIA)
SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD(TENNESSEE)
CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD(MARYLAND)
NAPERVILLE SCHOOL BOARD(ILLINOIS)
DARBY SCHOOL BOARD (MONTANA)
BLUFFTON-HARRISON SCHOOL BOARD (INDIANA)
I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them.
I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design.
I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him.It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories. In fact, I will go so far as to say, if you do not agree to do this, we will be forced to proceed with legal action. I’m sure you see where we are coming from. If the Intelligent Design theory is not based on faith, but instead another scientific theory, as is claimed, then you must also allow our theory to be taught, as it is also based on science, not on faith.Some find that hard to believe, so it may be helpful to tell you a little more about our beliefs. We have evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. None of us, of course, were around to see it, but we have written accounts of it. We have several lengthy volumes explaining all details of His power. Also, you may be surprised to hear that there are over 10 million of us, and growing. We tend to be very secretive, as many people claim our beliefs are not substantiated by observable evidence. What these people don’t understand is that He built the world to make us think the earth is older than it really is. For example, a scientist may perform a carbon-dating process on an artifact. He finds that approximately 75% of the Carbon-14 has decayed by electron emission to Nitrogen-14, and infers that this artifact is approximately 10,000 years old, as the half-life of Carbon-14 appears to be 5,730 years. But what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage. We have numerous texts that describe in detail how this can be possible and the reasons why He does this.
He is of course invisible and can pass through normal matter with ease. I’m sure you now realize how important it is that your students are taught this alternate theory. It is absolutely imperative that they realize that observable evidence is at the discretion of a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Furthermore, it is disrespectful to teach our beliefs without wearing His chosen outfit, which of course is full pirate regalia.
I cannot stress the importance of this enough, and unfortunately cannot describe in detail why this must be done as I fear this letter is already becoming too long. The concise explanation is that He becomes angry if we don’t. You may be interested to know that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking numbers of Pirates since the 1800s. For your interest, I have included a graph of the approximate number of pirates versus the average global temperature over the last 200 years. As you can see, there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between pirates and global temperature.
In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to hear our views and beliefs. I hope I was able to convey the importance of teaching this theory to your students. We will of course be able to train the teachers in this alternate theory. I am eagerly awaiting your response, and hope dearly that no legal action will need to be taken. I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence.Sincerely
Yours,
Bobby Henderson, concerned citizen.
P.S. I have included an artistic drawing of Him creating a mountain, trees, and a midget. Remember, we are all His creatures.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
She's Here!!!!!
My wife and I are proud to announce the birth of our baby daughter - AMRITA BALAJEE on November 3, 2005.
Stats (for those who feel they need to know):
Height - 21 inches
Weight - 7 pounds 8 ounces
Mother and baby are doing fine.. My wife had a fairly long and exhausting labor and is recouping.. Amrita is being a sweetheart and cooperating!
The feeling is surreal. The joy I felt seeing her for the first time and everytime she looks onto me is something I can never express. As Rob put it - feelings that make the english language look crude.
Interestingly, having a baby is diametrically opposite to the American culture of consumer enterprise. No 'try before you buy'. No return policy (No refunds, no exchanges whatever receipt you may have). No instruction booklet. But you know what.. I'm lovin' it!!
In the meanwhile, I'm whispering the words 'I want to be a doctor' and 'Tennis' into her ears before she sleeps everynight.. It's never too late to add to your retirement plan.
More later..
Stats (for those who feel they need to know):
Height - 21 inches
Weight - 7 pounds 8 ounces
Mother and baby are doing fine.. My wife had a fairly long and exhausting labor and is recouping.. Amrita is being a sweetheart and cooperating!
The feeling is surreal. The joy I felt seeing her for the first time and everytime she looks onto me is something I can never express. As Rob put it - feelings that make the english language look crude.
Interestingly, having a baby is diametrically opposite to the American culture of consumer enterprise. No 'try before you buy'. No return policy (No refunds, no exchanges whatever receipt you may have). No instruction booklet. But you know what.. I'm lovin' it!!
In the meanwhile, I'm whispering the words 'I want to be a doctor' and 'Tennis' into her ears before she sleeps everynight.. It's never too late to add to your retirement plan.
More later..
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