Monday, July 26, 2004

The return of the native

Not that I had gone anywhere, to return from, but I have been absent from my blog for a few days now. Was tied up with work and other issues that were taking up too much of my time, and maybe slacking off a bit.
So I decided to dust the place off a bit, open the windows and air it out, give it that lived in appearance again.
Don't want the neighbors to think the place is deserted and walk their dogs on the lawn, no Sir!
And don't want them to think the yard can become their trash dump if they feel the place is not occupied anymore.
So here I am, making sure I am good and noticed, by those pesky neighbors hehe.
Will probably get down to some serious blogging later, or maybe tomorrow.
Until then, hope to see things the way they are, and say things the way I see them. And to never be a spectator!

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

A blanket statement

What is a blanket statement? A statement that encompasses everything, that generalizes and lumps everything together? Yes, that seems about right. Should blanket statements be made or not? That depends. One can very well say that a blanket statement is unfair, that not all are alike. But history is full of blanket statements. Were some native Americans chased off their lands, and others were not? Was it that some tribes that seemed dangerous, criminal minded and totally destructive were deprived of the privilege of owning land, while other tribes that were well behaved, decent, were given ownership rights? Now that, would not have been a blanket statement. Lets take slavery in America. Were slaves from all ethnic races? Whites, native Americans, orientals, negroes, caucasians, etc? Or were they 99.99 percent black? So can we say that that too was a blanket statement. That all slaves are black, or that only blacks can be slaves?
Lets move to Australia. At first it was a convict colony only, with no real interest shown by the British Crown, but then they colonized it also. Now did they just exterminate the aboriginals, or did they also exterminate the whites that were already inhabiting the land, having been sent there as convicts? Did they say lets cleanse this land of all that are there or just the natives? I think this too can be a blanket statement.
Similar is the case of the colonization of the Indies, the carribean, the colonization of Africa, the colonization of Indonesia, of India. The colonization of the middle east. The term colony is significant here. None of the locals ever became full fledged British or French or German or Portuguese citizens. They never enjoyed the same rights as the colonial masters.  So this too was a blanket statement.
And while there are instances of the Spain, Holland, England, France, Portugal, Germany and the Italians colonizing, are there any intances of an African nation colonizing a European one? Or an instance of a South American country colonizing a North American one? Or any example of an Arab country colonizing enmasse or even one European country.
The Arabs were at one time conquerors, but not once instance can be found of the Arabs looting and pillaging a conquered land, to simply build their homeland and letting that colonized land to go waste.  Hence they never colonized to simply feed their homeland, they inhabited those lands, they became locals as well, and homogenized. Hence those lands became home to both the conquered and the conquerors, that developed a sense of caring, one does not go about destroying his own home, or bleeding it dry.
So if throughout history blanket statements have been made, why can't we make onenow, saying that the West never saw the East as equal, always saw itself as superior, and "born" to rule. If the East was never given that privilege, why should the West now, all of a sudden talk about fairness and ask that blanket statements not be made since such statements are so obviously biased? Are they now? About time the West figured it out. Or has it really?
Are there any European nations under scrutiny for WMDs, or are the nuclear programs of the Western nations ever questioned? Are any Western nations named among the axis of evil, or considered a terrorist threat?
So I ask again, has the West really figured it out that blanket statements are biased?

Monday, July 19, 2004

Why does every post have to have a title?

Yes, why? I think pretty soon I will run out of titles for each new post, even sooner than I will run out of stuff to post. If I have not run out already.
I do hope to start some serious work on my article today, I have done a lot of research, want to do a bit more and then want to start putting it into some kind of shape. This is the toughest part really, the beginning of any article, to jump start it. Once it gets going, it starts to take shape and is much easier.
And still not sure if my injured staffer wil come in or not. Personally, his injuries were not serious, just scrapes and bruises on his knee and elbow, but he is an old man so no idea. Injuries that might be trivial for some might be debilitating for him. I also got a call from my former employers today, I should be getting my check tomorrow, my provident fund, etc. And that will help towards the pending last installment on the house payments. After that thehouse will be fully paid for. More than anything else it will mean a sense of relief and comfort.
Anyhow, the more time I spend on this post the less time I will spend on the work at hand, which is, the article and working on the pages in case the casualty fails to show up.
And no, this is the end of the post without any great words of wisdom. So go away and come back later!

Ok so here we go again

Allright, day two has finally.....come to and end, yes, an end, because I forgot to make a post at the start of the day. One of my staffers had a slight accident today, so he went home early, he fell off his bike. I don't really feel like saying much today because nothing much happened today.
Was a routine day, relaxed and easy. I do so want to go and get some new music now, or some new books, but my schedule is such that I usually remember these things at the end of my work day and by then, its too late since everything is closed.
I either need to change my job to be able to get some music and some books, or remember to get them before I come to work. Hmm, I wonder which would be easier. I think I should change my job.  :)
No words of wisom today except this, if you need more time to do more things, then stop doing some of the thngs you are doing, or do them faster. Thats not really exceptionally wise....sounds pretty lame actually.
Oh well, this is for today, end of one day, and looking forward to another, as long as we can look forward to another day, we really have it made. There are so many that either don't know if tomorrow will come for them, or they know it will, but their lives are so full of pain and misery, they prefer that it didn't come.
Thos that can look forward to another day, are truly blessed. Hold that thought...always!

Sunday, July 18, 2004

still day one

Ok technically its still day one, but its past midnight so its day two, have reached a tentative decision to get the cable from worldcall, but it hasnt happened yet, might in a day or two. Its about 12:30 here and Iam done for the day, will start wrapping up so I can go home. One thing I have learnt today, or maybe didn't learn today, but I reinforced the belief that one should never rush into anything, no matter how badly they desire it. Wait, measure, assess, think again, then go for it. And another thing, when you don't have something intelligent to say, don't say anything!
 

day one

Ok my first post, little more than a test run, so don't expect any great words of wisdom today, well, take my advice, don't expect them anyday! :)