Archive for November, 2006

Munnabhai in Jail

Posted by Vivek on November 28th, 2006

Munnabhai MBBS is arguably one of the funniest Bollywood films I’ve seen. And one of my favorite Bollywood actors, Arshad Warsi, is in it! And no, I haven’t yet seen the new Munna Bhai, but I will!
But I’ve never been a huge fan of Sanjay Dutt’s acting or fashion sensibilities. Now I [...]

Aftermaths

Posted by Vivek on November 28th, 2006

Janitors win! And I’m wondering what it all comes down to. What does it mean when we say a campaign wins, when the workers are framed in pictures – hands up in jubilation, union leaders clapping still. I am still absorbing this victory and yet, I have my reservations about the US [...]

Again, Police Brutality

Posted by Vivek on November 17th, 2006

Last night, after I posted about what happened at UCLA, I got a text from a friend — “Police Brutality against Houston Janitors!” Eyes widened, I took a breath, and propped myself up against a wall.
I am not startled that such brutality spans from UCLA to Houston and back. But I am startled [...]

Police Brutality at UCLA

Posted by Vivek on November 16th, 2006

Police brutality is not exactly abnormal. Its seems to have become part of the normal run of things. It happens often and with regularity. As if the state mandates it. Just as KRS-One put it.
But my severely optimistic head never expects it. I would never expect it at all. And [...]

Note to Self

Posted by Vivek on November 14th, 2006

A language spilt out that would have made sense had I been awake. It seemed to resemble a foggy pattern that traced birth to death, the opening of eyes to their closing. The pattern expanded, contracted, took on a life of its own every new second that stampeded into this particular slumber.
Babies crawling, [...]

Misappropriation at a Persian Cafe

Posted by Vivek on November 7th, 2006

Minding my business, doing what law students do while occasionally sipping down my favorite drink, I was with a friend. And then there was a sneak attack.
“Hi, are you guys law students?”
“He is, I’m not” my friend responds while pointing at the law student.
I move my head, spotting an eager-looking, blue-eyed person. His [...]

On Writing

Posted by Vivek on November 4th, 2006

Writing makes motion.
Write to doubt, to make mistakes, to search and experiment, to imagine the possibility of saying “no” to authority. Without writing, all is frozen.
No doubt, no making mistakes (or anything else), stagnated and repetitive, closed down to all thought, always “yes” downbeat, downtrodden, a slack rope.
(from bad texas, who is paraphrasing from [...]