Finally worked out why university librarians have become such arrogant rude and unhelpful peeps. Library science has moved from the dissemination of information to preservation and conservation of books. I know people steal and hide stuff that's not new what is new is the theory that they should be treated like rats or silverfish or bookworms which are any insects at larval stage. And 3 1/2 hours no break well that stopped me asking any questions and the desire just to keep my head down I am here for love and romance I don't really need to access the library to pass this course. And by the time they decide you are really important they ask you to check out the special books coz no one else can read them.
I must have a go at the visa. I think I have all the documents I need. Then pack a few light clothes after last wash now I have discovered the washing machine that will be easier. One more small shopping trip for fun stuff for her rearrest. I assume she will be freed monday then rearrested within a few days. It takes about 6 days for speedpost to get to me from her it should only take two days if it were just city to city but it isn't. If I post the next package on 10th morning day I leave Kottayam that gives the authorities 8 days to rearrest her. And if she is still free then her health will start to deteriorate.
I am going to get something to eat, in fact when I am with her she is going to eat well too sod all this magickorealist suffering stuff, suffering comes because I am part Russian I am human don't need to go adding to it. Some sweet snacks some savoury and some chili peanuts so I can watch the end of Ponyo in peace. I should finish the tenth text in Syriac, it's really quite easy and flows once you get stuck in the inertia though prevents my restarting it.
Oh the petition looks full at 340 might get some more she never gets more than a few hundred each petition this is just one of about four I can trace on the Web. I am still hungry after that morning seminar I should have made breakfast it makes it a lot easier for the rest of the day. But the heat is so draining. I have yahoo to compare temperatures so I think it's getting warmer in London. It says 4 but it's only 8am it's 31 here because it's cloudy. It'll get hotter in April and start cooling in May or June I think. Anyway gotta dig in start thinking long term. First get the MA from Syriac and then seriously think of doing some kind of Masters in Kaslik if I can get the money sorted. Fr Abdo is more of a beach and skiing priest monk if I can persuade him that really I am more into chanting simple monastic life and not really into shopping maybe I can get a better deal than the $100 per day which he thought was really reasonable. I think my budget is around $5 per day plus other expenses so I think some negotiating needs to be done else I stay on at SEERI and go for the three year PhD follow on. If she isn't released in five years maybe I should talk to her or something. You know what i mean. Or not what's to be done maybe I'll be more indian about it by then.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Preparations
I always feel it's better to prepare in advance even if nothing goes to plan. So the Bank when I strolled up and asked them if they would be ever so kind as to provide me with an uptodate statement. Well that set them off. After about half an hour they had frozen the account then said no you can use cheques but they want the card back. And I am thinking if they can get the right name on the new card that would nice. But anyone they say it's a simple clerical error and I as pointed out to them really more their problem not mine and no I had no intention of returning with the deposit account details and photocopies of my passport visa pages unless they wish to hire me because my understanding. And then they got someone more chatty to chat to me and the compromise we came to because I really didn't see any point leaving without a statement or some record of how much money I had in the account so I could use it to get the student visa. Was that I would return in April with any forms they wanted but I had no intention of spending my last days in Kottayam trying to assist them with their clerical errors.
So later I should fill in the visa application I just need to have all the details to hand and then set the appointment for sometime after 25 march.
Plus I got denied access to a european Manipuri group but I wonder if they are into secrecy maybe it's not really my group.
But good news mind, John the Just has inherited this foreign tourist disease mind, I always pay a bit more for me coconut water and tender coconut. Mainly because I have only eated dessicated coconut in the west with tinned coconut milk. 20 rupees I pay thats a 5 rupee tip at todays rate I dunno bit less than 40p. But the thing is so today he say oh no sir ten rupees. Well the first guy does I like coconut water it's fresh and better than bottled. So yeah having said John the Just suffers from the tourist disease of haggling over five p savings with the poor I really got a buzz when the guy gave me a discount plus let me have the tender coconut. Of course I accepted gotta give the man respect plus I got a buzz. I wouldn't haggle with him over it though.
So later I should fill in the visa application I just need to have all the details to hand and then set the appointment for sometime after 25 march.
Plus I got denied access to a european Manipuri group but I wonder if they are into secrecy maybe it's not really my group.
But good news mind, John the Just has inherited this foreign tourist disease mind, I always pay a bit more for me coconut water and tender coconut. Mainly because I have only eated dessicated coconut in the west with tinned coconut milk. 20 rupees I pay thats a 5 rupee tip at todays rate I dunno bit less than 40p. But the thing is so today he say oh no sir ten rupees. Well the first guy does I like coconut water it's fresh and better than bottled. So yeah having said John the Just suffers from the tourist disease of haggling over five p savings with the poor I really got a buzz when the guy gave me a discount plus let me have the tender coconut. Of course I accepted gotta give the man respect plus I got a buzz. I wouldn't haggle with him over it though.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Economist
I have been reading back issues of the Economist. They do write about Manipur and the north east from time to time about eight or nine solid articles over the last few years. India it says has a remarkable ability to maintain long term low intensity civil wars without causing outrage or dissent in the majority general population.
What I had heard is the ruling classes of Manipur otherwise termed the Upper Middle Classes, these people must be embarrassed by the use of Caste titles, presumably because the rich wish to be considered Western approve of Government policy have made their money through it and don't really like my gel. One woman commented ah well she is only on hunger strike over the shooting of a so called boyfriend but kudos to her. Small college in the north west studying liberal arts where she gets to study with other rich kids and then return home to do occasional work for charity possibly in Goa, where she won't get hassled and can aslo enjoy the beach life. She had been rebutted by another suggesting she need not be suaded by hearsay and perhaps to get an education rather than a lifestyle choice in america (though that's more my summation of the undertext) he suggested her comments were a little callous.
And good news they have managed to reduce HIV from 6% to 1.6% over the last several years. The Government policy of subjugation the Economist believes will be successful it just takes a very long time and the Indian Government believe they have as much time as they want. HIV stats can be dropped by a mixture of preventative education which tends to mean use a condom stupid. And if you take anti-viral reducing the bad stuff in your blood (hey googol it if you like science) you tend not to infect others unless you contract another untreated STD. With antivirals one pill a day now HIV is a controllable disease more like Syphillis.
Apparently american protestant missionaries do get visas to practise in the North East, they have the hill tribes she is from the valley and they bring in millions of dollars each year. Perhaps those are the foreigners seen in the hills. Someone said oh we just stop journalists if you aren't a journalist you can get a permit to visit Manipur, and didn't even blush, though they like the title biggest democracy in the world. I am certain if China becomes democratic they will become totalitarian because all they want is the title biggest they don't really care at what.
They because I am not that kind of Indian.
And a lovely article on the Sangai dancing deer, now that is how to write magickorealist journalism. It mentions the reason the deer were thought extinct was the damming of the lake Loktak. It's waters used to rise and fall annually so the grassland which floats at high water used to sink to the earth reroot gain strength at low water and then rise again. It's called a homestatic balance, a life cycle, Disney understands it. So the Indian Government who advises these ok they are only deer the guy says in committee, they are deer who are you someone from the Disney corporation. If we build the dam we can produce umpteen gigowatts and loads of money. Ok the land will rot the deer will die, but we solve the energy crisis. The alternative is build loads of nuclear power stations but I know what you gonna say about that. So if the fluffy bunny objections have been dealt with.
The deer developed their dancing gait because they prance about on this soil that is stable-ish because of its annual rise and fall. They were thought extinct. When half a dozen were discovered on a small island in Loktak it was made a national park they are now at 100. But after the dam the land is rotting, and there are still continual powercuts, the energy is funnelled into the national grid to support the now 8.25% GDP annual growth. There was a plan once to shut down the dam for a month a year to allow the cycle to return, but now it's too late. Hey and it's like the story of the emerald forest but without the shamans claiming they can be invisible. There was a short piece on the local shamanesses. Marup something he called it. And so the article ended with yep you could put the deer in zoos and they would survive but then they wouldn't be Sangai, they wouldn't be wild.
Tell you what we could take some red deer from the new forest who know how to walk on solid ground would that sort the disney fluffy bunny crowd. I really don't understand how when you put all those clever people in a room together they end up doing incredibly stupid things but if you leave really stupid people to do their thing in the fields for centuries they don't seem to do much harm at all.
What I had heard is the ruling classes of Manipur otherwise termed the Upper Middle Classes, these people must be embarrassed by the use of Caste titles, presumably because the rich wish to be considered Western approve of Government policy have made their money through it and don't really like my gel. One woman commented ah well she is only on hunger strike over the shooting of a so called boyfriend but kudos to her. Small college in the north west studying liberal arts where she gets to study with other rich kids and then return home to do occasional work for charity possibly in Goa, where she won't get hassled and can aslo enjoy the beach life. She had been rebutted by another suggesting she need not be suaded by hearsay and perhaps to get an education rather than a lifestyle choice in america (though that's more my summation of the undertext) he suggested her comments were a little callous.
And good news they have managed to reduce HIV from 6% to 1.6% over the last several years. The Government policy of subjugation the Economist believes will be successful it just takes a very long time and the Indian Government believe they have as much time as they want. HIV stats can be dropped by a mixture of preventative education which tends to mean use a condom stupid. And if you take anti-viral reducing the bad stuff in your blood (hey googol it if you like science) you tend not to infect others unless you contract another untreated STD. With antivirals one pill a day now HIV is a controllable disease more like Syphillis.
Apparently american protestant missionaries do get visas to practise in the North East, they have the hill tribes she is from the valley and they bring in millions of dollars each year. Perhaps those are the foreigners seen in the hills. Someone said oh we just stop journalists if you aren't a journalist you can get a permit to visit Manipur, and didn't even blush, though they like the title biggest democracy in the world. I am certain if China becomes democratic they will become totalitarian because all they want is the title biggest they don't really care at what.
They because I am not that kind of Indian.
And a lovely article on the Sangai dancing deer, now that is how to write magickorealist journalism. It mentions the reason the deer were thought extinct was the damming of the lake Loktak. It's waters used to rise and fall annually so the grassland which floats at high water used to sink to the earth reroot gain strength at low water and then rise again. It's called a homestatic balance, a life cycle, Disney understands it. So the Indian Government who advises these ok they are only deer the guy says in committee, they are deer who are you someone from the Disney corporation. If we build the dam we can produce umpteen gigowatts and loads of money. Ok the land will rot the deer will die, but we solve the energy crisis. The alternative is build loads of nuclear power stations but I know what you gonna say about that. So if the fluffy bunny objections have been dealt with.
The deer developed their dancing gait because they prance about on this soil that is stable-ish because of its annual rise and fall. They were thought extinct. When half a dozen were discovered on a small island in Loktak it was made a national park they are now at 100. But after the dam the land is rotting, and there are still continual powercuts, the energy is funnelled into the national grid to support the now 8.25% GDP annual growth. There was a plan once to shut down the dam for a month a year to allow the cycle to return, but now it's too late. Hey and it's like the story of the emerald forest but without the shamans claiming they can be invisible. There was a short piece on the local shamanesses. Marup something he called it. And so the article ended with yep you could put the deer in zoos and they would survive but then they wouldn't be Sangai, they wouldn't be wild.
Tell you what we could take some red deer from the new forest who know how to walk on solid ground would that sort the disney fluffy bunny crowd. I really don't understand how when you put all those clever people in a room together they end up doing incredibly stupid things but if you leave really stupid people to do their thing in the fields for centuries they don't seem to do much harm at all.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Mixed News
So the Economist has produced an article on Manipur. Beauty of this one is people with money to invest read the Economist. Money talks as Spinaltap's agent put it. And I finally managed to post a comment there too.
Her petition page groweth daily http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/manipur/ although it appears the cheap viagra spammers are now the main contributers I assume they will be filtered out from the final count and poor HE Pratibha Pratil ah no it would have been brilliant if they had allowed extra comments to the politician's emails because then she would have been drowing in offers of cheap viagra for the modern busy woman about town, worth it's weight in Economist articles.
Stop the presses: So someone has their eye on the ball the petition dropped from 351 to 330 and all the cheap viagra adverts have been removed well done that AHRC administrator. If they get a million then the Indian Government says ah but a lot of these petitioners are unverified, and if they get less then they say we are the largest democracy in the world but as you can see you have only minority support for your views which we will certainly consider respectfully etc etc as Yul Brynner put it.
Oh I finally got the draft determination from OIAHE ah well 1500 squid and no gagging order so it goes to a memorial for John Fernandez late brother via the Legio Mariae with an inscription at least Racism Pays! and I was hoping for something like compulsory donation from the racists of TVU, they say all publicity is good publicity.
Plus I got to give feedback to the OIAHE and I was very restrained public school debating style, once I had decided that I was giving the award away it gave me freedom to be equanimous in my dealings with them. But it is a farce. They can't look into racism because the main grounds were marks on essays of 10%. How can you give 10% on a University marked assignment in the West they give you 20% for putting your student number on in the right place. And some inconsistencies in the argument some of which I addressed purely to help them with their professionalism.
But since she is my dream what do I care about TVU and the OIAHE. I shall study in the Lebanon where the key is to take Fr Abdo out for occasional meals and not to get all interfaith friendly with the Muslims because no they are not Arabs they are Phoenicians well just so long as we know where the tickle lines are meant to be. Don't cross that line I have no intention of crossing beyond sir, more seductively weaving around it I mean if I have to explain the principle of tickling oh yeah unless I get married then it's lose at golf and oh that article you wrote praising St Cyril father. Marvelous. Are you sure the sex is as great as they say, yeah yeah spiritual love completement fulfilment but I feel like that gunman who dies in Yul Brynner's arms so tell me was it a gold mine or diamonds what were really fighting for Chris.
Her petition page groweth daily http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/manipur/ although it appears the cheap viagra spammers are now the main contributers I assume they will be filtered out from the final count and poor HE Pratibha Pratil ah no it would have been brilliant if they had allowed extra comments to the politician's emails because then she would have been drowing in offers of cheap viagra for the modern busy woman about town, worth it's weight in Economist articles.
Stop the presses: So someone has their eye on the ball the petition dropped from 351 to 330 and all the cheap viagra adverts have been removed well done that AHRC administrator. If they get a million then the Indian Government says ah but a lot of these petitioners are unverified, and if they get less then they say we are the largest democracy in the world but as you can see you have only minority support for your views which we will certainly consider respectfully etc etc as Yul Brynner put it.
Oh I finally got the draft determination from OIAHE ah well 1500 squid and no gagging order so it goes to a memorial for John Fernandez late brother via the Legio Mariae with an inscription at least Racism Pays! and I was hoping for something like compulsory donation from the racists of TVU, they say all publicity is good publicity.
Plus I got to give feedback to the OIAHE and I was very restrained public school debating style, once I had decided that I was giving the award away it gave me freedom to be equanimous in my dealings with them. But it is a farce. They can't look into racism because the main grounds were marks on essays of 10%. How can you give 10% on a University marked assignment in the West they give you 20% for putting your student number on in the right place. And some inconsistencies in the argument some of which I addressed purely to help them with their professionalism.
But since she is my dream what do I care about TVU and the OIAHE. I shall study in the Lebanon where the key is to take Fr Abdo out for occasional meals and not to get all interfaith friendly with the Muslims because no they are not Arabs they are Phoenicians well just so long as we know where the tickle lines are meant to be. Don't cross that line I have no intention of crossing beyond sir, more seductively weaving around it I mean if I have to explain the principle of tickling oh yeah unless I get married then it's lose at golf and oh that article you wrote praising St Cyril father. Marvelous. Are you sure the sex is as great as they say, yeah yeah spiritual love completement fulfilment but I feel like that gunman who dies in Yul Brynner's arms so tell me was it a gold mine or diamonds what were really fighting for Chris.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
So how come
Bernard Kilroy gets a one year visa no questions asked issued over Xmas when the rest of us only get 3 month visas. He says he isn't MI6 but I doubt he is just visiting kurumasala because he has an amateur interest in liturgical chanting but no musical ability. Also some story about import exporting indian dancers but with no profit so far which I think means he hasn't paid taxes.
Fine so long as I get mine. But it seems a bit rum if you ask me.
Fine so long as I get mine. But it seems a bit rum if you ask me.
visiting the north east
I had come to a minor obstacle in my plans to visit Manipur. As far as I can tell there is a ban on foreigners visiting Manipur that's what a restricted access area means. You can apply for a ten day Permitted Access Permit you specify point of entry and exit and agree to visit only set areas. What used to happen was there were tours organized by tourist agencies and they got the permits for you. At present nobody is running tours to Manipur it would seem.
So looking at the legislation, technically you only have to travel in groups of four with a travel agent in open areas. If I agree to stay in my hotel room for the ten days and then visit her when accompanied by the SI of the JN Gaol then presumably I don't need to be accompanied by three other foreigners. I'd love to go in April but it takes a month for them to approve the visit so maybe May then. I also apply to the two departments to visit her. And if I get to see her that's good and if not I got close if only an hotel in Imphal.
There is a slight problem if we did marry. I would still not be allowed to stay more than ten days and then only with the same permit. I guess if the law isn't changed we could meet for ten days in Manipur whenever I got the approval and she of course would be free to travel to neighbouring countries and the rest of India where the restrictions don't apply. Apparently gaining OCI wouldn't make a difference for the purposes of restricted areas within India overseas citizenship of india isn't citizenship you are still a foreigner. It's more of a pay once and for all multiple visa for India.
Ah it's all working out I had been asking travel agents what the cost would be for a four person trip to manipur but just going directly to the FRRO or whatever they call themselves once I have my student visa well that seems a more direct option.
So looking at the legislation, technically you only have to travel in groups of four with a travel agent in open areas. If I agree to stay in my hotel room for the ten days and then visit her when accompanied by the SI of the JN Gaol then presumably I don't need to be accompanied by three other foreigners. I'd love to go in April but it takes a month for them to approve the visit so maybe May then. I also apply to the two departments to visit her. And if I get to see her that's good and if not I got close if only an hotel in Imphal.
There is a slight problem if we did marry. I would still not be allowed to stay more than ten days and then only with the same permit. I guess if the law isn't changed we could meet for ten days in Manipur whenever I got the approval and she of course would be free to travel to neighbouring countries and the rest of India where the restrictions don't apply. Apparently gaining OCI wouldn't make a difference for the purposes of restricted areas within India overseas citizenship of india isn't citizenship you are still a foreigner. It's more of a pay once and for all multiple visa for India.
Ah it's all working out I had been asking travel agents what the cost would be for a four person trip to manipur but just going directly to the FRRO or whatever they call themselves once I have my student visa well that seems a more direct option.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Had a simple dream
I was at some hotel retreat centre and it was the last day and I overheard a guy saying how he was going to use his small fishing vessel to pick up a survivor and they tell him you can't ever get close to anyone the more you try the further away they get and I agreed with that, but he kept saying it was only a small fishing vessel and just the one survivor, I guess they have to learn on their own anyway I was in a rush getting my things together. I best get the paperwork packed if it's all there then no probs but if I have to look through my well filing heap well yes might take a while. Some other things about leaving a tip for the cleaning staff wow dreams can be specific.
Just over 300 in the enfants perdus regiment, though it seems to have slowed mainly goans and adverts for cheap viagra. Both with mainly symbolic force. Oh she won another award, Kindle magazine in Calcutta has named her as one of the 25 women in India who well it can't be get arrested and detained without trial on indefniite satyagraha but it's definitely a good list. I know she says she doesn't want any more awards she wants AF(SP)A 1958 repealed but given that they haven't I still think it's better than not winning awards. Sort of like being given the choice of curtain colours in the cell. It's not freedom but it's something. It's an award.
Held up with Philoxenus of Mabbog Fr Thomas has been rescheduling. But it looks like today or soon. Then there is only one text left in Healey and I really should just knuckle down and finish the pearl. Take the Robisons with pack later today and I have been shown a washing machine here and that is a great help. And I think I'll get another letter afore I leave which is on 10th I think best check, it's next week in the middle I think. Friday to Nepal then 12 days later to England. Oooh I should also make the visa application on line before I leave so I have an appointment to attend.
So first pack, then make visa appointment. Don't think there is anything else over which I have much control.
Just over 300 in the enfants perdus regiment, though it seems to have slowed mainly goans and adverts for cheap viagra. Both with mainly symbolic force. Oh she won another award, Kindle magazine in Calcutta has named her as one of the 25 women in India who well it can't be get arrested and detained without trial on indefniite satyagraha but it's definitely a good list. I know she says she doesn't want any more awards she wants AF(SP)A 1958 repealed but given that they haven't I still think it's better than not winning awards. Sort of like being given the choice of curtain colours in the cell. It's not freedom but it's something. It's an award.
Held up with Philoxenus of Mabbog Fr Thomas has been rescheduling. But it looks like today or soon. Then there is only one text left in Healey and I really should just knuckle down and finish the pearl. Take the Robisons with pack later today and I have been shown a washing machine here and that is a great help. And I think I'll get another letter afore I leave which is on 10th I think best check, it's next week in the middle I think. Friday to Nepal then 12 days later to England. Oooh I should also make the visa application on line before I leave so I have an appointment to attend.
So first pack, then make visa appointment. Don't think there is anything else over which I have much control.
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