Mr. Bean 'n' Bhangra

This will make your day:

For Kutner

They did what? They killed off Kutner? Or more precisely, they made Kutner kill himself off of House? Wait, what's this I hear - Kal Penn made the show make Kutner commit suicide so that he can go work for Obama? What is going on, and why did I encounter this strange tragedy at 7:45 am while enthusiastically working out on my spanking new elliptical? My love-hate relationship with Kal just reached new anxiety levels.

So yes, you heard right. Kutner may have committed suicide on "House" - or he may have been murdered, or something else truly mysterious happened to him and House won't rest until he figures it out, not because he cares about people, but because he loves puzzles. In any case, no more Kumar/Kutner/Penn to charm me. I'm convinced this is a big fat conspiracy to deprive me of my favorite TV characters - let's not forget what happened to Gary Dourdan of CSI last season. I'm still sour about that one.

But clearly, Gary was having some issues. Kal, on the other hand, has decided to help Obama save the world, and I'm both irritated and jealous. I mean, seriously, who doesn't want to work for Obama? Wouldn't you quit your job and go work in his administration? Kal appears to be a smart guy from what I've read, and so in many ways, I applaud him for leaving a rather successful actor career (thus far) to become an associate director in the White House office of public liaison (read about it here), where he will be working with the Asian-American and arts communities.

While I'm not 100% sure what that means, I do know that I can name at least 10 fine Indian-Americans who could have filled that spot. It's not that I think Kal isn't qualified - in many ways, he is actually an ideal candidate for such a position, particularly since he is one of the few, if only, mainstream Indian-American actors. But it did make me wonder what sort of process led to the decision that he fill it. Also, I feel kind of bad for all of those artsy Asian-Americans out there for whom this would have been a plum position and opportunity.

Missing Kuttner won't be fun, but stalking Kal in the new administration like will be - intern, anyone?

Stop Congratulating Your Indian Friends

Now, this hasn't happened to me, but I'm sure other people may have experienced something similar...

Home Sense & Sensibilities

Picture courtesy of The New York Times

"A Modernist Temple" of a home recently featured in The New York Times got me thinking about space and aesthetics again. This East Village apartment was constructed and designed to fuse both modern and Indian elements of design, and I considered whether or not a balance was truly achieved, or even possible, as well as what makes any home particularly Indian or modern. I believe that how we choose to define the space around us speaks volumes about our personal histories, and the idea of fusing heritages and identities is particularly close to - home.

This breathtaking home is all clean lines, open space, a bit bare, all light and air. It has all the modernist elements - functional and comfortable form/design, uncluttered, cool and yet not cold, vastness puncutated by the bright and bold. I sighed and longed for the day when I might be able to design such a space of my own. The more I thought about how that space would differ or be similar to this one, the less I saw in it that was warm, comfortable, and "Indian" enough for my tastes and my personal fusion.

The home I grew up in was toppling with one too many pieces of contemporary Indian art, statues of Ganesh, deep and rich contrasting colors, a preference for gold over silver and the bold/abstract over the subtle/petite, and texture. It is decidedly an "ethnic" home. It leans towards the ornate and is nostalgic for some version of a British and/or Victorian aesthetic. In India, I see similar themes. What I've taken from all of this is warmth in color and texture that can accomodate light and air without suffocating it.

This I cannot see in the Modernist Temple, although perhaps I would feel it were I actually able to pay this nice family a visit. For all the "purist" white brightened by splashes of "Indian hues like saffron, persimmon orange and peacock blue" this space is just a little too cool and restrained for my idea of a space that fuses both the modern and Indian. The functionality of furniture tucked behind walls is genius, but I'm a traditionalist when it comes to furniture and don't think I so mind the space it would occupy. In any case, the uncluttered feel of the apartment might have been balanced by a stronger decorative touch.

Two elements that I thought were beautiful, however - the polished cement floor (memories of running around barefoot on an awfully hot summer day on a blissfully cool floor at my grandma's in India) and the wall of ivy over a pool of water. So simple and zen, yet lush.

And so I continue to "work" on my humble shack of a studio 6 months after moving in. The little touches matter in any home, and this is my first draft. The exercise of developing and refining the space around me is, after all, in a sense also one of evolving and redefining identity as well.

Slumdog Continues...

Among other things, the little movie that could has taken over all things media and the blogosphere. I find a lot of these conversations to be immensely interesting, although I'm still puzzled by some of the reactions this movie has stirred. For the life of me, I really cannot understand why. It might be that I've seen one too many Bollywood movies already, but Slumdog Millionare was purely an entertainer for me, and it is with some hesitation that I feel people are reading too much into it.

Reactions to the movie are far more interesting than the movie itself. They reveal much about about the ways in which India has experienced change over the last decade, and consequently, continuous shifts in discourse about those changes. Much of that discourse sounds familiar and is unsurprising, while much of it begs the question as to why a film like this is the cause for so much debate when the problematic cinema that India produces, packaged prettily with its own exxagerations and stereotypes about Western and modern life, rarely result in any.

Two very interesting reads:

The New York Times: Taking the 'Slum' Out of Slumdog

And largely in response to that:
Slumdog: Ben Piven's Fulbright Research on Dharavi

Plus:
The New York Times: The Real Roots of the 'Slumdog' Protests

The Siege of the Car Trip & My Musical Memory

My younger sister is the one who should have a blog. She is funny, and she works in PR. She is the perfect candidate for blogger-to-be, but instead, one of her great accomplishments has been the creation of a Facebook group called "My Cousin Is a FOB."

While I am, in fact, her sibling and not a cousin, I take responsibility for her aversion to FOB behavior. In case you don't know, FOB stands for Fresh Off the Boat, and describes immigrants (largely Asian) who arrived in this fine country wearing tight Levi's and matching denim jackets. While some FOB criteria have changed, negative stereotypes remain. If you are not an actual FOB like me but can be described as being "fobby," you're in trouble. My sister was inspired by mine and my cousin's (yes, we largely talking about 1 here) raging fobbiness. She made us officers of this Facebook group, and we wear our titles proudly.

One of the many fob criticisms I have received is that my level of knowledge about Indian/Hindi music is far beyond acceptable or normal. It's true that I have an amazing music inventory in this little head of mine, and I have often pondered why. The answer lies in car trips.

Yes, one too many family car trips. If it hadn't been for the Family Car Trip growing up, I may never have been exposed to long hours of Pankaj Udhas, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar in the '80s and general Bollywood obnoxiousness in the 1990s while traveling I-95. I may never have actually liked any of that stuff either. But my musical memory is rooted in these tunes, and they formed the early soundtracks of my life.

An innate attachment to making sense of life through poetry and lyrics in a language other than English, classical dance lessons, and accessibility further set me on this treacherous path. By age 9, the History of Dance & Nostalgic Jams was in the works. At age 13, I bought discount CDs at the Indian grocery store and knew the name of every up and coming DJ. In college, I rapidly downloaded both the old and new to create a vast Indian music library.

Don't be alarmed - I listened to Boyz II Men, Nirvana, Greenday, and Mariah Carey just like everyone else back in the day, did my fair share of the club set, and love some alternative music. But I was never quite able to latch onto a genre or artist that particularly spoke to me even later in life. I generally have liked the same qualities in all music that I appreciate in Indian music - a solid melody or beats, something I can dance to, meaningful lyrics. An entirely different soundtrack developed during the teen years, during which I also frantically made mix tapes or bought my special "friend" a Savage Garden single, and lately, I'm dating John Legend. But none come close to my relationship with Indian music (although John Legend is trying really, really hard). Even the entrance of the Dirty Dancing soundtrack just post-Pankaj Udhas couldn't salvage the situation.

Aside from my general tendency to boogie whether the music be Punjabi or Portuguese, I argue that this has much to do with language. For all practical purposes, English is certainly my first, but there is a certain unease with this. My earliest memories are again set to a chorus of Hindi, and as a child I experienced moments of transition in which I temporarily lost my grasp on one or the other, or both. On occasion, in a particularly unguarded or intimate moment, I have the urge to speak it with someone I ordinarily wouldn't. Somehow, Indian music (traditional, fusion, folk, dance, pop, you name it) latches onto and invigorates a neuro-psych pathway - one with diminishing influence and relevance in my life - that only it can keep alive. Compelling stuff if you ask me. Perhaps no excuse to listen to a song called "Desi Girl," but nonetheless, I think others might share a similar sentiment.

And so the result of the siege of the Car Trip is that if anyone ever has any song requests or needs song info, you now know who to go to. I'd be more than happy to offer my FOB services.

The Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women & The Pink Chaddi Campaign

Whether in India or elsewhere, you have every right to be a part of this consortium. By the standards of some, I most certainly am, and I'm rather proud of it.

I love the humorous response the Consortium (join it on Facebook) has developed to remind members of the Sri Ram Sena of this right:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/indian-women-use-facebook-for-valentines-protest/?hp

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7880377.stm

http://www.sajaforum.org/2009/02/womens-rights-the-pink-chaddi-campaign.html

If you haven't already heard or watched the attack on women in Mangalore pubs this past week which prompted this special gift,
watch this.

Re: Calling Mr. India

Clarification from a friend, whose comment on Indians in the media I referenced in Calling Mr. India:

"So I read your blog post and realized that you were referring to me in the "Indians have entered the mainstream" comment as opposed to the "pimp out your qualifications" comment, which I was wondering about.

Anyway, so I felt compelled to clarify/qualify that statement. It was more of a Indians entering mainstream media (although it goes beyond that in this context).

You have Kal Penn on House, Parmindra Nagre on ER (both prime shows), and Sanjay Gupta on CNN and as Surgeon General - although I guess you could argue that furthers the Indians are doctors stereotype hah. You also have Kelly Kapoor on the Office and that secretary guy on 30 Rock. Are we far away from the day, where in addition to the token black, hispanic, and Asian newscaster, we'll also have the obligatory Indian person on each news broadcast? Who knows, may happen 5 years from now.

You have Obama specifically refer to Indians/Hindus in his inaugral address. You have an Indian-American as a Governor of a state, who's being realistically talked about as a presidential candidate.

You have Vikram Pandit as CEO of Citigroup - an iconic American institution. You have Neil Kashkari as the head of the biggest fund in the world aka the TARP program.

And then of course the prominence of the music influences, the cuisine, etc. - the cultural aspects.

All things we couldn't have imagined 10-15 years ago.

I didn't mean Indians have entered the mainstream, as in that I felt left out of the mainstream while growing up here. I think that's the greatest thing about our country; there's very few countries in the world where you don't constantly feel like an "outsider". So yes, we've never been out of the "mainstream" per se, but there's just generally a greater sense of awareness of India, Indians, and Indian culture.

Hey, maybe I should start a blog hahaha."

NYDidi & Me - Personality Profile

A little while ago, I wrote briefly about a new site South Asian matchmaking site called NY Didi - read here. Some of my criticisms may have been harsh, and so I wanted to acknowledge the creator's obvious thought and effort in building this service - only meant to say that it may not be for someone like me and many of those I know. However, being the glass-full kinda person that I am, and being I'm drawn to things I don't wish to be drawn to, I checked out the site and completed a personality test. Here are the results:

To begin your journey towards marriage, it's important to see where to start. And as we always say, know thyself. So here goes: You are romantic and idealistic. Your kindness and loyalty is valued by those that are lucky enough to know you. You are spontaneous and fun loving. Thinking for yourself and making your own decisions is very important to you. The idea that there is one person out there for everyone inspires you to do your best to find that person.

Of course, nobody is an island, and your community defines so much of who you are. You think it’s important that the leaders of our country have a strong moral foundation. When you spend time around those that are hardworking and loyal, you feel right at home. You understand that marriage is about families joining together to keep traditions alive.

Everyone brings certain hopes and dreams with them to the future, so it’s important to identify what they are so that you can achieve them. You are ready to start meeting people to find the right one to share your life with. You understand that a true loving friendship is the basis of a happy marriage. It seems like you are ready to make a mature commitment to a happy marriage. Marriage is a process of growing together and you are willing to put forth the effort to make it work. You know that happiness in life means having companionship and friendship. Nothing is more infectious than happiness, and you will bring a great zest for life to your marriage. You are ready to create a marriage that reflects who you truly are, and I can tell you now that it will be well worth it when you and your partner open up to each other and form a deep bond.

Now it’s time to find a partner who can help you achieve your life vision. There is nothing more important than who you choose to spend the rest of your life with. So let’s make sure that we think it through. You already know the most important thing for a successful marriage; you are a good listener and you know how to be a friend. It is great that you are aware that structure and discipline are essential to being a good parent. But don’t forget, kids need lots of love too. You are a little messy sometimes. Who can blame you when there are so many more interesting things to do? But remember, when you begin a family you will have to figure out how to juggle even more obligations. You will bring great wisdom to your marriage because you already understand that each twist and turn in life gives you an opportunity to grow.

It kind of saddens me that I'm romantic and an idealist because I try oh-so hard not be. I am also certainly "a little messy" sometimes, but I'm not quite sure in what context this profile is referring to - it could potentially be many. I also find it a little disturbing that I am so defined by my community, because at the heart of it, I really don't think I am. Then again, everyone likes to think they are an island so I should probably just get over myself.

Now, I actually contemplated joining NYDidi. Hey, I'm already on Match.com, so what's the difference? Everyone I met on Match was also a young Indian professional from NY/NJ, and this site won't be doing much but narrowing the field a little bit more. However, I'm on a break from Match for various reasons (which I never quite seem to get to on this thing), and decided that NYDidi was just too much to handle right now.

It could be interesting for those who try it, and I'd love to hear more about NYDidi's progress - you are more than welcome to keep us posted!

Calling Mr. India

Are you there, Mr. India? It's me, Suman. I miss your floppy hat and jacket. And I prefer seeing you in colored light. It's also a treat to watch you boogie with Sridvevi. So can you please not touch Al Roker's feet on national television at the ungodly hour of 8 am? It is far too much for me to handle.

I know you've finally hit it big with "Slumdog Millionaire." I know Bollywood has not been good to you the last decade or so, and you finally have something to gloat about next to the proclaimed kings and princes and knights and ogres of Bollywood.

But see, you have a special place in my heart. You and all your kind belong in a certain category of celebrity and entertainment, and you cannot be taken out of context or evolve. It's practically blashphemous. Don't get me wrong. I do want you all to develop as artists and join the ranks of other international stars, but I don't want you to forget where you came from. Once in a while, it's semi-cool that people seem to know who you are. It's great that Al thinks you are like the Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise of India, but he doesn't actually know about Mr. India. I do. Every desi diasporic community does, too. We won't forget, and we intend to remind others.

A certain former beauty queen who is often referred to as The Most Beautiful Woman In The World has also been trying desperately to move between contexts and worlds. While I don't hold her in as high esteem as I hold you, her jet-setting is also somewhat disturbing to me. Who does she think she is - The Most Beautiful Woman In The World? This princess is supposed to wear awful outfits and prance around well enough to prove that models and beauty queens can act and dance, and that is about all I care to see from her. She can go evolve somewhere else - just not next to my banjo-strummin' Steve Martin in The Pink Panther 2. What will she do if he tries to teach her how to play it and ask her to sing along? Will she offer him her most frequent playback singer???

Someone commented that "we've entered the mainstream," and I don't really know what that means to me. I personally have never felt "not" a part of the mainstream, and what Bollywood star, physician, spirtual guru, businessmen, or politician did or didn't enter it really held little relevance for me. I went through a phase where it was somewhat interesting and cool, but now I'm over it. I'm bustling Great Neck, not Greater Kailash, and I don't know what exactly I should be cheering on or rooting for.

So, your newfound celebrity is sort of crampin' my second-generation style. I hear there is a Mr. India 2 on its way and I couldn't be happier. I just want Anil Kapoor to be Mr. India again.

How I Feel About Slumdog Millionaire

It was one nail-biting ride. I was really hoping Jalal would be smart enough to know Prem Kumar was fooling him with the wrong answer, and he exceeded my every Bollywood expectation. I was hoping Lalita wouldn't leave the cell phone in the car even after Salim specifically told her to hang onto it - she lived up to the feminine Bollywood ideal well. And of course, I was keeping my fingers crossed that Salim would repent his evil ways and kill himself in a bathtub overflowing with rupees. No let-downs there either. So all in all, this was Bollywood in true form, Hollywood style, with a spark of genuine earnestness. A well-executed entertainer with what I think was a brilliant story/theme, but with little new to offer and a song and dance number at the end. For those of us unfamiliar with Slumdog's images and themes in either film or everyday life, it was understandably quite a different story, and a much better one.

There are quite a few Desi/Indo nerds out there who either found parts of this movie to be offensive/insensitive/problematic or generally didn't appreciate the "poverty porn" that international audiences so seem to love. I commented on an Uberdesi review along those lines, mainly because 1) I don't know what else people expected from this film given that it was not an Indian production 2) any treatment of this material would have resulted in some degree of insensitivity, probably more so if it were an Indian production 3) why don't Indo nerds have similiar expectations for sensitive and realistic film-making when it comes to the general crap Bollywood is so good at producing? 4) Why do we care so much about India being shown in a poor light when even in a better light, there is a lot to show despite all the India-is-great craziness being thrown around willy-nilly of late? Frankly, I'd rather see some of this than the disgusting opulence displayed by apparently "real" Indians in Bollywood films. And why are Westerners the ones making films like this anyway?

It might be nice to see a film that better shows the "real" or a changing India, or a film that international and disporic audiences can appreciate. Yet we all know that these movies don't sell in either India or abroad. What really sells is the latest Punjabi, wedding-themed foot-stomper that Bollywood copies for us from original music produced in Southeast Asia or the Middle East. I figure that as long as Bollywood is doing this and alternative cinema in India gets continuously ignored, there is no hope but for the likes of Danny Boyle to make movies like Slumdog Millionaire for those who need some happy medium, particularly outside of India. It has clearly come out the winner across several categories in American awards shows thus far, largely due to the novelty of the film in the midst of some pretty bland competitiors (although they are probably technically/artistically superior).

Someone suggested that Amal (2007) should have been last year's Slumdog, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. A few weeks ago, I also saw a little gem of a film, Everybody Says I'm Fine! (2001), that was truer to the various aspects of modern India and Indian life. From what I know, that film went virtually nowhere, but it could have had a future had someone paid more attention to it, and if India stopped nominating films like Paheli or Taare Zameen Pe for the Oscars. I mean, really...?

I have lots more venom to spew at the typical Bollywood fare, Indian film in general, and mostly the South Asian film-goer, but I might have to can it for now lest some of my more devoted friends start hating on me in turn.

On Kal Penn

Some of my earlier posts have expressed slight disdain for over-hyped young South Asians in the media. You would think I'm supposed to have some sort of second-generation pride over their success, but I find most of them rather annoying and disengaged from the "community" they receive credit for representing (or not - some deny having much to do with it in the first place when clearly their popularity is based on some novelty in being South Asian).

One such star who I previously scorned but am about 33% in love with right now is Kal Penn. While I'm no huge fan of the Harold & Kumar movies, I always thought John Cho was amazing and wish he appeared more often in Ugly Betty. I don't know about you, but I've always thought that the quirky and strangely loveable Asian guy is far more inviting than the quirky but annoying Indian guy.

In "The Namesake," Penn didn't have much to do other than be a little confused, and even then, his face doesn't flex much in the way of expression. He's almost too much of an average guy. In fact, every time I look at his face, I feel like I should go back home, accompany my parents to a dinner party, find him spooning butter chicken into his plate at the buffet, and then awkwardly bump into him at the bar.

Enter Dr. Kutner on ABC's "House." If I were ever to date or marry an Indian doctor as per the wish of many, it would have to be a fake one and be Kal Penn-as-Dr. Lawrence Kutner. I find his portrayal oddly intelligent, and I have a 6th sense telling me that this character might be closer to Penn's own personality. Something about having less to express suits Penn, and given that Kutner is a bit mysterious and almost blank at times, the role has done him some good. Even when Kutner is acting up, Penn doesn't get annoying and there isn't butter chicken and a drink flying all over the place.

Clearly, I prefer more Kutner and less Kumar, although with a name like Lawrence Kutner, it's unclear whether the character is supposed to be South Asian or not. All the more intriguing, and all the more reason to watch his story unfold.

A History of Dance & Nostalgic Jams

There was a time when my partner-in-crime from age 0 onwards literally pumped and pumped the jam with me wherever we went. At first, I couldn't dance even though I had major rhythm. I just didn't know how to put it together, and I was shy. Then one fine day, Alpha Cousin & partner-in-crime says "It's simple Suman - just put one foot behind the other, and snap. Then move to your side, put the other foot behind the other, and snap! Step, snap, step snap..."

History in the making as the original Indian dance team was born. Their members resided on Long Island and Queens, and studios were located in our basements, backyards, wedding receptions, and graduation parties.

To top it off, we always had a ready audience in the Older Sis. Ok, so maybe she wasn't exactly "ready" to watch us pretend to be Bollywood stars. I think we traumatized her.

Listening to my IPod the other day, a song which I have not heard in ages came on. Before I knew it, I was 12 again, wearing a sparkly Indian outfit, and throwing my hands in the air like there was no tomorrow. A tidal wave of nostalgia ensued and since then, I've been recalling all the amazingly bad/awesome songs that we used to groove to. My own personal VH1 marathon in my head, which needs to be released immediately.

It was the early-mid 90s. Four little Indian girls began to come of age just as Indian remix masters burst onto the scene. Puffy sleeves and tights were just about on their way out, and everyone was wearing Revlon's Toast of New York Super Lustrous Lipstick. We went to weddings at huge banquet halls in New Jersey and carried back equally huge floral arrangements that positively STANK the next morning. No one used straightening irons and hair was perpetually bushy.

Two of us thought we were really cool. One was too young to notice we weren't and did everything we did. The other one, too smart for her own good, KNEW we weren't and incessantly made fun of us. It was okay because she was actually pretty funny, didn't dance, and we needed a DJ.

Against this backdrop developed the following soundtrack. I've highlighted the most memorable Hindi songs and 1-800-DIAL-MTV jams. Listen, watch, and imagine us bouncing around in our own interpretive choreography. Mind-blowing.

By Film/Artist:

ARROW: Hot Hot Hot
BALLY SAGOO: Jugni (w/ Malkit Singh), Mere Laung Gawacha
BETA: Dhak Dhak Karne Laga

BOMBAY: Kehna Hi Kya, Ek Ho Gaye Hum Aur Tum
CHANDNI: Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau
HEERA: Maar Chadapa

HERO: Ding Dong Oh Baby Sing A Song, Tu Mera Hero Hai
LAMHE: Megha Re Megha, Morni Baaga Ma
MADONNA: Material Girl, Like A Prayer
MALKIT SINGH: Hey Jamalo

NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN: Sajana Tere Bina
QURBANI: Aap Jaisa Koi, Qurbani Qurbani
REEL TO REAL: I Like To Move It
ROOP KI RANI CHORON KA RAJA: Chai Mein Chini
SADAK: Rehne Ko Ghar Nahin, Tak Dhin DhinTak
SANGAM: Mein Kya Karoon Ram Mujhe Budhha Mil Gaya
SNOW: Informer
WRECKX 'N' EFFECT: Rumpshaker
YARAANA: Mera Piya Ghar Aaya
2 IN A ROOM: Wiggle It

The Next Sanjay Gupta?

Sure hope not.

After moving into Manhattan a few weeks ago, I actually have time to catch the Today show bright and early. This morning, one particular segment featured Dr. Roshini Raj (apparently a frequest guest) of the NYU Medical Center speaking on using the internet to research health issues. The next Dr. Sanjay Gupta, perhaps?

I nearly cringed. Lately, I feel as if South Asians have become the new "it" minority. I know this explosion of accomplished individuals (particularly in media) speaks to broader changes in mainstream culture, but oh, how it irritates me when a new example of how fantastic we all are strides onto the scene. This is what I thought when I saw Dr. Raj - here we go. Another cool, young, South Asian on television with many insightful things to say and contributions to make. Applause, applause. Blah, blah.

Is Sanjay Gupta married? Maybe the two can have their own television show. Gupta 'n' Raj. Like Regis and Kathy Lee. If Atul Gawande joined, it would really kick things up a notch. We've come a long way from the Indian doctor on Seinfeld. His character was so problematic, but come on - you had to love him.

For a while, I worked at a community-based health initiative at NYU which addressed the issues faced by South Asian immigrants in NYC. How I wish that more professional members of the community with the influence of Gupta, Raj, and the like could make some sort of contribution to such initiatives.

Not that they are obligated to simply because they are South Asian. But it could do wonders if they were a little bit more engaged and if someone tapped their potential.

This, of course, is a much more nuanced dicussion which I can't do justice to here. It's possible I'm just bitter because I flunked Organic Chemistry and love the camera. Tomorrow morning, maybe I'll skip the Today show and watch a Charmed rerun on TNT instead.

The South Asian Blogosphere

The South Asian in me can't help but read news feeds and blogs ranging from the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) to DJ Rekha. I thought I would share with you a cool online panel discussion that SAJA organized earlier today. While the time has already past, it would still be worthwhile to find out how it went and further explore this exploding entity known as the South Asian Blogsphere:

The South Asian Blogosphere and How it is Changing the Media

As part of the second-anniversary celebrations of SAJAforum.org, SAJA's newsy blog, we are hosting an online panel discussion among some of the best-known names in the South Asian blogosphere. They will discuss the state of the blogosphere (South Asian and otherwise) and how it is affecting how news and information about South Asia and the diaspora is gathered and shared.

SPEAKERS:

Sabahat Ashraf ("iFaqeer"); blogger at blog.iFaqeer.com, contributor to several Pakistani/South Asian and Muslim blogs
http://www.iFaqeer.com

Anil Dash, VP and chief evangelist for SixApart (makers of TypePad and Moveable Type) and one of the earliest (1999!) and most influential bloggers in the world
http://www.anildash.com/anil/

Karthik, blogger, Uberdesi.com
http://www.uberdesi.com

Maria Giovanna, blogger and journalist, Filmiholic.com
http://www.filmiholic.com

Arun Venugopal, editor, SAJAforum.org; correspondent, WNYC Radio
http://www.sajaforum.org

LISTEN LIVE OR TO A RECORDING:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/saja or http://www.blogtalkradio.com/saja/2008/09/26/desiblogs
(you can go to that link now and set an e-mail reminder for yourself) or dial into a NYC number while the show is live: 347-324-5991 (you can just listen or ask our speakers a question or use the live chatroom).

As always, you are welcome to quote from anything said during the FREE, WORLDWIDE webcasts at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/saja

More on our webcasts - upcoming and past - below and at
http://blogtalkradio.com/saja