The news of the passing away of Rosa Parks is splashed all over the internet, and for no unobvious reasons. I studied about Parks in school and I came to read of her later on in some Italian class.
I learned of her death through muppetlord’s blog. I did not have the time to listen to or read any news recently, and that explains my tardy learning of Parks’ death. I was struck by a shade of sadness and pain. A feeling somewhat shallow, because as I read the news bit on the BBC site, I noticed that Kwame Kilpatrick is still mayor of Detroit.

It is odd what the human mind captures of seemingly important matters. There I was, reading about the death of the prominent spark behind the modern US civil rights movement and I noticed that Kwame Kilpatrick has won the elections in Detroit. He was running for the position, to resume his previous round, against Freman Hendrix during the final days of my stay in Michigan. The issue was big at the time, and it looks like it still is. Kilpatrick seems to have a knack at having scandals glued to his name.

Kilpatrick’s reelection takes the “wow” out of the current political situations of Arab and Muslim countries, I’d say.

October 27th note: I need to brush up on my news. Kilpatrick is still in office because the elections are scheduled November 8th. Should Kilpatrick win, my entry will be valid as a comment on that victory. Should Hendrix win, it would serve as a critique on Kilpatrick’s time. I do apologize for the errors in dates.

I received my last Greenpeace Activist News on October 15th. This is the content that I want to share with you. Take a minute to read it :

Kimberly-Clark and Kleenex: Stop clearcutting ancient forests

Did you know that it takes 90 years to grow a box of Kleenex? That’s right, every time you use a Kleenex tissue, you are blowing away ancient forests. That’s because Kimberly-Clark, maker of Kleenex and other toilet and tissue products, all but refuses to use recycled paper in its products. Instead, Kimberly-Clark is clearcutting some of the rarest and oldest forests on Earth - just to create disposable paper products.

Take action now to tell Kimberly-Clark to Stop Clearcutting Ancient Forests

You can voice your protest, should you desire to, by sending an e-mail to Cheryl Perkins,Senior VP & Chief Technical Officer of Kimberly-Clark, and to other company seniors. All you need to do is follow the link I provided above.

Another blast from the past comes your way. This is an entry I took from my former blog. Posted on Friday,October 29th, 2004.

She had long curly hair, the color of the night. It swayed over her waist as she walked. Smooth dark skin, generous dark brown eyes that shone with care.
She often told us stories of her life in the german convent. To her it was her only “home”. She never knew any other form of belonging to a place, or a person.
She was one of the most important female figures in my life. She touched my entire being, and she taught me so much. I am forever thankful that I got to know such an amazing muse.
Some people go through life never meeting someone who is “true”. She was true, and real. She never ceased to amaze me, she was a role model to me and she still is.

Where are you Rita?

current mood: curious

In Adiga tradition, now practiced less than before, respect is fundamental.
Respect for the elderly is a custom highly emphasized and taken into consideration at every occasion.
It has come to my knowledge, either through close personal observation or word of mouth, that Circassian youth take every measure possible to ensure that their behaviors are harmonious with the wishes of the elderly and regulations of tradition.

I will provide a few examples that should portray what a youngster can and cannot do in the presence of his seniors in age. A young Circassian person does not sit down, if in a gathering, before his elderly do. He or she does not smoke in front of an older person, nor does he or she speak before that person.
When a senior enters the room, all rise to salute him or her and the young offer their seats, taking care not to rest before that person is at ease.

At weddings, the bride and groom would remain standing as long as seniors are dancing in the Jagg. This particular is the “reduced” form of the real custom that states that the bride and groom should remain standing throughout the wedding party. And that in return is a “less extreme” custom, I should say, compared to the one that prohibits the groom from attending the wedding. Chechens still largely abide by that rule.

I was once in the company of a Circassian friend of mine, who was enjoying a hubbly-bubbly, also known as “Argileh”. He suddenly panicked and hid the instrument and all of its components, and I soon discovered that the reason behind this rush of adrenaline was the passing of an older Circassian fellow, an absolute stranger.