2010-04-27
Nazia Quazi
7:49 AM
Ok, so who has heard of Nazia Quazi? If you haven't, you need to read this. I'm astounded that this story is not getting more Canadian press. It deserves it.
I've read a few versions of the story, and I heard CBC Radio interview her (love you Anna Maria Tremonti!) and here's the gist: Nazia is an Indian-Canadian with duel citizenship. Sound familiar? I would guess that a majority of Canadians at the very least qualify for duel citizenship, even if they only have one passport. I myself could have three different passports if I chose to.
I believe Nazia was born in India and moved to Canada at a young age. She did what most Canadians do, she went to school, grew up, fell in love. Problem is that her family did not approve of the man she fell in love with. She moved out. She travelled with her boyfriend overseas. Her parents found out where she was and went to get her back. So far a relatively normal story, though perhaps most teenages jump in a car when their parents disapprove, rather than a plane - but hey, times change.
This is where the story takes a turn. Her parents, or her father, took her to Saudi Arabia. Neither she nor her father are Saudi Arabian. In Saudi, every woman must have a legal guardian. Let me repeat that: if you are a woman, you must have a male legal guardian, or sponsor, who officially makes your legal decisions. This is not an issue of religion, Saudi Arabia is the only country with this type of system. So, unbeknownst to her, when she entered the country she effectively became a prisoner. She cannot leave without the permission of her father. She has been there since 2007.
Ok, so there are obviously two sides to every story and I only know one side, but you have to admit, that one side is pretty compelling. I find it hard to think of a justifiable reason on her father's part for keeping her in such a country against her will. She is an adult Canadian woman who is being forced to live in a world that considers women to be unable to make any decisions. It's unclear what the Canadian government is doing about it - but I decided to tell her story because I think it's important for us all to know.
Here's her facebook group:
And let me repeat - this is not an issue of religion, this is an issue that every woman, regardless of religion, should be aware of and involved in. Same goes for the men out there who love women. Situations such as this one should not be allowed to continue - and as much as I love Canada, I'm ashamed that we're not doing more as a country. I don't care if she entered on an Indian passport, all that means is that there should be two countries going to bat for her rather than one...are you listening Mr. Harper?
I've read a few versions of the story, and I heard CBC Radio interview her (love you Anna Maria Tremonti!) and here's the gist: Nazia is an Indian-Canadian with duel citizenship. Sound familiar? I would guess that a majority of Canadians at the very least qualify for duel citizenship, even if they only have one passport. I myself could have three different passports if I chose to.
I believe Nazia was born in India and moved to Canada at a young age. She did what most Canadians do, she went to school, grew up, fell in love. Problem is that her family did not approve of the man she fell in love with. She moved out. She travelled with her boyfriend overseas. Her parents found out where she was and went to get her back. So far a relatively normal story, though perhaps most teenages jump in a car when their parents disapprove, rather than a plane - but hey, times change.
This is where the story takes a turn. Her parents, or her father, took her to Saudi Arabia. Neither she nor her father are Saudi Arabian. In Saudi, every woman must have a legal guardian. Let me repeat that: if you are a woman, you must have a male legal guardian, or sponsor, who officially makes your legal decisions. This is not an issue of religion, Saudi Arabia is the only country with this type of system. So, unbeknownst to her, when she entered the country she effectively became a prisoner. She cannot leave without the permission of her father. She has been there since 2007.
Ok, so there are obviously two sides to every story and I only know one side, but you have to admit, that one side is pretty compelling. I find it hard to think of a justifiable reason on her father's part for keeping her in such a country against her will. She is an adult Canadian woman who is being forced to live in a world that considers women to be unable to make any decisions. It's unclear what the Canadian government is doing about it - but I decided to tell her story because I think it's important for us all to know.
Here's her facebook group:
And let me repeat - this is not an issue of religion, this is an issue that every woman, regardless of religion, should be aware of and involved in. Same goes for the men out there who love women. Situations such as this one should not be allowed to continue - and as much as I love Canada, I'm ashamed that we're not doing more as a country. I don't care if she entered on an Indian passport, all that means is that there should be two countries going to bat for her rather than one...are you listening Mr. Harper?
VACATION!
So, I'm on vacation. I'm on an island with turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. There are lawyers employed here and I wonder why I'm not one of them. It's such an easy decision, no?
So, I think I've found my schtick. I'm not sure yet how to frame it. I've got to ponder for a while before what I'll call my 'big reveal'. I'm not sure why I'm calling it big, since this is basically a personal diary that no one actually reads. Anyway, I'll introduce it this way:
I'm a lawyer. I've mentioned this before. I went to law school not being sure what I wanted to do with the degree in the end. Many of us law students do this, and then, when we graduate, we realize that we are so in debt that we have no choice but to become lawyers. I was an average student. I could have been a great one, but that involves so. much. work. Everyone in law school is smart and I considered myself one of the lucky ones, I didn't have to study too hard to get a Bish and when I liked the course I naturally put in the work to get those rogue A's. This does not compete with those Type A's that were going for medals.
I'm getting to the point. There are many programs out there, official ones, that allow lawyers to do good - like UN internships or NGO type volunteer work. The problem is that these programs are, generally speaking, competitive. They inevitably go to the one who got the better grades who are willing to do it for zero income - in other words, not me.
But that doesn't mean I don't have anything to offer! Here's the thing. I would take, let's say, a year off. I would travel anywhere (I'm single, no kids). I would work for room and board (food must be in too). I might need a bit of money to cover my student loans - but if room and board are included I'd do it for as little as $600/month. My argument is: there must be an organization out there who could use me. Who could take me up on this offer. I wouldn't do it for a company who's aim is profit - I'm looking to make social change and do something meaningful. My question is this: how do I find those organizations and how do they find me?
It is possible that they are in the same situation that I am, maybe they don't qualify for the fancy programmes that I discussed earlier. Does that make their need any less? You see where I am going with this.
This idea is fledgling at the moment, but I think I'm on to something.
So, I think I've found my schtick. I'm not sure yet how to frame it. I've got to ponder for a while before what I'll call my 'big reveal'. I'm not sure why I'm calling it big, since this is basically a personal diary that no one actually reads. Anyway, I'll introduce it this way:
I'm a lawyer. I've mentioned this before. I went to law school not being sure what I wanted to do with the degree in the end. Many of us law students do this, and then, when we graduate, we realize that we are so in debt that we have no choice but to become lawyers. I was an average student. I could have been a great one, but that involves so. much. work. Everyone in law school is smart and I considered myself one of the lucky ones, I didn't have to study too hard to get a Bish and when I liked the course I naturally put in the work to get those rogue A's. This does not compete with those Type A's that were going for medals.
I'm getting to the point. There are many programs out there, official ones, that allow lawyers to do good - like UN internships or NGO type volunteer work. The problem is that these programs are, generally speaking, competitive. They inevitably go to the one who got the better grades who are willing to do it for zero income - in other words, not me.
But that doesn't mean I don't have anything to offer! Here's the thing. I would take, let's say, a year off. I would travel anywhere (I'm single, no kids). I would work for room and board (food must be in too). I might need a bit of money to cover my student loans - but if room and board are included I'd do it for as little as $600/month. My argument is: there must be an organization out there who could use me. Who could take me up on this offer. I wouldn't do it for a company who's aim is profit - I'm looking to make social change and do something meaningful. My question is this: how do I find those organizations and how do they find me?
It is possible that they are in the same situation that I am, maybe they don't qualify for the fancy programmes that I discussed earlier. Does that make their need any less? You see where I am going with this.
This idea is fledgling at the moment, but I think I'm on to something.
2010-03-28
Sunday Musings
So, I sit here at work on a Sunday, doing pretty much anything I can in this office without actually doing any work. It's strange. I had such great goals for the day.
First, I sleep in. It's the weekend and the only time I can sleep and not worry about an alarm clock, so I always take advantage of it.
Second, I go to my favorite coffee shop for a coffee and an egg sandwich. Yummy weekend treat.
Third, I go to yoga. Feeling great! And it's only lunch time!
Fourth, I make a healthy lunch choice with a fruit smoothie and a salad. I am sooo on a roll.
Fifth, I come into work. I am alert (non sleep deprived), focused (yoga), nourished (both with comfort food and nutritious options) and ready to get a head start on the week so I actually accomplish goals in my future.
And what results? Well, I'm very up to date on my celebrity gossip. I got a little weepy over a great article about a father and daughter that read aloud each night for over 3,000 nights. I'm getting in a blog entry for my blog that absolutely nobody reads. Work? Perhaps about 15% of the way through my goals for the day and I'm already contemplating just heading home.
Ugh, such a great start with such terrible follow through. Maybe that'll be my goal for next week...
First, I sleep in. It's the weekend and the only time I can sleep and not worry about an alarm clock, so I always take advantage of it.
Second, I go to my favorite coffee shop for a coffee and an egg sandwich. Yummy weekend treat.
Third, I go to yoga. Feeling great! And it's only lunch time!
Fourth, I make a healthy lunch choice with a fruit smoothie and a salad. I am sooo on a roll.
Fifth, I come into work. I am alert (non sleep deprived), focused (yoga), nourished (both with comfort food and nutritious options) and ready to get a head start on the week so I actually accomplish goals in my future.
And what results? Well, I'm very up to date on my celebrity gossip. I got a little weepy over a great article about a father and daughter that read aloud each night for over 3,000 nights. I'm getting in a blog entry for my blog that absolutely nobody reads. Work? Perhaps about 15% of the way through my goals for the day and I'm already contemplating just heading home.
Ugh, such a great start with such terrible follow through. Maybe that'll be my goal for next week...
2010-03-26
Ann Coulter
Ok, so here's where I start talking about stuff.
Many of you probably know about the controversy surrounding Anne Coulter's recent visit to Canada. She cancelled an appearance at U of O because of dangerous 'thugs' who were protesting her views. Now, I'm not the one that told a 17 year old Muslim girl to 'ride a camel', nor am I one of the people who caused so much 'danger' outside of the venue, but here's my thought:
Ann Coulter, and other extreme right wingers like her, enjoy causing turmoil and controversy. They do it to excite the population and cause others with those views to get riled up and rise up to fight. I think they're a small percentage with a mighty voice. Those that lean left are often not united (enough) in terms of political positions to have such a mighty voice. In fact, I think what draws people to the left is this very freedom of opinion (we differ, and it's OK for us to differ).
I, for one, would likely not be lining up to see her speak. (In fact, the person who posted on a facebook site saying they would like to "dip her in gravy and lock her in a room with a wolverine high on angel dust" made me laugh and laugh and laugh..) but, she should have been able to speak. If, in fact, it was the protesters who prevented her speech, it's embarrassing. It's the extreme of the left fighting the extreme of the right (neither of whom properly represent the Canadian people).
BUT... was it the protesters?? There are reports out there that seem to indicate that it was Coulter's own people who did the cancelling.... that the timeline itself shows that she had no intention of speaking long before the protesters showed up. Also, that the numbers and the extremism of the protesting was vastly over estimated/exaggerated. What is clear is that the cancellation has caused media attention - people like me are talking about it, where I would have ignored her visit completely otherwise (except for the camel thing, that's just too much). It also fed in perfectly to her Calgary audience the following evening.
As Lainey would say, my smutty sense is tingling...
Many of you probably know about the controversy surrounding Anne Coulter's recent visit to Canada. She cancelled an appearance at U of O because of dangerous 'thugs' who were protesting her views. Now, I'm not the one that told a 17 year old Muslim girl to 'ride a camel', nor am I one of the people who caused so much 'danger' outside of the venue, but here's my thought:
Ann Coulter, and other extreme right wingers like her, enjoy causing turmoil and controversy. They do it to excite the population and cause others with those views to get riled up and rise up to fight. I think they're a small percentage with a mighty voice. Those that lean left are often not united (enough) in terms of political positions to have such a mighty voice. In fact, I think what draws people to the left is this very freedom of opinion (we differ, and it's OK for us to differ).
I, for one, would likely not be lining up to see her speak. (In fact, the person who posted on a facebook site saying they would like to "dip her in gravy and lock her in a room with a wolverine high on angel dust" made me laugh and laugh and laugh..) but, she should have been able to speak. If, in fact, it was the protesters who prevented her speech, it's embarrassing. It's the extreme of the left fighting the extreme of the right (neither of whom properly represent the Canadian people).
BUT... was it the protesters?? There are reports out there that seem to indicate that it was Coulter's own people who did the cancelling.... that the timeline itself shows that she had no intention of speaking long before the protesters showed up. Also, that the numbers and the extremism of the protesting was vastly over estimated/exaggerated. What is clear is that the cancellation has caused media attention - people like me are talking about it, where I would have ignored her visit completely otherwise (except for the camel thing, that's just too much). It also fed in perfectly to her Calgary audience the following evening.
As Lainey would say, my smutty sense is tingling...
2010-03-25
A schtick?
So, it's not that I think anyone is really reading this, but I hope that one day (when I'm independently wealthy) and tons of people read my stuff, you'll all go back and read these early posts. Like I did when I discovered Waiter Rant. I wasted like three days at work reading all those back posts.
Now that guy has a schtick - a waiter ranting about customers and other parts of the job. As a former server myself, I could definitely relate - that drew me in. This once again brings up the topic of a schtick, I can't help but think I need one - you know, to draw people in. So you readers (who are back reading) are smirking, because you are from the future and know what my schtick is.
I, unfortunately, am still trying to figure out what I want to talk about and how I'll parlay that into independent wealth..
For now the best I have is just talking about stuff and telling you things (complex plan, I know). At this point I'm hoping it turns into a cross of John Stewart, Lainey Gossip and the Fug Girls. We'll just have see how this plan goes. (Is 'wish me luck' going to become a thing?)
Now that guy has a schtick - a waiter ranting about customers and other parts of the job. As a former server myself, I could definitely relate - that drew me in. This once again brings up the topic of a schtick, I can't help but think I need one - you know, to draw people in. So you readers (who are back reading) are smirking, because you are from the future and know what my schtick is.
I, unfortunately, am still trying to figure out what I want to talk about and how I'll parlay that into independent wealth..
For now the best I have is just talking about stuff and telling you things (complex plan, I know). At this point I'm hoping it turns into a cross of John Stewart, Lainey Gossip and the Fug Girls. We'll just have see how this plan goes. (Is 'wish me luck' going to become a thing?)
It's a big day...
...I'm about to publish for the first time! I am not going to lie (uh, today - or more specifically, in this upcoming sentence), I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while. So, I know my many, many readers are wondering why I didn't? It's because I didn't have a schtick.
I have absolutely nothing to write about.
There's plenty "I'm a lawyer I hate my job" blogs out there. And really, I don't think I hate my job more than the next guy, certainly not enough to rant about it every day. I have good days and shitty days, just like every other person who must work for a living. Plus, in the grand scheme of things, I make some decent coin. Not really in relation to other lawyers, but in relation to the average income - so who am I to complain? (please don't remind me of this on days I complain).
So why now? I think it's because I have a secret dream that my blog goes viral and I make tons of money off of just saying stuff I think thus allowing me to quit my job and live the dream of independent wealth. The dream that allows me to cease all use of alarm clocks and mix caesar's for breakfast every morning. I'm about 82% sure this will happen to me. But I'm 100% sure it will not happen if I don't write this freakin blog already.
So seriously folks, here goes... (wish me luck.)
I have absolutely nothing to write about.
There's plenty "I'm a lawyer I hate my job" blogs out there. And really, I don't think I hate my job more than the next guy, certainly not enough to rant about it every day. I have good days and shitty days, just like every other person who must work for a living. Plus, in the grand scheme of things, I make some decent coin. Not really in relation to other lawyers, but in relation to the average income - so who am I to complain? (please don't remind me of this on days I complain).
So why now? I think it's because I have a secret dream that my blog goes viral and I make tons of money off of just saying stuff I think thus allowing me to quit my job and live the dream of independent wealth. The dream that allows me to cease all use of alarm clocks and mix caesar's for breakfast every morning. I'm about 82% sure this will happen to me. But I'm 100% sure it will not happen if I don't write this freakin blog already.
So seriously folks, here goes... (wish me luck.)
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