Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

February 25, 2008

Today’s Announcement

Don’t forget to order your copy of Angels Watching Over Me, the story of an ordinary woman facing less than ordinary challenges.  Angels Watching Over Me is a story of family love, sacrifices, poverty and an undying faith that makes heroes out of all of us. Here is the link in case you have forgotten it: http://www.lulu.com/content/964306

Important notice: Storytime Tapestry is a free e-zine, however donations are always needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   You can make your donations to paypal at: winterose@videotron.ca, or if you would prefer to use the mail system contact the publisher at the same email address: winterose@videotron.ca

Today’s Stories

  ~**~**~

 Rebate Scams
 by  Bill Walker
 missourisage@yahoo.com


I was reading about the rebate scams that some is now working on the tax
refund deals.  I think most rebate deals  offered  in many cases is
nothing but a rip off. I have bought  many things, with the promise
of a so called rebate.
 Let me tell you of the last sucker deal I got hit with.
My Little dog became very sick. I take her to the Vet. She is put
in the doggy hospital for a few days. When she's well enough to come
home, I am told it was  food she is stuck with at my poor farm that
caused the whole mess. Here is a bag of food, and it is a super size
bag at that. Cost is right at 50 bucks. This is enough to feed her for
at least a couple years, if she would eat the blasted stuff. The song
and dance is now you'll get the total price back from super pet
food company, maker of this stuff. All you have to do is send in a
copy of the bill, a trade mark deal from a bag, and this other paper
about the deal, and wait a bit, might take up to 6 whole weeks to get
your money back.
Time goes on, and one day it comes to me, it has now been about three
months, and I haven't gotten  a penny back from super pet food
company. The story one gets from the company can run from "we never
got the letter, with all the papers", or "you must have sent it with
something left out," or you made a copy of the bill, and sent
that. Anyway, forget it sucker.
The real sad thing to me is Little Girl took one smell of the stuff, and
said, "What is  this stuff, you trying to force feed me?"  I have the
whole over size bag, sitting here, top open. and a place where the sales
trade mark has been removed.
It is not only  makers of pets food that is working this art. It is
most rebate deals. People  forget after a time, and just go on.
After all the story up front,  you have to wait at least 6 weeks. If
the maker wants you to have a rebate, why not give it up front, when you
buy the crap? The seller could have a form, you buy the stuff, fill
out the form, and the seller can turn it in when the truck pulls in to
restock the rack. I notice Super Pet food truck  in town quite
often. Now Little Girl will nibble at other stuff Super Pet foods
puts out, but this so called special over sized bag, something about
it she says, no way. Wonder if the preacher dog will eat it? You
know preacher will eat any thing that looks like FOOD, maybe dog will
too.
Preacher dog came for a short stay yesterday, I should have tried him
out on the stuff. Well Little Girl had him bluffed. I think he
opened his mouth to do some preaching. She told him to shut up.
if I want something out of you, I will tell you so. She's all girl
you know, plus being a Peke. Takes no crap from no one, don't make
her no never mind the size. She's a right good War Department.
Tink and Poo would be proud of her.
Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5
 

~**~**~

CHRISTIANS AND HINDUS CLASH IN INDIA

Duane Bates

Hindu extremists and Christians have clashed in eastern India over allegations that Christian are trying to convert Hindus from the lowest caste to their religion with the promise of better jobs and higher pay.   Churches and shrines have been burned, a police station attacked and several people have been killed in the battles, with hundreds of Christians fleeing to refugee camps for safety.  A link to the full article is posted below.

The majority of Indians are Hindus, a religion that has a complex set of castes that dictate your role in society and define what jobs you can hold.  Hinduism requires that followers accept their defined roles in the caste system in order to move up in the caste hierarchy in their future lives after death.  This results in little or no opportunity for social and economic mobility.  Globalization and urbanization has substantially increased the ability of lower caste Indians to escape their caste constraints by moving into the large cities where they can lose their caste identity and take on new jobs that increase their income. 

These responses to the social and economic changes that are sweeping India and most of the third world threaten the privileges of the higher castes in India who see that more opportunities for lower caste Indians, the majority, will reduce the economic and educational advantages they have had for generations.  Several years ago a program announced by the government to increase the number of spots in schools and colleges for lower caste persons resulted in street riots by members of the higher castes who realized that the program would reduce the number of educational spots for members of their caste.

Although the lowest caste, referred to as untouchables or Dalits, was officially outlawed by the Indian Constitution in 1950 in reality it still exits and an estimated 100 million Indians still work and live within its constraints.  Many in this caste are virtual slaves, especially at the village level, where they fill the most undesirable jobs and are often the target of discrimination and violence. Moving to a city where no one knows your history and converting to a religion that has no caste system must seem attractive to anyone at the bottom of the social and economic heap who wishes to improve his or her their life.

India is often referred to as the “world’s largest democracy”, and that is true in terms of population, but how democratic can a nation of 1.1 billion people be if 100 million of its citizens are treated as serfs?  The continuing growth of the Indian economy will continue to conflict with the centuries old cultural caste system that is intended to keep people locked into a fix role in society for their entire lives regardless of their talents, abilities or work ethic.  A social, economic and political revolution is underway in India and it will continue to come into conflict with the culture as creativity and ability become more valued than an individual’s place in the caste system. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22433987/

 Duane Bates

batesduane@yahoo.com

Poetry Corner

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SYMPATHY

Dr. Harmander Singh

He was crying. She could not bear his terms. She also started to cry. They were brother and sister. Their aunt saw and said to herself about this affection and sympathy:

What a Grace!

Yes, sympathy is

Real emotional virtue

This is grace

Of human affection,

As if planted

With the seed

Of compassion

Naturally, it grows

With humanly affection

While producing

The fruits of humanly

Love and care, Bhagouauty,

It always survives

In the great days

Of human experiences

When humanly we may fail

Knowing that it is

A great human contribution

Therefore, that virtue prevails.

 Dr. Harmander Singh

bhagouauty@gmail.com

~**~**~

WISDOM

Dr. Harmander Singh

He left his country to search wisdom. Nevertheless, it was difficult for all of those who gave him wisdom to accept that their gratitude was more than they can imagine. He wrote to them saying:

In the darkness

When light is

Unknown to

The human intellect

Searching the sight that is

Beyond

Then mind may seek.

The heart weeps

While soul desires

For the light Bhagouauty,

And in this light

There is one beam

Which is bright and

So bright that

It can dispel

The darkness

Creating the sight of the unknown,

This very beam of light is

A pearl of wisdom; radiating as

A smile of innocence, the child within

Us as if it is the joy of humanity for all.

Dr. Harmander Singh

bhagouauty@gmail.com

 Readers Feedback

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