Cafe N v 17

Welcome to the 17th thread of the series.

About Us

Who we are
We are a group of fun-loving people interested in having unbridled fun and talking about the lighter side of life on Sajha.

We are unapologetic about what we say because we don't put too much thought into our words. We have come to learn after all these episodes that when your goal is unrestrained and harmless fun, you can only be so careful or thoughtful about what you say. We mean no harm towards anyone and welcome everyone to join the fun.

The Cafe series, as it has evolved over the weeks and months, is an effort to create a community of like minded people who want to have fun - or as SNDY likes to says - "be good and have fun". That is the only clause in our one-line constitution.
What do we do in the Cafe?
Meeting, greeting and sharing is what we do a lot of. As well as singing, dancing, needling (one another of course), opining, joking and anything else to kill time. Not to forget serving and partaking virtual lattes, biscottis, tea, coffee, samosas, jalebis and other tasty baked goods that we take out of the Google Images oven. We've also posted videos, dedicated songs, confessed our crushes, talked about weather, food, work, sports - anything that is fun.

History
History is never uncontroversial and ours too might not be free from it.This is version is subject to revision as members deem fit.

This whole thing was started by Hi Nanu and instigated by SNDY. Back in those days, SNDY had so many people to say hi to that she would go on each thread where her friends had posted, and say hi, regardless of what the topic was. It had a positive impact on the site, IMO, because it made conversations lighter and soon others started following that trend and we had several threads where the topic might have been something like the "Collapse of the European Monetary Union" but other than the first few posts, the conversation turned out to be about anything but that.

So one day Hi Dai opened a thread called "Thread for greeting each other". Little did he realize what he had created. That thread filled a vacuum in Sajha, as we saw it, for friendly conversation between people that was free of name calling, personal attacks and caste/creed/school/language prejudices. This was back in the dark days of the caste wars and turf struggles. That thread quickly filled up and reach it's maximum posts in a matter of days and another one was started. And then another and another ...

At that time someone jokingly (perhaps contemptuously) referred to us as the "Nautanki" group. We took on that joke and called our self the Nuatanki Briagade and fulfilled SNDY's long running desire to become a Brigadier. So there were several threads (or episodes as we called them) under the Nautanki banner. We got to a point where we ran the joke to the ground and thought it might be time for a name change. We figured a word like Nautanki can wear out after a while and we suspect it might have deterred some people, who would otherwise have posted, from posting on the thread .

We held a poll on whether or not we should change our name. We decided, by an overwhelming majority, to change the name. It was Juggy who came up with the name "Cafe N". The rest, as they say, is history.

Geography
As of last count, in alphabetical order of countries and US states: Alabama, Australia, Belgium, California, Canada, Connecticut, Denmark, Florida, Illinois, India, Iraq, Italy, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nepal, Netherlands, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Zealand, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, UK, Washington,Washington DC. Some of us haven't disclosed our locations and I might have missed some so the list is probably longer.



Languages
Languages heard in the Cafe: English, Nepali, Punjabi, Hindi, Newari, Sanskrit, French, German, Gujrati, Spanish, Esperanto and mixtures and derivatives thereof. The list is bound to grow as we plan to expand to all the corners of the world - although we haven't quite figured how.

Politics
Constitutional Assembly elections are slated for a some time the future, around NPL2US's recently announced wedding date. The Fun party and the Sun party are running neck to neck so we've figured we are in for some fun and sun regardless of the outcome.

But seriously we tend to leave our politics, class, caste, creed, schooling, religion, Indian idol preferences and anything that could affect the fun on the other side of our keyboards or for other threads. Thapap and Loote may battle it out like there is no tomorrow on other threads, but they've been good buddies here.

How do I join ?
Post something, anything, in the "be good and have fun" spirit and you are guaranteed to receive a warm welcome


Previous editions


(Folks, the above is just my interpretation of things done in the spirit of the Cafe and purely for fun. If there is anything you want changed, added or removed, please let me know)
 

Good morning everybody.
I'll read you later
First with hot coffee

cap saab!
where is the video?

Happy Monday to all my wonderful people..:)

hi everyone!

later hai!

Goood Morning Nautanki Brigadiers!! Rise and Shine :-)

Nice picture there Cerine..

Hey Nepte, k cha?

Capt. saab, weekend was wonderful

Hello Parbatya, TM, Mav, Rythm and rest of the gang..

Where is Loote?

Hi there Parbatya -

To tell you the truth, I completely forgot about the video. Dang, I am becoming an absent minded professor these days .. he he. I'll try and do it next weekend if time permits. What picture of yours shall I put? I hope you can send me a picture that you have in mind (unlike our Brig Ma'am here who is too lazy to even google up her own pic )

NPL2US-da-next-host

Ha ta? Ha ha ... hope you had a good weekend.

Cerine -

Morning! Very reinvigorating picture :)

Brig Ma'am

Here is Loote, still waging the classic mind over mattress battle. In his case, the mattress seems to be winning ...

Hello Hello Hello!!

How is everyone doing today?? I am having a killer time at work!... :(

Captain saap, (as everyone calls you this, I am guessing this is the right way to adress you!!:D) Where is our video? I was sooo excited that I was going to be in a video.... but ALAS... its not here!!

SNDY.... Whats happening? So how did your day after teej turn out?? :D

Lemon!! :D:D Whats happening? You must be in a class right now. So how long before the 2 week notice gets over??

Cerine... Nice pic :D:D

Hi to everyone else... Hope you are having a wonderful Monday!!

CH
That coffee looks very very good....even a non-coffe-drinker like me wanna start :D

how was everyone's weekend? It's was just awesome weekend weather here :)

Capt. saab, google my picture re?? He he..U want me to do it? he he..
Btw, so that's where our Loote is huh?
Rythm, it was fun..went to Mandir..ate lots of fries..

Rythm -

Call me what you want, as long as you talk to me I am happy re kya ... ha ha. But if there is a different way *you* would like to be addressed, besides Queen Rythm, lemme know ... he he.

BTW, please send me the picture you want included. The image I have of you is that of a chic writer like an Anita Desai or a Jhumpa Lahiri or someone in that league:P

Brig Ma'am -

Well if you dont do it, Loote might do it for you. Or what if Thapap does it?

Cerine -

The weekend weather where I was was OK. I am in Boston today and it started out quite pleasant but there is a nip in the air right now.

Where is Tamang Lady today? Brig Ma'am did you convey my message to her? Looks like we need to bring out Hotmaila or Tiger Duala to get her here!!

I don't trust Loote on this..I'm sure he'll find the ugliest picture possible..:) I don't know about Thapap though..he might do the same..he he..

Folks,

According to this article in the Boston Globe, married people actually might make for bad neighbors when compared to others. Thought this might be of interest to some of you.

Am off to get my latte - that picture got me worked up a bit ... ha ha

See ya'll around.

#################

Source: Boston Globe

The  greedy marriage

Two scholars argue that good spouses can make bad neighbors


THE WEDDING SEASON is wrapping up, and many of the newly joined were no doubt advised that love is patient and kind. But now two Massachusetts sociologists say love can also be greedy.

More precisely, marriage can be greedy, according to Naomi Gerstel of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Natalia Sarkisian of Boston College, who have written a paper called "Marriage: the Good, the Bad, and the Greedy." Analyzing two nationwide social surveys, they found that married couples spend less time than singles calling, writing, and visiting with their friends, neighbors, and extended family. According to their research, married people are also less likely to give friends and neighbors emotional support and practical help, such as with household chores.

Gerstel and Sarkisian's research flies in the face of recent academic studies and political speeches arguing that marriage is the endangered cornerstone of a healthy society, benefiting the mental, physical, and financial well-being of children and adults, and, ultimately, their fellow citizens. They argue that marriage may actually, albeit unwittingly, have just the opposite effect - sapping the strength of American communities and diminishing our ability to think and act for the common good.

"Many, bemoaning the retreat from marriage, also mourn the loss of community," they wrote in the Fall 2006 issue of Contexts, a journal of the American Sociological Association. "What these nostalgic discussions do not recognize, ironically, is that marriage and community are often at odds with one another."

While some sociologists have applauded Gerstel and Sarkisian's questioning of conventional wisdom, critics dismiss the "greedy marriage" research, countering the findings with statistics that indicate a greater social involvement among married people. Others say Sarkisian and Gerstel ignore what really supports communities in the long term - the health and welfare of children.

"The purpose of marriage is to raise the next generation," says Kay Hymowitz, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. "And to call that greedy is just an astounding use of the term."

Gerstel and Sarkisian say that they have nothing against marriage. They argue that the nature of the institution in America has changed - in ways that can endanger both society and the marriages themselves. And on this point, it turns out, even their critics agree.

. . .

Over the last century, Americans have become more romantic about marriage, and that's not always a good thing, according to some scholars.

Through the mid-20th century, husbands and wives were expected to fulfill the culturally defined roles as breadwinners and homemakers, what sociologists call the "institutional marriage." But today, as a recent Gallup poll finds, 94 percent of young, unmarried women and men say their primary goal in marriage is finding a soul mate.

More here: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/09/16/the_greedy_marriage/?page=2

Interesting! (and sad)

Man dies after 3-day gaming binge

BEIJING, China -- A man in southern China appears to have died of exhaustion after a three-day Internet gaming binge, state media said Monday.

The 30-year-old man fainted at a cyber cafe in the city of Guangzhou Saturday afternoon after he had been playing games online for three days, the Beijing News reported.

Paramedics tried to revive him but failed and he was declared dead at the cafe, it said. The paper said that he may have died from exhaustion brought on by too many hours on the Internet.

The report did not say what the man, whose name was not given, was playing.

The report said that about 100 other Web surfers "left the cafe in fear after witnessing the man's death."

China has 140 million Internet users, second only to the U.S.. It is one of the world's biggest markets for online games, with tens of millions of players, many of whom hunker down for hours in front of PCs in public Internet cafes.

Several cities have clinics to treat what psychiatrists have dubbed "Internet addiction" in users, many of them children and teenagers, who play online games or surf the Web for days at a time.

Capt. saab, khoji khoji u're finding articles that go against marriage ho?? He he..Pachi heraula..

Cappy :D Queen Rythm and me??? LOL You are one funny man sir! You can call me whatever you want to... AS LONG AS YOU TALK TO ME I AM A HAPPY GIRL!! lol

And let your imagination get wild and find a pic for me. Lets see how you percieve... I guess the pic you insert me will give your opinion about me :D And I am not in the league of those famous writers... Stop embarassing me!!

Interesting news, Rythm. Too much WoW perhaps? (World of Warcraft)

And thanks for giving me a free reign with selecting your pic ... can I delegate the responsibility to Loote by any chance?

Brig Ma'am -

Trust me I am not against marriage or on a witch hunt of married people (not that it would make any difference even if I were). The article showed up in the "Most Popular" section and I thought it was amusing.

I do think though there is some truth to it. Take my cousin for example. Before he was married he'd call at least once a week and want to shoot some pool or play something. Now he barely calls, not just me, but the other cousins as well. I have forwarded the article to him ... ha ha.

Also, it makes sense that married folks might be that way, When you are married, I suppose you have so much to worry and keep you busy that attention to neighbors and family might suffer - especially in the early stages of marriage where people might be totally into one another.

Anyways, like Thapap, what do I know :O

Haddock Sir,
Why would you want to deligate the responsibility to Loote? Thats disheartening!!

Good afternoon ya all! :-)

How is everybody doing here?

Flips--no entry yet?! Wonder whats keeping you away today :-P

Cerine-: Kanchi ko buini--how's it going? Belated thanks for the b'day wishes..sorry, i'm a slacker..

captain--interesting article..how's it going with you? and belated thanks to you as well..

TM/ sndy/ loote/ rhythm/ cleo/camo/lemoney dear/hi_nanu/ and the rest of the cafe N crew---hope alls going wellwith ya all :-)


Good day!!

Rythm -

Jisking .... :) Trying to entice Loote to stop reading and start posting

Avani!!

LTNS! Where have you been, how have you been and what have you been upto? Good to see you here :) What's new at your end?

Later folks.