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How can you be reached?

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:58:28 -0400

I am easily the most accessible person around. So fill out the contact form on this page. I will certainly respond back.

For the press, I am based in New York City during most part of the year. A couple of occasions every month I attend meetings in Washington DC. And during every winter, I spend about a month in my home town of Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.

What Happened to the Archives?

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:19:42 -0400

Due to changes in hosts/servers and blogging platforms over the years to keep up with technological progresses, Saswat Blog had to archive many aspects of this website separately.

They include, but are not limited to,

1. Thousands of comments which have been received from the readers on this website since its inception. They will reappear very shortly, after being sorted out. In the meantime, feel free to post comments on the new terrific commenting system powered by Haloscan.

2. Dozens of web pages which have been removed from Saswat Blog. Earlier, I used to blog many relevant, interesting and useful links as I stumbled upon them. But in this current version of the site, I have limited the content to only the larger essays and poems written by me and have separated my favorite stumbles for another website (psst...a secret still!).

3. URLs that have a different address now. Please update your bookmark folders to save the articles from this new look of the site.

Why are Comments Moderated?

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:16:51 -0400

I am always delighted that more readers are visiting the blog everyday. That a small personal effort is actually drawing unique and heterogeneous readership from all over the world, is very humbling an experience for me.

However unfortunately, of late this blog is also attracting attention of many right wing, religious fanatics. And I am receiving very offensive comments everyday from some people who think certain religions are superior to certain others. I do not mind being called names, as many have preferred to express their frustrations, but I certainly do not think this blog is any place for verbal abuses. Moreover, many commenters clearly violate the basic philosophy behind this blog.

And hence, much against my wish, since July 2006 I have decided to moderate each comment and approve strictly only those comments that accept this blog’s comment policies. The purpose behind this moderation is two fold: It creates a Safe Place for browsers from all over the world, since it does not propagate hate and does not allow expressions of racism, sexism and hostile reactionary discussions. Two, the blog invites readers who believe in the progress of the world through critical theories and revolutionary means.

What is Saswat Blog?

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:16:04 -0400

Saswat Blog is a regularly updated forum of online activism since 2003.

In the current world order, we are living in a hostile climate moderated by a bunch of capitalist bigwigs. The tools of oppression that the imperialists have used thus far include market economy, sexism, racism, police states, defense forces, national boundaries, and various other forms of discriminations on basis of age, sex, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identities.

These corporate monopolists have been using their vast resources of mental productions, otherwise known as mainstream media, to implicitly and often seductively attempt at imprisoning many progressive collective endeavors to defeat their reactionary moves. Using the media, they have been reinforcing vile stereotypes, religious conservatisms and xenophobic tendencies among people who fall to their calls, willingly and unwillingly. Capitalism’s consequences have been slavery, discriminations, prison systems, religious fundamentalisms, economic class societies, widespread poverty, exploitation against landless, women and children, and unjust wars against the innocent people.