Experience with a Muslim
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Demonization, I understand now is a tool, since reading 1984 I have a very different view of it. Our civilisation has been doing it for EON's. People love to see the world in black and white, "they are not like us", "their culture is so different" etc, these things are never that simple, thoughts like theses are driven by ignorance or laziness, seeing the world through shade of gray just doesn't appeal. This is not to say however, that don't demonize us, 'cos they seem to be masters of it ... the blame lies on both sides ... Regards Ray "Je Suis Mort De Rire"
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. I have known, become friends with, and worked with a few myself (here in the USA). They all have been good people. Obviously, not all those that call themselves Muslims are "bad", and it is stupid to say otherwise. However, it is important to remember that doing things like 'pointing out the observation that a high percentage of the terrorist attacks on the US and its allies are coming from people/groups that identify themselves as "Muslims"' is not demonizing them - it is calling it like it is. I would say more, but I do not want to leave openings for a stupid flame war on "profiling"... :| :suss: :| Peace! -=- James
If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Tip for new SUV drivers: Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
DeleteFXPFiles & CheckFavorites (Please rate this post!) -
[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. Darn, just erased 5 minutes of my reply. Short version follows: Unfortunatly no it is not hard to believe that. Mankind has often thought you are evil and ignorant if you are not just like me. I see it even here at CP. We all must constantly remind ourselves this person is most likely very similar to me, with the same goals for themselves, family and friends as I do. SO rather than flaming back, say "hey Friend, I must have missunderstood you. It sounded like @@@@@@@@@@@@@@". My 5 to you. I do not mind getting old. It beats all the other options that I can think of.
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
That's a beautiful story. :) If there's one thing I've learnt in my life, it's that people everywhere are fundamentally the same. Treat most people with courtesy, and they'll reply with kindness. :rose: Anna :rose: Riverblade Ltd - Software Consultancy Services Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "Be yourself - not what others think you should be" - Marcia Graesch "Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart" - A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. Darn, just erased 5 minutes of my reply. Short version follows: Unfortunatly no it is not hard to believe that. Mankind has often thought you are evil and ignorant if you are not just like me. I see it even here at CP. We all must constantly remind ourselves this person is most likely very similar to me, with the same goals for themselves, family and friends as I do. SO rather than flaming back, say "hey Friend, I must have missunderstood you. It sounded like @@@@@@@@@@@@@@". My 5 to you. I do not mind getting old. It beats all the other options that I can think of.
Michael A. Barnhart wrote: Unfortunatly no it is not hard to believe that. Mankind has often thought you are evil and ignorant if you are not just like me. I see it even here at CP. I've seen it too, but I still get surprised when it happens. Oh, well, I'm a hopeless idealist. :) Michael A. Barnhart wrote: We all must constantly remind ourselves this person is most likely very similar to me, with the same goals for themselves, family and friends as I do. SO rather than flaming back, say "hey Friend, I must have missunderstood you. It sounded like @@@@@@@@@@@@@@". 5. Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
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That's a beautiful story. :) If there's one thing I've learnt in my life, it's that people everywhere are fundamentally the same. Treat most people with courtesy, and they'll reply with kindness. :rose: Anna :rose: Riverblade Ltd - Software Consultancy Services Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "Be yourself - not what others think you should be" - Marcia Graesch "Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart" - A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: That's a beautiful story. [surprised]It is?[/surprised] [recovers quickly and takes a theatrical bow] Thank you, thank you, thank you! :-D Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. Some people? You mean the ones you wish to demonize? "Capitalism is the source of all true freedom."
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. You can't draw conclusions on a whole group after just meeting one person. You could have written the same story with any kind of people and that do not prove anything. Nevertheless, I am convinced that only a small part of the world muslim population is having showing towards non muslim but these people are certainly gaining influence in some regions of the world. All the german people I know are very kind and it all the more make sens to wonder how Hitler was democraticaly ellected.
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Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. I have known, become friends with, and worked with a few myself (here in the USA). They all have been good people. Obviously, not all those that call themselves Muslims are "bad", and it is stupid to say otherwise. However, it is important to remember that doing things like 'pointing out the observation that a high percentage of the terrorist attacks on the US and its allies are coming from people/groups that identify themselves as "Muslims"' is not demonizing them - it is calling it like it is. I would say more, but I do not want to leave openings for a stupid flame war on "profiling"... :| :suss: :| Peace! -=- James
If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Tip for new SUV drivers: Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
DeleteFXPFiles & CheckFavorites (Please rate this post!)Reminds me of a callin on a rock radio station I heard when I was young. The caller asked why all rockers were hippies/druggies. As the host said, "most hippies/druggies are rockers, but most rockers are not hippies/druggies". Tom Archer - Visual C++ MVP Archer Consulting Group.com
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Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. I have known, become friends with, and worked with a few myself (here in the USA). They all have been good people. Obviously, not all those that call themselves Muslims are "bad", and it is stupid to say otherwise. However, it is important to remember that doing things like 'pointing out the observation that a high percentage of the terrorist attacks on the US and its allies are coming from people/groups that identify themselves as "Muslims"' is not demonizing them - it is calling it like it is. I would say more, but I do not want to leave openings for a stupid flame war on "profiling"... :| :suss: :| Peace! -=- James
If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Tip for new SUV drivers: Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
DeleteFXPFiles & CheckFavorites (Please rate this post!)James R. Twine wrote: However, it is important to remember that doing things like 'pointing out the observation that a high percentage of the terrorist attacks on the US and its allies are coming from people/groups that identify themselves as "Muslims"' is not demonizing them - it is calling it like it is. That reminds me of a mythical Andy Rooney quote: "When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling, it is the law of statistics. "
"Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who put them into action are priceless." - Unknown
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Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. I have known, become friends with, and worked with a few myself (here in the USA). They all have been good people. Obviously, not all those that call themselves Muslims are "bad", and it is stupid to say otherwise. However, it is important to remember that doing things like 'pointing out the observation that a high percentage of the terrorist attacks on the US and its allies are coming from people/groups that identify themselves as "Muslims"' is not demonizing them - it is calling it like it is. I would say more, but I do not want to leave openings for a stupid flame war on "profiling"... :| :suss: :| Peace! -=- James
If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Tip for new SUV drivers: Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
DeleteFXPFiles & CheckFavorites (Please rate this post!)James R. Twine wrote: However, it is important to remember that doing things like 'pointing out the observation that a high percentage of the terrorist attacks on the US and its allies are coming from people/groups that identify themselves as "Muslims"' is not demonizing them Not at all, I quite agree. That was not the 'demonizing' I had in mind. Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
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Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: That's a beautiful story. [surprised]It is?[/surprised] [recovers quickly and takes a theatrical bow] Thank you, thank you, thank you! :-D Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: [surprised]It is?[/surprised] It sure is hun. :) Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: [recovers quickly and takes a theatrical bow] Thank you, thank you, thank you! Anytime. :rose: Anna :rose: Riverblade Ltd - Software Consultancy Services Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "Be yourself - not what others think you should be" - Marcia Graesch "Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart" - A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: [surprised]It is?[/surprised] It sure is hun. :) Vikram A Punathambekar wrote: [recovers quickly and takes a theatrical bow] Thank you, thank you, thank you! Anytime. :rose: Anna :rose: Riverblade Ltd - Software Consultancy Services Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "Be yourself - not what others think you should be" - Marcia Graesch "Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart" - A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
Get a room ! ;)
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Life should be about people not labels :love: The tigress is here :-D
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[Not a programming question, not an ad, nothing that your kid sister shouldn't read, and certainly nothing that incites hatred, so I thought I'd post it in the Lounge :) ] [Also, I've known plenty of Muslims and have had Muslim friends (at school, college and in the neighborhood), it's just that this experience was something out of the ordinary and I thought I'd share it with you guys] So I was driving through a new part of town and found myself lost. I stopped an old Muslim on the street and asked him how to get to Kodambakkam railway station. He gave me complicated directions, and I didn't understand. Then he said, "I'm going part of the way myself. You drop me off there and I'll tell you the way from there" and I agreed. I noticed that he spoke Tamil (the local language here) with a faint accent, and I guessed he spoke Urdu like a lot of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. I dropped him off where he wanted to go and he told me the directions from there, and they were pretty simple. I thanked him, and said "Shukriya"* and "Khuda hafiz"**. He became profusely happy and repeated the directions and asked me, this time in Urdu if I got the directions right. I smiled back and said I did, and we went our ways. It's hard to believe some people are out to demonize men like the one I met. :( * "Thank You" in Urdu ** "May God protect you" in Urdu Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
Anyone remember the TV show Dinosaurs, with the Jim Henson muppet-like dinosaurs? (They probably were) One episode covered a war with other dinosaurs. They used CNN-like tv coverage, showing WAR (We Are Right), and how 4-leggers couldn't trust 2-leggers, etc., even though they were neighbors and friends. With the absence of all the facts, people will be trained to think 1 way. Top 10 Geek Resulutions: 5. To decipher what that big room is, which has the blue ceiling and poor climate control.
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Life should be about people not labels :love: The tigress is here :-D
Succinctly put. :) Cheers, Vikram.
http://www.geocities.com/vpunathambekar "You still have the coolest name on CodeProject." — David Wulff to me.
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Get a room ! ;)
Are you from Peckham? :laugh: Anna :rose: Riverblade Ltd - Software Consultancy Services Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "Be yourself - not what others think you should be" - Marcia Graesch "Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart" - A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.
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Demonization, I understand now is a tool, since reading 1984 I have a very different view of it. Our civilisation has been doing it for EON's. People love to see the world in black and white, "they are not like us", "their culture is so different" etc, these things are never that simple, thoughts like theses are driven by ignorance or laziness, seeing the world through shade of gray just doesn't appeal. This is not to say however, that don't demonize us, 'cos they seem to be masters of it ... the blame lies on both sides ... Regards Ray "Je Suis Mort De Rire"
Ray Kinsella wrote: seeing the world through shade of gray just doesn't appeal You are right people find it easier to make black and white decisions. Yet when we do so, we lose all the other colored crayons in the box. Differences in religion is such a difficult thing for people to tolerate. Our belief in God is core to so many of us. When our core doesn't appear to match up with other peoples core, then we become afraid or confused. These are hard issues to work through. I finally came to the place where I know what I believe, I don't have to figure it all out, and I don't have to convince you to believe what I do. However, don't force me to believe what you believe. The truth will stand on it's own.
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Life should be about people not labels :love: The tigress is here :-D
Definitely. I've been "labelled" a fair few times in the last few years, and in many cases people used the labels with the intention of causing pain. People are people. :rose: Anna :rose: Riverblade Ltd - Software Consultancy Services Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "Be yourself - not what others think you should be" - Marcia Graesch "Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart" - A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.