Owner: Akaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism URL:http://www.maharaj.org/blog.shtml Join Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:31:05 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Akaash Maharaj's projects, articles, broadcasts, and blog serving the public good and advancing the national interest. On politics, public policy, liberalism, and foreign affairs. Site statistics:Click here
Akaash Maharaj - Blog: Groomed for the Sword - Day 3 of the International Tent Pegging Championships 2007-03-21 21:49:03 The rider preceding me was a member of India's national team, the defending world equestrian skill-at-arms champions. I cringed as I saw his horse gather momentum in deceleration lane, swing to the right at the very end, and thereby fling him bodily into the wall. The horse then galloped off to return to the food, water, and quiet of the stables, leaving the rider limp on the ground as the paramedics scrambled... My horse Shomool predictably lengthened his stride in the deceleration lane, lowered his head, and prepared to add me to the body count. Read more:Championships
, International
, Sword
Akaash Maharaj - Maclean's 50: Return of the Prodigal Sons 2007-03-20 21:10:03 My commentary for the Maclean
's 50 attempts to put the budget into a historical context: in essence, the most conservative party ever to govern our country has brought in the most etatiste budget in our history. Politics have always been Canada's national theatre, but surrealism and farce have apparently never been more in vogue. Read more:Prodigal
, Return
Akaash Maharaj - Photocast: Individual Lance at the International Tent Pegging Championships 2007-03-20 15:44:03 A photocast of the individual lance with ground targets discipline, at the 2007 International
Tent Pegging Championships
, the world equestrian skill-at-arms games. I am riding an assigned horse named Shomool, representing Canada, and wearing UNICEF's emblem. The lance is not my favoured weapon, and Shomool and I fared modestly in this discipline, on the first day of the championships. We would, however, redeem ourselves the following day. A full account of the games is at my March 2007 blog. Read more:Individual
, Lance
Practice Run at the International Tent Pegging Championships - Akaash Maharaj Photocast 2007-03-18 16:36:03 A photocast of my practice run with the lance at the 2007 International
Tent Pegging Championships
, the world equestrian skill-at-arms games. My horse, Shomool, is galloping through the course at a greater speed than I had ever experienced on horseback. I am holding the lance at a rather desperate distance from our bodies to stave off the obvious calamity, and I have lost the nearside stirrup. Miraculously, we both survived to repeat our folly mere minutes later. A full account of the games is at my March 2007 blog. Read more:Practice
Riders at the International Tent Pegging Championships - Akaash Maharaj Photocast 2007-03-16 06:33:01 A photocast of the opening ceremonies of the 2007 International
Tent Pegging Championships
, the world equestrian skill-at-arms games. Riders
from across the world gathered in the Sultante of Oman to represent our countries in this 2500 year-old cavalry sport of sword, lance, and horsemanship. I am the nearest rider, and carry the pennant of UNICEF from my lance, as I rode for both Canada and the United Nations Children's Fund. Other riders carry their respective regimental pennants, while our national flags flutter from the flagpoles in the background.
Akaash Maharaj - Globe and Mail: Living by the Sword 2007-02-26 17:15:02 As if being a tent pegger is insufficiently absurd on its own, I found myself practising for the upcoming world championships in -30C weather, some 65C lower than the likely temperatures at the competition itself. Peter Cheney of the Globe
and Mail dropped by to observe the sport of sword and lance, and to ask a few questions between chattering teeth. I am only pleased that I managed to avoid demonstrating the horseback pole-vaulting catastrophe that he described... Read more:Living
, Sword
Sword, Lance, and Adrenaline - Akaash Maharaj Podcast 2007-02-09 16:15:01 Andy Barrie tries, largely in vain, to restrain his mirth as we discuss the upcoming world equestrian skill-at-arms championships in Oman, at which I will represent the country as a member of UNICEF Team Canada. The segment was originally broadcast on CBC Radio One's Metro Morning. Read more:Adrenaline
, Lance
, Podcast
, Sword
Akaash Maharaj - Projects: Tent Pegging with UNICEF Team Canada 2007-02-08 14:55:02 Of my many eccentricities, none is as improbable as my involvement in tent pegging. Often referred to as equestrian skill-at-arms, the sport has a mounted cavalier riding at a full gallop across a timed course, on the flat and over jumps, using sword and lance to smite a succession of ground and elevated targets. Yes, really... Like most tent peggers, I was introduced to the sport through service in a cavalry regiment. Seat a man on a horse, hand him a sword, and set him off at a gallop: any ability to resist tent pegging will immediately abandon him. Read more:Canada
, Projects
, UNICEF
Are Canadian Political Parties Afraid of the Dark? - Akaash Maharaj Videocast 2007-01-29 00:05:01 CBC Television's The Hour canvasses Bob Rae, John Tory, Olivia Chow, and me on why Canada has yet to see a visible minority party leader. Ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime, the programme included calls for "affirmative action" and more American football in Canadian
politics.
Integrity and the Liberal Leadership - Akaash Maharaj Videocast 2007-01-01 23:15:01 Sarika Sehgal of CBC Newsworld interviews me on my support for Stephane Dion, and on how the Liberal
Party can re-animate Canadians' passion for politics. With the convention behind us and the election before us, the question of civic engagment in the political process is more crucial than ever. Read more:Integrity
, Leadership
Politics and Principles - Akaash Maharaj Podcast 2006-11-28 07:30:01 In the wake of the Quebecois Nation issue, TV Ontario's The Agenda asks if politics and principles are Canada's true twin solitudes. With Steve Paikin as moderator, Val Meredith for the Conservatives, Robin Sears for the NDP, and I for the Liberals. Read more:Podcast
, Principles
Akaash Maharaj - Advisory: Endorsement of Stephane Dion 2006-11-27 08:13:01 Throughout his decades of public service, Stephane Dion has consistently displayed political courage, loyalty to the national interest, and irreproachable personal integrity... Stephane is the Prime Minister Canada deserves and the leader the Liberal Party needs. Read more:Advisory
, Endorsement
Who Wants to be a Party Leader? - Akaash Maharaj Podcast 2006-02-01 14:30:01 Ottawa Morning, CBC Radio One's news and current affairs programme in the national capital, explores the question of why the field of candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party
of Canada appears to be contracting. Hallie Cotnam hosted in Ottawa and I participated from Toronto. Read more:Leader
, Podcast
The Fall of Paul Martin - Akaash Maharaj Podcast 2006-01-25 14:30:01 Former Cabinet Minister Herb Dhaliwal and I review the long road for Paul Martin
from his triumphal entry as Liberal leader to his humble departure after the general election. Read more:Podcast
Visionary Politics - Akaash Maharaj Podcast 2006-01-05 14:30:01 A feature-length CBC Radio One national debate between Judy Rebick of the NDP, Adam Daifallah of the Conservative Party, and myself on visionary politics in Canada. Read more:Podcast
, Visionary
Political Machines - Akaash Maharaj Podcast 2005-12-15 14:30:01 The CBC's Anna Maria Tremonti and I discuss the role or organisation, policy, and machine politics in the Liberal Party of Canada, in this nationally broadcast Radio One special. Read more:Podcast
Akaash Maharaj - Maclean's 50: Revolution less than Tranquille 2007-03-27 21:35:03 In the wake of the tectonic changes wrought by last night's election in Quebec, my commentary for the Maclean
's 50 argues that the greatest rebuff to the separatists is not that the PQ was humbled, but that it was supplanted by the ADQ, whose position on sovereignty is at best opaque and at worst intentionally obfuscatory. Quebeckers did not simply reject the PQ's answer to the question of separatism; they rejected the question itself. Nevertheless, there is much in the rise of the ADQ that should disquiet us all.
Akaash Maharaj - Maclean's 50: Not Always Getting Their Man 2007-03-31 23:55:03 With the RCMP disgorging scandals week after week, I argue in my commentary for the Maclean
's 50 that the government's response, or lack thereof, is a cautionary tale for all of us involved in the political process: it is far too easy for those who sincerely wish to change politics to instead be changed by politics.
Akaash Maharaj - Blog: Flashing Some Skin - Day 4 of the International Tent Pegging Championships 2007-03-31 20:10:03 After two full days of competition at the world equestrian skill-at-arms championships, we were given a day off to relax... No one has truly lived until he has witnessed a man trying to pick up a woman in sartorial hijab... She giggled, looked about furtively, and flashed him some skin by momentarily raising the corner of her headscarf to reveal a few centimetres of forehead. Read more:Championships
, International
Akaash Maharaj - Blog: Formation Stallion Rage - Day 5 of the International Tent Pegging Championships 2007-04-03 06:35:03 The world equestrian skill-at-arms championships resumed with group disciplines, in which sets of cavaliers riding abreast would gallop down a course, to simultaneously vie for targets lined-up within the space of a few metres... The stallion's instinct to bridle against the incursions of other males immediately rushed to my horse Shomool's head. As the starter's flag dropped, he made one last attempt to savage the horse to our nearside, before lurching forward... With his most forceful lunge, Shomool still failed to escape me to reach the other horse, but he did manage to unseat me, leaving my pride dented but my body intact. Read more:Championships
, Formation
, International
Akaash Maharaj - Photocast: Group Lance at the International Tent Pegging Championships 2007-04-03 17:05:03 On the first day of group competition at the world equestrian skill-at-arms games in the Gulf States, I was matched with riders from the Oman National Team, and we galloped four abreast through the course. Competing in UNICEF's colours, I am using a lance in my right hand to strike at a ground target, and using the reins in my left hand to restrain my horse Shomool from savaging the neighbouring rider. A full account of the games is at my March 2007 blog. Read more:Championships
, Group
, International
, Lance
Akaash Maharaj - Photocast: Group Sword at the International Tent Pegging Championships 2007-04-05 16:10:03 On the final day of competition at the world equestrian skill-at-arms championships in Oman, my horse Shomool remained in a surly mood. The rider to our left is keeping a considered distance, as Shomool had just attempted to deliver a slaying kick to his horse; Shomool's rear hooves came within centimetres of the intended victim. The warhorse's wayward bloodlust would remain with Shomool for the rest of the competition, and he seemed dejected that I insisted on coming between him and his wrath. A full account of the games is at my March 2007 blog. Read more:Championships
, Group
, International
, Sword
Akaash Maharaj - Blog: Farewell to Arms - Day 6 of the International Tent Pegging Championships 2007-04-05 01:20:03 The final day of the world equestrian skill-at-arms championships was upon us... My horse Shomool exploded forward, then suddenly leapt into the air and threw out a killing blow with his hind legs towards the Omani horse... There is no greater athletic privilege than representing our country in competition, and no greater virtue than to strive in a noble cause, even if both these efforts involve a sport as outlandish as mine. I believe it is fair to say that I exceeded expectations in my results at the International
Tent Pegging Championships
. Far more importantly, however, I hope I represented Canada with honour, and made howsoever modest a contribution to the cause of the world's children with UNICEF. Read more:Farewell
Individual Lance at the International Tent Pegging Championships - Akaash Maharaj Photocast 2007-03-20 15:44:03 A photocast of the individual lance with ground targets discipline, at the world equestrian skill-at-arms championships in Oman. I am riding an assigned horse named Shomool, representing Canada, and wearing UNICEF's emblem. The lance is not my favoured weapon, and Shomool and I fared modestly in this discipline, on the first day of the championships. We would, however, redeem ourselves the following day. A full account of the games is at my March 2007 blog. Read more:Championships
, Individual
, International
, Lance
Practice Run at the International Tent Pegging Championships - Akaash Maharaj Photocast 2007-03-18 16:36:03 A photocast of my practice run with the lance at the world equestrian skill-at-arms championships in Oman. My horse, Shomool, is galloping through the course at a greater speed than I had ever experienced on horseback. I am holding the lance at a rather desperate distance from our bodies to stave off the obvious calamity, and I have lost the nearside stirrup. Miraculously, we both survived to repeat our folly mere minutes later. A full account of the games is at my March 2007 blog. Read more:Championships
, International
, Practice
Opening Ceremonies at the International Tent Pegging Championships - Akaash Maharaj Photocast 2007-03-16 06:33:01 A photocast of the opening ceremonies of the world equestrian skill-at-arms championships. Riders from across the world gathered in the Sultante of Oman to represent our countries in this 2500 year-old cavalry sport of sword, lance, and horsemanship. I am the nearest rider, and carry the pennant of UNICEF from my lance, as I rode for both Canada and the United Nations Children's Fund. Other riders carry their respective regimental pennants, while our national flags flutter from the flagpoles in the background. A full account of the games is at my March 2007 blog. Read more:Championships
, International
Akaash Maharaj - Blog: Belligerence and Vulgarity Hazard Training 2007-04-06 23:57:03 Anyone involved in Canadian politics today should have a high tolerance for belligerent vulgarity. Fortunately, the Planearium character generator gives us all a chance to visualise ourselves in such a milieu, by projecting ourselves into the scatalogically offensive world of South Park. Read more:Hazard
, Training
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