crucial

Kashmiri saffron is darker and stronger than most kinds. I bought about a gram in Himachal Pradesh India for a dollar or two, quite cheap. So now I'm making saffron basmati rice, thinking about them sitting up there in trouble. Its bad. The world isn't responding to the earthquake in the same way as they did the Tsunami. Partly because the Tsunami happened in vacation land, and was physically very unusual and bizarre. Also because international people look down on Pakistan compared to India, though these countries and their borders and distinctions are quite new. Kashmiris aren't really considered Indians by the rest of India. Some guy told me that he was traveling in India (with his Israeli girlfriend) and the policeman pulled him off the train and took his money, just because he was Kashmiri. I met some really nice guys, but also I have to say the only people I ever had money problems with were all Kashmiris. This is perhaps because the tourist industry in Indian Kashmir is mostly shut down due to fighting and so all the sharks move down into India and drive Rickshaws and sell Jewellery everywhere. Tibettans and Kashmiris do not get along. Even in deep south India you see Kashmiris selling Tibettan heirlooms for way too much. DIfferent stories on the Pakistani side I'm sure. Its getting really cold up there. They really need help now. Right now. Update: Oct 31, 2005 (after the New Delhi bombings by separatists) Oh yeah, the reason the Indians don't consider Kashmiris proper Indians and the reason that police treat Kashmiris like shit is that some Kashmiris insist on blowing up Indians just to remind everybody that they are separatist. Everybody is aghast that this stupid conflict means more to these people than the tragedy of the Kashmiri people themselves. That is nothing new. The Indian army also has a long history of raping and terrorizing the locals. Some people at commented that the Pakistani military profits off the war to such a degree that they will never allow peace. Its not that they actually care about Kashmir. So its entirely possible the recent bombing was Pak supported to ward off any chance of the line of control being weakened. Gotta make that Rupee.