After nine months of being barred from school for violating the no jewelry rule, the UK's High Court ruled that the Welsh and Punjabi Sikh teenager had a right to wear her religious bangle to school. The court said that the school unlawfully discriminated against Sarika Singh by not letting her wear her Kara (bangle), an essential symbol of the Sikh faith, different from other jewelery. Sarika is the school's only Sikh pupil.
In 2007, the High Court ruled that a girl suffered no discrimination when asked to remove her purity ring, which signifies her belief against premarital sex.
Also last year, a school told a Catholic pupil that she could not wear a crucifix on a chain due to safety concerns, but that she could wear it as a pin.
In 2006, a religious high school declared that non-Muslim girls had to wear headscarves while at school.
For more examples and pictures of the bangled pupil celebrating, read more
I'm not sure what this dog is responding to: the speaker phone function on this phone, or the annoying voice that's being transmitted from it. Either way, let's just assume we're not going to see him standing in those long lines for the next new iPhone. (Don't worry cute dog, I hate technology, too!)
After you've said "I do," it's time to start your life as husband and wife. Even though being a newlywed is no doubt exciting, there are still a lot of decisions to make, and what to do with your money should be pretty high on that list. Since times have changed since our parents got married, merging your bank accounts is no longer the obvious choice when it comes to financial planning. When you factor in duel incomes, prenups, and a high divorce rate into the equation, couples have to protect themselves and their money. Some couples choose to open one joint account and keep another one separate, others keep all their money completely independent of each others. There are those that believe what's mine is yours and merge everything. But is that a good idea? I've yet to experience this so tell me, is pooling all your money after getting married a good or bad idea?
If you live in a city, chances are you know to avoid the streets during the last Friday of every month. That's when the event, Critical Mass, takes over with hoards of bicyclers all gathered together to ride the streets, snarling traffic, and calling attention to the plight of the two-wheeled rider. Some call it a social movement, a celebration, some a protest ride, and others, the mildly creative, "Critical Mess." Whatever the nomenclature, it's a happening that inspires passion — like this video taken at last Friday's Critical Mass ride in New York City.
In the video — especially in the slow-motion replay — it appears as though the police officer approaches the bicyclist and shoves him over. The officer has since been placed on desk duty pending investigation of the incident, but the video fully encompasses the conflicting viewpoints of mass disobedience as a means to enact change. The riders intend to disrupt order. That's the means by which they make their message heard — the thought is if enough people, a critical mass of people, follow suit and subjugate the norm, the norm will be questioned. However, from those on the other end of the "conversation," the disruption caused by these methods does more to denigrate the cause than to gain followers.
To those questioning why the police don't do more to control the event, and perhaps stop events like the one captured in the video, the Seattle Post Intelligencer had this to say yesterday: "police don't exactly have a hands-off policy, but they're not going to devote significant resources to the regular act of civil disobedience."
Is Critical Mass the perfect example of change-inspiring civil demonstration, or is the emphasis really on "disobedience?"
Before: A fresh-faced little girl with her whole life in front of her. After: Damned to eternal bad tattoo hell as the shadowy, gray-toothed, sooty-faced demon. Good job, guys!
Remember the scene in Sex and the City where Carrie reads her book of love letters aloud to Mr. Big? Well apparently it caught the attention of many, because according to an article yesterday in the Telegraph, fans were inundating book sellers with requests for a copy of Love Letters of Great Men. And in typical movie form, the book didn't exist . . . until now. The British firm Macmillan decided to issue a book filled with excerpts from historical figures using the same name — genius, if you ask me!
This news got me thinking about love letters in general. Since times have so drastically changed, love letters seem to be a thing of the past, as are handwritten letters of any kind. I've been lucky enough to have received a love letter, and it will be something that I'll treasure forever, but what about you? Tell me ladies, have you ever received a true love letter from someone special? If so, tell us about it!
After existing in what seems to be a state of perpetual presidential campaign, we're ever so close. Just 100 days left to the big decision! What will you do with your time? What big dates loom before the ballots are cast? Check out the top 10 dates to mark in your calendar for the last 100 days.
Karen Millen
True Religion
7 For All Mankind