100 Years Ago........Simpler Times

THE YEAR 1909


This will boggle your mind, I know it did mine!
The year is 1909.
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1909 :

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The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only


Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.


Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.


There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles
Of paved roads.


The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.


The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!


The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.


The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.


A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.


Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which

Were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '


Sugar cost four cents a pound.


Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.


Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.


Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used

Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.


Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from

Entering into their country for any reason.


Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke


The American flag had 45 stars.


The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!


Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea Hadn't been invented yet.


There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.




Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health'


Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.


There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE! USA!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

Malta-The most picturesque port on our 6-country cruise itinerary.

Malta

The last port on our cruise is Valetta, Malta. Malta is a five-island country between Africa and Europe that is one of the most Catholic (320 churches on this tiny nation), and new to the EU. Known for its Knights of St John, Falcons, and being the most bombed nation in WWII. More than ½ million cruise tourists visit this charming port annually. Malta has its own language which is derived from Arabic and peppered with Italian. Most residents, however, speak English, as it was a British colony until 1964 when it declared independence.

I agree with everyone who feels this port is the most picturesque of all those on our tour. In fact, this port exemplifies picturesque!

I decided to tour the entire island by boarding a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour bus (15E). From atop the double-decker bus, we saw breathtaking views of this stunning island from the scenic coastal ways to the mazes inside the cobblestone streets of small villages.

Highlights of the tour included Fort Saint Elmo, St John Cathedral, a glass blowing factory, and the walled city of MDINA. The 8-pointed cross from the Crusading Knights can be seen everywhere.

Cruise Vacation-Two Days in Cairo

Cairo from cruise NCL December 15-16, 2009

After connecting With Carolyn via Cruise Critic, I joined her group on the Cairo overnight tour with MemphisTours.com. There were 13 in our group. We booked our hotel, The Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino, separately. I used reward points. The hotel is a former palace, built in the style of Versailles, to impress foreign dignitaries for the ceremony of opening of The Suez canal www.Cairomarriotthotel.com (description later in this post)

Day 1
A 5AM wake-up call found me excited about the adventure that awaited me.
My room service breakfast arrived on time and I met our group in the lobby (near reception) at 6:30AM. After disembarking at 7AM, we waited 20 minutes for our tour guide to arrive (much longer than all the other groups). We knew the drive to Giza was a 3-hour journey. We did not leave the port until 8AM—it seemed we were the last group to depart. Our van was old and not well-maintained.

In addition to our English speaking tour guide were the driver and a security professional dressed in black and packing a weapon, for our protection. Later, we realized this was standard protocol. Security is a major issue in Egypt—even the museums have metal detectors. As a result, I felt safer.

One of the first lessons from our tour guide was how to say, no thank you. La’ Shokran. He insists it will help deter the profoundly aggressive Giza vendors. (I kept it written inside my hand and referred to it periodically).

As we rode thru Alexandria, our guide pointed to sites: the library, the largest in the world; the stadium, the 2nd largest in the world.

I was surprised to see so many women wearing the full body abeya and for those not fully covered-they covered their heads.

There was such a mix of old and new.

Of note, Egypt was dominated by foreigners for 2600 years ending in 1952 with the 1st of only 3 Egyptian rulers.

Our Egyptologist joined us, en route. It took a while to adjust our ear to her dialect. She immersed herself in the study of Egyptian history and antiquities for more than six years. She is passionate and conscientious. She kept her head covered but wore western attire.

The ride was long yet well worth the time investment: I was moved to tears when the pyramids finally emerged on the horizon. It is for me, one of the most spectacular sites I have seen. It was the visit of a lifetime—a dream come true—to visit the Pyramids at Giza!!
I was in heaven!

Our first stop was the great pyramid, Khufu/Cheops (c. 2589BC). Next we stopped at a site where all 3 pyramids (tombs for father, son, and grandson) can be viewed. More great photo opps here. Then we walked over to the area where camel owners took riders on tours. Several in our group took camel rides. I took photos with camels, instead.

Our van drove us the end point of the camel caravan. There, we waited for the camel riders and took more photos. I got one of my best shots from this point.

Next, we drove to the famously photographed point where the Great Sphinx dominates the scene and the tomb of its creator, the Middle Pyramid of Khafre/Chephrenis, rests in the foreground. Another magnificent moment for this world traveler and lover of history.

Our guide took us inside a tomb next to the Sphinx and shared the history of its architecture. There we saw the seating for the nightly sound and light show. Perhaps I will see that on my next trip.

Of note, yes the vendors were aggressive but I have experienced far worse (Great Wall of China, Nassau markets etc.) AND I repeatedly replied La’ Shokran. They do a lot of bait-and-switch promotions. For example: one guy showed me a packet containing miniatures of the 3 pyramids PLUS Sphinx. He shouted ONE DOLLAR. (Yes, they take dollars in many tourist areas). My interest was stirred because I collect miniatures of famous sites all over the world. One dollar is always a good price for me! When I expressed interest, he clarified one dollar per item—which means $4 instead of $1 for the lot. I turned away and walked ahead. He immediately lowered the price; I kept rejecting his lowered rates. Three Dollars, then two dollars he cried out! I had agreed to ONE DOLLLAR---besides, I only had a ONE DOLLAR BILL folded inside my pocket (I left my purse on the tour bus for safekeeping).
At last, he conceded, OK ONE DOLLAR! We had a deal. I was deeply satisfied with my purchase.

I came, I saw, I conquered. I would add the “marble” miniatures to my Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Roman Coliseum, Taj Mahal, Big Ben, Great Wall, Corcavado, Liberty Bell, Parthenon, Arch de Triomphe, St Louis Arch, Golden Gate Bridge, Mannekin-Pis, Irish Leprechaun, Indonesian Garuda, Vietnamese Water girl, Seattle Needle, Chicago skyline etc.

I took more photos in front of the Sphinx. A guard volunteered to take me “touching the tip of the pyramid” and “kissing” the Sphinx. They reminded me of the shots I took with The Taj Mahal.

There was so much to savor.

Next, we drove 45 minutes to Memphis, the first capital of a united Egypt. What has been discovered there is gathered in a small, open-air museum. The first site there is the Sphinx of Memphis (largest calcite statue ever found). Naturally, many were gathered to take photographs. Most impressive, in its own viewing pavillion, was the colossal limestone Statue of Ramses II. It fills the building and can be viewed from two levels. The detail and massive-size of the great work rendered me speechless and in awe of ancient builders.

Our last site would close by 4 so (although we were starving) we headed there next. It was Saqqara, the site of Egypt’s earliest pyramid (c. 2650BC), the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Once again, I was blown away by the scale and sturdiness of the structures here. This remarkable structure marks a leap forward in the history of world architecture. Until then, Egyptian royal tombs had been underground rooms, covered with low, flat, mud brick. This trailblazing work was built with stone with 6 mastabas placed on top of one another. The last stage in pyramid building, from stepped to smooth-sided, took only 65 years. The Step Pyramid was the model for later tombs including the trio at Giza, which are perfectly formed, smooth-sided tombs.

One of the highlights of Saqqara was next. We toured the Tomb of Mereruka, with it’s famously, well preserved statue emerging from a “false” door. We toured its extensive complex of 33 underground chambers. Impressive were the prolific, intricate wall-paintings depicting hunters, tax evaders, farmers and more scenes from everyday life.

The Pyramid of Teti was next. Some of us crawled inside the descending, narrowing passage to reach the bottom I was dreading every moment, realizing I am somewhat claustrophobic (BTW, I would do it again!). Highlights were the ceiling decorated with stars, the walls inscribed with sections of Pyramid texts, and the king’s giant basalt sarcophagus.

Lunch. FINALLY.

We went to a “traditional” (recreated for tourists, of course) village complete with bread makers and musicians for a traditional Egyptian Feast. The tastes and smells were familiar: they brought heaping platters of pita, Swarma, hummus, tzitki, lamb, chicken, salad, Baklava and more.

It really hit the spot even though we waited TOO long to dine. Next time, I will pack extra lunch. I am glad I had brought banana and a muffin from the ship!

Next, some in the group wanted to shop for cartouche jewelry. We took them there and waited long for them to order. Next, that group wanted to buy souvenirs at a cotton factory. Inside were typical, uninspiring items that I could purchase for less, in the US. Civil war almost broke out in our group because we were way behind schedule—needing to check into our hotel—during rush hour—in time to make our 8PM Nile dinner cruise. Nonetheless, some wanted to continue shopping at the massive Khan al-Khalili, one of the largest bazaars in the Middle East. Surely some in our group would get lost there AND we would undoubtedly miss our Nile Cruise. I came to Egypt to see Egypt—NOT to shop for overpriced T-shirts for distant relatives!!!! We had agreed no perfume or papyrus factories because we did not want to waste precious time buying stuff we did not NEED. Finally, we agreed to save Khan al-Khalili Bazaars for the next day, and to head directly to our hotel. Traffic was sooooo congested, we feared we would not arrive in time to check in, shower, and make the dinner cruise on time. We had spent the day in the windy sandy dessert and were in NEED of cleansing. Unfortunately, all we had time for was to check in and leave our luggage with the concierge. There was much debate about going to our rooms or not. I was the voice of reason, insisting we should give up the notion of the Nile dinner cruise if we were to attempt visiting our room in this massive former palace hotel.

FINALLY, they agreed we should head directly to our Nile cruise ship in this fiercely congested traffic.

Our people-pleasing tour guide was not helpful in guiding the decisions of this polarized first time group to Egypt.

The Nile dinner cruise was a bountiful buffet of traditional Egyptian dishes. Entertainment was 1) belly dancer and 2) whirling dervish spinning around in his brightly colored, muti-layered, flared costume

Back to the hotel after 10PM. I explored a bit and bought few souvenirs in shop just in case there would not be sufficient time to shop at the bazaar the next day.

I was EXHAUSTED.

Here is Wikipedias description of the hotel:
The Cairo Marriott Hotel is a large hotel situated on the River Nile in the centre of Cairo, Egypt. Once a palace built on orders from the ruler of Egypt in 1869, the hotel was converted to a by Marriott International to a modern hotel. The hotel consists of 1,089 rooms, making it one of the largest hotels in the Middle East.
The rooms are located in two identical twenty-storey buildings - the Gezira and Zamelek Towers. Situated between them on ground level is the palace and main entrance to the hotel, which reconstructed now contains the reception and administration areas. On the roof of the palace is an open-air theatre which faces the Nile.

The original palace was constructed by the Nile on orders from Khedive Ismail. He asked the architects of that time to make it resemble another palace in France, Versailles, where Empress Eugénie used to stay. The purpose for that palace was to host the French Empress Eugénie who was invited along with her husband the French Emperor Napoleon. The occasion of that invitation was the opening of the Suez Canal, which was a huge project at that time.

It is over-the-top ornate but beautiful at the same time!

Day 2
Checked out of hotel and met in lobby at 7AM (I think).

First stop: The Citadel

The Citadel, home to Egypt’s rulers for almost 700 years, was our first stop. This complex contains 4 museums, mosques, and an area that offers spectacular views of the city.

The imposing Turkish style Mohammed Ali Mosque, built from 183-48, has become a symbol of Cairo. It is a grand structure with ornate domes, minarets, and entrance ways that echoes the great imperial mosques of the Ottoman Empire. It truly is a splendid site.

We toured the inside of this magnificent structure. I found the stories of its design, construction, and religious importance to be interesting.

Next Stop: The Egyptian Museum. Aside from the Giza Pyramids, this museum (and the Royal Mummies room) was my favorite stop.

I could easily have spent days here with a tour guide and time to process it all, of course. It has 107 halls densely packed with displays of more than 120,000 items.

At the ground floor there are the huge statues, coins, coffins, amulets, household items, reliefs etc from the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamen treasures and the royal mummy room.

King Tut Exhibits

Commencing with two life-size statues of the young king that stood guard at the entrance to his tomb, The Tutankhamun Galleries fill the upper floors east and north wings. There are more than 1700 items on display ranging from board games and hunting implements to couches and beds, and of course, the fabulous life-sized GOLD DEATH MASK.

Only 3 in our group elected to pay the extra $20 to visit the Hall for the Royal Mummies housing eleven kings and queens. I was so impressed by how well-preserved these (more than) 3000 year-old bodies were. You can still see their teeth, nails, and hair.

More than a million and half tourists visit the museum annually, in addition to half a million Egyptians.

We agreed to not risk missing boat with a sit down lunch or with shopping in the Khan El Khalili Bazaars.

We headed directly back to ship in Alexandria. Along the way, we picked up boxed lunches of traditional Egyptian fare

It was an extremely windy day; Our van was rocking back and forth on the way back. I was so glad we had visited the dessert the day before. The blowing sand would have blinded our views.

The ride back was especially long—almost 4 hours

In Alexandria, our tour guide pointed out major structures. It was too windy to bother getting out to see them up close and personal.

As it turns out, there was a nice bazaar, with at least 25 vendors, right outside ship in Alexandria.

I was so tired carrying my duffle that I was not in the mood for bargaining or acquiring. I only bought postcards that I mailed from Malta (NCL mailed them for me)

I will definitely return to the Giza plateau and Cairo

Turkey--My 1st Visit to a Muslim Nation Today

Izmir, Turkey

Today, for the 1st time, I visited Turkey, an ambivalent nation torn between East and West, between past and present, secular and conservative religious. Once one of the most powerful empires in the Western World (spanning Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, and North and East Africa), Turkey was reduced to a small country for fighting with Germany after WWI. Today 70% of Turkish citizens wish to join the EU. They have appealed several times for membership, which would make it the 1st Muslim EU nation.

I awoke feeling queezy and felt it unwise to take my planned group tour to Ephesus. After remaining on board ship to rest awhile, I decided to venture into Turkey by myself. Surely I had not come all this way to miss a visit to Turkey—sick or well!

I must admit I had mixed emotions about exploring a Muslim nation as a woman, alone. I was quickly reminded of how secular this Sunni Muslim county is as a strolled through cosmopolitan Izmir.

I took a taxi to Konak where I roamed through the bazaar. My impression was: male-dominated but the young woman were hip and progressive. The shops were trendy, reminded me of similar commercial districts in European cities. I heard Alicia Keyes and Michael Jackson blaring from the shops.

Next, I sat in the pigeon-filled, park of the clock tower. I watched the passers-by. From Dads with sons, to flocks of school girls, to older men drinking (and some were pouring) coffee, to head-covered, body-covered older women, to gypsies begging. I felt like a fly on the wall and a part of at the same time. I bet only my photo-taking suggested I was not from there.

The Turksh flag is prominently displayed everywhere.

At prayer time, a voice called worshippers to prayer from the minaret.

As with most places I visit outside the US, here too, I saw Mc Donald’s, Burger King, KFC, and Starbucks.

I felt this countries identity crises as I sat in the park. I could see clearly how its personae is divided between east and west, past and present, secular and religious. I look forward to my next visit to the Muslim world In two days, we will arrive in Egypt.

Update: A tornado killed people in Turkey and specifically in Izmir 6 days after I was there.

Here is an article written by a journalist with limited written English-language skills:

December 19 Tornado fear

Harsh wind turned into a tornado in the city of Izmir. Tornado threw away the security cottage of a settlement unit. It crashed to Mustafa Kose who is a shepherd and was working around the environment in which the bad event occurred.

Kose died and the security guard injured.

The Asian Sea overflowed in Izmir becaused of the tornado and the heavy rain and blocked routes between villages.

An estimated 600 residents of the village expressed their fear while two minute that tornado continued.

Cruise Vacation--Day in Athens

Athens

Today from our cruise ship, we visited Athens, the cradle of Western civilization and thought and birthplace of democracy, individual rights, and freedom of speech. The USA’s founding fathers were so enamored with the ideals and philosophies of Ancient Greece that they entertained making Greek the USA’s official language. European luminaries had even joined in the Greek War of Independence to help preserve the ideals of Ancient Greece.

One of my favorite things to do in Athens (my 4th visit here) is to tour the most potent symbol of the Greek Golden Age: The Acropolis. The Parthenon has inspired architects from around the world for more than 2500 years. It took 9 years to build this temple to Athena. (its too bad Turkish explosives bombed the structure in 1687). I love that the Parthenon so dominates the soul of the city, you can see it morning, noon, and night from throughout the city. We were fortunate that the rain held off til AFTER our Acropolis visit!

A stop at the Temple of Zeus was next. From there, we could see the landmark Parthenon perfectly.

Our tour guide, Peter, That Greece joined the EU in 1981. Their switch from the drachma to the Euro 8 years ago has had negative impact on their economy.

The 2004 Olympics were held in Greece for the 1st time since the modern Olympics were revived in 1896. Preparation for hosting the 2004 Olympics catapulted Greece into the 21st century bringing impressive new stadiums, an expanded subway system (today transports a million Greeks daily), a new airport, and tram lines. Of note, Greece completed construction the DAY before the Olympics.

The garbage strike that made internationals news was visible (everywhere. Our guide apologized.

Another of my favorite activities in Europe is to walk around the Plaka. The guide dropped us off at Thisio and I strolled through the cobblestone streets visiting shops for a couple of hours. Last on our itenerary was a visit to the newest (built June 2009) (and controversial) museum: The New Acropolis Museum.--A brand new modern structure designed to showcase Acropolis gems with a panoramic backdrop of the Acropolis. During our visit to this impressive museum, we witnessed the lighting of the Parthenon at sundown. It was stunning!

I will always look forward to visits to Athens, Greece!

Cruise Vacation--Day in Rome

Rome-All Roads Lead to Rome

Today we visited Rome, the Eternal City,--It’s most enduring legacy are it’s stone roads that connected much of the European continent. . It is also known for other achievements as central heating, aqueducts, public baths, and urban planning.

This was my 3rd visit to Rome.

Before we began our tour, the company owner , Remo (DriverInRome.com), invited us to his lovely, modern hillside vista. His lovely wife prepared traditional Christmas cake and coffee and he serenaded us with his squeezebox (harmonium) and told jokes. Luca was our driver and guide for the day.

On our 8-hour tour from the ship, we squeezed in the following visits:

Coliseum—ALWAYS impressive!

Trevi Fountain---tossed in 3 coins “so I will return”

Spanish Steps---majestic

Sistine Chapel---long walks thru countless rooms decorated rich in medieval art

St Paul’s Basilica---takes your breath away

Since the airline lost some of my luggage, Instead of lunch, I ran in and out of shops and found 2 pair of shoes-1) walking and 2)dressier ones. Looking in shop windows, I was reminded of how fashionable Italians are!

Because there were demonstrations throughout the city, traffic was snarled a bit.

We made it back to the ship in time.

Islamaphobia Leads Swiss Voters to Ban Minarets

Here is an article posted on bbc.com that describes a recent minaret ban decision in Switzerland.

Swiss voters back ban on minarets

Swiss voters have supported a referendum proposal to ban the building of minarets, official results show.

More than 57% of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons - or provinces - voted in favour of the ban.

The proposal had been put forward by the Swiss People's Party, (SVP), the largest party in parliament, which says minarets are a sign of Islamisation.

The government opposed the ban, saying it would harm Switzerland's image, particularly in the Muslim world.

But Martin Baltisser, the SVP's general secretary, told the BBC: "This was a vote against minarets as symbols of Islamic power."
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, in Bern, says the surprise result is very bad news for the Swiss government which fears unrest among the Muslim community.

Our correspondent says voters worried about rising immigration - and with it the rise of Islam - have ignored the government's advice.

In a statement, the government said it accepted the decision.
It said: "The Federal Council (government) respects this decision. Consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted."

“ This will cause major problems because during this campaign mosques were attacked, which we never experienced in 40 years in Switzerland ”

Tamir Hadjipolu Zurich's Association of Muslim Organisations
Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said: "Concerns [about Islamic fundamentalism] have to be taken seriously.

"However, a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies."

She sought to reassure Swiss Muslims, saying the decision was "not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture".
Switzerland is home to some 400,000 Muslims and has just four minarets.

After Christianity, Islam is the most widespread religion in Switzerland, but it remains relatively hidden. There are unofficial Muslim prayer rooms, and planning applications for new minarets are almost always refused.

Supporters of a ban claimed that allowing minarets would represent the growth of an ideology and a legal system - Sharia law - which are incompatible with Swiss democracy.

But others say the referendum campaign incited hatred. On Thursday the Geneva mosque was vandalised for the third time during the campaign, according to local media.
Amnesty International said the vote violated freedom of religion and would probably be overturned by the Swiss supreme court or the European Court of Human Rights.
'Political symbol'

The president of Zurich's Association of Muslim Organisations, Tamir Hadjipolu, told the BBC: "This will cause major problems because during this campaign mosques were attacked, which we never experienced in 40 years in Switzerland.
"Islamaphobia has increased intensively."

And there was dismay among Switzerland's Muslims upon hearing the result.
“ It's a message that you are not welcome here as true citizens of this society ”
Elham Manea, co-founder of the Forum for a Progressive Islam

Farhad Afshar, president of the Coordination of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland, said: "The most painful thing for us is not the ban on minarets but the symbol sent by this vote.

"Muslims do not feel accepted as a religious community."
Elham Manea, co-founder of the Forum for a Progressive Islam, added: "My fear is that the younger generation will feel unwelcome.

"It's a message that you are not welcome here as true citizens of this society." Sunday's referendum was held after the SVP collected 100,000 signatures from voters within 18 months calling for a vote.
In recent years countries across Europe have been debating how best to integrate Muslim populations.

France focused on the headscarf, while in Germany there was controversy over plans to build one of Europe's largest mosques.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/8385069.stm

Published: 2009/11/29 21:19:54 GMT

© BBC MMIX

Indians Feel Obamas’ India Meetings and 1st State Dinner a Success

Here is an article written by an Indian journalist decribing the chemistry between Obama and Singh as excellent. The US President met with Prime Minister Singh and The Obamas hosted their first 340-guest state dinner on November 24, 2009


South Asia experts have called the recent Obama-Singh meet a success, going by the positive signals given by both sides in all major areas of cooperation, both bilateral and multilateral.

Ashley J Tellis, former senior adviser to the George W Bush Administration and currently a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said, "Although this visit was preceded by many anxieties, some entirely justified, I think Prime Minister Singh has reason to conclude that his state visit was successful."

"Success in this instance was not exemplified by dramatic changes in established position, but by Singh's and Obama's ability to have an honest and transparent conversation on a range of difficult issues," he said.

Tellis acknowledged that "the personal chemistry between the two leaders was excellent -- the President repeatedly referred to Prime Minister Singh public as "wise". I read that as a testament of his deep respect for Singh".

He further said, "There is also a better understanding of what Pakistan must do with respect to combating terrorism and bring the Laskhar-e-Tayiba terrorists involved in the Mumbai [ Images ] attacks to justice."

"I do not think we will see a repeat of the problems in the US-China Joint Statement again," he added.

Though he acknowledged that "the US and India [ Images ] will continue to disagree on many things in the areas of climate change, nonproliferation and trade", he said, "There is much that both countries can cooperate on -- and will cooperate on. The numerous initiatives announced during this visit illustrate that fact."

"More importantly," he added, "I think this visit provided both sides with an opportunity to take stock of where they are today and to put in place building blocks for a deeper partnership."

"There are still many constraints on both sides -- the US dependence on Pakistan in regard to Afghanistan, the Obama administration's vision of cooperative security, and the US desire not to acknowledge China as a geopolitical rival. These are all constraints on the US side," he said.

"But they are matched by constraints in India as well," he said. "New Delhi [ Images ] is still relatively inward looking; India is located in a dangerous neighborhood; and the US-Indian economic relationship, though improving, is still not adequate or deep enough."

However, Tellis asserted that "despite these constraints, the bilateral partnership can flourish, if both sides remain sensitive to the critical interests of the other."

Karl F Inderfurth, former assistant secretary of State for South Asian Affairs in the Clinton Administration and South Asia policy adviser with the Obama campaign, pointed out, "Words are important in diplomacy and the words President Obama spoke sent many signals how he views the relationship with India."

Inderfurth, currently professor of international relations at George Washington University, said, "Two things he said particularly struck me. First that 'India is today a rising and global power'. That is a vote of US confidence in the implications of India's new global status and the role it will be playing in the future.

"Second, as the US and India work to build that future, Obama said, 'India is indispensable'. In other words, for the United States, India is no longer 'a partner of choice' in addressing global issues, but a 'partner of necessity'. So, in sum, both of these statements tell me that, like his predecessors Presidents Clinton and Bush, President Obama has 'got it' -- India will be one of our most strategic partners for the 21st century," Inderfurth said.

He said, "Words delivered by Prime Minister Singh were also of great importance during the visit, and none, in my view, were more important than what he had to say about how critical it is for the United States and the international community 'to sustain its engagement in Afghanistan, to help its emergence as a modern state.'"
"This message from the prime minister was especially timely, given that Obama on Tuesday will be announcing his decision on Afghanistan and the role the US intends to play. I am hopeful that he will heed Singh's wise counsel."

He added, "Prime Minister Singh also used words, very diplomatically, to again call attention to the need 'to reform the United Nations and its Security Council'. That should include, in my view, adding India as a permanent member of the UN Security Council."

However, Inderfurth felt that while the Obama administration has been a strong supporter of India as a key player on international economic issues in the G-20 context, it continues to hold back from endorsing India's candidacy for the Security Council.

"This 'rising and responsible global power', to use Obama's own words, deserves to be at that table too," he said.

"Of course, I was happy to hear that Obama 'happily accepted' the prime minister's invitation to visit India in 2010. He will therefore do something that neither Bush nor Clinton did -- namely visit India during his first term in office," Inderfurth added.

"That was just another positive signal sent during what I believe was a very positive and successful visit."

Teresita Schaffer, head of the South Asia programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and an erstwhile diplomat of more than three decades working on South Asia, said, "Manmohan Singh and Obama really covered the global scene, which was what I think they needed to do."

"And, of course, the foreign policy issue that was uppermost in Singh's mind was Afghanistan. He brought it up in all his speeches," she pointed out.

Schaffer also believes the controversy over the US-China Joint Statement in Beijing which seemingly mooted a monitoring role to China on India-Pakistan relations may have been put to rest because "the formal statements recognised India's leadership role in Asia in a very constructive way".

On the major issue of climate change, she said, "Recent developments have scaled back the ambitions for Copenhagen, and the two leaders seem to have focused chiefly on possibilities for bilateral cooperation."

"This was their first in-depth discussion, and unlike in the past, there seems to be such a much larger engagement between the two societies -- from the business communities to the Indian American communities -- which is driving it and stabilizing the relationship."

"All in all," Schaffer said, "A very useful visit, which should set the tone for a more strategic global engagement in the future."

By Aziz Haniffa in Washington November 30, 2009 12:09 IST

Thanksgiving Day Around the World

Thanksgiving is essentially a harvest related festival. It celebrates communal harmony. Though it is said to have been originated in America, a number of other countries celebrate harvest related festivals. They are observed with different names and in different seasons.

Harvest related festivals, all the over the world are characterized with lot of fun and merrymaking. Each region has its unique customs and traditions to celebrate the occasion.

Canada celebrates thanksgiving on the second Monday in the month of October. India also has a number of harvest related festivals in different regions. Popular regional festivals are Pongal, Baisakhi, Lohri, Onam etc. Though the underlying principle behind each of them is same, every festival is exclusive and different from the other.

Other Asian countries such as China, Malaysia, Korea celebrate the festival on different dates. Each festival has a folklore attached to it. Harmony, peace, feeling gratitude is the underlying theme of the celebration all over.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in United Kingdom

'Harvest Festival' as is popularly known, is one of the oldest festivals in United Kingdom. It began in churches in the year 1843, when Robert Hawker invited local parishioners to a special thanksgiving service at a church in Cornwall. This resulted in the custom of decorating churches with home-grown products. In the old times, the success of crops determined the success or failure of the people. The natives of UK, pleased the God of fertility by offering him the first sheaf of corn. This was done to ensure a good harvest in the coming season. The ritual of offering an animal sacrifice, generally a hare, is accompanied with the cutting of last sheaf of corn. It is said that the last sheaf of corn contains its spirit. "corn dolls" are made to symbolize Goddess of grain. The entire community is invited for a celebratory dinner as part of the festivity. It is held every year in the month of September, on a Sunday nearing the harvest moon. This festival is however not declared a national holiday.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in India

Thanksgiving is celebrated world over with equal fervor and euphoria. It conveys the universal feeling of being thankful to Lord Almighty for his continuous grace. India is a multi-lingual, multi-cultural and a secular country; also popular for its spirituality, God loving and God fearing people. It is known for its 'Unity in Diversity'. With the spread of western culture, Thanksgiving is celebrated in quite a few parts of India, the major festivity is however, observed by Christians in the state of Goa.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Canada

People of Canada celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in the month of October every year. It is celebrated to thank the Lord Almighty for a bountiful harvest. America however celebrates thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year. The reason behind the difference is geographical; autumn season starts earlier in Canada than in America.

The thanksgiving celebrations include parades, customary 'family feast' and 'turkey'. It is a time for sharing, loving and family reunions. The central idea behind the celebration is to be thankful for the past harvest and praying for the coming year.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Malaysia

Malaysia is situated in the central south-east Asia. The Kadazan harvest festival of Malaysia is celebrated by sabah every year in the month of May to thank their favourite Rice God. The festival is locally known as "Tadau ka'amatan". Tapai, the homemade rice wine is distributed generously among localities who wear their traditional costumes to mark the festival. Carnivals are an important feature during the festival.

Locals believe 'Without Rice' there is no life. Malaysians revere Bambaazon-the overall creator and thus revere his spirit in the rice plant and cooked rice. It is a time for lots of activities, cultural programs and agricultural shows, buffalo races and traditional games.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Korea

Chu Suk is a popular Korean Festival during the harvest season. The festival is also celebrated as a mark of respect to elders. Families visit their ancestral properties in home towns. It is a time for feasting and happiness for Koreans. Offerings are made of newly harvested foods. Songp'yon, crescent-shaped rice cakes stuffed with sesame seeds, chestnut paste or beans, are a Chu Suk favorite.

Koreans hold memorial services at the grave sites of the elderly. Kang Kang Sue Wol Lae, a traditional ceremony is observed a night before Chu Suk. Womenfolk gather in circles and sing songs to mark the festival. It is a time to be thankful to God and each other.

Activities like archery, wrestling, singing competitions are a common feature of this Korean harvest festival.

World's Most Expensive Cities

Do You Know? From: karlascottspeaker.blogspot.com

Today’s topic: World's most expensive cities in 2008 (in rank order)

Are you confident that you know the world’s most expensive cities? I bet you’ll be surprised by some cities on the list. First, let’s review the research methodology used by Mercer, a global human resources and financial consulting firm. The data in this study reflects a survey measuring the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment. Produced by Mercer, the survey is used to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for their expatriate employees.

Here are the top 25, ranked:

1. Moscow, Russia (was #1 in 2007 also)
2. Tokyo, Japan
3. London, United Kingdom
4. Oslo, Norway
5. Seoul, South Korea
6. Hong Kong, Hong Kong
7. Copenhagen, Denmark
8. Geneva, Switzerland
9. Zurich, Switzerland
10. Milan, Italy
11. Osaka, Japan
12. Paris, France
13. Singapore, Singapore
14. Tel Aviv, Israel
15. Sydney, Australia
16. Dublin, Ireland
17. Rome, Italy
18. St. Petersburg, Russia
19. Vienna, Austria
20. Beijing, China
21. Helsinki, Finland
22. New York City, United States
23. Istanbul, Turkey
24. Shanghai, China
25. Amsterdam, Netherlands

The USA has only one city in the top 50, New York City.

Cities that climbed most sharply in rankings versus the prior year are: Istanbul (38 to 23), Prague (49 to 29), Rio de Janeiro (64 to 31), Warsaw (67 to 35), and Melbourne (64 to 36).

President Obama Visits Great Wall!

Love the photos!

I Truly Value Freedom Of Expression. Do I Sometimes Take It For Granted?

At The Miami International Book Fair today, I listened to a panel on censorship and freedom of expression around the globe. What a timely topic since President Obama is in China expressing support for freedom of expression and full access to electronic media, today.

At the session on censorship, I was amazed to learn that book banning is not a thing of the past in the United States. In fact, parents sue and a win cases against school boards every year. I even learned the Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most frequently banned books in US.

What I found most disturbing is that today, thousands of authors worldwide are in prison, missing, kidnapped, facing death threats, awaiting trial etc. for what they have written. The final panelist read a long list of names of those imprisoned in other cultures, many from the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa.

The panel raised my awareness of International PEN, the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. PEN originally stood for "Poets, Essayists and Novelists", but now includes writers of any form of literature, such as journalists and historians. Other goals included: to emphasize the role of literature in the development of mutual understanding and world culture; to fight for freedom of expression; and to act as a powerful voice on behalf of writers harassed, imprisoned and sometimes killed for their views. It is the world’s oldest human rights organization and the oldest international literary organization.

Some popular books that have been banned in the United States over the years are the Wizard of Oz, Catcher in The Rye, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Color Purple, Charlotte’s Web, Animal Farm, Winnie the Pooh, and of course--- the most famous banned novel (worldwide) in our lifetime: The Satanic Verse by Salmon Rushdie. (BTW, I heard Salmon Rushdie speak at the book fair last year and he was riveting)

The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials in the US as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:
1. the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
2. the material contained "offensive language"
3. the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

In China, today, President Obama speaking on freedom of expression and access said "These freedoms of expression and worship, of access to information and political participation - we believe are universal rights."

China is an authoritarian country in which there are no elections for the country's national leaders. Media outlets and the internet are heavily censored, and those who speak out against the government are often imprisoned.

Mr. Obama added: "They should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities, whether they are in the United States, China or any nation."

After his main speech, he addressed the issue again in a question and answer session with Chinese students - many of whom spoke English.

Mr. Obama said freedom of information - including open access to the internet - was important.

"That makes our democracy stronger because it forces me to hear opinions that I don't want to hear - it forces me to examine what I'm doing," he said.

He said the internet was a powerful tool to mobilize people and had helped him win the presidency last year.

I agree wholeheartedly with the president. It often makes me wonder: Do we take Freedom of Expression for granted?

Here is a video of the panel on censorship and freedom of expression that was live streamed on C-Span on Saturday November 14th 2009:
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/289995-3

Here is C –Span’s description of the panel on censorship and freedom of expression:

Panelists from PEN International spoke about censorship. Panelist included: Mary Gordon, author of Reading Jesus: A Writer’s Encounter With the Gospels (Pantheon); Ana Menendez, author of The Last War: A Novel (HarperCollins); Francine Prose, author of Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, the Afterlife (Harper); Sam Tanenhaus, author of [The Death of Conservatism (Random House); and Michael Thomas, author of Man Gone Down: A Novel (Grove), "Panel on Censorship," a PEN World Voices event of the 26th Miami Book Fair International, took place Saturday, November 14, 2009, 11:00 a.m., in the Chapman Conference Center of Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus.

updated news report on Obama visit:

November 18, 2009
Chinese newspapers emphasised the US president's positive comments

China has tried to neutralise US President Barack Obama's attempt to speak directly to ordinary Chinese people.

Officials have used their control of the media to make sure citizens receive only a censored version of the US president's comments.

In a question-and-answer session on Monday in Shanghai, Mr Obama praised China and urged it to adopt certain universal rights and freedoms.

But in news reports about the session, Chinese media outlets largely ignored the criticism and played up the positive comments.

World Heritage Site on Easter Island Facing “Outside World” Issues

Here is an article describing how Easter Island’s indigenous population considers limiting visitors and immigrants to one of Chile's top tourist destinations.

SANTIAGO, Chile — They are the face of Chilean guidebooks: giant statues made of volcanic rock scattered across Easter Island.

Constructed centuries ago, the figures are thought to represent ancestors or chiefs of the indigenous Polynesian population. It is their descendants who now inhabit the tiny triangular island nearly 2,000 miles off the Chilean coast.

But they're fed up with the hundreds of immigrants who keep flooding the island in search of fortune. These immigrants, they say, are destroying the ecosystem, taking their jobs and ruining the historical legacy of their ancestors.
And so they're fighting back in the hope of restricting residence on the island, known in the indigenous tongue as Rapa Nui.

With more than 4,000 people — about half non-natives, mostly Chileans — living on 62 square miles, the islanders feel they are already overpopulated. Waste disposal is becoming a serious problem, as trash keeps piling up and the litter spreads in proportion to its population.

The situation has become particularly acute in recent years after the opening of large hotel complexes and increasingly more airline flights to the island. The island, unaccustomed to violent crimes or homicides, is now also attracting petty crime, theft and drugs.

“The underlying problem is that there are too many immigrants bringing with them bad habits, or are fugitives, drug addicts or delinquents looking for opportunities for crime. A year ago I would leave my house unlocked. I can’t do that anymore,” said Cecilia Rapu, a native Rapanui, in a phone interview from the island.

It is believed the island was colonized by Polynesean immigrants around A.D. 300. Centuries later, the island community started building altars and figures sculpted out of volcanic rock called moais, groups of which represented a particular tribe. The hundreds of moais, which weigh between 14 and 80 tons and the tallest of which stands at 5 meters, are the island’s main tourist attraction.

The island got its Westernized name when a Dutch explorer arrived there on Easter Sunday of 1722. Chile colonized the island in 1888, and subsequent European expeditions made the island famous for its exotic moais. Regular tourism began with the construction of the airport in the early 1980s, but the real boom started in the 1990s, and by now, the island receives about 50,000 tourists a year that come in daily flights and cruise ships.

Easter Island was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1995.

In August, in protest against the encroachment, islanders blocked the landing strip at the Mataveri airport. For 48 hours, the Rapanui proved they could halt their economy, which is almost completely pegged to the tourism industry.

The government sent in a delegation to negotiate their demands, and on Oct. 24, more than 96 percent of the native islanders voted in favor of a referendum for a constitutional amendment that would restrict residence on the island. Now, Congress must approve the change.

“People come here to make a fortune with tourism and compete under unequal conditions with the Rapanui," said Jose Letelier, a long-time resident on the island, who, like 80 percent of the islanders, makes his living in tourism.
He said government and military employees receive higher salaries than local workers. Because the mainlanders are working in a far-away zone, they get tax exemptions, free housing and free freight to bring their cars and goods. The Rapanui get none of these advantages and have to spend significant capital to ship any goods to the island, said Letelier, who is a Chilean from the mainland married to a Rapanui.

An architect, Letelier arrived in the early 1990s to participate in public works projects and witnessed the paving of the first street in Hanga Roa, the main settlement. Back then, he said, there were about 40 vehicles and 2,500 residents who all knew each other or were related in some way. By now, the population has nearly doubled and there are 50 times more vehicles.

The October referendum was the first time the Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization on indigenous peoples, in effect in Chile since September, has been applied here to consult a native population about decisions that affect them, as called for by the treaty.

Under the proposed amendment, the local government would be allowed to restrict residence or travel to the island if necessary to protect the environment. The wording of the bill doesn't specify whether restrictions apply to tourism or immigration, or both.

The 26 of the 706 islanders who voted against the reform claim the bill is too ambiguous.

“I voted against it out of fear, because the proposal is unclear. It doesn’t specify if it refers to immigrants or the native population. It just says that the government can decide how many people can live here and how many would have to leave, and that includes even us, the Rapanui,” Rapu said.

At stake, they say, are no less than their natural habitat and historical patrimony.

“So many tourists trampling around, touching the moais, stepping on them," said Raul Domenech, and anthropologist and research director of a recent documentary on Easter Island. "Companies come and film commercials with the moais. The island attracts archaeological tourism, not the sun-and-beach type of tourism.

"The day the first graffiti appears on a moai will be the beginning of the end.”

By Pascale Bonnefoy - GlobalPost
Published: November 6, 2009 06:42 ET
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/chile/091103/easter-island-tourism

Website helps you pronounce names from more than 40 global language groups

Do you feel embarrassed when you don’t know how to pronounce some one’s name? Are you frustrated that others mispronounce your name? Do you wonder why your overseas relatives pronounce their names differently from the way we do in the USA?

Well, a determined American woman, whose name changed after marriage, has actually developed an online tool that helps us pronounce thousands of names in more than 40 language groups. Included are Korean, Viet Namese, Farsi, Turkish, Arabic, and Samoan. http://www.howtosaythatname.com/ More than 75,000 submissions have contributed to her site which was created in 2006.

See a WSJ article here:

Exactly How Do You Pronounce Your Name Again, Miss....Miss?
By MARY PILON APRIL 15, 2009

Elizabeth Bojang wants to say your name right for posterity.

She always leaves her McLean, Va., home with a tape recorder. She asks people on the street, her dry cleaner and her colleagues at the insurance company where she works to record their first and last names for her Web site, www.howtosaythatname.com. So far in her quest, she has amassed more than 11,000 pronunciations ranging from "Aabha" to "Zwai."

Elizabeth Bojang, pronounced Bo-johng, created a Web site for unusual name pronunciations.

The idea came about after Ms. Bojang stopped using her maiden name, Godfrey, when she married Bala Musa Bojang, her Gambian husband. "I used to dread hearing it," because it was so often mispronounced, says Ms. Bojang. (The correct pronunciation is Bo-johng.)

The Internet has been a blessing for amateur and professional genealogists. But even when surname roots can be traced online, how last names are pronounced still causes confusion, especially in the cross-cultural mix of globalization. In fact, researchers say it is likely that many of our ancestors would be appalled at how their last names are pronounced today.

Suzanne Russo Adams, a genealogist for Ancestry.com, studied the last names of Italian immigrants and found that most who came to the U.S. in the early 1900s changed the pronunciation of their names after learning English and living in the country for a while. Some genealogists find that even parents and children pronounce their shared last name differently.

University of Florida linguistics professor Ben Hebblethwaite (the "th" isn't silent) noticed some of his students have dual pronunciations of their last names -- an anglicized pronunciation for school and a more traditional pronunciation at home.
Prof. Hebblethwaite says rhyme pattern in epic poems can offer clues for how names in the poem might have been spoken, giving modern-day users of a name a sense of how the pronunciation has evolved. For example, the rhyme pattern in medieval French epic "La Chanson de Roland" ("The Song of Roland") proves vital for linguists like Prof. Hebblethwaite.

In general, pronunciations get simpler over time: Consonants cluster, spellings are shortened, vowel pitches altered. Even with these historical signposts, there are few hard-and-fast rules about name pronunciation in English. "It's a mess," Prof. Hebblethewaite says.

Through research, Prof. Hebblethwaite has traced his own surname to Norwegians who invaded what is now Northern Britain as Vikings. "Heaven only knows how they pronounced it," he says.

Pinky Thakkar (silent "h"), an engineer from Mumbai, started the Web site www.pronouncenames.com after she moved to San Jose, Calif., and mispronounced the "J" in "San Jose," not giving it the "H" sound used in Spanish words. Properly pronouncing person and place names proved nearly impossible for Ms. Thakkar and her friends from abroad, she says.

More than 75,000 entries, including 38,000 audio files, have been submitted to Ms. Thakkar's Web site since it launched in 2006. She manages the site with six other volunteers.

Ms. Thakkar is now working on an algorithm that would allow site users to record a name as they heard it and then have the site churn out a proper spelling based on the audio submission. She also is looking to expand the site's ability to provide audio pronunciations based on a user's typed-in guess. For example, if a user heard the Indian surname "Sridharan," but had no idea how to pronounce it, he or she could enter a guess such as "shree the run" and the accurate spelling would appear.
Pronouncenames.com's followers include teachers, graduation speakers, sports announcers and foreigners trying to improve their English.

The new technology could help people such as Vathanyu Chaipattanawanich. The 19-year-old mechanical-engineering student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania is regularly greeted by flustered faces when he swipes his credit card, fills out forms and wins awards. He says that although his 25-letter Thai name has been an ice-breaker for years, "everyone calls me 'Tab.'"

Mr. Chaipattanawanich joined the 600-plus member Facebook group, "Nobody Can Pronounce My Last Name," one of several on the site organized around that theme.

Both Ms. Bojang and Ms. Thakkar are a long way from documenting the six million last names recorded in a 2007 U.S. Census Bureau study. But they are gratified that their sites might be helping befuddled speakers.

In a few years, Ms. Bojang's 3-year-old daughter Nyima and 7-month-old son Kebba will head to grade school. Their names are pronounced "knee-ma" and "kay-bah." Ms. Bojang, a former teacher, knows the headaches of a class roster, but is optimistic.

"Hopefully," she says, "the Web site will help them."

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A11
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123930927836606215.html

Internet Domains Soon to Appear in Non-Latin Scripts

It's about time the rest of the word is accomodated using their non-Latin script on the Web.

(CNN) -- The group that controls top-level domain codes for Internet addresses is poised to permit non-Latin language codes for the first time in its history.

"It's the single biggest change in 10 or 15 years," said Rod Beckstrom, CEO of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

The board of directors of the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will vote on the proposed protocol for Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) -- those represented by local language characters -- Friday at its meeting in Seoul, South Korea.

The change, which has a target implementation date of November 16, would allow Web addresses in Cyrillic, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese and others.

"This is one of the most exciting developments for the users of the Internet globally in years," said Beckstrom. "IDNs will enable the people the world over to use domain name addresses in their own language."

Beckstrom said support for the change is strong around the world and that all objections had "been handled."

"So I think it's just extremely probable, and we're really excited to move forward with that," he said.



Domain names open up--And if, as expected, it does move forward, it means that Web surfing is about to get easier for about half of the world's 1.6 billion Internet users.

"There are over 40 million users in the Arab world," said Wael Ghanim, Google's product and marketing manager for the Middle East and Africa, "and this number is expected to increase in the coming days, which in turn makes the Arabic language one of the strategic languages through which a lot of companies, for instance Google, are interested in."

But some worry that the change could lead to more miscommunication.

This is one of the most exciting developments for the users of the Internet globally in years

--Rod Beckstrom
"If Korean is used during the international communication, foreigners won't be able to understand and won't be able to read it well enough, so there could be some problems in communication," said South Korean Internet user Chang Yong-woong.

But others see the IDNs opening the Internet to a much broader population.

"If they can make this technology work, and people can use their own language to enter in addresses, I think that that would really expand the practical applications of the Internet," said Chinese Internet cafe owner Zhang Zhiming.

"People from different walks of life and different age groups could get more engaged with it."

One question that has not yet been resolved, however, is how people in countries that use the Latin script will be able to access Web sites with Korean, Hindi or Arabic domain names.

ICANN doesn't have an answer to that, but is confident a new technology will fill that gap soon.

CNN's Errol Barnett contributed to this report.

Do you know how much paid vacation time is common in the industrialized nations?

Do You Know? From: karlascottspeaker.blogspot.com

Today’s topic: Average paid vacation days for workers in 18 countries

One of the core values upon which the US was founded was that of hard work. According to Gay Alten, American Ways, there is still a strong belief that the ideal person is a hard worker.—one who gets right to work, on a task without delay, works efficiently, and who completes a task in a way that meets reasonably high standards of quality. We are a society that admirers achievers—not just on the job but in all other aspects of life. We are known as a nation of “human doings” (rather than human beings) who feel compelled to always be engaged in doing.

Does this hard work ethic exert any influence on the amount of time Americans take for annual vacation time—in comparison to other nations? What does Capitalism have to do with this? What about materialism and the desire for more goods? Japan, although known for its strong work ethic, offers more than twice as much paid vacation time as the US.

Is it no wonder we are the most stressed and depressed. We can discuss those stats later.

Here are rankings of 18 nations:

Spain 32.0
Netherlands 31.9
Norway 31.4
Germany 29.9
Finland 28.6
Sweden 27.8
France 27.0
Austria 26.8
Denmark 25.0
Belgium 24.6
Italy 24.6
The UK 24.5
Japan 24.0
Switzerland 23.4
Ireland 22.9
Australia 22.4
Canada 14.7
The US 10.8

Some might ask “how do these results reflect the economic health of these nations”? That is a question for another discussion.

Source: somewhat outdated survey by the Union Bank of Switzerland, Prices and Earnings Around the Globe

Although the actual numbers may have changed in the last two decades, the rankings have remained fundamentally unchanged. In the US, with the increase in the number of part time jobs, has this number actually declined?

Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights

Today marks Diwali. There are more than 900 million Hindus in the world and dozens of Hindu holidays, but Diwali is one of the few celebrated by most, if not all followers across the globe as the "Festival of Lights," where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being. Diwali is celebrated on the first day of the lunar Kartika month, which comes in the month of October or November



On the day of Diwali, many wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks. Some Indian business communities start their financial year on Diwali and new account books are opened on this day. In the US, Most have origins in India, but many also come from Nepal, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and other nations. As the ''festival of lights,'' Diwali is a time of celebration, song, dance and prayer for wealth, health and peace in the future.



''We celebrate the past and get ready for the new year coming,'' says Suresh Sheth, who runs an Indian grocery store in Miami. Like many Hindus, he'll wake early, take a ritual bath, put on his best clothing, pray and head to open the shop, which he launched in 1985, seven years after arriving in the United States from Mumbai. ''It's a festival of lights and also of inner light and purity,'' Sheth says. ``We have to cleanse our bodies, our souls.''

reposted from last year.

Here is a Diwali Poem:
Season of Lights
Dunes of vapors from crackers rise,
Engulf, as odorous airs resound
Effusing joys to all abound
Pearls of gleams in these autumn nights
Adorn our lives else trite
With sparklers that motley skies
As soaring spirits of powder wander
Let us thank the heavenly might,
In this festive season of lights.

Canadian Muslim group calls for burka ban

Another article about challenging the wearing of the burka because it is not based in Islamic religious law.

TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian Muslim organization urged the Canadian government Thursday to ban traditional Muslim garments designed to cover a woman's face, saying they are medieval and misogynist symbols of extremism with no basis in Islam.

The Muslim Canadian Congress has called on the federal government to prohibit the burka and the niqab because it says that practice of covering one's face has no place in a society that supports gender equality.

"Muslims around the world know that this attire is misogynistic dress for women that is being promoted by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda," said Tarek Fatah, founder of the group. "It is a means of holding women back in society."

The burka is a head-to-toe gown with a mesh-like panel over the face that allows a woman to see and breathe. The niqab is a veil that leaves only the eyes exposed.

Fatah said the ban should not extend to the hijab, a traditional headscarf that does not cover the face.

Fatah said there is nothing in any of the primary Islamic religious texts, including the Quran, that requires women to cover their faces, not even in the ultraconservative tenets of Sharia law, which is Islamic religious law.

"We feel it is the duty of progressive Muslims to stand up for Muslim society and gender equality in our society," said Fatah.

Fatah said the issue of the Muslim attire is also a security issue, saying that banks have been robbed in the North Carolina, Toronto and the United Kingdom by men dressed in burkas posing as women.

The proposed ban comes on the same day Egypt's top Islamic cleric said that students and teachers will not be allowed to wear niqabs in classrooms and dormitories of Sunni Islam's premier institute of learning, al-Azhar.

The decision announced by Sheik of al-Azhar Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi came days after he said the niqab "has nothing to do with Islam."
He said the goal was to "spread trust, harmony ... and the correct understanding of religion among girls."

Mohamed Elmasry, former president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, agrees. Elmasry said the traditional garb has its roots in cultural customs rather than religious teachings, but he said he believes women should have the freedom to decide whether they wish to cover their faces, and that a ban would limit freedom of expression.

"People feel it's part of their identity, people feel it's part of their culture," Elmasry said. "It's not for you and me to decide."

Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-10-12-burka-canada_N.htm

McDonald's to open 1135th French store INSIDE Le Louvre

Sacre bleu!

In a move guaranteed to wipe the famous smile off Mona Lisa's mug, McDonald's is planning to open an eatery inside France's great temple of culture: the Louvre museum.

The London Telegraph reported the restaurant will open next month in the underground shopping plaza beneath I.M. Pei's glass pyramid in the museum courtyard.

The fast-food joint will be installed next to the site of a planned new ticketing area, meaning that soon the first sight the Louvre's 8 million annual visitors will encounter won't be the "Winged Victory of Samothrace" but the Golden Arches of Oak Brook, Ill.

The newspaper said workers at the museum were aghast, quoting an art historian fretting about "the very unpleasant odors" that might waft through the distinguished old palace.

A Louvre spokesman told the Telegraph that the McDonald's franchise owner "has taken the utmost care in ensuring the quality of the project, both in culinary and esthetic terms."

It will be the 1,135th Mickey D's selling fries to the French.

A country that famously venerates haute cuisine and the joys of regional recipes has fallen hard for standardized American grease bombs. In 2007, France became McDonald's biggest market outside of the United States.

hkennedy@nydailynews.com

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/real_estate/2009/10/05/2009-10-05_french_fried_as_mickey_ds_invades_mona_lisas_lair.html#ixzz0T6M46IHf

Where in the world do people live the longest?

Do You Know? From: karlascottspeaker.blogspot.com

Today's Topic: Life Expectancy Worldwide

Guess Where the US ranks in life expectancy among 223 nations

If you lived in the US in 1900, chances are you would have lived til the ripe old age of 46.3 if you were male and 48.3 if you were female. By 1950, it was 65.6 and 71.1. Fast forward 100 years and USA life expectancy has climbed to 78.11.

How does that compare to the rest of the world?

The US does not make the top 10, the top 20, nor even the top 30.
The US ranks 50 among 223 nations.

Life expectancy ranges from 84.36 years in Macau to 31.99 years in Swaziland

Specifically, Macao ranks number 1 with 84.36. (Men 81.39; Women 87.47)
Next, in 2 countries (Andorra and Japan) inhabitants live til 82.something,
In 5 countries, folks live til 81.something;
In 15 countries, folks live til 80.something;
In 13 countries, people live til 79.something;
and in 14 countries, inhabitants live til 78.something; The US barely makes this category with an average life span of 78.11. That puts us in 50th place. Just behind us are Albania and Taiwan with 77.96; Kuwait with 77.78, and Cuba with 77.45. BTW, all the European Nations and Canada rank higher than the US. (Perhaps socialized medicine has its benefits).

As you probably know, woman outlive men all over the world by a spread of 3-12 years in every country.

In 1st world countries, people live til 77-83 years while 3rd world countries inhabitants live til 35-60 years.

Lowest ranking nations are:
Swaziland (lowest at 35) , Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Central African Republic, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau, many which are suffering from very high rates of HIV/AIDS infection, with adult prevalence rates ranging from 10 to 38.8 percent.

Factors that influence longevity include:
Some factors that appear to influence life expectancy include family history, marital status, economic status, physique, exercise, diet, drug use including smoking and alcohol consumption, disposition, education, environment, sleep, climate, and health care.

Sources: World Health Organization, CIA World Factbook 2009

Where Do The Billionaires Live Worldwide?

Do You Know? From: karlascottspeaker.blogspot.com

Today’s topic: Which countries have the most billionaires?

According to Forbes Magazine, there were 799 billionaires worldwide in March 2009.

Here is where the Top 10 billionaires live Worldwide:

USA (almost half)-359
Germany-54
Russia-32
China-28
UK-25
India-24
Canada-20
Hong Kong-19
Japan-17
Saudi Arabia-14
Total here-592

Source: Forbes Magazine