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.

Burma v Myanmar – what's in a name?

Burma v Myanmar – what's in a name?

Obama sidesteps political storm by referring to former pariah as both Burma and Myanmar

By Jason Burke of guardian.co.uk, Monday 19 November 2012

 

Burma v Myanmar – Barack Obama's use of the latter during his visit to the country was described by his hosts as 'very positive'.

What's in a name? A lot if you're a south-east Asian country emerging from decades of military dictatorship.

The British, during their time as colonial overlords, referred to Burma and to its principal city Rangoon. Early independence fighters did not see any problem with this, nor for several decades did the army generals who took power in 1962.

But, after widespread pro-democracy protests in 1988, things changed and Burma became Myanmar, or, more specifically, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; Rangoon became Yangon.

Some countries recognised the change. Others, such as the US and the UK, did not. As both names are used in the country – Burma is more popular, Myanmar is more literary – the decision was rooted more in a desire to show disapproval for the noxious regime.

President Barack Obama had reportedly considered avoiding either name but in the end used both Burma and Myanmar on Monday during his short visit to the country.

 

 

 

The use of the latter pleased his hosts – the Myanmar presidential adviser, Ko Ko Hlaing, called the wording "very positive" and an "acknowledgement of Myanmar's government" – but White House officials were quick to play down the move as a "diplomatic courtesy".

The debate is almost exclusively confined to the English language. The national anthem still refers to bama pyi or the "country of Burma".

The US ranks only 22nd in gender equality!

Here is an article that presents findings of a study on the gender gap among 135 countries around the world.








Are you surprised the USA only ranks 22nd?

Gender equality has been more of a national focus than usual in the United States over the past few months, thanks to the 2012 presidential election. Republican nominee Mitt Romney recently discussed the "binders full of women" that he tried to hire when he was governor of Massachusetts, and President Barack Obama touched upon the importance of "protecting women's rights" around the world during the third and final presidential debate Monday (10-22-12).

But how does the United States stack up against other countries when it comes to said gender equality? According to the 2012 Global Gender Gap Report, released on October 23rd by the World Economic Forum, we're only 22nd best.

The report ranks 135 countries (which collectively contain over 90 percent of the world's population) based on 14 indicators used to measure the size of a nation's gender gap is in four key areas:

1. Economic participation and opportunity, which includes female labor force participation, wage equality and the percentage of women in high-ranking jobs.
2. Educational attainment, which looks at female literacy and how frequently women are enrolled in higher education.
3. Health and survival, which is measured by comparing female and male life expectancy and mortality rates.
4. Political empowerment, which examines the number of women holding political office as well as the number of female heads of state over the last 50 years.

The report gives each country a score between 0 (total inequality) and 1 (total equality) for each of the 14 indicators, then averages these scores to determine a nation's final score and thus, its ranking.
Last year, the United States ranked 17th, just behind the United Kingdom and just ahead of Canda, with a score of .7412. This year, amid a whole lot of talk about women's rights and gender equality, the U.S. is ranked 22nd with a score of .7373 (its lowest since 2009).

The U.S. did manage to close the economic gender gap further even as its other scores slipped, along with fellow major economic powers, Japan and Germany. Unsurprisingly, several Western European nations (including several Scandinavian nations, which have a well-documented history of valuing social welfare and gender equality) continue to rank at the top of the World Economic Forum's index.

The one thing these rankings make clear is that there is still a whole lot of work to be done when it comes to creating policies that will give men and women equal opportunities for living economically successful, healthy and politically engaged lives.

LOOK: The 25 Best And 25 Worst Countries For Gender Equality.  see link to article here:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/24/global-gender-gap-report-2012-best-worst-countries-women_n_2006395.html

Unusual (Former) Olympic Sport #4

Dueling Pistols

It is hard to believe that dueling pistols was an actual Olympic event, but it was part of the 1906 Athens Olympics. Despite the name of the event, competitors were forced to fire at mannequins with bulls eyes affixed to their chests. Evidently, the lack of bloodshed made this shooting event unpopular, as it was not renewed in future Olympics.

Unusual Olympic Sport-#1

Live Pigeon ShootingThe 1900 Paris Olympics has the distinction of being the only Olympics where athletes killed animals for sport. Belgium’s Leon Lunden took home the gold with 21 downed birds, with a total of 300 birds being killed during the competition.

Unusual Olympic Sports

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—By Eric Chalifour

Here is a look at some of the stranger actual events in the history of the modern Olympics.

Live Pigeon Shooting

The 1900 Paris Olympics has the distinction of being the only Olympics where athletes killed animals for sport. Belgium’s Leon Lunden took home the gold with 21 downed birds, with a total of 300 birds being killed during the competition.

Tug-of-War

Remember playing Tug-of-War in elementary school during gym class? In the early days of the modern Olympics, this event was a mainstay of the games, with the Tug-of-War being held at every Olympiad as a track-and-field event between the years 1900 and 1920. The sports’ greatest scandal came in 1908 when the City of London Police Club purportedly wore illegal footwear that was so heavy the men had trouble moving their feet.

The champions were as follows: 1900, a combination Swedish/Danish team; 1904: the Milwaukee Athletic Club, representing Team USA; 1906: Germany/Switzerland; 1908: The London Police Club, representing Great Britain; 1912: Sweden; and 1920: Great Britain.

Racewalking (20km and 50km)

It seems ridiculous that racewalking continues to be an Olympic sport while more popular sports like baseball and cricket continue to be snubbed by the Olympic Committee. For the uninformed, Racewalking differs from running in that competitors must maintain contact with the ground at all times with at least one foot. While the event is very technically difficult (competitors are continually judged for proper form and docked if caught using illegal technique), there is nothing exciting about watching a bunch of people walking at a brisk pace. Finally, it doesn’t help that the athletes look like constipated penguins when competing. See for yourself.

Rope Climbing

One of the more unusual events in the history of the modern Olympic movement, Rope Climbing was part of the gymnastics programs in 1896, 1904, 1906, 1924 and 1932. Starting in a seated position, competitors raced to the top of a roughly 8-meter rope and were judged on both their time and style. In the 1986 Olympics,

The sport is enjoying a resurgence in France and the Czech Republic, giving hope for those who wish to see this event return to the Olympic Games.

Dueling Pistols

It is hard to believe that dueling pistols was an actual Olympic event, but it was part of the 1906 Athens Olympics. Despite the name of the event, competitors were forced to fire at mannequins with bulls eyes affixed to their chests. Evidently, the lack of bloodshed made this shooting event unpopular, as it was not renewed in future Olympics.

Solo Synchronized Swimming

Solo Synchronized Swimming was an official Olympic sport between 1984 and 1992. What’s most shocking about this is that it took the IOC three Olympics to realize that the sport is an oxymoron since a person swimming alone cannot be synchronized with someone else. In reality, competitors were judged for their synchronization with the music. Quite frankly, we’re OK if this event never returns from the abyss of retired Olympic sports.

—By Eric Chalifour

Native American Tribe Races to Preserve Endangered Language

Native American Tribe Races to Preserve Endangered Language

By Jessica Cheung-New American Media

 

Convinced that discarding their language would be tantamount to discarding their identity, members of one Indian tribe recently donated $1 million to California State University (CSU), Fresno, in an effort to save their language from extinction.

The funds, which leaders of the Chukchansi tribe hope will allow linguists at the CSU to compile a dictionary and assemble grammar texts over the next five years, generated from the tribe-owned casino nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

“When [the United States] began the genocide of Native American communities, the reason they allowed us to sign our treaties was because we had a language,” Kimberly Lawhon, education coordinator for the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, said. “Generations of our elders went through drought and atrocities; the core of our language is our identity.”

Jose Diaz, associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at the Fresno school, said the grant would “speed up the process” already in motion at the school “to preserve an endangered language.”

“Before the grant, faculty members were volunteering on their own time with the Chukchansi tribe,” Diaz observed.

Research on the language started in the summer of 2009 when the Chukchansi tribe reached out to faculty linguists.

Agbayani, Chris Golston, and Niken Adisasmito-Smith are three of the main CSU Fresno linguistic professors currently working with the Chukchansi tribe.

A 2011 UC Berkeley survey of native Indian languages in California by UC Berkeley indicated that only a few fluent speakers of Chukchansi exist today.

“We were very lucky to be approached by a few Chukchansi fluent speakers,” Agbayani said. “[But even among them] a lot of the vocabulary is at the tip of the tongue. The more time we spend with them, the more we’re able to tap it.”

Two centuries ago, California was the most linguistically diverse region in the western hemisphere with about 90 native Indian languages spoken. Today, only about 50 native languages are spoken in the state — but just barely. Half of those languages have a scant number of native speakers, most of whom are in their 80s.

“Most speakers are semi-speakers” who remember their language, UC Berkeley Linguistics Professor emerita Leanne Hinton observed. “There’s a movement of language revitalization, with an increasing amount of second language speakers, and a growing number of families trying to use [their tribal languages] at home.”

Around the world, one language dies every 14 days, according to a study done by National Geographic and the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages, which estimates that roughly half of the 7,000 world languages spoken today will disappear by the next century.

The movement to revitalize endangered languages is at high tide as students and schools across the nation are banding together to create Native American student groups and implement preservation projects. Hinton recently directed a Breath for Life workshop at UC Berkeley, where students and a linguistics mentor worked with a group of Indians to document languages.

But the effort is fraught with challenges partly because there is a scarcity of people who want to learn the language.

“The problem is that diversity in languages is so great in California that there aren’t strong programs where people can be fluent,” Hinton said. “Revitalization is pulled by the bootstraps, pioneered by individuals, organizations, advocates and living speakers.”

“We have a lot of people dedicating time and effort to teaching the language, but there aren’t a lot of adults dedicated to reach fluency of their language,” Lawhon said. “The biggest hurdle is getting our membership to devote themselves to learning.”
But Lawhon remains optimistic, saying that she’s even had “non-native speakers in the community come to learn the language.”

Chukchansi courses for kids and adults are taught predominantly by members of the tribe at Coarsegold Elementary School near their Rancheria. They will offer Chukchansi courses as an elective in the junior high class if 20 students sign up.

Even though the recent efforts to document endangered languages will provide records, the future of native languages, Hinton said, is in “revitalization, not survival.”

“There are two sides to language preservation,” Agabayani said. “One is to revitalize the language, encouraging their children to carry [forward] the language. The second is to document the language.”

Language research and documentation can only prevent endangered languages from complete extinction. The population of native speakers is shrinking, and researchers worry that in due time, all that will be left may be records.

Only a minute fraction of today’s 7,000 existing languages are indigenous, which Golston describes as “precious.”

When a language goes silent, knowledge along with it dissipates. Because speakers of endangered languages generally live near animals and plants, their language holds key to unlocking insight to nature.

“Languages don’t fossilize” like dinosaurs, Golston said. “We can still learn about dinosaurs [beyond their extinction]. When languages are not recorded, they’re gone forever. It’s becoming more critical as the number of native speakers dwindle into small numbers.”

“This may be the last generation of speakers,” Agbayani said. “We’re hoping that more tribes are taking action to revitalize their language, and I think it’s becoming a worldwide effort.”

see article link here:

http://www.nationofchange.org/native-american-tribe-races-preserve-endangered-language-1342965738

Saudi Women Use Facebook To Ban Men From Working in Lingerie Stores

I am all for egalitarianism and equal opportunity in all aspects of life. There are exceptions to equal access to jobs, however, especially in societies where woman are dehumanized, such as Saudi Arabia. Women should not have to endure the presence of males in clothing store dressing rooms, nor in lingerie or swimwear shops. I find few things creepier than having a male carry hangers of undies while taking me into a dressing room. ICK!

Here is an article about how in Saudi Arabia, where woman possess no civil rights, banned together on Facebook to effect a ban of men from working in lingerie shops. Bravo to these brave women.

Women only to work in Saudi Arabia lingerie shops
By Emily Buchanan BBC world affairs correspondent


A law allowing only women to work in lingerie shops in Saudi Arabia is coming into force.

Campaigners hope this will end decades of awkwardness in the Islamic kingdom where women have always been served by male shop assistants.

The heated issue of the total lack of female shop workers in Saudi Arabia has simmered for years.

Many Saudi women say they have felt particularly uncomfortable buying their lingerie from men.

Female campaigners recently increased the pressure for change through a Facebook campaign and a boycott of lingerie stores.

Now King Abdullah's royal decree finally comes into effect, banning male staff from selling female underwear.

"It's about time, it's been a long struggle and the authorities have finally come to their senses," says Radio Jeddah journalist Samar Fatany.

She says she, and any woman who could afford to, would often shop abroad rather than face the embarrassment of giving her underwear size over the counter to a man.

The campaign has gained extra momentum from the increasing number of young women who want to enter the workplace.

The Saudi women who can work are usually the educated elite who do professional jobs in medicine or government.

The new law could potentially create up to 40,000 jobs for ordinary Saudi women who have hitherto had little or no access to employment.

But it also means that male clerks, most of whom are foreign workers, will be out of a job.

It is not far short of a social revolution being pushed through in the teeth of fierce opposition from the kingdom's top clerics.

They do not want to see an increase in the number of women working outside the home.

The kingdom's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh, has warned shop owners that employing women is a "crime and prohibited by Islamic sharia law".

"There is already a growing tension between liberals and the religious conservatives in the country and this issue could provoke opposition from the religious police," says Abeer Mishkhas is a columnist for the Saudi paper Asharq al-Awsat.

The Ministry of Labour will be posting observers in shopping centres to make sure the new shop assistants do not get harassed in their first weeks of work.

The ban on male staff in lingerie departments is due to be extended to cosmetics shops from July.

Iranian actress sentenced to 90 lashes, 1 year in jail

By Joshua L. Weinstein of The Wrap

An Iranian actress has been sentenced to 90 lashes and a year in jail for starring in an Australian movie with a shaved head -- and no head-covering.



Marzieh Vafamehr, who appeared in "My Tehran for Sale," has appealed the sentence.

According to Amnesty International, Vafamehr also appears to drink alcohol in the movie. Consuming alcohol is banned under Iranian law. The penalty is 80 lashes -- for the first offense.



The Australian movie, oddly enough, is about an actress in Iran who is forced to live a secret life in order to express herself.

In a written statement to TheWrap, producers Julie Ryan and Kate Croser said Tuesday that the actress's involvement in the film "was limited to her role as an actress and she was not in any other way involved in the behind-the-scenes filmmaking."

"As producers of the film 'My Tehran for Sale' we would like to express our deep shock and sadness at the sentence imposed by the Iranian government," they wrote.

Richard Harris, CEO of the South Australian Film Corp., wrote, "We are deeply disturbed by Marzieh Vafamehr's sentence for appearing in Granaz Moussavi's groundbreaking film, which is itself about the risks that artists are prepared to take for creative expression.

Amnesty International on Tuesday criticized the sentence -- and flogging in general.

"If Vafamehr is held solely on account of the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression, she should be released immediately and unconditionally," the human rights organization said in a written statement.

Vafamehr's sentence is only the most recent example of the Iranian regime's ongoing crackdown on the entertainment industry.

On Sept. 17, Iran arrested five documentary directors and a producer and distributor. Among them was Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, who was detained at the Tehran airport as he prepared to go to the Toronto Film Festival.

And in December 2010, director Jafar Panahi was arrested. He has been sentenced to six years in prison and was banned from filmmaking and from speaking with the foreign press for 20 years.

Israelis And Palestinians Smile For The Camera

Here is an AP article about a worldwide project, created by a prize-winning French street artist, which encourages conflicted peoples to view each other eye-to-eye---- as brothers and sisters.

Here is the Israel execution of the project collaborated between Israelis and Palestinians.

JERUSALEM -- Large black-and-white portraits have been appearing on bridges, billboards and broken-down buses all over Israel and the West Bank as part of an international project that allows people to turn pictures of themselves into works of art or political statements.

The portraits of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians are part of a project created by a prize-winning French street artist known only as JR. The project, Inside Out, gets people worldwide to make a statement by having their photo taken and then printed on posters that they can then hang in a place they find significant.

Inside Out started in Tunisia in March and has also been to North Dakota in the U.S., Scotland and South Africa.

For two weeks, the project had two photo booths in the West Bank Palestinian cities of Bethlehem and Ramallah and a roaming photo truck that drove around Israel, taking a total of more than 7,000 portraits. It wraps up in Israel and the West Bank this weekend.

Israelis and Palestinians made different uses of their photos.
In the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem last week, Palestinian youth activist Munther Amira came up with an idea for a political statement. He organized a group of children from the camp to have their photos taken and then painted flags on the posters of countries that support the Palestinian leadership's bid to win statehood recognition at the U.N. next week.

They took the portraits to Israel's nearby separation barrier and pasted them along the concrete wall.

In Tel Aviv early Thursday, a group of Israeli artists dressed in black pasted posters on the side of a bridge in what they called an apolitical art installation.
One of the participants, Maayan Iungman, said she felt the project was a way to reach people without talking about politics or opinions.

"Usually when we cross the street and see a big billboard with a photoshopped model and a lot of text, it doesn't move us. But to see a huge, simple bright face without words, you feel everything. I really believe this is a way of reaching people," she said.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, JR, the artist behind the endeavor, said he envisioned the project as one in which his own ego was not a factor. Instead, the photo booths provide the materials and inspiration for people to take the idea and make it their own.

"It's about them. We transferred the power of the project to the people, and it's really their statements," he said.

Interfaith Peace

For 9/11, I attended an uplifting prayer and music service at Temple Judea. Prayers were read by rabbis, priests, imams, and ministers. Songs were performed by cantors and choirs. The Unity choir sang the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili. I could do this every day!

Introducing Faceglat: The 'Kosher' Facebook

Here is an article about the new Kosher version of Facebook. I bet you are wondering what that means. Well, read on……

By Véronique Falez of LE MONDE/Worldcrunch

Faceglat is a new social network that allows its users to chat online, share information and pictures, and add new friends – all the while strickly separating men from women, just like in synagogue. Launched in Israel last month by a young Hasidic geek, this website boasts a social structure designed especially for ultra-Orthodox Jews. The name "Faceglat" comes from the fusion of two words: Facebook, and glatt, meaning highly kosher, according to the Jewish dietary laws of kashrut.

When men go on Faceglat.com, they sign up by clicking on the arrow on the right of the screen. Women click on that on the left. From this moment on their respective paths will never cross. "One day, a couple of friends paid me a visit, and while we were chatting, the young woman said it was a pity that there was no website where she could share pictures with her female friends without other people being able to see them,” says the site’s creator, Yaakov Swisa. “We started thinking about a religious social network, where there would be no indecent pictures, and which would garantee that men could not see photos posted by women, and vice versa.”

And so, six busy months later, the first kosher Facebook was born. But the 25-year-old Faceglat founder does not wear the traditional wide-brimmed black hat, nor does he dress in the ultra-Orthodox dark suit. Wearing a checkered shirt, a black kippah on his head, carrying his laptop bag on his shoulder, he bridges the gap between his Lubavitch community from the village of Kfar Chabad, located 8 km south-east of Tel Aviv, and the thrilling world of new technology.

No one could have predicted that the young boy who went to school in a yeshiva to study the Torah and the Talmud would one day become part of the Internet big league. "I taught myself on the family computer, during holidays," he recalls. His goal is not to push traditional communities towards change. Instead, he wants to protect them. "Orthodox Jews need the Internet, at home and at work alike,” says Swisa. “My website allows them to browse freely, while offering them maximum security. It also reassures parents who worry about their children going on pages that everybody can consult.”

Keeping the content kosher
Trust demands extremely strict rules. For example, a program tracks and deletes inappropriate words. And users who mischievously put photos of men in the women-only space, or who posted pictures that were deemed indecent, are simply banned from the website. For the time being, administrating Faceglat still involves a lot of improvisation. But in order to "move quicker," this Mark Zuckerberg of hasidic neighborhoods wants to buy a software that can identify and automatically delete pictures showing "more skin than is necessary."

Though the website is only a newcomer on the Internet, Faceglat has already attracted more than 2,000 users, mainly by word of mouth, and about 100 new accounts are being created every week. "It’s only the beginning. There are lots of curious people, most of them men from Israel, but actually about 15% of our users live in Russia," says the active young man with a smile.

The website is only available in Hebrew and English at the moment, but it will be translated in French and Russian in the next few weeks. It will then lead to an online advertising campaign, on orthodox forums and on religous singers’ fanpages. A brand new feature of the Facebook revolution.

English Is Challenging

English Is Challenging

Here is a thought provoking, fun, interactive exercise that demonstrates how challenging English can be. It is written by Mary Beth Marino, The Writing Editor. It’s time for a good laugh! A belly shaking, rolling on the floor laugh…AND an English lesson to boot! My love affair with words was nourished by an email that was sent to me by a friend. It challenges the English language while giving a good laugh and marvels the astonishment about how things get to be what they are and why. Curious? Read on. Can you read these right the first time? 1) The bandage was wound around the wound. 2) The farm was used to produce produce. 3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. 4) We must polish the Polish furniture. 5) He could lead if he would get the lead out. 6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. 7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present. 8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum 9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. 10) I did not object to the object. 11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid. 12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. 13) They were too close to the door to close it 14) The buck does funny things when the does are present. 15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line. 16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. 17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail. 18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear. 19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests. 20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Guess which nation has the lowest birth rate in the world?

Guess which nation has the lowest birth rate in the world?

Did you guess the USA, no
Italy, no
France, no
Japan, no

It is Taiwan

Here is an article by Cindy Sui, of BBC News, in Taipei, about government measures to attempt to reverse this trend.

Taiwan's government has acknowledged its birth rate declined last year, even as it introduced a series of measures to encourage people to have babies.
These included stipends for giving birth and childcare subsidies.

Taiwan's total fertility rate - the average number of children women have during their childbearing years - dropped to 0.9 last year, down from 1.03 the previous year.

That gives Taiwan the lowest fertility rate in the world, the statistics show.
Some Taiwanese women are reluctant to have children.

"We think it's not suitable to raise children, especially in Taiwan. In Taiwan, when a girl gets married she has to sacrifice a lot," one says.

"Once she reaches a certain academic level she can't just stay at home and take care of kids and her parents-in-law, but that's still what the older generation expects from them."

Another says: "Taiwan's work hours are really long. That makes it difficult to get married and have kids. You might not have much free time and it's hard to relax."
These women's views reflect those of many Taiwanese people. Wages here are considered low compared to the cost of childcare and property prices.

Many couples still live with their parents or in-laws. Many Taiwanese women also delay getting married to pursue academic degrees or careers.

Some complain it is hard for them to find a husband once they reach 30 because of old-fashioned views about women.

In addition, many employers frown upon female workers taking extended maternity leave, and expect mothers to work the same amount of overtime as they did before they gave birth.

The government, however, blames the lower birth rate on superstition.

The year 2009 was considered an unlucky year to get married, and 2010 - the year of the tiger - a bad year to have children.

However, officials say this year is considered a lucky one as it is the country's 100th anniversary.

Between January and July, the number of marriages rose more than 12% compared to the same period last year, and the number of births also shot up.
Next year, the year of the dragon, is especially auspicious for having children.

Some Christmas Traditions Around The World

photos top to bottom: Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Austria

For children of all ages, Christmas conjures up enchanting visions of snowflakes, sleigh rides and sugar plums. But while the holidays may be universally thought of as the most wonderful time of the year, not all international yuletide customs are merry and bright.

In Austria as well as elsewhere in central Europe, St. Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus, a truly sinister, demon-like creature who bears a whip and a sack for misbehaved children. In the Czech Republic, the traditional Christmas Eve meal is carp, but buying one means bearing witness to a gruesome ritual of Wes Craven-like proportions, while in the Catalonia region of Spain, you might opt to steer clear of a legendary figure known as El Caganer, who's up to some foul-smelling business -- literally -- in the nativity scene.

Take a look at some of the most spirited Christmas traditions around the world here:
Austria
No doubt one of the most terrifying holiday traditions hails from the Austrian Alps, where a figure known as Krampus accompanies St. Nicholas on his travels. The sinister, demon-like figure carries a whipping rod and a sack for misbehaved children.
Spain
In Spain's Catalonia region, you'll find a character called 'El Caganer' among the figures in the traditional Nativity scene. He’s literally defecating -- according to Catalan legend, his “fertilizer” will yield a good harvest for the following year
Eukraine
An artificial spider and web, said to bring good luck, are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees, in honor of a folk tale in which a poor woman awoke on Christmas morning to find her tree trimmed with webs of silver and gold.
Sweden
Dec. 13 is Saint Lucia's Day, one of the few saint days observed in Sweden as well as throughout Scandinavia. Depicted as a young girl wearing a crown of candles to symbolize the fire that refused to take St. Lucia's life when she was sentenced to be burned, Saint Lucia delivers sweets and small gifts to good children.
Germany
The traditional Christmas Eve gift bearer throughout Germany is the Christkind, or "Christ Child," who also appears in other central European nations as well. Young German girls often don white robes and angel wings to deliver the gifts, and indicate their departure by ringing a small bell.
Czech RepublicThe traditional Czech holiday meal is carp, which are kept in enormous streetside pools the week before Christmas. When a live carp is purchased, the fish is then bludgeoned and its head hacked off in full view of passers-by.
Italy
Throughout Italy, a kindly old witch named La Befana -- who, according to legend, declined an invitation from the Magi to visit the infant Jesus in Bethlehem -- delivers presents to children as she searches for the Christ Child.
Japan
The Japanese have absorbed many Western Christmas traditions, including decorated trees, roast turkey and mistletoe. For non-Christians, the Japanese equivalent of Santa Claus is Hoeiosho, a Buddhist monk who bears gifts for children.
England
The traditional English Christmas pudding is familiar to anyone who's ever seen or read A Christmas Carol, and it is said that wish made while preparing the dessert will come true, but only if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise direction.
Netherlands
St. Nicholas' Dutch companion is known as Black Peter, or "Zwarte Piet," who is depicted as a Moor and is usually dressed in a Renaissance page style costume with short pants, stockings, and a cap with a large feather. His face is covered with soot and he rides a mule,It and he travels down chimneys to leave gifts for the children, though in some legends he is also said to punish disobedient children.
Brazil
The Brazilian Santa Claus is 'Papai Noel,' who travels to Brazil every Christmas in breathable silks as opposed to heavy wool, and lives in Greenland (rather than the North Pole) for the remainder of the year.
Russia
Russia's Grandfather Frost is similar to his Western counterparts but is associated with the New Year, the most universally observed Russian holiday, rather than Christmas Day.
by Curtis M. Wong First Posted: 12-18-10 11:23 AM
To see photos of each, click on this link.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/18/christmas-traditions-arou_n_797890.html#s209868

Egypt plans to gradually end visa requirements for Turks

poste by memphistours
Turkey and Egypt may begin a gradual process of mutually ending visa requirements. For this, Egypt will first implement a “white visa” policy for Turkish businessmen and academics, facilitating their entrance to the country and allowing them to stay in the country for up to three months. The agreement will soon expand to cover others as well in the long run.

Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said he spoke with Egypt’s Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid over the possibility of abolishing visa requirements between the two countries.

Hisarcıklıoğlu also spoke about Nazif’s plans to ease the strict procedures for granting visas for businessmen and intellectuals. The strategic partnership between Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan to improve their economies through increased levels of cooperation is far more important, explained Hisarcıklıoğlu.

The TOBB president also voiced the problems of Turkish businessmen who want to invest in Egypt. “We are here not only to earn money but also to share our experiences. It is straightforward that problems can arise in any country. For instance, Şişe Cam, a leading glass manufacturer in Turkey, wants to invest approximately $500 million in Egypt. They only want to have a natural gas access in their plant,” said Hisarcıklıoğlu.

Separately, Ahmed El Wakeel, chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, announced on Monday that Ro-Ro voyages between Turkey and Egypt would be launched on March 1, 2011. The announcement came during a business visit by a delegation of Turkish businessmen under the chairmanship of Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu, president of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), to Egypt. Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a Ro-Ro line between Mersin and Alexandria at the Turkish Embassy in Cairo.

The idea, first put forward by the company COMMIT Co., was realized after the necessary permission was obtained from the relevant authorities Zühal Mansfield, head of the Turkish-Egyptian Business Council, also stated. “Any transportation and logistics firm will be able to apply for a license to run trips between Egypt and Turkey in the near future,” she said.

Speaking to Today’s Zaman, COMMIT Co. CEO Alper Celen sounded more optimistic and explained that the prospect of launching trips even before March seemed very likely. El Wakeel underlined that two companies from Egypt and Turkey had already reached an agreement on beginning the trips 10 days earlier. He also pointed out that Ro-Ro transport is much more advantageous when compared to road transportation and that such a Ro-Ro line will boost trade ties between the two countries.

In other news, in a meeting organized by a Turkish delegation with their Egyptian counterparts on Saturday in the historic city of Alexandria both sides agreed to establish the Turkish-Egyptian Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was also attended by Rachid Mohamed Rachid, the Egyptian minister of industry and foreign trade.

Hisarcıklıoğlu underlined that trade volume between the two countries has so far reached $3.4 billion and is expected to reach $10 billion in 10 years, adding that all available resources should be used to increase trade activities. He also suggested the expansion of an already established free trade zone between Turkish, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon to include Egypt as well. El Wakeel responded by saying that there is a free trade agreement between Turkey and Egypt and a duty exemption deal between Egypt-Syria-Lebanon is still in effect and expressed his hope that Egypt would be included in the list of countries Turkey has a common free trade zone with.

Turkish ambassador to Egypt Hüseyin Avni Botsalı also revealed that a visa waiver agreement is about to be concluded between the two countries for businessmen, artists and professionals. Visitors will be able to stay for up to three months without a visa.

Memphis Tours Egypt Since 1955
Reference : todayszaman.com
Posted by : Shaimaa Ahmed

http://egyptcairoholidays.com/2010/10/27/egypt-plans-to-gradually-end-visa-requirements-for-turks/

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Have you ever sought movie reviews from friends about a newly released film, and been amazed by the dramatically opposing views they express? I marvel at how two close friends can see the same film and yet one exclaims, it’s the best movie I have ever seen, while another asserts, it was a colossal waste of time. Were they actually viewing the same film? Am I schizophrenic for having friends who hold such drastically differing views?

They say, One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Reviews I read recently about a museum in Switzerland remind me of this old saying. La Musee de l’Art Brut, located in the scenic Lausanne, is one of my favorite museums in the world. I discovered it while touring Europe the summer after graduate school. It showcases a collection of art work created primarily by the institutionalized: schizophrenics, manic-depressives, and other psychiatric patients.

I was mesmerized by the collection and recall spending hours there and even buying the souvenir book.

Take a look at these current reviews on a popular travel critic forum:

“Absorbing, thought-provoking, stimulating, emotional...”I discovered Art Brut (Outsider Art in English) because of this museum. My first visit lasted over 3 hours - even though it's a relatively small museum - and I only left because it was closing time. I have since been several times, each time discovering something new and spending more time to contemplate specific works of art.

The lives of outsider artists are as important as the works themselves, and these are described briefly in short texts on the walls of the museum giving you insight into how the works were made and the circumstances. In my subjective opinion, the most impressive work is that of the life-size horse made of various pieces of wood (I don't remember the artist). It's stunningly (and surprisingly) beautiful- there is much movement and life in it that you can almost hear the galloping. Incredible.

An extraordinary place and one which will stay with you long after your visit.

“the worst place ever”It sucked. I've never been so bored in my life. Just a lot of naked people. I see enough of those at home.

“A clinicians day out!”Although difficult to initially find via the bus, (you need to get off at Beaulieu) this gallery is one of the most interesting that I have had the pleasure to visit. A simple facade hides both the depth and size of the collection, and once inside, the collection is one of abject fascination for both public and clinical interest.

Beginning with a collection of artworks by learning disabled artists, and continuing on two further floors with artworks from a number of other artists with mental health issues, as well as psychics and prisoners, the collection is extensive. Clear and concise histories of each artist are placed alongside each set of works (in both French and English) which allow some insight into their lives.
Altogether, a truly fascinating collection that I feel honored to have seen. However, be aware that this is a very large collection over three floors, and any visit will be a long one!

Finally, for those reading this who have mobility issues, there are three sets of stairs (and no lift that I could find), but the staff are friendly, helpful and approachable.

“Fascinating!”A fascinating but also quite disturbing collection of 'outsider art'.

I wasn't aware of what I was going to see when I visited this museum but was blown away by the kind of artworks that were on display.

As the previous reviewer said, some of the work was quite accomplished but other pieces, very child-like. My conclusion was that there is a very fine line between genius and madness in art.

A memorable visit and would recommend as a must-see if visiting Lausanne.

“Mind-blowing!”Le Collection de L'Art Brut is possibly the most interesting art gallery I've ever seen, and a definite highlight of my visit to Lausanne. It's a collection of 'outsider art' - visual artwork created mostly by schizophrenics, manic-depressives, and other psychiatric patients. Some of the art is brilliant, while some of it is less technically proficient (even childish in its execution) but genuinely disturbing. The staff are helpful (though it helps if you speak French), and the experience unforgettable. After my first visit to the Collection, I found myself drawn back to it two days later, and would love a chance to see it again.

Where do you think YOU would fall on the spectrum of--admirers versus detesters--of these works?

If you are interested, here is the Museum address: Collection de l'Art Brut-- 11 av des Bergieres, Lausanne 1004, Switzerland Tel: 41 21 315 25 70 Fax: 41 21 315 25 71

Do you know the world’s most popular travel destinations?

Do You Know? From: karlascottspeaker.blogspot.com

Where do the world’s travelers go most often? The country topping the list hosted 74.2 million tourists in 2009.

And the winners are:

#5 Italy

#4 China

#3 Spain

#2 USA (Spain and the USA vie for 2nd and third place a lot)


Drumroll………

#1 France

Guess who spends the most on travel??

82 million Germans spent $80 Billion last year. Americans ranked 2nd spending $73 billion.

Source: Bloomberg Business Week

Baltic Capitals Berlin Day 3 of cruise

What a thought provoking visit to East and West Berlin today. I am blown away by the complexity of this city’s history. It is probably the most schizophrenic major city because for 42 years, it held two distinctly different cultures and served at least two masters. One with a thriving, modern economy, and citizens who were free to move around; the other, oppressed, repressed, and a wing of the Soviet Union. Yet, neither had full civil rights as part of Germany.

Everywhere there are markers of its dark Nazi past, its occupation by Russia, the devastation of war, and the massive abuses of power. At the same time, hope shines today, in this city of renovation, creation, and construction cranes. Guilt-ridden by the shame of Nazi Germany’s horrors, Berlin has attempted to shed its past by demolishing most sites associated with that era, and rebuilding using the latest advances in technology and the most contemporary architectural styles.

What struck me is how pivotal a role Berlin played as a pawn between the US and Russia during the cold War. One perceived misstep by one side and one overreaction by the other could have easily led to WWIII. The Checkpoint Charlie incident in 1961, is one such example of American and Russian tanks coming head to head in a stand-off that had the world’s attention. There was posturing on both sides, but the Potsdam agreement intervened to prevent an irrevocable and fatal move.

Our Agenda

After breakfast at 7, I met my small, private tour group for our 3 hour coach ride into the city. The ship docked at (Warnemunde).

Our first stops were visits to Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Potsdamer Platz, Tiergarten, and Ku Damn. Then we went to the Brandenburg Gate and WALKED THRU IT, the Reichstag, Sections of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie (more people visited this than Rome in 2009), The Book Burning Memorial, The site of Hitler’s Bunker (and where he committed suicide as Russian tanks pulled into Berlin), and the moving Memorial to The Murdered Jews.

1/3 of the city is covered by natural attractions---gardens, lakes, woodlands, and parks.

Our tour guide, Dereck from Toronto was knowledgeable and passion about his subject.

We heard lots of stories of the building of the wall, gripping tales of ingenious escape attempts, and scenes of ecstatic Berliners poring thru the gates and tearing down the wall in 1989.

We even saw the buildings were the Valkerie Plot was conceived and where Hitler drafted his first plans for world domination, (long before the start of WWII).

We were thoroughly satisfied with our tour. The weather was pleasant—warm, and sunny.

We had traditional Bavarian fare for lunch. (my pretzel was good, my veal sausage was edible).

Some things I learned

Angela Merkel grew up in East Germany under Soviet rule. (first German ruler to grow up in under communism)

Hitler likely used the fire at the Reichstag as an excuse to launch his assault on Jews and communists and to broaden the Aryan empire. Shortly after that incident, he transformed Germany from a democracy to a dictatorship where all civil rights were expunged.

The US airlifted supplies into Germany for more than a year when Stalin attempted a blockade of West Berlin. West Berlin was such a potent symbol—the Allies fought to hold onto it. Stalin eventually reopened the roadways giving access.

There were two walls: an inner wall that separated East and West Berlin and an outer wall that surrounded the entire city to control the flow in and out of Soviet East Berlin.

We made it back to the ship before 9, for a 10PM departure.

I love standing out on deck watching this ship pull away. The townspeople of Warnemunde waved us goodbye.

It is still light outside!

Tomorrow: a day at sea

Have not watched the news since ship left London

Will upload photos when I get faser connection

Copenhagen-Baltic Capital Cruise Port #1

Copenhagen Baltic Capital Cruise Port #1

City of spires, canals, smiles, and bicycles

Today, was our first port visit on our Baltic Capitals cruise. I opted to tour the city via the convenient hop-on-hop-off (HOH)) tour buses. Fortunately, they made a special pick up for us at Friborg (port).

I visited The Rosenborg Palace, Tivoli, Town Hall, Nyhvn, Christiania (hippie compound since the early 70s), Amalienborg Palace (residence of royal family). Bicycles are the top mode of transport. Everyone rides them here and the city has free rental bikes stationed throughout the city.

I walked the entire Stroget, the pedestrian shopping street considered to be the longest pedestrian street in the world

It is TRUE: I WITNESSED it!-----Moms leave their babies in their strollers outside shops while they run errands. The Danes feel completely safe and secure with everyone.

Things I probably used to know about Denmark that I mostly forgot-(I was here in 1986!)

It is one of Northern Europe’s busiest harbors.

Greenland is owned by Denmark.

It is one of the most prosperous countries in Europe and its population of 5 million enjoy a high standard of living.

Denmark has the oldest monarchy in the world.

The Danes smuggled 7000 of its 7500 Jews out of Denmark into Sweden during WWII.

Sweden and Denmark were bitter enemies, at war, and stealing land back and forth for centuries.

Denmark was one of the founding EU member nations

The Little Mermaid, (for the first time in 97 years), is on loan to Shanghai for the 2010 World’s Fair. At the site where her statue normally rests, there is a webcam live-streaming her on location in China. (glad I saw her when I was here last) LOL!

Tivoli Gardens is what inspired Walt Disney in his designing of Disney World

Hans Christian had little formal education yet grew up to be one of the world’s greatest storytellers. He is beloved by children all over the world because their parents read his stories to them at bedtime. He wrote 150 fairy tales including The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, Little Mermaid, The Princess&Pea, and The Emperor Who Wore No Clothes. His works have been translated into more than 150 languages. In fact, HIS WORKS ARE THE MOST TRANSLATED AFTER THE BIBLE

Other observations/Comments

Their English language skill is impeccable

Denmark consistently ranks #1 as happiest nation in the world! This I knew and have blogged about several times.

I mailed a post card to me for my collection.

I am sending this via free WIFI at the port reception area. This way, I don’t have to use my ship minutes.