Why I am not a big fan of Christmas and prefer the Festivus tradition of airing grievances.
Tag Archive: Sri Lanka
Remnants
The looming memorial of the September 11, 2001 tragedy has me thinking about things left behind.
“With/out borders” on the expat+HAREM
My newest expat+HAREM post, “With/out borders”, is featured on their beautiful site for the next week.
In the “Nought”ies I:
Many of the things that I did in the Naughts Decade. I probably left out a bunch, but anyway.
Turkish Delight Volume 16: A Day In The Life
Thankfully, we had CNBCe in our flat. CNN, BBC, BBC Prime and a business channel that showed really good movies and shows. While we lived in Bakirkoy we watched Desperate Housewives third season, day 5 of 24, My Name Is Earl, Scrubs, One Tree Hill, The OC, Without A Trace, Six Feet Under, Nip/Tuck, Heroes,…
Turkish Delight Volume 13: Working to the Bone: Turkey’s Protestant Work Ethic
The Turkish work ethic is insane. They work six days a week, many even work 7 days a week, and this is considered normal. Many Turks wouldn’t even think of asking for a vacation until they have worked that kind of schedule for at least two years. Many Turks never take vacation ever. The average…
Turkish Delight Volume 11: Stilettos and Headscarves
All around the world, we see examples of vast gulf between the theory and practice of religion. A warmongering Christian American president, who seems to not understand the basic tenets of Christianity that are peace, love and tolerance. Muslim fundamentalists who do not seem to understand or follow the teachings of Mohammed, the Prophet, who…
Turkish Delight Volume 9: It’s All the Same
After a lifetime of travelling, I am starting to notice that every place is more or less the same. Each place, albeit with a different culture and different lifestyles, has its positives and its negatives. Some wonderful things and some horrible things. In this way, all places begin to blend together and the aspects that…
Emirates Airlines: A Skyward Hotel
I always thought that the airlines that offered a personal TV for each seat were the super-duper fancy airlines that only the wealthy could afford. Imagine my surprise at Christmastime to discover that Emirates Airlines has a personal TV built into every single seat in their airplanes! Wow! You get to choose what movies you…
How “Babel” and Uma Are Connected
Many people compared Babel to Crash and Magnolia because of its story line about the intersection between the lives of disparate groups of people, and on a superficial level the comparison is valid. But what made Babel stand apart from every other film was the fact that it showed how we are all connected not…
My Uncle Survived the Tsunami and Other Reasons Why I Don't Like the Beach
I had no idea until I met him that my Uncle Vasantha had survived the Tsunami that hit Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004. I remember when the Tsunami happened there was an absolute feeling of chaos and powerlessness that hit our household. We sat, stunned, watching the waves crash over Sri Lanka and were…
So This Is Home
After two unsuccessful attempts to post this, I am hoping the third time is the charm, as they say. So, HAPPY NEW YEAR to all y’all! And I say “y’all” the way Sri Lankans say it, not how Texans say it, just to be crystal clear. Yes, back in Bakirkoy and back here. It has…
The Fortune-Telling Rabbit and Other Turkish Delights
The Fortune-Telling Rabbit Not just any rabbit, mind you, a White Rabbit with blue eyes brimming with wisdom. The wrinkled old keeper of the Rabbit told her my name, she looked me over and chose my fortune. It was on a piece of cream colored paper and outlined the very problems I had been experiencing…
Proper Curry: A Recipe for Goodness
A recipe for the most beautiful curry you’ll ever eat in your life. 
pirates, princesas, and we are not in kansas anymore
after quite a grueling two days in madrid in which my ear infection compounded by a hundred after the freezing cold ride on the granada-madrid bus, we have made it to istanbul. madrid would have been a nice layover if i had not been so wretchedly ill, but we did get to see two very…
on how much 'hostel' sucked and they don't make scary movies like they used to
since my ear feels like an evil fairy with a blowtorch lives inside and wants to liquify my brain, i am trying to keep a low profile. an earache is just the worst. i have no appetite, no balance, and occasionally what feels like a nail driving through the side of my head. which leads…
moving forward
packers came today and put all of the possessions my family will keep into a container, soon to brave the wild tsunami-threatened oceans for sri lanka. moving day is always strange for me. i realised today that i have more attachment to the things that make up our home than the home itself. a carved…
And now, the end is near (or the Twenty-eighth and Final Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, April 22, 2005)
This morning opened with a heated debate on the decision regarding the proposed reform of the Secretary-General in the area of human rights, which ultimately was adopted by a vote of 34 in favour, 15 against and 4 abstentions. The most contested part of this decision was a proposed Working Group to examine the question…
The cowardly lion is the dominant parent of the Commission on Human Rights (or the Twenty-seventh Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, April 21, 2005)
This morning, the Commission began by withdrawing a resolution on Item 9, the Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world that was about the situation of human rights in the Sudan. The EU felt they could withdraw the resolution because they were receiving the cooperation they…
Everybody is talking at me (or the Twenty-sixth Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, April 20, 2005)
This report will focus on all of the events from April 20 that did not have to do with Item 15 on indigenous issues, which is contained in the Twenty-fifth Report independently. The Commission deferred taking action on the resolution regarding the protection of human rights in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and…
Wolves backed into the corner: Voting on Item 15, Indigenous Issues (Or the Twenty-fifth Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, April 20, 2005)
*This report is to date incomplete. Please come back in a couple days for the complete version. Thanks! April 20, 2005 the Commission on Human Rights voted on Item 15, Indigenous Issues, much to the embarrassment of the Americans and Australians citizens in the room. All of the resolutions concerning indigenous issues were passed, even…
A long day’s work for human rights (or Twenty-fourth Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, April 19, 2005)
During today’s extended sessions, Item 18 on Effective functioning of human rights mechanisms: a) Treaty bodies, b) National institutions and regional arrangements, c) Adaptation and strengthening of the United Nations machinery for human rights was concluded with the last few NGO interventions. Many went through issues that had been touched upon during yesterday’s debate on…
Promoting and Protecting Human Rights through Talking (or the Twenty-second Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, April 15, 2005)
Item 14 regarding Specific groups and individuals was closed for discussion today after the few remaining NGOs on the speaker’s list took the floor for their interventions. Most notably, voting on Item 10, Economic, social and cultural rights, continued, and Items 15, 16,17 and 19 were tackled. Issues such as anti-Semitism, the situation of human…
Why is rape not considered torture? (or the Fifteenth Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, April 6, 2005)
Yakin Erturk, the Special Rapporteur (SR) on violence against women, its causes and consequences: -widespread violence against women around the world and just as common is impunity of the violators. -country visits to Guatemala, El Salvador, occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan. In Guatemala widespread violence against indigenous women who face multiple discriminations. In Sudan, horrific rape…
Racism has a ghostly face (or the Sixth Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, March 21, 2005)
Racism has a ghostly face, with eyes caged by thick intolerance and radiating a pulsing purple hatred. It is a multi-limbed beast, residing in the legislation of governments worldwide that affects the enjoyment of a happy and humane life. Its arms are made up of religious persecution and the misinterpretation of faith, the abuse of…
The Second Report on the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights, March 15, 2005
Thanks to the heroic emergency credentialing of Charles Graves of Interfaith International, I got my badge this morning and entered into the hallowed halls of Geneva’s Fortress United Nations. Many, many thanks to Charles and Interfaith for allowing me to be a part of their delegation, and of course, any opinions expressed within these reports…
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