The Conch Republic

In April 1982, the USA government set up roadblocks at the northern end of the Florida Keys. This bothered the residents of the Keys (US citizens) who had to show proof of citizenship to enter mainland Florida. So they seceded from the USA and established the Conch Republic with Key West as it’s capital. After seceding, they surrendered to the US Navy and asked for 1 billion dollars in War Relief. The US government hasn’t responded yet, but the Conch Republic celebrates its independence every year in April, issues its own passports, and has its own coins.

The Conch Republic has as its stated Foreign Policy,"The Mitigation of World Tension through the Exercise of Humor". As the world's first "Fifth World" country, we exist as a "State of Mind", and aspire only to bring more Warmth, Humor and Respect to a planet we find in sore need of all three. Sir Peter Anderson, Secretary General of the Conch Republic

Just walking makes you slim

I bought this pants.
Just walking with this pants makes me slim.
Can you believe ?
I'll report you the result later.

French troupe team performs during art festival

(Tico Times) - A member of French troupe Compagnie Retouramont yesterday evening puts on a gravity-defying performance off the façade of San Jose's Gran Hotel Costa Rica as part of the International Arts Festival which runs through Sunday.

Child abuse or religious freedom?

On April 10, law enforcement officials entered a church compound in Texas and removed over 400 children. The warrant authorizing the raid was based on a 16-year-old girl’s report of child abuse. The concerns lie with girls as young as 13 being married to church elders and impregnated at that young age. Since Texas law considers sexual relations with a child under the age of 16 to be statutory rape, law officials feel they have a strong criminal case against the men who have these very young wives. Also, Texas law does not recognize many of the marriages since the man is practicing polygamy (several wives), which is generally illegal in the USA.

The group is a part of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and they claim that the government has violated their rights to religious freedom. They feel the children are well cared for and being brought up to be good church members.
The LDS Church has always faced opposition or persecution (depending on which way you see it). When Joseph Smith claimed he received direct revelations from God and established the church in 1820, he was driven from his home state of New York, jailed on occasion, and eventually died while in jail. Often labeled as a cult or heretics, his followers continued until they settled in present day Utah. The LDS Church has grown quite large and has an active missionary program. Most Mormons do not accept the practice of polygamy and are interested in a broader acceptance in American life. The small groups who do practice polygamy often tangle with local authorities.

Now it will be up to the courts to decide whether these children are being brought up piously or are being abused.


Special note: the difference between LDS and FLDS

Lisbon webcam Portugal

Rossio Square, Lisbon downtown

http://www.strawberryworld-lisbon.com/webcam.html

Mary in Quran

i was surfing the net and come across this translation of the Surat of Mary in the Quran, i just found it beautiful,

" 16. Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.

17. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

18. She said: "I seek refuge from thee to ((Allah)) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah."

19. He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.

20. She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?"

21. He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':It is a matter (so) decreed."

22. So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.

23. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"

24. But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee;

25. "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.

26. "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to ((Allah)) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being'"

27. At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!

28. "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"

29. But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"

30. He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah. He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet;

31. "And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live;

32. "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable;

33. "So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"!

34. Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.

35. It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be", and it is.

36. Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight."

Thingyan Traditional Treats

The Thingyan Water Festival is the most joyous and hilarious of the many festivals in Myanmar, where everyone irrespective of race, creed, caste or colour can enjoy in carefree abandon within the bounds of cultural context. Thingyan normally falls on 12 or 13 April of every year and lasts 3 or 4 drenching days of singing, dancing, taunting, ogling, boozing and followed by the advent of the new year by the Myanmar Lunar calendar.
About Thingyan Festival, if you want to know more detail, you can visit and read here(my last year's post): http://melodymaung.myanmarbloggers.org/2007/04/just-corner-to-myanmar-thingyan-water.html

Mont Lone Ye Paw

"Mont Lone Ye Paw" or floating sweet dumpling is the traditional treat in the Thingyan Water Festival. The recipe is a simple one indeed. Glutinous rice and ordinary rice are mixed in 1:4 ratio, jaggery, a sweet candy made from the sap of toddy juice extracted from the palm tree, and coconuts are the ingredients. Here is how it is prepared. Firstly the rice is washed clean and soaked in water for the night. The next day rice is rinsed, crushed to flour in a grinding mill. Then it is put in a cotton bag and hung for some time to drain the water. Then the dough is kneaded till it becomes pliable. In the meantime jaggery balls are chopped to the size of peanuts. The dough is flattened in the palm of the hand and the jaggery pieces are put in the middle and rolled to form a small rounded ball, the size of an olive so it can be easily eaten. A fire is lit in an open space and a large pot of water is out over the fire and allowed to boil, Then the raw sweetmeat balls are thrown into the boiling water. They all submerge and come afloat when cooked. Then they are taken out with a sieve, put on a saucer and sprinkled with grated coconuts and eaten with forks, or in a simpler way with the fingers. Just as simple as that, don't you think?
Preparing that sweetmeat for the Thingyan treat needs a little organization. A group of comely damsels are chosen to make the round dumplings. Naturally they are dressed in all their finery as to attract an admiring crowd of equally agile youth. Young men are also recruited to do the heavy chores such as lifting the pots, carrying water, stoking the fire and washing the dishes. Live or recorded music is played to the accompaniment of quick-beat Thingyan dances, singing, laughter and pouring of water. There is a lot of jest and pun, some provocative in the Myanmar Language, meaning no harm is taken in the festive mood of the occasion. "ေပၚျပီလားေဟ႕၊ ေပၚျပီေဟ႕ " "Paw be lar hey? Paw be hey!" is the chorus while the sweetmeat is being cooked. Literally the query is whether the sweetmeat is afloat. But the word "Paw" carries a double meaning. It also alludes to the fact that certain parts which should not be exposed is now in danger of exposure. To quote the Readers Digest, the phrase "Pardon, is your slip showing?" will be an apt smile, a little lerry at that. Such jests, quite commonplace in this festive mood, are taken in good humour, excepting some blushing of the cheeks of some coy girls, some sulky pouts, and some equally crisp, saucy repartees, eliciting roars of laughter. Some girls, intent on mischief surreptitiously put some hot chilies instead of jaggery into the dumplings and serve it to the unlucky beau to have a bite, while they wait expectantly for the chilies burns the beau's palate followed by joyous peals of laughter.

There are a lot of endearing features of the Myanmar Thingyan Festival. Beautiful, isn't it?
Merry-wet Thingyan and Happy Mynmar New Year to you all together with us.

Sea sapphire

Fishermen in TOYAMA prefecture are now at their best catching "Firefly Squid".
As its body emits pale light,it's called "Sea sapphire".
Of course they are good to eat.

Information control... or mind control.

Something interesting happened last night. My sister answered my cell phone- my aunt was calling from Gaborone, Botswana. Of course the talk turned to politics... And the state of things in Zimbabwe. After about three minutes, my aunt inexplicably said,mid-sentence, "If you are listening in, please get off the line, I'm speaking to my niece"- and they got cut off immediately. If that isn't creepy, I don't know what is....

Thing is, the culture of fear's been around for ages... Zimbabwe's been a police state for who knows how long. Most people don't know that Voice of America radio (VOA radio) broadcasts something called Studio 7 (a program for Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans in Washington, at 7 pm Zimbabwe time). What even less people know is that the frequency gets jammed at about 1905h; you get this awful sound coming through, and that's it, no more outside news for you. It's true that they are broadcasting "illegally", according to Zimbabwe's current media laws... But you know that there are shades of truth, where politics is concerned. There is also a very popular "new" newspaper (I think started by Zimbabweans in the UK, but I'll have to confirm that), which is a tad sensationalist in its approach, but at least gives Zimbabweans a break from the propaganda in the state- owned newspapers.. I am surprised that hasn't been shut down yet, but if there is a clampdown by the new government-read-old government, then they may be in a spot of bother... Honestly, unless you have satellite tv in Zimbabwe, only the rumor mill will give you the other side of the story. And believe me, that is alive and well in Zimbabwe.

Anyway... Word on the street is that Zimbabweans will press on, and not be cowed this time. We have waited so long for this; we are hanging onto hope. Most people are moving on with things, but keeping an ear to the radio (TV is a total loss).. One of these days, just now, we shall overcome.

PS. I MUST mention this here: if there is one thing Zimbabweans use to deal with the every day hardships, it is humor. There were so many jokes going around at election time, to do with the three candidates, and the failure by the electoral commission to release results....

April's Tensions!

(photo @ Reuters)

April 6th... 2008

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Egypt witnessed last Saturday a public strike..against all forms of corruption, soaring prices..low wages..and declining life standards!

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The public strike was initiated by group of youth, along workers from Mahla city..and the idea was propagated via internet! Facebook was the conclave for publishing the idea, gathering thousands in no time.. of many who were quite enthusiastic about the promising idea and willing to propagate for it within their friends and family circuits, work, and universities as well! Some Bloggers on that day went out to the streets as if like special reporters.. giving up-to-date info about the case in the streets!

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The government along with its police forces were on guard..and made sure to be present in the streets of Cairo... making any planned march or demonstration impossible to take place! Not to mention, the number of arrested reporters, , activists, and pedestrians on that day!!

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The weather that day helped as a background for the tension in the air..for the yellow skies of Cairo..looked more scary...as if it were the rising anger of the poor public!

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However, the riot took place in Mahla city.. a city of industry.. and constant clashes between police forces and the public took place, along with demonstrations..resulting in more oppression on the part of police, detentions..and even two deaths..! and all our hands crossed for the safety of the people there..!

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Politicians and Egyptians argued about that strike! Some saw it failed... but most if not all.. rose their hat off for the bravery of the workers and people of Mahla city who cried out loud for their rights...! The strike was really promising for like 40% remained at home, and abided by the strike! All now see the 6th April Strike as a grand rehearsal for a more wide strike...presumably to take place next month..with a more widely propagated strike..its motto is not to buy anything from anywhere.. do not deal with governmental offices that day... do not use public means of transportation...just stay and home..and hoist the flag up the balcony!

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Some argue it's useless...Most say it's a step forward to let their strike.. ring a bell..and it's a suitable peaceful means to declare that the public is quite aware of his rights...just as he's aware of his own duties towards his beloved country... and can stand up to , face to face, to the current regime!
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God bless you, Egypt!

High school baseball championship

In Japan,there are two major high school baseball championship.
First one is held this month in spring,the other one is held in hot summer.
Most people support the highschool which is from their birthplace.
Today Okinawa-shogaku won the title among 4192 highschools in Japan.
Do you have this kind of sports in your country?

Rescue shelter for animals in Guanacaste

A jaguar enjoys a meal at the Las Pumas Rescue Shelter in Canas, Guanacaste, The shelter was created 40 years ago, by Swiss Werner Hagnauer and his late wife Lilly Bodmer, when the deforestation levels in the province of Guanacaste were high. Hagnauer receives animals that the neighbours bring to save, as well as those that the Ministry of Environment confiscates. At the moment the shelter is home to more than 160 animals from 60 different species. (Photo: Juan Carlos Ulate / Reuters)