Saturday, March 31, 2007

 

Beautiful and sunny today!

BOSNIA: TENSIONS AT POST-WAR HIGH, SAYS PRESIDENT

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.400441874&par=

For once they used a picture of a normal street scene in Sarajevo.



Ethnic Albanian group protests U.N. plan on Kosovo, demands release of jailed leader

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/31/europe/EU-GEN-Kosovo-Protest.php


More details on how the missing Australian hiker was found

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62161



Haradinaj Allegedly Witnessed Beatings

http://www.iwpr.net/?p=tri&s=f&o=334529&apc_state=henptri

U.N. peacekeepers report explosion near Orthodox monastery

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/30/europe/EU-GEN-Kosovo-Explosion.php

Albanians hold interfaith service in Hartsdale

Yesterday I was out for a bit and heard lots of birds. Birds

I am annoyed that all week I waited for the plumber. He's a good guy, I'm not mad at him, more annoyed at circumsances. His apprentice was injured in a dirt bike accident. Which means when the plumber DOES come, I will have to help. I have never done anything like that in my life, I have delicate wrists, and it will take an hour, of me perhaps sitting in an awkward position holding pipes, messing with wrenches, etc. I feel bad for the poor apprentice, who was injured very badly in his dirt bike wreck too. He went right over the handle bars and the heavy bike landed on him breaking a bunch of his ribs. He's in terrible pain even to breath poor guy.



Friday, March 30, 2007

 

Today the counter reached 21666 visitors

Well yeah, that many visitors have been here to read whatever ... or to view the videos I put up, does it mean I've reached some level of evilness? You know of course why 666 is the 'evil' number don't you? It's because in decimals 666 is a repeating decimal. That makes it evil right there for all the blasphemy repeating decimals cause the unaware and gulliable.

Actually if you go to youTube and check out videos using kaleidescopes, mine take up a whole page. Only a couple other people have done something similar, one using a special machine, that isn't a normal kaleidescope, but one adapted for use with movie cameras, and one using a computer generated kaleidescope effect.
The kaleidescope I've been using has a glass ball at the end and the usual number of mirrors inside the tube. This means that any object can be subjected to the effects, no glass bits or beads involved.

I find Indian fabrics result in the better effects, after that, pretty paper, and after that just stuff around the house.

The plumber never showed up. I need the tub fixed. It's vital to other plans of mine.



 

It's done with smoke and mirrors


 

sunny but cold again




one of the longer Acid Free Trips (c) I have put up for your entertainment. This was done using a small piece of mirror work. I quite liked the effects achieved! I'd like a job doing lightshows now please! :)

Ethnic Policy Triggers Nationalism

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=168921

Bosnian Serbs Demand Referendum

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n109003

This is not something I wanted to see. The big difference between Republika Srpska and Kosovo is who committed genocide and where.

There's a couple stories I'll have to bring you later. The more important one is that Serbia has refused permission to the Peace Corps to operate in Serbia. I think that is too bad. There are many ways Peace Corps could help in Serbia. I also think it would be good for American understanding of Serbian people, because Peace Corps volunteers come home and talk about where they have been, and it would be better for both Serbia and the U.S. to base their understandings of each other on real people, instead of various obnoxious lobbies.
Because right now I cannot access the story due to a server problem of some kind, I am not able to find out what reason Serbia had for not wanting the Peace Corps.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

 

Late Updates

Never mind the snarque I said it to make you feel good!

What no 'Self Management'?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9164947

Bloc Party

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9190999

I can sort of relate, I guess anyone with a bit of Slavic heritage that grows up in the West in the Cold War era can relate.


And speaking of the East Bloc....

Detainees repatriated to Russia were abused

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9213686

and Congress investigates why have so many bees buzzed off..
Bees missing in action

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9213661

some things never change...

 

Joe Bob says 'Check it Out!

After you read this, you are going to need the 'Acid Free Trip (c)'

General Wesley Clark passed this on:
Iran War Would Hurt Israel

http://www.stopiranwar.com/?page_id=16


Acid Free Trip(c)

it's done with smoke mirrors and sari fabric!










 

Good Morning Comrade Zeks!

Kosovo Serbs Digging Up Their Dead

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-03-29T141623Z_01_L29715295_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SERBIA-KOSOVO-DEAD-COL.XML&archived=False

Many will remember that the same thing happened when Serbs left Federation areas of BiH.

Violence feared in transfer of Kosovo

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/459068e2-dd92-11db-8d42-000b5df10621.html

What they will tell us about the Putin-Bush phone call

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Putin_Spells_Out_Security_Worries_In_Bush_Phone_Call_999.html



Croatian government proposes changes to Defence Law

http://www.epicos.com/epicos/portal/media-type/html/user/anon/page/default.psml/js_panename/News+Information+Article+View;jsessionid=37A9236DDF397543E4706887AABB7F0E.tomcat1?articleid=75047&showfull=false


Human Rights Watch calls on EU not to resume talks with Serbia until Mladic is arrested

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/27/europe/EU-GEN-War-Crimes-Serbia.php

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

 

Update Time



Father of missing hiker cautious about body

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1884297.htm

Was Putin mad at someone on this plane?

Russian space junk whizzes past plane

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1884304.htm



Pyramid update

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0329/p13s01-woeu.html

Serbian loses appeal against UN war crimes tribunal decision to transfer case

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22047&Cr=ICTY&Cr1=

 

Kaleidescope


Kaleidescop
Originally uploaded by Yakima_gulag.
I had fun with my kaleidescope and my digital camera, as well there's some film I put up on youTube where I get some movement and had a lot of fun, you supply your own acid rock or new age music, hum it if you need to! :)

















 

cool flashlight


cool flashlight
Originally uploaded by Yakima_gulag.
A picture of the flashlight I got a few days ago.

 

Brrr again yeah that gets boring...


Razgovor s Kadijevićem - laž

http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20070328/novosti03.asp

Odmor u Rusiji

Pouzdani glasovi, međutim, navode da Veljko Kadijević, s kćerkom jedinicom Anom, udatom za nekoć poznatoga nogometaša Crvene zvezde, Borovčanina Stanislava Karasija, boravi treću godinu u Rusiji, na Crnome moru.

This part is the most interesting, he's happily basking by the Black Sea, the last three years, with agreeable female company. I'm sure he's really careful about the sushi...

I swore there'd be no Anna Nicole Smith coverage in the 'pages' of the Yakima Gulag Literary Gazett, sorry, there is a minor Balkans connection:

Unassuming Medical Examiner Among Fixtures In Smith Case

http://www.nbc6.net/news/11418986/detail.html

Bosnian Serb government wants to help Srebrenica

http://rawstory.com/news/dpa/Bosnian_Serb_government_wants_to_he_03282007.html



SERBIA: SCHISM SPLITS MUSLIM CONGRESS

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Religion&loid=8.0.399675134&par=


An interesting take on the Kosovo situation.

Mary Dejevsky: An independent Kosovo can be delayed no longer

http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_a_l/mary_dejevsky/article2398848.ece

Surprisingly enough the tulips are blooming! I must go take pictures of them, they are as always really pretty.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

 

Wake up and zap the coffee!



tea too if you like, nerdliness at it's most extreme

 

Surprisingly cold in the Yakima Gulag and near vicinity..

Sex Education Week in Croatia

http://see.oneworld.net/article/view/147604/1/

A good example of a headline that contradicts the story

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17801161/

Autonomy is NOT the same as independance. Kosovo HAD autonomy at one point and Milosevic withdrew autonomy. I get really annoyed at this sort of sloppyness.

We here at Y.G.L.G. reserve the right to indulge in snarque and comrade zeks, comrades abroad if this story doesn't call for a bit of snarque what story does?

Diamonds are a guy's best friend ...NOT!...

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/27/europe/EU-GEN-Croatia-Seized-Gems.php

Russia to launch probe if Ahtisaari Kosovo plan accepted - FM

http://en.rian.ru/world/20070327/62682046.html

Serbia convinced Russia will veto Kosovo plan

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-03-27T125555Z_01_L27178023_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SERBIA-KOSOVO-COL.XML&archived=False

A first miricle for Papa Ivo Pavo II?

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-03-27T144500Z_01_L27258045_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-POPE-JOHNPAUL-COL.XML&archived=False

Sex Education Week in Croatia

http://see.oneworld.net/article/view/147604/1/

A good example of a headline that contradicts the story

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17801161/

Autonomy is NOT the same as independance. Kosovo HAD autonomy at one point and Milosevic withdrew autonomy. I get really annoyed at this sort of sloppyness.

We here at Y.G.L.G. reserve the right to indulge in snarque and comrade zeks, comrades abroad if this story doesn't call for a bit of snarque what story does?

Diamonds are a guy's best friend ...NOT!...

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/27/europe/EU-GEN-Croatia-Seized-Gems.php

Russia to launch probe if Ahtisaari Kosovo plan accepted - FM

http://en.rian.ru/world/20070327/62682046.html

Serbia convinced Russia will veto Kosovo plan

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-03-27T125555Z_01_L27178023_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SERBIA-KOSOVO-COL.XML&archived=False

A first miricle for Papa Ivo Pavo II?

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-03-27T144500Z_01_L27258045_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-POPE-JOHNPAUL-COL.XML&archived=False


Bulgarian Nurse Update



http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n108828


Sex Education Week in Croatia

http://see.oneworld.net/article/view/147604/1/

A good example of a headline that contradicts the story

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17801161/

Autonomy is NOT the same as independance. Kosovo HAD autonomy at one point and Milosevic withdrew autonomy. I get really annoyed at this sort of sloppyness.

We here at Y.G.L.G. reserve the right to indulge in snarque and comrade zeks, comrades abroad if this story doesn't call for a bit of snarque, what story would?

Monday, March 26, 2007

 

I thought I was dreaming....

Then...I saw indeed pictorial proof.

Jerry Adams, Ian Paisley, FACE to FACE meeting

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070326/ap_on_re_eu/northern_ireland

The situation in Ireland in past centuries was as bad as anything in the Balkans. Can we all say Siege of Drogheda? Can we all say Siege of Londonderry? The coat of arms of Derry is a skeleton on a throne, and it reminds people of today how people starved in that siege. That was a siege of what at the time was a Protestant town, by a Catholic force, Drogeda was the other way around, either way people were reduced to eatting rats and leather and in Drogheda, one of Cromwells men boasted about how he got into the church where the 'choicest of the women were staying' and in the same passage boasted in disgusting detail about how many of them he raped.
It was in it's day as ugly a war as any what went on between English and Irish, English and Scots, and yet nowadays, the British Isles are largely peaceful, with the sad exception for the last few decades of the North. Now there have been these face to face talks unimaginable to someone born just when I was born. About Damn Time! I say! Jolly Good!

Maybe what has happened in Northern Ireland today has nothing to do with the Balkans but a very good example for the region. Peace could bring as much prosperity as England, Ireland, Scotland Wales, and the Isle of Man know, and as much chance to lead in the world.

Kosovo Proposal goes to U.N. Security Council

http://rawstory.com/news/dpa/Proposal_for_Kosovo_s_political_fut_03262007.htm
Karadzic's Brother Says U.S. Breeched Secret Deal

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/26/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-US-Karadzic.php

Of course if such a deal exists, the very secrecy is plausible deniability, you only need to read one good spy book and six bad ones to get what that's about! A secret deal basicaly is NO deal! Everyone knows that!

Two tried for death of Montenegrin Police Officer

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/26/europe/EU-GEN-Montenegro-Slain-Officer.php



Unease as British troops leave BiH

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/26/wbosnia26.xml

From the article,

The UN estimates that it costs £5 to lay a mine and £150 to recover it. In the last year the authorities have been able to clear just seven square miles, at a cost of £17 million. There is still a huge amount of work to clear the further 1,400 square miles of mined land.

"The mine situation here is bad and we estimate it will take 75 years to completely clear the country," said Brig Chris Murray, the commander of British forces in Bosnia. "We have trained the de-miners and hope that the funding remains for them to continue a vital job."

You realize in view of what Balkans history has been for some time, 75 years is enough time for two to three more wars.
from the same article:

"Unfortunately, mines are the best soldier - they don't need to sleep, they don't need feeding and they are never off-duty. And Bosnia mines are very good - being plastic and waterproof. They are as deadly today as when they were put down 15 years ago."

Even plastic does eventually degrade, it takes longer than metal, that's all. The problem is that it takes so much longer, that it's really hard to take care of removal. War is bad enough. What NO ONE seems to have understood is that landmines tend to kill more people from one's own side than people from another side. So many of these mines are in the forests too, meaning that the forests are less usable for legitimate activities like hiking, controlled hunting, wood products, foraging for mushrooms and the economic activities that people traditionally do in the woods.



From Ambassador to Activist

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=575232&category=REGION&newsdate=3/26/2007

Saw him on HRT some years ago, he's got real presence and skill. The interpreter had an unfortunate dye job, and my S.O. and I thought the interpreter and the ambassador were kind of attracted to one another, but restraining themselves since both were married. The interpreter had an unfortunate dye job, she had a 'professional' outfit that certainly would have passed muster with the evil John Malloy (may he rot in Hell!)her hair was otherwise very conventionally done, but the dye job on T.V. was the most marvelously punkish shade of red!. Anyway we kind of did immitations of them for the neighbors a couple times, they'd all seen the same story and laughed their butts off.

Still this ambassador is a good man, and I'm sure behaved himself in an exemplary manner despite whatever appeal the interpreter may have held. Come to think of it, maybe the dye job was as unfortunate in real life as it was in the studio and he could not help but keep his eyes on her.




Personal, the weather is again kind of chilly in the Yakima Gulag. Some further repairs to the aged and long neglected plumbing of my house is taking place tomorrow ako Bog daj. The tub has been unusable for years. I have had either to pour water overmyself to bath, or to go borrow a friend's tub.
Went out and hung out with friends last night. We finished off some Goldstrike, I mixed it with cream soda. Usually pepermint schnaps is good with apple juice, but this brand isn't for some reason. It however is quite nice with cream soda! Had some hard cider that wasn't as good as English hard cider. English hard cider is one of the glories of this world, and locally Grant's used to make a wonderful hard cider, which was my favorite libation for awhile until the jack booted thugs started messing with Bert and he had to discontinue it. I am not sorry for one drop I drank of it, it's like will never be seen again.
This stuff however was only moderately better than the attrocious horrible orange wine I made. I've only brewed up two bad batches of home made hootch, some maple syrup stuff, that is horrible, that I am taking out for the roses and the tree to enjoy, they don't have taste buds and there's some nutritional value in it! and the orange wine. I don't know what went wrong with it.
I make the best mead in the whole county, so it's not my brewing skills at fault. Might have just been bad luck.




Sunday, March 25, 2007

 

Two articles by Jasmina Tešanović


Jasmina Tešanović: Serbia Not Guilty of Genocide

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/02/27/jasmina_teanoviae_se.html

Jasmina Tešanović: Where Did Our History Go?

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/03/13/jasmina_teanoviae_wh.html

 

Anniversary of When Britain Outlawed the Atlantic Trade in Slaves

NPR story

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9128890

Alright, I hear the grumbles at the back fo the room, asking what on earth has this story to do with the Balkans? Actually a good bit!

1. The Republic of Ragusa, outlawed slavery in 1417, and the law had some big teeth. The Republic of Ragusa was well aware of the profitibility of the trade in slaves, but they knew it was wrong to sell 'men and women made in the image of God as if they were cattle in the streets.' That quote is somewhere in 'Black Lamb and Grey Falcon' by Dame Rebecca West. I am too tired to go get the book out, and look up an actual page number, since the book is packed right now.
If I understand correctly, a couple cities in England outlawed the trade in slaves a little earlier,but their laws did not mandate huge fines and hanging for people who did not buy back and free all the slaves they'd sold.
2. Human trafficking is still a serious problem in the Balkans really as a result in the rest of Europe.
3. As the NPR story points out, slavery in Africa is far from a dead isssue. As someone once married to someone from India, I know that 'bonded labor' the modern form of 'indentured servitude' and true slavery exist in India and Pakistan despite strong laws against these practices.
I was shocked to meet someone who didn't even think it was morally so wrong. An older Indian woman who said 'Well if the family is hungry, and they sell a child, at least the buyer will feed the child and the family too can eat... is that so bad?'
I was still shocked, because as an American, I am well aware that slavery nearly destroyed my country, and that slavery's evil echos have harmed the relationships between Black and White in the United States in a profound, possibly irretrievable manner.
Both the Republic of Ragusa, and England are to be commended for having outlawed the evil trade a long time ago, and I think both places gained because of this stand. Both nations took the stand against slavery when many Christians even justified the trade Biblically.
Both the Bible and the Koran have laws given in them as to the treatment of slaves, regulating a practive that would have been better abolished.
I do sometimes turn over in my mind what the old Indian lady said about hunger and slavery. I still am shocked a person in modern times could say such a thing. I am shocked at a world where things are still bad enough that her argument could hold so much as a drop of water.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

 

Nerdly Toy

You probably have seen those see through flashlights you shake, that never need batteries. I have been intending to get one for some time, because you never know when you will be stuck in Vukojebinje in the dark with no working flashlight. I know, because of course that's happened to me a few times. I love things that don't need batteries. Actually another practical application is I like to read in bed, and don't want to have a higher electric bill or to have to buy batteries all the time. So this is good for that habit, because all you do to get it to work is shake it up and down. At first it didn't work, so since it is see through, I looked inside it and figured out what was 'On' and what was 'Off' and figured out that the thing had been taken apart and then put together in such a way that the switch could not make any contact, that was a fix even I could do, so I took it apart and when I put it together again, flipped the switch and it worked fine. I was well pleased, $1.00 well spent.

 

Saturday's Silly Stupid Kviz

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Northeast

Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.

The Midland
The Inland North
Philadelphia
Boston
The South
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz


Incidentally, never set foot in any Northeast city except for Boston, and that was because coming home from BiH after my first trip, my plane landed in Logan .... however, the point of entry for many of my relatives arriving to the U.S. was Boston, others ended up in New York, and a bunch were in North Carolina. Personally, I have lived my life West of the Missisipi.

 

Cold again today...

Fifth Serbian Muslim Arrested on Terror Charges

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/24/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Arrest.php

I can only imagine the pep talks before this game! not my usual sort of story, don't expect more of same...

Kazakhstan Beats Serbia 2-1

http://uk.reuters.com/article/UK_WORLDFOOTBALL/idUKL2405244920070324


This is a serious story with a Balkans connection, but the headline is something unique...
You'll see when you click the link...
Headline is in Southern

http://shns.abc15.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=CROATIA-GIVING-03-23-07&cat=AN

Bosnian Pyramid Update

http://wIww.msnbc.msn.com/id/12402157/

I guess Osmanagic has to make some noise when there's been a REAL and unique find in Hercegovina of Illyrian ships...

Remember this?


Illyrian Ships Found in Hutovo Blato

http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/24/int18.htm

I ran a story on this pretty recently,and it's been making the rounds since it is a serious discovery.

Warning, this is from Al Jazeera, so if that's a problem for you don't click on the link....

Interpol to Hunt Yugoslav General

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B9FDC49B-FAE1-442E-A8C8-1872D265538A.htm

So that those of my readers who want to see it don't have to click on Al Jazeera the article is below:


NEWS EUROPE
Interpol to hunt Yugoslav general
Kadijevic is wanted by Croatia for suspected involvement in atrocities committed in Vukovar [AP]

Croatia has issued an international arrest warrant for a former defence minister who commanded the Yugoslav army during Croatia's war of independence in the 1990s, state radio said on Thursday.



Croatian police issued the warrant for Veljko Kadijevic, a retired general who has three war crimes indictments issued by local courts against him.


"We do not know his whereabouts, hence the international warrant, but we expect all Interpol members to act upon it," Dubravko Novak, a police chief, said.



Kadijevic, an ethnic Serb from Croatia, was Yugoslavia's last defence minister.


The post granted him effective command of the army in the Yugoslav federation, which crumbled after Slovenia and Croatia seceded in 1991.



He is now believed to be living in the US.



Charges



Croatian Serbs, armed and backed by Belgrade, opposed independence and created their own state in a war that killed and displaced thousands of people.



The conflict ended when a Croatian army crushed the rebellion in 1995.



Kadijevic is charged with responsibility for shelling civilian targets in the eastern Slavonia region, which borders Serbia.



He is also charged over atrocities committed by the Yugoslav army and Serb paramilitaries in the town of Vukovar, which they captured after a three-month siege in November 1991.



The Vukovar county court, which first indicted Kadijevic in 2002, reopened the case after media reported he had moved to the United States and was working as an adviser to the US army.



A court in nearby Osijek also indicted him.



The UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, which deals with Yugoslav atrocities, charged six Yugoslav army officers for war crimes in Croatia but never indicted Kadijevic.



Bosnian Muslims arrested



Also on Thursday, Bosnia's police arrested two Bosnian Muslim wartime officials suspected of war crimes against Croats during the country's 1992-95 war of independence, officials said.



The state prosecution said it had ordered the arrests of Nisvet Gasal and Musajb Kukavica, former members of the Bosnian Muslim-dominated army.



"The arrested men are suspected of war crimes committed in 1993-94 against Croats in the area of [the central town of] Bugojno," Boris Grubesic, the prosecution spokesman, said.



The two men are the first Muslims arrested in connection with crimes against Croats in wartime detention camps in Bugojno.



Local media reported that Gasal had run the Stadion detention camp for Croats in Bugojno, with Kukavica his deputy.



Bosnian Muslims and Croats fought together against Serbs early in the Bosnian 1992-95 war, but then started their own war in 1993, which ended a year later.

Source: Agencies

Friday, March 23, 2007

 

Bruce Sterling shows you around Beograd...Thanks BoingBoing..


 

Sunny Friday

The headline is scary but seriously it's just routine, not to worry..

Bosnian-Croat Federation Govt Suspended

http://rawstory.com/news/dpa/New_Bosnian_Muslim_Croat_Federation_03232007.html

French company buys largest Croatian dairy company

http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=BUSINESS&ID=564985944282104852

Sickening Behavior in Albanian School Results in Sackings

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070323/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_albania_teachers

U.S. soldiers in Kosovo won't see pay cut after all

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/03/23/news/breaking_news/doc46039edd80476659733554.txt

While Kosovo is hardly Iraq, it's dangerous enough at times that the pay is justified, besides cutting pay is a temptation to soldiers to join firms like Blackwater.

Serbian leaders confuse all with contradictory claims

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1281935.php/Serbian_leaders_confuse_all_with_contradictory_claims

as you can see, this is not my headline.

Kultur:

New Twin Peaks DVDs

http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Peaks-Second-Kyle-MacLachlan/dp/B000M3439E/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2148006-1588827?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1174658007&sr=1-1

Thursday, March 22, 2007

 

Cloudy and chilly today in the Yakima Gulag

Is this a secret agreement between Karadzic and Holbrooke?

Jewish organizations protest partial exoneration of Romanian WWII leader


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/22/europe/EU-GEN-Romania-WWII-Ruler.php

When justice is only partial this IS the reaction.

BOSNIA: TURKS, ARABS AND ASIANS AMONG HUNDREDS STRIPPED OF CITIZENSHIP

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.397741604&par=

Bosnia Hercegovina was asked to do something about the extremists who came during the war, they are doing something.

This article is not something to read over your breakfast, or any other meal.

Gruesome details emerge in Serbian mass grave cover up of Kosovo war crimes

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/22/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Kosovo-Concealing-Crime.php

Not a new accusation by any means...

Secret Deal Between Holbrook, Karadzic?


http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/005847.html

In Serbian but indeed with alleged documentation. It is very poorly scanned, and therefore hard to read, and in Serbian, which is natural, since the alleged document is with a Serbian speaking person. It is not a well done job though, not done well enough to make any judgement of authenticity of signatures or anything.

Press online article

http://www.pressonline.co.yu/vest.jsp?id=6803

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

 

Bandarilla


Bandarilla
Originally uploaded by Yakima_gulag.
Usually one associates bandarillas with La Fiesta Brava, well not in this case! it's a tamarind flavored candy, I don't mind tamarind, like it in fact but gentle readers, there's more...

a friend, who shall remain nameless gave this to me, she meant well, but here's the deal, it had several features I could have lived without. A foot long plastic straw down the middle and three hard tamarind seeds. Do not give this to three year olds or under, or people who like to run around.

 

bbbbbrrrrr!

British begin withdrawal from BiH

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6473727.stm

Well there is a first time for EVERYTHING. Those who know me of old, will get a kick out of this...Some who knew me and are now gone will be spinning in their graves ... but I have to say the British did over all a good job in BiH. I respect and appreciate the job they did.

No Bosnia Hercegovina is by no means fixed, but I think it's easy to overstate the situation as well, and not helpful to overstate the situation. People I know there are not afraid. I think it was innappropriate to include a picture from the war times in the article, instead of some picture that shows things as they are now.

BOSNIA: POLICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS STOKE TENSIONS>

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.397366053&par=0


Serbia accepts illegal immigrants return

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/42637.html

Whoever does this has lost his or her soul and should burn in Hell

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/42644.html



No Mladic, No Talks

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/21/opinion/edevans.php

4 Albanian Army Personel Arrested Over Alleged Arms Trafficking

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/21/europe/EU-GEN-Albania-Arms-Trafficking.php

War Criminal to Stay in Britain

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411366/1030531

While many innocent and decent asylum seekers have been rousted in the dead of night. That's really sad. Britain is in many ways a very good country, but this tarnishes a good reputation, and with the best intentions in the world.

Siberian mine explosion

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425822/1030215

I did not cover this earlier. It's really sad what is happening to Russian infrastructure at this time.

Hoon met BiH Foreign Minister

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391629&a=KArticle&aid=1173564665023

Interesting, Sven is a common Scandanavian given name, how did a Bosnian come to have such a name? I ask because on my mother's side there are Swedes and Sven was like really common among them.




Tamiflu bad for Teens

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=8295EF3608EEE6550EF7EF27D4000177

Body Clock Disruption May Trigger Bi-Polar Disorder

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanId=sa013&articleId=708AAAE6-E7F2-99DF-35D643E46E5A831D



Signs of Spring...

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

 

The Christian Industrial Complex

Really interesting reading especially in light of last night's post about Blackwater


http://many.corante.com/archives/2007/03/17/fame_narcissism_and_myspace.php

 

First Day of Spring




Some commentary sent to the Yakima Gulag Literary Gazette by a friend.



Historical Destruction in Americ

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/20/america/NA-REL-US-Croatian-Church.php

The Women's War

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/19/america/web.0319-women.php

Not what I expected from this publication...

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=74&ItemID=12369




Iranian New Years

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=CultureAndMedia&loid=8.0.396986283&par=0

note in the picture the dish of wheat sprouts, that is used by Slavic people at Christmas!



Russian Ambassador Storms out of Meeting on Kosovo

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=167463

This sounds pretty exciting!
I have spent time in this general vicinity, and it's really an interesting area.

Illirijan Ships found in Hercegovina Marshes

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=nw20070320140758925C772088


March 20 2007 at 02:59PM

Sarajevo/Mostar - A team of Bosnia-Herzegovina's archaeologists have discovered for the first time the remnants of fabled Illyrian ships in a marshland in southern Herzegovina, the team's head said on Tuesday.

Snjezana Vasilj told local media in Mostar that the ships were discovered about eight metres under the water of Hutovo blato, a marshland near the southern town of Capljina.

The Illyrian ships, believed to be more than 2 200 years old, had been known to historians only through Greek and Roman myths and legends, but their existence had never been physically proven, said Vasilj.

The Hutovo blato marshland, she said, became their final destination after they sailed in from the Adriatic Sea which is connected with the marshland by the Neretva River.

The Desilo location where the ships were discovered, said Vasilj, would be searched further, since the experts there also discovered about 80 amphoras lids and more than 30 fragments of amphora, some even with the hallmark.

Remains of an ancient Roman villa and an entire Roman spear were found at the same location, as well as seven graves, believed to date from the Bronze or Iron Age.

Illyrians were the earliest inhabitants of the Western Balkans, including Bosnia, long before the Roman Empire took control over the region. - Sapa-dpa





Former head of Serbia's military intelligence admits meeting suspected killers of PM

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/20/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Assassination-Trial.php

Turkey following Bulgarian nurses case closely and will help if neccesary

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n108360

White House Memorandum on Republic of Serbia and on Republic of Montenegro

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070320.html

Monday, March 19, 2007

 

A rose by any other name...

Blackwater and ties to American Protestant Christian Extremists and Extreme Republicans

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8992128

Alternet Coverage of same story

http://www.alternet.org/authors/5434/

If this don't piss you off you are plain un-American!

http://www.alternet.org/story/31787/


A Blast from the Past as the old D.J. types used to say...

Private Military Firm Pitches Its Services in Darfur

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5433902

Peacekeepers Inc.

http://www.brookings.edu/views/articles/fellows/singer20030601.htm

These firms are corprathugs and I don't like them. I suppose now I gotta be careful of the sushi for saying this. jebiga bilokako.

 

Less warm today..



taken on a sunnier day, watch at the end where the digger almost seems to be dancing! :)

Holbrooke warns of Kosovo explosion if plan stalls

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-03-19T110828Z_01_L19464409_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-KOSOVO-HOLBROOKE-COL.XML

Two Catholic Priests Attacked in Kosovo

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n108220

One doesn't often hear of incidents in Kosovo affecting Catholics, whether they are Kosovo Albanian Catholics or members of the small Croatian minority in Kosovo.

Kosovo to be discussed by Security Council today

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n108253


Scandalous Bulgarian Troops' Video Dated Back to 2004

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=78108

Greece Assists Russia's Return to the Balkans

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n108268


In the Yakima Gulag, the weather has cooled down. It's been unseasonably warm, so I put a lot of wash out today, I hope it gets mostly dry before I need to haul it in and let the heat kick on to dry it. I don't turn the heat on unless it gets REALLY cold now. It will kick on of itself if the house gets colder inside than 50 degrees. Frankly it hasn't kicked on in a couple days, and that's fine.

NPR had a story about the Cervantes Institute and projects relating to the Ladino or Judeo-Spanish language. The story mostly related to Thessalonika and Sofia, cities which were home to many Sephardic Jews before WWII. Sarajevo as well had a significant Sephardic community, I think the Cervantes Institute needs to pay some attention to Sarajevo as well...
Anyway there was some exquisite Sephardic music as a bumper for this and Robin has promised some Sephardic pieces in this morning's mix.

The local capitalist radio station: One of the announcers has been suffering gout. Gout is awful, I've had it, and I'm female, I was only in my mid 30s when I suffered the attack. It was easily cured by massive gorging on fresh cherries. This man had his sufferings lessened by concentrated cherry juice brought in by a listener. I called in and also said 'horseradish helps, it's a good thing to eat with ANY food that might cause an attack and in some parts of Eastern Europe people eat it three times a day because the whole diet can cause gout.'
I had gout while pretty close to vegetarian. I gave the kids most of the meat, since at that time I wasn't earning a lot, and they were still growing. I ate meat twice a week tops. They hated lentils, so rather than make them suffer, I made them burgers and ate lentils myself. Sometimes there was no choice, we all would eat lentils. Anyway, lentils are one of those foods that will cause gout. I had it in both feet, it was a VERY good thing I worked from home at the time. I sent my son out back to pick cherries, not usually his job, but I couldn't and I ate them until stuffed to the gills and was nearly instantly cured. I know from experience even maraschino cherries will help. That's how I cured a lesser attack a few years later. Since then, despite eatting a lot of foods that can bring it on, I haven't had an attack. I eat lots of cherries, and also eat horseradish regularly. The horseradish hasn't just helped prevent another attack of gout, it's also helped me get over a really annoying seris of stomach problems.
I am lactose intolerant. I find it's worse if I mix meat and dairy. So at home I don't do that obviously. Sometimes though I'm out and if I'm with friends who don't understand this problem, I will eat what's set before me. After all it's not going to kill me, just make me hog the bathroom for a bit. Still it's nice that this humble little plant has helped so much.
We may be getting some slightly less pleasant weather here soon, high winds.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

 

The Day After

Stateless Man Commits Suicide in Bucharest Airport

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=138697&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21

This is a sad business.

What Jerusalem Post thinks of ICJ decision of 26 Feb 2007

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879106005&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Serbian Police Crack Down on Alleged Muslim Terrorist Group

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/17/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Terrorism.php

Tuxedo Debit Card, the card that won't need a bank

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n108155

This is a financial service some will really need.

Family ?Deported after 14 Year Fight

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzNTcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcwOTYyMjYmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXky

Looks like the migration of bad sorts can go the other way too!

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=78064

On a personal note, last night was fun, I went out to the big peace action yesterday with my friend the editor of Jack Rabbit News, and he was nice enough to take me out for lunch, we both enjoyed ourselves, and I think at least 300 people showed up. Everyone wore at least one large article of white clothing except for one woman who went for the 'Žene u Crnom'look. Then I had my friend drop me at Berts, the Former Grant's Pub. It's located in this old apple warehouse, and there are many shops in there, including Ambrosia Beads. I have been there before looking for some relatively plain melon seed shaped beads to go with my turquoise heart necklace. I have never liked wearing it with a chain, it's too heavy for it to look balanced. Anyway for ONCE they had something close enough to what I wanted! And the price wasn't at all bad. So I bought 26 of them, you can always figure on one bead not having the right diameter, and that way I knew it would go most of the way around my neck. I pocketed my purchases and headed down to Bert's. The sad part is that Bert Grant himself has been gone awhile to his Maker. The music was canned but the food was good,many new items on the menu. I decided since they had a grilled prscut sandwich, to have it UNGRILLED, I HATE what grilling does to the delicate flavor of prscut! I asked for green onions. I said please have the componants separate, that part didn't happen but it was easy to remedy that. The waitress was very nice. I had rather a lot of beer, and a couple shots of whiskey for purposes of keeping my tooth from hurting. Owen I took your advice about how to do that, and it does help. If nothing else I figure it would keep the germs under some sort of control. I waited for a couple friends and we had a pitcher of Guiness together.There was another bar with a live band so we decamped. A lot of guys in there had green fezzes! If only they knew what an UN IRISH thing to wear that was! :) Ran into friends of mine, and friends of both my friends and generally had a great time sitting next to the 'Mafia table'. Then we went to a small bar closer to home, and had another pitcher of beer. I had a gas bubble and was trying to not drink too much. I pride myself on never having thrown up because I drank too much. I wasn't about to break that record. For the record, I managed that. I feel very good this morning, I seldom get hangovers. My friends dropped me home, after arrangeing to call me if they needed some kvas to recover. Kvas is good stuff for hangover. I have helped friends of mine who are less lucky than me with that stuff. I strung the necklace the way I wanted it, and it looks really good. I can wear it with a lot of stuff, or by itself for a more 'businesslike' look, and I think the purchase of those beads was a good one, the necklace is going to look good with a wider range of outfits, whether its my denim skirt and cowboy shirt combos or saris. I made it less fragile. I don't like totally fragile jewelry. I hate when stuff breaks for one thing, for another I want it to show up, and too fragile doesn't show up. The other thing is that now I have the necklace so that it could probably be left on going through a metal detector since I eliminated all ferrous metal componants. I had to improvise a bale that was from some wire that rusted. I have no rust now. It plain flat looks better. The sun is shining and it's a lovely day in the Yakima Gulag. I must go do some little chores about the house, and then wait for my friends to call, and later there is the usual action near the campus today, and of course I'm going.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

 

Feliz Dia de San Patricio!


La le Padraig Sona Daoib! For those of you from Rio Dell, that's Irish for Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

Hive Collapse Syndrome

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/columnists/merryman/story/6403792p-5710288c.html

This story has been getting creepier all the time. I heard about this first on local agricultural type shows and was horrified. First of all, bees and other insects that pollinate plants are really important. Second, bees are really lovely in and of themselves, for the things they make and make possible. I love bees. I was in tears last night listening to the George Noory Show, hearing about the trouble for bees.

I make mead, I have taught two friends how to make mead, and honey prices have been terrible because of bee mites, for some years now. Now there is this un-know disease attacking in a random fashion humanity's greatest partner in the insect world.
It's not just in the States, there have been occurances of Colony Collapse Syndrome in Poland, and in Spain as well.
Some think genetically modified foods have contributed to the problem. I suspect that messing with how nature does things too much, and apparently, the pesticides most dangerous to insects are the nicotine based ones, I've used a home made varient to kill an infestation of small flies on my indoor garlic and chives, because they were being eatten alive. I think I managed to kill all the little flies that way. I discontinued spraying them with it as soon as I didn't see any more flies.

I wouln't do this out doors now that I know what can happen to bees. Apparently nicotine and neo nicotine products disrupt the memories of bees, and other social insects so that they do not return home. These products were first used on termites, where I think it's appropriate, but then on other insects, and out in the open, bees were exposed. In many cases of colony collapse, there are no dead bees found, the hive is empty.

Monsanto, the huge seed company also produces neo nicotine pesticides, and GM seeds. They need to stop it or to be stopped. There should be a law against this. Frankly the GM plants and the die-offs of bees and other pollinator insects worry me far more than global warming.







Key Milosevic Aide Arrested in Serbia

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/17/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Milosevic-Aide.php

BiH Signs Agreement with N.A.T.O.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/16/europe/EU-GEN-Bosnia-NATO.php

The Fourth anniversary of the Iraq war is this Tuesday. The Yakima Gulag is going ot have a march, 2:00 pm Cahallen Park (sic) in Union Gap, this is the park accross the road from Borders Books. Everyone is asked to wear white. I have one white garment that is outerwear, a vest, so I'll wear it, but the rest of my clothes are green.

Friday, March 16, 2007

 

A Balkans connection..

In Minnesota there has been a proposed law that American flags actually be manufactured in the United States of America, if they are to be sold as American flags. The guy who started this thing is a guy named Tom Rukavina. That is an old and honored Croatian family name....

Rukavina coat of arms

Tom Rukavina Website

He is a member of the Democratic Farmer Labor Party

Wikipedia, but it's a good quick 'n' dirty summing up

DFL

I cut my teeth on Farmer Labor Party stuff... just so you know...

My Great-grandfather helped organize miners there in the Mesabi Range

Mesabi Range

a lot of Balkanci wound up there, so did a lot of Swedes and a lot of Irish.

 

Bleak in the Yakima Gulag



Sorry this is too Borat for me!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070316/od_nm/kazakhstan_honey_dc;_ylt=ArjcA8BanCxD2xUzrc9bhITMWM0F



Student Protests in Serbia Spread

http://libcom.org/news/serbia-student-blockades-spread-14032007

Business Interests Suspected in Former Bulgarian P.M.'s Death

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=77991

Not enough men in Bulgaria

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=77972

Well there are answers to that problem, a lot of Bulgarian ladies are marrying Serbian men for example....



Suspected Serbian Mob Boss Caught in Germany

http://www.playfuls.com/news_10_19408-ROUNDUP-Suspected-Serbian-Mafia-Boss-Detained-In-Frankfurt.html

Draskovic, who arrived from Belgrade, did not offer any resistance, police said. He was unarmed and carried a Bosnian passport as well as a Serbian identity card and driving licenses from both countries and from the US state of California.

When it is bleak like this, sometimes my arthritis flares up a little and the toothache tries to come back. It's not fun

Kultur Shock is playing next week in Seattle, the biggest city in the Soviet of Washington. I very much want to go, but by the time I added up the things like room cost, taxis? drinks? food? a trip to the Pike Place Market? going through the still very snowy passes? eeek! I decided to just order their CD 'We Came to Take Your Jobs Away' Hell I could order everything they got cheaper than going there, and I'd HAVE it. So that's what I think I'll do instead. I'd be cheaper off, even if I invited all my friends over to listen to the music and have a few drinks while I was at it.

Don't get me wrong, I love Kultur Shock and definately want to see them live, just this isn't the right time.

for those who want to go, they are at the Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room in Seattle 23rd of March.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

 

Waterboard Champion

'Pretty much everything's okay, according to the Geneva Convention, if you use two layers of bubble wrap.'

I can't take credit for this wonderful quote, it's from 'Out of Context Quotes' which I highly reccomend, and which is linked in the sidebar for yucks.

So on NPR this morning, as part of the Balkanization of Amerika, I get to hear that that this guy is the Water Board Champion of Guantanamo Bay

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070315/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_terrorist_confession

No this is NOT the after picture, this is how he looks the REST of the time. O.K. that's beside the point...I am not happy to come from a country that indulges in such practices enough to have recorded who survived the treatment best.

I doubt this guy's confession very much. O.K. I already know I probably would do really really badly if anyone waterboarded me or otherwise messed with me like that. I'd probably sing like Caruso.
I mean really it seems to me there was some respect in how they approached the whole deal, saying he held the record. Maybe it's why this is being reported with some sort of excitement.

Feared Mass Migration Doesn't Migration

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/03/981c2d5b-44e7-49ee-9b99-693d80177116.html

Croat Investment in Iranian Shipyard

http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-18/0Cr703157412200011.htm


Don't Forget the Garlic

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,21379275-5006180,00.html

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

 

And Now We Return to Our Regular Programming!

'Bulgarian' Princess has baby

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=77900

This has to do with the big diamond scandal

Former Croat General Busted in Austria

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/40208.html

No Pre membership for BiH without arrests of war criminals, cooperation with Hague

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/14/europe/EU-GEN-EU-Bosnia.php

And the Easter Bunny is REAL Too!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070312/pl_afp/unkosovoserbiastatus_070312203735;_ylt=A0SOwkIE9fVFn2MB0ScksSsB

Albanian leader Taci says Macedonia’s President Crvenkovski threatened him and his family

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n107850

Finding the bodies

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=398822007


The Gorani Want Rights

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n107839

 

Junque 'Jewelry


Junque 'Jewelry
Originally uploaded by Yakima_gulag.

I do a certain amount of craft work, sometimes I buy what are called 'junque jars' and 'grab bags' and you can't expect that everything in a 'junque jar' or a grab bag is going to be perfection. Sometimes only one item in the jar is at all nice. This actually was a particularly GOOD junque jar! everything in it but these items was useable to make other nice things, or wearable as it came out of the jar. The items I photographed were the exceptions.
These items are very typical of middle class North American costume jewelry at it's total worst. I mean to say inartistic, unlovely, unflatering, and just plain nasty. I want to know who would wear such items? The neclace made me think of a tape-worm, except the tape-worm would be better designed at least. . .
One pair of earings made me think of insignia made for the crew of the Enterprise. That one of them had lost it's fake abalone was too bad, I might have worn those earrings for 'yucks' because they do look so Trekkie. I actually considered hanging on to them and fixing them up some way just because of that fact, but guess what? They are all going into a 'junque jar' near you! mwahahahahahahaa! Izvolite! :)!

 

Badly designed but cute outfit


Badly designed but cute outfit
Originally uploaded by Yakima_gulag.
Random Rant:


Just for the Hell of it, I took a seris of pictures of things I think are badly designed, to explain why. This outfit was given to me by a very nice lady. She doesn't realize that the first thing that's wrong with it is that I'm not thin enough to wear it. That she doesn't realize this is one of the reasons she's a sweet person. And the fact I'm not thin enough is my own damn fault for liking nice things to eat.

Here is where I have to ask what the designer was thinking though.... The name in the little vest, which matches the rest of the outfit was 'Steven Ross Naturally' the vest was not obnoxious in any way, missing some buttons, but I could fix that. If I had any black buttons about, or felt like going and buying some... The vest is o.k. and it even fits. The rest of the outfit which has the label 'Paquette Too!' has however one HUGE problem...the long zipper down the BACK!

I want to know how I'm supposed to go to the bathroom in a hurry? With shalwar, there's no problem just untie the string drop your knickers and you are so to speak 'good to go' with a skirt, it's even simpler, raise the skirt, drop the knickers and again you are all set. If there is a zipper in back, a LONG zipper I might add, the type that catches easily, the type that could get mixed up with my hair.. and let's face it, while I'm in great shape for a lady my age, remarkably limber and all, I'd have to be a circus contortionist to quickly unzip myself at a critical moment. Since this outfit is tightly cut in a critical area, the option fashionable in the community of astronaut ladies... the adult diaper isn't an option. This little outfit would be too tight on me even if it did fit, to hide something like the fact I was wearing Depends, even a Poise pad (t.m.) would leave tell tale bulges. I have the sneaking feeling you aren't supposed to wear any underwear with this thing...

A few times I've remarked on the fact that designers are totally out of touch with reality when it comes to the female body, sooner or later women need to use the facilities. . . and we don't want the upper half of our garments flapping around our knees, at risk of landing in the water that no one but Fido and Fluffy care to drink...or the floor for that matter, which may or may not be dry, and which probably isn't all that clean either way in a public setting. Listen I'd NEVER wear anything this inconvenient at HOME!

If this outfit were in seperate pieces, a nice white blouse, nice black culottes, and a nice little jacket, maybe it would not be my absolute first choice, but I'd wear it to a job, and feel pleased. If they added some decent pockets it would be even nicer, but noooooo they don't do that. Despite the polka-dots, it's not an absolute horror. If it were decently designed, in the way I suggested, it'd be a perfectly o.k. outfit for a 50ish lady to wear places like work...out to lunch, if she's in a libral congregation, maybe even to church...it's fairly modest, why not?
But there's that zipper situation...
So..I'm supposed to hope the hook in the ladies room is there so I can hang the bag I'd need to carry, and I'm supposed to hope I can unzip the badly located zipper in time....or that maybe Prince Charming will be delighted to help me with the zipper, or maybe my evil step-sister? I am not in a mood to ask favors like that of anyone at a time like that! I bet no man would put up with such a humiliating design!

I think going to the can in a hoopskirt would be easier!

Designers...GET A CLUE!!!! you wanna design things with zippers in the back, sell them to the guys that need clothes they want to take off their sex dolls! Don't try to sell that kind of features to a living breathing woman who has a normally functioning body!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

 

Not all that much news today, more later if possible..

No thanks I'd rather wear a burka!

http://blogs.reuters.com/2007/03/13/croatian-creation/

which at least would have nice embroidery. What is it with everything modern must also be so fugly? Come to think of it, she looks like she's wearing the underwear of a very fat man on her head!

The Vampire's Minions to Guard the Grave

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/13/milosevic_stake_out/

Well I hope the guy that tried to finish Milosevic's career as a vampire succeed! Because now the minions are there.

Serbian LGTB people experience violence, discrimination

http://see.oneworld.net/article/view/147100/1/

I wouldn't say that Serbia is at all unique in this in the Balkans. The whole region is not exactly LGTB friendly.



12 human traffickers jailed in Serbia

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/39392.html

on a personal note, internet access is not possible at my place until the end of the week. So here I am in the Student Union using free wireless. malo po malo
anyway expect fewer updates, if any for the time being, and expect less comprehensive coverage for the time being.

The weather chilled overnight in the Yakima Gulag. Seriously chilled.



Monday, March 12, 2007

 

Good Morning Yakima Gulag!!!

It's unseasonably warm for early. I went to take my highly expensive Biology 101 book in for book buy back day. The thing is a new edition came out, so I got ništa for it. Since it was not cheap, but is no longer of any earthly use for me, Dr. Ken Zontek's project to help education of Afghan women benefitted, I put it in the donation box. It's a good book, and I felt less bad about it knowing the information in that book can be useful to someone else.

I can't believe the wierdness of the weather in the Yakima Gulag. Right now, at 8:30 am it's 56 degrees, it's March, which is technically speaking, still Winter here. We had snow not so long ago, you've seen the films I did of it. I was too warm and it wasn't even light when I left. Well at least I can kiss the killer gas bills good-bye.

Today's stories:

Warning, awful picture of people killed in siege of Vukovar.

Retrial in Serbia war crimes case

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/39C7E84F-3599-406F-8A4D-4F4AAA8423E9.htm

Concert honors war criminals

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=nw20070312143151938C329594f

Oh great... now we can have another funeral for the vampire...goody goody gum drop! Fun Fun Fun for everyone!

Report: Milosevic's daughter insists on his reburial in Montenegro

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/12/europe/EU-GEN-Milosevics-Daughter.php




3 Kidnapped Croats Freed

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200703/12/eng20070312_356788.html



Kosovo police officers to be trained in Turkey

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200703/12/eng20070312_356789.html


Ask 'em if their language is Montenegrin; their answer may surprise you


http://blogs.msdn.com/michkap/archive/2007/03/12/1862502.aspx




Sunday, March 11, 2007

 

Wierdness...

Today it went up to 70 degrees Farenheit! And I just heard an ice-cream truck! Something is not right about this! :)

 

Well all those who predicted a mini Y2K were WRONG!

My computer adjusted itself just fine! I do know how to manually adjust obviously, and people were advised to, but I found that the correct time was already on there. So good job whoever! I love the fear mongers, their many colorful predictions of disaster and all. Why don't they go lie down and take a nap?

The only bad thing so far about an early daylight savings time is adjusting to being awake this early and actually needing to go anywhere. Since I don't, it's not a problem for me. It would be if I had to go anyplace. I'm sure it is for those who like me adjust badly to the semi-yearly time change.

today isn't a busy news day yet. My tooth isn't as it should be, but I feel better than I did yesterday, and read of a new herbal treatment I am going to try out today. I put my chive plants and my garlic plants outside to enjoy the sunshine. Probably should eat the garlic plants soon, there's little flies in them. I HATE when that happens. I'm hopeing the wind will blow them away. It's warm, there's blue sky but also increadable dark clouds and a stiff breeze. I am amazed to see how lovely it looks.

Today's news so far:
In Croatian, from Slobodna Dalmacija



We will build a mosque in Split

http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20070311/SPLIT01.asp

I'll come back and update later if necessary.

One thing this little enterprise has taught me is how much news repeats itself, not just over weeks, but months and years.

Yesterday going through stuff, I found an old box of Middle East news clippings my late mother had.
It's wierd how little has actually changed. It's like some kind of evil soap opera.

Not even THAT much later, I'm back, you gotta see this, it was on Boing-Boing...
Blackwater

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/03/11/blackwater_superbly_.html

I don't know how I missed this, probably cuz that day I didn't look at Boing-Boing. Reading something Owen said in comments over at Shaina's place made me realize I needed to check this out....

Jasmina Tešanović: Carnival of Ruritania

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/02/21/jasmina_teanoviae_ca.html





Saturday, March 10, 2007

 

A soccer team you gotta meet!

Meet the Fugees

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7761970

 

Bad News and Good News

I got good news and I got bad news


The bad news

U.N. Envoy Abadons Kosovo Talks

http://news.viewlondon.co.uk/UN_envoy_abandons_Kosovo_talks_18085243.html

The good news

Serbia to refrain from using force over Kosovo status

If only the U.N. were as efficient as chickens!



http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n107612

Well the toothache isn't bad during the day, I've been able to reduce what pills I take, as long as I'm careful how I eat, (slowly slowly does it!)
but at night I have the torments of the DAMNED! I keep thinking there's people out there who deserve this more than I do....no I'm not perfect but there's nastier folks out there....they should have this toothache....those are my thoughts at anywhere from 9:30-11:00 pm when it lets up.

Friday, March 09, 2007

 

Hvala Bogu!

The horrific toothache I've had since Tuesday is less. I'm going to take pain medication as a precaution, but I think after last night when it reduced me to blasphemy and rage, and when the pain didn't even respond to a spare Oxycontin I saved from when I had my wisdom teeth removed a while back, along with the two 500 mg Tylenol gel caps, finally around 11 pm the pain was down to a bearable level, and I slept.
I woke up at 3 am needing pills, I got up and took them, they did better than knock the edge of the pain off, much improving my attidude. I was starved hungry but too tired to cook so I turned the lights back off, and slept until about 5:30 am. I took more pills at 6 am as a precaution more than anything else, and went ahead and made breakfast for myself at about 7 am, and ate in a very gingerly way. this was sardines, instant mashed potatoes, onions and a clove of garlic. I feel almost human now. I feel sort of a mild dull ache in my back tooth, but I think it should be alright if I don't push myself too hard. Last day of classes today at Yakima Gulag People's Institute of Higher Re:Education! I get to take my highly expensive science book back for book buyback. I'm sooo tired it isn't even funny, having that kind of toothache isn't a joke.
I have a lot of work around here to do still, but have made decent progress despite the pain I've been in.
Today's selected stories:
Serbian Students Occupy

http://libcom.org/news/serbia-students-protest-and-occupy-09032007

Russians dissapointed at Bosnian Muslim minister's blocking of refinery sale

http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/afx/2007/03/09/afx3501781.html

Well I think it might have something to do with the ICJ decisi



Serbian minister warns that Milosevic followers could rise up if Kosovo given independence

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/09/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Kosovo-Uprising.php

'Vampire' Milosevic slain, but his legacy still survives

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/38501.html

Welcome Home Kyle McLaughlin! Kyle McLaughlin was one of the stars of 'Twin Peaks' and had parts in 'Sex in the City' and other shows. He went to the same school my son and daughter went to, graduating several years ahead of when my son graduated. They had the same drama teacher.
Kyle is performing at the Capitol Theatre tonight, reading Shakespear no less! Way to go for a kid that grew up in the Yakima Gulag!

Thursday, March 08, 2007

 

Happy International Women's Day!

War Criminal Gets 10 Years

http://rawstory.com/news/dpa/Bosnian_Serb_jailed_for_crimes_agai_03082007.html

File under 'no publicity is bad publicity'

Saddam Juice, Castro Cocktails

http://blogs.news.com.au/news/splat/index.php/news/comments/saddam_juice_and_castro_cocktail/

and then a columnist I don't agree with or much like even did notice Ed Alexander's review of the Hitler themed restaraunt in Kosovo and went way off the deep end, but then what do you expect of someone connected with Ariana Huffington?



Ed Alexander's entry noticed by others

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julia-gorin/hitler-in-kosovo_b_42900.html

EUFOR And Bosnian Serb Police Raid Home Of War-crimes Suspect

http://www.playfuls.com/news_10_17966-EUFOR-And-Bosnian-Serb-Police-Raid-Home-Of-War-crimes-Suspect.html

Peacekeepers stuck in Kosovo

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=nw20070308152914854C387365

Kosovo: Roma Return to New Homes

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00136.htm

As well, Croatia isn't going to sue Montenegro for war damages. I can't link the story in question for more detail, I'll try to have some detail later. In any case, I see this as further fallout from the I.C.J.'s lameassed mixed decision.

Knights present roses to Bulgarian parliment's female members

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=77633

So they got all Medieval on them! :)

stupid toothache is still a problem, I moved up to some extra strenth Tylenol gelcaps which helped for a whole 2 hours. I felt good and thought I'd eat some breakfast since I was hungry, and that was a bad mistake. I took the initial dose at 5:30 am, and that means I have another hour and a half before I can take the next dose, it's every 4-6 hours as needed. I think I'll try eatting before taking the dose after that, just in case eatting caused some of the problem.

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