India Art Summit 2008, India's modern and contemporary art fair

India Art Summit™ 2008 has received an overwhelming response with over 90 applications from galleries and art businesses. The art fair will house 34 of the best exhibitiors of Indian art representing over 12 regions from India & overseas. The India Art Summit™ will therefore showcase the most diverse range of modern and contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography, mix media, prints, drawings and video art by veterans and upcoming artists from across the country. The 3 days in August will see the largest congregation of art collectors, a new wave of investors and art lovers from different geographies.

There will also be a day long interactive seminar with internationally renowned speakers like Dr. Robert Storr, Dr. Hugo Weihe, Mr. Philip Hoffman, Ms. Geeta Kapur, Prof. Rajeev Lochan, Ms. Anjolie Ela Menon, Mr. Arun Vadehra, Mr. Dinesh Vazirani.

PROGRAMME DETAILS:

22nd August 2008 (Friday)

11:00am - 2: 00pm (Collectors Preview by invitation only)

2:00pm -8:00pm (Fair open)

23rd August 2008 (Saturday)

11:00am - 8:00pm (Fair Open)

10:30am - 6:30 pm (Day long seminar)

7:30 pm onwards (Cocktails and Dinner at Intercontinental The Grand - by invitation only)

24th August (Sunday)

11:00am - 6:00pm (Fair Open)
Looking for quality art works from upcoming young artists? just step in...
ASHOK ART GALLERY
STALL NO - A-30
India Art Summit 2008

Anas, my dear

Some say he looks like me :) I can't see it but I'm happy about it!

Master Image Maker

When I read the sad news of Youssef Chahine’s passing, a stream of images from his films passed through my mind’s eye, fragmentary and disjointed images that have stayed with me over the years. The scenes are nearly all in black and white; some are hilarious and others sombre, some are central to the drama and others peripheral, some I remember for their sheer beauty and others because they drove me to tears or deep laughter. Since there’ll be many commemorations and obituaries in the coming days, and repeated overviews of Chahine’s oeuvre, here I want to focus on some small details. These are eclectic, personal favourites, my way of remembering a spirited, restless artist who loved his craft and loved Egypt.

In Chahine’s second film Ibn al-Nil (Nile Boy, 1951), shot on location and made when he was only 25(!), I love the panning shot of the young Hemeida racing through fields dotted with gorgeous palm trees to get to the station and watch the train pull out, the defining symbol of freedom and flight from the sleepy village life he hates. In the next scene, the camera moves away from the young Hemeida standing on the platform then moves back in to see the older Hemeida standing in the same place in the same pose. The older Hemeida is played by a youthful Shukri Sarhan in a wonderful turn as the sullen rural boy who grudgingly marries then abandons Zubayda (Faten Hamama) for the big city.

There are many scenes to love in Sira’ fil Wadi (Struggle in the Valley, 1954), again shot on location (in Luxor), but my absolute favourite is the one when Faten Hamama and Omar Sharif first meet (of course). This is the most romantic scene I’ve ever seen on film, effortless, charming, masterfully directed and gracefully acted. An impossibly handsome Omar Sharif (in his first screen role) plays Ahmed, the young agricultural engineer who helps the farmers produce a superior sugarcane crop that bests the harvest of Taher pasha, played by the deliciously evil Zaki Rostom. Amaal is the pasha’s daughter and a childhood playmate of Ahmed. They reunite after an 8-year absence on Amaal’s return to the village; I’ll always remember Ahmad calling out to her “Batates!”, her nickname from their childhood banter. With this film, Chahine not only created the most dashing couple in Egyptian film (and real life), but he gave us some stunning images of the countryside, images that were later echoed by Atef Salem in Struggle on the Nile (1959) and Barakat in The Nightingale’s Call (1959) and al-Haram (1965). One image I can’t forget is the procession of villagers grieving over their flooded crops, put to a haunting score of sorrowful humming and portentous drums.

Inta Habibi (1957) is barely mentioned when people review Chahine’s work, but it’s a comedic and cinematic gem, rivalling Fateen Abdel Wahab’s best comedies while crafting some indelible images of the landscape and people of Aswan. The priceless scene when Mimi Shakib and Serag Mounir enlist the milkman and the manservant to awaken their son Farid has me in stitches every time. Only a year later, Chahine produced the vastly different Cairo Station, a loving rendition of the invisible porters and peddlers trying to survive in Cairo’s teeming train station. This is where Chahine himself memorably played the lonely, limping newspaper boy Qenawi, in love and obsessed with the flirtatious soft drink seller Hanouma (Hind Rostom), who has her eyes set on the virile and aggressive Abu Sri’ (Farid Shawqi).

Directors before and after Chahine have had a love affair with filming in trains and on platforms (my absolute favourite is the final scene of al-Bab al-Maftuh, 1964), but I don’t think anyone came close to Chahine in exploiting trains’ range of aesthetic possibilities. The famous, tragic denouement on the empty tracks is what I remember most about Cairo Station, especially the intervention by the great thespian Hasan al-Baroudi.

I can’t remember any scenes from Chahine’s later films after Eskenderiyya Leih? (I haven’t seen Heya Fawda), probably because I just didn’t understand them. I like inventiveness and formal experimentation, but I was put off by the later films’ excessive allusiveness, campy style, and aggressive didacticism. Chahine’s autobiographical turn after Eskendriyya Leih? struck me as less compelling than his gift at probing Egypt’s landscape and the textured lives of its inhabitants. And he seemed less capable of eliciting excellence from his actors than he had in earlier films (and no wonder, if he was working with the likes of the horrid Nabila Ebeid).

When I was a child and first saw al-Ard (1969), I didn’t understand it but cried during the iconic final scene of Muhammad Abu Swaylam mercilessly trussed up and dragged by a mounted policeman, his bloodied fingers digging tracks into the soil, just as a village notable had ominously predicted in an early scene. When I watched the film again today, I saw a penultimate scene no less powerful. As government troops chase and beat down fleeing villagers, Abu Swaylam stands still in the midst of his field, a spectre of a smile on his stoic face. A close-up shows drops of his blood sliding off the back of his hand and landing on the snow-white cotton plants, the fruit of the earth he refuses to part with.

Youssef Chahine didn’t create the character of Abu Swaylam, that’s Abdel Rahman al-Sharqawi’s brilliant doing. But Youssef Chahine embodied this willful, reticent fellah in the peerless Mahmoud al-Meligi, directing him in a masterful, transcendent performance that brought me to tears again. For this and his many other enduring, wondrous creations, we can all be grateful.

3024-003

Martyn
"Natural Selection (Flying Lotus' Cleanse mix)"
"Vancouver (2562's Puur Natuur dub)"

3024-003, dist. by ST Holdings
out in September

Amna Ilyas, the young women artist from Lahore,Pakistan

The human world has always been changing, but the pace of change seems to have picked up dramatically in the last decade or two, with no stability visible on even long-range scanners. Rapid change is obvious in all of the technological, political, business and social fields, and there are changes in our environment and ecosystem that are probably caused by this increasing human activity. All these reflects on contemporary art practice around the world.Here is Amna Ilyas , young women artist from Lahore, Pakistan.Amna Ilyas graduated in 2003 from the National College of Arts, Lahore and since then have been working as a sculptor / Painter in her studio. She exhibited at various venues both in India and Pakistan, and currently teaching Foundation Sculpture Course at her Alma meter.

Unlike many other places, it is difficult for a sculptor to survive in Pakistan, mainly due to various religious, social and economic restrains. But Amna has been pursuing her career as a dedicated sculptor, and seeking to explore the medium in all its possibility, and besides her time at sculpting , she is also creating number of paintings and drawings on her subject women. Last year she has visited India for an artist residency to practice her metal casting and ceramic skill and also exhibited her work at Ashok Art Gallery as a part of International Contemporary Art Exhibition. Her works were exhibited with works from USA, The Nederlands and India. On this year 2008, She has exhibited at Pakistan, her works were showcased at Art Expo India in March at World Trade Center, Mumbai by Ashok Art Gallery and most likely going to showcase at India Art Summit 2008 in August at New Delhi.

In its essence the work of Amna Ilyas represents the state of women in our society. Female figures in various postures reflect the conditions of an ordinary woman, yet the work does not propagate a direct message or illustrates the obvious political/social factors. On the other hand it alludes to the situation along with an undercurrent of beauty, sexuality and sensuality.

In my opinion Amna Ilyas is a significant artist of her generation. Her dedication to her art and the serious approach to her issues guaranty a bright future for her.

Contemporary Art Reviews: Ashok Art Gallery

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On The Book Project

This is the last package I've received, from dear fellow blogger Fayrouz. I received it more than a week ago but I've been too busy and/or lazy to post about it.

The collection is absolutely great but I'm having a hard time deciding where to put the civilization (game and manual)! I also wonder if putting LOTR in the university's central library will do it justice!

What's happening?

Between 2006 and today, we've had so many events and a whole lot of visitors.
Ayman was born.
I finished my sixth year at school.
Grandma and grandpa came to live with us thus we had the most busy Eids for two years.
Grandpa died.
Anas was born.
HNK finished her sixth year at school .
Dad had two operations (people come before the operation and after the operation) .
Grandma left to the UAE .
Mom's uncle died few days ago.
and today my aunt is coming from Baghdad to attend my cousin's wedding but she's staying at our house thus people are visiting her here.
Thousands of visitors, and no, I'm NOT exaggerating! I am likely to throw a tantrum if any more events happen soon.

Mom has noticed that we've had little to no freedom these two years, herself too, especially under grandma's dictatorial regime.. and since we've already been to Syria three times the plan was to visit Turkey this year.. 15 days in Turkey inshallah, early next month, finally. We had planned to visit Turkey 3 years ago, paid the money and were all ready but then the tourism company had problems and all was canceled. We'll see how it goes this year.

This vacation has been, nonetheless, very good for me.. I have been enjoying my time and I don't think I ever got bored. I got myself busy with reading novels and learning Visual Basic .NET and both were enjoyable. Few days ago however, my uncle lured me into learning Java instead of Visual Basic .NET, he said if I get really good then next year he'd give me work. /*See uncle I've already documented that so you wouldn't forget :) */ Today is day 4 of reading Java (I started the very next day he told me to learn Java, successfully overcoming what I think was separation anxiety!) but I'm not sure I'll be able to read anything today. I have stopped reading novels and devoted all my attention to learning Java and I really don't want to go to Turkey until I have some decent knowledge of the language.

Create a podcast

Create a podcast

100% Carbon Free Electricity by 2018

We need a massive increase in electricity generated from alternative energy.

Here's Al Gore's vision:



Here's one way to achieve 100% Carbon Free Electricity

Thoughts?

100% Carbon Free Electricity by 2018

We need a massive increase in electricity generated from alternative energy.

Here's Al Gore's vision:



Here's one way to achieve 100% Carbon Free Electricity

Thoughts?

Mary Anne Hobbs BBC Radio1

On July 9th myself and romanian producer TRG were featured on Mary Anne Hobbs Experimental show on BBC Radio 1. The feature is a 30 minute one-take mix with a few added sounds here & there and I premiered the new Flying Lotus & 2562 remixes scheduled for 3024-003, as well as my remix of Flying Lotus' magnificent "Roberta Flack" from his Los Angeles album on Warp!

Standardly, Dave from Lower Depths came to the rescue and is hosting the mix here. If you want to download the full 2hr show you can find that here. Enjoy.

Martyn @ Mary Anne Hobbs Experimental show BBC Radio 1 - 9 july 2008

1. can - future days (carl craig blade runner mix) (white label)
2. martyn - vancouver (3024-002)
3. martyn - hear me (3024)
4. 2562 - old town (unreleased)
5. pangaea - router (unreleased)
6. martyn - twenty four (3024-001)
7. flying lotus - roberta flack (martyn's heart beat mix) (warp)
8. martyn - vancouver (2562's puur natuur mix) (3024-003)
9. martyn - natural selection (acapella) (3024)
10. martyn - natural selection (flying lotus' cleanse mix) (3024-003)

A Personal Story

Videos from IdentityCamp Bremen: Caspar Bowden and Gerrit Hornung

Caspar Bowden, Microsoft's Chief Privacy Advisor for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, gave a presentation at the Identity Camp in Bremen. He talked about U-Prove, a zero-knowledge technology Microsoft recently bought from Dutch-Canadian cryptographer Stefan Brands who now works with Kim Cameron in the identity and access group. Caspar explained how U-Prove will be streamlined with Microsoft’s identity strategy and Cardspace.

Another interesting presentation was given by legal expert Gerrit Hornung from Kassel University's Project Group on Constitutional Technology Design. He explained the recent German Consitutional Court's ruling on secret online searches, which established the new basic right to the "integrity and confidentiality of information-technological systems". Gerrit also discussed how this may apply to other circumstances beyond searching hard-drives.

Lars Klatte was so kind to record some sessions and even do some video post-production. Watch the videos.

Direct download (m4v) of Caspar's lecture.

Birding the VBC

I think the future "Where to find birds in Iraq" will have to include the cluster of bases near Baghdad International Airport (Victory Base Complex). These include Victory, Liberty and Slayer. I would guess that the aggregate list could be approaching 200 species between all the folks who have been watching birds there in the last 5 years. Some of these include White-headed Duck, Great White Pelican and Darter. The ponds, reedbeds and trees make it a nice migrant trap for waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines. For a while, there were even articles in the local base paper on the common birds seen around the area.

Matt Pike took some great pictures of many species while there. He has a gallery of around 120 species with fantastic photos. He saw species such as Darter and Basra Reed Warbler.

Many of the messages and photos on the Operation Iraqi Birds forum started by John Duresky relate to observations at VBC.

There are also recent photos and posting from LTC Bob from his second tour at VBC. His entire archive can be found here.

Indian contemporary artists were exhibited at Jumeirah,Dubai

The exhibition of modern figurative art at the 1x1 Art Gallery in Jumeirah, Dubai has showcased the ways in which urbanization has left its imprint on the minds of Indian contemporary artists .
INDIAN ART is of great vital importance in accordance to its culture and heritage.
Art is of various types and it changes its style of expression in the hands of different painters in relation to the changing time. Presently modern and figurative art is in high demand not only in India but also abroad. Modern form of painting is the result of the experimentation that the stalwarts of art have initiated.
The various forms of this experimentation were displaied in the collection of works by nine young contemporary Indian artists, at the 1x1 Art Gallery, Jumeirah, Dubai..
The exhibition, sponsored by the Dubai-based Rivoli group, ended with a great success on last June 30. Among the artists featured were Prasanta Sahu, Dileep Sharma, T M Azis, Pooj Iranna, Murali Cheeroth, Biju Jose, Babu Eshwar Prasad, Pratul Dash and Gigi Scaria

Pratul Dash, an Indian painter from the state Orissa, also focused on varied modern themes: socio-political, socio-economical and ecological. His concerns are linked with the anomalies of human conditions and the effects of growth and development on human life.
The exhibition had two of his paintings on display. Through his work he comments on aspects of modern life, such as growth, absence of greenery, deforestation, the tendency to rise vertically rather than spread horizontally.
“Where there is development, there is also destruction. When I paint huge constructions, they are not just constructions; they are different levels of exploitation, and I try to portray that in my work,” explained the painter, who is a graduate of Fine Arts from Bhubaneswar, Master degree from Delhi and has also studied in Italy. Besides many exhibitions in India, his works are exhibited at USA, UK, ITALY, HONG KONG and now at DUBAI.

“For instance, living space is the most critical space by itself where people can play different roles. It’s like construction blocks, there is no greenery there. It is like pigeon holes, a squeezed existence. And I have commented on this aspect.” Dash said. Dash said he is not against development but his concern is: development at what cost? “For example, there is so much deforestation that has taken place in the name of development,” he pointed out.
“So, my aim is to make viewers disturbed, make them think. I feel artists have a sort of responsibility to jolt people. I comment on aspects of urban life that should worry us. I’m not here to paint pretty pictures.”

The Quest for Life

Mahmoud Mokhtar, Return from the River
Limestone, 1928

Thank You

I got my final exam results today and it made me feel like the luckiest person, in Mosul at least.

My marks were great, the professors' reactions were great, everything was great.. it was like a dream. I always hoped and prayed for them and having them in reality was ever so sweet. I got excellent marks (over 90%) in all the subjects except for Human Rights (aka Education) and Lab in which I got very good marks (over 80%).

Your prayers certainly played a big role in this.. I would like to thank you my dear readers, and the very good friends who kept encouraging and believed in me even when I stopped believing.

And there's a BIG thank you to my dear dear professors.. and a special one goes to my Electronics professor, I'm really glad I didn't disappoint you ;)

Now I'm feeling like I'm giving a speech in the Oscars or something.. feels silly and I'm going to stop, they're probably playing some music to make me stop now ;)

The Tragic Hero

This weekend the 2008 edition of the Tour de France started. The first few stages of this fascinating cycling race made me think back of my favourite riders from way-back-when, the "coureurs" who could make those 6 hour long mountain stages worth watching. History has seen many great riders, but my all-time favourite must be Italy's Marco Pantani.

Pantani's life, on and off the track, is intriguing to say the least. Journalist Matt Rendell wrote a great book about it called "The Death of Marco Pantani". Nicknamed "il Pirata" he was one of the most talented climbers in cycling history, Armstrong's main rival and an Italian national hero. His name however was also connected to doping scandals, he got caught red handed during 1999's Tour of Italy, retired from cycling in 2003 and sank into terrible depression and drug use. In 2004 he was found dead in a hotel room in Rimini, the cause of death was heart failure due to acute cocaine poisoning.

In his book Rendell points out Pantani was absolutely unable to cope with the amounts of attention his every move received in the media and the pressure to win from his fans. After the doping scandals he was involved in, shame and "the weight of the world on his shoulders" made his tendency to self destruct overpower his will to live.

Pantani's "tragic hero" life story does not stand on itself. In sports, but even more so in music, there are many examples of artists who are mentally unable to deal with excessive (media) attention and fame. It seems that some sort of internal mechanism kicks into gear that just wants to destroy whatever has been achieved, instead of enjoying it or expanding it. More recently, Amy Winehouse seems to be following the same path as Pantani, or Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis (pic), the list goes on and on.

This has always fascinated me. Is it a form of extreme insecurity, that when the eyes of the world are upon you, it becomes increasingly more difficult to progress or even sustain what you have achieved? That you need to escape from this insecurity (for instance by obsessive drug use) to make yourself feel better (even if only for a short amount of time) or to numb yourself to influences from the outside world? It's likely. Also, the realization that you are lived by the people around you, that you have no control over where you want to go and what you want to do, could explain why you take charge of and destroy the one thing no outsider could possibly control : your physical and mental wellbeing.

Why is this self-destruction mechanism present in some of us, and not all of us? I could name many artists in history that have lead a long life, died of natural causes and left a legacy of great inspirational works of art. To go back to Marco Pantani, Rendell's book points out that in Marco's childhood there were already clues of bi-polar disorder and manic depression, and that his jump to fame only accelerated the symptoms. So there must have been something at the root of it all. In other "tragic hero" stories you will find childhood/early teen experiences that explain the final chapter of one's life.

It is an assumption, but perhaps fame is not the cause for someone's demise, but merely the catalyst and accelerator of an already existing mental issue. So there is no escape. The tragic hero is doomed from the start.

Fundamentals #01

A group show at MU, Eindhoven with:

Matthias Wermke/ Mischa Leinkauf (D)
Erosie (NL)
Boris Tellegen (NL)
Olivier Kosta-Théfaine (F)
Influenza (NL)
François Morel (F)
Honet / Allergy / Nicolas T. (F)
Navid Nuur (NL)
BLU (IT)
Honet (F)
Jeroen Jongeleen (NL)

18th of july - 17th august

APFN (APFN@apfn.org)

Depleted Uranium Situation Worsens - Dr. Doug Rokke, PhD.

Sat Jul 5, 2008 13:20

Dr. Doug Rokke, PhD. Dlind49@aol.com wrote:

please distribute this world wide...

Depleted Uranium Situation Worsens Requiring Immediate Action
By President Bush, Prime Minister Brown, and Prime Minister Olmert

Dr. Doug Rokke, PhD. Dlind49@aol.com
former Director, U.S. Army Depleted Uranium project
June 11, 2008

During the summer of 1991, the United States military had
collected artillery, tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles,
conventional and unconventional munitions, trucks, etc. at
Camp Doha in Kuwait. As result of carelessness this weapons
depot caught fire with consequent catastrophic explosion
resulting in death, injury, illness and extensive
environmental contamination from depleted uranium and
conventional explosives. Recently the emirate of Kuwait
required the United States Department of Defense to remove
the contamination. Consequently, over 6,700 tons of
contaminated soil sand and other residue was collected and
has been shipped back to the United States for burial by
American Ecology at Boise Idaho. When Bob Nichols, an
investigative journalist, and I contacted American Ecology
we found out that they had absolutely no knowledge of U.S.
Army Regulation 700-48, U.S. Army PAM 700-48, U.S. Army
Technical Bulletin 9-1300-278, and all of the medical orders
dealing with depleted uranium contamination, environmental
remediation procedures, safety, and medical care . They had
never heard of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
guidelines for dealing with mixed – hazardous waste such as
radioactive materials and conventional explosives
byproducts. (reference "Approaches for the Remediation of
Federal Facility Sites Contaminated with Explosives or
Radioactive Wastes", EPA/625/R-93/013, September 1993). The
shipment across the ocean, unloading at Longview,
Washington State port, transport by rail, and burial in
Idaho endangers not only the residents of these areas but
poses a significant agricultural threat through introduction
of pests, microbes, etc. foreign to our nation.

Sadly the known adverse health and environmental hazards
from uranium weapons contamination are in our own backyard.
The EPA has listed the former Nuclear Metals- Starmet
uranium weapons manufacturing site in Concord Ma. On EPA’s
Superfund National Priority List because it poses a
significant risk to public health and the environment.
Consequently the community in which our nation was born on
April 18, 1775 is now the location of America’s own closed
dirty bomb factory that will endanger the health and safety
of the descendants of our original patriots- “the
Minutemen”.

The previous delivery of at least 100 GBU 28 bunker busters
bombs containing depleted uranium warheads by the United
States and their use by Israel against Lebanese targets has
resulted in additional radioactive and chemical toxic
contamination with consequent adverse health and
environmental effects throughout the middle east. Israeli
tank gunners are also using depleted uranium tank rounds as
photographs verify.

Today, U.S., British, and now Israeli military personnel are
using illegal uranium munitions- America's and England's
own "dirty bombs" while U.S. Army, U.S. Department of
Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, and British Ministry of
Defence officials deny that there are any adverse health and
environmental effects as a consequence of the manufacture,
testing, and/or use of uranium munitions to avoid liability
for the willful and illegal dispersal of a radioactive toxic
material - depleted uranium.

The use of uranium weapons is absolutely unacceptable, and a
crime against humanity. Consequently the citizens of the
world and all governments must force cessation of uranium
weapons use. I must demand that Israel now provide medical
care to all DU casualties in Lebanon and clean up all DU
contamination.

U.S. and British officials have arrogantly refused to comply
with their own regulations, orders, and directives that
require United States Department of Defense officials to
provide prompt and effective medical care to "all" exposed
individuals. Reference: Medical Management of Unusual
Depleted Uranium Casualties, DOD, Pentagon, 10/14/93,
Medical Management of Army personnel Exposed to Depleted
Uranium (DU) Headquarters, U.S. Army Medical Command 29
April 2004, and section 2-5 of U.S. Army Regulation 700-48.
Israeli officials must not do so now.



They also refuse to clean up dispersed radioactive
Contamination as required by Army Regulation- AR 700-48:
"Management of Equipment Contaminated With Depleted Uranium
or Radioactive Commodities" (Headquarters, Department Of The
Army, Washington, D.C., September 2002) and U.S. Army
Technical Bulletin- TB 9-1300-278: "Guidelines For Safe
Response To Handling, Storage, And Transportation Accidents
Involving Army Tank Munitions Or Armor Which Contain
Depleted Uranium" (Headquarters, Department Of The Army,
Washington, D.C., JULY 1996). Specifically section 2-4 of
United States Army Regulation-AR 700-48 dated September 16,
2002 requires that:
(1) "Military personnel "identify, segregate, isolate,
secure, and label all RCE" (radiologically contaminated
equipment).

(2) "Procedures to minimize the spread of radioactivity will
be implemented as soon as possible."

(3) "Radioactive material and waste will not be locally
disposed of through burial, submersion, incineration,
destruction in place, or abandonment" and

(4) "All equipment, to include captured or combat RCE, will
be surveyed, packaged, retrograded, decontaminated and
released IAW Technical Bulletin 9-1300-278, DA PAM 700-48"
(Note: Maximum exposure limits are specified in Appendix F).

DOD leaders are not showing the DU training tapes to
military personnel. These three video tapes: (1) "Depleted
Uranium Hazard Awareness", (2) "Contaminated and Damaged
Equipment Management", and (3) "Operation of the AN/PDR 77
Radiac Set" are essential to understanding the hazards from
the use of uranium weapons and management of uranium weapons
contamination. DOD leaders must show these tapes to all
military personnel involved in the use of uranium weapons
and the consequent management of uranium contamination.

The previous and current use of uranium weapons, the release
of radioactive components in destroyed U.S. and foreign
military equipment, and releases of industrial, medical,
research facility radioactive materials have resulted in
unacceptable exposures. Therefore, decontamination must be
completed as required by U.S. Army Regulation 700-48 and
should include releases of all radioactive materials
resulting from military operations.

The extent of adverse health and environmental effects of
uranium weapons contamination is not limited to combat zones
in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan but includes
facilities and sites where uranium weapons were manufactured
or tested including Vieques; Puerto Rico; Colonie, New
York; Concord, MA; Jefferson Proving Grounds, Indiana; and
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Therefore medical care must be
provided by the United States Department of Defense
officials to all individuals affected by the manufacturing,
testing, and/or use of uranium munitions. Thorough
environmental remediation also must be completed without
further delay.



I am amazed that fifteen years after was I asked to clean up
the initial DU mess from Gulf War 1 and over ten years
since I finished the depleted uranium project that United
States Department of Defense officials and others still
attempt to justify uranium munitions use while ignoring
mandatory requirements. I am dismayed that Department of
Defense and Department of Energy officials and
representatives continue personal attacks aimed to silence
or discredit those of us who are demanding that medical care
be provided to all DU casualties and that environmental
remediation is completed in compliance with U.S. Army
Regulation 700-48. But beyond the ignored mandatory actions
the willful dispersal of tons of solid radioactive and
chemically toxic waste in the form of uranium munitions is
illegal (http://www.traprockpeace.org/karen_parker_du_illegality.pdf
) and just does not even pass the common sense test and
according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, DHS,
is a dirty bomb. DHS issued "dirty bomb" response
guidelines,

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html

, on January 3, 2006 for incidents within the United States
but ignore DOD use of uranium weapons and existing DOD
regulations. These guidelines specifically state that:
"Characteristics of RDD and IND Incidents: A radiological
incident is defined as an event or series of events,
deliberate or accidental, leading to the release, or
potential release, into the environment of radioactive
material in sufficient quantity to warrant consideration of
protective actions. Use of an RDD or IND is an act of
terror that produces a radiological incident." Thus the use
of uranium munitions is "an act or terror" as defined by
DHS. Finally continued compliance with the infamous March
1991 Los Alamos Memorandum that was issued to ensure
continued use of uranium munitions can not be justified.

In conclusion: the President of the United States- George W.
Bush, the Prime Minister of Great Britain-Gordon Brown, and
the Prime Minister of Israel Olmert must acknowledge and
accept responsibility for willful use of illegal uranium
munitions- their own "dirty bombs"- resulting in adverse
health and environmental effects.

President Bush, Prime Minister Brown, and Prime Minister
Olmert should order:

1. medical care for all casualties,

2. thorough environmental remediation,

3. immediate cessation of retaliation against all of us who
demand compliance with medical care and environmental
remediation requirements,

4. and stop the already illegal the use (UN finding) of
depleted uranium munitions.
References- these references are copies the actual
regulations and orders and other pertinent official
documents:

http://www.traprockpeace.org/twomemos.html

http://www.traprockpeace.org/rokke_du_3_ques.html

http://www.traprockpeace.org/du_dtic_wakayama_Aug2002.html

http://www.traprockpeace.org/karen_parker_du_illegality.pdf

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html

http://cryptome.org/dhs010306.txt

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/05/15/razing_urged_for_waste_site/
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/29/area_news/doc4816651072f72767559743.txt

Photo by David Silverman (Getty Images ) Image 71440735 http://editorial.gettyimages.com

RE: DU ALERT....
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/du.htm

DU ALERT 2 ....
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/du2.htm

please distribute this world wide...

From the Lurking Shadows: The Celibate Slut Diaries

Hello my Blog Sisters!
I have been a lurker here for years and recently decided to finally share something with you. It is just to bring a little levity into your holiday weekend. I am just cutting and pasting from my Powell's guest blog for ease -- not to sell anything. So feel free not to click any of the links! ;-)

The Powell's Diary has been causing such an email uproar that I decided to reprint the text here. Enjoy!

------------------------------------------
Playful take on bedroom talk, Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia of Sex is a smart, funny encyclopedia with entries written by notable contemporary writers. This week we're pleased to feature a different post each day from one of the book's contributors.

Today's post is by Abiola Abrams, author of Dare, who has been a BET host for the past two years and currently also hosts The Planet Abiola Show for blackplanet.com. Find her blog, videos, manifestos, Dare excerpts, and more at www.thegoddessfactory.com.]

June 19, 2008
INTRODUCTION

I would introduce myself using my standard party intro but you are a much classier crowd than the parties I have found myself at recently. My essay "Slut" in Dirty Words: A Literary Anthology of Sex is about growing up as somewhat of a prude, bearing the burden of representation, envying the girls we called sluts and... Well, you'll have to buy the book to find out.

It was kismet when Ellen assigned me the S-word. You see, I am a complete slut. I just don't have sex.

Slut is more than a description of a wanton woman. Slut is a lifestyle. Haven't you seen Sex and the City, ads for stripping classes, Girls Gone Wild trial transcripts, and the Pussycat Dolls videos?

I am purposefully single. What does that mean? It means that I am committed to dating promiscuously and hanging out with wonderful guys but keep my knees together, grandma-style. Just because you've picked up the tab on my sesame chicken does not ensure you a day pass to the Promised Land. Therefore I am a complete slut. I just don't have sex.Therefore I am a complete slut. I just don't have sex.

Oh, and if you want to fix me up, I like men who are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside and who love to read as much as they love to dance. Also be the kind of man who makes dinner and has a sense of humor. I know. Original.

February 15, 2004
BERLIN HOMEGIRL

You ever hang out with 2 people who clearly really do not want to be hanging out with you?

Ever been hanging out with a friend and a love connection develops between her and someone else and now you're the 5th wheel to the coach, but you don't want to leave her alone with the guy, although she secretly wishes you would, so you sit in a bar you don't want to be in, nursing something you really don't drink, and pretend that her conversation is amazingly hilarious to build her up to the guy who's not really listening to you anyway, at 5 in the morning Berlin time when you really want to be home sleeping in your warm bed instead of on a spontaneous date between 2 people who don't know you're there in a cold, miserable European bar full of hideous, butt-ugly junkies of some sort who, unfortunately, are really the only people who seem to notice you as you turn your fabulous engagement rock backwards on your finger New York Subway-style because you get the feeling that if they lunged at you that neither your friend nor the future boyfriend would really notice, and the junkies seem to be laughing like they've seen that trick before? Uh-huh.

February 15, 2008
MY DATABLE APARTMENT

My bachelorette apartment is in Northern Manhattan, SOHA, Morningside Adjacent, or Harlem. Pick whichever label makes you feel safe. I finally have a space that I totally love. My haven is called the Goddess Factory. That's also the name of my website. Yes, my home has a name and my friends know that they can drop by the Goddess Factory anytime, day or night.Yes, my home has a name and my friends know that they can drop by the Goddess Factory anytime, day or night. The only hazard of living in an oasis is that when there is inclement weather my apartment is the most fun place to be, so I tend to invite new people over prematurely.

Okay, I need to clarify the weather thing for non-New Yorkers. Weather in New York is an event. It can be 40 degrees one day and 90 degrees the next. The weather was insane today but I had a first date with a guy I don't care to remember. I said why don't we just hang out at my apartment and order in — no hanky panky, of course. I am a complete slut. I just don't have sex.

My friend Pilar was appalled, feeling that I was sending this guy who I don't care to remember the wrong message. She made me establish a rule that no one could come to my house until the fourth or fifth date. The fifth date? Oy vey! Most dudes blunder and are removed from the Abiola guest list long before then, but there's hope.

I do understand her logic, though. An invitation back to the apartment usually means sex. For me, inviting them into my personal space feels like a very free Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany's thing. Meet my space, meet me. Well — Audrey Hepburn as Holly in the movie, not Holly in Truman Capote's original novel. She was a prostitute.

Hmm. Maybe I won't invite anyone else home for a while.

May 11, 2008
FENG SHUI FOR LOVE

Contemplating bringing men home got me thinking about the look of my apartment. Yes, it's cable ready and wi-fied out, but is The Goddess Factory wired for love?Yes, it's cable ready and wi-fied out, but is The Goddess Factory wired for love?

The Goddess Factory definitely looks like the inside of my head. There are huge wall murals, graffiti on the fridge, Middle Eastern pillows, rugs, cool masks and art everywhere. Imagine my surprise when I bought a book called Feng Shui for Love & Romance and discovered several big no-nos.

Top 3 Ways I Feng Shui'd for Love:

1) My many pictures of women alone were bad for the law of attraction. Some of these pictures were of me, some were of my mom or aunt, and the majority were pieces of art. I bought a new print of a gorgeous loving couple which I put over my bed. I also traded my solo pix for pix of me with friends when possible. I even gave away Mullet Woman, a huge South African painting, to my friend Nathan.

2) Everyone's still on the men like to eat and food is the way to his heart thing. I have no dining table and that's bad love shui but there's no room. I live in New York City. I did procure two "mini-dining tables" that I can bring out when necessary. You may call them folding TV trays in your world.I did procure two "mini-dining tables" that I can bring out when necessary. You may call them folding TV trays in your world. See, men? No need to fear. You can get your grub on at Casa Abiola's.

3) The last change I made was moving my Goals Board to a private space. Yeah, it is clear that I am a weird funky art chick from the moment you walk in and see goddess graffiti drawings on the wall, but you don't have to know that I secretly aspire to be Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey combined right away.

Ultimately I redirected the energy to mostly make it flow for me first and then for whomever my future partner will be second. However, I am not into baiting and switching. I am not going to put the more masculine Tolstoy out when my favorite novelist is Toni Morrison. I'm not leaving Netflix of The Da Vinci Code or Will Smith flicks around when I would rather watch Juno, SatC, or Foxy Brown again. And yes it's corny but my "I love you Abiola" screen saver gives me a small boost of self esteem when I'm procrastinating.

I also didn't do anything about my kitty Anabelle's litter. Hey, a cat's gotta do what a cat's gotta do. Better Anabelle is comfy than some random dude.

This isn't a dog pound. It's the Goddess Factory. And yeah — there's a lot of frou frou, apparently also a big love no-no. But hey! I am a frou frou gal. Tiaras, candles and feathers abound. Deal with it. Or go home.I am a frou frou gal. Tiaras, candles and feathers abound. Deal with it. Or go home.

Hmmm... Maybe I'll reread the book.

December 10, 2007
DUDE VETTING

I have been preparing for my book release party. My debut novel Dare is about to be published by Simon and Schuster. It's the story of Maya, a sociologist dealing with heartbreak and getting back into the world of love. Her adventure is actually a comedic contemporary retelling of Faust with affirmations and homework assignments woven in between.

Talking about my new book has me thinking: There is a fundamental difference between being a single woman and being a single man — we have more safety concerns. Call it an unfortunate side effect of growing up in New York City but I can't trust just anybody. I remember waiting for the 86th Street bus afterschool and a grown man with a brief case asked me how old I was. "Sixteen," I answered, suddenly aware of how short I'd rolled up my uniform that day. "You're too old for me," he said.

Men have to be vetted. Who are you? What are your references? Men have to be vetted. Who are you? What are your references?

Because I am a sort of public person guys have the advantage. I am sort of pre-vetted. They can watch and read my work — the hits and all too often misses. They can see that I wore a tacky over-boobalicious black dress on the interview with Ashanti and realize that I may make some teeny wardrobe mistakes. Like Elvira may secretly be my stylist. They can find out with not much digging that I sauntered out onto the set of a Lifetime TV shoot feeling at the height of cuteness and fell SPLAT on my booty, Gucci platform flying. They can see that in one episode of The Planet Abiola Show I inexplicably channel Rosie Perez from the dancing to the Brooklyn accent. Prospective dates may even read in the acknowledgments of my novel me telling a guy that I dated for 15 minutes and no longer even speak too that I will "see him on the jet." Ugh.

So men know the relatively crazy, sexy, geeky, fun, and cool mess that they are probably in for. I can only go up from there.So men know the relatively crazy, sexy, geeky, fun, and cool mess that they are probably in for. I can only go up from there. They know that despite all of this I hang out a shingle and occasionally offer advice.

The best dates, of course, come from hook ups. See? Pre-vetted. Or at the party of a friend of a friend. Pre-vetted. But the drawback is that it's time to move beyond my circle.

Wait — duh — there is vetting. It's called Google. What am I thinking? We are the society of pre-vetted dates. The mystery is gone. Good. Mystery is overrated. If I could run someone's credit check before the date that would be great. Must be a way...

April 17, 2008
THE CRYBABY

I had an interesting date with "Alex," my third grade crush who has now become an investment banker. We ran into each other at Baskin Robbins, of all places. When they say 31 Flavors, I guess they're not lying. Alex is a tall, green-eyed cutie pie with a nice body, from what I could make out through the outline in his sharp Italian suit.

We had a great Japanese dinner with decent conversation and then afterwards went to have drinks at a sleepy lounge in the Village. Since the last time we'd met Alex was calling Davey Sirus a nose picker, we got caught up on each other's lives. The convo was cool. High school, college, etc. Then things got more personal and Alex revealed that his childhood was sad and at many times a living hell.

Alex began to cry.

His story was most definitely a tear jerker. Under normal circumstances I would have been crying too. But then again I cry at the Kleenex commercials. However, I couldn't cry because I felt like someone had to hold it together. We were in a public place. I didn't even reach out to hold him because I didn't know him that well. It was only the first date.I didn't even reach out to hold him because I didn't know him that well. It was only the first date.

So what did I do during the tearjerker portion of the evening? I had a glass of wine and patted his hand. Applied lip glass a couple of times and had another glass of wine. I'm sorry. This was just too much.

First I thought, Hmm, maybe this is a good thing because Alex feels so comfortable with me. But as the waterworks continued I thought, This guy is a total mess. I was completely turned off. First dates are like job interviews. You put your best foot forward. If this was as pulled together as he could get I can't imagine being three or six months in.

Trust me. I am compassionate. I am the person my friends call when they need an ear or a shoulder to cry on. For this reason I just can't allow myself to get sucked into the vortex of a spiritual vampire. Sorry, Alex. With no regrets I wrote down some books by Dr. Wayne Dyer including Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life that I thought might be of use to him and kept it moving. When he called to make new plans, I was elusive before giving him a "Yes, let's definitely keep in touch."

March 16, 2008
I HAVE A CRUSH ON YOUR BLOG

I just came from a date with someone I'll call Blog Boy. He was cool and works for the press. We went to Bowlmor, a bowling alley-slash-club-slash-fun scene in New York. It's been cool forever — very rare in The City. Well, on non-tourist nights.

Blog Boy was introduced to me by a friend of mine. She emailed us each other's blogs and MySpace pages. After pouring over his intelligent political blog I was in love. He was witty, though-provoking, edgy, and devastatingly handsome. And vetted. I thought, This is it. A wrap on my purposeful singlehood.I thought, This is it. A wrap on my purposeful singlehood.

WRONG. Blog Boy was totally different from the man that I had pre-met. As a mediamaker, I am no yokel. I know that much of what we read and see is smoke and mirrors. I have been at the film editing table when we stretched the picture to make a guy's paunch go away. But for Blog Boy to be such a 180 from the Prince Charming I was expecting based on his public personality was surprising.

Blog Boy only wanted to talk about Jack Black. Then he burped loudly and wiped his oily hands on his jeans. There was dirt in his fingernails and he went overboard on the bowling game, yelling and carrying on like we were there to train for the Bowling Olympics.

And then you won't believe what happened next. Blog Boy spit on the sidewalk in the middle of Manhattan. I felt like I was on an episode of The Simple Life. WTH? Blog Boy, I thought I knew ye!

I have a myspace, facebook, twitter, flickr, linkedin, blogger, youtube channel, stickham, last fm, blip... And probably some other stuff that I am forgetting. If someone delved into all of my pages they wouldn't know the total intimate Abiola, of course, but love me or hate me, they would have a very good idea of who I am.If someone delved into all of my pages they wouldn't know the total intimate Abiola, of course, but love me or hate me, they would have a very good idea of who I am.

Thus ended the chronicle of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Blog.

It got me thinking... Who else has screen personalities? Judging from some facebook pages, fuggedaboutit! And yes, my myspace may seem like a hot mess, but at least that hot mess is really me.

July 19, 2007
TEXTUAL HEALING

Have you ever had text sex? Last year I entered into an extensive textual relationship with a man I'll call AD who lived and worked a lot out of town. I met him when I was directing a short film. AD was fun, creative, and unfortunately, always away. We fell into a de facto long distance relationship mostly because I am a serial monogamist if left to my own tendencies. Remember? I am a celibate slut.

We had so much incredible tension between us that it completely exploded whenever we were finally together. However, when he was in town for more than a week it fizzled. It was all about the hot texts.

I wish that I could provide a G-rated version of our text message transcripts but I couldn't even begin to translate. My friends were reading my phone like it was a romance novel.My friends were reading my phone like it was a romance novel. My paranoid friend Pilar was horrified at the paper trail I was leaving.

The only bad part of our textual healing was that when I was over AD it turned into textual harassment. Then I had to hack-program my phone to block him. Oh, well.

June 11, 2008
WILL U MAKE ME DNNR?

If this was not my year of living purposefully single, the Abiola dating game would be the Kamau's game to lose. This man is fine. Gorgeous. Brilliant. Beautiful. Problem? He lives in Africa. Kamau is a lawyer and comes into town maybe 4 times a year.

Anyway, I was at a book signing at Barnes and Noble when I got the text: IN TOWN. FREE? I lost my train of thought so much that I had to ask the reader in front of me her name three times.

YES! I sent back immediately. Then the next text was simultaneously titillating and confusing: WILL U MAKE ME DNNR?

My mind went into single girl overdrive. What did this mean? Was this an important step? I mean, Kamau and I had never even been in the same private space alone together.

I fully intended to make Kamau a delicious meal. I was going to attempt my mother's curry chicken with my father's fresh bread. I have never made bread from scratch so this was going to be totally new for me. But with a WILL U MAKE ME DNNR? text from Kamau, I was willing to go all out.

On the appointed day Fresh Direct delivered the ingredients bright and early. My apartment was clean and feng shui'd for love.My apartment was clean and feng shui'd for love. And then I got an important work call. A huge coup — an interview with Janet Jackson's man Jermaine Dupri and his new singer Dondria. I ran off to work and came back in with only an hour before Kamau would make his appearance.

I let my fingers do the dialing and a half an hour later I was unwrapping an amazing Italian dinner. Ziti, veggie lasagna, Caesar salad, fresh garlic bread, the works! Then there was scant time for me to get my "fresh dressed like a million bucks" look going. (Slick Rick rap song lyric)

Kamau arrived right on time and said that he was starving — for food. We got caught up as I laid everything out with my gorgeous crystal glasses for the red wine that he brought with him.

Before I could even sit down, Kamau said (insert sexy British accent): "You changed my opinion of you, Abiola. You didn't seem like the cooking kind of girl."

I didn't seem like the cooking kind of girl?! What could I say to that? Got take out?I didn't seem like the cooking kind of girl?! What could I say to that? Got take out? There didn't seem time to correct Kamau as he devoured his meal. I was too busy trying to un-puzzle his words, consider how I was possibly being insulted, and meditate on how perfect his lips looked. Mum was the word as his praise went into overdrive about how great my cooking was. I was a hit! Or at least Mama Rosa's was.

After dinner I told the Kamau that I had to wake up early and kissed him good night. Remember? I am a complete slut. I just don't have sex. Kamau kept raving on and on about how special it was that I cooked for him.

"Anytime," I said.

What? I feel no guilt in this situation and if through some weirdness we ever fell madly in love I would tell him.

"Want me to take out the garbage?" he asked as he left.

"No thanks," I said, thinking of my bags of empty containers. "I'll get it tomorrow." Wink-wink.

April 1, 2008
YOU CAN FIND ME IN THE CLUB

Whooo! My adrenaline is going. I just got in from the most fun night. I was at Club Hiro dancing on the tables with my girls all night long!I was at Club Hiro dancing on the tables with my girls all night long! Paper Magazine chose me as one of their 50 Most People. Gasp. I feel vindicated that in the 11th grade Ms. Stein confiscated my Paper Magazine... while I was reading it in class.

My posse accompanied me to that party and then we had late drinks at Tilman's. We ran into a friend I will call Very Famous Guy. VFG told us about his brother's birthday party at a club across town. I put out a blast on twitter that I would be there and several more people met us at the jam.

After we were there for a while I spotted something delicious across the room. Kirby — a handsome guy who I'd had a year-long flirt with. Tall, with an incredible body and a huge curly afro. He had a way of looking directly into your being as you speak to him.

Kirby is like a junior Barack Obama with all of his youth justice, social issues, and not-for-profit work. In the interest of full disclosure I had tried twice already to lamely hit on Kirby and was feeling that clearly he was just not that into me.In the interest of full disclosure I had tried twice already to lamely hit on Kirby and was feeling that clearly he was just not that into me.

Lame Attempt 1: I volunteered to make a pro bono documentary about Kirby's incredible youth group when I don't even have time to visit my cousins in Brooklyn.

Lame Attempt 2: It was Martin Luther King Day and Kirby sent out a statement about how we should all live up to Dr. King's ideals. I googled and found 3 amazing MLK quotes and hit him back saying that here were some similar quotes that had inspired me. Well, they did! As soon as I found them. Stop laughing.

Anyway, the club was a different matter. Kirby invited me to "talk downstairs" and then we totally ended up making out in the solo bathroom!

I know that most of you might have moved past bathroom copulation when you were 18 — and no, we didn't go to third base — but give me a break here. I went to an all girl's school and a predominantly women's college. Then I was in one loooong term relationship. I missed out on some developmental stuff. Like bathroom fornication.I missed out on some developmental stuff. Like bathroom fornication. I am a complete slut. I just don't have sex.

I will say though without apology that it was hot. The thumping music was the perfect soundtrack. And yes, the bathroom was clean. It was a little less than cute to pull my sweaty self together and exit to find that such a long line had grown that the security guard was standing by to make sure that I was ok. Whoops. C'est La Vie.

By the way, the doc about his youth group never happened. It was too embarrassing to face his "kids" again and tell them the right and wrong ways of the grown up world.

Judge away, haters! At least my walk of shame was only back to the VIP area.

June 3, 2008
WHO'S THE MAN

I am a feminist. Not a wimpy, closeted chick but the kind who makes political speeches at high schools. This has nothing to do with my weakness for testosterone-heavy men who are man enough to step up to the plate and be manly. Understood?

Recently, I was working on a citizen journalist project with a guy that we'll call Scaredy McNervous. Scaredy kept telling everyone except me how much he likes me. Argh.

I don't want to ask him out. I want to be wooed. I want the man to make an effort. Look at what happened with my lame Kirby attempts.

I really do believe that men have a hunt and gather gene. Look at their work and leisure habits. They pursue everything as a game. This usually is a turn-on. I could easily ask SMN out no problem, but I also don't want to set up a precedent to entertain his wimpy tendencies. Moving on.

June 17, 2007
TOO MUCH BOOBAGE

I realize now that I have been on a cleavage overload. So I am cutting back.I realize now that I have been on a cleavage overload. So I am cutting back. Not quitting cold turkey just a step down program. Most people are horrified at what they wore to their proms. I am horrified to see what I wore yesterday. I can't even watch my Ashanti interview. Yuck. Note to self: Correct before leaving for the Divas of Literature Mall Tour this summer. Cleavage does not belong in a mall. And besides, real breasts are no competition for all of the gravity-defying boobage out there.

June 19, 2008
SINGLE BINGO

I am a recovering serial monogamist so I devised a game called Single Bingo to snap me and my kind out of this behavior. My theory is that you have to experience all of the squares on the board before making a commitment to any one. The way I see it, we should all date promiscuously. Now, that doesn't mean giving up the goodies to every Tom, Dick, and James, or anyone at all, it just means seeing what is available and getting your date on.Now, that doesn't mean giving up the goodies to every Tom, Dick, and James, or anyone at all, it just means seeing what is available and getting your date on.

Think basketball team. You have your starting line-up and your benched players. This is living purposefully single. Then you make your one true choice and yell BINGO. It will be even more worth it at that point and I can't wait.

I am a complete slut. I just don't have sex. Right now.

Congratulations

Everyone who heard their names mentioned as a potential couple was excited, and today as the news were confirmed the excitement grew and there's a need for celebration. Two of my favorite cousins, both very dear to me, have been engaged..

We were all surprised, he has just finished college and proposed the very day he graduated proving me very wrong in thinking he was a patient guy! I however find his recent impatience very romantic.
They still have a long road till finishing their education and then marriage but I just couldn't keep the news to myself!

Congratulations dears

******

So these last days have been very eventful with this news, the kids at our house and the many many visitors that I haven't had much time to think of my results: Coming soon on Sunday inshallah..
Wish me luck!