Hello Everyone!
I know it has been about eight months since I last posted. I really don't have a very good reason for such a violation of your interest in reading this except that about the same time I started writing another blog for the Foreign Policy Association. Having a required blog means that my energy has been sapped for writing personal accounts. the site is: religion.foreignpolicyblogs.com
Just to update, I'm now living once again in Tajikistan. I've been here for about six months, working on a project through the Geneva Graduate Institute - called the Tajikistan Dialogue Project. The length of my contract is 18 months, which really can take a toll on someone unsuspecting - but as it is now my 3rd visit here, I think I'm ready to survive Tajikistan for the long haul.
Winter is starting to set in now in Dushanbe, but fortunately during the 7th and 8th months, I'll be returning to NYC to prep for the bar exam.
Hopefully tomorrow or soon, I can post a few pictures for you.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Spring then Winter and then Spring again
It snowed this past week, but within three days, all the Spring snow had disappeared. Now, it is a beautiful 65 degrees outside. The city is so green and after a tough winter, the sun is appreciated by everyone!This picture is a view outside my office window.
Monday, April 21, 2008
On Second thought...Three (3!!!) Trillion Dollars??
Here is the most unusual and thought provoking
WEBSITE for TODAY
http://3trillion.org/
"What would you do with 3 trillion dollars?"
WEBSITE for TODAY
http://3trillion.org/
"What would you do with 3 trillion dollars?"
A Sign of Worse to Come
QUOTE for TODAY
"Capitalism without bankruptcy, it is said, is like Christianity without Hell. With recession looming, the air in America's bankruptcy courts is thick with brimstone and the coals are being heated in readiness for the many sad souls whose sin was to borrow too much." - The Economist, March 29, 2008
WEBSITE for TODAY
"Corporations and Human Rights" - The UN Position
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/SRSG-report-Human-Rights-Council-19-Feb-2007.pdf
This is a report on corporate accountability and human rights. Corporations should have a human rights policy and assess their impacts.
"Capitalism without bankruptcy, it is said, is like Christianity without Hell. With recession looming, the air in America's bankruptcy courts is thick with brimstone and the coals are being heated in readiness for the many sad souls whose sin was to borrow too much." - The Economist, March 29, 2008
WEBSITE for TODAY
"Corporations and Human Rights" - The UN Position
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/SRSG-report-Human-Rights-Council-19-Feb-2007.pdf
This is a report on corporate accountability and human rights. Corporations should have a human rights policy and assess their impacts.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
New Amnesty International Press Release
According to Amnesty International's 4-15 Press Release
- At least 1,252 people were executed in 24 countries and at least 3,347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries.
- Up to 27,500 people are estimated to be on death row across the world.
- Iran executed at least 317 people, Saudi Arabia 143 and Pakistan 135 – in comparison to 177, 39 and 82 executions respectively in 2006.
- Eighty-eight per cent of all known executions took place in five countries: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the USA.
- Saudi Arabia had the highest number of executions per capita, followed by Iran and Libya.
- Amnesty International has been able to confirm at least 470 executions by China – the highest overall figure. The true figure for China is undoubtedly much higher.
On the flip side, for some information about the innocent people who have been put to death, take a look at one of the webpages of the Death Penalty Information Center: "Executed but Possibly Innocent" at: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?&did=2238
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Early April News
A useful WEBSITE for today:
For all you history nerds out there, there is an ISN webpage that has a very good history review: It is an interactive timeline of 1945-1963:
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/edu/adl/standalone_obj/timeline/timeline.html
In news about me, I will be working with the Tajikistan Dialogue Project in Dushanbe as of May. I will be saying goodbye to full-time work as a profressor at the Kazakhstan Institute, although I may get the chance to teach some online courses. More news to come on this pending move later.
My friend Serguei will be visiting from Moscow this week, and I hope to get some sightseeing in - which means more pictures for all of you. The weather in Almaty has been perfect for almost three weeks, and I am delighted to be walking through the city on the weekends. You should come visit!
For all you history nerds out there, there is an ISN webpage that has a very good history review: It is an interactive timeline of 1945-1963:
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/edu/adl/standalone_obj/timeline/timeline.html
In news about me, I will be working with the Tajikistan Dialogue Project in Dushanbe as of May. I will be saying goodbye to full-time work as a profressor at the Kazakhstan Institute, although I may get the chance to teach some online courses. More news to come on this pending move later.
My friend Serguei will be visiting from Moscow this week, and I hope to get some sightseeing in - which means more pictures for all of you. The weather in Almaty has been perfect for almost three weeks, and I am delighted to be walking through the city on the weekends. You should come visit!
Monday, March 31, 2008
What stories the UN wants reported from 2007
In case you were trying to fill those gaps in your knowledge about the world and its overabundance of problems...
The United Nations has made it easier for all of us to get educated with its release of the
2007 List of Ten Stories the World May Wish to Hear More About:
You can read about them at:
http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/07/index.shtml
THE STORIES: 2007
Northern Uganda: Major steps towards peace in a decades-old conflict
The Excluded: The hidden world of the stateless
Extreme weather events are part of a “new normal” trend
The suffering of the girl soldier
At a fragile crossroads: Afghanistan and the international community must pull together
A deadly disease no more – advances in malaria prevention and treatment
Promotion and protection of human rights: The role of special procedures of the Human Rights Council
Policing for peace: The law-and-order role played by blue berets
Southern Sudan: A path to ‘indivisible peace’ in the country
Bird flu pushed back – but threat of a human pandemic remains
The United Nations has made it easier for all of us to get educated with its release of the
2007 List of Ten Stories the World May Wish to Hear More About:
You can read about them at:
http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/07/index.shtml
THE STORIES: 2007
Northern Uganda: Major steps towards peace in a decades-old conflict
The Excluded: The hidden world of the stateless
Extreme weather events are part of a “new normal” trend
The suffering of the girl soldier
At a fragile crossroads: Afghanistan and the international community must pull together
A deadly disease no more – advances in malaria prevention and treatment
Promotion and protection of human rights: The role of special procedures of the Human Rights Council
Policing for peace: The law-and-order role played by blue berets
Southern Sudan: A path to ‘indivisible peace’ in the country
Bird flu pushed back – but threat of a human pandemic remains
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Noruz was last week, andI'm sorry it took me so long to recognize it here on my blog!
It's been a very busy week with lots to do and much to think about.
Noruz is the Persia-originating New Year, which marks the beginning of Spring. On this blog still you can see my pictures of Noruz in Iran in 2005.
Central Asia New Years are a bit different naturally than the contemporary Iranian Noruz. For one, it's a much more social activity. If the Iranian noruz is a time to celebrate with family, the Navriz in Kazakhstan is a time to celebrate as a community, which can include your work colleagues and friends, as much as family. One Kazakh woman here described Noruz (not as a celebration of Spring or the coming year) but as a celebration of friendship.
Although the University did not mark Noruz day until a week after (March 22 was the official Noruz day here), the city and government put on a big celebration of Noruz on the 22nd. In the "old square," there were thousands and thousands of people (the locals to Almaty said it was only villagers who were new to Almaty that go) watching a concert, eating traditional foods, riding horses, playing games, and so on. The festivities in the square start around 9-10am and go until night. I arrived at noon against the directives of my students, who said that after 11:30 it starts to get too crowded and chaotic. It was a bit much, I have to admit. By nightfall, however, it apparently gets even worse, on account of the alcohol consumption.
In this entry and above are some photos of Noruz spirit in Almaty.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Rainy Almaty Day
Today is the official working holiday for Women's Day - but I am sitting in my office preparing powerpoint slides on US election procedures. How fun!
In the course of my reading, I came across a rather interesting word: "perquisite"
This may sound a tad strange - but I had no idea that perk was an abbreviation of perquisite (or maybe I once did and forgot?), and I don't think in all my reading I've ever seen the word perquisite...how curious!? As it always happens though, once you learn a new word - you will probably see it everywhere!
Finally, I took a 5 hour walk yesterday around Almaty. Forgot the camera (and my pedometer) though!
I discovered some nice cafes, a park (with horse back riding), a carnival looking Russian cathedral, and I learned how to walk to the Green Bazaar from my office (this bazaar is the smaller market with lots of vegetables and fruits, as well as some house supplies and clothes). It started raining in the last half hour of my walk - and has been raining since.
Oh, It also seems that whatever the weather is in Dushanbe on Thursday will come to Almaty by Monday - or is this just a coincidence?
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Happy March 8 - International Women's Day!!
March 8 is a big holiday in the former Soviet Union. Yesterday, the university had a big celebration for the women staff and faculty. They had a concert and gave us each boxes of chocolate. I have a chocolate storage in my office now, especially after getting back from Switzerland. At 6 pm, the chair of the department and the male faculty poli sci professors arranged a pizza party for the women professors and gave us all roses - I left the flowers there -- never did like cut flowers. The corn pizza was awesome - for those of you unfamiliar with this part of the world - corn and peas are normal pizza toppings.
In any case, today is the official woman's day - but Monday is the national working holiday since March 8 fell on a weekend.
This week is Spring break also. I was originally planning to go to tajikistan - got the visa and everything - but changed my mind -
Quite busy grading midterms. I finished today grading 47 exams for my terrorism class. Only 17 students passed. it wasn't a hard test - and those 17 passed with a 10 point curve.
and passing here is 50%....
If anyone wants to take one of my exams for fun - particularly in USpolitics let me know, I'll email it to you.
The girls here are the best students - by far!! I especially have to say that on women's day.
Not much other news.... the weather is beautiful now, and I plan to take a walk tomorrow and photograph Almaty a bit.
Oh, I've been traded from the College of Social Sciences to KIMEP's new college of law, assuming I stay - which is a big IF because I only signed a one semester contract.
See you!
In any case, today is the official woman's day - but Monday is the national working holiday since March 8 fell on a weekend.
This week is Spring break also. I was originally planning to go to tajikistan - got the visa and everything - but changed my mind -
Quite busy grading midterms. I finished today grading 47 exams for my terrorism class. Only 17 students passed. it wasn't a hard test - and those 17 passed with a 10 point curve.
and passing here is 50%....
If anyone wants to take one of my exams for fun - particularly in USpolitics let me know, I'll email it to you.
The girls here are the best students - by far!! I especially have to say that on women's day.
Not much other news.... the weather is beautiful now, and I plan to take a walk tomorrow and photograph Almaty a bit.
Oh, I've been traded from the College of Social Sciences to KIMEP's new college of law, assuming I stay - which is a big IF because I only signed a one semester contract.
See you!
Sunday, March 02, 2008
To Geneva and Back
Hello!
This morning at 6 am, I arrived back in Almaty after 8 days in Geneva. I missed an entire week of classes - not very good form, but I was determined to take the National Competitive Exam in Geneva, where I do not need a visa. I could have taken it in Tajikistan, but that could have turned into a nightmare at the border...
I thoroughly enjoyed taking the 4.5 hour exam! (I'm not being sarcastic, I really am that much of a nerd)...For the past five days, I have been thinking constantly about my answers and their shortcomings -- as well as some points, I surely must have scored. The questions were not necessarily hard, and if I had had less work here at the university, I would have done a lot better. Either way, there were no questions that were a complete shock, so I hope it turns out positively.
Now, I am preparing for the week before the midterm vacation...
This Thursday, I give midterms and then I hope to head out to Tajikistan. It's not clear yet though because I have neither a visa nor a plane ticket, and I'm scared to fly to Tajikistan....
I moved this week also to a new apartment, with a nice Kazakh family - paying instead of 850 for my own horrible studio with old furniture, 550 for a room in an apartment with a woman and her two sons. I haven't decided if it-s good or not that she's been somehow insistent on feeding me olivie salad and manty...But they are a nice family and quiet. She said this morning that her sons never do anything but watch tv and play computer games - never reading or writing...
I wouldn't advertise that about my children, if I had any and they "never read or write"...
Almaty is finally spring weather. When I left at 5 am for Geneva last week, it had snowed about a foot and the airplane took two hours to leave the gate because they had to really de-ice and prepare the plane. My nerves were not very happy to see a foot of snow on the wings and what seemed to be a blizzard outside. The airport didn't seem to be worried in the slightest. I imagined that this kind of blizzard would have led to cancelled flights in the US.
From Geneva, I took a trip with Mahdi to see his friend Mahdi (yes, same name) and Cecile, his wife, and their new baby Sara in Neuchatel.
It was my first time in Neuchatel - 90 minutes by train from Geneva - a quaint little city. It reminded us of Chambery, even though at the time, Mahdi and I were unable to remember the name Chambery - which drove us crazy - I started naming every French city and district I could think of...Despite the brain failure, Chambery was a great trip, and I thought it was a great little city.
I'll try to put up photos of neuchatel soon. The reason my photos have been few is that I couldn't find my cannon battery charger, the drive on my computer is crazy and doesn't like me to touch it with either my mp3 player or camera, and I'm a little lazy with all this work I have...
Today, seems to be about 6 degrees C - which is totally wonderful, compared to -20 over the past month. On the other hand, I've heard that the Kazakh students here become hormonal and crazy in the spring and stop doing all work completely - sometimes pratically dropping out of the classes.
Does anybody have any suggestions for me - should I take the bar exam this summer and in NY?
Looking forward to your comments.
This morning at 6 am, I arrived back in Almaty after 8 days in Geneva. I missed an entire week of classes - not very good form, but I was determined to take the National Competitive Exam in Geneva, where I do not need a visa. I could have taken it in Tajikistan, but that could have turned into a nightmare at the border...
I thoroughly enjoyed taking the 4.5 hour exam! (I'm not being sarcastic, I really am that much of a nerd)...For the past five days, I have been thinking constantly about my answers and their shortcomings -- as well as some points, I surely must have scored. The questions were not necessarily hard, and if I had had less work here at the university, I would have done a lot better. Either way, there were no questions that were a complete shock, so I hope it turns out positively.
Now, I am preparing for the week before the midterm vacation...
This Thursday, I give midterms and then I hope to head out to Tajikistan. It's not clear yet though because I have neither a visa nor a plane ticket, and I'm scared to fly to Tajikistan....
I moved this week also to a new apartment, with a nice Kazakh family - paying instead of 850 for my own horrible studio with old furniture, 550 for a room in an apartment with a woman and her two sons. I haven't decided if it-s good or not that she's been somehow insistent on feeding me olivie salad and manty...But they are a nice family and quiet. She said this morning that her sons never do anything but watch tv and play computer games - never reading or writing...
I wouldn't advertise that about my children, if I had any and they "never read or write"...
Almaty is finally spring weather. When I left at 5 am for Geneva last week, it had snowed about a foot and the airplane took two hours to leave the gate because they had to really de-ice and prepare the plane. My nerves were not very happy to see a foot of snow on the wings and what seemed to be a blizzard outside. The airport didn't seem to be worried in the slightest. I imagined that this kind of blizzard would have led to cancelled flights in the US.
From Geneva, I took a trip with Mahdi to see his friend Mahdi (yes, same name) and Cecile, his wife, and their new baby Sara in Neuchatel.
It was my first time in Neuchatel - 90 minutes by train from Geneva - a quaint little city. It reminded us of Chambery, even though at the time, Mahdi and I were unable to remember the name Chambery - which drove us crazy - I started naming every French city and district I could think of...Despite the brain failure, Chambery was a great trip, and I thought it was a great little city.
I'll try to put up photos of neuchatel soon. The reason my photos have been few is that I couldn't find my cannon battery charger, the drive on my computer is crazy and doesn't like me to touch it with either my mp3 player or camera, and I'm a little lazy with all this work I have...
Today, seems to be about 6 degrees C - which is totally wonderful, compared to -20 over the past month. On the other hand, I've heard that the Kazakh students here become hormonal and crazy in the spring and stop doing all work completely - sometimes pratically dropping out of the classes.
Does anybody have any suggestions for me - should I take the bar exam this summer and in NY?
Looking forward to your comments.
Monday, February 04, 2008
In Almaty, Kazakhstan!
Hello Everyone!
My apologies for such a long delay in writing. As you can imagine, I have had a very busy month, after leaving Tajikistan on December 17.
I am now in Almaty, Kazakhstan! -- Sitting at my nice little office on the first floor of the College of Social Science at the Kazakhstan Institute for Management, Economics, and Strategic Research.
I am an Assistant Professor and I am teaching FOUR separate courses (the worst workload imaginable)... Comparative Law, Constitutional Law, US Politics, and Terrorism and Security.
I am having a pleasant time teaching the students, but there is very little time to breathe as course preparation takes just about every second of my day. I eat my meals on the university campus to save time. The students are for the most part diligent, some are spoiled and some take very seriously the cost of education at this elite private school.
I recently found an apartment and YES, It IS in fact European/US cities expensive. I have a small studio, not recently refurnished, and with utilities will pay upwards of 900 a month. In Dushanbe, I might have rented a whole house with a pool (maybe not a pool) for that amount. The good side is that the apartment is walking distance to campus, and with temperatures in the negative numbers every day, distance walking is not a very appealing idea.
Interesting News for the Day:
Reuters has reported that Forbes.com has compiled a list of the top ten most dangerous destinations: They are:
1) Somalia, 2) Iraq, 3) Afghanistan, 4) Haiti, 5) Pakistan, 6) Sudan, 7) DRC, 8) Lebanon, 9) Zimbabwe, and 10) the OPT (palestine).
As I have only been to Haiti, I think those of you who have given me a reputation for danger traveling should notice that no central asian country is here, and neither is Iran or Kosovo! Although I would take exception with Haiti being listed ahead of the DRC or Sudan...
Interesting Website for Today:
www.pollingreport.com
--> Looking forward to Super Tsunami Tuesday. I will offer my students the opportunity to wake up at 7 am and watch the results come in...for several hours on Wednesday morning.
My apologies for such a long delay in writing. As you can imagine, I have had a very busy month, after leaving Tajikistan on December 17.
I am now in Almaty, Kazakhstan! -- Sitting at my nice little office on the first floor of the College of Social Science at the Kazakhstan Institute for Management, Economics, and Strategic Research.
I am an Assistant Professor and I am teaching FOUR separate courses (the worst workload imaginable)... Comparative Law, Constitutional Law, US Politics, and Terrorism and Security.
I am having a pleasant time teaching the students, but there is very little time to breathe as course preparation takes just about every second of my day. I eat my meals on the university campus to save time. The students are for the most part diligent, some are spoiled and some take very seriously the cost of education at this elite private school.
I recently found an apartment and YES, It IS in fact European/US cities expensive. I have a small studio, not recently refurnished, and with utilities will pay upwards of 900 a month. In Dushanbe, I might have rented a whole house with a pool (maybe not a pool) for that amount. The good side is that the apartment is walking distance to campus, and with temperatures in the negative numbers every day, distance walking is not a very appealing idea.
Interesting News for the Day:
Reuters has reported that Forbes.com has compiled a list of the top ten most dangerous destinations: They are:
1) Somalia, 2) Iraq, 3) Afghanistan, 4) Haiti, 5) Pakistan, 6) Sudan, 7) DRC, 8) Lebanon, 9) Zimbabwe, and 10) the OPT (palestine).
As I have only been to Haiti, I think those of you who have given me a reputation for danger traveling should notice that no central asian country is here, and neither is Iran or Kosovo! Although I would take exception with Haiti being listed ahead of the DRC or Sudan...
Interesting Website for Today:
www.pollingreport.com
--> Looking forward to Super Tsunami Tuesday. I will offer my students the opportunity to wake up at 7 am and watch the results come in...for several hours on Wednesday morning.
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