And one kind of fish also died... weird.

If all the people who worry about "being slaves to the media", "slaves to indoctrination" ad so forth would worry about people who are actual slaves (like is still very common in the cacao-trade, in the sex-industry, etc.), the world would become a lot better.

My basic premise in life is live and let live. I only have problem with religious people once they break my part of "living". You make choices for your life, I make choices for my life. I get ticked off when I hear that my local supermarket is selling halal meat, without labelling it. I want to be able to make an informed choice, and I should not be secretly fed meat that isn´t stunned before slaughter. But at the same time the newly installed "burka-ban" in Holland ticks me off as well. I don´t want to walk around in a burka, but who am I to decide for others if they can´t? The problem with the burka is that often the family pressures a woman to wear it. Government says it´s against this pressure... So they pressure a woman to not wear it! How distorted.

This discussion reminds me a bit of the Maldives. The first thing that pops into your mind is "tropical islands"... But do you also know that it is a muslim country? And that other religions are in fact illegal there? It seems these tropical islands could teach Iran a lesson.

This is stolen from wikipedia, about the Maldives: The open practice of all other religions is forbidden and such actions are liable to prosecution under the law of the country. According to the revised constitution, in article two, it says that the republic "is based on the principles of Islam." Article nine says that "a non-Muslim may not become a citizen of the Maldives"; number ten says that "no law contrary to any principle of Islam can be applied in the Maldives." Article nineteen states that "citizens are free to participate in or carry out any activity that is not expressly prohibited by sharia or by the law."

I fail to see the link between multi cultural societies and the closing of churches. This is simply not the main reason. First of all, people becoming atheist is the foremost reason for "natives" not being Christian. The number of conversions to Islam is neglectable. Second of all, who says "multi cultural" equals Islam? How about all the "foreigners" who are Christians?

By the way, I think saying atheism is related to lack of family ties and degredation of morality is a total missunderstanding of what atheism really is. Atheism and a feeling of family and a feeling of morality is not related. It is short sighted and insulting to atheists to think that you can judge their ethical insights by their believe in a higher being. Loving your family, showing respect to your parents, standing up for old people in the bus, living an honest live, all these things are NOT related to a believe in god. Atheists can make good choices in their lives based on upbringing and personal feelings, instead of an outside source like the bible. Just like religious people can make bad decisions based on that same bible. The choices that make atheists lead a good life are not less than those of a religious person, just because they base it on something else.

It depends on the type of cheese and how it is packaged. I brought some sealed cheese (so covered in a type of wax, not cut in pieces) packaged in vacum plastic to Turkey without any problems.

I still don´t understand why Cyprus can´t just be Cyprus... not Greek, not Turkish, just Cyprus.

I went from Istanbul to the Koceali region with a bus. I don´t know the exact time it took, but it was more than 1 hour. I think it was closer to 3 hours. I went close to Kandira, and it was lovely. I think people visit that area for holidays too, because it has beaches and a relaxed vibe.

Hm, I still have food, clothes, a house, and a job to pay for it all Europe isn´t treating me bad at all. And the government paid for almost all of my higher education that got me all these things in the first place. Sure, times are a bit worse than let´s say ten years ago. But nobody in Cloggy land has to die of hunger, or work three jobs to send their kids to school.

Best movie, The Hangover

It´s kind of lame to say "your children will die" and than you kill...nobody but yourself. I guess he didn´t finish the entire suicide-bomber course.

Ah, don´t break my happy holidays mood! What a lame protest...