True, Girleegirl

The Concept of Honor
So-called honor killings are based on the belief, deeply rooted in some cultures, of women as objects and commodities, not as human beings endowed with dignity and rights equal to those of men. Women are considered the property of male relatives and are seen to embody the honor of the men to whom they "belong." Women's bodies are considered the repositories of family honor. The concepts of male status and family status are of particular importance in cultures where "honor" killings occur and where women are viewed as responsible for upholding a family's "honor." If a woman or girl is accused or suspected of engaging in behavior that could taint male and/or family status, she may face brutal retaliation from her relatives that often results in violent death. Even though such accusations are not based on factual or tangible evidence, any allegation of dishonor against a woman often suffices for family members to take matters into their own hands.

Convicted killers often speak with defiant pride and without regret about their actions. "We do not consider this murder," said Wafik Abu Abseh, a 22-year-old Jordanian woodcutter who committed a so-called honor killing, as his mother, brother and sisters nodded in agreement. "It was like cutting off a finger." Abdel Rahim, a convicted killer who was released after two months, also said he had no regrets. "Honor is more precious than my own flesh and blood" (New York Times).

Bravo, Eddie!

what was actually the cause of the beating? Notice the pills shown in the plastic bag of one of the young men.
Also notice no police coming for help.


Absolutely disgusting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfprqm_QcKk

Wonderful News: Earthquake- resistant
The rail tunnel is called the Marmaray, and will enable travelers to travel via the rapid transit system between the western and eastern sides of Istanbul, a city which is half in Europe and half in Asia.

When completed, the tunnel will likely increase the fraction of trips in Istanbul made by rail transport from 3.6% to 27.7%. That would make Istanbul's rail transport fraction the third highest in the world, after Tokyo (60%) and New York City (31%).

While an impressive feat of engineering, the Marmaray won't hold any records for the longest or deepest tunnel in the world. (Both of those titles go to the Seikan tunnel in Japan, which is 33.5 miles long and 787 feet deep.) What's most impressive about the Marmaray, however, is that it will be earthquake- resistant since it's being built on the site of an earthquake zone. Seismic experts predict that the nearby North Anatolian Fault has a 62% chance of generating an earthquake in the next 30 years.

In order to withstand such a disaster, the 1.5-km (1-mile) part of the tunnel under the water will be flexible. The tunnel will consist of sections of tube joined together with thick rubber joints, reinforced with steel plates. This construction should enable the tunnel to absorb earthquake vibrations without breaking.

Vehicle Tunnel

The newer vehicle tunnel will eventually be two stories tall and have four lanes. Drivers will pay about av$4 toll for a one-way trip through the tunnel.
http://inventorspot.com/articles/turkeys_underwater_tunnel_take_e_9779

The Castle of the Hospitaller Knights of St. John occupies the tip of the wedge-like peninsula at the center of Bodrum. It is a splendid incarnation of medieval western military architecture, built at a time when the European Middle Ages were over, and castles of this type were fast becoming objects of nostalgia. Its massive conglomeration of courtyards, turrets, galleries and sunken gardens is best explored in the stillness of noon. Once the crowds have gone, the air is filled with the hum of the bees and the screech of the cicadas.
http://sailturkey.com/bodmuseum.htm


Turkey’s Underwater Tunnel to Take On Earthquakes.

Turkey is in the midst of building a rail tunnel and a vehicle tunnel that will connect Asia and Europe through the Bosporous Strait. While the rail tunnel is expected to be completed in 2009, the vehicle tunnel will be taking bids shortly, and its expected completion date is 2011.

http://inventorspot.com/articles/turkeys_underwater_tunnel_take_e_9779

DEATH IN GAZA - documentarians James Miller and Saira Shah planned to produce an in-depth look at the culture of martyrdom and hate pervading the Middle East. In 2003, they chronicled the lives of three Palestinian adolescents growing up in war-torn Gaza.
Miller and Shah also wanted to show the Israeli side of the dispute, but during filming, Miller fell victim to the conflict when Isreali forces killed him. A tragic story.

Death in Gaza exposes the true horror that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has caused to both the Palestinians and the Israelis. The story by James Miller and Saira Shah show us how everyday Palestinians live. They never give any biased opinions on whether the Israelis are to blame for the current state the Palestinians live in, yet they show in a true journalistic fashion Palestinian life and culture in its fullest form. The movie is a documentation of children in Palestine and the struggles and dangers they face on an every day basis. It shows how they are pushed by cultural ideologies to believe that being a martyr is somehow more glorious than living a peaceful life. In the movie the children are the focal point of the movie. From an American standpoint it is a real eye-opener at the way they live, what they are taught at school, how they create bombs out of cans, and the way they are recruited by radical groups in Palestine to perform acts of terror against the Israelis. We are shown the other side to a conflict we only usually receive an Israeli voice for. The fact that director James Miller died creating this movie only adds to this dramatic documentary that made me think about what can we do to make this world a better place?

Baghdad Burning II
More Girl Blog From Iraq Riverbend from Feminist Press
www.feministpress.org

MUSLIM JOKES:
Two men were on a plane on a business trip when a Muslim couple boarded the plane and were seated right in front of them. The two men, eager to have some fun, started talking loudly.
"My boss is sending me to Saudi Arabia", the one said, "But I don't want to go...too many Muslims there!"
The Muslim couple noticeably heard and grew uncomfortable.
The other guy laughed, "Oh, yeah, my boss wanted to send me to Pakistan but I refused...WAY too many Muslims!"
Smiling, the first man said, "One time I was in Iran but I HATED the fact that there were so many Muslims!"
The couple fidgeted.
The other guy responded, "Oh, yeah...you can't go ANYWHERE to get away from them...the last time I was in FRANCE I ran into a bunch of them too!"
The Muslim couple glanced over their shoulders, noticeably irritated.
The first guy was laughing hysterically as he added, "That is why you'll never see me in Indonesia...WAY too many Muslims!"

At this, the Muslim man turned around. "Why don't you go to Hell?", he asked, "I hear there's not very many Muslims THERE!"

A police department chief, who handed out bananas to a crowd of children said: "my father was a garbage man. I know the feeling of poverty."

Kids surrounded a banana seller after DTP meeting in Adana. The salesman attempted to shoo the children away by hitting them with sticks when the police stepped in and started to give away bananas to the children.

Police department Chief Asım Bulat handed out bananas to crowds of kids during an unauthorized manifestation of a gathering of a crowd, including DTP members.

A group, including DTP members, organized an illegal gathering in Dağlıca, Adana. A group of kids began to throw rocks at the riot police and then scattered when the armed vehicles began to shoot out water. However, after a while the kids gathered again around a banana seller. The salesman tried to shoo away the kids with a stick. The police department chief Asım Bulat stepped in and bought 10 kg of bananas and distributed them to the kids. The police chief not only prevented looting but also protected the right of the seller with this heroic act. Bulat said: "When I saw the kids looking eagerly at the bananas, I thought of my kids. I thought why can't these children eat bananas when my own kids can. My father was a garbage man. I was raised in poverty so I know the feeling. I became very emotional when I saw the kids receiving bananas.
Demokratik Toplum Partisi, the Turkish name for the Democratic Society Party


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