"YES to Referendum Aniversary": An absurd celebration.
It feels as if news from north Cyprus are tailored to make my day by giving me examples of absurd events. A big commotion was created over the planned celebrations for the aniversary of the Turkish Cypriot "YES" vote for the Annan plan referendum. First, I sort of liked it since it made the nationalist media mad. Then I liked idea even more since the rest of the "real" and "always-in-opposition-even-when-we-are-in-government" crowd refused to attend it and even condemned it. Isn't it obvious how absurd it is that a governing party using government resources is celebrating an event whose outcome was rejection of the Annan-plan. It is an outdated, backwards mind-set that leads governments to organize protests, celebrations etc (see Iran and its recent nuclear-power celebrations). It is absurd when this is done despite the fact that the celebrated even was a failure.

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Greek Cypriot Lawyer detained in north
Life is full of absurdities in north Cyprus. Rule-of-law is a concept that is taken as something to be abused, manipulated, changed as "they" wish. Constandinos Candounas who is the lawyer representing G/Cs who brought up court cases against (mainly) foreigners residing on G/C properties was detained (briefly) in north. This is not the first time. The game is supposed to become lawful. A Cyprus Mail reports: " In July last year, Turkish Cypriot authorities announced they were preparing amendments to their laws that could lead to the conviction and imprisonment for up to three years of bailiffs and lawyers who seek to deliver summons in the north.". Not much more comment is needed. See Cyprus-Mail Article .

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Harrasment of Serhat Incirli raises international reactions.

The regime in north Cyprus is upto its usual tactics; threats, intimidation, secrecy, denial, militarism. Serhat Incirli has been threatened with court cases in Turkey, his family was harrassed and now there are reports that he was detained in airport briefly upon entry. This has raised international reactions (see - from Hamamboculeri.org) - cudos to certain individuals, organizations in north Cyprus who formed this network (see - another from Hamamboculeri.org).

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Enjoying Spring: Store-Fronts

[[image:silchess.jpg:Playing Chess in Chestnut Hill, PA:center:0]]

[[image:silstorefront1.jpg:Chatting in front of a carpet store, Chestnut Hill, PA:center:0]]

Both photos from Chesnut Hill, PA

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Cyclists & Spring in Philadelphia

[[image:sil.jpg:Cyclists in Philadelphia (Valley Green):center:0]]

Early signs of spring: Cyclists in front of Valley Green Inn

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Kibris Newspaper reports in its usual absurd style about "night clubs" (i.e. brothels) in north Cyprus. The language used is shameful and is repeated in other papers (e.g. Yeniduzen). They report as if it was an unknown, unexpected thing that they found women being exploited as prostitutes. Everyone knew what these places were. Everyone knew how popular they were, that many people frequented them. It is unethical to report in this manner. Ofcourse, since Volkan Newspaper wanted to report it in the semi-religious, ultra-nationalist lingo they used the word "brothel" in their title while others called them "night clubs" and "pubs".

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