Original Article

The US plans to establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 30 years as part of a remarkable turnaround in policy by President George Bush.

The Guardian has learned that an announcement will be made in the next month to establish a US interests section - a halfway house to setting up a full embassy. The move will see US diplomats stationed in the country.

The news of the shift by Bush who has pursued a hawkish approach to Iran throughout his tenure comes at a critical time in US-Iranian relations. After weeks that have seen tensions rise with Israel conducting war games and Tehran carrying out long-range missile tests, a thaw appears to be under way.

The White House announced yesterday that William Burns, a senior state department official, is to be sent to Switzerland on Saturday to hear Tehran's response to a European offer aimed at resolving the nuclear standoff.

Burns is to sit at the table with Iranian officials despite Bush repeatedly ruling out direct talks on the nuclear issue until Iran suspends its uranium enrichment programme, which is a possible first step on the way to a nuclear weapon capability.

A frequent complaint of the Iranians is that they want to deal directly with the Americans instead of its surrogates, Britain, France and Germany.

Bush has taken a hard line with Iran throughout the last seven years but, in the dying days of his administration, it is believed he is keen to have a positive legacy that he can point to.

The return of US diplomats to Iran is dependent on agreement by Tehran. But President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad indicated earlier this week that he was not against the opening of a US mission. Iran would consider favourably any request aimed at boosting relations between the two countries, he said.

US interests in the country at present are looked after by the Swiss embassy. The British government restored its embassy in Tehran after Labour's 1997 general election victory as part of a policy of constructive diplomacy with countries that had previously been branded rogue states.

The creation of a US interest section would see diplomats stationed in Tehran for the first time since the hostage crisis that began when hundreds of students, as part of the Iranian revolution that led to fall of the Shah, stormed the US embassy in 1979 and held the occupants until 1981.

The special interests section would be similar to the one in Havana, Cuba. The US broke off relations with Cuba in 1961 after Castro's takeover but US diplomats returned in 1977.

The special interests section carries out all the functions of an embassy. It is, in terms of protocol, part of the Swiss embassy but otherwise is staffed by Americans and independent of the Swiss.

There has been an intense debate within the Bush administration over Iran, with the vice-president, Dick Cheney, in favour of a military strike against Iranian nuclear plants and the state department in favour of diplomacy.

The state department has been pressing the White House for the last two years to re-establish diplomatic relations with Tehran by setting up an interest section.

The state department is keen that the move should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness.

Sending Burns, who left Washington last night, to Geneva and the establishment of an interests section undercuts one of the main planks of foreign policy advocated by the Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, who argues for direct negotiations with Iran.

The White House has been working in tandem over the last month with Obama's Republican rival, John McCain.

The US has had to rely on British diplomats based in Tehran, as well as other diplomats, for information about the inner workings of Iranian politics. Having its own staff would give them access to students, dissidents and others. The staff would also process visa applications, at present handled by a small office in Dubai, which is difficult for Iranians to get to.

Ahmadinejad told a reporter earlier this week, in response to a question about a possible US interests section: "We will receive favourably any action which will help to reinforce relations between the peoples." He added: "We have not received any official request but we think that the development of relations between the two peoples is something correct."

That sentiment was echoed last month by secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, who told reporters: "We want more Iranians visiting the United States ... We are determined to reach out to the Iranian people."

Iran has an interests section in Washington, which would make it harder for Tehran to deny the Americans a similar arrangement.

Rice set up a group to study the feasibility of re-establishing a presence after the idea cropped up repeatedly in discussions among Washington thinktanks.

Asked last month about the idea, she would not confirm or deny it.

But she indicated that the present arrangement where there is an American visa office for Iranians in Dubai was inadequate.

"We know that it's difficult for Iranians sometimes to get to Dubai," she said.

Just like the other day, we didn't want to make a mistake and make it to the Embassy with the Consular's Office closed. Also since I had a decent amount of logo work to be done as well because of some new support we got for the rally van I wanted to be at the Embassy when they opened.

2 Hours to Tokyo from Nagoya Station, 30 minutes to transfer from Shingawa and subway, and not to mention 30 minutes from outside Nagoya Station. Looks like I'm leaving at 6:30am, Christ.

Well at least I can do a bit of Logo work on the Shinkansen.

So headed to the Embassy about 5 minutes until they open, and there was already a queue lined up, looks like all those Russian Visa Service people go through here, I didn't take photos inside, but people would be leaving this office with a box full of Japanese Passports.

Anyway, I wanted to personally thank the woman who accepted our applications late on Monday, but she was too busy. All in all we got our passports, a day before leaving. Now back to the office for some more logo work, and then home for some last minute packing.

The New York Times is reporting that unidentified gunmen opened fire on Turkish security guards outside the United States Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday and at least three officers were killed, the governor of Istanbul said.

Governor Muammer Guler, quoted by Reuters, said one of the policemen died at the scene after a 15-minute gun battle.

The BBC is also reporting the incident.

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Above: An unidentified man lies on the ground lifeless after an attack outside of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, July 9, 2008. Armed men killed at least two policemen outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul before fleeing in a vehicle, reports said. One attacker was reported killed.

Turkey is critical to U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Most airlift flights pass over Turkey or refuel there.
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Three attackers were killed and others were being sought, the semi-official Anatolian news agency said.

Crowds and police milled around the 15-foot high high walls sheltering the American compound and police cordoned off the area. A helicopter was seen hovering above. Television footage showed one body lying on the ground, but news reports from Istanbul said up to six people may have died.

American officials said no employees or officials at the consulate had been killed.

The attack was the first on a diplomatic mission in the city since 2003 when 62 people were killed in assaults on the British consulate, a bank and two synagogues.

The consulate is a heavily fortified building and some news reports said the incident involved gunmen in a white car who opened fire on a police post located at an entrance to a perimeter wall. The news reports said three gunmen got out of the car and opened fire on the security officers outside the consulate. The driver was said to have escaped in the car.

Read the rest:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/world/europe/10turkey.
html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

I have heard this before, back in the older days here, when the Taliban were in town. The imam reads the name of the killed person, and his or her family. It takes a long time to go through a list. Death permeating into life, a public remembering of those who have died.

I lay and listened in the heat.

By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer 

KABUL, Afghanistan - A car bomb ripped through the front wall of the Indian Embassy in central Kabul on Monday, killing 40 people in the deadliest attack in Afghanistan's capital since the fall of the Taliban, officials said.

The massive explosion detonated by a suicide bomber damaged two embassy vehicles entering the compound, near where dozens of Afghan men line up every morning to apply for visas.

President Hamid Karzai condemned the bombing and said it was carried out by militants trying to rupture the friendship between Afghanistan and India.

The Afghan Interior Ministry hinted that the attack was carried out with help from Pakistan's intelligence service, saying that "terrorists have carried out this attack in coordination and consultation with some of the active intelligence circles in the region." The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said Pakistan condemned the attack and terrorism in all forms.

The embassy is located on a busy, tree-lined street near Afghanistan's Interior Ministry in the city center that is protected on both ends by police checkpoints. Several nearby shops were damaged or destroyed in the blast, and smoldering ruins covered the street. The explosion rattled much of the Afghan capital.

Shortly after the attack, a woman ran out of a Kabul hospital screaming, crying and hitting her face with both of her hands. Her two children, a girl named Lima and a boy named Mirwais, had been killed.

"Oh my God!" the woman screamed. "They are both dead."

Najib Nikzad, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said the blast killed 40 people. Earlier, Abdullah Fahim, the spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said the explosion killed at least 28 people and wounded 141, but an update of the number of injured was not immediately available. The Interior Ministry said six police officers and three embassy guards were among those killed.

In Delhi, India's foreign minister said four Indians, including the military attache and a diplomat, were killed in the attack. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India will send a high-level delegation to Kabul in coming days.

The blast also killed five Afghan security guards at the nearby Indonesian Embassy, where windows were shattered and doors and gates broken. Two diplomats were slightly wounded, Indonesia's foreign ministry said.

read the rest:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080707/ap_on_re_as/afghan_
explosion;_ylt=Ak.dIXWd4c2D7YcYIxmjPhas0NUE

Second, I need to rent either a small chainsaw or a good carbon-steel saw, to take down some branches that overhand our roof.

Third, I sweat. A lot (all right, I knew this one).

Fourth, my daughter is freaking adorable covered in mud, trying to help out.

Yes, that's right. In an attempt to clean out the gutters of the second floor of our house, we rented a forty-foot fiberglass extension ladder, got it home on top of our hooptie, and managed - with an astounding amount of effort - to place it properly against the top floor. I was only able to complete one full side of the house (I did the lower porch gutters about a month back), but also managed to clear a substantial amount of the limb overhang that was causing the problem in the first place (there's a large branch that will require a good saw, which I don't have).

We'll have to rent another ladder some other day in order to finish the other three sides. I'm hopefull the 27 foot ladder at the store will do the job, since it will probably be considerably more manageable.

But next weekend, we're building a rocket stove in our back yard! Whoo hoo! (something to do with all that new twiggy goodness lying all over the place!).

TEHRAN -- A senior adviser to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected a proposed expansion of the U.S. diplomatic presence in Iran, saying in an interview that the idea is a "propaganda pose."
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Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi, in an interview last Sunday, said that to improve relations with Iran, the United States would have to withdraw its military forces from Iraq and accept Iran's nuclear program.

During a visit to the United Nations last week, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki signaled willingness to allow the first U.S. diplomats to work in Tehran, at an interests section now staffed by non-Americans. He also called for direct flights between Tehran and New York, repeating an Iranian proposal made in 2007.

The contrast between the two officials' statements illustrates the contentious debate taking place here over Iran's relations with the United States, which were severed after the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran in 1979. It shows the complexity of Iran's leadership structure, in which politicians and unelected clerics sometimes have overlapping areas of responsibility but differing goals and policies.
Facing international pressure over its nuclear program, the Iranian leadership is now looking for ways to deal with the United States.

Samareh Hashemi, an old friend of Ahmadinejad and now his top adviser, expressed Iranian interest in negotiations on a June proposal by the United States and five other powers for breaking the impasse over Iran's nuclear program. "There is a chance for negotiations, an opportunity," he said.

On Friday, Iran gave a response to the proposal that diplomats characterized as a positive step. Details were not given. But on Saturday, an Iranian government spokesman said Iran had "no intention of discussing its right to enrich uranium," a key demand in the proposal.

Analysts say politicians and advisers affiliated with Ahmadinejad are more interested in lengthy negotiations than in restoring relations and are more influential than technocrats, who genuinely want to improve ties between the two countries.

"The group which has taken power in Iran the last years is convinced that there is no path to any agreement with the United States. They feel that the only outcome of this conflict is when one side loses," said Abbas Abdi, who took part in the 1979 hostage-taking but is now critical of Iran's leaders.

"On the other hand, more pragmatic, experienced politicians now on the fringes of the power circle are actively contemplating how to establish relations with the U.S. in order to solve problems," Abdi said.

Other analysts said the two countries are at a crossroads. "We are in a period in which confrontation with the U.S. or normalization of ties could take place," said Sadegh Kharrazi, a former Iranian ambassador to France.

The idea of enlarging the U.S. interests section was raised in a recent Washington Post article that cited State Department and other U.S. officials.
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"We want more Iranians visiting the United States. . . . We are determined to reach out to the Iranian people," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters, hinting at the proposal. At present, Iranians have to travel to Turkey or Dubai to apply for U.S. visas.
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For decades, calls in Iran for establishing ties were often answered by angry protests on the streets of Tehran denouncing the idea as a betrayal of the Islamic revolution.

But in 2006, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say in matters related to U.S.-Iranian relations, lifted the ban on direct negotiations by allowing Iranian diplomats to talk to their American counterparts in Iraq. The purpose was "to make America understand that they have to leave Iraq alone and allow the Iraqis to govern their own country," Khamenei said.

Samareh Hashemi's cautionary words in the interview are in line with the policies outlined by Khamenei, who said in January that restoring relations under current circumstances would endanger Iran's security, because it would "provide opportunity for security agents to come and go, as well as for espionage."

Iranian-American relations have become one-dimensional," said Abdi, the former hostage-taker, who writes columns and publishes a blog. "Whatever both countries demand from each other, practically no measures for rapprochement are really viable.

"The United States has a certain view of the world, and Iran opposes this view. So there will be conflicts as long as this is the case."

Interests sections, housed in the embassies of third countries, are a device of international relations by which hostile countries communicate even though they have no formal diplomatic ties.

Iran has an interests section, employing 30 to 40 diplomats, that operates under the umbrella of the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, according to Kharrazi, the former envoy to France.

The United States, meanwhile, is represented in Tehran by an interests section in the Swiss Embassy, where about 20 non-Americans and local staff members handle U.S. interests in Iran, Iranian staff members working there say.

Samareh Hashemi said that if progress is to occur, "the U.S. must first reform, and then we will see what happens." He said he was not afraid of military strikes on Iran. "The forces of any government which would attack Iran will no longer have any security in our region or anywhere else," Samareh Hashemi said. "They will no longer be safe, wherever they are."

He accused the United States of training the 12 Iranians arrested in May in connection with a bombing at a religious center in the Iranian city of Shiraz that killed 12.

"During unrest near Orumieh in northwestern Iran, we have found American instruments," Samareh Hashemi said, adding that evidence will be provided soon.

Iranian officials contend that many overtures toward the United States have gone unanswered. In 2001, Iran provided information for U.S. troops fighting the Taliban, an Iranian enemy. "In return, we were labeled as part of the 'axis of evil,' " Kharrazi said. "And in 2007, President Ahmadinejad wrote a direct letter to George W. Bush, which was completely ignored by the U.S."
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The roots of Iran's animosity toward the United States run much deeper than the country's 1979 Islamic revolution. In 1953, the CIA organized a coup d' etat against the democratically elected prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh, who two years earlier had nationalized Iran's oil, angering Britain, whose state oil company had a long-running lease to exploit Iran's oil.

The great-grandson of Mossadegh said he was proud of what his ancestor had done for Iran. "My great-grandfather led a movement for decolonization," Ali Mossadegh said, showing black-and-white pictures of Mossadegh pleading Iran's case for oil nationalization before the U.N. Security Council. The coup led to absolute rule by an American ally, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, until he was overthrown in 1979.

The younger Mossadegh saw no political use for an American interests section now. "First, an apology for the coup of 1953 would be an important step to restore relations between both countries," he said.

When Abbas Abdi climbed the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979, he had that same kind of anger in mind, he said. "Try and look at it from the Iranian point of view: They had really hurt us, so we had to hurt them back," Abdi said, referring to the takeover.

He said he did not feel responsible for the diplomatic stalemate that followed. "It was an opportunity for the United States to get on with our relations with a clean slate," Abdi said. "But things took a different course."

Staff researcher Robert E. Thomason in Washington contributed to this report.

Does it look like a Cash Register - or just another Bunker?

The ferocity of the reaction in the German media to the fortress-like new U.S. embassy in Berlin, which former U.S. President George Bush will inaugurate on July 4th, strikes me as a reflection of the strains in German-U.S. relations since 2003’s Iraq conflict.

It underlines just how long gone the days of the Cold War really are. Then, when Berlin was the front line in the Cold War, America was West Germany’s best friend and U.S. soldiers were welcome across the country.

Architectural critics in Germany have slammed the boxy building with narrow windows as being reminiscent of Baghdad’s Green Zone.

The embassy is a picture of a country traumatised by 9/11 and by the consequences of globalisation, of a nation with such heavy armour that it can no longer see the world,” wrote conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung earlier this year.

Other critics have been just as hostile, deriding it as a discount supermarket, a prison, a bunker and like Fort Knox.

Once upon a time, the United States was a nation of courage and confidence. Now, led by greedy and arrogant Oil Patch Boys, no one even remembers how our nation survived the burning of the White House and the Capitol by British invaders during the war of 1812. Americans must think the Pearl Harbor Memorial just grew out of the tidal waters of Honolulu.

Whatever the case and cause, our Fearless Leaders rely nowadays on structures of state better suited to Stalin than Jefferson.

The sage advice of my soul-mate to simply stop buying them, probably saved my life.

Duncan Bannatyne also quit by simply not buying them anymore. He's now an extremely successful business man and angel investor, featured in one of British Television's more intelligent 'reality' style TV shows, 'The Dragon's Den'.

Here he takes a look at British American Tobacco, the one time F1 team sponsor and marketing leviathan behind brands like Benson and Hedges, Embassy and Pall Mall - and how the increasing social taboo of smoking in Europe and North America, has forced BAT to lead an all out marketing assault on African children as young as 8, to maintain shareholder profits.

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4851577105036137701&hl=en]
Watch in full screen

So you’re looking at the title of this entry and wondering what it has to do with my visit to the embassy. When I arrived at the embassy I joined the group of students waiting outside before the security check and, as Jews do, we started talking. I found out within 2 minutes that a girl I was standing next to was an undergraduate student at American University but was from the Philadelphia area and an alum of the Isaac Mayer Wise teaching certificate program from JCHS. She is a Beth Or member and so we spoke about Cantor Green, who will be my internship supervisor in the fall.

But enough Jewish geography… onto the event. We went through security and were escorted into a large meeting room with pictures of Israel on the wall, a covered grand piano in the corner (I’m a musician so I notice these things) and a spread of wonderful Israeli food in the back. We helped ourselves to falafel, pita, hummus, Israeli salad and other food. As we ate, we met some of the young professionals at the embassy and the program began. We first met with the embassy official to check on our visas and ask any questions about our travels. That portion was followed by a Q and A session with the young professionals to really get a sense of what Israeli culture is like. Many in the room were first time travelers to Israel so they had lots of questions. I think the most important thing I learned from that session was that students are not allowed to eat food in the classroom during class time at the University (bummer.) We then heard from another embassy official about the security and political issues in Israel at the moment. The afternoon wrapped up with more Q and A.

The event, though only 2 hours long, was worthwhile. It was clear from every embassy official I came in contact with that they are excited for Americans to study in Israel and that they want to help support us in anyway they can. It was also a great afternoon because I met 2 of my soon-to-be classmates. I had some time to kill after the event so one of my fellow classmates, her mom, and I, went to the National Zoo to see the pandas! A wonderful end to a great afternoon.

B’Shalom,
Meara

P.S. I leave for Israel on Monday so expect to hear more from me more frequently!

स्रोतका अनुसार सो घटनाको भोलिपल्ट राजदूत शर्मा आफैँले लन्डन प्रहरीलाई फोन गरी बोलाएपछि प्रहरीले राजदूतावासभित्रै रहेका लम्साललाई निकालेको थियो । सो झगडा दूतावासभित्रको आन्तरिक समस्या थियो । राजदूतजस्तो व्यक्तिबाट सो घटनालाई मिलाउनुको सट्टा प्रहरीसम्म पुर्‍याएर देशकै बेइज्जत गरेको टिप्पणी परराष्ट्रका उच्च अधिकारीहरूले गरेका छन् । दूतावासबाट निकालिएका शर्मा पहिलोपटक राजदूत भएका व्यक्ति होइनन् । यसअघि उनी न्युयोर्कस्थित संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघमा नेपालका लागि स्थायी प्रतिनिधि थिए भने त्यसअघि परराष्ट्र सचिव थिए ।

After an anxious filled weekend of trying to decide if my Russian Visa Invite would come on time, and having Steve call more or less every 3-6 hours to double check the status of the DHL Courier, the package according to the DHL Tracking Number arrived in Nagoya.

Anyway on Monday Morning, as Steve, Joel and I were just starting to talk about when the potential package would arrive, and speak of the devil: VISA INVITES.

Knowing we were in the clear, Joel and I readied up our Visa Apps and made sure they were all in order, photo'd up before you know it Steve, Joel and I are off on the bullet train to the Russian Embassy in Tokyo.

This was not only to do Visa Applications but some potential clients and supporters were also in Tokyo, so Steve wanted to kill two birds with one stone.

Two hours later after some budget planning on the Shinkansen, we arrive at Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. I totally didn't know this (since I lack in the Japanese Business merit of riding the Shinkansen all the time like Steve) but the JR Shinkansen Tickets to Tokyo (unless specified) are just to Tokyo Ward (東京区) which is means you can go to any station within the Tokyo Ward in reach of the JR Tokyo Network. (I think I wasted money on extra tickets on JR)

Off to Ebisu on the Yamanote Line, transfer via Metro Hebiya Line to Kamiyacho (next to Roppongi).

Steve splits off to meet up with some potential supporters for the Rally while Joel and I head to the Russian Embassy's Consular Office for our apps. We get there and...

THEY'RE CLOSED!! (Actually they were just on break). We ask one of the security personnel what the deal is and I guess they're at lunch, but he also mentioned that visa processing might be over for the day, since they only do it in the morning.

As non native speakers of Japanese you tend to listen like how a person speed reads, keywords, tune out the rest. Unfortunately we tuned out the visa processing being finished for the day part, and got to the counter. The Visa Processing closes at 12:30 a good two hours ago...meaning we'd have to wait until the next day to try and have them process the visas (which wouldn't make it on time for our flight out to London). We beg say we came from Nagoya and argued that Visa Applciation Window's Office Hours weren't online. Regardless, the gentleman who was explaining the situation apologized profusely but said it couldn't be helped.

Talk about Murphy's Law..2 hours from Nagoya, around $300 down the drain. High noon in the sticky humid boiler that is the Japanese Summer- sweaty, lacking sleep, distressed and in despair.Joel and I take a seat and he hops on the phone to update the situation with Steve.

I start putting away our applications and just sitting there while Joel and Steve are trying to think of Plan B, when a knock comes from the Cashier window.

"緊急ですか？”KInkyuu Desu ka?", says another lady behind the office window. At first I heard "Kenka desu ka" meaning "Are you guys fighting?" which I said we weren't, but after she repeated it again she asked if it was an Emergency. Which it was, we were leaving for London in 3 days, if they didn't start processing today we wouldn't have our passports back in time to leave the country.

She sighed, made the exception and took our paperwork with rush processing. I guess Joel talked to her on the phone earlier and recognized his voice. She was starting the paperwork while getting an earful from the gentleman who told us to come back tomorrow.

We were ever so thankful and while I don't remember her name, (it was ridiculously long for my ADD memory) but we're ever so in debt to her.

With that off our shoulder, Joel and I head to meet up with Steve with potential supporters of the rally, where he has good news in them being really interested.

So long story short, Invites, Applications and potential support. All in a days work.

Thanks to John Rogos to help proof this post.

I must say that it is nice to see France step in to an area in which it has historical relevance (as opposed to the US which just has global political clout), particularly considering that this is supposed to be the (undesignated) Year of Middle East Peace and not much seems to be happening with that from the US side. Of course Middle East peace is not just a concern for the US and others should step in regardless.

National Security Adviser, M K Narayanan said on Saturday: "We not only suspect but we have a fair amount of intelligence (on the involvement of Pakistan)." In fact, intelligence intercepts have been very specific on the ISI involvement. Even now, said sources, there is fresh intelligence about threats to India's missions in Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad. 

In a comment that perhaps reflected the sentiments in the government, Narayanan was also quoted as saying that such acts of terror need retaliation. "I think we need to pay back in the same coin. We are quite clear in our mind," he said. 

Is the NSA saying that India will bomb Pakistani embassies?  Will the Indians increase their support for the Baloch insurgents?  Sounds like it from what Narayanan continues saying:

"Talk-talk is better than fight-fight. But it hasn't worked so far. In some way, we haven't arrived at the decision that we should go for fight-fight so let talk-talk continue for the moment." 

Did everyone make it to their weekend in one piece?  I certainly hope you did and that you're doing whatever you can do enjoy your weekend to the fullest.  I'm sitting here on a Saturday night, and I can hear the wind occasionally whistling and blowing through the big mango tree outside as I sit here and write to you.  I'm also occasionally looking up from the laptop to glance at the muted television in front of me.  Does anyone else out there leave the television on muted when they are home alone?  I sometimes do it for the illusion of  company it provides,and I've got it muted at the moment so I can concentrate better on talking to you.  I'm actually also waiting for my favorite Saturday night shows to come on, and the current bland reality show annoys me severely.  Anyways, enough about my peculiar personality traits, right?

Well, I've officially been on vacation for a week now, and my mind seems to have taken complete and full advantage of the opportunity.  It sort of feels like my body has been in auto-drive this past week going through the motions of daily obligations without much thought or feeling in my actions.  Anyway, I went to the dentist on Wednesday, and I'm proud to report that Tom is 100% cavity free. I actually have an almost phobic fear of dentists and the relief of having no cavities was tremendous.  The dentist and his 2 assistants did an excellent job of polishing and cleaning my teeth all for about 600 Baht, which is just under 20 bucks.   I doubt if the  dentist at home would even squirt you with  the  water tube for that much, right?

Then, speaking of back home, I made a trip down to the American Embassy on Friday.  I only had about 2 empty pages left in my passport, and so a trip down to the embassy to get some additional pages was in order.  I'm normally not a big fan of government interaction and their need for miles of red tape, but I must say that in this instance the U.S. government was quick and efficient.  I was able to print out and fill in the form online beforehand, and then on Friday I was in and out in under an hour.  Not only were the staff down there friendly and efficient, but the whole service was done free of charge.  They should pay me to do P.R. for them for this entry, huh?

However, one thing I always find interesting is the large number of Thai citizens that are always there lining up and making visa applications when I've visited the embassy.  They line up by the hundreds like you would see people lined up to enter a ride at Six Flags or Disney World.  All morning long for what I assume to be every day there are huge lines down at the American Embassy for a chance at the opportunity to cross the pacific to the country I call home for one reason or another.  This raised some difficult questions in my own mind, but I guess that's the bad thing about long vacations or holidays in life.  You get to much time to think and critique the measure of your life when you are avoiding doing productive things with your time.  Well, I should go now and watch Family guy, so much love to you from Bangkok.  Thanks so very much for stopping by to have a read as always, and I will see ya soon.

After a few months waiting and an unsuccessful try, I finally got the visa. It's not yet the final visa for the ten year period. It's only the visa that let's me stay in the US until December so I can end the first semester.

I went today to the United States Embassy in Portugal, Lisbon for my second try. This time I had all the documents necessary to prove that I was in conditions to be issued a non-immigrant visa. I arrive there by 0830am and the place was crowded. I waited almost 2h30 to speak with the Consul. We spoked about five minutes and for the sake of heavens he accepted my application and said that I should pass there tomorrow in the afternoon to get the passport with the visa.
I felted very happy but I tried to contain my emotions or else I would start jumping and laughing wild like a happy child. Silently, I left the building and as soon as I got my cellphone back, I sent text messages to my friends about the visa approval.

Now I just need to recover my shoulder and travel towards my destiny. It's time to challenge myself on a higher level and give the best of me.

I want to think everyone for the faith and support. The first phase, pre-program, is almost ending. Things are starting to get on track again.

DEAR MASTER, I WILL GIVE MY BEST FOR OUR CAUSE.

Thanks everyone, I Love you all...

"Liquor sales, drinking in public now regulated"

If you want to know more.. Visit BRIAN GORELL's BLOG

and you can find all the info that's running to ye'r head. O.K

If you want to read the article by Julie M. Aurelio from Daily Inquirer CLICK HERE.

Last Friday, the new U.S. Embassy was opened in Berlin. Halvorsen was invited along with number of Airlift veterans (he is the second from the left). 

Chancellor Merkel and former President Bush (41) spoke at the event, making references to the amazing accomplishment of the pilots and how they symbolized the special relationship between Germany and the United States. Bush spoke of the reunification of Germany, which took place during his presidency and ended the "divided Europe". Merkel remembered how relations were strained in 2003 but on better ground today. Both remembered that the embassy returned to its original place in Pariser Platz. Merkel recalled Reagan's famous call to Gorbachev that he "tear down this wall".

But for all the talk of friendship and a especial relationship, the building itself does not deny the new times, what many call the post-9/11 world. The embassy seems to retreat away from the square, to hide between two other buildings, one of them the Commerzbank. There is a tower in its center which adds to the overall suggestion of the arquitecture, namely that of a medieval castle, ready to defend itself. Guests were not allowed inside, only a handful of VIPs toured the building.

The celebration itself was grand - lots of security, of course - and over fifteen minutes of fireworks over the Brandenburg Gate. The menu included typically American dishes: mini burgers, chili cheese nuggets, chicken fries, pineapple chicken sticks. There were selections of California wine and American beer. I must admit I did not see many Berliners merrily drink the flavorful varieties of Sam Adams and Budweiser. This is one department the Germans are hors concours.

Over 40 people have been injured and several killed. The intelligence sources claimed that the attacks were targeting a specific language speaking group and aimed to create unrest and rouse ethnic violence. For those who lost their loved ones or had to suffer through the turmoils, it doesn't matter why this was done. They want those responsible brought down and made an example out of.

But where do we go from here?

Over in Islamabad, news has come in that they have found the head of the suicide bomber! Good for you Islamabad. What's next?

You don't know?

Oh wait ok... why am I not surprised? Perhaps because that is the end of our investigating capabilities? The head has been found... the case is closed!

Round of applause everyone... promote a few officers and let's be done with it!

It's an irony that in the face of such brutal and frequent terrorism, there is little that has ever come to light about these bomb blasts and suicide bombers themselves ever. If those behind the assassination of a prominent leader such as Benazir Bhutto can not be traced out, what to talk of these recent blasts in Islamabad and Karachi! We are at war with a cunning enemy who lives within our walls and we don't have the means to counter his moves.

Pakistan WILL crumble from withing if this continues.

Already there are rumors circulating about a possible Pakistani hand in the Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul that killed 40 and left well over a 100 wounded. Is it sheer coincidence that the Karachi blasts came merely 10-15 hours after the Kabul attack? Was this a  back-lash by India or Afghanistan or is there a third group that staged the two bombings to create misunderstandings between the three countries?

The attacks in Islamabad, in Karachi and the one in Kabul must not be ruled out as separate incidents. The frequency and timing of these attacks are all too closely aligned to be dismissed as a potential lead. The seven bombs that ripped through Karachi yesterday clearly were a part of the plan that was put in a hurry. That is why it resulted in more wounded than dead. Here's your biggest lead!

Try giving the nation something more than 'look! We found the head!'

You can play football with it for all we care!

Scores killed as bomber hits India embassy (story)

The forgotten war used to be the Korean war... in the 21st century, the Afghan conflict is making a serious bid for that title. Btw I love that word ‘score' ... reminds me of the Gettysburg address. 

Britain's war on food waste (story)

I so dislike it when the word war gets used for something that ain't even a war in the classical sense. Not that this issue doesn't require drastic efforts, but a war ... oh come on.

McCanns drop court action as police release files new (story) & Second student murders suspect taken to hospital new (story)

Why do some murders or disappearance manage to become such a focal point in the news while ‘scores' of other crimes remain anonymous.

Christian Bale: Dark Knight laid bare (story) & Puccini's sex life laid bare (story)
The Independent lays stuff bare!

Does beauty TV need a makeover? (story)

This article is such a pile of "Blah".

The 50 Best Garden Accessories (story) & The Ten Best Travel Games (story)

So this morning a journalist at The Independent woke up and decide "Hey, been a while since we did an article on travel Games and Garden Accessories." ... why oh why?

Andrew Marr: ‘Save serious journalism' (story)

Good follow-up on previous remark!

‘Peeping Tom' tabloid spied on Mosley, says QC new (story)

Funny title, such a non story.

Nine injured on Day 1 of Pamplona bulls run new (story)

9-0 for the Bulls, Jordan's back :p

Asylum-seekers are sent back to Darfur (story)

K, if coming from Darfur doesn't qualify for refugee status. Anyone else thinking about heading to England, don't even think ya got a shot.

Jail those who carry knives, urges Cameron (story)

Butchers, Cooks, Foresters, Hunters, ... Jail them all!

Japan creates fortress for G8 (story)

A Japanese Fortress, I see scenes from the movie "Hero" flashing in front of me... or was that China :p Battle Royale Islands then.

‘Not manly enough': Berlusconi's verdict on Libeskind work (story)

Lol, Berlusconi dismisses something he has absolutely not a clue about because it's not manly enough... got to love folks with standards.

And the remaining headlines of the 7th of July:

Gravy train goes deluxe for MEPs' Strasbourg trips *** Doctors fume at glamorisation of smoking in films *** Horror: Where girlie meets gory *** Do octopuses have a favourite tentacle? *** Orang-utans ‘on fast track to extinction' *** ‘There's never been a great woman artist' *** Mario Testino's secret diary *** Skye Gyngell's raspberries recipes

This morning a suicide bomb attack on the Indian Embassy killed an estimated 30 to 40 civilians, and injured another 140. I just sat down with the an American friend who was in his office catecorner to the Indian Embassy when the attack happened. His driver was killed; many of his co-workers are in the hospital with injuries ranging from severe shrapnel and blast wounds to facial cuts from the flying glass. He was unharmed, although considering that this is his second week in Kabul, not completely unscathed. "You hear about how powerful the force is but there's nothing like experiencing it. All the glass and some of the walls of our office were blown away... We walked outside and there were bodies and body parts in the street."

I heard about the attack when I first arrived at work. About half an hour after it happened, an Afghan colleague of mine walked into my office and started telling me about his friend who was injured in the bombing. His friend worked for an airline and the office was in a shopping block just across the street from the Embassy. It's one of the few two-story shopping complexes in Kabul and is always filled with pedestrian traffic. My colleague was angry:  "Why would they attack that place? There is no military, nothing. Just poor people." Then in a more sober voice, my colleague told me that he and some other guys from the office were on their way to the MOI when they got the news.

My American friend said there was dead silence immediately after the blast but after about a minute, one of his Afghan colleagues said "This is Afghanistan." They immediately grabbed brooms and cloth and started mopping up the rubble and the blood, he said.

"D - Day" Demonstration : 8th July- Vaclavske Namesti - Wenceslas Square
July has arrived in Prague, and as well within just a few days, the U.S. Secretary Of State, Condoleeza Rice is expected to attend discussions with the intentions of signing the treaties involved in the installation of a U.S. Missile Defense Radar Base in the Czech Republic.

The length and exact term of "Condi's" visit has been reported to be on the morning of July the 8th and stay between the 10th.

If our government here in the Czech Republic thinks that it's citizens will remain passive, quiet and indifferent "neteční" during it's ignorant and defiant pursuit of a rapid signing of the Missile Defense & Radar Agreement, truly they have made an unprecedented mistake.

"Pokud si naše vláda myslí, že občané zůstanou neteční k její úporné snaze o urychlené podepsání smlouvy o radaru, tak se plete."

"D - DAY" Demonstration

"D-Day" = The Day Of Condoleeza Rice's Arrival In Prague.
Individuals who are against the placement of the U.S. Radar Base on Czech Soil, Voice It ! - Say It ! - THE RADAR WILL NOT BE HERE !!

The people have remained against the agreement for two years without change, and the government has also not changed in it's stance of ignorance of the people, citizens and the majority "Czech Vote". We can voice our final words once more to Parliament via elected and responsible spokespeople for the "No To Bases" Iniciative, "Ne Zakladnam".

We will demonstrate in protest of "Condi" and the Radar, On Tuesday, 8th of July, in Wenceslas Square, from 18:00 (6pm).