4500 Sumerian Temple Found In Iraq

March 3, 2012 - Roshan

A group of Iraqi and foreign archaeologists have uncovered a temple at the Sumerian city of Ur, which dates back to about 2500 B.C., the head of the Antiquities Department says. So far the scientists have uncovered one of the walls of the temple along with numerous graves from the same period, said Hussein Rashid. Ur is one of ancient Iraq’s most fascinating cities. It has given the world priceless treasures from the Sumerian civilization that flourished in southern Iraq. The Sumerians, whose ethnic and linguistic stock is still a mystery, invented writing and established a civil system of government in southern Iraq more than 5000 years ago.

“An Italian excavation team in coordination with their Iraqi counterparts have uncovered the wall of a temple dating to 2500 B.C. at Tel Abu Tabeer in the ancient city of Ur,” said Rashid. Rashid said there were three foreign excavation teams currently working in Iraq. It is the first team of foreign archaeologists to be working in the country for more than two decades. Rashid said an American team was to arrive in Iraq to excavate ancient mounds in the southern city of Nasiriya, the capital of Dhi Qar Province where the richest and most ancient Mesopotamian ruins are found. Rashid also said another Italian group will be arriving in the country to excavate the ancient Assyrian military capital, Nimrud, in the northern Province of Nineveh.

The Italian team in Ur is closely cooperating with scientist at Dhi Qar University. Rashid said Italian scientists will be lecturing on Iraq’s ancient civilizations and languages in English. Ur is the dream place for foreign scientists specialized in Near Eastern studies. It is often referred to in the literature as “the world’s Archaeological Museum” for its great number of ancient sites.

A Possibly Sensitive Subject

March 3, 2012March 3, 2012 - Roshan

Today I had the most dangerous kind of auto rikshaw (3 wheeler taxi) ride of my life. I had gone to the bank around 11:45 am and then had to go to buy medicines at Broadway. So I hailed an auto at Padma and asked him to take me to take to Menaka from where it is just a hop & a skip away to Broadway (parallel to Menaka junction). What I didn’t know was that the driver would take an alternate route, take a couple of wrong turns and end up in the market road area – which is about as wide as a telephone booth and has five times as many people & vehicles than it should have any right to! Seriously I dunno how come we didn’t hit even one auto, car, bike or person as he swerved this way & that and we managed to squeeze our way in between 3 people and 10 autos in small roads. It could cause a Westerner a heart attack and reduce you to a nervous wreck. It was all in a day’s work for him and other than the fact that it took us 30 minutes instead of 5, no harm done!

Well after that I needed a cold one to calm me down (plus it was hot as hell) and soon I walked into Coffee Beans for a frappe. What do I see there – genuine eye candy! Two hot Europeans (Dutch or Belgian I am guess by what they spoke) – one blonde, cute and sweet & the other redhead, sexy as hell! Now, I want to be decent and not stare as that is rude but, but………Oh my, this redhead was turning me on full throttle. And she was rubbing her thighs as she sat on my left, nice, creamy long legs & thighs! (FOCUS – my eyes were glazing there, sorry) They both were wearing tees and shorts – tight, tight shorts. When they got up after paying for their coffees and walked out, I could see their shorts in all their glory. The redhead’s shorts were on so tight, as she walked on by, I could see the partition between Belgium & the Netherlands (instead of Pakistan & India as I would have put usually). I noticed just after they left that one of them had left behind a small purse, enough to keep a few coins & notes on the seat and I took and followed them. I handed it to the blonde and they both said thank you, I said welcome and went back to my coffee!

Now here’s my point. I am by no means an indecent guy. I will look but I won’t be rude and I certainly won’t trouble anyone. I admire and I will keep a respectful distance. Whatever you may think of me, I do not want to be disrespectful. But I really wish that Western women, specially two young & beautiful women traveling on their own, while on tour in India would be careful what they wear. We aren’t used to women dressing in such skimpy outfits in India and the fact is that they could be prey to men who could do them harm if they are not careful. They go to an area that has less people and with the wrong social element hanging around and they could get mugged and/or raped. I know that most women do not like it when being told that the way they dressed can be the direct cause of a rape – I agree that no one, no man or woman, has the right to do harm to any other man or woman, irrespective of the clothes. And wearing a full head to toe covering outfit or a suit with coat does not ensure their safety. This is such a sensitive subject that I know I will get heat for even mentioning it.

But I know what the folks here – some of them ofcourse, most are decent enough – are capable of and dressing in skimpy outfits isn’t helping it. India has already a bad name due to some instances – harmless glances & smiles are one thing. Passing lewd comments, making obscene gestures and harassing women is totally another. And ofcourse bodily harm is disgusting! I would love to have opinions on the same from my women readers (that’s almost all of you – why is that?) and I would like to post all your points in a discussion on a blog post here sometime soon.

Good grief – I started this post telling you about my casual day and having some lovely eye candy to look at. Now I feel that I shouldn’t even look!

Happy Birthday Scotty

March 3, 2012 - Roshan

It’s James Doohan’s birthday today. If he was alive he would be 92 years old. Doohan was ofcourse an actor who was the original Commander Montgomery Scott aka Scotty in Star Trek The Original Series. For those of you who don’t know Scotty was the USS Enterprise’s chief engineer and a “miracle worker” known for his superior technical and engineering skill, experience and ingenuity. Doohan was also a pilot for the Canadian army and served in World War 2. Doohan often went to great lengths to buoy the large number of fans who have been inspired to make their own accomplishments in engineering and other fields, as a result of Doohan’s work and his encouragement. He died in 2005 due to pneumonia and Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 85.

Scotty, Scotty – you are the one we would all choose to beam us out of trouble, just in the nick of time. Thanks for the memories, esp talking to a computer mouse in Star Trek V :). I’ll be drinking a Scotch in your honour tonight and I’ll leave a glass for you.

Interview With A Vampire Authour : Anne Rice On The Hour

March 3, 2012 - Roshan

GeorgeStroumboulopoulos interviews the queen of pop-culture vampires and gothic fiction. Anne Rice talks to George about her writing and her life. Now she’s come back to her gothic roots: her new novel is ‘The Wolf Gift‘ – a new take on the werewolf legend that raises questions about fate, redemption, the nature of good and evil.