Russia: Four warships in Mediterranean (Syria)

 From ZeroHedge

A few days when reporting that the Russian Pacific fleet had crossed the Suez canal for the first time in decades in order to form a Mediterranean task force parked in Cyprus for obvious symbolic reasons (in close proximity to Syria and the Israel-parked Kearsarge), some observed that while the submarine support was adequate, the actual warship fleet designated to support any potential escalation in Syria would be largely insufficient. Perhaps the Russian Navy heard these complaints, and several hours ago RIA reported that two extra warships from the Russian Black Sea fleet had joined the Mediterranean task force, citing Capt. First Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachyov, has said. None of these recent deployment should come as a surprise: in March Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said a permanent naval task force in the Mediterranean was needed to defend Russia’s interests in the region. Read Syria, Cyrpus (where the task force will be on anchor indefinitely), and, of course, any and all western offensive involving Iran. And slowly but surely said task force is nearing completion.

 More at http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-20/russia-adds-two-more-warships-mediterranean-task-force-near-syria

Was the first person to Travel round the world Malay

Enrique of Malacca was Ferdinand Magellan's slave and friend from Malacca. Enrique traveled to
Portugal with Magellan from Malacca in 1512.  He then accompanied Magellan on the 1519 expedition to find the "Indies" by sailing toward the West from Spain.  After passing through the southern most tip of South America Magellan arrived in Cebu (now part of Phillpines) .  Magellan was killed in Cebu/Mactan in 1521.  It appears Enrique escaped and also spoke the language.
If Enrique managed to get to Malacca before the surviving ship Victoria from Magellan's expedition  arrived in Spain in 1522, Enrique would be the first person to circumnavigate the world.

From the wiki

Enrique accompanied Magellan on all his voyages, including the voyage that circumnavigated the world in 1519-1521. He was left in Cebu on May 1 and there is nothing more said of Enrique in any document. Historians and trivia buffs have often speculated that Enrique was the first to circumnavigate the world. The official and generally accepted view is that Elcano and his sailors were first, but there is still much debate on the matter. De Malaca is only documented to have traveled with Magellan from Malacca to Cebu, 2500 km and 20 degrees of longitude short of completing the circumnavigation. It is not known if he ever had a chance to complete it.

In Harun Aminurrashid's novel Panglima Awang, it is said that Enrique's real name was Awang, and that he was one of the Sultan warriors (Panglima). The story states that Magellan told him to change his religion, or at least to change his name, in order to avoid bad treatment from the ship's crew for being a Muslim. Magellan himself gave him the name Enrique. The book also describes how Magellan treated Enrique not as a slave but as a friend, and defended him from the prejudice of other sailors. Enrique repaid this kindness with loyalty, and followed Magellan until his death. After Magellan's death, Enrique decided to stop sailing with the Spaniards, but continued to sail with other ships such as traders, and eventually landed in the northern part of Borneo (now Sabah). He was confident that he could sail around the world and reunite with friends that had become refugees of the Portugal-Malacca War. He then completed his circumnavigation of the world, and landed at Malay Peninsula.

Saudi Religious Police: Anyone Using Twitter Will Go To Hell

 Straight quotes, nothing to add

The head of Saudi Arabia’s religious police has warned citizens against using Twitter, which is rising in popularity among Saudis.

Sheikh Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said anyone using social media sites – and especially Twitter – “has lost this world and his afterlife”.

Twitter was the platform for those who did not have any platform, he said.

His remarks reflect Riyadh’s concern that Saudis use Twitter to discuss sensitive political and other issues.

The conservative kingdom is believed to have seen the world’s fastest increase in the uptake of Twitter, says the BBC’s Sebastian Usher.

The sheikh’s comments echo those of the imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca in April who used his sermon – seen by millions on TV – to warn that Twitter was a threat to national unity, our correspondent says.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti, the kingdom’s most senior Muslim cleric, had dismissed Twitter users as “fools”.

These rhetorical attacks are part of a concerted offensive by the Saudi establishment on the social network site, our correspondent says.

From BBC via http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-20/saudi-religious-police-warn-anyone-using-twitter-will-go-hell

Myanmar-China Pipeline: Opportunity for Hambantota Harbor ?

The 2,800 km Sino-Myanmar pipeline is about to be operational. The gas lines are scheduled to be opened in July 2013. The parallel oil line is scheduled to open at the end of the year (2013).

The gas is to be pumped from offshore wells near Kyauk Phyu.  The oil arriving from the Mid-East will be pumped into the pipeline from the deep water port at MaDay Island.  China now will be able to get Mid-East oil without having to go through the Straits of Malacca.  That means not having to go past Singapore.

Now for the million dollar question.  Will the tankers traveling from Mid-East to Myanmar have to refuel. If they need to refuel then the only place that can occur is at Hambantota.  Did the Rajapakses foresee this opportunity.?

Addendum:
I think Singapore is worried about peace and development in Sri Lanka and the loss of shipping and other business to Singapore. Former Prime Minister (1954-1990) Lee Kuan Yew whose family runs Singapore as their fiefdom has called Sri Lankan policies racist.  That is quite a statement from   LYK who has publicly said that  Chinese are smarter than Indians/Malays and who runs a country that the Human Rights Watch says is a "Text Book" case of a Repressive State.

Background Info/Links on Sino-Myanmar pipeline
NY Times Article
Opposition to Pipeline

Diabetes: Reverse with 800-calorie diet for eight weeks

People of South Asian ancestry are up to four times more likely than Europeans to develop type 2 diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes is approximately 2-fold higher in African Americans than in European Americans.
 
Type 2 diabetes could be reversed by following a daily 800-calorie diet for eight weeks.

When our bodies are deprived of normal amounts of food they consume their own fat reserves, with the fat inside organs used up first. The idea of Taylor's diet is to use up the fat that is clogging up the pancreas and preventing it from creating insulin, until normal glucose levels return. With my GP's blessing and a home glucose-testing kit, I began my experiment.

The diet was strict: three litres of water a day, three 200-calorie food supplements (soups and shakes) and 200 calories of green vegetables. Thanks to my doctor's dietary guidance, and running three times a week, I had already lost a stone. Yet my glucose levels were still above 6mmol/L (millimols per litre), the upper limit for a healthy person without diabetes. According to Taylor, I had to lose a sixth of my pre-diagnosis bodyweight


On the first full day, I weighed 9st 7lb with a healthy body mass index of 21. After reaching my target of 8st 12lb, I would be able to build myself up through exercise, as larger muscles use more energy, soaking up excess glucose before it is converted and stored as fat.

It wasn't easy. Yet water staved off the worst hunger pangs. "If you feel hunger, celebrate the fact with a glass of water, even fizzy water," Taylor said. By the third day, I weighed 9st 5lb.

On day four, my glucose levels had dropped to 4.6 after fasting for 10 hours overnight. It was the first time I'd ever scored a 4. But on day six, I felt really cold. It was mid-July but in the morning my fingertips were white and I had to wear a T-shirt, shirt, jumper and jacket to work. I was hungry, and just walking around the office was tiring. But I was down to 9st 3lb.

By day eight, I was being called the "disappearing man", and began to feel a bit detached from my colleagues. While my energy levels were fine and glucose levels were 4.3mmol/L, constipation had set in, as a result of not drinking enough water. Thankfully, laxatives cured this. Taylor emailed to say my progress was so good, I  could come off the liquid diet and go back to normal foods.

By day 11, my glucose was 4.1, the lowest yet, and I was down to just 8st 13lb. The next day I treated myself to my first full evening meal of rice and fish, plus a chocolate shake to celebrate.

I waited two months to be sure, but on 24 September last year it was confirmed. Following a fasting glucose test at my surgery, my doctor declared: "The diabetes has resolved itself." My glucose level was 5.1mmol/L, well below the diabetes mark of 6.

I had stuck to the diet for just 11 days and reduced my blood sugar to a healthy non-diabetic level. It has remained that way for the past seven months.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/may/12/type-2-diabetes-diet-cure
 
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_30-8-2011-11-40-47

Canada: Dangerous game of "Diaspora Politics"

To quote:

Obviously not all of Canada’s foreign policy decisions are the result of diaspora politics but many of the important ones, including the likely boycott of the next Commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka, are. As we have argued before, this “dangerous game of diaspora politics” is mostly about short-sighted, self-interested politicians. We believe Canadians need to wrestle the diaspora political agenda away from our elected officials as it is far too important to be left in their self-serving hands. (summary)

It would be enough for us to argue that there was no principled policy at play here, if being principled means abiding by and enforcing a commitment to basic standards of human rights and rule of law; and especially when violations of those rights are egregious and self-evident. One expects a government espousing “principles” as a cornerstone of its foreign policy to at least understand and apply these basic and fundamental tenets of international diplomacy through thick and thin.

But we have other concerns. As the Conservatives work assiduously to court diasporas from regions of the world deeply immersed in conflict, one must ask if these immigrants are fleeing oppression and long for freedom or are moving here because of business opportunities. With diaspora politics probably the most salient political issue of the 21st century, we are seeing the emergence of a more conservative society that fits perfectly into Harper’s Conservative agenda. If previous generations of immigrants brought in their suitcases issues such as human rights, democracy and the like, now we see a different kind of interests at play: business success perhaps at the expense of human rights, rule of law and justice.

Complete Article here: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/17/dangerous_game_of_diaspora_politics_is_here_to_stay.html

YaliniDream: Marian Yalini Thambynayagam

This was from 2009 which I saw via SepiaMutiny.  Looked it up again.
Comment on SepiaMutiny

what I appreciate about her is her refusal to be categorized. So much of the polarization of politics in Sri Lanka and the diaspora hinges on the desire to categorize. One is either considered pro-Tamil or a patriot. One either loves Sri Lanka or is considered a traitor. By refusing to be categorized, she reminds us that such political tactics silence most experiences and therefore need to be destabilized and questioned.

Based on the website http://www.yalinidream.com/ looks like not around since 2011.

Malini's Hip Hop Kitchen (my choice)

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