Singer and producer Bülent Ersoy, a male-to-female transsexual and a national icon, was harassed by Mustafa TopaloÄŸlu, a singer who often appears on weekend programes airing on religious-leaning channels. While at an anniversary party for the Association of Customs employees on Friday, December 8, TopaloÄŸlu claimed to the press that “Miss Bülent” was not showing […]
The patients of a saint
A staff member of the biology department at Dumlupınar University, located in Turkey‘s province of Kühtaya, has been indicted along with his wife for allegations of blasphemy-namely, posing as a saint to bilk money from pious locals in the search of divine healing. The trial against Dr. Osman Nuri BenlioÄŸlu and his wife Hatice Kübra […]
Simply having a wonderful… New Year’s time?
A gander down the high streets through this European city in December has all the festive spirit of an American suburban shopping mall. The light posts are covered in garland and holly. Santa Claus in his rotund, velveteen splendor makes his usual appearance in storefront windows. Pine trees bedecked with shimmering bulbs and twinkling lights […]
The Talk In London – A New Yorker’s Report from the Field
“Are you replete?” my British wife wanted to know, her curiosity laced with earnest spousal solicitude. I froze, locked in a semi quaver’s worth of vamp-till-ready until context rolled in and I could brave my reply – a confident, if ever-so-slightly-belated, yes. This was dinner time, and my connubial blissmate had merely wondered, after all, […]
Alessandro Piangiamore
Galleria Paolo Bonzano – Rome November 16 – 20, 2006 For the occasion of his first solo gallery exhibition, Alessandro Piangiamore created his own wall text that announced the title of the show: Sfidando la verità con la gravità (Challenging truth through gravity). But rather than a conventional typeface neatly adhering to the wall, the […]
Iran: A Threat Ignored
In the dispute between the US and Iran it seems that the international community has shown little or no decisiveness. Iran has stated its dangerous intentions time and again yet most of the media seems too busy, too comfortable, and perhaps too confused to ask the hard questions regarding Iran. President Ahmedinajad has written an […]