See larger image Mormons [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (DVD) New From: £10.31 In Stock Used from: £10.61 In Stock Release date July 17, 2007. Last Saturday, PBS ran a documentary about the Mormons. Lasting in excess of 270 minutes, it detailed the history of the faith and its long struggle to fit in [...]

“Did you enjoy your stay?” The question, posed by the young lady stationed at the reception desk of the Paloma Renaissance in Beldibi, carried no hint of being rehearsed. Doubtless it was something she had been trained to ask: the query’s formulation was as professional and crisp as her tan jacket. Nevertheless, she looked hopeful [...]

My other half captured some of the scene in Göynük with her iPad; hopefully this brief video can convey some of what words fail to express. Watch this video on YouTube Embedded with WP YouTube Lyte.

There’s nothing quite like the Muslim call to prayer. I heard it earlier this afternoon while walking through an open air market. The air was full of the sharp scent of citrus, the earthy smell of fresh vegetables, and the spiky odour of fish out on display. Mothers and grandmothers manned their stalls, haggling with [...]

It is generally far easier to criticise than to praise; however the reverse is true at the advent of Spring. Perhaps it’s due to sunlight coming in at a more direct angle, the dawn being brighter, the days being longer. Perhaps it’s because of the evenings during which cool, rather than cold, breezes sweep across [...]

See larger image The Stoning of Soraya M [DVD] (DVD) Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh Starring: Shoreh Agdashloo, Jim Caviezel Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over List Price: £12.99 GBP New From: £2.43 In Stock Used from: £3.70 In Stock Release date February 14, 2011. Not every film is meant to pull on one’s heart strings [...]

I live in a suburb of Bradford; this elicits sympathy from some people. The condolences are totally unnecessary: I happen to like it here. Go to the centre of town, and while there is a hole where a shopping mall is due to be built (a project I might add that has been on the [...]

A lengthy but illuminating exposition of Zizek’s latest batch of ideas: Watch this video on YouTube Embedded with WP YouTube Lyte.

I’m not a big fan of Georg Friedrich Handel’s operas. For those who aren’t familiar with his favoured genre, baroque opera, the music contained therein usually has two modes: recitativo and aria. Arias are the actual “songs”, while recitativo is dialogue which is sung in a somewhat staccato manner. The latter, particularly if it’s in [...]

The Parliamentary expenses scandal has soaked up British airtime like a sponge. Admittedly, it’s not entirely the fault of the media: some of the tidbits are simply too juicy to ignore. It has everything: vanity, flamboyance, greed and silliness. It makes a Monty Python farce look tame. However, this has obscured an even more important [...]