Living in a timeless world

Dreamers of the Day: A Novel (Hardcover) by Mary Doria Russell (Author)

Mary Doria Russell’s fiction has always dealt with power and the search for elusive lands as a means to further it. … For her fourth book, Dreamers of the Day, Russell shifts her gaze to the Middle East, specifically to the 1921 Cairo Peace Conference where a group of high-profile Europeans met to decide the fate of the region in the aftermath of the First World War. The reader’s guide along this fascinating trip is Agnes Shanklin, a 40-year-old spinster who lives the staid life of a schoolteacher in Cleveland, until she lands a huge pie of inheritance money. (via Living in a timeless world).

This book is, seemingly, a lot like Midshipman Mr.Easy by Captain Marryat - which set out to white wash slavery. This book by Mary Doria Russell seems to be another such book - going by reviews. The carving of the Middle East after WW1 by the victorius allied powers, a disgruntled Russia and straw figures selected by the likes of TE Lawrence and Gertrude Bell to misrule over the Middle East - and now propped up by the US.

Maybe, somebody should remind Mary Doria Russell about the real people who are paying a price of the Cairo Conference.

Euro Zone Adds Slovakia, excludes Turkey - WSJ.com

To the sound of midnight fireworks and pealing church bells, Slovakia joined the euro zone, putting it under the shared currency's protective umbrella amid a world financial downpour _ and underscoring the former Soviet bloc nation's economic progress.

The small alpine nation on Thursday became the 16th country to adopt the euro, a European Union project which also celebrates its 10th birthday this New Year's Day. With Slovakia, the currency will be used by 330 million people with an annual gross domestic product of more than four trillion euros ($5.6 trillion). (via Euro Zone Adds Slovakia As Its 16th Country - WSJ.com).

For 10 years, Turkey has been struggling to join the EU - and they have been given a 10 year time table, after which they may be able to join the EU. In the meantime, two-bit countries like Slovakia has been fast-tracked into the EU.

Any guesses, why?

Did I hear anyone say Islam?