Turkey's Tryst with the Hijab

This is a country where quite a few young women who wished to pursue higher studies had to choose between their hijab and university education. This is a country where the wife of the President Abdullah Gul was not invited by the army to attend its Victory Day parade in August 2007 – simply because she wears a headscarf. This is a country where the promotion of those government officers was blocked whose wives chose to don the scarf.

And yet, in February 2008, Turkey’s parliament voted in a constitutional amendment which lifted the ban on headscarves. Essentially this would mean that university-going female students are no longer compelled to remove their headscarves while attending their educational institute, and neither do they have to make a choice between their head dress and their education.

This decision has been widely welcomed by a majority of Turkish population, however, there are quite a few who are protesting against it. The main focus of concern of these critics is that lifting the ban on hijab strikes at the very core of the secular image of Turkey – along with a fear that hijab may soon become a compulsion.

But those in favour of the lifting of the ban quite aptly feel that the Turkish government is finally recognizing the right to dress as one of the fundamental human rights, which has thus far been denied to a select group of women.

The question which arises in this context is – why is there such brouhaha over something which is, in effect, a part of attire and a matter of personal choice for most of the women? Granted that Turkey wants to maintain its secular image (and that may have had a lot more to do with gaining inclusion in European Union than anything else), it is quite interesting to imagine that a simply headscarf can actually overturn this entire image, and give off an aura of an "Islamist" Turkey.

But this is exactly what has happened. Hijab is viewed as a symbol of political power in Turkey. When the foundation of a secular Turkey was established in the post-Ottoman era, the head scarf was one of the first things to be put on the ban list. Interestingly, it is said even now that one only has to put something on the ban list for that particular thing to become widely popular. Now, had the secular government of Turkey simply given the right to dress to women in general, it is unlikely that hijab would have become such a huge issue with people. Those who would want to wear it would wear it, and those who didn’t want to wear it wouldn’t be ostracized either. Banning hijab effectively meant starting and nurturing a system of activism against this ban, ensuring that even if it wasn’t a political issue in the beginning, it became one in the end.

And yes, it is because of the lack of foresight on the part of these very secular forces, that hijab is now indeed a political issue. Over the years, numerous cases have been lodged with the national and international courts against this ban. Turkish women who were banned from attending university because they were wearing their headscarves went to courts. These cases became high profile in no time. And along the way, those who didn’t know what hijab was in the first place learnt plenty about it. Many joined the activism to get the ban lifted. And indeed, the promise to get the ban lifted featured in the political campaign of Tayyip Erdogan leading up to the elections last summer. What else can explain the swiftness with which the government of Abdullah Gul has passed the relevant amendment in the Parliament.

There are now cries to impose the ban again. There are people who are heavily criticizing the government, stating that Turkey is no longer secular. Secularism means a separation of religion and state. How the freedom to dress should infringe on the secular image is quite baffling. After all, the Parliament has only lifted the ban on headscarves – it hasn’t made it a compulsion. Moreover, it has only acted in accordance with Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 18) which states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." Wearing a headscarf essentially comes in the category of manifesting one’s religion through practice.

But yes, the lifting of the ban on headscarves means one thing is for certain – there is going to be a greater rift between the government which has been labelled as "Islamist" and the army which is known to maintain a secular image over the years. How this rift is resolved remains to be seen. But for now, all those women who have had to endure years of anguish at not being able to exercise their freedom to dress can heave a sigh of relief. And the critics would do well to exercise some principles of tolerance that they routinely lecture others about. After all, if you cannot give others the freedom to wear whatever they want, you cannot expect the same freedom yourself.

Oops!

To come up with something creative – be it a movie, a book, or an advertisement – is no mean feat. It requires toil and sweat and even a small editing mistake can lead to sometimes hilarious, sometimes disastrous consequences. But humans being humans, will make editing mistakes – something which an intelligent viewer can quickly catch. Slip-ups — a website designed by some very observant viewers is an assortment of mistakes taken from different and well-known movies, books and television programmes. Of course, there must be zillions of such goof ups everywhere and this makes a comprehensive compilation quite an impossible task. However, the website team chooses the most interesting and amusing slip-ups that they receive.

The two sections worth checking out are dedicated to the top 25 slip-ups and the recent 25 additions to the database. The former section has the most popular slip-ups – the popularity is determined through visitor voting, so do not forget to rate anything that you read here. The latter section features the latest errors to be loaded in the database.

What is interesting about the entries in these two sections is that if they belong to any movie or television show, there is a link in the sidebar which takes you to more errors in the same show. So if you find a ranking for an error in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and read up on it, there will be a web-link at hand, which you can use to discover more bloopers in the same movie.

Apart from random browsing, you can also access errors by categories. All the slip-ups have been categorised into books, movies, television and quotes. So if you are interested in finding out, for instance, the type of mistakes which can creep into books even after extensive editing, you can log onto the section on books and search.

Other features are pretty similar to what would find on other sites. There is a newsletter which you can subscribe to which will give you updates. There is a feedback form which you can use to let the webmasters know what you think of their effort. Plus, if you have something of your own to share, you can send it for review. In fact, if you have some spare time on your hands, you can even apply to become an online editor. If you get the post, you will be able to review all the slip-ups that visitors send for posting to the website and select the most amusing and entertaining ones.

Overall, this is quite a hilarious website to surf – one, which can become quite handy if you are bored in your office or in a bad mood at home. Above all, if your boss chastises you for an editing error, you can always refere him/her to this website, and innocently comment on how much worse it could be.

To find out the amusing consequences of lapses in editing, log on to http://www.slipups.com

Call of the Books

With the coming of the internet, book reading has taken a backseat. Most people, especially youngsters, end up spending more time navigating and exploring cyberdom, and for them, the internet has become the main source of information. Not surprisingly, this leaves little time for reading books, a habit fast disappearing in the youth.

Fortunately, there are many websites which are trying to instill the concept of book reading, one of which is Shelfari (you may have received invitations in your inbox to join the website). Even though, this website does not exactly promote reading habit per se, but it is a good source to indulge in the treasure trove of books and to hobnob with other book readers. The basic theme and structure of Shelfari is similar to a social networking website. The major difference is that unlike Orkut and Facebook, you get to interact specifically with book lovers from around the world.

The first thing to do when you log on to Shelfari is to create an account. This is a very simple process requiring your full name, e-mail address and a password. The next step is something which should best be skipped. At this stage, you will be asked to search for your friends who are already on Shelfari by entering your username and password for common e-mail accounts like hotmail, Yahoo! and Gmail. While one can try and search for friends this way, the fact remains that you never know when this information might be used to send repeated invitations to everyone in your contact list. The safer bet will be to invite people by entering individual e-mail addresses. Once you have created an account, you can start adding books to your bookshelf. All you need to do is to search for the book by its title, author and/or ISBN. When the relevant search results are displayed, choose and click. These books will then show up on your profile under various categories – books which you are currently reading, those that you have read, and those that you plan to read, etc.

Similar to Orkut which holds communities, Shelfari has Groups. These groups are again related to books and reading in some way. You can join groups related to authors and writing, book clubs, world literature and so on. The category of authors and writing carries groups for individual writers as well, so if you are a fan of Paulo Coelho or Jane Austen, you will find many like-minded individuals to interact with and discuss various authors and their literary works.

The main idea behind Shelfari is to create a global community where book lovers can come together, express their reading tastes and habits, learn more about the new books on the block which are worth reading and of course, interact with like-minded people from around the world. To spend time on this website and then go out to buy some of the books would definitely be classified as having the best of both the online and the offline worlds when it comes to leisure reading.

To meet book lovers from around the world, log on to: http://www.shelfari.com

Watch out... while on the move

It was a typical week day. The mini bus was jam packed, mostly with university students. When this bus screeched to a halt on the next stop, two school-going girls boarded the ladies section. With huge bags on their shoulders, it was clear that they were having trouble standing amidst so many people. The size of the bag was also making it difficult for others to stand hence a lot of under-the-breath grumbling began. When these girls had to get off, there was a huge hustle and bustle as they made their way towards the exit, the bag hitting quite a few people yet again.

Whether students are school-going or college-going, conveyance is one of the main issues to be dealt with. When the students are very young, parents prefer that they pick and drop children from school themselves; sometimes, a driver is hired for this very purpose. As they grow older, some parents rely on the transport system of the school itself. Hence, the school vans come in the picture.

However, all families are not as privileged. They either have one car which cannot be spared for the children, or they cannot afford to buy and maintain a car in the first place. There are some families which cannot pay the exorbitant fees of the private vans month after month. For the children of such families, public transport becomes a more convenient and affordable means of travelling to and from their school.

There are quite a few choices when it comes to commuting in public transport. And of course, each form of transport comes with its own share of advantages and disadvantages. What’s important is that if you are going to and from your school in a public transport, you must know some basic safety and convenience measures to follow with each. Let’s take a look at each in turn.

Buses

The main advantage of travelling in a bus is that the fare is considerably lower than other forms of transport. Also, it is a very “public” form of transport — there are quite a few passengers in every bus so even if you are travelling alone, it is a relief to see at least some people headed in the same direction as you are.

However, travelling in buses requires a higher degree of caution as well. First and foremost, if you are a school-going girl, and you’re travelling alone, it is better not to board a bus which has an empty ladies section. It is preferable to board one which has some ladies already travelling in it.

Also, you must avoid getting into a bus which is full. It is a common occurrence that students push their way in, bags and all, even if they only get some space on the very last step. This is highly dangerous, especially if you’re carrying a heavy bag. Bus drivers are notorious for travelling at unusually high speeds and applying brakes quite suddenly. So make sure there is at least some space to stand inside the bus before you get on.

Moreover, once you board the bus it is better to take your bag off your shoulder and carry it in your hand. This is mainly because of the scenario described above where students move about in the bus, totally oblivious to the fact that their bag is hitting quite a few people. Even if you find a seat, take your bag off first and put it in the lap. It is again quite common to see that when students sit on the seat, they don’t take their bags off. The result is that the bag occupies the entire seat and the student in question is almost falling off.

Another major reason to take the bag off and keeping it in your full view is that there have been too many cases of bus robberies. Cunning pickpockets, both male and female, are known to carefully zip open bags and purses of oblivious owners to quietly pilfer the valuables — money and cell phones.

And this brings us to another very important safeguard while travelling in buses. Cell phones are now quite common even with school-going children, in spite of many schools having enforced a strict ban on the same. It often happens that the minute anyone gets a seat, he/she fishes out the cell phone from the bag and starts messaging or playing games. Nothing can alert a potential thief more easily to the fact that you possess a cell phone which can easily be taken away from you as well.

The best thing to do if you are carrying a cell phone, is to place it in the inside pocket of your school bag, and only take it out to attend a very urgent phone call. Also, it would be advisable to have it on silent or vibration mode when you are travelling in a bus. This will ensure that even if it rings in the bus, you will be the only person who hears it.

Taxis

Travelling in taxis is definitely more comfortable, even if the taxi driver takes a huge amount of money for that comfort. But if you’re a female student, it is advisable to travel in taxis only when you’re with an adult or if you’re travelling with a large group of girls. As elders say quite often, taxis are closed spaces and hence, not quite safe if you’re alone.

Rickshaws

Rickshaws are probably the most convenient if you’re travelling alone and have to cover a short distance. Apart from the noise and, of course, the exorbitant fare that rickshaw drivers often charge for even the smallest distance, rickshaws come in handy when the bus stop is at a good distance from your house.One thing which is quite noticeable with reference to school-going children hiring rickshaws is that when they stop a rickshaw, they go right in the middle of the lane to talk to the driver, give him the directions and settle the fare. Crossing to the middle of the road or lane is highly dangerous because that is the time when even lanes are filled with school vans and cars. So whenever you stop a rickshaw, make sure it comes towards the footpath where you are standing.

Yes travelling in public transport may seem like a big hassle. But the truth is, these different forms of transport are quite convenient. They reduce your dependence on private transport, and ensure that you learn the different areas and routes more quickly. Also, you get to learn how to travel alone right from your school-going age. Pubic transport also toughens one up. This is because you really get to rough it out outside your sheltered home and school environment. So at the end of the day, public transport is quite advantageous in more ways than one. But one must learn to exercise certain precautions in order to travel safe in more ways than one.

WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL:: It’s a woman’s world out there

When it comes to working women, generally there are those who build a career to satisfy one’s intellectual needs, and those who take up jobs to make ends meet. The latter do not have the luxury of deciding whether to work or not, they just have to – even if the job is menial, low-paying and offers little satisfaction. Whether you have entered the workplace forced by circumstances , or started a career to further your personal and intellectual development, Women’s Media is the website to visit. This web spot is exclusively dedicated to working women.

Women’s Media is the brainchild of three friends who launched it about seven years ago. One of the friends, Nancy Clark, is the current CEO of the website, and you can read about the humble beginnings of this venture, its aims and objectives, its current reach and of course, how you can help in expanding the content and making it more relevant to working women.

You can use this website in several ways. For example, you can either check it out for self-motivation on the days you are feeling rather low; or read it to give yourself the reassurance that you are not the only one who has to face the workplace blues. And of course, if you are one of those who have daily skirmishes with your superiors, then you can always visit this website and give vent to your anger.

The different sections highlight various aspects in the life of a working woman. Each section has a plethora of self-help and how-to articles dealing with that particular aspect. The first section deals with career progress. You will find all the information you need on giving interviews, being an efficient leader, building up self-confidence, being motivating to do the routine tasks and maintaining your concentration.

The second section is on self-employment. This section pertains to women entrepreneurs and businesswomen. If you are either of the two, you can find some interesting information on how to design your own business, do successful consultancy, build your contacts through networking and how to use your blog for business success.

‘Working mothers’ is the title of the next section, which has all the resources for those women who are struggling to strike a balance between their job and children. This section has tips on beating stress, containing anger, trying to keep flexible timings at work, and most importantly, how to balance family and career.

Handling finances is a major task, and so, the website dedicates a section on ways to achieve financial success. You can read up on financial freedom, financial planning, retirement planning and budgeting. The section on personal development ensures that you have proper guidance on setting your goals and targets, and working towards achieving them.

There is also a newsletter facility available on the website, if you are interested in finding out about the new articles that have been added. Moreover, as in most sites nowadays, you will find a blog where you can speak out, comment on various topics that have been put up and give vent to your workplace frustrations.

Overall, this website is quite informative and enlightening, so if you feel grumpy at work, simply surf this website, and start reading.

An ode to working women and their issues: http://www.womensmedia.com/

The laughter therapy

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and in this day and age of constant stress, we need it in large doses. One way to get your funny bone tickling is through cyberspace, where you can find many humour-related websites – like Comedy Zone. Unique in its own right, this website claims to be the hottest spot for jokes and cartoons.

Comedy Zone will grab your attention on the very first visit courtesy its colourful layout that simply defines fun and play. You will find many links on the homepage; there is also a side bar and a links bar under the banner. Both of these bars feature links to the same sections. So basically, it would be better to start from the left sidebar, and access the relevant content.

The first section features jokes. The plethora of jokes and humorous stories are categorised neatly into a number of sub-sections, some of which include political, computer, sports, travel and education. You will also find jokes on cultural differences and others which are aptly labelled as ‘insults.’ It goes without saying that such jokes should not be narrated in public. There are jokes for kids as well, but placed in a seperate section.

The next section comprises funny pictures. These pictures pertain to optical illusions, workplace blues, celebrities and sports. The section is followed by cartoons. Interestingly, instead of featuring any cartoons here, this section carries links to some of the best resources for cartoons on the web, as well as links to the profiles of cartoonists.

Furthermore, there is a section on quotes that has a number of humorous quotes on different aspects of life ranging from arts, lifestyle, government, politics, sports, technology and even science. The political section is definitely a laugh, since it features actual quotes by some very renowned people.

The trivia section, as the name suggests, is full of facts and figures. Comedy Zone itself states that these facts are fun, but totally irrelevant and useless. They include facts on movies, music, animals and even crime, which you can go through during your leisure time and enjoy.

One useful and highly convenient facility is that all the content carries a link at the bottom of the page which says ‘E-mail this page to a friend.’ So, if you want to share anything with your friends, you need not send them the link of the website – you can simply send the link of the specific item.

It is another story altogether if you are someone to whom humour does not come naturally. However, if you are in the mood to have a good laugh or two, this website can definitely cheer you up in no time.

In mood for some fun and laughter? Visit http://www.comedy-zone.net