Rukhnama In Space

[Andrew Gray]

I meant to post this at the weekend, but the machine was down:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4190148.stm

Turkmenistan's idiosyncratic President, Saparmurat Niyazov, has found
an unusual way to spread his message - by sending his writings into
space.
The container, which also included a Turkmen flag and presidential
standard, was launched as part of a mission to place two Japanese
research satellites in orbit.
"The book that conquered the hearts of millions on Earth is now
conquering space," said an article in the official Neitralny
Turkmenistan newspaper.

I'm glad to see that as with all insane Central Asian dictators, he has
his priorities. Or something. And, remember, "let the life of every
Turkmen be as beautiful as our melons."

(Also - Neitralny Turkmenistan? Now there's a name for a paper...)

--
-Andrew Gray
andre...@dunelm.org.uk

[Dale]

On 1 Sep 2005 11:35:49 GMT, Andrew Gray <andre...@dunelm.org.uk> wrote:

>And, remember, "let the life of every Turkmen be as beautiful as our melons."

Wouldn't it be the Turkwomen who have the beautiful melons?

I guess I need to travel more.

Dale

Funny post, Andrew :)

[Andrew Gray]

On 2005-09-01, Dale <d...@oz.net> wrote:
> On 1 Sep 2005 11:35:49 GMT, Andrew Gray <andre...@dunelm.org.uk> wrote:
>
>>And, remember, "let the life of every Turkmen be as beautiful as our melons."
>
> Wouldn't it be the Turkwomen who have the beautiful melons?
>
> I guess I need to travel more.

[thwap]

> Funny post, Andrew :)

If the day seems bleak, cold and demoralising, one can always count on
Niyazov to do something so utterly stupid that everything seems - by
comparison - so much brighter.

He's banned gold teeth and lip synching as dangerous to national life,
closed all libraries - because, after all, everyone *owns* a Rukhnama
already, and what more do you need? - and, in an inspired moment,
decided to close all hospitals outside the capital. "If people are ill,
they can come to Ashgabat."

And that's just this year.

--
-Andrew Gray
andre...@dunelm.org.uk

[Pat Flannery]

Andrew Gray wrote:

>If the day seems bleak, cold and demoralising, one can always count on
>Niyazov to do something so utterly stupid that everything seems - by
>comparison - so much brighter.
>
>He's banned gold teeth and lip synching as dangerous to national life,
>closed all libraries - because, after all, everyone *owns* a Rukhnama
>already, and what more do you need? - and, in an inspired moment,
>decided to close all hospitals outside the capital. "If people are ill,
>they can come to Ashgabat."
>
>And that's just this year.
>
>

On the upside, he didn't invade Iraq. ;-)

Pat

[Rand Simberg]

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 14:52:31 -0500, in a place far, far away, Pat
Flannery <fla...@daktel.com> made the phosphor on my monitor glow in
such a way as to indicate that:

>>He's banned gold teeth and lip synching as dangerous to national life,
>>closed all libraries - because, after all, everyone *owns* a Rukhnama
>>already, and what more do you need? - and, in an inspired moment,
>>decided to close all hospitals outside the capital. "If people are ill,
>>they can come to Ashgabat."
>>
>>And that's just this year.
>>
>>
>
>On the upside, he didn't invade Iraq. ;-)

That's an upside? It could have saved us the trouble.