Houston, we have a problem....What US citizens need to avoid!

I guess my dive trip to the Red Sea is on hold.  This is my weekly update from the US Consulate - stay home and lock your doors!

Date: February 1, 2011



Dear U.S. citizens:

We bring this message to your attention so you can carefully consider the information it contains. Please pass along the information below to the U.S. citizens in your area. Thank you for your cooperation.



1. The Department of State has issued this Worldwide Caution to update information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world. U.S. citizens are reminded to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. This replaces the Worldwide Caution dated August 12, 2010, to provide updated information on security threats and terrorist activities worldwide.



2. The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations, and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. U.S. citizens are reminded that demonstrations and rioting can occur with little or no warning. Current information suggests that Al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and bombings.



3. Extremists may elect to use conventional or non- conventional weapons, and target both official and private interests. Examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, and locales where U.S. citizens gather in large numbers, including during holidays.



4. U.S. citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure. Extremists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services. In the past several years, these types of attacks have occurred in cities such as Moscow, London, Madrid, and Glasgow.



5. Current information suggests that Al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. and Western interests in Europe. European governments have taken action to guard against terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions. In the past several years, attacks have been planned or occurred in various European cities.



6. Credible information indicates terrorist groups also seek to continue attacks against U.S. interests in the Middle East and North Africa. For example, Iraq remains dangerous and unpredictable. Attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Iraq continue. Methods of attack have included roadside improvised explosive devices, mortars, and shootings; kidnappings still occur as well. Security threat levels remain high in Yemen due to terrorist activities there. The U.S. Embassy has had to close several times in response to ongoing threats by Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).U.S. citizens as well as other Westerners have been targeted for attack in Yemen. U.S. citizens have also been the targets of numerous terrorist attacks in Lebanon in the past (though none recently) and the threat of anti-Western terrorist activity continues to exist there. In Algeria, terrorist attacks occur regularly, particularly in the Kabylie region of the country. In the past, terrorists have targeted oil processing facilities in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen.



7. A number of Al-Qaida operatives and other extremists are believed to be operating in and around Africa. Since the July 11, 2010, terrorist bombings in Kampala, Uganda, for which the Somalia-based, U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility, there have been increased threats against public areas across East Africa. The terrorist attacks of August and September 2010 against the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces in Somalia, as well as the bombing of hotels and minibuses in Somalia, highlight the vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks in East Africa and around the world. Additionally, the terrorist group, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), has declared its intention to attack Western targets throughout the Sahel (which includes Mali, Mauritania, and Niger), and has claimed responsibility for kidnappings, attempted kidnappings, and the murder of several Westerners.



8. U.S. citizens considering travel by sea near the Horn of Africa or in the southern Red Sea should exercise extreme caution, as there has been a notable increase in armed attacks, robberies, and kidnappings for ransom bypirates. Merchant vessels continue to be hijacked in Somali territorial waters, while others have been hijacked as far as 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, Yemen, and Kenya in international waters.



9. The U.S. government maritime authorities advise mariners to avoid the port of Mogadishu and to remain at least 200 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. In addition, when transiting around the Horn of Africa or in the Red Sea, it is strongly recommended that vessels travel in convoys and maintain good communications at all times. U.S. citizens traveling on commercial passenger vessels should consult with the shipping or cruise-ship company regarding precautions that will be taken to avoid hijacking incidents. Commercial vessels should review the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration's suggested piracy countermeasures for vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden, which can be found

at http://www.marad.dot.gov/news_room_landing_page/horn_of_africa_piracy/horn_of_africa_piracy.htm



10. The U.S. government continues to receive information that terrorist groups in South and Central Asia may also be planning attacks in the region, possibly against U.S. government facilities, U.S. citizens, or U.S. interests. The presence of Al-Qaida and its affiliates, Taliban elements, Lashkar-e-Taiba, indigenous sectarian groups, and other terror organizations, many of which are on the U.S. government's list of Foreign Terror Organizations (FTOs), poses a potential danger to U.S. citizens in the region. Terrorists and their sympathizers have demonstrated their willingness and ability to attack targets where Americans or Westerners are known to congregate or visit. Their actions may include, but are not limited to, vehicle-born explosive attacks, improvised explosive device attacks, assassinations, carjackings, rocket attacks, assaults, or kidnappings.



11. Examples of potential attacks in South Asian states include Pakistan, where a number of extremist groups continue to target U.S. and other Western citizens and interests, and Pakistani government officials and military/law enforcement personnel. Suicide bombing attacks continue to occur throughout the country on a regular basis, often targeting government authorities such as police checkpoints and military installations, as well as public areas such as mosques, and shopping areas. In Afghanistan, remnants of the former Taliban regime and the Al-Qaida terrorist network, as well as other groups hostile to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)/NATO military operations, remain active. There is an ongoing threat to kidnap and assassinate U.S. citizens and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) workers throughout the country. In India, there is a continuing threat of terrorism as attacks have randomly targeted public places frequented by Westerners, including luxury and other hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas.



12. Supporters of terrorist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al-Qaida, the Islamic Jihad Union, and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement are active in the Central Asian region. Members of these groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and have attacked U.S. government interests in the past. Previous terrorist attacks conducted in Central Asia have involved improvised explosive devices, suicide bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings.



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Before You Go

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13. The Department of State encourages U.S. citizens living overseas or planning to travel abroad are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), found online at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui. By enrolling in STEP, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. Enrolling in STEP will also make it easier for the Embassy to contact you in the event of an emergency. You should remember to keep all of your information in STEP up to date; it is particularly important when you enroll or update your information to include a current phone number and e-mail address.



14. U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For additional information, please refer to "A Safe Trip Abroad" at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html.



15. U.S. government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.



16. As the Department of State continues to develop information on potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, such as Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as Country Specific Information, which are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov/. Stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/travelgov and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/travelgov as well.



17. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, outside the United States and Canada, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays).



U.S. citizens with questions or concerns may contact the American Citizens Services Unit of the Embassy or the Consulates General for further information:

• The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi is located at Shanti Path, Chanakya Puri 110021; telephone +91-11-2419-8000; fax +91-11-2419-8407.

• The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (Bombay) is located at Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax +91-22-2363-0350.

• The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (Madras) is at 220 Anna Salai, Gemini Circle, 600006, telephone +91-44-2857-4000; fax +91-44-2811-2027.

• The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata (Calcutta) is at 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, 700071; telephone +91-33-3984-2400; fax +91-33-2282-2335.

• The U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad is at Paigah Palace, 1-8-323, Chiran Fort Lane, Begumpet, Secunderabad 500 003; telephone: +91 (40) 4033-8300.







This email is UNCLASSIFIED.

Reliving Reality TV in India

As you can imagine one of the things we miss from home is our favorite TV shows, sporting events and daily news - like E News Daily with Ryan Seacrest.   Fortunately there are new inventions like Apple TV, downloadable episodes of Glee on iTunes 24 hours after they air in the US and the slingbox.    We got some advice before we left India to get a slingbox (http://www.slingmedia.com/) so that we would not miss a beat.  Thanks to our pals Kevin and Mary, we can dial into to the slingbox over the Internet and control their TiVo box to record and play our shows.    We have kept up with Glee, CSI, The Office, and Mad Men.   We've shared Michigan's painful football season and seen Rich Rod get booted with the local Detroit Channel 7 news coverage.   And best of all we have watched Outsourced and laughed our pants off as the truth in the extreme stereotypes they portray ring home to us here in India.    

Well we have hit a snag and gone into the mid-year rerun time for our favorite shows, college football season is over and well the Lions have been done playing for a while...Now we return to India satellite TV.   Over 800 channels at our disposal.  Your choice of Hindi, American English, Tamil, Telegru, Kannada and the best of the BBC.     What that leaves us with is about 10 channels.    Their broadcasting strategy is not like the US, India TV will have a show like Dexter or Nurse Jackie on every day at 3pm, 8pm and 11pm - and broadcast through all the seasons in one month ....then poof its off the air.   Fortunately we have TiVo here too, so we can at least watch things in the right order.   

The latest craze here is The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.  Jen Schefft is our new Bachelorette here in India, I lived through that TV drama in 2005.    For my 12 year old daughter and her friends, this is must see TV and of course, they think this is real time!  I am trying not to spoil the fun by saying she doesn't choose anyone.   We are through the first few weeks of the series and with any luck it will repeat for the next month.   I am sure I will know the script verbatim shortly.    The bachelor was a little more recent - circa 2007 and funny thing is this guy was back again (Brad Womack) for the current version in the US.  Frankly we must be desperate to put him up twice, he was cheesy the first time.    Our next exciting show to start up is Survivor, we'll see how popular that is in India when the contestants every day challenges are similar to our realities (large bugs, periods without power, and large animals in your path)!

Expat Solical Life - Whiskey Dinner

Doug and I recently attended a Burns Whiskey Dinner at friends of ours in the expat compound we live in... We had no clue what was in store for us.  About an hour before we were due to arrive, I received a text that said "white shirt and jeans are best for tonight."  I immediately thought this must involve black lights, to our surprise it was much more cultured than that.   We are arrived and greeted by our hosts, I was given a tartan sash and Doug put on a tartan plaid skirt - yes - this was a Scottish Whiskey Party.   We moved through the villa to the hallway, were a tray of whiskey samplers were labeled "#1."   Doug was given a score sheet for each of the eight whiskey's we would be tasting that evening.   Down the hatch, for me it tastes like gasoline, burning my nose hairs off and singeing my throat for minutes after I swallow.   So it would be up to Doug to represent - tasting and plotting our answers on the score sheet.    Up the stairs to the second floor terrace which was illuminated with candles and lanterns, Scottish music booming.    The rest of the guests were in their complimentary Scottish sashes and skirts, while a few real Scotts wore their real kilts.   

As the night went on, we tasted number 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.    As #6 was passed we were told to hold on to this one as we would be toasting the Haggis.   Doug and I had no idea what was in store until a plate of bulbous dirt colored balloons were brought to the terrace.    I really didn't ask, but I could tell it was a stuffed intestine.   As our expat friend David, a real Scott in a Kilt and all, began the toast of the Haggis - I didn't understand much until he stabbed the Haggis and squeezed out the meat - Dinner was served!



The Haggis cooked and ready for the toast



The Haggis after the toast, stabbed and ready for eating

For your reading pleasure I have included the recipe below, and normally, this would repulse me.  As one of hosts put it so nicely, you take all the prime cuts of the lamb and through it away... everything that is left goes into the Haggis. I found the Haggis to taste like meatloaf with a nice gravy, accompanied by mashed potatoes, whipped squash and Shepherd's pie it was the comfort my body needed after several shots of whiskey.   

Haggis Recipe from the BBC

• 1 sheep's stomach or ox secum, cleaned and thoroughly, scalded, turned inside out and soaked overnight in cold salted water
• heart and lungs of one lamb
• 450g/1lb beef or lamb trimmings, fat and lean
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 225g/8oz oatmeal
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground dried coriander
• 1 tsp mace
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• water, enough to cook the haggis
• stock from lungs and trimmings

I also learned that the Scotts deep fry everything, so our dessert consisted of Baskin Robbins Vanilla ice cream and deep fried Mars bars.  Quite heavenly and a nice compliment to #7.    As we passed over the dessert and onto #8, the final round of toasts began.  One for the Lassies and one for the blokes.   Humor and wit dominated the night, those with too much to drink missed the punch lines.    Wobbling home at 1 am, my insides felt warm for the whiskey and friends.
 
As a thank you to my hosts, I sent a Burns thank you.   Robert Burns (1759-1796) is known as Scotland's Poet.  A drunk at that, his words of wisdom held true for a group of Anglos and Anglo Indian expats in Bangalore.  So here is my attempt at a Burns thank you from a local lassie:
 
A Burns Thank You


I’ve learned a lot about the flavors of whiskey
Thanks to our friends Andy and Dixie.
If you test me on the names, I am sure to fail
As my taste buds are accustomed to the flavors of ale.

The night was divine
Although I was chasing my whiskey with wine.
Our attire was complete with a Scottish theme
However men in skirts was a site to be seen.

As dinner was served, the toasts began
David, Toby, Martin and Susan
The hosts selection of speakers was superb
Even if many words sounded a little slurred.

Next year my goal has been set
Learn about whiskey and score high on the test.
Hoping for a few trips through duty free
To collect the bottles that suit me.

 

Words to live by

My employer has a performance review process that culminates in November with notice of your raise, bonus and performance rating for the year.     To support this construct, each person has their own advocate, commonly called a "Career Counselor."   This counselor reviews all the feedback given throughout the year, makes a final rating suggestion and then sits through the moderation to represent your case.    I am very lucky to have the same person as my advocate for the last 4 years.   FG (her name is withheld to protect her identity) is a straight shooter, open thinker and frankly just fun to work with.   While I have moved to India, I have retained my relationship with FG.    

This week we had a virtual annual review, 730 am for me and 9 pm for her.    Our conversation was all over the place - a mix of how am I doing now, where I am going, a little gossip and problem solving for the world.   I have to admit, I am feeling overworked right now and it's virtually impossible to do anything but work, collapse, sleep, coffee, work.    I am hiring a personal Yoga trainer, who will come to my house at 6 am three days a week to make sure my mind and body are limber.   Doug will be joining me too.    FG knows my cycle - full force, mild collapse and then a restart.   We are trying to avoid the mild collapse, so hopefully the yoga will do it's trick for me.     However as a back up, she has given me three goals for 2011:
- Give some sh*t
- Don't take any sh*t
- Get yourself a minion
I have decided to post for a minion, some of my favorite colleagues are open to applying but they wanted clarification if I need a slavish type minion or more of a favorite person to be at my side.    I guess I have to decide, but my preference would be a smart favorite who can do slavish tasks.   Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

Maid me Crazy!

We fired our maid, Sudha.  It was one of the most difficult things I have done in a while.    You may think as a HR professional, I would be used to "Exit Discussions" however they are usually due to business conditions, not theft.    In my previous blog, Domestic Matters, my David yurman jewelry was missing.   Having items stolen out of your home rattled me more than I could have expected.    In early December, I found a similar necklace on eBay and purchased it.   I felt a little better to at least have my anniversary present back.    Just a few days later, the original necklace reappeared in my purse pocket.   Fishy.   The funny thing is that I has a feeling that my purse was opened.   However when no money was missing, I went on with the day.    There was only one person with access to my purse, Sudha.   

The next few days her presence irritated me to no end.  I knew she was responsible for taking the necklace and returning it.    Should i hold out for my ring to show up?  What about the missing black pants, Addidas track pants, pink ipod and now $120 USD missing from Mom's purse.     I still gave her a Christmas bonus and some clothes Nolan had grown out of.  I was hoping that my generosity would return the missing items.    No luck.   On January 3rd we sacked her.   She had nothing to say.    We withheld her December salary since she clearly has paid herself with the US cash from Mom's purse.   Doug took her Palm Meadows ID and out she went.   

My tactic was to wait a week and see if the ring showed up or at least she admitted to it.    I would gladly give her December salary if I got something back.    No luck.  She has called our driver asking for the cash, but he is on our side and only asks where is Madame's ring.   

Doug is now playing the role of maid and cook, the laundry is a little behind but I do think the food is better.   What are the chances he will continue to do this for $200 a month...

Massage - Not for the Modest!

I have hemmed and hawed about whether to share this level of detail, but in the spirit of saving you the trouble before booking your Ayurvedic massage… READ THIS. We are in Sri Lanka at this most fabulous beach house and in addition to having a full time cook, house manager, tuck-tuck (auto-rickshaw) at our disposal; Ayurvedic massage can be done in your room. I am a beauty addict. Massage, facials, nails, hair, lotions and potions; I am ready to fork over my green backs in a moment’s notice. I called up Priyanaka from Sri Lanka, sounds like a poem, but this experience was not so melodic.


Priyanka, who is male, arrived at 6pm. He is about 5 feet tall barefoot wearing his clinical white coat and black trousers. His backpack was large and he quickly moved to my room, stripped the bed and laid several large towels down. I was slightly nervous; however Doug and my mom were sitting in the living room just a few feet away. Standing there observing the entire transformation of my room into a make-shift spa, I didn’t know what to do. Priyanka instructed me to sit in my chair. And so the process began.

Eyes closed, I could feel the oil run down my forehead and through my scalp. Was it peppermint or lemon? Both? The cool ooze seemed to console my sunburned head, only to be abruptly interrupted by a fierce slapping on the top of my head. What a way to ruin the moment. I could bare this for a little bit but it seemed never ending. Eventually the head spanking ended and Priyanka began his vigorous head and neck massage. I have been an active yogi for about 9 years and my neck is my Achilles tendon. When I am stressed that is where I feel pain, and when I am in a yoga posture – that will be the stiff spot any given day. I enjoyed the rub down and Priyanka was able to tell that my neck has a “blockage that would cause pain” without me preempting it. Ok so he knows something.

My bliss was broken by a short clip “take off your clothes and lay on the bed.” Weird, I am an American – so slightly repressed. I quickly undressed leaving on my underwear. Priyanka worked on my back for some time, more bliss. I was about to fall asleep when he asked me to get up and kneel on the floor over a crock-pot. I popped up half naked, grabbing the towel to cover up and kneel on a folded towel. The steaming crock-pot smelled lemony. I was instructed to put my face over the pot and inhale deeply, it was lemon leaf and very good me. Suddenly a sheet was pulled over me and tightly closed just as the lid was removed from the crock-pot. The steam was stifling. So here I sit half-naked on a towel inhaling lemon leaf water with a sheet closed tightly over my head. I felt like I might become the next CSI victim. This entire experience was followed by a deep facial massage; the next day my sinuses never felt so good. Doug popped his head in the room about 45 minutes into the ordeal to make sure I was OK. There I sat in my underwear in our desk chair while Priyanka was dumping more oil on my head. He quickly closed the door, I guess that was enough to know I was not in danger.

While this entire experience was not really relaxing, I slept very well and my neck did not hurt for a full night ...the first time in five months. My hair was the real victim. It took about four washings and two trips into the ocean to rid the oil from my locks. The oil coupled with the moisture was a recipe for disaster. Doug thought I looked like Bo Derek in 10, however I knew that was really a ploy :) I felt more like Lenny Kravets and that was not a good look for the whitest gal in Sri Lanka. My advice is – massage in India or Sri Lanka is not for the modest or the girl that needs lovely locks for work the next day.

Ice-Master Doug

You know you are on vacation when you greatest concern is how to make ice, get ice or when the ice will be ready. If you have read my earlier entries, you know that we loaded up at duty free in Colombo since we would be pretty much isolated at the beach house. When we arrived, and cracked open a bottle of Zinfandel for the girls and some gin for Doug…the house staff quickly brought out a small ice bucket. That hit the spot after our grueling five hour van ride to the coast. Ice seemed not to be the issue, but as we hit the afternoon on day two…ice was nowhere to be found. Warm gin, does not hit the spot but you can manage with a cold coke mixed with rum. So here was our dilemma, tonic water was not available during the first grocery store rum but soda and limes were. Doug, a former bar tender on campus at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, concocted a mock gin or vodka and tonic. Tasted good however without ice it goes down slowly.


The best ideas come out of necessity. Doug saved the plastic water bottles, filled them half way and laid them on their side on the freezer. Phase 1 of making ice. Secondly, he cut one of the liter soda bottles, cleaned them out and used it as a freezer ice holder while we filled the trays and rotated them. The cook and housekeeper must have thought we were CRAZY. The volume of ice was flowing, enough for sodas and mixed drinks in our 90 degree weather. Our next great idea was to bring the bottles that had been half filled with water and frozen to the beach. But before coming down to the beach we filled them with rum, all that was needed was a cold coke from the Ocean Moon beach restaurant. Now I had rum and cokes at the beach and I even found Lays potato chips. Vacation had arrived!

So in addition to being my best friend, personal life coach, husband, father of my children, local chemist, make shift doctor – Doug is also the Ice-master which is essential for a Southeast Asia beach vacation.

Cheers!