My Blog

Summer reading

Kostana — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:33:44 GMT

I just finished "Merle's Door" by Ted Kerasote, and bawled my eyes out (warning: must have kleenex for last 2 chapters if you are a dog owner). Ted's writing about the death of his dog was so personal that it took me back to the day I had to make a decision to put my own dog down, my best friend, the most painful day in my life. It's amazing how reading someone else's experience can take you back to that raw moment - that separation of 2 friends who have shared a love so intimate and pure I'm not sure it can be compared to human love. He expounded on many of the things i so often think to myself, such as why cant' dogs live as long as turtles and parrots? They are such perfect beings. such true friends. my current dog, bailey makes friends with everyone who passes through our doors. no one can resist his sweetness! I am not a person who believes in heaven or hell. For me heaven could be no greater than being cuddled next to my sweet dog on a beautiful day. There could be no heaven for me anywhere that did not include all of my dogs. (Bailey loves to point out that "dog" is after all, god spelled backwards!) Anyway, I highly recommend the book to dog lovers. OTher great reads include: 1) The Good Pig by Sy Montgomery - my favorite so far... and 2) THirteen Moons by Charles Frazier "A dog comes to you and lives with you in your own house, but you do not therefore own her, as you do not own the rain, or the trees, or the laws which pertain to them... ...A dog can never tell you what she knows from the smells of the world, but you know, watching her that you know almost nothing..." -Mary Oliver

Inspiration

Kostana — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:03:23 GMT

A friend just passed this on to me, and I love it! Pretty much embodies my philosophy in life.... maybe if we were all doing this, we wouldn't have time for war and killing the environment around us... it's a must-see! very uplifting! http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/videos.shtml?fbid=242TD

In Memory of...

Kostana — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:03:11 GMT

George Carlin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrXvDXVhqfU a laugh for today in his memory.... WARNING: it is full of profanity and controversy. might not want to play it at work. he will be missed. thanks for the laughs George.......

Into the Wild

Kostana — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:47:57 GMT

So, I finally saw this movie. Read the book awhile ago. Strange timing as it arrived from my netflix queue the same day I was involved in 2 conversations about my "old life" when I used to rock climb, canoe, mountain bike and hike with my dear friend Cara. I miss those days - when "truth" was pure and simple. I've lived for very short periods "in the wild" - not as primitive as Chris McCandless, but pretty close to the earth - and I miss it. There's a great comfort in knowing that nature provides for all things we could ever want or need - at least if we don't kill her. Tonight, I light a candle for the spirit of Chris McCandless. Whatever people thought of him - what he did - I think he was just a good kid with a pure heart living the best way any of us possibly could - away from the temptations and corruption of society. I envision dying that way someday. Just walking out into the wilderness and surviving as long as I can until the air, the earth, the fire, the water washes over me, engulfs me and sets me free from the pain of suffering. Oh - and I had to edit this post to say - I think Sean Penn is a brilliant director. He did such an amazing job with this film....and I don't know if he did all the casting or not, but whoever did made great choices. I highly recommend it!

The week in re-cap

Kostana — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:54:44 GMT

So much going on I've wanted to blog about, so I thought I"d make it brief and include what affected me most this week (good & bad): Hilary stepped down, Bo Diddley died - they did a great tribute to him on Prairie Home Companion; unfortunately, I found out that a good friend has cancer, on a lighter note - I finished reading "The Good, Good Pig" - great book, I started "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan", saw a great interview with Susan Wicklund, had an amazing class with Faten, the words to "Woman is the Nigger of the World" have been on my mind a great deal lately... been learning new Turkish folkdances with Burhan Aydogdu and feeling so fortunate to work with some really amazing women in Kardelen folkdance troupe - they are such an accomplished and lovely group of people! still hoping my feet will last awhile longer...my left foot is pretty much in constant pain now. spending every extra second of my day with the best dog on earth who reminds me of what is truly important.... a good butt scratch and a bellyrub... nothing else really matters - it's a zen thing

Herdeljezi Romani Dance & Music Festival - COMING SOON!

Kostana — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:09:40 GMT

Come join us next weekend for fun, awesome classes and wonderful music! We've added free kid's activities this year too! Plus it's Seido's birthday, AND we have a new addition to our extended musical family - baby Aleksander Weiner! So there's lots to celebrate! AND we're raising money for Reyhan Tuzsuz's family to find a new home in Turkey as their Romani neighborhood is being destroyed. So, c'mon out have fun and support a good cause! There's also an additional workshop with Reyhan on Sunday, May 18 at 11am-1pm. See website below for details. Check us out being all cultural and everything on Cultural Tourism DC! http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/calendar2532/calendar_show.htm?doc_id=221778 Or on our own site: www.wmfolklifecenter.org/annual_festival07

Another One Bites the Dust

Kostana — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:03:40 GMT

So, Nader's in Fredericksburg, one of my favorite places to dance (well-paid, well-treated) is closing. I wish Nader and his family all the best, though I am sorry to see them close and will miss performing there - a great place with zero drama. I keep thinking this is yet another sign to me to call it "quits". Yet, I also had my best performance ever when Souhail and Rachid were here. Their music was so inspiring. Maybe I should go out while on top of my game? Not stick around like the Rolling Stones dancing when I'm gray haired and broken? I'm already heading that direction. I fell down the metro escalator today! For a dancer I truly have no grace. But in my defense it was quite slippery. Feeling very bruised right now. And have a big gig tomorrow night. Aaahhhh the dance goes on.

Dhoom 2

Kostana — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:30:46 GMT

Ok who has seen this film? This has got to be the corniest film I have ever seen...albeit with the most beautiful people in the world in it. I mean c'mon is there anybody prettier than Hrithik Roshan? Maybe Aishwarya Rai... Anyway it reminded me of James Bond meets Fame meets a really bad cheesy MTV video from the 80's. too incredibly hilarious. I bet it would be really cool to watch stoned.... might add some depth at least. well, I admit - it was worth it wasting a few hours of my precious time just to watch this guy in complete hedonistic fantasy (is hedonistic a word???)

Check out our article on Bhuz!

Kostana — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:04:29 GMT

Yay! http://www.bhuz.com/forum/vbnews.php Photos by the way are by Roger Wood (at Taste of Morocco) and Margaret Loomis (at Balktoberfest)

A letter to my friends

Kostana — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:39:17 GMT

May 17 is shaping up to be a big day full of events. Between Tribal Fest, Raquia Hassan, and Herdeljezi Festival among other wonderful events there is so much to choose from! We are working really hard to make this year's Herdeljezi Romani (Gypsy) Dance & Music Festival even better than last year's! About the only complaint we heard last year was the tile floor in the church we rented was too hard for dancing all day.... SO, we rented the Hearst Auditorium in the National Cathedral School this year with beautiful wood floors, as well as their Proctor Gym (also wood flooring). Our lineup includes Turkish Romani dance with Reyhan Tuzsuz, Rajasthani Kalbeliya and Spanish Flamenco with Amy Luna Manderino of Shuvani in California, special guest Sani Rifati of Voice of Roma and perennial favorites Steve and Susie Kotansky teaching Romani dances from various regions including Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary. We also have Romani percussion classes with Seido, Sidqi, N. Scott Robinson and Amy Luna, Clarinet, Cimbus and Romani singing classes have been added AND we have a free children's story and craft hour in the afternoon! It costs so much money to put on a festival, and I am truly hoping we are able to make above our costs this year. As many of you know, we try to raise money for various charities at some of our events. After festival expenses are met this year, we are hoping to have enough money to help the Tuzsuz family relocate. They are losing their home, as the Romani village in Gazi Osman Pasa is being dismantled. I saw it when I was there - both the home next to Reyhan's and in front of it were being destroyed (above is a picture). I can only imagine what it looks like now. So, for those of you who have always wanted to learn Turkish Romani dance from a true Rom dancer with a big heart, I hope you will come out and support not only our festival but our efforts to help her find a new home for her family. Please pass the word on. You can download flyers at our website: www.wmfolklifecenter.org With so many wonderful classes to choose from, you can learn alot in a day, and at the same time support a great cause and make a difference in a very special lady's life. I also still have a few slots for volunteers to help with registration and evening ticket sales. Unfortunately, my mom, who was such a great help with this last year has to have major surgery only a week or so before the festival and will not be able to help us this year. To find out more, please email me at kostanadanceratyahoodotcom Thanks, Kostana

Break out the champagne!

Kostana — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:24:45 GMT

We received official word today that World Music Folklife Center is legally recognized by the IRS as a 501c3 nonprofit - as of May 2007 (when we first incorporated).... Ohmygoddess....I cannot tell you how relieved, excited, joyful, and scared I am! Those of you who know me well, know how long this process has taken and how hard it has been! This has been the most challenging year for me in so many ways. I walked away from $40,000/year job with 401K and health insurance to be able to have the time, energy and ability to plant the seed for a nonprofit. It has been so many sleepless nights, a few new gray hairs, and ssoooooo hard with no personal financial reward at the end of the tunnel. I found out how hard it is to work without that reward and sometimes with nothing but personal criticism. At the end of it all with the economy and housing market in the toilet, I was really getting scared. Anyone living off an artist income knows how hard that is! But as they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger....I hope that's true! Of course what makes it all worth it is seeing your dreams come true before your eyes. But this is only the beginning. Now the REAL WORK BEGINS! We really wanted to do this for the community - to bring opportunities here that would not otherwise happen without having it be for personal gain, but instead to build something that is owned not by one person or two people but by a whole community.... So now, we invite you all to participate in anyway you can, your ideas, thoughts, your energy, your time and of course your donations! are all welcome! Thanks so much to the people closest to us who witnessed the blood, sweat & tears of the last year and supported us emotionally, financially, or otherwise. Thanks to those who believed we could make this happen. And more good news! Our stellar lineup for Herdeljezi festival (May 17) this year now includes: Seido Salifoski, Amy Luna Manderino of Shuvani, Sani Rafati of Voice of Roman, Steve & Susie Kotansky, N. Scott Robinson, and Reyhan & Husnu Tuzsuz (pending the approval of the visa process - which is our next huge hurdle)! AND we have GRAMMY AWARD NOMINEE, Souhail Kaspar coming back with Rachid Halihal to perform and teach us in April! Hope to see you all there! (Photo was taken by Margaret Loomis at Balktoberfest 2007)

Endings & Beginnings...

Kostana — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:52:00 GMT

So today on my birthday, I gave myself the gift of time. The indulgence of just being. of doing whatever I felt like in the moment. What a treat! A glass of wine, some fine chocolate (and yummy salty chocolate cookies baked lovingly by a friend!), a dog's head in my lap, some wonderful music (Al Petteway and Amy White's Winter Solstace), a good book, wild mushroom ravioli, a bubble bath, watching Randa Kamal on video, gazing at my Yule Tree before I have to take it down tomorrow... These are a few of my favorite things! What a lovely day! It was perfect in so many ways. If i had written this blog a couple days ago I would have been anxious, stressed, feeling a bit underappreciated as I was doing the taxes for World Music Folklife Center and trying to put together video footage from our events of the past year, and wondering why I gave up a good-paying job for one that is so often thankless (nobody likes doing accounting! - well maybe accountants????). I feel hopeful today and renewed and I look forward to many more wonderful, musically inspiring events this year. I hope the community gets involved and really makes WMFC their own. And I pray my own journey will find it's way to a more centered path, perhaps a return to my roots. I am grateful and excited to be teaching with such a wonderful staff of teachers at Saffron and I'm feeling inspired about my own dancing. Aside from that I hope for prosperity this year to pursue many of my other goals, long neglected. I wish a prosperous and peaceful new year to all of you. Blessed be.

The Time of My Life

Kostana — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:07:33 GMT

So Brad and I had the opportunity to waltz on stage to the Blue Danube at the Pittsburgh Opera Theatre Company's "Die Fledermaus" production last night. (for info on the opera: http://www.operatheaterpittsburgh.org/season/index.html) If you live in Pitt and have a chance to go Saturday or Sunday, I recommend it. It was so much fun! We got to be part of a waltz scene in the middle of the second act right after the Gypsy Strings played with a Tamburitza dance troupe from Duquesne U. Brad's mom, a lovely and wonderful lady, also waltzed onstage with the elegant Henry P. Hoffstot, Jr. and we were joined by 4 other couples including of course Jonathan Eaton, the director. How fitting that it was right after the Gypsy Strings. They were really wonderful and I enjoyed the chance to be up close and personal and hear them! Brad was a fine waltzer guiding me through the crowd and we received some nice comments! hmmm...maybe dancing with the stars is next? ;-) It was such a blast! I'm back at home now, but it was a true highlight and a great way to end the year in sequins and champagne! Happy New Year to all and wishing you your dreams come true in 2008!

Let me indulge myself...

Kostana — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:47:26 GMT

Long as I'm talking about music being god - I just saw him tonight! At DAR Constitution Hall. Maybe the best concert I've ever seen. Neil did one whole acoustic set followed by the crazy stuff. He is just so amazing. Cowgirl in the Sand, Winterlong, Harvest, From Hank to Hendrix, Cinnamon Girl, Like a Hurricane, Everybody Knows this is Nowhere, and of course new stuff from Chrome Dreams which I highly recommend if you don't have your copy yet. To see/hear him on stage - just him, his guitars, a harmonica and a couple pianos. That was truly amazing. I felt like I was in his living room. I had a great seat and I am so glad I bought my ticket. Even if I did go alone. It was sooooooooo worth it! I love Neil!

Music IS god

Kostana — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 01:17:13 GMT

My weekend in Pittsburgh was a musical one – beginning with a relaxing afternoon at my mother-in-law’s beautiful apartment. Then dinner at Sonoma’s followed by a trip to Your Inner Vagabond to hear live Turkish music with Ishtar and visit with our new friends. (YAY - so much fun and inspiration, even if our time was too short together!) Sunday was a completely different experience with a visit to the Henry P. Hoffstot house where the Opera Theatre held their annual “Millie Awards”. Brad’s mom, who serves on the board was to receive an award for her service and support of Opera Theatre. Entertainment was provided by local opera singers who performed Mozart’s "Impresario". The evening had a profound effect on me. Anytime I see a piece by Mozart or listen to Mozart I am awed by this man’s sheer genius. Listening to the voices of the 3 characters blending together, I was thinking about how the voice is an amazing instrument (as is the body for us dancers!). I was thinking the exact same thing when listening to the Arabic singers with Um Kalthoum Orchestra at UMCP last Sunday. At the same time I’m marveling at this music, I’m marveling at this man’s gorgeous house I’m in. I mean the fixtures in the bathroom sink are shaped like a fish’s mouth and the sink bowl itself looks like a landscape. Not to mention the chandeliers and ceiling paintings. I’m sitting there and I’m thinking how I love all this, and how just 2 weeks ago I was in a Romani village in Turkey that is being destroyed, and how much I loved being there and how it too felt like home to me. I thought about how music and art is so important. How musical genius exists in Mozart and in Romani music. I thought about how some religious extremists ban music and dance, and I wondered how they could justify banning this “expression of God/Goddess” – this poetry – this gift. How, how, how can they do this? Without music there would be no Mozart, no Wagner, no Vivaldi or Tchaikovsky. No Um Kalthoum. No Esma Redzepova, No Selim Sesler. No Husnu Senlenderici. None of the artists we work with. Hell – not even birds singing…. Just imagine it. I thought about a dinner Brad and I were invited to a couple years back at an Iranian home in Reston. The home was absolutely gorgeous. When I stepped inside I saw religious art that was Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic, and I wondered what religion this family might be. During dinner, the host answered my question saying, “Music is God”. Well, it certainly is a manifestation, an expression of “god” in my book. A world without it would be empty, joy-less, and soul-less. I’d rather be dead than live there. I have had doubts over the last year about my role in World Music Folklife Center. It has been a true struggle, though I have worked with some amazing people, but this experience, this knowing - how important music is - makes me know I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and I hope to continue to work with music and musicians until the day I die.

Dog Rescue

Kostana — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 15:50:42 GMT

Dear tribe friends, I am a member of the Humane Society of the United States and frequently act politically contacting my senator, congressman, etc. on behalf of fair treatment for all animals. I am also a very strong advocate of people being educated on proper care for pets before adopting and also of course adopting from shelters and rescue orgs. and not breeders. Bailey here is from the Golden Retriever Rescue (of course he also happens to be an amazing darabuka player). I just found out about this puppy mill bust in VA - the state I live in. If you are considering adopting a dog, especially with holidays approaching, please consider rescuing one! And please make sure you are prepared to give an animal a lifetime of love and care. I should add that giving a puppy as a gift is usually a terrible idea, and people should be both prepared to be a pet "parent" as well as involved in choosing their own forever companion... To find out more, go to: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/puppy_mill_investigation_110807.html Thank you!

Tired of Fighting

Kostana — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:26:28 GMT

I swear since we got home from Istanbul I feel like I can get no work done. Like everyone is fighting me on something. Yesterday a zoning inspector left a note on my door that we are violating some property ordinance. Brad called this morning to find out what it was all about, and they say that we have to cut down our beautiful dogwood trees on the corner under county code because they block visibility which is utter B.S. (I took photos today and visibility from the cross street is fine, plus there is a stop sign there anyway). Long story short, they're going to have to take them over my dead body. I can't cut trees down that are not dead. Our yard is beautiful - not in a cosmetic, manicured sense - it's a little on the wild side but well within the codes about grass cutting, overgrowth, etc. We provide home to so many birds and chipmunks, squirrels, etc. Brad planted the dogwoods probably 15 years ago or more. Suddenly they are a hazard? Why in this age of global warming and forest fires and species dying, is Arlington County bent on destroying more trees? I swear this afternoon, I left to go to the post office, and the hawk in this picture flew out of one of our trees and onto our roommate's car roof. I ran inside to get my camera but as I came back out he flew off the car (would've been a great shot). In any case I took a pic of him in the tree across the street from us. Isn't he beautiful? The inspector comes back tomorrow. I'm telling you, if they say we have to cut our trees down you will probably see me on the evening news pretty soon handcuffed to my own trees. This is ridiculous. Anyone with links to tree-hugging and environmental orgs that might be able to help me out, please email me here... I'll keep ya posted. Thanks!

Blessed Samhain!

Kostana — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:38:49 GMT

Wishing everyone lots of treats and no tricks today! May the Spirits be kind to you! have a happy Samhain

Gazi Osman Pasa

Kostana — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 20:36:59 GMT

So, I promised to post more and to add pics. This trip was mostly business and of course the pleasure of meeting, dancing and playing with friends. We bought alot of music. Brad had lessons with Husnu (Reyhan's husband), and his Romani davul and darabuka players, plus David, and Hakan. I spent 5 days with Reyhan (which is not nearly enough) studying dance and visiting with her and her family. Words cannot express how much I love it there. The music, the people - it is like my heart lives there while my body rests here. And the food! Everything is better in Istanbul. Really. Tomatoes, cucumbers, oranges, feta, olives, bread, mineral water, lemons, yoghurt - it's all so much fresher, sweeter, and better there! I miss fresh tomatoes like that. I hardly ever eat them here. Anyway, I'm posting this picture of a house in Reyhan's village. They are destroying the Romani houses in Gazi Osman Pasa to make way for newer development. I dont' know what happened to the family who lived here or where they went. They were dismantling another home right in front of Reyhan's while I was there having my lessons. It breaks my heart. This is of course a hugely complicated issue which requires more depth of discussion than I am prepared to write at this moment, but I thought I'd at least share a picture of some of what we saw and recorded. More about this soon..... In the meantime, we look forward with hope and determination to plan and develop Herdeljezi festival next Spring, to bring Reyhan and Husnu and other fabulous artists here to support their work, their music and their dance... I posted some more pics in my photos. Here's a link to my favorite one: http://people.tribe.net/4213e013-ec46-40eb-bff0-dcd092407aa6/photos/50214614-9793-49b6-918d-d82f8793627e

I love Turkey!

Kostana — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:13:50 GMT

I haven't slept in over 24 hours and I've been shuffled through 4 different airports in 4 countries in that same amount of time, am coming down with a bad cold and am utterly exhausted, but am also glad to be home safe and sound. I had an incredible time in Turkey and miss it already. I'm not sure what language I'm speaking anymore at this point. I can't believe that just last night we were sitting in a tiny pub in Tunel listening to live Turkish music of Hakan's band. They were quite good and the clarinet was wonderful. I loved spending time with Reyhan and her family and visiting with friends both old and new. I hope to post more about my time there as soon as I am feeling rested - but not sure yet whether to post here or on my long-neglected website as I'd like to add lots of photos...or I might post them to the WMFC tribe... oh yeah, and I bought a new bella's!

Turkiye Gidiyorum!

Kostana — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:12:33 GMT

OK - So I'm both excited and nervous about our journey! In just 4 days I am leaving for Istanbul - a place very near and dear to my heart, and yet the news headlines today are not favorable. I'm wondering if we will have trouble getting our visas once we get there on Monday. I wish this all was not happening right now, but it is. I hope we remain far from anything too political there. I just want to see my friends, study dance and hopefully hear some really great music! Our flight out has 2 layovers which totally sucks. And the flight back leaves Istanbul at 6am! I will need another vacation when I return! May a light shine through the darkness of ignorance that keeps us all separate, and may we know we are ONE. Mitakuye Oyasin, Kostana

We're in the Wash Post Express!

Kostana — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 02:40:22 GMT

CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLE HERE IN THE WASHINGTON POST EXPRESS! http://www.readexpress.com/read_freeride/2007/10/eastern_sons_rising_balktoberfest.php woo hoo!

Turkey & the Constitution

Kostana — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:06:58 GMT

So...I've been hearing for past couple days alot about Turkey on NPR. Apparently, the new gov't is proposing chaanges to their constitution which currently says that women are equal to men... They want to take out that sentence and add that "Women, the disabled, the elderly and children must be protected by men". There are over 80 women's rights groups protesting this saying they do not need protection, but their RIGHTS must be protected. I am so proud of them and hope they will prevail... You can find out more details about it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=15archive/&entry_id=20822 (i hope the link works). We will be there in less than 2 weeks. It will be interesting to see what's going on.... I hope they leave religion out of government, which is exactly where it belongs...

Into the Wild....

Kostana — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 19:12:00 GMT

I'm soooooo psyched! Was standing in line at Whole Foods and Outside magazine caught my eye with an article that Sean Penn is making "Into the WIld" into a movie. I loved that book - was completely absorbed by it. Krakauer did a great job telling the story, and I was fascinated by Christopher McCandless. I felt like I totally understood him. I totally respect what he did with his life, even though his missteps in the end cost him his life. I didn't put this book on my "top 10" list because it's more the story of McCandless's life that fascinates me then the telling, although, it's most definitely worth reading and, as I said Krakauer tells the story with great impartiality and care to details. Supposedly, Penn takes the same care with telling the story on screen. Better hurry and read it soon....Movie opens September 21! I cannot wait.

Awareness

Kostana — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 22:30:11 GMT

I am posting this here because I believe it needs to be spread far and wide. It STUNS me that we are not doing more about the situation in Darfur... I am hoping to plan another fundraiser, possibly next Spring - which seems far away - but alot depends on lining up music for a concert. There is so much that needs to be done.... From "The Independent", August 27, 2007: Mia Farrow's firsthand account: "My first visit to Darfur was in 2004. It changed the way I needed to live my life. I have just returned from my seventh trip to the region. I don't think I have the words to adequately represent what I have seen and heard there. Incomprehensibly, it has now been more than four years since the killing began. Some experts believe half a million human beings have died thus far. Others bicker about the exact death toll - as if it makes a shred of difference to how we must respond. Only the perpetrators dispute that hundreds of thousands of innocent men women and children have been killed, in ways that cannot be imagined or described. It is all the more appalling that we cannot know - that no one is yet able to count the dead. And the dying continues...." For entire article, I highly recommend going to: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article2898438.ece