The rapid-fire invasion of Iraq and then Kurdistan by ISIS, as the Islamic State was calling itself at the time, stunned the world. For several hours, it even presented an existential crisis for Kurdistan itself as the momentum of the invasion by ISIS brought them to within mere kilometers of Erbil – with little standing …
Even in a country with a wealth of beautiful landscapes, the Valle de Cocora still stands out. The broad, emerald green valley stretches east of the village of Salento into the lower reaches of Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados where it is framed by sharp peaks. Everywhere you’ll see wax palm, the largest palm in …
The following is straight from the notebook I had with me at the time and, I believe, helps give a feel for what it is like walking around Herat: …Wandering around Herat shafts of sunlight penetrate serpentine alleys lined by canvas-covered wooden stalls; the harsh light illuminates the faces of the merchants and their bountiful …
Perhaps not surprisingly to those that know me, I found the military dimension to Arunachal Pradesh interesting. Tensions between India and China run high in this area… Currently, India administers all of Arunachal Pradesh. However, the Chinese lay claim to the majority of Arunachal Pradesh as they believe it to be an extension of the …
An evening exploration of the streets of Damascus… “…no recorded event has occurred in the world but Damascus was in existence to receive news of it. Go back as far as you will into the vague past, there was always a Damascus… She has looked upon the dry bones of a thousand empires and will …
If you ever make it to Omdurman, Sudan (across the river from Khartoum) be sure to check out the Omdurman camel market. Or, you can just read this site… Most of the animals are brought in (on foot – like the old days of the American cowboy) from Darfur and South Sudan since these areas …
Baalbek has long enjoyed a reputation as home to some of the finest Roman ruins anywhere in the world. However, even without the Roman ruins, it would still be an interesting town… To reach Baalbek, one passes through the hot, dry Bekaa, not so much a valley as a high-altitude plain, with its Hezbollah flags …
Viewed from a distance, Port-au-Prince seems a pleasant and mellow Caribbean port city: Once one is out on the streets though, the fact that all is not well in Port-au-Prince soon becomes apparent. And the January 12, 2010 earthquake only served to push Haiti closer to the top of the Failed States Index… Destruction, dysfunction …
Zululand is an interesting place with quite a history…
Chernobyl Reactor # 4 shortly after the meltdown: Part 1: Chernobyl and Reactor # 4 Until the late 1990s it would have been impossible for me to come here. The whole area was sealed off. Now though, the United Nations is encouraging “ecotourism” to the former Chernobyl disaster zone in order to help the area …
There aren’t a lot of roads in Somalia. Those that do exist mostly pass through rough countryside, interspersed with the occasional village and frequent checkpoint. Upon arriving at a checkpoint, if you don’t have an armed guard with you, a bribe will be required and all of your passport details will be carefully taken down …
U.S. Electronic Intercept of KAL 007 shootdown in progress… The following is the actual shootdown transmissions from the Sukhoi-15 as intercepted by the U.S. (NSA), in combination with the commands from Soviet Combat Air Control handed over by the Russian Federation: Osipovich: (18:22:02) The target is decreasing speed. Osipovich: (18:22:17) I am going around it. … Continue reading
Flight Data Recording F/D = Flight Deck PA = Public Announcement HF = High Frequency (radio) CAM-1 = First Officer CAM-2 = 3rd crewmember and PA CAM-3 = Cockpit Area Mike CAM-4 = Captain 26.18 18.20:28 TOKYO HF CAM-1,2,3,4 TOKYO ROGER. 27.38 18.21:48 F/D CAM-3 [ Sound: altitude alert ] 28.45 18.22:55 F/D CAM-4 [ … Continue reading
We’ve been talking a lot about the Bretton Woods System in my classes this week… 730 delegates from 44 Allied nations gathered in New Hampshire in July 1944 to chart the future course of the world monetary system. Consider the context: US, British & Canadian troops had just landed in France. Germany was bleeding on … Continue reading
Anyone that knows me, knows that I am not accustomed to defeat. Nor am I comfortable with it when that rare occurrence does take place. Nevertheless, I did experience the bitter taste of defeat earlier this year when attempting to summit Chimney Rock with Molly. Chimney Rock is a huge volcanic cone that is 12 … Continue reading
Pakistanis are famous for decorating their vehicles. The transport trucks, used to ferry goods primarily between Pakistan and Afghanistan are particularly extravagant. As we were stuck in Peshawar due to the fighting in the Khyber Pass, a visit to industrial Peshawar to see these trucks being constructed seemed a solid idea. Below is an example … Continue reading
Is This Your Life? Common American Man, this is how your life will unfold. You will start with dreams, big dreams. You will believe you are ordained for exceptionalism. You will reluctantly abandon your dreams as the years pass and reality inexorably descends upon you like a choking shroud of grit. That reality looks like … Continue reading
This was my costume for Halloween this year. I didn’t intend to look like “Frank” in Donnie Darko when I started out. It just turned out that way, but I was quite pleased with the results. And chicks loved it. I got compliments everywhere we went. My Halloween started on Thursday with the girls of … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 