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 …
From 1978 to 1982 this tropical island was a refueling hub for Carlos Lehder and the Medellin cartel’s operation that shipped tons of cocaine into the U.S. via small aircraft. Trafficker George Jung (made famous by Johnny Depp in Blow) described it as “something out of a James Bond movie.” And U.S. drug agents say … Continue reading
Where would you rather live, dear reader, Paris, France, or Paris, Texas? In Paris, France, you have art, culture, food, architecture, theatre, films, restaurants, cafés, bistros and museums. But Paris, Texas, has its charms too. Actually, I can’t think of any. But in Paris, France, you will pay $1 million or so for a 1,400 … Continue reading
Location: Downtown Sacramento – 16th to 160 Time: Approximately 2100 hours Mission: Beat my roommate back to the apartment Despite the fact that I was in Sacramento and driving through Sacramento, I was feeling pretty good. I had been hanging out with hot chicks all day, no commitments or responsibilities were looming for weeks, the … Continue reading
1st Tier Veolia Suez 2nd Tier Bouygues – SAUR RWE – Thames Water Bechtel – United Utilities Enron – Azurix 3rd Tier Severn Trent Anglian Water Kelda Group American Water Works (purchased by Azurix) – Suez and Veolia have a monopoly on over 70% of the existing world water market. Suez operates in 130 countries … Continue reading
I imagine many of my dear readers have seen or at least heard of the MTV reality show “Life of Ryan” following the life of skater Ryan Sheckler. I stumbled across an episode yesterday and after watching the duration of the episode, could not help but be struck by how boring Ryan’s life is. During … Continue reading
Diagnostic Testing: $2200 Durable Medical Equipment: $770 Medications: $900 Hospital Stay: $3800 Destroying your face, dislocating your shoulder and bruising your ribs while saving the life of your dumbass friend that chose the wrong route to climb up a rock face: Priceless Continue reading
I recently wrote about my grandfather, Fritz, and his adventures in the Sterling Inn. That’s a picture of Fritz posted above… Subsequent to that post, he and Irene moved up to an “assisted living” facility in Washington named Highgate – after being politely encouraged to depart the Sterling Inn. We dropped in to visit them … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 