Category Archives: Atmosphere

“But you can’t get there from here”

Thanks for your supportive comments and remonstrances, both were needed… Anyway, I am better now, so much so that today on the way back from a hike I stopped by a roadside BBQ place and had a pulled pork sandwich! Below you’ll see some photos from that hike where, atop a small mountain, stands an abandoned fire tower. The cool part is that it’s open, all the way to the top!

On another note, someone in the neighborhood has a little yappy dog; I’m not sure where this dog resides but I’m glad I don’t. At night, beginning at around 8, he will start his nightlong yap fest. It’s especially annoying because it is not a constant yap, but rather sporadic yet predictable, like a certain windshield wiper setting. Being that it is summer and my humble abode is without air conditioning, every now and then this high pitched “yap yap yap yap” comes floating into the apartment. I’m reminded of our late family dog, an Akita. Although he had his issues (bit multiple friends/relatives, etc.) he was never unnecessarily vocal; when Lucky barked you knew that something was up, usually a stranger approaching the front door.

Thus I’m lead to wonder about the apartment in which this little yappy thing resides. Do its owners find the nightly yapping an endearing trait? Or is it that they are all sitting in a circle engaging in the nightly 5 hour long “spin the dog” session, thus causing the poor thing to yelp anew in fear each time it is whirled among familiar yet cruel faces in the dizzying smoke filled candlelit room? Who knows? Seems like in this town, anything is possible; indeed I’ve found myself humming tunes from Twin Peaks while driving around. Still looking for the white lodge…


Musical Tour

Gil Scott-Heron – The Revolution will not be Televised (1971)

Focus – Hocus Pocus – 1973

Grace Jones – La Vie En Rose – 1977

Tears for Fears – Head Over Heals – 1985

David Bowie – This is Not America – 1985 (2000)

Leonard Cohen – Democracy – 1992

Des’ree – You Gotta Be – 1994

They Might Be Giants – Dr. Worm – 1998

Soul Coughing – Circles – 1998

God is a Girl – Groove Coverage – 2002


Uzbek Flashback I

Had a trip to Shakrisabz. On the way down we took the Registan, which is a European style luxury train. It was very odd to look out the window at houses with outhouses and wells – as if time had gone backwards beyond the rails… Shakrisabz was great, Amir Timur stuff everywhere… Strange experience there with a man who materialized speaking pretty good English. Invited us to Aquarium (not great, def. overcharge,) as his guests in 1 hour. We return and the guy is fucked up and much louder than before. Has us in, buys beers, vodka and soup. Brian and Ernie join me Josh and Doug. Guy begins with conversation material (i.e. how UZ used to be a more pluralistic society up until independence.) First bad sign was when the waiter drops a spook the guy goes, “fuck you,” to him, then, “just kidding…” Things get worse when he says almost at a shout, “Fuck Karimov.” Conversation continues and though he claims to love the United States he seems to hate everything about it. Asks if we are gay. Wife and kid materialize (we think they were called) and soon thereafter he asks me if I am a Jew along with a nasty stare. That’s when we decide to get up and leave. My gut was saying from the beginning that he was wrong somehow (govt spy, local thug??) Anyway, I hope to never see him again. Wasn’t all bad, though, visited a great tea house, bought pastries at the bazar and had a meal with the group consisting of pepsi and chicken. Another odd thing re. Shakrisabz. Gave the guy at the hotel front desk a tip and got note in return:

Phone #: 8 365 522 ## ##
loverstudio2004@#####.com

Please, Let me know how well have you arrived to Taskhent!

Administrator: A#### A Karimov

I’m not sure how to deal with this one.

This and That

A few things:

1. Pictures from my trip to Istanbul have been posted in the photo gallery. Find them in the Peace Corps Romania album… enjoy!

2. You may now select which skin/theme you prefer for this site. Look for “Select Theme” under “Search:” on the left hand side. This is not 100% yet, but the front page is all set.

3. Click here to read a pithy commentary about a broken social contract viewed in the context of the armed forces medical care scandal. The author, a Vietnam vet, states: “There is a social contract between a country and those it sends to war, and America’s social contract is broken… Less than half a percent of our population is being asked to bear the burden of this “long war.” Our all-volunteer military has allowed most of the country to remain oblivious to the horrors of our wars. We must begin to equitably distribute this sacrifice – not by sharing the burden of combat, but through the burden of political engagement.”

A commenter replies: “Sadly, the results you describe are inevitable when the ENTIRE burden of the war is carried by those serving and their families. As far as most Americans are concerned, this war has been outsourced. Too bad if a soldier gets hurt: he knew the job was dangerous when he took it. It is this attitude, varients of which exist all through American society, that is so shameful. People picking crops can’t make a decent wage? Too bad, it is simply supply and demand. Your job was sent to India? Too bad, but that is the way the new economy works now.”

I am particularly interested in the issue because it DOES appear that this entire war has been outsourced (or perhaps down-sourced to the most desperate members of our own society.) When I look at the maps showing where most of the dead have come from, I see few coming from priviliged areas. Though this is not new, past wars have called for shared sacrifice, such as rationing in WWII and the draft in Vietnam. Thus, if this GWOT is indeed the generational struggle that it is trumped up to be, ought not we all be asked to sacrifice? (and no, not our Constitutional liberties…)

4. Spring is beginning to show itself here. Though it’s raining and nasty out now, I’ll take some photos as soon as we see some blue skies. And, on that topic, have you heard the song “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO? It’s fantastic. I’m starting to feel this way for many things…