In-Intelligent Design

I'm reading Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the eminent astrophysicist. He has supplied the perfect response to the so-called Intelligent Design. He calls it Stupid Design.

For example: "your appendix. It's much better at killing you than it is at anything else. That's definitely a stupid design. What about your pinky toenail? You can barely put nail polish on it; there's no real estate there. How about bad breath, or the fact you breathe and drink through the same hole in your body, causing some fraction of us to choke to death every year? And here's my last one. Ready? Down there between our legs, it's like an entertainment complex in the middle of a sewage system. Who designed that?"

The men's a genius.

Yasser Arafat's Tomb

Ramallah, Palestine

Jerusalem

The city where all the sects, spin-offs, re-interpretations, mutations and permutations of the Abrahamic faiths get together and urinate on each other's shoes.

My Palestinian Haircut

Stopped into a barber shop on the streets of Ramallah. A half hour and 20 shekels ($4) later I looked like the well tonsured gentleman of leisure I aspire to be.

Amman, Jordan to Tel Aviv, Israel

Total distance: maybe 60 miles
Ticket cost, Air Jordanian Airlines: $350
Dollars per mile the most expensive flight I've ever taken.

Despite all the rumors and horror stories about Israeli customs it was a walk. US Customs took longer back before I had Global Entry status.

Airport Run

This is what it looks like when the USEG Tour rolls into town. While everyone is queued up getting their passports stamped the first ones through start snagging bags off the carousel. After two weeks together we know what each other's bags look like. It's how you move 30+ people as quickly as possible.

The next hurdle is hoping the pre-arranged transport is waiting and they have a trolley for all the luggage.

Dead Sea. Jordan

Kempinski Ishtar hotel. A fella could get used to this.

Tomorrow we go into Amman where finally I'll have some excellent shawarma. Not as good as my friend Fatima's, but it'll do.

Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15377#sthash.SiPifPZT.dpuf

Good Morning Doha!

View from my room in the Sheraton here in Qatar. Too bad all we'll be doing here is work.

Puttin' a Dent in My Seattle-based Vitamin D Deficiency

At this intensity it shouldn't take long.

They Put the "Wait" in Kuwait

Landed in Kuwait City yesterday around 1:35pm local time. Due to the highly officious, incomprehensible, full-lifetime-employment "system" of acquiring a visa and getting one's passport stamped I didn't get out of the airport for nearly three hours. This is a process that typically takes no more than ten minutes in practically every country on the face of the planet.

We INVADED the place in less time than that in '92 for crying out loud! As seen below they offer "Fast Service." Fast it turns out is a relative term.

This is what happens when the twelfth century is superimposed on the twenty-first. It's not a very good fit.

At least the hotel is nice.

I Don't Think It Has Anything to do with Being Cute

I just love some of the things I see.

Menus

I'm thinking of using this space to show selections from various menus encountered around the world. The first two examples are shown below. First is from a restaurant in Baku, Azerbaijan.Gotta love lamb guts and chicken offal. The second in Baku, Azerbaijan. And yes, horse is good eatin'.

Third photo: OK, not a menu. But I saw this in a local grocery in Dubai. My only question is...placenta of what?

Around Almaty

Several of our US Education Group people booked a tour bus for a little sight-seeing around Almaty today. It's a decent sized 'burgh, well developed.

First stop was at some kind of memorial across from the former Soviet KGB Headquarters. The apple in front represents one of the things for which Kazakhstan is known for (haven't tried one yet). At a memorial across the street was a statue to the Golden Man of Kazakhstan. Tradition has that you must kiss the book at the base of the statue. I faked it. Also included are various scenes from Kazakhstan's history. Then we visited a Russian Orthodox Church, St. George. Or maybe is was St. Stefan. Or St. Cloud. I really have no idea. It's supposedly the largest building in the world build without the use of nails. Only wooden pegs. Photos were forbidden inside, but I snapped off a shot of their vision of hell (My vision would be to sit through one of the services). Say what you will about hell at least we'll be surrounded by naked women. Of course they won't be in the best frames of mind, but how is that different from now?

Finally we drove about ten miles outside Almaty to the Medeu Arena, highest elevation speed skating rink in the world (1691 meters) and site of the 1980 Olympics. Medeu Dam located up the canyon protects from devastating mudslide which occur periodically. Various sources state the number of steps up the dam as 830/831/842/950/1000, take your pick. Of course I climbed them.

Baku, Azerbaijan

I first came here in 2005. Eight years on I barely recognize the place. Oil money from the Caspian Sea fields has made itself felt in a huge way. Back then Baku had a very old world, post-Soviet feel to it. Now it is ubër modern, high end shopping, foo foo Euro-chic clothing styles.

If you look closely at the last photo you can still see a hammer and sickle from the Soviet times on the front of the building. Otherwise you'd never know about it.

To the Untrained Eye...

This would appear to be the result of a couple sloppy guys just throwing their clothes all over a room with no regard for cleanliness or order. In fact nothing could be further from the truth.

Having finished a daily workout Mark and Mike dutifully washed their exercise togs and just as dutifully laid them out on the HEATED FLOOR to dry. Why has this concept not reached American shores? I'd MUCH rather have a heated bathroom floor than a dishwasher or garbage disposal or lights.

And for a guy with a tendency to have cold feet this is pure joy.

This is an actual place.

I'm pretty sure it's abandoned and rightfully so. But this pile is next door to my hotel in Almaty. The world can be divided into two kinds of people, those who think clowns are funny, great and entertaining and those who are sane.

All it needs now is a film crew to start making a horror movie.

Mr. Ed is Dead

And he was delicious! Horse steak is popular here in Kazakhstan. I had imagined a T-bone looking chunk of meat, but in the event they turned out to be medallions. Still it was quite a tasty sandwich.

Not sure why our cultural aversion to dining on My Little Pony exists. In my mind the equine is about the equivalent.

Room Service!

Our room in Almaty, Kazakhstan had no mini-bar. This is a problem. Hotel asked us if we wanted to change rooms. No, that's not necessary. Could you bring us some sodas and a couple bottles of water? No problem.

They were luke cold, but will do. Small problem.

Hotel offered to let us use THEIR fridge in the kitchen.

Problem solved.

Ahh, FashionTV!

One of many little known joys of international travel is FashionTV. This channel is seen from Middle East to South Asia to Central Asia (where I am now) to China and points beyond.

There is no plot to any of it except for airing videos of various fashion shows throughout the world. I've never seen a video with actual dialogue. Just model after endless, long-legged model parading one after another to a background of bland music.

But in its own way it's an awesome phenomenon. I submit Exhibits A and B (seen below) Your Honor. No false modesty. No attempt at informing the public. Just good wholesome viewing.

This was taken from the TV in my room moments after arriving in Almaty, Kazakhstan at 4:15AM.