Genghis

Just finished this absolutely fascinating book and highly recommend it:

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford

It goes a long way toward explaining how much of the world was shaped well before Europe took too much Enlightenment credit. Compared to several other dominant cultures, Europe really needed enlightenment. The Mongols actually turned back after defeating Europe's armies because they realized there was relatively little loot compared to Muslim and Asian achievements. Genghis Khan was an astonishingly wise leader who incorporated all the best learning and technologies into his mobile empire from whatever culture he defeated by preserving the scholars, craftsman, etc. He rose from an outcast's status and achieved this. When he was a boy, his father died and his mother, kidnapped from a different tribe, was abandoned by the group. Among other things, he bent her sewing needles into fish hooks to keep the family alive. Then he took over the world.

Quote

"Nature is defined by human memory, which is infinitely shorter than ecological memory." -- A Hawaiian agricultural inspector to Alan Burdick in "Out of Eden"

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"The idea that some places are the same as others is a lie. The world is a kind of tremor." -- Roberto Bolaño, 2666

Mirrors and rainbows

This week brings news that South Africa, the Rainbow Nation, denied the Dalai Lama a visa to attend a peace conference. To the press, the government response is that he that he would be a distraction from promoting the World Cup. The conference is to extoll the virtues of sport in overcoming racism and social ills while promoting the 2010 World Cup. Two South African Nobel laureates, Tutu and F.W. De Klerk, said they'll withdraw from the conference in protest. The government spokesman denied that China had any influence yet a Chinese embassy official freely stated to the press that they most certainly did ask that the Lama be denied and said his visit could harm bilateral relations (SA accounts for about 20% of China's trade African countries). In 1994, the new South Africa was eager to assert itself as the leader and assistant of all African countries and proclaimed its solidarity with underdogs throughout the world. The wealth of the country has largely stayed put at the top and the powerful are once again very comfortable. China is calling in its chits. It seems that, now in South Africa, everything is just business.

Chobe Xmas 2008

Long time, no post. For the New Year, this blog will be more active. We spent Xmas in Chobe Park in northern Botswana. You can see some pictures here.

Hooks & Luck

Not only is that a great name for a band, it's what I'll need. Here is a shot of the type of fly (huge), lure and hooks that I'll be using on a fishing trip on the Congo River for goliath tiger fish. See some pictures of the beastie here. (special photo bonus: dog feet in lower right corner)

New Article

A short article of mine, "An Elephant Bouquet," is in the Affairs section of the September issue of Monocle magazine.