tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62050852023815264162024-03-13T13:49:59.236+00:00don quixote's travelsa travelogue in the time of the information superhighwaydon quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-81028088513304534532015-05-08T13:00:00.001+01:002015-05-08T13:12:52.762+01:00The politics of fear, division and self interest<div><br></div><div>Middle income England, the demographic that wins elections, don't give a shit.</div><div><br></div><div>They've sold their children's future for low taxes, increased house prices, gas guzzling cars, cleansing their neighbourhoods of the poor and young. Fuelled an economy that serves themselves with low paid insecure jobs for the bottom third, while they cling onto child benefits and gleefully cut welfare for others. Build up their pensions and private health insurance while cutting provision the less well off and having the effrontery to complain about how long it takes 'them' to see an NHS doctor. Enjoy the benefits given to them of free state higher education while stealing it from this, and future generations. Enjoyed the housing boom and the unearned accumulated wealth it gave 'them' but has refused to pay tax to build houses for those who can't afford buying or renting. Happy for an economy that no longer makes things but relies heavily on the financial sector, the very people who crashed all western economies and continue to steal our money.</div><div><br></div><div>They voted for the politics of self interest, of fear of the 'other', of division and inequality. They're not interested in securing a safe and healthy planet for their children to inherit. They're too busy partying into old age on house bubble wealth expecting the crumbling NHS to prolong their lives.</div><div><br></div><div>They voted for the Conservatives, it's in the name, preserve the status quo, conserve your wealth, your privilege and therefore, power.</div><div><br></div><div>'And you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families' - Margeret Thatcher 1987</div>don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-49210357561757706422015-04-25T18:33:00.001+01:002015-04-25T18:59:43.518+01:00'The winners get to write the history'<br>
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It's worth looking back to the reality of the 2008 crash, what this coalition inherited and how the LibCons used it to deliver ideologically driven 'austerity' cuts.<br>
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It's also worth noting that it is a lie that they were given a recession, the economy in 2010 was in moderate growth(ONS) The recession, the slowest to recover since the 1720's!(Blanchflower- Ex Bank of England), occurred after austerity cuts were enacted. Over half way through his term, Osbourne had to finally listen to the critics and slow the pace of the zealous cuts, which were increasing poverty and depressing living standards. He therefore, failed his target to eliminate the deficit, borrowed more than Labour did in 13 years(ONS) and suffocated the recovery. Finally, after 5 years, we go back to the modest growth that he inherited, but with many economists believing it to be fragile with no government investment to rebalance the economy towards manufacturing, a growing housing bubble and more cuts promised.<br><br>
Austerity stifles growth, reduces living standards and creates a crisis in underfunded public services, however, it does allow neo-liberal zealots to shrink the State and sell off public services to the private sector (the same people who fund their political parties and pay huge sums for consultancy favours after they leave office). It is a deliberate, opportunistic policy, using 'the deficit' as an excuse to cut and privatise and simultaneously fill the pockets of private companies with tax payers money.<br><br>
So, the debt. Successive governments since the 80's and the first sell-off's, privatisations, cuts in public services and cuts in taxes, have increased the national debt. In my view, it's obvious what has happened, if the dominant philosophy is one of a low wage, low tax, 'free-market' economy, you can't invest in public services or infrastructure without increasing debt. So that led to PFI's (private/public finance initiatives), building hospitals and schools with private money at exorbitant repayment rates that have saddled us with more debt. It led to outsourcing public services, to more sell-off's of state assets, to low tax receipts so that you can't pay off debt. Private sector investment alone, means that only short term, profitable spending occurs, 'cherry picking' the easiest services and leaving the State to pick up the tab for essential, but costly, services that the nation depends upon. Small government is good for the rich and powerful lobbyists, but not for the rest of the economy, not for infrastructure, skills & training or R&D, not for health & social care, education or housing policy. Not for defence & policing, not for counterterrorism.<br><br>
This is the neo-liberal free market consensus (low tax, low wage, deregulated economies) from Reagan &Thatcher through Major & Blair. All major parties have adopted it as well as most western governments. To advocate a rise in taxes or more State intervention or regulation of the economy is a heresy, a blasphemy against the 'faith'. And yet, it is this model that inevitably led to the financial meltdown and the biggest depression since the 30's.<br><br>
An unregulated financial sector, gluttonous on greed, traded in bundles of debt rather than investing in manufacturing, betting on the sub-prime mortgage market despite warnings from risk assessor's and with barely any government regulation. This led to the run on the banks as the bet's turned bad and they run out of money, the 'crash', the tax payers bailout, huge extra national debt, a huge deficit and ultimately, austerity and recession.<br><br>
That's not all neo-liberalism managed to do to us, by smashing the trade unions and deregulating the labour market ('flexible'), now we have insecure jobs, agency workers(less rights), exploitation of migrant labour, zero hour contracts, low wages (subsidised by government tax credits) a low tax threshold, and reduced spending in economy.<br>
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The State is rolled back, railway services cut and cherry picked, prices up, service down. The Power industry, ripoff prices, service down, no State investment in green energy, an opportunity lost! (Think what could have been done with a kind of 'Green New Deal', jobs and training in renewable energy technology, State backing to make us leaders in Europe). The Post Office, prices up, service down, sold off for a song so City of London spivs could make a quick buck. The slow privatisation of NHS, quality of care down, lots of tax payers money directly into the pockets of corporate healthcare via contracts. Running down the nations housing stock, sold again for a quick buck, lack of affordable homes increasing homelessness and fuelling rising house prices, locking out the next generation and leaving them to the mercy of Rackman landlords. We pay these vultures in housing benefit because the rents are too high for ordinary people to afford. A massive house building program, would have fixed the demand and supply problem, provided homes for those that needed them, created jobs & training and boosted the economy. Basic Keynesian economics, government intervention to help the economy and build infrastructure. That's how you get out of debt, it's counter intuitive, but by investing government money in national projects(at a time of record low interest rates) you create jobs, help businesses rebalance and boost the economy into growth and increase tax revenue as people have better wages and start spending again. Welfare costs go down as wages improve, rogue landlords no longer need subsidising with housing benefit, less tax credits and unemployment benefits. It has happened before, after the 2WW the Labour government embarked on a massive project, to provide clean, safe, affordable housing, tearing down the slums. It created the NHS, free healthcare at the point of use, ending the fear of unaffordable medical bills and dying in pain that haunted the poor before the war. It nationalised the railways, coal, energy, telecoms and built roads and dams. Just like Roosevelt's 'New Deal' in the US during the depression of the 30's, it brought us out of war debt and into the boom of the 50's/60's. We have to deal with our debt, but we can pay it off gradually, as we can afford It, and when our economy is booming and the tax receipts are rolling in. The banks, who brought us all to our knees, need to pay their debt to us.<br><br>
A financial transaction tax to go directly to the national debt.<br><br>
What we have now with neo-liberalism, are low wages, insecure jobs, lack of government investment, less infrastructure <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">building, less research&development to boost the economy. The low tax consensus has reduced investment in public services which has led to an A&E crisis, primary care crisis, more Baby P's, more suicides, more abuse of our elderly.</span><br><br>
Because of this consensus, no government can raise the basic rate of tax and get elected. So if they do want to invest, they have to use regressive taxes or go into debt, usually both, and privatise.<br>
This 'free market' economics has increased government debt because you can't maintain civilised public services without raising taxes. The ultimate goal is full privatisation of essential services. They will run them down until there is no choice, pretending we can't afford it. We should take our share of the blame, in buying into this bullshit economic 'theory' and allowing it to become a 'faith'.<br>
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<br>don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-73185893683511276132015-01-16T15:30:00.000+00:002015-08-24T06:33:15.075+01:00Paris attacks, Islamophobia and freedom of expression<br>
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I have many conflicting feelings regarding the attacks in Paris.<br>
Sadness and despair with both the increasing momentum of Jihadi fascism AND anti-muslim and anti-immigrant populism. Europe is sailing close to the conditions in the 30's that led to the democratic election of the National Socialist Party of Germany(Nazis) and fascism in Spain and Italy. Jews, gypsies and 'foreigners' were being blamed for all our woes in hard economic times.</div>
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As an atheist and secularist I in<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">stinctually defend the right for all of us to criticise and mock ALL those in power, politicians, bankers, corporations AND those who seek to influence our minds and have the power to do so. So that includes ALL religions, their gods, prophets, saints, their priests, imams and rabbis.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">However, with the right to free speech comes responsibilities. As a humanitarian and internationalist, I don't want us to ferment hatred of religious communities and add to intolerance and violence. In the UK there are laws that restrict free speech if it crosses the line into inciting racial or religious hatred. This is, of course, not straight forward. People who want their belief system to be protected from offence, have to be careful. Other beliefs will demand the same. Pro-Israeli groups have attempted to use 'anti-semitism' to shut down criticism of Israel's brutal occupation of Palestinian land.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">In a secular nation, no religion can have its belief system dominate the States laws and institutions. This not only protects citizens who don't believe in organised religion, but importantly, protects ALL minority religious communities from persecution and enshrines their rights to practice their faith in law.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Therefore, with freedom of expression, communities who feel they have been offended, have the right to campaign, to demonstrate, to lobby, to write and to draw. NOT to kill and intimidate.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">My instinct is for publications to self censor against an image of Muhammad. However, to muddy the water, I can't help wanting to see the cartoon proposed by a British cartoonist on C4 news. It would have Muhammad with the words "not in my name" written on his shirt.</span></div>
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</span>don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-90189356146051439612014-09-06T09:41:00.001+01:002014-09-06T09:41:33.685+01:00Iraq, Syria, ISIS and intervention. Whats happened to the civilian
crisis?<div>My fear is that as western attention focuses away from the refugees and potential refugees of the ISIS sociopathic slaughter towards US/UK individual hostages, yet again hundreds of 'Srebranica's' will shame us and abandon the people of Iraq and Syria. </div><div><br></div><div>Western governments and the media just can't help themselves reframing the narrative into 'OUR' hostages 'OUR' national interest 'OUR' assets. Soon the Yazidis, Tukahmen's, Assyrians, Kurds and others even less known, are marginalised and edited out of the story. Thus, they increasingly get marginalised in the military planning. Now the priorities start moving away from preventing genocide and protecting civilians and evolve into 'strategic' goals, who is going to provide the military power, can we sell intervention to our voters, will they stomach troops on the ground and the inevitable body bags coming home, will temporary alliances return to haunt us and who do the west want in power after we leave? All these questions and others, like will this action stimulate rather than diminish violent Jihadism? obviously need to be discussed, but the reality is that this narrative has already left the real victims, mostly muslims, behind. I heard of the plight and existence of the Yazidi only weeks ago, now there is nothing on the news networks. Are there still people on the mountains? If not where are they? Who is protecting them, the Kurds, the PKK or a small band of special forces? What about the other vulnerable people in towns and villages we've never heard of? in Syria and Iraq. How are they being supplied with food, medicine, warmth and shelter? If they've crossed boarders, whose monitoring it, are they safe? </div><div><br></div><div>Now Ukraine and Russia are taking our focus away, just like ISIS have taken the eyes off the occupied territories and Israel's war crimes in Palestine. (Muslims worldwide should take note, Neo-Jihadism has slowed the momentum and damaged the gains made in the journey towards Palestinian Statehood) Yes it is possible that Israel/CIA might have strategically aided ISIS to do just this, we'll see. </div><div><br></div><div>Airstrikes were needed immediately to force back ISIS forces and protect civilians and it appears that that was done. And, it might be that we should take on ISIS and at least severely diminish their military capability. However, where are the protective enclaves defended by force if necessary? humanitarian corridors for people and supplies protected by troops on the ground? Where are the field hospitals? The massive injection of governments aid to neighbouring countries to cope with refugees? These measures need to be mobilised within days of a humanitarian crisis and with the same financial investment that goes into war. The make up of the protective, defensive force can be rearranged over time to suit the local conditions and politics of the region, initially the response is rapid and done by whoever is in the best position to do it. It is not an occupation and can only act defensively to protect non combatants. That means safe havens demand troops actively defend the refugees unlike the pathetic response of the UN command in Srebrenica. So this means that 'troops on the ground' doesn't have to be an 'occupation' and yes it does risk greater military casualties. The reality is that the West's obsession with limiting its own casualties and relying on, almost exclusively, not very precise 'targeted' airstrikes invariably leads to many more civilian deaths, 'collateral damage' (in our language- hospitals, schools, children....see Gaza). </div><div><br></div><div>If we decide to intervene, we have to do it properly. Not only because the crisis demands it, but because the political capital that is gained from acting honourably and primarily in the interests of the populations that inhabit these lands, makes everyone (including ourselves) safer, trusted despite differing cultural/religious make-up's, more open to dialogue and change (free from the charge of hypocrisy), open to the idea of extending the hand of friendship, peace and respect. The lives saved on all sides, by adopting a consistent and honourable (free of strategic dirty tricks) foreign policy, will be immeasurable. </div><div><br></div><div>' And in the end the love you take, is equal to, the love you make' - Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starr </div><div><br></div>don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-62673763092993713732014-08-21T21:58:00.001+01:002014-08-25T06:51:42.761+01:00ISIS - The case for intervention from a secular left position<div> I won't refer to them by any new name, because they want to switch names to make propagandist points. These Islamic fascists believe they're on a mission from God/Allah, so like other religious fanatics and zealots throughout history and from all major faiths, they're not only deluded, but you cannot have a rational or reasoned negotiation with them. They desire to be martyred in their insane mission to force (by torture and death) all to follow their warped corruption of Islam. They have been transported through a time warp from the 7th century to the present day. They are so insane, that they will have indoctrinated their followers into believing that by doing that, they are saving the incorrect or non believers from eternal hell. These people make Hamas look like a Gandhi-an ashram which has got a little out of hand and is becoming a little bossy on Hindu scripture. Welcome back to our TV screens, the images of people hanging from lampposts, women buried up to their necks in the penalty area of a football pitch and stoned to death to the cheers of the crowd to entertain and intimidate. Welcome back to the pages of a Khaled Hosseini novel, to systematic paedophillia and rape of women, to the end of poetry, laughter, music and dance. </div><div><br></div><div>Faith based fanatics are the hardest of all fascist ideologies to confront because if you believe your doing the work of the imaginary creator of the universe and an all powerful, all consuming father of life and death itself, then a polite discussion on ethics, theology and international law, isn't going to get very far. </div><div><br></div><div>It is in this context, that we have to decide what we want our governments to do. Currently the Yazidis, a 5000 year old sect are facing genocide and Christians, who have dwelled in this land for at least 2000 years, are being slaughtered if they refuse to convert and cleansed from their homes and cities. The Kurds are yet again under threat and they, and the Iraqi army, are too weakly armed and organised to oppose them without help. Even insane 'political' ideologies like the Nazis, or fanatics like Pol Pot or Idi Armin, would not be stopped by a UN knuckle wrap, speeches of condemnation, or even sanctions, but these stone age thugs are not even a nation. They have no economy, legislature, judiciary or anything that exists, even in authoritarian regimes. They are a virus that has infected someone else's country and is attempting to set up a state within it, while crossing boarders and getting involved in another nations internal conflict. </div><div><br></div><div>They have to be stopped now. There might not be a better time to target the jihadis because they have gathered in one geographical area and are attempting to hold it. Guerrilla warfare is so much harder to combat, as the Vietcong taught the might of the US army, a model used by paramilitary organisations in any part of the world, ever since. I opposed the Iraq war because the pretext, was basically revenge on a Muslim country with a nasty dictator, fuelled by 9/11 and 'the war on terror' narrative, to appeal to a shocked and wounded public who wanted to find the culprits and hit them. With the Soviet Union gone, the neo-colonial West, also needed an enemy to fuel patriotism and get votes by appearing strong. The problem was, Iraq didn't have Islamic fascism like the Taliban in Afghanistan, they had a brutal dictator that kept order amongst the many tribal ethnicities and religions that make up the relatively young country. The US and UK carpet bombed Bagdad, very much like Israel are bombing Gaza, and caused enormous civilian casualties and removed the strong man that had kept religious sectarianism at bay and kept out the sociopaths, who were referred to, as ISIS. Saddam, remember, had been backed by the West in the Iran-Iraq war to serve our interests at the time. Just as the precursors to the Taliban were armed by the West in Afghanistan to fight the Soviets, take note General Sisi of Egypt! Not only that, the legal pretext for the Iraq invasion, WMD's, has been found to be a lie cooked up by Blair and Bush. Invoking the name of God in speeches and interviews, they were seen by many in the Muslim world, as Christian crusaders. The precision bombing was nothing of the sort, and the civilian carnage increased, and let's be honest, air strikes make sure that the western forces minimised their casualties at the expense of the Iraqi civilian population. After Saddam was removed, the vacuum was there to fill and as the Iraqi body count increased, along with resentment at a full-on occupation, the fruit from the tree of hate was ripe to pick. So out of the woodwork, and across the boarders, came the jihadis which Bush and Blair had prepared the ground for, having failed to secure a ready supply of cheap oil. </div><div><br></div><div>So the US/UK governments bare a big responsibility for the turmoil that has been unleashed on Iraq, initially as a former colonial power(Britain), for the bombing and years of occupation, torture, contracts for rebuilding won by our companies and after enormous loss of life from our troops as well. Many of whom, did think they were going to topple a dictator and liberate the people. Instead we left them split apart, a destroyed infrastructure and economy and with a bunch of fanatical cavemen to terrorise their fragile nation. The same narrative is playing out in Libya and it would happen if we got directly involved in Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>Add to the mix our government's double standards in its blindness to the tragedy of the Palestinians and their oppression by Israel, along with direct military, cultural, economic and political support for the occupation, siege and racist brutality of the Netanyahu government. A coalition, with what only can be described as Israeli supremacists, not interested in a two state solution, only land grabs designed to make a viable future Palestinian State, impossible. More than any other dispute, the plight of the Palestinians and their decades long struggle to retrieve a tiny part of their homeland and to keep their dignity, while being forced to live in a giant prison camp by their never satisfied neighbours, this reality has given the Oxygen and fuel to Islamic extremism. Angry young men, who, for some reason, haven't had a political outlet for their frustration at the West's complicity in this injustice suffered by Muslim Arabs, have turned to political Islam to, in their minds, 'right the wrong'. We have in part, and likely covertly, created ISIS. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Islamaphobia and the support for Israel's </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">right to exist, at the expense of the Palestinian's right to Statehood, just </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">fuels it even more.</span></div><div><br></div><div>So what do we ask our governments to do when witnessing a genocide in Iraq, while learning the lessons of recent history? How do we want our so-called 'leaders' to respond and frame the argument for intervention? I'll tell you how I don't want it framed or 'sold' to the public. Exactly how Obama has responded! The crass 'leadership' of national self interest and fear of the polls. So his initial statement talked of American citizens and 'assets' at risk in northern Iraq, the threat to Christians and as a footnote, a humanitarian disaster. No immediate need for a protective enclave, defended by troops on the ground, to make sure we don't repeat the shame of Srebrenica. A humanitarian corridor set up by multi-nationational special forces and defended, to help the cleansed Yazhidi, Tutkmams, Assyrians, Kurds and, yes, Christians. No talk of the secular morality of standing by ALL faiths and races, including mainstream Muslims who will, when the bodies are counted, be the biggest victims of this blood fest. No, not struggling with that, no, 'we have to protect America's interests' 'our' citizens and the Christians, oh and the Yazhidi, but you public don't really know who they are do you? Anyway, Christians are being cleansed! It's those Muslims again! No, what our so called leaders are thinking, is not strong, principled leadership, we haven't had that since Carter. What they're thinking is, how will this play in the polls? What will the press say? Spotty faced spin doctors and advisors will be buzzing around them saying ' there's an election soon, caution how do we appear'? Strong, patriotic, 'yeh', tick, 'but body bags coming home, the votes on Syria, wait a minute'! Do something but not what needs to be done, enough for PR but put this off so it can bite us back big time a few years down the line.</div><div><br></div><div>Notice I haven't mentioned Cameron, well there's a good reason for that, he's on his hol's and massacres in Gaza and Iraq, spheres of British influence, don't seem a good enough reason to recall Parliament. Thats our governments idea of leadership and responsibility. Of course, we have to be careful in the West in how we intervene. We have to be mindful of mission-creep, of who we are arming and what the possible consequences could be in the future from short term alliances. However, inaction is not an option. Firstly, and the priority, is preventing a genocide and protecting the civilian populations. That isn't going to happen with a few air strikes and dropping of supplies. Special forces need to be on the ground and securing safe corridors. Other nations, especially countries with muslim populations, need to be involved. Secondly, we have to decide if a break up of Iraq is a containable and sustainable reality, because the Kurds, in all likelihood, will expect something for being the frontline against ISIS and they need arming. Thirdly, the only chance for some semblance of an Iraqi State to survive this catastrophe and remain stable, is an inclusive government. Forget elections, look at the experience of Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan. Our democracies evolved over centuries, to transplant Parliamentary democracy on to fragile, divided and unstable countries with populations that have only ever known authoritarian rule (including colonial dictatorship), is ridiculous. Direct elections increases instability and violence and allows opportunists, corrupt existing politicians, sectarian religious groups and the military to fill vacuum. Political parties have had no opportunity to openly form and build bases, even if they existed underground or in the past. This was the massive advantage that the Muslim Brotherhood had in Egypt when they rapidly advanced to elections. The goal should be representative democracy, inclusive government of national unity. Representatives of ethnic and religious minorities, Trade Unions, Business, Women's groups, Youth and Student organisations, along with voices from intellectuals, arts, journalism and Science. They should be charged with drafting a secular constitution for a modern State and then that should be put to the people in a referendum as soon as that is safe and secure. On a temporary basis, it might need a General or a bureaucrat to head the State, until that constitution is agreed upon. No religious States, not Jewish, not Islamic, not Hindu, not Christian, secularism should be the credo of our age. Not to suppress religious expression, but indeed, to protect peoples rights to believe in the deity of their choice, whether or not it is a minority faith, or the choice not to believe. Inclusivity can only come from a secular constitution where politicians happen to have a particular faith, rather than religious political parties advancing the cause of their religion and plotting to inculcate their beliefs and lifestyle into the State's apparatus and dictate to the entire population. </div><div><br></div><div>Many people believe that the Saudi's and Qatar are funding Al Qaida and ISIS and even, Israel, for their strategic interests. However, if it is possible, it begs the question, why doesn't the West confront them? Not only that, why do we cosy up to these authoritarian, misogynistic, archaic States. The co-author of the 'war on terror', Tony Blair, travels the world ingratiating himself with such regimes, and makes a fortune. The reality is that the house of Saud, holds a lot of cards. Oil drives the military industrial complex and raising prices can have catastrophic consequences for capital. The financial system, recovering from the biggest crash since 1929, needs their investments. Given that it's been obvious since the oil crisis of the 70's, and through the Gulf wars of the 90's and 2000's, that our dependency on Middle Eastern oil leaves us so vulnerable, why do we not invest in renewable energy? The sad truth is that short term profits and power for elites, the world over, come before long term sanity. This is insane, not only for environmental reasons just as climate temperatures reach levels that might be irreversible, but because we could have energy self sufficiency, create jobs and prevent more war. </div><div><br></div><div>So, should we intervene yet again in Gulf nations that we in the West, clearly don't understand and have failed to act sensitively in the past? Will it be just another neo-colonial disaster? The answer is twofold, first, we can't not act. ISIS have to be halted and genocide prevented. Civilians need protection and stable government has to be established. Secondly, it's how that intervention is conducted. For once, if the rhetoric from our 'leaders' focused on security for the indigenous population rather than, 'our interests' 'our assets'. That they didn't invoke the 'Christian' God and made it clear that the largest group of victims from the ISIS slaughter machine, are muslims and the reputation of mainstream Islam. </div><div><br></div><div>One issue remains. In alliance with Middle Eastern forces, is this the moment to not only hold back the psychopaths of political Islam, but to deliver a fatal blow. There might not be a better chance now they've come out into the open, and, it's in everybody's interests in the progressive Middle East. Maybe the brave, young, educated and aspiring people who inspired the Arab Spring, can say that the West finally acted in an honourable and courageous way. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-41596413728235477102014-08-09T14:56:00.001+01:002014-08-09T14:56:43.319+01:00Boycotting Israel in UK<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/opaOsAxL2EM" width="459"></iframe>don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-48250932979008802082014-08-01T21:54:00.001+01:002014-08-09T15:09:52.669+01:00Social Media is winning the battle of ideas in #Gaza<div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The coverage of Gaza from Channel 4 news UK has been in complete contrast to the BBC and other mainstream TV news channels in the UK and US. I'm sure that is due to pressure by social media to record the perceptions of the weaker side, the oppressed, the, before now, voiceless and I think Paul Mason is part of that. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It's a different world now that social media can counter mainstream media's bias for western governments interests. Twitter and Facebook are giving a balance to reporting international events. This really accelerated from 2009 and the failed green revolution in Iran and then spread to the Arab spring and then to the Occupy movement in the west. I say it over and over again and won't apologise READ Paul Mason's ' why it's kicking off everywhere' Our leaders haven't fully woken up to what is happening, there is a revolution in information exchange and the social movements that are arising because of it. It will be bigger and have a wider impact than the 60's cultural revolution in the west because it's worldwide.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span>don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-53277830565982349232014-07-29T19:36:00.002+01:002014-07-29T19:36:31.863+01:00GAZA - CAUTION ANTI-ZIONISTS! DIRECT ANGER AT ISRAEL NOT JEWS OR JUDAISM <br />
http://www.truetorahjews.org/issues/paris<br />
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Anti-semitism is raising it's ugly head in Europe,again, Jewish areas and business's are being attacked for the actions of Israel and Gaza is fuelling it and being used to justify it. Anti-Zionists and anti-racists/fascists have a responsibility to distinguish between Jewish people, Judaism and Zionists (who desire a peaceful 2 state solution with justice for the Palestinians) AND the Neo-Zionist Rightist ultra-nationalistic apartheid Israel which is currently brutalising Gaza (and it's own people) through indoctrination in Israeli schools and in the media, using racist colonial language and imagery to demonise Arabs and Muslims.<br />
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So accepting people are angry at the deliberate bombing of schools and hospitals by Israel, the lies their polished propaganda machine uses to justify it and the complicity of US/UK in supporting this slaughter, anti-Jewish sentiment and actions are racist and wrong, always. The government and military of Israel and her backers are responsible, as well as the 80% of the Israeli public opinion who cheerlead the IDF in its terror. So many Israeli Jews are opposing the war on the Palestinian people, refuseniks are increasing and outside Israel, enormous numbers of the diaspora are opposed to the occupation,however, many will keep their heads down fearing the anti-Semitic backlash.<br />
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So, challenge the racists wherever they raise their heads, in the ranks of the anti-Israel protests as well as amongst the Neo-Zionists in and outside Israel.<br />
don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-66854669670449102472013-02-14T09:47:00.001+00:002013-02-14T09:47:35.514+00:00Our home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-86444813162456685472009-01-07T14:40:00.001+00:002009-01-07T14:40:16.391+00:00<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelhsu/2777103744/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/2777103744_5d34b9fe5d_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelhsu/2777103744/"></a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/michaelhsu/">michaelhsu</a></span></div><br clear="all" />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-52597105077891302362007-12-19T15:48:00.000+00:002013-02-14T09:34:44.746+00:00latest news<br />
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Christmas is fast approaching and it feels strange observing it abroad and in a hot climate. There are decorations in the windows but not so much in the streets. I realised that apart from the climate, the major difference is with tv, here it doesn´t dominate every advert, every link and flog it to death. We will spend christmas eve with some friends and then open up on the day as many people venture out and hopefully spend money here. There is evidence of people arriving to open up their holiday homes, 1st of jan and the summer season will start in earnest.</div>
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Our immediate lives have been dominated by a horrible event that happened a week ago. The kittens were exploring outside the garden area and climbing down from a tree when a couple of street dogs sped around the corner and managed to catch borisita by the leg and violently shook her before her mother jumped on the dogs back and saved her. We took her to the vets and she had broken her hip and it was a nights observation to see if there had been abdominal trauma. The next day she came back with those fears allayed but with a strapped leg and instructions to keep her in a tight space and restrict her movement for a month. She´s recovering well, but its hard for her to watch her brother and mum running free, and her incarcerated.</div>
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The compost project is going well, more bodge construction work has gone on including a wooden screen to hide the kitchen window from punters, katherine is making sun dried tomatoes and has started knitting and crocheting. We have contacted a solicitor to start the process of buying the house next door. We are getting very excited about how we could develop the property and how we could live part of the year here and part at home. A punter who is buying land across the road, said that he had seen plans for major development of this part of town that would increase the value of all properties in this area, which makes us feel even more confident about this project.</div>
don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-83507225904882622862007-11-29T19:31:00.001+00:002007-11-29T19:31:01.883+00:00mosquito frame for the casita<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/2063581074/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2338/2063581074_efa3b79462_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/2063581074/">DSCF1401</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/84969099@N00/">finbowa</a> </span></div><br clear="all" />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-74349055303454934312007-11-21T16:37:00.001+00:002007-11-21T16:37:43.170+00:00boris, carlito&borisita<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/2039922441/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2093/2039922441_1c2ff32f5b_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/2039922441/">boris, carlito&borisita</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/84969099@N00/">finbowa</a> </span></div><br clear="all" />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-13290159456949464082007-11-21T16:27:00.000+00:002007-11-21T16:31:27.070+00:00It´s raining cats and dogsIt´s spring here, which is different from england, it is very changeable, but can leap from 28c and very hot, back to 11c and bloody cold and then hover in the middle being warm but with torrential rain and lightning storms that last for a couple of hours. And yet this is not a tropical climate, it´s something very different. What we don´t get, is the endless drizzly days of home.<br />What we also get, is dogs everywhere. Behind their ,not so secure, fences warning you off, roaming the streets in packs chasing car wheels and winding up the dogs behind the fences, goading them with their freedom. Cats are here in their numbers, however due to the dogs, they keep their heads down. When we arrived, borisita(after yeltsin) was within days of giving birth, enormous.<br />After a week or so, she left and was not seen for long parts of the day and it became obvious that she had a litter hidden somewhere. Over the next couple of weeks, we searched in vain but found nothing. We gave up, believing that they must have died or been snatched.<br />Six weeks later, we have a day clearing out the shed and hire a skip to clear away all the garden waste and accumulated crap on the land. Hidden in insulation foam, right at the back of the shed under loads of wood, tiles and equipment, are two tiny bundles of fur. The shed is bang in the middle of the dogs garden and the door was not always open. How she got them in there, and the gauntlet of fear she would have to run, to reach them, I don´t know. So now we have two babies, carlito (tevez) and borisita (mum now plain old boris). Katherine and I have fostered them and their mother for the next 2 weeks, after that, they will have to make their own way in the world. Hopefully they, like their mum, will keep on returning to us and become semi-domesticated cats. We will be leaving at the end of the summer, so they can´t get used to a home and then have it taken away from them.don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-63035483972479592942007-11-11T13:48:00.001+00:002007-11-11T13:48:22.169+00:00front of resturant<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/1618308359/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/1618308359_6456c71bca_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/1618308359/">front of resturant</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/84969099@N00/">finbowa</a> </span></div><br clear="all" />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-47617338299777082007-11-11T13:35:00.000+00:002007-11-11T15:23:43.840+00:00cordoba, argentinawe´ve been to cordoba twice now, once on a day shopping trip to get some decent non- travelling clothes and then for a 3 day visit to get to know the city. It is argentina´s second or third city depending on who you believe, rosario is growing at a rapid rate. It has a population of about 1.2 million, many being students of the oldest university in argentina dating back to 1613 and built by the Jesuits. It houses a second university, the country´s motor industry and it´s province is increasingly becoming home to people fleeing buenos aires, either for holidays or for good. Villa giardino lies in the punilla valley, one of three valleys carving their way north from the city.<br />It is not as pretty as salta for example, but more than makes up for it with it´s vibrancy. It reminds me a little of valencia, not as visited as barcelona or sevilla, but a fantastic place to sample the culture and creativity of a country. It has a network of pedestrianised shopping streets, a canal that dissects the city, a good number of art galleries and museums, lot´s of restaurant´s and bar´s and a massive city park for boating on the lake, sports and a zoo. The young population bring with them a vibe that marks the city and provides energy to the place.<br />One example, was probably the highlight of our visit, returning from a drink in the hip part of town at about 1am, we dropped into a spit and sawdust empenada restaurant which we had been to in the day. Two table´s of musicians were playing traditional songs on the guitar, passing it between them every two to three songs. They were not performing for money, the owner had lent them the guitar. One table had a big guy with a beautiful voice, his friend accompanying him. On the other, were four young guys who sang the most incredible harmony´s in almost operatic voices, it was stunning and totally spontaneous. We wondered whether they were music students.<br />We stayed at the international backpackers hostal, with a reasonable amount of traveller´s there, that surprised me as on our travels down to argentina, we hadn´t met anyone who had been to cordoba. It took about an hour and a half on the bus to arrive back in the mountains, a beautiful contrast to the bustling city. Business is still slow but sufficient, the weather sunny most days with the odd dramatic electrical storm. Each day we find new stunning walks and get to know the area better. We´re learning spanish slowly, meeting david and jp´s friends forces us to communicate, which is good and fun. I´ve constructed a compost bin and read up on how to manage it, katherine is turning her hand to some crafts and is fully trained up as the comis chef, we´re both reading alot in the hammocks. We are still looking at properties and might have raised the funds to buy. We´ve worked out projections on what we need to earn in the uk and what we need to live here for the rest of the year.don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-50099975222240375452007-10-11T17:24:00.001+01:002007-11-23T19:11:48.335+00:00villa giardino, argentinaLife here is wonderful, the weather at the moment is the only down side. We can have a week of sunny days in the 26´s and then it will revert back to cold and rain around the 10´s. But it´s still only the spring, summer isn´t until december when it will be hot but can rain a lot. This is a beautiful place, it´s surrounded by green mountains and rolling hills, you can walk from here directly into them. We are nestled amongst trees just off the main street and a five minute walk into the village. Gauchos on horseback ride by several times a day and horses roam about grazing at their leisure. The people are incredibly friendly and don´t appear to be resentful of foreigners because they are helping the local economy and bringing in more tourists. Also, because this is a land of immigrants, it is open to more and there is land aplenty. This is still emerging as a tourist place, the main people being from buenos aires(porteños), many with second homes here and some who have moved here permanently. A 2 minute walk away is los caminos del artisanas, which runs to la cumbre(15k) along a rough track, an already established tourist centre. Numerous artists and handicraft shops are located there, selling fantastic things at absurdly low prices. This whole area is a centre for walking, mountain biking, horse riding and paragliding. The economy in argentina, while improving and rising out of the 2002 crash, is still slow to recover and especially in buenos aires, there is significant poverty amongst the lower middle and working classes. David and JP´s business is a small tapas restaurant, selling things like spanish tortilla, meatballs, beef in beer, pork and apple , cheese and jamon plata, etc in small bowls. Lovely ambience and outside seating area. Katherine is nearly trained up as the comis chef working with david and I am the runner, taking the orders to them in the kitchen, delivering the food to JP to serve and looking after the bills. JP is the front man, explaining about the food and generally chatting them up. This weekend will test our new systems as its a long weekend holiday and we expect to be busy, stress could be high and we might all end up killing each other! So wish us luck! Standard of living is cheap, though inflation is rising, and property and land are incredibly cheap. There are 2 properties right by davids that we could be interested in. One is set back from the main street, has about an acre of land and already has the floors and walls built, we think work stopped when money run out. 3 bedrooms, space for an internal court yard and a roof terrace. This could be going for 17000 pounds and with low labour and materials costs, could be done up for as little as 5000 pounds. Another, is a similar size and has the house built already but would need work. Nestled amongst trees and overlooking horses in a field and on the other side a view of the mountains, just back from the main street, 15000 pounds.We are seriously considering to buy here and return to the uk for the summers to nurse, keep our registration up and earn money that will go along way here. So we could do a place up slowly and to our design, each time we come out. We could end up with a house that would cost 1/2 a million at home in an emerging tourist area and a growing national economy that hasn´t seen the generals for over twenty years. There are risks, but when the investment isn´t too huge, there isn´t too much to loose.don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-18145585744404792642007-10-04T20:48:00.000+01:002007-10-11T17:28:41.729+01:00argentinaWe arrived in this beautiful land two weeks ago, exhausted and bruised from our tour of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">salar</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">de</span> uyuni<span style="color:#ffff00;"> </span>in Bolivia. The boarder crossing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">didn</span>´t present too many problems, however the bus to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Salta</span> was a big <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">disappointment</span>. Every traveller, without <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">exception</span>, heading northwards from Argentina had said the buses were the best in SA. We got <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">herded</span> past the posh bus to another <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">shitsville</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">imitation</span> and told it to was going to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Salta</span>. It <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">wasn</span>´t the chicken bus but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">luxury</span>, would not be an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">adjective</span> I would use. More to the point, it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">wasn</span>´t going to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Salta</span>. No, it was going to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Jujuy</span>, where we were supposed to change on to another bus for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Salta</span>, that information never relayed to us, so consequently we miss the connection and wait around the bus station for four hours at night time. Lot´s of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">negotiation</span>, in limited <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Spanish</span>, eventually get´s us on the last bus for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Salta</span> but now we will arrive in the early hours. This was a posh bus! so tired and stressed, we sat back and enjoyed front top seats and cruised off into the night.<br /><br />First impressions from the bus(?) window were interesting. Heading south from the boarder, faces, landscape and buildings <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">weren</span>´t as different as I´d expected. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">indigena</span> were still present in smaller numbers but also in the faces of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">landino</span>´s. There were still mud brick houses and poverty in abundance. The difference was in the infrastructure, the roads were paved and so many more private cars. From <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Jujuy</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Salta</span>, gradually the differences with Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia ironed themselves out to reveal a country that could place itself in southern Europe with ease. As the bus entered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Salta</span> from the hills, the lights of the city welcomed us into it´s valley and introduced us to a bus station that was better than any I have seen in England.don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-63228410986872902692007-09-15T22:05:00.000+01:002007-09-15T22:19:11.792+01:00saylar de uyuni tour - tupiza near to bolivian/argentinian boarderWe leave tomorrow for a 4 day tour of the salt plains, lagoons and just spectacular scenery. This also includes the place where butch casidy and sundance kid were gunned down and finally killed. We go in 4x4 jeeps with 3 other people, and will have to endure possibly -15c at night in basic accommodation, but then hot in the day. Will post with more when we return and have arrived in argentina and at davids near cordoba. After the 4 days on tour, the next day we will catch a train to the boarder and then a bus to salta on the argentinian side. Then it´s just a 12 hour bus ride to cordoba. Once at villa giardino in the Sierras de cordoba, we plan to settle down for a while and help with davids business, save a few quick trips!don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-54685861866699812492007-09-15T22:04:00.001+01:002007-09-15T22:04:18.384+01:00"Worlds Most Dangerous Road" Mountain Bike Trip, Bolivia<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmw/1052345252/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1066/1052345252_3e225ddfdc_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmw/1052345252/">"Worlds Most Dangerous Road" Mountain Bike Trip, Bolivia</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/johnmw/">John M-W</a> </span></div><br clear="all" />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-87460074542188435262007-09-15T21:46:00.000+01:002007-09-15T21:55:35.054+01:00"the most dangerous road in the world" la paz-coriocoI will post later at greater length on this subject, the bike ride, but also the stay in the yungas which is at the bottom, 3500m and 64km below the snow capped la cumbre where we started. Suffice it to say, that this experience was on a par with seeing macchu pichu for the first time.don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-78468572609834511212007-09-07T16:50:00.001+01:002007-09-07T16:50:50.766+01:00La Paz<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/suzannehitchen/309759059/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/100/309759059_63b5153ec8_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/suzannehitchen/309759059/">La Paz</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/suzannehitchen/">suzienewshoes</a> </span></div><br clear="all" />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-21110496353203339812007-09-07T15:53:00.000+01:002007-09-07T16:47:48.168+01:00la paz city, boliviaKatherine, monkey and I have arrived in the highest capital city in the world, though officially Sucre is the capital of Bolivia. The airport is at 4000 m, luckily the city is about 400 m lower in the valley, a spectacular sight as you enter from above by bus, a sprawling, expanding city that is literally crawling out of the valley over the rim. This creates a new city, El Alto(the fastest growing in SA), housing the populations migrating from the countryside.<br />Sucre was on the news yesterday, it appears that there has been demonstrations and violence in the city and the parliament has been suspended. If this continues, we might well avoid it, though many postings on thorn tree say that there are always demo's and road blockades in Bolivia and that usually foreigners aren't targeted, just disrupted and delayed by them.<br />On Sunday, we are booked on the 'most dangerous road in the world' mountain bike ride(Google it) an incredible downhill ride from La Paz to the Yungas, a sub-tropical climate, a drop of 3500 m and 80 km. Can't wait!! lots of people from our hostal(adventure brew) have done it and say it's fantastic. This hostal has it's own micro-brewery(one free beer a day) and a designer bar at the top of the building with glass windows all around with great views of the city at night.<br />We are going to stay in the Yungas for a little while, where there are some beautiful walks to waterfalls and trips to coffee plantations etc and then back to La Paz to head south towards Argentina. We've decided against going to the amazon, a mixture of cost, mozzies and dengue fever and are we doing it just because we should. People have said that you could be unlucky and hardly see any wild life anyway. Along with this, we are keen to see as much of Argentina as we can before working at David's and when the weather is at it's best(i.e Patagonia).<br />By the way, I'll go back to edit and write more on previous posts when I get time.don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-14043797958087059272007-09-01T16:41:00.001+01:002007-09-01T16:41:06.715+01:00cusco<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/1294962572/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1378/1294962572_8a756efb55_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84969099@N00/1294962572/">DSCF0606</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/84969099@N00/">finbowa</a> </span></div><br clear="all" />don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205085202381526416.post-66887483525391747412007-09-01T15:55:00.000+01:002007-09-01T16:31:46.044+01:00cusco, machu picchuWe have finally arrived at Cusco, the ancient Inca capital, designed in the shape of a panther, a symbol of strength. Beautiful and beguiling, a city to match the best in Spain. It's high at 3300 m, higher than Machu Picchu itself. Climbing the steep steps from the main plaza to the artists quarter of San Blas, you have to fight for your breath, the altitude holds hands with the spectacular views, the cobbled streets, the Inca stone work, the colours of the textiles in the shops and adorning the indigina, to squeeze your lungs and beat your heart. This is a kind of pilgrimage.don quixotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12059092568321834149noreply@blogger.com0