Cabo Blah-o

Shootout leaves eight dead near Mexico's Los Cabos tourist hub.  A shootout near the Mexican beach resort of Los Cabos early on Monday between suspected gang members and navy forces has left eight dead, including one soldier.  The incident took place before dawn on the outskirts of San Jose del Cabo, about 20 miles (30 km) northeast of the area's main tourist hub of Cabo San Lucas. Security forces later recovered unspecified drugs, vehicles, communications equipment, military-issued weapons and uniforms, the navy said in a statement.   Reuters

For some better news: Hungary. No, really.

Thousands of Hungarians marched across central Budapest on May 1 in a show of support for the European Union, protesting against what they described as a rise in Russian influence under Prime Minister Viktor Orban.  The rally follows a series of major demonstrations in Budapest in recent weeks, triggered by a new law inspired by Russia that would drive out of Hungary a top university founded by U.S. financier George Soros.  Radio Free Europe

Glad someone noticed this is a real thing

Germany pledges $76m to aid Somalia fight hunger.  Germany says it will double the $76m it has already pledged to help Somalia cope with the severe drought and hunger that is threatening millions of people across this Horn of Africa nation.  The promise was made during a surprise visit by Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Monday.  News24

For those who really, really want a fresh Parisian baguette, but may not have read the news in the past two years

The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert for Europe on May 1, saying U.S. citizens should be aware of a continued threat of terrorist attacks throughout the continent.  In the alert, the State Department cited recent incidents in France, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and said Islamic State and Al-Qaeda "have the ability to plan and execute terrorist attacks in Europe."  Radio Free Europe

Seriously, you arrested NPR? At least they bothered to show up...

Journalist freed in South Sudan after 3 nights in jail.  South Sudan detained an NPR journalist for nearly four days before releasing him on Monday, a spokesperson for the organization said.  Eyder Peralta has returned to his base in Kenya but his South Sudanese assistant is still being held by authorities, Isabel Lara told The Associated Press in an email.   News24

Think of this next time you think registering to vote is no big deal

DRC postpones voter registration in 2 provinces after 'brutal' killing.  The Democratic Republic of Congo said on Monday it had indefinitely postponed voter registration in two provinces of its troubled central Kasai region after the brutal killing of an electoral official.  On April 3, Philippe Iyidimbe, of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), "was decapitated by militias of Chief Kamwina Nsapu in Ndekesha", in central DRC, the CENI said in a statement.   News24

It's not like he needs it, but God bless Pope Francis

Pope Francis is brushing off security concerns to forge ahead on Friday with a two-day trip to Egypt aimed at presenting a united Christian-Muslim front that repudiates violence committed in God's name.  Three weeks after Islamic militants staged twin Palm Sunday church attacks, Francis is to lands in Cairo in the early afternoon for a series of deeply symbolic encounters with Egypt's religious and political leadership.  Associated Press

With friends like these...

The Turkish government gave the United States less than an hour’s notice before conducting strikes on partner forces in Iraq and Syria, the U.S. military said on Wednesday, stepping up its criticism of airstrikes the United States said endangered American personnel.  Col. John Dorrian, a U.S. military spokesman, said the lead time failed to provide adequate notice to reposition American forces or warn Kurdish groups with whom the United States is partnering against the Islamic States.  “That’s not enough time. And this was notification, certainly not coordination as you would expect from a partner and an ally in the fight against ISIS,” he said, using an acronym for the Islamic State.  The Washington Post

Fighting graft -- good. Having masked, armed men whisk people out of government buildings -- little weird.

Moldovan Transport and Roads Infrastructure Minister Lurie Chirinciuc has been detained on corruption charges, the latest in a string of arrests on suspicion of graft in the economically struggling country.  Masked officers from Moldova's National Anticorruption Center removed Chirinciuc from the ministry building in the capital, Chisinau, on April 27.  Radio Free Europe

'Dangit, the Game of Thrones extras went to the wrong location!'

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov called an emergency meeting of political leaders Friday, hours after demonstrators - mostly supporters of the country's dominant conservative party - invaded parliament and assaulted opposition lawmakers.  But it was unclear whether opposition leaders would attend, and political tension remained high after the riot in which 77 people were injured, mostly lightly.  Associated Press

Are we sure this wasn't a really poorly thought-out LARP?

A 23-year-old man, alleged founder of the Anti-State Capture Death Squad Alliance, has been arrested by the Hawks police unit. The man is accused of appealing to donors to fund an operation to assassinate Cabinet ministers using undercover coup plot snipers.  All Africa

Neverending/How many lives does it take?

Two U.S. service members were killed during operations against the Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Thursday, the latest sign of the security challenges the Trump administration faces in America’s longest and most costly war.  Military officials said the deaths occurred during a joint U.S.-Afghan raid on Wednesday evening in Nangahar province, where a small but virulent Islamic State cell poses a threat to Afghan and U.S. coalition forces.  A third service member was wounded in the same operation, the U.S. military command in Afghanistan said in a statement. The Pentagon declined to immediately identify those killed.  Washington Post At least 20 people were killed in ethnic clashes last week in Democratic Republic of Congo's troubled Kasai region, according to the United Nations. The UN's DR Congo mission said in a statement on Wednesday that the clashes took place in the central region, east of the Kasai capital, Tshikapa.  Al Jazeera Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have fled their homes and are now trapped under intense sun without food, water or medical care, aid agencies said on Thursday after fierce fighting forced them to pull out of the region.  Almost 40,000 thirsty people are camped out in temperatures of about 40 degrees centigrade in Aburoc village, near the border with Sudan, said Marcus Bachmann, South Sudan head of mission for the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).  The quantity of water is not enough to survive in this environment," he told a news briefing via Skype from Juba.  With so many people squeezed in one place, the risk of an outbreak of cholera is extremely high. It puts the exhausted population at highest risk of death."  Reuters Human Rights Watch says armed groups targeting civilians in Central African Republic have killed at least 45 people and displaced 11,000 in the past three months.  The rights group said Tuesday that two factions are vying for control of the central part of the country. It says one predominantly Peul faction of the mostly Muslim Seleka group has been fighting since late 2016 with another faction that has aligned itself with the Christian anti-Balaka group.  Associated Press Violent conflict between rebel groups has been raging in the Central African Republic for years. Aid agencies are warning that the humanitarian situation is worsening dramatically.  Holding a hammer, Marcel Hamat walks through his house, or what remains of it. For the first time, the 52-year-old has returned to his hometown, Iyeda, after it was attacked and nearly razed to the ground in October 2016.  All Africa

Spring has sprung?

Afghanistan's Taliban announced the start of their spring offensive Friday, promising to build their political base in the country while focusing military assaults on coalition and Afghan security forces.  Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced the launch of the offensive in an email statement that boasted Taliban control over more than half of the country, referencing a February report issued by Washington's special inspector general for Afghan reconstruction.  Associated Press

Nothing can make this comical

“We will kill all trans people here”, El Salvador's trans community lives in fear “They’ve put out an order to get rid of all of us,” according to Sebastian Cerritos, a coordinator for Astrans LGBTI, an LGBTI charity based in El Salvador. “The gangs in one area here have said: We will kill all trans people here.” Vice News

MOAB meh?

On 13 April the US dropped one of its largest non-nuclear bombs on a tunnel complex used by so-called Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan. It was the first time such a weapon had been used in battle.  The BBC's Auliya Atrafi has been to the area to see if it really had any impact in the battle against IS.  BBC

Oh, well!

US troops hunting LRA warlord Kony begin Central Africa pullout.  US Special Forces on Wednesday began to pull out from Central Africa, ending a five-year hunt for brutal LRA warlord Joseph Kony, who is wanted for crimes against humanity.  The departure of the troops sent in to support an African Union regional force "will be completed a short while after it begins on April 26", Charles Prichard, spokesperson for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told AFP.   News24

And what happened after him?

Final verdict for Chad's Habre on war crimes appeal.  Chad's former president Hissene Habre will learn on Thursday if his lawyers' appeal against sentences for war crimes, crimes against humanity and rape has been successful, following his landmark conviction by a special court last year.   News24

We get it -- you're big fat jerks -- no subterfuge necessary, thanks.

ISIS executes at least 15 civilians in Mosul.  15 civilians who welcomed Islamic State militants posing as liberating security forces in central Mosul were killed, officials said on Tuesday.  Wearing police uniforms, they entered parts of the Old City on Monday to trick residents into showing their support for the federal forces, the Joint Operations Command (JOC) and a local official said.  “Da’ish (IS) gangs committed a brutal crime yesterday morning in an area of Mosul’s Old City,” the JOC said in a statement.   WTOP

Everyone knows if you say it three times, it must be true

Who speaks for Islam and reform? Debate heats up in Egypt.  It was a startling collision of religion and politics. Egypt’s president proposed a new law that would prevent Muslim men from ending their marriages simply by saying “divorce” three times. The country’s top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, bluntly rejected the idea, saying Islam gives men that right and nothing can change that.  In the months since, that confrontation escalated into a blistering feud over who speaks for Islam and how to bring reforms.   WTOP

Next up: Ankle monitors for all!

Turkey arrests 1,000 in raids targeting Gulen suspects.  Police have arrested 1,000 people suspected of being part of a movement blamed for the failed 2016 coup.  Another 2,200 were being sought as authorities targeted what they said was a secret structure within Turkey's police force.  BBC

Easy, there.

A senior Russian politician responded aggressively Monday to comments by the U.K.'s defense minister suggesting pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons against Russia is an option for London, claiming the U.K. would be completely annihilated by Russia's nukes in response.  Russia's Frants Klintsevich, who heads the defense and security committee in Moscow's upper house of parliament, said the U.K. would be "literally wiped off the face of the Earth by a counter strike." Earlier that day, U.K. Defense Minister Michael Fallon said during a radio show that the U.K. could consider a preemptive nuclear attack amid recent political tensions between Russia and Western governments, according to The Moscow Times. Fallon said the U.K.'s military would only make combat use of its Trident nuclear program in extenuating circumstances, but refused to say exactly what those conditions would be.  Newsweek

'You can keep our criminals, thanks.'

Cambodia suspends repatriation agreement with US -- Cambodia told Washington Tuesday it would no longer accept convicted criminals with Cambodian heritage being deported to the Southeast Asian nation, the latest blow to ties between the two countries.  For the last 15 years, the two nations have had a repatriation agreement allowing them to forcibly deport criminals with ties to the other country. ​  AFP via Yahoo!​ Not sure if they've considered that this means they'll have to keep all of the U.S. pedophiles lurking about -- ya know, the ones that they actually bother to catch...

First MoneyGram, next the Federal Reserve

If only that was a joke... Chinese Takeover Bid for US-based MoneyGram Scrutinized.  The financial industry is closely watching Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial's attempt to acquire Dallas-based MoneyGram International, the world's second biggest money transfer company after Western Union.  Ant is offering $1.2 billion, more than U.S.-based competitor Euronet Worldwide.  If successful, the deal would turn Ant Financial into a financial behemoth with access to MoneyGram's vast network of 350,000 outlets of retail shops, post offices and banks across 200 countries. At present, Ant's business is largely based on the Chinese yuan.  The acquisition would also give it access to U.S. dollar funds and escrow accounts for managing the funds.  “If you look at MoneyGram, what they might be doing here (to Ant Financial) is bringing a unique extra key that has much to do with that escrow account surplus and be able to hold a lot of dollars,” Jacob Cooke, chief executive officer of Web Presence in China, told VOA. “That, of course, will give them access to a whole bunch more opportunities to Ant's financial services.” VOA

Sure to be well-received

Netanyahu gives German FM ‘ultimatum’ over meeting with NGOs.   Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to cancel an upcoming meeting with Germany’s foreign minister unless the visiting diplomat cancels an appointment with two groups critical of Israel’s actions in the West Bank.  A senior Israeli official confirmed that the prime minister issued an ultimatum to Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel that he would scrap their meeting scheduled for Tuesday if Gabriel met with members of non-governmental organizations Breaking the Silence and B’Tselem.   WTOP

Reason for grim satisfaction, if not celebration

Iraqi troops capture largest neighborhood in western Mosul.  Iraqi troops on Tuesday drove out Islamic State militants from the largest neighborhood in the western half of the city of Mosul, a senior military commander said, a major development in the months-long fight to recapture the country’s second-largest city.  U.S.-backed Iraqi forces declared eastern Mosul “fully liberated” in January, after officially launching the operation to retake the city in October.   WTOP

Who's on first??

So, everyone is against IS, but Turkey and the US are against Assad and Russia is for, and Turkey is against all Kurds, but the US is for -- totally clear. Turkey hits Kurdish areas in Iraq’s Sinjar, northeast Syria.  Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes on Tuesday against suspected Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq and in northeastern Syria, the military said, in a bid to prevent militants from smuggling fighters and weapons into Turkey.  The attack killed at least 18 Syrian Kurdish troops, according to a monitoring group, as well as five members of the Iraqi Kurdish militia known as the Peshmerga and drew swift condemnation from Baghdad.  WTOP

There really is a boat this time...probably

North Korea tensions: US submarine arrives in South Korea.  A US submarine has arrived in South Korea, amid worries of another North Korean missile or nuclear test.  The missile-armed USS Michigan is set to join an incoming group of warships led by aircraft carrier Carl Vinson.  North Korea is celebrating its army's 85th founding anniversary on Tuesday. It marked the event with a large-scale firing drill, South Korea said.  Tensions have risen in the area in recent weeks, with the US and North Korea exchanging heated rhetoric.    Daily Times

'Mind your own war!'

South Sudan hosting rebels to 'extend war' in Sudan: security.  Sudan's powerful security agency on Monday accused breakaway South Sudan of staging talks with rebels fighting Khartoum's forces in two southern states, with the goal of "extending the war" there.  In a statement, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) said South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, his deputy Taban Deng and top army commanders held meetings last week with the SPLM-N rebel group. News24

The despot dinner table continues to empty...

Angola to hold election on August 23.  Angola's cabinet said on Monday that elections will be held on August 23 to choose a successor to President Eduardo dos Santos after 38 years of iron-fisted rule.   Dos Santos, 74, has been in power since 1979 and has announced that he will not contest the election. His ruling party's presidential candidate will be the current defense minister.   News24

History turned inside out

US general in Afghanistan suggests Russia arming the Taliban.  The United States must confront Russia for providing weapons to the Taliban for use against American-backed forces in Afghanistan, top US military officials said on Monday.  At a news conference with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at his side, General John Nicholson, the American commander in Afghanistan, wouldn't provide specifics about Russia's role in Afghanistan.   News24

Don't feel bad, Mexico, it's not just you

Permit requested to build wall around Trump resort in Ireland It has emerged that the US President has applied to Clare County Council for permission for the wall which will stretch for up to four kilometres and be over three metres high.

In case you weren't sure, people really will do anything for money

Alleged Semen Smuggler Had Visited Cambodia The Cambodia Daily A man arrested by Thai border police for allegedly trying to smuggle human semen into Laos on Thursday had made several trips to Cambodia over ...

The REAL difference between futbol and football: Soccer hoodlums form organized crime rings, the NFL just recruits hoodlums

A high-level soccer official in Uruguay said recently that the country's organized fan clubs have begun operating like criminal organizations, indicating the evolution of these so-called "barras bravas" mirrors that of their counterparts in neighboring Argentina.  The barras bravas "have transformed themselves into true cartels that even fight for [control of] territory and the criminal activity they are involved in," said Rafael Peña, head of security for the Uruguayan Soccer Association (Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol - AUF). Peña made the remarks during a hearing before Uruguay's Parliament in early February, reported El País.  Insight Crime

Goes well with fava beans and a nice chianti

Duterte on terrorists: I'll eat their liver.  The Philippine president has warned that he can be 50 times more brutal than Muslim extremists, saying he'd even eat them if they're captured alive by troops.  President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly threatened drug suspects with death, but he raised his shock rhetoric to a new level on Sunday when he said in a speech during the opening of a national sports tournament what he could do to terrorists who have staged beheadings and other gruesome attacks.   News24

'Oh, you were serious about that?'

An international rights group says dozens of global clothing companies are not complying with a plan to ensure better safety in Bangladesh garment factories following the deadly collapse of a building four years ago.  Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday that only 29 out of 72 recently contacted companies are releasing information about how they source their products in Bangladesh. It said many brands have held out completely.  Associated Press

How refreshing -- old fashioned cops and robbers violence, no ideologies, no hate crimes...

In case you're new to sarcasm, this still sucks.

Three Seattle police officers were shot and injured during an exchange of gunfire with a suspect, who later died, after a robbery at a downtown convenience store.  Three people are suspected in the Thursday robbery at a 7-Eleven store near Pioneer Square, the city's oldest neighborhood, said Deputy Police Chief Carmen Best.  Associated Press​ 

She's a bad mama-jama -- we just won't say how bad

US won’t reveal ‘mother of all bombs’ toll.  The ear-splitting explosion from America’s “mother of all bombs” has been followed by calculated silence about the damage it inflicted.  U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday he does not intend to discuss damage estimates from last week’s use of the military’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb on an Islamic State stronghold in Afghanistan.   WTOP  

Yes, that's why the UN has not been allowed to investigate...

Syria formally asks UN to probe chemical attack.  Syrian President Bashar Assad says the Syrian government has formally approached the United Nations, asking it to send in the experts to investigate the April 4 suspected chemical attack.  Assad said in an interview with the Russian state-owned RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday that the U.N. has not sent anyone yet and blamed Western nations and the United States in particular for not allowing the experts to travel to Syria.   WTOP

Diplo-what???

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday that Syria had dispersed its warplanes in recent days and that it retained chemical weapons, an issue he said would have to be taken up diplomatically.  The United States launched dozens of missiles earlier this month against a Syrian air base in response to a chemical attack that killed 90 people, including 30 children. It says the Syrian government launched the attack from the Shayrat air base.  Reuters

Numbers may not lie, but sometimes they stun

Where USG money comes from (hint: it's mostly peons!) and where it goes: USAFacts And read this article for info on how this came about (a smart rich dude with time on his hands who wanted to prove his wife wrong about social spending -- he didn't, btw) and how you can use it: Steve Ballmer Serves Up a Fascinating Data Trove

'Now could you just give me all of your personal information -- for your own protection, of course?'

Homeland Security hotline number used in phone scam. A fraud alert has been issued by the Homeland Security Department’s Office of Inspector General after scammers altered caller ID systems to make it appear they were calling from an official phone number. The callers claimed to be from “U.S. Immigration,” told victims they had been affected by identity theft, and then asked victims to provide or confirm personal information. The calls were made to appear as if they were coming from the hotline number for Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, 1-800-323-8603. (The office is the department’s independent oversight arm, and the hotline is used to receive calls about fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement.) “This came to our attention from individuals who had actually been victims of this scam,” said the office’s Diana Shaw. She said the hotline received a flood of calls in mid-March, with the callers asking why they had been contacted and asked personal questions. People throughout the country were targeted.WTOP

'Maybe I will let you send me to Mexican jail, maybe I won't...'

Mexican ex-governor stalls fast-track extradition from Guatemala.  Javier Duarte, the former state governor of Mexico's ruling party who was arrested in Guatemala at the weekend, said in court on Wednesday he would not agree to be extradited until his lawyers were able to study a formal extradition request.  "At this time, I can't agree (to extradition) until the formal extradition request arrives, and it can be studied by my defense team" said Duarte. "This doesn't mean I won't accept it, though."  Reuters

Ditto

Russia denies it is moving troops close to North Korea.  Russian authorities are denying reports that they are moving troops to the border with North Korea over growing tensions in the Korean peninsula.  The Interfax news agency on Friday quoted Alexander Gordeyev, spokesman for the Far Eastern Military district, as saying that the movement of heavy weaponry, caught on film and widely distributed on social media, is part of “absolutely scheduled maneuvers of combat readiness.” Gordeyev said the military hardware was on its way back from drills elsewhere and denied any connection to the tensions around North Korea’s nuclear program   WTOP

Nothing to see here...

No reason to believe gays abused in Chechnya.  Vladimir Putin’s spokesman says the Russian president has no reason to disbelieve the Chechen leader’s assurances that reports of detentions and killings of gay men in Chechnya have no basis in fact.  Dmitry Peskov also told journalists on Thursday that investigators have found no evidence to back up reports by the respected newspaper Novaya Gazeta that police in the predominantly Muslim republic rounded up more than 100 men suspected of homosexuality and that at least three of them were killed.   WTOP

Super-something...

North Korea warns of 'super-mighty preemptive strike' as U.S. plans next move.  North Korean state media warned the United States of a "super-mighty preemptive strike" after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States was looking at ways to bring pressure to bear on North Korea over its nuclear programmer.  U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hard line with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has rebuffed admonitions from sole major ally China and proceeded with nuclear and missile programmed in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions.  Reuters  Perhaps inspired by:  https://www.mightytaco.com/OurFood  (check out the super-mighty taco -- mmmm!)

Shaping young minds, for good or ill

Anger, confusion as Japan revives militaristic edict.  Japan's century-old imperial proclamation urging people to be willing to die for the emperor was consigned to history books until video surfaced showing children in an Osaka kindergarten enthusiastically reciting it.   News24

I had not considered this angle

Trump, the second horseman of the apocalypse

Donald Trump did not even wait three months into his term to show signs that he may be the imperial character referred to in the Apocalypse because he has already put world peace in jeopardy by attacking Syria, and then bombing Afghanistan. He has also said he could attack North Korea. CoLatino

Because Nigeria doesn't have more important things to worry about

Nigeria 'gay wedding' bust leads to charges. Prosecutors in the northern Nigeria state of Kaduna have charged a group of 53 people with conspiring to celebrate a gay wedding.  The accused, arrested last Saturday, have denied the allegations, with their lawyers saying they were illegally detained.  The court released the group on bail and the case was remanded to 8 May.  BBC

Trying something new

Oh, my blog, how I have missed thee.  My grown-up job still discourages writing about myself, but I realized the other day that news headlines are WAY more interesting than my life anyhow.  So I'm going to share some tidbits from here, with a bit of my own snark thrown in -- b/c, ya know, it just wouldn't be my blog without some snark...

So maybe this is it....?

A few years ago, I came across a two-page essay I had written in my junior-year history class.  The grade was an A, but the comment was something to the effect of, 'Surely, Julie, this is too cynical, even for you.  You can't really believe this, do you?'  And a few years ago I looked at that with some blushing and thought, 'Wow.  I was pretty cheeky/sassy/full of it.'

But now, I think that perspective, the one I wrote so long ago while, so full of unfounded (in that I had had little first-hand experience) cynicism may have had the right idea.  I still blush to think about the strictly negative view I took at that time -- I have since come to appreciate small victories in a way that was foreign at that moment -- but I have also come full-circle, through up-close and personal experience, to think that I was not so far off the mark.  But now instead of feeling smart, as I did then, I feel tired.  I do not want to think that I am so often right about the things I know so much about now, from academic study and personal experience.  I take no comfort in my correct assessment.

So I now do the best I can, waiting for a moment to make a difference.  And while things are not at all bad, I am awful enough to wish for more.  But even more often, I wish I could write more.

City Rats and Inappropriate Office Behavior

The other day as I was walking into the building, I encountered some incredibly bizarre elevator etiquette, which reminded me of two other stories I've been meaning to post.

It's Not a Now-or-Never Thing...
The other morning, I was talking to Stephane on the phone as I came into my office building.  I went through security, waited for the elevator, and got on board.  Just before the doors closed, a very tall, very young man jumped (truly) on to the elevator and proceeded to physically barge into me in his hurry to push the button for his floor.  I laughed immediately b/c I was so surprised at being bum-rushed on a State Department elevator, but I was still talking to Stephane, so I looked up at the guy with a clear 'You are a nutjob' expression and pointed at the other side of the elevator door -- where there is a second keypad (i.e., this dude could easily have just pushed a button over there and gotten to his destination without running me over).  He looked at the keypad and looked back at me, still standing sort of close, and said, 'Oh.  Sorry -- I guess I was a little too excited.'  Because I am reasonably sure this person was an intern, I decided not to be too mean and just laughed at him again.

It's Not a Peephole
A few months ago, I was in the ladies room, doing what one does in the bathroom.  I heard someone come into the bathroom and attempt to open my stall door (which was, of course, locked).  Since there were two other unoccupied stalls available, I assumed the person would move on when they realized my stall was occupied.  Imagine my surprise, then, when I looked up to see an eyeball peering through the crack between the stall door and the wall!  The person said, 'OH!  Sorry,' and moved on to the next stall.  Just goes to show that passing a background check is not evidence of being a normal human being.

I Hate College Kids on the Sidewalk, Too.
Late last summer, I was taking my usual route from the office to the Metro, via the GWU campus.  Which really just means I was walking through the streets of DC near my office, but since the campus is in the middle of Foggy Bottom, all pedestrians must suffer the throngs of college kids milling around the sidewalk.  Apparently, the rats suffer, too.  And one of them had had enough.  As I was walking up the street, I saw a young college woman jogging and, just ahead of her, I saw what I thought was a squirrel with a tail problem. As I got closer, I saw that it was in fact a rat, which was sort of interesting b/c I had never seen a rat just out on the sidewalk like that.  The girl jogger kept coming, the rat maintained his ground, and either girl jogger didn't notice the rat, or she thought he would move (I did), but either way, she just kept coming.  Just as she reached the point where the rat needed to move or risk getting squashed, he jumped -- *toward*girl*jogger*.  Not in a rabid, trying-to-bite way, but just in a I-was-here-first-and-I'm-not-scurrying-into-that-bush way.  Girl jogger squealed and executed a highly entertaining series of hops and flails, while the rat gave chase for a good 5 feet or so, much to the delight of everyone except girl jogger.  His job done, the rat finally did scurry into the bushes and, I presume, spent a happy evening tell all of his rat friends what he'd been up to. 

Striking a balance

One of the less attractive aspects of my new job: I am severely constrained in what I can post or otherwise write publicly.  (I am, however, happier than ever that I am not on Facebook -- there are a surprising number of stories of people in this job having issues b/c of things they posted on The Facebook...I mean, we all went through the crazy vetting process and were selected partly because of our ability to be discreet and, ya know, appropriate, but...)  I would say on average, there are no fewer than three moments per workweek where something happens and all I can think is, 'Oh, my gosh, I wish I could write about this!!' but I can't, for whatever reason(s).

I think my response to this rather uncomfortable leash has been to avoid my blog entirely, but I am going to work on getting that balance right, on writing about things that are interesting, but cannot be considered objectionable.  (I imagine that elicited quite a snort from some readers... heh.)
On a better note, I know where I am heading next: Tijuana, Mexico.  Yes, that *is* better than my current DC  assignment.  Well, for me it is, anyhow.  My desire to reconnect with my home country has been more than fully sated and I am ready to get back into other parts of the world.  And since I seem drawn to, er, 'interesting' places, I think TJ will be a nice fit.  Plus, it is right on the water and the security situation is currently good enough to allow us to explore the surrounding Mexican wine country, as well as the Baja California Peninsula (taquerias and tequila on the beach!).  San Diego is only 20 minutes away (when the border is cooperative), so we can also get to know California a bit better, Stephane should be able to find some decent job options, and we will always be able to shop at Trader Joe's!  Oh, and no winter!!  Fabulous.  Now I just have to learn Spanish...

It's alive!

A few quick things:
1) It's been a rough few weeks for music -- Adam Yauch of Beastie Boys a few weeks ago, Chuck Brown ('godfather of go-go,' DC's own music genre -- check it out, it's awesome!) and Diana Summer last week, and Robin Gibb of the BeeGees this weekend.  A lot of lights in a dark world to lose at one time, but their music at least lives on...in my CD collection anyhow.  ha.
2) As we approach full-swing election season, here's a tidbit for you to keep in mind when candidates start railing on about the amount of money spent on 'furren' countries: In 1962, 'international affairs' spending accounted for 5% of federal funding.  How does that compare with 2011?  Last year, only 1.2% of federal funding went toward international affairs.  For those of you who may be thinking this is as it should be, remember that foreign affairs spending is not just foreign assistance, it also includes things like forwarding US trade interests abroad and thereby strengthening our own economy, as well as anti-terrorism activities abroad.  And foreign assistance money, incidentally, goes toward programs to help increase education and health outcomes of foreign countries, which contributes to more peaceful, productive societies that are less likely to experience problems that affect the US.  Consider that when listening to the political rhetoric this summer and fall.
3)  My first Foreign Service assignment?  Not so foreign -- I will be in the DC area until at least May of next year!  Holy poo! 

The Enduring Genius of Mr. T

BBC Three has begun a new funniest videos show called 'World's Crazy Fools.' While we all love a good funniest videos show (who doesn't enjoy chuckiling at other people being idiots), this show deserves particular mention and possible nomination for Funniest Thing Ever Seen for two reasons:
1) The videos are top-notch. I have no idea where they managed to find so many truly gut-busting videos, but I'm sure glad they did.
More importantly, 2) Mr. T is the narrator!!!!! And oh, my gosh is he hilarious. Just when you think maybe Mr. T has finally lost relevance in today's Jersey Shore-obssessed popular culture, the BBC, of all people, snatches him up and reintroduces, well, Britain to the amazing Mr. T.

After watching the first episode, my face was burning from all the tears of laughter and I was literally weak from laughing so hard -- all I could do was sit on my couch and wheeze for about 90 seconds.

Find a way to watch this show, it will make your year.

Addendum

Last night's rains resulted in multiples deaths, building collapses, and serious floods all over the city. Stephane's employee did sleep at our house and even had to walk most of the way here because the flooding was so severe. We were up until 1am cleaning water our of our house, and a friend who lives only a mile from our house left our house at 8pm and didn't get to his house until 3am because of all of the debris coming down from the mountains and the standing water on the road. Pretty miserable.

Please, please, please do not be a harbinger...

Given all of the recent weather-related unpleasantness in the US, I would imagine that most of you have not heard much about the weather here in Haiti. For the last week, a storm front has been stalled over Haiti and Jamaica, making for an uncharacteristically grey, breezy atmosphere. (It was so [relatively] chilly last week that I even broke out the going-to-the-US-in-winter long sleeved wardrobe.) Today things got particularly nasty, as it rained in the mountains from the early morning hours, which of course means that the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area flooded even without actual rainfall in these areas, due to the heavy runoff from the surrounding mountains.

Then the fun *really* began.

When Stephane left his office in Carrefour at 530pm this evening, there was already 1-3ft. of standing water, which is typical in that area due to its negligible elevation and vastly inadequate sewer system. Unfortunately, this deeply impoverished, densely populated area is also the current site of a cholera resurgence, as well as being home to at least 300,000 camp dwellers. One can only imagine the implications of even this minor flood in such an area....

Just after Stephane finally reached our home almost two hours later (we live only about 15 miles from his office, incidentally), the rains finally reached this side of the mountains. It POURED for more than 30 minutes, with thunder strong and close enough to shake our concrete house. Poor Ewan shook like an epileptic for most of the evening before collapsing from fear and exhaustion. (He and McArthur, who seemed wholly unperturbed by the evening's clamor, are now curled up together, asleep -- very cute.) There is a ravine directly behind, but about 500 feet below our house that is normally bone dry; tonight, we could hear the water rushing through it like a rapid, punctuated by the shouts of the people who live precariously close to its banks.

We even had some flooding in our house, though only a couple of inches on one side (tells you something about the construction here, no?), so we can hardly complain. One of Stephane's employees lives down the hill from us and has already called to say that his house has flooded completely. We offered for him to bring his family here at least for the night, but they want to try to start clearing the water.

To make all of this more ridiculous, we are now a full week into hurricane season and no government ministry can articulate a coherent 'plan d'urgence'. We are trying concertedly not to consider what will happen if an actual hurricane arrives.

A weenie dog and a Haitian street dog have a baby and....

It looks something like this:

How cute is that?! That is McArthur Jameson at about four weeks old (last weekend).

These are his lame-o parents, Ewan and Bella:

Yeah, they're pretty cute, too...

Ewan is a pure-bred dachshund who was wandering the streets of our old neighborhood for a few weeks before he fell in love w/Bella (who is in fact Stephane's mom's dog, but has lived with us since the earthquake) and moved in w/us. Seriously, he LOVES Bella. As in, sits near her and just stares adoringly, with the occasional wag.

Ewan had tried in vain many times to consummate their love and since Bella has a past history of infanticide by neglect (she is truly the world's worst mother), I had begged to get one or both of them fixed, but Stephane, in Haitian style, kept putting it off. Honestly, I wasn't too worried about Bella getting knocked up b/c, ya know -- look at them! Ewan couldn't reach her if he stood on a stool!

But obviously nature prevailed and five weeks ago we awoke to find a tiny mini-Ewan in our downstairs guestroom closet.

(Actually, we have a hunch that our former maid may have assisted in the mechanics of the mating process. She was the only one who insisted that she had seen them successfully 'get together' and was wholly obsessed w/the idea of a Ewan-Bella byproduct, so....Thanks, Gert.)

The baby was really something of a surprise, as Bella had not looked pregnant at all. It was literally only a day or two before McArthur's arrival that we thought maybe she was acting like a pregnant dog, not that she looked much like one.

McArthur is pretty awesome. He is learning to potty outside already and seems to be developing quite a feisty personality, so smart and sassy -- my favorites! We didn't start calling him by name until last week, just in case he, too, fell victim to Bella's lackadaisical approach to mothering, but it seems he is quite tough, persistent; hence the strong name.

Since he doesn't have any littermates, we are relying on Ewan to help McArthur learn about being a dog. (Bella is predictably no help here, as she is too old to want to play [seriously, she's about 10 -- we're lucky McArthur wasn't born a mongoloid] and doesn't care about his development anyhow.) Ewan, being rather neurotic and desperate for attention himself, is a somewhat ambivalent tutor: On the one hand, he very much enjoys having someone to play with (Bella snubs him, too) and he will roll around w/McArthur until they are both exhausted. On the other hand, McArthur takes up a lot of our attention with his puppy needs and I think sometimes Ewan considers eating him. But I think they'll work it out. The possibility of McArthur will develop into a stable, 'normal' dog seems rather too much to hope for, but I think he's going to be pretty fun, if nothing else.

What a great way to start my day

As most of you know, I am unabashedly fascinated w/the British Royal Family, so it should come as no surprise that with my morning tea this fine day, I decided to check out some photos of the Obamas' recent visit w/the Royal Family in Britain. What I found was a CBS photo gallery that was far more laugh-track than pomp and circumstance....Here is the link: http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-504963_162-10007880.html?tag=page

The first few pics are of the Obamas meeting Wills and Kate (whose headline-making dress was the real reason I wanted to see these pictures in the first place). I was mildly amused to see that Michelle, although 'cute' in her '50s housewife-style dress, looks deeply frumpy when posed next to the lithe, sophisticated Kate.

However, things only got funnier from there: Keep clicking until you reach the pictures of QE2 greeting the Obamas as they arrive -- the Queen and Michelle are wearing (practically) the same dress! You know Michelle saw that as she got out of the limo and thought, 'F**k, I'm dressed like an 85 year old.' But the next picture provides even more hilarity, as it poses the Obamas next to QE2 and Prince Philip, who is wearing a suit similar to that of Obama. I fully understand that guys have fewer options when it comes to dresswear, but the lineup of this foursome wearing their matching outfits is nothing less than comical -- the Obamas look like a younger, darker, taller version of the Queen and Prince Philip.

The last bit of real entertainment comes in photo 16, wherein everyone looks as if they've smelled a fart and Prince Charles's comb-over is caught in a rogue breeze. Priceless.

All things considered, I feel like the Royal Family has finally found another head of state family who is less photogenic than they are, but maybe the Royals are still riding high on their acquisition of the lovely Kate. Even Prince Charles's comb-over faux pas could not even the score after the preceding pictures.

Do you think CBS *meant* to satirize the state visit, or did they just have no choice b/c they couldn't get better pictures of this motley crew?

And this, folks, is how I started my day. heh.

YAY!

So most of you know Stephane proposed while

we were at the Grand Canyon this week, and now you have the pictures to visualize it!

In typical less-than-what-I-plan-to-be-in-my-head style, my response to the proposal was not quite what I had hoped it would be....It happened like this:

Stephane and I were walking along the Canyon Rim Path when we found a rare scenic spot not flush with other tourists. We stopped to enjoy the solitude and beauty, shivering in the strong wind of the winter Canyon in the late afternoon. Stephane took a few very deep breaths and I asked if he was too cold. He said no, but asked to hold my gloves, and I laughed at the idea of him shoving his hands into my too-small gloves. I gave him my gloves, he dropped one of them and then stiffly got down on one knee -- I thought to pick up the glove -- and he started to rummage around in his pocket.

I asked him first the very romantic, 'What are you doing?' And then when I saw him pull out an amazing ring, sparkling in the sunlight, he swears I said, 'Are you serious?!' I have no recollection of this coming out my mouth, but knowing my jackass self, it seems likely. However, when he did actually ask me to marry him, I was very quick to say, 'Of course! Yes, of course!' So let's pretend that makes up for 'What are you doing?....Are you serious?!' (Stephane, incidentally, takes every opportunity to remind me of the latter....)

A Japanese tourist happened along just after the proposal and took the lovely picture featured at the top of this entry. I think he was very confused by our giggles and uncontrollable smiles, but he took our picture anyhow before scampering off.

So there you have it -- the proposal! I feel cheezy in my extreme excitement and will not subject you to it further. Hopefully the pictures speak for themselves.

Sure, why not add another tire to the fire?

Stephane and I were enjoying a quiet evening at home last night (on what was supposed to be the day of the run-off election that recedes further and further from actuality with each passing day....) when his accountant rang. Hearing only Stephane's side of the conversation, I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but it didn't sound like anything good, as he kept repeating, 'I hope you're joking. That's not funny.'

When he hung up the phone and told me what his accountant had been saying, I, too said, 'You're joking.' The big news? None other than the impromptu return of Jean-Claude Duvalier, who was sitting at the airport when we got the call.

Really? Dictator Lite returns to Haiti after a quarter of a century's absence, four days after the one year anniversary, in the midst of contentious elections and a cholera outbreak? Why? And *how*? The man hasn't had a legal passport since being rushed out of the country in 1986. There are rumors of a diplomatic passport, but no one knows if that is true and if it is, from which country said magic passport originated.

It is certain that the French knew of his departure for Haiti (journalists here received phone calls from Guadeloupe, where his flight from Paris had a layover, alerting them to his imminent arrival), but the extent of their involvement in his return and whether or not anyone else (i.e., the Haitian government and MINUSTAH) had knowledge of this visit is unknown.

Initial reactions were mixed: lots of people at the airport cheering his return, lots of other people (those who remember the 'good old days') reflecting back on that era without the least bit of nostalgia. There were reports of big groups in the streets in various parts of town, but I think most of these were actually just rah-rah bands playing Carnival music as they begin their campaign to bring back the festivities, a whole other debate.

At the moment, the predominant sentiments seem to be shock and wariness, as people question what Baby Doc wants with their country at this moment. The television last night kept running footage of his return intermingled with archival footage from his hasty departure, which will hopefully remind people of why he left in the first place.

But the thing is, in a country where 46% of the population is under 18, most Haitians *don't* remember why Duvalier left, why people fought to get him the hell out of here. And even those who were alive then often succumb to the common error of remembering the good (rule of law, stability) and forgetting the bad (corruption beyond even contemporary levels, a culture of fear). Haiti's fundamental fault is that its memory is too short; it can't learn lessons when it can't remember what happened in the first place.

So that's why you get people spray-painting 'Bon retour JC Duvalier' all over the place and dreaming of bringing back the man who, although less persecutorial than his father, did very little beyond exploiting the country during his 15-year rule and then ran off with millions of dollars that rightfully belongs to the country to live the good life in France.

Thus far, this wholly bizarre 'rentree' has not significantly disrupted anything here aside from the television viewing schedule, but in Haiti, one never knows. And if Aristide decides to follow suit, well....That would be a whole other keg of powder.

4:53 has come and gone....

...And I cannot believe it has been one year.

It has been a very long, very hard, very sad year.