Creek Running North

thanks chris. i have spent most of my life in washington, some in montana and even a little bit of my life in alaska. these states are stunningly beautiful and have a diverse array of ecosystems — all features that you would truly love. incidentally, and i am not sure i should mention this because you will probably be disappointed, but i’ve only ever heard of one of your favorite books. i think this makes me illiterate.

GrrlScientist

Awww, Maaaan, I’ve never been tagged before!  This may take a while…

Wow. This may just be the meme to end all memes. Thanks for the tag! — but I second what Carrie said re: time.

i watched ganjasaures rex in mckinleyville. never thought i would hear of it again. just because it is so local. tremors is kinda the same level, but rex gets no plays on tv.

6. Office Space: Yeah… I’m just gonna go ahead and ask you to include this movie in the list here. Okay? Greaaaaaat.

Well done.

I got tagged to do this but I can’t get through the things before I die part.  Creeps me out.

I liked Tortilla Curtain too, but I haven’t found his other books to be quite as good. I do love saying his name though.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised to read that Ethiopia is on your list of places to visit. While Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, it is one of the richest in history, natural beauty, culture, and wonderful cuisine. So, I do hope you get to experience the warmth of the culture, the ancient obelisks, the castles, rock-hewn churches, the Blue Nile falls, the Simien mountains, etc.

Sadly, I would be remiss if I didn’t also write something about the current crisis in Ethiopia. The country that many non-Ethiopians have grown to love is on the verge of deteriorating into another Rwanda. Worldwide, Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia have been demonstrating and appealing to government officials to take strong action against Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

The current crisis began in May when in response to allegations of election fraud, the government opened fire on peaceful demonstrators. Since then thousands of opposition party leaders, suspected supporters, journalists, and people belonging to the “wrong” ethnic group have been terrorized, jailed, and killed.  Government forces have charged into homes and killed children in front of parents and parents in front of children. The bodies are taken away and when the families go to reclaim them, they are forced to sign a statement that says their loved ones were killed by the opposition. It is reported that up to 100,000 people have been detained and are being tortured in secret prisons around the country.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has duped the West into believing he is promoting democracy and human rights in Ethiopia. In fact, Tony Blair not long ago lauded him as an exemplary African leader. Millions of dollars have been given in foreign aid and yet poverty worsens, democracy is absent, and the human rights abuses are horrific. The present situation should finally convince the world what Ethiopians have known for too long, Meles Zenawi is a despot masquerading as a progressive.

In response to the recent violence, Congressmen Chris Smith (surprisingly a Republican) has introduced a bill (HR-4423) in the House “To encourage and facilitate the consolidation of security, human rights, democracy, and economic freedom in Ethiopia.” (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:HR4423:) Unfortunately, the bill has only 2 sponsors and needs 21 to pass through Congress. The situation is dire. If you can, please ask your representatives to support this bill.

For more information about the crisis, please visit:

ethiopundit.blogspot.com

ethiopianreview.com

ethiomedia.com

savenega.org

Doing this:

1. Visit Washington, Montana, and Alaska, thus bringing the pointless list of US states I’ve been in to 50

Might make this:

5. Become one of those Californians who sells a piece of inflated real estate and retires in an Intermountain West town, with access to mountains and desert so as to make both Becky and myself happy, probably Flagstaff.

A whole lot less likely in the long run. 

One of the motivations for moving to Spokane, of all places,—other than it being enormously cheap for my fixed CALPRS retirement income—is that i have so much access to natural wonders and worlds in four states and two provinces.  Deserts, canyonlands, ragged glaciated peaks, high mountains, stunning cottonwood filled creek bottoms, raging rivers (big ones), etc., all within less than a three hour drive radius.

I recommend Ikiru, another movie whose title also translates to “To Live.” It’s a Kurosawa movie, about a bureaucrat who finally gets a fire lit under him. It’s wonderful.

Come visit us in Montana, Chris ... anytime. one day notice would be good. :)

I got infected by one of your spores. You really should keep your germs to yourself and not go spreading memes like that.

I’m with eRobin, those things to do before I die creep me out. I always put some really impossible things there so I won’t be caught out.

I thought the “things to do before I die” was the easiest part of the whole list.

You know, we have the same taste =). At least for the books.

For your #3 on things to do before you die, you should substitute Arctic Bay for Tuktoyuktuk, (and fly for drive) and come up here to dabble your toes in the Arctic Ocean.  The ocean is painfully cold by the way.  Waaay prettier up here.