nomadlife - an international nomads community

Kiva - loans that change live

"Kiva is an organization that empowers individuals to make charitable, microfinance loans. Anyone can look at the profiles of businesses (all rural entrepreneurs, currently all in Uganda), make a loan of as little as $25 through PayPal, and stay in contact with their sponsored business for the 6-12 months (average time) it takes to have the loan repaid." - Via nextbillion

They will not survive in the wild

I can't stop laughing watching these "fainting goats." The Creator must have been playing a practical joke.

Pretty darn cool stuff

Wow...

A masterpiece of reconciliation

Yesterday a ceremony was held in the German city of Dresden to consecrate the Church of our Lady "Frauenkirche" which was destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II. Sunday's ceremony was attended by representatives from around the world. It is the end of a story that began on a cold night in February 1945, when Allied bombers carried out one of the most notorious air raids of World War II.

The ruins of the church were once described as "a gaping wound in the heart of Dresden", a German newspaper recently titled the rebuilt church a "masterpiece of reconciliation".

Story at BBC and some personal thoughts.

Volcker's final report on the oil-for-food scandal

The Volcker committee has issued its final report on the UN-administered oil-for-food programme in Iraq, and it makes for grim reading: kickbacks were paid in connection with the contracts of over 2,000 companies. National prosecutors may now take an interest. (full article)

Who's coming to Egypt?

So who wants to go to the most amazing country in the world?

Here's the deal: Nob and I are looking into travel agents for group rates for tickets from NYC to Cairo. We have found tickets for $760 total (including taxes), but we are still waiting for the last word from Nob's travel agent. The way these things work is that the more people we get to go, the less the tickets cost per person.

As Mix will tell you: Egypt is fucking amazing. Dahab is the shit. And there really isnt any better place to spend New Years (Hey, Im even leaving NYC to go to Egypt). SO get on the Cairo train, and join us for a big ol' nomadfest on the beaches of the Red Sea.

Email me at takrupp at gmail dot com if you are interested in signing on (no obligation, we are looking for interest). We are looking for people who can leave late on December 25th and come back either January 2nd or January 4th. Let me know.

let's hear your voice

A question for nomads around the world....If you could pass on only one message to the world, what would it be?(answer in comments,and please include your country - origin, and current location)

first hand accounts of Wilma

"Hurricane Wilma flew into South Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, taking down power lines, trees, roof tiles, roofs and even mobile homes with it. It let over 2.5 million FPL subscribers without electricity and it will take until November 22nd to restore power to all of those households and business. It was truly a big storm.Thanks to god nothing happened to my or my family, as our little apartment withstood the strong winds and all the rubbish that hit the windows while we sheltered in the kitchen reading and playing with our little 6 months old, so that she wouldn't feel the fear and uneasiness that was all over us." (rafa)

"Wilma the tropical storm that hit south Florida on Monday was a category 3 hurricane, which passed from Borward county, Ft Lauderdale where I live.I was a very cool experience combining fear, challenge, tactikes and friendship feelings.People had ample time to prepare and it isn't that hard to get 72 hours' worth of food and water ... Just to do the simple things that the US government asked us to do, and I did it really well, went to target and got so many stuff, cane food, water, candles, flash lights...As well as Jo my American/Egyptian friend who works with me cuz he and his girlfriend decided to spend the hurricane eve with holly and me (as well as Tiba my puppy) at home."
(shady)

pension: Halloween horor story

" As bad as that sounds, the problem of state and local government pensions is even worse. Public pensions, which are paid by taxpayers and thus enjoy an implicit form of insurance, are underfunded by a total of at least $300 billion and arguably much more. While governments have been winking at these deficits for years, they are now becoming intolerable burdens for taxpayers. In San Diego, pension abuse has effectively bankrupted the city. Thanks to a history of granting sweeter and sweeter pension deals that it has neglected to fund, the city has been forced to allocate $160 million, or 8 percent of the municipal budget, to the San Diego City Employees Retirement System this year, with similar allocations expected for years to come. San Diego has tabled plans for a downtown library, cut back the hours on swimming pools, gutted the parks and recreation budget, canceled needed water and sewer projects and fallen behind on potholes." (NYTimes)

This NYT article examines the current and impending pension crisis looming over America. This pension problem however will not be limited to the US; a lot of European countries is battling the same issue worsened by the imbalance of demographic percentage between the productive age population and pensioners.

30 or so years from now, by the time our generation reach retirement age, the pension system as we have it right now might have gone bankrupt. It won't be pretty when it does.

Trick-Or-Treaters To Be Subject To Random Bag Searches

Responding to "a possible threat of terror and fright," US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced Monday that trick-or-treaters will be subject to random bag searches this Halloween season.

"Individuals concealing their identities through clever disguise, and under cover of night, may attempt to use the unspecified threat of 'tricks' to extort 'treats' from unsuspecting victims," Chertoff said. "Such scare tactics may have been tolerated in the past, but they will not be allowed to continue this Halloween."(read more)

Happy Halloween all you POS's.

Maureen Dowd, the famed Pulitzer winning columnist of New York Times, is writing a book about feminism titled : "Are Men Necessary: When Sexes Collide". Check out an essay adapted from the soon to be published book.

"A series of explosions shook New Delhi on Saturday, tearing through markets jammed with shoppers ahead of an upcoming Hindu festival and killing at least 49 people, officials said." (AP)

fuck.

New York Smells Like....MAPLE SYRUP??

OK, this might be the strangest post ever. I was noticing a strong sweet smell as I walked home tonight..it smelled like maple syrup. I thought I had sat in something and I kept smelling my coat... I was sure I had sat in syrup.

Then I saw this article in the New York Times saying that the ENTIRE CITY OF NEW YORK SMELLS LIKE MAPLE SYRUP!!!!!!!!! It is all over the news!! No one can figure out why..FEMA is investigating it as we speak!! This is CRAZY stuff....very perplexing...I can't wait to hear the explanation for this!!!!!

Rambo is back, baby !!!

Rambo IV is scheduled for filming next spring. After saving the world three times from the commies, the world hero is back for another round.

You think you have a lousy job ? How about working as Orang Utan pee collector ? Popular Science Magazine is making a list of the worst jobs in science for the third year.

An African journey

Heres a blog to watch - Dey, AI Director for Africa, is currently on the trip of a lifetime. From October to December he will be visiting every AIESEC country in Africa, and is blogging it up beautifully. Check it out, what an experience. He is making my own fairly decent travel schedule for the year look totally lame....

"The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, refused today to retract his call for Israel to be wiped off the map, while the Iranian embassy in Moscow attempted to calm the growing diplomatic crisis." (Guardian)

Great, yet another growing diplomatic crisis. He has deservedly been condemned all around for this remark. Even the Palestinian is distancing from this.

A little impatient, a little impulsive

Airfare to Nomadfest :$1000
New Years in a new land with new friends (and some old ones): Priceless

Mon 26 Dec
15:40
Chicago
06:40 +1
Frankfurt
LH431

Tue 27 Dec
09:45
Frankfurt
14:40
Cairo
LH582

Thu 5 Jan
16:25
Cairo
19:55
Frankfurt
LH583

Fri 6 Jan
10:15
Frankfurt
12:25
Chicago
LH430

Oil is still where the money is

"High prices for oil and natural gas propelled Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC to their best quarterly results ever on Thursday, with Exxon becoming the first U.S. company ever to ring up quarterly sales of $100 billion.

To put Exxon?s performance into perspective, its third quarter revenue was greater than the annual gross domestic product of some of the largest oil producing nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The world?s largest publicly traded oil company also set a U.S. profit record with net income of almost $10 billion, according to Standard & Poor?s equity market analyst Howard Silverblatt." (msnbc)

hate something, change something

Nomads in the UK and Europe may have already seen this, but for everyone else, go ahead and wonder at this beautiful, delicious advert for Honda. I think it might be the best ad I have ever seen - ahhh, wondrous world....

A Force More Powerful

I haven't checked out the game, but must say I'm curious.

Big Brother giveth & Big brother taketh away...

In the last one month, the tens of thousands of minders that the government of the P.R.C hires to watch 'sensitive' internet sites have carried out the following acts of good sense and then utter incomprehensibility.

October Week 1: They re-open access to all blogspot.com blogs (YAY!!)
October Week 4: They block off all access to wikipedia.org (WTF?!?!)

The city of Chicago has never partied like last night since the Chicago Bulls won the NBA championship last century. jeffd, hongtoufa and I were in the thick of it, right in the epicenter of the joy-quake in the south side of Chicago.

After the dominating Bulls, Chicago has never had any team winning anything ever since (in hockey, football, baseball, synchronize swimming, etc). We had two baseball teams in Chicago that haven't won US Major League Baseball ultimate prize, the World Series, since the World War I rage in Europe.

Last night, after 88 years, one of those team, Chicago White Sox, won the World Series.

The three of us were there on location in the Sox Stadium on the south side of Chicago and the night was lit up. People poured down from their houses and apartments to the street, fathers and mothers with their little children were out and danced on the street with their cute white and black striped White Sox uniform, joining the alcohol powered fans that just left the few bars around the stadium with their full White Sox regalias. Cars were streaming out towards the stadium, honking with windows down and their drivers' hands out to high five the fans crowding the street. The cheers matched three U2 stadium concerts combined and could be heard for miles. The game ended around 10 pm and when we left at 1.30, the party had gotten even bigger.

More pictures are forthcoming.

Greenspan's Successor

President George Bush has nominated Ben Bernanke to succeed Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve. The new man has big shoes to fill?and plenty of economic challenges to address. (Economist)

Pressure the Governments

This is sad. Pressure our rich governments to HELP ASIA, HELP ITSELF...

For those still contemplating the New Year's event

I will direct your attention to my previous post, summarizing the intelligence I gathered during a recent weekend.

In Memoriam Ahmed Arshi

"
I never thought I would have to write something like this. For the first time in my life, today I was informed that one of my close friends had passed away.

I met Ahmed six months ago in Kenya and he has been the only person I stayed in touch with after that trip. There was a reason I did. I have rarely met someone with the passion, energy and joy for life. The discussions we have had and the laughs we shared gave me so much. I have followed every step of his film and books, trying to keep them apart and admired the work and compassion for others that shone through.

I feel that I should quote something that Ahmed wrote to me a few months back when I was feeling sad, since many of my friends were leaving the country:

"This is part of life, you meet people, you leave people. only true friends leave foot prints behind them that will stay in your memory forever. but once you look on that world map and knowing that you are able to go anywhere cuz you have friends everywhere makes you feel on top of the world, basically being a "Global Citizen" thats what AIESEC creates!stay always happy cuz one day someone will be missing you when it's your time to leave! :) "

He will be missed. By people from all over the world, who he has made both laugh and think.

http://www.whyshouldicare.net/"

(by Sabina )

Ahmed blogged at http://ahmedarshi.nomadlife.org.

Drugs and bribes claims hit China's Olympic rehearsal

Drugs and bribes claims hit China's Olympic rehearsal

China has scored a sporting own goal, as its first rehearsal for Beijing's Olympic Games in 2008 descended into a farce of alleged match-rigging, bribery, unfair judging and doping scandals.

An amusing read about the 1 second judo final, the 1500m runner-up's coach successfuly begging the judges to disqualify the winner, 3 wrestling judges being banned for taking bribes and athletes not attending medal ceremonies in protest of decisions....

brain drain : the downside of nomading

"Poor countries across Africa, Central America and the Caribbean are losing sometimes staggering portions of their college-educated workers to wealthy democracies, according to a World Bank study released yesterday.

The study's findings document a troubling pattern of "brain drain," the flight of skilled middle-class workers who could help lift their countries out of poverty, some analysts say. And while the exact effects are still little understood, there is a growing sense among economists that such migration plays a crucial role in a country's development. " (NY Times)

Invisible Children Documentary: What now?

We have a huge tool, a network to 91 different countries, with passionate, motivated people interested in bettering the global future. The question is, how can we utilize it?

Here's the idea:
We have members traveling to different LCs all over the world. We purchase a massive amount of Invisible Children videos, put together easy facilitation packets and send them with willing exchange participants so they can host Uganda Awareness events in the @ countries they will be visiting. Exchange participants track their events on a Uganda Awareness nomadlife blog. We will potentially be spreading awareness of this under reported crisis on a large scale level, to people just as passionate and motivated as ourselves. More details on my blog if you're remotely intrigued.

the downside of automatic signup

Check this entry about the chronic problem of blog spamming that happens to blogspot.com, the automatic free blog hosting service run by Google.

JillO's 25 today.

Wimpy Diplomacy

"One crucial change, apparently made after the report was submitted to the UN chief, removed the name of President al-Assad?s brother, Maher, his brother-in-law, Assef al-Shawkat, and other high-ranking Syrian officials.
The final, edited version quoted a witness as saying that the plot to kill Mr Hariri was hatched by unnamed ?senior Lebanese and Syrian officials?. But the undoctored version named those officials as ?Maher al-Assad, Assef Shawkat, Hassan Khalil, Bahjat Suleyman and Jamal al-Sayyed?." (Times Online)

I'm sorry, but Kofi Annan and his office of Secretary General undermines his own investigative arm the UN Security Council has tasked to investigate the killing of Lebanon's Hariri. What a bloody shame.

You should spend the time to read full report itself; it's a thorough and damaging report on the role of Syria in the Lebanon's assasination that triggered the Cedar Revolution earlier this year.

Global Map of Natural Disasters 2005

Maplecroft launches interactive map to coincide with the International
Day for Disaster Reduction. Available online at
http://maps.maplecroft.com.

"The past year has reminded people everywhere that no place in the world
is immune from natural disaster.. The lesson we must draw is
encapsulated in the theme of this year's International Day for Disaster
Reduction: "Invest to prevent disaster." We cannot stop natural
calamities, but we can and must better equip individuals and communities
to withstand them. Those most vulnerable to nature's wrath are usually
the poorest, which means that when we reduce poverty, we also reduce
vulnerability." -- Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations (2005)

Top 40

most memorable US magazine covers in the past 4 decades.

There was a downtime of a couple hours this morning CST time. The server received its security updates automatically at 3.40 am CST and tried to restart itself and failed (stupid computer !!!). Usually I check the status of the server early every morning but Chicago was awake all night last night celebrating our White Sox win against Houston.

Nomadfest

I'm trying to convince myself to go to the Nomadfest in Egypt. Help convince me by telling me who is going, and why people should go. Actually, it sounds like a great time already - just want to see who is all going, and who might be going.

Also, if anyone has recently found cheap flights to Egypt (either from America or from Europe) clue me in on that.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to http://mixmaster.nomadlife.org//past/2005_08_01_archive.aspx and scroll down to the arcticle entitled "Let's get one step closer to our maker "

nomads - the gathering

unlinkables (omar, peach, shantal)

takrupp, turnthepage, surya, red lobster

saki and turnthepage

clockwise(wonderwoman, jen, christhebrit, the red lantern, peach)

melt, jillo, jen

dave and wonderwoman

(i'm still looking for Suzanne's and Vishen's picture)

"Last night was excellent. Nomad Reunion with Dody, Wonderwoman, Surya, Kevin, Vishen, and a load of New Yorkers who came to party with them. Props to Suzanne and Trent who managed to stay awake for breakfast at 3:30am. " (Jillo)

Speaking of the Middle East...

'The Simpsons' have made their debut on Arab TV - as 'Al Shamsoons'.
However, some changes needed to be made for Middle Eastern viewers, for instance:

Homer's name is name is Omar and Bart's is Badr
Homer loves beer and drinks it pretty much everywhere, including at Moe's Tavern. Omar drinks Coke and in this Springfield, there is no Moe's Tavern.
Mr. Simpson is a huge fan or porc, hot dogs, and donuts. Mr. Shamsoon does not eat porc, eats Egyptian beef sausages, and replaced donuts for hahk, traditional Arab cookies.
The voices used in the show are all Egyptian actors, including "Omar's" voice: Mohamed Heneidy, considered the Robert De Niro of the Middle East, has replaced the duties of Dan Castellaneta in bringing Homer to life.

This effort of bringing humor to the Middle East and expose its viewers to good ol' western humor has not being appreciated by many, and in fact, it is considered not that funny. For instance, As'ad AbuKhalil, a professor at California State University expressed "It was just painful....The guy who played Homer Simpson was one of the most unfunny people I ever watched. Just drop the project, and air reruns of Tony Danza's show instead."

Tony Danza? Oh my, that show must really suck!

Iraq's referendum

A referendum on a new constitution for Iraq probably passed, though final results were expected later in the week. The Kurds and Shia Arabs voted massively for it; the Sunni Arabs voted against, but seemed unlikely to get the necessary two-thirds of voters in at least three of Iraq's 18 provinces to say no, which would have nullified the document. A new parliament due to be elected in December should give the Sunnis a bigger voice, but it remains moot whether that will dampen the insurgency, which is still fierce in the Sunni areas. (economist)

The Association of American Publishers filed a copyright lawsuit against Google's project to scan books on to the internet. The firm said the move was ?short-sighted?. (economist)

I'm having a breakdown here!

Sorry for this very ridiculous posting, but I am seriously desperate.
I stopped smoking 3 days ago and I am already looking like any of the heroin addicted characters of Trainspotting....almost hallucinating about cigarrettes!!!!! Ahhh! I don't know what to do! I'm eating 24/7, I am extremely cranky and sometimes I cry like an absolute idiot at work.

If you can give me any usefull tips I'd really appreciate it. One time I stopped smoking slowly, reducing the number of cigarrettes a day but many people said that never works and that it is best to stop at once. Now that I did the stopping all at once way a bunch of other people are telling me that the best way is to do it is slowly decreasing....AHHHHHHHHH!

Help please! I'm sure there are some nomads out there who have gone through this...

Paola
Former Kool Lights and Barclays Menthol Enthusiast

Don't forget tonight, Oct 20th

Initially it would be,

B-Bar & Grill
on 40 E Fourth St (4th and Layfayette).
New York City

Time : 7.30 pm upwards.

but hey, it's New York City, you never know where we are going to end up as time pass, so make sure you call first (melt, can we have your cell ?); mine is 312-543-8670.

Wonderwoman, melt, surya, suzanne, jillo, trent, voirdire, saki and friends are going to be there. I'll get in around 10pm. There's no confirmation yet whether Jen, natafrye and christhebrit are going to show up.

Show up, wear your party hat and we'll have party for the ages.

Iraq's ex-dictator goes on trial

Iraq's deposed dictator, Saddam Hussein, has gone on trial, pleading not guilty to crimes against humanity over a massacre in 1982. The trial - the first of several he may face - comes as votes are being counted following last weekend's referendum on Iraq's proposed post-Saddam constitution. (economist)

nomadfund

the nomadshop is up!
you can purchase items such as t-shirts like this

proceeds benefit the nomadfund

Fighter with rattle in hand: One year old and rocking!

The first nomadlife weblog postings were made exactly a year ago, a day later nomadlife officially broadcasted for the first time. What started as a fun project between two people without any financial investment a year later grew like a wildfire, consuming over 650 people with no signs of cool down. I'd like to salute our fellow comrades around the world who created this tribe, the very wind in our sails. The fire burns bright and fierce, you can't stop the children of the revolution. All you partiers in New York this weekend, remember that you are celebrating a birthday as well. :)

So what's next? We are building a religion, we are making it bigger, we are widening the corridors and adding more lanes. Never pass on a good thing. Without spoiling any surprises here's a sneak preview of what's cooking in the pipeline:
- The return of the Wiki
- global nomadlife intelligence network
- nomadtracker / database (including map)
- caravanserai: rendez-vous / safehouse networks around the world
- tags and categories
- linking in of non-blogspot blogs
- photography / artwork contests -> feeding into merchandise material
- nomadlife fund
- structuring of nomadlife.org

We are looking for more people to take ownership nomadlife, getting involved in certain projects, and most importantly to add capacity for further growth by contributing regularly. Drivers wanted! I can't drive so contact me if your imagination is piqued.

And last but certainly not least lets give it up to my main man Dody G, the godfather and architect who proved yet again that financial resources are no substitute to the power of creativity and vision. You're a legend!

Happy birthday nomadlife, your future is so bright I'm wearing sunglasses just thinking of it.

Sunset theme by Johanna Krichling (Germany) and Kent Babin (Canada). Latest logo iteration by Johnny Dimas (U.S.A).

What would you do if you win $314.9 million lottery?

Brasilian bikinis

My Brasilian roommate from when I was in India, is visiting NY this weekend too. She's looking to do some research on high-end bikini exportation. Other than the usual department stores (Bloomingdales, Saks, etc), are there any other suggestions for her? Know of any boutiques??

looking

sometimes doing things that pull you away from HW is great. looking at something beautiful is one of them...

online game: get aid from the EU

http://www.tearfund.org/campaigning/water+game

see how much money you can get from the EU....

China to overtake India for outsourcing by 2015

The Global Outsourcing Report makes for interesting reading, with analsyis of vaious countries' risks, costs and opportunities. By www.globalequations.com.

You can't stop the dragon... but check out who will be number 3 in 2015 and you might be surprised.

cows get a PAY RISE!!

STOP PRESS: EU cows have been seen smiling and smirking at the billion humans earning less than them. Last year they were even booking luxury holidays since they got a pay rise of 2.2 USD to 2.6 USD a day

Happy, smiley cows....

Seen any cows recently in Europe, detected a wry smile from them? think they're laughing at the billion others earning less than them? In 2003 Europe's cows earned a pay rise from 2.2 USD to 2.6 USD a day.

cows get a PAY RISE!!

look at some of the cows in Europe....can you detect a faint smile? Maybe its a laugh directed at the billion people or so earning less than them. In 2003 Europe's cows got a pay rise, from 2.2 USD a day to 2.6 USD a day

Oct 20, I'll be there

""I'm landing on the 20th, and we'll be at B-Bar & Grill on 40 E Fourth St (4th and Layfayette). 7ish onwards? If you're in NYC, and can lay some vague claim to knowing me, come and join the fun. The place should be large enough, and there's plenty of food and drink for those peckish, parched or just plain up for a pint (ok ok I'll stop the puns?). " (wonderwoman)

Ticket Number(s):
3662113759711
--------------------------------------------------
Flight Number: 4282
Flight Date: OCT-20-2005 515PM - 823PM
Departs: CHICAGO (Midway)
Arrives: NEWARK
Seats:
--------------------------------------------------
Flight Number: 4271
Flight Date: OCT-21-2005 745AM - 859AM
Departs: NEWARK
Arrives: CHICAGO (Midway)
Seats:
--------------------------------------------------

Passengers
----------
GUNAWINATA/DODY

------

I can only make about 8 hours in New York :( but hey, I'll take those and make it a party. So if you are in New York City, please show up; I'd really want to see you guys.

Beware of those Hallucinogenic Camel Toads...

Islamic dress code in the Netherlands

"A Muslim woman who was refused a job because she would not wear a headscarf is taking her case to the Dutch Equal Opportunities Commission...."

Read the entire article here. I'm still holding back on a reaction to this. Being a guy who admire the Dutch & who was completely taken by the warmth & tolerance of what is one of the most liberal societies in the world, this isn't the best of news. I was particularly taken by surprise by this part of the article, "Utrecht city council says it will stop paying social security to women who wear the burqa and headscarves to job interviews."

Benelux nomads might have more to share.

A futures-trading scandal in America

The boss of Refco, one of America?s leading futures brokers, has been arrested on fraud charges a couple of months after the firm?s successful flotation. The scandal may damage the reputation of an industry that has lately begun to forge an image of respectability. (article)

Erotic Experiences around the globe

As usually everybody loves to talk about sex and erotic experiences we decided to open a Global Erotic Blog to share these best and most intense experiences to get to know other cultures ;o)

But as we are only three people so far who blog their experiences there we want more people to take part in that blog! We want to know your experiences! This will be better than any traineeship report ;o)

These are the opportunities how you can join the blog:

1. Send us your message to global.erotic@email.com and we post it for you anonymously.
2. Become an editor of the blog by sending us an email with your blogger username to global.erotic@email.com.
3. Post a message in the comments.

We wait for your stories!
Your Global Erotic Team :o)

NZ now has a government

One month after the elections, we now have a coalition. I'm in shock, one of our most racist politicians is our foreign minister. Ouch.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and United Future leader Peter Dunne have been allocated ministerial positions in a Labour-led Government. Labour has successfully negotiated a Centre-Right deal that offers immediate assurance that it can govern with New Zealand First and the United Party having signed confidence and supply agreements.
The Progressive Party will be inside a coalition with Labour, and the Green Party has committed to support the government during confidence and supply votes but misses out on having a role inside the executive.
Winston Peters picks up Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Racing, and Associate Minister for Senior Citizens. Peter Dunne will be Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health.

What do you do where you are or where you have been?

I'm doing a little comments poll on what is happening socially in the world. There are unannouced treasures abound and I want to hear about them.

Finding hookahs/shishas: Man, that changed my life. Almost choking on my first tapioca ball and then realizing that bubble tea is delicious was definitely a "take away" experience of mine in Hong Kong (much less "solid milk dessert", Yummy). And Drinking vodka and then chasing it with salted and dried fish? Well, at least I tried it.

Anyway, I got a post over at the blog and I'm looking for these different traditions/customs/cultures that make up the hip in all the corners of the world. A little bit of an audit of whats cool where ever you are or have been. State, debate, explain and learn on, man.

Another turning point for the Middle East?

By this time next week, Syria could have cracked down on its open training of Iraqi insurgents and funding of Palestinian 'terrorist' organisations... is the tide of change in the Middle East growing?

America offers 'Gaddafi deal' to bring Syria in from the cold

London nomad gathering

If any London based nomad's feel like catching up, I'll be in town all this week, from Saturday (tomorrow) until next Thursday. Drop a comment here and we'll make it happen.

Spot of cricket in the park? Devonshire tea with the vicar? I'm down with whatever, London style.

Monday, October 31, 2005

Kiva - loans that change live

They will not survive in the wild

Pretty darn cool stuff

A masterpiece of reconciliation

Volcker's final report on the oil-for-food scandal

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Who's coming to Egypt?

let's hear your voice

first hand accounts of Wilma

pension: Halloween horor story

Trick-Or-Treaters To Be Subject To Random Bag Searches

Saturday, October 29, 2005

New York Smells Like....MAPLE SYRUP??

Friday, October 28, 2005

Rambo is back, baby !!!

An African journey

A little impatient, a little impulsive

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Oil is still where the money is

hate something, change something

A Force More Powerful

Big Brother giveth & Big brother taketh away...

Greenspan's Successor

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Pressure the Governments

For those still contemplating the New Year's event

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

In Memoriam Ahmed Arshi

Drugs and bribes claims hit China's Olympic rehearsal

brain drain : the downside of nomading

Invisible Children Documentary: What now?

Monday, October 24, 2005

the downside of automatic signup

Wimpy Diplomacy

Global Map of Natural Disasters 2005

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Top 40

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Nomadfest

Friday, October 21, 2005

nomads - the gathering

Speaking of the Middle East...

Iraq's referendum

Thursday, October 20, 2005

I'm having a breakdown here!

Don't forget tonight, Oct 20th

Iraq's ex-dictator goes on trial

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

nomadfund

Fighter with rattle in hand: One year old and rocking!

Brasilian bikinis

looking

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

online game: get aid from the EU

China to overtake India for outsourcing by 2015

cows get a PAY RISE!!

Happy, smiley cows....

cows get a PAY RISE!!

Monday, October 17, 2005

Oct 20, I'll be there

Beware of those Hallucinogenic Camel Toads...

Islamic dress code in the Netherlands

A futures-trading scandal in America

Erotic Experiences around the globe

NZ now has a government

Sunday, October 16, 2005

What do you do where you are or where you have been?

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Another turning point for the Middle East?

Friday, October 14, 2005

London nomad gathering