The metal tables in here are SO COLD (how cold are they?). They're so cold that it actually hurts to touch them coming out of the midday sun. It says 93 on the weather channel web site, but that's a report from Larnaka, which is right on the coast. Here in Nicosia it has to be over 100. The AC is kickin' everywhere ( Read more... )

The last two days have been our final negotiations and they can be summed up in one phrase: Cluster fuck. Syria was invaded by the US, I now have two Syrians in my fucking palace, with one that keeps trying to get in and one that WON'T get in it (I have no other use for her and she'd be dead if she stayed, but nooooooo ( Read more... )

To the title in a moment ( Read more... )

The fact that I'm surrounded by mountains and I can't get to them doesn't escape me. There was an offer to go to Trodos today, the city Mt. Olympus is in, but they decided they'd rather go to the beach. I finished Candide and beat the last Turtle Rock level on Zelda. I lost a game of chess and had a pint. I got some work done on my paper and ( Read more... )

I was ho'd out and I'm stuck in Nicosia today. There's not a single car rental company here that will rent on the weekend. Who would ever rent a car on a weekend on an island who's main industry is tourism? THE VERY THOUGHT! So, I'm sitting here downloading the Ramones and Marilyn Manson while loud Greeks shoot pool and deafen G 'n' R's "Sweet ( Read more... )

We're having a talent shows and, for those of you who have heard my wonderful karaookee skills (remember "A Boy Named Sue"?), I've decided to sing. Unfortunately, all my efforts have been blocked. First, I wanted to sing a heart-felt rendition of Guns 'n' Roses, "I Used to Love Her, but I Had to Kill Her'. The problem with this is the necessity ( Read more... )

Last night was another wild night, with a trip to an authentic Cypriot restaurant with PLENTY of wine strewn about. Everyone was dancing to traditional Cypriot music, with Myrto (the singer) and Cody (the madman) up on tables. The people that ran the place wasted about 30 packages of napkins throwing them on the dancers. We returned drunk with, ( Read more... )

I would like to welcome both Lebannon and Syria back into the international community. For years, both countries have been home to terrorists, unstable governments, poor governments, poverty, inhospitable to tourists, and thought of as rather unwelcoming places. Has this changed? No. Will it? YES ( Read more... )

So, I've now taken to capturing Middle Eastern Diplomats like so many Pokemon. EREKAT! I CHOOSE YOU! I now have the head Palestinian negotiator, one of two Oslo negotiators, and I may get a former US ambassador to Israel during this period and th Syrian foreign minister or Vice Foreign minister. I could have gotten two diplomats involved with ( Read more... )

Due to the fact that my Internet café was full (more on this later) I’m updating via Word and will upload this later ( Read more... )