Just say NO to ......ah, Nancy Reagan would love this

While riding the bus today I passed this billboard...and the message is clear to the young...play futbol (soccer) and you'll stay free of cigarettes and injectable drugs. The country has only recently begun an active anti-smoking campaign...but that will take years to undue smoking culture and cheap price of cigs...also, this country is considered a transit point for heroin flowing from Afghanistan destined for the Russian and European markets...AFFA is the Association Futbol Federation Azerbaijan..the national organization

Why are the light switches outside of the office doors?

This morning when I arrived at the office with my hands full a colleague who I like and respect alot. He is German/South African and been living here over 15 years and married to a Azeri woman...he's a consultant...anyway, he opened my office door for me as I couldn't reach for the knob. But as I walked into the dark office, I said, geez why do they put the light switches on the outside.....he looked at me and said "control".....I said "dang, I have not been in the country long enough to make those assumptions"....he quiped back..."what do you mean assume".....oh yeah.....life on the wheel, life in the absurd....

55 billion dollars......spent where? China resume rare earth exports

Since I have far greater access to international news here than anything we are fed in the US...my thoughts about the US role in Afghanistan and Iraq has changed greatly in the nearly two years that I've been here...I won't speak on how I feel directly here but absorb this fact between 2007-2009 the US spend 18 billion dollars in Afghanistan...and a total (though spending figures are inaccurate) of 55 billion since 2002.....this is not even for the war...this is for construction of infrastructure including roads, etc...oh,yeah, China has agreed to continue the level of export for rare earth mineral...geez...this will keep the newest cell phones and laptops in our hands...thank goodness they came to their senses...

Universities and colleges in Azerbaijan

Since the society is very photograph sensitive this is regretable since I would love to take photos of the interior of the colleges and universities that I've visited (and conducted presentations at) here in Baku. They are fascinating.....both in terms of the physical appearance of the facilities and also what the student culture is like....like much of the social structures in the country the legacy of bureacratic systems...almost is enough to knock ones socks off....

And, students...thousands, without books, pens or pencils...just milling around....no wonder the recent grads who enter our academy have such a major adjustment...

Can I be pissed at the absurdity of things.....

If you have ever seen Tom Hanks in the "Terminal"....well, it maybe become my reality very soon...Tom, plays a foreign national who upon arrival in NYC learns that his country (let's say somewhere in Eastern Europe/Central Asia) has had a revolt and no longer exists as a soverign country that the US has diplomatic ties with...he is not allowed to enter the US...thus, spending his existence in limbo as a tenant of the airport.
Well, just last week and I was hesitant to report this but turf war (or pissing fit---it's all boys) has erupted between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (who issues visas) and Migration Services (that protects the borders from foreigners)...the process issuing short term visas at the airport for arriving foreigners has been halted....so this means if I leave the country I may not be able to re-enter....I was hoping to escape from Nov 11-17 to avoid the scene when they slaughter the lambs....but just this morning no agency wants to sign my letter....gosh, at least Tom was stuck in an airport that had a salad bar.....I'll keep you posted....but it's freaking absurd! even more absurd that I've had to pay into their social security system....

During in my outing to Mickey D's and always looking up

You know I see so many interesting buildings here especially those built during the Soviet times...but it is better to keep on walking then to stop a snap a photo. You just never know when the Polis will swoop done to hurry your along or worst...so even though my weeks are coming to an end here...I am still cautious....

But this building caught my eye as the relief works were quite extraordinary and detailed...I think it was a building devoted to musical studies....the picture (sorry it's not clearer) is of a trio with a small audience....and the other photo the top of the building the flame is a symbol of Azerbaijan

Still feeling under the weather and Mickey D's

Can't figure out if my bronchitis has finally left my lungs, or if I'm having a major reaction to the mosquito killer plug-ins that are so prevalent here....but as miserable as I've been how much worst can malaria be?
Luckily the sun came out today...and it's Sunday...so the obligatory trek to McDonald's for coffee and fries was the only thing on my agenda today....caffeine and grease...great combo!

Bronchitis...and the right of Americans to act stupid

Still recovering from bronchitis this week, in fact nearly half dozen co-workers are also sick. I brought a bottle of handsanitizer (courtesy of a CVS shopping trip last time I was in US)...but I think on Monday...I'm going to start wiping down door knobs, etc...this is something that they wouldn't do...

I've also decided one of the most vital fundemental rights enjoyed in the US, not freedom of speech, or the whole bearing arms things....but our right to be stupid or more politely called ignorant....here...if you think about the image of hamster spinning madly on its wheel...if you can imagine just that here in Azerbaijan...your entire life is the wheel...

World Facts....gosh I'll miss hearing these things nightly

China is responsible for 90% of the mining of the world's rare minerals...that go into cell phones, laptops, turbine wind mills....they have promised not to limit production and export...but the Chinese government announced today that they will regulate the tonnage.

India has become the world's leading surrogate baby production site. Americans, there we go again, are paying on average $5,000 to female villagers to carry their children...

I am sick, suffering yet again from another bout of bronchitis. Luckily my US Dr. gave me some antibiotics for various ailments...skin infections, intestinal distress, and now this...I just feel like this environment especially the air is generally not good for one's health....I guess you need look no further than the average life span at 58 to understand this. Also, I see why my colleagues and others who can afford it....either shortly before or immediately after giving birth will head to a EU country...like Germany or England to spend the first few months of their newborn's life....makes you go ummmm, huh?

Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy

Here's a photo of the outside of ADA's current home. The first floor windows (lots of them) on the right is a cafe/bookstore/gallery/classroom space. My office is on the second floor of the building. The towering red apartment building on the left is where my apartment is....so I'm only 2 minutes away....

Can it be? Janice no longer in Baku....soon...

Well, friends...now you'll have to contend with the mixed emotions that I'm bound to experience as my exit plans are now underway. I submitted my resignation effective December 3rd, with my US bound flight two days later. It's time and opportunity awaits for me state-side.

In the meantime, guess what the government did yesterday, effectively closed the borders to foreign citizens....I got a message from the US Embassy...it's rather strange and abrupt behavior even for the state controlled system here. One of my expats colleagues noted that countries do this when war is in the air....this closure even caught my Azeri colleagues (who have one foot in ADA and the other in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)...by surprise...I'm not scared but slightly concerned...ummmm....I'll keep you posted...

Family photos....

Here's a photo of me with both brothers Stan and Bobby and our parents. The other picture is me along with Sierra, Dakota, Tammy and my brother Bobby. My mother turned 80 and my dad is 82.....

Back in Baku again...Mom's 80th and Women at ADA

Mom's birthday celebration in Florida was wonderful and I'll post more along with photos in the next day...but back at work today and Gulnur (in the red dress) sent this photo from her bridal shower....

Mom turns 80!

Well friends, I'm heading back to the US for a week to join in the celebration of my mother's 80th birthday! It will be the first time in quite a while that me, both brothers and parents have been together and given the rapid pace of her Alzheimer status....who knows how much longer she'll be able to recall our names......so I'm looking forward to the next few days.....and as always I'll let you know when I'm back in Baku!

New additions to the apartment building

Okay..I understand why people get screens installed ...only to have them blow out...no, that seems like it was only experiences! You should know by now that everytime I return to Baku the "uncertain of what to expect" is always quite high...even arriving at night the drive in from the airport shows you something that wasn't there when I left...

Well, I needed to look no further than the balconies in my apartment building...ironwrought....ummmm can't figure out other than "look I have money to spend"...what's the purpose but for a society that enjoy a level of consumerist voyerism that I thought was only a disease that creates spoiled rotten Americans...WRONG....the iron works on the 10th floor...guess one more thing to get crushed by in an earthquake...oh, yeah, the white box to the left is the gas hot water heaters and the yellow box is the gas dispenser...all of which are on the outside of the apartments for safety....ummm another issue, ah?