Excursification

E and I are off to the Grand Canyon. We shall be galavanting about the Canyon area for two weeks. Be well all you friends of Yoshistan.

The Vietnam War Isn't Over

Perhaps the most well respected and known Hmong elder, Vang Pao, has been picked up on conspiracy charges that he was in the midst of attempting to overthrow the Laotian government. Of course this is a continuation of the conflict the U.S. created and funded during the 60's and 70's concurrent with the Vietnam war. We hired these people to fight for us, to attempt to establish "Democracy" in South Asia.

There are glaring parallels between Vietnam and Iraq. The fact that the U.S. moseyed on in, pitted one segment of the population against the other and now is apparently going to be moseying off...again.

I feel fairly conflicted about the U.S. leaving Iraq in its current state. On the one hand, it's jacked that we're there in the first place, on the other; it's jacked what's going to happen when we leave.

Drinking from the Valley

Whilst drinking from the Azrahji river, deep within the valley of Azrah (pictured to the right) I happened across a small caravan. The steep, and rocky slopes proved to treacherous for the camels laden with sweet smelling spices and smoked tea leaves, so they had been traveling through the shallows of the river.The caravan leader's face sunk into darkness when I told him that the river ended in a mighty waterfall not more than four hundred qasab from where we stood. I smiled wide as I told him to have faith in the blessed one as I was more than happy to show him a safe path through the valley. His relief was such that he gifted me a pound of smoked tea. As we spoke of events far to the East, from which he came, I heard of a state of consciousness known as no mind. He had this to say of it:


"When this No-Mind has been well developed, the mind does not stop with one thing nor does it lack any one thing. It appears appropriately when facing a time of need."

Takuan Soho

Drink deeply my friends.