THE ARK OF BUKHARA
The ”Ark” was the palace-fortress of Bukhara rulers since 500 BC. The ancient Silk Road oasis has a history of 5,000 years. Today Bukhara is in Uzbekistan, one the Five Stans of Central Asia. Each of the five – Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrghizstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan – are uniquely enchanting. Together they comprise one of the most culturally, historically, and scenically spectacular, yet mysterious and unknown, regions on our Earth. Let me know if you’d like to experience all five with me this coming May 2021. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #36 Photo ©Jack Wheeler)
CHINA’S WHITE HOUSE POODLE
HALF-FULL REPORT 01/29/21
Is it true that if you put a frog in a pot of cool water and very slooowly heat up the water, he won’t notice until he’s boiled to death? Turns out, it may well be.
No matter the disagreement, there is universal acknowledgement that if water a frog is in gets too hot too quickly, he wastes no time jumping out of it muy rápido. Which is why the frog-boiling metaphor is so useful as that’s just what us humans do too.
For that’s just what FPX’s Fubar Fascism has done in first few days of his impostor occupancy of the White House. He tried to boil us American frogs waaaay too fast – including lots and lots of seriously ticked-off Dem union workers.
That’s the message of hope in this week’s HFR – and what to do about it.
FLASHBACK FRIDAY — A FIRST CONTACT WITH THE NAKED AUCAS
July, 1972. That’s what these people were known as back in 1972 who lived in the Amazon forests south of the Napo River in Ecuador killing anyone foolish enough to enter their territory. The Quechuas living along the north bank of the Napo were terrified of them, calling them “Aucas” – naked savages. I found them, as you can see, naked but not savage.
This was a true first contact. A helicopter pilot friend, Tony Stuart, and I chanced upon them, landing in their clearing. We were literally space aliens in a space ship from outer space, for all they knew was the jungle. They had nothing from the outside world. I gave them a box of matches which was the most exciting thing they had ever seen. Despite their fearsome reputation for killing outsiders including missionaries, they smiled and laughed like anyone else.
They also understood trade and exchanging gifts. Beside the matches, we gave them some rope and a small machete (first metal they had ever seen). They gave (without our asking) Tony a hand stone axe, and me a blowgun. After a few hours it was time to go. Our goodbyes to each other were with huge smiles. I will never ever forget them. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #113 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
THE FASCIST CRUELTY OF A FIRST WEEK IN POWER
[FPX] was inaugurated a week ago, and like the dictator his handlers have long yearned to install, his has started out as a cruel administration. His 22 executive orders so far, more than any other president in history, have already sent tens of thousands of jobs down the drain with coldhearted carelessness.
As all those who opposed his candidacy suspected, he is doing China's bidding. Of course he is; the Chinese own him. Every single person he has appointed to his Cabinet is aligned with China as well.
It took the Obama administration a year to do this much damage. This crowd, believing they have absolute power in every sense of the phrase, have set about implementing the transformation of the U.S. from a democratic republic to a communist -fascist oligarchy. In a flash, there is no more freedom of speech or assembly.
SCOUNDREL’S VIEW OF MOUNT EVEREST
You’re looking face on Everest’s West Ridge, the border of Tibet and Nepal. On the right is the Southwest Face in Nepal, on the left is the North Face in Tibet. Called Scoundrel’s View because this is a better view than trekkers to Everest Base Camp see (a viewpoint called Kala Patthar).
You have to make another trek up the Ngozumpa glacier (longest in the Himalayas) in the Gokyo valley, where above the fifth Gokyo lake at 16,400 feet you get to call yourself a “scoundrel” for seeing what Everest trekkers don’t.
High on the Northeast Ridge on the left horizon is the last place Mallory and Irvine were seen heading for the summit in 1924, and then disappeared. Hillary and Tenzing summited in 1953 via the Southeast Ridge over the right horizon. Everest Base Camp in Nepal is at the foot of the big snowy buttress below the West Ridge. Called the West Shoulder, it blocks any view of Everest from Base Camp.
On our Himalaya Helicopter Expeditions, we get an abundance of spectacular views of Everest, up close and personal – Scoundrel’s View is only one of many. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #29 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
SKYE’S LINKS 01/28/21
That's the spirit!
Sen. Ted Cruz Wears 'Come and Take It' Mask to [FPX's] Inauguration
An interesting admission:
Capitol Rioter Accused of Beating Cops Says He Was Not There for Trump
The far left is going big - very big - and this is producing pushback , even from the usually useful idiots. Here is an amazing and refreshingly honest criticism of FPX, Fauci, and Bezos by Meghan McCain - when they have gone too far for her to take it any longer, they have really blown it:
Meghan McCain: [FPX], Fauci, Bezos COVID Hypocrisy Is Total Breakdown of Trust
Welcome to Skye’s Links to the New World Disorder!
CAN RAND PAUL SAVE THE SENATE?
Just the other day he stood up to the tedious hyper-partisanship of ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.
And yesterday (1/26) in the Senate – as you can see above – he weighed in, to great effect, on the impeachment farce, although I suspect it wasn’t just his impassioned and eloquent speech, a point of order actually, that swung 45 Republican senators to his side. There was something else too.
GOP ELECTION FRAUD DENIERS PAINT THEMSELVES INTO A CORNER
Here’s the official company line promoted by establishment Republicans to defend the outcome of the 2020 presidential election:
Of course the election had some irregularities like all elections but nothing that would change the result and, by the way, the country needs some major election integrity reform before this happens again.
This is the conundrum created by election fraud deniers in the GOP. One cannot simultaneously defend the integrity of the 2020 election and call for new laws to ensure election integrity.
By refusing over the past few months to acknowledge, let alone address, provable instances of voter fraud, Republicans now find themselves between a rock and a hard place.
BURMA’S SACRED GOLDEN ROCK
Some three hours’ drive east of Rangoon brings you to Mount Kyaiktiyo, at the top of which (3,600ft) is a gigantic granite boulder covered in gold leaf perched on the edge about to fall off. But it never does, held in place, legend says, by a strand of the Buddha’s hair put underneath it 2,500 years ago. Ever since, the Golden Rock has been a sacred pilgrimage site for the Burmese people and Buddhists around the world.
There are very few people here other than pilgrims, who devoutly pray, circumambulate the rock, and reverently place small strips of gold leaf upon it. It’s a marvelous experience to be among them. I’ll be here again in January of ’22 – you might consider joining me. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #112 photo ©Jack Wheeler)