Woody Allen on Faith

Tweet “To me, there’s no real difference between a fortune teller or a fortune cookie and any of the organized religions. They’re all equally valid or invalid, really. And equally helpful.”  ---Woody Allen, The New York Times, September 14, 2010

Stray Cat Strut

Tweet Ok, so the stray Tom Cat is still with us. I found him sunning himself in the vacant lot next door -- he was lying on a pile of rubble -- seemingly without a care in the world.

He certainly made my day because it's now been ten days and he's still with us -- which means he probably doesn't have rabies -- which means I don't have to take all those shots. In my last posting, I'd mentioned that my doctor had encouraged me to feed the stray cat so that I could keep close watch on him for those ten critical days. I didn't seem him yesterday, but, at breakfast, I happened to look out the window and there he was -- I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a cat.

He eventually got up and wandered around the vacant lot -- which is sealed by a ten foot high wall -- there is one little place at the gate where an animal can slide out. After his stroll -- he eventually crawled under the gate and disappeared into the morning.

Tied to a Stray Tom Cat

Tweet

A big yellow tomcat has been hanging out in the compound -- and apparently chased away our big yellow tomcat. The other evening, I attempted to scare away the stray tom, but he bit me on the hand -- a deep wound. He's still here -- flirting with our female felines.

The doctor suggested that I get a rabies shot -- just in case.  The first of three shots I got today will prevent rabies, but won't help me if I am already infected. For that, I will need a series of different rabies shots.

The doctor said if the stray cat dies within the next six days -- then I will need to take these different rabies shots -- which cost $1500.00.  So....I need to make sure the stray tomcat hangs around the compound so I can watch him.

Tonight -- I fed him for the first time. He looked at me -- suspiciously -- before he started chowing down. He cleaned the plate.

Just now, he's hanging out with one of the female cats -- she's doing a mating dancing for him -- lying on the tile patio -- turning herself around and around. He's sitting in the corner -- contentedly watching her.

Only five more days -- hang in there Stray Tom.  Tomorrow, for breakfast, maybe some caviar?

Witness

Tweet I saw a little boy dragged by a taxi this morning.

It is not easy to write about -- I didn't actually see the taxi hit the child -- what I witnessed or heard, first,  was a muffled, scraping sound -- then I saw something stuck under the car -- being dragged on the asphalt. Then, I heard frantic shouts from someone in a red shirt running toward the car.

At first, I thought it was a piece of cardboard under the car -- then it appeared to be a dog. The car didn't immediately stop and once it did -- the boy's body lay in the middle of the street. He wasn't moving. The taxi driver reluctantly stopped some 10 yards up the road. I say reluctantly because he kept slowing down and then finally stopped.

A man, presumably the father or a relative, in the red shirt, ran screaming and crying into the street and hugged the boy's body -- other witnesses stopped traffic -- and several people approached the driver -- who didn't immediately get out of the car.Still others ran to help the child.

It happened just after sunup this morning -- and there were a number of others who witnessed this horrible tragedy and came running to offer help.

I still find it difficult to believe and process what I witnessed -- all in a matter of seconds.

I don't know the details of what happened -- for instance -- how fast the taxi was moving -- although when I noticed it -- the car was moving slowly. I also don't know if the child was crossing the street or playing in the street.  I did see the taxi driver's face -- just after the boy's body cleared the under-part of the car -- and from his expression -- he appeared not to know what he'd hit.

I don't know if the child survived -- although his little body appeared lifeless.

The West Wing - Pirated

Tweet I had never taken the time or maybe had the time to watch a full episode of the West Wing until a few weeks ago. It is a show that I'd always wanted to see. I happened to be in the DVD shop and saw all seven seasons on the shelf and grabbed the first two.

Let me say that it is impossible to buy a genuine version of any DVD here, all you can find is pirated copies for about a buck-50 per disc. So, for about ten bucks I got the entire first season. Buying pirated DVD's is always a crap-shoot, the biggest problem, of course, is no quality control.

Most discs play ok -- but buying a whole season of a TV show can be a real gamble.

The first two discs played fine. Disc three refused to play, but I was persistent and after about a dozen attempts it worked, but I was afraid to stop the disc, so I watched all four episodes. Disc four and five were ok, but then on disc six, the final episode of season one froze up in the last five dramatic moments. It refused to budge.

This isn't the first time I'd gotten burned by pirated DVDs. The only solution is to go online and attempt to find the script. Thankfully, the West Wing scripts are readily available and I was able to read the season finale.

I bookmarked the page because I hope to find time this next week to watch -- er -- read season two.

Remembering Wolfenstein

Tweet

Wolfenstein, in the foreground, was born in late February and he died today, August 15. We don't know the cause of death, but it appears to be some sort of poisoning. He was healthy last evening.

We called him Wolfenstein because he sort of a looked like a wolf when he was smaller. Fiercely independent, but also friendly. He'll be missed scampering around the compound. In the photo above, that's his sister, Sweetie, sitting behind him. She went to a good home last month.

Return to Baucau

Tweet Baucau - Timor-Leste's second city is a pleasure to visit -- it's much cooler than Dili because it sits on a hillside and has nice breezes. It's also easy to reach -- about 2 and-a-half hours east of Dili along a fairly decent road.

At one point, it climbs over a small mountain -- the narrow road -- carved out off the ocean-side cliffs. It can be a bit tricky when a big truck is barreling down the road in the opposite direction -- particularly on a sharp, narrow curve.

Baucau, itself, has nice accommodations and quiet beaches.

Chicken Feathers - Burned

Tweet I can still smell the chicken feathers burning over the fire -- a smell similar to singed hair.

One of the ways of roasting chicken in Timor-Leste is to first wring the chickens' neck, then dangle the bird over the flames while holding the feet. The burning feathers create a large flame-out and a crackling sound. Within a minute or two most of the feathers have been burned off and the rest can be plucked out -- rather easily -- according to my Timorese colleagues.
Once the bird has been plucked -- it is roasted over the open fire.

I witnessed this technique in Maubisse -- about three hours due south of Dili, the capital.
This wasn't a special ceremony. It was just a Saturday night barbeque -- it was some of the freshest chicken meat I had ever tasted. Yet -- the smell of singed chicken feathers isn't likely to fade away for a while.

Earthquake!

Tweet I was sitting at my laptop when suddenly everything started to shake. There's the strong sense of helplessness -- one's life out of control -- if just for a few seconds.

I ran to the doorway and waited -- there were no aftershocks.

Seconds later, the neighborhood erupted in a clanging sound as residents began banging pots and pans -- as a way to let the gods know, or to remind them, that humans are on Earth and the gods should have mercy.

The quake felt like a five, but apparently, officially, it was a 4.8.

Small World

Tweet I never thought I'd be drinking Georgian wine in Timor-Leste.

Yet, the longer I live here, the more I come to realize, that in some ways, T-L is a microcosm of the world. It's due in large part to the United Nations presence here.

At the small dinner party, last evening, where I was savoring the Georgian vino, I was surrounded by a gentleman from Mozambique, an Azeri, two Georgians, two Americans and our Japanese hostess.

I happened to mention to the Georgian couple that I knew an Abkhazian couple -- living in Timor. Abkhazia used to be a part of Georgia and broke away and has since been recognized by Russia as an independent state. There is often tension between Georgians and Abkhazians, but I was curious if this Georgian couple had encountered them in small-town Dili. "No, but it would be great to meet them, " replied Ana. She seemed quite serious. Timor-Leste is, after all, neutral ground.

It reminded me of my time in Georgia teaching journalism to Azeris, Georgians and Armenians. Azeris and Armenians don't get along because of Nagorno-Karabakh -- but, in Georgia, they got along fine -- Georgia was neutral ground.

If the world were neutral ground -- and we could all drink Georgian wine -- we'd probably all get along much better.

A River Runs Through It

Tweet The weather in Timor-Leste has been weird for the past month. It's the dry season, but someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. Incredible rain storms have been occurring at all hours of the day -- today was no exception -- except this was heavy rain -- non-stop for about two hours. Streets turned into rivers. To get into our compound you had to wade through water up to your knees.

Timorese colleagues say it's been years since they've seen rain in July in Timor.

Dark clouds are again stirring as I write this -- looks like we're going to get an encore performance.

The Fourth in Timor

Tweet The US Embassy in Dili celebrated the Fourth of July on the 2nd with a big party and a big cake!

Think Snow!

Tweet These were taken in February '07 in Ala Archa Park, in the mountains, outside Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Big Boat Little Boat

Tweet A US Navy warship off Dili in late June and a Timorese fishing boat. These little boats can be spotted all around the coast.

Frank Rich on McChrystal

Tweet Here's a great opinion piece on last week's Rolling Stone article.