The world prepares for doomsday

by Abha Malpani on

As we work on trying to save our planet, it is disturbing to realize that we are also preparing for the ultimate global catastrophe.

A “doomsday vault” — which is a bombproof shelter dug into a mountain on a Norwegian island in the Arctic Ocean — has been built to store 2.25 billion seeds of important agricultural crops in the world, so that in the face of a global calamity, the world will be able to restart the growth of food.

The vault has already received an initial shipment of 100 million seeds from 268,000 varieties of wheat, barley, lentils and other crops. The $9-million, highly protected vault will keep the seeds cool as well as safe from potential flooding caused from foreseen ice-cap melting, for the next 200 years. More than 100 countries have supported its construction, although its ownership rights are with Norway.

So, in event of political instability, nuclear warfare, an epidemic, or large-scale natural disasters, we need not worry my friends, we and our children, and their children, will have food to survive.

We frequently hear that the world is in peril for many reasons and global leaders are putting their heads together to save the planet. Building such a vault is a smart and practical move but it also underscores the harsh reality that, no matter what we try to do, the world’s destruction is imminent, sooner or later.

Happy Wednesday.

Name That Hat: The Hmong in Laos

by Brett Atkinson on

Thanks to those who posted on the most recent Name That Hat. It’s shared honours this time round between Tyler and Oddsocks. The country was Laos – I bought the hat at the Vientiane market – and it’s headgear normally worn by the people of the Hmong hilltribe.

The Hmong are a sub-group of the Miao people and live across South East Asia in Laos, Vietam, Myanmar and Thailand. In the early stages of the Vietnam war, the CIA recruited Hmong tribesmen to join the Secret War fighting the North Vietnamese army along the Ho Chi Minh trail.

Kurdistan Launches Tourism Campaign

by Adrienne Wilson on

USA Today runs a rather interesting story on the recent tourism campaign launch to get more travelers into Iraq’s Kurdistan region. A California marketing firm involved in helping the Kurdistan Development Corp., recently created a new television ad campaign for the three-province region in Northern Iraq and notes that Westerners are welcomed, walk around the area freely and that there is an active nightlife. Apparently, the three TV commercials airing nationally try to convey the message that Kurdistan isn’t the Iraq we know from CNN. It isn’t the Iraq with roadside bombing and beheadings. The lure for potential travelers is adventure, smiling-friendly Kurds, bustling businesses in addition to rock climbing, river rafting, exploring Roman ruins and the gravesites of great ancient prophets. There’s only one drawback – you have to fly through Baghdad’s sometimes dangerous airport.

Some question this new launch to help bring in tourism dollars. With one eye-brow raised and slight skepticism, some marketing experts wonder about the real intentions of the campaign. Considering the location and political history – where Kurds have sought to break away from Iraq, it comes across as if it were for the greater good of Kurdistan and the ads help create Kurdistan looking like a separate land far away from the rest of Iraq and their horrible war. Clever indeed, but one has to wonder how many people are really ready to take that leap. If the Baghdad airport stop wasn’t involved I could see more than a curious soul or two heading over, but for now I clearly can’t envision the masses river rafting in Kurdistan.

Amnesty International Ceasefire Photo Gallery

by Adrienne Wilson on

Here’s something to spend just a few moments checking out. On August 7th, Amnesty International held a global vigil for ceasefire in the Lebanon/Israel conflict. The gallery showcases how members and supporters from over 30 countries came together to show their solidarity for victims and survivors of both sides. Quite moving in a way – it includes shots of people covered in banners, sprawled out in streets, and candles spelling out “ceasefire” in Arabic from Beirut. Take a look at how folks in Paris, Pakistan and Santiago demonstrated their cry for peace and ceasefire.

Tel Aviv Still Okay to Visit

by Adrienne Wilson on

Despite the reassuring sound of this Washington Post piece, I doubt many people will be booking flights into Tel Aviv. While Israel’s northerners trapped in the grizzly realities of war between their country and Lebanon’s Hizbollah may head down for a nice relaxing time on the beach to escape the daily rocket attacks, for foreigners it would still fall too close for comfort. According to the article business has been great in Tel Aviv and the entertainment and commercial capital of Israel continues to thrive during the dispute.

Tel Aviv is located 130 miles (220 km) from Lebanon and hasn’t been struck by missiles since the Gulf War in 1991. The city houses some 235 public bomb shelters that have recently been prepared with equipment, stretchers, and water. Israel’s on my list and most certainly Tel Aviv, but I’d wait this one out.