The Neon Leg Warmer of the Caribbean

Remember Haiti? The one with the coup (which we will not at all suggest was supported by our own Federal Democratic Republic because that would have been undemocratic) that is already retro-chic even though it happened less than a month ago?

Haiti is still fucked. No, really, fucked. Just FYI.

The problem with listening to news on the local Pacifica affiliate during NPR pledge drives is that at Pacifica, they tend to see history (and history in the making) as the story of life rather than the story of political leadership. While the story of wartime politics can be interesting, the story of wartime life is awful, and usually ends up with someone hogtied in barbed wire and raped or shot or both.

Or perhaps awful is an overstatement; how’s about a vacation in Somalia?

“Tourists can still go and see the former beautiful sights,” [Somalia's minister of tourism Abdi Jimale Osman] says. “The only problem is they’re all totally destroyed.”
…
For those who remain unconvinced, Mr Jimale is reassuring. “I’m sure tourists would leave Somalia alive and I’m hopeful they wouldn’t be kidnapped,” he says. “At least, we would try to make sure they were not kidnapped, although it can happen.”

(link via Alas, A Blog)