Well, the Mongolian government has launched a big Visit Mongolia 2003 program to lure visitors to Mongolia in 2003. Apparently they did not consult the soothsayers at Gandan Monastery before choosing the year 2003. As if the war with Iraq is not enough to deter many travelers now there's the Killer Virus Thing. See US set to curtail official travel to Asia over SARS, which says in part: “Under the new guidelines, all non-essential travel by US government employees to China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan will be suspended until further notice. The travel warnings will also urge US citizens to defer travel to the four places and suggest that those already there consider leaving.”
Since a good portion of the people coming to Mongolia transit through Beijing this can’t be good news. And the fact that many people even at this late date think Mongolia is somehow part of China will only add to the confusion. And the Killer Virus seems to be getting Worse.
Sunday, March 30, 2003
Thursday, March 27, 2003
Now the US Envoy to Mongolia has resigned in protest over the US's Iraq and Korea policies. "Ann Wright, the embassy's deputy chief of mission, also criticised the 'unnecessary curtailment of civil rights' in the United States since September 11," says the article.
For the story behind this photo see
For a good book on the Assassins, who Chingis Khan's grandson Hulegu pretty much wiped out in the 1250s see The Assassin Legends: Myths of the Isma'ilis by Farhad Daftary. For an on-line history see "The Assassins of Alamut". For what motivated the Isma'ilis see their Secret Doctrines. Although their castles were destroyed by the Mongols the Isma'ilis have survived to the present day, most notably in India but with enclaves all over the world. Their current leader is the Aga Khan, the 49th Imam and a noted philanthropist.
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
The Bloghdad was back on line on the 24th after a two-day hiatus, but now he has gone silent again. Apparently they are having some trouble with the phone lines in Baghdad. There has been a lot of dispute on the net about whether this guy is for real or not (see the links in the blog itself for more info), but for the moment he appears to be real and actually in Baghdad.
More on the Killer Virus in Beijing. One doctor says there may be 100 cases . . .
Now it is official: the Killer Virus Has Hit Beijing. And there are - what? - five or six planes a week to Ulaan Baatar from Beijing. This thing could jump the Gobi real quick. As if Mongolia doesn't have enough problems already. . .
Now it is official: the Killer Virus Has Hit Beijing. And there are - what? - five or six planes a week to Ulaan Baatar from Beijing. This thing could jump the Gobi real quick. As if Mongolia doesn't have enough problems already. . .
Would you belief that Chingis Khan has 16 million descendants in China and Central Asia? See Chingis's Genes. According to this study "half of one percent of the world's male population can probably claim descent" from Chingis Khan. True, The Washington Post had named Chingis the "Man of the Millennium", but I don't think this is what they had in mind.
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
Now Mongolia appears to be part of the "Coalition" fighting with the USA in Iraq. Maureen Dowd pointed this out in the NYTimes, but I thought she was just being her usual facetious self. But see the White House Web Page, which lists Mongolia among its Allies, right along with other M-powers Macedonia, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
Speaking of Mongolians, and since US forces are at the moment approaching Baghdad, this seems to be a good time to re-post Saddam's January 17th Speech in which he called Americans "The New Mongols" and implied that George Bush was the New Hulegu. Hulegu you will recall was Chingis Khan's grandson who sacked Baghdad in 1258.
Speaking of Mongolians, and since US forces are at the moment approaching Baghdad, this seems to be a good time to re-post Saddam's January 17th Speech in which he called Americans "The New Mongols" and implied that George Bush was the New Hulegu. Hulegu you will recall was Chingis Khan's grandson who sacked Baghdad in 1258.
Friday, March 21, 2003
For a blog out of Baghdad see Bloghdad. It is unclear who this guy is and how much longer he will be able to post but for the moment it is interesting. Even with cruise missiles whipping around you still got to go out and buy a loaf of bread. I can just hear the wife hollering, “And get a liter of milk too! And don't stop at the tea house on the way back!" I wonder if they are stilll selling lottery tickets.
Well, it has finally arrived. No, not the war (of course that has arrived too). I mean Spring. Here in Mongolia Spring officially starts at 9:00 am sharp. It is just a coincidence that this year the spring equinox falls right on the hour. Also, for all of you who tried to balance eggs at the moment of the equinox, forget it. As Sky and Telescope, says, "Eggs do not balance on end more easily at the equinox than at other times! Actual tests have demolished this bit of New Age goofiness; the ability of eggs to balance depends on tiny irregularities on their shells (and the persistence of the would-be balancer!), not on what day it is. This perennial silly-season story has nothing to do with how eggs balance."
At 9:00 am here in Mongolia it is a balmy 24 degrees F. As far as I can tell that has been no reaction whatsoever here about the start of the war in Iraq. This is of course of Buddhist country so the religion factor doesn't much enter into the picture - no one is calling for either Crusades or Jihads - and the local media doesn't seem to be making a big deal out of it. Of course it is still early . . .
At 9:00 am here in Mongolia it is a balmy 24 degrees F. As far as I can tell that has been no reaction whatsoever here about the start of the war in Iraq. This is of course of Buddhist country so the religion factor doesn't much enter into the picture - no one is calling for either Crusades or Jihads - and the local media doesn't seem to be making a big deal out of it. Of course it is still early . . .