My impression of the English countryside has always been influenced by the movie "Tom Jones". I thought the country was inhabited by robust, ruddy-faced peasants engaged in wholesome activities like sheep-shearing. Now it turns out the place is a sleazy mosh pit infested with party animals with names like Pippa Joynes, who is apparently not related to Tom Jones. For the sordid details see "Wild Beach Parties Ruin Lord's Island Retreat".

More palm trees . . . They're everywhere! they're everywhere!

Although much of Europe has been pummeled by an unprecedented heat wave, here in Ulaan Baatar it has been surprisingly cool and rainy this summer. That has not, however, stopped palm trees from popping up, as shown here:


Palms Flourish in Ulaan Baatar (the sign reads "American Tents")

Also see My World Wide Wanders

Norway fights back against US Seafood Imperialism: see "American Lobsters Wanted Dead or Alive-$140 Bounty".

Message to a Certain Sino: glad you liked the Smiths CD. I haven't heard it but music cognoscente Big Al says it is OK . . .

The Sceptored Isle is, according to our correspondents, suffering from an unprecedented heat wave. Not everyone is roasting, however: see "Heatwave Claims Frostbite Victim".

For more photos of my recent 10-day trip to the Khentii Mountains see Burkhan Khaldun Khora.

Young Horseperson in the Upper Kherlen River Valley

More to come . . .

Just returned from a 120 mile horseback trip around Burkhan Khaldun Mountain in Khentii Province. With me were, from left to right, Zevgee, Bira, Utzee, and Khishigee.

''Ah,'' he says, ''we got some crazy people around here. I wouldn't make too much of it.'' This is directed quote from Tom Foy of Berlin, Pennsylvania, from "Who's a Hero Now? in the New York Times. This has never been a very well-kept secret, but now the whole English-speaking world knows about it!

More antics from Germany: Flying Underpants Cause Highway Crash. It just never seems to end . . .

Irrepressible blognoscente Big Al has wondered if all Mongolian herdsman in the countryside wear baseball caps. Well, baseball caps are ubiquitous (with NY Yankees caps being perhaps the most popular), but there are some diehards who prefer traditional headgear, as shown in this photo.

Mongolian wrestlers beware: Tots from the country of Georgia are bulking up and getting ready to take on the world. See Giant Preschoolers Wrestle, Eat Ice Cream.


Four-year-old Georgian wrestler Khotokhov weighs in at 56 kilos