James Wolcott : "Kind of a Shame" says what I have been repeating till I can't repeat it any more.

Happy New Year to everyone, especially the long suffering Iraqi people. Thinking of you, despite the posts drying up. I cannot write what others write far better, though will continue to post up links to articles or blog opinion that seems worth reading.

Personal posts about my early life in Iraq, too, seem more and more inappropriate with the mayhem and suffering, since these memoires will mostly describe calmer, quiter times. Except to mention kerosine heaters!

In out times these were the things we used: they had a circular wick, and woe to anyone who had forgotten to maintain the wick properly or forgotten to buy a new one. Now, no doubt, most people use propane gas, although both create quite a lot of condensation and are not good to have operating without a bit of fresh air circulating. Since Iraqis love their books so much, I am thinking along the lines of the moisture creating mould at the back of the bookcases.....

Hope the elections take place as planned. Really looking forward to them and wondering what is going to transpire.

  ¶ Monday, January 03, 2005