OBSERVATIONS: Lessons Learned (re-learned or remembered) 2011

Fron Grand Hyatt Amman

First call to prayer at 4:18- not a bad way to start the day.

You have enough stuff: more friends is better (and remember to tell them how important they are while you can). Ol’ friends are sometimes the best… they know how far you’ve come/grown…

“It’s a Wonderful Life” or “A Christmas Carol” might be the best holiday movies ever made, but “Die Hard” isn’t bad…

When your physician tells you that you have a pre-arthritic condition it means you already have arthritis.

When you are on a dive vacation flight lay-over on the mainland be sure to have bug juice (and apply same).

People that generalize are ignorant (Oops…).

Get a professional to winterize your irrigation system (and obtain their guarantee in writing).

When eating mensef at a wedding use your right hand (put your left somewhere) 

The older you get the less likely it is that your thumbnail will work as well as a straight-slot screwdriver.

Just because it is categorized as non-fiction doesn’t mean that it is…

Some politicians won’t trust gov’t employees as they suspect all are “lazy & shiftless.” (see 5^th one above) BTW- Incumbents are the problem (as are those that vote for them).

Meme (L)

Even though your kid (or climbing partner) moves half-way across the country doesn’t mean they are off-the-books; it is also a good time to establish a FedEx account.

Removing your gold & diamonds from your safe deposit box and keeping it in the trunk of your unlocked car isn’t a good idea.

Stay away from Atlanta: they have zombies there.

“Climate Change” doesn’t mean it is going to be warmer where you live.

Way 2 much plastic floating around the Caribbean, and the Red Sea is cold in early May.

When they tell you at the theater box office that the movie is scratched, but they’ll provide a full refund during the first half-hour, you can be assured the film is fine for the first 31-minutes.

Sex & politics have been bed-partners since… way before Cleopatra…

When your local computer store starts selling fishing supplies too, it is time to move on.

Annual Reflections

Happy Hanukkah, Fabulous Festivus, Super Solstice, Cheerful Christmas, Kool Kwanza,

Mele Kalikimaka (and Happy New Year: Year of the Dragon: Jan. 23rd)...

‘Tis the season to be jolly-n-gay and to think about what has been, or still can be. We hope that you are spending time with those you love in places that enhance your joy. I customarily send out cards with letters/blurbs, but this year thought I'd use this new (for me) medium. Many of us have had a year of change: some losing family and/or cherished ones, some in & out of care facilities, and others adding to their families & relationships. They say that losses/bad things come in 3's; if so, I can name 3 for this year: Maureen Helene (Shapiro) Thompson from Burbank HS, Mike Taylor roomie in college (Denver daze), & Rick Foster (paternal cousin; Golden, CO). Some of us have "the blues" this time of year, but being thankful for the good things we have (like winter solstice) never goes out-of-season. A positive change in Santa Fe came when Randy Crutcher & Karin Lubin relocated here earlier this year. Randy was a house-mate & travel compadre extraordinaire back in the Humboldt State portion of this trip, and now we're hitting partners trying to get tennis balls back over the net when our schedules coincide. They seem to be enjoying the area as much as we are as Randy writes: "feels like we won the lottery to be in such beauty and comfort. It’s perfect for us!"               http://quantumleapcoaching.org/



 We continued our northern New Mexico activities of work (Meme @ Office of the State Engineer/Water Rights; me (tennis refing & heritage resource volunteering) and play (climbing, tennis, yoga). In addition we took a dive trip to Isla Marisol, Belize in February and Meme joined me the last 10-days of my 2-months of work at Petra Archaeological Park, in Jordan during “Arab Spring.” We got in a couple of dives at the Red Sea, and floated in the Dead one too. I went back for October; many new special friends this year.

On the home front we continued with “home improvements” this year: new doors, windows & stucco (we’re no longer that darker brownish home, became the light brown [beige] one). The Hot Springs spa turned 17 and took a 1-week rest this month while we got a new pump: so good to be back in “hot water” again. Lucy (the Bull Terrier) turned 3, and she continues to entertain… though she is hesitant to get started on her walks, she picks up after we hit the green-belt and is absolutely true to her breed at pulling when the ground is covered with snow (we’re expecting the 5^th snow of the month tomorrow).

Justin moved to Chicago in August (hoping to further theatre endeavors; not sure what he pursuing, but from his periodic need for funds we're pretty sure he is NOT dealing drugs or guns). He came home for the holidays in time to watch Lucy while Meme & I went over to visit my mom for her 87^th B-day last week. It has been a challenging year for mom, but she is back living at home with great assistance from sister-in-residence Laura, and sister-near-by Chris. Pilgrimage to a ballgame during "The Season" took us to San Diego/Pacific Beach (and me to Phoenix a couple of times to check-in with family).

Los Tres Amigos @ work, Wadi Mousa

2012 looks like it’ll be another year of change (of course that is a constant we can always count on). In addition to more college & USTA tennis umping, I’ve got SiteWatch steward orientations to again present, + a special heritage resource investigations training scheduled (Feb.), and a potential return to Petra (spring). I hope the year brings you health, strength, prosperity, peace & happiness.

“Happy Trails” to all, “Inshallah” (God willing).

Thinking about some of the family & friends (current & former) that we’ve lost this year I find myself singing this ol’ song by The Association: “Cherish” (“…and I do…”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6-mOvl7WlE

“The answer my friends is blowin’ in the wind…”

‘tis a cold December thus far in Santa Fe. Warm thoughts to those that have served in the military continued with “Wreaths Across America” on Monday- held in each state capital. On this Pearl Harbor 70^th anniversary & remembrance morning I hope to pause at 11:10AM (MST), the minute in Honolulu time that an armor-piercing shell hit & quickly sunk the USS Arizona.  I noticed my weather sensor read 10F (or -12.2C) at 6AM, up from yesterday’s 4F/-15.5C; birds have taken refuge in the woodpile, and Lucy prefers staying curled up in her daybed in the den (nearer the fire). Many of us do that: find a warmer locale out of the winds and hunker down. It is easier. Of course, I’m wondering about the political winds at present. Many of us have been clamoring for “change” for sometime. I have friends advocating everything from term limits to revolution and the return of the guillotine (and those are the conservative ones). How about you?

I recently read Wm. Leuchtenburg’s bio: Herbert Hoover. Far from being a Hoover apologist, best known for his works on Hoover’s successor President Franklin D. Roosevelt, he does explode a lot of myths about HH (some even made common by newspaper reporters of renown and a Pulitzer Prize. Can you imagine a professional news organization today trying to get away with reporting “eye witnessed” events that actually never took place? Hmmm…)

I’d always heard of a professional nexus between Hoover and my maternal grandfather (Henry Newlin- photo below); they were both engineers by training (and personality). Henry’s 1^st wife was a Mellon; after she died my grandmother (Ann- photo) and Henry had a family of four. While Hoover was a cabinet secretary (Commerce) in the 1920’s (before being elected President), a fellow cabinet member was Andrew Mellon (Treasury), and he kept Mellon as Secretary of the Treasury when elected President. So, it sounds like “family history” isn’t far off-base on this one. I mention this because Hoover has usually been represented and characterized as a heartless ogre, but as I read I found a much more complex individual that wasn’t “in bed with the bankers” and sometimes showed a humanistic streak.

Henry & Ann Newlin

Albright & Hoover
in Yellowstone NP

Having had a career in the National Park Service I found references to President Hoover’s conservation efforts most interesting: “augmented the national forest reserve by two million acres…rescue of sequoia groves on the Pacific Coast… edict restricting the gunning down of migratory birds… Nine days after taking office, Hoover announced that no more oil exploration would be permitted on public lands, within the next year more than twelve thousand leases were canceled. But his most important step on behalf of conservation was approving as director of the National Park Service the superbly qualified Horace Albright… Under Hoover and Albright, the government added three million acres to U.A. parks and monuments- a phenomenal 40 percent increase…opened preserves in the Grand Tetons and Carlsbad Caverns, and took steps toward creating the first national parks in the East, including the Great Smokies and the Florida Everglades.” I was lucky enough to get to know and assist Horace Albright years later, during my tenure as a District Ranger at Santa Monica Mountains.

Anyway, in the public eye and the media of the day President Hoover was seen as heartless, but one wonders what might have been… “if only?” If only, he hadn’t named the financial downturn a “depression” (trying to avoid the previously used term of “panic”); If only, it had been a shorter decline as most expected (including his political adversaries); If only, Europe’s economic situation went down-the-drain a couple years later and a worldwide “Great Depression” followed. History is filled with “if only.” However, as Meme’s family saying goes: “If wishes were fishes, we’d all be sardines.” We were, and are, faced with great challenges.

Maybe it is time to fly from the wood pile and see how we can help and serve (THANKS to those that have). After all it is the season… and giving & hope are good things…

USS Arizona Memorial

FYI, this was on front page of the Opinions section of the Santa Fe New Mexican on 04 Dec:

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/myview/Their-view--Phil-Young--and-William-Wiley-Don-t-let-Congress-gi

On page two was this editorial:

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Opinion/Our-view-Giving-away--the-wilderness

A week of THANKS & GIVING…

This Thursday in the U.S. was Thanksgiving Day. I had meant to post then, as tt has long been my favorite holiday, but things got busy. Maybe I love TG because we just eat lots of good things that aren’t on the everyday menu (like turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes & pies: no goat or mensef this time around) and watch American football (vice futbol internacional), but also because it is a day of reflection. I like to make it a week-long of THANKS & GIVING. Of course, some recent events also make me pause.

Watching the evening network news this week I see that riots in Cairo have left 30+ dead. If I follow the analysis correctly it is that demonstrators are tired of waiting on the military government that took over last spring to hand over power before the elections, and they haven’t “fixed the economy” quick enough. The fiscal health of the nation is dependent on tourism and foreign folks aren’t coming. So, demonstrations & riots should certainly be an attraction… hmm…

On the domestic demo-front (“Occupy Anything”), Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich (yep, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives) had some good analysis of the “Occupy” demonstrators (interfering with people trying to get-to-work in order to pay their taxes that provide government space & services), but added some un-sensitive words: “take a bath… get a job…” On the flip-side, former Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi accused “60 Minutes” the weekly news magazine on TV of a right-wing hatchet job on their piece looking at insider trading by members of our Congress (it isn’t illegal for them, because they make the laws). Many come with little in their portfolio and leave wealthy. I’m starting to like China’s handling of public corruption more-n-more, and it isn’t often that “60 Minutes” is cited for right-wing bias. Many of us are feed-up with anyone and everyone in office and want a return to citizen legislators’ love to see ALL incumbents o-u-t, regardless… yes, yours too. Unfortunately, too much $$$ have come influencing power, corrupting the basis of the Republic (gee, didn’t wee learn anything from Rome?). Anyway, we need to go back to basic necessary programs, and ask: is it sustainable? If not, change it to make-it-so, Bottom line: everyone will need to be involved in the hurt.



4 that roomed & roamed: Phil-Mike-Scott-Steve in '71

Lost a comrade-in-arms this past week: Michael (Mike)Taylor a vet of Vietnam (& VVAW) was a roomie in Denver in the early 70’s. He’d been a Sgt. With USMC before we met. He had a career with the railroad, but I knew him as a sensitive poet. RIP Michael.

Talked with several former colleagues this week. A special one, Cindy Schroder, that wrote the book A Hunt for Justice, has begun her next non-fiction based on some of the cases we (FBI, Fish & Wildlife, and National Park Service) worked together. Should be interesting read, stay tuned…

http://www.amazon.com/Hunt-Justice-Story-Undercover-Wildlife/dp/1599218941/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322242383&sr=1-1

THANK YOU to the many that have served & given…

VVAW on-The-Mall '71

The other day I was doing some weights work at Santa Fe Community College’s Resistance Training Center (aka: gym) and I thought how proud the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) would be about how far we’ve come with an entire center dedicated to their efforts for social justice & change. As a VVAW vet of the Occupy the DC Mall (April ’71), I wondered how long the courts would go along with present encampments around the country (guess we know now). As I recall, US Court in ’71 said we couldn’t make any “preparations to sleep,” so our stay was short in comparison. Of course, the whole “99%” thing is rhetorical hogwash that reminds me of Spiro Agnew’s “Silent Majority.” Neither he, nor the “Occupy movement” represent much beyond themselves. They certainly don’t speak for a majority in this Republic.

Iron Age copper pit - steps

BTW- appears that Petra Archaeological Park, Jordan: Phase III might be a go for this next spring (inshallah).

As I put on a Bureau of Land Management Volunteer shirt today I realized that like many I am a volunteer for a myriad of agencies & organizations: National Park Service, Forest Service, NM State Parks, NM Historic Preservation Div., Santa Fe County Open Space, etc.  We have so many of US that make our land work, and I prefer to think it isn’t broken beyond repair (yet). We could sure use some lube-oil-filter maintenance though.

I want to start by again thanking ALL of our veterans of military service. I know personally that it was… often challenging. In addition, I want to herald our public servants, especially emergency services personnel for their contributions to public safety & welfare of citizens.  I’ve noticed that those that sometimes cry loudest about perceived injustices haven’t “been there, done that” in putting their lives in “Harm’s Way.” I am reminded that it takes the warriors & the healers to bind and protect the villages.

Of course, those that have known me awhile realize I am constantly singing a hymn unto our teachers – every occupation & profession owes them. I’ve written more than one op-ed pointing that out. Even though I was a less than average student through high school (tried to make-up for it in college and with my chosen profession/s), would I have evolved into an interest for Oriential Archeology (yes, I can even spell it both ways) had it not been for Pete LiPera? I can’t say “THANK YOU” enough times to those that impart their wisdom to us in oh so many ways…



Pete LiPera - Eastern Civilization* (and so much more), Burbank, HS

*- I thought the class was going to be about New Jersey.

Armistice Day 2011 (aka: Veterans Day in USA)





Nephew Evan

Dad & Mom

Just want to say a very quick THANK YOU to ALL veterans and those that have served in so many ways on this special day: 11.11.11 (more later)

Father-in-Law Charles Medici



Me (a long time ago)

1st person that can triangulate which Street in Burbank, CA this photo was shot on wins a See's Candy gift certificate.

Rear View Mirror: Retrospective

Jabal Haroun trail

           Been home “a work week” for the good folks of Petra Archaeological Park (PAP) and Wadi Rum Protected Area (WRPA), and they’re enjoying a Friday (“holiday”). Of course many are working, being year-round operations. I’ve been thinking about the many challenges facing PAP & WRPA. They are both World Heritage Sites, being managed by a local (“Region”) Development Authority that is very knowledgeable about the positive aspects that tourism has on the local economy. When we talk about “economic engines” and infusion of outside capital these are prime generators.

vendor & mother (breaking rocks)

           However, there are forces at work that makes one ask: is it sustainable? While in-country the authorities often cited the realities of “Arab Spring” in nearby countries for their justification to move slowly & softly with the enforcement of conservation regulations put in place to protect the character of their special places. Meanwhile pressures are knocking on the door wanting a piece of the action. Various activities and pursuits, that aren’t in keeping with park/protected area principles, want a slice-of-the-pie here-n-there. I recall seeing about a dozen young vendors each day (usually young girls that should’ve been in school) selling colorful rocks quarried from the wadis (canyons/arroyos) of PAP; sometimes you’d watch their parents hammer the stone from its ancient location right in front of you. Sure, the place is called Petra and there is plenty of rock, but there used to be a lot more petrified wood at Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona) too. The fact is that parks & protected areas can’t be “all things for everybody.” They need to be conserved in such a manner as that will retain the integrity for which they were established, and that will provide the desire for visitors to continue to want to experience. Otherwise, they’ll take their tourist dinar/dollar/euro/pound/shekel/yen/yuan to someplace that will provide them with their desired results.

           Case in point: at present ATV’s operate outside WRPA, in the villages and buffer zone that encircles the “Protected Area.” One of the degradations that they’re grappling with at present is the exponential growth in tour trucks, and of course the tracks they leave behind (almost everywhere, including management areas designated as “wilderness”). I certainly hope the ATV can be kept in zones outside WRPA, for they’ll certainly have a potential impact on that World Heritage Site (I wonder if any World Heritage Sites allow ORV or ATV recreational use?). “If” allowed in (for economic growth sake) they’ll be jeopardizing: unique ecology, World Heritage Site status, visitors wanting to make this a destination. It is not too late, but pro-active change in management needs to be nurtured and allowed to grow with local partnerships. It is in everyone’s best interests. After all, eco/heritage tourism is sustainable given you protect the resources that made it viable to begin with.

           Being home, I’ve also been exposed to our euro-centric mass media. I heard an interview with a spokesman for “Occupy Oakland” the other day on NPR, and I was struck instantly by the rhetoric that took me back to the VVAW (Vietnam Veterans Against the War) daze. I recall many instances of calling for action & social change (plus being tear-gassed at an outdoor Jethro Tull concert) back in the day of ‘Revolution Now!” Some of the built up anger and verbal expressions are all-too-familiar. But, things have changed with Americana over the past 4-decades/2-generations, as they did from the 4-decades before that (seems wealth-gap and a call for socialism was a concern 80-years ago too). As the chants & slogans changed that evening to Molotov cocktails, I wondered what the difference was between the <.1% involved here with those recruited by “freedom fighters” elsewhere. I came up with one-word: geography.

Here is a link to a catchy tune direct from Buffett Hotel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGbrCJfgH8s 

Ad-Deir (The Monastery)

Harvest in Jordan

Jerash

Headed north from Amman this morning; quickly saw the Mediterranean bounty was available roadside- especially olives, figs & pomegranates.  Reminded me so very much of my youthful days in SoCal and the wonderful fresh fruits and veggies there that actually had flavor (like here: I had a pear that tasted like one, not just fibrous pulp). Our destination today was the Roman city of Gerasa (Jerash/Gerash/Jarash and about 6 different spellings) in the hills north of Philadelphia (Amman) on the road to Damascus. It is often credited with having the most intact Roman city “ruins” (since the roofs are no longer in place) outside Italy. The number of standing columns is very impressive (we didn’t count them), but its nickname is City of 1,000 Columns.



Artemis



Hadrians gate

Even though Emperor “Hadrian the Humble” (remember, he renamed Petra after himself) visited and has his gate here, I found the Sanctuary of Artemis most interesting. In 386 C.E. the Christian pogrom against pagans hit town, and this had much of its cultural connection re-diverted to more contemporary worship at that time. I personally hope we’re finally more tolerant and inclusive, but realize that our interest in keeping same must be continually protected and fought for.

Nymphium

               Another interesting feature (of many) is the nymphium, or public water works, dedicated to the daughters of Zeus. In so many places the sacred number 7 is found (yep, Mickey’s number), and here is no exception with niches and water pipes that would’ve delivered water from heads of lions. Kind of puts my kitchen remodel job to shame.

                

              

Some of you might wonder why I keep referring to that un-named country to the west as “that un-named country to the west.” There are certainly some ancient rivalries here pre-dating the Dodgers/Giants or Red Sox/Yankees… by say 2-3 thousand years. A quick glance of this official government map (to the right) should “give you a clue.” Similar maps can be found throughout the region; even the airlines having you flying over unidentified airspace. So, if I was an UFO this might be a good place to start with contact. That could be a potential interesting “First Contact.”

              

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerash

http://www.atlastours.net/jordan/jerash.html

BTW- scheduled to be headed home en la manana... ciao for now...

Earth: Wind, Water & Fire

above Visitor Center at Wadi Rum

Greetings from the Starbuck’s near the US Embassy in Amman.

It has probably been awhile since ice played a major role on the sculpting of what is now the landscape here at Wadi Rum Protected Area (WRPA), but the much more recent evidence of harsh-shaping factors is certainly evident. It is also easy to see why “Colonel Lawrence” came under the spell of this place (“another of those desert loving British”).

Wadi Rum landscape

The past couple of days have been spent working with Nasser Z. (the Acting Manager of WRPA), and his supervisor Dr. Salim Al Moghrabi (PhD. In Marine Biology from France [as in Cousteau]), Commissioner of Environment & Health Control – Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority. The Chief Commissioner reports to the Prime Minister, of course they’re on their 3^rd one this year, and “Arab Spring” is foremost on their minds as we continue with our American brand of optimism for positive change schemes. WRPA was added by UNESCO to the World Heritage Site list earlier this year (25JUN11, the anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn) and none of us want to see it delisted due to environmental degradations. There are certainly pressures by the development for-our-pockets crowd, but this is a fragile area (off-road vehicles lead to erosion and desertification) and it is no place for: “Sky-Diver ATV Wilderness Adventures.”



unauthorized camp in wilderness area

There is interest in developing an eco-lodge, like the one we visited at Feynan in Dana Biosphere Reserve, near the enclosure for the reintroduced Arabian Oryx herd. Access into this special enclosure would be via camel or horse only. There are plans going forward with a Night Sky Station in another part of WRPA. You’ll find few better locations for same. Of course the economic drivers will be a priority consideration, but protection 1^st so that visitors will still come. Things the US National Park Service/Dept. of Interior Int’l Technical Assistance Program’s Jordon Parks Program team might be able to help with are: Planning, design and operational criteria for the EcoLodge development at the Oryx project; Assistance integrating programs/exhibits between existing museum at visitor center and the museum planned for the “Castle” in Rum Village; Assistance with limiting the off-road  “tracks” from the increased number of vehicles entering the reserve; Visitor service training for reserve staff; Training in emergency response.

Bait Ali Camp & Lodge

               Our nights at Wadi Rum were interesting too. Stayed at Bait Ali Lodge, that is a good staging area for journeys into WRPA and dive-trips to Aqaba (met a family from UK bringing their 3 lovely teenage daughters for open water certifications in the Red Sea- should be nice-n-warm after summer (and watch that buoyancy). I also couldn’t help early this morning from overhearing the very loud (so much for expectation of privacy) Yank on his phone as he explained to his girlfriend that he still saw them “as being together” and his next call to a friend explaining that he was traveling for the 1^st time in 12-years with his wife for their 20^th anniversary to "the Holy Land" (he sounded confused). Until next time (maybe tomorrow… inshallah)

British Fortress restoration (by French Company) at Rum Village.

Going… going…Gone… to the dogs

Tourism Police & Park Ranger

               Today was scheduled to be “our last patrol” of Petra. With temperatures peaking in mid-to-upper 70’s (F) and blue skies we said some good-byes to old & new friends. “When will you be back?” we heard many times; that is certainly a “who knows” question and the “inshallah” (“God willing”) factor. It sounds like things could be getting “very interesting” here as we heard that underage vendors were throwing rocks and firing sling-shots at park features today, then cursing the authorities. This appeared to be the busiest day with visitors this month. The Tourism Police & local authorities will likely be pro-active with them and the donkeys (running amok also on cultural resources) in the near future. Tomorrow we’re headed to Wadi Rum Nature Reserve tomorrow to see if our experiences, skills & talents can assist them in any way. We’ve heard that USAID is interested in helping the management of World Heritage Sites here in Jordan, so we’ve been brushing up on the Operations Guide for same (see below link).

You might recall, last spring we noted the cats of Petra were exalted and numerous (April 20^th post). This trip we’ve noticed a marked increase in the population of Canis lupus familiaris (dogs). Yesterday, Bill counted 14 running around, resting or lifting-their-leg (doing K9 things) between the location of the former Ranger Kiosk and shops at the stairway to the High Place of Sacrifice (ca. 1/4-mile). They seem to give visitors little regard (like their Feline friends [“the garbage can guards”] here), but that could easily change into “nuisance dog” status if they get habituated to, or dependent on, visitor attentions. As for now, they add to the historic scene, and of course future cultural deposits.

On the World Series front: as a longtime Ranger I say "Go Rangers!" As a lifelong National League fan (and admirer of the tradition of the guys from St. Louis) I say: "Go Cards!" At this point I'm hoping it'll go 7-games so I might be able to watch one (due to get home very late 29th of Oct., Inshallah).



dog using available shade (photo by Bill Wade)



http://whc.unesco.org/archive/opguide08-en.pdf

              

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saluki

A Sunday pilgrimage (and reflection)

Aaron's Tomb/Mosque

Today we finally paid our respects to Aaron (elder brother of Moses, “Peace Upon Them”) with our trip up Jabel Haroun. If your sojourn brings you to this area I recommend the excursion. The normal 5-mile horse ride (we got a lift from a Park 4x4) is followed by a 1 ¾ mile hike up to the mosque atop the mountain. There we were escorted by Ishmael the caretaker/guard around the area & inside the mosque. Good views of Ad-Deir (Monastery), Wadi Araba & Israel; today was a bit hazy or it would’ve just been breathtakingly incredible. Ishmael, and his donkey named “Jack ass,” came down the mountain with us and he sang much of the way (I nicknamed him Neil Diamond). For those of us whose world view is through the prism of the west the works of Aaron & Moses are renowned and worthy of our respect and adulation, but I’m glad the Park provided a ride or this senior Ranger would be one tuckered puppy right now. 

FYI, on the mesa just before the final-acension we found a fenced archaeoligical research area with a sign from the good folks at Helsinki. This struck a chord for us, as Mesa Verde National Park has been trying (unsuccessfully) to get a large collection back for decades. I hope that Finland's cultural property imperialism ends soon. Research is good, but only to support valid inquiry, not as a form of plundering or artifact mining.

Wadi Araba & Ad-Deir

Every hour of every day there are Park Rangers on duty somewhere that are our “Thin Green Line” trying to protect and preserve our patrimony. I don’t know if you’ve been following RANGERS in the news, but a Park Ranger in Iran has received a death sentence for manslaughter in a shoot-out with a poacher in a rural and dangerous part of the Persian Empire. There is a history of Rangers being slain by poachers (and other miscreants) worldwide: western world, developing nations, etc. In just about all corners of the world the public servants guarding our heritage are being targeted. Unfortunately, it is an all-to-common scene: Ranger outnumbered and outgunned, with little-to-no-backup within hours of response. In some places Rangers are faced with “fire fights” to save their own lives in pursuit of protecting “the wild.” Iran has had several Rangers killed… yet in this strange twist of what we’d call a “good shoot” (defense) the family of the law-breaking poacher is calling for the Ranger’s death (blood-for-blood), and the courts agree. This happened in the Republic of Georgia too when a Ranger was attacked by someone with a knife and he used his gun to protect himself: courts there found it was excessive force (sorry “Indy” you brought a gun to a sword fight) and sentenced him to death (fortunately that was reduced, but he still served prison time for self-defense). So, to ALL you Rangers out there that do what you do I just want to say: THANK YOU!

Aaron's Tomb & Mosque

 

http://en.irangreenvoice.com/content/3299

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Green_Line

http://www.thingreenline.info/

http://www.visitjordan.com/

“Who Dung It?” (Al Webster)…and other things learned: A REVISIT

donkey riders - Lower Basin

               Today being 22 October 2011 means our time at Petra is getting short. Let me see… I know I have enough fingers to figure this out… counting today we have 3-days left before we head to Wadi Rum for a couple of days work there, then onto Amman for meeting with USAID & DOI’s Jordan Parks Project before flying back home (inshallah).

             



Columbarium



  So, what have we learned this time at Petra? Bringing travel coffee French press: good; renting car from a local guy: not-so-good. Actually there has been a lot, of course the learning curve was fuller the previous months here, but some revelations take longer before self-illumination or that BFO moment (“blinding flash of the obscure” or sometimes even the obvious). One aspect or work here that I’ve noted this time is it is hard to get your hands on research materials. With 12-16 institutions doing research in a “normal year” you’d think that more would pop-up on Internet searches. You can find research on big-ticket items, like sandstone weathering or Brown University’s excavations at The Great Temple (linked below), but try to find some good basic analysis of coprolite studies and you’re in a world of… hurt. Even the PAP staff has difficulty putting their hands on it. So, onward we plod.

Game board, trail to High Place

               Last night at dinner (Supervisory Ranger Sameer’s home) we again were afforded wonderful hospitality and opportunity to talk football (soccer to folks in US of A). It got me wondering about the games that the Nabataens would’ve been indulging in 2,000 years ago. During the Hellenistic and Roman periods there would’ve been the Olympic game events (and their harsh training methods [like whippings with a switch] that we’d find intolerable), but few would participate in those endeavors. There are several board-type game locations incised into horizontal surfaces around Petra. We saw one being used by vendor girls our 3^rd day here in March. It involves the throwing of sticks and placing pebbles around stations that immediately reminded me of cribbage movements. Of course Mancala is an ancient past-time well pre-dating baseball and “The X-Games” (by some 3,000 years: see the link below).

another game board alonside trail to High Place of Sacrifice (photos by Bruce McKeeman)

http://downloads.arcbv.nl:7780/downloads/aswa/aswa5/aswa5-02.pdf

http://specialpapers.gsapubs.org/content/390/39.abstract

http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/Petra/

http://www.wadirum.jo/Protected_Areas_Jordan.htm

http://nabataea.net/gameskids.html

http://www.jacobberkowitz.com/kids-zone/books/jurassic-poop/amazing-coprolite-fossil-feces-facts/