All the world's a flashback.

Maybe there should be another catagory like Islamofascism for die-hard communists and maoists. They (unfortunatly) are still out there and the maoists have been holding the wonderful city of Kathmandu hostage for several days. Fortunatly, this has been happening with a major outcry amongst the worlds nations and the U.N. is sending troops there to quash this. (set wishful thinking = off) (set sarcasm = off) There have been several trickles of info coming over the last couple days. Hard facts are now starting to exfiltrate into the rest of the planet. Roger L. Simon has a good writeup here: bq. According to The Guardian "Maoists tightened their grip on Kathmandu yesterday when two powerful bombs were detonated and a policeman seriously wounded by suspected guerrillas who have blockaded Nepal's capital for a third day." bq. Maoists in 2004, who'd have thought it? But who'd have thought our election would be revolving around Vietnam? All the world's a flashback. bq. I visited Kathmandu in 1989 on the way to go trekking in the Himalayas with some friends, but I found the city itself relatively uninteresting compared to the mountains and the Sherpa/Tibetan Buddhist culture of the high country (and I do mean high). Kathmandu itself suffered from a retro sixties feel (still does in another way, obviously) with a neighborhood of backpackers dealing hash. I won't say whether I indulged, but if I did, I promise you I inhaled (but did not bogart). I did have a great trip and always wanted to go back with my family, have Sheryl and Madeleine see Annapurna, just as I wanted them to see Luxor and Abu Simbel, the nubian villages of the Sudan, all places I got to visit. I wonder now if that is meant to be? What's happening to the world? There is a wonderful collection of four Novellas: Escape from Kathmandu by Kim Stanley Robinson. Hard to describe but it really gives the flavor of Kathmandu in the 1970's... Worth tracking down.