A Special Place in Hell

I just couldn't resist a quick commentary on three people so totally disgusting that I had to create a "special place in hell" post because I can't stop thinking of either situation.  The first involves Pastor Eddie Long, who took such a hateful stance in preaching about the vile nature of homosexuals and how all were condemned to hell is now accused of taking sexual advantage of young men in his parish - after years of grooming them - and convincing them that he was their "spiritual daddy".  Apparently the ticket to heaven involved massages and sex - what an asshole.  Way to use the concept of God as your bully pulpit.

This is yet another "man of God" condemning a way of life that they themselves practice secretly and in a most despicable and predatory manner.  People like Pastor "spiritual daddy" Long add to the prejudice and misinformation that continues to make gays a victim of violence and ridicule and to suffer the denial of basic rights and recognition.

Take candidates #2 and #3 who thought it would be funny to secretly videotape a gay roommate's sexual encounter - who by all accounts was an extremely shy and private person - and then broadcast it on the internet.  They actually tried to do it a second time as well. Tyler Clementi committed suicide three days later.  Why anyone would think something like that was an innocent prank or couldn't possibly end up the way it did is beyond me.  I know that those I mentioned are innocent until proven guilty and that there is more information than what was made available in the news, but I still cannot contain my contempt and total disgust of these three individuals - who, by the way, all appear to be members of minority groups themselves.  You would hope that those who have probably suffered personally from ignorance and prejudice would have the capacity for compassion or at least the restraint from behaving like assholes and hypocrites.

I do not intend to make the Hillbilly Wino blog political, but i was so disgusted as I followed these stories on the news this week that I simply had to mention them.  I also think everyone has the right to their opinions and feelings on the subject - these are simply mine.

Let's hope we don't have to have too many "Special Place in Hell" posts in the future, but in my opinion, these three should get front row seats - in the heated section.

I'm going back to my Sobe water now - Out!

A tree grows in Afghanistinkistan ... and Pomegranates

NYT Article on Arghandab District

Arghandab District

Hello fools!  The Hillbilly is in an extremely good mood this week because I am now officially beginning a new job at the end of the month.  One that appears will be vastly more interesting with a company that does all kinds of things all over the world.  This is a happy moment and I plan on enjoying it!  I am set to begin at the end of October.  Many, many things will change here for me including what I do, where I do it and potentially where I'm living.  If you recall, I currently live in a tent inside the compound where I work which resemble a construction storage yard - our planning team is attached to an engineering and construction Air Force unit, so that's not so shocking but it is dirty and loud.  My tent is also directly under a rocket and attack siren - this all equates to not much sleep and a paralyzing fear of whatever you imagined touched or crawled on you in the middle of the night - and of course there's the mice...  However - cue the Jefferson's theme song - the Wino is "moving on up" to at least a fancy container, with a window and a bath and shower inside the same building - can I get an "Ah-men-nah"- it is Sunday here after all. 

I will be working in the Arghandab District of Kandahar Province assisting them in planning their parks.  I attached a pretty good article I found at the top of the page.  The State Department, USAID and my new company - which is funded by USAID for the projects here - all work basically on the same projects together.  From what I've been told, I will be working with the Afghan District Mayor and local community leaders on this project.  Should be very interesting as they would like me to try to do some minimal economic development within the parks in hope of generating some income to support the maintenance and upkeep.  One of them has a huge pomegranate orchard and a shrine. I really like pomegranates but have never quite mastered eating them.  They get all over the place and are a lot of work for the few seeds that I'm able to get out of it.  I am probably doing it incorrectly - I digress. Apparently there is a river that runs through this region where the Taliban control one side and the parks are on the other.  To date, the Taliban have left the parks alone since so many citizens like to gather there and I'm hoping it stays that way.  I have no idea if I will be expected to wear a burka or cover my head, but "when in Rome..." - I will do whatever lessens my chance of a negative outcome and increases my safety - clothing wise that is.

If I am assigned to work from KAF, I will be living at the lovely Hotel Kandahar pictured here - "Ho" is a key part of the term here because I understand this hotel also does a pretty lively prostitution business - isn't that fantastic!  Anyone who knows me well knows I have a continual fascination with prostitutes and wanted to write my dissertation - which I never did - on research based upon the classification of prostitution hierarchies and using those as neighborhood indicators for redevelopment.  Great idea! Well, I never did that so instead I get to potentially live in a hotel where they apparently do a thriving business.  I will make certain to bring the mattress cover my dear old Mom sent me -  you can count on that!  The hotel is constructed of many RLB containers that have been arranged to form a building and finished out so that they resemble rooms.  I once saw drywall in one and it was pretty nice.  It is also above the Dutch PX which is full of Bose equipment and other fun electronics which have been a weakness of mine for years.  The British compound is around the corner and it's right next the the Afghan Bazaar where I go to purchase my collection of pirated DVDs - so it's pretty much heaven compared to where I am right now.

So it's either living on KAF at the Ho-tel and working right off base at a small ANA(Afghan National Army) compound OR living at Camp Nathan Smith - which I have oddly been planning - in Kandahar City and working at the Arghandab District Offices with the Mayor every day.  I have also included a lovely courtyard picture of CNS which does have a small greenhouse and orchard that the Afghans living there built and maintain - Green Thumbs!

 CNS also happens to be the place where they have a weird little swimming pool that they use to dually enjoy swimming and pump water for the fire station.  We have corrected the smoking and bubbling sewage leak and removed the incinerator that I am convinced also burned bodies while the Taliban had a prison there (previous blog post).  They also have good ice cream and that's a plus.  This is where the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is also headquartered of which my little project is a weird part.  Apparently in the future, they are planning to rebuild and resettle us back in a private compound within Kandahar City - the last house there blew up (thanks to a truck loaded with explosives) in April and caused everyone to spill their drinks that evening while they were knocked to the ground.  I'm guessing they will greatly improve the compound the next time around so that this little event doesn't repeat itself.  It will only be of interest to me if my new contract is extended or they put me on the PRT team after my contract it complete.  SO! That's all I know at this point, but I'm all about it.

So that's my news!  Other than that, it's Sunday here and I'm enjoying the day.  We had a Commander's Call last night that included a nice cookout and they gave me a very nice send-off which I though was quite cool of them.  I also listened to the new commander's speech which was incredibly motivating. It did remind me that I have been part of something very unique and unusual and that I'm part of making these outpost safe and operational for the missions to succeed.  I'm not so much into the war, but I am into at least supporting those who are here having to deal with this mess - I didn't come here because I was "pro" anything, but now that everyone here is smelling the proverbial "shit" I will at least try to get the stink out.  As for the topic of poo - congrats to my brother and sister-in-law for what sounds like a successful potty training of my nephew - who, I might add, congratulates himself and yells "we did it" after each success (when he's by himself) - then waves good-bye.  A true gentleman in the making.  I have been doubled over laughing reading about it.  On that note, I'm off to enjoy a day of reading and endless DVDs, with a few iPad games thrown in.  I hope everyone has a happy and safe weekend!  Go Bengals and I hope to redeem myself this week in Fantasy Football!

Drink of the Day - the Wino's going to go out and have a milkshake!