Colombia. To some, the mere name conjures up images of coca fields and swarthy-looking men with slicked-back hair and a long pinky fingernail exchanging briefcases full of cash for brick-sized packages wrapped in duct-tape. Others think of an RPG ambush on white, USGOV Suburbans or of pink t-shirts, covered by cheap suit jackets, a la…
Books
Book Review: “Caucasus” by Nicholas Griffin
by lukebrown •
(Review – 240 pages) Reviewer – Luke Brown “Mountain Men and Holy Wars” Ominously, Zbigniew Brzezinski, the former National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, in his book The Grand Chessboard, stated that, geopolitically, there is no more important area in the world than the Caucasus. His reasons, as cited in Nicholas Griffin’s fascinating “Caucasus,”…
Photos
Kiev, Ukraine: Night Tram
by Thomas Nol •
Founded in the 5th century on the Dnipro river, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, has survived many hardships and dangers, including invasions, fires, the Nazis and communism. It is now 11 years since Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Photographer: Thomas Noël http://lisa.phoar.com/thomas/
Books
Book Review: Route 66 AD by Tony Perrottet
by Angie Morton •
Following the route of ancient generals from Pompeii to Egypt. Every week there seems to be an addition to the travel books currently adorning the shelves at the local bookstore. It occurred to me that this was a bizarre phenomenon. Especially since these books not only recount the travels, but also describe the “personal journey”…
Gear
Multi-Tool Review
by ROB •
When Leathermans came out they were an absolute godsend to the practical camper or traveler. They revolutionised the multi-tool market and set the benchmark by which all subsequent imitators have been judged. Their brilliant craftsmanship and utility have been matched by only a few of the subsequent attempts to infiltrate this market. Unfortunately the best…
The Players
Aum Shinrikyo Update
by Brandon Watson •
RECENT ALEPH DEVELOPMENTS Aleph has made headlines recently on several occasions that are uniformly noteworthy. As the Justice Ministry in Japan slowly uncovers more and more pertinent information we can expect the intentions of Aleph to become clearer to the discerning individual or agency. As of now, Aleph is still shrouded in secrecy, their intentions…