Real pubs have troughs

See these pictures? Take a close look. What do you see? Running along the bottom of the bar is a trough. Why? It is a urine trough. A feature of classic Australia pubs. You don't have to leave the bar when you have to piss.

I took these photos at the 19th hole at a local public golf course. Rebecca, who took me there, told me that pubs in Australia used to ban women from pubs. She told me that classic Australian pubs have this feature. A hangover from the bad old days.

Pretty cool, huh?

Photo of the day

I saw this while on the way to work this morning.

My Little Life Saver

A couple of years ago I was hit by a car while riding my bike. After that my lower spine problems got so bad that I couldn't even stand. I had an operation last year to prevent my spine from pinching off the nerve that goes to my left leg.

Also last year I bought a little product called "Nada Chair". It provides back support by correcting my sitting posture. It has made such a difference in my life.

Last year I did a lot of flying, in coach. I flew around the world, about 70 hours in the air over 12 flights. I was very concerned that my back would not be able to handle it. I took my Nada Chair and it made the whole journey a breeze. I had no problems at all. In fact, I found that I was able to sleep comfortably while sitting upright. It keeps me from slumping when asleep. I don't wake up with a sore lower back.

In addition to using this when I fly, I also use it at work 3 times a week. It keeps my posture correct and makes the constant back pain I used to have a thing of the past. It has really helped ease the pains I used to have from sitting at my desk writing software all day.

I have their SlouchBuster for travel. It zips up inside itself and becomes the size of a small paperback. I find it very easy and convenient to take with me on board flights. I do get some strange looks from my seatmates. But once it is on, you don't notice it.

I don't know if it is for everyone. I am glad that I found it. It is such a simple idea too. It is based on the technique that Tibetan monks use to sit while meditating. They use ropes between their knees and spine to force the their spine straight, and also give the spine some relief. Nada Chair simply took the idea and made it easier to use.

I don't want to make it sound like I owe stock in them or anything. I don't. I just found that this little thing has made such a difference for me. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best solution. If you suffer from back pain, at least try one for a while.

Chechnya Redux

First, a little geography lesson: The southern most extent of modern Russia runs along the crest of the Caucasus Mountains running roughly east-west from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. Beyond this south-western border are the newly formed nations of Georgia and Azerbaijan, formally part of the USSR. The area on both sides of this mountain range and hemmed in between the two seas is known as The Caucasus.

On the north side of the border is a chain of about a dozen tiny Russian Republics, the best known being Chechnya. Take a look at this map and you can see them there clustered up in the lower left hand corner of Russia. What these republics have in common is a large population of Muslims. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, this area of the world has become a religious fault line where large numbers of Muslims live with, or next to, non-Muslims. This area has since been host to savage internal battles for independence from Russia.

Chechnya is a tiny place. A mountainous landlocked nation of only 19,300 square km., about the size of Connecticut. It has 1.3 million or less people, which is about the population of Maine. Yet, it has become a massive headache for Russia, having fought there for years on end with no progress being seen. It is often compared to America's experience in Vietnam.

Despite the enormous cost, Russia has not given in to Chechnyian separatist demands for independence. The reasons are many. Russian doesn’t believe that their problems will end there. If Chechnya secedes, then the other republics will follow. The militant separatists will implement a harsh Taliban like Islamic government on Russian's doorstep. Moscow will loose control of the oil rich Caspian basin and the land needed to pipe the oil out of there.

Next door to Chechnya is another republic named Dagestan. It is larger than Chechnya, about the size of Maryland, with 2.6 million people (Arkansas has 2.6 million). Never heard of it? You will. It is rapidly becoming the new battleground between Russia and militant Islamic separatist. The never-ending war in Chechnya has spilled over to the other republics.

Yesterday, Russian troops had a 4 hour shoot-out with the leader of a violent Islamic militant group in Dagestan. I mention this because I think that republic is about to explode in violence. The Chechnyian militants have been trying to expand their war against Russian to all of the Muslim republics in southern Russia. They have been helped by Islamic militant volunteers from the Middle East, and funded with Saudi petrol-dollars. They want to open a new front on their war with the west. This is going to be one of the fronts. Like in Chechnya, Russia is going to take the brunt of it.

Here are some educational links:

• BBC Profile of Dagestan.
• BBC Profile of Chechnya.

Corporate Failure Levy - US to bail out GM

Wow. It looks like us taxpayers are going to have to bail out General Motor's pension obligation, as I predicted in a previous post. Caught this in the news today:

General Motors Corp. and other government contractors can recover some pension shortfalls from the U.S. government, a federal judge ruled.

Judge Nancy Firestone of the Court of Federal Claims in Washington ruled that the federal government must pay some share of the pension funding deficit accrued under flexibly priced contracts it had with Allison Gas Turbine, which GM sold in 1993. GM claims the government owes it as much as $252.8 million in defined-benefit pension contributions.

Detroit-based GM, the biggest U.S. automaker, has been seeking reimbursement of the costs, based on accounting adjustments as of the time of the Allison sale, since 2000.

"If the calculation results in a deficit, then the government's share must be increased," Firestone wrote in a June 28 opinion declining to dismiss the case. "The plaintiff is entitled to a settling-up."

GM shares fell 55 cents to $34.22. The stock has fallen about 14% this year.