KBL pix

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 

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Posted at 12:47:07 GMT-0700

Category: MediaphotoPlacesTravel

A few more pictures from Kabul

Sunday, March 27, 2011 

Urban livestock is a key element in recycling efforts.
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The rooftops are open space and free of modern clutter
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Posted at 02:50:31 GMT-0700

Category: MilPlacesTravel

Streets of Kabul

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 

Most of the bigger streets in Kabul are paved, but the smaller ones are a lot more photogenic.

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Almost any street frames the mountains.
Posted at 04:06:44 GMT-0700

Category: photoPlacesTravel

Kabul scenes

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 

Most of the roadside ditches are blocked, and emptied by hand, perhaps an invitation to a game.
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Trash disposal is  a bit primitive in most places, but there’s a series of recycling steps that take place involving scrap collectors, goats, cats, children, and burning.

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Kids are kids no matter where.

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Posted at 10:29:27 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel

Happy 1390!

Monday, March 21, 2011 

Sal e now mubarak!

Children’s work,

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Panorama of Kabul,

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Herds of traffic.

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Posted at 10:36:41 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel

Some Pictures From Afghanistan

Sunday, March 20, 2011 

The mountains from our compound

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Horse drawn cart in front of a small truck in front of the hospital.

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A small street-side cemetery

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Posted at 11:15:59 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel

Ecco Shoes

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 

A few years back Carolyn bought me a pair of Ecco shoes to replace my old New Balance trail shoes, which I had been wearing as long as she knew me. I had two pair of those that are still marginally serviceable but, after 15 years or so, are starting to fail visibly.

They were extremely comfortable, look very nice, and seemed to wear well. Until their first winter, in Guelph, in the snow, the soles just started to disintegrate. A hole broke through the ball of one foot and snow came in–cold, cold snow. Apparently this is a fairly common problem with (old) Ecco shoes. I went to the local late-night shoe store (there is one in Guelph) and got a pair of Rockports. They’re very nice as well, though a bit less comfortable. I selected them because they could be resoled, and I did so after about two years of daily wear when the sole got so grip-less I started to slip on rainy sidewalks. Now they have a nice Vibram sole and should be good for another 3-5 years.

In the mean time, Ecco called me to ask if I wanted to return the shoes for possible warranty service. I told the nice woman that I wasn’t asking for that, but I would if they wanted to examine the failure, and that I wasn’t happy with the disintegrating sole material and I went with Rockport, but let me know if they ever change the sole material to something more durable.

A week or two later a pre-paid return mailer showed up in my mailbox. It sat on my kitchen table for about a year or so with other urgent matters. The dead Ecco’s were left behind in my Canadian office, then got mailed with my stuff to my LA office, then finally came back with my stuff from LA to Oakland. Not too many months later, off to Ecco-land they went.

About a month after I sent them in I was informed that Ecco had warranty replaced my shoes and sent me a new pair. They have latex soles, which may well be more durable and they feel, if anything, more comfortable than my first pair.

If I ever need another pair of shoes, I’ll buy another pair of Eccos.

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Posted at 07:36:33 GMT-0700

Category: PositiveReviews

WTC site being rebuilt

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 

new building rising at the WTC site.

Posted at 13:39:20 GMT-0700

Category: GeopostphotoPlaces

Technology! Cameras and Lasers

Sunday, March 13, 2011 

Cool laser.

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New Lens
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Red Pepper – great street burritos.

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Posted at 20:34:41 GMT-0700

Category: photo