Tag Archive

Restoring Links in the Balkans

By bicyclemark

I arrived this afternoon in Washington, DC, opting for the more affordable bus over the railroad.  It had me thinking about the news this week out of one of my favorite regions in the world, the Balkans. The rail link between Belgrade and Sarajevo, broken ever since civil war over 18 years ago, was... »

Cliché Day is Over

By bicyclemark

I’m relieved that international cliché day has now passed. I don’t want to hear anymore “I remember where I was when JFK was killed” style stories. No more using people’s deaths as an excuse to kill. People who are close to us and people we don’t ever think about are dying... »

Friendship Express Rolls On

By bicyclemark

Last week, as I was doing the usual middle-of-the-night TV news network watching, the story of the train bombing aboard the Pakistan-India Friendship Express came up. Initially they called it a fire, and the details were few. I sat here, uneasy, as Im sure many observers did… that this was more than... »

Frustration for Baghdad, Hope for NOLA

By bicyclemark

Planning a trip next month to the United States, and it goes without saying how good it will be to see the family and the friends. But whenever I think about it, a second feeling comes to mind, frustration. To have to go back to a country responsible for so much bullshit in the... »

bm186 Liberia, What a Difference a Year Makes

By bicyclemark

It was one year ago that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia, promising the enormous task of rebuilding and reuniting the country. One year on, some may wonder how the process is going, what signs of progress and hope can be found across Liberia? Elma Shaw of Liberia Stories joins me to... »