This blog is at half-mast for James Brown

If you're wondering why I'm not at half-mast for Gerald Ford, it's because I think Brown deserves more respect - the man that pioneered hip hop, created funk, and said "I'm black and I'm proud!" What did Ford really do other than pardon a criminal? Oh, I mean "heal the nation." I hope if I'm ever a felon the president will want to "heal the nation" by pardoning me. I heard on Democracy Now! that Gerald Ford gave the green light to the Indonesian junta to invade East Timor, which killed 200,000 people, and that the US supplied 90% of the weapons to the Indonesian military, which would have made Ford a criminal, because donated US weapons aren't supposed to be used in acts of aggression. But he's still a guy you could sit down and have a beer with. Like our current president. Actually, GW seems way too stressed out of late to enjoy a beer with. I bet he'd get all squinty and snippity after a couple drinks. Or maybe sobby, which would be even more uncomfortable.

I'm in Uyuni now, waiting for the tour agencies to re-open so I can talk to them about tours on the salar. There's 70 or so agencies here, so it's good that there's an independent, privately-run rating agency. They archive response forms from people who have taken the tours, and you can search by most any criteria - vehicle, safety, price, food, or accommodation. It's really cool actually, way more comprehensive than anything I've seen in a touristy place before. It was originally a private-public venture, but then the less-than-stellar tour operators complained to the government and they pulled the funding (when I asked the government tourist office how I can choose an agency, they just said that there's about 70 of them, and here's a map of where they all are. Thanks). Then the Swiss and French governments provided seed money for a private project, which is now funded by proceeds from an adjoining restaurant (I had some fruit and granola there, which had a staple in it that I almost swallowed. The rating project is good though).

I'll probably take the standard 4-day tour of the salar and the area to get a feel for it and figure out what I can film about. I had the idea to buy a bicycle (lots around here) so I could tool around the area on my own, although I'd have to travel in the morning/evening probably or I'd turn into a little pink raisin out there. I also don't know what kind of food is available in the area, although I know accommodation is out there. So we'll see once I take the tour.

I took the train here, which was really fun - lots of flamingos and storks in shallow marshes; those gave way to gently rolling ground that looked like a giant golf course, and these weird, perfect semi-sphere mounds with long, yellow, spikes. They looked like otherworldly hedgehogs or something. That turned into the desolate flatness of the area around Uyuni. Go two blocks from the train station and everything is dusty lots, unpaved roads, and high earthen walls that look like there's not even anything behind them. Beyond that is a dusty, hot, lifeless-looking plain.

At least there's good pizza to be had here.