Monthly Archives: May 2004

The tenuous truce between political and social sectors here in Ecuador, for the purpose of presenting a civilized facade for the duration of the Miss Universe pageant (next Tuesday, June 1) is in danger of collapse as rumors swirl of … Continue reading →

The volcano was angry last night. On our last night in Banos, through a light but persistent drizzle, the loud booming blasts echoed up and down the valley as Mount Tungurahua, still in activity although not immediately dangerous, let off … Continue reading →

Today’s Boston Globe has an interesting piece on how Catholic politicians (mainly the Kennedys) have handled thorny issues (mostly abortion) and how that might apply to the Kerry candidacy. The Dowbrigade takes an anthropological point of view on this one. … Continue reading →

LIMA, Peru (Reuters) – A fortuneteller told Peru’s disgraced ex-President Alberto Fujimori (news – web sites) to flee in 2000 and warned him of the huge corruption scandal that caused his government to collapse, a videotape showed on Wednesday.   … Continue reading →

The scandal of the day (all week, actually) here in Ecuador concerns the Ecuadorian Minister of Social Welfare, Patricio Acosta, whose wife, despite carrying a diplomatic passport, was denied entry to the United States over the weekend at the Miami airport … Continue reading →

Our escape from Quito and bus trip to Banos was as exciting and as exactly choreographed as a chase scene in a blockbuster action flick, except, of course, no one was chasing us and we never broke 50 miles an … Continue reading →

Our escape from Quito and bus trip to Banos was as exciting and as exactly choreographed as a chase scene in a blockbuster action flick, except, of course, no one was chasing us and we never broke 50 miles an … Continue reading →

In 1972 a decidedly hippyish and dangerously adventure-addicted Dowbrigade arrived at the mystical and legendary town of Ba

Although the natural beauty and fantastic food should be enough for anyone, the Dowbrigade has unfortunately been so jaded by our decades in so-called "civilization" that we often feel the need for more sophisticated entertainment.  Therefore it was with some … Continue reading →

In the dream we are sitting in the audience of a conference of super computer geniuses, covering it for the Dowbrigade News, although we understand almost nothing of what is being said in the presentations. After the current presenter, who … Continue reading →

The question of why our culture has a morbid fear of some insects (spiders, roaches, and locusts, for example) while cultures in, say, Africa do not, is an interesting one. In part, no doubt, it is due to the real threats … Continue reading →

We are forced to admit that President Bush’s address to the nation on his Iraq disengagement was pretty damn good, at least by his standards. Never a Praetorian orator, he has learned a trick or two over the years, and … Continue reading →