Let's face it. The world is a sensitive place filled with sensitive people. It may not be you, it may not be me, but some people just take everything the wrong way. This includes some of the greatest art, theories, literature, and sexual positions that have been banned over the course of history. Even though we've grown very quickly as a society, the ittiest, bittiest comment or insult still gets blown out of proportion by those people. Well, lighten up and get over it. These are the 6 Most Disputed Books of 2007 and Why They Shouldn't Be.
6. The Color Purple (1983) by Alice Walker
Reasons for Dispute: Physical, sexual, mental abuse of a child, offensive language, graphic violence, and homosexuality.
What Disputers Don't Get: The book, set in the early 1900s, shows what African Americans had to struggle through in the sunrise of their independent years. The language and violence put the reader in a place to not only imagine, but become part of these struggles that black Americans had to go through. The disputers claim all these reasons for dispute make the novel inappropriate for high school students. Well, high school students, before they move on to college or the working environment, need to know that the world isn't all peaches and cream. Bad shit happens, and in this case, and it happens for no reason. It's offensive to think that people don't understand that these controversial themes are to show the reader that the plight of the African American in our history should be offensive to all those who even have an ancestor who took part in it.
Banned Anywhere? Despite all the controversy, it's not banned anywhere since its historical fiction and is really only heavily disputed in America.
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain
Reasons for Dispute: Racial Prejudice, Segregation, Lynching, and Language.
What Disputers Don't Get: Again, these people just can't read between the lines. Twain's book is a satire on American society at the time he wrote it. Throughout the story, Huck and "n*gg*r" Jim run into lynchers, drunkards, thieves, murderers and all sorts of delinquents that are all white. Jim's character is ironic as he's really the only moral character, yet looked down upon by society. It's a story where ideas and perceptions of blacks are so ingrained in Huck's mind, that it's hard for him to see Jim as an equal person. But, in the end, heart wins out over perception. However, since the "n" word is used in the novel, people immediately jump all over it like Michael Jackson on a 8-year old at Disney World.
Banned Anywhere? It was initially banned by some libraries in America upon it's publishing but due to its cultural importance, its only a subject of stupid parents at PTA meetings.
4. The Golden Compass also known as Northern Lights (1995) by Phillip Pullman
Reasons for Dispute: Rejection of Religion, abuse of power in Catholicism.
What Disputers Don't Get: Unlike the last two which I've read, I have yet to read this book. Although, I do know that the underlying themes of the books are not actually rejections of religion and criticism of the Catholic Church (although they are a part of it), but to stand up to authority and make your own choices. Don't be confined to something that you don't think is right just because that's what you've been born with. As Christian figures have condemned and called for the book to be censored, they are actually proving Pullman's point: that religious views are one-sided and often dismiss or condemn any views that aren't their own. God knows I've been critical of religion for this exact point (we won't get into that) and Pullman's book shows, without even reading it, that religion won't except any criticism, even though its far from perfect (or true for that matter).
Banned Anywhere? Banned in many schools and some libraries due to the anti-catholic and anti-religious views of the author. God forbid Christians think for themselves or get a different viewpoint.
3. Olive's Ocean (2003) by Kevin Henkes
Reasons for Dispute: Offensive Language and Sexual situations
What Disputers Don't Get: I don't get this one at all, since its a young adult novel that I haven't read. From what I understand, is that the book is being disputed because junior high schools are assigning it and there is some naughty language. Oh, no! Alert the presses! It's not like your kids haven't ever heard a rap song or seen TV after 7:30 pm. The story is about a 14-year old girl who is writing a book about a girl who just died who wants to be friends with her. The "sexual situation" resides in a boy filming them kissing and using that for a scene in his movie. Whatever, this is just dumb. The book, which is about growing up, is given to kids growing up. Don't parents have anything better to worry about than a book like this? Absolutely pathetic.
Banned Anywhere? Christ no! That would be almost as shocking as if the Devil Rays were in first place at the end of May in the AL East. Wait....What's that you say? They are in first? And they are the Rays now? Well, fuck me and tell me I've got gonorrhea.
2. The Chocolate War(1974) by Robert Cormier
Reasons for Dispute: Language, sexual situation, coercions and violence by a secret high school society
What Disputers Don't Get: A common young adult novel, people don't get that under the violence, sexuality, and language the book is about being true to yourself. The characters defiance of a societal group's demands is to say to not be a conformist just to fit in. The fact that his defiance is celebrated and makes him a hero says to young adults to just be yourself and unique, it's what makes you you. The violence at the end shows that not everyone's gonna like it. I don't understand why such a influential book on young adults would be as disputed as this, since its message is a really important one to give to youngsters at this age. Maybe because it encourages fat kids to buy chocolate or something.
Banned Anywhere? No, sir, the novel has been deemed as very important piece of literature for young adults (and rightfully so), except for the few crazy moms complaining to the school board.
1. And Tango Makes Three(2005) by Peter Parnell
Reasons for Dispute: Religious viewpoints, homosexuality, anti-family, sexism, anti-ethnicity, and unsuitable for age group.
What Disputers Don't Get: The book follows the true story of two male penguins who raised a younger penguin in a New York City zoo as a "couple". (The two penguins never had sex). The books message isn't that homosexual couples are better, mixed marriages are worse, or anything to do with religious views, but rather to be understanding of differences of our families or people we know. A lesson that is very important to learn, especially at a young age. It has nothing to do with being gay or straight, but to accept people for who they are, especially since non-traditional families are more common nowadays. What's ironic about the controversy is that adults, who are trying to get the book banned for these themes, are probably the ones who should be actually reading it.
Banned Anywhere? Banned in Shiloh, Illinois; Charlotte, North Carolina; Loudon County, Virginia. In non-fiction section in all of Missouri.
Hoped you enjoyed my list about controversial books. And silly you thought this country was above censorship. If you learn anything in life, learn this: nothing is free, not even freedom. It just proves once again that America is a country full of prudes. Can't we just learn to swear, fuck, drink, and relax a bit? It makes me extremely jealous of Europe to see how laid back it is there and how uptight it is here. Oh well, what are you gonna do. (Move to Ireland!) Anyway, to close out my latest blog, here is a good bit from Jimmy Kimmel about ridiculous censorship. Enjoy and au revoir.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Good 'Ole Days
Ahhh, sports. Is there something that better captures the essence of human competition? Could you imagine the world without sports? On its best days, sports are as pure as it gets. The sound off the bat of a Home Run, the sheer power of the slam dunk, and the eruption of a seemingly desperate European crowd as their team puts one in the back of the net. Some things aren't as pure as professional sports. Like leagues that just seem to not make sense. The Greatest Defunct Sports Leagues in Each Sport.
Baseball
The League: The Negro Leagues
Years of Service: 1920-1960 or so
What Went Wrong? God-damned people stopped being so racist. Bastards. The Negro Leagues had a great collection of future Hall of Famers and provided a great product for people who were afraid of going to Wrigley and getting hung by the ivy. Plus they awesome nicknames that blew "Three-Fingered" Brown's right out of the water. (Legend has it, Brown's nickname is not because he had 3 fingers but coined by a Vietnamese transvestite prostitute, whom he surely had to pay extra for that kinda action). During World War II, the Negro Leagues actually had more attendence than MLB. However, once players like Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, most of the prominent players followed suit and the league couldn't sustain itself.
Notable Players: Jackie Robinson, Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Smokey Joe Robinson
Here's Cool Papa:
Football
The League: The American Field League (AFL)
Years of Service: 1960-1969, although there were three others in 1926, 1936-37, and 1940-41.
What Went Wrong? Nothing really went "wrong", per se. After the 1969, the AFL merged with the NFL. Before that, the AFL has really been the only football league to really compete at all against the NFL. The AFL was also the source of scoreboards keeping track of gametime, names on the back of players jerseys, and the 2 point conversion. It also allowed for black players a chance to get on the field and exposed their true talents (black people are fast and mean). Plus, they played much flashier and exciting football than the NFL often showcasing long bombs. In the first 4 Super Bowls, it was the NFL vs. AFL, with the AFL going only 1-3. The win? A guaranteed victory from Joe Namath over the Baltimore Colts, in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in all of sports.
Notable Players: Joe Namath, George Blanda, Cookie Gilchrist, Len Dawson
Here's a clip from Super Bowl III:
Basketball
The League: American Basketball Association (ABA)
Years of Service: 1967-1976
What Went Wrong? Well, again, nothing really went wrong. After 1976, most of the league got absorbed by the NBA, except for a few teams that were disbanded. The ABA had a wide-open, flashy style of play that distinguished it from the NBA. There was a 30-second shot clock, as well as the three-point shot introduced in 1968, 11 years before the NBA. The slam dunk was also popularized by the league, which held the first dunk contests well before the NBA did. Also, the red-white-blue ball used by the ABA was presumably a stand against the blood in Vietnam (red), blankness of a plan (white), and what the blue-green colorblind owner of the league thought the color of money was (blue). Or the colors of the American flag. You decide.
Notable Players: Moses Malone, Julius Erving, George Garvin, Rick Barry, Larry Brown, and David Thompson
Here's part of the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest:
Hockey
The League: World Hockey Association (WHA)
Years of Service: 1972-1979
What Went Wrong? Money. The WHA attempted to capitalize by placing teams in major cities that didn't have NHL teams. The quality of play was less, as the WHA basically featured NHL "rejects" or players with low playing time. However, one of the major breakthroughs of the WHA was the introduction of European players into the day, which make up a good of the NHL nowadays. However, the WHA couldn't compete with the NHL. They signed big-named players past their prime to large contracts and paid some big name signings not to play because they were so bad. It was more successful than I am leading on here, though. The league lost money and due to financial collapse, a few agreed to be incorporated into the NHL. However, they dissolved the teams and had an expansion draft with the teams, giving them virtually no chance of succeeding early on.
Notable Players: Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Hull, Bernie Parent
Here's (what else?) a large hockey brawl:
Soccer
The League: North American Soccer League (NASL)
Years of Service: 1968-1984
What Went Wrong? Soccer in America. Even though the New York Cosmos were able to draw around 40,000 fans a game and 75,000 in their championship win, the entire league was never able to average above 15,000 fans. The league counted down instead of up to 90 minutes, had different offside rules, and shootouts for draws. Its image was not helped by the amount of foreign players in the league, even though it improved play, because fans were not familiar with any names of the players and didn't like the Americans having to sit on the bench. Overexpansion was also a problem and teams spending money try to match the Cosmos had with Pele are all cited as problems that led to the league's eventual demise. It did popularize soccer among American players, but fans of the game and a lack of enthusiasm and understanding have always been a problem in "Americanizing" soccer.
Notable Players: Pele, Giorgio Chinaglia, Frank Worthington, Giuseppe Wilson, Eusebio, Carlos Alberto, George Best
Here's soccer legend George Best scoring perhaps the best goal of his career and yes, that is Cubs radio announcer Pat Hughes announcing the game:
Hope you enjoyed by excellent sports column. I sure do love writing about sports. I'd imagine I'll give you readers a few more posts in the next week, as I don't have much to do here in near-empty Kirksville, Missouri. So enjoy some sports, go out to Wrigley, have a few Old Styles, and enjoy sports at their finest. I'm gonna get in a plug here for the Champions League Final played by the two best English football teams, Chelsea and Manchester United on this Wednesday at 1:30pm on ESPN2. It should be a doozy. In honor of the great Andriy Shevchenko, who likely will be playing his last game in England for Chelsea (who will destroy ManU or I will break something) this week, here's a little compilation of him.
Baseball
The League: The Negro Leagues
Years of Service: 1920-1960 or so
What Went Wrong? God-damned people stopped being so racist. Bastards. The Negro Leagues had a great collection of future Hall of Famers and provided a great product for people who were afraid of going to Wrigley and getting hung by the ivy. Plus they awesome nicknames that blew "Three-Fingered" Brown's right out of the water. (Legend has it, Brown's nickname is not because he had 3 fingers but coined by a Vietnamese transvestite prostitute, whom he surely had to pay extra for that kinda action). During World War II, the Negro Leagues actually had more attendence than MLB. However, once players like Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, most of the prominent players followed suit and the league couldn't sustain itself.
Notable Players: Jackie Robinson, Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Smokey Joe Robinson
Here's Cool Papa:
Football
The League: The American Field League (AFL)
Years of Service: 1960-1969, although there were three others in 1926, 1936-37, and 1940-41.
What Went Wrong? Nothing really went "wrong", per se. After the 1969, the AFL merged with the NFL. Before that, the AFL has really been the only football league to really compete at all against the NFL. The AFL was also the source of scoreboards keeping track of gametime, names on the back of players jerseys, and the 2 point conversion. It also allowed for black players a chance to get on the field and exposed their true talents (black people are fast and mean). Plus, they played much flashier and exciting football than the NFL often showcasing long bombs. In the first 4 Super Bowls, it was the NFL vs. AFL, with the AFL going only 1-3. The win? A guaranteed victory from Joe Namath over the Baltimore Colts, in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in all of sports.
Notable Players: Joe Namath, George Blanda, Cookie Gilchrist, Len Dawson
Here's a clip from Super Bowl III:
Basketball
The League: American Basketball Association (ABA)
Years of Service: 1967-1976
What Went Wrong? Well, again, nothing really went wrong. After 1976, most of the league got absorbed by the NBA, except for a few teams that were disbanded. The ABA had a wide-open, flashy style of play that distinguished it from the NBA. There was a 30-second shot clock, as well as the three-point shot introduced in 1968, 11 years before the NBA. The slam dunk was also popularized by the league, which held the first dunk contests well before the NBA did. Also, the red-white-blue ball used by the ABA was presumably a stand against the blood in Vietnam (red), blankness of a plan (white), and what the blue-green colorblind owner of the league thought the color of money was (blue). Or the colors of the American flag. You decide.
Notable Players: Moses Malone, Julius Erving, George Garvin, Rick Barry, Larry Brown, and David Thompson
Here's part of the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest:
Hockey
The League: World Hockey Association (WHA)
Years of Service: 1972-1979
What Went Wrong? Money. The WHA attempted to capitalize by placing teams in major cities that didn't have NHL teams. The quality of play was less, as the WHA basically featured NHL "rejects" or players with low playing time. However, one of the major breakthroughs of the WHA was the introduction of European players into the day, which make up a good of the NHL nowadays. However, the WHA couldn't compete with the NHL. They signed big-named players past their prime to large contracts and paid some big name signings not to play because they were so bad. It was more successful than I am leading on here, though. The league lost money and due to financial collapse, a few agreed to be incorporated into the NHL. However, they dissolved the teams and had an expansion draft with the teams, giving them virtually no chance of succeeding early on.
Notable Players: Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Hull, Bernie Parent
Here's (what else?) a large hockey brawl:
Soccer
The League: North American Soccer League (NASL)
Years of Service: 1968-1984
What Went Wrong? Soccer in America. Even though the New York Cosmos were able to draw around 40,000 fans a game and 75,000 in their championship win, the entire league was never able to average above 15,000 fans. The league counted down instead of up to 90 minutes, had different offside rules, and shootouts for draws. Its image was not helped by the amount of foreign players in the league, even though it improved play, because fans were not familiar with any names of the players and didn't like the Americans having to sit on the bench. Overexpansion was also a problem and teams spending money try to match the Cosmos had with Pele are all cited as problems that led to the league's eventual demise. It did popularize soccer among American players, but fans of the game and a lack of enthusiasm and understanding have always been a problem in "Americanizing" soccer.
Notable Players: Pele, Giorgio Chinaglia, Frank Worthington, Giuseppe Wilson, Eusebio, Carlos Alberto, George Best
Here's soccer legend George Best scoring perhaps the best goal of his career and yes, that is Cubs radio announcer Pat Hughes announcing the game:
Hope you enjoyed by excellent sports column. I sure do love writing about sports. I'd imagine I'll give you readers a few more posts in the next week, as I don't have much to do here in near-empty Kirksville, Missouri. So enjoy some sports, go out to Wrigley, have a few Old Styles, and enjoy sports at their finest. I'm gonna get in a plug here for the Champions League Final played by the two best English football teams, Chelsea and Manchester United on this Wednesday at 1:30pm on ESPN2. It should be a doozy. In honor of the great Andriy Shevchenko, who likely will be playing his last game in England for Chelsea (who will destroy ManU or I will break something) this week, here's a little compilation of him.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Stay Tuned
Like me, I bet you're sick of hearing about the presidential nominee on the Democratic side. Hilary just won't go away, that persistent little tomcat, which is something you don't want to hear about a woman unless it's in bed. So we won't talk about politics. And since I've worn out the movies here on the blog more than a cyclone in Myanmar (or Burma, take your pick), we won't talk about the pictures either. So what CAN we talk about? Sports? Sex? Racism? Food? Racist Food? I've got it! These are the World's 6 Most Dangerous Roads. I didn't even see that coming.
6. Magnificient Guoliang Tunnel Road in China
Danger! This road in the Taihang Mountains in China was built out of the mountains by the villagers themselves. The walls of the tunnels are uneven and there are more than 30 "windows" of different shapes and sizes to allow sunlight in. Looking down is not a good idea. Even if you can see through the windows that go up the tunnel, the road is climbing up a fucking mountain. Not to mention that on the very shoulder of the road there are large pillars of pure stone that will destroy your soul. When your not actually under the mountain, there is little barrier going up the open roads, meaning one false turn and you will fall into an abyss and never be heard from again.
Travel Advice: Pay attention or die. Even if you do pay attention, there's still a good chance of it happening.
5. "Highway of Death"
Seatbelts, Please. Connecting Kuwait and Basra, Iraq, this road is bound to be dangerous. The road is one of the most heavily bombed areas in Iraq and is used by U.S. troops to get in and out of Basra. During the Gulf War, there was a mass slaughter which many considered a war crime but no bodies were found. This road doesn't really have bad conditions or terrain, it's just stupid to drive on a heavily bombed road in the middle of Iraq. You'd have to retarded as a donkey-fucker to drive on this road.
Travel Advice: Iraq is too hot this time of year, anyway.
4. Nepalese Roads
Chain Up Those Tires, Boys. The roads in Nepal are not maintained very well and are very mountainous. It's also very snowy there. Connect the dots. If you want to ever climb Mt. Everest, it's almost as dangerous getting to the damn mountain as it is to climb it. The ice, rock, snow, mountains, potholes, and narrowness that are these roads are like a recipe for death. But, I guess if your traveling to Nepal your not really looking for safety, now are you?
Travel Advice: Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro instead
3. Sukhumi Road
Ummm....Hold On. Sukhumi Road is located in former Soviet Georgia in the Caucusus Mountains. Those mountain folk are well known for their wine-soaked, reckless abandon style of living/driving and it doesn't help that they are on this road. Not to mention its used as a large truck route through the mountains. The road reaches heights up to 7,800 feet high with very foggy conditions. There are many touristy sites to visit along the mountains but beware: the unpredictable weather high up in the mountains, along with the plethera of hazardous drivers, might kill ya. Or the Russian Border Authority might because they are douchebags.
Travel Advice: Atlanta, Georgia might be a better bet than Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
2. Lena Highway
I Left for Help 5 Minutes Ago. Where's the Car?!? If for some reason, your up for exploring the far-nether region of Siberian Yakutsk, then this is the road for you. Even though it is a federal state highway, it is just a dirt road. In the winter, it's actually quite passable and not much of a problem. However, the mud road in the summer can turn into quicksand with any amount of rain. It can actually swallow your vehicle. However, it is the only road to Yakutsk. It's sometimes advisable, that when the road is impassible, to drive over the frozen Lena River but that has its obvious dangers too because your driving over a god-damned river. Since many of the people who built the road died doing so, you'll be driving over their bones that were buried under it as a memorial. God, I hate Russia.
Travel Advice: When choosing between Yakutsk and Bali for your honeymoon, remember that when your car sinks in the mud, your beautiful horny wife will too.
1. Yungas Road
Como se dice "death" en espanol? The Yungas Road is a 40 mile mountain road connecting La Paz and Coroico in Bolivia. Almost 300 people die on this road annually. There are no barriers, it's basically one land for two lanes of traffic, and the climate switches from a cool, light climate to an almost tropical climate as your rise, meaning lots of rain, wind, and fog. When you see another car coming the other way, you both have to stop, get out, and negotiate how you are going to pass each other. Also, the lanes go the opposite direction (the only road in Bolivia to do so) to make it safer. Along the route, there are many visible reminders of accidents and if one looks down (please don't) they will see a disturbing amount of automobiles. Fatal accidents occur on this road once every week or so, making it by far the most unsafe road to drive on in all the world. As cars pass, clouds of dust fog the windows. When your passing, more often than not a wheel will have to hang over the 3,000 foot cliff just to get by. Drivers who drive the road regularly say prayers before departing on this road and offer beer to the earth to appease the god of whatever so they don't die. Well, shucks.
Travel Advice: Don't.
Well, there you have it. Danger can lurk around every corner if your not careful. Just remember: always buckle up and always, always bring a road beer. As always, I hope you enjoyed this edition of the blog. I'll leave you with a music video I directed dedicated to my most loyal and dedicated reader (you know who you are, sir). Enjoy.
6. Magnificient Guoliang Tunnel Road in China
Danger! This road in the Taihang Mountains in China was built out of the mountains by the villagers themselves. The walls of the tunnels are uneven and there are more than 30 "windows" of different shapes and sizes to allow sunlight in. Looking down is not a good idea. Even if you can see through the windows that go up the tunnel, the road is climbing up a fucking mountain. Not to mention that on the very shoulder of the road there are large pillars of pure stone that will destroy your soul. When your not actually under the mountain, there is little barrier going up the open roads, meaning one false turn and you will fall into an abyss and never be heard from again.
Travel Advice: Pay attention or die. Even if you do pay attention, there's still a good chance of it happening.
5. "Highway of Death"
Seatbelts, Please. Connecting Kuwait and Basra, Iraq, this road is bound to be dangerous. The road is one of the most heavily bombed areas in Iraq and is used by U.S. troops to get in and out of Basra. During the Gulf War, there was a mass slaughter which many considered a war crime but no bodies were found. This road doesn't really have bad conditions or terrain, it's just stupid to drive on a heavily bombed road in the middle of Iraq. You'd have to retarded as a donkey-fucker to drive on this road.
Travel Advice: Iraq is too hot this time of year, anyway.
4. Nepalese Roads
Chain Up Those Tires, Boys. The roads in Nepal are not maintained very well and are very mountainous. It's also very snowy there. Connect the dots. If you want to ever climb Mt. Everest, it's almost as dangerous getting to the damn mountain as it is to climb it. The ice, rock, snow, mountains, potholes, and narrowness that are these roads are like a recipe for death. But, I guess if your traveling to Nepal your not really looking for safety, now are you?
Travel Advice: Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro instead
3. Sukhumi Road
Ummm....Hold On. Sukhumi Road is located in former Soviet Georgia in the Caucusus Mountains. Those mountain folk are well known for their wine-soaked, reckless abandon style of living/driving and it doesn't help that they are on this road. Not to mention its used as a large truck route through the mountains. The road reaches heights up to 7,800 feet high with very foggy conditions. There are many touristy sites to visit along the mountains but beware: the unpredictable weather high up in the mountains, along with the plethera of hazardous drivers, might kill ya. Or the Russian Border Authority might because they are douchebags.
Travel Advice: Atlanta, Georgia might be a better bet than Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
2. Lena Highway
I Left for Help 5 Minutes Ago. Where's the Car?!? If for some reason, your up for exploring the far-nether region of Siberian Yakutsk, then this is the road for you. Even though it is a federal state highway, it is just a dirt road. In the winter, it's actually quite passable and not much of a problem. However, the mud road in the summer can turn into quicksand with any amount of rain. It can actually swallow your vehicle. However, it is the only road to Yakutsk. It's sometimes advisable, that when the road is impassible, to drive over the frozen Lena River but that has its obvious dangers too because your driving over a god-damned river. Since many of the people who built the road died doing so, you'll be driving over their bones that were buried under it as a memorial. God, I hate Russia.
Travel Advice: When choosing between Yakutsk and Bali for your honeymoon, remember that when your car sinks in the mud, your beautiful horny wife will too.
1. Yungas Road
Como se dice "death" en espanol? The Yungas Road is a 40 mile mountain road connecting La Paz and Coroico in Bolivia. Almost 300 people die on this road annually. There are no barriers, it's basically one land for two lanes of traffic, and the climate switches from a cool, light climate to an almost tropical climate as your rise, meaning lots of rain, wind, and fog. When you see another car coming the other way, you both have to stop, get out, and negotiate how you are going to pass each other. Also, the lanes go the opposite direction (the only road in Bolivia to do so) to make it safer. Along the route, there are many visible reminders of accidents and if one looks down (please don't) they will see a disturbing amount of automobiles. Fatal accidents occur on this road once every week or so, making it by far the most unsafe road to drive on in all the world. As cars pass, clouds of dust fog the windows. When your passing, more often than not a wheel will have to hang over the 3,000 foot cliff just to get by. Drivers who drive the road regularly say prayers before departing on this road and offer beer to the earth to appease the god of whatever so they don't die. Well, shucks.
Travel Advice: Don't.
Well, there you have it. Danger can lurk around every corner if your not careful. Just remember: always buckle up and always, always bring a road beer. As always, I hope you enjoyed this edition of the blog. I'll leave you with a music video I directed dedicated to my most loyal and dedicated reader (you know who you are, sir). Enjoy.
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