Showing posts with label New Embassy Compound. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Embassy Compound. Show all posts

Monday, May 19, 2008

Donuts in Baghdad

The donuts are not bad. I've had better, Krispy Kreme still remains the best for cream filled, of course. But, give DoJo's its due - the dough is not overly chewy, and the galze is quite good. They'll need to work on the recipe, or preparing the batter or letting it rise more before fyring, but all in all, a decent donut - and for Baghdad, that is saying something. Oh, and for those of you who have endured KBR donuts, you'll not be surprised to learn, these are better. And, a convenient location near the NEC.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/37418.html

Friday, March 21, 2008

Tennis at the New Embassy Compound

Since July 2007, tennic courts have been completed at the New Embassy Compound. There are also several outdoor baskball courts, a baseball diamon (need grass), a soccer pitch (same issue), and an indoor pool (i'm guessing that was in the plans as the competition pool for the American Embassy school. yes, a school was planned. (you know the country song: "what was I thinkin'?")
well, the courts are playable, but they are in bad shape already. the seams between the underlying sections of concrete, or maybe it is between the overlay of composite asphalt+ material, are prominent. this is apparently water damage. very typical project - provide somehting useful for morale and welfare, then let it sit unused. sort of like getting computers but not delivering them to users for several months.
so who gets to play on these courts. for operational security reasons, i cannot answer that. but, suffice it to say that all these facilities are sitting there unused. it now appears that only those who move into the New Embassy Compound residential facilities will be able to regularly access the facilities, lest some of us decide to stay in our trailers walking distance from work instead of shuttling from the NEC residences to work. the shuttling is a major dis-incentive for many, but if you deny easy accesss to the morale, welfare, and recreation facilities there unless you reside there, you increase the incentive for people to move there. that sounds very conspiratorial to me. silly, of course the embassy management wants to encourage all embassy personnel to use teh New facility, to build comraderie, and not create two classes of Embassy employees, the NECsters and the Trailer trash. silly of me to think for a nano-second otherwise.
well, given the reports on the building project, i may be back in the u.s. before this really becomes a segregationist issue. for more on the embassy project and its delays and problems, see the hearings help by Congresman Henry Waxman.