Poor electricity supply, child malnutrition, polution and political unrest takes some of the Romance away from these flat islands. Stone town's "House of wonders" and Freddi Mercury's flight from there during the revolution seems to hold my attention. I will add a video link to Taarab music. I am not an instant convert but it might be something that takes time to develop a taste. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

If you have to have a record in War this is about the best one you can get. There was a 38 minute war with the British. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

These amazing islands of the coast of Africa have always been in the realm of fantasy for me. The story of the Oman empire, brothers... it is all so wonderfully exotic for me. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

I have read this from Shia Wikipeadia and it is definitely on the weird end of the spectrum, defining some extreme beliefs as superstitious and other main stream. None the less this was quite disturbing reading for me. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

I heard a really nice cat story from a friend and thought I would practice podcasting on a conversation topic. Not always that appreciated by the select technical audiance for this podcast, but a key skill I have to develop under the guidance of Toastmasters. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

General preamble of how I stumbled into the first understanding the of the different sects of Islam while preparing a military talk on the Iran Iraq war. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

Education is a problem for these guys MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

Alot happened in the decades after the prohets death. This secretive orhtodox sect might have disappeared completely if their oppressors hadn't been distracted by action back in Syria. It is interesting to see how extremism plays out and how people are just bulk ignorant. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

Getting to know this opressed but diverse society with so many waves of immigration, and so much history. Basically the business model of ruling over the lives of other people has had its day and more and more as you have the technology to make people free productive or controled dumb. Dates, there is a mystery, Oman does dates very well but only 10 main date companies, exports them but appears to import just as many. The relationship with Pakistan is fascinating. Who would have known that Vietnam was a major importer of Omani fish or that Omani eat more than twice as much fish per capita than any other country in the world. Again there we have 47 % of the country under 15 Comaros has over 50 %. I also absolutely love the Royal Oman Philharmonic Orchestra that only played one concert in 1986 I just so want to hear a recording of this. Or how about the film industry that has produced only one film. There are school dance companies up here in the blue mountains Australia and some of their stuff was just so disturbingly mind blowing. MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.

I was ready for a really progressive place, no such luck MP4 recording     MP3 recording -- -- Your browser does not support the audio element.