I started visiting Morocco in 1969 and I've been there over a dozen times since. At some point it can't just be about laying around Marrakesh, Essaouira, Tangier and Fes. So some years ago I set out across the Atlas Mountains south of Marrakesh and discovered Taroudant, which is kind of what Marrakesh was like in the 1960s... before it became so cosmopolitan. I loved it and kept going back. From there we'd set out for Tiznit and even Sidi Ifni further south and east and then, eventually, for Ouarzazate, Zagora south and west and even Mhamid right at the edge of the Sahara, the last stop before the 2 month camel ride to Timbuktu.
I just saw the Cadillac ad (above) with the driver going through the Atlas Mountains at the Dadès Gorges. We did hire a camel driver and his son to take us out into the Sahara Desert... but not as far as Timbuktu, which we did eventually get to-- in a jeep. As for the curving passes of the High Atlas... oh yes; we did that, several times in fact. But once was a time I'll never forget. We weren't going nearly as fast as the Cadillac in the ad-- nor did we have nearly as good a vehicle-- but we were descending pretty briskly when... no more pavement. The asphalt suddenly gave way-- with no warning-- to gravel.
You know what happens when the asphalt suddenly gives way to gravel? It had never crossed my mind 'til then either. But we spun right out of control and headed for one of those drops you can see in the Cadillac ad. In fact, the bottom of that gorge is filled with cars and trucks that did go over during the years. I'd like to say it was my reflexes and skillful driving that saved us-- and it may have been; who remembers anything but the sheer terror? But I think it was just luck. The car came to a stop an inch for the deadly drop. Within second a dozen old Berber men were swarming all over us, as though they came out of the sides of the rocky crevices. Each one wanted to touch my heart. For luck I guess.
I was delighted to see the DCCC begin blasting away at Republicans who refuse to support low tax rates for all income under $250,000 unless the low rates are also extended for income over $250,000 as well, something the country just can't afford. The ad below is one they did for the single most vulnerable Republican in the whole country, corrupt right-wing extremist Gary Miller, who plays Confederate officers in Civil War reenactments. This cycle he managed to win reelection in a new district, CA-31, only because too many Democrats ran in the crazy new open primary resulting in two Republicans facing off in the general. Obama beat Romney in the district 57.2-40.6%. Miller is the DCCC's #1 target for 2014. Sharper than you thought, huh? But this ad campaign is also targeting 20 other Republicans they see as vulnerable next cycle, including Buck McKeon (R-CA) and Tom Reed (R-NY), two major Blue America targets as well. Nothing to do with Morocco or Cadillacs... just twisted roads and going over cliffs:
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