Show OUT OF GAicontinurd try— a far cry from the days when the Soviet Union was the world’s principal oil exporter The Russian oil companies have invested in both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in partnership with US and other Wpslern companies Russia also is playing a key role in negotiations to build pipelines across its territory to transport Kazakh oil west to the Black Sea and to Russian iports for export to Western Europe and possibly the UJ5 jRussia has another card: At present it controls all but one of the existing pipeline routes The repablcs The Central lers in Buku you will see much of the world's oil industry pass by" Baku has become a contemporary version of the American Wild West a boomtown in the Caucasus In addition to oilmen thousands of American geolo- gists engineers roustabouts from Texas and Oklahoma businessmen from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela leading economists and bunkm middlemen carpetbaggers rock singers and ladies of easy virtue from everywhere fill Baku's hotels and boarding houses There is the excitement of money and of course corruption and bribery Who are the major players? Asian republics are landlocked so pipelines must ThalMM States To satisfy the nation's growing energy de- - President of Russia transport oil from their wells mands the US government is eager to to foreign markets (see map) Still oil companies and governments have been gain access to the reserves The governslow to decide where to lay the pipement's role through politics and diplomacy is to assure protection to American lines because of political economic and terrain conflicts That is why produccompanies in Central Asia “The broader US interests’’ says Jan Kalicki who tion is nowhere near capacity In 1W the government of Azerbaijan coordinates American energy policies in the area as counselor to the US Depart$8 billion contract — signed a ment of Commerce ‘include promoting described as "the deal of the century” — for the development of three offshore oil energy security increasing and diversifying world energy supplies supporting fields The deal was made with a consorthe independence of the Caspian stales tium formed by 1 1 foreign companies work(including four US corporations that advocating for our companies and ers and promoting regional cooperation" control 409fc of the total) a Russian comWashington and the large US oil pany and the Azerbaijani State Oil Co been The first shipments of Azerbaijan oil have working closely togethoil have as the er occurred late last year Azerbaijan's many of companies China Energy-starve- d China rulers are aware of the politiinhas made cal significant perils their country faces already in Kazakhstan is not taken to keep its care its vestments if the The “hew" to west neighbor neighbors happy particularly China now blending socialism Russia and Iran with capitalism uses traditionSo far the republics have al diplomacy along with cash looked to the US for protection Last year the presidents to gain its goals Last year afcr Li Peng called ter of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on Kazakh President Nursultin separately flew to Washington Alin his at to consult with President ClinNazarbayev palace — and to sign huge joint-ventu- re PetroNational China the ton maty leum Corporation outbid three agreements with US oil roil for US companies major companies But as Kazakh contracts for three large oil fields President Nazarbayev told oil in Kazakhstan China commitexecutives and bankets at the ted about $4 billion to develop World Economic Forum in them as well as $3 5 billion for Switzerland: “The world's 30-ye- ar com-puni- es then-Pretni- a 2000-mil- e pipeline from Kazakhstan to western China Russia is endeavoring to rebuild its shattered oil indus-- major powers are the main consumers of energy products Emperor of Japan It is in their interest to see that the region stays stable" S IAVANT Sorry! The view through contact lenses is usually much more accurate because they correct your peripheral vision Since glasses don't wrap around your eyes the same way some distortion occurs But don't give up! Just hang around other peo- road much rirout tha evolutionary ransom ter tha In Inman inteIHganos but what do you think h tha I’ve ple who wear glasses for nearsightedness You'll still look thinner to them Be selective in your friends though: If they wear glass- of oio being the moot oompti-cate- d spades amotionaMyP es for farsightedness you'll look like you weigh more! —J Martin Baltimore Md I believe that intelligence causes emotion and that complicated intelligence — as with human beings— anises complicated emotion Compared to the rest of the animal kingdom even relatively people are extremely bright and they are just as emotionally complex All humans are So the survival advantage of emotions is the same as the survival advantage of intelligence In emotionally healthy individuals the two do not exist as separate entities Only in dysfunctional people are feelings disconnected from reality 3P BiM Two toana bagbi to plan for old ago early BoRaving thay arc more likoly to hit it big it m iL ternary to ranivt Social Security whan they retire thay dadda to play the state lottery weakly thay win or dte trying Ona plans to play tha same num-baeach weak Tho othar plans to play numbara randomly generated by a computer Doea one have a bat ssjurisrity m llffSKSII dull-witt- ed Tha character Rosemary in Ira LavWfc book Son at Am mary was given an anagram ROASTMULES By tha end of tha book she hadn't figured it out and neither had L Can youP Please! It's supposed to be a word so common that oven children know it —T Welsh Charlotte KC The first word I found is at the end of the column I stopped at that point because my popcorn was ready but there my be more contact lenses 90 of tha time but I wear glasses whan my eyes need a break I wear I noticed that when I lock in tho mirror while wearing ghimss I look thinner Which are more accurate: contact lenses or glasses? Please tell me it's the glassed —H Ho San Diego Calif dir S til IffflSSP ra ter chance than the otherP McAllister Indianapolis bid Uyalinf I Nope The lottery has no memory and no goal One number is the same as any other number Maybe those guys should consid- er looking for rich wives instead rmvsvawos mreiSnie iCjeuowg jawsuy SO WHAT'S THS QUESTION? The answer was "Black Holes” Here are some of your questions: Into what does tha money — you land Mgud Rivera Chula Vista Calif "What do you find te black eocksP” —David Aitkan Denver Cola "Whet do you play on tho ' Intargalactio Pro TourP" '' "What's left after you finidi a bag of licorice doughnutsP" —Rick Moskovitz Ocala Ft Ready for another erne ? The answer tv "Celestial Mechanics " PftowaayMUMi—wiiMtlBmMannwt—itnealillnaiaUia WV 10017 Op y— cm ws aematsiw rwk hws t tr— sny am state) Dm to vbImmo ol m“ NQIISjLVn 1 — |