Jeff of Arabia

The end?

2009-06-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

I think this is the end of Jeff of Arabia, reason being: I am no longer in Arabia. Now it is off to Shanghai. Please follow me there in my new oh so exciting blog: http://shanghai-ed-ucator.blogspot.com/
See you in the funny pages.

The Year of the Ox Reading 8: "The Thai Resistance Movement during World War II"

2009-06-27T02:21:00.000-07:00

I never really knew much about Thailand during World War Two. They were invaded by Japan and then they became allies with Japan. That's about a much as we get in history books. So when I picked this one up I was kind of excited. I shouldn't have been. This has all of the makings of the research that is needed to write a good book, but this really isn't my cup of tea in history books. Too many details on the leaders but nothing about life in Thailand during the time. I think a more balanced approach would have been to include the reasons why there was a resistance needed against the Japanese. How were the people of Thailand affected by the war? This book tells you none of those things. Many it doesn't set out to do these things, but it could have been much better if it had.
Well there you have it.

Going to China early

2009-06-26T04:43:00.000-07:00

Should I? That is the question I currently have. It seems that I can arrive in Shanghai earlier if I want to. But do I want to? I would be staying at a friend's house but he isn't there. Instead I would be there with a teacher from Cambodia who is there taking care of the cats. It would be nice to actually be somewhere where I wasn't running around all of the time, so i will think about it. I don't think I would leave before the 10th of July, which would be arriving three weeks early. I will have to see.
My trip has been mostly stress free so far, but it would be nice to have a place to hang my hat. (Note to self: buy hat.) Plus Shanghai will be an amazing place to explore before I start my new job. If I get tired there I can always take side trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.
So what do you think dear reader? Hello? Is anyone there?

The Year of the Ox Reading 7: "Liberal Fascism"

2009-06-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

I must say this was a powerhouse of a book. One of the most informative that I have read in years. It completely changed the way I look at fascism and the do gooders of the Democratic Party. It shows that at heart they are striving for the same thing: the elevation of the state over the individual. The author doesn't say the FDR, Hillary and Wilson are evil Nazis but says their goals are the same, to create a situation where the government can intrude into every aspect of the private affairs of the individual.
It is also very well documented and you will surprised at some of the things the supposed good liberals of the past said. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

The Year of the Ox Reading 6: "The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made."

2009-06-25T04:51:00.000-07:00

This title combines all of my geeky factors. It takes my love for movie making, my interest in science fiction and my interest in the workings of Hollywood into one very interesting tome.
This is about the movies that got away and were never made. We learn about Tim Burton's take on Superman, efforts to make many a Star Trek, why it took so long to get a Fantastic Four and Spiderman on the screen, and a lot about many more movies.
If you like movies and movie making and are a little geeky boy like me then you might like this one. He has another book that I am going to try and snag on this trip but I might not find it before moving to China.
Have fun.

Alone

2009-06-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite as lonely as a tourist town full of whores. Everyone is with someone, either with friends or loved ones, real or imagined. And yet I am not taking part in the charade. Just a tourist alone.
A week has come and gone since I left my apartment. It was my home for six years. The other afternoon while waking from a nap I thought I was there. It just felt like I was back. I don't like being homeless.
One of the reasons I am starting to not like travelling is being alone. I need someone to travel with but somehow haven't managed to get anyone. I have a rather strange group of friends. What an odd bunch they are. Come on fellows you know it's true. And yet all of them have somehow managed to get married. I might be the last man standing. Even my dirty old man friend is talking about getting hitched. What am I doing wrong?
So here I sit in Bangkok while others do whatever others do. Six more weeks until I am in my new home. I am looking forward to Shanghai since I think it is a place I can not travel from. I am tired of travelling alone. Maybe it will be better just to stay put in my new home.

Left

2009-06-15T01:42:00.001-07:00

There is a sadness that comes with leaving any place you have been for a while. I spent six years in Kuwait so you know I would feel sad. I had a friend picking me up at 3 pm for the ride to the airport. I was waiting in my apartment but then the maid showed up and kind of spoilt the mood of departure.
When I arrived at the airport I said goodbye to my friend, gave the bags to the Indian man with the cart and then a few minutes later I went to check in. My bags were too heavy but the flight was mostly empty. They said it would be no problem. Then I checked in and like that my feelings of dread of leaving evaporated. And then I was free of Kuwait.
I am sure that this is some kind of culture shock but I was happy to leave.
Arriving in Bangkok I was worried that my hotel would make me wait since I was so early. They didn't. So I was able to check in 7 hourse early. I love being in Thailand. My room costs about a quarter of what the room I stayed in Istanbul costs, but it is three times bigger and has a pool. I don't know why people travel anywhere else.
Well that is a brief update.

The Year of the Ox Reading 5: "The Search for Modern China"

2009-05-23T23:17:00.000-07:00

This is a big book. I had a copy from around the time it came out, back when I was a member of the History Book of the Month Club. (I'd probably still be a member but they don't deliver overseas.) But I'd never finished it in almost 20 years. It came out in 1989, just after the Tiannanmen Square Massacre. It ends on that note. It starts back in 1644 with the last Ming Emperor committing suicide. Between that there is a whole lot of tragedy. Those years were difficult ones for China. Now she is recovering. It was interesting to read about the events that took place after Mao's death in 1976. There is a new edition to the book, but I read the first one. Hopefully I will learn more of what was going on behind the scenes someday.

This was an enjoyable work. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about China, or to someone moving there. Wait a minute: I'm moving there. Yippy.

510 hours to go

2009-05-22T02:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in some time. I guess I really need to get back to it, but I don't know. I might have to start a new blog in China since Jeffofarabia really isn't very Shanghai-like.

So what has been happening? First of all, lots of packing. I have too much stuff. I will be shipping most of my things and then leaving some things with a friend in Thailand while I travel around Southeast Asia a bit. Yep, I am going back to Southeast Asia on vacation. I am starting to see a pattern here. I guess I really do like it there. So relaxing.

The school year is mostly done. Have some last minute grading to do and then prepare the kids for finals. The seniors only have two days this upcoming week which is nice; they stopped working a while back. My school keeps giving them extra priviledges though, even though they have done nothing.

So it's mostly packing and trying to finish a few books and study a bit of Chinese. My Chinese was never really that good, but I am hoping that it actually improves this time. I guess it just takes practice.

I am also hoping to lose a bit of weight this summer. I have plumped up. I will do a lot of walking and swimming so hopefully that will trim me down a bit.

Well there are 510 hours to go. (Okay I'm counting.)

The Year of the Ox Reading 4: "American Tabloid"

2009-03-28T01:08:00.000-07:00

This is the second time that I have read this novel. I really like James Ellroy. He writes really gritty fiction. This novel is about the build up to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Ellroy paints a picture of life in America in the early 1960's as seen through the eyes of CIA and FBI agents and the criminals they pursue and ultimately ally themselves with.
I like this book a lot but I realized that people in real life don't throw as many phones or punch as many walls as they do in this book. It seems like every other moment someone is doing this. I understand being angry, but how many times can you break your knuckles against the wall. And phones must have been really cheap in the 1960's. I know the Kennedys could afford new ones all of the time (they are also characters in this novel) but the average schmoe couldn't just call Ma Bell everything they needed a new one.
That being said, it makes you wonder how much of this is true. Was there a conspiracy to kill the president? Was J. Edgar Hoover in bed with the mob? Were Howard Hughes and Fidel Castro all involved in some crazy nut case? If the reality is as interesting as the story, then those were amazing times. I am not sure "Madmen" can live up to this violent vision.
Well there is a sequel and a third in the works so you will hear more of those at some later date.

Cleaning up

2009-03-28T01:02:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a bit of cleaning up. Mostly trying to pack some things away and toss out things I don't need. Since I have less than 11 weeks to go in Kuwait there is a lot to be done. I have already packed away my winter clothes. Now I am packing up books. Last month I put all of my cds unto my ipod, so that is one less thing to carry to China. I have too many books though. I don't know if I should sell the ones I have read or take them to China and sell them there. Or just keep them. Most of them are history books I can use later.
It seems like I have a ticket already. I leave here on June 12th and then arrive in Shanghai on July 31st. I will spend the summer in Southeast Asia. I am flying into Bangkok and then go to Bali, perhaps. That last bit is still just an idea.
Well that is a little update on me.

The Year of the Ox Reading 3: "How to read the Bible"

2009-03-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

I guess this is from a British series on how to read great works of literature. That is how the author treats the Bible throughout. He looks at it less like a work of religion and more as a great work that anyone can learn from. He addresses the work to that group of people who don't worry about if the work is true.
I think that is why I liked it. What if the Bible isn't true? That is an important question. For many it would end their faith. But as I have learned over the years the truth doesn't have to be true in order to speak to a truth that is in us all.
I have read the Bible this way for years and have always been fascinated by the cast of characters inhabiting it. The people in it are real. They do the same stupid things that all of us do; they often fail; and they try to turn to God when they need Him. I think the Jews have always been a persecuted people because they have been so honest in their assessment of themselves. Most people aren't so critical of themselves and create super-humans to rule over them. But not the people who wrote the Bible. You have a doubting Messiah, a horny David, a stuttering Moses, and Abraham, the father of it all who questions God, except when He asks him to kill his own son. (I figure that is why I would have the most question.)
So if you are new to the Bible, pick up this work. It will present it in a way that you didn't imagine. Then you might pick up the real thing.

The Year of the Ox Reading 2: "Strange but true tales from Japan"

2009-03-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of books that I have almost finished. This was one of them. It is a series of short writings about some of the weirdness that is Japan. Take for instance suicide. Why is it such an important part of the society? Also, did Japan have an atomic bomb? Who was Tokyo Rose? Why is Japanese food so different? What would it be like to sit in someone's toilet waiting to stick a sword in their backside? Stuff like that.
I remember buying this book in Thailand about five years ago. I was on my first trip out of Kuwait and was feeling Asia nostalgia pretty bad. Japan is my comfort zone, so I remember buying a lot of books on Japan. I had been thinking of fleeing Kuwait at the time. I ended up staying but still miss East Asia. Good thing I am going back.

Returning to China

2009-03-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe but in less than 3 months I will be back in Asia. I am heading to Bangkok first but then by July 31st I should be in Shanghai. That will be awesome. While looking on line the other day I found some photos that reminded me of my time in China. One photo is of the archway that welcomed everyone to my part of Beijing.
It is hard to imagine leaving here. Six years is a really long time to be in one place. But that is one of the joys of international teaching. You meet a lot of nice people and then they leave or you leave. Those are the rules of the game. I am lucky to be going to such a great school next year, but I have also been lucky to have been at this school in Kuwait.
Well I must go. I will try to update more often.

The Year of the Ox Reading 1: "Watchmen"

2009-03-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

While in Amsterdam recently I decided to pick up a copy of "Watchmen." I read the individual comics years (nay, decades) ago and decided with the movie coming out to re-read it. Two decades is a long time between reads. Did it hold up? In some ways, yes. It still is a good comic. I am not going to worry about saying graphic novel, since that is just a nice phrase to make comic book geeks feel a little more mature. This is just a more advanced geeky comic (with real sex and boobies for the high school geek to appreciate). The characters are much more developed than in your average comic, but I am not sure that this only makes this a great work of literature. Time magazine listed it as one of the top 100 novels since 1923. But is it really better than "In Cold Blood," "A Confederacy of Dunces," or "East of Eden"? No, to be honest, it is not even as good as "The Swamp Thing" comic that Alan Moore wrote, or as good as the Hernandez Brother's "Love and Rockets" or Frank Miller's "Daredevil" was. It is mostly just a bunch of geeks feeling good about themselves.
That isn't to say I didn't enjoy re-reading it. It brings back fond memories. It is well written, but as one of the top 100 works in the last almost 100 years? Come on. A fanboy can only go so far.
So read this, see the movie, and then move out of your parents' basement and get a girlfriend already.

Keeping a promise

2009-02-19T03:08:00.000-08:00

A friend asked me to blog again. It has been a while since I have had anything to say. I am not sure I really have anything to say today. It has been a stressful few weeks at school. We had some kids busted for having hash at school. They were expelled from every school in Kuwait, taken to prison and beaten, and I don't know what has happened since. We had a bomb threat. It was fake. Two students were expelled, include the Amir's granddaughter. I found that quite shocking.We had a major dust storm. It got into my lungs, which were already full of the phlegm I picked up in the cold climes of the Netherlands. Then a former teacher from the school died. That was sad. She was a nice lady. So you can see it has been quite a busy few weeks.
Thankfully it is Thursday. That is the last day of the work week here. We are having a basketball tournament this weekend at school. That is nice. It has taken the edge off things. A few minutes ago one of the teachers was eating a pork steak in the teacher's room. Kind of shocking really, since port is illegal here. I guess that is what is just happening in the school.
My school's server is being changed, which has really put a dent into my ipod experience. I have been trying to upload all of my music, but it has been slower than I wanted. Also the internet is slow, so it has been a little difficult to watch "Lost" online. But I am surviving.
As I get less interested in being here the weather will make it easier, since soon it will be like hell here. Then I have summer, 51 days off, and then to Shanghai. I am mostly thinking of Southeast Asia. I might meet a friend in Bali. I have wanted to go there for some time. And hopefully I will get to see some volcanos.
Well that is it for me. I will try to right more.

Update (a short one)

2009-01-12T04:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!
I know I am twelve days late. I used to write more on the blog. What happened? Maybe it is time to turn over a new leaf.
I woke up this morning at five and went running. I have turned into a big, fat ass and I need to lose a ton of weight before summer. I really surprised myself. I have discovered that it is hard to run and keep my new ipod's earplugs in my ears. So I either need a new set or else just don't run with them. It was quite nice to run before the sun rose. I ran on a track on my school's roof, but I could see all of the apartments with their lights off slowly turning on.
School has been good. We have just returned but I only have five months to go before I depart. I already feel a little nostalgic, but I am also really happy to be going to Shanghai. I am not leaving Kuwait so much as going somewhere else. I am looking forwards to a new adventure. I have even started studying Chinese again.
Well that is my short update. I will try to write more often. Let's just hope 2009 is a great year, a year full of hope and promise, a year where the good guys and girls win.

The Year of the Rat Reading 28: "The Road"

2008-12-26T02:48:00.000-08:00

The end of the world isn't going to be pretty, particularly if we are involved in the process. This novel, by Cormac McCarthy, is about a man and his son and how they struggle to survive following a nuclear apocalypse. And let me tell you, living after the bombs fall is not going to be easy. There is dust everywhere, hardly anything left living, eating what you can from canned goods that are left, and trying not to get caught by cannibals. Yes, cannibals. Seems that there is quite a lot of it going around at the end of the world. You never know who to trust. People tend to stay by themselves and take care of one another. It is a scary world.
I guess I never thought the end of the world was supposed to be nice. Usually in the movies something good comes along at the end and then everyone is happy. I just saw the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still." At the end of it, Klatu decides that everyone can live after all. It seems like a phony resolution. Isn't he from a great civilization that should know better. In this book there is no Klatu to come along and save us.
The main character in the story reminds me of my brother Danny. Danny once cut his palm and sewed it up himself with fishing wire. Then he didn't go about complaining about it. The man in this book is that kind of tough. But in the end that isn't enough. Like a really strong engine he just seems to expire in the end. He is too worn out to go any further.
This novel kind of reminds us how fragile we are. We think were tough and can handle anything but it asks us, what if in the end you can't?
Someone is making of movie of this. It was on the Oprah book club as well. So hopefully that doesn't mean it will get screwed up too badly when translated to the big screen. I hope they don't give it a happy ending, because the end of the world really doesn't deserve on.

The Year of the Rat Reading 27: "Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the birth of the Superhero"

2008-12-14T03:02:00.000-08:00

I don't know the title of this book. It seems to have changed. Let's just call it "Men of Tomorrow," and not worry about the subtitle. My book has a different subtitle.
This is the story of how a bunch of mostly Jewish immigrants created the popular culture known as the superhero comic. It is the story of two kids who created Superman, and how the companies that bought this type of material tried to rip off the creators. In the end it is about how a bunch of geeks got together and made sure corporate America didn't crap all over the little guy.
I thought this was a fascinating history because I am at heart a big old geek myself. I still remember fondly riding my bike to the flea market to try to find some lost comic classic. I remember the guy there; he charged the top price for his books no matter what the condition. He was a crook. He also had a lot of Playboys so I could deal with his crookedness up to a point. I wonder what happened to that old flea market?
So the story of the American comic book is the story of how America lived in the 20th century. It was full of promise and disappointment, bitterness and joy, and Jews and gentiles.
So I recomment this was highly.

Downright Chilly

2008-12-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

When I woke up this morning there was a mist covering Kuwait. Today it has brought the temperature down, way down, which is really nice. It has been a little too hot lately. So now it is quite pleasant. Tomorrow the high is supposed to be about 16 degrees celcius (about 61 fahrenheit). That is perfect weather. Of course I will feel a little cold and might have to bundle up. With the cool weather I might just not travel anywhere. Tonight I walked up to the Scientific Center for about two hours. It was a lovely way to spend a late afternoon. I might even have to use my heater pretty soon.
Have fun. Brrrr.

Some movie ideas

2008-12-11T02:49:00.000-08:00

I was thinking of some interesting remakes of movies but giving them more of a local, Kuwaiti flavor. Here goes:

"Juno" A girl tells her parents she is pregnant. Then it is discovered that her uncle had raped her and is the unborn baby's father. The family confronts the uncle and tells him he knows what must be done to restore the family's honor. The uncle then kills his niece and everything is right in the world.

"The War of the Worlds" Martians invade Kuwait. The Kuwaiti army is mostly on vacation, since this is a summer film, and the ones that are here decide that fighting is just too difficult. The Americans are called to rescue the nation. Bush and cavalry arrive and the Martians fight back but die of the flu. Local religious leaders are outraged that America has defiled the land of Islam and fly planes into the World Trade Center killing 3000 people.

"Gataca" Local boy decides to become an astronaut. However, because of centuries of cousin marriage, his genetic stock just isn't strong enough. He is rich so he decides to find someone in Kuwait who has strong blood and buy it from him. Since cousin marriage is the norm here, the boy can find no one to help him. He instead turns to religion and declares war on science and on the moon. The moon is destroyed in suicide bombing, which leads to the end of tides and life as we know it.

"The Terminator" A robot is sent from the future to kill a local woman. She is carrying the child that will save the future. When someone is sent back to save her, she refuses help, saying "If God has willed my death, then so be it." The terminator then kills her, fulfilling God's will and ending a lucratic film francise before it even had a chance.

"Crash" A Lebanese woman is driving around when suddenly a Kuwaiti man crashes into her. She is clearly at fault, because didn't you hear me say she is Lebanese and he is Kuwaiti. The police arrive. The officer takes a fancy to her and feels her up. She is outraged and calls her husband. The officer calls his cousins. The husband is beaten up by the cousins and the woman is raped. The officer's cousins then ask him if he can get them jobs as police officers. He does and Lebanese women are felt up all over the country. Because of the outrage committed, the Kuwaiti man who has originally crashed into the woman's car, is given a new better model. His debts are also forgiven. When he dies he is declared a martyr.

So you can see why I have been thinking of going to film school. I just have the cinematic gift, I guess.

The Year of the Rat Reading 26: "Political Philosophy: A very short introduction"

2008-12-11T02:40:00.001-08:00

I guess you could say this is a short work. It is still about 132 pages long. I ordered this book for my Philosophy class, but now after reading it I am not sure I will use it. It contains many great examples to use in class, but it is a little short on the material that the kids need to know, especially the philosophers that they need to use on their examinations. I might try to use it for classroom discussion but I am not sure if I will use it for the main reading that the kids need. I will have to wait and see I guess.

In far more important news, I don't know what to do for my winter break. Should I go to Thailand? What would Hobbes do? Or should I take the advice of Karl Marx?

Actually if I do go to Thailand I think it is only because there is a Coco Ichiban Curry house there. Is that a pathetic reason to go? Actually I like being there. It is a fun country. I just wish I had a woman by my side.

Well have fun.

Should I go on vacation?

2008-12-09T01:48:00.000-08:00

I have been sitting in Kuwait for five days. I still have 25 to go. I am wondering if I should go to Thailand for a vacation. I always like it there, but do I really want to travel right now? I just found a really cheap ticket on Sri Lanka airlines, that will let me leave on the 17th and come back on the 2nd. I will have fourteen nights in Thailand. Will that be enough? Will I enjoy myself enough to travel? Or course I will enjoy myself, it is Thailand.
Just thinking outloud. I guess I can decide in a few days.

The Year of the Rat Reading 25: "The Presidents: The Transformation of the American Presidency from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush"

2008-12-09T01:27:00.000-08:00

I like books about the presidency. I guess I like to watch power. While reading this book I realized that I love watching campaigns but don't really like to focus much on issues that affect the nation. I guess I am a political voyeur. Perhaps this is why I have never joined a political party. (Or maybe I am a secret Johnny Red.)
I guess I learned quite a bit in this book. It made me want to go out and read Tocqueville's "Democracy in America," but I am not sure I will ever get to that.
I wonder what the author will have to say about Barack Obama in his second edition of this work. Surely there will be a second edition. All publishers do that nowadays. They get you for thirty more pages of new text but then you have to slog through the 710 pages of text that you have already read just in case there is something new.
Speaking of Obama, I think he is doing an excellent job so far. A friend of mine is hoping he will be less successful than Hoover. I hope he is the greatest president ever. God knows the world really needs a good one. Since we run everything it would be nice to have someone we can all look up to.
Well have a nice day.

New Name

2008-12-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

I have some major news. I got the job in Shanghai. So now I need a new blog name, and email name, etc. I am thinking "The Woods of the Fortunate Husband," but that sounds kind of odd. Actually that is the translation of my Chinese name: Lin Jie Fu. Lin means woods, Jie husband and Fu fortune.

What else is new. I am on vacation. Been here in Kuwait for the last two days. Haven't done anything. It has been wonderful. Took a long walk which was lovely. Tonight I am going to see if I can buy some books on Chinese. I want to start studying right away if I can.

And that is it. I think my life isn't very excited. I live in Kuwait, have an interesting enough existance and yet have nothing to say.

Well that is it for now.

Going to Shanghai?

2008-11-29T04:50:00.001-08:00

I have been doing a few interviews for next year. Last week I spoke to the director, principal and head of Humanities department with the Shanghai Community International School (www.scischina.org) about maybe working there next year. I have four friends who actually teach with the organization that runs the school. I have been thinking of leaving Kuwait for a while, but now I am sitting on pins and needles. The school is supposed to tell me if they want me on Monday. I have to tell my current school if I will be returning by Wednesday, so this is going to be a very busy week. Fortunately it is midterm week, so I have some time to ponder.
If I am offered the job I am going. I have been dying to get to Shanghai for a number of years. If I am not offered the job, I am not sure what I will do. Is it the right time to be unemployed? Would I like to do something else, or will I decide to come back to Kuwait? SO much to think about. I guess we'll all know the outcome in about 48 hours. Wish me luck, dear reader.

The Year of the Rat Reading 24: "A Season in Mecca: Narrative of the Hajj"

2008-11-15T01:35:00.000-08:00

I took on course in Anthropology at university. I got a "B." Therefore I will approach this book as a "B" student should.

I like narratives. Unfortunately this book doesn't have enough of them. It is mostly reflective, and since I don't know all of the terminology that comes with anthropology, then I was sometimes confused.

What I got of narrative, though, I found interesting. I learned that you have to get special permission to go on hajj and then you have to take hajj course ahead of time, so you don't screw up. Any mistake and the hajj doesn't count. Women will even take pills to avoid their periods. Seems kind of silly really. The God in Islam is compassionate and understands that people make mistakes, so I think He would be more forgiving on a slight mistake made on hajj.

My students will say that I cannot really understand the Qu'ran since I don't read the Arabic in it. Of course most of them are failing their Arabic courses, and also cannot read what is in the original, but they still look down on translation. Arabic isn't really one language. The author of this book hails from Morocco, where the language is so different from what is in the Qu'ran or what is spoken in Saudi Arabia. It is really a separate language, but religious pride won't allow for Arabic to become more than one language, like religious pride in Europe didn't allow the growth of native written languages until the Latin finally started collapsing in the late middle ages.

Another thing I learned that was big on the hajj is shopping. I guess I should have seen this one coming, since every religious site I have ever been to has a souvenir shop or is surrounded by a souvenir district. Why should Medina and Mecca be any different? I guess I was just hoping that Islam would be different.

Another the author considered was ethics in society. When talking to his Moroccan friends they say that religion and reality are different. You can lie and cheat and still be religious. I guess I would disagree with this. I always thought that religion was supposed to mold the individual. I guess this why I feel that Islam really is in a dark ages at present. People accept so much wrong in the name of religion, without even questioning what they are doing. I really think a lot of this has to do with literacy. As mentioned before the Qu'ran is only valid in Arabic, and Arabic as written in the Qu'ran is something that most Muslims in the world cannot read. The translations that are allowed tend to come out of Saudi Arabia and they actually add language to their versions that make Christians and Jews look bad. So what the Saudis are doing is taking a non-racist, and quite welcoming religion, and making it one that is full of hate. Unfortunately we are seeing this hatred in the world at present. Let me be clear here, I don't think this hatred is in Islam, just in those narrow minded people who are trying to use it for their own ends.

The last part of the author's narrative was about the sacrifice of Ismael by Ibrahim. As in the Bible, a lamb was sacrificed instead of the young man. But I have always wondered about this passage of scripture (with Biblical or Qu'ranic). Why would a loving God ask a man to kill his child? This summer, I read another book that says that these sacrifices might just be initiations into some secret society. This is an interesting perspective on this, but I still wonder how these texts affect how we view the world. Should we listen to a God that asks us to do something that is clearly immoral? I often wonder if indeed that is the challenge. Shouldn't we stand up to this God and say "no"? Maybe that is what He wants us to do. In the end, we don't go through with the murder, but why are we put in that position to begin with? Why does God need this type of complete surrender? Why doesn't He instead have us surrender in ways that are positive?

So this book made me think a bit but I know I don't like it as much as I do other narratives I have read of the hajj.

Winter has come

2008-11-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Today was a lovely day. I walked like crazy. I love to walk. It is actually one of my hobbies, if it were possible. I just wish Kuwait had forests and hills. But today early in the morning I went out and took a nice one hour walk along the Gulf. Then I did the same thing this afternoon. I walked for over two hours overall. My feet are sore. It is time to relax.
Walking today I saw my first bundled up Indian. I saw one with a big muffler wrapped around his neck. Tonight I saw an Arab man in a wool cap. Mind you it is in the 70's outside but that is plain cold in these parts.
Been a pretty good day. I had to go to the American School for Model United Nations practice. It went okay but the kids were just too rowdy as usual. I am sure the real conference next week will go a bit better. I should have brought another book to read.
Today I went into a brand new baqala (small shop). I found Coca Cola Zero in there for only 100 fils, not the usual 150. Maybe the guy made a mistake. I don't know. But what a treat. I saved 37 cents on two. That is a good day.
Well tootles.

Whoops I've done it again

2008-10-31T23:46:00.000-07:00

It must be the fall because I am already thinking about next summer. This can only mean one thing: film school thoughts. That being said, as always, I have re-applied to the New York Film Academy's course in Paris. So if I hold true to my goal then next summer will be spent in lovely Paree! Now I will have to pay the remainder of the course fees and get a flat for the summer.
One thing that could be interesting is how long our summer vacation is next year. There is some talk in Kuwait that we won't be coming back until after Ramadan which could push the holiday into mid-September. That would be super-dreamy. Imagine three months in Paris instead of two!
Well as Kuwait gets colder, and more lovely every day, I think of the warmth of Parisian sun (more likely cloudy and cold, but hey, that's European summer).
Because of these plans I think I will cancel winter vacation. No trips until June. Bypassing winter will save me 3000 dollars or more. That will definitely help this summer. Now if the Euro would just keep dropping.
Well dear reader, please take care.

Goals

2008-10-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

When I came to Kuwait I really had two goals. The first was to help my mother financially in the last years of her life. I think it is important to practice a bit of filial piety as one matures. So I did that until my mother passed away almost two years ago. I was lucky to be able to do this.
My second goal was to pay off my student loan. I think I have finally done that as well, but will wait until the 13th of November to see if Sallie Mae sends me one last bill. It might be over, since they did send me a letter saying as such, but I want to see if there is any outstanding interest.
I guess I have other goals as well. I wanted to become a better teacher before coming here and I guess I have gotten a wee bit better, especially at not yelling at the little whippersnappers. I yelled a lot my first year here. Just calm down and let things blow over is my new motto. The kids are generally pretty good here but they talk too much and don't take studying that seriously.
Another goal I had before arriving here was learning Arabic. I suck at learning languages, but that is really no excuse. I am also incredibly lazy and lack daily discipline. This is something I really need to work on in my remaining decades in Kuwait.
I also am really interested in Islam and have often thought of converting. But I always hesitate. I came close a few years ago but then backed away. Maybe that is something to seriously consider in the next few years. The only problem I have with Islam is the attitude of so many Muslims. Some of them are so full of hatred that I really don't want to surround myself with that. Some remain incredibly stupid and bigoted about the world around then and even about their own faith. I can't blame that on Islam though. It is really just the practitioners. I have met my fair share of bad Christians in my day as well.
Film has always fascinated me and I have often considered taking a course. I signed up for one a few years ago but never did attend. I am thinking of going again next summer, in Paris, France, especially if the Euro keeps getting weaker against the dollar. This is more just me trying to be the artist I used to want to be, but art still means a lot to me.
A strange goal I have recently developed is to travel less. Yes less. I love travelling but I want to learn to be happy standing still. I need to find my place in the world and I won't do this by bouncing all over the place. I have recently been thinking of leaving here and that gets the emotions flowing. I guess there are good reasons to leave but also quite a number of great ones to stay. I am thinking of trying out this goal this winter break by not going anyway, just staying in Kuwait. I know everyone will consider me mad, but the weather is so amazing now and will be great in December.
If I do stay for the month off, I will be able to work on another goal that has been killing me slowly: being a big fat ass. I really need to drop a ton or two. I went for a two hour walk tonight and really enjoy that. I really just need to walk more, eat less and drink more water. Hopefully I can focus on that.
My final goal is not keeping me up at night, but I used to really want to be a father. I am definitely not moving in that direction, and at 43, one has to wonder if this one will ever come true.
So those are some goals to think about over the next year or so.

Final Prediction

2008-10-30T01:55:00.000-07:00

The McCain camp has had a bad month. So this is my updated prediction. It is a lot different from the first one.

><a href='http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008/pick-your-president/'>2008 Election Contest: Pick Your President</a> - Predict the winner of the 2008 presidential election.

The Year of the Rat Reading 23: "Arts of Southeast Asia"

2008-10-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

I like Southeast Asia. I really need to move there someday. Something about the cultural is really appealing. Perhaps it is the artistic feeling that pervades the region.
When I first went to Thailand a few years ago I started this book. Some books just take longer than others to complete. This one deals with the influences that have affected arts in the region. It looks at indigenous, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Chinese and modern influences that have helped make Southeast Asian art so special.
One thing that is fun to do when travelling is purchase a piece of art. I have quite a number of things that I picked up in that region. One of my favorite is a Buddhist alms bowl that I bought in Bagan, Myanmar. I am sure I spent too much but I really like it. It currently sits on my table. I also have quite a large puppet of Gangesh that I bought in Myanmar. I bought that from some dissedents. I paid too much for sure on that one but I was helping them in their struggle for freedom.
So get to Southeast Asia. It is amazing.

The Year of the Rat Reading 22: "Comrade Rockstar"

2008-10-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

Imagine going overseas, becoming a big star, wanting to go home, but the world has changed and you never do. That is what happened to Dean Reed. He had a few hits in the 1950's, made it big in Chile, become a communist, ended up in the Soviet Union and finally East Germany where he died a few years before the wall came down.
This book is really not about him, but about the search for him. The author doesn't really write a traditional biography, but more like a memoir of her journeys trying to discover his true identity. In the end she thinks he has killed himself, but his death is still a mystery.
But again it is a mystery that most have never heard of or are even too interested in solving. Dean Reed was in the end someone who was easy to throw away, because he left only a tiny mark on the earth.
As someone who is leaving that type of mark I can feel for this man. His adventure in some ways is similar to mine. Hopefully I have a happier ending.

Daytime littering is back!

2008-10-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

One of the many hardships one has to deal with in Kuwait during Ramadan is the overall lack of daytime litter. Kuwaitis are the best when it comes to public displays of littering, but that comes to a halt during the month of Ramadan. You see, during this month there is no eating or drinking outside during the day, so people don't just drop their litter during the day. They have to wait until night. So you can really just walking around the town and not see any plastic flying around; well at least until sunset.
But that all comes to an end during Eid. Eid is the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. It is a time to celebrate with your family, go out both day and night, and litter whenever you want. Boy the streets sure are filled with garbage today. It is the flying plastic that really tugs at one's heartstrings, the crashing of glass bottles makes one think of wealth gone to waste, and the occasional piece of real food that finds its way on the ground is quickly devoured by the cats. But there isn't too much real food actually, just lots of chips, candy and cokes.
So I hope everyone is enjoying their Eid as much as I am. Man I need to get a broom and start sweeping.

Alive in Joburg

2008-10-03T04:41:00.000-07:00

Found this neat movie online. I liked it. Kind of an alien invasion of apartheid South Africa. Check it out:

Obama wins big!!!

2008-10-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

I think the press has been asking too many gotcha questions to Sarah Palin. So I have mostly defended her. Well that is until I saw her not answering questions about the Supreme Court. She was really out of her depth. She should have been able to come up with something.
So I think the election is over. Obama will win. I am okay with that though since he has been a pretty strong candidate. I am not a huge fan of taxes, but they usually don't affect me. It will be nice to have the world off our backs for a while as well. Everyone really does hate us overseas. I don't blame Bush for this, but maybe the world will have a bit of America nostalgia over the next few years with someone different (and by different I mean non-white) in the White House.

Next stop...

2008-10-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

October is as good enough a time to think of what to do next in life as any. I am thinking...of leaving Kuwait. I don't really know why at the moment, but am starting to think that maybe it is time to do something else. So I have started to look for other teaching jobs overseas. It is not that I am unhappy here. I find that I am quite content. I just am starting to think it is time for another adventure. So I have started to do a little research. I am looking at schools in the former USSR. You will notice I am starting to do some reading on this area. It is actually one of the places I have always wanted to go. A friend of mine taught in Uzbekistan and he liked it there. So I have been looking at the school there (www.tashschool.org). Right now there are no openings, but it is still early. I interviewed with a school in Russia a few years ago, so I might look into that as well.
Of course the big question is should I go to a job fair, if I decide to leave? If I do, I will more than likely go to the one in London, which is where I got my current job.
Again, Kuwait has been very, very good to me. Should I leave? I still don't know. Just thinking???

The Year of the Rat Reading 21: "Red Moon Rising: Sputnik and the Hidden Rivalries that Ignited the Space Age"

2008-10-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

One of the things that has interested me since I was a child is the Soviet Union. I think I am actually one of the few people who miss it. I don't know why it was so fascinating. I guess it was such an important country and a counterweight to the United States, which for some reason I have never been such a huge fan of. I think it stems from my sixth grade history class and from my father. We learned all about communism then, and after hearing about it, I thought it didn't sound so bad. Of course, I now know that the reality was a lot different from the ideal, but I still fixate on what could have been. My father is from Denmark, so I learned early on from visits there that there were other countries in the world that had different systems than my own. Denmark seemed to work, despite our constant harping of how great America was, so I thought maybe the Soviet Union also had much potential.
One of the great moments for the USSR (or CCCP as I learned from stamp collecting) was the launching of the Sputnik satelite. It put America on its heals for a few months in the fall of 1957. It was really just a tiny, insignificant object but it managed to do something that the might USA hadn't done yet.
This book starts off with the fall of Nazi Germany, and America and the Soviets trying to find some information from the German rocket program. This information helped both nations come up with some answers on how to get a rocket into space. The Soviets used the information, while America just captured a bunch of Nazi scientists. They had the papers, we had the brains.
In this book I learned a lot about Khrushchev and about Eisenhower. I was suprised at the role LBJ played in the whole affair. I recommend this one highly.

The Year of the Rat Reading 20: "Micronations"

2008-09-28T01:23:00.000-07:00

It isn't every day one sits down to read a travel guide. I don't know if they even count as books. But this one was different. It looks at little countries throughout the world that people have declared in their backyards as well as strange places like Sealand.
It was a weird look at a weird world of kings, queens, emperors, and just good old fashioned nut jobs (not to say kings, queens and emperors can't be nut jobs). I didn't realize it was so easy to declare yourself independent. So henceforth, Apartment 20 declares itself independent from Kuwait and from the building. Anyone coming in will have to have special permission. There will be no taxation in the land. (But then again there are none in Kuwait.)
(The picture is of the view from "The Right Honorable Principality of Apartment 20.")

One: cut a hole in a box

2008-09-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

When I first saw this video I didn't really like Justin Timberlake. After seeing it I gained a whole new level of respect for him. Anyone willing to be this goofy and out of character must be okay. Enjoy.

43!

2008-09-15T02:27:00.000-07:00

I turned 43 a few days ago. It was no big deal. Actually I took a nap for part of the day. That was nice.
43 is a weird year since it is a prime number. You can't divide it up and examine your life through it. 42 was a good year. I could think about life in 14 year intervals. What was I doing at 14 and 28? That was fun. This 43rd year started off a little more low key.
I do remember what I was doing at 21 and a half though. That is when I joined the Air Force. So I guess 43 is good if you divide it by two. At least it was for me. Joining the Air Force changed my life. I don't think I would be where I am without it. (Is that a good thing?)
So there you have it: 43. (And next year I will get to Hank Aaron's number, which is something.)

The Year of the Rat Reading 19: "A History of Israel: From the rise of Zionism to our time"

2008-09-15T00:05:00.000-07:00

Some of you might be wondering where I have gotten all of this time to read so many books. Actually the answer is two-fold. First of all it is Ramadan. That means things are closed during the day. So I have been spending much more time reading. Secondly, I have been finishing books that I have started in the past. This one is an example of that. I have been reading it since about 2004. It is 1020 pages long. Too my credit I did read the last 140 pages of it over the last few days.
It tells the story of Israel from Theodore Herzl to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. There is a new edition, but I read the second. I wish the author would just issue the pages that I haven't read. Then I could also read the third.
It was a meaty history. Lots of details. 1020 pages is a lot for such a small country, but Israel has experienced quite a lot of history in the last 150 years or so.

The Year of the Rat Reading 18: "The Woman who Laughed at God"

2008-09-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

I got into Middle Eastern history a long time ago when I started examining the Bible. The Bible led me to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and this in turn led me to examine both Judaism and Islam. So you can see my reading interests. This book is by an author I have really enjoyed. I read biographies of David and Moses that he had previously written and another one on the Bible. This one is mostly about Judaism is the post Biblical years.
I learned a lot about what it means to be a Jew and how it is often hard to pin down. The word Israel means "One who wrestles with God." In this way, I guess anyone who wrestles with God is a Jew, though Jews are a little more demanding.
This book looks at classical Judaism and how Jews have had to deal with Christians who for the most part aren't very Christ-like. I recommend it highly. It also gave many new topics to examine.
Shalom.

Sports and Philosophy

2008-09-11T04:33:00.000-07:00

I teach that education is all about body, mind and soul. Here is the body part.

Pre-Game Coin Toss Makes Jacksonville Jaguars Realize Randomness Of Life

I sure am glad I wasn't in China for the Olympics

2008-09-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

I used to live in Beijing and know that this really could happen.

The Beijing Olympics: Are They A Trap?

Bush and the economy

2008-09-11T04:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the economy suffers when the president leaves office.

Economists Warn Anti-Bush Merchandise Market Close To Collapse

The Year of the Rat Reading 17: "Among the Righteous: Lost Stories from the Holocaust's Long Reach into Arab Lands"

2008-09-06T07:06:00.001-07:00

I love history, and I really hate having to deny it. I try my best not to. In Kuwait there are a few things I am not supposed to talk about in class: the Persian Gulf, Israel and the Holocaust. The first one I don't mind. The locals call it the Arabian Gulf. I have no problem with that. All countries have words that they use to describe themselves and their region. The last two I definitely have a problem with. Mostly I have a problem with them because the only way to get out of the mess the Middle East finds itself in is through education.
In my backpack today is a book by Amos Oz. It is his memoir of growing up in Israel. I bought it at Virgin Record Store in Kuwait. I can buy books about Israel here but I cannot legally mention it in class. (And people can't legally drink here either if you know what I mean.) I can understand why Arabs wouldn't be too happy with the Israelis. So I can understand why the locals wouldn't want someone to teach them about this country, considering how many Palestinian kids I also teach.
But the Holocaust is different. It is one of the most important events in world history. We need to understand how man acts at his worst and how he sometimes responds in a positive manner at these times. The author of this book decided to go and look for Arabs who helped Jews during World War Two, particularly in North Africa. The author was surprised that no Arabs had been honored at Vad Vesham, the Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem (http://www.yadvashem.org/). He wondered if he could help bridge the gap between Jews and Arabs by discovering such individuals.
You think that would be easy, but with politics being like it is, it was quite an endeavor. In his exploration he discovers times when Arabs took advantage of Jews, and more importantly finds heroes among the Arab population. The real villian in this story is the Vichy French. They decided to become anti-semetic way before the Germans invaded North Africa.
It seems that there have been a lot more talking between the communities since this book came out. I think it is important. I just wish I could teach my kids the full extent of man's horror.

Philosophy Picture

2008-09-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

I received an email about a month ago from a French philosophy magazine. They wanted to use a photo of mine that they had discovered on flickr. I was so surprised. Since I teach Philosophy it is kind of a neat honor. There is a saying about Yemen though. It says you cannot take a bad photo in Yemen. It is probably true since it is such an amazing Arabic nation.
So I thought I would add the photo to my blog. This is the one that will make me world famous, especially among the millions of French readers of philosophy magazines. (There are probably that many right?)

Electoral College

2008-09-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

I never did graduate from the electoral college but I sure do like it. It allows all of those flyover states a bit of prominence that all of the coastal idiots hate so much (and that is not a dig at Myrtle Beach).
So the Washington Post has a electoral college map that you can work with. So I did one tonight with my predictions for the election. I see McCain winning 332 electoral votes and Obama winning 206. I know my Jackass friends will weep big ole tears. But I think I am happy. Gotta wait two months though.

><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.

Bearded

2008-09-03T04:17:00.000-07:00

I love teaching. Mostly it is nice because the kids ask goofing questions. Today I had one of the best ones I have ever had. A girl in History asked if she could ask something personal. So I said okay. "Sir, I heard that you grew a beard because you saw an alien. Is that true?" How do you respond to that one? I tried not to laugh. It was such a great question. Of course we lost about five minutes of teaching time in the process but what fun.

Ramadan Kareim

2008-09-01T03:20:00.000-07:00

Well Ramadan started last night and with it comes fasting. I woke up at 3 am to have my breakfast. It was a nice breakfast. I had oatmeal, an orange, a glass of tea, a glass of orange juice and a yogurt. I am actually not feeling too bad today. I can eat in about five hours and I am planning to do what most people in Kuwait do: take a nap this afternoon. Is that cheating? I don't know. If it is, then everyone is doing it. The hardest days of fasting for me are on the weekends. It is too hot to do anything outside and all of the restaurants are closed. Plus if you are fasting you cannot eat or drink anyway (so maybe it is best that everything is closed). But when you sit at home you get antsy and want to eat and drink. I would rather be in school.
The first 20 days of Ramadan aren't as difficult as the last ten. During those last ones, Muslims are expected to say extra prayers at night. So everyone is hungry and sleepy. Since I am not a Muslim (yet anyway), I don't have to worry about those last few days.
So I am now at school waiting for the school bell to ring. Then I can go home and curl up in my bed. Then I will wait by my tv watching them shoot the cannon off in downtown Kuwait. After that I will drink a cup of tea, eat some dates and maybe even have an orange. Then I will think about dinner.
Well wish me luck on another Ramadan journey.

So I was finally right about something...Sarah Palin

2008-08-30T08:52:00.001-07:00

I think McCain and Palin are going to win the election. It might be close or it might be a blowout, but his choice of her was brilliant. All of my liberal friends are starting to snipe at her, but she is just what conservatives need: someone who believes in small government. Complain about her lack of foreign experience if you'd like Mr. Obama, but that only brings up yours. (Living in Indonesia doesn't qualify unless you want people to look further into that madrassa you were in.) Attacking her on her lack of experience only enhances the fact that Obama also has none. One friend even mentioned the population of Alaska as if it were an indicator of why she shouldn't be veep (Delaware is so big!).
So I finally got something right. I think she is the lady to break through that glass ceiling. I always thought the Republicans would elect the first woman or minority, mostly because they don't just sit around and whine like the Democrats did last week.
Should be fun from here on out. Here is a picture of Sarah Palin in Kuwait. Wow! Talk about foreign experience.

Earthquake!!!

2008-08-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

I went running last night. So when I went to sleep I was having strange dreams. Suddenly at about 1:00 I felt something funny. The earth was shaking. I woke and my bed was moving from side to side for about ten seconds. Then it stopped. I thought it could have been only a few things: 1. My neighbors were having really great sex. 2. Someone had decided to construct something nearby at one am. 3. I had a demon in my room a la "The Exorcist." 4. It was a freaking earthquake!
Turns out other people in other buildings felt it as well. I am still looking for news on it in the Kuwaiti papers but there is none. I found some information on land. Seems there was an earthquake last night on the Iran/Iraq border. Maybe that was what I felt. Fortunately no one was hurt and nothing fell off my shelfs.

The Year of the Rat Reading 16: "Millions of Women are waiting to meet you"

2008-08-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

This books title alone will make you pick it up. This book bills itself as a memoir about internet dating. And it is that. But it is also an examination of the wacky world of sex. This book is full of sex. It is also funny. It is not as funny as "Portnoy's Complaint," but it does make one chuckle. It also makes one shake their head. Why? While reading this I sometimes wondered if I was reading the confessions of a dog in heat. The author was looking for a wife but he was also letting his little head run his life. He didn't seem to have an ounce of self-control. This, of course, makes me wonder: Why do I have so much self-control? Is there something wrong with me?
So I wonder: does this book reflect the realities of dating and sex? I don't know. I know it doesn't reflect my reality. In the book, the author talks about three pregnancies that he might be responsible for. The first one was aborted, the second miscarried and the third wasn't here. He talks about them briefly but really there could have been a whole book on the moral dilemma that is in this moments. He talks about how these unfortunate events led him to his current happiness. So in other words he is saying how his current success was helped along by walking over others. There is no time for any moral considerations in his lifestyle. He is only pure animal in his behavior.
This book did make me think a bit about my own failings in dating. I really am not too good at it. Maybe I am too selfish. Maybe I like my freedom. This summer I have had news from a few old girlfriends. One is happily married and has a child. I am happy for her. I know her husband and he is a good, solid guy. He offers her so much more than I could ever do. Another is getting divorced. I feel for her. She broke my heart in my 20's but I have since recovered and now I am worried about her transition. I also felt a connection with her when I saw her but time changes everything and one can't live on nostalgia. Finally another old girlfriend has recently gotten married and I feel relieved. I have managed to avoid it with her. So in this instance I am happier for myself than I am for her. (Summer is long for a teacher and you have lots of time to reminisce.)
So this book is one to get you thinking, but it is also a book that shows how messed up the world of dating and morality really are. I don't know if it has always been this way, but I wonder if we are approaching a new dark ages where morality is completely thrown out the window.
The other day I was listening to Larry King. Obama had just picked Biden to be his vice-president nominee. A caller called Larry King. He said he had always voted for Democrats but he couldn't vote for Obama because he had chose a plagiarist as his vice-presidential candidate. I though to myself: so you will vote for Clinton and his adultery but you won't vote for Biden because he stole from some other guy's speech. Stranger moral code. This book fits into this category.

So here is how McCain can win...

2008-08-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hillary supporters sure are angry with Barack Hussein Obama. I think he might still win withouth their full support. That is, unless McCain doesn't something unpredictable, like, picking a female candidate. There is a perfect one, Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska. No one from that state has every been on the Presidential ticket and the GOP really needs to liven things up with their veep choice.
However, I know nothing about her. She would make an interesting dent in the Obama campaign though.

Back home again

2008-08-25T05:31:00.000-07:00

Well I have been home for almost a week. It is nice. School started yesterday and that is going okay. My plans for world conquest are on hold for the moment, but I will let you know when they are back on track.
This year I will be teaching only four classes and have two senior study halls. Should be nice. Last year I had the same schedule. I am working with one new Canadian teacher. She is nice but a little scared. Mostly things are looking okay.
The convention is about to start so I will be able to follow that. I like Obama's choice for veep. I thought Biden would have also made a fine president. I am still thinking that Hillary will sink Obama though. Her supporters seem to be a bunch of whiners. I think McCain would be smart to pick a woman.
So here I am at school. I should go home, but I am recording cds unto my hard-drive. I am now recording "Tunnel of Love," one of the most underrated of Springsteen's cds.
Well I need to get ready to leave. I just wish I had something to do.

The Year of the Rat Reading 15: "The Muslims of Thailand"

2008-08-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

One day while walking on my first trip to Thailand, I heard a sound that was vaguely familiar. So I stopped to listen. I had a certain melodic quality to it that confused me to its origin but it was the Islamic call to prayer. I didn't think I would be hearing this while walking through Bangkok, but unbeknownst to me there are about a half a million Muslims in Bangkok.
So since them I have been looking for some material on Islam in Thailand. I have never been able to find any before this trip, and then a whole bunch of it fell into my lap. This book, "The Muslims of Thailand," is the first one I will clean off my lap.
This is the kind of book you are forced to read in university. There is a lot of information but no narrative. Why do historians just tell us the facts. Some stories would also be interesting. Thailand is the midst of a mini-civil war, au currant, in its southern Islamic provinces, so perhaps some of those voices could have made it more interesting. Not that it wasn't an interesting enough book (as so many are) but the author seems to forget that history is full of people doing fascinating things. Just none of them are found here.

The Year of the Rat Reading 14: "The Siege of Mecca"

2008-08-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

When I was just fourteen an event happened that has affected the world we live in today. Because of it the Soviets moved into Afghanistan, Pope John Paul II was shot, Anwar Sadat was assassinated, and the Carter Doctrine was formulated, allowing the USA to secure the oil in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. Something this big must be common knowledge to everyone, but it isn't. That is why this book is so fascinating.
On the first day of the year 1400 in the Islamic calender (1979), a group of Wahhabists took over the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Because of the Iranian revolution and the taking of American hostages there, many reports at the time said the takeover was by Shi'ites. I actually thought so myself before I read this book. But no, the attackers were just your usual Wahhabist, who had been trained to hate everyone who is not a Muslim.
This book gives you a fascinating look into how the Saudis responded to it (they didn't do such a good job), how Muslims throughout the world immediately blamed the US and Israel for it (and burned down the US embassy in Islamabad in the process; and later attacked the one in Libya and of all places Kuwait!), how the attackers believed they were supporting the Mahdi, and how the French of all people can in and planned the final attack.
It is really a sad book about how a good religion has been hijacked by the extremists who really know so little of their faith, and how the very people who are spreading this version of the faith to the entire world (the Saudis) were a victim to their own success. I wish more Muslims were aware of the facts and would return to a more tolerant version of their faith.
So read this one. It is well worth the time.

The Year of the Rat Reading 13: "The Secret History of the World"

2008-08-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

If you know me you know I am a bit of a freak when it comes to reading. I will read most anything, particularly if it is related to weird ideas about history. Well this book would seemed to have been just the perfect fit for me, and in some ways it was. It told the history of the world as told by secret societies. So I learned a lot about angels, the battle for heaven and hell and what influenced the great minds of history.
All in all it was a pretty good read, but I did have a few faults with it. Mostly I didn't like the lack of citations. I always tell my kids to cite if they are saying something amazing. If you are writing about Thomas Jefferson you don't have to cite if you say he wrote the Declaration of Independence or was a slave-owner. But you should cite, if you say Thomas was visited by aliens and taken away to Xenu. Well this book is full of moments that are amazing. And I know they are in the books that the authors puts in the back of his book, but it would be nice to know where exactly I can find this information. Page numbers please.
The ending of this book was also kind of weak. So I would kind of recommend it, but only if you have nothing better to read in the summer.

Thailand

2008-07-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

Well I have arrived. Had a nice Kuwaiti boy kick my seat for seven hours. Classic example of parenting gone awry. Once I arrived to the hostel they told me I could check in for two more hours. The plane used to stopover in Dubai but this time it was direct. So I left my bags and went to have lunch at Hachiban Ramen.
Then I napped for four hours and went to see "Dark Knight." That was definitely the feel good film of the year. (I loved Heath Ledger in his nurses uniform.)
Now it is time to have dinner. Stay tuned. Tomorrow I see Sam Denny and then John James and Gob on Monday. Insha'allah.

The Year of the Rat Reading 12: "Born Standing Up"

2008-07-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

When I was in 8th grade I wasn't wittiest in class. Some other kid got it. I thought what kind of bullshit is this? I knew I was funnier. So over the next four years I worked even harder on it and in 12th grade I was picked as class clown.
During my first year of university I saw the Second City Comedy Troupe. I thought to myself, I can do this. But I couldn't. I got lazy and never made a mark in comedy or the arts or in theater. I found that it wasn't the person who could do these things because I didn't have the dedication to the craft.
One thing you will notice about me is that I am full of bluster. I talk a good game but then I can't back it up. More accurately, won't back it up. I always say I am going to do something and then something else occurs.
So this all kind of came back to me when I was reading Steve Martin's memoir of his life as a standup comedian. He talks about all of the difficulties of becoming famous and then the difficulties that come once you are on top.
After living in Japan and always being stopped by little kids to talk I kind of felt famous. I never really liked being bothered all of the time. So I can kind of understand what Martin goes though after he is famous and can understand why he steps down from the Olympus of Comedy. It would be nice to see what would happen if he went back into it.
So that is his memoir. It triggered up lots of memories for me.

Last day in London

2008-07-21T02:27:00.000-07:00

Well my last day in London has come. It is hard to believe. I break my trip into bite sized bits and now this one is about to be digested. And now the weather is getting lovely as well. I must say it has been quite an overcast vacation, but I still have had a great time.
Summer has been interesting. I saw an old girl friend in the states (been 20 years and nwo she is getting divorved) and then I found out another old girl friend is getting married. So I guess summer has been a bit about thinking about the past.
But now I am going back to Kuwait, if only for a few days. Then I will be dashing off again to Thailand to see a few more friends. I am looking forward to that but also looking forward to just getting into my own bed in Kuwait and taking myself a nice hot shower.
Well ta ta for now.

The Year of the Rat Reading 11: "Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark"

2008-07-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

Many people have never heard of Freya Stark. Fifty years ago you might not have said that but today who has? I have but only because I live in the Middle East. So for this summer's purchases I bought an biography of her (as well as a bunch of her books).
What mostly intrigued me about her originally was the fact that she spent a lot of time in Yemen. She actually went there later in her career. She started off late in life in the Middle East and she was once tough cookie. She also wore big hats. I won't hold that last bit against her.
So next time your female travel companion complains because the room isn't clean enough or that there were rats and cockroaches crawling over him in the night, send her a copy of this book. Then she will understand what being a tough broad is.
Read the book to find out the rest.

The Year of the Rat Reading 10: "1968: the year that rocked the world"

2008-07-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I love history. I spent a large bit of my summer pay on books. And still I go out and buy more.
I picked up this one in London last week and finished it today. It looks at the year 1968, a year that hippies like to lament about (I think it was the year they gave up soap for good or something). It looks at many of the events of that year, such as the campus riots, the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, women burning their bras (which they didn't I guess), and the elections and assassinations of the year as well.
It was a quick read, though it was almost four hundred pages long. It was a smooth as silk, creamy as butter and sweet as honey. In other words, a very sticky book. Actually the author has written books on salt and cod, so if you are into salty fish and not into politics, etc., then maybe you should try one of the others.
Well that's all.

Time

2008-06-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

Where are we? Are we in the present or are we in the future or the past? It is an interesting thought, because our present is never divorced from either the past or the future.
Summer is a time to reconnect with old friends. But then where are you when you are with them? Are you revelling in the past or building a new present together.
So are our futures any more real?

Summer vacation one week on

2008-06-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a long week. I have had to wake up early and spend a long time sitting in cramped seats.
But what the hell, I am on vacation.
The week started last Tuesday when I saw a few of my dear friends off from Kuwait. This is the time of year when you have to say goodbye to some of the people you have been sharing your waking hours with. So that was a little tough.
Then I jetted off to London. London was lovely. It was a little chilly but fortunately I had my jacket (dirty, beaten up and in need of replacing). The big think in London was that I got to meet my friends' baby, a little girl named Emi. And what a cutey she was. She is at the age where she is making a lot of nonsense sounds, but they are always fun to hear. She didn't cry too often either, which was a real blessing.
I didn't do much in London. Went to the Tate Modern Museum and to the British Museum, ate some okonomiyaki and a really nice beef curry; had fish and chips of course, and managed to buy only one book. My friend, Toshio, put the idea of flying to Morocco into my head before I left, but he can't go with me so I will probably just stay in London on my return in about three weeks.
Now I am in Atlanta. It is hot and humid. I got in last night. I did laundry this morning. Mostly I have been unpacking some things I ordered from amazon.com and complaining to myself about those little sticky labels on all of the cds. They are such a pain to get off.
Well that is week one. God only knows how many more there are. Now I need to go and watch the European Football Championships, which is being shown on ESPN. That makes me happy.
Cheerio.

Some notes on June

2008-06-07T22:35:00.000-07:00

Well June is now eight days old. I guess it is time for the circumcision. Or maybe I will wait for a few more days.
School is drawing down. I will be leaving for London on Wednesday and then arrive in Atlanta next Monday. I am looking forward to a kind of low-key vacation. Not too stressful. Or at least that is my plan. Stress comes with the territory sometimes. I am mostly looking forward to just hanging out a bit with friends and family.
Of course every summer when I am away from Kuwait I miss her. I really do like it here. I know that ousnds weird, since there are many things I don't like but I like being here. Over the weekend I rearranged my apartment. I put a chair in my bedroom and moved a bookshelf and you know it felt so nice. It was mine. So I was happy to fix my things up.
Of course there is always August hovering far off in the distance, but I am also looking forward to that. I have had a bit of good news. I was made one of the school's Model United Nations Directors. So I will finally get to make that trip to the Hague that I have always wanted to. When I was in high school I participated in the MUN but wasn't chosen to go on the trip. Then in Beijing I was involved with the program for two years. We went to a conference in town called BEIMUN which was a lot of fun. So now I am really looking forward to doing the conferences here in Kuwait and going to the Netherlands next winter.
I am also looking forward to the start of the new school year. I have good classes, mostly good kids, great teachers and administrators to work with. So I am hoping my sixth year is a great as my fifth was. But that is still three months away.
I guess the other big news is in politics. I am stunned that Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee; stunned because I actually supported him. I never get the candidate I want. So these are big days for me.
Well I am off. One last thing, I hope to see a bit of baseball this summer, so if you want I will have a chili dog for you.

The Year of the Rat Reading 9: "Bangkok Haunts"

2008-05-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

When I am not reading history books, I spend a little time reading detective novels. I used to think that being a detective would be the greatest job in the world, but I can also see myself getting beat up by criminals. So I became a teacher instead (and am just browbeaten by my young charges). So from time to time I pick up another mystery. This one is the third in an interesting series about a detective from Bangkok named Sonchai Jitpleecheep. He is a Buddhist offspring of a prostitute and an American G.I. I say he is Buddhist, because the books are full of information on the spiritual life of the average Buddhist in Thailand. They also talk a lot about prostitution, the drug trade, what it is like to be a foreigner in Thailand, and a lot of the action is set in an area I usually inhabit in Bangkok.
I wonder if I am really learning about the real Thailand though. For me Thailand is about eating hot food, buying lemon tea at the 7-11, eating Japanese food since it is so cheap there, taking trips on the Chao Praya river, and mostly just hanging out the mall watching movies. I guess I am stuck in some kind of cultural warp while there. I don't go into the whole bargirl scene for a couple of reasons. First I really don't like alcohol (and let me tell you, hanging out with drunks has never been my fondest joy or memory). I also don't like the whole exploitive nature of the trade there. I don't know if it is Jesus or Marx who taught me not to take advantage of the poor, but whoever it was it stuck.
But this book is an excellent way to get into the Thailand that I am sure exists.
This book was a real doozy. It is the third in the series and much better than the second one. It is hard to top the first one, but this one comes really close. It deals with the making of a snuff movie and the relationships that are in the Buddhist world between those who receive and those who are in debt spiritual. If you think Western religion has messed people up then you definitely want to stay away from Buddhism, at least how it is potrayed in this book. It seems to have as much control over the soul as any Catholic guilt could.
But if I say too much you will know the ending. Anyway, the title tells you a lot about this book. Bangkok and hauntings are two of the major characters. Read this one. I cannot recommend it enough. But if you haven't read the other two, start with them first.
Enjoy.

The Heat is On

2008-05-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

Well Summer Vacation is just around the corner. Some people are predicting it will actually get to 60 degrees celcius this summer in Kuwait. For all of you fahrenheit people that is an incredibly 140 degrees. So you can see why many of the people in Kuwait flee every summer.
I have finished with both of my tests and only have a few more to grade. Right now I am trying to finish up a couple of books and then I am leaving on June 11th for London. I will be seeing a few friends from Japan on that layover. I will do another layover on the way back to Kuwait. I will only be spending three weeks in the states this summer. I am sure it will go quickly. Then I will come back to Kuwait and head to Thailand. As many of you know, I have developed quite an affinity for the land of smiles. A friend of mine will soon be teaching at an international school there and I would like to check it out on my trip. And I will be meeting my old friend Sam Denny for a week long trip to northern Thailand.
I think it will be a pretty good trip. The only drawbacks are in what things I need to order from amazon and then of course the ultimate drawback is that summer will end and I will be teaching once again. (Psst! Don't tell anyone, but I actually love my job.)
Well I will update you more in the future. (Who are you again?)

Great day for fundamentalist in Kuwait

2008-05-19T01:40:00.001-07:00

So Kuwait is going to the dogs. The Parliament that was dissolved has been replaced by one that is even more conservative. So maybe we'll continue moving further back in time. It already feels like the 19th century here. Bring on the 18th I guess. I think it might be time to start looking for another job far far away.
Here is the news as reported by the Arab Times.

Old … new faces reheat the grill as voters dissolve a dissolution
KUWAIT CITY : Radical Sunni Islamists made a strong showing in Kuwait’s legislative election and minority Shiites gained one more seat, reflecting heightened sectarian sentiment and conservatism in the country. Women, despite numbering more than half the electorate, again failed to enter Parliament, according to official results released on Sunday. The hardline Islamic Salafi Alliance and its allies won at least 10 seats in Saturday’s poll, almost twice their strength in the previous chamber. Sunni and Shiite Islamists grabbed more than half of Parliament’s 50 seats. Sunni Islamists won 21 seats, four more than their number in the previous Parliament which was dissolved by HH the Amir in March after a standoff between the government and MPs.

The moderate Islamic Constitutional Movement, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, however saw its strength cut by half to three MPs. The number of lawmakers from the Shiite Muslim minority increased by one to five. All elected Shiite MPs are Islamists, including two members of the previous Parliament who took part in a controversial rally in March to mourn Imad Mughnieh, the slain military commander of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The rally triggered sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis. The government cracked down on Shiite activists amid Sunni protests that they had mourned a militant accused of hijacking a Kuwaiti plane in the 1980s. “The Mughnieh issue has certainly increased sectarian polarisation and tension in the country, benefiting radicals on both sides,” political analyst Mohammad Al-Ajmi told AFP.

Shiites constitute one-third of the native population of just over one million. Liberals and their allies won seven seats, one fewer than in the previous house, while the nationalist Popular Action Bloc led by veteran opposition figure and three-time speaker Ahmad Al-Saadun took four seats, down one.
Political analyst Saleh Al-Saeedi said he believes the polls, conducted on a new electoral system with broader constituencies, will help lay the ground for establishing political parties after most candidates campaigned as part of a group in order to increase their chances of winning. “I think this will make it easier for the government to deal with political blocs rather than individuals. The next period will witness progress towards political parties,” Saeedi said.

Political parties are banned in Kuwait, but various groupings operate as de facto parties. Women, who were contesting the election for only the second time, failed to win any seats, underlining the conservative nature of Kuwaiti society. Female voters made up 55.4 percent of the 361,700 eligible voters in Saturday’s early election, but only about half of them cast their votes, according to turnout figures. Total turnout was 68 percent. Twenty-seven female candidates were in the running, but with women standing for election for only the second time, their limited experience in campaigning was seen as one of the reasons for their poor showing. Analysts say women in the Gulf region generally tend to follow the lead of their families and tribes when casting their ballot.

Kuwaiti women had also failed to make a breakthrough when they voted and stood for office for the first time in the June 2006 legislative ballot. Twenty-two new faces will enter the Parliament, mostly from tribal areas. Voters have said they wanted change in a bid to end political feuding and put the wealthy Opec state back on the track of economic development. Under the constitution, the cabinet will resign within two days and HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah will ask the current premier or another member of the ruling family, as is the norm in Kuwait, to form a new cabinet before the new Parliament holds its first session by the end of May. At least one member of the 16-strong cabinet must be an elected MP. Unelected ministers become ex-officio members in Parliament and enjoy the same voting rights, thus raising the house membership to 65.

Accordingly, the Islamists’ victory will not translate into a majority in the assembly. Parliament, elected for a four-year term, has legislative and monitoring powers and can vote ministers out of office but it cannot bring down a whole cabinet. The bourse edged down after the results. The exchange, the second-largest in the Arab world, had risen after Parliament was dissolved on hopes the new chamber would be more business-friendly but has since shed some of its gains. The last assembly focused on questioning ministers over their conduct, forcing several to resign. Kuwait has yet to appoint an oil minister since the last one quit in November. Twenty-eight members of the previous Parliament were re-elected, according to results carried by the official media. Many of the new faces hail from tribal areas.

Hopes for economic reform in Kuwait were dealt a blow by the election results. Islamists and tribal alliances maintained their grip on power. “Everybody already says this is an unstable assembly and will not continue for long,” said Nabeela al-Anjari, a women’s activist and former candidate in the 2006 election. “The majority will support the existing powers who will follow only their interests ... We are heading towards a critical period of crises.” Amid the political wrangling, reforms such as a bill to attract foreign investment and another to create a financial regulator were left on the back burner. Multi-billion dollar plans to explore some northern oil fields have also been delayed, partly because Islamist and tribal deputies objected the involvement of Western firms.

“It is true that some faces were changed, but in general the situation remained as it was before. The number of Islamists and tribes has even increased,” said Ali al-Baghli, a former oil minister and critic of Parliament and government. “If the same old pattern continues, the outcome will be the dissolution of the Parliament again.” “We expected Kuwaiti voters to be more aware,” said Najla al-Naqi, a 42-year-old lawyer who ran for a seat. “We had hoped for new young faces, for one woman at least.” Al-Naqi said she was disappointed as well with a new electoral law that slashed the number of voting precincts from 25 to five, aiming to reduce tribal voting and fraud. “Vote-buying has diminished, but it is not totally gone,” she said. “The solution is in Kuwait becoming a single constituency.”

Another voter, 26-year-old Zainab Murtadhawi, said she believed Kuwaitis re-elected the parliamentarians they know and trust. “The new ones, we don’t know,” she said. Al-Baghli, the former lawmaker, urged patience and said Kuwait’s democracy was still young. ‘Slowly, slowly the experiment will correct itself until we reach a party system where the majority rules – maybe in decades,” he said. Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sunday sent cables of congratulations to the winners in the 2008 Parliament elections wishing they would prove up to their grave new responsibility. His Highness wished the new MPs succeed in serving their constituents and their homeland and in contributing to the development of the homeland and its prosperity. His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah sent similar cables on this occasion.

By Dahlia Kholaif
Arab Times Staff and Agencies

Songs from the 1960s

2008-05-16T05:47:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple of grooving numbers from way back when. I am not sure I was born yet.

Here is one of my favorites from the Beach Boys, "All Summer Long."

And here is what the French were listening to at the same time. Classic Francoise Hardy song "L'Amitie."

Some good songs (from the King of Thailand and Scarlett Johannsen)

2008-05-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of good videos I have been enjoying. The first is one of my favorite versions of the King's Anthem from Thailand. They play this before every movie.

The second two are believe it or not by Scarlett Johannsen. I think she does two nice covers here. The first is Summertime and the second is Falling Down.

That's a whole lot of music. Enjoy.

The Year of the Rat Reading 8: "The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad"

2008-05-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have read quite a number of biographies of the Prophet Muhammad over the years. He is someone I really admire. I know he has his distractors, but I am not here to answer their criticism. I am just here to tell you of a new book I read, by a man named Tariq Ramadan. Ramadan writes a biography that can be applied to how Muslims live their lives in a multicultural world. He eliminates all of the crap that is happening in the world today by showing that the Prophet was a compassionate man, who was chosen to bring a message of peace to the world. He accepted other religions, treated women with the utmost of respect, and believed that how people treated one another was the true measure of how they would be judged by God.
He also believed that one should be nice to animals. One of my favorite hadith (stories from the life of the Prophet) of all time involves a man who notices that a dog is thirsty. This man climbs into a well and fills his shoe up with water to quench the thirst of a dog. A few years ago I was in Malaysia and I noticed a dog was thirsty. So I went to give him some water. After I gave it to him, a man came and knocked over the water. So the dog remained thirsty.
In this book there are also a couple of nice stories about treating dogs and cats nicely. You should also treat your enemy with kindness and respect other religions. I am always amazed how little Muslims I might in Kuwait seem to know about how to treat other people and animals. The Prophet once said a woman who killed her cat was going to burn in hell. I am amazed at how Kuwaitis treat animals and foreigners. It is almost like they know nothing about their religion (or maybe they really do just know nothing). (Which reminds me of what an Egyptian man once told me. He say: "Don't judge Islam by what you see in Kuwait.")
So I would recommend this book for anyone, Muslim or not. You can learn a lot in it about a truly amazing man.

Am I getting a cold?

2008-05-05T04:31:00.000-07:00

My throat is sore. I am starting to sneeze and even sweat a bit. Could this be my first real cold of the year? God, I hope not. That being said, I am going home, and going to sleep. Maybe I can shake this thing.

Then again...

2008-04-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

I might end up in Yemen. I am so confused about summer. Why can't I just do everything I want to do?
Well I survived one hell of a dust storm today. It was a monster. I still feel the dust in my mouth and hair. I need to go home and shower before going to bed.
But that still doesn't solve my dilemma. What should I do?
Well I will have to think about it.
Over and out.

Summer changes

2008-04-30T02:11:00.001-07:00

It looks like it might be an Asia summer afterall. I will probably travel to Thailand after my holiday home and in London. And then I might also meet a friend in Yunnan, China. I have been wanting to go there for a while, so this might be the summer. Of course I am a little worried about the Olympics. Maybe China will be more crowded than normal.
Just an update.

Asia's Big Part One

2008-04-30T02:08:00.000-07:00

I miss Asia. Okay, there is one way to overcome this. I could just look down. Kuwait is in Asia, but I miss the real Asia: East Asia.
From time to time I find something online that reminds me of my time in that part of the world. Today I found a video. I think it is a bit sped up but it is so endearing. I hope you enjoy it.

The Year of the Rat Reading 7: Travelers' Tales: Thailand

2008-04-27T00:46:00.000-07:00

As some of you (what is your name again) know, I kind of like going to Thailand. I am starting to lose track of the number of times I have been there, but I think the number is now up to five.
Well liking a place makes you want to know more about it. That is why I bought this book a few years ago. It contains excerpts from a variety of books about people in Thailand. You can really learn a lot in this little vignettes. Yesterday I learned how to make heroin for instance.
Thailand is a really amazing country. I need to go there forever. I am think it might be where I retire, but before then I want to get there to see if I really like it. I think that would be a good plan, anyway.
It has taken me a long time to read this book, mostly because of sudoku. Why is that you ask? Well, this book used to be one of my bathroom books. You know the kind. You have a few minutes to kill anyway on the john so you might as well educate yourself a bit. Some people use Reader's Digest for this, but I used to use books like this one. Well that was until I discovered sudoku last spring in Beirut. (I discovered like Columbus discovered America; it was already there). Well I have become a sudokuholic. Now on the john I spend my precise moments filling in numbers.
Well there you have it.

The day John McCain has been waiting for

2008-04-24T03:47:00.000-07:00

I think Obama is going to lose. I am a pessimistic person, I will admit to that, but I think the momentum is now in Hillary's corner.
So as of today, I am endorsing John McCain. I know he has been waiting for this day. If Obama bounces back (or if the Democrats go with anyone but Hillary--maybe Al Gore) then I might change my mind.
But as of today, it is Big John all the way.

Senior Skip Day

2008-04-24T03:43:00.000-07:00

Today is Senior Skip Day. Since I mostly teach Seniors it has been an awesome day. I came to school and had a free period. Then I had two girls show up second period. They then left my class for the library. I had another girl show up third period. She studied. Then I had a class with 17 Seniors. They were all gone. Then I had two boys show up fifth period. We went to the library. Now I have a free period. So today was pretty sweet.
I was able to read some of a book and write my Philosophy final.
Now I am drinking tea and getting ready to go home. I am thinking of taking a nap when I get home. What a nice day.
Speaking of nice day, we only have 23 more before final examinations. I like that. Hopefully there will be more relaxing days like today. I hope that is what happens anyway.
Well cheerio.

I have lived longer than Elvis

2008-04-21T04:06:00.000-07:00

Elvis died when he was 42 years, 220 days old. I turned that yesterday. Today I am 42years, 221 days old. So I have lived longer than the king! The fact that Elvis died so young is so shocking. I feel like I could live a lot longer (God willing). It is hard to imagine someone dying at my age (minus one day).
When Elvis died I was eleven, almost twelve. That was the summer of Star Wars. Elvis had gotten all bloated up and was addicted to all kinds of medicines. I used to be thin, but now I am bloated up but not addicted to anything besides caffeine. So I guess I should count my blessings.
I wish people like Elvis had have vacationed more. He could have disappeared into the woodwork somewhere. Actually many people feel maybe he did just disappear instead of dying. I don't know about that but I guess he just gives hope to some people. He does make up a part of the Southern Trinity (along side Jesus and Robert E. Lee), so maybe he is out that somewhere watching over us all.
Well I hope you're okay wherever you are Elvis. I hope to meet you someday, but hopefully that will be far off.
"Thank you very much."

Some haiku

2008-04-21T03:59:00.000-07:00

My friend Sam recently sent me an effort at drunken haiku. It didn't really work. I did a little proofreading and editing and came up with my own poem about being drunk (which I never have been believe it or not). Then I started thinking of some other ones. Here are my gushings. (Picture doesn't reflect latest, local fashions.)

Drunken Haiku

Buds hanging heavy
Sake bottles strewn around
Head hangs heavier.

Haiku for Kuwaiti fashions

Latest in fashions
Gucci blouse, sizes too small
Fat rolls, hairy backs.

Escape from Kuwait

2008-04-21T02:08:00.000-07:00

Why can't I just escape already? I guess Kuwait has a hold on me. I don't know why. But it would be so nice to just run away sometimes. I don't know what I want to escape. Could it be grading? Ignorance? the Dust? Fundamentalism? I don't know. Maybe someday.
Until then I can dream.
Let me show you a few ways I have been dreaming lately.
First I could escape to Yemen. I have a school all set up for a course there. But that doesn't let me escape from the Middle Eastern mentality. Check out Yemen when you can (http://sialyemen.com/).
Or I could escape to China. I have been thinking about living in Yunnan for sometime. I could go and study Chinese. Check out Kunming when you can (http://www.gokunming.com/en/). But then again I have already lived in China and don't know if I want to return to the pollution.
Then again, I could just escape to Thailand. Oh, Thailand. Imagine a year without work. Eating delicious food and not having any worries. So I have been looking in that direction as well. I have found a Thai language school that will sponsor a long term visa (http://www.thaiwalen.com/html/student_visa.html) and have even found some pretty inexpensive apartments in Bangkok, is one of my all time favorite cities (http://prplacebangkok.com/PR_Bangkok_Apartment_Local_Links.html).
Oh but I just dreaming. I still have another year on my contract. So hopefully I don't murder my kids before then.
I was watching an episode of "The Office" recently. One of the workers was excited when they were talking about closing down the Scranton branch. When they didn't he said: "Well, I guess Costa Rica will still be there when I retire. At 65." Poor bastard. That is how I am feeling.
Well adios amigos

British Girls

2008-04-17T06:19:00.001-07:00

And then I learned about British girls.

Learning about Britain

2008-04-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

I remember way back when when learning about another country was as close to me as my MTV. Here was when I learned about life in a northern town.

Sexual Harassment

2008-04-15T06:47:00.001-07:00

Suicide Bomb Law

2008-04-15T06:43:00.002-07:00

9/11 Conspiracy Theories 'Ridiculous,' Al Qaeda Says

The McLoven Fund

2008-04-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

Obama is going down faster than a Clinton intern

2008-04-15T01:32:00.000-07:00

I am a little worried about the Obama campaign. He has been taking quite a number of hits recently. In my gut I have been feeling that he will lose to Hillary, especially after losing in Ohio and Texas. The pundits keep saying that Hillary will not have enough delegates to win, but neither will Obama. His recent controversies are started to make people wonder about his viability as a candidate. It is also causing me to wonder if Hillary is also hurting herself with her shenanigans. I heard one Obama supporter recently saying that she knows she is going to lose, but she wants to make sure she destroys his chances against McCain in the process. I am wondering if maybe that is actually happening.
I think some of Obama's comments have been really taken out of context. I think there are many bitter Americans who do cling to those things that bring purpose to their lives, like God, guns and hating Mexicans. Those are just good, old fashioned values. I guess the problem is that people don't want to actually hear what they are feeling.
So unless Hillary tells some more lies about getting caught in the crosshairs of a Serbian sniper, I have a feeling that when all is said and done she might be the nominee.
(But of course there is always Gore to the rescue.)

The Year of the Rat Reading 6: A History of Eastern Arabia: the rise and development of Bahrain, Kuwait and Wahhabi Saudi Arabia

2008-04-13T02:16:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to find good books on Kuwait. There really aren't that many. I just finished one though that was quite interesting. It covered the early years of the Kuwaiti royal family, way back in the 1700's. Unfortunately there isn't that much material from this time period and this is evident when reading the book. It was an okay read but it would have been more compelling if there had been more personal stories from the times. There aren't any good historical evidence though. So this book was mostly just scratching the surface. I did learn a lot about this region though. Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain have similar royal families, called the Uhud. This family established itself in this three states. They are free from Saudi influence to some extent, but the author rightly says they Wahhabists still have some sway in this region.
I have a few other books which might make my study of this region more interesting. I will let you know.

A poem: "If" by Rudyard Kipling

2008-04-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have my students memorize this poem. They hate me for it. I still like it though. I don't think I will be able to have any students memorize it this year. Where can I fit it into the schedule? Time to think...

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

Finished my grading

2008-04-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

As some of you know the worst thing about being a teacher (besides teaching I mean) is grading. I had some final examinations to grade for my IB students-- 21 mostly well written essays--that I had to get through over the break. Actually I put off grading 14 of them until yesterday. But then I reached the bottom of the pile. Now I have added them to my gradebook. So for one class I am finished. Actually I am mostly finished with school. I have two study halls, and two classes that are mostly finished. Now I have to just focus on two classes. Not too shabby really. I will have to teach for about six more weeks, then have one week to review the kids, and then it is final examinations for everyone and administrative work at school. It is only April 12th and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (tunnel still being two months away though).
Then it is on to summer vacation. I will be heading to London and Atlanta, and then back to London and then on to Kuwait. I now have to decide what to do with the four weeks on my return. Is it back to Yemen or on to Thailand? Right now I am leaning towards more Arabic course in Sana'a. But there is still some time to mull over everything.
Well have fun.

News from Kuwait 2: Yesterday's Crazyass Storm

2008-04-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

This baby came out of nowhere. It hit so hard I thought the building would collapse. I actually went from my floor to the first floor, you know, just in case. When it was over Kuwait had been blown away. I had to sweep up my floors but the dust had come in so heavily. 3 people were killed. Here is the official version from the Arab Times:

Storm rips Kuwait, 3 killed
Kuwait Friday was hit by a sandstorm that blew at 56 km/hr from the East and the Southeast of Kuwait, causing showers at a couple of places in the country, says Musaed Al-Hammad, Head of Mirzam Observatory. He was talking to the Arab Times soon after studying the recordings of the weather conditions from his observatory. The visibility during the storm in the desert was zero, about a kilometer in the city and 4 km in Wafra. The unexpected storm uprooted trees, damaged minor structures in different parts of Kuwait and flooded the Gulf Road. All shipping movement at Kuwaiti ports was stopped. The Sharq area was also flooded.

Musaed said short and indecisive showers are a characteristic feature of the Al-Sarrayat season, which lasts for a month and is due to end on May 3. This is one of the last rains of the year, he added. “There is a 70 percent chance for some more showers on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. “During this season, clouds fleet by close to the ground shedding incessant rainfall at various places, causing wet and dry conditions in the state. Since the clouds move very fast, the season has been named Al- Sarrayat or ‘The fast mover.’” This month can upset plans as the weather can be very indecisive and people have to be prepared for unexpected sandstorms and rains, the astronomer noted.

He said there are two types of sandstorms: one that blows from the neighboring deserts in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and the other kind which blows from far off zones, which are more powerful. Friday’s sandstorm was mild. Three people were killed in separate incidents during the storm, Major Khaleel Al-Ameer, Head of the Public Relations at the Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD) told the Arab Times. In the first incident, two Egyptians were burnt to death after their car collided with another vehicle in Kabd. Firemen rushed to the scene and removed the vehicles from the scene before referring the remains to the Forensics.

A man drowned in the beach water after he and his son had gone fishing near Shaab. Major Al-Ameer added that the boy was rescued by passers by while a rescue team managed to fish out the body of the man after a massive search. No further details were available. Al-Ameer also said that a total of 21 rescue operations were conducted and that 11 fire incidents were reported until 9 pm. Al-Ameer further added that several incidents of trees being uprooted and cars damaged were reported. According to Al-Ameer, four firemen were injured in a two-vehicle collision, even as the firemen were on their way to an accident site.

Last Nap

2008-04-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of Spring Break. So I had a good breakfast with a friend and then started thinking of the most important thing in the world: my nap. I didn't mean to sleep for three hours, but it felt good nonetheless. I say the world needs more naps.

News from Kuwait 1: Yesterday's Tribal Riots

2008-04-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

Things are getting a little crazy in Kuwait. We have elections coming up and the tribes are getting restless. This article will tell you everything you need to know. Actually kids were asking me if we had tribes in America. I said we used to, but then we killed most of them. Here is the article:

Two Kuwaitis, officers hurt in Sabahiya clash; ‘Awazem’ battle securitymen

KUWAIT CITY : Two Kuwaitis and a number of securitymen were injured in a violent clash during which the Awazem tribesmen used sticks and stones against security forces, who were trying to stop them holding a primary in Sabahiya. The fighting took place Friday when about 5,000 securitymen from the Special Forces and Riot Police, supported by vehicles and helicopters, surrounded the Diwaniya of former MP and candidate in the upcoming elections from the fifth constituency, Ghanim Al Mei. The securitymen used tear-gas and rubber bullets to disperse the rioters. No arrests were reported. A similar incident some time back had prompted the then Minister of Interior to recall his forces from the Diwaniya of a former MP.

Sources said a large number of securitymen and CID officers were deployed as backup at a nearby cemetery. Security forces and election candidates are exchanging charges, each pinning the blame for the incident on the other. Former MP and candidate from the fifth constituency Abdullah Rai Al-Fahma in a press statement said, “Tribes are an integral part of the Kuwaiti society. They have the right to consult and choose their representatives to the National Assembly like the political blocs and other political organizations.” The government must stop this repressive measure before things take a serious turn, Al-Fahma added. Some observers and a number of candidates have opined the government is exacerbating the issue intentionally to prolong the election indefinitely by issuing ‘emergency decrees.’

This view is shared by former MP and candidate from the third constituency Jamal Al-Omar. He told the press Friday the government has ulterior motives and is trying to stop the primaries. Al-Omar added: “The same government that issued a decree against public gatherings in such haste is procrastinating the issuance of a decree calling for elections.” As the election date is approaching the situation in the fifth constituency seems to be getting more complicated. While the Awazem tribe is gearing to name its candidate Saturday, the Hawajer tribe is unable to choose a candidate despite the support of all the other tribes. The situation is made more complex by the embarrassing fact that no one is willing to accept the position of the chairman of the consultations committee. Sources close to Hawajer tribe told the Arab Times that one of the six candidates is trying to buy time after he tried to buy votes at a sum of KD 2,000 per vote, causing embarrassment to the other candidates.

Meanwhile, the Dawaser tribe is embroiled in other issues. The tribe is said to be planning to cancel the decisions of the consultation committee after the committee chairman failed to reconcile candidates in run for the election. The Atban tribe is facing a similar problem and there has been no change in their position in the last 24 hours, sources said. Meanwhile, sources close to candidate Abdullah Okash said he intends to represent Al-Umma Party in the election. He requested his tribe, Mutair, to resume consultations. However, his request was rejected. Criticizing the actions of the security forces at the Diwaniyas of former MP Saad Al-Shuraie, Abdullah Rai Al-Fahma and Marzook Al-Hubeni, former MP and candidate from the fifth constituency Abdullah Al-Ajmi said what happened was despotic and regrettable. He asked “Does the Ministry of Interior want the candidates to close their Diwaniyas? But it will never happen.”

For the second consecutive day, the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) continued to attack the government and the Ministry of Interior. In a statement by ICM, it billed the actions of securitymen as “excessive use of power. “Such action is not in the interest of the law. It may hurt the very fabric of the Kuwaiti society, which is based on cooperation and understanding, and not force. “Implementation of the law must be based on sound regulations, which should not allow alien practices to creep into our system.” The ICM urged the government to implement the laws with fairness and equality. “Just as the primary elections are against the law, so is vote buying. The government must make efforts to curb this crime,” it added.

Meanwhile, following the government’s crackdown on primary elections, a number of candidates contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections launched a fierce verbal attack against it and described its ban on public gatherings as “an attempt to gag people and restrict their freedom.” They also accused the government of interfering in the elections and some candidates even questioned the hidden motive behind the ban.

Former deputy speaker of the parliament and Fourth Constituency candidate Dr Mohammed Al-Busairi said “the least that can be said about the law banning public gatherings is it is intended for gagging people and restricting their freedom of expression.” He called on all future MPs to fight against the law and revoke it. Calling on the government to be conscious of the political changes in neighboring countries, Al-Busairi said, “this law reflects the intentions of those who want to derail the democratic process as well as the intentions of those who are leading the country to oblivion.” Former MP and First Constituency candidate Jamal Al-Kandari said the timing of issuing the law raises some doubts about the interference of the executive authority in the forthcoming elections, asserting that “the law put Kuwait in a dark tunnel.” He called on the government to rescind the decision.

Former MP Faisal Al-Muslim criticized the government for being hostile towards its people and described the law as a blatant interference in the private affairs of citizens besides terrorizing them and suppressing their freedom. He said the government’s action is a prelude for turning the country into a repressive state in which freedom of people is violated. “Wisdom and sanity should take precedence in dealing with issues so that we don’t deviate from the desired goal,” he said, adding “the rule of law does not mean violating the tenets of the Constitution.”

By Ayed Al-Enezi, Hadi Al-Ajmi and Mehzam Al-Sahli
Special to the Arab Times

A song: It's Not

2008-04-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

Aimee Mann has been one of my favorite singers for years. I think it is close to 20 years now, way back when she was with 'Til Tuesday. This is one of my favorite songs of hers from recent years.

It's Not

I keep going round and round on the same old circuit
A wire travels underground to a vacant lot
Where something I can't see interrupts the current
And shrinks the picture down to a tiny dot
And from behind the screen it can look so perfect
But it's not

So here I'm sitting in my car at the same old stoplight
I keep waiting for a change but I don't know what
So red turns into green turning into yellow
But I'm just frozen here on the same old spot
And all I have to do is to press the pedal
But I'm not
No, I'm not

People are tricky, you can't afford to show
Anything risky anything they don't know
The moment you try, you kiss it goodbye

So baby kiss me like a drug like a respirator
And let me fall into the dream of the astronaut
Where I get lost in space that goes on forever
And you make all the rest just an afterthought
And I believe it's you who could make it better
But it's not
No, it's not
No, it's not

A poem: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

2008-04-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Anoter poem I was reading to my Philosophy students.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot

Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky,
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats,
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question...
Oh, do not ask, "What is it?"
Let us go and make our visit.

In the room the women come and go,
Talking of Michaelangelo.

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the windowpanes
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle upon the windowpanes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening,
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,
And seeing that it was a soft October night,
Curled once about the house and fell asleep.

And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the windowpanes;
There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of a toast and tea.

In the room the women come and go,
Talking of Michaelangelo.

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, "Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare?"
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair--
(They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!")
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin,
(They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!")
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions that a minute will reverse.

For I have known them already, known them all-
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons,
I know the voices dying with a dying fall,
Beneath the music from a farther room.
So how should I presume?

And I have known the eyes already, known them all-
The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,
And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling ton he wall,
Then how should I begin
To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?
And how should I presume?

And I have known the arms already, known them all,
Arms that are braceleted and white and bare,
(But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!)
Is it perfume from a dress
That makes me so digress?
Arms that lie around a table, or wrap about a shawl.
And how should I then presume?
And how should I begin?

Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets
And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes
Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows?

I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.

And the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully!
Smoothed by long fingers,
Asleep... tired... or it malingers,
Stretched on the floor, here beside you and me.
Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,
Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet - and here's no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid.

And would it have been worth it, after all,
After the cups, the marmalade, the tea,
Among the porcelain, among some talk of you and me,
Would it have been worthwhile,
To have bitten off the matter with a smile,
To have squeezed the universe into a ball,
To roll it towards some overwhelming question,
To say, "I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all," --
If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say, "That is not what I meant, at all."
"That is not it, at all."

And would it have been worth it, after all,
Would it have been worthwhile,
After the sunsets and dooryards and sprinkled streets,
After the novels, after the teacups, after the skirts that trail along the floor--
And this, and so much more?--
It is impossible to say just what I mean!
But as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen:
Would it have been worthwhile
If one, settling a pillow or throwing off a shawl,
And turning towards the window, should say:
"That is not it, at all,
That is not what I meant, at all."

No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two,
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous,
Almost, at times, the Fool.

I grow old... I grow old...
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think they will sing to me.

I have seen them riding seaward on the waves,
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.
We have lingered in the chambers of the sea,
By sea-girls wreathed in seaweed, red and brown,
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.

A poem: somewhere i have never travelled

2008-04-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I was reading some poems to my philosophy students. They don't get much of that at my school. It is a shame.

somewhere i have never travelled by e.e. cummings

somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me,i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain, has such small hands

A poem: Two African Breasts

2008-04-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

I read this poem in the University of Tennessee's library years ago. I have read it since and have always enjoyed it. Now I found a copy online. Enjoy.

Two African Breasts by Nizar Qabbani

Let me find time
to welcome in this love
that comes unbid.
Let me find time
to memorize
this face that rises
out of the trees
of forgetfulness.
Give me the time
to escape this love
that stops my blood.
Let me find time
to recognize your name,
my name,
and the place
where I was born.
Let me find time
to know where I shall die
and how I will revive, as
a bird inside your eyes.
Let me find time
to study the state of winds
and waves, to learn the maps
of bays. . .

Woman, who lodges
inside the future
pepper and pomegranate-seeds,
give me a country
to make me forget all countries,
and give me time
to avoid this Andalusian face,
this Andalusian voice,
this Andalusian death
coming from all directions.
Let me find time to prophesy
the coming of the flood.

Woman, who was inscribed
in books of magic,
before you came
the world was prose.
Now poetry is born.
Give me the time to catch
the colt that runs toward me,
your breast.
The dot over a line.
A bedouin breast, sweet
as cardamom seeds
as coffee brewing over embers,
its form ancient as Damascene brass
as Egyptian temples.

Let me find luck
to pick the fish that swim
under the waters.

Your feet on the carpet
are the shape and stance
of poetry.

Let me find the luck
to know the dividing line
between the certainty
of love and heresy.
Give me the opportunity
to be convinced I have seen
the star, and have been spoken to
by saints.

Woman, whose thighs are like
the desert palm where golden
dates fall from,
your breasts speak seven tongues
and I was made to listen
to them all.
Give me the chance
to avoid this storm,
this sweeping love,
this wintry air, and to be convinced,
to blaspheme, and to enter
the flesh of things.
Give me the chance
to be the one
to walk on water

_______________

Translated by Diana Der Hovanessian and by Lena Jayyusi

Surely the Republicans can't win in the fall... which means the Democrats are just going to have to lose.

2008-04-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well that was a mouthful. I have been watching a lot of news lately and something strange seems to be happening. McCain seems to be doing pretty good. I think it all comes down to Mitt Romney. Mitt dropped out about two months ago. He did it at a time when he had a very slight chance of winning. He said he was doing it for the good of the party. The Democrats have no one like that on their side. Hillary really can't win, barring an Obama disaster. She seems to be trying to create one. Therefore it looks like McCain might become the president after all. Which tells us once again, that the Democrats are just too damn stupid for their own good.