Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

“Mister, Take Picture!”

My friend, Q8Dutchie asked if we were truly allowed to take photos in the souks, and I answered “Carefully.” I added that if you are photographing a person, to ask, and especially if it is a woman. There is usually no problem photographing vegetables, fruits, hardware. clothing, food, etc. If I have any doubt, I ask, and if they say “no,” I don’t photograph.

Yousef, from Some Contrast answered slightly differently, saying most of the people working in the souks are not Kuwaiti, and most don’t mind a photo.

Actually, we often have the experience that when people in the souks see my camera, they say “Mister! Mister! Take photo!” (yes, they call me mister sometimes, mostly madame, but sometimes they get confused.)

Here are some recent examples:

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Have fun, Q8Dutchie!

January 16, 2009 Posted by | Community, Cross Cultural, ExPat Life, Friends & Friendship, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Photos, Travel | | 3 Comments

Fighting Pornography

For the last week, I have been beset by some of the filthiest spam I have seen in a long time. Most of it goes straight to spam, thanks to WordPress’s effective filters, but occasionally, one passes. I think there is a major effort going on to test the filters and see what can get through. It puts pressure on me to check the blog frequently and eliminate anything I see that is inappropriate.

Most of this spam takes you to pornographic sites. I hate porn. It degrades those who indulge. It gives people an unrealistic idea of what sex is all about. It infects normal relations with unrealistic images and expectations. And those images are engraved on your brain, spoiling what is good and beautiful, smearing it with what you have taken in on those sleazy websites.

I have said it before and I will say it again – those women and men are PAID. They are doing those things because they were PAID. The animals are doing it because they are forced – as are some of the humans. It is like prostitution – no, yours is NOT the biggest they have ever seen, they are saying that because you are PAYING them.

That is fantasy. If you get your head straight, reality is 100 times better than this degradation can ever be.

You have a choice. Please choose NOT to support these websites, which are trying to appeal to the very weakest parts of your character. These websites are not just a crime against women and children – they are a weapon against the goodness of your own character.

I am now spraying this blog against filth. You are warned.

lysol-spray

January 16, 2009 Posted by | Blogging, Character, Community, Family Issues, Marriage, Relationships, Women's Issues, WordPress | , | 6 Comments

Sunrise, Friday 16 January 2009

The sun is up, the tide is low, the fish are running and it is another beautiful day in Kuwait. Because this is Friday, for our non-Kuwaiti readers, it is a lazy morning. Traffic is light, the weather is chilly, and people are sleeping in this morning. A little later, we will go to church (Friday is our Sunday) and maybe go somewhere where we can sit outside in the sunshine – it is usually warm enough by noon that we can do that.

The sunrise this morning was glorious! Not a cloud in the sky!

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At 7:30, the temperature has actually fallen one full degree C. from where it was at 6:30 – no kidding!

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It is going to be significantly warmer for the rest of the week:

forecast16jan09

January 16, 2009 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, sunrise series, Weather | 5 Comments