Eliot Pattison: Beautiful Ghosts
It almost always takes me a little while to get into Eliot Pattison’s books, and I can figure out why. He sets you down right in the middle of something going on, so you start off a little confused. You can read each of his Inspector Shan Tao Yun books as a stand-alone, but it helps to have read them in order – as I have.
Even though I have read them in order, I still find myself disoriented each time I start a new book. New names, a new situation, and it takes a few pages to get back in the rhythm of thinking about things in a new way. Within thirty pages, I am in a new world, and I am totally addicted. When I am reading one of the Inspector Shan Tao Yun books, I can hardly wait to get back to the book. My household chores suffer, my projects suffer – even AdventureMan suffers, as I seek to return to Tibet, the Tibetan Monks and the world of Chinese bureaucracy.
One of the things I love in this book – we saw a hint of it in the last book I reviewed, Bone Mountain – is that the worst of the bad characters can have a hint of humanity, and develop a full-blown redemption, as we are watching happen with the prison warden, Captain Tan. The process continues in Beautiful Ghosts. In this book, Pattison strikes several additional chords – he combines a good mystery with art, art thefts, public art and a little bit of history, a family reunion, father-son problems, and a lot of action. I’m a happy reader.
In Beautiful Ghosts, a murder happens, but it is hard to understand, at first, who was murdered, why the murder was committed, where the murder was committed as well as who committed the murder. One answer leads to another, and ultimately, to long buried treasures and long kept secrets.
A great tickle, for me, is that in this book Inspector Shan Tao Yun goes to my home town, Seattle, which he finds very strange, and grey and rainy. Pattison describes Chan’s bewilderment at how Americans live, and as Chan leaves Seattle, he comments on how he has not seen the sunshine in his entire time visiting there, working in co-ordination with an FBI office trying to track down some missing and stolen Tibetan art pieces, stolen from the hidden monasteries by corrupt Chinese bureaucrats.
Shan still stood, studying the strange buildings and the dozens of people who were wandering in and out of the open doorways off the huge main hall. There were shops, he realized, dozens of shops, two floors of shops. When he looked toward Corbett, the American was already ten feet in front of him. Shan followed slowly, puzzling over everything in his path. Adolescents walked by, engaged in casual conversation, seemingly relaxed despite the brass rings and balls that for some reason pierced their faces. He looked away, his face flushing, as he saw several women standing in a window clothed only in underwear. He saw more, nearly identical women, in another window adorned in sweaters and realized they were remarkably lifelike mannequins. One of the sweaters was marked at a few cents less than three hundred dollars, more than most Tibetans made in a year.
“Why did you bring me here?” Shan asked, as Crobett led him into a coffee shop and ordered drinks for both of them. “This place of merchants.”
“I thought you’d want to see America,” Corbett said with an odd, awkward grin, gesturing to a table, then sobored. “And this is where Abigail worked, before getting the governess job. People here knew her, told me stories about her, made her real for me.”
. . . .
Shan began to marvel at the rain itself. Beijing was a dry place, most of Tibet a near desert. He had not experienced so much rain since he was a boy, living near the sea. There were many qualities of American rain, and many types of rain clouds. One moment they were in a driving rain, like a storm, the next in a shower, the next in a drizzle that was little more than a thick fog. Once the water came down so violently, in such a sudden wind, that it struck at the car horizontally. . . .
You learn so much reading Eliot Pattison, more than I can absorb! There are detailed art works, there are geographic features, there are Buddhist customs, there are bureaucratic networks, there are mysteries of Chinese history and dynasties. There are tribal customs and learning to think like Tibetan monks.
Eliot Pattison is a gifted and poetic writer. If you like mysteries that turn out to be very complicated and which teach you a lot about a culture you have never experienced (or would like to learn more about) I would suggest you start at the beginning. These are the books about Inspector Chan in chronological order:
Skull Mantra
Water Touching Stone
Bone Mountain
Beautiful Ghosts
LOL Catz Funny for Today
more animals
There is nothing so aggravating . . .
My son was telling me that I Can Has Cheezburger started with a bunch of people who once a week would publish funny cat photos, and they called it “Caturday.” Look at it now – an idea that lives on and on and on. It must be me, but I check it about once a week, and it always makes me laugh.
Recently, in the US, a kid posted a video of himself beating up the family cat. Bloggers were able to track him down, even though he had posted under a bogus name, and report him to the authorities in his home town. The cat (who is fine, by the way) has been taken from the home and is with a vet, looking to rehome him. My son says he is sure that cat will have many many offers. The kid, meanwhile, is meeting with the district attorneys.
Mistreating animals is a classic symptom of a person who will later abuse people. I wonder if there is hope that this young man can be rehabilitated? Who would think torturing a helpless animal is fun???
This is one hodgepodge of a post, isn’t it?
Some days, it just makes me happy to think there is a blogging community with a sense of community and responsibility.
Kuwait Attorneys Defend Constitution
From today’s Al Watan:
Attorneys defend the Constitution
A group of young attorneys gather in front of the Palace of Justice on Tuesday to declare a new movement to defend the Constitution and its values. Nearly 100 female and male lawyers took part in the gathering. (Al Watan)
Last updated on Wednesday 18/2/2009
That’s it. That’s all there is. This photo, and the above two-sentence article:
It feels significant, but the significance is opaque to me. Can someone give me an idea why this group formed, and against what encroachments are they are defending the Kuwait Constitution?
Thoughtful Opposition to proposed new Labor Law
”Segregating between women, men against human values”
Ghenwah Jabouri
Staff Writer
KUWAIT: There have been recent debates about the new Labor Law that is expected to go into motion soon. One aspect of the law, which 43 MPs voted in favour of during its first session, will prevent women working between the hours of 10 p.m. till 7 a.m. Many experts and individuals are questioning this law and challenging it, arguing that such a law goes against basic human rights. This topic is a contentious one and is seen by many as a setـback to women rights in Kuwait. Imposing this law will be difficult and unfeasible, argued many experts.
Labeed Abdal, attorney at law, Constitutional expert, and Head of the International Committee at the Kuwait Bar Association, said that the new draft law was a result of the Parliament, which still included some members who were “against women’s rights and the prevention from working at night, was related to some cases against some clubs and cafes depended in their services on ladies at night. However, this restriction was not realistic, especially when there are many female doctors or journalists and other women professionals that need to do their job in any time of the day.”
The expert went on to explain reactions about the new amendments related to the draft law. “So far, the new draft has received criticism from the local unions, women’s societies and above all the International Labor Organization (ILO), especially on the areas of canceling the sponsorship system, protecting the low paid and house workers, unions for foreign workers and the need to allow group cases.”
In regard to women workers, the law was criticized because it imposed new restrictions on women working at night, where the new law prevented women from working from 10 p.m. till 7 a.m. excluding hospitals.
“This restriction historically, was related to some restaurants, entertainment clubs and shisha cafes, where they depended on some women workers in late hours to attract customers and there were few incidents of women abuse and harassment that took place and was brought to the local/international media and the Parliament discussions,” Abdal explained.
He further said the matter could be organized by administrative measures to regulate those shops and oblige them to make necessary changes; for example, requesting the commercial license to provide the needed security and protection for women workers during the night. And providing safe transportation and to make sure that work in that area of business came after the consent of the worker.
“There is no need to prevent women from working at night in general as there are many professions that requires women to work during the night. These jobs include the professions of: doctors, lawyers, journalists, etc. Any generalization in that case is considered against the principles of equality which were mentioned in the constitution of Kuwait and can be considered as sexual discrimination between men and women which were prevented by the international conventions of civil and human rights and Kuwait has already signed,” the lawyer pointed out.
Abdal added that the new draft came closer to the ILO requirements to protect the working women’s rights. Moreover, it added some benefits which were not previously mentioned especially the benefits and holidays after pregnancy that would elevate equality in the workplace. The new law included some new changes, after the old law which was issued in 1964. The new law was approved in the first debate in the Parliament and will be reـdiscussed by the Parliament in the coming session.
“The new law has some new benefits, like improving the minimum wage, fighting visa traders, and providing more benefits to the working women after pregnancy,” he added however.
“The new Labor Law was long been awaited by labor unions and even from expatriates, especially the minimum wage issue, and we can say that it amended 70 percent of the old law which was released in 1964.”
Maryam AlـKandari, a Political Science Professor at Kuwait University said: “We need to think beyond the law; one cannot practice it as it is. We need to go beyond how much it will affect women and not only the nonـKuwaiti women but also Kuwaiti women.”
“NonـKuwaiti women are living in this society and there is a lot of misbehaviour towards these women and we should care about these women whether or not she is a Kuwaiti or a nonـKuwaiti,” she explained.
The political scientist pointed out that first, people needed to understand whom are they applying this law on; the Kuwaitis or the expats and the reasons behind applying the law and most importantly, “how are you going to apply this law? It is not achievable,” the expert stated.
“I have heard comments from some of the women say that they do not want to work after 7:00 p.m. Unfortunately, the majority of women are very shortـsighted because they are looking for their own interests. This law may work for them but not our daughters. In other words, the law is not practical, and even if it were to go with today”s society it may not necessarily suit future generations,” the academic explained.
“Restricting women”s duties according to time is absurd, and we need to fight for our rights. What we need is some organisations to hold a seminar, and undertake research such as an NGO organisation, socioـeconomic society where not only women but men too will undertake study to determine how such a law will affect our lives in the future and now,” she pointed out.
“Women who practice law, women who are political professors such as myself need to look into this issue more thoroughly, by looking at the weakness of this law and have a conference whereby we make a symposium relevant to the law,” the academic lamented.
AlـKandari emphasised that she was a human being before being a woman. “When you view yourself as a human being before being a woman, you will become more neutral and objective rather than being subjective and shortـsighted.”
The academic further pointed out that society today was very fortunate because the Amir of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced recently that he would appoint a woman as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Higher Education. “That offers us a beautiful relief for us Kuwaitis. We used to be pressured by other societies, whereas now we have been given a wonderful opportunity to move forward; other societies are changing and so should we,” the academic pointed out.
“Ultimately, we need to debate this law through a wider perspective and the new media. We need to address the younger generation by publicising the issue on facebook and other mediums that the younger generation use and not only through television and newspapers. Finding ways to engage the younger generation on this issue is important, this law does not only concern experts and academics, rather it concerns a society at large and everyone should have their say in this topic,” AlـKandari noted strongly.
Thabet AlـHaroun, Head of the International Labor Organization (ILO) highlighted issues dealing with the new Labor Law, saying that issuing it in the private sector became an inevitable necessity after its delay for more than thirty years. “Therefore we are pushing towards its adoption in its final form, even though we have comments on it,” he said.
“In respect to women’s work, definitely the rights as enclosed in the new Labor Law are better than the current applied law, it also carries in its articles more rights for the working women that were missing, and it regulates the work of women at night.”
He added: “The work of women at night is subject to regulatory decisions from the concerned Minister, and I hope that it will not be an obstacle for women in the workforce.”
“Furthermore, the law came to achieve justice and equality and it is in favour of all parties (government, employers and workers). It is a qualitative step towards the application of international labor standards and conventions. Thus, all parties will benefit from issuing this new Labor Law, whereby Kuwait will be able to achieve a main component of sustainable development where women play an important part,” AlـHaroun pointed out.
AlـHaroun pointed out that under the current law, women were not being given their full rights, whereas the new Labor Law considered the fact that women play a significant role in the labor market. “Therefore urging women to engage in the private sector instead of depending on work in the public sector; the new proposed law ensures many rights that might not be flawless, but is an important development for women,” he added.
“In my opinion, and according to my reading of the law, it does not constitute any hindrance to women’s work and does not diminish women’s rights. Even though we have some comments on the new law, this does not call us or women to reject the adoption of this evolving law in comparison to the previous one.
Women could effectively participate in the workers” organizations and prove her ability to challenge and therefore emphasizes that she is an important partner in the social and economic development process. Rights are not granted but it is a right to be seized. No matter how many articles we put either for women or men, if they don”t prove their abilities and commitment in their work and face the challenges and difficulties that cross their paths, then they will not be able to reach their goals,” he explained.
“I would like here to refer to the role of the employers” and workers” organizations in engaging women in various activities and events and opening the way for women to prove their presence enable women to resist the campaigns aimed to distance her and diminish her role as an essential partner of the community,” the official stressed.
The expert further stressed that “real development cannot be attained if women are absent from decision making and taking.”
AlـHaroun further emphasized that the proposed law supported women”s rights and enhanced her presence to a large extent. He remarked: “Moreover, women have to benefit from this significant achievement, and not await any grants, but to work and persevere and strive side by side with the male figure.”
AlـHaroun explained that “The ILO”s theme for International Women”s Day this year is “Work and Family,” and we want a working woman productive and capable of effectively participating in the economic growth. But at the same time, we need women to surround their families, caring for them and be the core of the advanced society. She should be able to combine her responsibilities at work and her role in a happy successful family.”
Brian Katulis, an editor at Freedom House, a United Statesـbased international nonـgovernmental organization, stated in a study entitled “Women”s Rights In Focus: Kuwait, Findings From Focus Groups With Kuwaitis On Women”s Rights,” that the need to “control” women and their sexuality is a frequent part of Kuwaiti men”s discussions about societal change.
“It is at this complex nexus of societal change, with all of the pushes of modernity and globalisation and the tugs of religion and tribe, where much of the debate in Kuwait on women”s rights takes place.”
This article is the first in a two part series which examines a proposed amendment to the Labor Law which would restrict women working between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. ـ Editor
Last updated on Wednesday 18/2/2009
GoogleEarth Map of Speed Cameras in Kuwait
From this morning’s mail, a most valuable tool for money-saving:
AdventureMan tells me in Doha, Qatar, there are now speed cameras everywhere, and the fines are HUGE. Like $2000 for speeding, and they have the picture to prove it. He also tells me the law is applied against everyone, from the highest to the lowest, so that there is a lot less speeding and weaving than we see in Kuwait. I wonder how it is going to work here?
I read in yesterday’s paper, in Jahra, a driver deliberately hit one of the cameras with his car! I wonder if the camera was able to capture the incident before its demise? (It said the culprit was arrested, I think.)
We were out in the Wild West last night (Fehaheel) and a police car was trying to get to a huge traffic snarl. He blurped and burbled, he shouted in his loudspeaker, and nobody let him in. There was no respect for the traffic police, no fear. People just looked after their own interests. Fortunately, it was all at a very low speed, as traffic was jammed tight. There WAS room to let the police car in, but nobody did. I wonder how it would have worked if he had a camera? Or started giving tickets?
Doesn’t Kuwait need a call-in, or e-mail in place where you can take photos of traffic things happening and report violators, like those guys who think they own the emergency lanes when traffic is backed up, or who think the handicapped spots are for them (one told me “but when there is no one parking there, anyone can use it!”) to use – it would be so nice to be able to take a photo and send it in to the authorities and to believe that something would be done about it.
Kuwaiti Girl Raped and Abandoned in Desert
From the Arab Times
If YOU know anything about this, please tell someone. The young men who committed this crime must be stopped. What they did is unthinkable. They robbed a young woman of her privacy, and they robbed her of a future where she had never been raped.
Who could so such a thing? Who is not paying attention to what their sons are up to? Abducting women off the streets, even in front of their own homes – who brings up young men who would do this? Why so many at this time of the year?
Young Kuwaiti girl left in desert after gang rape, 10 men queried
KUWAIT CITY : In a shocking incident, a Kuwaiti girl in her 20s was raped and left unconscious in a desert area in Al-Jedaliyat near Doha.
Sources say a Kuwaiti man noticed the girl and called Operations Room which promptly dispatched securitymen and paramedics to the scene. She was then rushed to Intensive Care Unit of Sabah Hospital where doctors confirmed that she was raped.
Investigations revealed that the girl was a resident of Sabah Al-Salem area and a missing persons report was filed on her.
Securitymen combed the camping area where she was found and arrested tens of youths for investigation.
Sources suspect that the culprits are still out there. “Since no mobile phone was found near the girl and she is still unconscious, police don’t have any clue about the culprits,” they add.
Securitymen are keeping a watch in the area where she was found.
Rape, Abduction and Sorcery
I’ve always loved reading the newspaper, but even more so in other countries, where things are seen differently. These two items are from the Arab Times
11 out of 30 youths held in rape of 2 Asian women
KUWAIT CITY : Police have arrested 11 Bedoun youths out of the thirty who had kidnapped two Asian women near a commercial complex in Jahra and sexually assaulted them for four days in a camp in Mutla’a area.
It was reported that the two victims managed to escape after the four-day ordeal and reported the incident to a night patrol team who informed the Jahra police.
The police then raided the camp and arrested the eleven suspects and referred them to North Jahra Police Station. A case was registered.
Sorceress held: Police have arrested an unidentified Iraqi sorceress and referred her to the concerned authorities, reports Al-Dar daily.
The arrest came following a complaint filed by an unidentified Kuwaiti man who told police the woman had cheated by selling him a magic charm for KD 230. He also told police he had been wearing the charm for three months and failed to get what he aspired for.
Acting on this information police set a trap for the sorceress and caught her in the act while selling a charm worth KD 300 to a police agent. Armed with a search and arrest warrant, police then raided the apartment and confiscated various kinds of tools used by the suspect in black magic.
During interrogations she admitted to the charge and said her clientele includes well-known personalities and female university students. She also said she has until now ‘earned’ KD 85,000 from her ‘work’.
It has also been reported many people, particularly those who believe in her power, intervened in vain to secure her release.
By Mezyad Al-Saeedi
Special to the Arab Times
First, I cannot imagine the horror of being abducted, held in a remote location, and raped by up to 30 different men. The worst fear, of course, is whether you will live through it. Some victims don’t. Wouldn’t you think the names of these young rapists would be published so that women could be protected from marrying them? Imagine, being married to a man who rapes women . . . it would be a little bit of hell on earth.
Secondly – the first guy spent over $800 on a charm and then waited three months for it to work. In the interest of full disclosure, I sure would like to know what the charm was supposed to do? The police officer who entrapped the sorceress was going to pay over $1000 for her magic. That she claims she has earned 85,000 KD per year – that is around $325,000, that’s some serious income for some sorcery.
They are very good at obtaining confessions in Kuwait.
I can’t remember the last time I heard of someone being arrested for sorcery in my home town. There are similar sorts, people who con the elderly, people who prey on the deepest fears and hopes of others, but rarely are they accused of anything but fraud and theft.
Regional Crime
I know it is “crime” but this small article in today’s Al Watan made me smile. It is such a far cry from drugs, overdoses, knifings, rapes and abductions – smuggling nightingales. I don’t know why, it just makes me smile:
KUWAIT: Customs officers foiled an attempt that was made to smuggle 6 hawks and 55 nightingales coming from Iran in a wooden boat. Inspection supervisor, Khalid AlـFailakawi said: “The birds were hidden in a secret compartment, and owner of the boat confessed that he tried to smuggle the birds in order to sell them in Kuwait. And he also does not have any legal or health documents regarding his concealed shipment.” The necessary legal actions are being taken against the man who attempted the smuggling.
I Stand 100% with 86% of Kuwaitis
This is from today’s Kuwait Times, but it wasn’t online, it was a tiny little article at the bottom of page 2 in today’s paper:
Kuwaitis Oppose Morality Police
Kuwait: According to a recent questionnaire, 82% of Kuwaitis opposed calls to establish a group similar to the Saudi authourity that calls on individuals to commit good deeds while avoiding vices. The survey also discovered that 86% of participants thought such a group would trespass on the authority of the state.
Meanwhile, a government official recently said that some radical individuals and MP’s have attempted to support certain officials in the Criminal Intelligence Department and other authorities to create the foundations for a religious group that promoted virtue and condemned vices under an official cover, Al-Qabbas reports.
There is already a problem with the perception of the police force being “not-us”, not-educated, and not impartial in Kuwait. If radical individuals and MP’s are further subverting the forces of law and order, trying to get like-minded people in positions with real authority, this is not a good sign for Kuwait.
A Little Slow
No sunrise this morning – I missed it! When it is cold like this, we end up reading in bed, and before we know it, the book is falling over, and we give up and turn off the lights. Thanks to a little coffee late in the day and going to bed early – I was awake in the middle of the night for about an hour, then when the alarm went off this morning, no, I just didn’t want to get up.
Once up, Qatteri Cat and I just huddle together her on the couch. It feels warmer, but . . . not warm! I have projects lined up, and a thousand things to do . . . and I just can’t seem to get started. I DO love this weather, at least I love it once I am outside and warm and toasty in the sun.
I am also having a problem staying home these days – are you? Most of the year I happily stay inside except for maybe early early in the morning for swimming or an early run for groceries. Now? Any excuse will do. I love NOT using the air conditioning, having windows open in my car, being so comfortable. And I am not getting anything done in the house.
I know these times are fleeting, and not to worry, just to go with it and enjoy it . . . I am feeling so LAZY!
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Early Voting in Florida
