tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86905840663202259452024-03-07T21:19:04.286-05:00The Path of Trayle"The wheel is falling apart, but the revolution is intact ..." H. Miller* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-82510010537276559202012-05-28T05:10:00.000-04:002012-05-28T05:10:23.891-04:00Ch - Ch- ChangesIt's time for some changes around here.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
Looking outside my window, I see we are in the middle of a presidential election here in Egypt. There are signs for candidates on everything. Their smiling faces photo-shopped over images of construction and a prosperous Egypt. Posters that look almost home-made plastered on cars, bill boards, flying over the each square and fountain at each round-a-bout. <br />
<br />
The polling is finished and a runoff between the top two contenders is sure... but not before some of the candidates challenge the first polling with irregularities and whatnot.<br />
<br />
Oh it's complicated, but maybe not that complicated. And it is changing. The revolution hasn't made it all better yet, but it's changed the country. It seems people are starting to understand that it's going to take some time, but they are still impatient. One of the more outspoken Egyptian bloggers seems to have a pretty good idea about what's going on here... <a href="http://www.sandmonkey.org/2012/05/22/no-room-for-grey/">here's a link to his latest rant</a> (definitely worth the read). <br />
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* * *<br />
</div>
<br />
If you were outside looking into my window, you'd see that in the next three weeks we're leaving Cairo. We're off
to the next adventure. There will be a short pause between family
installations, but this little home we've known is gettin' stuffed into boxes as
we speak.<br />
<br />
I'm not sad this time. I don't have the nostalgia of having worked or invested much emotionally here - which is funny because it's been one of the most emotional times of my life (having a baby and all).<br />
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* * * </div>
<br />
They say babies change fast, but this is ridiculous! In the past week my new baby son has learned to crawl, to sit up from laying or fall down to sitting, and to pull up to standing and cruise around. I've enjoyed watching him discover gravity and friction and gyroscopes.<br />
<br />
And he got his first two teeth.<br />
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* * * </div>
<br />
In other news, which is not a change: I am entering the <a href="http://www.foundlingreview.com/PachaasContest2.html">Foundling Review's Pachas 50 word short story contest again</a>. (That's the writing contest in which I got honorable mention in last year.)<br />
<br />
I'd been told that my writing has good imagery, but needs to be worked more. So, since the first Pachas contest, I've chosen another number (i.e. not 50) and am re-writing several old poems I had written. I find the word limit (not more, not less) is fitting to force me to whittle down and shape some of my pieces and make them better. I've also done away with the line breaks on some. I must not be good at line breaks yet because I think that they often come across as pretentious.<br />
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* * *</div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-73833376560811553712012-04-17T12:08:00.005-04:002012-04-17T15:19:05.062-04:00A little awesomeness<style>
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<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
enjoy participating in “blog-action campaigns”. They are for causes I believe
in (like good science and good aid) and they give me motivation to tell a quick
story. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*
* * </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This
year some of my favourite aid bloggers are organising the second annual “Day
without Dignity” campaign aimed at highlighting the dignity of people aid is
trying to help. The theme this year is Local Champions and you should check out
the <a href="http://goodintents.org/good-intentions-blog/announcing-a-day-without-dignity-2012-local-champions">call
to arms</a> and the <a href="http://goodintents.org/good-intentions-blog/a-day-without-dignity-2012-local-champions">other
contributions</a>, which are generally more awesome than my own. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*
* * </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Sometimes
I joke that I measure the awesomeness of a project by the number of sacks of
cement that were used, but in all seriousness the awesomeness of most water and
sanitation projects is derived from the local masons. Masons are the dudes who
mix up the cement, who slap it around on broken trowels to build up foundations
and to build down wells. But they do a lot more than play with cement.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*
* *</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Meet
Joseph. He’s a mason. He’s organized. He’s short and he smiles a lot. He likes
meeting new people. He’s also a beneficiary of aid: he’s been labelled an “<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2008_04_01_archive.html">internally displaced
person</a>” and lives in a crowded camp in a crappy tent. When I met him I
worked for an NGO building toilets, showers, and such things in his camp in
Kenya. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
is what made our project awesome. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
helped us with our toilets: made sure we built enough, made sure they were easy
to build, and made sure people would use them. He helped us with the
shower grease traps. He helped us find more good masons. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">But
he did more than just build stuff and play with cement.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
initiated a successful system whereby any of the IDPs could borrow the NGO
tools if they needed them for work they wanted to do on their own plot.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
got involved in health promotion activities and trained others.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
started his own NGO or masons cooperative to help with building up the
resettlement areas, especially championing the importance of sanitation.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">For
months after our project was finished he called me to tell me about what he was
doing and it was always awesome. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*
* * </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Meet
Nur. He’s a mason. He’s also short, and more rotund than Joseph. He has a round
face and wares a beanie. He doesn’t speak much English and I don’t speak any
Somali, but we liked each other. I met him in Mandera in <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2009/01/kenya-kataclysm_16.html">Northeastern Kenya</a>
and I got to know him over several years.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Telling
you about Nur and how he made the projects awesome is harder than for Joseph
because he was subtle. I had great affection for Nur because he treated me as
technically competent in a world where the engineering advice of a young white
woman was not always welcomed by teams of old black men (understandably). When
he needed to talk to me he would sit with someone who could write in English
and write me a letter, then he would come to my office and deliver the letter
to me by his own hand. He continued to write me letters even when I was based
in Nairobi.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
started as a daily worker mason, but soon it was clear that he was a quiet
leader, that he was technically competent and smart, and that he was honest. He
was soon running several sites, keeping track of materials consumption, and
basically doing more than his share of work and sometimes doing it better than
his superiors. Needless to say, as our team grew over the years he was hired as
the only full time mason position.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
was what made our projects awesome. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
improved the well and tank designs. He taught other masons how to improve their
works. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
trained lay community members on hygiene, maintenance, and use of their water
supply. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
helped ensure that the community feedback was incorporated into the project
properly by interpreting it (not the language, but the ideas, which is harder
than it sounds).</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He
was a community leader himself. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">He was awesome and he made our programs awesome. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*
* * </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Water
and sanitation projects generally build things, which is part of why I love my
job. I get dirty. I stick together piles of rock and sand with water and cement
powder – but really <u>I</u> don’t. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
don’t build anything. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The
masons do. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">They
build everything. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">They
also build the community and are often the key to how sustainable a project is. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">And
they’re awesome.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-21135380551439704302012-02-24T11:42:00.002-05:002012-02-24T12:13:06.249-05:00A rant or two...<span style="font-size: small;">Recently a little article entitled "</span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://matadornetwork.com/change/7-worst-international-aid-ideas/">7 worst international aid ideas</a>"</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> from the Matador Network has been maki</span><span style="font-size: small;">ng the rounds on the Facebook and the Twitter. A friend of mine shared it, then her friend commented on it. Then I filled up her page with counter-comments... then I deleted them because I thought they needed a blog post, rather than a discombobulated commentary on Facebook. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A long blog post at that: Aid is criticized in the media (and it should be, like anything), but often people focus on things that are exaggerated by some sexy, dramatic, shocking story and hence myths are born. Here I'll comment on the article, then I'll talk about exaggerated issues. As an aid worker, I obviously believe in aid and I think you should too, despite its issues.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">First, I like the article: I think it did a good job of choosing several higher-profile examples of dumbassery that occurs everyday (1, 2, 3, 4, and 6), as well as highlight two bigger issues (5 and 7) that no one really talks about, but should.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Second, the article is talking about <u>bad aid ideas</u>, <u>not problems with aid</u>. There is a subtle, but important, distinction here. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">> Bad aid ideas like this: What should we do to help the poor? Oh, let's send them used underwear.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">> Problems with aid are more like this: Why isn't aid working? Oh. Shit. That's a hard one, but let's blame the NGOs. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">* * *</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The 7 Worst Ideas + 2 more bad ones</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">#1 - SWEDOW, or "stuff we don't want", a now ubiquitous term coined by my favorite aid blogger Tales from the Hood (though I like to say "shit we don't want"). 'Nuff said. The article got it covered, just to say there are a bazillion examples of this: used bras, pillow case dresses, motel soap bars... the list is endless. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I personally would choose another as the WORST example: old, outdated baby cribs "that do not pass new safety standards". Most mamas living in a poverty stricken slum in Nairobi don't want a crib, don't have room for one in their home, and much less one that could perhaps strangle their child. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">(<a href="http://goodintents.org/in-kind-donations/6061">Here is some more on SWEDOW from Good Intents are not Enough</a>, an excellent blog about aid. I couldn't get the link to Tales from the Hood to work... sorry.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">#2 - TOMS shoes is SWEDOW, but with a hint of bad CSR (corporate social responsibility) - or vice versa. Not much to add here, this probably is one of the WORST examples because it is so popular. TOMS raised a hullaballu in the aid-blog world sparking the "<a href="http://goodintents.org/in-kind-donations/a-day-without-dignity">Day without Dignity</a>" campaign by Sandra over at Good Intents (<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2011/04/footloose.html">my contribution to that campaign</a>). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">#3 - Crazy dudes with guns claiming to save kids. Bad. Very Bad. Crazy dudes without guns are bad enough. I am glad there are not very many examples of the armed type, but sad to say there are too many of the unarmed type. I'd put the hot aid-worker marrying a warlord in this category as well. The article definitely got the WORST crazy dude example, especially since this one was made into a movie... (nice transition to #4).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">#4 - Crazy celebrities and their stupid ideas, perhaps a subset of number 3? I might say that when Nick Kristof purchased the freedom of 2 prostitutes maybe a WORSE example. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">#5 - USAID "buy American" is indeed the WORST example because this is a government (and a big one), not a corporation, but this is basically an example of bad CSR. Grants for aid (by a do-gooder government or corporation) who then says "Okay but you gotta use (or even worse, you gotta promote) our products in your project" whether or not their product is the most appropriate for the project or context. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> Some commentary on the Facebook feed mentioned that USAID has loosened their guidelines on this recently, but not by much.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">#6 - Food looking like landmines. Oh god, say it ain't so. Definitely the WORST example of confusing packaging of aid products. Other examples that I have seen include oral re-hydration salts and water purifiers that look the same, chlorine tablets that look like medicine...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">#7 - Aid as foreign policy. This one is a little heavy and really beyond my expertise. But I agree, it is evil (though not only American).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So, that's my take on the article's 7 WORST ideas. I would add 2 things to the list... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">> Orphanages: Please read more by <a href="http://goodintents.org/orphanages/does-funding-orphanages-create-orphans-3">Good Intents who asks "Does funding orphanages crate orphans?"</a> and has many other enlightening posts on the subject.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">> Products that don't always work: I hate the LifeStraw because, while it may work for a little while, it is going to ware out and get gummed up pretty quick. I also think it's a little un-dignified to walk around with a straw around your neck. Another example is the bio-sand filter, which seems cool because it can be made by local masons, but which doesn't always clean the water. Both of these would often give the idea that the user is drinking safe water, but that in fact she isn't. Dangerous.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">* * *</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">7 myth-buster comments on Why Aid Doesn't work</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">My subtitle is a little misleading: I do think that aid is helping. Aid is making the world a better place, although I would have to say that poverty is not being eradicated: the subtle distinction between "helping" and "working" that I won't address here. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, let's get on with it. My goal here is to address a few misconceptions highlighted about how aid works (or doesn't work). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> > 1: "Emphasis on building large
dams" - First, I don't think there is an emphasis on dams in development. No grand conspiracy to dam all the rivers of the world. Second, sorry to my environmentalist friends, but dams have the possibility of being an excellent project for a developing country to alleviate some poverty. I don't like dams either, and no they are not always good, but they aren't all bad either (electricity, jobs, exportable commodity...).</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">> 2: "NGOs that crowd out weak or disinterested governments": NGOs substituting for governments is indeed bad news and happens all too often. But sometimes the goal is to save lives, not to develop the country, in which case substitution can be appropriate and acceptable. Also, NGOs don't have as much power as this statement implies. NGOs are more often manipulated by governments for political gain than the other way around. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">> 3: "The
creepy emphasis on combating the 'brain drain' ": Well, it works both ways - aid can increase and decrease brain drain. In the long run, it probably will decrease it. Again, there also isn't any hidden agenda on this. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">> 4: "The principle
of paying immense salaries to mildly-qualified foreigners and putting
them in charge of local specialists": Oooooooh, a touchy one. When this happens (and it does) it is indeed bad. Very evil white men. Neo-colonialist. Bad. Bad. Bad. </span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> (Full disclosure: I am a foreigner paid to be in charge of aid projects.)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> BUT, it actually doesn't happen that often in NGOs. The basic fallacy in this statement is "mildly-qualified" and "immense salaries". Foreign aid workers are brought in with skills that the host country doesn't have. You might not think so, but host governments regulate this pretty well, and NGOs are pretty transparent about it too. Addtionally, local hire salaries and expat salaries aren't usually very different for the same job. (Full disclosure: expat benefits are often significantly better than for a local hire.)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> The other fallacy this brings up is that aid-workers have to suffer to do good work. How ridiculous is this idea. So for me to do good aid work, I need to be a volunteer? To get good people, you need a living wage. I volunteered for 2 years (Peace Corps), then I needed to make a living. And I do. And I am not ashamed of the money I make. I deserve it. </span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">I'm good. You want me out there doing aid work. Trust me.</span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> (And by the way, it isn't a lot. But it's enough.)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">> 5: "Spectacular programs to
eradicate various diseases, instead of spending much less money to
provide the basic medical services that would control them, and take
care of many other ailments as well": Says he who lives in a country where malaria has been eradicated... First, eradicating certain diseases can be the most cost effective program ever, especially in the long run. Imagine how much money in curative care</span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> that would be saved if malaria were eradicated globally</span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">, not to mention savings in terms of deaths and suffering. (I've had malaria, trust me one suffers.) Second, providing basic medical services that would control them also is VERY expensive and complicated. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">(The next two are not in quotes because these misconceptions didn't come from the Facebook comments, just one I know exist.)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">> 6: All those NGOs with high overheads are inefficient, ineffective because they are just lining their greedy pockets: Basically, overheads are necessary to do good work and the "overhead figure" is easily manipulated. Again, I'll refer you to Ms. Sandra and her wisdom over at Good Intents <a href="http://goodintents.org/choosing-a-charity/charity-ratings-based-on-administration-costs-can-do-more-harm-than-good">here</a> or <a href="http://goodintents.org/good-intentions-blog/why-nonprofit-overhead-doesnt-mean-what-you-think-it-means">here</a>. She has basically written the book on this myth. No need to really re-hash it.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">> 7: There is one solution that will alleviate poverty: Nope. That's the thing. It's complicated. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> Something that worked in India won't always work in Africa. In fact, something that worked in village X might not work in a village 5 miles away. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> It won't just take more money. That money needs to be well spent. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> A little technological gadget won't solve it. Not even the cell phone. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">* * * </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">But you know what'll help? Continuing to question aid, continuing to think about it, and continuing to do it. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br /></span></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-75748515217393057962012-01-28T07:29:00.000-05:002012-01-28T07:29:13.569-05:00One year more... or lessOne year on from the revolution of January 25th here in Egypt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT2nF8DC2zbjcgqzH0JRjnqrZbabWYl_7GkhZakvS3YKdXVUgVMA46bkxfLCANHiezN2HRF0a9jfV0Pm-ervaYDkJxHkk_ScepqlaWD3fmuXKUP-2z6tJX6hXPrPBdO_TgWFp5XPpXEkw/s1600/tahir1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT2nF8DC2zbjcgqzH0JRjnqrZbabWYl_7GkhZakvS3YKdXVUgVMA46bkxfLCANHiezN2HRF0a9jfV0Pm-ervaYDkJxHkk_ScepqlaWD3fmuXKUP-2z6tJX6hXPrPBdO_TgWFp5XPpXEkw/s320/tahir1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We asked<br />
the delivery guy<br />
if he was going<br />
to Tahrir square.<br />
He said<br />
"No, this is not<br />
the time to go to the square. <br />
This is the time to work.<br />
Halas."<br />
<br />
<br />
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* * * </div>
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<br />* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-73261273160555285802012-01-21T04:24:00.001-05:002012-01-21T04:44:57.242-05:00What's on the roof?Roofs are more interesting in Egypt than at home.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WwN9gDI0EFbbiROv05gZ5FfO8LzUApJ70WDwZi67QcSPfyDpYja06brZ3_95lDjJYEIw3MzcNzLoMd2nrD4lFo-G_RuMuXa_3wJefeXZcIxnEC8Q8Xk29wC2QXL92Aph2mFO3LBuVbTf/s1600/roof1out.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WwN9gDI0EFbbiROv05gZ5FfO8LzUApJ70WDwZi67QcSPfyDpYja06brZ3_95lDjJYEIw3MzcNzLoMd2nrD4lFo-G_RuMuXa_3wJefeXZcIxnEC8Q8Xk29wC2QXL92Aph2mFO3LBuVbTf/s320/roof1out.JPG" width="166" /></a>In the US, roofs are mostly gabled. We might have tar paper or shingles or skylights, and in some cases even solar panels - but that's about as interesting as it gets.<br />
<br />
Roofs that I've seen lately are flat and much ado is had
upon them. A lot of buildings are half built... (speculation as to why:
Did they run out of money? Do they leave them like that for tax reasons?
Is it just the normal pace of construction?) ... and the top floor of a
half built building is a lot like a flat roof.<br />
<br />
In Syria I mentioned the satellite dishes, nestled across every bare square inch of rooftops, searching for the mother ship. In Damascus they changed the law and now there is just one dish per roof. More developed? I say, not as interesting.<br />
<br />
In Egypt there is no such law. Roofs are littered with soft circles of all sizes as far as the eye can see, gazing towards ArabSat or NileSat, sucking in billions of channels. A half built building with no heating or windows will already have the dishes starting to sprout. <br />
<br />
On our roof there is an elevator motor house, some water tanks, satellite dishes, a sunny sitting area, and a picnic area with a stove and some decrepit stationary bicycles. On a clear day you can see the big pyramids across the Nile. I would enjoy it more except that it is extremely dusty.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzUV8MRjEzQUwyIc8qPuGnPZYVGEhYiBAs_q9qI2Qe9MD8RZiQ7LSxsZwQul7cYl-qjEJ7cW7uuuwrNUaLuWEZbpB0HS_s6bLH2K47o5G3LCLCA9M3hf3r9bQRuGuAJUdec-RFQFuIEIn/s1600/roofout3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzUV8MRjEzQUwyIc8qPuGnPZYVGEhYiBAs_q9qI2Qe9MD8RZiQ7LSxsZwQul7cYl-qjEJ7cW7uuuwrNUaLuWEZbpB0HS_s6bLH2K47o5G3LCLCA9M3hf3r9bQRuGuAJUdec-RFQFuIEIn/s400/roofout3.JPG" width="400" /></a>The staples of an Egyptian roof are (of course) the aforementioned dishes, the water tanks, and bird houses. We have speculated about the bird houses. Are they for foul (roof-top livestock)? Are they for the swarms of pigeons that seem to occupy them anyhow? Do people hang out in them? It seems people put a lot of care into them. Designs and gay painting. Large structures of wood.<br />
<br />
I have simple dreams. I'd like to visit one of these exciting roofs.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-88560044435133210302012-01-14T03:49:00.000-05:002012-01-14T03:49:08.737-05:00...to turnOne adventure has come to an end. I entered 10 writing contests or tests of some kind. Here's a link to my <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/04/puttin-myself-out-there.html">kick off post</a> from more than a year ago. I know I took my time, but I wanted to find a variety of interesting contests. (Honestly, I was also lazy at times and busy at other times, but that's life.)<br />
<br />
I got a little ego boost because I won one of the contests I entered. Of course that means I didn't
win nine of them, but I didn't expect to win any!<br />
<br />
I entered essay contests, poetry contests, some with different kinds of judging, some contests were goals I set with myself to beat, I submitted to a variety of literary magazines. There is a summary of contests 1 through 7 <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2011/02/seattle-seven.html">here</a>. Number 8 was a 50 word essay contest - and the only one I won! Numbers 9 and 10 were poetry submissions to good literary magazines, and none were accepted for publication.<br />
<br />
I did this to learn: I wanted to learn about what sort of
online writing opportunities are out there and I wanted to see if I
could win anything. I am really happy with what I accomplished. I had a
lot of fun looking for different contests and things online, there are a
ton of fun things out there.<br />
<br />
What I learned about myself and my own writing is that I need to make it a habit. Those pieces that were recognized as "good" by outside sources were those I had worked on for a while. Feedback I got often was some version of "Nice imagery, but needs to be worked more."<br />
<br />
So what's the conclusion? It is that I need to make it a habit. Let's see if I can do that:<br />
A blog post a week for the month of January... This one counts for week 1, but I'll do another in a few days (it's been brewing already). <br />
<br />* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-86405224541739592232011-12-01T05:49:00.001-05:002011-12-01T05:57:18.571-05:00Next pageBe forewarned, some not so PC phrases and four letter words will ensue shortly.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
Tahrir square is full again. Is gassed again. Is exaggerated again.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpe6Zn53uSq9whLoX9xznxI8HwdjaRsJ-nulpeeikO5EDD6Nw3iEeUzX5ruY-q4YLHXwzOAX6lL9kmitibPEu9CNMaw936rmZh9ICXzXwZllYkuMw4sozUWmKcCSzMhUF3BelBkKrLMdc/s1600/p2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpe6Zn53uSq9whLoX9xznxI8HwdjaRsJ-nulpeeikO5EDD6Nw3iEeUzX5ruY-q4YLHXwzOAX6lL9kmitibPEu9CNMaw936rmZh9ICXzXwZllYkuMw4sozUWmKcCSzMhUF3BelBkKrLMdc/s200/p2.JPG" width="155" /></a>Elections started in Egypt on Monday. It's complicated. This <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2011/11/20111121104852168402.html">infographic</a> tries to explain the election process. There are party candidates or individual candidates, professional or worker seats, and about 19.000 symbols for each one. To me it seems even more fucked up than our own dear electoral college (which is retarded). I mean not fucked up in an evil way, but in a confusing way. Why do people come up with crazy election processes? Just get the people to vote, count the votes, and majority wins. Maybe it can't be that simple, but it also doesn't need to be quite so complicated (and I'm not just talking about Egypt here).<br />
<br />
I've been following these elections and those in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the Twitter. Well, all those Egyptian activist complaining about irregularities here should check out the Congo scene.<br />
People died.<br />
Just sayin'.<br />
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* * * </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBawZBGQqJTwYieTLkg2GQEzdZllwHdVL2hXCBj44drlDennvjDWmU_Xh1DG6Odr1JrfZv_3lvydOtXVVgZF3WYsjulDUMK8Lb_jN48GKqSxBN3YHnuGsK7B7rJUSsS8T5ySzAdIRCri4n/s1600/p3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBawZBGQqJTwYieTLkg2GQEzdZllwHdVL2hXCBj44drlDennvjDWmU_Xh1DG6Odr1JrfZv_3lvydOtXVVgZF3WYsjulDUMK8Lb_jN48GKqSxBN3YHnuGsK7B7rJUSsS8T5ySzAdIRCri4n/s200/p3.JPG" width="200" /></a>Inspiration comes from other bloggers. My friend T. over at <a href="http://aboutthebees.livejournal.com/">About the Bees</a> blog just had a baby boy too, and she's blogging. On the other hand, J. over at <a href="http://talesfromethehood.com/">Tales from the Hood</a> seems to have let it go.<br />
<br />
<br />
I've been busy or lazy, depending on your perspective. Thinking about these two respectable folks motivates me a little.<br />
<br />
Not to be like them, but to be like them.<br />
<br />
To say something despite my new found obsession (i.e. my son) and to say it until I've said it so many times in so many different ways that I am done saying it. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-87780582692314401252011-09-24T04:15:00.001-05:002011-09-24T04:21:22.910-05:00Evil for goodSerendipitous events have encouraged me to write about work: The mighty Mr. J. over at <a href="http://talesfromethehood.com/">Tales From the Hood</a> blog has initiated an Aid Blog Forum. His goals are to generate conversations around certain topics relevant to aid work. <a href="http://talesfromethehood.com/2011/09/15/calling-all-aid-bloggers/">You can see his call to arms here.</a><br />
<br />
His <a href="http://talesfromethehood.com/2011/09/19/the-forum-of-aid-bloggers-corporate-social-responsibility/">first topic up for discussion</a> is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR, if you're an acronym junkie). As J. points out, there are many forms. Here's my low down on a couple.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In the USA</div>
<br />
In everyday life in the States, it seems we generally think of CSR as something "certified," for example fair trade coffee or conflict-free diamonds or pretty much anything having to do with REI.<br />
<br />
This is marketing, pure and simple - and it works. Prices are raised a little. People choose to pay a little more and support "goodness". Profits are made. That's cool.<br />
<br />
But are we (consumers) thinking about it properly? What does "certified" mean? In my examples above, certification means there is some kind of control or regulation of the process by which the product is produced. It's never black or white, but I know that sometimes this "certification process" is totally bullshit.<br />
<br />
Those local farmers in Rwanda, Kenya, or Ethiopia who made your fair-trade coffee probably didn't get the global market price for their coffee and still have trouble feeding their kids. In certain contexts it's pretty easy to bribe someone to get "evil diamonds" mixed in with a batch of "good diamonds", and they sparkle just the same.<br />
<br />
It's not to say to hell with CSR in this form, it's just to say that it's not always such a pink and shiny simple solution to the world's problems. It is a step in the right direction. It gets people thinking about world problems. And sometimes "certified" might actually mean something. But I doubt if we will save the world this way.<br />
<br />
(You may have noticed I didn't bash REI... eh, I admit I'm a fan. NOT for their CSR BS, but rather 'cause they make good shoes and
gear, and it's worth it when you get a good sale on.)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In Aid Work</div>
<br />
In aid work, I think of CSR generally as philanthropy by a corporation and can come in two forms: stuff or money.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<b>Stuff</b> has a high probability of being categorized as SWEDOW (stuff or shit we don't want, copyright J.), and usually that means the "needy" folks being "helped" don't want it either. (See <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2011/04/footloose.html">Footloose</a> post for an example.)<br />
<br />
Of course sometimes there are products that could be useful to the "needy" folks and then donated by a corporation, and can thus do some good. An example: A water quality expert was on his way to a big disaster brought some machines to donate to local chlorine producers to increase their production capacity of this much needed product. Why this is a good example: The product was needed for the context, the recipients were already using the product, basically the whole donation was made with forethought about contextual need and appropriateness (and in fact communication with some folks on the ground before hand).<br />
<br />
But if forced to get off the fence, I'd say that stuff donated for CSR is pretty much stupid. No, not categorically, but usually. And when I say usually I don't mean 51% of the time, but more like 95-99% of the time. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<b>Money</b> donated by a corporation can have negative connotations associated with it in the aid world, but money is money is money. If it's donated well and used well, then to hell with idealistic hang-ups. <br />
<br />
A colleague once said "I wouldn't want to put a Wal-mart logo on my wells..." Why the hell not? We put US-AID or ECHO or OFDA or whatever other humanitarian donor logo you like on our wells. We put our silly NGO logo on the well. Why not Wal-mart? Because they are big and evil? Fine they are evil, all the better to take their money and use it for good! (Evil laughter ensues.)<br />
<br />
Good donor-ship is a huge topic in and of itself, as is good use of donor money (i.e. good projects), but if there is a little common sense employed, aid can really benefit from a diversification of donors - including corporations.<br />
<br />
The sad thing is that common sense isn't always employed. To save the world, NGOs need money. They don't often have the power (or the balls) to say "No" and don't often have the time (or the money) to educate a new corperate donor of the real needs of a strong project. This too often leads to bad projects, or worse to harm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
Corporate Social Responsibility isn't going to save the world, but like anything, if used intelligently it can be part of the solution and I am all for harnessing evil for good.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as my blog post makes it out to be.<br />
-Fist of all, I am being pretty naive to
think we can harness all evil for good. A lot of corporations don't give a
rat's ass about saving the world, but rather focus on taking over the
world.<br />
-Second, I have assumed NGOs know what they are doing (not always the case) and that "normal" institutional humanitarian donors are some sort of saints (not always the case).<br />
-Third, I've left out some important scenarios... but you don't really want to read 75 pages of blabber anyway.<br />
<br />
Saving the world is pretty complex shit. Read the other posts in this CSR series by <a href="http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=83980">clicking here</a>, and new information will be brought to light, man.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-61139688941372525192011-09-19T01:05:00.001-05:002011-09-19T01:07:32.714-05:00Sitting here in limbo...Some of my posts are about writing. <br />
Some are about personal things.<br />
Some are about work. <br />
<br />
Lately I've sort felt as if I am in limbo, between here and there, in all these subjects.<br />
<br />
(Some of my posts are about places too, but there is no limbo about that. I'm in Egypt.<br />
Egypt, herself, may be in limbo, but I'm simply an observer.) <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
On writing: </div>
<br />
Well my 10 contest adventure is coming to a close. I have now entered 10 contests online... Actually 11: I submitted an extra one because a previous entry seemed to be to a defunct organization. So, on the countdown, I will cut out the defunct submission and now say 10.... Results so far: 1 win, 8 losses and awaiting 1 result. <br />
<br />
The limbo: Am I encouraged? Am I discouraged? In the scheme of things, am I a loser or a winner? Hell if I know. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
On Personal Things:</div>
<br />
Limbo at it's finest. Somewhere between being a daughter and being a mother.<br />
<br />
Building a cabin with my mom and sister.<br />
Building a baby with my husband.<br />
<br />
Both make the earth shake in strange ways that I like.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *<br />
On work:</div>
<br />
As a workaholic, the past months of not working have been a little hard for me. I admit it. I miss working. I miss toilets. I miss staff. I
miss being on the phone for 18 hours straight. I miss logical
frameworks. I miss bullshit meetings.<br />
<br />
I read a lot about work (about aid work). I read technical documents that I never had the time to read. I read aid blogs. I read criticism of aid work. And there is a lot of criticism out there. Sometimes it tires me. Sometimes it excites me. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I think it's crap-dribble from ignorant people... (and not only when I disagree).<br />
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But why's that put me in limbo?<br />
Because I know I am lucky as hell to be able to take this time off to be pregnant and to be a mom for the first time, but I still miss it.<br />
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* * *</div>
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I have a choice: either be okay with the limbo or do something. I don't much like conclusions, but as long as they are vague enough, maybe they can be useful. So since I've been reading a lot about work, since I don't know where to go with my writing adventure and since my mom is coming to visit me for a while and will probably motivate me...<br />
I should just try to write more about work here.<br />
We will see. I don't want to end up a crap-dribbling idiot.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-78697785450513404392011-08-16T01:17:00.000-05:002011-08-16T01:17:46.337-05:00You win some...I haven't won any of the 10 public writing contests yet.<br />
Feeling like a loser. <br />
But life goes on. . .<br />
<br />
And Ha!<br />
The results for Contest Number 8 are in and I got an Honorable Mention!<br />
Okay, so I didn't get the 1st prize for 100$, but I am counting this as a win in my adventure. (As always, I make the rules.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.foundlingreview.com/index.html">The Foundling Review</a> is a bonified, professional online literary magazine, and as honorable mention the piece is published there. The contest was judged by professional editors and a guest author. So, to me, an honorable mention is a win: it is some recognition by strangers, by professional writers and editors that what I wrote is somehow worth reading.<br />
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The piece itself, as you remember from Eight is Infinity, is a 50 word short story entered in the "Pachas 50-word Fiction Contest". My entry is called "Painting" and started a while ago as a poem that I wrote for my wonderful friend Adrianne for her wedding day, she will recognize it. You can read my 50 word short story <a href="http://www.foundlingreview.com/PachaasContestResults.html">here</a> on The Foundling Review website - and also read the winning entry and the 2 other honorable mentions because they are all very cool. <br />
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For the last two contests, I decided I would submit poetry to online journals to see if anything would be accepted for publication. This decision came about because in undertaking this adventure I have found that I, personally, hope more for publication in a journal than winning a contest. So a very personal feeling which maybe tells you about how my goals have changed.<br />
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Also, it has been more than a year that I have been on this adventure, and while I will continue to write and submit stuff to contests and other things online, I sort of want to wrap up this 10 writing contest thing. <br />
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<br />Contest #9 will be a poetry submission to <a href="http://www.foundlingreview.com/index.html">The Foundling Review</a>. (I chose this because of the last contest... seems if those editors liked the 50 word story, maybe I have a better chance?)<br />
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Contest #10 will be a poetry submission to <a href="http://www.lapetitezine.com/index.php">Le Petit Zine</a>. (I chose this one because I really like the style of most of the pieces they publish - vivid and interesting. The authors all seem to have a grasp of where to end lines, which is something that is hard for me so I probably have no chance.)<br />
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Each submission will consist of a few poems, as per each magazine's guidelines.<br />
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P.S. Today is my birthday. Puts me in limbo? More on that later. * * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-62449539333798307832011-07-12T04:01:00.005-05:002011-07-12T06:00:09.582-05:00Sum of a summerThey've been calling it The Arab Spring.<br />
It is turning onto summer.<br />
Sunshine. Stagnation. Stifling heat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkhkbjGk0ghEyOwD1N4j6d4QIKqzmxCNTwN9_Xo05qovZAmjjWKiG2kVICM_3HKlSAHvfsetHofJQN6FBnczU_vgEQCsn3-3dAtxfSTFeMP650h014WMs1CaZw-bu-0bsbKbxDYOf301v/s1600/lie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkhkbjGk0ghEyOwD1N4j6d4QIKqzmxCNTwN9_Xo05qovZAmjjWKiG2kVICM_3HKlSAHvfsetHofJQN6FBnczU_vgEQCsn3-3dAtxfSTFeMP650h014WMs1CaZw-bu-0bsbKbxDYOf301v/s320/lie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Egypt is hard to characterize. Even those speaking loudest ask themselves questions: "Are we socialist?" or "Are we liberal?" or "Are we secular?" or "What do those terms even mean?" or "What do we believe in?" Exciting to define political parties and hope for elections, but difficult to imagine what is coming together from a million directions.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj9lOj3rKTKFPHxwFlxtc1URBiTA565kZZz6Y6MJ5RwrFWf8yD0Q4Daa1Zwwnd7dNftHI2zkKvqVxftBiT4XZolq6YkIAlBfNq2tQ5O3T60UgQufvTLtrrrhRBzum_4vRC9yV4mdpi7-8/s1600/metroart.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj9lOj3rKTKFPHxwFlxtc1URBiTA565kZZz6Y6MJ5RwrFWf8yD0Q4Daa1Zwwnd7dNftHI2zkKvqVxftBiT4XZolq6YkIAlBfNq2tQ5O3T60UgQufvTLtrrrhRBzum_4vRC9yV4mdpi7-8/s320/metroart.JPG" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sporadic art exhibit in the metro station near Tahrir.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Protests persist, sporadic and punctual - though last Friday was particularly large and specific. The peoples pressure continues from that iconic focal point of Tahrir square. Tents are up and staying, flags, talk of hunger strikes. <br />
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Without taking sides, I say this is a good thing. Change won't happen by the revolution itself. Or another way to look at it is that maybe the revolution, as an event, was A change; but defining THE change is gonna take a while and a lot of work. <br />
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Most people haven't seen their lives change yet. There are not more jobs or higher pay. This shouldn't surprise anyone.<br />
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Inequality can be subtle or blatant, but it's always there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH-nwvewbcFj270Ls6nfuPALw0G7y2AegPbWSOX9NWoe7lGX4lgYQnIPkPwmv-Tvbq_Ehb9TmAGjEtG2C7SNu5As4HgcbQms-kQF7terJa2_MLli5QmhDmnWoDYg3ff26prkL_lpFW1oJ/s1600/fruitman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH-nwvewbcFj270Ls6nfuPALw0G7y2AegPbWSOX9NWoe7lGX4lgYQnIPkPwmv-Tvbq_Ehb9TmAGjEtG2C7SNu5As4HgcbQms-kQF7terJa2_MLli5QmhDmnWoDYg3ff26prkL_lpFW1oJ/s400/fruitman.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There is a man who by day sits in front of the metro station under a bit of shade from a tree. He sells lettuce. His spot is washed and cared for. He has 4 healthy basil plants that he sets out to outline his spot. He sleeps there.<br />
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There is a man and his son who have a cart and donkey. They sell tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and onions. Their cart is clean, they have a scale, the donkey is skinny. They move about calling constantly a repetitive song announcing their arrival. <br />
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There is an old man, fat and content, who has a small shop that he locks at night. He sells 3 kinds of lettuce, 2 kinds of eggplant, 3 kinds of onions, 2 kinds of garlic, fennel, celery, spinach, potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, squash, rocket, herbs, about a dozen kinds of seasonal fruit, eggs, and often he has frozen shrimp or whitefish fillets. He has some refridgeration. His son does most of the work, with their 3 other employees. The older man sits in his chair, says hello to everyone and smokes. <br />
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There is a shiny mall with 6 floors and a 3-D cinema. In the mall is a huge supermarket. The vegetables are frozen and wrapped in plastic. They are all imported.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQoXn8ebjbfKF3fw7SBBbWqZFBUiszhie2T0BqlP5LU-QrzM8ZkYmdmSKOdHqqQXRFpXJ1GRk_mDjfvAURXh-a7f5tQFOa7jwUNOWqD8gETLW39_u2S21i0bqs0nSaFIzqA5xLWAFDajC/s1600/friut.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQoXn8ebjbfKF3fw7SBBbWqZFBUiszhie2T0BqlP5LU-QrzM8ZkYmdmSKOdHqqQXRFpXJ1GRk_mDjfvAURXh-a7f5tQFOa7jwUNOWqD8gETLW39_u2S21i0bqs0nSaFIzqA5xLWAFDajC/s200/friut.jpg" width="200" /></a>My last 2 lessons in Arabic class were the most useful so far (this will tell you something about what I do with my time these days). We learned the numbers and about the vegetable seller. How to say "Where is my change?" and all the fruits and vegetables. I still suck at speaking Arabic, but with this lesson under my belt I am really going to impress the fat man and his son.<br />
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I've been out of the academic environment for almost 10 years now, but when I was there I was a nerd: I always had good marks, maybe not #1 every time, but top 3, top percentiles on standard tests. I was never outrightly arrogant about it, but B's upset me and I just always expected myself to be at the top.<br />
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But alas, we grow up and have to learn things that are more useful than calculus or physics. Like new languages. <br />
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Learning French in the Peace Corps, I was the worst, or at least bottom 3 (at least I stuck to my pattern there). Today I am learning Arabic at the American University and I suck. Suck. SUCK.<br />
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Humility is good for the soul and has a practical purpose as well. Re-evaluating priorities. Physics happens weather or not I understand it, but can I purchase a head of lettuce?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEpYiG_CS4HpqybvC9kxKrPuoNptHUXezhtJZQPCVyizRfUICijtEohEasTxCAmvH9FtoZGL67-qw4VNvYUG84-Vy1T87Fj5r2wj-6l8lKhQR5hpyPZpyZoMfpASDeeLQbceXP83X-AA6/s1600/joker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEpYiG_CS4HpqybvC9kxKrPuoNptHUXezhtJZQPCVyizRfUICijtEohEasTxCAmvH9FtoZGL67-qw4VNvYUG84-Vy1T87Fj5r2wj-6l8lKhQR5hpyPZpyZoMfpASDeeLQbceXP83X-AA6/s320/joker.jpg" width="278" /></a> <br />
* * *</div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-71523084568820757482011-06-20T06:19:00.002-05:002011-06-21T05:16:08.522-05:00Eight looks like infinityWriting Contest Update!<br />
<br />
Check out post "<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2011/02/seattle-seven.html">Seattle Seven</a>" for a complete summary and links to all past contests. I'm not doing so good, but still having fun.<br />
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So, contest number 8 has been entered! Results should be known by mid-July, as per the contest announcement.<br />
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It is sponsored by the <a href="http://www.foundlingreview.com/">Foundling Review</a> literary magazine, and is called the "<a href="http://www.foundlingreview.com/PachaasContest.html">Pacaas Contest</a>." From the website:<br />
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"Foundling Review's 50-word Fiction contest<br />
Pa.chaas [pah-chaas] - noun Hindi fifty. <br />
50 words. No more, no less."</div>
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As usual, I can't put the piece up until after the results are announced, so you'll have to wait until mid-July for that. </div>
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In the mean time, I like the idea of 50-word fiction. In
entering this contest I wrote another piece, which was a bit too cliche, so I will share that here, just to keep you entertained. I don't know what is special about 50-word pieces, but I like it.</div>
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I think creative writing should be about using as few words as possible. If the word isn't needed get it out of there. If you get rid of a word and lose meaning, then search for better words. I guess that's why word restrictions are cool to me. </div>
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There is an interesting man who I "know" professionally, if only briefly by email. None the less, I have some respect for the dude. He seems to be smart, with critical, yet proactive and practical ideas about the work we do (or try to do) in coordination. I regret not getting to meet him in Haiti. His relevance to this post is that, as well as being a cluster guru, <a href="http://james.shepherd-barron.com/category/fifties/">he is a rad poet of 50-word poem essays</a>. I like them and I like to see this personal, creative side of someone whose name I see a lot professionally.</div>
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Son</div>
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Archetypal pterodactyl egg transmogrified into lizard, into monkey, into man. I make you rumble, jerk and pee, scraping your insides with virilocal nails and lenient bones. I breathe your blood in and out and in, while you cry, sucking solid air. We will meet and you will love me.</div>
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<br /></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-88763421314935822192011-05-09T05:29:00.001-05:002011-05-09T08:55:27.988-05:00Why ask why?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
First advice I received from Mario upon arrival to Egypt: "Do not ask why."</div>
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Of course, my response was: "Why?"</div>
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The response to me was: "Yes."</div>
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Depending on where I am going in Cairo, I take a taxi or the metro. I like the metro better because it is such a good deal! A taxi ride is cheaper than in the states (maybe 10$ across town, only 5$ to downtown), but it is still more than the metro. The metro costs 1 Egyptian pound, about 20 cents. </div>
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The metro has lady cars, which is nice. Ladies can ride anywhere, but men can't ride in the lady car. </div>
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There is a 15-20 minute walk from my house to the metro station. It's a nice walk, but no matter where you go outside the air pollution gives you black bougers. Sidewalks exist - but it is like that old conundrum... we park in the driveway, and drive on the parkway. </div>
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In Cairo, cars park on the sidewalk and folks walk in the street. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqceULTWRQhDZDFV78_KfqY06MKHPxQ8hThFoEW1dfYnCp1hETwkAoINbh3r29gCHYMKGjDfDOPnFwLcHMTdTYD9mXok-YFOclUonSd0owDpPmB8RC26CHPXcIpbPGLKq62Hq9S1UW0lRk/s1600/photo+st2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqceULTWRQhDZDFV78_KfqY06MKHPxQ8hThFoEW1dfYnCp1hETwkAoINbh3r29gCHYMKGjDfDOPnFwLcHMTdTYD9mXok-YFOclUonSd0owDpPmB8RC26CHPXcIpbPGLKq62Hq9S1UW0lRk/s320/photo+st2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In my Quest for Why? I have come up with a hypothesis. </div>
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The sidewalks are about a foot high off the street (that's almost up to my knee). So, as you are walking along and the sidewalk ends (for a cross road or what not), you have to make this big ass step down (KER-PLUNK) then a big step up on the other side (ooOOF). I know I am not the only lazy walker on Cairo streets, because many people have set up little rag-tag pieces of rubble to make an intermediate step. </div>
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As it is in traffic, on the metro, it is not uncommon to see people that walk through the cars selling things you might need. Band-aids, gum, coloring books, blow up guitars, phone credit, stickers. Sometimes the seller will yell out his/her wares, sometimes he/she will throw them in everyone's lap only to make another lap around the car to collect them all back, sometimes they are real sales people with a show. </div>
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One day I was sitting (rare) on the metro with my Ipod listening to This American Life watching this Egyptian life. There were two ladies selling household items like hangers, knives, shower curtains, loofas and what not. They apparently were quite good because people kept laughing as they talked about their merchandise and demonstrated the practicality of the loofa on a rope to scrub your back. </div>
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And they had potato peelers. </div>
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An old, large woman in a black hijab at the back of the car beckoned to the young ladies, she was interested. The saleswoman showed her the item: high quality, she assured her. There was a thin, Coptic woman next to the old woman. The thin woman reached in her bag, pulled out a potato and handed it to the older woman to try out her peeler. </div>
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As for the revolution. I need not speculate on what will happen in the future, but today the revolution has affected the metro. </div>
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As in many metros around the world, in the cars there is a schematic map of the stations along the line. There once was a station called "Mubarak."</div>
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First, the station name was scratched out, as if with a boys pocketknife or with a marker or a ball point pen. </div>
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Then, home-made stickers appeared in some cars, with a new name. </div>
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And now a law has been passed to officially rename it. </div>
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Oh the wonders of democracy.</div>
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So why ask why? </div>
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Because sometimes there is an answer.</div>
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Because sometimes it is entertaining.</div>
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Because sometimes no answer is really just a million answers.</div>
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<br /></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-82000990920250043272011-04-01T16:09:00.001-05:002011-09-24T04:26:30.339-05:00Footloose<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Loose, footloose
<br />Kick off your Sunday shoes
<br />Please, Louise
<br />Pull me offa my knees
<br />Jack, get back
<br />C'mon before we crack </i></div>
<br />
Sometimes on Facebook or here I link to blogs or information on aid work and discussions about improving aid. Here on my blog I tend to talk about what I do, on Facebook I try to steer my friends toward information on good giving. Today's post sort of connects the two.<br />
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One of the blogs I've shared before, "<a href="http://goodintents.org/">Good Intentions are Not Enough</a>" from Sandra, has started a blog campaign to counter a silly advertising campaign. This post is in response to her <a href="http://goodintents.org/uncategorized/announcing-a-day-without-dignity-counter-campaign-to-a-day-without-shoes">call to arms</a>. I suggest reading the whole thing, and the comments at the bottom are worth a gander as well.<br />
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But here's a summary of the counter campaign from her page:<br />
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<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB">"It’s time again for TOMS Shoes’ annual
advertisement (awareness raising activity) called A Day Without Shoes. Every
year TOMS gets celebrities and college students to walk around barefoot so that
they are more aware of the plight of people without shoes. And of course, what
better way to put shoes onto the feet of these shoeless people than to purchase
a pair of TOMS Shoes.</span></i></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB">As you’ve probably guessed, I’m not a fan of this
annual event. So this year I’m proposing a counter-campaign called A Day
Without Dignity.</span></i></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB">On or around April 5th – the same date as A Day
Without Shoes – we’re asking aid workers, the diaspora, and people from areas
that receive shoe drops and other forms of charity to speak up in blogs, on
twitter, or at school."</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
<b>Dr. Strangeshoe or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Shoe Shopping</b><br />
<br />
I come from modest hippy roots, ripe with barefoot, naked, free-loving childhood memories. After a teenage bout with Guess? jeans, hairspray and make-up (my form of rebellion), I returned to my roots, joined the Peace Corps and wore nothing but home-made clothes and <a href="http://stuffexpataidworkerslike.com/2011/03/28/39-chaco-tanlines/">Chacos</a>. When I got a paying job as a professional aid worker, I expanded my wardrobe (peace-drobe, as my uncle says) to include NGO/donor branded t-shirts, flip flops and gum boots. <br />
<br />
As I moved up the ranks and out of the bush, I had a "need" to look nice for donor meetings, coordination meetings and "representation". The dirty aid worker look wouldn't hack it. So, for my highest goal of saving the world, I went shopping.<br />
<br />
I was a big spender. I bought red Converse low tops from the rasta DJ for ten bucks. I bought wooden wedge heels from the fat mamma on the corner for five-fifty. I bought basic black flats from a nondescript guy for a dollar. Despite haggles, I am sure I paid the "muzungu price" (foreigner price), probably twice of normal. <br />
<br />
"Have I sold out?" I asked myself, as I put on black linen slacks and name-brand button up shirt.<br />
"No, it's for the children." I justified to myself, as I tied the laces on the super-stylee red Converse. "You're gonna wow those donors! You're contributing to the local economy, feeding those people's kids," I added to really convince myself. I added a locally-made red beaded necklace to complete the look. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> You're playing so cool
<br />Obeying every rule
<br />Dig way down in your heart
<br />You're yearning, burning for some...</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
So, what's wrong with TOMS barefoot "awareness raising" (advertising) campaign? Isn't it cute? Not really. I'll just point out two things:<br />
<br />
<br />
It
perpetuates the image that poverty stricken people live undignified
lives of squalor and need any handout they can get. "Those poor African
children don't even have shoes!" Um, Maybe they don't even want shoes.<br />
<br />
Generally, if you're really trying to help people
- giving money is better than giving stuff. Even if you're dead set on shoes, send money to buy them locally - it's cheaper and more efficient and the person you're trying to help can choose the stylee shoes she likes herself.<br />
<br />
The issues and debates are long and complicated (and really interesting!), so I encourage you to look around Sandra's Good Intents site, as well as <a href="http://goodintents.org/in-kind-donations/a-day-without-dignity">the other blog posts participating in this campaign.</a><br />
<br />
It is sexy to give in these "trying times" of earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, floods, epidemics, civil wars, revolutions, ongoing conflicts etc. So do. But also have a good conversation over dinner about it. Disagree with me. With whoever. Just ask questions. And keep your damn shoes on.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Everybody get Footloose.</i></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-61278691014601067842011-02-20T14:39:00.001-05:002011-08-28T08:20:36.165-05:00The Seattle SevenWriting contest update time!<br />
<br />
For anyone new, last April or so I embarked on this adventure to enter 10 online writing contests. So far I have entered 6, and well it was Friday, but today I will report on number 7.<br />
<br />
So far, 7 contests entered, 0 won, but still waiting for results in 1.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Past Contests Summary: I'm a loser baby.</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/04/puttin-myself-out-there.html">Contest #1</a> was sponsored on <a href="http://www.helium.com/users/567341">Helium</a> and I did horribly. I should have done well, because it was a subject I know and love (water and sanitation), but I sucked. That's cool. I kept submitting things on Helium, and on subjects where I felt less passionately (like make up tips), I did quite well. The poetry is still doing crappily, but I have made about 20 bucks over the past 10 months. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/04/21-cents-and-poetry-contest.html">Contest #2</a> was an annual poetry contest to raise awareness about land mines sponsored by <a href="http://www.poeticrepublic.com/">Poetic Republic</a>. Well, I didn't win that one either. The same poet as the year before won again. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/05/numba-3.html">Contest #3</a> was also a poetry contest, called <a href="http://www.bestnewpoets.org/">Best New Poets</a>, and is highly competitive. I didn't have a chance, but it was fun anyway.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_366378204"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/06/4-for-score.html">Contest #4</a> was another contest sponsored by Helium, in which the articles compete to be purchased by some magazine looking for articles about "Garden Gifts for Dad this Father's Day". I didn't win,<a href="http://www.helium.com/knowledge/369695-garden-gifts-for-dad-this-fathers-day"> but I wasn't last</a>. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/07/back-to-backsides.html">Contest #5</a> was simply a poem submitted for publication to <a href="http://isreads.com/">ISREADS</a>, a literary magazine that publishes their stuff outside - like on light posts or supermarket carts. I thought it was a cool idea. This is the only contest to which I do not have my response. I have followed up with them, but to no avail, and they have not published another issue yet... so I await.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/10/save-cheerleader.html">Contest #6</a> is one I made up to compete with myself to see if I could double the maximum number of hits to this blog in one day. I didn't win. Although I did get a maximum number of hits in one day, I didn't double my previous record. It made for <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/10/tao-of-water.html">one of my favorite blog posts</a>. I did this post as part of <a href="http://blogactionday.change.org/">Blog Action Day</a>, which in itself was fun to participate in as well.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
New Contest #7 Summary: Best of what's around.</div>
<br />
I entered contest #7 on Friday, and by far the most fun I have had during this adventure! It was on a site called <a href="http://www.wordsundone.com/">Words Undone</a>, which is a small online writing group which I am quite liking. You have to be a member to view the forums, which is good because then submitted work is simply critiqued, rather than published (like it is on Helium).<br />
<br />
The contest is something they call "Friday Flash" and it goes something like this: There is a prompt. You have 24 hours (but I figure you should do it as quick as you can, I took about an hour). Then members vote for their favorite and give feedback on all the pieces submitted. There were 8 submissions and 10 people voted.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: small;">"The following prompts can be combined or used individually as required<br /><i class="bbc"> </i></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><i class="bbc">Suggested words</i>:<b class="bbc"> Burn, Trees, Lips, White</b><i class="bbc"><br />
Or use one of the following titles:</i><b class="bbc"> Power Supply, My Favourite Place</b><i class="bbc"><br />
Or include any of the following phrases:</i><b class="bbc"> The cupboard was bare, Wish I’d thought of that, I found this lying around<br />
</b><br />
Maximum of 500 words</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Submissions to be posted by midnight Friday. Once all submissions are
in, the thread is open for comments and voting. Winners are proposed to
Lorraine for inclusion in the next WU Magazine."</span></i>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I got 1 vote (Yay! the winner got 3), and some great feedback! Here is my non-winning entry, although I revised it only slightly according to the feedback given (specifically, the beard was "golden", as in the King Tut mask in my head, but someone thought I meant a blonde man and got confused). </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">* * * </span><b class="bbc"> </b></div>
[out to lunch]<br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ego Summary: Be here Now. </div>
<br />
Have to say that traffic to this site has increased. I have profited from the awareness about Egypt, it's place in this exciting region, and the fact that I have the good luck to be here now. I'll take it. Thanks to everyone sharing my link on Facebook and thanks to the Beaufort Gazette for a little more publicity (featured hometown girl blog).<br />
<br />
I have some ideas for upcoming posts: more on Egypt, Cairo, and life here, but also some rants on data, dorks, and dumbassery (stolen word).* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-86206543041440158542011-02-13T06:20:00.003-05:002011-02-13T07:04:33.552-05:00Magic Carpet RideAfter a serious bout with the much heralded aid-worker affliction of <a href="http://stuffexpataidworkerslike.com/2011/02/06/20-righteous-indignation/">righteous indignation</a>,
demonstrated in <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2011/02/revolution-9.html">my last post</a>, I will embrace my inner hypocrite and
tell you about my visit to Tahrir Square. In my defense (or how I have
satisfied my moral dissonance with "revolution tourism"), the Egyptian
people have already won their battle.<br />
<br />
In all
seriousness, it is one of the most amazing events I have ever witnessed,
up there with babies being born. Here is one of those iconic images I
took on my own camera (which yesterday I mocked).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDXweyZC4Jc65Zzicvm2ps3YDC90HoQH1nOzP9OGoK1to6ggM9GBJyTMfR8ZPHHryFCTCkQHUk-oi1_amyWUprCNwmQCb1TmMXuDZrLbiVl0aWVeszdNo3dZxfZ96kGWkvf33tsffuYxN/s1600/flags.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDXweyZC4Jc65Zzicvm2ps3YDC90HoQH1nOzP9OGoK1to6ggM9GBJyTMfR8ZPHHryFCTCkQHUk-oi1_amyWUprCNwmQCb1TmMXuDZrLbiVl0aWVeszdNo3dZxfZ96kGWkvf33tsffuYxN/s400/flags.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
Some
friends had gone down to Tahrir Square last night, just after the
president stepped down, handing power to the military. They had been on
the square during the protests for work, and they were really impressed
by the change in vibe. Before it was full of tension and edgy, after it
was full of joy and smooth.<br />
<br />
Saturday morning, I hopped
on the Metro and finally got out of Maadi. The ticket monitor dude sat
on his chair, looked at me and said "Welcome!" waving the laminated
Egyptian Flag hanging from his chest. I smiled and gave him a thumbs up.<br />
<br />
My
fellow metro riders were also headed downtown to Tahrir square. Many
people carried brooms and mops and buckets and plastic gloves. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
From
a balcony about 2 blocks from Tahrir square I checked out the traffic.
Not unusual in Cairo, but this time full of Egyptian flags waving out
the windows and the horns were a little better coordinated into<br />
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Beep Beep Beep.<br />
I was pretty overwhelmed, even from 2 blocks away. <br />
<br />
As we entered the fantastic fray, back at street level, black and red and white swarmed around me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
I
love hippies: old hippies, young hippettes, dirty hippies, but they
ain't got nothing on Egyptians today. The joy and good will felt on
Tahrir Square today was deep and genuine and unpretentious as I have
ever seen.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtLmpJXoMOKWMI6SSv9XtlZDb97Pma0538nnA6XtBbRK7zfDCCeVi0xATuoOqHlsSWyDiaq-kn6F9Yr_40Qpjn8xP3LtKKgQPlPPu7HIyHS3kAYjzV9P-oYtxnMLpVndNKPXExf67QQMe/s1600/sign2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtLmpJXoMOKWMI6SSv9XtlZDb97Pma0538nnA6XtBbRK7zfDCCeVi0xATuoOqHlsSWyDiaq-kn6F9Yr_40Qpjn8xP3LtKKgQPlPPu7HIyHS3kAYjzV9P-oYtxnMLpVndNKPXExf67QQMe/s400/sign2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Everyone
was cleaning as they had demonstrated. Everyone. Women, men, kids.
People passed out rubber gloves, garbage bags, brooms. Everyone
scrubbing off the words, trash already gone, even the dust that settled
on the pavement was swept into dustpans.<br />
<br />
If the same
happened in New York or Nairobi or even a hippy-filled field in
California, you would be left with a disgusting shit-filled mess with
trampled grass and flowers. Not here.<br />
<br />
The dignity and pride of this movement. It has been Civilized from start to finish, it seems.<br />
<br />
There
was violence, but very little and it was short lived. Many tried to
incite more, but that didn't work very well. Everyone expected more.
Each time there was a change, the media went on and on and on,
speculating about how it could break down, always surprised when it was
okay. Communication was completely blocked, but that too was short
lived. For the most part, the military respected the peoples legitimate
right to protest and the people respected the military. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
One
man brought his 3 young sons to Tahrir square on Saturday, maybe aged 6
to 11 or so, dressed in military uniform. He got a lot of smiles.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Z5j_gapEfDtCVZb2YTYsJ_W_dtZx20l919Cu63H80ePW-GOTrm-FnlA_7Wdrf-KAu1-264xE5AtGETK03Sf-s-NhJBcpy8YDMU4S4tz2_5JJA11qHsdUaivJmacDMxMHjJxhSqYeaJ45/s1600/cleaner.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Z5j_gapEfDtCVZb2YTYsJ_W_dtZx20l919Cu63H80ePW-GOTrm-FnlA_7Wdrf-KAu1-264xE5AtGETK03Sf-s-NhJBcpy8YDMU4S4tz2_5JJA11qHsdUaivJmacDMxMHjJxhSqYeaJ45/s320/cleaner.jpg" width="240" /></a>One
group of young man had a sign and chanted something like "With
Mubarak's money I can get afford to get married!" An old woman laughed
and joked with him. I imagined she said something like "You're still too
ugly to marry my daughter, ha ha ha", but really I have no idea what
she said.<br />
<br />
Dolled up young women, in their best head
scarves in the color of the flag, glamorous JLo sunglasses, shiny
shoes. Flirting with the boys wearing cleaned leather jackets.<br />
<br />
The
iconic images of this event were still there, like where a guy had
opened up the light post, connected his wires and with a multi-plug, 15
phones were charging at once. Youth on the square with thier laptops
out. More flip phones than I have ever seen.<br />
<br />
The
military men threw candy at the crowds. This reminded me of the Coast
Gaurd Santa Ship that would throw candy to the old dock on the island
where I used to live.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As
we walked among the back streets, off the square, we continuted to
think of Cautious Optimism. Businesses were opening. The streets were
being cleaned. People sat in plastic chairs drinking tea and smoking
sheesha.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The McDonalds, where on the 25th I had taken refuge when the riot police started marching, has been destroyed. I thought of the <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/09/indicators.html">McDonalds Indicator of civil strife mentioned in a previous post</a> and decided I would monitor the situation.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I
have talked to people a little. The nutritionist and trainer at my gym
are worried about the future. A businessman downstairs says he is
optimistic for the future. The people on Tahrir square don't seem to
have thought that far a head yet. </div>
<br />
Another side that I should share is that people have said
that yes, the president needed to change, but that the way he was forced
out lacked dignity, that he deserved more respect, that he had done a
lot for the country in the past. <br />
<br />
80 million people. 80 million perspectives. 80 million futures.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb4aPv7xu0d1r2J7i02uO7wJQKf2ILMfiky0EYvjuGCpdTD21kzSQcJpXvfYnp8hGG5TLRCJ_v66Mbg_N_7rBeyy5J0dNf9uYNR4NGZ120hUgcikj_JQcyeJ7SRjFEsHbVE9nutL4RVUo/s1600/head.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb4aPv7xu0d1r2J7i02uO7wJQKf2ILMfiky0EYvjuGCpdTD21kzSQcJpXvfYnp8hGG5TLRCJ_v66Mbg_N_7rBeyy5J0dNf9uYNR4NGZ120hUgcikj_JQcyeJ7SRjFEsHbVE9nutL4RVUo/s400/head.jpg" width="252" /></a>So there I was.<br />
So I was there. <br />
<br />
I am so lucky.<br />
<br />
To
the right you see, from back to front: burnt out NDP headquarters,
cranes in front of the museum, the crowd, veiled women, proud man,
sarcastic white woman.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
What lies a head will be interesting and exciting here. The region is on fire. I just hope it is good.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-62105769085943470102011-02-11T14:58:00.004-05:002011-02-13T01:28:45.065-05:00Revolution 9(I don't think John or Yoko will mind if I put their lyrics out of order... sort of their point wasn't it?)<br />
<br />
(Editorial note added after: Why is Revolution 9 more appropriate to this Egypt today than Revolution? The song Revolution is before the action, almost mocking it - but Revolution 9 is clearly after the action and dealing with the chaos and the pieces and the potential of change.)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqEf6qjx-PAyCl745pQtY5GEDeBjw0Dq6nfGh2oYBxTpp3SfxqCSWnOlLVMJ5LNGjkTk9fgaJxyTj3zSBkJirx-n-owvvhBG3hjO_mPtbxQFw3ql_UpD8ddnKKv84q-T0mVKppNt0UEAB/s1600/flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqEf6qjx-PAyCl745pQtY5GEDeBjw0Dq6nfGh2oYBxTpp3SfxqCSWnOlLVMJ5LNGjkTk9fgaJxyTj3zSBkJirx-n-owvvhBG3hjO_mPtbxQFw3ql_UpD8ddnKKv84q-T0mVKppNt0UEAB/s200/flag.jpg" width="118" /></a><style>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Take this, brother, may it serve you well</i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>
Maybe it's nothing </i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>
What, what oh... </i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>
Maybe, even then, impervious in <strike>London</strike> [Cairo] </i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>
...Could be difficult thing...</i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>
It's quick like rush for peace because it's so much </i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>
Like being naked </i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright </i></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">
<br />
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
<br />
The incessant horns of traffic have been tuned into an anthem for today. The conductor is blind and invisible. Two long and three short blasts.<br />
Beeeeeeep Beeeeeeeep Beep Beep Beep<br />
<br />
I am privledge to have witnessed this event. And not from my balcony, but from street level.<br />
<br />
I met a friend at the metro station and we walked to a cafe to have a sheesha and a tea. We chatted over the loud television about the media, about how people want to go back to normal, about how incredible it is. We watched people walk by. There was a quick address, in arabic, so we kept talking - then everyone cheered. We asked for a quick translation.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFBxkYePH2Ce2YqWlTghxg8FAJIIPpg_qGAhASRoCzWPZmiYQjQoblqOYVrXnYyWNrGeqe_NsHRfixnB75Agn8b2qQuChXstP-UcM6WdcQPBPa3X4wj_2VEeGPA6NtDf1r2TR8cR9vvq3/s1600/graphiti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFBxkYePH2Ce2YqWlTghxg8FAJIIPpg_qGAhASRoCzWPZmiYQjQoblqOYVrXnYyWNrGeqe_NsHRfixnB75Agn8b2qQuChXstP-UcM6WdcQPBPa3X4wj_2VEeGPA6NtDf1r2TR8cR9vvq3/s400/graphiti.jpg" width="195" /></a>"He left."<br />
"He is no longer president?"<br />
"Yes. The army." <br />
<br />
Firecrackers, I say. My friend thinks it's celebratory gun fire next door. We will never know, but celebratory it is indeed. That's when the cars started honking, rolling by. Where their Egyptian flags had been stuck in windows, they were now being waved by youth hanging out of moving cars.<br />
<br />
I walk the 20 minutes back home, the<br />
Beeeeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeeeep Beep Beep Beep continues with flags and cheers, punctual but repeated.<br />
<br />
At the small roundabout just after the train track, for the first time I have ever seen, the fountain was flowing and lighted. I jump and laugh at myself as a young man throws fireworks in the air.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But what now? Wow, this will be interesting.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We are smiling large pumpkin grins with a shadow of </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cautious Optimism. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is not Africa, we say. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Tongue in cheek, but it's true.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
</i><style>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>There was not really enough light to get down,<br />
And ultimately (...) Slumped down <br />
Suddenly... <br />
They may stop the funding... <br />
Place your bets<br />
The original <br />
Afraid she'll die (...) <br />
Great colours for the season <br /> </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Number nine, number nine </i><br />
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * </div>
<br />
So, I will update quite a bit in the next few days.<br />
Until then, please check out <a href="http://www.martyriemer.com/02-08-2011-marty-riemer-show-podcast/">this interview of me</a> on a Seattle rogue podcast show (<a href="http://www.martyriemer.com/">The Marty Riemer Show)</a>. He wanted to talk to me about Egypt, about what the people are saying. I didn't really want to talk about what Egyptians are saying. I guess I see his point of view, it IS interesting, but they are saying it themselves and I thought asking me was sorta lazy. After the interview I wrote him an email, but I don't think he mentioned it on later shows. That's fine, I still dig him and his show. Check him out if you are from the area.<br />
<br />
Here's a sorta wordy excerpt of my sorta wordy email: <br />
<br />
"Howdy Yaz, Marty et al.<br />
<br />
It is a really romantic idea to go join the protests here in Cairo, (to get out as you said... )<br />
to go collect some iconic pictures on my own camera, <br />
to
be one with the people, to make history, and to yell<br />
"Viva la
revolution!" (preferably in a sweet spanish accent)<br />
or "Down with zee
facists!" (preferably in a sweet french accent).<br />
<br />
But it is actually a stupid, not a romantic, idea for me to do that. <br />
<br />
Foreigners
like me have nothing to offer these protests: it is theirs and should
remain by and for Egyptians. It is not my place. In fact, by
participating I could undermine their message. By trying to interpret
their message I could also undermine it. Their message is getting out by
"real journalists" and by their own voices (esp. online), i.e. not by
me. <br />
By the way- you can get an Al Jazeera English app for your smart phone
that streams it live (... and if THAT is not available from Comcast,
then maybe our own government should be over thrown... ha ha ha.)<br />
<br />
Sorry,
I know there are a lot of activists and politically active people out
there (a lot of them are my friends and probably your listeners) ... It
is good, important and there is a place for that sort of activism. But
it is not my style, nor appropriate here. You see, I find it a bit
pretentious when privileged white people pretend to "feel the pain" of
the less fortunate. I am a privledged white person and I try not to
pretend to be anything else. We all want to help people (usually for
selfish reasons, in fact, but that's another debate) but sometimes,<br />
the
best way to help someone is NOT by protesting with them<br />
and NOT by
running down to watch them for our own entertainment and awe,<br />
but by
doing nothing.<br />
<br />
In Cairo, they don't have any need for me (a privileged, sarcastic,
white lady) right now and THAT is exactly what makes these events so
powerful and extraordinary - even for my fruit dude.<br />
<br />
Take care and I'll keep listening. Love your show. <br />
Maybe after this settles down, I'll have another perspective (a real
one) to show you... if you like. I haven't made it to the pyramids yet,
but I heard they smell like piss."<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Number nine, number nine <br />
Who's to know? <br />
Who was to know?<br />
Number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine <br />
Number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine <br />
Number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine <br />
I sustained nothing worse than (...) </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>* * *</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Beeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Beep Beep Beep</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
has replaced the gunfire that started this and it sounds like cautious optimism. </div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-43899278360872420852011-02-03T10:21:00.003-05:002011-02-03T10:24:21.836-05:00Blinded by the nightthere is no sand storm<br />
despite yellow stained rays<br />
creeping up the side of shaky skyscrapers<br />
leaning on poorly built lintels <br />
cracked re-bar exposed<br />
under thick un-mortered walls<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
So, in the last post I didn't say it explicitly. But here we are, I must... <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/09/indicators.html">Heisenberg and Bias</a>. Check out the old post, if you haven't yet or if you are new.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
Last night was really incredible. Of course I mention how peaceful it has been, and then it explodes. Do I keep my mouth shut now?<br />
<br />
I will not speculate on Why or How or Motivations or Timings of the clashes. I admit that my view of Tahrir square is from 10 km away.<br />
<br />
The pro-government protesters approached the square where the anti-government protesters have been for the past week. They charged on foot, on horseback, on camels. A lot of things were thrown by both sides, rocks, sticks, "gas bombs" or molitov cocktails. The front between the two groups shifted back and forth, back and forth as they pushed each other. It was impossible to tell who was who. People got onto roofs. Throwing off chairs and other things. <br />
<br />
There was a line of 3 trucks that had no drivers. They were used as a front line, a shield for both sides. They were pushed and moved as the tide of the line moved back and forth.<br />
<br />
But that was last night... today is today... now is now... and when you are reading this it will be later. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioI_oLFak6OoN6nGEbOHd7Y3_YmbcnjtsSk56OJhlTTfOekRrdI21AuGaU0XcLLNhz_CHVlEIsffOW0V8n0KWpVzQQcXYmmDtLg1QPk0O5cHekzWveLBSiLi08ydhGVy2ayt47fS_ly53P/s1600/poem2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioI_oLFak6OoN6nGEbOHd7Y3_YmbcnjtsSk56OJhlTTfOekRrdI21AuGaU0XcLLNhz_CHVlEIsffOW0V8n0KWpVzQQcXYmmDtLg1QPk0O5cHekzWveLBSiLi08ydhGVy2ayt47fS_ly53P/s200/poem2.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
Reputable news agencies in this end of the world keep asking leading questions. Interviewing one side only. Using inflammatory language.<br />
<br />
There are 80 million people in this country and probably 80 million sides. I guess they can't get to everybody, but maybe more than one would be nice.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
* * *</div>
<br />
Ego
update: Lots of hits on this here humble blog in the past few days.
Leave me some comments here! I would love to hear what you like and
don't like.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-44866201199850619742011-02-01T19:03:00.005-05:002011-02-03T08:49:20.312-05:00Pollution Revolution<i>“There is a fine line between freedom and chaos,”</i> the president said.<br />
<br />
I promised first impressions of Cairo. Well, it is an interesting time to get some first impressions. It has been a week since the protest started and I am fascinated. I am also frustrated because I am not working, I am not out there and I have to stay indoors a lot.<br />
<br />
Adoring <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/">Robert Fisk</a> does not make me an expert on the Middle East.<br />
This post is not about the region or the politics itself, just my observations.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Backdrop</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrbHqUxOsu9KMoS85DF1gaeNHvCqbECgRwE9_QP00H_5W2Kd7MTij1RBUDMmMJvrG2fZdu4RDwrKpp4-FDK3l-2KVEdjOit7_PTvBxVhN8lDNd_45qRpfgbQ189VwAn5JTNBxct9p__00/s1600/toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrbHqUxOsu9KMoS85DF1gaeNHvCqbECgRwE9_QP00H_5W2Kd7MTij1RBUDMmMJvrG2fZdu4RDwrKpp4-FDK3l-2KVEdjOit7_PTvBxVhN8lDNd_45qRpfgbQ189VwAn5JTNBxct9p__00/s320/toilet.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>
I was going to write about the civilized pollution of 20 million people in the air, in the river, blowing noise in your ears. Street exhaust turns my snot black, yet this city noticeably lacks the scent of piss. A blue toilet ended up on the bank of the Nile, but I have not seen a single turd. Under the eerie orange tinted sun, like a solar eclipse, the never ending din of traffic horns is maddening.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErA9dN39cg19V1typbH1SQNrOIBdV-sJafMcXBeNaJlrd03q0iZdR2Dth1wO60FyVoPimzxm6ziD5ODp0jUa9KPy-bshCl8lToYv6gQRsea3EPRu8VI7peHYBir-rhCj3-3QwnZEoE0my/s1600/corniche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErA9dN39cg19V1typbH1SQNrOIBdV-sJafMcXBeNaJlrd03q0iZdR2Dth1wO60FyVoPimzxm6ziD5ODp0jUa9KPy-bshCl8lToYv6gQRsea3EPRu8VI7peHYBir-rhCj3-3QwnZEoE0my/s320/corniche.jpg" width="170" /></a>I was going to write about the pulse of 20 million people. I walked upstream, south along the corniche, passing resters on benches along the Nile under shade trees. I visited some old churches like a tourist. I wandered through tiny streets filled with baby goats where the dust is packed neatly by old women (still a foreigner, but less of a tourist). I went to the movies at a shiny mall and saw “6 7 8”, a new Egyptian masterpiece about another type of revolution.<br />
<br />
I was going to write about how I like this city, but it seems that this here revolution could be more interesting.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Timeline</div>
<br />
The work week in Egypt is Sunday to Thursday. Sunday and Monday were calm and were spent moving into our new apartment.<br />
<br />
Tuesday was Police Day and the day it started; a holiday for the country, a day off from work for all, but protests ensued and so the police did not get their day off.<br />
<br />
Wednesday I went into town to register for a continuing studies class in Arabic at the American University. Riot police blocked several streets and intersections; it was calm, but tense and they didn’t bother me. I found the metro station on the main square (Tahrir Square) was closed, so I walked south about 10 minutes to the next station and went home.<br />
<br />
Thursday, protests continued downtown. I stayed out of the way and successfully explored my new semi-suburban neighbourhood.<br />
<br />
Friday was my wedding anniversary. Mario and I had planned a romantic dinner along the Nile. Friday was named the Day of Rage (or Anger ... lost in translation) because the people had planned mass protests after Friday prayers.<br />
<br />
Friday evolved somehow sublime, slow and sneaky; filtered by 10 km of city between our suburb and downtown, filtered by our suburban expatriate sphere, filtered by the television.<br />
The cell phone network went down.<br />
Then the internet, but not the land-line.<br />
Then we tried the sat phone and it was jammed.<br />
Then a curfew was imposed across the country, announced at 5:30 pm and started at 6:00.<br />
The vegetable seller sold me sweet potatoes, and as usual tried to push his broccoli, while he rushed me out and complained that because of the government he had to close his shop without proper cleaning. He would see me tomorrow, Insh’allah.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
In the midst of this turmoil, protest, uprising, infatada, revolution - whatever you want to call it - Cairo is colourful, exciting, moving and incredible to observe.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7lilyeHQoenxP67mn_wDi4mzoX6_Vnav7Y6ZvzihG9QyIlt8mVYiZbJTyYLx5XELflXPKmpDXUYuOxf7oA0vu5GdPRePc7BhzON3KzKC7SLno0MPqfTvDt3OEf6aUrh8XxXIsE5PzkrG/s1600/west2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7lilyeHQoenxP67mn_wDi4mzoX6_Vnav7Y6ZvzihG9QyIlt8mVYiZbJTyYLx5XELflXPKmpDXUYuOxf7oA0vu5GdPRePc7BhzON3KzKC7SLno0MPqfTvDt3OEf6aUrh8XxXIsE5PzkrG/s400/west2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
* * *</div>
<br />
Since last Friday, January 28th, the situation changes quickly, yet a steady rhythm has developed in the turmoil: in the movements of people, in the news, in the sounds of gunfire. The rhythm is somehow correlated to the curfew.<br />
<br />
The curfew ends at 8 in the morning. As the week has progressed the curfew start time has been moved up from 6 pm to 4 pm, and yesterday to 3 pm.<br />
<br />
When the curfew lifts, people start moving for the day. The first days everyone rushed the markets, stocking up and sounding a little confused; yesterday the streets were full of expatriates waiting on the corner for taxis with piles of luggage to get out; today the gym is open, banks are still closed and foreigners know if they are leaving or staying.<br />
<br />
When the curfew starts the city shifts. People head home, but once you are in your own neighbourhood you can be outside freely. The neighbourhood men put back up their blockades, drag their sticks on the pavement clang, clang, clang; start their fires, put on the teapot for the nightlong watch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLRLm1rFZG3dK5oPOPqSHhNdqN-Uv5JH3vhTSTSZqCsRX9oCaQVuCehrnjHItqCfUKQF-k4hXlMb_E3Eg8-BHXAXGuFIa7HJzyLW7mZIDA9m50f7aipVl9IlUa4PcUF5_91DxzDnl2KC8/s1600/barrage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLRLm1rFZG3dK5oPOPqSHhNdqN-Uv5JH3vhTSTSZqCsRX9oCaQVuCehrnjHItqCfUKQF-k4hXlMb_E3Eg8-BHXAXGuFIa7HJzyLW7mZIDA9m50f7aipVl9IlUa4PcUF5_91DxzDnl2KC8/s400/barrage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
During the first days, I was glued to the news constantly flipping between channels because it changed rapidly (Mario translating the Arabic channels). A week on, most of the exciting news is broadcast when the curfew starts until about 9 pm. Al Jazeera had their Cairo offices shut down, some of their reporters arrested (who have since been released) and cameras confiscated, and so their coverage has become a bit more sporadic and less deep.<br />
<br />
During the first days, there was little or no gunfire in my neighbourhood at all. Then some throughout the night and then a lot throughout the night. Yesterday, there was less throughout the night but more during the day. Last night was quiet, as is this morning. It is not a civil war, not people shooting at each other, per se. It seems to be people shooting in the air as warnings. At first it was smaller arms, then a bit of automatic fire.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
The most iconic scene has been of the crowds of protesters at prayer time. A chaotic mass of people organically arranges itself in neat lines facing Mecca, all the while standing and kneeling in unison.<br />
<br />
But don’t misinterpret the image. These are not religious protests; it is simply that the majority of people in Egypt are Muslim, so they pray as such and do not miss a call.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
In my opinion, the lack of violence so far is astonishing. Yes: tear gas was fired, people have looted, people have been shot, people have been beaten. Not to minimize that, but it is a lot less than it could have been.<br />
<br />
During the first days (when the riot police were present) were the worst so far in terms of violence - a dangerous, impulsive, edgy energy prevailed - but even then, the riot police did stop hitting when the protesters retreated.<br />
<br />
The police disappeared after the first days. The army has been a constant presence.<br />
<br />
The interactions of the army and the protesters is amazing. Tanks are everywhere downtown, they come and go, but the protesters and people welcome them. The tank drivers don’t fire on the people and respect their legitimate <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">“</span>right to protest”. There are official statements by the state as to this. There are slogans spray painted on the tanks. The tank drivers and protesters shake hands.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvlOtQQxH_7s5Y8-J3hCe1_gDAtLxMpAeR5-tpFXO69SXPCA82z5ANDGDxLx9hBXkBbfZz8LDsxk9nyzs_BjQxNkplu5ZccyR03wlCYhNBnfLg59SCFXHplkgyjdFVpPAzJ6q-Wv6eO7X/s1600/east2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvlOtQQxH_7s5Y8-J3hCe1_gDAtLxMpAeR5-tpFXO69SXPCA82z5ANDGDxLx9hBXkBbfZz8LDsxk9nyzs_BjQxNkplu5ZccyR03wlCYhNBnfLg59SCFXHplkgyjdFVpPAzJ6q-Wv6eO7X/s320/east2.jpg" width="154" /></a>The ruling party’s headquarters were set on fire, next door to the famous Museum of Antiquities. In the beginning, protesters joined hands around the museum to protect it from the fire and looters until the army arrived.<br />
<br />
Preserving order and protecting private property in light of chaos has fallen upon the people somewhat. Neighbourhoods have set up “vigilante groups” - a bad translation I think - they are more like a very active neighbourhood watch. Each night they stand guard with sticks, metal rods and some guns. Looking down my long street I can see about 6 stations, where the men have pulled concrete blocks into the road, moved the garbage cans into the street. Cars cannot pass. Walking people, like myself, are not hindered. (Although I have to admit, I live in a nice neighbourhood.)<br />
<br />
“Vigilante groups” are not the same a “thugs”. The deciphered Arabic to English vocabulary of Egypt is delightful, fascinating and surprising sometimes.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
It is important to understand that there are several types of security forces. As far as I can gather, the police are under the Ministry of the Interior and the military is separate (Ministry of Defence?). Both command a certain kind of respect: The police are feared, and the military is revered.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
One of the first interviews I saw was with a young woman from the American University in Cairo. She came across as cold, but informed and clear headed. When asked to describe the street scenes, she said something like <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">“</span>Today, in the streets I saw more blood than I have ever seen. More than in the movies<b>.</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">”</span> And she smiled.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
When it is in front of you, it is easy to see the difference between reality and what is in the media. I am not a skeptic, but I am skeptical.<br />
<br />
Sensational sexy stories sell: Camera angles make crowds look bigger. The most graphic images are played and re-played. The most violent quotes are iterated and re-iterated. The most shocking stories are told and re-told.<br />
<br />
Control can check conception: Images and facts can also be manipulated to minimize the situation. Numbers and can be misconstrued or can be absolute lies propagated on purpose. Images of streets with no crowds<br />
present can also be played and re-played.<br />
<br />
It is not black and white. And it is not simple. The scene is always shifting greys, with colours fading in and out depending on the angle from which you view the scene (or the quality of your webcam). Each exaggeration or downplay is based on reality, or rather someone’s vision of reality, or rather what was once reality.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
There are some journalists who give and command respect; who are rational and neutral in their use of language, tone and facts. There are also some journalists who employ 'Jerry Springer' style reporting (and indeed they are on reputable stations, during non-editorial shows). They are on both sides.<br />
They threaten the integrity of the action and seem to want to incite violence and anger and emotions.<br />
And they make me sick.<br />
<br />
As the government has been dissolved and ministers step down, some reporters have used the word <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">“</span>defect<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">”</span> instead of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">“</span>resign<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">”.</span><br />
<br />
A woman interviewing a government representative interrupted him at least 5 times, never let him finish a sentence and screamed at him. “... these are not mobs. Men, women and children.”<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
I don’t have photos of the protests for this post. I am neither a journalist rushing for a story, nor a foolish idealist who thinks my presence is needed to enhance the voice of the Egyptian people. I have simply observed them from walks in calm areas, from my balcony and rooftop, through television and through conversations.<br />
<br />
Now people are talking about economics. Stock market closed. More practically, banks are closed and ATMs are out of money.<br />
<br />
As I write this, there is a stand off. No one is moving on either side. What’s next?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
At the top of this blog, you will find a favourite quote of mine, which in context has nothing to do with Egypt, but out of context can be appropriate today.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-45149891111661017652011-01-21T14:18:00.009-05:002011-01-22T07:46:26.790-05:00Tourist talesIt's been a while, I know. I've been on vacation and have now emptied my brain of all things.<br />
Time to fill it back up.<br />
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* * *</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I started this "<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/04/puttin-myself-out-there.html">10 writing contest adventure</a>" back in April last year. I have entered 6 so far, again - no wins and waiting on 1 result. I will try to at least enter the last 4 before this April. Look for that coming up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvwrIHoblAkIEA1Zs5Czp_Ydw8X7Kyp7d2lSSbp1nImgkYXcReEpVtdWaqy79Bhc9x9JePZw2FMaqqUvASB_FYDrhJiqrKDdCF9XJ2tmNOy6ce8ZyevRgLVzPwjWS1ElOiDVXSsvw_0u3/s1600/wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvwrIHoblAkIEA1Zs5Czp_Ydw8X7Kyp7d2lSSbp1nImgkYXcReEpVtdWaqy79Bhc9x9JePZw2FMaqqUvASB_FYDrhJiqrKDdCF9XJ2tmNOy6ce8ZyevRgLVzPwjWS1ElOiDVXSsvw_0u3/s320/wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
Two perspectives of malaria.<br />
<br />
I have had malaria twice while working: first time in DR Congo, second time in Kenya. The routine when you are in the bush is to find someone to look at a blood slide, get some meds and rest (no big deal). Malaria fevers come in cycles. Mornings are clear, afternoons wreck you- so in Congo I would go to work in the morning, then go home in the afternoon and cry about my crazy sick malaria induced nightmares and headaches. Total cost: 10$ maximum.<br />
<br />
The third time I had malaria, I was on vacation: I was 4 days back to "the homeland" from Haiti this past November. In the great United States, malaria was deemed "a life threatening condition". Emergency room, ICU, specialist infectious disease doctors, CDC reports, more doctors and visits from students. Monitors of all sorts of vital signs, IVs, worries about my low blood pressure, but never enough pain meds to eliminate the incredible headaches. Total cost: 36,000$ minimum.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
Next leg of the vacation was Syria for Christmas time (and a weekend in Beirut, Lebanon). I was somehow surprised, and somehow not surprised, to find that Christmas in the Middle East is just as commercialized and tacky as it is in the states. Almost identical. Neighborhoods where neighbors compete with extreme lights displays. Sales. Carols in the malls. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBu9hp5a5oCnTDe-347yWHDwV93dYjNXpt_SqfQ06bsewA0hVG0H4I7zZlLx2RK1eGV3iAhQklqhG4Sek2ayw-72ceL-nXE09wnqi926OYWCNxIeeGyBKr0wGoLuNPpsnx-vqOZ3lLo3bE/s1600/40yrs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBu9hp5a5oCnTDe-347yWHDwV93dYjNXpt_SqfQ06bsewA0hVG0H4I7zZlLx2RK1eGV3iAhQklqhG4Sek2ayw-72ceL-nXE09wnqi926OYWCNxIeeGyBKr0wGoLuNPpsnx-vqOZ3lLo3bE/s320/40yrs.jpg" width="240" /></a>Mario and his family were superb hosts to this intrepid in-law-come-tourist. We visited many stark, dusty, open, sunny, quiet, old sites... St. Simion church where a man stood on the pillar for 40 years and today rests an obilisk, the Citadel in Aleppo, Ain Dara site, Rasafa and Jabbar castle on a pristine lake. I guess because of the season, there was no one around.<br />
<br />
It was as if all these ancient walls, rooms, stables, churches, mosques existed only for me to crawl around in. Mario was a good sport and waited patiently while his wife turned into a kid crawling down, down into water cisterns and up, up onto falling down walls where I thought the slight wind might blow me over.<br />
<br />
Driving to and from such sites gave another view of Syria. Not the upper middle class apartments and Christmas lights. Not the ancient antiquities and tourists sites. Mud houses, nomadic tents of farm workers, bright clothes on the lines, black dirty workshops tucked into a tiny unfinished room, bus stops with tiny shade. Men working, drinking tea. Stooped women in heavy clothes. Boys collecting sticks. Girls collecting water on their backs, with donkeys. Agriculture. Rain fed. Irrigation- unlined canals, lined canals built parabolas leveled just so, weirs, gates, control valves, drip systems, boreholes, rotating sprays like Nebraska. <br />
<br />
<br />
Syria is under drought.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJMqb5hB17bhWNQhXAdyUZl7MTSvyaKvZn0BYQOgGnIR2c0rHqksRtyxlh7f7_HsDD3Ffw6WwCm81-LBpbIEbg0W3GRRg_GoHdUO5sX-tj3NJOwN6jd8iyF1JdOZW25jzxaogFtoelYT7/s1600/cistern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJMqb5hB17bhWNQhXAdyUZl7MTSvyaKvZn0BYQOgGnIR2c0rHqksRtyxlh7f7_HsDD3Ffw6WwCm81-LBpbIEbg0W3GRRg_GoHdUO5sX-tj3NJOwN6jd8iyF1JdOZW25jzxaogFtoelYT7/s200/cistern.jpg" width="193" /></a>Like Kenya. Like Afghanistan.<br />
While others are under water.<br />
<br />
To the right is me in a huge water cistern. Long ago it was filled with rain water, collected runoff in a desert in northern Syria. While differing in construction and style from those in northern Kenya, it is basically the same thing as what is called a birkad in Somali.<br />
<br />
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* * *</div>
<br />
Then the great return to Kenya for 2 weeks. A week at the beach. Few days in the mountains. Our old haunts. Saw lots of wonderful friends.<br />
<br />
Driving in from the airport to town, some things seemed to have changed. Some roads were repaired. A new overpass and bridge was under construction. Many new apartment buildings going up too quickly to be built to code. The slums are so big, you don't notice they grow.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLxu2iY7qlVqVTSciWnRsR8yAivdg9I2y2YpJkkCY52Ehc72WEvPvqlH6LMxQXdCpDiRQlv2Nhw-dzMbt4Tzbj6KgdtXzwBTFAdofWKvmO_nLEnFjOIdZcHSNtm7nv0YtsKk-qd2d4lyV/s1600/keystone+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLxu2iY7qlVqVTSciWnRsR8yAivdg9I2y2YpJkkCY52Ehc72WEvPvqlH6LMxQXdCpDiRQlv2Nhw-dzMbt4Tzbj6KgdtXzwBTFAdofWKvmO_nLEnFjOIdZcHSNtm7nv0YtsKk-qd2d4lyV/s320/keystone+2.jpg" width="143" /></a>Reading the paper, nothing seemed to have changed. The International Criminal Court has publicly named 6 politicians for inciting the last bout of ethnic violence associated with the 2007 elections (<a href="http://www.trayle.org/2008/03/kenya-quickie.html">see post from 2008</a>). The unity government promptly dedicated millions to defending them and is on a major campaign to keep the 6 in Kenya for trial. Meanwhile, the northern areas of the country is being thrashed by more (repeated without recovery) drought, animals and livelihoods dying, people are threatened by lack of food and water, while the farmers in the bread basket area of the country have ruined crops.<br />
<br />
It isn't as simple as one paragraph. Or even two.<br />
It never is.<br />
<br />
Unemployed men still seek out small shadows under trees, bushes, skinny lamp posts on every median, every corner, every small park in which to curl and hide from sun and sons and wives during hot afternoons spent waiting. <br />
<br />
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* * *</div>
<br />
Next up, first impressions of my new home, Cairo.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-34123400065050529502010-11-25T22:56:00.003-05:002011-09-24T04:27:09.791-05:00I me mineHaving perspective and having a perspective are two different things. <br />
<br />
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* * *</div>
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<i>All thru' the day I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.<br />
All thru' the night I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.</i></div>
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* * *</div>
<br />
Last night, the BBC criticized the UN's coordination of the humanitarian response to cholera outbreak in Haiti. I told my dad, that was my job. I am not a defensive person, I didn't take it personally (I am a small person in a big machine), I know we worked our asses off. I have my criticisms too.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
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<i>
Now they're frightened of leaving it<br />
Ev'ryone's weaving it,<br />
Coming on strong all the time,<br />
All thru' the day I me mine.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i><br />
<i> I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i><i> </i><i> </i><i> </i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
George was the genius. Taking us deftly from a sweet
waltz to hard riffs and screaming, imposing his rock upon the listener.<br />
Just to make his point.<br />
It's his song.<br />
<br />
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<i>* * * </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>All I can hear I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.<br />Even those tears I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>* * * </i></div>
<br />
When I returned from Haiti, I sat in the Maimi airport thinking of how selfish everyone else in the world was. Wanting to see Haiti still on the news, more than the same false numbers updating on the CNN ticker. I wanted everyone around me to care. To know the lack of dignity that is cholera. The lack of shit pits. The lack of body bags. I wanted them all to care. And they didn't.<br />
And I become a cliche bleeding heart aid worker who lost perspective. And I went from tears to giggles, regaining a little perspective upon my own selfishness.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>* * *</i></div>
<div align="center">
<i>No-one's frightened of playing it<br />Ev'ryone's saying it,<br />Flowing more freely than wine,<br />All thru' your life I me mine.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
My job in Haiti was coordination... meetings, meetings, meetings. Each person in each coordination meeting had their agenda. Their message. They become characters in a sitcom. Each had their role to play. The roles developed.<br />
Rooms of strangers became strangely predictable.<br />
Me too, just like everyone. I, sometimes deftly, sometimes clumsily, eventually sounded like a broken record. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I, I, Me, Me, Mine</i><i> </i><i> </i><i> </i> </div>
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* * * </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
My perspective ain't no better than yours, unless I am right and you are wrong, which seems to be the case, from my perspective.<br />
<br />
And that is precisely why a perspective is useless, but perspective is invaluable.* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-63162277225058448222010-11-15T00:39:00.005-05:002011-09-24T04:27:47.732-05:00How many days?I was taking time to comment on writing, on water.<br />
On rubble and iron bar.<br />
On this country.<br />
Today,<br />
I can't tell you what is happening anymore<br />
because it changes too quickly<br />
because I don't have enough perspective<br />
because anything I say will come out as<br />
sentimental<br />
sinical<br />
or <br />
desperate.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<br />
You know my thoughts on <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/09/indicators.html">data and numbers and indicators</a>. <br />
Read the papers about the cholera in Haiti, but remember bias and Heisenberg.<br />
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<br /></div>
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* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Context is everything.<br />
<br />
I was enjoying the sourth in Leogane in Peitit Goave, under the mango tree. Getting the maps in order. Staying out of Port au Prince. During a completely failed meeting I was chairing, I got a call and left within two hours and was in the Artibonite region to respond to the cholera outbreak. Not a warm welcome.<br />
<br />
Cholera is not a nice thing. You have to be ahead of the curve. Especially when it's unknown.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-33565525898923332932010-10-17T09:47:00.004-05:002011-09-24T04:28:19.358-05:00Final reportAlright then. Fine. Contest #6 was invented by me, therefore the results come quickly. <br />
<br />
The short answer: I lost. <br />
After a project is implemented, a final report is written. That will be the long answer.<br />
<br />
Total contest tally: 0/5, awaiting the results of submission #5. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Final Report</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Project Title: Emergency support to vulnerable egos affected by the writing contest drought</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Trayle, 17 October 2010</div>
<br />
Overall Purpose: To contribute to my own happiness by having some fun writing<br />
<br />
Achievements: Significant improvements in happiness and fun are evident within the target population. Ongoing, qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation exercises continue to demonstrate an improved level of autonomy, ego-satisfaction and humor. The style of the blog in question has improved and focused, comments are increasing and the audience is becoming wider. The Technorati Authority of this blog has increased from 1 to 110, although the Google rating remains at 0. This shows minor improvements, but is also evidence that long term investment is needed to have an impact upon the overall purpose.<br />
<br />
Specific Objective: To "win" at least one of these damn "contests"<br />
<br />
Achievements: Although the specific objective for the current project was not yet achieved (see discussion on indicators), it is part of a wider, integrated approach of 10 coordinated efforts from various sources. The 15th of October 2010 indeed had the highest number of visitors in the history of the blog (59 total).<br />
<br />
Objectively Verifiable Indicator: The number of visits to this blog on Blog Action Day (October 15, 2010) will be twice the maximum number of visits on any other day (baseline value: 45 visits). <br />
<br />
Means of Verification: Google Analytics<br />
<br />
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Achievements: Google Analytics showed 59 visits during the project implementation period, an improvement of 31% from the baseline, and the highest number of visitors ever in one day. It is hypothesized that seasonal effects impacted baseline value of the indicator (see graph for long term seasonal variations). It should be noted that the baseline measurement was made on 7th of September, after two significant changes in status of the direct beneficiary population (moved to Haiti and got a new domain name) and thus the baseline value is artificially high (high interest season, new domain testing hits). Long term averages show about 9 visits per day, and thus 59 visits in one day is an excellent improvement (555% above the long term average). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCNHNXHtmSjRU4xOd0tEy0uodX6cGfI3_UuVY27R1csjuZzFn2zWC_zRke_YSxeUNFvOZQGxU95dZYIDxpHMkQgXKeeLl6Ecbwnvro0gJm5SD8Yyys8nPuUWs85S4OZJZ9p86e1TPwyh1/s1600/test_150x150_p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCNHNXHtmSjRU4xOd0tEy0uodX6cGfI3_UuVY27R1csjuZzFn2zWC_zRke_YSxeUNFvOZQGxU95dZYIDxpHMkQgXKeeLl6Ecbwnvro0gJm5SD8Yyys8nPuUWs85S4OZJZ9p86e1TPwyh1/s400/test_150x150_p1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-49565188115799636202010-10-15T02:19:00.007-05:002011-09-24T04:29:14.546-05:00The Tao of Water<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I am an amateur blogger. <br />
I am a professional humanitarian aid worker in the water sector. <br />
I am thus obliged to participate in this here incredible extravaganza called “<a href="http://blogactionday.change.org/">Blog Action Day 2010 Water</a>.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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But don’t think I do so begrudgingly. To save the world, you have to focus and today that focus fits me pretty well. <br />
<br /></div>
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* * *</div>
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<br /></div>
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Water is simple: three atoms, two elements, one small molecule. </div>
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<br />
Add another molecule and those tricky little <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_bond#Hydrogen_bonds_in_water">hydrogen bonds</a> start complicating things. Water doesn’t behave the way it should. Water is subversive. Little rascal. And that is precisely what makes it important. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Add solutes, energy, people and the rest of the world and water gets complicated. Very complicated. Very quickly. And very important.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIzvfQJdrUSAQ2HKTy0CFL-Ewwt8dLp6R1TwcUOV7JncD8wKHaexLXsNv1uu4IrwlYYlg66E1ECgPbOTz40TBBIDmNNuNpe0E53v3VK6IJcoLU7vq48f7jd7WBUT21Aa_oGVcCeWsOIzh/s1600/16072010799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIzvfQJdrUSAQ2HKTy0CFL-Ewwt8dLp6R1TwcUOV7JncD8wKHaexLXsNv1uu4IrwlYYlg66E1ECgPbOTz40TBBIDmNNuNpe0E53v3VK6IJcoLU7vq48f7jd7WBUT21Aa_oGVcCeWsOIzh/s320/16072010799.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
* * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A link poem<br />
(But don’t let the links distract you just yet…)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeFaRLlxoVzG6VLI64k6l__nluZXb8DZRkQwZNHDGDUsFCbpRkaPyWMV4D3TI2GQJg8S7zmhg7RAsd7RLMYWZ11ajtKD4X8-QY2vuxBvQXM3eeHYKqXzLfanJ4H0ZshEh3NLMkrdaom1O/s1600/03062010528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 341px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 136px;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeFaRLlxoVzG6VLI64k6l__nluZXb8DZRkQwZNHDGDUsFCbpRkaPyWMV4D3TI2GQJg8S7zmhg7RAsd7RLMYWZ11ajtKD4X8-QY2vuxBvQXM3eeHYKqXzLfanJ4H0ZshEh3NLMkrdaom1O/s320/03062010528.jpg" width="135" /></a>Water is or is not<br />
accessible, <a href="http://ocwr.ouce.ox.ac.uk/research/wmpg/wpi/wpi_worldmap.pdf">distributed</a>, shared,<br />
contaminated, cleaned, protected,<br />
managed, exploited, recycled,<br />
<a href="http://water.usgs.gov/">used</a>.</div>
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Water creates or controls<br />
diarrhea, malaria, <a href="http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/malnutrition/en/">malnutrition</a>, <br />
<a href="http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/sites/default/files/resources/publications/ACF-HungerWatch-Water-and-HIV-10-1-07.pdf">HIV</a>, health, bodies, <br />
<a href="http://www.fao.org/nr/water/docs/waterataglance.pdf">food</a>, animals, products, energy,<br />
productivity, livelihoods, economics,<br />
life.</div>
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<br />
Water detains or develops<br />
<a href="http://www.unwater.org/downloads/bground_2.pdf">women’s choices</a>, education, social structures,<br />
religion, land issues, <a href="http://www.worldwater.org/conflict.html">conflicts</a>, wars,<br />
politics, <a href="http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2008/gcr2008">corruption</a>, <a href="http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10967.doc.htm">human rights</a>,<br />
history.</div>
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Water is <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/rob_dunbar.html">oceans</a>, tsunamis, floods and droughts, <a href="http://www.unwater.org/downloads/unw_ccpol_web.pdf">climate change</a>.</div>
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<br />
Water is simply<br />
part of a complex<br />
violent, calm, deplorable, luxurious<br />
system of which we are<br />
a small part.</div>
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Words on a blog are linear. Water is not linear. </div>
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If you spread out all those words in a circle on the floor, take colored string or paint or sand, and started connecting each idea to all those others with which it has a relationship, you would end up with incredible art, perhaps a mandala, about water. One day I will do this.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7wR60ueotjVfVoseP4ORpe79pcyGTVhwB75EZUYg7VXT6AjtGrZHaFW4FY-j_eVmz_Q_4wX9TFyFdse-SmBEVfQJXoaXKNhmCIY89j6BJxjhyphenhyphenL9KCyVg8IU_ikLbicUySG1nGSGhfEBL/s1600/P8130005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 138px;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7wR60ueotjVfVoseP4ORpe79pcyGTVhwB75EZUYg7VXT6AjtGrZHaFW4FY-j_eVmz_Q_4wX9TFyFdse-SmBEVfQJXoaXKNhmCIY89j6BJxjhyphenhyphenL9KCyVg8IU_ikLbicUySG1nGSGhfEBL/s320/P8130005.JPG" width="137" /></a>Today, I will let others take you on the journey through those ideas. Although I am qualified, I will let others explain and expand on that simple list of words. I will let others cite <a href="http://www.wssinfo.org/">numbers</a> and <a href="http://www.unwater.org/statistics.html">statistics</a>. </div>
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Get out of your pool (so you don't ruin the computer), sit in the shade (so you can see the screen) and follow links and learn about water and the world in which we live. </div>
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Trust me, water shapes your world and a world bigger than yours. Those iron-sheeting shacks, those mud-pressed-in-sticks huts, those billion slum/desert/jungle dwelling worlds aren’t so far from yours.</div>
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(But please, please, I beg you… remember two things: <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/09/indicators.html">Hiesenberg and Bias</a>).</div>
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Today, my contribution will be an introduction to the Tao of Water. </div>
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<br />
You have probably heard of the Tao Te Chieng. It is a series of 81 chapters of (sometimes cryptic, always relevant) Chinese wisdom compiled around 500 B.C. in which water is a reoccurring theme (my bias). </div>
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In chapters 8, 15, 32, 36, 39, 43, 61, 66 and 78, water or its properties are mentioned.</div>
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8: <br />
Higher good is like water: the good in water benefits all, and does so without contention. It rests where people dislike to be, so it is close to the Way. <br />
Where it dwells becomes good ground;</div>
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15: <br />
…their relaxation was as that of ice at the melting point. Simple as uncarved wood, open as valleys, they were inscrutable as murky water.<br />
Who can, in turbidity,<br />
use the gradual clarification of stillness?</div>
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<br />
32: </div>
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Heaven and earth combine, thus showering sweet dew. No humans command it; it is even by nature. <br />
The Way is to the world as rivers and oceans to valley streams.</div>
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36:<br />
This is called subtle illumination. Flexible and yielding overcome adamant coerciveness.</div>
<br />
39:<br />
When unity was attained of old, heaven became clear by attaining unity <br />
valley streams were filled by attaining unity…<br />
What brought this about was unity: <br />
without means of clarity, heaven may burst; without means of steadiness, earth may erupt; without means of quickening, spirit may be exhausted; without means of filling, <br />
valley streams may dry up,<br />
<br />
43:<br />
What is softest in the world drives what is hardest in the world.<br />
<br />
61:<br />
A great nation flows downward into intercourse with the world.<br />
<br />
66:<br />
The reason why rivers and seas can be lords of the hundred valleys is that they lower themselves to them all;<br />
<br />
78:<br />
Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it.<br />
<br />
(Translations used without permission, although I have indeed purchased the book from which they came and recommend it as a nice translation. From THE ESSENTIAL TAO - Translated and presented by Thomas Cleary)<br />
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Words to live by. Literally. </div>
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I hope you enjoy Blog Action Day about water. I hope you let the links destract you.</div>
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I hope you stick around and check out my adventures and adventrues. </div>
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I hope you leave a comment. Do you have a link that might fit in my poem? Did I miss a water reference in the Tao?</div>
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End note 1</div>
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<br />
In doing what I do, I work in a broader field than just water. We have a nifty acronym: WASH. This stands for water, sanitation and hygiene (though I try as much as I can to get even boarder than that). As a wild WASH woman, it is my duty to also share with you some related news about today, October 15, 2010:</div>
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<br />
Today is also <a href="http://www.globalhandwashingday.org/">Global Handwashing Day</a>. </div>
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Handwashing is important. It the most cost effective way to prevent diarrhea (Lancet). More so than clean water. Admittably, water helps in washing hands… (although when you are in the dessert, rubbing your hands with dirt and sand can also clean them), but don’t get me started on handwashing, just check out some of the interesting stuff online. (Just remember Hiesenberg and bias as you read.)</div>
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End note 2</div>
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<br />
“I am an expert.” (hits television…)</div>
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<br />
I have asked you readers to trust my qualifications, to trust that I know what I am talking about, to trust I have some authority to blog about water and that maybe my links here are “good” ones. In fact, I do. <br />
I don’t mean to sound egotisitical (although sometimes I play that game here in blog-land), and in fact I am quite humble and insecure. </div>
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“…and thorough.”</div>
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<br />
My point is not my personality, but rather if you don’t trust me (and why should you?), drop a comment and I’ll send you my CV (especially if you want to hire me).<img height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeFaRLlxoVzG6VLI64k6l__nluZXb8DZRkQwZNHDGDUsFCbpRkaPyWMV4D3TI2GQJg8S7zmhg7RAsd7RLMYWZ11ajtKD4X8-QY2vuxBvQXM3eeHYKqXzLfanJ4H0ZshEh3NLMkrdaom1O/s320/03062010528.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 147px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 169px; visibility: hidden;" width="40" /></div>* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8690584066320225945.post-82378272881547824052010-10-11T00:11:00.001-05:002010-10-11T06:44:19.600-05:00Everywhere there's signs...Shameless editorial note: Please come back the 15th of October to help me win <a href="http://www.trayle.org/2010/10/save-cheerleader.html">contest #6</a>. <br />
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Don't get the wrong idea from this post. Haiti is not getting back to normal. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIwfaag5KgVs6AS_17URh8KZXKm55py1IbfTfkmfmRSudebwwbAOYIc-F6hyQIhk6YEefPLEV-Js1yXK15mauG_kUGmulrfiEGvopelb46gS9164pS-9_Gk0-jblibLQfT1QD6SHFFw3P/s1600/roadcamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIwfaag5KgVs6AS_17URh8KZXKm55py1IbfTfkmfmRSudebwwbAOYIc-F6hyQIhk6YEefPLEV-Js1yXK15mauG_kUGmulrfiEGvopelb46gS9164pS-9_Gk0-jblibLQfT1QD6SHFFw3P/s320/roadcamp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It is not being reconstructed. Or deconstructed. Or inducted.<br />
But people
live here. And they are living. And to do that, things are constructed.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA7Wv-4KURopag4OQ0O2dO30UCEiV8eEQJx-q_qBkASfhFC8kNcqsO-X9lZ1mEf8oABQ8YrycgXVEzCZGkKM2g-7ne30rrD8KiS_rRTQOXk-ikn6puAlQbbNi1KDUNAomOZatZg2rvaTz/s1600/bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA7Wv-4KURopag4OQ0O2dO30UCEiV8eEQJx-q_qBkASfhFC8kNcqsO-X9lZ1mEf8oABQ8YrycgXVEzCZGkKM2g-7ne30rrD8KiS_rRTQOXk-ikn6puAlQbbNi1KDUNAomOZatZg2rvaTz/s320/bars.jpg" width="320" /></a>As this happens, the landscape changes. Shapes of slumped buildings adjust themselves, they become lighter, they become transparent.<br />
Their pieces are laid in neat piles.<br />
It is like wind is blowing around the rubble, the iron bar, the cement.<br />
Shifting desert sands and dust, but a thousand times heavier.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemhcLBk1LdWCuFcNSXttkC5XNcAxQQwkhKo3f-284zi8qW0KbTwSejfflwtJBc8AngDQh3cJL6aAuKDLTvrzN6a9aLAMEC8AJvzyQ6KcTBR4Z8J17sRlbylCTg_wL5TJyNZ6e30gp87Wk/s1600/wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemhcLBk1LdWCuFcNSXttkC5XNcAxQQwkhKo3f-284zi8qW0KbTwSejfflwtJBc8AngDQh3cJL6aAuKDLTvrzN6a9aLAMEC8AJvzyQ6KcTBR4Z8J17sRlbylCTg_wL5TJyNZ6e30gp87Wk/s320/wall.jpg" width="225" /></a>I was in a certain meeting the other day. It lasted two days. It was many things... Many things were said and said again. And again. Somethings were said only once. Some things were brushed aside.<br />
<br />
Discussing aspects of worst case scenarios, someone said "...if people build without control."<br />
<br />
Life happens, my friend, and it is not controlled. <br />
<br />
Walls and roofs and floors are no longer separated. They are being broken up. Piled up. Recycled. They are being built back from blocks that fell. <br />
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I am not a bleeding heart aid worker. I am not naive (though my father may argue otherwise). I am not one who instantly identifies with a suffering population, believing I can solve their problems because I mistakenly think I understand them and feel their pain. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTR1ozzIaE4d95J2MpHokr6yWVNcgdSLpaKhjFgQhVu9pnrm_zoea8DsiUFfJhW7grTi9T_J1Ryej6JZmZxZHKkzyUsmsHtWPvLyC-Fmt-mpLUFeRccuCpmdtV_PvY2QoJBxc9Da1nSfPn/s1600/fu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTR1ozzIaE4d95J2MpHokr6yWVNcgdSLpaKhjFgQhVu9pnrm_zoea8DsiUFfJhW7grTi9T_J1Ryej6JZmZxZHKkzyUsmsHtWPvLyC-Fmt-mpLUFeRccuCpmdtV_PvY2QoJBxc9Da1nSfPn/s320/fu.jpg" width="229" /></a>But I do think it is important to take off those damn yellow glasses and try to see something from another point of view than your own. Forget your own priorities for a second. Just one second, then go back. That's how we might start to get a realistic view of whatever it is we are looking at. It's not that we can ever be inside, really inside, something else; we are outside and will remain so (and there is value in that). But just a quick flip of perspective, upside down, once in a while is good. Question it. Then go back to where you were perched before, with a little clearer view.<br />
<br />
Living. Eating. Bathing. Gambling. Carrying on after. Of course people are picking up old blocks and putting them back together. People aren't waiting for the engineers to come. They are not waiting for development projects with seismic retro fitting. They are not waiting for our project frameworks. They are living. And they will continue to do so. <br />
<br />
Everyone has an agenda and a bias. I tried to loose my own, but maybe it is easier for me because I do not claim to be an expert on Haiti or reconstruction or normal.<br />
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Messages are passed, as in other parts of the world, by taxis - or tap taps.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLCylWEuoRkZ2XcBIS6ACUELfBjRil8EGVytaPPyKYUmcJF8-6TI5DpydrwdxC3e0_Cks8kwWaITwDsBvyv534smqPAP7vr4nSkh8Y_o3sAedUCw1JHgC8ZWdL1E1ar6vHvjb3cxiL3I9/s1600/godisgood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLCylWEuoRkZ2XcBIS6ACUELfBjRil8EGVytaPPyKYUmcJF8-6TI5DpydrwdxC3e0_Cks8kwWaITwDsBvyv534smqPAP7vr4nSkh8Y_o3sAedUCw1JHgC8ZWdL1E1ar6vHvjb3cxiL3I9/s320/godisgood.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Many have heartfelt messages of faith (though most are french or creole, here is an english one). <br />
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Some are less deep and less meaningful. Most are spelled wrong.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3Q4fs20WqVtXRov9j5k_XrHql4uVTBIJBaevFUmH7rk9zOXz3hzsvs2WcwJpO5Z8-p834Ruz1giaxzvQdGerUMmbojuJkCAuObsiOFFDc69If3XCD7k1zC_70fgU4HQEKzQndr-0Nyre/s1600/koby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3Q4fs20WqVtXRov9j5k_XrHql4uVTBIJBaevFUmH7rk9zOXz3hzsvs2WcwJpO5Z8-p834Ruz1giaxzvQdGerUMmbojuJkCAuObsiOFFDc69If3XCD7k1zC_70fgU4HQEKzQndr-0Nyre/s320/koby.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHG4kb_A3P99rB4SMeULmxR2VUQZSxBCWIoc1pcS0KGZ2MecismK8eqoXGAogjkdNxKmROBzK6f0wS6WuAP8Pr7vhDoYH8TiSu5Cf8vJefGqcCb1M30a4mX_vzzGdMSZa6Uoz9_LBAircF/s1600/shame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHG4kb_A3P99rB4SMeULmxR2VUQZSxBCWIoc1pcS0KGZ2MecismK8eqoXGAogjkdNxKmROBzK6f0wS6WuAP8Pr7vhDoYH8TiSu5Cf8vJefGqcCb1M30a4mX_vzzGdMSZa6Uoz9_LBAircF/s320/shame.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is my favorite. It is in creole. The driver translated for me (and did some awesome driving so I could catch a photo of it). I understood that it says roughly: "I would be ashamed if I were you."<br />
With Rambo below.<br />
Classic.<br />
Excellent.<br />
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"God directs my affairs</div>
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fizzy drinks." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb9JegY7pjMNispWsLPgXIOOYZyogvaNgZWgU-fTzogiUGdl3ikD-BIkXJsYVHmGl9wtHzqt9U-GBWiT4KHe8AOEIZkjBd5l6ntm98-p-2CBZnv-0-FIgkSqsG6bxife3OxigMEfSpsNc/s1600/dirige.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb9JegY7pjMNispWsLPgXIOOYZyogvaNgZWgU-fTzogiUGdl3ikD-BIkXJsYVHmGl9wtHzqt9U-GBWiT4KHe8AOEIZkjBd5l6ntm98-p-2CBZnv-0-FIgkSqsG6bxife3OxigMEfSpsNc/s320/dirige.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />* * * T V K * * *http://www.blogger.com/profile/12613639430821346049noreply@blogger.com4