PensionersRants

Showing posts with label afghan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afghan. Show all posts

Friday, September 10, 2021

Lie Down With Lions by Ken Follett


 This a love triangle with a background of the Afghan war, further complicated wit the men on opposing sides. It is well written with exceptional work on the lives of women in an Afghan village where our main character uses her wiles to survive. I did get tired with the continual emphasis on breast feeding. This was the least of my problems, when half-way thru the book I thought it had changed to a porn novel. I found this section an unnecessary addition to the book. The story seemed to have lost its purpose. After that wasted section the book was back on track with a great ending. 

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Corruption Is Not A Bad Thing, Just Don't Call It Pork

The Afghan election. Counting takes awhile and the possibility that results will be in this year are good. If you have paid any attention at all, you can't help but notice the voter ballot. It would give our daily newspaper a run for its money. For that election, paper for ballots is a major expense. Photos of all candidates are on ballots because a large number of people can't read. They vote on their photo. It sounds like police mugshots, doesn't it? So picking out a candidate from a sheet of men with turbins and black beards should be easy. Picking out a woman might be more difficult but they are used to faceless women.
I am under the assumption that the white man likes to see these people vote because it gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling. "I stuck in my nose and pulled out a democracy, oh what a good boy am I." If Jesus walked these 'streets', he wouldn't find much difference from 2000 yrs. ago. Democracy? Most have no idea what they are doing. "I'll vote for him, he let me ride his donkey last week. Are you sure that's his picture? I thought he had more grey hair."
They do have a start on democracy. We won't have to teach them a darn thing about corruption. Corruption is ok. But don't call it pork. That's against their religion.