Currently Breathe By Michelle Branch see related

WOMEN ARE...

Women are a mystery. Sometimes they can be logical. Other times they can be completely contradictory and emotional. One minute they might be extremely jealous and upset, the next, you might be having make-up sex. What gives? Ask anyone I know and they'll tell you I don't think this way. Rather, these are the things said about women when I converse with others. I certainly have never experienced these symptoms.

As I read "Afghanistan 101, Understanding Afghan Culture" I realize that sometimes these notions are conjured by men in an attempt to assert Masculinity (MAS) or a Gender Gap. "It involves the equality, or lack of it, between women and men in societies. Countries, like Afghanistan, are high in MAS whereas the U.S. is low. MAS correlates positively with power distance (the physical/psychological distance from a governing authority) and uncertainty avoidance (the likelihood of life exhibiting consistency) but negatively with individualism."

So get this. In Afghanistan, women have been historically portrayed as "cunning, satanic, unfaithful, evil, emotional, and dishonest among others and advise men how to control them". Certain Afghan poems/writing depict women in this light:

"God punished women because of Eve's disobeying God and eating from apple tree ... [Thus] Women have ... bad habits similar to pigs, monkeys, dogs, snakes, mice, scorpions, pigeons, fox, and sheep."

"There are thousands of women; a woman does not keep herpromise; a woman is with you when she cannot find another lover; as soon as she finds another she no longer stays with you; this is what women do and their story of charm and deceit is long."

"A bad woman is like Hell [in this world] in the company of a good man."

In a passing conversation, my coworkers and I talked about the women of Brazil and Latin women in general. It was mentioned that, as a generalization, Latin women are emotional and dramatic, easy to be jealous. In the case of Brazilian women, there are many that are absolutely crazy to where they will stalk a boyfriend/husband in order to ensure that fidelity is not compromised. Despite all of these personal stories or illusions, my coworkers have somehow found decent and "quality" females to be their life witness.

There are, however, classic literature that depict women in a different light:

"A man who has a good and pious woman in his house is in Paradise [in this world] because good women protect religion from what is religiously prohibited." They are the strength and backbone of a functioning family. A man may have all of the power outside, but it is the good woman whose words are whispered in the man's ear so that he may go out and do good.

"You should know that women are good but their number is small. And the world exists because of women. And there are women who are a hundred times wiser than men."

Given that even U.S. history did not begin to allow women suffrage until the 1920's, we cannot judge a society that many deem to be backwards and un-modern. Afghanistan is a land that has been torn, conquered, and invaded by many civilizations indeterminate. This current nation building effort taken on by ISAF will not be short. Folks, we're gonna be there for a while. Even Rome was not built in one night.

All photos taken with my trusty Canon Powershot SD780IS Point-n-shoot. Long gone is my SLR :(

Thirst Quencher

Yummy Fresh Bread

Calamari Fritti

Pistachio Crusted Scallops

Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue...

Yay For Dental Records!

Ya, In About A Year

Semper Fidelis

THE DAILY HAZARA

Looking back a couple of years, I thought I would have been on a totally different path than I currently am. It never occurred to me that I would be single again, a brother in-law, without a car, rolling on a ducati, finally finding a passion in life, on deployment, and never having been more confused about my career. The friends I had before a decade ago, are almost all completely changed from the ones I have today. Given my daily interactions with my coworkers, I also seem to be much more liberal than before. Who knew?

The start of summer brought about a new adventure in my many chapters. I finally got activated in spite of my parent's fears. "Is there any way you can ask to not go?" Dude. I signed the contract knowing the likelihood of my name being called. Given the company, I'm glad I'm going this time. The team is comprised of 2 grunts, a helo pilot, and a straight intel analyst. In their civilian world, we have a PH.D candidate/professor, nurse, intel analyst, and a technology specialist. It is this kind of variety that makes the Reserve component so powerful. Whereas active duty Marines are specialized in one thing, the Reserves Marines (not all) bring their alternate world experience to the table. I'm also pretty thankful that I'm not one of the oldest people on the team - in fact, I'm the youngest and least experienced. There's going to be/has been a high learning curve.

I was really fortunate to have the opportunity to attend my sister's wedding back in Orange County. We spent about a month back in San Diego to train on other areas for our deployment. Again, the parents were stressed because they did not know if I could attend the wedding. For once, I wasn't really worried. I figured if it could happen, it would. More than likely, it was going to happen one way or another. I tried spending time with those important to me, including an old college friend who lives across country. I got in a few good bike rides with the brother and learned a little bit more about my and Giada's capabilities. For the first time, I attended baseball games of both the San Diego Padres and Anahiem Angels. Let's just say the Padres suck and I'm still on a losing streak for home games attended. Aren't Angels supposed to be a winning team? wth?

After San Diego, we flew to DC to speak with various companies. It's only been a week, but I've already met with yet another close college friend. Strange. I seem to see more of my friends outside of OC/SD - DC, Japan, Camp LeJeune, Dallas, Hong Kong, NYC, Napa, and Orlando.

Apparently, taking this shot gets you in trouble

It's nice to play 9-ball with someone who understands...

The random places you'll see your hometown friends... in downtown DC.

Semper Fi

Currently Laundry Service By Shakira Moscas En La Casa see related

THE RIGHT TO PROTEST

I have met all types of people with various political views. Politics, like religion, is a topic in which people should only try to understand one another instead of influencing them to change. It has never been my agenda to force people to change their thinking. Upon engagement of these conversations, I make it a point to just ask questions about other's beliefs instead of telling them what to think/do. The only time I have a problem with people and their political/religious views are when they try to force their way of life upon me; "you need to think this way" or "you need to believe in this..". What interests me is the degree to which people can believe in their views, left or right, and how far they're willing to go in order to get their viewpoints across to the public. Compared to the number of people across the spectrum, these protesters are often the smallest minorities in the group. Rhetorial: Of that small percentage of people, how many of them have served in the military or in some other form that of which protects their freedom of speech? How often do you hear, "I don't support the war in {fill in the blank}. I don't agree with it or condone it. But I support the troops."

Here is an interesting idea of which I am not the originator. "If you haven't served in the military, you don't/shouldn't have the right to protest." What a novel idea! If you haven't defended your freedom of speech, you shouldn't talk. I like it. In much the same way, if you don't pay rent, you don't get to dictate what goes on in the house or voice your opinion on how the house should be run. Splendid!

Too often I hear people protesting about this and that. Don't you guys have a job to work? If you're like my buddy Sam or friend Valerie, you're far too busy doing stuff you either like to do or doing stuff that makes you a crapload of money. Either way, there are more productive things to do in life than to gripe about what is wrong with this country. I guarantee you, the men and women in our US Military get paid squat relative to the amount of work they are required to bear. Marines are the speartip and the rest of the branches are the staff. Of those in the military, Marines get promoted slower, thus getting paid less. Yet, we still accomplish more than anyone else. Further more, if we have a gripe, we just "head north and go do bad things." All joking aside, protesting is a waste of money and time - often being done by those with too little of the former and too much of the latter.

So what spawned this idea? I saw an old beat up car driven by a female Marine. On the bumper were stickers that said "Obama '08' and 'Get us out of this war'. If you fight for it, you can do whatever you want.

Semper Fi

THE ECONOMICS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Economists try to understand and explain the world by assuming that the phenomena they observe are the outcomes of people's purposeful decisions.

• Individuals try to achieve their objectives given their limitations - limited time, money, and energy. They optimize.
• Individuals reacting with each other will eventually achieve market equilibrium. Government intervention alters that equilibrium.
• For economists, goods are just things we want to obtain; tangibles such as oil and cars, or intangibles such as esteem and peace.
• The full price people pay is a composite of the time, money, and effort they must give to obtain the good.
• Criminals respond negatively to costs and positively to benefits.
• There is a direct relationship between education and human capital. As people invest in themselves, purchasing education and training in order to earn more later in life allows them to build skillsets; which in turn increases their rate of return on the investment.
• General training will be paid for by the worker in the form of lower wages while training, but the costs and benefits of specific training will be split between the worker and the firm.
• The way in which a household accomplishes its goals is inextricably related to the members' abilities in the market and household, and whether specialization in either of these sectors is profitable.

Semper Fi

MARKETS AND STATES IN TROPICAL AMERICA

With regards to farming/agriculture, "why should reasonable men adopt public policies that have harmful consequences for the societies they govern?"

In describing the agricultural policies of African states, we therefore examine government intervention in three markets: the markets for agricultural commodities, the markets for inputs into farming, and the markets for the goods that farmers buy from the urban-industrial sector.

Basic Tenets of African Governments

• Governments wants to stay in power, the must appease powerful interests. Political action is used to secure special advantages - rewards that cannot be secured by competing in the market.
• Governments finance production programs over pricing policies to promote superior political attractions. Such programs fail because the resources are spread too thin.

Policies Toward Cash Crops for Export

• Most African states possess publicly sanctioned monopsonies (a single buyer); where there are many sellers but only one buyer.
• In Africa, public agencies are by law sanctioned to serve as sole buyers of major agricultural exports. They purchase cash crops for export at administratively determined domestic prices, and then sell them at the prevailing world market prices.
• During economic crisis, these agencies kept the price paid to farmers below the price set by the world market; becoming the wealthiest and economically most significant single units in their respective economies.

Semper Fi