I was too late to watch Dr. Foz weekly program on AlRai TV tonight (thank you to the special blogger who sent me an alert ) Perhaps it will be repeated tomorrow afternoon.

The hot question tonight was Do you know where the G-spot is in a woman’s body?

If anyone watched it or YouTubed it, please share Dr. Fozia’s ideas on the subject.

While flipping through through TV channels last week, I stopped at Bahry TV a “channel dedicated to maritime news features and entertainment.”

Although I have yet to watch it, the Tuesday cooking show Bhar o Bahar (Spices and Sea) was advertised featuring Adlah Al-Sharhan (from Umami cooking school)

I wish the web site would be kept up as well as online information about the show itself. It looks great. See for yourself (it’s in both Arabic and English):

The first part of the clip is shot in Soug El-Simach or the Fish Market (Sharq) and although the fishy smells can be quite overpowering, it is a seafood lover’s heaven. The fish in the very beginning is “meid” which is simply wonderful grilled.

For working couples, it is sometimes not easy to have barbecued fish during the week. One solution some couples resort to is having the fish place in the co-op prepare the fish for you to be picked up at a certain time. Fish places that do that are in Qadsiya and Qurtoba area Co-Ops. You can place an order early in the morning and pick it up in time for lunch.  It may not be as delicious as preparing it yourself but it is better than going without.

A song for all those people who are traveling for the summer…:

Fareed Al-Atrash’s : I fear he’ll be gone too long - Godspeed يا خوفي بعده لا يطول - سافر مع السلامة

(It’s a funny title translation )

If you watch long enough, you will see the wonderful, legendary Egyptian Samia Gamal سامية جمال and some sensuous belly dancing.

I think about all the beautiful music you missed

you, the soulful musician

the one who sang to midnight sprites

in the lonely dark of your room.

Can you hear the wonderful music from where you are now?

Does your soul ache to pluck that guitar? Or to impress your music onto piano keys that have long sat forlorn in that quiet room?

You left suddenly
and with nothing for us to pick up

Except our shattered lives.

To me there is no justice, no reason, no matter what she tells me I should believe.

Except that you are gone.

Did you believe that your life was that unimportant? That you meant nothing to us?

Time has made it bearable,
except the wound has not healed

Time always passes, and we are forced to get on with our lives in any haphazard way

Except that when we get on with it, it takes us on one sharp turn and then another winding road where you cannot see what will come up to meet you along the way.

I miss you.

I cannot talk to you across this great divide; I can’t reach out into your dimension and tell you that I’m sorry about many things; things that I did and things that I should have done for you and with you.

Your soul knows much more than I can express into words; it must feel the remorse in my heart, and the true, unaffected love I have felt towards you.

Once he said that you would open many doors for me; that you were taking me down unexplored paths in life’s secret garden.

I always remembered that and took your hand, so to speak, as you led the way.

You are a bright light, a shining star, my north node.

One of the new members of parliament reminds me of Santa Claus especially if he would let his wonderfully bushy beard grow white. He has  twinkly blue eyes, reddish cheeks, and in one photo the fingers of his left hand are positioned delicately on his Santa like glasses.

On May 19th, Carme Chacón , the Spanish minister of defense gave birth and there was a debate on radio whether or not she would be given extended maternity leave. Did women warriors in the past do that? Deliver their babies and then take up arms again after they had sufficiently recovered?

The woman beside me uttered a loud cluck of disapproval and shouted at the little girl running barefoot outside:

“If you don’t wear sandals your feet will get very big and long!”

I thought of long summer days as a child at the beach where we went on our barefoot adventures, feeling our feet sink deep into the grainy sand, treading over sharp rocks, barely missing sea urchins, stepping on spiny shells and long rusty nails.

And of the time there were five long white spines broken off in the heel of my foot and the delight with which I extricated each piece the following day.

I thought of the time at school when I had stupidly run barefoot across the hot asphalt at midday, hair flying wildly. I regretted it later when the soles of my feet were burned.

I thought of when I played volleyball barefoot on grassy turf not too long ago and the soles of my feet were black much to the dismay of my pedicurist that week.

I now  think of how I let your little feet grow free of shoes till you were able to walk; of the delight and joy in biting your chubby little toes and kissing your soft soles, making you laugh. And then when you insisted on running  barefoot in the hosh (compound) I would warn you about worms and bugs so that you would put slippers on, but you took after your mother’s side of the family, didn’t you?

I was taken aback by a tiny article that appeared in the Kuwait Times (May 24th, 2008 p.3) and I found the original article referred to in Al-Watan:

Gays: Study blames female teachers

KUWAIT: A specialized team has finalized a study of homosexuality in Kuwait. The study was submitted to the Ministry of Education because it linked homosexuality with the fact that the Ministry of Education employed female teachers in primary schools. According to the study the “gay phenomenon” had rapidly increased after the “feminizing of the teaching staff in primary schools.”

The study warned the Ministry against employing female teachers because it said that male pupils are being affected by the behaviour of their female teachers and they are imitating these teachers. The study went further and suggested that the Ministry revert to the old system where by male teachers the male pupils and female teachers teach female pupils.

Added to this, the study found that the problem was compounded by the fact that parents did not show as much interest in their kids, reported Al-Watan. It pointed out that many families depend on maids to raise their kids rather than parents.

End

=============

I have not seen this study but it appears to me to be faulty:

1) I have been in primary schools where all the staff was female and I saw some pretty tough women

2) Female teachers are stricter and more demanding than male teachers and better teachers overall (my own impressions)

3) There is a shortage of Kuwaiti male teachers at the middle school and high school levels. How is the Ministry of Education going to provide male Kuwaiti elementary teachers?

4) Don’t tell me that is an excuse to import more expatriate teachers; don’t get me wrong but the quality of teaching and teachers in male schools in intermediate and secondary government schools leaves MUCH to be desired (again from experience) whether by expatriate (burned out) or local Kuwaiti teachers (very lax)

=================

Now this study is assuming that homosexuality is an acquired trait and that in my opinion is debatable.

However, lets assume that a boy develops “gay” attributes because of his surroundings and lack of a proper role model:

1) Where is the father??? Is he around much? Is he a proper role model for a responsible macho male? Or is he always off with his buddies or sitting around in various cafes?

2) If the father is not around much, then the boy is being brought up by the mother - a female (and hopefully the child is not being brought up by the maid - another female who is from a totally different culture)

I would like to know more about how this study was carried out. Did they have accurate figures of how rampant homosexuality was before female teachers were introduced into primary school? How did they gather information and determine who was the homosexual in the sample studies?

There was talk before that females were to teach in primary schools as a solution to employment logistics: there were too many female teachers graduates and not enough male graduates. In addition, it was maintained that female teachers would be better at developing a children’s learning skills in a more nurturing environment.

I fervently hope that those responsible in the Ministry of Education do not base any impulsive decisions on the results of this questionable study.

The brown paper bags didn’t last for any length of time when introduced into our local co-ops some months ago. We use plastic bags thoughtlessly here in Kuwait and they are so widely available and convenient that we don’t even stop to think about disposal. We love our strong plastic bags that are so plentiful at the supermarket checkout.

If you have ever shopped in Europe, I’m sure you can recall the times brown paper bags have torn before reaching your destination or those thin flimsy plastic bags that rip at the slightest pressure.

Of course in many other parts of the world, you would be made to feel very guilty even asking for a plastic bag or two (heaven forbid!) because that would mean you are an enemy of the environment.

And it does take a very long time for plastic to decompose in the environment. It takes thousands of years.

So it was with great interest that I read the news of 16 year old  Daniel Burd who has developed a way to decompose plastic bags in just 3 months. He has identified two strains of bacteria that would serve to decompose plastic bags and could be viably used in an industrial application. The teenager won the top prize and a scholarship at a Canadian science fair in Ottawa.

What pushed him to seek such a solution?

He said:

“…‘Almost every week I have to do chores and when I open the closet door, I have this avalanche of plastic bags falling on top of me,” he said. “One day, I got tired of it and I wanted to know what other people are doing with these plastic bags.’

The answer: not much. So he decided to do something himself.“ The Record

If Burd’s idea is applicable on a wide industrial basis, it would have extremely positive effects on methods of waste decomposition and hopefully this is great news for the environment.

“Come beautifully prepared..” Vixen Condoms

A fun site to explore with plenty of information on charity Vixen condoms that come in discrete feminine packaging.

Affiliated with the Mary Stopes Sex Appeal charity.

More at Wilful Damage

In my dream, I saw that you had a YouTube account.

There was one clip where you discussed how washing machines work.

I saw your name clearly on the screen in my dream:   ***** tv

I woke up thinking it was a revelation. You giving lectures on YouTube now.

I Googled your ****.TV thinking for sure I would find it.

It was just a dream.

In Greece
Eating red watermelon slices
in a shaded glade
in summer
thinking of you.

In Luxor
Walking amongst proud ruins
on a crystal clear day
in winter
pining for you.

In London
Watching kids in the playground
on a chilly overcast day
in autumn
broken over you.

In Vancouver
Swinging on that hammock
on a cotton clouds day
in summer
dreaming of you

In Kheiran
Walking into the empty expanse
on a spiritually trying day
in spring
worrying about you

In Dubai
Reading a book you recommended
on a cool sunny day
in December
feeling closer to you.

In Maui
Waking from a nightmare crying
on a cool summer night
in August
fearing I had lost you.

In Paris
huddled in a booth
on a hot July afternoon
filled with joy for you.

In Salzburg
Lifted by music
on a stormy summer night
in August
connecting my spirit to you.

In London
Laughing with joy in the park
during an afternoon downpour
in summer
talking to you.

In Goteborg
Seeing but unfeeling
on long muggy days
in mid-summer
confused about you.

In Farwaniya
Overcome with fear
on a September morning
at the end of summer
bidding farewell to you.

Many days
many more places
waiting to be revisited
again.

===============

She Will be Loved

Om Kalthoum - Al-Atlal

Cold Mountain

I love you

As I was driving this morning, I listened to/watched a program on the KTV1 morning show. A young Kuwaiti actor named Abdullah Al-Tararwah was being interviewed for his role in the film about renowned explorer and travel writer Sir Wilfred Thesiger (also known by locals as Mubarak Bin London)

The film Arabian Sands رمال عربية is the work of Emirati businessman, director producer Majid Abdul-Razak (who also plays the role of Thesiger in the film)

The film is based on Thesiger’s book Arabian Sands which is an account of his travels across the Empty Quarter and the southern Arabian deserts with Bedu nomads notably two young men called Salim bin Ghabaisha

(who is reportedly still living in Abu Dhabi) and Salim bin Kabina.

It is a short film of 52 minutes in English with subtitles. I don’t know if it has already been shown in Kuwait but what reviews I read were not very positive and perhaps that is because of the historical nature of the film. I would love to see it and I hope I have not missed the showing here in Kuwait.

I enjoyed listening to the interview with the Kuwaiti actor Abullah Al-Tararwah who played the role of bin Ghabaisha, Thesiger’s second guide and companion.

The young Kuwaiti actor described how during filming, they would make long four hour trips to the site. That would mean finishing make-up and scene preparations and leaving at 2 am to reach the filming site. He describes the intense heat of 50 C and swears that the sands were 70 C and after filming a scene, or when taking a break, actors would be very quick to tend to the burning bare soles of their feet. The film was made during the summer.

Tararwah mentioned how Thesiger was reluctant for bin Gabaisha to join the exloration as he was almost camel-like in his walk but soon discovered he was a skilled desert hunter in the Bedu tradition.

Indeed, Thesiger had a very close bond with the two young boys and according to one article I read he truly loved bin Kabina, the first companion.

“Does the appearance of Saudi women on TV run counter to Islamic law?”

An interesting clip of a discussion that took place on LBC TV on 25/3/2007. The Saudi newscaster defending women’s right to appear on TV is Buthayna Nasser.

Forty women waiting in a classroom. Chairs against the walls, lined around the room. The curtainless windows are covered with badly cut white poster paper. The white-board still has May 13th English lesson on it in flamboyant handwriting. Twin towers. And then some boy’s name scratched across the board. AlKlaib.

I look at the classroom floor. It is a filthy mess with old layers upon layers of dust. Old stains. There are a few candidate cards dropped on the dusty floor. The walls are bare. The arms on the ceiling fan are somewhat warped - and I wonder how anyone could reach up there to bend them. Boys must be very destructive. The voting centre is in a boys’ school.

I guess no one is paying attention to the horrible state of the room. At least the classroom is cooler than the open hallways outside. Besides, the women are impatient for the queue to move on; they want to vote and leave. On my right, on my left, women are on the phone to their spouses, telling them to wait a while; they are still in line. One woman arranges lunch with the cook. The other woman tells her husband to come back for her in a while. Another woman asks about the children at home.

It is a Saturday and a holiday but today we are back to voting again for parliament members after a frenzied two months of campaigning that was held in check the last few days by the death of the Father Amir Sheikh Saad May 13th.

As I entered the classroom, there was an older abaya clad woman giving a lecture but all of us were oddly quiet and just looked at each other across the room. I pulled out my novel from my little handbag. I was finished with the very last chapter before I got halfway around the room. The queue moved slowly.

Tucking the book back in my bag, I cast my eyes around the room. We are a cocktail of every thing in this classroom. Young girls in cropped pants and Katie Holmes hairdos. Abaya clad women in niqabs. Abaya clad women with faces showing. Hijab wearing women with trousers and high, high heels. Women with uncovered heads. Women of all ages.

All women are relatively quiet and non-complaining. There are many, many LV handbags here today. There are many over-sized designer handbags here today as well. I think about what they might be keeping in them. They would make excellent baby-changing bags with enough room for a diaper, a change of clothing, a rattle or two, and other necessities.

In my bag, I have my mobile, my book, my camera, my documents, and ooops! I have forgotten my little notebook… the one I write my observations in! How can I make notes about everyone though with the women on either side looking on? We are squeezed together here and have to get up and move along the line every few minutes..

As I near the exit and am close to making it to the next queue outside the classroom, I talk to the woman who is monitoring our queue. I praise her for her patience and pleasant attitude despite the crowds and the long hours ahead of her. My words please her and she smiles. With her greyish blue eyes, she reminds me of a fair version of Najwa Karam.

The overall feeling is one of anticipation and quiet organization on everyone’s behalf. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a room with so many women where it was so hushed.

I mean the elections.

Please share your captions in any language.

1) I’m trying to deal with it believe me.

2) Do I get your vote?

3) So you’re Lady J’s favourite, ha?

All photos from YEMMI