I woke up very early this morning, opened up Facebook and everyone was Happy Eiding everyone else. I was so happy, all I had to do was take a shower, shave and get ready for the arrival of a bunch of kids to come to the mudheef and to hand them out candy. And then around lunchtime I'd make my getaway to Baghdad and enjoy some festivities.
Come seven in the morning, and the date evaluators are in the mudheef waiting on me to come out so that we can finish off the date evaluation of each farmer which we had planned to finish after Eid if Eid was tomorrow. So while nearly everyone else is celebrating, the guys down here are celebrating it tomorrow. Which means that I'm down here for an extra day and I'm missing out on another day of Eid.
Yesterday, we went to Karbala for dinner. It was cloudy, maybe it will rain this winter which would be so good as long as it doesn't rain during the harvest which isn't for another couple of months. When we got to the restaurant, Durra al Nasrawi (or something like that), which was quite good the guy at the door recognized Fozzy and Nahida. It turned out he was the guy that lived and guarded the house opposite our own. It was surprising so much affection exchanged between the two at this random encounter considering I think they found him annoying at the time he used to live on our street. But in retrospect he was a lot simpler than the new people that moved in.
I'm quite fed up with my workload at the plantation. The amount of accounts that I have to do is ridiculous. Data inputting what each of over 150 farmers has received in terms of seeds, fertilizers, plastic pipes (which they end up tossing away anyway), cost of land repairs, cost of canal cleaning (the last two of which I haven't done yet). Then there's categorizing all the costs of which there are plenty such as operating, fixing the water pumps, diesel, handling the seeds, costs of selling the yield, administrative costs, fixing things such as step-down transformers.
There's also the adding up all the rehabilitation projects, such as building a bridge or installing a new water pump, of which I have to pay back my dad a third from the profits I make from the land I'm supposedly renting from my uncle and from which I have yet to pocket anything. But I do spend freely from my dad's money. I think my dad's going to try to cut me off next time he visits and so I'm trying my best to spend as much money as possible while I still can.
I'm going to get a Visa debit card to buy myself a Blackberry. But unluckily, Iraq's government has decided to impose duties on imports as well as on stuff that's sent through DHL and the likes. They're even trying to take duties on books from people arriving at the airport.
From what I hear the government's trying its best to mess with the work of parcel courier businesses. Something about trying to get a state enterprise to monopolize the handling of all stuff flying in and out of the country, so for example, I go to DHL give them a parcel, they then have to hand it to the state enterprise that will then fly it off to a neighbouring country from which DHL will then take back the parcel and take it where it's supposed to go. As inefficient and ineffective as state enterprises are, you can only imagine how bad it can get and how late and how lost your stuff will get.
So right now, I'm hoping a friend of mine who would also like to buy a Blackberry to see if his boss will allow him to use his APO (US military) mailing address to circumvent the whole problem. Leaving me to hope his boss doesn't take them for himself. (Quick edit: Just checked and online shops don't mail electronics to APO addresses, not only them, but Play.com (UK) don't mail electronics abroad either, for security reasons! That leaves me only one option: Western Union some money to mum and have her buy it online for me because the high street only sells them on contracts.)
I read the preview section of a book about Iraq's economy in the thirties through to the fifties on Google the other day. It looks like a good read, but for $190 bucks, I'm not so sure. It does a great job describing British attempts to control the economy and how hopeless the Iraqis are at running things on their own. I've got to get myself these history books one day. It really does help make sense of everything of what is going on today. Because at the end of the day it all begins to seem like one big re-run, leaving one to wonder if it can all work out right this time.
Od and I were hoping that things will get better by the time we graduate, and in some aspects they have such as in security and the availability of prostitutes. Though I'm still trying to regain the stupidity of giving it another go after my previous bad experiences with them. I told Od that next time we have to insist on some quality. Then there's the availability of hash which is good too, it certainly does help. But I much prefer grass. Hash satisifies the urge but isn't so pleasurable.
But on the other hand, it seems that the more the government gains its own say on the way things should be run, the more likely it is to screw up. The aforementioned parcel service nonsense or the big idea to censor the internet 'for state security' for example. Sounds like you'll soon get in jail for saying 'down with the government'. With their attempts to practice censorship, they step right into the scenario where moderate reformists are silenced and radical extremist's wills are strengthened, something which should be obvious. But then again, it's all good for those in power even though the people will suffer.
I don't know why I'm becoming pessimistic all of a sudden. I've always thought that as long as some democracy existed there will be hope for things to get better, but it does seem that those in power are trying to burn the bridge for change...
I had a good idea of exactly what I wanted to say next but Nahida brought me dinner. It was something like: Why can't this country gain sovereignty without shooting itself in the foot?
I know it's not me to talk of politics but does anyone see any sign of improvement in writing? I've been practicing.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Nearly Everyone Else's Eid
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9 comments:
keep it up, your doing good
"But on the other hand, it seems that the more the government gains its own say on the way things should be run, the more likely it is to screw up. "
World wide problem. It is very important to have a strong local democracy, because that is the training ground for national politics. The worst politicians are the ones who come straight from the slums or the fields to the national government. They are naturally ignorant and their only aim is to get rich quick.
As for "how hopeless the Iraqis are at running things on their own" - in those days there was not much education. The more a person reads, the better he can be at running things. Reading and writing help you think clearly.
Query - why do they throw away the plastic pipes?
Yes, your writing is getting more grammatically correct, but it has always been good where it matters.
It wasn't my grammar I was ever worried about. I always thought it was fine! It's stuff like the development of ideas, clarity and, elaborating to a sufficient degree that I'm worried about.
Growing rice involves large quantities of water to repeatedly flooding each farmer's plot from the main irrigation canals. To avoid individual farmers from taking more than their fair share of water we provide them with one meter long pipes with a diameter of 3 or 4 inches to limit the flow of water into their plots. This method of limiting the flow of water is easily circumvented by just creating a big gap in the wall of mud around which the pipe was placed. In such case, I'm supposed to get very strict with the farmer or back up my guys on the ground who oversee the rationing of water. But since I'm still new and things on the plantation are only just beginning to pick up, I don't want to try to exert such strict discipline.
By the end of the season, these cheap plastic pipes wear out and are chucked away.
About having a strong local democracy, are you suggesting that building a government from the bottom-up by first having local elections followed by national elections instead of the top-down such as was the case in Iraq where national elections took place before the provincial elections?
Yes, I'm certain that democracy should start from the bottom. If you can get people to understand how to run a local election properly, so that the local big boss and his mates don't win every time, and learn to accept it when they lose - that gives you a bedrock of millions of voters and thousands of vote-counters. Then the local politicians can stand for regional governments, and so on up.
Democracy is a whole collection of practical and self-control skills, not something you just switch on.
It also helps to have plenty of non-government organisations, such as cage bird or vintage car clubs or women's groups - all with their president, secretary, treasurer, AGM, etc.
If democracy is "government by discussion", then the thing is to have a format for the discussions.
Obviously we are up against human nature all the time, and there are always the greedy, power-mad, ambitious characters who have to be kept under control by checks and balances and term limits.
But it can be done. Look at Europe over the past 100 years. If Germany can do it, Iraq can too.
++++++++
Yes, the clarity went up too. But don't get too serious!
My favourite writers (to learn from) are Orwell, Cobbett, Slocum and Boswell. All very clear and easy to read.
Shaggy,
This was a very good post. :) If you are looking at perhaps getting involved in government, the ability to communicate your ideas in a clear manner is critical.
About having a strong local democracy, are you suggesting that building a government from the bottom-up by first having local elections followed by national elections instead of the top-down such as was the case in Iraq where national elections took place before the provincial elections?
I don't really believe that the timing of the elections is the issue. But, if the timing is something that is of concern to people, then change it.
We have elections every 2 years for various city, state and national positions. The presidential election is every 4 years. While you may think that the elections held during a non-presidential election year are not important, that is not the case. Those off years can tip the balance of power in the Congress and affect future legislation. If you pay any attention at all to our politics, you will see a mad scramble by the Democrats to hold onto their control and a mad scramble by the Republicans to gain seats back. ;)
I think the critical point is that the ability to run a government, or anything else for that matter, is not knowledge we are given at birth. Those who seek to serve in their government need to gain experience, if they are to perform the job adequately. Involvement in local government, where the scope is much smaller, is an excellent learning process.
There is also more flexibility in the governmental structure when you have the multi-level type of government.
But unluckily, Iraq's government has decided to impose duties on imports as well as on stuff that's sent through DHL and the likes. They're even trying to take duties on books from people arriving at the airport.
I understand that protectionism seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to cheap imports. We struggle with this as well. If you read one of those history books about the Great Depression, you will find that protectionism made that whole situation worse. If you totally smother the freedom of businesses to do business, it will come back to bite you in the end.
I was wondering how different things would be if local elections were held before the national elections were held for the very first time here a few years ago.
The odd thing here is that the two most powerful people in the city where my plantation is, are the head of the local council (who I don't believe is elected) and the "ga'im ma gam" that's some sort of charge d'affair (an individual that represents the central government) who is not elected either.
I have no idea what powers those who were elected through the provincial elections have. I did see one of them though at the "ga'im ma gam" office with plans to build a hospital.
The point I'm trying to make is that it seems that our votes go to people that don't have any real power so as to be held accountable for anything.
Such simple mistakes such as protectionism would have never taken place had the economy been in the hands of the Americans (Bremer removed import taxes or brought them to a low 5%, my memory isn't accurate). Which brings me back to my point about the Iraqis screwing things up the more they gain their sovereignty.
As much as every Iraqi loves to imagine himself running the country. My Arabic isn't good enough and most probably never will be for me to participate in government.
A power broker can have more impact than any politician Shaggy. Suppose you got together with like-minded businessmen now and then. For coffee or whatever. Let's say you could gather 40 or 50 such guys on short notice. Now the politicians are coming to you. Addressing your group. Hearing your concerns. Making you promises. We've got thousands of such clubs and organizations in the US.
On another subject,have you thought about crawfish farming? Rice farmers here in south Louisiana probably wouldn't be profitable without it. They seed a rice field with crawfish during the growing season. The crawfish burrow down and lay eggs. During harvest,they leave about 6 inches of stalk. Then they flood the fields and the crawfish do their thing. I don't know if Iraqis eat crawfish,but Europe and the US really get into them.
I was wondering how different things would be if local elections were held before the national elections were held for the very first time here a few years ago.
There are many things that people will be second guessing regarding Iraq. Hmmm...you're thinking that if that had happened, the local elected officials would then have had more influence on those at the national level, perhaps? Hard to know. And, really, considering the state Iraq was in a few years ago, we're probabaly lucky there were any elections at all.
I thought that all of the city councils were elected? If not, they should be. Because, you're right, there should be accountability. Same at any level of government. As I mentioned in my prior comment, we have elections here for all of those positions.
Such simple mistakes such as protectionism would have never taken place had the economy been in the hands of the Americans...
Well, that depends, Shaggy. Just recently the Obama administration slapped a 35% tariff on tires imported from China. He's a Democratic president, and some of the Democrats strongest supporters are the trade unions here in the States. It has really been more the Republicans who have supported free trade. Now China has did a tit for tat type of thing and levied dues on some of our exports to them. So that type of protectionism can lead to rising prices for everyone, hurting the consumers. If you couldn't tell, I don't support that Obama decision. But, there are other tire suppliers where the tariff doesn't apply to.
Which brings me back to my point about the Iraqis screwing things up the more they gain their sovereignty.
That may be. Unfortunately some people don't do well with "on the job training". You just have to try to find those who show promise at dealing with Iraq's problems in a fair and just manner. I know, I know, it may seem like a tall order at times.
It's too bad about the Arabic thing, because it's usually those who see something they think they could do a better job at, that do. :)
Going into politics in Iraq after maintaining a blog entitled 'Baghdad Bacon and Eggs'? that's just waiting for trouble, regardless.
Democracy was, is and always will be bad idea. It just puts a civilised face on mob mentality, and that's assuming the state of democracy is real [or feasible].
As for the writing, you are losing your innocence. That is both good and bad. You might want to cut down on the amount of text. Less is more... etc. I always enjoy your posts, regardless.
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