Comments on: Stupid in America http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/ Maintaining optimism in Afghanistan Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:55:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Chii Maene http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1203 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:23:29 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1203 ::sighs:: The stupidity in America is rampant and regrettable. If it's any consolation, I recognized the name as that of the Greek Goddess but knew it was famous for other things elsewhere (and I'm American). I think it's a beautiful name for a child and one that they can treasure for its rarity as they get older as opposed to a name like mine which is found seemingly everywhere I go ("Chii" is a pen name). ::sighs:: The stupidity in America is rampant and regrettable. If it’s any consolation, I recognized the name as that of the Greek Goddess but knew it was famous for other things elsewhere (and I’m American). I think it’s a beautiful name for a child and one that they can treasure for its rarity as they get older as opposed to a name like mine which is found seemingly everywhere I go (”Chii” is a pen name).

]]> by: Administrator http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1034 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 08:27:13 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1034 Hello to FtJ, Frida, and Tajikzone! Great to hear from you all- your links are coming soon. To all others- sorry for the long delay, merry Christmas, Eidaton muborak, happy 2007, and thanks foor reading. Hello to FtJ, Frida, and Tajikzone! Great to hear from you all- your links are coming soon.

To all others- sorry for the long delay, merry Christmas, Eidaton muborak, happy 2007, and thanks foor reading.

]]> by: Tajikzone http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1033 Tue, 09 Jan 2007 11:29:03 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1033 Great BLOG! I really enjoyed reading it. I have also lived and workd in Afghanistan for almost 4 years. From 2002 to 2005; Please visit my blog as well. Cheers! Great BLOG! I really enjoyed reading it. I have also lived and workd in Afghanistan for almost 4 years. From 2002 to 2005; Please visit my blog as well. Cheers!

]]> by: Asiyah http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1032 Sun, 31 Dec 2006 01:42:55 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1032 Eid Mubarak! Eid Mubarak!

]]> by: Frida http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1031 Fri, 29 Dec 2006 04:37:16 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1031 Armistice? Somebody thought that you had named your sweet girl 'Armistice'? Like she was the deal that sealed peace between you and your warring husband? Well, I guess some things in life have just got to get a laugh. I read your previous post about hospitality in Afghanistan with interest. I've been here for a year and have had many fewer invitations than I did previously in Syria and Palestine. But I see so many factors contributing to that. For one the security situation here is completely different, which leads folks like me to live bizarely isolated lives. I don't like it, but I'll lose my job if I don't go with it. When I do break the rules, drive in the private car of an Afghan colleague and enjoy their hospitality in their non-security compliant homes I have always felt warmly welcomed. My blog is www.fridaworld.blogspot.com and I think I qualify as a humanitarian worker (human rights in the West of Afghanistan). Armistice? Somebody thought that you had named your sweet girl ‘Armistice’? Like she was the deal that sealed peace between you and your warring husband? Well, I guess some things in life have just got to get a laugh.

I read your previous post about hospitality in Afghanistan with interest. I’ve been here for a year and have had many fewer invitations than I did previously in Syria and Palestine. But I see so many factors contributing to that. For one the security situation here is completely different, which leads folks like me to live bizarely isolated lives. I don’t like it, but I’ll lose my job if I don’t go with it.

When I do break the rules, drive in the private car of an Afghan colleague and enjoy their hospitality in their non-security compliant homes I have always felt warmly welcomed.

My blog is www.fridaworld.blogspot.com and I think I qualify as a humanitarian worker (human rights in the West of Afghanistan).

]]> by: haji 0 matic http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1030 Wed, 27 Dec 2006 06:16:10 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1030 Well at least you chose a REAL name. Not a couple of consonants and a vowel taped together. Did you know in Norway your name has to be aproved by a commitee before you bestow it upon your child? Keeps riff-raff like Sha na na..and Takalika k'bongobongo OUT of the public schools.... Well at least you chose a REAL name. Not a couple of consonants and a vowel taped together. Did you know in Norway your name has to be aproved by a commitee before you bestow it upon your child? Keeps riff-raff like Sha na na..and Takalika k’bongobongo OUT of the public schools….

]]> by: Beaver http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1029 Mon, 25 Dec 2006 18:16:37 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1029 *on a known melody* We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas..... and a happy new year ! *clap clap clap* *Beaver bows deeply* *on a known melody*

We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas….. and a happy new year !

*clap clap clap*

*Beaver bows deeply*

]]> by: FtJ http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1028 Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:49:58 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1028 Hello - I've been reading your blog in preparation for my own plunge into development work. I'm now a month into a new job in Sierra Leone, and also into my blog. In March, I'll head to another development oriented job in East Timor, and will continue the blog there. Thanks for your words and insight. Hello - I’ve been reading your blog in preparation for my own plunge into development work. I’m now a month into a new job in Sierra Leone, and also into my blog. In March, I’ll head to another development oriented job in East Timor, and will continue the blog there. Thanks for your words and insight.

]]> by: Loki http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1027 Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:16:28 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1027 Respectfully, while many Americans may be ignorant, your argument is not convincing. First, is knowledge of the names of mythological Greek figures a reliable indicator of ignorance, intelligence, or education? Knowledge of Greek deities is not a prerequisite for being well educated or, generally, for obtaining a university degree anywhere in the world, except maybe Greece. Although one would hope someone with a degree from a liberal arts university would have at least a passing knowledge of Greek democracy, philosophy, and thought as it relates to modern Western civilization and thought. Second, Artemus (no matter what the derivation) is a guy’s name in the States, albeit an old fashioned one. So if someone hears you say the name Artemis, then maybe you can forgive them for thinking you are saying Artemus and assuming she is a he. Third, if the parents of the “Persian” Artemisia had had a boy, what would they have named him? We will never know, but there are many languages where adding or dropping vowels - particularly an “a” - at the end strongly indicates male or female. I think modern Persian is one of these. To illustrate, Hamida is a woman, Hamid a guy; Firuz, man; Firuza, woman; Claudia, woman; Claude, probably a guy; Alexander, Alexandra…. Perhaps “well educated” people (by your apparent standard) would recognize this. Respectfully, while many Americans may be ignorant, your argument is not convincing.
First, is knowledge of the names of mythological Greek figures a reliable indicator of ignorance, intelligence, or education? Knowledge of Greek deities is not a prerequisite for being well educated or, generally, for obtaining a university degree anywhere in the world, except maybe Greece. Although one would hope someone with a degree from a liberal arts university would have at least a passing knowledge of Greek democracy, philosophy, and thought as it relates to modern Western civilization and thought.
Second, Artemus (no matter what the derivation) is a guy’s name in the States, albeit an old fashioned one. So if someone hears you say the name Artemis, then maybe you can forgive them for thinking you are saying Artemus and assuming she is a he.
Third, if the parents of the “Persian” Artemisia had had a boy, what would they have named him? We will never know, but there are many languages where adding or dropping vowels - particularly an “a” - at the end strongly indicates male or female. I think modern Persian is one of these. To illustrate, Hamida is a woman, Hamid a guy; Firuz, man; Firuza, woman; Claudia, woman; Claude, probably a guy; Alexander, Alexandra…. Perhaps “well educated” people (by your apparent standard) would recognize this.

]]> by: Administrator http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1026 Sun, 10 Dec 2006 18:32:23 +0000 http://candide.blogsome.com/2006/12/02/stupid-in-america/#comment-1026 Bill- Nobody knows the ethnicity of the "Persian" Artemis (called Artemisia in Herodotus) but it seems to be a very ancient Indo-European name shared by Scythians, Greeks, Persians, and many others. THanks for commenting. Bill- Nobody knows the ethnicity of the “Persian” Artemis (called Artemisia in Herodotus) but it seems to be a very ancient Indo-European name shared by Scythians, Greeks, Persians, and many others. THanks for commenting.

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