It's a cold, sunny day up here on the hill. I've been for a walk int he cold, have did a little work on the taxes and even finished a book. Asne Seierstad's The Bookseller of Kabul is a pretty good primer on Afghanistan as it exists these last several years. Lots of information but the real fascination is the description of the male-female dynamic in the Afghani culture. Think I have mentioned this before as Diane read this book and had quite a few comments to make, out loud, about the way the women were being treated by the *#%@&* men. And, my oh my, those poor women over there do live a life comparable to a slave's. Completely under the thumb of the male, the husband, the father; and when he's not around, number one son is the authority. Things are changing now, maybe. Taliban has been sent packing. Of course, a lot of the warlords and tribal leaders really don't want things to change that much. At least the burqa, the clothing that covered the women from head to toe with but a slit for the eyes to see and worn whenever the women left the sanctuary of their home, has been put back on the hook for the time being. (Go here for a strongly worded condemnation of the use of the burqa.) Did you know that Afghanistan was once a desirable destination for backpackers and the like? Did you know that Afghani hash was once considered the best? Back in the '60's and 70's....

Time to go get ready for the rest of the day. The Bookseller of Kabul is an excellent read. Highly recommended.