What Is An Expat?

In the DFAC they have TVs along the outside edge. On one side we have AFN with either American news programs of various sorts, sports, and occasionally a movie. Along the other side we have BBC news. Among the advertisers on BBC are Afghan Wireless.

Now here’s my question: who the hell outside of Afghanistan gives a crap about phone service there? Are they advertising “hey, Afghanistan is a great place for investment, see, we even have cell phone service!” or just letting your average traveling businessman know that if he poor self gets sent to Afghanistan he can use a cell phone?

My alternate guess is that the only people could afford a cell phone are rich westerners, who probably have satellite connections for TV, and thus constitute a target market. Still though, it seems excessive if someone with too much cash isn’t underwriting their advertising budget.

On another note:

What kind of idiot goes backpacking through Iraq? How can people be that damn stupid?

Still more different notes

I need a haircut. I last got a haircut over two months ago. Unfortunately, the bad guys killed the wife and kids of the last haircut guy, so he doesn’t come to work anymore. I guess he no longer has much reason to. Hell, I can always get a haircut someway and somehow, but it’s a lot easier than losing your family. This country sucks.

…cheap haircuts. Spent $5.25 yesterday on a chop. Hasn’t gone up so much really. 10 years ago it was like$3.25/3.50 on post, and there was this place just off post that was $4, but less waiting. I had been spending $15 with tip in Denver.

It may surprise you to know that it’s Uzbek locals who were doing the haircutting instead of old guys that had been doing it forever. It still doesn’t take all that long in any case, though I think she spent extra time on me. I guess she liked the shape of my skull or something, because she was almost massaging my brains. Skulls are funny things. Used to have a creepy neighbor who had various small animal skulls on display. It was sorta related I guess, as he worked with the Wildlife department, but strange nonetheless. (back to o’zbekistan) Maybe she just had extra time, what with no waiting and all, and it was something to do. (more…)