Arranged marriages

Written Sunday, 28 September 2008

 

 

I read an article recently in Atlantic Monthly magazine (from March 2008) that says that a study has found that in India, where arranged marriage is still common, the groom's parents tend to prefer an uneducated daughter-in-law over an educated one.  The study's author believes that this preference is because the parents-in-law will have an easier time controlling an uneducated woman and will thus be able to get a larger share of the household's resources. 

 

Arranged marriage is very common here in Senegal as well, and men here often say that they do not want to educate their daughters because it will reduce their prospects for marriage – they say men won't want to marry an educated woman because she will be less likely to accept his authority as head of the household.  This study makes me wonder, though, is it really the men who object to having an educated wife, or is it his parents, and particularly his mother, who under traditional family rules will have her share of the household chores taken over by her daughter-in-law?

 

The study has an interesting idea, I think, but really I think it is probably all wrong.  The difference in education level of the wife that the author finds between arranged marriages and "love matches" can probably be almost entirely explained by educated people being less likely to accept an arranged marriage at all.

 

 

What?

Written Sunday, 28 September 2008

 

 

From the packaging of an "Omnipotence Travel Charger" that one of my friends received in a package recently:

 

Creative technology: Can to in the world the cellular phone lithium battery proceeds to refresh mostly can circumscribe to link the line to in the world the cellular phone refreshes directly mostly this charger can circumscribe to link the line, direct opponent machine to refresh.  Can refresh the pond with the charger cellular phone at the same time.

 

Operation step:

1. Play the slice the charger first to aim at the plus or minus pole of battery, good battery of cover.

2.  Press the "test" the key, "confirm" the bright elucidation of light is normal to refresh.  If the "confirm" the light is not bright, press "the conversion" the key convert the power supply's pole, then normal refresh.

3.  Normal refresh, refresh the light flicker; battery saturation hour.  The saturated light is all and bright, and refresh the light to put out.  Refresh time general for 4 hours, add result of an a 1-2 more good.

4.  this charger can circumscribe link the line, direct opponent machine to refresh.  Can refresh the pond with the charger cellular phone at the same time.

 

 

 

Peanut shelling machine

Written Sunday, 28 September 2008

 

 

My village has recently received a peanut shelling machine from a very generous American donor (Thanks, Lanny!).  Up til now, women had to shell peanuts one by one, by hand.  It takes hours.  Most of the time the women do it after lunch, during their "resting time".

 

But now, with the machine, they can just dump the peanuts into it and push the handle back and forth, and voila! the peanuts are shelled.  It still takes a while to do a large batch of peanuts, but since now there is a machine involved in the process, it has suddenly become a much cooler chore and the men and kids are willing to do it.  (It still remains to be seen whether if this will last once the novelty of the machine wears off, though). 

 

But for now, at least, I think it will make a big difference for the women.  Maybe they will even actually be able to rest for a bit during their resting time!  It could be a revolution!

 

Okay, maybe I am exaggerating a little, but I am excited about it, and so are the women.