Too Hot Already!

It got up to 108°F today! It is already too hot and it is only April!

...not exercising censorship... ?

...funny I was just posting about censorship on this blog and also talking about it with my students and now I'm being censored!!! They are claiming they "not exercising censorship," but I am not sure what you would call it when they are not allowing my photo to be printed in a publication when the jury in charge of picked the images chose my work to include...

Mon 5/4/2009 11:28 AM

Dear XXXXXXXX,

Please explain to Mr. Andersen that we are not exercising censorship, we reviewed the XXXXXX based on your request and when we review material we review it with the interest of the XXXXXX in our minds and the interest of our XXXXXXX and XXXXXX.

The XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX department is not responsible for the laws or cultural issues or sensitivities that exist in a country. Our responsibility is however to protect the institution we represent.

Regards,

XXXXXXXXX

Mon 5/4/2009 10:16 AM

Dear Prof. Andersen,

I regret to inform you that after the reviewing of the XXXXXXX through XXXXXXXX, your photograph, "The Virgin Mary, Mary's House, Ephesus, Turkey" was seen as material inappropriate for printing for reasons of local regulations, etc. Although there is nothing we can do to compensate this, it would be great if you perhaps had another photograph you may want to submit in its stead.

If you do want to send something to replace it, please send it to XXXXXXXXX or myself by tonight or tomorrow morning. I know it is very short notice, but we are working to get the manuscript out ready for design and printing soon.

I sincerely apologize for the omission, and hope you'll want to send something else, perhaps.

Best wishes,

XXXXXXXXXX

how the other half lives in Kuwait...

I titled this photo "Workers’ Beds for the Night, The Avenues, Al-Rai, Kuwait," and entered it into a journal that was to be published here in Kuwait. My title was censored and changed to just "Workers' Beds for the Night." They did not even ask me. I guess I am just shocked that they even published it.... the Avenues is currently the biggest mall in Kuwait (although I've heard they are building a bigger one). It is also one of the newest and richest... these men, workers at the Avenues and mostly all Bangladeshi, were all sleeping directly on the concrete, with only a few sheets of a newspaper as any comfort, in the underground parking around midnight...