20 September 2003


Why...?
From today's NY Times:

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 20 — In the first attempt to assassinate a member of Iraq's interim government, nine gunmen this morning shot and critically wounded Akila al-Hashemi, one of three women on the governing body, as she was being driven to work by a driver and three bodyguards
The first thing I thought when I heard this story on NPR this morning was that Aquila al-Hashimi was targeted because she's a woman who dared to serve on Iraq's Governing Council. Yet other than mentioning that she is one of three women on the council, neither the NY Times, nor the A.P. story in the LA Times even raised the question that her assailants could have been motivated by a resurgence of sexism in a country which, under Saddam Hussein, offered women much more freedom and civil rights than our famed ally, Saudi Arabia.

NY Times story here, LA Times here.

16 September 2003


Global warming....
The Earth has never been so warm in the last 2000 years. That is the conclusion of the most comprehensive study of climatic history ever undertaken and which was released last week, by two scientists already generally recognized as leading authorities on the subject.

Full story here.