Egyptian and foreign women frequently complain of persistent sexual harassment on Egyptian streets.… Read the rest
46% of Egyptian Women Harassed Daily 
Jul 19th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
83% of Egyptian women and 98% of foreign women said they had been harassed at some point.… Read the rest
Sexual Harassment of Women in Egypt
Jul 19th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No one spoke about freedom of choice, freedom of movement or the right to legal protection. … Read the rest
A correspondence
Jul 18th, 2008 5:57 pm | By Ophelia BensonI got a surprise email from a stranger yesterday. It read, in its entirety, so:
How appropriate that a smug, shitty, rightwing publication like “Butterflies and Wheels” shares the name of a sentence in a book that is key to the plot of an idiotic movie like “Shattered”. Both the ‘zine and the movie are worthless.
No greeting or signature or anything stuffy like that, just that rather random observation. It made me laugh a good deal, I must say. I also forwarded it to Jeremy, knowing it would cause him to grin sharkishly with delight. He’s always wanted abusive mail about B&W. In fact it’s really very sad: he thought there would be abusive email, he thought it would … Read the rest
Mo Practices Transubstantiation
Jul 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Jesus asks for Celine Dion. … Read the rest
Without the Data, There’s Only Someone Saying
Jul 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Journalists don’t always understand what it means for there to be evidence for an assertion.… Read the rest
Midwives Train as Surgeons in Mozambique
Jul 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Is on track to achieve UN Millennium Development goal to reduce maternal death rate by 75% by 2015… Read the rest
UK Govt to Fund Board of Islamic Theologians
Jul 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sheikh Mogra said ‘This board has to be something owned by us, driven by us but supported by government.’… Read the rest
Mandela Turns 90
Jul 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Calls for the rich to do more for the poor.… Read the rest
Man Knifes Sister for Being ‘Bad Muslim Girl’
Jul 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Told sheriff’s investigators he attacked his sister because she had disgraced their family.… Read the rest
‘Islam is a Religion of Moderation and Tolerance’
Jul 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘A new page for humanity in which – God willing – concord will replace conflict.’ God unwilling, not.… Read the rest
God Donates Gold Teeth, One Per Customer
Jul 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Pray for a sign, go home, find gold tooth in mouth. A miracle!… Read the rest
Saudi King Says Religions Should Unite
Jul 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
To combat problems such as ‘breakdown of the family,’ code for women who don’t submit enough.… Read the rest
Saudi Monarch ‘Decries Extremism’!
Jul 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Conference to emphasize ‘a more tolerant side’ of Wahhabi Islam. Right. … Read the rest
Saudi King ‘Appeals for Tolerance’!
Jul 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Has called on followers of the world’s main religions to turn away from extremism’! Yes, really.… Read the rest
This Is An Annoyance-Free Zone (but tacky souvenirs welcome)
Jul 17th, 2008 | By Josh SlocumIt’s probably too much to hope the Parliament of New South Wales is hanging its head after a righteous scolding by the Federal Court of Australia[1]. After all, the government was bold enough to outlaw “annoying” the Catholic throngs descending on Sydney for a five-day Pope-a-Rama. Attempting to shame the Catholic Church is likewise futile; given its irony-free staging of the world’s biggest adolescent/clergy mixer, we must presume it innocent of that emotion.
But let’s try anyway.
Previously, on “World Youth Day. . .”
The Vatican picked Sydney for its latest “pilgrimage of faith, where young people from diverse backgrounds meet and experience the love of God.” Events from July 15-20, 2008, will include spiritual favorites: multiple catechisms, on-site confession, … Read the rest
Wahhabi wisdom
Jul 17th, 2008 10:57 am | By Ophelia BensonWhat the Saudi king said.
This message declares that Islam is a religion of moderation and tolerance, a message that calls for constructive dialogue among followers of religions, a message that promises to open a new page for humanity in which, God willing, concord will replace conflict.
And God not willing? What then?
More to the point, of course, the idea that Islam and especially Wahhabi Islam is a religion of moderation and tolerance is a bad joke. Saudi Arabia tolerates almost nothing, especially if women want to do or drive or walk into or sit down in or refuse or accept or look at or listen to or read it.
… Read the restMankind is suffering today from a loss of
Sandra Tsing Loh on ‘I Choose My Choice!’
Jul 16th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ignore stupid subtitle; the article is good.… Read the rest
HRW on the International Criminal Court
Jul 16th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The ICC has made progress in bringing justice to victims of horrible abuses despite daunting obstacles.… Read the rest
Carl Zimmer on How the Brain Controls Time
Jul 16th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The brain has several ways to tell time, and none of them seems to work like a conventional clock.… Read the rest
