That was the report on December 24…… Read the rest
All entries by this author
German MEPs Demonstrate Against Stoning
Dec 30th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Many Iranian exiles joined demonstration outside Iranian embassy in Berlin.… Read the rest
Somewhere, Over the Rainbow
Dec 29th, 2004 7:46 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’ve been visiting the Other Side. Well not so much visiting it, I guess, as reading about it. Or researching it, you could call it. Sylvia Browne calls it researching, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t.
And never mind about shooting fish in barrels. Not that you would, most of you, but some of you would and do. Some of you seem to think that the targets are too easy and that there’s no reason to shoot at them. Well the targets are easy all right, I’ll give you that, but there is every reason to shoot at them. I’ll show you why.
… Read the restSo why this current interest and acceptance of the absolute truth that yes, there are Angels
The Guardian on Susan Sontag
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘She had a deeply solitary and precocious childhood.’… Read the rest
Oh But Indeed There is a Right to Offend
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Warped version of ‘tolerance’ surrounds belief with hands-off halo of sanctity.… Read the rest
Julian Baggini Does a Mr Manners
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Be considerate, be quiet, close mouth when chewing, pipe down on mobile.… Read the rest
Philip Stott on the Disaster
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Geology and poverty meet on Asian coasts; failing governments don’t do the necessary.… Read the rest
Why Thai Officials Did Not Warn of Tsunami
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
High tourist season, hotels full, no way to tell direction of waves.… Read the rest
Laurie Taylor on Dictionary of FN
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Too many cheap shots, but some funny bits too. (Cheap? Moi?)… Read the rest
Whose Community, Again?
Dec 28th, 2004 8:27 pm | By Ophelia BensonExactly. How very seldom this kind of thing gets pointed out:
Second, the promotion of religion in public life, especially under New Labour, has not only legitimised “rotten” multiculturalism – where culture has long given way to religion, particularly if it is capable of delivering ethnic minority votes. It has also created space in institutional forums that has been exploited by communities such as the Sikhs. While the sentiments of inter-religious dialogues are noble, the result is often to stifle dissent within religions and essentialise particular traditions as representing the Sikh, Muslim, Christian or Hindu way. In a highly plural and secular society, nothing could be further from the truth.
Just exactly so. All this pious invocation of ‘community’ and … Read the rest
NY Times Retrospective on Sontag
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Links to reviews, interviews, profiles.… Read the rest
Sontag in the New York Times
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Arthur Danto: ‘she dealt as a literary and philosophical intellectual with the deep problems of human life in our times.’… Read the rest
Susan Sontag in the Times
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Stanley Aronowitz called her ‘the critic as star’; Sontag was ambivalent about this status.… Read the rest
NY Times Tries to Be Scott McLemee, Fails
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Very lame MLA-tease, falls flat.… Read the rest
Gurharpal Singh on the Real Losers from Behzti
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This is a multiculturalism which promotes religion and stifles dissent.… Read the rest
Rushdie Disgusted Ministers Did Nothing
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Bookshops and theatres are full of things that would upset an interest group.’… Read the rest
Physics Envy, Biology Envy, Quantum Flapdoodle
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Cartesian dreams fade in the face of the complexities of biology.… Read the rest
Popularity at School: the Hardest Work There Is
Dec 27th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Smart kids don’t have time or attention for it; whence the nerd.… Read the rest
Rushdie Horrified at Closure of Behzti
Dec 27th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And at response of government ministers.… Read the rest
