Sandeela Kanwal wanted out of her arranged marriage, father thought a divorce would shame the family.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Tom Hanks Apologizes to Mormons 
Jan 26th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A Mormon said it is ‘un-American to tell people that they shouldn’t vote their conscience.’… Read the rest
Tom Hanks Calls Prop 8 Un-American
Jan 26th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘I do not like to see any discrimination codified on any piece of paper in any of the 50 states in America.’… Read the rest
The Choice of Hercules
Jan 26th, 2009 | By Max DunbarTwo attractive women approach you. Introducing themselves, one tells you that she is the personification of Duty, and invites you to follow her down the road of virtue, piety, sacrifice and hard slog. The second beauty represents Pleasure: she wants to guide you down a path of indolence, vice and hedonism. Which do you choose?
This was the famous ‘choice of Hercules’, put to him while he was a farm labourer in exile: appropriated by various religions and mythologies, it can be argued that millions of people who have never read the classics still think of life in these terms of virtue versus pleasure: the good life versus the Good Life. A C Grayling’s achievement is to expose this dichotomy … Read the rest
The doll study
Jan 25th, 2009 5:50 pm | By Ophelia BensonI was excited and exhilarated to see this article.
Educators and policy makers, including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, have said in recent days that they hope President Obama’s example as a model student could inspire millions of American students, especially blacks, to higher academic performance. Now researchers have documented what they call an Obama effect, showing that a performance gap between African-Americans and whites on a 20-question test administered before Mr. Obama’s nomination all but disappeared when the exam was administered after his acceptance speech and again after the presidential election.
Yeah…
I started thinking about things like that some time last spring, when I finally accepted that Obama wasn’t just a charismatic but basically random candidate. I … Read the rest
Switzerland Not Eager to Introduce Sharia
Jan 25th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Social anthropologist wrote a paper suggesting the idea, wiser heads prevailed.… Read the rest
Vatican Accuses Obama of Arrogance
Jan 25th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religious dictator chosen by groupuscule of priests accuses democratically elected president of arrogance.… Read the rest
Obama Makes al Qaeda Desperate
Jan 25th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bush was the perfect recruitment poster, Obama not so much.… Read the rest
Taliban Threatens Swat Nightly on the Radio
Jan 25th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Taliban enforcer announces newly proscribed ‘un-Islamic’ activities, names people killed for disobeying.… Read the rest
Study Finds Obama Effect Lifts Black Test-takers
Jan 25th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Performance gap all but disappeared when the exam was administered after the election.… Read the rest
Another chorus of ‘Pot, kettle’
Jan 25th, 2009 11:28 am | By Ophelia BensonThe great thing about religion, you know, is that it teaches people humility.
The Vatican has condemned President Obama’s move to restore US funding for family planning clinics abroad that give advice on or carry out abortions. One Vatican official warned against the “arrogance” of those in power who think they can decide between life and death.
That’s terrific, isn’t it? An ‘official’ of an authoritarian moth-eaten hidebound reactionary gang of priests calls a guy elected in a landslide ‘arrogant’…What does the Vatican ‘official’ think the Vatican is if not arrogant? Humbly obedient to god, no doubt, being conveniently blind to the fact that it’s hard to obey someone who never communicates, and that what the Vatican chooses to … Read the rest
Feel Entitled Much?
Jan 24th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Caroline Kennedy didn’t have to campaign in the same way that an unknown person has to.… Read the rest
Bailout is a Windfall to Banks
Jan 24th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We’re not going to change our credit policies to accommodate the needs of the public sector.’… Read the rest
John McWhorter on Obama’s Second Language
Jan 24th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Yes we can’ was couched in a Black English intonation – partly church, maybe even a dash of street.… Read the rest
Reasons for Hope and Caution
Jan 24th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It is too easy to dismiss the symbolism of this particular election.’… Read the rest
Moyers Talks to David Sirota and Tom Franks
Jan 24th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
About what they think Obama must accomplish to bring real ‘change’ to Washington. … Read the rest
Obama Lifts Restrictions on Abortion Funding
Jan 23rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Will lift restrictions on US government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad.… Read the rest
Priests Accused of Collection Plate Diversion
Jan 23rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Gambling in Vegas, rare coins, taking mistress on expensive holidays, amen.… Read the rest
Catholic Group Helps Abusive Mother
Jan 23rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Right-wing Catholic group helped the mother get an injunction, keep children 8 more years.… Read the rest
Steven Pinker on Oaths and Putative Split Verbs
Jan 23rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In his legal opinions, Chief Justice Roberts has altered quotations to conform to his notions of grammaticality.… Read the rest
