Egyptian novelist and Nobel prize-winner Naguib Mahfouz died today. He was one of my favorite novelists and writer of some very colorful and funny books about life in Cairo including Midaq Alley and the Cairo Trilogy (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, and Sugar Street).
Check out the piece “Hog Hell” by Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation author) in the current issue of The Nation on the brutal working conditions at the Smithfield pork-processing plant in Tar Heel , North Carolina.
In case any of you have missed the brouhaha over the LAME Forbes piece telling men not to marry career women (well, at least women who make more than $30,00 a year), check out these links (and the links they follow) at Boing Boing and Feministe. My fave from the original article is how the tag-line validates his sexist opinion citing the work of “social scientists”. . . so, it must be true!
Especially given the feminist victory with Plan B, check out this Slate piece discussing posts on Plan B and the Forbes article debate.
So Plan B (emergency contraception) was finally approved for over-the counter sales today! A huge victory given the current status of women’s reproductive rights in our country. See this link or here for more info.
An addendum to this: Apparently Plan B has been made legal only for women over 18. So there is still an issue of access for many young women and pharmacists can still refuse to sell Plan B for religious reasons, the reasons given that they can “refer women to someone else”. Which misses the whole point that Plan B prevents pregnancy because it stops the egg from implanting to begin with!!! But, small victories, one at a time . . .
Think the religious right will support this in the name of security?
. . . my blog is, that is.
When I made this blog I intended it only for report-backs on my fieldwork experiences and to keep in touch with folks. Now that I have been back awhile (yikes, it has been 4 months!), it doesn’t fit what I would like to use it for now. . . so hopefully I can get to this some time soon and re-do it (imagery and maybe name too).
I’d like to add some links and I hope that I can start blogging more frequently with general thoughts, political commentary, and on the dissertation writing process (so far: onerous!). I’d like to think I could become motivated enough to post regularly– including pics but not sure if I am too lazy for that!
When my friend Mary was in town a few months ago we saw a car with the bumper sticker “Republicans for Voldemort”– we loved it!
I finally got to tracking the maker down and ordering a bunch. If you’re interested in getting one, see the website for the comic strip Goats.
I know Voldemort comes in close with Cheney for being the best candidate, but Voldemort’s ability to use magic makes him a much better choice than any muggle.
If you are looking for some nuanced, yet sympathetic, analysis of the situation in Lebanon check out this article: “Whatever Happens Hizbollah has Won”.
Cites how the Israeli attacks are only securing Hizbollah’s popularity, but at the same time recognizes that there is no blanket support for (and much wariness of) Hizbollah in the Middle East– and recognizes Hizbollah for what they are: a small group of guerillas.
Hmm. . . sound familiar?