Voice for Abused Women Upsets Dubai Patriarchy

This is a fascinating article about Sharla Musabih, an advocate for domestic abuse and human trafficking victims in Dubai. Her bold defense of women's rights has earned her numerous enemies among those who'd rather keep Dubai's dark side hidden. While Dubai is making headlines for their man-made-palm-tree-shaped-islands and booming investment scene, it's interesting to get a sense of what else is going on there.

US Public Losing Interest in Iraq as News Coverage Wanes: Report

Here's where I found out about the Pew Research Center report I mentioned in my other post. It makes you realize what a major impact the media has on American values. The less the media reports, the less we seem to care about the war in Iraq.

The War Over the War Inside the Pentagon

Here's a great article from Harper's online addressing the inept mainstream media coverage of the Iraq war. No Comment writer, Scott Horton, goes on to point out that conflict over Iraq policy and strategy within the government is a critical issue that has received virtually no media attention. Considering the war has been going on for five years and there seems to be no end in sight, it's appalling that in February 2008 only 3% of news stories were about Iraq compared to 15% in July 2007, according to a separate report by the independent Pew Research Center. I'm glad someone has the nerve to confront the media!

A journey into the Sahel

This is a really amazing piece of journalism by one of my favorite writers, Paul Salopek. Its about Africa's Sahel region, which stretches across the continent, and harbors several rivaling religions, tribes and ethnic groups. You may remember that he was captured in Darfur a couple of years ago and had to be sprung out of Sa unaese jail by Senator Bill Richardson. Well, this was the story he was working on when he was arrested for "spying," and now, two years later he's finished the story. I like everything Paul writes, and if you like this story, do read with other work.

The secret history of credit cards

This is from all the way back in 2004, but it was so amazing that I thought I should post it anyway. It's a Frontline documentary on the history and secrets of credit cards that I'm sure you either didn't know or found out for yourself the hard way. After watching this in a college classroom, everyone, including the professor, rushed to a computer to see if they could cancel their credit cards. Enjoy!

War Torn

This is a great editorial from NY Times correspondent, John F. Burns who watched the initial U.S. bombing in Baghdad from his hotel roof back in 2003. It's a beautiful story and it's nice to hear a perspective from someone who spent a lot of time in Iraq and really knows the conflict.

More than 40 arrested in S.F. anti-war protests

Although the protests for the anniversary of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars may not get lots of mainstream coverage, the San Francisco Chronicle was all over it. Check out the story...