Jonathan's blog

From a post by Diane E. Dees on MoJo Blog:

According to the Women's Rights Association, a Baghdad NGO, since 2003, the number of women in Iraq attacked because they were not wearing headscarves has more than tripled. Between 1999 and March of 2003, there were 22 attacks and one death; since then, there have been 80 attacks and 4 deaths, with no figures are available yet for 2006. The decision to not wear a headscarf is concentrated in the area around Baghdad because that is where Iraq's modern society has grown. According to a WRA spokeswoman, there are now significantly fewer women and girls around Baghdad wearing headscarves, but many have been threatened by relatives or have been imprisoned inside their homes. A year ago, insurgents took an Iraqi woman in Western dress out of a local pharmacy and executed her. She was found with two bullet holes in her head, and she had been covered with a traditional abaya veil with a message pinned to it that said "She was a collaborator against Islam." She was not the first woman to have a "collaborator" label pinned to her clothing. Human Rights Watch points out that--though the new Iraqi constitution permits women the right to transfer citizenship to their children, it fails to give women equal rights within the family. HRW also confirms that Iraqi women are being attacked for dancing, socializing with men, and not wearing headscarves.

Today I finished watching Grizzly Man (2005,R). From Wikipedia:

Grizzly Man is a 2005 documentary film by German director Werner Herzog. It chronicles the life and death of environmentalist and bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. The music in the film is by British folksinger Richard Thompson.

To call him an enthusiast is a gross understatement. The guy was obsessed and obviously a bit of a wack-o. But he was living life his way. I give it 4 out of 5.

From an AP story on Forbes.com, Luke Duke was arrested for drunk driving in New Jersey. I guess he hasn't gotten over the movie.

You may have seen these examples of photographers framing their subjects in a way that the background makes a funny commentary on the subject.

There's a collection of funny photos of politicians (yes, both Republicans AND Democrats) at lowculture.