“What has made the latest charges against her even more extraordinary is the fact that the unveiled photograph in question, published by the Times newspaper on 28 August, was not actually of Sakineh but of another woman, for which the paper has since apologised.”

So, they intend to give her 99 lashes, give her time to recover.. and then hang her.

..The best of us is the most pious to Allah.”

Tell that to the Mullahs of Iran - the world’s only extant Islamic state - who look set to execute Sakineh very soon, and probably think they are the very @*@kin paragons of piousness to [entity who almost certainly does not exist]

Now THAT is hateful.

“Well reading some of the articles here i can see there is so much hating going on..”

Hate, is a very strong word indeed.
My criticism of all superstitious bullshit is always robust, but especially when it’s proponents try to tell me about what we need to know ‘is written’, or what adults should or should not do in their own bedrooms.

Yesterday’s Guardian:
“Iran has reportedly sentenced Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani – the 43-year-old Iranian woman who faces execution after being convicted of adultery – to 99 lashes in prison for “spreading corruption and indecency” after allowing an unveiled picture of herself to be published in a British newspaper.”

Well reading some of the articles here i can see there is so much hating going on and need to remind you of Chpt 49 verse 13 in the Quran which states that we should not hate each other or different nations. We have been created to know and understand each other. The best of us is the most pious to Allah.

Peace on you all.

I think it’s far more plausible that when these hunter gatherers had ‘gathered’ they all return to their encampment and almost certainly dropped plants and seeds along the way and seeing these germinate, prompted them to encourage the growth of crops nearby. I also think that there was not an abrupt shift to the arable life style but a gradual movement from nomadic to semi-nomadic and then to a semi-permanent basis

we came to your talk and although the room was a bit hot (where’s the air con when you need it we really enjoyed it. You obviously have a great understanding of the environment and of China. We particularly liked your answer to the

“Does a lack of democracy make it easier for China to enforce unpopular change?”

very insightful to hear your opinons and experiences on this matter (for the benefit of those not there, it was essentially “No! because they don’t have a democractic mandate and therefore have a greater need to appease the independent provinces.”). I also like the answers you have given above, particularly the first two, they elaborate on the idea below which has motivated me for some time now…

American Indian Chief Seattle, “When the last tree is cut, the last river poisoned, and the last fish dead, we will discover that we can’t eat money…”

This makes me think that it is always worth trying to save and preserve the local environment even in the face of much bigger destruction elsewhere.

Thanks again and keep up the good work

Laurie

Isn’t this what this is all about?

Making sure that women who fall into circumstances beyond their control find and tailor the choices they make in life.

I admire her for rising above her circumstances. She is a role model for women who want to aspire to something more than a predatory culture that wants to demean and dehumanize women in general.

To me, she is a primary source of women who have overcome distress and is trying to present life in a historical and educational context.

I would support her in the venture in educating women that they do have choices as to what they can do in life and not her shoot her down because of some previous choices made as a younger woman.

Well worth going to, I can see why it was such a busy talk. I wish speakers like this could be given more time to speak - the current allotted time is just SO short when you are faced with speakers of this callibre.