Comments on: Afghan Woman Loses Nobel Prize To Obama

By: biochem1

biochem1 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:17:49 +0000

Hello, I think I can help with the bone disease question. When deprived of sunlight, particularly UV light, children will develop rickets and adults develop a bone condition referred to as osteomalacia. The obvious sign is severe bowing of the legs in both cases. Osteomalacia is not osteoporosis as they can be pathologically distinguished. If the only time a person is outdoors, she is fully covered, vitamin D cannot be converted to its active form. Vitamin D is necessary for bone health. If the diet is not supplemented in the active vitamin D form, this condition will result. My PhD friend from Jeddah Saudi Arabia has told me she has seen this condition in women who always wear a burka when going outside. I teach this subject (vitamin D metabolism) in medical school. I hope this helps.

By: rockyinlaw

rockyinlaw — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:55:28 +0000

Thank you for your response, Mr Tobia. These things (awards) are very mysterious to me. I think the huge amount of $$ makes this one so “prestigious,” else why would anyone care? However, I do wish it could have assisted the good Dr. in her work. Perhaps the publicity the committee’s oversight generates will help her.

By: P.J. Tobia

P.J. Tobia — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:56:09 +0000

Inlaw,

Local media here reported that Dr. Samar was nominated and those were the sources I used before writing the post. Then this morning I checked the Nobel website and found this: “The names of the nominees and other information about the nominations cannot be revealed until 50 years later.” The consensus here is that she was nominated, but Afghan reporters–like reporters everywhere–have been wrong before.

Thanks for the rec Zaid!

By: Zaid Jilani

Zaid Jilani — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:40:10 +0000

Proudly recommended. The Nobel committee can turn itself into an elitist niche group if it wants.

By: rockyinlaw

rockyinlaw — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:29:18 +0000

Ghandi lost and Kissinger won; explain that! There will always be someone else who all too obviously deserves recognition more than the one who got it. Don’t see why this takes anything away from our good president. BTW was Dr. Sima Samar even nominated?

By: annareitman

annareitman — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:19:44 +0000

Ugh..now I am really depressed…

By: susango

susango — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:35:21 +0000

Truly Dr. Samar deserved this prize far more than Obama. I lost faith in the Nobel process years ago. This year only reminds me of why I lost faith. Dr. Samar is a true hero.

By: So Who Didn’t Win The Nobel Prize This Year? « The Sniper

So Who Didn’t Win The Nobel Prize This Year? « The Sniper — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:23:36 +0000

[...] From P.J Tobia who reports from Afghanistan at True/Slant… [...]

By: P.J. Tobia

P.J. Tobia — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:14:40 +0000

Caitlin,

I Googled around a bit, hoping to find a decent article about the health issues connected to Burka wearing for you, but most of the good stuff seemed to be behind pay walls. Of course health issues aren’t my forte(K. Drummond bait anyone?)so maybe I just didn’t know where to look.

Mr. Hawk, I meant no editorial comment about Obama, I tend to check my opinions about US domestic politics at the door of the Afghan Desk Kabul bureau. That said, my ire lies mostly with the Nobel committee, as they’re the ones who made the decision.

By: Flopping Aces » Blog Archive » So who else was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:01:12 +0000

[...] the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. And President Barack Hussein Obama beat them all. Notable among these? Dr. Sima Samar: here in Afghanistan the big story is about the nominee who didn’t win the prize. That would be [...]