Hot Flashes

IS NO ONE safe from the ravages of climate change? Certainly not women, who have just given a team of researchers the excuse to spend a little time enjoying the tropical sun in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, where they surveyed attitudes toward the imminent end of the world.

Asked for their explanations of recent heavy rains, many amongst the very small sample of residents knew exactly who to blame:

“I think that in the past, land and the weather were looked after through the use of witchcraft and sorcery but today church activities have changed all these [customary rituals].”

Those villagers need to get hip. Today's witchdoctors come with grants, clipboards and computer models.