120 degrees, electricity iffy: Baghdad's simmering summers of discontent

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Electricity Iffy, Residents Sweat the Small Stuff
By Borzou Daragahi, Times Staff Writer
June 26, 2006

BAGHDAD — With the heat soaring and the overtaxed and dilapidated power grid squeezing out barely a few hours of electricity a day in parts of the capital, sweaty Iraqis will remember this as the fourth simmering summer of their discontent.

It is more than 120 degrees outside and relief is nowhere in sight.

"We don't know how to deal with the electricity cuts," said Shama Adib, 37, a graphic designer and mother of three. "We don't know what to do."

Curfews keep her and other Baghdad residents from wandering the streets and parks in search of ice cream and cool drinks, the pastime of choice during hot summer nights in other Persian Gulf countries. Instead, she and her kids sit at home all day and all night and sweat.

"We just stare at each other," she said.

"This puts psychological pressure on us. It aggravates us. Most of the people in my neighborhood tend to explode over the littlest things. Even me, I think I'm going insane."...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-electricity26jun26,0,7576129.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[babylonsister]

1. Add this to the list of reasons why many Iraqis can't stand

Americans. Who could blame them?

[Javaman]

2. A stat we will never hear, how many elderly Iraqi's are dying of

heat stroke?.

:cry: