Dr. Robert C. Atkins In Very Critical Condition After Accident
New York, NY, April 11, 2003—As of today, we are saddened to report that Dr. Robert C. Atkins remains gravely ill. He is in a coma and on life support. His physician reports that Dr. Atkins' chances of a meaningful recovery are slim. Nonetheless, we are hoping for a miracle and every measure possible is being considered to save his life.

As many of you already know, early Tuesday morning April 8th, on his daily walk to work, Dr. Atkins fell on the sidewalk outside his office and suffered injuries to his head. The dramatic snowstorm that hit New York City the day before along with the unusually cold temperatures left streets and sidewalks slippery. Dr. Keith Berkowitz, his colleague at The Atkins Center, was arriving at work at the same time and was able to rush Dr. Atkins to Cornell University Medical Center. Dr. Atkins suffered severe head trauma and required surgery.MORE

In "Anger Management," the only movie opening in wide release this weekend, Adam Sandler plays another nice guy with pent-up rage. --- more

Then there were the events that were not unreported but that nonetheless still haunt me. A 31-year-old Kuwaiti woman, Asrar Qabandi, was captured by Iraqi secret police occupying her country in 1990 for "crimes," one of which included speaking with CNN on the phone. They beat her daily for two months, forcing her father to watch. In January 1991, on the eve of the American-led offensive, they smashed her skull and tore her body apart limb by limb. A plastic bag containing her body parts was left on the doorstep of her family's home. MORE ...