COMMENT OF THE DAY

The Coptic Church is one of the oldest Christian denominations, still using Aramaic, the language of Jesus of Nazareth, in its ceremonies. Most probably other aspects of the Church would be more authentic than modern adaptations. The picture of Jesus shown in the article depicts a more Arabic/Jewish man than the Anglicized version worshiped by most Americans. His hair and beard are darker and his face is fatter. Forensic studies of bones found in Nazareth from the time of Jesus indicate that males of that period were short and stocky, with very bad teeth. It can be assumed that their clothes would not be radiantly white and lack of bathing and sanitary facilities would most likely cause body odor. The conventional depiction of the tall, thin, light-haired man in immaculately white robes would not be harmful if “Christians” would not view it as a God-given revelation. The world and Christianity, itself, would be better served if people viewed Jesus and his precepts as they actual were and as they were meant to be viewed. During the last several weeks, I have received many Christmas Cards depicting Angels with blond hair and blue eyes and other Anglicized characterizations of Bible figures. Even Heaven has become an Anglo/Saxon haven. Modern “Christianity' deals in trivia; ignoring the essentials. Jesus of Nazareth was a poor man who taught empowerment of the weak and poor. He would open the beautiful halls of our churches to the poor and homeless for shelter and distribute their riches to feed and clothe them. That, of course, would be unthinkable to most of today's “Christians.” If we despise our own white brothers and sisters, how can we be expected to love all of the rest of the non-white, Non-Christian world. Religion today is a political phenomena not a spiritual one.

Job Searching

Enthusiasm, présence, creativity, how articulate, confident and honest the candidate is.

These are the most important things rather than thousands years of experience -someone who will challenge and suggest better solutions- esp in media.

Free advice: apply for jobs you like and most important you enjoy, no matter how hard it is...cause if you like it you can do it

@ David -PS:education doesn't work all the time, good exp:the most powerful entrepreneurs and top businessmen never graduated. Dhirubhai Ambani, Bill Gates & more.....

Geography

Being an American who has lived many years in the UK, I find myself refreshed yet not surprised by Prince Andrew's comments. These days, Americans with all their politically correct disabilities, find a sideways glance to be rude, blasphemous or somehow offensive. AhmedAllan is an example of this, "America is the greatest", "Rah, rah attitude. I used to be that way until I had the opportunity to travel and live all over the world. Finding out I had been brainwashed by the American media empire and the government was a hard pill to swallow but my only other option to acknowledging it was to continue to bury my head in the sand.

Prince Andrew may not be quite the ticket in everyone's eyes but, at least he has the intestinal fortitude to say what others are too cowardly to say. And, if you care to look at the facts, he's more correct than you may want to admit. Kudos Prince Andrew,- say it like it is - God save the Queen!

Predator Drones

I'm a pakistani, living in Pak and all I can say is that this stupid war mongering and cooked up nonsense needs to end for the sake and well being of the American people who I greatly respect and admire and with whom I had the privilege togo to college with in Iowa. Let me make one thing very clear, the Pakistani people have no ill-feelings twrds the American people, merely the presence of American or Nato troops in Afghanistan and the incessant nonsensical drone attacks under the guise of killing 'the militant' when in actuality kills the poor shepherd and his family, creates enuf hatred to carry attacks on the innocent 19yr old American soldier who himself is unaware of the true meaning of this war. The reality is that there is a mad rush by America to surround the Caspian sea with its estimated $13 trillion oil wealth and not OBL or talibans (these are simply a bunch of guys trying their best to rid foreign forces out of their country). I pray the American populace would wake up and evaluate the nefarious designs of sum corrupt and greedy politicans likes of which we have seen alrdy...dick cheney and the jing bang lot whose sole motive is to invade and usurp the rights of others first thru propaganda vis-a-vis channels like FOX and then thru ur powerful military machine.

Adulthood

The (sad, sad) implication is that adulthood is some sort of prison, with all of those boundaries previously tested re-established in an incredibly confining manner. And while society desires conformity, it’s the adult who has the brain plasticity, the support, and the means to actually traverse those boundaries in a sane and balanced way. He or she just chooses not to, and calls this an impossibility. Adam Phillips writes in his essay, “Truancy Now”: “A part of this testing, this experimentation, that begins in adolescence and, if things go wrong, is given up on in adolescence. But the adolescents who give up on this fundamental project in adolescence may turn into adults who secretly envy adolescents; who believe that adolescents are having the best kinds of life available.”

It’s not just teenagers who should be watching the “It Gets Better” videos. They are wonderful reminders of the need to keep testing boundaries, of where life can go once you’ve bottomed out. I suffer from teenage brain’s object permanence issues sometimes. But the videos remind me of a quotation from the greater writer and boundary-violator Katherine Mansfield, who wrote in her journals:

I had the feeling that the same thing happened to nearly everybody whom I knew and whom I did not know. No sooner was their youth, with the little force and impetus characteristic of youth, done, than they stopped growing. At the very moment that one felt that now was the time to gather oneself together, to use one's whole strength, to take control, to be an adult, in fact, they seemed content to swap the darling wish of their hearts for innumerable little wishes…. They deceived themselves, of course.

Africa

Tom, enough cannot be said about the Western Media’s role including your own organization in portraying Africa the way most Westerners still perceive it. But that’s their lost because Europe isn’t resource rich and they’ll wake up when it finally hits their pockets. Hopefully it won’t be too late by then. Until recently it hadn’t occurred to me that it’s the media’s business model which drives its reporting not only in Africa, but everywhere else. Most people, by nature, are attracted to negative news and for centuries Africa offered an easy lay-up. It’s not just the news media, it’s the other types of media (movies, cartoons, books, etc…). Western scientists and researchers have gone a great length to try to demonstrate that Africa doesn’t have a past like other people. The way it’s people were treated and continue to be speaks for itself. McKinsey’s June Quaterly offers an unprecedented insight into this new Africa you are attempting to make wake us up to – that’s been rising under the radar. In 2 weeks time, Africa will host the World’s biggest game, Soccer. Let’s see which Africa the media will show the world.

Grassroots

There is a good chance that football will return to its socialist roots, especially after the financial crisis. All the foreign investors, corporations, sponsors, etc are having to respond to the economic conditions that are still prevalent, and their lessened involvement in the game can only be good for the game itself and the working class fans. Of course this isn't going to happen overnight, and it will take a long time potentially, but I do think we are seeing a new way of thinking, away from free market fundamentalism and free market financial capitalism, towards a more participatory democratic system with a democratic socialist economic system that serves the interests of the many and not the few.

Unfortunately, if it is true that the benefits that locals are getting is at the expense of travelling fans, it is a bit of a disappointment, because the world cup is meant to be world event and is a great opportunity for fans of different countries to mingle and experience different cultures. So it is a shame if others have to lose out for someone to benefit. This is a further indictment of the current socioeconomic/political system most of the world is following. The system is such that for one group to benefit, another normally has to suffer some loss. This is the way the financial and corporate elite who rule the world maintain the status quo by engendering a divide and rule policy. Ensure the proletariat and the lumpen and petit bourgeois fight amongst themselves, while they benefit from the conflict and keep control of the institutions that control social, economic and political decisions made all over the world.

Prostate Cancer

You need not post this, but I hope you will issue a clarifying statement. Nor am I being critical of you. Dennis Hopper didn't die of prostate cancer. I have not read what the actual cause of his death was, but it is most likely to be the failure of an organ damaged by cancer that metastasized from the prostate. The initial occurrence of the cancer was probably in the prostate. I realize this sounds a bit like gibberish, but if more men were aware of the situation with prostate cancer, they would be more likely to make wise decisions as a result of the diagnosis and perhaps engage in some lifestyle changes that would help them avoid the cancer in the first place or its metastasis. (The same is true of breast cancer.) Both breast and prostate cancer, because of their association with self-image, engender great fear in men and women, which probably contributes to late diagnosis and treatment. If medical practitioners and reporters were more expansive in describing what happens when an initial diagnosis was made, I think those affected would have better treatment and lifestyle options.

MIA

does this visionary artiste have a charitable foundation that sends some $$ back to the people whose backs she's standing on?

the bronfmans are extremely philanthropic. she would do well to emulate that and grow the hell up. she's in a real position to do something of substance now.

34? a mom? she sounds like a 16 y/o thats got nothing to do but whine.

Cartoon Depictions of Muhammad

As a Muslim who believes depicting the prophet is wrong, I say that Muslims CANNOT control what the other 5 billion of the world do or say. This is just getting out of hand. Its turning into a vicious cycle here. The world is seeing this as attempts to suppress freedom of speech > publish more> Muslims get offended > try suppress harder > more publishing.

Ignore it, and most probably it will go away.

On a slightly different note. I remember vividly seeing the Danish cartoons in September of 2005. I just simply brushed it off. At that time, the whole Arab/Muslim populace was basically boiling because of what was happening in Iraq and Gaza. They were calling for their nation's leaders heads for being idle. The Muslim world in general was totally oblivious about the cartoons. In December (notice 3 month after publication,) 2 Danish Imams, were allowed to present a dossier about the cartoons at the Organisation of Islamic Conference. Things got out of hand then. Why were they allowed to speak at the OIC? The Islamic world has hundred of thousands of Imams who can't just waltz in the conference. It was an attempt from the Arab leaders to distract their people from the important issue at hand: the atrocities happening in Iraq & Gaza. And guess what? It worked!

On the other hand, American Dad's episode (Stan of Arabia), which was by far more blasphemous, didn't cause any ruckus despite it being aired around the same period? It got minimal coverage if any. Wikipedia has 3 lines covering the criticism of the episode, mentioning only ONE Saudi newspaper coverage! And the newspaper is an English one!

So again, why were the two Imams allowed to speak in front of the OIC, while a more offensive cartoon got hardly any coverage? I don't know, maybe Arab leaders didn't want to get on the bad side of the US.

I know its far fetched; reading this makes me sound like a conspiracy theorist. But I thought about this a lot. And I realize that MSM in the Arab world is very much controlled, it might be plausible.

Stephenie Meyer

She writes so simplistically which is why so many ages read it. And no wonder the protagonist is so sappy and useless if she's only writing for herself. She projects what she wants into the story, rather than truly developing characters.

Anonymity

On the internet, everything is so easy to escape from. A person can launch verbal assaults and disappear without every having to confront his victim ever again. It's the equivalent of a hit and run, but the different is the police will come and track you down. There's no sovereign internet authority to do so on the internet, and maybe that will change with greater forum moderation on sites such as this. I suspect there are deeper sociological reasons that create this kind of mentality, but suffice it to say that consumer technology has enabled much of this behavior. We have quickly lost touch with sincerity of communication, and the giant veil provided by the internet is the perfect enabling agent for profuse sarcasm when it comes to split opinions.

Plastic Surgeons

I find his comments accerbic, given that I am older than her, have no deep facial lines or wrinkles and simply attribute that to good genes. I have never and never will resort to altering myself in order to conform with the dictates of a world overly obsessed with youth. The current obsession, this need to generisize everything and everyone is frightening. The lines we wear on our faces or bodies, evidence the life we've lived; that we have loved and lost and laughed and cried and felt deeply. How sad that we can no longer celebrate that uniqueness, but rather aspire to own it through a surgeon's knife.

American Idiot

Man, I can't disagree more with this review. It's like he saw a different show than I did. I'm a huge fan of Green Day, of this album, and I thought the show did both justice. Everybody keeps complaining about the narrative and that's just not the point. This show is about a group of people that haven't had a voice. It's about the people that stay on their couch and do nothing with their life despite screaming the whole time that it's what they're supposed to do. It's about over-exposure to the media and falling prey to what authority tells you to do despite trying to avoid just that. It's about making poor decisions and having to come home with your tail between your legs. While watching it I kept thinking about how I know each of these characters in my own life, and that finally they are given a voice in an arena that's attempting to reach out to a whole new audience than before. Green Day's genius is in their ability to put subversive counter-culture ideas into mainstream pop music so as to get their message out to the most people possible. Putting this show on Broadway does just that, and I feel like it's important for people to remember that this is not "selling out", it's finding a larger venue to get a message out, and re-invigorating an important artistic piece that came out 6 years ago. I loved it, I was moved, I was a fan of the band and the album before and this show only made me love both more. It's an important show and one that gives voice to a generation and says some pretty sobering stuff, not to mention the music is great, the cast is totally committed, the set/lights/sound are dazzling and it keeps the soul of what made this album great in the first place. Couldn't disagree with Scott more.

Nuclear Holocausts

If there is a glimmer of hope to offset the ticking timebomb of a theocracy sparking a nuclear holocaust, it's the rise of secular and atheistic protest of the younger generations, not just seen in Western democracies exhausted by the abuses and disinformation of the Catholic Church or the slimy intersection of Protestantism and conservative politics, but also with the recent Iranian outrage after those farcical election results, or the criminally under-promoted RAWA (The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan). We are starting to see a new generation of people in the Middle East who realise all too well, just how transparent a government basing its laws on Bronze Age texts really is.

Illusions

She's talking about the lies we let ourselves believe in order to make things easier, or pretend that things are the way we want them to be. You hold on to illusions because it makes life easier.

She's talking about trying to let them go and grow up and move on.

The U.S. Army

“I don’t imagine these trained killers would ever make decent fathers.”

If you don’t view Iraqis (or Muslims in general) as full humans, then killing them is not any more complicated than killing a cow or a chicken. The Nazis and all state propaganda seek to demonize their opponents in order to make the killing of them easier. I have family fighting for the US in Iraq and Afghanistan right now, and you would be astonished at the lack of respect they exhibit for these people or their culture. These kids of ours over there are more like Terminix Pest Control employees than they are liberators of hearts and minds.

Off-shore Drilling

Lot of complainers but I know everybody's got a brand new car or SUV in their driveway. This fantasyland where we consume probably more than most countries combined, I find it kind of funny that we cry about trying to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. If you want to be a granola move to South America and live off the fad of the land. If you'... See Morere going to have your nice houses, your 6 figure jobs, you killer cars, RV's and so forth quit whining. Many other countries people are simply worried about putting food on the place. I'm from Long Beach and went to UCSB and have seen oil platforms my entire life. Big deal. A few chunks of raw oil on your surfboard isn't going to kill the environment. When you consider the tradeoff of what that Bush mongrel did by killing all of those people, it's a far better alternative.

Compartmentalization

Many years ago, I witnessed a terrible, almost metaphysical ordeal. I couldn't change or even assuage the intense pain of another. I was young, but within 20 minutes, I felt a severe, stabbing pain in my heart. Not just in my chest, but in my heart.

The mind can reveal things that one can never anticipate. I was astounded. I simply knew at that moment, that "heartbreak" or "heartache" or "heartwrenching" were not merely "poetic" terms. They were not merely metaphors, but described truly, real physical events.

I can only speak for myself, but it was nothing like a "panic attack" - which is pretty awful in its own right - or angina, both of which I experienced years later. This was very stark, very definite..

I was young, so never contemplated medical help. But, I never forgot the episode. And, it gave me a renewed respect for poetry which can tell a Truer Truth.

We are simply not divided into little separate compartments without interaction. Teaching is compartmentalized - history, music, science, art, etc - because it is difficult to encompass all in a given course for a given time. There are so many causations and effects. And, stranger things like "referred pain", as I'm sure you know.

But, because we are taught in a pragmatic, compartmentalized manner, we come to believe that is our reality - that is who and how we are. Unfortunately, it is false and, even dangerous.

I'm glad to see some research in this area. I don't sense it's quite as benign as the few studies have concluded. I believe the connection between sudden neurochemical imbalances are somehow relevant and would factor in with postmenopause, especially, early menopause and also, PTSD.

I'm left with the feeling that we are owners of our bodies and minds and lives. Doctors can not be expected to read all of that for all of us. We have a responsibility to pay attention.