The
energies are different,,,when you are anti something negative you are
still giving consciousness and thought to that which you are trying to
eliminate, so you tend to expand it. However when you are PRO something
you want to create, you expand the energy
of creation, in this case PEACE is already here if we don't suppress
it. We are peaceful creatures if we don't suppress our innate natural
tendencies for whatever reason. So, to activate what we are, we must
continuously focus on it, think of it, talk about it, and live it within
ourselves first. Peaceful thoughts creates a peaceful human being. When
there is enough of us thinking, breathing, and promoting peace, we can
tilt and shift our united citizenship into PEACE and LIVE together as
one. FEAR is EGO base, so is WAR,,,,our chance for the next stage in
human evolution for a peaceful global society is LOVE and FAITH....
Gymnastics
Totally agree with oana, catalina those were your golds and it's a pity that a stupid tiebreak from sore losers USA took your medal, but you will always be the greatest beam worker we've ever seen! On floor I'm sorry but catalina's routine was more beautiful and artistic than raisman's, all that girl has is muscle that allows her to flip around but she has about as much grace as a ballet dancing cow, gymnastics should go back to being artistic rather than all power. Good luck catalina and she'll always be one of the greatest
Mass Shooters
It is easy to point fingers and rant about a deranged 24-year old young Ph.D. student who went berserk in a senseless killing rampage. When all is said and done, this carnage says as much about America as it is about ourselves as a society. When you consider all the postings and outrage, the mea-culpas, the homilies, the political grandstanding, and take aside all of these post-mortem passions and emotions, what makes it senseless, apart from this heinous act of acting out are these inexplicable symptoms of malignancies of a people living without any brakes..... a country where 3-month old babies, and 6-year old children, with lousy parents weaned on hype-stimulation, hyper-consumerism, hyper-Hollywood violence.... being allowed to go to movie theaters in post-midnight showings, when these little babies and kids should be in bed, past their bewitching hours. What does it say about American society when everyone is consumed by Hollywood hyperstimulation, hyper-excitement, games, violence on the movie screens.... and then blame everyone else for being a victimizer and ourselves as victims? All said, there is something which is going awry with American culture and American society --- a society without brakes, where little monsters grow up to become big monsters... big monsters spawn little monsters and go out to prey on others. Meanwhile, the "celebrity" culture of Hollywood worships cool, audacity, hambug, aggressiveness, and acting beyond the boundaries. Fact is, we have seen the "enemy," and it is all of us.... a country of uncouth, boorish, hyperstimulated people.... a culture which is hyper-individualistic, full of itself.... and in self-denial that we have a hugh drug, violence scourge in our midst. Meanwhile, our adults eat their own children. Our schools are in shambles. Our streets are no longer safe. It is today a "winner take all" society".... vapid, and barren of any moral-civil compass. And here, America's ruling elite is trying to preach "democracy, American style" to the rest of the world ? Does it make any sense at all?
Cartoons
Seriously? It's a cartoon. It's similar to Ted Turner saying that Bugs Bunny is sexist, racist, and Speedy Gonzalez makes inappropriate fun of Hispanics. First, it's a f'in cartoon. Secondly, most Hispanics that I know LOVE Speedy Gonzalez. Personally, Babak, I think our generation is taking cartoons TOO seriously. They're cartoons. Did I grow up with Bugs Bunny? Watched it every Saturday. I think I turned out find. Did I go outside and play with my friends? Yes. Did my parents ever arrange "play dates" for me? Umm..fuck no. Was there ever a term "play date" when I was growing up in the 80'?. Fuck no. Did my parents spank me when I got out of line? Hell yes. What's that called? Discipline. What's my point? That our generation takes things so freakin' seriously now, that our kids grow up not being exposed to anything, either playing video games and never going outside or having these contrived "play dates," and instead of teaching kids some discipline parents simply go "Now Billy, I'm going to count to three and you'll stop okay?" In the meantime the kid's' being a disrespectful pain in the ass and still doing the thing that you want him or her to stop doing and can stop them from doing if you just give them a hard smack on the ass which will teach them pretty damn quick who's boss.
London Riots
People will need to start realising that reliance on the state or
some other source of benefit is not going to solve their problems -
indeed the state is likely to provide less, and an assumption that this
will be the case should be a starting point for people taking control of
and planning their lives. They should begin to realise that
self-reliance and self-empowerment are likely to become more and more
the way forward and that rendering themselves less dependent on others
and less vulnerable to negative circumstances will be to their benefit
in these difficult times. E.g. - do not depend on others; rather turn
towards self-preservation within socially acceptable means. Reject the
subversive sentiment that "we down't need now educayshun, we down't need
now fowt controwl" and make the best of the educational facilities
available. With the right mindset one can learn a lot even in a crappy
school with lousy teachers. Do not get oneself pregnant in order to try
to get public housing, as a lot do. Spend one's JSA/IS carefullly in
staying alive and getting a livelihood (job is too specific and implies
dependence on somebody else). People have got to push themselves more to
get noticed in these ever more competitive days, and this should be
done positively. Smashing up neighbourhoods may well get one noticed,
but it'll also get others' backs up and is, on balance, negative.
Dick Ebersol
Mr. Ebersol's tenure at NBC sports spread over a flush era which frankly had as much to do with the cascading billions coming out of the professional sports leagues as it did with his acumen as an executive.
This is not to denigrate the man; he certainly has accomplished much, But regardless of the euphemized statements and releases sure to follow his departure, the hard truth seems to be that the golden days of tv sports are rapidly turning to silver, if not bronze, and other than the superpower exception of the NFL, perhaps even to dross. NFL owners can be accused of bare greed for certain, but it's equally true that there are disquieting tweets coming out of their protestations.
It's not entirely certain that the monstrous investments made in super-suiting stadiums will really pay off downstream. The NBA faces a tougher new financial landscape according to David Stern. Major League Baseball has become creaky and ungainly and Commissioner. Selig apparently does not appear to see himself dressed in the emperor's clothes. Hockey has been under stress for years. Golf without the stimulus provided by Tiger Woods, and more critically the economic downturn impacting participation and interest in golf will also take its toll. Tennis remains a blip. The bloated overprogrammed ESPN tv goldmine business model may be in for rough seas as more and more viewers take to the internet, a business model where dollars quickly turn to dimes.
But of all Mr. Ebersol's legacies the one which has never been really validated on naked dollar terms was the Olympics. In flush times one could argue branding, image,etc. In the no so brave new world of post 2008 frenetic media dollar chase against the likes of facebookworld, it's another story. Branding and image has become a totally fake, if not pathetically dated premise. But good luck to Mr. Ebersol, surely he'll find renewal some where in the digital wannabe companies proliferating out there.
This is not to denigrate the man; he certainly has accomplished much, But regardless of the euphemized statements and releases sure to follow his departure, the hard truth seems to be that the golden days of tv sports are rapidly turning to silver, if not bronze, and other than the superpower exception of the NFL, perhaps even to dross. NFL owners can be accused of bare greed for certain, but it's equally true that there are disquieting tweets coming out of their protestations.
It's not entirely certain that the monstrous investments made in super-suiting stadiums will really pay off downstream. The NBA faces a tougher new financial landscape according to David Stern. Major League Baseball has become creaky and ungainly and Commissioner. Selig apparently does not appear to see himself dressed in the emperor's clothes. Hockey has been under stress for years. Golf without the stimulus provided by Tiger Woods, and more critically the economic downturn impacting participation and interest in golf will also take its toll. Tennis remains a blip. The bloated overprogrammed ESPN tv goldmine business model may be in for rough seas as more and more viewers take to the internet, a business model where dollars quickly turn to dimes.
But of all Mr. Ebersol's legacies the one which has never been really validated on naked dollar terms was the Olympics. In flush times one could argue branding, image,etc. In the no so brave new world of post 2008 frenetic media dollar chase against the likes of facebookworld, it's another story. Branding and image has become a totally fake, if not pathetically dated premise. But good luck to Mr. Ebersol, surely he'll find renewal some where in the digital wannabe companies proliferating out there.
Osama Bin Laden
#2. Osama bin Laden did not attack us due to our freedoms...the fact that the U.S. chose, all by its terrified self, to begin walking--from 9/11--a path of ever diminishing freedoms is just icing on the cake.
Osama financed an independent anti-Capitalistic idea to attack the World Trade Centers and seats of U.S. government, as these are seen--by a great many individuals living in 2nd and 3rd World nations--to be the strength of our Imperialistic economic and military behavior.
The U.S. mans foreign military bases all over the world--imagine if China were to establish a military base on Oʻahu, Key Largo or Martha's Vineyard.
Our capitalistic drive has turned the world into one big source of McJobs. We control the lifestyles of 3rd Worlders working for peanuts and no benefits in our overseas factories. We foul their environments. We demand that they give us their oil for much less than the European market.
No, it wasn't our freedoms. It was our abuse of these freedoms. We are a target of terrorist attacks not because they are Muslim, not because we are Christians, Americans or relatively free.
We are a terrorist target because we use our military might to back the exploitation of foreign lands and lifestyle purely for our own luxury purposes. We have robbed nations of their sovereign right to establish and maintain their own socio-economic cultures. They now eat our burgers, drink our cola, dress in our gangsta clothing and rap-out songs of street violence.
If this were happening to you, maybe you wouldn't attack...but you'd certainly know someone who would--who'd trained for it--and who's just now waiting for their chance. See Less
Osama financed an independent anti-Capitalistic idea to attack the World Trade Centers and seats of U.S. government, as these are seen--by a great many individuals living in 2nd and 3rd World nations--to be the strength of our Imperialistic economic and military behavior.
The U.S. mans foreign military bases all over the world--imagine if China were to establish a military base on Oʻahu, Key Largo or Martha's Vineyard.
Our capitalistic drive has turned the world into one big source of McJobs. We control the lifestyles of 3rd Worlders working for peanuts and no benefits in our overseas factories. We foul their environments. We demand that they give us their oil for much less than the European market.
No, it wasn't our freedoms. It was our abuse of these freedoms. We are a target of terrorist attacks not because they are Muslim, not because we are Christians, Americans or relatively free.
We are a terrorist target because we use our military might to back the exploitation of foreign lands and lifestyle purely for our own luxury purposes. We have robbed nations of their sovereign right to establish and maintain their own socio-economic cultures. They now eat our burgers, drink our cola, dress in our gangsta clothing and rap-out songs of street violence.
If this were happening to you, maybe you wouldn't attack...but you'd certainly know someone who would--who'd trained for it--and who's just now waiting for their chance. See Less
1. Osama was created by Pakistani and Saudi secret services, which were in cahoots with the USA.
2. The idea that the CIA was directly involved is not so important as the reality that the CIA was instigating, advising, and sometimes directing the Anti-Soviet effort, and so indirectly Osama Bin Laden was working for the CIA.
3. Directly he was and is, in bed with Pakistani and Saudi Agents.
Maybe sometimes with official government and other-times with rogue elements of the government but it is misdirection to say that Pakistan had no knowledge of his presence there, because their secret service keeps tabs on everything and did so even more so 5 years ago when he first moved to where he was found.
The honest thing to say is that perhaps the current government has no clue, but this government was put in place when the military stood down from direct dictatorship a few years ago. That senior officials know nothing of this should only be embarrassing to the Pakistani people, because that is an indication of who really is still in control.
But of course we can expect neither honesty, nor journalistic integrity right now, because our governments have set things up so we only hear what the governments are willing to tell us as filtered through a press that is increasingly credulous when it counts while continuing to be sensationalist where it is total distraction. The reality remains that Bin Laden was preaching from a Wahabi/Moslem Brotherhood tradition not far from Saudi Orthodoxy, and that Al Qaeda was and is funded by Rogue elements of the Saudi rulers as well as from other quarters. The reality also remains that, nevertheless, this intervention shows that these guys aren't far from being rolled up. See Less
2. The idea that the CIA was directly involved is not so important as the reality that the CIA was instigating, advising, and sometimes directing the Anti-Soviet effort, and so indirectly Osama Bin Laden was working for the CIA.
3. Directly he was and is, in bed with Pakistani and Saudi Agents.
Maybe sometimes with official government and other-times with rogue elements of the government but it is misdirection to say that Pakistan had no knowledge of his presence there, because their secret service keeps tabs on everything and did so even more so 5 years ago when he first moved to where he was found.
The honest thing to say is that perhaps the current government has no clue, but this government was put in place when the military stood down from direct dictatorship a few years ago. That senior officials know nothing of this should only be embarrassing to the Pakistani people, because that is an indication of who really is still in control.
But of course we can expect neither honesty, nor journalistic integrity right now, because our governments have set things up so we only hear what the governments are willing to tell us as filtered through a press that is increasingly credulous when it counts while continuing to be sensationalist where it is total distraction. The reality remains that Bin Laden was preaching from a Wahabi/Moslem Brotherhood tradition not far from Saudi Orthodoxy, and that Al Qaeda was and is funded by Rogue elements of the Saudi rulers as well as from other quarters. The reality also remains that, nevertheless, this intervention shows that these guys aren't far from being rolled up. See Less
Jesus of Nazareth
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.....
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!
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Or a CIA-like organization created and supported him. His profile is as a recruit, not a leader with an agenda. Rather than a concerted plan, each act of violence sent a message and the messages are probably related in that they were in response to some other ongoing event.
2. Bin Laden attacked us because of our freedoms.
This never made any sense. How do you win? Why would a recruit blow themselves up? We now know he was an avid consumer of Pepsi and Coke, junk food. Soda, sugar water, is one of our most useless exports, yet many of the attacks worldwide were of a commercial nature. He was no idealist setting examples.
3. Al-Qaeda’s ideology has nothing to do with Islam.
We know from the Civil War, there are Causes and there are reasons and they may not be closely related. The Cause of the terrorists quickly became a defense of Islam. Most Americans (99%) knew nothing about Islam, let alone want to attack it. The Cause was a good recruiting tool to find zealots that would blow themselves up, much like the Civil War had men charging into withering rifle fire with grape and canister raking the open field. We overlooked the fact that many in the Middle East send their kids to school in America or Britain. Lately we have seen Middle East uprisings for the same types of freedoms. By whom were his children educated?
4. Ayman al-Zawahiri, not bin Laden, is the real brains of al-Qaeda.
A doctor? It is more likely the head is a military person that uses body counts as a tactic. Why did Bush lose interest in OBL as a target?
5. Bin Laden’s death is symbolically important but irrelevant to the war on terror.
Hopefully the intelligence community will take a deep breath and review all that has happened, in light of OBL's location and accessibility to the military in Pakistan. Obama made an important intelligence decision when he decided on a precision raid to establish identity and information collection over wholesale bombing. See Less