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July 31, 2004Sufi Wisdom: Hasan's Mastersby T.L. James
by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. This week's Sufi Wisdom, a bit longer than usual, has to do with discipleship: When the great Sufi mystic, Hasan, was dying, somebody asked "Hasan, who was your master?" He said, "I had thousands of masters. If I just relate their names it will take months, years and it is too late. But three masters I will certainly tell you about. Religion Without G-d?by Joe Katzman
Rabbi Lazer Brody recently got this emailed question. It sounds kind of like a Sufi story, doesn't it:
The Rabbi's answer was fine, but "FrumDad" in the comments section was wiser still. Discovery Magicby Joe Katzman
Glenn of Hippercritical ran his outstanding Winds of Discovery feature on Friday. Good news items include viruses that may help cure cocaine addictions, smart international cooperation on global warming and nanotechnology, Japan kicking in to help restore the marshlands devastated in Saddam's ecocides, steps toward growing working kidneys in a lab, and more. Whereupon a blog called The Speculist links to Glenn's work, and I discover a whole additional post dedicated to good news discoveries. Better All the Time #17 is a great pick me up, and reminds us all that there is exciting good news out there at the creative frontiers of our culture. Cancer Missilesby Joe Katzman
They're being referred to as "cancer missiles," and are designed to be a second-stage treatment. Dave has more details. Thanks, Carrotby Armed Liberal
I spent they afternoon at Top Gun yesterday. I mean literally - I was at MCAS Miramar for the retirement ceremony of Col. Robert "Carrot" Foltyn. We met through Spirit of America, and he seems to be entertained enough by me that we're extending that professional relationship into a friendship. The ceremony was interesting, as all ceremonies are when you look at them; the mechanics of setting up tents, flagpoles, a sound system are all a bit complex, and if you're like me and try hard to notice things you wind up paying a lot of attention to all the people and components. Then suddenly you look at them again and they morph into a whole, a stage, and you're standing behind the crowded seats, watching the event unfold. July 30, 2004Winds of Discovery: 2004-07-30by Hippercritical
Topics this week include: What is deja vu?; New virus fights cocaine addiction; APOE genes and Parkinsons; Nano-locomotion; Invisibility cloaks and stun guns; Anything into oil; Ancient brewery; Most massive black hole; Biocosm hypothesis; Birth of the moon; Lagrangian points; Alien detection in twenty years; 100 foot waves; Ecocide and de-ecocide; Cloud seeding; Post-Kyoto cooperation; World's oldest mouse; Monkeys yawn, monkey walks; Dogs can do anything; Male nipples If YOU have a link suggestion send it to discovery, here @windsofchange.net. Regular topics include: Help Reza Torkzadeh Stand Up N' Holla at the RNCby Joe Katzman
Hat tip to the folks at ActivistChat for this one. MTV has a contest on called "Stand Up and Holla" - and the prize for the candidate with the most votes is a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention! Now there's a contest they should have promoted in the blogosphere. Anyway, Reza Torkzadeh is one of the 10 finalists. As his profile notes:
I've looked at the whole field. As things in Iran head toward a crisis point, Reza is absolutely the right choice. The RNC needs to hear an Iranian voice - and you can help, by voting for him on MTV's site. Security Breach: The Real Follies of the Berger Affairby Trent Telenko
The Blogosphere has heavily covered Sandy Berger's security breach of the National Archives, and the many angles that the mainstream media and particularly the Washington Post and New York Times have avoided. Yet for all that there are no real evaluations of:
None of these issues are trivial - and unfortunately, the scenario for #3 isn't a big stretch. The Well Regulated Militiaby Joe Katzman
Does this sound familiar to you?
The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, of course, and the preamble of every gun control debate in the USA. But Dave Schuler of The Glittering Eye looks at this passage, and asks a different set of questions that focus on the first clause instead. What guidance does it offer for preparedness, responsibility, and citizenship in an age of global mega-terrorism? We've talked about disaster preparation, distributed defense et. al. here on Winds before - but Dave's post does a great job of putting those discussions in their proper context. Give him a read, and leave your thoughts in his Comments section. Busting Hoaxes - And Teaching Scienceby Joe Katzman
Well, this is extremely cheering. From the folks at FutureBrief comes this link to a Yahoo! News article:
If you can't visit the Center yourself, I recommend Carl Sagan's thoughtful and very human book - and while you're at it, Jacob Bronowski's Science And Human Values too. UPDATE: Our regular Winds of Discovery round-up is also a fun way to begin to 'get' science. Today's edition includes viruses that may fight cocaine addiction, invisibility cloaks, ancient breweries, giant 100 foot waves, and more. July 29, 2004Dean Esmay's Challengeby Armed Liberal
Dean Esmay posts a darn good question:...debate all you want but, once a decision is made, partisanship should stop at the water's edges. At least so far as I'm concerned.Personally, I haven't jumped either way on the election yet (and yes, you'd better believe there's a long post coming on that). But I do think that Dean's challenge - right now - is a good idea, and one that should be made right and left. It will do one important thing; it will self-select those who I'd be happy to join in a Party of The Sensible. Go check out his comments and leave some yourself. Full Apologyby Dan Darling
Several weeks ago, I wrote up a primer on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on Iraq that I had intended to serve as a summary of the findings of the Senate report concerning Iraqi ties to al-Qaeda. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so I engaged in a lot of the same tactics that I have so often criticized others for, in particular with regard to disregarding things off-hand and engaging in ad hominem attacks rather than discussing the issues. One reader in the comments section, Clarice Feldman, called me on these tactics, but instead of listening and taking her points into consideration I chose to hammer her. Good News: Iraq, Afghanistanby Joe Katzman
We could use some good news items on today's roster. Andrew Sullivan links to a poll in Afghanistan that bodes well for its future. In the same post, he also notes that democracy in Iraq is running into a "problem": huge numbers of people want to run and participate. I'd say they're ready for democracy - and with participation like that, the terrorists will find out the hard way just how resilient a democratic system can be. Darfur, Sudan: Multilateral Half-Measuresby Joe Katzman
The casualties are piling up, with over 30,000 believed dead and 1 million+ refugees. After wars with the black and mostly Christian south, the (mostly Arab) Sudanese government is busy terrorising and ethnically cleansing the black and mostly Muslim west. Robert Corr may have written the best history and summary of the Darfur crisis in the blogosphere. Even in such an obvious case, however, multilateralism is running into trouble:
...oh, and don't forget all the French oil deals (France is opposing sanctions, of course, as it did in Iraq). Not to mention Russian military contracts with Sudan. Meanwhile, African nations have ensured that Sudan will keep its seat on the U.N. Human Rights Commission. Gary Farber has more on the limited progress being made, and sums it up as "Small steps continue. Meanwhile, people die." The Washington Post looks at the EU's cynical half-measures and asks, appropriately, "how many more deaths will it take?" If YOU want to take action, a blog/ activists' workstation called Sudan: The Passion of the Present is a fine place to start. Bias? What Bias?by Joe Katzman
Quick, who said this? Rush Limbaugh? Ann Coulter?
How about Evan Thomas, the Assistant Managing Editor of Newsweek Magazine. The 9/11 Commission & Nuclear Terrorismby Guest Author
JK: The aftermarth of the 9/11 Commission needs to step beyond the beyond the petty partisanship that both Gary Farber and "Sgt. John Stryker" have written about here. In response, I committed Winds of Change.NET to follow-ups that would feature intelligent, non-partisan commentary from both sides of the aisle. Amitai Etzioni is a professor, blogger and founder of The Communitarian Network, a very interesting liberal/centrist group. This open letter was circulated to network members for commentary, and is reproduced here with permission. Dear Mr. Kean, As a sociologist who has studied American society for the last 40 years, I am deeply concerned about the impact of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States on the public, federal agencies, and the White House. The cumulative and considerable effect seems to be to encourage one and all to better prepare themselves against the kind of attacks that we had faced in the past rather than focusing on the greatest dangers that we next face. The 9-11 Commission hearings so far indicate that the Commission presumes a symmetry between what we lacked last time -- for instance, open communication between the CIA and FBI and domestic spying of the kind MI-5 provides in the UK -- and what we need to parry major new attacks. Thus, the Commission unwittingly is contributing to a malaise that military historians have long studied: fighting the last war rather than preparing for the next one. How Do You Spell "Mengele" in Korean?by Joe Katzman
From the BBC, via Josh at One Free Korea blog:
Now close your eyes real tight and repeat to yourself: "North Korea's regime isn't evil, they just have their own narrative..." over and over again, lest the political correctness police cite you for insufficient validation of other cultures and lifestyles. Or, if you're a sane individual, keep the pressure on America's Senate to pass the North Korean Human Rights Act. I'm not an American - but I can pressure my own political representatives to pass a similar law, and I will. July 28, 2004Atrios Uncloaked: Cui Bono?by Armed Liberal
I know I'm late to this, but...Atrios has come out, and he apparently works for a policy house, specifically the Soros-funded Media Matters. Now I've been critical of Atrios (for tone and policy reasons), but he's someone I respect as a leader and a powerful voice in the current dialogs. There's absolutely nothing wrong with bloggers getting picked up by think tanks and media organizations (yeah, but where are my offers, anyway??). I think that's a good thing, and that if part of what blogging has done is to let some civilians move into the pro ranks, that's neat. I think there's more to blogging than that - but that's another conversation. But there's an issue here. (OB Lebowski: Hey! I've got an issue here!) North Korea: Making a Differenceby Joe Katzman
Last week, in Simon's East Asia Regional Briefing, One Free Korea explained what the North Korean Human Rights Act would do. Then he explained why it was important for Americans to contact their representatives. He even had a sample letter to help. It was a powerful post. As I noted at the time:
Now Josh writes in to tell us what happened in the wake of efforts like yours: Tarek Heggy: The Saudis' Choiceby Tarek Heggy
Saudi Arabia and the Inevitable Choice Following a lecture I had given at the Department of the Middle Eastern Studies at one of the top world universities, I was told by one of the professors: "In most academic circles here in the US, we take it for granted that the Arabs' hatred of the West is the result of the intrusion of western powers into the lives of Arab peoples, beginning with the colonization of Algeria in 1830, Egypt in 1882, Morocco in 1912, and so on. But it's quite clear that you see things quite differently?" I replied, "It's not that simple. There are several sides to the issue and what you just said lumps them all together in the same basket, as it were." Living In The Pastby Armed Liberal
Was in the car, so I listened to the convention for a while, and heard Teddy Kennedy's speech. The coals of his oratory are pretty well banked at this point, and the rambling, discursive speech lacked the punch I know it meant to have. But one of his three big applause lines tonight was this:When the voices of many citizens went unheard and their lives were blighted by bigotry, we fought for equality and justice for civil rights and voting rights and the rights of women, for the cause of Americans with disabilities.A few months ago I wrote this: Rhetorically, what I'd like to say is that "While the GOP sells a past that never was, the Democrats sell a future that will never be." But that's not the case.Heh, as they say. July 27, 2004The Neocons ?? and Me - Part 2by Robin Burk
THE PROLOGUESo writes Christopher Marlowe in The Jew of Malta. Marlowe is perhaps the greatest English playwright that too few know, a true Renaissance man deeply involved in the great issues of his day: In May 1593, the poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe is killed in a pub brawl in Deptford. Although the cause seems to be a dispute about a bill, some people think he may have been disposed of because he knows too much – he once worked as a spy for the government, and has been charged with atheism. Some issues seem to be perennial. It's fitting to note the figure of Machiavelli, for much of the criticism of Leo Strauss (and of the neoconservative movement he is said to inspire) is the same criticism levied against the author of The Prince. Is there a neocon movement plotting in the shadows of America today? What sorts of people belong to it -- is there, as was feared in Marlowe's day, a plot of the Jews? And is St. John's College, where I took my undergraduate degree, a nest of neocons? (and of racists, to boot?) With A Clearer Headby Armed Liberal
Well, the comments to my two posts below confirm that one shouldn't blog under the influence of dextromethorphan - cold tablets and la grippe make for fuzzy thinking in my case, it appears. So let me clarify a few things. First, I do think we're at war. But it's not the traditional 'mobilize the nation' kind of war, it's a war that will, sadly, be long-lasting, relatively low-intensity, and messy. Because it's that kind of a war, many of the historic responses to a more intensely focused, limited in time war - like those to World War II - aren't appropriate. They aren't appropriate for two reasons; because they won't do much good, and because by themselves, they won't help us win. BBC Bias & Sloppiness. Again.by Joe Katzman
"[W]e find that the BBC is in persistent breach of its duties of fairness, accuracy and impartiality when it covers the Middle East.... we consider that our findings are entirely consistent with the findings of systemic problems within the BBC highlighted in the Hutton report published earlier this year." So concludes Asserson & Williams' report, which covered television documentaries on BBC1 and BBC2 during the period November 4 2000 - June 7 2004. British blogger Norman Geras has the details. B.O.B's Carnival of the Capitalistsby Joe Katzman
This week's Carnival of the Capitalists is located at Business Opportunties blog. It covers a wide variety of topics dealing with business and economics, from tech. subjects like iPods, RFID, and web site strategy to looks at the Russian and European economies, the boomers' early retirement wave, etc. Not to mention a post covering money and sex. I especially liked Jeff Cornwall's post that looks at surveys of attitudes among today's youth - and wonders what we did right to get those results. The NeoCons ?? and Me - Part 1by Robin Burk
I've had a few people write privately in response to my weekend posts mentioning my undergraduate school, St. John's College, and its unusual Great Books Program. One writer was particularly vehement: "That place is a nest of racists and neocon fascists." The racism charge is deeply wrongheaded (among other things, the student body has been integrated and co-ed since at least the mid 60s, despite its 'impractical' curriculum and limited financial means). But the putative neocon connection is an interesting, and perhaps relevant, question. And since some of the people involved with St. John's have ties to current events and people -- including, indirectly, our own Dan Darling-- I thought I'd explore that a little here. Who knows? Perhaps along the way I'll figure out whether I'm a neocon myself ... if I can figure out what that means, anyway. It's January 1969 ... the bitter presidential election is over, but conflict continues to rage in Vietnam and on the streets of America. At 8 pm on a Monday evening, twenty freshmen climb the worn stairs to the second story of an old building and take chairs around a large wooden table. At each end of the table sits a tutor, as the faculty are called ... but they all in the room are students, some senior, some more junior. The real teacher that night is the poet, long dead, who composed the book they each carry - a thick account of another long, bloody war that set brother against brother while mothers wept over the bodies of their dead children. Chrenkoff's Good News from Afghanistan: 2004-07-26by Arthur Chrenkoff
Yes, it's a new feature here on Winds of Change.NET - and a new team member. Arthur Chrenkoff's Good News from Iraq reports will also make regular appearances here. Welcome aboard, mate! "We are becoming hopeful day by day. We cannot develop our country, in which the fighting existed for 23 years, within two years. We had lots of problems in the past but they are being solved day by day." If there is one place where good news is harder to come by than Iraq, it's Afghanistan. For that we should partly blame our poor understanding of Afghan realities, and consequently, unrealistic expectations. An isolated, poor, largely rural country with harsh landscapes and limited natural resources, Afghanistan has been for the past quarter of a century cursed with constant violence and oppression. Good news from Afghanistan will not in any foreseeable future mean mushrooming shopping malls and health care clinics in every village. For the people who have suffered so much for so long, relative peace and absence of theocracy are a good start. But, as is the case with reporting from Iraq, we shouldn't let the media off the hook so easily, either. For all the fashionable talk about Iraq distracting the Bush Administration from the war on terror, it's largely been the media who have ignored Afghanistan except for the occasional story about another skirmish with the Taliban remnants or the explosion in opium cultivation. CBS's veteran journalist, Tom Fenton, recently had this to say about the work of his media colleagues: "You know the old saying: No news is good news. But in the news business, it is just the opposite: Good news is no news - which is why you have been hearing so little from Afghanistan recently. "Iraq has been grabbing the headlines. Even the most confirmed optimist would find it hard to see a ray of light there today. But there is a growing body of evidence that things are beginning to improve in Afghanistan. To see why, you need to travel around Afghanistan a bit. That's something the media find hard to do in Iraq now - many news crews rarely venture out of their hotels in Baghdad."Not to mention in Kabul. If they did, they would arguably find more stories like these: On Defense Against Terrorismby Armed Liberal
One point I should make as I talk about Flight 327 and screening Arabs is that while I think that the Islamist jihadis are walking point, there are other anti-moderns who we will be dealing with in the near future as well. And they won't be holding convenient-to-label foreign passports. Kevin Drum posted this the other day:WHO'S THE ANIMAL?....A British animal rights activist has called for the assassination of scientists working in biomedical research:Take a look at the comment stream on this post; substitute a few words, and we're talking about Islamist terror instead.I don't think you'd have to kill too many [researchers]. I think for five lives, 10 lives, 15 human lives, we could save a million, 2 million, 10 million non-human lives.Charming as always, those animal rights folks.... July 26, 2004Who's the Biggest Hero In Spiderman 2?by Joe Katzman
Just got back from seeing the movie. If you've seen it, I have one question for you: Tell me who's the biggest hero in the movie. Then, tell me why. The movie is fictional - but the thing we're discussing is real. There's certainly no shortage of candidates. I look forward to your thoughts and discussions in the comments section. UPDATE: Some very smart and insightful comments, supporting different choices. What do YOU think? Consider it a vote with the potential for commentary, you don't have to write an essay. Yet Another Jacobsen Postby Armed Liberal
There has been a lot of interesting reaction to my (and others') criticism of Anne Jacobsen's story of terror on flight 327. I want to take a moment to set out what the critics seem to be saying (or what issues they are focusing on) and make sure that my replies are clear. I think that this opens a window into the central issues that will be facing us in the next year or so, politically and in terms of securing ourselves against the real threats of terrorism, so it's worth taking some time and having a serious talk. So let's go through the issues. First, and foremost, the general tenor of "We're at war, dammit! The old rules of civility and political correctness are out!" Um, actually, no we're not. Australia's Strategic Choicesby Joe Katzman
"Wretchard the Cat" over at Belmont Club, in Al-Qaeda Marches South:
Lots more good stuff over there, mate, including further briefings on the Philippines' home-grown terrorist problem and how its diplomatic foolishness in Iraq may have just made Filippinos persona non grata as employees in the region. The consequences could be noticeable in a country that exports workers, then depends on earnings sent back home. UPDATE: "Capt. Joe" has some personal anecdotes from the Philippines that are releavant to this discussion. The Next Arab-Israeli War?by Joe Katzman
Colt looks at developments in the Middle East and wonders when we might see the next Arab-Israeli war (Hat Tip: reader Jinnderella). I would argue that as long as Israel retains the nuclear option, the only wars we'll see would be either a full nuclear exchange, or a simple extension of the current "Oslo War" (which is a regional war by any standards). Not much room in between. But give Colt's piece a read, and see what you think. He's writing about things that Israel's General Staff must at least be thinking about and taking seriously. Andrew's Iraq Report: July 26/04by Andrew Olmsted
TOP TOPICS
Other Topics Today Include: suicide bombers job troubles; the Army considers a new strategy in Iraq; Iraq's government faces a new challenge; Carnival of the Liberated; reaping what the Philippines sowed. Some Interesting News From the Leftby Armed Liberal
OK, here's an article that explains why I keep reading the New York Times (you've seen Okrent's column this week, right? - and if you don't want to register, just cut-and paste the URL into Google or use this link):Wiring the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy, by Matt Bai July 25, 2004What I Learned from Some Eminent Emigre Scholarsby Robin Burk
Note: Jacob Klein, known affectionately as Jasha, was Heidigger's star graduate student in philosophy (before Heidigger went wierd) and one of the world's preeminent interpreters of Plato and the Platonic tradition. He later served as dean at my undergraduate school after fleeing the Nazis, one of many Jewish scholars who were no longer safe in Europe. Simon Kaplan, a respected Jewish scholar in Russia, fled the Communists in similar fashion and later joined the faculty at St. John's as well. The motto of St. John's College: Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque - I make free men and women out of children by means of a book and a scale (the traditional liberal arts plus modern laboratory science). Three anecdotes, variations on the same theme, of relevance to the bitter political atmosphere this year: 1. In the late 1960s townspeople in Annapolis, proud of the long heritage of the Naval Academy, were often suspicious of the "hippies" at the other (and very unusual) undergraduate school in town, St. John's College. One early summer evening in my freshman year, as shadows from the tall trees covered the sloping lawns in the front of the campus, an Annapolis matron phoned Dean Klein to angrily complain that couples were "fornicating on front lawn". Courage, Tyranny and Freely Given Giftsby Robin Burk
This is a true story about courage after loss, and gifts given. Roger and I were married in May of 1974. For various reasons, we had a small, modest wedding that we organized ourselves with the help of a few friends in our college community. Chief among them were Michael and Hermi Littleton. An ordained minister and Jungian therapist, Michael found his true calling teaching in the Great Books program at St. John's College, where Roger and I met. His wife Hermi graciously invited me to their modest home and lent me the use of her sewing machine to make my wedding dress amid the comforting chaos of a busy family. But that was the smallest of her gifts to me that year. Cheek & Hentgen: Classy & Classierby Joe Katzman
Blue Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen retired yesterday after 14 years in the Major Leagues. He could have stuck it out for the rest of the season and collected his million-dollar paycheck, but he didn't feel he was helping the team (2-9, 6.95 ERA). Class. He leaves among the Jays' all-time top 5 in wins (107), starts (238), innings pitched (1,636) and winning percentage (.557), with one Cy Young award as the league's best pitcher (1996, 20-10, 3.22 ERA), and one happiest memory: Game 4 of the 1993 World Series. Note to casual fans: the 1993 World Series game that Hentgen pitched was Game 3 - but Game 4 was the 15-14 comeback win for the team, down 14-11 headed into the 9th. I think that pretty much tells you all you need to know, but The Batters Box has more (as always). Over to Tom Cheek, the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. He's been here since the franchise opened its doors, compiling a stunning 4,306 consecutive game streak - almost twice as long as Cal Ripken's - and impressing us all with his class. Then, the sky fell on him. Twice. The chemotherapy is proceeding, and this weekend Tom was well enough to get back in the booth and call a couple of innings. Keep fighting, Tom, and welcome back. Red Sox Outslug Yankeesby Joe Katzman
Literally. A one hour delay, a bench-clearing brawl, 5 ejections, a 6th inning lasting 67 minutes, and a blown save by Mariano Rivera on a come from behind, walk-off home run for the Red Sox in the bottom of the 9th. Was that a great game, or what? Baseball Musings has an update re: the Sturtze - Kapler bout, and Joe shares a Bob Gibson story about intimidation from the mound and its consequences. Plame Update: Novak Wasn't Firstby Celeste Bilby
Bill Gertz of the Washington Times is reporting that the identity of Valerie Plame had already been compromised twice before Robert Novak's column ever was published. Mrs. Plame's identity as an undercover CIA officer was first disclosed to Russia in the mid-1990s by a Moscow spy, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.Could it have been by Nicholson?. Also according to the article: In a second compromise, officials said a more recent inadvertent disclosure resulted in references to Mrs. Plame in confidential documents sent by the CIA to the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy in Havana.Novak's claim that the CIA didn't warn him too strongly against naming Plame in his column suddenly makes more sense. Mourning In Americaby Gary Farber of Amygdala
Presented by Gary Farber, this is a Winds of Change reprint, from Sgt. Stryker's Daily Briefing, written by: "Sgt. Stryker" and originally posted here. It's a commentary on political independents, excessive partisanship, and who is to blame for future failures in preventing terrorism. With Joe's and the Sgt's blessings, I fully endorse what the Technical Sgt. has to say. Over to him: July 24, 2004Spirit of America Offers Donors Their Money Backby Joe Katzman
...and this is good news. Jim Hake notes:
End result? Out of 3,057 donors responding, 3,044 (99.6%) have reallocated their donations. Which are going to new projects, like this one designed to make Iraqi women more independent and help them support their families: Hanson's New Albumsby Joe Katzman
"If only the other Hanson could write like this..." said one puckish commentator, implicitly comparing the inspiring classical scholar and columnist Victor Davis Hanson to the musical group Hanson of "Mmm bop..." infamy. AllahPundit decided to give the kiddie rockers some help by adding another member to their roster, and came up with 2 humourous new album covers. Presenting "Hanson: Live at Thermopylae" and "Hanson: Phalanx of Love." Mmm bop! Curing Cancer With Nanoparticlesby Joe Katzman
It will be a while before we see human trials, but this (and other options mentioned in their post) are encouraging. Sufi Wisdom: Kindness and Unkindnessby T.L. James
by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds, who is rediscovering the joys of smoke-signal internet after a cross-country move to the Rockies. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. This week's wisdom comes from the Koran, via Rumi:Unkindness from the wise is better than the kindness of the ignorant. The Prophet said, "Enmity from wisdom is better than love which comes from a fool."How can unkindness be better than kindness? What sort of kindness is Rumi (and Mohammed) referring to here? After-Action Report: The Commute Home & My I.M.D.by Robin Burk
Picking up on Armed Liberal's approach to an apparently menacing homeless man, I thought I'd share an incident that happened on my way home tonight. Long muggy week. Found out today I have another task on my plate, which was already heaped full, so the whole way home I was going over my to-do list & trying to decide which things I could squeeze in and what I'd have to give up. Cancel that - they all need doing, it's just a question of when & how to fit them all in. Stopped at Home Depot on the way & picked up a 2×6 for one of those tasks & stuffed it into the Jeep with a couple feet hanging out the back window. Got to a stoplight that has a really long cycle ... up pulls a car next to me. The car and the guy driving it didn't bother me, but the gansta rap he was blaring did. For over 3 minutes it was a constant litany of sh*t, F*ck, Ho, MuhF' ... and on and on. Couldn't put up all the windows to keep at least a little of the sound out because of the 2×6. So I turned, caught the guy's eye and politely mimed that the music was loud. Mouthed, "Could you turn it down a little?" Guy smirks, turns away with a bored look and cranks it UP even louder. Light turns but I end up just missing the green & amber. Too clearly red to drive through. Gansta guy is right there beside me, blasting a stream of angry foul rap at the world. Something snapped. July 23, 2004"We Don't Freak Out In Situations Like This."
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