Clipmarks | arifsali's clips

Michael Jackson and Sufi Poetry

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:38:50 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Amazing personal account by Deepak Chopra.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/a-tribute-to-my-friend-mi_b_221268.html

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

When we first met, around 1988, I was struck by the combination of charisma and woundedness that surrounded Michael. He would be swarmed by crowds at an airport, perform an exhausting show for three hours, and then sit backstage afterward, as we did one night in Bucharest, drinking bottled water, glancing over some Sufi poetry as I walked into the room, and wanting to meditate.

That person, whom I considered (at the risk of ridicule) very pure, still survived -- he was reading the poems of Rabindranath Tagore when we talked the last time, two weeks ago. Michael exemplified the paradox of many famous performers, being essentially shy, an introvert who would come to my house and spend most of the evening sitting by himself in a corner with his small children. I never saw less than a loving father when they were together (and wonder now, as anyone close to him would, what will happen to them in the aftermath).

Tags: michael jackson, music, sufi, united states

Majority of Americans Approve Complete Ban on Torture

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:43:40 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Makes sense.

Clip Source: www.worldpublicopinion.org

Six in 10 Americans approve of having an international convention saying that "governments should never use physical torture" as a means of trying to get information, while 39 percent say such a ban is too restrictive, according to a new WorldPublicOpinion.org/Knowledge Networks poll.

A majority also opposes nearly all methods for coercing detainees to give information, even when it might be critical to stopping a terrorist attack against the US. Respondents were presented a scenario in which a detainee is being held who is likely to have "information about a possible terrorist attack on the US that may prove critical to stopping the attack." They were then presented a series of methods for coercing the respondent to reveal the information.

Tags: human-rights, torture, united states

NASA's HiRise camera reveals breathtaking sand-dunes on Mars

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:13:33 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

The wonder of Mars in its seasonal glory

These images of sand dunes in Proctor Crater were taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

This stereo image suggests a process of rock formation called 'rhythmic bedding' in sedimentary rock within the Becquerel crater. A three-dimensional analysis on pairs of images confirmed the regularity of the repetition in the thickness of the beds. The image covers an area about half a mile wide

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

These dark, fern-like features on the floor of the Antoniadi Crater tell the story of an ancient wet environment on Mars where life may have existed.

One hypothesis is that these represent a network of channels that now stand in inverted relief. The channels may have become filled in with materials more resistant to erosion

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

This false-colour image shows gully channels in a crater in the southern highlands of Mars. The gullies emanate from cliffs near the crater's rim.

Tags: mars, nasa, pictures

Pixar sent DVD of movie 'Up' so a dying girl could watch it

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:33:37 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Amazing gesture! And remember, we're talking about corporation here.

Clip Source: www.ocregister.com

Company sent DVD so Huntington Beach girl, 10, could watch it.

Colby Curtin said she did not want to die until she saw the new Disney-Pixar movie Up.

HUNTINGTON BEACH – Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old with a rare form of cancer, was staying alive for one thing – a movie.

From the minute Colby saw the previews to the Disney-Pixar movie Up, she was desperate to see it. Colby had been diagnosed with vascular cancer about three years ago, said her mother, Lisa Curtin, and at the beginning of this month it became apparent that she would die soon and was too ill to be moved to a theater to see the film.

After a family friend made frantic calls to Pixar to help grant Colby her dying wish, Pixar came to the rescue.

Tags: children, entertainment, health, movies, pixar

Is it just me or the world needs Twitter alternate?

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:02:17 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: How could such a huge phenomenon sustain complete downtime?

I don't get it.

Clip Source: twitter.com

The server at twitter.com is taking too long to respond.

Tags: technology, twitter

Islam recaptures Spain with art

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:03:33 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: There are more details here
link

Clip Source: www.onculture.eu

Stunning exhibition from Aga Khan Museum Collection in Madrid

Fourteen centuries of a breathtaking history that extends from the Iberian Peninsula to the Far East unfold in Madrid these days, thanks to the stunning exhibition hosted at the CaixaForum Madrid, at the Paseo del Prado. This amazing exhibition that was inaugurated June 4 by the King and Queen of Spain, is jointly organized by the "la Caixa" Social and Cultural Outreach Projects in cooperation with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture –the cultural arm of the Aga Khan Development Network.

Currently, AKTC is in the process of building a museum in Toronto (

Canada

) to provide a permanent home for its collections. Meanwhile, the works are being shown in various cities around the world

Tags: art, islam, spain

Oxford: Swine flu origins revealed

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:19:05 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.ox.ac.uk

A new analysis of the current swine-origin H1N1 influenza A virus suggests that transmission to humans occurred several months before recognition of the existing outbreak.

The work, published online in Nature today, highlights the need for systematic surveillance of influenza in swine

'Using computational methods, developed over the last ten years at Oxford, we were able to reconstruct the origins and timescale of this new pandemic,'

'Our results show that this strain has been circulating among pigs, possibly among multiple continents, for many years prior to its transmission to humans.'

The team conclude that 'despite widespread influenza surveillance in humans, the lack of systematic swine surveillance allowed for the undetected persistence and evolution of this potentially pandemic strain for many years.'

Tags: health, swine flu

One of the Deepest and Largest Step Wells in India: Chand Baori, Jaipur, India

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:51:32 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: The first picture is representative but there are more at the source I'm not clipping.

Clip Source: i48998.posterous.com

Built back in the 10th century, the incredible well of Chand Baori , India was a practical solution to the water problem in the area. The arid climate forced the locals to dig deep for a dependable water source, one that would last throughout an entire year. Chand Baori well is 30 meters deep, it has 13 floors and 3,500 steps.

Tags: india, architecture

The End of Cubicle Dwelling?

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:57:44 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Written by Dawn Foster.

Clip Source: webworkerdaily.com

Many of us have left the world of cubicles behind as our jobs increasingly move into the online realm, where physical presence becomes just an occasional part of our work lives rather than a daily grind of commuting in traffic and cubicle dwelling for 40 hours a week. I see more and more people joining the remote web worker ranks every day, and I’m not the only one seeing this trend. According to Seth Godin in a recent TIME article, “The Last Days of Cubicle Life“:

While these the focus on knowledge workers and aren’t new, the rapid increase in the number of remote workers is. According to WorldatWork, “the number of employee telecommuters in the U.S. increased 39 percent, from 12.4 million in 2006 to 17.2 million in 2008.” Businesses are actively seeking to embrace remote working as it lowers overheads

Anecdotally, I seem to see more and more people working remotely from home offices and coffee shops.

Tags: united states, work

Real-time search is really expensive - CEO Technorati

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:59:44 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.jalichandra.com

Making real-time work is very complex at scale, and there's a reason there are only two real-time blog search indexes (Google Blog Search and Technorati). The volume of data presents multiple challenges: the data becomes nearly irrelevant shortly after it appears (often within days and certainly within weeks -- over 90% of all searches on Technorati are looking for something less than a month old); it’s much easier to spam* (Twitter is just beginning to experience this -- just wait...); it’s hard to balance recency and relevancy together; and lastly, it's expensive -- spinning large quantities of data so it's readily available to query is really expensive, and the entire live web is a really large place (Technorati only focuses on the blogosphere).

Tags: internet, search, technology

Misconceptions of Islam in the West

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:14:13 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: By Akbar Ahmed
Islamic Studies professor, American University

Clip Source: newsweek.washingtonpost.com

In 2006, I traveled to the Middle East, South Asia, and Far East Asia and met with people from the full range of Muslim society. We let Muslims speak for themselves and learned something interesting: when we asked what the greatest threat to the Muslim world is, the most popular answer in each country was the same, misconceptions of Islam in the West. Many Muslims were worried that there was a clash of civilizations and that Americans, in their hostility toward Islam, which they said they witnessed in Western media reports, were leading the charge. The arguments mirrored those I heard in the United States in the years after the 9/11 attacks.

President Obama's speech this morning was a strong statement to Muslims around the world that America is not engaging in a irrevocable clash of civilizations and that we should be building bridges of friendship, respect, and understanding rather than tearing them down. This is a strong step toward bridging the gap between the US and the Muslim world

Tags: cairo, islam, muslims, obama, united states

Addressing the issue of women's rights

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:25:11 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. And that is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.

Clip Source: www.whitehouse.gov

the sixth issue that I want to address is women's rights.

I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.

And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well educated are far more likely to be prosperous.

Now, let me be clear: Issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, we've seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.

I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons.

Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity -- men and women -- to reach their full potential.

Tags: cairo, muslims, obama, united states, women

People of the world can live together in peace

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:22:18 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.whitehouse.gov

The Holy Koran tells us: "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

The Holy Bible tells us: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Applause.)

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth.

And may God's peace be upon you

Tags: cairo, muslims, obama, united states

Belief that is pulsed in the cradle of civilization

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:20:18 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.whitehouse.gov

It's easier to start wars than to end them. It's easier to blame others than to look inward. It's easier to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There's one rule that lies at the heart of every religion -- that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

This truth transcends nations and peoples -- a belief that isn't new; that isn't black or white or brown; that isn't Christian or Muslim or Jew. It's a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization, and that still beats in the hearts of billions around the world. It's a faith in other people, and it's what brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.

Tags: cairo, muslims, obama, united states

Re-imagining the World!

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:18:14 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: ...if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward.

Clip Source: www.whitehouse.gov

I know there are many -- Muslim and non-Muslim -- who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division, and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn't worth the effort -- that we are fated to disagree, and civilizations are doomed to clash. Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There's so much fear, so much mistrust that has built up over the years. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith, in every country -- you, more than anyone, have the ability to reimagine the world, to remake this world.

Tags: cairo, muslims, obama, united states