Clipmarks | arifsali's Comments

Jews Protect Palestinians in Harvest of Hate

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:15:19 GMT

clipped by: abailart
clipper's remarks: It is always good to find examples of Godliness and humanity beneath the global hurricane of violent hatred, vicious condemnation, shrill hysteria and poisonous anger.

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

In the shade of the trees where they have been picking olives all morning, in this wadi, south-east of Nablus, a Palestinian farmer, Jamal Otman Koarik, and two of his daughters share a lunch of home-baked bread, zatar, oil, courgettes and salad with three visitors. It's a bucolic scene that could have happened any time in the past century. But what makes it notable in 2008 is that the guests who have been helping Mr Koarik pick the olives are Israeli Jews: a rabbi, an anthropologist and a youth worker, Hellela Siew.

Asked why he and his volunteers make this often risky mission each year, the US-born rabbi says "if we really believe" the Biblical text that all human beings are made in God's image, "we have got to put our money where our mouth is and be here in an active way to defend human rights". And he also cites the "dialogue of the olive groves" in which Israelis and Palestinians who "have to live and die here together" have "no choice but to communicate"

Tags: palestine-israel

The real Obama (is not fit for President)

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:22:25 GMT

clipped by: pkronfield
clipper's remarks: The story of Obama's political career is not a pretty story. He won his first political victory by being the only candidate on the ballot-- after hiring someone skilled at disqualifying the signers of opposing candidates' petitions, on whatever technicality he could come up with.

Despite his words today about "change" and "cleaning up the mess in Washington," Obama was not on the side of reformers who were trying to change the status quo of corrupt, machine politics in Chicago and clean up the mess there. Obama came out in favor of the Daley machine and against reform candidates.

Senator Obama is running on an image that is directly the opposite of what he has been doing for two decades. His escapes from his past have been as remarkable as the great escapes of Houdini.

Why much of the public and the media have been so mesmerized by the words and the image of Obama, and so little interested in learning about the factual reality, was perhaps best explained by an official of the

Clip Source: www.realclearpolitics.com

Critics of Senator Barack Obama make a strategic mistake when they talk about his "past associations." That just gives his many defenders in the media an opportunity to counter-attack against "guilt by association."

Associations are very different from alliances. Allies are not just people who happen to be where you are or who happen to be doing the same things you do. You choose allies deliberately for a reason. The kind of allies you choose says something about you.

Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger, William Ayers and Antoin Rezko are not just people who happened to be at the same place at the same time as Barack Obama. They are people with whom he chose to ally himself for years, and with some of whom some serious money changed hands.

Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time and again, he allied himself with people who openly expressed their hatred of America. No amount of flags on his campaign platforms this election year can change that.

Tags: obama the liar

Can human consciousness survive without a brain?

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:19:31 GMT

clipped by: einbar
clipper's remarks: "Why do you think there is such resistance to studies like yours?

Because we're pushing through the boundaries of science, working against assumptions and perceptions that have been fixed. A lot of people hold this idea that, well, when you die, you die; that's it. Death is a moment — you know you're either dead or alive. All these things are not scientifically valid, but they're social perceptions.How is technology challenging the perception that death is a moment?"

Clip Source: www.time.com

Parnia and his colleagues at the Human Consciousness Project announced their first major undertaking: a 3-year exploration of the biology behind "out-of-body" experiences

When your heart stops beating, there is no blood getting to your brain. And so what happens is that within about 10 sec., brain activity ceases —as you would imagine. Yet paradoxically, 10% or 20% of people who are then brought back to life from that period, which may be a few minutes or over an hour, will report having consciousness. So the key thing here is, Are these real, or is it some sort of illusion?

if you look at the mind, consciousness, and the brain, the assumption that the mind and brain are the same thing is fine for most circumstances, because in 99% of circumstances we can't separate the mind and brain; they work at the exactly the same time. But then there are certain extreme examples, like when the brain shuts down, that we see that this assumption may no longer seem to hold true.

He wouldn't sign the letter

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:47:59 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: www.humanevents.com

Sen. John McCain's 2006 demand for regulatory action on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could have prevented current financial crisis, as HUMAN EVENTS learned from the letter shown in full text below.

McCain's letter -- signed by nineteen other senators -- said that it was "...vitally important that Congress take the necessary steps to ensure that [Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac]...operate in a safe and sound manner.[and]..More importantly, Congress must ensure that the American taxpayer is protected in the event that either...should fail."

Sen. Obama did not sign the letter, nor did any other Democrat.

Former governor Milliken backs away from McCain

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:00:04 GMT

clipped by: monstersmom

Clip Source: www.mlive.com

former Republican Gov. William Milliken is expressing doubts about his party's nominee.

"He is not the McCain I endorsed,"

"He keeps saying, 'Who is Barack Obama?' I would ask the question, 'Who is John McCain?' because his campaign has become rather disappointing to me.

"I'm disappointed in the tenor and the personal attacks on the part of the McCain campaign, when he ought to be talking about the issues."

Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican U.S. senator from Rhode Island, said he's voting for Obama and urging others to do likewise.

"That's not my kind of Republicanism," said Chafee, who now calls himself an independent. "I saw what Bush and Cheney did. They came in with a (budget) surplus and a stable world, and look what's happened now. In eight short years they've taken one peaceful and prosperous world, and they've torn it into tatters."

As for McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his running mate, "there's no question she's totally unqualified," Chafee said.

Jihad-as commonly understood-not truly Islam

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:04:53 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: This Islam expert insists it never means war in the Koran, and the word itself is infrequent compared to words for mercy and compassion. Good!

Clip Source: www.atimes.com

Making a mockery of jihad

Recent terror attacks in India and abroad have created an impression that jihad is central to Koranic teaching

jihad does not mean war in the Koran as there are other words for it like qital and harb. Jihad has been used in the Koran in its root meaning: to strive for betterment of society, to spread goodness

and contain evil

But supposing jihad means war, as some Muslims believe, even then it still isn't central to Koranic teachings. The word "jihad" occurs in the Koran 41 times though not a single verse uses it in

the sense of war.

The four most fundamental values in the Koran are justice

benevolence

compassion

and wisdom

One who fails to practice these values can hardly claim to be a true Muslim

It can be said that compassion is most central to Koranic teachings. The words "compassion" and "mercy" in their various forms occur in the Koran 335 times

To seek revenge is human weakness, not strength

jihad can be declared only by the state

Tags: islam, koran, jihad

Facebook competitors

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:43:55 GMT

clipped by: dooblet
clipper's remarks: dooblet : intelligent search for alternatives

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

Tags: facebook alternatives

McCain's "overhead projector" debate comment

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:37:25 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Actually referred to the Zeiss planetarium projection system at the world-famous Adler Planetarium, which is falling into disrepair, and no longer has replacement parts. Here's a pic of the "overhead projector." Planetariums in NY and LA have already rec'd federal funding to replace Zeiss systems. They don't sell them at OfficeMax.

Clip Source: www.chicagotribune.com

Republican nominee John McCain criticized Democratic nominee Barack Obama in Tuesday night's debate for supporting an unsuccessful $3 million federal funding request to help pay for a new projection system at the Chicago planetarium. In McCain's view, the "overhead projector" was an example of Obama's approach to pork-barrel spending.

Adler President Paul Knappenberger defended the request. The museum wants to spend $10 million to update its original, 78-year-old domed Sky Theater auditorium, including replacement of the huge, 40-year-old Zeiss planetarium projection system, which is falling into disrepair with no replacement parts available

More than 30 million people have seen the Zeiss sky shows at the Adler, at least a third of them schoolchildren, Knappenberger said. He noted that planetariums in New York and Los Angeles received federal funding in recent years to replace aging Zeiss systems.

Astronomers have called McCain "anti-science" because of his position

Tags: mccain, overhead projector, obama

Palin's kind of patriotism

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:53:08 GMT

clipped by: ruralart
clipper's remarks: Insightful. And although I usually don't agree with Friedman, this time I do.

Clip Source: www.thestate.com

Criticizing Sarah Palin is truly shooting fish in a barrel.

And there was one thing she said in the debate with Joe Biden that really sticks in my craw. It was when she turned to Biden and declared: “You recently said paying taxes is patriotic. In middle-class America, where I have been all my life, that is not considered patriotic.”

What an awful statement.

she declared that Americans who pay their fair share of taxes to support all those government-led endeavors should not be considered patriotic.

“I like paying taxes. With them I buy civilization.”

Whether or not I agree with John McCain, he is of presidential timber. But putting the country in the position where a total novice like Sarah Palin could be asked to steer us through possibly the most serious economic crisis of our lives is flat out reckless. It is the opposite of conservative.

Tags: palin, politics

"that one"

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:23:36 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: tpzoo.wordpress.com

MCCAIN:
I know you grow a little weary with this back-and-forth. It was an energy bill on the floor of the Senate loaded down with goodies, billions for the oil companies, and it was sponsored by Bush and Cheney.

You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one. You know who voted against it? Me. I have fought time after time against these pork barrel — these bills that come to the floor…

Undecided Voters: McCain’s ‘That One’ Remark Was “Over The Top”

The undecided voters thought it was very “childish” of McCain to make that remark. Their thoughts were it was over the top and they have put up with this for eight years, that’s enough. What a jerk.

Tags: politics, united states

Uighur prisoners at Gitmo as favor to China

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:54:51 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Fled to Afghanistan, Chinese mad; never took up arms against USA

Clip Source: www.dailykos.com

The administration's maltreatment of the Uighur prisoners is notorious. They fled to Afghanistan in 2001 to escape Chinese oppression. Though nobody disputes that they've never taken up arms against the US, Bush agreed to salt the Uighurs away at Gitmo as a favor to China at a time he was seeking Chinese support for the invasion of Iraq. Secret (very likely Chinese) allegations that the Uighurs support al Qaeda served as the basis for imprisoning them. So it's highly fitting that the first, devastating ~~habeas~~ habeas-like challenge to Bush's CSRTs should come from a Uighur prisoner.

Tags: uighur

Investigator detained by Kenya after learning Obama muslim ties

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:19:06 GMT

clipped by: pkronfield
clipper's remarks: Does anyone know Obama has visited Pakistan, just before being mysteriously flooded with cash for attending expensive universities and purchasing a multi million dollar home? His two college roomates were Pakistani, who are now in charge of raising offshore campaign contributions for him? Michelle Obama's personal advisor is an Iranian. And Rezko arranged for Obama's first job as a lawyer - where is Rezko from? Syria.

Beware this Trojan Horse.

Clip Source: www.wnd.com

The government of Kenya is holding WND senior staff reporter Jerome Corsi in custody at immigration headquarters after police picked him up at his hotel just prior to a scheduled news conference in which he planned to announce the findings of his investigation into Barack Obama's connections in the country.

"Just as we were about to start the 10 a.m. press conference at the Grand Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenyan immigration approached us and detained us. Tim Bueler, my publicist, and I are now in the immigration offices, with our passports taken

"Senator Obama remained in active phone contact with Odinga, through the New Hampshire Democratic Party primary in January 2008, continuing to support Odinga, turning a blind eye to the memorandum of understanding signed with Muslims and the post-election violence instigated as part of the ODM campaign strategy."

Corsi, the author of the No. 1 best-selling book "The Obama Nation," was picked up by authorities

Tags: obama's lifelong ties to radicals and muslims

If you beleive this man will be in charge if elected....

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:06:38 GMT

clipped by: chestnut501
clipper's remarks: Sorry but, You're just plain STUPID

Clip Source: ca.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: obama

Police: Jobless father kills family, self

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:39:11 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: very sad.

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

Police: Jobless father kills family, self

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A man distraught because he could not find work shot and killed his mother-in-law, his wife and three sons and then killed himself inside a home in an upscale San Fernando Valley neighborhood, police said.

Authorities said the man had an MBA in finance but appeared to have been unemployed for several months and had worked for major accounting firms, such as Price Waterhouse, police said.

The two-story rented home is in gated community in Porter Ranch, about 20 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

The names of the victims have not been released, said Deputy Chief of Police Michel Moore.

The shootings were discovered at 7:15 a.m. Monday, when a neighbor called police to report that the wife had not picked her up as she usually did to take her to her job at a pharmacy, Moore said.

Tags: jobless, father, killing, los angeles, mba, economy

Saudi Cleric Favours One-Eye Veil

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:18:51 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: Two eyes are too seductive? Ah, com'on! Why not just ban women outright? Problem solved! Tss!!

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Saudi cleric favours one-eye veil

A Muslim cleric in Saudi Arabia has called on women to wear a full veil, or niqab, that reveals only one eye.

The two-eyed look remains too seductive for Sheikh Habadan

Sheikh Muhammad al-Habadan said showing both eyes encouraged women to use eye make-up to look seductive.

The question of how much of her face a woman should cover is a controversial topic in many Muslim societies.

The niqab is more common in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, but women in much of the Muslim Middle East wear a headscarf which covers only their hair.

Sheikh Habadan, an ultra-conservative cleric who is said to have wide influence among religious Saudis, was answering questions on the Muslim satellite channel al-Majd.

Tags: small wiener syndrome