VIEW: Our state of crisis: some reflections —Naqib Hamid Declaring terrorist outfits as being “outside the fold of Islam” is simply a display of the same psyche as militant religious networks, which take the liberty to decide who is (or is not) a Muslim What happened in Lahore on July 1, 2010 at the sufi shrine of Hazrat Ali bin Usman al Hajvery, popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, is a strong reminder of the state of internal conflict within Islam in our society. It is a crisis of identity, values and worldview. Let me make it clear that by … Continue reading Islam in Pakistan and being grown up about it

Ridiculous America by: William Rivers Pitt, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed (Image: Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: rbanks, Elisabeth Moore, roserevolution) I worked five shifts at the bar between Saturday and Saturday this week, and saw some things that really got me thinking about the nature of this nation. I knew this already, but my week on the sidewalk really brought it home: this is a truly ridiculous country, in every positive and negative sense of the word. The week began with a swarm of union delegates arriving … Continue reading Happy Birthday USA

by: John Pilger, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed (Image: Lance Page / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: hans van den berg, ario_) Washington – The TV anchorwoman was conducting a split screen interview with a journalist who had volunteered to be a witness at the execution of a man on death row in Utah for 25 years. “He had a choice,” said the journalist, “lethal injection or firing squad.” “Wow!” said the anchorwoman. Cue a blizzard of commercials for fast food, teeth whitener, stomach stapling, the new Cadillac. This was followed … Continue reading The Charge of the Media Brigade

Robert Wright: The Myth of Modern Jihad loonwatch.com An excellent article, and a must read. The Myth of Modern Jihad by Robert Wright It would be an understatement to say that Faisal Shahzad, the would-be Times Square bomber, pleaded guilty last week. “I’m going to plead guilty a hundred times over,” Shahzad told the judge. Why so emphatic? Because Shahzad is proud of himself. “I consider myself a Mujahid, a Muslim soldier,” he said. This got some fist pumps in right-wing circles, because it seemed to confirm that America faces all-out jihad, and must marshal an accordingly fierce response. On … Continue reading The Myth of Modern Jihad

Conservatives Furious Over NASA Muslim Outreach loonwatch.com Anything with the word “Muslim” in it is bound to whip Conservo-freaks and their associative wingnuts into a frenzy. This is exactly what happened when Charles Bolden, NASA administrator was visiting the Middle East and appeared on Al-Jazeera. (hat tip: Les) Conservatives Furious Over NASA Muslim ‘Outreach’ by Max Fisher NASA Administrator Charles Bolden recently traveled to the Middle East. That was his first mistake. His second was giving an interview to the Middle Eastern satellite news station Al Jazeera. But his third and fatal mistake came when he suggested that he traveled … Continue reading Muslims In Space Danger To America say US Republicans

‘What Kind of America?’ Hate Filled Rally to Stop Mosque loonwatch.com The Sheepshead Bay Mosque is the center of a lot of controversy and the scene of some terrible anti-Muslim demagoguery. If you remember Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer have put their weight behind residents who oppose the mosque, is it a coincidence then that the rallies against the mosque or so hate filled? It is quite revealing, as on resident, a self-proclaimed ex-Israeli soldier has threatened to blow the mosque up and kill Muslims. Read the excellent expose. ‘What kind of America’? Hate-filled rally to stop mosque By Thomas … Continue reading Americans – you hate Muslims, Muslims will hate you!

EU call for ‘X Files’ archive of UFO sightings A European Union lawmaker has called on member governments to open their secret files on UFOs, saying people need to know about close encounters of the third kind. telegraph.co.uk A sketch taken from UFO files released by the Ministry of Defence Photo: PA Sketches of aliens taken from MoD UFO files Photo: PA Unidentified flying objects in the skies over southern Campeche state filmed by Mexican Air Force pilots on March 5, 2004 Photo: AP Mario Borghezio, an Italian member of the European Parliament, said that the EU needed its own … Continue reading EU call for ‘X Files’ openess

Scientists claim fish ‘talk’ to each other Fish communicate with each other in a secret language of grunts, growls, chirps and pops, researchers in New Zealand have discovered. By Paul Chapman in Wellington telegraph.co.uk Goldfish were found to be good listeners Photo: IAN JONES Far from being a place of deep silence, the underwater world is abuzz with the sound of fish sweet-talking the opposite sex, warning others of danger, giving directions, and general background chatter. Predators may even hunt out prey by intercepting fish talk, researcher Shahriman Ghazali of Auckland University said. Related Articles Antidepressants in sea may damage … Continue reading ‘Fish Talk’ – says Kiwi!

New Bugatti Veyron crowned world’s fastest road car The new Bugatti Veyron has been crowned the world’s fastest production car after reaching an average top speed of 268mph. By Murray Wardrop telegraph.co.uk The new Bugatti Veyron can reach up to speeds of 268mph Photo: REX FEATURES A new version of the vehicle, called the Super Sport, smashed the previous world record of 256mph set by a SSC Ultimate Aero in 2007. Bugatti test driver Pierre Henri Raphanel piloted the super car over two runs at Volkswagen’s test track in Ehra-Leissien, Germany for the land speed record attempt. Related Articles Infrared … Continue reading World’s fastest car

America’s paranoid religious right The Call 2 Fall movement captures the mood among Christian nationalists – that God is punishing America for its sinful ways Matthew Harwood guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 7 July 2010 19.30 BST Article history On the morning of Sunday 4 July, hundreds of thousands of Christians across America fell to their knees to beseech their god for forgiveness in an effort to decipher why he has forsaken the United States, the most Christian nation on earth. The work of Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, the day owes itself to the undeniably ecumenical influence of … Continue reading America’s paranoid Christian Extremists on the rise!