PURPLE PATCH: The first decision —Christopher Reeve “As the old saying goes, you better know what you want because you might get it and you have got to accept it. Whether you succeed or whether you encounter adversity you always have to believe in your worth as a person. That is what counts” — Remarks at a success seminar in Portland, Oregon, February 6, 2001. When I made those comments in 2001, it was no longer difficult for me to say to anyone that you have to believe in your worth as a person. But in the intensive care unit … Continue reading You better know what you want because you might get it

“The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient mechanical calculator (also described as the first “mechanical computer”) designed to calculate astronomical positions. It was discovered in the Antikythera wreck off the Greek island of Antikythera, between Kythera and Crete, in 1900. Subsequent investigation, particularly in 2006, dated it to about 150-100 BC, and hypothesised that it was on board a ship that sank en route from the Greek island of Rhodes to Rome, perhaps as part of an official loot. Technological artifacts of similar complexity did not appear until a thousand years later. Sometime before April of 1900, a Greek sponge diver … Continue reading Antikythera Mechanism

“Full Bloom” Civilizations According to the evolutionary theory, more advanced civilizations develop from primitive. However, archaeologists have been puzzled by civilizations that have appeared “full bloom” – very advanced, with no precursor civilizations. This includes even the first known civilization! The following are but a few examples. “Full Bloom” Civilizations Sumer. Contrary to what most people believe, Egypt was not the first civilization. According to archaeologists, the first civilization was Sumer, which flourished around 3000 B.C.[1] Sumer is an enigma- it appeared suddenly, unexpectedly, and out of nowhere. Contrary to what one would expect, it was NOT primitive [as one … Continue reading “Full Bloom” Civilizations

How a beautiful stranger will send a man’s stress hormones soaring…especially if he’s not in the same league Sensation: Bo Derek bewitched Dudley Moore in the film 10 and scientists have shown this effect can cause inferior men health-worsening stress A racing pulse and sweaty palms are well known as the signs of instant attraction. Now research shows that for men just five minutes spent alone with a beautiful stranger causes so much stress it may be bad for the heart. The effects are worst for men who might think they are not “in the same league” as the woman … Continue reading Spending time with beautiful ladies will end your life faster!

Rip-off Britain: iPad to cost 25% more in the UK than it does in US stores British consumers will have to pay far more than their US counterparts for Apple’s new iPad, it has emerged. Apple has announced that the starting price in the UK will be £429 for the 16GB model with a WiFi link to the internet – around 25per cent more than the US. The equivalent price for the same device on the other side of the Atlantic is around £340. British consumers will have to pay around 25 per cent more than their US counterparts for … Continue reading Ripping off British Sheep: iPad to cost 25% more in the UK

Dr Michael Nazir-Ali says his main concern is that his two sons are OK following the attack The former Bishop of Rochester’s two sons have been set upon in a racial attack, it has emerged. Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, the first Asian bishop appointed by the Church of England, last night condemned the gang assault. Pakistani-born Dr Nazir-Ali, who retired last September, said: ‘Any act of violence is concerning but it makes it even worse that it was racially motivated. ‘My main concern is making sure the boys are OK. ‘I was the Bishop of Rochester for 15 years and we … Continue reading EDL thugs attack sons of UK’s first Asian bishop

The study of our language and literature is so fundamental to society that everyone ought to have access to it Alexander Hay guardian.co.uk The benefits of a degree in English should not be overlooked. Photograph: Lorna Roach For English degrees, the future does not look good. The cost of a degree will skyrocket if the top-up cap is removed, while the money an arts graduate earns is all too often pitiful, with some undergraduates never breaking even after their hefty debts are repaid. Worse is to come. Academics are warning that the present “age of austerity” will lead to big … Continue reading Offer free English degree courses to all?

Four Lions: Laugh? I roared Four Lions is the first comedy clear enough about the subtleties of the Muslim experience to satirise it properly Tania Ahsan guardian.co.uk Arsher Ali in Four Lions, Chris Morris’s comedy about jihadist suicide bombers Chris Morris’s eagerly awaited debut feature film, Four Lions, is released today. As the man behind the Brass Eye special on paedophilia, Morris doesn’t so much court controversy as stalk it. Four Lions is a comedy about jihadist suicide bombers. Even the description seems to suggest that Morris has taken to wearing a sign on his back saying “fatwa me” but … Continue reading Four Lions is the first comedy clear enough about the subtleties of the Muslim experience to satirise it properly

Which militant group inspired Times Square suspect? dawn.com Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani-American believed to have planned a car bomb attack in New York’s Times Square. – AFP ISLAMABAD: Evidence of ties between the failed New York bomber and Pakistan’s Taliban may only lead investigators to a murky militant network that is difficult to crack and offers no clues on possible future attacks. Pakistan’s Taliban claimed responsibility for the attempted bombing on Saturday and a US official said investigators see “plausible links” between Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad, the main accused, and the group but had not yet made a final determination. Reconstructing … Continue reading Is intelligence failing?