people, impulses and apostasy

Astronomy picture of the day

In the Washington Post the top web domains . Biggest increase? Blogger!
"The growth in blogging reminds us the Internet is fulfilling its original promise about participation," said Gary Arlen, a research analyst and president of Arlen Communications Inc. "This medium empowers users in such a way that they can do what they want and be heard."
Myspace, its popularity among teenagers, which I don't really understand!
Other successes are local info sites.

Farik Zakaaria once again does a superb editorial in the Post on the immigrant experience and the difference between America and Europe. He fails however to notice one small but important factor. Except for Mexican immigrants most others come from far away places that cuts the cultural and family connection sufficently for those people to need to assimilate. The problem, I think America has with the Mexican immigrants is in part the same problem Europe has with the Turkish, Moroccan and Algerian immigrants. Too close to "home" the ties are never severed, the need to assimilate never felt. That creates social pockets of non assimilaton and identity confusion. I can easily imagine that someone in any of the Southwestern states will never have a need to assimilate American cultural values, its language (english) nor the importance of its symbols as means of national cohesion. That is the true tragedy of the immigration conumdrum. To reap the full economic benefits this country has to offer, as well as its cultural ones, assimilation is a prerogative and although I cannot stand bigots, I do not understand the Mexican flag waving going on in protests.
When people do not understand the difference between ethnic pride and nationalism, mutual hatreds arise on all sides. It is one thing to like Mexican food and celebrate some of its cultural traditions, just like the Irish for example do. It is another thing altogether to manifest feelings of nationalism towards Mexico. America is not just about money...It's about a view on the world, unique in its manifestations, sometimes bad, sometimes good.
I was taught that one does not spit on the plate one eats on!

N.Y.Times has an article on impulse issues:
"How and when people apply the brakes is crucial to distinguishing those who can flirt with regular heroin or cocaine use while finishing an Ivy League degree and those who die trying."
Nothing new here. Some is generic, some is adquired. Nurture Vs nature... and that damn serotonin always rearing its beautiful/ugly head. Like the sirens in the Odyssey...

"Why Afghanistan should not have dismissed the apostasy case" an article in the USNews and World Report, that discusses the tolerant vs extremist views of Islamic rule on such issues as apostasy.

"We are but fleas agitating the hide of a far greater organism." On the Eric Pianka polemic. Big f*ing deal! Nuclear war, locusts, the plague, the avian flu, AIDS, tuberculosis, the end is always near for any one of us. We Will All Die, one person at a time, just like it's always been.
immigration,apostasy,top web domains, astronomy pictures