Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Video: Analysis on The Arab Uprising From Libya to Syria , plus 10 more

Video – Analysis on The Arab Uprising From Libya to Syria , plus 10 more

Video – Analysis on The Arab Uprising From Libya to Syria

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 05:00 AM PDT

One of the great scholars of our time is explaining the difference between the appearance and reality of the strange world of today where we live. Sheikh Imran Hosein Malaysia (Extended) Lecture Tour -He gives his opinion and analyses of what's the Arab spring , how we are going from Tripoli ( in Libya ) to Damascus ( in Syria ) was all this prophesied are we in the end days (This is the Islamic point of view of the end days ) The Signs of the Last Day in the Modern World.

Most remarkable UFO sightings in October 2011

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 04:52 AM PDT

This classic triangle-shaped UFO craft (maybe a Tr-3b?) was seen and recorded in the sky over Payson in Arizona this month (October 2011). Witness report: Yah so me and my friend were coming back from the local arena in Payson AZ on our horses and the horses got spooky and we looked up and Saw a light in the sky and had the camera with us, the last part is all blurry because when it started "Morphing" it messed with our camera, after it was done is dissapered and the camera started working...

More signs Israel preparing to launch attack

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 04:21 AM PDT

A U.S. intelligence source has told G2Bulletin there are more indicators Israel is preparing to launch an attack – possibly against Iran. And if it does, it may be looking at how to undertake a multi-front strategy that would include an assault against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip or even Syria, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin. Separate sources suggest that Syria would welcome such an attack to divert attention from its own internal violent demonstrations against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Pentagon Prepares For Economic Warfare

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 04:08 AM PDT

The guests were assembled in the Warfare Analysis Laboratory, surrounded by uniformed officers from the highest levels of the Pentagon and a dizzying array of screens normally used to simulate nuclear world war.

Breaking: Iran and Israel Caught – Partnering in Nuclear Attack Ploy

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 03:57 AM PDT

The news has been filled with stories of plans by Israel or the US to bomb Iran. There was recently a series of accusations made against Iran involving the assassination of Saudi and other diplomatic officials. These accusations were quickly discarded by most press organizations as "far fetched" but, for some reason drew responses from the US, France and others, responses that were "non linear" at best. Why would President Obama threaten Iran over accusations that all the networks said were nonsense? Now, sources in Iran, at the highest levels, along with sources in the US and Britain, fearful of a "scam gone awry" tell of an extraordinary plot that is ready to unfold.

Geologists Closely Monitoring Surge In Arkansas Earthquakes

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 03:42 AM PDT

The Arkansas Geological Survey says it is stepping up its monitoring of seismic activity in central Arkansas after dozens of small earthquakes in the region. Six minor quakes were recorded Friday near Quitman, the latest of more than 50 temblors in October. The Friday tremors began with a 2.0-magnitude quake around 7:45 a.m. and peaked with a 2.5 quake later in the morning

Many Survive With No Bank Account

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 03:32 AM PDT

More people in the Southeast don't have bank accounts than in any other part of the country. Mississippi leads the country with more than 16% of households using cash-and-carry for all their transactions. A new interactive map released by Wednesday by the Pew Charitable Trusts shows state-by-state comparisons for median bank fees and policies, as well as percentage of households that don't have a bank account, across the United States.

Entire West Coast Hit Hard By Fukushima Radiation

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 03:13 AM PDT

"High concentrations" of radiation hit US and Canada — Plume was rich in Cesium-137 and "close to the surface" from Vancouver southward — See also Hawaii, Florida (MAPS)

Japan Warned Of Another M9.0 Earthquake

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 03:04 AM PDT

Tepco has announced that there are 1,331 spent fuel rods in the pool of reactor 4. However, 10/14/2011, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency announced that the pool contained 204 units of new fuel rods as well.

NASA In Final Preparations For Nov 8 Asteroid Flyby

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:46 AM PDT

NASA scientists will be tracking asteroid 2005 YU55 with antennas of the agency's Deep Space Network at Goldstone, Calif., as the space rock safely flies past Earth slightly closer than the moon's orbit on Nov. 8. Scientists are treating the flyby of the 1,300-foot-wide (400-meter) asteroid as a science target of opportunity – allowing instruments on "spacecraft Earth" to scan it during the close pass.

Three New Planets And A Mystery Object Discovered Outside Our Solar System

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:26 AM PDT

Three planets -- each orbiting its own giant, dying star -- have been discovered by an international research team led by a Penn State University astronomer. Using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, the astronomers observed the planets' parent stars -- called HD 240237, BD +48 738, and HD 96127 -- tens of light years away from our solar system. One of the massive, dying stars has an additional mystery object orbiting it, according to team leader Alexander Wolszczan, Evan Pugh Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State, who, in 1992, became the first astronomer ever to discover planets outside our solar system. The new research is expected to shed light on the evolution of planetary systems around dying stars. It also will help astronomers to understand how metal content influences the behavior of dying stars.

ISLAM, ISLAMISM AND JIHADISM Asghar Ali Engineer

ISLAM, ISLAMISM AND JIHADISM

Asghar Ali Engineer

(Secular Perspective November 1-15, 2011)

I was invited to Berlin, Germany by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung for a seminar on Islam, Islamism and Jihadism held from 20-22 October 2011. Some 75 scholars from Arab world, Europe and United States were invited for the event. They were all experts working in this field. The focus of course was on the Arab Spring i.e. the events which unfolded from 25^th January 2011 onwards. Many Arab scholars, journalists and activists took part in the discussion.

The main concerns were twofold: what will be impact of Arab spring on the governance of Arab countries and whether Islamic extremism represented by Salafism and Brotherhood will take over or moderate Islam will be influence. There was rich discussions in the spirit of dialogue and all points of view were expressed in cordial atmosphere. In fact this is what is needed to promote better understanding of each other.

The opening speakers were two from eg-German research scholar Christine Schirmacher spoke on Origin and History of Ideas of Political Islam and Islamism.' As I have said before in my articles European scholars' ideas and thinking about Islam and Muslims is influenced mainly by two factors: one, their lack of experience of pluralist society and second historical events in which Islam and Christianity politically clashed with each other. Prof. Schirmacher displayed similar bias in her presentation.

Another thing with research scholars like her is that they depend more on medieval text in understanding Islam and Islamism and that too without taking context into account and if context is taken into account any religion in history will fare as badly or well as Islam. Thus any text must be read in socio-political context. Her paper totally lacked this context. Also, some events in contemporary Europe also influence such scholars who go by mere media reports without investigations of their own.

However, Abdelfattah and Andrea Zaki Stephenous fared much better as their papers were more analytical and progressive outlook. Both scholars were quite secular and progressive in their outlook. Abdelfattah works with a research foundation established by Al-Ahram newspaper which is highly influential in shaping political events in Egypt. He was quite critical of Salafism and its anti-Christian attitude and Islamic extremism.

Abdelfattah listed number of attacks by salafists on Copts and reported in Al-Ahram. But both scholars were highly supportive of Arab spring and the role being played by the Arab masses in ushering in democratic polity. Though it would be too early to predict role of Islamism or political Islam at this stage but Abdelfattah felt political Islam or Islamic extremism may not be after all acceptable to the people of Egypt. He also felt that even young salafis are changing and inclining towards moderation.

He and other participants also felt that religious extremism was also being used cleverly and clandestinely by Mubarak and his ruling clique. Even today such attacks on minorities are being stage-managed by this clique. A way has to be found to eliminate such attacks.

Rev. Stephanous, the Coptic Protestant priest also spoke very well. He stood for secularism and secular state as against a religious state. He maintained state should have nothing to do with religion. It should be neutral towards all religions. It is much like the Ulama in India who also stand for secularism and secular state. It proves two things i.e. when religion becomes part of a statecraft state loses its neutrality and two that whenever a religion becomes associated with governance or statecraft religion develops extremist tendencies.

The increasing attacks on minorities in Egypt also shows that religious majority in every country tends to be arrogant as it thinks it has power in its hands and targets minorities. Father Stephanous also stressed this when he said in democracy there should not be religious majority and minority but political majority and minority. This is very sensible proposition but it is easier said than done. In all democratic countries religious majority targets religious minorities, particularly that religious minority that is largest in number. Coptic Christians are largest minority in Egypt and Muslims largest minority in Europe and hence they are under attack. In India, though state is secular still religious right brutally targets Muslims which happens to be largest minority and also Christians which is, though small, nevertheless, is next in number as far as 'non-Hindu' minorities are concerned.

Here in India the Sangh Parivar always taunts Muslims that they want secularism when in minority and Islamic state while in majority. While it is true but it has to be seen in political perspective, not in religious one. The way Christian minorities want secular state it shows that same tendencies prevail among other minorities also as minorities are always targeted by religious majorities.

As the political crisis become acute such attacks also become intense and frequent. Same thing happened with Christians in Egypt and tiny Christian minority in Pakistan and with Muslims and Christians in India and Muslims in Europe today. The whole thing, however, is to be seen in political perspective and not misunderstood as part of religious teachings which is what rightist forces do.

In the Friedrich Ebert Foundation seminar there were three excellent presentations which were based on field work and also with correct perspective. It is important to note here that those western scholars who base their research only on medieval Islamic text by various theologians and scholars often produce misconceived conclusions taking those texts as only source of Islamic teachings. In these texts also one finds liberal and tolerant narratives and very rigid and intolerant narratives as it happens with modern scholars too. These scholars deliberately choose such rigid and intolerant texts to bash Islam with and ignore other writings.

However, these there scholars I am talking about based their studies of Islam and Islamism on empirical observations and did not allow media reports and stereotypes to interfere with their conclusions. These studies related to those who were arrested or suspected with terrorism and salafi association.

One of them was Prof. Edwin Bakker who hailed from Netherland and teaches in Counter-Terrorism Studies in Leiden University. His studies showed that average age of suspected terrorists was 28 i.e. it is not true that very young who have not seen much of life tend to be terrorists. Also it was found that most of them had criminal records. Thus it is not true that they are all purists ready to die for Islam and Islamic ideals and courting martyrdom.

Also, most of them were from lower socio-economic class and having sense of deprivation. Also, it was interesting to note that either they were related or from the same neighborhood. They knew each other well. In some cases they were close cousins. Thus it would be oversimplifying to maintain that they were infected with salafi ideology or that they were religious extremism.

Similarly another study by James Brandon who usually undertakes researches on such issues and writes extensively on Islamic extremism. His paper was based on a study of some 300 parsons accused of terrorism and jihadism. He maintained that Islam was more of a cover and a legitimation rather than motivation for their acts. It is very important distinction which many are not able to make.

To be motivated by Islam (or any ideology for that matter) is very different from using Islam to legitimize their acts. In first case (i.e. being motivated by Islam), Islam becomes the cause and in the second case it becomes a mere cover. Mr. Brandon also found that in some cases these terrorists went merely for adventure and some cases it was only to impress their girl friends, nothing more.

Also, only 100 out of three hundred he was studying possessed any weapon and some of them were mere suspects, not even proved and convicted terrorists. Anyway, Mr. Brandon said what is this three hundred out of 2 million Muslims who are quite peaceful and have nothing to do with any salafi or jihadi activities. He also said that salafis are a tiny though quite visible and efficient group. They are very well organized and have lot of money due to their Saudi Arabia connection.

Another very perceptive presentation came from Professor Sadik al-Jalal al-Azm. He is professor of philosophy from Syria and is strong critic of religious fundamentalism. He said that Al-Azhar, the great seat of Islamic learning has proved to be quite sterile. In its hundreds of years of existence it has produced nothing new, much less stimulating. It has become seat of Islamic conservatism.

Al-Azhar could have done much if it had dared and shown intellectual fertility. Unfortunately it played to gallery and hardly ever resisted temptation of being on the right side of the power. Al-Azm is strong secularist and wants modern challenges with creative response. This will happen only when despotism comes to an end in the Islamic world.

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Centre for Study of Society and Secularism

Mumbai.

E-mail: csss@mtnl.net.in

www.csss-isla.com

Questioning corruption no doubt is a grave offense in India . Particularly AP

Date: 01-11-2011

To,

The Executive Engineer
GNSS Division,Irrigation Dept
YMR Colony
Proddatur -516361
Kadapa district

Sir,

Subject : Questioning corruption no doubt is a grave offense in India -I too promise to satisfy the corrupt rogues in all possible ways. Kindly allow me in services by repostings to save me and my family from grave starvation.- Regarding

Questioning corruption no doubt is a grave offense in India . Particularly AP Irrigation department is ready to do any sort of help to all sort of corrupt loafers with love and affection since enjoying major shares in the corruption and bribery .

It is open secret and every body knows the facts. Although the criminal case under crime No : 54/2003 in the II town PS Proddatur is acquitted in the relevant criminal case and copies of the judgement is also served to all competent officials in person , still I am not considered for repostings yet. Promotions and pay revisions as per the policies of Govt of Andhra Pradesh is also not at all sanctioned and paid yet for want of bribes it seems .

I too will pay bribes as per new scheduled rates in person by cash or cheques , but I need in written assurances in this regards. On the same criminal case since I am undergone inhuman police torture for 68 days in police stations , jails and hospitals for satisfaction of corrupt babus in Andhra Pradesh I am pushed to suspension due to grudges developed against me .

Any how I too decided to cooperate all the top to bottom corrupt bastards in Irrigation department and ready to loot Govt funds in all possible ways like the present scoundrels in the department.

Kindly do justice after consideration of my representation in the interest of nation great India unfortunately in the clutches of muffs and corrupt rogues. To survive in the society out of present grave starvation , I am too bent towards the needs of corrupt loafers at top to bottom of of AP Irrigation department .

I too once again promise you sir to satisfy the corrupt rogues in all possible ways like my colleagues and all . Kindly allow me in services by repostings to save me and my family from grave starvation.

A SIVA PRASAD AEE GNSS Div Irrigation Dept
YMR Colony Proddatur -516361
Kadapa district Andhra Pradesh
Ph & Fax 08564 -250956
Email :ajforpj@gmail.com

Copy submitted to the authorities

SRI PANKAJ DWIVEDI Chief Secretary AP Secretariat Hyderabad

The Secretary AP Vigilance Commission AP Secretariat Hyderabad

The Secretary Irrigation AP Secretariat Hyderabad

The Director General Vigilance & Enforcement Dept Boorgula Ramakrishnarao Bhawan , Opposite Secretariat Hyderabad

The Director General ACB Mohinja Market Circle ABIDS Hyderabad

Saudi Islamic Barbarism; time to block its export

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055636/Sudanese-man-beheaded-Saudi-Arabia-car-park-sorcerer.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

The moment man was publicly beheaded in a Saudi Arabian car park for being a 'sorcerer'
* 44 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia this year
* Alarming rise in killings since end of Ramadan
* Seven killed since Sept 5, when executions restarted
* 140 prisoners facing the death penalty

By OLIVER PICKUP

Last updated at 6:00 PM on 31st October 2011
* Comments (340)
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Shocking footage has surfaced of a Sudanese man being publicly beheaded in Saudi Arabia for being a 'sorcerer'.
Crouched on his knees and blindfolded, Abdul Hamid Bin Hussain Bin Moustafa al-Fakki was executed in a car park Medina, in the west of the country, as dozens looked on last month.
The grainy footage - which MailOnline believes is too graphic to publish - shows the executioner lining his sword up on the back of Abdul Hamid's neck, before one swift stroke decapitates him.

An executioner lines up his sword on the back of the neck of 'sorcerer' Abdul Hamid Bin Hussain Bin Moustafa al-Fakki
The killer draws his sword back as dozens of people watch in the car park
The Sudanese man, who was killed on September 20, is believed to have been the 44th person executed in Saudi Arabia this year - and the 11th foreign national.
The total for 2011 is 17 more than for the whole of 2010.
Lebanese TV host Ali Hussain Sibat, who was sentenced to death over making predictions of the future on his show, had been scheduled to be beheaded on Friday.
His attorney May El Khansa said the execution did not take place on that day - but that did not mean Sibat has been given a reprieve.

More...
* My daughter, too, was strangled by a man obsessed with violent images. Someone has to take a stand
* Raped for being gay: Scourge of South African sex attacks which men claim will 'cure' women of being lesbians
* Shot in the head by soldiers: Shocking image of a child's suffering as Syrian president boasts of his popularity
The alarming rise in the number of executions in the country has led to criticism from a number of human rights charities.
Saudis are understood to prefer beheading by a sharp sword, as they think it more humane and quicker than electrocution and lethal injection.
Amnesty International pleaded with King Abdullah but the Saudi monarch still allowed the killing of Abdul Hamid Bin Hussain Bin Moustafa al-Fakki for sorcery
And while the crime of 'sorcery' is undefined in Saudi Arabian law, it has been used to punish people for the legitimate exercise of their human rights.
Abdul Hamid is understood to have been arrested in 2005 after he was entrapped by a man working for the Mutawa'een (religious police).

He was asked to concoct a spell that would cause the officer's father to leave his second wife.

According to the officer's account Abdul Hamid agreed to carry out the curse in exchange for 6,000 Saudi Arabian riyals (approximately £1,000).

He was beaten after his arrest and thought to have been forced to admit to acts of sorcery.
In a secret trial, where he was not allowed legal representation, he was sentenced to death by the General Court in Medina in March 2007.

Few details are available about his trial but he is reported to have been tried behind closed doors and without legal representation.

At the time of his arrest, English language Saudi daily The Saudi Gazette ran an article entitled Magic Maids which said that 'we must face up to the threats from some maids and servants and their satanic games of witchcraft and sorcery, their robbery, murder, entrapment of husbands, corruption of children and other countless stories of crime that have been highlighted by both experts and victims of these crimes'.

Sentenced to death: Lebanese TV host Ali Hussain Sibat still faces execution for 'predicting the future'
Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's Director for the Middle East and North Africa, heavily criticised the killing.
He said: 'Abdul Hamid's execution is appalling as is Saudi Arabia's continuing use of this most cruel and extreme penalty.

'That he should have been executed without having committed anything that would appear to constitute a crime is yet another deeply upsetting example of why the Saudi Arabian government should immediately cease executions and take steps to abolish the death penalty.'
The charity had campaigned on Abdul Hamid's behalf following his arrest and had urged Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to prevent his execution.

But it has been to no avail, and since the end of the holy month of Ramadan a few weeks ago, the Saudi Arabian authorities have resumed executions at an alarming pace.

According to Amnesty International seven people have been executed since the killings resumed on September 5.
Some 140 prisoners are believed to be facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
And last December, Saudi Arabia was one of a minority of states that voted against a UN general assembly resolution calling for the worldwide moratorium on executions.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055636/Sudanese-man-beheaded-Saudi-Arabia-car-park-sorcerer.html#ixzz1cWbK8p64

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In the meantime the Saudis continue funding the spread of their poisonous fanatic dogma all over the world, trying to export their backwardness to the whole world. The world doesn't need their 'reaching out' but rather reaching within and cleaning up the crazy hell-hole they oversee and joining humanity in becoming civilized.
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http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article527065.ece
King Abdullah tells preachers to reach out to other communities
By BADEA ABU AL-NAJA | ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 1, 2011 01:54 Updated: Nov 1, 2011 01:56
MAKKAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah urged Islamic scholars and preachers on Monday to reach out to non-Muslim communities and said the message of Islam came addressing the whole humanity, not a particular community.
"We have to open up to other communities because the message of Islam does not address a particular community excluding others. In fact, it is a message for the whole humanity," the king said in his opening speech at the 12th Makkah conference.
The king's speech was read out by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. The three-day conference is organized by the Muslim World League.
King Abdullah emphasized the duty of Muslims to spread the message of Islam all over the world. "Despite the material progress achieved by man, he is still suffering from a lack of spirituality," he said while emphasizing the importance of dawa work.
In his keynote speech, King Abdullah said Islam is a comprehensive religion of peace and mercy. "The message of Islam explains how man and woman on this earth should live, with all its details."
The king continued: "Islam alone presents a complete way of life based on divine values and presents a balanced approach toward life. It can save them from the present dilemma while protecting their material achievements."
King Abdullah called for reforms in dawa work, keeping pace with modern developments. "We have to carry on dawa work with the intent of spreading our religion among other nations in the right form, highlighting its moderate teachings," he said.
He said preachers should be able to address modern issues in the light of Islamic teachings and make use of modern information technology.
King Abdullah emphasized the fact that Muslims should change their lifestyle and behavior in accordance with the teachings of Islam to remove the existing poor impression about them from the minds of other communities.
"Setting a good example is the best way to defend Islam and encourage others to embrace our religion," the king said while noting the Kingdom's efforts in the service of Islam and Muslims all over the world.
Saudi Arabia builds mosques, Islamic centers, institutes and schools in different parts of the world. It also finances a number of Islamic research chairs in leading international universities.
King Abdullah took the initiative to promote dialogue between followers of different faiths and cultures and establish an international counterterrorism center in New York. "There is a single entity derived from the Qur'an and Sunnah. Islam cannot be classified as political and nonpolitical or extremist and moderate."
King Abdullah commended the efforts being made by MWL to introduce Islam and confront the smear campaigns against Islam and Muslims.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, grand mufti, Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of MWL, and Yousuf Salama, imam and khateeb of Al-Aqsa Mosque, also addressed the opening session. "Islamic preaching is a duty imposed on Muslims by the Shariah," said Al-Turki.
The grand mufti denounced the move by enemies to tarnish the image of Islam. "Islamic preachers are not terrorists. If any individual has made any mistake it should not be generalized," he said and stressed the need to do dawa with wisdom.
Kisan.

Himalayan Altitudes

Tuesday, November 1, 2011