Mind Soup

I woke up this morning with a flood of news about Osama Bin Laden's death on facebook, twitter, google reader, buzz and so forth. With all the celebrations and the worldwide debate (he's even trending on twitter), something smells very fishy, and its not coming from the sea. So U.S. troops kill Bin Laden, and throw him into the sea within 24 hours of his death. You would think that after ten years of searching for the "most wanted terrorist on earth," the body would be kept for more than one day. TIME newspaper ignorantly attributes this action to Islamic tradition, and that the troops directly threw the body into the sea because the did not want to offend the Islamic beliefs of burial. I quote: The reason is bound up within Islamic practice and tradition. And that practice calls for the body of the deceased to be buried within 24 hours, according to a U.S. official, who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters. [..] ...

Pastor Jones during his press conference CNN :  A Florida pastor Thursday called off his controversial plan to burn copies of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack. The Rev. Terry Jones of the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center, standing with a Florida Muslim leader, also said the imam who planned a mosque and Islamic center near ground zero in New York has agreed to move it to another location. But the imam who appeared with him said that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf in New York agreed to speak with Jones about possibly moving the center. A spokesman from Soho Properties told CNN producer Vivienne Foley that "the Muslim community center called Park51 in lower Manhattan is not being moved." Jones, meanwhile, said he will travel to New York on Saturday to meet with Rauf. The pastor appeared at an afternoon press conference with Imam Muhammad Musri of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, who said he will make the t...

* In 1974 with 36.1% of oil from foreign sources, President Richard Nixon said, “At the end of this decade, in the year 1980, the United States will not be dependent on any other country for the energy we need.” * In 1975 with 36.1% of oil from foreign sources, President Gerald Ford said, “We must reduce oil imports by one million barrels per day by the end of this year and by two million barrels per day by the end of 1977.” * In 1979 with 40.5% of oil from foreign sources, President Jimmy Carter said, “Beginning this moment, this nation will never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977 – never.” * In 1981 with 43.6% of oil from foreign sources, President Ronald Reagan said, “While conservation is worthy in itself, the best answer is to try to make us independent of outside sources to the greatest extent possible for our energy.” * In 1992 with 47.2% of oil from foreign sources, President George Bush said, “When our administration developed our national energy strategy, three...

Have you seen every single episode of Lost multiple times? Do you have complex theories about time travel? If so, then, like many other devoted fans, you might be addicted to Lost. But how can you be sure? We have a list of 42 signs that you are a confirmed Lost addict. See how many you have to diagnose your addiction. 1. You might be a Lost addict if...you play 4-8-15-16-23-42 in the lottery every week. 2. You might be a Lost addict if...you call your bedroom "The Hatch." 3. You might be a Lost addict if...you request to sit in seat 23B, just like Jack, every time you're on an airplane. 4. You might be a Lost addict if...you'd never vote for President Ob A ma again if he'd preempted Lost with the State of the Union address. 5. You might be a Lost addict if...you used the data in the Lamp Post to try and triangulate where the Island is. 6. You might be a Lost addict if...your Valentine's Day gift for your gi...

  A massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake has struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The extent of the devastation is still unclear but there are fears thousands of people may have died. Haiti's worst quake in two centuries hit south of the capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, wrecking the presidential palace, UN HQ and other buildings. A "large number" of UN personnel were reported missing by the organisation. Many people have spent the night outside amid fears of more aftershocks. The Red Cross says up to three million people have been affected. Describing the earthquake as a "catastrophe", Haiti's envoy to the US said the cost of the damage could run into billions. A number of nations, including the US, UK and Venezuela, are gearing up to send aid. The quake, which struck about 15km (10 miles) south-west of Port-au-Prince, was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude. The tremor hit at 1653 (2153 GMT) on Tuesday, the US Geo...

Score one for Lost fans! President Obama will not give his State of the Union speech on Feb. 2, the night ABC has scheduled the premiere of the show's sixth and final season. The mere mention of the date had sent fans racing to launch a Twitter protest campaign earlier this week. "I don't foresee a scenario in which millions of people that hope to finally get some conclusion in Lost are pre-empted by the president," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told AP today. He later added, "I assume it's a big deal at ABC." No word on when the State of the Union will actually be. Meanwhile, Variety reports today that Disney execs are trying to figure out how to keep the Lost love alive after the show ends - with novelizations, comic books, games, re-cut Lost DVDs and even the "oft-rumored Lost amusement park attraction." It might even mean a a new TV or feature take on Lost, with a new cast. In other words, says Variety, Lost: The Next Generatio...

Also a while back, I wrote this article in AUB's student newspaper (Outlook) about Obama receiving the Noble Peace Prize. You can read it below. Surrounding a lot of controversy, American President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Prize for Peace during a ceremony on Thursday December 7, 2009 in Norway. The fact acknowledges the paradox of receiving this award as the U.S. is embroiled in two wars, while maintaining that instruments of war have a role in preserving peace. In his acceptance speech, Obama told Nobel Committee members and guests in Oslo that achieving peace must begin with the recognition that the use of force is sometimes morally justified. "Make no mistake: Evil does exist in the world. A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaida's leaders to lay down their arms." Obama also used the Nobel platform to exhort allies to help eradicate terrorist extremism in Afghanistan. "I understand why ...

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is extending greetings to Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr (ayd ahl-FIH'-tur), which marks the end of the holy monthlong fasting time known as Ramadan. The president on Saturday issued a statement saying he and his wife, Michelle, congratulate Muslims in the U.S. and around on the world on a "blessed day." Obama said even at this festive occasion, Muslims remember the less fortunate, those suffering in poverty, hunger, conflict and disease. In her own statement, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the occasion is a reminder that the values of Islam — "charity, community, cooperation, compassion are values which we hold dear as Americans."

It is known that I hate Obama :p but this may be the only thing he has ever done so far for which I actually congratulate him. Anyway, here it goes: Barack Obama yesterday labeled Kanye West a "jackass" after the rapper's outburst at the MTV awards. Obama, normally disciplined about what he says, called West a "jackass" during an off-the-record portion of a television interview with CNBC. A rival ABC reporter, Terry Moran, picked it up and sent it out as a tweet last night: "Pres Obama just called Kanye West a 'jackass' for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT'S presidential." Although it was quickly removed, either when Moran realized it was off-the-record or the White House complained, the comment had already been picked up and sent around the world. During the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, West dashed on stage while the country singer Taylor Swift was accepting an award for best female video. Snatching the microphone ...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The world's oldest person, a woman who was born in 1894 and gained a measure of fame when she voted for Barack Obama for U.S. president, died on Friday at the age of 115. Gertrude Baines died peacefully in her sleep sometime between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time (1300 and 1400 GMT) at the Western Convalescent Hospital in Los Angeles, where she had spent the past decade of her life. "She's a very dignified lady," Emma Camanag, the hospital's administrator, told Reuters. "It has truly been a blessing and an honour for us to take care of her over the last 10 years and we will greatly miss her. It's just like we lost a relative." Baines had no living relatives, Camanag said, but was popular at the home and at her church, where she attended services every Sunday until she became too ill to leave her room. Camanag said parishioners at the church often visited Baines, who was born on April 6, 1894 in Shellman, Georgia, and became the ...

No American president has ever done this before, i can honestly say this made me feel really good as a muslim.

(click to enlarge)

Tina Fey's fans were disappointed to find out that the autograph they got was from Tina Fey look-alike, Sarah Palin. LOL

(AGI) - Washington, 24 Feb. – Just over a month after taking office on January 20, Barack Obama soars in the polls, with between 60 and 70pct of people approving of him. In particular, according to the surveys commissioned by 'Abc' and 'The Washington Post', 68pct of the interviewed approve of the steps taken so far by the new US president. According to a 'Cbs News' and 'The New York Times' poll the rate of approval is lower but still a very good 63pct. In '81 Ronald Reagan after one month in the white house scored 68pct approval, George Bush Senior scored even higher than that. The difference between Obama's popularity and that of his predecessor George W. Bush registered in the last month of his term is considerable though: a mere 33pct for Bush. The results of the surveys are even better for Obama considering the current financial crisis: according to the second poll, 75pct of the sample is optimistic about the economic performance in the comi...

Although politicians frequently say “you can’t govern by polls,” who’s going to discard good polling results? And even when you say you don’t care (usually when your poll numbers are bad), you find a way to spin it. When Rod Blagojevich was asked about his stunningly awful four-percent approval rating, he countered that he’d actually seen one poll that had him in the low 20s – a marked improvement. Blago’s numbers are a far cry from another Illinois politician. Namely, the new POTUS. Average Joe President Obama goes into tonight’s big speech with a 68 percent approval rating, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll. Great numbers? Average, for this point in a presidency. Here’s a comparison of presidential approval ratings taken in February of their first year as president. Bush 43 (2/25/01): 55 percent Clinton (2/23/93): 63 percent Bush 41 (2/14/89): 76 percent Reagan (2/20/81): 68 percent Carter (2/21/77): 71 percent Nixon (2/25/69): 60 percent Kennedy (2/15/61)...

What's the ideal gift for a basketball-obsessed president? Try a size 23 sneaker personally autographed by Shaquille O'Neal. The Phoenix Suns center couldn't be around himself when President Barack Obama arrived at Sky Harbor International Airport Tuesday afternoon. So when the president stepped off of Air Force One, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's son Jake made the presentation at the foot of the stairs. The orange-and-white sneaker made a big impression. Obama set it on the ground next to his own, much smaller shoe, and grinned as photographers captured the moment. Then Obama scooped it up and took it with him as he stepped into the presidential limo. In Sunday's NBA All-Star game, O'Neal shared MVP honors with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.

TORONTO – Sarah Palin unwittingly took a prank call Saturday from a Canadian comedian posing as French President Nicolas Sarkozy and telling her she would make a good president someday. “Maybe in eight years,” replies a laughing Palin. The Republican vice presidential nominee discusses politics, the perils of hunting with Vice President Dick Cheney, and Sarkozy’s “beautiful wife,” in a recording of the six-minute call released Saturday and set to air Monday on a Quebec radio station. Palin campaign spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt confirmed she had received the prank call. “Governor Palin was mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy and other celebrities, in being targeted by these pranksters. C’est la vie,” she said. The call was made by a well-known Montreal comedy duo Marc-Antoine Audette and Sebastien Trudel. Known as the Masked Avengers, the two are notorious for prank calls to celebrities and heads of state. Audette, posi...