Prince William and Kate Middleton: A Fanfare for the Royal Couple
I am not a royalist but am a realist and understand the benefits the Monarchy
brings to our country. The Royal family has a lifestyle unlike any others but
that lifestyle also has its huge personal costs.
So we have the Royal
wedding; a particularly special day for two people that will be both enjoyed and
celebrated by many around the globe. Few event offers such pleasure and this one
is taking place at the heart of the Commonwealth!
Accordingly I hope
their day goes well and is enjoyed by many. Certainly I'll lift a glass and
toast them good luck, good fortune and thank them for the bank holiday!
Read the article BBC/Royal Wedding - Love it or Hate it?
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When everything and anything worth celebrating has been torn down - on the
grounds that it's 'religious' or 'outdated' or 'pointless' - and every single
day is just another boring stepping stone on the way to our graves, then we will
have something to moan about.
A royal wedding like this is gloriously British -
a priceless feast of true fairy-tale opulence. In these times of economic
unfairness it is a good leveller - in its own way it shows that no matter how
much money you have, there are things that not even hedge fund managers and
movie stars can buy! It is as far beyond the reach of billionaire fat cat
bankers and football stars as it is for dustmen and loo cleaners.
Read the article BBC/Royal Wedding - Love it or Hate it?
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THE OFFICIAL ROYAL WEDDING PROGRAM
Fact of the matter is this, (and this is coming from somebody who is not a
Royals fanatic) the Queen is the only thing stopping government from doing
whatever the hell it is they want, she protects more land, buildings and
wildlife in this country than any of us combined, both Prince Harry and William
have paid their dues in Afghan, raised more money for charity than most of us
could make in 30 lifetimes and the Prince's Trust does amazing things for young
people in this country.
Not to mention tourism and the plain old fact that it's
tradition, this countries heritage. People are so quick to condemn this country
for the lack of patriotism, well look where it comes from!!
If all of the above
is costing you £1 per year, then except it, be gracious and go out and earn
yourself a life of luxury if this is what you resent? Or maybe try and raise as
much for charity before you complain!
Read the article BBC/Royal Wedding - Love it or Hate it?
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Wow, what feeling there is about a wedding. I hope they have a long and happy
life together and I'm not sure they can be blamed for all of the media coverage.
People do need to get over the 'they cost us a fortune' hang up. The Royal
family cost no-where near as much as it cost to bail out Lloyds bank but they
give a dam sight more. They work around the world championing charities that
most don't even know about. They attract media attention to the plight of people
that most would rather forget about and they do it all whilst carrying the
responsibility of being the royal family to one of the greatest nations on
Earth.
The Queen actually has very little power left (except dissolving
parliament, which might not be a bad thing at the minute and might be able to
claim land here and there). Many of them have served in our armed forces and
have seen active combat, again, more than most of us can say. Yes, they have
access to things many of us can only dream of but they also do more than most of
us are willing to.
Be proud of a Royal family who represent each and everyone
of us to the rest of the world and be proud of something that helps to keep our
national identity.
Hopefully William and Kate will continue this proud
tradition and enjoy their special day as millions of us have enjoyed ours. Good
Luck to them.
Read the article BBC/Royal Wedding - Love it or Hate it?
Looks like the weather will be lovely for them which is great, the amount of
street parties going ahead shows support for our Royal Family. I remember street
parties when I was young and so do our two children, something never to be
forgotten. For those who want a dictatorship by having a president, think again
as we nearly got Hitler, so if you want that regime emigrate to a country that
has one, you really wont be missed.
To the person who came back to this country
three yrs ago and hates it, no one is stopping from leaving so stop moaning.
I'm
sick of the jealousy and bitterness of those people especially of those who want
it to rain which would spoil the thousands of celebrations going on, how mean
these people are. I love the ceremony, pageantry and colour. Its lovely to see
London streets lined with people coming especially to watch from all over the
world [who love and respect our Royal family and enjoy the splendour too] who I
hope will enjoy the event regardless of the anti monarchy group and media.
Its
also bringing in income to shops, restaurants, hotels, souvenirs, cafes, pubs
and the transport system to name a few. I wish William and Kate every happiness
and hope they enjoy every moment of the day.
Read the article BBC/Royal Wedding - Love it or Hate it?
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I love pomp and ceremony and nobody does it better than us. Will definitely watch
the processions and the wedding.
I hope they have a lovely day and a long,
healthy and happy life-the same as I'd wish for any other couple........only
wish his mum could be there.
To all you anti-Royal, anti-wedding,
anti-everything-else moaners-turn the TV off and get a book out, or Scrabble,
walk the dog, wash the car, play with the children, but stop moaning and let
those who want to, enjoy it!
Read the article BBC/Royal Wedding - Love it or Hate it?
The monarchy-obsessed Americans should be reminded that not everybody in the UK is as excited as they are about the wedding.
For their information foggy old London hasn't been truly foggy for many years and we are not all grindingly poor with terrible tooth decay. (We lack the urge to undergo cosmetic dental work and we sneer at those who indulge in cosmetic surgery of any description).
But my fat and toothless wife will be heroically camping out on the street tonight in temperatures in single figures because she is planning to hold up a banner saying 'OFF WITH THEIR BEADS' in the morning.
It was supposed to say 'HEADS' but because of a typo (for which I am entirely to blame) it has become a protest about the crown jewels.
I hope you will look out for her on your TVs in the morning.
Read the article DAILY TELEGRAPH/Royal wedding live
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Oh cheer up people! I'm not a huge fan of anything royal but if something adds a bit of fun and colour to people otherwise rather mundane lives then, you know, go for it.
I agree it's not as important as some of the world's current ills (war, famine, birth certificates, etc.) but this is at least on a par with the outpouring of national emotion that Wayne Rooney and the English footie team.
And beside any excuse for a party and the mass consumption of beer is alright with most of us.
Read the article GUARDIAN/ Royal wedding trippers head to London
I would not be able to get married in front of 2 billion people. I would not be
able to walk down the aisle without my knees crumbling from nerves and every
photo would pick up a twitching face. I actually feel sorry for them! But I am
looking forward to being one of the 2 billion.
There`s nothing like a Royal
wedding to bring out the best of British! All you Royal haters go and watch a
programme about Presidents or something else that helps you forget your
heritage
Read the article DAILY MAIL/A regal wave: Kate arrives with sister and mother at their London hotel to spend
final night as a single woman... and as a commoner
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I can honestly say that I truly admired your Princess Diana and was in awe of
her strength, compassion and genuine loving spirit. Looking on at her son's
wedding, her presence will truly be missed.
If someone like me, just a bystander
looking through the lens of her life and feeling all of these different
emotions, I cannot even begin to imagine what her sons, obviously especially
William will be feeling tomorrow. I can only imagine that Princess Diana would
be extremely proud of the choice William has made in his bride... Catherine
comes across as a very strong woman, a strength that is much needed when
marrying into your Royal Family, it seems. I concur, Wills looks the spitting
image of his Mum in their official portrait. Best wishes from the
States.
Read the article DAILY MAIL/A regal wave: Kate arrives with sister and mother at their London hotel to spend
final night as a single woman... and as a commoner
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I cannot for the life of me see why anyone would take the time to post negative
comments about this upcoming wedding ! Two very young people who are in love are
about to be joined in marriage.
The royal implications not withstanding, that
fact alone should make people feel happy for this couple. That the whole country
should take pride in the future King's marriage and his place in this great
countries lineage is one that should be a source of pride throughout the
monarch.
We in America have nothing coming close to the reverence of a royal
family and we take pride in our republic. Having said that it still makes me
yearn for the beautiful love and loyal respect those who would pitch a tent days
in advance just to catch a glimpse of this historical event.
God bless this
young couple and give them strength and courage to face the scrutiny that will
forever follow them the rest of their lives. And God Bless the British people
while the world watches in awe of your traditions !
Read the article DAILY MAIL/A regal wave: Kate arrives with sister and mother at their London hotel to spend
final night as a single woman... and as a commoner
Three Cups of Tea: Reading Deeper into the Leaves
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Let's all agree. Mr. Mortenson is a great guy. He doing great work in the Middle
East, although now we're not exactly sure just how much work has actually been
done. But no matter, the work that has been done is great, great, great.
And let's also agree he has raised awareness about the need for girls in
the Middle East to be educated. Again, no argument here. That's great. He's the
role model of the ages, and I don't say that sarcastically.
But, for
those of us who like to know that the money we donate is being used in the
manner we're being "led" to believe it's being used, please don't try to
minimize our concerns over whether there is some misappropriation going on. It's
not for you to decide that a few million lost here and a few million unaccounted
for there shouldn't be taken into account because you know. . . look at all the
good he's done. All that good is being question now, and it's a bona fide
question to be asked.
Truthfully, it's superfluous whether Mr. Mortenson
purposely has misled the public or whether he's just a sort of "nutty professor"
type who doesn't really keep track of where the money goes. If you're OK with
.50 of every dollar you give going out the window due to poor admin, go for it.
United Way got hit for the same thing, poor management. But I personally like to
donate with a clear head, not just "hoping" my money is being spent on what I'm
being told it's spent on.
Read the article CBS 60 MINUTES/Questions over Greg Mortenson's stories
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I appreciate 60 min bringing attention to the Greg. M debacle. It is understandable that people are upset if in fact, this is true. It does not mean that we should not support humanitarian causes. What is true is that we need to do some serious checking before we launch head-on in to giving them full reign and are quick to make them heros.
I find this story to be not only fascinating but reaffirming of what I have suspected for several years.
I am the Founder and Director of the Afghan Children's Songbook Project
(www.afghansongbook.org) which has been in existence for 7 years. It is a non-profit organization, preserving and returning songs to Afghan Children that were almost completely eradicated by the Taliban. 30,000 songbooks are back in schools across Afghanistan along with Teacher's Guides to help teachers teach reading and writing. This all came out of my Peace Corps days in Afghanistan from 1966-68.
The Songbook Project was part of the National Geographic exhibit on Afghan Treasures at the National Gallery in Washington, DC which opened in 2005. I returned to Afghanistan in 2009 to assess the program. (By the way, all proceeds for my project go back to printing more songbooks. I receive no money.)
I have found it odd for several years now, if not frustrating, (admittedly even envious) to hear over and over how much money and publicity Greg M. is getting for his project. Hundreds of other Americans and Afghan-Americans are doing extraordinary work that is truly making a difference. He is not the only one. We never hear about the others because most journalists in Afghanistan are there to cover the war and that's all. They refuse to report "good" news. And most don't have time to write a book about themselves!
It is also very odd that with all my involvement in Afghanistan over 7 years, not once, while at the Washington, DC event attended by a key people involved in Afghanistan nor during my 2 1/2 months in Afghanistan in 2009 did anyone ever even mention Greg Mortenson. Not a single person brought his name up. I began to wonder if he really was doing what he said he was.
At one point, I offered Greg's organization songbooks for his schools but his organization never responded. The books were free and just needed to be picked up in Kabul.
I heard Greg speak once, and I do believe his philosophy for change in Afghanistan, to work village to village, is a valid one. He is correct. It is the way to make a difference.
It is heartwarming to know that people want to support good causes that make a difference. Perhaps we all just need to go beyond the obvious and search a bit deeper to find the real heros
Read the article CBS 60 MINUTES/Questions over Greg Mortenson's stories
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It appears many people commenting here have difficulty discerning the differences between a "nice man", or a giving person or whatever characteristics you want to assign to Mr. Mortenson, and the possibility of other characteristics simultaneously coinciding within the man. Like using a non-profit potentially for profit. Or exaggerating stories to increase notoriety.
60 Minutes nor any of the people interview denied these altruistic characteristics. They simply are relating that there are other things that people who are donating their hard earned money may want to know about. No different than the United Way getting busted for their Admin using donated money to live better than their financial statements reported.
What is just as concerning as the story, is just how willing people are to overlook the alleged improprieties (and for now they are alleged). But saying Mortenson, "just isn't real good with details." Are you serious? Sorry, but not everyone is happy with non-profits who aren't able to manage their funds. We are not as accepting that our money is being mismanaged because someone, "isn't real good with financial details."
Please, don't let your need for hero worship blind you to reality. And I'm not saying the 60 Minutes story is not without exaggeration or drama, but how long do you think it will take in this day and age, for someone to prove that 60 Minutes out and out lied. If so shame on them, if not, don't put on the blinders because you need a hero
Read the article CBS 60 MINUTES/Questions over Greg Mortenson's stories
Interesting to me that many of the comments are saying "well, okay, so he lied, but . . ." Why is anyone assuming that Mortenson lied? Isn't it equally possible that Krakauer is lying now? Or has been lied to? Why is Krakauer's accusation given more weight than Mortenson's assertions in his book? Someone below even says "Krakauer has far more credibility than Mortenson" - who says he does?
Seems we have a tendency to do this as a society, when someone accuses, we seem prefer to assume guilty until proven innocent rather than the opposite. And from the way the above is worded, it sounds like classic hearsay, "Krakauer says that a (conveniently unnamed) "close friend" of Mortenson's says . . ." - who knows if anyone actually said this or if Krakauer is making it up?
Or if the person who told Krakauer was lying? Who knows if the person described as a "close friend" is really a friend, or a foe who want's to discredit Mortenson for some reason? All hearsay is gossip, and gossip should be assumed by any rational person to be untrue until proven otherwise
Read the article CNN/'Three Cups of Tea': Served with a grain of salt?
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Know how you're not supposed to believe everything you read? That's the way I feel about this article. I grew up in the same church as Greg M. and, even as a kid, I could see that he was one of the most kind and honest people you could ever hope to meet. We're going to believe the words of the Taliban over the words of a guy who has done so much good for others? Really? Exactly who knows that the Taliban had "no presence" in this region, at that time? I don't see the point in attacking his story. If one girl in Afghanistan received an education by his hand, that's more than most of us will do in a lifetime.
Read the article CNN/'Three Cups of Tea': Served with a grain of salt
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I have read your book “Three Cups of Tea”. As someone who has travelled through and briefly lived in parts of Skardu and Northern Pakistan a long time ago, I recognize and recall the hardships in people’s lives there. It brings to light that even after 25 plus years of when I saw that part of Pakistan, much remains the same.
Despite a few minor inconsistences in the book (which can all be chalked to editorial improvisations in my mind), I appreciate and applaud how you have brought those people’s lives, aspirations and struggles to light as well as their complex social structure. All of which only highlights the extent of difficulties one faces even while conducting what is truly a generous and humanitarian gesture. I congratulate you on finding your calling in life.
Above all I value your insistence on local involvement and contribution. There is truly no amount of money, attention or sacrifice that can be doled on anyone, certainly not in Pakistan, that would bear any fruit until Pakistanis decide it is time to saddle up. What is truly inspiring is that your work has inspired Pakistanis.
Read the article
DAWN-PAKISTAN/Greg Mortenson - Thank You all for Your Support
Manning Marable on Re-Imagining Malcolm X
I'm really sad to hear about the death of Manning Marable. I remember debating with him some years ago. Despite our heated debate (he a die hard socialist, me a Pan Africanist, if that term still exists) he was always courteous and generous in his comments.
Condolences to his family and friends.
I'm always fascinated by Socialists continued attempts to dim the Malcolm X legacy and claim him as "one of their own" of taint his character. George Breitman claimed he was moving towards becoming a socialist, Peter Thatchell "outed" him as one of their own.
As I grow older I recognise two things. First, there are many aspects of his life which people can claim a part of him. He's big enough for that to happen without detracting from his life.
Two, Malcolm X maybe a shining star to me, but the reality is that he is a man, with all his brilliance and flaws, who has made a tremendous contribution to Black people around the world.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Malcolm X: the man behind the myth
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I'm a little confused by this. I am in no way an expert on Malcolm X but I have read several books and seen numerous documentaries.
For me his appeal and his enduring legacy was always that he demonstrated that change is possible on a personal level. He lived and he learned.
The legacy is surely one of personal transformation, from ghetto urchin, to hardline radical to serious political figure his personal journey was a true reflection of the journey a society needed and still needs to make - he would not have inspired had it not been so.
So I am left asking what's new here, bar a few grubby details?
Read the article GUARDIAN/Malcolm X: the man behind the myth
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Malcolm X was a legend and I am all for trying to find out more of the human side of such larger than life characters.
However, I am disturbed by the jumps that Marable has made in the book. The number of times that he presents one-sided single source information or speculation as "almost certain" facts is strange.
Betty Shabazz may have at times been frustrated by being married to someone who spent a lot of time on the road, but does that mean that she almost certainly had an affair? Malcolm may have been fond of one of the secretaries of Elijah Muhammed, but does that necessarily mean that this was beyond platonic? Had Malcolm been so hypocritical in his own personal life whilst attacking Elijah Muhammed regarding his extra-marital affairs, it is impossible to believe that no one would have exposed it.
In the same vein, he presents the degeneracy of Malcolm Little as some kind of revelation when it is common knowledge that Malcolm thought of himself as worst of the worst during that period of his life. We know about the drugs, the pimping and the stealing. Just because Marable provides more detail does not mean that anything new of significance is being discovered.
Malcolm X was a larger than life character, but we don't need to make things up to to make him more human
Read the article GUARDIAN/Malcolm X: the man behind the myth
Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention
This is a moving excerpt by Mr. Marable. I am concerned though that this one book would be seen as totally refuting Malcolm's telling of his own biography and that of others.
Even if it were true that Malcolm X married because he felt it was time for him to do so, does not mean that he did not grow to love his wife Betty as he says that he did. No one knows what goes on between a couple more than the two people themselves.
As for the possibility of Malcolm having a homosexual relationship and maybe stretching the truth of his criminal career; again we don't know that for sure. Even if it were true; who cares. Malcolm's private life is his private life, just as it was for Dr. King, JFK or anyone else.
As far as his criminal career, we know that Malcolm wound up spending a great deal of time in prison, that his charges were excessive and that Malcolm came up from the harshest of upbringings like many brothers and sisters.
I'll look forward to reading this book as an adjunct to all that has already been written about Malcolm X. But to paint it as causing a definitive change in how we perceive this great man, I feel is all hype and a rush to judgement. Sadly we don't have Marable or Malcolm with us to further determine that.
Read the article NPR/
Manning Marable's 'Reinvention' Of Malcolm X
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As a response to the heartfelt comments of regret about not having been familiar with Marable and his work, I'd like to point out that Marable did not labor in obscurity.
He may not have had the visibility of say Cornel West or Stanley Fish, but he was widely known both here and internationally and his role in shaping the study of history, race, politics and economics is arguably much more influential and more enduring than that of more popularly known figures.
As a committed activist and a socialist, he regarded his scholarship and the fame that accrued from it as simply an instrument to work towards the more just world that he so passionately believed in, rather than a tool for self promotion.
It's not that Marable was some sort of ascetic or shrinking violet - he enjoyed the rewards of his fame: generous lecture and speech fees, numerous media appearances, a healthy salary by academic standards, etc - it's more that his role as a transformative agent was more important to him and he therefore was not going to invest the time and energy needed to make him a media figure to the detriment of this transformational role.
Read the article THE ATLANTIC/For Manning
Gandhi and the Struggle of a Great Soul
There is no reason to be intolerant. Mahatma Gandhi himself would have laughed it off. Why are his so called followers so fanatical and ask for banning of books and condemning his opponents with lies and violence? Please stop this.
Mahatma Gandhi is so huge that none of these small things can harm his legacy. His followers are scared and are opportunistic that in India the Marathi play on Nathuram Godse is disrupted and his last will has not been released. The West is liberal and open, they have books on Hitler and have debated his legacy, why can't we?
VD Savarkar and Nathuram Godse are condemned without giving them a chance to say their point of view. If we are a democracy, we will have to be democratic and if we claim to be Gandhian, honesty and non violence should be the tenets. Read the article TIMES OF INDIA/Outrage over reviews of new Gandhi book
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The problem perhaps lies with us-as a nation-rather than Gandhi-the individual. While his contemporaries found it advantageous to deify Gandhi; to "put him on a pedestal", while paying little more than lip service to his ideals,
21st century India has turned Gandhi into a commodity-something to be wheeled out on select national holidays and then relegated to the attic until the next time.
I wonder how long it would take the self appointed defenders of Indian culture to issue fatwas calling for Lelyveld's blood ; even before any of them have even gone to the trouble of reading a review, let alone the book itself.If history is any guide,we can all wait for the customary "two weeks of hate"-an irony that would not have been lost on the Mahatma himself.
Read the article TIMES OF INDIA/Outrage over reviews of new Gandhi book
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I am not a big fan either of the Author or of Gandhiji. What seems to be crazy is our national religion of hero worship, be it Ganhdiji or Tendulkar or some other hero. We fail to accept that they are all human. While they excel in one field, does not mean that they are right in everything they do or not do.
If somebody writes a junk, the reader should be given the opportunity to read and decide himself. Government has taken care of the promotion of Gandhiji since independence. His image can not be that fragile that it can be dented by one particular opinion. Rather let there be a healthy debate if there is any worth in the book and it may finally strengthen Gandhiji's image.
By banning a book like this, we will be equating ourselves with the radical islamic countries which do not allow any difference of opinion.
Read the article HINDUSTAN TIMES/Maharashtra gov to ban book on Gandhi
Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi
and His Struggle with India
The call for ban does not come as a surprise, considering Indian Govt. was the first in the world to voluntarily ban movies like Jesus Christ superstar and books like Satanic Verses!
Though it's not a religious issue or minority appeasement issue, such knee-jerk reactions only show how mature we are as society. I think more than the people, it's the Indian media and politicians who have no backbone. Most people, including the so-called liberal intellectuals pass comments without even reading what was actually written!
Even if Gandhi's letters as quoted in this book indicate he had varied 'preferences', does that nullify what he has done to this country and what he has stood for? Did he claim that his book 'Experiments with Truth' revealed every moment and incident in his life?
If anything, media's sensationalism would bring more publicity for the book and divert India's attention from burning issues like corruption, especially at the time of elections!
Read the article HINDUSTAN TIMES/Maharashtra gov to ban book on Gandhi
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As a child, I saw Gandhi as an example of early multiculturalism. He was educated in London, as I recall. And I thought he must have learned that he and India needed to take on board the values and the scale of success that London was dishing out. A colonial India would lead him in that direction.
Then as I recall Gandhi was the rather successful lawyer in South Africa, and I could well understand that Indian caste system crossed with British Imperial class system crossed with South African black/white splits would make him a Thinker, with a capital T.
As an Indian in a black/white nation, though there were other Indians, it gave him a certain perspective. "Belonging" was never central, it seemed to me. He knew about being an outsider, and the costs and advantages of perspective. And he used that. It is an interesting lifespan of transition.
Read the article NPR-ON POINT/Gandhi and his legacy
READ MORE BEST COMMENTS: MARCH 2011
