Al-Qaeda – the New Christians by Ian Hare.

Posted on by

Human memory is a fragile thing. Experiences of a lifetime shimmer and blur with the passing of the years. Embellished and edited, sometimes fiction can completely replace fact, even in our limited span.

So why is it that roughly a third of the world’s population place their faith and actively worship on the basis on a 2000-year-old adventure story? Especially one that has been rewritten countless times to suit the individual author’s needs.

The Bible. Missionaries have sought to drive its message of the one God into the ‘savages’ of the world, believing that their own centuries-old ways of worshipping were pagan, only fit to be trampled and discarded to make way for the Truth.

Given the message of Brotherhood, wars have been fought, lost and won over its words. And even the Christian churches have been split into factions over the interpretations contained within its pages.

It’s difficult to understand why this is. The Old Testament reads like the collection of Brothers Grimm style folk tales it is, handed down over countless generations. And the New Testament? Either the greatest edit – or PR spin job – there’s ever been.

There’s no reason to doubt the existence of a carpenter’s son named Jesus. In the context of the Roman Empire, it’s plausible to imagine the rise of a charismatic, eloquent speaker, capable of inspiring and influencing a great following.

Given the growing threat to their governance in the Middle East, it’s equally credible that Pontius Pilate, perceiving the growing discord, authorised the crucifixion of the man to snuff out the threat of uprising.

So begins 2000 years of Chinese Whispers.

Whether by accident or by the design of dedicated disciples – allied to constant retelling or rewrites – the story of the life and death of Jesus has taken on mythical proportions.

It’s understandable why the great executed leader could not be allowed to die along with his dream. What better way to keep the fire alive with a convenient resurrection, explained away by elevating the status of the man to nothing less than the Son of God?

Interesting then, that churches have continuously glossed over Joseph and embraced Mary’s virgin birth, courtesy of the Holy Spirit.

Frankly, it’s difficult to think of another anthology with so many contradictions, plot holes and loose ends.

The truth is that extraordinary men can ignite a fervour and passion in ordinary people. The simple, but unpalatable truth to many Christians is that while Jesus Christ was such a man, he was just a man.

Two millennia on, Tony Blair and George Bush reportedly prayed to God together before launching their crusade as the War on Terror.

Meanwhile, a man called Osama Bin Laden continues to fan the flames of revolution in thousands in the Middle East, with the Western powers cast in the role of Rome.

One can only condemn the atrocities committed in Bin Laden’s name, but if these events had happened 2000 years ago, with the distortion of time, it’s ironic that Al-Qaeda may well now be the new Christians.

The Tardis Crash Lands in America for Doctor Who {TV}

Posted on by

The BBC have announced that series six of Doctor Who will kick off with a two-parter set in the US “penned by “Who supremo” Steven Moffat.”

In the special two-parter co-produced with BBC America, key scenes will be filmed in Utah for a story set in the late Sixties in which the Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves on a secret summons that takes them on an adventure from the desert in Utah right to the Oval Office.

Shooting for the scenes in America will start in mid-November Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will be joined by Alex Kingston who reprises her role as River Song.

“The Doctor has visited every weird and wonderful planet you can imagine, so he was bound get round to America eventually! And of course every Doctor Who fan will be jumping up and down and saying he’s been in America before. But not for real, not on location – and not with a story like this one! Oh, you wait!” – Steven Moffat

The new series follows on from the Doctor Who Christmas Special guest starring Katherine Jenkins and Michael Gambon which is due to broadcast on Christmas Day. Series six will start airing on BBC One in spring 2011 and the second half of the series in autumn 2011.

Too Much Light At Night May Lead to Obesity {Health}

Posted on by

Research by the Ohio State University has found that persistent exposure to light at night may lead to weight gain, even without changing physical activity or eating more food.

By studying mice the researchers found that mice exposed to a relatively dim light at night over eight weeks had a body mass gain that was about 50 percent more than other mice that lived in a standard light-dark cycle.

“Although there were no differences in activity levels or daily consumption of food, the mice that lived with light at night were getting fatter than the others,” said Laura Fonken, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in neuroscience at Ohio State University.

The study appears this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

As they’re not less active or eating more, the results suggest that the weight gain is because the mice living with light at night eat at times they normally wouldn’t.

In one study, mice exposed to light at night – but that had food availability restricted to normal eating times – gained no more weight than did mice in a normal light-dark cycle.

“Something about light at night was making the mice in our study want to eat at the wrong times to properly metabolize their food,” said Randy Nelson, co-author of the study and professor of neuroscience and psychology at Ohio State.

If these results are confirmed in humans, it would suggest that late-night eating might be a particular risk factor for obesity, Nelson said.

Mice exposed to dim light-at-night showed higher levels of epididymal fat, and impaired glucose tolerance – a marker of pre-diabetes.

“When we restricted their food intake to times when they would normally eat, we didn’t see the weight gain,” Fonken said about the mice. “This adds to the evidence that the timing of eating is critical to weight gain.”

So how does light at night lead to changes in metabolism? The researchers believe the light could disrupt levels of the hormone melatonin, which is involved in metabolism. In addition, it may disrupt the expression of clock genes, which help control when animals feed and when they are active.

Overall, the findings show another possible reason for the obesity epidemic in Western countries.

Researchers have long associated prolonged computer use and television viewing as obesity risk factors, but have focused on how they are associated with a lack of physical activity.

“It may be that people who use the computer and watch the TV a lot at night may be eating at the wrong times, disrupting their metabolism,” Nelson said. “Clearly, maintaining body weight requires keeping caloric intake low and physical activity high, but this environmental factor may explain why some people who maintain good energy balance still gain weight.”

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation for the Ohio State University.

Kobi Levi's Wearable Feet Sculptures {Design}

Posted on by

Why wear ordinary shoes when you can wear hilarious pieces of art on your feet instead. Designer Kobi Levi specialises in creating unusual footwear that lie somewhere inbetween fashion and art.

Levi describes his personal shoe creations as “artistic footwear” making each pair in his studio by hand. “the shoe is my canvas. the trigger to create a new piece comes when an idea, a concept and/or an image comes to mind. the combination of the image and footwear creates a new hybrid and the design/concept comes to life. the piece is a wearable sculpture.”

His latest collection includes shoes by the name of “blow” “xxx pump” and “market trolley” proving that inspiration can literally come from anywhere.

Take a look at more of Kobi Levi’s collection on design boom [design boom]

Wet Circuits Waterproof Extension Cable {Gadgets}

Posted on by

Taiwan-based technology company Shohero has introduced a power strip that protects more than just electronics. Wet Circuits resists water so that even if you get caught in a short-term flood, your appliances stay on and no one gets electrocuted. The design boasts child safety measures,as well as overheating protection, spark prevention and a lifespan four times longer than standard competitors.

Perfect for electronics in the kitchen, outdoors or anywhere else they might get splashed, the power strips sell for $70 from the Wet Circuits site.

The Inept Girl's guide to Cooking: Eggs Benedict.

Posted on by

I haven’t updated this column in a long time. I have a good reason, I have been filming non-stop. One of the major benefits of being an actor is all of the free food you get. Excellent ( and sometimes not so excellent) catering three times a day. Saved me a lot on my shopping bill as well.

Anyway, I thought I should get back on the wagon, and came across this recipe from Ocado. It’s difficult for someone as inept as me, or so I though it would be. Let’s find out.

EGGS BENEDICT

Good with ham or crisp grilled bacon rashers on the side.

Instructions

Fill 2 large saucepans with boiling water to a depth of 5cm (2in). When tiny bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, carefully crack 4 eggs into each pan.

Leave the pans on the heat for 1 minute, then remove and let the eggs sit in the hot water for exactly 6 minutes. Remove the eggs, using a slotted spoon, and drain on kitchen paper.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill on its highest setting, split each muffin in half, and toast both sides.

Butter each muffin half and place 2 on each serving plate. Top each half with a poached egg and spoon the Hollandaise over the top.

Ingredients

· 8 Eggs

· 4 English Muffins

· 50g Butter, for spreading

· 1 Hollandaise, warmed

Serves 4

Total time required Total cooking time:21 mins

* Preparation time: 10 mins
* Cooking time: 11 mins

I managed it! And it tasted amazing. Not as great as PJ’s Grill’s in Covent Garden, but practice will make perfect. Right, what to cook next?

What I'll be watching: The Event, October 2010, Channel 4

Posted on by

The Event, October 2010, Channel 4. www.channel4.com/event

I have to admit. I am a sucker for a good American TV show. I am not saying us Brits can’t make good telly, Spooks, The Inbetweeners, Misfits, Downtown Abbey ring a bell, but sometimes no-one does it like the Americans. The Events is evidence of that. A brilliant thriller. Keep an eye out for it. It’s a must see.

THE EVENT

An emotional high-octane conspiracy thriller, this much anticipated new US series makes its UK premiere on Channel 4 this autumn.

Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) is an everyman who, while investigating the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée Leila (Sarah Roemer), unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history.

Sean’s quest sends ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Blair Underwood), Sophia (Laura Innes), the leader of a mysterious group of detainees, and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Scott Patterson).

Their futures are set on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind.

On Channel 4 Fri 22 Oct, 9PM

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-event/articles/video-the-event-tv-trailer

Young People in Politics, Part 3: Young People Bite The Ballot.

Posted on by

If you are a young person who is interested in politics you might want to join http://www.bitetheballot.co.uk/ I interviewed Michael Sani to find out more….

How did Bite the ballot come about?

Bite the Ballot started in a classroom at Wilmington Enterprise College when a group of sixth formers made it apparent they would not be taking up the opportunity to cast their vote in the General Election. Once they realised the power of their vote and the importance of having their say we set out engaging others and our campaign grew and grew.

Tell me about the campaign so far.

We have gone from a small group of young people sharing their opinions to a whole host of everyday young people helping our campaign reach out to inspire others across the UK. It really is inspiring to see as we demolish the stereotypical vision of young people not caring about what goes on around them. Our mission is to inspire more people to become involved and we set our sights on holding an event in parliament where everyday young people can come in and take part.

The aim of the day is for young people, MP’s and Lords to discuss together ways in which we can move forward and ensure more and more First Time Voters are voicing their vote.

The press has been amazing and this group of sixth formers have been on LBC Radio, BBC Radio Kent, had articles in many local newspapers and even a slot on The Politics Show on BBC1, where I was later told that show had a 25% increase in viewers.

We are delighted with the progress and are always working to increase our following by allowing the young people around us to design our plans of engaging others so it really is young people working to attract young people.

What kind of support have you had?

The support has been amazing, obviously the press but also from kep organizations and companies like Hansard and Apple who, are in fact, training the team on how to do podcasts so we can have updates available for people to listen too. You can see the different people involved now on our website.

We have had a variety of support from MP’s and Lord who are keen to ensure our campaign succeeds but without fail the most exciting thing to date was meeting The Deputy Prime Minister and telling him of our palms and hearing his belief and support in our campaign what we are trying to achieve.

Has it died down since the election?

Far from it, I did think things may of died down but with the Coalition and a “Changing politics” we have gone from strength to strength and witnessed the fact that many young people want to be involved, but do not feel as though they know enough about politics to have their say. It is clear that not enough is done within Schools to ensure young people are educated but more importantly engaged so we hope our documentary recording our journey from start to present day can be used within schools to inspire others.

Where next?

We embark on our new opportunities including our new association with the 2012 games to bring people the latest news on whats going on, what legacies young people can help promote and how they can get involved. We now have our debate in Parliament which is on Wednesday 17 November at 7pm, and we will offer a variety of people the chance to come along so remain up to date with our campaign on our website and social networking sites.

What can people do?

Send us your footage, share your thoughts and opinions on the Facebook site, register to vote and become part of our campaign and together we will make history. We have already seen many of tomorrows generation speak directly with today’s leaders and it is great to witness. With more support who know what we could achieve?

http://www.bitetheballot.co.uk