Issue 75 (May - June 2010)

In the morning I checked everything a second time: yes, I had my razors and shaving cream, an extra shirt just in case of spilling tea, and of course lots of socks, for visiting a book fair means a lot of walking. I had prepared my power point presentations the night before, staying up until the ea…

Today, everyone breathes resentment, swallows hatred, curses all that is deemed to be an enemy with a fixed and determined passion, as if programmed for fury. The ink that flows on the pages of newspapers, the pictures that are broadcasted over the television, the electromagnetic waves that resonat…

Mountains have been the source of inspiration to human beings in history, with their magnificence and great silence. As the famous mountain photographer Ansel Adams said, "No matter how sophisticated you may be, a large granite mountain cannot be denied - it speaks in silence to the very core of yo…

I recall a conversation that I had with my best friend in high school. I was deeply troubled by the death of my sister, who passed away a few years ago at the age of 19, and was asking my friend what she thought was the meaning of life if we are to die at the end. The answer she gave astonished me…

Societies are often classified into different groups. These groups could be ethnic, as in most Sub-Saharan African societies, or racial, as in the mixed societies of South Africa, Western Europe, Australia and America. The bases for division could also be religious, such as in India, Ireland, Niger…

“In heaven all is gladness. In hell all is sorrow. Upon this earth, since it lies between, sometimes the one, and sometimes the other. We have our being between the two extremes, and so it partakes of both.” -Baltasar Gracian I. At some time in our lives, if we are mildly introspective and eq…

My existence is essential for human life, and only human beings can truly appreciate my value. I was created in the most suitable way for humans to live among the many other planets continuously orbiting the sun. I am the earth. Around 4–5 billion years ago (bya) my formation began from the remain…

Halima heard the front door close with a click that was almost inaudible. Casting a quick look at the digital clock on the kitchen counter, she surmised that her son, Ahmet, must have come home from school. Since Ahmet began carrying his own key, he preferred unlocking the door himself. Yet, why di…

Reliance, surrender, commitment, and confidence are the four steps or stations of a spiritual journey beginning with reliance on (or trust in) God, continuing in full awareness of one’s helplessness and destitution before God, and ending in entrusting all of one’s affairs to God Almighty in order t…

Alexander: I worry about this huge activity to try and make ourselves immortal, and try to extend our life by another decade or so, when such big slices of the world’s population are still lacking even the very basic medical care that I think they should be given. I think mortality is written into…

It was one of the first days of spring when a butterfly appeared in our forest. She was so charming in her vibrant blues, yellows, and blacks that everyone wanted to be close to the butterfly. In order to attract her for a chat, the trees displayed their most beautiful leaves and flowers to the but…

When talking about capital most people think of money, gold, homes, and land. But there is a new and growing perspective focused on non-traditional capital, according to Dr. Katherine Marshall, a leading global development expert and senior fellow at the Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace and Worl…

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin 2006, Penguin Books “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger, the second time you are an honored guest. The third time you become family, and for our families…

Peter! We are now approaching the end of the series of organs that told you about themselves. They have been pointing out the seal of God on them, and celebrating themselves as they manifest the beauties and the delicacies of God’s art. Thus, they have not only expanded your knowledge, but also gu…

Question: How can the delusion of immortality be overcome? The phrase “delusion of immortality” means people think they are eternal and immortal. Such people are obsessed with the world, as if they will never die; they live just for the sake of living, without meaning, they are concerned of the pr…

1- Leptin therapy for diabetes Original Article: Wang, M. et al., PNAS (published online before print on March 1, 2010). Periodic injections of insulin to manage blood sugar levels is critical for the treatment of diabetes patients. It requires continuous monitoring of glucose levels in the blood…