Further Explorations of the Word MA

We've touched upon the meaning of the word in prior posts regarding Mary, Ma, Mari, etc. [compare Mera, Meri, Ta-Mera, etc.] Tonight we're going to explore further. Here is what Barbara Walker "The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets" has to say under the entry "Ma:" Basic mother-syllable of Indo-European languages, worshipped in itself as the fundamental name of the goddess. the universality of the mother-wird (not shared by words for "father") indicates either that the human race carried the same word from its earliest source [Merritt Ruhlen's theory that all language can be traced back to one "mother" tongue] to all parts of the earth at a period previous to the discovery of fatherhood; or else that all human beings instinctively say something like "ma" as the first verbal sound and associate it with the mother's breast, consequently with emotional dependence on a divinity perceived as a milk-giving mother - notwithstanding the absurd reference of Moses to a "nursing father" carrying the sucking child in his bosom (Numbers 11:12). "Ma-Ma" means "mother's breasts" in nearly all languages.(1) "All around the world, from Russia to Samoa, and in the ancient languages of Egypt, Babylon, India, and the Americas, the word for 'mother' is mama or some minor variation of this word."(2) In ancient Anatolia the Mother was Ma-Bellona; in Sumer and Akkad the Great Goddess was often called Mama, Mami, Mammitu, etc. In Central and South America the Goddess had such names as Mama Cocha, Mama Quilla, Mama Cuna.(3) In the Far East, the maternal blood bond that joined members of the matrilineal clan was mamata, "mine-ness."(4) Its sacred letter Ma, in pictographic form as the Spark of Life (bindu or vindu), was said to be "in the Great Yoni."(5) This scripture referred to a mystic essence uinting all the souls in a matrilineal kinship group. Ma or mamata expressed the idea that descendants of the same mother shared the same blood and couldn't injure one another without injuring themselves; therefore the concept of the maternal clan was a practical instrument of peace. In Indo-European root languages, Ma was often defined as "intelligence," the maternal force that bound elements together to create forms at the beignning of the world.(6) ancient Egypt gave this maternal force such names as Ma-Nu, Maa, or Maat, the Great Goddess of the All-Seeing Eye and the spirit of Truth.(7) The primitive Iranian Moon-Goddess Mah (or Al-Mah, the Moon) was another form of the same deity. Arabs called her Qis-Mah, "Fate," which the Turks corrupted into kismet. She gave birth to a series of Messiahs, each one called the Mahdi, one guided or given by Mother Mah. Persians made her name a sacred Word, formed of the letters Mourdad-Ameretat, "Death-Rebirth."(8) The ideogram MA was said to mean a state of immortality brought about by drinking the milk of the Goddess's breast, which brings one back to the original Ma-Ma. In Hebrew the same sacred letters MA made the Mem-Aleph, combining ideographs of "fluid" and "birth." This holy sign was credited with great productive power, and was written on Jewish amulets dating from the early 9th century B.C.(9) It could have been comped from either the Persians or the Egyptians, whose Mother Isis wore an "Amulet of Ma," a vase representing her own fountains of nourishing fluid.(1) Or again, as Ma-Nu, the Primal Deep, she was symbolized by three caldrons.(11) Even today the Tantric Goddess as a personification of "fertilizing water" is named Mamaki.(12) [Is there where the biblical references to "Waters of Life" spring from???] In Egyptian myth, a reversal of the Ma-Ma of nourishing breasts produced the female Devourer in the underworld: Am-Am, eater of souls. In the cyclic fashion of the elder religions, the giver was transformed into the taker.(13) Ma, the Great Goddess of Comana, was "worshipped by a whole people of hierodules in the ravines of the Taurus and along the banks of the Iris. Like Cybele she was an ancient Anatolian divinity and personified fertile nature."(14) She was taken to Rome where she merged with the war goddess Bellona, who personified fighting spirit as indomitable as that of a mother defending her young. Today the divine implications of the syllable Ma are recognized only in obscure semi-magical cults like voodooism, where a priestess embodies the Goddess's spirit and is known as mamaloi or mambo.(15). However, Ma is still a universal synonym for "mother". See Motherhood. Notes: (1) Potter & Sargent, 229. (2) Farb, W.P., 317. (3) Larousse, 443. (4) Bardo Thodol, 219; Campbell, Or.M., 216. (5) Mahanirvanatantra, css. (6) d'Alviella, 240. (7) Budge, E.L., 55. (8) Larousse, 311, 317. (9) Albright, 198. (10) Elworthy, 125. (11) Book of the Dead, 205. (12) Tatz & Kent, 164. (13) Budge, E.M., 171. (14) Cumont, O.R.R.P., 54. (15) Martello, 160. More tomorrow night.

Iranian Women's Chess Championship

Pictorial report up to Round 7 at Chessbase. Final report at Chessdom - 13 rounds: 1 WGM Pourkashiyan Atousa 2272 11 2 WFM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat 1811 9.5 (won a gold medal at the Asian Youth Championships) 3 WIM Ghader Pour Shayesteh 2137 9.5 4 WFM Hakimifard Ghazal 2071 8.5 5 WFM Bayat Shohreh 1976 8 6 WFM Mahini Salman Mona 2088 7 7 Tajik Sareh 2018 7 8 Rahimi Tara 1876 6 9 Vakilpour Azin 1817 6 10 Zavar Mousavi Mehenoush 1879 6 (started playing again after a 3-year lay-off) 11 Hammatizadeh N 1880 5 12 Alavi Homa 1904 4.5 13 Mahboobi Shiva 1744 3 14 WGM Paridar Shadi 2250 0 (forfeited after dropping out of tournament - she won her first five games, drew her 6th game and dropped out)

Key to Kaaba May Be Fake

Interesting - even the experts at Sotheby's can be fooled... From The New York Times Sotheby’s Revokes Sale of an Islamic Artifact Compiled by DAVE ITZKOFF Published: April 3, 2009 Sotheby’s has canceled the sale of an artifact believed to be a valuable Muslim relic after questions were raised about its authenticity, Reuters reported. In April 2008 Sotheby’s sold at auction in London a key believed to have been made in the 12th century and used to unlock the holy Kaaba, a sacred Islamic shrine in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. At that time the item sold for nearly $13.5 million, more than 18 times its presale estimate. The Art Newspaper said that the key was brought to the British Museum about two weeks after the sale, where experts raised “serious doubts” about its age. In a statement, Sotheby’s said, “In light of the divergence of academic views, Sotheby’s and the consignor decided to cancel the sale in May 2008, pending further research and scientific analysis,” according to Reuters. The key has been returned to its original owner.

The Tel That Keeps on Giving: Beth-Shemesh

From Phyorg.com Was a 'mistress of the lionesses' a king in ancient Canaan? April 6th, 2009 Image: This is an illustration of the plaque found by Tel Aviv University researchers at Tel Beit Shemesh in 2008. Credit: AFTAU The legend is that the great rulers of Canaan, the ancient land of Israel, were all men. But a recent dig by Tel Aviv University archaeologists at Tel Beth-Shemesh uncovered possible evidence of a mysterious female ruler. Tel Aviv University archaeologists Prof. Shlomo Bunimovitz and Dr. Zvi Lederman of the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations have uncovered an unusual ceramic plaque of a goddess in female dress, suggesting that a mighty female "king" may have ruled the city. If true, they say, the plaque would depict the only known female ruler of the region. The plaque itself depicts a figure dressed as royal male figures and deities once appeared in Egyptian and Canaanite art. The figure's hairstyle, though, is womanly and its bent arms are holding lotus flowers - attributes given to women. This plaque, art historians suggest, may be an artistic representation of the "Mistress of the Lionesses," a female Canaanite ruler who was known to have sent distress letters to the Pharaoh in Egypt reporting unrest and destruction in her kingdom. "We took this finding to an art historian who confirmed our hypothesis that the figure was a female," says Dr. Lederman. "Obviously something very different was happening in this city. We may have found the 'Mistress of the Lionesses' who'd been sending letters from Canaan to Egypt. The destruction we uncovered at the site last summer, along with the plaque, may just be the key to the puzzle." A Lady Ruler in Pre-Exodus Canaan Around 1350 BCE, there was unrest in the region. Canaanite kings conveyed their fears via clay tablet letters to the Pharaoh in Egypt, requesting military help. But among all the correspondence by kings were two rare letters that stuck out among the 382 el Amarna tablets uncovered a few decades ago by Egyptian farmers. The two letters came from a "Mistress of the Lionesses" in Canaan. She wrote that bands of rough people and rebels had entered the region, and that her city might not be safe. Because the el-Amarna tablets were found in Egypt rather than Canaan, historians have tried to trace the origin of the tablets. "The big question became, 'What city did she rule?'" Dr. Lederman and Prof. Bunimovitz say. The archaeologists believe that she ruled as king (rather than "queen," which at the time described the wife of a male king) over a city of about 1,500 residents. A few years ago, Tel Aviv University's Prof. Nadav Naaman suggested that she might have ruled the city of Beth Shemesh. But there has been no proof until now. "The city had been violently destroyed, in a way we rarely see in archaeology," says Prof. Bunimovitz, who points to many exotic finds buried under the destruction, including an Egyptian royal seal, bronze arrowheads and complete large storage vessels. They suggest a large and important city-state, well enmeshed within East Mediterranean geo-political and economic networks. Time for a New Interpretation of Biblical History? Tel Aviv University archaeologists say that the new finds might turn the interpretation of pre-biblical history on its head. The people of the time were pagans who had a very elaborate religious system. "It was a very well-to-do city," says Lederman. "Strangely, such extensive destruction, like what we found in our most recent dig, is a great joy for archaeologists because people would not have had time to take their belongings. They left everything in their houses. The site is loaded with finds," he says, adding that the expensive items found in the recent level points to it as one the most important inland Canaanite cities. The discovery of the plaque, and the evidence of destruction recorded in the el-Amarna tablets, could confirm that the woman depicted in the figurine was the mysterious "Mistress of the Lionesses" and ruled Canaanite Beth Shemesh. "There is no evidence of other females ruling a major city in this capacity," Lederman and Bunimovitz say. "She is the only one. We really hope to find out more about her this summer." Source: Tel Aviv University (news : web) Compare this seal depicting the goddess Astarte.

Theft of Boys in China

From The New York Times Chinese Hunger for Sons Fuels Boys’ Abductions By ANDREW JACOBS Published: April 4, 2009 SHENZHEN, China — The thieves often strike at dusk, when children are playing outside and their parents are distracted by exhaustion. Deng Huidong lost her 9-month-old son in the blink of an eye as a man yanked him from the grip of his 7-year-old sister near the doorway of their home. The car did not even stop as a pair of arms reached out the window and grabbed the boy. Sun Zuo, a gregarious 3 1/2-year-old, was lured off by someone with a slice of mango and a toy car, an abduction that was captured by police surveillance cameras. Peng Gaofeng was busy with customers when a man snatched his 4-year-old son from the plaza in front of his shop as throngs of factory workers enjoyed a spring evening. “I turned away for a minute, and when I called out for him he was gone,” Mr. Peng said. These and thousands of other children stolen from the teeming industrial hubs of China’s Pearl River Delta have never been recovered by their parents or by the police. But anecdotal evidence suggests the children do not travel far. Although some are sold to buyers in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, most of the boys are purchased domestically by families desperate for a male heir, parents of abducted children and some law enforcement officials who have investigated the matter say. The demand is especially strong in rural areas of south China, where a tradition of favoring boys over girls and the country’s strict family planning policies have turned the sale of stolen children into a thriving business. Su Qingcai, a tea farmer from the mountainous coast of Fujian Province, explained why he spent $3,500 last year on a 5-year-old boy. “A girl is just not as good as a son,” said Mr. Su, 38, who has a 14-year-old daughter but whose biological son died at 3 months. “It doesn’t matter how much money you have. If you don’t have a son, you are not as good as other people who have one.” The centuries-old tradition of cherishing boys — and a custom that dictates that a married woman moves in with her husband’s family — is reinforced by a modern reality: Without a real social safety net in China, many parents fear they will be left to fend for themselves in old age. The extent of the problem is a matter of dispute. The Chinese government insists there are fewer than 2,500 cases of human trafficking each year, a figure that includes both women and children. But advocates for abducted children say there may be hundreds of thousands. Sun Haiyang, whose son disappeared in 2007, has collected a list of 2,000 children in and around Shenzhen who have disappeared in the past two years. He said none of the children in his database had been recovered. “It’s like fishing a needle out of the sea,” he said. Mr. Peng, who started an ad hoc group for parents of stolen children, said some of the girls were sold to orphanages. They are the lucky ones who often end up in the United States or Europe after adoptive parents pay fees to orphanages that average $5,000. The unlucky ones, especially older children, who are not in demand by families, can end up as prostitutes or indentured laborers. Some of the children begging or hawking flowers in major Chinese cities are in the employ of criminal gangs that abducted them. “I don’t even want to talk about what happens to these children,” Mr. Peng said, choking up. Police Indifference Here in Shenzhen and the constellation of manufacturing towns packed with migrant workers, desperate families say they get almost no help from the local police. In case after case, they said, the police insisted on waiting 24 hours before taking action, and then claimed that too much time had passed to mount an effective investigation. Several parents, through their own guile and persistence, have tracked down surveillance video images that clearly show the kidnappings in progress. Yet even that can fail to move the police, they say. “They told me a face isn’t enough, that they need a name,” said Cai Xinqian, who obtained tape from a store camera that showed a woman leading his 4-year-old away. “If I had a name, I could find him myself.” Rest of story.

Lost in Translation...

From the Guardian.co.uk: Charlotte Higgins "On Culture" blog The oddest classical etymologies ever? Saturday 4 April 2009 In Glasgow, at the joint conference of the Classical Association/Classical Association of Scotland, the Guardian's rather timely leader in praise of Cicero (in this morning's paper) has not gone unnoticed. I ran into Professor Mary Beard during the conference coffee break – who last night was bigging up Cicero as antiquity's greatest wit. She noted archly that Cicero was, in her view, rather an unpleasant man. A great man, but a thoroughly nasty one. I suspect we can expect Beard to air her views more fully on her brilliant blog. Anyway, over at Comment is Free (the bit of our network where leaders live), there's a bit of Ciceronian discussion underway already. And, if it's not too much of a personal plug (OK, it probably is) – I'm on the BBC2 programme we mention (Yes We Can: The Lost Art of Oratory). The show is worth watching – and not because of me! There are some great contributors, including Bill Clinton and Gore Vidal. Finally, if you are suddenly feeling desperate to learn or brush up your Latin, here is a useful page of links and resources, hosted by the brilliant Iris Project, a charity that aims to get Latin teaching into state schools. It's nice and short, so I reproduce the full text of the leader here (rest of article).

The Scent of a Woman

Public release date: 15-Mar-2009 Contact: Michael Höveler-Müller aegyptisches-museum@uni-bonn.de 49-228-739-710 University of Bonn What scents did the ancient Egyptians use? Researchers in Bonn aim to recreate a 3,500-year-old scent This release is available in German. Pharaoh Hatshepsut was a power-conscious woman who assumed the reins of government in Egypt around the year 1479 B.C. In actual fact, she was only supposed to represent her step-son Thutmose III, who was three years old at the time, until he was old enough to take over. But the interregnum lasted 20 years. "She systematically kept Thutmose out of power", says Michael Höveler-Müller, the curator of Bonn University´s Egyptian Museum. Hatshepsut´s perfume is also presumably a demonstration of her power. "We think it probable that one constituent was incense – the scent of the gods", Michael Höveler-Müller declares. This idea is not so wide of the mark, as it is a known fact that in the course of her regency Haptshepsut undertook an expedition to Punt – the modern Eritrea, and the Egyptians had been importing precious goods such as ebony, ivory, gold, and just this incense, from there since the third millennium B.C. Apparently the expedition brought back whole incense plants, which Hatshepsut then had planted in the vicinity of her funerary temple. World Premier with an interesting Result The filigree flacon now under examination by the researchers in Bonn bears an inscription with the name of the Pharaoh. Hence it was probably once in her possession. The vessel is exceptionally well preserved. "So we considered it might be rewarding to have it screened in the University Clinic´s Radiology Department", Höveler-Müller explains. "As far as I know this has never been done before". This world premier will now in all probability be followed by another one: "The desiccated residues of a fluid can be clearly discerned in the x-ray photographs", the museum´s curator explains. "Our pharmacologists are now going to analyse this sediment". The results could be available in a good year´s time. If they are successful, the scientists in Bonn are even hoping to "reconstruct" the perfume so that, 3,500 years after the death of the woman amongst whose possessions it was found, the scent could then be revitalised. Hatshepsut died in 1457 B.C. Analysis of the mummy ascribed to her showed that the ruler was apparently between 45 and 60 years of age at the end of her life; that she was also overweight, and suffering from diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and arthritis. Obviously for reasons of security, she was laid to rest in the tomb of her wet nurse. In 1903, over 3,300 years later, the famous Egyptologist Howard Carter stumbled upon the two mummies. However, more than 100 years were to pass before the Pharaoh´s corpse could be identified using DNA and dental analysis in the year 2007. Thutmose III, incidentally, appears not to have shed a single tear for his step-mother, as during his reign he had every image destroyed which showed her as ruler, and which could have belonged to her. ******************************************************************** Ancient Egypt seems to have had a god or goddess for just about everything, and sure enough, there was a god of scent - Nefertem (image, right, from Tour Egypt). To our modern sensibilities this seems a bit unusual, as we usually associate perfumes and colognes with the ladies. However, in many ancient and not so ancient cultures, both sexes wore scent to enhance their attractiveness, and perhaps to also mask much more unpleasant aromas (emanating both from the person and from the environment). In western societies today, men wear "after-shave" - which is just another word for cologne. Who among us has NOT heard of "Old Spice," etc. LOL! In ancient Egypt scent was used not only to enhance one's personal attractiveness, it was also used in a holistic manner to encourage health and emotional well-being. In that sense (pun!), the ancient Egyptians were way ahead of the aromatherapy of today! Nefertem was both an aspect of and, in some mythologies, a grandson of the Great Sun God, Re. He is very ancient, part of the Memphis triad, father: Ptah and mother: Sekhmet (opinions vary), although not well known, perhaps due to the prejudices of 19th century archaeologists who though that "scent" was an unimportant subject (and, as they were mostly men, were perhaps embarrassed that a male god was associated with so "feminine" a subject!) Nefertem is closely associated with the beautiful lotus. Interestingly, the lotus is also important in ancient Indian and Chinese symbolism. Whether this is a case of ancient cross-cultural contact or "simultaneous" (independent) development, I leave our readers to ponder. For further information on Nefertem, please see:

• From the always excellent Tour Egypt, "Beauty Secrets of Ancient Egypt" by Judith Illes
• From Encyclopedia Brittanica Online: In ancient Egyptian religion, youthful god associated with the lotus flower. Nefertem was an ancient god, mentioned in the Pyramid Texts (c. 2350 bce), but he became more prominent during the New Kingdom (1539–c. 1075 bce) and later. As a blue lotus he was believed to have emerged from the primeval waters. He also had a warlike aspect and could be depicted as a lion. He was most commonly represented holding a scimitar with a falcon’s head and wearing a headdress of a lotus with a menat (ritual necklace counterpoise) on each side and a pair of plumes above. As the son of Ptah and Sekhmet, he formed part of the Memphite triad.
• Nefertem, God of Perfume, Water Lily of the Sun...by Caroline Seawright (Seawright does excellent research and has written many articles for Tour Egypt and other ancient-Egypt related websites)
• From Ntlrworld, an intriguing word and image essay on the "evolution", if you will, of Nefertem. Who among us doesn't love a mystery? Certainly provides material for further research...

Tut Statue Found in Kurdistan Is Fake

Here is my prior post on the subject. Article at kurdishaspect.com March 14, 2009 Kurdistan’s Tut Ank Amun faked Kurdsat Kurdistan archeologists union on Thursday announced that the statute of Tut Ank Amun recently found in the city of Duhok was faked. Last month, sources from Kurdistan’s Duhok city declared that a statute of Tut Ank Amun, the well known pharaoh of Egypt, was found and raised speculations about possible historical relations between the ancient Egyptians and the authorities in Kurdistan thousands of years ago. Historians said that finding the statute could be only interpreted as a sign of two possibilities, either the possibility of having diplomatic relations between the Egyptians and Kurds or that of Kurdistan’s invasion by the Pharaohs. However, time and investigations proved the interpretations incorrect. Speaking in a press conference, Dilshad Aziz, expert in the science of archeology and head of the union said the statute was faked, as the investigations came to the conclusions that the substance from which the statute made does not match with those found in Egypt. He said that kind of statute was currently made in Egypt and Kurdistan either, adding that the owner of the neo -Tut Ank Amun could have hidden it for purposes of misleading people of doing something else. ********************************************************************** I wonder if this is the last we'll hear of this story... What if the statue is genuine but was carved out of local materials elsewhere and imported into Kurdistan?

Oh oh - Squirrel for Lunch

No lie - this is a photo taken March 28, 2009 by Mark Hoffman, published by the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel on April 4, 2009, showing a red fox trotting across someone's urban front or back yard in Bay View, Wisconsin. Bay View is a neighborhood south of downtown that starts at the lakefront and spreads west and south. It is an old area of the city and very urbanized. Seeing this fox is a surprise - I'm used to seeing them much further west in the suburban areas! Poor squirrel.

Taliban Whips 17-Year Old Girl for Refusing to Marry a Dirty Old Man

Article from the Hindu.com: India's Muslims denounce Taliban whipping of girl as un-Islamic April 4, 2009 New Delhi (IANS): After video clips of a 17-year-old girl being flogged in public by Taliban fighters in Pakistan's Swat valley were shown on TV, India's Islamic scholars denounced it as "un-Islamic" and "satanic" and condemned it as "gross violation" of Quranic codes. Renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan spoke out strongly against the incident and added that if anything, the act was absolutely "un-Islamic - even satanic". "This kind of treatment is neither Islamic nor human. In fact, not only is it un-Islamic and inhuman, but also satanic," Khan, who has authored over 200 books on Islam, told IANS. "The first thing that should be done is to educate people, develop ethical values, sensitivity towards women and treat them equally. Society can be reformed through education - punishment (of the perpetrators) can never be the starting point for any kind of reform or change," he added. Similarly, Mushirul Hasan, vice chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia university, condemned the incident saying that it was a wrong portrayal of Islam, which preaches exactly opposite of what the Taliban were seen doing to the hapless young girl. "I am horrified. This (incident) is a gross violation of Islamic and Quranic injunctions which teaches humanity, love, peace and magnanimity," Hasan told IANS. The dangers of imposing Sharia laws in Pakistan's restive Swat Valley were brought into sharp focus Friday with the airing of a two-minute video showing a 17-year-old screaming, burqa-clad girl being whipped by Taliban fighters for coming "out of her house with another man who was not her husband". [That's the charge, but it's a lie. See the link to the Los Angeles Times article below for the real scoop - she refused to marry a much older icky man, and so charges were trumped up against her and she was whipped as a punishment for her faked-up "crimes against Islam."] The grainy video, shot on a mobile phone, showed the girl face down on the ground. Two men held her arms and feet while a third, a black-turbaned man with a flowing beard, whipped her repeatedly. Salima Khan, a student doing her PhD in Delhi University, said that she literally boiled in anger after seeing the video clip on YouTube, the popular video sharing website and then again on TV. "I can't believe how anybody can humiliate and beat up an innocent young girl in the name of religion. And what was her fault - that she was seen with a man who was not her husband! Who in their right state of mind would ever dare to do such a dastardly act? "Such acts just show how Islam has been grossly misinterpreted by a handful of people who are using it as a tool to serve their own cause," Salima said angrily. On YouTube, the video received thousands of hits overnight and a barrage of comments. One of the comments read: "These people (Taliban) should be given a taste of their own medicine. They should be whipped in public for maligning the name of Islam and inflicting torture on poor, helpless women". Another comment from an Indian woman read: "Thank God I was born in India and not there (Swat valley). There they treat women like animals - no, even worse. To live a life like that seems like sheer hell." However, the authorities of Darul Uloom, one of the most renowned seminaries in the Deoband town of western Uttar Pradesh, chose to keep mum. Maulana Abdul Khaleeq Madrasi, pro vice chancellor of the seminary, told IANS: "We cannot give any statement on the matter from the institution as we don't know the details at the moment". India has an estimated 140 million Muslims, the third largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia and Pakistan.

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For the REAL REASON for this supposed "punishment", see the Los Angeles Times April 4, 2009 article (includes link to video) by Mubashir Zaidi and Laura King, with contribution from Special Correspondent Zulfiqar Ali in the city of Peshawar: "This is intolerable," prominent human rights activist Asma Jahangir told journalists in the eastern city of Lahore. Jahangir said the girl was believed to have been punished after refusing to marry a Taliban commander in the Swat Valley, where the government in February struck a truce with Islamic militants to stem violence. The militants then accused her of immoral behavior and ordered 34 lashes, Pakistani news reports said. The video, shot with a cellphone, initially shows the girl, clad in an all-enveloping black burka, being held by men while another begins striking her. She can be heard shouting for help in the Pashto language, spoken by most people in Swat. She is then dragged to another location, held down and flogged. Several dozen people can be seen watching. "For God's sake, please stop, stop it," the girl pleads as the whip falls. "I am dying." Off-camera, another militant gives orders: "Hold her feet tightly. Lift her burka a bit."

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You can bet your bippy that there were no women in that circle of spectators savoring every single delicious lash and the girl's screams, heh. Now the Taliban is saying the video was FAKE, created by its enemies to discredit it. Yeah right. The assholes who blew up the Swat Valley Buddha would not hesitate for a second to whip a defenseless teenage girl for refusing to marry a man she doesn't want. How many of them held her down? How many men were tightly packed in that circle around the girl and her tormentors, no doubt salivating over every single lash and scream of the helpless victim? PERVERTS! A pox on them all. I hope they all die a horrible death, but not before their penises falling off from a dread disease, and that they all rot in Hell for ever.

WGM (Elect) Alina Kashlinskaya

Article from Russia Today: Grandmaster at 15 Years Old 09 February, 2009 The Russian teenage chess prodigy Alina Kashlinskaya is poised to become Europe’s youngest Grandmaster. The World Chess Federation (FIDE) sets certain criteria for a player to become a Grandmaster. He or she must take part in an international competition where other Grandmasters play and end up with an Elo rating, which reflects a skill level of at least 2400. Alina achieved a total of three of these norms on February 8 at Russia’s biggest chess tournament, the Moscow Open. This entitles the 15-year-old to receive the honorary title. The Russian Chess Federation will send a request to FIDE’s next congress. In 2007 Kashlinskaya became Europe’s youngest International Master, which is one step lower then Grandmaster in FIDE’s rankings. Alina is a determined player who wants to get to the top of the chess ladder. She said: “It has always been not only a sport but also a kind of art. I want to reach every high goal there is, to win every possible thing.” The youngest ever female Grandmaster is Hou Yifan, who was 14-years-old when she achieved the honour.

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I'd like to make it clear to our readers who aren't familiar with chess terminology that Alina has qualified for a WGM - Woman Grandmaster - title. There is a difference between the WGM title and the title of GM - Grandmaster. The requirements for earning a GM title are stricter and one's ELO rating (that is a relative ranking of players by playing strength) must be at least 2500 in order to qualify for the GM title. As I understand the FIDE rules, a player earns a title by achieving three "norms" and achieving an ELO rating of a a certain level. For a WGM title (Woman Grandmaster), the level is 2400; for a GM (Grandmaster) title, the level is 2500. Earning a "norm" is a complicated process. A norm is earned by achieving a certain score in an international tournament in which a player has played higher-rated, titled players. "International" means that a certain number of the higher-rated players must be from a country other than your own. I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but that is is in a nutshell. I'm very happy for WIM (Women's International Master) Kashlinskaya, but the article is misleading - she is NOT a GM - she has qualified for a WGM title - if she achieves a 2400 ELO. According to FIDE's ratings list, which was updated on April 1, 2009 (it is updated every quarter), at present WIM Kashlinskaya has a rating of 2344, and is second on the current listing of all active female players under the age of 16. In Russia, she is number one on the list of active female players under the age of 16. That is quite an accomplishment in a country that boasts the most GMs in the world! It is not easy for chessplayers in the US to earn "norms." Even today, in the age of jet travel, there are only a handful of tournaments in the US each year that attract GMs from other countries, mostly because the prizes offered are small. In those events where larger prizes are offered, so many highly rated players are competing for the prizes that generally lower rated players are shut out of the action because of how pairings are generated. There are many more opportunities to earn norms in Europe, where many tournaments are specifically designed with this goal in mind. It's expensive to travel to Europe to participate in open tournaments where a player has a chance to earn a norm; in benefit/cost analysis, most up and coming US players conclude that they cannot afford to take the chance. It is only recently in the US that such tournaments have been specifically created in an attempt to get more American players the opportunity to earn norms without the expense of travelling out of the country. The North American Chess Association has hosted several such tournaments, and SPICE (at Texas Tech University), which is just a couple years old, has hosted some tournaments of this nature too. Recently, SPICE hosted an invitational (also called a "closed" event) international tournament in Lubbock, Texas, in which American player IM (International Master) Robert Hess participated (born 1991), and earned his third GM norm. Hess also won the event with outstanding play. IM Hess' current FIDE rating is 2485 (updated on April 1, 2009), so he needs to earn only 15 more ELO points to qualify for the GM title. Hess is currently playing in the 2009 US "Supernationals" in Nashville, Tennessee. Another young American player, IM Ray Robson (born 1994), also participated in that SPICE tournament and earned an even score. This score was not enough to earn a "norm" but was a fine performance, showing promise for the future. IM Robson's current FIDE rating is 2464. Here's an article on Kashlinskaya from Russia Today dated April 4, 2009.

Polgar Chess University

The Polgar Chess University (PCU), launched on April 1, 2009, is offering the following special (all information from Susan Polgar's blog): Sign up now for a one year plan and get an additional three bonus months plus one year of World Chess Live membership FREE! For just about $1.50 per week, you can learn from the best! Just enter the code “SuperNationals” when you sign up.

• Affordable Chess Training with World-Class Instructors!
• Weekly Classes for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels!
• Classes are personally being conducted by me and many other World-Class Chess Trainers!

Polgar Chess University: My brand new online chess training program where students of all levels, no matter where they live, have an opportunity to learn chess from some of the best instructors in the game. I created this online school with the dream of bringing expert advice and training to chess enthusiasts around the world at a very affordable cost. I developed the structured curriculum, personally teaching many of the courses along with other top chess players and professional instructors who will be joining the faculty as the school grows. Polgar Chess University is initially offered in this format:

• Courses identified by level - Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced
• Three general courses, one at each level, run concurrently
• Course lessons are prerecorded lectures that may be viewed at your convenience
• A new lesson in each course is offered each week, on Mondays
• Earlier lessons may be retrieved from the library at no extra cost

More specialized courses, especially for teachers, along with special guests and events, are planned for the future. Please visit http://www.polgarchessuniversity.com/ for more information.

Lost in Austen

Ohmygoddess! I had no idea this book and movie existed until a week or so ago, when I happened to come across a reference to it while I was hunting out things to blog about here. Three or four nights ago, I did a search at You Tube, not knowing if I'd find anything, and found it! Unfortunately, it's totally disjointed and you have to click here and then there to try and piece it all together, and I did not succeed in doing that, watching 30 second snippets from several different sources, it was horrid - but what I did manage to view was absolutely SO FAB and it whetted my appetite for more. I enjoyed "Pride and Prejudice" (the 1940, 1996 and 2006 versions) and Bollywood's take-off, "Bride and Prejudice," in fact, when I feel a need to cheer myself up I play the "Bride and Prejudice" DVD and dance all around the family room. It never fails to bring a smile to my face, especially remembering the summer of 2007 during Isis and Michelle's visit when we all entertained dondelion, who was regally stretched out on the sofa like some grey-goateed raja, with our energetic if inexpert dancing to the Indian rock-and-roll rythyms pulsing from the DVD. I have a feeling that "Lost in Austen" will do the same to lift my sagging spirts during this never-ending winter. So tonight I'm pre-ordering the DVD from Amazon.com - it's due for release on April 14th. Oh, I can hardly wait!

Keeping a "Poker Face" in Chess Match

From the Brownsville (Texas) Herald Chess: Ultimate mind sport tests your patience and your poker face April 2, 2009 - 5:44 PM By Ronnie Zamora, Special to The Herald The game of chess is loved by those who play it and misunderstood by those who don't. "A lot of people don't know about chess," said Mauricio Flores, the top-ranked member of the UTB-TSC Chess Team, which will be competing in the Final Four of College Chess in Dallas on Saturday and Sunday. "Chess is in its own world. Nothing else compares to it." Many chess matches will take as long as five hours to complete at the Final Four. But through it all, members of the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Chess Team must remember one thing: Keep a straight face when competing. Chess is a game of little emotion and seriousness. "That's something that I have improved on," team captain Daniel Fernandez, a junior, said. "I have a good poker face when I make a mistake. I keep my composure. Many years ago, you could see it on my face if I made a mistake. Now during a game, I don't have expression." Keeping a straight face is vital to the success of the best players. Any facial expressions, especially those of disappointment, give an opponent the advantage of knowing that a mistake probably has been made. A good opponent will eventually find the mistake and attempt to capitalize on the error. "I'm usually pretty good about hiding it," freshman Bradley Sawyer said. "I try not to show any expression. The less your opponent knows, the better." Just like big stakes poker tournaments that last hours and test the stamina of participants, the length of time the matches also tests the patience of chess players. "Chess gives you a lot of tension," sophomore Nadya Ortiz said. "You never know how you are doing until it's almost over. Sometimes, you may be down by one piece but have the advantage because of better positioning." Ortiz said chess "is not like basketball or football, where you know you are winning a game because you have more points. In chess, the position is confused, and you don't know if you are doing well or not." To have strong focus and stamina for long matches, UTB-TSC Chess team members turn to physical exercise to stay fit and strong. "Physical exercise is important because sometimes you are playing 7-8 hours a day," Ortiz said. "Your mind is going to be tired in 1-2 hours. If you have a healthy body, your mind will be sharper." Most members of the team play tennis for recreation. Others play basketball and pington. But it's the love of the chess - the ultimate mind sport - that keeps them going. "It's an addiction for me," Flores said. "A lot of people don't know you have to study chess like any other courses in college. A professional chess player needs to study the game to keep improving. We're always learning. "For me, this is what I enjoy doing more than anything else."

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Well, during a match, players aren't always without expression - or movement. All part of the "psych out" of your opponent - or sometimes you just have to go to the bathroom really bad but you don't want to leave the table.

Looters Damage Priceless Artifacts

Article from Turkish press. Are there no lengths to which looters will go in an attempt to get things to sell on the black market for money? This just makes me sick. Historical artifacts damaged in Mersin MERSİN - It is reported that several historical artifacts, including reliefs, have been damaged in the Kızkalesi district of Mersin by treasure-hunters using dynamite. According to a statement posted on the Mersin University Klikia Archeological Research Center’s Web site, 11 niches in the Şeytan Valley, where reliefs are carved into the rock walls, were damaged by exploding dynamite. A member of the university’s archaeology department, Associated Professor Murat Durukan, claimed they looters had sabotaged not just Turkey’s, but also whole world’s cultural heritage. He said on the Web site: "The situation we experienced here in Mersin is not different to the destruction of historical artifacts in Afghanistan. Being indifferent to this event will damage our country’s image. The authorities should appoint a guard in this place for 24 hours to stop this insanity." Talking to the Anatolia news agency, Durukan said hey had informed police about the incident that happened ten days ago. "The Adamkayalar (the rocks in shape of men) go back to the third century B.C. It is a commemoration ceremony area. These reliefs were made to commemorate important people, mostly Kings, soldiers and priest of that time." Mersin Culture and Tourism District Manager Mehmet Çalışkan said they were aware of the incident. "We already launched an investigation to catch the people who did the damage to this area."

How Did I Miss THIS?

HOLY GODDESS! Check out this press release from March 30th - I have no idea how I could have missed it! Japanese Super Chess Computer By Dr. Andras Akobian Russian Federation Contact publisher via email Introducing “SPACE Tech”, the latest Cyborg chess beast Susan Polgar Advanced Computer Engineering (SPACE) Technology and Fujitso LLC For_Immediate_Release: Russian Federation (Press Release) March 30, 2009 -- Introducing “SPACE Tech”, the latest Cyborg chess beast By Fujitso LLC

Susan Polgar Advanced Computer Engineering (SPACE) Technology·

DD660 includes quad-core Xeon processors and 1-TB SATA drive support.

8 GIG of RAM.

The system provides up to 2 TB per hour of aggregate inline de-duplication throughput, and up to 700 GB per hour for a single stream. It offers up to 36 TB of raw capacity. With its data reduction capabilities, the system can handle from 520 TB to 1.3 PB of logical capacity.

SPACE also contains additional secret state of the art components by Fujitso LLC which will greatly enhance calculation speed.

source: FPR

Chess database of over 4 million games.

Latest endgame tablebases which include nearly all significant 7-piece endgame.

Latest opening tablebases which include a number of secret analysis from top Russian Grandmasters.

This super computer is trained to learn from its own mistakes as well as those of the opponent. It utilizes an expreimental artifical intelligence program developed by the Russian Academy of Science which provides the program with unmatched middlegame positional play.

After 6 months of lab testing, SPACE has an estimated rating of 3,500, which is far stronger than the latest version of Rybka.

NASA has shown great interest in the program as a possible onboard mission commander for deep space exploration.

Russian Academy of Science 152020 Pereslavl-Zalessky Russia inex@epk.botik.ru

********************************************************************* What will GM Susan Polgar be involved in next, I ask you? And - you read it here first - that wily rascal Phil Innes a/k/a The Parrot over at Chessville.com has publicly declared (although not in so many words), that he has competing interests to Polgar's vis a vis certain Japanese business interests and therefore is he "distancing himself" from America's sole female GM. Is a competitor SUPER COMPUTER about to be unveiled - one designed with input from the nearly IM Innes? Stay tuned! LOL! I darn near peed my pants laughing. This one is MUCH better than last year's April Fools Announcement. Good job, GM Polgar and Phil!

DNA Clues in Irish "Invasion" of Scotland

Article from BBC News Online: Clues to ancient invasion in DNA Page last updated at 00:08 GMT, Thursday, 2 April 2009 01:08 UK Scientific evidence of an ancient invasion of Scotland from Ireland may have been uncovered by DNA techniques. Researchers from Edinburgh University said studies of Scots living on Islay, Lewis, Harris and Skye were found to have strong links with Irish people. Early historical sources recount how the Gaels came from Ireland about 500 AD and conquered the Picts in Argyll. Scientists said the study was the first demonstration of a significant Irish genetics component in Scots' ancestry. The research, which features work by geneticist Dr Jim Wilson, a specialist in population genetics, is being featured in programmes on Gaelic television channel BBC Alba. The study also suggests intriguing ancestry of Scots living on the Western Isles and in the north and north east of Scotland. Trading networks Dr Wilson said: "It was extremely exciting to see for the first time the ancient genetic connection between Scotland and Ireland - the signature of a movement of people from Ireland to Scotland, perhaps of the Scots or Gaels themselves." The origin of the Gaels - who by conquering and integrating with Pictish northern tribes created the Kingdom of Alba - has been debated by historians for centuries. The earliest historical source comes from around the 10th Century and relates that the Gaels came from Ireland in about 500 AD, under King Fergus Mor. However, more recently archaeologists have suggested the Gaels had lived in Argyll for centuries before Fergus Mor's invasion. The study also suggested an east-west genetic divide seen in England and attributed to Anglo-Saxons and Danes was evident in the north of Scotland. This was noted in places far from Anglo-Saxon and Danish settlements, indicating that this division was older and may have arisen in the Bronze Age through trading networks across the North Sea. Geneticists also said as many as 40% of the population on the Western Isles could have Viking ancestry, while no Viking ancestry was found in north east Scotland.

2009 USCF Executive Board Election

It's official - I renewed my membership and now I will be able to vote in the 2009 election for four Executive Board seats. I don't know how many of the people who visit here are USCF members, but to those of you who are, I would urge you to study the candidates as best you can, and above all, vote. You can find out about the candidates by googling their names, also by visiting chess blogs and discussion boards, and if you receive Chess Life Magazine, reading the candidates' statements. I believe (although I am not certain) that you will also be able to read the candidates' statements at Chess Life Online. If your membership includes receiving Chess Life magazine, I think it's in the June edition that you will receive a paper ballot which you can fill out and mail in. I'm not sure what happens if you've got one of the new elective memberships where you do not receive the paper magazine - there may be a way to vote online, or perhaps you'll receive a separate paper ballot in the mail. One way or another, you will be able to vote, and I urge all USCF members to vote after doing your own "due diligence" (a legal term of art, forgive me). There are four seats up for election in this cycle, for four year terms. Here are the eleven registered candidates in alphabetical order: Mike Atkins Jim Berry (running for re-election) Bill Goichberg (running for re-election) Ruth Haring Eric Hecht Mikhail Korenman Brian Lafferty Blas Lugo Brian Mottershead Mike Nietman Sam Sloan A lot of information is available on the internet about some of the candidates, but not so much on others. Sometimes it takes a little digging, but you can find info. You can check Mark Weeks' blog for information. He links each candidate to google searches under their names. At Chess USA.net, I was led to these opinions on the candidates offered by John Hillery at his blog, Western Chess. In her blog, popularly known as Lizzy Knows All, U.S. chessplayer and chess coach Elizabeth Vicary interviewed candidates Mike Atkins and Brian Lafferty. I know none of the candidates personally. I have read much on some of the candidates, have read what information I can find on other candidates who have pretty much steered clear of chess politics, and have read what some of the candidates have written and said for themselves. I have formed my impressions of the candidates accordingly. Here are the candidates of which I know of no evil and I am voting for: IM Ruth Haring Mike Nietman Mikhail Korenman Mike Atkins This election, like others before it, is contentious. USCF members who are interested in voting can well educate themselves on the issues and the candidates. I hope this election will result in peace among the members of the Executive Board and a shared vision to promote chess in the United States to the best of all EB members' unique abilities and talents. I give a special plug to fellow Wisconsinite Mike Nietman. He has been a TD and promoter of chess in Wisconsin for many years, a rated player here (in Wisconsin's top 100), the President of the Wisconsin Chess Association and involved in promoting scholastic chess. In talking to local chess folks about Mr. Nietman, I hear only good things. I also really like the idea of adding another experienced female chessplayer to the EB in the person of IM Ruth Haring. We could do with a bit less testosterone on the Board, I think, and Haring will add not only a feminine point of view but the voice of a well-seasoned competitive tournament player.

The Queen and Mrs. Obama

Michelle Obama charms queen away from protocol From A.P. By JENNIFER QUINN, Associated Press Writer Jennifer Quinn, Associated Press Writer – Thu Apr 2, 2:15 pm ET

LONDON – Michelle Obama's meeting with Queen Elizabeth II began with a handshake and ended in a hug. The first lady arrived Wednesday with President Barack Obama. After separate meetings on the eve of the G-20 summit, the couple attended an evening reception for world leaders hosted by the queen. Mrs. Obama clearly made an impression with the 82-year-old monarch — so much that the smiling queen strayed slightly from protocol and briefly wrapped her arm around the first lady in a rare public show of affection. It was the first time Mrs. Obama — who is nearly a foot taller — had met the queen. The first lady also wrapped her arm around the monarch's shoulder and back. A Buckingham Palace spokesman who asked not to be identified because of palace policy said he could not remember the last time the queen had displayed such public affection with a first lady or dignitary. "It was a mutual and spontaneous display of affection," he said. "We don't issue instructions on not touching the queen." When the former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating put his arm around the queen in 1992, the tabloids dubbed him the "Lizard of Oz." When his successor, John Howard, was accused of doing the same, a spokesman insisted: "We firmly deny that there was any contact whatsoever." In 2007, President George W. Bush gave the queen a sly wink during a visit she paid to the United States. The Daily Mail said the "two women clearly took to each other." Wednesday's reception was followed by a dinner at Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Downing Street home, where the leaders' spouses were joined by notable British women, including "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling and Olympic gold medal runner Kelly Holmes. "Michelle walks in and she is as she seems," Holmes told reporters Thursday. "So warm, engaging, a beautiful, beautiful lady — and I quickly got my photo in the middle of her and Sarah Brown," the prime minister's wife. Mrs. Obama also seemed to win over the often feral British press. The last time a first lady made such a hit in Britain was last year with French President Nicolas Sarkozy's wife, the former fashion model and songwriter Carla Bruni. But on Thursday, London's Times newspaper had moved on, writing "Carla who?" The BBC described Mrs. Obama as her husband's co-star rather than supporting act — appropriate for a Harvard-educated lawyer. Mrs. Obama visited an all-girls school in north London on Thursday afternoon. She told the 240 girls about growing up on Chicago's south side, and urged them to think of education as "cool." "I never cut class. I liked being smart. I liked getting A's," she said. "You have everything you need. Everything you need to succeed you already have right here." At the end of the visit, Mrs. Obama doled out hugs to the students, and was swarmed by them — to the extent that some Secret Service agents stepped nervously forward. Earlier Thursday, Mrs. Obama attended a performance at the Royal Opera House with the other spouses and guests. The program included music by Handel and a dance performance by Ballet Black, a troupe set up to give performing opportunities to black and Asian classical dancers. Wearing a bright teal blue dress by Jason Wu — who designed her inauguration gown — and a sweater by Junya Watanabe, Mrs. Obama posed for photographs with Sarah Brown, Therese Rein, wife of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's wife Chikako Aso, and Laureen Harper, who is married to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, on the stage of the opera house. ************************************************************************** I have great admiration for both of these very cool ladies ladies - so different, and yet so alike too. In watching the video (see link above and take a look at the third video down on the left side of the page), it's clear that it was the Queen who, in a spontaneous and unguarded moment, first put her arm around Mrs. Obama's waist! Lovely! And then Mrs. Obama reciprocated and the two ladies shared a look, a word, and a laugh. It was all over in a few seconds, but with today's ever-present video cams, etc., the moment was captured in time forever. The Queen is about my mom's age. I was born the same year Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne (1951). It just awes me how much the world has changed since that time - how much I've seen in my 57 years (soon to be 58 - in August) and how much much more the Queen and my mom have seen in their lifetimes. Sometimes, when I think about how it was when I was a child, it seems like we're now living on a different planet! How much more so must that feeling be for my mom - and the Queen.

From Eye of Horus to 'Rx'

Article from VOA.com (Voice of English) Take This Medicine: The Story of the Sign 'Rx' How a special sign came to mean a doctor’s prescription. Transcript of radio broadcast: 21 March 2009 Now, the VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. Every week at this time, the Voice of America tells about popular words and expressions used in the United States. Some of these words and expressions are old. Some are new. Together, they form the living speech of the American people. Our story today is very old. It goes back about five-thousand years. It is about a sign that is used to represent some words. We see this sign on drug stores and whenever we visit a doctor to get an order for medicine. It also appears on bottles of pills and other medicines. The sign is formed by a line across the right foot of the letter "R." It represents the word "prescription." It has come to mean "take this medicine." The sign has its beginnings five thousand years ago in Egypt. At that time, people prayed to Horus, the god of the Sun. It was said that when Horus was a child, he was attacked by Seth, the demon of evil. The evil Seth put out the eye of the young Horus. The mother of Horus called for help. Her cry was answered by Thoth, the god of learning and magic. Thoth, with his wisdom and special powers, healed the eye of Horus. And the child was able to see again. The ancient Egyptians used a drawing of the eye of Horus as a magic sign to protect themselves from disease, suffering and evil. They cut this sign in the stones they used for buildings. And it was painted on the papyrus rolls used for writing about medicine and doctors. For thousands of years, the eye of Horus remained as a sign of the god's help to the suffering and sick. Long after the fall of the ancient Egyptian civilization, doctors and alchemists in Europe continued the custom of showing a sign of the gods' help and protection. But over the years, the sign changed from the eye of Horus to the sign for Jupiter, the chief god of the Romans. Jupiter's sign looked much like the printed number "four." That sign changed, also. Today, it is the easily-recognized capital "R" with a line across its foot. The sign no longer offers heavenly assistance to the sick. It now means "take this medicine." This VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES was written by Frank Beardsley. The narrator was Maurice Joyce. I'm Warren Sheer.

They Still Don't Get It

Article from newscientist.com Early humans may have cared for disabled young 14:03 31 March 2009 by Ewen Callaway A recently unearthed ancient human skull shows signs of a disorder that might have caused mental retardation. This offers the earliest evidence that ancestors of Homo sapiens did not abandon young with severe birth defects. The 500,000-year-old skeleton belonged to a five to 12-year-old child who suffered from craniosynostosis. The rare congenital condition occurs when two of the flat bones that make up the skull fuse together along their margins (sutures) too early during fetal development, hindering brain growth. Spanish researchers discovered the first pieces of the skull near Atapuerca, Spain, in 2001, but they only recently pieced enough of it together to make a conclusive diagnosis. "We were sure we had evidence of a real pathology," says Ana Gracia, a palaeoanthropologist at Complutense University in Madrid, who led the new study. "It's obvious – you only have to look at the cranium." Different Appearance The child suffered from a form of craniosynostosis that occurs in about 1 in every 200,000 children. He or she was a member of the species Homo heidelbergensis, – early humans that lived in Europe up to 800,000 years ago and may have given rise to Neanderthals. The discovery marks the earliest example of a human skeleton with signs of a physical deformity that that might have made the individual dependent on others for survival. Most animals, including primates, sacrifice or abandon young born with crippling deformities, Gracia says. It's impossible to know whether the child suffered from any cognitive problems, but he or she would undoubtedly have looked different from family and friends, she says. Rest of article.

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When are the scientists and evolution folks finally going to get it that humankind is NOT an animal, duh! Within their paradigm, they cannot explain the presence of flowers in the graves of so-called "Neanderthals." It is totally outside their realm of accepted "animal" experience. And yet there are plenty of accounts that demonstrate that so-called "animals" mourn the loss of a loved one. Today we have so-called Homo Sapiens Sapiens ("Modern Man") who routinely torture, starve, abuse and kill their own children in various ways, and show no remorse or grief whatsoever. So who is truly "human," and who is not? You tell me.

Reykjavik Open 2009

The event was won by GM Hedinn Steingrimsson (ISC 2547) with 7.0/9. Here are the final standings of the chess femmes after Round 9 (out of 110 players): 18 IM Harika Dronavalli IND 2473 6,0 56 WIM Cori T Deysi PER 2256 4,5 61 WGM Ptacnikova Lenka ISL 2249 4,5 71 WGM Karlovich Anastazia UKR 2251 4,0 76 Finnbogadottir Tinna Kristin ISL 1660 4,0 77 WIM Andersson Christin SWE 2132 4,0 102 Gudmundsdottir Geirthrudur Ann ISL 1775 2,5 105 Helgadottir Sigridur Bjorg ISL 1646 2,5 107 Johannsdottir Johanna Bjorg ISL 1724 2,5 Dronavalli was the 8th out of 8 players to finish on 6 points. I have great admiration for Dronavalli. I was also very pleased to see Deysi Cori (or is it Cori Deysi???) playing in this event. Congratulations to all of the chess femmes!

When 64 = 65 (Say What???)

Check out this fun article at Chessbase: A Mathematical Chessboard Paradox 24.03.2009 – In Germany 2008 was the “Year of Mathematics”, and at the same time there was a Chess World Championship and a Chess Olympiade in the country. Reason enough to take a look at an interesting problem at the interface of these two intellectual activities. It is a fascinating paradox which seems to prove that 64 is equal to 65 simply by cutting up a chessboard. Prof. Christian Hesse explains. Chess Expeditions By Prof. Christian Hesse