I'll go with ignorant, then: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_school_shootings_in_the_United_States A list of school shootings dating back to the 1760s, including this gem:

Is this a reply to my question? If so, it doesn't answer what I'm asking. But without a quote, it may be a reply to someone else; I can't tell.

Sorry, I must have missed this. There was a time in history when everyone was allowed to engage in open dialogue and nobody was disenfranchised or lambasted and/or shut down for their unpopular opinions? When was this golden era? ;)

Yes, this is true in CA. He could pursue legal action but I doubt he will as it will make him look worse. Has anyone confirmed in which state the recording was made?

:crying: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I don't have to look to those countries; I can see it right here in the good ol' U.S. :001_rolleyes:

Shalom, Muslim here... (To be clear, I don't wear hijab myself.) I have always been puzzled by the use of wigs by some Orthodox women. I hope this doesn't sound offensive, but it seems like following the letter of the law (cover your hair) but not the spirit (modesty). Can you offer some insight into this phenomenon? Thank you.

Lamb chops with anchovy/shallot butter (anchovies and lamb go well together, really!) Artichokes

Simply Awesome cleaner from the dollar store. It works great for laundry, carpet cleaning, kitchen, etc. Most purposes require 1:10 dilution so it's even a better bargain than it seems.

I cleared my cookies and still have the problem.

That is the case. We live in a different country, though, so she had not seen my father for years when this happened. That, combined with the fact that she's completely gone off the deep end with this religious conservatism, made her decide he was more like a stranger than an uncle. He found this very insulting after doing many things for her from afar, such as paying for her wedding after her father died and her mom's mental illness went into overdrive. Hence, their fight. My point in posting her story was that sometimes the women really do cover and move in a more conservative direction on their own, against the wishes of the men around them, in this case her husband and my dad. It's not always the men making them do it.

I think most of it is biological and not cultural. We are highly evolved to read facial expressions, recognize faces, and look at eyes for social cues.

Hmmm. I don't find naqabis upsetting if I see them on the street or anything (rare in my city.) I think it would be difficult for a non-Muslim to get to know them; they tend to be very insular, at least around here. My cousin wears a niqab. She was raised with average conservatism. She married into a more conservative family, but even the women in that family don't wear niqab. She just became more conservative and kept going. She even wears gloves. I personally find this all highly unnecessary. Her husband made a point of telling everyone this was not at his request and he had discouraged it, and I believe him; she has far surpassed the covering of his own mother and sisters. She and my father got into a fight because she wouldn't take it off in front of him and he found that insulting because he had known her from when she was born and would now, presumably never see her face again. It's an odd situation. We used to eat in a mixed family group but after she covered her face we now separate out so she won't have to eat alone. My dad says we're enabling her. :unsure:

I'm okay in Safari but having issues in Chrome.

I agree. Learning Arabic is strongly encouraged but what usually happens is that people memorize some Arabic without being able to read it but they learn the meaning for their prayers. Then they often learn to read Arabic but are often making the letter sounds without really understanding what they are saying. Some people move beyond that to learning move meaning in the Quran. Beyond that I think very few converts learn conversational or everyday Arabic.

Muslim here... Agree with the recommendation for No God but God. For a well-known interview with the author, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwWbPpFZ31s . The interviewer is...something else. I think the dog thing is mostly cultural. I've been told it's the dog's saliva which is dirty but I grew up with cats and they licked me all the time. I don't feel comfortable around dogs due to my upbringing but I think they are wonderful and useful animals. I don't wear a hijab unless I am at the masjid (mosque) or somewhere else it would be uncomfortable not to wear one. My family is from SE Asia and they often wear dupatas (long scarves) and use those for praying. I'm very physically uncomfortable wearing something that tight and I feel claustrophobic in it. I could probably get used to it if I wore it consistently. Frankly, I also have no desire to wear Arab garments; I am not Arab and dress modestly using my own styles. I do believe there has been a resurgence in hijabs since 9/11. Many women wear them now who didn't in the 70s/80s/90s. Part of it has become an identity/being visible thing.

Wow, thanks!

Her last activity was in early November and she was having some trouble with one of her kids. Anyone know her outside this forum? I miss hearing from her.

I didn't have any attendants and none of my friends begged me to when they found out my decision. :D They were helpful with addressing the invitations and greeting guests at the door. One of them went makeup shopping with me. That was the extent of their "wedding duties"...no dresses they had to wear, no bachelorette party, etc. I only took my parents for dress shopping with me and I bought the dress within an hour of being at the shop. I went back after alterations a couple of weeks later to pick it up. Done and done. I did have an encounter with a Bridezilla/Groomzilla last fall and it made me so angry I could barely see straight. The bride had been abandoned by her parents at a young age and had been raised by her grandmother, who is now destitute and too fragile to attend. The groom's parents paid for everything and the bride went hog wild even though she knew they're not that well off at all. But they had been through a lot of worry about their only son and were so relieved he was settling down they went along with it. Huge debt for this wedding. Of course, they are ultimately responsible for their own decisions, but I do feel she manipulated them because they felt bad she had no family to help, or even attend. Just classless. My dad almost boycotted the wedding but he attended and only spoke to the parents, not the happy couple.

Usually, I say a billion. The other day DD told me, "Actually, I think you mean a googolplex." :lol:

Trying to think of things not already mentioned.... Olive oil is more calorically dense than butter. Not by much, but if every little bit helps... Salmon oil can be taken in pills if he's averse to the taste. Lamb seems to be the fattiest meat. Chili with beans and lots of fat mixed in. Mackerel is fairly fatty if he'll eat fish. It is rather fishy. Beef roast. I use this brisket recipe: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Lil-Pachters-Jewish-Style-Braised-Brisket but you can use if for any beef roast, not just brisket. Serve with mashed potatoes with olive oil if he'll eat potatoes.

I've only listened to a couple of talks and I didn't enjoy them. I didn't hear the anti-Catholic commentary but either I listened to different talks or as a non-Christian, I wasn't aware enough to notice them. I'm sorry. :grouphug:

Where is OP?

I guess the Catholic aspect doesn't turn me off because right now in the North American Islamic community people are asking why we can't be more like Catholics with *high-quality* K-12 schools and top-notch universities. We have lots of schools run mostly out of mosques, but nothing like the Catholics have put together. It's quite amazing, actually. As far as I know, this is the closest U.S. Muslims have come in the U.S.: http://www.zaytunacollege.org/about/our_mission/ That said, it is hard for me to grasp Catholicism emotionally, just because Islam is so non-hierarchical. But I admire the history, the keeping of important knowledge, the focus on language (very big for Muslims) and I'm a big fan of the current Pope! I think we have more in common than it appears at first glance. :grouphug: