Global Village News and Resources Issue 81 - March 08, 2004

Positive News was handed the guardianship of Global Village News and Resources in summer of 2004. Although we would like to continue to make the archives available to subscribers and readers we would like to point out that stories published prior to issue 89 were not under our editorial guidance and would like to make a distinction that these are not necessarily a reflection of the current opinions of our editorial team.

Israel - He's cool, confident and hip. Just what you'd expect from the 21-year-old winner of a reality TV show on Israeli satellite television. The surprising thing is, Firas Khoury is an Arab. Despite the venom which too often poisons relations between Jews and Arabs here, more than 70,000 Israeli teenagers voted for Firas. The prize is a one-year contract to host a show on a youth TV channel. So Firas is about to become Israel's first Arab TV presenter. He was the only Arab among 15 contestants who were locked up in a luxurious villa for 80 days. He says he needed a lot of tact to break the ice with his housemates.

For full article, click here:
http://www.gvnr.com/81/1.htm

USA - Recognizing the need to establish the scientific legitimacy of investigating unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), SCI FI Channel recently announced a new initiative that brings together the major organizations investigating this still mysterious phenomenon and establishes a multi-group effort to study the physical evidence associated with UAP reports. This unprecedented initiative, supported by the SCI FI Channel, joins together all of the major organizations that study the phenomenon: the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), the Fund for UFO Research (FUFOR), the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), the National Aviation Center for Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP), the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS), and the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC).

For full article, click here:
http://www.gvnr.com/81/2.htm

USA - When someone says, "I feel your pain," the person really may. A groundbreaking study shows that some of the same brain regions involved in feeling physical pain become activated when someone empathizes with another's pain. And when it's time to feel better, thinking that a drug helps can make it so, according to a different brain-scanning study that finally caught the power of placebo in action.

For full article, click here:
http://www.gvnr.com/81/3.htm

Soldiers Ripe to Resist?
By Ruth Rosen, San Francisco Chronicle

President Bush is busily trying to convince Americans that the war in Iraq is a phenomenal success. Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by the military newspaper Stars and Stripes found that half of the troops described their unit's morale as low and a third complained that their mission had little or no value. Many viewed themselves as sitting ducks, rather than soldiers engaged in war.

For full article, click here:
http://www.gvnr.com/81/editorial.htm

It Doesn't Matter
By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for,
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love,
for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.

For full article, click here:
http://www.gvnr.com/81/soul_food.htm

The Record of The Life And Teachings of Wu-Ming
Compiled by Master Tung-Wang, Abbott of Han-hsin monastery in the Thirteenth year of the Earth Dragon period (898)

My dear friend, the most reverend master Tung-Wang,

Old and ill, I lay here knowing that writing this note will be my last act upon this earth and that by the time you read it I will be gone from this life.

Though we have not seen each other in the many years since we studied together under our most venerable Master, I have often thought of you, his most worthy successor. Monks from throughout China say that you are a true lion of the Buddha Dharma; one whose eye is a shooting star, whose hands snatch lightning, and whose voice booms like thunder. It is said that your every action shakes heaven and earth and causes the elephants and dragons of delusion to scatter helplessly. I am told that your monastery is unrivaled in severity, and that under your exacting guidance hundreds of monks pursue their training with utmost zeal and vigor. I've also heard that in the enlightened successor department your luck has not been so good. Which brings me to the point of this letter.

I ask that you now draw your attention to the young man to whom this note is attached. As he stands before you, no doubt smiling stupidly as he stuffs himself with pickled cucumbers, you may be wondering if he is as complete a fool as he appears, and if so, what prompted me to send him to you. In answer to the first question, I assure you that Wu-Ming's foolishness is far more complete than mere appearance would lead you to believe. As for the second question, I can only say that despite so benumbed a condition, or perhaps because of it, still more likely, despite of and because of it, Wu-Ming seems to unwittingly and accidentally serve the function of a great Bodhisattva. Perhaps he can be of service to you.

Allow him sixteen hours of sleep daily and provide him with lots of pickled cucumbers and Wu-Ming will always be happy. Expect nothing of him and you will be happy.

Respectfully,
Chin-Mang

For full article, click here:
http://www.gvnr.com/81/lighter_side.htm

We welcome your comments and feedback.  Please limit comments to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit letters which are longer than this.