Mining threatens new Afghan Buddhas (audio)

David Leveille, TheWorld.org (Geo Quiz, Nov. 9, 2012); ZenPundit; Wisdom Quarterly

A gold-plated seated Buddha overlooks China's impending MCC mine (Brent E. Huffman/CNN).

  

CIA's Taliban demolishing Buddha (CNN/XTL)

For [The World's] "Geo Quiz" picture: a golden Buddha sitting atop a mountain of copper [gold, and rare earth minerals]. We’re looking for one of the largest underground copper deposits in the world. It’s in an eastern province of Afghanistan southeast of Kabul.

A Chinese company has purchased the right to mine the site. And cash-strapped Afghanistan stands to reap billions of dollars in revenue from the deal. But there’s a hitch.

(TheAbdaliBacha) Filmmaker Brent E. Huffman addresses the effort to save an ancient Buddhist archeological site from Chinese mining interests.

  

Bamiyan Buddha (culturalpropertylaw)

There’s an ancient Buddhist monastery [the oldest known and perhaps the most magnificent, situated near Siddhartha's birthplace, the actual Kapilavastu] there and the site is full of centuries old Buddha statues and artifacts.
  

Mining operations threaten all of them, and archaeologists are scrambling to save what they can. So which is more important? The copper representing Afghanistan’s economic potential -- or the Buddhas representing its cultural heritage?
  

For now just tackle this simpler question: Name the site where ancient Buddhas may soon be destroyed by a copper mine that’s set to start operations in December [2012]. Answer + Photos + Video

• Afghanistan's Vanishing Buddhas (Foreign Policy)
• Brent E. Huffman is a documentary filmmaker and assistant professor at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern Univ. He started making a film about the Mes Aynak site in the summer of 2011 thinking he would be documenting the site before it was demolished and recording the process of rescue archeology. Now he hopes he can use his film to raise awareness to actually save Mes Aynak. 

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What do Hip Hop and Islam have in common?

Michael Rass (TheWorld.org); Seven, Boo, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly

"When I can finally drive and have my own car, I'm going to trick it out!" FEMEN protest advocates for women's rights for drivers in Islamic countries (cryptome.org)

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - We have already seen that one can be a Buddhist and a gangsta rap fan, even going to extremes enjoying heavy (death) metal. But what do Hip Hop and Islam have in common? The World's Marco Werman speaks with passionate radio host Big Hass (Hassan Denawi), who has made it his mission to bring “true” Hip Hop to his country.

  

First of all, What does "Hip Hop" mean? Hip means "to know," to be hip, to be in on it. Hop means "to move," to dance, to get involved. So Hip Hop is quite literally about "conscious movement," at least it was originally. These modern rappers, who are more about the money and conspicuous consumption, are almost the antithesis of Hip Hop.

  

"Get hopping if you're hip to this jive, my b@#$%)(s!" (ABCNews/AP)

  

Jesus was Black says Bible (Rev 1:12-18)

Rooted in the poverty created by the USA's unspoken class-warfare, class-consciousness arose. American Islam in the Black community had more than a little something to do with that. Hip Hop's astounding popularity worldwide owes something to artists who are now more about bling-bling than the original thing. (We're looking at you, Kanye). So it goes both ways. 

  

There is still room for elevating consciousness, remembering Tupac and senseless Black-on-Black violence that supports the status quo, reading Michelle Alexander, modern slavery in America, and not caving in to the caricatured mass media representation of Black and urban culture in America.  

Asian Buddha statues with African features?

Buddhism, with its emphasis on freedom, wisdom, and compassion for our fellow beings -- and Islam, originally a religion of peace, have much in common. Of course, one would never know that watching TV or FOX News. Fortunately we still have the street, each other, and public radio like Pacifica and Public Radio International and its offshoots.

"Can you believe this brother, sister?"

(TED Talks in English) Big Hass on Hip Hop culture and Islam

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Pussy Riot: Punks Against Putin (video)

TheWorld.org; Guardian.co.uk; Wisdom Quarterly

Russia was never actually atheist. That was just an official position. Siberia is Buddhist as was the USSR in Central Asia (including the only indigenously Buddhist part of Europe: Kalmykia. But "Russians" are Christians who conquered neighboring lands for empire. It is a country of blue-eyed blondes. It tried to do the right thing and live communally. But corruption ruined it. Punks call out its new emperor, Putin, a KGB chief and uber-hypocrite to rival US leaders.

The all-female Russian punk band Pussy Riot ran afoul of the Kremlin with protest performances [in church]. Their impromptu show in one of Moscow’s holiest sanctuaries, the [Eastern Orthodox] Cathedral of Christ the Savior, was pretty wild. They sang their tune, “Holy Mother, Throw Putin Out!” The women were arrested in February and have been in jail since [after their video of the stunt garnered too much attention and they became a scapegoat for Putin’s dilemma].
   
Last week a judge ordered them to remain in custody to await their July trial. And if they’re eventually convicted, they face up to seven years in prison. The Moscow News Deputy Editor Natalia Antonova wrote in The Guardian last week that the women are “scapegoats for Russia’s political crisis.” She tells [TheWorld.org’s] anchor Marco Werman why: More 

• Pussy Riot are scapegoats for Russia's political crisis
• The World: Russia’s Anti-Putin All-Girl Punk Band
• Swedish fans bemused by topless protest (FEMEN)
• VIDEO: "The Invisible War" - U.S. military sexism
• PHOTOS: Topless protest in Ukraine for Swedish fans

VIDEO: FEMEN activists go topless chanting "F**k Euro!"

Italian: Miss Euro 2012 supporters paint their nude bodies

PHOTOS: Topless protest at Warsaw Stadium for Euro 2012

FEMEN, like many Europeans, is against the Euro system.

• Who is FEMEN? (Bikini Drill Team @ Occupy LA)

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