Bin Laden's Achilles Heel

[Mehitabel]

Thanks, tagos, great article. We were just moving beyond the Blumenbach five-race model when I got to school.

In everyday speech, race is often used to describe populations that are better defined as ethnic groups. This often leads to discrepancies between “scientific” views on race and popular usage to the term. For instance in many parts of the United States, categories such as Hispanic or Latino are used to define race in much the same way as terms such as white and black have been traditionally used, though Hispanics constitute a linguistic and cultural grouping that may come from a wide variety of backgrounds.

This is what I was told, pretty much.

In much of Europe groups such as Roma, Turks, and Arabs are commonly defined as racially distinct from “white” Europeans, though all of these groups are considered to be “Caucasian” in traditional physical anthropology.

“I did not know that.” </Johnny Carson> That explains a bit about where

In biomedical research, the 2000 US census definition of race is often applied. This grouping recognizes five races: black or African American, white, Asian, native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska native. However, this definition is inconsistently applied between studies.

Yes, it gets tricky, and it must be strange for a Yank with southern Indian ancestry with straight black hair, black eyes, and skin darker than many of his “black” friends to check off ‘white’ instead of ‘Asian’, but that’s politics for you. And then I’ve heard from Brits that ‘Asian’ does indeed mean people from the Indian subcontinent over there… :smack:

Again, thanks for the article. Lots to ,munch on.

[Mehitabel]

:smack: again, incomplete sentence there!

“I did not know that.” </Johnny Carson> That explains a bit about where clairobscur is coming from again, especially if some Europeans (leaving aside Hitler and other discredited psychopaths, we’ve all moved beyond that) use ‘race’ for Caucausian ethnic groups.

[GaWd]

Mehitabel, Anyone from the indian subcontinent is an “asian”, even in America. So Pakistanis, Indians, Bangaledeshians, Chinese, Etc. are all Asian. It’s an idea in ethnicity that is becoming more widespread attention in teaching.

As for the OP-I’d vent my gourd on his ignorant ass, but I seem to be a little late to the party and he seems to have disappeared for the most part.

Sam

[rjung]

@Jinx

I know this question presumes Bin Laden has a brain

Considering that Osama has managed, for the last four years, to make the United States of America do exactly what he wanted us to do all along (withdraw troops from Saudi Arabia, provoke a war against the Middle East, grow anti-American sentiments and bolster his ranks, etc.), I’d say it’s dangerous to underestimate the intelligence of the guy.

[FinnAgain]

@clairobscur

I’m not aware of an appropriate word that would be equivalent to “racism”. Like in hateful and disparaging comments adressed at a group of people on the basis of them having a specific ethnic background<snip> But given the number of comments about arabs or muslims on this board that wouldn’t past muster, and would result in a pile up and possibly a ban, if they were directed at blacks or Jews, we’re in dire need of such an appropriate word. I’m really fed up reading all this crap getting a free pass.
.

A-fucking-men.
This shit makes me sick.

[spingears]

Several posts asked for cites regarding information on Who invented algebra and When.

History of Algebra

For the mathematicaly inclined check out the link at the bottom of the page.

The Arabs invented ‘Algebra’ in name only. IIRC one of their most signifigant contributions was the concept of “0” i.e. ZERO.