Maureen Anderson: My Harshest Critic: How a Blistering Review of My First Book Silenced the Critic Within

I always imagined getting my first book reviewed by a big newspaper. I had heard many wonderful things about Staying the Course: A Runner's Toughest Race, the memoir I wrote for Dick Beardsley, by the time it was written up in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Dick's a marathon champion turned farm accident survivor and recovering drug addict. The reviewer had a lot of respect for Dick, but thought someone else should have written his story.

"He deserves a better book. This one is filled with exclamation points and italicized words instead of passion or insight. It's a soulless, connect-the-dots portrait."

Ouch.

Writing Staying the Course had been a mystical experience for me. I was filled with such purpose and peace it was as if magic dust had been sprinkled on my computer. Everything I'm good at, everything I've ever loved doing, I put to use. It broke my heart to turn in the manuscript because I wouldn't have it to work on anymore.

Then this. We continued hearing from readers who loved the book and were inspired to change their lives because of it. It didn't help. They say there's no such thing as bad publicity. I doubted "they" are people whose work is trashed in the media. It was like taking years to build a dream home, finally moving in, and then spending one night there. Before I could get back from the grocery store the next morning someone had set fire to it. There was nothing left but ashes.

I did okay at first. Part of me felt like a real artist. To have gotten to the point where people were taking shots -- at least I was getting noticed. I had a new appreciation for those who work in the public arena. I was proud of taking a risk, proud of doing my best. I told myself that what anyone thought was really none of my business.

Then it sunk in. For a couple of days I pulled the review out and read it over and over, as if memorizing it could take the sting out of the "I can't believe this happened" feeling. It didn't work. I sobbed. My husband's patience was tested. Better equipped to solve problems than to sit with feelings, he had difficulty understanding the way to help was just to be there. Our daughter Katie -- then seven -- was unmoved as well. "You think that's bad?" she exclaimed. "A girl in my class said the snacks you made taste like laundry soap. And she's tasted laundry soap so she knows!" The child was punished -- no snack privileges for a week. Ironically Darrell soothed this time, wishing he could take away the reviewer's snack privileges, too.

The thing was, just because the review hurt didn't mean it was wrong. Maybe I wasn't a very good writer. You could take everything anyone ever said about the book. What got printed was what this person said. Some resume.

A few months later a writing coach critiqued an essay I'd written about my feelings on Kate's first day of kindergarten. She thought the piece was "remarkably depressing." There's no lesson learned, she added, no resolution to a problem. An essay should inspire, she continued, and this one didn't.

There it was. Two independent sources. My writing sucked.

Or did it? Everyone else who read the kindergarten essay loved it. I was proud of it, and that hadn't changed. I thanked the coach for her assessment, and submitted it to someone else that evening. Before long, the editor of Spirituality & Health magazine was on the phone, wanting to publish it. "It's wonderful!" he said. "One of our editors read it and said, 'You're going to love this one' -- and she doesn't even have kids... " The piece appeared that spring, a three-page spread complete with photos.

Then it clicked. What I'd been taught in sales training: SWSWSW. Some will, some won't, so what. So the person who reviewed my book didn't like it. So what. My newfound detachment helped me realize he was right about a couple of things. The book is filled with exclamation points and italicized words, and I would go easier on those if I was writing it today.

Rejections still hurt, and I'm still at the mercy of the person reviewing my latest pitch. Maybe it will sell, maybe it won't. I'm not the only one writing my life story, of course. But like a true journalist, I'll keep experimenting... and reporting back on the results.

?

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Lakers beat Clippers 113-108

Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) shoots as Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan defends during the first half of their NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 4, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) shoots as Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan defends during the first half of their NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 4, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) shoots as Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan defends during the first half of their NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 4, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward Josh McRoberts defends during the first half of their NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 4, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Ramon Sessions, right, tries to put up a shot as Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 4, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, right, goes after a rebound along with Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, of Spain, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 4, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

(AP) ? Kobe Bryant willed the Los Angeles Lakers to a crucial victory over the Clippers, who won style points with some flashy plays but couldn't overcome a well-rested Andrew Bynum.

Bynum scored 36 points after missing a game with a sprained left ankle, Bryant added 31 and the Lakers won 113-108 on Wednesday night to widen their Pacific Division lead to 2? games over the second-place Clippers. The Lakers also snapped the Clippers' winning streak at six, the franchise's best in 20 years.

"Kobe didn't want to lose," Bynum said. "We are fighting for a playoff spot. They are one game behind us, so we had to get this win."

By taking two out of three against their Staples Center co-tenants, the Lakers also earned the head-to-head tiebreaker in a game that could help decide the division winner and playoff seeding in the West. The division winner will likely earn the No. 3 seed behind Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

"They're going to make spectacular plays, but we talked about playing poised and composed," Bryant said. "They have so many weapons. But it's not any different than some of the other top teams that we face in the league. The crowd obviously gave them a lot of energy and their bench gave them a lot of energy, but we maintained our composure and made big plays."

Former Laker Caron Butler scored 28 points to lead six Clippers in double figures. Chris Paul added 22 points and 16 assists, Blake Griffin had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the West's fourth-place team, the designated home team in this matchup.

"Ain't no moral victories around here," Paul said. "They won the game and that's that."

Ramon Sessions added 16 points and eight assists for the Lakers, who won their fourth in a row.

"We miscommunicated a lot of times, worried about Kobe a little too much and we were giving up layups to Sessions," Paul said.

Bynum bounced back with an offensive performance that was one point off his season high after injuring his ankle Sunday and running afoul of the front office with some questionable on-court behavior.

"It hurts a little bit, especially on spin moves," Bynum said. "I found more little things out there that hurt so I tried to stay away from them. As the game progresses, the pain subsides."

With the Lakers clinging to a two-point lead, Bryant hit a jumper over Randy Foye to make it 110-106 with 24 seconds left. Paul missed a jumper and Griffin was called for a loose ball foul on Pau Gasol, who made one of two free throws with 18 seconds left.

"Both teams really wanted it," former Clipper and current Laker Steve Blake said. "It was physical and both teams were changing their game plans on the fly and it was fun to be out there."

Griffin's tip drew the Clippers within three, but Nick Young fouled Matt Barnes, who made both free throws. Paul's turnover and foul gave the Lakers the ball with 4 seconds to go, ending the Clippers' chances to win the season series for the first in 19 years.

"Our defense wasn't as good as we'd like it to be and that was part of the problem," Paul said. "We sort of gave up everything. They had 63 in the first half. Kobe was shooting a lot early. He had it going and so did Bynum."

The Clippers trailed by 11 to start the fourth and scored the first eight points to get to 92-89. Young had nine of their first 12 points. Eric Bledsoe hit a 3-pointer to get the Clippers to 98-96. The final 7 minutes were a four-point game.

Paul's jumper tied it at 102 and the Clippers took their first lead, 104-103, since early in the game on Jordan's hook.

Bryant scored over Butler and then Metta World Peace stole the ball from Paul. Bynum got fouled and made one of two free throws to put the Lakers back in front, 106-104. After consecutive turnovers by both teams, Sessions scored on a driving layup with 47 seconds left to keep the Lakers ahead by four.

"We had a couple key turnovers and they made the bigger plays at the end of the game," said Paul, who had two of the Clippers' four turnovers in the final 2:45. "We got to learn how to win these games and close these out. It was a good learning process for us because this is how the playoffs are."

The Lakers led 73-61 early in the third quarter. The Clippers rallied on a 12-5 run that cut their deficit to five points. Griffin soared to dunk one-handed over Gasol, who argued that Griffin had fouled him with the monster move that sent Gasol staggering toward the floor. But Griffin drew the foul and missed the free throw.

"I really didn't see the ball when it went in. I was on my (rear)," Gasol said. "It happened too quick. I don't have a great desire to watch it (again)."

Griffin hoped it would give the Clippers some much-needed momentum.

"It was exciting," Paul said, "but at the end of the day we lost. Who cares?"

Jordan dunked to reinvigorate the crowd and Butler scored the final five points in the spurt.

But the Lakers answered with a 14-8 run to end the third up 92-78. Bynum had seven points and Bryant six.

"It looked like his ankle wasn't giving him any problems," Griffin said.

Jordan made a great play after trying to save the ball from going out of bounds with a leap over the courtside seats. His save got intercepted by the Lakers, but he climbed back over the seats and took off running. He dashed up behind Sessions and poked the ball away, leading to a 3-pointer by Butler to end the third.

NOTES: The Clippers' seven-game home winning streak ended. ... There were 11 technicals in the teams' first two meetings, but there was just one individual technical against Sessions. ... Foye came in averaging 21.6 points and 3.3 assists in the Clippers' last three games, but he finished with 11 points and four assists. ... The Lakers improved to 12-15 on the road. ... The Clippers fell to 19-13 against teams with .500 or better records.

Associated Press

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When I think of iHome, I usually think of speaker systems and alarm clocks for mobile devices.? With the new iHome iDM5, I’ll have to add typing to my list.? You can use Bluetooth to connect the iDM5 to your phone, MP3 player, tablet, or computer and play music through the stereo speakers.? It’s equipped [...]

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Treasure Coast Real Estate | Palm Beach Gardens Homes For Sale ...

by starfish on April 5, 2012

Find Palm Beach Gardens Homes For Sale and Palm Beach Gardens Home Values. We also have information on mortgages, insurance, movers and other Treasure Coast Real Estate Services for anyone looking to sell or buy a home in beautiful Palm Beach COUNTY Florida.

Paul Kitchen and Starfish Team provide clients, family and close friends with professional, honest and dependable service. A resident of Treasure Coast, Paul is extremely familiar with the local neighborhoods including Palm Beach Gardens, school districts and the Treasure Coast Real Estate market in this beautiful Florida town.

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Traditional Tanzanian music falls in popularity, but demands preservation

Muziki wa dansi music was inspired by Tanzanian national pride after its independence in the 1960s. Today, a heritage project is trying to archive the unique music for future generations.

? A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.

Skip to next paragraph

Muziki wa dansi ? a uniquely Swahili blend of jazz, rumba, and traditional music ? was born in newly independent Tanzania in the 1960s, on a wave of national pride. For decades Tanzanians swayed to these beats, broadcast by the country?s only radio station.

?It was all about love, all about unity, all about coming together and building a new nation,? says Benson Rukantabula. ?When you listen to the music now, you still have the same feeling.?

Think you know Africa? Take our geography quiz.

But not many Tanzanians still do listen. In recent decades, muziki wa dansi has been replaced on the airwaves by Western Top 40 hits.

Now, around 250,000 hours of Tanzanian classics ? along with tribal dances and historic speeches ? are moldering in the archives of the Tanzanian Broadcasting Corporation, on reel-to-reel analog tapes slowly turning to dust. The Tanzania Heritage Project, which Mr. Rukantabula cofounded, is fighting to keep this music alive, raising money to digitize it and make it available to the public once again.

?Every minute that these tapes sit in the heat and humidity of Dar es Salaam, the quality is being reduced,? says Rebecca Corey, another of the project?s cofounders. ?As the last of these musicians passes on,? she adds, ?there will be no one to carry on these traditions if no one can hear the music.?

King Kiki, a Tanzanian musical legend, has been playing rumba for 50 years. ?A few young people these days like my music, but not many,? he says. ?With time, they will come to appreciate it.?

Think you know Africa? Take our geography quiz.

Get daily or weekly updates from?CSMonitor.com?delivered to your inbox.?Sign up today.

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Facilitating the work of forensic scientists

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 4-Apr-2012
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Contact: Amaia Portugal
a.portugal@elhuyar.com
34-943-363-040
Elhuyar Fundazioa

A method to speed up gunshot residue detection and another capable of identifying antipsychotics in the brain are the latest pieces of work of the Metabolomips group of the University of the Basque Country

The University of the Basque Country's (UPV/EHU) METABOLOMIPs group develops analytical methods to help characterize different types of substances, and focuses on the forensic sciences, in particular. For example, they have just developed a methodology for detecting gunshot residues which comes up with the results in record time, and thanks to this they have had a paper published in Analytical Chemistry, one of the journals that has the broadest impact in this discipline.

This group belongs to the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy and comprises chemists, pharmacists, food technologists, etc. Its name, METABOLOMIPs, points to its two main areas of interest: metabolites and MIPs: "We deal mainly with research into biological fluids relating to forensics or drugs, and the compounds we do research on for this purpose tend to be metabolites. Another section of the group works on the development of electrochemical sensors to determine the metabolites, and these sensors are of the type known as MIPs [molecularly imprinted polymers]," explains Ramn J. Barrio, the head of the group.

On these two bases they work on different lines of research linked to food safety (the study of oenological matrices, etc.) or environmental analytical chemistry (emergent contaminants in waste water, etc.) but they make the point that what most characterises them is the field of analytical chemistry relating to bio-health and, in particular, the forensic discipline. In fact, Barrio is also the director of the Master's in Forensic Analysis course run by the UPV/EHU.

Gunshot residues

Gunshot residue detection is used to identify the person who pulled the trigger (the residues get stuck to the hands, for example) or to distinguish between a suicide and a murder. If it can be applied, the innovative methodology being proposed by METABOLOMIPs has greater advantages in terms of time and cost than the one currently being used in forensic laboratories. "A technique based on electron microscopy has existed up until now to see whether the shot was fired by a certain individual. It is very expensive and each analysis takes between eight and ten hours. We have come up with one in which we can produce reliable analyses within an hour," claims Barrio.

Instead of using electronic miscroscopy, this method involves a technique combining laser ablation and mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to detect metals and isotopes unique to gunshot residues. It starts by gathering the inorganic residues found on the skin of the person suspected of firing the shot, the laser extracts the material from the surface, and mass spectrometry measures the presence of these metals and isotopes in it. According to the article, this technique would enable smaller residues to be worked on, it would be more straightforward, cheaper and faster (less than 66 minutes), and its effectiveness in four types of firearms has been proven.

Antipsychotic drugs in the brain

But the paper on gunshot residues is not the only one that METABOLOMIPs has had published recently. The journal Forensic Science International has reported on another analytical method developed by this group, in this case to determine the presence of psychotic substances in the human brain and designed to be used in the forensic area, specifically in post mortem diagnostic tests. "We have developed a methodology to determine a series of drugs that are prescribed to treat schizophrenia and different types of psychosis. The aim is that when a person dies for forensic reasons, it is possible to analyse and decide whether these substances have accumulated in his or her brain," says Barrio. And the fact is, when a person needs lifelong treatment of this kind, it can lead to consequences that can even be linked to his or her death: "When these substances accumulate in the brain, they can cause other dysfunctions, like neurodegenerative disease. And we have even thought that they could lead to suicide, although many analyses have to be done to prove that."

One of the things that Barrio highlights in this article is that they have been working on matter that is very difficult to get hold of: the brain. Specifically, they have used the UPV/EHU's brain bank, and all the samples analysed have come from suicide cases. METABOLOMIPs have developed this method for Cibersam, the Networked Biomedical Research Centre devoted to Mental Health. And another point that should be highlighted is team work, going beyond the group even. In the field of neurosciences, as in this case, they are working together with Javier Meana of the UPV/EHU's Department of Pharmacology. "Our mission is to produce a data base with sufficient samples of compound compositions in the brain, and not just of anti-psychotic drugs," he concludes.

###



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?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 4-Apr-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Amaia Portugal
a.portugal@elhuyar.com
34-943-363-040
Elhuyar Fundazioa

A method to speed up gunshot residue detection and another capable of identifying antipsychotics in the brain are the latest pieces of work of the Metabolomips group of the University of the Basque Country

The University of the Basque Country's (UPV/EHU) METABOLOMIPs group develops analytical methods to help characterize different types of substances, and focuses on the forensic sciences, in particular. For example, they have just developed a methodology for detecting gunshot residues which comes up with the results in record time, and thanks to this they have had a paper published in Analytical Chemistry, one of the journals that has the broadest impact in this discipline.

This group belongs to the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy and comprises chemists, pharmacists, food technologists, etc. Its name, METABOLOMIPs, points to its two main areas of interest: metabolites and MIPs: "We deal mainly with research into biological fluids relating to forensics or drugs, and the compounds we do research on for this purpose tend to be metabolites. Another section of the group works on the development of electrochemical sensors to determine the metabolites, and these sensors are of the type known as MIPs [molecularly imprinted polymers]," explains Ramn J. Barrio, the head of the group.

On these two bases they work on different lines of research linked to food safety (the study of oenological matrices, etc.) or environmental analytical chemistry (emergent contaminants in waste water, etc.) but they make the point that what most characterises them is the field of analytical chemistry relating to bio-health and, in particular, the forensic discipline. In fact, Barrio is also the director of the Master's in Forensic Analysis course run by the UPV/EHU.

Gunshot residues

Gunshot residue detection is used to identify the person who pulled the trigger (the residues get stuck to the hands, for example) or to distinguish between a suicide and a murder. If it can be applied, the innovative methodology being proposed by METABOLOMIPs has greater advantages in terms of time and cost than the one currently being used in forensic laboratories. "A technique based on electron microscopy has existed up until now to see whether the shot was fired by a certain individual. It is very expensive and each analysis takes between eight and ten hours. We have come up with one in which we can produce reliable analyses within an hour," claims Barrio.

Instead of using electronic miscroscopy, this method involves a technique combining laser ablation and mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to detect metals and isotopes unique to gunshot residues. It starts by gathering the inorganic residues found on the skin of the person suspected of firing the shot, the laser extracts the material from the surface, and mass spectrometry measures the presence of these metals and isotopes in it. According to the article, this technique would enable smaller residues to be worked on, it would be more straightforward, cheaper and faster (less than 66 minutes), and its effectiveness in four types of firearms has been proven.

Antipsychotic drugs in the brain

But the paper on gunshot residues is not the only one that METABOLOMIPs has had published recently. The journal Forensic Science International has reported on another analytical method developed by this group, in this case to determine the presence of psychotic substances in the human brain and designed to be used in the forensic area, specifically in post mortem diagnostic tests. "We have developed a methodology to determine a series of drugs that are prescribed to treat schizophrenia and different types of psychosis. The aim is that when a person dies for forensic reasons, it is possible to analyse and decide whether these substances have accumulated in his or her brain," says Barrio. And the fact is, when a person needs lifelong treatment of this kind, it can lead to consequences that can even be linked to his or her death: "When these substances accumulate in the brain, they can cause other dysfunctions, like neurodegenerative disease. And we have even thought that they could lead to suicide, although many analyses have to be done to prove that."

One of the things that Barrio highlights in this article is that they have been working on matter that is very difficult to get hold of: the brain. Specifically, they have used the UPV/EHU's brain bank, and all the samples analysed have come from suicide cases. METABOLOMIPs have developed this method for Cibersam, the Networked Biomedical Research Centre devoted to Mental Health. And another point that should be highlighted is team work, going beyond the group even. In the field of neurosciences, as in this case, they are working together with Javier Meana of the UPV/EHU's Department of Pharmacology. "Our mission is to produce a data base with sufficient samples of compound compositions in the brain, and not just of anti-psychotic drugs," he concludes.

###



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


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Did the shroud actually inspire the Gospels?

NBC's Keith Miller discusses the debate over the Shroud of Turin in a 2010 report.

By Alan Boyle

The Shroud of Turin has been seen as many things over the past 620 years, ranging from true burial cloth of the risen Jesus to clever medieval fake, but Cambridge art historian Thomas de Wesselow puts together a 448-page-long case for one of the lesser-known theories in his new book, "The Sign": that the shroud's negative image of a naked, bloodied man was really produced by Jesus' decomposition, and that the stories of his resurrection were inspired by the display of that cloth to his earliest disciples.

"The message really is that the Shroud of Turin is authentic," de Wesselow told me. "This is the only rational way of understanding this image. It can be understood entirely naturalistically. There's no reason to invoke a miracle to explain the image."


De Wesselow acknowledged this could be a hard sell for believers as well as for skeptics. "There are two big things I am arguing against," he admitted.

He's already taking flak from both sides.

"It's breathtakingly astonishing," said Joe Nickell, a senior research fellow at the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry who has written extensively about the shroud. "He's clearly not a doubting Thomas. He's come up with some rather silly ideas, and then as people often do, he's fallen in love with them."

Meanwhile, in a column about the shroud, the Catholic Herald's Francis Phillips basically brushed off de Wesselow's views, saying they were "too eccentric to reproduce here."

Legends and lore for Easter
"The Sign" is the latest example of shroud lore that comes out during the Easter season, just around the time when millions of Christians are dwelling on the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. (I'm linking to other examples at the end of this item.) The Shroud of Turin has a clear line of provenance going back to around 1390, but when you try to go further back, you can easily get swept up in tales of the Knights Templar and legendary relics like the Veil of Veronica and the Holy Mandylion.

De Wesselow comes at the story from his background in art history. He's been researching the story of the shroud full-time for the past five years, and has woven together an explanation from scientific findings that seem to support the shroud's authenticity, plus perspectives on the animist beliefs of ancient peoples.

"I've studied images, what they mean and how they affect people," de Wesselow said. "In the old days, people saw images as potentially alive. They had potentially a consciousness. ... That type of thinking was absolutely standard before the modern age. It has nothing to do with an optical illusion, and it has nothing to do with people being stupid."

De Wesselow picks up on the idea that the shroud is actually a "vaporograph," colored by a chemical reaction between the gases exuded by a dead body and the carbohydrate deposits on the surface of Jesus' burial cloth. Blood stains were left on the cloth as well. When the shroud was taken from the body, the ghostly image remained behind ? and de Wesselow said Jesus' disciples could have interpreted that image as the spiritual manifestation of their leader.

"The appearances of the risen Jesus were simply viewings of the shroud image," he said.

Here's what de Wesselow thinks happened next: After a series of viewings in the Holy Land, the shroud was and taken to the city of Edessa in modern-day Turkey, where it came to be folded up, framed and venerated by the Byzantine Christians as the Mandylion. The cloth was transferred to Constantinople in the 10th century, and disappeared in the year 1204, only to turn up again in France in the 1300s. The shroud was transferred to Turin in 1578, and it's been there ever since.

Holes in the theory?
What about the biblical references to the risen Jesus conversing with the apostles, or eating fish to prove he was really real, or letting St. Thomas touch his wounds? De Wesselow noted that the first accounts of the crucifixion and resurrection were written down decades after they supposedly occurred. "In that time, there's plenty of room for all the legends to be added to the story. ... These are stories written by sophisticated individuals later on to prove the point that there was a physical resurrection," he said.

Is there any evidence that dead bodies could actually produce the sort of vaporograph that de Wesselow is talking about? "We haven't got anything precisely similar," he acknowledged, "but I don't think that's surprising."

He pointed to a phenomenon known as the Jospice Imprint: In 1981, a cancer patient died at an English hospice and left a partial imprint of his body and face on a mattress cover. "It seems to have been formed from urine pooling around his body," de Wesselow said. That's not what he thinks happened in Jesus' case, but he nevertheless cited the imprint as "another example of a strange image."

De Wesselow totally buys into the evidence provided by the Shroud of Turin Research Project, to the effect that the image is not an artistic forgery but the real imprint of a battered man from centuries ago. That's a huge leap of faith right there. If you accept that, there are only so many types of explanations for the shroud you can come up with. De Wesselow said his explanation addresses the shroud mystery as well as the roots of belief in Jesus' resurrection.

"There are explanations involving a miracle, or that Jesus was spiritually resurrected and appeared in visions to his disciples," de Wesselow told me. "Since the 18th century, scientists have tried to explain the resurrection, and they've basically given up. They've basically forgotten about the whole problem. What I think I can do is provide a fairly coherent explanation which is completely naturalistic. It's a better alternative to the traditional Christian view."

Live Poll

What do you think of the Shroud?

  • 180524

    It's fake. Why are we still hearing about this?

    37%

  • 180525

    It's the real result of the resurrection.

    39%

  • 180526

    The relic is real, the resurrection isn't.

    13%

  • 180527

    None of the above. (Feel free to explain in comments below.)

    12%

VoteTotal Votes: 1850

A skeptic speaks
Nickell, however, prefers to stick with his own skeptical view. "I think the resurrection appearances can be seen as pretty much the same kind of thing we have today with apparitional experiences ? ghosts, if you will," Nickell said. "We could see ourselves in such a situation with, say, Elvis sightings. You can understand them as experiences that people had but were illusory."

The way Nickell sees it, the biggest argument against de Wesselow's "cloth-as-Jesus" hypothesis comes from the scriptures themselves: There are only vague references to burial cloths in Matthew, Mark and Luke. The gospel of John, meanwhile, refers to Jesus being covered by separate cloths for the face and the body, which is "fatal to the Shroud of Turin," Nickell said.

"The bottom line for me is, if this author were correct, and Jesus' shroud had survived, surely one of the holy evangelists would have made note of it," Nickell said. "If it had been kept and had a remarkable picture of Jesus on it, we would have known about it. And we don't."

So what do you think? Is the shroud a fake, a miracle, or the real relic of a dead man? Register your opinion by clicking on the poll above, and/or leaving a comment below.

More on the Shroud of Turin:


Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

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Marche on in - Food & Drink - Broadsheet Melbourne

5017 Marche on in /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/marche /media/images/2012/04/05/mini-marche-8_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

5019 The Sharing House on The Wharf /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/sharing-house-wharf /media/images/2012/04/05/Sharing_House_037-edited_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

5003 Chapel Street - Weeding out the Goods /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/chapel-street-weeding-out-goods /media/images/2012/04/04/miletos_-10_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

5004 Staying Open Over Easter /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/staying-open-over-easter-2012 /media/images/2012/04/04/Hobba-Cafe-1-of-19_RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

5007 A Welcome Respite in the CBD /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/welcome-respite-cbd /media/images/2012/04/04/oli--levi-2_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4996 Get Your Phat Brats /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/phat-brats /media/images/2012/04/03/phat-brats-14_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4997 Study Up at The Reading Room /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/study-up-the-reading-room /media/images/2012/04/03/LR_2132_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4991 Crumbs Goes Vegan in North Melbourne /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/crumbs-goes-vegan-north-melbourne /media/images/2012/04/02/LR_2169_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4992 Fifty-Six Worthy Threads /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/fifty-six-worthy-threads /media/images/2012/04/02/LR_2060_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4985 Hoboken is Bringing the Burgers /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/hoboken-bringing-burgers /media/images/2012/03/30/12_choice_1_Hoboken_-_Broadsheet_-_Bamford_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4987 A New Spout in Ripponlea /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/new-spout-ripponlea /media/images/2012/03/30/IMG_8981RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4988 Growing, Eating and Sustaining /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/growing-eating-and-sustaining /media/images/2012/03/30/07313_P8_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4974 The Tables are Pumping at Gasolina /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/tables-are-pumping-gasolina /media/images/2012/03/29/gasolina-16_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4977 The Sausage Sizzle Gets a Little Bit Fancy /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/sausage-sizzle-gets-little-bit-fancy /media/images/2012/03/29/riverland-9_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4968 Dine on Accessible Fare at the New-Look Circa /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/dine-accessible-fare-new-look-circa /media/images/2012/03/28/Prince_109_RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4969 Badger Vs Hawk /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/badger-vs-hawk /media/images/2012/03/28/badger-vs-hawk-2_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4970 Low and Slow Texas BBQ /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/low-and-slow-texas-bbq /media/images/2012/03/28/red_river_22_of_27_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4971 Savour the Seasonal Ingredient ? Autumn /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/savour-seasonal-ingredient-autumn /media/images/2012/03/28/mushroom3REISZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4961 Enter the Lab at Espresso Alley /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/enter-lab-espresso-alley /media/images/2012/03/27/espresso-alley-2_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4963 The Broadsheet Guide to Hot Cross Buns /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/the-broadsheet-guide-to-hot-cross-buns /media/images/2012/03/27/dench-5_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4957 Elceed Brings Retro Chic to Queensberry Street /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/elceed-brings-retro-chic-queensberry-street /media/images/2012/03/26/elceed-7_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4958 The Melbourne Food and Wine Twentieth Anniversary Gallery /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/the-melbourne-food-wine-twentieth-anniversary-gallery /media/images/2012/03/26/A_French_Cafe_in_Melbourne_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4950 The Nevermind Boys Swap Beer for Coffee at The Foodrinkery /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/nevermind-boys-swap-beer-coffee-foodrinkery /media/images/2012/03/23/_MG_1597_copy_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4945 A Salute to the Three Amigoes - Touch? Hombre! /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/salute-three-amigoes-touche-hombre /media/images/2012/03/22/touche_hombre_11_of_19_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4942 Travelling from the Garden to the Table and Back /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/travelling-garden-table-and-back /media/images/2012/03/22/Annie-Dec-2009-7-BCRESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4928 Milky Joes Comes with Crisps and a Pickle /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/milky-joes-comes-crisps-and-pickle /media/images/2012/03/21/milky-joes-9_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4934 A Cheeky Cider Workshop /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/cheeky-cider-workshop /media/images/2012/03/21/LLB-57RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4923 Hola Senoritas /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/hola-senoritas /media/images/2012/03/20/Senoritas-6_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4911 Besito Opens on Barkly /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/besito-opens-barkly /media/images/2012/03/19/besito-4_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4913 Tomato Day in North Fitzroy /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/tomato-day-north-fitzroy /media/images/2012/03/19/_MG_1006RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4902 Mind Your Meat ? A Conversation over Dinner with Sustainable Table /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/mind-your-meat-conversation-over-dinner-sustainable-table /media/images/2012/03/16/20120308200954_MG_1247_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4895 Swap Fruit for Bread at Hemingway in Thornbury /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/swap-fruit-bread-hemingway-thornbury /media/images/2012/03/15/Hemmingway_JForsyth_91_JPG_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4897 A Flea Market at The Docklands? /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/flea-market-docklands /media/images/2012/03/15/The_Flea_J_Forsyth_111_JPG_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4886 Where the Truck At - Finding Those Food Vans /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/where-truck-finding-those-food-vans /media/images/2012/03/14/truck_RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4887 Royal Mail Hotel: The Journey of a Dish /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/royal-mail-hotel-journey-dish /media/images/2012/03/14/Kitchen-Gardens-21_RESIZE_jpg_653x457_crop_q85_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4890 Baking Sourdough at Home /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/baking-sourdough-home /media/images/2012/03/14/112_RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4876 The Greenhouse by Joost for MFWF /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/greenhouse-joost-mfwf /media/images/2012/03/13/joost-24_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4877 Making Bike Safety Fun with Bikefest and Oslo Davis /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/making-bike-safety-fun-bikefest-and-oslo-davis /media/images/2012/03/13/MMMweb3RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4879 Saccharine Goodness Abounds at Sweet Crumble /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/saccharine-goodness-abounds-sweet-crumble /media/images/2012/03/26/Marshmallows-1_jpeg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4865 Champagne and Jayne: a Love Affair With Bubbles /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/champagne-and-jayne-love-affair-bubbles /media/images/2012/03/09/Champagne-AWRESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4858 After the Meal: A Taste for Excess /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/after-meal-taste-excess /media/images/2012/03/08/Nicholas-Poeleart-Dinner-in-the-Green-Room-by-James-Morgan-3614RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4849 From Marque or Modern ? Mark Best Opens in Melbourne /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/marque-or-modern-mark-best-opens-melbourne /media/images/2012/03/07/pei-modern-5_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4823 Eating With David Chang /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/eating-david-chang /media/images/2012/03/05/David-Chang_CREDIT-gabriele-stabile-2_RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4826 What?s Cooking at Golden Plains This Weekend? /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/whats-cooking-golden-plains-weekend /media/images/2012/03/05/_DSC1087RESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4816 Grub's Up, on Moor Street /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/grubs-moor-street /media/images/2012/03/02/grub-food-truck-10_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4819 Buntastic ? Steamed Chinese Pork, Chicken and Vegetable Buns /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/buntastic-steamed-chinese-pork-chicken-and-vegetable-buns /media/images/2012/03/02/Pork_Bun_-_Golden_Fields_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4812 Cooking from the Heart: A Journey Through Jewish Food /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/cooking-heart-journey-through-jewish-food /media/images/2012/03/01/CFM2_37_KindliRESIZE_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4813 Cornutopia ? An Ode to Corn, on Wheels /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/cornutopia-ode-corn-wheels /media/images/2012/03/01/Cornutopia---L-Bamford-1_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4806 St Jude?s (Mostly) Gluten Free Menu /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/st-judes-mostly-gluten-free-menu /media/images/2012/02/29/IMG_0247_St-Judes_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

4807 Sketches & Tulip and Coffee Too /melbourne/food-and-drink/article/sketches-tulip-and-coffee-too /media/images/2012/02/29/sketch--tulip-14_jpg_94x66_crop_q85.jpg

kepler 22 b kepler 22 b st nicholas st nicholas mindy mccready mindy mccready cliff harris