text:
As Ramadan draws near, hiba presents an exclusive Ramadan prep infograph. The information in this infograph is taken from Shahr-u-Ramadan by Dr. Farhat Hashmi. Designed for hiba by Urooj Khan.
Click to enlarge
It was a usual sunny and bustling day of Karachi, when I reached my sister-in-law's home in the heart of the city. A home that was always warm and welcoming to all, who were friends of Allah (swt). Her mum-in-law had very kindly invited me to meet with Dr. Farhat Hashmi visiting from Islamabad – the lady behind a magnificent brand called "Al-Huda International".
I choose to call it a brand, because "Al-Huda" is truly a symbol of women entrepreneurship in obedience to the Lord (swt). It states what a Muslim woman ought to be: a doting daughter, a passionate and compassionate spouse, an inspiring mother and a self-aware and diligently contributing vital member of the Ummah. And this brand surfs forward against all tides of the time. And it is here to stay, by Allah's (swt) grace.
Spotting Dr. Hashmi seated next to a perplexed young lady seeking her counsel, I noticed her body language – calm, composed and attentively listening to the heart felt miseries of someone, who sought valuable advice from her. No one would have guessed that this simple and serene lady was a source of spreading the love and knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah into the hearts and homes of unimaginable ailing souls.
Suddenly, I was shoved forward by a very sweet "Al-Huda" representative to take my seat as the next candidate; otherwise, I might miss my chance of a conversation. I quickly grabbed the chance I was offered and kept praying to Allah (swt) to enable me to make the most of this meeting with one of the Ashaab-e-Ilm (people of the knowledge). Amusingly at times, we are so mesmerized by certain personalities that we fear to make a fool out of ourselves. Thanks to the Lord (swt), Who saves ordinary people like me from utter humiliation and facilitates us in the best manner.
As I introduced myself to her, only wishing she remembered something about "Hiba", Dr. Farhat stumped me by saying, "You wrote an e-mail to me some time ago and you have a sister in Dubai." Only Allah (swt) helped me from stuttering and fumbling. I had only heard that a Hafizah has great memory. Here was a living testimony of it. My first lesson: pay attention to the people, whom you encounter, and don't just brush them off, as merely a query or a complaint.
Her radiant and smiling face put me at ease, in spite of the fact that I was given little time with her due to a time pressured schedule of further meetings awaiting her. So I began …
Question: In your opinion, what are the top three things every Muslim should do today?
Dr. Farhat: First and foremost, every Muslim must rectify his/her relationship with Allah (swt) and ensure that his/her Iman and Aqueedah are correct. Next, he/she must possess Husn-e-Ikhlaq – a pleasing conduct and mannerism. Lastly, he/she must nurture a spirit of a well-wisher for all humanity in general. (I gathered that hate and undue anger has to depart from our lives!)
Question: How do you spend time with the kids in the family?
Dr. Farhat: My own kids have grown up, Masha'Allah. Hence, I spend time with my grandchildren. I personally adore kids and dearly love to hear them. It grants a deep insight into their feelings and thoughts. Tragically, adults today talk and tirade more and hardly listen to them patiently, which is why the gap is widening between them.
Question: But don't you get itchy, when you hear them utter something wrong and the need to correct them suddenly takes over?
Dr. Farhat: I always let them question their choices. If they say something wrong or less correct, I ask them a reason for it, leading them to seek a solution for themselves. In that manner, they develop a sense of ownership of their actions and do not feel something is being imposed on them. It is my responsibility to educate them about Halal and Haram, but I cannot act for them. For example: When my grandson wants to pray at home, instead of the Masjid, I ask him, which act is greater in reward in the sight of Allah (swt)? He replies that praying in the Masjid is of course greater, and then I leave it to him to decide.
Question: How do you spend time with them?
Dr. Farhat: We talk and explore together. These days, I am reading a book by Iqbal Kilani Sahab "Kabeera Aur Sagheera Gunah" with my grandson. It opens ideas for discussion. I am not much of a screen person, as I belong to the earlier generation (chuckles merrily). But I love books. My grandchildren look forward to spending time with me, as much as I do with them.
Question: As a book lover, which publication would you like to recommend to the "Hiba" readers?
Dr. Farhat: "Fiqh Al Quloob" is written by Muhammad bin Ibrahim in Arabic. It relates to the understanding of the hearts. It also ingrains the majesty, magnificence and recognition of Allah (swt), which is the epitome of all relationships. This course is available on-line on our website as well as taking place at the Tariq Road branch of "Al-Huda" every Friday morning for those, who want to benefit from it.
Question: Jazak'Allah Khair for your valuable time and talk. As a concluding statement, what is your desire and dream for this Ummah?
Dr. Farhat: I pray to see every Muslim fulfill his covenant with Allah (swt). He/she should understand the reason, why he/she was sent to this world, because if something or someone does not fulfill his/her purpose in life, he/she is destroyed.
We are the inheritors of Anbiya (Prophets). They came with a mission to this world and have left it in our hands now to help heal the world. Hence, we must be committed to our obligation as a responsible believer.
"Hiba" is highly indebted to all those individuals, who arranged this interview and enabled the readers to catch a personal glimpse of Dr. Farhat Hashmi. It was, indeed, a reassurance to know that the Murabbis and coaches of the Ummah are striving very hard to uphold the principles of Islam; and they are truly the beacon of light that guide the society, when darkness overcomes our souls.
May Allah (swt) forgive all and guide all to become a source of pleasure for the Lord (swt). Ameen.
Dr. Farhat recites "Rabbi Zidni Ilma", when she commences her travel. She believes that Allah (swt) transforms an ordinary journey of a traveller into a source of Ilm and Tarbiyah and grants profuse opportunities of learning, while one interacts with people around him/her. Such are the ways of people of wisdom and Hikmah. They don't waste any moment of their lives. For they comprehend that every breath they take brings them closer to their death and meeting with Allah (swt). Hence, they stay alert and prepared.
This is a great and easy chance for those of us, who need to travel frequently, whether simply to collect our children from school, tuitions, etc., or to hustle back and forth for business needs. A simple Dua with a heart-felt emotion may transform our lives for the better, Insha'Allah.
Birthdays, Halloween, bridal showers, baby showers, this day, that day, and the endless Dholkis! Come February and the entire town is painted red. Love is in the air, or so we are made to believe. Girls are coordinating red clothes and accessories, while guys are crowding the flower shops. Vendors are pleased. Their business is doing well. Families at home are not sure whether they should switch off their television sets or shamelessly sit through the entire transmission, and witness what is being broadcast in the name of love. Parents and teenagers are equally dazed: should they jump in and join the maddening crowd or should they sit on the fence holding on to the tattering family values?
If we could, we would perhaps name every day of the year and celebrate it. It is as if we need reasons to splurge and show we are not slacking in this race. Allah mentions:
The trendsetters, the celebrities, the people that we drool over and follow in every word and action will dissociate themselves from their followers. What does that mean? It means that they will take no responsibility for the actions of their followers. And why would they do that? It is because on that Day when they won't be able to save themselves how can they possibly save anyone else?
"And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment. [And they should consider that] when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed [them], and they [all] see the punishment, and cut off from them are the ties [of relationship]. Those who followed will say: 'If only we had another turn [at worldly life] so we could disassociate ourselves from them as they have disassociated themselves from us.' Thus will Allah show them their deeds as regrets upon them. And they are never to emerge from the Fire." (Al-Baqarah 2:165-167)
Who are the people who will disassociate themselves? Who are the ones who will wish to return? And why would they wish to return?
This verse presents a sketch of the Judgement Day. The leaders will dissociate themselves from their followers. Let's replace the word 'leaders' with 'trendsetters' and rephrase the sentence. The trendsetters, the celebrities, the people that we drool over and follow in every word and action will dissociate themselves from their followers. What does that mean? It means that they will take no responsibility for the actions of their followers. And why would they do that? It is because on that Day when they won't be able to save themselves how can they possibly save anyone else?
One simple criterion to evaluate our actions is that before venturing into anything ask: "Why am I doing this?" If it pleases Allah (swt) pursue it; if not, divert your attention to something of Khair.
What does this tell us? Does it give us a wake-up call? Does it give a momentary room to the voice of the conscience that asks us, "Hey, where are you heading?"
Imagine a scenario, where you are standing on the road and there are people walking in front of you. Mindlessly, you start walking behind them because…err let's say you are impressed by their dressing, their appearance, the way they carry themselves, or perhaps you are walking behind them because you are not even sure why you are doing that. Now where would you end up by following these people? Look around yourself. Have you reached your home yet? Or is it that you have come to a place that is far away from your destination? How do you feel now? Are you pleased that you mindlessly followed someone because you were impressed by them?
Sit back and reflect; what does this example teach you?
We learn that in this world when we intend to follow someone, when we decide to tread in their footsteps, or act upon what they say, we should make use of our senses. We should ascertain where they are taking us, what interests they are instilling, what they are stopping us from, what they are saving us from, what they are promising, what they are putting us into and where do they wish to take us. Make use of your intellect.
How can the mirror of the heart shine if material images are covering it? How can the heart journey to God if it is chained by its desires?
What does the Qur'an say about the people who don't use their intellect? Allah (swt) equates them to a herd of sheep, who can hear the calls and cries of their shepherd but don't understand a thing. They mindlessly start treading in the direction where they see others walking.
Ever seen hens at a farm? The animals and crops at the farm are the farmer's livelihood as well as food. Sometimes he slaughters an animal from his herd to feed his family. But how does he attract the animal towards himself? Running after them with a butcher's knife will scare the animals away. The farmer therefore uses a clever strategy. He throws some grains and the innocent little chicken comes walking to its master. The farmer grabs it and within seconds it's gone. The grains are temporary pleasure for the chicken but a strong tool for the farmer to tempt the chicken to come out of its coop.
The pomp and glitter of this world, and the urge to be around certain type of people are temporary pleasures of this world. By mindlessly chasing every slogan, charm or a person we act like a herd of sheep. The predator's trap, however, will not just take our lives but also have an impact on our hereafter.
When the love of Allah (swt) enters the heart of a Muslim then nothing in the world can stop him from the way of Allah (swt). Our Prophet Ibraheem (as) was a living proof of that.
Allah (swt) says in Surah al-Anam, verse 32: "And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion…so will you not reason?"
Let's also read what does the Ayah before this says: "Those will have lost who deny the meeting with Allah, until when the Hour [of resurrection] comes upon them unexpectedly, they will: 'Oh, [how great is] our regret over what we neglected concerning it.'"
People continue to live in denial until their meeting with the Creator. It is not until they are laid down in their graves that they realize their negligence. They regret the time wasted on unnecessary things and being forgetful of the Questioning. A week goes by and we don't know where our time went: more concern for the worldly matters and ignorance to the hereafter.
Someone shouts: "It's Valentine's Day!" And the entire nation begins its celebrations. Amidst criticisms and objections, someone comments: "What's wrong about it? The poor little boy who sells flowers at the signal at least earns a meal for his family on that day." Someone else asserts: "Why do we have to make life so boring?"
But who says a Muslim's life has to be boring?
The Creator directs the sail of our boats, "For each is a direction toward which it faces. So race to [all that is] good." (Al-Baqarah 2:148) That is our path. The path of Khair. But what is this Khair? Khair is anything that benefits the society. Does our celebration of birthdays, Halloween, Basant, Dholkis, bridal showers and baby showers benefit the society? Or is it simply an excuse to show we are wealthy and live on the other side of the bridge? What will we say when are questioned about: In what matters did you spend your wealth? In throwing parties and exchanging unwanted gifts among people who can purchase anything that they wish to buy?
In Surah al-Fatihah we make Dua to Allah (swt) to "Show us the right way. The way of those who were favoured." We find the detail of such people in Surah an-Nisa, verse 69, "the Siddiqeen [the truthful], the Shuhadah [the martyrs] and the Saliheen [the righteous]."
By blindly following rituals, traditions and celebrations, whose path are we really following? The ones who evoke His anger or of those who have strayed? Giving zakah or purchasing a sacrificial animal for Eid is burdensome for us, but splurging money on whims and desires is not.
For a Muslim, true love happens only once and that is with his Creator. This is what we learn from our Prophet Ibraheem (as) as we read in the Qur'an:
"'My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous.' So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy. And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said: 'O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.' He said: 'O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.' And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him, 'O Ibraheem, You have fulfilled the vision.' Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, And We left for him [favourable mention] among later generations: 'Peace upon Ibraheem.' Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good." (As-Saffat 37:100-110)
What will we say when are questioned about: In what matters did you spend your wealth? In throwing parties and exchanging unwanted gifts among people who can purchase anything that they wish to buy?
When the love of Allah (swt) enters the heart of a Muslim then nothing in the world can stop him from the way of Allah (swt). Our Prophet Ibraheem (as) was a living proof of that.
In his book, Al-Hikam, Sheikh Ahmad Ibn Ata'illah As-Sakandari says: "How can the mirror of the heart shine if material images are covering it? How can the heart journey to God if it is chained by its desires?"
One simple criterion to evaluate our actions is that before venturing into anything ask: "Why am I doing this?" If it pleases Allah (swt) pursue it; if not, divert your attention to something of Khair.
May Allah (swt) allow us to cleanse our souls and protect us from wandering blindly on the path of Shaytan, Ameen.
Adapted from Dr. Farhat Hashmi's Lecture: "How to Express Love: Sacrifice or Valentine?"
By Dr. Farhat Hashmi
Islamic scholar, teacher and founder of "Al-Huda International"
Women are an important part of the Muslim Ummah, without whom the noblest of goals could not be achieved. Throughout history, they have played significant roles in shaping the future of the upcoming generation. The woman of today needs to know what she has been carved out for; she also needs to learn more about her role models and understand her true status.
Every creation of Allah has a purpose, and complements one another. Allah (swt) first created Adam (as) and then He created Hawwa to give him company and support. Allah (swt) created her from Adam's ribs. The fact that she was created from his side signifies that they shared companionship. If she had come from his skull bone, she would have had a dominating role. If she would have come from his foot bone, she would have been subservient. She is neither a subordinate nor a dominating controller. Her role is that of a companion, a friend, a supporter and a helper. The very creation of woman defines her role; yet, in the present era, she demands equality and want to assume the same responsibilities that have been given to a man. This has created conflict in today's world.
The Role of a Muslim Woman
Being a Muslim means that we agree with Allah's (swt) creation plan and submit to His will. Men and women were created, so that they may fulfil each other's needs; hence, a natural attraction was kept between both. A woman holds a lot of importance in a man's life. She is a supportive partner, helping him in discharging his duties as a vicegerent on earth. The role of a woman can be better understood in the light of the examples of the women discussed below.
Prophet Noah's (as) Wife
She was indifferent to her husband and was not a helpful partner. They were not like-minded and shared different ideologies and beliefs. Prophet Noah (as) was a very patient man – he preached for 950 years and tried to call his nation towards Islam. However, his own wife did not accept Islam.
Ultimately, Prophet Noah's (as) nation, including his wife, had to face the wrath of their Creator, and they all perished. This brief narration holds valuable lesson for the women of today. It illumes the disparity between two individuals. It is not necessary for a pious man to get married to a righteous wife or vice versa. In this life, sometimes we get what we desire and sometimes, we do not. Women should have positive expectations from Allah (swt) and should not create an ideal in their minds. They should help and support whoever is destined to be their life partner, even if he or she is not their ideal.
Mostly after marriage, people complain that they and their spouses are not of the same mental frequency. The thinking pattern of a man and a woman can never be the same because of the biological differences that are all part of Allah's (swt) creation plan. We have to work hand in hand, keeping in mind these differences, just like Prophet Noah (as), who did not part with his wife and continued his relationship with her until Allah (swt) decreed doom for her.
Prophet Moosa's (as) mother is yet another glaring example of strength, resolve and complete submission to Allah (swt). Allah (swt) commanded her to place her child in a basket and put it in a river. For a mother to abandon her child is one of the most difficult things to do. Think of her emotions. It was Allah (swt), Who placed the inspiration in her heart and protected her child from harm.
Moosa's sister followed the flowing basket that was carrying her baby brother. This sheds light on the role of a woman as a sister. She loves, cares for and protects her younger siblings. When Moosa (as) grew up, he had to leave for Madiyan, where he was blessed with a place to stay, food to eat and a good companion. Then he was guided back to Egypt after ten years and commissioned to save his nation.
Where does the story of Moosa (as) begin? Who is the foundation of this story? His mother and the sacrifice she made. If she had not done so, the Pharaoh would not have reached to his rightful end.
Women should put their complete trust in Allah (swt) and hope for the best. Always think positive and wait patiently. Allah (swt) is Merciful and always plans the best for His faithful servants.
Maryam – Umm-e-Isa
Prophet Isa's (as) mother and his maternal grandmother (wife of Imran) signify a woman's strength, courage and love for Allah (swt). When Maryam was born, her mother presented her for the service of God, which led to the miraculous birth of prophet Isa (as). Maryam was also a single parent. Can we imagine the impact of women as single parents and how they achieved the remarkable goals, without the aid of any male life partner?
Women in the Life of our Beloved Prophet Mohammad (sa)
Amna – Prophet Muhammad's (sa) mother: She was another excellent example of single parenting. She raised our Prophet (sa) but did not live long and soon passed away.
Khadijah (rtaf): She was the first woman to accept Islam, an amazing partner with a very strong and supportive role. Time, money, self – she devoted all in the way of Allah (swt). She was a very successful business entrepreneur of her time, and she sacrificed all for her husband's mission. She donated every penny she owned but never once did she complain. Instead, she was always caring and encouraged out beloved Prophet (sa) at each and every step, raising his children well, too. During the years of the siege, the richest business woman of Makkah had to eat dried leaves, but she did not complain.
Fatimah (rtaf): Daughter of the Prophet (sa) and mother of Hasan (rtam) and Hussain (rtam). Her role is that of a loving daughter, wife and a responsible mother. She spent most of her time at home doing house chores and focusing on her children. She bore all hardships with patience and was given the status of the leader of women in Paradise.
Aisha (rtaf): She was a very intelligent woman, excelling in the field of medicine, literature, poetry, mathematics, laws of inheritance and much more. She had a versatile personality, encompassing multi-dimensional knowledge.
Once, someone asked her how she knew so much about medicine? She replied that all the delegations that used to come to the Prophet (sa) from all around the world, talked about the medical cures from their religion, and she gathered her knowledge from them. This proves that a woman should always strive to gain knowledge. It is very important for a woman to be educated, as she bears the responsibility of raising future generations.
There were hundreds of orphans under the care of Aisha (rtaf), and she looked after them diligently. Aisha (rtaf) preached Islam to men and women alike for forty-eight years. She was also an eloquent speaker.
Umm-e-Atiya (rtaf): She was a brave woman, who participated in six battles along with her husband and fought bravely. It requires a lot of courage to leave one's home for fighting in the battlefield. Umm-e-Atiya (rtaf) proved that women can do anything for the cause of Islam.
Umm-e-Haram bint-e-Milhan (rtaf): Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sa) used to rest in her house often at midday. One day, he sat up from his nap and started to smile. Umm-e-Haram (rtaf) asked him, if he saw something in his dream, and he replied he saw some of the people from his Ummah, crossing the ocean to do Jihad. They appeared like kings wearing shining crowns. She asked the Prophet (sa) to pray for her to be with those men and attain martyrdom. The Prophet (sa) prayed for her. Her grave is still present near the shores of Cyprus, where she fell off her horse and died a martyr, while crossing the ocean with the Muslim army.
We all need to consider the contributions we make to this world. We should analyze what we are planning to give to this humanity. Do we recognize our role? Are we working in any way to perform it in the best possible manner?
Women can contribute immensely, while retaining their natural femininity, without assuming the role of men. They can make their mark and play an important role in the society by fulfilling their duties as a mothers, sisters and wives. If they are helpful, trustworthy companions to their husband, they can move mountains and give worthy and pious individuals to the Muslim Ummah.
Do not waste your time and abilities on self-pity, being bitter all the time and thinking negatively. Allah (swt) has a plan for you. Once we willingly accept the role Allah (swt) has carved out for us, we can work productively achieving our goals and accelerate in the right direction.
Transcribed for Hiba by Umm-e-Ibrahim, Mustafa and Muhammad
Discover the actual meaning of the Marriage Sermon through excerpts from Dr. Farhat Hashmi's audio lecture "Nikah Mubarak" (transcribed by Sumaira Dada)
Abdullah Bin Masood (rta) has narrated that the Prophet (sa) taught us the following Khutbah (sermon) for marriage:
"Indeed all the praise is for Allah (swt). We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness. We also seek refuge in Him from the evils of our own selves and from the evils of our deeds. Whoever Allah (swt) guides, no one can misguide him. Whoever He lets go astray, no one can put him back on track. I testify that there is no god but Allah (swt), and I testify that Muhammad (sa) is Allah's (swt) servant and His messenger."
"O you who believe! Fear Allah (swt) (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam [as Muslims (with complete submission to Allah (swt))]." (Al-Imran 3:102)
"O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allah (swt) through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah (swt) is Ever an All-Watcher over you." (An-Nisa 4:1)
"O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah (swt) and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah (swt) and His Messenger (sa), he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and will be admitted to Paradise)." (Al-Ahzab 33:70-71)
(Bukhari, Ahmad, Abu Dawood, At-Tirmizi, An-Nisai, Ibn Majah, Ad-Darimee)
The Prophet (sa) said: "By Allah! Among all of you, I am the most God-fearing, and among you all, I am the super most to save myself from the wrath of Allah (swt); yet my state is that I observe prayer and sleep, too; I observe fasts and suspend observing them; I marry women also. And he, who turns away from my Sunnah, is not from me (not one of my followers)". (Bukhari)
Many Muslims get married but, surprisingly, very few actually know what the Marriage Sermon means. Many of these new couples have little awareness of their rights and duties to their partners. Allah (swt) might forgive us, if there is some overlooking of His rights, but as far as the rights of fellow beings are concerned, He will forgive us only if those, who are wronged, forgive.
Praise of Allah (swt)
A believer understands that marriage is a blessing of Allah (swt), and by praising Allah (swt), he expresses his gratitude to Him. Gratitude protects blessings, and the believer feels happy.
Seeking His help and forgiveness
Sometimes, even the smallest thing is enough to disturb us, which proves the fact that we are by nature very weak and in constant need of Allah's (swt) help. We must seek His forgiveness for all the wrongs we do, including the ones we commit without realizing. Even the Prophet (sa), who was innocent and free of sin, sought forgiveness of Allah (swt) more than seventy times a day. (Narrated by Abu Hurairah (rta) in Bukhari)
Analysis of the pre-marriage activities and the post-marriage conversations is enough to make one realize our need to repent. The run-up to the marriage involves long shopping trips that usually result in delayed or missed Salah. Extravagant late-night celebrations, usually with the purpose to impress others, have become the highlights of Muslim wedding festivities. The conversations at the wedding party and during the following days involve detailed discussions of people, including backbiting.
Seeking refuge from the evil of Nafs (self)
Prophet Yusuf (as) said: "Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil." (Yusuf 12:53) Jealousy, hatred, greed, negative thinking, and arrogance are some of the evils that the human self is inclined towards. Shaitan became the first victim of the evil of the Nafs, when he said: "I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay." (Al-Araf 7:12) Relations are spoilt because of the evil of the self, resulting in the displeasure of Allah (swt).
After marriage, the acceptance of Ibadah (worship) depends on the relations between a husband and his wife. From a Hadeeth we learn that when any woman prays her five prayers, fasts during the month of Ramadan, protects her honor and respect and obeys her husband is given the choice of entering Paradise from whichever door she wishes to enter. (Ibn Hibban, Sahih per Al-Albani)
Arguments of the new couple are a result of selfishness and arrogance of the Nafs. During these moments, each partner must remember that only the one, who gives in and is humble, can get love. To attain peace in the relationship, one must give one's self up to Allah (swt) and seek His refuge from the evil of Nafs.
Seeking refuge from effects of bad deeds
Bad deeds result in a sense of guilt. To release the mountain of worry, we must seek refuge with Allah (swt) from the effects of bad deeds.
Praying for guidance
Guidance is a blessing given only to those, who want it. Even in marital relations Allah (swt) grants guidance, help, and patience to those, who seek it.
Reciting the Shahadah
Shahadah on the occasion of marriage is a reaffirmation of the Muslim faith – a reminder to follow Allah (swt) and to take care of each other fearing by Him. The new couple also pledges to follow the teachings of the Prophet (sa).
Taqwah (Allah consciousness)
We usually think that a successful marriage depends on designer clothes, expensive jewellery, a luxurious house, husband's high job, or an educated wife. All these factors may be helpful towards building a healthy relationship, but if there is no fear of Allah (swt), relations will be patchy. In the three Ayahs recited in the sermon the word 'Taqwa' has been mentioned four times. It is obvious, therefore, that the relation of two people cannot be healthy, until both are mindful of Allah (swt).
Respecting each other
Social customs usually victimize the daughter-in-law. At times, her status is limited to that of a mere house help. This is quite in contrast to Islamic teachings. Anas Bin Malik (rta) has narrated: "Allah's Messenger (sa) was on a journey, and he had a black slave called Anjasha, who was driving the camels (very fast, and there were women riding on those camels). Allah's Apostle (sa) said: 'Waihaka (May Allah (swt) be merciful to you), O Anjasha! Drive slowly (the camels) with the glass vessels (women)!'" (Bukhari) This shows the Prophet's (sa) attitude towards women.
It is important for the in-laws to give to the new family member some time to adjust. Like a new plant, which at first has some difficulty in adjusting to the new environment, but then takes roots and blooms, the new daughter-in-law has some problems at first, then her roots strengthen – she becomes a mother and gains an important position in the family.
Likewise, the husband also has a right to be respected. If the wife has come from a family, which according to the worldly standards is superior to the husband's family, it does not mean that she should start enforcing her orders in the new home. It is a situation, where she must remind herself that one gets a place in the household by helping, not by demanding rights.
Relatives – a blessing of Allah (swt)
From a Hadeeth of the Prophet (sa) we know that one, who cuts off relations with relatives, will not enter Paradise. (Bukhari and Muslim) In fact, even this world becomes Hell, when relations with them are unhealthy. Women should be more careful here, as they are usually responsible for making or breaking relationships.
Fear Allah (swt) and speak the truth
From the time the proposal comes to the time the marriage takes place, a lot of lies are usually told to cover such facts as the age of the partners-to-be or the status of each party. If the foundation of marriage is laid on deception, it creates a lot of problems later. We need to put our trust in Allah (swt) and not worry about the match not taking place, if we tell the truth.
The sermon ends with a reminder that whoever follows Allah (swt) and His Messenger (sa) would have a great achievement. This is something we all need to be mindful of.
Sumaira Dada presents excerpts from Dr. Farhat Hashmi's lecture "Let Anger Go"
Anger is a feeling that each one of us must have experienced. Let's understand what it is.
What is anger?
From Hadeeth we know that anger is "a burning ember in the heart of the son of Adam," and its signs are the swelling of the veins of the neck and the redness of the eyes. (Ahmad and Tirmidhi)
The Arabic language with its vast vocabulary uses several words for "anger" that reflect its different stages.
Sukht – the first degree of anger: mere irritation, disliking or being displeased; usually used for an older person being displeased with a younger person. This kind of anger cools down very soon.
Ghaiz – the second degree of anger: the displeasure raises the blood pressure level. This kind of anger could be on one's self or on others.
Ghadhab – the third degree of anger: a person is full of anger and is bent upon taking revenge, seeking to hurt others.
Is anger controllable?
Allah (swt) says…
"And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqun (the pious). Those who spend (in Allah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers)." (Al Imran 3:133-134)
The word used in Arabic for repressing anger is Kadhama. It means 'to tie' or 'to tighten,' e.g., tightening the mouth of a hot water bag. Like the hot water bag, which holds back the water from burning anyone, a person controlling his anger does not harm anyone and sometimes even cools down!
The difference between the mankind and animals is that we can control our anger, while animals cannot. We, unlike the animals, are not helpless. We have been given a brain and can control our anger.
Hadeeth tells us…
Abu Hurairah (rta) narrated that a man said to the Prophet (sa): "Advise me!" The Prophet (sa) said: "Do not become angry and furious." The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet (sa) said in each case: "Do not become angry and furious." (Bukhari)
This Hadeeth shows that (a) if a person is able to control anger, a lot of his problems will be solved, and that (b) anger is a controllable emotion.
What are the causes of anger?
Some of the internal causes of anger are:
Anger can also have external causes:
How is anger expressed?
When people are angry, they shriek, yell, cry, bang doors, throw things, hit, torture themselves, take sleeping pills, attempt suicide, or take drugs eventually leading to addiction.
While some shriek and shout, others display passive aggressiveness by keeping silent, hiding within themselves the feelings of anger. Some others become sad and start pitying themselves, or even become jealous. Yet, others speak in a taunting tone most of the time – an expression of rage boiling over.
What are the harms of anger?
A negative effect on complexion, bones, gait; an increase in heart palpitation, blood pressure; chances of a heart attack also increase. Some people experience a sudden burst of anger and cannot control their body movements (especially their limbs!) and their tongues. Nerves stay under pressure; in some severe cases, anger has been pointed out as the cause of diabetes.
Loss of sensible thought, creativity, and wisdom. Cooling of anger brings only embarrassment, shame, and sadness. Constructive activities are put on hold to rectify the wrongs done.
A washing away of good deeds. Sometimes one does a lot of good deeds but then becomes angry and in anger blurts out words that spoil all the good deeds done.
Allah (swt) says: "O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury." (Al-Baqarah 2:264)
The Prophet (sa) said: "Anger spoils faith (Iman) as [the bitterness of] aloes' sap spoils honey." (Al-Hakim and At-Tirmidhi)
Relationships are spoilt because of angry words. Abu Hurairah (rta) narrated: "The Prophet (sa) said: 'A Mumin is an embodiment of love and affection, and there is no good in one, who neither loves nor is loved.'" (Ahmad)
Anger brings harm in its wake, e.g., an employee loses his job because of sharp words exchanged with the boss; a vendor loses a customer due to an exchange of angry words.
What is the benefit of controlling anger?
Obtaining the pleasure of Allah (swt). Ibn Umar (rta) narrated that the Prophet (sa) said: "There is no sip greater in reward near Allah than the sip of anger; the servant suppresses it seeking the pleasure of Allah." (Ibn Majah)
Why has Allah (swt) kept anger in us?
To change things around, we need the energy of anger. Sometimes one in anger does those things that one could not have done otherwise. Allah (swt) has kept anger in our hearts for stopping the wrong – Jihad against evil is the best expression of positive anger. The Prophet (sa) said: "Whoever amongst you sees an evil, should change it with his hand. If he is unable to do that, then with his tongue. If he is unable to do that, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of Iman." (Muslim)
Anger needs to be channeled properly, because one cannot stop it from coming. Expressing anger at the right time, in the right way, and at the right level can be beneficial.
Abu Hurairah (rta) narrated that Allah's Messenger (sa) said: "The strong is not the one, who overpowers in wrestling, but the strong one is he, who controls himself in anger." (Bukhari)


text:
Toggle navigation
Bob Garfield:
Garfield at Large
Barbara Lippert:
MediaPost Week in Review
Online Spin
Current Stories
MediaPost Home
Today's News
Today's Opinions
Agencies &
The Agency Business
MAD: MediaPost's Agency Daily
Accounts in Review
Events Calendar
Out to Launch
People on the Move
Stan Mack's Real Mad
MAD - London
Online Media, Marketing
and Advertising
OMMA Today
Daily Online Examiner
Email Marketing Daily
Email Insider
EU Email Marketing Daily
Email Insider Europe
Mobile Shop Talk
Mobile Insider
Search Marketing Daily
Search Insider
Social Media & Marketing Daily
The Social Graf
Social Insider
Online Media, Marketing
and Advertising
Real-Time Daily
Programmatic Insider
Data & Targeting Insider
Video Daily
Video Critique
Video Insider
Publishing & Publishers
Publishers Daily
The Daily Blog
Publishing Insider
Supply Side Insider
Native Insider
IoT Daily
Connected Thinking
VR/AR Insider
AI Insider
Media Buying/Planning/Research
& The Media
Audience Buying Insider
Metrics Insider
Research Brief
TV Watch
TV Everywhere
Brand and Product Marketing
Thom Forbes: Top of the News
Engage Target Market Newsletters
Industry Sector Newsletters
Marketing Tools & Strategies
Content Marketing,
Events Home
2017 Events Calendar
Upcoming Events
Email Insider Summit
May 31 - June 3, 2017, FL
Publishing Insider Summit
June 4 - 7, 2017, FL
Email Insider Summit Europe
June 25 - 28, 2017, Spain
July 19, 2017, CA
TV + Video Insider Summit
August 13 - 16, 2017, CA
Brand Marketers Insider Summit - Cross-Channel
August 16 - 19, 2017, CA
Digital Out of Home Awards
September 12, 2017, NYC
OMMA Awards
September 25, 2017, NY
Publishing Insider Summit
October 15 - 18, 2017, TX
Email Insider Summit
December 3 - 6, 2017, UT
Search Insider Summit
December 6 - 9, 2017, UT
Recently Concluded
IoT Marketing Forum
May 18, 2017, NYC
Appy Awards
May 17, 2017, NY
Marketing AI
May 17, 2017, NYC
Outfront Forum
May 3, 2017, NYC
Search Insider Summit
April 26 - 29, 2017, FL
Data & Programmatic Insider Summit
April 23 - 26, 2017, FL
Marketing Automotive Awards
April 12, 2017, NYC
Marketing: Automotive
April 12, 2017, NYC
TV + Video Insider Summit
March 19 - 22, 2017, AZ
OMMA at SXSW
March 11, 2017, TX
Brand Marketers Insider Summit - Cross-Channel
March 7 - 10, 2017, TX
More Events
Agency of the Year
Content Marketing Insider Summit
Creative Media Awards
Cross-Channel Marketing Insider Summit
Future of Media
IOT: Shopping
Marketing Sports: Soccer in America
Marketing: Health
Marketing: Politics
Masters of Media Selling
Mobile Insider Summit
OMMA at Advertising Week
OMMA at Internet Week
OMMA Atlanta
OMMA Attribution
OMMA Audience Buying
OMMA Chicago
OMMA Denver
OMMA Marketing Tech
OMMA mCommerce
OMMA Miami
OMMA Programmatic
OMMA Programmatic in New York
OMMA Programmatic TV
OMMA San Francisco
OMMA Social
OMMA Video
Online All Stars
Social Media Insider Summit
The Reckoning
Video Insider Summit
Awards Home
Digital Out of Home Awards (September 12, 2017, NYC)
OMMA Awards (September 25, 2017, NY)
Appy Awards (May 17, 2017, NY)
Marketing Automotive Awards (April 12, 2017, NYC)
Creative Media Awards (January 26, 2017, New York City)
Agency of the Year (January 25, 2017, NYC)
Online All Stars (January 19, 2017, NY)
Become A MediaPost Member
Subscribe to your choice of industry specific newsletters, save $100 on conferences, search member directories, comment on stories and more. Free to qualified media, marketing and advertising professionals.
Join Now
Member Resources
All Member Directory
Manage My Account
Manage My Subscriptions
Additional Resources
Feedback Loop (Comments)
Job Postings
Research Briefs
Industry Events
About and Contacts
About MediaPost
Contact Editorial
Media Kit
Advanced Search
Sign in
Remember me
Forgot your password?
One in Ten Americans Use Seven or More Social Platforms
by Erik Sass on May 30, 11:16 AM
"So this is America; they must be out of their minds." Ringo Starr's first words on landing in the U.S. rang truer than ever today when I perused data from a survey of 500 U.S. adults by 140 Proof and IPG Media Lab, showing that among the 52% of Americans who use multiple social networks, 23% (or 12% of the total) uses seven or more social platforms. To repeat with emphasis, they use seven or (and this is the really crazy part) more social platforms -- like the true number will never be known because the survey respondents ran out ...
68 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
1 Comments
Thousands of Kids Investigated for Bullying in UK
by Erik Sass on May 29, 1:40 PM
Nearly 2,000 children, some as young as nine years old, have been investigated by police in the U.K. over the last three years for potentially criminal activity on social media, including abuse, threatening messages, and online bullying, according to a report from Sky News. Furthermore out of the 1,932 children investigated, 1,203 of these -- again, including children as young as nine -- have either been charged with a criminal offense or given a warning or fine.
13 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
Most Adults Doubt Real Privacy Is Possible
by Erik Sass on May 28, 11:37 AM
A large majority (80%) of adults ages 20-40 in the U.S. and U.K. believe that total privacy is basically impossible in today's digital world, according to a new survey of 2,012 consumers in that age range conducted by Accenture in both countries in March and April of this year. An even higher proportion (87%) said they don't believe adequate safeguards are in place to protect their private information. Furthermore 70% of respondents don't believe businesses are transparent about how their personal information being is used.
15 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
Zappos Makes Job Seekers Join Company Network
by Erik Sass on May 27, 2:34 PM
Social media has pretty much upended the traditional job search, as employers look for talent (and would-be employees seek to display it) on professional networks like LinkedIn as well as general use networks like Twitter and Facebook.
23 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
New Network Deletes Your Digital Trail
by Erik Sass on May 23, 11:37 AM
If you're one of those people who agonizes for hours over what photos and comments to post on Facebook in order to construct a perfect portrait of your awesome life, then this new social network may not be for you: it's called Voycee, and it is billed as a "history-free" social network, because you are only allowed one post -- and every time you create a new post, it deletes your previous post.
25 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
Tunepics Lets You Share Pics with Music
by Erik Sass on May 22, 12:37 PM
Okay, I admit that nowadays my usual reaction when a new social network or app launches is "meh that's nice." But this one actually looks kind of cool. Called Tunepics, it's a new iOS app that allows users to share images with an accompanying song -- a sensory combination that is perfectly designed to evoke an emotional response and therefore allow you to share your "mood" with your friends.
19 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
Financial Advisers Catch Up With Social Media
by Erik Sass on May 21, 1:10 PM
Financial advisers have been understandably cautious in their approach to social media, due to regulatory issues and concerns about privacy, liability and professional reputation. But over the last few years, more of them are seeing value and embracing social media for communicating with existing clients, finding new ones, recruiting and gathering information.
15 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
Social Media Accounts For Only 1% Of Online Retail Sales
by Erik Sass on May 20, 12:44 PM
Ecommerce and social media are two great tastes that (so far do not taste great together, according to U.S. consumers. That's the conclusion of a survey by Custora, which looked at orders to retail Web sites in the first quarter of the year to determine where the orders originated.
49 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
1 Comments
Hispanics Highly Likely To Recommend Social Apps To Friends, Family
by Erik Sass on May 19, 12:33 PM
Social media apps are favorites with U.S. Hispanics, who are also very likely to recommend them to family, friends, and coworkers, according to a new survey by The Latinum Network. This research confirms other recent studies showing that Hispanics over-index in both social media and mobile device usage.
57 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
Americans Split on Workplace Social Policies
by Erik Sass on May 16, 3:26 PM
Americans are split on the issue of whether bosses should be able to discipline employees for posting inappropriate content on their personal social media accounts.
14 Shares
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Google+
0 Comments
« Previous Entries
Subscribe to
Social Media & Marketing Daily
Today's Most Read Stories
Odds And Endings: Aniston's Eyes, And The Sins Of The Fathers
Publishers And Merchants Endorse New Revenue Generator
Couponing In The Digital Age
Millennials And Finance, With A Slice Of Avocado Toast
Sean Hannity, TV News Advertisers Can Now Identify Real 'Fake News'
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
All Archives >
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
About MediaPost
Contact Editorial
RSS Feeds
Privacy/Terms & Conditions
©2017 MediaPost Communications. All rights reserved.
1460 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
tel. 212-204-2000, fax 917-591-3261,
All content published by MediaPost is determined by our editors 100% in the interest of our readers ... independent of advertising, sponsorships or other considerations.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This is the first part in a series of five blogcasts (video demonstrations showing you "how to") that look at how to secure a wireless network by configuring Wireless Protected Access (WPA) on both the Access Point (AP) and Vista/XP clients.
Note: These instructions are appropriate for typical home networks and very small offices as a static "Pre Shared Key" is used for all devices. Once you move past a handful of machines this approach becomes difficult to manage and less secure as gaining physical access to one device (machine or Access Point) gives an attacker the ability to compromise the entire wireless network.
Click here to watch the demonstration of how to enable Wireless Protected Access (WPA) on an SMC router
Note: The demonstration is for a wireless router made by a company named SMC simply because it's the device that I happen to use at home. There are many other comparable wireless routers and pretty much all of them support Wireless Protected Access (WPA) – their configuration is often similar.
Dispelling some myths:
There are many myths about how to secure wireless networks. Some "experts" advocate hiding the wireless network name (SSID) to improve security – this doesn't really gain you a great deal as the SSID is broadcast on the network anyway so an attacker could easily discover it using any easily available wireless network hacking tool. Some people even think that the SSID is used for authentication and therefore by hiding it you can prevent unauthorised people from accessing the wireless network – this is nonesense – the SSID is merely an Identifier – a descriptive name for the network. To authenticate something or someone's identity you typically (though not always – there are other methods) need to both know a secret that no-one else knows – using something that's in the public domain (an identifier) breaks this premise.
Another myth is that changing the wireless network name (SSID) gains you some security as if a attacker knows which device you have then they may be able to exploit know vulnerabilities (if they exist) for your Access Point to circumvent it's security. Each network device ships with a built in unique identifying number – known as a (MAC) address. The MAC address of the wireless router is transmitted in clear text on the network and therefore is easy for an attacker to see. Each hardware vendor is allocated a range of MAC addresses – these are available in the public domain. It's pretty straightforward for an attacker to determine the hardware manufacturer of your wireless network simply by "listening to the network traffic".
I like to change the name (SSID) of my wireless network simply to make it easy to see which is my network and to make it easier for friends to connect to it when they visit.
The last myth I'll explore here is that MAC address filtering provides sensible security for a home wireless network. Just like the SSID, the MAC address is an identifier – it's not intended to be used for authentication. The MAC address of each device is transmitted in clear text hence an attacker can easily "listen in" and find out which addresses are allowed to connect to the access point. It's trivial to change (spoof) the MAC address of most devices – many network cards can be configured to use an alternative MAC address simply by editing their properties via the Windows Control panel. In addition there are many freely available tools that can be used to reconfigure a device's MAC address.
Note: MAC address filtering can provide a little benefit IF you have an operational access point without any connected clients – hence the attacker wouldn't be able to find out which client MAC addresses are allowed to connect to the access point.
Transcript of how to enable Wireless Protected Access (WPA) for an SMC router:
Sign into the router using the default password
Change the admin password – using a passphrase
Enable Wireless Protected Access using a PreShared Key – another passphrase
Save the settings


text:
Corporate Leaders Group Putting Human Rights in Focus
Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights, Ethical Corporation | February 3, 2007
A group of big businesses is going further than just keeping its nose clean by trying to advance human rights, particularly in emerging economies. Now they have been joined by a U.S. giant, GE.
In November, the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR), a business-led effort to develop a corporate approach to human rights, announced the additions of GE and Ericsson to its roster. Advisers to the group say its growing breadth and depth greatly add to its chances of success.
Its goal is to make the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) relevant in the business context and to inspire other businesses to do likewise.
With 13 members and a six-point plan, BLIHR is well on the road to meeting its target of making itself redundant by 2009, says John Morrison, the group's program director. Pushing to grow while aiming to disband seems counterintuitive, but Morrison says the group hopes to bring in some additional sectors and regions, achieve its goals and leave the greater international business community with the tools it needs.
"By 2009, we're hoping to build a sort of handbook, if you like, for integrating human rights into all aspects of business that is as relevant to businesses in OECD countries as it is in emerging economies," Morrison says.
Six-pronged approach
To that end, BLIHR members are working in four areas aimed primarily at "making human rights real in the business context" and two work streams focused on inspiring other businesses to carry the work on.
First, Morrison says, it is working to increase links to others focused on tool development, including the Danish Institute of Human Rights, the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, and the International Business Leaders Forum, in order to collaborate and coordinate on the task.
In addition, BLIHR is examining good governance in sensitive countries in which governments are either unwilling or unable to uphold human rights. Morrison says the group is working to develop benchmarks to guide expectations of what companies do in such problem countries.
|"Good business transacted on a level playing field with integrity and ethical behavior wins not only in the long term, but in the mid and short term, too."
Lastly on the tool front, the group is updating its minimum standards matrix by going back to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to augment it with missing or under-represented aspects relevant to all sectors that offer building blocks for reporting and common indicators.
Statoil, a BLIHR member, has already developed a set of minimum standards for its global operations that Morrison says the group hopes other companies will begin to "road test."
The remaining two work streams relate to inspiring other companies to adopt and carry on the work of BLIHR after it disbands.
First, BLIHR members are working with existing networks, such as Global Compact, the World Business Council, and the International Chamber of Commerce, to help mainstream human rights within existing businesses. "We're hoping by 2009 many of these networks will have taken this on as a core part of their agenda so they will obviate the need for BLIHR," Morrison says.
The second work stream, which aims to involve companies in emerging economies, is also important for BLIHR's redundancy, Morrison says. Because the group's members are exclusively from OECD countries, Morrison says BLIHR is redoubling its efforts to engage companies in emerging nations and hopes to have one or two in the core group before it concludes its work.
Trickle down
Morrison says BLIHR companies contribute a human rights perspective to their existing corporate social responsibility networks or instigate new ones that focus purely on human rights issues. This has resulted in a "trickle down" from the core group to a wider group of companies, he says, that have engaged with BLIHR—albeit a step removed. He says the group will continue to build on this type of "third party engagement."
The involvement of companies with the size and scope of GE helps to build on this momentum and drag others in, Morrison says. "We've seen before that the involvement of a U.S.–headquartered company in BLIHR has been very important," he says.
Human rights issues for GE are not, as they are for the likes of Hewlett-Packard and Gap, primarily supply-chain-led. Morrison hopes GE creates the kind of "excitement and space" for human rights that it has for the environment with its "ecomagination" initiative.
Bob Corcoran, vice-president for corporate citizenship at GE, says his company believes that a level playing field for business works and plays to its advantage. He points to GE's "spirit and letter" policy, which he says has been an industry standard for more than 20 years.
GE's standards on bribery and corruption, he says, have helped the company develop its business in countries such as China. "The government knows that when it deals with GE it's a straight up process," he says.
Good business transacted on a level playing field with integrity and ethical behavior wins not only in the long term, Corcoran says, but in the mid and short term, too.
A business voice
When it comes to human rights, Corcoran says GE is working to establish a clear set of principles that are enforceable and provide guidance and clarity around the world. He believes BLIHR is a good vehicle for doing that because the group focuses on human rights in the business context and aims to provide a "business voice" to its set of standards.
He says he hopes GE can both learn from and contribute to the group. GE is ready to roll up its sleeves with the other BLIHR companies, Corcoran says, to find practical ways of applying the Universal Declaration in a business context. GE also recognizes its obligation and responsibility as a company that is widely looked to and followed, to lead and inspire other companies, he says.
|"Efforts like BLIHR help to show that human rights do not have to be just an abstract concept for companies."
Starting from international principles is the only way companies can make sure their conduct meets human rights standards, Misol says.
Responsibility and opportunity
As emerging markets gain dominance as the world's growth markets, Corcoran says more businesses will begin to engage in practical ways to provide, assure and advance human rights.
Misol says companies like GE are drawn to the BLIHR project because it focuses on practical approaches to human rights that help build their brand and protect their reputation. BLIHR's projects and publications have helped raise awareness about human rights issues in the business community, using language companies can understand, she says.
Efforts like BLIHR, Misol says, help to show that human rights do not have to be just an abstract concept for companies. International standards are deeply relevant to business operations and can help them avoid serious abuses that are costly in more ways than one, she points out.
Morrison says BLIHR has always seen human rights as an opportunity as much as a responsibility, but admits it is sometimes difficult to recognize what those opportunities are. Things like license to operate, good stakeholder relations, and risk mitigation are sometimes difficult to see, he says.
"But are there actually product-related opportunities the way there are on the environment side?" Morrison asks.
He believes GE is a good example of that potential because it works in so many sectors. Water and water infrastructure, Morrison points out, are a product-related human rights area GE brings to the table that is new to BLIHR.
Companies are not governments, but they do employ, train, develop and pay workers in emerging economies and provide goods and services that affect the fair and equitable treatment of people, Corcoran says. Some of the biggest businesses GE operates in—from water and power to transportation and health—provide developing nations' needs for infrastructure, he says.
Leading practices
Corcoran says BLIHR hopes to establish "the basic requirements of business and human rights". The goal is to define a floor below which no-one should go—the minimum requirements, as well as a set of expectations and, at the top tier, leading practices, he says. Corcoran believes that sharing and advocating that guidance is where GE can really make a difference.
BLIHR's thorough approach, boundary conditions and sunset provision offer just the kind of focused activity GE was looking for to make an impact, he says. A "perfect opus" delivered too late does not help anybody, Corcoran says. The 2009 deadline for disbanding the group ensures the work will get done, he says.
GE's weight behind the initiative will certainly help to meet that deadline, bring other companies to the human rights table and achieve BLIHR's goals.
This article is republished with kind permission from Ethical Corporation magazine's February 2007 issue. For more articles like this and to sign up for a free print or online trial of Ethical Corporation, please visit http://www.ethicalcorp.com and http://www.ethicalcorp.com/register.
Read More: Business, Governance, Human Rightsblog comments powered by Disqus


text:
↓ Have a look at my CV and some photos I took and stuff
I'm a creative directing reformer and I make user interfaces and experiences great.
Fifteen years experience across a variety of platforms, organizations and industries. Strong style focused on simplicity, clarity and usability. Invaluable asset on challenging projects demanding versatility, speed and quality.
Specialties: User experience design, command-line design, interaction design, information architecture, information design, process/taskflows, prototyping.


text:
Hannah montana
Utforska relaterade ämnen
HANNAH MONTANA..this beautiful once kid-popular girl, what she did with her life makes me sad =(
Hannah Montana memories... what happened to her?!????????!!!!!!!!!
Hannah Montana...idk why but I actually liked this show #guiltypleasure
lol Hannah Montana. I miss this show:) That's the guy who plays as the grape from the Fruit of the Loom commercials
Hannah Montana
I miss this show, Disney Channel isn't the same anymore!
Admit it, this is all you wanted as a kid Can't believe it's been 10 years
hannah montana are you ready | Preview-Review: Hannah Montana Forever…ARE YOU READY??? :D
so sad...I used to LOVE Wizards if waverly place and Hannah Montana and sony with a chance
Hannah Montana <3 ~ Miley Cyrus More


text:
Fruity Holiday Cookies
Add color and great flavor to holiday cookies with homemade (or store-bought) jam, dried cranberries or cherries, and more fruity fillings.
Photo By: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne
Photo By: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne
Photo By: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne
Photo By: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne
Photo By: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne
Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
PB and J Blondie
Jeff is way more into blondies than brownies. "Anytime I can put peanut butter into a dessert, I do it. Chewy, crunchy, nutty and just a bit fruity, this cookie will stand out among an often crowded holiday sweets table!"
Get the Recipe: PB and J Blondie
Melissa's Fruit and Nut Shortbread
Melissa decks out classic holiday shortbread cookies with a fruity topping.
Get the Recipe: Fruit and Nut Holiday Shortbread
Trisha Yearwood's White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Trisha has a cookie party with her friends every Christmas. "Everybody shows up with their favorite recipe, we bake all day, then everybody goes home with a delicious variety of holiday cookies. My sister Beth adapted this recipe from her church cookbook. I like to chop the cranberries and nuts finely so you get lots of flavor in every bite."
Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Butter and Jam Thumbprints
Tea-time or playtime, these old-time Butter and Jam Thumbprints are always a holiday favorite.
Get the Recipe: Butter and Jam Thumbprints
Jeff Mauro's Cherry White Chocolate Almond Sandwich Cookies
Jeff's sandwich cookie is inspired by a cookie his wife, Sarah, makes for their family. And since he turns everything into a sandwich, Sarah's cookies are stacked and filled with almond butter filling in this version.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Almond White Chocolate Sandwiches
Anne's Dried Cherry and Almond Biscotti
Crisp, sweet and nutty, Anne's Italian biscotti make great homemade gifts or after-dinner nibbles.
Get the Recipe: Dried Cherry and Almond Biscotti
Sunny's Holiday PB&J Thumbprints
Sunny dresses up classic peanut butter cookies by rolling them in sparkly turbinado sugar and adding a fruity strawberry jam filling.
Get the Recipe: Sunny's Holiday PB and J Thumbprints
Fruitcake Cookies
"Many years ago Lee Bailey, the wonderful cookbook writer, asked me to make 600 pounds of these cookies to sell at his store and I still love them," says Ina. "They're not only totally delicious (don't think fruitcake — think cookies) but you can make rolls of the dough, refrigerate them and just slice and bake them off as you need them all throughout the holidays."
Get the Recipe: Fruitcake Cookies
Giada's Dried Cherry and Almond Cookies with Vanilla Icing
Tart dried cherries and toasted almonds take a sweet turn in Giada's easy slice-and-bake holiday cookies.
Get the Recipe: Dried Cherry and Almond Cookies with Vanilla Icing
Golden Rugalach
A traditional Hanukkah pastry, Golden Rugalach are satisfying little packages of nuts and fruit tucked inside a rich, flaky dough.
Get the Recipe: Golden Rugalach
Sunny's Cherry Berry Bars
Sunny's bar cookies are a quick version of holiday fruit cake.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Berry Bars
Middle Eastern Date Cookies
Maamoul are soft sugar cookies that are traditionally stuffed with a wintry date and orange filling. We also love apricot-raisin and quince-walnut filling.
Get the Recipe: Maamoul: Stuffed Date-Orange Cookies
Damaris' Orange-Chocolate Bars
These chocolate cookies get fruity flair from a creamy orange filling. Zest and juice from both oranges and lemons gives the decadent chocolate layer a tangy edge.
Get the Recipe: Damaris' Orange-Chocolate Bars
Linzer Star Sandwich Cookies
Alex sandwiches raspberry jam in between two buttery star-shaped cookies to make this festive holiday treat that'll be the centerpiece of your dessert spread.
Get the Recipe: Linzer Star Sandwich Cookies
Italian Spumoni Cookies ("Spumookies")
Traditionally, spumoni is a molded Italian dessert featuring different layers of ice cream along with candied fruits and nuts. Jeff Mauro puts his twist on the Italian classic by turning it into a cookie complete with chocolate chips, pistachios and dried cherries.
Get the Recipe: Italian Spumoni Cookies ("Spumookies")
Cherry Pistachio Pinwheel Cookies
Make a cherry, pistachio and brown sugar filling for Jeff Mauro's take on colorful pinwheel cookies which are rolling in holiday sprinkles. You can make the cookie logs ahead of time then slice and bake just before guests arrive.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Pistachio Pinwheel Cookies
Chocolate-Dipped Pineapple-Coconut Macaroons
Food Network Kitchen made these cookies just for you: sweet, tart, chocolatey and chewy all at once. The combination of homemade pineapple jam and bittersweet chocolate means these gluten-free macaroon thumbprints will be winners at your next party.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Pineapple-Coconut Macaroons
Polish Fruit and Nut Bars
We tasted cookies from all over Europe, and these Polish Fruit and Nut Bars really stood out. They are beatiful, satisfying, sweet and colorful and the dried fruit really sings Christmas. They're traditionally made on Christmas Eve.
Get the Recipe: Mazurkas (Poland)
Coconut Cranberry Macaroons
Cranberry and orange add a yuletide note to these wheat-free Coconut Cranberry Macaroons.
Get the Recipe: Coconut-Cranberry Macaroon
Christmas Citrus Squares
Lemon squares, the favorite bar cookie, are dressed up for the holidays with clementine juice and wedges of blood oranges.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Citrus Squares
Czech Squares
A walnut crust and cherry jam will make these Czech Squares a hit at your holiday table.
Get the Recipe: Czech Squares


text:
average rating: -- / 10
Road modern coffee tables a certain young fair sex inside absolute subway station appropriate hands her a certain at leisure proxy on a special arabesque inside absolute.
Ratings received by this member
This member has not received a rating yet.
I wanna cook
Cooking something?
Whatever it is, sell a few portions on Super Marmite! It's a great way to interact with your local community and to get real feedback on your cuisine :)Post a meal


text: LONDON, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ValidSoft, a global supplier of telecommunications-based fraud prevention, authentication and transaction verification solutions, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Elephant Talk Communications Corp. (NYSE MKT: ETAK) formerly (NYSE Amex: ETAK), has been recognized by Opus Research as a leading provider of voice biometrics capabilities in Opus Research's report Voice Biometrics Vendor Survey and "IntelliView" 2012. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120917/MM75492LOGO) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120917/MM75872LOGO) Opus Research, a fully independent top analyst firm in the voice biometrics industry, reviewed eight vendors for voice biometrics. Opus Research's Dan Miller, senior analyst, concluded that "ValidSoft demonstrates willingness to create opportunities for a broad set of firms in the mobile payments and commerce businesses, thus expanding the reach of the voice biometrics community as part of a multi-channel, payments community. Employing multiple factors is a 'best practice' for secure customer care, mobile authentication, payment authorizations and information access management." Pat Carroll, CEO of ValidSoft commented: "We are very pleased to have been identified as a key player in the development of context aware security solutions, and delighted to be named as one of the leading providers of voice biometrics by Opus Research. Voice biometrics is a very important component of our multi-factor, multi-layer, strong authentication security solution, and we expect to see voice biometrics feature strongly in financial services as adoption becomes main-stream. Voice biometrics is also particularly well suited in the enrollment and activation processes for mobile wallets and Apps and will become increasingly important given the forecast rise in the volume of mobile payments in the coming year." The report also notes ValidSoft's emphasis on strong user authentication for mobile devices including phones and tablets.The report firmly places ValidSoft as a company that uses the recognition of the unique aspects of a person's voice among the mechanisms to reduce fraud, promote secure commerce and foster trust between parties in online or mobile transactions.


text:
All reader reviews by Michelle
Have been to this restaurant quite a few times and despite swearing that the previous time would be the last due to the truly appauling, rude service (it was never great that time but was positively insulting the last time!) we found ourselves in Soho early on Tuesday evening fancying dim sum........so with some trepidation we gave it another go.
We arrived at around 6.30pm and were greeted very pleasantly - good start and way better that last time we thought. We had not booked but were seated within a few minutes upstairs. Our two chinese waitresses were attentive and one was bordering on pleasant! The food, as always, was delicious. Mouthwatering crab, delicious scallops and the salt and chilli squid just perfect. Venisons puffs a treat, lovely tea, however I do think the singapore noodles could have been a little tastier, but that is only a very minor grumble about what turned out to be a very pleasant experience indeed. We will return, but early in the evening on a weekday - never again will I go on a weekend with a table booked for 8pm - as its a disaster area if you do this!! I am always pleasantly surprised at the bill too - 2 pots tea, 1 bottle still water, venison puffs, pork and prawn sui mai, scallop sui mai, king crab dumplings, chilli salt squid and singapore noodles with service charge - £55 - well worth it.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9


text:
Designs by nadiahassan
nadia hassan
greensboro nc
amateur fabric designer. professional fabric hoarder.
Shop Tags
Shop Tags
arrows, geometric, baby, dots, tribal, mod, feathers, bird, polka dots, japanese, origami, coral, mint, aqua, halloween, spooky, boy, nursery, gray, arrow, scary, large scale, ocean, mustard, pink, camping, bones, retro, circle, beach, watercolor, food, large, nautical, sea, abstract, baby boy, navy, spring, cute, fashion, skeleton, dog, yellow, forest, horse, fruit, vintage, gold, baby girl, cobalt, ghost, bloom, blue, rainbow, teal, circles, teeth, hair, flower, atomic age, woodland, black and white, flowers, mushroom, summer, shark, cactus, autumn, diamond, orchid, succulents, glitter, dot, fleur, cowgirl, birds, owl, botanical, floral, modern, animals, red, tea towel, leaves, green, mid century, girl, garden, silhouette, fall, antique, typography, charcoal, blossom, small, chair, mid century modern, tiny, horses, bold, radiant orchid, western, drops, sixties, sea life, furniture, bedding, feminine, geek, kawaii, butterfly, rain, art nouveau, orange, desert, whale, candy, travel, lemon, pirate, wedding, nerd, argyle, atomic, anchor, plants, holiday, keys, ivory, calligraphy, ditsy, sand, girly, feather, confetti, gender neutral, teardrop, science, calendar, christmas, rabbit, turquoise, damask, kitchen, owls, apple, strawberry, water, shapes, moon, diamonds, birthday, blossoms, blush, triangles, letters, lavender, eyes, whimsical, citrus, seahorse, tile, succulent, funny, hexagon, cowboy, beetle, kaleidoscope, equestrian, olive, glasses, spider, terrarium, bug, egyptian, laundry, party, colorful, paint, solid, pony, mushrooms, cookie, anchors, key, milk, mini, jewels, berry, tooth, trendy, eye, blooms, tomato, masculine, pin, painterly, square, herbs


text:
New Delhi, Sep 17 (ANI): The Congress party slammed Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor 's remarks on the austerity drive on the social networking site Twitter.
"Certainly the Congress doesn't endorse or approve it and we find it unacceptable. We find this articulation unacceptable and absolutely insensitive," said Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan.
Media quoted Tharoor as saying on Twitter that he would travel in "cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows."
In a country where the hierarchy of politicians is determined by the size of their bungalows and their convoys, Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi has asked party leaders to give up a fifth of their salaries for drought-relief work, and flew economy on a commercial flight to Mumbai to launch the poll campaign.
Jayanti Natarajan also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for terming the austerity drive as "tokenism."
"The austerity drive which has been reported widely including the contribution of 20 percent of salaries and an stern way of life which the working committee has resolved upon is a continuation and articulation of that purpose. It was not a question of tokenism. We don't expect BJP to understand the concept of sacrifice because their party doesn't believe in ever giving up any chair, which is occupied. This is the particularly the Congress way of life and we are committed to it and continue with it," Natrajan said. (ANI)


text:
Contact us 24/7: +1 877 678 9627
View product details
Zoom In
- - Italian sizing
- - True to size
Heel measures approximately 125mm/ 5 inches with a 40mm/ 1.5 inch platform. Proenza Schouler takes the '70s trend into modern territory with these architectural wooden wedges. The sculptural heel adds artful appeal to these wear-with-everything black leather sandals - let them anchor a graphic warm-weather look, working a dose of raffia into your outfit for extra fashion points.
Shown here with: Proenza Schouler top, skirt and bag, Isabel Marant cuff, Pamela Love bangle.
- - Cutout curved wooden wedge heel measures approximately 125mm/ 5 inches with a 40mm/ 1.5 inch platform
- - Black textured leather (Pig)
- - Contrast tip at wedge, cutouts at front, peep toe
- - Buckle-fastening slingback strap
Product Code: 193143
For alternative suggestions, contact our Fashion Consultants
Help & Advice
Product Code: 193143


text:
News By Tag
Industry News
News By Place
Industry News
Make Weekends Luxurious With Hotel Aryaduta Medan's New Online Promo
Get some time off from the city in the luxurious oasis of Hotel Aryaduta Medan. Guests who stay at least two nights get huge discount and free buffet breakfast for the perfect weekend getaway.
More details of the promo as follows (may change without prior notice):
Your Weekend
Stay 2 nights, get the 2nd night for free
●Accommodation good for 2 persons and 2 children below 4 years of age
● Valid for checkins on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
● Free buffet breakfast for 2 guests plus 2 children (below 4 years old)
Hotel Aryaduta Medan's online booking engine, powered by DirectWithHotels, requires only 10% of the total reservation amount as deposit to successfully book the Your Weekend promo. Because all major credit cards are accepted, and with VeriSign and Trustwave to guarantee that all online transactions are secure, guests' booking experience with Hotel Aryaduta Medan is sure to be stress-free.
Located 15 minutes away from Medan International Airport, Hotel Aryaduta Medan is a testament to luxury and quality service. This accommodation in Medan is also conveniently found in the center of the business and entertainment district, and a few steps away from the upscale Grand Palladium Mall. The hotel offers 5-star amenities including a swimming pool, 24-hour workout room, an exclusive lounge, business center, and function rooms. The hotel also offers only the best services such as in-room massage treatment, 24-hour room service, complimentary valet parking, car rental, and golf course booking assistance.
Hotel Aryaduta Medan has stylish rooms and suites in contemporary design. All rooms have TV with cable channels, IDD telephone, Internet access, tea and coffee making facilities, mini-bar, safe, and writing desk and chair.
Check-in time is at 2 PM, while checkout is at 12 PM. Reservations made under the Your Weekend promo, can be modified on or before the check-in date, free of charge; and can be cancelled at least a day before the check-in date with no additional charge. Guests who do not show up within 24 hours of the scheduled check-in date will be penalized the total amount of the reservation.
Escape from all worries in the city and book the perfect weekend only at Hotel Aryaduta Medan in Medan, Indonesia. Book online through http://www.aryaduta.com/
Hotel Aryaduta Medan
Jl. Kapten Maulana Lubis No. 8
Medan 20112, North Sumatera, Indonesia
Phone: +62 61 457 2999
Website: http://www.aryaduta.com/
About DirectWithHotels
DirectWithHotels is in the business of making selling online simple and more profitable for hotels. Since 2005, we've helped over 1000 Hotel Partners (and counting) in 50 countries worldwide increase their direct bookings online. We attract visitors and drive traffic direct to their hotel websites with tactical online marketing, convert these visitors into bookers with a top-performing booking engine, and manage increasing reservations with an easy-to-use web interface. All this at a fixed, performance-
Account Email Address Account Phone Number Disclaimer Report Abuse


text:
Video Footage of a Black-Eyed Woman in Cannock Chase Goes Viral
Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, England is known to be the home of creepy supernatural beings such as Black-Eyed Children. And one proof of their creepy existence can be found on this drone footage.
Black-Eyed Children (or Black-Eyed Kids) is an urban legend of supposed paranormal creatures that resemble children between the ages of 6 and 16, with pale white skin and black eyes, who are reportedly seenhitchhiking or panhandling, or are encountered on doorsteps of residential homes. Tales of black-eyed children have appeared in pop culture since the late 1980s. - Wikipedia
The video of the creepy figure features a woman dressed in a long white gown. She starts to go away as the drone gets closer. The group believes the woman was a black-eyed spirit. This claim is due to the sightings of a black-eyed girl that were reported in 2014.


text:
Quote:I have a buddy that is a Urologist. He keeps all of the foreskins from the infants that he circumsises.He then takes thes foreskins and makes them into various crafts.Last year he made me a foreskin wallet. It is very handy. When I rub it really fast it turns into a briefcase! Page
Quote:I am going to continue to boycot Jessica Simpson- it should be illegal for her to exist.
Quote:I'm boycotting Gravity.
Quote:As a female, I feel obliged to boycott this as well. Quote:I'm boycotting Gravity.
Quote:Quote:I am going to continue to boycot Jessica Simpson- it should be illegal for her to exist. I am boycotting Cord now.
Quote:Hala, if you have any friends or family in Lebanon I hope they are all safe.
Quote:I am actually engaging in a boycott now...all American products. (Nothing against Americans, just the government.)
Quote:Hala - While I sympathize with the plight of innocent Lebanese caught between the Israeli Army and Hezbollah, to boycott American products is pretty silly. We are not directly involved in that conflict. I mean, are you boycotting Iranian or Syrian goods and government as well? Let's be fair.
Offering stun guns, pepper spray,
tasers and other self defense products not available in stores.
Online distributor of self defense supplies like videos,
stun guns, Tasers and more.
Surveillance, Hidden Cameras, Nanny Cams, Digital Recorders, Spy Equipment,
Pocket DVR's and more
Stun Gun
Wholesale Directlhy to the Public! Stun gun and Taser Guns and personal protection products. Keep your loved ones at home safe!


text:
Have a questions for our Attendance Secretary?
Friday, June 9!
Wednesday, June 7!
Click here to learn about and practice the new SOL Testing format!
Click here to check it out!
Click here to login to iReady and Dreambox from home!
Click to find out what is going on at the Ridge this Month!
Rolling Ridge 1 of 66 schools in VA Recognized!
Est. in 1975
Rolling Ridge Elementary School's students will be confident and passionate lifelong learners, who challenge themselves to achieve their full potential and become productive, contributing members of society.
Home of the Roadrunners
Mrs. Lottie Spurlock
Mr. John Tuck
Assistant Principal
School Phone Number: (571) 434-4540
School Board Members
Brenda L. Sheridan, Sterling District
Beth Huck, County-At-Large


text:
I WANT to convey my dissatisfaction and frustration regarding the new requirement for scholarship applications this year.
For example, one of the changes for PhD applicants is to obtain 'Cemerlang' (Grade A) in the 'Prestasi' for three consecutive years and which must be obtained before turning 35 years old.
From our experience, it takes quite a long time for any new officer to get 'Cemerlang'.
Most of new officers are given Grade C despite working so hard.
We will accept the new requirement if it is really achievable but the reality is it isn't.
I really hope the relevant authorities will look into this matter seriously and review the "not-so-logical" requirement.
– Frustrated Citizen


text:
Seize the day! That's what coffee does for you, and this mug is soothing like a good morning blend. A lot of earth tones make up this bouquet of autumn flowers.
● Durable white ceramic mug
● Rounded edge, safe to drink from, even for children
● Available in 15oz (443ml)
Other coffee mugs can be found here


text:
8,025pages onAdd New Page
this wiki
this wiki
- This is a Disambiguation Page - a page that lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
Lem may refer to one of two possible articles:


text:
To think that Public Enemy — arguably the best hip-hop group ever assembled — is still relevant after 25 years. Their album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, released in 1988, is still relevant and powerful today.
And yesterday we found out that the GREAT Chuck D is on Twitter. Fight the power, motherfucker.
As Washington acts like a bunch of wankers, we say Don't Believe the Hype.


text:
The Dean's Page
Dear Visitors,
Welcome to the Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, a vital community of students, faculty and staff dedicated to excellence in research and medical education.
Our Faculty is one of the few medical faculties worldwide integrated at a technological institute. Research in the Technion Faculty of Medicine has attained impressive achievements.
In the short time since its establishment in 1969, the Faculty has earned the scientific community's highest respect in several research areas. Two of our Faculty members, Distinguished Professors Avram Hershko and Aharon Ciechanover were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2004 for discovering the Ubiquitin system and its crucial role in protein degradation and cell cycle. The Faculty Center for Degenerative Brain Diseases is world famous and has brought about the development of new medicines in protection against brain degeneration. Our Stem Cell scientists are well known as pioneers in their field. Technion Faculty members have contributed to the understanding of "crush syndrome" that has enabled the rescue of thousands of earthquake victims around the world. The Faculty Centers for Cardiovascular Diseases and for Cancer Research have led to new and important discoveries in the growth of blood vessels and in future pharmacological treatment of patients with vascular disease or cancer. These most impressive achievements are only the tip of the iceberg and have already earned our Faculty a reputation for being at the forefront of medical research.
We are very proud of the large number of our graduates currently holding key positions within the medical system, academia and industry in Israel.
The Faculty is extremely proud of its achievements and worldwide recognition gained during its 45 years of existence. We look forward to future challenges and successes.
Eliezer Shalev, MD


text:
What age and or weight does a chid no longer need to be in a car seat?
8 years old or 40 pounds
How old and what size does a child have to be to no longer need a car seat or booster seat?
Have you seen those Disney commercials? They advertise that it's 48 inches (or 49, I can't remember) of height. Until they reach that height they need a car seat or booster seat as appropriate. I b...
Read More »
What age does a child no longer need a special safety seat in the car?
Well. . .she would be her mother's dependent, so her mother is charged with taking care of her. It would probably be difficult to do that without her mother's permission. Also, minors in the U.S. (...
Read More »
What size does a child have to be to no longer need a booster seat?
More in the younger years, gradually less as they mature to adulthood. Until they reach the age of majority, either 18 or 21, parents are still legally responsible for their children, and need to b...
Read More »
How tall does a child have to be to no longer need a booster seat in the UK?
Don't know but try the abd.org.uk web site and do a search


text:
Families of victims abused by former priest speak out
BOONVILLE, Mo. - Just hours after a former Boonville priest is convicted of sexually abusing several young boys, the families of the victims are sharing their stories, hoping the man they say destroyed their lives will hear them.
Gerald Howard plead guilty Tuesday to two counts of forcible sodomy and one count of attempted forcible sodomy.
It was part of a plea deal that happened just days before his trial was scheduled to begin.
Howard was sentenced to 12 years on each of the counts to run concurrently.
But families of the victims are saying 12 years doesn't seem like enough.
One mother brought a letter she wrote to the former priest and shared it with ABC 17 News.
"I wanted to say: Dear Father Jerry; As a mother I keep wondering what caused you to do this, to prey on these young children?," she said.
She wanted to remain anonymous so her son could too, hoping that would bring some normalcy back to his life after all these years.
Still reading her letter, she said," I pray for you each and every day that you understand the result of your actions."
She asked questions she's wanted to ask since she first learned her son was one of Howard's victims.
"Were you mocking us as parents and instilling fear through your messages into our children?"
And it wasn't just Howard she was upset with. She called out former officials of St. Peter and Paul Church in Boonville who allowed Howard to transfer there after he had been convicting of molesting another boy in New Jersey while he was a priest there. Howard even changed his name before starting his clerical duties in Boonville.
"I put my trust in God and I pray that people who have excused you and other priests' bad behavior will see the blood of Jesus on their hands, their hearts, their souls," she continued.
And although she doesn't think 12 years is enough to serve justice, she says it's enough to help her move on.
"I was angry at first but now the horrible pain you've cause in my child's life...it's helped me to understand him better...love him more... for telling the truth," she wrote.
Howard is no longer a priest in the Catholic Church. He was de-frocked a little more than a year ago.


text:
ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
CTI Victory Trading System3857 Birch St, Ste#545 Newport Beach, California United States of America
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 11/01/2012 10:28 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/cti-victory-trading-system/newport-beach-california-92660/cti-victory-trading-system-victory-trading-system-commodity-futures-trading-scam-refused-963185. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on CTI Victory Trading System
If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:Search Tips
In order to assure the best results in your search:
Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.


text: Divxturka.net is using Redbunker! Because Redbunker is better than Hotfile, Netload and Rapidshare ! Click here and buy REDBUNKER premium account! Plot: This is the story of a man who after living over ten years isolated away from his country, returns to avenge His brother's death. Inspired by the writings of David Henry Thoreau, he is translating 'Civil Disobedience' into Portuguese. The action is set between 1908 and 1910, between the assassination of the Portuguese King and Prince and the creation of the Portuguese Republic, an era where anarchists who fight against the monarchy often cross the path of burglars. On a country where corruption is set, the state representatives try to rob, arrest and kill innocents. The main character faces the tyranny of the state and tries to save the rest of his family. But this is a country where nothing changes. Genre: Adventure | Drama | Western IMDB Rating: 6.1/10 from 59 users Directed by: Rodrigo Areias Starring: Vítor Correia, Inês Mariana Moitas, Nuno Melo Size: 1.30 GB Video: AVi | 720 x 352 | 1576 Kbps Audio: Portuguese | AC3 | 384 Kbps Runtime: 94 Min Subtitles: English Information: Code: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084827/ Buy Redbunker Premium Account & Support me to post more stuff for you. Download From Redbunker Code: http://www.redbunker.net/i9n1b2nnv6q4/Estrada.de.Palha.2012.DVDrip.XviD.AC3-XaW.rar.html


text:
8/22/16: Weight 111, Body Fat 22.7% (starting stats)
9/26/16: Weight 106.4, Body Fat 21.0% (better than I started, but worse than mid-challenge)
Ultimately, I lost 4.6 pounds and 1.7% body fat.
I'm changing my exercise goal to 4 times a week because 5 felt like too much pressure. I am getting back to running, even if I have to go in the evening and I'll start running on weekends too- which I always took off before.
I've got my Mom on board with me and she wants to get in shape for my brother's wedding, so it's good that we can do this together. And I think Jordan is rooting us on!
Moving Comfort sports bras I always run in and this one by Nike is good too. They are sized by your bra size, so you can get an accurate fit. For lifting weights, I usually opt for my Under Armour because they are comfortable, have good support, and I never feel like they are choking me.
This sports bra I sometimes wear as a regular racerback bra with tank tops just for running around or being at home because it's so comfy and hides the straps. (I wear size Medium and am 34D).
Quality running shoes (and socks!) are important too. I've tried several brands and styles and the running shoes I've found to be the most comfortable and lightest on my feet, while keeping them dry are the Nike Free Flyknit . I swear by them!
Finally, let me end by mentioning that even though I've made good progress on 'body after baby' I do struggle with loose tummy skin. It's hard to see in pics unless I pull it, but I showed a pretty up close and personal video on Snapchat and Instastories before I went to NY. I try to accept it, but it doesn't mean I love it! And, I know from having James that my skin did tighten up after training for my first fitness contest.
Tomorrow, I'll share some shapewear secrets that will help us camoflauge that area and I figured I'd make it a series and finish up with my favorite t-shirt bras. No one wants lumps and bumps showing through their shirts!


text:
In its final year in the Big 12, Nebraska will play in the conference championship game after beating Colorado 45-17.
Running back Rex Burkhead turned quarterback and threw for two touchdowns while carrying for 101 yards and another score in the victory that eliminated the Buffaloes from bowl consideration.
"Nothing Rex Burkhead does surprises me," Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. "He's what a football player is supposed to be. They ought to put his picture next to it in the dictionary. He just does so many things to help you."
Pelini was a target of critics for his sideline tirade directed toward starting quarterback Taylor Martinez in last week's loss. Martinez was sidelined because of injuries to his right ankle and left foot.
"A lot of people tried to tear this team apart," Pelini said. "We weren't going to let it happen. Enough said on that."
Up next for the Cornhuskers, who be seeking their first Big 12 title since 1999, will likely be the winner of Saturday's game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. If the Sooners are victorious, Texas A&M would also share the South title and the highest-placed team in the BCS would earn the spot.
For the Buffaloes, it will be the second consecutive year without a bowl game. Colorado is currently search for a coach after firing Dan Hawkins. It won its first two games under interim coach Brian Cabral to get in position to become bowl eligible.
"Would I like to be the next head coach? Yes, but that's not up to me," Cabral said. "I just had a wonderful ride these last three weeks. I had the best seat in the house for three weeks. There isn't a Buff alive that wouldn't give anything for that. I just feel so privileged to have been in this position. Where this goes, only God knows."
--Erick Smith
Follow Erick on Twitter at @erick_smith
First-place votes in parentheses.
Football coaches' poll
Sign up for Campus Rivalry e-mail alerts


text:
Russian Forces Seize Another Military Airport
An armed pro-Russian group is in control of a military airport in Crimea.
A Ukrainian defense-ministry spokesman says the group was supporting 50 civilians.
The group blocked the entrance of the airport and set up machine-gun posts along a landing strip. The civilians tried to break into the airport's control terminal.
Russian forces are controlling strategic points in Crimea including Belbek military airport and the main civilian airport.