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Sunday, June 24th
Allie + David | Chicago Engagement Session
Allie + David's session was one of my favorites that I've ever had. We started the shoot at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago courtyard in downtown Chicago; at first, I thought they just wanted to meet here for the first location because it's beautiful and super chic. But! It turns out this is where David took Allie the night he proposed! After asking her to be his wife, he told her he had booked a room for them at the Waldorf. When they got there, her entire family was up in the room waiting to surprise her and celebrate with the two of them! Be still my heart.
After we finished up at the Waldorf, we headed to North Avenue Beach where the lighting was just perfect. I blasted some Zac Brown Band and Old Dominion (David's favorite artists) on my speaker, and we spent the evening capturing some really special photos. The love from these two just radiated into each picture and pose. Allie was also kind enough to be my guinea pig for the pop-up changing tent that I recently purchased on Amazon to switch between her blue Lulu's dress and her yellow one. The thing worked like a charm, but none of us could figure out how to collapse it down post-change!! Three YouTube videos and 25 minutes of help from my boyfriend later it's now back in its carrying case.
It's always good to meet some fellow Hawkeyes and Iowans in the Windy City, and I couldn't be happier for these two. Scroll down to check out how beautiful their love is!


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This is a model that I completed and posted to my blog some time ago, but in an effort to clear space in my over-crowded Brooklyn apartment I've decided to auction it off on Ebay.
It's an English brig from the period of the Napoleonic wars, and features crew members on deck and in the rigging, a painted sea base, MDF pedestal and a fitted plexiglass cover that can be removed.
If it turns out there is a market for this sort of thing (I've never tried it before!) then a few other similar models may follow.
The auction can be found here:
Take a look if you're interested in this sort of thing! - James

subset: commoncrawl


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This week's random act of kindness was buying a smoothie for the car behind me in line at McDonalds. It was hot (really, really hot) and it is the perfect cool treat. As I was pulling away from the window, I heard the crew kid say, "if you want one you can have a free smoothie compliments of the lady ahead of you in line."
I drove back to work!
Technorati Tags: random acts of kindness,giving,kindness,mcdonalds,smoothie,cindy is crafty


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I like to describe my work as simple beauty portraits. I like a cleaner image, but with a little story and emotion involved, or even lack of emotion.
Your images feel very natural, but at the same time, they look very clean. How would you describe your work?
I like to describe my work as simple beauty portraits, I like a cleaner image, but with a little story and emotion involved, or even lack of emotion. But simplicity is key, I never have crazy makeup or even crazy styling, I like the image to be honest as possible and portray the personality of the model whether it's more fun or sexy.
Los Angeles seems to be the dream place for photographers. Your favorite thing about it?
My favorite thing about LA is the light, it's always a great time to shoot. And of course our great weather!
You worked with some awesome models. Is there anyone you´d love to shoot?
I think I would love to shoot Coco Rocha one day, she's always been a favorite model of mine with her personality. But in general a favorite model isn't as important as someone with a great personality.
How would you describe your current life? What does freedom mean to you?
I would describe my current life as a constant battle for attention, to have my work seen by all while making sure the bills get paid. There are a lot of great photographers and you have to really strive to make sure you get seen and have your work stand out.
Freedom for me means: to shoot whenever I want without having to worry about money, ha-ha.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
I'd like to see myself shooting a big campaign somewhere on an exotic island. I would love to do a story for Playboy actually.


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"Love is not simply warm feelings, instead it is an attitude that reveals itself in action. How can we love others as Christ loves us? By helping when it's not convenient, by giving when it hurts, by devoting energy to others' welfare rather than our own, by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back. This kind of loving is hard to do. That is why people will notice when you do it and will know that you are empowered by a supernatural source." - Student's Life Application Bible (in reference to John 13:35)
I ran across this excerpt a few months ago in the commentary section of my Study Bible and it struck a nerve. Just by this excerpt alone you can see that love is all about the person you are loving. It is not selfish. I definitely used to think about love and automatically think of those flutters in the pit of my stomach when I started to really like someone. It is so much more than that. Love is action. It is a conscious choice that we make no matter what our current emotional state is. Love is not based on emotions. We love because we want to, or simply because we've made up in our minds that we are going to.
Gary Chapman, Author of the book "The Five Love Languages" says, "When we choose to love, our emotions follow the decision of our minds." It is true that making the choice to love definitely affects our behavior. But we first have to
make that choice.
make that choice.
The ultimate act of love ever performed took place over 2,000 years ago. God took human form, came down to earth, lived, and then died a cruel and humiliating death for sins we hadn't even committed yet. He knew that we would reject Him but yet He STILL died for us; because He loved us. That was and still is the highest display of love ever performed. Wow. Every time I think about it, I am in awe. God loves us so much that He tolerates us rejecting Him everyday and yet he still wakes us up every morning. It's because He LOVES. He doesn't have to, but He chooses to.
"One of the highest acts of love you can give someone is the opportunity to reject you. This is exactly what God has done." - Student's Life Application Bible
Today, Jesus asks of us only one thing and that is to love. He asks that we follow His example by loving those who treat us kindly AND by loving those who hurt us. Our natural response to hurt is revenge, but that isn't what Jesus teaches us to do. He teaches us to: "Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove that you are my disciples." John 13:34-35. Only He can give us the power to love this way. Loving others as Jesus loves us heals. It mends all brokenness and builds deep, satisfying relationships that lasts. And above all it draws the unloving and unsaved to Christ. If we use Jesus' constant display of love as the model to how we treat our families, friends and significant others, we will watch a tremendous change take place in our relationships with one word...one verb... Love.
Reference Scriptures:


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6 Boulevard Mohamed V Tangier Morocco
Located in the heart of the town, Tanjah Flandria Hotel Tangier is only a 10-minute walk from the sea and is close to many bars, nightclubs and shopping centres.
The property boasts comfortable guestrooms that are well furnished and equipped with modern amenities.
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During leisure, guests can take a cool dip in the pool, relax at the sauna or simply soak up the sun at the solarium.
Room Facilities:
Air conditioning Cable / Satellite TV Mini bar Private bathroom / Ensuite Telephone
Hotel Amenities:
Cocktail bar Laundry facilities Outdoor swimming pool Parking facilities Restaurant Room service Sauna


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Service tool for filling, draining, and venting "Combi 4" valves
The "Combi 4" service tool is used to fill, drain, or vent the "Combi 4" radiator valve.
|Part Number:
|"Combi 4" service tool
For technical assistance please call 860-413-9173 or use the form below to email.
For all inquiries outside North America, please go to www.oventrop.com.
Sign for our mailing list.
* We value your privacy and will not share your email.


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Looking for the perfect treat to enjoy while watching the Olympic games? Our Olympic themed cake balls and cake pops are adorable, easy to eat, and a great way to support Team USA.
Whatever sport you enjoy our cake balls and cake pops make the perfect partner!
Order our Olympic Cake Pops at this link http://www.cakebites.biz/cake-pops/fourth-of-july-cake-pops/.
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Stephen will be performing on Saturday, April 22nd at 11:30am as part of a two day music concert celebration for Earth Day. Lot's of great children's performers as well as food, crafts and interactive events all in celebration of our beautiful planet.
Bring the family and spend the day under the beautiful trees of Topanga Canyon, CA.
The inaugural Kidz Music Fest takes place as KIDZ Earth Day, April 22 & 23, 2017. Come to Topanga Canyon this year to enjoy a family-friendly event with a focus on children, celebrating sustainable living and building awareness in the next generation.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION : http://kidzmusic.com/


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How You Get God's Presence
God's holiness reveals our sinful nature. We cannot be in God's holy presence apart from His grace to us through Christ. As recipients of grace, we worship with joy and gladness in response to what Christ has done for us.
2 Samuel 6
28 Jun 2015
Guna Raman


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Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4... this is just how the year is divided up into quarters for financial reporting. Usually these are January, February and March for the first quarter; April, May and June for the second; July, August and September for the third; and October, November and December for the final quarter. This is the calendar year.
But some companies will issue annual and quarterly reporting to an entirely different schedule. It depends on the company's fiscal year (its year-end date).


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Sedikit berita dari tahun lalu, mengenai automated parking untuk sepeda. Mungkin ini bisa memecahkan masalah kemacetan di Jakarta dan keraguan orang untuk membeli sepeda yang mahal.
March 2010,
Hyundai elevator, Achieved Order On Bicycle Automatic Parking Facility For The First Time
Yeong-Deung-Po Station·Dae-Gu station…Underground Molding Type,
Kwang-Ju station…Ground Independent Type
Hyundai elevator(CEO Song jin chul, www.hyundaielevator.co.kr , hereunder Hyundai) achieved order on bicycle automatic parking facility for the first time.
Hyundai achieved all orders on bicycle automatic parking facility on 3 places as Yeong deung po station(captial area west office), Dae gu station(Dae gu office), Kwang ju station(Kwang ju office) last month 19th.
The facillity is underground molding type for Yeong deung po station·Dae gu station and ground independent type for Kwang ju station, and plan to open to public at the end of this year. On this achievement, Hyundai explained "The result is from low cost, fast reaction and supply line, effective maintenance service.".
Hyundai expected that the related market would be expanded from public transportation to apartment house according to the policy of vitalizations of bicycle using by government.
According to the notification of 'Mandatory of installation of bicycle parking lot for new apartment house' last year, city have population more than 500,000, must install bicycle parking lots for 30 bicycles per 100 houses and all city·district·ward must install bicycle parking lots for 50 bicycles per 100 houses from July 2009.
Song jin chul, CEO of Hyundai, sad "I expect synergy effect between parking lots and elevators business if parking lot market expand to apartment house" and added "Henceforth, we will standardize design according to the place for installation and make better products".
On the other hands, Hyundai showed new model for 200 bicycles handling parking lots last May. This model can be installed to underground, ground and have many gates to reduce waiting time so it's favourable for transient place such as public park and stations. Especially, underground molding type need 12㎡ ground area for installation so, it can solve area problem.


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A new study out Tuesday morning shows many midsize SUV's struggle to light up the roads at night.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at headlights on 37 different models.
Only two got good reviews and eleven models received poor grades.
While all the headlights on every SUV in the study do meet federal standards, those given a poor grade by the IIHS -- like the Dodge Journey -- may keep drivers from seeing obstacles in the road with enough time to properly react, reports CBS News correspondent Kris Van Cleave.
The Kia Sorento ranked among the worst of those tested by the IIHS.
Matthew Brumbelow is a senior research engineer.
"So, when I say the Kia Sorento, 35 miles an hour is really about fastest you should be driving with your low beams on," Brumbelow said.
Headlights on the Volvo XC60 scored the highest. Compared to the Kia Sorento, you can see the person 100 feet away and even make out a deer 200 feet down the road; properly positioned, they also won't blind oncoming drivers.
"If you are involved in a crash at night, with better headlights you might have avoided that collision," Brumbelow said.
IIHS began testing headlights last year and whether on sedans, small SUVs pickups or now midsize SUVs, they've all largely underperformed.
In one round, researchers evaluated 37 SUVs with 79 possible headlight combinations.
When fitted with their best headlight systems, 11 models were rated "poor," the lowest score possible.
Only two got top marks -- the Volvo XC60 and Hyundai Santa Fe, which is equipped with highly-specialized curve-adapted lights.
"If you are in the market for a new car and safety is your top concern, take a look at the IIHS safety standards when it comes to headlight performance but also roll over, crash protection, air bags," said Edward Loh of Motor Trend magazine.
CBS News reached out to the carmakers whose headlights received a poor grade, and a majority of them said that while their vehicles meet or exceed federal government safety standards, they still intend to evaluate the results of the study.
Carmaker statements
In a statement to "CBS This Morning," Kia said the Kia Sorento "has been named a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety" and that "Kia will carefully evaluate the results of this test as part of its commitment to continuous improvement."
Toyota said, "Toyota remains committed to providing headlights that provide appropriate lighting performance for the drivers of our vehicles while being sensitive to the glare that will be experienced by drivers of oncoming vehicles."
Nissan said their "engineers will evaluate these test results and other relevant data for updates as appropriate."
Ford said: "Our mid-size SUV headlamps meet applicable federal motor vehicle safety laws, and we will consider the findings of the IIHS analysis as we work to continuously improve safety."
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said: "FCA US designs and engineers its vehicles for real-world performance. All FCA US vehicles meet or exceed federal safety requirements."


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Life can be weird, as I have stated in a past blog, everything that we see, do, and understand is interpreted by our inner selves as this is where we live. While most happens outside of our physical selves, it is our inner selves that must translate what we are seeing into something we can understand. With that said, it takes experience in life to be able to understand and truly interpret what we are observing. When we reach the age where we can begin to remember things, our views and conclusions are very basic and very black and white, absolute. It is here where we begin to learn boundaries. We do not know what can harm us, and we hear the word "no" a lot. This negative given to us to protect us from harm by loving parents. Plainly said, it is what we can do verses what we are not allowed to do. So it is a green light – red light situation.
As we continue to grow and learn, many times from our mistakes, we begin to develop views of this world that we are a part of. Opinions that we form at this stage in life are much the same – black and white. With little real experience we can only make conclusions from our limited views and understanding. So when we are told that something is true, we believe that it is the whole and complete truth. If someone in authority states something, or we are taught something in school, then we accept it as fact. After all why would it be any different from what is presented? In many ways this is encouraged. But again, in one's youth, we are still learning life's rules. So we have to take some things as fact, and many times we've had personal experiences to remind us that these facts are true. Gravity comes to mind. After all we've all fallen learning to walk, to ride a bicycle, by tripping over something during our clumsy years. We've enjoyed jumping into that pile of sand or down the pile of dirt. We know that our mothers expect certain things from us, and that our dad's patience is short, and his punishment comes faster than mom's. So with these experiences we begin to understand the world.
As we grow and our experience in the world grows, we begin to learn that truth is not absolute, and that when something is stated it can be true, but by not either stating the complete truth, an example would be editing out of something, or it can be stated in such a way to give the ones listening or reading it a different interpretation. For example: A long time ago I heard a story. Whether this story was created or real I cannot recall, but it does a good job of demonstrating this very thing. There was an automobile race between 2 countries, the USA, and USSR.This was a long distance race with the winning country taking home bragging rights as who's autos were the best. In the end the USA won and the USSR lost. And in the USSR's newspaper there was an article stating the true facts of the race, it stated. "The great country of the USSR in an automobile race came in second, while the USA came in next to last! Are we not a great people?" So when one looks at this statement you can see that it is the total and complete truth. Yet the perception from any that would read this would be very different from the facts.
Partial truths are even more dangerous, and insidious. After all what is presented is fact, but not all of the facts are given. So if one doesn't take the time to look for the complete story, then what has been presented can be skewed to say anything. In your youth all of these kinds of manipulations of the truths go right over one's head. After if it is true, I must accept it as fact and the conclusions I have been presented, and I do not need to look anywhere to confirm or deny. But as one continues down the road of life, you begin to see these half-truths for what they are, because you have seen them before, being used to create specific conclusions, and may have even been manipulated by them before. And in many ways you lose patience with the younger generation, because it is obvious to you what is going on, but they cannot see it at all. And with the fire of youth, they go out and accept much of this as absolute truth, black and white, that years later looking back they realize that it wasn't that way at all. So as one ages in life and experience, very rarely are things so easy. No longer are they the black and white of youth, but instead all have become subtle shades of gray. After all what isn't being said may be more critical than what is.


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Our Team
As a distributed company spread from San Francisco up to Portland, over to New Orleans, and even to Korea, our team is still very close-knit. We hold weekly meetings at the "Kitchen Table", play Team Fortress 2 at lunch, and work closely on all our projects. You would never know we're leagues away from each other.
We over-communicate. At every step of the process you will know what to expect, where your investment is going, and how to make it go farther. We treat you like a partner, not just a client.
To us, being professional means doing what we say and saying what we mean. It means playing to our strengths and collaborating.
As developers we owe a great deal to the talent and hard work that goes into free and open source software. We go out of our way to find ways we can serve and lead in the communites that spring up around the technology we use.


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The good doctor, Mr Riaad Moosa has posted a response for the team here at Muslimality over on his website and Facebook page. The first thing to catch my eye when reading his piece was this line or admission asit were:
"I am not qualified to respond with Shariah proof,…"
I have quoted this to illustrate a very important aspect of Islam which many Muslims have taken for granted. You see, when you get to that point, a response of any sort should immediately cease. You are admitting that you have NO knowledge of your subject matter and yet, unbelievably you still would like people to read your 'opinion' (albeit a very ill-informed one by your own admission). I do not care for the intricacies of medical science. I have no qualifications in that field. Naturally, I respect whatever a professor's opinion is on the impact of new cancer medication on a patient suffering from cancer purely because he is QUALIFIED to speak or comment on such matters.
So whether you're a doctor or a lawyer or a chartered accountant, your opinion and your feelings matter very little in the field of Islamic academics. You could sing from the rooftops proclaiming the benefits of drinking wine or eating pork and a thousand other Muslims could support you and practise it themselves but numbers and opinions without valid, authentic Shar'i proof mean absolutely nothing really.
The necessity to mention this situation is indicative of the fact of the growing number of Muslims who resort to 'winging – it' when it comes to Islamic matters because they happen to read or hear somewhere that 'Islam is easy'. It is quite unfortunate that we now have hoards of Muslims screaming 'over-sensitivity' when the reaction to a mockery of the Sunnah is harsh.
This is also indicative of the growing trend to take our religion from some of the most ridiculous sources. For example, Moosa mentions in his response the example of Maher Zain, Yusuf Islam etc.to illustrate that music may be permissible. For the newer generation, this may as well suffice as 'proof'. But has it honestly come to this? We begin taking religion from laymen? Have we stopped looking at the four sources of Shari'ah? So we disregard the four sources of Shari'ah simply because there are people alive today whose actions somehow count as a proof in Shari'ah that music is permissible?
These people are not out Prophets, they are not illustrious Fuqahaa, they are not Sahaabah, they are not acting with Divine guidance. Their actions, words, opinions or comments are not and cannot be used as a proof in the Shari'ah. More of that later…
As you know, every action is judged by its intention.
It has become common to quote ahaadeeth when it suits us. Therefore, we have decided to devote as much of this article as possible to relay all the necessary ahaadeeth affecting this situation. It is unfortunate that many have read only that part of the hadeeth which you cite and now use it as a scapegoat for their actions. Do allow yourself to read the commentary to that hadeeth prior to citing it as an example for your actions.
You say that it is important to publically denounce anything thought to denounce Shariah. I accept that.
Great. Now that you accept that that is important, we can move on in this rebuttal. However, we would just like to make a few things clear. The Sunnah makes up the Shari'ah. It is one of the four sources of Shari'ah. A beard as described in the ahadeeth is a Sunnah, therefore that beard as described in the Sunnah is a part of the Shari'ah. Therefore keeping a beard as described in the Sunnah is both part of the Shari'ah and part of the Sunnah. You may consult any Aalim or Mufti to explain to you the many ahaadeeth available on the beard, the description of the beard etc. Time permitting, I will make all those ahadeeth available to you. You may find the views of Fuqaaha and the four Imaams in any authentic works of Fiqh. The most authentic and fully explanatory being those written in Arabic.
Again, we will reiterate (it seems from your response you have not adequately understood our explanation),we do not care whom you decide to parody. What was disturbing about your parody was the fact that you had chosen to relay an idea, movement or thought to the public, whether Muslim or non-Muslim i.e. that the beard should have or could have been removed in the name of freedom.
After so much persecution faced by our Muslim brothers in countries where they are not allowed to wear beards, your comment (through song, jest, mockery, parody etc. is STILL a comment nonetheless) that the shaving off of the beard will lead to freedom is done in poor taste. Would you consider acting out a parody for our sisters in France to remove the Niqaab in the name of freedom? Whether or not you used Osama bin Laden makes no difference to us. We really couldn't care less but it was the words that you used and the message put across to the public which was highly offensive to followers of the Sunnah.
There are Muslims in this world who would die for the right to be able to practise Islam fully; Muslims who stick so dearly to the Sunnah that they defy governments and laws to be able to do this and in that they have found freedom but you claim freedom in the absence of the beard? What kind of message are you sending to the masses? Like I said, defending Osama bin Laden is not the aim, defending the Sunnah is. We are not concerned with his actions, his decisions, his innocence or lack thereof. We are concerned with the way in which you took an aspect of Osama bin Laden (i.e. his wearing of the beard) and relayed the absence of such an aspect amounting to freedom. Do you understand the difference? It is a very BIG difference.
Obviously you would have had to research your subject matter prior to writing those three lines, which you may have done but not sufficiently.
Muslims are overtly defensive and tend to have disproportionate reactions to relatively minor problems
These minor problems you speak of may be 'minor' to you but you have chosen to forget the thousands of Muslims who do not see the mocking, the degradation and flippancy of the beard as 'minor'. This flippant attitude towards the Sunnah has become commonplace amongst many Muslims and such parodies only serve to fuel that sort of ideology. If you were to devote some time to learning about the Sunnah, you would probably see for yourself the importance of the Sunnah in the life of a Muslim.
There is a clear hadeeth which states: When the two messengers of Kisra (Khusru – the Persian King) came to Rasulullah , they had long moustaches and shaved beards. Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam turned his face away in disgust and asked them, 'Who commanded you to do this (despicable deed)?' They replied, 'Our Lord, (i.e. King)' At this, Rasulullah mentioned, 'But my Lord has commanded me to lengthen my beard and shorten my moustache.' (Tabaqaat ibn Sa'ad vol.1 pg.147; Taareekh Tabari vol.2 pg.267-266; Bidaaya wan Nihaaya)
So a person who encourages somebody (even though he may have passed away), in your opinion and after reading the above hadeeth, what is the status of such a person according to the hadeeth? Is he/she a person who commands others what his/her Lord has commanded otherwise? Remember that Rasulullah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam chose to turn his face away in disgust of NON-BELIEVERS, so what of Muslims then?
Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Adhere compulsorily to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my rightly -guided Khulafa." There are numerous examples which may be cited to illustrate the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa. If the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa was to wear a beard (and it was), how can you sing in your parody 'advising' Osama to shave it!?! Where is the disconnection from the Sunnah? Where is the connection to Al Qaeda? The beard is a part of the Sunnah of Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam and if you agree that Osama bin Laden was, in fact, a Muslim then how can you advise a Muslim to shun the Sunnah in exchange for 'freedom'?
Every aspect and sphere of the Sunnah is conservative and it is this holy conservatism which influences Muslims who are keen to lead a life under the Umbrella of the Sunnah. Our Qur'aan is traditional, our Sunnah is traditional, the Sahaabah radhiAllahu anhum whom we revere are conservative. In fact, their conservatism was such that once Hadhrat Hasan Basri (rahmatullah alayh), reprimanding his disciples, said:
"If you had to see the Sahaabah, you will brand them as madmen and if they had to see you, they would have branded you as kaafir."
We take great offense to the mockery and flippancy of the Sunnah. That is the way of the Muslim. In the hadeeth it states, "Whoever amongst you sees anything objectionable, let him change it with his hand, if he is not able, then with his tongue, and if he is not even able to do so, then with his heart, and the latter is the weakest form of faith."
Firstly, I need to categorically state that anyone taking my silly rhymes seriously must have absolutely no sense of humour. Just remember these are jokes
Islam has never stated that laughter is haraam. Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam preferred smiling to laughter but would jest with children nonetheless. The problem arises when a joke, jest or unusual idea/image is a direct mockery of the Sunnah. The Sunnah is what Muslims do and should hold dear to them. If a non-Muslim mocks the Sunnah, it is understandable. He does not know any better, he does not possess Imaan in his heart. What of the Muslim? The one who should hold on tightly to the Sunnah? Should we be mocking the Sunnah? Should we be treating the Sunnah with such flippancy? It's all in the name of harmless fun right? A joke is a mockery is a degradation and in this case is a degradation of the Sunnah.
It is downright offensive when (as a joke) you imitate a man clothed in Sunnah attire with a Sunnah beard dancing to music. The Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam warned against dancing and singing. Your parody is acted out by you. Wearing of Sunnah attire and engaging in dancing and singing for the sole purposes of entertainment is directly in contradiction to the Sunnah. Whoever does it, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is and will be in error. Partaking of music and dancing has been made forbidden by Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam. We explain this point in great detail later in the article with adequate proof.
You may not have intentionally meant to offend in such a way but your execution did offend, degrade and mock the followers of the Sunnah. It degraded the Sunnah to an object of barter for freedom with freedom being the more desirable of the two.
Those lines 'why didn't you shave, you could have been free' are not messages to Muslim people that they should shave. It is not my amendment proposition to the Shariah. It is purely a humorous observation that Osama didn't seem to try to disguise himself while in hiding. In my mind I'm picturing CIA agent walking past a beardless Osama because he doesn't recognise him without the beard – hence Osama would get away. It's just a silly funny picture. Also if Osama did shave is beard at any point to avoid capture, this in my view is not an indictment on him. He may have done so, who knows. He was on the run from the U.S. Remember, we have a very practical religion. Muslims are even allowed to eat the Haraam flesh of swine if one is starving. Are you telling me that it is Haraam to for Osama to disguise himself without a beard to avoid capture? I am not making a comment about the beard as part of the Sunnah. It's purely a joke about an Osama disguise – and it's funny because it is an image of Osama that is unusual. Like it's a funny image to see Helen Zille toing toing. Like me telling you the Dalai Lama has a twitter account (true. I follow him.). It's a funny image. I doubt many Muslim people with beards, after watching my sketch, are going, "Let's get the shaving gel." Don't make my joke more than it is.
Perhaps a good re-reading of those lines should be in order.The 'Why didn't' alludes to the fact that it did not happen. Again, an illustration of how you have missed the point completely. The offence is not based on the fact that the parody is centered around Osama bn Laden. We really couldn't care less whom you decided to base it on. The fact still remains that you used the words, 'Why didn't you shave? You could have been free'. In saying, 'we have a practical religion' does not excuse the fact that this religion and its strong elements are being mocked, stripped of its dignity and reduced to flippancy for a good laugh!?!
Please go back to the hadeeth regarding the Persian missives and the disgust Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wa sallam showed at the absence of a beard. Islam stresses the keeping of a beard and its practicality arises when we are told exactly how long the beard should and whether or not we may trim the beard. That is the practicality of Islam i.e. its practicality being for the one who chooses to learn, understand and incorporate its practicality to the letter and not just 'wing-it' as many of us are prone to do in this day and age.
We hardly have knowledge of the sources of Shari'ah, cannot speak the language of Allah Ta'ala, cannot speak the language of our Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam (whom we claim to be our beloved) and yet we sing the ease and practicality of Islam, a religion most of us have been born into but yet only still know the basics of!?!?
If you or anybody else would like to poke fun at Islam, do so after you have studied your subject matter properly. In this way you are guaranteed not to step on anyone's toes or offend any…what were those words again…hmmm ahh yes 'overtly defensive' Muslims.
As far as having beard in the video goes, I just thought that if I am going to parody an Al Qaeda Internet video, I'm going to dress myself in a manner resembling them.
It was just your unfortunate luck that you chose to parody an organisation whose manner of dress resembled the Sunnah. Again, let me remind you of the fact that we do NOT care which organisation you choose to parody. You may illustrate them in any manner you wish but you CHOSE to bring the Sunnah into it when you copied the Sunnah dress i.e. the Beard and the Kurta (thowb) for Osama and a burka clad person to illustrate a female voice. Again let me reiterate the implication of your decision to include the illusion of a woman in a burka: How is a woman in a burka related to the parody of Al Qaeda? Sure you may have used it to aesthetically tie in to the song you chose but that has no bearing on Al Qaeda. Therefore your parody is not centered around Al Qaeda only.
Now to the crux…If your parody included a 'woman' or the illusion of one by using Simmi then why choose a burka? Prior to this aayah being revealed in the Qur'aan:
Surah Ahzab Verse 59
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
The verse clearly states the command for women to cover themselves over and above what they were already using to cover themselves. So how exactly were the women dressing prior to the revelation of this verse? This should have been included in your research prior to making this video and including a man to wear the burka, dancing and singing along in your parody. If your research did not point to the fact that the burka was a salient feature of the dress of the sahaabiyaat prior to the revelation of the aayaah regarding the Jilbaab, your research sorely fell short. You also chose a black burka to further illustrate your parody. Unbeknownst to you, the Sahaabiyaat chose the colour black as in the darkness of the night, they would remain unseen, 'Ibn Abi Haatim mentions, 'On the authority of Umm Salmah radhiAllahu anhu, she said, 'When this verse was revealed (yudneena alayhinna), the women of the Ansaar came out…and upon them were black clothes which they were wearing."'
Do bear in mind also that it was by your decision (as you have accepted full responsibility of the video) to allow a man to dress as a woman and let me remind you that according to the hadeeth, a man who imitates a woman is cursed, albeit in jest or otherwise. It is unfortunate that we allow such basic Islamic rules and laws to slide and even more imperative that people point out such things to us prior to commencing such acts in direct contradiction to the Shari'ah. The act becomes more heinous in nature because the 'shemale' in question chose to depict a 'Muslim woman' dancing and singing in your parody and this is highly reprehensible in terms of the Sunnah and an insult to every Muslim woman who has chosen to wear the burka.
Your reference to Zulu dress makes no sense unless you can prove that the Zulu people are commanded in their religion to dress a certain way. Same goes for the Amish, Jewish, Sikh etc. people. In Islam, men are commanded to lengthen their beards and trim the moustaches (refer back to the ahadeeth). In any event, this excuse does not abscond a person from encouraging or making statements which are contrary to what Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam states that Allah Ta'ala Himself has commanded.
We reiterate that these views are not of our own opinion. We only relay the opinion of the Shari'ah, Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam and in this case, the opinion of Allah Ta'ala Himself. If anybody has any view that is contradictory to this view, you are advised to take it up with your Creator as He commanded it.
Also I need to draw your attention to the fact that Abu Lahab and Abu Jahal may have been wearing something very similar to what I was wearing in the sketch as well. The Quraysh used to bury their daughters alive. They weren't doing this wearing jeans and t-shirts.
The 'may' in your statement illustrates the fact that you're unsure regarding this. As Muslims, Muslim scholars, students of Deen etc. we do not take our religion from the likes of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab. We derive our religion from the four sources of Shari'ah as you already may know. It is unfortunate that once again your research may have cut you short…Allow me to elucidate with a few ahadeeth:
Hazrat Umme Salma (RadiAllahu Anha) narrates that Nabi (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) preferred the Kurta over all other types of clothing.
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RadiAllahu Anhu) reports that Nabi (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) would begin with the right side when wearing his Kurta.
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RadiAllahu Anhu) reports that lengthwise, the Kurta of Nabi (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) would be above his ankles while the sleeves would reach upto his fingers.
Hazrat Anas (RadiAllahu Anhu) says that the sleeves of the Kurta of Nabi (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) would be upto the wrists.
Shu'ba reports that he met Muhaarib Ibn Dinaar. He was riding a horse on his way to the court for a case. I asked him about this (the above) Hadith? He replied that he had heard Ibn Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) saying that Nabi (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "He who wears excessively long clothes (which flow below the ankles) due to pride, Allah Ta'ala will not look towards him (with mercy) on the day of Judgement."
These ahadeeth are for your own reference and serve to illustrate the fact that the Kurta or thowb as worn by Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam is NOT a cultural dress as is believed by many Muslims today. It is SUNNAH.
There are numerous examples of the Kurta as worn by the sahaabah radhiAllahu anhum and the Tabieen. The descriptions go into much more detail but the idea is the same. The Kurta worn by Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam is SUNNAH. Therefore a parody used in jest or mockery is done in bad taste when the parody uses a man clad in the Sunnah clothing which is proven beyond a doubt to be SUNNAH.
Your mention of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab is meaningless since: 1. You are not entirely sure what they did, in fact, actually wear. 2. You have no idea whether their dress was in accordance to the Sunnah (in which case it would still be reprehensible to mock their dress!) or not 3. It was common practise among the Arabs to wear the sleeves over the hands and wear their robes long so that they drag on the floor, hence the prohibition of allowing the trousers or clothing to be worn long 4. It is mentioned in the ahadeeth above that Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam preferred the kurta over all other types of dress. Is it possible that there may have been other types of dress available during that era? Perhaps not a jeans and a t-shirt but you would have to delve deeply into the commentary of this hadeeth and many similar ones to discern the probability and description of other types of clothing worn by the Arab men during the time of Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam.
Again, if you had simply researched the subject matter correctly, you would have come across these glaring facts.
Please feel free to supply us with your email address and we will send you copies of articles from time to time on Fiqh, Aqaa'id, Tafseer and many other Islamic sciences which Insha Allah will be of great benefit to you.
Having stated the above, I would like to once again say that I was ONLY sending up AL Qaeda. It was in no way my intention to comment, albeit indirectly, on Islam or the Nabi (SAW).
You may not have intended to do so but the illustration of facts preceding this correctly state that you HAVE commented and in very negative way on the Sunnah of Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam by alluding to his Sunnah in your parody.
The Nikaab was used because in the original Puff Daddy "I'll be missing you video," Faith Evans (the Notorious BIG's wife) sings that part. I couldn't have used a western female outfit to parody this section. That would have also been criticised as well, and it would have been inaccurate. We decided not to use Parda as I thought people would find that too objectifying. We therefore settled on Burka and I got brother Simmi Areff to play that part because he had the best singing voice.
The use of even a man to portray a woman in a burka was unnecessary and had no bearing to the Al Qaeda themed parody. You were not forced to use or portray a man/woman with a burka and yet you still chose to include it. This already points to the fact that the parody was not only centered around Al Qaeda but had a very strong Muslim undertone to it which is quite understandable since Al Qaeda are Muslims, are they not? Or do they just choose to dress like that for the heck of it? Or is it because those are strong elements of Islamic identity which you have chosen to include in a parody using un-Islamic elements (singing – we'll get to that, dancing,flippancy to the beard etc.)
If you say ALL forms of music is Haraam, I believe that is a debatable topic. There are numerous Muslim Musicians – Zain Bhika, Sami Yusuf, Yusuf Islam, etc.etc. I am no scholar though, so I'll accept the fact that you believe playing any form of music is a mockery. I respect your view; although, I do not share your view. Once again, I must say, I'm just being honest about what I truly believe.
Firstly, a view is a view is a view unless you have facts to substantiate or prove your view. Until then, it remains but a very ill-informed opinion which is a very big problem when you don't actually have the proof to substantiate what you believe. There is no monopoly on knowledge. We are all free to learn and knowledge regarding Islam is not reserved for any person or group of people. The use of the 'I'm no scholar' excuse has ben used too often to excuse the facts that we are not making an adequate effort to actually understand and learn the Deen we so dearly hold close to us.
The fact that there exists numerous musicians (even if there exists a million or a billion), it doesn't change Shari'ah. Numbers or majority doesn't influence the swaying of Shari'ah. In the first battle of Islam, the Battle of Badr, the Muslims were in stark minority with the Kuffaar outnumbering the Muslims. Were your analogy to hold, the Muslims would have been in a sore minority and therefore been wrong in their beliefs since there were SO many to outnumber them.
Lastly, these musicians and their actions do not point to permissibility. They are not our God, they are not Ambiyaa, they are not Sahaabah, they are not even Fuqahaa! We do not take our religion, our deen from them. To even mention their names as some sort of validation regarding the permissibility of music is an insult to thousands of fuqahaa who have spent their lives in the pursuit of knowledge and bringing that knowledge to people who do not even bother to gain wisdom from that knowledge. It is a disgrace to mention them in light of the ahadeeth which are available that clearly denounce music.
Abu Umamah radhiAllahu anhu reported that the Messenger of Allah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam said: "Sell not singing girls,nor buy them,nor train them, and their price is unlawful." In accordance with this, the following Qur'anic verse was revealed:'And of men there are those who purchase frivolous conversation."
Jaber RadhiAllahu anhu reported that the Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam said, ' Song generates hypocrisy in the heart as water grows crops."
Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'aan: "And, whatever the Messenger present to you,take hold of it. And, whatever he forbids you, abstain(from it)."
Said the Messenger of Allah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam: "Verily Allah Ta'ala sent me as a mercy and as a guide unto the worlds. And Allah Azza Wa Jal commanded me with the destruction of musical instrument."
Said the Messenger of Allah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam with regard to the signs of the Hour: "And, singing girls and musical instruments will become plentiful."
Said the Messenger of Allah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam: "And, there is not a man who raises his voice with singing, but Allah sends two devils – one on either side of him (the singer). Both these devils strike their feet (dancing) until such time that he (singer) maintains silence."
"Rasulullah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam prohibited two stupid voices – i) the voice of one who cries aloud in funerals, and ii) the voice of a singer."
"People in my Ummah will consume alcohol and give it some other name. And, musical instruments and singing girls will be performing to them – Allah will curse the earth to swallow them an, of them He will transform into apes and pigs."
"Rasulullah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam forbade the price of dogs and the income derived by a flute"
In a discussion with the Sahaabah radhiAllahu anhum , Rasulullah sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam said about singing and music:- "Listening to singing and music is sin; and sitting at it is Fisq (Rebellion); and to derive pleasure from it is an act of Kufr."
Safwaan Ibn Umayyah radhiAllahu anhu says:"We were with the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) when Amr Bin Qurrah came to the Messenger (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam). Amr Bin Qurrah said, "O Messenger of Allah!, verily Allah has decreed misfortune for me. I am of the opinion that my sustenance or food is in my Daf (drum) which I beat with my own hand. Therefore grant me permission with regard to singing which does not contain any evil (or songs which are not bad). Rasulullah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) said:
"I do not give you permission fo it. In my sight you have no respect nor am I happy to meet you. O Enemy of Allah! You are speaking a lie. Allah Ta'ala has ordained Halaal Rizq for you, but you have chosen what Allah has made Haram for you. If before this I had forbidden it then I would have definitely punished you. Begone from me and repent. Now hear: After I have warned you if you again indulge in it (music and singing), I will beat you painfully and spoil your looks by shaving your hair; and I will have you ejected from your family; and give the youth of Medina permission to loot your property."
Hearing this Amr Bin Qurrah left. Allah alone knows the state of extreme shame and disgrace n which he departed. When he left, Rasulullah said: These people are the disobedient ones…"
I think there's a bit of miscommunication here. Obviously I see a link.
The Al Qaeda members are Muslims after all. Of course there would be a LINK. But saying there's a link and saying that because of that link, I'm indirectly parodying the other is not fair. There are links between many things, but it does not mean that the linked item can be interchanged with the other. If a table has four legs and an Arabian Stallion has four legs, it does not mean an Arabian Stallion is a table.
The link can be plainly seen by the fact that the Sunnah elements are highlighted in your video. Whether this was unavoidable or not is not the issue. Mockery, jest or anything leading to the flippancy of the Sunnah can and should be avoided. Sunnah dress is not an abstract theory. There is a definitive description of the actual Sunnah dress of Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam. If the Sunnah dress is the same dress used by a specific organisation, it does not void the fact that it is a Sunnah and will remain a Sunnah. The same goes for a beard as detailed and described in the Sunnah. It will remain a Sunnah and mockery of the beard which conforms to the Sunnah is still a mockery of the Sunnah.For more on the topic, please consult Sunan At Tirmidhi.
I do not understand. You are saying that if anyone is dressed like the Nabi (SAW), he is seen to indirectly be the Nabi (SAW). You say because I'm parodying Osama, I am parodying the Nabi(SAW). So, by that logic, if an uncle wearing Sunnah garb starts swearing at another uncle during Ramadaan, I cannot criticize him because if I criticize him I am indirectly criticizing the prophet because he is wearing the same outfit as the prophet. This is what I understand by your argument. Please clarify if I am mistaken.
The criticism of what was done is not focused on Osama bin Laden or Al Qaeda alone. The criticism is centered around the use of wholly Islamic elements and the flippancy, mockery and jest thereof. You are parodying the SUNNAH by using clear SUNNAH elements in your parody and making stark references to these elements in jest. I hope you understand the difference between what you have inferred and the actual implication.
Using the Sunnah dress and a beard with a she-male in a burkha together with singing,dancing, rap etc. is a clear mockery of the Sunnah elements you chose to include in your parody.
Once again I'd like to state that I'm not 'reaching a laughable conclusion' as you put it. With that statement I'm just explaining that it was in no way my intention nor did I ever dream that people would say I meant to insult the Nabi (SAW).
I am not qualified to respond with Shariah proof, I therefore accept all the 'Valid, authentic, authoritative, academic Shariah proof' that you brought into the discussion. It's not necessary to add any more Shariah proof. I accept everything that you have brought with love.
I am only responding to the conclusions that you draw with honesty and a need for greater understanding.
My final point I'd like to state is that you aim to be defenders of the Shariah and by implication the Sunnah, yet your entire essay is steeped in arrogance, and filled with demeaning little jibes with no intention but to belittle me. It is not written with the intention to come to a greater understanding between Muslim brothers and sisters. It is written with an air of superiority with no wish to understand where I am coming from and to advise a change in my behaviour. You have made up your mind about me without even communicating with me. You claim to be defenders of the Sunnah yet your entire piece was the opposite of humility, which I believe was a cornerstone of the character of the Nabi (SAW). I don't need to requote the numerous unnecessary arrogant statements. You know where they are. The closest to the Nabi(SAW) are those who are close to his character. I'm not going to make a judgement on you as a person, but if your personal character is similar to the character displayed in your piece, I'm not sure that you should be the ones charged with defending the Shariah. I say this with respect and a yearning to be shown otherwise.
If you wish to – as you put it – "take me on a short journey of learning" in further notes, I welcome it.
However, since you are the defenders of the Sunnah and Shariah, please do so in the manner worthy of the Nabi (SAW) or more specifically how you said – [That's sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam by the way].
May the Almighty grant us all greater understanding and learned people who are interested in actually building the Umma of the Nabi Mugammad sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, Inshallah.
Best Regards
Dr Riaad Moosa
It is most unfortunate when there is even a need to have somebody defend the Shari'ah, especially to defend it to Muslims themselves! It is even more unfortunate when Muslims are now moving to defend such heinous actions against the Sunnah all in the name of a good laugh. Degradation of society? I would hope so rather than a degradation of love, respect and acknowledgment of the Sunnah – all of which seem to have fallen by the wayside.
On acknowledgment of the parody, we had definitely taken great offense and rightly so to the flippant attitude alluded to the Sunnah in your parody. Our aim is to prevent degradation of the Sunnah and the Shari'ah. Our allegiances lie with Allah Ta'ala alone and the aim is to protect the Deen and keep it in its Pristine and authentic form. We do not support watered down forms of Islam to appease the public. We believe in a stern, straight-forward approach as that adopted by Nabi sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam.
If there is anybody who disagrees with the ahadeeth quoted, the fatawa alluded to, this is not our own opinion. This is the opinion of the pristine Shari'ah and you are free to take up your disagreements with those reponsible for formulating the Shari'ah or alternatively, your Creator.
فليقولوا ما يقولوا انت من ارجو رضاه
Let them say what they want to say, it is Your (Allah's) Pleasure that I seek…


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Friday, April 6, 2007
Good Friday
Hope you all had a happy good Friday. Let's not forget what Jesus did for us on this day! I read on the internet that a guy in the Philippians actually did crucify himself by being nailed to a cross today. Congratulations to our friend and first renter Chris Futcher on getting married in Hawaii today! I spent the day preparing for Sabbath School, baking, and cleaning house. I am currently cooking brownies for potluck tomorrow. It is already morning of Sabbath. I am not sleepy, but better head to bed because I am leading out in Kindergarten tomorrow. My hubby helped make goo eggs to pass out to the kids! I love going to bed with the smell of baking! Maybe Grace and I should buy a bakery together!
Posted by sunshine at 11:59 PM
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I saw the advertisement below on the Long Island Rail Road this morning:
I know that ads are designed to grab our attention and provoke thought, and this one did just that. But instead of viewing Tivo's offer as an enticing opportunity to speed up television viewing by swiping past commercials, I just saw the crappy message it delivered.
Last week I spoke with a kindergarten teacher who told me that she has noticed a marked decrease in her students' fine motor skills ever since the advent and omnipresence of Ipads and other touch devices. She told me how kids are struggling to grip and utilize pencils and crayons as they simply don't have the strength and coordination to do so. She lamented that children struggle to hold a book and turn the pages!
I'm not preaching here. I know this technology is here to stay and is the new norm for today's kids. My own spend time on tablets each day, although we do our best to limit it. (I wonder why many leaders of the tech industry limit or forbid their own kids from using the very devices they peddle to us? (Even Seteve Jobs limited technology) What do they know that we don't yet? But I digress.). I'm just suggesting that we continue to give our kids (and ourselves) the opportunity to hone and refine our fine motor skills before they evaporate.
What are fine motor skills? They are precise movements of the hands, fingers, eyes, lips and mouth. Gross motor skills involve the bigger movements of the trunk and limbs and include activities such as walking, running, climbing, throwing, kicking, etc. Traditionally, physical therapists deal in the realm of gross motor skills, while occupational therapists deal with fine motor acquisition. Crossover exists between the two as both disciplines deal with human movement, which is sadly taking a hit with the progression of technology.
Why do these fine motor skills matter? This past weekend, if you live in the Northeast and have kids, you undoubtedly spent time dressing and undressing them to go out to play in the snow. Hats, gloves, buttons, buckles, laces, zippers all needed manipulation. I'm sure many of you struggled and wished your child could have taken care of it for themselves. But beyond children's ability to dress themselves lie numerous other enriching opportunities which require fine motor skills. How about the manual dexterity needed to manipulate the strings of a guitar or keys of a piano? Or the grasp needed to throw a ball? Or the ability to write with good penmanship? Or to be able to manipulate a paintbrush to create a piece of art?
Movement, both fine and gross, has helped define us for millennia. As technology moves us forward in many aspects, let's not allow it to move us backwards in others.


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Diana Taurasi keeps doing astounding things, and Connecticut keeps
winning basketball games, and everywhere the junior guard goes
she hears the same thing. You play like a man. Which leads to a
question: Does she take that as a compliment?
On a recent evening Taurasi is driving her well-traveled 2000
Ford Explorer with fellow junior guard Morgan Valley along the
winding and dark roads of Storrs, Conn., heading out on a rare
night off. It is just five days after the pulsating, nationally
televised game against Tennessee in which Taurasi sank a 60-foot
shot at the end of the first half, buried a three-pointer to
force a tie in regulation and scored the winning points in
overtime, giving No. 2 UConn its 51st straight victory, three shy
of the NCAA women's record set by Louisiana Tech in the early
1980s. For games and practices Taurasi's every hair is plastered
back tight and held in a softball of a bun, locked into position
with a quarter bottle of Rave. But now her hair is down, long and
straight and shiny, like the hair in an ad for a shampoo.
"Whaddya think, Mo?" Taurasi asks Valley. "Somebody says, 'You
play like a man.' Compliment?"
Mo knows. She knows that Taurasi's childhood heroes were MJ and
Magic, not Cynthia Cooper, not Lisa Leslie. She knows Taurasi
claims to have read only one book first page to last--Wooden: A
Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court, by
John Wooden. She knows that Taurasi came from the town of Chino,
in sunny Southern California, to the icy Storrs campus not
because she wanted to follow in the footsteps of the great Lady
Huskies who helped bring two national championships to UConn
before she got there but because in the cozy Nutmeg State,
Huskies basketball is Showtime, for the men's and women's teams.
Valley, a shy Vermonter, raises her voice above the rap on the
car radio and says, "When they say, 'D plays like a dude,' that's
the ultimate."
"You got it, Mo," Taurasi says. "You might get some girlie-girl
who says, 'You play like a man,' like they're saying, 'Why don't
you play in skirts anymore?' Please. You tell me I play like a
man, and I'll tell you, 'Hey, thanks.' The best players in the
world are men, so why wouldn't you want to play like them?"
The quality Taurasi shares most with, say, Michael Jordan is that
she hates to lose. For good or for bad she turns games into wars.
You can't readily see it, because she masks her attitude with
Magic Johnson's joie de basketball. Still, chances are good that
you will lose to Diana Taurasi in HORSE, or in arm wrestling, or
in John Madden 2003 PlayStation football. Pretty much, you're not
going to beat her at anything. Connecticut is 85--3 since
Taurasi's arrival in the fall of 2000.
In the light of a parking lot you can see a few fine scars on her
long face, legacies of a childhood spent outdoors. Her father,
Mario, a machinist, was born in Italy and raised in Argentina.
Her mother, Liliana, a Sizzler's waitress, was born and raised in
Argentina. Diana was born in California. Her Spanish, the
language of her parents' home, is fluent. Her English is
"I'm not saying some of these men are the smartest guys in the
world," she says. "You got some guy, he's not even starting on
his college team and he's like, 'I'm going League.' 'Oh,
yeah--the NBA is just waitin' on you.' Ridiculous confidence. But
then the girls are just the opposite. Some girl will say to me,
'Your shot is so perfect, what camps did you go to to learn it?'"
Taurasi's in-traffic jumper is textbook: elbows in, shoulders
square, hands high, John Wooden stuff. "Camps? No camps," she
says. "Driveway basketball, playing against the boys, watching
Magic and Michael."
One of the methods of her coach, Geno Auriemma, is to have his
women play against men. Every year he assembles about a dozen
male students--some former high school players, most fast and
strong, several quite tall--and has them scrimmage against the
women. The women are better. Taurasi, by far, is the best. "She
dominates you," says practice player Chris Strother. "You get a
hand on her shot, she has enough strength to get the ball up some
other way. Underneath the boards she beats on you."
Taurasi is at least an inch shorter than her listed six feet. At
170 pounds she's 10 pounds lighter than in her senior year of
high school. She has thick legs, thick arms and a perpetually
sore right ankle about which she never complains.
She's not fast. Her touch, though, is spectacular. At week's end
she was shooting a stellar 36.5% from three-point range and 51.5%
from the field and had made 84.1% of her free throws. She's so
strong, she makes fadeaway and off-balance jumpers in ways you
seldom see women do. Her head is strong too. "Coach does most of
his screaming at Diana, because he knows she can challenge the
other players," Strother says. "She's chill with it. She knows
what she has to do."
What Taurasi has to do is carry a team that has no seniors. Last
season, the Huskies won all 39 of their games and took the NCAA
title. Going into this season, Taurasi was the only returning
starter. The 2002--03 Huskies, though lumbering and
inexperienced, won their first 11 games, against mostly
submissive teams.
Then came Jan. 4, at the Hartford Civic Center, and their first
real test, against Tennessee. The teams were tied at 26 with two
seconds left in the first half when Taurasi let loose a shot from
beyond half-court. She holed the bomb. "Look at that," Taurasi
says, watching a tape of the game in the tidy four-bedroom
apartment she shares with three other players, locker room
nameplates above their bedroom doors. "Elbows in. It was not a
crazy fling. It was a shot."
She had the ball again with nine seconds left in regulation and
the Huskies trailing by three. She was falling backward, getting
herself into three-point territory, when she let the ball go.
Draino. She began thumping her chest, euphoric. "I celebrate,
like Magic," she says, providing her own commentary over Lisa
Leslie's on CBS. "I want the ball, like Michael." In overtime,
with UConn down 62--61, Taurasi drove the lane, stopped and
swished the game-winner, a 10-foot leaner with 51.6 seconds left.
Four days later came another test, back at the Civic Center,
against Rutgers. Taurasi played 38 minutes and scored 24 points.
Though UConn won 67--62, the game felt like a loss. Afterward
Auriemma was fuming. "We won because we have Diana and nobody
else does," he said. "Our press offense would be really good if D
could inbound the ball to herself."
On Sunday afternoon, keyed by Taurasi's 18 points, Connecticut
extended its streak to 53 with a 69--57 victory over Virginia
Tech, on campus, at Gampel Pavilion. With a game scheduled at
Seton Hall on Jan. 15 and a matchup with Georgetown at the Civic
Center on Saturday the Huskies were now two victories away from
setting the women's mark. Four games after that, on Feb. 1, looms
a showdown with No. 1 Duke.
The prospect of breaking the record didn't seem to mean much to
Taurasi. The winning streak she is interested in belongs to UCLA
and dates back to the early 1970s, when the Bruins' men's team,
coached by Wooden, won 88 straight. "Now that's playing," she
says. "That's a streak." To Diana Taurasi, that's not the men's
record. It's the record. It's the one she wants.
Elevating the Game
Connecticut's hard-charging Diana Taurasi is setting the standard
in women's college basketball with her all-out style and her
shooting touch. Here are four other players who are raising the
level of play in the sport, and the ways in which they're doing
ALANA BEARD, F-G, Duke DEFENSIVE INTENSITY: The 5'11" junior has
used her 76-inch wingspan to become the game's most smothering
defender and deftest pickpocket.
LAURIE KOEHN, G, Kansas State RANGE: The 5'8" sophomore, who's
shooting a giddy 44.1% from beyond the arc, is so feared when
firing treys that defenders pick her up at half-court.
SHAWNTINICE POLK, C, Arizona FORCE: The agile 6'5", 235-pound
freshman is the Shaq of the Pac10. Polk scores (18.5 points per
game), rebounds (11.7), passes (3.7 assists) and dominates.
NICOLE POWELL, F, Stanford ALL-COURT SKILLS: The 6'2" junior is
queen of the triple double, owning six of the 12 in PAC-10
history. --Kelli Anderson
"You tell me I play like a man, and I'll tell you, 'Hey, thanks.'
Why wouldn't you want to play like one?"


text: Top 4 Questions Only the right Investor Will ask You Emotional Zone Blog 8:27:00 PM Motivation I live in Nigeria, a part of the country where almost every state or government is anxiously waiting for local and foreign investors. Some governors have gone to the extent of investing millions of naira, undergoing fruitless business trips just to find investors. I agree to the fact that it is not really easy to get someone who would be passionate about your business or who would be extremely interested in investing in your business. It is not enough to look for an investor, finding the right investor speaks volumes. You need an investor who would be interested in becoming a long-term partner. How do I find the right investor many would ask? This is the focus of this post. You can get the right person or company by the questions they ask. Below are some insightful questions the right investors will ask: Evaluation of your ideas The right investor will evaluate your business plans or ideas. He / she will do this by asking you series of questions. They will show signs that they care about what matters most. Nurture your vision Finding the right investor is critical to your business growth or success. Evaluating your ideas is not enough, they would also nurture it. Equal to the task The right investor would ensure you hire the right people to manage the business. You may have a great vision, fund your ideas but with poor or inexperienced workforce your business will not go far or reach its desired objectives. Maintains an amazing rapport with partners The right investor will ensure you have a good relationship with every partner. Developing a mutually beneficial relationship will create value for your business. Strong commitment, shared values and perseverance from your partners will surely take your business to the next level. Always shop for an investor that can serve as a partner and not just a funding agency. By Ethelbert Obinna Umeh Share this Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterPlus on Google+


text: Thrilled and honored that BUNNY'S BOOK CLUB has been chosen for the 2018 line up of Dolly Parton's amazing Imagination Library! This phenomenal book gifting program mails free books to children from birth to age five in participating communities within the US, UK, Canada, and Austraia. The organization has already donated more than 100 million books and counting!


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I did something for the first time last Saturday. I picked lemons off a tree. Then I pulled most of the Spanish Moss off as well. That wasn't so fun. I also discovered that the bay window makes an excellent light box from 8 am until 11:30 am. I think I will make some smooth white Roman blinds to replace the cheap paper ones currently there. They will provide a smoother background for photos. These are some shots with various settings trying out my new discovery.
I have many memories of apple picking as a child. First at my grandparent's farm. They had an entire grove of trees growing out front. Then on school trips to the local orchard where you could also press the apples into just like Laura Ingalls Wilder. Or so we were told. Eventually, my parents' trees grew large enough to give us piles and piles of apples. Even in college my friends and I would spend a Sunday afternoon at the orchard picking apples to bake into pies and make apple sauce.
This is an activity that I have been missing. This Saturday let me create a new memory about fruit picking. One of our new neighbours has a lemon tree in his front yard. He no longer uses all of them, so he offered them to us. We took advantage of that offer and nearly cleared the tree! In return, we pulled most of the Spanish Moss off the tree. (This will be a wonderful punishment chore for my children some day!)
I have never had lemons so fresh and juicy. One small lemon easily squeezed out a quarter cup of juice! I didn't even use a juicer, just my hands. I've never gotten such good results from grocery store lemons. I can't wait to share all the yummy goodies I created with a small portion of the juice I harvested.


text:
ayaaa... tia jadi kuih batik sya..
It became hard..~ =(
Sugar..i have to add a little bit more, little bit and a little bit and a bit and a bit yes.. more..more.. okayokay enough.
So much love to the sugary sweetness.
Still it taste good. =D
want to do more of this.
I have to sharpen up my kuih batik skills.
*...I looove Kuih Batik...*
The best!


text:
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Part Number: 503744
Schroth tow eye straps are designed to be mounted to the chassis with a single 7/16 inch bolt these approved tow straps have a 1800Kg rating and are available in fixed or adjustable.
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text: About an hour's walk inland, along the Thu Bon River from the film set, that is Hoi An, you come across a dawn fish market in the village of Thanh Hà. As usual it's the women doing all the work....bargaining, carrying, gutting, washing....their voices make a sound track to the sunrise. It doesn't take much, to step off the well beaten Lonley Planet track, and feel a tiny but real connection.


text:
Bouquet Style Necklace (Beige Lace, Centered Bouquet)
Bouquet Style Necklace (Beige Lace, Centered Bouquet)
A lightweight and feminine touch for any outfit. Perfect for day and evening wear. Add a little shine to a simple T-shirt, or wear with a beautiful dress to complete your evening look.
This piece is one-of-a-kind.
Made with - Vintage beige lace and trim. Also featuring clear crystals sporadically placed amongst the bouquet. Alternating small and large crystals create this sparkling chain with a sterling silver toggle clasp.
Length of Necklace – 20" Bouquet Height - Approx. 2" Bouquet Width - Approx 4"
Stock #NF-18
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I was in a crappy mood for a couple of days, so I decided the best thing to do was to make something.
This small stove (either a hobo stove or a rocket stove, depending on how you're feeling) is made of three basic soup cans and a #10 can. The chimney inside is insulated with salt, which helps maintain temperatures and create an efficient burn chamber.
It's basic and simple and didn't take long to put together. Similar designs are used in developing areas where materials and fuels are scarce. Added benefit is that it burns hot and efficient, reducing emissions.
This was just an experiment, but this week I'm picking up bricks to construct an outdoor oven, and will be using this stove design, scaled up, to create a single burner as well. Hopefully the finished product will yield pizza and not tetanus.


text:
Haven't been diving lately and want a scuba refresher? Does your next dive destination require a refresher certification? Our refresher dive is the perfect way to update your dive skills and knowledge from the PADI Open Water Diver Course before jumping back into the water. Whether you want a few reminders or need to go over the basics, the dive is personalized for you. It's a good way to prepare for your next scuba outing – big or small. We offer our refresher dives daily. If you have specific needs, feel free to call our office to plan your dive accordingly.
Time: 8am – 10am
Meeting Location: Public Restrooms at Scripps Park in La Jolla Cove – map
Full scuba gear rental included in price, just show up in your swimsuit!
Price: $199 for 1 tank package refresher dive


text:
Chester Field: Ankoku Shin e no Chōsen (NES)
Published by
Developed by
Also For
Critic Score
100 point score based on reviews from various critics.
User Score
5 point score based on user ratings.
Not an American user?
DescriptionThe Kingdom of Guldred has been invaded by General Guemon and his dark forces, who have killed their king. A brave knight named Gazem fled for a paradise of sun and pleasure named Chesterfield Island with the deposed queen and their daughter Karen. But Guemon's forces were right there and sunk their ship, killed the queen, abducted Karen and left Gazem for dead. Fortunately for Guldred, Gazem barely managed to breathe the kingdom's sorry plight to a brave knight named Kein before he died. Now the fate of Guldred rests on Kein's broad shoulders...
Chester Field: Ankoku Shin e no Chōsen is an action/RPG game in which the brave Kein must endure eight stages of mazes, knights, dark forces, and battles on land, on sea, and in the sky to restore peace to the kingdom of Guldred. Along the way, Kein can boost his health by picking up jars left by defeated enemies or grab Metal to purchase magic spells and other important equipment from Chesterfield Island's few inhabitants. But, unfortunately, Kein is not invincible. One wrong move could kill our hero and send the kingdom of Guldred to an early grave!
Promo Images
There are no promo images for this game
Alternate Titles
- "Chesterfield: Challenge to Dark Gor" -- Commodore 64 title
- "Chester Field: Challenge Of The Dark" -- Translated full game title
- "Chester Field: Ankoku Shin e no Chousen" -- Full game title
- "Chester Field" -- In-game title
User Reviews
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There are currently no topics for this game.
Cancelled releaseThis NES version was scheduled for release in North America, but Vic Tokai never quite got around to it.
ryanbus84 (30342) added Chester Field: Ankoku Shin e no Chōsen (NES) on Apr 06, 2013
Other platforms contributed by FatherJack (62754)
Montaro, Kinchan, Tomohiko Kawamura (Tomoyan)Game Story & Chara Designer:
Kimio Umehara (Explode 'Ume')Map Editer & Chara Designer:
Toshihisa Hasegawa (Dark Side 'Toshi')Assistant Programmer:
Tomiko Narusawa (Naruchans), Mayumi Sano (Sanoyan)Boss Chara Taken From The Works Of:
Atsushi Shimoda (S. Shimoda), Hideo Minaba (H. Minaba), H. Togashi, Y. Syoji, N. Oka::
Vic TokaiMusic Composer (uncredited):


text:
Totoro Tart (トトロタルト)
The Character – Totoro (トトロ)
Filed under: Food | Tagged: Characake | Comments Off on Character Cake
Saffron Alexander wrote . . . . .
The simple bagel has been a staple in homes all over the world for over 400 years, but how much do you really know about your favourite lunchtime snack?
This National Bagel Day we round up 8 interesting facts you probably didn't know about the humble bagel…
Brits are big fans
According to the New York Bakery Co., we get through 80 million packs and eat over 320 million bagels a year in the UK.
If they were all stacked up on top of each other our total bagel consumption would measure at approximately 1920600 metres – that's around 6402 Eiffel Towers.
They have to be round
In a world where no food is safe from experimentation from hipster chefs looking for the next viral food trend – we're looking at you Cronuts, sushi burgers, and 'joffee' – it's relieving to know we'll always be able to count on the bagel to stay true to form.
The word "bagel" comes from the German word "bougel", meaning "bracelet", so bakers are free to get as creative as they'd like when it comes to experimenting with weird flavours and toppings, but if they want it to be considered a true bagel it has to retain its circular shape with the hole in the middle.
Rainbow bagels exist
While bakers don't have much leeway when it comes to shape, they are free to get as crazy as they like with everything else and one New York bakery seems to have taken that as a personal challenge.
The Bagel Store specialises in "artistically created bagels of unique colour and flavor", which is clever marketing speak for a normal bagel dyed with all the colours in the rainbow, then slathered in either Nutella, cream cheese, rainbow sprinkles, candyfloss or cake mix filled with even more sprinkles – or maybe all of them at once, if you're feeling brave enough.
They take so long to make, head baker Scot Rossillo can only produce 100 Rainbow Bagels every five hours. In comparison, he can make around 5000 normal bagels in the same time period.
They've been to space
In 2008 astronaut Gregory Chamitoff brought the first bagels to space after taking 18 sesame bagels with him to the International Space Station as part of his personal cargo allowance.
Chamitoff took bagels from his aunts bakery in Montreal. Mona Chamitoff, owner of the Original Fairmount Bagel Bakery that they were "very flattered" her nephew had decided to take the bagels with him into space, and they he had always loved the bagels and couldn't imagine leaving Earth for six months without them.
The recipe used to be top secret
Nowadays anyone with an internet connection can find themselves a decent recipe for making bagels, but it wasn't always like that.
In the early 1900s the International Beigel Bakers Union was founded and bagel making, considered a skilled trade, was restricted to union members only. Only sons of members of the union would be invited to join and group meetings were rumoured to have been conducted almost entirely in Yiddish.
Matthew Goodman, author of Jewish Food: The World at Table, once wrote: "Every bagel that was made in New York City up until the 1960s was a union bagel — every one. The reason why this union was strong was that they were the only ones who knew how to make a proper bagel. And that was the keys to the kingdom."
This all changed in the 1960s after Daniel Thompson invented the automated bagel machine capable of making up to 4800 bagels per hour.
It used to be a four man job
Thompson's invention has made the making of a bagel a fairly simple process, but it didn't used to be. Back in the early 1900s making a bagel was task that took the skills of up to four people to complete.
As bagels are the only type of bread that requires a multi-step cooking process, two men would be employed to rol land shape the dough, a third – the "kettleman" – would boil the bagels, and the fourth man – known as the "oven man" – would bake them.
They used to be given as gifts…to new mothers
Unsure about what to gift your pregnant friends to welcome their new child into the world? Just give them a bagel.
According to 'Regulations of Kracow, Poland' in 1610 bagels were gifted to pregnant women during childbirth. Husbands would encourage their wives to "bite the bagel" while in labour and, after the child was born, bagels would later be used as teething rings.
The world's most expensive bagel will set you back £800
Most of us would probably at the prospect of spending more than a few pounds on a bagel, but if you have more expensive tastes why not head to the Westin Hotel in New York?
Here you'll be able to get your hands on the world's most expensive bagel, and it'll only cost you around £800.
The bagel earns its surprising price tag by using some of the most expensive ingredients in the world including white truffle cheese, Riesling jelly, goji berries, and gold leaf.
Source: The Telegraph
Filed under: Food | Tagged: Bagel | Comments Off on Eight Things You Didn't Know about Bagels
4 French rolls
1/2 pound ground breakfast sausage
4 eggs
6 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1/2 cup spinach leaves
3 mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons melted butter
pepper and salt, to taste
Sriracha, to serve
Makes 4 servings.
Source: Food Steez
Filed under: Bread, Breakfast, Cheese, Dairy, Egg, Pork, Recipe Clipping, Vegetable | Comments Off on Bread Stuffed with Sausage, Vegetables, Cheese and Egg
Filed under: Food | Tagged: Breakfasts, Toast | Comments Off on In Pictures: Breakfasts with Toasts
A genetic predisposition to higher waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (a measure of abdominal adiposity [fat]) was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, according to a study appearing in the February 14 issue of JAMA.
Obesity, typically defined on the basis of body mass index (BMI), is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD). However, for any given BMI, body fat distribution can vary substantially; some individuals store proportionally more fat around their visceral organs (abdominal adiposity) than on their thighs and hip. In observational studies, abdominal adiposity has been associated with type 2 diabetes and CHD. Whether these associations represent causal relationships remains uncertain.
Sekar Kathiresan, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues examined whether a genetic predisposition to increased waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI was associated with cardiometabolic quantitative traits (i.e., lipids, insulin, glucose, and systolic blood pressure), type 2 diabetes and CHD.
Estimates for cardiometabolic traits were based on a combined data set consisting of summary results from 4 genome-wide association studies conducted from 2007 to 2015, including up to 322,154 participants, as well as individual-level, cross-sectional data from the UK Biobank collected from 2007-2011, including 111,986 individuals.
The researchers found that genetic predisposition to higher waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI was associated with increased levels of quantitative risk factors (lipids, insulin, glucose, and systolic blood pressure) as well as a higher risk for type 2 diabetes and CHD.
"These results permit several conclusions. First, these findings lend human genetic support to previous observations associating abdominal adiposity with cardiometabolic disease," the authors write.
"Second, these results suggest that body fat distribution, beyond simple measurement of BMI, could explain part of the variation in risk of type 2 diabetes and CHD noted across individuals and subpopulations. … Third, waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI might prove useful as a biomarker for the development of therapies to prevent type 2 diabetes and CHD."
Source: EurekAlert!
Filed under: Health, News and Articles | Tagged: Belly Fat, Diabetes, Heart | Comments Off on Findings Suggest Causal Association between Abdominal Fat and Development of Type 2 Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease


text:
2926 140b Street
$1,799,000, 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,957 Sqft .28 Acres
About This Property
Beautiful Grand Residence situated in the highly desirable Elgin Park. This exceptionally crafted family home features 3,957 SF of living space is situated on a private 12,066 SF property. Luxurious curved staircase & high ceilings in the foyer sets the tone of sophistication & opens into the elegant living room & dining room. Open concept Great Room boasts a Gourmet Kitchen complete w/ granite counters & a bright eating area. Large family room with vaulted ceilings opens up to the pristine backyard and patio for outdoor entertaining.Upper level is complete with a rec. room and 4 beds, including the spacious Master Suite finished with a large walk-in closet and expansive Ensuite.
Essential Information
Community Information
Dishwasher, Jetted Bathtub, Security System, Windows - Thermo, Clothes Dryer, Clothes Washer, Freezer, Stove, Windows - Storm
Listing Details
The data relating to real estate on this web site comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board.
Listing information last updated on September 17th, 2019 at 5:15am CDT.


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China has officially issued a warning to George Soros: Beware of going to "war on the renminbi."
The message comes in a piece published in China's People's Daily titled "Declaring war on China's currency? Ha ha."
People's Daily is the Communist Party's mouthpiece.
"Soros's war on the renminbi and the Hong Kong dollar cannot possibly succeed — about this there can be no doubt," the opinion piece by a commerce ministry researcher warned, according to the Financial Times.
This warning comes at time when China's officials are trying hard to get everyone confident in the renminbi again. The currency has fallen by about 5.7% since August, when China's central bank, the People's Bank of China, first depreciated it.
As for Soros, last week the billionaire investor told Bloomberg TV that he had best against the S&P 500, Asian currencies, and commodity-linked economies.
While Soros didn't specifically mention the renminbi or the Hong Kong dollar, he did say China was one of the "root causes" of the global bear market and the country was probably looking at a hard landing.
"The Chinese left it too long to address the changeover in the growth model that they have to adopt from — investment and export-led to domestic-led. So a hard landing is practically unavoidable," he said.
Notably, this isn't Soros' first rodeo when it comes to currencies.
Back in 1992, he "cemented his reputation as the premier currency speculator in the world" after he "broke the Bank of England."
At the time, the British government was trying to buoy its currency artificially in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism while Soros and some other speculators shorted the pound. The British ultimately withdrew from the ERM, as they couldn't keep the pound above its agreed lower limit. Soros made $1 billion on the deal.
Some have also blamed Soros for the speculative attacks against Asian currencies back in 1997 during the financial crisis in Asia.
In any case, Soros doesn't seem to be too optimistic about China — and China isn't happy about it.


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The day before I leave for Borneo, an island so wild it seems absurd to say you're going there on holiday – expedition sounds better – someone recommends me a book. It is, of course, Redmond O'Hanlon's Into the Heart of Borneo, a witty account of the trip he and the poet James Fenton made in 1983. Theirs really was an expedition: they set off up the Rajang river on canoes, looking for rhinoceros in what was then relatively uncharted territory.
My own itinerary is slightly less intrepid, though no less exciting. I'm heading for the north coast, where you can see wildlife without needing a snake stick or even malaria tablets. This is Borneo-lite, a gentle introduction to an island where orang-utans still swing through the rainforest and much of the landscape is jungle.
I say much: Borneo is known for having one of the world's most biologically diverse rainforests, but also one of the most endangered. The logging of hardwood has been going on since the 1970s, initially for the wood itself, used to make teak furniture. Latterly, trees have been felled to make way for palm oil plantations. This wonder oil is used in so many products, from biscuits to biodiesel, that as a crop, palm is a sure-fire winner. The trouble is, removing primary rainforest is a potential catastrophe, not only for the environment but also its native species such as the orang-utan.
The good news is that, thanks to increased awareness, Borneo is making efforts to reposition itself as a responsible tourist destination. There have been clamp-downs on illegal logging, and the plight of the orang-utan, of which there are still 35,000 living on the island, has been recognised. And not just the orang- utan: Borneo has an extraordinary diversity of wildlife – proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques, flying squirrels, clouded cats, hornbills – and the opportunities to see it are improving.
My base will be Gaya Island, one of five small islands just across the South China Sea from the regional capital of Kota Kinabalu, or KK, as you learn to call it. This northern portion of Borneo, a state known as Sabah, forms part of Malaysia, along with the neighbouring state of Sarawak. The larger southern half of the island is the Indonesian territory of Kalimantan, with the Kingdom of Brunei wedged into the middle of the Malaysian territories. KK is a fun city for a night out, a low-built former colonial town (Britain ruled here until 1963) with plenty of bars and fish markets along the water. Soon after I arrive, the US aircraft carrier John C Stennis pulls into harbour. According to the Daily Express, the excellent local paper (much more informative than our own paper of that name), 5,500 sailors who haven't been ashore for three months will be hitting the town. Just as well we're off to Gaya Island.
One surprise fact I gleaned from O'Hanlon's book is that Borneo is the third largest island in the world. Can you name the biggest two? I couldn't. (It's Greenland then New Guinea. Australia counts as a continent, apparently.) So don't expect to see more than a tiny fraction of Borneo in a fortnight's holiday. Tourism is still relatively new, but the infrastructure is good.
A short taxi ride from the airport to the marina is followed by an invigorating dash in a speedboat across the water to Gaya, and suddenly, I'm in a tropical haven. There are only two hotels on the island, and the one I'm in, called simply Gaya Island Resort, is very new and big – 120 villas and suites have been scattered along the water, centred on a pool, bar, library and restaurant complex.
It's an ideal position for those who like peace and quiet but want excitement close at hand: from your sunlounger you can gaze across the water to the hurly-burly of KK and Mount Kinabalu beyond – at 4,095m, it's the tallest mountain in South-east Asia – while pondering whether to order the lobster or crab.
But I want to see wildlife. This is, after all, a long way to travel for a lobster salad. Gaya Island is the largest of a cluster of five outlying islands, and most of its 15sq km are covered in primary forest. As part of a government drive to protect its wildlife, the islands have been designated a marine park. You might think that plonking a resort here would be unlikely to help, but in fact YTL, the owner, is ploughing a lot of money into preserving the wildlife, both in the water and on land.
The hotel is spread along the water's edge, and rising steeply behind it is the wilderness. It is densely wooded, but Justin, the resident naturalist, knows his way around and takes me into the network of paths in search of the proboscis monkey. We climb through trees the like of which I have never seen before. I can tell an oak from a birch, but here you need an encyclopaedia of flora. Luckily I have Justin, who points out the low-lying rattan, with its long frondy palms. Technically, it's not a tree so much as a vine, but it certainly looks nothing like the furniture you find in conservatories back at home. Then there are the enormous dipterocarps, the tropical hardwoods that surge up like skyscrapers. These are home to many weird and wonderful insects, including termites, that build all sorts of elaborate homes in trunks and on the ground. Apparently on one tree alone, 1,000 species of insect were once identified.
Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Borneo: You don't have to be an explorer to enjoy this exotic land.