text:
Why are there no good seats? Because in order to make money on an $89 fare, they have to pack three people into the space that would normally be occupied by two. And when half the people on your flight actually take up 1.6 people-worth of space, you are going to be uncomfortable no matter what you do. Luckily, the fat guy I ended up sitting next to actually wanted to sit in the middle so I was only squashed against hairy flesh on the one side.
Here's something else I discovered. There is a serious drawback to leather seats. I realize they are a great thing for the airlines -- they last a long time, they're easy to clean, they sound like they're upscale, and they don't soak up liquid. Unfortunately, there is another thing they don't soak up. Leather seats = zero fart absorption. Give me a nice, upholstered foam-filled seat any day of the week. I don't know what the fuck the guy sitting next to me ate for breakfast, but he singlehandedly polluted 110 feet of airborne aluminum tube. Or maybe he had help, I don't know. Either way, at times it was brutal. I did the only thing I could do: I went into full Unibomber mode and pulled the hood of my sweatshirt over my head, put my sunglasses on, turned toward the shaded window and tried to breath through my mouth. Oh, and I watched a movie on my nano called Wanted. Not bad if you like special effects and/or Angelina Jolie.
The first night of this conference they have a big party. It's usually just an excuse to eat bad food and drink bad beer and wine, so I usually go for a while and then bail out early since I've been awake for 17 hours. The party stretched across a beach between two hotels, and they had different bands spaced out along the way, covering different musical styles. It started with Latin (DJ), went to blues (passable) then to acoustic (bad) and finally to country (so-so). I went to the conference with one of the guys on my team that I never get to see except during our weekly video meeting. I have to say, he's a lot less pixelated in person. We were standing down on the "country end" drinking Coronas and watching two scary girls do some sort of line stomp on a plywood bar when my phone rang.
It was my wife. She was buried in 18" of snow and the snow blower wouldn't run. Actually, it would run just fine -- but it wouldn't blow snow, which means it's no longer a snow blower and is instead just a motor bolted to a hundred and fifty pound pile of shit. As I walked and tried to find a quiet place to talk away from the music, we tried a bunch of things to get it going, and were rewarded with smoke and the smell of burning rubber. At that point I knew the second stage was frozen up. We pointed a kerosene heater at it for ten minutes and even that didn't work. Finally in desperation, I told her to dump a bucket of boiling water down the chute to see if it would melt the frozen up mechanism and, believe it or not, it worked.
Still, by that time I was almost back to my room, so I figured I'd just stay there. When I had first arrived at the hotel, I changed my room to one with a balcony, having grand visions of sitting out there at night, drinking a scotch and maybe doing some writing, but that was not to be.
Due to global warming, Orlando was twenty eight fucking degrees at night for the first three nights I was there. As an added bonus, I had Coughy McCougherson in the room next to me. He was making this sound every five minutes until I couldn't stand it any more and finally had to fall asleep listening to my ipod. I think he may have died a few nights later, because something in his room started ringing at 4 am and wouldn't stop. After about 30 minutes of that, I heard security in the hall and they were banging on his door. I knew they were security because they kept yelling "SECURITY!" in between each hammer-fest. Finally they let themselves in. I guess he was just a party animal because apparently he wasn't even there. Assknob. Unless he really did die, of course. In which case I'd refer to him as the dead assknob.
The first day of the conference, other people almost died, too. There is something called the "General Session" which is basically a big rah-rah session with some famous people. This year it was Blue Man Group and Dan Aykroyd. BMG was great, Dan A, not so much. I mean, he didn't suck, but he started off with Beldar, and went downhill from there. He went for some laughs that didn't happen and that's always a little awkward. I guess you can take the actor out of the SNL, but can't take the SNL out of the actor.
Anyway, from the dining hall to the session was a straight shot up two separate escalators, one from the first floor to the second, and another from the second to the third. Now picture 8,000 people trying to get up these escalators and into the same room at the same time. What happened is obvious in retrospect. There was a traffic jam at the top, and the people riding the escalator had nowhere to go since there was an unending stream of people behind them. When they got to the top and hit bodies, it started a geekalanche. People were screaming, "MOVE! MOVE!" and disaster was narrowly averted by everyone except maybe Dan Aykroyd.
In a different mid-week session, I learned something else. First, I learned that due to a weak dollar, it's cheaper to fly to the states from overseas than ever before. Apparently, Germany got this memo and sent a shitload of people over. A lot of them looked like this. I believe most of them were (and probably still are) named Deiter or Hans. I think of all the whiter nationalities, Germans are the easiest to pick out. They seem very ... precise. I can tell you one thing, however. There is nothing worse than trying to listen to a presentation when two people are talking to each other in the seats behind you, except when the people are talking to each other in German. Or Hebrew. That one is good, too. It's the only language that makes you sound like you are coughing up snails.
I think I am easily annoyed, or more likely I just hate people. At another session I went to, the guy next to me was a major nose-breather. Every breath in and out was through his nose, and with a gusto usually reserved for use by perverts sniffing women's underwear.
I am also not sure they have elevators outside the U.S. I base this theory on what I experienced in the hotel after we were done for the day. I boarded the elevator to the 8th floor, and two other random gentlemen got on with me; one of apparent Chinese descent and one African American. They both pushed their buttons and we were off. At the sixth floor, the doors opened, and nobody moved. The doors started closing again. When they were maybe two feet apart, the Chinese guy ran from the back of the elevator and dove head-first out the door sideways, landing flat out on the carpet. Seriously, it was like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. He wasn't wearing a hat, so there was nothing for him to reach back and grab, but the dive itself was priceless. At the point of his dive, the doors were almost contacting him on both sides of his body. That's how close it was. Since his fancy move was so fast, the doors didn't even re-open. The other guy in the elevator just looked at me as the doors shut and said, "That was some serious James Bond shit right there."
The other thing I love about Florida is that when the temperature drops below 60, people who live here lose their minds and start wearing winter clothes. We're talking parkas, gloves and scarves. And when it's 30 degrees out -- everyone who lives here dies a little inside, and goes batshit crazy with the the heater controls. The hallways in the hotel, the shuttle buses, the restaurants -- all had to be pushing 80 degrees. It was like walking towards the seventh level of Hell every time I went back to my room.
The product showcase was an experience as well. The object of the game there is for you is to get free stuff, and the object of the game for the vendors is to scan your badge at all costs so they can later bombard you with junk mail and bulk mail and faxes and phone calls for whatever crap it is that they happen to be selling.
The easiest way to ensnare an unsuspecting geek, of course, is with a hot girl offering a big-screen TV. So some vendors will stoop to this level, and hire models to hand out their literature and scan badges and ask if you'd like to "enter their giveaway." If you are a newbie, you will fall for this every time and before you know it, the 5' 10" hot model will be gone and you will be sharing a moist handshake with the sweaty, balding guy with the bad comb-over and the clip-on tie. As a seasoned professional, your job is to avoid these traps, and get the freebie without any interaction with their sales person. Talk to the model, enter the contest, say you have somewhere to be in 5 minutes and promise to stop back. Done.
Overall the conference was really very good, and some of the sessions were excellent. I did come away with some new ideas on how to tweak our infrastructure, so it was worth it, but by the end of the week you are basically the walking dead. Your head is so crammed full of stuff that you can't possibly absorb one more thing, and you are so tired from the late nights and early mornings that you are asleep on your feet. I was also studying for a certification test that I had to take on Thursday.
The morning of my exam, I had a surreal moment. I went to the dining hall and got breakfast, and sat down at a big round table, all alone because it was early. I had my iPod phones plugged into my ears, and I was doing some last minute cramming for my test. When I finally looked up from my study sheet, there were 11 Japanese guys sitting at the table with me. I must have looked surprised because when I pulled my earbuds out, they were all looking at me and laughing. I stood up, gave them a little bow and left for my exam. I don't know if that was politically correct or not, but they didn't seem to mind.
Sometimes you go a little crazy at these things, I think. It's a shorter drive for some of us than others, I know. Here's a real life example that made me think maybe I was losing it:
The last day of the conference, I was standing in the bathroom taking a leak in one of the disgusting urinals, and I happened to glance down at the valve on the top. The company that manufactured this valve was Zurn. I immediately decided that Zurn was the god of all things urine. Kind of like Thor, but instead of being the god of thunder, he's Zurn, the god of pee. In the space of 30 seconds, he had a costume, a superpower (beams of yellow force he could bend to his will) He wore a yellow suit with a red lightning bolt on it, but then I thought, "No, I just gave the Green Lantern's powers to the Silver Age Flash," and that's when I realized I needed some sleep because everyone knows the Green Lantern has beams of green power. Also, I had finished peeing 20 seconds ago and there was a line.
In my next rambling and incoherent post, I will tell you about the week that followed, whereupon my lovely wife and I had the best weather ever and managed to laugh our asses off, and even got to hang with Shamus and his family for bit, which is an experience in and of itself.
Go watch his Epcot video and try not to laugh.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Monday to Friday : 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday: By Appointment
Monday to Friday : 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday: By Appointment
We are currently building our history, visit us and be part of it!
Learn about our mission and what we do.
Improve your smile, self-esteem, and overall appearance with cosmetic dentistry! Let us develop a personalized cosmetic dentistry plan for smile enhancement with sensitivity to your needs and budget.
We offer a high quality service of Implants.
We offer traditional orthodontics services and we also offer Invisalign. We can guide you to decide which one works better for you.
We treat gingivitis, periodontitis and provide a plan to improve oral care.
Dr. Rey provides custom-made dental crowns made of high-quality, durable ceramic material that is similar in structure to the material of your natural teeth. Your crown will also have the same color as your other teeth, blending in seamlessly with your smile.
Dental procedure to repair inflamed or infected nerve.
We perform wisdom teeth removal. Wisdom teeth commonly do not have enough room to properly erupt into our mouth where they can become fully functional and cleansable teeth.
MarcelDental 2024 © | Powered By SOLVETECHEC


text:
Specialty coffee and tea purveyor, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, reinforces its claim as the preferred café chain in the country by opening its 42nd store right at the heart of Pasay City.
Located at Two E-com Center in the Mall of Asia Complex, the new The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® store will be serving customers their full selection of specialty coffee and teas by February 18. "This newest addition to our line of strategically-placed stores will help us fully realize our vision of providing every Filipino with the best available coffee and tea out there," explains Walden Chu, President of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®. "Being a new landmark that packs commercial, retail, residential and business areas in one unique structure, having a shop at Two E-com Center will help us reach more people and tap different markets in a way that we have never been able to do before."
Located in an alternative business and entertainment district amidst a spectacular bay setting, the new The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® store will serve as a haven for both cult-like followers of the brand, and coffee and tea aficionados of all sorts.
"The Mall of Asia Complex is home to a growing number of young professionals working in technology-based companies and business process outsourcing centers in the area," adds Chu. "The people that regular the vicinity are part of the growing coffee population in the country that are in constant search for the best blends."
In line with its debut, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® branch in Two E-Com Center will be holding a special promotion that will run from February 18 to 24, 2012. During the promo period, customers can come to the store from 12:30 to 1:30 in the afternoon and purchase their favorite drink for only P100.
*This is a press release.


text:
Apostasy and Freedom of Faith in Islam - updated 5/15/14
compiled by Sheila Musaji
Posted May 15, 2014 •Permalink • Printer-Friendly VersionApostasy and Freedom of Faith in Islam
by Sheila Musaji
updates at bottom of page
Hisham Hellyer published an important article on apostasy in Islam - "Apostasy: Tradition and Truths". Dr. Hisham A. Hellyer is Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford. As founder-director of the Visionary Consultants Group, a Muslim world-West relations consultancy, his advice and commentary has been sought by the Home Office & Foreign Office (UK) as well as the Brookings Institution (US) and the Washington Post (US). He is also one of the initiating signatories to the Common Word Letter. This article clearly lays out the historical precedents and current issues involved in the debate on apostasy.
I was particularly struck by one sentence in which he said: "When it comes to interpreting between Islamic teachings regarding apostasy and historical practice, change, if it is to be sustainable, comes from within, or not at all." The emphasis is mine. This is important on this and many other issues involving ijtihad and interpretations of shariah. As he also points out: "It used to be that the media (whether Muslim or non-Muslim) would cover Islam in reference to the well-known 'three H's': hijab, halal and haram. It has now changed somewhat such that the focus is on hijab, apostasy, shari'ah and hate (preachers of). Doubtlessly from the point of view of a religion that abjures intoxicants, this creates a rather unfortunate acronym."
If we are going to be able to deal with these very real issues facing Muslim communities, then we will need to deal with them within our communities. We need for ordinary Muslims to be much more aware and demanding of their scholars and leaders. We need dialogue within our communities, and we need to struggle for the soul of Islam.
This issue of apostasy and freedom of faith is an important one in this discussion. We live in a country where such freedom is a foundational principle and must be defended. We must continue to insist on the Islamic principle that there is "no compulsion in religion."
Qur'an on human dignity and rights:
[17:70] We have honored the children of Adam, and provided them with rides on land and in the sea. We provided for them good provisions, and we gave them greater advantages than many of our creatures.
The Qur'an on freedom of thought, conscience and religion:[10:99]"If it had been the will of your Lord that all the people of the world should be believers, all the people of the earth would have believed! Would you then compel mankind against their will to believe?"
[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.
God Almighty never gave any guardianship role to the Messengers or Muslims over this issue:
[33:40] Muhammad was not the father of any man among you. He was a messenger of GOD and the final prophet. GOD is fully aware of all things.[4:80] Whoever obeys the messenger is obeying GOD. As for those who turn away, we did not send you as their guardian.
[6:66] Your people have rejected this, even though it is the truth. Say, "I am not a guardian over you."
[6:104] Enlightenments have come to you from your Lord. As for those who can see, they do so for their own good, and those who turn blind, do so to their own detriment. I am not your guardian.
[18:29]"(O Prophet Muhammad) proclaim: 'This is the Truth from your Lord. Now let him who will, believe in it, and him who will, deny it.'"
[6:107] Had GOD willed, they would not have worshiped idols. We did not appoint you as their guardian, nor are you their advocate.
[10:108] Proclaim: "O people, the truth has come to you herein from your Lord. Whoever is guided is guided for his own good. And whoever goes astray, goes astray to his own detriment. I am not a guardian over you."
[11:86] "Whatever GOD provides for you, no matter how small, is far better for you, if you are really believers. I am not a guardian over you."
[42:48] If they turn away, we did not send you as their guardian. Your sole mission is delivering the message. When we shower the human beings with mercy, they become proud, and when adversity afflicts them, as a consequence of their own deeds, the human beings turn into disbelievers
[4:137] Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe again and again reject faith, and go on increasing in disbelief, God will not forgive them nor guide them nor guide them on the way.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person:
[2:178] O you who believe, equivalence is the law decreed for you when dealing with murder - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. If one is pardoned by the victim's kin, an appreciative response is in order, and an equitable compensation shall be paid. This is an alleviation from your Lord and mercy. Anyone who transgresses beyond this incurs a painful retribution.
[2:191] You may kill those who wage war against you, and you may evict them whence they evicted you. Oppression is worse than murder. ...
[16:126] And if you punish, you shall inflict an equivalent punishment. But if you resort to patience (instead of revenge), it would be better for the patient ones.
[17:33] You shall not kill any person - for GOD has made life sacred - except in the course of justice. If one is killed unjustly, then we give his heir authority to enforce justice. Thus, he shall not exceed the limits in avenging the murder, he will be helped.
Everyone is entitled to these rights and freedoms without distinction:
[2:136] Say, "We believe in GOD, and in what was sent down to us, and in what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and all the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them. To Him alone we are submitters."
[49:13] O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant.
Debating apostasy and capital punishment, Aziz Poonawalla discusses the recent case where "As occurs regularly, a fantastic discussion has been unfolding at Talk Islam, initially about the comments by the Harvard muslim chaplain on the matter of the death penalty for apostasy. The story begins with a private email from the chaplain, Taha Abdul-Basser, in response to a question about the matter, which ended up getting forwarded around in typical outrage recruitment fashion."
There is a new case in the headlines. The Fatimah Rifqa Bary Case "Fatimah, a cheerleader at New Albany High School ran away from her Columbus, Ohio home and ended up at the home of a pastor in Florida named Blake Lorenz. The details on how she ended up in Florida are still murky but what is clear is that she is leveling some very serious allegations against her family, including that she will be killed if she is returned to Ohio."
There are a lot of claims and counter claims and no one yet knows what is actually happening. Rushing to judgement seems foolish. The courts will investigate and make a decision. NOTE: There is now much more known, and a number of articles on this case are listed in the resources under "see also:" below.
Jeremy Henzell-Thomas has published Extract from Introduction to The Book of Hadith (The Book Foundation, 2007) which discusses in depth the misuse of hadith to make a case against freedom of religion. In that article he says in part:
It cannot be denied that there has been an unwarranted elevation over time of the Hadith as a source of guidance in competition with the Qur'an itself, to the extent that verses of the Qur'an which appear to conflict with favourite Hadith may be declared to be abrogated by other verses which agree with the Hadith in question. This idolization of Hadith contradicts the incontrovertible truth that the Qur'an alone should always be referred to as infallible guidance even if the Hadith have been second only to the Qur'an as the basis of Islamic law.
One striking example will suffice to show the many conflicts between the Qur'an and the Hadith: The Qur'an clearly allows freedom of religion, but both Bukhari and Abu Dawud include the bizarre Hadith, If anyone leaves his religion, then kill him. (Bukhari 52:260). Similarly, a very early source, the Al-Muwatta' of Malik ibn Anas (d.179/795), states that anyone who leaves Islam for something else and divulges it is called upon to repent, but if he does not turn in repentance, he is killed. The penalty of death for apostasy is repeated elsewhere in Bukhari: Whoever changes his Islamic religion, then kill him (Bukhari 84:57). Another Hadith (Bukhari 83:37) holds that death is required in three cases: for a murderer, for a married person committing illegal sexual intercourse, and for one who deserts Islam. In this last case, historical evidence makes it clear that the apostates referred to here can be identified with those who are waging war against the Muslim community, and I will return to this critical point in due course.
The most oft-quoted Hadith in Bukhari, If anyone leaves his religion, then kill him, can be questioned on the grounds that its chain of transmission (isnad) goes through a source whose narrations were rejected by Imam Muslim because of the accusations of some scholars that the man concerned ('Ikrimah) was a liar who also accepted gifts from various political authorities. Besides, the content of this Hadith would also apply to anyone changing his religion to Islam, or from Christianity to Judaism or vice versa, and this clearly contradicts the Prophet's command that No one is to be turned away from their Judaism or Christianity.
But the widespread assumption that Islam pronounces death for apostasy (ridda, irtidad) can be most persuasively challenged and definitively rejected from the evidence of the Qur'an and the actions of the Prophet and his Companions.
The Qur'an repeatedly and unequivocally states that faith and denial are matters of personal choice in which there can be no coercion or interference, and that, in accordance with what Muhammad Asad describes as a fundamental principle of Islamic ethics, each human soul must take personal responsibility for the consequences of that choice.
Yesterday, it was announced that a group called Former Muslims United had sent a "Freedom Pledge" to Muslim leaders, asking them to repudiate death penalty for apostasy. This statement contains a lot of superfluous text and claims that confuse the issue. Muslims themselves have already released a statement confirming freedom of faith. I have written about this pledge and why it is meaningless and redundant in an article Former Muslims United Freedom Pledge Against Punishment for Apostasy a "Red Herring".
Muslims themselves have created such a pledge more than two years ago. This FMU pledge is simply another attempt to create propoganda (planting the idea that American Muslims have not taken a position against punishments for apostasy) and to attempt to make it seem as if only former Muslims can stand for what is right, and frankly to attempt to increase the visibility of the FMU at the expense of the Muslim community. This is shameful behavior (although typical of members of this group who go beyond denouncing Islamic radicalism to denouncing all of Islam) and is simply another example of attempting to marginalize the Muslim community and bolster the false claim that Muslims don't speak up against injustices, extremism, etc.
In 2007 Dr. Umar Farooq met with many Muslim scholars, community leaders, etc. and released a statement which we published on TAM. Dr. Farooq set up a website - http://apostasyandislam.blogspot.com/2007/03/statement-muslims-uphold-faith-of.html - and sent out the following letter which we also published on The American Muslim site:
Add your voice in affirming the Freedom of Faith
Assalamu alaikum.
Freedom of faith is essential to Islam. Prophets and Messengers of Allah along with their communities had to struggle for their freedom of faith. That Islam is by choice is unambiguously stated in the Qur'an and reflected in the Prophetic legacy. However, throughout history, the issue has been clouded due to mixing the issue of apostasy with treason. Now one of the biggest tools of anti-Islam/anti-Muslim propaganda is based on the issue of apostasy, claiming that Islam does not uphold the freedom of faith. Even our own children are getting confused and many are not quietly disavowing our wishy-washy position on as fundamental issue as freedom of faith.
While many contemporary Muslim scholars have expressed their views affirming the freedom of faith, the collective voice of Muslims is still feeble and little known. To elevate the discourse about the freedom of faith to a more visible level and to engage Muslims in general to have impact on shaping a broader agreement, a new blog has been created sharing information on this issue. It also has a Statement affirming the Freedom of Faith (reviewed by a number of Muslim scholars and academics), which we hope Muslims, especially scholars, academics, imams, professionals, would come forward to endorse.
Please visit the blog at http://apostasyandislam.blogspot.com/ and, if you also concur that while we as Muslims believe Islam as the way to salvation, we also uphold the freedom of faith, please add your name to the signatories. Let's affirm the freedom of faith and send a clear message in projecting understanding of Islam in accordance with the Qur'an and the Prophetic legacy.
Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
Upper Iowa University, USA
Here is the statement that was signed by over 100 individuals back in 2007:
Muslim Academics/Scholars/Imams/Professionals uphold the Freedom of Faith and the Freedom to Change one's Faith
" ... Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error ..." [2:256]
This is Islam's unambiguous affirmation of freedom of faith, which also applies to changing of faith. The Qur'an illuminates before the humanity the two highways [90:10], one of which leads to salvation. Islam is an invitation to the highway toward salvation, but it is based on FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
Apostasy (riddah) is a major issue that affects the understanding of, and perception about, Islam. Historically, Muslim scholars have not factored in the distinction between apostasy (changing one's faith, which is strictly a sin against God) and treason (strictly a civil offense against an established public order) when it is stated that Islam mandates capital punishment for riddah. That unnuanced perspective about apostasy has fueled negative propaganda against Islam and a negative image of Muslims. In recent years in some notable and well known cases, a fatwa (legal, non-binding opinion) was issued against alleged apostates and, at times, even a bounty was announced on their head.
Many Muslim scholars and academics have argued against the stated historical position as inconsistent with the Qur'an and on the grounds that killing someone for making a considered choice negates the very Islamic value and principle of freedom of choice, affecting Islam's position on universal human rights.
Freedom of choice in faith is central to Islam. This has been exemplified in the Qur'anic narrative regarding the choice made by Satan in contrast with Adam and Eve, and the broad agreement of Muslim scholars that only faith freely adopted is meritorious before God. Throughout history prophets and the communities of their believers have struggled to secure freedom of faith for themselves. Indeed it is a principle quintessential to both Islam and humanity.
Choosing a path in line with our beliefs about salvation has significant consequences in terms of our afterlife. In this world that freedom is bestowed upon us by God, which, by implication, must include the possibility of changing one's faith. Freedom of religion is meaningless without the freedom to change one's religion. Denial of such reciprocal rights is also inconsistent with the principle of justice (adl/qist), as clearly enunciated in the Qur'an [4/an-Nisa/135].
The Qur'an does not specify any worldly punishment or retribution solely for apostasy. Similarly, there is no clear prophetic judgment on apostasy, nor examples that such punishment was meted out (during the time of the Prophet or in the period of the Righteous Caliphate) to someone solely for abandoning Islam as a creed, in contrast with apostasy-cum-treason, involving taking up arms against the Muslim community or the state.
Islam upholds the fundamental principle pertaining to freedom of faith ["Let there be no compulsion in Deen" 2/al-Baqara/256; also see 39/al-Zumar/41]. Thus:
We the undersigned Muslims from diverse backgrounds affirm: The freedom of faith and the freedom of changing one's faith. In light of the Qur'anic guidance and the Prophetic legacy, the principle of freedom of faith does not lend itself to impose in this world any punishment or retribution solely for apostasy; thus there ought not to be any punishment in the name of Islam or fatwa calling for the same.
In addition, we call upon:our esteemed scholars (ulama) and jurists (fuqaha), to address this inconsistency between the Islamic principle of freedom of faith and the position mandating punishment for apostasy, and to bring our legacy of Islamic jurisprudence and general Islamic discourse up-to-date for the times with reference to indisputable and categorical Islamic principles.
our fellow Muslims, to be informed of Islam's position on apostasy and to uphold the principle of choice so that we may exercise tolerance towards those who have left the "straight path" and deal with their subsequent views and actions (even when they are against Islam) within the conext of human rights and civil liberties allowed by law.
Imams and religious leaders, to educate and sensitize Muslim masses about notions of fairness and justice inherent in Islam and respond to apostasy in a dignified, constructive and patient manner.
governments of Muslim-majority countries, to address this matter constitutionally as well as legally, and actively engage in a process that eventually discards any law entailing punishment for apostasy.
Islamic organizations, to uphold universal human rights (not inconsistent with Islam) and to defend the rights of ex-Muslims in regard to apostasy.
CAIR Position Statement – Islam and Apostasy -
Islamic scholars say the original rulings on apostasy were similar to those for treasonous acts in legal systems worldwide and do not apply to an individual's choice of religion. Islam advocates both freedom of religion and freedom of conscience, a position supported by verses in the Quran, Islam's revealed text, such as:
"If it had been the will of your Lord that all the people of the world should be believers, all the people of the earth would have believed! Would you then compel mankind against their will to believe?" (10:99)
"(O Prophet Muhammad) proclaim: 'This is the Truth from your Lord. Now let him who will, believe in it, and him who will, deny it.'" (18:29)
"If they turn away from thee (O Muhammad) they should know that We have not sent you to be their keeper. Your only duty is to convey My message." (42:48)"Let there be no compulsion in religion." (2:256)
Religious decisions should be matters of personal choice, not a cause for state intervention. Faith imposed by force is not true belief, but coercion. Islam has no need to compel belief in its divine truth. As the Quran states: "Truth stands out clear from error. Therefore, whoever rejects evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks." (2:256)
Before issuing this position statement, The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) consulted with members of the Fiqh Council of North America, an association of Islamic legal scholars that interprets Muslim religious law.
The Aasiya Bibi case in Pakistan has again made it clear that we need to work harder to educate people about this issue of freedom of faith. Rafia Zakaria discusses the case in A sip of water - the Aasia Bibi Apostasy Case.
An Iranian man, Youcef Nadarkhani, who became a Christian and is now a pastor in Iran has been tried and found guilty of apostasy in an Iranian court and now may be executed because he refuses to recant and return to Islam. This is an absolute injustice and a denial of his human rights. This is barbaric behavior and a disgrace to humanity and an insult to Islam. Individuals from all over the world have condemned this sentence and demanded that he be freed. The White House has called for him to be freed. Every news article, including those out of Iran said that he was convicted of apostasy.
Yesterday, CNN reported that the Iranian government is now saying that although it was reported that he was sentenced to death for apostasy, that is not correct and actually
will be put to death for several charges of rape and extortion, charges that differ greatly from his original sentence of apostasy, Iran's semi-official Fars News agency reported Friday.
Gholomali Rezvani, the deputy governor of Gilan province, where Nadarkhani was tried and convicted, accused Western media of twisting the real story, referring to him as a "rapist." A previous report from the news agency claimed he had committed several violent crimes, including repeated rape and extortion.
All of this only makes a mockery not only of justice but also of the truth. The only thing that Iran can do to retain any respect in the world community is to set this man free, and to reform its judicial system so that such injustices will not happen again.
Aslam Abdullah, the Director of the Islamic Society of Nevada wrote
An Iranian pastor may be executed in Tehran for refusing to recant his religious beliefs and convert from Christianity to Islam, according to a news report. This is directly in violation of the Quranic command that says there is no compulsion in matters of faith.
Christians and people of other faiths have a right to freely practice what they believe. Those who use the name of God to justify their coercive action do so against the divine guidance. We must not remain silent on this issue. We must hold Iran accountable for this un-Islamic position.
The Quran does not pronounce death to apostates. The Quran, on the contrary, gives freedom to choose. Chapter 2 verse 256 says there is no compulsion in matters of faith.
The Quran also says, "The truth is from your Lord": Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it) (chapter 18: verse 29).
Mehdi Hasan wrote
In 1948, most of the world's Muslim-majority nations signed up to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including article 18, "the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion" which includes, crucially, the "freedom to change his religion or belief". The then Pakistani foreign minister, Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, wrote: "Belief is a matter of conscience, and conscience cannot be compelled."
Fast-forward to 2011: 14 Muslim-majority nations make conversion away from Islam illegal; several – including Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Sudan – impose the death penalty on those who disbelieve. The self-styled Islamic Republic of Iran has sentenced to death by hanging a Christian pastor, born to Muslim parents, for apostasy. At the time of writing, Youcef Nadarkhani, head of a network of Christian house churches in Iran, is on death row for refusing to recant and convert back to Islam.
The decision to execute Nadarkhani beggars belief. For a start, the sentence handed down by judges in the pastor's home city of Rasht a year ago, and affirmed by the country's supreme court in June, is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but Iran's own constitution. Article 23 is crystal clear: "The investigation of individuals' beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief."
Pleas for clemency from the archbishop of Canterbury, the UK's foreign secretary and Amnesty International, among others, have fallen on deaf ears in Tehran. Meanwhile the silence from the world's Muslims – especially the UK's usually voluble Muslim organisations and self-appointed "community leaders" – has been shameful. The irony is that I have yet to come across an ordinary Muslim who agrees that a fellow believer who loses, changes or abandons his or her faith should be hanged. Yet frustratingly few Muslims are willing to speak out against such medieval barbarism. We mumble excuses, avert our eyes.
There is a misguided assumption among many Muslims that such an abhorrent punishment is divinely mandated. It isn't. Classical Muslim jurists wrongly conflated apostasy with treason. The historical fact is that the prophet Muhammad never had anyone executed for apostasy alone. In one well-documented case, when a Bedouin man disowned his decision to convert to Islam and left the city of Medina, the prophet took no action against him, remarking only that, "Medina is like a pair of bellows: it expels its impurities and brightens and clears its good".
Nor does the Qur'an say that a Muslim who apostasises be given any penalty. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by Islam's holy book in the famous verse: "Let there be no compulsion in religion" (2:256). Apostasy is deemed a sin, but the Qur'an repeatedly refers to punishment in the next world, not this one. Take the 137th verse of chapter 4: "Those who believe then disbelieve, again believe and again disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, God will never forgive them nor guide them to the Way" (4:137). This verse, which explicitly allows for disbelief, followed by belief, followed once again by disbelief, suggests any punishment is for God to deliver – not judges in Iran, Saudi Arabia or anywhere else.
Interestingly, the judgment in the Nadarkhani case is based not on Qur'anic verses but the fatwas of various ayatollahs. Fatwas, however, differ. For example, the late Grand Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri, a grand ayatollah and one-time heir apparent to Ayatollah Khomeini, argued that the death penalty for apostasy was originally prescribed to punish only political conspiracies against the nascent Islamic community; Montazeri believed Muslims today should be free to convert to another religion.
The decision to execute Nadarkhani, therefore, is both an affront to universal moral values and a disservice to the cause of Islam. There can be no freedom of religion without the freedom to leave or change one's religion. To try to control a person's mind and heart, their thoughts and beliefs, is the ultimate negation of individual freedom. It is totalitarianism, pure and simple.
It also doesn't work. Another late Iranian ayatollah, and high-profile ally of Khomeini, Murtaza Muttahari, once wrote of the sheer pointlessness of any and all measures to compel belief upon a Muslim (or ex-Muslim!), arguing that it was impossible to force anyone to hold the level of rationally inspired faith required by the religion of Islam. "It is not possible to spank a child into solving an arithmetical problem," proclaimed Muttahari. "His mind and thought must be left free in order that he may solve it. The Islamic faith is something of this kind." Muslims have to ask ourselves: Is the God we worship so weak and needy that he requires us to force our fellow humans to worship him? Is our religion so frail and insecure that it cannot tolerate any rejection whatsoever? And why are we silent as an innocent Christian is sentenced to death in the name of Islam? To hang a man for refusing to believe in Islam is theologically and morally unjustifiable; it is not just unIslamic but anti-Islamic.
Harris Zafar has written on this ongoing issue regarding the case in Iran, Pastor Nadarkhani, Islam and Punishment for Apostasy.
Adeel Ahmed has written about the case of Hamza Kashgari in Saudia Arabia. How Hamza Kashgari's fate will shape the face of Islam. Muslims for Progressive Values has issued a statement about this case.
Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer's hate groups the AFDI/SIOA are planning another of their "conferences" and Geller has published one of her typical screeds promoting the conference. It is to be held, as Geller says "to compete with CAIR's 'human rights'" conference in Southern California at the same time. In the course of Geller's promotion of her event and mud-slinging at CAIR, Geller says:
"We're calling upon Hamas-tied CAIR to stand up for Pastor Youcef and other victims of Islam's apostasy law at their so-called "civil rights" conference and to stand for human rights for all. Under the guise of "civil rights," these subversive groups seek to undermine the unalienable rights guaranteed to every individual under the Constitution. Their ruse must be exposed, their Shariah agenda renounced."
If Geller would actually keep up with what American Muslims are actually saying, she would have noticed that CAIR did issue a position statement on punishment for apostasy in 2009, and can find the full text in the 9/29/09 update to this article above. She would also notice that in 2006 CAIR called on the government of Afghanistan to release Abdul Rahman, a man facing the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity, and she would find articles against any punishment for apostasy written by CAIR members in our TAM article collections. For example, this one by Ahmed Bedier.
This is typical of the approach of Islamophobes like Geller and Spencer. Just a month ago they held another phony conference, the Jessica Mokdad Human Rights Conference and made similar baseless attacks on Imam Qazwini of Dearborn.
Once again, in Pakistan, a case has come up that defies any understanding. An 11 year-old child with Down's Syndrome, Rita Masih, has been arrested under the Pakistani Blasphemy laws for allegedly burning pages of the Qur'an. See the article American Muslims Must Protest "Blasphemy" Laws for a complete background on this case and updates on new developments. Imam Mohamed Magid, the President of ISNA, as well as the organizations ISNA, MPAC, and CAIR have all issued statements condemning this.
It was just announced by the Christian Post that Pastor Nadarkhani has been acquitted of apostasy and released from jail in Iran.
This week a Sudanese court sentenced a pregnant woman to death for renouncing Islam. CAIR released a statement reiterating its rejection of state intervention in personal religious matters, and repeating the 2009 statement listed above.
A Fresh Look at Freedom of Belief in Islam, Dr. Abdullah Saeed
Affirmation of Freedom of Expression and Belief in the Quran, Haris Aziz
Afghan Convert Controversy: A Counter-Perspective on Apostasy in Islam, Yoginder Sikand,
apostasy claim that killing an apostate is required by Islamic Law and 2,
Apostasy, Jamal Badawi
Apostasy, Tariq Ramadan
Apostasy, Sh. Tantawi of Al Azhar
On Apostasy and Islam: STATEMENT: 100+ Notable Islamic Voices affirming the Freedom of Faith, issued April 2007
Apostasy and Islam STATEMENT (Fatwa) by Ali Gomaa the Grand Mufti of Egypt on Apostasy and Freedom of Religion
Apostasy, Freedom and Da'wah: Full Disclosure in a Business-like Manner, Mohammad Omar Farooq
Apostasy:// an unqualified fatwa, Davi Barker
Apostasy In Islam - Sharia Vs Islam, By Rehman Faiz,
Apostasy and Religious Freedom, Louay Safi
The Fatimah Rifqa Bary Case
— Bent on Confusing the Public about Islam: The Far Right Exploits Rifqa Bary's Case to Distort Islam, Louay Safi http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/bent_on_confusing_the_public_about_islam_the_far_right_exploits_rifqa_
— http://www.loonwatch.com/2009/08/robert-spencer-self-declared-scholar-v-real-scholar-on-the-fatimah-rifqa-bary-case/
— The Persecuted Rifqa Bary? http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2009/08/the_persecuted_rifqa_bary.html
— Police have questions about Ohio runaway's story http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1182919.html
— Statement From Lawyer Indicates Rifqa Bary's Parents Blame Pastors for Creating Story http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=8317155&page=1
Concept of Freedom in Islam, Mohamed Shahrour
Death for apostasy?, Nesrine Malik
Freedom and Islam, By T. O. Shanavas, M. D.,
Freedom of Religion is Islam, Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa
Apostasy, Freedom and Da'wah: Full Disclosure in a Business-like Manner, Mohammad Omar Farooq,
Apostasy Laws – An Injury To Islam By Muslims, By Mirza A. Beg,
Are The Scholars The Same As God Himself?, Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballa,
Australian Federation of Islamic Councils says Prosecution of convert 'un-Islamic',
The Case of the Afghan Apostate, Hasan Zillur Rahim,
Egyptian Court Allows Return to Christianity
Extract from Introduction to The Book of Hadith (The Book Foundation, 2007), Jeremy Henzell-Thomas
Extremism isn't Islamic Law, Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid
Fatwa:// Freedom of Belief & Minority Rights in Muslim Countries, Jamal Badawi and Shaikh Muhammad Nur Abdullah
Freedom and Choice: The First-Order Condition of Islam, Mohammad Omar Farooq
Freedom of Religion in Christian, Buddhist, Sunni, and Shi'a Jurisprudence: The Role of 'Ilm al 'Adl, by Dr. Robert D. Crane
Freedom of Religion, Dr. M. Hashim Kamali
Freedoms of Expression and Belief, Istiaq Ahmed
Headscarf Ban in France Violates Religious Freedom, Human Rights Watch
Intellectual Apostasy, the Real Issue, Ibrahim N. Abusharif,
Is Killing An Apostate in the Islamic Law?, Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed,
Islam and the apostasy debate,
Islam and Punishment for Apostasy, Asghar Ali Engineer,
Islam and Pluralism: A Contemporary Approach, Shah Abdul Halim
Islam and Freedom of Thought, Akbar Ahmed and Lawrence Rosen
Islam and Religious Freedom, Asghar Ali Engineer,
Leaving Islam Is Not a Capital Crime, by M. Cherif Bassiouni,
Know Your Rights: Federal Laws Protecting Religious Freedom, DOJ
Let there be no compulsion in religion, Javeed Akhter
Malaysia's crisis of faith
MPAC - Dr. Maher Hathout on Apostasy
Message to Iran: Free Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, Ilisha of Loonwatch
Moratorium on Death Penalty, Tariq Ramadan
No Earthly Penalty for Converts, Imam Farooq Abo-Elzahab
Punishment of Apostasy in Islam, S.A. Rahman (Rtd.) Chief Justice of Pakistan
Religious freedom and the Law of Apostasy in Islam, Mahmud Ayoub
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Imad-as-Dean Ahmad, Ph.D.
The right to religious conversion, A. Rashied Omar,
Toledo Imam Farooq Abo-Elzahab says no earthly penalty for conversion,
U.S. Muslims Call for Release of Afghan Christian Convert, CAIR,
Whatever happened to "no compulsion in religion"?, Irfan Yusuf
Why is an Afghani Man on Trial for leaving Islam? , Ahmed Bedier
'Whosoever will, let him disbelieve'
First published 4/3/08
• Permalink


text:
Welcome to Wings2fashion
Wings2fashion is Delhi based Wholesale clothing vendors manufacturers and exporters in London. If you are looking for wholesale clothes vendors in London for your brands and shop to sell online. You have several options you can go through Google and search clothing vendors wholesale and get a list of top service providers. You can shortlist among them. You can enquire them and make sure to choose a quality merchandise supplier. Wings2fashion is one the best company who provide fast delivery and good service to our clients.
For a fashion brand to reach the heights of success, it is important to bring to life what they have designed and visualized. No matter how elite, enticing or glamorous the design is, it is all in vain if the brand does not have the right clothing producers London.
After all, end product quality depends on how the cloth vendors London are transforming those fabrics to the dream attire that the brand has envisioned.
But with so many clothing vendors out in the industry, choosing the right clothing Factory London for you fashion brand is a challenging task. So, here is a precise guide that will help many fashion brands select the right clothing vendors London.
1. Choose the clothing manufacturers as per needs: Depending on the requirements for the number of pieces and the budget, the fashion brand can opt for make-through or progressive production system. The first one involves a single tailor working on one piece at a time and the second one has many tailors working on the same piece with the tasks like cutting, stitching and finishing work assigned to different individuals. Ensure that you opt for the clothing option that aligns with the business as it grows. This will ensure the reliable vendors for clothing in London will be able to give timely delivery of the orders as the brand grows.
2. Check the quality certifications: Check for the quality certifications of the short-listed clothing producers in London. Ensure they comply with the local industry regulations. It is also important to know that end users prefer clothes manufactured in a sustainable environment. So, it is imperative to look for the cloth produces in London that have sustainable certifications.
3. Minimum order requirement: The reputable clothing manufacturer in London sets a minimum order requirement. It is important to ascertain that the reliable clothing factory commits itself to a minimum order quantity that they can easily fulfill within the order time limit.
4. Shipping fee: It is important to consider the shipping fee as the shipping charges can impact the profit margin of the fashion brand.
5. Check the samples: It is important to check the samples before finalizing the order with the shipping company. Choose the bulk order manufacturer who can provide samples of their work and the kind of items related with your fashion brand. By checking the samples of the clothing producer you can rest assured that the shipment will be delivered in sync with your requirements.
6. Specialization of the producer: Another significant aspect is to check whether the chosen garment manufacturer factory specializes in the products you sell. This will ensure the clothes vendors know and understands the vision of your fashion brand. Also, a custom clothing manufacturer that specializes in your product will have all the tools, equipments, cutting-edge technology and skilled work force to ensure the products are delivered in sync with your requirements.
7. Production process: It is equally important to consider the production process. This will be based on the product requirement. It is advisable to communicate with the clothing producer about the production process and communicate to the company about your requirements. The timeline and the price will depend on the requirement of the production process.
8. Local or overseas: Cost, logistics and communication will highly affect the decision of going with local or an overseas clothes factory. It is advisable to collaborate with a local manufacturer to sell a limited collection of the fashion brand. This will be easier to communicate the requirements and vision to a local manufacturer.
Other added things to consider when choosing a garment factory near me
There are several things that one must take care of when approaching a clothes factory near me for your fashion brand. It is advisable to be clear and transparent when it comes to communicating the product needs. Here are some of the few things that one need to consider before starting the project with the clothes manufacturer in London-
• The budget of the fashion brand.
• Timeline for end-to-end production process.
• Design and Finish sketches.
• List of requirements.
It is imperative to understand the product requirements before you approach a reliable clothing vendor in London. It is important to choose a garment factory not only for the brand but also for the complete satisfaction for the end users. When choosing the right garment factory for the apparel brand, carefully evaluate the clothing vendors experience, expertise and credibility in the industry and finalize the one that best suits the needs of your fashion brand.
Clothing vendors London are the most important pillar for a successful brand. This makes it all more important to conduct a good research and analysis before finalizing the reputed clothing manufacturer. With the help of above guide the fashion brands can make an informed decision.
We provide all types of clothing as per your tech pack and private label clothing manufacturers. If you are looking for clothing vendors to start a business in London of fashion you are in right place. Just order your clothing with share your design and tech pack we will provide you best quality clothing at your doorstep. We manufacture Sports Wear, Western wear, and Gym Wear clothing for Men's, Women, and kids.
We are one of the best reliable wholesale clothing vendors London and will offer the best price. We provide small order clothing manufacturer for startups and bulk clothing vendors London after approval of sample if you required in bulk.
Wings2fashion is a wholesale boutique clothing vendor in London. We supply high-quality women's dresses, and top to wholesalers and distributors in London. For bulk clothing vendors with trendy high fashion dresses, plus size clothing, t-shirts, graphic tee, lingerie, swimwear, sportswear apparel, etc.


text:
Physics Front Privacy Policy
Personal data collected on this website will be used to personalize the experience of users and to facilitate interactions within the community. Some information will be available to other registered users, although not in a format that will provide lists of user information. Users may agree to allow the AAPT send them further information on opportunities in physics education. No information will be provided to third parties.


text:
Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US
BMJ 2016; 353 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2139 (Published 03 May 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;353:i2139- Martin A Makary, professor1 ,
- Michael Daniel, research fellow1
- 1Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Correspondence to: M A Makary mmakary1{at}jhmi.edu
The annual list of the most common causes of death in the United States, compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), informs public awareness and national research priorities each year. The list is created using death certificates filled out by physicians, funeral directors, medical examiners, and coroners. However, a major limitation of the death certificate is that it relies on assigning an International Classification of Disease (ICD) code to the cause of death.1 As a result, causes of death not associated with an ICD code, such as human and system factors, are not captured. The science of safety has matured to describe how communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors, poor judgment, and inadequate skill can directly result in patient harm and death. We analyzed the scientific literature on medical error to identify its contribution to US deaths in relation to causes listed by the CDC.2
Death from medical care itself
Medical error has been defined as an unintended act (either of omission or commission) or one that does not achieve its intended outcome,3 the failure of a planned action to be completed as intended (an error of execution), the use of a wrong plan to achieve an aim (an error of planning),4 or a deviation from the process of care that may or may not cause harm to the patient.5 Patient harm from medical error can occur at the individual or system level. The taxonomy of errors is expanding to better categorize preventable factors and events.6 We focus on preventable lethal events to highlight the scale of potential for improvement.
The role of error can be complex. While …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £184 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£33 / $40 / €36 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.


text:
I've been using jQuery mobile (jQM) to make a mobile-enhanced version of EatDifferent for the past few weeks and though I have much respect for the team behind it, I've grown increasingly frustrated with it. Why?
- It typically enhances by adding additional DOM elements to the original elements - which can help in making them easier to use on a mobile device, but it means that whenever you want to tweak the styles of an enhanced element, you need to dig into the DOM and apply CSS overrides at various levels. If the DOM or inner CSS names change in later jQM versions, you may have to update those CSS overrides.
- If you dynamically update an enhanced DOM element (like a form input, for example), you often have to tell jQM to force refresh that element, since it needs to redo the added DOM. That means you need jQM-specific JavaScript calls in your code.
I was fine with those issues when I used jQM for an earlier project, but for the EatDifferent app, they are becoming bigger issues because: 1) I'm doing more customization, and 2) I'm doing more dynamic form creation and updating.
And most importantly, I'm trying to re-use my HTML/CSS/JS across both my the desktop web version and mobile app, and I want minimal difference between them - both so users have a consistent user experience across them, and so that I can write the code just once.
So today I scrapped jQM and decided to use just HTML/CSS. And since I suck at making pretty CSS, I'm using Twitter's bootstrap library. It's pure CSS (no JS!), it's simple to use, and it's pretty. It's not specifically designed for mobile, but it works well enough on it and is easy to customize when it doesn't quite work.
Here's what the app looked like using jQuery mobile and the default black theme:
Here's what it looks like using Twitter bootstrap and some basic customization:
As you can see, jQuery mobile does create more mobile-optimized form input interfaces (larger areas for clicking, e.g.), but Twitter bootstrap creates clean CSS that I can easily add my own mobile-optimized CSS on top of when necessary. I'm happy I made the switch.


text:
Tiny Epic Pirates is a 45 minute, 1-4 player game of high-seas adventure, utilizing a variable rondel action system and action combo-ing!
In Tiny Epic Pirates you take control of a Pirate ship with the goal of burying vast amounts of wealth on secret island hideaways.
Each turn, you move your Captain Token around your ship's action wheel (rondel), selecting which action to perform... Plunder, Trade, Crew Up, Attack, or Search. Each player has a randomized and unique arrangement of these actions on their rondel. Sailing your Pirate Ship is something every player can do every time they take an action.
Plundering allows you to acquire booty from settlements at a very reasonable rate. It's amazing how negotiating changes when your blunderbuss is at the ready. A crate of gunpowder for a promise of no harm? Fair exchange.
Trading allows you to sell your ill-gotten goods to the Black Market for gold. Each Market is only interested in a specific good, so make sure you are sailing in the right direction. Timing is everything, sell your good at the wrong time and it's worth a pittance.
Crew Up adds a new crew member to your growing Pirate Ship. Crew increases your ship's combat advantage and unlocks new abilities for each spoke of your ship's action wheel, making that action more powerful every time you take it!
Attacking Merchant Ships and other Pirates will grow your reputation. It also happens to be a great way to score some gold and more booty to sell. Be enough of a menace and you may just become a Legend of the Sea!
Search the high-seas for treasures left behind by the unfortunate souls that preceded you. Salvage old ship parts for temporary aid or get lucky and find something worth selling.
The end of the game is triggered once a player has buried three treasures. To do this, a player must first acquire the amount of gold required to bury at the various bury spots on the map. After all players have had an equal number of turns. The player who has buried three treasures wins the game. Ties are decided by the player who has the highest legendary status, followed by which player has the most gold.


text:
A beautiful Benin bronze sculpture.
Benin bronze objects, were used in West Africa as a form of currency and thus status. Their value lies in both the metal used and the ornamentation created on the sculpture.
Benin sculptures are made using the lost-wax method of casting. This means only one unique items can be made from each wax model. The wax model is carefully covered in clay. This is then heated to set the clay and melt the wax. Molten metal is then poured into the clay mould. Once it cools the clay is chipped away, leaving the bronze sculpture.
Sizes: Each one varies slightly on average our collection is 26cmH x 9cmW
Edo people from the Benin Kingdom of Nigeria.
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …


text:
Halloween Humdinger
Cat POV from Chapter Six
He was sexy as all get out, smart as hell, successful to boot. In fact he was one of my favorite romance writers. With his wavy hair and the perfect stubble, the tat on his bicep and his amazing bod—he had the whole package.
Then there were his eyes. I'd never seen the color before. A light violet, they almost always seared through me. He made no effort to conceal how much he wanted me.
I, on the other hand, tried to make him think I had no interest in him whatsoever. I'd been a straight-up bitch to him every chance I got. I cut him down, I'd slapped him on the face, I stormed out on him.
He was just too dangerous to get close to. He could hurt me in ways I'd never recover from.
He wanted me to be his Wildcat, but I was nobody's Wildcat anymore.
On Halloween night, I was unable to resist the possibility of seeing him again. I dressed with more care than usual, knowing he'd be at Stone's garage for the party. I didn't dress up. I dressed down—way, way down—in a manner I knew would make his head spin . . . and the other one really, really hard.
I left my hair loose and falling down my back because I knew he liked it that way. Tight black leathers, my low-heeled motorcycle boots, a lightweight tank top and no bra beneath so he could see the piercings shining through. A padded leather jacket on top. And my Harley, of course.
If I made an impression on him when I roared up outside Stone's garage, he nearly melted my body with one sizzling look. I wanted to make fun of him for wearing a costume—he was a grown man. Hell, all the big macho mechanics were grown men, but they'd gotten into the party spirit, too, even enormous Gerald.
None of them interested me, not like Nick. And I couldn't laugh at him, not one bit. He helped me off my bike and into his arms. His chest was solid and wide. His body big and well muscled. The open laced shirt bared his sculpted torso, deep grooves of muscle, and what I knew to be—below—a thin line of hair that led to what felt like a sizable cock in leather lace-up pants.
Nick Love was a walking talking woman's fantasy in a southern drawling bad boy body, and I had know doubt he'd make good on the fantasy in the very real flesh.
My mouth went dry just looking at him.
I'd thought the sight of him sweaty in his low slung shorts at the gym while he'd sparred with Josh had been the hottest thing I'd ever seen.
I was so wrong.
After I apologized for slapping him a second time, he took my lips in a powerful kiss. His mouth moved on mine, and I hunted after every hot lunge of his tongue.
Nick pulled me into The Pit where the music blared, lights flickered, people crowded together, dancing and kissing.
"Know what I had to do after you left, Wildcat?" he asked in his rough rumble.
I shook my head as the breath halted in my chest.
"I took off my clothes and lay down in bed. I teased my balls the way I think about your lips doing, Cat."
Gripping his shoulders, I suppressed my moan. He told me he'd jerked off to me. I didn't tell him I'd gone home and masturbated, too. That I thought about him every night when sleep wouldn't come, just his name on my lips and a wish I could be good enough for him.
But when he said he never had to work so hard for a simple fuck before, I nearly hit him again. I tried to wrestle free of his arms, but he wouldn't let me go.
"There's nothing simple about you. I like it that way."
"So I'm difficult." I glared at him
"Are you disputing that fact?" He laughed. "And I don't want you to be just a fuck, Cat."
"What do you want me to be?"
Heat rushed through me. His one single word warmed me from the inside. Nick made me feel alive, something I'd denied myself for so long.
When "Closer" by NIN rocked out of the speakers, the dirty beat pulsed through my body.
"C'mon, dance with me," he said.
I was tired of telling him no. My body moved against him in answer to his low-voiced invitation.
Of course Nick could dance. I should've known. Everything about him was sensual, sexual, hot. Dancing with him to the gritty song felt like fucking him right there on the floor in the middle of everyone else. His hips grinded against mine. He skimmed his hands down my back to settle them on my ass. His cock throbbed against me and I wanted more with each tantalizing brush.
It was useless trying to resist him any longer. Fighting him, fighting against our attraction . . . it wasn't working.
I wanted him.
There was one thing I knew how to do, too, and that was dance. Nick watched through hooded eyes as I got into it. I gyrated to the floor between his legs, winding my way back up. I kissed his lips before swiveling around, closing my eyes, swaying against him, feeling his strong arms envelop me and the music run through my body in time to his touch.
By the time the night ended, we'd be doing more than dancing together. We'd be fucking. The promise of sex sweltered between us.
It deepened the glow of his eyes, and sharpened the angles of his face.
Closer. That's what we'd be. I couldn't wait.


text:
Let me start by saying that I'm a Democrat. That is, I would be, were I an American citizen. In American political parlance, I'm a liberal. I share President Obama's view of what a fair and just society looks like and the important role that government can play in helping to create that society. Mitt Romney and his Tea Party-dominated Republican Party still believe, against all the evidence to the contrary, that the market, left completely to its own devices, will create a fair and just society.
I have no time for the moronic accusations against the President of "hating Israel." I appreciate that his administration has provided unprecedented levels of military support for Israel, both in terms of record levels of financial assistance for our defensive requirements, and intelligence sharing. I am also aware that he has had to contend with an Israeli Prime Minister in Benjamin Netanyahu who has been more concerned with prolonging his premiership than taking steps towards a two-state solution.
But, despite all of the above, I have serious reservations about the prospect of his reelection. And they relate to what I believe has been his serious mishandling of the region in which I live.
It is hard to disagree with my fellow British-Israeli, Jonathan Spyer, one of the best Middle East analysts around, who assessed recently that his policies in the region display "little understanding of the Hobbesian world of Middle Eastern politics and the aspects required in order to build firm alliances and proxies here.".
His decision to coerce Netanyahu into imposing a 10-month settlement freeze was also a colossal misjudgment. Firstly, by Mahmoud Abbas's own admission, this gave him an excuse to avoid negotiations with Israel by forcing a precondition that had never before been required for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Secondly, his hope that this move by Israel would trigger a sympathetic response from the Arab world was predictably and embarrassingly rebuffed.
From where I'm sitting the post-Arab Spring Middle East is looking increasingly worrying. Egypt, an erstwhile ally of Israel is now led by Islamists who regard Israel's presence in the region as a standing affront, Syria is in flames and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is looking increasingly precarious. Yet, it has been hard to escape the feeling that Obama's Middle East policy is driven, in part, by a caution against giving the Muslim world "reasons" to hate America and a belief that, short of Al-Qaida, Islamist movements are not an urgent threat to the free world.
The late British-American writer Christopher Hitchens was right to compare Islamism (please note, not Islam) with fascism. It is anti-democratic (despite its pragmatic use of elections to attain power) in its hatred of liberal values, and its total intolerance of non-Islamic faiths—the fate of Palestinian Christians in Hamas-run Gaza is a case in point. And, like the fascist regimes that set Europe ablaze in the last century, Islamism has no qualms about the mass-murder of innocent people in pursuit of its ends.
And of course, while Sunni Islamism is a rising threat, its Shi'ite version is a clear and present danger. Opinion here in Israel is divided as to the wisdom of a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, but there is consensus that a regime that so often and so unambiguously calls for Israel's disappearance from the map of the Middle East should not be allowed to attain a nuclear bomb. The deliberately vague "all options are on the table" will not cut it anymore. Iran needs to hear an explicit statement from the U.S. Commander-In-Chief that the might of the American military will act to prevent the Ayatollahs from getting the bomb if all else fails.
Were I a U.S. citizen, living in America, I would be voting for Obama on November 6. However, my children will be growing up in Israel, and I want to feel that they will be as safe as they can possibly be, here in the eye of the storm. And right now, I'm just not sure if he is the U.S. President most likely to help deliver that.


text:
Welcome to "Ask the White House" -- an online interactive forum where you can submit questions to Administration officials and friends of the White House. Visit the "Ask the White House" archives to read other discussions with White House officials.
April 15, 2008
Anita McBride
Good afternoon. Tomorrow the President and Mrs. Bush welcome His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI as head of state. This is the first papal visit to the White House since 1979, and it is a very special opportunity for millions of Catholics like myself to hear from the spiritual leader of their Church. This historic visit is an opportunity for the President and Mrs. Bush and our Nation to welcome a man of faith and conviction to America. The Holy Father leads a Church of around one billion people worldwide, and the President and Mrs. Bush are honored that he has chosen the United States for a visit as he celebrates his 81st birthday. Im happy to take your questions. George, from Houston writes: Anita McBride
While in Washington, The Holy Father will stay at the residence of the Papal Nuncio, who is the Vatican's representative in the United States. Shawn, from Tampa, FL
writes: Anita McBride
In addition, the President has said that he wants this special greeting the first time he has met a leader at Andrews to demonstrate his respect for the leadership of the Holy Father. Brian, from Doylestown, PA
writes: Anita McBride The private meeting between the President and the Holy Father will last about 45 minutes, and they will set their own agenda. They are both men of great faith and, as such, have many issues of shared concern to discuss.
During his trip, the Pope will be making stops in Washington, DC, and New York City, including celebrating Masses at Nationals Stadium and Yankee Stadium. Mary, from Springfield, VA writes: Sincerly, Mary Anita McBride
There will be a White House dinner tomorrow evening for Catholic leaders and friends from around the country, including some of the clergy that have worked on the Papal visit. Although the Holy Father's busy schedule will prevent his attendance, Mrs. Bush has arranged for a Bavarian-style menu in tribute to his German birthplace. Ruth, from Amana, Iowa
writes: I would also like to know how long the Pope will be in the U.S., and what events will take place for the Pope while at the White House. Thanks Ruth Anita McBride The President and Mrs. Bush will participate by greeting the Holy Father at Andrews Air Force Base when he arrives this afternoon. They will also welcome him to the White House at a formal arrival ceremony tomorrow morning. This event will include many elements of a traditional arrival ceremony, such as a performance by the Army's Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. We have also chosen some musical selections especially for the Holy Father, including The Lords Prayer, sung by vocalist Kathleen Battle, and The Battle Hymn of the Republic, sung by the Army Chorus. After the ceremony ends, President and Mrs. Bush will escort the Pope to a meeting with some of their family members in the Blue Room. The President will then welcome the Holy Father to the Oval Office for a private meeting.


text:
Aww chia. So we meet again.
Let's recap the health benefits of chia:
- More fibre than bran
- 3x more antioxidants than blueberries
- 15x more magnesium than broccoli
- 3x more iron than spinach
- Helps with hydration
You can make a 'power gel' by just mixing it with water (water to chia ratio of 9:1).
On Sunday, I decided to make a super healthy post-run recovery snack.
Repair and Recover Vegan Chia Pudding
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond, hemp, rice, etc)
- 1/2 tablespoon cocoa
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon Sweetener to taste (agave, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, etc)
Directions: Mix chia, water, and milk together and stir for about 1 minute or two. Next add in the carob or cocoa (optional) and sweetener to taste. Stir for another minute and then pop it into the fridge for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from fridge and stir for another 20-30 seconds. Now enjoy your delicious, energizing, and antioxidant packed chia pudding! You can heat it up in the microwave too. Yields about 3/4 cup.
This is not your average pudding. I'm just going to say that right now. It's a bit slimy!
Enjoy your day! :)


text:
Date Posted: 24-FEB-2010
Description: SCO OpenServer 5.0.7V for Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 is an optimized version of the SCO OpenServer 5.0.7 Enterprise System that is designed to be imported into and run on selected Microsoft Hyper-V platforms.
Please read the following export notice: Please note that the electronic transfer of this data to a destination outside of the United States constitutes an export (as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Export Administration) and is authorized ONLY to the end user. Any subsequent re-exportation of this data requires that the end user obtain an additional export license. Also note that it is illegal to re-route SCO product to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan or Syria and that you must file a special license if you intend to reroute goods to the embargoed regions of Taliban controlled areas of Afghanistan. Placement of this order constitutes an agreement to comply with these stipulations.


text:
Codes of Conduct
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Blossom Vehicle Leasing Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, we are required to follow the guidance they set out in their handbook.
This handbook defines the business standards we must follow, as well as how we manage any complaints we receive. The handbook is available to download from the Financial Conduct Authority handbook website.
Blossom Vehicle Leasing Limited is a credit broker not a lender
You can confirm our details on the Financial Services Register - our registration number is 676613
Membership of British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA)
Blossom Vehicle Leasing Limited is a member of The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, the trade body for companies involved in leasing and renting cars, vans and commercial vehicles. Download the BVRLA Code of Conduct.
Our member binds us to the BVRLA's mandatory Code of Conduct, which stipulates how we must conduct our business with you, in terms of quotes, contracts, payment terms, duty of care and end-of-contract processes.
Membership of Information Commissioners Office (ICO)
We are a member of the ICO. The ICO is the UK's independent body set up to uphold information rights. Find out more about the Information Commissioners Office
ICO Registration Number Z1892161


text:
Address medical data security with HITRUST CSF certification
Business Challenge
Businesses that create, access, store or exchange protected health information (PHI) must adhere to strict data standards and regulations, including the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST™) Common Security Framework (CSF). The HITRUST CSF controls help businesses reduce the risk of a data breach, which can result in costly penalties, legal actions and serious reputational damage.
HITRUST CSF consists of controls pulled from a number of globally recognized security frameworks and regulations — including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies® (COBIT®) and recommendations from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
HITRUST CSF-Certified Dedicated Environments
Our HITRUST CSF certification helps ensure that your dedicated hosting environment exceeds the healthcare industry's complex data privacy and security regulations. We provide our HITRUST CSF-certified dedicated hosting environment at no additional cost, so you can start reducing costs and driving efficiency.
Use Cases
Most healthcare organizations, including health insurance companies, hospitals, medical practices and SaaS providers require a HITRUST CSF certified infrastructure. Discover how our HITRUST CSF certification can help you keep your IT infrastructure compliant, while you move your workloads to the cloud.
Our HITRUST CSF certification applies to all of our data centers around the world — including our dedicated servers, private cloud, databases, networking and storage solutions.
Controls & Governance
Our dedicated hosting environment has been validated against all 300+ HITRUST requirements — across 19 different security categories— to provide comprehensive IT protection for sensitive information.
Consideration' | HITRUST | ISO | NIST | PCI | COBIT | HIPAA |
Comprehensive - General Security | Partial Offering | |||||
Risk-Based (rather than compliance-based) | Partial Offering | Partial Offering | ||||
Supported and Maintained | ||||||
Audit or Assessment Guidelines | ||||||
Certifiable | ||||||
Open and Transparent Update Process | ||||||
Consistency and Accuracy (in assessment/evaluation) | Partial Offering | Partial Offering | Partial Offering | |||
Support for Third-Party Assurance | ||||||
Prescriptive | Partial Offering | Partial Offering | ||||
Assess Once and Report Many | Partial Offering | Partial Offering | ||||
Vetted by Healthcare and Industry Experts | ISO 27799 and NIST 800-66 both subject to comment period prior to release | ISO 27799 and NIST 800-66 both subject to comment period prior to release | ||||
Practical and Scalable | ||||||
Comprehensive - Regulatory, Statutory and Business Requirements |
Ready to Start the Conversation?
We're experts on your side, doing what it takes to get the job done right — from the first consultation to your daily operations.


text:
2020, "Gaze" - porcelain relief, ready to hang
This original porcelain wall relief is one of the latest artworks of the talented professional Bulgarian sculptor Rossitza Trendafilova, deeply inspired by modernism, art deco and abstract art. All 100% handmade, it is one extraordinary wall art masterpiece and exquisite valuable modern home wall décor. You can display it either horizontally or vertically.
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/d5-ZBTMec5Q
✧Sculptor: Rossitza Trendafilova
✧Size (height, width, depth): 28 x 18 x 8 cm
✧Materials: Porcelain
✧More Available Art Objects By The Artist: https://www.integratedartists.gallery/shop/22509716/rossitza-trendafilova
✧Shipping: We offer discounts for multiple purchases and combine shipping. Please contact me for details. We ship worldwide and package the products with care.
✧Thanks for visiting INTEGRATED ARTISTS gallery,
Oggie Golev - art manager
1-4 business days
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 5 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 7 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
For purposes of EU data protection law, I, Oggie Golev, am the data controller of your personal information. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact me here, via Etsy messaging system.
Please contact me for further details.
Please convo for further details!
Please leave me your phone number before checkout!
You can track the order at http://track-trace.com
If your country is not included, please convo for further details!
Please, contact me for further details!
All care instructions are published in the listings or you will receive them printed on paper with your delivery!
Please, contact me for further details!
We always honor the will of the customer, but please contact me within 5 days of delivery and be prepared to cover the return costs. Of course a good cause for the return is essential.
We pack very safe. Please be prepared for a lot of unpacking :)


text:
Picking Qatar to host the World Cup was a mistake 12 years ago, FIFA's president at the time Sepp Blatter said Tuesday, again citing a meeting between Nicolas Sarkozy and Michel Platini for swaying key votes.
The 86-year-old Blatter spoke with the Swiss newspaper group Tamedia in his first major interview since being acquitted with Platini in July of financial misconduct at FIFA after a trial at federal criminal court.
"It's a country that's too small," Blatter said of Qatar, the smallest host by size since the 1954 tournament in Switzerland. "Football and the World Cup are too big for that."
The 32 teams will play 64 games in eight stadiums in and around the city of Doha which has been transformed since 2010 by massive construction projects to prepare for the World Cup.
Games start on Nov. 20 with about 1.2 million international visitors expected to arrive in Qatar during the World Cup. With limited places to stay in the host nation, some will commute in from neighboring states.
"It was a bad choice. And I was responsible for that as president at the time," said Blatter, who has long said he voted for the United States. Its bid was beaten by Qatar in the final round of a five-candidate contest to be 2022 host.
It became part of FIFA lore that an expected U.S. victory swung toward Qatar at a meeting Sarkozy hosted in Paris in the week before the Dec. 2, 2010 vote by FIFA's executive committee.
French soccer great Platini, then president of European soccer body UEFA and a vice president of FIFA, was invited by then-state president Sarkozy to his official residence. The crown prince of Qatar, now the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, was also there.
Blatter on Tuesday repeated his claim that Sarkozy put pressure on Platini, and again gave his version of a telephone call Platini made to him after the Paris meeting that the World Cup voting plan had changed.
"Thanks to the four votes of Platini and his (UEFA) team, the World Cup went to Qatar rather than the United States. It's the truth," Blatter said of the 14-8 voting result.
In comments to the Associated Press in 2015, Platini broadly confirmed the significance of that meeting in Paris.
"Sarkozy never asked me to vote for Qatar, but I knew what would be good," Platini told an AP reporter in Zurich seven years ago. He acknowledged that he "might have told" American officials that he would be voting for their 2022 bid.
Blatter did not specifically refer to criticism of Qatar on labor and human rights issues since 2010.
However, he did question why his successor as FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, has moved to live in Qatar for at least the past year.
Blatter noted growing calls, by rights groups and several FIFA member federations including the U.S. and England, to create a compensation fund for families of workers who died or were injured. Qatar's government has resisted the calls and described them as a "publicity stunt."
"What can FIFA say if its president is in the same boat as Qatar?" Blatter said of Infantino choosing to live in Doha.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the interview.
Blatter, who went to Moscow during the 2018 World Cup as a guest of Russia while he and Platini were suspended by FIFA from soccer, told the Swiss newspaper reporters he would watch games in the coming weeks on television at his apartment in Zurich.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Heath and Reach Village Website
Main Menu
Welcome to an unofficial website for the South Bedfordshire village of Heath and Reach. As of August 2011 I've taken the dynamic section of this website offline since I no longer have the time to maintain it. Here are some static pages created over the years.
The Heath and Reach Parish Council website
Parish Paths Partnership
- old site, no longer maintained
A Brief History of the Stockgrove Estate
Photos from the Heath and Reach May Fayre 2003
Photos from the Heath and Reach May Fayre 2004
Leaflet 'The History of your Parish Church'
(St.Leonards) c.1979
Ellen Hack
Information and Statistics
Photo Collection
OS Map of the Village
Relevant Links
Contact the webmaster: webmaster(at)heathandreach.com
All photos are Copyright © and must not be reproduced without consent.


text:
Red Evil Eye Adult Rosary Bracelet (Black String)
• Bracelet is adjustable and fits all wrist sizes.
• Must keep dry, avoid getting bracelet wet.
• Evil Eye Bead Size: Approx. 8mm
• String Size: No.18
About Bracelet:
A Rosary Bracelet, also known as "Decenario", meaning decade, is used by many people around the world as a tool for prayer and meditation. It consist of a rope with ten knots; on each knot a prayer/mantra is recited.
In many areas of the world, this bracelet is not only carried for prayer, but worn for protection and good luck.


text:
Daily Hydrating Eye Cream nourishes and refines the delicate skin around the eyes. The eye contour is particularly prone to wrinkles and dryness. This moisture-rich preparation naturally firms, leaving skin soft, smooth and resilient.
Formulation: Pineapple, marsh mallow and calendula have a revitalizing, calming effect, smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Rose distillate, blended with nurturing avocado, macadamia nut and sea buckthorn oils moisturize, nourish and tone.
Skin Condition: For all skin conditions.


text:
Larsens Plaster Weld 5 Gallon
Plaster-Weld® bonds new plaster to any clean, structurally sound, interior surface. The original chemical plaster bonding agent is a patented formulation incorporating a polyvinyl acetate homopolymer. DESIGNED FOR INTERIOR USE ONLY, the high-performance bonding of one-coat finish plaster and/or two and three coat work to concrete ceilings, walls, columns, beams, and other structurally sound surfaces.
Plaster-Weld® prepares the surface to allow you to plaster directly to concrete over electric radiant heat cable, and to bond, cement mortar beds to smooth concrete for installation of rigid foam insulation. Concrete, brick, block, glass, ceramic tile, wallboard, metals (e.g. sheet lead in x-ray rooms) and marble are suitable sound surfaces, structurally.
Plaster-Weld® can be used over paints having oil, rubber or vinyl bases, and over silicone-treated surfaces, as well as latex paints.


text:
The suff movement has been acknowledged in recent public speeches by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. In the course of expressing support for marriage equality in New York, these two officials highlighted the woman's suffrage movement in New York.
In a letter to New Yorkers on May 26, 2011, Governor Andrew Cuomo said the following: "New York has a proud, progressive history as a national leader in bringing greater equality and respect for all. From the fight for women's suffrage to the struggle for civil rights, New Yorkers have not only been on the right side of history, we have made history. . ." A brief clip from Cuomo's speech. Check out Cuomo's full video message.
Noted Mayor Bloomberg: "And the question for every New York State lawmaker is: Do you want to be remembered as a leader on civil rights? Or an obstructionist? Remember, on matters of freedom and equality, history has not remembered obstructionists kindly. Not on abolition. Not on abortion. Not on women's suffrage. Not on workers' rights. Not on civil rights. And it will be no different on marriage rights." A brief audio selection from the Mayor's speech.


text:
Each pen holder is milled from solid walnut, sanded to perfection, and sealed with a clear matte finish. Keep your favorite pen always within reach.
Read backstory of how the pen trays came to be
Pairs perfectly with Analog and HMM Ballpoint Pens
- Solid walnut
- Dimensions: 6.25" x 1.9" x .9"
- Weight: 4oz
- Made in Pennsylvania, USA
Shipping & Returns
All orders are shipped by our team directly from our HQ in Downingtown, PA, USA.
Shipping cost is based on weight. Just add products to your cart and use the Shipping Calculator to see the shipping price.
For international orders (outside of the USA) we do not prepay customs fees or import taxes, so you may be need to pay these when your package arrives depending on how your country handles it.
We want you to be 100% satisfied with your Ugmonk purchase. Items can be returned or exchanged within 30 days of delivery.
Any items returned used or not in the original condition will be subject to a 15% restocking fee.


text:
No evidence is more damning than the confession of a defendant in a criminal case. Attorney John Ashcroft has announced that the federal government will charge John Walker, who was found in the company of the Taliban in Afghanistan, with conspiracy and aiding terrorists. Walker's statements to the government and to CNN, if admitted, will be crucial to the prosecution's case against him. There are three possible constitutional bases on which the admissibility of his statements can be analyzed.
First, as a suspect in custodial interrogation, Walker had the right to remain silent and the right to counsel present with him during questioning, under Miranda v. Arizona, which protects the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. The government interrogated Walker for forty-five days in a custodial setting without his attorney present. Ashcroft claims Walker waived his Miranda rights both orally and in writing, and thus plans to use the fruits of those interrogations against Walker.
Undoubtedly, Walker's attorneys will argue at trial that, under the circumstances, Walker could not have voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently waived his rights. Isolated with government interrogators on a ship in the ocean, with no opportunity to communicate with a lawyer or his family, he likely felt intense pressure to cooperate with the government, and thus did not voluntarily waive his rights. When Walker was found, he had been wounded and was in a weakened condition. His interrogators were experts, likely to succeed in eliciting statements from him.
Although Walker's parents retained a lawyer on his behalf, the Supreme Court held in Moran v. Burbine, that the right to counsel is a personal one and can only be asserted by the suspect himself. In that case, the suspect's sister, unbeknownst to Burbine, had secured counsel for him. The attorney continually tried to see Burbine, but was turned away by police. Without invoking his right to counsel, Burbine waived his Miranda rights and confessed to murder. It took sixty pages for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, writing for the majority, to justify how the police could keep an attorney from a suspect in custodial interrogation.
Prosecutors may assert the public safety exception to Miranda, by arguing that national security concerns in obtaining intelligence information from Walker about the activities of the Taliban and al Qaeda, trumped their obligations to comply with Miranda. The exception was successfully asserted in New York v. Quarles, where a rape suspect, who ran into a grocery store in the middle of the night, was found with an empty gun holster. Without Mirandizing him, the police asked him where he had hidden the gun. The admission of his statements was justified as necessary to protect the public safety, even though the market was closed and he was in police custody. This exception is rarely used, but national security concerns may present a more compelling case to invoke it in Walker's case.
The second constitutional basis on which the defense may object to the use of Walker's statements is the Fifth Amendment's due process clause, which protects a suspect against being coerced into confessing. In ruling on whether Walker was coerced by the government into confessing, the judge must decide where to draw that fine line between where free will ends and compulsion begins.
Walker may argue he was coerced by being held incommunicado for forty-five days and by forceful tactics by the interrogators themselves. When he appeared on CNN, he was wounded and heavily drugged on morphine. If Walker can show that condition persisted during his interrogation by the government, he may convince the judge his due process rights were violated. Courts, however, are generally hesitant to exclude statements on this ground.
The government will also seek to use statements Walker made on CNN shortly after his capture. Although non-governmental persons are not required to comply with Miranda, their interrogations may be challenged under the Fifth Amendment's due process clause. Walker objected to the taping of his conversation with CNN; yet, the lights and camera were turned on anyway. He was questioned by CNN personnel and made some very damaging admissions, which were broadcast repeatedly on CNN. It is undisputed that Walker was in great pain and heavily drugged on morphine when he spoke to CNN. That may be sufficient to exclude those statements.
Finally, James Brosnahan, an attorney hired by Walker's parents, has still not been allowed to speak with Walker. Under the Sixth Amendment, a defendant in a criminal case is entitled to the assistance of counsel once criminal charges have been filed against him. The government waited forty-five days to bring charges against Walker, perhaps in order to avoid an obligation to provide him with counsel.
The decision about whether to allow the jury to consider Walker's statements will be made by the judge before trial. This determination will take place after hearing testimony by the government interrogators and, perhaps, Walker himself. Unfortunately, when the versions of events surrounding interrogations conflict, judges often believe the government and not the defendant. The case against Walker was intentionally brought in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, reputedly one of the most conservative federal courts in the country.
John Walker is charged with conspiracy to murder United States nationals abroad as well as lesser charges. Conspiracy, often based on guilt by association, is not difficult to prove. Walker's statements to the government and to CNN are crucial to the prosecutor's case. In spite of intense public pressure to admit them, the judge should make a considered decision based on the law.
Marjorie Cohn is an associate professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where she teaches criminal procedure.