text:
Recent scholarly interest in the genesis of social sciences in Islamic culture is a noteworthy shift. Until recent times, the development of these fields was credited exclusively to the modern Western tradition, especially to the 19th century birth of humanities. The ground breaking contribution of Ibn Khaldun was recognized; however, the author of the Muqaddima stands as an isolated genius. In the following article, an attempt is made to broaden the field by highlighting the contributions of several other scholars in laying the foundation of social sciences in Islamic culture. After a short survey on Al-Biruni and Al-Raghib al-Isfahani, the focus of the article is dedicated to the 10th-century Palestinian geographer Al-Muqaddasi, who touched on various subjects of interest to the social sciences in his book Ahsan al-taqasim fi ma'rifat al-aqalim.
2. Al-Muqaddasi: Short Biography
3. Ahsan a-Taqasim and its Scope
4. The Originlity of Al-Muqaddasi's Approach
5. Water as a Social Indicator
7. City and Urban Developments
Figure 1a: Panel tile representing the Masjid al-Haram (Sacred Mosque). Made in Iznik, Turkey, 18th century. (Source). |
Figure 1b: Turkish map of the Masjid al-Haram and related religious sites (Jabal al-Nour) 18th century (Source) |
Recent scholarly interest in the genesis of social sciences in Islamic culture is a noteworthy shift. Until recent times, the development of these fields was credited exclusively to the modern Western tradition, especially to the 19th century birth of human sciences, such as sociology, psychology and later on ethnology and anthropology.
But modern commentators showed that amongst items to be included under the banner of social thought must be included early contributions by the scholars of the Islamic world. Master of the discipline is, of course, Ibn Khaldun. Nothing, indeed, in the annals of history precedes the quality of his work. He shaped the whole subject, setting up foundations upon which his successors built, not just in terms of methodology and contents, but also structure and approach. Before Ibn Khaldun, however, other Muslim scholars raised matters of social interest, which Ibn Khaldun corrected, improved, and developed.
The following article will consider one of the earliest Arabic contributions in this field by Al-Muqaddasi, the 10th century Palestinian geographer who touched on various subjects that will be later integrated into the field of social sciences.
The investigation of the roots of social sciences in Islamic culture looks to the aspects of daily life that shaped the living Islam, the every day practicalities rather than the principles of the Muslim faith. It is a very rich field, with chapters on daily life, customs, social structure, institutions, politics, economics, the role of women, the cultural dimension in its connection with social structures, and the role of the individual in the Muslim community. Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) is studied in its attempt to achieve the goals of rationality, universality and equality set out in the Quran. The dynamics of Islamic society sought to reflect these ideals, with individuals trying to satisfy the religious commands by going beyond worship and ritual. Recent studies show the adaptability of Islam and its ability to take into account local traditions, which has allowed the faith to spread far afield to large parts of Asia, Africa and Europe. They also describe how, more recently, education has begun to take an increasingly important role in guiding Muslims, giving them confidence in their own values, and imbuing them with their faith.[2]
Among the social sciences, anthropology is a recent field. It studies human beings in their living and under all aspects, physical (anatomy, physiology, pathology, evolution) and cultural (social, psychological and geographical). One of its favourite methodological tools is the comparison of cultures and societies separated by large geographical boundaries, in order to grasp the differences and distinctive traits in social organisation, cultural dimensions and beliefs, historical roots, etc.
In his history of anthropology, Marvin Harris indicates two major frameworks within which empirical anthropology has arisen: interest in comparisons of people over space and interest in longterm human processes or humans as viewed through time. Harris dates both to classical Greece and classical Rome, specifically Herodotus, often called the "father of history" who first formulated some of the persisting problems of anthropology, and the Roman historian Tacitus, who wrote many of our only surviving contemporary accounts of several ancient Celtic and Germanic peoples.[3]
Medieval scholars may be considered forerunners of modern anthropology as well, insofar as they conducted detailed studies of the customs of peoples considered "different" from themselves in terms of geography. The Italian traveller Giovanni da Pian del Carpine (d. 1252) was one of the first Europeans to enter the court of the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire and author of the earliest important Western account of northern and central Asia that he wrote as an account of his stay among the Mongols. His report was unusual in its detailed depiction of a non-European culture.[4]
Marco Polo's systematic observations of nature, anthropology, and geography are another example of studying human variation across space. Polo's travels took him across such a diverse human landscape and his accounts of the peoples he met as he journeyed were so detailed that they earned him fame as an early forerunner of modern anthropology.[5]
Several Islamic scholars showed clear anthropological insights in their works. One of the first to carry out comparative ethnographic-type studies was the scientist Abu Rayhan al-Biruni in the 11th century, who wrote about the people, customs, and religions of the Indian subcontinent. Like modern anthropologists, he engaged in extensive participant observation with a given group of people, learnt their language and studied their primary texts, and presented his findings with objectivity and neutrality using cross-cultural comparisons. He wrote detailed comparative studies on the religions and cultures in the Middle East, Mediterranean and especially South Asia.[6]Biruni's tradition of comparative cross-cultural study continued in the Muslim world through to Ibn Khaldun's work in the 14th century.[7]
Figure 2: View of the Palestinian market in Jerusalem. Al-Quds was the home town of Al-Muqaddasi who was born there sometime around 930-935 CE. (Source). See Muqaddasi: A Muslim Native of Jerusalem (extracted from F. E. Peters , Jerusalem, Princeton University Press, 1995) and Zakariyeh Mohammed, Maqdisi: An 11th Century Palestinian Consciousness. |
The investigation of "the anthropological matter" in the texts of Islamic culture highlights the precious contribution of the Arab and Muslim scholars in its pre-modern history. Through the rehabilitation of this ancient legacy of anthropological heritage written in Arabic, a link is thus established between the past and the present. In this connection, emphasis is placed on the anthropological dimension in the corpus of Ibn Khaldun, especially in Al-Muqaddima, on the ties between Al-Jahiz and the anthropological sciences, and the place reserved for human sciences in two key books of Al-Raghib al-Isfahani, Al-Dharia'a ila makarim al-sharia'a and Kitab Tafsil al-nash'atayn wa-tahsil al-sa'adadatayn.[8]
Abu 'l-Qasim al-Husayn b. Muhammad b. al-Mufadhdhal al-Raghib al-Isfahani was a religious and literary scholar. Information about his life is extremely scanty, but according to al-Suyuti's statement in the Bughya, he died in the early 5th H/11th CE. His works, of which at least a dozen are extant, enjoyed a considerable popularity, and they exerted a recognizable influence on Al-Ghazali and other later figures.
The best-known works of Al-Raghib are of literary scope, such as Muhadhrat al- udaba' wa-muhawarat al-shu'ara' wa 'l-bulagha' and Majma' al- balagha. Al-Raghib's predilection for subtle semantic analysis is apparent in his works on the semantics and exegesis of the Quran, the Mufradat alfaz al-Qur'an, Durrat al- ta'wil fi mutashabih al-tanzil, and his Tafsir.
The anthropological scope of Al-Raghib's work appears in his best-known ethical work Al-Dhari'a ila makarim al-shari'a (The Book of Means to the Noble Qualities of the Law), where he combined religious scholarship and philosophy.[9] This work is structured in terms of a Platonic-Aristotelian psychology, with separate chapters on man's faculties in general, his intellect, the concupiscent and irascible faculties, justice, labour and money, and human acts. The pervasive philosophical influence is highly reminiscent of Miskawayh (died in 421/1030). Al-Raghib's general perspective is, however, considerably more Islamicised than Miskawayh's, with virtually every assertion being backed up by appropriate citations from the Quran and hadith. The work's ultimate influence was considerable, as it was Al-Ghazali's direct source for a good half of his Mizan al-'amal , as well as for significant sections of his Ihya' 'ulum al-din and Ma'arij al-Quds. Al-Raghib also wrote a companion piece to the Dhari'a, the Tafsil al-nash'atayn wa-tahsil al-sa'adatayn, which presents many of the same ideas but stresses even more explicitly the complementarity of reason and religion.
Other works of Al-Raghib al-Isfahani, in the form of brief epistles, were found recently in an Istanbul manuscript (Esad Efendi 3645). They deal with education, classification of sciences and relationships in society. Their titles are: Risala fi anna fadhilat al-insan bi 'l-'ulum, Risala fi dhikr al-wahid wa-'l-ahad, Risala fi adab mukhalatat al-nas, and Risala fi maratib al-'ulum.[10]
The full name of our scholar is Shams al-Din Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi Bakr al-Banna' al-Shami al-Muqaddasi. His name Al-Muqaddasi is also transliterated as Al-Maqdisi and al-Mukaddasi. He is the best representative of Arabic geography in the second half of the 4th/10th century.
The events of his life story, which are not well known, are only available to us through his main book, the famous Ahsan at-taqasim fi ma'rifat al-aqalim (The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions). He lived in the 10th century (around 930-935 and 1000 CE).[11] Very much attached to the Palestine of his birth and to the town whose name he bears (Muqaddasi or Maqdisi, from Al-Quds or Bayt al-Maqdis, Jerusalem), he probably belonged to a middle-class family. His paternal grandfather, Abu Bakr, an architect and/or builder, has his claim to fame for having built, on the orders of Ibn Tulun, the maritime defences of Acre. His mother's family came originally from Biyar, a small town of Khurasan. The author's maternal grandfather, being himself an expert in the art of construction, emigrated to Jerusalem.[12]
From certain events reported in his own work, it can be inferred that he lived at least until about 380 H/990 CE.[13] A few dates only mark out his life: two pilgrimages to Mecca in 356/967 and 367 H/978 CE, a journey to Aleppo, perhaps, around the years 354-64 H/965-75 CE, a visit to Khurasan in 374 H/984 CE, and the decision to compose the work, taken in Shiraz, in 375 H/985 CE, at a time when Al-Muqaddasi tells us that he had passed the age of forty. [14]
Figure 3a: Photo of Mekka in 1850. Al-Muqaddasi performed two pilgrimages to the holy shrines in Mecca and Madina in 356 H/967 CE and 367 H/978 CE. (Source) |
It can reasonably be supposed that he received the education that his social origins merited; the use, in his work, here and there, of rhymed prose, and even poetry, bear witness to a classical training in grammar and literature, while the arguments on a basis of the Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)and the discussions of the various theological and juridical schools provide evidence of a marked interest in these fundamental disciplines, an interest gained certainly at an early stage in an educational process. But these displays of a culture that could be termed classical, as well as the other traces of different fields of learning, history, philology and theology, are kept in the background to the benefit of the work itself, which brings them together in a project of singular unity.[15]
Al-Muqaddasi's intellectual life began early, around his twentieth year, when he performed the pilgrimage to Mecca. He determined then to devote himself to the study of geography. For the purpose of acquiring the necessary information, he undertook a series of journeys which lasted over a score of years, and carried him in turn through all the countries of Islam. In 985 CE that he set out to write his book Ahsan at-taqasim fi ma'arifat al-aqalim, which gives us a systematic account of all the places and regions he visited. The book was translated into several languages.[16] A good summary of it is given by Kramers,[17] and extracts can be found in Dunlop's classical book.[18]
Ahsan a-Taqasim fi Ma'rifat al-Aqalim is the outcome of the journeys undertaken by the author over two decades, and which took him in turn through all the countries of Islam. The book came out as a detailed report and a systematic account of all the places and regions he had visited. Setting out from Jerusalem, Al-Muqaddasi visited nearly every part of the Muslim world.
Figure 3b: Mecca in 1718 by Adriaan Reland (Source)
The book is an epic geographical treatise and also a great work of literature, based on some twenty years of personal experiences and observations noted in his survey of the realm of Islam, from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Early in the second half of the 19th century the German orientalist Aloys Sprenger, brought to the attention of the West, a manuscript of Al-Muqaddasi's work. Sprenger's enthusiasm over the content of the manuscript is reflected in his judgment that its author is the greatest geographer of all time; this view is shared by many scholars.
A good description of Al-Muqaddasi's treatise is provided by J. H. Kramers who concludes that "there is … no subject of interest to modern geography which is not treated by Al-Muqaddasi". [19] From his part, André Miquel, the French specialist of Islamic geography, calls the book as one of "total geographical science".[20]
Le Strange comments on Al-Mukaddassi's work by saying: "His description of Palestine, and especially of Jerusalem, his native city, is one of the best parts of the work. All he wrote is the fruit of his own observation, and his descriptions of the manners and customs of the various countries, bear the stamp of a shrewd and observant mind, fortified by profound knowledge of both books and men."[21]
In Ahsan al-taqasim, Al-Muqaddasi gives an overall view of the lands he visited, and gives the approximate distances from one frontier to the other. Al-Muqaddasi divides the Islamic world in 14 "Iqlim-s" (climes or regions) [22]; then, he deals with each region separately. The book is divided in two parts. The first enumerates localities and provides adequate descriptions of each, especially the main urban centres. He then proceeds, in the second part, to other subjects: population, its ethnic diversity, social groups, commerce, natural and mineral resources, archaeological monuments, currencies, markets and weights, and the political situation. This approach is in contrast to that of his predecessors, whose focus was much narrower, whilst Al-Muqaddasi wanted to encompass aspects of interest to merchants, travellers, and people of culture.[23] Thus, departing from the usual traditional geography', Al-Muqaddasi's approach seeks to understand and explain the foundations of Islamic society and its very functioning. Out of this, excellent information may be gleaned, regarding many subjects such as water management, fiscal issues and finance, weights and measures, and city and urban developments.
Technically, the most important distinction of Ahsan at-taqasim is that it was the first Arabic work of geography ever to providee maps in natural colors, which is the usual practice today. The Ahsan at-Taqasim is marked by a narrative style organised like a modern ethnographic essay. In this sense, the book is a real social, urban and geographical account of the realm of Islam in the late 10th century. During his travels, the author noted his observations on the region's topography, climate, hydrology, vegetation, development, architecture, language, religion and culture. This work speaks of an interested and interesting man, seeing his world through a frame of reference derived from his deeply held religious belief, striving scrupulously to get at the truth of the matter as a true scientist.
Following a tight methodology of observation, he brought to geography actual ethnographic experiences of having been to at least most of the places he describes. In this way he is attempting to be far more scientific and systematic in his approach, hence the kinds of typologies that he offers. It is this penchant for classification that makes him such a favourite source for historians of economic history, archaeologists and other contemporary scholars in the field of Islamic studies.
In Ahsan at-Taqasim, Al-Muqaddasi shows himself to be a hardy, intelligent, versatile, resourceful and well-informed man. He designed his book to appeal to a variety of interests, and even to entertain. Yet, quite strikingly, his perspective on aspects of the geographical method touches on concerns which have received greater attention only in more recent times. For example, his ranking of settlements according to their functions is quite prescient, his use of maps in accord with modern practice, and his excursion into determinism based on toponymy is, to say the least, unusual.[24]
In modern terms, large parts of Al-Muqaddasi's work Ahsan al-taqasim would be qualified as an anthropological approach. His human geography marked by sensitivity to economic and social issues, his tight observations of habits and customs, his linkage between culture and social phenomena, lies indeed within the scope of social sciences.
He was probably the first, as he explains in the preface of his book, to have desired and conceived an original science, inspired perhaps by his predecessors, but surpassing them all to the advantage of what should certainly be called a true geography. Far removed from the "science of countries" ('ilm al-buldan) inaugurated by al-Jahiz and systematised by Ibn al-Faqih, but also from the descriptive cosmography and the purely descriptive genre of his predecessors focussing on routes and kingdoms, al-Muqaddasi belongs to the school called the "atlas of Islam", founded by al-Balkhi, continued by Al-Istakhri, and himself relayed by Ibn Hawqal, who was his contemporary.
In this context, al-Muqaddasi stands out as a pioneer. Without doubt he draws on his heritage, the innovation introduced by Al-Balkhi and consisting of describing the world of Islam, giving it priority and even exclusivity. But it is the systematisation of the subject matter and method which makes al-Muqaddasi the finest representative of the human geography of Islam in the 4th/10th century. Adopting a systematic approach in ordering and content, he created a useful science, notably for merchants and the cultivated man. This last point is particularly important; by invoking authorities, one should say challenging them, by injecting, when necessary, a noble tone aided by rhymed prose and poetry, the new discipline was to be given its letters-patent of nobility in the field of literature as well as in that of strict learning. As for ambition in content, the programme that the author assigns, from as early as the preface to the science that he intends to found, it covers all the fields that it is agreed upon to call geography today: physical, economic, political and human.[25]
That study is devoted to the world of Islam, and to it alone, apart from some very rare excursions into foreign lands and recollections of the universal cosmography outlined in the introduction to the work. This world, which is made up of two parts, mamlakat al-'Arab (the kingdom of the Arabs)and mamlakat al-'Ajam (kingdom of the Persians), Al-Muqaddasi joins together in a unique concept, that of mamlakat al-Islam: the Domain of Islam. Within this whole, as soon as unity has been reconstituted and established in principle, there reappears the distinction between Arabs and non-Arabs. On the one hand, six Arab provinces, namely the Maghrib, Egypt, Arabia, Sham, Iraq and Aqur (Jazira, Upper Mesopotamia); on the other, eight non-Arab provinces: Rihab (Armenia-Arran-Asharbayjan), Daylam, Jibal, Khuzistan, Fars, Kirman, Sind and the Mashriq, the latter term covering all the lands coming, more or less directly, under the authority of the Samanids, that is Sijistan, Afghanistan, Khurasan and Transoxiana (ma wara' al-nahr). In order to assert the unity of the whole, beyond this major division into two blocs, a rigorous parallelism allocates to each of them a sea (Mediterranean and "Sea of the East" assigned respectively to the kingdom of the Arabs and to the kingdom of non-Arabs); a desert (Badiyat al-Arab and Mafazat Khurasan); and two double provinces with two capitals: Andalus (with Cordova as capital), and the Maghrib (with Kairouan as capital), a land to the south andto the north of the Oxus for the Mashriq, with two respective capitals, Nisabur and Samarkand. Another way of asserting the unity is the conception of the heart of Islam, Arabia, being also itself a province with two capitals, Mecca and Zabid.
The definition of the province is no less remarkable: the iqlim is seen as a geographic whole, strongly individualised through its physical characteristics and ready, in consequence of this very situation, at a given moment in history, to transform this individuality into a more or less asserted autonomy. At the head of the province is the misr, metropolis, ruling several surrounding districts (kura), themselves containing main towns (madina ) around a qasaba (or fort). Thus in the most minute detail, he concludes this ordered presentation of the mamlakat al-Islam, a new geography to which Al-Muqaddasi also wanted to give a new name, Ahsan al-taqasim fi ma'rifat al-aqalim, "the best division for the knowledge of the provinces."
This science required a specialised vocabulary. Apart from the words cited, the author uses the distinguishing words nahiya and rustaq. The Rustaq is too small to constitute a district, but the nahiya, benefiting from a separate status within a fixed kura, occupies a situation of the same order, but in relation, especially, to the iqlim, taking account of its superior status as against the rustaq. Other specific terms touch on current vocabulary, of which certain specialised words relate for example to the scale of values for products. Finally, others appear in the form of tables or are designed, according to the different countries visited, as the terms of crafts, water transport, tools, weights and measures, and money.
The global presentation is clothed in the same rigour. The description of each province, after a general presentation which aims at a more elevated tone, opens into the division of the kura s and their towns followed by the description of them. After this, a general chapter of the province presents, in an order which may be varied and not always complete, the following information: climate, products and specialities, waters, mines, mountains, holy places, money, taxes, weights and measures, customs, marvels, calendar, political power, factions, schools and Quranic readings, marvels and -always present and ending the list- routes.
The work is also of value as a whole, due less perhaps to its gross data as than to its plan. The project, in the very size of its scale, is ultimately more of a dream than a reality. The superb construction of the mamlakat al-Islam was already condemned by history -the following centuries would see the political reality, the concept and even the expression disappear. Although with others he continues the eulogy of Baghdad, presented as the living and unifying symbol of this world, Al-Muqaddasi cannot fail to stress its decline, as against the two powers which were challenging it, Cordova and especially Fatimid Egypt, which he acknowledges is quite ready to take over from its rival. The work itself bears witness to these tensions, even in its composition: the two manuscripts of Berlin and Constantinople differ not only in variations of date, content and title[26], but also in the references made to the two powers of the Muslim East at the end of the 4th/10th century, the Fatimids and Samanids.[27]
On water management and hydraulic technology, much can be learnt from Al-Muqaddasi's treatise. In Egypt, it is the description of the Nilometer, which attracts attention most. Al-Muqaddasi wrote:[28]
"It is a pond in the middle of which is a tall column whereon are the marks in cubits and fingers; in charge of it is a superintendent, and around it are doors that fit together tightly. A report is presented to the ruler every day of the amount the water has risen, whereupon the herald proclaims, `God hath augmented today the blessed Nile by so much; its increase last year on this day was so much; and may God bring it to completeness!" The rise is not proclaimed until after it has reached twelve cubits, it is announced to the ruler only, for at twelve cubits the water does not extend to the cultivated villages of the countryside. However, when the height of the water reached fourteen cubits, the lower portion of the region is watered; but if it reaches sixteen cubits, there is general rejoicing, for there will be a good year."
Figure 6: The Cisterns of Tawila located on Tawila river to the southwest of Aden in Yemen. The site consists of a series of tanks of varying shape and capacity, connected to one another. Originally there were about 53 tanks, but only 13 remain. The tanks were mentioned in the works of some Arab geographers such as Al-Hamadani in the 10th century and Al-Muqaddasi. (Source). |
In Biyar, in the Al-Daylam region, he notes the scarcity of water, pointing out that water is distributed by a water clock, whilst the millstones are below ground, and the water flowing down. This being the desert, he observes, there is no other choice.[29] In Ahwaz, in Khuzistan, he notes:[30]
"On the stream are a number of wheels which the water turns, and they are of a kind called na`ura. Here also the water flows in raised canals to reservoirs in the town. Some channels flow to the gardens. The main stream flows from beyond the island about shouting distance to a reservoir, remarkably built from the rock, and here it forms a pool… On the reservoir are gates which are opened when the water rises… At the lower portion at a place called Karshanan, whence the boats sail to Al-Basra. There are some remarkable mills on the river."
Still on water, but on a more anecdotal note, Al-Muqaddasi makes the following observation:[31]
"Should you want to assess the water of a place, visit their clothmakers and druggists, and scrutinize their faces. If you see water in them, you may know that the excellence of the water is in proportion to the freshness of countenance; if they appear to you like the faces of the dead, and you see their heads are drooping, make a hasty retreat from there!"
Currency, its uses, and its users, as well as its fluctuations, constitutes a major aspect of interest for Al-Muqaddasi. Dinar and Dirham, their multiples and sub-multiples, as well as each region's local currencies, are dealt with in their most intricate functions. Thus, for the Maghrib region, Al-Muqaddasi states:[32]
"The coinage: in all the provinces of this region, as far as the boundaries of the province of Damascus, the standard is the dinar, which is lighter than the mithqal by a habba, that is to say a grain of barley. The coin bears an inscription in the round."
Figure 7: View of Aleppo in northern Syria, the second largest Syrian city. Al-Muqaddasi visited Aleppo, perhaps around the years 354-64 H/965-75 CE. (Source). |
There is also the small rub' (quarter of a dinar); these two coins pass current by number, [rather than the weight]. The dirham also is short in legal weight. A half dirham is called a qirat; there is also the quarter, the eighth part, and the sixteenth part which is called a kharnuba. All of these circulate by number [rather than by weight], but their use thus does not bring any reduction in price. The sanjat (counterpoise weight) used are made of glass, and are stamped just as described about the ratls (pound).
The ratl of the city of Tunis is twelve uqiya (ounce), this latter being twelve dirhams (weight).'
Conversion from one currency to the other also receive attention from the author, as well as their release, control, regulations, and much else. The wealth of those involved in currency dealing is also included.
Prices and their fluctuations, varying in relation to the size and wealth of every market place, are considered. Cairo, Al-Muqaddasi notes, has such low prices as to surprise him greatly.
Being a trader himself, Al-Muqaddasi could hardly ignore taxes, on occasions, finding them light and bearable in some places, and perverse and disastrous in others. Thus, in parts of the Arab peninsula, we can observe that:[33]
"At Aden, merchandise is appraised in terms of Zakawi dinars, then one tenth of the value is exacted in Athari dinars. It is estimated that one third of the wealth of the merchants reaches the treasury of the ruler, for here the inspection is strict. The levies at places on the coast are light, except at Ghalafiqa. Tolls are levied by land: on the caravans going between Jueddah and Makka, at Al-Qarin, and Batn marrat, each place half of a dinar… The ruler of Sa'da does not levy a tax on anybody, except that he takes the quarter of the tithe from the merchants.
"In Oman a dirham is levied on every date palm tree. I have found in the work of Ibn Khurradadhbih that the revenue of Al-Yaman is six hundred thousand Dinars; I do not know what he means by this, because I did not see it in Kitab al-kharaj (the book of tribute). In fact, rather, it is well known that the Peninsula of the Arabs is on a tithing system. The province of Yemen formerly was divided into three departments, a governor over Al-Janad and its districts, another over San'a and its districts, and a third over Hadhramawt and its districts. Qudama bin Ja'afar Al-Katib has noted that the revenue of Al-Haramayn [the two sacred cities] is one hundred thousand dinars, of Yeman six hundred thousand dinars, of Yemem and Al-Bayrayn five hundred thousand dinars, and of Oman three hundred thousand dinars."
For weights and measures, Al-Muqaddasi shows the same attention to specific detail. For each province, he names, measures, compares and explains fluctuations and variations of each measure and weight referred to. He would also dwell on the history of each; and so minute it becomes in all the detail, that it ends like the finance page of a broadsheet newspaper, with values, stocks and shares exhibited in all their minute variations, so tedious for the general reader, so fascinating to the expert.[34]
The Islamic urban setting, its evolution, diversity, complexity, economy and politics is what attracts most of the attention of Al-Muqaddasi. It re-occurs in each chapter, for every region and place he visits. A. Miquel offers an excellent summary of Al-Muqaddasi's interest in the subject.[35]
Figure 8: Picture of the harbour in Adan, Yemen, taken on board a ship, in ca.1901-10. Al-Muqaddasi visited Yemen and Aden during his journeys in the Arabian peninsula. (Source). |
Al-Muqaddasi differentiates between town and city by the presence of the great mosque, and its minbar (pulpit where the imam (leader of prayer) stands to deliver sermons), symbols of Islamic authority. In connection with this, he states:[36]
"Now, if someone should say 'why have you considered Halab the capital of the district, while there is a town bearing the same name?', I reply to him: I have already stated that the capitals are compared with generals and towns with troops. Hence it should not be right that we assign to Halab, with all its eminence, and its being the seat of government and the location of the government offices, or to Antakiya with all its excellence, or to Balis, with its teeming population, the position of towns subordinate to a small and ruined city."
Al-Muqaddasi probes most particularly on the defensive structures of every city. Walls, their height, thickness, distances between each, fortifications, access in and out, their location according to the general topography, and in relation to the rest, artificial obstacles, in particular, draw his attention. So do daily concerns such as trade and exchanges, markets and the urban economy as a whole. Al-Muqaddasi studies markets, their expansion and decline, providing also a bill of health for each, the revenues derived from them, both daily and monthly, and how such revenues are distributed.[37]
He also studies carefully how a place is run, and its citizens act, dwelling most particularly on such factors as order, cleanliness, morality and the state of learning, all of which he considers for each and every place visited.
Considering the links between topography and urban expansion, he notes that in places such as Arabia, it is the sea alone that explains the presence of towns and people, opening up frontiers beyond the sea itself for trade and exchange.[38] Thus on Aden, in Yemen, he notes:[39]
"It is the corridor of Al-Sin, the seaport of Al-Yaman, the granary of Al-Maghrib, and entreport of kinds of merchandise. There are many mansions in it. It is a source of good fortune to those who visit it, a source of prosperity to those who settle in it… The Prophet-God's peace and blessings be upon him, gave his blessing to the markets of Mina and Adan."
The impact of space and climate on physical features are well observed too, the author noticing that colder places, such as Ferghana and Khwarizm, thicken beards and increase amounts of body fat. However some local customs form a major part of his interest, one from Pre-Islamic and newly Islamised Egypt of very great interest, and which Al-Muqaddasi narrates:[40]
"It seems that when Egypt was conquered, its people came to Amr Ibn Al-'Asi during the beginning of the month of Bawna and they said: 'Oh Prince, regarding this Nile of ours, there is a practice embodied in tradition without which it will not flow. On the twelfth night of this month, we select a virgin girl who is the firstborn to her parents, and we recompense them both. We dress her in jewellery and raiment the best there are, then we cast her into the river.' Said Amr to them: 'This will not come to pass, ever, because Islam supersedes what was there before it.' So they waited that month, and the next month, and the following month, but the Nile flowed with not a little and not a lot. As a result the people were on the point of emigrating, on seeing which, Amr wrote to Umar bin Al-Khattab on the matter. He replied: 'you acted correctly in what you did, for Islam supersedes whatever preceded it,' and he sent a slip of paper within his letter, saying to Amr 'I have sent you a slip of paper which you should throw into the Nile.' When the letter arrived, Amr opened it and perceived what was on the slip of paper: 'From the servant of God, Umar, Commander of the Faithful, to the Nile of Egypt, now then! If you flow by your own power alone, then flow not! If, however, it be the One God, the Conqueror, that causes you to flow, then we ask Him -exalted be He- to make you flow.' Amr threw the paper into the Nile before the festival of the Cross, for the people had been preparing to emigrate. But when they arose on the morning of the Festival of the Cross, God had caused the river to flow so that it reached a height of sixteen cubits. God had thus prohibited that evil custom among them to this day."
Diets, clothing, dialects, discrepancies of all sorts, form other elements of study for the many ethnic groups of the vast Muslim land. A diversity in union, which Miquel notes in his conclusive words, was to be completely shattered by the Mongol invasion.[41]
Figure 9: The Quran Gate in Shiraz, a part of the great city wall built under the Buwayhids in the 11th century. Shiraz is the sixth most populous city in Iran and is the capital of Fars Province. Al-Muqaddasi took the decision to compose his work Ahsan al-taqasim in 375 H/985 CE while in Shiraz, at a time when he tells us that he had passed the age of forty. (Source). |
Ahmad, S.M., "Al-Maqdisi", in Dictionary of Scientific Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, vol 9. 1970-1980, vol. 9, p. 88.
Al-Muqaddasi, Descriptio imperii moslemici. Edited by M. J. Goeje. Leyden: Brill, 1877. Reprint Brill, 1967. Reprint, Frankfurt: Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science, 1992.
Al-Muqaddasi, Palestine under the Moslems. A description of Syria and the Holy Land, from A.D. 650 to 1500. Translated from the works of The Mediaeval Arab Geographers by Guy Le Strange. Published for the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. London: Alexander P. Watt, 1890.
Muqaddasi, Ahsan al-taqasim fi ma'rifat al-aqalim = Descriptio Imperii Moslemici, edited by Michaël Jan de Goeje. Leiden: Brill, 1906, "Bibliotheca Geographorum Arabicorum, 3", 2nd edition.
Al-Muqaddasi, Description de l'Occident musulman au IVe=Xe Siècle by Al-Muqaddasi (Chams Ad-Din Abu Abd Allah). Texte arabe et traduction française en regard avec une introduction, des notes et index par Charles Pellat. Alger, Carbonel, 1950
Al-Muqaddasi, Ahsan at-taqasim fi ma'rifat al-aqalim: La Meilleure Répartition pour la Connaissance des Provinces. Traduction française partielle, annotée par André Miquel.Damas: Institut Français de Damas, 1963.
Al-Muqaddasi, Ahsanu-t-taqasim fi ma'rifat al-aqalim. Frankfurt: Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science, 1989.
Al-Muqaddasi, The Best Divisions for the Knowledge of the Regions. Ahsan al-Taqasim Fi Ma'rifat al-Aqalim. Translated into English by Basil Anthony Collins. (Great Books of Islamic Civilization). Reading: Centre for Muslim Contribution to Civilization, Garnet Publishing, 1994; paperback 2000.
Ashtor, Eliyahu, "Levantine Weights and Standard Parcels: A contribution to the Metrology of the later Middle Ages", Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 45, 1982, pp. 471-88.
Collins, Basil Anthony, Al-Muqaddasi: The Man and His Work. With Selected Passages Translated from the Arabic. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, Department of Geography, 1974.
Dunlop, D. M., Arab civilisation to AD 1500. London: Longman, 1971.
FSTC, Al-Muqaddasi: The Geographer from Palestine (published 9 January 2009).
Ibn Khaldun, "Muqqadima: On the cause which increases or reduces the revenues of empire", in Bulletin d'Etudes Arabes, vol. 7, pp. 11-15 [extracted from De Slane's edition, vol. 2, pp. 91-94].
Kramers, Johannes Hendrik, Analecta Orientalia: Posthumous Writings and Selected Minor Works. Leiden, 1954-1956, 2 vols., "La Littérature classique géographique musulmans, vol. 1 (1954), pp. 182-183.
Miquel, André, "Les Portes D'Alep chez Al-Muqaddasi". Arabica (Brill), vol. 7, N° 1, 1960, pp. 60-71.
Miquel, A., La géographie humaine du monde musulman, jusqu'au milieu du XIe siècle. Paris-The Hague, 1967-88, 4 vols.
Miquel, A. and Digard, J.-P., "Géographie et ethnographie: le cas d'al-Muqaddasî (IV-Xè siècles)", in Le cuisinier et le philosophe. Hommage à Maxime Rodinson. Etudes d'ethnographie historique du Proche-Orient., Paris: P. Maisonneuve et Larose, 1982.
[Wikipedia], Al-Muqaddai (retrieved 28.01.2010).
Zakariyeh, Mohammed: Maqdisi: An 11th Century Palestinian Consciousness, Double Issue 22 & 23, 2005, Jerusalem Quarterly (Journal dedicated to the history and life of the city of Jerusalem (formerly the Jerusalem Quarterly File), published by the Institute of Jerusalem Studies (IJS), an affiliate of the Institute for Palestine Studies), pp. 86-92. Arabic version: Al-Jughrafi al-Maqdisi wa-nass al-hawiya al-filistiniya, Hawliyat al-Quds, n° 3, Spring 2005.
Mecca in 1910, photo from Library of Congress, Matson Collection (Source)
[1.] The original article was produced by Salah Zaimeche, Salim Al-Hassani and Ahmed Salem. The members of the new FSTC Research Team have re-edited and revised this new version. The team now comprises of Mohammed Abattouy, Salim Al-Hassani, Mohammed El-Gomati, Salim Ayduz, Savas Konur, Cem Nizamoglu, Anne-Maria Brennan, Maurice Coles, Ian Fenn, Amar Nazir and Margaret Morris.
[2.] See for a fresh look at these issues The Different Aspects of Islamic Culture, vol. 2: The Individual and Society in Islam, edited by Abdelwahab Bouhdiba and Ma 'ruf al-Dawalibi, Paris, UNESCO, 1998 (French version 1998; Arabic version 2000). See also International Symposium on Anthropology in Islamic Culture: report on a congress organised in Kairouan in 9-11 April 2009 as apart of the festivities marking the celebration of the "Kairouan Capital of Islamic Culture".
[3.] Marvin Harris, The Rise of Anthropological Theory, Alta Mira Press, 2000 (revised from 1968 edition), pp. 8-52; Murray Leaf, Man, Mind and Science: A History of Anthropology, Columbia University Press, 1979, pp. 1-13; Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, A History of Anthropological Theory, Broadview Press, 2003, pp. 21-25.
[4.] See The long and wonderful voyage of Frier Iohn de Plano Carpini: Reworking of Carpini's account by Richard Hakluyt in Latin and English (electronic edition published by eBooks@Adelaide; last updated 15 January 2010); and Timothy Mason, Resources for a History of Anthropology (retrieved 1.02.2010).
[5.] See John Hubbard Marco Polo's Asia, December 1994 (retrieved 1.02.2010) and John Howland Rowe, The Renaissance Foundations of Anthropology, American Anthropologist, vol. 67 (1), 1965, pp. 1-20 (retrieved 1.02.2010).
[6.] Akbar S. Ahmed, "Al-Beruni: The First Anthropologist", RAIN (published by the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland), No. 60 (Feb., 1984), pp. 9-10. See also J. T. Walbridge, "Explaining Away the Greek Gods in Islam", Journal of the History of Ideas vol. 59 (3), 1998, pp. 389-403; and Richard Tapper, "'Islamic Anthropology' and the 'Anthropology of Islam'", Anthropological Quarterly vol. 68 (3), 1995, pp. 185-193.
[7.] A. S. Ahmed, "Al-Beruni: The First Anthropologist", op. cit.
[8.] See Yasien Mohamed, "The Ethical Philosophy of Al-Raghib Al-Isfahani.- Journal of Islamic Studies (Oxford), vol. 6, 1995, pp. 51-75; Yasein Mohamed The Path to Virtue: The Ethical Philosophy of al-Raghib al-Isfahani, Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC, 2006 (reviewed by Rashid Begg in Journal for Islamic Studies, vol. 29, 2009, pp. 145-47).
[9.] Al-Raghib al-Isfahani, Al-Dhari'a ila makarim al-shari'a,edited by Abu Yazid al-Ajami, Cairo, 1985; paperback Cairo: Dar al-Salam, 2007.
[10.] E.K. Rowson, "Al-Raghib al-Isfahani", Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill Online, 2010 (print version: vol. 8, p. 389). See also W. Madelung, "Ar-Ragib al-Isfahani und die Ethik al-Ghazalis", in Islamwissenschaftliche Abhandlungen Fritz Meier zum 60sten Geburtstag, edited by R. Gramlich, Wiesbaden, 1974, pp. 152-63; Salah al-Din Abd Latif al-Nahi, Al-khwalid min ara' al–Raghibal-Isfahani fi falsafat al-akhlaq wa 'l-tashri' wa 'l-tasawwuf, Amman, 1987; Umar Abd al-Rahman al-Sarisi, Al–Raghibal-Isfahani wa-juhuduhu fi 'l-lugha wa 'l-adab, Amman, 1987.
[11.] Al-Muqaddasi, Ahsan at-Taqasim fi Ma'rifat il-Aqalim: La meilleure répartition pour la connaissance des provinces. Traduction française partielle, annotée par André Miquel, Damascus: Publications de l'Institut français de Damas, 1963, pp. XVI-XVII.
[12.]Ibid, pp. 46, 163, 188, 357, 367
[13.] Ibid, pp. XVI-XVII.
[14.] Ibid, pp. 8-9.
[15.] A. Miquel, "Al- Mukaddasi", Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill Online 2010; print version: vol. 7, p. 492.
[16.] Al-Muqaddasi, Ahsan at-taqasim fi Ma'rifat al-Aqalim, in Bibliotheca geographorum arabicum, edited by M.J. de Goeje, Leiden, 1906, vol. 3, 2nd edition; a partial French translation is by André Miquel (Damascus, 1963; op. cit). A recent full translation into English was done by Basil Anthony Collins (Reading, Garnet Publishing, 1994; paperback 2000). See bibliography below for other publications of the book.
[17.] Johannes Hendrik Kramers, Analecta Orientalia: Posthumous Writings and Selected Minor Works. Leiden, 1954-1956, 2 vols., "La Littérature classique géographique des musulmans", vol. 1 (1954), pp. 182-183.
[18.] D.M. Dunlop, Arab civilisation to AD 1500, Longman, 1971, pp. 116-117.
4.8 / 5. Votes 194
No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.
Muslim Heritage:
Send us your e-mail address to be informed about our work.
This Website MuslimHeritage.com is owned by FSTC Ltd and managed by the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation, UK (FSTCUK), a British charity number 1158509.
© Copyright FSTC Ltd 2002-2020. All Rights Reserved.


text:
With many political debates, I try to give opponents the benefit of the doubt on intentions. Sure, raising taxes is a bad thing, but some politicians and pundits believe higher taxes will benefit society. Some people think we need to spend more, and others really fear climate change.
When it comes to the HHS abortifacient/contraception/sterilization mandate, however, I've almost stopped being that generous with the left's media and thought leaders. This New York Times Magazine editorial is a prime example as to why. Almost from start to finish, the piece misleads and misdirects readers about the mandate, its opponents, and religious freedom.
Here are several examples:
First, the editorial says "for-profit corporations will ask the Supreme Court to take a radical turn and allow them to impose their religious views on their employees" by not providing contraception coverage as required by the mandate. This is a falsehood for at least two reasons: For one, the individual insurance market is an option for coverage, and colleges, high schools, Wal-Marts, and many other organizations provide birth control for free or very low prices.
Furthermore, most employees are "at-will" employees, meaning they can leave anytime they wish. If they want employer-covered contraception, plenty of companies will provide it.
In other words, many options exists for employees — and I haven't even mentioned abstinence yet, which is 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.
Next, the editorial says exemptions from the mandate "would significantly harm other people." This is clearly not true, as pointed out above, because options abound.
Third, the editorial makes the claim that a Supreme Court decision against the mandate "would flout the First Amendment, which forbids government from favoring one religion over another — or over nonbelievers." In fact, the mandate gives special treatment to those who believe contraception, abortion drugs, and sterilization, and puts those who disagree with the mandate at a distinct First Amendment disadvantage with regards to speech and religion.
The editorial also argues that the mandate does not include coverage of abortion-inducing drugs:
The companies' owners remain free to worship as they choose and to argue (incorrectly) as much as they want that some of the contraceptive drugs and devices on the F.D.A.'s list actually induce abortions.
It has been proven time and time again that the mandate covers abortion drugs. For just two examples of this, check out what Live Action's Drew Belsky and I wrote a couple of months ago, or check out this incredibly thorough analysis of that question by Just Facts.
Finally, the editorial states that "the government plainly has a "compelling" interest in reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, and in furthering women's health and equality." Actually, women's health would benefit from fewer contraceptives, and contraception use only lowers the abortion rate after increasing it dramatically. And if the editorial board wants fewer "unintended pregnancies," it should start with encouraging abstinence. Pregnancy is a fairly common result of engaging in sexual relations, after all.
There are other statements in the editorial that need to be debunked, but this is just a sampling of the misleading and outright falsehoods it possesses.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Call Us: (636)256-7901
Email Us: [email protected]
Point of Sale Systems | POS Software Installation St Louis MO
Time has long gone when people used to create handwritten receipts and bills. Nowadays every shop has a machine named computer which has certain software installed that generates invoices. If you want an efficient point of sale software then we can provide you that. Our software will save your precious time and you will be able to deal with more customers every day. It is feasible to install a POS system in the computers placed at the store counters. We take minimum time in installing and getting your system ready for you. Thereafter, you will see an increase in your store profitability. The software working at the backend not only generates the invoices but also keeps everything recorded. You can get rid of thick files of records. We provide you with the best POS system in St Louis MO. This system minimizes the chances of mistakes in monthly expenses and inventory. You will feel it has become easier to manage the store. Now you can save your time and energy for looking at the previous data because everything is ready for you. All that is needed is one click. Give it a try and we assure you will find our POS software installation services amazing.
Get $200 for referring a friend
POS Systems for Restaurants St Louis
Do you run a restaurant in St Louis? If yes, then you would have to deal with new people every day. How do you maintain their record? If you do not have a satisfactory mechanism to keep the invoices and finances managed then Plaz Sales can install its Restaurant POS systems in your computers. Our software is efficient at the formulation of bills. It merges sales, inventory, and management. No matter how many customers you have to entertain at a time our restaurant point of sale software will never crash. It is easy to use, has a perfect look and feel, and is fully responsive. Now is the time to upgrade your system and move on to something more efficient. If you let us install our POS software in your PCs you can give a cutthroat competition to your rivals in the market by dealing with more customers at the same time.
Retail POS System Installation & Repair ST Louis | Convenience Store POS System
Retailers have the responsibility to handle inventory, billing, and a lot more things. Computers and advanced software have made it easier to manage huge amounts of data. We install a POS system for retail and enable you to manage everything with a few clicks. Not only that, but we ensure data security. If somehow you lose data we are capable of retrieving it. You can trust our services offered in St Louis. Our grocery store POS systems make your store manageable. Within seconds the bill of a customer is generated and calculations at the backend are done. You need to focus on customer satisfaction and rest is handled by our professional system.
Bar POS System ST Louis MO
Can you tell us how many drinks are ordered at your bar or how many customers visit your bar? Quite a difficult question isn't it? You can give us a rough estimate of the number of customers who visit your bar every day. However, we will install a POS system for bar that will accurately calculate the number of drinks and customers. Precisely, it will be feasible for you to manage your bar. If you wish to manage your bar in a much better way then all you need is to hire us for the bar point of sale installation. Your customer can be drunk, but our POS system can never be!
Contact Information
Phone: 636-256-7901
email: [email protected]
Office Hours
Mon – Fri 9am til 5:30pm
Sat 9:30am til 5:30pm
Sun Closed


text:
For those who have never heard of tefillin, here's an explanation from Gather.com: "Phylacteries is actually a Greek word for tefillin. Phylacteries loosely translates as 'to guard, or to protect.' In the Torah, they are referenced as something to be worn in recognition of God bringing the children of Israel to Egypt. A set of tefillin includes one for the arm and one for the head of the individual praying. They are typically a set of small cubic leather boxes, painted black and include parchment scrolls inscribed with verses from the Bible. They also have leather straps dyed black to help attach to the observant Jewish individual during prayer."
I jokingly wondered aloud whether the pilot was just looking out for the observant Jewish teen and felt he'd be better served in Philly rather than Kentucky, which has a small Jewish population.
The news story reminded me of a story a friend told me that also involves tefillin and airplane security. He tells the story about a friend of his who took his tefillin on a flight (carry on) several years ago and the security agent saw the odd looking tefillin on the metal detector. He asked what they were and the guy couldn't remember how to say tefillin in English (phylacteries) and said "prophylactics" by accident. The guard started to laugh and let him go through.
The bottom line here is that wearing two black boxes connected to some black leather straps should really not be considered a potential breach of aircraft security. In fact, after hearing about this, I decided to come up with a list of ten Jewish-related things that may actually pose a higher security threat on board an airplane (with apologies to David Letterman):
10. Waving a Lulav (eye poker)
9. Wrapping yourself in a Tallis (whip passengers with those fringes)
8. My Grandmother's Chicken Soup (scalding hot, but it's liquid so its already banned)
7. Wielding a Challah knife (obvious!)
6. Purim Grogger (Metal corners make dangerously sharp weapon)
5. Full Set of the Talmud (heavy enough to bring down an aircraft)
4. Using Jewish Sarcasm (it's deadly!)
3. Giving a discourse on the history of the Jewish legal tradition (will put pilots to sleep)
2. Matzoh Balls (deadly as thrown object)
And the #1 Jewish thing more dangerous than wearing tefillin on a plane is...
1. Singing Shabbat song: "Bim Bom, Bim Bim Bim BOMB!!!"


text:
No products in the cart.
With over 10k customers, WPLMS is the top selling WordPress Education theme of all time in Education sector.
WPLMS has the most amazing and advanced quizzing platform with 8 supported question types.
With Front Course creation and management, everything in WPLMS is managed from the front end.
Besides unlimited color & font management. Layouts in WPLMS have 1000+ options.
After 3 years of continuous regression, WPLMS is the most robust, secure and scalable platform for Education sites.
Last but not the least we're dedicated and committed to WPLMS, that's why we have only 1 product in our portfolio.
Create courses and sell with Front end course creation with Buddpress & BBPress.


text:
When we were thinking about issues where public opinion and the country's policies are out of sync, one of the first issues that came to mind was immigration. It goes without saying it's a divisive issue. The conservative news outlets have been flooding the airwaves with images of groups of people crossing the border while other news outlets have focused on Republican governors moving migrants out of their states using practices that seem deceptive. But that obscures the fact that there are points of agreement among Americans across the political spectrum.
A majority of Americans support a pathway to citizenship for certain groups of immigrants, including farmworkers, those deemed as essential workers and for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. That's according to an NPR/Ipsos poll conducted in 2021. And yet action in Washington has stalled. We wanted to understand where that disconnect lies, so we called NPR's Joel Rose. He covers immigration, and he's with us now to tell us more. Joel, welcome. Thanks for coming.
JOEL ROSE, BYLINE: Hey. Thanks for having me.
MARTIN: I think that it used to be common knowledge in Washington that there was a bipartisan consensus on immigration. But I think that now a lot of people are surprised to hear that. So walk us through the numbers. What is that consensus?
ROSE: We found that there is bipartisan support for creating pathways to citizenship for certain immigrants - right? - farmworkers, as you said, and, quote, "essential workers," for example. Seventy percent of Americans overall agreed with that. And also undocumented immigrants who are brought to the country as children, the so-called DREAMers - about two-thirds of Americans at the time said they supported a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, although, you know, that number has declined a little bit in our subsequent polling. Back in 2021, we saw majority support for a pathway for both of those groups, even among Republicans, and more than 80% support among Democrats.
MARTIN: What about the question of asylum? I mean, recently, that is what's in the news. You've got people coming from a number of countries who specifically say they - you know, they're not sneaking across. They're walking across, saying, I am here to seek asylum. Do we have a sense of where the public is on that?
ROSE: It's a little bit more complicated. In our polling, Americans seem, you know, inclined to support immigrants who are already living and working here. And, you know, they're not quite as generous to immigrants who are trying to come here to seek asylum.
MARTIN: OK. So you've laid out the ways in which there is a bipartisan consensus, or at least there's a consensus among people who identify with both political parties that something needs to happen. OK, so now the question becomes, Joel, if people - lots of people who identify with both political parties - think something needs to be done, why doesn't anything happen?
ROSE: In a way, I think it just comes down to a big difference in the intensity of feeling around immigration. In our polling, Republicans just seem to care a lot more about immigration than Democrats or independents do. I mean, we see in our polling, about a third of Republicans consistently list immigration among their top concerns. And for Democrats, it's just not in that top tier. You know, it was for a little while under President Trump, but these days, when we poll Democrats on this, it's really in the low single digits that consider immigration to be a top issue.
You know, there are parts of the Republican coalition that would favor a pathway to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants - you know, like the Chamber of Commerce types, libertarians - but they're just not as loud right now as the faction of the party that rejects that, that rejects any kind of reform that they would consider amnesty. And so that's how you have this minority of Americans that can block what the majority says it wants when it comes to immigration.
MARTIN: You know, President Biden took office. He made some specific promises getting the virus under control, rolling vaccines out. He's delivered on, you know, other major commitments like the infrastructure bill, taking action on climate change, which he has done. But addressing immigration issues does not seem to, I don't know, have moved to the forefront. And, you know, why is that? Do you have a sense of why that is? Is it that these other issues have taken precedence, as they have in, frankly, previous administrations? Or is there another dynamic at work?
ROSE: The Biden administration has tried to use its executive authority on immigration, but there, too, it has been blocked repeatedly in court because of these legal challenges that have been brought by Republican-led states, including Texas and Missouri, Louisiana and Arizona. Biden promised on the campaign trail, for example, to end the Trump administration's Remain in Mexico policy, which forced asylum seekers to, you know, wait in these dangerous border towns in Mexico for their hearings in U.S. courts. But he was forced by a federal judge in Texas to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy. The administration did eventually win that case, but, you know, it had to fight all the way to the Supreme Court to do it. And we've seen that dynamic playing out with other policies.
MARTIN: Both political parties agree that this is a problem, but somehow there's no big fix. Is it just because they fundamentally disagree about what the problem is?
ROSE: Oh, I think that's totally fair to say. Yeah. I mean, for Republicans and immigration hardliners, the problem is that we're not enforcing the immigration laws that are on the books at the border in particular. And so any reform has to begin with sort of tightening that up. And on the left, the idea is that we need to create more legal pathways for people to come here because there's enormous migration flow that people want to come here and that they're fleeing all sorts of, you know, dangers and economic pressures in the hemisphere and further away. You know, and on - so on the left, they want to see more legal pathways, and those two things seem to be at odds.
MARTIN: That is Joel Rose. He covers immigration for NPR. Joel, thank you so much for sharing this reporting with us.
ROSE: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
Jakarta /dʒəˈkɑːrtə/, officially known as the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Khusus Ibu Kota Jakarta), is the capital and largest city of Indonesia, (though Jakarta is also a province) and one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world.
Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre, and with a population of 10,075,310 as of 2014. The official metropolitan area, known as Jabodetabek (a name formed by combining the initial syllables of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi), is the fourth largest in the world, yet the metropolis's suburbs still continue beyond it. Its unofficial built-up (metropolitan) area covers Bogor, Tangerang, Bekasi, Karawang, Serang, Purwakarta, Sukabumi and Subang regencies (123 districts) including also Tangerang, Bekasi, Tangerang Selatan, Depok, Serang and Cilegon Municipalities was home to 30,214,303 inhabitants as of 2010 census.
Established in the fourth century, the city became an important trading port for the Kingdom of Sunda. It was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies (known as Batavia at that time). Today, the city has continued as the capital of Indonesia since the country's independence was declared in 1945. The city is currently the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat as well as houses important financial institutions such as the Bank of Indonesia, the Indonesia Stock Exchange, and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indonesian companies and multinational corporations. Jakarta's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, attract migrants from all over Indonesia, making the city a melting pot of many communities and cultures.
Jakarta! is the first novel by writer Christophe Dorigné-Thomson published by the Indonesian media conglomerate Kompas Gramedia Group in 2012.
Jakarta! was widely promoted in the media and endorsed by major Indonesian figures such as businessman and owner of football club Inter Milan Erick Thohir, businessman Sandiaga Uno, politician Irman Gusman, Minister of Education Anies Baswedan or actor Rio Dewanto.
The novel tells the story of a young European who travels the world on missions paid by governments or multinationals to kill high-level targets. The book is in fact a disguised essay on geopolitical shifts and their consequences.
Jakarta may refer to:


text:
Apple has collectively termed its line of products as being part of the "post pc" world and given that combined sales have beat the combined sales of all major video game consoles by at least 30 million, it can easily be said that Apple is making a dent in yet another market. Now of course, simply comparing these numbers isn't entirely fair. Just because someone bought an iPad doesn't mean they did it instead of buying an Xbox. But one thing is becoming increasingly clear…average people are becoming exposed to games through smartphones and tablets and seasoned console gamers are finding tablet versions of their favorite games in the app stores.
Even the global president of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata had this to say regarding Apple and the gaming industry:
"Game development is drowning," he said. "Until now, there has always been the ability to make a living [making games]. Will that still be the case moving forward?"
There's speculation among all major game developers that tablets are an unnerving cancer to the console game market. While it may be true that tablet and smartphone games are selling well, I can't imagine that these little "novelty" games will ever kill consoles and PC gaming.
One of the major contributing factors to the success of console and PC gaming is the hardware. Usually in performance arenas, bigger is better. Take a car for example…the larger the engine, the more power it puts out. Computers are no exception…the bigger the graphics card, the more power it'll churn out. Technology has certainly allowed wondrous things to be accomplished with very tiny devices, but the fact still remains that a beefed up powerhouse PC or console on a 50″ LED tv is going to be a much better experience than a rinky-dink iPad.
Another concern I have are the controls. How can you compensate for the lack of buttons on an iPad? Some of today's games are so involving that they require controllers that have 8 or more buttons. The iPad can most certainly excel at simple games that require screentaps here and there or the physical motion of moving the iPad around, but can it really be used to play complex games? If not, does anyone even care?
The question about whether Apple will lead this industry isn't about whether they can or not…it comes down to what the gamers want. If they want to trade in their World of Warcraft and Call of Duty for Fruit Ninja and Words with Friends, then that's the new industry. Gaming experience plays a huge role in the psyche of consumers.
Gaming Experience
The widely accepted culprit to Apple's gaming success is the gaming experience itself. Today's average gamer seems more interested in being able to play games on the subway or while waiting for their bus rather than be cooped up for hours in a stuffy bedroom. This means that kids are having more fun playing wirelessly with their friends on iPhones, iPads and Android devices. It seems the days of inviting all your friends over to your house to get down on some multi-player action are dwindling.
However, experience isn't just about the device or the setting. It's mostly about actual gameplay. Even though Apple touts the iPad as being a serious gaming device, anyone with a small tech background could tell you that there's no way an iPad can compete with the hardware found in an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. As a result, the games on the iPad are still very mobile and for the most part are quick puzzle-type games that can be completed with minimal touchscreen controls.
Part of the reason for bringing all this up is because it makes me wonder if simple games have become fun again. Back in the 80's, we were all content with controlling little Mario around on 2D side-scrolling levels that progressively got harder, but then we wanted more. We got it when console gaming exploded in the late 90's. This new gaming explosion effectively killed off the arcade industry while opening new doors for immersive gaming adventures that required some major skill and buckets of time to complete. Then we got 3D. It seemed like just around the corner, we'd all be playing virtual reality simulator games.
Yet, amongst all the new devices like Kinect and Move, people still want to cut fruit in half with one finger.
My two cents
My opinion on this has always kept the two gaming industries separate. On one side, you had mobile (and online) games and on the other, you had console and computer games. All gamers could have the best of both worlds…fun, quick games while on the road and epic adventures when at home. Now it seems the lines are being blurred thanks to everything moving toward the "app" world. Game makers are now forced to created mobile versions of their big games just to stay competitive.
I probably shouldn't really be speaking much on this topic considering that the only console game I really play is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, but at the same time, I could never see myself playing an iPad version of MW3. The graphics might be great and the motion of the iPad could be used well to control the game, but let's face it. To downgrade from an 8+ button Xbox controller to an iPad screen just seems a little chaotic to me!
With that said, Apple is surly taking many industries by storm and over the years, they used the iPod to kill off Sony's Walkman and Discman, used iTunes to almost destroy all classic music stores (remember Tower Records?), changed the entire phone industry with iPhone, practically set new standards for application and game distribution through the App Store and are now using the iPad to get people to buy something they never thought they needed. The irony here is that Apple was once criticized for not having much in the gaming sector and now they're being hailed as a potential gaming leader. I'm curious to see how this plays out.


text:
Linus Torvalds recently wrote a long rant rejecting a patch. Read it now.
Fellow Mozillian Nick Nethercote commented on that rant. Now read that.
I began commenting on Nick's post, but my thoughts spiraled. And I've been pondering this awhile, in the context of Linus and other topics. So I made it a full-blown post.
Ranting is sometimes funny
Linus's rants are entertaining, in a certain sense: much the same sense that makes us laugh at a teacher's statement (to a student, if an odd one) in Billy Madison:
What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
We're entertained not because we approve of the teacher's (or Linus's) rants. We laugh because they're creative. (Linus's rants are creative, if not screenwriter-creative.) The flame can be an art form, even to flame war participants. My college dorm mailing list had regular flame wars (sometimes instigated or continued by regular trolls). I hated flame wars as a freshman. But eventually I grew to appreciate the art of the flame. In utter seriousness, that learning process was a valuable part of my college education, as it's been for others.
(Yes, Billy Madison is low-brow humor. So are Linus's flames, as entertainment. Not all humor must be high-brow.)
Even funny ranting is sometimes bad behavior
We also sometimes laugh because the behavior's bad. (Humor's core, I think, is a contradiction between expectation and reality. I highly recommend Stranger in a Strange Land for, among other things, its meditations on the nature of humor.) That's one reason we laugh at the Billy Madison teacher-student interaction (allowing for its fictionality), and at Linus.
But somewhat pace Nick, I absolutely cannot equate laughing, or being entertained, with approval or celebration. This and this don't celebrate ISIS, no matter ISIS appalls us. Naming Linus's mail an "epic rant" doesn't celebrate it. It's just a description of five hundred over-the-top words when fewer words and less drama would have been better (as Nick observes). (At least one place calling the rant "epic" also linked this ironically-abusive decrial.)
Linux thrives despite Linus's behavior, not because of it
Many of Linus's rants are unacceptable. (I've seen a few that were overheated but not abusive.) Many developers weather them. But some developers have left the Linux community in response, when they wouldn't have for gentler criticism. That's a problem.
Linus gets away with bad behavior because: he's abusive just infrequently enough; Linux has unusually high technical barriers to entry; it's indispensable to many companies; and those companies fund development no matter Linus's behavior. Linux led by Linus would have died already, absent these considerations. Linux is one of very, very few projects that can survive Linus's abusiveness.
Linus is still very smart, and his rants can be right
I often recognize reasonable technical criticism beneath Linus's rants. Regarding this patch, Linus is right. The proposed changes are harder to read than his suggestion — I'd reject them, too. I don't agree with every Linus rant. But it's normal to sometimes disagree even with smart developers.
What's not normal, is being required to sift through abuse for usable feedback. It's a skill worth having. If you can weather excess criticism from a coworker having an off day, you'll be more productive. But it still shouldn't be necessary (let alone routine), especially not for new open source contributors.
Linus is really, really smart. Because of that, and because Linux is really valuable, Linus unfortunately can keep being Linus. Barring a strongly-backed fork, nothing will change.


text:
Custom 6061 6063 6082 extruded aluminum profile for machining part use
Please do not pay before we quote to you. The picture and prices shown are just for exhibition and display of our production. So please feel free to send us 3D drawing like STL/IGS/STP file and your product description. We have the magic to turn it into real products and then we will quote to you. If your are interested, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Our Services
Our company is a finish product design and prototype and plastic mold supplier in china,we have many clients from all the world,you please find the service as below from us.
1. Plastic mould and metal mold making,die casting mold
2. ID design and development
3. Prototype both metal and plastic.
4. Low volume assembly and design review.
5. Mass production for the injection molding.
6. Mechanical design and ID design.
7. Finish product assembly.
Founded in 1995, the factory of SMARTTECH is located in the national High-tech zone SongShan Lake industrial park, DongGuan, nearby Huawei. It covers 10000m²and we have 150 employees. Over last 20 years, we have supplied services for many clients such as Legrand(USA), Intel(USA), Motorola(USA), PDI(USA), Littefuse(USA), Grammer(Germany), Parrot(France),Unikia(Norway), Cardo(Israel), etc. all over the world. SMARTTECH is a leading manufacturer dedicated to mechanical engineering, CNC prototype, CNC machining, injection molding, aluminum/zinc alloy die casting, sheet-metal stamping, laser cutting and bending and finished product assembly. Our product cover the fields of auto parts, new energy battery parts, machinery parts, auto LED light and accessories, music stand and retail equipment, communications electronics product, medical equipment, industrial product, household appliance and fitness equipment etc.. We will provide you the best service with a good price, high quality product, shortest delivery time, as well as the economical engineering solutions. We passed the ISO9001:2018.The equipment of testing are: CMM, Quadratic measurement, projector, aging tester, salt spray tester, hardness tester, tension tester and IP5 waterproof test equipment.
Q. I have an idea for a new product, but not sure if it can be manufactured. Can you help with mold and injection molding?
A. Yes! We are always happy to work with potential customers to evaluate the technical feasibility of your idea or design and we can advise on materials, tooling and likely set-up cost.
Q. My products have already been developed on CAD. Can you use the drawings?
A. Yes! X-P, STEP, IGES, X-T files can all be used to generate quotes of models and mould tools – this can save time and money in producing your plastic parts.
Q. Can I test my idea/product before committing to mould tool manufacture?
A. Yes, we can use CAD drawings to make models and prototyping for design and functional evaluations.
Q. What shall we do if we do not have drawings?
A. Please send your sample to our factory,then we can copy or provide you better solutions. Please send us pictures or drafts with dimensions(Length,Hight,Width),CAD or 3D STEP files will be made for you if placed order.
Q. What type of plastic is best for my design/product?
A. Materials selection depends on the application of your design and the environment in which it will function. We will be happy to discuss the alternatives and suggest the best material for your new project.
Q. What type of mould tool do I need?
A. Mould tools can be either single cavity (one part at a time) or multi-cavity (2,4, 8 or 16 parts at a time). Single cavity tools are generally used for small quantities, up to 10,000 parts per year whereas multi-cavity tools are for larger quantities. We can look at your projected annual requirements and recommend which would be best for you.
Q. How long is the lead-time for mold?
A. It all depends on the mold's size and complexity. Normally, the lead time is 4 weeks to finish a new mold.
Welcome your mail and messages for more questions, we will team work to support your new projects.
Contact: email@example.com


text:
The Regulator Automatic breaks down timekeeping into its purest form, separating the hours, minutes, and seconds into distinctly isolated functions.
To pull this off, we turned to the mechanical regulator clocks of the 18th century, which were used when legibility was essential, and sometimes meant life or death. Railway conductors, mariners--and even Captain Cook on his voyages around the globe--relied on regulator clocks' clear and simple way of time telling. Separating functions into isolated subdials allows the reader to see each hand clearly and distinctly.
In an impressive mechanical feat, the movement powers hours, minutes, and seconds on separate posts rather than one central pinion. The Regulator Automatic uses a high quality self-winding Miyota movement that we've customized with a uniquely designed and precisely balanced rotor.
We're of the mindset that functional minimalism doesn't equate to stark, boring design. The Regulator features raised and sunken elements to accentuate the simple timekeeping of each hand, while also giving you a glimpse into the automatic movement that powers the timepiece. A subtle AM/PM indicator ring is built into the 24-hour display, and a split display for the seconds adds a little Xeric DNA to the watch.
We're proud to bring you our handcrafted watches made from the best materials. A sapphire crystal, American-sourced Horween leather, and an unparalleled design make the watch an incredible deal. These stunning time machines are individually numbered and limited to just 999 pieces per color.
Movement: Miyota 82S7 Self-Winding Mechanical, 21 Jewels, 21600 BPH, 42 Hour Power Reserve, Made in Japan
Accuracy: -20/+40 sec per day
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds
Case: Blue PVD Hand-finished 316L Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 42 mm Wide, 12 mm Thick
Lug to Lug: 48 mm
Crystal: Ultra Scratch-Resistant Sapphire
Strap: 20 mm America Full-grain Leather from Horween (gray leather is Italian) with Built-in Quick Release Springbar System
Wrist Fit/Size: 6.0-8.25" (150 mm / 210 mm)
Weight: 3 oz (85 grams)
Water Resistance: 5 ATM
Watches.com will cover the cost for Standard International Mail* (orders over $249+) and Standard Domestic Mail (orders over $100+). Not all countries are eligible for free international shipping. Upgraded shipping options (estimated transit times and rates) will be quoted during checkout.
Watches.com has been shipping worldwide since 1999 and we ship internationally daily. Most orders are processed and shipped out by 5pm (MST) Monday through Friday on regular business days. Payment/fraud verification is typically instantaneous, but in some instances may take up to 48 hours. Orders placed/received after 12:00pm (MST) will be processed the next business day. Please be aware that UPS does not deliver on weekends.
Because customs fees vary by country, we do not collect duties during checkout. If duties are due, your customs agency will let you know when the package arrives in your country. It is your responsibility to pay these fees to your country.
Once items are shipped, liability is covered by the terms of the carrier. We will ship to the address specified by the customer. If you did not provide us with an accurate address, neither Watches.com, nor the shipping carrier can be held responsible for the loss of an item. Please double check your shipping address. Any shipping damage must be reported to Watches.com within 48 hours of delivery, otherwise it is ineligible for any insurance or refund claims.
Note: Per Casio's policy, Casio and G-Shock watches are not eligible for International Shipping. Any international order containing a Casio or G-Shock watch will be cancelled and all monies refunded.
We could all use some extra time. If your new, unworn item is not 100% to your satisfaction, you have 30 days from the original ship date to return it. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused, unworn and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. More details can be found on our Returns page. **Unfortunately Mystery watches are final sale and only eligible for return for store credit; a small restocking fee applies to these returns.


text:
Supermarkets would be forced to charge a minimum of £10 for a bottle of wine under plans outlined by Scotland's pub bosses yesterday.
The Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) has urged ministers to dramatically hike alcohol in a bid to save bars from closure.
Its proposed £1 a unit 'minimum price' would send bills soaring for families. A can of standard lager would cost at least £1.76 and a bottle of whisky would rise to £28.
Now, I don't live in Scotland and, as things stand, it looks like I never will, but does the SLTA really believe that the way to draw drinkers into their boozers is to shaft them with extortionate drinks prices at the off-license? This bone-headed proposal has to be the most transparent attempt to co-opt temperance rhetoric for commercial profit since Coca-Cola came out in favour of Prohibition.
With the principle now in place that the state has the right to decide how much a product should cost, there will now be a continuous campaign to create a minimum price per unit. Once that it done, every scare story about 'Booze Britain'—whether true or not—will be accompanied with a squeal from fake charities to increase that minimum price. Forever.
Here we have yet another interest group that thinks it can save its own skin by throwing its customers under the prohibitionist steam-roller. It really is pathetic the way the pub industry is trying to portray their grog-shops as some sort health club these days. According to the SLTA...
"the only safe environment for the consumption of alcohol is within our licensed premises."
Nothing cynical or self-serving about any of that, is there? And, actually, I take issue with the idea that it is safer to drink in a crowded room full of drunk strangers than it is to drink at home in front of the telly.
And you can save all this social responsibility clap-trap while you're about it. This is a scene repeated in every pub I go to...
"Vodka and tonic, please."
"Yeah, go on then."
I'm not complaining about this. You hardly need to twist my arm to get me to order a double and some of those drunk strangers are lovely people, but pubs are not community centres and they are not there to promote healthy living. Anyone who tries to portray them as such is heading for a fall when the temperance nuts point out the disparity between the myth and the reality. You're the pub industry, for God's sake. You sell a known "carcinogen" and "poison" as far as these people are concerned. Do you really think you can be friends with them?
And how about this sanctimonious twaddle from the SLTA website?
The cost of alcohol abuse to Scotland is simply unsustainable in economic and social terms and the newly appointed first Minister has already pledged to re-introduce legislation to bring in minimum pricing, as a priority...
Reports from Childline and other leading children's charities have long highlighted the cost to our families when alcohol is widely abused in Scottish homes and the new parliament offers the chance to effect serious changes, and everyone involved has been invited to contact their MSP's to demand this change.
Look at the compassion! Can you see their furrows of worry? Won't somebody please think of the children? I can just picture these guys holding hands with Don Shenker as they frolic in a meadow. But wait, what's this? Don Shenker has turned around, stabbed them in the back and is running off laughing maniacally. Who could have seen that coming?
The SLTA even has a special website where they
As I have said before, there is no way of levelling the playing field between the off-trade and the on-trade because they provide two completely different services. The off-trade sells alcohol. The on-trade sells an experience and an environment. The public understands that the two are different which is why we have traditionally been happy to pay significantly more for a drink in a pub than for a can of lager in a shop.
Since 2006, however, the experience of being in a pub has become much less pleasant for a large minority—and frequently a majority—of Scottish pub-goers. It has, indeed, become so unpleasant and pointless to be in a place where a drink can't be combined with a smoke that many of these people have chosen to experience it much less often, if at all.
In fairness to the SLTA, they have never denied the devastating effect of the smoking ban. They opposed it at the time and they continue to call for it to be amended.
The Scottish Licensed Trade Association said the law change had resulted in the closure of hundreds of pubs and the loss of thousands of jobs.
Its chief executive, Paul Waterson, said the predicted upturn in new customers attracted by smoke-free pubs had "simply not materialised".
It goes without saying that the SLTA aren't saying this because they're keen defenders of civil liberties or property right. As with all industry lobbyists, they're worried about their bottom line and the smoking ban has—contrary to the routine lies of the tobacco control freaks—been very bad for business.
But even if we accept that opportunism goes with the territory for corporate lobbyists, the SLTA's attempts to punished drinkers—ie. their own customers—for exercising free choice is particularly loathsome. Do they really think we're going to reward them for treating us like this?
You cannot bully people into going where they don't want to go. Even if the price of a supermarket pint was the same as a pint from the pub, many people would still rather drink at home with a cigarette than go out and drink in the street—which, for them, is what the 'pub experience' now consists of.
As Belinda says, the prospects of minimum pricing working while Scotland shares a border with England are nil. Although the thought of rum-runners and bootleggers hurtling up the A1 is an amusing one, the sad truth is that the Scots will then appeal to the 'level playing field' and demand that the rest of the UK follows suit. Which, knowing the greed and cowardice of the political class, is exactly what will happen.
Is there any aspect of the pub debate that is not a cess-pool of cant and hypocrisy? If I see one more politician who voted for the smoking ban crying crocodile tears about the state of the pub industry, I may throw up. CAMRA are no better, climbing into bed with both the anti-smoking brigade and the temperance lobby in their crusade against any pleasure that doesn't appeal to overweight, middle-aged Jethro Tull fans. Alcohol Concern are, it goes without saying, paid shills and neo-prohibitionists whose world would fall apart if they told the truth for one day. The pub industry, almost to a man, switched sides on the smoking ban as soon as they realised that exemptions for private members' clubs would adversely affect their business. And the SLTA, one of the few groups to have taken a consistent stand against the ban, now wants to torment their customers until they take their rightful place standing outside empty pubs in the rain.
A plague on all their houses. It's got to the stage where I'm now officially on the side of Tesco's. How the hell did that happen?