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The Secret Beyond Matter
Never Forget
Never Forget That The Only God Is Allah
The following is just common sense: If we see a castle made of sand along the seashore, we are certain that someone has made it. Only a foolish person would claim that it was coincidentally formed by the effect of waves and winds. Everything existing in the universe has evident design. Moreover, this design apparent in every detail of created things is incomparably more perfect, superior and complex than that of a sandcastle. Therefore, we are confronted with a crystal clear fact: The universe is created by a superior Creator. That Creator is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.
The existence of flawless order in the universe is an undeniable fact. The world on which we live was created to be habitable. The ratio of the gravitational force, the distance between the earth and the sun, the proportion of oxygen in the atmosphere, and hundreds of other delicate equilibria, have not occurred spontaneously or by chance. They are, without a doubt, the creation of Allah, Who holds control over everything, from the miniscule microorganisms, to the immense planets of the solar system. It is Allah Who created the universe with infinite wisdom and might, and specifically designed the world as an inhabitable place for us:
He makes night merge into day and day merge into night, and He has made the sun and moon subservient, each one running until a specified time. That is Allah, your Lord. The Kingdom is His. Those you call on besides Him have no power over even the smallest speck. (Surah Fatir, 13)
Turning our attention now from outer space, let's consider our body. The human body is a structure abounding with amazing wonders. The perfect functioning of the human brain is beyond comparison to the computer, the most advanced product of modern technology. Furthermore, each organ fulfills its specific task perfectly, and works in complete harmony with other organs. For example, in order to take a single breath, one's mouth, nose, trachea, lungs, heart and all blood vessels, must function simultaneously. None of these ceases for a single instant or becomes exhausted. They are all obedient and submissive to their Creator, and dutifully comply with what is ordained for them. Air, purified and warmed as it passes through the nose, is then carried to the lungs through the trachea. This oxygen will be used by our hearts and blood vessels, by every single cell in our bodies. The organs involved in this process skilfully carry out many processes without confusion, error or delay in any way. Should there be any flaw in this harmony, there would be neither respiration, nor life.
The same also holds true for the process of sight. The eye is one of the clearest signs of creation. Both human and animal eyes are remarkable examples of perfect design. This awesome organ provides quality vision, still unmatched by twenty-first century technology. But, never forget that an eye only functions with all its components intact. For instance, if all components of the eye, such as the cornea, conjunctiva, iris, pupil, lens, retina, choroids, muscles and the lachrymal glands were intact, but missing only a single eyelid, the eye would become damaged and unable to see. By the same token, merely the failure of tear production would cause the drying of the eye, and, ultimately, blindness. This fact raises a vital question: Who created the eye and its ability to perceive from nothing?
Certainly, it is not the possessor of the eye himself who decides to create his own eye. Because, it is indeed illogical to assume that a being, unaware of even the concept of "sight," could decide upon its necessity and for the creation of an eye in its own body. This being the case, the reality is that there is a Being with superior wisdom, Who created living beings with the faculties of sight, hearing and so on. Some people who cannot measure Allah with His true measure claim that unconscious cells acquired sight and hearing, faculties that demand consciousness, by their own will and skill. However, it is clearly evident that it cannot possibly be so. The Qur'an reveals by whom sight is given as follows:
Say: "It is He Who brought you into being and gave you hearing, sight and hearts. What little thanks you show!" (Surat al-Mulk, 23)
As is seen in the verse above, it is Allah Who creates all of these systems that function in perfect harmony with one another. Countless details within our bodies and in other organisms show forth the might and grandeur of Allah, and reveal to us the truth that He encompasses everything with His knowledge. Nevertheless, rather than reflecting upon it some people find it easier to turn their back to this reality. However, Allah encourages man to look around and reflect on His greatness:
It is Allah Who created the seven heavens and of the earth the same number, the Command descending down through all of them, so that you might know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge. (Surat at-Talaq, 12)
Never forget how near Allah is to you and that He encompasses everything. Whatever may be crossing your mind at this very moment, something you experienced in your childhood as well as your plans for the next two years are all kept in Allah's knowledge. His sovereignty over all beings persists unceasingly, night and day. Allah informs us about this truth in the Qur'an as follows:
We created man and We know what his own self whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (Surah Qaf, 16)
Allah knows the hidden parts of all things, including secrets and thoughts otherwise unknown to human beings. Allah, Who encompasses humanity from all around, is with us no matter where we are or what we are doing:
You do not engage in any matter or recite any of the Qur'an or do any action without Our witnessing you while you are occupied with it. Not even the smallest speck eludes your Lord, either on earth or in heaven. Nor is there anything smaller than that, or larger, which is not in a Clear Book. (Surah Yunus, 61)
Despite this fact, some people assume Allah to be far off. According to their flawed rationale, Allah resides beyond a remote planet, occasionally intervening in the "worldly affairs," or never intervening at all. They think that He created the universe and then left it uncontrolled (Surely Allah is beyond that) However, this is an obvious error. Allah is everywhere and His presence encompasses everything. He surrounds every place, from the east to the west, and from the north to the south.
What is in the heavens and in the earth belongs to Allah. Allah encompasses all things. (Surat an-Nisa', 126)
Wherever you go, Allah is there, even if it is the remotest corner of the earth. He surrounds you even at this very moment; He is nearer to you than your jugular vein. He rules your body, your room, and the city you live in, the whole universe, and all the worlds you are unable to see; furthermore, He has the knowledge of their past and future. Some people, who ignore these absolute facts, can manage to hide their thoughts and many offences they commit from other people. But, they forget the fact that they cannot hide them from Allah. In reality, Allah is with them even while they are plotting.
He knows what is in front of them and behind them. But their knowledge does not encompass Him. (Surah Ta Ha, 110)
You can never know what you will experience in a given moment, but Allah does. Hence, you are already submissive and yielding to Allah, whether or not you are aware of it.
Whether you divulge what is in yourself or keep it hidden, Allah knows it. Not a single word you whisper is kept hidden from Him. There are no secrets for Allah; He knows your secrets and anything you think you keep hidden.
Never forget that everything on the face of the earth is in need of Allah, whereas He is exalted above anything and far from any deficiency. Allah is not in need of anything. He is far above human failings such as sleep, hunger, thirst and fatigue. Everyone will certainly die, but Allah, the Living, will remain alive for all eternity:
Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He is not subject to drowsiness or sleep. Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them but they cannot grasp any of His knowledge save what He wills. His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth and their preservation does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent. (Surat al-Baqara, 255)
Never forget that Allah has everything under His control. As is stated in the Qur'an, "No leaf falls without His knowing it" (Surat al-An'am: 59) Everything happens by the Will of Allah and only under His command. Similarly, He directs every affair from heaven to earth. Many people are prone to confine this concept of "every affair" merely to natural phenomena and events such as birth and death. However, any incident happens because Allah commands so. Similarly, any work is accomplished and any system functions because Allah wills so.
Technological discoveries, administration of any state in the world, the regulation of their social and economic affairs, advancements in the arts, any business company, its annual performance, each baby that opens his eyes to the world, every moment a person spends throughout his life, are all held under Allah's control. No decision, whether important or insignificant, can be taken without Allah's permission. No action is taken without His Will. By the same token, the functioning of trillions of cells in our bodies, the respective function each organelle performs within these cells, systems that keep these cells alive, and countless other details, are under His control. In addition, the earth rotates unceasingly in boundless space, and all the systems from respiration to reproduction, make the life of a single ant on this planet possible, because our Lord has them under His control. This fact is related in the Qur'an as follows:
I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock. My Lord is on a Straight Path. (Surah Hud, 56)
Everyone is subject to Allah. Allah, the All-Knowing, encompasses everything in His knowledge. It is He Who gives knowledge to people, from the little child to a scientist. He is knowledgeable of the unseen as well as the visible. He determines the number of everything in the heavens and earth, including stars, trees, animals, people, and the amount of rain that falls on earth:
There is no one in the heavens and earth who will not come to the All-Merciful as a servant. He has counted them and numbered them precisely. (Surah Maryam, 93-94)
Every event taking place in any corner of the universe is under Allah's control. He knows every aspect of events, whether they are secret or open. He also has knowledge, not only of us, but of everything in the heavens, in the earth and all that is in between. Allah is the Owner of all the worlds. This being the case, never forget that nothing, not even something of minor importance, is hidden from Him, and that all thoughts and all acts, including your own, are under His control.That is because Allah knows what one experiences all through his life, of which He is keeping an account, in their detail. Allah never forgets anything.
Never forget that it is Allah Who has given you everything. Take a look around you; everything you see is meticulously prepared to meet your needs and given to your service. Now look at the sky and try to recognize everything you see around. This is the way to have a better grasp that it is Allah Who gives us many favours we see or fail to see, and it is Allah to Whom we must feel grateful. It is Allah Who creates the human body, which still remains a mystery, despite the greatest technological achievements, and maintains the functioning of all its organs in perfect harmony. It is also Allah Who creates livestock and places them at the service of mankind; Who raises them for meat, dairy products, wool, skins, and makes them suitable for purposes of riding and carrying loads; Who sends down water from the sky and brings forth fruits and crops with different tastes from the very same soil; Who puts hundred billions of galaxies in motion in a perplexing order; Who makes the daytime suitable for activity and the night for rest; Who makes the sun orbit so as to meet the requirements of all living things; Who creates the sea in the most proper form so that human beings can obtain food from it and travel on it. In a verse, Allah reveals:
He created man from a drop of sperm and yet he is an open challenger! And He created livestock. There is warmth for you in them, and various uses and some you eat. And there is beauty in them for you in the evening when you bring them home and in the morning when you drive them out to graze. They carry your loads to lands you would never reach except with great difficulty. Your Lord is All-Gentle, Most Merciful. And horses, mules and donkeys both to ride and for adornment. And He creates other things you do not know. The Way should lead to Allah, but there are those who deviate from it. If He had wished He could have guided every one of you. It is He Who sends down water from the sky. From it you drink and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds. And by it He makes crops grow for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect. He has made night and day subservient to you, and the sun and moon and stars, all subject to His command. There are certainly Signs in that for people who use their intellect. And also the things of varying colors He has created for you in the earth. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who pay heed. It is He Who made the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh flesh from it and bring out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you can seek His bounty, and so that hopefully you will show thanks. He cast firmly embedded mountains on the earth so it would not move under you, and rivers and pathways so that hopefully you would be guided, and landmarks. And they are guided by the stars. Is He Who creates like him who does not create? So will you not pay heed? If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nahl, 4-18)
Each one of the blessings that one could hardly number in the course of his lifetime have come into existence by the Will of our Lord, Who regulates everything. Allah reminds us of this reality with a very striking example:
If all the trees on earth were pens and all the sea, with seven more seas besides, was ink Allah's words still would not run dry. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surah Luqman, 27)
Never forget that it is Allah Who has given you all the possessions and goods you possess, and that He is the true Owner of them. That is because the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and everything in between belongs to Allah. He allots what He wills to whomever He wills. When He puts an end to their lives, He is again the only inheritor. The sole truth is, the real owner of all houses, cars, goods and properties is Allah.
The kingdom of the heavens and the earth and everything in them belongs to Allah. He has power over all things. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 120)
Once death comes upon you, you will leave behind everything you possess. Your fortune, status, personal belongings, in brief, nothing you cherished in this world, will be any longer with you. Your naked body, wrapped in a simple cloth, will be placed in a pit. Meanwhile, your soul will turn to Allah, alone. Neither your social status, your name nor your wealth will be of any help to you. These were merely to test you. You are not their real owner; you have everything because Allah gives them to you. If Allah takes them back for some reason, you will never be able to retrieve them.
Never forget that nothing happens to you except for what Allah has decreed for you. Allah holds the knowledge of every thing that happens. That is, everything is predetermined by Allah. All that happens is in accordance with one's destiny. A person waking up to a new day in the morning can never know what awaits him during the rest of that day. Even though he may carefully plan his day, it will never turn out as he had planned. Furthermore, he may well be confronted with events that were totally unexpected. Surrounded by such uncertainty, a person can only be relieved through the acknowledgement that every event he encounters is ordained by Allah especially for him, by trusting in Him, and being submissive to fate. Allah holds the knowledge of the events you had not planned and they all happen under his control. By the same token, however, the ones you had planned are also under His control… Indeed, no place or moment in the universe is independent of Allah. Nothing can remain out of His sovereignty.
Say: "Nothing can happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is Our Master. It is in Allah that the believers should put their trust." (Surat at-Tawba, 51)
Never forget that whatever happens to you does so by Allah's Will and is surely ordained for a purpose. Remember that man has no recourse other than taking refuge in Him; and that he has no protector or helper other than Allah:
Do you not know that Allah is He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs and that, besides Allah, you have no protector and no helper? (Surat al-Baqara, 107)
It is Allah Who helps us to handle any problem in the course of a day or when we want to accomplish a task. Besides being the One to make that task easier for us, it is again Allah Who creates that task and enables us to accomplish it. On the other hand, a person who forgets the grandeur of Allah considers his colleagues, his family or his teacher, as those who could help him...
Surely, these people may be able to provide some assistance through their knowledge and experience. But we must keep in mind that each of them are only the means. That is because, Allah has created a system of cause and effect in this world. For example, in order to cultivate apples, a farmer must first plant the seed, water it and fertilize the soil. These are the causes by which Allah causes a result. Only after fulfilling all these pre-conditions can the farmer expect to reap a plentiful harvest.
While carrying out a task, we must always be aware that we can achieve a desirable result only by Allah's Will, and that we must show sincere gratitude for what He ordains.
Never forget that it is only Allah Who protects you from danger, disease, distress and difficulty. Otherwise, it could only be a matter of an instant in which a disaster could strike you. You may well be thinking that it is your doctor and the drugs you take that heal you. Of course, these are the causes by which Allah healed you. There is no reason why you should not take advantage of these causes, but in the mean time, you must keep in mind that it is ultimately Allah Who restores you to health. Unless Allah wills, neither the most proficient physician, the most expensive drugs, nor the best hospital can be of help to you. Never forget that Allah may bring illness upon whomever He wills without a cause, just as He restores whomever He wills to health without one. In the words of the prophet Ibrahim, this is related as follows in the Qur'an:
And when I am ill, it is He Who heals me. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 80)
Forgetting that Allah holds all the power, and thereby, seeking help from one who is unable to be of any use either to himself or to anyone else, results only in failure, both in this world and beyond:
Those you call on besides Him are not capable of helping you. They cannot even help themselves. (Surat al-A'raf, 197)
Never forget that you must fear only Allah and seek His good pleasure. No one who you may esteem or consider important or powerful actually possesses any real power. This being the case, fearing or loving someone with the fear, esteem and love due to Allah is a form of idolatry, a truly great transgression:
Some people set up equals to Allah, loving them as they should love Allah. But those who believe have greater love for Allah. If only you could see those who do wrong at the time when they see the punishment, and that truly all strength belongs to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment. (Surat al-Baqara, 165)
This is such an important notion to understand. If a person bases his entire life by it, he will acknowledge the fact that there is no being to fear, to submit to or to be in need of, apart from Allah. By doing so, that person attains freedom in its real sense, and achieves invincibility, being protected by His Creator, the Almighty. Such a person hopes to earn the good pleasure of Allah, Who meets all the needs of all beings, sends down security upon His servants, helps the oppressed and the needy, recompenses in full for what anyone has earned:
Who is better: someone who founds his building on heeding and pleasing Allah, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba, 109)
One of the greatest errors most people commit is this: they base their entire lives on the pursuit of other people's consent. However, every moment spent and every deed done to earn other peoples' consent, forgetting one's Creator, will eventually only lead to torment. For people of understanding, Allah has given the following example in the Qur'an:
Allah has made a metaphor for them of a man owned by several partners in dispute with one another and another man wholly owned by a single man. Are they the same?... (Surat az-Zumar, 29)
Allah grants to those servants of His who live by His commands a good life both in this world and beyond. However, those who are far from those practices that would please Him, who seek help from others who are Allah's servants just as weak as themselves, can only ultimately suffer. Of this account, one verse reads:
Allah does not wrong people in any way; rather it is people who wrong themselves. (Surah Yunus, 44)
Furthermore, those who worship others beside Allah will be abandoned, and find themselves in disgrace and destitution:
Do not set up any other god together with Allah lest you sit back, reviled and forsaken. (Surat al-Isra', 22)
Those who are reckless and forgetful of Allah's existence in this world lead a life of difficulty. Their hearts can never find peace or happiness in this life. In fact, this suffering is merely the recompense for their ascribing the existence of perfect systems in this world to accident. In return for their ingratitude, a searing blaze awaits them in the hereafter.
Never forget that the "fear of Allah" is the basic tenet of Islam. Allah grants only those who fear Him the discernment to judge between right and wrong. This discernment is truly a great blessing to be conferred upon man:
You who believe! If you have fear of Allah, He will give you a criterion (by which to judge between right and wrong) and erase your bad actions from you and forgive you. Allah's favour is indeed immense. (Surat al-Anfal, 29)
The Qur'an also makes mention of people who do not appreciate Allah with the appreciation due Him, and who do not fear Him despite knowing of His existence:
Say: "Who provides for you out of heaven and earth? Who controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who directs the whole affair?" They will say, "Allah." Say, "So will you not have fear of Allah?" That is Allah, your Lord, the Truth, and what is there after truth except misguidance? So how have you been distracted? (Surah Yunus, 31-32)
The person described in the above verse is aware of Allah's existence and even affirms it. But, he feels no fear for Him. True believers, however, hold their Lord in deep awe. Having fear for the Day of Judgment, they are sensitive to His commands. Consequently, whether or not a person keeps all Allah's laws in his mind, and becomes a servant of Him, or neglects them, it does not change the ultimate reality that he is rushing towards that day when he will return to his Lord:
O Man! You are toiling laboriously towards your Lord but meet Him you will! (Surat al-Inshiqaq, 6)
This being the case, never forget that there is no power other than of the Almighty Allah, the holder of absolute power. Those who are unaware of this fact worship others beside Allah and, moreover, fear them as they should fear Allah. However, no man or society possesses power other than of Allah's. Everything is subject to Him.
Everything in the heavens and the earth fall under the Will of Allah, and are all, willingly or not, under His control. From a single cell, to the billions of galaxies, from people to animals, from mountains to the winds, all beings are subject to Him. Therefore never forget to give thanks to Allah, as it has been advised in the following verse:
So that you might sit firmly on their backs and remember your Lord's blessing while you are seated on them, saying, "Glory be to Him Who has subjected this to us. We could never have done it by ourselves." (Surat az-Zukhruf, 13)
Unless by Allah's Will, no one can take an action or utter a single word. This is why each every word you hear or every event you witness is from Allah, the One Who is your Protector and your only true friend… If you are a person of faith, then you know that an absolute good and beauty is hidden even behind those things that would otherwise seem evil to you. Allah knows it even though you may not know it. No matter what you encounter in life, never forget to conduct yourself with the knowledge of this fact in mind.
Never forget that Allah is Ever-Forgiving, and that there always remains the opportunity to repent. No matter what error you commit, if you turn towards Allah with sincere regret and a firm intention not to repeat it, you will always find Allah Ever-Forgiving and Most Merciful. Allah states that He forgives all errors and sins provided that His servants abandon them once and for all:
Say: "My servants, you who have transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Truly Allah forgives all wrong actions. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful." (Surat az-Zumar, 53)
In this world, there is always the chance to repent and the hope of being forgiven for one's mistakes and sins. In Allah's religion, one does not have to bear the burden of his past misdeeds. Asking for Allah's forgiveness, and turning towards Him sincerely, will relieve him of this load. At that moment, he will only be responsible of his deeds and thoughts from then on. Meanwhile, never forget that Allah accepts only a sincere repentance and not the repentance a person asks when death comes upon him.
Even the Pharaoh, whose fierceness and arrogance is related in the Qur'an, decided to believe when he realized he was about to drown. Allah reveals the following about repentance at the moment of death:
Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and then quickly repent after doing it. Allah turns towards such people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. There is no repentance for people who persist in doing evil until death comes to them and who then say, "Now I repent," nor for people who die as disbelievers. We have prepared for them a painful punishment. (Surat an-Nisa', 17-18)
Never forget that Allah is infinitely patient. He grants respite to some even after they have committed a mistake. Nevertheless, if a wrongdoer is not punished immediately he should not let it deceive him. That is because following his misdeeds, Allah grants His servant a certain amount of chance. If that person realizes his mistakes and asks for forgiveness, he finds Allah Ever-Forgiving. If, on the other hand, he persists on his mistake and rebels, he will certainly taste the evil consequences of his deeds:
If Allah were to punish people for their wrong actions, not a single creature would be left upon the earth, but He defers them till a predetermined time. When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward. (Surat an-Nahl, 61)
Never forget that you cannot be other than a servant to Allah; because Allah created man to worship Him:
I only created jinn and man to worship Me. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 56)
Being submissive to our Lord, Who gives us everything we have, Who created us and granted us a life span, to which He will put an end whenever He wills, is like taking hold of the firmest grip, one can never come loose:
Those who submit themselves completely to Allah and do good have grasped the Firmest Handhold. The end result of all affairs is with Allah. (Surah Luqman, 22)
So, never forget about "ALLAH, OUR LORD"...
That is Allah, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything. Eyesight cannot perceive Him but He perceives eyesight. He is the All-Penetrating, the All-Aware. (Surat al-An'am, 102-103)


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For proof that Matthew McConaughey has completed his two-year metamorphosis into a serious actor, look no further than his bared, unrecognizable torso in Dallas Buyers Club. Those mighty abs, once a livelihood and a point of professional pride, have been melted away, leaving in their absence a thin layer of skin over bones. Yes, McConaughey has gone Machinist gaunt, shedding his famous beach body for his art. But his performance isn't an Oscar-chasing stunt in this biographical drama, which casts the drawling superstar as real-life Texas electrician Ron Woodroof. A homophobic good-old-boy who liked his men manly, his women loose, and his sex unprotected, Woodroof was diagnosed with HIV in 1986, when it was still thought of as the "gay virus." Shunned by his friends and given 30 days to live by his doctors, this take-no-shit cowboy pulled up his boots and began fighting for his life—first by illegally acquiring the trial drug AZT, then by heading to Mexico to get his hands on alternative medications. Eventually, he set up the titular black market for his fellow afflicted, smuggling unapproved drugs into the country and selling them at affordable rates. He died in 1992, but not before taking his battle with the FDA to court.
Starting a mini medical revolution, mostly by simply refusing to take his death sentence lying down, Woodroof is an indelible subject for a movie—the sonavubitch savior. So lively is McConaughey in the part, which is perfectly suited to his swaggering charisma, that it's easy to forgive that a fascinating life story has been reduced to a David-versus-Goliath crowd-pleaser. (At times, it almost resembles Blow crossed with Erin Brockovich.) As with too many biopics, Dallas Buyers Club attempts to conform the facts to dramatic conventions. Every folk-hero saga needs a hiss-worthy adversary, and the filmmakers here provide two: an arrogant medical administrator (Denis O'Hare), committed to the potentially dangerous AZT trial his hospital is conducting, and a tight-ass FDA officer (Michael O'Neill). Speaking of the latter, the script frames the FDA as the big enemy, using bullying techniques to try and shut down Woodroof's operation, but at least one source suggests that the organization looked the other way, at least for a time. Also slightly suspect is the film's outright condemnation of AZT. Still used today in some of the popular AIDS treatment cocktails, the drug is denigrated in the film as a "toxic" non-solution that should be "flushed down the toilet." It's always easier to villainize than to try and convey the whole, complicated truth.
On the other end of the good-to-bad-guy spectrum is Woodroof's quasi love interest, a sympathetic doctor (Jennifer Garner) who begins to increasingly see things his way. Like many of the characters in Dallas Buyers Club, she's supposedly based on a real person, but never quite feels like one. (Her big, cathartic moment involves borrowing the protagonist's favorite kiss-off.) Much more believable is the relationship between Woodroof and his business partner, a transsexual patient portrayed, in a performance as remarkable as McConaughey's, by Jared Leto. Though some of their interactions are played for odd-couple comedy, with the movie taking just a bit too much pleasure in the hero's constant slurs, there's also something pretty moving about the way Woodroof's discomfort slowly shades into affection.
Set during the same timeframe as last year's How To Survive A Plague, a gripping report-from-the-frontlines documentary about the fight against AIDS, Dallas Buyers Club relays a nearly identical message: That the key to coping with the virus, especially during those scary early days when no one knew anything, was getting educated. Fiercely determined to beat this thing, Woodroof reads everything he can, essentially becoming his own physician. In a process, he also becomes a better man, learning to see people he once irrationally despised as customers, then allies, then kindred spirits and even friends. There's something undeniably affecting about that trajectory, which allows McConaughey to turn his character into an empathetic figure—one whose prejudice fades as his fighting spirit intensifies—without sacrificing his rapscallion spirit. He's the same loudmouthed macho braggart at the end of the movie than he was at the beginning, but now he's a loudmouthed macho braggart with purpose. As metamorphoses go, that's not as obviously impressive as losing 30 pounds, but it's plenty impressive still.

subset: commoncrawl


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Cedar Springs students, staff, and community members had the great opportunity to witness a powerful and emotional diversity performance by Dr. Michael Fowlin, a nationally recognized clinical psychologist and actor, on Thursday, January 27th. Dr. Fowlin brought a strong message emphasizing the importance of recognizing not only our individual beauty, but the beauty of others.
During the presentation, Dr. Fowlin transforms himself into several different student characters all with different backgrounds and facing a variety of conflicts, including racial identity, gender equity, and homophobia. Using emotion and humor, he challenged his audience to face the impact of ignorance and fear and to practice empathy and acceptance.
It is certain that everyone who left the performance that day were awakened to a new sense of beauty within and a readiness to celebrate their "difference" with others.


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There are endless options available to you to make your next print piece really stand out!
If you're looking for a simple technique that beautifully enhances your print item's impact and appeal without breaking your budget, consider adding a varnish to your next print project.
Adding a print varnish involves adding an entirely transparent coating to a printed page. Just like choosing paint types when you're painting your living room, there are three basic varnish finishes to choose from: satin, gloss, and dull (matte). Varnish can add a unique, creative element and give your design a boost, so make sure you choose the one that best fits with the look and feel you're trying to accomplish with your project.
Know Your Options
Dull: Also known as matte, this is very different from a varnish-like gloss. A matte finish it best suited if your design contains a lot of text, as it will deflect light and glare. Using a dull varnish can be a great tool for improving readability on pages containing text. Although called dull, this varnish is not at all boring. It produces exciting and attractive print results.
Gloss: As its name indicates, this varnish is the show-off of the bunch and gives a glossy type of appearance. Gloss varnish makes colors look more saturated, and your design elements look more crisp and sharper. It is perfect for printed pages containing items like photographs and graphics.
Satin: The best of both worlds, satin varnish falls somewhere in between glossy and matte and offers the perfect level of shine. This option is ideal if you have a lot of photo and text combination pieces.
What's in it for Me?
From an aesthetic standpoint, varnish can enhance the overall appearance of your piece, but it also decreases the amount of time it takes the printed piece to dry and reduces the chance that the ink will smear. Varnish also adds durability and strength to a piece by doing its job to prevent excess wear, smudging and scuffing, and providing UV protection. All of these benefits combine to give you a printed piece that lasts longer and stays in better, more attractive condition.
Once you try varnish on one of your projects, you will likely wonder how you ever did without it and will be glad to have this technique in your printing toolbox.
Copyright ©2023
Plaza Graphic Associates, Inc
114 Denton Avenue
New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Phone 516.739.3500
Fax 516.739.3560
E-mail Us...


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Home > Bible
This material is included in our published book about Bible inspiration. Click here for more information.
When the Bible teaches directly, most people agree that they are obligated to believe and obey the teaching. We sometimes express this by saying: "Commands constitute binding authority." So direct teaching reveals God's will, and people who do not obey are in error. For instance:
Matthew 22:37-39 - Love God and love your neighbor are the greatest two commands.
Acts 10:48 - Water baptism is a command.
1 Corinthians 11:23-25 - Jesus directly said to remember Him in the Lord's Supper.
[1 Corinthians 14:37; John 14:15,21-24; 15:14; 1 John 2:3,4; 5:3; Matthew 28:18-20]
These methods include examples and Scriptural reasoning (also called "logical conclusions" or "necessary inferences").
Some folks deny that examples and reasoning to conclusions are binding ways to determine God's will for us. They may say that only commands are binding: while we may learn from examples and inferences, they say we are not obligated to follow them, and we especially should not say that other people are wrong if they do not follow them.
Some teach a "new hermeneutic" in which they criticize those who say we must obey commands, examples, and necessary inferences. They say this approach to determining God's will is a man-made creed or a human tradition. They may even compare it to the Pharisees, who bound what God does not bind (as when they condemned Jesus for healing on the Sabbath).
Besides revealing His will by direct commands or statements, does God sometimes teach us by revealing an example of someone doing a thing, then He expresses His approval or His disapproval of what they did? Does He then require us to learn from these examples and do as they did (if He approved of their act) or refuse to do as they did (if He disapproved)?
Examples are an extremely common method of teaching in everyday life. Good teachers do not just directly state how to do things. Often they will also show the student what to do by doing it and letting the student observe the example. Then the teacher says, "Now, you do what I just did." Or if someone did something wrong, we tell the student not to do it that way.
A father may show his son how to work on a car, a mother may show a daughter how to bake a cake, or a teacher may show a student how to do a math problem. Instances surround us daily.
So common and so effective is this teaching method, that we would be amazed if God did not use it in the Bible. Let us see if He does.
Frequently the New Testament directly tells us that Bible characters were setting examples for us, and we are commanded to imitate them. If we believe in obeying direct Bible commands, then let us obey what the Bible says about the following examples:
Matthew 16:24 - Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" - i.e., imitate Jesus' example. To deny that examples are binding is to deny that we must be like Jesus!
Luke 6:40 - A disciple who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. What does it mean to be a disciple? A disciple patterns his life after Jesus' example. He seeks to be like His master. To deny that examples are binding is to deny the very meaning of discipleship!
Romans 8:29 - We are predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son. Copies made on a copier must conform to the image of the original. So Jesus is the original, the model, and we are to conform to His image.
Philippians 2:5 - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. We should follow, not only what Jesus did, but also how He thought. This will then reflect itself in our conduct, as the context shows.
1 Peter 2:21-23 - For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. Note: we are called to follow Jesus' steps. To deny that we are required to follow examples is to deny our very calling!
1 John 2:6 - He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. So if someone says we do not need to follow Bible examples, does that person abide in Jesus?
So the Bible commands us to follow the example of Jesus. But what about the examples set by apostles and other inspired men?
1 Corinthians 4:16 - Therefore I urge you, imitate me (or be followers of me). This refers to following the example, not of Jesus, but of the inspired apostle Paul. By inspiration Paul commands us to imitate his example. He was like the father who shows his son how to fix the car, then says, "Now you do it like I did it."
1 Corinthians 11:1 - Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. We sometimes talk about "approved" examples. That simply means we should follow Biblical actions that God approves - not the ones He disapproves, nor ones that just people approve. Paul said to follow Him as His life revealed the same kind of life Jesus lived. [2 Tim. 2:15 - approved of God]
Philippians 3:17 - Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. Again, Paul set the example and we are directly commanded to follow that example. We are then commanded to follow others who walk (live) as he did. They are all a pattern - a model or example - for us.
Note the chain: Jesus set the perfect example. Paul lived by the rules Jesus taught. Then others walk or live like Paul did. Then we follow or imitate all of them.
Philippians 4:9 - The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Are we required to do the things we learn and hear from the inspired apostles? If so, then we are equally required to do what we see in their lives! What we see in them is binding on us just as surely as is what we hear from them. [Note that we neither see nor hear personally from Paul, as though he were living in our presence. We both see and hear from him by means of the written word.]
1 Thessalonians 1:5,6 - You became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word. Paul and his companions had lived a way of life. The Thessalonian Christians had observed that way of life and had become followers of them and of Jesus.
Are we obligated to follow Jesus? Then we are likewise obligated to follow inspired teachers to the extent they lived by the same principles Jesus followed.
1 Timothy 1:16 - Paul obtained mercy "for this reason": that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Paul's conversion was a pattern or example showing how God will save us. Even if we have been deeply rebellious as Paul was, God will save us if we repent and submit to Him as Paul did.
2 Timothy 3:10 - But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance. Are we bound to follow Paul's doctrine? Then we are likewise bound to follow his manner of life.
Hebrews 6:12 - Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Again, not just Jesus and Paul, but all who live so as to inherit the promises become an example to us. Note that this involves following even uninspired people, but we follow them only to the extent that the Lord "approves" of their example - those things that lead to eternal life.
Note that, if we are obligated to follow Bible commands, then we are obligated to follow examples, because the commands tell us to follow the examples!
Do you believe we are obligated to follow direct commands? Then you must believe we are also obligated to follow Bible examples. If you believe we are not obligated to follow examples, then you are also disobeying the commands, because the commands say to follow the examples! You cannot have one without the other.
We may compare it to a person who says: "I believe people must obey God's authority, but I don't believe citizens must obey civil rulers, wives must obey husbands, or children must obey parents, etc." But God's commands tell us to obey the authority of these humans. To disobey the humans, then, is to disobey God, because He says to obey these other humans. Likewise, to disobey inspired examples is to disobey God's commands, because the commands say to follow the examples.
We have studied passages that teach us to follow Bible examples. But besides telling us to follow examples, Bible writers sometimes specifically taught people what God wanted them to do (or not do) by using the examples set by others. The way Bible teachers used examples can show us how we should use examples in our teaching.
Let us notice a few of these cases and consider whether or not the examples were "binding" - i.e., were people obligated to follow the lesson taught by those examples? Were they wrong if they didn't follow them?
These are "disapproved" examples or "bad examples."
Luke 11:47-51; Acts 7:35-53 - People were rebuked for being like their ancestors who rejected God's prophets ("as your fathers did, so do you" - Acts 7:51).
Luke 17:32 - Remember Lot's wife. Here is an example of one who disobeyed God, because she had too strong attachment to this world. We are instructed to "remember" her, obviously implying we should not do as she did.
1 Corinthians 10:1-12 - The Israelites give a number of bad examples. These are our examples written for our admonition (vv 6,11). They teach us to avoid lust, idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring. Again, these examples teach us what we should not do. [Hebrews 4:11; Acts 7:38-43]
2 Corinthians 11:3 - Paul feared lest the Corinthians be corrupted like Eve who was deceived by Satan.
Hebrews 12:16 - Esau profaned His birthright. We should take care that no such person is among us (v15).
2 Peter 2:4-9 - Sodom and Gomorrah and the people of the flood are examples showing God punishes evil people and spares the righteous. [2 Peter 3:3-7; Matthew 11:23f]
2 Peter 2:15 - Do not be like Balaam, who is cited as a false teacher because, for the sake of money, he put a stumbling block before Israel. [Jude 11; Revelation 2:14]
1 John 3:12 - We should not be murderers like Cain.
Bible writers used all these cases to show us examples of how we should not act. They directly stated or clearly implied that people would be condemned by God if they acted like the people in the examples. In other words, the examples were "binding." But if examples are not binding, may we conclude that God would not condemn us if we act like these people?
Note how, in each of these instances, inspired teachers taught people to imitate examples that God approved. In fact we will see that Jesus and inspired men used these examples in exactly the way that some people tell us we today should not use them!
Jesus said the Queen of Sheeba valued true wisdom (Solomon's). Her example condemned the people of Jesus' day, because they did not appreciate His wisdom, which was greater than Solomon's.
Note: Jesus Himself said people are condemned when they do not follow Bible examples! Where does that leave folks today who say people don't have to follow Bible examples?
[The queen herself was uninspired, but her act is recorded by inspiration, obviously for the purpose of teaching Bible readers. So the fact the Bible writers recorded her conduct with approval means it should serve as an example for us to follow.]
To come after Jesus, we must follow Him. Specifically, we must be willing to give our lives for God as He did. What if we are not willing to follow His example? Then we will lose our lives eternally!
Note: Jesus' example is so binding that, if we don't follow it, we will be eternally lost. [1 John 3:15-18]
Jesus used the good Samaritan as an example of love, because he personally helped a needy man. Jesus said to go and do likewise.
Note: Jesus described the example, showed that God approved it, then He bound it on others! This is exactly how we ought to teach.
[Again, the Samaritan was not inspired. But when the inspired teacher (Jesus) showed that God approved the example and used it to instruct His disciples, we should learn that such examples become binding on us.]
Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching. Jesus described this example, then bound it on the people. He said they were condemned because they would not repent at His preaching like the Ninevites had at Jonah's preaching [Matthew 21:28-32].
Note again: Jesus said that people who don't follow approved Bible examples are condemned!
[And again, the Ninevites were uninspired. But the inspired record of their conduct was written for our instruction.]
The father rejoiced when the prodigal son repented, but the brother did not rejoice. The whole point of the story is that people should imitate the father but not the brother.
People who act like the older son are wrong. And people who do not act like the father are wrong. The example is binding. This is the way Jesus taught!
We should love one another as Jesus loved us. Is that a binding example? Note that Jesus commanded us to follow His example of love. He set the example; then His command showed that the example is binding. [1 John 4:16; Ephesians 5:2]
Disagreement arose among Christians about whether circumcision is binding today. A conclusion was reached based on the following evidence:
(1) Peter, Paul, and Barnabas cited examples in which Gentiles were converted without being circumcised, and God gave His approval by means of miracles.
(2) James quoted an Old Testament passage which said the Gentiles could be saved, but did not require circumcision. The inference was that circumcision is not binding.
This conclusion, drawn from examples and inferences, was then bound - i.e., those who taught otherwise were in error.
Paul's conversion was a pattern or example demonstrating God's mercy to those who believe for everlasting life. We often use His conversion to teach sinners how to be saved.
Examples in the book of Acts are one of the primary methods the Bible uses to show us how to be saved. If examples are not binding, why must anyone do what was done in Bible examples of conversion? But if we are not wrong in using these examples to teach people how to be saved, then why shouldn't we likewise use Bible examples to teach other Bible principles of conduct?
Hebrews chapter 11 with 12:1-4 - This entire chapter contains Old Testament examples of people who possessed the kind of faith we need in order to be saved.
Clearly the kind of faith illustrated by these examples is bound on us as necessary to salvation. If examples are not binding, what is the purpose of these examples? [Galatians 3:6,7; Hebrews 6:12]
James 2:20-26 - Examples of Abraham and Rahab are cited to prove that the faith that God approves is a faith that works. These examples are approved and bound.
We ought to take the prophets as an example of suffering and patience. Specifically, Job demonstrates that, if we suffer patiently, the Lord will be compassionate and merciful. [1 Peter 2:21-23; Hebrews 6:12]
Elijah's prayer is an example to us of the power of prayer.
[Other examples: 2 Timothy 3:10,11; 1 Peter 3:5,6; Acts 20:33-35; 2 Thessalonians 3:7,9; Philippians 2:5-9; Hebrews 13:2; Luke 4:24-29; John 13:15; Matthew 10:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:14]
It is therefore proper for us to use Bible examples as Bible teachers used them, and to conclude that people who do not properly imitate those examples are in error.
Remember that the examples just listed are not the only examples we can use. They simply illustrate the proper way to use Bible examples. The inspired men did not just use examples as a teaching method, they said that they themselves set examples. We ought to use their lives as examples, just as they used these others examples to teach God's will.
Someone may ask, if the Bible shows people doing a thing with God's approval, is that the only way we can do that thing? However, our purpose in this study is to show that examples are binding. It is not our purpose to solve all the questions about whether or not any particular example is the only ("exclusive") way to do a thing.
But to answer such questions we must use the same means that we use to understand any other form of Bible teaching. Specifically, we must consider context and other passages, etc.
To illustrate, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:7). Does this prove donkeys are the only way we can travel to preach? No, because Mark 16:15 gives the general instruction to go into all the world but requires no specific mode of transportation. And other passages show various other means of transportation being used. Any means of "going" would fit the Bible teaching.
Likewise, we should study and apply Bible examples in the light of other Bible teaching - commands, examples and necessary conclusions.
We have proved by numerous Scriptures that God intends for us to use Bible examples as a means of determining His will for our lives. Even if it could be proved that we fail to properly follow some particular example, that would not disprove the evidence that examples are binding authority. It would only prove that we need to do a better job of following them.
The same is true for following Bible commands. Do you believe in following commands? Suppose someone could prove there is a command in the Bible you are not properly following. Would that prove commands are not valid ways of determining God's will? Of course not. It would only prove we should do a better job of understanding and following the commands. The same applies to examples and necessary inferences.
Sometimes Bible examples are easy to understand and apply, just like some Bible commands are easy. Other Bible examples are more difficult to understand and apply, just like some Bible commands are more difficult. There is milk and there is meat (Heb. 5:12-6:1; 2 Peter 3:15,16).
What we have shown in this study is that God does use examples to teach and bind His will for us. And not only are such examples used occasionally, but they are a common, frequently used means of Bible teaching. Our responsibility is to learn to handle God's word rightly to understand all His will.
Copyright 1989 & 2006,David E. Pratte; gospelway.com
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Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.


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Police Limit Comic: August 26, 2012
Police Limit Comic is a politically-motivated, pro-law enforcement comic strip, topical in its writing and unapologetically blunt
Police Limit Comic is published on Police1 every Sunday. For more than a decade, the strip's cast of unnamed characters has been constantly struggling with stresses, not only from the criminal element on the street, but also from the upper echelons of the police department's top brass, clueless judges, and the liberal media.
- Tags
- Bizarre Beat


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Program: Fashion Studies
Vicki Oboikovitz was hooked on fashion when her high school teachers told her she could make her own patterns for her own designs.
It's a love that she carried into a career in the fashion industry, where she worked for more than 25 years.
"I did everything -- cutting out garments, sewing them, modeling them, making patterns and designing lines," she explained. "I worked for Caron, a design house in Chicago, as a designer's assistant, a patternmaker, and worked my way up to designing suits and dresses for petite women. Later I worked for Henry Lee, another design house in Chicago, where I was a petite and missy designer of suits and sportswear. They no longer carry the lines I designed for, so it was time for me to move on."
Oboikovitz turned to teaching and has taught garment construction and flat pattern classes at College of DuPage since 2010.
"My first love was sewing, and now I love teaching," she said. "I love being able to share all of my experiences with my students. And when they take the knowledge and run with it, it is a great feeling.
"In fact, the students here at COD have showed me that they are serious about what they want to accomplish and do. And they have inspired me to get myself back into the designing mood."


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Family Shelter Program
Grassroots operates the only general emergency shelter in Howard County at 6700 Freetown Road in Columbia, MD. The program has 33 beds for families and single adult women experiencing a shelter crisis.
All clients are accepted into the emergency shelter program on a provisional basis for a period of no more than three months. Each resident is assigned a case manager who works with them to develop a case plan designed to address their particular needs and challenges. Prior to the end of their 3-month stay, residents may apply for a 3-month extension, for a maximum stay of six months. An additional extension is granted only under extenuating circumstances such as medical necessity.
Extensions of stay dependent on the resident's progress achieving the goals in their housing plan (such as getting a job, saving money, attending addictions treatment, applying for benefits for which they may be eligible, meeting regularly with their case manager, etc.), their ability to function cooperatively in the group living setting, and their adherence to basic shelter guidelines.
Motel Shelter
Randy Sands Men's Shelter
The Randy Sands Men's Shelter can serve up to 18 single adult men. The program serves about 55 – 75 men per year. Each resident has a primary counselor or case manager and an individualized housing plan which could include employment, a savings plan, addictions treatment, psychiatric treatment, training or GED, and debt management. All of the support services available to families are also provided to our male residents. The structure of the residents' length of stay applies to the men's shelter as well.
Cold Weather Shelter
The cold weather shelter is a partnership with the faith community and Howard County government which provides overflow shelter from November through March. Congregations host the shelter for one or two weeks and provide volunteers for transportation, meals, laundry and to work shifts in the shelter. Grassroots provides administrative coordination and a staff person to act as the team leader during the hours that the shelter is open. For more information on how your congregation can participate in the Cold Weather Shelter program, please contact Kathy Piet, the CWS Manager, email@example.com. For emergency shelter needs, please contact the crisis hotline at 410-531-6677.
Day Resource Center at the Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center
Grassroots Day Resource Center, a successful partnership with the faith community, is located at 10390 Guilford Road, Suite A (first floor), in Jessup and is open 3 days a week. The Center provides meals, showers, limited laundry, fellowship and social services to homeless individuals in the Howard County Route 1 corridor. For more information, visit the Day Center's web site www.daycenter.org or call the business line at 301-776-9900.
Hours of Operation (general)
Mondays, 2 to 6 p.m.
Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m.
Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m
COVID -19 Hours of Operation
Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m
Follow the Grassroots Day Resource Center on Facebook here.


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You are totally right. If only the government didn't offer high loan limits, we wouldn't be having much trouble right now. I want the government to decrease the loan limits back to what it was in 2008.
On October 1st, 2011, the conforming loan limit for loans backed by the FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac fell back down to the levels they were at before 2008. Less than a month later, the Senate has passed an extension of the law that raised those limits. Now the bill is going to the House for approval. Here is how it may affect you. (See also: Guide to Home Loans)
First of all, let me explain what a conforming loan is. Basically, a loan is "conforming" if it is smaller than the limit that the FHA, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac set. Conforming loans can be purchased by these agencies, so these loans are more liquid, and borrowers with conforming loans qualify for the best mortgage rates. If a loan is larger than that limit, then it would be a "jumbo loan," and the interest rate is generally a percent or more higher than a conforming loan. Right now over 90% of new home loans are backed by FHA, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac, so new house purchasers should know that if their loans are larger than the conforming loan amount, they would be more expensive and less likely to be funded.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac currently have a conforming loan limit of $417,000 in most areas, and a maximum of $625,500 in high-cost areas for a single-unit residence. FHA loans currently have a conforming loan limit of 95% of the median home price in an area or $625,500, whichever is less. In 2008, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act raised these limits significantly. The maximum loan amount for all the agencies was as high as $729,000, and the FHA loan limit was raised from 95% of the median home price to 125% of the median home price. Basically, now the lawmakers want the loan limits to be back to the limits under the 2008 law.
This loan limit issue affects FHA borrowers the most, since the difference in the loan limit in many areas changed more than 30%. FHA buyers typically only bring 3.5% of the home cost to their down payment, so basically the loan limit is the maximum price of the house they are purchasing. The good news for today's buyers is that housing prices have already come down more than 30% since 2008 in many areas, so the change in limit might not be a big deal because many houses are just plain more affordable.
The loan limit issue also affects upper-middle-class buyers in high-cost areas. Here in the San Francisco Bay area, there are many upper-middle-class families who look for very basic two-to-three bedroom houses that cost more than $800,000. For these families, they may have to lower their price points by $100,000 or pay thousands of dollars more every year.
Personally, I believe that the government should not encourage more debt by raising the limit. If you look at a history of the conforming loan limit, then you will see that it was raised drastically during the housing bubble. If large government-backed mortgages were not so easy to come by, then people might have bought cheaper homes, and perhaps we would not be in the situation we are in right now. I actually think that these loan limits should be decreased so that the private markets will have to shoulder more loans and more than 90% of the mortgage market is not backed by American taxpayers.
What do you think? Do you want the loan limits to go back to the 2008 limits?
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You are totally right. If only the government didn't offer high loan limits, we wouldn't be having much trouble right now. I want the government to decrease the loan limits back to what it was in 2008.


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5 Office Changes That Increase Your Success At Work
Dr. Thalma Lobel is an internationally recognized psychologist and professor at Tel Aviv University. She has been a visiting professor at Harvard, Tufts, The University of California at San Diego, and New York University and divides her time between Tel Aviv and Southern California. She is the author of Sensation: The New Science of Physical Intelligence, currently available wherever books are sold.
We all want our workplace to be comfortable and pleasant, but you might not realize that everything from office temperature to the color of our pens has the power to influence the workplace atmosphere. Recent studies have shown the surprising effects of these physical sensations on our decisions, behavior, performance and creativity.
Armed with these findings, here are five small changes to make to the office that will have a major impact on your productivity and success:
Utilize Visuals Creatively
Hang photos that portray open spaces or depict logos and symbols associated with enhanced creativity (such as a photo of a light bulb or a symbol of a company known for its creativity). Studies have shown that these cues do indeed boost creativity.
Related: Five Healthy Foods For Your Brain
Be Attuned To Temperature
Make sure that the temperature of the room is comfortable, neither too cold nor too warm. This is not only a question of comfort, since studies have proven the association between cold and feelings of loneliness.
Go For The Soft Touch
Soft or hard chairs will influence your negotiations and the way you perceive others and vice versa. Holding something soft like a pillow will also do the trick. When people hold soft objects or sit on soft chairs, they tend to be softer negotiators, i.e., they will be more flexible and more often change their initial offer. Holding something soft also influences the way we perceive our environment and has a positive effect on negotiations, whereas sitting in a more stiff chair or holding a hard object, like a book, will make you a less flexible negotiator or leader.
Think Bright!
Bright colors are associated with positivity while dark colors are associated with negativity. So make sure the room is well lit and that walls are not painted in dark colors. Another reason to ensure that the room is bright is that people tend to be dishonest more often in a darker room than in a bright room.
It's Not Good To "See Red"
Do not use the color red to write out instructions, nor should the cover of a notebook you regularly write on be red. Studies have revealed the negative influence of red in the performance of cognitive tasks.
for more features.


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Happy New year all! I hope you all had a good holiday break and had your cameras out snapping away. Maybe your images will one day be part of the Museum collection……you never know.
I've been doing a lot of image research lately around significant events, where an image is used to assist in telling a story. It is truly amazing the rich source of images that we have worldwide. With the internet images have become more readily available to search, view and reuse in publications, blogs, newspapers, websites, educational tools etc.
With this in mind, I thought I would set myself a challenge for January and see if I could illustrate this month in history using only Te Papa images. Was our own collection going to have a wide enough range of images to do so? Turns out the answer was yes!
Check out my image research below…. each one will take you to a Te Papa collection item that somehow will relate to historical event. Maybe you would like to give February a go?
1 January every year: New Year…. not much else to say about New Year really
2 January 1905: The Russians surrendered to the Japanese after the Battle of Port Arthur during the Russian-Japanese War.
3 January 1840: New Zealand Company surveyors arrive in Port Nicholson
4 January 1958: Sir Edmund Hillary leads NZ party to Pole.
5 January 1977: Occupation of Bastion Point begins.
6 January 1929: Mother Teresa arrives in Calcutta, India to begin her work among India's poorest and sick people.
7 January 1931: Completion of first trans-Tasman solo flight in Avro Avian Southern Cross Junior, flown by Guy Menzies.
8 January 1863: Julius von Haast begins West Coast expedition.
9 January 1923: Death of Katherine Mansfield.
10 January 1863: The world's first underground railway service opened in London, the Metropolitan line between Paddington and Farringdon.
11 January 1964: The U.S. Surgeon General declared cigarettes may be hazardous to health, the first such official government report.
12 January 1954: Queen Elizabeth II opens NZ Parliament.
13 January 1935: The population of the Saar region bordering France and Germany voted for incorporation into Hitler's Reich. The 737 square-mile area with its valuable coal deposits had been under French control following Germany's defeat in World War I.
14-23 January 1943: President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at Casablanca in Morocco to work on strategy during World War II. At the conclusion of the conference, Roosevelt and Churchill held a joint news conference at which Roosevelt surprisingly announced that peace would come "by the total elimination of German and Japanese war power. That means the unconditional surrender of Germany, Italy and Japan."
15 January 1970: Anti-Vietnam War protestors greet US Vice President during his visit toNew Zealand.
16 January 1992: The twelve-year civil war in El Salvador ended with the signing of a peace treaty in Mexico City.
17 January 1773: The ship Resolution, sailing under Captain James Cook, became the first vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle.
18 January 1886: Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England.
19 January 1840: Antarctica discovered, Charles Wilkes expedition (U.S. claim).
20 January, 1936: King George V of England died at age 71.
21 January 1924: Soviet Russian leader Vladimir Lenin died of a brain haemorrhage. He led the Bolsheviks to victory over the Czar in the October Revolution of 1917 and had then established the world's first Communist government. Lenin's body was placed in a tomb in Red Square in Moscow and was a much venerated national shrine until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
22 January 1840: First European settlers arrive in Wellington, New Zealand.
23 January 1855: Massive earthquake hits Wellington region. A magnitude 8.2 earthquake lifted the southern end of the Rimutaka Range by 6 m.
24 January 1895: Hawaii's monarchy ended as Queen Liliuokalani was forced to abdicate. Hawaii was annexed by theU.S. and remained a territory until statehood was granted in 1959.
25 January 1974: First day of competition at the Christchurch Commonwealth Games.
26 January 1788: The British established a settlement at Sydney Harbour inAustralia as 11 ships with 778 convicts arrived, setting up a penal colony to relieve overcrowded prisons in England.
27 January 1962: Peter Snell breaks world mile record. Widely considered one of the greatest middle distance runners of all time, Snell broke Herb Elliott's world record on a grass track at Cook's Gardens, Whanganui, covering the distance in 3 minutes 54.4 seconds.
28 January 1935: Iceland became the first country to legalize abortion.
29 January 1916: During World War I, the first aerial bombings of Paris by German zeppelins took place.
30 January 1911: Bookies were banned from NZ racecourses.
31 January 1968: Nauru gains independence fromAustralia.
By Becky Masters, Picture Library Manager


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Characteristics: Erbium metal slowly tarnishes in moist air but is more stable and does not oxidize as quickly as some other rare-earth metals. Insoluble in water, soluble in acids. Erbium salts are pink, and the element has characteristic sharp absorption spectra bands in visible light, ultraviolet, and near infrared. Low toxicity and high electrical resistivity.
Derivation: Acids are used on crushed minerals that transform insoluble rare-earth oxides into chlorides or sulfates. The filtrates are partially neutralized with caustic soda then a process is used to convert rare earths into their insoluble oxalates. By annealing the oxalates are converted to oxides, then dissolved by acid. A crystallized mixture of double salts of rare-earth metals is formed and the salts are separated by ion exchange. Eventually the rare earths are washed out by a suitable complexing agent and erbium metal is obtained by a heating process with calcium at 1450 °C under an argon atmosphere.
Erbium has been used in nuclear technology as a neutron absorber in control rods; as an alloying agent with metals such as vanadium to lower hardness and increase workability; erbium salts are used as a colorant for glass and porcelain; as a dopant in optical fiber amplifiers.
Hazards: Slightly toxic if ingested. Metallic erbium is flammable in the form of dust when exposed to an ignition source. Contact with acids may evolve flammable hydrogen gas.
In addition to the standard products listed in our online catalog, custom shapes and sizes are available upon request. If you have a custom requirement email us at email@example.com or use our custom quote request tool to tell us exactly what you require.


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Changing ocean chemistry threatens the survival of marine life as much as warming temperatures. Understanding the basic chemistry of ocean acidification and the relevant consequences for people and wildlife are keys to effective journalism on an issue of growing importance and interest to media audiences.
Far-reaching implications – a threatened food supply, lost coastal protection, diminished biodiversity, and disrupted carbon cycling – arise from these chemical reactions. The story involves fundamental change within the largest living space on the planet, changes that are happening fast, and right now.
The Basic Chemistry of Ocean Acidification
1. The oceans are not acidic
Acidity or alkalinity of a solution is determined by the amount of hydrogen ions [H+], using the pH scale (pH = -log[H+]).
Pure water has pH 7; solutions below pH 7 are acidic, and above pH 7 are alkaline, or basic. More hydrogen ions lower the pH and increase acidity (decrease alkalinity). Because the pH scale is logarithmic, a one-unit decrease in pH means a 10-fold increase in [H+].
Oceans are slightly alkaline, with pH 8.06. The term ocean acidification refers to the process of moving toward the acid end of the scale, because dissolved carbon dioxide results in increased [H+] lowering the pH of seawater.
2. Oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Over the past 200 years, the oceans have absorbed approximately half of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by human activities, providing long-term carbon storage. Without this sink, the greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere would be much higher, and the planet much warmer. But absorbing the CO2 causes changes in ocean chemistry, namely lowering pH and decreasing carbonate ion (CO32-) concentrations.
3. Carbon dioxide reacts with seawater to decrease pH
Carbon dioxide reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, which releases hydrogen ions, reducing pH. Since industrialization, the pH of ocean surface waters has declined 0.1 units, reflecting a 30 percent increase in acidity. Under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission scenarios, pH by the year 2100 will decline 0.3-0.4 units from the pre-industrial values, reaching a pH in the range of 7.76-7.86.
4. Carbon dioxide reacts with seawater to reduce carbonate ions
The additional hydrogen ions released by carbonic acid bind to carbonate (CO32-) to form bicarbonate (HCO3–), decreasing the amount of carbonate in the water. Since industrialization, surface ocean carbonate concentrations have declined by 10 percent in the tropics and southern ocean.
Less carbonate makes it more difficult for corals, mollusks, echinoderms, calcareous algae and other shelled organisms to form calcium carbonate (CaCO3), their major mineral building block. Also, when carbonate concentrations fall too low, already formed CaCO3 starts to dissolve. So, marine organisms have a harder time making new shells and maintaining the ones they've already got.
5. The changes are big and happening fast
Increased carbon dioxide accelerates weathering (dissolving) of terrestrial rocks. As a result, calcium and carbonate are released into the ocean and, in the past, these releases counteracted acidification.
However, weathering takes thousands of years. Human activities now are leading to releases of carbon dioxide at a rate far greater than the natural cycle can balance. Under "business-as-usual" emissions, pH declines will be three times greater and 100 times faster than that observed between glacial-interglacial periods. Such large changes likely have not been seen on Earth for the past 20 million years.
6. There are multiple types of calcium carbonate
There are three mineral forms of calcium carbonate: magnesium-calcite, aragonite, and calcite. Each form has a different solubility, or tendency to dissolve, in seawater, measured by the saturation state (Ω). That rate in turn depends on the concentration of calcium, carbonate, and the depth (pressure). In the oceans, the concentration of calcium (Ca2+) is relatively constant, so it is the concentration of carbonate (CO32-) that determines formation of calcium carbonate.
Because surface oceans are supersaturated – the calcium carbonate saturation state is greater than one (Ω >1.0) – conditions favor mineral formation. Deeper waters are undersaturated (the saturate state is less than one, Ω <1.0) and calcium carbonate dissolves.
The depth where waters make a transition from supersaturated to undersaturated is called the saturation horizon. Carbon dioxide is also more soluble (dissolves more readily) in colder waters, so oceans near the poles accordingly have more CO2, less carbonate, lower saturation states, and, in general, shallower saturation horizons.
Magnesium-calcite (made by coralline algae), and aragonite (formed by corals and many mollusks), are approximately 50 percent more soluble in seawater than calcite, the form used by foraminifera and coccolithophores, microscopic shelled plankton. These latter species form the base of the food chain in marine temperate (cool) ecosystems and are also a major source of sand in the deep sea. Therefore, calcite stays in mineral form (lasts longer than the other two forms) at deeper depths and with reduced carbonate ion concentrations.
What's the big deal?
1. We are losing calcium carbonate habitat
Reduced carbonate ions lower the saturation state, causing all forms of calcium carbonate to dissolve at shallower depths. Since industrialization, the saturation horizons for all mineral forms of calcium carbonate have become shallower by tens to hundreds of meters. In other words, calcifying organisms, especially those using aragonite and magnesium-calcite, are getting squeezed between the surface and rising saturation horizons. The upwelling currents off the west coast of North America, for instance, have already pushed undersaturated waters with respect to aragonite to the surface. In these regions, aragonite-shelled mollusks have just run out of habitat.
2. Calcification rates are declining
Even if the water remains supersaturated, the rate at which animals can make calcium carbonate slows as carbonate concentration decreases. The effect is to reduce growth and structural integrity of shells and exoskeletons, threatening survival of some corals, mollusks and echinoderms, with consequences for the entire food web.
Ocean acidification causes reduced growth in both corals and coralline algae, threatening reef structures and loss of habitat in one of the planet's most diverse systems. Fewer and weaker reefs mean less coastal protection from storms, lost income and food for more one-billion of the Earth's population dependant on coral reefs for their food supplies, and risks to the $30 billion annual coral reef tourism industry driven mostly by diving.
The reduced growth of mollusks could lead to fewer bivalves like clams and oysters, reducing prey of bivalve-eating mammals and other animals, and adversely affecting multi-billion-dollar fisheries.
The loss of small-shelled plankton at the base of the food chain, including pteropod mollusks and foraminifera, would mean the loss of important prey items for higher trophic levels, such as juvenile pink salmon, which prefer to dine on pteropods. Changes in the planktonic community may also cause more outbreaks of toxic algal blooms or other community effects.
3. Carbon uptake by the oceans may change
Phytoplankton absorb CO2 from surface waters and transform the carbon into sugar during photosynthesis. When these organisms die, their bodies sink, removing CO2 from the surface and storing it as carbon in the deep ocean. This "biological pump" allows more absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere. Predation on sinking particles and calcification rates both affect efficiency of this pump. Predation keeps the carbon from sinking, and organisms release CO2 during calcification. When calcification slows, less CO2 is released, and more can be absorbed by the oceans. However, less calcification may lead to less net sinking of carbon, thus slowing and therefore reducing CO2 uptake at the surface.
It remains unclear which effect may dominate, but either way, ocean acidification affects the capacity for oceans to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, with implications for future climate change.
4. All marine organisms are affected, not just those with shells
Carbon dioxide passes from air into the oceans, and from the oceans into animals, where it changes the internal chemistry of tissues and cells. Different species have different capacities to maintain acid-base balance or adjust to a new pH.
In any case, maintaining that balance requires energy, diverting resources from growth, reproduction, and immune function, with potential long-term consequences for survival of some of those species. In addition, changes in ocean temperature and oxygen levels, also consequences of climate change, may exacerbate the effects of elevated carbon dioxide on organism health or alter processes such as calcification. These synergistic effects, especially long-term consequences for organism physiology, are an active field of current research that currently receives far too little attention by researchers, funders and the media.
Additional Resources
More detailed explanations of the chemistry involved with ocean acidification can be found at RealClimate and the Ocean Acidification Network
Recent studies on changing calcium carbonate saturation states of the oceans can be found in:
Feely et al., 2004. Impact of Anthropogenic CO2 on the CaCO3 System in the Oceans. Science 305:362.
Feely et al., 2008. Evidence for upwelling of corrosive "acidified" water onto the continental shelf. Sciencexpress. May 22, 2008. 10.1126/science.1155676.
Orr et al., 2005. Anthropogenic ocean acidification over the twenty-first century and its impact on calcifying organisms (pdf). Nature 437:4095.
References regarding policy and legislation:
The Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2007 (S. 1581) is pending before the U.S. Senate. For details see www.govtrack.us and www.hillheat.com.
Schubert et al., 2006. "The Future Oceans: warming up, rising high, turning sour" (pdf – 123 pages) (Special Report of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), 2006).
Hood et al., 2008, "How is ocean acidity changing?".
Meehl et al., in Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. (pdf – 21 pages) Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Cambridge University Press, New York, 2007).
Marah Hardt is a post-doctoral research fellow at Blue Ocean Institute, NY where she researches and writes about the effects of climate change on marine life. Carl Safina, author and President of Blue Ocean Institute, writes and speaks extensively about how oceans are changing and what those changes mean for wildlife and for people.


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India: Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), composite
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), composite
|Latest value
|August 2023
|index points
|Markit Economics
For that indicator, we provide data for India from July 2017 to August 2023. The average value for India during that period was 52.6 index points with a minimum of 7.2 index points in April 2020 and a maximum of 61.9 index points in July 2023. Click on the following link to see the values of Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), composite around the world.
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
Recent values
Longer historical series
index points
Source: Markit Economics
Source: Markit Economics
Definition: The composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) is an indicator of economic health for manufacturing and service sectors. The purpose of the PMI is to provide information about current business conditions to company decision makers, analysts and purchasing managers. Each country PMI survey for the manufacturing or service sector is based on questionnaire responses from panels of senior purchasing executives (or similar) at over 400 companies. The composite PMI is a number from 0 to 100. A PMI above 50 represents an expansion when compared with the previous month. A PMI reading under 50 represents a contraction, and a reading at 50 indicates no change.