text:
Significance of the Practices of the Prophet (Sunna) for Modern People:
A Study of the Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi
By: Dr. Zaprulkhan, M.S.I*
- Introduction
This article discusses Nursi's ideas on significance of the Practices of the Prophet for modern people. In the present day, many modern people deal with some problems such as spiritual crisis (existential vacuum), moral degradation, and so on. On the other hand, according Said Nursi, Practices of the Prophet are all highly beneficial remedies for sicknesses of the spirit, mind, and heart, and particularly for social sicknesses. Accordingly, Practices of the Prophet could give the best solution for modern people problems, both individual sicknesses and social sicknesses. Before proposing Said Nursi's perspective about significance of sunna, the paper forwards epistemological questions: How were the meaning and function of sunna according to Said Nursi? How are the urgent problems of modern people? What is the significance of Practices of the Prophet for modern people in the view of Said Nursi?
The answer of these questions will determine the significance of the Practices of the Prophet in our era and in the future. Accordingly, I do hope this paper would be a valuable work for islamic studies since it can make a significanct contribution to Practices of the Prophet as a solution for our problems in the present day and in the future. But in presenting this topic, I would like to quote many passages from Said Nursi's concepts in The Risale-i Nur, for they describe his briliant ideas clearly.
- The Meaning and Function of Sunna
The Practices of the Prophet (Sunna) is the record of the messenger's every act, word, and confirmation, as well as the second source of Islamic legislation and life (the Qur'an is the first-one).[1] God sent the Prophet Muhammad as His messenger to instruct all people how to obey and to follow His guidance. What the prophet did was to explain, to inform and to give some examples. Everything from the prophet was considered as the sunna or prophet's tradition, and it is the second source of Islamic teaching. Therefore, what the prophet did and said and also what his companions did and he agreed to all of these are the sources of Islam.[2]
In Said Nursi's view, there are degrees in the Practices of the Prophet (PBUH): some are compulsory; these may not be given up. Another sort are voluntary and these are of two sorts: one sort are those Practices of the Prophet (PBUH) that concern worship. The other sort are called "conduct" (adab). This sort is to follow the Messenger's (Peace and blessings be open him) actions in customary, natural acts and dealings, which are known through unanimous reports. For example, there are numerous Practices showing the conduct of speaking, and explaining the principles of the conduct of eating, drinking, and sleeping, and concerning social relations. Practices of this sort are called "conduct". One who follows this conduct transforms his habitual actions into worship and receives significant effulgence from the conduct. Practising the smallest aspect of such conduct recalls God's Noble Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him), and impart a light to the heart.[3]
According to Said Nursi, there are many functions of Sunna. But here, I would like to mention some of them. Firstly, as spiritual compass. As spiritual compass, the Practices of the Prophet could save human being from doubts, scruples, and anxietes.[4] Man has so many disposition in this life. One of their disposition is to attach their heart, feeling, and thought to this world only.[5] They hesitate, neglect, and even forget the life of hereafter.
But according to the Prophet, this wordly life is just a short stage of our life. Then there is the other life. The first life and the second life are separated by the death stage, which is a transitory stage between the stage of the first and the stage of the second life. The type of the second life a person deserves depends on his deeds in the first life. At the end of the death stage comes the Day of Judgment. On this day, God rewards or punishes people according to their deeds in the first life.
The practices of the Prophet, tells us about this future with all of its mysteries. In Nursi's word: Our Prophet speaks truly about a future in comparison with which the future in this world is like a tiny mirage. And he tells most seriously of a happiness in comparison with which all worldly happiness is but a fleeting flash of lightning in relation to an eternal sun.[6] From this perspective, the Practices of the Prophet become spiritual compass in spiritual journey.
Secondly, as guidance, that is to guide people to know and service of God.[7] We were not created only to eat, drink, and reproduce; these are natural fact of our life and natural needs. Our main purpose is to recognize and serve God. All Prophets were sent to show us how to do this: We never sent a Messenger before you except that We revealed to him: "There is no god but I, so serve Me".[8] And: "We sent forth among every nation a Messenger, saying: "Serve God, and eschew taghut [idol and tyrants, Satan and his followers]". Then some of them God guided and some were justly disposed to misguidance".[9]
God sent Prophets to guide us to His service. Their missions were the same. However, whereas the earlier Prophets were sent to their own people and for a set period, Prophets Muhammad was sent as a mercy to humanity and jinn, and for all time.[10] Morover, the Practices of the Prophet can give us guidance to distinguish what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong, what is allowable and what is prohibited, what is the mistaken path and what is the right path.
Thirdly, to be the best example for all human being. From the Practices of the Prophet, we know the best example for whatever we do in this life. We know God, the creator, from the Practices of the Prophet. They taught us love and brother hood. They asked all muslims to be polite and to be kind to others. They asked all muslims to love children and to respect elders. They stopped people from doing harm to others. It gave the best example to all muslims to be always truthful. They taught all muslims how to behave at home, how to behave with our parents, brothers, sisters, friends, reighbours, and strangers. Indeed, the Practices of the Prophet are the best example for all men and women in all parts of the world and for all times. To put in Nursi's word: "The most acceptable, the most direct, and the shortest among the ways of obeying Him is without doubt the way God's Beloved showed and folloed."[11]
Fourthly, to establish balance. At a time when some people lived in monasteries and others drowned in luxury, Prophets Muhammad came with the Qur'anic intruction: Seek the Last Abode amidst that which God has given you, and do not forget your portion of the present world.[12] All Prophets came to establish balance between the material and spiritual life, reason and soul, this world and the next, and indulgence and abstinence. While we should declare all that God has bestowed on us to show our gratitude and due praise for Him: And as for your Lord's blessing and bounty, declare it,[13] we must not forget that we will have to account for every good we enjoy (Then you shall be questioned that day concering every goog you enjoy.[14]
In Nursi's view, because the Prophet was created with a most moderate character and in the most perfect form, his actions and rest all proceeded on moderation and equanimity.[15] Nursi gave some examples about this moderation: for example, free of wiliness and stupidity, which are the excess and deficiency, like the corruption and darkness, of the power of reason, his reasoning faculty always functioned with wisdom, the middle way and means of moderation. Similarly, far from rage and cowardice, which are the corruption of the power of anger and its excess and deficiency, his power of anger was always employed with sacred courage, which is the middle way and means of moderation of that power. And so too, purified of licentiousness and frigidity, which are the excess and deficiency of the power of animal appetites and its corruption, his power of passion always took chasteness, the means of moderation of that power, as guide, at the degree of maximum virtuousness.[16]
Fifthly, to cure spiritual problems. For Nursi, the Practices of the Prophet not only taught people how to behave with our God, other people, and universe, but also could cure mental, moral, and spiritual problems. Nursi really believed that the Practices of the Prophet are all highly beneficial remedies for sicknesses of the spirit, mind, and heart, and particulary for social sicknesses, and that matters put forward by philosophy cannot take their place.[17]
Sixthly, to keep Prophet's traditions when they are corrupted. It is so important for us to keep the Practices of the Prophet when innovations are prevalent. According to Nursi, following the Practices of the Prohet is certainly most valuable, and it is even more valuable to follow them when innovations are prevalent. Particulary when the Prophet's Community is corrupted, to comply with a small matter of conduct of the Practices signifies a powerful belief and fear of God. Following the Practices directly recalls the Noble Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him), and such recollection and remembrance are transformed into recollection of the Devine Presence. The moment the Practices complied with in even least significant dealings, in the conduct of eating, drinking, or sleeping, such habitual, natural acts become meritorious acts worship in compliance with the Shari'a. For through such commonplace actions a person thinks of following Gos's Noble Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him) and conceives of them as conduct of the Shari'a. Then he recalls that he is the owner of the Shari'a. And from that his heart turns to Almighty God, the True Lawgiver, and he gains a sort of awareness of the Divine Presence and a sense of worship.[18]
Seventhly, to gain happiness in this world and in the life hereafter. For Nusrsi, the Practices of the Prophet are so comprehensive and true guidance to be followed by all people. Whoever tries to follow the Practices of the Prophet, he will gain complete advantages for this life and for the life hereafter. Because, the Practices of the Prophet, show us how to be successful for eternal life and for worldly life.[19] In other word, the Practices of the Prophet, not only tell us how to get success in this world, but also how to get success in the next world. Thus, by following the Practices of the Prophet, we will gain the true happiness: happiness in this world and in the life hereafter.
- The Urgent Problems of Modern People
There are so many urgent problems of modern people. But, here I'am going to mention some of them that are relevant with the Practices of the Prophet.
- Spiritual Crisis.
From Martin E. P. Seligman's point of view, The Director of the positive psychology Network, so many modern people trap in spiritual crisis. The belief that we can rely on shortcuts to happiness, joy, rapture, comfort, and ecstasy, rather than be entitled to these feelings by the exercise of personal strengths and virtues, leads to legions of people who in the middle of great wealth are starving spiritually.[20]
Before Seligman's view about the problems of modern people, Seyyed Hosein Nasr noted that spiritual crisis was one of the urgent problems of modern people. According to Nasr, the world is still seen as devoid of a spiritual horizon, not because there is no such horizon present, but because he who views the contemporary landscape is most often the man who lives at the rim of the wheel of existence and therefore views all things from the periphery. He remains indifferent to the spoken and completely oblivious of the axix or the Centre, which nevertheless remains ever accessible to him through them.[21] For Nasr, modern man has burned his hand in the fire which he himself kindled when he allowed himself to forget who he is.[22]
In the word of Thomas Moore, most modern people have lost their soul. For Thomas Moore, the great malady of the twentieth century, implicated in all of our troubles and affecting us individually and socially, is "loss of soul". When soul in neglected, it doesn't just go away; it appears symptomatically in obsessions, addictions, violence, and loss of meaning. Our temptation is to isolate these symptoms or to try to eradicate them one by one; but the root problem is that we have lost our wisdon about the soul, evem our interest in it.[23] Even, Thomas Moore noted some crisis of modern people, such as emptiness, meaning lessness,vague depression, disillusionment about marriage, family, and relationship, a loss of values, yearning for personal fulfillment, and a hunger for spirituality.[24]
According to some experts, there are some reasons that trigger spiritual crisis. First, pleasure-oriented. Modern people only make their orientation to physical pleasure. A contemporary psychiatrist from New York, Dan Baker, describes that in the third millenium there are so many riches looking for physical joy, but they don't find out satisfaction and happiness. Moreover, most of them feel boring in their lives. Psychologist calls this phenomenon as hedonic treadmill. Hedonic treadmill means that the more someone consumes physical needs, the more he needs them.[25]
Second, riches/money-oriented, that is orientation to rich or collect money only. After doing reasearch move than ten years, David Myers reports about American people in his unique book under the title: The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an Age of Plenty. Myers noted that American has good schools, good livings, a big library in each village, good foot, guaranted security, and good air. They have big malls, beautiful recreation place, pretty women, big living and wide chance of bussiness. But in the midst of the prosperity, Myers find out missery. In one chapter of that book, Myers describes American paradox under unique title too: money and misery.[26]
Moreover, Myers finds out the same phenomenon in other countries, such as Canada, Swedia, Germany, France, and England. Financially they are rich people, but they are bankrupt spiritually. For they, money and wealth are not solution of the problem, but part of the problem it self. Indeed, money and wealth can not buy happiness.[27]
Third, success-oriented. Nowdays many people believe that they could become happy if they are successful in their career. Daniel Goleman makes reasearch to top executive that are successful in their career. Goleman finds out that so many top executive become successful materially and socially but they fail spiritually. The drive to establish ourselves and make our mark in the world is most urgent in our twenties and thirties, and into our forties.
But by our mid-forties or early fifties people typically reevaluate their goals, because they often come to the radical realization that life is limited. With this acknowledgment of mortality comes a reconsideration of what really matters.[28] These people begin trying to find more fulfilling livelihoods. In Goleman's word, that is because they don't have self-awareness and don't follow their innerrudder. Consequently, they feel spiritual crisis, existential vacuum.
- Moral Decadence (moral degradation)
Moral decadence can be described as the deterioration or decline of moral and ethical traditions. This happens when other things like vices are put before poeple, honesty, integrity and moral values.[29] This includes drug, abuse due to peer pressure, criminal activities, corruption, suicide, and many more. Life in the twenty firts centurys really different than before. Unfortunately, we will feel difficult to see anything positive in all developments of or way of life. Technology becomes better and makes our life easier, but most people don't bocome better in their morality.
Many people commit suicide, corruption, drug abase, free sex, drinking, and so on. In big cities, the changes of social life have continuously increased the number of teenage suicides. Those who are not quite intelligent feel unhappy in high competitions for jobs and education. This kind of feeling often leads them to negative thought. They think that is not worth living. They feel worried and sometimes frustrated of being unable to meet various kind of requirements. These young people feel hopeless and helpless. They do not know ho to find a better way giving up.[30]
The phenomenon of corruption has complex reasons that include flaws in legal system, the lack of democratic traditions and political accountability, social and economic difficulties, and low pay for public officials. Corruption affects people's lives in a multitude of ways. In the worst cases, corruption cost people's lives. In countless other cases, it costs their freedom, health, or money. It is becoming an international problem due to increasing level of globalization and international trade.[31]
Youth drug abuse is a serious problem also nowadays in many cultures. Not only is illegal drug use on the rise, but children as young as ten years old are experimenting with alcohol and tobacco. The widespread availability of drugs means teenagers are faced with the tempation to experiment. Drugs are used as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressures they face in society.
The effects of drugs abuse are well known. Many young people's talents are wasted, and addiction to hard drugs can coast a user his or her life. Furthermore, those who drink and drive may be involved in fatal road accidents. The cost to society is great, and enormous amounts of money are spent on convicting drug dealers and on education programmes. Furthurmore, most young children commit free sex in most developed and developing countries. In short, according Hassan Hanafi, nowadays there are acute value crisis or ethical crisis both in western countries and in eastern countries.[32]
Actually Said Nursi confesses that western civilization caused immorality or moral degradation. Said Nursi describes that western civilization bases on five negative principles:
"Its point of support is force instead of right, and the mark of force is aggression and hostility, and their result is treachery.
Its goal is mean self-interest of virtue, and the mark of self-interest is rivalry and dispute, and their result, crime.
Its law of life is conflict instead of co-operation, and the mark of conflict is this: contention and mutual repulsion, and their result, poverty.
Its principle for relations between peoples is racialism, which flourishes through harming others and is nourished through devouring others.
The mark of negative nationalism and racialism is ghastly clashes, disastrous collisions, and their result, annihilation.
The fifth is this: its alluring service is to excite lust and the appetites of the soul and facilitate the gratification of whims, and their result is vice.
The mark of lust and passion is always this: they transform man into a beast, changing his character; they deform him, perverting his humanity.
If most of these civilized people were turned inside out, you would see their characters in the form of apes and foxes, snakes, bears, and swine."[33]
- The Significance of Sunna for Modern People
First, spiritual peace contribution for modern people. As mentioned above, one of the urgent problem of modern people is spiritual crisis. This problem is caused by their loving to this world so much. Many modern people trap in pleasure-oriented, money-oriented, and success-oriented. They put and cling their heart to this world. That's why they feel spiritual crisis.
Whereas the Practices of the Prophet taught us to love God only. In Said Nursi's view, man was created with an infinite innate love for the universe's Creator. For included in human nature is love of beauty, worship of perfection, and love of bestowal. Man's love increases in accordance with the degrees of beauty, perfection, an bestowal, reaching the furthest degrees of ecstatic love.[34]
For Said Nursi, since inherent in human nature is such an infinite capacity to love bestowal, beauty, and perfection; and since the universe's Creator possesses infinite sacred beauty, the existence of which is self-evidently established by His works apparent in the universe; and since He possesses infinite holy perfection, the existence of which is necessarily proved by the embroideres of His art to be seen in beings; and since He is the owner of infinite bounties, the existence of which is certainly, indeed, self-evidently established by the infinite varieties of His bestowal and bounties to be observed in living creatures; these surely demand infinite love from man, who is the most comprehensive, the most needy, the most thoughtful, and the most yearning of conscious being.[35]
But when man only puts his heart's infinite capacity to this temporal world, he will suffer, they will face existential vacuum (spiritual crisis), the fundamental crisis of humanity. Said Nursi described this principle in logical words: "In respect of the comprehensiveness oh his nature, man is connected with virtually all beings, and in addition, a boundless capacity to love has been included in his nature. For these reasons man nurtures love towards all being. As he loves the huge world as though it were a house, so he loves eternal Paradise as though it were a garden. However, the beings he loves do not stop, they depart, and he constantly suffers the pain of separation.
That boundless love of his becomes the means of boundless torment. The fault in suffering such torment is his, for his heart infinite capacity to love was given so that he might direct it toward One possessing an infinite undying beauty. By misusing it and spending it on transitory beings, he has done wrong and suffers the punishment for his fault due to the pain of separation."[36] So human beings are not only material being, but also spiritual being. In Karen Armstrong's words, this because human beings are spiritual animals. They are not only Homo sapiens, but also Homo religiosus.[37]
Here, Said Nursi gives us subtle reason: because we have infinite innate love for our God, when we put our love just for this world, we will suffer, we will feel spiritual crisis. In onother of his writing, Said Nursi explains that if man relies on his ego, and making worldly life his goal, attempts to taste temporary pleasures while struggling to make his living, he becomes submerged within an extremely constricted sphere, then departs. All the members, systems, and faculties given him will testify against him at the resurrection and will bring a suit against him. Whereas if he knows himself to be a guest and spends the capital of his life within the sphere of permission of the Generous One of Whom he is the guest, he will strive for a long, eternal life within a broad sphere, then take his rest and ease. And later, he may rise to the highest of the high.[38]
Because all the wonderful faculties given to men were not for this insignificant worldly, but for an ever lasting life of great significance. Therefore, if we keep using our wonderful faculties from God for this insignificant worldly life only, Nursi states in convincing word: in short who ever makes this fleeting life his purpose and aim is in fact in Hell even if apparently in paradise.[39] And "One who recognizes Him and obeys Him is fortunate even if he is in prison. While one who forgets Him is wretched and prisoner even if he resides in a palace."[40]
Moroever, when we love this temporal world and we regard this world eternal, it is like we love the image that appears in the mirror. Said Nursi explains this comparison in the best style: "If you have a mirror in your hand which you hold up to a house or a town or a garden, the image of the house, town or garden will appear in the mirror. If the tiniest movement or smallest change occur to the mirror, the images become confused and distorted. The fact that the actual house, town or garden outside the mirror continue and are constant is of no avail to you, for the house in the mirror in your hand and your town and garden are only in the scale and proportions which the mirror gives you.
Your life is the mirror. The support and mirror of your world and its centre is your life. Every minute it is possible that the house and town and garden will die and be destroyed, their condition is such that any minute they may collapse on your head and your doomsday will come. Since it is thus, do not burden this life and world of yours with loads they cannot raise and support!."[41]
From this analogy, Said Nursi suggests us to love God only. But this doesn't mean that we cannot love other things like money, our house, our families, our friends dam companions, fruith, delicious foods and alike. We can love oll these things in the name of God, for the sake of God. I cannot express about this principle as beautiful as Said Nursi does:
"We do not tell you not to love the things you enumerated, but rather to love them for God Almighty's sake and in the name of His love. For example, to love delicious foods and luscious fruits as being the bounty of God Almighty, the All-Merciful and Compassionate One, is to love His Names of All-Merciful and Bestower of Bounties, and, moreover, takes on the meaning of thanks. This love is to seek gain contentedly within the sphere of the licit, which shows that it is not only for the sake of the instinctual soul but is in the name of the All-Merciful One. It is to eat thoughtfully and with gratitude.
Furthermore, love and respect for parents, when for the sake of the wisdom and mercy that compassionately fitted you out and caused them to bring you up with tender care, pertain to God Almighty's love. The sign that this love, respect and compassion are for God's sake is that when they are old and are of no more use to you and bring you only trouble and difficulty, you are even more loving, kind and compassionate towards them.[42]
To love and protect children with perfect compassion and tenderness because they are gifts of the All-Compassionate and Generous One once agin pertains to God. The sign indicating that that love is for Almighty God's sake is patience and thankfulness should they die, rather than crying out in despair. It is to say, "He was a lovable little being created and owned by my Creator, Who entrusted him to my supervision. Now that His wisdom requires it to be thus, He has taken him from me, taken him to a better place. If I had one apparent share in that little creature, a thousand true shares belonged to his Creator". It is to submit saying, "All authority is with God".
As for friends and acquaintances, if they are friends of God Almighty by reason of their belief and good works, according to the meaning of "love for God's sake" that love, too, pertains to God. Furthermore, love and cherish your wife as a companionable and gracious gift of divine mercy. But do not fasten your love to her physical beauty, which swiftly fades.[43]
To love the prophets and saints as God Almighty's most esteemed bondsmen is to do so for the sake and in the name of God Almighty, and from that point of view it pertains to Him. And to love and preserve life as most precious wealth and capital that will gain eternal life, and a comprehensive treasury yielding eternal perfections which Almighty God has given to you and to all humanity, and to employ it in His service, is, once again, in one respect, love that pertains to the True Object of Worship.
Also, to admire, love and put to proper use the grace and beauty of youth as being a fine, sweet and beautiful bounty of Almighty God is a sort of licit and thankful love. And to love the spiring thoughtfully as being the page of the subtlest and most beautiful inscriptions of Almighty God's luminous Names and the most finely adorned and glittering exhibition of the All-Wise Maker's antique art is to love His names. And to love this world as being the tillage for the hereafter, as a mirror of the Divine Names and a Missive of God Almighty, and as a temporary guest house, on condition that the evil-commanding soul does not interfere, is to do so for God Almighty's sake.
In short: Love this world and the creatures in it as pointing to a meaning beyond themselves, like a word. Do not love them just for themselves. Say, "How beatifully they have been made". Do not say, "How beautiful they are". Do not give any apportunity to other loves to enter into your inner heart because the inner heart is the mirror of the Eternally Besought One and pertains only to Him. Say, "O God, grant us love for You, and love for that which will draw us closer to You".[44] Thus when we love all these things in the name of God, it means that we love our God too.
But in Said Nursi's outlook, love of God has to be followed by following the Practices of Muhammad. Why? "For to love God is to do what pleases Him, and the things that please Him are manifested in most perfect form in the person of Muhammad (PBUH)".[45]
Furthermore, for Said Nursi, there are two aspects of resembling Muhammad's (PBUH) actions and deeds. (First): Obeying Almighty God's commands in respect of loving Him and within the bounds of what pleases Him necessitates following them, for the most perfect leader in such matters is the person of Muhammad (PBUH).
(Second): Since the person of Muhammad (PBUH) is a most important means to innumerable Divine favours for man, he is surely worthy of boundless love for the sake of Almighty God. If man is capable of resembling someone he loves, by nature he wants to do so. This definitely necessitates that those who love God's Beloved try to resemble him by following his Illustrious Practices.[46]
Said Nursi based his argument on this verse: "If you do love God, follow me: God will love you."[47] From this verse, he concludes: "Since you love God, you will act in the manner He loves. To do that, you must resemble the one God loves, and he may be resembled by following him. Whenever you follow him, God will love you too."[48] From all argumentations above, it is clear that if we want to cure our problem in spiritual crisis nowadyas, we must practice the Practices of the Prophet.
Second, ethical contribution to the society undergoing moral degradation. The Practices of the Prophet with their universal values, I really believe can give real contribution and guidance for modern people. For our Prophet brought the divine message and gave the best examples in all aspect of life to all mankind, not only to any one people or to a particular geographical area. God sent His beloved Prophet Muhammad to all peoples, all countries, and all the time. That's why his masses therefore including all humanity. God has declared in Qur'an: "We have not sent you but as a universal (Messenger) to men,"[49] and "We sent you not, but as a mercy to all the worlds."[50] And our beloved Prophet stated: "I was sent to perfect morality."[51]
If we consider from this point of view, we will realize that whatever our Prophet Practices is not only universal values, but also beneficial for all humanity in all the time. In one of his writing, Letters, Said Nursi gives the reason about the universality of the Practices of the Prophet: "Since the highest and best moral qualities, the most elevated and perfect attributes, and the most precious and acceptable virtues were present in his self, his duties, and his religion, for sure, that being was the exemplar, model, personification, and master of the perfections and elevated moral qualities in beings. In which case, these perfections in his self, his duty, and his religion form a support for his veracity and truthfulness so powerful that it can in no way be shaken".[52]
From above we know that Said Nursi bases his ethical conceps on Qur'an and the best morality of the Prophet Muhammad. He also connects his ethics from Qur'an to civilization and names it Qur'anic civilizaton. He expresses five positive principles of Qur'anic civilization in conclusive words:
"Its point of support is truth instead of force, and the constant mark of truth is justice and balance. Security and well-being result from these, and villainy disappears.
Its aim is virtue instead of self-interest, and the mark of virtue is love and mutual attraction. Happiness results from these, and enmity disappears.
Its principles in life is co-operation instead of conflict and killing, and its mark is unity and solidarity, and the community is strengthened.
Its service takes the form of guidance and direction instead of lust and passion. And the mark of guidance is progress and prosperity in way befitting humanity;
The spirit is illumined and perfected in the way it requires. The way it unifies the masses repulses racialism and negative nationalism;
It establishes in place of them the bonds of religion, patriotic relations, ties of class, and the brotherhood of belief."[53]
Then Said Nursi also bases his ethics on belief: belief in God and in the hereafter.[54] For if this belief does not apply in society, vices like malice, self-interest, false pretences, selfishness, artificiality, hypocrisy, bribery, and deception will dominate, displacing sincerity, cordiality, virtue, zeal, self-sacrifice, seeking God's pleasure and the reward of the hereafter, which are bases of good conduct and morality. Anarchy and savagery will govern under the superficial order and humanity, poisoning the life of the town. The children will become troublemakers, the youth will take to drink, the strong will embark on oppression, and the elderly start to weep.[55]
On the contrary, if this belief rules the society, true respect, earnest commpassion, disinterested love, mutual assistance, honest service and social relations, unhypocritical charity, virtue, modest greatness, and excellence will all start to develop.[56]
From these principles, modern people can follow the Practices of the Prophet because they are the best courtesy. Almighty God has decreed in the Holy Qur'an: "And you (stand) on an exalted standard of character."[57] According to sound narrations, when a distinguished Companion like Aisha the Veracious (May God ne pleased with her) described the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him), she would say: "His character is the Qur'an". That is to say. "Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) is the exemplar of the fine moral qualities described in the Qur'an. He conforms to them more than anyone, and his nature was created in accordance with them".
Thus, while the deeds, states, words, and actions of such a person are each worthy to be a model for mankind, how unfortunate are those heedless members of his Community who believe in him yet give no importance to his Practices or want to change them, as even lunatics may understand.[58]
While our beloved Prophet said: "My Sustainer taught me good conduct, and how well he taught me". For Said Nursi, one who studies the Prophet's biography and knows his Practices will certainly understand that Almighty God gathered together in His Beloved all the varieties of courtesy and good conduct. One who gives up the Practices abandons courtesy. He verifies the rule, "The ill-mannered person is deprived of Divine favour", and is discourteous in a way that causes him loss.[59] That's why, Said Nursi declared that the Practices of the Prophet are all highly beneficial remedies for sickness of the spirit, mind, and heart, and particulary for social sickness.[60]
From this point of view, it is in this context that the Practices of the Prophet become very significant and find out their relevances. In Said Nursi's view, it is clear that modern people's moral degradation could be cured by the Practices of the Prophet. It is suggested that modern people have to apply them in their daily lives. If modern people always implement the Practices of the Prophet in their daily lives, they (Sunna) will prevent and keep them from trapping in moral degradation in its all aspects. Because the Practices of the Prophet not only teach us how to serve our God, how to behave with others, and how to do the best action in all situations, but also teach us how to abstain from all bad things, including corruptions, drug abuses, free sex, suicides among the young people and alike.
- Conclusion
In her newest book, The Case for God, Karen Armstrong points out clearly that scientific rationality can tell us why we have cancer; it can even cure us of our disease. But it cannot assuage the terror, disappointment and sorrow that come with the diagnosis, nor can it help us to die well. That is not within its remit. That's religion's task. Religion's task was help us to live creatively, peacefully and even joyously with realities for which there were no easy explanations and problems that we could not solve: mortality, pain, grief, despair, and outrage at the injustice and cruelty of life.[61] They need religious intrinsic values. In the present day, people need something spiritual.
As we have elaborated above, In the present day modern people feel spiritual crisis because of pleasure oriented, money oriented, and success oriented. But they forget their religion, their God. Consequently, even though they live richly, they keep feeling existential vacum. Many modern people feel and face spiritual crisis and moral degradation.
In this paper we have discussed about the function of the Practices of the Prophet, the urgent problems of modern people and significance of the Practices of the Prophet for modern people in the view of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi. At this point, Said Nursi brings Islamic religion, specially the Practices of the Prophet to the unhappy and unsanitary society, modern people. In this way, Said Nursi really believes that the Practices of the Prophet could cure the urgent problem of modern people: spiritual crisis and moral degradation.
Finally, I would like to close this paper with the inspiring statements from this Bediuzzaman Said Nursi: "Since as the fruit of following him, millions of the people of perfection have advanced through the degrees of attainment and reached the happiness of both worlds; for sure his Practices and actions are the finest examples to be followed, and the safest guides, and the soundest laws to be adopted as principles. Happy is the one whose share of following the Practices of the Prophet (PBUH) is great".[62]
"If we were to display through our actions the perfections of the morality of Islam and the truths of belief, without doubt the followers of other religions would enter Islam in whole communities; some entire regions and states, even, would take refuge in Islam".[63] And it is Islam that will be the true, and spiritual, ruler over the future, and only Islam that will lead mankind to happiness in this world and the next."[64]
Curriculum Vitae
Name : Zaprulkhan
Under Graduate : State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) 2005.
Post Graduate : State Islamic University (UIN) 2007. His thesis was about Said Nursi's Criticism on Materialism
Doctoral Degree : State Islamic University (UIN) 2011. His Dissertation was about Sufism Reform in Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study of Hamka's and Said Nursi's Perspective on Sufism
Since early of 2009, Dr. Zaprulkhan, M.S.I has been becoming a lecturer in State College for Islamic Studies (STAIN) in Bangka Belitung. He has written eleven books individually and six book co-author.
* Stage College for Islamic Studies (STAIN) Bangka Belitung-Indonesia.
[1] M. Fethullah Gulen, Muhammad the Messenger of God (New Jersey: Tughra Books, 2009), 314.
[2]Muhammad Abu Zahrah, Ushul Fiqih [Indo. trans. Saefullah Ma'shum] (Jakarta: Pustaka Firdaus, 2005), 149-160. Abu Zahrah also divided sunna into three categories: sunna qauliyah, sunna fi'liyah, and sunna taqririyah.
[3] Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Flashes (Istanbul: Sozler Publication, 2000), 85.
[4] Nursi, The Flashes, 82.
[5] Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Words (Istanbul: Sozler Publication, 2002), 604.
[6] Nursi, The Words, 247.
[7] Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, al-Mathnawi al-'Arabi al-Nuri [Tahqiq Ihsan Qasim al-Salihi] (Istanbul: Sozler Yayinevi, 1999), 55.. Here, Nursi pointed out that there are three great and universal things which make known to us our Sustainer: The book of the universe, the Seal of the Prophet, and the Qur'an of Mighty Stature.
[8] Qur'an, 21: 25.
[9] Qur'an, 16: 36.
[10] Gulen, Muhammad the Messenger of God, 25.
[11] Nursi, Flashes, 84.
[12] Qur'an, 28:77.
[13] Qur'an, 93:11.
[14] Qur'an, 102: 8. Gulen, Muhammad the Messenger, 30.
[15] Nursi, Flashes, 92.
[16] Nursi, Flashes, 93.
[17] Nursi, Flashes, 87.
[18] Nursi, Flashes, 81.
[19] Nursi, Flashes, 87.
[20] Martin E. P. Seligman, Authentic Happiness (New York: Free Press, 2002), 8.
[21] Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islam and the Pight of Modern Man (London: Longman Group, 1975), 4.
[22] Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islam and the Pight of Modern Man (New York: Longman Group, 1975), 4 and Sufi Essays (London: Allen and Unwin, 1981), 164-170.
[23] Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1992), h. xi.
[24] Moore, Care of the Soul, xvi
[25] Dan Baker and Cameron Stauth, What Happy People Know (New York: St. Martin Griffin, 2003), 57.
[26] David Myers, The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an Age of Plenty (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002), 136-137.
[27] David Myers, The Pursuit of Happiness (New York: HarperCollins, 2002), 40.
[28] Daniel Goleman, Working with Emotional Intelligence (New York: Bantam Books, 1999), 69.
[29] For detail information about moral, see Muhammad Somali, Relativisme Etika [Indo. trans. Zaimul Am] (Jakarta: Serambi, 2005).
[30] See Jeffrey Lang, Bahkan Malaikat Pun Bertanya [Indo. Trans. Abdullah Ali (Jakarta: Serambi, 2002), 303.
[31] Here I conclude about corruption from Amien Rais, Selamatkan Indonesia (Yogyakarta: PPSK Press, 2008).
[32] Hassan Hanafi, Islam in the Modern World Vol II (Cairo: Dar Keeba Bookshop, 2000), 410-21.
[33] Nursi, The Words, 745.
[34] Nursi, The Flashes, 89.
[35] Nursi, Flashes, 89.
[36] Nursi, Flashes, 29-30.
[37] Karen Armstrong, A History of God (New York: Ballantine Books, 1999), 3.
[38] Nursi, The Words, 333.
[39] Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Short Words, Trans. Sukran Vahide, (Istambul: Sozler nesriyat, 1998), 60.
[40] Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Staff of Moses [Eng. trans] (Istanbul: Sozler Publications, 2006), 28.
[41] Nursi, Flashes, 159.
[42] Nursi, The Words, 668-669.
[43] Nursi, The Words, 669.
[44] Nursi, The Words, 670.
[45] Nursi, Flashes, 90.
[46] Nursi, Flashes, 90-91.
[47] Qur'an, 3: 31.
[48] Nursi, Flashes, 89.
[49] Qur'an, 34: 28.
[50] Qur'an, 21: 107.
[51] Hadith Imam Malik. Quoted from Quraish Shihab, Membaca Sirah Nabi Muhammad Saw (Jakarta: Lentera Hati, 2011), 110.
[52] Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Letters1928-1932 [Eng. trans] (Istambul: Reyhan Offset, 2001), 231.
[53] Nursi, The Words, 745-746.
[54] Said Nursi's fundamental purpose is to construct firmly the foundation of belief that bases on Qur'an and the Practices of the Prophet. For more detail insight, see Sukran Vahide, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, specially Part Two (Istanbul: Sozler Nesriyat, 2000), 187-326.
[55] Said Nursi, The Rays (Istanbul: Sozler Publication, 2006), 246.
[56] Nursi, The Rays, 247.
[57] Qur'an, 68: 4.
[58] Nursi, Flashes, 92.
[59] Nursi, Flashes, 86.
[60] Nursi, Flashes, 87.
[61] Karen Armstrong, The Case for God, 305.
[62] Nursi, Flashes, 92.
[63]Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Damascus Sermon [Eng. trans] (Istanbul:Sozler Publications, 1995), 30.
[64] Nursi, Damascus Sermon, 35.


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Orezi Unveils "Gehn Gehn Music" Company
Popular Nigerian musician, Orezi, has unveiled his new company, Gehn Gehn Music. The company is an all-around entertainment company aimed at changing the business of music in Nigeria.
He intends to use the company as a platform to create better opportunities for upcoming music talents in Nigeria.
He also said that new artistes will be signed to the company in no distant time. In his words, "This company is for me and every upcoming artiste out there, Gehn Gehn Music will be signing artistes in the nearest future".
He hopes to functionally utilize the skills and all he learnt from his previous record labels, Sprisal Entertainment and Culbeed Music, in Gehn Gehn Music.
Orezi is behind the 2017 Afrobeat hit, Cooking Pot which channelled Afrobeat Legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti and addressed social vices like Alcoholism, Rape, Domestic Violence and advocates for consensual sex. The video has been nominated for Best Video AFRIMA 2017.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gareth Malone in Cornwall
Now why would I be standing by the Carnon Downs roundabout holding a sign saying BELLS? No doubt many of the passing drivers were asking the same question.
Eventually one car gave a sharp blast of his horn, turned off and pulled up round the corner. The driver was Gareth Malone of Military Wives Choir fame, and with him was his recording team, sound engineer Steve, cameraman Chris, and publicity agent Zara. They were coming to MY HOUSE!
The story began some ten days earlier when I received a phone call saying that Gareth Malone was looking for a handbell team in Cornwall for his 2016 Christmas Album and they had been given my name. I explained what we did and that we had a wide range of Christmas Carols, imagining that was what was wanted. Several phone calls later I discovered that Gareth wanted handbells on two tracks, "O come all ye faithful" and "Happy Christmas war is over.". I said that we played from number notation and would need to transpose the music. We received a backing track and the music on Saturday and had one practise on the Monday (not good!!). Recording was to take place in my lounge on Thursday. As you can imagine we were excited but rather apprehensive.
The day of the recording was to be a never forgotten experience. Gareth and his team had flown in from Belfast that morning and by 3 o' clock were turning my lounge into a recording studio. I had set out the bells in advance, so it was a case of setting up microphones and recording equipment.
By half past three we were invaded by BBC Spotlight, Radio Cornwall, ITV Southwest and Country Life magazine all wanting to interview Gareth Malone about his Christmas Album. They also asked for my thoughts on how I felt about being part of the project and meeting with Gareth. It was somewhat of a shock for the handbell ringers when they arrived to find TV cameras everywhere. All the interviews and publicity took quite a time but eventually we were left in peace to begin recording.
We had all seen Gareth Malone working with various choirs on television, now he was going to be working with us! He was just as we had seen him, enthusiastic, patient and always encouraging.
The music was slow (12/8 time), we had to be spot on with our timing to fit in with the backing track, so it required many takes, I lost count of how many. We recorded it piece by piece until it was absolutely right.
All the members of the team have their own personal memories of the day. Sue Green said "it was an honour to be asked to play for such a prestigious conductor ‒ such a super person, that smile says it all. An unforgettable experience."
Lyn Chapman wrote on facebook "Thanks Gareth from all the Perranarworthal Handbells. It was so exciting recording, and we can't believe we were actually being conducted by you."
Anne Richardson said "Spent the evening with my handbell group and Gareth Malone recording his Christmas album ‒ Couldn't have dreamt it up ‒ AMAZING!".
Look at the photos!


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When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" ~Mark 16:1-3
In the quiet of the weekend, the wondering and weeping must have been so great. The counting down of hours until she could run to His tomb and finish preparing His body correctly for final burial weighed heavily on her heart. She owed Him so much, for He had freed her from the bondage of demons hell-bent on destroying her mind. As she neared the tomb with her friend Mary, her arms were full of what she needed to finish loving her Teacher, and her spirit lagged with the weight of grief and loss.
Glancing up towards her goal, Mary Magdalene's heart thudded and her breath stopped. Terror mixed with anger coursed through her body at that moment. The stone was moved! The grave had already been opened! Seemingly dead guards littered the entrance. Running now with desperation towards the tomb, the women entered, frantic to find His body and ensure that it hadn't been desecrated.
As she ran into the tomb, her eyes darted around taking in the sight of empty linen cloths, the folded face cloth, the empty tomb. Nothing made sense, and grief mixed with bile as she turned quickly to go tell the Simon Peter and John.
She returned to the tomb later, drawn to the last place Jesus had been. Desperate for answers, perhaps looking around for clues, her heart was clinging to hope that the body would reappear so that she could finish honoring Him. She peered in once more. Two men in white now occupied the tomb, sitting one at the head and one at the foot of where He had lain. Imagine her terror and outrage!
But what came next is the beauty of God's grace and pursuit of us!
"He is not here, for He has risen, as He said." The pronouncement catches her breath. Processing this truth, quietly weeping and turning to go home, she spies the gardener. He asks her why she is so full of grief. Perhaps wondering whether he knew the secret to where His body had been stowed, she poured out her heart, promising to care for the body if someone would just let her have it. She was frantic, almost hysterical, sobbing the cries that catch in your throat and make it hard to breathe.
"Mary." What must that word have sounded like to her ears? She knew immediately at that moment who this man was. Not only did she know Him, but she also began to worship Him. The understanding of all that had happened flashed through her mind, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place. She was given the great privilege of being the first witness of our risen Lord and the first messenger of the Good News.
"I have seen the Lord."
She had followed him throughout His ministry, listening and gleaning truth from Him. No doubt she yearned to understand all He taught, and she accompanied Him all the way to the cross. We see her at the foot of His cross, grieving as she stayed with Him, refusing to run or hide, clearly aligning herself with this King of the Jews. By all her actions, we see a woman who knew Jesus was more than just a man, more than just a righteous teacher, yet not until the garden does the complete picture of Jesus become clear.
But He knew her. He knew her heart, how she would be processing all that had happened, and He pursues her. He walks straight up to Mary Magdalene and tends to her heart. And He pursues you and me as well. He knows our needs, the cries of our hearts, and seeks to show us the truth of walking with Him. He has conquered every heartache, every dark sin, every place of bondage and ache, and He calls your name in love.


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Chopard Green Carpet Collection 2014 watch in white Fairmined gold and featuring a case fully set with marquise cut diamonds (7.35ct).
We use our own and third party cookies to improve your experience and our services. If you continue, we consider that you accept their use. You can get more information on your website at cookies policy.


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Total plays:
Welcome, You can play I Am President free online flash games On mzbox.com, now, this game have 359 total plays, have rating 0 good and 0 bad. Fun and happy day. Play I Am President game, you may need to download Flash Player or Shockwave Player browser is not installed will be prompted.
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Plan online free car games, car racing games, parking games, truck games and other games.


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Ten Waterways Managers will be replaced by six Regional Directors (What will become of the Waterways Managers?) and ten Waterway Partnerships chairs replaced with six Regional Advisory Board Chairs (Regional Advisory Boards replace Waterway Partnerships). At the same time, the Trust intends to rebrand itself replacing its 'swan sanctuary' logo with a new one - at a cost of £2 million, if disgruntled staff are to be believed.
A month ago, The Floater reported that a serious complaint had been made to the Information Commissioner (Complaint to Information Commissioner over fake document as C&RT blames junior member of staff), which could potentially result in court action against the Trust and one or more of its employees. That complaint has been fast-tracked, with a senior case officer now awaiting a response from the Trust before deciding how to proceed.
The information request that led to the complaint also asked for financial information relating to Eat Midlands Waterway Partnership Three Year Action Plan. This was because C&RT's Trustees were informed:
'Partnerships are working on the assumption that they will have to secure funding for projects in their Action Plans. With local knowledge and contacts they may be able to forge new partnerships and secure significant grants to fund their projects. However, the Trust may choose to provide match funding for strategic initiatives on a project-by-project basis. Work is in hand to establish the costs of the Action Plans at a macro level, for the guidance of Trustees, and indicative funding sources. These estimates will be part of the SWP [i.e. the ten yearStategic Waterway Plan].'
Based on that, C&RT were asked to provide details of funding secured by East Midlands Waterways Partnership for Action Plan projects, match funding provided by C&RT and any other funds provided by the Trust.
C&RT's initial response was that the East Midlands Partnership had secured no funding itself over three years but that it had provided the £189,000 of match funding over the three years of the plan. Fairly obviously, if East Midlands WP had secured no funding for Action Plan Projects then C&RT could not match fund this with £189,000!
C&RT eventually admitted, that the £189,000 was not match funding but was 'other funding' provided to the Partnership to carry out its activities. Furthermore, these activities were not necessarily linked to to the Partnership's Three Year Action Plan published in 2014.
Other requests, have now resulted in figures for all Waterways Partnerships being provided, and they make disturbing reading: -
Worse still, the majority of this funding provided appears to be unrelated to Three Year Action Plans, some of which the Trust says it no longer holds.
A bizzare outcome of this fiasco is that that two of those responsible for telling the board that Waterways Partnerships would become largely self funding, have been promoted. Head of Planning, Heather Clarke was later given a directorship and more recently additional responsibilities as Strategy, Impact & Engagement Director.
Head of Enterprise, Julie Sharman, was also given a directorship. More recently she has been appointed Chief Operating Officer and is masterminding the reversal of Richard Parry's centralisation policies of 2014.
With six Regional Advisory Boards now set to replace the Waterway Partnerships in the next month or two, one is left wondering if they will still be expected to raise funds.
Perhaps the word 'advisory' gives us a clue ...


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Holiday Nanny
Holiday Nannies for HireAre you planning a vacation for your whole family? If so, you may want to hire a holiday nanny to get the most out of your upcoming excursion. If you want to hire a vacation nanny but aren't sure where to start, your search will begin and end when you contact our international staffing agency. We have a generous pool of vetted candidates who work as vacation nannies in locations all over the globe.
- Takes care of most childcare-related tasks
- Transportation for
childto scheduled activities
- Help with homework and supervising downtime
- Enjoy stressfree holidays
- Quintessentially People can recruit for you no matter where you live or where you spend your holiday
Contact Quintessentially People to find a holiday nanny for your family.
Reasons to Hire a Nanny for Your Holiday or VacationWhile parents have many reasons for hiring a holiday nanny, peace of mind is usually the leading one. Having a holiday nanny travel with your family means there's always an extra set of eyes on your children and an extra pair of hands to help out.
Another reason many parents actively look for vacation nannies for hire is flexibility. While a family holiday is a great way to make memories that will last a lifetime, vacationing with children can be a bit restrictive at times. If you and your partner want to enjoy a night out alone, you might not be able to if you don't have a holiday nanny to watch your children during your absence.
What would you do if you were relaxing on the beach when it came time for your child's nap? You'd naturally return to your room so your child could get some rest even though that might not be what you want to do. When a holiday nanny travels with you, however, you don't have to choose between the activities you want to do and those that you have to do. Your vacation nanny can assume responsibility for your children's care, giving you much-needed flexibility.
If you have children who are different ages, a vacation nanny can help ensure everyone gets to do the things they would like to and prevent arguments about conflicting interests. For instance, your holiday nanny can take your older children to the latest must-see movie while you enjoy time splashing in the pool with your young toddlers.


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(via Bing.com, 1 June 2012)
When I came across this image of 'Another Place' yesterday, I was instantly reminded of our trip to Crosby beach a few years back.
I must dig out the images at some point and share them.
It is a spectacular site.
We had such fun there.
And it seems we're not the only ones!
Two of Antony Gormley's statues have just been kitted out by a guerrilla knitwear artist.
(via bbc.co.uk, 31 May 2012)


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A scorching half-volley by Czech midfielder Mario Licka earned Brest a 1-1 draw at home to Lyon on Monday, which damaged the visitors' hopes of securing Champions League qualification.
Third-placed Lyon, humiliated 4-0 by Auxerre in their previous outing, were bidding to pull four points clear of nearest rivals Paris Saint-Germain.
However, they were only able to extend their advantage by two points, meaning that beaten French Cup finalists PSG can assume pole position in the race for a Champions League place if they win at Bordeaux today.
Failure to secure third place would mean Claude Puel's side miss out on a place in Europe's premier cup competition after participating 12 successive times.
"We dominated, but rushed our final pass," Puel said. "It is a pity because we needed that second goal to put us out of sight and then their goal came out of nowhere. It is punishing, but we need to be more consistent and now it is imperative we battle to the end to secure this third place."
Brest, meanwhile, climb to 15th, two points above the relegation zone with two matches remaining — away at Auxerre and then at home to Toulouse on the season's final day.
Brazilian attacking midfielder Ederson, preferred to his -compatriot Michel Bastos in the starting XI, opened the scoring for Lyon in the 15th minute by glancing home a near-post header from Miralem Pjanic's left-wing corner.
Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris preserved his side's lead early in the second period, denying Bruno Grougi with a sprawling save after the Brest midfielder latched onto a knockdown in the visitors' area.
Pjanic came close to extending his side's lead shortly after the hour, with a deflected drive from the edge of the box that skidded narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
Licka delivered his sucker-punch in the 76th minute, the 28-year-old adjusting himself brilliantly to fire a magnificent half-volley into the top-right corner from 22 yards.
It could have been even worse for Lyon, but Lloris produced a full-stretch save to prevent Cris putting through his own goal with 10 minutes to play.


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'Can't pay! Won't pay!'
War criminal Dwight Eisenhower once in a moment of clarity or maybe it was in a moment of guilty delusion said "every gun that is made is a theft from those who hunger." If he were alive today, we might just respond with "you ain't seen nothing yet."
A new report puts the Greece crisis in perspective. It all makes a lot of sense now that we know Greece is the 4th biggest arms importer in the world and that it was all bought on corrupt credit.
It turns out that throughout this crisis of Greek public debt, and under the direction of the same international potentates who are imposing cuts in spending on welfare, pensions, health care, the public sector and all of the other usual targets, the country's 'socialist' government has continued to spend vast sums on armaments.
The fact that the principal suppliers of these arms are two of 'austerity's' biggest proponents, the USA and Germany, should not surprise us. We have moved beyond a situation in which lying by leaders is not so much accepted as expected, into one in which reality plays no role whatsoever in their discourse.
Greece may, in the estimation of politicians and the mass media, be a badly-governed, corrupt kleptocracy populated by robber barons and a lazy, feckless class of reluctant workers, but it is at least armed to the teeth. The immediate cause of Greece's financial crisis was a doubling, from 2005 to 2008, of the value of loans from western banks to the country's government. By the end of that period, these loans amounted to $160 billion. {more}
Depending on who hands out the statistics, Greece may actually only be 5th or so in the world's arms market buying spree but there is no doubt who is the number 1 supplier. It's just about the only thing we export but another fact is that we are also number 1 in using up the armaments we make and we borrow the money to deliver them to their target or give them away to Israel and to buy more. Bankers and war go hand in hand. Always have, always will. Their middle men, corporations and politicians, are lackeys in the game. The poor and working class are the pawns and are expected to pay the price.
Mark this on your calender. September in London brings the largest arms show in the world and it's only a couple of days after the 10th anniversary of 9/11. War mongers can celebrate their favorite day of death and then party down with all of their friends and customers, making deals and planning more destruction.
It's not all for killing folks in other lands either. Security of the homeland is a big focus this year. Gotta keep the slaves in line in case they jump on that 'Can't pay! Won't pay!' bandwagon.
And don't you just love the DSEi's headline theme .....
Infinite Opportunities. One world-leading event.
This is not OK .....


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Varied, vegetarian or vegan – the Autostadt restaurant cuisine is prepared using organic, seasonal products with a focus on local and regional ingredients for delicious and healthy dining. Bread, pasta and ice cream are made fresh on site each day. Over the years the restaurants have developed a close and dependable relationship with growers and suppliers. The Movimentos Festival is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a meal at one of the Autostadt restaurants.
Reservations for the Autostadt restaurants operated by Mövenpick can be made by calling the Serviceline: 0800 611 66 00.


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Round marble tables are set with planters cascading with herbs, and there's a welcome breeze that keeps this outdoor patio from getting overheated. The pop-up is helmed by Seamus Mullen (Tertulia). André Balazs' hotel, The Standard New York, has always been a great place to observe fashion—at the moment girls in diaphanous dresses and ankle boots—and Mr. Mullen, of course, one of the hottest chefs around. There's an outdoor wood-burning oven and charcoal grill turning out shishito peppers with coarse sea salt; grilled bread topped with grated tomatoes and jamón ibérico; and steamed Manila clams, chorizo and artichokes. It's a casual, louche place where people talk up deals rather than money woes. Alas, it will be gone by the end of September.
848 Washington St.Manhattan, NY 10014
(212) 645-4100
Hours: Sun.–Thurs., 11:30am–midnight; Fri.–Sat., 11:30am–1am


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Family-Friendly Activities in JanuaryJan. 17th, 2017 3:30 pm
Curling at Canalside | Canalside | Winter
Curling isn't just for viewing during the Olympics any more! Now Western New Yorkers can try it themselves at one of two curling lanes located at Canalside -- both are open and available to reserve during open skate hours.
If you hold your match or matches before 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday through Fridays, you'll receive a complimentary pre and post-game refreshment. Your reservation includes instructor and all the equipment you'll need -- brushes, grippers and sliders, stones. All interested parties are urged to reserve a lane at the Canalside website.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Tuesday/Wednesday: 3:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday: 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Friday/Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Cost: $15 per person for one hour (minimum of 4 people, max of 10 people)
Winterfest at the Harlem Road Community Center | Saturday, January 21
Harlem Community Center, located in Amherst, invites Western New Yorkers to its Winterfest. The event will be filled with family-friendly activities including horse drawn carriage rides and games. Additionally, hot refreshments and complimentary snacks will be served. Indoor gym activities will also be offered including cookie decorating and crafts. For more information on the free event, you can head over to the Amherst Youth and Recreation website.
Time: noon-3:00 p.m.
Location: 4255 Harlem Road, Amherst
Cost: Free
Third Annual Larkinville Ice Festival | Saturday, January 28
Celebrate the first month of the New Year with a day of winter fun and neighborhood-wide celebration. The Boardwalk at Larkinville Square will feature a myriad of family-friendly activities including a sledding hill, face painting, lawn games, spin art and other games. A winter holiday market and food will be available via food trucks or inside the Filling Station Restaurant. Guests will be able to warm up with "Snowga," a special Independent Health-sponsored session of Fitness in the Parks and/or enjoy a game of hockey on an on-site rink or sit on an ice thrown for a fun photo op!
Larkinville Businesses will also feature unique activities and both parking and entry is free and open to the public.
Location: 745 Seneca Street, Buffalo NY
Time: 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Paint Draw Snack!
What's the only thing that beats snacks? You guessed it, snacks with art! At Buffalo Arts Studio's "Paint Draw Snack!" program, students will have the opportunity to learn art elements, principles of design and a variety of drawing and painting techniques. The 6-week program includes materials and, as the title suggests, includes tasty snacks to fuel those burning creative juices! You can learn more at the BAS website.
Buffalo Arts Studio (BAS) is a not-for-profit arts organization whose mission is to provide affordable studio space and exposure for visual artists while creating community cultural connections through exhibitions, public art, and educational programs.
2495 Main St., Buffalo, New York 14214
Cost: $100
Time: 10:00 a.m.-noon, Saturdays January 21 - Feb 25
WNY Catholic Schools believes parents are their children's first and most important teachers. We encourage strong, supportive family relationships and those bonds are integral to our network of schools, many of which are regularly recognized as the best private elementary schools in Buffalo NY. Whether you're part of our high schools in Buffalo NY, elementary schools in Buffalo NY or any other of our private schools in WNY, we encourage you make time for family outings. So zipper up those jackets and put on those mittens, because winter has so much to offer!


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Palestine: History of a Name
I've recently condemned the focus on Reza Aslan's religion – Islam – when talking about his new book about Jesus, "Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth". I think there is no room for propaganda when reviewing history. No one is objective. But we can try to be truthful.
Putting aside the thesis of his book i.e., that Jesus was an anti-Roman Jewish revolutionary, in all his interviews, Aslan goes out of his way to refer to Jesus' Judea i.e., the land of the Jews, as "Palestine". For all I care, he can call it "Nebraska", as long as he doesn't give the impression that this is really what it was called by the inhabitants of Judea in Jesus' time. But Aslan wraps this "Palestine" name with a veneer of history. When challenged on his use of the name "Palestine" for ancient "Judea", his answer is that he's using the "Roman designation" for the area. According to Aslan, this designation was "Syria Palestine". This is absolutely wrong. More than this, it demonstrates a certain cynicism when manipulating history for the purpose of ideology. Let's look at this word "Palestine". Where does it come from?
In the 13th century BCE, the Egyptians speak of "Sea People" arriving on the Mediterranean Coast from the Aegean. It's widely accepted that one of these "Sea People" are the people that the Bible, in Hebrew, calls "Plishtim". In English, they are called "Philistines". They roughly occupied an area on the Mediterranean Coast from Gaza northward, to Ashdod in modern Israel, and inland to the city of Gath. These are the people of Delilah and Goliath. I repeat, they were an Aegean people from the area of modern day Greece.
The archaeology demonstrates that when they arrived around 1200 BCE, they were – in diet, art, and habits – pretty Greek. They resembled, say, the people of Crete or Mycenae.
The Book of Exodus refers to a land corridor along the Mediterranean as "Derech Plishtim" i.e., "the highway of the Philistines" (Exodus 13:17). In this passage, the name seems to be generic. In other words, in the late Bronze Age, say, 1500 BCE, "Philistine" seems to be a generic term for Aegean people that we would call Minoans or Mycenaeans today.
So far, so good. There were an Aegean people called "Philistines" in the area of modern Israel from around 1500 BCE when they came as traders to 1200 BCE when they settled down, to the 7th century BCE when they disappeared after the Assyrian invasion of the area. During the 500 years that they were settled there, they became increasingly more "Canaanitish". During the period of the Judges (14th to 10th century BCE), they were the arch-enemies of the Israelites.
After the Philistines disappeared from the historical stage, the name "Palestina" lingered on. Meaning, the people were gone, the name lingered. It appears in references here and there in classic Greek writings e.g., Herodotus. By the time Jesus was born, there hadn't been any Philistines in the area for some 600 years. The name does not appear anywhere in the Gospels. And the people living in Judea at the time of Jesus – including Jesus and all his disciples – would never have referred to their country as "Palestine". Even the Romans didn't call the area Palestine. Remember, when they crucified him, the Romans put a plaque over Jesus' head with the inscription – in three languages – "King of the Jews", not the "Philistines" (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19).
Some 35 years after the crucifixion, some 4 years after the stoning of Jesus' brother James, the area of Judea erupted in a massive Jewish revolt against Rome. The country fought between 66 CE(AD) and 70 CE. In August of 70 Jerusalem, the capital of Judea, was destroyed. The Temple of God which had lasted for some 1,000 years in two incarnations, was now in ruins – a smoldering heap. This was the Temple that Jesus wept over when he imagined its destruction (Luke 19:41). Judea fought for another 3 years at the rock fortress of Masada by the Dead Sea. Then, in 73, as the Romans were about to conquer the fortress, rather than become Roman slaves, the last Jewish defenders took their own lives and the lives of their women and children.
At this point, the Romans felt that there was no one left in Judea that could rise in revolution. They were wrong. From 115 – 117 CE, the Jews – primarily outside Judea – fought a bitter war with the Romans. The main centers of revolution were Alexandria in Egypt, Cyrene in modern day Libya, and Cyprus. The Jewish revolt basically saved the Parthian Empire from a Roman onslaught. After they licked their wounds, in 132 CE the Jews of Judea once again rose in revolution – this time under a leader called "Bar Kochba" i.e., "the son of the star". When the Bar Kochba revolt was finally put down in 135 CE, the Romans exiled the majority of the Jewish people and renamed Judea "Palestina". To be clear, "Syria Palestine" officially became a Roman province about a century after Jesus' crucifixion. The idea was to erase the Jewish presence from Judea and to designate their homeland with reference to their Biblical enemies. It was a last humiliation. To also be clear, there were no Philistines at the time and even if some had miraculously survived, they were not Arabs but Greeks.
The area of Palestine never became an independent state. In the 7th century, Muslim armies conquered it, precipitating battles with Christian crusaders for the "Holy Land". These bloody battles are now remembered as the "Crusades". In modern times, the province of Palestine passed from the Ottoman Turks to the British. In 1922, the British gifted a chunk of Palestine to the Hashemite clan from Saudi Arabia. In 1946, 80% of British mandate Palestine – the area east of the Jordan River – became the modern Arab Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. One year later, 20% of British controlled Palestine became what is today the State of Israel and the Palestinian territories.
But to return to Aslan, it's bit of a name game, isn't it? If the British had called the area east of the Jordan River "Palestine" instead of "Transjordan" i.e., "over the Jordan", no one today could say there is no Palestinian state. If you write a book about Jesus and you call his country by the name that he called it i.e., "Judea", the politically correct armies of anti-Israel activists may get upset with you. So Aslan calls ancient Judea "Palestine" and hides behind the reference to the "Roman designation" for the province. This is very cynical. It's very cynical to fudge the history of the Aegean Philistines 3200 years ago, lingering references to their name, and the Roman province of the second century CE. It's very cynical to retroactively place modern Arab Palestinians into Jesus' Jewish Hellenistic world.
But let's say the Romans had called "Judea" "Palestine" in Jesus' time – which they didn't – why would a writer focusing on Jesus as a Jewish patriot i.e., a Zealot, want to call Jesus' country by the name that his enemies used? It's as if I wrote a book about a native American hero and kept referring to him as an "Indian", because that's what white people called him.
Professor Aslan, you are right to decry the use of propaganda against you. But, as they say; do unto others what you would want them to do unto you. In Jesus' day, his country was called Judea, and the overall designation for the land was "Israel" – as it is today. You can argue about politics, but let's not change history to suit our views.


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|Posted by jtcheyanne on December 4, 2016 at 2:30 PM
|comments (29)
Christmas, Christmas time is near, time for toys and time for cheer. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.
I love Christmas; the carols, the decorations, the lights, the tree, Santa Claus, giving gifts and most especially the reason for the season...
the Christmas story.
I'm participating in Divine Promotions and RAM PA Group's 2016 Christmas Blog Hop! My mission today is to tell you what
Christmas means to me.
Every year, I look forward to the craziness that is Christmas. It's the one time of the year that I enjoy shopping.
I always spend more money than I should, but I refuse to feel guilty about it.
I love finding the perfect gift and seeing the smiles on the faces of my friends and family, especially the youngest ones.
Christmas, for me, is about family.
It's tradition that we all come back to mom's house for the big day.
Here is the real craziness of Christmas; five children, eighteen grandchildren, four great grandbabies, spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends and the adopted friends that have become family.
By the time we all get home, the presents are stacked almost as high as the tree. The little ones' faces are priceless. Christmas magic is in the faces of the children. Being a part of that magic and keeping it alive for the kiddos is a huge part of the reason I love Christmas.
I also love Christmas candy and treats! One of my favorites is Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies.
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1. Add the first five ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan.
2. Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add peanut butter into the hot mixture and stir until melted.
5. Add in vanilla.
6. Mix in the dry oats until they are completely coated.
7. Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.
8. Let cool until set.
There are many more blogs participating so please go and visit them all. You should also visit Divine Promotions
and register for awesome prizes!
There will be a grand prize giveaway on the Divine Promotions Blog.
All you have to do is go to the Divine Promotions Blog and leave a comment on their blog post telling them your favorite part about Christmas.
Grand Prizes for this blog hop:
3D fun face Charms Bracelet - 3 pieces (image attached)
18 K Gold Filled Crystal Pearls Heart Party Dress Jewelry Set (image attached)
$10 Amazon Gift Card from RAM PA Group
5 Days Promo Tour from Divine Promotions
Dreamspinner Press Vouchers
$5 gift voucher from Pride Publishing
Ebook of your choice from Author Grein Murray
Swag donated by Author Grein Murray (only available to those living in the USA)
Ebook of your choice from Author Sean Kerr (from his series Dead Camp)
Ebook - The Hard Boys: Alien Abduction (Case #1) from Ian Cadena
Enter here:
Other participating blogs (who may also offer prizes):
Two Chicks Obsessed with Books: http://twochicksobsessed.com/
Cathy Writes Romance: http://cathybrockman.com
Hot Men in Hot Water: http://www.sarahmadisonfiction.com/
The Wasp Nest: http://aewasp.com/blog/
Passionate Reads: http://paularadell.com/passionate-reads
Anna Butler Fiction: http://annabutlerfiction.com/
Alpha Book Club: http://alphabookclub.org
Tempeste O'Riley: http://tempesteoriley.com/blog
Laz and Lachi Publications: http://www.lazandlachi.com/
Cody Kennedy: http://ckennedyauthor.blogspot.com
Sue Brown's Stories: http://suebrownsstories.blogspot.co.uk/
Author Susan Mac Nicol: http://www.susanmacnicol.net
Imaginative Dreams: http://thebooksocial.weebly.com/imaginative-dreams
Love That's Out Of This World: http://annabutlerfiction.com/blog/
Cathy Writes Romance: http://cathybrockman.com
|Posted by jtcheyanne on May 19, 2016 at 11:05 AM
|comments (0)
The Guy With The Suitcase Book Blitz
Pierce is homeless.
Young and strong-willed Pierce has been living in the streets of New York City for six months, since his parents kicked him out of their perfect, Christian, suburban house. Pierce is gay. And he is suffering the consequences for being true to himself.
Rafe is homeless.
He is also sick. Impressionable, but far from innocent, Rafe ran away from home almost a year ago. His sickness is slowly killing him. But Rafe is not a hopeless case. He has learned to get by. Nights of paid passion turn to sheltering warmth from the imminent New York winter.
And then there's a suitcase. Pierce's suitcase, which holds secrets from everyone including its owner.
When their worlds collide, their lives intertwine and when the world seems bent on bringing the two souls to their knees, fate has other plans for them.
Caution: Contains adult language, New York City streets, tough life choices, sexual tension, stubborn brutes and swoon-worthy romance.
AllRomance eBooks
Barnes & Noble
About The Author
Chris Ethan is a book whore. He enjoys selling his feelings for money and other pleasures and is blatantly unashamed to do so for as long as he breathes. Chris Ethan is also a persona for Rhys Christopher Ethan, author of fantasy and sci-fi. He uses Chris Ethan to share stories of adult queer romance with those who need it. Before you delve into his books however, be warned. He likes putting his characters through shitstorms and hates anything conventional. But then there's that darned happy-ever-after. Also, he likes swearing. Deal with it!
|Posted by V L Moon on July 19, 2015 at 2:15 PM
|comments (0)
Reflecting back on what had to be one hell of an amazing event, i can honestly say that i for one, can't wait for the next one to take place. Cassie went above and beyond to make sure everyone had themselves the best time ever. Armed with a team of the most amazing volunteers who catered to the needs of each attending author, i can honestly say that no one could have made this event any better than it was. The cover models were amazingly friendly and were more than happy to talk and have their pictures taken and the after party was an absolute blast!!! The vast array of fancy dress costumes was amazing. Alina looked as awesome as ever with a make up job to die for and my crazy ass best friend would have made Anita Blake proud as fuck with her Zigmond the penguin t-shirt...I love you both and i'm so freakin thankful that you were both there to hold my hand!! Amy Beth fucking rocked as the mad hatter...Very befitting seems as she's totally crazy...LOL. The night passed with everyone dancing into the small hours and having a boat load of fun.
Thank you Cassie for the most amazing weekend. You really did us us all proud
|Posted by jtcheyanne on July 8, 2015 at 12:25 AM
|comments (0)
Title: Strength to Let Go
Series: Tales of the Werewolf Tribes, Book One
Author: Alina Popescu
Genre: gay romance, paranormal, werewolves, paranormal romance, supernatural
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
After being abandoned by his mates, Shiki Kirishima, beta of the Dragons of the Fang werewolf tribe, returns to his home in Tokyo.
Crippled by grief, Shiki decides to end it all by going into the territory of the Siberian Killers tribe and challenging them to a battle to the death.
His death.
Ganzorig, beta of the Siberian Killers, however, sees the potentially disastrous consequences of having Shiki die in battle.
Instead, he saves him.
Having suffered loss himself, Ganz takes it upon himself to help Shiki deal with his pain.
Blake, Shiki's best friend since childhood, is as determined to show him there is life after a wolf's ultimate loss.
Could there also be something 'more' for them after friendship?
Don't miss the Tickle Me Pink sale on the Wayward Ink Publishing site – 25% off all list prices till July 21st.
WIP: www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/strength-to-let-go-by-alina-popescu/
Amazon US: www.amazon.com/dp/B010ITT1VG/
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B010ITT1VG/
Amazon AU: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B010ITT1VG/
Amazon DE: www.amazon.de/dp/B010ITT1VG/
ARe: www.allromanceebooks.com/product-strengthtoletgo-1840807-145.html
B&N: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/strength-to-let-go-alina-popescu/1122233801?ean=9781925222555
Growling low, the sound vibrating into my chest, I stood up as the wolves I had been searching for flared in my mind's eye. There
were a few dozen that could reach me soon if they started running toward me. They would do just that, they just needed the
proper motivation. I reached into the depths of my being, tapping into all the fae power Kieran and Kayden's blood had regaled
me with, and used it to spread my scent farther across the lands I had single-handedly invaded. I used the wind to bring the trail
to them. I could feel their fur bristling as their nostrils flared with the foreign scent. Snarls and growls followed, then piercing
howls, calling to each other and beckoning their pack mates, spurring them on to give chase and come find me.
I chuckled, knowing I'd finally accomplished my first task, getting the Siberian Killers to come to me. The rest would be much
simpler. The enemy werewolves would only have to follow their ancient rules and kill every wolf that stepped foot on their
territory. Rule breakers had to pay, and I had broken their one rule for foreigners. No better way to get yourself killed than getting
ferocious killers all riled up.
I took another step forward, adjusting my grip on my swords and rolling my shoulders. I then tilted my head left and right, hearing
my bones crack and set in place. I could feel the cold ground and fading grass under my feet, the wind blowing my hair out of my
eyes, and hear the sounds of birds and small game running away from the path of the oncoming wolves. They'd reach me within
minutes and my muscles tensed, adrenalin spiking and making my blood roar with excitement at the fast approaching fight. I let
my head fall back and howled, a long, deep sound that made the forest around me go quiet for about a minute.
I knew my attackers had stopped in their tracks, raising their muzzles and sniffing the air. Disbelief was a strong ally in a grossly
unmatched fight. I imagined they'd have a hard time understanding why a lone wolf who had just been caught on their territory
would howl in challenge like that. I assumed the distance had also puzzled them. As they'd caught my scent, they had thought I'd
be closer. Surprise, surprise!
Writer, traveler, and coffee addict, ALINA POPESCU has been in love with books all her life. She started writing when she was ten and she has
always been drawn to sci-fi, fantasy, and the supernatural realm. Born and raised in Romania, she finds her inspiration in books of all genres, in
movies, and the occasional manga comic book. She is a proud geek who needs her fast Internet and gadgets more than she needs air.
Social Links
Site & Blog: alina-popescu.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authoralinapopescu
Twitter: twitter.com/alina_popescu
Instagram: instagram.com/alinapopescuwriter
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/alina-popescu
Google+: www.google.com/+AlinaPopescu
Amazon: amazon.com/author/alinapopescu
|Posted by V L Moon on October 12, 2013 at 6:45 PM
|comments (0)
Recommended to me by a very dear friend who raved about the content, I have to say "T you were right" OH MY GOD I loved this story. The angst of a family friend falling in love with a member of the family that had taken him under their wing was addictive to say the least. Dante and Griff's story had me weak at the knees and pleading with the Author to "Please make Dante see what Griff's feeling" It hurt...Actually hurt my heart to read Griff's battle with himself over his feelings toward the friend he saw as a brother. The story as a whole was so well wrote and the characters were so real life I could just imagine them all sitting around the dinning room table pulling each others chains and running off at the mouth. I'm just sad that it had to end, because this was one story I could have carried on reading. Well worth reading, if there were more stars this would definitely be a ten from me. But for me...Angel that i am, i'm raking this with 5 Halo's....Beautiful story Damon.
|Posted by jtcheyanne on October 7, 2013 at 5:50 PM
|comments (4)
Hello! We were invited by an author friend, Princess SO, to participate in a "blog hop interview." In order to participate, we answer interview questions, and tag three other authors. They post the same interview questions on their blog pages. The writers they tag, will post their interview questions and answers on their blogs, and so forth. A lot of hopping! You can find Princess's interview questions and answers here:
Here are our answers to the interview Q&A:
1. What are you working on right now?
JT: Together we are working on Book Two (as yet untitled) of The Crimson Nights Saga. I'm also working on Reconnaissance Mission; the first book in the HALO Detective Series. We also have a fantasy story in the works.
VL: As JT mentioned above we are working on Book Two of The Crimson Nights Saga. We also have a few ideas on one or two short stories that we'd like to work on together. Apart from our joint work, I'm also working on two solo stories that seem to be taking me forever.
2. How does it differ from other works in its genre?
JT: I'm not sure how it differs from other works in the genre. Laz and Lachi are our hearts. These males are the written personification of the love we have for each other. The humor, the fears, the absolute love…it's all us.
VL: We've played these characters for so long that they have actually engrained themselves into our hearts as well as our minds. As the face behind Laziel, I can honestly say that he is very much an enigma. I never know what he is going to say or do next!
3. Why do you write what you do?
JT: We both love the m/m genre. Man love is smexy hawt. And, when I read the BDB, I was so heartbroken for Vishous. He loved Butch, still does. I had never really read gay romance until the BDB. It floored me that V couldn't have Butch because mainstream audiences weren't ready for it. When I write m/m stories, I make sure V gets his Cop. Every time.
VL: I love the paranormal, the mystery behind make believe. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than writing about different worlds within our own where vampires angels and werewolves really exist. Fiction, to me, is an outlet; something I can pour all of my emotions into whether they be dark, happy, sad or downright absurd!
4. How does your writing process work?
JT: We generally talk through a story, have a loose outline in our heads and start writing. We have been writing by character much the same as we started writing in roleplay. We are evolving as we write together because, obviously, we cannot write a scene without including the other characters and their "voice." We take turns writing and sometimes we surprise each other, and it's always good surprises. We rarely ever disagree on the direction our stories take. I think we've only ever had a serious disagreement on one s/l thread that will be coming up in the Crimson Nights Saga.
VL: Having a writing partner to bounce your ideas off is a valuable asset. And, whether we are writing solo or together, we often spend many hours taking notes (JT takes the notes because she knows I'll forget). We then build on our ideas and work out the direction that we want to go in as we write.
In addition, we are tagging the following authors. Make sure to check out their blog posts on the following date: October 14, 2013. — Tag you're it:
Avril Ashton - http://avrilashton.com/
Lataryn Rainey-Perry http://www.latarynraineyperry.com/index2.php
Carly Fall http://www.carlyfall.com/
|Posted by jtcheyanne on August 5, 2013 at 9:45 PM
|comments (4)
I wanted to take the time to send a huge shout out to all of our Facebook family and friends. In the three years I've been a part of the roleplay and now indie author world, I have met so many wonderful people. Most importantly, I found the love of my life, my V.L. In October, we'll celebrate our third anniversary as a couple. That makes my heart happy. That happiness overflows as we are able to do what we love, write love stories that touch the hearts of our readers.
Facebook has also allowed me to meet some of the most supportive and beautiful people in the world...yes...the world. Three and half years ago, if someone had told me I'd be a published author, I'd have laughed myself sensless. When they added my writing partner would be born and bred UK, my cover artist would be a lovely soul from down under, and my editor and beta readers would span the globe, I'd have offered them a straight jacket and some "happy pills." I would have been wrong...and that is a blessing I realized on Saturday.
I went to speak at an author's luncheon. I had to tell a roomful of readers how I got started and how I worked. I was nervous and then Lachi showed up with his winning smile, jaunty stroll and the confidence only a vampire king can possess. I did apologize to the assembled that he was only in my head and that they couldn't see the beautiful David Gandy look alike as he was downright sexy! As they laughed, giggled, and shifted in their seats thinking I was a french fry short of a Happy Meal, I realized that I wasn't just representing myself. I was there to represent the hardwork and dedication of my beautiful angel and the wonderful extended family we share on Facebook. As V.L. and I have constantly said, we would not have the success we've enjoyed without all of YOU.
It's not just that you buy the book, or leave reviews...although those help tremendously and Please Please Please don't stop....did I say please?? Okay, just makign sure...anddddd....back to the subject.....it's the constant words of encouragement, the way you make us laugh, yes even the pokes....they brighten our day or night as the case may be. You deserve your own round of applause and if you listen right not...you can hear me clapping, stomping and whistling as I cheer for you.
Thank you. Two very small words to convey a wealth of feeling. All my love.
Laziel baby, I love you always. Congratulations, I'm so proud to be your writing partner and your life partner.
|Posted by jtcheyanne on January 11, 2013 at 9:55 AM
|comments (2)
Hello Friends and Family! Welcome to my webpage and my first attempt at blogging. I'm a little nervous and not quite sure what to say. So...as I take a deep breath and ponder my options....
Ocean's Kiss has done very well for a first time author. I do appreciate all of you who've supported me and bought the book. To those of you who suffered through the edits with me, thank you. When I received my first royalty check in December, I couldn't stop grinning. I'd finally made it. I was an author, with books sold. Amazing!
Presently, I, along with my writing partner, Venus Moon, am awaiting a book cover and release date for our book For the Love of a God. Edits are done on our end so fingers crossed we'll be having a release party in the next month or so.
Hmmm, I've also finished my first M/M romance. I'm doing a little revising and editing before I send it out. To those of you who've read it and provided a critique and/or edits, a HUGE thank you. I appreciate your insights.
One more shout out to Kimberly Flathers. YOU ROCK! She has volunteered to help me with this web thing...something I truly do not understand. It is only because of her that I here writing this blog. I'd have never figured out how to get it set up. Sorry for the stupid questions darlin, bear with me.
And lastly, a what am I reading...I just finished Blood of the Wicked by Karina Cooper. Fast paced and full of twists and turns, it was a great story. Silas, a Mission witch hunter, is a hero all women can appreciate, except for Jessie, a witch in hiding. The last thing she wants is a hunter breathing down her neck, until his kiss sets her on fire. As they dodge and weave and run for their lives while trying to find Jessie's brother, their relationship flames higher and hotter. It sizzles! I would recommend this and can't wait to read the next book in the series.
You guys have a great day! Much love.


text: Although they have yet to replace high-intensity lamps, LEDs increasingly are being used as illumination sources in projection systems.The report "LED Projection Systems" issued by Insight Media of Norwalk, Conn., features performance data, cost information and availability of LEDs for this sector, as well as a discussion of optical modeling that helps determine how LEDs will work with a given system. It includes analyses of the optics currently used in projection systems and compares them with LEDs.LED performance is expected to improve over the next four years, enabling LED collection modules to decrease considerably in price while offering more collected lumens. The graph shows the projection for a 0.55-in digital light processor.A technology forecast highlights expected changes through 2010, including increases in brightness, and current and future packaging technologies are described. Profiled in the report are seven companies involved in LED projection and six high-brightness LED manufacturers. According to Chris Chinnock, senior analyst at the company, projection applications pose a difficult supply problem because they require the brightest and the highest-quality LEDs, so projector manufacturers must choose their LED suppliers carefully. The demand for high-brightness LEDs for other applications also may limit the ability to obtain them in the volumes and specifications needed.Unless LED manufacturers find customers for the high-brightness emitters that are not bright enough for the projection application, the rejected emitters will raise the cost of those that do pass inspection. Ideally, an LED supplier will have customers in many markets with needs for various power levels so that each diode in the wafer can be put to use.Insight Media provides market segment analyses for consumer front- and rear-projection televisions, pocket projectors, head-up displays, integrated systems, electronic cinema, and visualization and simulation. Three segment analyses are included with each report purchase.The 224-page report was released in December and is available for $5000. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com for more details.


text: Minor enhancement to the CD Ripper interface - have an option to uncheck all the boxes next to the tracks that are to be ripped. Sometimes a cd with a lot of tracks rips okay except for the last track. You mount the cd on a different drive and all the boxes are checked next to the tracks to be ripped but you want to rip only the last track. You have to manually uncheck each of the many (small) boxes next to each track that has already been ripped so that only the last track is checked. It would be a lot easier if there was a box you could click that would uncheck all the boxes so you could check only the track that you want to rip.