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Annotated Bibliography: Religion and culture in the African literary narrative
Many African novels that have emerged from the colonial and post-colonial canon have featured religion as both part of the plot, and as a device for theoretical critique. The work of African writers has moved beyond the confines of specialist study to be relevant in the wider academic field, crossing both geographical and theoretical boundaries. Religion, like culture, has an oppressive quality that has continuously been exploited by the colonial West. The ties between religion and culture feature frequently in the literature to emerge out of the African diaspora, particularly when viewed as representative of oppression. Religion seeks to establish a norm, and members of a community are expected to conform to the religious expectations. The novels we will read cannot be classified as 'religious literature', yet feature religion as a commentary on the colonial, post-colonial, and neocolonial environments. This bibliography serves to illuminate some of the issues surrounding the examination of religion and culture in the African literary narrative, with particular attention paid to representations of Christianity. It will look at religion as a literary theme, religion as a plot device, religious figures as characters in the stories, and the presence of religious teachings in the form of proverbs. By looking at depictions of religion in colonial and post-colonial African literature, one can see the juxtaposition of traditional values against the influx of Christian thought, which is important as we study the progression of such themes through the post-colonial era.
ADOGAME, A. (2010). Editorial: Religion in African Literary Writings. Studies in World Christianity, 16(1), 1-5
This editorial article looks at the presentation of religion in a number of pieces of African literature. Adogame argues that African writing deserves to be taught as parallel to traditional Western colonial narratives, citing classical African literary writings as representative of a genre that has been "translated from obscurity into the global community of the academic study of literature" (1). Adogame references Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart (1958) and Ngūgī wa Thiong'o's Weep Not Child (1964), both of whom are writers featured in the longer research project. This article will be useful in providing a preliminary context for the rest of the research and will locate our understandings of religion in African literature within the contemporary diaspora.
ACHEBE, C. (1994) Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books. Print.
Things Fall Apart is a post-colonial novel written by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian writer whose novel follows Okonkwo, a Igbo village leader working to overcome the changing social climate. In the first of the three parts, Okonkwo relates his personal story through past recollection and current events, religion presents itself in the form of traditional African values. The second and third parts of the novel begin to put in place the British colonial structures that introduce Christian missionaries to Okonkwo's community. It is these new structures and religions that Okonkwo resists, particularly when he discovers that white men have settled in his village. In Things Fall Apart, religion serves as both a source of conflict and springboard from which Achebe critiques the arrival of British colonialists. This novel will allow an analysis of the effect of colonialism on African religious beliefs while also introducing Christianity to the conversation.
ASAMOAH-GYADU, J. K. (2010). 'The Evil You Have Done Can Ruin the Whole Clan': African Cosmology, Community, and Christianity in Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Studies In World Christianity, 16(1), 46-62.
J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu's article looks at the relation of relation to the wider concepts of community in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. It assesses how the novel uses the arrival of British colonialists to reflect how traditional religious values were irrevocably changed and eroded by the introduction of Christianity to Africa. The article raises questions about the nature of community and, as Asamoah-Gyadu puts it, "how the Western Christian missionary enterprise affected the critical ontological value of traditional society" (46). The Evil You Have Done helps us to understand the close ties between religion and culture, leading to a critical application of that understanding to Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
WA THIONG'O, N. (1977). Petals of Blood. Oxford: Heinemann.
Petals of Blood is a novel set in the period following Kenyan independence. The lives of the main characters are intertwined due to the ongoing rebellion, set in the village of Ilmorog, which itself faces a new Kenya. Petals of Blood sheds light on the hybridity of religion that arise from the influx of Western culture to Africa. In the novel, religion runs parallel to revolution – in this sense, Petals of Blood can be interpreted as metaphorical to theological conversation. Religion in this novel is a plot device that Ngugi uses to implicate religion, via the church, as a representation of colonial violence and oppression. This paper will examine Petals Of Blood in comparison to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, the reaction of Ngugi's characters to the effects and results of colonialism.
PAGNOUELLE, C. (1985). Ngugi wa Thiong'o's "Journey of the Magi": Part 2 of "Petals of Blood". Research in African Literatures, 16(2), 264–275.
Christina Pagnouelle's article is a close examination of the second chapter of Ngugi's novel that also looks in depth at the religious themes present themselves. From the title of the second part – 'Towards Bethlehem' – to the continuous references to religion throughout, Ngugi's second chapter engages with our characters while they undertake both a physical journey, and a journey of spirit. Pagnouelle addresses some of the more blatant references to Christian Biblical narrative, such as the titular Journey of the Magi from Matthew 2, and the parable of the Good Samaritans, placing them against the critical framework of Ngugi's Petals of Blood.
ADICHIE, C.N. (2003). Purple Hibiscus. New York: Anchor Books.
Purple Hibiscus is the first novel by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It is set against the unstable background of post-colonial Nigeria, and follows Kambili, a teenage girl dealing with her own faith and the religious zeal of her Catholic father. The story deals with religious violence, also the ways in which religion can be used as both a divisive construction and an institution that unifies. In comparison to the other novels, where religion as a literary theme is almost secondary to others, in Purple Hibiscus, religion is the primary force behind plot, progression, character development , and allegorical insinuation. The research paper will examine Adichie's representations of religion from differing perspectives: that of the devout Catholic, and that of Papa-Nnukwu with his traditional non-Christian religious views.
STOBIE, C. (2010). Dethroning The Infallible Father: Religion, Patriarchy and Politics In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus. Literature and Theology, 24(4), 421-435.
Stobie examines how Adichie uses faith and religion to demonstrate the effect of Christianity, specifically Catholicism, on a post-colonial African family. Dethroning The Infallible Father argues that Adichie "espouses religious values associated with femininity, and she includes a luminous epiphany of the Virgin Mary" (421). The article examines the ways that Purple Hibiscus draws different cultural norms into a dialogical view of religion, one which illustrates the interplay between the Catholic church and colonial and post-colonial Eurocentrism. In conversation with Adichie's novel, this article will illuminate some of the ongoing conversations between colonial theory, feminist critiques of colonialism, and how religion plays into both.


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Dec 26, 2012 4:31 PM GMT
I mean, the politics is interesting and all, but the use of a gun is what really problematic in that whole debacle. Is one of my partners going to oust me at the office one day with a gun, or one of my secretaries going to demand a pay raise with a gun in my face?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/freedomworks-tea-party-group-nearly-falls-apart-in-fight-between-old-and-new-guard/2012/12/25/dd095b68-4545-11e2-8061-253bccfc7532_story.htmlThe day after Labor Day, just as campaign season was entering its final frenzy, FreedomWorks, the Washington-based tea party organization, went into free fall.
Richard K. Armey, the group's chairman and a former House majority leader, walked into the group's Capitol Hill offices with his wife, Susan, and an aide holstering a handgun at his waist. The aim was to seize control of the group and expel Armey's enemies: The gun-wielding assistant escorted FreedomWorks' top two employees off the premises, while Armey suspended several others who broke down in sobs at the news.
The coup lasted all of six days. By Sept. 10, Armey was gone — with a promise of $8 million — and the five ousted employees were back. The force behind their return was Richard J. Stephenson, a reclusive Illinois millionaire who has exerted increasing control over one of Washington's most influential conservative grass-roots organizations.

subset: commoncrawl


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RICHMOND, Va. — Dennis Bickmeier is days away from hosting a NASCAR weekend, and finally able to relax a bit.
For months, the president of Richmond Raceway has admittedly had days where he was afraid to go inside the track, where a $30 million renovation meant the only vehicles making laps were bulldozers, backhoes and steamrollers. Now, with the track hosting NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series races Friday and Saturday, it's ready.
"Patience has been a little bit tough the last couple of weeks, I would say," Bickmeier said, new asphalt having filled a huge hole in Turn One and more recently replaced the piles of dirt in the redesigned infield. "We know we're going to be ready to go. It's just when you see it, when you're living it every day, it makes you a little bit nervous sometimes, but these guys have done an amazing job on the construction side to get us to this point."
Projects completed include a massive new garage, with a walkway that by the September race will allow 8,000 to 10,000 fans to watch teams work on the car up close. They'll access the infield via a new pedestrian tunnel under Turn One that is almost three times as wide as the previous one.
Also, old bleachers have been redesigned into a party deck area in Turn Four. The area will be called "Climax Corner," and, in a nod to NASCAR's roots, is sponsored by Virginia-based Climax Moonshine. One dollar from every ticket to the party decks will be donated after the race to local fire departments, Bickmeier said.
Once the weekend is completed, much of the infield asphalt will be pulled up and incorporated into concrete that finishes off the second half of the project in time for the fall face. There will be many new amenities added, too, including a party deck overlooking Victory Lane and gathering areas along the front stretch.
Bickmeier knew the redesign would take 18 months, and make the first weekend challenging.
Especially on days when it rained, or snowed.
"We've all been waiting for spring to arrive and so when you come down one day and you see 135 workers on the job site or more, and you come down the next day and there's like 15, it makes you nervous," he said. "I've tried to not come in as much on those days."
It wasn't until last week that visitors were allowed to come into the infield without a hard hat and neon vest, and crews have spent the time since polishing the improvements to make a good first impression on race fans.
"I think they are going to be able to get better contact with the driver and with the team, and that will be an experience," Bickmeier said. "The fans, it's going to be a huge change for them."
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The Incredible Power Of The Right Questions
There is incredible power in asking the right questions, and following the answers where they lead – especially when they lead to uncomfortable places.
As you probably remember, in March, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Japan resulting in a massive tsunami which damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Some of the most serious damage occurred because there was no power to cool the reactor.


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Drumsna Vintage Show & Family Day on June 17
The Annual Drumsna Vintage and Family Day takes place in Mc Loughlin's Paddock by kind permission of Teasie and Tommy Mc Loughlin this Sunday June 17.
The day which begins at 12noon and continues into the evening is jam packed with fun events and activities for all the family.
The annual festival will see a huge display of vintage machinery, cars, tractors, stationary engines and much more.
Kids will be spoilt for choice with atomic Entertainment: Medieval Castle, Blue & Red Obstacle Course, Sumo suits, Super Slide and Wrecking Ball. A one off fee of €3 will give you access to all these for the whole afternoon.
Edwina Guckian and Sean Nos as tSionnan will make a guest appearance on the day. The group were all Ireland Bronze medal winners at the Community Games recently and they will perform for the crowd.
Children can also compete in U4 to U14 games and there will be an U10s Football tournament between Annaduff A and Annaduff B. If the kids want to get their minds working and legs moving they can join the Children's Treasure Hunt around the field – why not get the kids face painted for some colour and fun?
Mammys and Daddys can provide a laugh for the kids with a mothers and fathers race during the day.
There will be plenty of old time demonstrations including the making of traditional crafts such as butter, boxty, besum making, hay rope making, crochet and spinning.
Get those cute babies out for the Bonny Baby competition (held in the Community Resource Centre). Best of luck to all the little boys and girls who will look beautiful on the day.
If you have an adorable pooch you need to enter the dog competition.
You can feed the lamb and guess its name on the day as well as petting rare farm animals. Keep an eye out for the unusual display of exotic rare farm animals - children will love these!
Get to know what a cross cut demo is and look into your future with the fortune teller.
There will be a variety of stalls, animals, including the baby lamb who will be waiting for someone to give him his bottle and guess his name, there will also be a be "Cock-a-doodle poo" to entertain.
If you are feeling peckish after all that excitement you can go to the café in the centre for refreshments. The Quay Side cafe will be in the Community Resource Centre and will have plenty of goodies to feast and treat on.
Father John Wall will officially open the show at 2pm and the genial Gerry McGarry from Corduff has as usual kindly consented to M.C. the proceedings.
Tickets are on sale around the village for the Annual Vintage Show Draw which will be held in Duignan's Bar Sunday night. Tickets are just €2 a line and the first prize is a half tonne of coal. Country Stars will be playing in Duignans.
The Drumsna Vintage Show & Family Day on Sunday, June 17 is a great event to get the kids out and active, and a fantastic opportunity to meet old friends and new.


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he bought:
- Bayer Contour $14.99
Emergen-C Immune Booster 2pk $3.99
Zantac 150 24 ct $8.99
st. jude's donation $1
used coupons:
- -$14.99 Breeze 2 or Contour meter from Bayer (up to $30 off) V 10/25/09
-$2 zantac
- $5 eb Bayer Contour Limit 1 12/06-12/12
$3.99 eb Emergen-C Immune Booster 2pk Limit 1 12/06-12/12
$8.99 eb Zantac 150 24 ct or zantac 75 30 ct Limit 1 12/06-12/12
- spent $10 eb + $1.98 oop
received $17.98 eb
profit: $6 ♥
cvs got $16.99 in man. coupons to be reimbursed
fall 2009 spending: $46.10
cvs got $214.48 in man. coupons to be reimbursed (since 8/24/09)
i tried a $5/$30 medicare coupon that i printed this morning, but they're still not working. (i had fillers to get to $30 which i then removed.)
cvs has had plenty of time to fix this coupon, its time to put some pressure on them! if you have tried to use this coupon, please email or call cvs (1-800-746-7287) and let them know that its not working.
you might say something like this (feel free to alter as you like)...To Whom It May Concern,
I printed and attempted to use the $5 off $30 purchase coupon offered on your website on this page: http://www.cvs.com/medicare/?WT.mc_id=FH_120709_CVSHome_Medicare_Part_D
The barcode was clear but could not be scanned. When the cashier tried entering it manually, it came back as invalid. The cashier mentioned that other customers had tried to use the same coupon and had the same problem, so this is not a problem on my end. Please let your technical department know that this coupon needs to be fixed.
Thank you for your time,
CVS Customer
lets keep track of our emails/calls...


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My Funny Valentine - Tony Bennett
You're my funny valentine...
Sweet, comic valentine...
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable, unphotographable
Yet you're my favorite work of art
Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak,
are you smart?
But don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine
Each day is Valentine's Day.
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Your Support:
Donations can be made through CanadaHelps.org by clicking on the button above..
Or contact us directly at email@example.com
Capital Campaign
We are in the middle of our campaign to raise $1.5 Million for the Foundation's Endowment. If you are interested in learning more about our capital campaign, please contact us at email@example.com or make a donation today.
Join us as we improve the world around us through the development of confident, effective and faithful leaders for tomorrow!
Your Investment: A Bright Future for Catholic Women
Our mission is simple: To fund leadership education that inspires Catholic women to be transformational and influential leaders where they live and work.
Yet, we cannot do this alone. We need your help and investment today.
Seed funding of $1,000,000 from the Sisters of Service and The Catholic Women's League of Canada has been secured and invested. With our endowment, the Foundation is only able to use the earnings gained on the investment.
To be able to offer the Leadership Program more quickly, we are asking for your help to contribute to our operating funds. Your donations, together with the earnings on the endowment, will allow the Foundation to begin the Leadership Program in 2017.
To make a donation online, please click on the Donations button below.
If you would prefer to donate by cheque, please make your cheque payable to Catholic Women's Leadership Foundation and mail it to:
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Hotel pension Berg is located in a newly reconstructed building in a quiet city part. The hotel offers a modern and comfortable environment enhanced with amiable surroundings of a…Details
The Hotel Hasa offers accommodation near the beautiful park and close by the City Center. The wellknown turist destinations, for instance Vyšehrad, Karlův most (Charles…Details
Hotel Opatov is located near the highway Prague Brno, but it is still away from heavy traffic in a quiet part of Prague in an absolutely perfect location with respect to the…Details
This newlyreconstructed building offers both single and multiplebed rooms with ensuite bathrooms, a guarded car park, restaurant, conservatory, satellite TV in the…Details
Hotel Prokopka** is due to its appartments (with possibillity of using the kitchenette) choosed by families with children, further then due to possibillity of longstay accommodation…Details
Hotel Radegast is situated in a quiet milieu near to the main route connecting centre and the airport. The hotel capacity is 45 beds in double rooms with possibility of adding an extra…Details
The hotel offers accommodation in double, triple and 4bedded rooms, 36 beds altogether. The rooms are newly furnished, all have private bathrooms and TV. You can also get accommodation…Details
We offer quality and cheap accommodation in tworoom apartments. Every apartment is equipped with own toilet, shower and kitchenette. The hotel has a favourable location in a…Details
We provide an accommodation with capacity 24 beds in single, double and one triple room. One room is fixed as accommodation for handicapped person. This room has own toillete and bathroom.In…Details


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Keep up to the date with the latest foodie news and check out some tips for when you're in the kitchen here on the Fiver Feeds blog.
Twenty years ago, you would have had a hard time finding organic food at a supermarket, you have had to travel to some hip health food store, but now the… Continue Reading »
I'm not going to deny it; I can't wait for spring to have sprung! I do think this is one of those times of year that can be quite depressing… Continue Reading »
We do love a good pie in this country, so it is rather fitting that we have National British Pie Week to celebrate our love and skill when it comes… Continue Reading »
With an increasing population, rising food prices, declining fish stocks, and 30% of the earth's land mass currently being used for cattle production, it is no wonder that people have… Continue Reading »
Veal is a meat that, in the past, has earned itself a bit of a bad reputation. Unlike beef, which comes from adult cattle, veal comes from, generally speaking, male… Continue Reading »
"The UK public are being misinformed – by certain core national media organisations, under the influence of green politics, and by some seafood retailers who want consumers to think that… Continue Reading »
Unknown to many, the term 'superfood' (used to describe certain foods that are low in calories and high in specific vitamins, minerals or nutrients) was created and used as a… Continue Reading »
You all know me by now… I'm the one who will always have a laugh and a joke and try to make the best out of a bad situation. Well… Continue Reading »
It's oh-so-tempting at this time of year to want to fill up on warming 'fast food' where you don't have to stand in a cold kitchen for what feels like… Continue Reading »


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He began the day as chipleader, eliminated six players from his starting table, 3 in the first level of play, and early in the day had twice as many chips as second place with 100 players left.
Khan didn't lose the chiplead until there was 15 players remaining. He ran solid the rest of Day 2 and throughout today's final table, collecting $188,686 as the champion, moving his TVPokerRoom tournament earnings to more than $300k.
Khan had a competitive stack for most of final table play, but it was Roland Shen who took a dominant lead 3-handed. Shen took two massive pots from Greg Guth, then eliminated Guth in 3rd to start heads-up play with a 4-1 lead over Khan.
It took more than an hour for Khan to be all in and be called, doubling through Shen. Khan was behind 10-1 in chips just before that double. An orbit later, Shen tanked for more than 5 minutes before folding to a river shove from Khan, and the lead was down to close to 2-1 and play changed considerably.
Khan gained control heads-up after another 45 minutes and went to to earn the win in a match that lasted just a few minutes shy of four hours. Khan earned the $188,686 payday, a WSOP Circuit ring and an automatic entry in the 2018 WSOP Global Championship Million Dollar Freeroll.
Khan was 3rd last weekend in the 1,511-entry $300,000 Guaranteed $365 opening event of the series, 8th at the WPTDeepStacks Season Championship Million Dollar Guarantee here last month and also 5th at the WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event here last March.
Shen earns $116,706 as runner-up. He flopped a pair, all-in preflop on the final hand, only to see Khan river Broadway for the victory.
Monster Stack ring winner Michael Scott was 5th ($47,647).
Other notable cashes included circuit cash number 101 for Charles 'Woody' Moore, 17th for WPT Champions Club member Lee Markholt, 27th for WSOP Colossus champ Ben Keeline (3rd in the WPTDeepStacks Season Championships here last month), 30th for 2017 WSOP Global Champion Sean Yu, 51st for former Ante Up World Champ Justo Avalos and 61st to last month's WPTDeepStacks Season Champ at TVPokerRoom, Jeff Fielder.
Here are the final results.
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Mp3 256 Kbps. In Stereo sound.
JETHRO TULL-"SONGS FROM THE WOODEN GRAMOPHONE"-Live in Southampton, England, Feb. 19, 1977. BBC In Concert. (STEREO VERSION).
1.Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of A New Day
2.Jack In The Green
3.Thick As A Brick
4.Songs From The Wood
5.Velvet Green
6.Hunting Girl
8.Wind Up
9.Locomotive Breath
10.Sweet Dream
11.Dark Ages
12.Dark Ages (Studio Outtake)
13.Wardrobe Whopper
Track 1-9 recorded live in Southampton 19.Feb.1977
Track 10-11 recorded live in April 1979 during US-Tour
Track 12 is an A capella Version
Track 13 recorded during the session for a Burger King jingle in1979


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Scientists/Actress Say They Were 'Tricked' Into Geocentric Universe Movie
Written by admin No Comments
Last Updated: April 11, 2014
EwanPalmer (2536690) writes "Three scientists and Star Trek actress Kate Mulgrew say they were duped into appearing in a controversial documentary which claims the Earth is the center of the Universe. The Principle, a film which describes itself as 'destined to become one of the most controversial films of our time', argues the long-debunked theory of geocentrism – where the earth is the center of the Universe and the Sun resolves around it – is true and Nasa has tried to cover it up. The film features the narration of actress Mulgrew, who played the part of captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek Voyager, as well as three prominent scientists."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.


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Birthdays: Creating a memorable celebration
Related Articles
- Birthdays. Rogers, Fred; Kwas, Susan // Ladybug;Jul96, Vol. 6 Issue 11, following p34
Discusses the importance of birthdays. Planning children's birthdays; GIft-giving.
- Cakes, cards, and candles. Brown, Camala // American Demographics;Mar95, Vol. 17 Issue 3, p20
Reports on the common forms of greeting given to birthday celebrants in the United States. Verbal greeting and cards as the most common; Differences in behaviors and attitudes among male and female celebrants; Contact information.
- Table Talk. // Twin Cities News (Munday, TX);9/25/2008, Vol. 26 Issue 39, p4
The author comments on various happenings in Rochester, Texas, which include the birthday of Margie Casey and Nell Williams, death of Esther Crawford as well as birthday celebration of Fern Strickland Connelly.
- Birthdays & Anniversaries. // Stonewall County Courier (Aspermont, TX);6/28/2012, Vol. 25 Issue 27, p3
The article lists the people having their birthdays in June 2012 in Texas.
- Savory Sweet 16. Rodriguez, Victoria E. // Saint Charles Avenue;Dec2011, p42
The article offers information on sixteenth birthday celebration of Crescent City farmers market in New Orleans, Louisiana on completion of 16 years of its service as supplier in fresh food market.
- Birthdays everywhere. Neville, Lee; Radin, Chari // Child Life;Jul/Aug95, Vol. 74 Issue 5, p28
Highlights various ways of celebrating a birthday occasion. Name feasts in Spain; Family celebrations of birthdays in Switzerland; Swimming parties in Australia; Showing respect to elders on birthdays in China; Gift exchanges in Dutch birthday parties; Birthday celebration in the room of the...
- Making birthdays special. Foeaman, A. // Essence (Essence);Apr94, Vol. 24 Issue 12, p106
Reports on the author's way of celebrating her child's birthday. Traditions from Guyana; Bathing the child in oils and flowers; Putting different bed linens; Giving the child clothes; Treating the child to a favorite breakfast with boiled egg; Wooden cup for toasting the occasion.
- The gift of our presence. Darian, Shea // Mothering;Fall96, Issue 80, p32
Presents ideas for celebrating children's birthdays. Invitation of child's close friends; Allowing the birthday child to assist with preparations; Planning ahead to prevent last-minute stress; Alternatives to traditional birthday gifts.
- �Quincea�era! Blum, Jonathan // Scholastic Action;9/19/2005, Vol. 29 Issue 2, p18
Provides a history of the 15th birthday celebration of a girl in Mexico.


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Top-down, Meet Bottom-up (Elite Power, New Power, and Sharing Power)
by Paul Schmitz
Does change come from the bottom up or top down?
The simple answer is both — it often happens when there is collective leadership creating pressure on the outside of an institution, and allies inside the institution or with the power to influence the institution leveraging that pressure to create change. These two groups of leaders, however, are very different. As our social, political, economic, and media bubbles move further apart and become less porous, creating linkages among them has become more challenging. We must understand the dynamics that allow bottom-up and top-down to work together: the need for people to believe in their ability to lead and the need for leaders in positions of traditional power to share or give up power. Two new books offer important insights on how power has often operated and how it might operate more inclusively.
First we must understand and encourage bottom-up leadership. Six years ago, I wrote Everyone Leads: Building Leadership from the Community Up to share my lessons from twenty years developing more than 5,000 diverse young leaders across the United States through Public Allies. We saw a teen mother in community college eventually become a White House lawyer, a deli worker become a top disability rights advocate, a shoe salesman become a top public health leader at a major hospital.
We learned through hundreds of stories like these that leadership is a muscle everyone has, and that like any other muscle it can be developed with practice and exercise. If we focus on the verb — to lead — rather than the noun — leader — and understand it as an act of taking responsibility to achieve a result with others, we can think differently about who can lead. The goal of any organization or community ought to be to build that collective leadership muscle, to create opportunities for many people to step up and lead.
Throughout history, leadership has often come from the leadership of the many, from ordinary people doing extraordinary things together. I often tell the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and how a seamstress, her husband the barber, the train porter, the cook, the bar owner, the English professor, the teenage activists, the lawyer, and a 26-year-old pastor came together to make history.
…leadership is a muscle everyone has, and that like any other muscle it can be developed with practice and exercise.
Looking back further, America wasn't created by a founding father, but by founding fathers. And a true reading of history finds many founding mothers, and additional founding fathers among the farmers, blacksmiths, and free African American men who self organized to challenge the most powerful army in the world at Lexington and Concord. Despite pervasive heroic leadership narratives in our culture, history is filled with such stories of diverse and collective leadership.
But leadership that has emerged from more grassroots origins has often encountered the same roadblock: the resistance of individuals with economic, political, or institutional power. These individuals often believe in heroic leadership models, and see extraordinary leadership potential primarily in people who look like them and come from the same background. At Public Allies, I found myself more than once arguing with philanthropists who believed that people like their children were better suited to make a difference in low-income communities of color than young people from those communities. I also experienced the arrogance of philanthropists who believed that because they wrote a compelling software code or invested wealth wisely that they knew better how to solve public problems like education and poverty than people with actual expertise. In my consulting work, I have witnessed powerful allies grab back control when grassroots leaders or coalitions began attracting attention and resources. Empowerment is often more talk than action.
Anan Giridharadas's new book, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World, is a thoughtful and provocative rebuke of such elite power and how it undermines good intentions. Giridharadas's criticism is aimed at "MarketWorld," the rarefied space where elite business leaders and philanthropists engage with government officials, thought leaders, and prominent nonprofit leaders to seek win-win solutions to public problems like education, climate change, and poverty. The problem is that to ensure there is a win-win, no criticism of business leaders' practices or philanthropists' investments that contribute to problems can be discussed. No sacrifice can be asked of them. For example, we can talk about educational opportunity as a means of overcoming poverty, but not living wages, affordable housing, and accessible health care. And we especially cannot speak of business leaders' or philanthropists' complicity through their business practices or their advocacy for public policies that contribute to the problems they want to solve. We can only talk about what they give, never what they take or have taken.
Power in MarketWorld grows by never rocking boats. Thought leaders must curtail their criticisms, nonprofit leaders must never discuss root causes. Everyone, even government officials, must agree that government doesn't work and the private sector works better. The "do well by doing good" ethos that pervades MarketWorld has attracted a new generation of privileged people to the public square, overconfident that their market mindsets, ability to inspire elite leaders (who come from the same background), and MarketWorld tool box (management consulting formulas, business school jargon, spreadsheets, and PowerPoints) entitle them to lead in communities they have not lived in on issues they have not experienced or worked on before.
The MarketWorld ethos has dominated social change conversations at places like Davos, Aspen, and the Clinton Global Initiative. It has also increasingly infiltrated conversations in communities where young entrepreneurs, wealthy heirs, and those with prestigious résumés are more likely to get celebrated and rewarded for their social innovations than those with deep experience working and innovating on community problems (and who care less about doing well than doing good).
Previous books such as Thomas Frank's Listen Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?, Richard Reeves' Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do About It, and David Callahan's The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age have covered similar ground, but none with the vigor, honesty, and even empathy of Giridharadas. Of course, we want people with wealth and power to participate in the public square and to contribute their experience, expertise, and wealth to public problem solving. But we need them to do it with authenticity, humility, and a willingness to build, share, and give up power.
Like every other system in our society, new power will not be more equitable unless it equity is intentionally built into the leaders' ethos, structures, and practices.
New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World — and How to Make it Work for You by Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms is a compelling and timely exploration of new platforms that move away from elite power to more generative and shared power. Through a wide range of examples that include the Ice Bucket Challenge, #BlackLivesMatter, Etsy, Invisible Children's Kony 2012, AirBnB, the NRA, and ISIS, they demonstrate how leaders and groups have harnessed and leveraged new technological platforms and cultural changes to catalyze individuals to step up and act individually and together as a powerful force for innovation and change. They outline the shifts from old power values to new power values as moving from formal to informal, competition to collaboration, confidentiality to transparency, expertise to "do it yourself," exclusive loyalty to conditional loyalty. New power leaders have learned that platforms spread ideas when they are actionable — people have a pathway to take action; connected — they give people a sense of belonging and ways to work together; and extensible — they enable people to customize, remix, and make them their own.
They have created a new textbook for 21st Century social change, and the stories of viral campaigns, empowering platforms, movements, and even cautionary tales are both inspiring and instructive. Generative and collective leadership have always been at the center of social change, but new power platforms make it easier to build leader-full organizations, coalitions, and campaigns today. Not surprisingly, the authors find the most effective efforts often link some combination of old power (top-down) and new power (bottom-up). The challenge with their analysis is that the platforms and tools of new power are often more accessible to those with traditional power, privilege, and resources. Like every other system in our society, new power will not be more equitable unless it equity is intentionally built into the leaders' ethos, structures, and practices.
While I believe New Power is a worthy antidote to Giridharadas's MarketWorld, I think there are at least three additional mindset shifts that are helpful for leaders with power and privilege to engage collective leadership to move social change:
- Transmit, don't hoard power. During my own journey wrestling with power and privilege, I've learned that power and privilege are either hoarded or transmitted. Who do you mentor? Who do you listen to? Who do you create opportunities for? Who do you get out of the way for? When is it time to step up, and when do you step back? These are questions that leaders must ask ourselves to ensure that we are truly building and sharing power with people different from ourselves. Recently the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy shared a Power Moves framework for philanthropists on how to build, share, and wield power for equity and justice. These principles are instructive for everyone.
- Make sure there is equity at your tables. It is important for all leaders to comprehend the legacy of racism in America, and to recognize the resulting disparities in social outcomes and representation. White leaders must take responsibility to ensure equity and racial equity at the tables where we sit to work on public problems. This begins by asking: How demographically reflective is our table of the population we seek to help? How many people at our table have lived experience with the issues we are working on or even family members with lived experience? How many of us live in the specific neighborhoods we aim to help, or have lived there, or have family members there? We cannot do equity without being equitable, and we will not get more equitable results without explicit intention and continued attention. It also requires us to put authentic community engagement at the center of community problem solving, recognizing that intended beneficiaries of change and their families, friends, and neighbors need to be leaders in producing change.
- Practice humility. So often, to get to tables we need to prove we belong — that we have the knowledge, skills, and experience to contribute. We should be confident about what we bring, but also humble about what we don't. None of us has the whole package. None of us has all the knowledge about the community, neighborhoods, or issues that is needed. When we own what we don't know, don't do well, and lack experience in, then we recognize the importance of inclusion and collaboration. Too often, individuals with power and privilege project their expertise from one field into other areas they don't know as well. We need to listen, to focus on inquiry rather than advocacy. We can begin by testing our assumptions and beliefs by asking others — especially individuals who are different than ourselves — about how they view a situation, how they interpret it, and the assumptions and beliefs they've formed based on it. Many of us are wired to advocate, so this is not always easy, but it is essential to work effectively and authentically across difference.
Social change in communities or on larger social issues will only happen when we create platforms that encourage, engage, and empower the leadership of the many, and when leaders who hold traditional power collaborate inclusively and effectively with those populations. Elite power needs to explicitly and transparently commit to work differently if they want to achieve their intended social changes and impacts. The practices of new power, when combined with explicit efforts to share power, demand equity, and practice humility can make it possible for diverse coalitions to build collective power and leadership to achieve social impact and social change together.
Paul Schmitz builds the collective leadership of organizations and communities to achieve greater social impact through his roles as Senior Advisor at The Collective Impact Forum and CEO of Leading Inside Out. He is also the author of Everyone Leads: Building Leadership from the Community Up, and the former CEO of Public Allies, where he helped more than 5,000 diverse young adults begin careers working for community and social change. Paul is a faculty member of The Asset-Based Community Development Institute, was a social innovation advisor to the Obama White House, and has been named three separate years to The Nonprofit Times list of the 50 most influential nonprofit leaders in America. He lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his wife and five children.


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It's Gray Whale Season Along the Central California Coast!
Every year thousands of gray whales embark on a grueling 10,000 mile migration, between their feeding grounds in Alaska and their calving grounds in Baja California. And although there's no shortage of whale watching cruises along the Central California coast; it's also possible to get a glimpse of these giant cetaceans from the shore. In fact, with a little patience and a keen eye, you can spot the migrating whales along the Central California coast as they head south in December and January, and again on their return journey in March and April. Not only is this option easy on the wallet, but in most cases it's also much more accessible than a cruise. Of course, the key is knowing how and where to look for these massive mammals.
Tips and Tricks
First and foremost, whale watching takes a bit of patience. In other words, don't expect to pop out of your car, scan the horizon, see a whale breach and then move on to the next location. That's just not the way it works. In fact it's not unusual to spend the whole afternoon at one site and never even catch a glimpse of a whale. Sometimes it's all just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
That said, you can increase your chances of sighting a whale or two by bringing along a good pair of binoculars. It's believed the whales use the shoreline as a navigation tool, and sometimes they are over two miles off the coast, and very difficult to spot with the naked eye. Carefully scan the water from left to right and back again, close to shore and across the horizon.
There's also a lot of debris in the water, so look for objects that move. If something just bobs up and down in one place it's probably debris. It's also a good idea to be on the lookout for boats, especially ones that are stopped, as they may be whale watching excursions. Indeed sometimes the best way to find whales is to find other people who are watching them.
Finally, keep your eyes pealed for plumes of water, dorsal fins, and tail flukes, as these are sure signs of whale activity. And if you notice a big splash, that's a sure indication that a whale has breached — or jumped out of the water. Keep scanning the water from right to left in the area of the breach, and you will most likely be treated to more whale sightings.
Where to Go
Of course knowing what to look for is just half the battle; you also have to pick a reasonably good vantage point. With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite accessible whale watching spots along the Central California coast. Best of all, there's no entrance fee to any of them!
Avila Beach Pier
The Avila Beach Pier (www.avilabeachpier.com ) tops the list, and not just my list. This site has also been designated as a good choice by the folks at The Whale Trail — an organization that identifies preeminent whale watching spots along the Pacific Coast.
There's accessible street parking on Front Street near the foot of the pier, and curb-cut access to a level sidewalk that leads over to the 1,685-foot long pier. A spotting scope and a Whale Trail sign are located near the accessible parking spot; however you have to be able to stand up to use the scope. Accessible restrooms are also located near the foot of the pier. Best of all, even if you can't walk far, you can still get a good view of the ocean near the spotting scope. As an added bonus, there's also an accessible pedestrian mall that runs along Front Street, where you can stop for a bite to eat or maybe even enjoy an adult beverage.
Shamel County Park
Shamel Park (www.slocountyparks.org/day-use-parks/shamel-park) also makes a good vantage point for land-based whale watching. Located off Highway 1 in Cambria, it's about a 45-minute drive from the Avila Beach Pier.
Accessible parking is located near the park entrance, with level access to a slightly graded sidewalk that leads through the six-acre park. Accessible restrooms are located to the right of the main sidewalk, while a large picnic area on level ground is located to the left. At the end of the sidewalk, there are steps down to the beach, but if you bear left you'll find an excellent whale watching vantage point. This site has several tables on level ground where you can get a great view of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Even if you don't happen to spot any whales, it's a nice spot for a picnic lunch.
Cayucos Pier
Last but not least, be sure and stop at the Cayucos Pier on your whale watching trek. Located halfway between Cambria and Avila Beach, this pier is also a Whale Trail site.
A dolphin statue marks the foot of the pier, and accessible street parking is located nearby. There's level access to this historic pier, which was constructed in 1872 and renovated in 2015. Depending on your energy level you can either enjoy the small viewing platform near the beginning of the pier, or check out the view from the end of the pier. And if you'd like to fish while you whale watch, you'll be happy to know that you don't need a license for pier fishing. Even better, there's level access to a mouth watering assortment of shore side restaurants near the pier. Dubbed "America's Coolest Small Town", Cambria is definitely worth a stop on any Central California Coast whale watching jaunt.


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In the DU second cut-off list, a dip of 0.25-1 percentage points across courses is expected.
Delhi University (DU) released its first cut-off list for admissions to Undergraduate Courses on June 23 on the official website, du.ac.in
In the first cut-off list, Shri Ram College of Commerce had set the highest demanding 97.75 per cent for BCom (Hons).
This year, however, the cut off has not reached the touchdown mark of 100 per cent as was the case in 2011.
Surprisingly, Delhi University's Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur (SGTB) Khalsa College has set the highest cut offs for science, commerce and arts this year.
(Read: DU Admissions 2017 : List of documents required for UG admission)
Here's the cut-off:
BSc (honours) Electronics: 99.66 per cent
BCom: 98.25 per cent
BA (honours) English: 98.75 per cent
(Read: Delhi University First Cut-Off List: SGTB Khalsa demands 99.66 per cent !)
Now, admissions to Delhi University under the first cutoff list have been closed.
In the second cut-off list, a dip of 0.25-1 percentage points across courses is expected.
Details of seats left:
Kirori Mal College: The college will keep the admission open for open for all courses with a lower cutoff except for English and Sanskrit.
Sri Venkateswara College: As of now, only 298 admissions have been approved against the total 1,058 seats.
Lady Shri Ram College: The college has recorded 545 admissions against the total 783 seats.
Shri Ram College of Commerce: Admissions to Economic (Hons) have been closed for general category


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About Jesse
Jesse Norman was elected as the MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire in 2010. During the 2010-15 Parliament he was a member of the Treasury Select Committee and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Employee Ownership. He has been married to Kate since 1992, and they have three children.
Jesse was educated at Merton College, Oxford University, and has an MPhil and PhD from University College London. He worked for and later ran an educational project giving away medical and other textbooks in Eastern Europe from 1988-1991. In 1991 he went to work at Barclays, mainly on eastern Europe and other emerging markets. He left Barclays as a Director in 1997 in order to teach and do research in philosophy at UCL, and later at Birkbeck College.
A lifelong volunteer, Jesse has personally raised more than half a million pounds for charity. He has also been a school governor of an inner city comprehensive and has worked for over a decade with the Roundhouse arts centre and urban regeneration project, which has helped many thousands of disadvantaged young people. He is also a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange, a director of the Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts, and a member of Council at the National Institute for Economic and Social Research.
Local campaigner
In Herefordshire, as MP from 2010 Jesse played a key role in winning the new Enterprise Zone at Rotherwas, and in securing £15 million of new investment in rural broadband. He has helped improve safety and save millions of pounds on private contractors' costs at Hereford Hospital, as well as over £1.5 billion nationally on the PFI. He has been closely involved in supporting Hereford United and keeping football at Edgar Street.
Jesse has been a trustee of the Kindle Centre in South Wye in Hereford, where he led a project to create a new community theatre space, and Patron of the St Martin's Church roof appeal and of the Friends of St Mary's, Ross-on-Wye. He is currently Vice President of Westfields Football Club and Patron of Herefordshire Riding for the Disabled, No 1 Ledbury Road respite care centre, and the Music Pool, as well as supporting dozens of local voluntary and charitable organisations.
High profile
Jesse's books and pamphlets include The Achievement of Michael Oakeshott (ed.), After Euclid, Compassionate Conservatism and The Big Society. His book Edmund Burke: Politician, Philosopher, Prophet (2013) was widely acclaimed, and listed for the Samuel Johnson Prize, the Political Book Awards and the George Orwell Prize. He writes a column for the Hereford Times, an occasional blog for the Telegraph, and regularly in the national press.
In 2013 Jesse was asked to join the Policy Board at 10 Downing Street, but left after the vote on Syria. He was awarded Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year 2012, The House Backbencher of the Year 2012, and Rebel of the Year 2013.


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Monday, March 16, 2015
Can you Catch a Leprechaun?
Grandpa told Kendall that he needed a trap for his man cave as he suspected some leprechauns might be lose up there! So Kendall gifted Grandpa with the trap. Since the cup is down, it looks as though we might have caught one!:) She baited the trap with Gold Coins and hoped for the best.
These grands are so much fun and it is good to see their enthusiasm over small things. I have heard leprechauns can be a bit mean so I am afraid to look inside the trap...maybe Kendall will check it tomorrow on St Patrick's Day!
6 comments:
- Julie's Lifestyle said...
Hi Arlene, Oh how cute is that contraption. I remember doing that too when my daughter was little.
Thanks for the sweet comment on the spring wreath that I made.
Hope you have a nice day and week.
Julie xo
- March 16, 2015 at 9:10 AM
- Arlene @Nanaland said...
Thanks Julie! I love seeing wreaths that I can make myself!
- March 16, 2015 at 3:21 PM
- doodles n daydreams said...
We wait with bated breath to see what is under the cup in the trap :)
- March 16, 2015 at 5:38 PM
- Arlene @Nanaland said...
Diana, I will have to make my husband check it this evening.lol
- March 16, 2015 at 7:04 PM
- Terri D said...
What total fun!! I love the imaginations of your grands. Awesome!
- March 16, 2015 at 8:09 PM
- Arlene @Nanaland said...
Terri, they keep us young!!:)
- March 17, 2015 at 6:37 AM
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Tel Aviv-based eVolution Networks revealed its first customer this week, announcing that pan-Caribbean mobile operator Digicel is adopting its Smart Energy Solution (SES), a set of technologies that allows a carrier to power down its towers when not in use.
It sounds like a simple idea, but it's not an easy one to implement. Mobile networks are designed to deliver their full capacity at a moment's notice in order to handle the unpredictable patterns of the cellphone-wielding public. Consequently most base stations remain at full power whether it's rush hour or the wee hours of the morning.
eVolution's technology constantly monitors, analyzing its radio coverage characteristics as well as daily traffic patterns. Based on that information it decides which base stations in which places can safely be powered down at night or during other off-peak hours without sacrificing coverage. As traffic patterns change, SES changes the mix of cells staying online and off.
Source and read more:
Israeli startup eVolution creates a power-saver mode for mobile networks
Gönderen leyla keser berber on 29 Ocak 2013 Salı
Etiketler: Mobile Networks


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"They have great beaches. You see that whenever they are exploding the cannons in the ocean. I said, 'Look at that view, that would make a great condo.' I explained it. I said, 'Instead of doing that, you could have the best hotels in the world. Think of it from the real estate perspective.'"Thanks, folks, I'll be here all week!
Well, I guess it beats hell out of "fire and fury".


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Remember that A's-Rangers game from a couple of years ago, when Rangers reliever Frank Francisco threw a chair into the stands and broke some lady's nose? Well, that lawsuit in still going on, and it appears the Rangers are sparing no expense in their quest to discredit the lady's husband, whose heckling might have started the whole incident.
According to the East Bay Express, Craig Bueno, the screamer who pissed off the Rangers so badly in the first place, is being smeared by the Rangers in the suit. The team is digging up dirt on him, like his supposed "explicit" pictures in his firehouse (he's a fireman), in order to, uh ... well, we're not really quite sure what it has to do with the lawsuit, actually.
Attorneys for the Rangers deny they are trying to smear Bueno, whom they have countersued. "We didn't go digging up dirt — these witnesses came to us," Rangers lawyer Joel Halverson told Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch last week. ... The team also argues that Bueno is at least partially responsible for his wife's injuries because of his outrageous taunting of relief pitchers in the visiting bullpen, which ultimately led Francisco to toss the chair.
To be honest, we had forgotten about this whole incident, but we're definitely going to be keeping an eye on it now. It's just instructive to remember that if your wife is hit in the face with a chair thrown by a Major League Baseball player, you better make sure your closet is clear of skeletons. Or naked pictures, anyway.
Playing Hardball [East Bay Express]


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This post continues our look at SAML v2.0 Use Cases. The first two use cases are described in "SAML v2.0 vs JWT: SAML2 Web Application SSO Use Cases". The full list of SAML2 vs JWT-related blog posts can be found here.
Use Case #3: SOAP Web Service & SAML 2.0
This use case describes how to authenticate a SOAP Service Consumer to a SOAP Service Provider using SAML2, WS-Trust, and WS-Security. Another way of thinking about this use case is that it is how to convey an identity from a SOAP Service Consumer to a SOAP Service Provider using SAML 2.0 in a secure fashion without revealing the user credentials (password, for example) to the Service Provider.
The SAML Token used in this scenario is mostly similar to that described here. So, we won't go through a detailed description, again. The Audience information in the token will be relevant to the SOAP Service Provider. Now, where things become interesting is what value the audience contains. It will be in a URL form. But, is it the URL of the SOAP Service? That is a common approach. Or, should it be something more granular? Such as a representation of the operation? This could be done with something like
If there are many SOAP Web Services using SAML for authentication, having a unique Relying Party (audience) for each SOAP service (let alone for each SOAP operation) could become prohibitively complex to manage — especically, for an STS that wasn't constructed with this use case in mind. Of course, if you have mastered the whole DevOps, self-service/automation thing (and that dicipline extends to your Identity Stack), then complexity and overhead of managing 100s or 1000s of RPs within your Federation Server (Identity Provider or STS) will not pose a significant challenge. On the other hand, if all Identity and Access Management (IAM) processes are done manually, it is an near absolute certainty this will be very challenging (if not impossible). Other possible approaches include having a common RP used across all services advertised in an environment, gateway, or ESB — this common RP could be the ESB host or a meaningful string. This isn't a particularly secure approach, but it has been done before; it isn't ideal because you are intentionally increasing the number of legitimate places a compromised bearer token could be used. With a legitimate understanding of risks and appropriate mitigation, this could be viable approach.
The WS-Trust v1.3 specification describes a standard way for SOAP system actors to interact with a Security Token Service (STS) via a SOAP-based protocol. An STS is a WS-Trust term for an Identity Provider that can issue, validate, renew, and invalidate tokens. Like SAML2, there are numerous use cases and the design decisions surrounding optional components of the WS-Trust v1.3 spec. Chapter 2 of the spec outlines the trust model (what authentication methods are supported) that the STS must support — it is very high-level. From the spec, "Authentication of requests is based on a combination of optional network and transport-provided security and information (claims) proven in the message. Requestors can authenticate recipients using network and transport-provided security, claims proven in messages, and encryption of the request using a key known to the recipient." Just about every STS in existance at least supports Basic Authentication. Most STS vendors support far more authentication methods than this; coming up with a common authentication method supported by WS-Trust clients and the STS can become complicated when dealing with a multi-vendor/multi-platform environment.
WS-Trust v1.4 is more recent, but my functioning examples use WS-Trust v1.3. A WS-Trust client must create a RequestSecurityToken message that is wrapped in a SOAP request that will look something like:
<s:Envelope xmlns:u="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-utility-1.0.xsd" xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/2005/08/addressing" xmlns:s="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope" xmlns:trust="http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-sx/ws-trust/200512" xmlns:wsp="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2004/09/policy" xmlns:wsa="http://www.w3.org/2005/08/addressing" xmlns:wsu="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-utility-1.0.xsd" xmlns:wsse="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-secext-1.0.xsd"> <s:Header> <a:Action s:mustUnderstand="1">http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-sx/ws-trust/200512/RST/Issue</a:Action> <a:MessageID>urn:uuid:827459874359082587924598238572094852485</a:MessageID> <a:ReplyTo> <a:Address>http://www.w3.org/2005/08/addressing/anonymous</a:Address> </a:ReplyTo> <a:To s:mustUnderstand="1">https://idp.levvel.io/sts/wstrust14</a:To> <wsse:Security> <wsse:UsernameToken wsu:Id="unt-001"> <wsse:Username>user</wsse:Username> <wsse:Password Type="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-username-token-profile-1.0#PasswordText">password</wsse:Password> </wsse:UsernameToken> </wsse:Security> </s:Header> <s:Body> <trust:RequestSecurityToken> <wsp:AppliesTo> <wsa:EndpointReference> <wsa:Address>https://api.levvel.io/serviceA</wsa:Address> </wsa:EndpointReference> </wsp:AppliesTo> <trust:KeyType>http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-sx/ws-trust/200512/Bearer</trust:KeyType> <trust:RequestType>http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-sx/ws-trust/200512/Issue</trust:RequestType> <trust:TokenType>urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:assertion</trust:TokenType> </trust:RequestSecurityToken> </s:Body> </s:Envelope>
The WS-Trust specification uses numerous other WS-* specs to accomplish its goals — including WS-Addressing, WS-Policy, WS-SecurityPolicy, WS-Security, WS-Security Username Token Profile. This message uses a Username Token defined by the WS-Security Username Token Profile v1.0 spec to authenticate the Principal. The message uses WS-Addressing to describe the Action, MessageID, and ReplyTo, and To elements in the SOAP Headers. The Action element describes the WS-Trust RequestSecurityToken (RST) Operation that should be used by the STS — in this case, RST Issue operation. The MessageID element provides an identifier for this message. The ReplyTo element contains an Address element that defines the URL that the receiver should reply to — this is not used here. The To element defines the IdP URL that the WS-Trust RST Issue message is being sent to. The Security header is defined by the WS-Security specification. The Security header contains a UsernameToken element. The UsernameToken element (as the name implies) is referred to as a Username Token (or UNT); this contains a userid and password that would be validated by comparison to a User Repository (such as an LDAP server). The SOAP Message body contains the RequestSecurityToken element. This is the top-level element of the WS-Trust request message. It contains AppliesTo, KeyType, RequestType, and TokenType elements. The AppliesTo address contains a WS-Addressing Address element that contains the URL that will be used as the Audience in the resulting SAML Assertion. The KeyType element contains the WS-Trust identifier for a Bearer token. The RequestType element references the WS-Trust operation name (Issue in this case) URL. The TokenType references the SAML Assertion identifier.
If the credentials, AppliesTo Address, and other parameters in the WS-Trust RST Issue message are valid, the STS will respond with a RequestSecurityTokenResponseCollection Message similar to the following:
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:wsa="http://www.w3.org/2005/08/addressing" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"> <soapenv:Header> <wsa:Action soapenv:mustUnderstand="0">http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-sx/ws-trust/200512/RST/Issue</wsa:Action> <wsa:MessageID soapenv:mustUnderstand="0">urn:uuid:38450984389023809258904580945</wsa:MessageID> <wsa:RelatesTo soapenv:mustUnderstand="0">urn:uuid:89439034834985334983048543098</wsa:RelatesTo> <ns1:Security soapenv:mustUnderstand="0" xmlns:ns1="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-secext-1.0.xsd"> <ns2:Timestamp xmlns:ns2="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-utility-1.0.xsd"> <ns2:Created>2016-05-14T00:10:000Z</ns2:Created> </ns2:Timestamp> </ns1:Security> </soapenv:Header> <soapenv:Body> <wst:RequestSecurityTokenResponseCollection xmlns:wst="http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-sx/ws-trust/200512"> <wst:RequestSecurityTokenResponse wsu:Id="_892458934508345083548035980345" xmlns:wsu="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-utility-1.0.xsd"> <wst:TokenType>http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/oasis-wss-saml-token-profile-1.1#SAMLV2.0</wst:TokenType> <wsp:AppliesTo xmlns:wsp="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2004/09/policy"> <wsa:EndpointReference> <wsa:Address>https://api.levvel.io/serviceA</wsa:Address> </wsa:EndpointReference> </wsp:AppliesTo> <wst:Lifetime> <wsu:Created>2016-05-14T00:10:00.000Z</wsu:Created> <wsu:Expires>2016-05-14T00:15:00.000Z</wsu:Expires> </wst:Lifetime> <wst:RequestedSecurityToken> [Omitted for brevity. Details are here.] </wst:RequestedSecurityToken> <wst:RequestedAttachedReference xmlns:wss="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-secext-1.0.xsd"> <wss:SecurityTokenReference wss11:TokenType="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/oasis-wss-saml-token-profile-1.1#SAMLV2.0" xmlns:wss11="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/oasis-wss-wssecurity-secext-1.1.xsd"> <wss:KeyIdentifier ValueType="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/oasis-wss-saml-token-profile-1.1#SAMLID" xmlns:saml="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:assertion">498098435934893450983459324</wss:KeyIdentifier> </wss:SecurityTokenReference> </wst:RequestedAttachedReference> </wst:RequestSecurityTokenResponse> </wst:RequestSecurityTokenResponseCollection> </soapenv:Body> </soapenv:Envelope>
The WS-Trust Response Message shown above contains several SOAP Headers: Action, MessageID, RelatesTo, and Security. The Action element provides a processing context to the recepient. The MessageID is a unique identifier for this message. The RelatesTo field ties this response back to a request message identifier. The Security header is the standard WS-Security SOAP Header; in this case, it contains a time stamp. The message body contains a RequestSecurityTokenResponseCollection, which in turn contains a single RequestSecurityTokenResponse element. This element contains TokenType, AppliesTo, Lifetime, and RequestedSecurityToken elements. The TokenType element defines what type of token the response contains — in this case a SAML2 token. The AppliesTo element contains the EndpointAddress whose value is the request message's AppliesTo value. The Lifetime element defines the creation and expiration dates (Created and Expires elements). The RequestedSecurityToken element contains exactly what its name would imply — the requested SAML Assertion. The SAML Assertion is more or less exactly the same as the tokens used in Use Case #1 and Use Case #2 — the only difference is the Audience information.
The SAML Assertion in the WS-Trust response message is extracted by the SOAP Service Consumer and placed into the SOAP Request Message WS-Security Security Header similar to:
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:ws="http://ws.rcbj.com/"> <soapenv:Header> <wsse:Security xmlns:wsse="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-secext-1.0.xsd" soapenv:mustUnderstand="1"> <saml:Assertion> [Omitted for brevity. Details here.] </saml:Assertion> </wsse:Security> </soapenv:Header> <soapenv:Body wsu:Id="_2"> <ws:sumRequest> <return>9</return> </ws:sumRequest> </soapenv:Body> </soapenv:Envelope>
This SOAP Request without the SAML Assertion is from an earlier blog poston ThinkMiddleware.com. The WS-Security 1.0 SAML Token Profiledescribes how to put a SAML 2.0 Assertion into the WS-Security SOAP Header (Security element) of a SOAP message. To add an additional layer of assurance that this SAML Assertion is not reused in undesired ways, a digital signature could be added over the SOAP Message Body and/or SOAP Headers of each request message being sent with the SAML Assertion. The signing key would belong to the SOAP Consumer (application most likely) rather than an end user identity. A similar level of assurance could also be achieved with mutually authenticated SSL and a mapping of client certificates to particular application identities.
Putting all of this together, we have the following diagram:
Depending on the token lifetime and reuse policies (for the organization, system, environment), there may be performance advantages to caching the Assertion(s) on the Service Consumer. Whether or not there is an advantage depends on how often the same Principal (user, session, security context, etc) is making calls to the same SOAP Service. Or, at least, to a SOAP Service with an identical Audience. It's also possible to have multiple Audience elements listed; this can become rather complicated. Allowing tokens to be cached on a system actor that is acting as a Service Consumer should only be done if that actor can be properly secured. What constitutes properly secured is beyond the scope of this blog post. It is common for JEE Application Servers (WebSphere Application Server or JBoss EAP, for example) to store the SAML Assertion in the SecurityContext (JAAS Subject).
The validation of the SAML Assertion (per the SAML 2.0 spec) by the Service Provider can be done without a call back to the IdP.
The SOAP response message does not contain an identity token of any kind and is not particularly important to this example. So, it isn't given here.
Use Case #4: REST API & SAML2
The first three SAML 2.0 use cases in this series were all clearly defined by the various specifications that we have discussed. This one is a bit more gray — in line with the lack of formal standards around EEST and APIs. To add some structure to this discussion, recall the four Web Application Architectures that were discussed in the API Security vs. Web Application Security Part 1: A Brief History of Web Application Architecture. We will go through each of these architectures and explore how SAML could be used for authentication and identity propagation.
In Web Application Architecture #1, there isn't really an API to speak of. But, for completeness, either Use Case #1 or #2 from above would apply.
In Web Application Architecture #2, there is a concept of an API. All of the API calls are part of a security session that is tracked on the web server. Here too, Use Case #1 or Use Case #2 could be used. However, the SAML Assertion is only used at the beginning of the session to establish it. After that, the security session is tracked through a session cookie or similar mechanism as described in the API Security vs. Web Application Security series.
In Web Application Architecture #3, a separate security session must be established with each API Provider.
- This could be done with Use Case #1 (Service Provider Initiated Web App SSO) for each individual API Provider that the web application interacts with. Once again, the security session is tracked through a session cookie or similar mechanism like our last example.
- Another approach would be to have the Web Application use Use Case #1 to obtain a SAML Assertion for each API Provider, cache those Assertions, and use them as necessary to interact with API Providers. A single token could also be used that contains multiple audience conditions. The difference between this and the last option is that the SAML Assertion is included with each call made to the API Provider(s). However, this is jumping ahead in my original taxonomy of Web Application Architectures — bearer tokens weren't being included with every call.
In Web Application Architecture #4, something similar to the second option for Web Application Architecture #3 could be used.
Now, how does the API Consumer send the SAML Assertion to the API Provider? RFC 6750 defines how to place a bearer token into the Authorization HTTP header, form-encoded body parameter, or query parameter — the Authorization header approach is probably the most common. The base64-encoded Assertion would be used in any of those locations.
If the API request contains a message body that is XML, then the Assertion could be embedded there. The base64-encoded Assertion could also be stored in a cookie. Likewise, the base64-encoded value could be kept in any arbitrary HTTP Header, Query Parameter, or form-encoded body parameter. Of course, none of these options would be a spec-defined approach to security, which is the goal.
In each of these scenarios, API Consumer would obtain the SAML Assertion through SAML2 Browser Profile, WS-Trust call, or a similar mechanism. The same concerns described in Use Case #3 would apply here.
Similarly, the API Provider must validate the SAML Assertion per the SAML2 specs in the same manner as in Use Case #3.
In the next post, we will look at the final SAML2 Use Cases.


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Grace Wellness Center
Local Counseling & Retreats Available
Founded in 2009 by Stephen and Jeana Luther, both counselors who worked counseling and chirpractic services, who felt led to open a Christian counseling and wellness center able to transform people's lives physically, emotionally and spiritually.
They offer personal counseling sessions along with retreats & seminars throughout the year to help all of us through our journey of life.
To find out ways you can get connected, check out their website: thegracewellnesscenter.com


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The MT Trail Carbon disc brake set puts the power where you need it, without adding unneeded weight. Magura has put together a combination of their existing four and two piston brakes with a few upgrades to the lever and caliper. The MT7 features four pistons in the front for maximum braking power, and MT8 sports two larger pistons in the rear for perfect modulation. The modifications to these existing brakes allow the MT Trail Carbon to be 15% lighter than the MT7 and just 5% heavier than the MT8, but still provide excellent trail performance. The carbon lever and handlebar clamp, carbon-reinforced body, and chrome caliper will ensure these brakes stand out from the crowd and add a refined energy to your high end MTB.
The MT Trail brakes are front and rear specific.
Front length: 952.5mm
Rear length: 1955.8mm
- Fluid: Magura Royal Blood
- Pistons: 4 front / 2 rear
- Lever Reach: Adjustable
- Pad Contact: Not Adjustable
- Lever Material: Carbon
- Intended Use: Trail / AM
- Warranty: 5 year leakproof
Reviews / Q&A


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I was out in my dad's shop a few weeks ago (at their "new" place, not the house I grew up in, which is gone), and I saw the Can. I couldn't resist taking a picture of it. The Can is an old gallon paint container that my dad started tossing leftover nuts, bolts, screws and washers in when I was a kid, maybe even before I was born.
The Can represents something really central in my father, who was born in 1930, a year into an economic depression so severe that by the 1950s it was being referred to with the adjective "Great" and initial caps. To this day my old man never throws away something that there is a chance he might find a use for later on. In my dad's day, this was just common sense. But there is something more. The Can looks like, and is, physically speaking, a big mess in a bucket. But philosophically it expresses some attitudes toward life that say a lot about a man who has never discussed his inner workings much. The can expresses an acceptance of a certain degree of controlled chaos, also a balance of similar and dissimilar, and ultimately it declares the existence of a limit to how far one man will go to classify and organize the world around him. The final atomic unit of my dad's impulse to sort is this: one gallon.
I benefitted from the bounty of the Can when I became old enough to need the odd carriage bolt or a sheet metal screw for a project, by which time I already was familiar not only with the Can but with the unspoken (and always observed) Ritual of the Can, which was to spread out some newspapers on the shop floor, then tip the Can until the whole bloomin' gallon of tiny metal pieces Spilled out onto the floor. This event came with its own unique sound, which started sharp and sudden and then swooshed and went still — still except for the happy ring of whichever little lock washer got up enough momentum from the Spill to roll across the floor and under the chest freezer, which held the beloved apple pies that you still haven't heard the last of.
After the Spill came the best part. The careful Pawing through all the pieces in search of the one item that suited the job perfectly. If it was a screw, there would be the obvious attributes of length and head type (phillips or flat, or both!), but also thread count. If a nut, you were usually trying to match to a bolt you had in your hand. Washers came in a number of styles and sizes, some with strange little parapets on them. Whatever you needed and however many you needed — up to about eight or ten — you would always find a matching set. You just might have to Paw through the entire heap to find all eight or ten. The invarying success of the Ritual of the Can vindicated the whole Can ideology. This I knew probably before I could speak. I'd watch my dad Paw (Pa Paw?) through the alluvially spattered mess of Extremely Useful Looking Things, his lean forearm muscles flexing under the rolled-up cuffs of an old workshirt, radius and ulna working in fine tandem to turn and rummage, and hear the triumphant exclamation when the match was made.
Early fascination with the Can evolved into the familiar and often unreflected-upon relationship one has with the tools and methods of ones tribe, and I grew to rely on the Can like I would the family ox (if we'd had an ox). And being of a compulsive nature, I was not at all dismayed by the need to Paw through every last one of thousands of pieces each time one piece was needed. Had my dad started out with a series of small pill containers with labels, then the whole Ritual of the Can would never have come to be. The search for a wood screw would be but a glance at a shelf of tidy jars. Where would be the fun in that?
When I think about it I can still feel the weighty, sludge-like metallic resistance of the heap, which moved under your hand like a wave of heavy water, and the sharp tips of screws against my fingertips. I can hear the dull ringy splash of it. I can feel the hunt.


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|Photo: Reuters
Now, I can't claim to be any kind of expert on Near Asia, but from what I can gather it's to do with Turkic heritage (the crescent and star on a red background is incorporated into the Azerbaijani flag as well), and many people believe the Azeris and Turks are of "two states, one nation" It looks like waving the Turkish flag was banned in Azerbaijan for a while, but relations are now "normalised". One source even refers to an agreement whereby "Turkish and Azerbaijani officials once again reaffirmed that Turkish and Azerbaijani flags were not considered flags of a foreign state in each countries [sic]." If true, that would make the Turkish/ Azerbaijani case quite unique.
This all becomes rather interesting when you consider a third player: Armenia.
Armenia does not have diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan,
These conflicts spill over into the Eurovision Song Contest as well. For example, a couple of years ago Azerbaijani citizens who had voted for Armenia in the ESC were interrogated for unpatriotic activities and asked to explain themselves. Controversies have also arisen over the video 'postcards' that introduce national entries and the biographical details of performers.
It looks like the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku may prove to be one of the more interesting ones yet (assuming Azerbaijan can afford to host the event in the first place)...


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Despite the myths it really does get cold here in North Florida. So, my little herbal apprentice and I decided that today would be a great day to build a fire and enjoy a nice warm cup of Chai. The word Chai actually means tea and usually refers to Masala Chai which originated in India and is a combination of aromatic herbs and spices.
From what I understand there is not a specific recipe for Chai and it varies from family to family and country to country. Some recipes call for the use of black tea and others for green. I have a recipe which was passed on to me through my family which includes cinnamon, black and green cardamom, fennel, clove, milk, sugar and black tea. Most Masala Chai recipes I have seen include cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, ginger, cloves, star anise and black tea.
Each time I make Chai I put a new twist on it by adding various herbs and spices that I might not have added to the previous brew. The herbs and spices in Chai not only make for a very flavorful tea, but they also have health benefits and are often used for colds, flu and various digestive disturbances.
Most of the herbs found in a traditional Masala Chai recipe are Carminatives. Carminatives are herbs which help to relieve flatulence, griping and help to soothe the gut wall. Some of the other properties associated with these herbs are antispasmodic, expectorant, astringent, analgesic, and antiseptic.
So without further ado here is my standard recipe for Masala Chai:
1 Cinnamon stick
1 or 2 Green cardamom pods
2 Black cardamom pods
1 tbsp Fennel seed
1 tbsp Anise seed
6 cloves
4 cups of water
Place herbs and spices in boiling water and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. Strain and serve. Sweeten to taste with honey. Serves 4
Now, that is my basic recipe and I am a "pinch and smidge" kinda cook. I'm notorious for not using a recipe and just winging it. It certainly makes it more exciting that way. However, my smidge may vary from yours so you'll just have to experiment. Other variations I use include adding Astragalus, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, black tea, milk, burdock root or licorice root. It really is a matter of preference and what tastes good to you.
You could begin by using a basic recipe such as:
4 whole cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Black tea
Add spices and water to a pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer for 5 – 10 minutes. You can leave it to steep a bit longer if you prefer a stronger tea. Add milk and sugar and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add black tea, cover and steep 3 minutes. Strain and serve. Serves 4.
The key to Chai is to be creative and use your senses to guide you. Taste and smell each and every spice allowing you to pick and choose what appeals to you. Have fun with it and enjoy!


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What does digital exclusion mean for MTD?
Certain groups could be exempt from the digital aspects of MTD on the grounds of being digitally excluded, but what about those who are merely 'digitally challenged', those unwilling to engage in the digital future rather than genuinely excluded from it?
Digital exclusion is the inability to access online products or services or to use simple forms of digital technology. Read this short guide to find out how digital exclusion might affect your practice.
Causes of digital exclusion
Four main factors create digital exclusion:
- Lack of access – no available broadband, no computer, no money to purchase these
- Motivation – Not seeing the benefits or believing that these outweigh the costs
- Lack of skills – Without access to equipment and training, skills can be hard to acquire
- Lack of confidence – Fears of fraud and online security discourage many
The scale of the challenge
HMRC's 2015 report on digital exclusion concluded that 15% of the UK population are digitally excluded and 37% are 'assisted digital' (need some help to interact with the government online).
Steady improvement
According to figures from the Office of National Statistics, in 2017:
- 90% of households in Great Britain had internet access, an increase from 89% in 2016 and 57% in 2006
- 73% of adults accessed the internet using a mobile phone, more than double the 2011 rate of 36%
- 77% of adults bought goods or services online, up from 53% in 2008
Location, location, location
Where you are in the country can have a big impact on your chances of digital exclusion. The Get Digital Heatmap shows this on a searchable map of the UK.
It uses a range of metrics on digital usage and connectivity to broadband and 4G, together with data on age, education, income and health to create a 8-point scale measuring the likelihood of overall exclusion or inclusion.
HMRC exemptions
Drawing on the existing online filing exemptions for VAT, HMRC has identified two groups who could be exempted from the digital aspects of MTD:
- Practising members of a religious society or order whose beliefs are incompatible with the use of electronic communications
- People for whom online filing is not reasonably practicable for reasons of disability, age, remoteness of location, or any other reason
Get ready for MTD
Although HMRC has said it will consider exemptions on a 'case-by-case basis', it's unlikely that everyone who is currently digitally disadvantaged will be given full exemption from the requirements of MTD.
How may this affect your practice?
- Some taxpayers who have been filing on paper will need an accountant to help them file digitally. Do you want their business? If they're not online, how will they find out about you and make contact?
- Is there anything you can do to encourage clients who are not yet online to get online? Are there local courses you could recommend? Or national initiatives such as the Barclays Digital Eagles? Could your practice produce its own guide?
- Clients who cannot be encouraged to go online may create more work for the practice. How will this affect the fees you charge? Do you need to revise your letters of engagement? Will you need to withdraw from unprofitable work?


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Azrael (peace be upon him) is one of the four great angels created by Allah. He releases people's souls and returns them to Allah when their life is up.
Death is inevitable and we all die one day, no matter where we live, what complexion or social status we have. Sometimes it might seem that death takes a person by surprise. Some people might have thought that they would live a long happy life and plan their future and their prospects before the moment they die. However, when we see Azrael in front of us, we realize that death is inevitable.
Most of the people, especially those who are not aware of religious aspects, think that Azrael is a scary and horrible creature. You can easily find pictures where death is depicted as the Grim Reaper… Yet, we should not forget that death was created by Allah and it obediently follows orders of our Creator. Therefore, it is not reasonable to think of any injustice with regard to death. Everyone lives as long as it has been destined to him by the Creator.
There is a hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar in the Tafsir Al-Mazhari: "When Allah ordered Azrael, peace be upon him, to mortify people, he implored: "O, my Lord! You imposed such a duty on me that all the sons of Adam living in the world will curse me every time they remember me and they will believe that I am the evil."
Allah said to him: "We have taken care of this. There are diseases and other misfortunes which people will take as causes of their death. So they will neither complain about you nor curse you." (refer to Al-Qurtubi set of hadith and his composition "At-tazkirah").
People often ask how the angel of death manages to be at different places of the world at the same time? They cannot understand how people can die simultaneously at different places.
This question arises because we tend to perceive the world through the objects that are tangible. This is very subjective and far from reality. The world is much more multi-faceted than we think. We are not aware of other universes created by our Great God. There are many of them. We have quite limited knowledge about the world of angels and jinns who live in a world parallel to us. Their existence does not depend on whether we believe in the fact they exist or not.
We do know the velocity of light and that there are creatures of the Merciful Creator who are able to cover vast distances of thousands of kilometers in the blink of an eye. Yet, we do not know how fast the angels can move. Their speed can be incredibly higher than we could imagine.
Moreover, angels are beyond notions such as time and space. They can be in different places at the same time and this is beyond the limits of the human mindset. If you put a number of mirrors in a room, a person who enters the room will be reflected in all the mirrors. Yet, it is still one and the same person rather than a number of people reflected in all the mirrors.
In his work "At-Tazkira", Al-Qurtubi narrates that one day the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw the angel of death standing by one of the sahabah's deathbed. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to the angel of death: "Relieve it for my sahabah". The angel of death said in reply: "Be sure that I relieve it to every believer." He continued: "Think of all the people living in cities and villages, forests, mountains and by the rivers. I see all of them five times a day. This is why I know all of them, no matter how young or old they are."
Some scholars believe that the Azrail has some assistants who help him to take people's souls.
Referring to one of the most prominent commentators of Quran Mujahid, Al-Qurtubi describes the process of soul distraction from the body this way: "The world is like an open chest for the angel of death. People are scattered like seeds in this chest. He takes any seeds he likes."
The nature of angels is unchangeable. Only the all-Wise and Great Allah who Created all this many-faceted splendor Knows all about it.
Ihsan Kishkarov


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yoga lab starts july 6th
Yoga Lab is a class about curiosity. Where movement illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy and human experience. This is a supplemental series to support your regular (and deeply committed!) Bikram practice. In store for the week of July 6th: Monday: Intro to the yoga of Bishnu Ghosh, Bikram's guru (Jane) Tuesday: Ashtanga … Continue reading


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First collaboration for Will Smith with a Japanese fashion brand
In the collaboration movie, Will Smith wears a tracksuit in Onitsuka Tiger's signature yellow, and MEXICO 66™ SD sneakers, which have been very well received for their comfortable fit since their release. Will Smith will dynamically express the fashionability and functionality of Onitsuka Tiger, a uniquely Japanese brand.
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