#also the 575 year number is real

[speedyslothboi]

I spent an hour making a flower crown today. I'd never made one before. It didn't turn out very good; clumsy knots and and sticky fingers and broken petals but I still put it on and smiled. I never got that kind of childhood. I wondered if this is what healing feels like: sitting on a picnic table, gently warmed by the sun, breathing in the world. I have so much to do (an ap psych test in three days, ethics bowl nationals and science olympiad state to prepare for, a read through for the play on Monday) and instead I went outside and listened to the birds.

Then I got home and cried. Because 30,000 people will never get to make a flower crown again (and how many never had? It took me 17 years. That's more time than many of them ever got). I haven't breathed clearly in 6 months; a weight on my chest and a pit in my stomach but for one hour, I felt like I could breathe, the smell of grass unfamiliar but comfortable (and how many died in that time? Trapped under rubble? The weight on their chests real).

I feel like I've been sitting Shiva for strangers halfway across the world but I'll die before I finish mourning (575 years is a lot to ask of this body). I'm not doing a very good job. But what else can I do but remember? I don't know know what to do with myself. I'm heartbroken and horrified and I am so angry. I go to school and hear kids talk about tik tok drama and I want to grab them and shake them and yell "how can you think about anything else? How can breathe around your guilt well enough to speak?" I feel like I know to much and too little, never informed fast enough. I feel like I'm grieving and like I have no right to grieve. I'm tired. I'm not doing well (I can't remember the last time I brushed my teeth and I still need to schedule my fillings and do my laundry and change my sheets) but I feel so selfish doing anything to make myself happy, like I'm stealing joy I don't deserve. And I know that I'm burnt-out (years into it) and that I have to take care of myself too but I just don't know how to carry all this grief. And this isn't about me (I'm making it about me, aren't I?)

This will be the first presidential election I get to vote in and I can't vote for him, I can't. And I'm scared. People keep saying it's selfish not to but I'm the one who will face the consequences. I'm one of the "vulnerable" people (does that make it self-sacrificial? Does that make it okay? To risk my communities if I am at risk too?)

Paul Alexander died three weeks ago. I can't stop thinking about him. (Most of the articles won't tell you why though; that one of the most vulnerable members of society was abandoned to a disease that has killed 3 million). I keep seeing inspiration porn articles about how he didn't let his disability "stop him" (I feel like I'm "letting" mine stop me). None of them mention "I love the sun, but I haven't felt it in a long time. It's lonely." (I feel lonely all the time but I didn't feel lonely at the park, with dirt in my fingernails. I don't really believe in heaven but I hope it exists so Paul can sit in the sun again). I think of Paul and I am filled with rage. 5,000 people die of covid every week; that's one person every five minutes (how is that okay? how could you abandon us for "normal"?) and I'm one of three people out of 2200 at my school who still wear a mask. I got the most recent booster two days ago (the one only the "vulnerable" can get as if long covid isn't becoming an increasingly documented mass disabling event. And the genocide is one too. And what about the countries we blocked from getting vaccines with patents. How dare we condemn the global south to suffer without vaccines only to stop getting them). And I need to buy more masks (yet another expense to exist while disabled) and they aren't free anymore so it's another 3 hours of work. Cases keep rising despite the lack of testing and wastewater doesn't lie. And whats the new variant? News isnt reporting on it anymore because "no one cares" (I care. I need to believe others would care if they knew. Maybe thats just wishful thinking) I still have at home tests but their negatives feel like taunts (a positive is a positive though, I remember)

I don't really have any friends. I have acquaintances and people I work with for projects but I don't want them to be my friends. My mom and my therapist keep telling me to reach out and do things with them (I know it would be good for me to socialize but doing so would put me at risk. They can't even wear a mask, and I'm supposed to choose to spend extra time with them?) Neither my mom or therapist wears a mask. (My mom fought for me when doctors didn't believe anything was wrong. Fought for 7 years to get a diagnosis and now she won't protect me.) I go to the doctors and even they aren't wearing masks (didn't you learn your lesson?).

I've seen people complain about "boycott fatigue" and I'm just wonder how you are surprised? I lost faith 2 years ago when people decided that disabled people's lives weren't worth discomfort (I used to value the nuance, how it isnt that simple. Now my compassion is shot. My empathy used up on three million deaths. But it is, isnt it? Simple that is. You just dont care enough). When the accessibility we begged for for years that had been "impossible" was suddenly "easy" when everyone needed and then taken away just as quickly. The second you could leave us behind, you did. So how could I be surprised people would do the same for Falastin? I love theatre, and I'm excited for too much light. But half of them will walk in with Starbucks on Monday (and none of them will be wearing a mask) and I know these people will never truly be my people (I resent them and love them but mostly I'm disappointed.)

I've been crying alot. I never used to cry. Sometimes I feel like that means I'm healing (some of the time I wonder if I have the right to heal right now). It's like this grief keeps overflowing but the world keeps turning (and how can everyone keep living right now?) and homework keeps coming and the genocide keeps happening and I need to get back to making my magma composition notes. (I left the flower crown at the park. I felt guilty about picking the flowers; that must be bad for the environment, right? How selfish, to kill things just to make a silly crown, and I didnt even do it very well. It fell apart within a minute. An hour of work crumpled in my hands. A moment of enjoyment stolen at the cost of life, what a bad vegan I am. Anyway, i left the flowers there, to decompose where they were born)

#free palestine #from the river to the sea #free gaza #covid #long covid #wear a mask #poetry #? #does this count? #poem #i guess #vent #also the 575 year number is real #i did the math and started crying #and then i wrote this

[loverandservantoftheahlulbayt]

🥀🕯🥀 Shahadat Anniversary –

Lady Khadija (sa) 10th Ramadhan

The Most Beloved Wife of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S)

Fascinating historical background of this great lady of Islam “Islam did not rise except through Ali’s sword and Khadija’s wealth,” a saying goes.

Khadija al-Kubra (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid ibn (son of) Asad ibn Abdul-`Uzza ibn Qusayy belonged to the clan of Banu Hashim of the tribe of Banu Asad. She was a distant cousin of her husband the Messenger of Allah Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. Qusayy, then, is the ancestor of all clans belonging to Quraysh. According to some historians, Quraysh’s real name was Fahr, and he was son of Malik son of Madar son of Kananah son of Khuzaimah son of Mudrikah son of Ilyas son of Mazar son of Nazar son of Ma`ad son of Adnan son of Isma`eel (Ishmael) son of Ibrahim (Abraham) son of Sam son of Noah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon the prophets from among his ancestors.

🥀 Her Birth 🥀

According to a number of sources, Khadija (sa) was born in 565 A.D. and died on 10th Ramadhan three year before the Hijra (migration of the Holy Prophet and his followers from Mecca to Medina) at the age of 58. Khadija’s mother, who died around 575 A.D., was Fatima daughter of Za’ida ibn al-Asam of Banu `Amir ibn Luayy ibn Ghalib, also a distant relative of Holy Prophet Muhammad (S). Khadija’s father, who died around 585 A.D., belonged to the Abd al-`Uzza clan of the tribe of Quraysh and, like many other Qurayshis, was a merchant, a successful businessman whose vast wealth and business talents were inherited by Khadija (sa) and whom the latter succeeded in faring with the family’s vast wealth.

🥀 Ameerat-Quraysh 🥀

It is said that when Quraysh’s trade caravans gathered to embark upon their lengthy and arduous journey either to Syria during the summer or to Yemen during the winter, Khadija’s (sa) caravan equalled the caravans of all other traders of Quraysh put together. Although the society in which Khadija (sa) was born was a terribly male chauvinistic one, Khadija (sa) earned two titles: Ameerat-Quraysh, Princess of Quraysh, and al-Tahira, the Pure One, due to her impeccable personality and virtuous character, not to mention her honourable descent. She used to feed and clothe the poor, assist her relatives financially, and even provide for the marriage of those of her kin who could not otherwise have had means to marry. One particular quality in Khadija (sa) was quite interesting, probably more so than any of her other qualities mentioned above: she, unlike her people, never believed in nor worshipped idols. There was a very small number of Christians and Jews in Mecca, and a fairly large number of Jews in Medina. Waraqah ibn Nawfal, one of Khadija’s cousins, had embraced Christianity and was a pious monk who believed in the Unity of the Almighty, just as all early Christians did, that is, before the concept of the Trinity crept into the Christian faith, widening the theological differences among the believers in Christ (as).

He reportedly had translated the Bible from Hebrew into Arabic. His likes could be counted on the fingers of one hand during those days in the entire populous metropolis of Mecca, or Becca, or Ummul-Qura (the mother town), a major commercial center at the crossroads of trade caravans linking Arabia with India, Persia, China, and Byzantium, a city that had its own Red Sea port at Shu`ayba. Most importantly, Mecca housed the Ka`ba, the cubic “House of God” which has always been sought for pilgrimage and which used to be circled by naked polytheist “pilgrims” who kept their idols, numbering 360 small and big, male and female, inside it and on its roof-top. Among those idols was one for Abraham and another for Ishmael, each carrying divine arrows in his hands. Hubal, a huge idol in the shape of a man, was given as a gift by the Moabites of Syria to the tribesmen of Khuza`ah, and it was Mecca’s chief idol. Two other idols of significance were those of the Lat, a grey granite image which was the deity of Thaqif in nearby Taif, and the Uzza, also a block of granite about twenty feet long. These were regarded as the wives of the Almighty… Each tribe had its own idol, and the wealthy bought and kept a number of idols at home. The institute of pilgrimage was already there; it simply was not being observed properly, and so was the belief in Allah Whom the Arabs regarded as their Supreme deity. Besides Paganism, other “religions” in Arabia included star worship and fetishism.

🥀 The Richest Person in Arabia 🥀

Since Khadija (sa) did not travel with her trade caravans, she had always had to rely on someone else to act as her agent to trade on her behalf and to receive an agreed-upon commission in return. In 595 A.D., Khadija (sa) needed an agent to trade in her merchandise going to Syria, and it was then that a number of agents whom she knew before and trusted, as well as some of her own relatives, particularly Abu Talib, suggested to her to employ her distant cousin Muhammad ibn Abdullah (S) who, by then, had earned the honouring titles of al-Sadiq, the truthful, and al-Amin, the trustworthy. Muhammad (S) did not have any practical business experience, but he had twice accompanied his uncle Abu Talib (ra) on his trade trips and keenly observed how he traded, bartered, bought and sold and conducted business; after all, the people of Quraysh were famous for their involvement in trade more than in any other profession. It was not uncommon to hire an agent who did not have a prior experience; so, Khadija (sa) decided to give Muhammad (S) a chance. He was only 25 years old. Khadija (sa) sent Muhammad (S) a word through Khazimah ibn Hakim, one of her relatives, offering him twice as much commission as she usually offered her agents to trade on her behalf. She also gave him one of her servants, Maysarah, who was young, brilliant, and talented, to assist him and be his bookkeeper. Before embarking upon his first trip as a businessman representing Khadija (sa), Muhammad (S) met with his uncles for last minute briefings and consultations, then he set out on the desert road passing through Wadi al-Qura, Midian, and Diyar Thamud, places with which he was familiar because of having been there at the age of twelve in the company of his uncle Abu Talib (ra). He continued the lengthy journey till he reached Busra (or Bostra) on the highway to the ancient city of Damascus after about a month. It was then the capital of Hawran, one of the southeastern portions of the province of Damascus situated north of the Balqa’. To scholars of classic literature, Hawran is known by its Greek name Auranitis, and it is described in detail by Yaqut al-Hamawi, Abul-Faraj al-Isfahani, and others. Arab trade caravans used to go there quite often and even beyond it to Damascus and Gaza, and few made it all the way to Mediterranean shores to unload their precious cargoes of Chinese paper and silk textiles bound for Europe.

🥀 What items did Muhammad (S) carry with him to Busra, and what items did he buy from there? 🥀

Meccans were not known to be skilled craftsmen, nor did they excel in any profession besides trade, but young Muhammad (S) might have carried with him a cargo of hides, raisins, perfumes, dried dates, lightweight woven items, probably silver bars, and most likely some herbs. He bought what he was instructed by his employer to buy: these items may have included manufactured goods, clothes, a few luxury items to sell to wealthy Meccans, and maybe some household goods. Gold and silver currency accepted in Mecca included Roman, Persian, and Indian coins, for Arabs during those times, including those who were much more sophisticated than the ones among whom Muhammad (S) grew up such as the Arabs of the southern part of Arabia (Yemen, Hadramout, etc.), did not have a currency of their own; so, barter was more common than cash. The first Arab Islamic currency, by the way, was struck in 78 A.H., 36 years after the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty (661-750) at the advice and help of Imam Muhammad Baqir (as). The young Muhammad (S) was seen once by Nestor the monk sitting in the shade of a tree as caravans entered the outskirts of Busra, not far from the monk’s small monastery. “Who is the man beneath that tree?” inquired Nestor of Maysarah. “A man of Quraysh,” Maysarah answered, adding, “of the people (the Hashemites) who have guardianship of the Sanctuary.” “None other than a Prophet is sitting beneath that tree,” said Nestor who had observed some of the signs indicative of Prophethood: two angels (or, according to other reports, two small clouds) were shading Muhammad (S) from the oppressive heat of the sun. “Is there a glow, a slight redness, around his eyes that never parts with him?” Nestor asked Maysarah. When the latter answered in the affirmative, Nestor said, “He most surely is the very last Prophet; congratulations to whoever believes in him.” The profits Khadija (sa) reaped from that trip were twice as much as she had anticipated. Maysarah was more fascinated by Muhammad (S) than by anything related to the trip. Muhammad (S), on the other hand, brought back his impressions about what he had seen and heard, impressions which he related to his mistress. You see, those trade caravans were the only links contemporary Arabs had with their outside world: they brought them the news of what was going on beyond their drought-ridden and famine-stricken desert and sand dunes.

Waraqah ibn Nawfal, like Bahirah, the monk, adhered to the Nestorian Christian sect. He heard the accounts about the personality and conduct of young Muhammad (S) from both his cousin Khadija (sa) and her servant Maysarah, an account which caused him to meditate for a good while and think about what he had heard. Raising his head, he said to Khadija (sa), “Such manners are fit only for the messengers of God. Who knows? Maybe this young man is destined to be one of them.” The trip’s measure of success encouraged Khadija (sa) to employ Muhammad (S) again on the winter trip to southern Arabia, i.e. Yemen, the land that introduced the coffee beans to the rest of the world, the land where the renown Ma’rib irrigation dam was engineered, the land of Saba’ and the renown Balqees, the Arabian Queen of Sheba (Saba’) of Himyar, who married King Solomon (Sulayman the wise, peace be upon him), in 975 B.C., the land of natives skilled in gold, silver and other metal handicrafts, not to mention their ingenuity in the textile industry and domestic furniture…, and it may even be the land that gave Arabic its first written script which, as some believe, was modelled after written Amharic, then the official language in Ethiopia and its colonies. Yemen, at that time, was being ruled by an Ethiopian regent. This time Khadija (sa) offered Muhammad (S) three times the usual commission. Unfortunately, historians do not tell us much about this second trip except that it was equally profitable to both employer and employee. Some historians do not mention this trip at all.

🥀 Lady Khadija’s (sa) marriage with the Holy Prophet of Islam (S) 🥀

Khadija (sa) was by then convinced that she had finally found a man who was worthy of her, so much so that she initiated the marriage proposal herself. Muhammad (S) sat to detail all the business transactions in which he became involved on her behalf, but Khadija (sa) was thinking more about her distant cousin than about those transactions. History tells us that Muhammad (S) was of medium stature, inclined to slimness, with a large head, broad shoulders and the rest of his body perfectly proportioned. His hair and beard were thick and black, not altogether straight but slightly curled. His hair reached midway between the lobes of his ears and shoulders, and his beard was of a length to match. He had a noble breadth of forehead and the ovals of his large eyes were wide, with exceptionally long lashes and extensive brows, slightly arched but not joined. His eyes were said to have been black, but other accounts say they were brown, or light brown. His nose was aquiline and his mouth was finely shaped. Although he let his beard grow, he never allowed the hair of his moustache to protrude over his upper lip. His skin was white but tanned by the sun. And there was a light on his face, a glow, the same light that had shone from his father, but it was more, much more powerful, and it was especially apparent on his broad forehead and in his eyes which were remarkably luminous. By the time he was gone, Khadija (sa) sought the advice of a friend of hers named Nufaysa, daughter of Umayyah. The latter offered to approach him on her behalf and, if possible, arrange a marriage between them. Nufaysa came to Muhammad (S) and asked him why he had not married yet. “I have no means to marry,” he answered. “But if you were given the means,” she said, “and if you were bidden to an alliance where there is nobility and abundance, would you not then consent?” “Who is she?!” he inquired. “It is Khadija,” said Nufaysa. “And how could such a marriage occur? he asked. “Leave that to me!” was her answer. “For my part,” he said, “I am willing.” Nufaysa returned with these glad tidings to Khadija (sa) who then sent word to Muhammad (S) asking him about the marriage. Then she offered herself in marriage to him, and they agreed that he should speak to his uncles and she would speak to her uncle `Amr son of Asad, since her father had died. It was Hamzah, despite being relatively young, whom the Hashemites delegated to represent them on this marriage occasion, since he was most closely related to them through the clan of Asad; his sister Safiyya had just married Khadija’s brother `Awwam. It was Abu Talib (ra), Muhammad’s uncle, who delivered the marriage sermon saying, “All praise is due to Allah Who has made us the progeny of Ibrahim (Abraham), the seed of Isma`eel (Ishmael), the descendants of Ma`ad, the substance of Mudar, and Who made us the custodians of His House and the servants of its sacred precincts, making for us a House sought for pilgrimage and a shrine of security, and He also gave us authority over the people. This nephew of mine Muhammad (S) cannot be compared with any other man: if you compare his wealth with that of others, you will not find him a man of wealth, for wealth is a vanishing shadow and a fickle thing. Muhammad (S) is a man whose lineage you all know, and he has sought Khadija (sa), daughter of Khuwaylid for marriage, offering her such-and-such of the dower of my own wealth.”

Nawfal then stood and said, “All praise is due to Allah Who has made us just as you have mentioned and preferred us over those whom you have indicated, for we, indeed, are the masters of Arabs and their leaders, and you all are worthy of this (bond of marriage). The tribe (Quraysh) does not deny any of your merits, nor does anyone else dispute your lofty status and prestige. And we, furthermore, wish to be joined to your rope; so, bear witness to my words, O people of Quraysh! I have given Khadija (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid in marriage to Muhammad (S) ibn Abdullah for the dower of four hundred dinars.” Then Nawfal paused, whereupon Abu Talib (ra) said to him, “I wished her uncle had joined you (in making this statement).” Hearing that, Khadija’s (sa) uncle stood and said, “Bear witness, O men of Quraysh, that I have given Khadija (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid in marriage to Muhammad (S) ibn Abdullah.” These details and more are recorded in Ibn Hisham’s Seera. After his marriage, Muhammad (S) moved from his uncle’s house to live with his wife in her house which stood at the alley branching out of metropolitan Mecca’s long main bazaar, behind the mas`a, the place where the pilgrims perform the seven circles during the hajj or `umra. In that house, Fatima (sa) was born and the revelation descended upon the Messenger of Allah (S) many times. This house, as well as the one in which the Prophet of Islam (S) was born (which stood approximately 50 meters northwards), were both demolished by the ignorant and fanatical Wahhabi rulers of Saudi Arabia in1413 A.H./1993 A.D. and turned into public bathrooms. The gravesites of many family members and companions of the Holy Prophet (S) were all demolished by the same Wahhabis in 1343 A.H./1924 A.D. against the wish and despite the denunciation of the adherents of all other Muslim sects and schools of thought worldwide.

The marriage was a very happy one, and it produced a lady who was one of the four perfect women in all the history of mankind: Lady Fatima (sa) daughter of Muhammad (S). Before her, Qasim and Abdullah were born, but they both died at infancy. By the time Khadija (sa) got married, she was quite a wealthy lady, so wealthy that she felt no need to keep trading and increasing her wealth; instead, she decided to retire and enjoy a comfortable life with her husband who, on his part, preferred an ascetic life. The Messenger of Allah (S) had no desire to accumulate wealth; that was not the purpose for which he, peace and blessings of Allah upon him and his progeny, was created. He was created to be saviour of mankind from the darkness of ignorance, idol worship, polytheism, misery, poverty, injustice, oppression, and immorality.

🥀 Lady Khadijah (sa) the First Muslim Woman 🥀

He very much loved to meditate, though his meditation deepened his grief at seeing his society sunk so low in immorality, lawlessness, and the absence of any sort of protection for those who were weak and oppressed. Khadija’s (sa) period of happiness lasted no more than 15 years after which her husband, now the Messenger of Allah (S), started his mission to invite people to the Oneness of God, to equality between men and women, and to an end to the evils of the day. Muhammad (S) was forty years old when the first verses of the Holy Quran were revealed to him. They were the first verses of Surat al-Alaq (chapter 96), and they were revealed during the night of 27th Rajab 13 years before the Hijra, at the cave of Hira in Jabal al-Noor (the mountain of light), his favorite place for isolation and meditation, a place which is now visited by many pilgrims. Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) went back home deeply impressed by the sight of arch-angel Gabriel and by the depth of meaning implied in those beautiful words: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Proclaim (or read)! In the Name of your Lord and Cherisher who created (everything). (He) created man of a (mere) clot of congealed blood. Proclaim! And your Lord is the Most Bountiful Who taught (the use of) the pen, Who taught man that which he knew not…

🕯 Holy Quran 🕯

(96:1-5)

He narrated what he had seen and heard to his faithful and supportive wife. “By Allah,” Khadija (sa) said, “Allah shall never subject you to any indignity…, for you always maintain your ties with those of your kin, and you are always generous in giving; you are diligent, and you seek what others regard as unattainable; you cool the eyes of your guest, and you lend your support to those who seek justice and redress. Stay firm, O cousin, for by Allah I know that He will not deal with you except most beautifully, and I testify that you are the awaited Prophet in this nation, and your time, if Allah wills, has come.” After a short while, Khadija (sa) told her husband about the prediction of the Syrian monk Buhayra regarding Muhammad’s Prophethood, and about her dialogue with both her servant Maysarah, who had informed her of what Bahirah (or Buhayrah) had said, and with her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal. She then accompanied her husband to Waraqah’s house to narrate the whole incident. “Let me hear it in your own words,” Nawfal said to Muhammad (S), adding, “O noble master!” Having heard the Prophet’s words, Nawfal took his time to select his words very carefully; he said, “By Allah, this is the prediction which had been conveyed to Moses (as) and with which the Children of Israel are familiar! (Moses). Had said: `O how I wish I could be present when Muhammad (S) is delegated with Prophethood to support his mission and to assist him!'”

It was only natural for Khadija (sa) to receive her share of the harassment meted to him by none other than those who, not long ago, used to call him al-Sadiq, al-Amin. Yahya ibn `Afeef is quoted saying that he once came, during the period of jahiliyya (before the advent of Islam), to Mecca to be hosted by al-Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib, one of the Prophet’s uncles mentioned above. “When the sun started rising,” says he, “I saw a man who came out of a place not far from us, faced the Ka`ba and started performing his prayers. He hardly started before being joined by a young boy who stood on his right side, then by a woman who stood behind them. When he bowed down, the young boy and the woman bowed, and when he stood up straight, they, too, did likewise. When he prostrated, they, too, prostrated.” Then he expressed his amazement at that, saying to al-Abbas: “This is quite strange, O Abbas!” “Is it, really?” retorted al-Abbas. “Do you know who he is?” al-Abbas asked his guest who answered in the negative. “He is Muhammad ibn Abdullah, my nephew. Do you know who the young boy is?” asked he again. “No, indeed,” answered the guest. “He is Ali (as) son of Abu Talib (ra). Do you know who the woman is?” The answer came again in the negative, to which al-Abbas said, “She is Khadija (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid, my nephew’s wife.” This incident is included in the books of both Imam Ahmad and al-Tirmithi, each detailing it in his own Sahih.

Khadija (sa) bore patiently in the face of persecution to which her revered husband and his small band of believers were exposed at the hands of the polytheists and aristocrats of Quraysh, sacrificing her vast wealth to promote Islam, seeking Allah’s Pleasure. Among Khadija’s (sa) merits was her being one of the four most perfect of all women of mankind, the other three being: Fatima (sa) daughter of Muhammad (S), Maryam bint `Umran (sa) (Mary daughter of Amram), mother of Christ (as) and niece of prophet Zakariyya (as) and Ishba (sa) (Elizabeth), and `Asiya (sa) daughter of Muzahim, wife of Pharaoh. Prophet Zakariyya (as), as the reader knows, was the father of Yahya (ra) (John the Baptist), the latter being only a few months older than prophet Jesus (as).

The Prophet of Islam (S) used to talk about Khadija (sa) quite often after her demise, so much so that his youngest wife, `Ayesha daughter of Abu Bakr, felt extremely jealous and said to him, “… But she was only an old woman with red eyes, and Allah has compensated you with a better and younger wife (meaning herself).” This caused him (S) to be very indignant, and he said, “No, indeed; He has not compensated me with someone better than her. She believed in me when all others disbelieved; she held me truthful when others called me a liar; she sheltered me when others abandoned me; she comforted me when others shunned me; and Allah granted me, children, by her while depriving me of children by other women.”

🥀 The Death of Lady Khadija (sa) 🥀

Khadija (sa) died of illness (or as some mention, poisoning) on 10th day of the month of Ramadhan, ten years after the start of the Prophetic mission (in the year 619 A.D.), 25 years after her marriage with Muhammad (S), and she was buried at a graveyard known as Jannaul Maula at the outskirts of Mecca. The Messenger of Allah (S) dug her grave and buried her… Funeral prayers had not yet been mandated in Islam. It is reported that by the time she died, her entire wealth had already been spent to promote Islam; she left not a single gold dinar nor a single silver dirham, nor anything more or less..

‘Osoul that are at rest! Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with Him), well-pleasing (Him), so enter among My servants, and enter into My garden.’

🥀🕯🥀 Holy Quran 🥀🕯🥀

(89:27-30)

[kudostasolutionsllp]

6 Steps to Perform Design Audit for a Website: A Beginners Guide

Design audits are conducted to improve quality, usability, and user experience for the users of a website. It is a consistent process and keeps on changing with time. It is done to get an overview of the elements that are used in designing. As a beginner, you need to focus on user-centric enhancements. UX audits are purely based on measurement (not theoretical) data from the analytics of a website.

Why Businesses Conduct Design Audit?

When a business gets established within 3 to 5 successful years, inconsistencies are observed in their website/ This can be due to frequently changing business models, client requirements, or some other group of employees handling the website. A design audit solves such issues and helps businesses to maintain their brand image once again. This process takes time but it gives awesome results. There are two ways in which business can perform design audits-

To hire a Web Design and Development Company

To hire a UI/UX agency

In both cases, the current website design will be restructured to increase customer interaction with the website and to leverage the conversion rates. Redesigning can be of new products as well.

Steps to Perform Design Audit

1. Compare Business Goals with Analytics

Analytics gives website data for the total number of impressions for example: how many users engaged (liked or shared the content). From this data, you will get an idea to understand user behaviors. This will help you to examine whether the business goals are achieved or not. If you require more information, you can conduct stakeholder interviews or surveys. Secondly, set new goals and priorities for re-designing a website.

2. Create Success Metrics

You can perform certain actions such as-

Domain checkup

Robots file checkup

XML sitemap file

Page quality

a. Domain checkup

Security is the key element for business websites that's why a domain checkup is required. This is done to ensure the installation of an SSL certificate. Remember that website should serve users on an HTTPS server otherwise it will not be considered secure by the search engine. Also, redirect HTTPS from HTTP if it is not done yet.

b. Robots file checkup

This (robots. text) file should be saved under a root folder with valid instructions. If you are a beginner then do not use this checkup for the website. The reason is that the Javascript or an image folder should not be blocked. These assets are effective to redirect traffic to a desired website's location. The benefit of the robots file is that you can include a site map URL in it which gives information to the search engines and makes crawling easier.

c. XML sitemap file

This checkup serves for SEO as well. It provides a way for search engine crawlers to read the website. You need to inspect the home page and its associated links. Sitemap file needs to be free from errors otherwise it will mess up the navigation.

d. Page quality

The title should be eccentric with a length of 285-575 pixels. Be careful with meta description as it should be unique and used only once on a web page. Use the canonical tag to address traffic on your website because there might be many companies with the same data. The canonical tag will give an identity to the website's links.

3. Competitor Analysis

Observing other websites similar to your business can help to improve conversions. This will give you an idea of website traffic, search engine ranking, and website usability. You can study the design strategy that has been used on other websites to make suitable changes in yours too. We recommend you to take reviews from the real users to upgrade the website as your target is to gain more visitors. Your genuine audience is a reliable source for performing design audits.

4. Usability Review

A design audit is about finding and resolving design flaws in the website. You have to consistently monitor which design element is not working. Consider the task flow of the website processes such as scroll bar, buttons, links, relevant content, etc. This step generally involves user testing to maintain the quality and efficiency of the website.

5. Update Visual Elements

Logo design, content readability, video quality, relevancy of infographics, social media integration of a website are all its visual elements. Start by redesigning "LOGO". Upgrade its clarity it should not be blurred. You can change the theme of a website with contrast colors and images. Review the content using analytics data and work on that particular web page of the website.

6. Compile Report

This report will be an insight into the flaws detected in the website. It shall give the data of user engagement with the content. You need to evaluate the risks according to this report. Align the images in perfect order, use appropriate website structure, and build up back the broken links of the website. This information can be used by the project managers to help them build a better design strategy.

We are sure that these steps will help you to redesign your website efficiently. Also, analytics data and user reviews will help you to make changes faster to the website. Contact us Now!

#seo services #custom web design #web development #custom web development #ecommerce web design #wordpress website #web design #custom web #php development #wordpress development

[fivestarglam]

Hayden Bowles, from the US, said he retired at the age of 22 as a millionaire

Read more: 'Nepo baby' mogul, 11, reveals the inside life of a millionaire child

A high school drop out has revealed how he retired at the age of 22 after becoming a millionaire. Hayden Bowles, from the US, has amassed 300,000 followers on YouTube and 100,000 on TikTok, where he often shares clips about how he built up a number of businesses in his late teens. He claims the businesses, which include a real estate portfolio and online courses about Performance Dropshipping and TikTok Ads Blueprint, have made him millions.

In a recent TikTok video, he explained: 'I had started to make a pretty substantial income from my business when I was 17-years-old and that was in the E-commerce industry.

'I still work, I love to work but I am technically retired because of the money I've set aside from real estate. The money that that pays me does support my lifestyle.

'[My businesses]  continued to grow and we added new branches to the company.

'Wealth is a ratio between our income and our expenses. It's not a flat number.'

After dropping out of school at 17, the TikToker claims he doesn't regret missing out on the 'crazy' experience of university.

He founded Ecom Season, which is a platform which offers a number of different courses, which cost up to $575 and cover topics like 30 Day Ecom Academy and Ecom Remastered 2.0.

In one video, he said: 'It's the same exact experience - all the stupidity of college but you take it up like 20 levels further because everyone has money'.

Hayden has claimed he was making a 'substantial' income of £200k and by age 20 this had had quadrupled to £800k. 

He now claims he has raised over £16 million through his e-commerce focused businesses. 

In another video, he told his followers that the key to success is trying 'to have a singular focus'.

He told fans to avoid splitting their attention between multiple ventures and focus on 'something scalable that you want to do long-term.'

The influencer now regularly shares photographs from his luxurious holidays across the US, including trips to Hawaii and Vail.

Meanwhile he also posts snaps alongside expensive cars and private jets. He's not the first from the generation of Gen-Z to reveal the incredible wealth they've built up during their early adult life. Despite her young age, Mon Kumar, from Melbourne, is already financially savvy and has an impressive net worth of $219,000 - which is calculated by her total number of assets minus any liabilities.

Over the past five years, Mon has been budgeting and working tirelessly but started learning how to invest when she was 20.

'I realised that investing can allow you to be financially independent and give you the freedom to do whatever you want in life,' Mon told FEMAIL.

'

I started to invest seriously over the past year or so as I stumbled across the Financially Independent Retire Early (FIRE) community.'

Mon said her strategy is to invest in a combination of high-growth Exchange Traded Funds (ETF's) and high yield ETF's to achieve high profit with minimal risk.

While Mon studied a Bachelors degree in business at university, she learnt everything she knows about investing by listening to podcasts, reading books and watching YouTube videos.

'I don't think you need a finance degree to understand how to invest,' she said.

Since she was 20, Mon has also been working more than 40 hours a week on top of her university commitments, which she found challenging but beneficial.

'Working long hours through university was extremely hard and if it weren't for my eagerness to save for a house deposit and achieving FIRE, I don't think that I would be able to do it,' she said.

'Working more than 40 hours a week has allowed me to achieve my financial goals much faster that I would have expected and I have absolutely no regrets.'

But her hard work and dedication paid off as she not only has a high net worth but in May 2020 Mon and her partner put down a $100,000 deposit for a Melbourne apartment worth $532,000.

Mon's net worth includes her assets of superannuation, cash savings, home equity, investments and car minus her HECS debt and mortgage.

Mon said investing will help allow her become financially independent and reach her goal of owning one million dollars by the age of 35.

[aptechvisaglobalimmigration]

Australia Immigration 2022 expected to rise by 2023 - Aptech Visa

Business praises increased immigration as the government offers longer pensioner work hours

The top two of the Albanese government's "36 specific initiatives" following the jobs summit are tax adjustments to encourage the elderly to work more hours and an increase in the permanent migration of 35,000 new immigrants.

The two-day summit was concluded by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, who said that all 36 initiatives, including changes to immigration and workplace relations, may be completed this year. The summit's conclusion tempers the Liberal leader Peter Dutton's criticisms that the government should do more to entice retirees to work, but it will result in a difficult industrial relations bill this year to legislate alternatives for multi-employer bargaining, it was disclosed on Thursday.

When agreeing to host the summit, Albanese told reporters in Canberra that he "couldn't have hoped for the outcomes that have been accomplished over the last two days."

                  FREE AUSTRALIA IMMIGRATION ASSESSMENT FORM

The most recent is a $55 million "time-limited" initiative to offer retirees an additional $4,000 in income tax credits, or approximately $80 per week, on top of the $7,800 they can already earn before their pension pay-outs are reduced.

For older Australian employees, "we hope it promotes some additional labour involvement... so that individuals can work a bit more if they choose to," Chalmers said.

Unless their income is above the level for two years, pensioners will not be "thrown off" the pension, forced to reapply, or lose their pensioner concession card.

Clare O'Neil, the home affairs minister, made the announcement earlier on Friday. She promised it would allow "thousands more" engineers and nurses to enter the country, alleviating a severe labour crisis.

The Alban administration also disclosed plans to speed up the visa application process and combat the exploitation of migrant workers.

Also read: New Australian government to address immigration backlog

The government will spend $36.1 million to hire 500 more employees in the home affairs division, according to immigration minister Andrew Giles, in order to reduce the 900,000 application backlog.

Business leaders and state governors praised the policies. Dutton acknowledged that "the number needs to be greater," but he doubted that the "real numbers" would exceed the maximum and what effect that would have on the competitive housing market.

Chalmers earlier promised it would not be used as a "substitute for training" or carried out in "isolation" from other policies to house new migrants, describing the new migration cap as a "cautious and sensible lift to permanent migration."

📞 Talk to our immigration expert 👇

[phone], [phone], [phone]

The government will expand the national housing infrastructure facility's mandate in order to release $575 million for investments in social and affordable housing, including through the attraction of private capital and superannuation funds.

Asserting that Labour will "move away from the focus on short-term migrants, toward permanency, citizenship, and country building," O'Neil told the conference that there was nearly "universal" support for increasing immigration levels.

About 34,000 places of the 195,000 cap for the 2022-23 financial year will be in the regions, an increase of 9,000, O’Neil said.

“To our state and territory premiers – we are building in a big lift under the state and territory allocations – from 11,000 last year to 31,000.”

O'Neil promised to permit graduates from abroad programs to "work in Australia for longer."

Also read: The programs for skilled and business migration for 2022–23 are now open

She added that the Covid initiative to remove limits on temporary workers residing in Australia will be continued until June 2023. While the skills shortage is so severe, "we need it to continue, but we also need it to end," she said.

Businesses applauded the migration cap rise, which Andrew McKellar, chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called a "major step forward" and a "really excellent move."

Giles agreed that the pay floor for temporary skilled migration needed to be raised, but he did not propose a new floor.

CHECK HERE THE LATEST AUSTRALIA'S SKILLED OCCUPATION LIST 2022

Although McKellar agreed that the floor, which has been frozen at $53,000 since 2013, should be lifted, he rejected unions' demand that it be raised to the median full-time pay of $90,000.

Giles stated in 2023 that the government would bring up new legislation to combat the exploitation of migrant workers and to "further work" on employer-sponsored visas.

According to him, the government's initiatives to speed up the visa application process have already reduced the number of people waiting from about one million to 900,000, and the typical wait time for a skilled visa has decreased from 53 days to 42 in July.

He promised that the backlog will be addressed as he announced the additional manpower increase in processing.

"Waiting times will keep getting shorter. We'll deal with this problem while working to put Australia in a position to reach its full potential as a nation united in its diversity.

We do need an increase in migration numbers, but we'll see what the government actually delivers since this might take many months, if not a couple of years in the making, Dutton told reporters on the Gold Coast.

In response to a "major rise in the migration program," he remarked that Australians are "finding it hard to find rented accommodation" and urged the government to explain where foreigners would dwell.

Also read: All You need to know about the Australian PR Process for Indians

Source Url: https://www.blog.aptechvisa.com/blogs/australia-immigration-2022-expected-to-rise-by-2023

#Australia pr #Australia pr process #Australia pr eligibility #Migrate to Australia #Australia's Skilled Occupation List #Australia PR Cost #Australia Immigration process

[enchantingvoid]

Intelligent Pump Market Dynamic Demand, Growth, Strategies and Forecast 2030

Global Intelligent Pump Market: Snapshot

An intelligent pump can provide a wide set of advantages over its conventional counterparts, at a trade-off of a higher initial cost. The overall implementation of an intelligent pump is relatively simple for all the functions that it brings to the table. In a general sense, an intelligent pump is one that can automatically regulate or completely control the pressure and rate of flow of fluids from its. The overall benefit of using intelligent pumps comes from the massive savings in energy consumption that it can bring in the long run. Intelligent pumps can also bring about significant cost reductions in the overall systems in terms of operation and maintenance. 

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=575

An intelligent pump is essentially a combination of a variable frequency device and a conventional pump that holds the ability to be controlled digitally. The use of electronics to control the flow through a pump has significantly evolved the implementation possibilities of the quintessential pump. The primary focus given to the use of intelligent pump is the savings in resources and energy. They are also highly preferred for implementation in remote conditions for monitoring and control. Further advancements in intelligent pump systems include the use of wireless technologies for added control over longer distances. This, however, can come at a very high installation cost, which a lot of end users may not be capable of buying out. They could receive government support over the coming years, seeing how intelligent pumps can help save energy amid the current energy crunch.

Intelligent Pump Market: Overview 

Intelligent pumps offer a wide range of benefits, including access to real-time operating data, improved maintenance predictions and plans, and wireless control and monitoring. The trend of installing these pumps, especially for water and wastewater monitoring, has gained much traction over the recent past. 

The two main types of intelligent pumps are centrifugal pumps and positive displacement pumps, with the key components being variable drives, pumps, and control systems. These find application in a wide range of industries, such as water and wastewater, chemicals, building automation, oil and gas, and power generation. 

The Intelligent Pump Market report takes a closer look at the overall market and offers sharp and actionable insights for clients to form crucial decisions. The structure and performance of the intelligent pumps market has been studied in depth, keeping in mind its historical, current, and future tendencies, and the analytical findings have been presented in a comprehensive and easy-to-understand format. This information is backed by statistical and graphical data, making the report an ideal blueprint of the global intelligent pump market. 

Intelligent Pump Market: Trends and Opportunities 

The growing need for proper monitoring and control of pumps has resulted in the introduction of intelligent pumps in a number of end-use industries. These pumps enable remote systems control, remote condition monitoring, and energy management and as a result, the demand for the same has been steadily rising. 

Among the two major types of pumps, namely centrifugal and positive displacement, the former exhibits a stronger hold on the intelligent pump market, research analysts observe. This can be attributed to the fact that they have proven to be more effective and in control in variable pressure conditions and conditions of high viscosity. Control systems form key components in intelligent pumps owing to their ability in enabling energy efficiency in several applications. One of the most lucrative end uses of intelligent pumps is in the water and wastewater industry, wherein the development of smart cities presents immense opportunities for application. Strict regulatory norms pertaining to energy efficiency also spurs the adoption of intelligent pumps in the water and wastewater segment. 

Intelligent Pump Market: Regional Outlook 

The global intelligent pump market is segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Europe holds a significant share in the worldwide market and is anticipated to hold a prominent place in the years to come as well. This can be primarily attributed to a rise in manufacturing and development activities in flourishing countries such as France, Germany, and Italy. The Europe intelligent pumps market is also driven by a surge in the demand for smart water systems and building automation. 

Asia Pacific is a promising intelligent pump market and presents a host of lucrative opportunities for players thanks to a booming construction industry. With the development of smart cities across India, coupled with expanding capacities of power generation, the intelligent pumps market in Asia Pacific will receive a major boost. 

In the Middle East and Africa region, the market for intelligent pumps is boosted by the rising need for energy security, the immense potential in subsea applications, rapid advancements in technology, and the need for enhanced energy efficiency measures.

Companies mentioned in the report: 

It has been observed that a number of leading companies in the intelligent pump market are looking to expand operations in developing countries owing to the immense opportunities they present. Companies are also resorting to various other growth strategies to expand their footprint in the worldwide market. ITT Corporation (U.S.), Sulzer Ltd. (Switzerland), Grundfos Holding A/S (Denmark), Flowserve Corporation (U.S.), and Xylem, Inc. (U.S.) are some of the notable players competing in the global intelligent pump market.

  Key questions answered in this report

What are the diverse growth parameters influencing the market?

Which regions will contribute largely to the growth of the market

What are the recent innovations and technological advancements in the market?

What are the emerging trends across the market?

How has COVID-19 affected the market?

What will be the post-pandemic scenario of the market?

What are the major threats that will dent the growth prospects of the market?

For Full TOC:

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[chiaki-translation]

Luminous Circus: Event Translation Epilogue

Finally, the epilogue~

I have nothing to say, but I guess I’m going to rest for a while after this~

Ch3-4 / / Ch5-6 / / Ch7-8 / / Ch9-10 / / Epilogue

Disclaimer:

A3! is owned by Liber Entertainment

Translator’s Note: The guys are trying to compose a Haiku later on in this Epilogue. It’s impossible for it to not be lost in translation so I kept the actual Japanese sentence along with the general idea of what the Haiku means on the side. 575 refers to the syllables for each line which is the common formatting for Haiku. Seasonal word is a collection of words they used in the traditional Japanese poetry to represent the particular season, usually referring to the season they’re in now.

Epilogue: Day dream at night

Homare:

Thank you for coming!

Kazunari:

Thank you, everyone! See you again!

Sakuya:

Thank you so much!

Muku:

Thank you so much~!

<Shifts to Backstage>

Director:

(Even until the closing night, they were able to convey a fun and wonderful performance of a circus troupe to the audiences. I’m so glad!)

Tsumugi:

It’s a great closing night performance.

Guy:

Yeah. Mixed Play really has a different atmosphere compared to the usual Winter Troupe performance.

Azuma:

It’s such a refreshing feel to look at something new.

Hisoka:

…Arisu looks like his usual self.

Tasuku:

The role has a similar feel to Arisugawa, but don’t you think he’s able to pull off being a leader better now.

Tsumugi:

You’re right.

Director:

Thank you for your help!

Tsumugi:

After this, are we going to have an afterparty?

Tasuku:

If you’re going to do it, I’ll help with the preparation.

Director:

Ah, then--

Homare:

Thank you, but I don’t need any help.

Director:

Ah, Homare-san! Thank you for your hard work!

Guy:

You’re not going to hold an afterparty?

Homare:

Not that, the venue has already been arranged and prepared.

<Shifts to Mansion’s Garden>

Sakuya:

It’s really gorgeous.

Muku:

It’s like a noble garden party in the mansion, it’s so nice!

Tasuku:

The inner courtyard can accommodate everyone from the troupe, it’s really quite big.

Homare:

Then, please drink and eat as much as you like today!

Kazunari:

Let’s eat!

Director:

I’m sorry for bringing in so many people.

Homare’s Grandmother:

That immature grandson of mine always bothers me anyway, don’t mind it.

Homare:

I guess I’m still immersed in the lingering excitement from the closing night, the sake smells pretty fragrant…

A poetic inspiration swelled up inside me.

Food—The buzzing chronicle~, scramble bloo bloo blooming~

Ariel:

Woof!

Homare:

Wh, what is it, Ariel!

Homare’s Grandmother:

It actually sounds like her favourite call.

You too, why not read me a Haiku for once.

Homare:

I like poem with freedom and no format though…

Food…

Akari kie (Having lost its light)

Hana no kaori nokoru (the flower leaves behind its fragrance)

Ita no ue (on top of everything else)

...How’s that.

Director:

It’s actually proper…!

Sakuya:

That’s very wonderful!

Hisoka:

…It’s somehow weird when you actually understand what Alice means.

Homare:

What do you mean by that!

Tasuku:

So you can actually create a proper one after all.

Homare’s Grandmother:

Others who just finished their performance too, why not try making a phrase.

Sakuya:

Eh!? Umm, a Haiku should be 575 right…

Things like…

Kankyaku no (The audience’s)

egao hajiketa (smile bursting out)

senshuraku. (on the closing night)

I’m sorry, there’re extra syllables and the seasonal word is missing!

Director:

It’s alright as long as long as it sounds like Sakuya-kun!

Homare:

Yes. It’s such a bright phrase.

Kazunari:

Hey hey, I’m next!

Ame arare (The barrage of rain)

Ka-ten ko-ru (during curtain call)

Kimochi ii! (leaves behind a nice feeling!)

Director:

You managed to include the seasonal word properly.

Sakuya:

It’s rain, but it has such a bright feeling!

Tasuku:

It’s not rainy season now though.

Kazunari:

That’s the point!

Homare:

How about Muku-kun.

Muku:

Eh!? Me, me is it!?

Eh, umm…

Sa-kasu wa (In Circus)

Kyaku mo yakusha mo (the audience and the performers too)

Egao ni naru ne (will be full of smiles)

…?

Director:

So cute!

Kazunari:

Feels like Mukkun!

Muku:

Ehehe!

Tsuzuru:

It’s very interesting that you can see people’s character from their Haiku phrase.

Misumi:

I also want to make one~!

Sankaku no (Triangle)

Kado wa mittsu de (has 3 corners)

Sankaku da (that’s why it’s a triangle.)

~!

Kazunari:

So triangular~!

Tenma:

THE triangle huh.

Tsuzuru:

He’s so steady.

<Short Time Skip>

Director:

It’s going to be pretty late, we should call it a day soon.

Kazunari:

Right~ Eh? Where’s Aririn?

Muku:

Ah, I haven’t seen him for a while.

Takao:

Homare-sama said that he was feeling a bit drunk, so he left his seat earlier.

I thought he was in the inner courtyard, should we search for him for you.

Director:

If that’s the case, we’ll go and search for him.

Sakuya:

If we’re going to call it a day, it won’t be right if the leader’s not here!

<Shifts to Grandmother’s Study>

Homare:

…Fuh.

(I was feeling a bit drunk, but why did I come to such place.

I have to get back soon--)

Hmm?

The watch is moving!

I thought it’s already broken…  It’s a miracle!

???:

Grandfather.

Homare:

!?

That… But, no way…

Homare’s Grandfather:

Hmm? It’s you, Homare, what is it.

Homare:

Grandmother said the tea is ready.

Homare’s Grandfather:

Thank you. I’ll be there soon.

Homare:

That pocket watch, is it broken again?

Homare’s Grandfather:

Yeah. But it’s already repaired.

Recently, the number of parts has decreased, it’s getting harder and harder to maintain it.

My sight is getting worse too, this watch and me too, we’ve become old.

It’s been 30 years huh…

Homare:

…?

Homare’s Grandfather:

That painting was drawn around the same time that I bought this watch.

That painting, it’s an important memory of my time with grandmother.

Homare:

What kind of memory is it?

Homare’s Grandfather:

When you grow up, when you finally found your important things, give it a thought.

Ariel:

--Woof!

Homare:

!!

It disappeared…?

Just now it was—

(Do I start daydreaming too when I’m drunk.

The watch’s not moving...  When did the dream start I wonder?)

…As I thought, something that’s already broken cannot return to the past.

Kazunari:

Aririn!

Muku:

Arisu-san, so you’re here.

Director:

You’re spacing out, what happened?

Homare:

Nothing, something strange happened just now.

I could see my grandfather and myself during my childhood.

Director:

Eh!?

Kazunari:

That’s great isn’t it!

Muku:

Woah, that sounds like what happened to George!

Sakuya:

A real magic!

Homare:

I see… Then maybe, that’s the magic of this pocket watch.

Muku:

It still holds such a mysterious power even though you’ve had it for so long!

Sakuya:

Maybe it’s your grandfather’s ability!

Director:

Umm… I guess Homare-san yourself has some magic in you.

Kazunari:

Then, everything’s correct!

I’m sure, the feelings of the various people contained in this pocket watch are being manifested through magic, don’t you think so?

Homare:

Hmm… That will be such a powerful magic.

From now on, let’s make a lot more memories.

Together with this watch--

Director:

You’re right.

Kazunari:

I’m sure your grandfather will be happy too.

Homare:

Then, let’s immediately make some memories right now!

Director:

Eh!? Now!?

Sakuya:

It’s already late!?

Muku:

What do you want to do?

Homare:

Grandfather and grandmother will paint on days like this so they won’t forget!

Kazunari:

Then, it’s a drawing meet!

Homare:

Yes!

Sakuya:

D, drawing meet!?

Muku:

Fufu, it sounds fun, a drawing meet!

Director:

And I thought we’re going to end the day soon…

Homare:

Then, let’s get the art supplies ready.

Kazunari:

If we’re painting we have to prepare the tables too!

Director:

…I don’t think I can stop them at this point.

Homare’s Grandmother:

What kind of commotion is this?

Director:

I’m sorry.

Can you lend us the courtyard for a little bit longer?

Homare’s Grandmother:

Well, I’m sure it’s because of something that child say right.

There’s no other choice.

Director:

Really sorry to bother you…

Homare’s Grandmother:

…Sakae-san, I’m glad I gave that pocket watch to Homare.

Director:

Eh?

Homare’s Grandmother:

Nah, it’s nothing.

<End of Epilogue>

#a3! #a3! act! addict! actors! #a3! event #a3! translation #kazunari miyoshi #homare arisugawa #sakisaka muku #sakuya #a3! mixed play

[queenfredegund]

MEROVINGIAN REGINAE | Audovera Regina († af. 580)

Probably the first chief wife of Chilperich I Rex, to whom she bore three sons, Theodebert Rex, Merovech Rex and Chlodovech Rex, and at least one daughter, Basina II Regina.

According to Gregorius of Tours, she was the most influential wife of Chilperich before the year 567, as the mother of three sons. 

“Habebat autem tunc Chilpericus tres filius de Audovera priore regina sua, id est Theudoberthum, cui supra meminimus, Merovechum atque Chlodovechum.

Chilperic had three sons by one of his earlier consorts, Audovera: these were Theudebert, about whom I have told you already, Merovech and Clovis.”

DLH, IV, 28. De uxoribus Chilperici

As the wife of Chilperich, she might have lived in Sexonas (Soissons), the capital city of his regnum. Even if stories have made her the archenemy of Fredegund Regina, Gregorius never said a word about a potential hatred between the two women: they must have had cordial relations as Audovera was already the mother of three sons, when Fredegund did not have any son yet. 

In 567, as Chilperich asked for the hand of the wisigothic princess Galswintha, a special request from King Athanagild of Toledo forced him to get separate of all his precedent wives in order to marry his daughter. Therefore, Audovera was officially dismissed alongside the others women of the harem and retired in an unknown place, perhaps with her daughter Basina.

“Quod videns Chilpericus rex, cum iam plures haberet uxores, sororem eius Galsuintham expetiit, promittens per legatus se alias relicturum, tantum condignam sibi regisque prolem mereretur accipere.

When he saw this, King Chilperic sent to ask for the hand of Galswinth, the sister of Brunhild, although he already had a number of wives. He told the messengers to say that he promised to dismiss all the others, if only he were considered worthy of marrying a King’s daughter of a rank equal to his own.”

DLH, IV, 28. De uxoribus Chilperici

Even if little is known about the rest of her life, we can assumed that she lived on her estates, probably near Rotomagus (Rouen) or perhaps Ecolisina (Angoulême). An apocryph tale said she retired herself in a nunnery of Ceromannos (Le Mans), but is based on a later legend and could perhaps be a confusion with Ingoberga Regina. She apparently kept contact with her sons, despite the fact that they grew up at their father’s court, and was especially involved in the career of her son Merovech after the death of her firstborn, Theodebert, on the battlefield.

“Ineuntes autem proelium, Theodoberthus evictus in campo prosternitur, et ab hostibus exanime corpus, quod dici dolor est, spoliatur. Tunc ab Aunulfo quodam collectus ablutusque ac dignis vestibus est indutus et ad Ecolisinensim civitatem sepultus.

Battle was joined; Theudebert was beaten and killed; his dead body was despoiled by his enemies, which is sad to have to relate. It was later picked up by a certain Aunulf, washed and wrapped in decent vestments. Theudebert was buried in the city of Angoulême.”

DLH, IV, 50. Quod Chilpericus cum Guntchramno foedus iniit

In 575, Audovera may have been a part of a conspiration with the help of Bishop Praetextatus of Rotomagus, the godfather of her second son, in order to promote the political status of Merovech: after the death of Sigebert I Rex, his widow Brunehilde had been exiled to Rotomagus under the supervision of Chilperich, and was thus a good opportunity for the young prince. Therefore, Audovera and Praetextatus managed to expedite a wedding between the two of them, perhaps in the hope that Merovech could then claim lands and power by himself.

“Ipsi vero simolans ad matrem suam ire velle, Rodomago petiit; et ibi Brunichilde reginae coniungitur, ea quoque sibi in matrimonio sociavit.

Under the pretext of visiting his mother Audovera, he next moved to Rouen. There he joined Queen Brunhild and made her his wife.”

DLH, V, 2. Quod Merovechus Brunechilde accepit

However, as this wedding was not only an act of treason, but also contrary to canon law, that decision infuriated Chilperich, who then captured Merovech and forced him to get separate of Brunehilde. After having sent her back to her son Childebert, the rex had his son tonsured and locked in a monastery for some months. It is unknown if Audovera was specifically threatened as well, or if she stayed in her retreat like before. 

Nevertheless, she continue to lose gradually her influence throughout the years: in 577, she indeed lost both her alleged ally, Bishop Praetextatus, against whom Chilperich brought charges before a council of bishops who finally sentence him into exile, and her son Merovech, who eventually killed himself in order to preserve his honor after having escape from his retirement but lost all his supporters. 

“Sed hic cum in hospitiolo quodam reteneretur, timens, ne ad vindictam inimicorum multas lueret poenas, vocatum ad se Gailenum familiarem suum, ait: 'Una nobis usque nunc et anima et consilium fuit; rogo, ne patiaris me in manibus inimicorum tradi, sed, accepto gladio, inruas in me’. Quod ille nec dubitans, eum cultro confodit. Advenientem autem regem, mortuos est repertus.

Merovech, who knew what they were up to and who was afraid that in their desire for vengeance his enemies would maltreat him in the most cruel way, called his servant Gailen to him. ‘Until this day’, said he, ‘we two have always shared the same intent and the same thoughts. I beg you not to allow me to fall into the hands of my enemies. Take my sword and kill me.’ Gailen did not hesitate for a moment. He killed Merovech with his own sword. When the King arrived Merovech was found dead.”

DLH, V, 18. De Praetextato episcopo et interitu Merovechi

After that, Audovera did not seem to be a part of politics anymore, even if she had still a living son, Chlodovech. That same Chlodovech however became more and more implicated in the reign of his father, especially since that 575 all the sons Chilperich had from Fredegund Regina kept dying from illness. Thereby, in 580, he was the only possible successor of his father and managed to threaten some of his enemies at court. 

This is probably due to this pretention that he was eventually accused of having collude with witches and used witchcraft on his step-brothers, in order to gain the whole regnum of his father. After a quick investigation led by the grieving Fredegund, the accusation was taking serious enough to requiring a real punishment: Chlodovech was stripped from his regalia, and jailed, where he was ultimately found stabbed in the heart; his concubine, accused of being a witch with her mother, was whipped and his household dispersed.

“Interea advenerunt nuntii ad regem, qui dicerent, quod ipse se ictu proprio perfodisset, et adhuc ipsum cultrum, de quo se perculit, in loco stare vulneris adfirmabant.

Messengers were sent off to the King to announce that Clovis had stabbed himself with his own hand; and they added the confirmatory detail that the knife with which he had struck the blow was still in the wound.”

DLH, V, 39. De interitu Chlodovechi

The execution of her last son, meant the last time we heard about Audovera. We also did not know if she was seriously implicated in the growth of his popularity, nor if she tried to having him spared from his father’s wrath. Even if a lots of scholars had concluded she was eventually murdered on Fredegund’s command, she simply disappeared from the sources. Moreover, a lot of translations actually spoke about her assassination based on a spelling error from a second manuscprit of the Decem Liber Historiae, which have made change the word “negata”, meaning “denying” in “necata”, meaning “being murdered”:

“Mater autem eius crudele morte negata [...].

His mother was murdered in the most cruel fashion.”

DLH, V, 39. De interitu Chlodovechi

Her real date of death is then unknown, as well as her burial.

#historyedit #perioddramaedit #women in history #merovingian queens #merovingian reginae meme #audovera regina #merovingian period #6th century #mine #ladies and gentlemen that woman deserves so much more attention!

[roswelldetails]

RNM 2x12 - Crash Into Me

EPISODE SUMMARY:

WELCOME TO CRASHCON — As the town prepares for CrashCon, Liz (Jeanine Mason) and Max (Nathan Dean) attempt to piece together who may be behind a potentially deadly plan targeting the festival.  Elsewhere, Maria (Heather Hemmens) and Isobel (Lily Cowles) take drastic measure to learn more about the night Mimi (guest star Sherri Saum) disappeared, while Michael (Michael Vlamis) is forced to do someone else’s bidding.

DETAILS:

Max is secretly practicing with his powers.  Was Max's "light cardio" actually just him trying to strengthen his powers?

Max has a land line. Hee. Which Liz doesn't mind answering for him.

Liz is looking for a pen on his desk when she finds the empty vials of the antidote.  Max plays them off as being leftover from when he had amnesia.

Liz mentions that the phone call was Max's bank calling to verify a deposit for him. 

Max is choosing not to worry about Michael because he and Isobel can feel that he's not badly injured or in serious danger.

Liz called Dirk:

"He said before she left she was getting nonstop calls from a 575 number. The Sunset Mesa facility where Mimi DeLuca lives."

"Wait, Mimi was calling your mom before the abductions?...Mimi was always obsessed with alien movies. Maybe fiction and reality are blurring. Your mom is working with Flint Manes who spent years making an alien-killing weapon while at Caulfield. What if your mom found out Rosa was killed by an alien? She'd want revenge."

Note: Max and I apparently think alike, because this was my assumption going into the episode as well. For the sake of detailing and not making this confusing plotline any more confusing...Max and I were both wrong. 

Also, I love that they mentioned cell service issues during Crash Con.  That is extremely realistic and makes a ton of sense, speaking from experience at like, concerts and baseball playoff games and such.

Maria gets Liz's voicemail and immediately confronts Mimi.

"I just got a message from Liz. Mom...when you disappeared, it was Helena Ortecho that took you...You didn't have butyricol in your system when they found you. You know Liz's mom. You'd remember if you spent a month with her.  Mom, are you covering for Helena?"

"Everything is going to be fine."

"I'm not fine. Alex and Michael are missing."

"Helena is a lot of things, but she won't hurt your friends. I'm sure… (Isobel walks in) You're the blonde. The one that Rosa was afraid of."

"Hi Mimi...I'm your cool Aunt Isobel.  Hopefully we can get to know each other under better circumstances sometime. Sure about this DeLuca?"

"Desperate times call for desperate alien invasions."

Isobel's first trip into Mimi's mindscape:

"Show me what happened the night you disappeared, Mimi."

Mimi turns to see headlights approaching. It's the hunting van. Helena is driving it. After they greet each other they talk in the van.

"I saw her. I saw her in a vision.

"I didn't believe you. I had to see it with my own eyes."

"You saw her.  You saw Rosa."

Flashback to Liz and Rosa arguing over Rosa's necklace in 2x01.  Just as a note, Isobel is in Mimi's head, not Helena's, so she shouldn't really be able to see this flashback since Mimi wasn't there when Helena saw Rosa.

"This is a good thing, Helena. Your daughter is alive. She needs you."

"When Jim Valenti was dying, I came home to say goodbye. He kept saying Rosa could live again, that she was preserved."

"But you didn't believe him. No one ever believes us."

"If Rosa is alive, it means Jim was telling the truth. Which means everything else he said could be true, like aliens are real and Jesse Manes has a weapon that can kill them. It means I have to go to war, Mimi. First, you need some shoes."

Then Mimi somehow kicks Isobel out of her memories, which gives Isobel a nosebleed. But Mimi doesn't seem to know what happened.  It's almost like she has a kind of subconscious protection on her own mind, somehow.

Note: the hunting van must not be Flint's, because Helena is driving it when she first considers teaming up with Flint, I assume based on the above.  Maybe she was the suspicious figure in Flint's house when Max and Kyle were hiding in the closet? And what about the car that Rosa blew up? Did she have access to multiple vehicles? Am I overthinking this?? Haha.

Kyle's tip to Max:

"I found this at Flint's, but it's from a florist my dad used when he was in the doghouse with my mom. I finally guessed the password today. Rosa's birthday. The only thing on it is a note my dad wrote to Helena. It's a lot of romantic crap followed by details for a storage unit he had up near Haystack Mountain."

Haystack Mountain is an off-road vehicle recreation area about 30 miles northeast of Roswell.

Michael working on the "bomb". Charlie is working on the toxin nearby and Helena is keeping an eye on both of them.

"This entire process would be more efficient if I could attach the release chamber to the other side."

"Ay, mijo. Now is not the time to get creative. Time is running out. Follow the blueprints exactly."

"You don't look like an obedient soldier. Who'd she take to force you to do her bidding?"

"A friend. It's complicated. Why are you helping her? Jenna's free."

"Flint Manes has a sniper rifle on the roof pointed at her bedroom window. If I step out of line and something happens…"

"You'll never forgive yourself."

"I'll never forgive myself anyway. Helena has me formulating a pathogen that I invented when I was 17.  It's a poison that dismantles specific DNA. If targeted your death is quick and ugly. A bleeding from every orifice kind of deal… I thought that I was saving people. Okay, imagine a weapon that you could drop into a populated city and the only people targeted would be al-Qaeda leaders and their direct descendants. Okay? In the right hands my weapon could prevent innocent civilian casualties and save our troops."

"I'm guessing these are not the right hands? Why am I building the bomb when the inventor is under Helena's thumb?"

"I do chemicals, not mechanics. And technically it's not a bomb. It's a catalytic toxin atomizer that was developed in a top secret operation involving weapons specialists from both the Army and the Air Force."

"Project Shepherd. One more question for you, Charlie. Whose DNA is that poison you're making gonna target?"

"Judging from conversations I've heard between Helena and Flint, it's alien DNA. Like, literal aliens."

This is actually the part of this story that's crystal clear to me. We've been getting tidbits on this dating back to 1x12, when Flint told Alex about his "smart bomb".  Jesse told Jenna in 2x04 about Charlie's toxin that could pinpoint specific DNA, and even used a similar metaphor in explaining it as Charlie did in this episode. The part that doesn't make sense to me is, why did FLINT need Michael to build it, if he developed the blueprints?

Liz and Rosa in the lab discussing Max taking the antidote.

"He's only supposed to take a drop when he has amnesia. It's not vitamin C. In high doses it could cause surges of adrenaline that could be dangerous."

"No offense, but you sound like a mom. Like a real mom, the kind who actually give a duck. Oh I just figured out what autocorrect is. It's hilarious."

"Speaking of moms, ours hasn't reached out to any of your old dealers and she hasn't shown up at any of the churches in town, so you got any other ideas?"

"It's CrashCon. We usually find her wearing the loudest t-shirts and flirting with the richest nerds."

"Yeah, but Flint and Jesse Manes hate aliens. I mean it's literally their only hobby. If she's with them, I'm betting she's lost her affection for the simple charms of UFO novelty kitch."

"Wait, if you were going to get revenge on aliens, CrashCon is the perfect place. There's all kinds of conspiracy theorists and press. You know how mom loves attention."

"You think something's gonna happen tonight?" 

"Papi is there by himself setting up. I think he should come home."

Note: my phone autocorrected duck to fuck. So I guess that tells you something about me. 😳

Also I just realized that for once ROSA and not Liz is the one who put the pieces together! Good for her. I wonder if that's purposeful since she's the daughter who is more like their mom? Like, she understands Helena's motivations better than Liz or something.

Steph and her father are going to CrashCon together. Kyle helps her with her makeup. Super sweet, but rather pointless since the scenes of Steph at CrashCon were cut. Mostly just including this here as a reminder that she's there in case it comes up in the finale.

Max and Cam, who got her job back!

"Thanks for the assist. I'm guessing that guard wouldn't let me through with bolt cutters unless I had an officer of the law present."

"Oh well, don't be jealous, Evans. Valenti has me on desk duty. So this little adventure is my lunch break."

"Valenti did the right thing, giving you your job back."

"Yeah well, you know, apparently some local bartender gave her reason to doubt the events the night of the gala were my fault. So I owe you."

"I've lost track of who owes who what at this point."

They break into the storage unit. It's empty except for an empty shelving unit, a locked chest, and a puddle of purple alien goo.

"What is that?"

"It looks like embryonic fluid. There must have been a pod in here."

Note: no, Max! Pod Goo evaporates upon contact with Earth's atmosphere/air. So it's not pod goo.

There isn't a super clear shot of inside the chest, but Max pulls out a love letter from Helena to Jim Valenti. I can transcribe it if you want me to. It's pretty easy to read and frankly, there's nothing important there. My heart is forever yours...it feels good to actually love and be loved in return...blah blah cheesy platitudes.

But seriously. Just send me an ask if you need me to transcribe it.  But I'm gonna skip for now.

Isobel is chugging acetone straight from the bottle in the middle of the Pony.

Isobel's second trip into Mimi's mindscape:

"Mimi. I know you think you're doing the right thing, but Helena is holding people hostage. We have to understand her motive."

"You all think I'm losing my mind. But I just...slip out of my time and into a different one every once in a while. Sometimes Maria's. Or Mama's. Other women in our future or past. I saw you when you were a baby. The sky was red."

"What can you tell me about your time with Helena? She had you for a month."

"We were in a motel. We watched movies. We laughed and gossiped. She wanted to trigger my visions...gather information."

"What information? What did you tell her? What did you see?"

"What's important is Helena will take care of our girls. I'm not afraid. That's enough."

Mimi kicks her out again.

"I tried.  She's fading."

"She's tired. It's harder when she's tired. Come on, Mom. I'm gonna take you back to Sunset Mesa."

"Maria, you just have to look for the signs in the water. You have to believe. Go on, you'd better hurry."

"Hurry where?"

"CrashCon closing night! You don't want to miss the fireworks. You always loved the fireworks."

Max and Cam going through the chest of letters back at Max's house:

"Okay, all these notes are from Helena to Jim Valenti. This is from the week Rosa died. I mean even 20 years after their affair she's still writing and he's still saving her letters."

"Pining after an Ortecho for years and years. It's so weird. Who does that. This is a receipt. It's a money transfer he made around the same time. He paid Daniel Fuller a thousand bucks."

"Fuller was the county coroner. Okay we still don't know how Noah got Rosa's body into the pod, right? But Jim had Project Shepherd connections to the morgue. So maybe if Noah knew about Jim and knew that he'd be grieving Rosa, he could have told him where to find the pod, right, and maybe he didn't even take the pod back until after Jim died."

"I mean, this is all a bunch of conjecture."

"Jim pulled me aside at high school graduation, he said I was the kind of guy the sheriff's department could use. Look, I mean maybe… I mean, he never let on, but maybe he knew I was an alien, right? Maybe he knew more than that."

"Okay, Evans? Breathe. You're looking a little clammy. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"No. See, something's going on, and you're gonna tell me or I'm out, I swear to God."

"Okay you can't tell anyone."

"You know I won't."

"Okay, I've been taking this antidote that Liz made. No...she doesn't know. But its rebuilding some of my memories from before the 1947 crash, right? I was just a little kid, but I had a destiny. I had responsibilities."

"Right, you're the savior."

"Yes! Well, maybe. But I was starting to remember these symbols from our old language, right? I remember what they mean, but it's like the meaning is just out of reach. And I'm out of the antidote. And you know, Liz is getting suspicious. So…"

"No."

"I didn't say anything."

"Really? Can you tell that to your face? I am not using my friendship with your girlfriend to steal alien steroids for you. Okay? Our partnership has limits."

Michael and Helena:

"It's done. So now what? You inject my spine with your mind-eraser?"

"We only used the butyricol on Jenna Cameron because there was still work to be done. And Flint was afraid she'd ruin it for us. You told Flint Charlie was creating a toxin that would kill aliens. But if you wanted aliens dead, you'd be testing it on me right now. 'Cause that's what I would do if I was a criminal mastermind."

"I needed Flint for the schematics and the muscle. Our agendas didn't need to align perfectly."

"You don't have to do this. If you kill anyone tonight, Liz and Rosa will never look at you the same."

"That ship has sailed. Besides, I'm not killing anyone. If disaster never strikes, justice won't be served. Do you want to see Alex or not?"

Liz tries to get Arturo to go back to the Crashdown.  She tells him that the kitchen is backed up because it's so busy.  The interesting part of this exchange from a character perspective though:

"Papi, please. I have a bad vibe, all right? A gut feeling I can't shake."

Diego walks up.

"Who are you? Elizabeth Ortecho doesn't do feelings. She believes in facts and evidence."

"No, I do feelings now.  I've evolved."

Alex is chained up in the house.  There's a takeout box and coffee cup next to him. He's humming a song under his breath. Michael walks in and they talk.

"Guerin, you were right. They used me to get to you. My dad hit me over the head and then he swiped the piece of the console. And then Flint showed up with a gun to my head."

"Did anyone hurt you?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Helena's been weirdly motherly. She's bringing me clothes and meals."

"Your leg."

"Yeah they took the prosthetic. I tried to bludgeon my brother with it. Come on, use your powers. Get me out of this."

"Helena dosed me with something. I'm basically human until it wears off."

"Okay then find something that'll break the cuff or my wrist. I don't care."

"Alex, tonight at CrashCon, your dad plans to release a toxin that kills anyone with alien DNA...Helena made Charlie and I build an identical device, but one that targets a different DNA. She somehow got her hands on your dad's cells. She knows your dad killed Kyle's dad. She wants revenge.  But she wants him to take himself out. When he pulls the trigger on us tonight your dad's gonna die because of a device I built."

"No, that is not on you, okay? Now let me out of here."

"I can't. The atomizer will kill anyone in your dad's direct line. You are safer here."

"Are you serious?"

"And I gotta go. I'm gonna come back for you."

While Michael explains to Alex, we get a flashback to Helena in her totally fake blonde wig at the hospital in 2x02.

Helena disguises herself as Jesse's maid using her totally fake blonde wig and switches out the bombs while Jesse is in the shower.

The @ladiesofrnm have their first scene all together! (With Max...and eventually Michael…) reading through Helena's letters together. Michael makes quite an entrance. Afterwards:

"You're such an idiot! You don't comply with a kidnapper's ransom demands. Without telling me."

"Alex was in trouble. He had to go."

"Mikey, where are Alex and Charley?"

"They're safe. Your mom doesn't want to hurt them."

"Look I don't get it. Does she want to kill aliens?"

"No. She's avenging her murdered lover."

Back to the house where Helena talks to Charlie:

"This atomizer contains the poison that kills anyone with alien DNA. I need you to destroy it."

"Does Flint know that you have it?"

"Flint. Jesse really broke that boy. Some people were never meant to be parents. You can go when you're done.  The door's unlocked. Flint's rifle shoots blanks."

"What's to stop me from leaving now?"

"The knowledge that that deadly device only exists because of you. You decide. I'm off to CrashCon. I hear there will be quite a show."

Note, when Helena says Flint's name she says a word in Spanish that I can't make out and isn't in the closed captions.

Max and Liz's conversation about racism and privilege:

"I want to help. Your mom's not the villain here. All right? She's going about this all wrong, yes. But Manes is already a murderer. I mean, if he'd succeeded today…"

"I know...I could have lost almost everyone I care about in a moment. I remember every day what it was like to lose you and Rosa. I don't think I could survive that again. She could've built a decoy bomb that wouldn't have hurt anyone."

"He'd just get angry and do it again."

"Yeah, but he's not the only one that this would hurt. I mean, the headlines if she gets caught? Illegal Mexican Immigrant Slaughters Decorated American Vet via Bioweapon. People will line up to lay bricks at the border wall. But hey, maybe the president will talk about my family at his rallies. That's gonna be fun."

"That's not gonna happen. This will get covered up like every other strange death in this town."

"In case you haven't noticed those cover-ups don't tend to protect the Mexicans. Even when…"

"Even when Rosa died. You can say it, Liz. It's okay. It's fair. Rosa got blamed. White people didn't. Okay? I get it."

"I know you're on my side, but you don't get this. And that's not your fault, that's just the reality of our experiences. If I mess up. If I so much as roll through a stop sign, it reflects badly on any Mexican who came before me. And it hurts any Mexican who comes after me. I used to think that nothing would ever change that, but lately I think...maybe if something extraordinary happened it could."

"Extraordinary? Like what you're doing in your lab?"

"I've discovered something that could be the key to curing people who have no hope otherwise. I can't walk away."

"So you're gonna turn my family's stem cells into the hottest commodity?"

"No, I won't. I...we'll find a way to synthesize it or replicate it."

"Is this about the people you're trying to save or about becoming the poster girl for immigrants everywhere? You want the president to talk about your family because of you. Because you saved the world."

"If those in power see what happens when people are given opportunity…"

"You want the glory."

"I want recognition. I want to be the example I never had. And people who want glory, they're just in it for selfish reasons. People like Jesse Manes want the glory. He wants to be a big American hero. He wants the parades, he wants the medals. If he sets off his alien atomizer at CrashCon, a handful of twenty-something's will die of some mysterious ailment and it's barely gonna make the news. That's not what he wants. We're missing part of his plan."

"First, something violent. Large-scale that'll draw media attention. And then, once all eyes are in Roswell…"

"He'll blame the violence on the aliens. He only gets his parade if he makes people afraid and then he destroys the thing that they fear. If he makes people think that you're terrorists before he kills you."

Graham Green's reveal at CrashCon.  Graham is announced and takes the stage as Max, Liz, and Rosa arrive to find Michael, Isobel, and Maria nearby.

"Hey, you guys shouldn't be here."

"I was held hostage, Max. I deserve to ride the Sizzler until I barf cotton candy, and maybe watch a bad man die."

"You guys, we think that…"

Graham Green starts his presentation.

"Hello loyal fans and devoted supporters! You patience is about to be rewarded. Today I am thrilled, nay, honored to show you the result of years or painstaking work. The moment we've all been waiting for. Irrefutable extraterrestrial proof! A bona fide alien artifact!"

Graham pulls the curtain and reveals what appears to be something similar to Michael's console, only it is complete and intact.

Flint brings Alex food and they discuss Flint's motives:

"If you're doing this to impress dad, it is never gonna work."

"I'm not trying to impress dad. His shutdown of Project Shepherd was an inform decision, but he's trained me my entire life to take it on.

Flint goes to leave but Alex stops him.

"Do you remember when mom used to drive us to the res, and you would sit at the loom with Granddad? Weaving stories. When was the last time you made something, Flint? Anything that wasn't built to destroy?" 

"Around the time that mom decided that to leave dad, she had to leave us."

"She didn't know what he would do to us."

"He didn't do anything to us. Me and Clay are fine. He'll, even Gregory is coming to see dad today."

"...You are wrong. We are all dad's victims. Sure, he beat me up, but what he put the rest of you through was abuse too. He made you watch while he kicked my ass… He scared you into thinking that there was only one type of man that you could become."

Alex manages to knock Flint out, steal the key to his handcuffs, and free himself.

"You're so pathetic. You don't know me at all. This has nothing to do with dad and everything to do with our history. Aliens are a foreign threat. They're invaders."

Back to CrashCon, where the gang discuss the alien object:

"Alex's piece must have been the last one that Manes needed to finish building it. Where's he been keeping the rest of this?"

Sanders appears out of nowhere.

"Kid, I seen that thing before. Your mother built that back in the old barn. I don't know what it is, but it is definitely explosive. I always wondered what'd happened to the pieces."

"Maybe Harlan or Tripp Manes gathered them up. Rebuilt it."

"Yeah but if Manes is gonna use that to blow up CrashCon, it's gonna make Graham Green look like the bad guy. No one's gonna think an alien planted it."

"Unless they follow the money. I got an alert from my bank this morning. A $10,000 deposit had cleared."

"You think Manes set it up so that the investigation would lead to you?"

"If I become the world's first alien terrorist and he takes me out, the world cheers."

"Guys, you need to do whatever you can to get as many people out of here as possible, okay? Get help."

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Michael and I have studied this material before. It's part tech, but it's also part organic. And if it's part organic, that means it can be killed. I gotta get back to my lab."

Diego sees Max toss Liz his keys.

Max and Michael sneak backstage and convince Graham Green to let them have a moment with the alien ship thingie. Max takes photos of it with his phone.

"Do you think we can destroy it?"

"No. The pieces want to be together and now that it's complete if we break the bonds with brute force we risk a violent reaction."

Max hears voices whispering and reaches out to touch the alien tech. The alien symbol forms under his hand and he pressed it.  There's a surge from the tech and it almost appears like Max is absorbing something from it. The voices get a little louder. When he breaks the connection it almost seems like it takes effort and he seems stunned.

"What the hell just happened to you?"

"Nothing. I think this is a remote. I think this controls a ship."

"It's a what?"

Gif by @maxortecho

Note, the way Max laughs when he says nothing is oddly similar to how he responded to Cam when she called him out on his weird behavior from the antidote. Like he's hiding something or brushing off the worry or something. 

Sanders interrupts before Max can respond. Points out that the top of the stage is varnished which is highly flammable. 

"Wait, if this is fresh varnish, this whole platform is set up like a tinderbox."

"There's gonna be fireworks tonight."

"One spark'll light a fire. I mean, this whole thing, the whole platform will go up."

"If this giant remote goes kaboom aliens will be framed as terrorists. You have to get out of here."

"What? No. I'm not going anywhere."

"Max you are all sorts of worked up right now. What happens when you're worked up?"

"Sparks fly. Right, okay. Yeah. I'll go."

Before Max leaves he spots something on one of the display boards that makes him pause. He grabs it before leaving.

Charlie is working on her chemicals in the makeshift lab when Flint sneaks up on her and puts a gun to her head, demanding that she gives him the atomizer.

Maria and Rosa hurry through CrashCon discussing each other's alien biology and Mimi's vision. They spot Gregory Manes and decide to try to get him to leave since the Manes bomb would kill him. He has 12 kids with them so they suggest that he take them to the Crashdown for free milkshakes. He recognizes Rosa, but they tell him she's Rosa's cousin. 

Liz works in the lab while blasting Alanis Morissettte - great call back to last year when she told Michael that Alanis helped her channel Rosa's creativity. She says to herself:

"Destroy the organic cell membrane. Disable the nanotech." 

She mixes some chemicals which react and explode her flask and start a fire. Really don't know if that's supposed to represent success or not. 

Flint and Helena talk at CrashCon. She is surprised to see him.  He tells her that he cleaned up the mess at the house. 

We flash back to the house which is on fire.  Charlie is chained up and trapped.

Liz hurries from the lab and doesn't realize that Diego followed her there.  He sneaks his way into the building while Liz rushes for the car.

Speaking of cars...they're in the middle of nowhere. Where's Diego's car? I had the same thought last week when Max and Kyle were searching Flint's house and they almost got caught. Whoever pulled up in the hunting van should have seen their car!

Maria and Rosa are helping get the kids loaded onto a bus when Rosa points out Pisces to Maria. Call back to 1x03 when Maria tells Liz that she and Rosa used to compete to see which one of them could spot the constellation first. It gives Maria an epiphany. Pisces is "the water sign" which was one of Mimi's clues from her vision.  Maria goes to follow the sign. She runs into Max who tries to get her to safety. They spot Flint Manes carrying the atomizer. Max tells Maria to get out of there and hurries after Flint. He tries to sneak up on Flint, but Flint is able to disarm him and beat him up. Flint sets the atomizer to go off in two minutes and then throws it like a Hail Mary into the crowd. Max chases after Flint while Maria goes after the atomizer. She pushes through the crowd and spots another clue from Mimi's vision - a poster of aliens asking "Do you believe?" The atomizer is sitting below it. Maria grabs the atomizer and takes off running with it. Cam spots Maria and follows. 

Flint beats Max up again and then pulls a gun and threatens to shoot Max. Max disarms him and is holding the gun to Flint now. He laughs and asks Max if he's really going to shoot a soldier. Tells him that he already pulled the trigger to kill Max by setting off the atomizer. Max tosses the gun aside, and uses his powers instead to kill Flint,

Michael and Isobel are trying to keep the stage from catching fire, but then the fireworks start going off into the wind (which blows the embers towards the fair). The hay bales easily catch on fire. Isobel used her powers to hold back the flames.  She can feel that something is wrong with Max and send Michael to find him. 

Instead Michael finds Jesse and Alex. Their exchange: 

"You know, I actually started to believe that you had changed."

"You never could tell friend from foe. I actually counted on it."

"Hey I know exactly who you are. You were gonna let all of these people die and you were gonna let the aliens take the blame."

"It's high time they got blamed for something, I think. I'm gonna drag them from the shadows."

"Yeah and then what? You're gonna use the atomizer to kill them all? Then you become some hero by destroying the enemy that you created?"

"American children are gonna read about the events of tonight in their history books... And don't worry about collateral damage, son. That's just an unfortunate aspect of war. You know that better than anyone, Alex."

"You're gonna become your own collateral damage if that thing goes off. Helena Ortecho switched the devices. That's not gonna kill aliens.  That is set to destroy your DNA. If it goes off, you are going to die in a puddle of your own blood."

"What are you doing? Are you bluffing to protect the aliens?"

"What I'm doing is I'm trying to protect our family. Dad, if that goes off it kills all of your direct descendants. Flint and Greg are somewhere in here. And I don't care how much I disgust you, I am still your son!"

Greg runs up looking for help responding to the fire. He spots the atomizer and immediately recognizes it as a weapon. Alex tries to get him to leave. Michael runs up and Jesse pulls his gun on him. Greg steps between Michael and the gun to protect Michael for Alex.

Maria throws the atomizer off into the desert and immediately begins bleeding. Thankfully Cam is there to try to help.

Max kills Flint which in turn gives him another heart attack. Liz arrives as he's collapsing and starts CPR. Rosa runs up and tries to get Liz to let her step in to help Max so that Liz can stop the alien device from exploding… And cliffhanger.

MUSIC:

1.  Valley Queen "Chasing The Muse"

2.  The HawtThorns "Give Me A Sign"

3.  Everclear "Everything To Everyone"

4.  Alanis Morissette "All I Really Want"

5.  Gary Numan "I Am Dust"

#roswell new mexico #rnm season 2 #episode details #long post #rnm 212 #crash into me

[scifigeneration]

Timely intervention: how Doctor Who shapes public attitudes to science

by Lindy Orthia

Doctor Who is a popular cosplay theme. But some people base more than just their outfit on the Time Lord’s exploits. Shutterstock.com

Scientists and science fans love to discuss the science in Doctor Who.

We’re interested in how its theories and gadgets stack up against real science and technology (really, really interested).

We care about gender equity among Doctor Who’s scientist characters, and the cultural significance of casting Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor.

As long ago as 1985, Britain’s Royal Society wondered whether they could use Doctor Who to promote greater public understanding of science.

Given that we care so much, one might expect to see strong evidence that Doctor Who shapes how its viewers think and feel about science. But there has been no peer-reviewed research in this area, only anecdotes from a few scientist-fans.

Until now.

In my research, published in the Journal of Science Communication, I surveyed 575 science-interested Doctor Who viewers, asking whether and how the show contributed to their relationship with science.

Many of them said it did. But as it turns out, not in consistent ways.

Thoughts about science

I recruited the 575 people via ScienceAlert; they were 59% female, 40% male and 1% non-binary or gender-fluid. They were aged 18-73, and were drawn from 37 nations, predominantly Australia (50%) and the United States (24%).

Of the 575 respondents, 398 said Doctor Who influenced their thoughts about science in one way or another.

Just over 300 respondents said the show contributed to their ideas about science ethics, the relationship between science and the rest of society, and/or the place of science in human history.

Most commonly, Doctor Who prompted people to think more deeply about the ethics of science, including its moral ambiguity and potential for doing both good and bad. Second to that, many said Doctor Who demonstrated science’s importance in society and history.

However, individual participants sometimes drew opposite conclusions about the show’s moral messages. For example, one participant said their take-home message from Doctor Who on science ethics was:

Strong ethical guidelines and laws need to exist, and be enforced.

But for another participant it was precisely the opposite:

We should stop putting ethics in the way of scientific research.

Choosing science

Beyond shaping people’s attitudes, Doctor Who had a material impact on a few people’s life choices too.

It influenced 74 participants’ education choices and 49 participants’ career choices. It sparked interest in pursuing diverse science (and other) fields including physics, astronomy, maths, engineering, computer science, environmental science, chemistry, psychology, science teaching, and science communication.

People said things like:

It made me want to learn more about science. I became a science major [because] of it.

And:

I have a degree in Environmental Science specifically because of watching the 4th Doctor deal with oil rigs. That and the Exxon Valdez made me want to change things.

Some respondents said Doctor Who simply instilled a love of learning in them or made them proud of achieving academic success.

Just a TV show?

The survey responses go far beyond the previous anecdotes from fans about how much they love science and Doctor Who. It gives us lots of new evidence to analyse – some 58,000 words of qualitative data. But the responses were far from unanimously positive.

In the survey group, 107 people answered “no” to all or most of my key questions, indicating Doctor Who had not contributed to their relationship to science in any of the ways I asked about.

They gave a range of reasons. Some came to Doctor Who too late, after their views on science had already formed. Or other factors such as school or family determined their attitudes to science and life decisions, so Doctor Who wasn’t important (gasp!).

Others were more cynical, generally mocking the notion of science fiction influencing them at all, or arguing that Doctor Who’s depictions of science were too inaccurate, fantastical or trivial to have an impact.

Some responses were neither particularly positive or negative, with Doctor Who simply validating or reinforcing people’s existing ideas about science.

So will Doctor Who create a planet of scientists?

Part of the job for some science communicators, science teachers and scientists is to inspire people’s interest in science.

My study shows that engaging with a science-rich television program can have a profoundly inspiring effect on a person’s attitudes to science. In fact, their life might be changed because of it.

If that kind of inspiration is your goal, it is worth investing in science-rich television fiction as a science engagement medium.

But don’t get too excited. Not everyone’s science attitudes are affected by the same program. Any positive effects may be minor, rather than life-changing. And two viewers may interpret the science on screen in completely different ways. Also, my participants volunteered to participate, so the numbers don’t necessarily represent statistical patterns among Doctor Who viewers generally.

This backs up what science communication researchers have been saying for years. Television audiences aren’t ignorant dupes brainwashed by what they watch. People watch television fiction critically, aware it is fiction. All of us bring our existing knowledge, beliefs, fears and ideals to the viewing experience and make our own meanings from it in light of them.

What science-rich fiction can do, though, is set an agenda. It can offer people new frameworks for pondering science questions and provoking conversations about them.

So despite the caveats, if we want to nurture a society of people who think about science more keenly, more critically and more often, we could do worse than plug the next season of Doctor Who.

About The Author:

Lindy Orthia is a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication at the Australian National University

This article is republished from our content partners over at The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

#science fiction and fantasy #sci-fi #science fiction #featured #time travel #Doctor Who #television

[loverandservantoftheahlulbayt]

🥀🕯🥀 Shahadat Anniversary – Lady Khadija (sa) 10th Ramadhan

The Most Beloved Wife of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S)

Fascinating historical background of this great lady of Islam

“Islam did not rise except through Ali’s sword and Khadija’s wealth,” a saying goes.

Khadija al-Kubra (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid ibn (son of) Asad ibn Abdul-`Uzza ibn Qusayy belonged to the clan of Banu Hashim of the tribe of Banu Asad. She was a distant cousin of her husband the Messenger of Allah Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. Qusayy, then, is the ancestor of all clans belonging to Quraysh. According to some historians, Quraysh’s real name was Fahr, and he was son of Malik son of Madar son of Kananah son of Khuzaimah son of Mudrikah son of Ilyas son of Mazar son of Nazar son of Ma`ad son of Adnan son of Isma`eel (Ishmael) son of Ibrahim (Abraham) son of Sam son of Noah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon the prophets from among his ancestors.

🥀 Her Birth 🥀

According to a number of sources, Khadija (sa) was born in 565 A.D. and died on 10th Ramadhan three year before the Hijra (migration of the Holy Prophet (S) and his followers from Mecca to Medina) at the age of 58. Khadija’s (sa) mother, who died around 575 A.D., was Fatima daughter of Za’ida ibn al-Asam of Banu `Amir ibn Luayy ibn Ghalib, also a distant relative of Holy Prophet Muhammad (S). Khadija’s father, who died around 585 A.D., belonged to the Abd al-`Uzza clan of the tribe of Quraysh and, like many other Qurayshis, was a merchant, a successful businessman whose vast wealth and business talents were inherited by Khadija (sa) and whom the latter succeeded in faring with the family’s vast wealth.

🥀 Ameerat-Quraysh 🥀

It is said that when Quraysh’s trade caravans gathered to embark upon their lengthy and arduous journey either to Syria during the summer or to Yemen during the winter, Khadija’s (sa) caravan equalled the caravans of all other traders of Quraysh put together. Although the society in which Khadija (sa) was born was a terribly male chauvinistic one, Khadija (sa) earned two titles: Ameerat-Quraysh, Princess of Quraysh, and al-Tahira, the Pure One, due to her impeccable personality and virtuous character, not to mention her honourable descent. She used to feed and clothe the poor, assist her relatives financially, and even provide for the marriage of those of her kin who could not otherwise have had means to marry. One particular quality in Khadija (sa) was quite interesting, probably more so than any of her other qualities mentioned above: she, unlike her people, never believed in nor worshipped idols. There was a very small number of Christians and Jews in Mecca, and a fairly large number of Jews in Medina. Waraqah ibn Nawfal, one of Khadija’s cousins, had embraced Christianity and was a pious monk who believed in the Unity of the Almighty, just as all early Christians did, that is, before the concept of the Trinity crept into the Christian faith, widening the theological differences among the believers in Christ (as).

He reportedly had translated the Bible from Hebrew into Arabic. His likes could be counted on the fingers of one hand during those days in the entire populous metropolis of Mecca, or Becca, or Ummul-Qura (the mother town), a major commercial center at the crossroads of trade caravans linking Arabia with India, Persia, China, and Byzantium, a city that had its own Red Sea port at Shu`ayba. Most importantly, Mecca housed the Ka`ba, the cubic “House of God” which has always been sought for pilgrimage and which used to be circled by naked polytheist “pilgrims” who kept their idols, numbering 360 small and big, male and female, inside it and on its roof-top. Among those idols was one for Abraham and another for Ishmael, each carrying divine arrows in his hands. Hubal, a huge idol in the shape of a man, was given as a gift by the Moabites of Syria to the tribesmen of Khuza`ah, and it was Mecca’s chief idol. Two other idols of significance were those of the Lat, a grey granite image which was the deity of Thaqif in nearby Taif, and the Uzza, also a block of granite about twenty feet long. These were regarded as the wives of the Almighty… Each tribe had its own idol, and the wealthy bought and kept a number of idols at home. The institute of pilgrimage was already there; it simply was not being observed properly, and so was the belief in Allah Whom the Arabs regarded as their Supreme deity. Besides Paganism, other “religions” in Arabia included star worship and fetishism.

🥀 The Richest Person in Arabia 🥀

Since Khadija (sa) did not travel with her trade caravans, she had always had to rely on someone else to act as her agent to trade on her behalf and to receive an agreed-upon commission in return. In 595 A.D., Khadija (sa) needed an agent to trade in her merchandise going to Syria, and it was then that a number of agents whom she knew before and trusted, as well as some of her own relatives, particularly Abu Talib, suggested to her to employ her distant cousin Muhammad ibn Abdullah (S) who, by then, had earned the honouring titles of al-Sadiq, the truthful, and al-Amin, the trustworthy. Muhammad (S) did not have any practical business experience, but he had twice accompanied his uncle Abu Talib (ra) on his trade trips and keenly observed how he traded, bartered, bought and sold and conducted business; after all, the people of Quraysh were famous for their involvement in trade more than in any other profession. It was not uncommon to hire an agent who did not have a prior experience; so, Khadija (sa) decided to give Muhammad (S) a chance. He was only 25 years old. Khadija (sa) sent Muhammad (S) a word through Khazimah ibn Hakim, one of her relatives, offering him twice as much commission as she usually offered her agents to trade on her behalf. She also gave him one of her servants, Maysarah, who was young, brilliant, and talented, to assist him and be his bookkeeper. Before embarking upon his first trip as a businessman representing Khadija (sa), Muhammad (S) met with his uncles for last minute briefings and consultations, then he set out on the desert road passing through Wadi al-Qura, Midian, and Diyar Thamud, places with which he was familiar because of having been there at the age of twelve in the company of his uncle Abu Talib (ra). He continued the lengthy journey till he reached Busra (or Bostra) on the highway to the ancient city of Damascus after about a month. It was then the capital of Hawran, one of the southeastern portions of the province of Damascus situated north of the Balqa’. To scholars of classic literature, Hawran is known by its Greek name Auranitis, and it is described in detail by Yaqut al-Hamawi, Abul-Faraj al-Isfahani, and others. Arab trade caravans used to go there quite often and even beyond it to Damascus and Gaza, and few made it all the way to Mediterranean shores to unload their precious cargoes of Chinese paper and silk textiles bound for Europe.

🥀 What items did Muhammad (S) carry with him to Busra, and what items did he buy from there? 🥀

Meccans were not known to be skilled craftsmen, nor did they excel in any profession besides trade, but young Muhammad (S) might have carried with him a cargo of hides, raisins, perfumes, dried dates, lightweight woven items, probably silver bars, and most likely some herbs. He bought what he was instructed by his employer to buy: these items may have included manufactured goods, clothes, a few luxury items to sell to wealthy Meccans, and maybe some household goods. Gold and silver currency accepted in Mecca included Roman, Persian, and Indian coins, for Arabs during those times, including those who were much more sophisticated than the ones among whom Muhammad (S) grew up such as the Arabs of the southern part of Arabia (Yemen, Hadramout, etc.), did not have a currency of their own; so, barter was more common than cash. The first Arab Islamic currency, by the way, was struck in 78 A.H., 36 years after the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty (661-750) at the advice and help of Imam Muhammad Baqir (as). The young Muhammad (S) was seen once by Nestor the monk sitting in the shade of a tree as caravans entered the outskirts of Busra, not far from the monk’s small monastery. “Who is the man beneath that tree?” inquired Nestor of Maysarah. “A man of Quraysh,” Maysarah answered, adding, “of the people (the Hashemites) who have guardianship of the Sanctuary.” “None other than a Prophet is sitting beneath that tree,” said Nestor who had observed some of the signs indicative of Prophethood: two angels (or, according to other reports, two small clouds) were shading Muhammad (S) from the oppressive heat of the sun. “Is there a glow, a slight redness, around his eyes that never parts with him?” Nestor asked Maysarah. When the latter answered in the affirmative, Nestor said, “He most surely is the very last Prophet; congratulations to whoever believes in him.” The profits Khadija (sa) reaped from that trip were twice as much as she had anticipated. Maysarah was more fascinated by Muhammad (S) than by anything related to the trip. Muhammad (S), on the other hand, brought back his impressions about what he had seen and heard, impressions which he related to his mistress. You see, those trade caravans were the only links contemporary Arabs had with their outside world: they brought them the news of what was going on beyond their drought-ridden and famine-stricken desert and sand dunes.

Waraqah ibn Nawfal, like Bahirah, the monk, adhered to the Nestorian Christian sect. He heard the accounts about the personality and conduct of young Muhammad (S) from both his cousin Khadija (sa) and her servant Maysarah, an account which caused him to meditate for a good while and think about what he had heard. Raising his head, he said to Khadija (sa), “Such manners are fit only for the messengers of God. Who knows? Maybe this young man is destined to be one of them.” The trip’s measure of success encouraged Khadija (sa) to employ Muhammad (S) again on the winter trip to southern Arabia, i.e. Yemen, the land that introduced the coffee beans to the rest of the world, the land where the renown Ma’rib irrigation dam was engineered, the land of Saba’ and the renown Balqees, the Arabian Queen of Sheba (Saba’) of Himyar, who married King Solomon (Sulayman the wise, peace be upon him), in 975 B.C., the land of natives skilled in gold, silver and other metal handicrafts, not to mention their ingenuity in the textile industry and domestic furniture…, and it may even be the land that gave Arabic its first written script which, as some believe, was modelled after written Amharic, then the official language in Ethiopia and its colonies. Yemen, at that time, was being ruled by an Ethiopian regent. This time Khadija (sa) offered Muhammad (S) three times the usual commission. Unfortunately, historians do not tell us much about this second trip except that it was equally profitable to both employer and employee. Some historians do not mention this trip at all.

🥀 Lady Khadija’s (sa) marriage with the Holy Prophet of Islam (S) 🥀

Khadija (sa) was by then convinced that she had finally found a man who was worthy of her, so much so that she initiated the marriage proposal herself. Muhammad (S) sat to detail all the business transactions in which he became involved on her behalf, but Khadija (sa) was thinking more about her distant cousin than about those transactions. History tells us that Muhammad (S) was of medium stature, inclined to slimness, with a large head, broad shoulders and the rest of his body perfectly proportioned. His hair and beard were thick and black, not altogether straight but slightly curled. His hair reached midway between the lobes of his ears and shoulders, and his beard was of a length to match. He had a noble breadth of forehead and the ovals of his large eyes were wide, with exceptionally long lashes and extensive brows, slightly arched but not joined. His eyes were said to have been black, but other accounts say they were brown, or light brown. His nose was aquiline and his mouth was finely shaped. Although he let his beard grow, he never allowed the hair of his moustache to protrude over his upper lip. His skin was white but tanned by the sun. And there was a light on his face, a glow, the same light that had shone from his father, but it was more, much more powerful, and it was especially apparent on his broad forehead and in his eyes which were remarkably luminous. By the time he was gone, Khadija (sa) sought the advice of a friend of hers named Nufaysa, daughter of Umayyah. The latter offered to approach him on her behalf and, if possible, arrange a marriage between them. Nufaysa came to Muhammad (S) and asked him why he had not married yet. “I have no means to marry,” he answered. “But if you were given the means,” she said, “and if you were bidden to an alliance where there is nobility and abundance, would you not then consent?” “Who is she?!” he inquired. “It is Khadija,” said Nufaysa. “And how could such a marriage occur? he asked. “Leave that to me!” was her answer. “For my part,” he said, “I am willing.” Nufaysa returned with these glad tidings to Khadija (sa) who then sent word to Muhammad (S) asking him about the marriage. Then she offered herself in marriage to him, and they agreed that he should speak to his uncles and she would speak to her uncle `Amr son of Asad, since her father had died. It was Hamzah, despite being relatively young, whom the Hashemites delegated to represent them on this marriage occasion, since he was most closely related to them through the clan of Asad; his sister Safiyya had just married Khadija’s brother `Awwam. It was Abu Talib (ra), Muhammad’s uncle, who delivered the marriage sermon saying, “All praise is due to Allah Who has made us the progeny of Ibrahim (Abraham), the seed of Isma`eel (Ishmael), the descendants of Ma`ad, the substance of Mudar, and Who made us the custodians of His House and the servants of its sacred precincts, making for us a House sought for pilgrimage and a shrine of security, and He also gave us authority over the people. This nephew of mine Muhammad (S) cannot be compared with any other man: if you compare his wealth with that of others, you will not find him a man of wealth, for wealth is a vanishing shadow and a fickle thing. Muhammad (S) is a man whose lineage you all know, and he has sought Khadija (sa), daughter of Khuwaylid for marriage, offering her such-and-such of the dower of my own wealth.”

Nawfal then stood and said, “All praise is due to Allah Who has made us just as you have mentioned and preferred us over those whom you have indicated, for we, indeed, are the masters of Arabs and their leaders, and you all are worthy of this (bond of marriage). The tribe (Quraysh) does not deny any of your merits, nor does anyone else dispute your lofty status and prestige. And we, furthermore, wish to be joined to your rope; so, bear witness to my words, O people of Quraysh! I have given Khadija (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid in marriage to Muhammad (S) ibn Abdullah for the dower of four hundred dinars.” Then Nawfal paused, whereupon Abu Talib (ra) said to him, “I wished her uncle had joined you (in making this statement).” Hearing that, Khadija’s (sa) uncle stood and said, “Bear witness, O men of Quraysh, that I have given Khadija (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid in marriage to Muhammad (S) ibn Abdullah.” These details and more are recorded in Ibn Hisham’s Seera. After his marriage, Muhammad (S) moved from his uncle’s house to live with his wife in her house which stood at the alley branching out of metropolitan Mecca’s long main bazaar, behind the mas`a, the place where the pilgrims perform the seven circles during the hajj or `umra. In that house, Fatima (sa) was born and the revelation descended upon the Messenger of Allah (S) many times. This house, as well as the one in which the Prophet of Islam (S) was born (which stood approximately 50 meters northwards), were both demolished by the ignorant and fanatical Wahhabi rulers of Saudi Arabia in1413 A.H./1993 A.D. and turned into public bathrooms. The gravesites of many family members and companions of the Holy Prophet (S) were all demolished by the same Wahhabis in 1343 A.H./1924 A.D. against the wish and despite the denunciation of the adherents of all other Muslim sects and schools of thought worldwide.

The marriage was a very happy one, and it produced a lady who was one of the four perfect women in all the history of mankind: Lady Fatima (sa) daughter of Muhammad (S). Before her, Qasim and Abdullah were born, but they both died at infancy. By the time Khadija (sa) got married, she was quite a wealthy lady, so wealthy that she felt no need to keep trading and increasing her wealth; instead, she decided to retire and enjoy a comfortable life with her husband who, on his part, preferred an ascetic life. The Messenger of Allah (S) had no desire to accumulate wealth; that was not the purpose for which he, peace and blessings of Allah upon him and his progeny, was created. He was created to be saviour of mankind from the darkness of ignorance, idol worship, polytheism, misery, poverty, injustice, oppression, and immorality.

🥀 Lady Khadijah (sa) the First Muslim Woman 🥀

He very much loved to meditate, though his meditation deepened his grief at seeing his society sunk so low in immorality, lawlessness, and the absence of any sort of protection for those who were weak and oppressed. Khadija’s (sa) period of happiness lasted no more than 15 years after which her husband, now the Messenger of Allah (S), started his mission to invite people to the Oneness of God, to equality between men and women, and to an end to the evils of the day. Muhammad (S) was forty years old when the first verses of the Holy Quran were revealed to him. They were the first verses of Surat al-Alaq (chapter 96), and they were revealed during the night of 27th Rajab 13 years before the Hijra, at the cave of Hira in Jabal al-Noor (the mountain of light), his favorite place for isolation and meditation, a place which is now visited by many pilgrims. Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) went back home deeply impressed by the sight of arch-angel Gabriel and by the depth of meaning implied in those beautiful words: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Proclaim (or read)! In the Name of your Lord and Cherisher who created (everything). (He) created man of a (mere) clot of congealed blood. Proclaim! And your Lord is the Most Bountiful Who taught (the use of) the pen, Who taught man that which he knew not…

🕯 Holy Quran 🕯

(96:1-5)

He narrated what he had seen and heard to his faithful and supportive wife. “By Allah,” Khadija (sa) said, “Allah shall never subject you to any indignity…, for you always maintain your ties with those of your kin, and you are always generous in giving; you are diligent, and you seek what others regard as unattainable; you cool the eyes of your guest, and you lend your support to those who seek justice and redress. Stay firm, O cousin, for by Allah I know that He will not deal with you except most beautifully, and I testify that you are the awaited Prophet in this nation, and your time, if Allah wills, has come.” After a short while, Khadija (sa) told her husband about the prediction of the Syrian monk Buhayra regarding Muhammad’s Prophethood, and about her dialogue with both her servant Maysarah, who had informed her of what Bahirah (or Buhayrah) had said, and with her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal. She then accompanied her husband to Waraqah’s house to narrate the whole incident. “Let me hear it in your own words,” Nawfal said to Muhammad (S), adding, “O noble master!” Having heard the Prophet’s words, Nawfal took his time to select his words very carefully; he said, “By Allah, this is the prediction which had been conveyed to Moses (as) and with which the Children of Israel are familiar! (Moses). Had said: `O how I wish I could be present when Muhammad (S) is delegated with Prophethood to support his mission and to assist him!'”

It was only natural for Khadija (sa) to receive her share of the harassment meted to him by none other than those who, not long ago, used to call him al-Sadiq, al-Amin. Yahya ibn `Afeef is quoted saying that he once came, during the period of jahiliyya (before the advent of Islam), to Mecca to be hosted by al-Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib, one of the Prophet’s uncles mentioned above. “When the sun started rising,” says he, “I saw a man who came out of a place not far from us, faced the Ka`ba and started performing his prayers. He hardly started before being joined by a young boy who stood on his right side, then by a woman who stood behind them. When he bowed down, the young boy and the woman bowed, and when he stood up straight, they, too, did likewise. When he prostrated, they, too, prostrated.” Then he expressed his amazement at that, saying to al-Abbas: “This is quite strange, O Abbas!” “Is it, really?” retorted al-Abbas. “Do you know who he is?” al-Abbas asked his guest who answered in the negative. “He is Muhammad ibn Abdullah, my nephew. Do you know who the young boy is?” asked he again. “No, indeed,” answered the guest. “He is Ali (as) son of Abu Talib (ra). Do you know who the woman is?” The answer came again in the negative, to which al-Abbas said, “She is Khadija (sa) daughter of Khuwaylid, my nephew’s wife.” This incident is included in the books of both Imam Ahmad and al-Tirmithi, each detailing it in his own Sahih.

Khadija (sa) bore patiently in the face of persecution to which her revered husband and his small band of believers were exposed at the hands of the polytheists and aristocrats of Quraysh, sacrificing her vast wealth to promote Islam, seeking Allah’s Pleasure. Among Khadija’s (sa) merits was her being one of the four most perfect of all women of mankind, the other three being: Fatima (sa) daughter of Muhammad (S), Maryam bint `Umran (sa) (Mary daughter of Amram), mother of Christ (as) and niece of prophet Zakariyya (as) and Ishba (sa) (Elizabeth), and `Asiya (sa) daughter of Muzahim, wife of Pharaoh. Prophet Zakariyya (as), as the reader knows, was the father of Yahya (ra) (John the Baptist), the latter being only a few months older than prophet Jesus (as).

The Prophet of Islam (S) used to talk about Khadija (sa) quite often after her demise, so much so that his youngest wife, `Ayesha daughter of Abu Bakr, felt extremely jealous and said to him, “… But she was only an old woman with red eyes, and Allah has compensated you with a better and younger wife (meaning herself).” This caused him (S) to be very indignant, and he said, “No, indeed; He has not compensated me with someone better than her. She believed in me when all others disbelieved; she held me truthful when others called me a liar; she sheltered me when others abandoned me; she comforted me when others shunned me; and Allah granted me, children, by her while depriving me of children by other women.”

🥀 The Death of Lady Khadija (sa) 🥀

Khadija (sa) died of illness (or as some mention, poisoning) on 10th day of the month of Ramadhan, ten years after the start of the Prophetic mission (in the year 619 A.D.), 25 years after her marriage with Muhammad (S), and she was buried at a graveyard known as Jannaul Maula at the outskirts of Mecca. The Messenger of Allah (S) dug her grave and buried her… Funeral prayers had not yet been mandated in Islam. It is reported that by the time she died, her entire wealth had already been spent to promote Islam; she left not a single gold dinar nor a single silver dirham, nor anything more or less..

‘Osoul that are at rest! Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with Him), well-pleasing (Him), so enter among My servants, and enter into My garden.’

🥀🕯🥀 Holy Quran 🥀🕯🥀

🕯 (89:27-30) 🕯

.

[dccomicsnews]

Review: DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #2

  [Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Art: Travis Moore & Max Raynor

Colors: Tamra Bonvillain & Nick Filardi

Letters: Rob Leigh

  Reviewed by: Matthew Lloyd

Summary

What makes a great comic book?  Plot?  Characterization? Humor?  Nostalgia?  Well, Detective Comics Annual #2 is a great comic and it contains a lot of these elements.  Most importantly, it manages to tell a street level Batman tale and at the same time incorporate numerous elements from Batman’s past.  Additionally, by utilizing “The Black Casebook,” this story in effect emulates the high concept of “the Black Casebook.”  While not necessarily one of the self proclaimed “unusual and unexplainable adventures,” this issue does incorporate that notion with the antagonist in the opening sequence…..

After stopping an attack in an alley by The Eraser, Batman returns home to read of an attack in France by an old foe- The Reaper.  After a recap of The Reaper who was the antagonist in “Batman: Year Two” (Detective Comics #575-578, 1987), Bruce heads to Europe with Alfred to hunt down this apparent copycat.

They set up the Reaper with Alfred playing the role of a local drunk. After Batman arrives and stops the Reaper from killing Alfred’s erstwhile muggers, Batman learns that this Reaper is not simply a copycat.  He manages to uncover the truth and to his surprise discovers a “Reaper, Incorporated” approach to this copycat and his crimes.

Positives

The cover of Detective Comics Annual #2 shows that this story belongs in “The Black Casebook.”  This concept was introduced back in Grant Morrison’s “Batman: R.I.P.” story from 2008.  Morrison developed a way to integrate some of the strangest and most bizarre stories from Batman’s publishing history.  Everything was suddenly canon.  To his credit, nothing ever feels forced, but rather the effort evokes a warm, nostalgic feeling.  “The Black Casebook” is a collection of these tales both as a trade paperback collection in our world, and as seen in Detective Comics Annual #2, a real book on the shelf in Batman’s library in Wayne Manor.   Tomasi is playing off all of this in the script.  It should be noted that Tomasi was the editor of the Batman line who first approached Morrison about writing Batman way back when.

Tomasi goes on to utilize the elements of “The Black Casebook” to expand the scope of this story.  The Eraser is a truly odd and bizarre Bat-villain that doesn’t fit in with the more realistic approach to modern Batman comics.  But, with Morrison’s “Black Casebook,” Tomasi can easily pick a strange villain from the ’60s to include in this story that fits with the original notion of “the Black Casebook.”

“Batman: Year Two” while not immediately recognizable as a “bizarre or unexplainable” Batman story is related to the idea of making everything canon.  ‘Year Two” was the first Batman story to depict the Dark Knight using a gun since his earliest appearances.  At the time it was published, it kept this aspect of Batman’s earliest days intact.  Detective Comics Annual #2 references this part of Batman’s past with Bruce admitting it was a time he “also made mistakes” as he is pictured brandishing a handgun.  In some ways, acknowledging this aspect of Batman’s publishing history because it is incongruous with how Batman has come to be portrayed makes this a difficult depiction.  Filing it in “The Black Casebook” makes complete sense.

Positives Cont’d

There are a number of strong character moments in this issue from Alfred’s acting ability and willingness to put himself in harm’s way to the underused trope of Bruce as the bored millionaire playboy.  Too often this element is forgotten as the nightlife receives the bulk of the attention in Batman stories.  His true mask of “Bruce Wayne” is useful and always a treat when utilized effectively.

Bruce himself acknowledges the fall of Batman, Incorporated in this issue, but the idea is recapitulated in the Reaper’s own worldwide network of vengeance.  This copycat has not only reused the Reaper identity, but also the modus operandi of Batman, Incorporated, having developed a worldwide network of Reapers.  Not surprisingly, it all ties back into “The Black Casebook” which includes the tale, “The Batmen of All Nations.”

Above all, this story succeeds because it meshes nostalgia, history, iconic depiction of Batman and a slew of engaging references.

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Negatives

The only possible negative to this issue is the cipher quality of Sopia Zervas.  She’s set up wonderfully as Bruce’s companion to the business summit in Europe that Bruce uses as a cover to suddenly be on the continent, and is nothing more.  She doesn’t even get a night with Bruce as a traditional “Bond Girl” would.  I was expecting some account of her in Bruce’s past, but…nothing….

Oh, and it’s far better than the most recent issue of Detective Comics….   Ok, not so much a negative as a lament about Detective Comics #1004.

  Verdict

Grant Morrison’s idea of “The Black Casebook” is used masterfully by Tomasi and company.  Not only does Detective Comics Annual #2 integrate the idea of “bizarre and unexplainable” cases, it is peppered with phenomenal character moments.  However, the issue succeeds because these aspects are molded into one coherent tale that plays off the history and the iconic elements of the Batman.

  Review: Detective Comics Annual #2 Review: DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #2 Writer: Peter J. Tomasi Art: Travis Moore & Max Raynor Colors: 

#Batman #Batman R.I.P. #Batman: Year Two #bond-girl #DC Comics #DC comics news #Detective Comics #Detective Comics Annual #grant morrison #Max Raynor #nick filardi #Peter J. Tomasi #Rob Leigh #Sophia Zervas #tamra bonvillain #The Batmen of All Nations #the Black Casebook #The Eraser #the Reaper #Travis Moore

[bottledwaterweb-blog-blog]

2019 Monterey Motor Week from arthur von wiesenberger on Vimeo.

Monterey Motor Week is known for a number of things especially the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. But other events also make the week exceptional including the Tour d’elegance , a morning journey that went from Pebble Beach to Carmel-by-the-Sea and back. Along the way fans lined the streets as they witnesses and heard this rolling museum of spectacular machines.

Behind the scenes the cars are polished up after the cruise. A rare Chrysler Le Baron Thunderbolt, belonging to an owner from Denver Colorado is one of only five.

A Ford GT 40 is the only aluminum body made. It currently lives in Indiana.

There was a rare 1913 blue Bugatti

A 1935 Packard 1204 Super 8 Coupe Roadster had a 150 horsepower L-Head straight eight engine. This streamlined Packard was styled by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky. This car is one of 11 known to survive - and one of three to have a rear mounted spare wheel.

Auctions are also a big part of Motor Week. Some of the most exciting and rarest cars were sold by Gooding & Company.

This 2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica realized a price of $240,800

A 2018 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso 70th anniversary edition flew out the door at $417,800 … not a bad price for a stylish station wagon

This fun loving 1961 Fiat 600 Jolly with wicker seats and a canopy fringe sold for $156,800

For those in need of speed, Niki Lauda’s 1975 Ferrari 312T, the one he drove and ultimately won the 1975 Formula One Drivers Championship passed the finish line at the auction for $6 million.

A couple of Highway Patrol officers were looking at the 2015 Aston Martin Vulcan and when we asked if they could catch it they said, no way. “I’d just turn off my lights and turn around to go home”. This one didn’t sell at its $2million estimate so it turned around and went home too.

A 2007 Ferrari F430 Challenge race car sold for a bargain price of $72,800

But foreign exotics weren’t the only stars at Gooding. This 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z06 Big Tank Split Window Coupe came with the factory “Special Performance Equipment” which performed well and sold for $588,000.

But the 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO didn't reach its $600,000 estimate.

This Porsche came with its original window sticker, a car sold by a dealership in Goleta, California called Trans World Auto. It was a good investment for someone.

Lamborghini’s first production model, the elegant 1965 350 GT, got an elegant price of $610,000.

But this 1997 Ferrari F50 didn’t reach its reserve and estimate of $2,800,000. Nor did this racing 1989 Jaguar XJR-10 at $1,500,000.

But this unusual strawberry metallic 1955 Mercedes- Benz 300 SL Gullwing did catch the eye of a buyer at $1,435,000 - -unrestored but a fine example of the original 64 year old car.

Other vintage and prewar cars, some that are boat tail roadsters, were stunning to look at even if they were mechanically challenging.

The 1986 Citroen Deux Chevaux Dolly sold for $28,000. Sacre Bleu, this was a real deal for this French cultural icon.

For a little fun, and little being the operative word, this 1959 BMW Isetta 300 sold beyond its estimate at $41,440.

For the buyer who wanted a Ferrari at a bargain this 1967 Ferrari 330 P2 sold for only $35,840.. But it was a 5/8 scale Ferrari designed for children.

A stunning 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet, originally belonging to Prince Alessandro Ruspoli in Rome, it was at the time the most expensive 250 GT and one of the most successful collaborations between Pinin Farina and Ferrari. It’s hammer price was $6,800,000.

Other classic post war cars were statements of their era. A particularly eye catching example was a 1948 Delahaye 135MS Cabriolet. It was one of 3 by Faget Varnet and was the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class Winner in 2008. It sold for $550,000.

Steve McQueen, an avid motorcycle and financier of the motorcycle classic movie, On Any Sunday, had this 1936 Indian Chief. Unrestored it was sold in the 1984 McQueen Estate Auction in Las Vegas. Asking $240,000 it is still available and open to offers.

A 2019 McLaren Senna, derived from McLaren’s 720S, has remarkable aerodynamics, a duel clutch, seven speed gearbox and a 4.0 liter twin turbocharged engine that produces 789 horsepower. Available at $1,500,000.

The 1953 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Superflow was one of the most advanced sports cars of the early 1950s. Only 8 were built making this a very rare car and available at $5.5 million.

The 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta, one of 36, sold for $5,100,00.

The Gooding auction made a number of records thanks in part to the charming auctioneering talents of Charlie Ross who has also been an antique expert on numerous BBC programs. One of the records set was for the unique Czechoslovakian 1938 Tatra T77A Limousine which sold for $412,000, a pinnacle of prewar design. The Gooding auction realized more than $76 million sold and 17 of the cars sold over the $1 mark.

[butcheraxelsen67-blog]

Holochain WalletHolochain is being located instead of the blockchain, providing coders a framework with regard to creating decentralized applications (dApps). One huge change to help make it possible for that is a switch via the data reliant blockchain to an agent-centric system. Holochain�s method avoids preserving a global comprehensive agreement, making use of an realtor process in which each realtor keeping a private fork, and that is certainly saved and managed around some sort of limited manner around the blockchain with a spread hash table. This stays away from scalability problems that possess plagued blockchain solutions. This also allows any dApps hosted with Holochain to be able to do far more along with less resource than required for blockchains. In this Holochain review, we will get an specific look on the project, technology plus token prospects. Exactly why Holochain is Different The standard blockchain performs by way of holding data by using cryptographic hashes on a spread network. Each node about of which network maintains a new full copy of the blockchain and the international consensus to be able to verify the market and keep it is integrity undamaged. Holochain Wallet is very one feature involving blockchain technological innovation that offers been a good durability connected with the emerging technology. Holochain Benefits Holochain Benefits. Resource: Holochain Web page There happen to be weak points that come having the blockchain system. 1 that has been hurting blockchain programmers is scalability conditions that are created simply by requiring every single node around the network to be able to validate the entire network. Because the amount of data enhances on the blockchain, the idea will become increasingly restrictive for purchase throughput on the blockchain. This is precisely why some cryptocurrencies have experienced these long transaction times, and such high network fees. Title got about because the particular process used by Holochain appears the construction of a hologram. In the hologram a coherent 3D pattern is definitely created by a new individual interaction of light beams, and in the Holochain the system creates a coherent whole in a equivalent manner, putting individual elements together to form a new whole. In addition , the technology uses of utilizing holistic patterns since part of its usefulness. The Public Portion Blockchain This Holochain system really does away with scalability problems by simply not demanding each one client or realtor upon the network to continue to keep a good continually updated report from the entire public blockchain. As an alternative, each node will keep its blockchain which interacts with typically the node�s one of a kind cryptographic key. Visualize typically the entire public blockchain since a river, and each and every client is comparable to a small stream that will feeds into the river. In the event that a node will go off-line it produces the pay of the public string, but the public cycle goes on forward, without staying impacted by way of the loss of one of its nodes. Node Data Seen by the General public Living space Instead of making each one node keeps its unique clone of all typically the data in the entire blockchain, the Holochain middle chain keeps a set of principles to examine the files on every node�s blockchain. The fact that confirmation occurs occurs over a sent out hash table. Holochain Client Buildings Node Architecture from Holochain This means of which every time a node goes off the internet their data is not necessarily missing to the open public blockchain. As an alternative a confined copy is retained together with verified according to the list of rules. As you can read within the COMMON QUESTIONS section of the Holochain website, the developers compare and contrast the technique to this approach that a lifestyle organism shops information throughout DNA or maybe the technique that dialects are kept by populations of persons. �Where is the Uk language stashed? � the particular Holochain builders ask around the GUIDELINES. �Every speaker carries that. A lot more diverse parts of expertise or subjection to different slang or maybe specialized vocabularies. Not anyone has a complete copy, neither is anyone�s version exactly the same as anybody else, If you disappeared 50 % of the English language audio speakers, it would certainly not degrade the language much. � How Scalable is Holochain? The question of how numerous transactions for every second Holochain can handle ought to be appeared at differently than the way in which we look from scalability in traditional blockchains. Typically the quick answer to typically the question is that scalability is unlimited on Holochain. That�s somewhat basic, together with honestly the thought connected with transactions per second does not apply to Holochain a consequence of to its inherent characteristics. Rather than keeping a worldwide consensus of data in the blockchain, Holochain makes use of a distributed hash desk to keep a file of the primary type in addition to abilities of data that every single individual node contributes. The particular developers have used a great analogy of a dance floor to better describe. An individual can look in a dance floor and quickly know who is bouncing entracte and that is usually dancing hip-hop. How a lot of dancers might be dancing in the same time? Like many as may fit on the dance flooring. It is very obvious that there�s no reason to use a dependable centralized thirdparty to maintain track of the dancers and what style of move they are undertaking. �So, Holochain Wallet as a great app framework does certainly not offer any limit regarding transactions per second since there is not any place where all orders have to go by means of, � the developers authored. He or she proceeded to state It is like inquiring, �How many words might humanity speak per minute? � It�s an unimportant question. With every man being given birth to, that amount increases. Same with regard to Holochain. What Dapp�s Use Holochain? Holochain would be some sort of very good fit for any dApps that need a major number of individual advices in which each individual possesses access to a limited backup of all the advices. The immediate use case place forth by way of Holochain can be social media programs, nonetheless they�ve also suggested that Holochain will work well in peer-to-peer programs, supply string management, reputational cryptocurrencies or even loyalty programs, collective thinking ability projects and more. All these tasks make a good fit with regard to Holochain due to the fact of it has the agent-centric nature. You can also see a thorough overview of the particular types of apps you may develop on the holohackers map. Holochain Apps Quite a few Programs on Holochain Github Previously Holochain would definitely not work nicely with any sort of private or perhaps private datasets however, considering each individual node prints a new shared distributed hash family table. Holochain is also definitely not suited for any application of which hosts large data, or maybe for running data positivist-oriented dApps, like many cryptocurrencies. The vision implemented by Holograph postulates the fact that there are no real truths on the open public blockchain, only the particular person perspective placed by every single node which can be brought together to form a larger picture. This has been compared to a blockchain perspective of the idea of relativity. Holochain Words Help Holochain was published in Go, and that specific programming language was muscle development for its similarity for you to C and its lessen of use. The code base is fully free and can be reviewed at the Holochain GitHub. When developing dApps intended for Holochain Wallet are free to be able to use the two Lisp together with JavaScript and there can be also assist for front-end languages for instance CSS, HTML and JavaScript. The Holochain builders possess stated that will Holochain is flexible inside regards to handling new dialects, so there can be a new good possibility of which assistance for additional languages will be additional throughout the future. Holochain is usually a Green Solution Simply by now we all know how much energy is required by simply Proof of Work blockchains such as Bitcoin. Holochain says to get some sort of green solution to enviroment dangerous blockchains. Because systems on Holochain don�t retail outlet plus validate the entire blockchain there is only some sort of small percent of band width used in contrast with traditional blockchains. Moreover, there are no mining part to Holochain, so the electric power used is minimum, genuinely no more than would be used by this node computers inside their typical operations. With the electrical power requirements of PoW blockchains constantly on the go up, this environmentally friendly tackle seems more effective. The Holochain Team The developers right behind Holochain have a vast level of experience. Typically the co-founders both have 34 many years of programming experience. Arthur Brock, who is the Chief Builder behind Holochain has been a deal coder since 1984, dealing with AI systems and while an internet alternative currency program developer since 2001. Holochain Crew Holochain Team Eric Harris-Braun is the Executive Engineer right behind Holochain. This individual has in addition been a good contract coder since 1984, a full time coder considering that 1988, a designer of peer-to-peer communication applications (glassbead. com) for a lot of years, a good full-stack net developer, as well since possessing experience in system layout, construction design, etc. Holochain Token (HOT) Holochain finished some sort of month extended ICO on April twenty eight, 2018 during which many people raised a bit more than 30, 000 ETH value roughly $20 million on the time. There were being 133, 214, 575, 156 SIZZLING tokens minted with regard to the ICO. As connected with late This summer 2018 the price of HOT is up for you to $0. 000825, giving that a market capitalization associated with nearly $110 thousand, in addition to making it the 86th largest coin by promote cap. Immediately following this ICO the token possessed exchanged as high because $0. 002 with regard to a more than 1, 000% gain in a few days. The price quickly deflated above the subsequent two months, but in the prior several days (July 24 � July 25, 2018) value roughly doubled soon after the SIZZLING token seemed to be listed on the Binance exchange. Binanace HOT Register at Binance and Order VERY HOT Tokens The VERY HOT token is definitely a ERC-20 token that could be stored within any ERC-20 appropriate pocket, such as MetaMask, MyEtherWallet, or perhaps one of this components billfolds. Eventually this ERC-20 tokens will become able to be substituted for Holofuel. Those interested in acquiring some HOT ought to know that it can�t always be purchased together with volvo foreign currencies, so initially you might need to obtain many BTC or ETH. Once you have the BTC or ETH you can purchase HOT at Binance, Fatbtc, Hotbit, IDEX or maybe LATOKEN. Bottom line We�ve already been told that will Bitcoin together with blockchain happen to be the future technologies, although this might not possibly be fully true. Blockchain engineering is in fact nearly 10 many years aged already, and top rated cryptocurrencies do little a great deal more than copy our present corrupt financial system in the quasi-decentralized fashion. Bitcoin will be meant for stocking price, and has likewise become some thing of a good casino intended for traders. Holochain can be a technique involving value creation and area engagement that is designed to help you get to a post-monetary world based on neighborhood, personal contributions, merit, and support to other individuals. That was designed to grant the two data and personal ethics. It�s not selected if Holochain will be successful, but that is ready to use, and developers can presently begin building the software many people feel can aid change all of our society plus our world. Some good examples of Holochain dApps can certainly be found here and if you are interested around developing your own dApp with Holochain you may get started off here. Shareholders have done perfectly currently with the token viewing a 500% increase from the ICO, and that had been during a bear marketplace inside crpytocurrencies. Once Bitcoin and even various other cryptocurrencies start soaring all over again the VERY HOT token may see important upside.

[heattimernj]

Get Rebates for Boiler and Control Upgrades

Everyone has purchased something with an irresistible mail in rebate.  Sometimes that product is even free after the rebate. Yet, the Wall Street Journal has estimated that about 40% of mail-in rebates are not redeemed. Many sources say that the number is well over 50%.  According to the research done by the Wall Street Journal and others, many people forget to mail it in within 30 days of their purchase. Or, they lose the receipt. Others actually receive the rebate check and forget to cash it. These customers are literally leaving money on their kitchen table.

Do not leave money on the table when it comes to upgrading your heating system this summer. Both Consolidated Edison and National Grid are offering rebates to their gas customers who upgrade their boiler controls for their multi-family or commercial building. These utility rebates will pay property owners to purchase an energy saving internet boiler controller with apartment sensors.  Adding an internet boiler controller like the Heat-Timer® Platinum Series Controller will reduce heating costs for years to come while giving you complete visibility into your building/portfolio from anywhere.

Get paid today for saving money tomorrow

Adding a boiler controller with space feedback like the Heat-Timer ® Platinum controller has been shown to reduce heating costs from 15% to 30%. Yet, some property managers procrastinate and don’t lock in those annual savings because those cost savings are tomorrow, while the controller installation costs are today.  Fortunately, both National Grid and Con Ed understand people’s reluctance to spend money today for savings tomorrow, so both are offering substantial rebates for the installation of an internet boiler controller for customers with gas fired boilers. The rebate sweetens the deal because it reduces the payback period, meaning those savings show up faster on the bottom line.

Going Green, doesn’t have to cost you any Green

Con Edison multi-family customers who pay a firm gas rate are paying a “systems benefit charge” each month on their heating gas bill. This charge contributes to the energy efficiency rebate fund for New York State. Those same customers who contribute to the fund are then eligible to receive lucrative incentives towards energy efficiency upgrades such as upgrading their existing Heat-Timer® to become a real-time Energy Management System. The rebate process is simple, prescriptive, and is based solely on the number of units in the multifamily building. For example, a (42) unit apartment building in Manhattan would receive $8,000 from Con Edison towards this capital improvement. A (112) unit building in Westchester receives $18,000.

National Grid also offers these incentives on Heat-Timer® boiler control upgrades. A (35) unit building in Brooklyn was incentivized $4,500 for their upgrade, whereas a (196) unit apartment complex in Queens was granted $13,600. This simple rebate process can often render the building a cost-free upgrade. National Grid offers Heat-Timer® upgrade rebates to both “firm gas customers” as well as those who pay “Temperature Control” rates.

Call Heat-Timer® today to find out more

Don’t be one of those people who leave their mail-in rebate check on the kitchen table. Talk to Heat-Timer® to find out how to apply for a rebate for a Heat-Timer® Platinum Boiler controller and wireless sensors today: (973)-575-4004

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/get-rebates-for-boiler-and-control-upgrades/

#Boiler Control Systems #Internet Heating Controls #Boiler Controls #Commercial Heating Control #Commercial Heating Control Systems #Multiple Boilers

[highbuttonsports]

Calgary Flames (2021) image.jpg (1020×575) (ctvnews.ca)

Deadline Dealing

There are only 2 days left until the NHL trade deadline and all is quiet in Calgary on that front. The team has not responded as expected to the coaching change that brought in the new/old Darryl Sutter. The expectation was that he would come riding into town and resurrect a sinking ship. Instead, the team has fallen back even further in the playoff race. When he went behind the bench on March 11th, they were a game below .500 and 6 points behind Montreal for the last playoff spot. Also, the Habs had 2 games in hand. Now on April 10th, the Flames are 5 games below .500 and 8 points behind Montreal. The caveat being the Canadiens have gained a game in hand due to a bout with COVID protocol. That’s a tall order for a Calgary team that has shown no signs of life while losing 8 of their past 10 games. That leaves GM Brad Treliving looking for answers in roster construction as the coaching change card has already been played. Generally, that puts the GM under the microscope of ownership as they wonder whether they chose the right person to put the team together. There have no rumours to suggest this is the case, but Brad has to be feeling the heat knowing this is the listless group he built.

There will be significant challenges in altering the roster though. Given the cap situations around the league (18 of 31 teams are within $500,000 of the cap) and the Canada/U.S. border restrictions, player movement around the league is much more complicsted. Teams are required to get creative when facilitating a deal in order to make the numbers work. As currently constructed, the Calgary Flames have $478,808 in cap space. This means in order to make any additions to the team they would be required to subtract the same value in salary. Sure, they could trade players out for prospects and/or picks resulting in freed up cap space for off season spending, but that’s not likely of interest to anyone within the organization least of all Coach Sutter. In fact, when he was brought in on a 3-year deal, he explicitly stated that he was only returning to coach if it meant a chance at winning a Stanley Cup. That means under no certain terms will he entertain participating in any sort of rebuild. So, if moves are going to be made and any real roster change is going to take place, parts of the core will have to go. That adds even more of a challenge to making a trade. We are talking about trading Johnny Gaudreau or Sean Monahan. Players that have been part of the core for the past 8 years. Another challenging layer to this idea is that Monahan currently has a NTC (No Trade Clause) and Gaudreau will have one kick in next season. Perhaps that makes the most likely trade candidate Johnny Hockey. He has only one season left on his deal as well and there seems little chance that he will re-up with Calgary. A team doesn’t just trade a player like Johnny though without careful consideration as to the return. They cannot come up short nor move him without getting a difference making player in return. As stated before, this is not a rebuild scenario. The Flames need to retool with an eye towards competing for a championship next season. As exciting as a blockbuster trade deadline deal would be, I would expect a move of this magnitude to be made in the offseason.

The best trade possibilities before the deadline come in the form of pending UFA’s. Calgary has 7 UFA’s on their current roster: Forwards Derek Ryan, Josh Leivo, Brett Ritchie, and Joakim Nordstrom. Defencemen Michael Stone and Nikita Nesterov. And Goalie David Rittich. None of these players move the needle much when it comes to trade value, but they could bring back other players with term or prospects/picks (both options could then be used in future deals). Of the forwards, Derek Ryan has the most value as a right shot center that plays a solid 2-way game. After him would be Ritchie, who at times has been effective on the top line with Monahan and Gaudreau, although he is better suited in the bottom 6. Neither would bring back anything other than a low-level pick or prospect as a rental. Same can be said about Nesterov or Stone. They are both depth d men that the acquiring team would hope not to have to use come playoff time. That leaves the most intriguing of the UFA’s, goalie David Rittich. He could make for a good fall-back option for a playoff team in a season full of goalie volatility. He has shown he can play extremely well and carry a team in short stretches, though he hasn’t found the consistency necessary to be a true number 1. Though, he is entering the prime age for goalies at 28 years old so it is possible his best years are still ahead of him. There is great value in that at a position that is tough to maintain a high level of play for a long time. You would have to think he will be looking to go somewhere in the off season where he will be given a chance to compete for a starting job. He definitely isn’t going to get that in Calgary where Jacob Markstrom was brought in on a 6 year/$6 mill per deal in the offseason to be the guy. As for the return for “Big Save” Dave, the Flames might be able to package him with Derek Ryan for a player with term (ie. Rittich and Ryan to Colorado for Compher and Johanssen). In that proposal, the Avs would get a versatile forward that fills Compher’s role as well as a solid back up in Rittich. Colorado has been forced to use Philip Grubauer heavily all season due to a lack of a trustworthy back up (expected back up Pavel Francouz has been inured all season and is doubtful to return). With Rittich, they could afford to rest Grubauer down the stretch for what they believe will be a deep run to the Stanley Cup Final. At 26 years old, J.T. Compher would be given a chance to play an elevated role and be a solution for the Flames going forward. At the moment, he is buried on the 4th line in Colorado with little chance at moving up beyond injury. This is the exact type of deal the hopefully GM Treliving is pursuing.

Maybe this year’s trade deadline is a busy one as, more than ever, every team that makes it has a more direct path to the Conference Final. Maybe it’s the most boring deadline ever as teams prefer not to risk moving players in and out (due to COVID protocols and cap restrictions). Either way, I know I will be tuning in Monday morning for all the wonderful time filling info as we wait for trades to start rolling in (that’s just me as a hockey loving degenerate). When it comes to the Flames though, I don’t expect any deals of major consequence to take place until the off season. As much as we may want changes now, those decisions should not be made in haste in a season that looks lost with each additional loss.

*All stats courtesy of NHL.com

*All salary cap info courtesy of Cap Friendly.com

By: Jaymee Kitchenham

#hockey #nhl news #sports #calgary flames