نهاية العالم - أشراط الساعة الصغرى والكبرى - مع صور وخرائط وتوضيحات PDF

http://www.archive.org/details/AshratAl-sa3ah

by Salman Hameed

I am in Rawalpindi for a few days. It has been 42C (108F) for the last two days. It is good for the mangoes - but not for the people. The bigger problem, however, is that power has been out 12-14 hours a day! This is not due to some electrical failure but rather is a planned load-shedding. So we have been get power for 1 or 2 hours with no electricity for the next 1-3 hours (As a write this post, the power has been out for the past 3 hours...). This pattern has continued for the last 3 days. I cannot imagine how businesses are operating with this level of power cuts per day. This particularly impacts small businesses who may not be able to afford big generators.

But I'm also trying to get a sense of the logic behind this kind of load-shedding. When the power is cut, you immediately start hearing the humming sound of the generators in the relatively well-off places. Big businesses also have generators that support their own electricity. Then there is a new housing colony, where the selling point is that they don't loose power. Why? Because they have their own power plant! Life is good, if you can afford to live there.

So couple of points here. First - and it is a no brainer - figuring out a solution to this acute power shortage is essential as it is directly tied to small businesses (especially tech-related). Second, this kind of power-outages may be creating a further imbalance between the rich and the poor. Furthermore, the fact that petroleum is being used to generate power for the affluent, such a division may be further contributing to the energy crisis. Third, the impact of power-cuts go beyond electricity. Yesterday's paper had a story about water shortage for those who depend on tube-wells (they are powered by electricity).

The mango season is here. But I hope power-outages don't challenge their appeal.

In the mean time, here is an excerpt about the division between the"cooled and uncooled" people in Pakistan from Mohsin Hamid's fantastic novel, Moth Smoke:

The first group, large and sweaty, contains those referred to as the masses. The second group is much smaller, but its members exercise vastly greater control over their immediate environment and are collectively termed the elite. The distinction between members of these two groups is made on the basis of control of an important resource: air-conditioning. You see, the elite have managed to re-create for themselves the living standards of say, Sweden, without leaving the dusty plains of the subcontinent . They're a mixed lot - Punjabis and Pathans, Sindhis and Baluchis, smugglers, mullahs, soldiers, industrialists - united by their residence in an artificially cooled world. They wake up in air-conditioned houses, drive air-conditioned cars to air-condit ioned offices, grab lunch in air-conditioned restaurants (rights of admission reserved), and at the end of the day go home to their air-conditioned lounges to relax in front of their wide-screen TVs. And if they should think about the rest of the people, thegreat uncooled, and become uneasy as they lie under their blankets in the middle of the summer, there is always prayer, five times a day, which they hope will gain them admittance to an air-conditioned heaven, or, at the very least, a long, cool drink during a fiery day in hell.

FRANCE BURQA(Hijab)

Two women, one wearing the niqab, a veil worn by the most conservative Muslims that exposes only a woman's eyes, right, walk side by side, in the Belsunce district of downtown Marseille, central France, Friday June 19, 2009. The French government's spokesman says he favors the creation of a parliamentary commission to study the small but growing trend of burqa wear in France. Luc Chatel says the commission could possibly propose legislation aimed at banning the burqa and other fully covering garments worn by some Muslim women. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) AP

TLDR: Two things: 1) Uncle Sam (and I) want you to be an entrepreneur inside the US Federal Government as a White House Innovation Fellow. 2) All video from the SXSW Lean Startup track is now available for free.

At SXSW in 2011, I had a really unusual breakfast meeting. First of all, it was at 7am on a Sunday, when almost everyone at SXSW was asleep. Second, it was the day after the first SXSW Lean Startup track, and I was exhausted. Third, one of the people at the meeting worked for the President of the United States. (I was seriously hoping he had not seen any of those t-shirts that had debuted the day before. You know the ones I mean.)

The meeting was arranged by Tim O'Reilly, one of my personal heroes. (Like me, he didn't look so good at that hour of the morning.) We were there to talk to Aneesh Chopra, then the CTO of the United States, and Todd Park, then the CTO of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). They wanted to tell me about work they were doing to make the federal government more entrepreneurial. When I left the meeting, I pulled Tim aside and said "are they serious? is this for real?" He said, something like, "watch and see for yourself." 

Fast forward a year later. It's SXSW again, and I have a chance to pay it forward. This time, it's me arranging breakfast. I invited Scott Cook, the founder of Intuit and another one of my heroes, to breakfast. It's uncomfortably early. Aneesh is there again, recently retired from government. Todd is there too, having just been appointed his successor as CTO of the United States. And again, we have an amazing time talking about how the government could radically change how it works, to become more innovative, to work with entrepreneurs from outside and find inside "intrapraneurs" that are already trying to get things done. After the meeting, Scott Cook pulled me aside and asked me, "are they serious? is this for real?" It was my first chance to really reflect on what had happened in the intervening year. I replied, "Scott, we had almost this exact meeting last year. I was extremely skeptical. But, just as Tim O'Reilly predicted, almost every single thing we talked about last year has actually come to pass. These guys made it happen."

Later that day, Todd Park presented a keynote at the SXSW Lean Startup track. He nearly blew the doors off the room. The applause afterwards left me stunned. Almost everyone in the room began the session as skeptics and left cheering. Todd's presentation talked about real-life specific examples of times and places they have put Lean Startup principles into action inside the world's largest bureaucracy.

But you don't have to take my word for it! Because I'm extremely pleased to announce that all of the videos from the 2012 SXSW Lean Startup track are now available, for free, from Udemy. That's 18 full videos of case studies and talks including Scott Cook, Steve Blank, Airbnb, Etsy, and much more. To give you a taste, here is the complete talk (including slides and video) by Todd Park:

(If the embedded player doesn't work for you, here are links to Todd's slides and the newly released video.  You can sign-up here to see the rest of the SXSW videos on Udemy.)

One of the things that impressed me the most at that initial meeting, was a program that Todd and Aneesh pioneered at HHS called "Entrepreneurs-in-Residence." This program paired entrepreneurs from the private sector with intrapreneurs from inside HHS to small high-impact startup teams with a big vision but a time-limited mandate (often six months or less). And that's not six months to write up a cool business plan. That's six months to build an MVP, test, iterate, and launch a real product. This program is where many of the success stories that Todd shared on stage came from, including  the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the FDA. His stories and specific examples of "lean government" in action left the audience with a simple message: if they can do Lean Startup in government, what's my excuse?

One of the wild-eyed ideas that came up at breakfast was Todd's vision that he could roll out the this entrepreneurial model across the entire federal government. He enlisted me as an enthusiastic supporter, and I've been working with his team since then to try and help them make it a reality. And that's exactly what's about to happen. It's called the White House Innovation Fellows, and the program is now open for applications. That means you!

For a lot more information on the program, you can see this incredibly in-depth blog post over at O'Reilly Radar.

I think this is an amazing opportunities for entrepreneurs to serve their country by using their uniquely valuable skills. We're at the beginning of a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the way huge organizations work, by cultivating the practice of entrepreneurial management. If you want to be part of making that future, I hope you'll consider applying for the program.

by Salman Hameed

Organ transplantations are saving and enhancing lives everywhere in the world. Pakistan is no exception. However, there is reluctance to be a donor. So corneas, for example, come to Pakistan primarily from Sri Lanka. Here is an article by Pervez Hoodbhoy from two weeks ago talking about some progress (and some challenges) in this regard on the ground: 

The news on organ transplantation is even better. The very thought of implanting another human’s organs inside one’s own body was once utterly abhorrent. But today, it is (almost) uncontroversial. Is your kidney about to conk out? Well, take a hike to the SIUT (Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation) in Karachi and get another one. The hospital motto reads: “No patient is turned away from our hospital or asked to pay for our services. The SIUT does it free — with dignity”. Indeed, the SIUT does hundreds of free kidney transplants a year. 

Fitted with a spanking new kidney, you can then hop across to one of LRBT’s (Layton Rehmatullah Benevolent Trust) 17 branches and get a corneal transplant. As at the SIUT, all treatment at the LRBT is “totally free so that no man, woman or child becomes blind just because he/she cannot afford the treatment. There should be no discrimination due to gender, caste, ethnicity, language, religion or sect”. 

The SIUT and the LRBT are superb charitable institutions; they do Pakistan proud. But, for those who believe in societal progress based upon science and reason, it is an additional delight to behold the triumph of pragmatism. The Enlightenment-era philosopher Rene Descartes should be especially pleased. About 300 years ago, this Frenchman had hypothesised that every human organ operates strictly on physical and chemical principles. With the Christian Church thinking very differently, what Descartes claimed had placed his life at great risk. And now for the bad news: we Pakistanis don’t seem to mind being fitted with somebody else’s kidneys and eyes, but almost none are willing to volunteer our organs after death. 

A young American-trained ophthalmologist, Dr Azhar Salahuddin, who spends his vacations in Pakistan doing free corneal transplants for the LRBT, told me that hardly any corneas (perhaps five to ten annually) are gifted by local donors. Although it is impossible to know true numbers, his guess is that most corneas come from Sri Lanka (80 per cent) and some from Canada.

The reluctance of organ donation is related to particular religious beliefs: 

Why won’t Pakistanis donate their eyes, kidneys, hearts, and livers after death? Are we less altruistic than Sri Lankans? I am not aware of any survey done in Pakistan, but one in Iran shows that most transplants are live donations; just 13 per cent of renal transplants performed in 2006 were deceased donations. Eyes are a particularly sensitive matter: some Iranians are told by their clerics that, having given away their eyes, they will not be able to see heaven. 

Dispelling such popular prejudice against organ donations was the focus of the 2010 International Congress of the International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine in Istanbul. Attended by some 200 experts on medicine and theology from 15 Muslim countries, the conference said that the majority of Islamic legal scholars do permit organ donations. But it noted that the general public remains distrustful.

I think this will change with time with a sensitive education campaign. The process may have a drag, but people are usually pragmatic when it comes down to dire needs. Hopefully there is a broader shift in this area as we have seen in the use of cadavers in medical universities. 

Read the full article here.

We are all ready for BBQ season with lots of new salads and side dishes!  This one is right up our alley because as usual it's EASY and delicious.  Our favorite two things that every recipe should be!

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 box of heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
2 perfectly ripe avocados, diced into large chunks

Preparation:

In a large bowl combine thawed corn, halved tomatoes and diced avocado.  Pour Jalapeño Lime Dressing over the top and stir to coat corn, tomatoes and avocado evenly.  Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 1 hour. 

*If you want to make this ahead combine corn and tomatoes with dressing and chill overnight.  Add avocado and toss right before serving.


Lime Jalapeño Dressing:

2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon jalapeño, seeded and chopped finely
1 garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Whisk together all ingredients and pour over Heirloom Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salad.

I’m calling this chicken and “dumplings” for search engine purposes, but these came out so well that internally we going with chicken and “dumplins.” That’s right, if your dumplings really rock, you’re allowed to drop the “g.” It’s the highest honor one can bestow on this humble dish.

The wonderful thing about this dumpling recipe, besides its ease, is how truly versatile it is. I’m not even referring to the actual dumpling batter, which of course can be tweaked with various herb and/or dairy substitutions, but to the delivery system beneath these puffy pillows of pleasure.

These dumplings can be steamed over virtually any flavorful soup or stew-like substance. The rule of thumb is; if you can simmer it, you can cook a dumpling on it. However, as I mention in the video, the thinner the liquid, the easier and better the dumplings will steam.

If you do prefer a thicker stew, simply fortify your mixture with a standard roux before you add the picked chicken back in. We’ve made like a hundred rouxs, so I’ll assume you can cook 1/4 cup of butter together with a 1/4 cup of flour for a couple minutes without major incident. 

If this is your first batch of dumplings ever, then I'd recommend going with the soupy base you see here. Once you get the dumplin(g)s down, you can start to experiment with thicker, more interesting stews.

So, whether you go thick or thin, crème friache or buttermilk, thyme or rosemary, or any another other approved variation (FYI: all variations are pre-approved), I hope you give this classic American comfort food a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large servings:

For the stewed chicken:

1 whole chicken (about 3.5-4 pounds)

1 onion, cubed

1 large celery rib, cubed

1 large carrot, cubed

1 bay leaf

3-4 springs of thyme

2 1/2 quarts cold water

salt, cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper to taste

*thicken mixture slightly with 2-3 tbsp chicken fat mixed with 2-3 tbsp flour

For dumplings:

1/2 cup crème fraiche

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tsp fresh chopped thyme leaves

2 cups self-rising flour

* If you don’t have SR flour (which does work better here) you can use 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted with 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon fine table salt.

View the complete recipe

Photo (c) Flickr user Vince Alongi

On this Memorial Day, as we honor those who gave their lives serving our country, let’s take an extra moment to remember all the countless military cooks and chefs that made the ultimate sacrifice feeding our troops in times of war. They say an army travels on its stomach, but more than simply providing calories, these brave souls are serving up a visceral connection to home.

We have a lot of servicemen and women that visit the blog from around the globe, and the emails I get from them are some of the most inspiring of all. Words can’t express how much we appreciate all your hard work keeping us safe. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America!

by Salman Hameed

Here is an interesting survey of Arab youth (between 18 and 24) tracking their concerns a year after the start of the Arab Spring uprisings (the findings are out now, but the survey was conducted a few months ago). You can download the summary of the report here (pdf). Here is a graph of some of the key findings (as an interactive flash here) (tip from Vijay Prashad):

Here are the top 10 findings:

• Fair pay and home ownership displace desire for democracy as top priority
  Young people in the Middle East say that being paid a fair wage and owning their own home are their two highest priorities – displacing their previous number-one priority, living in a democratic country
• High cost of living remains the greatest concern among arab youth
  One year after the start of the Arab Spring, the rising cost of living is the greatest concern among youth across the Middle East
• Arab youth say that lack of democracy and civil unrest are the biggest obstacles facing them & the region
  Arab youth identify two equally significant and closely linked obstacles facing the Middle East today
• Regional youth see the arab spring as a positive development and now feel greater optimism about the future
  Young people in the Middle East feel strongly that the region is better off, and so are they personally, as a consequence of the Arab Spring; they also continue to believe that things in their country are going in the right direction
• Arab youth feel an increased sense of trust in government but have heightened concerns about corruption
  Nearly three-quarters of Middle East youth believe their government has become more trustworthy and transparent since the events of the Arab Spring – at the same time that concerns about corruption have increased
• The arab spring will not spread further, according to the region's youth
  Less than one-quarter of Middle East youth believe that protest movements will spread to new countries; among those who believe that such movements will spread, Jordan, Morocco and Algeria are seen as the most likely sites of protests
• Traditional values are being increasingly challenged by a modern outlook
  A majority of young people in every Middle East state agrees that traditional values are paramount; however, the percentage of youth who say that such values are outdated and need to be replaced continues to increase
• The uae is seen as a model nation by middle east youth
  When Arab youth look across the region and the world, they see the United Arab Emirates as the country where they would most like to live – and as the country they would most like their own nation to emulate
• Arab youth see france most favourably among all foreign countries; views of China and India are also increasingly positive
  One year after the start of the Arab Spring, young people in the Middle East have changed some of their views of major foreign powers, and now look more favourably upon France, China and India
• News consumption skyrockets, tv viewership declines & blogs are booming
  After a period of enormous political change, Arab youth are following the news far more keenly than ever before – but less frequently on television and more often on the Internet; they have also developed a passion for the blogosphere

Couple of things to note here: It is interesting to see that UAE is increasingly seen as a model to emulate. That makes sense with the increasing concern over fair pay and home ownership. But UAE is also an odd case of a high income and low population area - something that is not possible for countries like Tunisia and Egypt. But a surprising thing is that almost 80% of respondents in Bahrain say that their government has become more trustworthy! That seems a bit hard to believe - considering that there is a significant ongoing conflict over there in particular over the mistrust of the government. The survey methodology does indicate that they took care of socio-economic status - so may be there is some fluke here. Also, the Bahrain case may be sharply divided on the Sunni-Shia line and that may also skew the results. And by the way, 86% of Saudis think that their government has become more trustworthy. I guess it depends on where one is starting from.

The other interesting thing is that there is a decreasing importance placed on traditional values. How will that play out with religious values? Will this lead to an emphasis on a more personal form of religion? How will global connectivity impact the society?

This is a time of amazing change in the region. Let's see how things change.

This is a super easy and really yummy potato salad.  It will keep longer for your outside party because there is no mayonaise in it and the fresh herbs make the usual heavy potato salad light and fresh tasting.  We really love these teeny tiny potatoes that we found at Trader Joes.   Not only does the potato salad look nicer but we LOVED that we didn't have to cut up hot potatoes after they boiled.  My friend Jeff taught me this easy way to season up potato salad without getting fussy and it's totally delcious and now the only way I make potato salad.  (If you are a die hard mayonaise potato salad eater you can add mayonaise to this recipe after the potatoes are seasoned and chilled).

Ingredients:

3 lbs of the smallest potatoes you can find

Premade Italian dressing (we used wishbone classic italian)

1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

Preparation:

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender.  Drain and put into a large bowl.  If your potatoes need to be cut into smaller pieces cut them before adding to large bowl.  Pour half a large container of italain salad dressing over potatoes and toss to coat evenly.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2-4 hours or overnight.  Once chilled, add the chopped fresh herbs and toss to coat completely with herbs.  You can re-chill or serve immediately.  This is a great recipe to make the day before.

by Salman Hameed

Istanbul must be the friendliest place for cats, dogs and seagulls. The street dogs do look like in an existential daze, but still they appear to be calm and friendly. Seagulls are, of course, everywhere - and there is certainly no shortage of food for them. But cats really rule the city. They are everywhere - and judging from their friendliness, it seems that they are treated well. Here are a few pictures of what the cats and seagulls have been doing in Istanbul:

Here is the morning commute in Istanbul. The daily traffic situation has forced this kitty to look for alternatives to cars. 

But the commute of seagulls is slightly better. The Asian side of Istanbul is in the background.

I appreciated the cat reading culture in Istanbul. Plus, this kitten also reminded me of Billy the Kit.

But some cats are also behind bars. I hope these are good feline-correctional facilities!

Here is a seagull inspecting the Istanbul evening scene. The Golden Horn is in the background. 

 And some seagulls are checking out the evening storm clouds near the island of Buyukada in the Sea of Marmara. You will have to squint a bit to see the seagulls. 

 But then cats and seagulls also hangout together. Here is an evening dinner get-together at the island of Buyukada. 

But then may be Buyukada is an island from a David Lynch or a David Cronenberg film...

Actually the island is very nice. Apparently it is completely mobbed during the summer as it is only a short boat-ride away from Istanbul. But it wasn't that bad in May.

I hope you're all headed toward a fun and festive Memorial Day weekend! Here are 12 of my favorite grilled recipes, just in case burgers and hot dogs aren't going to cut it this year. And don't forget the side dishes! Everyone knows they're the real secret behind any epic cookout. That, and beer. Enjoy!!

Santa Maria Tri-Tip	Grilled Lamb Chops
Grilled Pickled Veggies	Grilled Korean Short Ribs
Grilled Flank Steak	Grilled Lemon Chicken
Cornell Chicken	Grilled Barbecue Chicken
Grilled Pork Tenderloin	Grilled Asian Skirt Steak
Spicy Tarragon Grilled Chicken	Grilled Calabrian Chicken

Abu Yusuf's Letter to Caliph Harun al-Rashid

From the Book of Land Tax  - Abu Yusuf (d AH 182 / AD 798)

---

Commander of the Believers, God has invested you with a great matter, whose reward is the greatest reward, and whose punishment is the greatest punishment: He has entrusted you with the affair of the Community of Believers. Day and night you build for many people, of whom God made you the shepherd, whom He has confided to your care and tried you with, and of those whose affairs He has made you the administrator. A structure not founded on piety shall not abide, for God will attack its foundations and cause it to fall on him who built it and trusted in it against Him. Therefore do not waste what God has entrusted you with: the matter of this Community and these subjects, for power to act is by God's leave.

Do not put off the work of today until tomorrow, for if you do, you waste. Death is without hope, so go to death with deeds, for there are no deeds after death. Shepherds of men must settle with their Master, as a shepherd must settle with his; therefore establish the right in what God has set you over and entrusted you with for an hour. The happiest shepherd on the Day of Resurrection will be he whose flocks were happy with him. Do not deviate, and thus cause your subjects to deviate, and beware of giving orders in passion or punishing with anger! When confronted by the matter of this world and the matter of the next, choose the next world, for it will abide and this world will pass away. Act cautiously, in fear of God, and where God's command is concerned, let people be equal in your sight, whether they are near or far from you. When you are on God's side, fear no one's blame. Be wary - and wariness is a matter of the heart, not of the tongue. Fear God, for piety is only fear of God, and God keeps him who fears Him.

Act for a term delayed, and road travelled and a way taken, and an act preserved, and a goal attained, for that is the true stopping place; the grand station, where hearts shall fly and arguments be cut off, by the might of a King whose power is overwhelming, for this is (so certain that it is) as if it had already been. There will be requited with sorrow and regret those who knew but did not act, on the Day when feet shall drag and colors change, the Day of long standing and severe accounting. God - blessed be He and exalted - has said in His Book, 'A day with thy Lord is a thousand years of your counting' (22:49) and 'It shall be on that day that they see what they are promised, and if they had not lingered but for one hour of a single day' (61:34). A lack for mistakes that are not found small, alas for useless regrets! Only the difference of a night and a day will wear out every new thing, and make imminent every remote matter, and being the fulfilment of every thing promised, and God will pay every should what it has earned - and surely God is swift at the accounting and He judges His servants by their acts, not by their rank. The Prophet, God bless him and give him peace, has said, 'No one shall retire on the day of judgement until he has been asked about four matters: on his knowledge and what he did with it, on hi  life and how he passed it, on his money and how he spent it, and on his body, and how he used it'. Therefore, Prince of the Believers, prepare the response for these questions, and what you have done establish securely, for tomorrow you must recite the answers.

I advise you, O Commander of the Believers, to keep what God has entrusted to you, and to guard the flock He has given you, and to regard it all as His for His sake, for if you do not, the easy path of guidance will become hard, and your eye will be blind to it; its landmarks will be effaced, and its width will be narrow for you, so that you reject what you see and see what you should reject. Contend with your selfs (nafs) so as to obtain victory for it, and not against it. Beware of causing loss to the flock which its Master will require to make good, causing you loss. A house cane only be buttressed before it falls. Do not neglect to take charge of that which God has entrusted you, and you will not be neglected. Your time in the world will not be wasted, and God in His grace and mercy and goodness made those in charge of affairs His vicegerents on His earth, and given light to His subjects; the light which he causes to shine on those in charge of affairs is in applying the legal punishment and rendering justice to His people. The violence of the shepherd causes loss to the flock, and the aid he seeks from those who are untrustworthy of confidence causes general ruin. Nothing is dearer to God than doing good, and nothing more hateful to Him than corruption, while to act sinfully is to reject His grace.

I have written for you what you have ordered, and explained it and make exposition of it, so ponder it and apply yourself to it and reread it until it is yours, for I have exerted myself for you, and neglected no advice for you and the Muslims, seeking God's favour and reward and fearing His chastisements. May God assist you to that which will be pleasing to Him, and best for you!

by Salman Hameed

Here is a recent TEDx talk by Hans Rosling that investigates if birthrates have any correlation with world religions:

by Salman Hameed

There is a lot of talk about the Gulen Movement in Turkey. You can get as wide a range of reactions as possible. Some have said that this is a fantastic example of a group that preaches tolerance and emphasizes inter-faith dialogue. The schools it runs are good in math and science, as the founder of the movement believes that science is essential for modern Muslims and that building schools is better than building mosques. On the other hand, some people call the movement a cult and are concerned that it may have an insidious agenda. One thing is clear: The Gulen movement has a lot of influence in Turkey.  But how this influence is going to be used? I don't know. But it is interesting that Gulen schools are all over the world, including the US (they are called Harmony schools and are part of charter school system). They are indeed good in math and science, and couple of these are amongst the top schools in the US. But they have come under the spotlight because of visa issues. Now 60 Minutes has done a report on them. Here is the video (tip from Kamil Pasha - an excellent blog for all things Turkish):


Also, The Atlantic has a recent article about a visit to a Gulen school in Istanbul. I don't think it illuminates much, but here is a bit that is a source of friction in Turkey:

The methods and approach of Gülen schools toward religious instruction has fueled lots of speculation about the movement's intentions. Governments in Central Asia in particular are suspicious that the Islamic values espoused by the Gulen movement could potentially pose a challenge to the political status quo in the region. 

Hoping to dispel misconceptions, the 37-year-old vice-principal of Fatih Koleji, Metin Demirci, who taught for five years in the movement's schools in Kazakhstan, stressed that all the schools closely follow the curriculum of the public schools in whichever country they are operating. 

In Turkey, he said the basic tenets of Islam are taught in a weekly class lasting 80 minutes that also offers instruction on other world religions. "Students learn our religious principles and other religious principles," Demirci said. Faculty members, he claimed, try to serve as role models of Islamic piety, leading by example. 

While Fatih Koleji has a prayer room, no student is forced to pray, Demirci continued. Out of 200 students at the school, only about 10 percent of the children follow the Muslim practice of prayer five times a day, he estimated. "They must want it."
One foreign teacher at another of the movement's estimated 30 schools in the Istanbul metropolitan area commented that most students are drawn from religious families, but their faith does not appear to "rub off" on more secular classmates. 

One ritual from Turkey's ardently secular public schools, though, appears less prominent at Fatih Koleji. Demirci played down the importance of "Our Oath," a nationalist pledge that students usually recite daily. "It is related to democracy and improving democracy," he said. "I believe in the next two years, we will stop saying this because we don't need it. With democracy, every small child has the right to say anything they choose."

Read the full article here.

Just yesterday, Pakistan's Express Tribune also carried an oped piece that talked about Gulen schools in Pakistan as well as the relief efforts of the movement after the earthquake a few years ago and the floods in 2010. I know that Karachi definitely hosts Gulen schools. The author of oped piece was invited on a trip to Turkey by the Gulen movement (don't know why...) and the article is about the trip. Here is a bit about aid connection to Pakistan:

The movement is run by volunteers and our visit was no exception. Almost every evening one of these volunteers, all personal friends of Koken, used to invite us for dinner. This enabled us to savour genuine Turkish cuisine and to see the homes of middle-class professionals. What impressed us was the warm hospitality of which food was just one aspect. Most people, especially the few women whom we met, could not speak English but the translation was always available and the conversation never slackened. What impressed me most was a visit to Kimse Yok Mu. This humanitarian organisation has 23 branches in Turkey and around 200,000 volunteers. They have carried out relief work in 63 countries out of which one is Pakistan. Soon after the 2005 earthquake, 29 trucks were sent to Pakistan and eventually $11 million worth of aid was provided. The most enduring legacy is the establishment of 12 schools which will benefit thousands of children in the years to come. Nor was this the only time Kimse Yok came to Pakistan. In 2010, in the wake of devastating floods, they came again with $12 million worth of goods and services. The Turkish volunteers were both courteous and efficient, something I witnessed myself during my two visits to Muzaffarabad in 2005. 

The Fatih University, although a private, fees-taking body, charges foreign students less than those who live in Turkey. It teaches most subjects in English and, therefore, may become a likely destination for Pakistani students who are on the lookout for higher education at lower cost.

Well...okay. Yes, but we also need to know a bit more about the organization. Also, I hope that they focus on developing scientific thinking rather than just the applications of science and hope they keep religion out of science. In addition, I'm curious if they include biological evolution in their biology curriculum - otherwise, their science will stay quite limited, especially for the 21st century. If they don't have an agenda beyond providing a good education, then, yes, it may turn out to be a good destination for Pakistani students.

Usually when I post a recipe, I want it to be fantastic, awesome, incredible, inspiring, and/or mind-blowing. With this turkey shish kaburger, I was only shooting for not horrible. Happily, we achieved that and much more.

I’ve received countless food wishes for turkey burgers over the years, but just the mere thought of that dull, pale, insipid lump of meat (aka “the Mitt Romney of meat”), had me reaching for the delete button. Even when I’m out for a cheeseburger, and I see someone in front of me begrudgingly order the turkey burger (hold the mayo), I think to myself, “that poor bastard.”

So, how do you turn the dreaded t-burg into something that would cause envy instead of pity? When in doubt, go ethnic! I figured if we borrowed from the famously flavorful shish kabob, but used turkey instead of lamb or beef, we just may be able to pull this off. I know I lot of you think chunks of meat when you hear “shish kabob,” but ground meat is also used, and I’ve always preferred that version anyway.

As I mention in the clip, I used the “rising juice method” to test for doneness, but since ground poultry isn’t something you want to take a chance with, I suggest you use a thermometer to ensure an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Just keep in mind, since turkey is so low in fat, no matter how incredibly well you season the meat, if you overcook these, even a little, they will be dry.

But, the good news is if you don’t, and remove them with most of their precious moisture intact, you’ll be enjoying a turkey burger that’s not only not horrible, but is actually delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 turkey burgers:

1 1/2 lb ground turkey

1 1/2  tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

1 1/2  tablespoons ground almonds

1 or 2 tsp hot chili paste, or minced fresh hot peppers

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons yogurt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
*I garnished mine with mayo, topped with red onions and tomatoes I tossed in lemon juice, and more cilantro leaves.

View the complete recipe

I gave each of my students this sand pail filled with goodies for their end of the year gift.  It only cost me a total of $22.00!!  I got each sand pail for a dollar from Dollar Tree.  The rest of the items I put in each pail are items that I had extra of or rewards from the school.  I used a Sharpie marker to write their name on each pail.

Here is some of the things I had in each pail and some additional ideas I have done in the past:

• Extra supplies or supplies the students can take home such as glue, scissors, markers, expo markers, crayons, paint sets, rulers, spiral notebooks, etc.
• Award Certificates
• Birthday bags for students that have summer birthdays
• Extra Workbooks (great for practicing those skills over the summer!)
• Coloring/Activity Books
• AR Rewards such as T-shirt, chain necklace, etc.

My students LOVED receiving these pails and I didn't have to spend a lot of money out of my pocket for them.  :)

by Salman Hameed

Israeli film Footnote was one of the Oscar nominees for foreign films last year. It is categorized as a comedy about two Talmudic scholars who also happen to be father and son. While the movie does have some very funny moments, the second half of the film takes a more serious turn. Here is our review (autopsy) for the film (of course, you can find all our reviews here)



We also did something different this time. After the regular review of the film, we also discussed some of the political undertones present in the movie. This discussion contains plot spoilers. Here is our Film Essay (aka Micro Autopsy) about Footnote. Hope you enjoy it.



And as a bonus, here is a film autopsy of Coriolanus - the fantastic film adaptation of a Shakespeare's play by Ralph Fiennes:



See other autopsies at our Film Autopsy website or at our Film Autopsy Facebook page.

Abbad ibn Bishr

From Alim Software

---

It was the fourth year after the Hijrah. The city of the Prophet was still under threat from within and without. From within, the influential Jewish tribe, the Banu an-Nadir. broke their agreement with the Prophet and made plans to kill him. For this, they were banished from the city. This was in the month of Safar.
Two months of uneasy quiet passed. Then the Prophet received news that tribes from distant Najd were planning an attack. To pre-empt them. the Prophet gathered a force of over four hundred men. and leaving one of his companions Uthman ibn Affan. in charge of the city, set out eastwards. Among this force was the young Madinan, Abbad ibn Bishr.
Arriving at Najd, the Prophet found the habitations of the hostile tribes strangely deserted of men. Only women were about. The men had taken to the hills. Some of them regrouped and prepared to fight. The time of Salat al-Asr (the afternoon prayer) came. The Prophet feared that the hostile tribesmen would attack them during prayer. He arranged the Muslims in ranks and divided them into two groups and performed the prayer as the Salat al-Khawf (the Prayer of Fear). With one group he performed one rakah while the other group stood on guard. For the second rakah the groups changed places. Each group completed its prayer with one rakah after the Prophet had finished...
On beholding the disciplined ranks of the Muslims the hostile tribesmen became uneasy and afraid. The Prophet had made his presence felt and something of his mission was now known at first hand in the central highlands of Arabia whence he departed peacefully.
On the way back, the Prophet pitched camp in a valley for a night. As soon as the Muslims had settled their camel mounts, the Prophet peace be on him, asked: "Who will be our guard tonight?" "We, O Messenger of God," said Abbad ibn Bishr and Ammar ibn Yasir both of whom had been paired off as 'brothers' by the Prophet when he arrived in Madinah after the Hijrah.
Abbad and Ammar left for the mouth of the valley to take up duty. Abbad saw that his "brother" was tired and asked him: "What part of the night do you wish to sleep, the first or the second?" "I shall sleep during the first part," said Ammar who was soon fast asleep quite close to Abbad.
The night was clear, calm and peaceful. The stars, the trees, and the rocks all appeared to celebrate in silence the praises of their Lord. Abbad felt serene. There was no movement, no threatening sign. Why not spend the time in ibadah (worship) and reciting the Qur'ân? How delightful it would be to combine the performance of Salat with the measured recitation of the Qur'ân which he so much enjoyed.
In fact Abbad was enthralled by the Qur'ân from the moment he first heard it being recited by the mellow and beautiful voice of Musab ibn Umayr. That was before the Hijrah when Abbad was just about fifteen years old. The Qur'ân had found a special place in his heart and day and night thereafter he would be heard repeating the glorious words of God so much so that he became known among the Prophet's companions as the "friend of the Qur'ân".
Late at night, the Prophet once stood up to perform the Tahajjud Prayer in Aishah's house which adjoined the masjid. He heard a voice reciting the Qur'ân, pure and sweet and as fresh as when the angel Jibril revealed the words to him. He asked: "Aishah, is that the voice of Abbad ibn Bishr?" "Yes, O Messenger of God," replied Aishah. "O Lord, forgive him," prayed the Prophet out of love for him.
And so in the stillness of the night, at the mouth of the valley in Najd, Abbad stood up and faced the Qiblah. Raising his hand in surrender to God, he entered into the state of Prayer. Finishing the compulsory opening chapter of the Qur'ân, he began reciting Surah al-Kahf in his sweet, captivating voice. Surah al-Kahf is a long Surah of one hundred and ten verses which deals in part with the virtues of faith, truth and patience and with the relativity of time.
While he was thus absorbed in reciting and reflecting upon the divine words, eternal words of illumination and wisdom, a stranger stalked the outskirts of the valley in search of Muhammad and his followers. He was one of those who had planned to attack the Prophet but who had fled into the mountains on the approach of the Muslims. His wife whom he had left in the village had been taken as a hostage by one of the Muslims. When he eventually found that his wife was gone, he swore by al-Lat and al-Uzzah that he would pursue Muhammad and his companions and that he would not return unless he had drawn blood.
From a distance, the man saw the figure of Abbad silhouetted at the mouth of the valley and he knew that the Prophet and his followers must be inside the valley. Silently he drew his bow and let fly an arrow. Unerringly it embedded itself in Abbad's flesh.
Calmly, Abbad pulled out the arrow from his body and went on with his recitation, still absorbed in his Salat. The attacker shot a second and a third arrow both of which also found their mark. Abbad pulled out one and then the other. He finished his recitation, made ruku and then sujood. Weak and in pain, he stretched out his right hand while still in prostration and shook his sleeping companion. Ammar awoke. Silently, Abbad continued the Salat to its end and then said: "Get up and stand guard in my place. I have been wounded."
Ammar jumped up and began to yell. Seeing them both the attacker fled into the darkness. Ammar turned to Abbad as he lay on the ground, blood flowing from his wounds.
"Ya Subhanallah (Glory be to God)! Why didn't you wake me when you were hit by the first arrow?" "I was in the midst of reciting verses of the Qur'ân which filled my soul with awe and I did not want to cut short the recitation. The Prophet had commanded me to commit this soorah to memory. Death would have been dearer to me than that the recitation of this surah should be interrupted."
Abbad's devotion to the Qur'ân was a sign of his intense devotion to and love for God, His Prophet and His religion. The qualities he was known for were his constant immersion in ibaadah, his heroic courage and his generosity in the path of God. At times of sacrifice and death, he would always be in the front line. When it was time for receiving his share of rewards, he would only be found after much effort and difficulty. He was always trustworthy in his dealings with the wealth of Muslims. Ali this was recognized. Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, once said: "There are three persons among the Ansar whom no one could excel in virtue: Sad ibn Muadh, Usayd ibn Khudayr and Abbad ibn Bishr."
Abbad died the death of a shaheed (martyr) at the battle of Yamamah. Just before the battle he had a strong presentiment of death and martyrdom. He noticed that there was a lack of mutual confidence among the Muhajirin and Ansar. He was grieved and upset. He realized that there would be no success for the Muslims in these terrible battles unless the Muhajirin and Ansar were grouped in separate regiments so that it could be clearly seen who really bore their responsibility and who were truly steadfast in combat.
At the break of day when the battle commenced, Abbad ibn Bishr stood on a mound and shouted:
"O Ansar, distinguish yourselves among men. Destroy your scabbards. And do not forsake Islam."
Abbad harangued the Ansar until about four hundred men gathered around him at the head of whom were Thabit ibn Qays, al-Baraa ibn Malik and Abu Dujanah, the keeper of the Prophet's sword. With this force, Abbad unleashed an offensive into the enemy's ranks which blunted their thrust and drove them back to the "garden of death".
At the walls of this garden, Abbad ibn Bishr fell. So numerous were his wounds, he was hardly recognizable. He had lived, fought and died as a believer.

وزير الداخلية الصهيوني يدعو إلى سجن كل المهاجرين الأفارقة غير الشرعيين 

أعلن وزير الداخلية الصهيوني ايلي يشاي الخميس بأنه ينبغي وضع كل المهاجرين الافارقة غير الشرعيين "وراء القضبان في مراكز اعتقال وحجز وبعدها ارسالهم الى بلادهم لانهم ياتون لاخذ عمل الاسرائيليين ويجب حماية الطابع اليهودي لدولة اسرائيل".

وأضاف: في حال لم تتصرف الحكومة فان المهاجرين غير الشرعيين "سيصبحون نصف مليون أو حتى مليون ولن نقبل بخسارة بلدنا".

وللتقليل من تدفق المهاجرين وافقت الحكومة الصهيونية قبل أشهر قبل على انشاء مركز اعتقال على الحدود الجنوبية مع مصر لاستيعاب آلاف المهاجرين الذين يتسللون الى الكيان بحثا عن عمل. وبدأ الكيان الصهيوني ببناء سياج بطول 250 كيلومترا على الحدود مع مصر بهدف وقف تسلل المهاجرين.

ولكن وزير الداخلية رأى بأن هذا السياج لا يكفي، وقال انه "حتى لو كان طوله 12 متراً  سيكون هناك سلالم بطول 13 متراً، يجب منعهم من العمل".

وأتى كلام يشاي غداة تظاهرة معادية للأجانب، شارك فيها نحو ألف صهيوني مساء الأربعاء، ردد فيها المشاركون شعارات عنصرية.

وقد قامت مجموعات من المستوطنين بمهاجمة محلات تجارية وسيارات تنقل مهاجرين، وأعلن متحدث باسم الشرطة الصهيونية أنه تم اعتقال 17 مشتبه بالتورط في هذه الأعمال.

وفي وقت سابقث من يوم الثلاثاء، قال يشاي أمام الكنيست انه "في حال اعطتني الحكومة الوسائل فلن يكون هناك اي مهاجر غير شرعي العام المقبل".

وتشير ارقام رسمية إلى أن هناك نحو 60 ألف مهاجر غير شرعي تسللوا الى الأراضي المحتلة عبر صحراء سيناء المصرية. معظمهم أتوا من السودان وجنوب السودان وإريتريا. وأشارت وسائل الاعلام بأن المستشار القانوني للحكومة يهودا فاينشتاين أوضح في إشعار بانه من الممكن طرد المهاجرين غير الشرعيين القادمين من جنوب السودان، وهي دولة يقيم معها علاقات دبلوماسية، ولكن في حال تطبيقه فانه سيؤثر فقط على نحو الف مهاجر.

الحكم على زينب الخواجة بالسجن لمدة شهر والخواجة تكتب من زنزانتها: لن أغادر السجن 

محرر الموقع

أصدرت المحكمة البحرينية قراراً بالسجن لمدة شهر بحق الناشطة الحقوقية زينب الخواجة، ابنة الناشط الحقوقي المعتقل عبد الهادي الخواجة، بتهم الاعتداء على شرطية والسب والتجمهر.

وإدعت النيابة العامة البحرينية أنها "تلقت بلاغا من مديرية شرطة محافظة العاصمة في 21 نيسان/ابريل الماضي بأنه اثناء محاولة قوات حفظ النظام فض مسيرة غير مرخصة بالقرب من باب البحرين قامت الخواجة بالتعدي على شرطية باستخدام القوة معها وبسبها".

وتابعت: "الخواجة قامت في وقت لاحق من اليوم ذاته بتعمد الجلوس على شارع الملك فيصل بالقرب من المرفأ المالي الأمر الذي ترتب عليه تعطيل حركة المرور.

هذا وأرجأت المحكمة قضية اخرى موجهة ضد زينب الخواجة إلى 27 أيار/مايو الحالي، لاستدعاء الشهود بعد أن وجهت لها النيابة العامة البحرينية تهمة التجمهر مع شابة بحرينية اخرى.

وكانت الخواجة شاركت في كانون الاول/ديسمبر الماضي في اعتصام دعا له نشطاء في دوار ابو صيبع بشارع البديع القريب من العاصمة المنامة، حين تم اعتقالها من قبل عناصر الشرطة النسائية.

الخواجة تكتب من داخل زنزانتها

وفي رسالة كتبتها الخواجة من سجنها، نشر نصها موقع مرآة البحرين، قالت الخواجة إن القاضي يستدرجها للحضور إلى المحكمة عبر وعود بالنظر في إطلاق سراحها، مؤكدة أنها لن تحضر أيا من الجلسات القادمة مهما كان عددها وهي مصرة أكثر من أي وقت مضى على عدم مغادرة السجن.

فكتبت: "أنا أحلم بابنتي في النوم واليقظة، لكنني أعلم أنني حين أكون معها في المنزل لن أكون مرتاحة البال أبدا. كيف أكون في سلام بينما الابنتان التوأم للسجين جعفر سلمان يعيشون بدون أبيهم لأكثر من عام حتى الآن، جعفر ذلك الرجل البريء الذي أصيب بالرصاص الانشطاري في  وجهه وفقد كلتي عينيه. جعفر الذي حكم عليه في محاكمة لم تستمر أكثر من 15 دقيقة ومن دون محام، وبدون حضور أي شخص من عائلته. القاضي نظر إلى الرجل المصاب الأعمى وصرخ في وجهه "لا تكلف نفسك عناء الجلوس، لقد حكم عليك بالسجن لمدة عامين"!"

وأضافت: "إذا أطلق سراحي، كما في المرات الماضية، سيقوم حراس هذا السجن بتسليمي حقائب بلاستيكية مع أغراضي الأخرى، ومن بينها سأرى "عصابة معصم" صنعها أحد السجناء لي بيديه، إنه حسن عون، الصبي الذي اعتقل أكثر من 5 مرات في حياته رغم أنه شاب صغير. حسن عون، ضحية التعذيب الذي تجرّأ بالحديث عن معاناته علنا، لكن شجاعته لم تحمه من أيدي معذبيه."

وتابعت في رسالتها: "سوف لن أكون مندهشة إذا كانت هناك زنازن تخصص لعوائل معينة، على سبيل المثال، عائلة الشهيد الطفل علي الشيخ! لم يقتل علي فحسب، بل عوقبت عائلته أيضا. الكثير من أفراد عائلته بين خارج وداخل إلى المعتقل. من بينهم من لم يطلق سراحه بعد، هؤلاء تحديدا هم من شهدوا على حادثة القتل!"

وقالت الخواجة في رسالتها: "لو أطلق سراحي، فكل قرية سأمر بها ستصرخ بأسماء لا عداد لها من معتقلي الرأي فيها، كل الجدران ستريني وجوههم. وحوالي، سأرى أمهات وآباء وزوجات وأطفال تملأهم الكآبة. سأرى ولدين للمرأة التي أصبحت أختي في هذه الزنزانة، الأم التي تجلس على سريرها تبكي على أطفالها بينما أكتب أنا رسالتي هذه. أنا لست زينب فقط، أنا جعفر وحسن، أنا أحمد وعباس، أنا معصومة ومنصور. قضيتي هي قضية مئات من المعتقلين السياسيين الأبرياء في البحرين، وإطلاق سراحي بدونهم لا يعني أي شيء بالنسبة لي."

محرر الموقع

نقلت وكالة الأنباء السعودية الاربعاء عن مسؤول بوزارة الدفاع قوله ان المملكة العربية السعودية وقعت عقدا قيمته 3 مليارات دولار مع بريطانيا لشراء طائرات تدريب. ونقلت الوكالة السعودية عن المصدر قوله ان الاتفاق "سيكون له الأثر الكبير في تأهيل الاطقم الجوية السعودية ليتمكنوا من استخدام الطائرات المقاتلة من الجيل الرابع بكل كفاءة واحترافية".

واكدت مصادر في مجموعة بي ايه اي البريطانية للصناعات الدفاعية توقيع الصفقة التي تتضمن توريد طائرات هوك للتدريب ومعدات اخرى. وكانت السعودية اتفقت مع المجموعة البريطانية عام 2006 على شراء 72 طائرة من طراز يوروفايتر تايفون في صفقة قيمتها تقترب من 10 مليار دولار. ومن شأن الصفقة الجديدة ان توفر عشرات من فرص العمل في بريطانيا، كما تقول نقابات العمال.

إصابة العشرات بدير السيدة العذراء بالمنيا

المنيا - أشرف كمال: منذ 14 ساعة 17 دقيقة

أكدت الأنباء الواردة من دير السيدة العذراء بسمالوط فى ختام الليلة الأخيرة للاحتفال برحلة العائلة المقدسة حدوث مشاجرة كبرى بين بعض البلطجية المندسين داخل حشد كبير من الزائرين للاحتفال.

واضطر ما يقرب من 1500 من رجال القوات المسلحة المسؤولين عن تأمين الاحتفال والانتخابات على حد سواء لضرب العشرات من القنابل المسيلة للدموع والطلقات النارية للسيطرة على سطوة البلطجية.

وأكد شهود العيان أن البلطجية تتخذ من الزائرين دروعا بشرية لحمايتها  وأن المعركة أسفرت عن إصابة العديد من الأشخاص ويصعب تحديد عددهم فى الوقت الحالى.

وهناك مصابون بطلق نارى وحالات اختناق من كثافة دخان القنابل المسيلة للدموع وقامت العشرات من سيارات الإسعاف بنقل الجرحى لمستشفى سمالوط العام والجامعى بالمنيا.

ولا تزال المعارك بين البلطجية والجيش مستمرة حتى الآن.

اقرأ المقال الأصلي علي بوابة الوفد الاليكترونية الوفد - إصابة العشرات بدير السيدة العذراء بالمنيا