Learning Economics 101 using cows as examples

TRADITIONAL ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You sell one and buy a bull.
Your herd multiplies and the economy grows.
You retire on the income.

AMERICAN ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You sell one and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
You profess surprise when the cow drops dead.
You put the blame on some nation with cows and naturally that nation will be a danger to mankind.
You wage a war to save the world and grab the cows.

FRENCH ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You go on strike because you want three cows.

GERMAN ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You re-engineer them so that they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.

BRITISH ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
They are both mad from mad-cow disease.

ITALIAN ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You don't know where they are.
You break for lunch.

SWISS ECONOMICS
You have 5000 cows, none of which belong to you.
You charge others for storing them.

JAPANESE ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You re-design them so that they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow, and produce twenty times the milk.
You then create cute cartoon cow images called Cowkimon and market them worldwide.

CHINESE ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You have 300 people milking them.
You claim full employment, high bovine productivity, and arrest anyone reporting the actual numbers.

RUSSIAN ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You count them and learn you have five cows.
You count them again and learn you have 42 cows.
You count them again and learn you have 17 cows.
You give up counting and open another bottle of VoDKA.

INDIAN ECONOMICS
You have two cows.
You worship them.

An Ode to the Mideast

(retrieved from the office drawer of an outgoing Christian Mideast Expat)


Last night as I lay sleeping - I died or so it seemed,
Then I went to heaven - But only in my dream.

Up there St Peter meet me - Standing at the pearly gate,
He said, "I just go check your record - Please stand right here and wait."

He turned and said, "Your record ... is covered with terrible flaws,
On earth I see you rallied - For every losing cause.

I see that you drank alcohol - And smoked and slept with women too,
Fact is, you've done everything - A good person should never do.

We can't have people like you up here - Your life is full of sin",
Then he read the last of my record - Took my hand and said, "Come in".

He dictated to the big boss - "Take him in and treat him well",
He used to work in the Mideast - He's done his time in hell".

Lesson: Harsh living condition of the middle east and indiscriminate indulging in sinful acts in this life could usher in unexpected surprise or prize in the Afterlife! But don't count on it though on all instances...You know, it will be done on a case-by-case basis...

Unusual Way of Displaying Books

Yes, books dangling from the ceiling for the readers to grab...

From Istanbul library...

The ultimate aircraft assembly plant of the world

Boeing's Everett aerospace production facility, located in the state of Washington and built in 1966 with flagship aircraft 747 in mind, is a mind boggling vast industrial complex -- a city within itself. This is where the world's largest aerospace manufacturer builds 747s, 767s, 777s 787s and the new 777X. The factory is basically a city with a volume of 13.3 million cubic metres occupying a footprint of 39.8 hectres. And that is just the main six- production hall complex. Outside there are three huge paint hangars and sprawling flight lines where the planes are readied for delivery.

This facility is the biggest building in the world by volume, workplace for 30,000, produces 18,000 meals a day for staff from 20 cafeterias, has six Tulley's Coffee shops, a hospital, fire department, bank, childcare centre and a railway station.

The massive production facility has six doors, each a canvas for artwork depicting the company's planes. Everyday or so those doors open to disgorge yet another giant for the skies. And some of those planes are being built at record rates. For example, the 747 and 767 are being constructed at about two a month while the new kids on the block, the 777 and 787, have production rates of eight and 10 a month. At any one time there will be about 30 planes out on the flight line being prepared for delivery for customers across the globe. Since the building was constructed in the late Sixties, Boeing has built 1498 747s, 1066 767s, 1254 777s and 210 787s. Some 787s are produced at another facility in South Carolina. And Boeing has just broken ground on yet another extension to the massive building to house production of the new Boeing 777Xs composite wing.

An aspect of American capitalistic (actually intelligent in this case) outlook on virtually everything is that it tries to generate money out of everything. So, in this case, a factory tour of the plant by commoners and aviation enthusiasts was initiated as a way of making extra money, raise aviation awareness, product advertisement, etc. On the very first year of starting factory tour in 1968 more than 39,000 people visited the place. This number has now shot up to 280,000 annually! What a way to go with capitalism! and since that time more than 3 million people have visited the production facility. Public tours are available seven days a week.

For more info, check out this website:- http://www.futureofflight.org

Yawning - The Most Contagious Urge!

Hardly anybody can escape this contagious urge as seen in the bus example below. Once the driver initiated the passengers just followed one by one as if a natural urge to replenish the deficiency of oxygen supply to the brain was necessitated for all at the same time...

Did you just yawn after looking at this picture? :-) I did!!!

Know The Symptoms of Diabetes

Many of us will succumb to this disease sooner or later due to our sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. This particular disease then starts to attack other vital organs (kidney, heart, eye) dragging us to our graves gradually...

Icebergs don't just sink Titanics but help to float as well!

Icebergs can be places of living for some brave souls...

Learn, in layman's terms, how forex-based world economy works

The dollar drag
Surging green buck hits US corporate earnings
21 February 2015

NEW YORK — The biggest obstacle for Coca-Cola and Pepsi these days isn’t tied to taste tests, the declining popularity of sugary drinks or even their century-long rivalry.

It’s the surging US dollar. The two soda giants rely on overseas customers for roughly half of their revenue.

When they turned in their quarterly results last week, both reported a drop in sales. The strong dollar made all the difference: strip it out and shrinking sales suddenly rise.

The dollar has been a source of constant complaint this earnings season. Global corporations from Avon Products to Yum Brands have said their quarterly results would have been much better if it hadn’t been for the rising dollar.

For some, the currency’s strength has meant the difference between a profit and a loss.

“It has really hit earnings,” said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank.

Over the past year, the dollar has climbed 18 percent against major currencies. The surging dollar and plunging oil prices are the main reasons analysts keep cutting their forecasts for corporate profits even though economists expect the US economy to pick up speed

Back in October, analysts estimated that companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index would post profit growth of 11 percent for the final three months of 2014.

That forecast now looks overly optimistic. With only a handful of companies left to report, corporate profits are on track to rise more than 7 percent, according to S&P Capital IQ.

Forecasts for this year have taken a much bigger hit. In December, for example, analysts projected that profits would increase 9 percent in the first quarter.

Today, they expect them to shrink more than 2 percent over that same period.

A strong US dollar might seem like a badge of honor, a reflection of US economic power in the global economy, but for much of Corporate America, it’s bad for business.

Almost half of all revenue for companies in the S&P 500 comes from outside the United States, mainly Europe and Asia.

So when the dollar rises against the euro, it hurts in two ways: Prices of American-made goods become more expensive to customers in Europe, and goods that move off foreign shelves translate into fewer dollars, showing up as lower revenues and earnings on quarterly financial reports.

Take Avon Products, a company that depends on customers in Latin America for nearly half of its sales.

Last week, the cosmetics company reported that its revenue fell 12 percent and adjusted earnings sank 41 percent.

Erase the dollar’s move against foreign currencies and the picture looks entirely different.

Revenue would have climbed 5 percent, and adjusted earnings would have soared 29 percent.

At Procter & Gamble, revenue fell 4 percent in the quarter but would have increased 2 percent if the dollar had stayed put.

And the maker of Tide detergent and Pampers diapers doesn’t think the drag from the dollar is over yet.

It estimates that the currency’s rise will shave $1.4 billion from its profit over the course of the full year.

“This is the most significant fiscal year currency impact we have ever incurred,” said P&G’s chief financial officer, Jon Moeller, in a conference call discussing the latest results.

The list of companies complaining of currency swings includes nearly every major industry.

Microsoft, Google and other tech giants have taken a hit along with Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer and other drug makers.

Even Apple, which turned in a record profit of $18 billion in its latest quarter, said the rising dollar cost the company $2 billion in sales.

Electric-car maker Tesla, the hotel chain Hilton, and the navigation device maker Garmin have joined the ranks of the dollar debilitated.

On Thursday, Wal-Mart slashed its sales forecast for the rest of the year in half, largely because of the dollar.

“A lot of the companies I follow have cut their earnings guidance for the year, and it was all a result of FX,” said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Asset Management, using Wall Street’s shorthand for currency moves — foreign exchange.

“It wasn’t their underlying business that was the problem. It was just FX.” Overseas sales used to provide a boost to US companies.

When the economy floundered during the Great Recession, firms expanded their businesses abroad, harnessing faster growth across Asia and South America.

What once looked like a prudent move, however, has come back to bite them. US economic growth is outpacing Europe and Japan, and growth in China and other emerging giants has cooled off. The result: a rising US currency and falling revenue for US companies. — AP

Humor: Life Cycle of a BD immigrant in the US of A

Here is the brief mail about US Life of a professional immigrant. Neither pessimistic nor optimistic, but simply realistic.

First 3 months:
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Has got his SSN, managed a driving license after quite a bit of difficulty and fear; managed a second hand car; rented a decent apartment; Spending about $500 on phone bills calling up every friend and relative.

Next 3 months:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finds to his shock that he has less money in bank than he had during the big consultancy trips (when he knew that he used to get peanuts and hence lived within his means sharing a apartment and a car with 4 people and saved some money really)!! So now he starts making huge cuts in telephone Bill (first he starts with his home calls and close friend calls -huge cut) and is happy to see the bill cut down to 250$

Next 6 months: 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Has some friends by now, makes some trips to Niagara, New York city and White House.

Experienced a winter and fed-up with his car not starting, decides to buy a new car, feels lonely, thinks of his marriage.

Next 3 months:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Decides to call up his family about searching for a bride. Company asks him about green card, has 2 minds, change jobs for 10K increase, or stay content with 5K increase given by the present company.

Next 3 months: 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He fixes a trip after daily hunting for the cheapest ticket, goes home (Bangladesh) with quite a few gifts for his family, fixes a girl!!! Comes back to the US in 3 weeks, as he knows he will be going back home after 6 months for  marriage.

After 6 months: 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gets married, now he is for sure his dream of coming back in 3 years is becoming pale!!... He has to spend $3000 on travel next time to go back home; he has spent a lot in car repayment; 2 Bangladesh trips and in gifts; now  he won't go back for 2 years: meanwhile he has to get his green card any way; (so he consoles himself that circumstances forced him to stay rather than blaming his will power).

2 years further:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Makes a trip home, buys more gifts for the wife's side relatives than his own brothers and sisters!! Calculates every dollar, but finds out to his surprise that salaries in Bangladesh have grown greatly,and also the  cost of everything, now his savings will buy only 1 flat in Dhaka, he won't have any cash if he thinks of settling (in Bangladesh); decides that he will stay in the US for another 3 years and concentrate more on saving and come back to Bangladesh for good.

3 years in US: 
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Has kid (his mother-in-law came during delivery; he was worried all along that should they fall sick, he will be gone in medical care; he prays to God more than he prayed for his school final marks or JEE/CET seat). He is a family man; thinks that if his 2-year old daughter stays in US -after she is 7-8 years of age, she will have all those bad habits, so makes a plan to go  back after 5 years, when his daughter would have seen the Disney Land and nice things when she is not yet spoilt by the western culture.

4 years: 
~~~~~~~

Makes a trip to Bangladesh with a 20% hope of returning to Bangladesh. His retired father with BP and diabetes and mother with heart problem are in the forefront of his thoughts. But he goes to a few companies, (His ego a little hurt as he was working as a programmer in US, in spite of having good knowledge and had managed 10 people team in Dhaka), he expects to be appointed as a general manager; but doesn't get one; or even if he gets, compares with $70K and finds it peanuts, so he decides to show his parents to a doctor; asks his neighbors to look after them; and gets on a plane to the US;

5 years down the line: 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His wife likes the US, and she does not have the problem of the pestering of her mother-in-law. Halts all plans of her husband's thoughts of returning home.  Wife visits Bangladesh during December season, shows off and then comes back to US (While in Bangladesh she talks to her relatives about her own car; kids class in Denver suburbs; her relatives exclaim that they  are still so Bangladeshi)....

10 years later: 
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our man is in his 50s. He suddenly remembers the Bengali culture. Is reminiscing in his dreams of the past about reciting poems at 6PM in New Market, the coffee in front of Dhaka College. He wants all of them back. So goes to Bangladesh (but  doesn't find it and that all are not truly continuing; blames Bangladeshis for forgetting culture;) Buys a big flat; and decides to come back in 2 years;

After 2 years:
~~~~~~~~~~~

He goes back to Bangladesh but not with his family; his children Sweta and son Nikhil are going to SCHOOL (at  Michigan university, not in our terms an university;  he calls it school) and are likely to get settled  there with Steve and Susan respectively. He does not like it; but can't help it and so accepts it without saying anything; wife accepts it more realistically;  but still blames the circumstances (had I got $ 70K  when I passed out Engineering, would I have come here and spent 30 years here. He does not remember that rest of the Bangladeshi earned only 1165 + city allowance  * DA relief of 180 Dhaka ifty paise when he got 3500 in Campus and got 1000 hike every 6 months in his software consultancy company). Now in his sixties at Dhaka ; he goes to mosque; his neighborhood flats kids are wearing American T-shirts, watching MTV. Our man is feeling bad that they are growing too Western; he passes his last days hoping his son and daughter will join him at death; (doesn't remember that he sent only get well card and made few telephonic calls using AT&T, MCI cheap rate durations than attend to them personally but still expects his son will come & nurse him)... the good treatment at Dhaka  Hospital has restored his health; now he can  walk to the corner shop and negotiate coriander leaves for 50 paise spoiling the poor daily wage earners' meager earnings)... And now our man rests in peace at an old age home!!!

A ten thousand miles journey begins with a single step. That single step has to be taken from where you are. Worries are no solution to any problem.

----------
In honor of our honest and hard-working immigrants.

(Collected)

Recipe for the bachelors: How to get a hot 'date'?

Please don't become hot-headed after reading the hot recipe. Just take it easy...

Red Hot Dates

No money, no funny !

I hope I don't need to remind anyone that oft-quoted adage - A friend in need is a friend indeed...

(collected)

Deciphering misleading words of employee performance appraisal

Like they say, looks can be deceiving... so be on the lookout to figure out the true meanings...

When a mirror does not behave like WYSIWYG !

This is what happens when certain type of people succumbs to mid-life crisis...
এর অপর নাম কি চোখে সর্ষে ফুল দেখা ???

How to repair a Lighthouse in a novel way!

MAD magazine shows the quick & dirty way to fix a lighthouse when the light goes out! And yes, you don't need an engineering degree to come up with this kind of novel ideas! This is called 'Common Sense Engineering'.

See how Engineers excel in Mathematics!

Engineers can do wonders when it comes to crunching numbers or adding 'fudge factors' to formulae to come up with any answers they want! (শুভঙ্করের ফাঁকি ?? বা বলতে পারেন, ভয়ংকর রকমের ফাঁকিবাজি). Learn what they don't teach you in the Engineering Mathematics course!

Eating Fruits - Some Rules...

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat.

What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!

* Fruits should be eaten on an empty Stomach.

If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

Fruit is the Most Important Food

Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.

In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil....

So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining — every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc — actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

Kiwi

Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

Apple:

An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

Strawberry:

Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

Orange:

Sweetest medicine Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

Watermelon:

Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene — the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C & Potassium.

Guava & Papaya:

Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content.. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer!

Can u believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. A serious note about heart attacks.

No proof mobile radiation causes cancer

IANS
15 February 2015

Here is a campaign doing the rounds that the use of mobile phones or the proximity to mobile phone towers can cause cancer.

At a time when various studies are going on whether radiation from mobile phones is harmful for health, an US expert Saturday said no study or research has proved that non-ionizing radiation, as produced by these devices, causes cancer.

"No study or research about cancer has proved that non-ionizing radiation causes cancer. There is a campaign doing the rounds that the use of mobile phones or the proximity to mobile phone towers can cause cancer.

"Proponents of the theory question arguments in favour of the safety of mobiles. How can you be so sure about it since cancer develops in the body in 20 or 30 years, they ask. Mobile phones have been around for only 20 years," M. V. Pillai of Jefferson University said at an event organized by Indian Medical Association and the Press Club.

Electro-magnetic spectrum has two types of radiation on either end. On the right side is the ionizing radiation represented by X-ray, gamma ray and nuclear reactors, which is dangerous. Non-ionizing radiation on the left side of the spectrum is not harmful.

"But there have been many studies conducted in animals. They have been exposed to wi-fi and microwaves. None of these researches have proved that non-ionizing radiation causes cancer. In other words, non-ionizing radiation is proved to be harmless," he added.

Pillau mentioned that if someone speaks on mobile phone for a long time, it generates heat.

"Though the heat does not damage DNA's structure, it could affect other proteins. Research should go on in this aspect. Whatever the case may be, it is not advisable to speak on mobile phone for hours," he added.

The World Health Organisation is conducting many studies on this. He said a report scheduled to be published in 2016 may bring some clarity on this matter.

Comic Relief: Society Women Using Fans To Signal Love!

Is this how the expression "Love's in the air" came into vogue?

10 things that many regret in later life

10 things that many regret in later life
Faiz Al-Shahri


According to psychological studies, humans display the utmost honesty and truthfulness about themselves and those around them at the time of their death.

The last words of a man on his deathbed can be his biggest confession. There is no doubt that true Muslims would, at that time, wish to win the pleasure of God.

People often do certain things that they later, in hindsight, regret. I would like to mention the hypothetical wishes of some prominent individuals who said that they regretted their failure to accomplish certain things in life. The following are ten such regrets:

One: Spending insufficient time with one’s family and children. It is true that we do not spend enough time playing with our children.

Two: Not seeking good friends who would be useful companions in old age. Many of us often miss the opportunity to make good friends.

Three: Not realizing that happiness does not involve working long hours at the expense of family life.

Four: Neglecting one’s health through unhealthy lifestyles and eating habits.

Five: Failure to realize long-cherished aims and goals due to not taking key decisions at the right time.

Six: Failure to take advantage of golden opportunities at work due to an unknown fear.

Seven: Spending several years thinking about what other people think, but then realizing that what other people think does not affect one’s happiness.

Eight: Not paying proper attention to young people and talented individuals who ask for help.

Nine: Not giving proper attention to voluntary work or helping people when one was young, and not setting aside enough money for one’s old age.

Ten: Failure to pursue long-cherished ambitions and aspirations.

The above will help readers re-examine their lives and priorities so that they will not have anything to regret later in life.

Share $50 worth of your time with someone you love

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'

DAD: 'Yeah sure, what is it?' replied the man.

SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.

SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'

SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'

The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think:

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.

'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.'

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.

'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.

'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.

-:) We seem to be pretty mixed UP about---'UP' -:)

One 2-letter word has a hundred completely different meanings...

So what is this stuff about English being easy?

There is a 2-letter word that perhaps has more meaning than any other 2-letter word, and that is "UP."

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we wake in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP?

Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election ?

and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends !

And we use it to brighten UP a room,

polish UP the silver,

we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.

We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.


At other times the little word has real special meaning...


People stir UP trouble,

line UP for tickets,

work UP an appetite,

and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing:

A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP!!!

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable of the proper uses of UP, look UP the word in the dictionary.

In a desk size dictionary... the word up, takes UP almost 1/4th the page and definitions add UP to about thirty.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used.

It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP.

When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP.

When it rains, it wets UP the earth.

When it doesn't rain for a while, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP,

for now my time is UP!! [LOL]

(Collected)

Know which brand comes from which state of America

Famous Brands of America - statewise

Fast Food Brands of America - statewise

Big American Companies - statewise

How Americans See The World - carto-graphically!

How Americans See The World

How Ronald Reagan Saw The World

How Americans See Europe

How Americans See Asia

How Americans view the North America

An Innovative Graphical Representation of America's Economy

A comparative picture of economies of various US states to those of various countries of the world (GDP in 2012). Can you spot Bangladesh lurking somewhere?

Here's another alternative depicting showing other nations:

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is rife in Egypt

Practice linked to belief it curbs women’s libido and boosts morality
By Ramadan Al Sherbini & Nahed Ahmad
Gulf News: February 5, 2015
Cairo: Years after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM), Nadia, 44, still recalls the gruelling experience in her Nile Delta village.

“I was about ten years old when my father told my mother to prepare me for the purification [circumcision] and asked her to feed me well,” Nadia, now a mother of five including two girls, says.

“When I asked my mother what this purification meant, she told me that it would keep me pure until I got married and ensure I remained faithful after marriage. Shortly later, the ‘health barber’ of our village showed up with his distinguished briefcase. At that moment, I realised it was my turn like my older sister to get circumcised,” she adds. “I was led into a room of our house where my father held me tight and the barber carried out the operation amid my cries.”

Nadia is one of an estimated 90 per cent of Egyptian women, who have undergone the practice that although criminalised is thought to be still rampant in the country, mainly in rural areas. The practice, believed to have been observed in Egypt for thousands of years, involves the removal of all or part of the clitoris.

Despite the pain she has suffered due to the procedure, Nadia insisted that her two daughters undergo FGM. “All women in our village and the neighbouring villages have been circumcised. This operation is necessary because it controls the girl’s [sexual] desire and keeps her a virgin until she is handed over to her husband,” says Nadia declining to give her full name for fear of legal punishment.

“Our religion also calls for it,” says Nadia, who left school in the ninth grade.

When reminded that moderate Islamic clerics have ruled that FGM is un-Islamic, Nadia, a Muslim, quickly dismisses those clergymen as “men of the government”.

In 2007, Egypt’s leading Islamic official, the grand mufti, issued a fatwa (a religious edict) stating that FGM is forbidden in Islam. The following year, the practice was banned, threatening violators with imprisonment.

In the past, FGM was performed in Egypt by local midwives and ‘health barbers’ without an anaesthetic, using knives or razors. In recent years, however, more than 60 per cent of circumcisions have been performed by physicians and nurses, according to Unicef.

Last week, an Egyptian court sentenced a doctor to two years and three months in prison after convicting him of violating the ban and performing FGM on Suhair Al Bata’a, a 13-year-old village girl, who died of complications from the operation. The victim’s father was given a suspended three-month jail sentence on charges of complicity. Their trial marked Egypt’s first on violating the 2008 ban.

The ruling coincided with an awareness-raising campaign against FGM aired on Egyptian TV stations.

Since the ban was issued, non-governmental groups and the state-backed National Council for Motherhood and Childhood have made efforts to halt the practice, usually done for local girls before reaching puberty.

‘Brutal operation’

Propelled by their trauma, some mothers have rebelled against the tradition. Majda Shukri, a government employee and a mother of three girls, is one of them.

“I can’t forget the first shock of my life, when I was forced as a child to undergo this brutal operation of female circumcision,” says Shukri, who holds a university degree in accounting.

Majda, 42, blames the procedure for occasional bleeding she has since suffered and problems in her sex life as a wife.

“Therefore, I decided not to expose my girls to what I had suffered,” adds Majda, who lives in a working-class area in northern Cairo. “Whenever my husband, who has rural roots, suggested we do the operation on our girls, I used to delay it, claiming that the weather was too cold or too hot and we had to wait until it was warm so as to ensure that they would recover quickly,” she says. “As time went on, he stopped raising the issue either because he was distracted by life pressure or because he became convinced that chastity is based on a proper upbringing and has nothing to do with this torture called circumcision.”

However, to avoid social censure for not having her daughters circumcised, Majda is careful about discussing the issue with her relatives and neighbours.

“Whenever they ask me whether my daughters have been circumcised, my answer is yes. If they learnt that my daughters have not been circumcised, they would see us as an immoral family. This could affect my daughters’ chances of marriage.”

Activists in this country of around 90 million contend that Egypt has a long way to go before FGM becomes a matter of the past.

“This phenomenon is rife in the populous and rural areas due to deeply-rooted traditions, which make a girl’s chastity reliant on being circumcised,” says Faten Sarhan, an anti-FGM campaigner. “The efforts against this barbaric tradition are still hampered by extremist clerics, who allege that female circumcision is obligatory in Islam. Egyptian Christians also believe that the practice is part of their faith,” adds Faten, referring to Egypt’s Coptic minority.

“In some areas [in Egypt], men request that their future wives have been circumcised before marriage. It should be clear that female circumcision is the main factor in many cases of divorce as it makes the wife sexually frigid.”

Experts say that severe forms of FGM can lead to lifelong psychosexual problems and physical troubles related to menstruation and childbirth.

“While we talk about empowering the woman, we should first stop this aggression inflicted on her as a child on the pretext of protecting her chastity and promoting morals,” says Faten. “I hope the ruling in the case of Suhair against the doctor and her father will be a big deterrent and a driving force in this long battle.”

— Nahed Ahmad is a journalist based in Cairo

Shomalochok: This archaic practice, considered a sunnah in Shafi' Madhub, is prevalent in other muslim countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and quite a few African countries.

Islamic State or Khilafah 101 vis-a-vis IS(IS/IL)

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, an Indian Scholar of high repute and writer of numerous books in English on Islam, strikes at the very core of movement for Islamic State raised by modern day Islamists. This should be an eye-opener even to a literalist...


Why the “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria” Is NOT An Islamic State
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

On June 29, 2014, a Sunni self-styled mujahid from Iraq, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, announced the establishment of a government and declared himself its caliph. He named it the ‘Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’ (ISIS). According to recent media reports, ten Arab countries have agreed to help the United States in its fight against this extremist group. After talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Jeddah, these Arab states pledged to provide military support and humanitarian aid and to halt the flow of funds and foreign fighters to the ISIS.

This news suggests that the majority of the Muslim world has disowned the so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’. In fact, this so-called State is neither a state nor is it Islamic: it is not a state because the United Nations has not recognized it as such, and it is un-Islamic because the majority of Muslims have disowned its claims. In Islam there is no concept of an “Islamic State”. This term is itself an innovation, as this phenomenon was not found in the early period of Islam, which is considered to be the authentic period of Islam.

It is said that the Prophet of Islam established a state in Madinah after the Hijrah, or emigration to Madinah. However, the Prophet never proclaimed that he was the khalifa of Madinah, or the ruler of Madinah. According to books of sirah (the Prophet’s biography), people of Madinah themselves gave this position to the Prophet at the time of the Hijrah. History tells us that when the Prophet, accompanied by one his companions, Abu Bakr, reached Madinah after migrating from Makkah, the people of Madinah welcomed him with these words: “Intalaqaamirayn mutaayn.” (Musnad Ahmad) That is, “You are our leader. We are ready to obey you.” This is the way in which a state came into existence in Madinah at the time of the Prophet. It was in accordance with the level of acceptance of the society, rather than being an imposition from outside.

When the Prophet migrated to Madinah, the majority of the Madinan people had embraced the faith of Islam. These people themselves declared the Prophet as their leader. What was in Madinah was basically a political administration, which had emerged from the society itself. Neither the Prophet nor the people of Madinah used the term “khilafat” (‘Caliphate’).

The political leader in Islam is decided not through appointment, but by election. There is a well-known verse in the Quran in this regard: “Their affairs are decided by mutual consultation.” (42:38). This means that political leaders in Islam are elected through the democratic process.

It is said that Madinah was the first Islamic state under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad himself. But, the Prophet or his Companions never called it “Islamic State of Madinah.” There was no such term used at the time. Practically speaking, it was the Madinah Administration, rather than the Islamic State of Madinah.

Establishing an Islamic state is not the mission given to Muslims. The Prophet of Islam never said: ‘I have been sent to establish an Islamic state.’ The Prophet’s mission was a peaceful dawah mission—inviting people to God’s path—and not a political mission.

If we read the Quran, we will not find any commandment that says: “Aqim dawlat al-islam” or ‘Establish an Islamic State.’ Why is a commandment of this kind absent in the Quran? The reason for this is given in the Hadith in these words: “Kama takunu kazalika yuammarualaykum.” (Mishkat al-Masabih) That is, “As you are, so shall be your rulers.” It means that according to Islam, government emerges from the society. It is not imposed on the society from the outside.

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (d. AD 634) was the first political head in Islam. But, he was referred to as amir al-mominin, or leader of Muslims, rather than khalifah al-muslimin. What was the method through which Abu Bakr reached this position? After the death of the Prophet, the Sahaba or Companions of the Prophet assembled in a place called Saqifa Bani Saidah in Madinah. At this place, all the people came together and open consultations took place between the Companions. Through the consensus of the Companions, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq became the head of the state of Madinah.

According to available information, the ISIS is a Sunni extremist group. In its self-proclaimed status as a ‘Caliphate’, it claims religious authority over all Muslims across the world and aspires to bring most of the Muslim-inhabited regions of the world under its political control, beginning with Iraq, Syria and other territories in the Levant, including Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus and part of southern Turkey. In June 2014, it had at least 4,000 fighters in its ranks in Iraq. The number of fighters in the group has increased to 50,000 in Syria and 30,000 in Iraq. It has claimed responsibility for attacks on government and military targets and for attacks that have killed thousands of civilians.

This kind of a self-proclaimed state or caliphate has no place in Islam, because it has no sanction in the Quran and Sunnah. Such a state is totally against the Islamic spirit. According to the Quran and Sunnah, no person has the right to proclaim sovereignty on his own. To declare someone as a sovereign ruler is solely the people’s domain, and not that of any particular individual. The case of ISIS is certainly a case of illegal coup, rather than an Islamically-lawful act.

Fundamentalism in plain English

Following is the best write-up I have ever come across on the topic (or should I say, pitfalls) of (Islamic) fundamentalism (tantamount to saying, extremism). It propounds the problem with literal interpretation of religious text in the most eloquent and balanced manner. Although an Islamist takes pride in sticking to the core (literal to be precise) fundamentals of the religious text, it is only complicating the situation and alienating them from the progressive mass. Sooner they realize this the better it is for them. Upon email exchanges with her, I found out that the writer is a Saudi woman educated in the USA, and hence is her change in outlook on different matters.


Chasing a mirage
Nawar Fakhry Ezzi
Arab News, 6 February 2014

THE industrial revolution, which began at the end of the 19th century, was momentous in human history. It did not only affect social and economic development, but it also contributed to altering people’s beliefs and values around the world in different ways. Many of those who reaped its benefits and lived in the modernity it generated in the West started seeing religion as obsolete and secularism as the necessity that societies cannot flourish or develop without. Other people especially from conservative or disadvantaged groups regardless of their religious backgrounds felt threatened by it to the extent that led them to resort to religious fundamentalism.
Fundamentalism is a movement, which emerged in all major religions at the beginning of the 20th century. According to the dictionary, it is defined as “a religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism.” Historically, it has emerged among people who saw the devastating effect of modernity especially in the horrors of the two world wars in the beginning of the past century. Many of those people were also living in ignorance, poverty, and oppression. In some instances, some governments also contributed to the increase of fundamentalism when they imposed secularism and westernization by force. These actions made many people feel uprooted and alienated from their culture and heritage, such as the case in Iran before the 1979 revolution.
Nowadays, fundamentalism is more prominent among Muslims than in other religious traditions. Some of the major characteristics of Islamic fundamentalism include literal interpretation of the Qur’an, intolerance of anyone who is different including other Muslims who follow different schools of thought. The difference between Islamic fundamentalists and fundamentalists from other religions is that Muslims do not only consider it a method of spiritual salvation in a corrupted world, but they also consider it their plan to revive the past glory of the Islamic Empire.
The problem with literal interpretations of sacred texts in general is that they are used without consideration to their context. The paradox here is that the Qur’an is the only sacred text, which served as an interactive tool between God and the Prophet (pbuh). In addition to the narration of historical events, teachings and commandments, it includes God’s responses to situations and incidents that the Prophet (pbuh) and the Muslims were going through. These responses, especially the ones regarding wars, were essential during that period because they guided them at times when their existence as a community as well as their own lives were in danger.
Literal interpretation of the Qur’an would never help resurrect the Islamic civilization; on the contrary, it would destroy whatever civilization we have left. Regardless of what they call it, whether “Islamic revival” or “reforming” movements, it is a desperate attempt that would lead to intellectual regression and stagnation. It has contributed to breeding extremism as well, which could be considered the monstrous evolution of fundamentalism because extremists used the same principles of fundamentalism and pushed them to a fanatical level. It seems that living in poverty, oppression and being overwhelmed by their powerlessness in a world they used to rule led some elements to feel what is termed in sociology as “nostalgia.” It is a coping mechanism for people who cannot adapt to change and lost hope in having a better future. Hating the present with all its manifestations and reminiscing on the greatness of the past would help them escape from their terrible reality.
This is not to say that fundamentalists should be forced to change because we have seen that secular aggression against them only fueled their aggression and would increase the likelihood of turning them into extremists. On the contrary, they should have the same religious freedom that any group has as long as they do not harm others.
Islam is a holistic message that aims to develop people spiritually and build productive communities who are governed by virtue and justice. It was never about superficialities, stringent punishments, or wars. It became this way though when some people politicized it and lost sight of the true message of Islam by chasing a mirage. This is not a religious movement; it is a symptom of deeper social issues. When people’s basic needs are met and feel appreciated, respected and most importantly have hope for a better future, it is more likely that they would want to be constructive members of their communities.

Fight against extremists goes beyond battlefields

The objective must be to eradicate fundamentalist dogma that appeals to millions and which has provided a breeding ground for extremism.

By Osama Al Sharif
Gulf News, February 11, 2015

The brutal execution of young Jordanian pilot Muath Al Kaseasbeh by Daesh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) militants has focused the world’s attention on the rising threat of this deranged group of terrorists preaching a narrow-minded “puritanical” version of Islam. They are now in control of vast swaths of land between Syria and Iraq; larger than the size of the United Kingdom. Al Kaseasbeh was burnt alive and his gruesome death was made into a movie and the video of his immolation was put online for all to see. The immediate objective was to shock and intimidate perceived enemies of the so-called “Caliphate”, but it is important to note that Al Kaseasbeh, a Sunni, was put to death because he belonged, in the militants’ view, to an apostate state. The dogma of the militants rests on controversial and ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam that has its roots in the Wahhabi sect of the 18th century and the teachings of Ibn Taymiyyah (1263-1328) many centuries before that. Today, many scholars consider Wahhabism as a fundamentalist dogma that inspired and produced the modern-day Salafist movement.

In the view of Salafist extremists, including Al Qaida, Al Shabab in Somalia and Boko Haram in Nigeria, the main enemy is the West and its secular way of life, but the immediate target of their so-called jihad are the apostate states in the realm of Islam. Only when the militants extend their control over the Muslim states, abrogating borders enforced by the colonialist West in the wake of the collapse of the Ottoman Caliphate in the early 20th century, will the resurging Daesh focus its attention on the common enemy, which is the “infidel West” led by the US. Their objective is not to take the war to the West — the terrorist attacks in Europe and the US notwithstanding — but to lure the enemy to this part of the world and exhaust its resources in various military conflicts.

King Abdullah of Jordan was the first Arab-Muslim leader to sound the alarm bell when he described what was going on as “a war within Islam”. It is a war between Muslims and inside the Islamic world that now extends from Nigeria to Pakistan and beyond. It is a war of ideas and interpretations; a war within Muslim civilisation for the sake of Muslim civilisation. The terrorists believe their cause is right and that their struggle to create a new Muslim Caliphate will eventually succeed.

Accepting this premise means that these militants constitute a direct threat to every Arab and Muslim country. And while their numbers are limited; tens of thousands at best among more than 1.5 billion Muslims, the bigger danger is that their strict dogma is finding a fertile ground in most Muslim countries.

The spread of fundamentalism has been slow but consistent during the latter half of the 20th century. The dismal failure of nationalist-socialist ideologies such as Nasserism and Baathism, between the 1950s and 1980s, created a vacuum that was soon filled by Salafist preachers. It also gave rise to so-called moderate Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood movement. Invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet Union and the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 created unprecedented waves of religious zeal in the region. Sunni Mujahideen fighters from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and other nations were encouraged by the US to head to Afghanistan to fight Soviet intruders. These extremists, described by former US president Ronald Reagan as “freedom fighters”, became the precursors of Al Qaida, whose initial objective was not to fight the US directly, but to destabilise Saudi Arabia, overthrow its rulers and liberate it from the Americans.

Also fuelling this religious zeal was Iran’s direct challenge of the US and Israel. The birth of Hezbollah in the 1980s and its waging of guerilla warfare against Israeli occupation gave rise to the Shiites in Lebanon as a major sectarian force. The eight-year war between Iraq and Iran planted the seeds of Sunni-Shiite violence. It did spill over in the aftermath of America’s invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the toppling of Saddam Hussain.

Today, the region is reeling from religious and sectarian conflicts. The chaos that resulted from the Arab Spring uprisings and the vacuum created by the fall of nation-states in Iraq, Syria, Libya and now Yemen were immediately filled by various terrorist groups fighting under different banners. The more extreme factions seem to have the upper hand in Syria and Iraq. The rise of Daesh militants in the past three years has shocked the region and presented a new global challenge.

King Abdullah has called for an Arab-Muslim coalition to stand up against extremists. The objective is not limited to fighting the militants in the battlefield, but to eradicate fundamentalist dogma that appeals to millions and which has provided a breeding ground for extremists. This “war within Islam” must be won by the moderates and it will take time. The real battle must take place in schools, universities, prisons and in households. It begins with education and the teaching of tolerance and moderation. Moreover, these countries must strive to create egalitarian societies that shun extremism and embrace universal human values. It is a war that we cannot afford to lose.

Osama Al Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman.

Top 10 Reasons to Turn Off Your TV

Your Guide to Longevity
Mark Stibich, Ph.D.

Turning off your television will gain you, on average, about 4 hours per day. Imagine if you took that time to exercise, give your brain a workout and develop strong relationships. Not only would you be adding years to your life, you would become more interesting, energetic, and fun. So take the plunge and try not watching TV for a week. At first it will be strange and awkward, but stick with it and soon you will love all the extra time.

1. Television Eats Your Time
The average U.S. adult watches more than 4 hours of television a day. That's 25 percent of waking time spent every day. Imagine if you suddenly had 25 percent more time -- that's three extra months per year! You could get in all your exercise, cook your meals from scratch and still have time left over to write a novel. Over a lifetime, an 80-year-old person would have watched 116,800 hours of television, compared to only 98,000 hours of work. As a nation, adults watch 880 million hours of television every day or 321 billion hours per year. Whew! Imagine what could get done if we all just stopped watching TV.

2. Television makes you stressed
With the average of four hours a day gone, it's no wonder everyone is feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. We put aside paying bills, finishing projects, making phone calls and cleaning our homes to watch TV. We feel overwhelmed because of all the things we should be doing (exercising, spending time with family, eating right) go undone. And when we feel overwhelmed, tired, and exhausted we don't have energy to anything but -- you guessed it -- watch TV. It is a dreadful cycle. So take a break from TV for a week and see what happens to your life.

3. Television Makes You Overweight
Eating while distracted limits your ability to assess how much you have consumed. According to Eliot Blass at the University of Massachusetts, people eat between 31 and 74 percent more calories while watching TV. This could add, on average, about 300 calories extra per TV meal. Now consider that at least 40 percent of families watch TV while eating dinner. It becomes clear that TV is a big part of the obesity epidemic in the U.S. and that TV, in fact, makes you gain weight.

4. Television Makes You Uninteresting
Many people have whole conversations that are recaps of TV programs, sporting events and sitcoms. When asked about their real lives, there is little or nothing to report and no stories to tell (except the TV shows they have watched).
Life is too interesting and wonderful to spend your time either watching TV or recapping television to your friends. Find something interesting to do: volunteer, read, paint -- anything but watch more TV.

5. Television Ruins Your Relationships
A television is turned on an average of 7 hours and 40 minutes per day in many U.S. households. With the TV on that much, there is little time for you and your significant other or children to spend time together, share experiences, and develop deeper relationships. Sitting together and watching TV does not grow a relationship. Turn that TV off and find something to do together --cooking, exercising, taking a walk, anything.

6. Television is Not Relaxation
TV is the opposite of exercise. If you are watching TV you are usually sitting, reclining or lying down. You are burning as few calories as possible. All that extra food you eat while watching TV does not get burned off. Your brain goes into a lull. But you are not relaxing -- your mind is still receiving stimuli from the TV, you are processing information and reacting emotionally. Have you ever found yourself thinking about TV characters? Do you ever dream about TV shows? These are signs that the brain is working hard to process all the TV you have been watching.

7. Television Loses Opportunities
If you are sitting and watching TV, nothing new or exciting is going to happen to you. New opportunities and ideas come from being out in the world, talking to people, and reading interesting things. Watching TV isolates you. Nothing is going to change in your world if you are watching TV. Turn off the TV, go out into the world, talk to people, and see what happens.

8. Television is Addictive
Television can become addictive. Signs of TV addiction include: 

    * using the TV to calm down
    * not being able to control your viewing
    * feeling angry or disappointed in how much TV you watched
    * feeling on edge if kept from watching
    * feeling a loss of control while watching

If the idea of giving up TV for a week is horrifying, you may be addicted to television. Luckily, TV addiction is a habit and not a physical addiction like smoking. You should be able to control it once you are aware of the problem and make a decision to change.

9. Television Makes You Buy Things
By age 65, the average American has seen 2 million commercials. Your knowledge of products and brands comes from these TV commercials. Your perception of what you need also comes from these commercials. If you didn't know that your iPod could talk to your running shoes, you wouldn't feel like your current shoes are too low-tech. If you didn't know about vacuums that never lose suction, your current vacuum would seem fine. Our perception of need is determined by what we see. Need less by watching less TV.

10. Television Costs Money
A basic cable package costs $43 per month and many packages cost much more than that. That comes to at least $500 a year spent on TV. For that much money you could: buy a membership to every museum or zoo in your town, get a gym membership, buy a nice bicycle, invest it every year for 10 years at 10 percent interest* and have more than $10,000.

Sources: TvTurnOff.org; US Census Bureau

Jamiat Comment: There isn't much left to say except that for a Muslim home the most dangerous part about the TV is that it corrodes Islamic values. All the sex, violence, bad language and rotten attitudes of characters on TV have turned generations of innocent young children into monsters which even their parents cannot recognize. And then we ask ourselves: where did we go wrong as parents?

Added to that, the TV is without doubt the most powerful propaganda machine ever created by man. Want to make the masses believe in something? Show it on TV. In this way our children accept the worked ideologies of the atheists and liberals without even being consciously aware of it!.

There is only one solution – Break the TV and then throw it into the garbage bin. This may seem harsh, but there is no time left for subtleties. Get rid of that Shaytaan box immediately, and feel the goodness return to your home.

* remember that this article is not written by a Muslim, hence the mention of consuming interest. This is obviously incorrect for a Muslim, as interest is Haraam. But the principle behind what the author is saying applies to Muslims as well: save your money and invest in some Halaal way.

Comments:
Please turn off your TV set because it is the source of falsehood and deception. It leads us to Shaytaan way. Its disadvantages are 1000 times greater than its advantages. What we give to our children through it, is Non-Muslims' life style??

Your FLIGHT DETAILS...

FLIGHT DETAILS

Ticket Type: One-way
Price: Absolutely free (booking confirmed)

Passenger Details:

Name: One of the Children of Adam
Origins: From clay
Address: Planet Earth

Conditions Of Travel:

Departure: From life on earth
Destination: Eternal life
Stop-over: Hotel (2 meters under the ground, for one person)
Duration of flight: From couple of seconds to several millions of years

Departure time:

Time of death: Exact time is unknown (but it can happen earlier than expected)

Arrival time: On the Judgment Day (not specified in the timetable) 

Information about Interrogation:

On the arrival to the hotel (grave): Incorruptible Auditors - two angels: Munkar & Nakir, will immediately start questioning.Three questions will be asked:

1. Who is your GOD?
2. Who is your prophet?
3. What is your religion? 

Questions will follow about your life on earth. For more information, refer
to 27th Ayah of Surah 'Ibrahim' of the Holy Quran.

Luggage:

1. Despite the fact that the air transfers only one passenger at a time, there are some restrictions on the amount of baggage that you can take with you.

2. You can take with you 5 meters of white cloth.
3. Any items of material life of earth are strictly forbidden.

4. Realistic luggage should consist of good deeds, modest behavior and of well spent time on calling people to Islam. 

Important instructions:

All the passengers should remember that tickets are not exchangeable or refundable.
This journey is compulsory for representatives of all races, nationalities,
religions and of all ages.

Delays are not stipulated. 

Captain:

Angel of Death will not compromise on changing the date and time of departure. 

For more information: 

Read instructions, which you can find in The Holy Qur'aan and Sunnah, could
also consult Aalims (scholars). Please do it as soon as possible. 

During your journey you will not be provided with oxygen mask, as your
breathing system will be terminated just before the departure time. 

Additional instructions:

1. You don't need to take care of your boarding pass, passport and other
travel documents. 

To prepare for a comfortable flight:
2. Pray 5 times a day
3. Read the Holy Quran
4. Follow the sunnah to the best of your ability and be ready for your flight, as you may have to depart any minute (even now) 

Final warning:

Final destination depends on you! Please do not waste your time on planet earth.
Remember, you have one-way ticket, Either to Hell or to Paradise. Jahannam OR Jannah

Are you ready?

If not, are you doing anything to change that?

Hence read & practice the instructions from the manuals ( Qur'aan and
Sunnah) carefully And follow to reach JANNAH. 

Insha ALLAAH , With HIS Grace, We all meet there in the Gardens of Jannah.

The Prophet (PBUH) said 'Pass on knowledge from me even if it is only one verse'