Hello all. This being Thankgiving day, it feels like a great time to announce a special surprise I’ve been planning for my readers. A scavenger hunt! The rules for playing are explained below.

This is a Read, Play, and (hopefully) Win game. The prize is a $25.00 giftcard to Barnes & Noble.

Step #1. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to read all the way through my book Brought to Life. (You knew that was coming, didn’t you? I’m a sneaky, sneaky lady.) Brought to Life is a paranormal romance/time travel ebook that can be found here.

Step #2. Email me at: dara [at] daraenglandauthor [dot] com with the answers to these two questions (these answers can only be found in the book). *1. What is the name of the heroine’s roommate? *2. What famous author does the heroine meet at the end of the book?

Step #3. Wait. I’ll randomly select a winner out of those who answered correctly and will notify them via email on 1/1/10. If there are any questions, please post them below.

Happy hunting and happy holidays!

~Dara England

What’s on my iPod : (ironically) Iris by Goo Goo Dolls.

I’ve decided that I will keep this blog up and running as a place for my crazy brained ideas. A place where I actually commune with the Muse. My other blog I’ll reserve for more professional posts. That being said, I thought that I might sit down and have a one on one with my MC and Hero of BROKEN.

~~Disclaimer~~ This is just a fun exercise to get into deep character development and see what really makes my characters tick.

So, getting my characters to cooperate was a little harder than expected, but once I finally sat them down and strapped them to a chair, I got some intriguing answers.

First up in the hot seat is Caleb…..

 Cate : So, tell me a little about yourself.

Caleb : (with a smirk) I’m an angel.

Cate : Uhm, besides the obvious. Why don’t we start with simple questions like what’s your favorite color?

Caleb : (the smirk widens) Black.

Cate : That explains alot. What’s your favorite food? (Why do I feel suddenly like I should just hand him a Slam Book?)

Caleb : French Fries. And anything that can be eaten with French Fries.

Cate : Have you ever had Tater Tots?

Caleb : No, what’s that?

Cate : You’ve never had Tater Tots? You’re missing out. But on to the next simple question, or let’s get a little more complex, shall we? Favorite musicain and why.

Caleb : I could say there are too many, but I have a feeling you won’t let me get away with that.

Cate : Nope.

Caleb : (deep sigh) The first musician that really struck me and drew me into his music was Mozart. I remember hiding in the eaves of the German opera house with Az, listening to The Magic Flute and thinking this guy has raw talent, a little off, but still amazingly talented. His music moved me, and that’s saying a lot.

Cate : wow, see how ease it is to open up. So, what about recent musicians?

Caleb : There really are too many to mention.

Cate : Nice try.

Caleb :  (another deep sigh) How far back am I going?

Cate : the past twenty years?

Caleb : Kurt Cobain, John Lennon, Roger Waters, Madonna, and recently someone special turned me on to the Blues and Jonny Lang.

Cate : Really. So, why play the guitar? It seems like you’ve had years and years to choose any instrument you wanted? And why are you the lead singer?

Caleb :  (shifts uneasily in the seat) Az would say that I like to be in the spotlight – all the time. And that’s just not true, that’s Az’s fantasy. But ever since these fools banded with me, I guess I’ve just taken the lead. So, I guess it was natural that I front the band, and since most frontmen don’t play drums, I chose to play the guitar.

Cate : What about the others? Why did they band with you, oh so long ago?

Caleb : Now, you’re asking deep questions. The Fallen tend to find those not fallen in hopes of redemption. I’m not able to provided that for my brothers, but at least, I keep their noses clean until they are redeemed.

Cate : Now for a really deep and revealing question. What was it about Sarah that caught your attention, changed your ways, and made you break a gazillion rules just to be with her.

Caleb : (doubling over with laughter) I always break the rules. there’s nothing new with that one. This time I just chose to break some new ones. And Sarah ( a deep sigh) well, she didn’t put up with my crap, for one, and second, her soul makes the most beautiful music. When she sings, it’s even more beautiful.

Cate : All right, I’m going to let you off the hook now.

You asked for it you got it! 

You can now read the entire second book of the Vampire Diaries: The Struggle online free for a limited time thanks to Harper Teen and the CW TV Network!

Read The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle 

Title: Journey Through the World of Spirit / God, Gaia and Guardian Angels
Author: David L. Oakford
Media: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Reality Press
Date: 2007

This review originally appeared at Earthpages.org as a voice-over video on December 28, 2007. When recording I had no notes other than the memory of what I’d just read. As such, there’s a certain live quality to this review that I hoped to preserve in this transcript.

The soundtrack was spontaneously composed and recorded just before I made the review. The book was inspiring and plain text just wasn’t enough.

In editing the transcript some extraneous material (e.g. “ahh” “sort of”) was removed.

So here’s the original voice-over review and its much overdue and slightly edited transcript.

Original Introduction

I had a choice… spend hours trying to get something representative down in writing or have some fun doing a video review. I chose to do a video review.

This is my first video review and it’s been a while since I was a DJ but I think it gets the message across: “This is a great book…”

Transcript

This is a great book! I really enjoyed this book. I read it during the hustle and bustle of the pre-Christmas shopping period. And I just found it was a wonderful way to be reminded of things I already believed in but I think I needed a little refresher course–and this book was it.

It starts off with David’s very honest and frank account of teenage angst and disillusionment. He’s planning on ditching out on his parents at about age 19 to go find himself. He’s going to, I think, live in a tent and travel around and live on the cheap and find a deeper meaning that he couldn’t find in his teenage years.

But before he plans to leave he wants to say farewell to all his friends. So he goes to a party, a farewell party, and one of his buddies comes up to him and gives him some pretty dangerous drugs. And the buddy warns David not to take the drugs until he’s instructed on how to use them but David doesn’t listen and proceeds to slip into a coma. And at that point he starts to have some pretty interesting experiences.

He starts off by seeing his friends – if I remember right, they’re in a car – but his friends can’t see him. Then he’s back in the house, looking at his motionless body; and he’s still fully awake and alive, moving about the house, sort of hovering like a spirit.

He notes that he can’t move objects. His hand goes through the faucet. And Jim Morrison and the Doors are playing and the music is very irritating to David, which I found interesting because I’ve always liked the Doors — as it deals with otherworldly themes — but it all just sounded like noise when he was in this refined consciousness.

He then proceeds to bigger and better things. A spirit guide comes to help him, one of several otherworldly beings whom David claims to meet in this account. And the spirit guide, whom David calls “Bob” – [laughs] it’s just so much like this book; it’s so unpretentious and straightforward and incredibly well-written, to boot. Anyhow, the spirit guide shows David a scene of the pyramids in Egypt, how they stand today and how they stood around the time of their construction.

One thing I found very interesting about this is that David claims the past and the present interact in some kind of mysterious way, like interacting, overlapping fields.

I think that’s fascinating. To read that in a book… that kind of thing is quite rare. You find it a bit in the Jane Roberts books, the Seth Books, and you find it I believe in Emmanuel’s Books if I remember right (I haven’t looked at those for a few years).

But it’s a fascinating idea that time is interactive, and I found that present in this book. I also found the idea that the heavens are interactive with our Earthly reality. David saw, as a matter of fact (after the Egyptian experience)… his guide took him up to a spiritual city. And this spiritual city apparently interacts with our Earth, and life on Earth, in ways we don’t fully understand.

The bottom line is the spiritual beings (and David outlines quite a few of them)… their basic message is that we should love one another. And I really can’t find any fault with that message whatsoever.

On page 74 David writes:

The unvarnished truth is that I went to heaven, or at least one of them, that is connected to Earth and brought back the simple message to love one another.

You know, I find there’s no conflict here with my Catholic faith. Some of you may know that I, myself, converted to Catholicism in 2001 and some Catholics might not like this book. There are a few swipes at organized religion and I understand that perspective. I used to be like that when I was a kid, actually.

I never went to Church or anything like that. If I didn’t have spiritual experiences within the Catholic Church I wouldn’t go. The whole reason I converted is because I do have spiritual experiences. But for those who don’t have spiritual experiences in the Church I understand how they can just see it as seemingly wooden and formulaic—it’s not, it’s not just that.

And I think this is one point I would disagree on but other than that, I mean… hey, Earthpages is about dialogue so I try to look for the interesting and the good and if I disagree with something I just say so.

So I would highly recommend this book. I think it’s incredibly well-written, honest and there’s such a complexity to the account that it really makes one feel that it’s not just a hallucination. You know, some materialist psychiatrists will say that all near death experiences are just the brain’s way of trying to make you feel good before you die and, I don’t know, I just think that this book… the complexity, detail and duration of the near death experience really tends to make one think there’s something to it.

–MC

Welcome to Fringe Paranormal’s first blog post. This past Halloween I got to thinking. Halloween is the time of year when most groups like ours receive publicity. It can be a little bothersome knowing that many people only associate paranormal investigation teams with the Halloween season. But that’s the way it is. As a director of Fringe Paranormal I just go with the flow and try to make it work for the team.

This year we sent out the first batch of press releases for the new team. There have been successes and failures. I had an interview with a certain paper in the area and got a write up in the paper. I got a call from a reporter at another local smaller paper but have been unable to reach them. So it goes.

As far as promoting goes sometimes karma steps in. While doing some research about a local haunt we were about to investigate I visited an area historical society. After talking to the proprietors the man I spoke to happened to mention our visit to a newspaper friend of his. I had an interview with the person and the article was published (as mentioned above). We garnered publicity for both the group and for the location we were about to investigate shortly thereafter.

This is a good lesson for anyone out there who either runs or is in a group. Don’t just promote yourself and the team. Promote the places you investigate and those who help you out along the way. It builds goodwill and you never know how it may come back to help you.

Other than promotions I think that one of the most important keys to a successful group is professionalism. You would be surprised at how many paranormal investigation teams are lacking in this area. Work it like any other business. Do not enter a client’s home or business wearing grungy clothes, you are representing your team. First impressions count for a lot.

I think that another area that many teams neglect is the follow up. After the investigation many teams talk amongst themselves about how cool the investigation was and that is the end of it. Or maybe they just list the investigation location on their web page with no information. In my opinion that team just wasted their team’s time, the client’s time and the time of the paranormal community and the person taking the time to visit their website. Post your investigations and let researchers and the public know what happened. What were your findings on the investigation? What good is an investigation if no one learns anything from it? Follow up with the client as well. Let them know what, if anything you found. If you investigated a business thank them. Give them a shout out or a link on your web page. They let you into their establishment for the evening. That extra bit of work to express your thanks or goodwill could come back to you in the form of an invite back or a referral to another location.

Looking at the clock, it is a bit late as I write this so I will try to sum up. Basically, I think the key to a successful team is professionalism, attitude, how we present ourselves and the team, and common courtesy. If a team can master this they are on their way to a successful run in the paranormal (or any) field.

In closing I would like to recommend the following sites of those who have given us support recently:

http://www.hollandspencerspringfieldhs.blogspot.com  one of our research sources

http://www.firenationglass.blogspot.com  one of our recent investigation spots

Please visit our team’s website as well  at:

http://www.fringeparanormal.com

while you are there please click on our Google ads, not only will you discover some cool stuff you will also help us garner funds to purchase some much needed equipment.

Thank you for your support, Don,  Director Fringe Paranormal

I don’t think that I will watch very many more of these shows. It seems to me that the paranormal programs have “jumped the shark.” Steve seems to be enjoying his role as tyrant just a little too much.

I got a good laugh out of Steve scolding Ben Smith for being too submissive with Jane. When will he say the same thing to Tango? That’s right Steve, yes Steve, whatever you say Steve.

I had an idea that Heathyr would not survive for long. She seemed to me to be speaking about the show in the past tense. However; I may be reading more into it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMKmrJ4BvNw

Entertaining

Gripping

Emotive

Craft

I debated reviewing this one, because it is not to my tastes at all.  So bear that in mind while you read.

I was interested in the initial submission; a vampire that feeds off emotion, not blood.  Sounds like a nice twist. And the initial scene was well-drawn, tense and suggestive.

Then, for some unknown reason, the writer decided to write a completely different book.  I spent the next 5 or so scenes reading about life in New York, about whats-her-name (if it was mentioned anywhere, I missed it) and her three friends. Sitting in cafes.  Talking about sex.

If there was a plot to the story, I missed it.  There’s an unfocused ramble about 4 people, punctuated by feeding/sex scenes which, to be honest, I found a bit lukewarm.  Mostly I was just disappointed in the whole story.  Waiting for something to connect with, something to interest me as a reader.

The author left a comment about the navigation, and I can see why.  There is no link between chapters, and no link back to the table of contents.  So when you finish a chapter, you either have to go back, or go hunting through the top menus for the table of contents.  It didn’t make for a smooth reading experience at all.

The story has subscribers, so obviously others like it.  But for me, there just wasn’t enough of either plot or character to make me care enough to read on.

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Pages: 392
Call number: Y Stiefvater (new YA fiction section)

As a child, Grace was attacked by the wolves living in the woods behind her house and almost killed. Her memory of the event is hazy, but she remembers the yellow eyes of the wolf that saved her, and since then she’s seen him every winter lurking just outside her backyard. In the summer, however, he’s conspicuously absent, and she misses him keenly. Sam, the wolf in question, is a werewolf, and while he watches over Grace as a wolf, as a human he can’t get up the courage to speak to her. When a boy from Grace’s school is killed by wolves, she interrupts the hunting party that forms, but not before wolf Sam is shot and, turned human by the injury, ends up bleeding on her back deck. Once they finally meet, their long-held interest in each other turns to romance, but staying together looks unlikely as Sam’s time as a wolf approaches.

Stiefvater offers a unique take on the werewolf mythology in this supernatural romance. Rather than changing with the full moon, her wolves change with the temperature: they are wolves in cold weather and humans in warm weather. The longer they are werewolves, the less frequently they change back and forth, eventually becoming a wolf for good. The temperature required to change varies, as does the length of time they have before losing their humanity for good, but in general the younger werewolves change with the seasons more often and have more time as humans ahead of them.

This has a couple of interesting repercussions. As humans, the werewolves need a caretaker who provides a home, food, clothes, and other necessities, which becomes more difficult as the older werewolves make the final change. (For obvious reasons, nobody lives with their original family.) As wolves, they face continuing problems of lean winters and people encroaching on the woods they live in. Neither of these problems have good solutions, and I think Stiefvater does a capable job showing how desperate the werewolves are becoming without letting it overwhelm the story (which is mostly a romance).

The major conflict is that Sam, despite being young, is fast losing his ability to change, and the coming winter marks his final transformation. He will never be human again. Most of the book’s tension comes from Sam’s struggle to stay human despite cold temperatures and the inevitability of the change.

Other conflicts are with Jack, the boy supposedly killed by the wolves but has actually become a werewolf himself, and with Shelby, one of the werewolf females. Both Jack and Shelby try to come between Grace and Sam for different reasons – Jack thinks Grace has a cure (she doesn’t) and Shelby wants Sam all to herself. Both of them are violent and a little crazed, though Jack comes off as more desperate then mentally unbalanced, like Shelby. Also, Beck, the leader of Sam’s werewolf family when they’re humans, does something to ensure the continued safety of the pack that seems morally wrong.

Overall, though, there isn’t a lot of conflict to the main storyline – the romance — because Grace and Sam have an almost perfect relationship. It’s believable but the sweetness doesn’t make for the most compelling reading for nearly 400 pages, and the other, more action-y plots are spread out too far. I found myself becoming bored and skimming a little too frequently. Though it’s nice to see a teen supernatural romance that doesn’t rely on the distant, brooding, mixed-signal-sending boy and love struck, all-forgiving girl for conflict. Sam is open and emotional and Grace is independent, practical, and kind of kick butt (not in the “knowing martial arts” kind of way, but the “saving herself from danger” kind of way). I had some issues with the ending but I don’t want to spoil, so if you’re curious shoot me an e-mail.

This book will appeal to fans of supernatural romance and werewolves. I liked it enough to read Linger, the sequel, when it comes out.

Finished: 25/11/09

Genre: Chick Lit/Paranormal

Rated: A

Opening Sentence: ‘…Every smiley moon, without fail, Claire dreamed of her childhood…’

This is the story of 2 sisters, Claire and Sydney, who each find a different way to cope with being deserted as children by a mother who lived on the wild side of life. Each has inherited the magic that the women of their family is renowned for. Claire creates her magic with her cooking, blending herbs to influence the actions of others, but stays close to the family home that she inherits.   Sydney, the younger sister, follows the  mother she never knew through a series of abusive men in different parts of the USA.  Finally she can take no more – and escapes home to Claire – bringing a daughter, Bay, with her.

Sydney thinks she has no magical talent – but soon it manifests itself as the  Waverley family home weaves its own magic over the two women.  Sydney’s magical ability is to style and cut hair with a magic that spells her customers into feeling self confident and flirty. Their elderly aunt, Evanelle,  gives strange gifts to people that they don’t know they need until something happens later.

The magical story is set  a completely believable small-town world. The magic is present, but subtle, no wand waving here.  In the town are real characters, all struggling with their own problems.  The women have to discover each other, find love, and overcome their fears before a great danger arrives to be overcome.

There is one more special character that needs to be mentioned – the apple tree.  Which is as much of a part of the family as Claire, Sydney and Bay.

I get a lot of questions about my books and my background, and I thought I’d just take a few moments here to discuss some of my most frequent questions, and to introduce a few of my books you might not be aware of the existence of.

I’m often asked about my connection to the paranormal, and why I spend so much time writing paranormals.  All I can say to that is that my LIFE is a paranormal.  There’s a great deal about me that only the people who’ve been the closest and most open toward me have even touched the surface of.  I just don’t talk about it, much.  Period.  There’s no deep and/or nefarious reason to that.  A lot of it has more to do with the fact that I’ve thought of it as “normal” for so long, I was surprised to learn that it actually WASN’T.  To me, writing about the paranormal is writing about something I know intimately, something to which I have a deeper connection than any other in my life.

My first excursion into the paranormal in fiction was a series of Arthurian novels I began work on many years ago (being likewise obsessed with all things Arthurian at the time).   Nope, these books are still unpublished.  Not from any huge sentimental attachment, but because as my writing skill developed and changed, I’ve continued to edit and perfect, and quite frankly, I’m just not convinced they’re good enough, yet…:)  That’s the perfectionist in me.

In the late 1990’s, I began working on a novel that once again combined the paranormal with a subject very close to my heart – the Cradle of Civilization.  When I first started the novel, entitled IN HER NAME, it was meant to be a stand-alone novel entwining the dangerous mythology of the region with the archeology I was fascinated by.  Then, in 2001, terror struck the US and, after listening to people openly rebuke the Arabs even before the dust settled or any investigation was done, I was angry.  Not at the Arabs, but at the close-mindedness of a nation that would condemn a person strictly on their beliefs, without understanding how the actions of a few do NOT reflect the beliefs of the many.  And my main character, Manara, began to take on a new shape – not as an Arab, but as a woman of a belief structure even older: a religion feared because it’s not understood, and a woman despised for her beliefs in both her own world and in the eyes of an American man with a deep hatred of all things paranormal or supernatural – a hatred even he doesn’t quite understand.  IN HER NAME became the birthing of Project Prometheus, a paranormal series that deals equally with the misunderstanding and hatred that lead to terrible acts of violence in our world.  You can find out more about IN HER NAME and the rest of Project Prometheus on my website at http://www.esthermitchell.com/projectmain.html

Even before Project Prometheus (or IN HER NAME) breathed life, however, there was another series already working toward completion in my life.  Born of my youth growing up in the military world, and of my respect for the men and women who serve and were my friends and extended family for a great number of years.  From my own mistakes (and the possibilities of mistakes I came close to making), my own triumphs, dreams, and heartaches, came the character of Tamia Kuan, a reformed street punk and recovering heroin addict whose years as a Marine in the middle of a massive world war have left her struggling to find the honor and courage that can keep her alive and sane.  When she gains entry to the ultra-elite Commandos, Tamia has more struggles ahead of her, facing her greatest fears and most dangerous enemy – herself.  Tamia is one of the central characters of my Futuristic Romance/Thriller series, Underground.  Beginning with the self-named novel TAMIA, each book follows the twists and turns of a hunt for a spy capable of destroying everything Tamia’s struggled for.

Upcoming next year, I’ve got another series coming out – this one will be a Fantasy series, Legends of Tirum.  I’ll be going into details on this series a little more around the beginning of the year.  It’s set up in a similar vein to Underground, with a central set of characters and a continuing storyline that takes place over the span of 10-11 books.  I’m actually very excited about this series, and when I begin to post more information on the series you’ll get to see why!

More information about both the books here and other books I’ve written in these series and beyond can be found on my website at http://www.esthermitchell.com

Oleh Al Ustadz Sofyan Chalid Bin Idham Ruray

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

حفظه الله تعالى وغفر له ولوالديه ولجميع المسلمين

Kiamat 2012 mengguncang dunia, demikian headline di beberapa media massa akhir-akhir ini, ternyata isi beritanya tentang sambutan gegap gempita dari masyarakat dunia terhadap sebuah film yang bercerita tentang terjadinya kiamat pada tahun 2012 (alhamdulillah ana tidak ikut nonton). Film ini diangkat dari ramalan bangsa Maya kuno paganis yang berasal dari Meksiko, bahwa kiamat akan terjadi pada 21 Desember 2012.

Berbicara tentang ramalan kiamat sebenarnya bukan hal baru, banyak sekali paranormal dan tukang ramal sejak dulu telah menyesatkan masyarakat dengan ramalan waktu terjadinya kiamat, namun satu yang pasti: semua ramalan tersebut tidak pernah terbukti sama sekali. Anehnya masih banyak juga yang mau percaya, bahkan rela merogoh kocek hanya demi menonton film tersebut.

Meski kami tahu, alhamdulillah kaum muslimin pada umumnya tidak mudah terpengaruh untuk percaya dengan ramalan-ramalan tersebut, bahkan ada seorang muslim yang sangat awam mengatakan, “kiamat di tangan Allah bukan di tangan orang-orang Hollywood”.

Akan tetapi kewajiban kita sebagai muslim untuk saling menasihati, mengingatkan saudara-saudara kita, ternyata ada bahaya besar di balik film tersebut, yaitu bahaya atas aqidah seorang muslim.

Ilmu ghaib hanya milik Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala

Apa yang akan terjadi di masa depan temasuk perkara ghaib, tidak ada yang memiliki ilmunya, baik malaikat, manusia maupun jin, kecuali Allah Ta’ala. Ini adalah salah satu pokok keimanan yang harus diyakini oleh setiap hamba.

Maka termasuk kesyirikan:
1. Apabila seorang mengaku mengetahui ilmu ghaib,
2. Apabila seorang mempercayai ada selain Allah yang mengetahui ilmu ghaib.
Karena pengetahuan tentang ilmu ghaib merupakan kekhususan bagi Allah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala. Sebagaimana yang Allah Ta’ala tegaskan dalam banyak ayat, diantaranya:

قُلْ لَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ

“Katakanlah, “Tidak ada seorangpun di langit dan di bumi yang mengetahui hal ghaib, kecuali Allah Ta’ala” Dan mereka tidak mengetahui bilakah mereka akan dibangkitkan.” (QS. An-Naml: 65)

وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ

“Dan pada sisi Allah-lah kunci-kunci semua yang ghaib, tak ada yang mengetahuinya melainkan Dia sendiri, dan Dia mengetahui apa yang di daratan dan di lautan dan tidak sehelai daun pun yang gugur melainkan Dia mengetahui, dan tidak jatuh sebutir biji pun dalam kegelapan bumi dan tidak sesuatu yang basah atau yang kering, melainkan tertulis dalam kitab yang nyata (lauhul mahfudz)” (QS. Al-An`am: 59)

Hukum mempercayai ramalan

Kewajiban setiap hamba untuk mengimani bahwa Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala sajalah yang mengetahui ilmu ghaib. Oleh karenanya, barangsiapa yang mempercayai ramalan dukun, paranormal, tukang ramal ataupun ramalan bintang tentang masa depan berarti dia telah menyekutukan Allah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala. Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam menegaskan:

مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ فقد كفر بما أنزل على محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم

“Barangsiapa yang mendatangi paranormal lalu membenarkan ucapannya, maka ia telah kafir dengan apa yang diturunkan kepada Muhammad –shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam-.” (HR. Abu Daud dan Tirmidzi, dishahihkan oleh Asy-Syaikh Al-Albani dalam Shohihut Targhib no. 3047)

Bahkan sekedar bertanya tanpa membenarkan atau mempercayai ucapan paranormal tersebut mengakibatkan tertolaknya sholat seseorang selama 40 hari, tanpa menggugurkan kewajiban sholat dari dirinya. Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam bersabda:

مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاَةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً

“Barangsiapa yang mendatangi paranormal lalu bertanya kepadanya tentang sesuatu, maka tidak diterima sholatnya selama 40 malam.” (HR. Muslim no. 5957)

Dan termasuk dalam hal ini apabila seorang membaca ramalan-ramalan bintang (zodiak), feng shui, primbon, dan semisalnya yang biasa tersebar di media massa dan ia mempercayainya maka itu adalah kesyirikan kepada Allah. Jika sekedar membacanya tanpa meyakininya maka termasuk dosa besar (lihat At-Tamhid Li Syarhi Kitabit Tauhid, Asy-Syaikh Sholih Alu Syaikh hafizhahullah, hlm. 489-490).

Kapan terjadi kiamat termasuk ilmu ghaib, hanya Allah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala yang memiliki ilmunya

Tidak diragukan lagi bahwa pengetahuan tentang waktu terjadinya kiamat adalah termasuk perkara ghaib, hanya Allah Ta’ala saja yang tahu kapan terjadinya kiamat, tidak ditampakkan kepada makhluk-Nya karena suatu hikmah. Allah Ta’ala berfirman:

يَسْأَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيبًا

“Mereka bertanya kepadamu tentang (kapan datangnya) hari kiamat. Katakanlah, “Sesungguhnya pengetahuan tentang kapan datangnya hari kiamat itu hanyalah di sisi Allah.” Dan tahukah kamu (wahai Muhammad) boleh jadi hari kiamat itu sudah dekat waktunya.” (QS. Al-Ahzab: 63)

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةً يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنْهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“Mereka menanyakan kepadamu tentang kiamat: “Bilakah terjadinya?” Katakanlah: “Sesungguhnya pengetahuan tentang kiamat itu adalah pada sisi Rabbku; tidak seorangpun yang dapat menjelaskan waktu kedatangannya selain Dia. Kiamat itu amat berat (huru haranya bagi makhluk) yang di langit dan di bumi. Kiamat itu tidak akan datang kepadamu melainkan secara tiba-tiba.” Mereka bertanya kepadamu seakan-akan kamu benar-benar mengetahuinya. Katakanlah: “Sesungguhnya pengetahuan tentang hari kiamat itu adalah di sisi Allah, tetapi kebanyakan manusia tidak mengetahui”.” (QS Al-A’raf: 187)

Bahkan malaikat yang paling mulia sekalipun, yaitu Jibril ‘alaihissalam dan Rasul yang paling mulia, yaitu Nabi Muhammad shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam juga tidak mengetahui kapan terjadinya kiamat.

Sehingga ketika Jibril datang dalam bentuk seorang laki-laki dan bertanya kepada Rasulullah shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam, “kapan terjadinya kiamat”, sebuah pertanyaan untuk mengajarkan kepada para sahabat bahwa tidak ada yang mengetahui kapan terjadinya kiamat kecuali Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla, maka dijawab oleh Rasulullah shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam: “tidaklah orang yang ditanya lebih tahu dari yang bertanya.” (sebagaimana dalam hadits yang panjang, yang dikenal dengan istilah hadits Jibril, diriwayatkan oleh al-Imam Muslim, lihat hadits Arba’in ke-2).

Bentuk Kekafiran dari sisi lain: Mendustakan hadits-hadits tentang tanda-tanda kiamat

Termasuk bagian dari rukun iman yang kelima, yaitu beriman dengan hari kiamat adalah mengimani terjadinya tanda-tanda kiamat. Hal tersebut telah dijelaskan dalam banyak ayat dan hadits yang shahih, bahkan sebagiannya mutawatir. Diantaranya dalam hadits Hudzaifah bin Asid al-Ghifari radhiyallahu’anhu:

اطَّلَعَ النَّبِىُّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ نَتَذَاكَرُ فَقَالَ مَا تَذَاكَرُونَ. قَالُوا نَذْكُرُ السَّاعَةَ. قَالَ إِنَّهَا لَنْ تَقُومَ حَتَّى تَرَوْنَ قَبْلَهَا عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ. فَذَكَرَ الدُّخَانَ وَالدَّجَّالَ وَالدَّابَّةَ وَطُلُوعَ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا وَنُزُولَ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَيَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ وَثَلاَثَةَ خُسُوفٍ خَسْفٌ بِالْمَشْرِقِ وَخَسْفٌ بِالْمَغْرِبِ وَخَسْفٌ بِجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِ وَآخِرُ ذَلِكَ نَارٌ تَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْيَمَنِ تَطْرُدُ النَّاسَ إِلَى مَحْشَرِهِمْ.

“Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam memperhatikan kami ketika sedang berbincang-bincang. Beliau berkata, “Apa yang sedang kalian perbincangkan?” Kami menjawab, “Kami sedang berbincang-bincang tentang hari kiamat.” Beliau bersabda:

“Tidak akan terjadi hari kiamat hingga kalian melihat sepuluh tanda.” Lalu beliau menyebutkan, “[1] Dukhan (asap yang meliputi manusia), [2] Keluarnya Dajjal, [3] Daabah (binatang yang bisa berbicara), [4] terbitnya matahari dari barat, [5] turunnya ‘Isa bin Maryam ‘alaihimassalam, [6] keluarnya Ya’juj dan Ma’juj, [7,8,9] terjadinya tiga longsor besar yaitu di timur, di barat dan di jazirah Arab, yang terakhir adalah [10] keluarnya api dari Yaman yang menggiring manusia ke tempat berkumpulnya mereka”.” (HR. Muslim no. 7467)

Dari kesepuluh tanda-tanda kubro ini yang paling jelas pengingkarannya pada tanda yang kelima, yaitu tentang turunnya Nabi ‘Isa ‘alaihissalam, karena dalam hadits yang shahih diterangkan bahwa lama tinggal Nabi ‘Isa ‘alaihissalam di bumi adalah selama 40 tahun, kemudian beliau meninggal dunia dan disholati oleh kaum muslimin (sebagaimana dalam hadits yang diriwayatkan Al-Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud dan dishahihkan oleh Asy-Syaikh Al-Albani dalam Ash-Shahihah no. 2182).

Sedangkan ramalan kiamat bangsa Maya akan terjadi pada 21 Desember 2012, berarti jaraknya tinggal 3 tahun lebih sedikit, padahal Nabi ‘Isa ‘alaihissalam akan tinggal di bumi selama 40 tahun. Ini jelas penyesatan dan pendustaan secara tidak langsung terhadap hadits Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam yang mulia, satu dari dua wahyu Allah (al-Qur’an dan al-Hadits).

Demikian pula, termasuk tanda kubro sebelum turunnya Nabi Isa ‘alaihissalam, adalah diangkatnya Imam Mahdi sebagai pemimpin tunggal kaum muslimin dan beliau akan berkuasa selama 7 atau 8 tahun (dan Nabi ‘Isa ‘alaihissalam turun pada masa kepemimpinan beliau) (sebagaimana dalam hadits yang diriwayatkan oleh Al-Imam Al-Hakim dan dishahihkan oleh Asy-Syaikh Al-Albani dalam Ash-Shahihah no. 711).

Juga tidak akan terjadi kiamat sebelum kaum muslimin mengalahkan kaum penjajah dan teroris sejati: yahudi. Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam bersabda:

لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ الْيَهُودَ فَيَقْتُلُهُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ حَتَّى يَخْتَبِئَ الْيَهُودِىُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحَجَرِ وَالشَّجَرِ فَيَقُولُ الْحَجَرُ أَوِ الشَّجَرُ يَا مُسْلِمُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ هَذَا يَهُودِىٌّ خَلْفِى فَتَعَالَ فَاقْتُلْهُ. إِلاَّ الْغَرْقَدَ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ شَجَرِ الْيَهُودِ

“Tidak akan terjadi kiamat sebelum kaum muslimin memerangi orang Yahudi. Maka kaum muslimin membunuh mereka sampai orang Yahudi bersembunyi di belakang batu dan pohon; maka batu dan pohon itu berkata, “Wahai Muslim, wahai hamba Allah, inilah orang Yahudi di belakangku, kemarilah dan bunuhlah,” kecuali pohon gharqad, karena sesungguhnya ia adalah pohonnya Yahudi.” (HR. Muslim no. 7523)

Sebagaimana kaum muslimin pada akhir zaman akan menundukkan semua kekuatan orang-orang kafir di muka bumi ini. Dan sudah dimaklumi bahwa pembuat film ini adalah seorang Yahudi, sehingga tidak berlebihan kalau kita bertanya-tanya, apakah ini gambaran ketakutan mereka kepada kaum muslimin, sekaligus ingin memadamkan semangat jihad plus mengkaburkan aqidah kaum muslimin!?

Dan masih banyak hadits lain tentang tanda-tanda kiamat yang mungkin didustakan dalam ramalan tersebut.

Sejatinya, ketika terjadi kiamat tidak ada lagi orang beriman di muka bumi ini, karena Allah Ta’ala telah mewafatkan semua orang yang beriman sebelum terjadinya kiamat. Sehingga yang menyaksikan terjadinya kiamat hanyalah orang-orang kafir, bahkan mereka adalah seburuk-buruknya manusia yang tersisa di muka bumi ini. Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam bersabda:

إِنَّ مِنْ شِرَارِ النَّاسِ مَنْ تُدْرِكُهُ السَّاعَةُ وَهُمْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَمَنْ يَتَّخِذُ الْقُبُورَ مَسَاجِدَ

“Sesungguhnya diantara makhluk yang paling buruk (di sisi Allah) adalah orang yang masih hidup ketika terjadinya kiamat dan orang yang menjadikan kuburan sebagai masjid.” (HR. Ahmad, dihasankan oleh Asy-Syaikh Al-Albani dalam Ahkamul Janaiz hlm. 216)

Faidah: Yang dimaksud dengan menjadikan kuburan sebagai masjid mencakup dua makna, pertama: shalat di pekuburan, kedua: membangun masjid di pekuburan (lihat I’anatul Mustafid bi Syarhi Kitabit Tauhid, Asy-Syaikh Sholih al-Fauzan hafizhahullah 1/298).

Kesimpulan

Mempercayai ramalan terjadinya kiamat pada tahun 2012 termasuk kesyirikan dan kekafiran kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Lalu bagaimana mungkin seorang mukmin bisa terhibur dengan film, maupun acara-acara perdukunan seperti The Master dan lainnya yang berdasarkan pada sesuatu yang sangat dimurkai Allah!?

Padahal setiap mukmin tidak saja dituntut untuk menjauhi kekafiran, tapi juga dituntut untuk membenci kekafiran tersebut dan pelaku-pelakunya. Inilah satu permasalahan penting dalam aqidah seorang muslim yang dikenal dengan istilah al-wala’ wal bara’, kecintaan dan permusuhan. Bahwa cinta seorang mukmin kepada iman dan orang-orang yang beriman dan kebenciannya kepada kekafiran dan orang-orang kafir. Nabi Ibrahim ‘alaihissalam telah memberikan teladan yang baik dalam hal ini:

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ

“Sesungguhnya telah ada suri teladan yang baik bagi kalian pada Ibrahim dan orang-orang yang bersamanya; ketika mereka berkata kepada kaumnya: ‘Sesungguhnya kami berlepas diri dari kalian dan apa yang kalian sembah selain Allah, kami ingkari (kekafiran) kalian serta telah nyata antara kami dan kalian permusuhan dan kebencian untuk selama-lamanya, sampai kalian beriman kepada Allah saja.” (QS. Al-Mumtahanah: 4)

Sehingga termasuk kekafiran:
1. Apabila seorang mencintai atau meridhoi kekafiran meskipun ia tidak melakukannya,
2. Apabila seorang mencintai orang kafir karena kekafirannya.
Adapun seorang yang mencintai orang kafir bukan karena kekafirannya, seperti karena dunia dan lainnya, maka tidak termasuk kekafiran, namun termasuk dosa besar (lihat Syarah Tsalatsatul Ushul, Asy-Syaikh Sholih Alu Syaikh hafizhahullah, hlm. 27)

Maka sangat dikhawatirkan, hadirnya kita untuk menonton dan mencari hiburan dari acara-acara kekafiran termasuk dalam bentuk meridhoi kekafiran tersebut.

Di sisi lain, menonton film tersebut minimalnya termasuk perbuatan sia-sia dan membelanjakan harta untuk kesia-siaan, padahal masih banyak hal-hal positif yang bisa kita lakukan untuk kebaikan dunia dan akhirat kita. Demikian pula jika kita renungkan sejenak, tentang harta yang kita keluarkan hanya demi suatu hiburan belaka, padahal di negeri kita sendiri terlalu mudah untuk bertemu peminta-minta setiap harinya di jalan-jalan negeri kita dan di belahan bumi lain banyak saudara-saudara kita kaum muslimin, seperti di Palestina, Afganistan, Iraq, dan lainnya yang sangat membutuhkan uluran tangan kita, karena sekedar untuk mendapatkan sesuap nasi terlalu sulit bagi mereka disebabkan penjajahan yang dilakukan oleh orang-orang kafir, sementara kita di sini, menghambur-hamburkan harta untuk hiburan yang tidak syar’i!?

Adapun bagi mereka yang ingin mengambil hikmah atau pelajaran dari film, novel, nyanyian (baca: nasyid) dan yang sejenisnya, ketahuilah itu termasuk tipu daya setan untuk menjauhkan kita dari al-Qur’an dan cabang-cabang ilmunya yang sangat banyak. Barangsiapa yang tidak bisa mengambil pelajaran dari al-Qur’an maka bagaimana mungkin ia bisa mengambil dari selainnya!?

Ingatlah, setiap detik yang kita lalui dan setiap harta yang kita belanjakan pasti akan dimintai pertanggung jawabannya di akhirat kelak. Rasulullah shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam bersabda:

لَا تَزُولُ قَدَمَا عَبْدٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ أَرْبَعٍ : عَنْ عُمُرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَاهُ ، وَعَنْ عِلْمِهِ مَاذَا عَمِلَ فِيهِ ، وَعَنْ مَالِهِ مِنْ أَيْنَ اكْتَسَبَهُ وَفِيمَا أَنْفَقَهُ ، وَعَنْ جِسْمِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلَاهُ

“Tidak akan bergerak kedua kaki seorang hamba pada hari kiamat sampai dimintai pertanggung jawaban tentang empat perkara, tentang umurnya ke mana ia habiskan, tentang hartanya dari mana ia dapatkan dan ke mana ia belanjakan dan tentang badannya untuk apa ia pergunakan.” (HR. Tirmidzi, dishahihkan oleh Asy-Syaikh Al-Albani dalam Shohihut Targhib no. 126)

Oleh karenanya, yang paling penting bagi kita bukanlah mengetahui kapan terjadinya kiamat, tapi apa yang telah kita siapkan untuk menghadapi hari kiamat.

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا قَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- مَتَى السَّاعَةُ قَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « مَا أَعْدَدْتَ لَهَا ». قَالَ حُبَّ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ. قَالَ « أَنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ

“Dari Anas bin Malik radhiyallahu’anhu bahwasannya, seorang Arab dusun bertanya kepada Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam, “kapan terjadinya hari kiamat”, maka Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam bertanya kepadanya, “apa yang telah engkau siapkan untuk menghadapi hari kiamat”, ia menjawab, “kecintaan kepada Allah dan Rasul-Nya”, maka Nabi shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam bersabda, “engkau akan bersama dengan yang engkau cintai”.” (Muttafaqun ‘alaihi)

Wallahu Ta’ala A’la wa A’lam.

Sumber: Facebook Ustadz Sofyan Chalid Bin Idham Ruray

As I’ve often stated on this blog, I have a weakness for great covers. They’re often the first selling point for me when it nterscomes to books, which is why it should come as no surprise that I picked up this book when I saw the striking cover at the bookstore. What captured me most were the markings on the male’s body. I have a ‘thing’ for markings, as anyone who’s read my book, Zerah’s Chosen, knows (mini-plug!).

The storyline was simple enough: when Clary Fray witnesses a punkish blue haired boy get murdered by three teens (who have weird silver markings and fight as comfortably as they breathe), she is hurled into the world of the Shadowhunters, which oddly enough are called Nephilim. Now, this book seems to be a down is up kind of book, because according to the Bible, the Nephilim were human/angel hybrids who wreaked havoc and caused terrible violence in the world, while in Clare’s world, they’re the heroes, saving the world from ‘demons’. These demons are from another dimension and occassionally form human crossbreeds that live as vampires, werewolves, and other magical supernatural creatures.

There were some things I feel Clare really got right. The mythology she created is fascinating. In particular the very memorable Silent Brothers, the visual of the City of Bones being below a populated metropolis like Manhattan, and the history of the war and the mortal instruments. It made for interesting reading and made the world feel pre-existent, rather than it all suddenly starting with the heroine’s discovery of her Sight. Clary’s best friend, Simon, was also a wonderful anchor to reality amidst all the new paranormality. He made me smile and he melted my heart a few times. His loyalty to her made him a very sympathetic character. And Jace, despite being unnecessarily obnoxious most times, had great chemistry with Clary, so the tension kept me reading.

Despite these pluses, the book suffered from one very MAJOR minus. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what it is, as it’s a huge spoiler of the ending. Ha ha. Terrible, aren’t I? I’ll just tell you this: I became invested in the story, started to cheer on the characters, and then was so blindsided (and not in a “wow, that’s clever” way) that I actually ended up giving away the book. I still haven’t been able to pick up any of the sequels. While it might have been about a B+ before the ending, it turned into a C-.

Harsh? Maybe. But I don’t seem to be the only person who feels this way. In fact, from the reviews on Goodreads, this is one of those love or hate books. No real inbetweens. From what I understand, Clare borrowed heavily from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and pulled lines from some of her old Harry Potter fanfiction, which has pissed off LOTS of people. But you know what? You can’t go by other people’s reviews. In the end, you have to read for yourself.

Patrimoniul cultural si cel natural – un dar al trecutului care ar trebui lasat mostenire viitorului – reprezinta doua surse de viata si de inspiratie primordiale. Locuri atat de diverse precum intinderile Parcului National Serengeti din Africa orientala, piramidele din Egipt, Marea Bariera de Corali din Australia sau catedralele baroce din America Latina alcatuiesc un patrimoniu mondial, ale carui situri, potrivit UNESCO, apartin, indiferent de teritoriul pe care sunt plasate, tuturor popoarelor. Multe dintre aceste situri traiesc suferinta unor amenintari ingrijoratoare.

Venetia, Canal Grande

“S-a stins viata falnicei Venetii,/ n-auzi cantari, nu vezi lumini de baluri”. Chiar daca, la vremea cand Eminescu scria aceste versuri, Orasul Dogilor nu mai avea, intr-adevar, opulenta de pe vremea Serenissimei Republici, astazi, cel putin sub raportul spectaculosului si al iluminarii feerice, arata grandios. Problema acestui oras fondat in anul 452, unic in miraculoasa lui alcatuire lacustra, este aceea ca se scufunda cu aproximativ 1,5 cm pe secol, oricat de masive sunt eforturile, sustinute la scara industriala, de pompare a apei din structurile subterane.

Insulele Maldive

Desi pare aproape imposibil de imaginat ca o intrega tara sa se scufunde, exact asta se intampla cu Maldivele, “o semintie” de aproximativ 1.200 de insule, scaldate de niste ape care, potrivit specialistilor, contin cea mai bogata viata marina din lume. 80% dintre aceste insule se afla cu aproape un metru peste nivelul marii si sunt pandite de un risc tragic: cresterea continua a nivelului oceanului, fenomen cauzat de incalzirea globala. In timpul tsunami-ului din 2004, care a afectat intreaga infrastructura a tarii, multi atoli din zona au disparut definitiv de pe harta lumii.

Zapezile de pe Kilimanjaro

Considerat cel mai inalt munte din Africa (6.021 m), Kilimanjaro are un varf (cel vestic) caruia localnicii ii spun, nu intamplator, Masai Ngaje Ngai, adica Salasul lui Dumnezeu. Aerul sau de templu al transcendentului e intretinut si de hlamida imaculata de zapada care ii imbraca, indiferent de anotimp, piscul. In ultimii ani, acest acoperamant alb si-a restrans treptat dimensiunile, din pricina aceleiasi incalziri globale. Specialistii spun ca ghetarii care pareau eterni vor deveni, in doar cincisprezece ani, istorie.

Marele Zid Chinezesc

Cele mai vechi segmente din acest monument, probabil cel mai autoritar simbol al Imperiului de Mijloc, dateaza din secolul al V-lea i.Hr. Frontiera semeata si edificiu de aparare, singurul artefact uman vizibil din spatiul cosmic, Zidul a fost consolidat in vremea dinastiei Ming (secolul al XIV-lea). Astazi, aproape doua treimi din cei 6.400 de kilometri care reprezinta distanta de la granita cu Coreea si pana in desertul Gobi au fost distruse de eroziune si de dezvoltarea necontrolata a regiunilor din preajma.

Luxor, Egipt

Datand, aproximativ, din veacul al XIV-lea i.Hr., complexul Luxor de pe malul apusean al Nilului – care include Valea Regilor, Valea Reginelor, precum si mai bine de 40 de temple si monumente funerare – este amenintat nu doar de ravagiile turismului si de rapacitatea “pradatorilor” de vestigii arheologice, ci si de catre insusi fluviul sacru. Constructia barajului de la Aswan, in urma cu 40 de ani, a prilejuit infiltratii masive de apa, care au erodat vechile fundatii si au acoperit numeroase morminte.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Stravechea cetate incasa este pe cale sa devina o victima a propriei sale popularitati. Ruinele, descoperite de istoricul american Hiram Bingham in 1911, au devenit cea mai populara atractie turistica peruviana din ultima vreme. Traficul urias (circa un milion de vizitatori anual) a provocat destabilizarea si chiar prabusirea unora dintre fundatiile de piatra. In plus, dezvoltarea zonala – consecinta a valului de vilegiaturisti – ameninta mediul alpin in care a fost edificata cetatea.

Triunghiul de coral, Indonezia

In acest spatiu au fost descoperite mai bine de 3.000 de specii de pesti si circa 600 de varietati de corali, adica aproximativ 75% din totalul cunoscut pana asazi. Acest ecosistem paradisiac se confrunta cu doua probleme severe: pescuitul excesiv si pescuitul distructiv (care foloseste, pentru uciderea pestilor, explozibili sau otravuri). Consecinta acestor actiuni criminale este nu doar disparitia vietatilor acvatice, ci si distrugerea habitatului lor.

FIRST DROP OF CRIMSON

Night Huntress World, Book 1
(a sexy spinoff from the Night Huntress series)
by Jeaniene Frost
release date: 02/09/2010

pre-order on Amazon Immortal Fiction

back cover description: 
The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows – her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield – and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family’s dark past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness – and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who craves a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human – even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the demon nightmare together…

• read chapter one excerpt on her blog

The most unexpected aspect of the Total Integration phase of the Deal and Heal process was when the weird things started happening.  Not that having flashbacks to other lifetimes isn’t weird, but on a scale of one to bizarro, they don’t compare to some of the experiences I’ve had. 

I should have expected that something strange would happen.  Many of the case studies reported in books on reincarnations by therapists from Dr. Brian Weiss to Rabbi Jonassan Gershom report that after having some type of past life therapy experience people have developed a variety of paranormal abilities.

However, I’m a skeptic when it comes to anything that cannot be empirically proven.  I thought those people were just being fanciful or nutty as I tend to think of most people who report paranormal abilities (especially if they refer to them as “powers” *snicker*).  I had a hard time believing that reincarnation was real, after all.

Even after the validations, the flashbacks, and the regression, it still had the loony moonbattery feel to it. It wasn’t until I finished writing my book that I finally realized that yes, reincarnation happens.  I still don’t know why or how, only that it does, and that is enough for me.  I’ll leave the why to the gurus and the how to the philosophers.

Because nothing particularly happened to me, I didn’t cover it in Breaking the Code.  Except, the blessing I received from Rabbi Gershom.  That, I wrote about on Carol Bowman’s reincarnation forum when it happened, and in Breaking the Code.  I still considered it nothing more than “a healing event”, though, until I did my homework later. But that deserves it’s own separate entry on another day when I’ve got time to dig up the research I did on it.

Back to the case studies and the newfound paranormal abilities people reported.  Suddenly they could see auras, balance chakras, and read past lives. They were clairvoyant, clairaudient, and seeing vibrational shifts taking place.   Sure they could…

And then I had this weird experience one afternoon.  Although I hadn’t discovered any paranormal talents, I did suddenly emerge with an artistic talent in the genre of street photography, and I was preparing for my first art exhibit.  Street what? Sorry, here’s the definition from wikipedia

Street photography is a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions, and other settings.

Street photography uses the techniques of straight photography in that it shows a pure vision of something, like holding up a mirror to society. Street photography often tends to be ironic and can be distanced from its subject matter, and often concentrates on a single human moment, caught at a decisive or poignant moment. On the other hand, much street photography takes the opposite approach and provides a very literal and extremely personal rendering of the subject matter, giving the audience a more visceral experience of walks of life they might only be passingly familiar with. In the 20th century, street photographers have provided an exemplary and detailed record of street culture in Europe and North America, and elsewhere to a somewhat lesser extent.

The pieces were all part of a collection of photographs titled “Left Behind”.  Almost all of the photographs were taken within a couple of blocks of my home, which is in a high-crime area thanks to a lot of low cost rental housing and the presence of an inner-city high school. The photographs chronicle the lives of at-risk adolescents.  Drug use, despair, truancy, running from the police, and getting arrested. It was all there. One thing that was missing from the collection was street gang activity, but in my small town there were no street gangs…

I was sitting at my computer in my dining room, speakers cranking out music at peak volume, when something paranormal happened. I can’t say I heard the voice, because it was not spoken aloud.  However, I perceived it loud and clear, “Get up, grab your camera and go to the front door.”

I didn’t stop and think about what had just happened, instead I got up, grabbed my camera and went to the front door.  And I looked out and saw a group of young men coming across the street, headed towards my yard. Most of  them were familiar as they live and/or hang out in my neighborhood.  And what I saw just didn’t look quite right.

Normally when you see a group of teenaged males walking together, they are laughing and talking and engaging in horseplay.  Not these kids.

They were not laughing, talking, or engaging in horseplay.  They were silently marching across the street and through my yard, cutting across the corner. 

Aha! I had exactly what I needed to represent a street gang. How better to get even with them for cutting through my yard and trampling the baby grass that I’d been carefully nursing through the worst drought in decades. I went to my kitchen window and photographed them as they marched down the street.   I returned to my cocoon of loud music as I processed the photo in Photoshop to create a digital piece of art for my collection, and titled it “Our Gang”.

I got up and went out to the kitchen at some point during the creation process, and damn all if the same kids weren’t headed for my yard again, only this time they were running. My grass! That was when I saw red and did something that I now know was extremely dangerous and stupid.  Ignorance is bliss, let me tell you.

I grabbed up my camera and charged towards the front door, ripped it open and barreled out on to the porch.  At the top of my lungs I yelled at the boys while snapping their pictures, “Stay out of my #@!!ed  yard, you #@!!ing #@!!s!!!!” 

It is said that God looks out for fools and drunkards.  I was sober as usual, so it was the fool somebody was looking out for that day.

I swore at them a few more times and then went slamming back into the house and back to my computer, where I turned a couple of more kids into pieces of art for my collection. Including this next youngster, who was no more than 5 feet away from me when I bellowed at him and took his picture.  It was the look in his eyes that got to me. 

While the final image was printing, I went outside on my front porch and waved at one of my neighbors.  He told me to get my camera and go around the corner because there had been some police cars going by (I had not heard the sirens over Rob Zombie) and there might be something interesting happening. There sure was.

This is what I found.

I got an earful. There had been a shooting just a few minutes before.  A group of gang members shot up a school bus. Wait. What?  Gang members? In my town? How did that happen?

Nobody was hurt, but the gang members got away and “nobody saw anything” so the crime would probably never be solved because although there was a bus full of witnesses, none of them would “snitch” , and they’d get away with it and the public would be screaming for the police to solve the crime. 

Oh. What time was that shooting? Oh Shi-

I bolted back to the house and presented the police with copies of the photos I’d taken out my kitchen window and on my front porch. 

And they didn’t get away with it after all.  Two of them are in prison.  One for being the shooter, and other one for being left behind in my garage when the gang tried to break in two days later to kill me.

Thanks ADT.  The alarm scared the rest of them off. Only the kid who was trapped in my garage got arrested and is now doing time. And I received a letter of commendation from the Chief of Police for my role in solving the crime and convicting the perpetrator.

All because a voice that wasn’t a voice said, “Get up, grab your camera and go to the front door,” at the right time.

And that wasn’t enough to convince me that I’d picked up a paranormal ability or two.  Like I said, I’m a skeptic Plenty more where that came from. I’m a hard case and it took a lot to get me to Acceptance on that issue.

Some weeks later I heard a newly released song titled “Zoo” by the Gangsta Rapper Lil’ Wayne, who is the gang members messiah-they name their gangs after his material.  The lyrics jumped out at me:

“It’s MOB until the mortician dress me. And that’s deep. Get run up on Eagle Street.”

The name of the gang who I’d photographed was MOB. And the street they were marching down when I took that picture-Eagle Street, which is only a short block long. “Get run up on” means someone takes a shot at you.

Still not enough to convince me. I’m a hard case. But the coincidence is bizarre and staggering.

Phoenix

Tekkonkinkreet (2007)
★★ / ★★★★

Based on a manga by Taiyo Matsumoto, “Tekkonkinkreet” was about two children aimed to protect their city from people who either wanted to change the city for the better or demolish it altogether to build an amusement park. Although the medium is animation, the story is not for children because it is very violent and the issues it tackles are geared more toward adults. While I did admire its ability to take risks, it did not completely work for me because it started out as a story grounded in reality but elements of the paranormal or fantasy somehow was added into the mix. It became really confusing, especially toward the end, not only because the movie simultaneously showed events that were actually happening in the real world, it also showed what was in the characters’ heads, and possibly scenes of the future. Perhaps the reason why I didn’t quite get it was because I needed more background information. But then again I always judge a film as a stand-alone piece of work; it should be able to hold up without having to read the source from which it was based on. Undoubtedly, there were some positive things such as the intense chase scenes and the imagination embedded in the metaphysical and surrealistic scenes. Directed by Michael Arias, I wish “Tekkonkinkreet” had less visual stimulation and instead worked more on its emotional resonance. I was interested in the two main characters’ relationship with each other and their society. It would have been a great opportunity to explore how their role as homeless kids, who had to steal from citizens and live in an abandoned car, was directly affected by cops who really cared about their well-beings (and vice-versa). What I love about animes and animated features in general is that it is limitless when it comes to giving its audiences images and emotions. However, there are those animes that simply fail to get me to care or keep my attention due to that lack of balance between the two. Unfotunately, this film is one of those animated pictures that left me bewildered in a negative way.

In this episode…

-Explain THAT Science!: Harry Trunckles tackles the issue of Drunk driving.

-Future Facts: John Titor, Time-Traveler Extraordinaire, details the progression of religion over the next two centuries.

-Jasper Pennies Reviews: The hit movie “The Fourth Kind” has Jasper utterly baffled.

-CSDP Interview Edition: Rebecca Watson chats with us about skeptical activism and feminism. And the interview was objectively awesome.

-Final Solutions: Michelle Glasshappy gives you tips on cleaning your cat.

-The Unofficial Version: Nicola Novakowsky explains the parascientific method.

-Explain THAT Science Supplemental: Harry Trunckles vs. PZ Myers. The fight you’ve all been waiting for.

-Precision Horoscopes: Supercomputer Deep Penetration brings you high-quality astrology.

http://carlsagansdanceparty.podbean.com/2009/11/25/carl-sagans-dance-party-5/

Steven Olsen with PZ Myers and Rebecca Watson.

PZ Myer’s blog, Pharyngula:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/

Rebecca Watson’s sites:

http://skepchick.org

http://theskepticsguide.org

KISS OF DEATH

The Morganville Vampires, Book 8
estimated release: April/May 2010
by Rachel Caine

pre-order from Amazon Immortal Fiction

The way the Glass House worked, on a practical level, was that there was a schedule for the stuff that had to be done. Cooking, cleaning, fixing things, laundry. Technically, they were all on every housemate’s list. In practice, though, what happened was this: the boys (Michael and Shane) bribed the girls (Eve and Claire) to do laundry, and the girls bribed the boys to fix things. 

The basement of the Glass House was big, dark and creepy, which wasn’t really such a surprise. Most basements were, and this was Morganville. Morganville went in for dark and creepy the way Las Vegas went in for neon. Apart from the one area Claire was in, with a battered washer and dryer, a table that had once been painted some kind of industrial green, and some shelves filled with unidentifiable junk, the rest of the basement was dim and quiet. 

She had the music cranked up so high that she failed to hear steps coming down the stairs. In fact, she had no clue she wasn’t completely alone until she felt a hand touch her shoulder, and hot breath against her neck.

• read full excerpt on RachelCaine.com

The Nolan Insignia website is named after a former relative, Johannah Nolan. We are keen genealogists and we also believe in ancestor worship and ancestor spirits, in the Shaman sense. One of our direct relatives was a man called William Makepeace who worked as a Footman for Lady Olivia Bernard Sparrow at Brampton Park in Huntingdon, in the 1830’s. Some relatives were wealthy and others were poor but they always had a good sense of self and were proud of their abilities, whether they were serving others or serving themselves. Some were farmers, some were teachers and others had a trade. Many were interested in the arts.

Sir Harrison Birtwistle, the composer is related to us via Caroline Makepeace Harrison, one of the daughters of William Makepeace and Mary Cragg. he is a distant cousin, (hence his name, Harrison). We are also related to science fiction writer and novelist Stanley Makepeace-Lott, from a time when some of the family lived at 75, 99 and 105 Brunswick Road in Liverpool, Merseyside, now possibly demolished.

A very intrepid distant cousin (with a lot of time on his hands and presumably a lot of hobby money to spare!) has actually traced one branch of our family back to the 15th Century. Some of the Makepeaces were cousins of the Washington family and both families held on to Sulgrave Manor in Oxfordshire until about 1659, where apparently there is a statue of George Washington, so presumably we are all distantly related to him too!

The reason for this post is that we’d like to think that we are also carrying on some of the Makepeace art at Nolan Insignia, as we take our Theater of the Streets very seriously as a ‘Street’ art-form.

Sir Harrison Birtwistle

Sulgrave Manor

Nolan Insignia

Acredite. Acredite. Acredite. Atividade Paranormal sussurra realidade nos ouvidos dos espectadores. E é isso que amedronta.

É pissível lutar contra o invisível?

Uma câmera na mão e uma ideia na cabeça é uma formulazinha conhecida por todo mundo, mas que pouco dá certo, ou funciona. Isso, porque esquecem de falar que a câmera e a ideia sem inteligência não são nada.

Pois Oren Peli é inteligente. Ele pensou logicamente: se é para meter medo, porque não apelar pra realidade? O típico terror violento e nojento dos filmes trash, muitas vezes tidos como cults, deram lugar à imaginação e desespero humano na busca pelo invisível.

Tudo em Atividade Paranormal parece real. No começo, um letreiro agradece à família do casal protagonista e à polícia local por ceder a fita. No fim, uma foto do casal, com diferenças físicas na medida para parecer uma reprodução de casos a la Discovery.

A construção da verossimilhança continua na boa interpretação, falas precisas e reais e na relação do casal, resultado da escolha calma e criteriosa dos atores. Katie Featherston e Micah Sloat foram selecionados individualmente e depois colocados para interagir. Peli percebeu logo a química dos dois. “Se você tivesse visto a audição, teria pensado que eles se conheciam por anos”, revelou. As gravações duraram uma semana. As improvisações foram muito bem recebidas pela falta do roteiro fixo e acabou criando um clima mais íntimo.

Sem sombra de dúvidas, o fator mais importante é o estilo da gravação, toda feita com câmera de mão, tal qual A Bruxa de Blair. Atividade Paranormal tem o mérito de construir os personagens em uma lente, um ponto de vista e um plano, sempre no ritmo humano e sem feedbacks. A história caminha de forma simples, sem deixar buracos e espaços pra contestação.

Os efeitos, aparentemente feitos mecanicamente, funcionam perfeitamente. A ausência do gore faz do inimigo invisível ainda mais real, e os movimentos e atitudes humanas perante a história assustam a qualquer um.

Quer terror de verdade? Quer aumentar sua dúvida quanto à existência de energias (?) em outros planos? Por acaso é possível lutar contra um inimigo invisível?

Atividade Paranormal é garantia de noites de pesadelos com demônios que puxam sua perna e tentam te arrastar para o desconhecido.

P.S. O filme tem três finais. O final original, que circula com o filme que pode ser baixado na internet (busquem no Mininova); um final exibido só uma vez, no festival Screamfest; e o final que tá rolando nos cinemas. O DVD/Blu-ray deve aparecer com todos os finais e, quem sabe, com um documentariozinho sobre o processo de produção.