Today’s post is the raddest post ever! Some days you need long, rambling existential mind-fuck meandering, and some days, well, you just need hot mamasitas.

(I’m currently lost in a piece of fiction I’m teasing out and probably won’t get around to posting anything other than this today. Watch this space…)

So send this to every friend you know. Tell them it’s the raddest post you’ve ever read EVER and you’ll win a prize!

Party on Wayne.

-ST

*A stunning summer bikini

Look at this crazy movie trailer for the upcoming 0s & 1s movie. The official website itself is genius a-la Atari style and kind of makes you wonder if this is legit or nothttp://www.0sand1s.info. Might need to get your eyes checked!

I kväll smäller det!

Om några timmar är det dags för mig att göra radiodebut i programmet Loveline på NRJ.

Jag, Anton D’Niice och Emmy diskuterar sex och kärlek. Gäst i studion: Calle Schulman.

Jag ger även råd till de lyssnare som ringer in. Så har du ett dilemma, en fråga eller vill få några bra raggnings- och dejtingtips tveka inte.

RING: 0200-21 51 51

I går visade Anton mig lite hur allt funkar och gav mig lite tips. Man lär sig fort. Kanske beror det på att han är en pedagogisk lärare, who knows?

Vi hörs i kväll då

I love riding my bike and I’m a huge cycling advocate. But I feel like if the metro was a part of my commute, I’d reconsider using my track bike since it would be pretty rude to everyone else on the train.
There are a billion and one different folding bikes on the market, most of them pretty unattractive. I came across this one today that looks a bit nicer, appears substantially better thought out, and folds up smaller than anything else I’ve seen.

Demo:

From the video it’s tough to see if this designer has sorted out the drive train issues yet, so it will be cool to see if this ever makes it to production.
Apparently he has approached multiple manufacturers and gotten some interest, along with having been a favorite to win the James Dyson Award.

Published 1997-09-25
Rapid Application Development(RAD) is tools and methodologies. Here are a few opinions on both.

I have been using RAD tools since 1995 but have used the methods long before there was a name “RAD”. I have seen RAD benefits and abuse. Whether you like it or not it is today’s development platform.
I have created a short list of things to keep in mind when you step into RAD. They include requirements, benefits, disadvantages and a summary. In no way should this be considered a complete list.

Requirements:

• Excellent leadership. Somebody has to point the technicians in the right direction and let them go.
• Top skilled technicians. If you don’t have the motivated people to do the work it won’t get done. They also have to understand business requirements and be able to interface with clients.
• Supportive infrastructure. This is two sided. You have to inform others of change ASAP, others must be co-operative in supporting your goals.
• Co-operative clients. Some clients want everything yesterday or do not calculate business value.
• Everyone has to “buy in” to the process. It requires extreme dedication by all involved.
• Best tools for the environment. Because a tool is great does not mean it is best for your site. On the other hand the environment should be open in structure to allow the best tool.
• Compensate staff. If you don’t recognize these achievers you will loose your most valuable asset, your staff. Make sure no one steals your investment!

Benefits:

• You get business benefits very fast($$$$).
• Time boxing really allows you to focus on deliverable components.
• Due to factors like iterative development more client satisfaction. Clients are involved from beginning to end.
• If done right you work out more initial requirement bugs before installation.
• You reduce the moving target syndrome.
• Focalizing data into one view instead of many screens.
• RAD’s usual focus is on high return developments. Usually related to the financial sectors of the business. In my experience 10-1 payback in first year is easily obtainable.
• Reusable objects make future developments even faster.
• Did I mention very FAST and very high client satisfaction.

Disadvantages:

• It is like college development projects. You would produce something that performed the required functions, looked good, but usually was not the best quality. Due to time constraints you submit what you have accomplished and take credit.
• The client usually gets a shell of what they want with several sections to be added in future projects(if you get to them).
• Poor leadership can result in projects failing to achieve objectives.
• If the technicians are low skilled you will never achieve objectives. Regardless of leadership.
• It burns out good technicians at an alarming rate.
• Because RAD is usually used on projects that have never been attempted many “work around” coding methods are used.
• Initial project requirements are usually under estimated.
• Time boxing makes technicians compromise on solutions.
• The target still moves, just faster.
• Client expectations go through the roof. Suddenly they can’t wait six months. Even though before RAD you told them two years or more.

Summary:

Sounds pretty negative doesn’t it? Surprise….
RAD can be great for your business. Although it has some drawbacks the return on investment(ROI) can’t be beat. Time boxing is a mandatory element(unfortunately)! If you use top notch leaders and technicians, keep them happy and make sure no one steals them without a fight you can reduce the disadvantages dramatically.
Using the methodology and tools for Internet development is a logical evolution of the client server model. Recommend you implement Object Oriented(OO) methods regardless of tools. Make it challenging, rewarding and above all, FUN!
Something to think about….
You look at a piece of machinery. It cost $2,000,000 and maintenance will be another $2,000,000 a year. It saved or makes $10,000,000 benefits each year and will last five years before you dispose of it. Would you buy it? Would you be happy? Probably, 500% ROI per year would make most of us happy.
Now, you have employees, some who have produced solutions that either saved or made the company $10,000,000(plus subsequent years). Would you pay them $2,000,000 per year? I doubt it. If they are lucky they get a bonus and/or a raise of $5,000. What is the difference? You made an investment and got back the same return either way.
The opposite is true as well. If the machinery keeps breaking down or not performing it’s function you replace it.
I know it is not feasible to compensate at this level but doesn’t the compensation most companies give seem inadequate. Loosing good investments because you won’t pay an extra $10-20,000 just doesn’t make sense. The costs just trying to find another good employee would be substantially higher(plus training etc.). In my experience good employees produce 5-10 times the average employee(more for below average). They are extremely valuable assets. Treat them that way. If they are good, your payback is worth it.
The key truly is the people.

About Ultra RAD

You heard it here first. That is because I have termed this type of development. It is different than RAD in that it is specifically designed for projects that take less than 5 months. Once you have implemented several RAD solutions using OO methodologies many new projects suddenly can shift from 6-8 months to 3-6 months. Although the tools are the same the methodology changes. The process is streamlined even further. Timelines are tightened. Reusable objects are a must.

Mina tidigare tre råd står fast och jag tycker du ska börja med dem. Kanske behöver du inte söka hjälp och då har du vunnit en hel del genom att inte utsättas för den sociala stigmatisering som jag menar kan följa på den offentlighet som du tvingas ut i.

Första rådet är annars att söka hjälp. Det är svårt för en del men viktigt. Svårt därför att: det finns olika hjälp att söka. Vilken ska jag välja? Hur ska jag hantera det med arbetet eller skolan? Hur går det med min integritet och anonymitet? Det krävs ett mod att stå för en så stigmatiserande sjukdom. Det krävs också ett mod att vara frisk. Det finns gott om sjukdomsvinster med depression! Har jag valt depressionen för att nå ett mål? Hjälper den mig att bli något, ger den mig uppmärksamhet? Det krävs ett beslut och en verklig vilja att bli hel och frisk igen. Vill jag verkligen bli frisk? Vad innebär det att vara frisk? Likafullt är det viktigt att söka hjälp. Man kan inte alltid förstå sig själv eller klara av att lära sig själv om sig själv – du behöver hjälp. Du klarar inte av att se eller tror inte det finns alternativa vägar – du behöver hjälp. Någon måste tro på dig och vara positiv i ditt ställe – du behöver hjälp. Du kan behöva en medicin en kortare eller längre period (det fungerade inte för mig, men kanske för dig) – du behöver hjälp. Du behöver kanske få nya uppgifter, nya mål och ny mening och terapeuten är ingen idiot – han kan hjälpa dig och – du behöver hjälp.

Många läkare eller terapeuter som skrivit böcker i ämnet depression menar att vi inte ska sitta på vår kammare med självhjälpsböcker utan vi behöver söka hjälp. Jag kan hålla med. Däremot tror jag det är ett bra komplement till en i många fall knölig vårdapparat och fyrkantiga terapier och behandlingmetoder där patienten måste anpassa sig efter systemet och inte tvärtom. Ett system som i många fall inte böjer sig fram till den hjälpsökande och sträcker ut sin hand. Patienten måste exempelvis, om det inte är så illa att du blivit inlagd, vara kapabel och aktiv, passa fastlagda tider, dessutom finns inget stöd mellan terapisessionerna. Det kan säkert se olika ut och förhoppningsvis upplever de flesta att det inte är några problem och att de får en god hjälp.

Mitt andra råd. Ska jag trots allt rekommendera en del litteratur som är bra och till hjälp så blir det följande böcker. De är i alla fall inte ytliga som många självhjälpsböcker och de står pall för en kritisk blick. Speciellt av den som vet, det vill säga den deprimerade själv. Samtidigt är de inte enbart vetenskapliga eller bara klargör orsaker och grunder, utan de hjälper och stödjer dig i att förstå dig själv och skapar hopp och lust till livet. James Hillmans bok om ekollonteorin Själens kod (tycks få sökas på antikvariat för svensk översättning) är egentligen ingen bok om depression, men är en bok full av hopp och förmedlar en tro på mål och mening med vars och ens liv (en del kan tycka den är lite new age i negativ mening och det respekterar jag), Andrew Solomons Depressionens demoner (tycks få sökas på antikvariat för svensk översättning) är den mest grundliga bok jag läst om depression ur såväl den drabbades som ur en journalists ögon. Den skänker en stor förståelse för depression och stärker din självkänsla, Viktor Frankls Livet måste ha mening handlar dels om hans tid i koncentrationsläger under andra världskriget, men också om hur hans upplevelser kom att forma hans uppfattning om mål och mening med livet och hur vi bör tackla våra svårigheter. Samt slutligen Kärlek och vilja (tycks få sökas på antikvariat för svensk översättning) av Rollo May. Den är svår och kräver en del av läsaren men handlar om viljans intentionalitet, dvs grunden för vårt viljestyrda liv, vårt varför. Oerhört klarsynt och handlar om vår existens och vårt förhållningssätt till livet. För en hel uppsats om Rollo May och intentionalitet bland annat.

Sista rådet. Ta Gud till hjälp även om du inte kallar dig kristen – inte kan det skada att åtminstone prova en bön! Vi äter ju piller många gånger helt oreflekterat i tro att de ska fungera?! Du kanske inte tror att Gud kan göra något för dig, men det finns en liten anekdot om en man som alltid sett två fotspår i sanden när han vandrat livets väg, sina egna och Guds. Nu kunde han bara se ett och ropade förtvivlat till Gud: Varför har du övergivit mig, nu när jag behövde dig som mest! Gud svarade: Inte har jag övergivit dig. Det är mina fotspår du ser, det är jag som burit dig! Ibland är det just så – vi tror vi vet och så visar det sig efteråt att Gud verkat för oss i det dolda. När det gäller det andliga perspektivet i tillvaron så kan jag verkligen rekommendera både dig som inte kallar dig kristen och dig som gör det att läsa Philip Yancey! Hans böcker har en ödmjuk ton och är förankrade i egna och andras erfarenheter med en stor insikt. Han är inte en dogmatisk kristen men han sviktar inte i tron på Gud och hans nåd. Läs med fördel Mörkerseende – när du är besviken på Gud, Med nådens ögon – finns nåd och förtjänar jag den? (finns på antikvariat i skrivande stund), Livlinor – inspiration om människor som hittat sitt varför!)

Disclaimer – för dig som läser detta! Jag tycker det är viktigt att påminna om att jag inte har expertkunskaper i ämnet.
Jag placerade detta stycke sist eftersom min mellanflicka på 10 år precis förstått att jag har en blogg och kanske läser en bit. Men, jag tror inte hon kanske orkar igenom texten ända hit ner. Jag vill egentligen bespara henne oroväckande och skrämmande tankar som onödigtvis skulle ge henne ångest eller dålig sömn av oro för mig. Det finns ingen anledning kvar till oro för mig idag. Ovanstående tillsammans med det jag skrivit tidigare i inlägget Tre små råd om depression är råd som jag tror fungerar, men de är valda utifrån min erfarenhet, dvs de fungerar för mig. Jag har inte haft den djupaste formen av depression. Likafullt har jag många gånger (speciellt när jag var yngre) funderat över självmord och i desperation över min tillvaro och mitt jag känt att det inte finns några utvägar. Självmord har dock aldrig varit helt aktuellt. Kanske för att jag håller av mina nära på ett sätt som jag upplever som stödjande i sig. Jag skulle inte kunna svika dem så eller göra dem så illa. De älskar mig och jag älskar dem. Och nu sedan jag har fått barn så finns det inte längre kvar i min föreställningsvärd. Sedan har min Gudstro hjälpt mig att inte ta ett sådant steg. Jag upplever att det även gentemot Gud skulle vara ett svek. Men oj vad jag har hållt Honom ansvarig för mycket och oj vad jag har spytt galla över Honom för mitt livs skull. Som om jag inte hade ett eget ansvar eller gjort egna val…!
Så även om jag inte är expert eller har haft den djupaste formen av depression med diagnos så hoppas jag att jag kan ha en del att säga till råd för den deprimerade. Samtidigt hoppas jag att den som just nu verkligen lider av en djup och allvarlig depression inte tar dessa ord och råd som en förolämpning mot hans situation. Jag vet mycket väl att de kan väga lätt i en sådan situation. Det är min mening att de kanske ändå kan hjälpa till något.

Not sure of the connection here but the pictures are plenty rad!

CodeIgniter Development

NetTrackers has been using CodeIgniter to develop small and large scale applications for the last 2 years. The biggest advantage of using CodeIgniter is that it leaves a small footprint and allows our developers to code applications rapidly in a secure environment.

The CodeIgniter development team at NetTrackers has gone through full life-cycle development with different project sizes. Our developers use CodeIgniter for Rapid Application Development taking full advantage of it’s MVC framework. We have used CodeIgniter to build up a large and stable codebase that our developers are comfortable using and extending upon. The advantage of working with our CodeIgniter Developers is evident in our rapid response for changes or extensions to existing code.

CodeIgniter allows our team to build rapidly without compromising on code effeciency and code base sizes. The basic memory foot print is relatively small and allows scaling to larger sizes. Our work with CodeIgniter has allowed us to extend it to be used with a number of external providers such as the Amazon Web Services and Javascript toolkits such as DoJo and jQuery.

We always challenge our knowledgebase against new technologies to develop our skills and REALLY make the most of what the web can do. Our frequent use of AJAX based solutions creates websites and services that are not just completing tasks, but actually bringing a degree of pleasure in terms of use.

We provide, customized CodeIgniter Programming solutions if you are looking for developers in CodeIgniter. CodeIgniter Programmers in our office will cost $10 per hour or if you want to hire on a monthly basis,you would pay $1000 per month for a minnimum of 21 days of work. We provide daily reports, access to our managers for no charges, chats over Phone, Instant Messenger and email. Mixed with our strong management skills NetTrackers delivers stable and reliable applications that are tailor cut to your custom requirements at competitive prices.
codeigniter development

It rEaLLy TooK Me toO lOng To wrITe a BLog aBOuT Brad! He hAs oNe SwEEt MUStaChe! I wouLD AcTuaLLy sAy HIs is beTTer tHen MINe. NOt TO MeNtIon he Is a BAdass in The RealM of ART and EXPreSSion and FIxEd GeaRs. HeRe Is WHat I cAn AssUme is ONly oNe of HiS MaNy rad pRojects tHat He Is WoRkiNg On AT tHe mOmEnt!

THE MedIOcre MuStAchE FaCe warMEr!!!!!!!! GeT One WhILe THey LAst!!!!!!!!!

I HoPe ThAt YOu DiG ThE BLog BRAd CauSe TyPing LiKe ThIs IS A BitCh!!!!!!!! I am SUre ThAt THis Will bE oNe OF ManY blogS to CoMe aBout thIs nEw exCitIng characTer iN mY lIfe. ComE oUt tO tExas SooN sO we caN do somE colLaboRationS wiTh oUr MuSTaChes!!!!!

This is a cool video I saw on yayeveryday.com

ALways supportin something (someone) good. Get lost at this site.

I love his drawlings… He’s been cookin up some stuff for Jedidiah’s spring closet. Check his domain: http://typaints.com/

Está certo, todos temos muito amor por nossas magrelas. Esse amor pode gerar muito receio aos iniciantes, quanto a participar das provas das Fixolimpíadas.

Algumas provas exigem bastante das bichinhas, e o sofrimento pode elevar-se proporcionalmente à inexperiência do ciclista.

No bike polo, a roda pode sucumbir à marretadas alheias, mas também do próprio ciclista, boladas, colisões, tombos.

Felizmente, Victoria nos brindará com sua maestral habilidade de alinhamento de rodas. O que você destruir, ela conserta.

Fonte: obviamente o insuperável FixFixFix

This is a dark futuristic view of how the world could possibly become, where everyone has a surrogate, a robot with all the features of a human, that is controlled remotely by the owner, with the owner having all their senses interact with whatever the machine is encountering. The owner lives in a virtual world, where the surrogate lives his or her life for him or her, the plausible justification for it of course is that the owner is less at risk from disease and infection, and indeed any harm to their real body, they can virtually go to work,…

Movie Review For Surrogates
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dan_Stevens]Dan Stevens

This is a dark futuristic view of how the world could possibly become, where everyone has a surrogate, a robot with all the features of a human, that is controlled remotely by the owner, with the owner having all their senses interact with whatever the machine is encountering. The owner lives in a virtual world, where the surrogate lives his or her life for him or her, the plausible justification for it of course is that the owner is less at risk from disease and infection, and indeed any harm to their real body, they can virtually go to work, and play, with no worries about their real body, all the toll is taken on the surrogate.

From the opening credits we get introduced to the justification for surrogates, with first a machine where a monkey controls an arm containing a nut with just its mind, to people who are paralysed, controlling robots to do their daily tasks, and people in the army using surrogates for war without any fear of their real bodies being in danger.

Soon Congress signs in to law surrogates for the use in every day lives, but as usual there are objectors to this whole idea of surrogates, the main opponent of this is The Prophet played by Ving Rhames (Pulp fiction), who has set up communes where only humans are allowed. We meet our protagonist, a very young looking Bruce Willis (12 Monkeys) as Tom Greer along with his partner Peters played by the lovely Radha Mitchell (Pitch Black), who are investigating the murder of a surrogate, but in this case, the owner of the surrogate died at the same time the surrogate was destroyed. It turns out that the owner of the surrogate is non other than the son of the inventor of surrogates, Canter played by the dependable James Cromwell (L.A. Confidential).

It seems a weapon has been developed that not only can destroy surrogates, but can at the same time end the life of the operator connected to the surrogate. Tom has personally set himself the task of finding out who murdered Canter’s son and getting hold of this deadly weapon, but he has a mountain to climb to get to the bottom of this, with the head of his department Stone played by Boris Kodjoe (Starship Troopers 3: Marauder), not happy with his tactics, and Tom himself having doubts about the whole idea of surrogates, unlike his wife Maggie played by the gorgeous Rosamund Pike (The Libertine), who prefers this new life than any other, and looking at her surrogate and indeed virtually all of the surrogates, you can see why, as they all look young and flawless, there is a memorable scene where the real Tom comes into his police department and the clerk surrogate looks at him and mutters “you look terrible”.

This of course is a warning about how the current state of the Internet could evolve, from people able to do many things online they previously had to do in person, to being able to do their daily tasks from the comfort of their computer.

Mr D Stevens is a reviewer at [http://moviereviews.noskram.com/]Movie reviews

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Stevens http://EzineArticles.com/?Movie-Review-For-Surrogates&id=3252791

Kıyametle ilgili olabilecek Kur’an ayetleri:

“Yaklaştı insanlara hesapları! Ve onlar hâlâ gaflet içinde yüz çevirip durmadalar. Rablerinden kendilerine ulaşan, söze bürünmüş her yeni öğüt ve hatırlatmayı ancak eğlenerek dinliyorlar. Kalpleri hep oyun ve oyalanmada.” Enbiya, 1-3.

İnsanoğlunun hesap vermesinin yaklaştığı belirtilmektedir. İslamda Hz. Muhammed ile peygamberlik yani temsil sona ermiştir ve Hz. Muhammed ahir (son) zaman peygamberi olduğundan ondan sonraki dönem dünyanın son dönemi olarak kabul edilmektedir.

“Saat yaklaştı, Ay yarıldı. Bir ayet-alâmet görseler yüz çeviriyorlar ve şöyle diyorlar: ‘Sürüp giden bir büyüdür bu!.’ Yalanladılar; kendi heves ve kuruntularına uydular. Oysaki her iş ve oluş karara, ölçüye ve düzene bağlanmıştır. Yemin olsun ki, onlara, haberlerden, içinde ihtar, sakındırma ve tehdit bulunanı gelmiştir. Doruk noktaya çıkmış, isabeti tartışılmaz bir hikmettir o. Ama uyarılar yarar sağlamıyor.” Kamer, 1-5.

Bazılarınca burada geçmişe yönelik bir ay yarılması ve sonra tekrar birleşmesi olayından bahsedildiği iddia edilmiştir. Ya da bu olay gelecekte meydana gelecektir. Ancak daha akla yakın olanı burada insanın aya gidişinin, yakın zamanda aydan toprak alınması, ayın yüzeyinin bombalanarak sondaj yapılması ve su bulunması, ilerde yapılacak daha yoğun kazılar da kasdedilmiş olabilir. Burada ilginç bir husus bulunmaktadır. NASA insanlı aya gidiş sırasında bir başka araç tarafından takibe uğradığını haber vermiş hatta astronotlar “vay namussuz gene göründü bizi nasıl izliyor” gibi ifadeler kullanmışlardı. Sonra bu tür haberler bir daha verilmedi, büyük olasılıkla sansürlendi. Ancak astronotların ayda çektikleri fotoğraflarda arka planda UFO olarak nitelendirilebilecek bazı cisimlerin varlığı farkedilmemiş ve bu nedenle sansürden kaçmıştır. Ayet NASA’nın bu ve bunun gibi gerçekleri saklamasına işaret ediyor olabilir. Ayda su bulunması ve daha ömce benzer bulgular artık uzayda hayatın varlığını ortaya koymaktadır.

“İş onların sandığı gibi değil! Bir kuşku içinde oynayıp oyalanmaktalar. Artık sen, göğün açıkça izlenen bir duman getireceği günü gözle… İnsanları kuşatıp sarar. İnletici bir azaptır bu. ‘Ey Rabbimiz! Kaldır bizden bu azabı, biz gerçekten müminleriz.’ Nerede onlarda öğüt almak!“  Dühan 9-16.

Burada bir olasılık havanın kirletilmesinden bahsedilmesidir. Ancak tüm dünya gökyüzünü kaplayacak kadar bir yoğun kirlilik ve ondan kaynaklı duman günümüz şartlarında akla pek uygun gelmemektedir. Daha akla uygunu ozon tabakasının tahrip edilmesi kasdedilmiş olabilir. Ya da en akla uygunu Ayette süpervolkan patlamalarının neden olabileceği yoğun duman tabakalarına işaret edilmiş olabilir. Farklı yerlerde patlayacak süpervolkanlar sonuçta kıyametten önce atmosfer ve hava sorunu yaratacak ya da kısmi kıyamet nedeni olacaktır. Kimileri bu ayet ve hadise dayanarak dünyanın 40 gün yoğun duman altında kalacağına inanmaktadır. Bu da multi (çoklu) süpervolkanlar tezi ile bağdaşmaktadır.

“Görmüyorlar mı ki, biz o yerküreye geliyor, onu uçlarından eksiltiyoruz” Ra’d, 41-42.

“Hâlâ görmüyorlar mı ki, biz yerküreye geliyor, onu uçlarından eksiltiyoruz. Galip gelenler onlar mı olacak! De ki, ‘Ben sizi ancak vahiyle uyarıyorum. Ama sağırlar, uyarıldıklarında çağrıyı işitmezler ki! Rabbinin azabından onlara bir nefha dokunsa yemin olsun şöyle diyecekler: ‘Vay bizlere! Biz, zalimlermişiz!” Enbiya, 44-47.

Burada da kutupların erimesi söz konusu edilmektedir. İnsanoğlunun bunun önüne geçemeyeceği anlaşılmaktadır.

“O söz, tepelerine indiğinde, yerden onlar için bir dabbe çıkarırız da o onlara, insanların bizim ayetlerimize gereğince inanmadıklarını söyler.” Neml 82.

Dabbetül arz ile ilgili olan bu ayet ayrıntılı olarak bundan sonraki sayfada irdelenmiştir. Bunun kıyametle yakın ilgisi olduğu düşünülmektedir. BAKINIZ

“Allah şunu da demişti: “Ey İsa senin canını alacağım, seni kendime yükselteceğim; seni inkar edenlerden uzaklaştırıp arındıracağım. Ve sana uyanları, inkar edenlerin kıyamete kadar üstünde tutacağım. Sonra bana olacak dönüşünüz. Tartışıp durduğunuz şeyler hakkında aranızda ben hüküm vereceğim”. Ali İmran 55.

Kur’an Hz. İsa’ya uyanları, onu inkar edenlerden farklı tutacağına işaret ederken bunun gelecekte olacağını haber verirken  burada kıyametin de bahsi geçiyor. Konu ayrı bir sayfada ayrıntılı olarak irdelenmiştir. BAKINIZ

“Sana Zülkarneyn’den de sorarlar. De ki: “Size ondan bir hatıra okuyacağım. Biz onun için yeryüzünde güç ve saltanat hazırladık ve ona herşeyden bir sebep verdik. O da bir sebebi izledi. Nihayet, güneşin battığı yere varınca onu kara balçıklı bir gözede batar buldu. Onun yanında bir de kavim buldu. Dedik ki: “Ey Zülkarneyn, ya bunlara azap edersin ya da haklarında güzel bir tavrı esas alırsın.” …….. Sonra bir sebebi daha izledi. Sonunda güneşin doğduğu yere ulaşınca, güneşi, kendilerini elbise, bina gibi şeylerle örtmediğimiz bir millet üzerine doğuyor buldu. …….. Sonra yine bir sebebi izledi. Nihayet, iki set arasına ulaştı. Setler arasında öyle bir topluluk buldu ki neredeyse söz anlamıyorlardı. ….. Dediler ki: Zülkarneyn! Doğrusu Yecüc ve Mecüc bu ülkede bozgunculuk yapıyorlar. Bizimle onların arasına bir sed yapman için sana bir vergi verelim mi? ….Bana demir kütleleri getirin!” İki ucu tam denkleştirince, “körükleyin” dedi. Onu ateş haline koyunca da “getirin bana, üzerine erimiş bakır/katran dökeyim” diye seslendi.….Artık onu ne aşabildiler ne de delebildiler. ………O gün onları bırakmışızdır, birbirleri içinde dalgalanırlar. Sura da üflenmiştir. Hepsini biraraya toplamışızdır.  …………..Bunlar, Rablerinin ayetlerini ve O’na ulaşmayı inkar etmişler de bütün amelleri boşa çıkmıştır. Bu yüzden kıyamet günü onlar için hiçbir ölçü tutturmayız/onlara hiçbir değer vermeyiz.” Kehf 83 … 105

“Ye’cûc ve Me’cûc’ün önü açıldığı zaman onlar, her tepeden akın ederler.” Enbiya 96.

Zülkarneyn’in karşı geldiği saldırgan kavim Yecuc ve Mecuc ile ayette adı geçen Sura borusunun üflenmesi kimilerince Hadislere de dayandırılarak kıyamet belirtisi olarak kabul görmektedir. Sura’nın üflenmesinin Kıyamet habercisi olduğu bir başka ayette verildiği dikkate alınırsa bu görüş bu açıdan haklılık kazanmaktadır:

“Sura üfürüleceği gün, Allah’ın dilediği dışında herkes, göklerdekiler, yerdekiler dehşet içinde kalacaktır. Hepsi boynunu bükmüş bir halde O’nun huzuruna gelir. “Neml 87

Borunun daha doğrusu borazanın üflenmesinin insanların bilinçlenmesinin habercisi olduğunu ya da insanları topluca uyandırarak bilinçlerini  harekete geçireceği  iddia edilmektedir. Kıyamet öncesi böyle bir uyandırılma bir çok şekilde belirtilmektedir.

Yecuc ve Mecuc’un İncildeki kıyamete yakın çıkacaklarına inanılan Gog ve Magog oldukları da iddia edilir.

Kimilerince Yecuc ve Mecuc olayı geçmişte olmuştur ve Zülkarneyn bir peygamberdir. Kimilerine göre bahsi geçen Zülkarneyn’in Yecuc Mecuc kavmine karşı yaptığı sed Çin Seddidir ve Seddi yapan Büyük İskender’dir, Yecucle Mecuc o zamanki Çinlilerdir. Kimilerince Yecuc ile Mecuc günümüzün Çinlileridir. Eğer olay geçmişte olmuşsa olsa olsa Atlantis ve Mu gibi sonradan batan ileri teknolojik imkanlara sahip kıtalarda olmuştur.

Surede kıyamet kelimesinin geçmiş olması ille de bu olayın kıyametin habercisi olduğu anlamına gelmez diyebiliriz ancak Sura’nın üfleneceğinin haber verilmesi, Zülkarneyn’in hızlı seyahat edebilmesi, İslamda Zülkarneyn’in iki boynuzlu, iki nesil sahibi olduğunave iki ülkeye hükmettiğine inanılması bu olayın gelecekte, daha ileri bir dünya ya da mekanda ve gerçekten kıyamete yakın bir zamanda geçeceğini göstermektedir. Seddin inşası 1400 yıl önceki insanların anlayacağı şekilde ve bildikleri kelimelerle anlatılmışsa da yüksek bir teknoloji gerektirdiği aşikardır. Eritilmiş demirden, bakırdan, katrandan koskoca bir Çin Seddi benzeri engel geçmişte nasıl yapılabilirdi, eğer yeryüzünde geşmişte olmuşsa batık Atlantis ya da Mu medeniyetlerinde olmuştur zira böyle sağlam bir eserin kalıntısı şimdiki karalarda olmalıydı.

Görülüyor ki ilerde gelişmiş medeniyetlere rağmen saldırganlık yine olacaktır. Tıpkı Star Wars filmlerinde olduğu gibi. Bu olay gelecekte kıyamete yakın bir zamanda meydana gelecektir. Zulkarneyn’in bu açıdan ele alındığı bir sav için ayrı bir yazıya BAKINIZ . Bu yazıda Enbiya 96  ayeti ve Islamdaki buna ilişkin kıyamet inancı ile de ilginç bir bağlantı kurulmaktadır.

Not: Prof. Yaşar Nuri Öztürk’ün Hürriyet Gazetesindeki 24 Şubat 2009 tarihli yazısını da okumanızı tavsiye ederim.  BAKINIZ



Audience at "Kenneth MacMillan's Choreographic Imagination and Psychological Insight" Symposium. Photo: Charlotte MacMillan ©

Earlier this month we attended the Kenneth MacMillan Choreographic Imagination and Psychological Insight Symposium at Imperial College London. Celebrating the choreographer who would have been 80 this year, this full day event was held in association with The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the Institute of Psychoanalysis and drew on psychoanalysts, scholars and dancers sharing insights into MacMillan’s ballets, along with rare archival footage and live masterclasses. A full register will soon be available through the new Kenneth MacMillan official website (which goes live December 11) but here are some of our own notes and thoughts.

To backtrack a little, my first exposure to MacMillan was a televised performance of his Romeo and Juliet Balcony Pas de Deux with Natalia Makarova and Kevin McKenzie. I remember being quite taken with the lifts where Juliet expresses her delight as Romeo tries to take her to the stars. So much could be said about young love and the feeling of one’s heart brimming with happiness with such economy of movement and no mime. I didn’t know much about MacMillan then but his work struck a chord with me. Later I had the opportunity to move to London and discover, via The Royal Ballet, the extent of his choreographic vocabulary, from full-length to short works, realising that MacMillan’s ballets were all about human emotions conveyed via eloquent steps.

At the time when MacMillan quit dancing and ventured into choreography, ballet was a decorative art form which provided an escape from reality. He set out to do exactly the opposite, turning reality and human suffering into compelling dance works. Putting this into context MacMillan’s biographer Jann Parry introduced the session speaking of how he eventually became the “outsider”,  the most common leitmotif found in his works, first seen in female characters (Laiderette, Anastasia) but later appearing as males (Mayerling, Different Drummer). Kenneth had not been bullied or lonely as a child, but the death of his mother when he was 12 and the difficult relationship with his father and brother set him on a constant search for a surrogate family and for his own identity. Parry also remarked that these events led MacMillan to search for psychoanalysts to help him understand his fears and anxieties and to deal with depression. Whilst he was fascinated with Freud, MacMillan also worried about what would happen to his creative spirit if he dug too deep into his sources.

Edward Watson as Crown Prince Rudolf and Iohna Loots as Princess Stephanie in a Masterclass of Kenneth MacMillan's Mayerling. Photo: Charlotte MacMillan ©

We saw the practical extent to which MacMillan’s work and his creative sources provide rich psychoanalytical material. A panel headed by Dr. Luis Rodriguez de la Sierra (known to us from the “Connecting Conversations” series) offered links between MacMillan’s life experiences and his creative output. This panel juxtaposed the troubled relationship between brothers with the sibling relationship in Manon, where the older brother Lescaut “corrupts” and breaks her innocence by throwing her in Monsieur G.M.’s way; the fact that MacMillan’s father had been gassed in WWI (during the Battle of Somme) with the war aftermath from Gloria and his mother’s recurrent debilitating fits with Mayerling and Empress Elizabeth’s rejection of her attention-seeking son Crown Prince Rudolf. Another interesting discussion centered around  the fantasy of “dying together as an act of love”, an allegory present in Romeo and Juliet and in Mayerling and which the panel connected to Ernest Jones’s theory of a subconscious wish to return to the mother’s womb.

National Theatre’s Artistic Director Nicholas Hytner, the last person to work with MacMillan (in Carousel), demonstrated via video that MacMillan could convey in 5 minutes of dance “what would take a playwright 3 hours with words”. In a short pas de deux from Carousel we saw  how movement marks the evolution of the main female character, from tomboy to woman in love. Actress Nichola McAuliffe also talked about her experience with MacMillan as a stage director. She explained that British Theatre traditionally had actors “dead” from the neck below and that working with MacMillan made her think about the physicality of her characters.

Former Stuttgart Ballet dancers Vladimir Klos and Birgit Keil at the Kenneth MacMillan Symposium. Photo: Charlotte MacMillan ©

To illustrate MacMillan’s creative methods Birgit Keil and Vladimir Klos, former Stuttgart Ballet dancers who created roles in MacMillan ballets, described how he nurtured his dancers and sought a collaborative process. A fragment of the documentary A Lot of Happiness showed the choreographer rehearsing both dancers for a Pas de Deux based on Orpheus and Eurydice, giving them pointers of the type of movement he wanted and encouraging them to try different things. Royal Ballet Artistic Director, Dame Monica Mason also spoke of her experience. Tracing a parallel between Ashton and MacMillan, she said that the first one always expressed a preference for beauty and the second for reality, no matter how ugly that could be.

Speaking about “MacMillan’s subject matter” the eminent Financial Times critic Clement Crisp recalled audience reactions to the choreographer’s work, their discomfort with seeing “appaling grief represented by agonizing, ugly shapes”. A keen supporter who has seen every single MacMillan work (but for two short pieces made for ABT), Mr. Crisp eloquently spoke of the choreographer as a man of the theatre who knew about human suffering and found a way to show those terrible moments of life via fascinating and true choreography “which is ultimately what ballet is all about”, as well as in characters which “kept living after the curtain fell”.

Begoña Cao as Manon, Fabian Reimair as Lescaut and Antony Dowson as Monsieur G.M. in a Masterclass of Kenneth MacMillan's Manon. Photo: Charlotte MacMillan ©

The final section focused on MacMillan’s “Creativity In Spite of Adversity”, his courage to stand firm and travel to where he could realise his vision. Mr. Crisp recalled masterpieces Song of the Earth and Requiem which were created for Stuttgart Ballet after Covent Garden’s administration worried about the use of Gustav Mahler’s music for choreography and, in Requiem’s case, that sacred music could offend religious sensibilities. These points were illustrated with excerpts from the documentary “Out of Line” where Sir Peter Wright, Clement Crisp and Deborah MacMillan shared their personal views on the challenges faced by MacMillan at home and abroad and his special link with Stuttgart Ballet.

Edward Watson as Crown Prince Rudolf and Iohna Loots as Princess Stephanie in a Masterclass of Kenneth MacMillan's Mayerling. Photo: Charlotte MacMillan ©

In addition to the masterclasses featuring two Mayerling pas de deux (Rudolf/Empress Elisabeth and Rudolf/Princess Stephanie) with Edward Watson, Cindy Jourdain and Iohna Loots from The Royal Ballet, and the Manon pas de trois (Manon/Lescaut/Monsieur GM) with Begoña Cao, Fabian Reimair and Antony Dowson from English National Ballet, the audience also had the opportunity to watch a full screening of MacMillan’s last work for The Royal Ballet, The Judas Tree*, with Irek Mukhamedov, Michael Nunn and Leanne Benjamin. This gruesome ballet (featuring a gang rape) touches upon the theme of betrayal in various ways. Original cast members Michael Nunn and Viviana Durante emphasised to the audience how MacMillan would let dancers discover the character during the creative process which, as Nunn said, “kept you on your toes”.

With so much background and valuable insights into Kenneth MacMillan’s universe, this was an event that will certainly enrich our experience and understanding of his compelling works. We now look forward to what the new official website may bring.

*The Judas Tree will be revived by The Royal Ballet in a Triple bill dedicated to MacMillan’s 80th birthday, together with Concerto and Elite Syncopations. These three pieces represent milestones in the choreographer’s career and different sides to his work. Concerto was the first piece he created for the Deutsche Oper Ballet as Artistic Director. Elite Syncopations, his ragtime jazz ballet, was made during his tenure as The Royal Ballet’s Director while The Judas Tree, his last work for the Royal Ballet, remains one of his most challenging pieces.

I’ve never owned a pair of Marc Jacobs shoes because I’ve always thought that his styles were mehh. I’m shopping on my early AM coffee break as per usual and the SHOPBOP sale is outta control!

Check out these weirdo Marc Jacobs pumps that I will buy (shoot me now):

They’ve got this lovely blue hue to them, when the colour stated on the Shopbop website says that they’re grey. Lots of sizes still available and they’re 50% off, ladies!

Husband will be fuming yet again when the nice FED-Ex, UPS, Purolator guy stops by the house. He is friends with all of them now.

Denna låt ger mig ENERGI! Har letat efter den ett tag, men är man som jag, som sällan minns artisternas namn så kan det ta en stund. Men nu så. I got it, you got it, we got the magic!! Ooh yes! precis så känns det! Igår hade jag en uppfyllande dag här på jobbet, fick besök av en speciell person som behövde få prata av sig. Jag är så glad att jag kunde vara här för denna person. Att jag fick lov att lyssna och kanske komma med lite råd/vägledning. Eller egentligen bara får vara där som medmänniska. Sådana stunder är oerhört betydelsefulla för mig – för det är då som jag känner mig uppfylld som människa. Att jag får känna mig meningsfull som människa. Tack snälla du för visat förtroende och för att jag fick chansen att finnas här för dig. Min dörr står vidöppen för er alla som kanske behöver lätta er hjärta.

I got it, YOU got it, WE got the MAGIC! Oh yes! Glöm inte hur betydelsefull DU är, att DU behövs, att DU är unik. Vi är alla närmare varandra än vad vi förstår. Därför behöver vi varandra…och jag finns här!

I know sometimes sometimes you feel no hope…
But I’ve been there upon that lonely road…
I took whatever gift he offered me…
Because I knew that he would set me free…

Kramen.

The Giant Method 24 doesn’t get a lot of attention but if you’re looking for a well-spec’d, roomy bike for trails this could be the ticket. Featuring a  a 22 inch  top tube, this is probably one of the longest production 24s out there (not counting pure race bikes).

It features a traditional low bottom bracket and a slightly mellow 73 degree head angle, so it’s going to feel good dirt jumping but less so at the skatepark.  It would also make a good race bike if you’re not to obsessed with how much your bike weighs.

This pic was “borrowed” from ridemonkey.com…it’s someone that goes by Cru Jones…no, not that Cru Jones…showing what the Method 24 is capable of in the dirt.

For 2010, Giant has dispensed with the cool tan & bronze look for something that looks a bit reminscent of the new 2010 Redline race bikes.  Not sure what the thinking was behind that….while this look might be ok at the track, it looks a little bit too much for the trails…where I have feeling that a bike like this would see more action.  No word on if the geometry has changed…Giant seems to have removed the specifications tab from their bike pages and I can’t seem to find the 2010 information anywhere else.

In somewhat related news: you may have seen the news that Giant is dropping some heavy hitters from their team, including Taj, Corey Bohan and Heath Pinter. It’s tough to see such talented riders losing their sponsorships so I’m hoping they find the support they need to keep riding and stay part of the scene. Giant’s Chris Arriga has gone on record that there will be a 2010 BMX program at Giant, complete with a team, in the new year but so far no details have been given.

Chiar sunt dusa. Serios, am probleme. Am o stare intre neliniste, un fel de tristete, nervi multi, euforie, amorteala si lene. Numai eu puteam sa am asa o combinatie. Rad ca proasta. Cred ca sufar de anxietate. Sau schizofrenie. Sau bipolaritate. Sau toate la un loc. Oricum, ceva asa. Nu sunt in toate facultatile mintale. In curand cred ca o sa am dunga rosie pe buletin. Cum ma, sa ajung asa intr-un timp asa de scurt? Cred ca intodeauna am avut niste problemute la mansarda. Dar acum sunt prea de tot. O fi de la insomnii. Cica daca nu ti se odihneste creierasul suficient, o iei razna. Raaaaznaaaa. E clar, mi-am pierdut si coerenta.

Azi am fost data afara de la cursul de biofizica. Am fost dati afara de la cursul de biofizica.

Mai bine azi in loc de vodka aia din suc, puneam formol. Cred ca ne amuzam si mai tare la anato.

Cel mai rau e ca azi m-am simtit obosita, toata ziua. Iar acum am o energie de parca am dormit 4 zile fata intrerupere. Ma trezesc la 7 dim. E greva la metrou. O sa chiulesc de la un curs. O sa imi distrug ficatul de la mirosul de formol.

Am chef sa vorbesc franceza o zi intreaga. Toooata ziua. Sa uit ca stiu romana.

[Daca nu ma vei saluta cand ma vezi pe strada. Iti voi da cu geanta in cap. Da, da. Tu. Si sa vezi bataia dracu' in strada.]

Nu inchei postul de azi fara sa ii zic la multi ani lui Beatrice (fara varice), care e cu siguranta cea mai tare, cea mai frumoasa, cea mai simpatica  si inteligenta moldoveanca din cate cunosc. Si sper sa ramana asa mereu. Pe langa sanatate. Atat iti doresc: sa ajungi cu bine in anu’ 6. Si sa ma iei si pe mine dupa tine.