The long probing for the access point can be optimized away. In addition, it's not smart to use open access points, so it's time to measure the cost of security!
Scope capture of the esp32 waking from deep sleep and making a TCP connection to a server.
The sketch changed a little bit for this scope capture and creates two shorter "blips" on the yellow trace instead of a single long one: one blip at the start of setup() until just before calling Wifi.begin() and a second starting when WiFi.status() reports that it is connected (has an IP address) until just before calling deep-sleep.
There are two things that immediately stand out on this trace. The first is that it takes longer for the esp32 firmware to start-up (~270ms) than it takes for the sketch to fire-up Wifi and do its TCP connection (~200ms)! I asked and was told by @me-no-dev that this is due to the extensive chip/memory verification that occurs at boot time and that I wasn't missing some magic setting. The impact on total power consumption is definitely noticeable but not quite as bad as it might seem at first because the power consumption is much lower during this start-up period than during the active portion.
And it's a wrap! Other than the pause after the probe response and the two rounds of ARP requests because my linux server is lazy in responding all this looks about as good as one might expect!
Scope capture of the esp32 waking from deep sleep and making a TCP connection to a server on a secure (WPA2) Wifi network.
Yes, we still have to pay a price when we choose security! (Note the 200ms/div here vs. 50ms/div in the open-AP scope capture further up.) The primary difference with respect to the open access point trace is the approx 700ms period of elevated power consumption between the end of the probes and the association (I verified this with a packet dump). I can only surmise that this is some crypto calculation but I spent quite some time looking through the WPA2-PSK standard and all the crypto key exchange happens way later. Unless there is something that can be pre-computed or perhaps some random number initialization I don't quite grasp what is going on. I posted another question on the Espressif Esp32 forum, let's see whether anyone can provide an insight.
The following table and chart show the expected run-times on a 1000mAh battery assuming wake-up intervals from once per hour down to once every 20 seconds. The "open" columns refer to open access points and "secure" to WPA2-PSK. The "act%" columns refer to the percent of total power consumption that comes from the active period (startup+wake).
The following scope capture adds a purple trace showing the power consumption integral. This shows that the majority of the power is spent when the esp32 is running actively at 125-150mA. The 270ms at start-up don't add a significant amount to the power consumption, but they do add a potentially problematic delay if the wake-up is caused by some external event (i.e. gpio input) and the esp32 needs to react quickly to it.
Scope capture of wake-up with secure AP with power consumption integral added in purple.
Going back to the original goal of achieving a run-time of a week to a month on a 1000mAh battery the esp32 provides a number of options when using the deep-sleep mode. Specifically, it can wake up every 20 seconds when using an open access point (not really recommended!) and every minute when using a secure access point.
The next post goes a step further and explores what happens if the esp32 makes a TLS connection to an MQTT server and sends & receives some messages.
The esp32 provides an additional explicit light-sleep mode that has not been explored here and that is closely related to deep-sleep. Explicit light-sleep puts the cpu and radio into light-sleep mode for a fixed duration just like deep-sleep does, but it preserves memory content. This allows the periodic wake-up to be implemented without loosing memory state but at the cost of higher power consumption. The Wifi has to be turned off prior to entering light-sleep, so the wake-cycle power is expected to be very similar to the deep-sleep case since most of the power is spent on connecting to Wifi (especially in the secure network case).


I'll send a signed copy of Raising Rain to the person who can find an author's last name in the phrase: FOUR CALLING BIRDS and name a title by that author OR submit a book title with one of the words from the phrase and the author. Submit your entry using the "Contact" button above. See complete details for the contest on the November 23rd post. Good Luck! The winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 2nd.
The authors of Novel Matters (Sharon K. Souza, Debbie Fuller Thomas, Latayne C. Scott, Patti Hill, Kathleen Popa, and Bonnie Grove), together with the authors and brilliant minds behind She Reads (Ariel Allison and Marybeth Whalen) announce a partnership designed to bring writers and readers together in a new, dynamic way.
She Reads blog is all about "Discovering Great Fiction Together." Their motto is "The proper care and feeding of readers." Since their inception, She Reads has reached out to the reading community and provided a place for discussion, book clubs, events, contests, and arranged 'close encounters' for readers and writers to connect. Each quarter, She Reads chooses three "picks" to share with their readership. They are part of Proverbs 31 Ministries – an important and dynamic ministry to and for women.
Novel Matters blog is a community that celebrates the creative process of writing. We explore what matters in novels. We are six published authors – our combined books number 27. We have teamed to build a community populated by authors, writers, hopeful writers, readers, and people interested in the different ways of expressing creativity, language, and ideas.
The partnership between these two groups opens new opportunities for readers and for authors. To paraphrase author Kevin Crossley-Holland, we hope to create a "room with big windows" where readers can come into the lives of published authors who struggle daily with words and authors can partake of the privilege of meeting and sharing with readers.
Each site of course will maintain its own identity, as a readers' community and a writers' community.
Twice a month, an author from Novel Matters will post on the She Reads blog, giving insight to the creative process, answering reader questions, and revelling in our shared love of books and reading. Yes, Novel Matters is populated with authors, but each author is also an avid reader. We devour books and love to talk about our reading experiences.
Once a month, an author from She Reads will post on Novel Matters – bringing a wealth of insight on how authors can reach readers. This goes beyond marketing tips. The instruction they bring will help authors build trust with readers, and touch their hearts.
She Reads and Novel Matters are dreaming big dreams -- of glimpses into each others' worlds -- a place of community where you Read Novels -- where the She of each of you truly Matters to authors who care about their craft and their readers.
Please welcome Ariel and Marybeth!
It's funny how the best friendships are often started over a cup of coffee and a great conversation. Or, in the case of the She Reads Directors, Ariel Allison and Marybeth Whalen, an e-mail that basically said, "Hi, you don't know me, but we will be friends!" (Ariel's fault – she's long been in the habit of plucking her friends at random with a gut feeling and a bold invitation).
Yet even in friendship, there must be commonality and for these two women it boiled down to books (and children – they have ten between the two of them). They love to read, they love to write, and they love to recommend books to others. Over the course of countless sessions of Gmail chat they came to the conclusion that book clubs are rather elusive entities. They are scattered, independent, and numerous. Yet book clubs are the heart of the publishing industry, and the key to reaching readers on a large scale. Thus the idea for an umbrella organization, specifically designed to meet the needs of book clubs and individual readers, was formed.
As a long time member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker team, Marybeth suggested the idea to the organization as a way to expand the reach of their ministry. There are countless women who would never darken the door of a church or attend a Bible study but would go to a book club and discuss a Christian novel. It was only a matter of weeks before Proverbs warmly pulled She Reads into the fold. And here they are, just four months later reaching thousands of readers each month. Dozens of She Reads book clubs have formed, and many existing clubs have come under the She Reads umbrella. Women hunger for novels that matter and for authors that are approachable. She Reads exists to bridge the gap between the two.
Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions. She served as general editor of For The Write Reason and The Reason We Speak. She and her husband Curt co-authored Learning To Live Financially Free and her first novel, The Mailbox will be released in June 2010. Marybeth speaks regularly to women's groups and enjoys sharing stories from her daily adventures as a wife, mom, writer, and, most importantly, a follower of God.
You can find her online at www.marybethwhalen.com.
Ariel Allison is first and foremost the wife of Ashley, and mother of London, Parker, Marshall, and Colby. She has a penchant for adrenaline-infused madness such as rock climbing, running marathons, and jumping off bridges – as if raising four pre-school boys were not adventure enough. Her first novel, Eye of the God, released in October 2009, from Abingdon Press. She is the co-author of Daddy Do You Love Me: a Daughter's Journey of Faith and Restoration, and Jesus: Dead or Alive. When not immersed in a book, changing a diaper, or rescuing her dog from the death-grip of a toddler, you can find Ariel loitering in her little corner of cyberspace at www.arielallison.com. She and her family make their home in Texas, which is, according to her husband, the greatest state in the union.
What a wonderful new endeavor. Your collaboration with She Reads sounds like a perfect opportunity. I just know readers will love hearing from authors and writers will love learning how to better connect with readers. Sounds like a match made in heaven! Blessings all around!
She Reads could not be more pleased about this partnership! We believe that when readers and writers join together, the power of story is at its strongest. Here's to many years of forging relationships between those who write novels and those who read them!
What a great idea! This is exciting!
As a reader ( I am currently reading Raising Rain by Debbie Fuller Thomas - while not having a lot of testosterone, it is a great read about becoming self-aware of who you are in life. Me and Neil would get along great!) and a someday writer, I look forward to this partnership and becoming much more immersed in the world of great Christian Fiction.
Welcome to the She Reads ladies and blessings on you and your ministry.
Congrats to all of you! A wonderful endeavor!
This is a fantastic combined effort. Visitors to this site who write and those who enjoy reading will benefit. I look forward to even more enlightening postings and comments here. All the best. Pat D.
Thanks, everyone, for your comments. We're very excited about this union. There's so much to explore when it comes to writing -- and reading! -- and this just opens wide the world of exploration. We love hearing from all of you, and look forward to your continued input.
Thanks everyone, for all your encouraging comments! It will take time and communication, but we are excited about building that bridge between readers and writers.
I wonder how many readers know how very much authors want to interact with them? I've learned so much from readers - things I would have never known or understood if I had not had the joy of interacting with them.
I'm looking forward to the friendships, fun, and idea sharing the New Year will bring!
Cool idea! Looking forward to seeing what happens.


That's, these things which we investigate, debate and analyze in Political Science are those ideas upon which our understanding of society and its institutions are based. Community Faculties whereas making ready some students to continue their training at universities, additionally they put together many for actual life, simply in two years.
As sketched earlier, the domain of education is vast, the problems it raises are virtually overwhelmingly numerous and are of great complexity, and the social significance of the sector is second to none. It's applicable to start out with a dialogue of the rise and partial decline—however lasting influence of—analytic philosophy of education.
By the terms of this agreement, the essay must be positioned on a secure server that limits entry to your establishment's college students, college, or employees. Since statements are usually tailored to particular contexts, peer examples are thus extremely appropriate models.


text:
Events, understand Islam
COURSE OF ISLAMIC DOCTRINE
INTENSIVE COURSE IN CREED
FRIDAYS : 6:30 P.M – 7:30 PM
OPEN TO EVERY BODY ( NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED)
TAHAWI'S STATEMENT OF ISLAMIC DOCTRINE
(AL-`AQIDA AL-TAHAWIYYA)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
The great scholar Hujjat al-lslam Abu Ja'far al-Warraq al-Tahawi al-Misri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is a presentation of the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a, according to the school of the jurists of this religion, Abu Hanifa al-Nu`man ibn Thabit al-Kufi, Abu Yusuf Ya`qub ibn Ibrahim al-Ansari and Abu `Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, may Allah be pleased with them all, and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and their faith in the Lord of the worlds.
We say about Allah's unity, believing by Allah's help that:
1. Allah is One, without any partners.
2. There is nothing like Him.
3. There is nothing that can overwhelm Him.
4. There is no god other than Him.
5. He is the Eternal without a beginning and enduring without end.
6. He will never perish or come to an end.
7. Nothing happens except what He wills.
8. No imagination can conceive of Him and no understanding can comprehend Him.
9. He is different from any created being.
10. He is living and never dies and is eternally active and never sleeps.
11. He creates without His being in need to do so and provides for His creation without any effort.
12. He causes death with no fear and restores to life without difficulty.
13. He has always existed together with His attributes since before creation. Bringing creation into existence did not add anything to His attributes that was not already there. As He was, together with His attributes, in pre-eternity, so He will remain throughout endless time.
14. It was not only after the act of creation that He could be described as "the Creator" nor was it only by the act of origination that He could he described as "the Originator."
15. He was always the Lord even when there was nothing to be Lord of, and always the Creator even when there was no creation.
16. In the same way that He is the "Bringer to life of the dead," after He has brought them to life a first time, and deserves this name before bringing them to life, so too He deserves the name of "Creator" before He has created them.
17. This is because He has the power to do everything, everything is dependent on Him, everything is easy for Him, and He does not need anything. "There is nothing like Him and He is the Hearer, the Seer." (al-Shura 42:11)
18. He created creation with His knowledge.
19. He appointed destinies for those He created.
20. He allotted to them fixed life spans.
21. Nothing about them was hidden from Him before He created them, and He knew everything that they would do before He created them.
22. He ordered them to obey Him and forbade them to disobey Him.
23. Everything happens according to His degree and will, and His will is accomplished. The only will that people have is what He wills for them. What He wills for them occurs and what He does not will, does not occur.
24. He gives guidance to whomever He wills, and protects them, and keeps them safe from harm, out of His generosity; and He leads astray whomever He wills, and abases them, and afflicts them, out of His justice.
25. All of them are subject to His will either through His generosity or His justice.
26. He is Exalted beyond having opposites or equals.
27. No one can ward off His decree or delay His command or overpower His affairs.
28. We believe in all of this and are certain that everything comes from Him.
29. And we are certain that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is His chosen Servant and elect Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well pleased,
30. And that he is the Seal of the Prophets and the Imam of the godfearing and the most honored of all the messengers and the Beloved of the Lord of all the worlds.
31. Every claim to prophethood after Him is falsehood and deceit.
32. He is the one who has been sent to all the jinn and all mankind with truth and guidance and with light and illumination.
33. The Qur'an is the word of Allah. It came from Him as speech without it being possible to say how. He sent it down on His Messenger as revelation. The believers accept it, as absolute truth. They are certain that it is, in truth, the word of Allah. It is not created as is the speech of human beings, and anyone who hears it and claims that it is human speech has become an unbeliever. Allah warns him and censures him and threatens him with Fire when He says, Exalted is He: "I will burn him in the Fire." (al-Muddaththir 74:26) When Allah threatens with the Fire those who say "This is just human speech" (74:25) we know for certain that it is the speech of the Creator of mankind and that it is totally unlike the speech of mankind.
34. Anyone who describes Allah as being in any way the same as a human being has become an unbeliever. All those who grasp this will take heed and refrain from saying things such as the unbelievers say, and they will know that He, in His attributes, is not like human beings.
35. The Seeing of Allah by the People of the Garden is true, without their vision being all-encompassing and without the manner of their vision being known. As the Book of our Lord has expressed it: "Faces on that Day radiant, looking at their Lord." (al-Qiyama 75:22-3) The explanation of this is as Allah knows and wills. Everything that has come down to us about this from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in authentic traditions, is as he said and means what he intended. We do not delve into that, trying to interpret it according to our own opinions or letting our imaginations have free rein.
No one is safe in his religion unless he surrenders himself completely to Allah, the Exalted and Glorified and to His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them.
36. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it is beyond his capacity to know, and whose intellect is not content with surrender, will find that his desire veils him from a pure understanding of Allah's true unity, clear knowledge and correct belief, and that he veers between disbelief and belief, confirmation and denial and acceptance and rejection. He will he subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.
37. Belief of a man in the seeing of Allah by the People of the Garden is not correct if he imagines what it is like or interprets it according to his own understanding, since the interpretation of this seeing or indeed, the meaning of any of the subtle phenomena which are in the realm of Lordship, is by avoiding its interpretation and strictly adhering to the submission.
This is the religion of Muslims. Anyone who does not guard himself against negating the attributes of Allah, or likening Allah to something else, has gone astray and has failed to understand Allah's glory, because our Lord, the Glorified and the Exalted, can only possibly be described in terms of oneness and absolute singularity and no creation is in any way like Him.
38. He is beyond having limits placed on Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs. Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are.
39. Al-Mi`raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was taken by night and ascended in his bodily form, while awake, through the heavens, to whatever heights Allah willed for him.
Allah ennobled him in the way that He ennobled him and revealed to him what He revealed to him, "and his heart was not mistaken about what it saw" (al-Najm 53:11). Allah blessed him and granted him peace in this world and the next.
40. Al-Hawd, the Pool which Allah has granted the Prophet as an honour to quench the thirst of his Community on the Day of Judgement, is true.
41. Al-Shafa`a, the intercession which is stored up for Muslims, is true, as related in the hadiths.
42. The covenant which Allah made with Adam and his offspring is true.
43. Allah knew, before the existence of time, the exact number of those who would enter the Garden and the exact number of those who would enter the Fire. This number will neither be increased nor decreased.
44. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah knew they would be done. Everyone is eased towards what he was created for and it is the action with which a man's life is sealed which dictates his fate. Those who are fortunate are fortunate by the decree of Allah, and those who are wretched are wretched by the decree of Allah.
45. The exact nature of the decree is Allah's secret in His creation, and no angel near the Throne, nor Prophet sent with a message, has been given knowledge of it. Delving into it and reflecting too much about it only leads to destruction and loss, and results in rebelliousness. So be extremely careful about thinking and reflecting on this matter or letting doubts about it assail you, because Allah has kept knowledge of the decree away from human beings, and forbidden them to enquire about it, saying in His Book, "He is not asked about what He does, but they are asked" (al-Anbiya' 21: 23).
Therefore, anyone who asks: "Why did Allah do that?" has gone against a judgement of the Book, and anyone who goes against a judgement of the Book is an unbeliever.
46. This in sum is what those of Allah's Friends with enlightened hearts need to know and constitutes the degree of those firmly endowed with knowledge. For there are two kinds of knowledge: knowledge which is accessible to created beings, and knowledge which is not accessible to created beings. Denying the knowledge which is accessible is disbelief, and claiming the knowledge which is inaccessible is disbelief. Belief can only be firm when accessible knowledge is accepted and the inaccessible is not sought after.
47. We believe in al-Lawh (the Tablet) and al-Qalam (the Pen) and in everything written on the former. Even if all created beings were to gather together to make something fail to exist, whose existence Allah had written on the Tablet, they would not be able to do so. And if all created beings were to gather together to make something exist which Allah had not written on it, they would not be able to do so. The Pen has dried having written down all that will be in existence until the Day of Judgement.Whatever a person has missed he would have never got, and whatever he gets he would have never missed.
48. It is necessary for the servant to know that Allah already knows everything that is going to happen in His creation and has decreed it in a detailed and decisive way. There is nothing that He has created in either the heavens or the earth that can contradict it, or add to it, or erase it, or change it, or decrease it, or increase it in any way. This is a fundamental aspect of belief and a necessary element of all knowledge and recognition of Allah's oneness and Lordship. As Allah says in His Book: "He created everything and decreed it in a detailed way." (al-Furqan 25: 2) And He also says: "Allah's command is always a decided decree." (al-Ahzab 33: 38) So woe to anyone who argues with Allah concerning the decree and who, with a sick heart, starts delving into this matter. In his deluded attempt to investigate the Unseen, he is seeking a secret that can never be uncovered, and he ends up an evil-doer, telling nothing but lies.
49. Al-`Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursi (the Chair) are true.
50. He is independent of the Throne and that which is beneath it.
51. He encompasses all things and that which is above it, and what He has created is incapable of encompassing Him.
52. We say with belief, acceptance and submission that Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend and that He spoke directly to Musa.
53. We believe in the angels, and the Prophets, and the books which were revealed to the messengers, and we bear witness that they were all following the manifest Truth.
54. We call the people of our qibla Muslims and believers as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought, and accept as true everything that he said and told us about.
55. We do not enter into vain talk about Allah nor do we allow any dispute about the religion of Allah.
56. We do not argue about the Qur'an and we bear witness that it is the speech of the Lord of all the Worlds which the Trustworthy Spirit came down with and taught the most honoured of all the Messengers, Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is the speech of Allah and no speech of any created being is comparable to it. We do not say that it was created and we do not go against the Congregation (jama`a) of the Muslims regarding it.
57. We do not consider any of the people of our qibla to be unbelievers because of any wrong action they have done, as long as they do not consider that action to have been lawful.
58. Nor do we say that the wrong action of a man who has belief does not have a harmful effect on him.
59. We hope that Allah will pardon the people of right action among the believers and grant them entrance into the Garden through His mercy, but we cannot be certain of this, and we cannot bear witness that it will definitely happen and that they will be in the Garden. We ask forgiveness for the people of wrong action among the believers and, although we are afraid for them, we are not in despair about them.
60. Certainty and despair both remove one from the religion, but the path of truth for the People of the Qibla lies between the two.
61. A person does not step out or belief except by disavowing what brought him into it.
62. Belief consists of affirmation by the tongue and acceptance by the heart.
63. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet, upon him be peace, regarding the Shari`a and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.
64. Belief is, at base, the same for everyone, but the superiority of some over others in it is due to their fear and awareness of Allah, their opposition to their desires, and their choosing what is more pleasing to Allah.
65. All the believers are Friends of Allah and the noblest of them in the sight of Allah are those who are the most obedient and who most closely follow the Qur'an.
66. Belief consists of belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and belief that the Decree — both the good of it and the evil of it, the sweet of it and the bitter or it — is all from Allah.
67. We believe in all these things. We do not make any distinction between any of the messengers, we accept as true what all of them brought.
68. Those of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who have committed grave sins will be in the Fire, but not forever, provided they die and meet Allah as believers affirming His unity even if they have not repented. They are subject to His will and judgement.
If He wants, He will forgive them and pardon them out of His generosity, as is mentioned in the Qur'an when He says: "And He forgives anything less than that (shirk) to whomever He wills" (al-Nisa' 4: 116); if He wants, He will punish them in the Fire out of His justice, and then bring them out of the Fire through His mercy, and for the intercession of those who were obedient to Him, and send them to the Garden.
This is because Allah is the Protector of those who recognize Him and will not treat them in the hereafter in the same way as He treats those who deny Him, who are bereft of His guidance and have failed to obtain His protection. O Allah, You are the Protector of Islam and its people; make us firm in Islam until the day we meet You.
69. We agree with doing the prayer behind any of the People of the Qibla whether rightful or wrongful, and doing the funeral prayer over any of them when they die.
70. We do not say that any of them will categorically go to either the Garden or the Fire, and we do not accuse any of them of kufr (disbelief), shirk (associating partners with Allah), or nifaq (hypocrisy), as long as they have not openly demonstrated any of those things. We leave their secrets to Allah.
71. We do not agree with killing any of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, unless it is obligatory by Shari`a to do so.
72. We do not accept rebellion against our Imam or those in charge of our affairs even if they are unjust, nor do we wish evil on them, nor do we withdraw from following them. We hold that obedience to them is part of obedience to Allah, the Glorified, and therefore obligatory as long as they do not order to commit sins. We pray for their right guidance and ask for pardon for their wrongs.
73. We follow the Sunna of the Prophet and the Congregation of the Muslims, and avoid deviation, differences and divisions.
74. We love the people of justice and trustworthiness, and hate the people of injustice and treachery.
75. When our knowledge about something is unclear, we say: "Allah knows best."
76. We agree with wiping over leather socks (in ablution) whether on a journey or otherwise, just as has come in the hadiths.
77. Hajj and jihad under the leadership of those in charge of the Muslims, whether they are right or wrong-acting, are continuing obligations until the Last Hour comes. Nothing can annul or controvert them.
78. We believe in the the noble angels who write down our actions, for Allah has appointed them over us as two guardians.
79. We believe in the Angel of Death who is in charge of taking the spirits of all the worlds.
80. We believe in the punishment in the grave for those who deserve it, and in the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakir about one's Lord, one's religion and one's prophet, as has come down in the hadiths from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.
81. The grave is either one of the meadows of the Garden or one of the pits of the Fire.
82. We believe in being brought back to life after death and in being recompensed for our actions on the Day of Judgement, and the exhibition of works, and the reckoning, and the reading of the book, and the reward or punishments, and the Bridge, and the Balance.
83. The Garden and the Fire are created things that never come to an end and we believe that Allah created them before the rest of creation and then created people to inhabit each of them. Whoever He wills goes to the Garden out of His bounty and whoever He wills goes to the Fire through His justice. Everybody acts in accordance with what is destined for him and goes towards what he has been created for.
84. Good and evil have both been decreed for people.
85. The capability in terms of divine grace and favor which makes an action certain to occur cannot be ascribed to a created being. This capability is integral with action, whereas the capability of an action in terms of having the necessary health and ability, being in a position to act, and having the necessary means, exists in a person before the action. It is this type of capability which is the object of the dictates of the Shari`a. Allah the Exalted says: "Allah does not charge a person except according to his ability." (al-Baqara 2: 286)
86. People's actions are created by Allah but earned by people .
87. Allah, the Exalted, has only charged people with what they are able to do and people are only capable of doing what Allah has granted them to do. This is the explanation of the phrase: "There is no power and no strength except by Allah." We add to this that there is no stratagem or way by which anyone can avoid or escape disobedience to Allah except with Allah's help; nor does anyone have the strength to put obedience to Allah into practice and remain firm in it, except if Allah makes it possible for him to do so.
88. Everything happens according to Allah's will, knowledge, predestination and decree. His will overpowers all other wills and His decree overpowers all stratagems. He does whatever He wills and He is never unjust. He is exalted in His purity above any evil or perdition and He is perfect far beyond any fault or flaw. "He will not be asked about what He does, but they will be asked." (al-Anbiya' 21: 23)
89. There is benefit for dead people in the supplication and alms-giving of the living.
90. Allah responds to people's supplications and gives them what they ask for.
91. Allah has absolute control over everything and nothing has any control over Him. Nothing can be independent of Allah even for the blinking of an eye, and whoever considers himself independent of Allah for the blinking of an eye is guilty of unbelief and becomes one of the people of perdition.
92. Allah is angered and He is pleased but not in the same way as any creature.
93. We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah but we do not go to excess in our love for any one individual among them; nor do we disown any one of them. We hate anyone who hates them or does not speak well of them and we only speak well of them. Love of them is a part of Islam, part of belief and part of excellent behavior, while hatred of them is unbelief, hypocrisy and rebellion.
94. We confirm that, after the death of Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to `Umar ibn al-Khattab; then to `Uthman; and then to `Ali ibn Abi Talib; may Allah be well pleased with all of them. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.
95. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and who were promised the Garden by him, will be in the Garden, as the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would be. The ten are: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, `Ali, Talha, Zubayr, Sa`d, Sa`id, `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf, and Abu `Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah whose title was the Trustee of this Community, may Allah be pleased with all of them.
96. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his wives and offspring, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.
97. The learned men of the Predecessors, both the first community and those who immediately followed: the people of virtue, the narrators of hadith, the jurists, and the analysts– they must only be spoken of in the best way, and anyone who says anything bad about them is not on the right path.
98. We do not prefer any of the saintly men among the Community over any of the Prophets but rather we say that any one of the Prophets is better than all the awliya' put together.
99. We believe in what we know of the karamat or marvels of the awliya' and in the authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.
100. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Antichrist (dajjal) and the descent of `Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, from heaven, and we believe in the rising of the sun from where it sets and in the emergence of the Beast from the earth.
101. We do not accept as true what soothsayers and fortune-tellers say, nor do we accept the claims of those who affirm anything which goes against the Book, the Sunna, and the consensus of the Muslim Community (umma).
102. We agree that holding together is the true and right path and that separation is deviation and torment.
103. There is only one religion of Allah in the heavens and the earth and that is the religion of Islam ("submission"). Allah says: "Surely religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Al `Imran 3: 19) And He also says: "I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you." (al-Ma'ida 5: 3)
104. Islam lies between going to excess and falling short, between the likening of Allah's attributes to creation (tashbih) and divesting Allah of attributes (ta`til), between determinism and freewill, and between sureness and despair.
105. This is our religion and it is what we believe in, both inwardly and outwardly, and we renounce any connection, before Allah, with anyone who goes against what we have said and made clear.
We ask Allah to make us firm in our belief and seal our lives with it and to protect us from variant ideas, scattering opinions and evil schools of view such as those of the Mushabbiha, the Mu`tazila, the Jahmiyya, the Jabriyya, the Qadariyya, and others like them who go against the Sunna and Jama`a and have allied themselves with error. We renounce any connection with them and in our opinion they are in error and on the path of destruction. We ask Allah to protect us from all falsehood and we ask His Grace and Favour to do all good.
Tags: COURSE DOCTRINE Islamic PUBLIC TAHAWI TEACHING
← Mount Toby Letter to Muslim Community
Report: Teens Using Digital Drugs to Get High! "The Killing Machine"? →

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Instant film is magical. We continually savor every frame of expired Polaroid film or Impossible Project film regardless of the outcome. We shoot this film through old, new, and refurbished cameras with film that is testy, unstable, and at times frustrating. The glory of this process is that even the shots that don't turn out how we envisioned are works of art in themselves. The images themselves, though not perfect, are literally once in a life time moments that can never be replicated. This months theme of Happy Accidents highlights the joy of simply shooting instant film regardless of the outcome. We are pleased to present 35 happy accidents of instant film that have stolen our hearts along with our wallets. Cheers to the instant pioneers that keep our vibrant community alive!
We are excited to announce that our 2nd online group exhibition, Conversation with Light, will be curated by Michael Kirchoff! The deadline for submission is 09/15/17. Visit next month's group exhibition page for all of the details!


JERUSALEM (JTA) — Yishai Schlissel, who is serving a life sentence for his deadly stabbing spree at last year's Jerusalem pride parade, was arrested in prison for planning a violent plot on this year's march.
Hours before the start of Thursday's parade, Israel Police cleared for release the arrest of Schlissel in prison Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and for planning an attack on the parade.
Schlissel reportedly hatched the plot with his brother, Michael, to attack march participants and not to allow the march to go off peacefully.
Michael Schlissel also was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of planning an attack on this year's event and will be kept in prison until after the march, according to reports.
Their mother and four other siblings were ordered out of Jerusalem until after the march as well, though their home is in the city. They were all questioned by police on Wednesday, according to reports.
Police have said the march will take place as planned. Heightened security plans for the march were unveiled earlier this week.
Yishai Schlissel stabbed six marchers at the 2015 parade, killing one — Shira Banki, 16.
He had been released from prison several weeks before the parade after serving 10 years for a similar attack at the Jerusalem gay pride parade in 2005. In the days leading up to last year's parade, the haredi Orthodox Schlissel expressed his opposition to the march in interviews and in ads in haredi synagogues in Jerusalem and Kiryat Sefer.
The parade is to be held under tight security and is dedicated in memory of Banki.


This piece has never been worn and still has the tags on. It is marked a Large but would best fit a size Medium. It has straps with adjustable length. Shell and Lining: 100% Polyester, Wadding: 100% Polyester.


Washington ranks 24th in the nation for the affordability of a 15 minute call.
2010 Skamania County, WA 2010 contract with C-Tel part III.
Franklin County, WA 2004-2010 Contract w/Evercom Comm.
Jefferson County, WA 2013 Contract w/Consolidated Telecom, Inc.
Franklin County, WA 2010-present Contract w/C-Tel Comm.
2005-2012 Adams County, WA contract with Inmate Comm. Corp.


Whilst our last accountant was OK, we really should have moved to East Partners years ago. The improvements that we have experienced over the past two years have been tremendous.
One of the first things we did was move our records on to Xero. We are a bit old school with our record keeping and to be honest, a little nervous with moving to electronic records. However, Chris and his team were so supportive and helpful in the process – nothing was too much for them in helping us in this process.
Since then, East Partners have helped us put processes in place so that we know exactly how our business is tracking at any point in time. Better still, they help us to understand what it means.
East Partners are efficient, friendly, extremely helpful and save us so much time. We should have moved to them years ago!
Get in touch and find out how we can help your business!


Keep track of your power consumption, make money, reach the level goals before time runs out!
As I write this review, the lights in my entire area have gone out. If you build one too many literally power hungry houses without a wind farm in place, you will find yourself unable to earn rent from the houses that your own and pretty much unable to build anything else. Shame on you for not being environmentally conscious about your real estate tycoon dreams. In Build-a-Lot 4: Power Source HD, the emphasis – as it should be, is on going green. Read the full review after the break!
In time for the imminent release of Roads of Rome 3 HD, Roads of Rome 2 is on sale for a limited time. If you have Roads of Rome HD (which we loved) or have come across the Roads of Rome 2 sale alert, you are probably wondering if you should shell out a few more dollars. Should you?


Ideal for a family, this three bedroom villa has plenty of space for everyone. The spacious outdoor patio is a great place to soak up the sun or relax after a long day of sightseeing. On cooler evenings, there are two lounges so that both adults and children are able to watch their favourite shows.
The fully equipped kitchen is located on a mezzanine level, with formal dining for 6 guests. Stairs lead from the dining area into the main lounge which leads out onto the patio. There is a second TV lounge, ideal for children, leading off from the dining area.
The main bedroom offers a King-size bed and en-suite bathroom. The second bedroom has a Queen-size bed and the third has a double bed. These bedrooms share a family bathroom.
Outside you will find a large swimming pool, a garden area with sun loungers and outdoor dining for 6 guests all overlooking the ocean. The swimming pool is covered with a safety net.
Please note that all enquiries need owner confirmation prior to booking.
Please note that Cape Town is currently facing a major drought. For more information on how this may affect your stay, don't hesitate to contact us.


text:
Minnesota Wild @ Anaheim Ducks
Watch Minnesota Wild @ Anaheim Ducks Live
Stream Minnesota Wild vs Anaheim Ducks live. Watch from anywhere online and free. No sign-up or credit card required. We offer you the best live streams to watch NHL Hockey in HD. Enjoy the game between Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks, taking place at United States on January 20th, 2021, 9:30 pm.
Here you will find mutiple links to access the Minnesota Wild game live at different qualities. This Anaheim Ducks live stream is available on all mobile devices, tablet, smart tv, PC or Mac.
Minnesota Wild game today. On this site you'll able to watch Anaheim Ducks streams easy and lag-free. It doesn't matter where you are, our Hockey streams are available worldwide. Never miss a NHL Hockey game anymore!
Start time: January 20th, 2021, 9:30 pm - Rome Time (Italy) Berlin Time (Germany) Paris Time (France) Madrid Time (Spain) London Time (UK) Universal Time (UTC) Buenos Aires Time (AR) São Paulo Time (BRT) Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT) Atlantic Standard Time (AT) Eastern Standard Time (ET) Central Standard Time (CT) Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) Mountain Standard Time (MT) Pacific Standard Time (PT) Alaska Standard Time (AKST) Hawaii Daylight Time (HADT) Hawaii Standard Time (HST)
<iframe allow='encrypted-media' width='640' height='360' marginwidth='0' marginheight='0' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen='yes' src='//live-nhl.stream/embed/minnesota-wild-live.html'></iframe>
Minnesota Wild schedule
Wed 20 Jan - 9:30PM - Anaheim Ducks
Fri 22 Jan - 8:00PM - San Jose Sharks
Sun 24 Jan - 8:00PM - San Jose Sharks
Tue 26 Jan - 8:00PM - Los Angeles Kings
Thu 28 Jan - 1:00AM - Los Angeles Kings
Sat 30 Jan - 1:00AM - Colorado Avalanche
Sun 31 Jan - 1:00AM - Colorado Avalanche
Tue 2 Feb - 2:00AM - Colorado Avalanche
Thu 4 Feb - 2:00AM - Colorado Avalanche
Sat 6 Feb - 1:00AM - Arizona Coyotes
Sun 7 Feb - 1:00AM - Arizona Coyotes
Tue 9 Feb - 1:00AM - St. Louis Blues
Thu 11 Feb - 1:00AM - St. Louis Blues
Sat 13 Feb - 3:00AM - Los Angeles Kings
Tue 16 Feb - 3:00AM - Los Angeles Kings


text:
Iran Exploits Dual Nationals as Hostages for Income and Arms
November 2017 Terrorism
As history will prove, Iran's strategy to gain both funds and arms by keeping dual nationalities hostage is nothing new. According to Reuters, the number of dual nationalities arrested in Iran has increased since the signing of the Iran nuclear deal in 2015. Currently, there are some 30 dual nationalities detained in Iran, Al Arabiya writes.
As history will prove, Iran's strategy to gain both funds and arms by keeping dual nationalities hostage is nothing new. It started in 1979 when a group of 52 American embassy employees were held hostage for 444 days just after the Islamic revolution began. The result of which was the "Algiers Accord", where $7.9 billion of Iranian assets were unfrozen in addition to immunity from future lawsuits by United States.
The second most notable hostage crisis was when Hezbollah, the militants founded and funded by Iran in south Lebanon, kidnapped Americans and other foreign nationalities during the Lebanese civil war. Once again, the American administration under Reagan gave in to Iranian demands and the result became known as the Iran-Contra affair, in which during secret and illegal negotiations weapons were shipped to Iran in the height of Iran-Iraq war.
More recently, in January of 2016 under Obama $400 million were sent to Iran to release four American hostages – money that Obama administration refused to call a "ransom" but rather "settlement of a longstanding claim at the U.S.-Iran Claims Tribunal at The Hague," according to former State Department spokesman John Kirby.
Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, an Iranian-British citizen, who was detained at Tehran's airport in April is the newest victim. She is sentenced to five years by the revolutionary court on "secret charges." Recently UK government announced that half a billion dollars will be transferred to Iran for a debt owed since the 1979.
In relation to concerns that this may be a ransom to free Zaghari, Theresa May's spokesperson told reporters, "we are clear we don't see any link between these two issues."
Whether it is a coincidence that whenever a dual citizen is held hostage in Iran, the West recalls the outstanding payments to Iran, or it is simply hostage and ransom situation that repeatedly rewarded Iran with money and arms in the past 4 decades, denial of both Iranian and western administrations that these instances are not pay offs however, is not convincing to the Iranian human right activists who believe this is a vicious circle that should be broken.
At least 12 dual and foreign nationals, as well as foreign permanent residents, are currently imprisoned in Iran. According to research by the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), the arrests, primarily by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), are followed by a pattern of prolonged solitary confinement and interrogations; lack of due process; denial of consular access or visits by the UN or humanitarian organizations; secretive trials in which the detainee is given limited access to counsel; and long prison sentences based on vague or unspecified "national security" and "espionage" charges.
In November 2017, Reuters reported that at least 30 dual nationals had been arrested by the IRGC since the signing of the nuclear deal in July 2015. The judiciary's ongoing imprisonment of these visitors to Iran—arrested by the IRGC's Intelligence Organization or the Intelligence Ministry—reflects hardliners' efforts to prevent the engagement with the West that the administration of President Hassan Rouhani has sought to encourage. Dual nationals have also been used as bargaining chips in Iran's dealings with other nations.
President Rouhani discussed detainees in a September 2017 interview with CNN. He emphasized that the judiciary is independent and that his administration cannot interfere. But Rouhani seemed to imply that he has his own opinions.
"I do have my own sensitivities vis a vis this issue," he told Christiane Amanpour.
Iranian judicial officials have not been held accountable for denying due process to the detainees, nor for their collusion with the arresting authorities, which often influence or dictate prison sentences.
More than 170 Nobel Laureates Call on Iran to Release Swedish Resident Ahmadreza Djalali
Hardliners Attack Ahmadinejad Loyalists at Sit-In Protest in Iran
Russia Likely to Veto UN Resolution Calling Out Iran
Iran-Russia Ties: Diplomacy Thrives But Not Reflected in Economy
Is Khamenei Aiming to Replace the Presidential System?
Tehran Ranked among Top Five 'Most Stressful' Cities
UN Human Rights Report: Iran's Regime Needs Judicial Reform


text:
Q: iOS Orientation changes across multiple views I am writing a iOS Tab Bar Application using iOS 5.1 SDK with storyboards for my UI design. My requirement is that whenever the app rotates to landscape mode, I need to show a calendar. I have figured out the calendar part, but what I am not sure about is how to implement the solution in such a way that it applies to the entire app.
Basically, what I am trying to avoid is handling orientation change on per view basis. Regardless of which view I am in, if I rotate to landscape orientation, I need to show this calendar view and of course get back to my original view when I switch back to portait mode.
Any clues or thoughts from anyone would be useful..

A: You need to subclass your calendar view in all viewcontrollers and add a subview of your current view when your orientation goes to landscape..
you can also make your calendar class as a singleton to access anywhere in your project with same instance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


There are many different penalties for a reckless driving, driving too fast for highway and traffic conditions charge of 46.2-861 in Alexandria Virginia.
If you have been charged with reckless driving, driving too fast for highway and traffic conditions in Alexandria Virginia, contact our law firm immediately for help.
Reckless Driving, Driving Too Fast For Highway And Traffic Conditions Defense In Virginia.
Va Code 46.2-861. Driving too fast for highway and traffic conditions.
Va Code 46.2-861 Regardless of any posted speed limit exceeding a reasonable speed under the circumstances and traffic conditions existing at the time. Class 1 misdemeanor.


text:
LGBT: Critical Mass?
By Kahuna, June 28, 2013 in Issues & Politics
Admittedly, this thread has wandered far away.
Stupid question: You have a member's parent who is in a deeply committed relationship. What do the exact particulars of that relationship have to do with his being a Scouter?
What really does sex have to do with Scouting? Please answer that first for different-gender sex. Nothing whatsoever, right?
So what does same-gender sex have to do with Scouting? Nothing whatsoever, right?
So just what is the difference supposed to be? Huh?
Here is a basic principle that we had to make maximum use of while I provided training services during my official expulsion for atheism: A parent is always welcome to a meeting involving his own child. So gay parents are always welcome, including in den meetings and on campouts.
And if the gay parent has a practical skill to teach, then what? Ignore that valuable resource? Or make use of it? Again harking back to the Penn and Teller Bullshit! episode on BSA, there was a campout set up with gay and non-gay scouts in which, as I recall, the gay scouts out-performed the non-gay scouts. So you ignore what the gay scouts have to teach you?
As for the issue of sex education, I remember a memorable quote from the then-Governor of Mississippi (AKA, "missisloppy" by those, like myself, who had been stationed there) in the mid-to-late 1990's. He was a strong advocate of educational reform. In support for his position on education reform, he said: "We have already tried ignorance, so we know that that does not work." So now the Republicans are doubling down on ignorance -- it didn't work then, so it won't work now either.
Again harking back to the Penn and Teller Bullshit! episode on BSA, there was a campout set up with gay and non-gay scouts in which, as I recall, the gay scouts out-performed the non-gay scouts. So you ignore what the gay scouts have to teach you?
Are you serious right now?
acco40 85
Yes, I feel that the "gay" issue has hit critical mass due to the fact that it will not be going away. Kahuna compared the issue to "women's rights" which I think is apt. I think that we as a society, will also find out that this will both have unforeseen benefits and negative consequences - just like the changing perceptions of what the role of women in society ought to be. With more women in the workforce, they are less dependent on someone else as a provider - that has boosted divorce rates and increased the amount of children raised in single parent homes. It also allowed many women to leave abusive relationships and has added an immense critical addition to our workforce expanding productivity.
Anyone care to predict the effects that societal acceptance of gay marriage will have on our culture? I can't really think of much negative effects myself.
DWise1 10
Quite serious. Scoutcraft is not affected by sexual orientation nor religious belief. Watch the episode for yourself.
I certainly cannot think of any negative effects.
Positive effects would be far fewer families operating at an unnecessary disadvantage and in danger of being torn apart by anti-same-sex marriage laws. About a year ago I listened to a report on All Things Considered (NPR) in which same-sex families were visiting Washington, DC, to personally lobby their congressmen and senators for support. The most pressing concern for most of the families was that the parents lost all parental rights in a state that didn't recognize or banned same-sex marriages. That meant that if any of their children were to have to go to the emergency room or come to the attention of the authorities, then all their children would be taken away from them and placed in foster care.
Societal acceptance of gay marriage means the preservation of families.
Well, there are a couple of polygamist law suits working through the courts. They are picking up and using the same rhetoric as the gay-marriage movement. Now that DOMA is dead, that definition is left to the states. If what people do in their private bedrooms is private, and of no regard to the state, should they not be entitled to all the rights, privileges and responsibilities as heterosexual and homosexual couples? Why should family be defined as two adults and children? Why not three adults and children? As long as it's consensual and all.....
rdclements 10
Protecting the right of gay people to get married should be a conservative issue. You've go two people, in a committed relationship, who want to get married and raise a family together, taking equal responsibility for their children. This is what conservatives have campaigned for for many years.
A healthy family relationship, which is mother and father. Barry
Hal_Crawford 14
I know some healthy family relationships where there are two moms or two dads. I also have known some really unhealthy ones where there was a mom and a dad and some of those got better when one or the other left.
I don't think polygamy will be an issue. If gay marriage is universally allowed, all adults now have an equal chance to choose a singular life partner so I don't think a man who want to marry a 12 year old or a woman who wants to marry a horse or polygamy or any other such nonsense will be an issue.
Account, that distinction - two adult humans vs. any other kind of relationship - is so clear to me and you, it amazes me that it isn't clear to everybody else.
Well, it doesn't really amaze me.
Yes, I saw a picture of a two headed snake once, but that isn't normal. All things being equal, a healthy family starts with a mom and dad. Barry
Perhaps in your narrow minded view of the world Eagledad, but seriously you should get out more.. Children grow in a secure environment be it a mom or Dad, a single mom or a single dad, two moms or two dads, grandparents.. Does it need a marriage certificate, in some ways no, in some ways yes.. They need to feel secure that if something happens to one parent they can continue life with the other parent.. The home the family grew up in will not be ripped away from under them because the parent who died was the one owning the home.. That they are recognized as belonging to both parents so that they don't run into one parent having the health benefits through their job, but unable to put the children on those benefits because the children legally are seen as belonging to the other parent. I am sure there are other benefits laws that recognize their family unit help the children to feel more safe and secure, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
It amazes me that some people consider the desire for a mate of the same sex as more mature than the desires of any other kind of relationship. Folks keep wanting to equalize homosexuality as a normal healthy lifestyle when my observations of friends and family are anything but. Oh sure, some gays find a stable relastionship, but that isn't normal for that lifestyle. On the whole, gays are some of the loneliest people I know.
Merlyn_LeRoy 70
I'm amazed you don't see that as an argument in favor of gay marriage.
Gee, if it takes a village to raise a child, then what's wrong with polygamy? There is a lot of credible evidence in the Bible to support it. After all the 12 Tribes of Israel were conceived by 2 wives and 2 concubines. Of course that's the Old Testament, but the New Testament only says the bishops should be of one wife.
Only in a country of "freedom of religion" is a territory required to abandon their religious practices in order to obtain statehood. (Utah)
Surely a country based on hypocrisy can always find ways to alienate various parts of it's culture.
Go To Topic Listing Issues & Politics


text:
The United States of Film: Louisiana
15 films that bridge the bayous to Bourbon Street
By Amanda Schurr | March 15, 2015 | 8:39pm
Movies Lists Louisiana
There's the South, and then there's Louisiana. Many would argue the state is its own country, if not universe, especially when you approach the New Orleans city limits. Marked by an exceptional cultural gumbo of French, Spanish, Native American and African populations—not to mention strong Italian, German, Irish and Vietnamese communities, and dialects including Cajun, Creole and Yat—the state's renown as a melting pot only begins with its sometimes balmy, sometimes blistering subtropical conditions. In Louisiana, where counties are referred to as parishes and to go shopping is "to make groceries," everything's just a bit different. No more apparent is that than in the Big Easy, a destination known as much for being a port city as a party city. But there's much more to the state than the Mardi Gras mecca of New Orleans, as witnessed in the best onscreen representations of one of the most richly storied and influential parts of the U.S.
Many Louisiana-set films trade on the slow-drawl, slower-smarts stereotypes of the Deep South (The Waterboy, ahem, Fletch Lives). Others take a cue from the area's humid, corrupt and tawdry charms (No Mercy, Wild at Heart, Heaven's Prisoners and its sequel, In the Electric Mist) or street-smart M.O. (Hard Times, The Cincinnati Kid). The melodramas (Passion Fish, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, Lady from Louisiana) are as plentiful as the magnolias (Steel Magnolias, of course). So, too, for a state where headlines precede it, are the movies centering around prison and poverty: The Green Mile, Dead Man Walking and Monster's Ball, among them. And then there's the scandalous politics: Consider the original All The King's Men, inspired by the life of controversial Louisiana governor and state senator Huey P. Long, and Blaze, the Paul Newman-starring fictionalization of Huey's brother, Louisiana's 45th governor, Earl Long, also the uncle of U.S. Senator Russell Long.
Also omitted here are Spike Lee's outstanding post-Katrina documentaries for HBO, When the Levees Broke and If God is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise, and, believe it or not, a pair of Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicles (Universal Soldier, Hard Target). Still, from campy thrillers (Hatchet, The Alligator People, Cat People, Candyman, Swamp Thing) to buddy movies (Delta Heat) to exploitation fare of varying degree (Live and Let Die, Pretty Baby, Drum), certain common threads emerge: a deeply atmospheric sense of climate—physical, psychological, moral, oft times supernatural; communities where everybody knows everybody else's business; lusty appetites for… everything; and, of course, accents of dubious authenticity.
Read on for 15 quintessential Louisiana films, where even though it's not always possible to "laissez les bons temps rouler," these times, after all is said and done, couldn't be set anywhere else. As they say in dem parts, yeah you right.
15. Little Chenier
Director: Bethany Ashton
Billed "A Cajun Story" (right down to its sometimes subtitled dialogue), this barely post-Katrina-made film is as noteworthy for its production as for its hyperlocal narrative. Just three weeks after the hurricane devastated the Louisiana coastline and inland areas, another name storm, then Category 3-strength Rita, hit the city of Lake Charles and other parishes involved in the film shoot, which had just wrapped. The area was completely destroyed, what left writer-director Bethany Ashton's film as a monument of sorts to the region and its way of life.
The plot itself casts Jonathon Schaech (That Thing You Do) as Beauxregard Dupuis, a bait fisherman who lives in the titular swamp country on a houseboat alongside his mentally-disabled younger brother. Beaux pines for his ex, who's now married to the unscrupulous town sheriff, who in turn has it out for the siblings. Cue the soapy deceptions, and the Of Mice and Men clichés. The expected notwithstanding, Louisiana native Ashton has an affecting way with the rote daily business of the bayou and a Southern Gothic approach that works more often than not.
14. The Skeleton Key
Director: Iain Softley
A fine cast elevates B-movie hokum in this effective thriller. Kate Hudson stars as New Jersey-to-New Orleans transplant Caroline, a hospice nurse who signs on at a coastal plantation manor. Though initially skeptical of all this local talk of superstitions, she grows to believe—the operative word here—her new patient, stroke victim Benjamin Devereaux (John Hurt), is in danger from the century-old spirits of two former servants. As Hudson's character learns more about the house's matriarch, Violet (Gena Rowlands), and the practice of Hoodoo folk magic still in play throughout the haunted mansion, the movie conjures up creaky scares and guilty pleasures, alongside a NOLA-centric soundtrack (Rebirth Brass Band, The Dixie Cups). Here the south is drenched, quite literally, in spooky meteorological clichés: lots of foreboding thunder and rain, wind-rattled doors and windows. Filmed at the historic Felicity Plantation on the Mississippi River—also a location for 12 Years a Slave—The Skeleton Key is an old-fashioned ghost story that makes the most of its antebellum backdrop, and Louisiana's rep as a hotbed for the paranormal.
13. The Man in the Moon
Director: Robert Mulligan
Shot in Natchitoches, the same town south of Shreveport as Steel Magnolias a couple years earlier, this languorous coming-of-age drama features the debut screen performance of Reese Witherspoon. The New Orleans native shows presence beyond her years as Dani Trant, a 14-year-old tomboy who whiles away summer days on the family farm in Elvis-crazed 1957. She idolizes her beautiful older sis, Maureen, with whom she is close, disobeys her overprotective but loving parents (Sam Waterston and Tess Harper), and steals away for dips in the neighbor's pond. But the arrival of handsome Court, the 17-year-old son of the widow next door, complicates things. Director Robert Mulligan's last film—his career included an adaptation of another Southern tale, To Kill a Mockingbird—unfolds like an afternoon breeze, reveling in the textures of the season, and the rural South: screen porches and front swings, swimmin' holes and fishin' trips, crickets and songbirds, thunderstorms and first kisses that jolt like lightning. The Man in the Moon is an organic, unforced portrait of adolescence, as vivid as Dani's daydreams.
12. Louisiana Story
Director: Robert J. Flaherty
This naive piece of propaganda, which the Library of Congress in 1994 tapped for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry, was often mistakenly referred to as a documentary. But the last feature by writer-director Robert J. Flaherty—he of the likewise fictionalized tale of man vs. nature, Nanook of the North—was funded by the Standard Oil Company and has the onscreen spin to prove it. Produced on location in the marshlands with a local cast of amateurs, the film follows the simple life of a Cajun boy (played by Joseph Boudreaux) and his pet raccoon. Drama arrives when oil men seek to drill on his family's property—that, and the appearance of a giant alligator (really). It's as quaintly idyllic as it sounds, and the petrol people, despite a rig incident gone awry, come off as upstanding folk whose concern for the environment is matched by their desire to help the community. So yeah, totally believable. Issues of plausibility aside, Flaherty's direction is characteristically lyrical, as is Virgil Thomson's score; based on field tapes of indigenous Acadian musicians, it won a Pulitzer. A visually poetic document of another time, and a prophetic glimpse of man-made disasters to come, this Story reflects reality more than you'd think.
11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Though far from David Fincher's best work, his typically painstaking attention to detail and shrewd decision to transplant the original F. Scott Fitzgerald short story from Baltimore to New Orleans nab this film—the second shot in the Crescent City after Hurricane Katrina (after the 2006 Denzel Washington vehicle Déjà Vu)—a spot on the list. Fincher was motivated to move the production thanks to Louisiana's generous tax incentives for filmmakers—the state isn't called "Hollywood South" for just its versatile locations. But by setting Brad Pitt's aging-in-reverse timeline from November 1918 through the sirens blaring of the storm's August 2005 landfall, he and screenwriter Eric Roth (in full Forrest Gump mode again) mine a fantastical metaphor of a city that's as old as it is ageless. "The circumstances of my birth were… unusual," Pitt's Benjamin Button begins—the same fate could be said of New Orleans, and everything of both since. (Pitt has become something of an ambassador for the still-recovering town through his philanthropic foundation's efforts to help rebuild the Lower Ninth Ward.) The sprawling odyssey—Pitt called it a "love letter"—elegizes a city then barely three years removed from near destruction, its often sepia-cast vignettes showcasing the Garden District, Mid-City, the French Quarter and beyond.
10. Eve's Bayou
Director: Kasi Lemmons
In an audacious feature debut, writer-director Kasi Lemmons (who also acted in Silence of the Lambs and NOLA-set Hard Target) delivers this under-seen gem of mood and genre that hinges on the reality of memory. The classic Southern Gothic concerns an affluent African-American family in a bayou enclave, named for a Creole slave woman, circa 1960. It's summertime (natch). Samuel L. Jackson leads a terrific ensemble; the cast includes Lynn Whitfield, Debbi Morgan, Diahann Carroll, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and even saxophonist and Breaux Bridge, La. native Branford Marsalis. Jackson is a successful doctor whose bed-hopping comes to the unwitting attention of his middle child, 10-year-old Eve (young master of the side-eye Jurnee Smollett), and sets off a crisis in the process. The names ring true of the region: Batiste, Delacroix, Mereaux. So too does the atmosphere, with its hexes and voodoo, above-ground tombs, and Spanish moss that hangs in the trees as thick as the secrets below. New Orleans-born composer Terence Blanchard contributes a nuanced score that complements Lemmons' deft way with the comic and the macabre. Filmed largely just across Lake Pontchartrain in Covington, Eve's Bayou subverts racial, regional and class stereotypes in matter-of-fact fashion, turning the evils of the plantation house of yore on their head.
9. The Big Easy
Director: Jim McBride
Originally to be set in Chicago, this tongue-in-cheek crime drama transfers easily and convincingly to New Orleans. Dennis Quaid does Dennis Quaid as a cocksure N.O.P.D. lieutenant who romances the new district attorney (Ellen Barkin), despite mounting evidence of his unlawful behavior, police department payoffs and mob violence. The Big Easy may be a mystery, but it's hardly a serious affair, which is why it gets away with so much. The characters are saucy—sample line: "If I can't have you, can I have my gator?"—and as shady as the city's labyrinthine courtyards and alleyways. Directed by Jim McBride and costarring Ned Beatty (check that crawdad "burl" attire), R&B great Solomon Burke and longtime Big Easy resident John Goodman, this flavorful noir gains cred for the appearance of local institutions including music venue Tipitina's and French Quarter restaurant Antoine's, plus soundtrack appearances by zydeco band BeauSoleil, legendary bluesman Professor Longhair and Aaron Neville. Funkier still, the judge in Quaid's character's case is played by Jim Garrison, the real-life lawyer and judge who, as New Orleans' one-time district attorney, brought charges in the JFK assassination—you may recall Kevin Costner played Garrison in another film set in town. As one Big Easy resident deadpans, "New Orleans is a marvelous environment for coincidence."
8. King Creole
Director: Michael Curtiz
There's no leaving what is arguably Elvis Presley's finest dramatic performance (and reportedly his personal favorite) off the list, even if much of the movie was recorded on a Hollywood soundstage. The first moments of the Michael Curtiz film, shot on a French Quarter balcony that remains a tourist attraction to this day, are nothing short of iconic, The King crooning that ode to the Louisiana seafood industry, "Crawfish." Costarring Walter Matthau and Carolyn Jones (The Addams Family), King Creole casts Presley as a high school dropout-turned-singer in a Bourbon Street club who gets mixed up with local delinquents and pretty girls. "I'm not a hoodlum, but I am a hustler; I had to be for a very simple reason," Presley's character, Danny Fisher, explains early on. With a soundtrack infused with Dixieland and trad jazz, it's an indisputable entry in the Louisiana movie canon—and one that almost didn't happen: Not only was King Creole initially set to star James Dean as a boxer in New York, Presley, once recast in the Crescent City upon Dean's death, had to request a 60-day extension from the Army draft board to make the picture.
7. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
Director: Neil Jordan
Anne Rice's 1976 gothic novel about bloodsuckers in Spanish Louisiana got the epic big-screen treatment almost two decades after its debut, and 200 years after its narrator Louis' induction into the immortal realm. New Orleans—home to many "cities of the dead" or above-ground cemeteries, due in part to the plagues that ravaged late 18th century slums—is also the perfect setting for a grief-stricken, navel-gazing young plantation owner like Louis (played by Brad Pitt) to lose himself. Preening and stalking his way through the streets, Louis' maker and lead vamp Lestat (Tom Cruise) embodies the almost otherworldly decadence and European sophistication of the city (the character still enjoys a zealous local fan club that hosts an annual ball). Director Neil Jordan, working with cinematographer Phillipe Rousselot and production designer Dante Ferretti, captures the nocturnal reality in hedonistic hues and the light of lanterns strewn throughout the French Quarter. From boudoirs to saloons to the banks of the Mississippi, it's a universe that, as noted before, stands frozen in time. New Orleans is often described as the city that will never tell you "no"—that seductive and more-than-a-little-sad truism has, um, real teeth in the undead souls of Interview.
6. Down by Law
Director: Jim Jarmusch
It sounds like a joke: A DJ, a pimp and a tourist walk out of a prison. (Then again, that scenario's just another morning in NOLA.) Of course, the jailbreak in Jim Jarmusch's indie classic isn't quite that simple, even if there's little more to the plot. Rocker/actor Tom Waits plays the disc jockey, fellow musician and Jarmusch collaborator John Lurie is the hustler, and motormouth Italian Roberto Benigni is the foreigner. The trio—each member falsely imprisoned—make a reluctant, often farcical team as they escape and later retreat into the wetlands surrounding New Orleans. But like any Jarmusch film, Down By Law is less about story and more about atmosphere. Thanks to tremendous performances and Robby Müller's camerawork, the film has that in spades—all the better to showcase the character of the region itself. Müller's magnificently long, strolling shots feel no less colorful in crisp black and white; a leisurely intro pans past mausoleums and swamp shacks, shotgun houses and Victorian balconies before Waits and co. inhabit the space with casual nods to local radio station WWOZ, bluesman Earl King and soul queen Irma Thomas. Outside parish limits, their bayou adventures pulse with the sounds of wildlife and stark backwater imagery. Jarmusch's oddball comic noir echoes the state of misfits in which it's set.
5. Southern Comfort
Director: Walter Hill
An underrated entry in action veteran Walter Hill's (The Warriors, The Driver, 48 Hrs.) filmography, this Deliverance meets Apocalypse Now survival thriller posits a National Guard unit on a weekend training exercise in the swamp that runs afoul of French-speaking locals. The entitled servicemen "borrow," bully and taunt, and surprise, they lose whatever upper hand they thought they had—especially without the aid of live ammo. Once again, Louisiana's evocative locales are the stuff of not-so-subtle allegory, this time around of the U.S.'s involvement in Vietnam (the film is set in the early '70s, though Hill, whose prior Louisiana credits included the New Orleans-set Hard Times, shrugged off the metaphor). But look past the symbolism—and the stock bros and rednecks on both sides of the conflict—and you'll notice stunning location work and cinematography that captures the beauty, mystery and, yes, terror of the bayou. Hill takes us deep into its murky waters, completely disorienting the troops (Powers Boothe, Keith Carradine and Fred Ward) and viewers alike from the outset. Ry Cooder's twangy slide guitar-driven score and arrangements of traditional Cajun Indian music keep the suspense at a slow but ominous burn. Were it not for the grisly violence—and that ending—Southern Comfort is almost a tourism postcard. Almost. (Joel Schumacher's 2000 film Tigerland mines similar terrain.)
4. Angel Heart
Director: Alan Parker
Voodoo again plays a prominent role in this Alan Parker film, part noir, part hard-boiled detective mystery, part horror movie. As gumshoe Harry Angel in 1950s Harlem, Mickey Rourke is at his best, hired by a devilish-looking man (Robert DeNiro) to track down a big band singer, only to be lured into the occult subcultures of Louisiana. As Angel's investigation takes him south from New York City to the New Orleans neighborhood of Algiers—interestingly, a move suggested to Parker by the story's author, novelist William Hjortsberg—the color-drained, highly stylized production reflects his descent into hell. Parker wrings the humidity and torrid filth from each frame, from the streetcars, second-line parades and clubs of Uptown and Carrollton to the rural plantations of Thibodaux. You can practically smell the pervasive overripeness and touch Angel's sweat-crinkled suits. The feverish mood boils to the surface, giving up bodies and body parts of assorted creatures. Lisa Bonet (The Cosby Show), as chicken-loving priestess Epiphany Proudfoot (yup), exudes a delta sensuality that got her in trouble with her then-TV dad, and the film with the ratings board, which required trims of her and Rourke's blood-bathed sex scene. Headlines aside, Angel Heart is a wanton spectacle whose extremes suit the region.
3. 12 Years a Slave
Director: Steve McQueen
Brad Pitt makes his third appearance on the list—it's no wonder "Brad Pitt for Mayor" t-shirts populate the streets of New Orleans—here as producer and actor (albeit, in a small but pivotal role). But this is Solomon Northrup's (true) story. Chiwetel Ejiofor is quietly galvanizing as Northrup, a free black man in Upstate New York circa 1841 who is drugged, kidnapped and sold into slavery. The next dozen years may as well be a million in English filmmaker Steve McQueen's controlled, unflinching production, as Northrup adapts to survive from plantation to plantation, master to master. McQueen and cinematographer Sean Bobbitt employ a fluid, formal aesthetic that contrasts the hypocrisy of Northrup's owners, such seething inhumanity cloaked beneath their genteel, Bible-quoting propriety. It sickens on a visceral level. Lingering on the daily routines of slave life in the Deep South, 12 Years spares no sight. The film immerses viewers so thoroughly in the ugliness of history that the plain grace of its environs—as when Lupita N'yongo's Patsey crafts corn-husk dolls in the cotton fields—is almost lost. A wide shot of moss canopies and children playing, scored by singing birds and chirping crickets, would be bucolic were it not for the man slowly being lynched from one of its giant oak trees. Shot on several properties throughout Louisiana near the real Northrup's enslavement, 12 Years is a reminder of unchecked depravity whose vestiges resonate in more ways than one.
2. Beasts of the Southern Wild
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Fantasy meets reality in this apocalyptic coming-of-age fable whose art-imitating-life—or is that vice versa?—production put it in immediate contact with the BP Deepwater Horizon; the oil rig exploded the first day of filming just offshore of New Orleans, in Terrebonne Parish. Newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis—one of many cast members culled from bayou country—is extraordinary as 6-year-old Hushpuppy, a force of nature in the fictional, self-sustained fishing isle of "The Bathtub," so named because of its below sea-level, levee-created geography. Her hard-drinking father Wink's health is in rapid decline as a hurricane nears the community—along with prehistoric creatures newly unfrozen from Arctic waters. As Hushpuppy and her dad (played by fellow non-actor Dwight Henry, who like Wallis would later appear in 12 Years a Slave) face peril both internal and external, Beasts becomes surreal post-Katrina folklore, and unforgettably gorgeous lore at that. Director Benh Zeitlin, who co-wrote the screenplay with playwright Lucy Alibar, offers a mythic observation on climate change and the disappearing coastal wetlands, a fast eroding natural barrier against storm surges that, along with levees in various states of disrepair and outright neglect, pose an ongoing threat to the state. But it's hardly sociopolitical soap-boxing. Told through Hushpuppy's POV of fright and awe, the film is a powerful testament to the abiding resilience of the region and its residents—joyous to live, defiant to return, proud to remain, home.
1. A Streetcar Named Desire
Director: Elia Kazan
As if there were any doubt, let's look, for starters, to the perennial "Stella!" and "Stanley!" shouting contest in New Orleans' Jackson Square, part of the annual Tennessee Williams Festival. Elia Kazan's masterful screen adaptation of the 1947 Pulitzer Prize-winning classic nails the essence of the singular charisma of the Crescent City, and Louisiana at large—aggressively raw, effortlessly refined, old-world and urgent, exotic and altogether American. Despite how, like King Creole, the film was largely shot on a Hollywood soundstage, Streetcar is so intrinsically tied to its milieu that its veracity has made it an enduring cultural landmark. Amid the Southern Gothic drama of delusional aging belle Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh), her burly lout of a brother-in-law (Marlon Brando), and put-upon sister Stella (Kim Hunter), the French Quarter throbs with Williams' censors-baiting prose and Alex North's steamy jazz score. Even the opening line namechecks several NOLA landmarks: "They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields." Adapted for the screen by Williams himself, Streetcar was tamed considerably by the uptight folk behind the Hays Code, yet its primal heat is not sacrificed. The characters exist in a sultry summer haze of fan-cast shadows and ramshackle surroundings, stripped down to their base passions (and, frequently, various undergarments). The cumulative effect is as Method as leading man Brando himself, intense and spellbinding. "I don't want realism, I want magic," Blanche says late in the film. Streetcar, like its setting, is both.
Amanda Schurr is Assistant Movies Editor at Paste and a Pac NW-based culture writer. You can follow her on Twitter.
eve's bayou
interview with the vampire
kid creole
walter hill
More from Louisiana
Suspect Arrested for Burning Down Historically Black Louisiana ChurchesBy Clare MartinApril 12, 2019 | 3:19pm
The Resilience of Cajun Music: Steve Riley and Eunice, La.By Geoffrey HimesMarch 22, 2019 | 9:00am
8 Hidden Gems in New OrleansBy Lauren Spiler March 21, 2017 | 3:00pm
Road Music, Chapter Seven: Eunice, LouisianaBy Geoffrey HimesMarch 10, 2017 | 12:50pm
Road Music, Chapter Six: New Orleans, LouisianaBy Geoffrey HimesMarch 8, 2017 | 12:32pm
The Best of New Orleans' Oldest RestaurantsBy Allie EarlyDecember 6, 2016 | 3:00pm
Hotel Intel: Omni Royal Orleans, New OrleansBy Maggie ParkerJune 15, 2016 | 3:00pm
Festival Outsider: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage FestivalBy Mary Anne BargenApril 19, 2016 | 8:45am
The Best and Brightest of America's Holiday Light ShowsBy Jen RuizDecember 25, 2015 | 11:00am
Take Five: New Orleans' Best New RestaurantsBy Jennifer Stewart KornegayNovember 5, 2015 | 2:55pm
City in a Glass: New OrleansBy Alyson SheppardSeptember 24, 2015 | 9:01am
The Ugly American: 4 Vacation Places I Should Hate but Love AnywayBy Hollis GillespieJuly 31, 2015 | 9:07am
Unheard of Music in New OrleansBy Amanda WicksJuly 22, 2015 | 3:00pm
Also in Movies
The 50 Best Movies on HBO Max, Ranked (January 2022) By Paste Movies Staff January 14, 2022 | 4:57pm
The 50 Best Movies on Hulu Right Now (January 2022) By Paste Movies Staff January 14, 2022 | 4:43pm
The 50 Best Movies on Disney+ Right Now (January 2022) By Josh Jackson & Paste Movies Staff January 14, 2022 | 4:35pm
The 50 Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (January 2022) By Paste Movies Staff January 14, 2022 | 3:38pm
The 50 Best Movies on Netflix (January 2022) By Paste Movies Staff January 14, 2022 | 3:24pm
The 10 Best Movies in Theaters Right Now By Paste Movies Staff January 14, 2022 | 3:09pm
The 50 Best Movies of 2021 By Paste Movies Staff December 28, 2021
More Movie Most Popular
First Trailer for Netflix's Bigbug Promises a Bevy of Quirky, Startling Delights By Jim Vorel January 13, 2022
A24 Is Back to Scare Your Pants off with the First Trailer for X By Katarina Docalovich January 12, 2022
Dave Grohl Is a Demon From Hell in First Trailer for Foo Fighters' Studio 666 Horror Film By Jim Vorel January 12, 2022
Steven Soderbergh Is (Already!) Back with the Kimi Trailer By Katarina Docalovich January 11, 2022
Dig Into the Hot and Juicy Bob's Burgers Movie Trailer By Jim Vorel January 11, 2022
More Movies News


text:
Let's Review: Princess Celestia's Micro
Princess Celestia is difficult to figure out. Equal parts mysterious and under-developed, she's often the target for criticism and parody.
Having engaged in both, I feel the need to show Celestia at her best. How convenient that the My Little Pony Micro series offers just that.
Catch the look back after the break, but watch out for spoilers!
Celestia's greatest opponent isn't Discord or Tirek or Chrysalis. It's contradiction. What she's meant to be and how she's presented are often at odds. She is a powerful, magical being but is constantly bested or ineffectual. She is meant to be the caring ruler for a nation but all her attention is limited to Twilight and those associated. She is a wise rolemodel but many a reviewer has had a field day noting the flaws in her plans. This comic manages to overcome that struggle by reducing the events' scale. And it starts with a tea pary.
It's been pointed out that the artwork in each issue deserves special attention as much as the story, and I'm happy to praise Amy Mebberson's work. I see Celestia as the most difficult character to draw in the show. Between her jewelry, unique body design, and perpetually-flowing mane she is more subtly difficult than even Discord. Mebberson renders Celestia's poses wonderfully, giving her a far more dynamic set of expressions than in the show. Other ponies are bright and expressive with unique designs that help them stand out. Inkwell in particular stands out as a stern looking pony who nevertheless has a soft side. You can also make a game of spotting the background references.
The only criticism I can offer is the strange coloring around Celestia's mane. To reinforce the ethereal flow, her mane has a bright yellow border while the rest of her body is outlined in black. Rather than creating a glow, it looks like her mane isn't a part of her. I'd point towards Andy Price's artwork for an example of how to create fluidity within a static image.
Rather than go through this comic scene by scene, I want to highlight what this comic does right in regards to Celestia. Starting with:
Within the TV series and most comics, Celestia is defined by her relation to Twilight. She is the young unicorn/alicorn's mentor, friend, teacher, and inspiration. Yet while Twilight has grown, Celestia's role has not expanded. What is Celestia to the rest of Equestria?
This comic was revolutionary at the time because Twilight Sparkle isn't even mentioned. Celestia is able to interact with other ponies, albeit the Canterlot elite and the school staff. Three teachers in particular stand out. Giddilee is a brand new teacher and overflowing with excitement. Gingersnap has been on the job longer and is becoming bored with the familiarity, as indicated by her snide humor. The aforementioned Inkwell is the oldest teacher in the school and subject to much ridicule behind her back. On their own these characters don't stand out far, but taken together they mean something important to Celestia. How many teachers has she seen transition through these phases: novice to familiar to veteran?
Confound you three! Now I have that theme stuck in my head!
Celestia herself shows greater emotional range as she notices ponies disrespecting Inkwell. Her scowls speak volumes but her actions are not to punish, but to counterbalance by showing Inkwell due respect. That's her maturity on display. Why is it so important that Inkwell be respected? Because of what came before.
After the Disaster at High Tea, Celestia has to contend with calls for Inkwell's retirement. We witness a flashback that shows Celestia in a very different battle. With Canterlot beset by dark forces, Celestia could only hold the line. It wasn't until Inkwell and others joined the struggle that the ponies could repel the invaders. In doing so, Inkwell became a national hero but also suffered a lasting wound. Suddenly this paranoid old mare's quirks seem understandable, and we recognize why Celestia cares about Inkwell's legacy. The life-and-death struggle was years ago. This is a conflict to recognize a life well lived.
Example #1,326 of why everyone wants to be a unicorn.
None of this would be possible if Celestia was all-powerful, and yet it's clear that Celestia's power bridges the gap so the rest of the ponies can gain ground. She is the foundation from which they advance. She doesn't have to solve the problem alone, nor does she have to be bested to increase tension. By putting forth her best but not solving the problem, both Celestia and the ponies who aided her look stronger as a whole.
How will Celestia handle this new problem? She has to figure that out.
One question fans often face is how much Celestia really knows. She has prophetic dreams but how accurate are they? Is she a wise leader because of her own wit or because she read the script ahead of time?
In this case, Celestia doesn't immediately know what to do. But she is smart and experienced enough to know where to look. With the right information, she's able to create a learning opportunity for every one of Inkwell's detractors. This is Celestia's own knowledge on display. No one is giving her hints. There is no magical knowledge pointing her in the right direction. If Destiny is indeed a factor, it's not making itself known. Within this comic is Celestia at her smartest, and her most compassionate.
My greatest issue with Celestia's lessons and tests for Twilight is that they often come at others' expense. By limiting Twilight and reducing her chances for victory, Celestia in turn endangers all the other ponies. I get the impression we're not supposed to dwell on this since Twilight is a main character and background ponies are interchangeable, but I don't accept such an argument. Celestia has flat-out said she is responsible for all Equestria's well-being and care. While one can argue about the long-term benefits, I'm eager for a sign that Celestia cares for Equestria outside of Twilight's development.
Lo and behold! Celestia sets up a hearing for Inkwell, but real challenge is to the ponies' memories. Without risking anyone's health or future, Celestia creates a scenario that calls each to remember how Inkwell helped them and how her life has benefited their own. There is no alicorn magic at play. No demonstration of world-shaking power. There is only gentle encouragement to see another's best self. That is something Celestia has learned over 1,000 experience and she is sharing that with others.
This comic is the best representation of Celestia in the franchise. She is strong but not isolated. Intelligent but facing uncertainty. Decisive and compassionate. There is no world-endangering conflict yet as a reader I very much cared about the outcome.
On the other hand, I do think the lower stakes will not draw in some and Celestia's separation from Twilight and Co. makes me wonder if she can ever have this strong a presentation working with the rest of the cast. There's also the recurring theme that Canterlot's nobility are lacking any inherent virtue. Fancy Pants has long been the only likeable noble in Canterlot and even he's begun to slacken. I would very much enjoy seeing the ponies working with a Canterlot noble who has Equestria's best interests at heart.
Last week I presented a satire of Celestia's teaching methods that represented the most cynical interpretation. This week I offer a more optimistic view. This is the style I want to support for Celestia, and I hope future stories will learn from this Micro's example.
Twitter: Silver Quill
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 op 12:00 PM
Labels: After the Fact,	Analysis,	Author: Silverquill,	Comic,	Comic Review,	Not-Fanfiction,	Official Comic
If Fluttershy Sings the Smile Song
Everything Wrong With Keep Calm and Flutter On in ...
Comic: Season 5 - My Dear Friends
EQD Podcast #13: Premieres and Finales!
Equestria Daily Commenting Rules and Etiquette
Alternate Season 6 Episode 3 Trailer Airs!
My Little Pony Gameloft Game to Expand Ponyville i...
Comic: The List / Night Call 1 / Star Mares S1.5 /...
SFM Shorts: Wub Machine / I Know We'll Meet Again
IDW Artist Mary Bellamy Offering Custom MLP Covers...
Windswept Mane Twilight Model for SFM/Gmod
Story: The Princess of Pool
Comic: Silly Lyra - What are Those? / Happy Birthd...
Pony History of the Day - Children of the Night


text:
Home News Page 2
ExxonMobil Guyana gives public a glimpse into "first oil" at Giftland Mall Energy Tunnel
News Editor - January 19, 2020
ExxonMobil Guyana concluded yesterday another public engagement with an 'Energy Tunnel' at the Giftland Mall. The event which is the...
Guyana did not agree to keep quiet on Venezuela controversy in exchange for G77...
Guyana's recent appointment to the Chairmanship of the G77 Group has sparked concerns. It was purported that in order to...
New parties lead historic, unified effort to challenge electoral domination of the major parties...
Two days ago, A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM)...
World Bank to help Energy Dept. develop capacity to review Field Development Plans
The World Bank will be assisting the Government of Guyana in its efforts to hire an experienced Consultant who would...
A lot of time was wasted attacking ExxonMobil, real pressure should have been on...
Upon observing many of the public comments and even media reports on the oil industry, Foreign Secretary, Carl Greenidge is...
Former army captain sues over wrongful discharge
Convinced that he was wrongfully discharged from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), former captain Rawle Brake is suing the Attorney...
Crane wife killer discharged from hospital, claims self defense
Nathram Lall, the man who ingested a poisonous substance early Wednesday after stabbing his reputed wife, Annette Ally, to death...
Wildlife Conservation Commission declares closed season for various categories of animals
The Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWC&MC) has declared the following periods to be the closed season for various...
President for scheduled check-up in Cuba
President David Granger departed Guyana for Cuba this morning to undergo a follow-up medical evaluation by his doctors at Centro...
Govt.'s attitude to oil monitoring sickening-Jagdeo
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo is absolutely repulsed by the way the government has handled the issue of implementing mechanisms for...


text:
Cierpinski is a Polish language habitational surname for someone  from any of various places called Cieszyn. Notable people with the name include:

 Maritta Cierpinski (1950), German middle-distance runner
 Waldemar Cierpinski (1950), former East German athlete

References

Polish-language surnames
Polish toponymic surnames

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Inspiring others is one of my passions! Leading a healthy lifestyle along with fitness and nutrition is another passion. I have always enjoyed helping people and when it was time to make a career choice I knew I wanted to combine my passions and start a healthy lifestyle and fitness business. KMax Fitness (original name was Maxwell Fitness) was born when I moved to MN in 2004.
I have been in the fitness field over 21 years. The focus of KMax Fitness is helping busy moms "fit it all in" and not beat themselves up for not doing more or eating better. I want to inspire Moms/women to be the best version of themselves, the best Mom, the best wife, the best friend, the best they can be each day.
My personal fitness journey has included many sports and workouts. My biggest fitness passions are hiking, trail running, lifting weights and recently, kettlebell training. I have completed a number of races ranging from 5K to a 50K. We live in Bonney Lake, WA which is very close to Mt. Rainier with many miles of trails, gorgeous scenery, and just pure glory!
I am blessed with a healthy family! I am married and have 2 children, Erin (11) and Ryan (5). My life is a bit busy but absolutely joyful and fulfilling since we feel a sense of completeness with the almost 6 year wait for Ryan to come along. We have 1 family dog, Wrigley! Corey and I are originally from the suburbs of Chicago and continue to be avid Chicago sports fans and the CUBS ARE THE WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!!!


QUICKPAY - GILTNER LOGISTIC SERVICES, INC.
Giltner Logistics, Inc now provides a Quickpay option to all of our carriers. No more overnight courier charges or waiting for a check to arrive in the mail!
Payment is released within 48 hours of receipt of completed paperwork.