Lay Off My Wife? -- He Can't Be Serious?!
Is this another blatant example of Obama's political naivete, his inability to take criticism while dishing it out, or a calculating move that panders to the female voting population? Or is it truly chivalry, a simple case of a man attempting to protect his wife from unpleasantness?
That's certainly what they want it to look like, and in his charismatic way, Barack Obama almost pulls it off. But we've seen him get a free ride and the blind eye of the media a few times too many. The man is becoming afflicted with Hillary Clinton's disease - he just can't seem to tell the truth. Which makes his every word and action suspect, just like Clinton's.
Perhaps he's forgotten the criticism leveled for years at Hillary Clinton as her husband ran for political office. Or the attacks the Dems leveled at Nancy Reagan for consulting her astrologer. There have been few attacks against Laura Bush, and that's likely because she doesn't put herself out there in the public eye, speaking for her husband. She tries to remain as private a person as is possible in such a public position.
Some may think that perhaps under Michelle's bravado, she got her feelings hurt because someone in the country she's "finally proud of for the first time in [her] adult life" had the audacity to return fire. But I doubt it.
This woman is a lawyer. She's trained for adversarial roles and having people attack what she says. And as the Skippy peanut butter commercials used to say, "You [she] asked for it!"
Or perhaps Obama was slyly pandering to female voters in an attempt to steal some votes from Hillary Clinton, as hero Barry rides up on his stallion as the great protector of his poor, defenseless "little woman." Just add women to the list of the "vicitimized" in our society to whom he is appealing.
Michelle Malkin points out Obama's list of "mistakes," including his comment that so far he'd been to 57 states, and had 1 to go. Sounds like that elite education was short on American history and civics, and American geography, too.
Or perhaps, as Bill said of Hillary, Obama's just tired because of the rigors of campaigning, and we should give him (and his wife) a break. The media certainly seems to be doing just that.
In one sense, Obama's charisma has made him the Obi-Wan Kenobi of this campaign. He simply smiles, waves his hand at the media, and tells them, in essence, "You don't need to see my ID." And just like the storm troopers, they look at each other and nod, "We don't need to see his ID," as he slips right past them.
He's articulate, well-spoken, appears calm and reasonable, and it would be easy to get caught up in his charismatic speeches. But ignore the charisma, and listen to what he says. In his own words, "Words matter."
And his wife's words matter almost as much as his.
Certainly, a spouse's comments on the campaign trail represent (or at least reflect on) the candidate, and they deserve the same scrutiny as his/her own. I seem to recall the Obama camp leveling a few attacks on former President Bill Clinton's remarks as he stumped for his wife. But Mrs. Obama is off limits? Not.
Members of a candidate's campaign are under intense scrutiny, and rightly so. Geraldine Ferraro was forced to resign from the Clinton campaign, in order to minimize the damage to Hillary, for a rather pragmatic comment the Obama camp cast as racist, but his wife can insult the whole nation and he expects no criticism of her? He doesn't think she's fair game when she speaks out publicly as part of his campaign? Puh-lease!
His minister, his "spiritual mentor," the man who married him and baptized his children, can grandstand all over the country, to anyone who will listen, with his fire-breathing hatred for this country, and Obama doesn't think it's fair to question whether he share Wright's views, since he's been listening to them for 20-plus years? A true American would have gotten up and walked out, more than once, during those sermons whose snippets are now famous!
Oh, that's right, Obama says he wasn't there any of those particular Sundays. So how is it that Wright managed to reserve his fiery condemnation of this country that gave him so many opportunities for the days when Obama wasn't in the congregation? Coincidence? Or does it require "the willing suspension of disbelief" to accept Obama's assertion that he hadn't heard Wright make such comments?
Did the Obamas really think Michelle could go out there and insult the entire country, more than once, and have no one take her to task? Please - don't further insult our intelligence. Both of them are Harvard-educated lawyers, and smart enough to know better.
It seems Barack Obama is successfully picking up Bill Clinton's "teflon man" attributes. Like Bill, he seems to think he and those who are part of his campaign, are immune from criticism, or above reproach, and can do or say whatever they want without consequences. And that seems to be the case thus far.
But the hypocrisy and racism displayed by the Obamas is beginning to grate on people already, and the REAL fight hasn't yet begun. Obama casts himself as the representative of the "poor, victimized" black population of America. The truth is, Barack Obama grew up in a white home, and until he went to college (at the elite Columbia University in New York), he never lived in mainland America!
Barack Obama grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. His black father abandoned him and his mother before he was a year old. For the four years Obama lived in Indonesia with his mother and her second husband, from ages 6 to 10, he had the opportunity to see how poor Indonesians live. But for the rest of his young life, until he went to college, Barack Obama lived in a white home.
At age 10, Obama's mother returned him to Hawaii to afford him a better education than he could receive in Indonesia. His grandmother was one of the first female vice presidents of the Bank of Hawaii, and she arranged for him to attend, from the age of 10, an elite Hawaiian prep school where his classmates were the children of the wealthiest families in Hawaii. Those who worked at the bank with Obama's "Tutu" (grandparent in Hawaiian) remember Barry and his sister coming to the bank after school, where they did their homework while they waited for their grandmother to finish her work for the day. Does that sound like the life of the typical "poor black man" in America?
Contrary to Jeremiah Wright's now-famous fiery assertion, Barack does NOT know what it's like to grow up a poor black man. Barack claims the south side of Chicago as home. But that's Michelle's home, which he adopted when they were married. He moved there after graduation from law school, at age 24. That may have been his first opportunity to see how "poor black men" live.
Sadly, black voters in this country are having the wool pulled over their eyes. The widely-touted first African-American to run for President of the United States appears to have nothing in common with the majority of blacks in this country, save for half African ancestry. Yet it appears he is likely, at this point, to parlay that into the Democratic nomination for President. Few voters will care enough to educate themselves about this man's background.
Like the women who will blindly vote for Hillary solely because she's female, many of them will blindly vote for Obama based solely on the color of his skin, mistakenly believing they're voting for one of their own, who understands their struggles because he's been there.
Obama certainly had struggles in his life, as any child of a single mom does, and more than most because of his parents' interracial marriage at a time when that was illegal in more than half the states, and being moved to Indonesia at age six. But Obama's were not the same struggles as the "poor black men" growing up in mainland America.
How many "poor black men" from the south side of Chicago, or Detroit, or Mississippi or Alabama, go to elite prep schools attended by the children of the wealthiest families in the community, followed by college at prestigious universities like Columbia and Harvard Law? Or live in two-million-dollar homes?
Don't be misled into believing that Barack Obama is the "typical American black man." For starters, he's only half black, and he grew up in a white family.
One other thing that should be noted by those who are critical of Michelle Obama (and there are many): Barack Obama was raised mostly by his single mother and by his grandmother. He is conditioned to having his life directed by women. It's hard to imagine his marriage is any different.
After all, he met Michelle when he was a first-year law student and she was his supervising attorney for a summer internship at the Chicago law firm of Sidley & Austin. From the beginning of the relationship, she has given him direction. And that's not likely to change.
So before you vote for Barack Obama, you'd be well advised to also investigate Michelle Obama and her opinions. She's the one who will be whispering in his ear the most.
In addition to her work at the law firm of Sidley & Austin, a large and prestigious law firm, she has worked on the staff of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Hospitals, where she worked on diversity programs.
Sound off! Tells us what you think about the media scrutiny of Michelle Obama, and her husband's response. Join our election debate.


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Category Archives: From The News
5 Things I Learnt from the Australian Open 2013
January 31, 2013 From The News, Other Sports, That's Life!australian open, novak djokovic, tennisargentinadog
1. The changing of guards is clearly imminent. Be prepared to witness the blossoming rivalry between Murray and Djokovic…in many more Grand Slam finals to come. even Federer was clearly overwhelmed by Andy's pace and stamina in the semis.
2. We need Nadal to come back! You need proof? Just check out the semi-final where 'stand-in substitute' David Ferrer was easily demolished by Djokovic. The beating was just so ugly I cuoldn't help but feel sorry for Ferrer, who was clearly not in the same league as the current top 4.
3. Having a 'wake-up call' match in the early rounds is sometimes just what the doctor prescribed! After Djokovic's marathon 5-setter over Wawrinka in the 4th round, his game and fitness seemingly became better and better!
4. On the other end of the spectrum, demolishing opponents and cruising through the early rounds without any tough matches may not necessarily be a good thing. Just ask Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova…
5. The press can really have a field day if you give them the opportunity to. When Azarenka apparently 'cheated' in her semis against teenage sensation Sloane Stephens by calling for a very 'timely' medical time-out, the condemnation of her actions went viral globally! Personally, I don't think she cheated because she managed to collect herself and proceeded to claim victory in the final against Li Na. My theory is that if she indeed did something wrong, she would have easily buckled under pressure of the press and crowd during the final.
The Day Our Govt Ensured Bersih 3.0's Success
May 7, 2012 From The News, That's Life!428, bersih, bersih 3.0, duduk bantah, rallyargentinadog
28 April 2012, or rather now fondly knownВ numericallyВ as just 428, is the date that will forever be etched into Malaysia's historical annals.
Nope. Not because some estimated 250,000 Malaysians thronged the streets of KL for a sit-down Bersih 3.0 rally voicing and demanding for free and fair elections.
Nope. Not because thousands of other Malaysians in other states and even all over the world coordinated and participated in similar Bersih 3.0 rallies that synchronized with the one held in KL.
428 will forever be remembered as "The Day Our Govt Ensured Bersih 3.0's Success"…
After Bersih 2.0 took place on 709, I made some comments in my blog entitled 'A Tale of Two Rallies', which basically provides some insights into what could have happened if the ruling Govt had allowed the rally to go on peacefully vs. what had actually happened.
I believe a similar 'Sliding Door' moment arrived in the form of 428 in which the Govt once again chose the path of NOT allowing the rally to go on. In my opinion, this decision is the reason and key factor in ensuring Bersih 3.0's success. Here's why:
An estimated 250,000 people braved the traffic congestion and possible roadblocks to enter the streets of KL for the sit-down rally. This would account for probably 1% of the entire Malaysia population. Now, when we consider the other Malaysians from all other states who also coordinated their own Bersih 3.0 rallies within their own states, I would estimate the total number of Malaysians who took to the streets could be in the 3% range.
Using my 'Sliding Door' postulation, let's consider what might have happened if the Govt had allowed the planned sit-down rally to be carried out peacefully; for the PDRM to be deployed to oversee the smoothness and safety of the rally participants; for public transportation to double or triple their rounds to assist participants to get in and out of KL smoothly (can just imagine the revenues doubling or tripling too!); etc. After the rally, all 3% of the participants would have gone home happy, safe and unhurt. Govt could put up some headlines that the rally went smoothly with the assistance and efficient handling and coordination of the PDRM. Rally proves the Govt truly listens to the people because 'rakyat didahulukan'…
Nah. Instead, the Govt decided to make things as difficult as possible for the participants to rally that day. Barricades were set up to prevent entry into Dataran Merdeka; Water cannons and tear gases were questionably used on the participants – even those who were already dispersing after the rally; Confiscation of cameras and memory cards from journalists; LRT shutdowns in the evening thatВ inconvenienced participants going home; Censorship of news from foreign channels; Biased reporting in mainstream media of the event; etc.
To the remaining 97% of the Malaysian population who were not directly involved in the rally, I would estimate maybe about 30% were willing and aware but unable to join in the rally. After learning about the horror list of things that was carried out by the Govt before, during and after 428, the remaining 67% of the Malaysian population, who previous couldn't be bothered about the entire rally or its causes, would most likely stand up and pay attention closer now!
With the advancement of technology in today's generation, information is highly accessible in the masses. My estimate is that all the decisions and actions taken by the Govt against Bersih 3.0 may have potentially affected 30% of the fence-sitters who could have been sleeping all this while. This would give us roughly 63% of Malaysians 'awakened' to the real situation and objectives of Bersih 3.0. Remove all children who are too young to comprehend the situation and we could be looking at a higher percentage of Malaysians that have been enlightened via 428. And we have not even started counting Malaysians residing overseas who staged their own Bersih 3.0 rallies as well! And…THAT, in my books, is surely a SUCCESS for Bersih 3.0
"Were you also awakened or inspired by Bersih 3.0? Will you be ready when our very ownВ sliding doorВ moment – the General Elections arrives?"
The Tunnel Sketch
January 9, 2012 Entertainment, From The News, Funny Stuffargentinadog
A recent news article about how both the Malaysian and Singaporean Governments are considering building an undersea tunnel to connect the two countries certainly raised many eyebrows.
To me, it raised more than than that! It brought back some funny memories of a Singaporean audio sketch about a local company winning a tender exercise to initiate this tunnel project between Singapore and Malaysia.
Check out the hiliarious sketch called 'The Tunnel' below:
The Tunnel – Sketch
….and its follow up sketch that pokes fun at the progress of the tunnel…
News At Ten – Sketch
Hahaha…now I just can't wait to see the actual results if we do indeed build this undersea tunnel! 😀
Logos has Landed!
September 29, 2011 From The News, That's Life!book sale, Logos Hope, Port Klangargentinadog
Woo hoo! It's definitely the ship for all book lovers…
You have probably been to bookstores, warehouse book sales, etc on LAND, right? Let me share about the world's largest floating bookstore – the MV Logos Hope, which has docked in Port Klang and will open its doors for visitors from 29 Sep 2011 to 23 October 2011. For thsoe of you without calendars, that's TODAY onwards! 😀
The Logos Hope В is operated on behalf of OM Ships International by GBA Ships e.V., a private, non-profit, charitable organisation registered in Germany.
Twice as big as any previous GBA ship, Logos Hope provides a wider range of possibilities for visitors and guests as well as better facilities for crew and staff. The newly created Logos Hope Experience (converted from the original ferry's car area into two separate decks) can hold up to 1,000 visitors at any time, with capacity to host an additional 700 in the Logos Lounge and Hope Theatre combined. Almost 500 crew and guests can be accommodated in the ship's 200 cabins. The ship also has enhanced facilities and spaces for catering, health services and schooling. (Source: http://www.gbaships.org)
The last time a similar ship came along our shores was way back in 2006 when MV Duolos came visiting. And I'm surprised I found it archived in my blog too! Whoa! Sure brings back memories..:-D
It is exciting to note that the Logos Hope is much much bigger than the Duolos. This would allow for more space for visitors to move about, more activities and also MORE books, of course! 😛
Opening Hours are from 10am to 10pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays) and 1pm to 10pm on Sundays. They are closed on Mondays. Entrance fee is only RM1 for adults. Children below 12 can enter free. Note: There could be some parking fee in the port area too.
The Logos Hope can be found at theВ Port Klang Cruise Centre (formerly known as Star Cruises Terminal, West Port). If you are not familiar with Port Klang area, simply follow the map below:
…or better still, key in these GPS coordinates and you're well on your way!
2.983852,101.338651 orВ +2В° 59′ 1.08″, +101В° 20′ 26.75″ orВ Persiaran Pelabuhan Barat
Before Port Klang, the Logos Hope was in Penang first (lucky Penangites!). Check out some news articles of the responses in Penang from the SunВ hereВ and the Star Metro here.
With more than 5,000 book titles on sale at really really affordable prices and the opportunity to experience shopping on a ship (!), you cannot afford to miss the Logos Hope! Get more details from their website here: Logos Hope In Malaysia
USEFUL TIPS:
1. Bring plenty of water, cap, hat, air-cond, umbrella, etc. and prepare to stand in a long queue…
Flashback: The queue just to enter the building in 2006!!
2. Bring more CASH…don't think they accept credit cards…
3. Bring energy bars or feed yourself well before you go..:-D
Have fun, you book lovers! 😀
July 15, 2011 From The News, That's Life!709, bersihargentinadog
It has been almost a week after the historic Bersih rally in KL but there is still much abuzz over it.
The more I think about the entire saga of events that led right up to the rally day itself, the more it reminded me about one particular old movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow called Sliding Doors. In the movie, she plays a woman that just got fired from her work and was on the way back home by train. Here is where the movie gets interesting – it splits into twoВ parallels: one where she barely makes it into the train through its sliding doors;В and the other where the she misses the train as the sliding doors shut on her. Two different paths equals two different storylines. So, what happens in the end?
Life is after all, about choices we make and our Govt was caught in a dilemma of of the sliding door kind. Their sliding door moment arrived when Bersih announced it was going to conduct a rally on a designated date or it could even have been after the pivotal meeting between the PM, the Bersih chair and the King.
If the Govt had chosen the path of allowing the Bersih rally to proceed by identifying the stadium, coordinating with the police to map out the streets or roads for the people to travel to the stadium, ensure safety of the people involved in the rally, these are some of the things I thought might have happened:
1. Some thousands will converge inside the stadium without much incident and shout all they want about reformation, clean elections, bla, bla, bla.
2. Minimal roadblocks would result in minimal complaints from the public, especially those who have totally no idea about what is going on.
3. No ridiculous and illogical spot checks on the illegal wearing of the colour of one's T-shirt that would have caused more awareness, again especially to those who really have no clue what Bersih is.
4. No disruption of train lines heading into the city, thus reducing more complaints from other public who serously do not want to have anything to do with the rally.
5. No unnecessary use of water cannons and tear gases that would have resulted in more panic, chaos and injuries to the public. Certainly less risk of collateral damages and awry canisters sprayed into hospitals…
6. Less highlight on the un-cooperativeness of stadium management, police and other agencies on issuing necessary permits to allow the rally.
7. After the rally, I think all print media will only give so minimal coverage of the rally that it might not even make the headlines of some dailies.
8. The rally would seem so smooth yet insignificant that foreign media would even regard it as a small para in the entertainment news column. The Beckham's latest addition would have made better news.
9. The Govt would easily have stood out as the GOOD GUYS by making the same noise about traders on the day losing a lot of business and the normal peace on a Malaysian Saturday was compromised, even though they had shown good governance by giving the stadium and all the support – thus concurring with the King's fears that a rally in the streets would be a hazard.
10. In the eyes of the foreign media, our Govt may have been reported as being very professional and impressive in handling the delicate situation of the rally!
But alas, we all know our Govt chose instead to press the panic button during their sliding door moment – making reckless decisions after decisions that gave new meaning to airing our dirty laundry in public. The majority of the public were already upset at how paranoid our Govt had become. Roadblocks, tear gas, public transport disruptions, etc.?!
If the Malaysian population comprised of an estimated 1/3 who knew about Bersih and wanted to join the rally, and another 1/3 who had no idea what Bersih was, all of a sudden… believe you me, they sure did!
The foreign media sure had a field day in performing post-mortems of the events on that day, still have not stopped buzzing about it worldwide. Videos, blogs, tweets and retweets of how peaceful the rally actually was, some actual brutality of the enforcers at hand, etc. have been circulating online in viral fashion.
The aftermath of 709 was something our Govt certainly didn't see coming. Considering the digital age that we live in today, it would not have mattered if only 100 or 100,000 showed up on the streets. Their stories and testimonies zoomed without congestion along the information superhighway into the hearts of many, many others who are not aware, are clueless, are undecided…
With 709 is over and done with, it is we, the public that will very soon be presented with our very own sliding door moment – the General Elections. Now, which path would you choose?
Making Footballing Sense of BERSIH
July 12, 2011 Football, From The Newsbersihargentinadog
So, what has the recently concluded Bersih rally got to do with Football, anyway?В Sure, the typical police road block fence-thingy may look like a goal post, but that's another story…
When it was announced that the rally had been given the so-called 'permission' to be held inside a stadium, I began to see the pieces falling together. There ARE indeed some stark similarities between Bersih and the greatest game on Earth. No kidding.
Don't believe me? Here, let me try to provide my nonsensical analysis of what Bersih achieved through the eyes of a football fan…
In football, teams are required to wear a standard or uniformed jersey that would distinguish themselves from the opposing team. Similarly in Bersih, a standard colour – YELLOW – was chosen to represent the people who would be taking to the streets that day.
Having said that, I believe that Bersih is not about one particular team playing in a football match. Considering its objectives, Bersih is merely a strategy, tactic or even formation in football lingo. I say this because it is the strategy that is deployed so that the spectators can be aware and enjoy the flow of the beautiful game. Bersih is not about cheering on a team to score goals. It is more about the game itself – the playmaking, passing, movement, etc.
In football, the game time is fixed at 90 minutes (+ any injury time). In the Bersih rally, it was observed that the people involved kept their word and quietly dispersed at around 4.00pm. Nice timekeeping!
In football, I would likened our ruling Government to be the footballing body of the country FAM, who has deployed the men in blue, ie. the police to be the men in black, ie. the referee to be the lawmaker or authority of the game. So, whilst we do not get to see much of FAM in action during an actual football match, it is usually the referee who gets most of the flak for blowing the whistle and dictating play, flashing out cards, stopping play, etc.
Now that we have the roles clearly defined, let's see what happened…
FAM branded Bersih's type of football as illegal or hazardous to the country for whatever reason. This prompted a session with FIFA (or the King), who told everyone that the type of football wanted to be displayed by Bersih might be disruptive to peace if played on the streets. FAM jumped in quickly to say they can play their football inside a stadium. Just as quickly, the referee was placed in charge to ensure the game wouldn't be played at all! So, at the end of the day, the people still had to resort to kick-off and play their game on the streets as the stadium was cordoned off.
In football, the term 'own goal' is usually used to describe a situation when the team makes a blunder and puts the ball into their own net. Throughout the entire events leading up to the Bersih rally, these were the numerous own goals by our Government:
Failure to handle the situation with sincerity and honesty after the meeting with the King. A stadium should have been specifically mentioned and steps taken to ensure the Bersih rally got to 'shout all they wanted' inside the stadium
Inappropriate closing down of public transportation systems leading into the city
Unnecessary firing of tear gas and water cannons as the rally was a peaceful one till then
Conveniently pushing the buck to the police who were then uncooperative with rally organisers concerning getting the permit
Inconveniencing public by setting up road blocks some 3 days prior to rally date – complemented with ridiculous reasons to justify the move
In football, I believe that fans already know which team they are cheering for. Just like in the elections, most of us already know who we are going to vote for. The purpose of the Bersih rally is simply a push for awareness and a fight for electoral reforms so it might not be influential enough to swing the minds of a voter to another party. However, with all the drama minggu ini that has surrounded the rally, I believe that many people who do not watch football have started to wake up and take notice. Some may even have started to enjoy the game and is beginning to understand it a little better. And it is because of this that I feel the goal of Bersih has been achieved.
And what of the name the rally has chosen – BERSIH? Well, I don't think any other sport in the world passionately promotes 'fair play' more than football, don't you think? 😉
Facing Failures
June 24, 2011 From The News, Other Sportsargentinadog
There will be times in our life when we will be faced with some form of failure. What usually results from that, if the failure was an epic one, is the million dollar question is how are we gonna deal with it?
Typical answers given would be to forget about it and move on with life! Start afresh! Or something along those lines.
So, when I chanced upon this intriguing article in the Postgame.com by Eric AdelsonВ where a psychologist explains what happens to most athletes when they choke or fail, and offers some unorthodox method on how to move on from failure. The article used LeBron James recent 'tanking' in the NBA Finals as reference point of discussion. Here are some relevant extracts from that article:
Why do great athletes sometimes fail to show up in important situations? Why did James, so dominant in fourth quarters leading up to the NBA Finals — don't forget his incredible finish against the Pistons in the '07 playoffs — start making high school mistakes when it counted most?
And is there a way he can confront this problem and overcome it?
There are answers, and they go all the way back to the 1989 Stanley Cup Final. One of the Calgary Flames, coming back to the dressing room right before the opening faceoff in Game 1, turned to the team's sport psychologist and made a confession:
"I'm scared."
The psychologist was named Hap Davis, and he has spent more than a generation examining why athletes succumb to pressure. He thinks he's found an answer, and it sheds light on both LeBron James' poor play in and Dirk Nowitzki's emotional response to winning in a whole new way.
In moments of fear, the human body produces cortisol, which helps its fight-or-flight mechanism. When you hear a story about a mother lifting a stalled car off her child to save his life, that's cortisol at work. But cortisol is not what a great athlete needs in a defining moment. In fact, cortisol may get in the way of an essential ingredient for athletic performance: Testosterone.
"That's what comes with ability to stay in the moment — frontal cortex activation, motor cortex activation and elevation in testosterone," Davis says.
Translation: Athletes who "stay focused" (to use a clichГ©) keep producing testosterone, which stimulates the part of the brain wired for motor skills such as shooting or dribbling.
"What we've seen in winners is huge testosterone-to-cortisol balance," Davis says. "When they're on their game, we see evidence that there may be an elevation of testosterone. When people are losing, they are overwhelmed with emotion. That's cortisol."
Now here's the twist: Davis has found that when top athletes have a traumatic experience in a game or event, and then return to a similar moment (such as the fourth quarter of the NBA Finals), they often start producing cortisol. Davis has worked for years with the Canadian Olympic team, and he's seen swimmers do perfectly well for years, in every competition, and then fall apart when they get to a scenario reminiscent of one where they struggled four or eight years earlier. It's the exact same stroke or race, but it's a completely different moment. The athlete responds not to the event, but to the moment.
In fact, whenever athletes start thinking about the pride or pain of winning or losing, they can become overwhelmed with emotion and unable to perform the basic duties of playing in the present.
"The moment someone thinks about the reward," Davis says, "they are in a whole different space."
So you see the brilliance of what Dirk Nowitzki did in Game 6. He held his emotions back until the second the game ended and the title was won. Then he hustled to the locker room to cry. He was completely unemotional and then he was completely emotional. It was the opposite of what so-called "chokers" do.
So what's the best way to overcome this? How can LeBron James turn back into the fourth-quarter beast he used to be? Move on and forget the 2011 NBA Finals ever happened?
Nope. Davis says the best way to erase the past is to dwell on it. Watch the failure again and again and again on tape until it evokes zero emotional response. Watch the disaster until you're so numb to it that it feels like someone else is doing the failing.
"I've worked with too many athletes who say, 'Screw it, it's a bad game,' " Davis says. "Some people will get away with 'Forget about it.' But most athletes will find that's a bad idea. They haven't got past the emotional experience."
Davis assisted on an experiment in which athletes were asked to watch a video of themselves in a game, and then perform squat jumps. Athletes who watched themselves doing well jumped significantly higher than those who watched themselves do poorly.
So according to this theory, LeBron should spend the summer watching the fourth quarter of every Finals game. At some point, he'll be able to break down that wretched film just like a coach would. Then, when he returns to the waning minutes of a Finals game, he'll be driven more by the desire to correct the mistakes than the fear of reliving them.
And what happens if an athlete finds himself coming undone in a game? Well, that's what happened to the unnamed Calgary Flames player in 1989. Davis pulled him off the bench and told him to get on the exercise bike and race like mad for a couple of minutes. That got the testosterone flowing and stimulated the motor cortex. The player took the ice and did fine. The Flames won the Cup.
LeBron James will probably get back to the Finals, maybe within a year. The sports world will be watching to see how he reacts at crunch time. But how he reacts this summer might make the difference between "choker" and "champion."
Pretty scary huh? Sounds like we need to be mindless like robots to be able to forget our failures and move on for greater glory in the future. Do you think this method would work? Or, how do you handle failures?
Are You Foursquared Yet?
February 11, 2011 From The News, Other Sports, That's Life!argentinadog
Today marks exactly the 30th day since I dived into the location-based social media networking craze known as Foursquare (4Sq)…
If you have NOT joined this craze, my advice is for you to STAY AWAY FROM IT!! Seriously, your life as you know it will change. In just 30 days, I have found myself to have developed the following symptoms:
1. Planning my daily route and activities around areas or places to target for a 4Sq check-in.
2. Strategically plotting my next mayorship.
3. Get upset when a certain location is wrongly labelled or categorised.
4. Find myself hovering around places I don't normally go – all for the sake of unlocking more badges.
5. Become envious of friends and people who have unlocked unique badges.
6. Regularly monitoring check-ins in my mayorships to see if there's anyone else sneaking up on me.
7. Following 4Sq partners thousands of miles away – just for the sake of unlocking yet another badge.
Globally, 4Sq has experienced a phonomenal growth in 2010 and is projected to grow even bigger this year and the future. Don't believe me? Check on this infographic:
And the latest highlight from 4Sq came in the form of an experiment where they set up a virtual worldwide site – Super Bowl Sunday, for people to check in from all over the world. The result? An astounding 218,760 check-ins!….and I was there too! Hee!
It was the highest ever single location check-in, surpassing the 199,000 mark at the San Fransisco airport. Could that be a demo of things to come from 4Sq? Woo hoo! See the news here
Are Vices a Christian Tradition?!
February 11, 2011 Christianity, From The News, That's Life!argentinadog
Just sharing a recent release from the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) Youth in what I feel is a most appropriate response to an Ustazah who made such claims whilst trying to discourage Muslims from celebrating Valentine's Day… The complete article from CCM Youth's website can be found HERE.
Kuala Lumpur – 10 Feb 2011
CCM Youth issued a press release today expressing concern over the erroneous interpretations attributing Valentine's Day to Christian teachings and values.
CCM Youth expressed deep disappointment with motivational speakerUstazah Siti Nor Bahyah Mahamood in her derogatory and irresponsible remarks that were aired on national television and subsequently circulated on YoutubeВ®, as having said in Bahasa Malaysia that, "Maksiat, disco, couple-couple bersunyi sunyian, inilah tradisi masyarakat yang beragama Kristian" in her build-up call to discourage all Muslim youth from celebrating Valentine's Day.
CCM Youth rebuked Ustazah Siti that in her over-enthusiasm, she had based her arguments with unsupported legends and fables and had chosen to use the public sphere to abuse another community's beliefs with erroneous opinions, which were weakly disguised as facts. Her careless remarks have humiliated the beliefs of others and resulted in creating disharmony by inciting hatred of one community to another.
CCM Youth clarified to the Malaysian public that the commercial practices of Valentine's Day and Santa Claus have no biblical grounding and basis in Christian teachings. However, just as people of all races and religions around the world celebrated Father's Day and Mother's Day, Valentine's Day had been equally celebrated, as part of the global culture to remind everyone to love one another. Therefore, it is not just an exclusive celebration between girlfriend and boyfriend but also a celebration of family love.
In fact, CCM Youth urged everyone to go beyond Valentine's Day by celebrating EVERY day as a day of loving one another because love is central to the Christian faith.
CCM Youth viewed that Ustazah Siti could have advised the young people to be wise and not be exploited by such blatantly commercialized celebration rather than openly attacking another community's beliefs without well researched facts.
CCM Youth also urged all quarters to respect every Malaysian's private space and rights, and to refrain from making untoward statements by attributing all social illnesses in Malaysia to be connected with the Valentine's Day celebration especially the recent allegations that PAS intended to "police" Valentine's Day in Selangor.
While this was a very hurtful statement, CCM Youth reiterated that they did not hold anything against Ustazah Siti and sought everyone to do likewise, as the Bible has said through 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 that "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Therefore, CCM Youth hoped thatВ Ustazah SitiВ would apologise to the Christian community in the spirit of unity through diversity.
SOURCE: COUNCIL OF CHURCHES OF MALAYSIA YOUTH
Scary Bus Rides!
January 24, 2011 From The Newsargentinadog
A recent exercise by our Malaysian Road Transport Department has uncovered much dirt from current operating bus companies and its drivers. An extract of the report I read from Yahoo! News of the stats from this operation shows..
To date 177 summonses have been issued for various offences after the officers took rides on 348 buses.
They include overtaking along double lines, beating traffic lights, driving on emergency lanes, not adhering to traffic signages, jumping queues and continuously driving on fast lanes.
Some 41 drivers were issued compounds for using a mobile phone while driving, which carries a maximum fine of RM300 (US$ 98).
There were 39 violations of permit conditions, such as not plying the approved route. Under Section 19 of the Road Transport Act, the penalty for such a violation is between RM1,000 and RM10,000.
Another 14 summonses were issued due to irresponsible behaviour of drivers which include smoking while driving. A maximum fine of RM300 can be issued for the offence.
Seven 61(1) notices, six 114 notices and seven PG1 notices were also sent out by JPJ officers.
The 61(1) and PG1 notices require companies to send their buses for technical checks and a 114 notice requires the driver to be present at an inquiry.
"In one case the bus driver did not even have a driving licence," Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said.
Now, whilst I sincerely applaud the efforts to catch these culprits and impose maximum fines on them (though I think the fines should be more severe IMHO), could I also request for more transparency in that the PUBLIC deserves the right to know not only about these successful covert operations, but also the FULL LIST of bus companies these offenders are from, so that we as the users will STAY CLEAR or even BOYCOTT these bus companies altogether!
In my opinion, that would be a sterner and effective fine! 😀

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Science Research: Salmon populations may adapt their eggs to survive in degraded rivers...
Research: Salmon populations may adapt their eggs to survive in degraded rivers —
A University of Southampton study suggests that the membrane of salmon eggs may evolve to cope with reduced oxygen levels in rivers, thereby helping their embryos to incubate successfully.
The research, funded by the Environment Agency and published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, has found that differences in the structure of the thin film surrounding a salmon embryo affects its ability to absorb dissolved oxygen from river water.
Atlantic salmon are in decline in their natural habitats and it's thought this is partly due to a reduction in the quality of the water in which they spawn. Sediments washed off the land can starve rivers of oxygen by encouraging more organic matter to grow and by silting up the gravel beds where salmon lay their eggs in nests (redds). The eggs rely on a sufficient flow of oxygen across their membranes to successfully incubate and this latest study examines how the structure of these membranes vary in different salmon populations.
The researchers took a range of measurements from membranes of eggs at a fish farm in Scotland and from conservation hatcheries in four different UK rivers; Dorchart, Tilt, South Tyne and North Tyne. They were chosen for their varying levels of sediment and oxygenation. The results showed membrane thickness, porosity and permeability varied according to each location.
Further tests on eggs in laboratory controlled conditions showed that those with less permeable membranes were less likely to survive low-oxygen conditions — in other words, the thicker the membrane, the more likely the egg will be starved of oxygen and perish. Conversely, greater permeability means a greater chance of survival.
Lead author Jack Bloomer from Tyne Rivers Trust, who undertook the research while a PhD student in the School of Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Southampton, comments: "Our findings tell us that the permeability of salmon egg membranes differ according to their location and that their structure affects how efficiently they can receive oxygen from the water around them.
"What we can't say for certain yet is whether populations are surviving by evolving a specific membrane structure to suit the particular conditions of the river they are hatching in — although the evidence points to this as a strong possibility and we hope future studies will provide further evidence."
Professor David Sear, also of Geography and Environmental Science at Southampton, was the lead supervisor on this research working with colleague Professor Paul Kemp of the School of Engineering. Past research by Professor Sear examined how fine sediments from soil erosion, farm run-off, road verges and eroding river banks can accumulate in the nests of Atlantic salmon and other benthic spawning fish.
He comments: "We've previously shown that reduced oxygen supply to the incubating embryo, due to increased fine sediment accumulation in spawning gravels, contributes to the decline in fish numbers in UK and European rivers.
"This new research explores the biological factors that might make populations of Atlantic salmon more or less susceptible to a low oxygen environment. With further work, it could have important implications for the management and rearing of salmon populations."
Materials provided by University of Southampton. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Next articleResearch: Australian plants facing extinction —


text:
Q: Android rawQuery - Is there a way to use parametrized "IN" for a collection of data I am trying to use dynamically created list in WHERE, for example:
select * from books where id in (123, 120, 125) and bookCover = 'Hardcover'

I want to use it with rawQuery and I have prepared SQL in "?" form, for example:
select * from books here id in (?) and bookCover = ?

is there any way, how to put a list of "ids" in the IN clause of the select? or do I have to forget about prepared statements with "?" ?
Thanks in advance for any help. Searched

A: No - I do NOT know ANY DB (like Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite, Postgres etc.) which provides for what you ask...
The nearest solution you can get is to insert the IDs into a second table and then use a subquery in the IN part...
MyIDTable hat 2 fields QNO (is just a key) and ID (contains the IDs you want in your IN... you first insert 3 rows with the same QNO and the respective IDs...
INSERT INTO MyIDTable (QNO, ID) VALUES (3, 120);
INSERT INTO MyIDTable (QNO, ID) VALUES (3, 123);
INSERT INTO MyIDTable (QNO, ID) VALUES (3, 125);

Then you can do a SELECT like this:
select * from books where id in (SELECT T.ID FROM MyIDTable T WHERE T.QNO = 3) and
bookCover = 'Hardcover'

Which basically allows for this:
select * from books where id in (SELECT T.ID FROM MyIDTable T WHERE T.QNO = ?) and
bookCover = ?

After you are done looking for that specific set of IDs you can clean up by DELETE FROM MyIDTable WHERE QNO = 3.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Union Jack Flies On a Dry Run
As part of my research trip for my Mountie series, I am following the 1885 Trails. Last year, when I made this same trip following a writer's retreat near Humboldt, SK, I went looking for the site of the Humboldt Telegraph Station since it's on the Carlton Trail. Both play significant parts in my story. When I visited last year, all I had was a spot on the map approx 5 km west and south of Humboldt, and some references in a couple history books. I didn't know what to expect.
My hope rose as I found the site resplendent in flags and signs. It didn't matter that it was a secondary rural road on the open prairie. What mattered was that the spot was marked. I was standing on the Carlton Trail at the site of the original Humboldt settlement.
Original Humboldt Site, May 2011
As I surveyed the fields suffering an overload of spring rain, I spotted further evidence that someone was doing something there.
Humboldt Telegraph Station Archaeological Dig, May 2011
My suspicions were confirmed when I saw the signs.
Sign establishing Saskatchewan Heritage Property at the original Humboldt Telegraph Station site, May 2011
2011 Commemoration Announcement
Unfortunately, Humboldt is a 4 hour drive from my home, over mostly gravel roads, and although I was trying to cajole hubby into letting me take the family van for another day trip, the weather didn't cooperate. The commemoration went ahead while I stewed about the mucky Saskatchewan roads.
Skip forward to yesterday. I hadn't heard any promotion for the site, so was anxious to see what, if anything, had changed. See for yourself...
Original Humboldt, SK site, June 2012
Each storyboard is a different aspect of the original site, such as the telegraph station, the family who ran the station, the Carlton Trail, etc. Very informative. I won't put individual storyboards here, but I'm creating a page under my research section for this topic.
Back to yesterday, the archaeological dig was getting some action. On the other side of the 3rd storyboard from the left, two men were standing amongst a bunch of white markers. Curious what they were doing at the dig, I zoomed in on them.
Dennis Korte and Garry Jenkins raise the Union Jack at the original Humboldt, SK site, June 18, 2012
My eyes pricked when I saw them raise the Union Jack - a sight I hadn't witnessed since early grade school when the principal walked into our classroom to replace the familiar flag with a red and white one sporting a maple leaf.
Dennis Korte and Garry Jenkins pay tribute to the Union Jack on the site of the original Humboldt, SK, Telegraph Station, June 18, 2012
The Union Jack wasn't up very long before the men lowered and rolled it over a tube. With my photos taken, I drove over to where they were parked and waited for them. Something was in the works, and I needed to know what.
It was a dry run for the ceremony this Saturday, June 23rd which will include:
- members of the Governor General's Horse Guard (tall bear hats, I believe)
- the NorthWest Mounted Police in full uniform
- dignitaries, etc
And I'm going to miss it! I'll arrive home from my research trip on Wed or Thurs and I doubt I'll make it back for Sat. I wish I could be there - for the photo and video opportunity. But most of all, because I want to experience the pageantry as we pay tribute to an earlier time in Saskatchewan's history which benefitted the newly formed Canada.
Ups and Downs of October
These past few weeks since the ACFW conference have proven to exemplify the roller coaster ride of a writer.
After meeting several agents at the conference and knowing I was on the 'short list' for one of them, I returned excited about my prospects. Yet nothing further has developed.
My editor appointment left me anticipating further communication, yet after sending in the requested partial, I haven't received any further correspondence.
I did, however, receive a rejection of my Mountie story from an editor at Love Inspired. It was a 'good' rejection because it detailed several aspects of the story the editor found lacking. And she said my writing was "polished and professional". So yes, it was a good rejection. It ripped a strip from my heart, but still, a good rejection overall.
Back in August I'd sent out requests to 5 authors I highly respected with the object of possible endorsement for Emma's Outlaw. And today, one of those authors said she "thoroughly enjoyed Emma's Outlaw" and agreed to let her name stand as an endorser.
Now my cheeks are hurting from all the grinning.
Just knowing that someone I admire and respect for their writing ability enjoyed my story is enough encouragement to keep me fueled for a very long time.
I'll need it through November as I work on revisions to the Mountie story - not only to bring it up to the 90k industry standard, but to improve those things the Love Inspired editor thought it lacked.
And when I'm not working on that, I'll be writing a historical western anthology with 3 other writers, none of whom I've met before, and 2 of them already published. Their invitation to join them in this anthology is another encouragement on my long road to publication.
Welcome November! A month of hard work for writers everywhere who sacrifice so many things for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Without a complete book to write, I won't be participating this year, but I will be revising my Mountie story during Week 1 of the Faith, Hope and Love (FHL) Book in a Week (BIAW) challenge which starts tomorrow morning.
Research Trip to Fort Walsh
Last week, my son JJ and I travelled to the Cypress Hills in the Southwest corner of Saskatchewan and discovered the reconstructed site of Fort Walsh in the original North West Territories (now Saskatchewan) of Canada.
Fort Walsh was used by the North West Mounted Police in the 1870's and 1880's as part of the Old Forts Trail.
For an account of our journey back in time to this historic fort, please check my research page on The Mounties.


text:
Q: detecting collisions on the canvas im trying to make a game where collisions happen between the protagonist and the antagonist. I cant get the collision to work though, i've tried using the x and y position then the x and y positions plus the width and the height of the protagonist and the antagonist

var canvas = document.getElementById('canvas');
var PX = 10;
var PY = 10;
var PW = 10;
var PH = 10;
var P = PX + PY;
var EX1 = 100;
var EY1 = 100;
var EW1 = 10;
var EH1 = 10;
var E1 = EX1 + EY1;

window.addEventListener("keydown", charMove);
window.addEventListener("keyup", charMove);
window.addEventListener("keypress", charMove);

window.onload = function() {
context = canvas.getContext("2d");
canvas.style.background = "black";
var framesPerSecond = 30;
setInterval(function() {
 draw();
 move();
}, 1000/framesPerSecond);
}

function draw() {
 //EX context.fillRect(PosX, PosY, width, height);
 //draws protagonist
 context.beginPath();
 context.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
 context.fillStyle = "blue"
 context.fillRect(PX, PY, PW, PH);
 context.stroke();
 context.closePath();
 //draws antagonist(s)
 context.beginPath();
 context.fillStlyle = "red";
 context.fillRect(EX1, EY1, EW1, EH1);
 context.stroke();
 context.closePath();
}
function move() {
}
function charMove(){
 var x = event.which || event.keyCode;

 if(x == 37){
  PX -= 1;
 }
 if(x == 38){
  PY -= 1;
 }
 if(x == 39){
  PX += 1;
 }
 if(x == 40){
  PY += 1;
 }
}
//detect collision
setInterval(function() {
 if(PX > EX1 || PX + PW < EX1 + EW1 && PY + PH > EY1 + EH1 || PY + PH < EY1 + EH1){
  window.alert("collision");
 }

}, 1);
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<canvas width="500px" height="500px" id="canvas" class="canvas">
</body>
</html>

A: Your formula for collision is wrong.
This problem is called Axis Aligned Bounding Box collision.
Two AABBs collide if their projections to each axis collide. In your 2-dimensinal case you have to consider the horizontal and vertical projections.
The projections are segments of 1-d space. Collision for those is very easy: if the start or the end of a segment is on the other they collide. Formally start2 <= start1 <= end2 or start2 <= end1 <= end2
In code:
intersects([p.x, p.x + p.width], [e.x, e.x + e.width]) && intersects([p.y, p.y + p.height], [e.y, e.y + e.height])

where
function intersects(seg1, seg2) {
    return contains(seg1, seg2[0]) || contains(seg1, seg2[1])
}
function contains(segment, point) {
    return segment[0] <= point && point <= segment[1]
}


text:
Q: Pandas remove duplicates with condition from data frame Consider the following data frame:
df = pd.DataFrame({
    'case_id': [1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1051, 1051, 1051, 1051],
    'elm_id': [101, 102, 101, 102, 101, 102, 101, 102],
    'cid': [1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2],
    'fx': [736.1, 16.5, 98.8, 158.5, 272.5, 750.0, 333.4, 104.2],
    'fy': [992.0, 261.3, 798.3, 452.0, 535.9, 838.8, 526.7, 119.4],
    'fz': [428.4, 611.0, 948.3, 523.9, 880.9, 340.3, 890.7, 422.1]})

When printed looks like this:
---  case_id  cid  elm_id  fx     fy     fz
0     1050    1     101  736.1  992.0  428.4
1     1050    1     102   16.5  261.3  611.0
2     1050    2     101   98.8  798.3  948.3
3     1050    2     102  158.5  452.0  523.9
4     1051    1     101  272.5  535.9  880.9
5     1051    1     102  750.0  838.8  340.3
6     1051    2     101  333.4  526.7  890.7
7     1051    2     102  104.2  119.4  422.1

I need to remove rows where duplicate values exist in the following two columns subcase and elm_id and retain the row with the highest cid. The data should look like this:
---  case_id  cid  elm_id  fx     fy     fz
0     1050    2     101   98.8  798.3  948.3
1     1050    2     102  158.5  452.0  523.9
2     1051    2     101  333.4  526.7  890.7
3     1051    2     102  104.2  119.4  422.1

I'm new to pandas. Looking at other similar questions, I tried using .groupby() and max() like this: df2 = df.groupby(['case_id', 'elm_id']).max()['cid'].reset_index(). However I lost my columns fx, fy and fz. I feel like I'm close, I just don't know where to look next.

A: You'll need sort_values + drop_duplicates:
df.sort_values('cid', ascending=False).drop_duplicates(['case_id', 'elm_id'])

   case_id  cid  elm_id     fx     fy     fz
2     1050    2     101   98.8  798.3  948.3
3     1050    2     102  158.5  452.0  523.9
6     1051    2     101  333.4  526.7  890.7
7     1051    2     102  104.2  119.4  422.1

A: Another way to this:
df[(df.duplicated(subset=['subcase','elm_id']))&(df['cid']>1)]

   case_id  cid  elm_id     fx     fy     fz
2     1050    2     101   98.8  798.3  948.3
3     1050    2     102  158.5  452.0  523.9
6     1051    2     101  333.4  526.7  890.7
7     1051    2     102  104.2  119.4  422.1


Ever since we opened the doors at Gasp! Water Damage , we have specialized in researching the various causes of water damage in Somerset, OH homes. It is not too surprising to find out that many of the people that live in Somerset, OH often mix up the two phrases flood damage and water damage. You should know about the fact that the majority of the flood damage you experience in your residence will actually come from other sources like a leaking pipe. To prevent this mess from getting too far out of hand, we strongly advocate that you contact us at with 888-491-5860 in order to have water removal and water damage restoration performed right away.
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The issue that many people run into when trying to get rid of excess water is how to safely vacuum it out without destroying the vacuum itself. To avoid being stuck with damp carpeting and a chronic problem in your Somerset, OH residence, you'll find that hiring the water restoration specialists is a much wiser decision because we will get the water removal job done right the first time for a sensible price. Our company can do this for you because we have everything that is required to get the job done correctly.
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Having water in your Somerset, OH home is something that you never want to encounter, but if you ever have this issue it is really important to employ a expert to do the water damage restoration and water removal. If you use Gasp! Water Damage , a water damage restoration company, then we will also be able to offer you water damage repair on top of water removal services. As soon as you notice water in your residence, please do not think twice to call us at with 888-491-5860 .
Do You Have Questions On [[CITY], OH Water Damage?
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A:The cleanup and repairs need to start as soon after the water is observed if at all possible. Letting the water sit around your household for a length of time might cause dangerous bacteria to grow. Additionally to this, waiting will put you at risk of destroying all of your belongings and having to replace them.
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text:
Holy Prophet Muhammad's (S.A.W.W) and his household (Ahl al-Bayt) A.S.
Traditionally and literally, the "Ahl al-Bayt" or "the members of the household" and the family of a man are those who live as members in the small society of his house such as his wife, son, daughter, and servant living within the housing complex of the house owner.
Sometimes, the meaning of the Ahl al-Bayt is generalized to include close relatives such as father, mother, sister, children, uncle, father's sister, maternal aunt, and their children.
However, the meaning of "the Ahl al-Bayt (as) " of the Holy Prophet (S), expressed in the Holy Qur 'an and ahadith, is not in line with the two preceding definitions. According to successive ahadith related through general and specific channels, "the Ahl al-Bayt " is a name granted as a gift to especially include the Holy Prophet (S) and the respectable ones, 'Ali (as), Fatimah (as), al-Hasan (as), and al-Husayn (as).
Therefore, on this basis, the other members of the Prophet 's household and his relatives (although they are traditionally and literally considered as members of his household) are not covered by this definition.
Even Khadijah al-Kubra (as), who was the most respectable wife of the Holy Prophet (S) and the mother of Fatimah (as) and also Ibrahim, who was the consanguineous son of the Holy Prophet (S) and who had the greatest honor, are not included in "Ahl al-Bayt (as) " of the Holy Prophet (S).
Indeed, according to these and other ahadith, nine infallible Imams out of twelve infallible Imams, who are the sons and offsprings of Imam Husayn (as), are also included in the Ahl al-Bayt (as) of the Prophet (S). Therefore, the "Ahl al-Bayt (as) " are the fourteen infallible ones. Usually, the "Ahl al-Bayt (as) " of the Holy Prophet (S) refers to thirteen persons, who are the offspring of the Holy Prophet (S).
The Ahl al-Bayt of the Holy Prophet (S) are endowed with many virtues, excellent qualities, and unchallenging positions, the most important of which are the following two positions:
(1) According to the following Ayah: "..Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O Ahl al-Bayt! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying (33:33)."
They have an infallible and purified position; and by virtue of this position, no sin ever touches them.
(2) According to valuable holy "Hadith al-Thaqalayn" of the Prophet (S), also mentioned earlier, the Ahl al-Bayt (as) of the Holy Prophet (S) are inseparable from the Holy Qur 'an. There will never be a separation between themselves and the Holy Qur 'an. As a result, they commit no error and mistake in perceiving the meaning of the Holy Qur 'an.
The prerequisite for possessing these two positions is that the words and deeds of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Holy Prophet (S) are the criteria and bases (for following) like those of the Holy Prophet (S) himself. Therefore, the beliefs of Shi 'ahs are based on these facts.
The Expressly Stated Virtues of 'Ali (as) and All The Ahl Al-Bayt (as)
Quoting the Holy Prophet (S) Sunni and Shi 'ah 'ulama ' have related many ahadith on the virtues of 'Ali (as) and all the other Ahl al-Bayt. Three of these virtues will be dealt with here.
(1) In the 6th year after Hijrah, the Christians of the city of Najran selected a group of their dignitaries and scholars and sent them to Madinah. The delegation primarily debated and argued with the Holy Prophet (S), but they were condemned and defeated and Allah revealed the following Ayah of "Al-Mubahalah (cursing) ".
"But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: 'Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars ' (3:61). "
According to the order and instruction given through this Ayah, the Holy Prophet (S) proposed that the Christian delegation from Najran participate in requesting the curse of Allah on liars, that is, they had to gather along with their wives and children to pray for the curse of Allah on the liars, so that the Almighty Allah would send upon them His torment.
The Christian delegation from Najran accepted the proposal for Al-Mubahalah and allocated the day after for this purpose. The next day, a great number of Muslims and also the delegation from Najran waited for the Holy Prophet 's (S) appearance to see in what form and with what formalities he would arrive and whom he would bring along for Al-Mubahalah.
They saw the Holy Prophet (S) coming out in such a way that he was carrying al-Husayn (as) in his arms and holding al-Hasan 's (as) hand in his hand. Behind the Holy Prophet (S) was his daughter, Fatimah (as), and behind her was 'Ali (as). The Holy Prophet (S) ordered these honourable persons accompanying him to say Amin (may it be so) when he prayed.
The delegation of Najran was struck with horror when they saw this holy delegation who entirely displayed truth and reality and who sought no refuge except the protection of the Almighty Allah. The chief of Najran delegation told his colleagues; "By Allah, I see these faces who will annihilate all the Christians of the world if they turn towards Allah. "
This was the reason why they came to Muhammad (S) and asked him to excuse them from participating in Al-Mubahalah. The Holy Prophet (S) asked them to submit to the will of Allah and convert to Islam. They said that they were unable to fight with the Muslims but were ready to pay an annual tax to live under the protection of Islam. Thus this episode ended.
The following conclusion could be drawn from this incident:
The accompaniment of 'Ali (as), Fatimah (as), al-Hasan (as), al-Husayn (as) with the Holy Prophet (S) in the course of Al-Mubahalah clarified that, in the holy Ayah "our sons, our women, and our near people " refers to none but the Holy Prophet (S), 'Ali(as), Fatimah (as), al-Hasan (as), and al-Husayn (as). In other words, by stating the word "ourselves ", the Holy Prophet (S) meant himself and 'Ali (as), by "our women ", he meant Fatimah (as), and by "our sons ", he meant al-Hasan (as) and al-Husayn (as).
Thus, it becomes crystal clear that 'Ali (as) is in the same rank as the Holy Prophet (S) himself. It also becomes evident that the Ahl al-Bayt (as) of the Holy Prophet (S) were four persons. This is because the members of the household of anyone are those which are commonly called as "ourselves, our women, and our children". If any other persons were considered as the Ahl al-Bayt, the Holy Prophet (S) would have taken them along for Al-Mubahalah.
This is why we must judge about the 'Ismah (infallibility) of these four persons, for the Almighty Allah testifies on the 'Ismah and taharah (purity) of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) of the Holy Prophet (S): "...Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanliness from you, O Ahl al-Bayt! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying (33:33)."
(2) As related by Sunni and Shi 'ah 'ulama ', the Holy Prophet (S) has stated:
"The parable of my Ahl al-Bayt is that of Nuh 's ark; those who boarded were saved while those who did not board were drowned ".
(3) In another successive hadith, related by Sunni and Shi 'ah 'ulama ', the Holy Prophet (S) has stated: "I leave two valuable things for you which will never be separated from each other till they meet me at Hawd al-Kawthar. They are the Allah 's Book, Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt. You will not go astray after me as long as you remain in touch with them intimately and seek refuge under these two ".
Author: Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba'i
Source: https://www.imamreza.net/old/eng/imamreza.php?id=11694


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Fan Identification Gone Extreme: Sports Communication Variables Between Fans and Sport in the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Natalie A. Brown, Michael B. Devlin and Andrew C. Billings
This study explores the implications of the sports communication theory of fan identification and the divisions often developed between identifying with a single athlete and the bonds developed for a sport as a whole. Using the fastest growing North American sport, mixed martial arts (MMA)—more specifically, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)—differences in levels of fan identification were examined in relationship to attitudes toward individual athletes and attitudes toward the UFC organization. An online survey of 911 respondents produced a highly representative sample of the UFC's current audience demographics. Results showed significant differences in fan identify between gender, age, and sensationseeking behaviors, suggesting that distinct demographic variables may influence the role that fan identity has not only in sports media consumption but also in future event consumption. Implications and ramifications for future theoretical sports communication research and sports marketing are postulated.
In International Journal of Sport Communication Volume 6 (2013): Issue 1 (Jan 2013)
The Mobile Phone and Professional Sports: Fans' Use of Mobile Content for Loyalty, Identification, and Fandom
Seok Kang
The purpose of this study was to examine how fans of professional sports use mobile content to develop fan support. Mobile-content dimensions were evaluated and their relationships with attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, team identification, and sport fandom were tested. A total of 665 young professional sport fans were surveyed in the southwest region of the United States. Three mobile-content dimensions—information, service, and interaction—were identified. The results indicate that the information dimension was positively associated with attitudinal loyalty, team identification, and sport fandom. The service dimension was positively linked to behavioral loyalty. The findings suggest that young professional sports fans' selective use of mobile content accounts for different types of fan support.
The Impact of Brand Cohesiveness and Sport Identification on Brand Fit in a Sponsorship Context
Kevin Gwinner and Gregg Bennett
This investigation analyzed the effects of sport identification and brand cohesiveness as predictors of brand fit in a unique sponsorship context by examining consumer responses to event sponsorships of the Dew Action Sports Tour. An additional focus of this research endeavor assessed the impact of brand fit on two important consumer behavioral outcomes: attitude toward sponsors and purchase intentions. Data were collected from 552 attendees at the Louisville, Kentucky stop of the Dew Action Sports Tour. The results of the study support our hypotheses that fit impacts attitude toward the sponsor which has a positive influence on consumer's purchase intentions. The examination of influence that brand cohesiveness and sport identification have on fit perceptions extends our theoretical understanding of fit in a sponsorship context as up until now, research in this area has focused almost exclusively on outcomes of fit and not on those variables that might influence fit.
In Journal of Sport Management Volume 22 (2008): Issue 4 (Jan 2008)
Examining the Longitudinal Structure, Stability, and Dimensional Interrelationships of Team Identification
Daniel Lock, Daniel C. Funk, Jason P. Doyle and Heath McDonald
The propensity of strongly identified fans to contribute positive organizational outcomes for sport teams underpins why team identification maintains a central position in sport management. In the current study we examine the multidimensional structure, stability, and interrelationships between the dimensions of team identification, using longitudinal data (April 2011–April 2012) collected from fans of a new Australian Rules football team (N = 602). A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the team identification items included (measured using the Team*ID scale), supported a five-dimensional model structure. This model was subsequently computed as a longitudinal CFA to test the configural and metric invariance of the Team*ID scale. We used a cross-lagged panel model to examine the longitudinal stability of, and interrelationships between, the dimensions: affect, behavioral involvement, cognitive awareness, private evaluation, and public evaluation. Each dimension displayed relative stability over time. In addition, public evaluation and private evaluation in April 2011 displayed a positive relationship with behavioral involvement in April 2012. Similarly, cognitive awareness in April 2011 predicted increases in public evaluation in April 2012. We conclude with implications for theory and practice.
Problems with Identification of Children Who Are Physically Awkward Using the TOMI
Janice Causgrove Dunn and E. Jane Watkinson
This study investigated whether the TOMI (Stott, Moyes, & Henderson, 1984), a motor skills test recommended for the identification of children who are physically awkward (Sugden, 1985; Wall, Reid, & Paton, 1990), contains biased items. Findings of a study by Causgrove and Watkinson (1993) indicated that an unexpectedly high proportion of girls from Grades 3 to 6 were identified as physically awkward, and the authors suggested that the TOMI may be biased in favor of boys. In the present study, this suggestion was investigated through comparison of performances of TOMI subtest items by boys and girls from Grades 1 to 6. Chi-square analyses on each of the eight test items revealed significant performance differences between boys and girls on the two ball skills tasks of catching and throwing (p < .0001) at Age Bands 3 and 4; a significantly greater proportion of boys than girls age 9 to 12 years passed the catching and throwing tasks. A significant performance difference was also found on the tracing task at Age Band 1, with more girls passing tracing than boys. Implications for future research requiring the identification of children who are physically awkward are discussed.
In Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly Volume 13 (1996): Issue 4 (Jan 1996)
Identification of Time-Varying Stiffness, Damping, and Equilibrium Position in Human Forearm Movements
Jürgen Konczak, Kai Brommann and Karl Theodor Kalveram
Knowledge of how stiffness, damping, and the equilibrium position of specific limbs change during voluntary motion is important for understanding basic strategies of neuromotor control. Presented here is an algorithm for identifying time-dependent changes in joint stiffness, damping, and equilibrium position of the human forearm. The procedure requires data from only a single trial. The method relies neither on an analysis of the resonant frequency of the arm nor on the presence of an external bias force. Its validity was tested with a simulated forward model of the human forearm. Using the parameter estimations as forward model input, the angular kinematics (model output) were reconstructed and compared to the empirically measured data. Identification of mechanical impedance is based on a least-squares solution of the model equation. As a regularization technique and to improve the temporal resolution of the identification process, a moving temporal window with a variable width was imposed. The method's performance was tested by (a) identifying a priori known hypothetical time-series of stiffness, damping, and equilibrium position, and (b) determining impedance parameters from recorded single-joint forearm movements during a hold and a goal-directed movement task. The method reliably reconstructed the original angular kinematics of the artificial and human data with an average positional error of less than 0.05 rad for movement amplitudes of up to 0.9 rad, and did not yield hypermetric trajectories like previous procedures not accounting for damping.
In Motor Control Volume 3 (1999): Issue 4 (Jan 1999)
Off-Field Behavior of Athletes and Team Identification: Using Social Identity Theory and Balance Theory to Explain Fan Reactions
Janet S. Fink, Heidi M. Parker, Martin Brett and Julie Higgins
In the current article, we extend the literature on fan identification and social identity theory by examining the effects of unscrupulous off-field behaviors of athletes. In doing so, we drew from both social identity theory and Heider's balance theory to hypothesize a significant interaction between fan identification level and leadership response on fans' subsequent levels of identification. An experimental study was performed and a 2 (high, low identification) × 2 (weak, strong leadership response) ANOVA was conducted with the pre to post difference score in team identification as the dependent variable. There was a significant interaction effect (F (2, 80) = 23.71, p < .001) which explained 23% of the variance in the difference between prepost test scores. The results provide evidence that unscrupulous acts by athletes off the field of play can impact levels of team identification, particularly for highly identified fans exposed to a weak leadership response. The results are discussed relative to appropriate theory. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are also forwarded.
The Process of Organizational Identity: What Are the Roles of Social Responsiveness, Organizational Image, and Identification?
Melanie L. Sartore-Baldwin and Matthew Walker
Despite anecdotal claims attesting to the influence that social responsiveness has on the purchase behaviors of consumers, this article examined if a specific initiative could result in such outcomes. We investigated the extent to which the Drive for Diversity (D4D) initiative affected consumers' perceived image and patronage directed toward NASCAR. This study was partially motivated by the importance of social initiatives in practice to underscore their influence on customer-related outcomes. As such, the findings indicated that the NASCAR's D4D and the perceived image of the organization are key variables in the model. The results also highlighted the mediating role of image and the moderating role of identification on the proposed relationship. More specifically, the authors found that the socially responsive initiative only moderately influenced consumers' intentions but when coupled with the image of the organization, this relationship became far more impactful.
Identification of Risk Factors for Exertional Heat Illness: A Brief Commentary on Genetic Testing
Sheila Muldoon, Rolf Bunger, Patricia Deuster and Nyamkhishig Sambuughin
This commentary discusses known links between Exertional Heat Illness (EHI), Malignant Hyperthermia (MH), and other hereditary diseases of muscle. Genetic and functional testing is also evaluated as measures of fitness to return to duty/play.
Reviews and research articles from Sports Medicine, Applied Physiology, and Anesthesiology.
Data Extraction:
Detailed comparisons of existing literature regarding clinical cases of EHI and MH and the potential utility of genetic testing, specifically the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) gene and other genes related to disorders of skeletal muscle.
Data Synthesis:
EHI is a complex disorder wherein physiological, environmental, and hereditary factors interact to endanger an individual's ability to maintain thermal homeostasis.
Individuals' genetic background is likely to play an important role, particularly when EHI recurs. Recurrent EHI has been associated with MH and other genetic disorders, highlighting the importance of identification and exclusion of individuals with known high risk factors.
In Journal of Sport Rehabilitation Volume 16 (2007): Issue 3 (Jan 2007)
"An Eye for Talent": Talent Identification and the "Practical Sense" of Top-Level Soccer Coaches
Mette Krogh Christensen
The purpose of this study is to explore how top-level soccer coaches identify talent. I draw on Bourdieu's work to challenge a commonly held assumption that talent identification is a rational or objective process. Analysis of in-depth interviews with eight coaches of national youth soccer teams indicated these coaches identified talent in three ways. First, coaches use their practical sense and their visual experience to recognize patterns of movement among the players. Second, the coaches' classificatory schemes are characterized by their preference for so-called "autotelic" players, that is, players that, from the coaches' perspective, exhibit a potential to learn, practice, and improve. Third, the study shows that talent, of which the coaches act as arbiters of taste, is socially configured in top-level soccer.
In Sociology of Sport Journal Volume 26 (2009): Issue 3 (Jan 2009)


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Love how you chose your colours this week Jess. Love the card and think the colours look great together!!!
Oh Jess, what a great masculine take on the sketch using Amazing Birthday. I love how your card turned out & I love your festive dots too!
I love the colour combination!! They look great together. Another lovely card as always!!
A great take on the sketch, Jessica! Great colour combo, too.
Who knew that Blackberry Bliss, Cucumber Crush and Pool Party would look so good together?! Off to add this colour combination to my Colour Coach! Awesome. TFS!
Great choice of stamp set for this design.