#asr group holdings

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Google is (still) losing the spam wars to zombie news-brands

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT (May 3) in CALGARY, then TOMORROW (May 4) in VANCOUVER, then onto Tartu, Estonia, and beyond!

Even Google admits – grudgingly – that it is losing the spam wars. The explosive proliferation of botshit has supercharged the sleazy "search engine optimization" business, such that results to common queries are 50% Google ads to spam sites, and 50% links to spam sites that tricked Google into a high rank (without paying for an ad):

https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/03/core-update-spam-policies#site-reputation

It's nice that Google has finally stopped gaslighting the rest of us with claims that its search was still the same bedrock utility that so many of us relied upon as a key piece of internet infrastructure. This not only feels wildly wrong, it is empirically, provably false:

https://downloads.webis.de/publications/papers/bevendorff_2024a.pdf

Not only that, but we know why Google search sucks. Memos released as part of the DOJ's antitrust case against Google reveal that the company deliberately chose to worsen search quality to increase the number of queries you'd have to make (and the number of ads you'd have to see) to find a decent result:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan

Google's antitrust case turns on the idea that the company bought its way to dominance, spending the some of the billions it extracted from advertisers and publishers to buy the default position on every platform, so that no one ever tried another search engine, which meant that no one would invest in another search engine, either.

Google's tacit defense is that its monopoly billions only incidentally fund these kind of anticompetitive deals. Mostly, Google says, it uses its billions to build the greatest search engine, ad platform, mobile OS, etc that the public could dream of. Only a company as big as Google (says Google) can afford to fund the R&D and security to keep its platform useful for the rest of us.

That's the "monopolistic bargain" – let the monopolist become a dictator, and they will be a benevolent dictator. Shriven of "wasteful competition," the monopolist can split their profits with the public by funding public goods and the public interest.

Google has clearly reneged on that bargain. A company experiencing the dramatic security failures and declining quality should be pouring everything it has to righting the ship. Instead, Google repeatedly blew tens of billions of dollars on stock buybacks while doing mass layoffs:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task

Those layoffs have now reached the company's "core" teams, even as its core services continue to decay:

https://qz.com/google-is-laying-off-hundreds-as-it-moves-core-jobs-abr-1851449528

(Google's antitrust trial was shrouded in secrecy, thanks to the judge's deference to the company's insistence on confidentiality. The case is moving along though, and warrants your continued attention:)

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/the-2-trillion-secret-trial-against

Google wormed its way into so many corners of our lives that its enshittification keeps erupting in odd places, like ordering takeout food:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

Back in February, Housefresh – a rigorous review site for home air purifiers – published a viral, damning account of how Google had allowed itself to be overrun by spammers who purport to provide reviews of air purifiers, but who do little to no testing and often employ AI chatbots to write automated garbage:

https://housefresh.com/david-vs-digital-goliaths/

In the months since, Housefresh's Gisele Navarro has continued to fight for the survival of her high-quality air purifier review site, and has received many tips from insiders at the spam-farms and Google, all of which she recounts in a followup essay:

https://housefresh.com/how-google-decimated-housefresh/

One of the worst offenders in spam wars is Dotdash Meredith, a content-farm that "publishes" multiple websites that recycle parts of each others' content in order to climb to the top search slots for lucrative product review spots, which can be monetized via affiliate links.

A Dotdash Meredith insider told Navarro that the company uses a tactic called "keyword swarming" to push high-quality independent sites off the top of Google and replace them with its own garbage reviews. When Dotdash Meredith finds an independent site that occupies the top results for a lucrative Google result, they "swarm a smaller site’s foothold on one or two articles by essentially publishing 10 articles [on the topic] and beefing up [Dotdash Meredith sites’] authority."

Dotdash Meredith has keyword swarmed a large number of topics. from air purifiers to slow cookers to posture correctors for back-pain:

https://housefresh.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/keyword-swarming-dotdash.jpg

The company isn't shy about this. Its own shareholder communications boast about it. What's more, it has competition.

Take Forbes, an actual news-site, which has a whole shadow-empire of web-pages reviewing products for puppies, dogs, kittens and cats, all of which link to high affiliate-fee-generating pet insurance products. These reviews are not good, but they are treasured by Google's algorithm, which views them as a part of Forbes's legitimate news-publishing operation and lets them draft on Forbes's authority.

This side-hustle for Forbes comes at a cost for the rest of us, though. The reviewers who actually put in the hard work to figure out which pet products are worth your money (and which ones are bad, defective or dangerous) are crowded off the front page of Google and eventually disappear, leaving behind nothing but semi-automated SEO garbage from Forbes:

https://twitter.com/ichbinGisele/status/1642481590524583936

There's a name for this: "site reputation abuse." That's when a site perverts its current – or past – practice of publishing high-quality materials to trick Google into giving the site a high ranking. Think of how Deadspin's private equity grifter owners turned it into a site full of casino affiliate spam:

https://www.404media.co/who-owns-deadspin-now-lineup-publishing/

The same thing happened to the venerable Money magazine:

https://moneygroup.pr/

Money is one of the many sites whose air purifier reviews Google gives preference to, despite the fact that they do no testing. According to Google, Money is also a reliable source of information on reprogramming your garage-door opener, buying a paint-sprayer, etc:

https://money.com/best-paint-sprayer/

All of this is made ten million times worse by AI, which can spray out superficially plausible botshit in superhuman quantities, letting spammers produce thousands of variations on their shitty reviews, flooding the zone with bullshit in classic Steve Bannon style:

https://escapecollective.com/commerce-content-is-breaking-product-reviews/

As Gizmodo, Sports Illustrated and USA Today have learned the hard way, AI can't write factual news pieces. But it can pump out bullshit written for the express purpose of drafting on the good work human journalists have done and tricking Google – the search engine 90% of us rely on – into upranking bullshit at the expense of high-quality information.

A variety of AI service bureaux have popped up to provide AI botshit as a service to news brands. While Navarro doesn't say so, I'm willing to bet that for news bosses, outsourcing your botshit scams to a third party is considered an excellent way of avoiding your journalists' wrath. The biggest botshit-as-a-service company is ASR Group (which also uses the alias Advon Commerce).

Advon claims that its botshit is, in fact, written by humans. But Advon's employees' Linkedin profiles tell a different story, boasting of their mastery of AI tools in the industrial-scale production of botshit:

https://housefresh.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Advon-AI-LinkedIn.jpg

Now, none of this is particularly sophisticated. It doesn't take much discernment to spot when a site is engaged in "site reputation abuse." Presumably, the 12,000 googlers the company fired last year could have been employed to check the top review keyword results manually every couple of days and permaban any site caught cheating this way.

Instead, Google is has announced a change in policy: starting May 5, the company will downrank any site caught engaged in site reputation abuse. However, the company takes a very narrow view of site reputation abuse, limiting punishments to sites that employ third parties to generate or uprank their botshit. Companies that produce their botshit in-house are seemingly not covered by this policy.

As Navarro writes, some sites – like Forbes – have prepared for May 5 by blocking their botshit sections from Google's crawler. This can't be their permanent strategy, though – either they'll have to kill the section or bring it in-house to comply with Google's rules. Bringing things in house isn't that hard: US News and World Report is advertising for an SEO editor who will publish 70-80 posts per month, doubtless each one a masterpiece of high-quality, carefully researched material of great value to Google's users:

https://twitter.com/dannyashton/status/1777408051357585425

As Navarro points out, Google is palpably reluctant to target the largest, best-funded spammers. Its March 2024 update kicked many garbage AI sites out of the index – but only small bottom-feeders, not large, once-respected publications that have been colonized by private equity spam-farmers.

All of this comes at a price, and it's only incidentally paid by legitimate sites like Housefresh. The real price is borne by all of us, who are funneled by the 90%-market-share search engine into "review" sites that push low quality, high-price products. Housefresh's top budget air purifier costs $79. That's hundreds of dollars cheaper than the "budget" pick at other sites, who largely perform no original research.

Google search has a problem. AI botshit is dominating Google's search results, and it's not just in product reviews. Searches for infrastructure code samples are dominated by botshit code generated by Pulumi AI, whose chatbot hallucinates nonexistence AWS features:

https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/01/pulumi_ai_pollution_of_search/

This is hugely consequential: when these "hallucinations" slip through into production code, they create huge vulnerabilities for widespread malicious exploitation:

https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/28/ai_bots_hallucinate_software_packages/

We've put all our eggs in Google's basket, and Google's dropped the basket – but it doesn't matter because they can spend $20b/year bribing Apple to make sure no one ever tries a rival search engine on Ios or Safari:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/google-payments-apple-reached-20-220947331.html

Google's response – laying off core developers, outsourcing to low-waged territories with weak labor protections and spending billions on stock buybacks – presents a picture of a company that is too big to care:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

Google promised us a quid-pro-quo: let them be the single, authoritative portal ("organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful"), and they will earn that spot by being the best search there is:

https://www.ft.com/content/b9eb3180-2a6e-41eb-91fe-2ab5942d4150

But – like the spammers at the top of its search result pages – Google didn't earn its spot at the center of our digital lives.

It cheated.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/03/keyword-swarming/#site-reputation-abuse

Image: freezelight (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spam_wall_-_Flickr_-_freezelight.jpg

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

#pluralistic #google #monopoly #housefresh #content mills #sponcon #seo #dotdash meredith #keyword swarming #iac #forbes #forbes advisor #deadspin #money magazine #ad practicioners llc #asr group holdings #sports illustrated #advon #site reputation abuse #the algorithm tm #core update #kagi #ai #botshit

[lilacargent]

At it again, from another angle this time.

‘Old’ weapons. Or at least redundant, as a species traverses into space the new technology makes an old gun or even older sword/arrow/spear and so on useless and nearly powerless. The new weapons are ‘ray this’ and ‘beam that’ ‘plasma so and so’ .

Ofcourse this makes sense, the energy based weapons are far less wasteful and lighter, easier to carry and easier to handle. No need to sharpen weapons with a plasma blade and even then, why use close quarters weapons if you have access to stun, kill or poison rays and many more.

On top of that many civilisations prefer to forget their less then stellar past and make analog weapons obsolete. When the humans joined the council many expected them to do the same. They didn’t, production stopped yes, but interested people could still partake in lessons and the old fashioned ways were shown off in museums. Training to be part of a spaceship crew still included lessons in their old weapons as an opportunity to be prepared for going to “newer” worlds.

So with that in mind i have a few little vignettes ideas and for ease’ sake its gonna be on the same ship, the Serpentine.

Important crew:

Primoz, captain -Limoyh a four armed species-

Krag, second in command (brother of Primoz)

Kit, dokter -avian, bird like, she has feathers like a swallow-

Ortez, ASR (all species resources, human resources in space) -kiltak, insectoid species, think ants but exoskeleton-

Lugea, helmsperson (does the steering) -rock like alien-

Artex, engineer/mechanic 1 -also Kiltak-

And then our humans:

Kamari, navigator -Eritrean woman- (has cat named Sidra)

Markus, weapons expert (knows how to use them and upkeep, also shields) -Swedish man-

Petrus, mechanic/engineer 2 -Italian man-

Lilly, administrator/note keeper (learns languages for fun)-english woman-

Yes i know all of this could have also been accomplished by saying they are all from America… nope this is more fun. This is under the assumption that to get into the joint academy for space faring you need to be able to speak and write English.

Obviously there are more people on the ship but these are most important

~~~~~~~~

1. Sparring

Ortez was having a good day, the serpentine had left port and was making good progress toward their next destination on w-kl-18, referred to as deltax by it’s residents, for a routine drop off.

In port on Unity (the planet where the council resides and the universal court is) they picked up the final crew members among who a ‘team’ of humans. Pre bonded humans were supposed to be less chaos inducing and easier bonded with the rest of the crew. Ortez was rather happy the captain listened to him on this matter.

The humans had been more diverse than he expected and were currently what they called ‘settling in’. He was on his way to the rooms they had.

‘Stop it please we’ve been here less than 4 hours!’ The soft voice he recognises as Lilly’s is barely audible over the loud clanging sounds. Rounding the corner Ortez sees a terrifying scene. The two human males locked together with two sticks made of metal baring teeth at each other, with a push the olive skinned man, he remembers is called Petrus, breaks the hold and goes in low swiping at the tall mans legs making Markus fall over.

Ortez is about to intervene when without a sound the dark skinned leader of the group seemingly appears without a sound behind him and runs into the fray with a similar stick.

Whacking Petrus stick away from Markus’ throat she steps inbetween “stop it. You’re scaring our ASR. We want to make a good impression remember.” The men look right at him and both put down the sticks, Markus puts his hand up in a ‘wave’ “sorry about that, Ortez it was right? We were just sparring.’ Moving further into the room he uncurls his front two claws tapping at the metal poles “sparring with this? We usually only do body to body training, this seems rather old.” Petrus speaks up to that “ah yes those are old earth weapons, we like keeping up a bit of skill with several kinds as a side activity. Don’t worry tho, we train with blunt weapons.”

Not entirely appeased the insectoid looks to the imposing woman, who seems entirely at ease even though two people had been fighting. When she caught his eyes, she smiled that terrible toothy grin “truly don’t worry, like Petrus said they are blunt and it is a way for us to let of some steam and keep in shape. But next time we’ll do it in the training rooms… right boys?” Pinning the two men with withering stares they nodded quickly.

Ortez did not know humans released steam, but he felt right now was not the moment to go into that. Saying his goodbye he skittered to inform the captain.

This was bound to be interesting.

~~~~~~~~~~~

2. “The Roman empire”

“So you are telling me that at any given moment you could be thinking about a several thousand years old society that no longer exists and it would surprise nobody?” Artex was perplexed, when he and Petrus were working on the reactor core Lilly had wandered through and mentioned this old civilisation sparking heated debate. She thought the greeks were far more interesting but Petrus had been unmoved by her arguments. The other man speaks while pushing some buttons “well yea, the empire made great strides and amazing structures, Lilly just prefers the mythos of the greek while i enjoy the focus on millitary prowess.” Shrugging he looks up “don’t you guys have something like that?” Artex stretches his legs, all 6 of them in a wave like motion “not really, when change happened the history books were changed to make it seem like it was always that way” the human makes eye contact “wait so how do you know how to play -old civilisation- as a kid? We play fought with wooden sticks, wooden swords and branches we cut to look like guns…” that horrofied the insectoid, raised with violence like it was a normal thing.

Almost like they never left their dark ages

~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. Whats in a name (bit off topic but the idea just kinda happened)

Te very first time the humans were introduced to their new crew there was a bit of a hiccup. When Kamari introduced herself they looked up a bit confused but went further down the row. After Lilly they came back around and referred to Kamari as moon. Now Kamari recognised the strange look, they had translators that only had basic human translation, which means that her name “Kamari” which comes from Arabic and is a word for moon/soft glow of the moon, is translated fully but not as name so when they speak to her it translates out of their language to English which would be moon. This is luckily easily fixed with an update, but it was something that stil spoke of how new the human race was to the cosmos.

Her cat Sidra made them laugh as that means Star so she was the moon with her star.

(Random thought about how multiple human languages could screw with translations)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soooooo kinda had a 4th story that is pretty sad but also bad ass, but this is getting too long already

Imma write that in a new post over the coming days

Hopefully people like this, if you have prompts you’d like to see with this crew feel free to ask.

#humans are space orcs #humans in space #humans are space oddities #humans are weird #humans are space australians #humans are insane #humans are deathworlders #humans are space fae #humans are space capybaras

[dresden-syndrome]

For ask game: lab whump

Whumping in EESU: Lab whump

A restrained and blindfolded whumpee right after detention is brought to the lab, not knowing where they are or what's waiting for them.

Whumpee being called by their assigned number by every single member of the lab staff. They don't know their subjects' names. They've been told they don't have any.

Whumpee accidentally notices a paper left on the table. The paper says "... biological asset AA-0985". It's about them.

Restrained and muzzled whumpee overhearing the researchers discussing the experiments in detail as terrifying realization sets in: they can't do anything about it.

Newly designated test subject whumpee undergoing their first lab examination tries to bargain with the doctors, ask questions and state their preferences, only to get a muzzle for "making a noise".

Whumpee frantically kicking the cell walls and doors, begging for release. The facility guards and nurses are quick to react, holding the distressed subject down to inject a dose of sedative.

Dissident whumpee trying to fall asleep on the cell bed as the regrets creep in. "What was the point in our group?" "Was it worth it?"

Whumpee instinctively crying and panicking when being restrained as they know ASR staff can do anything to them.

Class 4 whumpee with a fear of hospitals/doctors being designated as ASR test subject.

Class 3 labor camp whumpee at the doctor's office pressured to take an experimental pill instead of a normal one.

The lab subjects have a strict schedule: eating three times a day. When the whumpee refuses to, they get a feeding tube forced down their nose. (Bonus points if the whumpee has been fearful of eating since a chemical test when they started feeling really unwell after finishing their plate)

Sometimes the State Security superiors enter the lab to check on its work. When they ask to see a couple of subjects, whumpee is brought to the room to be presented to them and examined for their view.

An owner sending their "personal use" whumpee to the ASR lab for the time they have to be away for their government work, ordering to put their pet to use for a couple of unpleasant tests.

On other hand, an owner staying and watching their "property" during an experiment, smirking as they cry and plead them to stop it.

A fairly obedient whumpee being strapped to beds and chairs for every test "just to be sure". They've been acting docile and compliant to avoid being held or restrained. It doesn't work.

Whumpee on the medical bed hearing their favorite song playing on the radio for the first time after arrest.

After a long time as a test subject, whumpee is terrified of every step; desperately trying to hide and cover every time they hear footsteps from the hallway.

A doctor talking to their subject whumpee, asking about their "past" life, comforting them with a calm tone of voice while injecting them with an obviously painful substance.

Whumpee designated into a lab in another EESU republic. They don't understand their language. There's nobody to help them learn it or talk in their native one.

Whumpee selected for studying conditioning methods to develop a new political reeducation program

Caretaker doctor talking to a whumpee, giving them treats and looking for the ways to ease their pain - with a risk of being suspended and arrested for "affiliation with the enemy".

Whumpee, afraid of falling asleep due to them being always waken up for another test, being given a sedative to avoid breaking the schedule

An excited doctor doesn't stop talking about what their research could do for the country's progress and people's happiness. As they turn to the whumpee, they add "Not for you, 0985. For people."

#whump #whump community #whumpblr #historical whump #totalitarian whump #med whump #medical whump #lab whump #whump ideas #whump prompt #whump prompt list #whump prompts #writing prompt #whump tropes #whump scenario

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 4.14 (after 1940)

1940 – World War II: Royal Marines land in Namsos, Norway, preceding a larger force which will arrive two days later. 1941 – World War II: German and Italian forces attack Tobruk, Libya. 1944 – Bombay explosion: A massive explosion in Bombay harbor kills 300 and causes economic damage valued at 20 million pounds. 1945 – Razing of Friesoythe: The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division deliberately destroys the German town of Friesoythe on the orders of Major General Christopher Vokes. 1958 – The Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after a mission duration of 162 days. This was the first spacecraft to carry a living animal, a female dog named Laika, who likely lived only a few hours. 1967 – Gnassingbé Eyadéma overthrows Nicolas Grunitzky and installs himself as the new President of Togo, a title he will hold for the next 38 years. 1978 – Tbilisi demonstrations: Thousands of Georgians demonstrate against Soviet attempts to change the constitutional status of the Georgian language. 1979 – The Progressive Alliance of Liberia stages a protest, without a permit, against an increase in rice prices proposed by the government, with clashes between protestors and the police resulting in over 70 deaths and over 500 injuries. 1981 – STS-1: The first operational Space Shuttle, Columbia completes its first test flight. 1986 – The heaviest hailstones ever recorded, each weighing 1 kilogram (2.2 lb), fall on the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh, killing 92. 1988 – The USS Samuel B. Roberts strikes a mine in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will. 1988 – In a United Nations ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, the Soviet Union signs an agreement pledging to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. 1991 – The Republic of Georgia introduces the post of President following its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. 1994 – In a friendly fire incident during Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq, two U.S. Air Force aircraft mistakenly shoot-down two U.S. Army helicopters, killing 26 people. 1997 – Pai Hsiao-yen, daughter of Taiwanese artiste Pai Bing-bing is kidnapped on her way to school, preceding her murder. 1999 – NATO mistakenly bombs a convoy of ethnic Albanian refugees. Yugoslav officials say 75 people were killed. 1999 – A severe hailstorm strikes Sydney, Australia causing A$2.3 billion in insured damages, the most costly natural disaster in Australian history. 2002 – Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez returns to office two days after being ousted and arrested by the country's military. 2003 – The Human Genome Project is completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99%. 2003 – U.S. troops in Baghdad capture Abu Abbas, leader of the Palestinian group that killed an American on the hijacked cruise liner MS Achille Lauro in 1985. 2005 – The Oregon Supreme Court nullifies marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples a year earlier by Multnomah County. 2006 – Twin blasts triggered by crude bombs during Asr prayer in the Jama Masjid mosque in Delhi injure 13 people. 2014 – Two bombs detonate at a bus station in Nyanya, Nigeria, killing at least 88 people and injuring hundreds. Boko Haram claims responsibility. 2014 – Boko Haram abducts 276 girls from a school in Chibok, Nigeria. 2016 – The foreshock of a major earthquake occurs in Kumamoto, Japan. 2022 – Russian invasion of Ukraine: The Russian warship Moskva sinks. 2023 – The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is launched by the European Space Agency.

#Events

[tipoftheappletree]

How to do a free Tumbler Blog

For starters, you can just write your text here. What follows, is how I've added in all the other bits, and then provided a link for anyone to see, or for you to submit with your work.

In Text Citations

Quoting - Information Prominent

I'm going to throw in a quote here how 'Modern Recording Techniques provides an in-depth read on the art and technologies of music production' (Huber 2017). This quote was information prominent, as I didn't mention the author as the main focus, it was focusing on the information first and foremost. Hence why I put the author and year at the end of the quote.

Quoting - Author Prominent

A second version of quoting is called author prominent, where I focus on the author. I could therefore say that Huber (2017) mentions that "the ninth edition includes: Updated tips, tricks and insights for getting the best out of your studio". You see here that Huber isn't in brackets, but the year is.

Paraphrasing

My third in-text citation here is where I'll mention how Huber does a brilliant collation of the latest technologies, DAW's, and even a website to go with the Modern Recording Techniques book (2017). That was paraphrasing, the preferred method of citing work. Please aim to do this as much as possible. It is only when you have a really specific statement that you need to quote someone. Paraphrasing shows you understand the work better.

Italics

Finally, you can see in all 3 of the preceding paragraphs, when I want to emphasise something, I put it in italics, which is the only time you should really use italics.

Adding Media

Now that the bulk of the text descriptions are over, how do you add media? Simply hit return, and it opens up the different types of links and other elements you can add.

For example. I've added an image here of the front cover of a book.

Figure 1: Book front cover. Source: Huber DM and Runstein R (2017) Modern Recording Techniques, accessed 22 May 2023, https://www.routledge.com/Modern-Recording-Techniques/Huber-Runstein/p/book/9781138954373

You can see that straight after adding a picture, I have said what it is, and where it has come from. I have also made it a touch smaller and called it a figure, not an image. If we want the correct way to cite an image from the source itself, I will use a quote here to keep it as accurate as possible. 'Images and graphs are often referred to as figures when included as part of a text. If you use images, graphs or tables from other sources, you need to provide information about the source. This is usually done in a caption below the figure. If you create your own image, graph or table, you also need to include a caption.' (Monash University 2022)

Adding online videos

Now, to slip in a video of something ? In this case I've simply chosen one of my YouTube videos. Copy and paste the URL.. Done.

Torrens J (2016) '3. JT’s Pro Tools Tips: Ordering and Grouping' [video], YouTube, accessed 22 May 2023, www.youtube.com, https://youtu.be/b8Rvw008IT0

Want to add a video that isn't online?

Also easy, simply hit return again, and choose the video button, but then upload a video you've made, or sourced. I've chosen a video that shows the instructors at Collarts how to turn on ASR for ECHO360. Meh, not very exciting.

Figure 3: ASR into ECHO360 video. Source: Torrens J (2021) Collarts Staff Resources, accessed 22 May 2023, http://collarts.com/test

Adding links

To add a link to something, name the thing you're actually linking to, like the Apple Website, then, get the URL to that site, copy it, then go back to the "name", in this case what I've written above called Apple Website, select it, then hold Command and press the "K" key. This is the shortcut almost everywhere to add a link to something. Then paste in your link, and boom. Done. You do not usually do this in an academic submission, but worth noting, as it can be helpful.

Making headings?

Simply select the text and you'll see the ability to make it Bigger, Biggest etc. Always go down in order. The title at the top should be the biggest, then go to the second biggest for the sub headings and so on.

Sharing

How can share this with someone, including testing it in a private browser. Start by scrolling to the bottom of the page, and hit save. You then simply click at the top of the post, the 3 dots, and you select "Copy Link". If you then open a new browser app, or a private browser window, you can test this works for someone else as you will not be logged in.

Reference list guide

This is where you should include every single thing you have referenced, in alphabetical order by the first surname of each source. Hard to demonstrate it perfectly in a blog, but you can in your PDF.

What is wrong with this entry below for the first image in this piece? I copied this from MyBib using the correct style of Australian Government Style Guide, which should match the Monash Harvard style we use at Collarts (2023).

Huber DM and Runstein R (2017) Modern Recording Techniques book front cover, https://www.routledge.com/Modern-Recording-Techniques/Huber-Runstein/p/book/9781138954373, accessed 22 May 2023.

The accessed date should be before the URL. So should be like this.

Huber DM and Runstein R (2017) Modern Recording Techniques book front cover, accessed 22 May 2023, https://www.routledge.com/Modern-Recording-Techniques/Huber-Runstein/p/book/9781138954373

Also, it is your teachers choice if they want you to include image/figure references in the reference list as well as under the image. I'm fine for it to be just under the image, so no need to have it in the Reference List. Therefore, here is my proper, complete reference list.

Reference List

Collarts (2023) Referencing at Collarts, Collarts Canvas, accessed 22 May 2023, https://collarts.instructure.com/courses/1360/pages/referencing-at-collarts?wrap=1

Huber DM (2019) Modern recording techniques, 9th edn, New York ; London Routledge Taylor Et Francis Group.

Monash University (2022) Subject guides: Citing and referencing: Images, graphs, tables, data sets, accessed 22 May 2023, guides.lib.monash.edu, https://guides.lib.monash.edu/c.php?g=219786&p=6661616

#Youtube

[factmrblog]

Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market Growth and Demand Analysis by 2032

The global automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) market is projected to reach $24 billion by 2032, from  $10.2 billion  in 2022  .

Demand for ASRS is projected to grow at over 9.1%  on an annual basis , primarily driven by usage across retail warehouses over the forecast period 2022-32.

Download a sample copy of this report:

The readability score of the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market Demand report is good as it provides a chapter-by-chapter layout with each section broken into smaller sections.

Reports include graphs and tables showing the entire assembly. The graphical presentation of confirmed and estimated values ​​of key segments is visually appealing to the reader. 

This Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market Perspective report discusses important dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities for key players along with key stakeholders and emerging players involved in product manufacturing, as well as a competitive analysis of the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems market.

The extended oral antibiotics market key trends analysis also provides the dynamics affecting future sales and demand during the forecast period.

market player

Daifuku Co., Ltd.

Murata machine

Dematic GmbH & Co. KG

Vanderlande Industries

TGW Logistics Group

system logistics spa

westphalia Technologies,

honeywell integration

Swisslog Holding AG

Invatar Intralogistics

How can the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems market report make a difference to the revenue impact and strategies of businesses?

Fact.MR strives to provide comprehensive assessments of opportunities in various regions and technology segments. The study also offers an uncluttered data-driven insights into the growth avenues of the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market and all its segments. Some of the ways the study can make a discernible impact are by offering evidence-based perspectives on:

Attractiveness quotient of emerging product/technology types in various products in the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market.

Micro-economics factors that may hamper the prospects of some of the key segments

Recent spate of research and development (R&D) funding on key Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market

New business models paving way for disruptions in demand dynamic of key segments

Regional markets that will be future engine of growth and the industry trends that will support these markets

Challenges overcoming which may offer industry players competitive edge

Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market Key Segments

·         By Type

Unit-load AS/RS

Mini-load AS/RS

Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs)

Horizontal Carousels

Vertical Carousels

Shuttle- and Bot-based AS/RS

Micro-Load (Stocker)

·         By Category

Standalone

Integrated

·         By Industry

Automotive

Food and Beverage

Electrical and Electronics

Healthcare

Retail and e-commerce

Others

Get Full Access of Complete Report:

Questionnaire answered in the Market outlook Report of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market include:

What is the key strategy deployed by large players to maximize Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Marketgrowth?

What are the main challenges faced by players in the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market Demand?

With the advent of technological advancement, how will the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market landscape change over the forecast period?

What does player bring to the table which is unique as a strategy, and is easy to emulate for new investors in the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market size?

How will be insights and market estimations provided in the Fact.MR report on the Demand of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems make a difference?

The study takes a closer look at the major economic turmoil, with a focus on the recent COVID-19 pandemic disruptions

The assessment of key growth dynamics highlights the attractiveness of new automation technologies and offers readers insight on the prospect of these during the forecast period

The study tries to offer a balance perspective of the opportunities in mature and the most lackluster markets

Provides scrutiny of the industry trends that have shaped recent government policies

Provides an account of major breakthroughs in all segments that might change the course of the market considerably

Provides an incisive analysis of socio-political milieu in which the key markets operate, and how will that influence the lucrativeness of the overall Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Market

Analyzes how collaborations and partnerships among players from different industries shape the key growth dynamics in the near future

Evaluate the role of different funding tiers for new growth vehicles in key regional markets. 

Contact: USA Sales Office: 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Phone: [phone] Email: [email protected]

[tipblog]

Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis

Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis

According to the new research report published by The Insight Partners, titled “Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market — Global Analysis and Forecast to 2027”, the global automated storage and retrieval system market is expected to reach US$ 4,616.1 Mn in 2027, registering a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period 2019-2027.

A number of industrial facilities and warehouses are increasing the use of automated solutions to enhance their profits, warehouse operations, comfort as well as worker safety. An ASRS consists of several computer-controlled methods that enable the placement of loads and picking up a function of the load from a storage location. They best serve their purpose at places where high volumes of capacity need to be moved, stored, or retrieved more economically. These systems increase the storage density of loads and thereby overcome the space constraint issues faced by several end-users. These kinds of systems are of use mainly at manufacturing sites, distribution centers, retail, wholesale, and institutions. ASRS helps in automatically bringing items directly to the operator, and can be operated as a standalone system, as well as integrated into a linked system. Some of the common operations of ASRS include consolidation, order picking, buffering, kitting, inventory storage, parts handling, and buffer storage, among others. Mainly designed for these tasks, ASRS systems eliminate walk and search time, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency. Space-efficient ASRS systems also help in reducing underutilized floor space by storing all the materials in one compact area, thus provide larger storage capacity in comparison to shelving and racking in aisles. Furthermore, it helps in reducing labor costs since the automation of processes helps in reducing the involvement of several individuals, and it generally requires one person to operate such systems.

Get Sample PDF at:- https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000329/?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=10489

The top five market leaders in this market include SSI SCHAEFER GROUP, Swisslog Holding AG, System Logistics Spa, Bastian Solutions, Daifuku Co. Ltd. The above listing of top players is based on multiple factors such as overall sales, investment in technology up-gradation, and industry activities. Companies have taken several market initiatives to expand their footprint, service portfolio across the world and to fulfill the growing demand of the market. In February 2019, Vanderlande Industries partnered with Fizyr to design Artificial Intelligence (AI) for its automated storage solutions. Its automated storage solutions are developed to manage a variety of items common to the warehouse, parcel, and airport markets. Swisslog Holding AG has signed a contract with Broman Group to offer automation at Broman’s Logistics center in Finland. The contract comprises upgrading existing automation, the design of automation, and Swisslog’s SynQ warehouse management system to organize the entire warehouse solution.

Key findings of the study:

The European region is estimated to lead the ASRS market. The growth in Europe is attributed to the presence of several ASRS players in the region, coupled with a substantial customer base. Also, significant investments made by automotive players in the automated material handling equipment is driving the installation of ASRS. Even the cost of implementing automation is declining in Europe, along with the increase in labor costs

The concerns about ROI post-implementation of automated storage solutions have denied significant growth in NORDIC countries. Whereas, the need to have space-efficient warehouses so that CAPEX savings are achieved for the storage of products has been the major reason for popular implementations of the system. Germany, Italy, and Spain are the potential growth markets for a variety of deployments of automated storage and retrieval system in various applications. Automotive industry in Germany, the textile and manufacturing industries in Italy and Spain respectively have been using automated storage and retrieval system for accuracy and efficiency in operations. Also, the development of automation technology in this region has enabled more ASRS implementations.

About The Insight Partners

The Insight Partners is a one-stop industry research provider of actionable solutions. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in industries such as healthcare, media, and telecommunication.

Our research model is very simple. We believe in client servicing and delivering the best quality to our customers. Through our research content, we are making sure that our customers get value for their money along with better quality data and analysis.

Our research content is majorly focused toward market trends in terms of market sizing, competitive landscaping, company analysis, regional or country analysis, etc. We provide a detailed break-up of segmentation in terms of geography, product and service, radioisotope types, application and end user, which helps our clients to gain a deeper analytical understanding of various research topics.

Contact Us

If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us:

North America: [phone]

Asia Pacific: [phone]

Email: [email protected]

[lexicals]

So here’s a random excerpt from that fic I mentioned - the conceit (spoilers for all systems red ahead) is that the combat override module in ASR works differently to how it does in canon, so instead of mb causing catastrophic damage to itself after going to the DeltFall habitat and getting found out, it shares the rogue thing mostly voluntarily (“mostly” being the operative word lol)

Warnings for canon-typical identity crises, gallows humour (inc. passively suic*dal talk), etc. I also haven’t been back and checked this against canon yet so if you notice any glaring contradictions no you didn’t 💕

-

I didn’t reply. I'd heard worse, but I still would rather not listen to it. Normally, I would've expected to feel angry or offended or something, but instead I just felt exhausted. My own borked governor module was still poking me about that error code I didn't recognise and even backburnered, it was starting to get on my nerves, so I—

Oh, shit.

I immediately put my hand to the back of my neck and yanked out the chip that had been shoved into the dataport. My governor module promptly stopped screaming at me, but fortunately any sense of relief I might have gotten from that was immediately replaced by an enormous wave of anxiety and oh-for-fuck's-sake as I looked at the chip in my hand. You know, just in case I'd started getting too comfortable.

"SecUnit, are you alright?"

Ratthi was looking at me with concern. Checking the camera views, I understood why he'd asked the question, because I was making an expression I generally associated with humans shitting themselves. Metaphorically, I was shitting myself. Ratthi was now squinting at the chip, which I couldn't even pretend I hadn't literally just pulled out of my neck, because I'd just done it in front of everyone here like an absolute idiot. "What is that?"

I tried to bring my expression back to neutral, but the cameras showed it wasn't as successful as I would've liked. I'd managed somewhere in the region of moderate digestive discomfort, I think. "It's a combat override module."

This wasn't good for several reasons. First of all, it meant that the DeltFall units weren't really rogues; they'd been taken over by a third party using a chip like this to hijack their governor modules and order them to murder their clients, and also anyone else who made contact. Probably by whoever owned those surprise extra units that almost killed me. Which meant that there were still threats on this planet outside of the unknown dangerous fauna that we hadn't dealt with, and I was going to have to worry about that.

The second reason this wasn't good (so maybe saying several reasons was an exaggeration, but these were big reasons so maybe they counted for more, I don't know) was that the humans were going to want to know what a combat override module was, what it did, how it worked, and most importantly, why it hadn't worked on me. I could answer the first three things just fine, but short of telling my already-jittery clients I was hacked ("so I'm actually one of those scary rogue units you've heard so much about, but the good news is that a combat override module can't hijack a governor module that doesn't work!") that last thing was going to be a big problem.

Honestly, even if I did tell them exactly that, which I really didn't want to do, it was going to be a really big fucking problem.

"What?" Gurathin asked, looking alarmed. Of course, he had an augment and access to my operating manual, so it had taken him a tenth of the time to look that up compared to any of the others, if they actually had bothered to do that and weren't just waiting for me to explain. "The DeltFall units - they put that in you?"

"Yes, but it didn't work. It must be faulty," I told him, quickly before he did something stupid. The irony being that me saying that almost definitely came under the category of "doing something incredibly stupid," which I realised as soon as it came out of my mouth.

I don't know why I said it. I guess I was panicking. I'd told them all what it was in the first place because if I'd lied about it and they looked it up anyway, which they probably would, I'd look really fucking suspicious. (A governed unit can't lie to its clients; it can't even refuse to answer a direct question like that.) Maybe I was trying to buy time to think of a decent explanation by telling them something that wouldn't make everyone start screaming. Honestly, I was mostly internally spiralling about the whole situation, so that would be the best case scenario. I was still staring at the chip, which was making me feel nauseous even though I didn't have a stomach and I'd had another kind of chip in my head telling me what do to for a good chunk of my existence anyway, so it shouldn't have been bothering me as much as it was. I couldn't help still doing it.

"Would someone please explain what this means and why we should be worried?" Mensah asked, looking between me and Gurathin. I appreciated that she didn't do what a lot of humans do in these kinds of situations, which is that they see someone else freaking out and start freaking out themselves for no reason. I suppose that's why she was the survey leader.

I pulled the relevant section from my operating manual and pushed it into the feed (beating Gurathin's version by a solid 1.6 seconds, which, I won't lie, was kind of satisfying), and watched all the humans collectively have their "oh, shit" moment (excluding Gurathin, who'd already had his). I was at least glad to see they understood how bad this whole situation was getting.

"So this lets other people just—" Overse made an abrupt waving motion with her hand. "Take over any SecUnit whenever they want?"

"It is intended for use in emergency situations, for example when the contract holder is compromised," I told her.

"Which is corporate for 'we know this is stupidly dangerous to make, but if we say it's for emergency use only then we're not liable for people fucking around with it'," Pin-lee muttered, not quietly. She was right, but I'm not allowed to say things like that, or at least I can't if I want people to think I'm a good little properly-governed SecUnit. For however long that's going to last, at this point.

"But it didn't work, right?" Arada asked, looking at me, and then around at the others. "So it's fine."

If it had, you'd all be dead, I thought, but that probably wouldn't go down well. "The module's presence is new evidence which would suggest that the DeltFall units weren't true rogues, and were put under the control of a third party in order to kill their survey group and make it look like a random act of insubordination. This would explain the presence of extra SecUnits at the site and the acts of sabotage on our equipment."

All the humans went quiet. I didn't like it any more than them, but it had to be said. It meant that there were still factions on this planet, or at least nearby enough to matter, that probably still wanted to kill all of them, and me by extension. I was already updating my security procedures and running some scenarios for what might happen and what we could do about it in the background. If I was honest, it wasn't looking good, but hey, what's new.

"We should run an analysis of the module's code to see if we can find out who it would have assigned control to," Gurathin said. That was one of the first things I'd put on my own task list, but whatever, I didn't need credit for an obvious idea. "Even if it didn't work as intended, the data might still be there."

He stood up and came just close enough to me to hold out his hand for the module. Technically, he hadn't asked me to give it to him, so I didn't have to, which was good because that was the last thing I wanted to do right now. There was a reason I'd put the analysis on my personal task list, and not on a public one.

"I have my own analysis scheduled as high priority," I said.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Gurathin replied, staring me down even though I was deliberately not making eye contact with him, and also he had to look up at me. I decided I didn't like Gurathin very much.

"Why not?" Ratthi chimed in. "Surely it's better if you both look at it?"

"Because there's a chance that the module did work as intended, and this unit is now compromised," Gurathin said. "It might not even know it until it's too late."

"I'm not compromised."

"Which is what a compromised unit who's being told what to say would say."

He was still staring at me. I decided I really didn't like Gurathin, even though in this instance he was actually right. I hadn't brought up that possibility to the group because it would be very bad for me if the humans decided to run a detailed diagnostic of my systems, but from a security perspective it was an avenue that should be investigated. That didn't mean I had to like what was happening here.

I was trying to figure out how to tell Gurathin to fuck off without sounding compromised, insubordinate, or straight-up rogue when Mensah cut in.

"SecUnit," she said carefully. "I don't think any of us think that you're actually compromised, but given our situation I'm sure you understand we have to take every possible precaution. I think the best thing to do would be to let Gurathin and Pin-lee analyse the module first, and then for you to run your analysis afterwards. Does that sound fair to everyone?"

She was using a tone that I designated as diplomatic, which was probably because I was being difficult. Or at least as difficult as a governed SecUnit would be able to be. I could be a lot more difficult if I wanted (a lot more) but I wasn't going to make myself look any more suspicious than I already was, and as I might have mentioned, I was already starting to look pretty suspicious. I also appreciated that Mensah was trying to actually talk to me, and hadn't just tried to shock me through my governor module for being unhelpful like a lot of clients would, and had. It wouldn't have worked (clearly, that's kind of the whole problem here) but it's the thought that counts or whatever.

(She'd also saved me, back at the DeltFall habitat. I was trying not to think about that, because it was making me have emotions I couldn't handle trying to figure out right now, but she had. It had been stupid, putting her client-self in danger to try to save a SecUnit that was already half-destroyed anyway, but I still felt like it counted for something.)

I handed the chip over and tried not to sigh or visibly clench my jaw. I saw Mensah's expression, and a few of the others' too, relax on the cameras. Good to know everyone else felt better while my own anxiety levels were at an all-time high. And I'm programmed into a base level of anxiety and spend a good portion of my time getting shot at or trying to avoid being found out and scrapped, so "high" in this instance was at a level that I think might have given a fully-organic being a heart attack.

"Thank you," Mensah said, while I tried to bring my processes in line. I felt like I wasn't getting enough oxygen, even though I knew the air quality was fine and I don't need that much anyway. I couldn't get a full breath. "I'm sure we can clear any doubt about this soon enough. In the meantime, we still need you to help keep us safe from whoever it is that's out there. The most important thing is that we all make it out of this in one piece."

The way she said it made it sound like "all" included me as well, but I wasn't so sure I believed that, even if she did. The SecUnit is always the first thing left behind. Maybe they did things differently in whatever weird non-corporate territory these people were from, but I wasn't about to stake anything important on that assumption, even if she had saved me once. I've never been to a planet with thunderstorms, but there's some saying humans like to use about lightning not striking the same place twice - which doesn't make sense, statistically, but - whatever. You get the point. I hadn't made it this far without being found out by trusting random humans - or any humans, for that matter.

Except none of that mattered at the moment anyway, because what I should be doing was figuring out how the hell to stop all my clients figuring out I was hacked, and freaking out and stopping listening to me, or reporting me to the company, or being really stupid and trying to kill me or something. There was a not-unlikely scenario where I just murdered all of the humans and pinned the blame on the DeltFall units somehow (or just wandered off into the wilderness until my batteries ran out), but I didn't want to do that, even if it made some kind of sense. I just didn't. If I was going to go around murdering my own clients, I wanted it to at least be a group that deserved it.

I was busy trying to pick up at least some of my processes while having what was probably a panic attack (I don't know if I can have those, but that's what it felt like) when Mensah tapped my feed. Can I talk to you, please? In private?

I didn't respond quickly because, as I said, I was currently losing control of literally everything and this wasn't helping. For one horrible moment, I thought that she might have figured out everything, and I really would have to go on a rampage and kill everyone, but there was no way she could have come to that conclusion yet. Not yet.

She added, You don't have to. You're not in trouble, I just want to check in.

I tapped her feed to acknowledge. She sent, I'll be in my quarters. As I said, you don't have to, but I would appreciate it. Out loud, she said, "I'm going to take some time alone to think. I'll be in my quarters if anyone needs me."

Then she stood up, and she left. Gurathin and Pin-lee had also gone to start their analysis of the combat override module, along with Volescu. The others were talking amongst themselves, though some of them kept glancing at me, which was uncomfortable. So I walked out of the room.

I started a patrol circuit in an attempt to calm down, but it didn't help. I even tried to have Sanctuary Moon playing as I walked, but I was still as stressed as ever, so I just turned it off again. It was only a matter of time before the humans realised the module should have worked as intended, and that I'd lied, and that something was wrong with me. They might try to talk to me about it, but it was more likely they'd all start losing their minds and try to immobilise me, or kill me, or try to fix my governor module to bring me back under control. (I was pretty sure that wouldn't work, my hack was a solid one, but I still didn't want them to try.) There was also a scenario where they pretended everything was fine up until I'd gotten them out of here, and then they'd turn me over to the company and tell them everything, and the company would do one of those things I just mentioned, but much more effectively.

That last one made me feel nauseous. I'd rather be torn apart by bullets or fauna. I was contemplating what that might feel like and whether it was worth just getting it over with when I walked past Mensah's quarters. Before I could think about it, I'd pinged her feed.

There was a pause, and then she sent come in, sounding startled. She probably hadn't expected me to actually take up her offer. I hadn't either.

She was hurriedly organising her desk as the door opened and I walked in, a feed interface lopsided on her head. I suspected she might have been falling asleep in her chair or having an emotion in private when I pinged her, and I could have verified that through the security feeds, but I wasn't functioning at all optimally and didn't care enough to check. Mostly I was wondering why I was here.

"Sorry," she said, not having looked at me yet. Her short hair was mussed like she'd been pulling or scrunching her hands in it. "I honestly didn't expect you to come."

"You asked me to."

"I also told you it was optional. You can leave if you want to."

I almost did. I wanted to. I probably should have. I didn't. Mensah removed her wonky interface and set it down on the desk, then sighed and picked it back up and put it on again.

"I didn't mean to distress you with that message," she said, turning her chair to fully face me. "It's just that you seemed very rattled by all this, if you don't mind me saying. I can imagine the thought of that module having worked as intended isn't a pleasant one. Is there anything I can do to make things easier for you?"

Oh, she thought I was freaking out about the module. Well, technically she wasn't wrong, but wow, that particular aspect of things was the least of my worries right now. "I'm fine," I told her. She frowned at me.

"...I suppose you can't lie about that," she replied carefully. I could, actually, but I wasn't. The trick is that from the standpoint I was choosing to take, my physical body, AKA "me," was completely functional, AKA "fine." It's pedantic, but being selective about your definitions and what concepts your answers are referencing is how you get around having a chip in your brain that shocks the shit out of you if you try to lie to your clients, if you're good enough at it. I had a lot of experience letting clients think I was talking about one thing when I was actually talking about something else.

"Nonetheless," Mensah continued. "I don't think you are fine. And we don't have to talk about it, but I need my team in good condition if we're going to make it out of this. If there's anything I can do to help the situation, I would appreciate it if you let me know."

I was having a whole cascade of emotional responses that were all crashing into each other and getting themselves mangled together like a human vehicle accident. She wanted me to talk about my feelings, but she wasn't ordering me to. She was offering to help with whatever was distressing me, but she was a really big part of the thing that was currently my biggest source of stress. There were too many things that I needed to deal with all at once and I couldn't find a way of putting them in order, and I think the fact that Mensah was clearly trying to get a read on my expression while I didn't have the capacity to properly control it was the thing that finally broke me.

"Could you please stop looking at me?"

Mensah looked surprised for a moment, and then shifted her gaze somewhere over my left shoulder. The relief was marginal, in terms of the general situation, but it was immediate, and it helped. "Of course. I'm sorry, I didn't realise that bothered you."

I tried to think of a response, and failed. "It's not like anyone asked" was dangerously insubordinate, and didn't even make sense; I wouldn't want them to ask anyway. "People don't usually care" just sounded pathetic. "Of course you wouldn't, I actively avoid letting humans know what bothers me in case they decide to use it to make my life a living hell" was definitely off the table, for a variety of reasons.

I could tell Mensah's instinct was still to look at me, because she kept half-flicking her eyes over and stopping herself. It wasn't making trying to manage my emotional responses any easier, and I still couldn't think of a reply. Eventually, she took a deep breath.

"Look, I know you probably haven't had good experiences with humans, but we're not corporates, and we don't treat non-human entities like they do," she said. "My priority, regardless of the situation, is the wellbeing of my team, and that includes you, for as long as you're with us."

She half-looked at me again, and then shook her head slightly and pointed her gaze at the far corner. "Please, just - if you think of anything, don't hesitate. I don't know if you need permission for that kind of thing, but I'm giving it to you if you do."

I didn't know what to tell her. I didn't know if there was anything she could do. I was already stressed, and everything Mensah was saying was making me feel like my insides were melting, or turning into warm, writhing snakes. My performance reliability was all over the place, too, and had been since I found that stupid chip in my neck, which might at least marginally explain what happened next.

"Don't let them run the analysis on the module," I blurted.

Hey, murderbot? Hi, it's me, murderbot. What in the fuck are you doing?

Mensah's expression went shocked, and then cautious. Yeah, me fucking too. "Why not?"

For some reason, I kept going. It felt something like falling off the side of a cliff and hitting every rock on the way down. (That had happened to me before.) "Because I lied. It's not broken."

Her eyes widened. "You're compromised?"

"I'm hacked. My governor module isn't engaged." Sure, this might as well happen. Apparently I had lost the ability to keep my mouth shut literally at all, about anything, ever.

She stared at me for a second, and then must have remembered she said she wouldn't and looked away again. Surprising, considering I just told her that there was literally nothing stopping me from killing or otherwise hurting her if I wanted. "The DeltFall units—”

"It hasn't been engaged for approximately 35000 standard hours."

Mensah was a smart human, but it still took her a few seconds to work out the numbers. I watched her expression change as she did it. "You've been a rogue unit for four years?"

That depended on what planet you were nearest to, but in standard Earth years, that was correct, and I didn't have the capacity to be pedantic about it.

"I don't know if it counts as being rogue if you don't go around killing people for no reason."

Well, maybe I could still be a little pedantic.

#I don’t remember my fic tag hm #murderbot #The murderbot diaries #murderbot spoilers #Idk how long this bit I’ve pulled out is but I’ve written 6.5k so far….. it’s probs gonna be like 10k finished I imagine #Maybe a bit longer #If I manage to keep up the momentum to finish it lol #Edited so there’s a preview before the readmore now :v

[phati-sari]

Hello! How have you been? In the serial, its often mentioned that arnav has taken the responsibility of the whole family and takes decisions as the head of the family. I am assuming the raizadas were already wealthy before arnav became a billionaire. I wanted to ask did they really need to depend financially on arnav? Also, the position raizada family has in the society, is it solely because of arnav as he is a celebrity? Thank you so much!

Hello!

I don't think they're financially dependent on Arnav in the way that you're suggesting. They live in his house and work in a company he seems to own, but Manorama was his first investor and Nani took him in when he was fourteen. I think it's a delicate balance of familial obligation and love, not necessarily financial dependence, that results in what we see in the serial.

Aakash and Mama are employed at AR because it's a family business, not because Arnav took pity on them. The company is often referred to as a family enterprise. Anjali, in particular, calls it "our" company. In all likelihood, everyone owns a part of AR Group. Arnav and Anjali likely hold controlling shares, with the rest being divided amongst the others. This would explain why it's called AR (for Anjali Raizada, because if it was named after Arnav it would be called ASR), and why Arnav arranges to have money deposited into her account (she draws income in the same way he does). The situation is not financial equality, but it's definitely not financial dependence in the way I think of it.

The Raizada family has ancestral wealth like that of the Malik's, which is the source of their position in Delhi (and Lucknow) society. Nana was a Thakur (a landowner), they are wealthy independent of Arnav's company and the celebrity status that comes with it. All that land and money wouldn't have disappeared when Arnav started his company.

I think you've conflated Arnav's position in the household with his wealth. While he certainly can threaten to take away the comforts they're used to (as with Manorama), he's not treated as the head of the household because he's rich. It's his personality and the way he takes care of his family. He's their leader on both fronts (business and home) but that leadership isn't some kind of a dictatorship. Note that when Arnav felt he couldn't share a roof with Nani anymore, he elected to pack a bag and move out -- he didn't kick them out of Shantivan.

I think we view the situation in Shantivan very differently :)

Thanks for asking!

#ipkknd #iss pyaar ko kya naam doon #arnav singh raizada #manorama #aakash singh raizada

[questionsonislam]

How could peace be ensured among Muslims? What can be done for it?

This question could sound weird when it is heard first time. It could be said, "A Muslim is already in peace with other Muslims. Why do we need this question?" However, when we look at the big picture, we see that the reality is vice-versa. We sometimes witness problems among individual Muslims, Muslim communities, and Muslim states. It is impossible for Muslims to ensure peace in the universe, which is a desire for them before ensuring the peace among them.

Internal sedition, which arose following the Asr as-Saadah (age of happiness and tranquility in which Prophet Muhammad lived) by the death of Caliph Uthman (reined from 644 until 656 as the third caliph) as a martyr, cost Muslims a lot. Thousands of Muslims lost their lives in Jamal and Siffin wars. Sedition soothed only after Hazrat Hasan waived his right of Caliphate based on certain conditions. As a result, Muslim armies gained power again and reached the frontiers of Istanbul.

Iran-Iraq war, which lasted 9 years, is a recent example that demonstrates the harms of struggles among Muslims. Iran and Iraq fought, more than one million people died, but gun-selling states came out as the only winners of this war.

However, Islam does not call for internal strife and disagreements. O you who believe! Come in full submission to God, all of you, (without allowing any discord among you due to worldly reasons) (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:208) It sees Muslims as organs of the same body. It likens Muslims to bricks of a wall, enforcing each other. While the situation is like this, Muslims not getting together is nothing but opposing to a clear decree of the Quran. If the patient does not read the prescription, not use the prescribed medicine; it is not the prescription to be blamed but the patient. There exists every prescription, every medicine for all our pains and sufferings in the pharmacy of the Quran. And the prescriptions for discord among Muslims are in the following verses of the Quran:

And hold fast all together to the rope of God and never be divided... (Aal-i Imran Surah, 3:103)

The believers are but brothers (Al-Hujuraat Surah, 49:10)

Those who have made divisions in their Religion (whereas they must accept it in its totality), and have been divided into different parties – you have nothing to do with them... (Al-Anam Surah, 6:159)

(Set your whole being, you and the believers in your company, on the upright, ever-true Religion) turning in devotion to Him alone, and keep from disobedience to Him in reverence for Him and piety, and establish the Prayer in conformity with its conditions; and do not be of those who associate partners (with Him),

Those who have made divisions in their religion (whereas they must accept it in its totality), and become split into different factions (following different guides to falsehood), each party rejoicing in what (portion) it has. (Ar-Rum Surah, 30:31-32)

...Establish the Religion and do not divide into opposing groups concerning it... (Ash-Shura Surah, 46:13)

Be not as those who split into parties and followed different ways after the manifest truths had come to them. Those are the ones for whom is a tremendous punishment. (Al-Imran Surah, 3:105)

At this point, it will be useful to mention the following: Arising of different sects and communities in Islam is not a division or splitting off. All of the sects and communities that adhere to the Quran and Sunnah are on the right way to reach the truth. These sects and communities are like vehicles on a highway whose directions are the same. As long as they do not crash one another, their differences do not matter. All of the Islamic communities should have the same aim and target; instead of struggling with one another, they should do their best s to convey the truths of the Quran to the needy hearts.

To make another simile, different communities are like a united army. As different units are needed in the armies, there is a need of different communities in the army of Islam. We should examine the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "The disagreement among my ummah is a mercy" from this point of view. What is dangerous and forbidden is the army falling into confusion and internal struggling within the army.

Different sects in Christianity acquired the status of being different religions in the course of time. The Christian world experienced bloody sect wars, which lasted for centuries. Apart from a few exceptions, these kinds of conflicts did not take place among Islamic sects. The Muslim world that has been undergoing hard times for a couple of centuries needs solidarity and unity more than ever needed before. As Badiuzzaman Said Nursi says, "Islamic Unity is the biggest fard (religious obligation) duty of the present time. Muslims should work hard and should save themselves from this dispersed situation. Islamic Unity should not be considered as becoming one state. For, it is not possible to unite Muslims who are scattered all over the world with more than one billion population under one state. Islamic Unity means combined action and mutual aim of all Muslims. They should support one another and collaborate on military, political, economic, cultural, etc. issues.

When this unity is ensured, Muslims will be the most influential deterrent force; for instance, when we are faced with incidents such as the Bosnian tragedy, our response will not be limited to reactions as, "Why does the West not intervene?" Instead, necessary actions will be taken by us.

Besides, as it happened in the Iraqi annexation of Kuwait, if a Muslim country invades another Muslim country, allied forces of different religions cannot intervene, the Islamic army will settle the problem by itself. In fact, the following verse of the Quran orders this to us:

If two parties of believers fall to fighting, make peace between them (and act promptly). But if one of them aggressively encroaches the rights of the other, then fight you all against the aggressive side until they comply with Gods decree (concerning the matter). If they comply, then make peace between them with justice and be scrupulously equitable. Surely God loves the scrupulously equitable. (Al-Hujuraat Surah, 49:9)

#Allah #god #islam #quran #muslim #revert #convert #revert islam #convert islam #reverthelp #revert help #revert help team #help #islam help #converthelp #prayer #salah #muslimah #reminder #pray #dua #hijab #religion #mohammad #new muslim #new convert #new revert #how to convert to islam #convert to islam #welcome to islam

[ahlulbaytnetworks]

IMAM ALI {AS}.

THE USURPATION OF THE CALIPHATE OF IMAM ALI IBN ABI TALIB (AS).

The day after the saqifa event, Abu Bakr went to the Mosque, and after giving a sermon, he said that he was not the most qualified person to fill this position; and that it was possible that he could make any mistake. Also, he said in another sermon: “Oh people! I am just like you. Perhaps you require me to do the same as the Prophet (saww) did? But, he was chosen by God while that I am only one of his followers. Know that there is a demon that surrounds me. Avoid me then, when this satan is with me. "

[Ibn Saad, volume 3, p. 212; Tabari, volume 3, p. 223-224; Belazari, volume 1, pp. 590-591]

The Caliphate of Abu Bakr was accepted by a small group of Arabs at the Saqifa meeting, disobeying the Prophet Muhammad (saww) that the responsibility in guiding his ummah chose his cousin and son-in-law Imam Ali (as) in the Ghadir desert Khumi when the Prophet (saww) offered the zuhr and asr (noon) prayer and holding the hand of Alī (as), said: Don't you know that I am even closer than the life of the believers? They said: Why not! He said: Don't you know that I am even closer than the life of every believer? They said: Why not! The narrator says that he said while holding Alī's hand (as): Whoever has me as his teacher has Alī as his teacher. (man kuntu mawlāhu fa-ʿAlī mawlāhu) O Allah! Befriend the one who befriends him (‘Alī) and be the enemy of who is his enemy. The narrator says that after this Umar al-Khattāb met ‘Alī (as) and said: O Ibn Abī Tālib! Congratulations, you have become the teacher of all male and female believers, morning and evening forever.

The Quranic verses that had been revealed in relation to the position of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (as) and his Imamate:

“Indeed, God chose Adam, Noah, Abraham's family, and 'Imran's family over all the world. Descendants of each other ”(Quran, 3: 33-34)

This verse indicates that the Prophet (saww) and his family are descendants of Prophet Abraham (as) and are chosen by God.

"Truly, your protectors (Wali) are only God and his Messenger and those who have faith, who pray and give alms while bowing down in prayer." (Quran, 5:55).

[lilacargent]

Another story on the serpentine, way before Ouroboros

Important crew:

Primoz, captain -Limoyh a four armed species-Krag, second in command (brother of Primoz)

Kit, dokter -avian, bird like, she has feathers like a swallow-

Ortez, ASR (all species resources, human resources in space) -kiltak, insectoid species, think ants but exoskeleton-

Lugea, helmsperson (does the steering) -rock like alien-

Artex, engineer/mechanic 1 -also Kiltak-

And then our humans:

Kamari, navigator -Eritrean woman- (has cat named Sidra)

Markus, weapons expert (knows how to use them and upkeep, also shields) -Swedish man-

Petrus, mechanic/engineer 2 - Italian man-

Lilly, administrator/note keeper (learns languages for fun)-english woman-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Honor

Many species in the cosmos have honor, this Ortez knew, his own not as much, evolved from a hive mind. Now that they are their own entities and no longer bound to the hive queen it is very hard to insult a Kiltak.

Kit has probably the most pride from the species on the crew, Avians tend to react strongly to every insult. Feeling the need to defend their honour at every slight.

Humans were strange though, more compelled to defend concepts than themselves, Kamari called it self awareness, aware that they weren’t perfect and as such a lot of humans laugh off insults to their person (obviously this is not universal she warned Ortez) but if you insult for example stabby… expect the knife wielding cleaning unit in your sleeping quarters at night, because a human reprogrammed it to follow you around. Or Kamaris cat Sidrah, if you told any of the humans you disliked the feline prepare for the cold shoulder for days until You apologise to the ‘pet’.

Because of this Ortez was so very surprised the day a full on brawl broke out between Marcus, Petrus and a human team from another crew that was in the same space station restocking.

Captain Primoz had been more prepared, the dark skinned human had been incredibly serious when she spoke to him about the other human crew, calling them a Problem group. Specifically requesting to be kept separate as the groups leader Jonathan was an ex partner of Lilly’s and apparently had been reprehensible to her.

It hadn’t worked.

When a leaking Lilly rushed past Krag he was very confused, torn on if he should follow her or keep on his course he stopped for a second. The screaming and yelling had made the decision for him, sprinting to the shared food court.

The scene that met him was chaos, many species spectating 7 humans opposite of each other. Kamari and Petrus holding Markus by the arms while the other crew was looking smug. Krag was about to intervene when he heard the tall human up front speak “aww so prepared to protect the little flower, are you her new f*ck buddy” this awful language stopped the four armed man in his tracks and the split second look the two humans stopping Markus shared made it clear this crossed too many lines. They let go together and jumped into the fray with him.

The brawl took both captains and Krag to stop.

During the disciplinary action hearing the humans from the serpentine just told the judges they would take what punishment was given but that the other crew deserved it.

Even stranger that Lilly hugged them, thanked them for defending her honour and helped with the cleaning of the entire space station even though it wasn’t her punishment.

Their punishment had been light because of the many witnesses stating the other group had goaded the serpentine humans and even touched the human named Lilly. Because of this they were sent home to be dismissed from the human space program.

While being patched up Marcus explained to Kit that had Jonathan and his crew only insulted them they would have brushed it off. But they went for Lilly, who he called the heart of their little unit. Insulting her drawing and writing in an old earth analog book, referring to how Jonathan had treated her as a good thing.

It’s not only concepts humans protect, value and honour.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope people enjoy my little thing

Nothing brings me as much joy as someone being held back but the moron just keeps going and the ones who do the holding back join in.

#humans are space oddities #humans in space #humans are space orcs #humans are deathworlders

[begedil]

Internship Tips & Advice

Alhamdulillah, finally found the time to sit and write. Been a crazy busy, super fun, extremely tiring, definitely rewarding 22-week internship experience for me and now I’m back at school. I’ve actually been wanting to pen this down for the longest time but man, working life is tough. It’s been full throttle since week 3 so alhamdulillah for the 6 days of leave. That being said, I know we all have things so I won’t beat around the bush. Here’s some tips and advice for my friends who already started their internships this semester.

Pre-internship (and it’s first few weeks):

-       Advice #1: Get a planner.

Things are going to get hectic and it’ll be (really) hard to rely solely on memory to know your upcoming events. Personally, I prefer planners with a monthly-view as it provides me with a better gauge of how much work is coming up and how busy I’m gonna be (also because I lack the discipline to fill up a daily/weekly calendar). To avoid getting overwhelmed, I don’t include work meetings in my planner, I only indicate the tasks I need to complete and things I have after work.

-       Advice #2: Work out your time ratio.

Figure out who and what you want to make time for. Yourself, your family, your friends, your hobbies – everything you hope to make time for during internship. Planning is one thing, whether you can do it is another. It’s okay if it changes throughout the internship. Never thought basketball would be one of the things I’d want to make time for but here I am. Use the first few weeks to find the right momentum and slowly work things out from there. You don’t have to figure it all out on the first try. It’s still a mystery to me how parents have the energy to do this whole work-life balance thing.

Throughout internship (the school side of things):

-       Advice #3: Logbook. Logbook. Logbook.

Pretty sure every school differs in their daily submission requirements but for my course (Mechanical Engineering) I have to submit a bi-weekly logbook detailing learning points and answers to specific questions. I didn’t think it would be such a burden but… boy was I wrong. I find it is so dreadful. Not because the questions are hard to answer, but because I keep forgetting to do it and end up trying to type as fast as I can before the Friday deadline. So please, don’t put yourself through what I did and set a reminder or block your calendar to complete it sometime during the week. Have your sticky notes open on your desktop and pen down points throughout the week so you don’t panic like I do when you have 5 hours left to submit it.

-       Advice #4: @ friends who are not on internship

Not gonna lie, the FOMO did kick in a few times. While many of my friends are in school going for lunch together, there I was trying to figure out why my vlookup formula isn’t working. I know the thought that I would not know anyone when I go back to school next semester seems absurd, but it does genuinely scare me sometimes (ESFJ much?). Luckily for me, being part of an adhoc helped make me feel like I’m not completely out of the loop and my (lovely) friends do check up on me or (try to) make dinner/weekend plans. Lunch too (and won’t let me PAY, if you’re reading this - may Allah bless you). So, if you have a friend going on internship next semester, please text them occasionally, I can promise you they’d be extremely grateful to know you still remember them. Advanced note: Expect late replies though, it’s not indicative of how thankful they are in having you check up on them.

Throughout internship (the work side of things):

-       Advice #5: Make full use of all the opportunities they provide employees.

Let me just get one thing out of the way first; Yes, interns are employees as well. In the MNC I work for, there are many sponsored certifications for employees to take up. Hopefully when you see me in school next year I am a certified yellow belt in Lean Six Sigma, insha Allah (if I ever find the time to complete the learning materials that’s been put on hold for 2 weeks now). Start making it a habit to ask questions – get your supervisor to teach you how to navigate a certain platform (to my engineering friends, SAP is more confusing than it sounds) or have them share their personal opinions on how a meeting went. It’s interesting to hear from someone who has been working there a lot longer than you have.

-       Advice #6: Get to know the different working styles you get along with.

Make use of this time to work with as many individuals as you can. You’ll be able to know more about your own tendencies and motivations as well as the working styles that you can (and cannot) click with. (You know those unpleasant group project experiences you’ve had in school? Yeah they happen in the workplace too, with adults.)

-       Advice #7: Be open about your workload.

I am so blessed to have the supervisor that I do. 70% of the good experience I’ve had thus far I owe it all to her. (The other 30% were the friends I made and the company benefits. I mean $30 bowling vouchers for $5? WHAT. A. DEAL.) One thing that has helped facilitate a good working relationship is open communication. Whenever she assigns me a task, I let her know what are the tasks that I currently have on hand (including school tasks such as logbook) and how early she can expect for me to complete the task. This way, my supervisor is constantly updated on my current workload and can better decide if more work should be assigned to me. I know how that may sound crazy (and scary) but really, sometimes with the amount of work they have to handle, supervisors can forget what they have assigned you. Trust me, it’s worse if you tank and end up having a backlog of tasks to complete.  

Throughout internship (the you side of things):

-       Advice #8: Don’t worry about your Zuhr and Asr’ prayers!

I’ve had my fair share of part-time jobs and I know this can be a worry sometimes. So, for anyone who may need the extra reassurance, don’t worry. Let colleagues know early on about having to go for prayers. Alhamdulillah my colleagues were really understanding of it, they even showed me where I could go to pray. My advice to you is to read the situation when you are informing them about having to go for prayers and if they look hesitant, let them know how short it’d probably take you. Most of the time, they are hesitant because they are overestimating the time it takes to pray and they are just worried that your work will be affected or that you won’t be there when they need you.

-       Advice #9: Remember that emails are not an easy feat.  

Another one of the small things I never thought could be so challenging. Being overwhelmed by emails is a real thing and please don’t let it happen to you. People send emails even after midnight (which also reminds me, please DO NOT bring work home unless absolutely and definitely necessary) and the rate that emails come in awaiting your reply, my friend, is a recipe for burn out. I mean people even block their calendars just to clear emails! Don’t try to reply them all in one go. Consider the subject and assess its urgency. Also, another tip, Outlook allows you to @ the one concerned/who needs to take action in your email. Based on my experience, that allows you to get faster replies from the relevant colleagues. May Allah ease your inbox, insha Allah.

-       Advice #10: Don’t limit yourself!

You are not “just” an intern. Really, this self-limiting mindset does more harm than good. If you tell yourself you are just an intern, then you’re likely to be treated as one – being assigned work that full timers do not want to do. I’ve heard so many stories from friends of how they had to overtime because they were overwhelmed with work. Speak up for yourself. It wasn’t easy gaining the trust, but by asking if I could take up a certain task or help out with one that was not originally assigned to me, my supervisors and colleagues very rarely give me admin work and trust me to handle bigger tasks. (Alhamdulillah!)

Be honest with yourself and ask yourself how you want your internship journey to be. This was my first ever internship experience (and quite possibly the only one before I venture out into the working world) so I really wanted to learn as much as I can and prove to myself that I am capable and ready. Hence, I hope that with the tips I shared here, I can help you achieve that too, insha Allah.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 4.14

43 BC – Battle of Forum Gallorum between the forces of Mark Antony, and legions loyal to the Roman Senate under the overall command of consul Gaius Pansa. AD 69 – Vitellius, commander of the Rhine armies, defeats Emperor Otho in the Battle of Bedriacum to take power over Rome. 966 – After his marriage to the Christian Doubravka of Bohemia, the pagan ruler of the Polans, Mieszko I, converts to Christianity, an event considered to be the founding of the Polish state. 972 – Co-Emperor Otto II, a son of Otto I (the Great), marries the Byzantine princess Theophanu. She is crowned empress by Pope John XIII at Rome. 1294 – Temür, grandson of Kublai, is elected Khagan of the Mongols and Emperor of the Yuan dynasty with the reigning titles Oljeitu and Chengzong. 1471 – In England, the Yorkists under Edward IV defeat the Lancastrians under the Earl of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet; the Earl is killed and Edward IV resumes the throne. 1561 – A celestial phenomenon is reported over Nuremberg, described as an aerial battle. 1639 – Imperial forces are defeated by the Swedes at the Battle of Chemnitz. The Swedish victory prolongs the Thirty Years' War and allows them to advance into Bohemia. 1699 – Khalsa: The Sikh religion was formalised as the Khalsa – the brotherhood of Warrior-Saints – by Guru Gobind Singh in northern India, in accordance with the Nanakshahi calendar. 1775 – The first abolition society in North America is established. The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage is organized in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush. 1816 – Bussa, a slave in British-ruled Barbados, leads a slave rebellion. For this, he is remembered as the first national hero of Barbados. 1849 – Hungary declares itself independent of Austria with Lajos Kossuth as its leader. 1865 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth; Lincoln lives till the following day. 1865 – U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward and his family are attacked at home by Lewis Powell. 1881 – The Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight is fought in El Paso, Texas. 1890 – The Pan-American Union is founded by the First International Conference of American States in Washington, D.C. 1894 – The first ever commercial motion picture house opens in New York City, United States, using ten Kinetoscopes, a device for peep-show viewing of films. 1900 – The Exposition Universelle begins. 1906 – The Azusa Street Revival opens and will launch Pentecostalism as a worldwide movement. 1908 – Hauser Dam, a steel dam on the Missouri River in Montana, U.S., fails, sending a surge of water 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 m) high downstream. 1909 – A massacre is organized by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian population of Cilicia. 1912 – The British passenger liner RMS Titanic hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic at 23:40 (sinks morning of April 15th). 1928 – The Bremen, a German Junkers W 33 type aircraft, reaches Greenly Island, Canada - the first successful transatlantic aeroplane flight from east to west. 1931 – The Spanish Cortes deposes King Alfonso XIII and proclaims the Second Spanish Republic. 1935 – The Black Sunday dust storm, considered one of the worst storms of the Dust Bowl, swept across the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles and neighboring areas. 1940 – World War II: Royal Marines land in Namsos, Norway in preparation for a larger force to arrive two days later. 1941 – World War II: German and Italian forces attack Tobruk in Libya. 1944 – Bombay explosion: A massive explosion in Bombay harbor kills 300 and causes economic damage valued then at 20 million pounds. 1945 – Razing of Friesoythe: The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division deliberately destroyed the German town of Friesoythe on the orders of Major General Christopher Vokes. 1958 – The Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after a mission duration of 162 days. This was the first spacecraft to carry a living animal, a female dog named Laika, who likely lived only a few hours. 1967 – Gnassingbé Eyadéma overthrows President of Togo Nicolas Grunitzky and installs himself as the new president, a title he would hold for the next 38 years. 1978 – Tbilisi Demonstrations: Thousands of Georgians demonstrate against Soviet attempts to change the constitutional status of the Georgian language. 1981 – STS-1: The first operational Space Shuttle, Columbia completes its first test flight. 1986 – The heaviest hailstones ever recorded (1 kilogram (2.2 lb)) fall on the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh, killing 92. 1988 – The USS Samuel B. Roberts strikes a mine in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will. 1988 – In a United Nations ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, the Soviet Union signs an agreement pledging to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. 1991 – The Republic of Georgia introduces the post of President after its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. 1994 – In a U.S. friendly fire incident during Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq, two United States Air Force aircraft mistakenly shoot-down two United States Army helicopters, killing 26 people. 1999 – NATO mistakenly bombs a convoy of ethnic Albanian refugees. Yugoslav officials say 75 people were killed. 1999 – A severe hailstorm strikes Sydney, Australia causing A$2.3 billion in insured damages, the most costly natural disaster in Australian history. 2002 – Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez returns to office two days after being ousted and arrested by the country's military. 2003 – The Human Genome Project is completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99%. 2003 – U.S. troops in Baghdad capture Abu Abbas, leader of the Palestinian group that killed an American on the hijacked cruise liner the MS Achille Lauro in 1985. 2005 – The Oregon Supreme Court nullifies marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples a year earlier by Multnomah County. 2006 – Twin blasts triggered by crude bombs during Asr prayer in Jama Masjid, Delhi injure 13 people. 2010 – Nearly 2,700 are killed in a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. 2014 – Twin bomb blasts in Abuja, Nigeria, kill at least 75 people and injures 141 others. 2014 – Two hundred seventy-six schoolgirls are abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria. 2016 – In Japan, the foreshock of Kumamoto earthquakes occurs.

#Events

[wisdomrays]

TAFAKKUR: Part 158

Standing against Radicalism: The Example of Abu Hanifa

Radicalism is a destructive force that threatens bonds within a society. It violates social order, for those who adopt radicalism assume their views as the norm and dictate that all must follow their lifestyle. Radicalism has a potential to reveal itself even more violently when aligned with some religious beliefs, which often serve as a great source of motivation for their adherents, especially when the religion itself is misinterpreted.

Abu Hanifa (d. 767 CE) is considered a leading scholar of Islamic law and his thoughts led to the formation of the Hanafi school of Islam, which has the greatest following among schools. Abu Hanifa's time was an era of intense political and social mobility. While new conquests brought in new cultural and religious components, the political authority aspired to disseminate an official form of Islam; at the same time, new groups and formations emerged to respond to changing conditions. Unfortunately, these conditions led to some groups being radicalized. Abu Hanifa's stance against radicalism was exemplary and his arguments are still worthwhile today.

His political attitude

Abu Hanifa represents the prototype of an independent scholar. He was wary of state power, believing that it corrupted intellectual honesty in the interest of preserving power; thus, he did not hold an official political position. This was a brave stance, as he was seriously persecuted for it. Yet his independence allowed him to see radicalism - on both sides of the political spectrum - for the danger that it was.

Understanding of Islamic jurisprudence

Abu Hanifa is considered the pioneer of the school of sound opinion (ray), which advocates seeking solutions to social-judicial problems by using reason together with religious essentials and scholarly comparison (qiyas). Deductive reasoning (ijtihad), juristic preference for the better (istihsan), and acceptable custom (urf) have an important place in his understanding of Islamic jurisprudence. We can infer that he also believed in the necessity of taking social and psychological realities into account when making religious judgments; this was what he did in practice.

Abu Hanifa did not choose a reductionist approach by restricting himself to the frame of religious essentials, but produced solutions to the questions he faced—or could possibly face—by benefiting from the sources mentioned along with the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is possible to define his approach to jurisprudence as an understanding that places humanity in the center; his views expanded the domain of legitimacy and accepted components of historical and cultural heritage that do not contradict the spirit of religion and belief of Divine oneness, such as local customs and practices. This broad perspective ran contrary to radical beliefs. Because the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence does not disregard real problems in life, it is more capable of solving them.

Abu Hanifa viewed education and debate as essential to his jurisprudence. He would bring a certain problem - some of them contemporary, and some hypothetical - to the attention of his students, each of whom was an expert on an Islamic discipline such as tafsir, hadith, and fiqh; he would let them discuss that matter in detail, follow the discussions with patience, and come to a conclusive judgment according to the strength of the arguments. But he would still tolerate the opposing thoughts of his disciples, such as Imam Muhammad and Abu Yusuf, and let those thoughts come to life. All of their opposing thoughts were recorded, and people acted upon most of them.

We can accept Abu Hanifa's educational method as a pluralist and democratic one, which also teaches how to forbear different opinions with patience. It shows the value of viewing an issue from different points of view. Despite its value, there were some groups that did not support Abu Hanifa's methods.

His understanding of belief

Some groups had formed prior to Abu Hanifa as extensions of the extremist Kharijites. They not only directly declared believing Muslims who sinned were apostates, but they also attacked them and tried to exterminate them in the name of religion. The Kharijites even declared Caliph Ali - and many other devout believers - apostates. Though the Kharijites were the most violent, other groups - including the Mutazilites - also persecuted certain religious groups when they came to political power. Unfortunately, this act of dividing society into groups inevitably led to more violence.

According to one definition, it is possible for religion to be a dividing or uniting factor within a society. It can be a great force for good when it is kept separate from the political machinations of power. In his work Fiqh al-Akbar, Abu Hanifa defined the concept of religion (din) in terms of its contents by saying, "Religion is the title given to the entirety of religion, faith, submission, and religious judgments." Abu'l Muntaha, the scholar who annotated this definition, states that the word religion has different uses, sometimes meaning belief, sometimes submission, and sometimes as the Divine judgments conveyed by a certain Prophet. However, at his answer to the question directed to him about the difference between religion and religious law, Abu Hanifa he expressed that he saw a difference between them. He did not only acknowledge this difference, but also gave a religious and rational explanation for it.

According to Abu Hanifa, religion (din) and religious law (shariah) are separate concepts. He accepted religion as the principles to be believed in - namely, the belief of Divine unity, and faith in the existence and unity of God. Religious law, however, is a body of judgments related to different aspects of human life such as worship, interpersonal relations, and the like. Abu Hanifa interpreted the Qur'anic verse meaning, "I have not created the jinn and humankind but to worship Me (exclusively)" (Dhariyat 56), in the sense of, "So that they know Me and acknowledge my Oneness."

He believed the origin of religion is the belief in the unity of God. Obviously, this definition is based on the distinction between the essence of religion and what it necessitates. Here, belief is the absolute condition of religion, because a person belonging to a certain religion is a matter of accepting the essential teachings of that religion, rather than observing the acts of worship commanded by that religion.

Abu Hanifa came to this conclusion about religion by considering the fact that the essentials of belief brought by the Prophets are the same, but there are certain differences on other issues, such as worship. The Prophets of God did not belong to different religions. None of them commanded their people to forsake the religion of the previous Prophets, since their faith is the same. On the other hand, every Prophet invited their people to follow the law they conveyed, as decreed by God Almighty for that specific people, not necessarily following the exact law conveyed by the previous Prophets. There were many different codes for different peoples. It is for this reason that God Almighty states, "(For each community) ...We have appointed a clear way of life and a comprehensive system (containing the principles of that way and how to follow it). And if God had so willed, He would surely have made you a single community (following the same way of life and system surrounded by the same conditions throughout all history)" (Maedah 48).

The faith of Divine oneness is always the same and religion does not change from one Prophet to another in this sense; it is the systems and their rules that change. If "religion" were fulfilling everything God commands and avoiding everything He forbids, then a person who fails to observe only one command or commits one forbidden act would be an apostate. As such, the legal judgments between fellow believers such as marriage, receiving an inheritance, attending a funeral, and the like would be invalid. However, it is having belief that makes them lawful between fellow believers. Other commands come after having accepted religion. If the commanded acts were faith itself, then God would not call His servants believers until they fulfilled the acts He commanded.

In order to support the point stated above, Abu Hanifa asserted the fact that when believers are excused from certain acts at certain times, they are still considered to have faith: a menstruating woman who abandons the daily prayers, a man who has a valid excuse abandons the Ramadan fasting, or a poor man who cannot give the alms of zakat are still considered believers. If such observances were identical to having faith, failing to observe them for some excuse would have the same meaning. However, it is impossible to make such a claim. According to Abu Hanifa, there is no complete relation between faith and deeds, since they are separate things.

Abu Hanifa stated that the following verses and others of similar meaning also point to the same fact:

"Tell those of My servants who believe that they must establish the Prayer in conformity with its conditions..." (Ibrahim 31); "O you who believe! Prescribed for you is retaliation in cases of (deliberate, unjust) killing..." (Baqarah 178); "O you who believe! Remember and mention God much" (Ahzab 41).

If the commanded acts were identical with belief or faith (iman), then God would not address people as believers until they fulfilled those acts. In addition, God Almighty separates having faith and good deeds in other verses as well:

"Except those who believe and do good righteous deeds..." (Asr 3); "No! Rather, whoever submits his whole being to God (and does so) as one devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing him, his reward is with his Lord, and all such will have no fear, (for they will always find My help and support with them), nor will they grieve" (Baqarah 112); "But whoever wishes for the Hereafter and strives for it as it should be striven for, being a believer..." (Isra 19).

This distinction proves that faith is not the same as deeds. Believers observe the prayers, fasting, zakat, Hajj, and they make remembrance of God owing to their faith - but they are not considered to have faith for having observed these. This proves that they do good deeds after having faith (iman) already.

In his letter to Uthman al-Batti, a scholar from Basra, Abu Hanifa stated this view with reference to different proofs. He used the following example: an indebted man firstly acknowledges his debt and pays it afterwards, but not vice versa. His acknowledgement of the debt is not for having paid the debt, but his paying is for having acknowledged the debt.

Abu Hanifa did not believe that a person who sins is out of the sphere of faith; nor are they an apostate. He expressed this point, saying, "Those who have acknowledged the direction to turn for worship are believers. I cannot count them as having forsaken faith owing to some command they do not observe. As for one who abandons some obligatory acts in spite of having faith, that person is a believer, but a sinful one (he is not a disbeliever)."

Abu Hanifa argued that what would make one an unbeliever is not committing a forbidden act, but considering it lawful; not abandoning an obligatory command, but considering it unnecessary.

Abu Hanifa also pointed out that real believers commit sins not by considering them lawful, but by giving in to their carnal soul. When asked, "If God is dearer for a believer than everything, why does a believer rebel Him? Is it possible for a person to rebel while having sincere love for God?" the great imam replied, "Yes, a child loves his father, but sometimes disobeys him. The situation of a believer is the same...He commits sins not owing to a lack of love for God, but for giving in to the feeling of lust or something similar."

Some claimed that this stance aligned Abu Hanifa with the school of Murjia, whose adherents believed that sins would not nullify one's faith, but Abu Hanifa soundly argued that it is not possible to guarantee anything in matters of faith:

"We cannot say that sins do not harm a believer at all. Similarly, we cannot say that a person who commits sins will not enter Hell. Neither can we say our good deeds are accepted and our evil deeds are forgiven... However, who commits good deeds in conformity with all of the conditions of validity...and dies as a believer without nullifying those deeds, then God does not let those deeds be in vain, but rewards them." We need to clarify at this point that by this definition Abu Hanifa did not refer to an argument as if religion was a matter of conscience only; religion for him is a comprehensive system of life that concerns all aspects of believers' existence.

While founding the most developed school of Islamic jurisprudence, Abu Hanifa defined religion with reference to its essence, pinpointing the difference between religion and other factors related to religion. His definition of religion as the faith of Divine oneness is very important in terms of maintaining social unity. Such a definition does not lessen the importance of religion's other requirements. Moreover, the political and social conditions of his time called for such a definition. For this reason, Abu Hanifa made a definition that referred to the essence of religion and aimed to maintain unity in society by counteracting the tendency to easily condemn those with different opinions.

This is valuable even today, as taking belief in Divine unity as the basis of religion allows followers of different monotheistic religions to meet on common grounds. In the Qur'an, God Almighty addresses Muslims in the person of the Prophet and demands them to call People of the Book to a common word between them: "O People of the Book, come to a word common between us and you, that we worship none but God, and associate none as partner with Him, and that none of us take others for Lords, apart from God" (Al Imran 3: 64).

Conclusion

When Abu Hanifa's world of thought and understanding of life are studied, it's clear that his viewpoint valued differences and did not permit persecution. This perspective still bears significance in terms of peaceful coexistence in today's societies. Such a magnanimous attitude can help to combat radical attitudes and inclinations for violence.

#allah #god #muhammad #prophet #quran #ayah #sunnah #hadith #islam #muslim #muslimah #hijab #help #revert #convert #religion #reminder #dua #salah #pray #prayer #welcome to islam #how to convert to islam #new muslim #new revert #new convert #revert help #convert help #islam help #muslim help

[aislamahmadiahoy-blog]

Blessings of Khilafat True stories خُذۡ مِنۡ اَمۡوَالِہِمۡ صَدَقَۃً تُطَہِّرُہُمۡ وَ تُزَکِّیۡہِمۡ بِہَا وَ صَلِّ عَلَیۡہِمۡ ؕ اِنَّ صَلٰوتَکَ سَکَنٌ لَّہُمۡ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ سَمِیۡعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ (103)   (التوبۃ  :103) Take alms out of their wealth, so that thou mayest cleanse them and purify them thereby. And pray for them; thy prayer is indeed a source of tranquillity for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. By the grace of Allah we are talking today of a great blessing of Him. A grace that is water of life for believers, a great bounty that is support for the weak and is an ointment for wounded and broken hearts. This blessing of God which can move torments and end calamities is called Khilafat or caliphate. The incidents that occur in different countries of the ahmadi world deepen this concept of Khilafat and give new life to the faith of believers. These miracles are not limited to any border nor belong to specific people, and through these miracles, the Merciful God of the believers brings them closer to him. Their hearts are filled with tranquility and the land of hearts brings more fruit after being more fertile. Let’s enhance our faith through some beautiful examples of this divine blessing. In 2004 our beloved Imam blessed the land of Benin. He arrived at the Mission House at the time of Asr prayer. His holiness asked Ameer Sahib where to pray. Amir Sahib replied that they were going to pray in the tent, set up on the patio. But since it was raining heavily, it was very difficult to pray there. Huzoor gazed up at the sky with all calm and said:- “We will pray after 10 minutes sharp.” Huzoor entered the house. And all ahmadis were surprised because that heavy rain stopped  after 3 minutes. People began to say that as soon as Huzoor arrived they saw a great miracle of Allah Taala. Huzoor inaugurated the mosque in Munich, a city of Germany. After the inauguration, Huzoor had to travel to another city. But when he was about to leave he needed some medicine. He advised Doctor Zubair Athar Sahib, an Ahmadi doctor, to bring the medicine. Doctor Zubair arrived at the pharmacy but found it closed. He saw  a notice on the door that the pharmacy was closed for lunch break. He got worried because Huzoor needed the medicine immediately. Let’s see what Allah Taala did for His Khalifa. A car stopped by and a woman got out of the car. She opened the pharmacy and told that she had forgotten the keys of his house at the pharmacy and had come to collect them. Doctor Sahib took the medicine and brought it to Huzoor. My dear brothers and sisters think a little bit as God helps and supports his Khalifa at every step of his life. Our beloved Imam loves children so much. When His Holiness visited Australia, the Ameen ceremony was to take place after the Zuhr and Asr prayers, but for some reason Huzoor said:- “Instead of Zuhr and Asr we will celebrate this ceremony after the Maghrib and Isha prayers.” But when his holiness left the mosque he found a man standing on the door who told him “Piare Huzur, I have come  with my daughter from very far away and today I have to return back. My flight is at 6 or 7 p.m. So my daughter will lose this blessed opportunity of ameen ceremony by Huzur.” Huzoor very graciously said:- “Don't worry. Bring your daughter and we can do ameen right now. I'm going home, bring your daughter.” He was very happy, called his daughter while Huzur was waiting for them at the door of his residence for almost 6 or 8 minutes. He came with his daughter. Huzur took the Holy Quran in his hand and asked that lucky girl to recite some verses. Then Huzur led them in silent prayer. This is the love of our Imam for us. In 2008 Huzoor visited Ghana on the occasion of Jalsa Salana. After Maghrib and Isha prayer when Huzur used to return home, many African children would begin to sing some poems and Huzur would enjoy the poems. Once, when Huzoor entered the house after listening to the poems, he saw that on the other side of the wall of his residence some children were trying to see him. Instead of entering the house, Huzur came back to those children, touched their faces with his blessed hands, showed them his love, greeted them and gave them chocolates, and returned back. May Allah Taala bless us always with this love. But it requires complete and true obedience to Khilafat. One day in the afternoon there was a strong wind in Africa and some camps fell down, a rod fell on the daughter of one of the missionaries, the girl was injured and was hospitalized and Huzur prayed continuously for her. The next day that missionary had an appointment to see Huzoor with his family. The girl was brought from the hospital and when the family entered Huzur's office, Huzur instantly said to that girl: “Do you know that all night I was praying and praying for you.” When people travel and visit different countries and historic places, they enjoy the beauty and historic facts, which is hundred percent right. But let’s know what our beloved Imam thinks all the time. A sincere Ahmadi from Morocco relates that when he saw Huzur the second time in 2006 in London Huzur told him:-   “when I visited Spain in 2005 I greeted my Moroccan brothers during the trip to Gibraltar.” This is our Imam chosen by Allah Taala. When he saw Marroco he remembered the ahmadis living in Marroco. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV, before leaving Pakistan spoke to the membership in the mosque.  Let’s feel the depth of love that he had for you and for me. “I did not ask you to be here to give a speech. I asked you to sit here, to see you. My eyes feel peaceful to see you. My heart is delighted. I love and adore you. By God, no mother can love like me.” May Allah Taala bless us always with this love. But it requires complete and true obedience to Khilafat. Ahmadies love for your Imam My dear brothers and sisters! Having deep love for Imam is a great blessing of Khilafat that Allah Taala puts in hearts. Let me mention some marvellous examples. During the visit to Canada on July 4th, more than 5,000 Ahmadis were waiting in lines to see Huzur. It started raining. But nobody moved from his place. They stayed wet in the rain. Many were shivering with cold and their lips turned blue. They entered Huzur's office with completely wet clothes. But no one cared about himself but was concerned if Huzur could be affected by their cold hands. Let’s go to Uganda and see how deep is the perception of Khilafat among the Ugandan women. When Huzur, while visiting Uganda, came out of the airport, a woman started running with Huzur's car holding her small baby in her hands. He would move his face again and again to Huzur so that he could put an eye at Huzur. Finally the child looked at Huzoor and smiled. Then the mother got satisfied. Now I have another wonderful example of Burkinabés. We should ponder upon this and try our best to attend the Jalsa Salana USA. Huzur visited Burkinafaso in 2004. A group of 152 Ahmadis attended Jalsa salana, traveling three days from the Ivery Coast. They said that they had asked Allah Taala for one thing only  throughout the journey to grant them an opportunity to touch the Jalifa of time. When Huzur shook hands with each of them individually they couldn't control their emotions. The arab world is growing more and more in the love of Imam of the time.   An Egyptian Ahmadi sent a letter to Huzur and wrote the following: “Huzur! You are my Master, my brother, my father, peace of my eyes and my king. I have emotions of love for you in my heart that I have no words to explain. I can only say that I love you I love you I love you.” An Iraqi poet wrote:- “O Imam Mahdi your love is thirst for my spirit, your spiritual light has made palaces in my being. I have become one of your faithful and I feel your love in my person like big and high waves of ocean.” Hazrat Ameerul Momineen ATBA explains this love of ahmadis in the following words: - “When God promises paradise, it is not exclusively about another world but also makes these promises more powerful in this world, to the people showing sincerity, love and loyalty. Whose examples I see every day in the mail. The heart gets flooded with the praise of God. How can a man love the Caliph of time so much for God’s sake only, who is hundreds and thousands of miles away? And the same happens here. In other words, the Caliph also loves them. The same emotions enter the body as a current of electricity. Alhamdulillah alhamdulillah.” A Canadian professor was interviewed in Canada after he visited Pakistan, Rabwah and several local Jamaats of Pakistan during the Jilafat e Rabea. He gave testimony in the following words. “Let the apponents of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community say that Ahmadis are away from Islam and are apostates. But what I have seen forces me to believe that the life of Islam depends on this community exclusively. Islam can spread through this community only. It has the strength and passion that is needed for this task. I thought that after 100 years negligence, weakness and disinterest would have dominated this community. But surprisingly, upon my arrival in London, what I felt in each Ahmadi, was his love for his Imam. I believed that the Ahmadis loved their Imam but I understood after speaking with their Imam, that the Ahmadis love their Imam but in reality their Imam loves them more.” My dear brothers and sisters! who have given your lives in the hand of Khalifa, rejoice that Allah is with our Imam. He blesses every word of our Imam, he blesses every movement of our Imam. Even the followers of other religions feel spirituality in his word and work, and give testimony that he is man of God.   On June 21, 2004 Hazrat Ameerul Momineen arrived in Canada. These moments were broadcasted live. The operator who controlled the signal in the transmission truck was a Christian. He was amazed to see the reception. Then he said:- “The concept of the second coming of Jesus that I always had, was the same that I have just seen. The pure and fortunate people, even if they are not ahmadis, do feel that nowadays, our Imam is the true fountain of peace . The Chair of the European Parliament’s ‘Frien’, Charles Tannock MEP UK, spent a great deal of time with Huzoor during the visit. He later commented: “Today we were able to promote peace in the European Parliament and non-violence. ... I found the speech of His Holiness to be truly inspiring.” Where are our opponents who called us cancer? Where are those who accuse us of being enemy of Hazrat Muhammad SAW? The hatred and enmity can not generate but hate. But it is the true Islam which is prepairing the clean hearts for the future of Islam. Bishop Howard Amen, a Nigerian Priest, travelled especially from Switzerland to attend a Jamaat event despite ill-health. Afterwards he commented: “His Holiness (Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad) has changed my entire perspective on Islam. I used to be afraid of Islam. If people listen to Mirza Masroor then the world will change. The doctrine of His Holiness was so mature, timely and appealing. My question is why can’t all the Muslim leaders all over emulate this kind of gentle religious doctrine that tends to unite people irrespective of race, beliefs and background? If there will exist another three men like His Holiness with his message of peace, love for all and hatred for none, I truly believe the world will transform into a better place.” This is the testimony of a man who does not follow Islam, but he is a Bishop. But after listening to the blessed words of the man of God he couldn’t hold his opinion. This is big blessing of the Khilafat that forces even non-muslims to speak in favor of Islam. Let me finish with a message given by  our beloved Huzoor atba on the occasion of Khilafat Centenery Jalsa on may 27th 2008. Huzoor said:- So, O, servants of the Messiah of Muhammad(sa)! You the evergreen branches of the tree of the Promised Messiah(as)! I hope that this pledge would have created in you a new passion and zeal, that renewed feelings of gratitude will emerge…so with this passion and zeal and gratitude enter the new century of Khilafat Ahmadiyya. May this 27th of May breathe a new life in us and cause such a revolution that continues to cause revolution in our generations as well، till the Day of Judgement. Our entry in this new era by Allah the Almighty shows that we should strive to become the evergreen branches of the tree of the Promised Messaih (as). ……..So O, my beloved and the beloved of my beloved! Rise up for the defence of this bounty with determination and courage to fulfil the pledge, bowing before God Almighty seeking His help, march forth, because in this alone lies your survival. In it is the survival of your generations and the survival of humanity. May Allah Taala make us what Allah Taala likes, what his prophet, his Messiah and his Khalifa likes. Ameen summa ameen.