text:
May 26, 2005
Go to
our forums
to discuss this article
Why and how the IRL and Champ
Car can be merged
The Question
Champ Car World Series wants to expand globally, correct? If their
philosophy is strictly to fill the void that Formula 1 leaves by not
being able to race in many more countries, why can't Champ Car and the IRL co-exist? Why can't the IRL simply
be a domestic series and Champ Car be an international series and never
the two shall meet?
And let us assume as a premise, that the IRL makes no further overtures
to any perceived cherry-picking of any Champ Car asset or race, nothing
else. Would not this make the most sense then - to just let the IRL do
their thing, and race on the 4-6 road courses and 12-14 ovals here in
America or North America? (let's forget about Japan, since we know Honda
is probably gone.)
One can argue that Champ Car has been
moving to be oranges, and that the IRL will remain apples. These two
fruits are different; no one is trying to make an orange be an apple.
Why do many not think that if the IRL does their own thing (and perhaps shakes
themselves off of manufacturer support) it can be successful, and if Champ Car does its
own thing, it will be successful?
The Analysis
Champ Car owners have stated they plan to always have at least 50% of
their races in North America. That is how they plan to attract overseas
sponsors who want to sell product in the NAFTA market to the series. By
having 50% of the races here plus a decent TV package, they hope the
overseas sponsors and perhaps engine manufacturers will eventually bite.
Would having the Indy 500 as one of their NAFTA races help sell to
foreign sponsors? Of course it would, and it could be under my proposal
to have the Indy 500 as one of the six double points paying races in a
two-division, one-company format, but more on this later.
Knowing that Champ Car is here to stay in the USA, it's safe to say
there will, therefore, always be two "Indy Car" series in the USA. This
will cause fan confusion and make sponsors have to choose. Sure it would
be nice if both series could just go their separate ways, but you and I
both know that won't happen. Why? Because sponsor dollars are hard to
come by and teams (and both series) will all be going after the same few
precious dollars available. With no umbrella organization to control it
all there will be constant fighting and backstabbing to win the
contracts. That will essentially continue the war.
Certainly if Tony George would stop trying to steal from Champ Car and
try to co-exist peacefully that would help matters. But would he? He
made a strong effort to get Long Beach these past few weeks, much
stronger than was reported in the media. I expect he will try to do that
as each and every Champ Car race contract comes up for renewal, at least
for the races he wants - like Toronto, Montreal, and every other one
that has decent attendance or is in a major metropolitan market. I can't
blame him, I would want those venues too, but that will only continue
the war, and the sport isn't strong enough for the "war" to continue.
The backstabbing and underhanded behind the scenes shenanigans that have
been going on is destroying the sport for both sides.
Unfortunately the split has caused people to take sides - the fans, the
media, and even the teams and personnel in the industry. I have talked
to sponsors. They are staying away from both series because they don't
want to get caught in the crossfire between the IRL and Champ Car when
they can easily go to NASCAR where there isn't all that backstabbing.
The fans are particularly emotional about it. Many actually hate Tony
George for what he has done to the sport they loved. They saw a very
successful, though not perfect by any means, CART (nee IndyCar) series
go from a high in 1995 before the split, to what we see today. In the
process even the Indy 500 is being destroyed. Look at ticket sales, look
at TV ratings. Indy Car racing can't afford to have its marquee event
tarnished and withering away.
Why are we so anti-IRL and pro-Champ Car? The reason really is because
we predicted when the split occurred that it would destroy the sport,
that Tony George was going about it all the wrong way. In our opinion
the IRL should never have been formed.
If Tony wanted a strong Indy Car "industry" he should have found a way
to work the existing system and make it better. All the money, all the
effort he has spent the past 10 years creating an entire new series -
imagine if he funneled all that energy and money into CART.
If he put up that kind of money in the CART paddock can you imagine how
much influence he would have had? With the money he spent he could have
easily fielded three 2-car teams in CART. He would have been the biggest
and most powerful team owner, even bigger than Roger Penske. He would
have eventually become "the man" in CART and with it could have guided
the organization to improve.
With the Indy 500 in his back pocket, I believe Tony George thought he
had the trump card, that CART would quickly fold because the teams
needed the Indy 500 to survive. I think he miscalculated the resolve of
the CART, now Champ Car, team owners. Although wounded, they hung on and
the longer they hung on the longer the sport stayed divided. Tony tried
valiantly to kill off CART because he knew two series was a bad thing.
But try as he might, there remains two series. Along the way the
animosity between both sides got worse.
We, and other media have been vocal because we wanted Tony George to
hear and perhaps eventually agree that two separate series was not the
way to go about making the "Indy Car industry" better and stronger. We
were not alone. Many have tried to tell Tony to stop the war and put the
two sides together. Even Roger Penske and Bernie Ecclestone recommended
to both Champ Car and the IRL to end the war and find a common ground.
Bernie is a VERY VERY smart man, as is Roger Penske.
Tony would not listen. I believe he really felt he could be the Bill
France of Indy Car racing. As we know, that is not going to happen now.
Kevin Kalkhoven and his partners have too much money and they are astute
businessmen. I would argue better businessmen than Tony George.
What must happen
Let's fast forward to 2007 with the assumption that two Indy Car series
in this country trying to undermine each other is not a tenable
position. Let's assume that there has to be one organization to put an
end to "the war" so everyone is rowing in the same direction.
If my proposal were adopted, there would be two racing divisions and
hence that much better a chance for a small team to compete. If the two
sides are merged completely, races will have to be dropped and there
absolutely will be no room for small teams. A lot of people will be out
of a job, out of a career, and out of business. I don't want to see that
happen, hence why I push my proposal.
I have no agenda but to see peace in my time, and the sooner the better.
When peace arrives, you will see AutoRacing1.com take a much more
positive slant to the sport, and I am sure other media will as well. We
will focus on the team and driver rivalries between the two divisions
and not the negative politics that having two enemies duking it out causes.
Yes, the media can be very influential, and yes we realize that the
negativity should stop, but it can't stop until there is peace, until a
solution is reached. When the politics between the two sides stop we
won't have anymore negative stuff to write about.
As for the cars and engines in a combined series - I think some of Champ
Car's recent proposals make a lot of sense. Will they abandon ovals?
They say no, but I really wonder. You know my opinion - based on fact,
based on history and based on data, they are simply too expensive and
too dangerous for open wheel cars. Too many drivers have been injured
and too many cars destroyed. The added cost and the added danger does
nothing to enhance the sport.
While I know many don't agree with me on this point, even many Champ Car
fans, I think more people are starting to agree with my point of view
with each and every crash.
Bruce Ashmore concept car for
both Champ Car and the IRL
Champ Car's new car will be more "racy" on street and road courses so
that should improve the "show." Will they still be able to run an oval
such as Indy, of course, but if you minimize ovals you 1) minimize cost,
2) minimize injury, 3) minimize comparisons with NASCAR. (See image to right and
this rumor
for more discussion on this car that can be used by both divisions.)
Can Champ Car and the IRL together partially fill the worldwide void
left by F1? You bet they can, and with two divisions there will still be
plenty of domestic races. And with a once again popular Indy 500 as the
focal point of a new organization, and with the rivalry created by the
two divisions playing off one another, I see big things possible.....but
first the war must end. And it will never end until there is one unified
governing body.
The author can be contacted at
Go to
to discuss this article
Archived Editorials
More than meets the eye with CART's turbo move
It's time for CART to define its own future
Key upgrades at Road America
Back-breaking work
The rebirth of CART
The hidden costs of Indy Car racing
CART's road and street circuits click with the fans
Is it sport, or just P.T. Barnum show-biz?
Fontana - a victim of friendly fire
CART's 2003 race venues #1 in the world
Meet the Gonzalez brothers
ISC is making enemies in Miami
And the 2002 CART Champion will be….
A wakeup call for CART and the IRL
Chris Pook - making all the right moves
Promoting a race - Adelaide topped them all
AUTOCOURSE is THE CART Yearbook to have
Has anyone noticed?
Should CART race in Adelaide?
Remembering Bob Estes
2002 will be a critical year for CART and for Pook
Tongue-In-Cheek, we take out the crystal ball again
CART & IRL - it's becoming clearer where we're going
What's the holdup on Pook?
Will CART get Shanghaied?
2002 CART season shaping up just fine
CART Franchise Board fails to ratify new engines
Is Ginger just what the doctored ordered for Alex Zanardi?
Vannini plays hardball with Forsythe
Spotlight on Mexico City
Is Premier1 positioned where CART should be?
Has the Gonzalo Rodriguez lawsuit turned in CART's favor?
Jim Russell Advanced Racing Course - Learning to race
CART - a stranger in a strange land
German 500 - measuring the media impact
An in-depth interview with Jonathan Vannini
CART N/A Engine/Car Update
Comparing CART and F1
Vannini advocates major overhaul to rescue CART series
Engines - There, that was easy, now let's race
Americans don't realize what they have in CART
A proposed solution to CART's engine dilemma
Ford Cosworth opens its doors
Bullish on CART
A German's first-time CART experience
My thoughts on a variety of CART issues - by Jon Vannini
AutoRacing1 Exclusive - Is Shanghai in CART's future?
As CART goes global, what about its sponsors?
If Mexico City will get 350,000, would India get 400,000?
The inevitable globalization of CART
New CART TV deal - don't put the CART before the horse
CART in China - Why Shanghai is the best venue
Rockingham is ready for CART. Is CART ready for Rockingham?
Beating a dead horse.; Where's my fork?
Successful CART Venues - It takes two to tango
Setting the record straight on CART's German 500
Rebuilding CART from the grassroots up!
Could this be the break Gidley has been waiting for?
CART, ALMS or NASCAR extravaganza weekends
A true global vision will serve CART well
A proposal for CART and IRL to coexist peacefully
The Triple Crown - a proposal for CART's success
650HP, 750HP, 850HP, it doesn't seem to matter
Movie Review: DRIVEN
Ryan Arciero hopes to continue family dynasty
CART & IRL, a missed opportunity
Things are happening at CART
CART' Data Acquisition Systems - there's a new kid on the block.
CART's next moves will be crucial.
The greatest Long Beach GP of all-time.
CART & IRL - close, and yet so far.
Andretti set to return to Indy
Sam Hornish wins Phoenix, de Ferran punted
Greg Ray wins Phoenix pole, deFerran 5th
CART Engines, If it ain't broke, don't fix it
And the 2001 CART Champion will be....
The HANS Device saved my fathers life
Soft walls or soft cars?
Safety- It's going to take more than just magic to fix
Safety - It's going to take more than just magic to fix
CART vs. IRL, Hatfields vs. McCoys
DRIVEN is CART's best chance to become mainstream
Is CART's problem really a lack of American's?
CART vs. NASCAR - TV Coverage
Bubbas' rule auto racing
Book review - Autocourse 2000/2001
Do heroes make a sport, or does a sport make heroes
To-Do-List, for CART's new President
Lawsuits, Will Greg Moore's final legacy to racing be more than one of…….
Tire Warmers, an idea whose time has come
BrandingCART and their race cars
Will CART's next leader be a corporate visionary?
AddressingCART's TV issues
CART, do you know who you are?
Will CART miss this boat too, - Destined to shadow NASCAR?
Why the new Indy Lights cars should meet IRLspecs
SoftWalls - drivers take a stand while you still can
CART Fan Forum - Highlights from CART's very first Fan Forum
Warren Hughes - A name to remember
CART restarts - NASCAR Style
Mario Andretti Tribute - America's Driver of the Century
Shift w/o Lift- How it works
Aerodynamics- CART's chance to make progressive changes
CART's HP dilemma
Soft Walls - Finally, a safer wall system
BuddyRice deserves a shot at Champ Cars
Choices, Choices, we rate possible new CART venues
CART must avoid Detroit's politics
10ways for CART to invest $100million
Montoya and Ganassi do CART proud at Indy
Welcome to AutoRacing1.com
A year of progress shapes Rockingham
A solution for CART's franchise dilemma
Lausitzring nears completion, fighting hard to win CART date
Paul Tracy keeps his Kool, wins LBGP for2nd time
What is an American driver?
Warming-up at Nazareth
172mph in a Champ Car is the ultimate adrenaline rush
Standing Start Rules proposed standing start rules for CART
Standing Starts are they right for CART?
Champ Car's Minardi 2-seater is the ultimate ride
For Alex Figge and PCM it's baptism by fire
A tribute to Alfred J. Cipolloni
Champ Car owners move to silence critics
Establishing a firm foundation for Champ Car
One-on-one with Champ Car President Steve Johnson
J.R. Hildebrand is one American going places in a hurry
What's new for Champ Car for 2007 - Part 1
Champ Car positions itself for international expansion
Paul Stoddart confirms interest in Champ Car
An inside look at Champ Car TV production
Ho-Pin Tung wants to be Champ Car's first Chinese driver
Stephen King explains Justin Wilson's novel Investor's Club
One-on-one with American sensation AJ Allmendinger
Champ Car moving forward without the IRL
One-on-one with Paul Tracy
Bruce Delahorne explains CDW's sponsorship in Champ Car
One-on-one with Justin Wilson
Champ Car bosses won't be bullied
Part 2: NASCAR/ISC get dirty in Phoenix, out to destroy Open Wheel
Part 1: NASCAR/ISC get dirty in Phoenix, out to destroy Open Wheel
The Rahals: Like father, like son
Why and IRL/Champ Car merger will be a big boost for the sport
Headless Open Wheel Racing appears doomed
Richard Lyons looking at Champ Car for his next challenge
We salute the champions of 2005
Is Jay Howard the next Ayrton Senna?
Interview with Grand-Am President Roger Edmondson
Otaru, Japan Champ Car race moving closer to reality
Champ Car's global appeal may ride on mimicking the Team
Australia concept
Champ Car's Surfers Paradise race promoter "gets it"
Champ Car cements another brick in its foundation
Custom built Champ Cars and Indy Cars
Interview with RuSPORT Team President Jeremy Dale
Conspiracy Theory: What Indy was really all about
Why the Champ Car/IRL war must end
How a
Champ Car and IRL merger might work
Will the battle for Long Beach destroy its Grand Prix?
Katherine Legge has her eyes set on Champ Car
Traveling Light Media - Just what the doctor ordered
Car lays out bold 3-year plan
Champ Car's 2005 driver lineup vastly improved
Hunter-Reay anxious to get racing again
with new team
That sucking sound you hear is NASCAR
Feud - The story of the murder of Mickey Thompson
Yes, Blame Tony and the CART defectors too
Interview with ALMS President Scott Atherton
2005 a foundation laying year for Champ
Kalkhoven talks Champ Car with AutoRacing1
Kalkhoven and Forsythe buy Cosworth from Ford
Carl Russo is bullish on Champ Car
Can this be Champ Car's next-generation car
Champ Car poised for major comeback
Champ Car Race Control - the 'Hot Seat Zone'
Open Wheel Racing is in serious need of consolidation
Champ Car South of the Border, An
interview with Joe Heitzler
There is an easy way for Champ Car and the IRL to unify
From airport to race track, a race within a race
The 2-seater Car is one of Champ Car's biggest assets
Why Bernie Ecclestone could, and should, buy Champ Car now
Champ Car rocks the streets of Times Square in Manhattan
Why did Fernández leave Champ Car? Follow the money....
Next Generation Champ Car: A call for F1 tires
Coming to America? Interview with Ralph Firman Jr.
Open Wheel Racing defeats IRL - Champ Car
Series to continue
Open Wheel Racing needs a win by OWRS - Part
The next generation Champ Cars - Part 2
CART next for Villeneuve?
New deal for CART may be better than first thought
The genius of one Bernard Ecclestone
CART Champ Cars, the next generation - Part 1
Details emerging on CART race in Seoul, South Korea
CART hits a Grand Slam in Mexico City. Now What?
Top-10 Challenges facing new CART owners
CART can still race in Europe, but will they?
For CART, time is of the essence
Making sense of CART's situation
Push-to-Pass means no more parades for CART
An interview with CART's David Clare
What did Roger Penske really mean?
CART must differentiate itself - clearly
turbos make for superior street and race engines
For CART, it's now or never
Chicken or the Egg?
War of the worlds
What Bernie brings to CART
CART, Driven to where?
Is it really about CART vs. IRL?
If I were
The Champ Cars and St. Pete
informal survey of the St. Pete race attendees
Artificial Dissemination
CART, F1 coming to grips with doing business in China
Cancel the Funeral
CART and F1 must, and will, share a common V-10 engine
Book Review: Autocourse 2002-2003 F1 yearbook
Does CART need Michael Andretti?
2002 CART TV ratings by the numbers
Now is the time for CART to redefine its ladder system
CART gets a taste of tifosi passion in Mexico
affair in Mexico
Making sense out of Bernie/CART rumors
Changing of the guard?
Mom, apple pie, CART and....Formula1?
Why CART and Bernie make perfect dance partners
Miami should be a CART and ALMS kickoff party
David slays Goliath in Miami
What to make of Gurney's F1 team
Taking it to the streets, why Miami is a war
CART, like the Phoenix, about to rise up from the ashes
There's more
than handwriting on the wall.....and here's the concrete facts
Day weekend 1952...A weekend I'll never forget
owners show support for CART
CART still
may be in cards for Villeneuve
Bryan Herta, USA's next best chance for F1
Is Paul
Ricard in CART's future?
CART's real attendance numbers
Is Brands
Hatch suitable for Champ Cars?
An Unappealing Appeal, George reigns in GEORGE-town
A candid
conversation with Chris Pook
More than meets the eye with CART's turbo move
It's time for CART to define its own future
upgrades at Road America
Back-Breaking work
rebirth of CART
hidden costs of Indy Car racing
CART's road and street circuits are clicking with the fans
Is it sport, or a P.T. Barnum show?
IRL at Fontana - a victim of friendly fire
CART's 2003 race venues #1 in the world
Meet the Gonzalez brothers
ISC is making enemies in Miami
Copyright 1999-2014 AutoRacing1 is an
independent internet online publication and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed
by the IRL., NASCAR, FIA, Sprint, or any other series sponsor.
This material may not be published, broadcast, or redistributed without
Copyright 1999-2014 AutoRacing1 is an
independent internet online publication and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed
by the IRL., NASCAR, FIA, Sprint, or any other series sponsor.
This material may not be published, broadcast, or redistributed without


text:
One number leaps out from a new study on the impact of the housing industry on the California economy: 80 percent. That, according to by the Center for Strategic Economic Research and the California Homebuilding Foundation, is the decline in the economic impact of housing between 2005 and 2009; from $67.7 billion in direct economic activity and more than 400,000 jobs to $13.8 billion and 77,000 jobs.
The hard part is what those numbers mean for California now. To restore its economy, should California governments and investors try to rebuild that giant housing sector? Or would such a build-up only lead to another crash?
In other words, does California need a new economic model?
It's an important question, and one that's not being answered by political leadership or by the state's scholars. (The most popular answer -- jobs in an expanding green industry of energy efficient technologies -- is only a very small part of a potential answer).
Either way, it's unlikely -- and probably undesirable -- to have the housing sector grow back to its 2005 size. So something needs to replace that economic activity and jobs. But what?
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Al Rafi (The Exalter) is one of the Divine attributes. Al Rafi is that Being Who exalts true believers. Exaltation is bestowed on believers because of good works and constant endeavour; it only comes to pass by the grace of God. However, at times God grants high status to believers merely through His grace in a way that is beyond human imagination. He bestows further nearness to His chosen people thus enhancing their already exalted station. He grants some of these the exalted status of prophethood and sends His teachings through them. The Holy Qur'an states: '…To Him ascend good works, and righteous work helps them rise…' (Surah Fatir, 35:11). Huzur explained that this signifies that God accepts good works; good works are a cause of praise and without good works man cannot gain acceptance.
Huzur said God is Al Rafi, but He is also Al Qadir (the Possessor of power and authority), He can bestow on whomsoever He wishes. However, the general principle to attain exaltation is through good works. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) enjoined his Community that if anything gained acceptance with God, it is good works. The verse signifies that the ignorant and wrongdoing people of the pre-Islam Arabia were told that not only would they rid of all their vices under the influence of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) rather they would attain the highest standards of righteousness and dignity. This honour materialized as a result of their sincere belief, high moral values and good works. Huzur said then the world witnessed that the very same people who were branded ignorant, ruled the world. Thus a way was appointed that demonstrated that by adopting specific principles piety could be attained. However, the Muslim world turned materialistic and forgot the standards of its forefathers. Today the situation is such that Muslim is killing Muslim in the name of Islam. This is the reason that the non-Muslims can dictate their terms. The Muslims governments turn to non-Muslim powers for their problems. If a Muslim country is faced with disorder, rather than the other Muslim countries counsel them, USA and European countries force their will to solve the problem. The non-Muslim governments are extremely insulting in their attitude and this gives rise to protestation among the Muslims. Due to non-compliance of the teachings of Islam, rather than ascending to great heights the Muslims are plunging to a descent.
God has stated that the principle of adopting good works in following the blessed model of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) will alone be beneficial. Although the Muslims today do acknowledge that it is their actions that bring them disgrace they will not accept to adopt the ways to good works that have been stated regarding the current age. God sent the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) as the Mahdi because of his deep and ardent love for the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Not only do they reject this ardent devotee of the Prophet, rather, today the very definition of a Muslims entails using abusive language for him.
Citing an example of the effusive honour the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) accorded to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in his Urdu poetry, Huzur said in this age none other had, or indeed can have, the correct insight of the spiritual luminosity of the Prophet apart from the Promised Messiah. The way he expounded the spiritual light of the Prophet is unique. Huzur read out an extract from his noble writings to elucidate the subject:
'The Holy Qur'an has set this matter out in an excellent allegory as follows:
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a lustrous niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a glittering star. It is lit from a blessed tree — an olive — neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would well-nigh glow forth even though fire touched it not. Light upon light! Allah guides to His light whomsoever He will. And Allah sets forth parables to men, and Allah knows all things full well. (Surah Al Nur, 24:36). This means that God is the light of heaven and earth, that is to say, every light that is visible in the heights or in the depths, whether in souls or in bodies, whether personal or acquired, whether overt or covert, whether inner or external, is a bounty of His grace. This is an indication that the general grace of the Lord of the worlds encompasses everything and that nothing is without His grace. He is the source of all grace and the Cause of causes of all lights and the fountain-head of all mercies. His Being is the support of the whole universe and is the refuge of all high and low. He brought everything out of the darkness of nothingness and bestowed upon it the robe of existence. There is no other being who exists in his own right and is eternal, or is not the recipient of His grace. The earth and heaven and mankind and animals and stones and trees and souls and bodies, all owe their existence to His grace.
This is general grace which is mentioned in this verse; Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. This grace encompasses everything like a circle. For being the beneficiary of this grace, there is no condition attached. As compared with this there is a special grace which has conditions attached and which is bestowed only upon those individuals who have the ability and capacity to receive it, that is to say, on the perfect individuals who are Prophets, the best and highest of whom is Muhammad, the chosen one, [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. As that grace is a fine verity, therefore, God Almighty, after mentioning the general grace, has described the special grace for the purpose of expounding the light of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] in an allegory so that it should be easily understood.
The translation of the remaining part of the above verse is: That light is exemplified (by the perfect man, the Messenger) as if there were a lustrous niche (by which is meant the breast of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him). In the niche, there is a lamp (meaning Divine revelation). The lamp is contained in a crystal globe as bright as a glittering star, (meaning the pure and holy heart of the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings of Allah be on him - which in its nature is free from all dirt and opaqueness, like a clear mirror and has no relationship except with God. That mirror is as bright as a glittering star, which shines in heaven with great glory, (meaning that the heart of the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings of Allah be on him - is so clear and bright that its inner light is displayed on its outer surface flowing like water). That lamp is lit with the oil of a blessed tree, (which is an olive tree). (By this is meant the being of the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings of Allah be on him - which is a collection of diverse types of blessings and the grace of which is not confined to any place or age or direction, but is everlastingly flowing and will never be cut off). The blessed tree is neither of the east nor of the west, (that is to say, the nature of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] suffers neither from excess nor from deficiency and has been created in the best mould). The oil of the blessed tree by which the lamp of revelation is lit, means the fine bright reason of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] together with the natural high moral qualities which are nourished by the clear fountain of his perfect reason.
The meaning of the lamp of revelation being lit up by the high moral qualities of the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings of Allah be on him - is that the grace of revelation descended upon them and they were the cause of the descent of revelation. There is here also an indication that the grace of revelation was in accord with the nature of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] the explanation of which is that revelation descends in accord with the nature of the Prophet to whom it is vouchsafed. For instance, the temperament of Moses [peace be on him] was compounded of glory and wrath; so in accord with it the Torah was revealed in the framework of a majestic law. Jesus had a temperament which was meek and gentle and so the Gospel teaches meekness and gentleness. The Holy Prophet was by temperament extremely firm and steadfast. He disliked to be unduly lenient, nor did he like to be wrathful on every occasion. Instead his was a sagacious temperament that paid due regard to the demands of the occasion. Therefore, the Holy Qur'an was also revealed in an appropriate and moderate mould which combines severity and kindness, awe and compassion, and hardness and softness. In this verse, God Almighty has disclosed that the lamp of the revelation of the Qur'an has been lit from the oil of a blessed tree which is neither of the east nor of the west, but is in accord with the moderate temperament of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which has neither the severity of the temperament of Moses, nor the softness of the temperament of Jesus but is a compound of hardness and softness and of wrath and compassion and displays perfect moderation and is a combination of majesty and beauty. The high moral qualities of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] are referred to in another place in the Holy Qur'an in the words: (O Prophet) You have been created blessed with high moral qualities (68:5). This means that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was created with such perfection of high moral qualities as could not be exceeded. The word azeem, which has been used in the verse, signifies in Arabic idiom, the highest perfection of the species. For instance, when it is said that a tree is azeem, it means that it possesses all the length and breadth which it is possible for a tree to possess. Some lexicologists have said that azeem signifies greatness which is beyond human ken.
The oil would well-nigh glow forth even though no fire were to touch it; (that is to say, the reason and all the high qualities of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] were so perfect and appropriate and delicate and bright, that they were ready to be lit up even before the receipt of revelation). Light upon light; that is to say, that many lights were combined in the blessed being of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and on those lights descended the heavenly light of Divine revelation and thereby the being of the 'Khatam-ul-Anbiya' [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] became a combination of lights (Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. I, pp. 191-195, footnote 11).
[Translation of the above passages taken from Essence of Islam, Vol. I, pp. 248 – 253)
Huzur said thus was the perfect light of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) which was a reflection of the God's light. This is the light that alone will bestow beneficence till the Day of Judgement. In the current age the greatest portion of this light has been attained by his true and ardent devotee (on whom be peace) so that he could continue to spread the light in the world and the world could seek its beneficence. It is for the continuation of this mission that he was given the title of Khatam-ul-Khulafa (seal of all Khalifas). Those who came before him carried out their work in specific areas. Today, through the Messiah of Muhammad (on whom be peace) the light of the lamp is to be diffused by placing it on a very high niche. Today this work is being carried out by the followers of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) alone. After the Khatam-ul-Khulafa it is the institution of Khilafat alone that will fulfil these obligations with God's help and assistance.
The verse following the above, 'This light is now lit in houses with regard to which Allah has ordained that they be exalted and that His name be remembered in them. Glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings' (24:37) cites those houses where God's commandments are put in practice. Huzur said these houses will be exalted. He said the first step in becoming a helper of faith is to remember God, to observe Prayer and to remember that the one who possessed the exalted light that we aspire to be a recipient of said 'the coolness of my eyes is in Prayer.' Huzur said often the Zuhr and Asr Salat are combined. This should not be practised apart from in exceptional circumstances. Huzur recounted a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that he offered the four rakah of Salat before Zuhr because this was a time when the doors of the heavens were flung open and he wished for acceptance. Huzur said today the followers of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) should aspire to maintain these standards.
The next verse states 'Men whom neither trade nor commerce makes oblivious of the remembrance of Allah and the observance of Prayer, and the giving of the Zakat. They fear a day in which hearts and eyes will be agitated' (24:38). Huzur said the Companions of the Holy Prophet attained this standard despite all their other obligations. They were never negligent of paying the dues of God and by paying Zakat they fulfilled the dues of mankind. The examples they set were by virtue of the embodiment of light (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) who is a blessed exemplar till today. Explaining the difference between the Arabic words tijarat (trade) and bai' (commerce) in the above verse Huzur said tijarat signifies buying and selling where as bai' signifies only selling. The services are also included in this [bai'] category. In these countries [West] these are widespread. In order to finish one's work on time one overlooks the real obligation. A true believer should not be distracted by the activities of the world and should be always heedful of the Hereafter.
Explaining the next verse, 'So that Allah may give them the best reward of their deeds, and give them increase out of His bounty. And Allah does provide for whomsoever He pleases without measure' (24:39) Huzur said the light that God created in the being of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and the perfect teaching that He revealed through him became a source to exalt the believers' houses. This is a matter that is continual and can prevail through good works. God thus states in this verse that if you do good works and establish them you will be rewarded excellently. With His grace alone He will bestow you more; your one step will be rewarded manifold.
May God enable us to establish the light that we have attained through the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in our hearts and in our homes as well as benefit from it. May He continue to confer His blessings on us and may we always do good works.
The Jumu'ah (Friday) prayer is one form of congregational worship in Islam. It takes place every Friday. Regular attendance at the Jumu'ah prayer is enjoined on the believer. According to a Saying of Muhammad(sa) this congregational prayer is twenty-five times more blessed than worship performed alone. (Bukhari)
"O ye who believe! When the call is made for Prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off all business. That is best for you, if you only knew." more
"… (He who) offers the Prayers and listens quitely when the Imam stands up for sermon, will have his sins forgiven between that Friday and the next" (Bukhari)


text:
ATI's monthly driver refresh has rolled around again, with the usual bevy of bug fixes and additional features across both 32- and-64-bit flavors of Windows XP and Windows Vista. New this time around, however, is support for ATI's Hybrid Graphics under Windows XP. Hybrid Graphics is ATI's name for a group of technologies that includes the ability to link a discrete graphics card with an integrated IGP. This same feature can also be used to drive four independent displays, if that's of interest.
While it's great to see ATI bringing this functionality to Windows XP, I'm forced to note that this is a quiet reversal from the company's earlier position that Windows XP wasn't capable of Hybrid Graphics. Unfortunately, I don't have that precise wording on record, but the PDF documentation AMD distributed with the 780G launch states that "ATI Hybrid Graphics is only supported in Windows Vista® operating system," while the company's website (still) states: "ATI Hybrid CrossFireX™ Technology is only supported with Windows Vista® operating system, and is not available with Windows® XP operating system."
Does it matter? Not really, but I do wish ATI had been a bit more forthright about the fact that Hybrid Graphics worked (or could work, or would eventually work) in both XP and Vista. Ironically, XP is a better fit for Hybrid Graphics than Vista, anyway. The integrated Radeon 3200 GPU aboard 780G or the new 790GX may technically support DX 10.0, but the performance hit from enabling it, even with an accompanying HD 3470, is too high to make playing in that mode viable.
Bug fixes in these new Catalyst drivers when running Vista include proper antialiasing support for Devil May Cry 4 when Crossfire is enabled, the ability to play Hellgate: London in 2500x1600, and a few menu fixes for Mass Effect when AA is enabled. Quake 4 visual corruption when running on a Radeon HD 4800 series card is no longer an issue, and various visual errors in Second Life, UT3, and World in Conflict have all been fixed.
As for Windows XP, there are new fixes for problems with Assassin's Creed, Age of Conan, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Fear: Perseus Mandate (the demo), Lost Planet, and multiple fixes for Witcher. Those of you who want to see the full list (some 9 pages of fixes) can check out the PDF file. The actual driver files are available here.


text: Seller: bigriksjewellerysupplies2015 (7.747) 99.2%, Location: Westcliff-on-Sea, Ships to: GB & many other countries, Item: 264609071736 This Listing is fo the followingBRAND NEW..............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!English Dial (Fusee), French & German Replacement Mainspring Size 38mm x 0.45mmx 2550mm x 57mm Dia Trifix Range of Clock Mainsprings Trifix have a very large stock of carbon steel and can provide many spring sizes which can be rarely needed. If you have such a special request, please let us know via the website online support facility and if it is available, we shall include it in the list below. The famous Trifix "Fix" brand mainspringsSizes in millimetresCarbon Steel "Textur" Special Rolled Production Clock SpringsQuality Product.Made in Germany.ideal size for approximately 28mm barrel diameterMade from quality steel & used by professional clockmakers. Many professional clockmakers replace a clocks mainspring not only when it breaks but as part of a complete service. A mainspring winder is advised as removal and fitting without one can cause damage or injury Dimensions: Height x Thickness (Strength) x Length x Diameter Condition: New, Type: Clock Parts, Sub-Type: SPRING, Clock Type: Fusee Clock, Condition: New


text:
All the scarecrows I know are good at singing and dancing — and eventually — math equations. And like a good English noun, their name explains their function. They scare crows. Songs, math, and directions back to Kansas are frills.
But Brooklyn always has a different take on the usual. Recently, from the windows of a friend's house in Williamsburg, I enjoyed seeing what we've come to call The Urban Scarecrow. Or shall we say, The Scarepige?
These are two beautiful urban backyards where the owners have been planting for decades. The plastic bags are used to scare away pigeons. I'm told the birds go after the tomato plants, but as you'll see in the photo below, the spooky bags have them dining elsewhere.
Happy Monday in another lovely week of summer!


text:
Getting Started
To get started with the Couchbase Spark connector quickly, learn how to add the connector to your Spark project and run simple queries.
Because most people using Spark are in the Scala ecosystem, the following examples use Scala and its sbt dependency manager.
Create a new sbt project and add the following content to the
build.sbt file.
This code includes all the Spark dependencies, as well as the Couchbase Spark connector.
Just enough to get you started!
Here is a reference to the Scala docs.
name := "my-first-couchbase-spark-project"
organization := "my.organization"
version := "1.0.0-SNAPSHOT"
scalaVersion := "2.10.5"
libraryDependencies ++= Seq(
"org.apache.spark" %% "spark-core" % "1.5.2",
"org.apache.spark" %% "spark-streaming" % "1.5.2",
"org.apache.spark" %% "spark-sql" % "1.5.2",
"com.couchbase.client" %% "spark-connector" % "1.1.0"
Now, under src/main/scala/, create a
Quickstart.scala class with the following skeleton:
object Quickstart {
def main(args: Array[String]): Unit = {
If you are not familiar with Scala, this is more or less the equivalent to Java's
public static void main(String[] args) method.
Because empty methods make the compiler sad, fill it with proper code now.
When it comes to Spark, you always need to set up a configuration and initialize the
SparkContext object.
The following snippet does that and also instructs the Couchbase Spark connector to open a bucket in the background.
// Configure Spark
val cfg = new SparkConf()
.setAppName("couchbaseQuickstart") // give your app a name
.setMaster("local[*]") // set the master to local for easy experimenting
.set("com.couchbase.bucket.travel-sample", "") // open the travel-sample bucket
// Generate The Context
val sc = new SparkContext(cfg)
By default, the Spark Connector connects to the
default bucket.
However, this example uses actual data from the
travel-sample bucket that ships with Couchbase Server, so the code connects to that bucket.
The Couchbase Spark connector also supports opening more buckets in parallel.
Creating and saving RDDs
Now that the
SparkContext is created, you can perform operations against Couchbase.
A common scenario is to create resilient distributed datasets (RDDs) out of documents stored in Couchbase.
The easiest one is probably by passing in Document IDs as strings.
Before getting further into the actual code, make sure to have the following items imported, because otherwise the implicit methods won't be available.
import com.couchbase.spark._
Use the
couchbaseGet method on the
SparkContext to fetch documents from Couchbase and create an RDD.
.couchbaseGet[JsonDocument](Seq("airline_10123", "airline_10748"))
Make sure to specify which document type you want (in this case, a
If you forget to specify the document type, an exception is thrown because the connector does not know what format to use for the results.
Then call
collect() to aggregate the results and print them out to the command line.
Spark outputs lots of information, so you'll find the output somewhere in the logs:
JsonDocument{id='airline_10748', cas=314538279043072, expiry=0, content={"country":"United States","iata":"ZQ","name":"Locair","callsign":"LOCAIR","icao":"LOC","id":10748,"type":"airline"}}
JsonDocument{id='airline_10123', cas=314538278125568, expiry=0, content={"country":"United States","iata":"TQ","name":"Texas Wings","callsign":"TXW","icao":"TXW","id":10123,"type":"airline"}}
But since just loading data is half the fun, the connector also provides a convenient way to save documents. The following code loads documents like before, but then modifies its contents and ID before saving it back. You can imagine taking any kind of data source, mapping them to documents and just storing them back in Couchbase.
.couchbaseGet[JsonDocument](Seq("airline_10123", "airline_10748"))
.map(oldDoc => {
val id = "my_" + oldDoc.id()
val content = JsonObject.create().put("name", oldDoc.content().getString("name"))
JsonDocument.create(id, content)
We utilize the
saveToCouchbase() method available on our RDD to store a modified version of our original
Go find your modified document in the Couchbase Server UI!
Look for
"my_airline_10123" which will just have the name of the airline as its content.
Congratulations! You've successfully performed your first ETL job (extract-transform-load) using Couchbase and Spark. Next up is a whirlwind tour of N1QL and Spark DataFrames.
Working with DataFrames
DataFrames were introduced in Spark 1.3 and have matured even further in Spark 1.4. The nature of the queries fits very well with what Couchbase N1QL provides.
|To try this, you need Couchbase Server version 4.0 or later.
You need to at least have a primary index created on the
travel-sample bucket to make the following examples work.
If you haven't done already, perform a
CREATE PRIMARY INDEX ON `travel-sample` query.
In addition to creating a
SparkContext, you'll need an
val sql = new SQLContext(sc)
Also, don't forget the Couchbase imports again for all the automatic method goodness:
import com.couchbase.spark.sql._
Because a
DataFrame is like an
RDD but with a schema and Couchbase is a schemaless database at its heart, you need a way to either define or infer a schema.
The connector has built-in schema inference, but if you have a large or diverse data set ,you need to give it some clues on filtering.
Suppose you want a
DataFrame for all airlines and you know that the JSON content has a
type field with the value
You can pass this information to the connector for automatic schema inference:
// Create a DataFrame with Schema Inference
val airlines = sql.read.couchbase(schemaFilter = EqualTo("type", "airline"))
// Print The Schema
The code automatically infers the schema and prints it in this format:
root |-- META_ID: string (nullable = true) |-- callsign: string (nullable = true) |-- country: string (nullable = true) |-- iata: string (nullable = true) |-- icao: string (nullable = true) |-- id: long (nullable = true) |-- name: string (nullable = true) |-- type: string (nullable = true)
Next you can perform an actual query where you are interested only in the
name and
This example sorts it by the
callsign and loads only the first 10 rows.
.select("name", "callsign")
The code prints the results on the console like this:
+-------+--------------------+ | name| callsign| +-------+--------------------+ | EASY| easyJet| | BABY| bmibaby| |MIDLAND| bmi| | null| Yellowtail| | null| XOJET| |STARWAY| XL Airways France| | XAIR| XAIR USA| | WORLD| World Airways| |WESTERN| Western Airlines| | RUBY|Vision Airlines (V2)| +-------+--------------------+


text:
Welcome Bridge Players — learn and enjoy
bridge with Eddie
Eddie Kantar is a professional bridge player, writer, teacher and member
of the Bridge Hall of Fame. He won two World Champion and thirteen North American
Championship titles. Eddie writes regularly for numerous bridge magazines around
the world and is a frequent host on bridge cruises.
Join Eddie to play and learn bridge in exotic
places. He takes groups for all inclusive bridge
holidays to the beautiful Mexican Riviera and various resort
areas in the U.S. and Canada and European cruises.
[Travel details]
Maybe you've read some of Eddie's articles and been impressed with his
skillful, witty presentation. This prolific writer offers you a huge number
of free articles, bridge problems, quizzes, and tips for
your enjoyment on this website.
[See learning resources]
"It's not enough to win the tricks that belong to you, try
also for some that belong to the opponents."
- Alfred Sheinwold
"It's not enough to win the tricks that belong to you, try
also for some that belong to the opponents."
- Alfred Sheinwold
Eddie writes with a keen sense of humor flavoring his logical bridge
advice. He has a gift for making it fun and easy to learn.
Among his many popular books, some of the most
recent are:
Eddie's books are available in major retail and online bookstores, as
well as directly from the author himself on this website.
[See all books]


text: Educator Talk - Blacktip Reef Level 1 Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 1:00 pm - 1:15 pm You may be surprised to learn that coral reefs share a lot in common with urban cities. Join our Aquarium educator talk on the Blacktip Reef exhibit's reef crest to explore what we have in common with the animals that live in this unique habitat. Included with admission Buy Tickets Go to full Calendar


text:
CPS names two firms in mega-solar project
Mayor says jobs to average $47,000.
Under a bright winter sun Wednesday, CPS Energy CEO Doyle Beneby introduced the companies selected to build one of the country's largest solar projects and a solar manufacturing plant in San Antonio, an investment of more than $100 million.
OCI Solar Power, whose parent is a South Korean chemical company, will build the solar farms using panels from a factory to be built here by Nexolon, another South Korean firm with close ties to OCI and a builder of solar cell components.
Both companies will open headquarters in San Antonio, part of their larger commitment to bring at least 800 jobs to town with a $38 million to $40 million payroll.
Mayor Julián Castro said at a news conference that the average pay would be $47,000.
That does not include the temporary construction jobs that will be created to build the multiple solar farms, most of which will be in CPS Energy's service territory.
Together, they will generate 400 megawatts of zero-emission electricity — enough to power 80,000 homes.
Some of the plants could be located in West Texas, Beneby said. CPS will buy the power from the plants for 25 years.
He would not reveal the price CPS will pay for the power.
He said the "all-in" price "is certainly among the most competitively-priced solar projects in the country."
CPS currently pays 15-16 cents per kilowatt hour for the 14 megawatts of solar power it currently buys; sources have said this deal is as much as 30 percent less than that.
Beneby said throughout CPS' competitive process to select a solar company, OCI stood out "for the clarity of what they were offering." He called Wednesday "a landmark day" for San Antonio.
Kirk Milling, board chairman of OCI Solar Power, said the project will be "the cornerstone of our emerging green business in North America." As part of the headquarters move, he said roughly 80 executives and engineers will relocate to San Antonio from Atlanta.
Castro described the solar generation and development project as the successful nexus of job creation and environmental stewardship, dovetailing with CPS' long-term plans and his SA2020 vision for the city's future.
"It makes sense for ratepayers and San Antonio to go green," he said, "and get green invested in San Antonio."
The project, he said, will offer job opportunities across the spectrum, from entry-level work up to high-end technical jobs.
OCI has more than three dozen solar farms, between 2 and 20 megawatts in size, in different stages of development across the country, mainly in the Northeast. Together they total 350 megawatts, Milling said. It plans to "flip the switch" on its first, a 3 megawatt plant in Vineland, N.J, on Monday.
San Antonio will be the site of Nexolon's first manufacturing plant in the U.S., and the first time it has partnered with OCI.
Nexolon went public last year on the Korea Exchange, according to Bloomberg News, hoping to raise as much as $191 million to expand its capacity.
Its founder and chairman, Woo Jeong Lee, said he is confident the U.S. solar market will continue to grow.
"Today's commitment is only the beginning," he said at the news conference.
His father is Soo Young Lee, chairman of OCI Co. Ltd.
OCI Co., which owns OCI Solar Power, is one of the world's largest producers of polysilicon, used to make solar cell components. OCI Co. bought a U.S. company that develops renewable energy projects last year; it became OCI Solar Power.
San Antonio will become OCI Solar's "epicenter going forward," said Milling, as it seeks to expand operations across the country.
But he and Beneby were able to offer few concrete details beyond the level of investment OCI and Nexolon will make.
"We still have a lot of specifics to iron out," Beneby said, before a contract can be signed, which he estimated could take three months.
Those specifics include what, exactly, the new manufacturing plant would do, such as constructing components or assembling panels, when construction might begin or where the solar farms would be located.
He did say the partners have had discussions about making sure there are opportunities for local engineering and construction firms to get involved.
Castro said that the city of San Antonio has not offered OCI or Nexolon any incentives to relocate here, but Beneby said the utility is committed to helping the companies pursue incentives or subsidies at the the state and federal levels.
Mario Hernandez, executive director of the Economic Development Foundation, called the jobs and capital investment announcement "huge" for San Antonio.
"It will have a high multiplier effect," he said, creating three to five times more jobs than the 800 with the companies.Having two headquarters here is also important, he said.
"Then we have the ear of decision makers for future growth."
He and Richard Perez, president of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, also noted that because the project is unique and high-profile, it will attract a lot of attention.
"This puts us on the map again, and firmly, as a center for green technology," said Perez.
Tom "Smitty" Smith of Public Citizen praised the environmental aspects of the project.
Solar power is drought-proof, he noted, and could also reduce the cost of peak power — the sun shines brightest in the late afternoon, when demand, and therefore costs, are highest.
Decreased air pollution is another plus, he said, calling on other cities to follow San Antonio's lead.
"San Antonio is now leading the state and, in many ways, the nation in aggressively reducing carbon emissions and other pollutants by substituting solar for coal."


text:
Laundries & Cleaners
Search all listings from the main directory page
Search all listings from the main directory page
For iPhone and Android
Download in Google Playstore
This Book Is One Of The Most Valuable Resources In The World When It Comes To The Secrets Behind Developing A Successful Business Plan!Download Here
207 S. Foch, Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
Phone: (575)-894-3536
Email: info(at)torcchamber.org
Monday - Thursday
10.00 am to 2:30pm
Friday - Sunday
Our office is manned wholly by volunteers. If you or someone you know can donate some time, please let us know.
Paid for in part by the city of Truth or Consequences lodgers tax
© Copyright 2020 Chamber of Commerce | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use


text:
$9.89 $10.99
You are looking at a 100% cotton fabric which is 44" wide. Designed by Riley Blake Designs, this newly released John Wayne fabric. This is perfect cotton for all your sewing needs including clothing and quilting. This fabric is measured and cut from the bolt in a continuous length when possible. We will notify you prior to shipping if a continuous length is not available. We operate in a smoke free environment. Should you have any questions or concerns with your order, please let us know.
Washing Instructions
-Machine wash cold.
-Non-chlorine bleach.
-Tumble dry low.
-Iron as needed.
- 1/4 yards (9" x 44")
- 1/3 yards (12" x 44")
- 1/2 yards (18" x 44")
- 1 yards (36" x 44")
Be sure to add me to your favorites list! Don't forget to rate us!
If we can help you further, please let us know.
1-2 business days
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Email List for Exclusive Content
All items that are "in stock" in our shop will ship within 1 business day The exception to this answer would be holiday/vacations (this will appear on my store's announcement) or "Pre-Order" items.
Yes, orders will be in one continuous cut unless it states otherwise in the listing (example "end of bolts", " 1 yard cut" or "remnant pieces". etc). If you do order several yards of the same item and if a continuous cut cannot be made, we will notify you. You'll be able to either approve the order or we will simply cancel/refund the item for you.
No, we do not accept returns. All sales are final.
You choose the item you want to select. In the drop down choose the size desired and then adjust the quantity. It will be cut as one continuous piece if possible. Please note listings that state "single cut yard only" or "remnant" pieces are excluded.
Pre-Order items usually are brand new fabric that has yet been released by the manufacture. That means it's not in stores yet. I have a whole section dedicated to pre-order items only. It's pretty straight forward and properly listed and stated. Please check the listing carefully as to when the "ship date" is.
I only allow 72 hours cancellation after placing the preorder item. After that I have a strict no cancellation/refund policy. All listings are properly stated if it's a pre order, backorder, reorder items and it explains that and gives an expected ship date. Please keep in mind that I only sell fabric and do not manufacture it and I am not responsible for delays in production. I will allow a cancellation/refund on a case by case basis if it is delayed beyond 30 days from the listed date on the listing.


text:
Explainer: 2008 Weird Science Awards
What was the weirdest science story of 2007? Well, have you heard the one about the South Korean scientists who transferred genes into cloned cat embryos so that they glowed red under ultraviolet light? That tale was the top vote-getter in our unscientific ballot for the 2008 Weird Science Awards - but there's a serious point behind the glowing kitties. Such alterations may be used in the future to correct genetic flaws. Click "Next" for the nine other award-winners.
Time reversal studied
Can causality run backward through time? Some scientists scoff - but University of Washington physicist John Cramer, pictured in his lab at right, wants to find out. At first, he couldn't get the funding for his experiment in light transmission and "retrocausality," but once people found out about his plight, they sent in more than $40,000 — and Cramer continued his quest.
See-through frogs bred
Why on earth would you want to breed a see-through frog? Japanese scientists say they're doing it for the frogs. The creatures' transparent skin could let researchers study internal organs and blood vessels without having to dissect the weird-looking amphibians.
Virgin dragon gives birth
There's really nothing mysterious about the five squirmy Komodo dragons that were the product of a virgin birth in England. It turns out that Flora the Komodo dragon, like virgin mothers in about 70 other reptile species, can reproduce asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis.
Panda porn doesn't pan out
Do racy videos help get pandas in the mood for procreation? Chinese experts thought so, and zoo researchers in Thailand decided to give it a try as well. Unfortunately, the videos didn't get the male panda in the mood, and researchers eventually had to resort to a less, um, exotic method: artificial insemination.
Ancient Romeo and Juliet
What could be more romantic — or should we say more ghoulish — than the discovery of two 5,000-year-old skeletons seemingly locked in an embrace? Add in the fact that the remains were found near Verona, the locale for the "Romeo and Juliet" story, and you have a archaeological love story of Shakespearean proportions.
Why monkeys yell during sex
Female Barbary monkeys often utter loud, distinctive calls before, during or after sex - and for years, researchers have debated the reasons for all the shouting. German scientists reported that the shouts appear to help the male partner reach sexual climax. Part of the researchers' job was to count the males' pelvic thrusts - a task that primatologist Dana Pfefferle admitted was "quite weird." But sometimes doing science requires that kind of sacrifice. "You get used to it," Pfefferle said.
Checkers computer can't be beat
No checkers champion is safe, now that a computer program has figured out every possible move in the centuries-old game. The University of Alberta's Chinook program determined that if neither player made a mistake in the course of a game, the match would have to end as a draw. So what's the next frontier for game-playing computers? Would you believe poker?
Wanted: crab lice
Is pubic hair removal leading to the extinction of the crab louse? Concerns about the species' decline prompted an appeal from the Rotterdam Natural History Museum for someone — anyone — to contribute a single crab louse for its collection. Humans have had crab lice for about 3 million years, and the parasites may be hanging around for a while longer: The museum's curator reported in Improbable Research that he received a fresh specimen soon after the call went out.
Are chimps smarter than students?
First, there was the experiment in which young chimps could perform memory tests faster than human volunteers, with roughly the same level of accuracy. Then, there was the research showing that monkeys could do mental math almost as well as students. Is this a case of life imitating "Planet of the Apes"?


text:
Priority Pass, the world's leading independent airport lounge program, announces the launch of an enhanced iPhone app and a brand new iPad app, which enable travelers to locate and see details of all 1300+ airport lounges in the program.
Both apps have a 'Find Nearest Lounge' tool which uses GPS technology to locate the nearest lounge based on the user's current location.
For those who prefer to plan ahead, the app allows a fast, offline search for lounges available at any airport. Plus new features mean users can add 'Favorites', review 'Recent Searches' and even view lounge images.
The app is free to download from the iTunes store. Simply search for "Priority Pass".
"Our members are constantly on the move and these apps are ideal for quickly finding a bit of peace and quiet at the airport." commented Jonathan French, Head of Brand at Priority Pass. "We have similar apps for Android and Blackberry devices in the pipeline and these will be available within the next two months."
The Priority Pass iPhone and iPad apps were developed by Syndicated Methods Inc., a California-based software consulting company focused on delivering innovative mobile solutions to its global client base.


text:
Base your answers on stats, dual or non-dual typing, moves able to be learned, and ability (no personnal opinion please.)
Please explain each of these with plenty of detail. Anybody who doesn't do one of these things, I ask all site members to vote them down. I will choose the Best Answer not on what I think is the best and someone agrees with me, but with if the answer is the most convincing.
For an example answer (not for Poison types, just for how I would want the answers, although you can add more detail or use a different layout if you want) go to: http://pokemondb.net/pokebase/8764/pokemaster-can-i-ask-these-questions
Also, no legendaries please and also, please give a definite answer, no multiple Pokemon. Also, if you agree with the person but want to add more info, vote that person up and then comment on their answer with the added info. Don't have the same answer as another person. Also, if another memebr has all these Pokemon, then you can still choose a Pokemon that was listed but wasn't the final choice.
Poisons A Graet Type, Though A Bit Underated. It Can Take Down Teams, Or Stall The Night Away. With The New Powerful Moves It Gained In Gen IV, Such As Gunk Shot, or Poison Jab, Poison Has Become One Of The Most useful Types. However, It Only Has Coverage to Grass, and Cant Hurt Multiple Types, and Pokemon At All. Anyway Heres Some Powerful Poison Pokemon, and Analysises for them(Im Only Going T List Pokemon Who Are At Lest 50% Poison and Powerful, so as I say Roserade is about 75% Grass, It Will Not Be Here:).
Gengar: You Knew He'd Be Here. Ghost, and Poison, Its STAB Sludge Bomb Will See To It The Grass Types Are Dead. Add In Its Ghost Type, For One POWERFUL Pokemon. However, If It Had High Attack, and Sp. Attack, It Would Be One Of The Best Pokemon Around.
Nidoking: I Thought Narwhals Would Mention Him............. Anyway, Nidoking Is My Personal Fav Poison Type, Being One Of The Pokemon I Used To Defeat The Elite 4 in My original Red:) AMAZING Movesets, Great Stats, Unexpected Moves(Outrage, Thunderpunch) with High Attack, and Decent Speed And Sp. Attack. Add In His Good Decent Defenses, and An Attack Nature, and EV Trained In Sped And Attack, and Ur Nidoking Can Destroy About Anything. Plus With Earthquake STAB, AND Poison Jab STAB, Plus More Good Moves, Few Pokemon Can Stop Him.
Venasaur: Also One Of The Best Poison Types, Though Its Low Attack and Speed Gives It HUGe Disadvantages, Plus Many Many Weaknesses, But They Are Covered With All His Resistances. Pretty Good Movesets, Whether Staller Or Sweeper, Not A Bad Pokemon at all.
Drapion: Powerful Pokemon. One Weakness. Great Movesets. Poisoning, Stalling, MURDERING, It Can Do Just About Anything.
Crobat: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>What Was That Blur Flying?! It Has To Have Been Either Crobat, or Ninjask! IT BIT ME! Oh, Thats Crobat. Enjoy Your Last Moments Of Life. Amazing Movesets, Powerful Stats. Out Speeded By Few. Amazing. Just Amazing. With That Speed.........Now If We Could Add In Drapions AMAZING Attack Stat, Wed Have One Of The Most powerful Pokemon.
Wow. Poison Pokemon Sure Are Good. Im Going To Say That There Are Two Categories For Best Pokemon Here. For Best Movesets, Ive Got To Say Nidoking. For Best Stats, and Allr Around, Id Say Gengar, With Drapion and Crobat Tied At Second.
Knowing You Trachy, Id Think You Would Pick Nidoking, Loving Movesets Soo Much:)
P. S. School Started Today So Thats Why Im Answering So Late.
Ah the underappreciated poison type. I can name off a few good ones. Here are I few I love to use:
Nidoking:This guy is a beast! he has a Huge movepool, and pretty good stats. His ability could be better though. He can hit hard with sweeping moves, but has just enough defense to take a few hits.
Gengar-He is poison type, there's a reason Gengar has been in OU for 4 generations. He defines glass cannon. He can destroy almost anything before it can land a hit on him, and whatever he can't destroy will go down from one of his tricky moves like destiny bond. (which works great as a last ditch thanks to his high speed) His ability also protects him from ground moves, one of his most common weakneses, helping him even more. He's got a good special movepool, and plenty of power to back it up. Frail defenses mean he won't last a hit though.
Weezing: Only one weakness thanks to his ability. He's got huge defense, and pretty good moves. his offensive stats can be boosted to pretty respectable levels with good EV training. His okay speed means he'll take a few hits. Plenty of moves with chance of poisoning to aid him in defeating the foe. Not the best, but still deserves mention.
Tentacruel-As annoyed as I am to see so many tentacool when surfing, this guy is a beast. His huge speed goes surprisingly well with his high special defense. The water typing gives him even more type coverage. With his high speed, he can land status on the foe before getting hit, and has the defenses to take a beating. And some can make him hit hard as a sweeper too. He's got okay defense though...
Crobat: Not much can be said that hasn't already been said. High speed, good attacks, good movepool. He's got the power to sweep, and plenty of support moves like confuse ray. His ability could be better though.
Roserade:This thing has good support moves, and it works well with just about any team! Huge special stats, but abysmal defense. It's got special sweeping power to spare.
Drapion: this guy has good physical power, and pretty good speed, as long as you don't waste special attacks on him. He even has toxic spikes, and can take a few hits to get it at full power. Not to mention only one weakness. And his sniper ability goes well if you use a move like Night slash (which also gets STAB) He could be better though type wise in terms of offensive, but the idea of one weakness far overpowers that.
This one took some thought, but my vote for best poison type goes to Gengar, with Nidoking and Crobat tied for 2nd place.
Woo! starting this up again, I see! =D
Poison-types are hard to judge. They usually have a dual-type, but even then, they usually act more as their secondary typing, rather than an actual Poison-type. These poor souls just don't really know what they are yet.
Gen IV provided Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, and Cross Poison, so these underrated Pokemon have a little more identity, but "little is an understatement.
Poison-types are the Physical-based counterpart to the Grass-type, having slightly weak moves, but having a variety of tactical and Status moves.
However, even though the rules say that dual-typing is allowed, I think that it's an exception for Poison-types, because of their lack of independence as a type. Therefore, I will only name the best mono-type (Not trying to start a revolution or anything. Just an honest, self-opinion xD).
I definitely pick Muk as my choice.
As disturbing as its name really is, I've got to give props for such perfectly distributed stats. It can wall, it can sweep, it can stall, and lots of other things. Think of it as a Claydol counterpart.
It's got an enormous movepool, being able to use Thunder AND Fire Blast, making it perfect for a Mixed Weather team.
With Explosion, it can also make a good Suicide Lead.
With its Stealth movepool, containing Mud-Slap, Minimize / Double Team, Toxic, and Focus Punch, it can sweep half a team with the right moves being made (Must I bring up Gen I's Minimize-ing Koga epidemic? :P)
Now for some runner-ups!
Unlike Arbok, Weezing has the impressive stats to be strong without setup. However, also unlike Arbok, it lacks versatility, and needs specific movesets to be viable. Otherwise, it just gets eaten alive.
Always loved it, but it was too weak. Because of Gen IV though, it got a MASSIVE boost (As did all Poison-types!).
Not great stats, but it's movepool and abilities are perfect! Arbok is the only Pokemon I've used that benefits from BOTH of its abilities (I swear, I feel torn over deciding whether Intimidate or Shed Skin s better...). With Intimidate, Arbok makes a great Physical Tank, with an illusion of better Defense (About a Base 78 with technical multipliers, etc).
Also, with Shed Skin, it can tank with Rest, because of the 50% higher chance of waking up. With all luck accounted for, this makes the most efficient Reliable Recovery in Pokemon.