and violence in iran, syria, and yemen resulted in production declines of 0. 6, 13. 7, and 24 %, respectively, in 2011. the global impacts of the april 2010 deepwater horizon offshore drilling rig blowout and oil spill have been limited thus far, with reviews in most countries finding that existing safety requirements suffice to prevent similar accidents. despite expanding offshore drilling efforts, the share of offshore oil is expected to remain steady at 30 % of global oil production due to declining output from north sea and mexican offshore oil wells. deepwater oil production is expected to constitute a growing portion of this production and is projected to go from 6 percent of total global oil supply today to 9 % by 2016. " against the backdrop of fluctuating oil prices and concerns about supply risk, many countries are paying more attention to their dependence on imports and the stability of the countries they purchase oil from, " said makhijani. " in 2011, the united states imported 60 percent of the oil it needed, europe imported 90 %, and imports accounted for 68 % of china ' s oil consumption. " the middle east remains the world ' s largest oil exporter, accounting for 36. 2 % of exports in 2011 and a growing share of the global market. the cis and the asia pacific region were the second and third largest exporters, with shares of 15. 9 % and 11. 4 %, respectively. oil exports from north africa fell by 32. 8 % in 2011 due largely to the disruptions in oil production caused by political instability in the region. exports from the united states grew by 19. 4 percent in 2011, faster than in any other region, but they accounted for only 4. 7 % of the global market. further highlights from the report : • oil remained the largest source of primary energy worldwide in 2011, but its share fell for the twelfth consecutive year to 33 %. • average annual prices for west texas intermediate crude reached us $ 94. 83 per barrel in 2011, close to the average 2008 price of us $ 99. 67 per barrel. • opec countries control 72. 4 % of global oil reserves, and the middle east has the largest share of reserves of any region, at 48. 1 % of the total. about the worldwatch institute : worldwatch is an independent research organization based in washington, d. c. that works on energy, resource, and environmental issues. the institute ' s state of the world report is published annually in more than 18 languages. for more information, visit www.


cold spring harbor, ny - - a team co - led by neuroscientists at cold spring harbor laboratory ( cshl ) has shed light - - literally - - on circuitry underlying the olfactory system in mammals, giving us a new view of how that system may pull off some of its most amazing feats. it has long been known from behavioral experiments that rodents, for instance, can tell the difference between two quite similar odors in a single sniff. but in such instances, what precisely happens in the " wiring " leading from sensory neurons in the nose to specialized cells in the olfactory bulb that gather the signals and transmit them to the brain? how can this occur within the brief span of a single respiratory cycle - - one inhalation and one exhalation? using a new method of exploring this question, cshl scientists, in collaboration with researchers at harvard university and the national centre for biological science in bangalore, india, have assembled evidence suggesting that the olfactory bulb in mice is not merely a relay station between the nose and brain, as many have supposed. their data, published today in nature neuroscience, indicates that " there are many more information output channels leaving the olfactory bulb [ en route to the cortex ] than the number of information types entering it, " from sensory receptors in the nose. this complexity in sensory coding, which the team speculates may help the brain rapidly make highly accurate odor distinctions, became evident when the team used beams of light to activate highly specialized cells within the olfactory bulb, as prelude to measuring their electrical activity during single respiratory cycles. using beams of light to trace the circuit the first step of the investigation involved using genetic engineering to generate a line of mice whose sensory neurons expressed a gene borrowed from a kind of algae that make them fire when beams of light are focused upon them. | contact : peter tarr | cold spring harbor laboratory


contact us by email or phone. cut back meat consumption : experts people should halve the amount of meat they eat as part of efforts to cut pollution caused by nutrients such as nitrogen, experts have said. nitrogen and other mineral fertilisers are key to feeding the world ' s population but burgeoning use of nutrients is causing water, land and air pollution which harms human health, oceans and wildlife, and contributes to climate change, they claimed. use of the minerals is expected to increase by up to 50 % over the next 40 years, causing more pollution and damage to habitats, and more greenhouse gases, according to a report for the united nations environment programme. but improving the efficiency of the way nutrients are used by 20 % by 2020 could reduce the annual use of nitrogen and save the world about £110 billion a year, in reduced fertiliser use and reductions in the cost to human health and the environment, the study said. one of the main sources of pollution of minerals is agriculture. around four - fifths of the nitrogen and phosphorus applied in farming is consumed by livestock rather than directly by humans, and about 70 % of the world ' s agricultural land is used for producing meat and dairy. by reducing the amount of meat they eat, people could help reduce pollution. report lead author professor mark sutton, of the centre for ecology and hydrology in the uk, said : " people say we need nitrogen to feed people, actually we need nitrogen to feed our high livestock population. " the experts did not call for people to become vegetarian, but for people in countries such as the uk where meat consumption is excessive to reduce their intake, for example by having smaller portions, wasting less or eating meat less often. prof sutton warned : " south east asia, china and india are racing to catch up with levels we ' re eating. our choices we ' re making in europe are influencing the cultural aspirations in those places. " he said a good aim was to be demitarian, halving the amount of meat normally eaten. this would also benefit health, as europeans currently consume 70 % more protein per day on average than is needed. the experts also recommended more localised systems of farming, where crops and livestock are grown and reared closer together so that, for example, the fertiliser created by manure can be used more efficiently to grow crops, rather than being wasted and causing pollution.


man recalls fleeing hitler ' s germany published : saturday, march 2, 2013 at 4 : 30 a. m. last modified : friday, march 1, 2013 at 6 : 05 p. m. when adolf hitler rose to power in 1933, a young hans kahn saw the writing on the wall. kahn, a jew, lived through the ugly segregation as a kid. jews weren ' t allowed to swim in certain pools or eat in certain places. the discrimination, however, really sunk in hours before kahn was to compete against jesse owens in the 1936 olympics. hitler discovered kahn was a jew and two hours before he was set to compete in the long jump, kahn said, german officials informed him that he wouldn ' t be allowed to compete. he was removed from the team and the premises. kahn, who now lives in arden, was devastated. “ that ' s the most disappointing experience of my life, ” he said friday morning. kahn, now 93 and living at ardenwoods, recalls the memory vividly. he was a vibrant 17 - year - old who was ready to compete for his country. kahn and the other german athletes had spent nearly two years in isolation preparing for the summer olympics, which was hosted by germany that year. he ran six miles to the new stadium in berlin, jumped rope for an hour, ran 10 laps around the stadium and only then was allowed to practice his long jumps. “ we had very little to do with the outside world at the time, ” he recalled. “ there was a lot of pressure on each athlete. ” that pressure, however, didn ' t measure up to the weight of disappointment he felt during his 600 - mile journey home to stuttgart. in the next year, kahn graduated high school and attempted architecture school, but his freedoms were limited. hitler wasn ' t going to allow a jewish architect to function creatively in germany, kahn said, and he knew what he had to do. by then, the jewish population was disappearing. kahn says people around him were murdered by the government because of their jewish backgrounds. “ quite a few people committed suicide, ” he added. for kahn, it was time to leave the country. “ i had no choice, ” he said. “ i didn ' t want to end up in a concentration camp. ” kahn ' s two grandmothers perished in concentration camps. with the help of his stepmother, ellen beck, kahn and his brother, peter, plotted to leave germany. they showed up at the american consulate in germany and quickly realized they weren ' t


” kahn ' s two grandmothers perished in concentration camps. with the help of his stepmother, ellen beck, kahn and his brother, peter, plotted to leave germany. they showed up at the american consulate in germany and quickly realized they weren ' t the only people ready to leave. beck, who didn ' t leave, had a plan to save the lives of her two stepsons. beck bribed the custodian who cleaned the american consulate offices and asked him to move the boys ' application to the top. the plan worked. ten days later, on nov. 16, 1937, kahn had made his way to the french coast, boarded a ship and was on his way to new york city. he arrived in new york with $ 10 in his pocket. hitler didn ' t allow jews to leave germany with anything more than that amount, kahn remembers. he also arrived with no knowledge of the english language. two women tried to teach him some of the language on the seven - day journey to america, but it wasn ' t enough. in his first two years in america, he would purchase the new york times daily and check words in a translation dictionary, teaching himself english. “ it wasn ' t easy, i ' ll tell you, ” he said of adapting without knowing the language. “ every day i learned a new word. ” nonetheless, kahn immersed himself in american culture. he was no longer a german. “ once i left, that was it, ” he said. “ from then on i was an american. ” he eventually settled in new jersey where, despite not being a citizen, he was drafted into the u. s. army. he remained stateside for the four years he served during world war ii. during that time, he earned a degree from ohio state university in engineering and earned his united states citizenship. he was discharged and returned to new jersey. before he was drafted, he was basically a dishwasher at a chemical company, kahn says. after the war, he returned as a chemist. through the gi bill, he earned another degree at seton hall university in chemistry. after that, he lived all over the country from new jersey to california, working as a chemical engineer before retiring to the asheville area 15 years ago. kahn has lived in ardenwoods for the last three years. but even now, nearly 80 years later, kahn recalls the heartbreak of not being an olympic athlete. even more than that, however, he remembers the fear that drove him away from germany. the alternative to leaving was


the leaves are changing colors and the temps are beginning to drop. in fluctuating temperatures, staying hydrated is still important. water is an essential component for all processes the body completes each day. the human body is made up of 70 % water ; most of the water is found in and around tissues like skin and within the tiny individual cells that make up our body parts like organs. dehydration can occur when we don ’ t take in enough water to compensate for the water lost during routine processes or exercise. awareness, recognition and education are the ways to help prevent dehydration during cold weather training. the goal is to replace 100 % of sweat and electrolytes lost during exercise outdoors. read more about dehydration and performance and cold weather nutrition and hydration from jeffrey a. kline, atc, nasm - pes. during warmer weather we are very aware of water loss because of the sweating mechanism our body uses to keep cool, but it is harder to recognize when there is cold weather. shifting temperatures and not having enough water can cause cramping and increases injuries. read more about hydration and cramping at www. livestrong. com. drinking water or sports drinks before, during and after sports is especially important for children and pre - teens because they have special fluid needs compared to adults, or even teenagers. as a parent or coach, make sure you take precautions to prevent heat illnesses in children and that they follow recommended sports hydration guidelines. review the youth sports hydration guidelines reviewed by susan yeargin, phd, atc on www. momsteam. com. written by : brittney ryba


mid - book test ( up to part 2, scene 1 ) | name : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | | period : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | this test consists of 15 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions. multiple choice questions directions : circle the correct answer. 1. what was the effect of the constitution of 1812? a ) creating a parliament. b ) exiling the dissenters. c ) expanding the king ' s power. d ) curtailing the king ' s power. 2. what is king ferdinand ' s opinion of goya after reading the letter? a ) he is a genius or an idiot. b ) he is an enemy to be reckoned with. c ) he is a disgrace to spain. d ) he is a fool or a brave man. 3. what confidential order does king ferdinand give calomarde? a ) martin zapater is to come to him tomorrow. b ) goya is to come to him tomorrow. c ) the royal volunteers are to come to him tomorrow. d ) calomarde is to... this section contains 573 words | ( approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page )


my fondest memories of school are of the occasions on which i made stuff. when i think about what other aspects of my learning i enjoyed most, i always come back to the basic principle of creativity. getting me involved in creative tasks that result in tangible outcomes was one of the ways my teachers ensured that i remained engaged and enjoyed the process of learning. working on a model of the solar system was a sure way of getting me to remember the planets ( 9 in those days ) and our place in the universe. i was never naturally good at maths or physics, but making tracks and ramps down which to throw ball bearings gave me a much better understanding of newtonian physics than any number of equations you might want to throw at me. technology today gives us the tools and the possibility to enjoy making stuff and exercise our pupil ’ s creativity in new ways : now you can make stuff virtually as well as actually. my classes and i exploit these new possibilities by regularly embarking on projects which require exercising creative skills and, in so doing, going far beyond the confines of the curriculum. web applications are fun for both teachers and students, but often both teachers and students can become too preoccupied with the tool itself and forget what its purpose ought to be : to support teaching and learning. here ’ s a little guide to using three fantastic web applications successfully and effectively. in fact, time wasting and lack of academic rigour are two criticism often levelled at the use of web applications in the classroom. however, just like any other tool, when used appropriately, these web applications will soon prove their worth to you and your students as an effective learning tool and i am certain they will become an essential part of your schemes of work. whilst the tool may change the principles remain the same. let ’ s look at how to plan a series of lessons before we look at each of the tools in more detail, but first a note of caution : not a magic bullet i use web applications regularly. regularly does not mean so often that your class gets bored of them. to me regularly means once or twice every half term – roughly 6 weeks. i also vary the web application so that any single class uses a variety of tools throughout the academic year. in my experience, overusing any of the tools below may lead to your students quickly becoming weary of any particular tool, as the novelty factor wears off and their interest and engagement wanes. in order to stop the tool itself becoming an obstacle to successful learning, how you plan and deliver the series of lessons leading up to actually


students quickly becoming weary of any particular tool, as the novelty factor wears off and their interest and engagement wanes. in order to stop the tool itself becoming an obstacle to successful learning, how you plan and deliver the series of lessons leading up to actually using the tool is therefore essential. approximately once every half term i will plan a series of lessons culminating in the use of one of these web applications. i generally follow this pattern : teachers can set up accounts for their pupils and organise them into classes, the work pupils produce is then shared among the members of the class and, crucially, it can now be published for the whole world to see. but it wasn ’ t always thus. storybird, in order to ensure content was kept to safe and appropriate standards, only allowed the publishing of storybirds books that had been written in english. therefore storybird ’ s appeal for foreign language teachers was limited, as their stories and their pupils ’ stories could not be made public. however, in an exemplary display of engagement with customers, storybird listened to foreign language teachers who were calling – on social networks like twitter and in blogs like this one – for the ability to moderate their own pupils ’ work and changed their policies so that teachers could moderate and publish their pupils ’ stories. storybird is a fantastic tool that allows your and your pupils to make wonderful and engaging story books … so long as they are in english. i ’ ve been using storybird with my pupils for a little while now but, thus far, have not felt i could really recommend storybird to other teachers of foreign languages because storybird refuses to accept work produced in any language other than english. this means that you cannot embed your storybirds or share them with other people. sadly, as of today, this is still their policy. i have been in touch with the makers of storybird about this situation and, to their credit, they have always answered my questions and tried to address my concerns, although, i have to say, not always satisfactorily. storybird insists that all story books should be cleared by storybird staff prior to publishing to ensure a safe environment for children. this is a very laudable aim but, in my view, an impractical one. since teachers and parents are encouraged to use storybird with their students and their children, why not pass on to them the responsibility of moderating the storybird books the children produce?


you exercise your body to stay physically in shape, so why shouldn ' t you exercise your brain to stay mentally fit? with these daily exercises you will learn how to flex your mind, improve your creativity and boost your memory. as with any exercise, repetition is necessary for you to see improvement, so pick your favorite exercises from our daily suggestions and repeat them as desired. try to do some mentalrobics every single day! what you eat can have a large impact on how your mind operates. after all, the brain accounts for 20 % of your body ' s total energy consumption. the brain needs a steady supply of glucose throughout the day to keep in tip - top working order, so be sure to not skip any meals, especially breakfast. salads contain antioxidants such as beta - carotene and vitamins c and e, which help your brain stay healthy. yogurt contains the amino acid tyrosine, which is needed for some essential brain chemistry. fish contains omega - 3 fatty acids, which help prevent dementia and keep your brain working in tip - top shape. curry contains a spice called turmeric which can help prevent alzheimer ' s disease. try to avoid junk food high in sugar and fat. there have been some studies that imply a connection between junk food and mental disorders such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. short term memory test interactively test your short term memory. mentalrobics public forums chat about these articles and other mind related topics. sudoku logic puzzle this puzzle requires logic and a good memory.


what are the northern lights? iceland ' s northern lights are naturally occurring phenomena which happen as a result of gas produced by solar activity on the surface of the sun. when this gas hits earth it reacts with the earth ' s magnetic field causing the frissons of colour which we call the aurora borealis. when is the best time to see iceland ' s northern lights? if you thinking of taking a northern lights tour in iceland, then the best time to see these natural phenomena is during the colder periods of september through to march. iceland ' s long daylight hours make it almost impossible to view the aurora during the summer months. time - wise, the best time to see iceland ' s aurora borealis is around midnight when iceland ' s aurora oval is said to pass over the observer. where is the best place to take a northern lights holiday? to be in with the best chance of viewing iceland ' s northern lights you need to ensure that you are staying in an area free from any light pollution. therefore, you need to venture out of large cities and towns into iceland ' s natural wilderness. a popular location with both locals and tourists alike is the 4 * hotel ranga, which is located just over an hour ' s drive from the centre of reykjavik. the hotel manager, bjorn erikkson, conducts daily tours of iceland ' s northern lights and with his year ' s of experience, is considered to be something of an expert on the subject. the 360 degree aerial views and mountain backdrops also help to provide the perfect setting for iceland ' s stunning aurora borealis. how long do displays last? typically iceland ' s aurora borealis displays last for just a couple of minutes and occur a few times a night. however, large displays that last up to three hours have also been observed, although they are far less frequent. the amount of energy that is produced during these larger displays is said to be the equivalent of a small nuclear explosion. are there any myths or folklore surrounding iceland ' s aurora borealis? there are plenty and your guide will almost certainly regale you with many of them during your northern lights tour. the aurora feature prominently in inuit and norse mythology and are even mentioned in the old testament. in iceland it was also once believed that if pregnant women gazed at the aurora then their children would be born cross - eyed. what colours are iceland ' s aurora borealis? iceland ' s aurora borealis respond to the different gases in the ionosphere. whilst oxygen atoms will produce red and green light, nitrogen molecules produce a violet light.


real reasons for tension lost in rush to judgment " the issues in logan are those many migrant or ethnic youth face : clashing values, clashing behavioural expectations, limited resources and unclear or even dubious role models. " photo : courtesy of channel nine ' mobs tearing up logan. did any of them do a day ' s work today, or was it business as usual and welfare on tap? ' ' the coalition ' s indigenous health spokesman, andrew laming, tweeted in response to recent violence in logan, queensland, between aboriginal and pacific islander groups. clearly both groups face discrimination, yet we know comparatively little about pacific islanders as a marginalised minority group in australia. as police were called in to broker peace talks between the two logan families - the briggs and the palaus - it ' s important to ask why the fight broke out in the first place. violence is always a complex issue, but where pacific islander youths are involved there are several observations that might help us understand. it needs to be stressed that those involved are a small minority. but the logan violence is not an isolated incident. in 2011 there were riots in mount druitt in which pacific islander youths fought each other outside the local westfield shopping centre. one aspect of the riots was the involvement of youth gangs. while ' ' mounty country ' ' was mostly tongans from the mount druitt area, ' ' g40 ' ' was a group of mainly samoans. however, it was not interpreted by those involved as ethnic violence. so what lies behind violence involving pacific island youth in places such as logan and mount druitt? every pacific island culture is different. there are some general characteristics, though, that some of the time might help explain some of the violence. first is work. although laming pointed to unemployment in logan, in fact sometimes the opposite is an issue. first - generation pacific islanders come to australia to better themselves, their families here and their families back home. but they often end up in low - paying or unskilled employment, often involving shift work. in other words, they work very hard for very little. another issue is supervision. although the first ( and sometimes subsequent ) generation of parents works hard, the kids get less parental supervision, and often the supervision they do get is from elder siblings. this means they lack parental role models in their everyday life. in pacific cultures, you typically don ' t speak back to elders. so, these youths have very limited scope to express their frustration - and anger builds. the next


is from elder siblings. this means they lack parental role models in their everyday life. in pacific cultures, you typically don ' t speak back to elders. so, these youths have very limited scope to express their frustration - and anger builds. the next problem is education. first generation parents put a very high value on education. their children are meant to be shy and respect elders. talking to teachers, let alone questioning them, is difficult. at the same time, at home if they adopt australian ways of interacting with their pacific island elders, they are sternly rebuked. on the other hand, if they don ' t succeed at school, they also face heavy stricture from their parents. they get in trouble whatever they do. recent changes in immigration laws have made many pacific islanders ineligible for hecs. even if they do well in school, they are unlikely to pursue a university degree due to the additional financial pressures this involves. hence, many feel stuck and unable to break the circle of unskilled employment and parental expectations. then there is the pressure to support the family, sending money to relatives in the pacific islands, or other parts of australia and the world - known as remittances. there is significant social pressure to do this. also, a lot of money is funnelled to churches as pacific islanders are generally very religious. consequently, even if the parents are working hard and earning money, their immediate family in australia may not enjoy the benefits of this. because so much of their earnings needs to be distributed to family and church, working is actually not as financially rewarding as it might appear. it ' s almost like they are at the top tax rate but are only earning minimum wage. then there is the complexity of belonging. as a result of these work and educational issues, self - esteem problems often arise. young people look for alternative communities where they can find acceptance and more freedom. last is locality. most of these youths live in outer suburbs in our cities, areas of low income where many ethnic minorities reside. this has the effect of grouping them and the difficulties they face. the issues in logan are those many migrant or ethnic youth face : clashing values, clashing behavioural expectations, limited resources, and unclear or even dubious role models. these are just a few of the underlying issues that need to be taken into account before judgments about the violence in logan or mount druitt are made. elisabeth betz is a doctoral candidate in anthropology at la trobe university.


leed® standardsarticle free pass leed® standards, in full leadership in energy and environmental design standards, a certification program devised in 1994 by the u. s. green building council ( usgbc ; founded 1993 ) to encourage sustainable practices design and development by means of tools and criteria for performance measurement. it is “ a voluntary, consensus - based, market - driven building rating system based on existing proven technology. ” the usgbc has established standards for new construction and major renovation as well as existing structures ; their standards can be applied to core and shell and to commercial interiors — i. e., the core and shell alone can be certified with no requirement that the interior be so certified. many building types — schools, offices, retail, health care facilities, and private residences — have been addressed, and standards for neighbourhood development are also in progress. the five critical areas of focus, as laid out by the usgbc, are “ sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. ” - sustainable site development involves, whenever possible, the reuse of existing buildings and the preservation of the surrounding environment. the incorporation of earth shelters, roof gardens, and extensive planting throughout and around buildings is encouraged. - water is conserved by a variety of means including the cleaning and recycling of gray ( previously used ) water and the installation of building - by - building catchments for rainwater. water usage and supplies are monitored. - energy efficiency can be increased in a variety of ways, for example, by orienting buildings to take full advantage of seasonal changes in the sun ’ s position and by the use of diversified and regionally appropriate energy sources, which may — depending on geographic location — include solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, water, or natural gas. - the most desirable materials are those that are recycled or renewable and those that require the least energy to manufacture. they ideally are locally sourced and free from harmful chemicals. they are made of nonpolluting raw ingredients and are durable and recyclable. - indoor environmental quality addresses the issues that influence how the individual feels in a space and involves such features as the sense of control over personal space, ventilation, temperature control, and the use of materials that do not emit toxic gases. leed ratings in order of value from lowest to highest, based on the number of points assigned for green compliance, are certified, silver, gold, and platinum. what made you want to look up " leed standards "? please share


herodarticle free pass herod, byname herod the great, latin herodes magnus ( born 73 bc — died march / april, 4 bc, jericho, judaea ), roman - appointed king of judaea ( 37 – 4 bc ), who built many fortresses, aqueducts, theatres, and other public buildings and generally raised the prosperity of his land but who was the centre of political and family intrigues in his later years. the new testament portrays him as a tyrant, into whose kingdom jesus of nazareth was born. herod was born in southern palestine ; his father, antipater, was an edomite ( an arab from the region between the dead sea and the gulf of aqaba ). antipater was a man of great influence and wealth, who increased both by marrying the daughter of a noble from petra ( in southwestern jordan ), at that time the capital of the rising nabataean kingdom. thus herod was, although a practicing jew, of arab origin on both sides. when pompey ( 106 – 48 bc ) invaded palestine in 63 bc, antipater supported his campaign and began a long association with rome, from which both he and herod were to benefit. six years later herod met mark antony, whose lifelong friend he was to remain. julius caesar also favoured the family ; he appointed antipater procurator of judaea in 47 bc and conferred on him roman citizenship, an honour that descended to herod and his children. herod made his political debut in the same year, when his father appointed him governor of galilee. six years later mark antony made him tetrarch of galilee. in 40 bc the parthians invaded palestine, civil war broke out, and herod was forced to flee to rome. the senate there nominated him king of judaea and equipped him with an army to make good his claim. in the year 37 bc, at the age of 36, herod became unchallenged ruler of judaea, a position he was to maintain for 32 years. to further solidify his power, he divorced his first wife, doris, sent her and his son away from court, and married mariamne, a hasmonean princess. although the union was directed at ending his feud with the hasmoneans, a priestly family of jewish leaders, he was deeply in love with mariamne. during the conflict between the two triumvirs octavian and antony, the heirs to


union was directed at ending his feud with the hasmoneans, a priestly family of jewish leaders, he was deeply in love with mariamne. during the conflict between the two triumvirs octavian and antony, the heirs to caesar ’ s power, herod supported his friend antony. he continued to do so even when antony ’ s mistress, cleopatra, the queen of egypt, used her influence with antony to gain much of herod ’ s best land. after antony ’ s final defeat at actium in 31 bc, he frankly confessed to the victorious octavian which side he had taken. octavian, who had met herod in rome, knew that he was the one man to rule palestine as rome wanted it ruled and confirmed him king. he also restored to herod the land cleopatra had taken. herod became the close friend of augustus ’ great minister marcus vipsanius agrippa, after whom one of his grandsons and one of his great - grandsons were named. both the emperor and the minister paid him state visits, and herod twice again visited italy. augustus gave him the oversight of the cyprus copper mines, with a half share in the profits. he twice increased herod ’ s territory, in the years 22 and 20 bc, so that it came to include not only palestine but parts of what are now the kingdom of jordan to the east of the river and southern lebanon and syria. he had intended to bestow the nabataean kingdom on herod as well, but, by the time that throne fell vacant, herod ’ s mental and physical deterioration made it impossible. herod endowed his realm with massive fortresses and splendid cities, of which the two greatest were new, and largely pagan, foundations : the port of caesarea palaestinae on the coast between joppa ( jaffa ) and haifa, which was afterward to become the capital of roman palestine ; and sebaste on the long - desolate site of ancient samaria. at herodium in the judaean desert herod built a great palace, which archaeologists in 2007 tentatively identified as the site of his tomb. in jerusalem he built the fortress of antonia, portions of which may still be seen beneath the convents on the via dolorosa, and a magnificent palace ( of which part survives in the citadel ). his most grandiose creation was the temple, which he wholly rebuilt. the great outer court, 35 acres ( 14 hectares ) in extent, is still visible as al - hara


and a magnificent palace ( of which part survives in the citadel ). his most grandiose creation was the temple, which he wholly rebuilt. the great outer court, 35 acres ( 14 hectares ) in extent, is still visible as al - haram ash - sharif. he also embellished foreign cities — beirut, damascus, antioch, rhodes — and many towns. herod patronized the olympic games, whose president he became. in his own kingdom he could not give full rein to his love of magnificence, for fear of offending the pharisees, the leading faction of judaism, with whom he was always in conflict because they regarded him as a foreigner. herod undoubtedly saw himself not merely as the patron of grateful pagans but also as the protector of jewry outside of palestine, whose gentile hosts he did all in his power to conciliate. unfortunately, there was a dark and cruel streak in herod ’ s character that showed itself increasingly as he grew older. his mental instability, moreover, was fed by the intrigue and deception that went on within his own family. despite his affection for mariamne, he was prone to violent attacks of jealousy ; his sister salome ( not to be confused with her great - niece, herodias ’ daughter salome ) made good use of his natural suspicions and poisoned his mind against his wife in order to wreck the union. in the end herod murdered mariamne, her two sons, her brother, her grandfather, and her mother, a woman of the vilest stamp who had often aided his sister salome ’ s schemes. besides doris and mariamne, herod had eight other wives and had children by six of them. he had 14 children. in his last years herod suffered from arteriosclerosis. he had to repress a revolt, became involved in a quarrel with his nabataean neighbours, and finally lost the favour of augustus. he was in great pain and in mental and physical disorder. he altered his will three times and finally disinherited and killed his firstborn, antipater. the slaying, shortly before his death, of the infants of bethlehem was wholly consistent with the disarray into which he had fallen. after an unsuccessful attempt at suicide, herod died. his final testament provided that, subject to augustus ’ sanction, his realm would be divided among his sons : archelaus should be king of judaea and samaria, with philip and


last year, u. s. employees filed the second highest number of eeoc complaints claiming they suffered discrimination at work. you know that u. s. anti - discrimination laws require treating all applicants and employees equally. but do your organization ’ s supervisors understand the relevant laws? pass along this primer on federal anti - bias laws to make sure your compliance efforts start right on the front line. age : the age discrimination in employment act says you can ’ t discriminate in any way against applicants or employees age 40 or older because of age. that ’ s why it ’ s important to never take a person ’ s age ( or proximity to retirement ) into account when making decisions on hiring, firing, pay, benefits or promotions. avoid any comments about an employee ’ s age. base yourdecisions solely on the person ’ s ability to do the job. race : the federal civil rights act makes it unlawful to discriminate in any employment matter based on a person ’ s race. currently, more employee complaints are filed over race discrimination than any other type of job discrimination ( 33, 579 claims in 2009 ). managers must also avoid race bias based on a person ’ s marriage to or association with someone of a particular race. this law applies regardless of whether the discrimination is directed at blacks, whites, asians, latinos or people of any other race, color or ethnicity. national origin : this type of discrimination relates to treating employees or applicants less favorably because they come from a particular place, because of their ethnicity or accent or because they have a particular ethnic background. gender : various laws make it unlawful to discriminate because of a person ’ s sex in hiring, termination, promotion, pay or any other employment terms. those laws also prohibit employment decisions based on stereotypes or assumptions about abilities based on gender. pregnancy : the prohibits job discrimination on the basis of “ pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions. ” you can ’ t deny a job or promotion merely because an employee is pregnant or has had an abortion. she can ’ t be fired because of her condition or forced to go on leave. pregnant employees must be permitted to work as long as they are able to perform their jobs. the law requires managers to treat pregnant employees the same as other workers who have similar limitations. sexual harassment : sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates the civil rights act. when does it cross the line? the eeoc says, “ unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical


. sexual harassment : sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates the civil rights act. when does it cross the line? the eeoc says, “ unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual ’ s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual ’ s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. ” religion : managers can ’ t treat employees or applicants more or less favorably because of their religious beliefs or practices. you also must “ reasonably accommodate ” an employee ’ s sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, unless it causes an “ undue hardship ” on the organization. for example, that may mean giving employees leave time to attend religious services or allowing them to wear religious clothing. disability : the americans with disabilities act ( ada ) makes it illegal to discriminate against people with qualifying disabilities. new ada amendments that took effect at the start of 2009 broadened the definition of “ disability, ” meaning many more employees are eligible for accommodations and job protection. the ada requires employers to make “ reasonable accommodations ” for employees with disabilities. also, you can ’ t ask about a person ’ s disability during the hiring phase. and you must keep employees ’ medical - related info confidential and prevent harassment of disabled employees. retaliation : federal laws make clear that it ’ s illegal for employers to fire, demote, harass or otherwise retaliate against employees who ’ ve filed a discrimination charge or participated in a discrimination investigation. like what you ' ve read?... republish it and share great business tips! attention : readers, publishers, editors, bloggers, media, webmasters and more... we believe great content should be read and passed around. after all, knowledge is power. and good business can become great with the right information at their fingertips. if you ' d like to share any of the insightful articles on businessmanagementdaily. com, you may republish or syndicate it without charge. the only thing we ask is that you keep the article exactly as it was written and formatted. you also need to include an attribution statement and link to the article. " this information is proudly provided by business management daily. com : http : / / www. businessmanagementdaily. com / 12693 / make - sure - managers - know - laws - against - employee - discrimination "


for haiti, key to economic recovery may be in the garbage credit : jesse colaizzi. one year after haiti ’ s devastating earthquake, the country is still in the early stages of recovery. while financial aid, food and medical supplies have made it to the island nation, which is considered to be one of the poorest countries on earth, many argue that little has been done to improve haiti ’ s long - term economic stability. a pittsburgh - based group of entrepreneurs is trying to change that. known as thread ( the haitian redevelopment directive ), the organization is committed to building a factory that turns discarded plastic bottles into fabric for use in high - performance apparel. they hope the factory will be operational by year - end. the haitian factory, which plans to initially employ 10 to 15 workers and pay them a fair wage, would be able to supply the fabric to end users at a lower cost than companies located in other parts of the world, while providing jobs and a de facto sanitation system for haiti ’ s people. “ i ’ ve been all over world, ” said thread ’ s president and ceo ian rosenberger. “ the two things i see most are poverty and trash. ” thread ’ s factory would address both problems. by paying locals to recycle their trash, while providing skilled jobs for haitian citizens, the business would create an economic system that addresses the need for jobs, infrastructure and hope for the future development of haiti into a country that can compete economically and stand on its own one day. it would also provide a roadmap for the birth of a business that could be used to build factories in other parts of haiti and in other developing countries. “ there ’ s not a lot to restart economic engines in the developing world, ” said rosenberger, who works full - time as director of business development for the pittsburgh - based advertising firm strategic images. the technology to recycle plastic into fabric already exists. companies such as patagonia and nike, already use fabric made from recycled plastic in their high - performance apparel. the key to making the technology work in haiti would be re - engineering the production process so it could be done in smaller factories. “ the technology exists, ” said rosenberger. “ it ’ s just a matter of scaling it down, producing a bolt of fabric and getting it on someone ’ s desk. ” rosenberger and the rest of the thread team — which is made up of business people, individuals from the nonprofit sector and educators — hopes to start raising money for the first thread factory this spring


of fabric and getting it on someone ’ s desk. ” rosenberger and the rest of the thread team — which is made up of business people, individuals from the nonprofit sector and educators — hopes to start raising money for the first thread factory this spring. the company anticipates it will need $ 250, 000 for the first six months of operation and another $ 500, 000 after that. it is actively seeking venture capitalists, angel investors and foundations interested in investing in its project. rosenberger believes haiti is particularly well - suited for this kind of export because the country already has a foundation in the textile industry. “ the environment is favorable for textile exports to the states, ” rosenberger said. “ and, the u. s. government is taking down some of the roadblocks necessary to help jump start business. ” thread is partnering with an organization called haitian partners for christian development as well as with students from the engineering departments penn state university and at hungary ’ s corvinus university of budapest. rosenberger believes thread ’ s " social - preneurial " efforts are the way of the future for countries trying to pull themselves out of poverty. “ in developing world, you don ’ t hear words like ‘ economic stimulus ’ and ‘ job recovery, ' ” rosenberger told businessnewsdaily. “ you hear about aid and donations. those words need to come into conversation. " " creating jobs is a ladder to climb out of poverty, ” rosenberger said. at least one u. s. manufacturer of high - performance apparel, such as running shirts, thinks there is a healthy u. s. market for importing the fabric thread plans to produce. " people are starting to pay more attention to where things are coming from and want to buy from factories that are paying a fair wage and not exploiting the environment, ” said jeremy litchfield, owner of atayne, a brunswick, maine - based manufacturer of apparel that uses fabric similar to what thread hopes to produce. “ there could be many companies interested in buying from them. there ’ s a tremendous potential market out there. ”


the declining areal cover and thickness of summer ice in the arctic sea continues, with 2012 shaping up to be another record - breaking year. read the bbc summary here. these declines are of course predicted as a consequence of warming air temperatures due to anthropogenic global warming, but what really alarms me is the speed at which it is progressing. basically, ice loss is accelerating every year, and has been since we noted a drastic speed - up in 2007. the consequences of an ice free arctic will be far - reaching. first there are physical consequences. losing the ice reduces the regional albedo, and creates a feedback that will continue the acceleration. furthermore, thinner ice means that more light penetrates into the depths, warming the water beneath. the region ’ s biology is also changing, and this too will accelerate. warmer, brighter waters will most likely increase biological productivity in the arctic sea, which will be good news for some human industries, but isn ’ t good news for all. the opening of the seaway, and increasing productivity, will change the ecology of the region, displacing many species, while allowing invasion from neighbouring waters in the northern pacific and atlantic. geerat vermeij and i wrote a predictive paper about this, oh, 4 years ago now. it is difficult to predict exactly what the consequences of those changes will be because of the problem ’ s complexity, but they will be large. and finally, of course, opening the sea exposes many many resources of interest to humans, including fossil fuel deposits and shipping lanes. let the wrangling begin. noe note though is that the arctic sea ice melting will not contribute significantly to sea level rise ; that ice is already in the ocean. our planet continues to change in response to global warming, and it seems that some of those changes are accelerating. i cannot be certain, and we will only know this in hindsight, but in my opinion we are beginning to cross thresholds. the time for discussion is long past. now is the time for increased mitigation and implementation of adaptive strategies. i don ’ t think that we are yet at the point where we need to consider drastic measures, such as extreme geoengineering. but, in the same way that a failure to agree upon and implement effective mitigating measures has brought us to this point, we may well be on our way to addressing this problem with technologically challenging, ecosystem - altering, economically difficult and socially painful actions.


the concept and of jihad in islam michael g. knapp from parameters, spring 2003, pp. 82 - 94. all these crimes and sins committed by the americans are a clear declaration of war on god, his messenger, and muslims.... [ t ] he jihad is an individual duty if the enemy destroys the muslim countries.... as for the fighting to repulse [ an enemy ], it is aimed at defending sanctity and religion, and it is a duty.... on that basis, and in compliance with gods order, we issue the following fatwa to all muslims : the ruling to kill the americans and their alliescivilian and militaryis an individual duty for every muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it. osama bin laden et al., in declaration of the world islamic front for jihad against the jews and crusaders, 23 february 1998 the word jihad means struggle or striving ( in the way of god ) or to work for a noble cause with determination ; it does not mean holy war ( war in arabic is harb and holy is muqadassa ). unlike its medieval christian counterpart term, crusade ( war for the cross ), however, the term jihad for muslims has retained its religious and military connotation into modern times. the word jihad has appeared widely in the western news media following the 11 september 2001 terrorist attacks on the world trade center and the pentagon, but the true meaning of this term in the islamic world ( it is sometimes called the sixth pillar of the faith ) is still not well understood by non - muslims. in war, the first essential is to know your adversaryhow he thinks and why he thinks that way, and what his strategy and objectives areso that you can attempt to frustrate his plans and protect the lives of your fellow citizens. understanding how radical muslims see jihad and are employing it asymmetrically against us can provide us with that kind of perspective. this article will trace the development of jihad through early islamic history into the present day, and will focus on how jihad in concept and practice has been appropriated and distorted by muslim extremists as part of their violent campaign against the west and their own governments. jihad as a centerpiece of radical thought is illustrated by examining the doctrines of prominent extremist groups such as hamas and egyptian islamic jihad. misuse of the term by prominent extremist leaders, such as by osama bin laden and others in the quote above, is also


radical thought is illustrated by examining the doctrines of prominent extremist groups such as hamas and egyptian islamic jihad. misuse of the term by prominent extremist leaders, such as by osama bin laden and others in the quote above, is also addressed. the classical concept of jihad quranic and early legal perspectives muslims themselves have disagreed throughout their history about the meaning of the term jihad. in the quran ( or koran ), it is normally found in the sense of fighting in the path of god ; this was used to describe warfare against the enemies of the early muslim community ( ummah ). in the hadith, the second - most authoritative source of the sharia ( islamic law ), jihad is used to mean armed action, and most islamic theologians and jurists in the classical period ( the first three centuries ) of muslim history understood this obligation to be in a military sense. 1 islamic jurists saw jihad in the context of conflict in a world divided between the dar al - islam ( territory under islamic control ) and the dar al - harb ( territory of war, which consisted of all lands not under muslim rule ). the inhabitants of the territory of war are divided between people of the book ( mainly jews and christians ) and polytheists. this requirement to continue jihad until all of the world is included in the territory of islam does not imply that muslims must wage nonstop warfare, however. although there was no mechanism for recognizing a non - muslim government as legitimate, jurists allowed for the negotiation of truces and peace treaties of limited duration. additionally, extending the territory of islam does not mean the annihilation of all non - muslims, nor even their necessary conversion : jihad cannot imply conversion by force, since the quran ( 2 : 256 ) states that there is no compulsion in religion. more than a religious aim, jihad really had a political one : the drive to establish a single, unified muslim realm justified islams supercession of other faiths and allowed for the creation of a just political and social order. 2 jihad was generally understood not as an obligation of each individual muslim ( known as fard ayn ) but as a general requirement of the muslim community ( fard kifaya ). only in emergencies, when the dar al - islam comes under unexpected attack, do all muslims have to participate in jihad. under normal circumstances, therefore, an individual muslim need not take part so long as other muslims carry the burden for all of defending the realm. 3 other philosophical perspectives this consensus view of a restricted, defensive


, do all muslims have to participate in jihad. under normal circumstances, therefore, an individual muslim need not take part so long as other muslims carry the burden for all of defending the realm. 3 other philosophical perspectives this consensus view of a restricted, defensive version of jihad was contested by muslim legal philosopher taqi al - din ahmad ibn taymiyya ( 1263 - 1328 ). he declared that a ruler who fails to enforce the sharia rigorously in all aspects, including the conduct of jihad ( and is therefore insufficiently muslim ), forfeits his right to rule. ibn taymiyya strongly advocated jihad as warfare against both the crusaders and mongols who then occupied parts of the dar al - islam, and most important, broke with the mainstream of islam by asserting that a professing muslim who does not live by the faith is an apostate ( unbeliever ). by going well beyond most jurists ( who tolerated rulers who violated the sharia for the sake of community stability ), ibn taymiyya laid much of the groundwork for the intellectual arguments of contemporary radical islamists. 4 islamic law condemns all warfare that does not qualify as jihad, specifically any warfare among muslims. thus, military action against muslims is justified only by denying them the status of muslims ( e. g., classifying them as apostates or rebels ). 5 islamic juristic tradition is also very hostile toward terror as a means of political resistance. classical muslim jurists were remarkably tolerant toward political rebels by holding that they may not be executed nor their property confiscated. this tolerance vanished, however, for rebels who conducted attacks against unsuspecting and defenseless victims or who spread terror through abductions, rapes, the use of poisoned arrows and poisoning of wells ( the chemical warfare of this period ), arson, attacks against travelers, and night attacks. in these cases, jurists demanded harsh penalties ( including death ) and ruled that the punishment was the same whether the perpetrator or victim was muslim or non - muslim. 6 three main views of jihad thus coexisted in pre - modern times. in addition to the classical legal view of jihad as a compulsory, communal effort to defend and expand the dar al - islam, and ibn taymiyyas notion of active jihad as an indispensable feature of legitimate rule, there was also the sufi movements doctrine of greater jihad. the sufis ( a mystical sect of islam ) understood the greater jihad as an inner struggle against the base instincts of the body but also


jihad as an indispensable feature of legitimate rule, there was also the sufi movements doctrine of greater jihad. the sufis ( a mystical sect of islam ) understood the greater jihad as an inner struggle against the base instincts of the body but also against corruption of the soul, and believed that the greater jihad is a necessary part of the process of gaining spiritual insight. to this day, most muslims see jihad as a personal rather than a political struggle, while physical actions taken in defense of the realm are considered the lesser jihad. it is not surprising, then, that disagreement over the meaning of jihad has continued into the modern era. 7 origins of radical ideologies muslim reform movements in the middle east first acquired a sense of urgency with the arrival of european imperialism in the latter part of the 19th century. the end of colonialism and acquisition of independence by most muslim countries after world war ii accelerated this drive. however, the massive social changes that accompanied these reforms and the simultaneous introduction of new ideas that were alien to classical islamic traditionsuch as nationalism, popular sovereignty, and womens rightsdisrupted traditional ways of life and caused traumatic dislocations in these societies. 8 disillusionment with the path muslim societies have taken in the modern period reached its height in the 1970s. increasingly widespread rejection of western civilization as a model for muslims to emulate has been accompanied by a search for indigenous values that reflect traditional muslim culture, as well as a drive to restore power and dignity to the community. the last 30 years have seen the rise of militant, religiously - based political groups whose ideology focuses on demands for jihad ( and the willingness to sacrifice ones life ) for the forceful creation of a society governed solely by the sharia and a unified islamic state, and to eliminate un - islamic and unjust rulers. these groups are also reemphasizing individual conformity to the requirements of islam. 9 militant islam ( also referred to as political or radical islam ) is rooted in a contemporary religious resurgence in private and public life. 10 the causes of islamic radicalism have been religio - cultural, political, and socio - economic and have focused on issues of politics and social justice such as authoritarianism, lack of social services, and corruption, which all intertwine as catalysts. many islamic reform groups have blamed social ills on outside influences ; for example, modernization ( e. g., westernization and secularization ) has been perceived as a form of neocolonialism, an evil that replaces muslim religious and cultural identity


many islamic reform groups have blamed social ills on outside influences ; for example, modernization ( e. g., westernization and secularization ) has been perceived as a form of neocolonialism, an evil that replaces muslim religious and cultural identity and values with alien ideas and models of development. 11 islamic militancy is still not well understood by americans. this is partly due to the secrecy which radical islamic groups practice to protect themselves from the authorities and from outsiders who do not share their views and aims, but also because western public communications media frequently tend to marginalize such groups. they are dismissed as religious fanatics, anti - western hooligans, or mindless terrorists, without making an attempt to comprehend the deep discontents that have produced these islamic groups violent actions or the logic of their radical cause which compels them to behave as they do. 12 differences in sunni and shia interpretations of jihad sunni and shia ( shiite ) muslims agree, in terms of just cause, that jihad applies to the defense of territory, life, faith, and property ; it is justified to repel invasion or its threat ; it is necessary to guarantee freedom for the spread of islam ; and that difference in religion alone is not a sufficient cause. some islamic scholars have differentiated disbelief from persecution and injustice, and claimed that jihad is justified only to fight those unbelievers who have initiated aggression against the muslim community. others, however, have stated more militant views which were inspired by islamic resistance to the european powers during the colonial period : in this view, jihad as aggressive war is authorized against all non - muslims, whether they are oppressing muslims or not. the question of right authorityno jihad can be waged unless it is directed by a legitimate ruleralso has been divisive among muslims. the sunnis saw all of the muslim caliphs ( particularly the first four rightly guided caliphs to rule after the prophet muhammads death, who possessed combined religious and political authority ) as legitimate callers of jihad, as long as they had the support of the realms ulama ( islamic scholars ). the shia see this power as having been meant for the imams, but it was wrongly denied to them by the majority sunnis. the lack of proper authority after the disappearance of the 12th ( hidden ) imam in 874 a. d. also posed problems for the shia ; this was resolved by the ulama increasingly taking this authority for itself to the point where all legitimate forms of jihad may be considered defensive, and there is no restriction


( hidden ) imam in 874 a. d. also posed problems for the shia ; this was resolved by the ulama increasingly taking this authority for itself to the point where all legitimate forms of jihad may be considered defensive, and there is no restriction on the kind of war which may be waged in the hidden imams absence so long as it is authorized by a just ruler ( this idea reached its zenith under irans ayatollah ruhollah khomeini ). both sects agree on the other prerequisites for jihad. right intention ( niyyah ) is fundamentally important for engaging in jihad. fighting for the sake of conquest, booty, or honor in the eyes of ones companions will earn no reward ; the only valid purpose for jihad is to draw near to god. in terms of last resort, jihad may be waged only if the enemy has first been offered the triple alternative : accept islam, pay the jizyah ( the poll tax required for non - muslim people of the book living under muslim control ), or fight. 13 conditions also are placed on the behavior of combatants in jihad : discrimination of noncombatants from warriors is required, along with the prohibition of harm to noncombatants such as women, children, the disabled, monks and rabbis ( unless they are involved in the fighting ), and those who have been given the promise of immunity ; and proportionality, meaning that the least amount of force is used to obtain the desired ends in combat. 14 ideas on jihad in the modern era sayyid abu al - ala mawdudi ( 1903 - 1979 ) was the first islamist writer to approach jihad systematically. warfare, in his view, is conducted not just to expand islamic political dominance, but also to establish just rule ( one that includes freedom of religion ). for mawdudi ( an indo - pakistani who agitated for pakistans independence from india ), jihad was akin to war of liberation, and is designed to establish politically independent muslim states. mawdudis view significantly changed the concept of jihad in islam and began its association with anticolonialism and national liberation movements. his approach paved the way for arab resistance to zionism and the existence of the state of israel to be referred to as jihad. 15 radical egyptian islamist thinkers ( and members of the muslim brotherhood ) hasan al - banna ( 1906 - 1949 ) and sayyid qutb ( 1906 - 1966 ) took hold of mawdudis activist and nationalist conception of jihad and its role in establishing


islamist thinkers ( and members of the muslim brotherhood ) hasan al - banna ( 1906 - 1949 ) and sayyid qutb ( 1906 - 1966 ) took hold of mawdudis activist and nationalist conception of jihad and its role in establishing a truly islamic government, and incorporated ibn taymiyyas earlier conception of jihad that includes the overthrow of governments that fail to enforce the sharia. this idea of revolution focuses first on dealing with the radicals own un - islamic rulers ( the near enemy ) before muslims can direct jihad against external enemies. if leaders such as egyptian president anwar sadat, for example, are not true muslims, then they cannot lead jihad, not even against a legitimate target such as israel. significantly, radical islamists consider jihad mandatory for all muslims, making it an individual rather than a communal duty. 16 the use of jihad by islamic militants regional islamic militant groups perceptions classical islamic criteria for jihad were based on the early unified muslim empire. the imposition of the modern nation - state on middle east societies, however, has made such ideas no longer applicable ; this can be seen by examining contemporary muslim militant groups ideologies. the islamic resistance movement ( commonly known as hamas ) sees its situation as similar to that of the muslim ruler saladin in his struggle against the christian crusaders, as can be seen by examining portions of its charter. the goal of hamas is to establish an islamic palestinian state in place of israel, through both violent means ( including terrorism ) and peaceful political activity. hamas argues that the current situation of the palestinians, living under israeli control or dispersed from their homeland, is part of an ongoing crusade by christians to take the holy lands out of palestinian hands. the loss of palestine and the creation of israel, the charter continues, were brought about by the great powers of east and west, and taken together constitute a great tragedy not only for the palestinians but for the entire islamic community. this, hamas proclaims, requires jihad not in the sense of expanding the territory of islam, but of restoring it, and to recover land rather than conquer it. nor is it a rebellion in the classical sense ; rather, this is a struggle to regain a lost portion of the territory of islam. the hamas charter thus provides a uniquely islamic rationale for al - intifada, the shaking off of illegitimate rule. 17 this language thus seems to suggest defensive jihad, rather than an offensive struggle. since hamas is not acting on behalf of an established government, it must find authorization elsewhere for its struggle against not only external enemies but


, the shaking off of illegitimate rule. 17 this language thus seems to suggest defensive jihad, rather than an offensive struggle. since hamas is not acting on behalf of an established government, it must find authorization elsewhere for its struggle against not only external enemies but also so - called muslim governments that collaborate with the non - muslim powers ( by cooperating with israel or allowing the basing of western troops on their soil ). the group considers muslim governments that cooperate with the west as ignorant of the non - muslim nations true intentions, or corrupt. hamas argues that it obtains its authority to declare jihad in another way : the western powers invasion of islamic territory has created an emergency situation where muslims cannot wait for authorization other than that given directly by god, so jihad is a required duty for all conscientious muslims. 18 this exceptional situation suspends the usual lines between parties in a relationship so that every muslim can participate in the struggle. hamas charter thus relates the current situation of muslims to the classical period, but also marks a break with that classical past. this extraordinary situation also means a change in the nature of muslim obligation under jihad, from a collective responsibility to extend the dar al - islam to a duty for each individual muslim to restore that territory. 19 the same pattern of thinking is present in the neglected duty, a pamphlet produced by egyptian islamic jihad ( or eij, the group that assassinated anwar sadat in 1981 ). this pamphlet, the groups announced testament, is also a clear expression of the sunni islamist perspective on political violence as jihad. it argues that jihad as armed action is the heart of islam, and that the neglect of this type of action by muslims has caused the current depressed condition of islam in the world. eij attempts to communicate a sense of urgency to muslims, who are being victimized and whose territory is being divided and controlled by non - muslim powers. the document also seeks to justify jihad against other muslims who, because they are ignorant of this situation, actively cooperate with the unbelievers in the name of modernization, and are worse than rebelsthey are muslim traitors and apostates. furthermore, fighting such unbelievers without the limits imposed if they were rebellious muslims is justified, since they are worse than other unbelievers. 20 the neglected duty defines the current rulers of the muslim world ( as sadat was defined ) as the primary enemies of islam and apostates, despite their profession of islam and obedience to some of its laws, and advocates their execution. this document is explicitly messianic


the current rulers of the muslim world ( as sadat was defined ) as the primary enemies of islam and apostates, despite their profession of islam and obedience to some of its laws, and advocates their execution. this document is explicitly messianic, asserting that muslims must exert every conceivable effort to bring about the establishment of truly islamic government, a restoration of the caliphate, and the expansion of the dar al - islam, and that the success of these endeavors is inevitable. 21 the neglected duty cites a different historical analogy for this struggle than does hamas charter, however : more appropriate than the threat posed by the european crusaders was the struggle of muslims against the mongol invaders. eij is raising an important issue connected with irregular war : the group is advocating mass resistance against an established government, and such revolution can be justified in islam only where the ruler becomes an unbeliever through public displays of unbelief. the most significant of such acts is introduction of an innovation ( bidah ), which is a policy, teaching, or action that violates precedents in the quran or hadith. the leadership thus loses its divinely given authority when it commits apostasy, and muslims not only must no longer obey such a ruler, but are required to revolt and depose him. this reference to the obligation to god for the creation and maintenance of an islamic state and the responsibilities of muslims serves to answer the question of authorization for militant islamic forces. 22 the neglected duty provides further justification for armed action by arguing that egypt, like most of its neighbors, is not an islamic state because its constitution and laws are a mix of traditional islamic judgments and european law codes. imposition of such a mixed legal system ( non - islamic laws that are an innovation ) by egypts leaders on their subjects thus means that the nation is not part of the territory of islam, but part of the territory of war or unbelief. 23 shia radicals have a similar perspective to their sunni extremist brothers in arms. ayatollah ruhollah khomeini ( 1902 - 1989 ) contended that islamic jurists, by means of jihad and enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, must expose and overthrow tyrannical rulers and rouse the people so the universal movement of all alert muslims can establish islamic government in the place of tyrannical regimes. the proper teaching of islam will cause the entire population to become mujahids [ literally strugglers for god ]. ayatollah murtaza muta


movement of all alert muslims can establish islamic government in the place of tyrannical regimes. the proper teaching of islam will cause the entire population to become mujahids [ literally strugglers for god ]. ayatollah murtaza mutahhari ( 1920 - 1979 ), a top ideologue of the iranian revolution, considered jihad a necessary consequence of islams content : by having political aims, islam must sanction armed force and provide laws for its use. mutahhari deemed jihad to be defensive, but his definition includes defense against oppression and may require what international law would consider a war of aggression. for example, he endorses an attack on a country of polytheists ( some muslims see christians as polytheists due to christianitys belief in a god who can exist in three manifestations ) with the goal simply to eliminate polytheisms evils, not to impose islam. 24 another radical shia perspective on the justification for jihad can be found in the words of shaykh muhammad hussein fadlallah, spiritual leader of lebanese hizballah. in a 1986 interview, he stated that although violence is justified only for defensive purposes and as a last resort, the contemporary situation of the people of the middle east, in particular of muslims, creates a scenario that breeds violence. the establishment of israel, the dislocation of the palestinians, and the interference of a great oppressive power ( in other words, the united states ) in arab - islamic political, economic, and social affairs leads some muslims ( e. g., militant groups ) to consider themselves justified in using force to achieve their goals, and this can even sometimes lead to extreme behavior. 25 fadlallah does clarify that terrorism ( hudna, or violence in arabic ) is not legitimate or justified in islam, to include the destruction of life, kidnapping, or the hijacking of airliners or ships, and suggests that militants have gone too far in the conduct of their struggle when they employ such means. nevertheless, he concludes by informing the american people that it is up to them to improve the situation by pressing for reforms in the policies of their government. 26 how should the west respond to islamic militant groups? shaykh fadlallah suggests that the west should listen to the anger expressed by such groups. while stressing that the way to peace is through dialogue, fadlallah said that the west must first recognize that muslims who act in ways that are harmful to western interests are responding to pain of their own. islam, he


by such groups. while stressing that the way to peace is through dialogue, fadlallah said that the west must first recognize that muslims who act in ways that are harmful to western interests are responding to pain of their own. islam, he added, should not be thought of as uncompromisingly hostile to the west, since militant groups do not speak for all of the community. fadlallah adds that if the west does listen to these groups, however, it will understand that the concerns these groups have ( for justice, human rights, and self - determination ) are legitimate, even if their methods are excessive. 27 al qaeda and a new twist on old complaints before his emergence as the prime suspect in the 9 / 11 attacks, osama bin laden had described his goals and grievances and the tactics of his transnational al qaeda network in great detail in a series of statements and interviews. taken together, these statements provide insight into an ideology that may seem abhorrent or crazy to americans but has been carefully crafted to appeal to the disgruntled and dispossessed of the islamic world. 28 bin ladens ideology, however, is really more political than religious. at the heart of bin ladens philosophy are two declarations of war jihadagainst the united states. the first, his bayan ( statement ) issued on 26 august 1996, was directed specifically at americans occupying the land of the two holy places, as bin laden refers to the cities of mecca and medina that are located in his native saudi arabia. here he calls upon muslims all over the world to fight to expel the infidels... from the arab peninsula. 29 in his fatwa of 23 february 1998, titled declaration of the world islamic front for jihad against the jews and crusaders, which he issued along with the leaders of extremist groups in egypt, pakistan, and bangladesh, bin laden broadened his earlier edict. in the fatwa, he specifies that the radicals war is a defensive struggle against americans and their allies who have declared war on god, his messenger, and muslims. the crimes and sins perpetrated by the united states are threefold : first, it stormed the arabian peninsula during the gulf war and has continued occupying the lands of islam in the holiest of places ; second, it continues a war of annihilation against iraq ; and third, the united states supports the state of israel and its continued occupation of jerusalem. the only appropriate muslim response, according to the fatwa, is a defensive


in jihads against their own not - islamic - enough governments and societies. the readiness of millions of young men trained in these schools to sacrifice their lives for islamand their unquestioning acceptance of anti - american and pro - islamic extremist propagandawill continue to be a powerful and enduring weapon against the us - led global war on terrorism, and one that bin laden and other militants who are bent on attacking the united states and its allies can call on in the years ahead. acceptance of militants ideas and methods is limited the thrust of the entire jihad tradition which islamic radicals have hijacked makes it clear that not everything is permissible. although the language in the quran and hadith and in other classical muslim sources is overwhelmingly militant in many places, this is a reflection of the muslims world in the seventh century, which consisted initially of resistance to a variety of more powerful non - islamic tribes and then successful military campaigns to spread the faith. besides containing exhortations to fight, however, islamic sacred texts have also laid out the rules of engagement for war, which ( as mentioned earlier ) included prohibitions against the killing of noncombatants such as women, children, the aged, and disabled. these texts also require notice to the adversary before an attack, require that a muslim army must seek peace if its opponent does, and forbid committing aggression against others and suicide. 37 those who are unfamiliar with the quran and hadith can miss these points when confronted with the propagandistic calls to jihad of militant islamic groups. the actions of rebels in the classical period of islam encountered widespread resentment and condemnation, and this strong sentiment against rebellion remains in modern islamic thought. most muslims agree with the presumption in islamic teachings on war that individuals are innocent and therefore not subject to harm unless they demonstrate by their actions that they are a threat to the safety or survival of muslims. on this basis, the overwhelming majority of islamic scholars have for centuries rejected indiscriminate killing and the terrorizing of civilian populations as a legitimate form of jihad. 38 also, at no point do islamic sacred texts even consider the horrific and random slaughter of uninvolved bystanders that is represented by the 9 / 11 airliner attacks ; most muslims throughout the world were as shocked by those attacks as americans were. the radical message in works such as hamas charter, the neglected duty, and the writings of khomeini and his fellow revolutionary iranian shia clerics nevertheless finds a lot of acceptance with contemporary muslims. the reason is simply because of the poor


were. the radical message in works such as hamas charter, the neglected duty, and the writings of khomeini and his fellow revolutionary iranian shia clerics nevertheless finds a lot of acceptance with contemporary muslims. the reason is simply because of the poor socioeconomic circumstances and lack of human dignity that many muslim peoples find themselves subject to, brought about by secular failures to attend to their problems. 39 militant islamic groups, exempli - fied by hamas and the palestinian branch of islamic jihad, have been able to use such poor conditions to their advantage. they provide social services ( such as operating free or low - cost schools, medical clinics, sports clubs, and womens support groups ), many of which the palestinian authority itself often cannot provide, to build public support and attract recruits in the occupied territories. 40 public statements over the last several months by some moderate muslim religious authorities and commentators that islamic extremists are corrupting a peaceful religious faith for their own twisted ends are encouraging. equally positive is the growing recognition in the muslim world both of bin ladens lack of proper religious qualifications to issue any religious edicts that promote jihad, and his lack of success, on a strategic level, in forcing the united states to withdraw its military forces completely from saudi arabia or to give up its campaign against islamic terrorism. a few prominent muslim scholars have not only condemned the terrorist attacks upon the united states, but have declared the perpetrators of these attacks to be suicides, not martyrs. this is significant, since islam forbids suicide and teaches that its practitioners are sent not to paradise but to hell, where they are condemned to keep repeating their suicidal act for eternity. 41 as described herein, jihad in islamic thought and practice possesses a range of meanings, with muslim radicals focusing on the physical, violent form of struggle to resist what they see as cultural, economic, military, and political assaults from outside the ummah and oppression and injustice within. so long as societal conditions within many muslim states remain poor, with unrepresentative governments ( which are seen to be propped up by the united states ) that are unwilling or unable to undertake meaningful but difficult reforms, then militant islamic groups will continue to attract recruits and financial support. in spite of logical fallacies and inconsistencies in the doctrine of jihad of radical islamic groups, and the fact that most of the broad constituency they are attempting to appeal to does not buy into their ideology or methods, such groups nevertheless remain as significant threats to us interests everywhere in the world. the challenge for the us


jihad of radical islamic groups, and the fact that most of the broad constituency they are attempting to appeal to does not buy into their ideology or methods, such groups nevertheless remain as significant threats to us interests everywhere in the world. the challenge for the us government over the next several years will be to encourage and support lasting reform by muslim states who are our allies in the middle east, while maintaining a more balanced and fair - minded foreign policy toward all key regional players. we must also do a better job of countering the islamic extremists widely disseminated version of jihad, while being more persuasive that our own governmentand our societyare truly not anti - islamic. such actions will do much to deny a supportive environment to our radical muslim foes. for its part, the us military needs to better understand the religious and cultural aspects of our adversaries asymmetric mindsetin this case, how islamic militants conceive of and use jihadto be successful and survivable in its global campaign against terrorism. 1. bernard lewis, the political language of islam ( chicago : univ. of chicago press, 1988 ), p. 72, as quoted in douglas e. streusand, what does jihad mean? middle east quarterly, 4 ( september 1997 ), 1. 2. streusand, p. 2. 4. emmanuel sivan, radical islam : medieval theology and modern politics ( new haven : yale univ. press, 1990 ), p. 101 ; as quoted in streusand, pp. 2 - 3. 5. fred m. donner, the sources of islamic conceptions of war, in just war and jihad : historical and theoretical perspectives on war and peace in western and islamic traditions, ed. john kelsay and james turner johnson ( new york : greenwood press, 1991 ), pp. 51 - 52, as quoted in streusand, p. 3. 6. khaled abou el fadl, terrorism is at odds with islamic tradition, los angeles times, 22 august 2001. 7. streusand, pp. 3 - 4. 8. johannes j. g. jansen, the neglected duty : the creed of sadats assassins and islamic resurgence in the middle east ( new york : macmillan, 1986 ), pp. xi - xii. 9. ibid., pp. xii - xiii. 10. the term fundamentalism is also used incorrectly in conjunction with islam to describe this phenomenon, but this concept is really more appropriate to american


, 1986 ), pp. xi - xii. 9. ibid., pp. xii - xiii. 10. the term fundamentalism is also used incorrectly in conjunction with islam to describe this phenomenon, but this concept is really more appropriate to american christian thought, whence it originated. 11. john l. esposito, political islam and the west, military technology, february 2001, pp. 89 - 90. 12. jansen, pp. xiii - xiv. 13. mehdi abedi and gary legenhausen, eds., jihad and shahadat : struggle and martyrdom in islam ( houston : institute for research and islamic studies, 1986 ), pp. 21 - 23. 14. ibid., pp. 23 - 24. 15. streusand, p. 5. 16. sivan, pp. 16 - 21 and 114 - 16, as quoted in streusand, p. 5. 17. john kelsay, islam and war : a study in comparative ethics ( louisville, ky. : westminster / john knox press, 1993 ), pp. 95 - 97. 18. kelsay bases his discussion on the translation by muhammad maqdsi, titled charter of the islamic resistance movement ( hamas ) of palestine ( dallas : islamic association for palestine, 1990 ), pp. 17 - 18. another translation of this document, by raphael israeli, is available on the internet at www. ict. org. il / documents / documentdet. cfm? docid = 14. 19. kelsay, islam and war, p. 98. 20. ibid., pp. 100 - 01. 21. jansen, p. 162, as quoted in streusand, p. 5. 22. kelsay, islam and war, pp. 101 - 02. 23. ibid., p. 102. 24. abedi and legenhausen, p. 89, as quoted in streusand, p. 6. 25. kelsay, islam and war, p. 109. 26. ibid., pp. 109 - 10. 27. quoted in kelsay, islam and war, p. 108. 28. michael dobbs, inside the mind of osama bin laden, the washington post, 20 september 2001. 30. sohail hashmi, the terrorists zealotry is political not religious, the washington post, 30 september 2001. for a good analysis of bin ladens fatwa, including


##ama bin laden, the washington post, 20 september 2001. 30. sohail hashmi, the terrorists zealotry is political not religious, the washington post, 30 september 2001. for a good analysis of bin ladens fatwa, including its historical background, see bernard lewis, license to kill, foreign affairs, 77 ( november / december 1998 ), 14 - 19. the translated text of the fatwa itself is available on the federation of american scientists website at www. fas. org / irp / world / para / docs / 980223 - fatwa. htm. 34. jeffrey goldberg, inside jihad u. : the education of a holy warrior, new york times magazine, 25 july 2000. 35. indira a. r. lakshmanan, in some schools, jihad, anger at us are lessons, boston globe, 4 october 2001. 37. teresa watanabe, extremists put own twist on islamic faith, los angeles times, 24 september 2001. 39. jansen, p. 2. 40. islamic groups going for goodwill, daily progress ( charlottesville, va. ), 18 november 1998, p. a8. 41. bernard lewis, jihad vs. crusade, the wall street journal, 27 september 2001. michael knapp is a middle east / africa analyst with the us army national ground intelligence center ( ngic ), in charlottesville, virginia. he has worked in us government intelligence for over 24 years, both as a civilian and ( now retired ) military intelligence officer in the us army reserve. mr. knapps previous civilian assignments included analytical positions in the defense intelligence agency and the drug enforcement administration, and his military career consisted of active duty in germany and texas, and service in the virginia army national guard. go to spring issue table of contents. go to cumulative article index. go to parameters home page. reviewed 7 february 2003. please send comments or corrections to firstname. lastname @ example. org


since canadian confederation in 1867, twenty - one men and one woman have served as prime minister of canada, assuming the ultimate challenge of political leadership in canada ' s federal parliamentary system ; they successfully battled both party rivals and opposition parties to gain, and hold, the office that has been called " the apex of power " in canada ; and they left an extraordinary documentary record. library and archives canada ( lac ) was founded in 1872 by canada ' s first prime minister, sir john a. macdonald ; fittingly, macdonald ' s papers ( 125 linear feet ) were lac ' s first prime ministerial acquisition, in 1914 ; the prime ministers collection has subsequently grown to include approximately 12, 700 linear feet of textual records, 18. 9 gigabytes of electronic records, 700 reels of microfilm, and over one million photographs, as well as numerous paintings, caricatures, posters, films, videocassettes, audio cassettes, philatelic items, medals, and political buttons. the collection held at lac encompasses the original textual records of eighteen prime ministers, with microfilm copies of the papers of another two ; these extensive holdings comprise not only official and political documents, but also personal and family papers, constituting an invaluable source that is regularly consulted by students, scholars, journalists, and other researchers ; the historian john english, who recently worked on the early papers of pierre elliott trudeau at lac, underscored the importance of such holdings : " trudeau ' s private papers are an exceptionally rich lode for a biographer to mine, and valuable nuggets appear in virtually every box. " the collection includes many such treasures, but arguably the most remarkable is the diary kept by canada ' s longest - serving prime minister, william lyon mackenzie king ; this document, which king began in 1893 when he was an undergraduate student, ended in 1950, a few days before his death ; it comprises nearly 30, 000 pages and more than 7, 500, 000 words ; not only is it a remarkable political record, but it is also one of canada ' s greatest literary achievements ; according to the critic robert fulford, it " might turn out to be the only canadian work of our century that someone will look at in 500 years. " in 2003, lac made the entire diary available on its web site under the title : a real companion and friend. king ' s diary is only one of many significant prime ministerial items now available on the lac web site ; most of the prime ministers ' finding aids are online, as are detailed


- does global change increase the success of biological invaders? trends in ecology & evolution, volume 14, issue 4, 1 april 1999, pages 135 - 139 jeffrey s. dukes and harold a. mooney abstractbiological invasions are gaining attention as a major threat to biodiversity and an important element of global change. recent research indicates that other components of global change, such as increases in nitrogen deposition and atmospheric co2 concentration, favor groups of species that share certain physiological or life history traits. new evidence suggests that many invasive species share traits that will allow them to capitalize on the various elements of global change. increases in the prevalence of some of these biological invaders would alter basic ecosystem properties in ways that feed back to affect many components of global change. abstract | full text | pdf ( 101 kb ) - roles of parasites in animal invasions trends in ecology & evolution, volume 19, issue 7, 1 july 2004, pages 385 - 390 john prenter, calum macneil, jaimie t. a dick and alison m dunn abstractbiological invasions are global threats to biodiversity and parasites might play a role in determining invasion outcomes. transmission of parasites from invading to native species can occur, aiding the invasion process, whilst the ‘ release ’ of invaders from parasites can also facilitate invasions. parasites might also have indirect effects on the outcomes of invasions by mediating a range of competitive and predatory interactions among native and invading species. although pathogen outbreaks can cause catastrophic species loss with knock - on effects for community structure, it is less clear what impact persistent, sub - lethal parasitism has on native - invader interactions and community structure. here, we show that the influence of parasitism on the outcomes of animal invasions is more subtle and wide ranging than has been previously realized. abstract | full text | pdf ( 130 kb ) - understanding the long - term effects of species invasions trends in ecology & evolution, volume 21, issue 11, 1 november 2006, pages 645 - 651 david l. strayer, valerie t. eviner, jonathan m. jeschke and michael l. pace abstractwe describe here the ecological and evolutionary processes that modulate the effects of invasive species over time, and argue that such processes are so widespread and important that ecologists should adopt a long - term perspective on the effects of invasive species. these processes ( including evolution, shifts in species composition, accumulation of materials and interactions with abiotic variables ) can increase, decrease, or qualitatively change the impacts of an invader through time. however, most


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