Christmas Visualization: Metadata

What is metadata? A Christmas themed exploration. By Bonnie Swoger | December 17, 2012 | Scientific American On the same shelf:

Well-formed data: A star for your christmas tree December 16th, 2007

Seeing Standards: A Visualization of the Metadata Universe, 06/30/2010 -- Indiana University Libraries have produced a beautiful visualization of metadata standards, comprising what they term “the metadata universe."[source]

Seeing Standards: A Visualization of the Metadata Universe - Places & Spaces: Mapping Science

2008 Proc. Int’l Conf. on Dublin Core and Metadata Applications

Dublin Core Metadata applied to Websites in Cyber Worship in Multifaith Perspectives

Being Just in the love of the Prophet ~ Innocence of Muslims / Desert Warrior

Note: This post is continuously updated, modified on 3 Oct., 2012

Western defenders of ‘free speech’ need to look in the mirror, October 03, 2012, Toronto Star Haroon Siddiqui

The Arbitrary Limits to Freedom of Expression, Abubakar Kasim, Huffington Post, 10/01/2012

Why ban Kate’s images, but not Muhammed’s? The record (Kitchener, Waterloo), Sep 21 2012

Blasphemy in Islam: The Quran does not prescribe punishment for abusing the Prophet, by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Oct 2, 2012, The Times of India

Dr. Hamid Slimi discusses how the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم‎ - Peace be upon him) would have responded to any matter, in times of trials, tribulations, and massive misinformation-- based on a Chapter of the Quran, Kausar (i.e., Surah # 108).

See also the sequel to the above khutba, "What did this Imam just say about Slander?..."

Extract from Sound Vision, Chicago:

"Let not the hatred of a people swerve you away from justice. Be just, for this is closest to righteousness…” (Quran 5:8). While Muslims love and deeply respect Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, others regularly heap abuse on him. Around the world, and here in the U.S., blogs, television shows, some preachers, commentary, and talking heads regularly insult our beloved Prophet and attack his character in ways that are very painful for Muslims to bear. We need to understand this abuse for what it is: a form of psychological violence intended to hurt and harm. Our response when we encounter such attacks must be to seek God’s forgiveness and respond with what is better: prayers on the Prophet and Duas for him. ... It’s also important to remember to just move on. We cannot allow these attacks to hurt us, for that is their very purpose. It’s also vital to keep in mind that you are limited in your responsibility for what you can do to counter these insults. You don’t control the world, you don’t change hearts. Try your best and then put your trust in Allah. That is all you are required to do. continue reading: Being Just in the love of the Prophet, By Abdul Malik Mujahid

On the same shelf:

Free speech vs. reverence for Muhammad: Can they coexist? -- did you know this CS article? Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor

Offensive Propaganda: The Aesthetics of an Islamic Response, Khalid's Blog

Some Muslims Don't Get It: Freedom of Speech and the Legitimacy of Muslim Protests, Mike Ghouse, Huffington Post

Muslims Invited to View Film on Muslim-Christian Relations in USA, By Imam By Habeeb Ali, Toronto

Interfaith groups react to anti-Muslim film, condemn violence abroad, By Samer Hijazi, The Arab American News

Stop Dehumanizing Muslims! By Abubakar N. Kasim

Montreal Muslims react to violence, call for calm and dialogue CTV Montreal

Moderate And Hardline Muslims Struggle Within Popular Rage Against Anti-Islam Film And America Huffington Post

Here Is the Original Script for Innocence of Muslims (Desert Warrior), Adrian Chen

Moderates in West must raise their voices: Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star

Dealing with Mosquitoes: A Faith-based Survey

NB. This is only a sample survey. Ask me for more faith-based resources.

The Sixth Day
A group of wise men gathered to discuss the work of God; they wanted to know why he had left it to the sixth day to create man.
"He thought about first organising the Universe well, so that we could have all the marvels available to us," said one of them.
"First of all He wanted to run some tests on animals, so that He would not make the same mistakes with us," argued another.
One wise Jew showed up at the meeting. They told him the theme of the discussion: "In your opinion, why did God leave it to the last day to create man?"
"Very simple," commented the wise man. "So that when we were moved by pride, we would remember that even a simple mosquito enjoyed priority in the work of the Divine."
How to live with others By Paulo Coelho, © Translated by James Mulholland

KNOW YOUR MOSQUITO!

"A mosquito by any name...
The Spanish called them, "musketas,", the native Hispanic Americans "zancudos." "Musketas" is a Spanish word meaning "little fly" while "zancudos," means "long-legged." Scandanavians called them by a variety of names including "myg" and "myyga" while the Greeks called them "konopus." The use of the word "mosquito" is apparently of North American origin and dates back to about 1583. In Europe, mosquitoes were called "gnats" by the English, "Les moucherons" or "Les cousins" by French writers, and the Germans used the name "Stechmucken" or "Schnacke." In 300 BC, Aristotle referred to mosquitoes as "empis" in his Historia Animalium where he documented their life cycle."

PUNCHLINE from an interview with Church Militant: Ann Coulter on God, Faith, and Liberals
@ Beliefnet.com:

Many arguments in favor of Darwinian evolution strike me as actually being arguments against the existence of God--that is, why would a creator create tapeworms, disease viruses, and other bad things? Why do you think such things exist in a world of intelligent design?

Your question is incomprehensible. I assume you are trying to ask me: "Why would God create tapeworms?"

My answer is: God also created mosquitoes, which I hate. But purple martins love mosquitoes and would probably all starve without them. It's kind of a “big picture” thing. Of course that doesn't explain why He created Michael Moore. For that, I have no explanation. My guess is that disease, pestilence, and Michael Moore are all perversions of the good that God created, a result of sin entering the world through Adam and Eve.

To Offer Your Heart

According to Sharon Salzberg, faith is not a set of beliefs, but the act of opening our hearts to the unknown.

Sharon Salzberg has been practicing and studying Buddhism for more than 30 years. A renowned spiritual leader and meditation instructor, she is the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. The message in her latest book, "Faith," offers insight to practitioners of any religious tradition.

In an interview with Belief Net, Sharon answers the question "What does faith mean to you?" this way:

Faith means several different things to me. It means having the courage to go forward into the unknown. I think we spend so much of our lives trying to pretend that we know what's going to happen next. In fact we don't. To recognize that we don't know even what will happen this afternoon and yet having the courage to move forward--that's one meaning of faith. continue reading "Sharon Salzberg on Faith" @ Faith Commons