Virgin launches glass-bottomed plane

     Virgin launches glass - bottomed plane By Richard Branson - I'm thrilled to announce that Virgin has created another world-first with the introduction of the technology required to produce the world's first glass-bottomed plane. This technological innovation coincides with the start of Virgin Atlantic Airways' first ever domestic service to Scotland. In 1984 we started the wonderful airline that is Virgin Atlantic. I am incredibly proud of yet another aviation breakthrough which has been years in the making. I can't wait to experience the first flight for myself with my family and other natural born explorers. 2012 was a year of celebrating what is brilliant about Great Britain and I'm excited that in 2013 we are continuing this uplifting spirit by developing an experience that will enable Little Red passengers to appreciate the beauty of the British landscape. And with an unrivalled view of Scotland I hope this gives Scottish tourism an even bigger boost. We hope to trial the glass bottom technology with other Virgin airlines in time and have asked other Virgin companies to support this innovative trial and launch our new domestic Scottish route. This really is a team effort from all corners of Virgin. By Richard Branson. Founder of Virgin Group         __._,_.___ . __,_._,___

FREE Animations for your email - by IncrediMail Click Here! ►

The Beauty of Istighfar

When reading through the books, in particular the biographies and statements of our pious predecessors, one beautiful thing that always amazes me is how important Istighfar (seeking forgiveness) was to our Salaf and how deeply engaged they were in this particular act. Now, these were a people who lived and breathed Islam, whose hearts overflowed with Iman, yaqin (certainty), humbleness, and all good, and they were of tremendous worth in the Sight of Allah. They were the scholars, the righteous and pious, the sincere worshippers of Allah `azza WA jall. They were our best generations whose sins were few and good deeds were many… and yet you'll find that they never stopped seeking forgiveness. In fact, they'd spend some of their nights weeping and some of their days in sadness; always seeking forgiveness. Incredibly, in our current times, we've come to almost abandon this virtue of constant istighfar and only seem to associate it with the major sins and when we fall into grave matters! But in reality, we shouldn't seek forgiveness only when we fall into some wrong; rather it should be something that's continuously present in our daily life regardless of whether we perceive a sin on our part or not. And this is what kept the righteous people engaged in this virtuous act; they knew the nature of the soul and the nature of the human being. Sometimes we fall into sin, sometimes we fall short in our duties, sometimes we forget and make mistakes, sometimes we lose sight of the ultimate purpose of our existence, sometimes we lose track of our sincerity and intentions, sometimes we suffer a spiritual loss without realising it, and sometimes our Deen spirals downwards and we do not even acknowledge it. We slowly begin to lose out on the Akhirah (Hereafter), but we remain in complete obliviousness. Seeking forgiveness and repentance is hence crucial for the human who has these short-comings. By nature and by definition we are a creation prone to forgetfulness; and naturally we forget our sins and forget our shortcomings. For many of us, we do not even acknowledge when we fall into the wrong and this is perhaps the scariest thing. The effects of sin are many, but I just want to focus on a few: 1. One effect of sin is that a person will find themselves prevented from knowledge. I guess we're all aware of the famous poem by Imam al-Shafi'i wherein he said,   "I complained to Waki' regarding my poor memory So he guided me to abandon all sins And he said to me 'The Knowledge of Allah is a Light And the Light of Allah is not given to a sinner.'" Point being is that Allah is Tayyib (good) and He accepts only that which is tayyib (good). Sins on the other hand are a form of oppression (as the sinner only oppresses themselves) and this represents darkness as deduced from the hadith of the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi WA sallam) when he said,الظلم ظلمات يوم القيامة "Oppression is darkness on the Day of Judgement."[1]The knowledge which Allah `azza WA jall has revealed and taught to His Messenger (of Qur'an and Islamic 'ilm) is enshrouded in light and is in fact light itself – so it's not proper for this light to remain in the dark caverns of a sinner's heart. Darkness and light cannot co-exist. So persisting in wrong will forever keep you in darkness and prevent knowledge from reaching you and saving you. However, there is a way out… When you allow knowledge to benefit you and you act upon it as much as possible (beginning with abandoning sins and breaking its chains), darkness will instantly begin to fade away. 2. Another effect of sin is that a person will find themselves prevented from their rizq (provisions) or restricted in their livelihood. Do you ever find yourself in financial constraints without knowing why? Do you find that there is no barakah (blessing) in your money; the pay check arrives and within a few days or weeks you're down to restricted means again? Maybe you keep seeking avenues to make a living but find every door closes on you and frustration just keeps building up? Perhaps this is a time to sit with your soul and seek forgiveness. When the slave of Allah is continuous in Istighfar and Allah knows that they are always aware of their doings and they are cautious not to fall into sin, He will provide for them at every instance:"… And whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide him from whence he did not expect."[2]  He will bring them job opportunities without them even seeking or searching for it. The blessings of wealth, health and good means is brought to them and the Dunya itself brought to their feet. This is because the more God-conscious a person is, the higher their level of Taqwa. This means they are constantly thinking of their relationship with Allah and their focus is on the Hereafter, so Allah takes care of their Dunya and fills their life with provisions to help them maintain their focus on the Hereafter and His Remembrance. How Kind He is, subhanahu wa ta'ala. "… Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send rain to you in abundance and give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers."[3]  So the smart one realises that just as sins prevent provisions in life, seeking forgiveness will expand the provisions in their life, so they do not abandon it.   3. Another effect of sin is that one's supplications are prevented from being answered. In Sahih Muslim, there is a hadith of the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) where he mentioned the case of a man who: "… having journeyed far, is dishevelled and dusty and spreads out his hands to the sky saying, "O Lord! O Lord!" (crying out in du'a) – while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished from the unlawful, so how can he be answered?" This ties in with what's called 'akl al-haram' in Arabic, i.e. consuming from the unlawful. One of the greatest dangers we face in the West is the consumption of Riba' (interest), the effects of which are deadly and tremendous. If things are not working out in your life, if despite your good job and family, there always seem to be problems and discontentment in life, then seek forgiveness; perhaps major sins such as this have come between you and Allah so you no longer find peace and happiness in your provision. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) taught us well when he encouraged us with one particular supplication. He taught us to engage in saying:   اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني "O Allah, You are the Pardon and You love to Pardon, so pardon me."   [4] Hence seeking forgiveness is not just for the sinner, but it is a habit of the righteous and pious. Allah opens doors and bestows many blessings upon a person by virtue of their istighfar and remembrance. Let's make it our daily habit insha'Allah! - See more at: http://www.islam21c.com/spirituality/12620-the-beauty-of-istighfar#sthash.sKKPmPPk.dpuf

FREE Animations for your email - by IncrediMail Click Here! ►

5 Finest Invisible Gemstones To Check Out In USA

By Charles Bentley Five Best Hidden Gems to Visit in USA Vacations are a time regarding rest and a method to get away the particular every day strain of earning some sort of money and chasing the particular Us aspiration. A vacation is usually a compensate and a method to write about a number of outages together with spouse and children or pals. Planning where to get could be the toughest component of arranging. Do wanting some sort of touristy position, or perhaps a tranquil seek refuge? Most likely a number of dealt with spot which you could benefit from the landscape and wild animals. What about a number of sites which might be not well-known so that you can create special remembrances which past a very long time? Listed below are a few magnificent sites that will mix the particular our blood and encourage the sweetness as part of your internal. They are definitely among the better sites to visit inside STATES. Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada Just north of Las Vegas is a 4,200-acre park that sparks the imagination and strikes a dreamlike feeling running through your mind. With sienna sandstone shapes and petroglyphs that are over 3,000 years old, Valley of Fire is the largest state park in Nevada and was used as the landscape of Mars in the 1990 film, Total Recall. For shutterbugs, don't miss Elephant Rock, the Beehives, or Arch Rock. They are towering monoliths and the immense scale is hard to fathom. When taking pictures, placing people in the snapshot give a sense of their size. In the event you check out Vly of Fire, bring plenty of water, of course this is actually the Mojave Leave. For a practical journey, it's best to check out inside spg or slide. The temperature ranges below could be at least 120 degrees in the summer months. Ludington State Park, Michigan Created 76 years ago this 5,300-acre park is tucked in between Hamlin Lake and Lake Michigan and contains a historic lighthouse, twenty miles of trails for hiking, and biking; and beaches with dunes scattered about that are perfect for beachcombing. Climb up into the lighthouse for some spectacular views, or float down Big Sable River. Cache River State Natural Area, Illinois You will find renowned swamps inside Texas, or Louisiana, certainly much more than Cache Water Condition Healthy Place inside Illinois. Those usually are certainly among the better to visit, however who wants to end up being in the heart of some sort of masses. That case in point of any authentic the southern part of swamp gets couple of visitors compared to other park system along with the floodplains, wetlands, and a limestone barren safeguard above hundred decreasing in numbers or confronted pets create the particular individuality in this special spot.. The actual park your car a brand new discovered simply by raft, despite the fact that you will discover walking and cycling pistes observed throughout the area. The 20 miles of foot trails and a floating walkway leads to the center of Heron Pond, which is layered with floating emerald green duckweed in summer. You can bring your own canoe, kayak, or boat or rent one in Ullin Ill from White Crane Canoe and Pirogue Rentals in Ullin, Ill. Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia Blackwater Comes Condition Playground gets the identify to the is catagorized in the Blackwater Water in whose ocher -colored waters plummet a few reports after which control and dive via a gorge that's eight kilometers prolonged. The orange brown color of the water is a result of tannic acid from red spruce needles and downed hemlocks. There is exceptional fishing and camping activities in spring, fresh mountain breezes in the summer, Christmas-like fairyland in winter and incomparable scenic vistas in fall. Katy Trail State Park, Missouri Katy Path could be the nearly all intensive railroad and piste transformation in the us and goes over the midst of Missouri through Machens within the distance to be able to Clinton within the west. It follows the sooner path in the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway, also called the particular "Katy". The way is ready to accept bikers and backpackers, and in many cases horse back individuals and meanders by means of high, tunnels, open grounds, and valleys. There are impressive railway connections and occasionally hugs the particular boundary in the Missouri Water. If you are an enthusiastic bike owner, expend regarding a few days and nights and take on your entire 240-mile Katy Path. Lodging when it comes to inns and your bed and breakfasts provide a spot to lay your own careful head from a evening involving riding or strolling. Get out and enjoy the sights and sounds of America. Enjoy some of these best places to visit in the USA. Plan your next vacation now.

FREE Animations for your email - by IncrediMail Click Here! ►

World’s First ‘Instagram Hotel’ Offers Free Stay To Anyone With 10,000 Followers.

• 
  1888 Hotel in Sydney has an Instagram theme. IBTimes
• 
  The lobby of 1888 Hotel. IBTimes
• 
  The open elevator shaft runs through the center of the hotel. IBTimes
• 
  The lobby is full of glass-topped tables. IBTimes
• 
  The conference room has exposed bricks and original beams. IBTimes
• 
  Two large-screen Macs in the lobby display the #1888Hotel Instagram feed. IBTimes
• 
  There's plenty of exposed brick to be found in 1888 Hotel. IBTimes
• 
  Hotel rooms at 1888 average between A$200 and A$250 a night, or between US$187 and US$234 a night. IBTimes

Previous

1 of 8

Next

Set a foot inside Sydney’s new 1888 Hotel and you might feel the urge to grab your phone and snap a shot of its funky, industrial-chic lobby, replete with a five-story light-filled internal atrium, plush leather couches, mirror-top tables and gemstone-hued chairs. If you’re impelled to toss that photo on Instagram, then the design team has succeeded in creating what has been billed as the world’s “most Instagramable” accommodation, or as nearly a dozen stories in the international media have dubbed it: “the world’s first Instagram hotel.”

Like news gone viral on social media, Australia's 1888 Hotel has made quite a name for itself in its brief three months in existence by offering a free night’s stay to anyone with more than 10,000 followers on Instagram. All they have to do is follow the feed of parent company 8Hotels Collection, book a room and show up (cell phone in hand) to enjoy the hipstery vibe at this bespoke property in Sydney’s harborfront Pyrmont neighborhood, the result of a meticulous $30 million restoration project to turn an old wool warehouse into a luxury hotel.

From the freestanding bathtubs, to the period windows and exposed brick walls, all elements of the 90 rooms were designed to inspire snap-happy Instagrammers to share their experiences (and spread the free-marketing love in the process). An in-room media hub allows guests to plug in and review their images on a 40-inch LED TV, and all shots uploaded and tagged #1888Hotel then go into a revolving feed displayed on two large-screen Macs in the lobby. But this is just the beginning of 1888 Hotel’s plan for complete Instagram infusion.

“We sat down in the early days, knowing that we’d have an interesting hotel, and wanted to find a way for our guests to engage on their social networks, and we figured that imagery would be the way to do it,” explained Paul Fischmann, CEO of 8Hotels, which counts 1888 Hotel as the newest of its 21 boutique properties in Australia, Fiji and Bali. “We wanted to encourage guests that were already in-house to talk about their experiences on their social networks, and we thought, ‘why don’t we just create a bit of an Instagram idea’.”

At the end of each month, hotel staff pick their favorite photo from the insta-walk (as seen on the #1888hotel feed) and offer the winner a free night’s stay. That’s in addition to the free night they give away to anyone with more than 10,000 followers. Fischmann said the deal has become so popular that 1888 Hotel has about five veritable Instagram celebrities staying in house gratis each night, and he plans to continue the promotion through 2014.Thus, the hotel erected a “selfie frame” in the lobby, set up an insta-walk tour of attractions in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, and launched an Instagram package, which includes “a room to photograph” (with a king-size bed), “foodporn” (complimentary antipasto plate and two glasses of wine), “share-ability” (complimentary Internet connection and iPads in all rooms) and an “envy-inducing start to the day” (complementary breakfast) starting at A$239 a night (US$223).

The name 1888 signifies the year the heritage-listed building first opened as a wool store, but as Fischmann noted, “we also discovered when we were looking for something that could marry the hotel with imagery that Kodak had patented and made its first box and roll cameras in 1888.”

Indeed, the camera and accompanying roll film Kodak produced that year became the archetype for the modern portable camera that could be used without the encumbrance of tripods and glass plates. It enabled the everyman to become a photographer in the way that Instagram made the everyday snapshot an art form. In this story, 1888 Hotel found its inspiration to become the “world’s first Instagram hotel,” though that haughty title is not one that was self-imposed.

Rooms at 1888 Hotel range from the popular “shoeboxes” (starting at A$150) to city-view suites (starting at A$500). Of course, if you can rack up enough Instagram followers, the room is yours as a reward.

Typhoon-fueled Waves Slam Southeast China

Typhoon-fueled Waves Slam Southeast China High waves slammed China's southeast coast as hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated ahead of Typhoon Fitow. The storm is expected to make landfall Monday. (Oct. 6)

Welcome To Anton Menlo: The Facebook Town Being Built For The Company’s Employees

• 
  Facebook’s planned development would feature a pool, a sports bar, a doggy day-care center for employees’ pets and even a bike path straight to the office in Menlo Park, Calif. Facebook/St. Anton Partners/KTGY
• 
  Facebook is working with local developer St. Anton Partners to complete the plans for Anton Menlo. Facebook/St. Anton Partners/KTGY
• 
  The $120 million community would contain 394 housing units. Facebook/St. Anton Partners/KTGY
• 
  Employees would reportedly shell out around $2,000 for each apartment, the market rate for similar housing in the area.Facebook/St. Anton Partners/KTGY

Previous

1 of 4

Next

All the comforts of home could soon be just a five-minute bicycle ride away for hundreds of employees at the Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. The company behind the social network has revealed plans to build an apartment community just for its workers, as noted by the Daily Mail.

The complex would include a pool, a sports bar and even a doggy day-care center for employees’ pets, theWall Street Journal reported. A bicycle-repair shop with on-site storage, dry-cleaning and laundry services, a pet-walking service, and a yoga and training facility are some of the other amenities planned.

Because of a shortage of housing options close to Facebook’s HQ, company executives reasoned that its own residential community could solve a probem for many workers, the Journal indicated. With the firm’s focus on building a collegial atmosphere on its corporate campus -- hosting team-building functions and screening films outdoors -- it seems appropriate it would envision employees’ living spaces in the same way.

Facebook’s headquarters would be walking distance away from its employees’ digs in Menlo Park, Calif.  Reuters
 

The $120 million community would contain 394 housing units, with a total of 630,000 square feet. Employees would shell out around $2,000 for each apartment, the market rate for similar housing in the area, the Daily Mail said.

John Tenanes, Facebook’s director of real estate, suggested to the Wall Street Journal he is pleased by the proximity of the apartment community to the company’s HQ. “The beauty of this thing is that it’s extremely close to our campus,” said Tenanes, who is heavily involved in the planning. “It’s a five-minute bike ride” along a dedicated path that runs along the San Francisco Bay, he noted. “You don’t even have to put on the brakes.”

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN 2013

Shutdown crisis causes U.S. to turn to the alien, P’Lod, for guidance and financial aid.

The United States government will face a catastrophic event of historic proportions, if Congress cannot resolve the budget crisis. Current funding is scheduled to run dry on October 17th  and if the infighting in Congress is not resolved, the system of government that the citizens of the United States have grown accustom to will end, permanently.

Republicans have made a number of proposals to keep the government running, but Democrats have rejected them all.   The U.S. government has to get itself out of the red and avoid a permanent shutdown.  There are grave concerns that members of Congress will be unable to put aside partisan principles and band together to save the United States from immanent doom.

As a safety net, some members of the Congress have called upon P’Lod, the alien who backed Barack Obama in the 2008 and 2012 elections in hopes to find a way to the bring the United States budget under control.

Current Republican planned cuts include blocking federal funding to Obamacare and baring the Pentagon from using tax dollars to sponsor NASCAR race teams.  P’Lod does not have issue with reducing funding to Planned Parenthood but he will not stand for cuts to NASCAR.  P’Lod really loves his NASCAR.

P’Lod has offered to take President Obama up on his offer for the White House, agreeing to pay the full asking price plus closing costs, as a sign of his commitment to aid the U.S. in these trying times.

“P’Lod has always enjoyed his visits to the White House,” said a top White House aide, “He’s really going to enjoy it here, especially the West Wing.”

Based on the great deal of influence that P’Lod had during the past two elections; many conspiracy theorists worry that this purchase is all but a tactical maneuver by P’Lod in order to help him to gain complete control of the U.S. and ultimately the world.

“There are tons of government secrets locked up in the White House, many of which the U.S. government does not even know about,” explained John McElroy, top conspiracy theorist and movie buff, “I’ve seen National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets. If we let P’Lod get a hold of that information there is no telling what powers and riches he will uncover.”

Kharkov tour operators at Lanka tourism workshop

The 'Mega Tourism Caravan' commenced its journey in Ukraine on October 2 in the second largest city of Ukraine, Kharkov.

From 1919 to 1934 Kharkov was the capitol of Ukrainian SSR until it was supplanted by Kiev. During the last three centuries, Kharkov has become not only a traditional center of Eastern Ukraine but also one of the most developed industrial cities of Ukraine. Kharkov is one of the biggest scientific, technical and commercial centers of Ukraine . Kharkov is also called as the City of Students - by the number of higher educational institutions and Universities Kharkov stands first place in the Ukraine including one of the best universities of former USSR, Kharkov State University.

More than 188,000 students, from all around Ukraine and foreign students from 50 countries come to study in its institutes and universities. Kharkov is a very green city and tourists like this city because of its wonderful parks and squares. The main square in Kharkov is the biggest in Ukraine and one of the largest in Europe. Historical museum, cathedrals, churches, theaters, exhibitions and there are a lot of interesting places in Kharkov for a tourist to visit.          

Today, the major events of the promotional campaign were the two workshops conducted in the morning and afternoon respectively at the Ball Room hall of the Hotel “Kharkiv Palace Hotel”. In the morning the workshop was conducted with the collaboration of reputed tour operator”Join Up”. This event was attended by approximately one hundred and twenty five representatives in the tourism industry in Russia. In the afternoon, another successful workshop was conducted at the same venue with the collaboration of renowned tour operator “News Travels”. This too was attended by more than hundred representatives.       

On both occasions having warmly welcomed all participants Udayanga Weeratunga conducted a very informative and educative presentation on Sri Lankan Tourism. During the presentation he covered salient points such as  history, climatic conditions, major tourist attractions, major cities, visa procedures and recent infrastructure developments in the spheres’ of socio – economic and tourism.

During both workshops the attendees were presented with many promotional materials and the Catalogue on Sri Lanka Tourism in Russian language containing information about Sri Lankan history, modern history, people, festivals, visa procedures, currency, Sri Lankan food, culture and heritage was a the major attraction of all materials. Further; this catalogue opens portals to cities such as; Colombo, Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Kandy whilst discussing about hill country, wildlife, beaches and star class hotels along with the facilities provided

The Kaa'bah

THE KAA'BAH                "KAA'BAH" The House of ALLAH in Makkah, The Kaa'bah is covered by a black cloth known as "Kiswa", which is produced and changed every year. A special factory is designed for the making of Kiswa in Makkah. It costs approx. SR 17 Million. The cloth is made of 670Kgs of Silver dyed black. About 120 Kgs of pure Gold and 50 Kgs of Silver is used in writing the Quranic verses on the cloth. The total area of the cloth is 658sqr Meters.                                                  ~.ö.~

FREE Animations for your email Click Here!