Norway’s Sleek New Passports Contain a Surprise Design Feature By Kristin Hohenadel

Courtesy of Neue Design Studio

The winning Norweigan passport cover redesign from Neue Design Studio includes an update of the current red passport, plus a blue version for diplomats and a white version for immigrants.

This is Chrome’s Newest Easter Egg. And It’s Awesome

The Wi-Fi at the coffee shop I work out of most mornings is, like most public internet hotspots, patchy and prone to temporarily ‘drop out’.

We’ve already seen how Google plans to make intermittent connectivity issues less of a hindrance through cache page loading malarkey.

Helpful as this may be the latest Canary builds of Google Chrome comes with a little extra sweetener. Hidden within the browser’s new-look ‘Network Error’ page is a cute, endless running game. It even features the ‘lonely t-rex’ character used to illustrate the browser’s error pages.

This button-mashing game certainly helps me channel my frustration pass the time while I wait for the network to solve itself. If you use Chrome Canary on Windows or Mac (or run Chromium from trunk on Linux) here’s how you can try it.

How to Play The Endless T-Rex Runner Game in Chrome

Turn off your Wi-Fi connection (or use the developer tools in Chrome to simulate this). Then, open a new tab and load up a website. You’ll see the standard (though redesigned) Network Error page, topped by the lonely T-Rex glyph created by Google designer Sebastien Gabriel.

Typically at this point you’d close the tab and tut loudly, gesturing for the nearest barista to go and reboot the router. Instead, tap the space bar on your keyboard.

The lonely T-Rex at the top of the page will suddenly bounce. A stretch of land will appear before him. And then…he’ll start running.

Like other endless runner games the goal is simple: run as far as you can, for as long as you can, until you crash. You’ll need to keep mashing the space bar on your keyboard to help the T-Rex clear the conveyor belt of variously spaced, differently sized cacti.

Every 100 points marker is punctuated by a screeching high score blip.

As hidden novelties go, this is a welcome one. A fun way to fill in idle time.

Zodiaclaw by Zaher Almajed

Today's typeface of choice, Zodiaclaw, was created by art director Zaher Almajed. Inspired by lions claws, Almajed designed the font for 'those who want to be different'.

Almajed comments on Behance: "With some old classic European touches, Zodiaclaw is a humanist typeface that's based on traditional calligraphic forms, but with some new features in its shapes and strokes that provide a more open, elegant look."

Zodiaclaw is available to download for free over on Behance.

Words: Kerrie Hughes

Kerrie Hughes is content manager at Creative Bloq.

Know Thy Self: Opinion on Hajj Selfies by Suhaib Webb

Question:

It seems every week there is a new internet conflict. Over the last few days, people criticized me for posting my Hajj selfies. What is your opinion about this?

Answer:

That is a sad question, and I find it strange that people have the time to look at other people’s pictures and criticize them. With that being said, I will address this issue from four perspectives:

Are pictures forbidden?
Principles for understanding texts.
The importance of collective good.
Intentions should be left to Allah alone.
Are Pictures Forbidden?

Some may censure others from taking pictures because they believe that taking pictures is forbidden, invoking the “consensus” of the scholars. While it’s an opinion held by some scholars, there is certainly no consensus that taking pictures is forbidden. Al-Azār and other religious bodies, as well as the bulk of scholars, consider pictures allowable, as long as the picture does not present something evil.

Misuse of a Famous Text

Folks may mention the prophetic tradition in which he ﷺ (peace be upon him) curses those who “mold idols.” That is understandable because the word for idol making and the word for photography are the same in Arabic (taswīr). However, their meanings are different. During the time of the Prophet, taswīr meant to mold idols. Today, it means photography. Sadly, this reflects a person’s ignorance of the principles for iftā (the craft of issuing fatwa), the rules for interpreting texts, and his/her knowledge of Arabic.

An Important Axiom and Its Application

One of the most important axioms that guide the craft of issuing a ruling is, “Concern is given to the meaning, not the name.” This axiom has four applications:

1. Something declared harām (unlawful) in the Prophet’s lifetime stays forbidden, even if someone changes its name. For that reason, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Towards the end of time, a group from my community will seek to make alcohol permissible, calling it by a different name.” Thus, even though later generations changed the name, it is still forbidden because of its substance. The name is a non-factor
2. Something that was permissible during the time of the Prophet ﷺ then later generations gave it a name of something forbidden. That stays permissible, because concern is for the substance, not the name.
3. Something unknown during the life of the Prophet ﷺ, if understood to be forbidden by the scholars, stays forbidden even if later generations named it after something permissible.
4. Something that was not known during the time of the Prophet ﷺ that is permissible remains as such, even if later generations named it after something forbidden. An example of this would be qahwā (coffee) which was originally the name for an ancient intoxicant. Photography falls under the fourth category because it did not exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. Using statements of the Prophet ﷺ as if they are referring to what is understood today as meaning taswīr is equivalent to putting meanings in the mouth of the Prophet ﷺ!

1. An axiom or postulate is a premise or starting point of reasoning. As classically conceived, an axiom is a premise so evident as to be accepted as true without controversy. The word comes from the Greek axíōma (ἀξίωμα) 'that which is thought worthy or fit' or 'that which commends itself as evident.'

An Example That Illustrates this Error

In the twelfth chapter of the Qur’an, the word sayyārah is found. Today, the word siyyārah means a car. At the time of revelation, it meant travelers.

“And there came a company of travelers; then they sent their water drawer, and he let down his bucket. He said, “Good news! Here is a boy.” And they concealed him, [taking him] as merchandise, and Allah knew of what they did.” (Qur’an, 12:19) 

Based on the logic of those who take the word of the Prophet ﷺ used for idol making to imply its contemporary meaning of photography, the above verse would be interpreted as:

“And there came a “Lexus, BMW, Mercedes (any car)“; then they sent their water drawer..”

Shaykh Muhammad al-Shanqiti wrote “Photography did not exist during the era of the Prophet ﷺ or the great scholars of Islamic Jurisprudence. It became an issue afterwards. Thus, the sacred texts that the word taswīr appears do not imply what we know today as photography. That, because the word taswīr used during the Prophet’s time implied what it meant in that context: idols made of stone, clay, wood or drawn by hand. Thus, whoever explains the word used by the Prophet to mean photography has interpreted the sacred texts without their correct meanings, contexts and has spoken about Allah without knowledge.”

Another Axiom: A Conflicting Purposes Renders Analogy Problematic

One of the major sources of Islamic Law is qiyās. Qiyās was defined by al-Qādi al-Baydāwi as, “Connecting an act that has no ruling, to an act from the scared sources that has a ruling, because of a shared purpose.” What is important to us is the last part of his definition, “a shared purpose.” This means that if the traits are different, then the ruling from the sacred sources cannot be matched to the act that has no ruling. In the case of taswīr (idol making), we find that the reasoning for its forbiddance during the time of the Prophet ﷺ was “emulating (mudāha) creation,” and in other narratives, for explicit forms of worship. When we think of photography today, that is not its purpose. In fact, the general purpose of photography is to remember and recall things. Thus, this is an illogical analogy for which a ruling is not applied. 

The Name is Debatable

Shaykh ‘Abdūl Halīm Mahmūd stated that photography should not be called taswīr but “capturing an image,” because photography is “capturing light, not molding an image from clay or drawing one.”

Hajj Selfies

As for Hajj selfies, then there is nothing wrong because they are a form of remembrance of good: worshiping Allah alone, visiting scared places, love and fraternity, and acts of worship. 

An axiom states that “Anything that does not contradict the sacred law and helps a person remember God is commendable.”

Allah says, “And we certainly sent Moses with our signs, [saying], ‘bring your people from the darkness to the light and remind them of the days of God.’” (Qur’an 14:5)

A cursory glance at the reliable works of Qur’anic tafsīr (exegesis) shows that scholars from the earliest days consider this verse an encouragement to recall God’s grace and his blessing. That was the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbās, Sufyān Imām Mālik and others.

Do Not Judge People’s Intentions

In that vein, taking pictures of sacred moments is commendable as long as a person’s intention is correct. The job of the rest of the community is to assume the best and encourage good. While pictures are a debatable act, questioning a person’s intention, or having an evil assumption about a person doing good is highly repugnant.

Finally, these images are important tools for da`wah (calling to Islam) to be shared with neighbors, co-workers and friends. In an age where there are so many bad images of Islam everywhere, I find it astounding that folks would blame positive efforts that humanize our community and our acts of worship.

Allah knows best,
Suhaib Webb

Source : http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/worship/hajj/know-thy-self-opinion-on-hajj-selfies-by-suhaib-webb/

Vintage Vapours

Vintage E-Liquids - The Drifter

The Drifter is a blissful mix of succulent tangerines, delicious custard, velvety cream, and a hint of calming vanilla. It's fruity and savory flavor will take you on a journey you will never forget.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Sinner

Only the best of both worlds, The Sinner combines two kinds of cooling mint with smooth robust tobacco for a wickedly exquisite mix of flavor unlike anything you've experienced before.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Joker

A playful twist of sweet orange blended with two kinds of luscious cream and a hint of vanilla. Tangy, creamy, and delicious; The Joker is sure to put a smile on your face.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Legend

A legendary classic tobacco blend, with an added dose of sweet caramel and a dash of soothing vanilla. The Legend will ride into the sunset and leave you craving for more.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Dreamer

The Dreamer takes your flavor palate to new heights. Its entrancing strawberry blend, with delicate peach and pineapple notes to sweeten up the deal, make for a truly heavenly experience. 

Vintage E-Liquids - The Lover

Love is in the air with a refreshing trifecta of papaya, orange, and guava. Sweet and delicious, it's truly a perfect fusion of flavor you will fall in love with.

Attention to detail is what sets Vintage Vapours apart! As fellow vapours, the management and staff at Vintage Vapours understands what your looking for and are dedicated to exceeding your expectations.

Whether you visit our retail store in Lake Forest, CA or shop with us online, Vintage Vapours is committed to providing our customers with the latest devices and accessories, a huge selection of e-liquids, and the best customer service possible. We strive to be your one-stop shop for all of your vaping needs.

Shop with us and see for yourself!

The top colour trends of 2014

What have the most popular colours been this year? This infographic reveals all.

We're all creative people, and no one likes to follow trends. At the same time, though, it's good to know what they are. But how do you decide whether something is a trend or not?

When it comes to colour trends, stock image library Shutterstock's answer to that question is: by analysing the data. Using data from customer downloads from its collection of 40 million images, it's come up with what it considers some pretty conclusive results.

They've presented these results in the form of an infographic, which you can check out below. Click on the image to see a high-res version.

Sources from (creatifblog)

Design the Trase Shoe for DC Shoes

Design the Trase Shoe for DC Shoes

THE BRIEF

DC Shoes is inviting artists, designers and creators around the world to custom design a pair of the new DC Trase shoe.

Use the template provided to design your DC Trase and you could win $10,000 and have your winning design produced and sold at dcshoes.com and select DC Shoes retailers.

In addition to one overall winner, DC will have the option to select one or more additional winners, whose designs may be put into production. These selected artists, along with the artist with the largest amount of support from the community, will receive $2,500.

The Official Rules for this Creative Invite are available here.

So start creating now. The DC Trase Shoe. Make it yours.

HOW DC SHOES WILL CHOOSE

DC Shoes, along with their panel of guest judges, will select from all qualified submissions. A qualified submission is one which meets all the Terms & Conditions, Guidelines and Official Rules.

The community can support their favorite submissions through social voting via Facebook and Twitter. The artist with the largest public support will be chosen as the Community Choice.

Should there be more than one design they would like to use, in addition to one Overall winner and the Community Choice winner, DC Shoes will have the option to select one or more additional winners, who will receive $2,500 per design.

CREATIVE INVITE GUIDELINES

• This opportunity is open to global particpants, subject to the limitations described in the Official Rules.
• Participants MUST USE one of the provided templates to create their Trase shoe design.
• Artists must submit their artwork within the provided template.
• Artists should retain their original artwork files (in 300dpi) but template designs must be submitted in JPEG or PNG, max. size 5MB.
• All entries must be original artwork (meaning not using third party pre-existing copyright materials) and must comply with the other requirements detailed in the Official Rules.
• The selected submission may be modified to accommodate production requirements.
• No purchase necessary to enter.
• Artists must join Talenthouse using an active email address in order to ensure they can be contacted should they be selected.
• DC may use the work of the selected artist as set out within the Official Rules. DC may use all submitted works in context of this Creative Invite. All artists retain ownership of their work unless they are selected as winners and accept their prize.
• Artists must include a description about their submission and about themselves.
• Artists must have an up-to-date Talenthouse profile.
• Selected Artists must respond to Talenthouse within 7 days of receiving the notification email or else all prizes will be forfeited and DC may select an alternate winner.
• All submissions will feature as part of a global gallery with public voting on Facebook and Twitter.
• Talenthouse reserves the right to disqualify artists who we believe are cheating the voting system as this is against the spirit of the Creative Invite.