Forbes
'No. 1 Manchester United
European Football
$1.8 billion
An annual powerhouse with a true global brand, Man-U fetched the highest price ever for a sports franchise when Malcolm Glazier forked over $1.45 billion for it in 2005.
Source: Forbes Sports Valuations'
I call myself a fan. From 1999-2001 I had home membership as I lived in Manchester. Thanks to my very good buddy Si, I managed to see United this year once again on my visit.
United has an excellent logo.
No offence to Vancouver Canucks fans, but it has been such a pleasure following United since 1999 with the two European Championships in that time and the several Premiership titles, I could not see myself ever getting too serious about the Vangoober (what it satirically sounded like when the NBA commissioner would pronounce Vancouver) Canucks and their hopefully successful quest to be a championship team...at least once, once day. Somewhere, over the rainbow.
'No. 2 Dallas Cowboys
Football
$1.6 billion
Owner Jerry Jones smartly broke away from the NFL merchandising collaboration several years ago, leaving the Cowboys to run their own league-leading operation. A new state-of-the-art stadium awaits for 2009, with a Personal Seat License (PSL) plan that could bring in upwards of $700 million. The rough economy--a naming rights deal still hasn't been done--may scale back expectations. But only so much.'
I dedicate this section to my Cowboy fan, virtual friend and excellent guy Wade at:
Cowboy Wade
Wade, I realize you are a very busy man with work, procreation and such, but here is your chance to tell us in comments why the Cowboys are Number 2. Please do my friend.
Hint, I have never seen the Cowboys play, but would like to.:)
'No. 3 Washington Redskins
Football
$1.5 billion
Since taking over in 1999, owner Dan Snyder has had mixed results on the field. But he's turned the Redskins into the NFL's leading revenue machine through heavy marketing and by selling the naming rights to Jack Kent Cooke Stadium to FedEx. The stadium has sold out every game during its 12-year history.'
Go Washington Native Americans, go!
I have not seen them play live.
'No. 4 New England Patriots
Football
$1.32 billion
New England's value has roughly tripled since 2000, following three Super Bowl titles and a 97-31 record over the past eight years. Seven-year-old Gillette Stadium includes 6,000 club seats and 87 luxury boxes.'
An undefeated season and then they lose the Super Bowl...OUCH! That is a kick in the patriots.
Very cool logo, in my opinion.
I have not seen them play live.
'No. 5 New York Yankees
Baseball
$1.3 billion
Baseball's only billion dollar club benefits from its own cable network, huge market and storied history. No wonder the Yankees have made the only real noise around the league this winter, throwing more than $400 million at three premium free agents. The tight economy may have the team scrambling to sell the last few luxury boxes at the new Yankee Stadium for 2009, but expect the place to be a revenue machine over the long haul.'
I saw the Yankees live at the Bronx in 2002 and my English friend Robin wanted to leave early. Like hell!
I am sorry that New York did not have a major cricket club.
'No. 6 Real Madrid
European Football
$1.29 billion
A winner of nine European Championship Cups, Real Madrid rakes in close to half a billion dollars in annual revenue. Its 62-year-old stadium--Santiago Bernabéu--has been heavily renovated over the years, with capacity trimmed from a peak of 120,000 to 80,000. Like American baseball, European soccer is moving to a model that emphasizes revenue per seat over maximum attendance.'
I still need to see Real Madrid. Someone please invite me! Are there any English speaking theology professor jobs in the Madrid area?
'No. 7 Arsenal
European Football
$1.2 billion
The club founded in 1886 took in $329 million in revenue last year. Three-year-old Emirates Stadium, which seats over 60,000, includes 7,139 club level seats sold in one to four year licenses and over 150 boxes where seats start at $87,000 annually (65,000 euros). The naming rights deal with Emirate Airlines is worth $133 million (100 million euros) over eight years.'
I dedicate this section to Simon.
I had away membership to Arsenal (1999-2001) thanks to my good friend Simon. Simon, I know you are a busy cat, but this is your chance to light up the comments on Arsenal!
Simon, here is your opportunity to state Arsenal's case over the one that we do not dare mention...at Number One. I am a fan of Arsenal and hope for better things ahead.
'No. 8 New York Giants
Football
$1.18 billion
No Super Bowl title this year, but personal seat license money is rolling in for the 2010 opening of the Giants' new stadium. Even with an NFL model that has the TV loot shared equally around the league, a big market has its advantages. The Giants' season-ticket waiting list is 25 years.'
I have not seen the Giants or Jets, but the new stadium sounds fascinating. But, I thought the New York Giants moved to San Francisco decades ago.
The Giants do have a cool look, admittedly.
'No. 9 New York Jets
Football
$1.17 billion
Call them "Giants Lite." The Jets' have everything their stadium mates do, only with a little less history and brand strength.'
I thought the Jets left Winnipeg...oh well. The Jets do look cool in green.
If the Giants and Jets merged could the Jolly Green Giant be the logo? For a fee, of course.
'No. 10 Houston Texans
Football
$1.17 billion
Surprised by this dark horse? Don't be. The 7-year-old franchise with a 46-72 record has the NFL's richest naming rights deal, pulling in $300 million from Reliant Stadium.'
So, Wade, I would like to see these guys too. Should we expect a 'Supa Bo' soon?
Hey, how come there are no NHL teams here?;) I thought NHL hockey was the 'best' and 'most exciting' sport...oh well. One thing I respect about the NFL is the desire to return teams to cities that lost a franchise.
So, I have viewed Manchester United, New York Yankees, and Arsenal live. Only three of the current top ten. I live an impoverished life.
Very interesting stats Russ. You could publish these articles, maybe create your own Sports Statistics Bulletin.
ReplyDeleteMany will enjoy!
Hugs
Mom
Well, Mom.
ReplyDeleteI needed a break from my usual theology article.
I hope many find it very good.
Love,
Russ:)
Here is another list:
ReplyDeleteTen Big Companies That Are Veering Toward Bankruptcy
From The Business Insider, Sept. 18, 2009:
Despite a few green shoots in the economy and a rocketing stock market, many large companies are still struggling to avoid bankruptcy.
A new report by Audit Integrity identifies some high-profile names "that have the highest probability of declaring bankruptcy among publicly traded firms."
Which companies appear the worst off? We took the list and removed any company with a market cap under $3 billion. We then ranked the remaining names by a simple measure of the market's perceived bankruptcy risk - Market Cap (MC) divided by Enterprise Value (EV). The less MC vs. EV, the less residual shareholders' value (above what debt holders can claim) the market is pricing-in for the company. Thus a lower MC/EV means the market thinks the company is more likely to go bankrupt.
1. Hertz
When you have tons of debt financing your fleet of cars, falling rental demand really hurts.
While the company raised new capital in May for some breathing room, Fitch and Moody’s actually cut their ratings for the company in July.
Ignoring the downgrade, shares kept rallying and are now at over five times the March $2 low. Best of luck.
Market Cap (MC)/Enterprise Value (EV) = 32%
2. Textron
What a tough time to be selling business jets.
Textron wrote down $2.3 billion its backlog this year after it canceled a new jet design, and demand for its other aircraft-related offerings has plummeted.
Shareholders may be heartened by the company’s ability to push back some debt maturities lately, but deteriorating credit quality at the company’s leasing arm makes the outlook uncertain at best.
MC/EV=39%
3. Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel is bleeding customers, and could lose as many as 4.4 million net post-paid subscribers this year.
This is a huge problem when you have large amounts of maturing debt over the next few years.
A recent Deutsche Telekom acquisition rumor offered some hope, but that appears to have faded. Facing a difficult road ahead on its own, the company better keep its lawyers on speed-dial.
MC/EV=41%
4. Macy's
Does anyone even shop at department stores anymore?
Same store sales will likely keep falling at Macy’s right through 2009. With $2.4 billion of maturing debt over the next five years, the company is trying to cut costs, and has already reduced its dividend.
Hopefully the US consumer will bounce back soon, and actually want to shop at Macy's.
MC/EV=47%
5. Mylan
In a classic case of management empire building, Mylan overpaid big time when it bought Merck’s generic business back in 2007 and is now stuck with $5 billion of long-term debt as a result.
From 2007 – 2008, the company lost over $1.3 billion very much due to goodwill write-downs.
While the company could earn $300 million this year, they’ll have to earn far more than that in the future to make their debt manageable.
MC/EV=51%
(cont.)
(cont.)
ReplyDelete6. Goodyear
Demand for Goodyear tires has sunk, and the company is saddled with massive debt and pension obligations.
It doesn’t help that The United Steelworkers union prevents the company from proper cost control by forcing factories to stay open.
Shareholders have to wonder how much value will be left of the company after bondholders and the union members have their way.
MC/EV=53%
7. CBS
Weak advertising and falling license fees have sent CBS's earnings off a cliff in 2009.
If they remain depressed for too long, the company could have trouble refinancing $3.2 billion of debt coming due over the next five years.
It will really come down to whether or not CBS’s earnings collapse is merely cyclical, or the result of structural trend whereby traditional TV is dying.
As a business blog, we can't help but feel partly guilty here.
MC/EV=55%
8. Advanced Micro Devices
When will AMD actually make money again? The question is becoming more important by the day since it carries over $5 billion in long-term debt.
After losing almost $3 billion from 2007 – 2008, analysts expect the company to lose more money in 2009 and 2010.
While the shares rallied from their February $2 low, they still appear stuck in a long-term down trend from $40 highs way back in 2006.
MC/EV=55%
9. Las Vegas Sands
Las Vegas Sands over-expanded and over-levered in the last few years and now has over $10 billion in debt to deal with.
Despite jumping 13 times from their March low, Las Vegas Sands shares still face an uphill battle.
Conditions in Las Vegas are horrible, Asian expansion isn’t enough, and if this lasts too long then LVS will end up in bankruptcy court looking like it bit off more than it can chew.
MC/EV=60%
10. Interpublic Group
As one of the largest advertising and marketing companies in the world, IPG was slammed by the global recession.
As the company’s CEO said during recent second quarter results, the downturn “is proving steeper and more lasting than expected”.
Revenues have fallen double digits and the company’s exposure to General Motors as its largest client hasn’t helped.
MC/EV=80%
I used to live in Silver Spring Maryland (basically and DC suburb) and so I came to like the Redskins. I'm still a Packer fan though
ReplyDeleteIt would be somewhat of a shock to see CBS and Goodyear disappear, if that would happen via bankruptcy.
ReplyDeleteGood information, Sir Jenkins of Ocala.
Daij,
ReplyDeleteWith the Skins and the Packers I think you will do fairly well over the years. The Washington Redskins are probably my favourite NFL team along with San Francisco 49ers, but they both need to pick it up some notches.
I saw the 49ers at Arizona in 2002.
Thanks, my friend.
BTW, any thoughts on why Portland only has an NBA team? I have read that in regard to obtaining an NHL team Portland is not considered a large television market.
Posted originally
ReplyDeleteMonday, September 04, 2006
Strange Creatures
I used to have a cat when I was a child, his name was Muffin. He followed my brother home from a party as a kitten, and the family kept him. About three years later we picked up a 1.5 year old German Shepherd Husky, named Rebel (Jerk). Prior to Rebel moving in, Muffin seemed to think that he pretty much ruled the house, frequently closing his eyes while on his back in the kitchen sun tanning. The day we brought Rebel home, he charged into the house and sniffed the cat. The sun tanning Muffin jumped several feet in the air and then darted upstairs to my room running through my partially open bedroom window on to the roof of the house. Rebel followed but was not quick enough to get close to the cat. Muffin stayed up on the roof for a week. I think we fed him on the roof of a nearby garage for that week, and then he decided to come down.
Mysteriously, when I would go see Rebel in the backyard for the next few weeks, his nose was covered with scratch marks. I suppose the big Jerk had been sticking his nose near Muffin and was getting hammered. Rebel was often a good natured dog, as I only saw him paw Muffin once, and that was after he had been drilled in the head several times. Muffin would at times hide under a car and then take a swipe at Rebel when he would walk by. When we moved out into the country for a short time, Rebel would be nasty to the cat. I would feed Rebel in the backyard, and Muffin in the front yard. However, there was no fence and Rebel would dart to the front of the home immediately after I gave him food and would attempt to eat Muffin's smaller portion. Muffin would then dart to the back of the house and attempt to eat Rebel's larger meal. Rebel would of course finish first and then come back to retake his meal after lunging at Muffin. I was therefore forced to feed Muffin inside.
Muffin like many cats was secretive. Many times as I took Rebel for a walk I would notice Muffin several feet behind us hiding in a bush. The cat would then dart out heading to another place to hide while spying on Rebel and I. Perhaps the cat was making sure that Rebel and I did not abandon him? I don't know I am not a cat shrink, but I suppose there are some who think that may be a worthy profession. To me there are enough unstable people out that need spiritual, psychological, and psychiatric help that the 'crazy cat' can do without professional spiritual assistance, although I think veterarian clinics are important. To be realistic, I loved my animals very much, but compared to human beings my animals seemed kind of 'baked'. Animal actions seem to make less sense compared to human ones usually, although, I have chatted with a couple of questionable people on the internet recently;). Rebel was nicknamed Jerk because of his notorious wanderings around the neighbourhood. At two of our homes that had fences, he would dig under, jump over, or just go through the fence in order to get out and run around. He was hit lightly by cars twice, but never hurt. Rebel would basically attempt to break out of the back- yard and then post a parcel on neighbour's front yard, mate with a female dog (or male, he was a bit confused that way, after being neutered), or start a fight with a male dog, all within 15 minutes or so.
I'm not surprised that no NHL teams made the list. Who wants to watch rednecks on ice?
ReplyDeleteI say that and my "Word Verification" was edwing which is very close to Redwings.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stan.
ReplyDeleteI wish the NHL would focus more on building a fanbase with clubs in actual hockey markets.
Thanks for the nod, Russ!
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me say that procreation will more than likely come to a screetching halt should we have Tate 2.0 - he's all I can handle! Two of him will do me in!
Your blog post is exactly why Jerry Jones is a genius - he gets people talking about his product. As for his product, it is more to him than just the team playing on the field. To Jones, his product is the entire experience of the Dallas Cowboys. More than just the team, it's the stadium, it's the cheerleaders, it's the blue star logo, it's mystique that comes with being a part of the Dallas Cowboys.
He made a ton of money when the Cowboys were winning Super Bowls but he has made so much more since then - and they haven't won a playoff game since 1996 much less a Super Bowl.
Why? Because Jerry Jones has created a fan base that remains loyal regardless of wins-losses - they continue to pay because they want to be a part of the Cowboy experience.
The evidence of this is the $29.99 Party Pass at the new Cowboy Stadium. For $30 bucks, you can walk around the concourse, watch the game on the JumboJerryTron, drink beer, eat food, buy a t-shirt . . . but you don't get a seat to watch the game - it's just a pass to get in the building! Last weekend they sold over 30,000 Party Passes. People just want to be there and be part of the experience - genius!
The only problem with Jerry is that although he is great with packaging a product for consumption he is TERRIBLE at selecting actual football talent - which is a problem seeing that he is Owner, CEO as well as General Manager. Unfortunately for us, that's the one last thing he wants to prove - he wants to prove that he is as great of a football genius as he is a marketing genius.
It still amazes me how we can whip the Cowboy Nation up in such a frenzy eventhough the football team has done nothing but been mediocre for more than a decade.
So while he's out to prove to us that he is truly God's gift to the NFL, all I can say is . . . . How 'bout them Cowboys!?!?!
'Thanks for the nod, Russ!
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me say that procreation will more than likely come to a screetching halt should we have Tate 2.0 - he's all I can handle! Two of him will do me in!'
No way, not without a cute baby girl too!;)
'He made a ton of money when the Cowboys were winning Super Bowls but he has made so much more since then - and they haven't won a playoff game since 1996 much less a Super Bowl.'
Excellent point. But, I suppose many experts often do predict the Cowboys to do well, at least.
'The only problem with Jerry is that although he is great with packaging a product for consumption he is TERRIBLE at selecting actual football talent - which is a problem seeing that he is Owner, CEO as well as General Manager.'
Good for the Redskins, I mean Native Americans.
Well done and informative, Wade.
C'mon! Reality Check! Hello, if you think that I'm going to support a bunch of guys playing a $#@%#@ game for absurd amounts of money...ain't gonna happen, these guys need a wake up call to the real world of financial struggling families who are forced to pay through their nose for tickets and merchandise, give me a break!
ReplyDeleteTo the professional athletes who read this, I challenge you to do a day on my job, then we'll talk! You wouldn't last, trust me.
-Walter T. Franklin-
Thanks, Walter.
ReplyDeleteThe NHL overlooks many fans in legitimate hockey markets and too often panders to non-hockey markets.
UEFA and the EPL are primarily interested in actual football markets.
If I support a sport it will show significant integrity toward actual significant fanbase.
no NBA team eh? hehe... by the way agree with you that bankruptcy of goodyear and cbs: shocking
ReplyDeleteThanks, Miel.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading, NBA teams are generally worth more than NHL clubs.
There would be many shows changing networks if CBS ceased to exist, I reason.
It is insane how much money they make, it's even worse that people in my opinion are dumb enough to pay what they pay.
ReplyDeleteBut over all I hate football and baseball and soccer and really do care for sports at all.
Like you Russ and a few others, I do love fighting and MMA.
As A side note, two movies on video you really gotta see are, Blood and bone, awesome fighting, and Five Fingers (2006) It stars Laurence Fishburne. The Five fingers movie is very, very, good. The ending was the best.
Here is a saying I want on a T-Shirt: I want to leave this world the same way I entered.
Screaming, Naked and covered in someone else's blood. LOL. Rick b
Hi Rick,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy UEFA football. I enjoy training with martial arts, such as karate, judo, grappling and weapons, but do not really like MMA much on television as I do not find grappling especially all that interesting to watch as a sport, although it is very useful to learn.
I must admit, a good brawl is often entertaining to watch though.
Cheers.;)
From:
ReplyDeletefb scams
'1) The friendly 419 scam:
The notorious 419 scams have sadly become ubiquitous on the Internet. While they began as e-mail cons, usually involving promises of a vast fortune from a Nigerian prince, they have morphed into a new and more sophisticated ploy that involves hijacking the Facebook account of a friend in order to fool kind souls into thinking they're helping a pal. Thieves use an account to garner sympathy as they claim to be in desperate need of cash, often because they've been robbed or detained while traveling abroad. One duped Missouri woman wound up handing over $4,000 before she realized she'd been had.
2) Hidden fee apps:
There are plenty of Facebook apps and quizzes with questionable motives and privacy policies, but there are some that are outright scams. Take, for instance, the sad tale of Leanne Saylor, who fell prey to scammers after taking a simple IQ quiz on the service. To receive her results, she was required to submit her cell phone number and wait for a text. When she didn't receive anything, Saylor entered her phone number two more times. When she opened her next cell phone bill, she discovered three charges from the app, totaling a whopping $44. AT&T blocked future fees, but Saylor learned the hard way that she should never give out her cell phone number to strangers, much less strange apps.
3) Fake login pages:
A particularly sneaky method of ensnaring Facebookers lies in the loads of phishing messages that lead to convincing-but-fake versions of the Facebook login page. Typically, these spam e-mails are brief and contain a link, usually ending in ".im" or ".at." (We received one that simply read, "Look at goodmall.be.") Once you enter your e-mail and password to 'log in,' it's game over; a hacker has control of your account and will quickly use it to perpetrate any one of the scams listed here. What's worse, they'll impersonate you to spread phishing e-mails to all of your friends.
4) Malware links:
Once an account is hijacked, it can be used to deluge that account holder's friends with messages containing links to malicious sites. It's rough stuff. These poisonous software packages leave you vulnerable to the theft of even more data, including all the passwords, account numbers and credit card information you may have entered into your PC. Recently, a barrage of spam messages featuring a link to "CoooooL Video" actually led to nothing but a nasty malware infection.
5) Facebook apps that are malware:
Creating Facebook applications has become so easy that hackers have created apps with the sole aim of tricking you into handing over your personal data or Facebook password. Some versions impersonate one of the standard Facebook features, like "Your Photos" and "Friend's Gifts," and send convincing notifications, like "someone has commented on your photo," or so-and-so "has posted on your wall." But clicking on them either leads to a fake login page, or a window asking for permission to access your Facebook account. These scams are particularly tough to spot because they mimic actual Facebook notifications. The only way to protect yourself is to look for tiny inconsistencies in the false apps (e.g., odd or incorrect icons, clunky wording and poor English usage). It seems your teacher wasn't lying after all when she said learning grammar was important.'
Your story about Rebel and Muffin are interesting. When I lived in an apartment in Miami, the neighbors across the street had two Chow-chows that, I was told, would often get out and kill cats. Now, I am definitely not a cat person, but I consider that irresponsible of the neighbors.
ReplyDeleteMy late dad had a dog growing up who once ate a cat. Because of the cat hairs, which were apparently like little needles, for a week, every time the dog "left a parcel," he would howl in pain.
I used to have two dogs. We had many possums buried in the back yard from one of the dogs constantly finding and killing possums.
For weeks now, I have been studying Islam and its aspects intensely. Here are a few of the things I have been learning:
ReplyDeleteIslam has a political agenda. The political system of Islam actually occupies the greatest part of Islamic doctrine. Detailed statistical analysis shows that over than 60% of the Qur'an is political in nature. Less than 40% of the Qur'an is actually devoted to the religion of Islam. When you study Muhammad's life, you also learn that the bulk of it was political, not religious.
Islam is a political system, a culture and a religion. Everybody always thinks of Islam as a religion, but religion is actually the least part of Islam. Islam is an entire civilization. It's a culture, a legal system, a thought system, and an ethics system.
Muhammad taught the religion of Islam for 13 years and only got 150 people to believe him. Then, he turned to politics and war---jihad, he called it---and in 10 year's time, he became the first ruler of all of Arabia. Muhammad did not succeed as a religious man; he succeeded as a warrior and a politician. And, since Muhammad is the "perfect Muslim," everything in Islam is based upon Muhammad. Actually, far more of Islam is based upon Muhammad than Allah and the Qur'an. The Qur'an is only about 20% of the doctrine of Islam. The bulk of the doctrine of Islam is established by Muhammad, not his god Allah. He became enormously successful with politics, and that's where the success of Islam lies: in it's politics.
Some more of what I have been learning about Islam:
ReplyDeleteOne of the five pillars of Islam is charity. Islamic charity is done with the zakat. The zakat is a charity tax, but charity inside of Islam is quite different from what most of us think as charity. First of all, Muslim charity goes to Muslims; it does not go to the kafir (the unbeliever). For instance, when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, there were many in the Islamic world who sent money to New Orleans. But it was not for the kafir. The charity from Muslims was FOR Muslims. There's another difference in Islamic charity: money given to an Islamic charity can support jihad. It can support the creation of jihad, and it is also specifically for helping those whose family members have died in jihad. So Islamic charity is a little different from ours.
The sixth pillar of Islam is jihad. The reason jihad is called a pillar of Islam is that just like the other five, it is incumbent upon all Muslims, without exception. All Muslims are supposed to participate in jihad. However, just because a Muslim is supposed to participate in jihad does not mean that he's actually involved in the jihad of the sword, because jihad can be done with the sword, with the mouth, with the pen, and with money.
I've also been learning a little more about the Crusades, which is an area that Muslims often accuse Christians of, and even Christians often apologize for. I've learned that it is true that mistakes were made in the Crusades, but overall, they were a great good. Why? Because it was one of the few times that the Christians in Europe recognized the intense suffering of the Christians in the Middle East. The reason that the Crusades started were because they came as a response to a cry for help. The Christians in the Middle East were being murdered, robbed and taxed to death by their Muslim overlords. Previously, that part of the world had been Christian. It did not become Islamic because some Imam showed up and started proselytizing in the marketplace. It was Islamic because the sword had been used to kill all of those who would defend Christianity and to take over the government.
I've also learned that over 60 million Christians have been killed in the process of jihad. But of course, the secular media never publishes these statistics; neither do they teach them in schools.
Islam annihilated half of ancient Christianity. In the 20th century alone, a million Armenians were killed in Turkey.
Revelation talks about the seven churches of Asia (Asia Minor), which was also called Anatolia, or what we call Turkey today. In the destruction of those seven churches of Asia is the history of Islam. Not only had 60 million Christians been killed in jihad, but 80 million Hindus, 10 million Buddhists and 120 million Africans. Every slave that had been sold to the white man who came to Africa on a wooden ship had bought his slaves from a Muslim wholesaler. BTW, when an Arab says the word 'Africa'---'Abid'---it's the same word that the Arab uses for 'black slave.'
More about Islam:
ReplyDeleteThe history of the Jews and Christians under Islam can be summarized in one word: dhimmi. A dhimmi is any non-Muslim who lives within an Islamic country. The dhimmi is a unique invention of Muhammad, who basically created a new type of creature, and that creature is a semi-slave. Here's the way the dhimmi works: it started off with what Muhammad did to the Jews. He let them keep their land, although he held the title of it. He let them work the land and give him and Islam half of the income.
Now, a Jew or Christian who lives in a Muslim country can still practice their religion, but that must be done in a private way. A Christian can still be a Christian inside their home, but outside of the home and outside of the church, everything is Islamic. The laws are Islamic. The dress is Islamic. As a dhimmi, you must wear a headscarf because that is what is decreed for everyone. So, a dhimmi is not really free. For instance, a church can't ring its bells, because bells are a 'sign of Satan,' according to Muhammad. A dhimmi can't hold certain jobs. For instance, in Turkey, a Christian can't be above a certain rank in the military. And if a Christian wants to repair their church, or the Jew his synagogue, they have to go get permission to put on paint or to repair the roof. All of these laws establish a second-class citizen, though even that is being too generous, because, as a dhimmi, you don't have any civil rights. You can't sue a Muslim. You can't prosecute a crime against a Muslim. You don't have any power. And you have to pay a special tax: the jizya. In the Qur'an, it says that those who wish to live inside of an Islamic country but not convert to Islam, have to pay the jizya, and they have to be humiliated. Classically, when the Christian or the Jew came to pay their yearly jizya tax, they were humilated: grabbed by the beard, slapped in the face, or made to kneel and give the money. And that was the whole purpose of being a dhimmi---to humiliate the Christian or the Jew: to always make them low. Now, human beings being human beings, in some Islamic countries, particularly when the country felt powerful, they were more tolerant towards the dhimmis, and indeed, sometimes a dhimmi could rise to a decent level of power within government...but that could all vanish overnight. As an example, in Egypt, which had previously been a Coptic and Greek culture: a dhimmi could have his tongue removed if he spoke Coptic in front of an Islamic government official. The dhimmi was always
persecuted, never really left as an equal. And, in Egypt, if the military---when they were trying to conquer the Byzantines---lost a battle, back in Egypt, there would be a riot, and some Christians would be killed, because riots were one of the favorite tools to enforce the punishment over the dhimmi. When Smyrna was destroyed in 1922---the last of the seven churches of Asia---it was not done with the military and bulldozers. It was done by rioting Muslims. Riots---and we're seeing those riots today in Europe---are a form of warfare. The dhimmi could always be persecuted, not only in the courts of law, but also through a riot, which could destroy an entire section of the city.
'Now, I am definitely not a cat person, but I consider that irresponsible of the neighbors.'
ReplyDeleteSome animals are used as food or for producing food, such as milk products.
Some animals are considered pets.
I reason household/backyard pets should be protected under the law in a greater way than other animals.
Much appreciated, Jeff.
'Detailed statistical analysis shows that over than 60% of the Qur'an is political in nature. Less than 40% of the Qur'an is actually devoted to the religion of Islam. When you study Muhammad's life, you also learn that the bulk of it was political, not religious.'
ReplyDeleteInteresting.
'Islam is an entire civilization. It's a culture, a legal system, a thought system, and an ethics system.'
Yes.
'Muhammad taught the religion of Islam for 13 years and only got 150 people to believe him. Then, he turned to politics and war---jihad, he called it---and in 10 year's time, he became the first ruler of all of Arabia. Muhammad did not succeed as a religious man; he succeeded as a warrior and a politician. And, since Muhammad is the "perfect Muslim," everything in Islam is based upon Muhammad. Actually, far more of Islam is based upon Muhammad than Allah and the Qur'an. The Qur'an is only about 20% of the doctrine of Islam. The bulk of the doctrine of Islam is established by Muhammad, not his god Allah. He became enormously successful with politics, and that's where the success of Islam lies: in it's politics.'
A state religion in a fallen reality is a potentially very dangerous mix.
'The sixth pillar of Islam is jihad. The reason jihad is called a pillar of Islam is that just like the other five, it is incumbent upon all Muslims, without exception. All Muslims are supposed to participate in jihad. However, just because a Muslim is supposed to participate in jihad does not mean that he's actually involved in the jihad of the sword, because jihad can be done with the sword, with the mouth, with the pen, and with money.'
Good point.
'He let them keep their land, although he held the title of it. He let them work the land and give him and Islam half of the income.'
We should never willingly allow any Western country to become Muslim.
Thank you, Jeff, I will pass this on.
Also interesting: In 2002, researchers in refugee camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan found that half the girls were married by age 13. In an Afghan refugee camp, more than 2 out of 3 Second-Grade girls were either married or engaged, and virtually all the girls who were beyond 2nd grade were already married. One 10-year-old was engaged to a man of 60. 57% of Afghan girls under the age of 16, and many as young as 9, are in arranged marriages. This is patterned after Muhammad, who married a 6-year-old girl named Aisha (his favorite wife), though he did not consummate his marriage with her until she was 9. Everything in Islam is patterned after Muhammad.
ReplyDeleteThat looks very bad, Jeff.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Okay, I am a Canadian and a moderate conservative politically and theologically. I am neither Republican or Democrat, but I received this email and it does make me think...
ReplyDeleteHow much of image is indeed media spin?
'So ... Bush was an idiot?
If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the Unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVD's, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?
If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent" Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?
If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current on their income taxes, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the fourth of May (Cuatro de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?
If George W. Bush had miss spelled the word advice would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potatoe as proof of what a dunce he is?
If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?
If George W. Bush's administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?
If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?
If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?
If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?
So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive?
Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's done all this in 8 months -- so you'll have three years and seven months to come up with an answer.'
Wow! That was great! Can I put it in a post tomorrow?
ReplyDeleteOf course.;)
ReplyDeleteI did not write the part quoted.:)
If Bush had done all (or ANY!) of those things, the Democrats would be berating him to no end, and it would be all over the newspapers and on TV. But when Obama does it, the media pretty much ignores it. You only learn about it through the Internet. BTW, I heard Bush curse one time on TV, and I also heard him call someone a name, whispering it to someone else, and I did NOT approve. I also thought that Bush sold out when he called Islam a "religion of peace."
ReplyDelete'If Bush had done all (or ANY!) of those things, the Democrats would be berating him to no end, and it would be all over the newspapers and on TV.'
ReplyDeleteYes, the politicization on both sides (right and left) is often not helpful.
'But when Obama does it, the media pretty much ignores it. You only learn about it through the Internet.'
I tend to agree.
'BTW, I heard Bush curse one time on TV, and I also heard him call someone a name, whispering it to someone else, and I did NOT approve. I also thought that Bush sold out when he called Islam a "religion of peace."'
I do not steadfastly support any political party.
Thanks, Jeff.:)
Russ,
ReplyDeleteAnt gaff or mispronunciation of a word, such as nuclear, by Bush became almost a top news story and the fodder for the cable talking heads, not to mention several days joke material for late night comedians and "Saturday Night Live!"
Obama's many stumbles, gaffs and goofs generally are overlooked. Think of the fun the media would have had if Bush had ever said he would "visit all 57 states".
Larry E.
Thanks, Larry.:)
ReplyDeleteSorry to be the one to curb this comment thread back to the original post . . . but it appears that Forbes and Fort Worth Star-Telegram may be guilty of plagarizing my comments about Jerry Jones making a ton of money for being a marketing genius.
ReplyDelete'Forbes said the collective net worth of the Forbes 400 fell $300 billion in the past year, from $1.57 trillion to $1.27 trillion. Microsoft founder Bill Gates is still the wealthiest man in America, with $50 billion, although he lost $7 billion last year. No. 2 Warren Buffett lost $10 billion in the past 12 months, bringing his fortune to $40 billion.'
ReplyDeletePoor guys.;) Cheers.
This is where I leave a little "Go Essendon Bombers!" (Australian Rules Football!) (Their mascot is a mosquito in pilot clothes, the logo is a silver aeroplane on red-and-black...) I don't know if you've seen the book 'Stuff White People Like,' by Christian Lander, but in there he makes the comment that you get extra white-person credibility if you know and support an Australian Rules Footy team... hehe made me laugh because where I come from it's pretty much heresy to not have a favourite foot team... anyway, not really relevant!
ReplyDeleteA nice logo. Thanks.:)
ReplyDeleteBombers
I am currently playing Fantasy [American] Football (my team is the Ocala Rednecks), but I'm doing badly, because I don't follow any teams, and I have no idea what I'm doing, so I'm not making any player trades, etc. So I just have the default team stay as they are, which is not a good idea, but since I have no idea who to trade or when, I'm getting beat all the time. But then, who has time to research all that when I spend my time coming here and making comments?! ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, that just shows the tremendous importance of my blogs...don't it, Mr. Jenkins!;)
ReplyDeleteSmart*** has already started and it is just Friday afternoon...
Bobby and Chuck are coming over tonight...watch out.
Smart*** has already started and it is just Friday afternoon...
ReplyDeleteLMHO!!
Hey, might as well get an early start! :)
True, it can be fun.;)
ReplyDeleteWe can also hang around and wait for a representative from a group we have ticked off to post a comment.
We can also hang around and wait for a representative from a group we have ticked off to post a comment.
ReplyDeleteLOL, yeah!
Yes, like here:
ReplyDeleteJeff Jackson, I mean Jenkins
and here:
thekingpin68 and I
Yes, like here:
ReplyDeleteJeff Jackson, I mean Jenkins
and here:
thekingpin68 and I
Hmmm...Muslims vs. Homosexuals.
UK muslim cleric says all homosexuals should be killed
Human rights group says Iraqi gays being tortured, killed by militia groups
Islamic treatment of homosexuals
Radical Muslims versus radical homosexuals.
ReplyDeleteA society will have trouble tolerating both.
Or to put it another way:
There are radical Muslims.
There are radical homosexuals.
A society will have difficulty tolerating both agendas.
A society will have trouble tolerating both.
ReplyDeleteYes, and I am wondering about that, as far as what will be the outcome.
Western culture is accepting more and more that to say anything negative about homosexuals would be a "hate crime." The homosexual agenda in America has its most powerful advocate ever in the U.S. Department of Education...not to mention the ACLU. GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) founder Kevin Jennings has been selected to lead the U.S. Department of Education's "safe school" program; official title: Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools. In this position, Jennings controls millions of tax dollars which are supposedly designated for promotion of safe, drug-free schools. Jennings' career, however, has been devoted to promoting the homosexual agenda, largely in America's schools. "Safe schools" has been one of his themes---selling the notion that schools need to be made "safe" for homosexual students---"safe" from heterosexual students! In fact, the main GLSEN mission statement says they strive "to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression." They translate this into persuading children (as well as school leaders and the public) that any sexual orientation (or, it appears, sexual activity) should be accepted. "Heterosexism," they state, will "undermine a healthy school climate." Jennings' organization, with its 40-member staff, has established 4000+ "Gay-Straight Alliances" across the country, working to "protect" homosexual, bisexual and transgender students. GLSEN essentially promotes the homosexual lifestyle, not only in high schools and middle schools, but also grade schools. In one case, GLSEN produced cards asking for "allies" to pledge to "not use anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) language" were distributed by a California teacher to her kindergarten students.
At the same time, Islam is having more and more influence in America and the West. In America, Islam is gaining stronger and stronger influence in the U.S. government/politics as well as the education level, including universities.
Cheers.:)
ReplyDeleteSomeone on Facebook just now commented:
ReplyDelete"A military chaplain with whom I am acquainted said that the US government will buy the Book of Mormon and the Quran and other false religion's "holy books" for recruits but will not spend one penny on Bibles."
Maybe the recruits should buy their own religious books. Dr. Strange classic comics being the exception. The military should buy those.
ReplyDelete