HELP ME

[Danspan88]

All of a sudden my teacher has given me a project to do on Religious Studies. It is to do with why Muslims go on Hajj can anyone help me because i know nothing about it.

[Frank Carver]

I've moved it for you.

[Jim Yingst]

A good start would be to consult an encyclopedia to learn the basics. Try www.britannica.com online, or go to a library.

[Sahir Shibley]

We know enough about all the religions in the world ( well except for minor obscure cults) to help with any type of assignment on religious studies, but we are not inclined to help you for the following reasons.

1. If your tutor found out you got the material from a discussion board s/he will be furious.
2. As a matter of principle the denizens of Meaningless Drivel do not help people with their homework.
3. We believe that self reliance is a virtue to be promoted with vehemence. Since you are here it is presumed you have intentions to take up a job in the IT industry. The industry likes people who can pull their own weights. If you are unlucky enough to end up working with Thomas Paul , there is a possibility he may skin you alive with a blunt knife . Inorder to foster self reliance and to save you from Thomas Paul and his clones around the world we would prefer you took some effort and did your own research.
Cheers
Sahir
PS. Sorry about the rant. I dont do this normally, but I am in bad mood today because somebody broke my cypher.

[This message has been edited by Sahir Shibley (edited July 04, 2001).]

[Badriprasad Bumbabol]

Apparently, the cypher wasnt strong enough

[Eager Beaver]

If you are unlucky enough to end up working with Thomas Paul , there is a possibility he may skin you alive with a blunt knife

That seems to be the enduring image of TP on the ranch but it belies his looks.

[Jim Yingst]

Sahir, I think I may be quoting your item #3 a lot in the future. As for the cipher - I thought the last one was actually Map's cipher? Congratulations on breaking it so quickly. I'm sure if you wanted to you could create one much harder to break (as could Map) - but if no one reads it, what's the point? In any event I probably won't have time for a series of escalating cipher challenges - it will always be easier to create a tough new cipher than it is to break it, and I see the process as having diminishing returns in terms of personal enjoyment. (I mean, it's not as if there are vital state secrets at stake here.) But it was fun to dabble in. Cheers...

[Eager Beaver]

Jim,
What is this whole cypher affair. I cannot make head or tail ot it....now u may say that exactly is how a cypher looks.....well, i have to agree. Your affable nature and endearing politeness makes it so very easy to ask if the cypher thing was really a crap or something profound. The same inquiry with the originator would result in him reeling out another cypher...hence i beseech you.

[Jim Yingst]

Oh, they're just harmless fun. The content is not particularly important - the ciphers are basically challenges to see if anyone else can figure out what is being said, and how it is being encoded. Sahir started off with a fairly simple one, and when several people had solved that one, Mapraputa made a more complex cipher as a follow-up challenge. Although come to think of it, I don't remember any direct evidence that Map ever actually cracked the first cipher - she may have just created her own as revenge. (Now I'm really in trouble - just watch.)
Of course, as a presumed KGB agent myself, it's in my interest to convince you that these ciphers should not be taken seriously by anyone else. Perhaps my "affable nature and endearing politeness" (you must have missed a couple of my posts) are simply elaborate ruses to lull you all into complacency. You never know...

[Mapraputa Is]

Jim, <...> Your affable nature and endearing politeness...
Eager Beaver, are you talking about Jim?
you must have missed a couple of my posts
Couple?

I don't remember any direct evidence that Map ever actually cracked the first cipher - she may have just created her own as revenge.
Oh yes. How did you figure out? The first cipher was so damn complicated... Of course, Map would never crack it.
Now I'm really in trouble - just watch.
He-he. Stay tuned... <big evil grin>
are simply elaborate ruses to lull you all into complacency
Jim, is that a new cipher? I had to ask my dictionary, if it is actually English...

[Eager Beaver]

Hey Map,
I can see you in all those smileys and a smile escapes my lips. Its your impish ways, NN's erudition, Sahir's playful posts, Stevie's humours posts, Rahuls impressive pen, Jim's affable ways and incisive mind, Thomas Paul's chaperoning, Angela's dedication to her responsibilities and much much more that I keep coming often to the Ranch. But for Paul Wheaton I would have missed on all the wonderful acquaintances.
Paul Wheaton, may GOD bless you.
-EB.

[Nanjangud Nanjundaiah]

>NN's erudition
I would rather be known as the ranch's Necessary Evil

[Paul Ralph]

1. If your tutor found out you got the material from a discussion board s/he will be furious.

Why?? This board receives posts from all of the world including, presumably, Muslims. What better way to do research than to get someone relating a personal experience? Why would the tutor be mad about that?

2. As a matter of principle the denizens of Meaningless Drivel do not help people with their homework

Why not? This isn't a math question where there's one right answer. I also thought Meaningless Drivel allowed any topic. Oh, I get it. Meaningless Drivel *has* to be meaningless.

3. We believe that self reliance is a virtue to be promoted with vehemence.

This explains a lot -- A search of the last 10 days on your name reveals exactly one post relating to answering a java question. Aren't the experienced supposed to be helping the newbies? If you don't want to help, fine. But don't tell others not to. This post has made me madder than any other one I've seen.

Cheers

I'm not allowed to swear, so I'll just say Boloney!
Paul R

[Thomas Paul]

I was sitting at my desk working on a particularly complex Java class when a co-worker came in and asked me what parameters they could pass to a constructor for some class they were using. I asked him if he looked in the API and he said that he thought he would ask me first. I reached up, grabbed 20 books off my shelf, stuffed them in his hands and said the answer is in one of those.
In other words, I am more than happy to answer any question but I would expect that a person would check the API, look it up in a dictionary, search the encyclopedia, compile the program, etc. before they ask me for help!
For the question asked here, I went to google and did a search on "hajj" and "moslem" and this was the first site that I looked at on the list: http://web.presby.edu/~gramsey/Religion_310/Islam/Hajj.html
P.S. Can someone tell me what the capital of Ohio is?

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Sahir Shibley:
If you are unlucky enough to end up working with Thomas Paul , there is a possibility he may skin you alive with a blunt knife . Inorder to foster self reliance and to save you from Thomas Paul and his clones around the world we would prefer you took some effort and did your own research.

Actually everyone wants to work with me because I am an excellent mentor and teacher. In fact, I teach at Hofstra University. But I go crazy when someone asks a simple question like, "Will this code compile?" My answer is, why don't you compile it and find out!!! If they ask me, "I compiled this but it comes back with errors. Could you explain what these errors mean?" then I am more than happy to spend time explaining exactly what is wrong and how to correct the errors.

[Shama Khan]

To return to the original question:
Information about Hajj can be found at
http://www.islam101.org/dawah/hajj_CAIR.html

http://www.themodernreligion.com/hajj.html http://islamicity.com/mosque/hajj/
Rather than referring to Brittanica, I have referred to muslim sources. Good Luck.
Shama

[This message has been edited by Shama Khan (edited July 06, 2001).]

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Paul Ralph:
[BThis explains a lot -- A search of the last 10 days on your name reveals exactly one post relating to answering a java question. Aren't the experienced supposed to be helping the newbies? If you don't want to help, fine. But don't tell others not to. This post has made me madder than any other one I've seen.
[/B]

There is a difference between helping and being a crutch. Think of the difference between these two questions:
"Will this program compile?"
"Why won't this program compile?"
or
"What method is used to add something to a Collection?"
"Which Collection class is best to use in my program?"
When someone asks a question like, "What is the capital of Ohio?" they are basically saying that they are too lazy to do even the slighest bit of work and want everything handed to them. At least that is my humble opinion.

[Mapraputa Is]

Actually everyone wants to work with me because I am an excellent mentor and teacher.
That's true. We have some projects going on the Ranch, and all bartenders always want to work with Tom. We just hide all blunt knifes from him and Paul counts his moderators every day � just in case.
(Now I follow Jim's example and run under cover )

[This message has been edited by Mapraputa Is (edited July 06, 2001).]

[Sahir Shibley]

Thomas,
I just wanted to reinforce my point with an example. What I said about you is true for any project manager. It irks them when a team member expects to be spoon fed. I may have unwittingly triggered a series of "blunt knife" jokes. My sincerest apologies. On reading Eager Beaver's post I checked out the contactcs page. He is right. The fangs arent visible
Rgds
Sahir

[Sahir Shibley]

[This message has been purged by Sahir Shibley (purged July 06, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Sahir Shibley (edited July 06, 2001).]

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
That's true. We have some projects going on the Ranch, and all bartenders always want to work with Tom. We just hide all blunt knifes from him and Paul counts his moderators every day � just in case.

That explains why I can never find any knives in the Ranch kitchen!

[Paul Ralph]

I don't object to self-reliance, and I agree with 90%+ if not more of Thomas Paul's comments. Although I do not think Sahir meant it this way, it sounded like "If you come to Meaningless Drivel, do not expect any help, no matter what". Again, I no longer believe that is what he meant.
The rule should be "Do as much as you can, then ask for help". If someone asks for help too early, I don't believe in saying no outright, perhaps the person has no idea where to start. (I've been there before.) So, I liked the answers of "try the Encyclopedia Britannica" and the idea of dropping twenty books in someone's lap and saying "The answer is in there somewhere". My favorite though is Shama Khan's reply, basically, "Here's a good resource, now you do the work."
In the end, although I would not phrase it with so much fire and brimstone, I would still like to know what problems arise from points 1 and 2:
1. Discussion boards as a source.
If it's a personal experience, what's wrong with that? I was really hoping that someone would relate what a Hajj meant to them personally. It's something I'd be interested in. When I have some time, I'm going to look up those links myself. True, you run a risk of making it too easy. In this case, I'd risk it because I hate stock answers for something emotional, personal and spiritual. Perhaps, this is something to sacred to relate. I'd understand that. There are things in my religion like that.
2. "As a matter of principle the denizens of Meaningless Drivel do not help people with their homework". If it said "As a matter of principle the denizens of Meaningless Drivel do not do their homework for them " then I would agree completely. Serious topics not allowed here? I like the silly topics as much as anyone. But I've never seen a place with such diversity. What a great place to find out other points of view! Am I missing something?
3. I'm satisfied with the replies to this one.
Thanks
Paul R

[Sahir Shibley]

Using the internet to gather information for school assignments is not a good idea. There is too much readymade stuff out there. We may all end up as cut and paste artists.
As for my views on discussing serious topics at MD, take a look at this thread http://www.javaranch.com/ubb/Forum32/HTML/000687.html

You have put me in a very awkward position Paul. You make my posts sound like an election campaign and you made me reveal embarrassing details from the story of my life. Since you are satisfied with my reply, and I dont want to bore the ranchers with the story of my life, I am deleting the previous message. Those who missed it can read my forthcoming book "Mein Kampf II"
[This message has been edited by Sahir Shibley (edited July 06, 2001).]

[Paul Ralph]

I don't what you had to be embarassed about, but that pretty much clears up everything. I now return to more lighthearted topics.
Paul R

[Mapraputa Is]

Paul,
Unfortunatly this place is not homogeneous. It is splitted. Forces of reason, leaded by Tintin stand against united insane forces, leaded by Sahir. The first group loves serious intellectual discussions, whereas the second plays tricks, hijacks threads, set traps and hatches plots.
Jim formally supports the first coalition, but subconsciously he gravitates to us, rowdy people. We also ocasionally have support from such sharp-minded people like Thomas.
Now imagine that Thomas (for example) would agree to help "Danspan88" and provide his/her with lots of useful information. Which later turned to be elicited from... catholic doctrine. Or, worse, from Judaic wisdom.
Or imagine that somebody asked us to help on his/her thesis about such an important social institute as marriage and Tony happens to be nearby?
Not to mention Sahir... I shudder with horror thinking about his help.
What I want to say: it is completely OK to ask us for help in any other forum, but this forum should really have disclaimer at the top: "Administration of the Ranch abdicates all responsibility for any damage which can be caused by reading any thread in this forum"

[This message has been edited by Mapraputa Is (edited July 06, 2001).]