#civilization

#meme #ai #technology #song #music #coder #developer #software #program #job #future #system society #economy #work #hack #cybersecurity #humanity #civilization

Time for the Sepender edition of our regularly scheduled Pook-Emu Bee Links.

Subway Stories1 | These salvaged relics in a Brooklyn subway station are the ghostly remains of old New York buildings (Ephemeral New York. Sep. 28, 2026.)

I wouldn’t call this being restored to their former glory, but it’s something.

2 | MTA axes G train shutdowns planned for December after outcry from small businesses (Kirstyn Brendlen for Brooklyn Paper. Sep. 28, 2026.)

Fun fact for non-New Yorkers: The G train is the only non-shuttle line that runs directly between Brooklyn and Queens without going through Manhattan in between. It is also an oft-troubled line in the repair space.

Tech Replacements3 | Fedora Discussion Raises The Idea Of Replacing LibreOffice With Collabora Office (Michael Larabel for Phoronix. Sep. 24, 2026.)

That is a stupid idea. Fedora should not do that. LibreOffice is a good default office suite (if one wants to ship a default office suite).

4 | US sanctions force The Netherlands off Microsoft and toward alternative NixOS-based software ecosystem — trial programs running now, first release expected at end of 2027 (Oliver Hansen for Tom’s Hardware. Sep. 28, 2026.)

U.S. sanctions of the ICC did not “force” the government of the Netherlands to do anything, as the first paragraph of the article itself notes. But since I use Linux instead of Windows myself, it will be interesting to see to what extent governments can make the switch work.

Military Conflicts5 | Iran publishes propaganda letter urging US voters to punish Trump in midterm elections (Ronny Reyes for the New York Post. Sep. 29, 2026.)

I could state the obvious that I am not taking voting advice from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. But let us go with a less obvious angle. 26 pages? Does the IRGC really expect me to read 26 pages? Moreover, are they aware that 1 USD is now worth more than 2.5 million Iranian Rial? If for no other reason than preserving tokens I would recommend they keep future communications to me to a strict 500 word limit. Thank you.

6 | Captured Hamas Spy Chief Helps Israel Take Out Three Senior Terror Commanders (Vijeta Uniyal for Legal Insurrection. Sep. 29, 2026.)

Hamas is finally showing the kind of cooperation that can lead to peace in the Middle East. Inspiring.

7 | Ukraine’s former defense minister launches ‘Manhattan Project’ for killer robots (Katie Livingstone for Defense News. Sep. 30, 2026.)

The problem with Giant Death Robots is that by the time you reach the end of the tech tree, you probably already made it to Alpha Centauri or won a domination victory, no? I don’t see how he is addressing that. Shallow. (Link for readers who never played Civilization.)

Video Games8 | Danganronpa 2×2 hands-on impressions: Witnessing the exact moment Slayhem Mode takes the familiar killing game off the rails (Dorde P for Automation West. Sep. 30, 2026.)

I was mildly curious how they were going to re-do the Danganronpa 2 scenario. This sounds plausible. I may talk myself into this one but TBD. (They had better not kill Chiaki off early, however.)

9 | After Years Of Hard Work, One Of The Most Ambitious Super Mario Kart SNES Hacks Of All Time Finally Has A Release Date (Jack Yarwood for Time Extension. Sep. 30, 2026.)

Interesting. I’m curious what the new courses are.

ما أكثر فكرة نمطية مكررة تزعجك في الكتب أو الأفلام؟

Resilience in the Face of Adversity
The Qur’an encourages Muslims to develop strong, resilient characters that do not waver in the face of trials.

Building Human Character in the Qur’an: A Path to Resilience and Strength
Building Human Character in the Qur’an: The Qur’an’s teachings emphasize the internal development of a person—his heart, emotions, and will. When a person is upright, balanced, and guided by Allah, he can confront life’s difficulties, whether in wealth, poverty, health, or illness.

Balanced Character in the Qur’an
The character that the Qur’an seeks to cultivate does not become arrogantly joyful when it obtains worldly desires, like Qarun with his amassed wealth, nor does it fall into despair over losses. This balanced approach allows a person to manage both success and failure without succumbing to pride or grief. As Allah says:

“And if We give man a taste of mercy from Us, then withdraw it from him, indeed he is despairing, ungrateful. But if We give him a taste of favor after hardship has touched him, he will surely say, ‘Evils have departed from me.’ Indeed, he is exultant and boastful. Except for those who are patient and do righteous deeds; those will have forgiveness and great reward.” (Hud: 9-11)

Human Nature and Divine Guidance
These verses highlight the natural tendencies of human beings, which can only be overcome by those who are patient and do good deeds. Such individuals, nurtured by the teachings of Islam, develop the ability to endure hardships and express gratitude for blessings, driven by their love for Allah and belief in the Hereafter.

Resilience in the Face of Adversity
The Qur’an encourages Muslims to develop strong, resilient characters that do not waver in the face of trials. As Allah says:

“Indeed, those who have said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remained steadfast—the angels will descend upon them, [saying], ‘Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.’” (Fussilat: 30)

This verse reassures believers that negative emotions like fear and grief do not solve problems and should not hinder progress.

Scholarly Insights on Patience and Strength
Ibn Taymiyyah emphasized the importance of patience and trust in Allah, even when witnessing wrong or changes in the state of Islam. He stated that despair and mourning over the condition of Islam are discouraged, advocating instead for perseverance and steadfastness. Reflecting on this, the poet Iqbal expressed:

“Believers rely on their Lord’s care
Neither fear troubles nor grieve in despair
The noble’s confidence elevates him above time
While sorrow is a deadly poison—do not drink the poison of sorrow.”

Positive Sorrow and Responsibility
While Islam discourages debilitating sorrow, it recognizes the value of positive sorrow—a deep reflection that fosters a sense of responsibility and drives believers to protect sacred boundaries. This mindset leads to inner peace and divine rewards. Allah says:

“And do not turn your cheek in contempt toward people nor walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.” (Luqman: 18)

Conclusion: Building Strong Character through Qur’anic Guidance
The Qur’anic guidance on building a balanced and strong human character is unparalleled. It teaches Muslims to face life’s challenges with resilience, without complaint or fatigue, and to remain strong at all times. This balance and moderation foster a society capable of enduring life’s trials with strength and dignity, as envisioned by the Qur’an.

By Mohammed Al-Abda