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worried, guilty, struggling, doubting, pressured, stressed out, exhausted..
Do any of these adjectives sound familiar? Well, these were the key feelings that came up at the last mums & babies retreat that I attended in the UK earlier this year.
I was surprised at first. Here we all were in this gorgeous old mansion, by the seaside on the south coast of England. A room full of amazing new mothers and equally remarkable little offspring. And then of course it made perfect sense. Here were a group of women, used to holding it all together, and here we were allowing ourselves to take time out and be in the presence of others who 'get it'. We were in a space of safety and familiarity (even though none of us knew each other prior to arriving). There was something invisible, yet incredibly powerful that connected us all together for those few days. Stories were shared and feelings talked about, I mean really talked about- no editing out the juicy messy bits.
There was an honesty, and a sense of trust within this group and it came so easily, just by allowing ourselves to be there.
There was no whisper at all of the word 'should' (one that I have abolished from my vocab by the way, it serves no purpose). There was just a sense of a wonderfully warm tribe, a small group of women, joined together by the experience of becoming a mother, even though each of our experiences were so unique in their own way.
So when we were sharing how we were feeling and what our experience of our motherhood journey had been the experiences were different, but the themes were very similar. Along with the joy, elation and delight that motherhood can bring, it can equally bring with it many confusing and darker feelings. It was a blessing to be able to share three days in the company of such courageous women and mums. And that we are.
It was also a privilege to have quality time with my little one, away from the day to day life we're used to functioning in.
It was also just incredibly delicious and very much needed to have the time with my Self. To get back in touch with her, the She she was before she was a mother. To indulge my body in a massage, feed it with wholesome delicious food (without having to even think about cooking), to stretch my body out until it felt like melting butter through amazing yoga. It was just very special and healing.
At first I felt guilty for taking this time out. Too "self-indulgent Jasmin" said that voice inside. "You 'should' be doing <insert any action you can think of here>". Had I listened to that voice inside, I would never have booked my ticket to the other side of the world and wouldn't ever have found myself on such a retreat. But, I didn't listen to that voice. Instead I chose to tune into a much more powerful voice.
I call it my innate Mumma's Wisdom. It is a new voice, and I like this one. It is calm and wise and loving. When I tune in to what she whispers, I can feel it ring true in my heart and I know to trust and listen to it.
That voice said to me "You are an incredible mother, even though you don't always feel like you are. You give so much of your self, mind and body to others, and now it's time to give something back to you. Give yourself some love back".
And so I did.
And it was Wonderful.
And it was Necessary.
And now it is your turn.
If you want it to be.
Do you?
I've taken inspiration from my own motherhood journey, my experiences as a Counsellor working with women, and my deep belief that becoming a mother is akin to being 're-born' ourselves. We transition from woman into mother, in just a moment, and I now know just how important and necessary it is to honour that transition.
Through creating Motherground Retreats, I have hand picked only the most wonderful selection of women, as teachers to share their gifts with our mums & babies. From our Counsellors to Yoga teachers to creche leaders, each woman exudes love and light.
My offering to you is this:
We have just a handful of spaces still open for our upcoming Retreat in Hepburn Springs next weekend, Friday 20-22 May.
If you are a mum or know a mum who is needing to give something back to herself, while still having her baby close-by (by her side or in with a nanny in the creche in the other room) please know that our Retreat is on and we would love to see as many mums and babies as we can. The more of us, the more wisdom, the more love there will be to share around.
You will both be very well looked after, so all there is to do is breathe and relax.
See our website for all the details
We have Concession rates and payment plans available.
Our retreats are for: Babies up to 18months.
Perfect for first or multiple time mummas.
Private rooms with ensuites.
All inclusive (for mum & baby) of accomodation, creche, seasonal vegetarian meals, yoga classes, massage, workshops, counselling, picnics + more
*this is a beautiful weekend away for mum & baby, with all you will need & more
This is your time to take a breath and fill your heart up again.
Unwind. Relax. Reground
Give yourself some love back.
by Jasmin Lesniak


text:
Ban live exports of Australian animals
[Update: Australia suspends live exports!]
Yesterday when I got on Twitter, I noticed something different. Twitter has trends that are the most popular phrases, words, topics, people, etc. that are most tweeted about in the world or the area you've got selected. One of the worldwide trends listed was "#banliveexport" which I knew right away concerned animals. After a little bit of reading, I found out that a clip of animal cruelty of Australian cattle shipped to Indonesia had been shown on television in Australia and it documented awful abuse and has upset people immensely. "The program revealed the shocking mistreatment of Australian animals in a number of Indonesian slaughterhouses which use restraining boxes that are subsidised by Australian taxpayers. The program also contained serious allegations that the Australian live export industry has been negligent in allowing animals to be tortured and killed in the sickening conditions revealed in the program. " [Source: International.to]
I don't like to show the photos or videos of the horrible things I write about because I hope that you will take action just from knowing what the issue is and sometimes even the words are too much. If you however would like to watch the video and see what exactly sparked so much outrage, you can view the footage by watching the main video on the Ban Live Export homepage.
There's been a campaign in Australia to ban the live export of all animals including sheep and cows for many years, but now RSPCA and Animal Australia have joined together to make a change and get a ban in place for good. You can help, especially if you're in Australia, in just a few short steps. Imagine enduring a crowded and often times too hot or too cold trip on a boat for 5-10 days only to be tortured at the other end. Please sign the petitions below to help put an end to this and spread the word:
Sign the petition to ban live export
Tell Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard to end live export
Ask your MP to oppose live animal export
(Original image clickable to source: BanLiveExport.com)
31 May 2011 / Animals
Tags: animal australia, australia, banliveexport, cattle, cows, live exports, petition, rspca, take action

subset: commoncrawl


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Posted by Wanderer
on 15 February 2013 - 04:34 PM
New one with my favorite lady! -hides from Miya and Sera-
Posted by Wanderer
on 06 February 2013 - 06:09 PM
The Noble Hermit,
And Master Mage,
Standing Blindly on the Hills of Sacrifice.
Now that you're aware, please lower your standards and get yourself a tissue to read a crushingly depressing backstory of one of the twelve original members of the First Expeditionary Force.
Aranzeb was born to the Ar clan. He was born in the land of Enoa, which was widely regarded for its paradisaical beauty. His father, Irenmar, was a mage who by all rights could have taken taken a position of high standing among his clan as their Master Mage, but he was instead content to live a quiet life.
Enoa was ruled by a single kingdom, but the land was dotted with various separate clans. Each of these clans were autonomous, governed by their own members who served in varying positions of importance, but among those positions, a Mage was the most influential. A mage could act on the kingdom's Senate if he or she so desired.
At a time of strife between the clans, each hoped to raise the children of that generation to be Mages. Among that generation was Aranzeb. Irenmar, however, dis not agree that children should be forced to learn magic simply to take a seat on the Senate, regardless of what his clan wanted. He therefore deliberately refused to instruct his son, allowing him instead to play about freely.
The young Aranzeb went exploring alone. He roamed the oceans, lakes and sea until he lost his way, staking out in a small cave to spend the night.
When he awoke, he found himself in an unfamiliar forest clearing.
He was too young to recognize this as a magical vision.
Notice: Massive amounts of errors.
In this, the little Elf Aranzeb lost his way in the dark forest, when a girl appeared between the trees. She was resting upon the fallen leaves, appearing spellbound or asleep as Aranzeb curiously approached her. She was she girl of Aranzeb's dreams. Hand in hand, the two explored the forest. Then, she brought him to a cave where an elderly bearded man emerged. Because the sight of an elderly Elf was so very rare, he stared and stared at him. The man reached out his hands as he approached, and said
"Seek me, and leave the rest behind. Take up the staff."
Aranzeb awoke with a start. Before him appeared a path that hadn't been there before, yet felt as though it really always had been. He leaped to his feet and followed the path. At the path's end, there was a very familiar sight; that of the very cave he dreamed of. He hesitated at the mouth of the cave, expecting a chance emergence as had occurred in his dream. This time around, it was a young man who came forth, rather than an older man. His face was riddled with puzzlement rather than the sage wisdom he seemed to carry himself with in the dream, and he spoke.
"Are you looking for something?"
Aranzeb began to explain the dream to the man, who then turned his head and called in to the cave, "Ninelle!"
She was not a dream.
"Was this the young girl in your dream?"
Aranzeb nodded, then the young man turned to Ninelle and asked, "Did you use Dream Magic on this boy?" Ninelle huffed and made a face, "On an amateur who can't even recognize magic? You must be joking." The young man rebuked her and apologized to Aranzeb. Aranzeb nodded, but didn't seem to completely endure the insult.
"Yeah. Tell her about the dream in which I appeared as an old man. Ninelle, are you sure you didn't project yourself in to this dream?"
Aranzeb retold the story of his dream while the young man listened again carefully, nodding as it was slowly reiterated. Elves tended to repeat the things they wished to memorize. The young man spoke.
"Well, darling. I'm Alexander of the Er clan. This is Ninelle, my niece. Ninelle has talent working in the unconscious. In any case, the girl in your dream wasn't as rude as the real Ninelle, which suggests that the details of your dream might have been inaccurate--filled in by your own subconscious. In other words, the important part of your dream is really only the prophetic aspect.
I still don't know what your dream really means. In fact, I may not know until I'm an old man, but you and I are somehow connected."
Alexander told Aranzeb to regularly come to him in secret. He would teach him magic. Alexander had been among the best of Enoa's mages for many years. When he left his clan, the Er clan was left at a severe disadvantage in the senate. Aranzeb began stealing away to Alexander's cave regularly for instruction in magic, and gradually, he and Ninelle began to treat one another like brother and sister. Ninelle had lost her parents, and previously knew only the forests and her uncle, but having Aranzeb around so often, she developed a crush, and later on, she and Aranzeb fell in love.
Alexander was embarrassed when the two asked permission to marry. By then, they were both only a little over twenty years old each, and to Elves, 20 year olds were still thought of as children. Regardless of their physical maturity, they were children. Above all considerations, however, Alexander wanted to keep Aranzeb close.
Finally, Alexander took the two children to Irenmar. Irenmar was shocked to see Alexander, whose whereabouts had been a mystery for a very long time. As his son showed aptitude in magic, it was expected that he would marry within his own clan. But Irenmar detested sch unnecessary customs. He and Alexander discussed Aranzeb's magical talent, and soon, the two children were married.
It was a bizarre marriage. They were the youngest married couple in all of Enoa. They drew considerably attention, and many compared them to children playing house. They thought the couple spent time picking flowers, rolling through hills, tickling each other, and playing tag. In truth, such things didn't happen. Their neighbor, a mother named Aribel asked, "Can children even hope to have children of their own?"
Notice: Guesswork over...
They did. Some decades later, the two youngsters had a child they named Aranyn, while they themselves were still considered children.
They were an eccentric family trio. But they were still like any loving family.
The prodigal family went on many adventures with Alexander. It wasn't clear which clan Aranyn belonged to, because Aranzeb and Ninelle belonged to two separate clans, so they dubbed their daughter the first member of the Arany clan. This was seen as scandalous, but the couple was young and unafraid of the public opinion. The peace and quiet of their own home was like a paradise.
For the next 100 years, they all lived out happy childhoods. They were practically peers, the three of them, wandering through the woods and pathfinding together. Aranzeb in particular had become very well acquainted with the woods and he pointed out the unseen forces flowing through a nearby creek. Aranzeb taught Aranyn how nature was amplified with magic. Now that he was an adult, Aranzeb didn't laugh in delight at the observation as he had as a child, but instead observed calmly and thoughtfully. Aranyn was growing under her father's instruction on the mysteries of magic.
Around this time, Alexander announced that he had to depart for Delphinad, but the couple and their daughter were so in love with the forest that they stayed behind. Meanwhile, the Ar clan had chosen Aranzeb to represent them as their Master Mage, and the Er clan had developed a rivalry with them, bothered by his presence. As some of the external clan strife began to subside, other clans banded together behind either of the two clans. This seemed alright at first, but in time, the Ar clan insisted that Ninelle should leave the Er clan as it was shameful for her and the superior mage Aranzeb to have conflicting loyalties at a time of division between the two clans.
Though they were both competent mages, Aranzeb was stronger and more influentiel, and so, with great remorse, he swore to cease using magic and never use it again.
But one cannot simply stop once one has begun.
Vengeance came like a spring storm. While she was pathfinding, Aranyn was kidnapped my a troop of armed men who belonged to the Er clan. News reached them quickly that Aranyn was forced to betroth one of their young men. The public, not understanding the whole of the situation, were elated at the news.
Since Aranzeb vowed never to use magic again, he took his daughter's husband to court. He accused the husband of marrying his daughter to disrupt the bloodline. The court didn't accept his argument that she was too young and unwilling to marry, however. This was because Aranzeb himself was married when he was even younger.
The trial was dismissed and Aranyn was sent back to her husband, but by morning, her throat was slit and her husband claimed it was suicide. Even if there had been witnesses, the husband had a favorable public opinion and was automatically presumed innocent.
Aranzeb and Ninelle were devastated. There was no trial, as though it was a matter of no real importance. That was the day when Ninelle officially left the Er clan.
They both lived in seclusion for a very long time,
religiously honoring the spirits.
Without each other, the passage of time would be difficult to bear.
Another hundred years passed. Aranzeb and Ninelle retained the Arany clan name, just the two of them. Eventually, another child was born to them. In their long lives, these two Elves only had two or three children, but it was no surprise considering how deep their heartache ran.
They asked their Ar clan relatives to act as godparents. Both were pleased by and accepted the name suggestion of Aranzebia. They both loved Aranzebia dearly, and hoped she would fill the void Aranyn had left behind. But that was too much to hope for.
Since the death of Aranyn, Ninelle had a difficult time connecting with Aranzeb. Her behavior swung backg and forth as she was calm most days, but thrashed at night and sometimes hugged the clothes that once belonged to Aranyn. She would attack and abuse Aranzeb, who was also hurting because of the loss of his daughter. Every time she did this, he simply held her until she stopped. He never spoke of it to anyone.
It was another very long hundred years. Ninelle had more frequently begun to wander the forest. Aranzeb normally followed after her, but one day she smiled at him and said she wanted to be alone. Aranzeb thought she might feel better after coming back from a solitary walk, so he did not stop her. He would regret this decision until his death.
That day, Ninelle stepped on a viper during her walk through he woods. Though she'd been bitten, she took no action to purge the poison from herself. Aranzeb only saw Ninelle's blackened foot when that night, she fell limp in his arms. There was a juniper tree that had been broken a year prior, and was dusted with yellow moss. The color of the moss was reminiscent of the blonde hair of a young Elf.
Already slipping away, Ninelle could no longer recognize Aranzeb. She couldn't hear his final goodbye. Finally, hugging herself against the tree trunk, she whispered. "Lovely Aranyn. Ah, my innocent baby. Mommy's coming."
The next day, Aranzeb was more like a statue than a man. Without food or rest, he repeatedly walked the paths he'd explored with Ninelle and Aranyn. Elves are creatures who feel such great sorrow, that it's common for them to pass away shortly after a great tragedy, however, after a few months he was still not dead, because the Elves of the forest, as well as the spirits of Ninelle and Aranyn, were watching over him.
The following yer, news of Aranzeb reached Alexander, and he returned to Enoa. Alexander took him to Delphinad against his will. When he came to, he thrice called out for Ninelle. Alexander remembered the moment when he finally calmed down. He then held out to the other man what Alexander had spent an eternity looking for.
"If you die, the Arany clan dies with you.
So live on, forever."
Notice: Afterword
The narration may be a little awkward because I tried to translate it sentence-for-sentence. In any case, if you do happen to speak Korean and can provide a better translation while we await Trion's official take on the lore of this wonderful game, please feel free to provide it. I welcome correction, whole-heartedly.
Posted by Wanderer
on 02 February 2013 - 11:48 AM
Wanderer Doodle
Wanderer Colored
Tigress Doodle
Amae Doodle
Inporylem Doodle
Questing Doodle
Chibi Wandy Doodle
Mast Latch Doodle
Tiggy Jail Doodle
YOLO Doodle
New Cloak Design... One Day
Impact Valentine's Doodle
Tiggy's Driving Doodle
Just Noticing How American Tiggy and Wanderer Are
Wanderer's Speedboat Sail Design
Tigress's Trade Ship Sail Design
Posted by Wanderer
on 11 January 2013 - 06:54 PM
Posted by Wanderer
on 11 January 2013 - 06:18 PM
Posted by Wanderer
on 05 January 2013 - 10:30 PM
Posted by Wanderer
on 09 March 2012 - 12:36 PM
Posted by Wanderer
on 09 March 2012 - 12:11 PM
Posted by Wanderer
on 02 February 2012 - 08:49 AM
Kyprosa DaeiorDaughter of the Winter Fir; The Nearest to the Mother; Keeper of the GardenPREFACE
The official Korean ArcheAge website, over time, has been posting stories and biographies concerned with notable historical figures in ArcheAge's universe. Thus far, the character biographies that have appeared have all been about characters who appear in The First Expeditionary Force. The first to appear on the Korean website was Kyprosa Daeior, "Gatekeeper of the Garden." As far as it's understood, she also makes an appearance in the novel "The Fir and the Hawk," which is probably not surprising considering that the following biographical story describes Kyprosa as the "Daughter of the Fir," and pinpoints her origins in a thick fir forest. Once more, I've approached this translation as carefully as possible, but I do not speak any Korean. My methodology for "translating" these stories relies on Google translations, Babylon & Babelfish translators, and Hangul-to-Romanized Korean applications (for locating names / proper nouns / foreign words). I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this translation, but I hope that it is close enough that it will give everyone a little sneak peak in to ArcheAge's lore, before we are given official translations. My "translations" also do include a little bit of narrative embellishment, as Korean and English literary styles are somewhat different.
Please note that I have already posted this information to ArcheAgeRoleplay.com!I strongly encourage people who are interested in lore and/or roleplay to visit the site, sign up, and watch for updates there. I will continue to "translate" the stories of the important historical characters as they appear on the Korean website. It's not certain how long it will take me to cross-post to ArcheAge Source. They will appear on AARP first!
Link to the Official Korean site, and the biographical story of Kyprosa Daeior
Ki-peu-ro-ja De-i-eo1 Kyprosa Daeior
She was named after the crest of the tree; Kyprosa Daeior.The crest was a symbol of the grave, death, and eternal torment.
There were strange rumors circulating among the people of the fir. That Kyprosa's life was even worse than the meaning of her name. Her father had lost himself to madness, and her mother brought her to her husband's parents' doorstep and left. Her grandmother hated her, and forced her in to servitude for her family, to be raised in the kitchens. That was when she met Orchidna3, her uncle's bastard infant daughter who had been discarded in anger by Rosia. In the middle of the night, she snuck out of the halls. She found the baby abandoned in the woods, but soon realized that she herself was lost. She kept walking, but couldn't find so much as a hunter's cabin. She tried to follow the stars to any shelter possible, but found herself at the edge of a cliff, stopping in her tracks. She had gone the wrong way. Kyprosa stubbornly clung to the infant to try to keep it warm, even if she in turn would freeze to death. Kyprosa decided to press forward and carefully crawl down the cliff. In the distance, she saw the form of a man, disappearing in to an old looking shack. She approached and saw that the interior of the shack was rotting and broken, and empty, but it was still a shelter from the harsh, cold winds outside, so Kyprosa entered. The entrance was narrow, but there was some space on the left, around a fallen table, to sit and shield them from the winds.
Kyprosa imagined the sight of lights.She lost consciousness thenand dreamt of dying; or was it a dream?
She wasn't sure how, but she found herself in a round hall. Lanterns were hung along the walls of the cave. Kyprosa stood and ventured along the hall until she found another passageway. Down the hall, she discovered a room, which startled her. It was her bedroom. Venturing inside, she found that the bedroom was lavish, in stark contrast to the walls just outside of it. The fire in the fireplace warmed the room, and the goose-feather bed looked incredibly cozy. On the covers, there was a blue velvet dress awaiting its owner. Kyprosa timidly touched the dress on the bed, when there was a knock at the door. She stiffened, horrified that she would be seen and thought to be a thief. It wasn't certain which came first. He entered and stood by Kyprosa's side. "What are you doing all the way over here, Rosa. If you get lost in the cold for so long, you'll be in big trouble." Who was this man? Why was he speaking in such a friendly and comfortable manner to her? Kyprosa examined his face closely. Then she recognized him from a portrait on the wall. Her great grandfather painted many portraits that looked just like it, before he died. Speechless, Kyprosa simply stared at him, but he blinked back to her. This man looked like her great grandfather's portrait of her father, Leibon4. When Kyprosa's father had left the castle, where had he gone? She couldn't be sure, but she felt at ease, and so she relaxed. He chuckled, patting her on the shoulder affectionately, then looked down at the dress on the bed. "Not too shabby for a grown man to sew in little time. Would you like to try it on?" Kyprosa quickly shook her head. Such splendid clothing didn't suit her at all, and she was afraid she was too awkward and clumsy that it would tear apart; above all else, this was still probably a dream. Even if it was all just a dream, she didn't want to do it. 5 Eventually, he took his daughter's hand and led her downstairs. Her hand felt like it was in an oven, all the way down the stairs. His hand was strangely warm, and she tearfully clung to his hand throughout the descent. She was surprised to descend again. She didn't expect there to be two flights of stairs. She was led to sit in a chair, and her hair was tied back. Three families sat there, and each of her long dead uncles were present, even though Kyprosa was born after the death of some of them. Rosia, Kyprosa's grandmother, took a seat next to her and smiled at her. "My granddaughter is here." It was like the other side of the same coin--the fir forest she knew, but where everything happened differently. Her father and uncle spoke, planning a hunting trip for tomorrow, and then her uncle made a joke at her grandfather's expense, winking to her to back him up. Kyprosa didn't know her grandfather, but she soon chuckled.Kyprosa laughed often that day. It was in that moment that she realized where she was. The was the place. The Shadow Castle6. She had no doubt that this was the place her mad father had written about. It was a castle, deep in the forest, that contradicted historical reality. In this world, her grandfather was there, and her father hadn't left, and he uncles hadn't died. And Kyprosa was loved by everyone here. She wished it wasn't too good to be true. This was so good for her, that if it kept on, she would forget her real life, awful though it may have been. Then, the door swung open, and the food was brought in. She knew the people who came through the door. Her aunt Elma7. But there was a baby in her arms. Her uncle Theodoric8 stood and went to take the baby, and Elma handed him over. "Everyone was upset you weren't here. Papa wanted to see you." This baby had been born because her uncle hadn't left. She watched the baby, but felt that something had been lost. But what.Of course, she thought. Kyprosa smiled to her father. "Papa, is that Orchidna?" Leibon tilted his head at her. With his head still tilted slightly, he said.
"Orchidna? Who is that?"She slowly came to realization. She slapped her hands down on to the table.Kyprosa lost her appetite and stood.
She slowly pushed her chair away from the table. She didn't quite know what she was doing, but her feet took her quickly to the front entrance of the building. Kyprosa had read about the Shadow Castle in her father's journal, and how he had to find it. He studied this magical place feverishly, even when other people doubted him. Maybe he had somehow called Kyprosa to him here. Then where had her father gone to in the real world? Did her father come to see this place, just as she had? Was it so happy that it brought about his madness? Why did he not stay here? Was this why he left Kyprosa alone? Where then had he really gone? She understood her father wanted to find the Shadow Castle. It's Kyprosa may have seemed real to him. Perhaps his father was too busy ruling the Forest, and he and his mother Rosia had come to mutually resent each other? If Kyprosa were to really walk among him, Leibon couldn't tell the difference between the fake and real Kyprosa.
The Shadow Castle was not real.Everything that happened here, never really happened after all.
Posted by Wanderer
on 26 January 2012 - 01:09 PM
The First Expeditionary ForceThe Tale of 12 Important Figures, Thousands of Years AgoPREFACE
For some time, the official Korean ArcheAge website has been posting more and more content under the "worldview" section of the site. This information has not yet been brought over to the English mirror. Out of impossible curiosity, I embarked on a bit of a quest to try to make sense of the stories beyond that of simple Google translations. Bear in mind, that as I do this, I don't speak any Korean. My methodology for "translating" these stories, so to speak, lies in cross-referencing both Babylon translations, and Yahoo!'s Babelfish translators. I am also using several references for Hangul-to-Romanized Korean to locate proper nouns and refrain from jumbling them in to some kind of jumbled sentence (though I admit I might have slipped up and missed a few). The "translation" I'm providing here may not be entirely accurate, but it will at least, hopefully, give you an early glimpse in to some of ArcheAge's Lore. If anyone here does speak a substantial amount of Korean, I very much welcome your corrections and will edit accordingly. My "translations" do include some literary embellishment that might not accurately reflect the original Korean text, just to give the story a little bit of a narrative flow.
Please note that I have already posted this information to ArcheAgeRolePlay. I strongly encourage people who are interested in lore and/or roleplay to visit the site, sign up, and watch for updates there. I will continue to "translate" the stories of the important historical characters as they appear on the Korean website. It's not certain how long it will take me to cross-post to ArcheAge Source.
Link to the Official Korean site, and the story of the First Expeditionary Force
The First Expeditionary Force
The twelve adventurers soon began their expedition further in to the cavern, along the ledges. To their right was an endless wilderness. To their left, the infinite darkness of the cavern, captivating them with such contrast, emanating in their hearts. The simple fact that they were present here now, was nothing short of miraculous. The world had many hidden secrets, and they had to be revealed someday. Finally, they happened upon something. It wasn't a lift, but floating stone stairs. They could use them like stepping stones. One step at a time, descending further in to the cavern."Oh boy." Eanna was pressing on, admirably, but she continued to glance down with fear. She looked to Melisara when the latter said."It cuts off." Melisara had amazing eyesight. She was peering down at the stairs, overlapping in some places, but clearly broken in others. Having even better eyesight, Tahyang came to her side and also peered down."No. It joins back together towards the bottom." Ferre eyesight was more than twice as strong as human eyesight. What Tahyang saw was invisible to everyone else. Ollo stroked his beard, looking uneasy."Is there anywhere from here to go but down?""If you're worried, I'll let you hold on to my skirt and you can follow me." Aranzebia teased. The female elf didn't seem to be in the least bit worried about the stairs. "How will you get down there? It's blacker than night, you don't even know if there's a floor there. You might not be able to come back up.""Even so, will you not go?" It was the first time anyone heard Inoch speak since beginning the expedition. His tone was almost excited. His voice was always so calm, it was strange to hear it crack a bit with excitement. Then Aranzeb spoke."I'm going." All eyes turned on to him. Lucius nodded and muttered. "I don't know if we'll ever return from this. Hell, my world's been turned upside down just by the mere proof of the existence of this place. I want to experience it, for future generations." Anyone who was that concerned for their own well-being wouldn't have come so far. Suddenly, Gene gave the rock he was leaning against a friendly pat."Want to leave our names? Carve them right here?"
In the beginning, the Mother created the twelve ancestors, and future generations returned to the place they discovered. They walked a long road back to that world, to the Hill Forgotten3.The carvings in the rock were left for thousands of years. Since then, those who come across this rock will see this.Kyprosa DaeiorOrchidna4 Tahyang Kahlzit5 Gene EvernightMelisara LivollaLucius Quinto6 Eanna Nimush7 AranzebAranzebia Ollo8 Inoch Naima9
Posted by Wanderer
on 06 January 2012 - 10:28 PM
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Pure Exploration offer global adventure travel programs designed for all young travellers seeking a constructive and developmental stepping stone into independent travel, the adventure tourism industry, or the next chapter in their life.
We combine a range of travel, adventure, social, environmental, cultural and community experiences into one seamless program, and add in education, personal development, and adventure tourism job training.
Our philosophy runs deep throughout all of our programs. Our action-packed itineraries encompass all of our developmental and educational ideas. We aim to provide an immense array of experiences, activities and environments within an adventure travel context that focuses on building social and community relationships and an ever expanding level of independence and responsibility for yourself and others.
We run programs in our homeland New Zealand, as well as many other developing world countries and mountainous, inspiring regions of the world. Each has been carefully chosen as we think provides the perfect 'classroom' for personal development, immersive learning and managed challenges.
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Accommodation during training and work experience, Meals during training, all technical equipment and instruction, Swift Water Rescue Cert, Pre-hospital emergency care cert, NZOIA Leader Level Rock Climbing and Bush qualifications
Queenstown, New Zealand


text: The best compliment came from Knopf's Sonny Mehta. We were at lunch in New York with my editor, Gary Fisketjon, it was my first time meeting Sonny, and after ordering our food, he turned to me and said, 'Adam, I read 'Mr. Peanut' in two days; every page surprised me, and that, I can assure you, doesn't happen often.'


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Australian Test batsman Shaun Marsh produced a sparkling innings of 91 to light up Monday's Twenty20 Challenge match at Pudsey Congs.
A Bradford Premier League representative side took on Yorkshire Vikings as part of the county side's preparations for the NatWest T20 Bash.
With Yorkshire having a County Championship game in Scarborough this week, a number of the big names were missing but Aussie star Marsh, along with England bowler David Willey were included.
Marsh has been drafted in for Yorkshire's T20 campaign and did not disappoint in his first appearance for the Vikings.
Marsh survived a let off on 14 when Pudsey Congs left-armer Josh Holling dropped a sharp return catch off his own bowling.
The Aussie star took full advantage as he struck seven sixes and seven fours in a 52-ball innings of 91.
Vikings captain for the night Will Rhodes struck 57 from 39 balls with three sixes and seven fours after Ryan Gibson had given the Yorkshire innings a good start with 31 from 18 balls.
Bradford & Bingley's Jack Hartley was pick of the Bradford League bowlers taking 2-37 from his four overs, while Cleckheaton's Curtis Free claimed 1-32.
Willey claimed the wicket of Hanging Heaton captain Gary Fellows second ball and also removed Adam Waite for a duck, both to catches from wicketkeeper Jonathan Read, as Yorkshire took a grip on the game.
New Farnley batsman Simon Lambert made 26, while Noman Ali (34) and Hanging Heaton's Callum Geldart (23) struck a couple of defiant blows, but wickets tumbled at regular intervals until the Bradford Premier League were bowled out 141 in 17.3 overs.
Cleckheaton wicketkeeper Mally Nicholson was the other local representative picked in the Bradford League side and he finished 11 not out.
Willey finished with 4-19 from his four overs, while spinner Karl Carver (2-26) supported as the Vikings wrapped up a comfortable win.
Yorkshire begin their T20 Blast campaign against Nottinghamshire at Headingley tomorrow (Friday).


text:
Close view of sculptured mouldings on the façade of the large temple, Janjgir, Bilaspur District 10031204
Photographer: Beglar, Joseph David
Medium: Photographic print
Date: 1873
Photograph of the sculptured mouldings on the facade of the large temple at Janjgir, taken by Joseph David Beglar in 1873-74. Two main temples are still standing at Jangir, the unfinished structure that is shown in this photograph is the larger. Beglar described this temple in his 'Report of a tour in Bundelkhand and Malwa, 1871-72; and in the Central Provinces, 1873-74' (A.S.I. vol. VII, Calcutta, 1878), pp. 204-211, "The great unfinished temple stands on a large oblong terrace; the external walls of the terrace, up to the point where the sloping backs of the seat should be, appear to have been completed...The temple consists of a cell only; it is profusely sculptured outside with statues as at Khajuraha, but without any obscenity; the tower is only half, or rather less than half, finished, and is also profusely sculptured right up to the top as far as finished...The sculptures show that it belongs to some time after the 9th century."


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Shanghai Little Star was founded in 1985 as a subsidiary of the SMG (Shanghai Media Group). Little Star consists of two sections: the Little Star School and the Little Star Troupe. Shanghai Little Star is ranked as a five-star social organization that focuses on professional children's art education, and is aimed at cultivating their interest in the performance arts as well as developing children's individual capabilities and potential for success and accomplishment. Our ultimate goal is to develop and train the next generation of performance stars in China.
Shanghai Little Star School currently has 23 branches, 22 of them in Shanghai, and 1 in United States. The program consists of four components: singing, dancing, acting and art, which constitute more than 30 kinds of staged art classes. Little Star Art School aims to help children from 3-12 years old improve confidence, creativity and EQ, and above all cultivate a new generation of artistic accomplishment. Little Star Art School combines advanced international educational theory with practical teaching methodology, working on developing better art courses and building high quality environment for children's development. In addition, those students from Little Star Art School who demonstrate high aptitude in their artistic talents have the opportunity to apply for the internationally recognized Little Star Art Troupe, bringing them a step closer to realizing their dream on the world stage.
Since 2013, Shanghai Little Star began publishing its own magazine with nearly 20,000 issues currently in circulation. It has even been producing its own TV program, called "Little Star Dream Works" which has been ranked among the top ten with domestic audiences.
Shanghai Little Star has had the privilege of serving, developing, and teaching the super-stars of the past, present, and future. Not only has it served as a vehicle to artistic and career success for many, but also teaches all of its students myriad artistic and performance talents that will benefit them throughout their lives. Members of the Little Star Troupe have in many cases grown up to become elites in many different fields, from entertainers and actors, to company executives, and even teachers themselves. Whether international hits, or serving their own communities, all of our students, both former and current, are shining examples of our "little stars."


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The funeral chapel Louis- Joseph Papineau, a listed building, is a small religious building of Gothic influences erected in 1853-1855 and rebuilt in 1933. Of rectangular plan, this stone chapel is topped with a gable roof. The designation also includes land that is surrounded by such a wrought iron fence. The funeral chapel Louis- Joseph Papineau is located in the municipality of Montebello, amidst a forest of pine and maple, in a resort environment. It borders the Château Montebello and Louis- Joseph Papineau Manor, the latter being also a historical monument.
Remember Me


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About 10 years ago, Katz was diagnosed with sleep apnea and now, at age 70, depends on his CPAP machine for the deep night's sleep his big frame needs. As a client, he now sports National Sleep Therapy on his speed dial as well. (www.nstherapy.com). Some 20 million Americans have sleep apnea -- but most have yet to be diagnosed.
Katz will be the featured guest during the next free group virtual support session, 'CPAP Talk –Live!,' – everything you wanted to know about sleep apnea -- set for Wednesday, February 4 from 7-8 pm (ET). The town-hall-style forums are held at the same time on the first Wednesday of each month, sponsored by National Sleep Therapy. In recent months, enthusiastic CPAP users from 10 states have joined in the monthly sessions. (To participate: Just prior to the session, call 1-800.204.6655, enter access code 342-2187#.)
Katz, who played for the N. Y Jets with Joe Namath, was a former Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champ. Today, Big Mike hasn't slowed down much. With his son, he operates five fitness studios in Connecticut, sticks to a tough exercise regimen, trains fitness clients, and speaks on behalf of Special Olympics and youth fitness. (He was a high school health education teacher and earned advanced degrees in the field.) Most important, he makes time to enjoy his grandchildren.
He says, "It takes a bit to get used to wearing the CPAP mask at night, but it's worth the effort. I don't want to shorten my life or sleep through my grandkids' childhood – waking up when they're 16, wondering where the time went."
"CPAP Talk-Live!' is hosted by National Sleep Therapy President Eric Cohen. He says that, besides snoring, a symptom of sleep apnea is chronic fatigue. Ignoring that can exacerbate high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and/or weight gain, as well as lead to highway or workplace accidents. Untreated, lack of deep sleep can lead to a lower quality of life and even a shorter life expectancy.
Interested individuals may also send questions in advance either via Facebook or using the cpaptalklive.com registration form.


text:
Arshad Warsi injured himself while performing a stunt for his upcoming film 'The Legend of Michael Mishra'. The actor, who is "fine" now, hit his head against a metal trolley which resulted in him getting seriously hurt.
Arshad took to Twitter to announce that he "under observation" and thanked everyone for the wishes. "Big thank you to all of you who care for me. I am fine and under observation. All I can say is I was very lucky, I think God really loves me," Arshad posted on the microblogging site on Friday. Recently, superstar Shah Rukh Khan suffered a serious fall on the sets of his upcoming film 'Happy New Year'. Ameesha Patel also injured herself while shooting an action sequence for her film. Arshad was last seen in Abhishek Chaubey's 'Dedh Ishqiya', which received mixed reviews at the box office. Directed by 'Matrubhoomi-A Nation Without Women' helmer Manish Jha, the comic film also stars Aditi Rao Hydari and Boman Irani in prominent roles.


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Country Fast Facts: Ethiopia
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Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II.
In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile Selassie (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state.
Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990's ended with a peace treaty in December 2000.
Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.
Source: CIA World Fact Book
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 16,657,155/female 16,553,812)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 20,558,026/female 20,639,076)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 953,832/female 1,149,986) (2007 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.1 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.272% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
37.39 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
14.67 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.829 male(s)/female
total population: 0.995 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 91.92 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 101.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 81.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.23 years
male: 48.06 years
female: 50.44 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.1 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.5 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
120,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks in some locations
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)
noun: Ethiopian(s)
adjective: Ethiopian
Ethnic groups:
Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census)
Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%, English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.7%
male: 50.3%
female: 35.1% (2003 est.)
Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF voted to forgive Ethiopia's debt to the body. Under Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to a 3.3% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004-06.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$73.79 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$13.32 billion (FY05/06 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 46.7%
industry: 12.9%
services: 40.4% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
27.27 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry: 8%
services: 12% (1985)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
38.7% (FY05/06 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2006 est.)
revenues: $2.679 billion
expenditures: $3.388 billion; including capital expenditures of $788 million (2006 est.)
Public debt:
80.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish
food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
7.4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.294 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - consumption:
2.133 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:
428,000 bbl (1 January 2005)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:
-$3.384 billion (FY05/06 est.)
$1.085 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds
Exports - partners:
China 10.5%, Germany 8.6%, Japan 7.4%, US 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 5.8%, Djibouti 5.7%, Switzerland 5%, Italy 5% (2006)
$4.105 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 18.1%, China 11.4%, India 8.1%, Italy 5.1% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.108 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$6.038 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.6 billion (FY05/06)
Currency (code):
birr (ETB)
Exchange rates:
birr per US dollar - 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004), 8.5997 (2003), 8.5678 (2002)
note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
Fiscal year:
8 July - 7 July
AIDS: The Modern Pandemic
A history of AIDS, U.S. statistics, health facts and a look at how the epidemic has spread.
Global Terror
Major terrorist organizations, the FBI's most wanted and facts and photos from recent attacks.
- Interactive: Bird Flu Soars
- Interactive: AIDS : The Modern Pandemic
- Photo Essay: Travel Hot Spots
- Photo Essay: 2007 Netherlands Press Photos
- Interactive: Global Terror Strikes
- Interactive: Fundamentals of Islam


text:
A method for extracting protein from pectin rich plant material.
Zalinah Ahmad (2011) A method for extracting protein from pectin rich plant material. PI2011700031.
Abstract / Synopsis
The present invention relates to methods for extracting protein from plant material which is characterized by a high content of interfering compounds, specifically abundant polysaccharides like pectin. The inventive method applies a pectolytic treatment in preparation of the plant material sample prior to protein extraction. This optimized method results in high quality protein extracts compatible with further sensitive proteomic analyses specifically methods like two dimensional gel electrophoresis or mass spectrometry. The present invention further relates to the protein extracts obtained by the inventive method and the use of the inventive method in the preparation of protein samples. Also a protein extraction kit is disclosed for conducting the inventive method, as well as the use of the protein extraction kit in protein analysis and proteomics.
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text: Hi! I bought a G25 Wheel to use in my system: AMD Phenom 9850 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 Sounblaster X-Fi 4GB RAm Lots and lots of HD Razer Diamondback Saitek Eclipse Ive got a dualboot system: Windows 7 and Windows XP Pro The wheel works flawless in XP but there was some problems installing it in windows 7 (known problem) that I solved. Now, the only problem remaining is that GTRE/RACE 07/STCC wont start when the wheel is connected... It hangs with a black screen just before going to the main menu. Got to ctrl-alt- del and start task manager Wich report that GTRE has stopped responding. Ive also tried starting it without the wheel and plugging it in later but as soon as i connect the wheel the game hangs (stops responding). Any advice?


text:
At Saddler's Rise an extensive collection of beautiful two, three and four bedroom properties offer excellent design, superior quality and modern technology seamlessly combine to produce classic new homes for modern living. With apartments, houses and bungalows available across a variety of design styles, there is plenty of choice to meet people's needs be they first time buyers, families needing more room or those looking to downsize into a low maintenance, high energy efficiency, beautifully crafted new home.
On Saturday 17th September there will be the opportunity to experience all that could await you at Saddler's Rise and be able to view the newly released 3 and 4 bedroom family homes.
The Government back Help to Buy* scheme is available on all properties so a luxurious new home could be yours with just a 5% deposit; the Government could give you up to a 20% equity loan so you would only need a 75% mortgage to own 100% of your new home from day one.
Lee Barnard, Sales & Marketing Director comments, "The Help to Buy scheme is available to everyone, whether you are a first time buyer or an existing home owner and, with prices starting from £149,995 for a two-bedroom apartment or £199,995 for a three-bedroom house with garage and additional parking, this really is a great opportunity. Furthermore, buyers can start to personalise their new home before they even move in as we are also including carpets, vinyl, integrated appliances and turf to rear garden on all new reservations** at Saddler's Rise.
The fully furnished show home and new view homes will be open together with the marketing suite between 10am - 5pm and our Sales Advisor, Jenny Cornish together with representatives from Just Mortgages, the new build mortgage specialists, will be on hand to guide you through every step of the way. A private viewing can also be arranged by contacting Jenny on 01953 882625.
*Subject to Status, Terms & Conditions **Offer subject to reserving at full asking price


text: LINGUIST List: Vol-14-557. Tue Feb 25 2003. ISSN: 1068-4875. Subject: 14.557, Diss: Historical Ling: Sundquist "Morphosyntactic..." Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Wayne State U.<aristar at linguistlist.org> Helen Dry, Eastern Michigan U. <hdry at linguistlist.org> Reviews (reviews at linguistlist.org): Simin Karimi, U. of Arizona Terence Langendoen, U. of Arizona Home Page: http://linguistlist.org/ The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, Wayne State University, and donations from subscribers and publishers. Editor for this issue: Anita Yahui Huang <anita at linguistlist.org> ========================================================================== To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html. =================================Directory================================= 1) Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 18:27:42 +0000 From: jsundqui at purdue.edu Subject: Historical Ling: Sundquist "Morphosyntactic Change..." -------------------------------- Message 1 ------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 18:27:42 +0000 From: jsundqui at purdue.edu Subject: Historical Ling: Sundquist "Morphosyntactic Change..." New Dissertation Abstract Institution: Indiana University Program: Department of Germanic Studies Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2002 Author: John D. Sundquist Dissertation Title: Morphosyntactic Change in the History of the Mainland Scandinavian Languages Linguistic Field: Historical Linguistics Dissertation Director 1: Rex A Sprouse Dissertation Director 2: Kari Ellen Gade Dissertation Director 3: Robert D. Fulk Dissertation Director 4: Barbara Vance Dissertation Abstract: This thesis is a diachronic study of the interaction of morphological and syntactic changes in the history of Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish conducted within the Principles-and-Parameters/Minimalist theoretical framework. It focuses on the period between 1200 and 1700 in the history of Mainland Scandinavian, when syncretism spread throughout the nominal and verbal inflectional paradigms at the same time that the relatively free word order of Old Norse became restricted. The main goal of the study is to challenge the standard assumption in early, pre-generative studies and in recent diachronic generative analyses of Scandinavian syntax that there is a direct, causal relationship between the loss of inflectional distinctions, or deflection, and changes in the word order. Each chapter analyzes a different change in word order that has, according to previous diachronic studies, been triggered by deflection. The first part of the thesis examines the loss of OV-word order and the status of Object Shift during the period of robust case deflection in Middle Norwegian (1275-1525). Quantitative analysis indicates that non-pronominal Object Shift was the same in earlier stages as in Modern Norwegian, and that Middle Norwegian had both head-initial and head-final VP-structures and exhibited a type of semantically driven leftward movement akin to Scrambling in Yiddish and German. It is argued that the ultimate catalyst for the loss of OV-word order between 1450 and 1525 is language contact with Middle Danish rather than case deflection. The second part of the study examines Stylistic Fronting and the loss of verb raising (V-to-I movement) in embedded clauses in Old Swedish (1220-1375) and Early Modern Danish (1500-1700). Weak and strong versions of the Rich Agreement Hypothesis and the Split-IP parameter are evaluated in light the diachronic data, and it is shown that high frequency of structurally ambiguous word-strings such as those produced by Stylistic Fronting of adverbials, and not the breakdown in subject-verb agreement inflection, is responsible for introducing the modern embedded-clause word order into the speech community. Statistical analysis supports the hypothesis that individuals may have access to more than one grammar and that periods of syntactic change can be described in terms of grammatical competition. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LINGUIST List: Vol-14-557


text:
Rose Ann Josephine Fiecke
Rose Ann Josephine Fiecke, age 64 of rural Howard Lake, died Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999, at Ridgeview Medical Center, Waconia.
Rose Ann was born in Hale Township, McLeod County, on March 19, 1935, the daughter of Leo and Johanna "Jane" (Blazinski) Hemerick.
She graduated from Silver Lake High School in 1953.
On May 28, 1955, Rose Ann Hemerick was joined in holy marriage to Philip Fiecke at St. Adalbert Catholic Church, Silver Lake.
In 1966, Rose Ann and Philip established Fiecke's Poultry Farm in Victor Township, Wright County.
Rose Ann was a faithful member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Winsted, and belonged to the St. Anne Society.
She was also a member of American Legion Post 407 Auxiliary and a member and past president of V.F.W. Post 9232 Auxiliary.
Rose Ann is survived by her husband Philip; children, Laurie A. (Wayne) Harris of Lester Prairie, Julie R. Winkelman of St. Cloud, Leon P. Fiecke of Howard Lake, Roger C. (Mary) Fiecke of Winsted, and Rod J. (Lisa) Fiecke of Howard Lake; seven grandchildren: Jamie Harris and Wade Harris, Sara Winkelman and Shane Winkelman, Jessica Fiecke and Kaitlyn Fiecke and Mitchell Fiecke.
She is further survived by brothers, Jerome (Elaine) Hemerick of Silver Lake and Dave (Rose) Hemerick of Glencoe; a sister-in-law, LaVerna Hemerick of Silver Lake; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Rose Ann was preceded in death by an infant son, Anthony Leo Fiecke, in 1956; her parents, Leo and Jane Hemerick; and by a brother, Gordon Hemerick in 1978.
A Mass of Christian Burial was at 11 a.m., Friday, Sept. 10, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Winsted. The Rev. Paul L. Wolf was the celebrant and interment followed at Holy Trinity Cemetery.
Friends called at the Chilson Funeral Home, Winsted, Thursday, Sept. 9, from 4 to 8 p.m. A St. Anne Society rosary was recited at 4:30 p.m., a V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial service followed at 5 p.m., and a parish prayer service was at 7:30 p.m. at the chapel on Thursday.
Lavon Kielkucki was the organist for the Mass.
Mark Hemerick, Gerald Hemerick, James Hemerick, Jim Fiecke, David Fiecke and Mark Horstmann served as the casket bearers.
The Chilson Funeral Home, Winsted, served the family.
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text:
It is hard to believe that my littliest grandson, Ian is now one year's old. He is just an absolute cutie and has his Nana just wrapped around his little finger. He just smiles super big and puts his little arms up to be held when ever I see him. His personality is just sunshine, because is always, always happy. He is a little demanding though and all of sudden if he is left by himself ... he get UPSET!!!! He didn't really know what to think of all the people at his birthday and he definately didn't want anything to do with putting hands in his cake!!!! I will include some photos later this week.
And, now to my first Easter creation this year. I do hope that you like it. He is a very serious bunny and knows that his egg has to be painted just right. He is an outdoor bunny and loves working in the sunshine.
Here is my preview:
elements: Easter Bunny by Pixie Treasures
You can download him at:
It has been so much fun to get back into the swing of just letting my imagination take me where ever and honestly when I start creating I don't always know where I am going to end up!!! And, that is half of the fun of it all. Does that happen to anyone else????
If you are new to my blog, please do come and sit a spell. I have so many wonderful goodies here to share with you. Hopefully you are familiar with labels ... that is where I have grouped my treats for everyone. I mostly create around particular holidays. And, right now I am working on my Easter ones. If you didn't get a chance over the weekend, please do go and grab the two kits on the Easter theme that I did. Each one includes over ten wordarts. And, I want to welcome you all to my blog.
One of the ways, I can know if you like my stuff is to leave a comment .... SO PLEASE DON'T FORGET.
Hugs to all, Sue


text:
Reynolds Kitchens® Tips
Reynolds Kitchens tip
Making Meal Magic is simple. Reynolds products help you to make your meals easier and faster. Learn how to cook your best with Reynolds Kitchens.
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic
- 2 14-oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 12 oz. dried linguine, fettucine, or other favorite pasta
- Sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives and/or sliced pitted ripe olives (optional)
- Crumbled feta cheese or finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
Step 1
Coat the inside of a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray and add Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liner.
Step 2
Drain two of the cans of diced tomatoes (do not drain remaining can).
Step 3
In the prepared cooker, stir together drained and undrained tomatoes, the artichoke hearts, and garlic.
Step 4
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Step 5
Stir in whipping cream; let stand about 5 minutes to heat through.
Step 6
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
Step 7
Serve sauce over hot cooked pasta. If desired, top with olives and/or cheese.
Back to top


text:
Tomas Cafe and Gallery
622 S. A St.
A while back I went to a gallery opening at Tomas Cafe in Oxnard; it was a very pleasant and welcoming looking space, bright, airy and ideal for the California outdoorsy art being featured. I discovered that this terrific location has been open since 2010, and was disappointed in myself that it had taken me so long to discover such a vital and delicious location for breakfast and lunch dining options. The first quick breakfast-on-the-run nibble I selected was the cinnamon roll: doughy and comforting; alas, for me, with a little too much sticky white frosting, but delicious nonetheless. With a cup of fresh and robust coffee I was anxious for a proper return visit.
In speaking to some Oxnard natives, several mentioned the "amazing chilaquiles" for breakfast. They were tasty, I'll admit, but I am accustomed to crispier tortillas and not quite as much crema and queso fresco. The slightly sweet flavor of the tomatillos and Anaheim chile is spot on, though, and worth a sample if this traditional dish appeals. Actually, I am very fond of Tomas' classic American breakfast options. The chicken-fried steak is smallish, but exactly the right combination of tenderness and chewiness with a peppery cream gravy adding hearty flavor.
One afternoon at lunch I ordered the TC chopped salad and found it phenomenally refreshing on a very hot summer day: tomatoes, red onion, turkey, artichokes, romaine lettuce and shredded mozzarella cheese, topped with a sweetened mustard dressing. This very satisfying salad demonstrates the fresh and made-to-order nature of the Tomas Cafe food. I also asked for some chopped bacon on the side and the very generous serving perfectly complemented the salad's combination of flavors.
A friend of mine who frequents Tomas Cafe for breakfast swears by the Nutella French toast; the egg-dipped brioche bread is drizzled with Nutella and sprinkled with a generous serving of golden walnuts. The dish looks incredibly hearty and filling, but one would have to be a Nutella fan to appreciate the creation. One morning I simply ordered a biscuit and sausage gravy; the creaminess of the gravy and generous chunks of slightly spicy sausage demonstrated the homemade care and flavor of so many of the cafe's dishes. My Nutella friend also likes the red velvet pancakes topped with cream cheese icing; that much sweetness early in the morning is not something my palate generally craves, although it does look sensational.
Lunch also offers many creative options. The other day I ordered an heirloom tomato and mozzarella sandwich (on rye), which also had avocado, cucumber and cream cheese with an olive oil and balsamic drizzle. This time of year the juiciness and garden flavor of the heirloom tomatoes is terrific. Also a great vegetarian alternative is the veggie melt, which has marinated artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, provolone cheese, Roma tomatoes and basil pesto.
At the next table one of the diners ordered a club sandwich, and it arrived heavy on the meats, looking well-prepared and -presented. Judging by the big smiles after their first bites and the general sense of a satisfied dining experience, it seemed that from the kitchen's point of view each dish is served with good individual attention. The staff seems family-centered (different generations serving/working), and by and large the service was adequate. If I slightly fault them for not paying as close attention to empty iced tea glasses needing refills, or prompt retrieval of the check with payment, they can be forgiven. It is so refreshing to find a restaurant that pays such close attention to food preparation and presentation that some relatively minor inconsistencies seem trivial.
The fact that the owners call themselves a gallery is apparently because of the art (for sale) adorning the walls, and a trompe l'oeil beach mural in one alcove. It appears to me that there is less attention to the changing art scene than to a more permanent installation, but so be it; the quality and creativity of the food more than makes up for constantly changing décor. It is also evident that Tomas Cafe has a fairly large catering business, with many non-menu items available for special catering events. All in all, Tomas Cafe is an excellent choice for breakfast and/or lunch in downtown Oxnard.


text:
Subject: Music-specific features
From: Nolan J. Darilek (nolan_AT_thewordnerd.info)
Date: Wed Aug 20 2003 - 09:04:32 EEST
Trying to get back into recording music . . .
Anyhow, I really like ecasound's console interface. I'm very tempted
to scratch OS X in favor of Linux on my powerbook just so I can use
it+ecasound as a portable sampler. I'm encountering some issues,
though, and I'm wondering how others have dealt with them.
Ecasound works well in a strictly time-based setting, but I struggle
when making music. Specifically, I pick a tempo, and from that point
on I think strictly in measures. With ecasound I'm stuck converting
measures to absolute times, and my mind can't handle math and music
simultaneously, even on a simplistic scale. :) I also find myself
wanting to punch in and out to fix mistakes. Sure, I could copy
everything before the mistake, concatenate the new section, then copy
everything after, but again. Music=matter, math=antimatter. ;)
So, I'm curious. I realize that other applications could implement
things like this . . . but I'm wondering if there are any plans to
implement more music-oriented features into ecasound's libraries,
possibly tying them in at the iam level? It would be great to
fastforward/rewind over specific measures, fractions of measures,
etc. I know that the idea of making ecasound into a midi sequencer of
sorts was tossed around in the past (or, mentioned in a message or two
at least.) How difficult might it be to implement something like tse3
into ecasound? Perhaps the integration could be gentle, starting with
tse3's song structure, and progressing upward? I'd offer to help, but
my C++ knowledge is horribly out of date, and I'm more of a
scripter/musician than a coder these days. :)
I know that quite a few of you use ecasound for music. How do you
handle converting measures to times? Keep a calculator handy and
crunch numbers? Also, what about punching in and out, or do you just
do without?
Note: I'm specifically looking for a console-based, preferrably
command-line-oriented, solution to the above, which is why I really
like what ecasound has to offer.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Wed Aug 20 2003 - 08:55:14 EEST


text:
Why do so many students write so badly? Katie Grant FRSA argues that this has become a general complaint amongst employers. She argues that the answer is relatively simple and suggests a way forward.
Students write badly because they are taught very little, if any, grammar and punctuation at school. Many do not read and because of the requirement for consistency, exam markers focus on fact, not writing style (in Scotland, for good reasons and bad, markers of Higher exams are advised to ignore poor grammar and punctuation in the Close Reading English Literature paper).
On arrival at university students are told to write in an 'academic tone'. This last is the final nail in the writing coffin. The instruction may be followed by detailed explanation or no explanation at all. It makes no difference. Students believe that academic tone means long words, long sentences, jargon and an addiction to the passive voice; in short, the writing equivalent of porridge. The thicker the porridge, many students believe, the better.
In some subjects, for example education, students are encouraged in their porridge-making by the sources they must study. 'An active role should be taken in the construction of positively perceived competence and the facilitation of a healthy motivational climate' is only a slight paraphrase, and certainly not an exaggeration, of the style of writing students emulate as 'academic'. The sources are clear: never use 'help' where you can use 'facilitate'; never say 'so and so argues' when you can say 'it is an argument made by so and so that…'; never use 'pupil' where you can use 'learner'. Statutes, guidelines and policy documents drum home the message: clarity is for dummies.
Lest I am picking unfairly on education, here is an offering from a graduate who is now the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, quoted in the Scottish Review 2012: "It is important that Creative Scotland's planning and risk management processes, (sic) anticipate and respond to any emerging issues; and that effective communications and stakeholder engagement is given early consideration to ensure on an on-going basis effective and early response to the concerns of the sector". As the Scottish Review points out, the Cabinet Secretary may not have written this herself, but somebody did, and most likely somebody with a degree.
Persuaded to read their own writing aloud, most young people recognise both jargon and faults in sentence construction. But, in some subjects at least, with no decent style to emulate and complete ignorance of driving verbs, active and passive voices, prepositions and pronouns, they are denied both the vocabulary and the confidence to challenge or correct. The grim result is that, on graduation, only others in their specialism can understand them. Thus, teachers can speak only to teachers; economists to economists; business graduates to business graduates. Language, whose whole point is communication, becomes a barrier.
If, for employment, you stick to your subject specialism, the barrier may not be a problem except that it perpetuates poor practice and, in teaching for example, results in school reports that either bamboozle or infuriate. Move out of your specialism, however, and you're sunk. If you can only write social science porridge, of what use are you to a company trying to win contracts in China, or at reporting poor conditions in your workplace? Worse, if young people cannot describe their own skills in direct and attractive prose, they may never get a job.
Writing is a soft skill that all employers value, and whilst it is true that many write hopelessly themselves, most need employees to do better. How can an employee do better if, through 15 years of education, their lack of writing skills is not directly addressed, and, in some subjects, the academic language they use for study at university makes a bad situation worse? There is a broader issue too. When professionals – doctors, lawyers, civil servants – are stuck in their own brand of porridge-speak, they cut themselves off from the very people they are supposed to be serving. This is hardly democratic.
Nobody wants to restore the Gradgrind school of learning. Nevertheless, it is a strange form of education that denies children access to the workings of the language on which their futures depend, and leaves young teachers as ignorant of style, grammar and punctuation as their classes. You would not give a child a flute and expect her to play without instruction, so why present a child with something equally complex and expect a different result?
We owe young people a chance to develop a clear written voice with which to communicate. I have a suggestion: a project which focuses on teaching grammar and punctuation in primary school, and a pilot resurrection of the Use of English exam in secondary school. Give children the tools and see how they use them. With luck, by the time they become students, and particularly student teachers, they will reject porridge-speak and use their university training to expand their communication skills, not restrict them.
We know why students write so badly. The real question is why there is still a problem when the solution seems so obvious.


text:
It doesn't always take a purebred dog and a professional handler to win at a dog show. This was shown recently by Tampa, a former stray dog, and his owner, Arlene Hitchens, a grandmother from Delaware.
Tampa, a mixed breed Golden Retriever and Rottweiler, captured first place in three events at a United Kennel Club show in Harrisburg, Pa. Then they were named the highest scoring obedience team by the American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration. In August they competed against more than 250 purebreds at the All Star Dog Trials in York, Pa, capturing ninth place.
Hitchens found the dog living on the streets when she was vacationing in Tampa, Fla in 2002. He was the thinnest dog she'd ever seen and after hearing he was on his way to the pound she decided to give him one last meal. "That was all it took," she said.
Tampa joined Hitchen's other dogs, Casey and Mary Jane, and began going to obedience classes. He was so eager to please that he quickly learned the commands. He has also gotten into agility training. This is where the dog and handler go through an obstacle course racing against the clock. It is considered to be the fastest growing dog sport in the country today.
Hitchens believes that the activities create a special bond between the handler and the dog.
In October they will compete for the title of "companion dog excellent" at a dog show in Maryland.
Hitchens is pleased that her ten year old granddaughter, Katie is interested in following her into the competition ring.
Details here


text:
I was looking up spells for lactation and found only one here.. do anyone have any suggestions for me as I wish to get my brests to lactate again.. and yes I am pumping and eating foods that stimulate lactation.
was just thinking if any fellow sisters or brothers could help out.
love from me to all of you
Lactation spell needed


text:
Black Clutch with blue croco effect flap
Easy to wear, easy to take for your day events and night adventures.
This clutch will perfectly contains your cards, keys and phone.
Flap : Deep blue croco effect leather (Italy)
Main part : Black vegetable tanned cow leather (Belgium)
Lining : Black calf leather (Belgium).
Size : 26 x 12,5 cm


text:
Objective 3, Book 4b
"Touch that wall," I command Buster.
He touches the wall.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
For this Objective, both Buster and I are ambulant (walking). I command him to touch objects and he is to comply. That is the only command for this exercise. There is not much to touch in the course room. There is a water cooler, a bookshelf, several partitions, a few podiums and that is about it. We are not supposed to instruct each other to touch other students because that would be enturbulating their sessions. We also, are not supposed to instruct that you touch yourself.
"Touch that partition," I command.
"I have a cog," Buster confesses.
"Alrighty," I acknowledge.
"I realize that I am in communication with my environment," he cogs.
This is a generic cognition. However, it is relevant to this particular Objective. We both agree that the EP will be something along the lines of that statement. It definitely is geared towards communication. We run the session until it is time for the 3 o'clock break. We both believe that we have secured the EP and that Buster will be running me when we get back.
"Hey girl hey," I call out to Keisha, as we get off the van and head down to check our mail.
"We are almost done with Objectives girl," Keisha admits.
"No!" I whine. "Don't leave me alone with Buster!"
We both laugh.
"I can't wait to be done. It's taking forever," she continues.
"I know. Is Cody still obsessing over Kacie?" I ask.
"Oh yes. I can't take much more of it," she confesses.
"I can't wait to get home (ginger house) and relax tonight," I suggest. "I am thinking Bridesmaids and Oreos are a must."
"Definitely," Keisha concurs.
After we check our mail, we head up to the lodge for cereal and cigarettes. All we really do on our hour break is chain smoke. Noah and Keisha break off and visit and flirt with each other, so I go out to catch up with the Hayden, Mary Jane and the boys.
"Hey girl hey," Hayden calls out.
"Hey girl hey," I reply.
"What's going on guys?" I ask.
"We are all moving into Objectives and houses," Louis answers.
"Hell yeah. Dude the houses are so much better," I suggest.
"I need to get out of sauna," Ryan interrupts. "I am over it bro."
Gawd, he looks so cute today. He is always cracking jokes and dancing around like an idiot. Everything he does makes me blush and laugh. Why isn't this boy crush going away? Why am I still so boy crazy?
Mary Jane and Louis are engaged in a 2D flow. They are constantly being told to move three feet apart. Today is no exception.
"Three feet," John Tiger barks in passing.
"What are you guys listening to?" I ask Mary Jane. Her and Louis are sharing earbuds.
"I got the jams," Mary Jane responds.
She pulls her earbud out and sticks it to my ear. I am uncertain as to who the artist is, however, it is some techno-trance type music. Ryan has his iPod hooked up to a speaker and is dancing around to MGK. It is entertaining, to say the least.
It is time to make our way back over to the course room. When we walk in, we are disappointed to see that Buster did not EP. We grab our clipboard and get ready for the next session. Vinny too Skinny has been paired up with Chanel. Coco and Chanel have graduated and are interns. However, because of Vinny's inability to run Objectives with a twin, he has insisted on running them with interns. Poor Chanel is stuck with him. He insist on being loud and obnoxious. I can see that she is extremely frustrated. His behavior is childlike and he is attempting desperately to grab the attention of the entire course room. I choose to ignore him.
"You ready?" I ask Buster.
"Let's do this," he agrees.
"Touch that chair," I command. He complies.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
"Touch that partition," I command. He complies.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
"Touch that poster," I command. He complies.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
"Touch that podium," I command. He complies.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
"Touch that water cooler," I command. He complies.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
"Touch that window," I command. He complies.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
"Touch that desk," I command. He complies.
"Thank you," I acknowledge.
"Touch that partition," I command.
"I have a cognition," he confesses.
"Okay," I acknowledge.
"I realize that I am touching my surroundings," he cogs.
"Okay," I acknowledge.
"I have another cog," he says.
"Alright," I acknowledge.
"I realize that I have the ability to communicate with my environment," he cogs.
"Okay," I acknowledge.
"I have another cog," he claims.
"Dude. We have to run it a few more times," I suggest.
"Just write down that we did and then I will cog," he instructs.
I roll my eyes but comply.
"I realize that the wall is grainy," he cogs.
"Alright," I acknowledge.
"I have another cog," he says.
"I realize that I choose whether or not to communicate with my environment," he cogs.
We run the rest of the session, pretty much this way. It's half assed and we make up the paperwork. I toss some bites on to make it look authentic, but we do not run the tech. We are ambulant to give the illusion of actually running it. Once the session is over, we head back to the center for graduation night. Jo and Victoria are graduating tonight.
After graduation, Keisha, Hayden and I, load up on cookies and head back to the house. Jo and Victoria are packing their things. Victoria is staying to intern, but she is moving to the Top House. Jo is heading home on a late flight tonight. She will be leaving within the hour. Misty has moved over to the house, but Justice has been stuck at the center waiting for a bed here. Jo leaving, provides her that bed. Justice will be moving here tomorrow.
Jo and I have never really gotten along. However, over the last couple weeks, she has expressed that she doesn't have an issue with me and we have talked a little. In fact, we bonded a little over her retelling of the story that led to her ethics cycle. Her and another student were found together in the laundry room. His name is Dirk. He is a country boy from Indiana. He wears boots, flannel, he chews and he is absolutely gorgeous. I guess she had her pants down and was on all fours. Naturally, Dirk was behind her, also with his pants down. When ethics walked in on them, she claimed that she was taking a piss on the laundry room floor and she was just asking him to hand her toilet paper. This story caused all of the ginger house girls to crack up, myself included.
"Oh shit, I forgot I had this," Jo says.
"What is it?" I ask.
"It's a Lidocaine patch for your back. It helps back pain," she explains.
"Oh yeah. I got a script for that once when I was trying to find anything besides pills to help my back pain, but I didn't have insurance and it was like $460 for 5 fucking patches! Needless to say, I didn't fill the script. My script for 180 Percoset cost me $40. The pills won," I laugh.
"You want it?" She asks.
"Fuck yeah. Thanks buddy," I say.
Keisha and I make our way to the bedroom. Keisha closes the door and pops in the Bridesmaids movie.
"What are you doing?" She asks, as I open the Lidocaine patch.
"Do you think this could get us high?" I ask.
"You read my mind," she admits. "I bet we could scrape it and smoke it."
"You think? It has to get you high. It's a "caine" suffix, like cocaine," I suggest.
"Here, give it to me. Go grab a piece of foil and a straw if you can find one," she instructs.
"Way ahead of you," I claim, as I jump up off the bed to retrieve those items.
I attempt to act all nonchalant in the kitchen, but I know Misty and Hayden are wondering what's up. Quickly, I return to the bedroom and close the door behind me.
"I think Misty and Hayden are suspicious. We haven't invited them in the room and I might not of been as Pink Panther like, in the kitchen," I laugh. "Should we tell them? They are our friends. I don't want to be a bad influence though."
"Let's see if we can scrape this shit and smoke it first," Keisha suggests.
I concur, but there is a knock at the door. It is Misty. Keisha and I look at each other and she nods that we should let her in. She's from New York. Maybe there is some east Coast trick to this, that us West Coasters don't know about. However, Keisha hides the patch under her blanket until we feel the situation out.
"Come in," I call out.
"Guys, I don't know what to do," she begins. "Adam and I got into a little fight today and I am in a horrible mood. I love him. He knows I called Justin and he is pissed."
Justin is a guy that she was with back home. From what she has told us about him, he's a complete douche. They used together, so there is no way that they are good for each other, but she's having a hard time completely letting go. They were together for years.
"Why did you call Justin?" Keisha asks.
Keisha is always the voice of reason when it comes to guys. If he is a complete jerk, she won't hold back about it. If she feels that a guy is mistreating you, she is the type of girlfriend to be honest with you about it, rather than encouraging you to stick it out if you," love" him.
"I don't know. The holidays, I guess," she admits.
"Well we are in here doing some pretty stupid shit ourselves," Keisha admits, while pulling out the Lidocaine patch.
"What are you doing?" Misty asks.
There is another knock at the door. It is Hayden. We invite her in. She is upset about things and wants to talk too. After she takes a seat on my bed, Keisha and I explain what we are attempting to do. You can literally see the change in everyone's eyes. There is a look of desperation and hope that crosses all of our faces. All four of us are drooling at the prospect of getting high tonight. There is only one problem. We can't figure out how to manipulate the drug and we aren't even sure that it will do anything.
"Lidocaine could also be like Novocaine. It might be an anesthetic. What if we smoke it and it slows our breathing down. This could be dangerous," Hayden suggests.
Keisha continues to scrape while we make small talk. All of our eyes are focused on Keisha and the patch. Somehow the subject of things that scare us, or that have scared us in life develops. They all laugh when I admit that Michael Jackson's Thriller video scared the shit out of me when I was a kid. Of course, I am 10 years older than Keisha and closer to 13 years older than Hayden. So of course, that 1980's video would be less scary to them.
Keisha has placed a trail of the gel she has scraped from the patch on the foil, but because of Hayden's suggestion, no one has stepped up to the rotation. What if it does slow our breathing down? We are 30 minutes from Temecula. How long would it take for an ambulance to get here?
"Here, I am going to try it," I say.
Keisha hands me the foil. I place the straw to my lips and light the foil below the gel. The crackle of the foil and the straw in my mouth is reminiscent of the days I smoked heroin. However, I cannot get the gel to smoke. I attempt it several times before passing it around for everyone else to hit. We all attempt it but can't get any smoke. The gel doesn't change in consistency like heroin or meth. We can't get it to liquefy at all. Desperate to get high, Hayden asks to see the patch.
"Maybe if we rub it on our gums," she suggests. She scrapes some under her nail and rubs it on her gums.
"It feels like it is numbing a little. My lips feel a little numb," she divulges.
"Really? Let me see that," I say. I too, rub some on my gums.
Misty and Keisha are still fighting to get the foil to do something. They are unsuccessful.
"I think it is like Novocaine guys. It's not going to do anything," Hayden claims.
"There has to be some way to get it to work," Misty responds.
"My lips feel a little numb too. Damn, I really want to get high now. Fuck! More than ever," I say.
We all agree that this patch is not going to get us high. Hayden is upset about the false hope because she had such a bad day and she excuses herself to go draw. Misty hangs out with us for a few minutes more because she wants to talk more about Adam. Keisha and I let her vent her frustration about her situation before she finally heads off to bed.
"Well I feel like a dumbass," I laugh.
"I know, right? That was pretty desperate," she replies.
"It's probably a good thing that we couldn't make that work," I continue. "I thought sauna was the magical box that purges us from all drug cravings," I laugh sarcastically.
Keisha laughs with me. "I know. I thought sauna cures all." We both can't control our hyena bursts of laughter.
"Well Bridesmaids and Oreos it is!" I exclaim.
"We should start the movie over," Keisha suggests.
"Agreed," I say, while hopping up to restart it.
"You should get us milk," Keisha whines. We both laugh. "I am too lazy."
I grab the milk and make my way back to the room. We eat half a package of Oreos between us and recite the movie together. Keisha falls asleep before me. This is pretty typical. I don't know why, but I have always fought sleep. I drift off thinking about how desperate I was to get high tonight. Will the desire to use drugs, ever go away…..
Today's Theme Song- Thriller- Michael Jackson
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text:
My house has turned into something similar to Santa's Workshop these days. Minus his little helpers and add 140 degrees! Corie's Halloween Desert Laboratory?
I've been busy making decorations and props for my Sister's Halloween Party. This is serious business. So serious that I've been summoned for a mandatory business meeting 2000 miles away!! I'm super excited to brainstorm in person and put some plans into motion.
I'll be packing this rat trio in my luggage to be displayed on my sister's wall (if she lets me!)
What you'll need:
- Trays from the Dollar Store
- Black Spray Paint
- Dollar Store Silhouette Cut-Outs
- Green Spray Paint
- String/Ribbon
- Hot Glue
Spray the trays black - I used high gloss
Tape the rats down to the cardboard and spray them with several light layers of green paint (let paint dry in between layers otherwise the paper gets too wet and will curl up)
After all of the paint dries, tape/glue the green rats to the center of each tray.
Hot glue ribbons on the back of each tray for hanging.


text:
Today I've decided to share a short Q&A with a current International Organizations and UN Studies specialization student, Isabela Cunha. This specialization requires students to complete a core course in international organizations, and two additional three-credit courses. The content of this core course focuses particularly on the mandate of these organizations, their history, their governance structure, their funding sources and mechanisms, their key achievements and most serious challenges, and above all, their impact on the world around them. None of this is static – mandates change or atrophy, power shifts, funding fluctuates, influence waxes and wanes.
You may recall in a blog post we announced the fluctuation of this specialization. Previously SIPA had a United Nations Studies program, which was phased out, making way for the highly-anticipated (and requested) UNS specialization, which is under the umbrella of the IO specialization. So we thought you'd find this Q&A with Isabela Cunha, conducted by our PA, Eric Medina, MPA '15, interesting. Enjoy.
What did you do prior to SIPA?
"I received my acceptance letter the day I had defended my undergraduate final thesis on the relationship between the Libyan crisis and migration policies in Europe. I completed my studies in the University of Brasilia (UnB) with a year in Sciences-Po Paris. During these five years, I have interned for UNAIDS and UNHCR Brazil, as well as Amnesty International France. I used to be a big Model UN enthusiast, which brought me to get involved with these projects within my university, including being the "Secretary-General" during the 14th edition of AMUN, the oldest Brazilian simulation. I also had the opportunity to organize a book on the subject of human security, which was published by UnB."
Why did you choose IO & UN and is it meeting your expectations?
"I am a true enthusiast of the United Nations and its capacity to produce impact on people's lives. I am Brazilian and I have a profound admiration for the Inter-American system of human rights. The International Organizations and UN studies specialization is an amazing tool for any concentrator, since it allows us to navigate virtually any agenda by understanding who the players on each subject are. In this sense, SIPA has been fantastic. SIPA was founded a year apart from the UN and it does breathe multilateralism. My classes have allowed me not only to build up on knowledge, but also deeply influenced my decision to spend my summer in West Africa. I have been to the UN many times in the last year and also had the opportunity to hear from speakers of different institutions, ranging from the EU to MSF, UNDP and other IOs, both UN and non-UN. SIPA is simply a rich place to be if you are interested in multilateralism and cooperation."
What do you plan on doing after SIPA?
"My main focus is democratic governance and fight against state perpetrated violence. Coming straight from undergrad, my mission after SIPA is to find my first job. I would love to work with Latin America, so I am either going back to my region or staying in NYC/DC to work with NGOs or IOs dealing with Human Rights issues there."
If you're interested in learning more about the United Nations specialization, check out the department's Fall 2014 newsletter.