Grave synonyms, grave pronunciation, grave translation, english dictionary definition of grave. Synonyms for grave at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions.

With garance marillier, ella rumpf, rabah nait oufella, laurent lucas. Define grave: dig, excavate; to carve or shape with a chisel: sculpture — grave in a sentence. Grave is defined as a location where a dead body is buried in the ground or a place where something that is broken is lying.

A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried. Grave definition, an excavation made in the earth in which to bury a dead body. Synonyms of grave from the merriam-webster thesaurus, with definitions, antonyms, and related words. When a young vegetarian undergoes a carnivorous hazing ritual at.


Tracey Cleantis, LMFT, is a best-selling author, psychotherapist and speaker

 Tracey Cleantis is a leading expert on living your life to the fullest. Tracey’s deep understanding of the field of human potential is derived from her clinical experience as a therapist, writer and human potential activist. Passionate about helping others reach their fullest potential, Tracey helps people examine the ways they are holding themselves back and inspires people to take actions that are unique to their own goals, dreams and talents. Using personal story, clinical insights and understandable actions steps, Tracey can help anyone understand how to up their game, nurture themselves, and define the right dream to pursue in order to find their path to success, abundance and well-being.

Tracey asks you to question yourself, examine the way you live your life, and stretch to a new level of personal care while creating a truly unique life map that will guide you to where you always wished you’d be. If you haven't felt like your life is all it can be, Tracey helps you examine what you can do, why you haven't done it and how you can make things happen. Tracey truly believes that ultimately everyone can have a happy and fulfilling life.

She has a warm, funny and personal touch that gently guides you to where you need to go. Tracey, through her unique inviting style, makes deep therapeutic work approachable and real change possible. Using her considerable clinical skills, in a down to earth way, she helps her readers, clients, and audiences take simple action steps towards their real self and abundance, with dramatic results. Reading Tracey's book is like taking a journey with a wise and comforting friend. She will help you determine what is stopping you, how to fuel the next phase of success and action in your life.

Tracey Cleantis is a licensed marriage and family therapist with practices in Pasadena, California. She has a master’s degree in counseling psychology and she has trained extensively in depth/psychodynamic and analytic psychology. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, has written for Psychology Today and on her own blog at Tracey authored The Next Happy: Let Go of the Life You Planned and Find a New Way Forward (Hazelden, 2015), which received a Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review, was a finalist for The Books For a Better Life Awards, as one of the best psychology books of 2015, and made it to the Amazon Best Seller list.

Her innovative and novel ideas on self-care and happiness have experts talking: Lee Woodruff, Cal Newport, Laura Munson, Jamie Cat Callan, and Melanie Notkin and others are all excitedly talking about what a unique and important distinction Tracey is making in the field of happiness. She has been featured in, among others, Redbook, Aeon, Macleans, Sojourner, Mode Magazine, Yahoo News,, Psychologies Magazine, The Daily Mail, The Daily News,, NPR Wisconsin and on Fox News Boston.

Tracey’s new book, An Invitation to Self-Care: Why Learning to Nurture Yourself Is the Key to the Life You've Always Wanted, 7 Principles for Abundant Living (Hazelden/Simon & Schuster) is going to create a Self-Care Revolution! This innovative book invites readers to explore how an authentic self-care practice is the secret to the life you’ve always wanted.


Estar A La Que Salta

¡Buenos Días!

My Spanish phrase of the day is:

Estar a la que salta

This means to always be on the lookout for something that you can take advantage of.  It describes a person who never misses a trick.  It also has a negative meaning which is to never miss an opportunity to criticize or find fault with someone.

Example Sentences:

Ricardo encontrará empleo pronto porque siempre está a la que salta.

estás a la que salta, cada vez que me equivoco te ríes de mí. has a podcast devoted to the meaning and origin of this expression.  Click here to go to the website, or go to (episode 63).

¡Hasta pronto!


What is the role of religion in finding the meaning of life?

The next essay I am writing for the Meaning of Life course deals with the question whether religion can provide a grounding of values which make life meaningful. Here are some preliminary thoughts:

When searching for the meaning of life, this meaning needs to be grounded to something, it needs a vehicle. A vehicle for meaning is something that carries the value, the thing that is valuable, which in turn can provide meaning. The vehicles for meaning that religion can provide are numerous, for example: the church as a community, the relationship to a god, the promise of an afterlife etcetera. To answer the question whether religion can provide a grounding of values, we need to investigate what sort of vehicle religion is, compared to non religious values systems as means for providing meaning.

I believe that religion is not able to provide a solid foundation for values; religion as a foundation for meaning is a metaphysical sky-hook. It does not provide a solid foundation because it can not be rationally or empirically justified. The justification for religion is not based on rational thinking or observation, but on revelation. But, does this really matter?

Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem shows that not every true statement can be proven through rational arguments. The incompleteness theorem thus leaves some space for religious and other non-rational statements to provide truth. Religious knowledge can, however, not be verified, as it is based on revelation. Revelation is a very personal experience and therefore neither open to verification nor falsification.

Religion can thus not provide a solid (rational) foundation for the meaning of life

Rational thinking, mainly in the form of science, can, however, also not provide a solid foundation. David Hume has shown that some very basic assumptions we make about the world around us can not be rationally verified. Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem also limits the reach of rational reasoning, as not all truth can be rationally justified. Hume’s scepticism, combined with Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem shows us that science is also not able to provide a solid foundation for meaning.

After 2,500 years of philosophical thinking we have come to a point were we are forced to realise that there are no rational justifications for the big questions (See my paper on Joske’s concept of futility).

For a lot of people, this understanding that life is essentially futile can be an agonising thought. The thought that life has no meaning whatsoever – the thought the our lives will end in blackness – has driven many people to suicide.

I think this typical human condition is something we have to live with and there are basically two possible reactions. First of all we can ‘invent’ – without any rational justification – a vehicle for meaning. This is what happens in religion. If there is no rational basis for these beliefs, how can we decide which vehicle is the better one, as there is no truth criterion. The individual systems can only be justified internally, as we have no value system outside religion to make a call.

The other option is to embrace the futility and meaninglessness of life. In this option we need philosophy to be able to cope with this. Our vehicle for meaning is a metaphysical hot-air balloon – not anchored to anything – enjoying a brid-eye perspective upon life.

Without Christianity there is no Satanism

Satanism and Christianity

A portrait of Indian philosophy saint Adi Sankara.

A portrait of Indian philosophy saint Adi Sankara.

The Validity of Religious Experiences

The Blues Brothers having a religious experience

The Blues Brothers having a religious experience

The question of the epistemology of religious experience deals with the issue whether information obtained through religious experiences can be considered valid knowledge. For a brief introduction into different forms of religious experience, see my paper on that subject.

Information obtained through religious experiences, which I shall further refer to as Revelation, is not considered valid knowledge in contemporary society mainly because the information obtained through revelation can not be verified. Religious experience is thus a very personal experience and unique knowledge, only available to the person receiving the revelation. The receiver of the information is the only one who is able to interpret the revelation and communicates it as thus to the wider world.

In pre-industrial society power was vested in the intermediaries between the transcendent and the immanent. The Latin word Pontifex (priest) illustrates this beautifully as it also means ‘bridge’. The priest as bridge builder between the material and the spiritual worlds.

Knowledge gained through revelation is unique and invests power into the person receiving that knowledge as they are the only ones capable of interpreting the information. Knowledge in this sense is esoteric, only available to a small group of people.

Empirical philosophy has, in combination with rationalism, revolutionised human knowledge of the material world. This combination has been an important and powerful tool. Where does this leave revelation? Can we simply say that revelation is not relevant and that religious experiences are mere delusions?

Because revelation is always esoteric knowledge, every experience is interpreted different, depending on the cultural and psychological dispositions of the person receiving the revelation. An important question to be asked is why a Hindu does not receive revelations concerning Jesus Christ or any other cross cultural experiences?

Religious experiences are particular and esoteric. In a society where knowledge is available to anyone through empiricism (although this is not completely true as we do not all have a particle accelerator in our backyard) the Pontifex has lost his power over society as the sole interpreter of knowledge.

The consequence of this, however, is that we have thrown the baby with the bathwater by ignoring religious experience as a valid source of knowledge.

I believe that religious experience can be a valid source of information to make decisions about non material things. It can people guidance about their life, which can have a very profound impact on their lives in the ‘real’ world. Religious experiences also have an effect on how we interpret the material world which shapes our world views.

Prehistoric Monuments of Avebury and their Spiritual Significance

Avebury is a village South of London where some of the most important Neolithic sites in Europe are located. In this paper, I will describe of some of the monuments in the area and discuss some interpretations of their use in ancient and recent days.

What fascinated me most about these ancient monuments is that they are in use by modern day pagans. Around the area, there are left over flowers and other signs of ritual offerings by the neo-pagans. I had a vivid discussion with Sam Fleming because I do not condemn the use of Neolithic monuments for ritual use. She wrote A plea to practising pagans, an article about the ritual use by neo-pagans of ancient monuments (Fleming, 2000), an article on psychic vandalism around prehistoric monuments. Sam opposes any neo-pagan use of the monuments. Her arguments are that it causes a lot of physical as well as spiritual damage to the monuments.

I will argue in this paper, that using these monuments for ritual purposes is the best way to preserve the monuments as it transforms them from mere ancient curiosities to places of meaning.

West Kennet Long Barrow

West Kennet Long Barrow.

West Kennet Long Barrow.

The West Kennet Long Barrow is one of 27 similar structures in the area. It is dated about 3,500 BC and was used in ancient times as a burial place. The barrow can be entered from the front and there are five separate chambers inside. The contents of the chambers included the bones of at least 46 individuals. Each person was represented only by a few, often scattered, fragments of bone. Many of the people buried were children or infants. It is interesting to note that young children had sufficient status in the society of ancient Avebury to qualify for burial in the tomb (Malone 1989, 76). In many other ancient and certain modern societies children below a certain age or before their formal initiation into adult society, are not considered to have enough status for inclusion in such collective burials.

Inside the barrow were many visible traces of the neo-pagan use of this site. This barrow, which used to be a place of death and mourning has become a contemporary temple for personal contemplation and group rituals.

West Kennet Avenue

The avenue originally consisted of about 100 pairs of standing stones. These stones form a corridor some 15 metres wide with a length of about one kilometre. The stones appear to have been carefully selected for their shape. Generally, stones of two different types are standing opposite each other. Some people interpret these as male and female stones.

West Kennet Avenue.

West Kennet Avenue.

Only a small part of the first avenue is visible today. Through the centuries, many stones have been removed to use for other, more profane purposes. Many stones have been demolished in the 17th century by religious fanatics trying to wipe out all connections with the ancient pagan way of life. On the spot where archaeologists have found traces of such demolished stones we now see small concrete markers. Thinking about all the demolition, the concrete markers are like gravestones, marking the place where the original stone once stood.

Silbury Hill

Silbury Hill.

Silbury Hill.

Silbury Hill is a remarkable feat of Neolithic civil engineering; standing almost 40 metres high and it is surrounded by a kind of moat which occasionally fills up with water. The depression is the silted up quarry for the material to build the hill. The reason the ancients built this gigantic monument is unknown to us today, and many speculative theories have been put forward: In some neo-pagan circles, this outline is believed to be a Neolithic figure of the squatting pregnant goddess with Silbury Hill itself as the fecund womb, giving birth to all things. To some Silbury Hill is a giant sundial or even a natural battery (Crystal, 2004).

None of these neo-pagan interpretations have a direct link with the intentions of the original builders of the site. They should be viewed as to give new meaning to these structures, within the context of neo-pagan religion. Attaching new meaning to these old monuments is a good way of dealing with ancient sites like this. It certainly gives the place more depth and interest as when one just looks at it as some gigantic Neolithic civil engineering project. The neo-pagan explanations of Avebury are contemporary mythology, countering the disenchantment of our technological world.

Avebury Henge and Stone Circles

Avebury henge.

Avebury henge.

The great circle is formed by a deep henge with a ditch on the inside. The irregular circle has a diameter of approximately 350 metres. The shape formed by the ditch is no way near the geometric perfection of the more recent Stonehenge circle, but more like an amorphous ‘D’ shape, divided by two causeway entrances into four unequal arcs. The bank on the outside of the ditch is also very irregular at the top and curls itself like a serpent around the village. On the inside of the ditch, there used to be a stone circle with erected stones, but most of these stones have disappeared. Inside the great circle, there are two separate smaller circles. Inside each of these circles, there are also erected stones. The original function of the monument is not known and just as in the case of the Silbury Hill; many speculations have been made about the role and use of the circles. The irregular shape of the circle rules out any astronomical function, like the Stone-henge circle. It most likely was used as a central meeting place for the community to celebrate festivals and perform rituals.

Inside one of the circles used to be a big stone called ‘the obelisk’, the original stone has disappeared and is now replaced by a concrete marker. The marker is the focus some neo-pagan activity. Quite a few small crystals, gemstones and other objects are put near the stone, as some offering. We can never know the original meaning of these monuments, but by using them in our way in present time, we can bring them back to life and turn these monuments into places of meaning instead of tourist attractions to keep people from being bored for a day or so. If we only rely on the scientific perspective of these monuments, then we can also easily be detached from them.

An ethical perspective

Neo-pagan offering in West Kennet Long Barrow.

Neo-pagan offering in West Kennet Long Barrow.

Using ancient monuments for neo-pagan rituals is a controversial subject. In modern society, we all agree that preserving ancient monuments is imperative and there are many reasons we do this.

Absolute preservation of monuments is impossible. Everything in the universe is subjected to decay and also megaliths will eventually crumble and disappear. But this damage is inevitable and therefore has to be accepted. Human usage of the monuments causes the greatest damage to any monument. In the case of the Neolithic monuments around Avebury, there are three different users: visitors, archaeologists and neo-pagans.

Archaeologists who research the sites and excavate artefacts from its soil cause considerable damage to the sites. Contemporary archaeologists, therefore, try to unearth as less as possible. The earth is an archive, but paradoxically, by ‘reading’ it, one has to destroy its original configuration. Inherent destruction through research is an ethical dilemma all archaeologists have to consider. One has to balance the benefits of scientific knowledge between the destruction of the original configuration of artefacts. To reduce the adverse effects of excavation, they are done in an extremely careful way, trying to record as much as possible. But one is never able to record everything and destruction is inevitable.

Culture is, always has been and always will be, a continuous process of destruction and creation. When performing neo-pagan rituals, we cause damage. The benefits of pagan rituals to our culture are more important than the damage caused by these activities.

Physical damage should, however, always be avoided, don’t leave rubbish behind, don’t make drawings on rocks or perform any other intentional damaging act. Leave nothing but footprints and take only photographs is a rule of thumb that applies very much to the monuments and their use in neo-pagan ritual.

Spiritual damage

Sam Fleming (2000) writes in her article A Plea to Practising Pagans that neo-pagan use of ancient monuments also causes spiritual damage. She writes how the ‘feel’ of a popular site like Stonehenge has deteriorated. She writes:

“Thus, for me, Stonehenge, while being an undeniably powerful place, has too many decades of tourism and strife etched into its original pattern, and I cannot feel the call of the Mother Goddess at Avebury, for the pattern is irreparably cracked and fractured and I suffer intense headaches whenever I am near the inner circle.”

Using an ancient site for ritual does change the energy of the place. But also this is inevitable like the physical deterioration. Ancient energies disappeared, even long before there was any neo-pagan activity. It is a romantic illusion trying to maintain the spiritual energy of ancient cultures. All we can attempt is to reconstruct these cultures and seek to learn from this, although every reconstruction will be laced with 21st-century cultural influences. The original intent of these monuments is lost forever.

Some final thoughts

It is impossible to make reliable inductions about the belief systems of the people who have built the ancient monuments. Most theories of ancient religion are based on analogies with modern day primal cultures as interpreted by anthropologists who have studied them.

The ideological subsystem of a long gone culture can be reconstructed by studying primal cultures which are still around today and comparing the known aspects of the ancient culture with the contemporary one, assuming that, cetis paribus, when the material elements are the same the ideological subsystem will be similar.

We must guard not to confuse the scientific reality of what we can know for sure about the ancient past and modern day interpretations. They both have their value but only together they can help towards a better understanding of our world. The photo below shows a contemporary work of art, designed by Robert Morris. The work is called Observatory and is inspired by ancient monuments such as Avebury and Stonehenge. For this monument, we do know the intentions of the artist who designed it. Morris clearly stipulated that this object is merely a work of art and should both be used in a ‘practical’ way for any ritual by neo-pagans. The intention of the work is to experience a sense of space when walking through it.

Robert Morris, Observatory (1977), Flevoland, the Netherlands

Robert Morris, Observatory (1977), Flevoland, the Netherlands

Some people also try to re-live the ancient times by constructing their stone circles. Go to the website of the Geo Group to find out more on this subject. How will future archaeologists and other enthusiasts interpret these objects? Will future neo-pagans write about mysterious cultures and magic rituals held at these sites? Ancient monuments have become new spiritual places with an almost entirely different function as in the ancient days.

Learning about the roots of Western culture, our pagan heritage, we can redeem a some of the mistakes that have been made in the name of Christianity (which is based on Judaic and Hellenistic concepts, rather then our own cultural history) of the past fifteen hundred years.

  • Bouquet, Comparative religion (Penguin Books 1962).
  • Dames, Michael, The Silbury Treasure: The Great Goddess Rediscovered (Thames and Hudson, London, 1978).
  • Fleming, Samantha, A plea to practising pagans, www.ravenfamily.org (2000).
  • Geo Group: Contemporary stone circles, www.geo.org.
  • Malone, Cardine, Avebury (English Heritage 1989).
  • Crystal, Ellie, Silbury Hill.


I am a complete noob at guitar, I learned how to read the chords. I do not know how to practice changing chords, and I do not know which ones are the beginner practice songs and which ones are not.
Changing chords become very simple after practice. A good way to practice this technique is by holding down your fingers in one chord formation and then changing them to another. Do it slowly at first but then after a while gradually pick up the pace.
Hi! I'm also starting to learn how to play a guitar. The easiest way how to learn:
1. get some list of 50-60 chords and how to play them
2. Play how many song a day as you can
3. step-by-step learn about theory...

I think the most imortant steps are 1 and 2 in the beginning. You need to get a feeling of rythm and strong but precise grip for playing nice chords. I suggest for playing in the beginning songs e.g. in D major. It's easy to play the chords in them
(mostly D,G,Am,C...). E.g.:
Bryan Adams- Cloud number nine
Eagles- Tequila sunrise or Lying eyes
Tom Jones- Green grass of home
Uriah heep- Lady in black...

And after some time harder and harder song. For example after this
you can try to play R.E.M.- losing my religion. It's not to hard but it has
some more chords to change during it. And you'll need to try playing chords
with usin barre (like F here)
I hope the elders agree with me. If not... I'm still young. I'm playing just for 3 weeks
you can go to youtube and learn there

just search the internet

were just the same now but the more passion you have the more you will go pro
theres also lessons on this site. and chord chart..and do read up on your theory. just take it easy. major and minor chords. if u learn to fast u might learn something wrong and/or learn something sloppy. but like dude man said up there lol G...A...C...E...D once u get the hang of things work on F and all the variations for these chords.


I got this b.c. rich neck in, the fingerboard is ruined, i think someoen tried to scallop two of the frets, or something, anyways its ****ed. I am thinking of removing he frets and running it through the jointer until its close to gone.... steaming could be bad as it could cause the neck to warp.
Remove the frets and carefully bandsaw it close than use a chisel (best if it's not a good one) to dig the truss rod out and double sticky tape a piece of wood to the back and run it through the planer. It works perfect.


Can the EU develop a concerted mechanism for union wide economic convergence?

Many of the eurozone’s peripheral economies are now forced to implement strong austerity measures. Unless the private sectors of these countries are able to soak up the slack caused by cuts in public expenditure,  these economies may suffer from negative growth and deflation for years, thereby also deflating their national debt. Moreover, even if the southern countries succeeded in stabilising their budgets and debt levels, none of the underlying problems that caused the crisis are being solved. The structural differences among EU’s economies still remain. If the southern economies don’t diversify from their dominant low productivity sectors such as agriculture and real-estate to higher productivity sectors, there is nothing that will stop inflation from creeping into them again in the future.

Is structural development likely in the southern economies? Can the EU develop a concerted mechanism for union wide economic convergence? Is transnational fiscal policy the solution? Should industrial policy be introduced at the EU-level? What would be the pros and cons involved with such a move from social, political and economic perspectives?  Can the productivity gaps between the core and periphery be closed to rein in asymmetric inflation pressures within the monetary union?

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Q. What is the process for enrolling in a therapeutic riding program?

A. Sojourn’s process is as follows:

  1. After a request is received, Sojourn will send an application package that must be completed, as well as a Client Handbook.
  2. Once the forms are completed, we schedule an evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine whether our program is appropriate for each individual’s specific needs.
  3. Once accepted, Sojourn will do its best to place the riding student with a group of students of similar age.

Q. What happens once the rider is accepted into the program?

A. The initial evaluation is used as a benchmark for creating an individualized plan for the rider. Goals are set and reviewed every 3 months. The goals may be educational, social, behavioral or a combination. Lessons are planned that support the goals. At the end of the three months, the rider is assessed and new goals are created.

Q. What does a typical riding session look like?

A. Each session is approximately 30 - 40 minutes. Sessions begin with mounting the horse, riding the horse for ½ hour, dismounting, and grooming. All riders must wear ASTM/SEI approved riding helmets (provided) for ALL equestrian activities, including ground work such as grooming. We also provide certified riding vests for additional safety. What may vary in a “typical” riding session are individual goals. We may have a group of 3 or 4 riders and our lessons are designed to cover the goals essential to each rider.

Q. Does insurance pay for therapeutic riding?

A. It’s up to the individual insurance company, but as a general rule, therapeutic riding is not covered by insurance, but it is in your child's best interest to always ask. In some instances, hippotherapy is covered if a licensed therapist can bill it as a regular therapy session. Sojourn does not offer hippotherapy and is strictly a therapeutic riding facility.

Q. What is the cost of Sojourn's therapeutic riding program?

A. The cost for Sojourn is as follows:

  1. $50.00 Assessment Fee. The assessment involves: a) parent/client interview b) riding assessment c) goal setting WITH parent and/or client. This is a one time fee for new riders.  STARTING JANUARY 2017, Assesment Fee will be $75.
  2. PRIVATE LESSONS are $360.00 for a 6 session package. Sessions are designated on given dates/times. Sessions are 30 - 40 minutes, which includes a 1/2 hour saddle time - plus grooming and tacking if appropriate for the student.      STARTING JANUARY 2017 PRIVATE LESSONS are $600.00 for a 6 session package.
  3. GROUP LESSONS (2 or more students) are $180 per 6 session package. The lessons are 30 - 40 minutes and also include 1/2 hour saddle time.   STARTING JANUARY 2017 GROUP LESSONS (2 or more students) are $240 per 6 session package.
  4. Payments must be made by the second session. A $10.00 processing fee is added for sessions that are paid in halves of two payments. This will be effective April 1, 2011.
  5. Sojourn does not offer make-up sessions except in extreme emergencies or due to Sojourn cancellations (severe weather).
  6. Families with more than one student riding in a block will be charged $180.00 for the first group lesson and $150.00 for each additional student or lesson. STARTING JANUARY 2017 Families with more than one student riding in a block will be charged $240.00 for the group lesson and $200.00 for each additional student or lesson.
  7. Payments may be made by cash, check, or credit card.  An additional $8 processing fee will be added to payments made by credit card.

Q. How can I support, further, my child's riding experiences at home?

A. We, at Sojourn, have developed a safe site for our riding students. We are a professional site located on Facebook. Our site contains pictures and videos. Three administrators manage Sojourn's site (Claire/Volunteer; Ken/Media Manager; Barbara/Owner & Manager). Administrators determine who may be invited into the site. This affords our students and their families the opportunity to interact in a safe environment with individuals who share a common interest - HORSES! This is a great way to encourage reading and written communication skills and something parents can do with their child, again, in a safe environment.


Friday, January 13, 2017

European Literature Notes 1/13/17

Read Chapters 4-10 of Jane Eyre

Vocabulary (Chapters 1-10) and Reading Quizzes on Tuesday

Pay Attention to How Bronte makes you feel what she makes you feel.

Honors Notes 1/13/17

Class Notes: 1/13/17:
-       Complete: Comma II + III
-       Know nuts and bolts of Siegfried (next myth in the packet, not sure if this is how you spell it - Luzia)
 Difference between Clause and Phrase: Clause has a predicate and a subject
                                                                       Phrase lacks either one

Conjunction words: and, or, if, but, then, so
Types of sentences:
-       Simple
-       Complex
-       Compound
-       Compound Complex

Questions Stewie asks in the College Bowl:
-       Who is the god that over comes Uranus?
-       How does gnothi seaton, early psychology, and anthropomorphic fit together?
o   Gods personified human boundaries that we self imposed

Gnothi SEEton how good my puns are
MEMEden Agan

Mans reach should exceed his grasp, or else why would we have a heaven?”
- Robert Browning

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Honors 9 Notes 1/12/17

Class Notes: 1/12/17
-       Complete: Comma 1+2
-       Know nuts and bolts of Heracles

  (Luzia thinks taking notes on every little thing said in the college bowl is pointless, as you can probably answer all the questions just by reading the myth, but if we get to anything that is not empirical (main themes, symbolism, or any other literary devices) I will take extra thorough notes. Sorry!)

There is currently a brief pause in the lesson so I’m going to type out my favorite joke:

A horse walks into a bar and says to the bartender “can I have a drink?” The Bartender says “are you an alcoholic?” and the horse says “I think not!” and POOF he disappears!
Now at this point in time all the philosophy students in the class start giggling because they are familiar with “cognito ergo sum” or “I think therefore I am”
But to explain this concept a forehand would have been putting DesCARTES before the horse

Questions Stewart asks during the college bowl:

-       Hera tried to kill Heracles how?
-       How does Heracles deal with the two snakes?
-       Why does Hera want him dead?
-       Why does Heracles’s latin name miss the poignancy
o   Because he’s the son of Zeus who is married to Hera, and is a living embarrassment to her
-       What teacher did Heracles not like?
-       What did he knock Linus dead with?
-       How long did he have to complete the labors?
-       What is the problem in doing the first labor?
-       What did Prometheus have to wear? And Why?
-       What did Prometheus do for mankind?
o   Fire: what does it symbolize
Light, knowledge, wisdom, power, imagination, creativity, warmth- better the symbol the more possibilities it leaves open to interpretation
-       What is the name of the underworld?
-       What are the twelve labors?
-       What’s the name of the three headed dog?
-       What’s the channel named that he created?
-       In that labor, who tries to help, and then Heracles shoots her?
-       Explain what is funny about the god sends Heracles to be a slave to another god?
-       Why does Queen Ophalia free him?

Euro Lit Notes 1/12/17

Important information in red
Student commentary in blue
Notes in black
Vocabulary in green

Pick up Jane Eyre reading schedule. Chapters 1-3 for 1/13. Quiz tomorrow.
No school next Monday. Vocab quiz on Chapters 1-9. Possible second quiz on Chapters 4-10
Read the vocab list before you do the reading.  Try to incorporate the vocabulary into your own writing.

 Background Information

The novel became a big literary form during the Romantic Period.
There will be a voluntary, impromptu essay for Jane Eyre.
"Cultivate our Garden" is stoical realism.
 Romantics were idealists.
French Revolution took place during the Romantic Period

Essay Notes

Charlotte Bronte is more than a Romantic Period writer
The object correlative is a way of eliciting emotion in in the reader by using objective things to convey the emotion to the reader.
Motifs are phrases or images that are repeated throughout the work.
Jane Eyre is a bildungsroman, written in a detached first person
Symbolism is everywhere
Five settings will be symbolic

Romantic Poetry College Bowl Part II!

Romantic thought feeds into existentialist philosophy
Romantic thought seems to suppose that nature is subservient to humanity. It could also be viewed as a dominance of humans over the earth or a fruitful partnerships between humans and nature.
The pattern of succession from Uranus to Cronus is exemplified in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Romantic thought asks when did we become separated from nature?

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Honors 9 Assignment 1/11/17

Complete the Capitalization Review

Read "Heracles" and know Nuts and Bolts

Euro Lit Notes 1/11/17

Important notes in red
Student commentary in blue
College words in green
Notes in black

Homework tonight: finish Romantic Poetry study guide
We'll start reading Jane Eyre next Thursday. Expect to multitask with art and architecture.
There will be two vocabulary quizzes during Jane Eyre

"Cultivate our Garden" Discussion

Candide's paradigm changed. He changed his paradigm because of everything that happened to him. He changed his paradigm with great difficulty. Voltaire had Candide change his paradigm in that way because he wants us to abandon paradigm thinking and do something about all of the evil in the world.
St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas were two of the premier philosophers of the Medieval Age.
The Medieval Era of philosophy was concerned with human agency and the problem of evil.
Crash Course Philosophy did several videos on answers to the problem of evil. If you're interested in some of the arguments in the discussion, that is a good place to start. An argument regarding how evil and an omnipotent, omniscient, all loving God could coexist is called a "theodicy."

Romantic Poetry College Bowl

"Taciturn" means quiet and shy.
"Tantamount" means short of, next to.
Romantic poetry is paradoxical in that it is written for an audience that is holed up in dusty old libraries, telling them to get outside.
Enjoyment of poetry lies in abiding in it and enjoying it. If you are disliking reading something, whether poetry, a novel, a play, or an essay, try reading it once as you would if you were going to read it for pleasure or engagement. Then read it a second time to answer the questions.
"Kubla Khan" was written due to an opium-induced dream.
Protagoras said "Man is the measure of all things."
Romanticism is a reversal of the above statement: "Nature measures man"
How does nature measure man?

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Euro Lit Notes 1/10/17

Important stuff in red
Student commentary in blue
Notes in black

On the study guide, title the poem and then number the questions. Full Monty optional
Study guide for "The Tables Turned," "Kubla Khan," "She Walks in Beauty," "The Cloud" due tomorrow while the others are due on Thursday

Romantic Period Introduction

Romantic Period is predominantly Hobbesian.
Only fifty years long but the most important literary period.
After Candide, we'll read Jane Eyre, then Damien,
Romantic artists dealt with ideals and possibilities. Democracy and the individual are the primary focus. Poetry is huge in the Romantic Period. Short stories (from Edgar Allen Poe in the United States) and the novel come along.
The Industrial Revolution reinforced the idea that society was evil.
Romanticism was focused with the extraordinary.
Idealization of women would influence Carl Gustav Jung's archetypal psychology.
Damien is Neo-Romantic

Candide Chapter 30

 At the beginning of the chapter, all of the members of the party are unhappy.
Candide learns from the old man that in order to have the best of all possible worlds, he has to work to make it better. If he does nothing, things will never get any better.
Voltaire is Aristotelian, positing that happiness is to be found in an activity, rather than a destination.
Voltaire is trying to get his readers to abandon the notion of stoical optimism so that they might try to improve their world through work.
Bertrand Russel says the opposite, that happiness does not in fact lie in work but in leisure time.
Voltaire thinks that it doesn't matter what philosophy one holds so long as they work to improve the world.
Candide becomes a man when he begins to improve himself.

Candide Discussion

The main takeaway from the novel that Voltaire wants us to get is that because we are conscious of the evil going on in the world, we have a moral duty to work to improve it.
To cultivate our garden means to improve ourselves through physical and mental exercise.
The use of the word "our" is meant to shift the focus from the individual to the society.

Honors 9 Notes 1/10/17

1/10/17: Class Notes

Eight Parts of Speech: Noun, Adjective, Adverb, Verb, Conjunction, pronoun, punctuation, interjections, preposition

College Bowl: Theseus
                                                Central Theme:

Symbolism- The white/black flag
-       Black: Darkness, fear, danger, night, vulnerable, space, unknown, blind, mourning, evil
-       White:

Theseus displays Homeric pattern: After Theseus accomplished his goals he got so caught up in his pride he forgot to pay the price
Advice from the Seagull: Use your enemies size against them- Use their advantage to your advantage


Consider the middle class tax cut extension officially held hostage

by pdxblake

On the politics of the tax cut extension (outsourced to TPM):

Faced with this implicit filibuster threat, Reid’s challenge is to convince at least 50 members of his 53-member caucus to vote to extend middle-income tax cuts, and other tax benefits targeted at middle class voters. He’s already signaled he’s rounded them up. That won’t be enough to force a floor debate on the issue — but it gives Democrats a specific vote they can point voters to and validate their election-year argument that Republicans are so committed to preserving low marginal tax rates for wealthy Americans that they’d rather let everyone’s taxes go up instead.

So, just so we’re straight here, there are 50 votes (plus Joe Biden as tie breaker) ready to pass an extension of the Bush tax cuts, except for those on the wealthiest, in the 100 member Senate, and it can’t pass because (like on everything these days), the Republicans are abusing the filibuster to require a 60 vote majority to pass anything!

Maybe it’s time to get rid of democracy, and replace it with something invented by the private sector.

For actual commentary on the Bush tax cuts, check out a few earlier posts.


Heikki Patomäki – On the conditions of successful social democratic alternatives

EU Politics Section Logo

Globalisation has ravaged the economies and societies in the industrialised world. Uneven growth and deindustrialisation are causing political turmoil. The left, trapped in a limited territorial state, is likely to fail even if it wins national elections, unless it succeeds in globalising democratic politics. Patomäki calls also for breaking “the gap between routine production and established privileges, on the one hand, and emerging areas and forms of the economy, on the other. This should the true goal of structural reforms; not free markets but emancipated and self-determining humans.” In the end he, like so many others, comes to the conclusion that wealth has to be justly taxed, but things seem to be going in the other direction.

Heikki Patomäki is a Political Economist at theUniversity of Helsinki and civic activist. His new book, Disintegrative Tendencies in Global Political Economy, is appearing in October 2017 published byRoutledge.

Capital and wealth in their various forms roam ever more freely in the liberal world economy, whereas state-powers are confined to limited territories and labour remains rooted in states. This asymmetry has resulted in a shift in power-relations. The outcome accords with Michał Kalecki’s classic analysis. Business leaders and capitalists have succeeded in creating circumstances under which policies depend on their confidence; the scope of free markets has been maximized; and hierarchical power-relations in the workplace have been intensified.

Simultaneously, the rise of China and other BRICS and Asian countries, and the relocation of industry across borders, has hastened deindustrialization in many parts of Europe and North America. Data suggests that automation has been more important than relocation when measured in terms of loss of jobs in manufacturing. This does not mean that relocations and globalization are unimportant, for globalization affects power-relations. To retain industrial activities in Europe as much as possible, the EU and its member states have resorted to steeper hierarchies in the work place, have tried to reduce costs via “labour market flexibility”, and have resorted to deflationary free market economic policies. Together these measures have created a tendency toward a downward spiral in socio-economic developments.

Many countries that used to belong to the periphery of the world economy are growing fast. In China and partly in India economic expansion has generated a virtuous circle between output and productivity; productivity growth is correlated with the expanding output driven by high demand for exports. Uneven developments are transforming what is core and what is periphery in the world economy, while the world economy as whole grows more slowly than before. In China and elsewhere in Asia, the virtuous circle of expansion may dominate, but not forever. Future crises will affect also Asia. The process of uneven growth will take new shapes over time.

With the euro crisis of the 2010s, a third world style debt crisis landed in Europe. As in many developing countries in the 1980s and 1990s, structural adjustment policies have augmented the direct effects of the debt crisis. The characteristic effects of neoliberal globalization and deindustrialization, involving unemployment and the precarisation of work with rising inequalities, have fuelled political turmoil. Existential insecurity and the lack of hope feed aggressive identity politics.

What is to be done?

The dynamic processes of the world economy shape conditions everywhere. Actors participate in bringing about and steering global political economy processes in various, but often short-sighted and contradictory ways.

The left, trapped in a limited territorial state, is likely to fail even if it wins national elections. On the one hand, left-alternatives are usually unpopular among business-leaders. Institutional mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that policies depend on business-confidence. Capital and wealth can exit from a state in many different ways and they can also shape public perceptions. On the other hand, the pursuit of competitiveness and attempts to export unemployment and other problems to other countries quickly become contradictory when everyone tries to do the same. For instance, to the extent that corporate tax cuts have a positive effect on the level of real investments in one country, it will likely do so at the expense of other countries.

There is no reason, however, to refrain from pursuing alternatives within the EU and its member states, provided that feedback effects through the whole of the world economy are properly understood. Moreover, the problem of asymmetric power-relations must be addressed. Industrial production for world markets is crucial, but the left must avoid trying to increase demand for EU goods and services at the expense of other countries. To the extent possible, the game must be made positive-sum for all parties, preferably by institutional means. This does not preclude acknowledging for example that China’s underconsumption is a global problem.

Selective reindustrialization and public investments

The EU and its member states should first of all engage in selective reindustrialization. This means more investments. The level of output and employment depend on the amount of investment; and the amounts of factors of production are not given but depend on the level of investments. Since the beginning of the global financial crisis and the consequent recession, EU investment levels remain some 15% below their short-range peak in 2008. Eurozone investment was about 26% of GDP in 1991 and 19% in 2016. Also for example financialization has reduced investments. While it is inevitable that industrial employment will continue to decline, it is possible to reindustrialise partway through large-scale public investments, geared toward missions that matter and are sustainable also ecologically.

The social-democratic project involves creating full fiscal capacities for the EU. The EU budget must be increased also in order to create redistributive systems such as regional policies, a European minimum wage, and unemployment benefit schemes. Essential transformations of the EU require changing the EU Treaty. A cosmopolitan and democratic solution would be to convene an Assembly of directly elected citizens’ representatives. However, because immediately implementable reform proposals must be consistent with the EU Treaty, at least in the next 3-5 years, increases in public investments must come largely from member states.

An ambitious but feasible target would be to increase investment by 5% of the EU GDP, of which 3-4% would be coming from member states, 1-2% from the EU. To make this possible, public investments must be exempted from the deficit spending rules. Until the EU Treaty is changed, EU-level investment programmes can rely on creative arrangements involving central bank funding, such as those proposed “modestly” by Yanis Varoufakis, Stuart Holland and James Galbraith. Moreover, through the enhanced cooperation procedure, groups of member states can implement European taxes benefitting special funds established for a particular purpose.

Investments can generate new qualities and abilities. As Mariana Mazzucato stresses in her widely acclaimed book, The Entrepreneurial State, and other publications, strategic public investments and policies should aim at creating and shaping productive powers and markets. The creation of production-powers and markets can also be achieved through “mission-oriented investments that led to putting a man on the moon and are currently galvanizing green innovation”.

Global context matters, determining the conditions of success for alternatives

One indication of the effects of globalization is that states’ power to tax corporations and wealth has eroded. Corporate tax has fallen dramatically (tens of percent) in most countries. In addition, large multinational companies and wealthy individuals engage in aggressive “tax planning”, which further reduces tax revenues. Collective action and institution-building are indispensable to counter these trends and tendencies.

Corporate taxation is now under discussion in the EU, with concrete proposals on the table. The Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) would to a large degree abolish harmful corporate tax planning within Europe by creating a single set of rules for how corporations operating within the European Union calculate their EU taxes. A more ambitious version of that proposal would involve an agreement on a common minimum corporate tax rate – say 30% – which is substantially higher than the average corporate tax rate in the EU. The states participating in the CCCTB could treat a part of the revenues as a common tax even in the absence of treaty-change.

The problem is of course not only European but global, so the CCCTB is best conceived as a part of more general attempt to tackle global corporate power and value chains. A left-cosmopolitan European Union would also take part in building new worldwide institutions. Consider the case of trade. Many states are committed to improving their current account balance by enhancing their “competitiveness”, often simply by means of lowering export prices. Yet current account deficits and surpluses cancel each other out and, moreover, attempts to increase cost competitiveness through internal devaluation tend to prove contradictory due to decreasing effective demand. What is needed to overcome this contradiction is a collective mechanism through which world trade surpluses and deficits are automatically balanced through tax-and-transfer; and a global central bank that can issue global reserve money.

As local and global struggles are closely interwoven, it is necessary to increase and intensify political collaboration across the world. This process involves support for workers’ rights and trade unionization on a planetary scale, both out of solidarity and to increase global aggregate demand. Better working conditions and salaries, for example to the Chinese workers, would mean less reasons for capital relocation and more demand for European goods and services in China. Deepened global political cooperation could over time lead to the formation of new kinds of actors.

Or consider the universal right to high-quality education, which could be facilitated by various global means, including global tax revenues. The practical realization of this kind of universal right to education can be seen (i) as an attempt to build human capital as the basis of sustainable growth, (ii) as an attempt to speed up the process of demographic transition, (iii) as a mechanism for global redistribution, and (iv) as an example of what enlightenment and global solidarity can mean in the 21st century.

Trust, existential security and hope

The aim of the social-democratic and socialist left should be to reverse the current EU strategy of growth. Power-relations can be democratized; personal employment paths can be made more secure; and industrial and other policies can actively shape political economy development in the desired direction. The göal is to create an upward spiral of virtuous developments. This spiral must be grounded in existential security and trust, encouraging hope for better futures.

The aim of proactive economic policies is to stimulate investments, create capacity and increase output and thus reduce unemployment, which is major source of insecurity. A sufficiently high-level basic income for all European citizens would further diminish dependence on unstable markets. Also participation in processes of collective will-formation can generate trust and existential security.

Hope is, in part, based on the promise of fulfilling people’s higher needs, including: belonging to a community, gaining recognition from others, and realising autonomously set purposes. After a certain amount, more consumption does not increase well-being. When Keynes envisioned life after capitalism in his 1930 essay “Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren”, he argued that “it will be those peoples, who can keep alive, and cultivate into a fuller perfection, the art of life itself and do not sell themselves for the means of life, who will be able to enjoy the abundance when it comes.” Keynes argued that capitalist profit-motive will fade away as historically unnecessary. This will not happen automatically, however.

In a just society, work is organized so that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy communality, recognition and at least some self-realization in their work and participate in the public definition of activities and goals. The essential question is: how should we organise relations of production? The long-standing but unresolved debate between the advocates of hierarchy and democracy has revolved around efficiency. There are always many possible and plausible ways of organising things, also from the point of view of efficiency.

We can learn from of world history. In the absence of practical skills and widespread virtues of participation, democratic experiments may fail. Moreover, they tend to evoke movements of counter-reformation. Thus for instance the democratic experiments realised in many universities around the world have, by the 2010s, been replaced by New Public Management managerial hierarchies, relying on hierarchical capitalist corporations as their inspiration and model.

The German social democrat Eduard Bernstein defined “socialism as a movement towards – or the state of – an order of society based on the principle of association.” This idea was also at the heart of Marx’s vision. Ultimately, social democracy aims at building society around voluntary partnership and democratic cooperation rather than competition. The question is: how to achieve a maximally open space for cooperative and democratic experimentation?

One possibility is the negotiated involvement model of relations of production, which involves workers directly intervening in the introduction of a process. This would provide functional flexibility of working practices instead of neo-liberal flexibility of wages and working conditions. Efficiency and innovations could be sought also in terms of breaking the gap between routine production and new emerging sectors of the economy and by means of deeper institutional experimentation.

Consequences of “Baumol’s disease”

The potential for economic growth is gradually diminishing also because of what is known as “Baumol’s disease”. Economist William J. Baumol realised in the 1960s that the share of services in the economy is growing. This is the other side of the coin of deindustrialisation. In many service sectors, labour productivity does not rise at all; while in others only a little. Music training today takes just as long as it did a hundred years ago and almost as many barbers are needed today as before to keep 100 people’s hair neat.

Baumol’s solution in his well-known 1960’s study was to increase the relative funding of sectors where labour productivity does not increase. As many of the services are best produced publicly, this means the expansion of the relative share of the public part of the economy. According to many indicators, gravitation toward social services, health, education and research means an increase in welfare.

Agriculture and manufacturing will employ an ever smaller proportion of people. For example in Germany the share of employment in manufacturing has already declined from 40% in 1970 to 20% in 2016. Yet industry is critically important because of the benefits of economies of scale and increasing labour productivity. It is essential to retain industrial know-how as widely and deeply as possible. Growth comes from the diversity and complexity of production, enabling the development of new industries.

H.G. Wells envisaged a century ago, in his Outline of History first published in 1920, a future world in which “perhaps 10% of the adult population will, at some point or another in their lives, be workers in the world’s educational organization”. Today we could set a new target: at least 10% of the adult population will work at universities or research institutes for a major part of their working lives. Part of this group will train future engineers and architects and develop new technologies.

Against the hierarchies of corporate power and entrenchment of privileges, the left must find ways to democratise relations of production, work organizations and systems of global governance. The new social democratic programme combines employment, transforming society’s power structures and economic efficiency. The left programme includes ways to break the gap between routine production and established privileges, on the one hand, and emerging areas and forms of the economy, on the other. This should the true goal of structural reforms; not free markets but emancipated and self-determining humans.

The point is to increase domestic European demand and improve the quality and attractiveness of European commercial goods and services in world markets in a non-contradictory way, bearing in mind the generalisability of actions and global aggregate efficient demand. Moreover, democratisation of globalization is a condition for progress anywhere. As also phenomena such as nuclear weapons and climate change show, the destiny awaiting us is now common to all. Global solidarity can and will find new manifestations, from trade union solidarity to global political parties.

It is the collective history of humankind that has enabled our current average level of material and immaterial consumption. We are all standing on the shoulders of the past generations and depend on the multitude of our contemporaries. This suggests a major degree of socialization of the output from large-scale production. A major step in that direction would be a considerably high global tax on wealth and capital.

1 Comment

  1. Many good ideas proposed though in the absence of the presuppositions that could render them possible. ”Public investment” is so much necessary but its idea has been discredited by the ubiquity of the neoliberal mindset in favour of the deification of the market institution (to which social-democratic discourse has contributed greatly). ‘Public investment’ presupposes a domain of democratic politics within nation-states whose economic policies have not been captured by corporate interests.
    ”Selective reindustrialisation” presumably supposes a concerted, planned pan-European industrial policy otherwise it merely accentuates national competitions. It also highlights a contradiction. As the author says ”automation” rather than ‘relocation’ is responsible for the jobs’ s loss. Hence ‘reindustrialisation’ will aggravate loss of jobs through robotisation. Provision of employment ought to be a high value in a self-conscious, self-determining society, not a side-effect of ‘growth’ (which tends to be jobless). Lastly, a reference to the social and solidarity economy as an alternative model of organising production relations should have been made.

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A grammar lesson with Mr Gwynne
Mr Gwynne, author of Gwynne's Grammar, is teaching grammar lessons this weekend The two-hour classes, based on the idea that grammar is the science of using words correctly, and that without grammar, words are useless, will cover the elements of grammar, and the bare essentials of


Give Us A Call at 330-590-4034

Lower Back Pain

Back Pain Causes and Treatment near Wadsworth and Akron

Almost 80% of adults will suffer from some type of back pain in their lives. The most common of these problems will be lower back pain. The lower back is usually described as the area between the bottom of the rib cage and the top of the legs. This area is a complicated part of our body as it contains many, many joints, muscles, tendons and bones. It is their job to support us. This can be made very difficult by doing things in our daily lives incorrectly.

A simple example would be not lifting heavy items in the correct way. If someone works in a job requiring a lot of heavy lifting, there is a correct and incorrect way to lift. Continuous disregard for the correct way will probably result in lower back problems.

There are many other causes of lower back pain of course. Seemingly simple things like not sitting upright in a chair can have serious results. Driving long distances without a break can also result in major lower back problems.

Prevention is always better than cure and we can help you to adapt your lifestyle to better be able to minimize the potential risks of acquiring lower back problems.

If you currently have lower back pain we have treatment plans to alleviate the pain and restore the necessary strength in your back to be able to better continue with your life.

Most lower back pain is temporary and can be treated relatively easily. There is no quick fix, but through a program of physical therapy and lifestyle adjustments, you will be able to return to a normal life.

It is important to realize that one very common cause of lower back pain in today’s society is obesity. The more stress you put on your back from excess upper body weight gain, the more likely you are to encounter problems in your lower back area. So, one of the best ways of reducing the risk of lower back pain is to modify your diet, exercise regularly and try to maintain your weight.

If you are experiencing lower back pain, consult us as soon as possible. We will interview you about your lifestyle and habits. Then we will discuss with you our recommendations. There is no need to live with this type of pain, and there is usually no need for medication either. Medication will generally only mask the pain, it will never solve the problem. There are also many side effects from medication that can cause far more problems than they will solve.


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Destiny Points

This is defined as:
- Engaging in the GM's contributions
- Entertaining the group
- Contributing to the story being told at the table.
1) Introduce an event to the story
2) Introduce a plot twist
3) Introduce a sub-plot
4) Introduce a new NPC
5) Introduce a relationship with an existing NPC
6) Introduce a sub-quest

1) What type of change?
2) What is the change?
3) Exerted/Size? (questions 1 above)
4) Effort/Mechanics (questions 2 above)

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Character Creation

Character Creation

  1. Come up with a basic character concept, what is the character you will play like?
  2. Name - What is your character’s name?
  3. Origin - What Nation was your character raised in?
  4. Talent - What is your character’s special Talent?
  5. Talent Level - What level is that Talent at? Choose between 1 and 6. It us used to determine the level of effectiveness for your character’s Talent, as well as some other things (e.g., Friends, Enemies, Luck, Reputation and Wealth).
  6. Set Friends, Enemies, Luck, Reputation and Wealth to one.
  7. Destiny Points - Subtract your Character’s Talent Level from seven, these are your character’s Destiny Points. This will also determine how many skills they will start with.
  8. Background Points - Multiply your character’s Talent Points by three. After that is done, subtract one. That number is how many Background points your character has.
  9. Childhood - Choose a background, select a skill from each Aspect and spend Background Points to start with more Friends if you like.
  10. Early Schooling - Choose a background, select your Destiny in Skills and spend Background Points to start with more Enemies.
  11. Professional Training - Choose a background, select your Destiny in Skills and spend Background Points to start with more Wealth.
  12. Experience - Choose a background, select your Destiny in Skills and spend Background Points to start with more Reputation.
  13. Determine Luck - However many Background Points you have remaining, these are your Luck Points. If you have more than 6 left, the excess points add to the number of Enemies you have.
  14. Determine if your Reputation is positive or Negative.
  15. Select Friends and Enemies. Each Friend and Enemy must have a Name (it can be that of an NPC introduced by the GM, a PC or you can use that slot to introduce a new character to the setting) and an origin (why are they your friends or enemies?).
  16. If none of the PCs are one of your Friends, create another type of relationship with a PC.
  17. Describe their personality
  18. Describe their Motivation
  19. Describe their Goal
  20. You are done!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

New conflict Rules

Below is diagram of how a conflict will go down in LoL.
Steampunk Crescendo is at the Editors, soon to be released.
Now, I am circling back to Legends of Lanasia!


AI Programmer

Games Jobs - Programming - South East

Job Title AI Programmer
Job Category Programming
Job Description This an excellent opportunity to join our growing team as an AI programmer on Creative Assembly’s Total War Campaign AI team. Working with the team, you will look to produce efficient and effective AI solutions to the complex challenges presented by the Total War Campaign environment.

 You will be working with varied team of programmers, designers and QA Technicians collaborating to create leading edge game AI that challenges our players and is fun and immersive to play against.

Key Responsibilities

As an AI programmer on the project, you will be working in collaboration with the Campaign AI team to develop code aspects of AI systems for Total War. This includes behavioural elements of the AI and tooling for analysis. You will also collaborate and problem solve the wider game development team on the project.

You will develop software and support the Total War campaign game AI as new project needs arise. You will adhere to the company’s high-quality programming standards and development process as you work. You will be involved in developing new features for the Total War campaign and be highly competent in maintaining new and existing systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
  • High level of C++ programming
  • Strong interest in AI
  • Excellent academic background, preferably in a numeric discipline
  • Being able to work well across teams and other disciplines
  • Outstanding communication skills both verbal and written
  • Creative problem solving
  • Experience developing AI or related systems in games, research or other settings
  • Broad gaming experience and a sense for good game design
  • Experience in game development
  • An appreciation of games, and Creative Assembly titles, is an advantage
We are Creative Assembly

Our focus on quality has filled our awards cabinet over the years – from BAFTAs to Ivor Novellos. We owe this to our team – creatives from a breadth of backgrounds, who unite to share their ideas and expertise, to craft the highest quality gameplay.
Salary Based on experience
Location South East
Job Category Programming
Date posted 06/12/2017
More View other Creative Assembly jobs
Recruiter This job is advertised on behalf of Creative Assembly using their internal reference o8Ov6fwh.
  Apply for this job


Thursday, December 14, 2017

Marvel vs DC: is one really better than the other?

Last week I discussed the differences between Star Wars and Star Trek. Today I will post a comparison between DC and Marvel comic book characters. This is another polarizing debate which has fans of both fighting angrily between them about which comic is better. DC was founded in October 1935 and is currently owned by DC Entertainment which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros, which is owned by Time Warner. The first characters featured in their comics were Doc Occult and Superman. Marvel was founded by Martin Goodman in October 1939 and is currently owned by Marvel Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. Their first characters were the Human Torch and Namor. They added Captain America during World War II. What are the similarities and differences between the two comic book giants? Why is there such a heated debate between fans?

There are many similarities between DC and Marvel comics.  First, they both feature superheroes with extra abilities. These abilities are either naturally occurring or are caused by a freak accident. These individuals usually have to conceal their true identities to protect their friends and families (Badgett, 2016). Marvel introduced the mutants of X-Men in 1963 while DC introduced the metahumans in 1986. Second, both comics features the heroes teaming up against a threat or villain. Marvel has The Avengers and X-Men to name a few and DC has The Justice League, Teen Titans and the Doom Patrol. Third, both comics have similar characters. It is common knowledge that the comic writers created characters who were similar to characters from the other comic. For example, DC’s The Flash, who was first introduced in November 1985, is similar to Marvel’s Quicksilver, who was first introduced in March 1964. Another example is Marvel’s Deadpool, who was first introduced in February 1991, is similar to DC’s Deathstroke, who was first introduced in December 1980. What makes these characters similar is their abilities and the idea that they “steal” from each other is evident in the character’s first appearances. Deadpool, whose real name is Wade Wilson, is known as the Merc with a Mouth, an antihero is a mercenary and assassin. Deathstroke, whose real name is Slade Wilson, is a mercenary who is completed the contract his son started. According to Deadpool co-creator and writer, Fabian Nicieza gave Deadpool the real name of Wade Wilson as an inside-joke to being "related" to Slade Wilson/Deathstroke. Rob Liefeld, co-creator and artist, designed Deadpool and was also a fan of the Teen Titans comic in which Deathstroke appears.

As there are similarities, there are many differences. First, DC’s characters reside in fictional cities which resemble real cities. For example, Batman fights crime in Gotham City. Superman saves the day in Metropolis and Green Lantern operates in Coast City. While Marvel characters are live in real locations, New York City being the most popular location for many characters: The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, X-Men, The Defenders and Spiderman. Second, the abilities of DC characters are often seen as gifts or blessings which calls them to action and they do their best to embrace it (Diedrick, 2016). The powers are usually developed at a young age or gifts. For example, Superman developed his powers as he grew up under the yellow sun of Earth and Wonder Woman receives her powers as a gift from the gods. In the Marvel universe, the abilities were from freak accidents or a product of evolution which are seen as curse and causing the individuals to be outcasts or seen as monsters and thus becomes a burden. For example, Bruce Banner becomes the Hulk after a lab accident and people fear the monster he becomes. Daredevil loses his sight after an accident with a radioactive substance. Upon losing his sight, he gains heightened senses. There are DC characters who receive their abilities from accidents: The Flash, Green Lantern or even a thirst for justice: Batman or Green Arrow. However, these characters are still treated as godlike figures (Diedrick, 2016). What makes the Marvel characters different is they still deal with real life issues like money, balancing responsibilities (Quora, 2014) or having a jerk of a boss (, 2016). Marvel characters have been featured in dealing with the aftermath of real events, like 9/11 (, 2016). Third, DC has cornered the market with their animation like Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995) and movies like Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009), Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010), and Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) just to name a few. While Marvel has found gold in the live action movie market with the massive hit of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which DC is desperately trying to catch up to.

While there are many fans of both the DC and Marvel comics, there are many fans who deeply feel you cannot be a fan of one, if you are a fan of the other. Why? To find out, I read different message board threads and the number reason people consistently agreed with is because people get strangely territorial. Look at the different rivalries, which are simply opinion based but because a personal insult when someone challenges that opinion. Coke vs Pepsi, Ford vs Chevy, PC vs Mac, Xbox vs PlayStation, the list can go on and on. According to the individuals who posted on these threads, the majority of comic book fans like both DC and Marvel, although they had a general preference of one over the other, however, not enough to keep them from reading both. One individual said the people who force others to pick a side are either newbies, fanboys or both. These individuals are using wiki as their source material instead of the actual comics. Another individual said fans discuss, fanboys argue and when you don’t share their opinion, the argument usually leads to insult which is how you can distinguish a fan from a fanboy. FYI, a fanboy is a male fan who is obsessive about comics, music, movies, etc. and there is also fangirls too. These fans are known for their complete lack of objectivity and will usually argue in a circular logic that they refuse to acknowledge. With the wildly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the struggling DC Extended Universe (DCEU), the debate between some fans has become more polarizing than ever before.

In conclusion, I like both DC and Marvel. Both companies have been around a long time and with that time have borrowed from each other (one company has borrowed more than the other). My knowledge of the characters are from the 90s cartoons I grew up with and the current movies. I never enjoyed reading the actual comics but I enjoyed the characters. I’ve been a Superman fan since the 1990s show Lois and Clark (1993-1997) and more so with Smallville (2001-2011). I especially enjoy watching Henry Cavil as the current Superman. However, I have immensely enjoyed the MCU films much more than the DC films. But is Marvel better than DC? No, I think both comic books have their merits with different takes on the characters and stories. Most people I know who enjoy comic echo the sentiment I read in the message board threads, they like both but they are more likely to read one verses the other.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Seasons of the Moon: one man's journey through life

Seasons of the Moon by Julien Aranda (translated by Roland Glasser) is the one man’s story through life. Beginning with his birth, Paul Vertune was the youngest son of a farmer on the Brittany coast of France. From the very beginning, it was clear that Paul was not destined for a life as a farmer. From the age of 6, he dreamed of becoming a sailor and seeing the world. However, the world had other ideas. Soon World War II breaks out and his village is under German occupation. After a brief encounter with a German solider, who shows a young man in love mercy, Paul gives a promise that would he was determined to fulfill. He promises this German soldier to tell his daughter he loves her. At 18, Paul is drafted and spends his enlistment at the hands of a cruel drill sergeant. After his time in the army, he marries his childhood sweetheart, Mathilde, and sets out to fulfil his dream and his promise. Will he be able to find the German soldier’s daughter? Or will she be lost to the chaos in the aftermath of war?

Seasons of the Moon is a deeply retrospective, emotional story about the endless possibilities of life and finding the beauty in it all. While the book was slow in parts, I enjoyed reading Paul’s journey through life as he experiences life altering events which teach him that life is precious despite its hardships. It is a beautiful story of one man’s journey through life and his determination to fulfill a promise. I also enjoyed how Mr. Aranda used the phases of the moon as Paul enters a new phase in his life. I recommend Seasons of the Moon.

Seasons of the Moon

is available in paperback and eBook

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Star Wars and Star Trek: there is a difference

Actually, Penny*, there is a difference and as a fan of the Star Wars franchise and a casual watcher of the Star Trek franchise, I say there’s a world of difference. I grew up watching Star Trek. My father is a big fan of the original Star Trek (1966-1969) while my brother is a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994). Even my best friend loves Star Trek especially The Next Generation and Voyager (1995-2001). While I’m drawn more to Star Wars as is my husband. While I am not writing to argue which franchise is better because both have their merits, I am writing to distinguish the differences between the two.

First, Star Wars is a dramatic epic rooted in legends like Beowulf and King Arthur, mythologies, world religions and ancient and medieval history to tell a story of a galactic society in conflict. The importance is not on believability of the science but on the characters and the moral choices they make while Star Trek has “ham-fisted dialogue and Gong Show-caliber acting. But the fictional science has always been brilliant” (Herzthe, 1998). Star Trek is rooted in a greater existential dilemma in which an idealistic, utopian prospect of the future human society is explored and debated. Star Wars focuses on the ethics of good vs evil and against totalitarian government systems. Star Trek features the morals of exploration and interference, how to properly confront and ethically resolve situations. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, is said to have been inspired by morality tales like Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.

Second, Star Wars, essentially, focuses on the individual’s power to do good. It is the struggle with feelings of powerlessness and how an individual responds to that feeling. There is a strong connection to faith, mythology, or the Force within the individual and trusting yourself and others. It is about individuals breaking free from governmental oppression (Bedinger, 2015). The Original Trilogy avoided explicit political messages while being anti-authoritarian, the prequel trilogy is clearly a commentary on imperialism and warmongering. Star Trek focuses on a commentary on social structure, defining a society’s obligation to humanity, the world and the galaxy. Star Trek operates within a stable government, The United Federation of Planets, and spreading enlightened values throughout the galaxy (Bedinger, 2015). Each of the Star Trek television series focused on a central worry. For example, in the original show, the central worry was Captain Kirk (played by William Shatner) losing his command and the fight against anything undermined his command. In the Next Generation, Captain Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) was focused on choosing the wise path and being a responsible leader (Anders, 2016).

Third, the debate between the fan bases can be polarizing that it’s hard to image someone being a fan of both. Some fans believe that you cannot be a fan of one, if you are a fan of the other. This sentiment is also reflected in the statements made by the actors in each franchise. William Shatner argues that Star Trek is superior to Star Wars because “Star Trek had relationships and conflict among the relationships and stories that involved humanity and philosophical questions” (Emami, 2015). Tim Russ, who played Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager claims that Star Trek is better than the two because it is set in "our" galaxy and therefore people can relate better to it, whereas Star Wars takes place in another galaxy (Forbeck, 2011). He acknowledged that he could be biased (yeah, you think! LOL). Jeremy Bulloch, who played Boba Fett in the original Star Wars trilogy. He is a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series. He argued that while both franchises are popular, Star Wars comes out as the superior, for its soundtracks and special effects (Forbeck, 2011).

Why does Star Wars seem greater in popularity than Star Trek? And yes, it does. Star Wars has a franchise revenue of $42 billion (as of 2015) while Star Trek has a franchise revenue of $10 billion (as of 2016). While both have large fan bases with fiercely loyal fans, Star Wars seems to speak to the American identity as the rebels, the revolutionaries fighting against an evil empire while Star Trek speaks more to the American political superpower we’ve become with unparalleled military and economic might (although there is some debate if this is even still true). Star Wars plays into the national fantasy as the righteous underdogs and Star Trek portrays our national reality and the moral question as to how to use that power. In a UK program for the Star Wars 20th anniversary, Patrick Stewart said “A belief in one’s own powers; especially one’s own powers to do good because the underlying morality of Star Wars is a very, very positive one.”

In conclusion, while the two franchises are similar in that they depict societies of multiple planets and species, they promote different messages. A philosophical message verses a political message. The story and its characters verses the reality of the science. The individual and his or her role in the galaxy while verses society as a whole. I prefer Star Wars because the characters are relatable and the action adventure is entertaining. I often find the dialogue in Star Trek to be difficult to follow at times. Is one better than the other? It’s simply a matter of choice and nothing else. Both have had a great impact on pop culture that cannot be ignored.

*The Big Bang Theory “The Weekend Vortex” Season 5 Episode 19 originally aired March 8, 2012.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Coco: a review of the newest Disney Pixar film

This past weekend, my husband and I took our daughter to see the new movie, Coco. Knowing only the basics about the film and not reading any reviews about it, I went into the film with high expectations, it is Disney Pixar after all. What I didn’t expect was to be blown away. Normally, for a review, I discuss what I liked, what I didn’t like and what the critics had to say. But for this film, I liked everything. There was nothing I didn’t like and I don’t care what the critics had to say. So I will discuss the different aspects of the film that I loved.

First, the story itself. Based on the Mexican festival of Dia de la Muertos, it is a story about family, remembering those who has passed, and forgiveness. The movie begins with 12 year old Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) telling the story of his Mama Imelda Rivera (played by Alanna Ubach), the family matriarch. She was the wife of musician who left her and their daughter to pursue his career and never returned. Angry, she banned all forms of music in the family. Miguel desires desperately to be a musician, he steals the guitar from the tomb of the village’s superstar, Ernesto de la Cruz (voiced by Benjamin Bratt). When he does so, he has placed a curse on the family and he is transported to the Land of the Dead. He must now find a way to lift the curse so he can return home. He is helped along the way by Hector (voiced by Gael Garcia Bernal) who is desperate to get to the Land of the Living before the end of Dia de la Muertos. The story has everything: laughs, tender moments and very sad moments. I cried at the end. So be warned, there will be tears!

Second, the music. The movie is filled with wonderful music. It features the wide range of Mexican music. From mariachi to salsa and bolero. From flamenco to pop and Mexican son (folk music and dance). The music was heartfelt and entertaining. After the film, I immediately went out and bought the soundtrack. The main song is “Remember Me” which helps carry the theme of the film. However, my favorite songs were “Un Poco Loco” (written by Germaine Franco and Adrian Molina and performed by Anthony Gonzalez and Gael Garcia Bernal) and La Llorona (a traditional folk song performed by Alanna Ubach). “Un Poco Loco” is a fun and upbeat song about how the singer’s love drives him a little crazy. “La Llorona” is a soulful and beautiful song about a weeping woman and love. The instrumental pieces are beautiful too. I love music in film especially when it is used probably to enhance the mood and the events of the particular scenes. The music in Coco did that and more. It carried so much emotional that you were crying just by the strumming of the guitar.

Third, the imagery of the film is absolutely breathtaking. The colors of the Land of the Dead are stunning. Marigold flowers, known as cempasúchil, are central to the festival and they are everywhere in this film. Marigolds are among my favorite flowers and the animators captured the flower’s brilliant orange color and the delicacy of its petals. Brilliant colors bring the Land of the Dead to life and are very vibrant and reminiscent of the colors have seen in Mexican art. The details in the animations bring you into a world and you sit in wonder at it all. The amazing talent and hard work it took to bring this story to life shows in every detail. I also loved the image of the Mexican family portrayed in this film. With my experiences with Mexican families, I laughed at the antics of Abuelita, Miguel’s grandmother as she enforces the no music rule in the family. There’s a scene where she offers Miguel foods and he politely denies, the look she gives him reminds me of many Mexican grandmothers I’ve known and love.

In conclusion, Coco is the best Disney Pixar film so far. It is definitely among my favorite films. It has everything. A great story, great music and great imagery which comes together and transports you into another world and leave you with a great lesson about love, family and forgiveness. I highly, highly recommend seeing Coco in theaters. You will not regret it!

Saturday, December 2, 2017

What is cultural appropriation?

This past Halloween, I read a comment on a celebrity’s Facebook page that accused the girlfriend of the celebrity of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is a term I have not heard before. After a quick search, I was intrigued to research it more due to the massive debate about whether or not it is wrong or not. This post will be longer than usual as there is so much information that I want to share to make sure this topic is covered. While I may not cover it all, I want to give enough of an overview that I do not leave anyone confused. I will discuss what it is, the arguments for and against and how we proceed.

First, what is cultural appropriation? The official definition is a term from Sociology which deals with the adopting of elements from one culture by members of another. It is often portrayed as harmful and is claimed to be a violation of the collective property rights of the originating culture. In most cases the adoption of the cultural elements are by a dominant culture from a minority culture. Many sociologists feel cultural appropriation is avoidable as multiple cultures live among each other the exchange of cultural elements will occur. These elements may be borrowed and applied by the dominant culture against the wishes of the minority culture and the original meaning of the cultural element is lost or distorted and seen as disrespectful. While some view it as inevitable and a contribution to diversity and free expression.
Examples of cultural elements:
  • Food
  • Fashion, hairstyles, makeup and body modifications
  • Art, iconography and adornment
  • Religion and spiritual symbols
  • Technology
  • Language, including slang

The debate about cultural appropriation is deep and greatly divides people who fight against it and those who feel it isn’t as big a deal as the social justice warriors (SJWs) believe. The proof is in how people define the term and the examples they use.

The opponents of cultural appropriation are deeply passionate about it and argue with which fervor will leave many feeling shame that they would use these cultural elements. Opponents believe it is wrong when the minority culture is subordinated in social, political, economic or military status to a dominant culture or a history of ethnic or racial conflict. The views of colonialism, context and the difference between appropriation and mutual exchange are a part of their main argument. According to many opponents, cultural appropriation is different from acculturation (the cultural modification by adopting or borrowing) and assimilation (the process of taking in and fully understanding information or ideas). The main argument is that the cultural element is taking out of context and is often misapplied. For example, Native American sweat lodges and vision quest ceremonies are being used and run by non-Native Americans who do not understand the significance or the dangers when someone doesn’t know who to perform the ceremonies properly. Another example is the bindi mark which appeared at Coachella in 2014. The bindi is a traditional Hindu head mark with religious significance. Many Hindus were highly offended by those who wore the bindi as they did not fully understand the meaning and it was more than a beauty mark. One strong argument against cultural appropriation is when someone can or will enjoy an aspect of a culture, like the food, but still be prejudice against the people who brought the food to this country. “Cultural appropriation shows that you don’t have to like a person or respect their identity to feel entitled to take from them” (Johnson, 2015).

As much as there is passion against cultural appropriation, there is an equal fervor by those who think it is simply today’s oversensitivity. Take one definition posted by a user on Urban Dictionary, “The ridiculous notion that being of a different culture or race (especially white) means that you are not allowed to adopt things from other cultures. This does nothing but support segregation and hinder progress in the world. All it serves to do is to promote segregation and racism.” Another user posted: “The idiotic conflation of culture with racism. Essentially the absurd belief that the cultural exchange that has served to enriched humanity throughout all of human history is wrong because racists exist.” And lastly, “A pile of SJW bullshit stating that its racists to indulge in foreign cultures.” Of all the user definition posted, the majority were negative like the ones I’ve quoted. Proponents of cultural appropriation view it as benign or mutually beneficial. It is mutation, product diversity, technology diffusion and cultural empathy. For example, George Lucas borrowed elements for Star Wars from Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress who borrowed from Shakespeare. John McWhorter, a professor at Columbia University and contributing editor at the New Republic, wrote “The idea that when we imitate something we are seeking to replace it rather than join it is weak.” The concept has morphed from the original idea to a parody. According to McWhorter, people get angry simply when whites happily imitate something minorities do as if imitation is a kind of dismissal rather than a sincerest form of flattery. Another article expressed concern over the fervor against cultural appropriation as “unchecked by reason, therefore unworried by hypocrisy, snowflakes creep closer to actual violence” (Wakefield, 2017). The fight against cultural appropriation is seen as simply anti-white sentiment.

So what do we do? I’m not sure where I read this but someone made the comment that social justice warriors and “snowflakes” (a term for an extremist liberal offended by every statement ot belief that doesn’t exactly match their own. I see this behavior with conservatives too but that’s another post), are trying to reinstate an apartheid, a complete separation of cultures, after decades of fighting to remove such separation. In a way, this statement is correct, however, in my opinion, I see both sides of the coin. In many terms, cultural appropriation is bad and even insulting while others are simply the passage of time that it has become a part of both cultures. For example, an element from a culture should never be a costume or the butt of a joke which perpetuates an ethnic stereotype, according to Jenni Avins of The Atlantic. Just as a sacred symbols should not be worn as accessories. For example, in the last decade, individuals started wearing the Catholic rosary like one would wear a necklace. A rosary is not jewelry, it is a tool of prayer. It is not a talisman for protection. In her final words of her article, Maisha Johnson said “I am encouraging you to be thoughtful about using things from other cultures, to consider the context and learn about the best practices to show respect.” This statement makes sense to me, when respect is shown, I see no problem when someone of one culture borrows from another culture; however, the problem is someone may think they are being respectful when they are not or you may have some who, no matter how respectful a person may be, is insulted when someone outside the culture uses an element. This is when I feel the fight against cultural appropriation goes too far.

In conclusion, we live in a society in which we must walk on eggshells especially when you are white. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “not bad for a white woman” when I’ve cooked a delicious meal of traditional Mexican food or other ethnic foods. As if the color of my skin hinders my ability to follow a recipe and cook. On the other side, there are other aspects of different cultures that I would never feel comfort wearing or participating in, simply because I am not a part of that culture. Bottom line, if you are going to borrow something from another culture, be respectful and give credit where credit is due. I would want the same consideration if someone wants to borrow from my culture. What are your thoughts?

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Zechariah and Malachi: the last of the Old Testament prophets

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Thor: Ragnarok a film that has it all

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Song of a Captive Bird
will be available on February 13, 2018
In hardcover and eBook

Why should I stop, why?
the birds have gone in search
of the blue direction.
the horizon is vertical, vertical
and movement fountain-like;
and at the limits of vision
shining planets spin.
the earth in elevation reaches repetition,
and air wells
changes into tunnels of connection;
and day is a vastness,
which does not fit into narrow mind
of newspaper worms.”

-verse taken from “It is Only Sound that Remains”

Friday, November 24, 2017

Foods native to the Americas we might have been aware of

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

As Bright as Heaven
will be available in hardcover and eBook

on February 6, 2018

Monday, November 20, 2017

The History of Lacrosse you may not have realized

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Hagar Rediscovering the God who sees me

Is available in paperback and eBook.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Contemporary Native American Literature

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Getting Back in the River

Is available in paperback and eBook


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