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Beautiful Words #7

Some beautiful words for your week . . .

A mandarin fell in love with a courtesan. “I shall be yours,” she told him, “when you have spent a hundred nights waiting for me, sitting on a stool, in my garden, beneath my window.” But on the ninety-ninth night, the mandarin stood up, put his stool under his arm, and went away. (Roland Barthes; A Lover’s Discourse, Fragments)

“Death Barged In

In his Russian greatcoat
slamming open the door
with an unpardonable bang,
and he has been here ever since.

He changes everything,
rearranges the furniture,
his hand hovers
by the phone;
he will answer now, he says;
he will be the answer.

Tonight he sits down to dinner
at the head of the table
as we eat, mute;
later, he climbs into bed between us.

Even as I sit here,
he stands behind me
clamping two
colossal hands on my shoulders
and bends down
and whispers to my neck,
From now on,
you write about me.” (Slamming Open the Door, Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno)

“Until there arrives a great master of the art of writing who will choose to invest the facts of Indian history with the glamour of literature, and make the truth more attractive than even history itself.” (Bloomsbury: A House of Lions by Leon Edel, quoting Lytton Strachey)

Fictional Book Club: The Mermaid’s Daughter

Scene: a beautiful, old Chicago apartment. The white walls glow softly in the candlelight. There are two women on a worn, navy couch, another in a paisley armchair, and a fourth pouring white wine. A greyhound is lurking, waiting to make a run for the cheese and crackers on the coffee table.

Lucy finished pouring the wine. “Ok, girls, the book this week is ‘The Mermaid’s Daughter’ by Ann Claycomb. Who wants to start?”

Silence. Naomi finally piped up, “I thought this was more of a let’s drink and hang out book club and less of a, let’s actually read the book, book club.”

Joanna rolled her eyes. “I called it. She’s the one who wouldn’t be prepared.” Claire and Lucy chuckled. “Okay, Naomi, here’s the quick and dirty version: The Little Mermaid–the creepy traditional one, not the Disney princess–passed a curse on to her daughter, and her daughter’s daughter, etc., all the way to a modern day soprano studying to be an opera singer. She and her girlfriend and her father have to figure out how to stop it.”

Naomi interrupted. “I only know the Disney version–what curse?”

Claire picked up the thread. “So, she traded her voice for human legs, just like in the Disney movie. But it hurts her to walk — like walking on glass or something — and to get her voice, the sea witches actually cut out her tongue. So her daughter has a tongue, but it hurts like her tongue is missing and her feet still hurt. But the mermaid’s sisters feel bad for her so they trade their hair for a knife that can change the mermaid back if she uses it to kill the prince. So then, for the next however many generations, the mermaid’s descendant is given the knife by the witches and told the pain would stop if they killed their lover.”

“Did the sea witches bother anyone else?” Lucy asked. “Like, I know they’re an unreliable narrator but the more I think about it, the less I trust anything they said. Why in the world would the daughter have to kill her lover and not the prince’s descendant? The prince was super terrible and the reason she asked for legs in the first place, so I get why he needs to die but like, what did Harry do?”

“And how do you distinguish between like, your lifelong lover, and, hey this is college and I like you but who knows what we’ll happen when we graduate?” Joanna asked, pouring herself another drink. “God, there are some ex-boyfriends from college I would stab with the knife regardless of any curse!” She laughed, but Naomi–the only one who went to college with her–frowned. She knew exactly who Joanna was talking about and a knife would be too good for them.

“And how do they all have one daughter and that’s it?” Lucy laughed, smearing brie on her cracker. “Nobody had a son, or multiple kids or no kids? Ever?”

“Okay, critics,” Claire interrupted. “Yes, the book about a mermaid and witches isn’t scientific. But c’mon–it’s beautiful. I couldn’t put it down.” She slipped the dog, now begging at her feet, a piece of cheddar.

“Me either,” Lucy admitted, “But don’t feed Parker cheese, it makes him gassy.” Claire gave him an apology kiss on his furry head. “I was surprised, I think, to read a book that could so easily be a dramatic, romantic tragedy that is still pretty grounded – like, listen to this part:

“I know what I can do to try to tell Robin and Harry that I’m going to be okay, that I’ve gotten over myself. I’ll ask if we can go out to dinner. Someplace ridiculous, with a big list of flavored margaritas and food that’s terrible for you, like breaded zucchini and coconut fried shrimp. There’s nothing tragic about going out to dinner at a restaurant like that, and you can’t give up on life and eat something called a zucchini zircle all in the same night.”

Naomi laughed. “Here’s my contribution,” she said, typing on her phone. “I’m finding a recipe for zucchini zircle and that’s what we’ll eat next time. Now, can we talk about the Bachelor?”

Beautiful Words #3

Some beautiful words for the week:

“Why are you so surprised that the heavens complain? . . . Didn’t we know the world would be turned upside down by what just happened? . . . Indeed, isn’t this the way it should be? . . . Isn’t it right that the sky is torn to tatters and the sea put in a frenzy? Would we prefer it if the world did not care?” (Abarat, Clive Barker)

“I am afraid. Not of life, or death, or nothingness, but of wasting it as if I had never been.” (Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes)

“There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and crate,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of a toast and tea.” (The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S. Eliot)

“As I paddle along, I slowly become aware that it’s been fear keeping me out of this pool for so many years. I never came here before because I was afraid I’d make a fool of myself by not having the endurance to complete a lap. The swimming wasn’t what scared me; failure was. My fear locked me in a state of arrested development for so many years. Fear kept me from tackling my weight, which I understand has simply been symptomatic of my greater fear, growing up. I glide down the lane on my back and reflect on how good I feel right now. It’s not because I’ve lost more than thirty pounds. I feel incredible because I’ve stopped being afraid.” (Such A Pretty Fat: One Narcissist’s Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, Or Why Pie Is Not The Answer, Jen Lancaster)

Title: Severance
Author: Chris Bucholz
Publisher: Apex Publications, LLC

I am not one for urine jokes (or any bodily function jokes)–but persevere past the protagonists’ prank on the “Markers,” a particular gross clique, in the first chapter of this book and you will be rewarded. I first read Chris Bucholz’s work on, where he churns out underrated and hilarious articles. His best series, by far, are his advice guy articles and his apology letters. They are whimsically and darkly weird and very much elicit either a love or hate reaction. (Obviously, I love.)

This book, however, is not that. Unlike his articles, which strain the bounds of reality on purpose and as part of the joke, you can tell Chris really thought through Severance’s world. It still has enough weird that you know it’s him, and to delight all of the wacky sci-fi fans out there, but it’s tempered with a tightly structured plot and real relationships that make you feel real emotions. And books that can make me feel real emotions are my favorite. (My husband is a little less enthused about walking in on me crying over fictional characters).

I also appreciate that romance is not the primary relationship. Instead, it’s Stein and Bruce’s friendship and, more so, their wavering relationship with the community in which they live and its leaders. There is an old married couple that pretend to be blasé but end up joining the adventure and have an amazing romance, but not in the way you’re expecting. They’re the kind of couple that grew into each other after a long and beautiful life together, and then when push came to shove, they leaned into each and fought against the world with all they had. And they didn’t even really have to talk about it – they just knew. For my Burn Notice people out there, it’s very Michael and Fi. (Basically the highest compliment I can give).

The other thing I think this book gets really right is that nobody is safe. I hate when the good guys are seemingly immortal–there’s no tension if there’s no risk. It’s hard to care about conflict when you know what the outcome will be. Even if the rescue comes at the very end — Star Trek, I’m looking at you — it somehow cheapens the whole adventure. Bucholz, while no George R.R. Martin, does not guard his darlings like that. And the result is a very engaging, enchanting book.

If I had to pick a moral for this story, I would say that it is: people are terrible and dumb but they’re still OK. And they deserve a chance–and you do too. It’s realistic, but reassuring.

Let me know what you think! Happy reading!

Help for the Haunted

Title: Help for the Haunted
Author: John Searles
Publisher: William Morrow (imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)

This book is not for the faint of heart. Rarely does a book actually creep me out – yet this one did. It follows the life of Sylvie, a young girl whose parents were recently murdered, as she tries to figure out what happened to them, learn how to live with her temperamental older sister Rose, and come to terms with her parents’ unusual and controversial careers.

My favorite thing about this book was its subtlety – a lot of authors cannot include religious themes without coming across as judgmental and condemning regardless of whether they are pro or con. This book had a more subtle, nuanced approach which made it feel like a part of the story and not just a lecture the author felt morally compelled to include. It was also subtle with the paranormal — in my experience, books that try to flirt with the boundary of fantasy and reality often end up disappointing readers who expect a “Scooby-Doo” ending – aka, for all of the “magic” to be explained — by leaning too fantastical or disappointing readers who like to be surprised or out-witted by the author by leaning too realistic. Here, the ending was satisfying (although, again – CREEPY route to get there).

I am also frequently skeptical when authors use first-person with protagonists substantially different than themselves – here, a male author writing from the perspective of a female child. But Searles does a fantastic job. It felt realistic without being patronizing – there was nothing that felt out-of-character or “jarred” you out of the book’s reality. It’s easy to sympathize and fall in love with Sylvie, to understand her frustration at therapy, her reluctance to really rebel against her sister, and her waves of emotions about her parents. Without spoiling the story, there are two scenes that really hit home for me in capturing Sylvie: when she brings a homemade good-bye gift to Mr. Boshoff, her therapist, that shows how much she has been listening to what he has and hasn’t said about his own life, and when she offers candy to malicious trick-or-treaters who had only showed up to tease her about her (dead) parents.

If you want a happy story about sisterhood conquering all, this is not the book for you. But if you want an intriguing coming-of-age story, light some candles and dive right in! Happy reading!

Hi! I’m Alaina, a Midwestern who would love to be in a book club except she’s too busy and she doesn’t actually like hanging out with people. But she still has opinions the world needs and a voracious appetite for the written world, so here we are: if you like book reviews, book discussions, beautiful words, fictional characters, and a little sass, please keep reading.

My favorite books are the ones that break your heart — that pull you so inextricably into the world they create and make you feel for their characters, whatever those emotions may be. I think fiction books are best when they teach you something about the human experience.

My second favorite books are the ones that let you escape; when they open a side door and say, “Hey, come play in this world, the one where politics aren’t so terrible, or cancer doesn’t exist, or an average person can turn out to be really special and really change the world for good.” I’m always up for a trip down the rabbit holes.

My least favorite books are math books.

If there’s a book you’d like me to review, let me know! I love recommendations. And if you disagree with my review, let me know that too! You’re probably wrong, but I’d love to talk about it 🙂 (Just kidding — I’m sure you’re accomplished and handsome and smart. Who else would be reading this blog?)


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InnoGames Reveals First Look at Several Titles

Friday, October 14th, 2016

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The folks at InnoGames have just announced a new business partnership with MTG. They’ve also just released a new gameplay video providing our very first looks at several new titles they have in development. All of the titles in question are mobile games with no release dates announced as of yet. Each project is in various stages of development and testing. The titles include an action-RPG MMO with multiplayer boss battles, a survival RPG with crafting, and a Unity-powered MMO strategy game. Here’s the short video with the gameplay footage:

You can view the full press release below:

See the sneak peek video and screens of these titles here

Video can also be seen here:

See the link below in the announcement to read about InnoGames being acquired (35% stake) today by MTG.

InnoGames Releases First-Look Video of Several Titles in Development

October 13, 2016. InnoGames just released the very first look at several titles it has in the works within a short gameplay video. The 45 second clip features a Unity powered MMO strategy game, a MMO action RPG with multiplayer boss battles, and a survivor themed RPG, where crafting items is central to gameplay. All the titles are developed for mobile devices. Release dates have not been announced, and the publisher is currently in various stages of testing each project.

The sneak peek comes on the back of InnoGames’ investor partnership news, which was also announced today.

About Michael Fontanini

Michael is a veteran gamer in my early 30s, who grew up around video games, with fond memories of the oldies like the NES and SNES. He loves Nintendo but also plays a lot of games on his PC. Michael also enjoys going for walks or bike rides, and loves animals.

Michael is also a computer programmer. This started with a toy he got as a kid called PreComputer 1000 that was made by V-Tech. It had a simple programming mode which is what started him down the road of being a programmer! Michael can program in BASIC, Visual Basic, C++, C#, and is familiar with Java and Lua Script.

Putting programming and gaming together, Michael became a hobbyist game developer which may give him some good insights on game development! Most recently, he has been playing with the free version of the Unity engine (a powerful and easy-to-use game engine).

I love Nintendo but I also play a lot of game's on PC, many of which are on steam. My favorite Nintendo game's include Zelda, Metroid, and Smash Bros to name a few. On PC I love the Half-Life games, as well as most all of the Source Engine games just to name a few.

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Talk:Church of Latvia

From OrthodoxWiki
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I propose, as a guideline for OrthodoxWiki articles on Latvian Orthodoxy to use the Russian variants of those names in Latvian Orthodoxy that are Russian and the Latvian variants of those names that are Latvian.

Thus, I propose we write Alexander Kudryashov, not Aleksandrs Kudrjašovs, for the Metropolitan of Riga. However, we write Jānis Bērziņš, not John Berzin for the ROCOR Bishop of Caracas.

Just a thought. --Aleks 23:50, June 21, 2008 (UTC)


text:
Captain David Miscavige: “The Telephone is Psychotic!”

RTC President Warren McShane

The following text is excerpted from the deposition of RTC President Warren McShane taken by Ray Jeffrey in Rathbun v. Miscavige et. al.

…Q. When David Miscavige is going about his duties and he is making phone calls, is there some practice that he conferences you in on all of his phone calls?

A. Well, one, he rarely makes phone calls, and it depends upon what the topic is when he does. If it relates to my activities, I would be on the phone call.

Q. Okay. I didn’t ask a very good question. If — I’m trying to find out, is there any sort of standard protocol that anytime David Miscavige is on the telephone, Warren McShane is on there with him? There’s nothing like that, is there?

A. There’s no standard protocol, no.

CDM.10Q. Okay.

A. It depends on what the topic is of the phone call.

Q. It would be as-needed?

A. Yes, but like I explained, it’s very rare. He (Captain Miscavige) doesn’t use the phone.

Q. And your basis for saying that is what?

A. My 30 years experience working with him.

Q. Well, if he spends 12 hours in a day outside your presence, how do you know he doesn’t just wait to have phone calls when he’s in — in private?

telephoneA. Because phone calls, per our scripture, are not a standard form of communication. Like Mr. Hubbard says, phones are psychotic, they have no memory, so we don’t use them very often

Q. And by the way, what kind of cell phones and Blackberries and that sort of thing does David Miscavige have?

A. He’s got a Blackberry. He used to have a cell phone. I don’t think he has a cell phone anymore….

8 responses to “Captain David Miscavige: “The Telephone is Psychotic!”

  1. Someone should have told the munkin that text have a memory. Oh wait we are suppose to overlook that discovery. I just can’t cause I learned something new. David Miscavige, YSCOHB, YSYSYSYSYSYS… Scientology is so much stranger with DM.

  2. However, in extreme Hill 10 situations Captain Black Hart DO allow himself to bypass Holy Scripture and make a short phone call.
    But he always ends the call, when his loyal officers pry open the window and crawls in to bing order:

  3. But wait a minute…although we understand Mcshane is dutifully attempting to protect the Captain, it is also common knowledge Captain Miscaviage often calls the Rush Limbaugh show and bloviates on a wide variety of topics both political and ecclesiastical.

    Captain David Miscaviage is one of Rush’s favorite callers. Open line Fridays are the Captain’s favorite. McShane needs to be careful he does not perjure himself.

  4. This is absolutely true, phones are psychotic. I have known forever that my iPhone stares at me in my sleep and plots its ways to kill me. I know because a lot of nights I am only pretending to be asleep and I peek at the phone and see what it is doing.

    Recently, I had a long conversation with a real, actual scientist about this and he said it is not even a theory, it’s been proven as scientifical fact. But the globalists are in the business of selling phones and of suppressing the data and the truth. Like the white-coated globalist who recently interrupted my conversation with a scientist. Rudely, he bursts into the room and says “Jim, who are you speaking to? There is no one in here.” Typical globalists, they don’t want you to hear actual knowledge so they will even interrupt when you talk to scientists! Haha!

    If the globalists and their phones were really as super smart as they claim, they would know I tongue the mind control pills they try to give me everyday. Haha! I have to go now I’m not allowed to be in this room or even on this floor. Goodbye truth-seekers!

    • Jimbo Threeman, we in RTC are impressed by your knowledge of actual science and what is really going on out there.

      You are right to ignore phony “wog science” and its claims that cellphones and the dangerous x-rays they emit are safe.

      The scientific fact is that cellphones are even more dangerously psychotic than regular phones. That is why Captain Miscavige fled right away when that CSI crim Allan Cartwright tried to hand him a cellphone. No thanks Allan! You keep that thing next to your head! And Allan did and that is why he sounded so stupid when he was deposed last November.

      It is true that your iPhone wants to kill you.

      It is true that they are after you.

      And yes, you should only tongue the pills they force upon you.

      We in RTC know these feelings only to well.

  5. Jimbo Threeman

    u speak truth sir i wish to intetnet hug u but cant use arms i type now w/ nose. i think allan cartweel is globalist spy but cant confirm. y else bring psycho phone near truth seeker cob. also 1 allan i met on adventure was scientifical crazy but the lady w/ shiny hair told me that was only coloring book activity time. i dont know what 2 think she may be globalist

    thx 4 ur kind and true words

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text:
Costume Fundraising Now a Bridge Action!

“Following COB’s ecclesiastical triumph of relocating the Purif and TR’s and Objectives to their rightful place high atop the Bridge after New OT VIII, Mr.  Miscavige has now found another piece of missing Tech,” declared Church spokesman Ken Delusion. “And this particular piece of missing Tech is so vital and planetary-changing that it has become a very advanced OT Bridge action. This action is in fact OT IX.”

“And yes, COB is speaking of Costume Fundraising as the new and exact technical action that will blow all of the barriers and stops to true planetary clearing. So vital is Costume Fundraising is that OT III is its prerequisite, for only OT III’s and above can truly handle and confront dressing up like pirates or Star Wars characters in order to raise money for Ideal Orgs”

“Seriously,” Delusion stressed, “Costume Fundraising is harder than it looks. One really needs to choke down their case, and even their pride, to costume fundraise and only veteran OT’s can do it. Lesser beings would blow.”

“Per COB, Costume Fundraising  is a 100% ‘on policy’ action designed to boom the Ideal Orgs. The  new GAT II OT IX Costume Fundraising level can be delivered at any Org.

“OT IX may be done after OT VIII, or, after OT III and the completion of the GAT II Purif and TR’s and Objectives. Moreover, it goes without saying that one must also be a Patron Blatherer to even be considered for invitation to the super-deluxe and exclusive GAT II OT IX.”

“GAT II OT IX includes hatting on the exact technology of Ideal Org costume fundraising, including the theft of copyrighted property for costume fundraising,” Delusion noted.

40 responses to “Costume Fundraising Now a Bridge Action!

  1. I know I’ll get declared SP for this but I wish George Lucas would sue the living hell out of Birmingham org for desecrating Darth Vader like that.

    • You just had to say it Mr. Smarty Pants! You could have kept your big yap shut but nooooo. You just had to say it and now COB is pissed and screaming and breaking everything in his War Room.

      Looks like another long and godawful night at the Base for we in RTC.

      Your SP Declare is in the mail. We have also ordered your folders culled.

      • So THAT is how you get the fundraising calls to stop! My thanks to Scientology411 for revealing the secret to Ideal Silent Phone and Empth Mailbox. You are a true hero to take a bullet for the troops!

      • I thought religious freedom laws prevented wogs from suing Scientology for copyright infringement. Scientology should be allowed to sue anyone for violating our copyrights while being allowed to use everyone else’s copyrights as needed to clear the planet.

  2. Intense Costume Fundraising Procedure-
    1. Be three feet back of your costume.
    2. What about a costume could you confront?
    What about a costume could another confront?
    What about a costume could others confront?
    What about a costume could have you confronted?
    3. Spot a costume, walk over to it, touch it, let it go.
    4. Mock up a costume, make a copy of it, let it go.
    5. Spot a costume, tell me its color, weight, now let it go.

  3. It is truly marvellous with all the missing tech popping up all the time making the Bridge much more logic and complete and exactly the way Ron wanted it!

    I think we should all commend COB in a BIG WAY for his relentless search for lost tech and for never giving up, despite being met with so much resistance and hostility from degraded beings and SP´s!

    His ability to look handsome and stay uptone and continue his magnificent leadership of the church, even in difficult times, is awe inspiring!!!

  4. Голый король

  5. There is a precedent… some guy in Rhodesia, although I don’t know if he fundraised.

  6. Now we get to the real meat of Scientology…combining OTIX Costume Fundraising with the IAS Humanitarian status sprinkled with Super Power Rundown completion and Voila…you have a Super Hero Humanitarian with honest to goodness OT Super Powers. Listen…

    Do you think these folks are slaving away in the MEST universe? They’re visiting the Van Allen belt, vacationing on Mars, or perhaps time traveling on the whole track when they’re not shilling for COB.

    Find out the freedom and power that comes with the Scientology Super Power Super Hero Costume Fundraising combo pack.

    Set your coordinates to Clearwater and beam on down today! Scotty is making sure the Transporter Room is staffed 24/7.

    • Captain whostolemycog, I am truly glad you do not work for the Church because you’re so dangerously convincing. You’re one of the few people who really get how the scam works.

  7. And what scam would you be referring to, Mr. J. Swift?

    • J. Swift is an SP and the SP engages in suppressive acts. If J. Swift posts again on this blog we in RTC will ban him for life. We simply will not allow suppression and entheta on this official RTC site.

  8. But Mr. Delusion, what about the Doctrine of Fair Exchange which dictates that for spiritual well-being, “anytime a person receives something, he must pay something back” and balance “inflow” with “outflow.” Doesn’t merely giving something away, money for example, run counter to this central tenet of Scientology? I’m confused! And what’s all this talk about a scam?

    • When a Scientologist donates money… he or she… receives benefits far in excess of the money donated. Indeed, how can anyone place a monetary value on Scientology? As the Founder hath written:

      “”Advanced Courses [in Scientology) are the most valuable service on the planet. Life insurance, houses, cars, stocks, bonds, college savings, all are transitory and impermanent … There is nothing to compare with Advanced Courses. They are infinitely valuable and transcend time itself.” – L. Ron Hubbard speaking of his “Operating Thetan Courses” Flag Mission Order 375.

  9. Donating money for advanced courses to rocket up the Bridge to total freedom is one thing OTVIII. I’m all in favour of that. I’m talking about donating money to Scientology and getting nothing in return, no courses, no vitamins, nothing, just a bunch of people jumping up and down clapping. Where is the inflow from your cash outflow? That’s not the Doctrine of Fair Exchange, that’s giving away money and getting diddly squat in return. This puzzles me!

    I‘ll say it again, giving away money and getting nothing for it runs counter to this central tenet of Scientology so why do people do it? Seems delusional to me.

  10. My apologies to Ken for using the word “delusional.” I bet he gets that all the time.

  11. Johnny L
    HOW can you sit here in public and say that you get “nothing” for the money you donate to Scientology???? Really now, how about a CLEARED PLANET for starters?! Is that NOTHING??? How do you expect Scientology to clear the planet without money??? Huh……..??? I think those donations are the best value for money you will ever get!!! FACT is: The more you donate the faster the planet will be cleared by Scientology!!! We have been informed about this time and again for years now at all Scientology events. Haven´t you ever listened to and really seriously understood any of COB´s speeches?

    EVERYBODY needs to back up COB and support him in every way possible, NOW!!!

    He is mankind´s ONLY hope!!!

  12. I don’t want no stinking buildings with people jumping up and down clapping. And to hell with mankind — those stupid wogs pulled it in! It’s all about me Birgit! You just don’t understand.

    You see Mr. Hubbard has made some serious promises that I want to take full advantage of.

    As a Dianetic Clear I will be able to:
    – recall everything which has ever happened to me
    – recall anything I have ever studied.
    – do mental computations which a normal person would do in a half an hour (1800 seconds), in 10 or 15 seconds.
    – think spontaneously, not “vocally.”
    – do a swift study of anything within my intellectual capacity, and the study would be the equivalent to a year or two of training when I was “normal.”

    As a Dianetic Clear I will have:
    – high creative imagination.
    – a vigour, persistence and tenacity to life which is very much higher than anyone has thought possible.
    – better eyesight which in time will become 20/20.
    – full color-vision, tone-sonic, tactile, olfactory, rhythmic, kinesthetic, thermal and organic imagination.
    – and an IQ rise of as much as 50 points.

    And finally, as a Dianetic Clear I will be
    – entirely without psychoses, neuroses, compulsions repressions and psycho-somatic ills of any kind.

    Then after I become Clear it’s on to the OT levels where I will become a superior being with the power to control, create and/or destroy matter, energy, space and time. I can’t wait!

    Buildings? Are you kidding me?

  13. Dear Johnny L.

    Over time we have seen many a scientologist, who has donated vast amounts of money to the church, proclaim that donating in a BIG way was just as good as – and in some cases – even better than auditing. I´m thinking maybe you just haven´t donated enough yet. You must keep on donating until it hurts in order to achieve results in Scientology!!!

    Also – I think we all know how hard COB has worked for the last 30 years to set things straight after the mess Hubbard left behind. The definition of CLEAR, as you and Hubbard describe it, is no longer valid. It was just one of Hubbard´s countless exaggerations to get customers in the shop. In order for the church to be able to deliver what it promises, a CLEAR today is just someone who feels a bit better than before he became a scientologist.

    I myself can – after having spent over $1,000,000 on Scientology – attest to the fact that I AM a Scientology CLEAR according to this new definition. And I´m just looking forward to donating more!!!

    • Birgit gets a special trophy from COB for stating the “New Clear Cog” with VGI’s: “A CLEAR today is just someone who feels a bit better than before he became a scientologist” — and they donate and donate and donate!

  14. So merely donating money for buildings and cheap applause is just as good as or even better than auditing. Really Birgit, you actually expect me to believe this? And the definition of CLEAR as Hubbard described it is no longer valid. What? Are you kidding me?

    You actually expect me to believe that a CLEAR today is just someone who feels a bit better about himself — and all the promised superpowers are just exaggerations! Come on! You must think I’m a real idiot.

  15. I suppose the next thing you’ll be saying is that LRH was a conman and that Dianetics and Scientology is just a huge scam.

  16. Yes,my dear Johnny! Much has changed since L. Ron´s departure from planet earth. As you probably know, every single auditor – even those educated by L. Ron himself – has had all his/her certificates cancelled by COB, because L. Ron was so confused when he was around that he didn´t know, what he was doing.

    It took COB more than 30 years to find all the lost tech that L. Ron and many other SP´s had been hiding from him and rewrite all the materials and edit the tapes. Yes, even the tapes had to be edited, because more often than not L.Ron would just be babbling along without any of it making any sense and COB was left with no other option than to delete it.

    While working singlehandedly on this monumental task, COB came to the realization that while L. Ron was around and even quite a while after his departure the blind had been leading the blind. This of course means that L.Ron had been blind and we had all just blindly been following him.

    Thank God, Jesus and Maria this has all changed now because of COB, who worked tirelessly day and night for 30 years at editing all the materials and putting them right. Today – according to COB himself – ALL the materials in Scientology are completely on source and exactly the way L. Ron wanted them!

    This of course means that ALL scientologists must buy ALL the new revised materials and redo the entire Bridge so as to be completely up to date and WITH the new program. I think that is what OTVIII´s article here was all about in the first place.

    NOTHING in Scientology is like it was before, when L. Ron was around!
    I believe you have a bit of catching up to do, my dear Johnny!

  17. Dear Birgit, you poor naïve fool.

    OTVIII´s article here is all about “Costume Fundraising Now a Bridge Action!” As if dressing up in superhero costumes and having people clap their hands while jumping up and down is any substitute for meticulously applied tech.

    “There is nothing to compare with rigorous on source Advanced Courses. They are infinitely valuable and transcend time itself.” – L. Ron Hubbard

    I’ll soon be up there, on top of the world, an OTVIII, easily finding parking spaces, changing green lights and finding the shortest line — and you’ll be stuck down here with vague memories of a party and the empty sound of clapping hands ringing in your ears.

    • Johnny L – How dare you!!?

      Of course “Dressing up in superhero costumes and having people clap while jumping up and down” is no substitute for meticulously applied tech.

      Why? Because it is meticulously applied religious tech!!

  18. Dear Johnny!

    I don´t know much about “meticously applied tech”. I mean, I can´t even spell it, much less understand it. What I do know is, that people get case gain from donating. And the more they donate, the more case gain they get. This is a proven fact!!!

    I don´t think much studying or auditing is going on in the church anymore. The main activity is fundraising and getting people to donate.

  19. Dear OTVIII, Birgit is claiming here that people get case gain from donating and the more they donate the more case gain they get. Is this really a proven fact or has she lost the plot?

  20. Ha ha ha Johnny, you are too funny!!!
    Thanks for the conversation!

  21. Jenni Silberstein

    Watching this video actually made me feel quite nostalgic about all the events I attended in Orange County. People were so sincere and I remember one woman actually got tears in her eyes when she talked about the Ideal Org and what it would do for the planet. Sometimes the food was pretty good too. And it was entertaining. I almost wish I could believe in the little tin god but on the other hand, if I did, I’d then feel bad that I can’t donate as much as others. And can anyone out there tell me how I can get my order of expulsion? I was told verbally that I’m out but I’ve emailed Theresa at AO trying to get something in writing and she won’t respond.

  22. The EP of this action, BTW is:

    “The Emperor Truly Has No Clothes”

  23. poor doggie….his owner must have spent all of the $ on his costume

  24. Pingback: New and Easier “Sec Checks Lite” Feature 50% Less Brutality! | OTVIIIisGrrr8!

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text:
There is a Ghost Living in the Coke Machine in My Bedroom

soda-vending-machines-coca-cola-nj-nyI keep a giant Coke vending machine in my bedroom. Per contract, I must keep this vending machine stocked at all times.There is Coke, Diet Coke, Mountain Dew, Sprite, and other popular flavors.

I cannot get out of the contract for the Coke vending machine because my fellow OT Steve Strange — the same fellow who sold me 900 sets of the Basics and assured me I could resell them for an enormous profit — will not let me out of the contract.

I really thought I would be able to place the Coke vending machine at my local mall and make $100,000+ per year. But then I discovered after I signed the contract that Steve Strange had lied to me: The local mall is private property and not public property. I cannot sue Steve Strange and must instead submit to an expensive WISE arbitration that is far more expensive than the five year contract for the machine.

I have tried repeatedly to place my Coke vending machine elsewhere but nobody here in Clearwater wants it. There are already too many Coke machines here. Because my garage and living room are filled with sets of the Basics, the only remaining room I had for the Coke machine was my bedroom. I drink plenty of soft drinks these days in order to keep up with the contract. If you will buy a set of the Basics from me I will give you one free month’s worth of soft drinks.

My problem is that there is a ghost in my Coke machine that does annoying things. The ghost leaves marks on the glass and howls at night when I am trying to sleep — and it is already hard to sleep because the light from the Coke machine is excessively bright.

What can I do?

6 responses to “There is a Ghost Living in the Coke Machine in My Bedroom

  1. Coca Cola is one of the great American brands that the planet still wants. Couldn’t you entice foreigners to come to America and live and work in your bedroom, purchase Coke and your surplus Basics? I might suggest that you keep their passports until the machine is empty and all the books are sold.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Call Dr. Pepper and he’ll remove the Sprite in a Snapple. If you get 7-up in there later then a Fruit Punch will Crush them all like a Red Tornado. All will be Schweppes clean and Fresca again.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. It’s not a ghost – it’s a thirsty body thetan! You need to do OT 3 & 4, available for free on the Internet, to get rid of this sugar-addicted thetan!

  4. Wayne Borean aka The Mad Hatter

    I have a suggestion. Turn it into a Gun Safe.

  5. 1. Connect the coke machine to an e-meter that has been rigged with enough of a charge to destroy the coke machine and blow the ghost.
    2. Dig up the crimes OT Steve, the real blood, lurid sex stuff. Crimes he can be prosecuted and sent to jail for. If you can’t find any that just means he has hidden them well and you’ll just have to make some up. Then send an agent to have lunch with Steve to talk about letting you out of the contract. During the course of lunch, let him know that you know about these crimes and it would be a shame if anyone were to find out. It’s not blackmail because you’re not asking for any money.

    No need to thank me.

    Liked by 1 person

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text:
November 8, 2013

What have we learned about women’s empowerment from a 17 country global programme?

November 8, 2013

How complexity thinking cut malnutrition in Vietnam by two thirds

November 8, 2013
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To end complexity week, another of the fascinating case studies from Ben Ramalingam’s Aid on the Edge of ChaosBen Ramalingam cover

In December 1991, Jerry and Monique Sternin arrived in Vietnam so Jerry could take up the role of Save the Children US Country Director. The country was still labouring under a US-led economic embargo and had seriously high levels of child malnutrition, affecting 65 per cent of all under fives. Supplementary feeding programmes delivered by international agencies were expensive and the benefits were seldom sustained beyond their lifetime.

And the political climate was not welcoming for an American representative of a US non-governmental organization. One high-ranking official told Sternin a week into the visit, ‘There are many officials who do not want you in this country. You have six months to demonstrate impact, or I’m afraid my ministry will be unable to extend your visa.’

Just occasionally, just enough pressure is just what is needed to spark new ideas. Sternin remembered a Tufts University colleague, Marian Zeitlin, who was supported by the UN Children’s Fund and the (WHO) Organization to examine the phenomenon of positive deviance: the off-the-chart performance— in health, growth, and development—of certain children in a community compared with others.

Zeitlin trialled a version of positive deviance in Bangladesh, working with BRAC, to examine diarrhoeal infection and malnutrition in infants. The approach focused on mothers’ wisdom and knowledge, especially in relation to positive deviants: Zeitlin and her colleagues used scientific behavioural trials to identify the factors that led to positive deviance, then used this knowledge in the design and roll-out of interventions.

However, the Sternins did not have the resources or the time to do this. Instead, they used the principles of positive deviance as the basis for a different approach. Monique Sternin told me that one of their key goals was to make the positive deviance approach operational, with the community taking the lead, although Zeitlin’s work was essential in terms of providing the scientific justification.

After numerous negotiations, the Sternins finally obtained a mandate to start working in Quong Xuong district in Than Hoa province, some four hours south of Hanoi. They had just over a dozen weeks to demonstrate impacts before their visas were pulled. In the community, however, the limited amount of money they had was less than pleasing for the local officials involved, who were not happy about promises of ‘nothing more than “capacity building” and “self-reliance” ’.

Eventually, however, the Sternins were allowed to work in four communities with 2,000 under-three year olds, 63 per cent of whom were malnourished. Driven ‘more by faith than by proof ’, and armed with their belief in the evolutionary principles of positive deviance, the Sternins told the heads of the major village committees that the approach was going to be about finding solutions that were already in the community, which would have to take responsibility for their identification and application.

To their considerable surprise, the villagers were very keen on the idea. They had previously experienced only short-term aid projects after which they had watched their children’s health gains deteriorate again. This sounded different and more beneficial. After the children were weighed, they were ranked according to their family’s economic status.

Volunteer groups then identified the positive deviants. Sternin remembers asking the volunteers, ‘Is it possible for a child to be very poor and still well fed?’ and the volunteers literally leaping from their benches shouting, ‘Co co, co co!’ (‘It is, it is!’). It turned out that much of what was being done differently in the positive deviant families was tacit and unconscious: the individuals in question weren’t even consciously aware they were doing anything different or new.

Positive deviance VietnamTeams of volunteers undertook observations in their homes and found some intriguing things, some of which were common to all the positive deviant families. The two standout practices related to the content of the diet and the way food was administered. In every positive deviant family, the mother or father was collecting a number of tiny shrimps, crabs, or snails—making for a portion ‘the size of one joint of one finger’—from the rice paddies and adding these to the child’s diet. ‘Although readily available and free for the taking, the conventional wisdom held these foods to be inappropriate, or even dangerous, for young children.’

Families also varied the frequency and method of feeding. Other families fed young children only twice a day, before parents headed to the rice fields early in the morning and in the late afternoon after returning from a working day. Because these children had small stomachs, they could only eat a small amount of the available food at each sitting. The positive deviant families, however, instructed the home babysitter (an older sibling, a grandparent, or a neighbour) to feed the child regularly, four or even five times a day.

Using exactly the same amount of rice, their children were getting twice the amount of calories as their neighbours who had access to exactly the same resource. Other key factors included atypically high levels of hand hygiene in positive deviant families.

At this point, the Sternins resisted the powerful temptation to ‘teach’ the community what they had learnt, because ‘Our past development work failures . . . had all occurred exactly at the moment in which we now found ourselves; the moment at which the solution is discovered. The next, almost reflex step, was to go out and spread the word; teach people, tell them, educate them.’

This time, they decided, the key would be to give community members the opportunity to share and learn directly from each other, with a focus on fostering and facilitating the exchange of practices. At its core, this meant turning a conventional approach to behavioural change—that of Knowledge–Attitude–Practice (KAP)—on its head.

The basic premise of KAP is that, by changing knowledge, you change attitudes and practices. However, the failures in this approach are obvious: millions still smoke, overeat, and so on.

The Sternins reversed the process, to work on Practice–Attitude–Knowledge. ‘You start by enabling people to change their practice, which then changes their attitude, and ultimately they internalize new knowledge.’ This beguilingly simple idea would become the basis of the positive deviance mantra, and go on to inform thousands of applications around the world over the next two decades: ‘It’s easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than to think your way into a new way of acting.’

Over a two-week period, the Sternins provided guidance and tools on collecting data on the positive deviant practices. The progress was shared on aVietnam kidsboard in the town hall, and the charts quickly became a focus of attention and buzz.

A few short weeks later, district health staff assessed progress to date. The findings were remarkable: some 40 per cent of the children had already been fully rehabilitated, and a further 20 per cent were well on the way. Granted another six-month visa for their efforts, the Sternins continued their work. By the end of the first year, half the children had participated and 80 per cent were rehabilitated.

The model was taken on and applied by the Vietnamese National Institute of Nutrition, and after this by the government, which scaled it nationally. Over time, the positive deviance approach saw a sustained reduction in malnutrition rates of 65–80 per cent, and reached a population of 2.2 million.

  1. This is not a comment about the quality of the Sternin’s contributions in SE Asia, as it is one on the very loose use of concepts. Complexity theory, as commonly understood, is something altogether different than PD. In this context, complexity would seem to be about contingency and unpredictability. I would be interested in knowing what positive deviance has to do with complexity. Of note, the Sternin’s work also tends to be a gross simplification of PD as the product of activity of individual champions, when deviance is largely based on processes of social heterogeneity and differentiation. Beyond the notion that complexity and PD belong to the conceptual world of the social, I struggle to find the relationships between these concepts.

  2. Hi Stephen, the basic principles of PD as developed by Marian Zeitlein was that it was a social, cultural and biomedical adaptive phenomena. The Sternins wanted to see of they could develop a social process for sharing these adaptations, and built on evolutionary principles to do so (variation, selection, amplification). They themselves use the ideas and concepts of evolution and complexity to explain the theory of PD – see their 2010 book, and Richard Pascale’s book on management & complexity science.

    Nobel Laureate Dudley Herschbach has also written about the underlying principles and mathematics of the PD phenomena in different situations – including educational attainment in US – and shown that these are underpinned by power law relations (i.e. long tails, not bell curves) that are also signatures of complex systems. I go into both of these aspects in the book…

    Caroline: I think I am right in saying that Monique was involved initially as an observer, and facilitator where possible; and also helped write up the case studies. She has always been actively involved in the PD community – in specific case studies and in communicating the PD story; even more so since Jerry’s sad passing.

  3. Whatever the merits of complexity thinking and poverty deviance, it’s clear that complexity thinking did NOT cut malnutrition in Vietnam by two thirds.

    Malnutrition fell by two-thirds between 1991 and 2011. During those 20 years, Vietnam went from being one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the developing world’s great success stories.

    In 1991, the famine of the 1980s were recent memories and agriculture had only just been decollectivized.

    There were many factors–including health policy inspired by this PD work–in the decline in malnutrition but the overwhelming driver was surely economic growth.

  4. Gabriel – great comment! Thanks for reconnecting us with a much wider perspective on ‘what works’. So it seems that the conclusion by Ramalingam that ‘the positive deviance approach saw a sustained reduction in malnutrition rates of 65–80 per cent’ would not be correct. Seems we need more than complexity thinking and positive deviance to explain change.

  5. Hi Gabriel – thanks for comment. Very much agree.

    At the risk of offending Duncan – I think that perhaps the title of this blog piece puts a bit of unintentional spin on the stats I cite in the book. The PD approach did reduce malnutrition among focus communities by 65-80%, and it did eventually reach 2.3 million.

    Over a longer period, the levels of malnutrition nationally fell. The contribution of PD work to national levels of malnutrition reduction needs to be understood by taking into account broader factors, as you say.

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text:
Vans Am

Tristan Rennie- 1st Place 14+ Division

Tristan Rennie- 1st Place. Over 14 Division

Yesterday the Vans AM contest was held at the Block in Orange, California. World Cup pulled off another seamless event. The young guns were ripping, new lines were in abundance and several new faces were seen in this years lineup. At one time, the only skaters riding the Combi pool were all over thirty five years old. The only moment one would see a young rider in the bowl, was when they would be sliding down the transitions on their butts or horsing around. Much has changed. A new crop of bowl terrorists are being forged and the future of bowl riding seems to once again be in capable hands. It is comforting to see…

Corey Juneau

Corey Juneau- 1st Place. Under 14 Division

Corey Juneau was on a tear in the under 14 Division. He rode super well and stayed on everything. He ended the day in 1st place. Tristan Rennie was a bomb dropped from the sky. Every run was explosive and could be felt throughout the building. He lit the crowd up and never stopped from start to finish. Tristan ended his day holding the crown in the over 14 Division. It was a stellar day of AM ripping and I saw more than a few grizzled older skaters nodding with satisfaction. The future is indeed a bright place. Thanks to MRZ for the images. Skate- Ozzie

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text:
Sunday, July 14, 2013

Nassir Ghaemi's "On Depression"

Nassir Ghaemi, M.D., M.P.H., is a professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and the director of the Mood Disorders Program at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. He is author of the bestseller A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links between Leadership and Mental Illness, as well as The Rise and Fall of the Biopsychosocial Model: Reconciling Art and Science in Psychiatry and The Concepts of Psychiatry: A Pluralistic Approach to the Mind and Mental Illness.

Ghaemi applied the “Page 99 Test” to his latest book, On Depression: Drugs, Diagnosis, and Despair in the Modern World, and reported the following:
On Depression could have been more academically titled “An existential approach to depression”. On page 99, I begin to describe the existential approach of the American psychologist Rollo May. Throughout the book, I’m trying to explain to readers that “depression” is not one thing – that sometimes it is a medical disease, and sometimes it isn’t but instead reflects the despair that we normally feel about many aspects of life and death. It is important to know the difference. This is why I think so much that is written about depression and psychiatry tends to be mere cant, based on a “postmodernist” ideology where science/medicine/psychiatry are distrusted as mere tools of power. Critics claim a wish for humanism, but they don’t really seem to appreciate how a humanistic approach to people – the existential method – can be taken, while still remaining scientifically sound and medically oriented when diseases, like manic-depression, are present.

From page 99:
Many people act as if existential approaches to psychiatry are just completely at odds with medicine and science. All persons are patients to doctors. Some justify this usage in the sense that to be a “patient” means to “suffer” and the claim is that all those who seek help with doctors suffer in some way or another. But this is not true. Many of us feel quite fit, and then, on some routine visit, the doctor informs us that we have a disease; our suffering comes after the doctor visit, not before. (Is not hypertension the “silent killer”?)

It is the sign of the scientific physician, as Leston Havens informs us, that we are more often told we are healthy than ill. The doctor runs some tests; congratulations, on 25 tests you are normal; but on this one, you are sick. Even sickness is identified only in the context of larger health.

This is how medicine functions, when it is scientific. Health is a normative and common concept in medicine. It is usually the case; illness is the exception.

In psychiatry, matters are the reverse. No one goes to a psychiatrist or a psychotherapist without leaving the office pathologized; some “disorder” is labeled, and if not, some psychological complex or problem is identified. Existential psychotherapy is the only approach that begins with a premise of health, with the view that we are all normal human beings, and even our problems are the results of the same (“normal”) challenges that all human beings must face as part of existence. Existential psychiatry, by beginning with the person rather than the patient, is in fact much more in line with scientific medicine than the pseudoscience of universal patienthood that afflicts psychiatry in all its other forms – biological, psychoanalytic, cognitive/behavioral, and so on. I say “scientific” medicine because unscientific medicine is practiced – not just in psychiatry but also by many internists – whereby health is not respected and tests are excessively ordered, until something looks wrong enough to merit intervention, producing the corresponding monetary payment to the doctor, typically the ultimate goal of the whole process.
Learn more about the book and author at the Johns Hopkins University Press website and Nassir Ghaemi's website.

--Marshal Zeringue


text:
Thursday, December 17, 2015

Alastair Bellany and Thomas Cogswell's "The Murder of King James I"

Alastair Bellany is associate professor of history at Rutgers University and the author of The Politics of Court Scandal in Early Modern England. Thomas Cogswell is professor of history at UC Riverside. His books include The Blessed Revolution: English Politics and the Coming of War, 1621-1624.

They applied the “Page 99 Test” to their new book, The Murder of King James I, and reported the following:
The Murder of King James I is essentially a book about a book—a 1626 pamphlet, The Forerunner of Revenge, that alleged that George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham had poisoned King James I of England, an allegation that would play a remarkable role in the tumultuous politics of England’s century of revolution. Unlike most political libels, The Forerunner openly advertised its author, George Eglisham, a Scottish physician. But who was George Eglisham? What drove him to write his dangerous book? And how did he write it so well?

We began with only a handful of clues, but several serendipitous finds and a lot of old fashioned archival legwork eventually allowed us to understand the man and the forces that drove him to write his sensational tract.

Page 99 [inset; click to enlarge] finds Eglisham in 1612, the year his fortunes were made. He is in Holland, having rushed north from Paris to assist James I’s campaign to remove the anti-Calvinist Conrad Vorstius from the chair of theology at Leiden. Eglisham would write two caustic philosophical critiques of Vorstius’s supposed atheism—we reproduce the title-page of one at the foot of page 99—and James rewarded his efforts by granting him the title of royal physician. The Vorstius pamphlets also revealed some of the talents Eglisham would later deploy against Buckingham—linguistic and rhetorical facility, self-confidence bordering on arrogance, a taste for the dramatic, and a passion for the politics of personal destruction.

We also came to realize that his year in Holland was part of a bigger story about Eglisham’s cosmopolitanism. As a Catholic Scotsman, Eglisham was an outsider in his own country, forced to acquire an education in the Spanish Netherlands (modern Belgium) and to work in Rouen and Paris. James’s favor allowed him a comfortable living in London, but when forced to flee England in 1625, Eglisham would find safe haven in Catholic Brussels, where his transnational connections provided the support, opportunity and ideological perspective to write his devastating exposé of the Jacobean court’s murderous poison politics. The lesson was clear: to understand the strange history of The Forerunner of Revenge, we had to explore the complex entanglement of British and European politics.
Learn more about The Murder of King James I at the Yale University Press website.

--Marshal Zeringue


text:
We hear …

That Niche Media founder Jason Binn and his wife, Haley, welcomed a baby boy this week, their third child. Little Binn joins older sisters Penny and CeCe, and his name will be revealed at a bris on Tuesday … That Double Seven reopened last night at its new Gansevoort Street location. The hot spot, formerly on 14th Street, will host a series of fashion bashes including the Prabal Gurung party tomorrow … That W magazine’s Stefano Tonchi will present a preview of Steven Klein’s video installation “Time Capsule,” featuring Amber Valletta on Monday at Park Avenue Armory to guests including Usher, Alexander Skarsgard and Tory Burch.

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text:
Sillsmania continues

A few of La Cieca’s cher public wrote in to complain that last week’s podcast, the Beverly Sills farewell gala, offered lots of gala but not much Sills. So we’re remedying that this week on “Unnatural Acts of Opera,” with an all-Sills program featuring music by Handel, Mozart and R. Strauss.

6 Responses to “Sillsmania continues”

  1. I know there are many different versions of “Norma”, i have like three, and Callas’s highlights with Ludwig and Corelli…But im not quite satisfied with them, just because the scenes are cut. COuld someone help me find a very complete version, including my favorite scene ever (Trio finale of act I) with no cuts? that’ll be really helpul…

  2. rysanekfreak Says:

    The most complete “Norma” will be the Sutherland-Alexander-Horne recording. Not only is it complete, but it has a few extra measures of music that Bonynge found and re-instated.

  3. Thanx for that suggestion…i’ve heard that the caballe/domingo/cossotto version from RCA is very good and pretty complete too…but that sutherland version from DECCA is more easy to find…
    What about DVD’s? i own the June Anderson version with Daniella Barcellona. This is quite complete, good, but not exciting. What do u guys think?

  4. rysanekfreak Says:

    My opera queen friends (and their number is legion) swear by the outdoor Caballe version from Orange, with a strong wind (le mistral?) blowing away and flapping the robes and capes dramatically. Caballe is ferocious in this one. All those dreadful people who claimed she couldn’t act and always phoned it in should see this DVD.

  5. Caballe on DVD for sure, though that version takes the usual big cuts in the Act 1 Trio-finale. (Caballe herself refers to this performance as the greatest night of her career.)

    The Sutherland-Alexander-Horne NORMA probably has all the music, but keep in mind that as in any Sutherland/Bonynge collaboration, there is a good deal of “adaptation” to better suit Dame Joan’s talents.

  6. Thx for the info Cieca, now becoming popular around my opera friends here in Peru…
    Question: DO u have any recording from Franco Bonisolli?? i just love that tenor. Maybe if u can make an especial or something…

    Thx for sharing ur passion =)

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Understanding Elements That Make Up a Short Story

The most basic elements of a story are setting, characters, plot, conflict and theme. Recognizing what each of these elements adds to the story helps the reader understand the structure and meaning of a short story. Understanding how these elements work together also gives the reader an appreciation for the purpose of the short story.

The setting is the time and the place in which a short story takes place. The setting puts boundaries and expectations in place for the reader. For example, a short story that takes place in a school in early September gives the reader a certain expectation of what might happen within the traditional school year. Placing the story in a school in a different time -- late July -- might change the reader's expectation for what the story might bring about. The setting creates a foundation for the other elements of the story.

Each short story needs a cast of characters to move the plot along. Characters are actors within the narrative. They are the heart of the story and are part of the problem and the resolution of the plot. Characters are also the main vehicle through which a reader identifies with a short story. Authors help the reader understand the character by relating how they act, their physical appearance, their speech and interactions with other characters, how others see them and other simple descriptions. For example, Margaret Mitchell opens "Gone with the Wind" by introducing the main female character, "Scarlet O'Hara was not beautiful." Developing characters over the course of the story makes them seem more realistic, which in turn can keep the reader interested in the story.

The plot is the events that happen within a story. In a successful short story, a plot should build suspense, becoming more exciting as the story moves through the events until it reaches the climax, or most dramatic part of the story. Sometimes a story may end with the climax, but often writers will include a section to round out their narrative, tying up the lose ends of the plot to make the story a complete whole.

The conflict is the problem the characters encounter within the plot of the story. This problem adds drama to the story and is an important part of story telling, because without a conflict, a story lacks excitement. A conflict is usually introduced near the beginning of the story and continues to build until it is finally dealt with in the climax. The problem may be complex and may need to be fully resolved after the climax.

A theme is a main idea of a story or a lesson the author wants the reader to learn. The longer the story, the more themes it may have; however, short stories may also contain a number of themes. They may be major topics such as love, family, sacrifice or isolation, or they may also be the moral of the story. Themes can be implied or they can be a central belief clearly expressed by the author about one or more of life's issues.

About the Author

Susan Rickey started writing in 1994 with a technology feature article for the "Pioneer Press." She was the writer of the Klamath Forest Alliance newsletter, an environmental organization. Rickey obtained her teaching credential from California State University and acquired her Bachelor of Science from the University of Arkansas.

Photo Credits
  • BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images


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Penny's Choice Press Release!
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Penny's Choice Press Release!

Posted by Matthew Ruggiero on

A nice article was written for us from a local news reporter. Check it out!

Penny's Choice Announces Grand Opening of Online Shop Offering a Wide Selection of Premium Quality Dog Grooming Products

Experts agree, a well groomed dog is often not just better looking, but often healthier and happier too.  Penny's Choice is a new online shop who recently launched offering the best in high end dog grooming products, along with dogs toys and other assorted canine fun.  Shoppers have responded with enthusiasm.

Penny's Choice Shampoo Selection

December 8, 2015

With dogs having well-earned their position as man's best friend, keeping the family dog looking and feeling their best is a high priority in many homes.  The online store Penny's Choice is certainly a good new resource in this area, focused on offering premium quality dog grooming products, along with other quality dog toys and accessories.  With quality high and price points attractive, the online store is off to a very quick start.

“We are not just knowledgeable, but passionate about the dog product world,”  commented a spokesperson from the shop.  “When someone shops with Penny's Choice they can be sure they are receiving some of the best products available at a far price and backed by customer support that wants to see every sale be a happy experience.”

According to the company, quality comes first when it comes to what they offer in their online shop.  All of their grooming products are natural and chemical free; their toys are safe to use and very rugged;  all leather products, like dogs leashes and collars, are made in the USA at a NY based manufacturer; and dog treats and chews stocked are also made in the USA, mainly from a number of old-school cattle farms.

The store also offers ideas to local Twin Cities grooming and daycare businesses to help them improve their sales and product offerings. "Dog grooming can be innovative, and we have thought of some really interesting ideas and products to help groomers and day care businesses get a leg up on the competition," says the owner.

For more information be sure to visit

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Lake Monsters

Lake Monsters

Book - 2005
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Do witches have the power to influence events? Can psychic mediums communicate with the dead? These anthologies expose the occult, the paranormal, and the mysterious to the light of critical thinking. In each volume, experts, scholars and enthusiasts present arguments for and against the existence of a mysterious phenomenon, event or legend.
Publisher: Detroit : Thomson Gale, c2005
ISBN: 9780737718942
Branch Call Number: J 001.944 Lak 3558jv 1
Characteristics: 128 p. --
Additional Contributors: Shovlin, Paul

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Destination the Middle East

Destination the Middle East

DVD - 2003
Average Rating:
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In the the first three programs, hosts Justine Shapiro, Ian Wright and Megan McCormick present culture, history, and natural sights as they journey through the Middle East, particularly Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Sinai, and the Arab Gulf states. The fourth program is an additional short history special in which various hosts visit historically important locations in the Middle East and discuss religion and culture, including the impact of numerous wars.
Publisher: [Goudswaard, Netherlands] : Escapi, c2003
ISBN: 9781932702026
Branch Call Number: DVD 915.6 Des 3558ad 1
Characteristics: 2 videodiscs (240 min.) :,sd., col. ;,12 cm., in container

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Jul 11, 2014

Terrible. Poorly done. Boring. A waste of time.

I was hoping to learn something about the sites of the Middle East. Instead, the portion on Israel was amost exclusively on a female traveller's experiences on finding the cheapest accomodations. Who cares!

The other segments were also badly done and did not address the subject. Pass this one up.

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Children's Spaces From Zero to Ten

Children's Spaces From Zero to Ten

Book - 2007
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To many of us the idea of having children is synonymous with bidding farewell to being in control of our homes. Judith Wilson, mother of two, shows how homes can be adapted for children without surrendering order and good taste--while also ensuring that children have their own wonderful spaces to enjoy. Judith's wise and witty text, combined with lively photography by Debi Treloar, captures the potential for a happy and stylish mix of children and home.*A wealth of inspiration drawn from the homes of real families, Judith showcases rooms for children between birth and ten years old.*Covering ideas ranging from full-scale decorative schemes to clever finishing touches.*100,000 copies sold in hardcover.
Publisher: New York : Ryland Peters & Small, 2007
ISBN: 9781845975913
Branch Call Number: 747.77083 Wil 3558ad 1
Characteristics: 143 p. :,ill. (chiefly col.)
Additional Contributors: Treloar, Debi

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text:
weight lost and walking

Thursday, January 08, 2009

The Life of Give Aways

I found some give away over at Pea for this month of January.
First one I like to tell you about is The Old Oak Swing Give away for January
Yes there one for 100th post and give way will be at Joy to the Blog
Sharon will be offering a vintage giveway
On the 9th of January there will be weekly book discussion called 12 secrets I hope a book discussion is the right word to use. Our hostess is Jamie plus she taking over Scared Suzie place dream boards and will be our host for the dream boards

Went to the dentist this afternoon I lost a crown Monday evening and got in this afternoon.
It went real easy. The only thing they had to do is to cement it back in.
I have a small infection in my mouth a little tender to touch.
I’ll be back in dentist in two weeks to check the crown out but in mean time I’m going to let nature take it course.
Honestly time…I real have problem with people who has dentures and won’t were them

Well I was hoping for better results at my T.O.P.S weigh in. But I did loose ¼ pound. But since holidays it been hard for me to get back on the wagon full fledges.
I’m not eating after dinner except for plain popcorn and some time I’ll add a little brewer yeast

Murphy went for his blood pressure check and some blood work. It was on the high side. So he goes in next week sometime

  1. I have dentures, but, I wear them everyday. At least I will never have to go to the dentist ever again. These teeth look so pretty that most people think they are real. Did he give you something for the infection? Take care of it quick before it gets worse.

    I'm so tired tonight. I'm definitely ready for it to be Friday.

    Have a fun Friday.

  2. Thank you for sharing about the give aways :) I'm looking forward to 12 secrets - tomorrow!!
    Oh, popcorn with yeastie beasties & kelp sprinkles is my favorite!! I use an air pump popper, so add a bit of olive oil to help the yeast & kelp 'stick' yum! I had some this evening (& some curry powder, to get a bit of turmeric, & cause I like it!)

  3. I hear you on the weight loss thing! I try to tell myself it's about a life change not about the scale. It seems to be taking the pressure off.

    Ouchie! Wishing you and your happy, complete well-being :)

  4. Well, at least you didn't GAIN any weight...that is the bright side.

    Dentists? I don't like dentists. If I could I would spell it as a four letter word. LOL

    Hope the blood work will be better next time.

    I'm trying to play catch up again...computer froze on me yesterday. So, I'm doing my "Thursday" visiting on Friday. Go figure.

    Hope you have a super day.

  5. Sorry to hear about the tooth and the possible infection...ouch...good for you for getting back on track post Christmas with your TOPS program...I wish you all the success in the world....

  6. I'm scared of going to the dentist and try to put it off. hehe....

    I guess when one gets a little older,it is more difficult to keep the extra weight off. I'm struggling with those excess too.

    Happy weekend!

I always felt free to let people comment as they see fit. If you have any desire to leave a comment that is spam or to exploit others.
If you have the need to express your self here and can only use swear words please keep in down to bare minimal.
please leave my blog and no need to come back.
If some reason you can not follow these simple request I will remove your post.
All others are welcome

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Unused Ice Slots (Peterborough Girls Hockey Association)

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EcoWaste Coalition holds penitential stations of the cross for the environment

QUEZON CITY-- As the Holy Week unfolds, a waste and pollution watch group performed the Stations of the Cross under the heat of the sun to draw attention to the need for ecological conversion to protect the Mother Earth from further degradation.

With plastic and electronic wastes and the illegal dumpsites across the country in the spotlight, eco-volunteers belonging to the EcoWaste Coalition observed the Holy Wednesday by reflecting on the sufferings of Mother Earth due to our wasteful practices.

Among those who participated in the penitential act were community-based members of the Gulayan People's Neighborhood Association, Inc. and Piglas Kababaihan.

At each of the 14 stations from Quezon City Hall to the Office of the Ombudsman, the participant recalled the Passion of Christ, reflected on the garbage woes of our times and recited prayers for mercy and forgiveness.

The EcoWaste Coalition chose to conclude the penitential act at the Office of Ombudsman to express its full support to the agency's efforts to probe and prosecute local government officials for violation of Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

To dramatize the sufferings of Mother Earth, a female activist wearing a crown of busted mercury lamps, phones, battery chargers and other e-wastes carried the cross on her shoulders. On the cross were written the words basura and polusyon.

As she carried the cross from one station to the next, Roman soldiers donning headgears filled with the ubiquitous plastic bags tormented Mother Earth with a whip made out of e-waste.

The hundreds of dumpsites that dot our cities and towns are sad and ugly reminders of how we have disregarded our responsibility as stewards of God's creation, said Ochie Tolentino, Zero Waste Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

These dumpsites have become the modern Calvary where our Mother Earth is crucified every day and where discarded food leftovers, plastics and e-waste, are buried between layers of soil, she noted.

Through our penitential act today, we call attention to the cry of Mother Earth against the pains inflicted on her land, water and air by our penchant to consume more and throw even more, she said.

With this walk of faith, we say sorry for what we have done as we pray for the ecological conversion of every person, household, institution, business and industry to reverse the tide of environmental destruction, she added.

Columban priest Fr. John Leydon, Chairperson of the Global Catholic Climate Movement -Pilipinas, who also joined the event, stated: As stewards of God's creation, we have the shared responsibility to care for the Earth, which, according to Pope Francis, is turning into 'an immense pile of filth.' We need to counter the rising crass consumer mentality and culture of waste with what Pope Francis calls 'a bold cultural revolution.' He also calls us all to undergo 'ecological conversion' so that we can become proper carers of 'our common home'."

R.A. 9003, among other things, requires the closure and rehabilitation of open and controlled dumpsites in February 2004 and February 2006, respectively.

According to data posted at the website of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, 398 open dumpsites and 180 controlled dumpsites are illegally operating throughout the country with Region VII (Central Visayas) with the most number of open dumpsites at 103 and controlled dumpsites at 45.

We expect the Ombudsman to underscore LGU compliance to the required closure and rehabilitation of dumpsites and the full enforcement of R.A. 9003 through the filing of criminal and administrative charges against erring officials this year, the group said.

Source: Philippines Information Agency


text:
Mad Max: Fury Road Movie Review

Mad Max Fury Road poster

Rating: 5/5

What a film, what a lovely film! (yeah somebody probably already made that kinda joke, but it was either that or saying “review” instead, and there’s plenty of those jokes). But hey, at least I’m finally BEYOND THUNDERDOME. Heyohhh!

Fury Road pic 1

Who’d have thought in this day and age that an action film like Mad Max: Fury Road would get so much acclaim, become so popular, and get TEN Oscar nominations, including ones for Best Picture and Best Director, resulting in being the second most nominated film for the 88th Academy Awards? Weird how some things can seem like a sign of moving forward for the Oscars, while some things aren’t exactly [insert “Oscars So White” joke here]. And yeah it didn’t win Best Picture, but it still won Oscars, production values sure, and that’s gotta be something.

Fury Road pic 5

Now I’ll be honest, I hadn’t actually watched the Mad Max movies in their entirety until it was official that this one was being made, but I know how long it took to get this one out. I wanted to, but either didn’t have the time or energy for it. Shortly before the movie did come out and I saw it in theaters, I bought the blu-ray collection of the first three films and instantly loved them. I liked the low-budget thriller/exploitation feel of the first, the “rock’n’roll” post-apocalyptic feel of the second, and the craziness of the third. This one, the fourth film, is more like the second, but with some craziness of the third and something else as well. I know a lot of people have talked so much about this film, but I guess that what makes it so great and so unique yet also similar to what came before is how it twists some things around for both fans and newcomers to the franchise it just makes it so great. It manages to find a balance between both practical and extravagent visuals while also being able to run wild with its imagination and craziness, ultimately becoming awesome as a result.

Fury Road pic 3

This is a non-stop, visually stunning, thunderous spectacle from beginning to end. It is largely one big chase going from one end to the next, but oh boy what a chase it is. There’s lots of crazy drivers dressed in war paint and wearing outlandish armor, vehicles of various shapes and sizes, and of course some random guy in long johns (I think?) holding a guitar that shoots out flames for some reason while standing on top of a truck with gigantic speakers. What else could one expect for a movie of this magnitude? A lot of wild, crazy fun. During all this, it’s also able to tell a compelling story not just by talking, but mostly through the movement and facial expressions, which enables the audience to get an idea of what these characters are and what they’ve been through, whether they see it right away or figure it out later as the movie comes along.

Fury Road pic 2

Of course, despite his name being in the title, this movie is not wholly centered on Max himself. Furiosa (played excellently by Charlize Theron) is the main focus, while “Mad” Max Rockatansky (played by Tom Hardy, surprisingly well in comparison to Mel Gibson I might add) is sorta the driving (pun sorta intended) force that kinda moves the plot along. In fact, looking back at the other movies, Max isn’t exactly the center of the story, except for the first movie of course, but rather the other films, including this one, are more about the people and the world they inhabit, and what they are doing in order to survive and live out the apocalyptic wasteland they are in, and how he plays a part in it and witnesses everything that transpires. Through the journey Max undertakes in the previous movies and this one, he is sorta regaining a sense of humanity he lost in the first one after the death of his family, by helping people find a better place than the one they’re stuck in.

Fury Road pic 4

However, Max is a wanderer, a warrior of the wasteland that comes and goes as he pleases, minding his own business, and being dragged into conflicts he initially doesn’t want any part of, but ultimately chooses to be on the side of good and help those in need, because if he really were a cruel man, he’d either not help or simply try to control or destroy everything around him. Furiosa, meanwhile, is actively on the side of good, or at least trying to help those in need. She’s been a part of a community, the Citadel, run by Immortan Joe, (played by Hugh Keays-Byrne, who also played main villain Toecutter in the first film), and how he manipulates and abuses its denizens by offering it water in exchange for a sense of security and protection, but really underlying an authoritarian, dictatorial control of them at his beck and call, and using women for breeding and nothing more, they’re just “things” to him. There are of course similarities to Humongous from The Road Warrior, in both visual and characteristics, but whereas Humongous was a savage yet somewhat calculating being trying to get gas, in a world where it is in short supply, and control no matter the cost, Immortan Joe already rules over his own domain, having plenty of a natural resource, that being water, and controls people with it by giving them scarce amounts despite there being plenty of it and saving the rest for himself and his followers.  While she wants to help them, right now his “wives” are the only ones she can save, and she at least wants to get herself and them somewhere far away, that being “the green place” (even though it’s become just as desolate as other parts of the wasteland) because anywhere is better than a place with Immortan Joe and his goons, most of them being his “sons”, and his associates. Together, with the “wives” (played by Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and others), Nux (played by Nicholas Hoult), and the warrior women clan of the Vuvalini, they all find a sense of companionship and comradery that neither of them have felt in a while, and through that they try to do what’s right, even with all the insanity and chaos around them, by getting to a better place, which oddly enough ends up being the Citadel, the place they were escaping to begin with, so this whole movie literally goes back and forth between places.

Fury Road pic 6

Mad Max: Fury Road is a chaotic gem of a movie, and that definitely goes without saying. With all the acting, visuals, writing, directing, and overall awesomeness that this movie exudes, I am glad that it came out and it’s so well-beloved and has become a landmark for both action cinema and cinema in general. Even better, with more Mad Max movies being made after this (at least I hope so, I keep hearing back and forth things on that subject, but I’m an optimist at heart sometimes so I hope they happen), I can’t wait to see what aspect of this rock ‘n rollin, fuel-injected, monster of an apocalypse, and overall “mad” world that writer/director George Miller and everyone else involved will bring. All’s I can say is, it better not be…MEDIOCRE! Maybe we’ll all find Valhalla in it or something. I don’t know I’m running out of awkward Mad Max puns here, sue me lol.

Fury Road pic 7

  1. garethrhodes · April 6, 2016

    A joy to behold. Very nice write up!

    Liked by 1 person

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Choose your new vanity phone number in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania

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Mifflintown, Pennsylvania

city population
931 people (2014 estimate)
urban area population
3437 people (Port Royal urban area) (country rank: 2958th) (2000 estimate)

Administrative regions

county - Juniata County
state - Pennsylvania
country - United States

Economic properties

total sales tax rate

717 is a Mifflintown, Pennsylvania area code(s). MightyCall can provide you a great variety of local phone numbers in Mifflintown,Pennsylvania.

Do you have all Mifflintown area codes?

We offer local numbers in many cities and towns across the US. You can look at the availabilities on our website or call us, and we will help you find the right number for you.

Can I transfer my Mifflintown telephone number to MightyCall?

Yes, if the number is within our coverage area.

Mifflintown number or a toll free number: what to choose?

MightyCall offers both, but it really depends on what you need. If you want to give your company a local feel, a local number is the way to go. If, on the other hand, you want your business sound like a national company, a toll free number is what you need.

Does the Mifflintown phone number belong to me or to MightyCall?

The number belongs to you, no matter if it is local or toll-free. Well, technically, it belongs to the NANPA, but as long as you don’t incur debt with your carrier, the number is yours, and you can transfer it to another provider. This also applies to any number you acquire from MightyCall.

Local Numbers in Mifflintown For Your Business

Get a Mifflintown Phone Number for Your Business – Establish a Local Presence

A local Mifflintown phone number from Mightycall can help you appear as a multi-business that has local knowledge and can provide quick turnaround for your clients. Mightycall has local numbers for all states and cities including Mifflintown that can be used with our cloud phone system for small business.

Get a Mifflintown phone number from Mightycall today and enjoy!

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    If the service your company offers would benefit from appearing as a neighborhood business, like a real estate office in Mifflintown, then choosing a local phone number can give you a real edge over any non-local or national competitors.

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  7. Search 717 area numbers

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To ensure customers can easily reach your company representatives in Mifflintown, you need a quality phone system. Many basic calling features are included with these systems, such as call transferring, automated attendants, and customizable voicemail messages. Many systems provide more advanced capabilities, including unified messaging, computer-integration, and instant-messaging tools.

Collaboration with Employees and Customers

The best phone systems for your office provide tools to more easily share and access information. Also, look for business phone plans that integrate with your mobile devices. Many systems allow you to forward calls to your cellular devices so you will never miss an important call again.

Giving your Customers a Better Experience

People are busy, and your customers demand getting through to the right person, within a timely manner. Call transferring capabilities, hold music and customizable voicemail messages are just a few options that can make a system comparable to others on the market. Furthermore, you will want to look closely at the number of users the phone system can handle. If your company exceeds that number or has growth potential, it may not be the best solution for you.

When choose the right phone system for your small business, analyze each system based on the following factors:

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Mightycall offers everything a small business would want in a phone system. The service is a cloud-based virtual phone system designed to simplify and improve customer access to support. With its mobile app, MightyCall consolidates client contact channels and captures ever customer call, email and social media interaction, ensuring that every issue is handled in a timely fashion. Key features include SMS contact, a direct website dialing widget, smart call forwarding, customized voicemails and call recording. For both a local and national presence, you can have toll-free and local numbers for your business. Other features include an auto-receptionist, music on hold, conference calling, call forwarding, call screening, voicemail and fax to email. Mightycall’s phone system doesn't require expensive PBX hardware or a trained IT staff to set up and maintain. All that's needed is high-speed Internet access and IP phones. The service comes complete with all the features and tools a small business needs in a phone system.

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