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Thursday, December 19, 2013

The Struggle of Good and Evil in the Disney Movie "Frozen"

[Disclaimer: Plot spoiler warning!]

This movie was a delight, with an original story set in beautiful Scandinavia, complete with some unexpected twists and elements not usually seen in a Disney movie.  Elsa is a princess born with the unusual ability to turn anything into ice, a skill she develops while playing with her little sister Anna.  However, she discovers that she loses control of her talent when she becomes overemotional.  This results in an accident in which Anna’s brain is frozen.  The magical gnomes are able to unfreeze her brain but must remove Anna’s memory of Elsa’s ability.  The overcautious King and Queen seclude the royal family and keep Elsa locked up, even keeping her away from Anna.

As Elsa attempts to keep her ability restrained, she becomes both physically and emotionally inaccessible.  Anna, deprived of her sister’s companionship, longs for love and human camaraderie.  She thinks she has found it the day that the palace gates are open for Elsa’s coming of age and crowning.  But this day teaches Elsa that by keeping her emotions and powers completely restrained for so long, she has completely lost control of both.   She escapes into the mountains, where she builds her own ice castle and feels free once again, unwittingly unleashing a powerful ice storm on her people.  When Anna follows her and tries to get her to stop the ice storm, Elsa once again loses control of her emotions and powers, sending ice through Anna’s heart.  Thus the movie teaches the seemingly contradictory concept that we must express our emotions while also controlling them.

The magical gnomes tell Anna that the damage can only be undone through an act of true love.  She assumes that this must be romantic love, but herein lies some of the movie’s surprises. First, she finds that what she thought was “love at first sight” was deceiving (a lesson not usually taught in animated movies).  Second, the love that Anna is looking for to save her does not come from a romantic admirer.  Rather, it comes from within, as she risks everything to save Elsa, and both their hearts are thawed.  In the end, the sisters save each other from the damage that was done by keeping secrets.

Whereas animated films tend to portray heroes as attractive and villains as ugly and scary looking, this film teaches children that people are not always what they seem.  Another very different element of this film is that the characters are neither purely evil nor purely good.  The complicated character of Elsa is her own enemy in this film, depicting the internal struggle that is part of the human condition*. The love of her sister is what helps her to use her unusual power for good in the end.  Thus the message of the film is a very Christian one, calling us to conquer evil by loving one another!

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”, admonishes St. Paul (Romans 12:21).  And the First Letter of John encourages us: “If we love one another, God abides in us, and His Love has been perfected in us” (I John 4:12).  When Anna gives of herself freely she allows a pure love to operate through her, healing her wounds.  Then, when Elsa opens up her heart to allow Anna to reach her with this love, this unlocks the good in her to overcome the sinful part of her nature that is harming others.

Because of the romantic elements and the focus on love between sisters, this film will primarily attract a female audience.  However, the snow monster, talking snowman, and talking reindeer will appeal to young boys.  The unexpected turns in the plot will keep adult viewers interested as well.  Altogether this is a beautifully produced movie with an original story that is appropriate for families.

*The scriptural basis for the internal struggle of good and evil can be found in these words from the  apostle St. Paul:
“For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” - Romans 7:14-25

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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Work is what we do and who we are. Notice that we say, "Mr. Smith is an accountant, a salesman, a manager." Not, "Mr. Smith is a father, a golfer, a jazz lover who works as an accountant, a salesman, etc". Like it or not, when you take a job it becomes part of who you are. Same when you lose one.
And although I left the teaching job in'97, I worked on the stones without taking a break until '03. I couldn't stand the thought of not being on project. Some time before the passion for artwork kicked the bucket, I got my first computer, and got on line. The goofy snapshot that headed Monday's post turned into the "Doesn't Play Well" project that took another couple of years to finish. But the story was a project, not a job. And when it was finished in'05, I didn't have anything to follow it up with.

The artwork sprouted under the eve of the teaching job, and grew strong enough to sustain me for a few seasons. Sprouting under the eve of the artwork was a spiritual hunger that pulled me back to a very cool "footbally" kind of internet site. At first I went to the footbally place for politics in the wake of 9/11, and news about the jihad; soon it was less about the politics, and more about 'meeting' with some few of the people there who seemed to carry a peculiar set of religious convictions that just- pulled at me like a magnet. Something in their words carried fire. And got them all expelled from the footbally place. Some started their own blogs. The Coonosphere was born. (thanks, Queeg!)

In the mean time I had *how do you say?* an overabundance of slack. And I was face to face with the Ghost of No Occupation- the place where you dread the "What do you do?" question, because the answer is, "nothing", and the part of you that is measured by what you do remains vacant.
That's not to say that I spent all my time staring at the wall or even the internet. After all, there was still the household to maintain, my mother to take care of, and the myriad details of life that can fill the better part of any day. I spent much time walking in the hills, much time in prayer, and much time wrestling with The Religious Question. And the Question seemed to be, "What do you want of me, God? What is it that You would have me do?"
Some time early in '06 I was marching up the first steep hill on my daily eight mile walk, and I just got The Voice again. And before I go on here let me explain what I mean by, The Voice: Compelling flashes of intuition, maybe. Sometimes, an actual voice in my ear. Ricky Raccoon described moments of intense visual focus. Some may describe a nudge from a Guardian Angel. I believe that most people can describe several such incidents in their lives. Anyway- this time it was a- voice. I was marching up the hill and... "Do you want to carry the fire?" it said. I got kind of a gut drop, and stopped mid-step. Whatever this was it was Real, and it sounded suspiciously like it was asking for a commitment. I didn't know... "You can refuse." it said. That set off a real gut drop. Whatever this was, I did not want to refuse it...And I just said, "Yes. Yes I will."
And just at that moment-

Nothing in particular happened.

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We believe that cultivating a SportsLife Ministry is a great way to reach out and share the love of Jesus.

The mission of this ministry is to glorify God and build His church by using sports, fitness, and recreational activities to provide an environment for Christian fellowship and service to our community.

Events include Kickball, Volleyball, Camping, Hiking, and Community Events.

Join the CBC Boerne SportSLife Team!


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Project assignment 2: Displaying a php array of posts and comments

To do: Change the data to an appropriately indexed associative array.

Due Thursday, November 9th at 10 pm

Task 2: displaying blog posts

You are given a file post_data.php that you can include in your php code. The file defines an array $postarray, where each element represents a blog post. A blog post is in turn an array that consists of: Your task is to write a php program that creates a page with these entries. The page should be displayed using the CSS files designed in task 1. When you are generating HTML in your php code, make sure to insert appropriate HTML tags (for instance, em for the user name) and appropriate CSS classes if needed.

Task 3: displaying comments and user information

Here is the array of comments for one the post: comment_data.php. For this task you need to include both the post_data.php and the comment_data.php files into your php file so that you can get the text of the post as well. The page must display the post and all the comments.

You also need a page that displays user information: the login name and the display name. Since there isn't much test data, you can write the test data for thsi part on your own.

How to submit your assignment

To submit the assignment, just send me (by e-mail) locations and names of all files, including your CSS files. Please CC your project partner.
Your files must have comments indicating who worked on what. If you worked together, put a note about it in a comment.
Please do not modify your files after submission: you should continue your project with a separate copy of all files.

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.


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CSci 2101 Problem set 4.

Due Wednesday June 9 at 11:59pm

You may work individually or in pairs.

24 points

Problem 1 (12 points): Random integers iterator.

Write a class RandomInts that produces n random integers between min (inclusive) and max (exclusive) as an iterator. This means that you can use it like this:

RandomInts myInts = new RandomInts(1, 101, 8);
for (int i: myInts){

The loop should give you 8 pseudo-random numbers uniformly distributed between 1 and 100 (inclusive).

The iterator in the class must implement Iterator<Integer>. The constructor for RandomInts takes 3 integers: the lower bound min, the upper bound max, and the number of random numbers needed n. Then each call to next() in the iterator returns a random integer between min and max (inclusive). hasNext() returns true until n is reached, at which point it returns false. Note that different iterators for the same RandomInts class would generate different random integers. Use only one instance of Random so that the numbers are guaranteed to be uniformly distributed.

Problem 2 (12 points): OurLinkedList equals method

Add an equals method to the OurLinkedList class. According to Java specification, equals method takes any object. It then checks if the parameter object is of the same type as this object (see instanceof check below). If the object passes the instanceof check, it is then typecast to OurLinkedList<E>. See more on instanceof here:

The method is declared and starts as follows:

public boolean equals(Object obj) {
     //  checking that obj is an OurLinkedList
     if (!(obj instanceof OurLinkedList) ) return false;
     // typecasting obj to OurLinkedList
     OurLinkedList<E> thelist = (OurLinkedList<E>) obj;

     // the rest of your code goes here, use thelist variable:

Note that some of the elements in OurLinkedList may be null. If that's the case, the corresponding elements in both lists must be null for the two lists to be equal.

Test your method extensively, include all your test cases.

Extra credit problem (up to 10 points)

Write and test a class IterableSubstrings that implements <Iterable <String> interface. It takes a string in its constructor and generates (in a for-each loop) all its non-empty substrings (in any order). The iterator must generate substrings without duplication.
For instance, if the constructor call is IterableSubstrings("abcdef") then the iterator generates

Make sure to submit all your testing code in addition to the class itself.

Submit the java file(s) with your testing code by e-mail to me. Make sure to CC your group partner (if any).

CSci 2101 course web site.

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.


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Rabu, 09 Januari 2013

Everything You Need To Know About Interior Design

Have you been considering a new interior design project for your home? If so, you are far from the only one, and the following advice can help teach you some of the basics. These tips have all been utilized by others, and they are certain to work for you.

An excellent addition you can make to your bathroom is a pedestal tub. Due to their classiness, pedestal tubs are very well liked. Your tub can include a handheld shower attachment, or you can fix your shower to a pole that extends from the tub. You can find options at any local hardware store.

When designing your home, go with your own taste. Things should be attractive when you have company, but you are the one who will spend the most time in your home. Design your room with your own preferences in mind. Even if later you start disliking it, you always have the option to change it.

There are ways to use color to create specific effects in your room. You can create a spacious effect by leaving a ceiling painted white. By using warm accent colors, or adding wood beams, your room will take on a cozy look.

Some find it to be fun and exciting to bring new-age pieces into the interior design scheme. Your room will have a quick update that reflects the newest trends. It is smart to limit these trendy accents to small items. When a tablecloth, pillows or a certain type of art becomes dated quickly, you can then swap those inexpensive things out with ease. It's harder to replace an animal print sofa.

For a truly personalized design experience, try to do as much of it on your own as possible. This doesn't mean that you could not ask help from others. You must try to work with the designer instead of him doing all the work. The outcome is much more satisfying when you have an active role in the design process.

Adding a mirror opposite a window will help make your room appear brighter. If you put a mirror across from a window, it will reflect light and make your room look bigger. You will create the appearance of a brighter and bigger space.

When designing a room, be sure to choose a proper color scheme. Make sure you know the colors that blend well together and which ones do not to ensure your room appears balanced and tasteful. In addition, you should prevent using lots of very bold colors in one room.

When you are adding new flooring to your home, consider making all floor surfaces on the same level match. You should use the same floor in all rooms or make sure it goes with other flooring. Using the same flooring will create the feel of a larger space; one large space divided into rooms.

You don't need pricey pros or fancy design magazines for designing your place. You just need to go with your instinct if you want to create a welcoming space for the entire family. This article has a number of tips that will set you on the right road when considering interior design.

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University of Mississippi
Office of International Programs

Newly Admitted International Students

ManualsOIP looks forward to welcoming all admitted international students to the University of Mississippi. In this section, you will find steps that are both necessary for your enrollment at the university and helpful as you prepare for your student visa application and travel to the U.S.

This information pertains to those students who are coming to the university as undergraduate or graduate students.

Turn in the necessary documents related to your intended visa classification to the Office of International Programs.

  • F-1 and J-1 students must show proof of sufficient finances before an I-20 (F-1 students) or DS-2019 (J-1 students) can be issued.
  • A Student Transfer Eligibility Form is required for those who currently reside in the U.S. See OIP forms.
  • Those who will hold a status other than F-1 or J-1 must submit a copy of their I-94 or other document that shows what status they will hold.

Access your WebID. As an admitted student, you should have received an email with your WebID asking you to reset your password. Your WebID will be used throughout your time at the university for processes such as applying for on campus housing, course registration, acceptance of scholarship awards, viewing grades, etc.

Make Housing Arrangements. Visit OIP's housing page for more information about your housing options.

Apply for a U.S. visa. Visit OIP's travel and transportation page for more information about the visa process.

Make plans to attend the International Student Orientation program. All new international students who do not hold U.S. permanent resident status are required to attend the New Student Orientation program presented by the Office of International Programs.

Orientation will provide you with important University and immigration-related information to get you through the first busy days of registration and beyond. Orientation will also allow you opportunities to meet new friends, identify and get acquainted with University faculty and staff, increase your awareness of and access to University/Oxford community resources. During International Student Orientation you will have opportunities to ask questions and receive information about University academics, course registration procedures, health insurance, on-campus employment, immigration law, as well as other U.S. laws and customs that are important to your studies, and to your stay in the U.S.  See the important dates section for details regarding the date, time and place for orientation

Make plans for arrival to Oxford. OIP will work in conjunction with the Division of Outreach & Continuing Education to provide shuttle service from the Memphis International Airport to Oxford. The official arrival date is August 20, 2013. On this day you will be greeted at the Memphis International Airport by Ole Miss staff. You will then travel by bus to Oxford where you will be escorted to your pre-arranged housing. This official arrival day shuttle service must be arranged 4 weeks prior to arrival. All new incoming international students should email International Student Advisor, Regina George, at to request this service.

If you will arrive before or after August 20, 2013 please visit OIP's travel and transportation page for more information about your transportation options.

Plan to bring official final transcripts and medical forms. More information about the immunization requirements can be found on the immunization requirements page.

Learn more about the following

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Friday, September 10, 2010

life is indeed a fairy-tale

from just a little kid, we’ve been taught to believe the “live happily ever after” myth. all books we read, all movies we watched, all the stories that been told tell us about how a person live happily ever after at the very end of the story. And for generation that been raised by dream-sold-out movies like Cinderella, Peter Pan, Aladdin, and so on , so on, we grew up by thinking that life is indeed a fairy tale that everyone will live happily ever after and that dreams do come true like they all said.

then we grew up. with a hopes that our live is also a fairy-tale like the stories said. that we are the princess who gets the prince charming. that we are the person who get what we want in the end of the story. but then life came along. eating all the hopes we have little by little. we start questioning whether fairy-tale life that we used to heard and dreamed about really are true or it’s just a bullshit notion some crazy-romantic-prick created to sell their story. in the mean time, when life seem always get in your way, tricked you, and played you, and gave you every reason not to believe whatever you used to believed, a little piece of you are still the same kid who used to heard all the happy-ending stories, you are still the kid who keep hoping the best of life would come and you can joined all those happy face you remembered from every happy-ending movies you ever watched, you are still the kid who wants to believe even it seem nearly impossible to do.

i am that kid. i started to questioned everything. every beliefs that i ever had. then life keeps getting on my way and it seems easier just to be a non-believer. it’s easier when you’re stop believing that love, happiness are exist cos when you didn’t get one you didn’t end up disappointed cos you think those things are not exist. it’s easier when you don’t believe that all the dreams, and hopes, and prayers will coming true because you won’t feel any disappointment when your hopes, dreams, and prayer didn’t come true. but i still that kid. inside all those non-believe crap i put, i still the same kid who grew up by watching Snow White, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty. i still the same kid who believe that dreams do come true and life is a fairy tale.

i’m twenty years old. and i spent half of it spoil my self watching and reading and listened all those happy-ending, fairy-tale-life stories. and the other half of it hoping that my life someday will be like those happy-ending, fairy-tale-life stories without realizing that maybe my life is already a fairy-tale, the only problem is even in the fairy tale not everyone can have happy-ending story, live happily ever after. and not everyone can be the princess or the prince for that matter or the lead character if i may say. there’s always two Cinderella’s ugly step sisters, or evil queen who died, and not to forget ugly duckling still ugly until the end of the story comparing to all the swans. so yeah. life is pretty much a fairy tale, just i’m not that lucky to be the main character who get her happy-ending life. or maybe not yet.

Original Layout By Yummy Lolly Layout Modification and Header Design By Reigina Tjahaya


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quarta-feira, 8 de outubro de 2014

Morrissey concert

This MondayI had the absolute privilege and joy to see a living legend of music singing. That's right, I attended Morrissey's concert at Lisbon, thi 6th October, and I can perfectly say: now my heart is full (although he did not sing this song...well he has so many and they are all great it's crazy!).
You know, we now live in a world, where everything is artificial and politically correct, you cannot say what you think and feel completely, you have to find subtle ways to criticize, well...you better avoid criticism! And the songs all day in radio and TV are rubbish...that songs are meant to keep you entertained, no message, no polemics, no troubles, 'cause people don't want to think! And the only way that nowaday's super stars have to shosck is overexposing the topic: "sex" (how can anybody feel shocked anymore? like Marina and the Diamonds says in her song "sex", we have seen everything and nothing is provokative anymore...not even for kids. We all know about gametas, and other body fluids, the hormones your body produce that keep your brain happy, the endorphines that are released in your body stream...and when it's not in a scientific perception you can see it, softcore in movies and sop operas....and well you can also surf on the internet where an entire Universe of gigabytes of porn are filling tons and tons and tons of optical fibre and terabytes of memories...just so lonelly wankers can jerk off epelling about 250 million sperms which apparently makes men happy...neverthless porn is a tabu, it shoudn't!). Anyways celebrities find in sex a way to have publicity, so girls take her clothes off and get naked, and it's shamelless 'cause we all know that's how they get famous and boys appear in their video clipes boasting about screwing harems of girls...as if it was a good thing to be a whore, right? Moreover, every rockband or rock snger has the motto: sex, drugs and violence. Basically, rebels with no cause. And then, there is this guy, Moriissey, the antithesis of rock, he doesn't boast about sex, he doesn't care if people doubt about wether he is gay or bi or asexual, he doesn't do drugs, he doesn't drink, he doesn't party and surelly he is not violent, he has a really kind heart, and you can see that by the way hhe treats animals and care about them. Only good-hearted persons can feel that deep, and a man who mistreats animals is not kind.
Ok, sometimes people say he's rude and difficult to deal with, may be, but all misanthrtropists are and that's because they can't stand the human hypocrisy, their falsehood and wickedness. Also he doesn't change to please other people, he's genuine, straightforward and that's something rare in such and hypocritical world!
So he's cool being the extremelly opposite of other rock singers, also he really does have things to say, and even if the songs are a bit sad, he has a soundtrack that makes it kind of an happy sad. It's been like that since the Smiths.
Most part of my acquaintances do not know Smiths or Morrissey, well he is not mainstream. Mainstream hates him and he hates mainstream, and I love him for that too.
Morrissey songs have true meaning, and he sings with all his soul, and all his heart.
And I must admit, I think I am like him. Actually some friends of mine have said: "you are soooooooo Morrissey", and it really sounds like a compliment: the pro-animals cause, the early vegetarianism, the rudeness needed to make people understand you want to be alone than with bunch of idiots, the polemic ideas, the straightforwardness, the ultra sensitivity against the horrors in this world, the sarcasm, the braveness and courage to speak out loud your ideas with no fear of being excluded, criticized, unloved just for being different, the misanthropism, finding solace in loneliness...
About this specific concert, well regardless of him saying several times "gracias" instead of "obrigado" (big ofense here we are not spannish! if we were this would be Spain, and well it isn't...it's just close to ok?) it was terrific. His voice is so human and I just couldn't believe I was seeing him.
He sang 4 songs of the mythic band "The Smiths": "The Queen is Dead", "Hand in Glove", "Meat is Murder" and "Hand in glove". And I cried when in the background of the stage there were pictures of animals being tortured and killed in slaughter houses...I don't eat meat too, for more than 10 years, and I just can't see animals being mistreated...it was awful and painful to see, but hope people change and think twice before continuing supporting the meat industry by eating animal corpses that they insist calling food. Morrissey told us to buy a spray and write on McDonalds publicity placards "shit shit shit no no no".
I cried also in the Asleep song no shame on that, good music gives me shivers!
Besides criticizing the british royal famly (in the song "Bring the bride down the aisle", there was a placard with Kate and William picture and a legend saying "United Kingdumb"...just not to mention "The Queen is dead", with the queen showing the middle finger), Morrissey sang more songs with meaning, deep message and fantastic melodies, actually in "I'm not a man", he trully states his misanthropic view of things..."I'm not a man I'd never kill or eat an animal and I never would destroy this planet I'm on", in "Worldpeace is none of your business" he criticizes the way our society is, like we're paying taxes to make war in other countries and we are suppose to never ask questions, simply work, pay taxes, never ask why, vote and support the process, overwhelming lyrics and melody, must teall ya.
In the song "bullfigheter dies (and nobody cries)" there's also images of bullfighting.
I loved the concert, I love Morrissey, I love Smiths....I really find comfort by knowing that there is someone out there that is as a human wreck as I am: maladjusted, clever, human (in the real term), that has no fear of being hated by just being true, being real, someone with a cause, a message, someone who really cares about giving animals a voice...people like him, really make me still have hope in humans....some of us are good, even if they are always rejected by this sick society. I can say he's like a role model to me, a hero maybe, I feel like he may be some of the few persons who could possibly understand me because we are much alike, so I'm glad he exists and I saw him.
Also heard some news he's ill, I really hope he gets better, because the world needs people like him. It's always a surprise and very recomforting to see a person with compassion, personality and soul.
Thank you Morrissey! :)

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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Feminist

Sometimes I like to follow the trends of the day. What can I say? I can be a slave to peer pressure. This is how I recently found myself at the local cineplex. Given all the attention to, and the supposed hilarity of, the film Bridesmaids, I and some friends decided to take a look see.

For those who haven’t seen the media blitz surrounding this film, it has been billed as the remedy for the “bromance” film (a genre that successfully suckers young men these days ((but that is another entry entirely)). The film’s producers imagined it to be revolutionary to film women drinking, imitating a penis, or defecating in a sink. They, and their admirers, claim that this shows that women can be just as raunchy as men. The New York Times went as far as stating that the film triumphed because it proved that “women can go aggressive laugh to aggressive-and-absurd laugh with men.” Frankly, I was surprised to learn that large sections of our society imagined women as totally humorless. There is also something mighty peculiar about assuming that certain forms of humor are gendered “male,” like toilet humor. It is even more troubling to then assume that such a genre is what accounts for being truly funny compared to other humor, apparently considered feminine. Even the tagline that promoted Bridesmaids, “chick flicks don’t have to suck,” suggests a certain contempt for women. When did that little bit of sexist nonsense start? While I was dozing the new measure of social progress apparently became a film that coupled women with scat jokes. Well GayProf ain’t convinced. When you cut deep into the Bridesmaid’s frosting you realize that this cake is from a pretty stale mix of tired gender assumptions.

The story centers around Annie, a thirty-something woman whose life appears on the downward spiral. She once owned a bakery in the center of Milwaukee, but by the time the film opens she has been reduced to peddling cheap jewelry in a strip mall. At her most vulnerable, Annie’s BFF, Lillian, announces that she is about to be married and asks her to serve as maid of honor. Annie soon meets the remaining titular bridesmaids, including a rival named Helen. Much of the film’s humor draws on some universal social anxieties about being shown up or losing your close friends. Annie and Helen compete for Lillian’s affections as the plans for the wedding progress. At each junction, Annie doesn’t quite measure up and, in fact, makes the situation absurd.

Aside from the fairly obvious problem that the film suggests that women’s natural inclination is to compete against each other (a la Helen and Annie), the real problems emerge when we consider what type of messages the film sends about sex, relationships, and women’s ultimate goals. Don’t let the cum jokes fool you, at its heart this film puts forward a pretty retrograde notion that women must have a man to be happy and fulfilled.

The film opens with an active sex scene between Annie and the film’s cad (played by the dreamy Jon Hamm). This scene makes it clear, that despite Hamm’s enthusiasm, Annie isn’t having much fun at all. Later she sneaks out of bed to apply ample makeup so that when Hamm awakes he is to imagine that Annie looks that good “naturally.” Much to her dismay, he instead reminds her that they are in a NSA deal and that he’d really rather she depart. She then makes a slow walk of shame down his driveway in the early morning light. Later, when her car breaks down, she apparently can only think of Hamm to phone. He arrives, refers to her as a “fuck buddy” (NB: Heteros, we in the gay community are not amused when you steal our lingo), and then suggests a blowjob as he drives her home. All of this is done, of course, to reveal the Hamm character as a sexist, cold-hearted snake that can only serve to make Annie’s true love more appealing (more on him in a minute).

Here’s the problem: using such means to identify the supposedly unworthy men also presumes that women are incapable and uninterested in sex for its own merits (Maybe there is also a divide between the gay and the straight world here, but I’d be more than happy to be on Hamm’s occasional call list. The fact that he wouldn’t expect me to spend the night seems like a bonus). Annie unconvincingly pretends to be Hamm’s equal in the fuck-buddy relationship, but in reality she secretly craves what the film implies all women want: a good man to rescue her. Enter Officer Rhodes, the patrolman with a heart of gold and a mysterious Irish accent. Annie at first refuses Rhodes’ advances, even though the film makes it painfully obvious that he is her last chance for happiness. Rhodes eventually charms Annie by complementing her doomed bakery and offering deep discounts on auto parts. By the end of the film Annie rides off on Prince Rhodes' stallion, in this case in the form of a patrol car. Annie’s life is otherwise unchanged. She does not reopen the bakery (though Rhodes encourages her to bake . . . for him). She does not have her own place to live or even a job. But she has her man, so all will be okay.

Annie isn’t alone. Many of the other film’s characters talk the talk when it comes to free willing sex, but we find in each case that when push came to shove (as it were) it was just talk. Rita, one of the bridesmaids, had many punch lines involving her desire for sexual adventure. Rita insists that she is hungry for action, demanding that the pre-wedding ceremonies include male strippers and other such things to alleviate the boredom of her marriage. She goes so far as to encourage the ingenue, Becca, to “experiment” and “find out what she likes” in bed. It sounds like sensible advice to me. We see, though, that Rita is much like Annie in pretending to want one thing (NSA fun with male go-go dancers) and actually desiring another (intimacy in a monogamous relationship). In a drunken bout, she confesses to Becca that she and her husband actually have sex quite often. What she really misses, though, are the kisses that he once gave. For her part, Becca never explores her sexuality as Rita suggested. Instead, she remains committed to her husband as ever. Even the character with the least amount of gender conformity ends up safely coupled up with a male air marshal by the film’s closing.

It is not the case that I am knocking monogamy per se. Rather, I am concerned that the film offers it as the only viable option for women (and their only goal). Men, according to the film, can have varied approaches to sex and relationships. They might be in a committed relationship or have fun without being emotionally invested. Women's happiness or despair, Bridesmaids makes clear, depends instead on the quality of relationship they have to a man. Sexual freedom is presented as an emotional dead end and a distraction from the hard work of finding a "good husband."

Despite their relative lack of screen time, it is the men who play the most important roles in these characters’ lives. Even Helen’s competitive struggle with Annie is later explained as being symptomatic of her missing her husband during his frequent business trips. If you think it is about women’s relationships to each other, Bridesmaids suggests, you haven't looked carefully enough at their relationship to men. That alone filters how well they relate to each other.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Poor Life Choices

Lately I have been thinking about graduate education in the humanities. Perhaps it would be a bit extreme to say that I have been having a moral crisis. Like St. Thomas, though, I sometimes have my doubts.

It’s not that I give credence to right-wing attacks on humanities research. Nothing drives me up the wall more than to switch on some local news story about an illiterate state legislator claiming that the humanities are irrelevant and a waste of tax payer money. I have written here and elsewhere about how critical an engagement with the humanities is for an informed and responsible citizenry, mostly to keep them from electing illiterate state legislators. Ethnic studies research also has a critical role to play as the nation’s demographics continue to shift. Ironically (in an Alanis Morrisette sorta way) it is at the very moment that companies and government agencies are desperate for individuals who can intelligently engage with minority communities, especially Latinos, that many universities are slashing their ethnic studies programs. I am looking at you, University of Texas system.

My concerns about graduate studies in the humanities are a bit more pragmatic. I have wondered about the wisdom of churning out armies of Ph.D.’s when the opportunity to land a traditional tenure–track position is becoming more and more remote. "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked" or something . . .

Do we have any ethical obligation to resist the temptation to admit graduate students when we know this to be the case? How do we balance that obligation with an equal investment in insuring that new research on critical topics like race, gender, sexuality, class, disability studies and other fields moves forward?

Sadly, I have no answers to these questions. Instead, I can only think about the type of advice that I would give to newly admitted Ph.D. students in the Social Sciences or the Humanities. Hopefully you already received some clear-cut guidance before you applied to these programs. If not, here are some things to consider as you start a new program. It might be harsh, but it’s only because I love you.

    1. Do not expect to get an academic job. Surely I can’t be the first person to mention that the academic job market is beyond miserable. A few very lucky folks land a coveted tenure-track position, but then a few lucky folks also win the lottery. Many others are placed into some mighty abysmal working arrangements as part of the adjunct machine. Universities and colleges, regrettably, know that they can acquire cheap labor and offer no guarantees because there is a surplus of Ph.D.’s on the market. Only you can decide if you want to work those long hours for minimal pay (and probably do without health benefits). It seems wiser, though, to prepare yourself to walk away from the t-t market. Consider obtaining an advanced degree as the opportunity itself. You have six years (or so) to really delve into topics that interest you. That is a luxury that can be enjoyed on its own.

    2. Learn to combat feelings of being an intellectual imposter. If you find yourself feeling like everybody around you is a bit smarter or has read more, don’t worry. They are all thinking the exact same thing. I won’t deny that admissions to a graduate program depends upon a range of subjective criteria. Nonetheless, you would be surprised by the level of consensus that usually forms around candidates during admissions. This means that you should rest assured that you are just as bright and capable as any other student in the program.

    3. Learn to combat feelings of being an intellectual superior. This is the flip side of number two. Indeed, many students vacillate between these two extremes. Graduate school can turn you downright bipolar. You have talents, to be sure, but they do not surpass those around you. It has seemed to me that once graduate students go down the path of hyper-ego their minds close faster than a vegan restaurant in Texas.

    4. Use the gentle cycle on the washing machine. Have you looked at your stipend recently? You better make your existing wardrobe last because there are no trips to the mall in your future. It’s either that or join a nudist colony by your fifth year.

    5. Remember that being a graduate student is a remarkably privileged position. This might seem hard to imagine given the brutal hours that you spend toiling away in the library. Nonetheless, you are now part of a tiny educated elite in this country whatever your economic or social class prior to admission. Estimates suggest that only 3 percent of the nation’s population holds a Ph.D. There are many mighty smart people who would have jumped at the chance to continue their education, but circumstances prevented it. This isn’t to say that the stress you feel is not real or that institutions can’t do better. Still, remember that you aren’t exactly shoveling coal for a living either.

    6. Avoid having sex with faculty members in your department/immediate field. In my time, I have been propositioned by faculty who outranked me and also by graduate students. I don’t mention this to make claims about my innate hotness (Although . . .), rather it is to suggest that such things are a common turn of events in the academic world. It seems to me if you are a woman or a gay man, your chances of fielding unexpected/unwanted advances are pretty high. For some gay men, it’s how they say hello.

    It might also be the case that you are occasionally dazzled by a faculty member who really pushes your buttons. Never, though, does it seem like a particularly good idea when there is such an obvious difference in power. Coming up with polite ways to decline is your best option.

    Feel free to have sex with faculty members in departments far removed from your own. If you are in the humanities, there is no reason not to take a tumble with somebody in civil engineering should the mood and opportunity appear. I’m not sayin’, I’m just sayin’.

    7. Learn the metric system. Okay, this doesn't really have much to do with your success in the program. Still, it's embarrassing that the U.S. is far behind on converting to metric.

    8. Summers are not vacations. Take a poll of your department’s junior faculty and find out how they spent their summer months. Chances are you will hear things like “researching,” “writing,” “visiting archives,” or “field work.” If you hear the word “vacation,” generally it means they have dragged their significant other along with them in a simple attempt to appease them. “Yeah, I really needed to spend some serious time at the Iowa State Archive,” one might say, “so I took my husband and we made a vacation out of it! I don’t care what they say, Des Moines has lots of summer surprises.” By “vacation,” they really mean that their spouse got to spend time with them late at night and on the weekends when the archives closed. The spouse’s “surprise” was that they found themselves being a dedicated xerox operator the rest of the time.

    This is a window into the life of an academic, especially one who is early in hir career. The demands of the regular academic year generally permit only scattered time to focus on a research agenda. Summers become precious opportunities to really bare down and work. If you plan to spend the four months lounging around a pool without cracking an academic journal or book, save yourself some heartache and drop out of graduate school now.

    9. Tend to your personal life. Sacrifices will inevitably have to be made, but try not to let grad school take complete control of your life. Have plans to get married? No reason not to do so. I mean, you’ll still end up divorced eventually, so why not get the clock running now? At least this way you’ll still be relatively young when your first marriage goes south. Want children? Go for it (Although, as always, I would suggest that one think carefully about the larger environmental implications of producing another weapon of massive consumption). Don’t have a family plan? Rather frequent bathhouses? As long as you have an endless supply of condoms, I say make it a weekly ritual if that’s your thing. In other words, there is really not a reason to delay doing other things simply for graduate school. This doesn’t mean that you don’t still need to do the actual work, but I haven’t seen any reward come to those who put off their personal life.

    10. Keep an eye on the liquor consumption. It’s hardly an original story when one turns to gin when feeling a bit stressed out. I am not a teetotaler (trust me), but it is always well worth thinking about how much liquor you consume. Avoid the binges or drinking every day. Besides, it’s an expensive habit and that money could go to other extravagances – like protein. An ideal scholar ends up with a classroom building named after hir; a less than ideal scholar ends up with the boardroom at Tanqueray named after hir.

    11. Come to terms with the fact that you will not likely live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Boston, or another of the nation’s great cities. Back in the nineteenth century, when most of this nation’s universities started, popular thinking associated cities with vice, pollution, and unhealthy living. To insure that young adults remained morally and physically in shape, the logic went, universities needed to be as far away from urban areas as possible. Better that they hang out with the cows. That was before the nation faced the epidemic of bovine gangs. Personally, I blame the alfalfa black-market.

    Now we reap the legacy of nineteenth-century discourse as most of us in the academic world live in small towns rather than metropolises. This, I think, is one of the hardest things that we have to come to terms with for this job, especially if you’re gay (where the number of other gay people is necessarily going to be quite small). I have no solution to offer, which is probably why Tanqueray named that boardroom after me.

    12. Learn how to communicate your ideas to a wide audience. There are good reasons to delve deeply into a particular subfield or methodology. Nonetheless, you’ll be taking your dissertation on a road tour before you know it. If you find yourself at conferences getting asked questions about your main argument (or, worse, not getting asked any questions at all), it’s not the audience’s problem. You have to know how to pitch things in a way that is approachable from a wider range of disciplines.

Keep your chin up. In the end, graduate school is mostly about sticking through it.


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Monthly Archives: September 2013

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Field Guide to Jewish Warsaw and Kraków: Warsaw Map Route 1

One of eight unique walking tours in Warsaw and Krakow showcasing Jewish heritage.

Helise Lieberman, Director, with a group of American high school students

The Taube Center's Jewish Heritage Tours explore Poland's complex past and intriguing present.

Taube Center's Jewish Heritage Tours.

The first MFA group gather beneath famous Polish composer Chopin monument in Warsaw Lazienki park.

Mi Dor Le Dor

Witek Dąbrowski pointing out Jewish sites on a model of Lublin to Mi Dor Le Dor fellows during their day-long study visit in Lublin.

Taube Center Spotlights

Special Meeting and Conversation with Prof. Deborah E. Lipstadt

Taube Center for the Renewal of Jewish Life in Poland Foundation and Political Critique cordially invites for a special meeting and conversation with prof. Deborah E. Lipstadt.
Deborah E. Lipstadt is an American professor of history, the author of the book "Denial: Holocaust History on Trial" and the heroine of the film "Denial" by Mick Jackson.

Taube Foundation receives Krakow Patron of Culture Award

We are honored that the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture has been awarded the 20th annual Krakow Patron of Culture Award, specifically the highest level of the award in the donor category, which is titled "Golden Donor Statue."

Tad Taube honored with 2016 Camera of David Award

On November 21, the opening night of the 14th annual Warsaw Jewish Film Festival, Tad Taube was honored with the 2016 Camera of David Award in recognition of his support of the revival of Jewish culture in Poland.

Exploring Poland Polin 2016

The Taube Center has been awarded a grant by the Polish Senate in support of the third year of its flagship heritage study tour program: “Exploring Poland/Polin Heritage Study Tour – Summer 2016”. The first cohort of 15 students from universities from around the United States will begin the program in Warsaw on June 15th.

Mi Dor Le Dor V

Mi Dor Le Dor program, now in its fifth year, is wrapping up its final project – a publication of essays written by the participants about heritage transmission. The project, guided by artist in residence, Mikolaj Grynberg, well-known Polish photographer, has taught students skills in interviewing,


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RedBlacks win game, lose William Powell

Tuesday, June 14, 2016 11:58 PM

Travon Van now the man for Ottawa RedblacksJust two weeks ago, I featured five players that I thought would be valuable players in Fantaseh for the upcoming season, and it turns out I may just be the source of some sort of curse.

Lavelle Hawkins decided to retire, Kenny Stafford is a bit banged up and William Powell’s season may be in jeopardy.

The Ottawa RedBlacks put Winnipeg in their place with a modest 18-14 victory, but the story of the game had to be the loss of projected starting running back William Powell.

Powell was helped off the field in the first half after two rushes for 18 yards and many are wondering if it’s one of those dreaded achilles injuries. Details are still sketchy but everyone’s hoping that this isn’t another Darian Durant or John White situation after Powell was spotted on crutches during the second half.

But one man’s loss is another man’s gain: In comes Travon Van.

The University of Montana product spent four seasons with the Grizzlies and rushed for 1,645 yards while gaining 1,149 yards through the air during his college career before joining the RedBlacks last season. All of a sudden, Van is the guy you want to grab in your Fantaseh drafts.

Ottawa will wrap up their pre-season this Friday in Hamilton; the Tiger-Cats will be offering a live stream of the game on their website.

– written by Travis Currah


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T's & C's

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In the event of a postponement The money paid will be honoured to the new date but a standard fee of £149 will apply if within 26 weeks of the date.

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

New nose? Who knows?

Tomorrow morning I am having surgery. on my nose. Strange place for surgery, you might say...but yes, it's true. and NO, it is not a nose job, though my co-workers like to call it that. The official procedure is actually "Repair of saddle defect and stenosis with cartilage graft, Osteomy of Bony Pyrimid and Septoplasty". I'm sure you all know what that means. I know I do. Also, per surgeon's instructions, the only way I can wear glasses is if they are taped to my forehead. If you see me wearing sunglasses in this fashion, don't be alarmed, this is only normal.

I've posted some pictures (from both sides) above so that you all can say goodbye to my old nose...the one that forgot how to breathe and smell when I was younger. As soon as the swelling on my new nose subsides, I will introduce you to that one via pictures on our blog :)

Occasionally at work, we have food days to celebrate people's birthdays or their last day at the bank and I thought it was humorous today when a co-worker suggested we have a food day to say goodbye to my nose.

1 comment:

  1. Wow, Julie! You are so funny. I'm praying for a great "procedure" (cuz I didn't want to type out whatever it is you're having done, and God already knows anyway) and looking forward to seeing the pictures of your new nose!

You don't need a Google account to comment! Just select "Name/URL" when you click the "Comment as" drop-down menu, and type your name to let us know who you are before you let us know what thought this post inspired in you. No one likes to receive anonymous comments!


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Monday, September 14, 2015

Welcome to SIS 640, International Communication. Please use the links posted here to access the course group blogs.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

SIS 640 International Communication Fall 2014

Welcome to SIS 640 International Communication for Fall 2014. Check this site for links to the Group Blogs, so you can join the conversation with your classmates.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

International Communication course for Fall 2012

Welcome to the SIS 640 International Communication course! You can use this site to connect to all the group blogs for this course. I will also post additional information here regarding the course as needed.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Welcome to SIS 640 Fall 2011

Welcome to SIS 640 - International Communication. Once you set up your group blogs, I will post the links for you. I will periodically use this site to post class information or other announcements. I am looking forward to some excellent blog posting!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Welcome to SIS 640 International Communication

Greetings everyone!

Once everyone gets assigned to a class group - please build your blog and let me know its name and URL. I will then post that URL to the blog list on the right. The Tuesday night class is section 1 and Thursday is section 2.

I will also periodically post random information on this blog - though most announcements will come via email through Blackboard.

Looking forward to a great semester!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Analysis Question 2

Here's another question:

As journalism faces difficulty in a time of global economic crisis, should nation-states think seriously about revising the global governance of media systems? We know that some markets have exploded into many different channel offerings, even while media conglomeration continues to accelerate. Given what we know about the role of media in culture and conflict, is it time to revisit the older concerns about media ownership and rights of information and communication as discussed in the previous readings?

Please provide a short answer to this question by Saturday, 5pm.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Analysis Question #1

If you choose to answer, please respond by Monday, Sept 14, on your group blog site.

The question is relatively straightforward - do you think the "political-economy" concerns that have driven much of the debate in IC research over the past decades are still relevant? If so, why?
Or, do you think that other kinds of questions should be the focus of researchers and policy-makers?


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Tuesday, March 04, 2008

A Special Kind of Dumb

This morning I had the following conversation with a friend, who is also an American immigrant:

Sarah: I don't understand. Why are all these people voting for Obama?

Friend: Because they hate Hillary.

Sarah: What it is about him? He's got this "Obamarama" thing going on, and people are responding to it. Why? Why?

Friend: The bottom line is that Americans, as a group, are stupid. Don't get me wrong, I now live in a country where there is all manner of 'dumb,' but, boy, Americans . . . there are no words.

Sarah: Well, to be fair to Americans, our friend R. [who is from Toronto] once admitted that Canadians are 'no more and no less stupid than Americans.' Maybe everyone is stupid.

Friend: Yes, but Canadians are stupid in the manner of Europeans. And as we all know, Europeans are stupid in their own special way. But Americans, boy oh boy . . .

Now, I bring this up as a preface to the next story, so as to assure you all that when I bring up the foibles of Israelis, I am not singling them out for special treatment. I am 100 percent an equal opportunity stereotype monger, OK?

Now. Here we have this lovely news item, which goes basically like this:

Knesset Director-General Avi Balashnikov: Hey, ladies, it's International Women's Day!

Female Knesset Employees: Yay! Do we get mints on our desks?

KDGAB: No! You will be required to come to special presentations and take a self-defense workshop!

FKE: Um, why only us? Why not the men who work around here, too?

KDGAB: What? And take them away from their important work? Come on, you need these workshops. You need to hear how men discriminate against you, and learn to defend yourselves.

FKE: Yeah, whatever. Talk to the hand.

KDGAB: What? How dare you skip presentations that celebrate you and your needs! We planned all these activities just for you, and by jove, if you don't come and revel in International Women's Day, we'll . . . we'll . . . I know! We'll deny you promotions and pay raises!

FKE: You are discriminating against us because we failed to comply with a discriminatory policy that we, and only we, must participate in a day meant to decrease discrimination?

KDGAB: That's right, biotches. You snooze, you lose.

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Wednesday, 1 February 2017

Trip report - birding in Dehradun: 28 Jan 2017

I had planned a trip to Dighal - a place on my birding hit list in Haryana where some beautiful sightings of migratory birds was pouring in every single day. The plan was sealed and in place. The plan was - start very early morning like at 3 in morning or so - reach and bird in Dighal for the day and return back the same day. The plan was great and I was joined by three other bird watchers - a couple plus one. Two days before the day I was given news by my father that there was a likely hood of protest by Jats regarding some stupid issue of reservations. The last time over the Jat agitation had turned very ugly so I was not comfortable with the plan so I rang up called off the visit. As I hung up the phone I sat by my computer and starting searching for a place - within a radius of 3 hours travel that could be the birding destination. Dehradun immediately sprung up - the capital of Uttrakhand is a great place for birding. I sat down on eBird and starting researching the places to visit. Immediately three places sprung up based on the sightings logged by fellow birders - FRI (Forest Research Institute), Wildlife Institute of India and Asan Barrage.
These birds easily qualified themselves as my bird of the day... Blue-bearded Bee-eaters
When I declared the plan to the members - the couple had finalised their own trip and opted out. Mohit decided to remain my partner in crime. As I was researching my visit on various online forum I came across name of one more birder who had birded in Dehradun earlier and he too jumped on board and joined us.

The drive was around 4 hours one way so we decided to go early and be at the first spot at sunrise. The trip did not really start well. The sunrise was 0715 so we planned leaving Chandigarh at 0400. Under protest of one of the team members the time was postponed to 0430. Dot at 0420 the other two members were at home and ready to go. Well so far so good. As we hit the road - it took us a few seconds to realise that the fog was thick and a potential hazard. The fog took the toll and speed was anywhere between 25 km per hour to 45. Well, we reached the FRI (Forest Research Institute of India) at about 0815, an hour later than the intended time. This is the time when the second problem hit us - FRI gates open at 0900. That was another half an hour plus haggling at the gates. We were allowed inside only for walk and without cameras. So our first checklist of the day started and we took a stroll inside the gate - parking the car at the gates and cameras in the car. The birds were all around us and we were excited and disappointed at the same time - wasting essential birding time.

Finally, it was nine and we drove to the Botanical Gardens - our first pit stop. We spent almost one and a half hours there. The birding was great - the first sightings were three varieties of Thrushes. So three of us concentrated on one each and all of us missed the other two. Tickell's, a scally thrush (ID yet to be confirmed) and Black-throated Thrush. After this there was not stopping - one after other the birds gave us good sightings. The troubling part was that every tom, dick and harry was asking us if we had permission to carry camera etc and that WAS troubling. Though we managed - it was not a great way to be birding. Every passing minute convinced us that the city chosen for birding was great.

The second spot was the famed Bamboo plantations. Unfortunately, we were told that they were out of bounds and we decided that it might not be worth the trouble to sneak inside from a broken gate we knew existed.

Next, we decided to check out the last spot the Nature trail. It is located North of the FRI - a track that goes to a village that has got landlocked between the FRI on one side and Tons River on the other side. The place was heaven for birding and I logged my first 'Lifer' of the visit - Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. The walk turned out to be not more than 400 to 500 yards at the most but the birds and bird sounds were heavenly. As we turned back I saw two birds sitting on a branch just ahead and I was jumping up and down with joy - almost 2 years of running after Blue-beared Bee-eaters to get some respectable shots - there they were sitting barely 15 feet away. What a gala time we had observing and clicking pictures of the beautiful and one of the biggest of bee-eaters in the world. We stopped at this spot for almost 20-25 minutes - that would seem an unfair amount of time considering we were here only for a day and had another two places to cover before setting course back. After finishing this we decided to come out of the trail and back to where we had parked our car and have a quick bite as hunger pangs were getting better of us.

As we opened up the snacks and tea and coffee flasks - there were another half a dozen birds that caught our attention and we ended up drinking tea and coffee like cold water and were chasing birds yet again. All in all we were there for three and half an hour roughly and logged 42 species (excluding one yet to be identified flycatcher and a thrush)

Next spot was Wildlife Institute of India Campus. Rajive Das made a call and quick enquiry as to how we could enter the place. Luckily one of his contacts tied up our entering the premises. All this happened as we drove to the campus - about 45 min drive from FRI. There is a small Nature Trail there around a lake and we took that trail. The place was another birding paradise and in just about an hour and 15 min we logged 26 species of birds with great sightings of Velvet-fronted Nuthatch yet again, Whistlers Warbler and Mallards.

The time was clicking and we decided to quickly head towards Asan Barrage near Ponta Sahib. As we reached Asan Barrage - Rajive was telling us that one Palla's Fish Eagle has been spotted and wished that we get a sighting. The wish was granted as one of the first sightings we got as we reached the spot was the Fish Eagle flying overhead. There was no stopping now - We were desperately trying to identify the waterfowl and do a count to log them. Some groups were just too far away to count or identify but we did the best we could. From there we went inside the small nature track and after paying up the tickets and driving just a hundred yards we decided that it was not worth the effort - turned back to a new spot back to the banks of the Barrage to see waterfowls.

We parked the car at a spot we thought was the best and walked along the barrage. The sightings were great and in about one and half an hour there we logged 39 species. All the maps etc are duly annotated and attached later.

Like always the lists are at the end of the write-up.
Route passes through the Assan Barrage - however, it was visited later on the way back

Map of FRI and places visited/planned
Wildlife Institute of India, the trail for birding as marked
Asan Barrage and birding there...
Long-tailed Minivet (male) (Pericrocotus ethologus)

One of the three Thrush seen at Botanical Garden - Black-throated Thrush (Turdus atrogularis)

Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)

Lifer - Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (Sitta frontalis)

A lifer deserves more coverage - no?

This bird ofcourse will get more realestate in the blog for the fact that I declared it the bird of the day...

Okay - another picture of Blue-bearded Bee-eater

Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (Sitta cinnamoventris)

Lesser Yellownape (Picus chlorolophus) subspecies chlorolophus the Hilamalyan Yellownape

White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis)

Mallard at Wildlife Institute of India (Anas platyrhynchos)

Black-winged Stilt in flight (Himantopus himantopus)

Grey Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae)

Mallard in flight

Emerald Dove (also Grey-capped Emerald Dove) (Chalcophaps indica)

Whistler's Warbler (Seicercus whisleri)

Yet to be ID. If you can - please do leave a comment

Likely Himalayan Buzzard (Buteo refectus)
Pallas's Fish-eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus)

Lifer no 2: Pallas's Fish-eagle
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

the gathering though seems good - but I have seen better fowl counts years back

Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus)

Northern Shoveller (Anas clypeata)

Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)

Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittaculla cyanocephala)

Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)

Great Crested Grebe the bird on the left (Podicepus cristatus)
For planning a trip please do keep in mind that the FRI opens for visitors at 0900 hours and you have to have permission to carry cameras - cater for it a day before of go in time to get the permissions. There is also tickets for entry and some nominal charges for carrying camera inside FRI. We had a person who guided us to get inside the Wildlife Institute of India - it may not be as simple as we got is so please go to the website and contact someone before heading there.

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Could not help but post this gif to show the state of our birder gang on way to Dehradun

Forest Research Institute (FRI), New Forest Campus, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, IN
Jan 28, 2017 8:29 AM - 12:04 PM
Protocol: Stationary
42 species

Black Kite (Black) (Milvus migrans [migrans Group])  2
Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)  2
Greater Coucal (Greater) (Centropus sinensis [sinensis Group])  1
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)  1
Blue-bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis athertoni)  2
Grey-capped Woodpecker (Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker) (Dendrocopos canicapillus)  1
Lesser Yellownape (Picus chlorolophus)  1
Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus)  1
Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)  4
Slaty-headed Parakeet (Psittacula himalayana)  2
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike (Hemipus picatus)  6
Long-tailed Minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus)  5
Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)  2
Hair-crested Drongo (Spangled Drongo) (Dicrurus hottentottus)  5
White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis)  1
Red-billed Blue-Magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha)  2
Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda)  1
Large-billed Crow (Indian Jungle) (Corvus macrorhynchos culminatus)  2
Yellow-bellied Fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxantha)  1
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)  1
Cinereous Tit (Great Tit) (Parus cinereus)  2
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (Sitta cinnamoventris)  2
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (Sitta frontalis)  2
Bar-tailed Treecreeper (Certhia himalayana)  1
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)  1
Himalayan Bulbul (White-cheeked Bulbul) (Pycnonotus leucogenys)  10
Himalayan Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus)  21
Grey-hooded Warbler (Phylloscopus xanthoschistos)  3
Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius)  2
Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)  4
Black-chinned Babbler (Cyanoderma pyrrhops)  10
Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striata)  6
Rufous Sibia (Heterophasia capistrata)  1
Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus)  1
Blue Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)  2
White-capped Redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus)  1
Grey Bushchat (Saxicola ferreus)  2
Black-throated Thrush (Turdus atrogularis)  2
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)  2
Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus)  11
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus)  1
Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)  2

Wildlife Institute of India Campus--Nature Trail, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, IN
Jan 28, 2017 12:51 PM - 2:03 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 kilometer(s)
26 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  34
Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus)  1
Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger)  1
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)  2
Black Kite (Black) (Milvus migrans [migrans Group])  1
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)  1
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)  28
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)  4
Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)  1
Common Kingfisher (Small Blue Kingfisher) (Alcedo atthis)  1
Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos macei)  2
Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus)  1
Grey Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae)  1
Large-billed Crow (Indian Jungle) (Corvus macrorhynchos culminatus)  2
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)  3
Cinereous Tit (Great Tit) (Parus cinereus)  5
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (Sitta cinnamoventris)  1
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (Sitta frontalis)  2
Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)  2
Himalayan Bulbul (White-cheeked Bulbul) (Pycnonotus leucogenys)  3
Pale-rumped Warbler (Lemon-rumped Warbler) (Phylloscopus chloronotus)  3
Hume's Warbler (Phylloscopus humei)  1
Grey-hooded Warbler (Phylloscopus xanthoschistos)  6
Whistler's Warbler (Seicercus whistleri)  2
Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)  10
Black-chinned Babbler (Cyanoderma pyrrhops)  4

Asan Conservation Reserve, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, IN
Jan 28, 2017 3:21 PM - 4:40 PM
Protocol: Stationary
39 species (+1 other taxa)

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)  17
Ruddy Shelduck (Brahminy Duck) (Tadorna ferruginea)  6
Gadwall (Anas strepera)  3
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)  20
Indian Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)  50
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)  100
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)  25
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)  10
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)  2
Ferruginous Duck (Ferruginous Pochard) (Aythya nyroca)  2
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)  10
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)  3
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)  1
Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)  13
Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger)  12
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)  10
Indian Cormorant (Indian Shag) (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)  9
Little/Indian Cormorant (Microcarbo niger/Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)  3
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  4
Red-naped Ibis (Indian Black Ibis) (Pseudibis papillosa)  5
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)  1
Pallas's Fish-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus)  1
Grey-headed Swamphen (Purple Swamphen) (Porphyrio poliocephalus)  1
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)  50
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)  10
River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii)  16
Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus)  1
Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)  5
Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)  1
Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala)  6
Hair-crested Drongo (Spangled Drongo) (Dicrurus hottentottus)  3
House Crow (Corvus splendens)  3
Large-billed Crow (Large-billed) (Corvus macrorhynchos [macrorhynchos Group])  4
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  10
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)  15
Grey-hooded Warbler (Phylloscopus xanthoschistos)  1
Grey-breasted Prinia (Prinia hodgsonii)  10
Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)  1
Grey Bushchat (Saxicola ferreus)  1
Asian Pied Starling (Pied Myna) (Gracupica contra)  2

sarbjeetbirdwatcher said...

Excellent! 👏👏👏 I wonder how you manage to shoot a pair of Bearded blue beee eater , beautiful shots ! 👍

S S Cheema said...

...the birds decided to give me a treat ;-)

djkushal said...

Cheema bhai super

Jyoti Ahlawat said...

A day well spent. you got really beautiful shots of BB Bee-eaters....they dont give shots so easily. Its a pity that FRI doesn't allow birders to get inside the campus before 9 am. When i was there all my birder friends didn't face any problem.

S S Cheema said...

I must thank you @Jyoti Ahlawat - your input was indeed great for finding the right spots.

S S Cheema said...

Thanks @DJKaushal

Jasbir S. Randhawa said...

Lovely images and report!:-)

S S Cheema said...

Thank you Mr Jasbir.

Karthik KN said...

Amazing!! The BBB image is awesome!! You made up for Nagaland :) 26 in one hr is amazing !!

S S Cheema said...

Thanks Karthik - I am off to Goa next