The Museum of Lost Wonder

Four Creation Tales

No one really knows where we come from, but as youll see, a lot of people had a good time imagining it. Some of these stories are theories, some are Myths. The theories want to be facts. The Myths want to be truths. Both are useful in combating the dreariness of the waking hours.

Ever since Hegel in the 1800s, philosophers seem to have given up worrying about first causes and ultimate purposes. We at the Museum of Lost Wonder think theyve been missing out on a lot of fun. The following stories are provided to incur doubt, inspire wonder, help spur the imagination, and provide fodder for creating your own Myth.

The Big Bang Theory Big Bang is a marvelous term coined as a joke by the astronomer Fred Hoyle. (He actually believed in a steady state theory.)

According to this popularly held theory, before there was anything there was less than nothing. Not only was matter and energy created at the first moment, but so was space and tim e. So theres no sense in worrying about what, where, or when it was before it happened because those things didnt exist, not to mention anybody to worry about causing it.

* Day One was the moment of the Big Bang. It was infinitely dense, and time didnt exist yet.

* Day Two is called the Particle Epoch a period of expansion when subatomic particles were formed that lasted only an instant.

* Day Three is called the Grand Unification Epoch where four great forces organized matter. The weak, the strong, the electromagnetic, and gravity. Only 10-32 of a second had passed.

* Day Four is called the Era of Nucleosynthesis where particles formed into atomic nuclei. It lasted 1 to 100 seconds.

* Day Five, the Era of Recombination is when particles and energy linked together to form different matter. This day lasted a million years.

* Day Six is the Era of Galaxy Birth. Gravity condenses baryonic matter into clouds of gas. It lasted a billion years.< /p>

* Day Seven, the Modern Era is 10 to 20 billion years old. Superstructures of galaxies form, stretching as gigantic sheetlike filaments spanning hundreds of billions of light-years. It makes you wonder. If the universe is still expanding, Where is it expanding to? Whats on the other side of a hundred billion light-years?

Genesis Myth

Genesis is from the Greek gignesthai, meaning origin or birth.

This popular Myth also holds that the universe was created in seven days. Myths, unlike theories, elaborate on feelings to explain how things happened. This story credits the beginning of the universe to a very human and moody creator, who, when done, takes the day off. It maps the first geography of the planet and goes on to describe how life began.

Everybody has a job to do. For the first two humans life consists of gardening and naming everything in Eden. The fun doesnt start until, on their time off, they seek wisdom. Once they get wisdom (thats supp osed to make them godlike), all they realize is that theyre naked. The search for wisdom only ends in embarrassment. This embarrassment is the birth of shame . . . which explains all the sorrows to come.

The first couple have two kids. They have jobs too. One becomes a farmer, and the other, a rancher. One kills the other because the creator, having no experience in child rearing, compliments ones work and not the other, which creates jealousy. Shameful. (Must not have been a lot of thinking going on between naps on that seventh day.) The remaining kid has to leave home and goes off to the next town, Nod, to find a wife and start a family of his own.

It makes you wonder. If Eden was the first inhabited place in the world, How did Nod get there? And if were still in the seventh day of Creation . . . When is the creator going to wake up from that nap?

Alternative Theories to the Big Bang

These latest theories contest the validity of the Big Bang. Recent data from our new Hubble telescope find young things at the edge of the known universe when there should only be older cosmic structures. Both of these theories infer that the universe is dynamic with Creation and destruction ongoing and continuous.

The new steady state theory sees galaxies as huge recycling systems that go on forever. Here matter is ejected out of a central neutroid and after millennia of spiraling outward falls back into itself.

In the symmetric theory the engine of the universe is located in black holes. The center of a black hole is so infinitely dense that its gravitation pulls in everything around it. Even itself. This force is so powerful that even time and space become warped, meaningless, and cease to exist. Adjacent to the central black holes are white holes that eject the stuff of the cosmos simultaneously. The known universe seems to be scattered with these holes.

The universe can be imagined as a huge mass of spaghetti, like s ome big, intertwined Mbius strip or even a massive bedsheet with no edges that perpetually folds in and through itself.

It makes you wonder? When did all this infinite Creation and destruction start? And Who cooked it all up in the first place?

Creation Myth This tale is adapted from the Zohar, a medieval commentary on the Kabbalah.

In the beginning is EIN SOF (without end), an undifferentiated light-filled essence without being, which permeates the universe in every direction. Needing to define itself, EIN SOF makes room for Creation by withdrawing into itself. This withdrawal, or TSIMSTUM, creates a vacuum in its center which is called AYIN, or nothingness.

The light withdrew like water in a pond displaced by a stone . . . Descending into the vacuum, it transformed into an amorphous mass . . . For in its simple desire to realize its intention, the emanator relumined the mass with a ray of light . . . As this light began to enter the mass, vessels we re formed. *

There are ten vessels, or SEPHIROTH. Each holds a particular essential quality of their creator. Out of this configuration of vessels four worlds are organized: Emanation, Creation, Formation, and Actualization. As the light breathes energy into these vessels, the first, and strongest, vessel withstands the force, but the others shatter, or SHEVIRAH. The pieces of these vessels fall to the ground with essences of light within them. All the pieces get trapped in material existence.

Our jobs as humans is to reconstruct these shattered remains by TIQQUN, or mending. Thus restoring these essence-filled vessels to their original divinity.

It makes you wonder. Why couldnt EIN SOF make unbreakable vessels? And why are we left to pick up all the pieces?

* From the Essential Kabbalah by Daniel C. Matt

The Reverberating Yawn or How to Get Something From Nothing

Yes, you can do this at home!

Try This With a Friend. No tools require d.

Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit. Position yourself within two feet of your friend. Start by taking a deep breath and make a smooth, even ooooooo sound. The exact note isnt important as long as its a sound you can easily hold for a while. At the same time, your friend should also take a deep breath and try making a tone that matches yours. Practice this a few times until you find yourselves making the same tone. Once you think youve got it, listen carefully. When you are very close to creating exactly the same note, you should start hearing a third tone. This will sound like a warbling sound. The warble will start out slow and will get faster and faster in frequency as you get closer to making the exact sound. Youll both think that the other person is making the warbling sound! Youre not. The phenomena is called binaural beats and is caused by similar frequencies canceling each other out near the same harmonic.

From the book The Museum of Lost Wonder by Jeff Hoke Published by Weiser Books; August 2006;$49.95US; 1-57863-364-8 Copyright 2006 Jeff Hoke

Jeff Hoke has been creating museum exhibits for the last twenty-five years and has recently been awarded the 2003 Curator's Award for Exhibit Design at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, where he currently holds the position of Senior Exhibit Designer. Created by Jeff Hoke, an award-winning artist and former curator of the Field Museum, The Museum of Lost Wonder is not just a book, it's an experience.

Author:: Jeff Hoke
Keywords:: Creation,Science,Myth,Religion
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What is a Limited Edition Print?

Limited edition refers to the number of prints that are available for that particular artwork. The number of prints in a limited edition is determined by the artist, printer and when applicable, the publisher. Limited edition prints that are printed by hand and that are thus original artworks are usually fairly small in quantity. In South Africa most limited editions consist of less than a hundred prints. The print number of a limited edition is usually written in pencil in the bottom left hand corner of the print.

In a limited edition print you will get the following: numbered prints, artists proofs, workshop proofs and printers proofs. There will also be a Bon a tirer print, which is the approval to print. The printer usually keeps the B.A.T. The tradition of limited edition prints is to have the numbered prints, for example one to forty and then to have the various proofs editioned in addition to the numbered ones. This means that the artist will ha ve a copy of the print and that the workshop and printer will also have a collection of the limited edition work that they have done. Collectors will often approach the printer directly to try to buy their copy of the limited edition once the numbered prints are sold out.

The limited nature of the limited edition is ensured by the original plate, block or stone being defaced or destroyed to ensure that no second editions can be printed. It is important to check whether the studio and printer that printed a print you may be interested in, have integrity prior to investing in a limited edition print. All prints produced at The Artists Press have documentation sheets that anyone may look at which detail the exact amount of prints. To find out more about limited edition prints go to www.artprintsa.com

Tamar Mason, artist and writer focussing on original prints and limited editions from Southern Africa

Author:: Tamar Mason
Keywords:: limited edition prints, south african art, Lithographs, south african artists, investment art
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Origin of Myths

Myths have been around since the beginning of time. It originated with the Greeks account of creation and covers subjects from origins of civilizations, heros, customs and most any other imaginable subject. It has served as an excellent form for passing down history, and customs form one generation to the next; was one of the earliest forms of childrens literature.

In the beginning there was a period of Chaos, when air, water, and matter were combined in a formless mixture. On this floated a Cosmic Egg, from which there arose Gaea (Earth) and Uranus (Sky). These deities created the earth and its creatures and the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

The study of such is known as mythology. Where one studies a body or collection of Myths belonging to a people addressing their origin, history, deities, ancestors, and heroes, or Myths associated with an event, individual, or institution

Myths origins have became even more prevalent and proved invaluable as an instrument in promoting and perpetuating religions, folkways and mores as civilizations evolved into more complex and intellectual forms; in primitive times in preserving a nations or peoples history and passing it down from one generation to the next.

In conclusion then we might purpose that it is from the study of humanities difference and similarities whether it be their cultures, how they view themselves or govern themselves that Myths not only originated, they perpetuated.

Writing has become a habit which gets more enjoyable with each article submitted.

Author:: Ed Shettlemore
Keywords:: Myths, Etertainment, origin of Myths, history of creation,
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Is a Current Account Deficit Harmful?

Recently the US the current account has reached an unprecedendented level, reaching nearly 6% of GDP. Despite the record levels of deficit many in the US administration have argued that there is nothing to worry about, confident the US will continue to recieve capital inflows to finance the deficit.

In the UK the Balance of Payments on current account has been in persistent deficit for the past 19 years. However compared to the US it is a relatively smaller % of GDP (2.5%)

This essay examines whether economists should be concerned with a current account deficit.

* Current account measures

i) Balance of trade in goods

ii) Balance of trade in services

iii) Net Investment incomes

iv) Net Current Transfer

If a country has a deficit on the current account it must haves a surplus on the Financial / Capital account

The Financial Account (used to be called the capital account) comprises of

i)Net Long term investment

ii)Other financial flows (usually short term) e.g. hot money flows

A current account deficit therefore has to be financed by either

1. Attracting Direct foreign investment into the economy

2.Attracting short term flows of money into the banking sector

Reasons why a deficit may be harmful to the economy

1. If the current account had to be financed by borrowing or running down reserves this is unsustainable in the long run. This may participate a depreciation in the currency as the demand for sterling will be less than the supply of sterling.

A rapid depreciation can cause problems such as inflation and falling confidence in the UK. A depreciation also reduces living standards making imported goods more expensive.

2. Low Competitiveness

It could be argued the persistent deficit in the current account suggests fundamental weaknesses in the UK and US economy,

i) declining competitiveness

iii) lack of productive capacity.

iv) Declining comparative advantage in many manufactured goods

These factors could adversely effect job creation in the UK and lead to lower growth.

3. Foreigners have an increasing claim on Domestic Assets

To finance the deficit the UK has mostly relied on attracting foreign investment, this means foreigners have an increasing claim on UK assets. This could leave the UK vulnerable if an economic crisis caused foreign firms to withdraw their investment. However this is unlikely, despite a recession in Japan, firms have not withdrawn their investments.

4. Capital Flows may Dry Up

The US has been able to finance its deficit by attracting capital flows from Asian countries, in particular Japan and China. What is suprising is that the US has been able to sell large quantities of debt, whilst interest rates. Usually interest rates would need to be higher to attract this borrowing. However at the moment it happens to suit the Japanese and Chinese. Both countries are willing to buy dollar assets because they don't want their currency's to appreciate and therefore reduce their competitiveness. - How long this continue though is uncertain.

5. Could lead to lower Economic Growth

If the deficit is due to excessive consumer demand a recession or slowdown should help to reduce the problem. Consumers cannot go on spending in excess of their income for ever. Eventually they have to control their spending and start saving again to improve their own finances. - To reduce the US current account deficit could require both higher interest rates and significant reductions in consumer spending, this could even push the US economy into recession.

Reasons not to be concerned about the deficit

1. Britain has sustained current account deficits of much larger proportions in the past and this has not provo ked a major crisis of confidence in the international financial markets. Britain has one of the most open capital markets in the world. Thus far the country has proved to be a favoured venue for overseas investment - and financing a trade deficit in goods and services has not triggered a sharp collapse in the value of sterling.

2. The US has also a reputation for being a safe place to save. Thus they have been able to attract large flows of capital. But as mentioned above this may not continue for a long time. Also the US is currently helped by the fact that oil is still priced in dollars. (Although this may not continue for ever)

3. Current Account deficit is partly financed by long term capital investment.

Long term investment has benefits for the economy.

i) increased productive capacity

ii) Better working practices of Japanese firms

iii) More jobs

Richard Pettinger

Auth or:: Richard Pettinger
Keywords:: Economics
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The Romantic Spirit of the Harlem Renaissance: Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston (18911960) grew up in Eatonville, Florida, the first incorporated black community in America (Wall 376). Perhaps her isolation from white racism and discrimination during her childhood and her mothers encouragement to jump at da sun contributed to her strong sense of self and her audacity in crossing racial, social, and gendered boundaries (Wall 376). Indeed, in exploring Hurston's life and experiences, it is difficult to believe that Hurston herself discerned any boundaries attempting to be foisted on her. Hurston describes her literary aesthetics as:

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African Masks

The following is a general over view of African Masks.

There are still places in Africa where genuine old masks can be bought, generally through dealers. Also watch out for fakes as they do abound. Remember buy things you like as investment can go up as well as down. If you like that carving or mask then the value is not as important.

The African masks of this area are well documented by Ladislas Segy in Masks of Black Africa. Much of the following section on African Masks is influenced by his work.

The African masking traditions of this pArt of the World are extremely fertile and varied. The traditions supporting the masks are generally associated with the spirits of ancestors, rites of passage, fertility and initiation ceremonies. Dance is generally involved in the use of the masks. Segy lis ts the following types of ritual:-

Rituals of cosmology, myth and mythological heroes or animals

Fertility rites

Rituals for increase

Agricultural festivals

Rituals for rites of passage

Ancestor cults

Initiations including secret societies

Related Ceremonies

Masks can be used for different ceremonies often having multiple purposes. The size and style of masks are diverse, depicting animals, human faces and more abstract styles in sizes from a few centimetres to 4.5 metres in the case of the Dogon Iminana ( mother mask ). With only a few exceptions the masks are all pArt of a full costume and not just an isolated piece of decoration..

Segy notes:-

Face coverings

Helmet masks

Headdresses Masks with prominent breasts

Amulets

I nsignia of grade

Crowns of bead work

Materials

Wood The major material was wood due to the large forest and range of species available. The choosing of a tree from which to make a mask was not as we might do today, find one and chop it down. Rather the carver would seek the help of a diviner and undergo a purification ceremony and when the first blow was struck he would drink some of the sap in order to form a brotherhood with the tree?s spirit. Mask would be carved from one piece of wood with nothing jointed, with some of the masks this created severe technical difficulties when the early carvers only had simple tools.

Usually green timber was used as this was easier to cut. Certain vvarieties would be used for some special masks, but in general the softer woods were used

Ivory was used by the Warega and Benin. The ivory was the property of the Benin kings (Oba) and they were the only ones to wear ivory as a mark of office. The carving of th e Warega was not as refined but has a strong impact.

Brass was used by the Benin, Senufo and Ashanti.

Other Materials Knitted materials were used as were beadwork, basketry and fabrics.

Additional materials included :- shells, beads, twigs, bark, teeth, hair, beaten or repousse metal, vegetable fibres and skin, to mention a few.

West Africa

The masks of this area are well documented by Ladislas Segy in Masks of Black Africa. His book lists the following areas:-

Guinea-Bissau

Republic of Guinea

Sierra Leone

Mali

Liberia

Ivory Coast Upper

Volta

Ghana

Nigeria Cameroon

Within each of these countries can be found ancient traditions associated with individual tribes displaying common links. The areas associated with some groups cross boundaries. The names of the different tribes is too extensive to list at the moment.

Equatorial Africa

Congo Zaire Zambia

Similar themes and traditions are found with the masks from this area when compared with those of the Western countries. In the early Fifteenth Century the well established Kongo people had close contact with the Portuguese and later some converted to Christianity. This has had some influence on the type of festivities and masks. The Kongo dominated various tribes in the area of these the Woyo and Yombe produced notable mask The Ndunga masks of the Woyo were larger than life size and had projecting foreheads large cheeks with small eyes, the surface of these faces was painted with white or brightly coloured asymmetrical designs.

The Western Pende on the Kwilu River in Zaire have two major types of mask. The Minhajl, which represent the ancestors and the Mbuya which represent various village characters such as the fool, the prostitute, the chief etc. These masks are used in the reinforcement of socialcontrol. The amusing performances are brightened by the triangular faces of the masks with bulging eyes, open mouths containing carved teeth painted in a variety of colours. The more powerful Minganji masks are simpler circular forms made from raffia with tubular eyes and no other features. All the masks are constructed in secret away from the village.

In the Makenda circumcision ceremony the Mbuya appear from out of the bush and dance in the village square until dusk. As the sky darkens, Minganji, masked dancers, materialise and move around the village at a distance, helping to develop the sense of awe and unease. In the secret circumcision camp the initiated youths are allowed to handle the mask as they are now fully fledged members of the society.

Many other styles are found in these areas.

East Africa

Tanzania and Mozambique are both home to the Mekonde one of the best know tribe of mask makers in East Africa. The Mekonde masks come in various styles, the southern groups using the helmet type. The features of these masks are oft en realistic and are worn with a cloth covering the head of the dancer. Scarification is used. The characters represented are familiar to the local people:- the old man, the doctor, the young woman and the Arab, some animal masks are found.

Over view

It must be noted that the masks of Africa represent a wealth of forms and designs which have been well collected and catalogued. The total range is by no means represented here. The common connections between the masks and the different groups are obviously strong.

Would you like regular updates on the Masking World?

Ian Bracegirdle 2004 1 Elderberry Close East Morton BD20 5WA UK 01535 692207

http://mask-and-more-masks.com You may use this Article freely on condition that you include this copyright line and URL and that people who subs equently use this Article follow the same conditions. Thank you for accepting these conditions.

Ian Bracegirdle 2004 1 Elderberry Close East Morton BD20 5WA UK 01535 692207 http://mask-and-more-masks.com

Teacher, Course Leader, Mask maker. Ian has studied and taught masks making and information for several years. He sees masks as a link back to our cultural origins.

Author:: Ian Bracegirdle
Keywords:: African masks, East African Masks,Dogon Mask,Mekonda masks,
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Sanskrit and Tocharian

The Tarim Basin and Turkmenistan areas are exciting discoveries I have dealt with in many other books. Tocharian is related to Luwian and it is even possible that Luwian (Crete) script is on the stones at 2200 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico according to side scan sonar pictures of that most important and yet to be visited site. Crete and Tarim connections are all over the world and I hope this little portion of some linguists work is helpful to my readers.

The Tocharian is one of the recently discovered Indo-European languages (at the beginning of the XX century) in texts coming from Chinese Turkestan. Such texts were easy to decipher, because of their being written in a variant of the Braahmii alphabet (one of the three Sanskrit alphabets, the alphabet currently used is called Devanaagarii), and also, because they were all translations of known Buddhist scriptures.

Lately, the British specialist W. N. Henning suggested that the Tocharian people w ere the Gutian ones (or something like that, very difficult to translate), which are mentioned (in Akkadian, a Semitic language) on some cuneiform inscriptions of Babylon. Those inscriptions are a bit more than 4000 years old, when the king Sargon was raising up the first great Mesopotamian empire. If the Henning's opinions are right, then, the Tocharian people would be the first Indo-European people appearing in the historical documents of the Near East. Lexical likeness among Tocharian and Italian-Celtic languages proves that the inhabitants belonging to both of linguistic families shared the Indo-European homeland before the Tocharian people undertook their emigration toward the East.

Nowadays the diverse paths followed by the human migrations and the linguistic transformation can be traced to the extent of reaching the Indo-European protolanguage in its own homeland. The aforesaid tracing is possible as a result of the review of phonological canons. When the conson antal system of the European protolanguage was revised, the ways of transformation which produce the historical Indo-European languages were put in doubt too. According to recent investigations, the reconstruction of the protolanguage's consonants shows it is more similar to the Germanic, Armenian and Hittite languages than to those of the Sanskrit branch. These findings reverse the classic conception that the sound system of the Germanic, Armenian and Hittite languages would have gone through a continuous alteration, while the original sound system had been conserved faithfully in Sanskrit.

Linguistics was born from the study of the superfamily of Indo-European languages (about half of the world's population has an Indo-European language as mother tongue). During the last two centuries, the linguists have rebuilt the vocabulary and syntax of the Indo-European protolanguage. Early investigations located its origin in Europe. Those investigations indicated migratory rou tes by which the daughter tongues would have developed till they grouped in two well defined branches: Eastern and Western.

Here we can see the different migrations. There are three Eastern branches: toward Central Asia, India and Iran. There are mainly two Western branches: one going directly toward Greece and the other surrounding the Caspian Sea. This surrounding branch has given rise to the most of Western languages. (6)

Casiberia and the city (Iberia) now called Tiflis are central to the genetic coming of the white people as well as all the Iberian corporate enterprises of the De Danaan and Phoenicians whose Hittite/Hatti and Berber/Stuart or other elite families include the Benjaminites like Joseph of Arimathaea. It is widely accepted that the Phoenicians gave all peoples of the Mediterranean their alphabets but even more than that is true if you go back further to Ogham and the runic Fupark which is a central symbol in Old European as I have shown in a boo k called From Om to Ogham.

Author of many books available at Lulu and World-Mysteries.com

Author:: Robert Baird
Keywords:: Ogham, Sanskrit, Old European, Fupark, Venus
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The Sterling Silver Story

Silver is the most common of the Precious Metals. Its working qualities are very similar to gold. Pure silver, which is seldom used for jewelry because it is too soft. Silver weighs about half as much as gold and has greater flexibility. Though silver is not as malleable as gold it can achieve a more brilliant polish. In fact, silver shines above all other metals in this respect.

Silver has been used for many centuries, going back to ancient times, but because it tarnishes and decomposes; it has not survived as well as gold. Periodically, however, silver enjoys great popularity as it does currently.

As far as the price goes, silver generally lags behind gold by about four or five times. The price of silver jewelry follows the price of gold jewelry, however, so as gold rises, silver inevitably does too.

The words silver or sterling silver describe a product that contains 92.5% silver. Silver products sometimes may be marked 925, which means that 925 p Arts per thousand are pure silver. Some jewelry may be described as silver plate: a layer of silver is bonded to a base metal. The mark coin silver is used for compounds that contain 90% silver.

For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off. This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com

Author:: Sam Serio
Keywords:: sterling silver, sterling silver jewelry, shopping for silver
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History of the Royal Barges a Timeless Tradition

The history of the royal barges dates back to the Sukhothai era in the 13th century when the first royal barges were reportedly seen. The barges were originally troop carriers at a time when it was more expedient to transport troops into battle along rivers.

As life in Thailand then was so intimately linked to the river, these barges were also used for religious and ceremonial purposes.

During the Ayutthaya era between the 14th - 18th centuries, the Royal Barge Ceremonies flourished, particularly during the reigns of King Naresuan and King Narai.

King Naresuan (1590 1605 AD) named his personal barge Suphannahongsa and so started the first generation of this famous royal barge. Since then this has been the name of the King's personal barge. Two more versions ha ve been built since.

In the reign of King Narai, the Royal Barge Processions became more elaborate and one such procession had more than 100 vessels.

Unfortunately all this came to an abrupt end in 1767 when the Burmese sacked Ayutthaya and destroyed all the barges. It was a sad period in the history of the royal barges.

The Thonburi era (1767 1782) under King Taksin saw a reemergence of royal barge activity. During his reign the Emerald Buddha was brought from Vientiane to Ayutthaya. A hundred and fifteen barges went to Ayutthaya to receive this holy statue and bring it back to Bangkok. Another 131 vessels went up river to welcome the Emerald Buddha.

The Bangkok era, which commenced in 1782, saw a new dawn in the history of the royal barges. King Rama I revived the tradition of the royal barges. Sixty were built and modeled on designs in the early Bangkok era. A new Suphannahongsa was built to serve as the King's personal barge.

Royal barge construction continued under the reign of the Chari kings. King Rama IV ordered the construction of the Anantanakkharat with the seven-headed serpent Naga on the bow.

During the reign of King Rama V, a new Suphannahongsa was built. It was completed during the reign of King Rama VI in 1911. This version of Suphannahongsa is being used to this day as the King's personal barge.

The coup in 1932 , when Thailand changed from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, brought about another abrupt halt to royal barge activity. Subsequent governments ceased the Royal Barge Ceremonies for the next 25 years.

The royal barges suffered a further setback when they were damaged by Japanese bombs during World War II. Damaged sections of these barges are still preserved at the Royal Barge Museum.

In 1957 the history of the royal barges took a turn for the better when King Rama IX had the barges restored to their former glory.

On 19 May 1957, the first Royal Barge Procession in 25 years sailed down the Chao Phraya River to commemorate the 25th century of the Buddhist Era. Since then, the tradition and grandeur of the royal barges have continued to this day.

The history of the royal barges reflects an enduring tradition that flows on timelessly like the Chao Phraya River.

For details on the royal barges, please see Types of Royal Barges.

This article by Eric Lim first appeared in Tour Bangkok Legacies, a historical travel site on people, places and events that shaped the landscape of Bangkok. Lim, a free-lance writer, lives in Bangkok, Thailand.

Author:: Eric Lim
Keywords:: History of the Royal Barges, Royal Barge Ceremony, Suphannahongsa, Royal Barge Procession
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Educating Your Family on Native American Indian History

In the United States, a large amount of information is taught in local schools. This information is often vital to the success of a student. Math, science, English, physical education, and history are taught in many schools. The information taught in those subjects varies from school to school. Unfortunately, not everything that should be taught in a lesson plan is.

The history of Native American Indians is something that many individuals know little about. Native American Indian history is taught in most schools located on Indian reservations, but they should not be the only place where it is taught. Most public and private schools quickly cover Native American Indian history, but many students do not learn everything they could or should.

If Native American Indian history is not extensively covered in your childs school, there are a number of ways that you can educate them yourself. Many parents wonder why they should continue to educate their children on the history of Native American Indians. The answer varies, but there are number of different ways that a child could benefit from being educated on Native American Indian history.

As previously mentioned, there are a number of different ways to educate your children on the history of Native American Indians. Many of these ways can include the whole family. In addition to educating your child, your family could also spend quality time together. What could be more fun than that?

In history classes across the country, most students are educated in the form of books. Books are a valuable source of information, but there are ways to educate a child and have fun at the same time. Parents are encouraged to take their children to a Native American Indian museum. Native American Indian museums are located all around the country. They allow children to physically see Native American Indian Artifacts and much more. This experience is more memorable than reading a passage out of a book.

Another way to educate your children on Native American Indian history is to play a game. There are a number of online websites that offer homemade game ideas or you could develop your own. Board games or flash card games can be developed. These games can easily include important Native American Indian history facts. Children of all ages love games and it is a fun way to learn at the same time.

In addition to playing a history game or visiting a museum, it is also possible to learn the history of Native American Indians by watching movies. There are a wide variety of educational movies available for parents and children of all ages. Watching these movies together as a family is a great way for everyone to educate themselves on the struggles that the Native American India ns faced and the victories that they achieved.

It has been said that children that are educated on the history of multiple cultures will grow-up more diverse. Dont limit your child by only letting their school educate them. You never know, but you may learn valuable Native American Indian history facts yourself.

Edward Charkow is the administrator for American Indian History. For more information please visit http://www.americanindian-history.com

Author:: Edward Charkow
Keywords:: Native American Indian History
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

People William A. Keleher Knew

William A. Keleher (born in 1886, died in 1972) was a well-known figure in Albuquerque, New Mexico. By profession, he was a lawyer. His law firm (Keleher & McLeod) was among the best in the business. Even after almost hundred years of establishment, Keleher & McLeod is still driven by the same passion and dedication that their founders showed initially. As a result, the firm is considered as one of the oldest and most efficient law firms in New Mexico today. He wa s a New Mexico Hall of Famer. Not only that, many important private sector positions were held by him. William A. Keleher was also a prominent writer. He had avid interest in history and his books reflect how well he has managed to write from historical perspective. William Keleher was also involved in copious social functions and events. That is why it is not surprising to know how he got in touch with so many high profile individuals.

William A. Keleher had an intimate relationship with Elfego Baca (born in 1865, died in 1945), a legendary lawyer, lawman and politician in the closing days of American wild-west. Keleher met him during his reporter-days. The colorful New Mexican figure had something very common with Keleher They were both versatile and multi-faceted individuals. Baca was born when the American civil war was about to be finished. His father was a marshal. Baca, at the tender age of 19, declared himself deputy sheriff in Sorocco County after he stole some guns and managed a sheriff-badge. He wanted to put an end to the anarchy in his local territory. He also operated a detec tive agency and theorized in real estate among other activities. William Keleher was his attorney and good friend. One day, Baca came to Kelehers house and demanded to see him. Her wife, Loretta responded by saying that he was sick in bed. Elfego Baca insisted to see him by saying that it was about his wife (Ms. Baca). Loretta was pretty curious. She said it is unusual for him to be so intimidated since Mr. Baca is a bold character, even killing many men without much trouble. In reply, Baca just shook his head and said Loretta did not know Ms. Baca! This is just one of the innumerable stories involving Keleher and Baca. The Kelehers personal archive has Elfego Bacas briefcase and five postcards that were signed by him.

One of the most important developments in Albuquerque in Kelehers times was the Hilton Hotel by the great Conrad Nicholson Hilton who believed that the place was destined for great things. The ten-story building was completed in 1939. Conrad was an American hotelier who founded the Hilton-Hotel chain. Coincidentally, he belonged to the same place as Elfego Baca (Sorocco Coun ty). Conrad N. Hilton, too, was known to William Keleher. It is believed they met in one of the countless social events that both of them used to attend.

William A. Keleher, was a prominent figure in New Mexico. Due to his diverse work and philanthropic activities, he met many people in his life. Among them, there were legendary people like Elfego Baca, Conrad N. Hilton and some others, who played an important role in history. Like Keleher, their names are als o remembered even today with great respect.

One may wonder how these friendships became known to the world today. The answer is pretty simply actually. The Kelehers recently donated the entire William Keleher collection to the University of New Mexico (UNM). Such magnanimity is unequivocally praiseworthy since many unknown things about William Keleher have been divulged to the world lately. Among them was the tale of friendship that you just learnt about. One of the family members said that the children and the grandchildren are less likely to find any interest in them at the moment; however, in the future, they will certainly be. The Keleher family and their connections to the prominent figures of the society would have not been revealed to the world if these materials were not found in the first place. As historians use the documents to develop a greater understanding, more information regarding William A. Kelehers influential friends will be divulged.

Keleher authored some of the premier works on the Southwest: Maxwell Land Grant,1942; Fabulous Frontier, 1945; Turmoil in New Mexico, 1846-1968, 1952;Violence in Lincoln County, 1957; and Memoirs 1969. and New Mexicans IKnew. Purchase the Books of William Keleher in .pdf format online at http://www.williamKeleher.com

Author:: William Keleher
Keywords:: Keleher, William Keleher : Seven Generations in America, Eight Generations in America
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My Dentist A Really Cool Guy!

I am very excited that I will be able to conduct my third interview very soon. This time it will be with my dentist, Dr. Rajiv Arya, who, as you will see, is a very interesting, unique and multi-faceted individual.

I have been seeing the same dentist for almost 10 years now and I think he is a really cool guy. He is young, bright, not to mention good-looking, as well as very friendly and helpful. A long time ago, when I did not have dental insurance coverage, he reduced his rates which really helped me out financially a great deal at the time, something that I appreciate to this day.

In my opinion Dr. Rajiv Arya is a very interesting and unique individual. We have had many conversations over the years during my dental visits and I have had a chance to learn a bit more about him. Not only is Dr. Arya an accomplished dental surgeon, he also completed a law degree and today practices corporate and commercial law specializing in the health care industry. This is in addition to practicing as a dental surgeon. Needless to say, he completed his dentistry and law degrees with the highest academic honours and awards.

But we are not just dealing with a distinguished over-achiever here. Dr. Arya is truly a multi-faceted individual with a pronounced humanitarian side. Dr. Arya successfully completed a competitive duathalon in September, 2004 and is currently in training for a trekking expedition Traveling to the Himalayas scheduled for March, 2005. The trekking expedition is also to contain a significant study and volunteering component. I will hopefully be able to convince him to file reports from his expedition to the Himalayas in the upcoming weeks.

Dr. Arya has volunteered his time throughout his career(s) in various countries including Canada, India, Malawi and Zambia. He has participated in racial equity and leadership initiatives in South Africa, Poland and Germany; including the study of the far-reaching effects of aparthe id and the holocaust. The topic of racial equity and tolerance has been very dear to my own heart and I look forward to probing these topics more in our interview.

Dr. Arya is also scheduled to be a focus commentator in a documentary, entitled 'The Gate', currently in post-production that attempts to analyze the tragedies of the holocaust from a pluralistic perspective. Dr. Arya is also on the board of Directors of Health Outreach - a registered Canadian charity (http://www.healthoutreach.ca/) that focuses on providing free health care to children in developing countries using innovative delivery models.

So, stay tuned, for a very interesting interview with a great guy my dentist!

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.Travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional Travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life Travel experiences, interviews with Travellers and Travel experts , insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, Contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

Submit your own Travel stories in our first Travel story Contest (http://www.Travelandtransitions.com/Contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.

Life is a Journey Explore New Horizons.

The article is published at Travel and Transitions - Interviews

Author:: Susanne Pacher
Keywords:: Travel, adventure Travel, eco tourism, outdoor adventure, Prizes, family Travel, Contest
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Those Dirty MexicansOh Really?

When my wife and I announced that we were moving to Mexico, one of my wife's relatives asked us,

Why do you want to live with those dirty Mexicans?

Besides wanting to slap some sense into this person, I was particularly sickened (as in wanting to projectile vomit Linda Blair-style) by this hideous and most heinous stereotype. I have wanted to know since then where this originated.

I think, after doing what writers dotoo much research, I have finally found it.

Apparently, historians, those guys we all love to read, have been recording these views for years. David J. Webber wrote extensively on the origins of anti-Mexican stereotypes. (Thank you very much, David. It took only two years to find you!). Webber has carefully written on the views that are responsible for today's prevalent stereotypes of the Mexican people. He wrote,

Mexicans were considered, he wrote, bigoted, greedy, tyrannical, fanatical, treacherous, and lazy. These characterizations of the inhabitants of Mexico congealed especially during the decades following Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821 [1

Many have written about the American-Mexican relations of that period. These writings, when taken as a whole, form a tidy little picture of how an American ideology portraying Mexicans as inferior evolved, thus justifying the American government's action against Mexico. Remember the Alamo?

Another one of those tantalizingly interesting historians, Cecil Robinson, wrote,

Pioneer America could find little to approve of in the Mexican society it collided with, being affronted in all its major convictions by Mexican attitudes, real and alleged. Americans, in their Protestant individualism, in their ideas of spirit and hard work, in their faith in progress through technology, in their insistence upon personal hygiene, in Puritanism and racial pride, found Mexico much to their distaste because of its priestly power, its social stratification with a pronounced sense of caste, its apparent devotion to pleasure and its indifference to cleanliness, and its reputation for pe rvasive sensuality ... Adding to all this was the Anglo-Saxon's contempt for a people who had lowered themselves to a state of general cohabitation with the Indians and had thus forfeited the right to be considered white. (Robinson, 1977) [2

Now isn't that interesting?

My point of bringing all this up is because of a Reuters' news item, Bed bugs threaten to put bite on U.S. Hotel Industry. Writer, Paul Simao, reports of a lawsuit brought against the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel in New York in which a couple was severely bitten by bedbugs. Can you imagine that? The case was settled out of court. (For the record, the Helmsley folks have rectified the admitted problem.)

Bedbugs tend to occur in environments that are in disarray, untidy, messy...(dirty?). In addition, their bites are not as harmless as one might think.

Bedbugs may be a vector for hepatitis B and, in endemic areas, for American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). [3

So the cleaner your sle eping environment is the less chance you are going to have those nasty critters crawling all over you at night biting the snot out of you.

The rich irony of this is that a MEXICAN businessman filed the lawsuit brought against the Helmsley people for their dirty bedbug-breeding hotel rooms.

Don't you love it!

[1 EXPERT REPORT OF ALBERT M. CAMARILLO; http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/legal/expert/camarill.html

[2 Ibid

[3 http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic600.htm

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico. His new book Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241

Author:: Douglas Bower
Keywords:: Blog,mexican living,Expatriation,Expatriate,Guanajuato,dirty mexicans,move to Mexico,Mexico
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Proving Humans are Indeed Unique

What sort of experiment or set of experiments should be done to determine once and for all if humans are unique to all other species in the animal kingdom? Can we trust researchers to do such an important experiment? As the resultant will either shake the core of human existence or bolster the already ego-centric ways of the species.

Will the researchers be so narrowly focused to insure that their data proves themselves right? Will they disregard data to the contrary and instead work to follow their personal religious belief systems? Well such a study is indeed about to take place with some members of a Think Tank. And one researcher when asked about the focus of the experiment stated that;

This is not to say the experiment would not lend itself to new discoveries along the way. Those determinations would be directly attributed to the management of the procedure. I myself prefer to compile interchangeable data sets wherever possible as a means to encourage furt her expansion.

Good as that is the right attitude and best policy. I personally cannot tell you how many times we have altered our mobile car wash trucks in our company before I retired to do various tasks only to find out they were perfectly designed for another, which was even more profitable and with a few refinements even another even more profitable than the later.

http://www.carwashguys.com/dealershipdiv.shtml

And in designing our point of purchase system all synced up to our online scheduling, billing and appointment system, sure we had feature creep and problems along the way, and it took a little longer than expected, but Wow. In the end we won. Winning is paramount of course. The goal is to win.

Winning in this experiment is to answer the question leaving no doubt in the mind of the reader of your research. It can be done and so it should be done and like you elude to done right the first time. You really do not get second chances in the Pub lish or Perish world of academia, as if you mess up your name remains Mud for far too long.

So the experiment will take place and it will be honest and forthright and in the end we will determine if humans are unique to the rest of the animal kingdom or if we are merely just another animal and this should prove to be rather interesting indeed. Be thinking on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Author:: Lance Winslow
Keywords:: Proving Humans, Indeed Unique
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The Bangkok Forts Citadels of Rattanakosin

The Bangkok forts were constructed after King Rama I established Bangkok as the new capital 1782. With the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767 still fresh on his mind, security was a critical condition.

The new capital, though in a far more defensible position than the previous capitals, Thonburi, Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, had to be reinforced.

The defense of Rattanakosin rested on four elements: the Chao Phraya River, a major water obstacle; the canal rings which created a defensive belt of moats; the city walls and the Bangkok forts.

Lod Canal was already in existence, dug during the reign of King Taksin (1767 1782) when the capital was still in Thonburi. The canal was renamed Asadang Canal in 1982, after Prince Asadang, a son of King Chulalongkorn or King Rama V.

With the Chao Phraya River on the west and Lod Canal to the east, a second canal ring was dug in 1785 by 10,000 Khmer prisoners of war. This canal stretched from Banglampu in the north to the present Phra Pok Klao Bridge in the south and turned the old city into an island Rattanakosin Island.

The second canal ring was called Rob Krung (around the city). Today, this canal is called Banglampu Canal in the north and Ong-Ang Canal in the south.

A protective wall was erected along the canal. Fourteen Bangkok forts and observation towers along the Chao Phraya River and the Rob Krung Canal reinforced the city defenses. Unfortunately all that remains today are two forts, a section of the old city wall and an old gateway.

Of the two Bangkok forts that rem ain today, the first is Fort Phra Sumen to the north at the confluence of the Chao Phraya River and Banglampu Canal.

The second fort is Fort Mahakarn covering the Rob Krung Canal to the east, near Wat Saket the Temple on the Golden Mount. About 200 m of the old city wall along Maha Chai Road is still standing today and so is the old gateway.

From 1851 54, during the reign of King Rama IV, the third canal ring was built. This was the Padung Krung Kasem Canal, the longest of the three canal rings, stretching from Thewet in the north, past Hua Lam Pong Station to Bangrak in the south. This time, Chinese laborers dug the canal.

During the reign of the King Rama I, threats of invasion were still strong. The Bangkok forts and the canals provided the protection and security for the survival of the new capital, which has transformed to a modern metropolis today.

Find out what's behind the old wall at Fort Mahakarn the living legacy.

Bangko k Forts first appeared in Tour Bangkok Legacies a historical travel site on people, places and events that shaped the landscape of Bangkok. The author Eric Lim, a free-lance writer, lives in Bangkok Thailand.

Author:: Eric Lim
Keywords:: Bangkok forts, Fort Phra Sumen, Fort Mahakarn, Bangkok canals, Rattanakosin, Bangkok legacy
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Read this Article if You Like Dolphins

Many people naturally like our Dolphin mammal cousins, they seem very nice and friendly and they seem to like us too. Well, especially if we give them free fish, while they are in captivity. And to them we are mostly harmless although some human fishermen do in fact get them caught in nets as they try to catch tuna fish that the Dolphins are following for food.

Dolphins are highly evolved and their Sonar works by bouncing sounds off objects and they can feel the differences in their teeth, which are slightly offset. This is an incredible ability and very few Mammals can do this.

Recently I was talking with a lady who use to work with dolphins and swim with them. She spent much of her life doing research and studying their language and Behaviors. She was convinced that they are so highly Inte lligent that they are perhaps smarter than the average human by quite a bit.

She also indicated that they liked to play practical jokes often and that she felt like they were laughing at her as she attempted to swim with them. Often she said they would play with her as companion, but also sometimes like child plays with a floating toy in a swimming pool. Interesting indeed. Think on this tonight.

Lance Winslow

Author:: Lance Winslow
Keywords:: like dolphins, laughing at us, swimming pool, free fish, Sonar, Behavior, Intelligent, Mammals
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Sixties: The Decade of Rebellion

It is safe to say that in the Sixties everything changed: society, fashion, music, art, media, everything was impacted. It was a time when everyone truly believed they could make a difference, when it seemed as if the world had limitless possibilities and a few people trying really hard, willing to sacrifice everything, could change the direction of everything.

And it proved the power of believing in yourself. Ordinary people did change things, extraordinary things like the attitude of society at large, like the way people viewed war and music and art. Student protests, often led by folk musicians, helped lead to the demise of the Vietnamese War, helped make social consciousness and equality for all a living fact, helped people really achieve the freedom that America and the West have always striven for. It was a remarkable time, and no wonder that many people look back to it as a time of dreams and passion.

Social Activism, Celebrities, and Music

Rock music became its own genre in the mid-1950s. Less than ten years later, the Beatles burst onto the music scene, the vanguard of a revolution in music. Parents hated them, sometimes even worse than they hated Elvis. But the kids loved them, and would buy anything with a picture of John, Paul, Ringo, or George. Their innovations paved the way for later artists, both British and American: the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Doors, The Mamas and the Papas dozens of legendary bands have the Beatles to thank.

By the middle of the decade, the Beatles were writing songs about social issues, like war and loneliness. And other bands followed suit. There was a lot to write about; in the United States, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was leading American Blacks to unheard-of levels of social equality, and soon the British would put special military troops in Northern Ireland to quell the unrest there, leading to nearly-open guerilla warfare with the IRA. Women all over the world were following a movement to equal rights. And anti-war activists like Jane Fonda were making a name for themselves, both famous and infamous.

Food: Trends Good And Bad

Though founded much longer ago, McDonalds and other fast food restaurants grew into a major power in the food industry during the 60s, probably driven by the high energy of the time coupled with an increasing dependence on automobiles as a means of transportation. At the same time the stuff thats bad for you became popular, other people began to realize that you really are what you eat. Because of new age conservationist movements, those people began to eat healthier: whole grains, organic foods they grew themselves, and semi-vegetarianism, vegetarianism, and vegan lifestyles.

War: What Is It Good For?

You cant talk about the Sixties, the decade of peace, without talking about war. Particularly, you have to look at the Vietnamese war. The US entered the country in Southeast A sia in the early 1960s at the request of the French who subsequently abandoned the war. And Americas presence in Vietnam grew, gradually forcing a draft of the very young men who were just discovering the dizzying freedom the Sixties ushered in. The result? An impressive increase in the numbers of young people going to college, and an equally impressive increase in the number of young men moving to Canada.

But why was this war so different from Korea, only about ten years earlier? The simple answer: television. Reporters with cameras covered the bloodiest parts of the war, capturing the pain on both sides in film. And those films made their way to broadcast television, which for the first time could be found in half or more American homes. It was difficult to watch the images of war without being moved, an d it was a real shock to teenagers and young adults who had never known the touch of violence before.

But there was another kind of war going on, a social war. Blacks in America were discovering their power, partly spurred by the thought of the draft and partly by the energy of the decade carrying them forward. Women throughout the world were discovering not only their political power, but the social freedom brought about by a little pill the birth control pill. For better or worse, relations between the sexes would never be the same.

Sixties Fun, Games, and Fashion

Toys were undergoing change, too. Physical games, like Frisbees and Twister, became very popular indeed. Boys began collecting Matchbox cars, the latest rage; and the self-image of little girls everywhere was changed as Barbie dolls, Sindy dolls, and other anatomically correct dolls that werent baby dolls entered their pink frilly rooms.

Older boys were finding they had much more to look at than ever before. Girls skirts moved from the near-ankle-length full skirts of the fifties to the short shorter shortest skirts of the Sixties. Short skirts and midriff-revealing hipster jeans also made it important that as little cellulite as possible showed girls could no longer wear industrial-strength girdles. The most effective way of getting rid of cellulite? Be as thin as possible. The other problem with changing clothes was that if you used garters (or suspenders, if youre in Britain) they showed under the short tight skirts. The answer? Pantyhose, an invention of the devil.

Inventions and Innovations

Computers also moved from being a scientific curiosity to a genuine industrial innovation; punch cards and tape were the programming tools of the time until the integrated circuit, the precursor to todays microchips. This innovation led to the development of the hand-held pocket calculator by Texas Instruments, though calculators did not come into gen eral use until the early seventies. But the world didnt understand how much science and technology was really going to change their lives until Neil Armstrong spoke to the world from the surface of the Moon in 1969. It was a fitting end to a remarkable decade.

Phil Edwards is a writer in London, a product of the 60's baby boom and author of http://www.Sixties.gb.com, http://www.recipes.gb.com and Health Tips

Author:: Phil Edwards
Keywords:: Sixties, 1960s, 1960's, 60', < a href='http://www.amazon.com/rss/tag/196/new?tag=day2soft-20'title= '196: Newly tagged products at Amazon.com' target='_blank' style='font-size: large'>196
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Sun Tzu: The Art of War

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese text on strategy and warfare written by a Sun Wu, a brilliant military general more than two thousand years ago. It is considered one of the oldest attempts at analyzing and documenting the specific components of strategic warfare, with wisdom that is as applicable today as it was thousands of years ago.

Many Chinese and international scholars debated the exact dates that Sun Tzu waged war against his enemies and many question the legitimacy of such a historical figure actually existing. Rather than a sole general or military expert being the sole author, they interpreted the manuscripts as a collection of works pieced together by Chinese Philosophers.

In 1972 a set of engraved, bamboo texts were discovered in a grave near a city called Linyi Shandong. This discovery supported the existence of Sun Tzus. The texts were dated between 134-118 B.C and not only confirmed Sun Tzus historical existence, but also added new secti ons of strategic text. To support a timeline, clues can be found within his 13 Chapters of strategy, and especially in chapter two. Some scholars feel that the descriptions of war chariots that were used by the ancient Chinese were only used for a brief period ending in the 4th Century BC.

The actual text is 13 chapters covering all aspects of strategy from the use of psychological warfare, to his use of strategic deception, and the value he placed on the armies of secret agents and double agents.

As an example of text in which he uses an exercise in deception, he advised that if your enemy was near, to make him think you are far, if your enemy is far, make him think you are near. In an area that you are weak, make him think you are strong, in an area that you are strong, make him think that you are weak.

While he could be a ruthless military tactician, he also recognized that it requires more skill to take a city intact, than it was to destroy it. He a lso said that many successful battles is not the result of skill, but to rather to subduing the enemy without fighting is the test of true skill.

There are many free online version of Sun Tzu with links posted at the bottom. As you begin your study in the ancient, but applicable art of war, you will find varying translations due to disagreements of exact translations of the Chinese text. Even with the small variations, the message will resonate with accuracy, and relevancy.

The below excerpt is from an ancient biography on Sun Tzu and provides some insight into Sun Tzus rise to power. It outlines the story of Sun Tzu and the concubines. It is made possible with permission from Project Guttenberg with the complete text found at:

www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/taoism/sunntro.htm

Ssu-ma Ch`ien gives the following biography of Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu Wu was a native of the Chi State. His ART OF WAR brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, King of Wu.

Ho Lu said to him: I have carefully perused your 13 chapters. May I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight test? Sun Tzu replied: You may. Ho Lu asked: May the test be applied to women?

The answer was again in the affirmative, so arrangements were made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, and placed one of the King's favorite concubines at the head of each. He then bade them all take spears in their hands, and addressed them thus: I presume you know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand? The girls replied: Yes.

Sun Tzu went on: When I say Eyes front, you must look straight ahead. When I say Left turn, you must face towards your left hand. When I say Right turn, you must face towards your right hand. When I say About turn, you must face right round towards your back.

Again the girls assented. The words of command having been thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axe s in order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he gave the order Right turn. But the girls only burst out laughing. Sun Tzu said: If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.

So he started drilling them again, and this time gave the order Left turn, whereupon the girls once more burst into fits of laughter. Sun Tzu: If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.

So saying, he ordered the leaders of the two companies to be beheaded. Now the king of Wu was watching the scene from the top of a raised pavilion; and when he saw that his favorite concubines were about to be executed, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly sent down the following message: We are now quite satisfied as to our general's ability to ha ndle troops. If we are bereft of these two concubines, our meat and drink will lose their savor. It is our wish that they shall not be beheaded.

Sun Tzu replied: Having once received His Majesty's commission to be the general of his forces, there are certain commands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am unable to accept.

Accordingly, he had the two leaders beheaded, and straightway installed the pair next in order as leaders in their place. When this had been done, the drum was sounded for the drill once more; and the girls went through all the evolutions, turning to the right or to the left, marching ahead or wheeling back, kneeling or standing, with perfect accuracy and precision, not venturing to utter a sound. Then Sun Tzu sent a messenger to the King saying: Your soldiers, Sire, are now properly drilled and disciplined, and ready for your majesty's inspection. They can be put to any use that their sovereign may desire; bid them go through fire and water, and they will not disobey.

But the King replied: Let our general cease drilling and return to camp. As for us, we have no wish to come down and inspect the troops. Thereupon Sun Tzu said: The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds. After that, Ho Lu saw that Sun Tzu was one who knew how to handle an army, and finally appointed him general. In the west, he defeated the Ch`u State and forced his way into Ying, the capital; to the north he put fear into the States of Ch`i and Chin, and spread his fame abroad amongst the feudal princes. And Sun Tzu shared in the might of the King.

Leadership Development and Leadership Training are the focus of Aubie Pouncey's career. He works as a contributing writer for http://www.righttolead.com and has put together many Leadership training modules that can be found at: http://www.trainercorner.com

Author:: Aubie Pouncey
Keywords:: Leadership, Management, Leadership training, call center, Leadership development, Leadership style
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What is Your Birthstone?

Just about everyone knows what his or her Birthstone is. Why is that? Because people still enjoy the folklore associated with the tradition of the Birthstone. They like believing that wearing a Birthstone brings them good luck and protects them.

Early civilization as far back as the Assyrians (1400 BC) invested rare and beautiful Gemstones with magical properties. Some minerals were thought to contain a force or possess certain values and powers. For instance, amethyst was said to prevent intoxication.

Tradition associates a gem with each sign of the zodiac based on a color system. Color was thought to unleash the power attributed to the stone.

In time, Birthstones became associated with calendar months rather than the zodiac. And people began to select Birthstones in colors other than the original.

The Roman, Arabic, Jewish, Polish, Russian and Italian lists were all different.

The following list of Birthstones, which is the one commonly used today, was adopted in 1912 by the American National Association of Jewelers, which later evolved into the Jewelers of America.

January -- Garnet
February -- Amethyst
March -- Aquamarine
April -- Diamond
May -- Emerald
June -- Moonstone
July -- Ruby
August -- Peridot
September -- Sapphire
October -- Opal or Tourmaline
November -- Yellow Topaz or Citrine
December -- Sky Blue Turquoise or Blue Topaz

Julie Lee is a web designer and founder of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC. Julie's Jewels is a Texas based retail jewelry company specializing in high quality, affordable jewelry pieces created to be treasured for a lifetime.

Author:: Julie Lee
Keywords:: Birthstone, Gemstones, Mother's Birthstone
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Presidente Vincent Fox of Mexico Wishes to Legalize All Drugs in the Country?

Drugs have always been a huge problem in Mexico and many understand that much of the secret police and military are also involved in the drug cartels, both retired and active duty in Mexico. The corruption is so deep it is almost impossible to do anything but start over from scratch? Well in the current scheme of things and political climate there is indeed a fat chance of that happening anytime soon in Mexico.

This issue recently came up in an online think tank, when one member, Swift from Montana stated; I have a great deal of difficulty with the idea that Vincente Fox would even consider doing this, especially looking at the violence drug cartels are exhibiting all over that Country and particularly at our northern border. It is even more important that the US separate our selves from the natio n of Mexico, when they behave badly.

Indeed if Mexico Legalizes Drugs then they will be available right over the border and this will attract Drug Tourists from the United States to border towns in Mexico and thus will be very problematic for our enforcement agencies to stop cross border drug traffic or US citizen consumption once they cross the border. It is unfortunate to say the least that Mexico is considering this at all. Unbelievable in fact and it sure will cause problems with American Citizens and drug use at a time when we are busy spending taxpayers monies for rehabilitation, enforcement and education to stop Drugs. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Author:: Lance Winslow
Keywords:: Presidente Vincent Fox, Mexico, Wishes, Legalize, Drugs, Country
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Inuit Drum Dancing Of The Arctic

Like many other aboriginal cultures around the world, the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic have made use of Drums in some of their traditional Music for centuries. Inuit Drum Dancing played a part in many special occasions such as births, marriages, an Inuit boy's first hunt, changing of seasons, greetings for visitors or to honor someone who had passed away. News of these special events was spread by word of mouth and many Inuit traveled great distances to attend.

The Inuit Drum called a qilaut was traditionally made from caribou skin with seal or walrus skin around the handle. Before, Inuit Drum Dancing was most commonly done by men but eventually both men and women performed it. There were various Inuit Songs called ajaaja that were sung while Drum Dancing. In the past, many individuals had their own ajaaja Songs that were unique to them and about their own personal life experiences. There were also many Songs that were passed down through many generations of Inui t.

Like Inuit throat singing, the practice of Inuit Drum Dancing was banned by Christian missionaries for many years. Eventually, the Inuit regained their right to perform their Drum Dances. However, Inuit Drum Dancing is not as important today to Inuit life as it once was since western lifestyles have become such a big part of the northern Arctic. Inuit Drum Dancing is still sometimes performed at symbolic celebrations such as opening ceremonies for conferences, festivals, graduations and shows for tourists. Watching an Inuit Drum Dancer perform his or her Music can be almost hypnotic and is one of the special treats from Inuit culture to be enjoyed by all. Inuit Drum Dancers are a common subject for Inuit art Carvings and drawings. Inuit artists have even outfitted some of their animal subje cts with Inuit Drums.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca, an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including Carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

Author:: Clint Leung
Keywords:: Inuit, Drum, Dancer, Dancing, Dance, Music, Song, Arctic, Carving
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Sir Tom Stoppard the Early Plays Dogg's Our Pet

Sir Tom Stoppard, the early Plays.

8. Dogg's Our Pet

Before looking at one of Sir Tom Stoppard's major Plays, Travesties (1974), it is worth glancing at his short play Dogg's Our Pet (1971) (Revived to support Cahoots Macbeth 1979) in which the basic idea of Travesties is illustrated. Although a very short and simple play Dogg's Our Pet is a useful landmark in the evolution of Stoppard's ideas about language. His interest in the way different forms of language have implicit meanings of their own, distinct from their content, was evident in earlier works, for example, the contrast between poetry and the speaking clock in If You're Glad I'll be Frank (1966), and the contrast between Shakespearean and modern language in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1966). In these cases the different languages reflected different 'mentalities' or different approaches to life, and this is the starting point for Travesties. At the same time Stoppard has an interest in t he philosophy of the relationship between language and meaning, which is the subject matter of Dogg's Our Pet, indicated, for example, by this speech of George's from Jumpers (1972):

'This confusion, which indicates only that language is an approximation of meaning, and not a logical symbolism for it.' (p.24.)

This is the kind of problem Wittgenstein deals with in the first part of his Philosophical Investigations, and Dogg's Our Pet is virtually a Dramatisation of the opening paragraph of Philosophical Investigations.

Wittgenstein starts by distinguishing between the meaning of a word, and the way a word is used. One of the examples he uses to illustrate his theory is a builder who is constructing a platform and calls out to his mate, brick, block, plank etc. Stoppard lifts this example straight out of Wittgenstein and puts it on stage. The builder is working at a school, his assistant being one of the schoolboys who have a private language of their own . (The boys are public school types, and the builder is working class, so they are people who 'do not speak the same language in more ways than one. This social theme is not developed in this play, but is taken up again and expanded in Professional Foul).

Sometimes when the builder calls out, plank, brick etc. the appropriate items are thrown to him, but sometimes an unexpected item is thrown. It is evident that the boys have the same words in their vocabulary, but they use them in a different way. Hayman (R. Hayman: Tom Stoppard: Heinemann) provides a translation: Plank = Here, Slab = Ready, Cube = Thank you etc.

The play is essentially an entertaining puzzle to stimulate the audience into thought about the way we use language. But it also has a significant meaning in that the boys and the builder, working together, do actually manage to construct a platform. Hence although each has a language of his own and is therefore, to an extent, living in a world of his own, their languages and worlds overlap enough for them to communicate and work in an intermediary 'real world'. This is the central concept for understanding Stoppard's major play Travesties.

Read the full version of this essay at: http://www.literature-study-online.com/essays/stoppard.html

Ian Mackean runs the site http://www.literature-study-online.com, which features a substantial collection of English Literature Resources and Essays, and where his sites on Books Made Into Movies, and Short Story Writing can also be found. He is the editor of The Essentials of Literature in English post-1914, published by Hodder Arnold. When not writing about literature or short story writing he is a keen amateur photographer, and has made a site of his photography at http://www.photo-zen.com

Author:: Ian Mackean
Keywords:: Tom Stoppard,Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,English Literature,Plays,Drama,British,Theatre
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The Chinese American Without a Chinese Name

I walked up to the customs agent's counter in Beijing International airport, and mindlessly handed the customs agent my passport. He then mindlessly did his thing with my passport. It was supposed to be a quiet transaction, but he broke the silence when he looked up and asked if I still use my Chinese name in America. With a blank look on my face, I began to consider supplying him with an answer he might like to hear, but he didn't give me enough time to think and he answered for me that that I must not use my Chinese name anymore. My passport was handed back to me with a smile. He then wished me a pleasant journey and pointed me to the three long security checkpoints reserved for US bound passengers. While standing in line, I thought about my long-lost Chinese name and how unattached I am to my Chinese name....

Born in 1969 in communist China, my parents promptly decided to name me after something that had something to do with Chairman Mao. Not that they t hought of him as a great leader, but rather out of fear. They picked a little known poem by Mao, which allowed them to show enough dedication to Mao without being reminded too much of him. My name was the first character of the three character title of this poem. (They actually needed to have three children to qualify for Mao's poem, but they stopped at two. My sister's name was the second character of the title, but her character is better known.) They clearly went too far with their quest, not only did most people fail to associate my name properly with Chairman Mao, but most people simply don't know the character that is my name.

As a young child in China, it always surprised me if someone could pronounce my name correctly without being told first. I regarded anyone who knew my name as certainly the most learned and intelligent. They would often ask anyway how I got such a little known character as a name and I would politely repeat the origin of my name, including that I only have one sibling and that I don't actually know the poem itself, just the title. I also endured numerous longer and more colorful dialogs about my name between my mother and other curious people. Once in a while, my parents would apologetically explain that my name was selected to protect me, but I am certain that my name had not once protected me when I got myself in trouble.

I came to America just in time to stArt 8th grade, and by then my Chinese name had been loosely translated phonetically into English. Now it really sounds nothing like my name, even when I say it. On quite a few occasions, I was completely oblivious when someone was calling for me. One day, my grandmother suggested to me that since I live in America now, it would be easier to have an English name. I thou ght this was an excellent idea. The very first name she suggested was Jenny, and I said okay. Finally, I had a name that is simple, modest, and best of all, does not call attention to itself.

When I got married, since my husband isn't Chinese, I realized that I would lose pArt of my ethnic identity if I changed my last name but I decided to change my last name anyway. The logic was simple: I wanted to have the same last name as my future children so that no one would mistake me for their nanny. I kept my maiden name as my middle name. I like my last name by birth. Most of the time a middle name is not required, so, on paper, my name does not suggest that I am Chinese American.

In real life, I am a Chinese Americana proud one, I might add. I am fluent in spoken and written Chinese. My fa vorite carb is rice, in fact, it is pretty much the only carb I like. I am also an avid green tea drinker, and rarely miss an opportunity to order stinky bean curd if my dining pArtner can tolerate if not share it. After I had children of my own, it became even more important to embrace being Chinese. I wanted to pass down the great Chinese heritage and values to my children. They are taught to be respectful and obedient to their teachers in school, and that being smArt and getting good grades is a great source of pride, and yes! math and science is more important than liberal Arts.

I also made great efforts to teach my children to be fluent in Mandarin Chinese in our predominately English speaking household. We were fortunate to afford the neat trick of hiring a full time Chinese speaking nanny for our children for 6 years. I read Chinese children books to my children almost religiously every night. Both of my kids were given Chinese names (ones that I like) in addition to English ones and we use their Chinese names at home. We celebrate each major Chinese holiday, and for Chinese New Year, I even stage a celebration that can sort of rival Christmas. They get all dressed up in their beautiful silk Chinese outfits on New Year's day, I arrange nice display of treats on our table for the kids to enjoy, and instead of the more traditional treats, I disguise mine with gold-wrapped Chocolate coins, and snacks that they like. After all, one has t o enjoy the treats to appreciate the holiday. And of course, the red envelops, which they grow to appreciate more and more each year. One day, I think they might like it better than the presents during Christmas. I just have to be very generous with their red envelops. But the most festive pArt of our Chinese New Year celebration is our annul pilgrimage to my parent's house. Where they learn that Chinese New Year is a great family celebration mixed with a lot of eating, and more red envelops for the children. I tell them that they are lucky to have more holiday celebrations than most of their friends, because they are Chinese.

And I am lucky to be an Chinese American too. Because I fully embrace the benefits from two great cultures. Even without a Chinese name.

This Article is printed with permission from AsianParent.com -- Offering a large selection of Chinese children's Books and DVDs for 0-12 year olds.

Author:: Jenny Parker
Keywords:: Asian culture, biracial marriage
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