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Named in honor of the now-defunct campus newspaper, The Quill is a showcase for student academic writing. It features student writing that has been nominated as worthy of distinction by instructors. By making public examples of the fine student writing produced at Ursuline, we hope to inspire more excellence in future student writing. If you are an instructor at Ursuline and find a piece of A+ student writing, then please nominate it for The Quill. If you are a student, then we hope these models of student academic writing will inspire you to bring out your own unique voice to provide a vision that cannot be found in cutting and pasting text found on the Internet, but instead can only be found within the values of your own mind.
The Quill
Alphabetical List of Student Writers
Reverse Chronological List of Student Writers
Honor Roll (Past Works Featured on The Quill)
Alphabetical List
"The Awakening" Essay by Valerie Doycich, Ursuline Studies 313-01, Spring 2014
"The End" by Lauren Hollis, Ursuline Studies 351 Spring 2012
"Money, Materialism, and Mechanization: A Marxist Approach to One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Lauren Krozser English 132 Spring 2012
"Reflection Essay" by Jessie Mueller, Religious Studies 325 Spring 2011
"Thank You Grandma" by Amanda Paletta, Ursuline Studies 101 Fall 2012
"Identity and Authenticity in George Orwell's Burmese Days: The Pukka Sahib Englishman in British Colonial Burma" by Patti Fish Stephens, English 344 Fall 2011
"Reflection Essay" by Kaylene Way, Religious Studies 325 Spring 2011
Reverse Chronological List
"Thank You Grandma" by Amanda Paletta, Ursuline Studies 101 Fall 2012
"Money, Materialism, and Mechanization: A Marxist Approach to One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Lauren Krozser English 132 Spring 2012
"The End" by Lauren Hollis, Ursuline Studies 351 Spring 2012
"Identity and Authenticity in George Orwell's Burmese Days: The Pukka Sahib Englishman in British Colonial Burma" by Patti Fish Stephens, English 344 Fall 2011
"Reflection Essay" by Kaylene Way, Religious Studies 325 Spring 2011
"Reflection Essay" by Jessie Mueller, Religious Studies 325 Spring 2011
Honor Roll (Past Works Featured on The Quill)
"Healing The Scars" by Lauren Krozser, Ursuline Studies 101 Fall 2010 taught by Alana Andrews
"Thank You Grandma" by Amanda Paletta
Ursuline Studies 101, Fall 2012
Fred Wright, Amanda's instructor for US 101 (Introduction to the Liberal Arts), comments, "US 101 is an introduction to college in general and Ursuline in particular, in which students learn about academic writing, analytical reading, educational theories, public speaking, research techniques, and study skills, among other things, in a holistic approach that focuses on the themes of education, identity, meaning, and voice. For this assignment, students were asked to reflect on their identities by examining material from our class readings, in addition to selecting a role model from their lives. In her essay, Amanda selected her grandmother and does a superb job of explaining the effect she has had on Amanda. Furthermore, Amanda does a nice job illustrating what she identifies with in the class readings. Altogether, Amanda demonstrates that she's been doing some careful thinking about the nature of identity, something that should benefit her long beyond college."
"Pay no mind to what other people say; whatever makes an individual happy is what he or she should do." This quote comes from my grandmother, who tries her best to teach me about an individual's personal identity. An individual's identity represents who he or she truly is; it is something that allows a specific person to stand out from the crowd. During an individual's life, he or she will come across many obstacles that will shape her or his being and will further shape her or him into someone with particular traits, or an identity. During my life, I grew up with six older siblings who each had voices and opinions quite different than mine. Although I felt different from everyone else, there was always one person who I related to, my grandmother. All throughout the years of growing up and going through changes, I always seemed to be filled with encouraging words of wisdom from my grandmother, and, most importantly, she was very accepting of the paths I had chosen to follow despite the fact that they were different from my family's paths. Throughout the book The Norton Mix, which is an anthology of different texts, many aspects of identity are explored. The selection that I believe relates to me the most in this book is "Professions for Women" by Virginia Woolf, a 1931 speech about Woolf's work as a writer. Another text that I believe presents many characters with different identity aspects is the novel Hairstyles of the Damned, by Joe Meno; the novel is about a teenage boy searching for his identity. After analyzing both texts and listening attentively to my grandmother's advice, I have concluded that everyone needs to understand that no two identities are alike, and individuals should follow their dreams no matter what anyone has to say about it.
With the guidance of my grandmother I have become a very accepting, non-prejudiced, and determined young lady. One very important aspect of my identity is the fact that I am very accepting of choices made by other people, whether I agree with the paths they have chosen or not. A very important lesson I learned at a young age was that not everyone is going to encourage someone to follow her or his dreams; many people will show no encouragement at all. This is the reason individuals must have a sense of self respect, self-worth, and a lot of courage to get through life. The three aspects of identity previously listed also describe my identity as a whole. I have shown my identity by engaging in conversations with people and encouraging people to follow their dreams. An example of a time when I felt as though I helped someone with my words of encouragement was when I was walking back to my dorm and found one of my classmates crying on a bench alone. I asked her what was the matter, and she spilled her emotions out to me. I gave her my best advice, and, even though my advice did not take all of the pain away, I know it helped her in some way. Sometimes all someone needs is an ounce of encouragement to gain a combination of self respect, self-worth, and, most important, courage. These three aspects of identity have been instilled in my brain by my grandmother for as long as I can remember, and this is why it is she who has been my greatest influence and role model in life.
While reading Hairstyles of the Damned, I came across many characters who I could compare myself to, but the only character who I believe fits my description is Ms. Aiken, who is the main character's history teacher. I am comparing myself to her due to the fact that she has proven to be an extremely accepting individual. For example, Ms. Aiken walks around the class to review research topics and notices a student's hair is being hidden underneath his shirt collar (132). After she recognizes this, she could easily send him to the principal's office because of the rule against long hair at the high school, but she decides against this. Ms. Aiken explains to the student that she does not mind his long hair because that is who he is--that is his identity--and she would be wrong to tell him who he can and cannot be (133). I believe I relate to Ms. Aiken the most out of all the characters in the entire novel because I feel as though I would have handled the situation with the student's long hair the exact same way that she does. In my opinion, individuals should have the option to express themselves any way they would like. Ms. Aiken's reasoning leads me to believe she is my most relatable character in Hairstyles of the Damned.
Just as I identified with Ms. Aiken, I identified with Virginia Woolf. In her short yet inspiring speech "Professions for Women," she describes herself as a young writer who has astonishing hopes and dreams. Even though some individuals were interested in her work, she felt there was always someone known as the "Angel in the House" who would tell her that what she was doing was not right (205). After getting sick and tired of this ideal woman telling her that her writing was unladylike, Woolf killed the angel so as to never hear her discouraging words again (206). Of course, this is not the true story of what was actually going on because there was no real angel telling Woolf anything. The moral of the speech is basically that no matter how well an individual is doing in her or his life and no matter how satisfied an individual is with her or his choices, someone will always try to stop her or him. The reason why I believe this 1931 speech relates to me in 2012 is because my family always tries to tell me that it is wrong for me to become a nurse because they would like me to become a teacher instead. After reading Woolf's speech, I am motivated even more to stick with my initial decision of becoming a nurse and to never let anyone steer me away from my dreams.
Throughout my life in college, I have gone through some of the hardest changes and adjustments that I thought could ever come my way. Even though I have more challenges awaiting me on my path to graduation, I still stand by my identity and have a positive attitude. I still give everyone a chance and never find myself being judgmental because someone is different from me. These aspects of identity have shaped who I am today and will make me a wonderful nurse. By examining Virginias Woolf's speech, Ms. Aiken's understanding ways, and my grandmother's kind words, you can clearly see why my aspects of identity include, but are not limited to, always following my dreams no matter what!
Works Cited
Meno, Joe. Hairstyles of the Damned. New York: Punk Planet-Akashic, 2004. Print.
Woolf, Virginia. "Professions for Women." The Norton Mix. Ed. Beth Johnson. New York: Norton, 2011. 203-210. Print.
Amanda is a freshman nursing major at Ursuline and notes of her essay, "While writing this essay, many thoughts were racing through my mind, but mainly I wondered if other individuals would understand my viewpoint of differences among people. Growing up with many siblings, I have discovered how many differentiating opinions revolve in one household. Having that said, it has been engrained into my head from a young age to think quite differently from others because I was always the lone soul who thought differently from many of the people I shared my life with. The message that I think is most important to get across to the public is that people are different, but being different does not make an individual less of a human being. If I could change one thing about the world and our society, it would be that every individual should be accepted for who he or she is and not judged by aspects that make her or him different."
"Money, Materialism, and Mechanization: A Marxist Approach to One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Lauren Krozser
English 132, Spring 2012
Fred Wright, Lauren's instructor for EN 132 (Life, Language, Literature), comments, "English 132 is an introduction to English studies, in which students learn about various areas in the discipline from linguistics to the study of popular culture. For the literature and literary criticism section of the course, students read a canonical work of literature and what scholars have said about the work over the years. This year, students read One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey, a classic of American literature which dates from the 1960s counterculture. Popularized in a film version starring Jack Nicholson, which the class also watched in order to discuss film studies and adaptation, the novel became notable for its sympathetic portrayal of the mentally ill. For an essay about the novel, students were asked to choose a critical approach (such as feminist, formalist, psychological, and so forth) and interpret the novel using that approach, while also considering how their interpretation fit into the ongoing scholarly dialogue about the work. Lauren chose the challenge of applying a Marxist approach to One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. Not only did she learn about critical approaches and how to apply one to a text, she wrote an excellent essay, which will help other readers understand the text better. In fact, if John Clark Pratt or another editor ever want to update the 1996 Viking Critical Library edition of the novel, then he or she might want to include Lauren's essay in the next edition!"
At first glance, a reader may wonder how Ken Kesey's novel One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, a book depicting a group of mentally unstable men and their boisterous Irish-American leader, connects with the economic and sociological view of Marxism. The novel, which takes place in an Oregon psychiatric hospital, centers around the conflict between manipulative Nurse Ratched and her patients. Randle McMurphy, a transfer from Pendleton Work Farm, becomes a champion for the men's cause as he sets out to overthrow the dictator-like nurse. Initially, the reader may doubt the economic implications of the novel. Yet, if one looks closer at the numerous textual references to power, production, and profit, he or she will begin to interpret Cuckoo's Nest in a different light. Marxism was developed by German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the mid-nineteenth century. It holds that productive labor is essential for human survival, that producers dominate consumers, and that societies evolve through a series of conflicts between the ruling class (bourgeoisie) and the working class (proletariat). Marxists advocate a classless society in which wealth is distributed evenly among citizens (Bressler 192-3). Capital is not merely money, but money that that is used to make more money (Parker 213). Marxists detest the alienation of labor experienced by workers who exert exceptional amounts of energy in factories, yet never benefit entirely from their work (Parker 214). There are many examples within the text that illustrate the conflict between the ruling class (Nurse Ratched), middle class (Dr. Spivey, who is intimidated by Ratched), and working class (patients). The symbol of machinery as a means to mass-produce a standard product is also explored, as well as what—or whom—counts as machinery. By viewing One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest from a Marxist perspective, one will discover how Kesey uses his novel to make a statement about money, materialism, and mechanization in the twentieth century United States of America. The author skillfully uses plot, imagery, and character development to declare that individuals with mental disorders are more than machines that need to be fixed in order to be productive in society; they have value in and of themselves.
Like Marx's proletariat, the patients in Cuckoo's Nest are alienated, the result of their labor being directed and overseen by Ratched. The patients continually have a sense that someone is watching them because not only are they mentally ill, but Ratched actually insists they spy on one another and report any of their peers' poor conduct. The narrator, Chief Bromden, relates how the doctor who works with Ratched urges: "Talk . . . discuss, confess. And if you hear a friend say something . . . list it in the log book for the staff to see. It's not . . . 'squealing,' it's helping your fellow" (Kesey 47). This "helping your fellow" creates a feeling of contempt and competition among the men, and competition is the antithesis of Marxism. This is just one of Ratched's many abuses of power over the ward. Literary critics Roger C. Loeb and Irving Malin shed light on the way patients are used as laborers, or at least treated as such. Both critics clearly illustrate the divide between the patients and the people in power within the facility. One of the first things the reader notices is that the hospital functions on a rigid schedule run by a rigid nurse who seems more machine than woman, or human being for that matter. She runs the ward "like a smooth, accurate, precision-made machine" (Kesey 26). The only thing feminine about her is her large breasts which she keeps hidden underneath her uniform. Malin writes that "The 'Big Nurse' is no longer a woman—she has become a Frankenstein monster. All of her gestures, commands, feelings, and possessions are mechanized" (441). Even her voice "has a tight whine like an electric saw" (Kesey 138). Bromden describes her as a truck, who trails her nurse's bag "behind in her exhaust like a semi behind a Jimmy Diesel" (Kesey 93). Loeb points out that the reason the nurse acts like a machine is because it enables her to control others (87-88). She determines who is released, who stays on the floor, and who is sent to the "Disturbed" floor. She even controls time by adjusting the clocks on the wall, or at least it seems this way to Bromden, a schizophrenic, "She's given to turning up the speed . . . when you got somebody to visit you. . . . But generally it's the other way, the slow way" (Kesey 74-5).
Another important way the nurse controls the inmates is by withholding gum, cigarettes, and television privileges from the men. This is characteristic of an economic system that distributes aid at its own leisure ("Capitalism" 222). It is also representative of how the upper-class denies the lower-class of wealth, status, leisure, and even the fruits of their labor. Consider poor factory laborers who work for extremely low pay to make fine clothes that they will never have a chance to wear themselves. When McMurphy attempts to change Ratched's policy about television, he faces considerable opposition, and after McMurphy finally gains enough votes to have the World Series shown in the ward, Ratched insists that he does not have a majority because he has not accounted for the Chronics, patients with such severe mental illnesses that they are considered incapable of ever leaving the ward, in the total amount of patients (134). The Chronics cannot do much of anything, let alone vote to watch a baseball game. Kesey seems to suggest that democratic voting holds little value even in a capitalist society built on the principal of individual freedom. Sadly, the patients watch a blank screen and pretend they are watching the game instead. Interestingly, the Chronics symbolize a separate class than the Acutes, patients considered capable of rehabilitation, whom Ratched also dominates. The Chronics are described as "machines with flaws inside that can't be repaired" (Kesey 51). Imagery such as shock treatments and brain operations carry Kesey's message that society is becoming too preoccupied with "fixing" things and that people are not pieces of equipment that need to be "fixed," but are thinking, feeling human beings whose illnesses need to be cured through warmth and compassion. He advocates that those with mental disorders have more to contribute to society than their own ailments, which secure health care providers such as Ratched a place in the workforce. Through McMurphy's rehabilitation of Bromden, a Chronic, over the course of the novel, Kesey argues that the patients are more than the paychecks they provide hospital management; they are more than defective brains to be examined and probed.
It is worth noting that the people who have the most power in the story are those that are educated, including the nurses, doctors, board members, and president of the hospital. The "black boys," the male, African-American orderlies who serve Ratched, are portrayed as less intelligent and merely function as robots following orders. McMurphy's ethnic, working class background also puts him in a position lower than that of the Big Nurse. This is a reflection of the hierarchy in real-world America. Kesey could be warning his readers about the danger of science and knowledge as he makes the characters with the best education powerful, but also cruel. The uneducated McMurphy is unlike the machinery-like Ratched in that he is uninhibited, rowdy, and emotional, while she is cold and calculating. The Irishman laughs at problems to keep his spirits up and prevent himself from becoming a body with no soul. At one point in the story, McMurphy takes the men out on a fishing trip where they are rejuvenated with nature, far away from the mechanical institution (238).
While Ratched acts like a machine, she essentially functions as a manufacturer and symbol of the oppressive upper-class (Haslett 35). While McMurphy tries to bring about equality between the patients and head nurse, she holds onto her self-proclaimed right to exact power over her charges because of her money, education, and, ultimately, sanity. The patients represent the working-class by providing Ratched, the manufacturer, with the "products" from which she profits—their deranged minds. The patients can even be viewed as products themselves after shock therapy treatments and lobotomies leave them without personality. The negative effects of the hospital's organizational structure are numerous. The men feel worthless, abused, and manipulated, much like the proletariat who endured horrendous working conditions and rarely saw the fruits of their labor during the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom and United States in the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century ("Industrial Revolution" 630). Perhaps the most conspicuous example of the hospital environment's detrimental impact is Billy Bibbit's suicide after Nurse Ratched threatens to tell his mother about his night with Candy, the prostitute McMurphy brings onto the ward (Kesey 302-304). While this event can be interpreted as merely a tragedy between a manipulative nurse and an overwrought patient, it can also be interpreted as a representation of the harm that can result from an economy that encourages certain groups of people to dominate others.
By examining One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest from a Marxist perspective, the reader develops a sense of the underlying meanings beyond much of the imagery that fills the novel. Kesey makes a powerful statement about overproduction and overconsumption in 1960s America by depicting a group of mental patients whose function is to serve the hospital from which they should be receiving quality care from, a reflection of how the poor serve the rich. Through varying techniques, he expresses that there should be more equality between different classes and groups, and that there must be more value placed on the human than the machine. With any hope, society can learn something from Cuckoo's destructive, yet equally hopeful outcome.
Works Cited
Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print
"Capitalism." The New American Desk Encyclopedia. 5th ed. 1989. Print.
"Communism." The New American Desk Encyclopedia. 5th ed. 1989. Print.
Haslett, Moyra. Marxist Literary and Cultural Theories. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000. Print.
"Industrial Revolution." The New American Desk Encyclopedia. 5th ed. 1989. Print.
Kappel, Lawrence. Readings on One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Print.
Kesey, Ken. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. Ed. John Clark Pratt. New York: Viking-Penguin, 1996. Print. Viking Critical Library.
Loeb, Roger C. "Machines, Mops, and Medicaments: Therapy in the Cuckoo's Nest." Lex et Scientia 13. 1-2 (1977): 38-41. Rpt. Kappel 85-91.
Malin, Irving. "Ken Kesey: One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest." Critique 5.2 (1962): 81-84. Rpt. in Kesey 440-444.
"Marxism." The New American Desk Encyclopedia. 5th ed. 1989. Print.
Parker, Robert Dale. How to Interpret Literature: Critical Theory for Literary and Cultural Studies. New York: Oxford, 2011. Print.
Lauren is a sophomore English major at Ursuline and notes of her essay, "In One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey powerfully addresses mental illness, telling the story not through the eyes of a doctor or scientist, but through the eyes of a patient, bringing to light everything from the stigma of mental health problems to the inadequate hospital care patients received during the 1960s. Unfortunately, though Cuckoo's Nest is fictional, mental illness remains all too real for many Americans today, and our society still struggles with finding effective treatment for those affected. While the first-person perspective alone makes Cuckoo's Nest a captivating read, its striking imagery and clever symbolism begs for close reading and invites multiple interpretations. I found the Marxist interpretation to be the most compelling because of the many textual references to power, machines, and material wealth. Kesey's skillful use of literary devices constantly forces readers to question their beliefs about government, healthcare, and the economy. With each turn of events, readers must decide whether it is morally right to support the authority figure (who has the potential to be either hero or villain), or to support the rebel (who can be viewed as either a disorderly radical or a justice-seeker). The novel makes readers ponder, examine, and challenge the status quo, as well as recognize the innate value of the human spirit, infinitely valuable and never defective."
"The End" by Lauren Hollis
Ursuline Studies 351 Spring 2012
Pamela McVay, Lauren's instructor for US 351 (Introduction to Culture), comments, "In US 351 Introduction to Culture, my students are required to write a poem that demonstrates their understanding of the Baroque aesthetic. Describing the meaning of life in seventeen short lines, in "The End" she borrows George Herbert's technical feat of choosing line lengths to illustrate her main point before we read a word."
Lauren is a senior Sport Management major at Ursuline and notes of her poem, "When I was handed this assignment, I thought it would be fun to make it a life experience I have had with my horses. As I dug though my memory, I could not get past the two people whom I had showed horses with who had passed away in December of 2011. As I thought about how they both were so young and would never get the chance to be the people they dreamed of, this poem started to come together. As children, we all have those dreams to be someone important, strong, and almost herolike. This poem is my way of expressing that sometimes we may not become the president of the United States, a cancer curing doctor, or a soldier who ends the war, but it is the 'smaller' roles we play in this big world that we are remembered by."
"Identity and Authenticity in George Orwell's Burmese Days: The Pukka Sahib Englishman in British Colonial Burma" by Patti Fish Stephens
English 344 Fall 2011
Fred Wright, Patti's instructor for EN 344 (Asian Literature), comments, "For the Asian Literature course, a student has the option of enrolling at the 300 level and doing additional reading and writing for the course. Not many students select this option, yet Patti did, demonstrating her interest in engaging more deeply with the subject matter. In the critical research essay assignment of Asian Literature, the 300-level student is asked to do several challenging tasks. The first is to confront the very notion of literary classification. What does it mean when we draw geographic or national boundaries around a work of literature? The second is to make connections across texts. What links exist between literary works written decades and thousands of miles apart? What can these connections tell us about the literary works, as well as human nature? The third is to explore what literary critics and other scholars have had to say about these works. How can the student's interpretation of the works be informed by viewing them through the eyes of others who have thought deeply about them? How can the student present her or his own understanding of the works without having her or his voice drowned out by the thoughts of others? What can the student add to the critical conversation? In her essay on George Orwell's very first novel, Patti Fish Stephens overcomes each challenge and contributes greatly to the critical conversation."
We human beings have a deep-seated need to name things. The propensity for labeling is in our linguistic make-up. This naming and labeling, we believe, will make our lives easier by allowing us to place things in their proper categories. However, the labels we assign to things or people can affect the way we and others perceive them. For example, the country of Burma now identifies itself as Myanmar. During British colonial occupation, the land now called Myanmar was often simply referred to as part of India. Each of these three names bears subtle but particular political connotations. We must, therefore, choose labels carefully, realizing that not all things can--or should--be defined for the purpose of simplistic classification. Such is the case with George Orwell's first novel, Burmese Days. Both the novel's setting of colonial Burma as well as its main character, John Flory, play key roles in the debate over the identity of Burmese Days as authentically British or Asian literature.
Written by a British author about his time in colonial Burma, Burmese Days defies simple classification as either British or Asian Literature. This question of identification goes far deeper than the decision of which Dewey Decimal number should be assigned or of where Burmese Days should be shelved in the library. The dilemma of identity goes to the very heart of Burmese Days. Based on Orwell's years in Burma as a military police officer, the novel is set when "the British empire was at its largest and most expansive in the 1920s and 30s [sic], the same period . . . of the beginning of the end of imperial authority" (Gopinath 201). It is this setting of "the steady deterioration of imperial confidence both at home in the empire" (Gopinath 201) which creates the identity crisis of John Flory, the maladjusted protagonist of Burmese Days.
Flory's identity crisis arises from the duality common to the expatriate or immigrant experience: having one's physical body in one location while one's heart resides in another. In Flory's case, however, his heart has switched sides on him. He has been in Burma so long that he has embraced it as his homeland, yet he despises its colonial subservience to the British Empire and its haughty "pukka sahib" (Orwell 39) or "perfect colonial master" (Srivastava 58) colonizers, of which he is one. This love-hate relationship with colonial Burma mirrors Flory's own identity crisis. He cannot reconcile his love of the Burmese country and people with his allegiance to the other Englishmen in his adopted home of Kyauktada. This tension creates in Flory a self-loathing that makes his existence virtually unbearable until he finds someone to share his life and ambivalent feelings with. When this relationship falls apart, Flory's self-loathing turns suicidal. His inability to reconcile his identity as an Anglo-Indian within the rigid pukka sahib subculture of his fellow Englishmen culminates in Flory's self-destruction. With death comes the ultimate loss of Flory's identity.
It can be argued that Flory's devolution from Englishman to pukka sahib to non-entity loosely mirrors the history of Burma. Burma's identity has transitioned from Asian country to British territory to chaotic present-day Myanmar. In a very literal sense, Burma has lost her identity; the name of Burma no longer exists just as the character of John Flory is "soon forgotten" (Orwell 283) after his death in Burmese Days. As Jeffrey Meyers discovered while researching his biography, Orwell: Life and Art, "the Burmese government has tried to obliterate all traces of the colonial era, which lasted from the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824 to independence in 1948. (The five-story National Museum leaves out more than a century of the country's history.)" (Meyers 10). Flory and Burma have both been defined by and destroyed by British colonial rule.
Because Flory no longer has a clear national identity, he is in search of someone or someplace to whom or which he can belong. Flory has never been comfortable in his own skin, one reason for which is the large blue birthmark which covers most of one side of his face (Orwell 17). This stain upon Flory's face can possibly represent the external manifestation of the emotional mark that Burma has left upon his character. The unusual blue birthmark could be so colored in order to represent India, the source of indigo blue dye. Flory's birthmark can therefore be viewed as a symbol for his identity crisis. Burmese Days provides not only the setting for Flory's identity crisis but also a snapshot of Burma under British colonial rule. Flory's identity crisis is a direct result of his participation in British colonization of the Indian subcontinent; he is British by birth but runs a timber company in Burma, thereby profiting from the imperial machine he claims to despise. He has been away from his native land so long that he no longer feels at home in England. Here is how the omniscient narrator in Burmese Days describes the moment Flory realizes that England was no longer his home: "Something turned over in Flory's heart. It was one of those moments when one becomes conscious of a vast change and deterioration in one's life. For he had realised [sic], suddenly, that in his heart he was glad to be coming back. This country which he hated was now his native country, his home. He had lived here ten years, and every particle of his body was compounded of Burmese soil" (Orwell 71). Flory's ambivalence toward both his British counterparts and his Burmese home calls into question his very identity. Flory's identity crisis mirrors the identity crisis of the novel. As Arif Dirlik discusses in "Literature/Identity: Transnationalism, Narrative and Representation," "Ethnic or transnational literatures present a challenge not only to historical ways of thinking, but also to the ways in which we have organized the study of the world in terms of nations, areas, and regions" (209). It is just this challenge that is raised by Orwell's Burmese Days. Despite Orwell's authorial stature in the canon of British literature, his first novel crosses the boundaries between British and Asian literature.
One argument for classifying Burmese Days as a work of Asian literature can be attributed to Orwell himself. As Douglas Kerr points out in his article "Colonial Habitats: Orwell and Woolf in the Jungle," Orwell's comment that "In all novels about the East . . . the scenery is the real subject-matter" indicates that the setting of Burmese Days is the true main character, upstaging the action, as it were (149). By this definition, then, Burma herself is the main character of Burmese Days and therefore this is a novel about an Asian country, set in an Asian country, by an author who lived for many years in that Asian country. Additionally, although Burmese Days is written in English, it contains a great deal of Burmese terminology. This use of Burmese vocabulary addresses "the issue of authenticity" (60) which Neelam Srivastava discusses in his article "Pidgin English or Pigeon Indian? Babus and Babuisms in Colonial and Postcolonial Fiction." Srivastava points out that when Salman Rushdie used English parenthetical translations of Hindi terms in his novel Midnight's Children, the language was "seen as an inauthentic mediation between cultures" (60). Orwell, on the other hand, seems to go out of his way to not define the Burmese terms used in his novel, thus indicating a more authentically Asian work of literature.
Conversely, Kerr asserts in "Colonial Habitats" that "Flory has an Asian mistress, an Asian friend, and an Asian enemy, but virtually all the novel's action is focused through his European consciousness" (151). Kerr describes the "pattern often repeated in Orwell's Burmese writings" (152) by which that European consciousness evolves, passing through three stages. The first stage is marked by the European view of the Burmese landscape as "grotesque and alienating." This phase can be related to the shock of seeing the "hideousness" (Orwell 17) of John Flory's birthmark for the first time. Next, the European viewer has some sort of "romantic epiphany" about the Asian landscape; this phase can be compared to the point in Burmese Days at which Flory's romantic interest, Elizabeth, no longer notices his birthmark and they kiss for the first time (177). Finally, just as Elizabeth comes to hate Flory and his birthmark as the representation of his dishonor (274), the viewer realizes that this romance with the landscape "is impossible to sustain, for the constraints of ideology – the roles provided for him by his place in the imperial project, by his race, his gender, his class and profession – drive him back into postures of antagonism, and acts of violence" (152). These "constraints of ideology" which Kerr describes are the cause of Flory's identity crisis in Burmese Days. Flory may view Kyauktada through European eyes, yet he still calls Burma "his native country, his home" (Orwell 71). So does Kerr's line of reasoning necessarily point to a Eurocentric classification of Burmese Days as British literature?
The role of language may once again serve as a determining factor in the classification of Burmese Days as either British or Asian literature. In our Asian Literature course we encountered numerous genres of Asian literature with authors and settings spanning from Iran to China. Of these works, the most useful comparisons to Burmese Days can be found in The Lotus Singers: Short Stories from Contemporary South Asia, The Complete Persepolis, and When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace. In the foreword to The Lotus Singers, Urvashi Butalia points out that there are many different criteria by which an editor could choose to compile a collection such as The Lotus Singers: "will nationality define choice? Or language? Or class? Or gender? . . . Clearly there are no easy choices. But there are abundant cautions . . . Perhaps because of the colonial past of most—happily, not all—countries in the region, English is predominant and gets more importance than the indigenous languages . . ." (Butalia x). Does this mean, then, that if native Asian writers choose to write in the language of power and of colonialism, that is, English, would those stories no longer be classified as Asian literature? Would they be labeled British literature or American literature, simply because of the language in which they were written? Where do we draw the line in deciding how to classify the national identity of a piece of literature?
Several of the stories in The Lotus Singers are set in India, written by native Indian authors, and deal with themes also found in Burmese Days. For example, in Neeru Nanda's "His Father's Funeral" we find that the landscape has once again taken center stage, further supporting Orwell's assertion that the setting is of primary importance in Asian literature. Nanda's story opens with the simple exclamation that "It was burning hot – 42 [degrees] centigrade!" (1). Similarly, Orwell begins the second paragraph of Burmese Days with a comment on the heat in Kyauktada, writing "Unblinking, rather like a great porcelain idol, U Po Kyin gazed out into the fierce sunlight" (1). The character of U Po Kyin, a corrupt Burmese public official, goes to drastic lengths to achieve his life-long goal of becoming the first native admitted to the European Club in Kyauktada (Orwell 285). This is the paradox of Orwell's depiction of colonialism; the British colonizers are simultaneously despised and emulated.
This depiction of colonialism is reaffirmed in another of the works from The Lotus Singers, the short story "Law and Order" by Sushma Joshi. In this story by an American-educated Nepali writer, the main character Bishnu is devastated after failing to achieve his dream of becoming a soldier in the British Gurkha Army (41). Bishnu and his family are shamed when he fails to pass the physical trials to become a British Gurkha soldier and must settle for a position in his native law police force (45). Bishnu, like U Po Kyin and John Flory, suffers from the desire to be identified as something other than what he is. While Bishnu and U Po Kyin aspire to be associated with the prestige and power of the British colonizers, Flory despises his coveted position and wishes to escape his role of pukka sahib.
In addition to the issues of identity as it relates to power, another point of contention in the debate of a literary national identity is the use of native terms in the text. In The Lotus Singers, as in Burmese Days, native terms are utilized without textual translation or explanation, rendering the language usage as "authentic" by Srivastava's definition. However, the native language terms are italicized throughout The Lotus Singers (they are only sometimes italicized in Burmese Days) and defined in the glossary located in the back of the text. The glossary seems to provide evidence that the book is intended for an English-speaking audience. In When Heaven and Earth Changed Places, however, we have a clear-cut case of a Vietnamese/American immigrant author writing in English and using textual definitions for Vietnamese terms used throughout her memoir. Are these works less authentically Asian because they have been written in English, although the authors, characters, and settings are primarily Asian? If not, why is a double-standard applied to colonial writers such as Orwell in the case of Burmese Days?
The reason a double-standard is applied to colonial writers could be due to the oppressive nature of colonialism. Although Orwell lived in British-occupied Burma for a good portion of his formative years, he eventually returned to his native England. Because his language is that of the colonizing oppressor, his work may not be seen as Asian despite its content and themes. Conversely, Le Ly Hayslip, author of When Heaven and Earth Changed Places, wrote her memoir in English despite the fact that she is a Vietnamese immigrant to America. While Americans might view her memoir as Asian, her work is likely seen as less authentically Asian by her Vietnamese readers because she chose to write in English, the language of the military invader in the Vietnamese-American conflict.
This issue of labeling a literary work with an "authentic" national identity can also be seen in the case of Marjane Satrapi's memoir, The Complete Persepolis. This coming of age story of an Iranian Muslim girl is portrayed in the form of a graphic novel. Due to the Islamic taboo against graven images, the author's gender, the author's emigration to France, and the publication of her work in French and English, Satrapi's memoir breaks multiple barriers. This work defies classification of genre, nationality, language, and stereotype.
How can this situation be rectified? The issue comes down to labeling and identity. In Burmese Days, John Flory struggles to reconcile his British identity with his Burmese residency. He is never completely accepted by his British peers due to his loyalty to Burma, but he will never be accepted as fully Burmese with his white skin despite the fact that he bears the mark of India in the form of his blue facial birthmark. Flory considers Burma to now be his home, but native Burmese still view him as "Ingaleik" (Orwell 102) and his fellow Englishmen refuse to let him out of the despised role of pukka sahib (Orwell 124). How does Flory label himself?
Flory calls himself an "Anglo-Indian," (Orwell 178) and in this label we find the answer to the identity of Burmese Days. In the same way that Flory defines himself as Anglo-Indian and that Burma was forever changed by British colonization (as evidenced by the continued use of the English language and despite the government's attempts to erase colonial history), Burmese Days is both British literature and Asian literature. It should be shelved in both the British and Asian sections of the library, much in the same way that Satrapi's The Complete Persepolis is shelved in both the graphic novel and biography sections. The Burmese subject matter, Asian setting, and Anglo-Indian vocabulary of Orwell's Burmese Days are all arguments for labeling this novel as Asian literature; the British author, English language, and colonial subject matter argue for a British classification. Burmese Days defies neat and singular classification; it is a transnational literary work which, after more than three quarters of a century, still subverts our human need to label it with only one "authentic" national identity.
Works Cited
Butalia, Urvashi. "Foreword." Carolan ix-xi.
Carolan, Trevor, ed. The Lotus Singers: Short Stories from Contemporary South Asia. Boston: Cheng & Tsui, 2011. Print.
Dirlik, Arif. "Literature/Identity: Transnationalism, Narrative and Representation." Review of Education, Pedagogy & Cultural Studies 24.3 (2002): 209-234. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Dec. 2011.
Gopinath, Praseeda. "An Orphaned Manliness: The Pukka Sahib and the End of Empire in A Passage to India and Burmese Days." Studies in the Novel 41:2 (2009): 201-223. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Dec. 2011.
Hayslip, Le Ly, and Jay Wurts. When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace. 1990. New York: Plume-Penguin, 2003. Print.
Joshi, Sushma. "Law and Order." Carolan 41-56.
Kerr, Douglas. "Colonial Habits: Orwell and Woolf In the Jungle." English Studies 78.2 (1997): 149-161. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Dec. 2011.
Meyers, Jeffrey. Orwell: Life and Art. Urbana, IL: Univ. of Illinois Press, 2010. Print.
Nanda, Neeru. "His Father's Funeral." Carolan 1-9.
Orwell, George. Burmese Days. 1934. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1962. Print.
Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. Trans. Blake Ferris and Mattias Ripe. New York: Pantheon-Random House, 2007. Print.
Sriviastava, Neelam. "Pidgin English or Pigeon Indian: Babus and Babuisms in Colonial and Postcolonial Fiction." Journal of Postcolonial Writing 43.1 (2007): 55-64. Literary Reference Center. Web. 1 Dec. 2011.
Patti is a senior English and History double major at Ursuline and notes of her essay, "Prior to taking Dr. Wright's Asian Literature course, the only books I had read by George Orwell were Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. I was familiar with very few of Orwell's other works and knew even less about his personal life. Burmese Days is a fictional tale informed by Orwell's own early years in Burma (now Myanmar). Reading Burmese Days provides a unique snapshot of the harsh realities of British colonialism in India during the nineteenth century. Just as Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn serves to illustrate the evils of slavery, Burmese Days contains depictions of graphic violence and offensive language which illuminate the dark side of colonialism. Writing this essay on Burmese Days forced me to consider the importance of national identity in literature, and to contemplate the fascinating new field of transnational literary theory. I highly recommend Burmese Days to anyone wanting to learn more about George Orwell or the complex issue of colonialism and its effect on personal identity."
"Reflection Essay" by Kaylene Way
Religious Studies 325 Spring 2011
Sister Dorothy Ann Blatnica, Kaylene's instructor for RS 325 (Fundamental Principles of Morality), comments, "In our study of an ethics of character as part of our Fundamental Principles of Morality course, Kaylene Way demonstrates her accurate understanding of the meaning of temperance and its implications for living life in a way that builds character even out of tragedy."
"Question #2: Name two prevalent authorities in your life that have shaped how you use, or do not use, alcohol. Explain how and why they have shaped you so" (131).
As Mattison writes, "human persons are purposeful creatures . . . We do things for reasons, and those reasons, or intentions, render our actions meaningful" (118). When it comes to the concept of drinking alcohol, I have many reasons as to why I personally do not drink. As Mattison states, we do certain things with the intent that what we are doing in some way or another is meaningful to us. The two prevalent authorities in my life that have shaped me into a person who does not consume alcohol are my sister and my attitude towards conformity.
The first authority in my life who has shaped my ideas about alcohol is my sister, Jenna. Her life was taken on March 12, 2006 by a drunk driver; she was only nineteen years old. At the time, I was only sixteen and, although throughout my stages of grief I was very angry, I have come to be very aware and appreciative of the purpose and meaning that her death has given me. I felt a need to live for her and live with more virtuous intentions. She was taken from this Earth at only nineteen, an age when we are just figuring out who we are and where we are going in life. At nineteen, we have few, if any, thoughts of dying tomorrow. After I finished the angry part of grieving, I became very aware that not every moment is promised; it can be taken from us at any second. For that reason, it became important to strive to live a virtuous life; I wanted to make sure that I had an impact on the lives of others and that I used all of my heart and compassion in every decision I made from then on out. In the five years since her death, I have also come to notice that a lot of the reasoning behind why people drink alcohol, and very often drink too much of it, is because of conformity. Much of what people know about alcohol has come from other people. Our society places a lot of emphasis on alcohol being something that creates a fun, more relaxing time for people.
The second authority that has led me to live an alcohol-free life is my attitude towards conformity. After Jenna's passing, I noticed myself looking deeper into the reasons why people, especially my young high school and college friends, drank alcohol. I saw a lot of people drinking because everyone else at the party was, or because their parents say it is not that bad. I have yet to come across a person who does or does not consume alcohol for her or his own reasons. I spent my whole life with Jenna; she was as individualistic as they come. She did her own thing, for her own reasons, and never cared what anyone had to say. If the roles were reversed and I had been the one to pass away, I know she would feel the same way that I do about how society conforms to the pressures and ideas of alcohol consumption. It may seem like the cool thing to do, it might make one more relaxed at a social event, or it even may temporarily relieve one of their problems, but at the end of the day it could also take a life.
My sister did not get to live a full life because it was taken from her by yet another person who had too much to drink. That guy may have had his reasons for why he drank, but those reasons led to the death of my big sister. I know that life is short; it is so precious and delicate that we often overlook the idea that tomorrow may never come. I learned this lesson at an early age, and because of that lesson I strive to live my life with compassion, understanding, and truth at every moment. I do not drink because tomorrow is not promised, and I want to spend today with as much kindness and charity as possible.
Work Cited
Mattison, William C., III. Introducing Moral Theology: True Happiness and the Virtues. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2008. Print.
Kaylene is a junior Political Science major at Ursuline and notes of her essay, "I wrote this essay as a reflection; the death of my sister has had the biggest influence in my life thus far and that influence has been both positive and negative. I have worked very hard in order to deal with the grief and look past the sadness to find a deeper meaning to her life and how that meaning has changed my life. I spent my whole life with Jenna; we had a really pure sisterly bond. When she passed, I truly felt a calling to live my life for her and live a life of purpose and compassion."
"Reflection Essay" by Jessie Mueller
Religious Studies 325 Spring 2011
Sister Dorothy Ann Blatnica, Jessie's instructor for RS 325 (Fundamental Principles of Morality), comments, "In our study of an ethics of character as part of our Fundamental Principles of Morality course, Jessie Mueller demonstrates her accurate understanding of the meaning of temperance in this brief reflection. Through the use of personal experiences she has integrated a deeper comprehension of the meaning of this virtue beyond mere intellectual understanding."
"Question #2: Name two prevalent authorities in your life that have shaped how you use, or do not use, alcohol. Explain how and why they have shaped you so" (131).
The strongest and most influential person who modeled alcohol use in my childhood was a male relative. I was not completely aware of many of these impacts until adolescence. As a child, I did not know what alcoholism was, I just assumed that the Beefeater Gin stench coming from my relative was his cologne. However, as I grew older and was exposed to a greater variety of people and circumstances, I slowly became aware of alcoholism. I began to incorporate the new experiences I had in relation to alcohol use with a deeper understanding of my extended family. This new awareness was unsettling and painful to me. Many of my relatives were alcoholics. There was never a family brunch, dinner, or casual gathering that was not centered around alcohol. The excessive and consistent reliance on alcohol fueled the arguments and shouting matches I witnessed between my male relatives. Their arguments were always laden with racist, sexist, and classist hatred. My female relatives were silent, resentful observers of the flying slurs who found solace in their own alcoholic stupors.
I did not like what I saw and vowed to have a different relationship with my loved ones. I initially believed alcohol was to blame for their hatred. However, I soon recognized that the bigoted, hateful language and actions of my relatives was always present in them, whether they were under the influence or not. Alcohol was merely an excuse to shout these hatreds out loud. The biggest influence my relatives' alcoholism had on me was my conviction that I would have a different relationship to alcohol use in my life. The familial pattern of alcoholism had a lasting impact on me through the awareness that I have a predisposition to alcoholism. In order for me not to become addicted to alcohol, I would need to be vigilant about this.
The second largest influence on my perspective on alcohol use was from my close friends. All three of my best friends in high school were against any alcohol use at all. At first, I followed their example. However, I would question them frequently on how they had reached such a definitive position on alcohol at such a young age and no experience. Their responses to my questions resulted in them taking a defensive stance. My friends condemned any drinking, and negatively judged people who chose to drink, even if in moderation. Their responses did not sit well with me. Their reasons and explanations for avoiding alcohol seemed to be based on fear. I did not want my decision about alcohol use to be based on fear or avoidance. I had learnt, in dealing with other addictions, that avoiding anything (in this case alcohol) didn't have a lasting positive consequence for my thoughts or actions. In fact, often, when I had tried to avoid things it had made me more obsessed with the very thing I was trying not to think about. I wished to have temperance in regard to alcohol. Mattison writes,"Temperance is the virtue that enables us to desire, intend, and partake in sensual pleasures well" (126).
My current relationship with alcohol is to try to achieve temperance whenever I consider consuming alcohol. I find that my awareness of how and why I drink is a constant safety net for the overall relationship I have to alcohol. I believe the extreme alcohol abuse I witnessed from my family and the complete abstinence of my friends has helped me reach the inner conscience I always have to return to in times of doubt.
Work Cited
Mattison, William C., III. Introducing Moral Theology: True Happiness and the Virtues. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2008. Print.
Jessie is a junior Sociology major at Ursuline and notes of her essay, "I chose this essay question because I have spent a great deal of time and effort forming my relationship to alcohol. I had seen the harm that alcohol can result in with abusive realtionships and other negative impacts of alcohol abuse. By being aware of my predisposition to alcohol abuse, I needed to form my own idea of what type of power I wanted alcohol to have in my life. I also found this question interesting because it is something that I am keenly aware of every time I am engaging in drinking and a conscious decision I make not to have a second or third drink, even though it is sometimes tempting. I am proud of how I have and continue to consume alcohol, knowing that I no longer need to be afraid of alcohol or people who abuse alcohol because I am in control of my own decisions and whom I choose to be around. I believe this confidence has allowed me to make better decisions in most areas of my life. I am a junior at Ursuline and have almost completed my major in Sociology. However, I am going to stay for another few semesters to major in Mathematics with the goal of becoming a high school math teacher. I feel especially excited to be a woman mathematician, as they are largely underrepresented in the field. I also believe there is a great need for students becoming fluent in math, as it will increase their opportunites for employment and logical thinking skills that will be a great attribute to many careers. I especially find teaching math important also because there is a great shortage of math and science teachers and I am excited to try and fit that need."


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This November, we face a critical election, in which high levels of participation by Latino voters everywhere can send a powerful message about the importance of the Latino community and its policy views. While the hard-fought presidential election has received most of the media and public attention, the importance of the 2012 General Election also lies in critical congressional and legislative races, as well as in important policy measures on the ballot in many states. Today, MALDEF releases its recommended positions on the statewide ballot propositions in the California general election. With eleven measures on the ballot, significant issues of policy in many different areas will be determined by California voters in a few weeks. MALDEF makes recommendations with respect to nine of those measures. I hope that the position endorsements and brief explanations set forth below help you in deciding how to vote on these measures. But, however you decide, what is most important is that every eligible voter take the time to decide and VOTE. Thank you.
Sincerely Yours,
Thomas A. Saenz
President and General Counsel
California Proposition 30: YES
This initiative would temporarily increase income taxes on the highest earners and would temporarily increase the sales tax.
Proposition 30 provides necessary revenues to support California's public schools, universities, and other vital public services. Without these revenues, California's public schools and universities would have to make further dramatic and significant cuts, imperiling the right to equal educational opportunity.
California Proposition 31: NO
This initiative would establish a two-year budget cycle for the State of California, permit the Governor to cut the budget unilaterally during declared fiscal emergencies, grant greater authority to local governments, and prohibit the legislature from creating expenditures of more than $25 million without offsetting revenues or cuts.
While there are some wise changes in Proposition 31, it would also contribute to legislative gridlock by giving even greater power to the small minority of legislators who refuse under any circumstances to increase revenues, even when vital state services are at stake.
California Proposition 32: NO
This initiative would prohibit unions from using payroll-deducted funds to influence the political process in favor of workers' rights.
The incredibly misleading Proposition 32 would dramatically increase the ability of corporations to influence elections by continuing to permit them to spend money, without shareholder approval, for political purposes, while barring unions from spending money for political purposes without obtaining individual members' approval.
California Proposition 33: NO
This initiative would allow insurance companies to adjust auto insurance prices based on a driver's history of continuous insurance coverage.
Proposition 33 would lead to increased insurance rates for those least able to afford it, including a disproportionate percentage of immigrants, low-wage workers, and Latinos. This could in turn result in increased numbers of uninsured drivers in California.
California Proposition 34: YES
This initiative would repeal the death penalty, and replace it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole.
The death penalty, used unevenly as punishment for murder, has proven costly, discriminatory, and rife with potential for error. Proposition 34 would save hundreds of millions of dollars per year that could be used for other important pubic services, while imposing life imprisonment without possibility of parole, a suitable replacement for the death sentence.
California Proposition 36: YES
This initiative would modify the "three strikes law" to impose a life sentence only if the third-strike crime is serious or violent.
Proposition 36 would save money currently expended on imprisoning those whose most recent crime is not serious or violent, and would fix one of the main flaws in the well-intended "three strikes" mandatory sentencing law. Money saved by this initiative could be used for other critical public services.
California Proposition 38: YES
This initiative would temporarily increase income taxes, in a graduated manner imposing greater increases on those with the highest income, to fund education and early childhood programs, and to repay the state debt.
Proposition 38 would increase revenues to provide relief to public schools that have already been the subject of unprecedented cuts, with a significant impact on equal educational opportunity in California. These revenues are needed to ensure that California schools can provide the greatest opportunity to succeed to every child.
California Proposition 39: YES
This initiative would impose one formula for multi-state businesses to determine their California income tax.
Proposition 39 would increase needed revenues by ending the current policy that allows businesses to choose the formula that would be most advantageous to them in calculating what they owe to California. The added revenue would improve California services to residents.
California Proposition 40: YES
This referendum would approve the State Senate district map adopted by the Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) in 2011.
Proposition 40 would approve the existing map, rather than requiring yet another process of redrawing the State Senate map. While the State Senate map adopted by the CRC has certain flaws, the better forum to resolve such flaws is the federal court, which has jurisdiction to enforce the Voting Rights Act.
Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nation's leading Latino legal civil rights organization. Often described as the "law firm of the Latino community," MALDEF promotes social change through advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access. For more information on MALDEF, please visit: www.maldef.org.


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It is possible that the main title of the report Toxocariasis is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Toxocariasis is an infectious disease caused by the parasite Toxocara, a worm of dogs and cats. Toxocariasis is not limited to pet owners. The eggs of the parasite are passed in the stool and lie dormant in the soil. For unknown reasons, humans become infected when exposed to the eggs passed only by dogs. Infection occurs when there is purposeful or incidental ingestion of soil from hand to mouth through such activities as biting finger nails or inserting recently contaminated objects such as toys into the mouth. (Consequently, the disorder is found disproportionately among children.) Once ingested, the eggs hatch into larvae and burrow into body tissue of all types. The symptoms experienced depend on the number of eggs ingested and the person's immune status, yet a single egg has the potential of causing blindness. Everywhere the larvae travel, they cause inflammation and tissue death.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
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Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
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Email: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/EmailForm.aspx
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
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It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email email@example.com
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Wednesday, 11.6 @ 6:00pm at the Bell Tower ~ Take Back the Night, now in its second year, is a direct action march to raise awareness of the prevalence and causes of rape and sexual violence. After we march, we will gather at the Tree of Hope for hot chocolate. There, survivors can share their stories or, if they prefer to remain silent, they can tie a ribbon to the tree in honor of their survival of that of a loved one.
WHEN: April 22nd-April 25th
WHAT: A week long event featuring educational panels, social gatherings, and lots of pride. All members of the URG family are welcomed and encouraged to attend as many of the events as possible. Game night features prizes from local businesses. The Born This Way Ball promises a night of great tunes and dancing.
WHY: Celebrate the end of the semester with PRIDE!
University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College | PO Box 500, Rio Grande, OH 45674 | 800.282.7201


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Car Review
2012 Subaru Impreza: Hits and Misses
I'll happily go on record saying the 2012 Subaru Impreza is one of the best small cars available. It's comfortable, gets decent fuel economy and is fun to drive.
For the past two weeks, I've used it as a family car, regularly hauling around two kids, picking up groceries and commuting to work in it. I'm still pleased with the car, but in the last week I've noticed a few little annoyances.
First, the Subaru Impreza does not have a feature called Retained Accessory Power. When a car has Retained Accessory Power, features like the power windows and radio remain on for 30 seconds to one minute after you turn off the car and remove the key from the ignition. It means you can forget to put up all the windows but still have power to do it at the last second, even after you pull the key out. Without the feature, if you forget to put a window up, you have to put the key back in the slot and twist it to the ACC setting. Not a huge deal, but most modern cars have it.
Also, I like that the Impreza has a USB port. With it, I can plug in my iPhone and listen to music through the car's speakers. It also charges your iPod or iPhone at the same time; however, in order for it to charge your device, you have to switch to that device first. In other words, if you slide in a CD, then plug in your iPhone, you won't be charging your iPhone. Power for the USB port only flows when you choose USB as a source on the radio's head unit. You can then switch back and your phone or iPod will continue to charge, but you have to remember to do this each time you restart the car.
For a small car, I really like the 2012 Subaru Impreza's interior space. I have a 6-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son, and both have more than enough legroom when sitting in the back seat, even when I have the driver's seat all the way back. I also like the rear cargo area space and the fact that it has a cover. A rear center armrest is also nice, considering the Impreza's sub-$20,000 base price.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Stock trading will be closed in the U.S. for a second day Tuesday as a dangerous storm bears down on the East Coast. Bond trading will also be closed.
The last time the New York Stock Exchange was closed for weather was in 1985 because of Hurricane Gloria, and it will be the first time since 1888 that the exchange will have been closed for two consecutive days because of weather. The cause then was a blizzard that left drifts as high as 40 feet in the streets of New York City.
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq said they intend to reopen on Wednesday and would keep investors updated.
Much of the East Coast was at a standstill Monday as the Sandy, a hurricane reclassified as a post-tropical storm, approached. CME Group's New York trading floor was closed, but its electronic markets for commodities were functioning. Crude oil fell 74 cents to close at $85.54 in electronic trading. CME said electronic trading for commodities would also be open Tuesday.
CME said it would reopen its stock index futures trading Monday night at 6 p.m. ET for overnight electronic trading and keep it open through 9:15 a.m. Tuesday. Trading on interest rate futures and options on futures including Treasurys, Eurodollar and Fed Funds would reopen at the same time Monday night and stay open Tuesday.
Bond trading will be closed Tuesday. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association called for an early close to bond trading Monday, at noon. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note was 1.72 percent, compared with 1.75 percent late Friday.
Some companies are postponing quarterly earnings reports scheduled for release early this week. So far, that includes Pfizer and Thomson Reuters. Burger King reported on schedule, and said its third-quarter net income fell 83 percent as revenue was hurt by the stronger dollar. Adjusted results topped expectations, however.
Even with many markets shut down, there was some encouraging news about the U.S. economy Monday. The Commerce Department reported that consumer spending increased 0.8 percent in September. That followed a 0.5 percent gain in August and was the best showing since February.
Personal income rose 0.4 percent, an improvement from a slight 0.1 percent gain in August and the best gain since March. It's a closely watched indicator as consumer spending drives about 70 percent of the nation's economic activity.


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Welcome to Widow's Walk
Located in Scituate, Massachusetts, on the coast midway between Boston and Plymouth, Widow's Walk is a municipally owned 18-hole layout adjacent to the historic North River and within sight of the Atlantic Ocean.
America's first "environmental demonstration course," Widow's Walk opened to much fanfare and national acclaim in 1997. Since then it has been designated as an Audubon International, Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
Award Winning Golf
- "#1 Golf Course" on the South Shore
Community Newspaper "Readers' Choice Award" for seventeen of nineteen years, beginning in 1999
- "Best New Golf Courses in America"
Upon opening in 1998 by Golf Digest
- "Four Stars"
List of top "Courses to Play." 2004 - Golf Digest
- "Readers Choice Award"
The Patriot Ledger has also named Widow's Walk one of the area's top golf courses to play.


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Burhanuddin Rabbani, a former Afghan president who had been leading the Afghan peace council, was killed in an attack at his home.
NATO's International Security Assistance Force said two suicide bombers, "feigning a desire to conduct reconciliation talks, detonated themselves."
Afghan officials earlier said there was one bomber.
The attacker hid the explosive device inside his turban, said Hasmat Stanikzai, spokesman for Kabul police.
An Afghan intelligence source told CNN that the bomber arrived at the house at the same time a meeting was due to take place between Rabbani and a delegation representing the Taliban insurgency.
Killing exposes fragility in AfghanistanStanikzai said the bomber claimed to be a Taliban member who had come for the talks about peace and reconciliation, and detonated the explosives as he entered the home.
Four other people were wounded, including Masoom Stanikzai, a key adviser to Rabbani, the police spokesman said.
A doctor at a 400-bed hospital in Kabul said, "We have received three people from the blast at Rabbani's house. Among the injured are Masoom Stanikzai, one bodyguard and an assistant" to Rabbani.
Rabbani was long considered crucial to Afghan and coalition efforts to bring Taliban leaders into the reconciliation process.
He was also heading the United National Front Party, the largest political party that stands in opposition to President Hamid Karzai.
Karzai called Rabbani's killing a "very tragic loss" for his country.
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Karzai described Rabbani as "an Afghan patriot" who "has sacrificed his life for the sake of Afghanistan and for the peace of our country."
"We will miss him very much," Karzai said.
Karzai cut short his time at the United Nations. His office said he would return to Afghanistan in the wake of the killing.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said of the violence in Afghanistan, including Rabbani's assassination, "We know that is the campaign the insurgents are on. We've got to adjust to that and protect the leaders.
"Someone is going to have to step in very quickly because that is a critical part of the peace process," Mullen said of Rabbani's role. The killing represents the strategy of the Taliban to assassinate as many leaders as possible, Mullen said.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called the assassination "an attack on the Afghan people as they begin to take their country's security in their own hands."
"To those who offer only death and destruction to the Afghan people, our message is clear: You will not prevail," he said in a statement.
Gen. John R. Allen, commander of ISAF, said the "face of the peace initiative has been attacked."
"This is another outrageous indicator that, regardless of what Taliban leadership outside the country say, they do not want peace, but rather war," Allen said in a statement.
The loud explosion heard in the attack on the home prompted temporary lockdowns at the nearby U.S. Embassy and ISAF headquarters as officials investigated the source of the blast.
Personnel at the U.S. Embassy were instructed to take cover late Tuesday afternoon due to an incident outside the embassy's perimeter, an embassy spokesman said.
"It appears at this time that the embassy was not the target of the incident," spokesman Gavin Sundwall said in a statement. "We are working to account for all embassy personnel and staff."
ISAF headquarters was on lockdown for about 30 minutes, an ISAF spokesman said.
People at the headquarters heard a couple of deep booms followed by sirens, the spokesman said.


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Varsity Theatre
Schedule effective
March 15-21
Searching for Sugar Man
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 2:30 Daily showtimes: 4:40 6:50 9:00
The incredible story of Rodriguez, the greatest "rock icon" who never was. Discovered in a Detroit bar in the late '60s by two celebrated producers struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics, they recorded an album which they believed would secure his reputation as the greatest recording artist of his generation. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide.But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, he became a phenomenon. Directed by Malik Bendjelloul. Starring Rodriguez. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some drug references/86m/F/SPC
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 1:15 Daily showtimes: 3:45 6:10 8:40
"Emperor" brings to life the American occupation of Japan in the perilous and unpredictable days just after Emperor Hirohito's World War II surrender. As Gen. Douglas MacArthur suddenly finds himself the de facto ruler of a foreign nation, he assigns an expert in Japanese culture — Gen. Bonner Fellers — to covertly investigate the looming question hanging over the country: Should the Japanese Emperor, worshipped by his people but accused of war crimes, be hung or saved? Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Matthew Fox, Eriko Hatsune. Rated PG-13 for violent content, brief strong language and smoking (historical)/100m.
Bless Me, Ultima
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 12:30 Daily showtimes: 6:00
In English and Spanish
Based on the controversial, first award-winning Chicano novel by acclaimed author Rudolfo Anaya, "Bless Me, Ultima" is a turbulent coming-of-age story about a young boy, Antonio, growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera (healer) named Ultima comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question his strict upbringing by his parents. Starring Luke Ganalon, Miriam Colon, Dolores Heredia, Benito Martinez, Joaquin Cosio, Castulo Guerra. Rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual references/106m.
Times: Daily showtimes: 3:00 8:30
Oscar winner for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best film editing
Directed by Ben Affleck. Starring Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman. Rated R for language and some violent images/120m.
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 12:40 Daily showtimes: 3:10 5:35 8:00
Will a famous quartet of aging musicians be able to patch up their differences in time for Beecham House's gala concert? Directed by Dustin Hoffman. Starring Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon, Pauline Collins. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and suggestive humor/98m.
Silver Linings Playbook
Oscar winner for best actress
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 12:50 Daily showtimes: 3:35 6:25 9:10
Pat Solatano has lost everything and is living back with his mother and father after spending eight months in a state institution on a plea bargain. Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and reunite with his wife, despite the challenging circumstances of their separation. All Pat's parents want is for him to get back on his feet — and to share their family's obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated. Directed by David O. Russell. Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher. Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity/122m.
Ashland Street Cinemas
Schedule effective
March 15-21
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 1:05 Daily showtimes: 3:40 6:10 8:40
Superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) have ruled the Las Vegas strip for years, raking in millions with illusions as big as Burt's growing ego. But lately the duo's greatest deception is their public friendship, while secretly they've grown to loathe each other. Facing cutthroat competition from guerilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose cult following surges with each outrageous stunt, even their show looks stale. But there's still a chance Burt and Anton can save the act — both onstage and off — if Burt can get back in touch with what made him love magic in the first place. Directed by Don Scardino. Also starring Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin. Rated PG-13 for sexual content, dangerous stunts, a drug-related incident and language/100m.
Dead Man Down
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 1:30 Daily showtimes: 6:40
An action thriller that stars Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace as two strangers whose mutual desire for revenge draws them together and triggers an escalating trail of mayhem. Starring Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper, Terrence Howard, Isabelle Huppert. Rated R for violence, language throughout and a scene of sexuality/110m.
Oz The Great and Powerful 3D
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 12:00 (2D) Daily showtimes: 3:00 (3D) 6:00 (2D) 9:00 (3D)
When Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he's hit the jackpot. Fame and fortune are his for the taking — until he meets three witches who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity — and even a bit of wizardry — Oscar may transform himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, but into a better man as well. Directed by Sam Raimi. Starring James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Joey King, Bruce Campbell. Rated PG for sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language/131m.
21 and Over
Times: Daily showtimes: 4:40 9:30
Straight-A college student Jeff Chang has always done what's expected of him. But when his two best friends surprise him with a visit for his 21st birthday, he decides to do the unexpected for a change, even though his critical medical school interview is early the next morning. What was supposed to be one beer becomes one night of chaos, overindulgence and utter debauchery in this outrageous comedy. Directed by Jon Lucas, Scott Moore. Starring Miles Teller, Justin Chon, Skylar Astin, Sarah Wright, Francois Chau, Jonathan Keltz, Daniel Booko. Rated R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, some graphic nudity, drugs and drinking/93m.
Jack the Giant Slayer 3D
Times: Sat.-Sun. early show: 1:15 (2D) Daily showtimes: 3:55 (3D) 6:30 (2D) 9:10 (3D)
The story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Directed by Bryan Singer. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Ewan McGregor. Rated PG-13 for intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language/115m.


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Phoronix: OCZ Flex XLC 2GB DDR2-1150
It was several months that we first had tested out the OCZ Flex XLC memory when we had used this DDR2 memory in Overclocking, The Natural Way. In this natural sub-zero overclocking expedition we had used OCZ's Flex XLC as our DDR2 memory of choice with an Abit AW9D motherboard, which was pushed to its death. However, we just wanted to share some more information on OCZ's Flex XLC PC2-9200 memory along with some benchmarks from Fedora 7.


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UPDATE: Turns out he used a Sony S Tablet.
Apparently Pope Benedict XVI is not using an iPad tomorrow to light the ginormous outline of a Christmas tree on the side of Mount Ingino.
Last month it was reported that the pope would use an iPad from his Vatican residence to light the tree, which is in the Italian town of Gubbio. But today, Vatican Information Service reported that the pope will touch the screen of a Sony tablet with an Android operating system.
No word yet on whether the initial reports that the pope would use an iPad were based on an erroneous assumption that since the pope used an iPad last June to launch the new Vatican news portal he would do the same tomorrow. Our intrepid Rome bureau is checking it out.
Meanwhile, initial reaction from bloggers and technogeeks has been mixed. Rocco Palmo, author of the popular Whispers in the Loggia blog, called the pope an "apostate" (undoubtedly with tongue firmly in cheek). Clayton Emmer, who may have been first to notice the switch to Sony, called it an "ecumenical gesture."
As a recent iPad convert who still has one foot firmly in the Windows operating system and who has witnessed the battle for PC, Mac and Android supremacy, I would tend to agree with the latter.


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The former Brunswick County teacher pleaded guilty last month to a lesser charge after she married the victim.
A former Brunswick County teacher charged with having sex with a student pleaded guilty last month to a lesser charge after she married the victim, preventing the state from compelling him to testify against her, a prosecutor said this week.
Leah Gayle Shipman, 42, pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to misdemeanor resisting a public officer.
Shipman was a married Brunswick County Academy teacher when she was arrested in January 2010 on charges of sexual offense with a student, statutory rape and taking indecent liberties with a student. Shipman was immediately suspended from her job and her contract wasn't renewed.
Court records indicate that on Jan. 19, 2011, she divorced her husband of 19 years, and on Jan. 25, 2011, Shipman married student Johnnie Ray Ison in Brunswick County after obtaining a marriage license from Columbus County. According to the Columbus County register of deeds office, Ison was 17 at the time of the marriage, and his mother, Susan Wilson, signed the paperwork allowing him to marry.
Brunswick County Assistant District Attorney Gina Essey said Shipman was offered the plea because, despite Ison's admissions to investigators that he and Shipman engaged in sex when he was 15, those statement's were inadmissable in court if he didn't testify.
"The defendant has a Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses against them. Statements made to police officers are inadmissible hearsay except in certain circumstances,..." Essey said. "None of the statements made in this case would be admissible without the victim. The state pled (her) to what we could prove without the victim."
Under North Carolina law, the spouse of a defendant cannot be compelled to testify against the defendant in criminal cases or grand jury proceedings except in cases of bigamy; domestic violence; trespassing, when one trespasses upon another's property during a separation; abandonment or criminal offenses against a minor child of either spouse.
The charge to which Shipman pleaded stems from text messages and phone calls she made to the victim during his police interrogation at the investigation stage.
"The police witnessed the texts, and we were able to get them from the phone," Essey said.
Shipman was sentenced to a suspended 30-day jail sentence, 12 months of probation and $345 in restitution. She was also ordered to surrender her teaching license.
On the same day, Ison, now 19, pleaded guilty on unrelated charges to one felony count of breaking and entering and two counts of larceny, Department of Correction records indicate. He received 24 months probation.
F.T. Norton: 343-2070
Twitter: @FTNorton


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About Nirmala
May 25th, 2011
Welcome to the new look of Nirmala's Kitchen! You'll find great recipes and menus inspired by my travels and bursting with wellness and lifestyle secrets, and of course, online shopping. I'll be posting regular updates about the happenings at my farm and my adventures across the globe. Keep checking back as we've got lots of exciting things in store for you. Have fun navigating the new site! And if you have questions or comments,
Engage, Educate and Inspire.
May 24th, 2011
There is always a point of beginning—a place where passion grows, beauty shines and a country is defined. Here's a great way to learn why your travel choice matters and how you can be the change.
Nirmala's Diary Excerpt-Journey to Tiger's Nest, The Kingdom of Bhutan
"Bhutan, the locals refer to this place as the land of the Thunder Dragon. I can see why as it possess a mystical transcendent tranquility. I am nestled on a granite ledge, my halfway point to the Taktsang Monastery over 10,000 feet above sea level. The clouds hurried, blanketing me at times like a clothes-line of fresh laundered sheets. Whitewashed chortens, the ubiquitous Buddhist monuments, dotted the distant landscape, while luminous rice terraces cascaded down the slopes. I glance at a black spiny mosquito as it sings and dances its way onto my wheat-colored calf. I surrender to its painless bite and gaze while it fills its abdomen plump with my blood. The stir of a Himalayan Red Fox lures me out of the mosquito's trance, as I ascend the conifer and rhododendron forest festooned with Spanish moss and vines of passion fruit toward Tiger's Nest…"
The remote mountain kingdom of Bhutan is one of the world's most insular countries I have traveled to. Its capital, Thimphu, doesn't even have a single traffic light, and the sale of tobacco is forbidden. Its main airport is in Paro, and landing is an adventure by itself, as there is no traffic control tower and nature is the only guide in landing a plane. The landlocked kingdom lies in the eastern Himalayas, between Tibet to the north and the Indian terror ties of West Bengal and Assam to the south and east, and Sikkim to the west. Its current population is approximately 700,000, mostly with a Tibetan Buddhist heritage. Its temples and monasteries are in rugged mountain terrain, where dirt roads still exist and in some areas, horses, donkeys and yaks are the most common modes of transport.
Don't Miss:
In Thimphu you can safely wander and appreciate the location of the monasteries and forts that reflect the deep cultural heritage of this remarkable Buddhist kingdom. For a more adventurous trip, one can make a visit to the Taktsang Monastery, famously known as Tiger's Nest located in the Paro Valley.
The monastery is one of the most venerated places of pilgrimage in the Himalayas. Legend has it, that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew to this location from Khenpajong, Tibet, on the back of a tigress.
The Guru Rinpoche meditated for three months sometime in the 8th Century. The Taktsang Monastery was built in the 16th Century, and since then has become the cultural icon of Bhutan. Like all great buildings should be, the spectacular architecture in such an improbable location gloriously exceeds all expectations.
The dish:
While red and white rice is the staple, typical Bhutanese meals are characterized by the hot chili pepper and cheese; made mostly from cows' and yaks' milk. These ingredients are used in what is considered the national dish—Aema Datsi (which literally means chili and cheese). Most dishes are lavishly spiced with chilies, and throughout the valley, you can see them drying on rooftops in the sun. This main dish has spun into numerous variations: Kewa Datsi (potato and cheese), like scalloped potatoes or Shamu Datsi (mushroom and cheese).
Minced meat or cheese Momos, along with a cup of Suja (butter tea), are favorites among the locals. There is also my favorite, a local brew called Arra, distilled from rice, barley or wheat; it's good for cold nights.
Planning your trip:
Making informed choices before and during your trip is the single most important thing you can do to become a responsible traveler. The Internet, as your tool, will provide a wealth of information.
When choosing your hotel, airline, tour operator or other service providers, select ones that have good sustainability practices. Look for information on the company's environmental initiatives; strategies to save energy and minimize waste; and involvement in a sustainable tourism certification program.
Wear comfortable walking or hiking footwear.
Use public transportation (rented bicycles, bus, train etc.) and alternative modes of transportation (walking, non-motorized vehicles, horses, camels, yaks, donkeys) as much as possible. It's a more sustainable way to get around, and a healthier and more enjoyable way to get to know the place you are visiting.
Be respectful of the locals' privacy. Ask permission before entering sacred places, homes or private land. Don't snap pictures or take videotapes without first asking permission.
Never buy products made from protected or endangered animals.