text:
Buddhist Dictionary
dána: 'almsgiving', liberality, offering. "He who gives alms, bestows a fourfold blessing: he helps to long life, good appearance, happiness and strength. Therefore long life, good appearance, happiness and strength will be his share, whether amongst heavenly beings or amongst men" (A. IV, 57).
"Five blessings accrue to the giver of alms: the affection of many, noble association, good reputation, self-confidence, and heavenly rebirth" (see A. V, 34). Seven further blessings are given in A. VII, 54.
Liberality, especially the offering of robes, food, etc., to the monks, is highly praised in all Buddhist countries of Southern Asia as a fundamental virtue and as a means to suppress man's inborn greed and egoism. But, as in any other good or bad action, so also in offering gifts, it is the noble intention and volition that really counts as the action, not the mere outward deed.
Almsgiving or liberality (dána), constitutes the first. kind of meritorious activity, the two others being morality (síla, q.v.) and mental development (bhávaná); s. puñña-kiriya-vatthu. Liberality (cága) forms one of the 10 recollections (anussati, q.v.) and almsgiving one of the 10 perfections (s. páramí).
dasa-(tathágata-) bala: 'the ten powers (of a Perfect One); or, he who Possesses the 10 P.', i.e. the Buddha. About him it is said (e.g., M. 12.; A. X, 21):
There, o monks, the Perfect One understands according to reality the possible as possible, and the impossible as impossible ... the result of past, present and future actions ... the path leading to the welfare of all ... the world with its many different elements ... the different inclinations in beings ... the lower and higher faculties in beings ... the defilement, purity and rising with regard to the absorptions, deliverances, concentration and attainments ... remembering many former rebirths ... perceiving with the divine eye how beings vanish and reappear again according to their actions (karma) ... gaining, through extinction of all taints, possession of 'deliverance of mind' and 'deliverance through wisdom' ...."
dasaka-kalápa: s. rúpa-kalápa.
dasa-páramí: s. páramí.
dasa-puñña-kiriya-vatthu: s. puñña-kiriya-vatthu.
death: marana (q.v.) - Contemplation of °: maranánussati (q.v.) - As divine messenger: deva-dúta (q.v.).
death-consciousness: cuti-citta, is one of the 14 functions of consciousness (viññána-kicca, q.v.).
deathlessness: amata (q.v.).
death-proximate karma: maranásaññá-kamma; s. karma.
deciding function (of consciousness): s. viññána-kicca.
decline (in morality, wisdom, etc.): s. hána-bhágiya-síla. - Liable to °, parihána-dhamma (q.v.).
defilements: s. kilesa, upakkilesa. -10 d. of insight: vipassanúpakkilesa, s. visuddhi VI. - Round of d., s. vatta (1).
deliverance: s. vimutti, vimokkha. - The 8 kinds of d. (or liberation), s. vimokkha. - D. of mind, d. through voidness, boundless d. etc., s. ceto-vimutti. - Desire for d., s. visuddhi (VI, 6). - D. through wisdom; paññá-vimutti (q.v.). - 3 doors of d. (or gateways of liberation) s. visuddhi (VI, 8).
deluded consciousness: s. Tab. I. 32, 33.
deluded-natured: moha-carita; s. carita.
delusion: s. moha, avijjá.
demons' realm: asura-nikáya; s. apáya.
departed, the spirits of the: peta (q.v.).
dependent origination: paticca samuppáda (q.v.).
derived corporeality: upádá-rúpa (q.v.); further s. khandha (I. B.).
desaná: 'exposition' of the doctrine, may be either an exposition true in the highest sense (paramattha-desaná); or it may not be true in the highest, but only in the conventional sense (vohára-desaná). See paramattha.
desire for deliverance: s. visuddhi (VI, 6).
desireless deliverance: s. vimokkha (1).
desirelessness, contemplation on: s. vipassaná (12).
destiny, evil views with fixed d.: niyata-micchá-ditthi (q.v.). Men with fixed d.: niyata-puggala (q.v.). See gati.
destruction: overcoming, or liberation from, evil things through their d.; samuccheda-pahána or samuccheda-vimutti; s. pahána.
destructive karma: upaghátaka-kamma; s. karma.
detachment: viveka (q.v.).
determination: s. adhimokkha, adhitthána.
determining: votthapana (s. viññána-kicca).
determining the reality: s. vavatthána.
deva (lit: the Radiant Ones; related to Lat. deus): heavenly beings, deities, celestials, are beings who live in happy worlds, and who, as a rule, are invisible to the human eye. They are subject, however, just like all human and other beings, to ever-repeated rebirth, old age and death, and thus are not freed from the cycle of existence and from misery. There are many classes of heavenly beings.
I. The 6 classes of heavenly beings of the sensuous sphere (kámávacara or káma-loka; s. avacara loka), are Cátumahárájika-deva, Távatimsa, Yáma, Tusita (s. Bodhisatta), Nimmána-rati, Paranimmita-vasavatti. Cf. anussati. (6).
II. The heavenly beings of the fine-material sphere (rúpávacara or rúpaloka) are:
1. Brahma-párisajja, Brahma-purohita, Mahá-brahmáno (s. brahma-káyika-deva). Amongst these 3 classes will be reborn those with a weak, medium or full experience of the 1st absorption (jhána, q.v.).
2. Parittábha, Appamánábha, Ábhassara. Here will be reborn those with experience of the 2nd absorption.
3. Paritta-subha, Appamána-subha, Subha-kinna (or kinha). Here will be reborn those with experience of the 3rd absorption.
4. Vehapphala, Asañña-satta (q.v.), Suddhávása (q.v.; further s. Anágámi). Amongst the first 2 classes will be reborn those with experience of the 4th absorption, but amongst the 3rd class only Anágámis (q.v.).
III. The 4 grades of heavenly beings of the immaterial sphere (arúpávacara or arúpa-loka) are: the heavenly beings of the sphere of unbounded space (ákásánañcáyatanúpaga-devá), of unbounded consciousness (viññánañcáyatanúpaga-deva), of nothingness (ákiñcaññáyatanúpaga devá), of neither-perception-nor- non-perception (nevasaññá-násaññáyatanúpaga-devá). Here will be reborn those with experience of the 4 immaterial spheres (arúpáyatana; s. jhána 5-8).
See Gods and the Universe by Francis Story (WHEEL 180/181).
deva-dúta: 'divine messengers', is a symbolic name for old age, disease and death, since these three things remind man of his future and rouse him to earnest striving. In A. III, 35, it is said:
"Did you, o man, never see in the world a man or a woman eighty, ninety or a hundred years old, frail, crooked as a gable-roof, bent down, resting on crutches, with tottering steps, infirm, youth long since fled, with broken teeth, grey and scanty hair, or baldheaded, wrinkled, with blotched limbs? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to old age, that you also cannot escape it?
"Did you never see in the world a man or a woman, who being sick, afflicted and grievously ill, and wallowing in their own filth, was lifted up by some people, and put down by others? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to disease, that you also cannot escape it?
"Did you never see in the world the corpse of a man or a woman, one or two or three days after death, swollen up, blue-black in colour, and full of corruption? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to death, that you also cannot escape it?" - See M. 130.
devatánussati: 'recollection of the heavenly beings'; s. anussati.
development (mental): bhávaná (q.v.). - Effort to develop, s. padhána. - Wisdom based on d. s. paññá. - Gradual d. of the Eightfold Path in the 'progress of the disciple' (q.v.).
deviation: (from morality and understanding): vipatti (q.v.).
devotee: upásaka (q.v.) .
dhamma: lit. the 'bearer', constitution (or nature of a thing), norm, law (jus), doctrine; justice, righteousness; quality; thing, object of mind (s. áyatana) 'phenomenon'. In all these meanings the word 'dhamma' is to be met with in the texts. The Com. to D. instances 4 applications of this term guna (quality, virtue), desaná (instruction), pariyatti (text), nijjívatá (soullessness, e.g. "all dhammá, phenomena, are impersonal," etc.). The Com. to Dhs. has hetu (condition) instead of desaná. Thus, the analytical knowledge of the law (s. patisambhidá) is explained in Vis.M. XIV. and in Vibh. as hetumhi-ñána, knowledge of the conditions.
The Dhamma, as the liberating law discovered and proclaimed by the Buddha, is summed up in the 4 Noble Truths (s. sacca). It forms one of the 3 Gems (ti-ratana, q.v.) and one of the 10 recollections (anussati q.v.).
Dhamma, as object of mind (dhammáyatana, s. áyatana) may be anything past, present or future, corporeal or mental, conditioned or not (cf. sankhára, 4), real or imaginary.
dhamma-cakka: The 'Wheel (realm) of the Law', is a name for the doctrine 'set rolling' (established) by the Buddha, i.e. the 4 Noble Truths (sacca, q.v.).
"The Perfect One, o monks, the Holy One, fully Enlightened One, in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Benares, has set rolling (established) the unsurpassed Wheel (realm) of the Law" (M. 141). Cf. cakka.
dhamma-desaná: 'exposition of the Doctrine (law)'; s. desaná.
dhamma-dhátu: mind-object-element (s. dhátu).
dhammánupassaná: 'contemplation of the mind-objects' is the last of the 4 foundations of mindfulness (satipatthána, q.v.)
dhammánusárí: the 'dhamma-devotee', is one of the 7 noble disciples (ariya-puggala, q.v.).
dhammánussati: 'recollection of the Law', is one of the 10 recollections (anussati, q.v.).
dhamma-patisambhidá: the 'analytical knowledge of the law, is one of the 4 kinds of analytical knowledge (patisambhidá, q.v.).
dhamma-tthiti-ñána: 'knowledge of the fixity of law, is a name for that 'insight which is leading up' to the entrance into one of the 4 supermundane paths (vutthána-gáminí-vipassaná, q.v.). In the Susima Sutta (S. XII, 70) this (ascending) insight is called the 'knowledge of the fixity of the law', namely: "At first, Susima, there exists the knowledge of the fixity of the law, and later the knowledge of Nibbána." (See Vis.M. XXI.)
dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga: 'investigation of the law as factor of enlightenment', is one of the 7 factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga, q.v.).
dhammáyatana: 'mind-object as base' (áyatana, q.v.).
dhana: 'treasures', a term for the following 7 qualities: faith, morality, moral shame, moral dread, learning, liberality and wisdom. Cf. A. VII, 5, 6.
See 'Treasures of the Noble', by Soma Thera (BODHI LEAVES B. 27, BPS).
dhátu: 'elements', are the ultimate constituents of a whole.
(1) The 4 physical elements (dhátu or mahá-bhúta), popularly called earth, water, fire and wind, are to be understood as the primary qualities of matter. They are named in Páli: pathaví-dhátu, ápo-dhátu, tejo-dhátu, and váyo-dhátu. In Vis.M. XI, 2 the four elements are defined thus: "Whatever is characterized by hardness (thaddha-lakkkhana) is the earth or solid-element; by cohesion (ábandhana) or fluidity, the water-element; by heating (paripácana), the fire or heat-element; by strengthening or supporting (vitthambhana), the wind or motion-element. All four are present in every material object, though in varying degrees of strength. If, for instance, the earth element predominates, the material object is called 'solid', etc. - For the analysis of the 4 elements, s. dhátu-vavatthána.
(II) The 18 physical and mental elements that constitute the conditions or foundations of the process of perception, are:
1. visual organ (eye) 9. gustative object
2. auditory organ (ear) 10. body-impression
3. olfactory organ (nose) 11. eye-consciousness
4. gustatory organ (tongue) 12. ear-consciousness
5. tactile organ (body) 13. nose-consciousness
6. visible object 14. tongue-consciousness
7. sound or audible object 15. body-consciousness
8. odour or olfactive object
16. mind-element 17. mind-object
(mano-dhátu) (dhamma-dhátu)
18. mind-consciousness-element
1-10 are physical; 11-16 and 18 are mental; 17 may be either physical or mental. - 16 performs the function of advertence (ávajjana) towards the object at the inception of a process of sensuous consciousness; it further performs the function of receiving (sampaticchana) the sensuous object. 18 performs, e.g., the function of investigation (santírana), determining (votthapana) and registering (tadárammana) - (for its other functions, s. Table I). For the 14 functions of consciousness, s. viññána-kicca.
Cf. M. 115; S. XIV and especially Vibh. II (Guide p. 28f), Vis.M. XV, 17ff.
Of the many further groupings of elements (enumerated in M. 115), the best known is that of the 3 world-elements: the sensuous world (káma-dhátu), the fine-material world (rúpa-dhátu), the immaterial world (arúpa-dhátu); further the sixfold group: the solid, liquid, heat, motion, space, consciousness (pathaví, ápo, tejo, váyo, ákása, viññána; s. above I), described in M. 140; see also M. 112.
dhátu-vavatthána: 'analysis (or determining) of the 4 elements', is described in Vis.M. XI, 2, as the last of the 40 mental exercises (s. bhávaná). In a condensed form this exercise is handed down in D. 22 and M. 10 (s. satipatthána), but in detail explained in M. 28, 62, 140. The simile of the butcher in M. 10 ("Just, o monks, as a skilled butcher or butcher's apprentice, after having slaughtered a cow and divided it into separate portions, should sit down at the junction of four highroads; just so does the disciple contemplate this body with regard to the elements") is thus explained in Vis.M. XI.: "To the butcher, who rears the cow, brings it to the slaughter-house, ties it, puts it there, slaughters it, or looks at the slaughtered and dead cow, the idea 'cow' does not disappear as long as he has not yet cut the body open and taken it to pieces. As soon, however, as he sits down, after having cut it open and taken it to pieces, the idea 'cow' disappears to him, and the idea 'meat' arises. And he does not think: 'A cow do I sell, or 'A cow do they buy.' Just so, when the monk formerly was still an ignorant worldling, layman or a homeless one, the ideas 'living being' or 'man' or 'individual' had not yet disappeared as long as he had not taken this body, whatever position or direction it had, to pieces and analysed it piece by piece. As soon, however, as he analysed this body into its elements, the idea 'living being' disappeared to him, and his mind became established in the contemplation of the elements." - (App.).
dhutánga: (lit. 'means of shaking off (the defilements)'); 'means of purification', ascetic or austere practices. These are strict observances recommended by the Buddha to monks as a help to cultivate contentedness, renunciation, energy and the like. One or more of them may be observed for a shorter or longer period of time.
"The monk training himself in morality should take upon himself the means of purification, in order to gain those virtues through which the purity of morality will become accomplished, to wit: fewness of needs, contentedness, austerity, detachment, energy, moderation, etc." (Vis.M. II).
Vis.M. II describes 13 dhutangas, consisting in the vows of
1. wearing patched-up robes: pamsukúlik'anga,
2. wearing only three robes: tecívarik'anga,
3. going for alms: pindapátik'anga,
4. not omitting any house whilst going for alms: sapadánikanga,
5. eating at one sitting: ekásanik'anga,
6. eating only from the alms-bowl: pattapindik'anga,
7. refusing all further food: khalu-pacchá-bhattik'anga,
8. living in the forest: áraññik'anga,
9. living under a tree: rukkha-múlik'anga,
10. living in the open air: abbhokásik'anga,
11. living in a cemetery: susánik'anga,
12. being satisfied with whatever dwelling: yathá-santhatik'anga,
13. sleeping in the sitting position (and never lying down): nesajjik'anga.
These 13 exercises are all, without exception, mentioned in the old sutta texts (e.g. M. 5, 113; A.V., 181-90), but never together in one and the same place.
"Without doubt, o monks, it is a great advantage to live in the forest as a hermit, to collect one's alms, to make one's robes from picked-up rags, to be satisfied with three robes" (A.I, 30).
The vow, e.g. of No. 1, is taken in the words: "I reject robes offered to me by householders," or "I take upon myself the vow of wearing only robes made from picked-up rags." Some of the exercises may also be observed by the lay-adherent.
Here it may be mentioned that each newly ordained monk, immediately after his being admitted to the Order, is advised to be satisfied with whatever robes, alms-food, dwelling and medicine he gets: "The life of the monks depends on the collected alms as food ... on the root of a tree as dwelling ... on robes made from patched-up rags ... on stale cow's urine as medicine. May you train yourself therein all your life."
Since the moral quality of any action depends entirely upon the accompanying intention and volition, this is also the case with these ascetic practices, as is expressly stated in Vis.M. Thus the mere external performance is not the real exercise, as it is said (Pug. 275-84): "Some one might be going for alms; etc. out of stupidity and foolishness - or with evil intention and filled with desires - or out of insanity and mental derangement - or because such practice had been praised by the Noble Ones...." These exercises are, however properly observed "if they are taken up only for the sake of frugality, of contentedness, of purity, etc."(App.)
On dhutanga practice in modern Thailand, see With Robes and Bowl, by Bhikkhu Khantipalo (WHEEL 82/83).
dibba-cakkhu: the 'divine eye', is one of the 6 higher powers (abhiññá, q.v.), and one of the three kinds of knowledge (tevijjá, q.v.).
dibba-loka: heavenly world; s. deva.
dibba-sota: the 'divine ear', is one of the 6 higher powers (abhiññá, q.v.).
dibba-vihára: s. vihára.
disappearance: vigata-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.) . disciplinary code: s. pátimokkha.
discursive thinking: vicára; s. vitakka-vicára.
disease: one of the 'divine messengers' (deva-dúta, q.v.).
disinterestedness: (regarding the whole world): s. sabbaloke anabhirati-saññá.
dispensation: s. sásana.
dissociation: vippayutta-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.) .
dissolution, contemplation of: khayánupassaná, is one of the 18 chief kinds of insight (vipassaná, q.v.).
dittha-dhamma-vedaníya-kamma: karma bearing fruit in this present life; s. karma.
ditthi (lit. 'sight'; Ö dis, to see): view, belief, speculative opinion, insight. If not qualified by sammá, 'right', it mostly refers to wrong and evil view or opinion, and only in a few instances to right view, understanding or insight (e.g. ditthi-ppatta, q.v.; ditthi-visuddhi, purification of insight; ditthi-sampanna, possessed of insight).
Wrong or evil views (ditthi or micchá-ditthi) are declared as utterly rejectable for being a source of wrong and evil aspirations and conduct, and liable at times to lead man to the deepest abysses of depravity, as it is said in A. I, 22:
"No other thing than evil views do I know, o monks, whereby to such an extent the unwholesome things not yet arisen arise, and the unwholesome things already arisen are brought to growth and fullness. No other thing than evil views do I know, whereby to such an extent the wholesome things not yet arisen are hindered in their arising, and the wholesome things already arisen disappear. No other thing than evil views do I know, whereby to such an extent human beings at the dissolution of the body, at death, are passing to a way of suffering, into a world of woe, into hell." Further in A. I, 23: "Whatever a man filled with evil views performs or undertakes, or whatever he possesses of will, aspiration, longing and tendencies, all these things lead him to an undesirable, unpleasant and disagreeable state, to woe and suffering."
From the Abhidhamma (Dhs) it may be inferred that evil views, whenever they arise, are associated with greed (s. Tab. I. 22, 23, 26, 27).
Numerous speculative opinions and theories, which at all times have influenced and still are influencing mankind, are quoted in the sutta-texts. Amongst them, however, the wrong view which everywhere, and at all times, has most misled and deluded mankind is the personality-belief, the ego-illusion. This personality-belief (sakkáya-ditthi), or ego-illusion (atta-ditthi), is of 2 kinds: eternity-belief and annihilation-belief.
Eternity-belief (sassata-ditthi) is the belief in the existence of a persisting ego-entity, soul or personality, existing independently of those physical and mental processes that constitute life and continuing even after death.
Annihilation-belief (uccheda-ditthi), on the other hand, is the belief in the existence of an ego-entity or personality as being more or less identical with those physical and mental processes, and which therefore, at the dissolution at death, will come to be annihilated. - For the 20 kinds of personality-belief, see sakkáya-ditthi.
Now, the Buddha neither teaches a personality which will continue after death, nor does he teach a personality which will be annihilated at death, but he shows us that 'personality', 'ego', 'individual', 'man', etc., are nothing but mere conventional designations (vohára-vacana) and that in the ultimate sense (s. paramattha-sacca) there is only this self-consuming process of physical and mental phenomena which continually arise and again disappear immediately. - For further details, s. anattá, khandha, paticcasamuppáda.
"The Perfect One is free from any theory (ditthigata), for the Perfect One has seen what corporeality is, and how it arises and passes away. He has seen what feeling ... perception ... mental formations ... consciousness are, and how they arise and pass away. Therefore I say that the Perfect One has won complete deliverance through the extinction, fading away, disappearance, rejection and casting out of all imaginings and conjectures, of all inclination to the 'vain-glory of 'I' and 'mine." (M. 72).
The rejection of speculative views and theories is a prominent feature in a chapter of the Sutta-Nipáta, the Atthaka-Vagga.
The so-called 'evil views with fixed destiny' (niyata-miccháditthi) constituting the last of the 10 unwholesome courses of action (kammapatha, q.v.), are the following three: (1) the fatalistic 'view of the uncausedness' of existence (ahetukaditthi), (2) the view of the inefficacy of action' (akiriyaditthi), (3) nihilism (natthikaditthi).
(1) was taught by Makkhali-Gosála, a contemporary of the Buddha who denied every cause for the corruptness and purity of beings, and asserted that everything is minutely predestined by fate.
(2) was taught by Púrana-Kassapa, another contemporary of the Buddha who denied every karmical effect of good and bad actions: "To him who kills, steals, robs, etc., nothing bad will happen. For generosity, self-restraint and truthfulness, etc. no reward is to be expected."
(3) was taught by Ajita-Kesakambali, a third contemporary of the Buddha who asserted that any belief in good action and its reward is a mere delusion, that after death no further life would follow, that man at death would become dissolved into the elements, etc.
For further details about these 3 views, s. D. 2, M. 60; commentarial exposition in WHEEL 98/99, P. 23.
Frequently mentioned are also the 10 antinomies (antagáhiká micchá-ditthi): 'Finite is the world' or 'infinite is the world' ... 'body and soul are identical' or 'body and soul are different' (e.g. M. 63).
In the Brahmájala Sutta .(D.1), 62 false views are classified and described, comprising all conceivable wrong views and speculations about man and world.
See The All-Embracing Net of Views (Brahmájala Sutta), tr. with Com. by Bhikkhu Bodhi (BPS). Further s. D. 15, 23, 24, 28; M. 11, 12, 25, 60, 63, 72, 76, 101, 102, 110; A. II, 16; X, 93; S. XXI, XXIV; Pts.M. Ditthikathá,. etc.
See The All-Embracing Net of Views (Brahmájala Sutta), tr. with Com. by Bhikkhu Bodhi (BPS).
Further s. D. 15, 23, 24, 28; M. 11, 12, 25, 60, 63, 72, 76, 101, 102, 110; A. II, 16; X, 93; S. XXI, XXIV; Pts.M. Ditthikathá,. etc.
Wrong views (ditthi) are one of the proclivities (s. anusaya), cankers (s. ásava), clingings (s. upádána), one of the three modes of perversions (s. vipallása). Unwholesome consciousness (akusala citta), rooted in greed, may be either with or without wrong views (ditthigata-sampayutta or vippayutta); s. Dhs.; Tab I.
On right view (sammá-ditthi), s. magga and M. 9 (Trans. with Com. in 'R. Und.').
ditthi-nissita-síla: 'morality based on wrong views'; s. nissaya.
ditthi-ppatta: the 'vision attainer', is one of the 7 Noble Persons (ariya-puggala, q.v.).
ditthi-vipallása: 'perversion of views'; s. vipallása.
ditthi-visuddhi: 'purification of view' is the 3rd of the 7 stages of purification (visuddhi III, q.v.).
ditth'upádána: 'clinging to views', is one of the 4 kinds of clinging (upádána, q.v.).
divine abode: s. vihára.
divine ear and eye: s. abhiññá.
divine messengers, the 3: deva-dúta (q.v.).
doctrine of the Buddha: s. dhamma, sásana.
dogmatic articles, the 3: tittháyatana (q.v.).
domanassa: lit. 'sad-mindedness', grief, i.e. mentally painful feeling (cetasika-vedaná), is one of the 5 feelings (vedaná, q.v.) and one of the 22 faculties (indriya, q.v.). According to the Abhidhamma, grief is always associated with antipathy and grudge, and therefore karmically unwholesome (akusala, q.v.) Cf. Tab. I. 30, 31.
domanassupavicára: 'indulging in grief'; s. manopavicára.
doors of deliverance, the 3: vimokkha-dvára; s. vimokkha I; visuddhi VI, 8.
dosa: 'hatred', anger, is one of the 3 unwholesome, roots (múla, q.v.). - d. citta: hate consciousness; s. Tab. I (30, 31).
dosa-carita: 'angry-or hate-natured'; s. carita.
doubt, skeptical: vicikicchá (q.v.), kankhá (q.v.).
dread, moral: ottappa s. hiri-ottappa.
drinking: On the evil effects of drinking intoxicants, s. surámeraya, etc.
dry-visioned: s. sukkha-vipassaka.
duccarita: 'evil conduct', is threefold: in deeds, words and thoughts. See kammapatha (I).
duggati: 'woeful course' (of existence); s. gati.
dukkha: (1) 'pain', painful feeling, which may be bodily and mental (s. vedaná).
(2) 'Suffering', 'ill'. As the first of the Four Noble Truths (s. sacca) and the second of the three characteristics of existence (s. ti-lakkhana), the term dukkha is not limited to painful experience as under (1), but refers to the unsatisfactory nature and the general insecurity of all conditioned phenomena which, on account of their impermanence, are all liable to suffering, and this includes also pleasurable experience. Hence 'unsatisfactoriness' or 'liability to suffering' would be more adequate renderings, if not for stylistic reasons. Hence the first truth does not deny the existence of pleasurable experience, as is sometimes wrongly assumed. This is illustrated by the following texts:
"Seeking satisfaction in the world, monks, I had pursued my way. That satisfaction in the world I found. In so far as satisfaction existed in the world, I have well perceived it by wisdom. Seeking for misery in the world, monks, I had pursued my way. That misery in the world I found. In so far as misery existed in the world, I have well perceived it by wisdom. Seeking for the escape from the world, monks, I had pursued my way. That escape from the world I found. In so far as an escape from the world existed, I have well perceived it by wisdom" (A. 111, 101).
"If there were no satisfaction to be found in the world, beings would not be attached to the world .... If there were no misery to be found in the world, beings would not be repelled by the world .... If there were no escape from the world, beings could not escape therefrom" (A. 111, 102).
See dukkhatá. For texts on the Truth of Suffering, see W. of B. and 'Path'.
See The Three Basic Facts of Existence, II. Suffering (WHEEL 191/193).
dukkhánupassaná: s. vipassaná.
dukkhatá (abstr. noun fr. dukkha): 'the state of suffering', painfulness, unpleasantness, the unsatisfactoriness of existence. "There are three kinds of suffering: (1) suffering as pain (dukkha-dukkhatá), (2) the suffering inherent in the formations (sankhára-dukkhatá), (3) the suffering in change (viparináma-dukkhatá)" (S. XLV, 165; D. 33).
(1) is the bodily or mental feeling of pain as actual]y felt. (2) refers to the oppressive nature of all formations of existence (i.e. all conditioned phenomena), due to their continual arising and passing away; this includes also experiences associated with neutral feeling. (3) refers to bodily and mental pleasant feelings, "because they are the cause for the arising of pain when they change" (Vis.M. XIV, 34f).
dukkha-patipadá: 'painful progress'; s. patipadá.
dvi-hetuka-patisandhi: s. patisandhi.
dwellings: Suitable d. for monks; s. senásana. Satisfied with whatever d.; s. dhutanga.


text:
State public health experts announce that gatherings with 250 people or more should be rescheduled or canceled
Smaller gatherings can proceed if organizers implement 6 feet of social distancing
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California public health officials this evening issued an updated policy on gatherings to protect public health and slow the spread of COVID-19. The state's public health experts have determined that gatherings should be postponed or canceled across the state until at least the end of March. Non-essential gatherings must be limited to no more than 250 people, while smaller events can proceed only if the organizers can implement social distancing of 6 feet per person. Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people, while also following social distancing guidelines.
"Changing our actions for a short period of time will save the life of one or more people you know," said Governor Newsom. "That's the choice before us. Each of us has extraordinary power to slow the spread of this disease. Not holding that concert or community event can have cascading effects — saving dozens of lives and preserving critical health care resources that your family may need a month from now. The people in our lives who are most at risk – seniors and those with underlying health conditions — are depending on all of us to make the right choice."
The state's updated policy defines a "gathering" as any event or convening that brings together people in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, cafeteria, or any other indoor or outdoor space.
This guidance applies to all non-essential professional, social and community gatherings regardless of their sponsor.
Essential gatherings should only be conducted if the essential activity could not be postponed or achieved without gathering, meaning that some other means of communication could not be used to conduct the essential function.
The full policy can be found here.
"These changes will cause real stress — especially for families and businesses least equipped financially to deal with them. The state of California is working closely with businesses who will feel the economic shock of these changes, and we are mobilizing every level of government to help families as they persevere through this global health crisis," added Governor Newsom.
State Efforts to Assist California Workers
California will continue acting swiftly to help workers hurt by COVID-19. Affected workers can visit the Labor & Workforce Development Agency's website to review what benefits are available to them. For instance,
- If you're unable to work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19 you may qualify for Paid Family Leave (PFL).
- If you're unable to work due to medical quarantine or illness, you may qualify for Disability Insurance. Those who have lost a job or have had their hours reduced for reasons related to COVID-19 may be able to partially recover their wages by filing an unemployment insurance claim.
- If a worker or a family member is sick or for preventative care when civil authorities recommend quarantine, workers may use accrued paid sick leave in accordance with the law.
- If workers are unable to do their usual job because they were exposed to and contracted COVID-19 during the regular course of their work, they may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits. All information and resources can be found at Labor.Ca.Gov/Coronavirus2019
All Community Guidance Released from CDPH:
The California Department of Public Health has consolidated state guidance on how to prepare and protect Californians from COVID-19 in a single location. This includes guidance for:
- Health care facilities, including long-term care facilities
- Community care facilities, including assisted living facilities and child care
- Schools and institutions of higher education
- First responders, including paramedics and EMTs
- Employers, health care workers and workers in general industry
- Health care plans
- Home cleaning with COVID-19 positive individuals
- Guidance for Using Disinfectants at Schools and Child Cares
- Laboratories
- Health care facilities from Cal/OSHA
- Homelessness Providers
What to Do if You Think You're Sick:
Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and may have had contact with a person with COVID-19, or recently traveled to countries with apparent community spread, call your health care provider or local public health department first before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.
California's Response to COVID-19:
We have been actively and extensively planning with our local public health and health care delivery systems. Here are some of the things we are already doing:
- As in any public health event, the California Department of Public Health's Medical and Health Coordination Center has been activated and is coordinating public health response efforts across the state.
- California continues to prepare and respond in coordination with federal and local partners, hospitals and physicians.
- Governor Newsom declared a State of Emergency to make additional resources available, formalize emergency actions already underway across multiple state agencies and departments, and help the state prepare for broader spread of COVID-19.
- Governor Gavin Newsom requested the Legislature make up to $20 million available for state government to respond to the spread of COVID-19.
- California activated the State Operations Center to its highest level to coordinate response efforts across the state.
- 24 million more Californians are now eligible for free medically necessary COVID-19 testing.
- California made available some of its emergency planning reserves of 21 million N95 filtering face piece masks for use in certain health care settings to ease shortages of personal protective equipment.
- The Public Health Department is providing information, guidance documents, and technical support to local health departments, health care facilities, providers, schools, universities, colleges, and childcare facilities across California
- The California Employment Development Department (EDD) is encouraging individuals who are unable to work due to exposure to COVID-19 to file a Disability Insurance claim.
- EDD is also encouraging employers who are experiencing a slowdown in their businesses or services as a result of the Coronavirus impact on the economy to apply for an Unemployment Insurance work sharing program.
- California continues to work in partnership with the federal government to aid in the safe return of 962 Californians from the Grand Princess cruise ship. This mission is centered around protecting the health of the passengers, and ensuring that when the passengers disembark, the public health of the United States, the State of California, and partner communities is protected.
- The Public Health Department is coordinating with federal authorities and local health departments that have implemented screening, monitoring and, in some cases quarantine of returning travelers.
- In coordination with the CDC, state and local health departments, we are actively responding to cases of COVID-19.
- The Public Health Department is supporting hospitals and local public health laboratories in the collection of specimens and testing for COVID-19.
The California Department of Public Health's state laboratory in Richmond and 18 other public health department laboratories now have tests for the virus that causes COVID-19. Eighteen of them are currently conducting tests, with the others coming online soon.
For more the most up to date information on COVID-19 and California's response, visit the CDPH website.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Importance of Obeying One's Guru
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami , 2005-09-26
Bodhinatha talks about the Swami Narayan Fellowship, their new center in Delhi and his preparation of a talk he will be giving at the opening, there on the subject of obeying one's Guru. He highlights the importance of monastic communiites and describes some of events that have brought out two monastic communtities together.
Unedited Transcript:
Nice to be back to our Sun 1 homa after traveling.
We're working on a talk for New Delhi just a BAPS Swami Narayan grand opening at their center which they call Akshardham in New Delhi. Will be a very impressive facility and so they've invited us to give a talk on the importance of obeying one's Guru. So it's a follow up to a talk Gurudeva gave in 1995 which they like very much so wanted to hear something more on it.
So this is just, I don't have time to read the whole thing but first draft here, it's not polished, I'll skip the first paragraph, the first paragraph is just, talks about you know, the fact that we just toured the facility. We haven't toured the facility yet, it's not even built. The first paragraph just, that afternoon before we give the talk we'll be touring the facility so it just talks about it, what it'll be like.
It's basic, it's not a, my understanding is it's not a temple, it's more like a cultural presentation. You know it's trying to show in various forms, including an IMAX theater, the traditions, India's culture and heritage. So, something they do very well.
We have been invited to speak on this historic occasion on the subject of "The Importance of Obeying One's Guru." Let me begin by sharing some background on our association with BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. Our relationship began some ten years ago in 1995 when our founder and guru, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, affectionately known as Gurudeva, attended the 75th Jayanti of His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Mumbai. Also at that time he visited Akshardam in Gandhinagar and the monastic training center in Sarangpur. At Sarangpur Gurudeva was quite impressed by the strict life the young sadhus there were living--sleeping on the floor, eating only what is served to them, touching the feet of the other sadhus each morning, keeping their distance from women and giving up family and career to be of service to God and Guru.
When they all get together it's quite a sight because there's seven hundred sadhus and each has to touch the feet of everyone else right so, how many is that. [laughs]. But this particular center the whole group wasn't there, it's quite a discipline they have.
My guru felt that strong communities of sadhus play an important role in Hinduism, particularly at this time on the planet. He stated: "Families are blessed who share in and support the renunciation of their sons born through them to perform a greater dharma than the grihastha life could ever offer. It is the monastic communities worldwide, of all religions, that sustain sanity on this planet.
It is the monks living up to their vows who sustain the vibration of law and order in the communities and nations of the world. This is how the inner worlds see each monastic community worldwide. This is how it is and should always be. This is how humanity balances out its experiential karmas and avoids destroying itself as it passes through the darkness of the Kali Yuga. The monastic communities that surround the planet, fulfilling their dharma, compensate for the adharma that is so prevalent, thus ensuring that humanity does not self-destruct in these trying times."
A second event occurred in 1995 when we chose Swamishri, that's the short name for Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Swamishri, as the recipient of our Hindu Renaissance Award. This award honors one eminent Hindu each year who has most impacted the faith and spread its values, compassion and profundity across the globe.
Nine years later, in 2004, I was present at the opening of the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Houston, Texas, where we had the honor of meeting personally with Swamishri as well as some of his senior sadhus. We also enjoyed meeting a number of the Houston BAPS devotees. One father had an interesting story I would like to share. He described how his two sons were devoting their entire summer to helping in the construction of the Houston Temple. They would rise early every morning and leave for the Mandir and only return home about midnight to sleep for a few hours. The father was rightfully proud of the strong religious spirit of service in his sons, and we were quite impressed as well at the extent of their dedication. Of course, such great dedication was inspired by their having a living satguru. We also produced a major article on BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and the Houston Mandir in the January 2005 issue of our magazine.
So I won't read that, you've heard that before and goes through the quote by Pramukh Swami about Hinduism Today and praising it.
Since the visit to the Houston Texas Mandir in August 2004, we visited the Mandir in Haveli in Eastern London in March, 2005 and the Haveli in Toronto, Canada in August 2005. And had the opportunity on both occasions to address the Sunday satsanga gathering. Haveli, is a it's a wooden building they built. It's like a cultural hall. So the monastic residents they built it next to the stone mandir. They usually build it first so. Though our order of sadhus is less than sixty years old, small and, of course, worshipers of Lord Siva, still we feel there are a number of strong similarities between our sangam of devotees and yours. Thus our talks on those two occasions shared a number of similarities.
Certainly the most important similarity is that both sangams have a living satguru and a tradition for perpetuating the guru lineage for future generations. Most Hindu organizations do not have such a tradition. In them either the founder who passed on some time ago is the only guru or the organization was formed in the first place without a guru.
Organizations that have a lineage of living satgurus are truly fortunate, for indeed the divine blessings of a living satguru help us to make much great spiritual progress in our lifetimes, help us to make much greater spiritual progress in our lifetime than is otherwise possible. Of course, this acceleration of spiritual progress is not automatic--rather it happens because we are obedient. That is, we follow the general principles taught by the guru as well as, if we are fortunate enough, any personal advice that the guru has given to us. Obedience is indeed the key.
Our founder and guru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami attained Mahasamadhi in November of 2001. On that occasion, His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj sent us a message we would like to share which contains insights into the continuity of the spiritual power of a guru lineage. Swamishri said:
"The first duty of all the disciples and monks of Gurudeva would be to follow every command of Gurudeva and keep on doing the great work he has been doing in letter and spirit. In Hinduism's tradition, the body dies but the spirit and consciousness of the person who has left the body will continue to guide. I will do special prayers personally for Gurudeva, who has done great work. Gurudeva's spirit will continue to guide his successor. Gurudeva's saintliness and spiritual values will continue to guide the whole lineage. This has been the tradition of Hinduism."
I always liked that quote. So insightful.
When my guru spoke at the 75th Jayanti of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Mumbai in 1995, he made the following key statement: "I have three suggestions for all of you, the dedicated members of the Swaminarayan Fellowship. If you follow them, you will succeed. If you follow them, you will grow stronger as individuals. If you follow them, you will add your strength to that of all the others in the Fellowship. If you follow them, Hinduism itself will be made more noble and secure. So, what are my three points of advice tonight? Let's take them one at a time. The first is to obey your guru. (Can you guess what the other two are?) The second is obey your guru. The third is obey your guru. Do these three things and you will live a blessed life, and you will also make Pramukh Swami Maharaj very happy."
Let's look more closely at exactly what it means to obey the guru. The basic way to be obedient is to strictly follow the general principles taught by the guru. These are traditionally found in the scriptures of the lineage, such as in the verses of the Shikshapatri. These 212 verses are certainly comprehensive in covering all aspects of life, and Swaminarayan followers are indeed fortunate to have such a clear set of principles laid out to follow in this "Code of Precepts." . You may be interested to know that the Shikshapatri inspired our guru to develop a similar scripture for his monks and families which consists of 365 verses, one for each day, and is called the Nandinatha Sutras. These now guide our sampradaya, just as the Shikshapatri guides BAPS.
The importance of obeying the rules of the Shikshapatri is stated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan toward the end in verses 205 and 206 to quote: "Hence, all My disciples shall observe all the rules laid down in this Shikshapatri and shall never follow the whims of the lower instincts." "Those of My disciples who shall live in accordance with the precepts laid down here shall attain all the four desired objects (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) on earth."
A second form of obedience is that of following any personal advice given to us by the guru. Some Hindus select as their guru a guru who is no longer living. They place his picture on their wall and altar and study his writings. I call this a safe guru because he will never ask you to do something you do not want to do; and quite often that is exactly what a living satguru will do. He will ask you to do exactly what you do not want to do.
[End of transcript]


text:
Official Travel Information
Find a sense of community, or maybe two or more, at the colorful hostels across the state. Whether you're looking for a rest stop along a bike adventure or a sociable place to make friends out of strangers, Oregon's hostels are a melting pot of cultures and characters. You'll never have the same experience twice. Discover your options here.


text:
Before COVID, travel insurance was often dismissed as an unnecessary expense. But now, we've seen how quickly plans can go south (and we're not talking about southern sunny destinations).
Those unexpected changes can cost unprepared travelers. With summer on the horizon, many of us are starting to think about making travel plans—and deciding whether it's worth purchasing travel insurance when we book.
The Basics
Depending on the company and the policy you choose, travel insurance may cover you for:
- Trip delays or interruptions (e.g., weather disasters or other unexpected issues at your destination)
- Trip or booking cancellations (e.g., hotel, air, ship or rental car; accident; illness; a death in the family)
- Medical emergencies (e.g., sudden illness, injuries)
- Delayed, damaged, stolen or lost luggage, jewelry, documents, cameras or electronics
- Rental car damage, theft or accident
You can buy insurance directly from a travel insurance company or through your travel agent. Online booking sites, airlines and cruise lines usually offer an option to purchase insurance, as well.
If you buy directly from a travel insurance company, you may be able to choose from a variety of options, such as: single- or multi-trip or year-long policies, coverage for yourself, or coverage for your whole family. Cost, of course, depends on the policy and level of coverage selected.
Before you start your Search
If your trip is refundable and you're traveling within the U.S., travel insurance may not be needed. Even if your trip isn't 100% refundable, it may not be worth the cost to cover an inexpensive flight and hotel stay.
Check to see if you have travel coverage through the credit card you'll use to pay for your trip. Some credit cards provide coverage in case your flight is delayed or canceled, your rental car is damaged, or your luggage is lost or delayed.
However, there are some circumstances in which insurance is generally recommended, such as:
- You have to prepay for your trip and can't cancel without a penalty
- You're traveling to an area known for weather disruptions such as hurricanes (check to see whether emergency evacuation is included)
- You're traveling outside the U.S.
Important Point about International Travel:
You might want to consider a standalone medical insurance policy, even if you already have travel protection from a credit card. First, check with your U.S.-based health insurer to see what's covered, since hospital costs in some countries can run $10,000 or more per day, while costs for emergency medical transport home can exceed $100,000.
However…even if your health insurance covers you outside the country, individual doctors may not accept it. Without travel insurance, you'd have to pay the bills out of pocket and get reimbursement from your healthcare insurer.
What's not Covered?
Exact exclusions vary depending on company and policy, but some issues that might not be covered include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Performing dangerous activities during your trip (i.e., mountain climbing)
- War
- Acts of terrorism
- Injury as a result of alcohol or drug use, which can be considered self-inflicted damage or even illegal
What about COVID, which is still a factor in our lives? While some travelers who already had a policy in effect before the pandemic were grandfathered into coverage, it's possible that it won't be covered if you haven't purchased insurance yet. Check with the insurer for details.
One last caution:
Buy when you book your travel, to be sure it covers any pre-vacation issues that could jeopardize your trip.
Most of the Time, your Travel will go off Smoothly, but it Never Hurts to be Prepared. Just Remember:
- Know what benefits you already have with your health insurance and credit card
- Carefully consider what could go wrong
- Compare policies and price shop
- Know exactly what's covered under each travel insurance policy
Finally, make your plans and enjoy your vacation, secure in the knowledge that you'll be protected no matter what happens.


text:
How Pixar and Psychology Helped Facebook Design Its Emoticons
Facebook teamed up with a Pixar illustrator and a psychologist to make the most emotive emoticons it could muster
Those who logged into Facebook recently might have noticed some new faces—emoticons that users can now tack on to their status updates. These emoticons are highly engineered: Facebook teamed up with a Pixar illustrator and a psychologist to make the most emotive emoticons it could.
UC Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner studies how people emotionally interact on social media. Pixar illustrator Matt Jones knows all too well how to manipulate our emotions with little animated characters. Together, they created the set of emoticons that Facebook settled on. Popular Science reports:
They started looking at how compassion research could help Facebook address the kind of interpersonal conflicts the company saw emerge in issue reporting. When people inserted a little more emotion into their messages asking friends to take down photos, Facebook found, the friend was more likely to respond or comply rather than just ignore the message.
So Facebook started thinking about how to add more emotional information to Facebook messaging. "There's all this communication that happens when you're talking to someone face-to-face–you can see that they're nodding and you can see their smile–that is not present when you're communicating electronically," Bejar explains. "One of the questions that we asked was, 'Wouldn't it be great if we had a better emoticon that was informed by science?'"
Of course, Pixar and Facebook aren't the first ones to think of using emoticons to help people express emotions. That's what the things were invented for. Mashable has a brief history of emoticons, which traces the murky beginnings of the little faces. A transcript of one of Abraham Lincoln speeches included a winking face, but most agree that was probably just a typo. Mashable writes:
Various reports (that we've been unable to verify) suggest that in 1979, an ARPANET user called Kevin MacKenzie, inspired by an unidentified Reader's Digest article, suggested using punctuation to hint that something was "tongue-in-cheek," as opposed to out-and-out humorous.
Apparently, MacKenzie thought a hypen and a bracket — -) — would be a suitable symbol: "If I wish to indicate that a particular sentence is meant with tongue-in-cheek, I would write it so: 'Of course you know I agree with all the current administration's policies -).'
Last year, the classic yellow smiley face turned 30. It was originally the face of State Mutual Life Assurance Company. ABC News explains:
The "smiley face" designed by Harvey Ball has become a ubiquitous symbol since the Worcester, Mass., designer was hired by the e State Mutual Life Assurance Company to design a morale-boosting symbol for the company. Ball's design, which was first used on buttons, desk cards and posters, has since become a lasting international symbol.
Today, Facebook has added a bit of science to that yellow smiley. And they tackled some emotions that aren't usually represented by emoticons, like sympathy and gratefulness. Here's Popular Science again:
Sympathy, for example, can be hard to really get across in traditional emoticon form. "It's an under-appreciated emotion in Western culture," Keltner explains. "We now know what it looks like and sounds like because of science. They created this dynamic emoticon that when you see it, it's really powerful."
Using little pictures to convey feeling, rather than words, might elicit more of a personal response from users. Or, at least, that's what Facebook hopes.
More from Smithsonian.com:


text:
Christopher Jones at C2E2 2018
I'm thrilled to see so many friends and fans again at Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo this weekend! I'll be at Artist Alley table H4 for all three days of the convention.
Here's a handy map to help you find me at the con!
Yes, once again everybody's favorite clown prince of crime Mister J will be joining me! He'll be roaming the convention getting into staying out of trouble when he's not at my table!
2018 Con Exclusive Free Mini-Print
Those who have been following me for a while know that C2E2 is also where I unveil my new FREE mini-print for the year! These are convention exclusive 4″x6″ signed prints that can only be obtained by visiting me at a convention and showing me that you follow me on Facebook or Twitter. It's a way that I can say thank you to my fans for sticking around. And they're sort of starting to become collectible, apparently.
In honor of Young Justice returning this year, my newest Mini-Print features Kid Flash claiming another "Souvenir": a mini-print of Kid Flash claiming another "Souvenir": a mini-print of… well, you get the idea.
I'll still have my mini-prints from previous years for C2E2 since I'm driving (not worrying about luggage weight really increases what I can bring with me!) So if you've missed one, get it while you can.
New Prints Since Last Year
I've got a few new 11″x17″ full color and 9.5″x11″ full color AND black-and-white prints for purchase since last year's C2E2, too. I think you guys are going to like these. As usual, I'll be offering all of my prints at a significant discount from my Etsy store prices.
First, for Young Justice fans, there's a bonanza of new prints! The Season 2 Team print, The Bat Family, The Flash Family (aka "Flash Forward"), The Marvel Family, and for you villain fans out there, Let There Be Light!
For Doctor Who fans I've got new prints as well: "Thirteen" featuring Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor, "The Paternoster Gang" featuring Strax, Madame Vastra and Jenny, and if you like me you love Doctor Who AND Superheroes, check out "Love at First Sight" featuring Harley Quinn and the TARDIS.
Given the Doctor Who mini-series I'm currently drawing (out this June with a special preview for Free Comic Book Day), it may not be new, this might be of special interest: "Come on Ace, We've Got Work To Do!" is my print featuring The Seventh Doctor and Ace.
And I'll also have my selection of 8.5″x11″ prints at $10 (color) and $5 (black & white), and a limited number of copies of the collected edition of Doctor Who: The 3rd Doctor mini-series by myself and Paul Cornell.
You can see the rest of my prints in my gallery.
C2E2 2018 At-the-Con Sketch Rates
I will be doing sketches during the convention. Stop by my table, H4, on Friday or Saturday to get on my list! Here are my at-the-con sketch rates.
- Full Figure: $100 for the first character + $80 for each additional character
- Head Sketch (shoulders & up): $60 or $40 with a current student ID
My sketches are ink drawings done with brush pens on 9″x12″ Bristol. I'll do commission drawings for the same rates in sketchbooks or on sketch covers for the same rates if you provide the book.
Cosplay Repair Kit!
Again this year, I will have the cosplay repair kit with sewing stuff, different sorts of tape, contact cement, and other misc. cosplay repair items. Just ask if you need to use it.
Before I go…
I wanted to answer some Frequently-Asked-Questions from twitter:
- Autographs are always free and I'll sign anything you bring me. (Check out my guide to asking for signatures and drawings at conventions!)
- I do not charge for photos and I am happy to take a photo with anyone who asks!
- I'm happy to do interviews, podcasts, snippets, goofy stuff, and whatever any day but Sunday, but the earlier you can drop by, the better!
- I will draw any cannon character ship kissing if asked. I will draw any two characters together doing non-romantic/sexual things, regardless of whether it's cannon or not.
Please stop by and say hello, grab your free mini-print, and if you're cosplaying, let me take a photo for my Facebook page. Oh, I have an Instagram now too, so be sure to follow me on there too!
Can't wait to see you all, especially those of you who bring me Diet Coke every year (you know who you are!)


text:
I have to admit, I did not watch the Super Bowl, because I really don't care about football, but I'm pretty sure everyone and their grandma watched the halftime show, if only to see Beyoncé and Destiny's Child reunite for the first time in AGES! And of course, to dance their asses off to Bootylicious. Queen Bey herself wore a cropped motorcycle jacket and a bodysuit made with strips of python and iguana, and insets of lace designed by the New York-based designer Rubin Singer. Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams also wore Proenza Schouler booties that I just happen to have…no biggie! The sets were over the top, the hair was tossed, and Destiny's Child reunited. It was a perfect ending to a lazy Sunday.
What did you think of the halftime show? Did you like the costumes? Share in the comments!


text:
Montpellier is every bit the equal of Marseille and Nice. With its elegant buildings, grand hôtels particuliers and stately boulevards, it's a quietly stylish metropolis with a old quarter and shady backstreets. It is the 8th largest city of France, and is also the fastest growing city in the country over the past 25 years. The city's medieval origins are visible from the charming narrow streets in the centre, the faculty of medicine, the royal gardens of Le Peyrou and other marvels which attract the curious from all over the world. But it is also a resolutely modern metropolis, open to science, contemporary culture and leisure activities.
Place du Nombre d' Or
Place de l'Europe
Place de l'Europe
Place de l'Europe
Montpellier Antigone
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Montpellier
Montpellier Cathedral
Place de la Comédie
Place de la Comédie
Montpellier Mural
Montpellier Carré Sainte Anne
Montpellier Triangle
Roman aqueduct
big city life
credit: Wolfgang Staudt


text:
Visje Bij De Thee
Everything you see in these pictures is for sale at a lovely new online shop called Visje bij de Thee = 'little fish with tea' ... a perculiar name I know but in dutch it sounds quite nice :)
Stylist Iris Rietbergen who founded Visje bij de Thee created a sweet and romantic world. I have fallen in love with the beautiful bird wallpaper. And I like how Iris dared to combine thsi already very busy patteren with more patterns from skinnylaminx ... great idea and makes me want to try doing this at home too.... no need to always keep it plain and simple .. do you like combining colors and patterns like this? [READ AND SEE MORE]


text:
Karen L. Hobbs
Karen L. Hobbs, age 77, a resident of the Colorado Springs area since 1971, passed away with her family by her side on May 2, 2013 after a 13 year long illness. She was a fashion model, photographer, artist, scholar, skier, French instructor, military wife, loving mother, fashion designer, interior designer, business woman, author, military historian and lecturer, and world traveler. All this was done with grace and style, not a hair out of place.
Karen Lucille (Kiehn) Hobbs was born on October 8, 1935 in Red Wing, Minnesota to the late Harry Edward Kiehn and Lucille Dorothy (Bregel) Kiehn, who became the owners and editors of the Lamberton News in 1949. She attended elementary school in Red Wing, Minnesota and graduated as Valedictorian at Lamberton High School in Lamberton, Minnesota in 1953.
She was graduated from the College of Saint Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota class of 1957 with degrees in Art and French and attended a French language summer session at Laval University in Quebec, Canada to prepare for studies in France. Karen was commended by the St. Paul College Court of Honor for High Scholastic Achievement. She was made a member of Phi Beta Kappa and achieved membership in Pi Delta Phi French Honor Society. During her college years she worked as a fashion model and was crowned Snow Princess in the Court of the St. Paul Winter Carnival and Miss Uptown for the Minneapolis Aquatennial.
Karen received a scholarship from the French Government to study Medieval Art History at the University of Poitiers in France. While in on a trip to Germany, she met her future husband, Army Lt. Leo P, Hobbs of Shenandoah, PA, and they were married on April 4, 1959 in El Paso, Texas.
Karen embraced the adventure and social life of a military wife and mother, moving her family to eleven different locations that criss-crossed the country, including three years in Germany. She made every move an exciting adventure and lesson in geography and history for her daughters.
She began family life as a buyer of ski clothing and equipment at the Popular Dry Goods Department Store in El Paso, Texas, and continued her career as a fashion model, taught French at St. Mary's High School in El Paso and later at a high school in Carmel, California and earned a teaching certificate in 1969 in Leavenworth, Kansas. In Colorado, Karen became a business woman by starting "Montage," an interior design business, and then "Plane Design," her own furniture design company, operating on the front range and in Summit County. Her signature piece was "The Hobbs Bench." She also turned her interest in family history into a genealogy career, becoming a leading expert and lecturer on research of LDS records as well as Austrian Military History. She belonged to the German Bohemian Society and the Czech Bohemian Society in St. Paul Minnesota, researched and wrote articles for their publications "Heimatbrief" and "Nase Rodina." Karen's research helped her discover and visit her ancestors' 400 year old farmhouse in Bohemia.
Karen translated and published an old Bohemian publication, "100 Tales From Sudetenland" using her German language skills.
Karen took advantage of the military re-locations and traveled from the bases with extensive excursions in Europe, Russia, Japan, China and Egypt. Throughout her life she created award winning art in sculpture, painting, print, macramé, batik and photography. She designed and sewed her own fashionable clothing. She embraced the world of dog shows, hunting and retrieving with the beloved family dog, Count von Brandenburg, a champion pure-bred German Short-Haired Pointer. First introduced to skiing on a date with husband Leo in Austria, they later enjoyed many of the newly developing New Mexico and Colorado Resorts and owned mountain property where their family could ski every weekend.
This exceptional woman was a loving mother and wife. She charmed all those who met her and her infectious love of life was shared in every way. She was beautiful both inside and out. Clearly a highlight of her life was to celebrate her 50th anniversary with Leo and to spend time with her grandchildren. She had a close relationship with her sisters and relatives and will be missed by all whose lives she touched.
Karen was a member of Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Colorado Springs.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years: Lt. Col. Leo P. Hobbs, US Army (Ret.) of Colorado Springs; and two loving daughters: Celeste (Kenneth) Wood of Colorado Springs; and Monica Hobbs (Gregor Huesgen) of Colorado Springs. She has five adoring grandchildren: Brian, Ben, Connor, Alexa, and Zoe.
Karen is also survived by her sisters: Kathy Brush of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Margery (Larry) Linnenburger of Colorado Springs, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A closed casket visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 10, 2013 at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 4925 North Carefree Circle, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80917. A Memorial Mass will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the church, and a luncheon reception will follow the Mass in the Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Karen's name may be made to Holy Apostles Catholic church.


text: Optimize your experience with these silicone cock rings from Doc Johnson! The OptiMALE Thick C-Ring Set offers enhanced size and girth with three rings in 40mm, 45mm, and 50mm diameters. These rings are ultra-stretchable for easy use around the shaft or testicles, maintaining those long-lasting erections you've always dreamed of, and prolonging your ejaculation. Phthalate-free silicone.


text:
From my old wine class notes: When you sniff a wine and savor its aromas, you are in fact sampling from the 'invisible soup' of substances that float around in the headspace of the wineglass...
The human nose can smell about 300 aromas, whereas the tastebuds only taste 4 or 5 flavors...
A dog's olfactory bulbs are 4 times larger than ours -it's estimated that dogs can identify smells somewhere between 1,000 to 10,000 times better than humans can, so imagine how refined the French dog's nose must be! But I digress..anticipation of next week's Westminster Kennel Club show is taking over my brain.
Back to perfect scents. If imagining the smell of French bread is enough to get you on an airplane for an uncomfortable 7-8 hours, think of the effect on the French dog?
Bella at Poilâne , original watercolor, 9" x 11"
It must drive them bonkers.
French chocolate...ah the smell of it. No other chocolate comes close in my biased opinion and it drives me bonkers. The Salon du Chocolat is instant immersion in one big soup bowl of it - no need to actually eat the stuff.
The smell of French hot chocolate with all the visual embellishments (here at Carette).
Certainly the perfume's container should be in harmony with it's contents.
When I heard the sad news of the death of Alexander McQueen yesterday, I wondered about his perfume. It was called Kingdom. There is more here. I always loved his twirling girl who gets paint thrown at her...BONJOUR VALENTINES!


text:
High quality crystal rhinestones enclosed in a convenient box of various sizes.
Each box contains two types of rhinestone colors that can be combined with each other for a Luxury Nail Art
It is important to us that you are satisfied, which is why we try to be as precise, fast and reliable as possible from order to delivery. In fact, during all phases of the purchase process on www.newnailssystem.com you are provided with all the useful information, from product availability to delivery methods, so that the service we offer you is 100% comprehensive.
Inside the detail page of each individual product you will always find an indication of whether the item is available and information on the expected delivery date (which may vary based on the payment method chosen).
The Availability levels of a product are:
Available: The product can be ordered immediately and you will receive it within the indicated shipping times or you can collect it at one of our collection points of your choice.
Coming soon: These are preview products or products that are finished and must arrive. You can still order it, the shipment will be made as soon as the product arrives in stock.
Delivery time
What happens to your order a moment after purchasing on www.newnailssystem.com from
New Nails System srl:
The delivery times of the products vary depending on the item ordered by the Customer and the delivery methods chosen by the same. The customer can choose standard shipping which takes 3 to 5 WORKING days or express 24/48 WORKING hours. However, the times indicated are merely indicative and are in no way binding for the "SELLER". For express shipping with delivery within 24/48 working hours, the indications mentioned below apply:
A) Day 0 (receipt of order)
the back office processes orders received by 12.00, otherwise they are processed the following day. The same applies to orders received on Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday: they will be processed on the first working day following that of the order itself. The order is processed according to the payment method chosen, and in particular:
- if the payment method chosen is PAYPAL or CASH ON DELIVERY, the order will be processed the same day or if the payment was made after 12.00, the order will be processed the following day.
- if the chosen payment method is BANK TRANSFER, the order will be processed when the credit is displayed on the bank account of the New Nails System srl Company
- if the payment method chosen is CREDIT CARD, the order will be processed after 24 hours.
The order is sent to our warehouses by 6.00 pm;
B) Day 1 (Courier)
the day after the order is placed, the Courier will collect the goods from our warehouses by 6.00 pm. The courier will be given the accompanying invoice containing the destination location and any notes included in the order.
C) Day 2 (delivery of goods)
The product will be delivered to the address indicated when confirming the order.
Shipping fees
Shipping rates are calculated at the time of order based on the weight and volume of the package. Each product sheet contains the price of the shipping cost or whether shipping is free.


text:
022 Lynching Information
Browse by
This material was collected by Monroe Work, director of the Department of Records and Research (the archives) and includes information from 1881 to 1936. The attached material is introductory in nature and is indicative of our entire collection. Included is a sampling of our original "lynching records" which are maintained in the archives' collection. Due to the delicate condition of these records, researchers can view the material using our micro-film collection. Also included are Monroe Work's statistical compilation of the information.
All of the attached is copyrighted material. Copyright Tuskegee University Archives, 2010. Absolutely none of the attached can be reproduced, in any format, without the permission of Tuskegee University Archives.
Collections in this community
Recent Submissions
Monroe Work Today Dataset Compilation
Ramey, RJ; Jared, McWilliams (Tuskegee University Archives, 2018-04-24)This dataset compilation lists the recorded lynchings in the United States, from 1834 to 1965. The list is broken down into each state that has a recorded lynching. Then under each state, the list is in chronological order ... -
Map of Lynchings across the United States
McWilliams, Jared (Tuskegee University Archives, 2018-04-24)This map gives a visual representation of lynchings in the United States, from 1835 to 1964. -
County Historian for Porter County, Indiana
Clark, Larry (2015-02-03)Errata changing place of lynching in Porter County,Indiana (1897) from Valparaiso to Versailles. -
Examples of Lynching Records
Unknown author (2010-09-09) -
Lynching, Whites & Negroes, 1882 -1968
Unknown author (2010-09-09)


text:
Shaneasia Morgan, sued in Pensacola, Florida, is fighting back, in Virgin v. Morgan. She has filed an answer denying the RIAA's charges, and denying that her non-commercial actions were a copyright infringement. Her answer explains that the type of file sharing of which she is accused would be protected as a fair use. In addition she seeks an award of attorneys fees against the plaintiffs.
In addition to arguing that the RIAA's $750-per-song file damages theory is unconstitutional (See November 9th decision of Judge Trager in UMG v. Lindor, in post "Judge Grants Marie Lindor's Motion....."), Ms. Morgan's answer also alleges that since, if she did infringe plaintffs' copyrights, she was an innocent infringer, the statutory damages of $750 per song should be reduced to $200 under copyright Act Section 504(c)(2):
Defendant Morgan lacks technical understanding of the filesharing concept as it has come to be employed on the Internet. Her understanding is that website owners and operators are responsible for determining the intellectual property rights of the content they make available and that she is not required to become a technical expert nor an expert in intellectual property rights in order to browse the Internet without fear of financial disaster from copyright infringement liability. If a service browsed on the Internet has caused her computer to download software and thereby created a shared folder on her computer, it was without her informed knowledge or understanding.Answer*
A copy of the complaint follows:
Complaint in Virgin v. Morgan, 3:06-cv-342 (N.D. Florida, Pensacola Division)*
Ms. Morgan is represented by George J. Little, a veteran trial lawyer and internet expert, working out of Marianna, Florida.
* Document published online at Internet Law & Regulation
Commentary & discussion:
Keywords: digital copyright online download upload peer to peer p2p file sharing filesharing music movies indie label freeculture creative commons pop/rock artists riaa independent mp3 cd favorite songs


text:
Overnight Cruise Shared Bunk
- Kesto: 22 Tunnit (noin)
- Paikka: Paihia, Bay of Islands
- Tuotekoodi: PP0NKA
Day 1
Departs at 5pm, grab a drink and enjoy a 2-3hr cruise out to the islands. Give the target shooting a go as we cruise. Once on anchor in a sheltered bay we'll do a spot of dusk fishing. A healthy snapper baked on the barbecue is a welcome addition to an already delicious buffet dinner (subject to guest's fishing ability, of course!).
Later you can choose to go night kayaking to marvel in the phosphorescence (some call it "fairy dust") and lie back for a star-gazing session - your guide will point out the major constellations, planets and galaxies. If you're still up for action, you can jump in the sea for a night swim before settling in for a drink by the fire.
Day 2
Sunrise at sea is spectacular – you can watch it from your bed if you're not an early bird! The breakfast bell goes at 8am. We serve a traditional kiwi breakfast and then haul anchor and get underway for an exploration of the islands. If you're up early enough, you might even get a chance for a quick wake-up swim with the crew.
Kayaking, snorkeling, gathering fresh sea food, exploring WWII remains, trekking across islands enjoying stunning vantage points and visiting ancient Maori fortifications. If conditions allow, we'll gather mussels from the kelp-covered outer reefs to enjoy on the way home (along with the unique experience of eating sea urchins raw if you're brave enough).
You will have time to enjoy the remote beaches - perfect for a game of beach cricket or volley ball.
On the homeward cruise, we'll enjoy those mussels, freshly steamed, and watch out for the abundant marine and bird life…hopefully we'll even see dolphins! We arrive back at Paihia wharf at approximately 3pm.


text:
Lively is a new approach to Web programming available as open source under the MIT license. It provides a complete platform for Web applications, including dynamic graphics, network access, and development tools. Students, academics, and adventurous developers are invited to join the communitiy.
It can change itself and create new content. The Lively Kernel includes a basic graphics editor that allows it to alter and create new graphical content, and also an integrated development environment (IDE) that allows it to alter and create new applications. It comes with a library of graphical and computational components, and these, as well as the kernel, can be altered and extended on the fly.
It can save new artifacts, even clone itself, onto new Web pages. The kernel includes WebDAV support for browsing and extending remote file systems, and thus has the ability to save its objects and "worlds" (applications) as new active Web pages and into a cloud-based repository.
© 2006-2018 HPI Software Architecture Group


text:
Successful Speakers P/L is a specialist bureau that presents distinguished public speakers in Australia who have earned the right to speak from experience. Individuals with extraordinary success in their chosen field and have hard - won learning's to share with audiences. They deliver speeches, corporate presentations and trainings that are educational, motivational and entertaining.
Please give us as much information as possible about your event so that we can help by recommending success speakers ideal to delivering your best possible outcomes.
No Speaker Found.
"Successful Speakers was great. Responsive and attentive, ensuring that as the client, I had everything I needed."
RMIT University
"Thank you for your professionalism and making the organisation of this part of our product launch as easy as possible."
A great selection of options to meet our needs promptly and were very accommodating in finding a suitable speaker.
"Great service thanks Suzie - greatly appreciate your help and regular/prompt responses to my queries. Wouldn't hesitate in using you again - thank you."
Littley Financial Services
"Successful Speakers made the booking very easy and I appreciate all the assistance given during the planning of the event"
Macquarie University
"We were extremely satisfied with every aspect of the services provided by Successful Speakers Service."
NSW Fire & Resue
"Successful Speakers was great. Responsive and attentive, ensuring that as the client, I had everything I needed."
RMIT University
"Suzie Isak was a pleasure to deal with. Her professionalism and support in securing an appropriate guest speaker for our conference dinner was greatly appreciated."
Our Address
Postal Address
PO Box 235
Potts Point
Copyright © 2015 Successful Speakers P/L | Privacy Policy


text:
Expert entomologists caution that species-level identifications cannot always be made from images of live specimens in the wild. Such is the case with most spider wasps of the family Pompilidae. It is difficult enough to get any image, unless the wasp is enjoying flower nectar and oblivious to anything else, or digging a burrow and intent on her activities. So, I preface this article by stating that I can't be certain the species depicted here is Ageniella accepta or A. conflicta.
When I first spotted one of these wasps running around on a sunflower plant here in Colorado Springs, I passed it off as just another kind of ant. Indeed, ants rule the sunflowers, driving off any insects that want to lick the sweet, sticky substance exuded by the plant. Closer inspection revealed that this was no ant. The extra-long legs were one clue. So was the fact that it was winged, but the dark bands across the wings give the impression of the "nodes" that link an ant's abdomen to its thorax.
Why mimic an ant? Ants are, like wasps, members of the order Hymenoptera. They defend themselves and their nestmates by biting viciously, stinging, or squirting formic acid. Not many predators want to mess with them. Further, where there is one ant there are usually more, quick to come to the aid of a fellow worker in distress. Any insect (or even spider) that looks like an ant is probably going to be left alone by its enemies.
From previous experience, I know that small orange and brown pompilids with banded wings are likely going to be females in the genus Ageniella. I encountered the one below at the Orange Municipal Airport in Massachusetts on September 7, 2009. She was toting a spider, its legs amputated to presumably facilitate easier transport. Nick Fensler, an expert on spider wasps of eastern North America, kindly identified it for me as probably Ageniella conflicta.
Females of that species apparently hunt immature wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) as food for their larval offspring. Varacosa gosiuta, V. avara, Arctosa littoralis, and Pardosa valens are among the recorded hosts for Ageniella conflicta. Jumping spiders have also been recorded as prey, but that was before even the experts could tell conflicta from accepta.
The amputation of the legs also makes it easier for the female wasp to stuff her victims into narrow openings. The wasps dig short burrows that originate in pre-existing crevices in the soil. Little else is known of their nesting habits and life cycles.
It should be noted that males of both species look completely different from females: They are black with some reddish markings on the legs, and a white spot on the tip of the abdomen, as shown below. Neither gender is very large. The forewing length for females is 5-8 millimeters, and 4-5 millimeters for males.
Ageniella accepta visits other plants besides sunflowers, including nectaries of Chamaecrista nictitans (Sensitive Partridge Pea), and flowers of Euphorbia marginata (Snow-on-the-Mountain), Baccharis salicifolia (Seep Willow or Mule-fat), and Bifora Americana (Prairie Bishop).
Ageniella accepta ranges across most of the southern half of the United States and into Mexico. This is one of at least three North American species in the "accepta species group." The widespread A. conflicta and the western A. blaisdelli are the others, according to Townes (1957).
The scarcity of information about our species of Ageniella means that your own observations could be quite meaningful. Next time you think you see an ant, double check and see if it isn't actually one of these unique spider wasps.
Sources: Evans, Howard E. and Carl M. Yoshimoto. 1962. "The Ecology and Nesting Behavior of the Pompilidae (Hymenoptera) of the Northeastern United States," Misc Publ Entomol Soc Am 3(3): 67-119.
Kurczewski, Frank E. 1975. "Host Records for Some Species of Pompilidae From the Southwestern United States and Mexico," Pan-Pac Entomol 51(2): 147-151.
Kurczewski, Frank E. and Edmund J. 1968. "Host Records for Some North American Pompilidae (Hymenoptera) With a Discussion of Factors in Prey Selection," J Kans Entomol Soc 41(1): 1-33
Townes, Henry. 1957. "Nearctic Wasps of the Subfamilies Pepsinae and Ceropalinae," U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 209: 1-286.


text:
Duthe Surname Ancestry Results
Our indexes 1000-1999 include entries for the spelling 'duthe'. In the period you have requested, we have the following 1 record (displaying 1 to 1): Try these... d'utervoil du terme du terney du tertre du thay du therre duterne duterran duterrau duterreau duterreil dutertre duteus dutfeild dutfield dutgen duthae duthaie duthais duthait duthaler dutheir duther dutheridge dutherme duthet duthey duthi duthie duthiel duthier duthil duthile duthman duthoe duthoil duthoit duthoite dutholt duthorp These sample scans are from the original record. You will get scans of the full pages or articles where the surname you searched for has been found. Your web browser may prevent the sample windows from opening; in this case please change your browser settings to allow pop-up windows from this site. Research your ancestry, family history, genealogy and one-name study by direct access to original records and archives indexed by surname. |


text:
Death is all around here on the eastern New Mexico prairie. At least that's how I feel today.
Yesterday, when driving home from volunteering at the community college, I saw a herd of cattle running along inside the fence line of a large pasture. I'm used to seeing placid groups of cattle grazing peacefully and this was something unusual, so I stopped my car by the side of the road to see what was going on. There was a huge cattle truck parked off by the fence with its gates open and ramps down. Because I didn't remember seeing any cattle in this particular field, I assumed that they had just been unloaded there.
There was a cowboy mounted on his modern day steed, a four-wheeler, attempting to herd the smaller groups into one big herd--at least it looked like that to me. I wondered why he would stir up what I was starting to realize were already panicked animals, but I eventually decided that he must be trying to move the cattle to the far corner of the pasture so that the big truck could make its way out of the gate.
As I watched, the cowboy drove back over to the truck, perhaps to talk things over with his co-workers (co-cowboys?). And then the cattle headed down the fence line toward where I was parked. As they passed me, some of them stumbling and obviously worn out, I was able to look closely at each animal. Their eyes were rolling, their tongues hanging out, and some of them had foam coming out of their mouths. They were wet all over with what looked and smelled like liquefied cow manure. It ran down their sides and their legs; it ran down their faces into their eyes and mouths. They were breathing hard and just moving forward by instinct.
It made me so sad. I know that they are born and bred for slaughter. I know that they will make up the hamburgers I've always eaten. But looking at them, I couldn't understand why an animal that is destined to be killed and cut up and turned into meat wasn't being treated with some dignity during its brief life. There was no reason for those animals to be living in filth. There was no reason for them to be turned out into a pasture while soaking wet, with a night of freezing temperatures ahead of them. They were exhausted and no doubt thirsty, and I could see no accommodations for watering them.
I drove home, feeling that the world is a bad place and that I am a bad person for driving fast by the feedlots around here and never, ever really looking.
This morning I headed out on my bike to look at "my" cattle and to see how they had fared during the bitter night. I was hoping to find them grazing tranquilly, all panic somehow forgotten. It was a hard ride, cold and extremely windy. I had to travel down what I classify as a "scary" road: Scary = fast moving (though occasional) traffic and no shoulders. At times I got off and pushed my bike into the wind, lest it push me backwards.
When I arrived at the pasture…I got it. There were no tranquil cattle grazing. There were no cattle at all. I had completely misinterpreted and misunderstood what I was seeing yesterday. Those cattle were about to be loaded into the big cattle truck. And for an animal raised for meat, going somewhere in the big truck is never a good thing. They were panicked and trying to get away. They were hopeless, because they knew that the cowboys always win. Sure, I'm assigning human emotions to animals. But I defy you to look into the eyes of manure-covered beasts like them and not see a life of unwilling, unrelenting, and miserable slavery.
I know there is a better way. I have raised meat animals myself, in my "back to the land" days. Although we were inexperienced, we did everything we could to ensure that our animals had good lives and that they met their end in as humane a way as possible. They were raised in a clean barnyard and were never sent to the slaughterhouse. They were killed at home with a quick shot, usually as they ate a peaceful meal in familiar surroundings.
Here is my challenge to you: Learn about how the animals we eat live and die. It's not easy reading, believe me. And don't just read about it—go to a feedlot and look into their eyes.
Read about the raising, transportation, and slaughtering of animals at http://earthsave.org/news/ff.htm
Read about another way to celebrate the that animals we raise and who nourish us: http://www.taosdaily.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.viewarticle&article_id=1571
Read the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver for information about humane raising of meat animals.


text:
Arthritic Foot and Ankle Issues
Arthritis is a common, yet painful disease that causes joint inflammation in the body. Though it can affect any joint, many people have arthritis of the foot and ankle, where tiny joints are responsible for supporting the body's weight and absorbing shock. Arthritis causes the joints to swell and become inflamed, leading to severe pain. Often, a person with advanced stages of arthritis will experience sensations of bone rubbing on bone as the cartilage deteriorates and results in bone spurs.
Did you know…
there are more than 100 types of arthritis? Many of them can affect the joints of the foot and ankle, causing pain and stiffness. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 52 million adults – 1 in 5 – have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis in the U.S. Of them, many suffer from debilitating foot and ankle pain that makes even the simplest everyday tasks like walking or exercising much more complicated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes foot and ankle arthritis?
A person can develop foot and ankle arthritis as a result of many different causes or 'triggers'. For example, osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease in which the cartilage surrounding a joint slowly wears down. Injuries can also cause the disease to develop, resulting in posttraumatic arthritis. Another type of arthritis – rheumatoid arthritis – is an autoimmune condition that causes the body's immune system to attack the tissues of the joint. Though the disease is not believed to run in families, certain people – particularly those who are obese – are at a heightened risk of developing it.
What are the symptoms of foot and ankle arthritis?
A person with foot and ankle arthritis will have varying degrees of symptoms depending on how advanced the disease is. However, this condition typically causes stiffness and pain when walking or standing, as well as tenderness when pressure is applied to the joints. The joint may also swell or become warm to the touch, and in many cases it is worse in the mornings or when participating in vigorous activity.
How will a podiatrist treat foot and ankle arthritis?
There are many different ways of treating foot and ankle arthritis. Though there is no cure, the focus is often on symptom management and slowing the progression of the disease. At our office, we emphasize a non-surgical and minimally invasive approach, which may include lifestyle modifications, orthotics and the use of advanced and alternative therapies. For more information about foot and ankle arthritis treatment, contact our office to schedule a consultation.


text: The Writing and Scripts Center is one of the research centers at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It studies inscriptions, calligraphy, and writings from all over the world throughout the ages—from the pre-dynastic period to the digital age. The Center strives to be unique and distinguished in the field of its specialization, spreading the interest in the history of writings and their development and the preservation and digital documentation of the history of writing, which is considered to be the memory of humanity. Since its establishment, the Writing and Scripts Center has adopted several objectives: to produce and digitally document writings, to study of the development of writings up until the digital age, and to study the aesthetics of calligraphy as a means for advanced artistic expression. In order to meet these objectives, the work plan was focused on two fundamental axes: Cultural Activities The cultural activities of the Writing and Scripts Center include publication releases in the field, research projects (short, medium, and long-term), and academic conferences, which are also great opportunities to bring worldwide specialists together. Educational Activities The Writing and Scripts Center offers several educational activities that aim to form links with the local community. These activities include permanent and temporary exhibitions; educational courses and workshops; ancient calligraphy sessions for children, youth, and adults; and lectures that are held within the framework of the Center's cultural season. In 2006, the Writing and Scripts Center was awarded the Best Translated Book Prize in the field of Arts, Literature, and the Humanities for the Arabic translation of The History of Writing from Ideogram to Multimedia. The prize was awarded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science. Website Website Website Share