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STORMNo. 90 Public Information Bulletin of Australian National Action Mars 2011
ANA accept no responsibility for information provided/inferred. STORM is an information source only.
"I'm from Roma [500 km West of Brisbane]. Everybody out there got their 'fingers burnt' on this CS [coal seam gas] caper. Dey all thought they woz gonna maik lotsa motza! But now dair house prices are higher 'un in Brissie so locals can't afford to live in dair own town!"
Contact @ 12 Novembis 2010:
"Brendale Electro-plating Company was bought by a Chinese billionaire who made his fortune selling condoms in China. Now he makes us work 12-hour shifts for only AUD$10 per hour".
Contact @ 16 Novembis 2010:
"a mate in the Qld Police Service told me they've terrible trouble with Asian taxi drivers. Not shift goes by without a Brisbane woman being raped by an Indian or Pakistani driver. As soon as the sun goes down, they're at it! It's become a national sport".
STORM: "But our media only report attacks by white males on Indian cabbies [now the majority of drivers]".
Contact: "Maybe that's why they're getting bashed – as payback for raping our women! Their usual line is: 'the fare is $20 but don't worry, love. I know a way you can pay me'. Then they launch an attack. Or they say: 'thanks for the fare, now let's have sex' ".
STORM: "Maybe where they come from they rarely see drunken, half-naked, white sluts".
Contact @ 17 Novembis 2010:
" I hear the Qld Police Service are so short-staffed they've been ordered by Bligh's Labour government to accept recruits with only ESL [English as a Second Language]. I can't wait till they've got to give evidence in court! Ex-cop in Darwin tipped us off: are good jobs going at the Federal Migrant Detention Centre. You do six 12-hour shifts a week & get paid AUD$150,000 a year. Good money, if you wanna be servant to dirty wogs' ".
SBSTV How Many Can Live on Planet Earth? (docu.) 8.30pm Tuis 21 Sept 2010 (55 minutes):
Presenter David Attenborough. Series Prod. Lauren Van der Pool. Ed. Andrew Cohen for BBC 2009.
"India's Kerala State has the highest education levels in the world for women with an average marriage age for women of 28. The neighbouring State, Uttar Pradesh, has an average marriage age of 18. By 28 women in Uttar Pradesh have an average of four children each - before women in Kerala have even gotten married. Consequently the birth rate for women in Kerala is India's lowest".Hania Zlotnik UN Population Division:
"We need contraception made freely available to all women, everywhere".
DA: "Studies have shown where ever women's education is raised they have fewer children. Where ever women are given control over their own affairs they have fewer children".
[DA & his Ultra-Green friends are honest. It's why US is waging war on Islam: they reproduce too often for the N.W.O. 'Women's Liberation Movement' of the 1960's destroyed the West. Also those who copied us like Japan & South Korea. If Muslim women aren't stopped they'll overrun the West. We'll be eradicated. The 22nd Century will be a Muslim one unless our Masters force Islam to 'free' women & shorten their breeding cycle. But if women refuse to breed, what use are they? If only women in bondage to men reproduce then any who seek a future for the white Race must conclude our women will betray us unless forced to submit. Sound oppressive? Selfish womb-men plan our annihilation. Do not be fooled, oh white man! First stage in our survival must be to get white women back 'under the boot'. Only then can we proceed to Stage Two: battling the alien foe & their equally alien Masters. The war begins today - in every white home. RE].
BBC The Interview c/- ABC News Radio 936AM 3.30am Saturnsday 30 Octobis 2010:
"Printhi Zanthi, Bollywood starlet & 'women's rights' advocate, became an actress by accident. She attended an audition with a University friend:
'I was studying Criminal Psychology and had to present a paper on 'male sexuality'. On the way I stopped off to see if my friend's audition was over. But whereas I only expected 20 people to be there, there were 500. When the director saw me he approached me. I tried to explain I wasn't there for a job but he only turned to the roomful of people & shouted: 'a classic case of nerves!' Later he phoned. I'd got the job! He convinced me it was 'fate' I was there, so I became an actor.
My most traumatic year was 2004. We'd gone to Sri Lanka to promote a film. We sang disco songs at an open air concert. A terrorist group warned us not to but we ignored them. During the concert, I saw a man flying through the air. I thought: 'what's going on?' so I went to the edge of the stage. There I saw blood, blood, blood. A bomb had gone off! Then a woman ran into me - she had no arms. She'd have knocked me into the stampeding crowd but a security guard grabbed me at the last moment. I'd have been trampled to death. Many were others.
I was so traumatised that a friend phoned from Switzerland, where she's an Exchange Student. She said: 'a few of us are going to Phuket [Thailand] for Christmas Day. Why not come?' so I did. Christmas night was so tiring! I slept in the next day, Boxing Day. All my friends went to the beach. That's when the Tsunami hit. All eight of my friends simply vanished. I was so upset I took Thai boxing lessons, just to relax.
Then I went for a swim in the Ocean, to overcome my fear of the water. Some ask: 'why didn't you help with the rescue effort?' but - dig up bodies?! Well, that's just sooo not me! After a week I felt much better so I returned to Bombay for my 34th birthday. I thought: 'what present will I buy myself?' I chose a new Series 7 BMW. Then I read in the 'paper about an 11 year old girl who was about to be sold into the sex trade. With the money her parents would buy a bicycle. I thought: 'I can adopt her'. A friend asked: 'how many girls could you afford to adopt?' I thought: '34!' So I did. Of course, they don't live with me. They go to a boarding school. I just meet their financial needs' ".WOMEN & CONSENSUS: why include this item? It portrays an erratic bimbo but one with money & power. Are Gillard & Bligh that different? Women have a mantra: 'the world will be a better place when run by us'. We disagree. GOD gave rule over the Earth to Man. The female was created only to be a 'helpmate' (Genesis 2v18). GOD ordained man to 'rule over her' (Genesis 3v16). It is unnatural for women to rule men. The Earth cannot be run by those who refuse to accept responsibility for anything they do. Instead they constantly seek confirmation from others and/or look for some scapegoats for their errors. They talk 'equality' but seek domination. At Qld Health females make up 84% of all staff; at Education Qld they are 94% of all staff. Equality? No: 'equity'.
MALE-FREE ZONES: Women seek 'approval' from other bimbos so progressively bar all men from the work-space. Why? They were designed as 'nesting' creatures by GOD; they transform every work-place into a large 'nest' so they can feel safe. They feel safest only amongst other females? Explains why our dysfunctional Health & Education systems can't be fixed. They're femo-ghettos. 35 years of 'equal opportunity' have created a system where only the least able are promoted.
FIRST BLACKS THEN WOMEN: Something similar happened in Europe's former African colonies. By 1960 European governments had been weakened by 15 years of Soviet infiltrators from within & Red agitators from without. They began granting independence to their African colonies. With whites deposed, blacks were elevated but still felt inferior working alongside whites. Whitey had to go! Look at South Africa, the last white-ruled state in what had been an entirely (except for Ethiopia) white-ruled continent. In 1994 the Republic of South Africa, after 17 years of strangling UN sanctions, surrendered control of its Parliament & economy to incompetent blacks.
At the time white-run SA had the highest GDP in Africa & produced half the wealth of all Africa's 53 states. By 2011 Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), the local variant of Equality Opportunity in Employment (EOE) had destroyed this. BEE created a system of black patronage & favouritism. Now the system barely works. Why? Servants took the place of masters but still can think only as minions (Proverbs 30 vs21-23).
ETWN c/- QCTV The World Over programme 10.18am Solday 7 Novembis 2010:
Interview with George Weigel author of The end & the Beginning: Pope John Paul II.
"For the first time since the French Revolution & the rise of Marxism someone showed that history is not driven by economics but by culture. Culture is what people believe about themselves & are willing to die for. In Poland in 1980 JPII turned that fact to his advantage. When JPII became Pope in 1979 he set about reforming the priesthood. In the 15 years prior there had been a mass exodus from the priesthood. We lost more priests than at any time since the Reformation of the 1500's. Why did JPII ignore reports accusing American priests of paedophilia? Simple. Living under Communist rule in Poland he knew that this was a routine accusation made against Catholic persists. So as Pope he did not take it seriously. He just saw it as 'more of the same' ".[GW calls it 'culture'. We call it racial pride. JPII unleashed it in Poland to unseat the Reds. RE].
ABC News Radio 936AM 6am Solday 28 Novembis 2010:
"Victoria is facing a 'hung Parliament' following yesterday's inconclusive election. The ALP suffered a 6% swing against it".
[A month before the 21 August 2010 Federal Election both South Australian & Tasmanian ALP governments held simultaneous elections, the first time ever. Tasmanian ALP suffered a swing of 7% against them. They handed over power to a Liberal-Green Coalition government. Greens have since decimated the main industry there, logging. Have destroyed thousands of jobs in the midst of a world-wide Depression. Liberals share the blame so ALP will probably return to power in four years. ALP in South Australia suffered a 12% swing against but did not surrender power. Instead they 'stitched up' an alliance with several Independents. The Australian boasted the SA ALP party strategist had used a new 'tactic' to ensure the government won even though they lost. Called it 'working the marginals'.
Predicted use of this new tactic would ensure victory for J.Gillard in the Federal Election. It did. Now it seems to have done the same in Victoria. What it means is that Gillard won with only 41% of popular vote; 60% voted against the ALP. Just as in the March 2009 Qld election where ALP obtained only 41% of the vote but retained power. Amazingly this is all legal under our Proportional Representation System of voting. So successful is this scam that both UK Conservatives & Liberal-Democrats plan to adopt it. At least they said so in the lead up to their mid- 2010 election victory. Both see their current 'first-past-the-post' system as outdated. In Australia many long for just such a system especially after seeing ALP cronies in the Elections Commission using every corrupt trick to defraud the masses.
And what of the 'free press'? They say nothing as all are card-carrying members of the Australian Journalists Association/MEAA. Is one of the ALP junta's main props. Through the AJA they censor all critics and deny 'oxygen' to any regime opponents. Will take a Revolution to overturn this stinking morass of filth, our depraved and traitorous Political Caste. When the lackeys of the perverts palace are swing in the breeze their many 'reporter' friends should be enjoying the 'fresh air' right alongside them].
BBC 'The Interview' c/- 4RPH 1296AM 5am Solday 28 Novembis 2010:
Reporter Owen Bennett-Jones with Gary Trudeau [cartoonist of the Doonesbury series]:
GT: "I grew up in a small town south of Montreal. He was town doctor so he had a certain social status and was in effect a counselor, adviser, everything short of a rabbi. I looked at that & thought 'I don't have that much 'milk of human kindness' in me' although I am a liberal.
OB-J: "You're a satirist. You'd describe yourself as a liberal?"
GT: "I find all satirists are. We are forward looking people. We try to present positive options". "I began the Doonesbury cartoon strip at Yale. It was a one-off for the college newspaper about a particular athlete. It was popular so I continued it thinking I'd drop it once he left college. But I got 'scouted' while at college. Ironically I went to college with Geo W Bush, later a US President. He was interviewed by the 'paper over a torture scandal. He was very sociable and was chair of Delta Fraternity at Yale. He required Freshman to be branded with a hot iron with the Delta emblem. Geo W Bush defended this in the college paper. This, I believe, was his first media interview defending torture! He knew of me and now apparently sees we me as a 'traitor' to my class"
OB-J: "He's described you as a Chardonnay sipping socialist".
GT: "Hmmm. I don't drink Chardonnay."
OB-J: "The strip now has 70 characters and has been going 40 years. As time has gone on characters have died.
OB-J: "You've dealt with the topical areas of US politics: Vietnam, Watergate, Iraq."
GT: "I'm so popular now that political columnists demand the editors put them on my page. I have four times as many readers as the usual political columnists so they want 'in' with me. Originally I was employed by an editor who wanted to 'connect' with the younger generation. They knew they were losing their younger readers. I was originally described as 'dispatches from the frontline' of the generation war, in the 1970's".
OB-J: "You recently went to Walter Reid Hospital and the frontline in Afghanistan".
"One of my characters lost a leg in the battle for Fallujah where the US Marines lost so many men. He now has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ['Shell Shock']. The US Army rang me the next day and said: 'we think we know where you're going with this' ".
They suggested if I wanted to 'get it right' I should have all the facts so took me on a trip to inform me. I found you cannot talk when you interview returned soldiers. They are the 'story'. They feel a lot of guilt they aren't on the battlefield still".
OB-J: "So what's the future hold?"
GT: "Depends on the future of 'papers. Few cartoonists have been able to move over to the internet".
SBSTV Who Do You Think You Are? 7.30pm Solday 28 Novembis 2010 (55 minutes):
Writer-director Kay Pavlov. Fulcrum Film for Screenwest (2010). Tonight's guest is Magda Szubanski.
"My grandfather was in the Polish Underground Army [AK] during WWII. He joined at age 15 years old in 1939 after the German Occupation as a member of Counter-Intelligence Unit 993W. They carried out executions of collaborators – any Poles who served the Germans. He used to tell me: 'it is not easy to kill your own people'. He's now listed in the Warsaw Uprising Museum as he took part in the 1944 Uprising. A friend of his told us: 'it was then [in 1944] we learnt how cruel Germans were – they executed any one they found including 20,500 women & children. Our Army [the AK] was winning for the first three days but then we all realized the Russian Army wouldn't intervene. That's when the Germans counter-attacked. They killed 200,000 people before Warsaw finally fell four weeks later. The Wehrmacht sent all captured AK prisoners to POW camps' ".[Sources tell us: 'Red Army classed AK as 'counter-revolutionary bandits'. Executed all they captured].
P O Box 635 Strathpine PS 4500 Australia phone 0448 187 582
Blog: australiannationalaction2.blogspot.com.au/


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|Legends say it can share eternal life. It slept for a thousand years in the form of a tree before its revival.
|~ Xerneas's Pokedex entry
|When the horns on its head shine in seven different colors, it is said to be sharing everlasting life.
|~ Xerneas's Pokedex entry
|"It happened around 800 years ago. The Pokémon known as Xerneas used its shining horns to illuminate the lands of Kalos. At that very moment, people and Pokémon throughout the land felt great energy and vitality surge through their bodies. At the same time, a vast forest sprang up, with Xerneas at its center. "
|~ Myth of Xerneas
|Legends say it can share eternal life. It slept for a thousand years in the form of a tree before its revival.
|~ Xerneas's Pokedex entry
|When the horns on its head shine in seven different colors, it is said to be sharing everlasting life.
|~ Xerneas's Pokedex entry
|"It happened around 800 years ago. The Pokémon known as Xerneas used its shining horns to illuminate the lands of Kalos. At that very moment, people and Pokémon throughout the land felt great energy and vitality surge through their bodies. At the same time, a vast forest sprang up, with Xerneas at its center. "
|~ Myth of Xerneas
Xerneas (Japanese: ゼルネアス Zeruneasu) is a Fairy Type Legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation VI. It is the mascot for Pokémon X. It is Yveltal's counterpart.
Powers and Stats
Tier: At least 5-B, likely 4-B
Name: Xerneas
Origin: Pokémon (Pokémon X and Y)
Gender: Genderless
Age: Unknown. Likely several centuries old at least.
Classification: Life Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon, Avatar of Life, Pokémon, Xerxer
Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Martial Arts, Energy Manipulation, Statistics Amplification, Gravity Manipulation, Energy Projection, Adaptation, Immortality (Type 1), Can grant Immortality (Type 1), Life Manipulation, Light Manipulation, Power Mimicry, Plant Manipulation, Darkness Manipulation, Can change the Terrain, Energy Draining, Ice Manipulation, Healing, Regeneration (Low-Mid), Telepathy, Flight, Aura, Immunity to Dragon Type moves, Resistance to Fighting, Bug, and Dark Type moves, Resistance to Death Manipulation, Possibility for Statistics Reduction, Rage Power and Berserk Mode (Via Outrage), Electricity Manipulation, Possibility for Paralysis Inducement, Resurrection, Damage Boost
Attack Potency: At least Planet level (Is the Tree of Life embodied, which is what allows the Earth to revolve around the Sun), likely Solar System level (Is slightly stronger than 50% Zygarde)
Speed: Massively FTL+ (Comparable to Zygarde)
Lifting Strength: Unknown
Striking Strength: At least Planet Class, likely Solar System Class
Durability: At least Planet level (Exactly as strong as Yveltal, survived Yveltal's Oblivion Wing in the movie), likely Solar System level
Stamina: Very high (Fought off Yveltal)
Range: Extended melee range. Planetary with projectiles and abilities.
Standard Equipment: None Notable
Intelligence: High
Weaknesses: Steel and Poison Type moves. Fairy Aura's effects can be reversed if a fighter has Aura Break. Outrage leaves Xerneas confused afterwards although it will eventually snap out of it. Take Down causes recoil damage and Close Combat lowers Xerneas's defenses.
Was being used by Lysandre to power AZ's Ultimate Weapon.
Notable Attacks/Techniques:
- Fairy Aura: Xerneas can increase the damage of Fairy Type attacks in battle.
- Geomancy: Xerneas's signature move. Xerneas charges up sharply increasing its special attack, special defense, and speed. It can also be used to restore those who have perished to Yveltal's Oblivion Wing. However it cannot restore them if too much time has passed since they perished.
- Aurora Beam: Xerneas fires a multicolored beam of energy from its antlers. It may lower the opponent's attack.
- Horn Leech: Xerneas jabs the opponent with its antlers. This also restores its health by half of the damage dealt.
- Gravity: Xerneas increases gravity in the area forcfully grounding those in the air and preventing them from taking off.
- Heal Pulse: Xerneas releases a pulse of energy that heals whoever Xerneas chooses.
- Aromatherapy: Xerneas releases a soothing scent that cures itself and its allies of status conditions.
- Ingrain: Xerneas roots itself in place to gradually restore health over time.
- Take Down: Xerneas recklessly charges the opponent. This also causes some recoil damage to Xerneas.
- Light Screen: Xerneas sets up a protective psychic screen around itself and its allies that halves the damage of special attacks.
- Moonblast: Xerneas draws power from the moon into a sphere and fires it at the opponent. It may also lower their special attack.
- Megahorn: Xerneas harshly stabs its opponents with its antlers.
- Night Slash: Xerneas coats its antlers with a dark energy and slashes at the opponent with the them. It has a high chance of dealing critical damage.
- Psych Up: Xerneas copies the opponent's stat changes.
- Misty Terrain: Xerneas fills the terrain with a mist that protects all those who are grounded from status conditions and halves the damage of Dragon Type moves.
- Nature Power: Xerneas draws power from nature and attacks. Its secondary effects depend upon the current environment.
- Close Combat: Xerneas throws a barrage of attacks the opponent up close. This also lowers Xerneas' defense and special defense.
- Giga Impact: Xerneas charges the opponent with immense force. Seeing as its counterpart, Yveltal, lacks the need to recharge after Hyper Beam it is possible that Xerneas lacks the need to do so itself after using Giga Impact.
- Outrage: Xerneas attacks and rampages for a while. If there are multiple opponents each series of attacks will be directed to one at random. It leaves Xerneas confused afterwards.
- Thunderbolt: Xerneas fires a powerful bolt of electricity from its body at the opponent. It may also cause paralysis.
- Psyshock: Xerneas fires odd psychic projectiles that deal physical damage.
Notable Victories:
Silver the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog (The Universe)) Silver's Profile (Speed was equalized)
Notable Losses:
Inconclusive Matches:

subset: commoncrawl


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Plastic lumber (PL) is a plastic form of lumber (timber) made of virgin or recycled plastic It is . 1 Production; 2 Properties; 3 Engineering properties; 4 Standards . D 6108, Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Plastic Lumber.
May 2, 2014 . Our next process explored in this series of blog postings, is what Bedford Technology refers to as Hard Tool (HT) plastic lumber manufacturing,.
Jul 7, 2016 . It's called structural plastic lumber, and the ingenious, nontoxic material has . fire retardants for plastic lumber and machines to make plastic lumber. . Nosker and others devised ways to sort, clean and process soda bottles.
EPS Solutions and its parent company, Engineered Plastic Systems, LLC, extrude high-density polyethylene plastic lumber. The extrusion process enables us.
Jun 10, 2011 . Making wood-plastic composite (WPC) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) . You can make WPCs and PVCs without additives, but the process would.
Applications: Plastic lumber manufacturing. Market Goals: Provide incentive for individuals to develop commingled plastic products or enhance economic.
plastic lumber inquiries, e-mail: [email protected] .. The process of manufacturing polystyrene includes benzene, ethyl benzene, and the.


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If you load your machine on the regular baggage system, it is kicked off at it's destination by violent contraptions that send it flying in the air. It lands somewhere down a chute with a big thud. The contraptions are called 'kickers' and some are shaped like a snowplow. They do kick your bags off, sometimes violently. Baggage occasionally gets caught in them too and gets squeezed pretty badly.
About security. If you have trouble with a customs official, don't argue or get stupid. Ask politely for a supervisor. Many customs agents and security personnel add their own little rules which can go above and beyond the actual rules. If they are being stupid, ask for a supervisor.
Vancouver has X'Ray detection in place for baggage and I'm sure Montreal has it. I'm not exactly sure how X'Rays would affect the electronics in your device, but unless you explain to them what it is, it will no doubt be X'Rayed. I strongly recommend contacting any airports ahead of your travel to see how you should deal with your equipment.
The X'Ray scanners are designed to detect explosives, but they are only part of an extensive process. There are several levels of bomb detection, and if they suspect your equipment, they can put you through the wringer. It all comes down to the guy looking at the X'Rayed baggage on a screen. If he is not sure, he'll send it on to the end of the line and you'll be called down there to open it yourself. If they still are not sure, you could be detained for who knows how long.
Having said all that, I'm sure many people travel with devices similar to your. There is probably a standard way of dealing with them. I wouldn't wait till you're at the airport to find out.


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Letter to the Editor: Dunphy column insults intelligence of fair-minded Americans
John Dunphy's Oct. 3 opinion article in the Telegraph has insulted the intelligence of every fair-minded American.
Using Alinsky tactics, he has stated as fact mere allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. He and the mainstream media have over and over again stated that Christine Ford's allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are credible.
Credible means believable and with so many inconsistencies in her allegations, they are not believable. At the hearings, Christine Ford seemed confused and under complete control of her far-left lawyer handlers. No matter how many times allegations are repeated, it does not make them true. Goebbels would be proud.
"Elections have consequences" and the left simply cannot accept their loss of power and will stoop to any low if it will help to achieve their objective. Democrats on the judicial committee have disgraced the office they hold. The entire Democrat controlled MSM and Democrat party has purposely subverted the foundation of America: the rule of law, and replaced it with mob rule where any target can be politically assassinated on a mere accusation.
Jim Schwegel
— —
Little did people know that when David Dugan was born north of Godfrey, Illinois he would rise to prominence in the Madison County legal profession.
Judge David Dugan, a "home grown product," is a 40-year resident of Madison County. From humble beginnings, David was the first person on both sides of his family to attend college. His father worked at Illinois Glass Works and his mother was a stay-at-home mom.
Upon graduation, Judge Dugan practiced law in East Alton and Edwardsville for over 30 years. In addition to successfully representing numerous private clients, Dugan also served as a part-time State's Attorney and as an appointed Public Defender. Compassionate, Dugan provided free legal counsel to numerous not for profits in Madison County.
Due to a distinguished career, Chief Judge Lloyd Karmeier of the Illinois Supreme Court chose Mr. Dugan to fill a circuit court vacancy. Judge Dugan, a Constitutionalist, believes his job isn't to make law or policy, but to interpret current law to each case.
Judge Dugan is respected by lawyers from both political parties. Judge Dugan received the highest rating for suitability and integrity from layers that appeared before him in the ISBA judicial poll March 2018. In addition, the Illinois Civil Justice League voted him the only "Highly Recommended" Madison County Judicial Candidate.
Vote for David Dugan and help write another chapter in"a home town success story."
Philip W. Chapman
Madison County Board member


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Solo Female Travel & The Importance of Women-Only Spaces
Wandering along a winding road through Ulcinj, Montenegro in what I hoped was the right direction, I was only shouted at three times by men who wanted to ask me where I was from, why was I alone and where was I going, or to tell me they liked my tattoos or my hair. I ignored the men and focused on finding my destination.
This would not be the first time that a place was poorly labeled on my trip through the Balkans, so I was surprised to find a big, blatant sign reading "LADIES BEACH" marking a fork off the road into a pine forest. I padded my way down the path, the smell of pine surrounding me like armor and growing thicker as I trekked further from the road.
At the bottom of the path, an old woman welcomed me in Montenegrin from the comfort of her beach chair. "Zdravo." I greeted her with one of the three local words I knew (the other two being "hvala" and "mačka" – "thank you" and "cat," respectively). I made my way through the dozens of women sunbathing, reading, chatting, and sleeping until I found an open lounge chair on my own stretch of rock. The fresh pine air mingled with the smell of sulfuric waters, but it wasn't this cleansing smell that made the air feel so light – it was the assurance that no matter how we looked or behaved, we would not be bothered.
The forceful demand for power is inherent in most masculinity, making any space that contains men a male-dominated space, regardless of how outnumbered men may be by women. Masculinity wouldn't allow it any other way, whether the men carrying the power are conscious of it or not.
To surrender power is to surrender masculinity, and in a world where masculinity is the grand prize that determines a man's worth, that power will not be given up easily.
Of course, I don't believe that men wake up and make listicles of all the ways they can assert dominance over others that day while sipping their morning coffee. But I do believe that when men holler at a strange woman minding her own business on the other side of the road, they are attempting to assure themselves that they still hold power.
While being asked personal questions or having my physical appearance commented on by strange men is invasive and potentially frightening at worst, it's an exhausting existence to live. Even in a group of women with only one man around, it only takes that one man to make the decision that our space, our bodies, and our autonomy are not really ours, and act in a way to remind us that in the eyes of many our lives are not our own.
Even on the days on which I've made it through 24 hours without incident of any kind, I am still always aware, always prepared for the possibility of a lewd comment, an unwanted touch, or worse. The world never lets me forget for long that I am a woman first, a person second.
It is nearly impossible to escape the male-dominated space, no matter how far and wide one travels. The travel industry rarely makes this any easier – female only dorms in hostels are often more expensive than co-ed dorms are, just to cite one example. While the cost difference for women-only spaces is usually relatively small, those dollars add up when you're traveling long-term on a low budget.
After long days of carrying constant vigilance and defense mechanisms through foreign streets our families and friends have said are "too dangerous for you, a woman, to explore alone," sometimes we just want a proper rest, the kind you can't get until you're able to put all that equipment down and stretch out your back.
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to do it know that solo female travel is not nearly as scary or dangerous as people who haven't experienced it would lead one to believe. I never feel more unsafe in Montenegro, Turkey, eSwatini, or Vietnam than I do in my own home base of Brooklyn.
The issue of male-dominated space is not a reason to avoid solo travel as a woman. Male-dominated space is everywhere, both abroad and at home.
Fear-mongering about the danger of a place for women only encourages women to avoid exploration, but does not actually protect us from any danger. Women do not need to be scared into staying at home. We need more women-only spaces where we can decompress and have time not to be consciously or subconsciously alert to toxic masculinity.
I put down my book and stretched mačka-like on my lounge chair. As I grew comfortable enough to let down my guard, releasing the vigilance and survival tools I had been carrying for my entire post-puberty life, I felt myself letting go of anxiety, anger, and stress.
Legend has it that the sulphuric mineral water of Ladies Beach have the power to cure infertility, as well as other gynecological problems, respiratory issues, and skin disorders.
According to the local ritual, a woman must come to the beach accompanied by an older woman. She then undresses and walks several circles around a rock in the middle of one of the secretive sea caves. Finally, the woman must eat a boiled egg that she hopefully remembered to pack in her beach bag. I cannot speak to the truth of these legends, but it's impossible to deny the powers of the emotional healing that occurs as you let go in a way normally denied to women and sink into Ladies Beach.
On the rock closest to the water, two women sat under a faded rainbow umbrella with two large buckets of mud between them. I watched as they slathered a steady stream of women head to toe and then instructed them to stand completely still in the sun to allow the mud to set before diving into the sea to wash it all away. The two women spoke no English, so since the mixture was not made of "cat" I could not find out what exactly was in the mud that they sculpted to my body when my turn came.
I listened to their chatter and the crash of waves on the rocky shore until I was fully seasoned and ready to cook. I stood nude and covered in mud with my feet hip distance apart and my arms held away from my sides on the middle of the rock in the heart of the beach. As the mud hardened to my skin, my insides melted with the peace of being so physically vulnerable and not needing to think about it.
When my transformation to stiff mud woman felt complete, I jumped off the rock into the healing sea.
The cold water comforted my well-sunned skin the way a cozy sweater soothes the shivering in winter bones. I broke the surface and washed the mud from my face. Women smiled at me as we swam and glided by each other. The language barrier was irrelevant. The dialect of safety and calm is universal. When the sunkiss faded and I grew too cold, I pulled myself back onto the rock and warmed my now velvety soft skin in the late afternoon sun.
All too soon the daylight melted into the horizon like strawberry ice cream. I packed up my book and my towel and waved goodbye to our sanctuary guard, still rooted to her folding chair. As I trekked through the forest and back up to the road, I felt renewed, refreshed, and ready to handle anything I'd face next as a solo female traveler.