ISSUE 16

Contents:
Welcome Events for November Crafts and Rituals Paths and Disciplines Meditation Knowledge and Principals The Green Witch Humor Poetry Featured Stories Personal Journeys Witches Rant Around the News Verse Persephone's Movie Review UnderWorld's Music Box The Cheshire mad book reviews Recipes Pagan UnderWorld Member Articles Pagan UnderWorld Featured Groups Shadow, Heart, & Soul of the Black Rose Member Articles Shadow, Heart, & Soul of the Black Rose Featured Groups This Months Horoscopes And Chinese Astrology
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Page:
4 5 22 43 56 63 72 78 80 84 94 97 100 103 106 109 111 121 128 129 143 145

Urban and Folk Legends The Truth Portal Featured Sites Metal shows Events

186 189 201 211

Lifestyles

Forever Gothic Tool Queens Fetish Balls and Events Fetish Article's LGBT Disclaimer and Complaint dept

229 234 259 274 278

Welcome everyone to another issue, I wanted to first of all thank everyone who reached out to Shawn (Medicine Man) and Tylar after reading their story in last months Issue. I am happy to report that we did make a difference, and not only did they get some help, but someone reached out to help in a way that will continue in the form of a new job for Shawn and care for Tylar so his father can work once again! So congratulations to you both~ you are forever in our hearts and thoughts and deserve all the best for all you have been through~ Now, onto this month's Issue, It is packed full of great stuff! The latest Metal shows for November, recipes, kinky events and poetry, as well as knowledge and wisdom to be shared for all! Love and Light; Sweet Dark Angel, Oak, Persephone, & Andrew

Moon Phases
First Quarter 11/02/2011 Full Moon 11/10/2011

Last Quarter 11/18/2011 New Moon 11/25/2011

Farmers Almanac for November

Farmers Almanac-November

Skywatch.Venus slowly emerges from behind the Sun at it's faintest of the year,moving next to and in sync with Mercury just below it,from the 1st to the 15th.By midmonth,the duo stands 6 degrees high,35 minutes after sunset.The changing angle of the zodiac to the horizon carries Venus higher by month's end,where it meets the crescent Moon 10 degrees up on the 26th in fading twilight.The month's real stand out remains Jupiter.At a brilliant magnitude -2.9,this is the brightest it ever gets.It's already up in east at nightfall,then out all night.In most places,the length of night grows by 3 minutes daily at the start of November but falls to just 1 minutes by month's end. Moon phases. First quarter-2nd at 12:38 Full Beaver-10th at 15:16 Last quarter-18th at 10:09 New moon-25th at 1:10 November 25th.Partial eclipse of the Sun.1:21 a.m.EST. This eclipse will not be visible from North America.The eclipse will be visible from Antarctica,southern Africa,southern India,& New Zealand.
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Meteor showers. Southern Taurid.Peak-Nov 5th.Range-Oct 1st-Nov 25th. Best viewing.late evening.Point of origin-South.Date of maximum-Nov 9th.No.per hour-3-10. Moon phase-Gibbous,up all night.Associated comet-Encke. Comment-Slow moving. Leonid.Peak-Nov 17th.Range-Nov 14th-21st. Best viewing-Predawn.Point of origin-South.Date of maximum-Nov 18th.No.per hour-10-15. Moon phase-Last quarter,rises at 11 p.m.Associated comet-Temple-Tuttle. Comment-Best after midnight. Full Moon ritual.Remove all negativity,and strengthen your communications with your patron deities. Birth stones. Who first comes to this world below, With dread November's fog and snow; Should prize the Topaz's amber hue, Emblem of friends and lover's true. The Sun in the constellation.Libra,Nov 1st to Nov 23rd.

Daylight-Saving Time ends 11/6/2011

Fall is in full swing and once more it is time to set the clocks back gain an hour sleep and prepare for a winter bliss. So don't forget to set those clocks back and get that extra hour of sleep.....

Veterans Day US/Remembrance Day Canada 11/11/11

Let us take this time to honor and remember all of the soldiers who have served and died, let them never be forgotten but remembered for the courage and bravery fighting and serving for our freedoms and a brighter future where there may one day be peace.... Thank you for all that you have done and all that you continue to do...

Veterans Day is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. A federal holiday, it is observed on November 11. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of
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the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.) The holiday is commonly printed as Veteran's Day or Veterans' Day in calendars and advertisements. While these spellings are grammatically acceptable, the United States government has declared that the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling History The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations." The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting that the President Calvin Coolidge issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'." In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas man named Alvin King, the owner of a shoe repair shop, had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11 to honor all veterans. With the help of U.S. Representative Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress.
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President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954. Congress amended this act on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day since. Although originally scheduled for celebration on November 11 the year of of every year, starting in 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. In 1978, it was moved back to its original celebration on November 11. Since this change, there has been a trend against being closed on the holiday. It began with businesses (excluding banks) and in recent years some schools and local governments have also chosen to remain open.[ Celebration Because it is a federal holiday, many Americans have the day off from school or work for Veterans Day. Non-essential federal government offices are closed. No mail is delivered. All federal employees are paid for the holiday; those who are required to work on the holiday sometimes receive wages for that day in addition to holiday pay. The holiday is often celebrated by having a ravioli meal. This tradition dates back to the ending days of World War I when President Woodrow Wilson, aware that the returning soldiers would be longing for home cooked meals, invited 2,000 soldiers to the White House and helped his staff chefs cook them ravioli, which had just become a mainstay in mainstream American kitchens due to commercial canning. In his Armistice Day address to Congress, Wilson was sensitive to the psychological toll of the lean War years: "Hunger," he remarked, "breeds madness.

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Thanksgiving Day 11/24/11

From all of us here we would like to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. Let us each spend this year with those we love and friends, and take this day and put all the worries and stress aside and spend it with those that mean so much to us, even if we have to do that by phone or messenger. History Thanksgiving in North America had originated from a mix of European and Native traditions. Typically in Europe, festivals were held before and after the harvest cycles to give thanks for a good harvest, and to rejoice together after much hard work with the rest of the community. At the time, Native Americans had also celebrated the end of a harvest season. When Europeans first arrived to the Americas, they brought with them their own harvest festival traditions from Europe, celebrating their safe voyage, peace and good harvest. Though the origins of the holiday in both Canada and the United States are similar, Americans do not typically celebrate the contributions made in Newfoundland, while Canadians do not celebrate the contributions made in Plymouth,Massachusetts.

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In Canada

The Order of Good Cheer, 1606 by Charles William Jefferys, (1925). The origins of the first Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean. Frobisher's Thanksgiving celebration was not for harvest, but for homecoming. He had safely returned from an unsuccessful search for the Northwest Passage, avoiding the later fate of Henry Hudson and Sir John Franklin. In the year 1578, Frobisher held a formal ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving the long journey. Years later, the tradition of a feast would continue as more settlers began to arrive to the Canadian colonies.

Oven roasted turkey The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving can also be traced to the French settlers who came to New France with explorer Samuel de Champlain in the early 17th century, who also took to celebrating their successful harvests. The French settlers in the area typically had feasts at the end of the harvest season
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and continued throughout the winter season, even sharing their food with the indigenous peoples of the area. Champlain had also proposed for the creation of the Order of Good Cheer in 1606. As many more settlers arrived in Canada, more celebrations of good harvest became common. New immigrants into the country, such as the Irish, Scottish and Germans, would also add their own traditions to the harvest celebrations. Most of the U.S. aspects of Thanksgiving (such as the turkey) were incorporated when United Empire Loyalists began to flee from the United States during the American Revolution and settled in Canada. In the United States

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth By Jennie A. Brownscombe (1914) In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition traces its origins to a 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. There is also evidence for an earlier harvest celebration on the continent by Spanish explorers in Florida during 1565, as well as thanksgiving feasts in the Virginia Colony. The initial thanksgiving observance at Virginia in 1619 was prompted by the colonists' leaders on the anniversary of the settlement. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. In later years, the tradition was continued by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford who planned a thanksgiving celebration and fast in 1623. While initially, the Plymouth colony did not have enough food to feed half of the 102 colonists, the Wampanoag Native Americans helped the Pilgrims by providing seeds and teaching them to fish. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival like this however, did not become a regular
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affair in New England until the late 1660s. According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum, the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of Thanksgiving for the relief of the siege of Leiden in 1574, while they were staying in Leiden. Contending origins The claim of where the first Thanksgiving was held in the United States, and even the Americas has often been a subject of debate. Author and teacher Robyn Gioia and Michael Gannon, of the University of Florida, have argued that the earliest attested "Thanksgiving" celebration in what is now the United States was celebrated by the Spanish on September 8, 1565 in what is now Saint Augustine, Florida. Similarly, many historians point out that the first thanksgiving celebration in the United States was held in Virginia, and not in Plymouth. Thanksgiving services were routine in what was to become the Commonwealth of Virginia as early as 1607. A day of Thanksgiving was codified in the founding charter of Berkeley Hundred in Charles City County, Virginia in 1619. Fixing the date of the holiday The reason for the earlier Thanksgiving celebrations in Canada has often been attributed to the earlier onset of winter in the north, thus ending the harvest season earlier. Thanksgiving in Canada did not have a fixed date until the late 19th century. Prior to Canadian confederation, many of the individual colonial governors of the Canadian provinces had declared their own days of Thanksgiving. The first official Canadian Thanksgiving occurred on April 15, 1872 when the nation was celebrating the Prince of Wales' recovery from a serious illness. By the end of the 19th Century, Thanksgiving Day was normally celebrated on November 6. However, when World War I ended, the Armistice Day holiday were usually held during the same week. To
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prevent the two holidays from clashing with one another, in 1957 the Canadian Parliament proclaimed Thanksgiving to be observed on its present date on the second Monday of October. Since 1971, when the American Uniform Monday Holiday Act took effect, the American observance of Columbus Day has coincided with the Canadian observance of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving in the United States was observed on various dates throughout history. Much like in Canada, days of Thanksgiving in the era of the Founding Fathers were sporadic and by proclamation and date of choosing of whatever President was in office at the time. The first Thanksgiving which was celebrated on a fixed day was in 1863, in an effort by President Abraham Lincoln (who in turn was influenced by the campaigning of author Sarah Josepha Hale) to foster a sense of American unity between the Northern and Southern states. By the beginning of the 20th century, the final Thursday in November had become the customary day of Thanksgiving in most U.S. states. It was not until December 26, 1941, however, that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, after pushing two years earlier to move the date earlier to give the country an economic boost, signed a bill into law with Congress, making Thanksgiving a national holiday and settling it to the fourth (but not always final) Thursday in November. Canada Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day (Canadian French: Jour de l'Action de grce), occurring on the second Monday in October, is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although the original act of Parliament references God and the holiday is celebrated in churches, the holiday is mostly celebrated in a secular manner. Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in all provinces in Canada, except for Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. While businesses may remain open in these provinces, the holiday is nonetheless, recognized and celebrated regardless of its status.
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Germany Erntedankfest (English: "harvest festival of thanks") is the German equivalent of Thanksgiving. It is primarily a religious holiday held during the first Sunday in October, but its celebration coincides with the closing day of Oktoberfest, the world-famous Bavarian beer festival. This crossover has been observed in Canada as well; see, for instance, Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, which culminates with a Thanksgiving parade. Liberia In the West African country of Liberia, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the first Thursday of November. The Netherlands Many of the Pilgrims who migrated to the Plymouth Plantation had resided in the city of Leiden from 16091620, many of whom had recorded their birth, marriages and deaths at the Pieterskerk. To commemorate this, a non-denominational Thanksgiving Day service is held each year on the morning of the American Thanksgiving Day in the Pieterskerk, a Gothic church in Leiden, to commemorate the hospitality the Pilgrims received in Leiden on their way to the New World. Norfolk Island In the Australian external territory of Norfolk Island, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Wednesday of November, similar to the pre-World War II American observance on the last Thursday of the month. This means the Norfolk Island observance is the day before or six days after the United States' observance. The holiday was brought to the island by visiting American whaling ships.

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United States Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, currently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863. Historically, Thanksgiving began as a tradition of celebrating the harvest of the year. Asian Countries Koreans celebrate a harvest festival called Chuseok in late September or early October, during which time Koreans travel home to visit and have meals with family. Traditionally, folk games are played and ancestors are honored with rituals or grave-site visits.

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Awareness For the Month of November

Awareness Event Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month Amaryllis Month Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation Awareness (CPR) Month Diabetes Awareness Month Coverage Australia Related Organization Muscular Dystrophy Australia Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of Canada Huntington Society of Canada Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Canadian Diabetes Association
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Canada

Canada

Canada

Canada

Hemophilia Awareness Month Osteoporosis Month National Marrow Awareness Month National Hospice Month Diabetic Eye Disease Month National Healthy Skin Month Prematurity Awareness Month National Epilepsy Month American Diabetes Month

Canada

Canadian Hemophilia Society Osteoporosis Canada National Marrow Donor Program The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Prevent Blindness America American Academy of Dermatology March of Dimes Epilepsy Foundation American Diabetes Association

Canada United States

United States

United States

United States

United States

United States

United States

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Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month Lung Cancer Awareness Month

United States

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Alzheimer's Association

United States

United States

Pulmonary Hypertension Association Macmillan Cancer Support

Worldwide

November 2011 Health Current Events - Weeks Event Scleroderma Awareness Week Date 3rd Nov - 9th Nov Nation United Kingdom United Kingdom Worldwide Organisation Raynauds & Scleroderma Association Mouth Cancer

Mouth Cancer 11th Nov Awareness 17th Nov Week GERD Awareness Week 18th Nov 24th Nov

IFFGD

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Diabetes Awareness Week

18th Nov 24th Nov

New Zealand

Diabetes New Zealand

November 2011 Health Events - Days Event World Diabetes Day Great American Smoke-out Day Date 14th Nov 20th Nov Nation Worldwide United States Organization World Diabetes Day American Cancer Society

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Crafts
How to Make Scented Vases
With a potpourri base in a glass container, neither craft is expensive or difficult to do, so why not make both - one for the kitchen and one for your living room? Craft Project Supplies: Glass Vase Potpourri Mini Christmas Light Set (amount of lights will depend on vase size) Velvet Ribbon (optional) Decorative Button (optional) Hot glue gun and sticks (optional)

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Craft Instructions: For a small vase a string of about 35 mini-lites will work fine, but you can use as many lights as necessary. This vase is quite large and holds a set of 50 lights. These are very easy and quick to assemble. Place your strand of lights in the vase leaving the end that connects to the outlet hanging out of the top and over the top edge. Place a little potpourri in the vase and move your light strand around the glass filling with potpourri until your vase if full.

The arranging of the lights will take a little time, but these vases look spectacular when completed. Keep your lights close to the glass, as the lights buried within the centre of the potpourri will not show through. To add a little extra to the vase, I cut a small strand of velvet ribbon, glued a small angel button to the centre of the ribbon strand and attached the ribbon to the vase with a little dot of hot glue. The hot glue will easily remove from the glass, when the time comes. These not only look spectacular when all the lights are glowing, they smell fabulous for the holidays too. The heat from the lights help to intensify the scent and, for the Christmas season, I always use a Christmas or Pine blend of potpourri. WARNING!! Treat this pretty vase as you would a candle. Do not leave these unattended while the lights are on and always unplug from wall socket when
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not in use. I have made several of these and have had one set of lights malfunction. They did not catch fire or smoke, but they could have - please so take care when burning these.

Sugar and Spice Bath Salts

This is a bath salts recipe you can give to anyone who enjoys soaking in the bath - even the men in your life. The spicy fragrance is warm and comforting, and there's no need to buy essential oil. A glass or plastic sugar shaker jar makes a nice dispenser for these spicy bath salts, but you could recycle a plain glass jar instead. If desired, decorate the jar with our free printable jar label.

Sugar and Spice Bath Salts Use half epsom salts and half sea salts to almost fill a glass sugar shaker jar, then add approximately 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves and two heaped teaspoons of brown sugar for each cup of the salts. Empty into a mixing bowl and, if you like, thoroughly stir in a few drops of red and green food coloring to enhance the golden brown color. Tie a few lengths of raffia around the neck of the jar, and remember to seal it with the inner plastic cap before screwing on the metal lid with holes in it.

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Printable Label for Sugar and Spice Bath Salts:

Print our free Sugar and Spice Bath Salt Labels, shown at left. Cut the label out, coat with a glue stick or craft glue and stick firmly to the front of the bottle.

How to Make Rolled Beeswax Candles with Beeswax Sheets

Beeswax candles are absolutely wonderful! A soft, warm glow, complimented by an incredibly sweet scent make Beeswax candles a must for around the house. Beeswax candles are quite simple to make, and something you can do together with the kids. Good wholesome fun for the whole family!

Beeswax Candle Making

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Supplies: beeswax sheets primed wick sharp knife cutting board Beeswax Candles Instructions: 1. Roll out the Beeswax sheet on your work surface. 2. Cut a length of wick, approximately two inches longer than the width of your Beeswax sheet. 3. Place the wick along the edge of the Beeswax sheet, and fold the sheet approximately 1/8 of an inch over the wick. Be sure to press down on the sheet to make sure the wax completely surrounds the wick. 4. Once the wick has been secured in the Beeswax sheet, it is time to start rolling. Be very careful not to damage or disrupt the honeycomb pattern on the wax. Roll the candle slowly, and be sure to keep it straight. 5. Once you have reached the end of the sheet, gently press down on the exposed edge to ensure that your candle does not come apart. 6. Pick which end you feel will make the best "top" and trim the wick down to approximately inch. Also remove the exposed wick completely from the other end. You now have some wonderful beeswax candles that will provide you with
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hours of warmth and light! They make wonderful gifts, and your children will take great pride in having made them. These candles will add comfort, elegance, and tradition to your home or work space. Beeswax candles have been used since the early 14th century, and they are still preferred by many due to their sweet, natural aroma. Beeswax candles are long lasting and clean burning. The American Lung Association has stated that burning paraffin candles can emit small amounts of toxins such as lead, benzene, and mercury into your home. As an alternative, they recommend using beeswax candles to light the way. I wholeheartedly agree!

A photo I just HAD to share found on Deviant art, I wants!~SDA now THIS is a CRAFT :P

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Rituals

Correspondence for the Month of November

By: Sweet Dark Angel & Andrew

Snow Moon (November)

Also known as: Dark Moon, Fog Moon, Beaver Moon, Mourning Moon, Blotmonath (Sacrifice Month), Herbistmanoth (Harvest Month), Mad Moon, Moon of Storms, Moon When Deer Shed Antlers Nature Spirits: subterranean faeries Herbs: grains of paradise, verbena, betony, borage, cinquefoil, blessed thistle Colors: gray, sea-green Flowers: blooming cacti, chrysanthemum Scents: cedar, cherry blossoms, hyacinth, narcissus, peppermint, lemon Stones: topaz, hyacinth, lapis lazuli Trees: alder, cypress Animals: unicorn, scorpion, crocodile, jackal Birds: owl, goose, sparrow Deities: Kali, Black Isis, Nicnevin, Hecate, Bast, Osiris, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Skadi, Mawu Power Flow: take root, prepare. Transformation. Strengthen communication with the god or goddess who seems closest to you.
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Angel of the Month Adnachiel

Adnachiel is our Angel of the month for November and rules over Sagittarius. He is one of two angels ruling over the Choir of Angels, the other being Phaleg. He is a regent of the Seraphim. Adnchiel is also angel of independence and guidance. Some say he has control over the four elements - earth, wind, fire & air. Adnachiel is the shining one and watches over those born in November and keeps them in his loving care. He actively helps you to open the door to the spiritual light of the soul. If you ask for this angel he will help you and guide you to what you want to do. If you need guidance he will help and he will be happy to be there for you. Pray to Adnachiel to receive his wonderful protection and many blessings. He brings many precious gifts to you and your loved ones. These include: Independence, Honesty and Confidence to those who are shy. He helps you when you are pioneering (making ways for others) and being adventurous. It is also said, that God gave him an amulet that cures all stomach ailments. Adnachiel works with all the other archangels so just give him a shout. He will listen to you and guide you in your work. Adnchiel is very loving and very happy with you. When you shout for Adnchiel, he will be right there to support you, he also sends his love to you all.

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The Astrological Correspondences for Sagittarius

Astrological Table: Sagittarius. Astrological Dates: November 22nd December 21st Astrological Symbol: See above. Element: Fire. Mode: Mutable. Angel: Adnachiel Governing spirits: Vhmor, Saritaiel Astrological Plants/Herbs: Carnation, Pimpernel, Pink Clover, Rush, Sage and Wallflower. Tree: Mulberry, Vine, Chestnut. Metal: Tin. Power Gem: Golden Topaz. Gems: Sapphire, Amethyst and Diamond. Colours: Red, Crimson. Numbers: 3, 4. Day: Thursday. Season: Autumn. Tarot Card: Temperance (XIIII). Animal: Mare and Lion. Bird: Eagle and Peacock. Symbolic Creatures: Centaur, Dog and Horse. Anatomy Governed: Hips, Thighs, Liver, Pelvis. Body System: Hempatic. Scent/Oils: Aster, Narsissus, Clove, Balsam, and Sage. Incense: Cinnamon. Harmonious Signs: Aries and Virgo. Geomantic Number: 7.
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Geomantic Ruler: Hismael God/Goddesses: Nepthys, Apollo, Artemis, Vishnu and Diana. Age Governed: 35 to 42 years of age.

When the Moon is in Sagittarius ritual works may include those involved with travel, legal matters and publications. Health ritual may be performed which address ailments of your liver, thighs or hips.

It is hard, at first, to see where Sagittarius, the ruling sign of this card, fits in. Sagittarius is an expansive sign and Temperance is, on a surface level, about "tempering." Butler points out that the original pouring from cup to cup might have been about cutting wine with water. So this is a card about moderation. There is, however, another angle to the card, that of merging
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seemingly impossible opposites. Sagittarius, the centaur, merges beast and man into a unique creature. And then there is the bow and arrow, one moving, one stationary, working together to point the way. Temperance may be, at first glance, a warning to the Querent to "temper" their behavior, to cut their wine with water. But it may also be a reminder to the Querent that seemingly irreconcilable opposites may not be irreconcilable at all. Belief that fiery red and watery blue cannot be merged may be the only thing standing in the way of blending the two. Change the belief, measure out each with care, and you can create otherworldly violet.

Elemental Correspondences for Fire

Element Ruled by:: Leo. Fire Guardian Angel: Archangel Michael. (Some traditions shown as: Ariel) Fire Angel: Aral. Fire Ruler: Seraph. Fire King: Dijin. Watch Tower: OAP TEAA PEDOKE Direction: South. Time Ruled: Noon. Zodiac: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
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Wind: Notus. Qualities: Hot and Dry, Light and Active. Hours of Day Governed: Noon. Season Governed: Summer. Alchemical Symbol: Magical Phrase: Velle, to dare. Magical Tool: Fire, Lamp, Wand. Magical Formula: Eheieh Tattivic Symbol: Red Triangle. (Tejas) Tattivic Tide: March 21st to June 21st. Symbolic Creature: Lion. Elemental Symbol: Flowering Rod of Aaron. Elemental Spirit: Salamander. Element Colour: Orange, Scarlet. Gem: Fire Opal. Incense: Olibanum. Animal: Dragon and Lion. Tree: Alomd ( especially when in flower) Element Plant: Nettle. Elemental Tarot - Major Arcana: Judgement (XX). Elemental Tarot - Minor Arcana: Wands. Talismanic Elemental Angels: Hitsael. Geomantic Number: 5. Sefira Number: 6. Body System Ruled: Head. Positive Aspects: Energetic, Faithful, Daring and Enthusiastic. Negative Aspects: Angry, Violent, Stubborn, Greedy, Jealous and Aggressive. Astrological Personalities: People born under the signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are thought to have dominant fire personalities. Fire personalities are believed to have good leading qualities, and also tend to be extroverted, rebellious, passionate and enthusiastic; however, they can also be moody, hot-tempered, snappy, uncontrollable and angry.
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The Panticale
By: Andrew As the magical cup is the heavenly food of the Magus so is the magical Pantacle his/hers earthly food. The wand was his/hers divine force, and the sword his/hers human force. The cup is hollow to receive the influences from above. The pantacle is flat like the fertile plains of the earth. The name Pantacle implies an image of the all, omni in parvo; but this is by a magical transformation of the pantacle. Just as we make the sword symbolical of everything by the force of our magic, So do we work upon the Pantacle. The wand was the will of man, his/hers wisdom, his/hers word; The Cup was his/hers understanding, the vehicle of grace; The Sword his/hers reason; The Pantacle shall be his/hers body, the temple of the holy ghost. What is the length of the temple? From North to South What is the breadth of this temple? From East to West What is the height of this temple? From the Abyss to the Abyss There is therefore nothing moveable or immovable under this whole firmament of heaven which is not included in the Pantacle, though it be about 8 inches in diameter and in thickness 1/2inch. Fire is not matter at all; water is a combination of elements; air almost entirely a mixture of elements; Earth contains all both in admixture and in combination. So must it be with this Pantacle, the symbol of earth. And as this Pantacle is made of Pure wax. do not forget that "everything that lives is holly" All phenomena are sacraments. Every fact and every false hood must enter
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into the Pantacle, it is the great storehouse from which the magician draws. Crowley's reference to the pentacle needing to be made of pure wax (bee's wax) and exactly 8inches in diameter and in thickness 1/2inch is rarely heeded today. Nowadays plenty of materials are used ranging from metal to clay, and stone to wood, That was surely the case in the past as well. The pentacle should represent an image of the magician's personal universe. Everything that one cosmos contains must be reflected symbolically in the pentacle. This is why the pentacle is the most difficult elemental weapon to make. Making the pentacle requires a fine sense of personal symbolism, but above all it requires that the magician thoroughly understands the depths of one's own soul. And the pentacle is surely not a static weapon. On the contrary, it's an extremely dynamic versatile weapon that's a document of our entire life. All pentacles will contain the ultimate conception of the circle and the cross though some will prefer to replace the cross by a point or by a Tau, or by a triangle. The visca piscis is sometimes used instead of the circle, or the circle may be glyphed as a serpent. Time and space and the idea of causality are sometimes represented, also the 3 stages in the history or philosophy, in which the 3 objects of study were successively nature, God/dess, and man. The clarity of consciousness is also sometimes represented, and the Tree of Life itself may be figured there in or the categories. An emblem of the Great Work should be added. But the pentacle will be imperfect unless each Idea is contrasted in balanced manners with it's opposite, and unless there is a necessary connection between each pair of ideas and every other pair. The neophytes (beginner) will perhaps do well to make the first sketch for the Pantacle very large and complex, subsequently simplifying, not so much by
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exclusion as by combination. It is not wise to simplify to far, since the ultimate hieroglyphic must be an infinite. The ultimate resolution not having been performed, it's symbol must not be portrayed. How few there are who can look back through the years and say that they have made advances in any definite direction; And in how few is that change, such as it is, an variable with intelligent and conscious violation! The dead weight of the original condition under which we were born has counted for far more than our striving. The unconscious forces are incomparably greater than those of which we have any knowledge. This is the solidity of our Pantacle, the Karma of our earth that whirls a man will he nill he around her axis at the rate of a thousand miles an hour. It is very difficult then in any way to fashion this heavy Pantacle. We cut a figure on the ice, it effaced in the morning by the tracks of other skater's, nor did that figure do more than scratch the surface of the ice, and the ice it's self must be melt before the sun, Indeed the magician may despair when he comes to make the Pantacle. And So Beware! Select! Select! Select! This Pantacle is an infinite storehouse; things will always be there when we want them. We may see to it occasionally that they are dusted, the moth kept out, but we shall usually be too busy to do much more. Remember that in traveling from earth to the stars, one dare not be encumbered with to much heavy luggage. Nothing is not a necessary part of the machine should enter into it's composition. Now through this Pantacle is compared only of shams, some shames somehow seem to be far more false than others. The whole universe is an illusion, but it is an illusion difficult to get rid of. It is true compared with most things. But 99 out of every 100 impressions are false
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even in relation to the things on there own plane. Such distinctions must be graven deeply upon the surface of the Pantacle by the Holly Dagger. Therefore, making the pentacle requires the thorough examination and recognition of ourselves. In this sense it will always remain the most imperfect of our magical toolsone that we need to work on for our entire lives without completing it. It's the most individualistic of all weapons and the greatest challenge of all..

DRAWING DOWN THE DARK MOONINVOCATION TO THE DARK GODDESS HECATE

by: Lady Hecate
http://hecatescauldron.org/drawing_down_the_moon.htm

I call upon She who unveils the mystery, Ancient Crone, Hecate, who reigns as darkness falls upon the unlit sky Queen of Heaven, Earth and the Underworld. Hecate, this is your time, Eternal Goddess, Lady of the Night. I have prepared this sacred Circle for you, O Wise One, Come now into me, your Priestess, Fill me with your presence O gracious Queen of Witches As I do perform this Rite in your honor.
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(Imagine the Dark Moon and see this haze descending from the moon into you. Feel Her slowly envelope you, starting at the top of your head and slowly moving down to your feet. Feel this vibrating energy of the Goddess Hecate filling your very being. When Her energies reach your feet, know that you are walking as Hecate, as She is you and you are She. (Note: you can use this invocation or another one from Invocations to Hecate) You are now empowered by the Goddess of the Dark Moon. Use this enhanced ability wisely and speak Her words.

Charge of the Crone Hecate

I am the Queen of Magick, hidden in the deepest night. I am the mystery of the other world and the fear that coils about your heart in the times of your trial. I am the soul of nature that gives form to the Universe. My torches light the way for enlightenment and illumination. My sickle of death cuts away things that are dead & no longer needed It is I who awaits you at the end of your spiral dance. I am She who has no secrets but a thousand secrets. I am the aged Old Crone of Darkness who face of death portends life anew and filled with Luna's secrets. All acts of magick and mysteries are my rituals and My greatest ritual is love itself. You who seek to remove My veil and know My true face, Know that all your questing and efforts are for not, Until thy own face beholds and knows the mysteries of they own self. For you to truly know Me, you must look in your own heart and know and accept thy self. For those of you who call upon Me and My powers for magick, beware! For My magaick is swift and without regards to the consequences. Those that know Me shall glide safely through troubles,
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For it is My dark cloak of protection that is wrapped about you. Close your eyes My child and call to me, for I am there, within your Darkness. When you have finished for the night, ground your power by either stepping out of it, placing your hands physically upon the ground or eating food. You must receive permission from me before using any material from Hecate's Cauldron as well as providing a link back to this website.

Hecate and Drawing Down the Full Moon

by: Lady Hecate
http://hecatescauldron.org/hecate_and_drawing_down_the_moon.htm

Drawing Down the Moon is a very serious but moving and rewarding experience of having the Goddess descend unto you and what better Goddess than Hecate---Maiden, Mother, Crone, the three and the one. However, most only see Her as the dark aspect of the Moon and turn to Her then, never realizing that they are only using one third of the true powers of this powerful Goddess. Most never call upon Her in Her full moon aspect and/or her maiden moon aspect only seeing her as the old Crone...the hag. Yet, She is known as "the most beautiful one." Drawing Down the Moon is a beautiful and very moving experience in which the Goddess descends into you. It is between you and the Goddess. A male does not have to be involved, since it is between you and the Goddess and no
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other. In the Wiccan tradition, it is stated that a male has to draw down the moon into the High Priestess and if there is no male, then a female has to strap on an apparatus in order to become a male, which is nonsense. You do not have to try to represent a male when drawing down the moon nor do you need anyone else. It is a feminine transaction between one female--you--to another.....the Goddess. The interaction between the Goddess and Her Consort, Earth and Sun, are through the Sabbats and not the Moon. Each woman has the right to have the Goddess descend down upon her whether she is in a Wiccan coven, Dianic coven, or any other coven where there is a leader. An elevated Third Degree in the Wiccan tradition is called a High Priestess. The HPS may speak the words and do the invoking but each woman should have that right to have the Goddess descend into her and to feel Her presence and become Her at each ritual, if we so desire. After all, we all have the Goddess in us and each of us are a facet of Her personality, whether we are Isis, Astarte, Demeter, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna, Bride, Artemis, etc., maiden, mother, or crone--for that is what each one of us are. Unfortunately, in the Wiccan tradition, they feel that it is the sole right of the High Priestess to become the Goddess. In Drawing Down the Moon, after everyone else has been invited to attend the circle such as Watchtowers, etc., then proceed to do the invocation, facing the direction of the Full Moon. You do not have to be outside to do this nor does it have to be a clear night for you to see the Moon in order to draw down the Moon. Remember, the Moon is there whether we see Her or not, just as the Goddess is with us whether we see Her or not. What is important is to notice how the sky is lit up on a moon lit night during any given full moon night and how you can walk around at night and see your shadow, yet there are no man made lights around. Notice how She shines brightly wherever you are, so that when you do draw down the moon in ritual and you are either in doors or it is a cloudy night, your visualization of what you have seen of the Full Moon will come in handy. As I have stated throughout this website, visualization is one of the most important things for any kind of magick to work and that includes drawing down the moon. If you cannot visualize, you
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cannot only not feel her presence, but your circle that you cast will be lifeless. You also need to be sincere with the words with which you speak. Say the following with emotion and meaning and when She has descended upon you, speak Her words with conviction, passion and with Her wisdom, as you are the Goddess. I call upon She who unveils all mysteries! Oh Mother of all Creation, Goddess Hecate, the Three and the One. Goddess of fertility and fullness. Oh wise one, filled with Luna's secrets whose torches of the Moon light the darkened sky. Full-orbed Hecate, Mistress of enchantments, Queen of Heaven, Earth and the Underworld, Protectress of all Witches, Come Now into me your Priestess Fill Me with Your Presence Oh Gracious Queen of all Witches as I attend this Rite. Then stand with opened arms and imagine that you are outside in a opened field and the night sky is illuminated with Her presence. It is so bright out that you see your shadow. As you stand there, hear the creatures of the night. Smell the night air. Stand facing the moon with arms stretched and head towards the moon and see this haze starting to swirl down from the Full Moon like a misty fog. Slowly this fog descends from the moon and it starts at the top of your head. Feel this light slowly start descending into you.....not too fast, as it might over whelm you.....but slowly. The top of your head starts to feel a radiance about it and then that feeling moves to your throat, breast and stomach and down into your pelvis and down into your thighs, and as it slowly moves through each part of your body, feel this warm, tingly feeling, which will go all the way down to your toes. When it finally reaches your feet and you feel rejuvenated and alive and feel Her presence within you of love, compassion and wisdom, then do you speak as She, for you and She are one and the same. The Charge follows below:
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I am Goddess of three Moons. I am mistress of the Night. I am the richness of the Earth. I am the Moon and the Seas. I am all that was and is and ever shall be. Nor has any mortal ever seen that which lies beyond my veil for I am indeed mistress of mysteries and the keeper of the keys. I am Queen of all living things, for I Am Goddess of Nature. I smile and the radiance of the Moon is everywhere. Gather in secret if you must, but do not tarry too long behind closed doors, for it is in the richness of the earth and the boundlessness of the sky that my true temple is to be found; And the Moon, and sun and stars will keep your secrets. I am all these things and more. Hear my words my children and worship and be glad. Look for me within these things but above all, within your own soul, for it is there I am. I have been with you in the beginning and I shall be with you at the end. I am the womb of new beginnings, as yet unimagined and unknown. Remember, eating of the cakes will help ground you and help dissipate that charged feeling of the Goddess so that by the time you shut down your circle, you should be returning to your natural state and will be able to go to sleep, since most Witches do circle work at night and most particularly Moon rituals. You must receive permission from me before using any material from Hecate's Cauldron as well as providing a link back to this website.

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The Book of Five Rings

Go Rin no Sho by Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645 Table of Contents: Introduction The Ground Book The Water Book The Fire Book The Wind Book The Book of the Void

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Though written for and from a masculine perspective, the 36 Strategies of Ancient China (aka Book of Five Rings) has a most useful philosophy that can be applied by any creed or persuasion in a wide variety of situations. Careful study will reveal to the initiate the virtues of this philosophy as the Way of the Warrior. ~Oak~ Introduction I have been many years training in the Way of Strategy, called Ni Ten Ichi Ryu, and now I think I will explain it in writing for the first time. It is now during the first ten days of the tenth month in the twentieth year of Kanei (1645). I have climbed mountain Iwato of Higo in Kyushu to pay homage to heaven, pray to Kwannon, and kneel before Buddha. I am a warrior of Harima province, Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin, age sixty years. From youth my heart has been inclined toward the Way of Strategy. My first duel was when I was thirteen, I struck down a strategist of the Shinto school, one Arima Kihei. When I was sixteen I struck down an able strategist Tadashima Akiyama. When I was twenty-one I went up to the capital and met all manner of strategists, never once failing to win in many contests. After that I went from province to province dueling with strategist of various schools, and not once failed to win even though I had as many as sixty encounters. This was between the ages of thirteen and twenty-eight or twenty-nine. When I reached thirty I looked back on my past. The previous victories were not due to my having mastered strategy. Perhaps it was natural ability, or the order of heaven, or that other schools' strategy was inferior. After that I studied morning and evening searching for the principle, and came to realize the Way of Strategy when I was fifty. Since then I have lived without following any particular Way. Thus with the virtue of strategy I practice many arts and abilities - all things with no teacher. To write this book I did not use the law of Buddha or the teachings of
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Confucius, neither old war chronicles nor books on martial tactics. I take up my brush to explain the true spirit of this Ichi school as it is mirrored in the Way of heaven and Kwannon. The time is the night of the tenth day of the tenth month, at the hour of the tiger (3-5 a.m.)

The Ground Book Strategy is the craft of the warrior. Commanders must enact the craft, and troopers should know this Way. There is no warrior in the world today who really understands the Way of Strategy. There are various Ways. There is the Way of salvation by the law of Buddha, the Way of Confucius governing the Way of learning, the Way of healing as a doctor, as a poet teaching the Way of Waka, tea, archery, and many arts and skills. Each man practices as he feels inclined. It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way. Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death. Although not only warriors but priests, women, peasants and lowlier folk have been known to die readily in the cause of duty or out of shame, this is a different thing. The warrior is different in that studying the Way of Strategy is based on overcoming men. By victory gained in crossing swords with individuals, or
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enjoining battle with large numbers, we can attain power and fame for ourselves or our lord. This is the virtue of strategy. The Way of Strategy In China and Japan practitioners of the Way have been known as "masters of strategy". Warriors must learn this Way. Recently there have been people getting on in the world as strategists, but they are usually just sword-fencers. The attendants of the Kashima Kantori shrines of the province Hitachi received instruction from the gods, and made schools based on this teaching, traveling from country to country instructing men. This is the recent meaning of strategy. In olden times strategy was listed among the Ten Abilities and Seven Arts as a beneficial practice. It was certainly an art but as a beneficial practice it was not limited to sword-fencing. The true value of sword-fencing cannot be seen within the confines of sword-fencing technique. If we look at the world we see arts for sale. Men use equipment to sell their own selves. As if with the nut and the flower, the nut has become less than th flower. In this kind of Way of Strategy, both those teaching and those learning the way are concerned with coloring and showing off their technique, trying to hasten the bloom of the flower. They speak of "This Dojo" and "That Dojo". They are looking for profit. Someone once said "Immature strategy is the cause of grief". That was a true saying. There are four Ways in which men pass through life: as gentlemen, farmers, artisans and merchants. The Way of the farmer. Using agricultural instruments, he sees springs through to autumns with an eye on the changes of season. Second is the Way of the merchant. The wine maker obtains his ingredients and puts them to use to make his living. The Way of the merchant is always to live by taking profit. This is the Way of the merchant. Thirdly the gentleman warrior, carrying the weaponry of his Way. The Way of the warrior is to master the virtue of his weapons. If a gentleman dislikes
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strategy he will not appreciate the benefit of weaponry, so must he not have a little taste for this? Fourthly the Way of the artisan. The Way of the carpenter is to become proficient in the use of his tools, first to lay his plans with a true measure and then perform his work according to plan. Thus he passes through life. These are the four Ways of the gentleman, the farmer, the artisan and the merchant. Comparing the Way of the Carpenter to Strategy The comparison with carpentry is through the connection with houses. Houses of the nobility, houses of warriors, the Four houses, ruin of houses, thriving of houses, the style of the house, the tradition of the house, and the name of the house. The carpenter uses a master plan of the building, and the Way of Strategy is similar in that there is a plan of campaign. If you want to learn the craft of war, ponder over this book. The teacher is as a needle, the disciple is as thread. You must practice constantly. Like the foreman carpenter, the commander must know natural rules, and the rules of the country, and the rules of houses. This is the Way of the foreman. The foreman carpenter must know the architectural theory of towers and temples, and the plans of palaces, and must employ men to raise up houses. The Way of the foreman carpenter is the same as the Way of the commander of a warrior house. In the construction of houses, choice of woods is made. Straight un-knotted timber of good appearance is used for the revealed pillars, straight timber with small defects is used for the inner pillars. Timbers of the finest appearance, even if a little weak, is used for the thresholds, lintels, doors, and sliding doors, and so on. Good strong timber, though it be gnarled and knotted, can always be used discreetly in construction. Timber which is weak or knotted throughout should be used as scaffolding, and later for firewood. The foreman carpenter allots his men work according to their ability. Floor layers, makers of sliding doors, thresholds and lintels, ceilings and so on. Those of poor ability lay the floor joists, and those of lesser ability carve
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wedges and do such miscellaneous work. If the foreman knows and deploys his men well the finished work will be good. The foreman should take into account the abilities and limitations of his men, circulating among them and asking nothing unreasonable. He should know their morale and spirit, and encourage them when necessary. This is the same as the principle of strategy. The Way of Strategy Like a trooper, the carpenter sharpens his own tools. He carries his equipment in his tool box, and works under the direction of his foreman. He makes columns and girders with an axe, shapes floorboards and shelves with a plane, cuts fine openwork and carvings accurately, giving as excellent a finish as his skill will allow. This is the craft of the carpenters. When the carpenter becomes skilled and understands measures he can become a foreman. The carpenter's attainment is, having tools which will cut well, to make small shrines, writing shelves, tables, paper lanterns, chopping boards and pot-lids. These are the specialties of the carpenter. Things are similar for the trooper. You ought to think deeply about this. The attainment of the carpenter is that his work is not warped, that the joints are not misaligned, and that the work is truly planed so that it meets well and is not merely finished in sections. This is essential. If you want to learn this Way, deeply consider the things written in this book one at a time. You must do sufficient research. Outline of the Five Books of this Book of Strategy The Way is shown as five books concerning different aspects. These are Ground, Water, Fire, Wind (tradition), and Void (the illusionary nature of worldly things) The body of the Way of Strategy from the viewpoint of my Ichi school is
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explained in the Ground book. It is difficult to realize the true Way just through sword-fencing. Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. As if it were a straight road mapped out on the ground, the first book is called the Ground book. Second is the Water book. With water as the basis, the spirit becomes like water. Water adopts the shape of its receptacle, it is sometimes a trickle and sometimes a wild sea. Water has a clear blue colour. By the clarity, things of Ichi school are shown in this book. If you master the principles of sword-fencing, when you freely beat one man, you beat any man in the world. The spirit of defeating a man is the same for ten million men. The strategist makes small things into big things, like building a great Buddha from a one foot model. I cannot write in detail how this is done. The principle of strategy is having one thing, to know ten thousand things. Things of Ichi school are written in this the Water book. Third is the Fire book. This book is about fighting. The spirit of fire is fierce, whether the fire be small or big; and so it is with battles. The Way of battles is the same for man to man fights and for ten thousand a side battles. You must appreciate that spirit can become big or small. What is big is easy to perceive: what is small is difficult to perceive. In short, it is difficult for large numbers of men to change position, so their movements can be easily predicted. An individual can easily change his mind, so his movements are difficult to predict. You must appreciate this. The essence of this book is that you must train day and night in order to make quick decisions. In strategy it is necessary to treat training as part of normal life with your spirit unchanging. Thus combat in battle is described in the Fire book. Fourthly the Wind book. This book is not concerned with my Ichi school but with other schools of strategy. By Wind I mean old traditions, present-day traditions, and family traditions of strategy. Thus I clearly explain the strategies of the world. This is tradition. It is difficult to know yourself if you do not know others. To all Ways there are side-tracks. If you study a Way
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daily, and your spirit diverges, you may think you are obeying a good Way but objectively it is not the true Way. If you are following the true way and diverge a little, this will later become a large divergence. You must realize this. Other strategies have come to be thought of as mere sword-fencing, and it is not unreasonable that this should be so. The benefit of my strategy, although it includes sword-fencing, lies in a separate principle. I have explained what is commonly meant by strategy in other schools in the Tradition (Wind) book. Fifthly, the book of the Void. By void I mean that which has no beginning and no end. Attaining this principle means not attaining the principle. The Way of strategy is the Way of nature. When you appreciate the power of nature, knowing rhythm of any situation, you will be able to hit the enemy naturally and strike naturally. All this is the Way of the Void. I intend to show how to follow the true Way according to nature in the book of the Void. The Name Ichi Ryu Ni To (One school - two swords) Warriors, both commanders and troopers, carry two swords at their belt. In olden times these were called the long sword and the sword; nowadays they are known as the sword and the companion sword. Let it suffice to say that in our land, whatever the reason, a warrior carries two swords at his belt. It is the Way of the warrior. "Nito Ichi Ryu" shows the advantages of using both swords. The spear and the halberd are weapons which are carried out of doors. Students of the Ichi school Way of Strategy should train from the start with the sword and the long sword in either hand. This is a truth: when you sacrifice your life, you must make fullest use of your weaponry. It is false not to do so, and to die with a weapon yet undrawn. If you hold a sword with both hands, it is difficult to wield it freely to left and right, so my method is to carry the sword in one hand. This does not apply to large weapons such as the spear or halberd, but swords and companion swords can be carried in one hand. It is encumbering to hold a sword in both hands when you are on horseback, when running on uneven roads, on
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swampy ground, muddy rice fields, stony ground, or in a crowd of people. To hold the long sword in both hands is not the true Way, for if you carry a bow or spear or other arms in your left hand you have only one hand free for the long sword. However, when it is difficult to cut an enemy down with one hand, you must use both hands. It is not difficult to wield a sword in one hand; the Way to learn this is to train with two long swords, one in each hand. It will seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first. Bows are difficult to draw, halberds are difficult to wield; as you become accustomed to the bow so your pull will become stronger. When you become used to wielding the long sword, you will gain the power of the Way and wield the sword well. As I will explain in the second book, the Water Book, there is no fast way of wielding the long sword. The long sword should be wielded broadly and the companion sword closely. This is the first thing to realize. According to this Ichi school, you can win with a long weapon, and yet you can also win with a short weapon. In short, the Way of the Ichi school is the spirit of winning, whatever the weapon and whatever its size. It is better to use two swords rather than one when you are fighting a crowd, and especially if you want to take a prisoner. These things cannot be explained in detail. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of Strategy there will not be one thing you cannot see. You must study hard. The Benefit of the Two Characters Reading "Strategy" Masters of the long sword are called strategists. As for the other military arts, those who master the bow are called archers, those who master the spear are called spearmen, those who master the gun are called marksmen, those who master the halberd are called halberdiers. But we do not call masters of the Way of the long sword "longswordsmen", nor do we speak of "companion swordsmen". Because bows, guns, spears and halberds are all warriors' equipment they are certainly part of strategy. To master the virtue of the long
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sword is to govern the world and oneself, thus the long sword is the basis of strategy. The principle is "strategy by means of the long sword". If he attains the virtue of the long sword, one man can beat ten men. Just as one man can beat ten, so a hundred men can beat a thousand, and a thousand can beat ten thousand. In my strategy, one man is the same as ten thousand, so this strategy is the complete warrior's craft. The Way of the warrior does not include other Ways, such as Confucianism, Buddhism, certain traditions, artistic accomplishments and dancing. But even though these are not part of the Way, if you know the Way broadly you will see it in everything. Men must polish their particular Way. The Benefit of Weapons in Strategy There is a time and place for use of weapons. The best use of the companion sword is in a confined space, or when you are engaged closely with an opponent. The long sword can be used effectively in all situations. The halberd is inferior to the spear on the battlefield. With the spear you can take the initiative; the halberd is defensive. In the hands of one of two men of equal ability, the spear gives a little extra strength. Spear and halberd both have their uses, but neither is very beneficial in confined spaces. They cannot be used for taking a prisoner. They are essentially weapons for the field. Anyway, if you learn "indoor" techniques, you will think narrowly and forget the true Way. Thus you will have difficulty in actual encounters. The bow is tactically strong at the commencement of battle, especially battles on a moor, as it is possible to shoot quickly from among the spearmen. However, it is unsatisfactory in sieges, or when the enemy is more than forty yards away. For this reason there are nowadays few traditional schools of archery. There is little use nowadays for this kind of skill. From inside fortifications, the gun has no equal among weapons. It is the supreme weapon on the field before the ranks clash, but once swords are crossed the gun becomes useless.
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One of the virtues of the bow is that you can see the arrows in flight and correct your aim accordingly, whereas gunshot cannot be seen. You must appreciate the importance of this. Just as a horse must have endurance and no defects, so it is with weapons. Horses should walk strongly, and swords and companion swords should cut strongly. Spears and halberds must stand up to heavy use, bows and guns must be sturdy. Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative. You should not have a favorite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troopers to have likes and dislikes. These are things you must learn thoroughly. Timing in Strategy There is timing in everything. Timing in strategy cannot be mastered without a great deal of practice. Timing is important in dancing and pipe or string music, for they are in rhythm only if timing is good. Timing and rhythm are also involved in the military arts, shooting bows and guns, and riding horses. In all skills and abilities there is timing. There is also timing in the Void. There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this. In strategy there are various timing considerations. From the outset you must know the applicable timing and the inapplicable timing, and from among the large and small things and the fast and slow timings find the relevant timing, first seeing the distance timing and the background timing. This is the main thing in strategy. It is especially important to know the background timing, otherwise your strategy will become uncertain.
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You win battles with the timing in the Void born of the timing of cunning by knowing the enemies' timing, and thus using a timing which the enemy does not expect. All the five books are chiefly concerned with timing. You must train sufficiently to appreciate this. If you practice day and night in the above Ichi school strategy, your spirit will naturally broaden. Thus is large scale strategy and the strategy of hand to hand combat propagated in the world. This is recorded for the first time in the five books of Ground, Water, Fire, Tradition (Wind), and Void. This is the way for men who want to learn my strategy: 1. Do not think dishonestly. 2. The Way is in training. 3. Become acquainted with every art. 4. Know the Ways of all professions. 5. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters. 6. Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything. 7. Perceive those things which cannot be seen. 8. Pay attention even to trifles. 9. Do nothing which is of no use. It is important to start by setting these broad principles in your heart, and train in the Way of Strategy. If you do not look at things on a large scale it will be difficult for you to master strategy. If you learn and attain this strategy you will never lose even to twenty or thirty enemies. More than anything to start with you must set your heart on strategy and earnestly stick to the Way. You will come to be able to actually beat men in fights, and to be able to win with your eye. Also by training you will be able to freely control your own body, conquer men with your body, and with sufficient training you will be able to beat ten men with your spirit. When you have reached this point, will it not mean that you are invincible? Moreover, in large scale strategy the superior man will manage many subordinates dextrously, bear himself correctly, govern the country and foster the people, thus preserving the ruler's discipline. If there is a Way involving
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the spirit of not being defeated, to help oneself and gain honour, it is the Way of strategy. Thus ends the Ground Book of the 36 Strategies. This will be continued in following issues to include the books of Water, Fire, Wind and Void. ~Oak~

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The Spiritual and Physical Charging Ritual

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Before you begin using the Spiritual and Physical Charging Ritual it is essential that you banish (known as centering) your targeted item and the surrounding area of all negative energies. Even though you may not sense these energies, they can and may be there. You certainly do not want a negative aspect to influence the results you are seeking. Those who do not bother with banishing rites are those who often wonder why they have problems with their goals. Above all rites and rituals, the banishing ritual is the most important. Before any other ritual should be attempted, the banishing ritual should be mastered. Below you will find a simple but very powerful rite used to banish all negative energies. Please follow along and learn of this rite. It is important to memorize the rites included in this ritual. Lets begin with the Banishing. Begin the ritual, either during the day or at night by facing East. You will do this by standing with your arms by your sides. Tilt your head slightly upwards as if you were looking to the sky. Control your breathing, slow and regular. Clear your mind of thoughts and the happenings of your life. Reach upwards with your right hand breathing in, and bring it down the centre of your body while breathing out, visualizing a beam of white light passing down through your body, from above your head to below your feet. Next my friend, turn your head to the left and point with your left hand towards the sky. Trace the form of the Tau Cross.

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2 - Control your breathing. Breathe in, hold, and breathe out, visualizing a ray of white light running across your body, from left to right. Then, whilst breathing in, bring your arms across your body and fold them across your chest. Breathe out, and visualize a cross of white light expanding outwards from your chest, along the two axes you have made. Feel yourself to be supercharged with energy, yet at the same time, calm and ready. 3. To complete the rite, visualize the cross in which you previously drew with your hand. See the cross in your mind. Focus your thoughts upon this. Visualize the cross glowing with energy, expanding and purifying the area around you. See the energies cleansing the targeted item in which you plan on charging. After cleansing the room and the targeted item, Still facing East, turn towards the South, then the West and finally to the North. Control your breathing and relax your mind. Relax your body. Picture the energies surround you and cleansing your mind, body and soul. Rest and open your eyes when you are ready. This completes the first stage of the Banishing, and is known as 'The Cross of Light'. This ritual is a more modern centering ritual. The fundamentals are from ancient methods but with a more modern approach. Now that the targeted item, the surround location and yourself have been banished of any negativity, you are ready to begin. Do not wait any longer after completely the Banishing to move onto the Charging. The best results come after a powerful cleansing has taken place. Now my friend, it is time to begin the charging of the targeted item. Before you physically begin the ritual, here are some important tips and suggestions. 1. Find your Center before beginning. Stand with your feet, shoulders apart and your eyes closed. Shift you weight from one leg to the other while
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continuing to breathe mindfully releasing stress and the random thoughts of life. Imagine that you are grounded and more powerful than ever before. Claim your power, grasp it! Control your breathing and remained focus. 2. Direction of Energy: Your focus is a main aspect to any ritual. If you desire to charge the targeted item, even if your mind slips to another subject (event in your life, the phone call earlier, what you are having for dinner, etc), even for a moment, you may loss the charge that you have built. If your mind wonders, it is best to regain your focus, regain your center and begin again. 3. Precision: These rituals must be practiced and should be considered a skill to be developed. Practice and repeat. This is key. No one is a master of any art their first time practicing. 4. Transformation through Rituals: Our most creative and insightful moments in life usually do not materialize when we are exhausted, but rather during a long walk or an unforced moment of introspection. We must regularly identify with our purpose, with our hearts desire. What do we do that makes an impact on others? Do we have a transcendent cause? Think of life as a series of sprints rather than a marathon. We must fully engage in our creative work and then be able to step back and recover our hearts, engage with our families, and identify with a cause and purpose greater than ourselves. This is counter to our culture of long hours, careerism, and self-promotion. The power of positive rituals will not only transform the way we go about our teaching and performing but will affect the lives of those around us. To charge your targeted item, it is important to set the location with the needed items. 1. Candles. Place 8 new candles in the form of a circle either on your table, floor, or other altar. An altar is not required but may assist you with the
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high levels of energy. The placement of the candles should form a circle that is as perfectly spaced as possible. Remember to leave enough space between each candle so you may grab the item when you are complete with the ritual. You do not want to burn yourself. 2. Incense is also required. The type and scent is completely up to you. You may use stick form, cone, oil or etc. Place this above the candles that you have set in the previous set. 3. Water. Fill a small glass bowl with warm water. It is suggested that you first begin with cold water (as water from your water heater is dirty and not as clean as the cold water you would receive from you water source) and heat it either upon a stove or in a microwave. REMEMBER: The water does not need to be hot. Just warmer than the temperature of the room. Be careful to prevent burns. 4. Long matches are recommended for this ritual. Considering you will be lighting 8 candles and possibly the incense. Long matches are recommended to ease of use and to prevent burns. Begin the Charging ritual by casting a circle of protection and light around you and the area that you are working in. To do so, close you eyes and focus your mind on the task at hand. Let the thoughts of your life escape you and leave only the energies that are circling around you. Using the energy and the strength that you gained from the banishing ritual, take your dominate hand mentally and physically draw the circle of protection around you. Around the area in which you are working See the circle of protection take shape and provide a wall of intense light. Glowing and radiating softly. Control your breathing and open your eyes when ready.
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5. Continue to stay focused. Retain your strength and energy. Continue on by using your long matches and lighting the candles you have seated before the ritual began. Light your incense if it is the sort that requires fire. The targeted item should be in the middle of the burning candles. 6. Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. These are the four elements that will enhance the charge that is being created. Close your eyes now that the targeted item is ready for charging. Focus your thoughts and energies. Picture the targeted item within your mind. Control your breathing and remain focused. Do not let the outer influences of your life to merge with this process. Now, focus your mental attention upon the candles you have placed around the targeted item. Picture two of the candles at a time. Two candles side by side. The first two candles will give forth an enhancement of energy from the element of earth. With your mental eye, imagine that these two candles are gaining strength. Gain power. As you focus your attention to their flames, you will see that their energies are being drawn into the targeted item. They are being soaked up and retained within the targeted item. Spend at least 4 minutes with this set of candles before moving onto the next set. Follow the same directions on the each set of candles. Moving clockwise around the targeted item. The next element you are bringing forth is wind, then fire and then water. While focusing and drawing out each element the amount of time required is at least 20 minutes. 5 minutes per each set. Each element. This process of enhancing the elements is known as calling quarters. While summoning each element with your strength, ask each element to serve, protect, join in, guard and enhance the targeted item. 7. As with the banishing ritual, retaining your inner strength and focus. Take your dominate hand and trace the form of the Tau Cross. Doing so while your eyes are closed, your breathing is controlled and you see the enhancement energies flowing from each set of candles.
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The energies of Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. While focusing on these elements and tracing the Tau Cross for each set of candles, you are magnifying the power of each element with a powerful Metaphysical property. 8. Once complete with each element the ritual is coming to a close. Sit if not sitting already and take a few moments for reflection. Think back over the ritual you have just performed. Calculated each step and confirm that you have done so correctly. Thank each element that you have summoned for the gifts that it has given the targeted item. Thank the blessings of the Tau Cross of it's enhancements as well. Before completing the ritual, picture the power that the targeted item now contains. If you can see it with your mental (inner) eye, you have successfully completed the ritual. When you are ready, you may open your eyes are retrieve the targeted item. Feel its energies and forces. If you have powerful senses of sight, you may actually see the energy flowing around the item. Much like a cloud of energy. Blow out the candles and let the incense burn for a bit longer. Allow it to ease you even more so. You deserve it's rewards as you have just performed a powerful ritual that will give your targeted item incredible enhancements and abilities. Dispose of the incense properly when you feel complete and rewarded. Remove the candles in the manner that you placed them. Now that the Spiritual and Physical Charging Ritual is complete, your targeted item is now incredible potent in the blessings of multiple strengths of enhancements. Spiritual, Physical, Elemental and Metaphysical. Enjoy my friend as you will use this ritual an unlimited amount of time is your spiritual quest. Many blessings

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The Paradigms of Magic The Chaostheric Paradigm

By Andrew

The manifest universe is just a tiny island of comparative order, set in an infinite ocean of primal chaos or potential. Moreover, that limitless chaos pervades every interstice of our island of order. This island of order was candidly spewed up out of chaos and will eventually be re-dissolved into it.
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Although this universe is highly unlikely event, it was bound to occur eventually. We ourselves are the most highly ordered structure known on that island, yet in the very center of our being is a spark of that same chaos which gives rise to the illusion of this universe. It is the spark of chaos that animates us and allows us to work magic. We can not perceive chaos directly, for it simotaneously contains the opposite to anything we might think it is, we can however occasionally glimpse and make use of partially formed matter, which has only a probabilistic and intermediate existence. This stuff we call (Aethus). If it makes us feel any better we can call this chaos, the Tao,/God and imagine it to be benevolent and human hearted. There are two schools of thought in magic. One concedes that it is a force of spiritual conscious. Myself I am inclined is the view that my spiritual conscious is random and chaotic in an agreeable sort of way. Constructive imbalance: from the point of greatest imbalance comes the point of greatest stability. The spirit of man needs opposition = imbalance in his/hers life to promote growth. Perfectly balanced forces result in a net movement of Zero = And there can be no growth without movement. Carroll who's also responsible for the fact that Chaos magic joined forces with the Zos Kia cult of Spare. Carroll and Sherwin assumed some of Spare's terminology, such as "Spark of Chaos" quotes above discourse as "Kia". In Sherwin's "Theatre of magic", kia is described as Soul-individuality without ego; while Liber Null defines it as nascent energy seeking form, or as a great desire/even self-love. It can be represented by Atu (trump) 0, the fool, or joker. It's heraldic beast is the vulture, for it ever descends to take it's satisfaction among the living and the dead. Kia can not be experienced directly because it is the basic of consciousness (or experience) and it has no fixed qualities which the mind can latch on to. Kia is the consciousness, it is
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the elusive "I" which confers self-awareness, but not seen to consist of anything it's self. Kia can sometimes be felt as ecstasy or inspiration, but deeply buried in the dualistic mind. It is mostly trapped in the aimless wanderings of thought and in identification with experiences and in that cluster of opinions about ourselves called ego. Magic is concerned with giving Kia more freedom and flexibility and with providing means by which it can manifest it's occult power. Kia is therefor impersonal - which is an imperfect fact and it has nothing to do with common Christian based definition of the "Soul". Although we can recognize parallels to the Tao of Chinese philosophy and the Buddhist concept of the incantations of Karma but not the in the individuality of the living being and even to the Paramatman of Hinduism and the cosmic consciousness of some yoga and Jnana schools, one should avoid getting carried away with comparisons. Kia just isn't the exact same thing as Tao, Karma, or Atman although it may be related to these. The Egyptian concept of Kia comes close yet and may even resemble it more than any of the others, but it's still not the exact same thing. Kia is the point of intersection between chaos and the matter it created for it's own "amusement". Chaos Magic doesn't recognize an individual soul thats given to a person at birth, or care that may continually incarnate whether it wants to or not. In this sense it resembles Gurdjriff's system, which also assumes that man as to earn his soul. A curious error has entered into many systems of occult thought. This is the notion of some higher-self or true-will which has been misappropriated from the monotheistic religions. There are many who would like to think that they have some inner-self, which is somehow more real or spiritual than the ordinary or lower-self. The facts do not lean this out. There is no part of one's belief about one's self which can not be modified by sufficient psychological techniques, the proper stimuli can, if correctly applied turn communist into fascist, saints into devils, the meek into hero's, and visa-versa. There is no sovereign sanctuary within ourselves which represents our real nature. There
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is nobody at home in the internal fortress. Everything we cherish is our ego, everything we believe in, is just what we cobbled together out of accident of our birth and subsequent experiences. With change, brain washing, and other techniques of extreme persuasion, we can quit readily make man a devotee of a different ideology, the patriot of a different country or the followers of a different religion. Our mind is just an extensions of the body and there is no part of it which can not be taken away or modified. The only part of our-selves which exists above the temporary and mutable psychological structure we call the ego is the Kia. Kia is the deliberately meaningless term giving to the vital spark of life force within us. The Kia is without form. It is neither this nor that. Only the obsolete lack of meaning of everything that exists can give the chaos magician true freedom and make him a God/dess, relatively speaking of course. Belief is understood as pure technique, but not as ontic reality - relativity is the trump, everything is random, with true freedom no more absolute barriers exist, but nor does a right to static or pseudo-absolute structures, such as power, domination, or hierarchies. If the magician truly wants to be free he/she has to free themselves form all chains. These chains include patterns of thought, behavior, and belief as well as imbedded emotional structures and urges. This process is deeply a-moral; since there is nothing absolute in the conventional sense of the word. The initiate has the entire world at his/her feet. Nothing is true everything is permitted. The Magical order of faculty known as the Magical Pact or the I.O.T Illuminates of Thanateros or "The Pact" is an active melting pot of international magical talent....

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Heretic, Heathen, And Pagan

By: Andrew What does it mean to be a Heretic, Heathen, and Pagan? Let us first start with there definitions before we getting into there symbology that so many claim and hide behind. heretic: 1. a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church. 2. Roman Catholic Church . a baptized Roman Catholic who willfully and persistently rejects any article of faith. 3. anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle. Origins and meaning of Heretic: 130050; Middle English heretik < Middle French heretique < Late Latin haereticus < Greek hairetiks able to choose ( Late Greek: heretical), equivalent to hairet ( s ) that may be taken (verbal adjective of hairen to choose) + -ikos -ic heathen: 1. an unconverted individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; pagan. 2. an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized person.
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3. of or pertaining to heathens; pagan. 4. irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized. Origins and meaning of Heathen: before 900; Middle English hethen, Old English hthen, akin to German Heide, heidnisch (adj.), Old Norse heithingi (noun), heithinn (adj.), Gothic haithno (noun); perhaps akin to heath; Heathen is from Old English hen "not Christian or Jewish" (c.f. Old Norse heiinn). Historically, the term was probably influenced by Gothic haii "dwelling on the heath", appearing as haino inUlfilas' bible as "gentile woman" (translating the "Hellene" in Mark 7:26). This translation was probably influenced by Latin paganus, "country dweller", or it was chosen because of its similarity to the Greek ethnikos, "gentile". It has even been suggested that Gothic haii is not related to "heath" at all, but rather a loan from Armenian hethanos, itself loaned from Greek ethnos. pagan: 1. one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks. 2. a person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim. 3. an irreligious or hedonistic person. 4. pertaining to the worship or worshipers of any religion that is neither Christian, Jewish, nor Muslim. 5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of pagans.

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6. irreligious or hedonistic. Origins and meaning of Pagan: Middle English, from Late Latin pgnus, from Latin, country-dweller, civilian, from pgus, country, rural district; see pag- in Indo-European roots. As we can see we all fall in this category, and yes even all the many dominations of Christianity, Mormons, Jehovah witnesses, you see we all seem to forget where these 3 words started from and we all seem to fail to realize that these terms where used to condemn and to mark people by the Catholic Church, used throughout all the crusades, the witch trials, and the break away and start of the Protestant movement, which in history was also the start of the witch trials and for all of us that Live here in the US well the simple truth is are forefathers were exiles fleeing the persecutions of the Catholic church and they where all dubbed heretic's, heathens, and Pagans and yes before the argument starts even must of those Christians view us as the Catholic church does, but then again don't must of you do the something? I'll answer that for you YES, Wiccan's, Satanist, Druids, Cabalist, and th4e list goes on, if you do not follow there particular practices than you are either wrong, evil, a liar and that list goes on as well wtf get over it. It gets old seeing people argue who is right or comparing western to eastern or that European was the birth place of it all. I ask you this why then those that followed the European Traditions all of a sudden decide to seek out the western traditions and visa versa? The answer to that is very simple first off as cultures changed and moved so did there practices and beliefs either through arranged marriages or through lands being conquered, or natural disasters. The second reason is even more simple and that they realized that there is not just one set of beliefs or practices but in every culture and religion there is truths and knowledge. As we can see in a sense anyone that takes there right to make a choice, or to chose, is a heretic, heathen and a Pagan, all because we chose to practice believe and follow something that is not of the common ideals or views of that
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time or goes against what others do not wish to see or tell. In many case to tell the truth is to lose control and power, for the truth would mean that many of the ideas and views would now be seen as lies and seen that it was away to control people. As you can see with origins of these words it was more about controlling free thought, continuing the old cast systems, and quieting the idea of any type of freedom's to believe and live the way you want to and to practice what you chose and not what they deemed to be the only and right way. Isn't it time we quit falling pray to such illusions over titles and words that most do not even know there true meaning of, but only the meaning of the now and what it stands for today which in most case's is not even close to it's original meaning? Can you now see how such thoughts and ideas can be used to control, miss lead, and convey a false message and keep people trapped within those ideas. Let me go one step farther with this and something that may affect us all soon to come if we continue to bicker and argue about who is right or wrong, I am this or that you are this and therefore are not a part of us. Divided we fall but together we are strong and can over come all the more we keep arguing and falling pray to these false ideas that society says is so and that we begin to believe they are we will never become strong and now isn't the time to be divided. In truth as a whole we are not anywhere close to being the minority but in fact one of the top religions in the world. Now here in the US they are trying to say we are a mino0rity and trying to pass laws to take are rights away meaning the first amendment and if that happens we will lose everything that has taken centuries to build and open the doors for persecutions and well you all know your history on that. Now's not the time to be divided we were never meant to be divided. It's time we use our voices and put all the arguing about who is right or who is wrong aside and unite as a whole, and you just might find that we share many things in common and that our practice and beliefs are closer than you first thought it was. The true art of magic is not putting oneself into a single box but taking all that
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is there and making it a part of you, learning and adapting to new and old theories and making them your own. It is ,making our minds not subject to one thought or practice but all practices and making them yours. There is a place and purpose for titles and should not be used in any other way. There purpose is simple it is yet another tool (focal point) to access the sub-conscious mind or proper state of gnosis. Now if you use these titles everyday and cling to them as if they are just a another word then in truth when used in practice they are just that, because the mind and sub-conscious mind are now in conflict with one another, or when it comes to magical warfare it can be used against you and give the person an easier way to get past your defenses. For me the biggest danger and damage done by doing this is that the mind will identify with the title and will prevent any other title or practice to have meaning or power, in this since we become our on worst enemies when we start to claim to be any sort of title, just like any other magical tool it should be used and when done put away till needed again. A good friend of mine and to many of you (Traveler) has maybe one of the best coarse and way to go about this and that Is what he calls Starting Point's it shows us that there is so much more that affects us and that is apart of it, from our name to our ancestry, to all the zodiacal signs of all cultures and how they do relate to us and effect our lives and as you do this coarse which will be for the rest of your life because we are continuing to learn and grow and change as we do we see that more and more that all things are a part of us and that we can no longer say that there is one set of belief or practice that is right for they all have an effect on us and can be used by us, it is what we are drawn to and 3what calls out to us and the rest has no importance at that time or may never have.

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Dont Curse the Dandelion

By Oak
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(with numerous excerpts from James Greens book) Well begin this medical journey outside our dwelling place, where the wild things are. Herbal medicine lives outdoors, where nature spirits arouse our enchantment, and our vitality is naturally quickened. So, if you are not already outdoors reading these words, please, weather permitting, step outside with me and well find Taraxacum officinale, a most notorious wild plant. This is the plant that herbalists, children and poets call the Dandelion. Many other people call it a weed and treat it rather rudely. Let us refer to it as a wild medicinal plant and perceive the extract we are about to make with it as an herbal tonic. Our intention is to connect with a plant spirit and with its alliance create a nutritional preparation that is easy to assimilate and can be relied upon to help our digestion, our liver, and our kidneys to feel good. Common Dandelion grows about everywhere. It should be fairly simple for you to discover this flowering ally as they are one of the most common medicinal herbs that live with us in our neighborhoods. While many homeowners attempt to remove these wily weeds from their lawns every year, there are others that look at it quite differently. In China young Dandelion greens are eagerly harvested to enrich their diets, along with Purslane and Kudzu, which are two more weeds we tend to curse in this culture. Keep in mind that there are other plants that, at a casual glance, look similar to a dandelion. Fear not, though, as there are no toxic or poisonous lookalikes in North America. The Dandelion has a single golden-yellow flower head sitting atop of each individual flower stalk. These flowers open
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and close with the sun. The flower head can be up to 2 inches wide. They grow from 2 to 18 inches tall and have no other stalks branching off of them. Each Dandelion stalk is straight and unjointed, growing separately out of a base having a rosette crown of numerous bright green leaves. The mature flower can transform into this globular seed head (faeries afro) overnight. The Dandelions leaves are 3 to 12 inches long with deeply serrated edges. Once you have found some Dandelions, harvest the entire plant including the root, leaves, buds, blossoms and seed heads (if present). If some of the root breaks off and remains in the ground, then great! This will generate a new plant from the partial root. Now that you have identified and harvested this plant; offer gratitude for its life. Consider leaving an offering, like a strand of hair, prayer, song, story or whatever; plant spirits are known to be deeply touched by such gestures. Ensure that the plants you harvest are of a green color and not dried or brown as these are no good and possibly sprayed with herbicide. Clean the dirt from the roots and remove any foreign materials, then spread them to dry slowly. I have found an old window screen works perfectly as it allows air to circulate on all sides which prevents molding. Since I have covered the process of tincturing in the September, 2011 issue, I will refer you to that issue for the process of forming a simple and preserved tincture of Dandelion that you may keep on hand for daily dosages. As far as an adult dosage, 1 teaspoon 3 to 4 times a day should produce the desired results. Remember; dont take any food or herbal remedy every day. Take the remedy for 6 days a week with a random day off. Also, if the flavor is
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a bit tough to swallow feel free to put the dosage into a small glass of water or juice to make it more palatable. When used to affect your body directly, common Dandelion is one of the finest foods and medicines found in the herbalists material medica. Young springtime Dandelion leaves have a pleasantly bitter aromatic flavor that blend well with other fresh salad plants. They also contain a rich load of bitters and micro-nutrients, especially the minerals potassium and calcium, as well as vitamins A and C. Regular use of Dandelion extract often relieves the uncomfortable maladies commonly experienced in the upper and lower digestive tract such as poor digestion, gas, nausea, and constipation. In general, Dandelion stimulates and supports many glands and organs, especially the kidneys and liver. It has a tonic effect on the kidneys and encourages kidney function with its diuretic action, while at the same time it increases the bodys potassium content, rather than depleting it as other diuretics commonly do. It is also a liver and gallbladder tonic that stimulates the healthy discharge and flow of bile. When taken over a period of 4 to 6 weeks, it works as an efficient preventive agent for gallstones. Aside from fresh salads and tincturing I will also introduce other folk methods of making use of the wonderfully active Dandelion. Boiled in vinegar, it is said to ease trouble with urination. A decoction (boiling in water) made from the whole plant is said to cure the yellow jaundice. Just remember decoctions are made for immediate use and do not store well. Dandelion juices also have external uses in the treatment of acne, boils, eczema and similar skin disorders. A decoction can also be used here as well. There is also some Lore associated with the Dandelion as mentioned in The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl.
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It is said that a dandelion in ones dreams is a sign of difficult times ahead. What is often failed to mention is that these times are of advantage to the wise, signifying times of change, and can be understood and worked into a better situation. In weather magic, seeing the fluff blown free from the head of a dandelion without the presence of wind is a sign of coming rain. Though the Dandelions planetary association is Jupiter, the Dandelion observes the Sun, closing the flower when dark clouds are overhead. Other magical uses mentioned in Cunninghams Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs are divination, wishes and calling spirits.

To find out how long you will live, blow the seeds off the head of a Dandelion. You will live as many years as there are seeds left on the head. To tell the time: blow three times at the seed head. The number left is the hour of the day.
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The root, when dried, roasted, and ground like coffee, is used to make a tea. This infusion will promote psychic powers. This same tea, steaming and placed beside the bed, will call spirits. To send a message to a loved one, blow at the seed head in his or her direction and visualize your message. Dandelion, buried in the northwest corner of the house, brings favorable winds. Green, James. (2000). The Herbal Medicine-Makers Handbook. Crossing Press, New York.

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Black November A Turkey's Lament

When I was a young turkey, new to the coop, My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop, Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow, And he told me there was something that I had to know; His look and his tone I will always remember, When he told me of the horrors of ..... Black November; "Come about August, now listen to me, Each day you'll be thick, where once you were thin, And you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin. "And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed, In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head; "Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald'n pink, And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink,
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"And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing, "She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing". Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat, I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat, And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked, I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked; I began a new diet of nuts and granola, High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola, And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes, I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes, I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half, And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed; But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath, As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death; And sure enough when Black November rolled around, I was the last turkey left in the entire compound; So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap; I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap, She held me today, while sewing and humming, And smiled at me and said "Christmas is coming........"

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A COLD WINTERS NIGHT

By: Andrew On a cold winter night, a soft snow falls on a blanket of white, A fire burns within the hearth, but not as deep that burns within my heart, The moon shines off a fresh powdered snow glisten with a soft divine light, Within the light, standing in a blanket of a winters delight, I see the one that guides me to her arms, and awakens that inner passion that Burns within me. Your beauty is that which radiates from the stars and moon, Your love is as pure as the fresh falling snow, Your touch is that of the gift of life As the snow softly falls, our souls become one, With each gentle touch our passion glistens like the moon off the freshly falling snow,
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That blankets our bed and glistens off our bodies that are one on this winter night, With each placed kiss our love sparkles like a snow flake in the light, Our love is as the fresh falling snow, that illuminates the beauty of our souls, Our love is as the cold winter night, where two lovers embrace by the hearth, Our love burns with such a fire that a cold winter night is a blanket of warmth, On this cold winters night I think of you my Angel, and the love that we share, That is more beautiful than the freshly fallen snow on a moon lit night, For our love is the sparkle that glistens in that light so divine that words can not define, On this cold winters night we are one within the heavens and the angels in the snow, And our passion is the light that only true lovers can know and turns a clod winters night into a winters delight.

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A Midnight Promenade
By; Andrew A midnight promenade, Set in an exotic tryst, As to lovers meet, In an enchanting dance, That burns with such eroticism, With each passionate touch, They lose them selves in ecstasy, Time seems to stand still, With each pleasuring touch, And each sensual kiss, There bodies start to quiver, As they reach the point of no return, They are consumed in a state of bliss, As they reach a glorious rapture, That was full of sensual desire, Set in an enchanting tryst, That they will remember for all of time.

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Beauty
By: Andrew Beauty is grace, & elegance, It is that of perfection, Dancing within the mind & heart, It is our inner essence, Radiating throughout time, In perfect union, with what is before us, It is as a spring flower blossoming at first light, Opening gracefully, for all to see, And ever changing, becoming fuller & brighter with each passing day. It is what captivates the soul, And brings tears of joy, And fills you with tranquility. Such is the beauty shared between two lovers, Filled with passion, & love that is never ending, For this is the one true beauty that last for all time eternal.

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THE HOARD OF THE ELVES

by: James Baldwin (1841-1925) The following story is reprinted from Hero Tales. James Baldwin. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1914.

When the earth was still very young, and men were feeble and few, and the Dwarfs were many and strong, the Asa-folk were wont oft-times to leave their halls in heaven-towering Asgard in order to visit the new-formed mid-world, and to see what the short-lived sons of men were doing. Sometimes they came in their own god-like splendor and might; sometimes they came disguised as feeble men folk, with all man's weaknesses and all his passions. Sometimes Odin, as a beggar, wandered from one country to another, craving charity;
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sometimes, as a warrior clad in coat of mail, he rode forth to battle for the cause of right; or as a minstrel he sang from door to door, and played sweet music in the halls of the great; or as a huntsman he dashed through brakes and fens, and into dark forests, and climbed steep mountains in search of game; or as a sailor he embarked upon the sea, and sought new scenes in unknown lands. And many times did men folk entertain him unawares. Once on a time he came to the mid-world in company with Hoenir and Loki; and the three wandered through many lands and in many climes, each giving gifts wherever they went. Odin gave knowledge and strength, and taught men how to read the mystic runes; Hoenir gave gladness and good cheer, and lightened many hearts with the glow of his comforting presence; but Loki had naught to give but cunning deceit and base thoughts, and he left behind him bitter strife and many aching breasts. At last, growing tired of the fellowship of men, the three Asas sought the solitude of the forest, and as huntsmen wandered long among the hills and over the wooded heights of Hunaland. Late one afternoon they came to a mountain stream at a place where it poured over a ledge of rocks and fell in clouds of spray into a rocky gorge below. As they stood, and with pleased eyes gazed upon the waterfall, they saw near the bank an otter lazily making ready to eat a salmon which he had caught. Then Loki, ever bent on doing mischief, hurled a stone at the harmless beast, and killed it. And he boasted loudly that he had done a worthy deed. He took both the otter and the fish which it had caught, and carried them with him as trophies of the day's success. Just at nightfall the three huntsmen came to a lone farmhouse in the valley, and asked for food, and for shelter during the night. "Shelter you shall have," said the farmer, whose name was Hreidmar, "for the rising clouds foretell a storm. But food I have none to give you. Surely huntsmen of skill should not want for food, since the forest teems with game, and the streams are full of fish." Then Loki threw upon the ground the otter and the fish, and said, "We have sought in both forest and stream, and we have taken from them at one blow both flesh and fish. Give us but the shelter you promise, and we will not
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trouble you for food." The farmer gazed with horror upon the lifeless body of the otter and cried out, "This creature which you mistook for an otter, and which you have robbed and killed, is my son, Oddar, who for mere pastime had taken the form of the furry beast. You are but thieves and murderers!" Then he called loudly for help: and his two sons, Fafnir and Regin, sturdy and valiant kin of the dwarf-folk, rushed in, and seized upon the huntsmen, and bound them hand and foot; for the three Asas, having taken upon themselves the forms of men, had no more than human strength, and were unable to withstand them. Then Odin and his fellows bemoaned their ill fate. And Loki said, "Wherefore did we foolishly take upon ourselves the likenesses of puny men? Had I my own power once more, I would never part with it in exchange for man's weaknesses." And Hoenir sighed, and said, "Now, indeed, will darkness win: and the frosty breath of the Northern giants will blast the fair handiwork of the sunlight and the heat; for the givers of life and light and warmth are helpless prisoners in the hands of these cunning and unforgiving jailers." "Surely," said Odin, "not even the highest are free from obedience to heaven's behests and the laws of right. I, whom men call the Preserver of Life, have debased myself by being found in evil company; and, although I have done no other wrong, I suffer rightly for the doings of this mischief-maker with whom I have stooped to have fellowship. For all are known, not so much by what they are as by what they seem to be, and they bear the bad name which their comrades bear. Now I am fallen from my high estate. Eternal right is higher than I." Then the Asas asked Hreidmar, their jailer, what ransom they should pay for their freedom; and he, not knowing who they were, said, "I must first know what ransom you are able to give." "We will give you anything you may ask," hastily answered Loki. Hreidmar then called his sons, and bade them strip the skin from the otter's body. When this was done, they brought the furry hide and spread it upon the
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ground; and Hreidmar said, "Bring shining gold and precious stones enough to cover every part of this otter skin. When you have paid so much ransom, you shall have your freedom." "That we will do," answered Odin. "But one of us must have leave to go and fetch it: the other two will stay fast bound until the morning dawns. If, by that time, the gold is not here, you may do with us as you please." Hreidmar and the two young men agreed to Odin's offer; and, lots being cast, it fell to Loki to go and fetch the treasure. When he had been loosed from the cords which bound him, Loki donned his magic shoes, which had carried him over land and sea from the farthest bounds of the mid-world, and hastened away upon his errand. And he sped with the swiftness of light, over the hills and the wooded slopes, and the deep dark valleys, and the fields and forests and sleeping hamlets, until he came to the place where dwelt the swarthy elves and the cunning dwarf Andvari. There the River Rhine, no larger than a meadow brook, breaks forth from beneath a mountain of ice, which the Frost giants and the Winter-king had built long years before; for they had vainly hoped that they might imprison the river at its fountain head. But the baby brook had eaten its way beneath the frozen mass, and had sprung out from its prison, and gone on, leaping and smiling, and kissing the sunlight, in its ever-widening course toward the distant sea. Loki came to this place, because he knew that here was the home of the elves who had laid up the greatest hoard of treasures ever known in the mid-world. He scanned with careful eyes the mountain side, and the deep, rocky caverns, and the dark gorge through which the little river rushed; but in the dim moonlight not a living being could he see, save a lazy salmon swimming in the quieter eddies of the stream. Anyone but Loki would have lost all hope of finding treasure there, at least before the dawn of day; but his wits were quick and his eyes were very sharp. "One salmon has brought us into this trouble, and another shall help us out of it!" he cried. Then, swift as thought, he sprang again into the air; and the magic shoes carried him with greater speed than before down the Rhine valley, and
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through Burgundyland and the low meadows, until he came to the shores of the great North Sea. He sought the halls of old Aegir, the Ocean-king; but he wist not which way to go--whether across the North Sea towards Isenland, or whether along the narrow channel between Britain land and the main. While he paused, uncertain where to turn, he saw the pale-haired daughters of old Aegir, the white-veiled Waves, playing in the moonlight near the shore. Of them he asked the way to Aegir's hall. "Seven days' journey westward," said they, "beyond the green Isle of Erin, is our father's hall. Seven days' journey northward, on the bleak Norwegian shore, is our father's hall. Seek it not." And they stopped not once in their play, but rippled and danced on the shelving beach, or dashed with force against the shore. "Where is your mother, Ran, the Queen of the Ocean?" asked Loki. And they answered: "In the deep sea-caves By the sounding shore, In the dashing waves When the wild storms roar, In her cold green bowers In the northern fiords, She lurks and she glowers, She grasps and she hoards, And she spreads her strong net for her prey." Loki waited to hear no more; but he sprang into the air, and the magic shoes carried him onwards over the water In search of the Ocean-queen. He had not gone far when his sharp eyes espied her, lurking near a rocky shore against which the breakers dashed with frightful fury. Half hidden in the deep dark water, she lay waiting and watching; and she spread her cunning net upon the waves, and reached out with her long greedy fingers to seize whatever booty might come near her. When the wary queen saw Loki, she hastily drew in her net, and tried to hide herself in the shadows of an overhanging rock. But Loki called her by name, and said: "Sister Ran, fear not! I am your friend Loki, whom once you served as a guest in Aegir's gold-lit halls." Then the Ocean-queen came out into the bright moonlight, and welcomed Loki to her domain, and asked, "Why does Loki thus wander so far over the
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trackless waters?" And Loki answered, "I have heard of the net which you spread upon the waves, and from which no creature once caught in its meshes can ever escape. I have found a salmon where the Rhine spring gushes from beneath the mountains, and a very cunning salmon he is, for no common skill can catch him. Come, I pray, with your wondrous net, and cast it into the stream where he lies. Do but take the wary fish for me, and you shall have more gold than you have taken in a year from the wrecks of stranded vessels." "I dare not go," cried Ran. "A bound is set, beyond which I may not venture. If all the gold of earth were offered me, I could not go." "Then lend me your net," entreated Loki. "Lend me your net, and I will bring it back tomorrow filled with gold." "Much I would like your gold," answered Ran; "but I cannot lend my net. Should I do so, I might lose the richest prize that has ever come into my husband's kingdom. For three days, now, a gold-rigged ship, bearing a princely crew with rich armor and abundant wealth, has been sailing carelessly over these seas. Tomorrow I shall send my daughters and the bewitching mermaids to decoy the vessel among the rocks. And into my net the ship, and the brave warriors, and all their armor and gold, shall fall. A rich prize it will be. No: I cannot part with my net, even for a single hour." But Loki knew the power of flattering words. "Beautiful queen," said he, "there is no one on earth, nor even in Asgard, who can equal you in wisdom and foresight. Yet I promise you that, if you will but lend me your net until the morning dawns, the ship and the crew of which you speak shall be yours, and all their golden treasures shall deck your azure halls in the deep sea." Then Ran carefully folded the net, and gave it to Loki. "Remember your promise," was all that she said. "An Asa never forgets," he answered. And he turned his face again towards Rhineland; and the magic shoes bore him aloft and carried him in a moment back to the ice mountain and the gorge and the infant river, which he had so lately left. The salmon still rested
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in his place, and had not moved during Loki's short absence. Loki unfolded the net, and cast it into the stream. The cunning fish tried hard to avoid being caught in its meshes; but, dart which way he would, he met the skillfully woven cords, and these drew themselves around him, and held him fast. Then Loki pulled the net up out of the water, and grasped the helpless fish in his right hand. But, lo! as he held the struggling creature high in the air, it was no longer a fish, but the cunning dwarf Andvari. "Thou King of the Elves," cried Loki, "thy cunning has not saved thee. Tell me, on thy life, where thy hidden treasures lie!" The wise dwarf knew who it was that thus held him as in a vise; and he answered frankly, for it was his only hope of escape, "Turn over the stone upon which you stand. Beneath it you will find the treasure you seek." Then Loki put his shoulder to the rock, and pushed with all his might. But it seemed as firm as the mountain, and would not be moved. "Help us, thou cunning dwarf," he cried--"help us, and thou shalt have thy life!" The dwarf put his shoulder to the rock, and it turned over as if by magic, and underneath was disclosed a wondrous chamber, whose walls shone brighter than the sun, and on whose floor lay treasures of gold and glittering gem stones such as no man had ever seen. And Loki, in great haste, seized upon the hoard, and placed it in the magic net which he had borrowed from the Ocean-queen. Then he came out of the chamber; and Andvari again put his shoulder to the rock which lay at the entrance, and it swung back noiselessly to its place. "What is that upon thy finger?" suddenly cried Loki. "Wouldst keep back a part of the treasure? Give me the ring thou hast!" But the dwarf shook his head, and made answer, "I have given thee all the riches that the elves of the mountain have gathered since the world began. This ring I cannot give thee, for without its help we shall never be able to gather more treasures together." Loki grew very angry at these words of the dwarf; and he seized the ring, and tore it by force from Andvari's finger. It was a wondrous little piece of
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mechanism shaped like a serpent, coiled, with its tail in its mouth; and its scaly sides glittered with many a tiny diamond, and its ruby eyes shone with an evil light. When the dwarf knew that Loki really meant to rob him of the ring, he cursed it and all who should ever possess it, saying: "May the ill-gotten treasure that you have seized to-night be your bane, and the bane of all to whom it may come, whether by fair means or by foul! And the ring which you have torn from my hand, may it entail upon the one who wears it sorrow and untold ills, the loss of friends, and a violent death!" Loki was pleased with these words, and with the dark curses which the dwarf pronounced upon the gold; for he loved wrong-doing for wrong-doing's sake, and he knew that no curses could ever make his own life more cheerless than it always had been. So he thanked Andvari for his curses and his treasures; then, throwing the magic net upon his shoulder, he sprang again into the air, and was carried swiftly back to Hunaland; and, just before the dawn appeared in the east, he alighted at the door of the farmhouse where Odin and Hoenir still lay bound with thongs, and guarded by the watchful Fafnir and Regin. Then the farmer, Hreidmar, brought the otter's skin, and spread it upon the ground; and, lo! it grew, and spread out on all sides, until it covered an acre of ground. And he cried out, "Fulfil now your promise! Cover every hair of this hide with gold or with precious stones. If you fail to do this, then your lives, by your own agreement, are forfeited, and we shall do with you as we list." Odin took the magic net from Loki's shoulder; and, opening it, he poured the treasures of the mountain elves upon the otter skin. And Loki and Hoenir spread the yellow pieces carefully and evenly over every part of the furry hide. But, after every piece had been laid in its place, Hreidmar saw near the otter's mouth a single hair uncovered; and he declared, that unless this hair, too, were covered, the bargain would be unfulfilled, and the treasures and lives of his prisoners would be forfeited. The Asas were filled with dismay; for not another piece of gold, and not another precious stone, could they find in the net, although they searched with the greatest care. At last Odin took from his bosom the ring which Loki had stolen from the dwarf; for he had been so highly pleased with its form and
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workmanship, that he had hidden it, hoping that it would not be needed to complete the payment of the ransom. And they laid the ring upon the uncovered hair; and now no portion of the otter's skin could be seen. And Fafnir and Regin, the ransom being paid, loosed the shackles of Odin and Hoenir, and bade the three huntsmen go on their way. Odin and Hoenir at once shook off their human disguises, and, taking their own forms again, hastened with all speed home to Asgard. But Loki tarried a little while, and said to Hreidmar and his sons: "By your greediness and falsehood you have won for yourselves the Curse of the Earth, which lies before you. It shall be your bane. It shall be the bane of everyone who holds it. It shall kindle strife between father and son, between brother and brother. It shall make you mean, selfish, beastly. It shall transform you into monsters. The noblest king among men folk shall feel its curse. Such is gold, and such it shall ever be to its worshippers. And the ring which you have gotten shall impart to its possessor its own nature. Grasping, snaky, cold, unfeeling, shall he live; and death through treachery shall be his doom." Then he turned away, delighted that he had thus left the curse of Andvari with Hreidmar and his sons, and hastened northward toward the sea; for he wished to redeem the promise that he had made to the Ocean-queen, to bring back her magic net, and to decoy the richly laden ship into her clutches. No sooner were the strange huntsmen well out of sight than Fafnir and Regin began to ask their father to divide the glittering hoard with them. "By our strength and through our advice," said they, "this great store has come into your hands. Let us place it in three equal heaps, and then let each take his share and go his way." At this the farmer waxed very angry; and he loudly declared that he would keep all the treasure for himself, and that his sons should not have any portion of it whatever. So Fafnir and Regin, nursing their disappointment, went to the fields to watch their sheep; but their father sat down to guard his new-gotten treasure. He took in his hand the glittering serpent ring, and gazed into its cold ruby eyes; and, as he gazed, all his thoughts were fixed upon his gold; and
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there was no room in his heart for love toward his fellows, nor for deeds of kindness, nor for the worship of the All-Father. And behold, as he continued to look at the snaky ring, a dreadful change came over him. The warm red blood, which until that time had leaped through his veins, and given him life and strength and human feelings, became purple and cold and sluggish; and selfishness, like serpent's poison, took hold of his heart. Then, as he kept on gazing at the hoard which lay before him, he began to lose his human shape; his body lengthened into many scaly folds, and he coiled himself around his loved treasures,--the very likeness of the ring upon which he had looked so long. When the day drew near its close, Fafnir came back from the fields with his herd of sheep, and thought to find his father guarding the treasure, as he had left him in the morning; but instead he saw a glittering snake, fast asleep, encircling the hoard like a huge scaly ring of gold. His first thought was that the monster had devoured his father; and, hastily drawing his sword, with one blow he severed the serpent's head from its body. And, while yet the creature writhed in the death agony, he gathered up the hoard, and fled with it beyond the hills of Hunaland, until on the seventh day he came to a barren heath far from the homes or men. There he placed the treasures in one glittering heap; and he clothed himself in a wondrous mail-coat of gold that was found among them, and he put on the Helmet of Dread, which had once been the terror of the mid-world, and the like of which no man had ever seen; and then he gazed with greedy eyes upon the fateful ring, until he, too, was changed into a cold and slimy reptile,--a monster dragon. He coiled himself about the hoard; and, with his restless eyes forever open, he gloated day after day upon his loved gold, and watched with ceaseless care that no one should come near to despoil him of it. This was ages and ages ago; and still he wallows among his treasures on the Glittering Heath, and guards as of yore the garnered wealth of Andvari.

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Shawn and Tylar (a Continuation) by SDA

I wanted to update and share with you all the difference just a few people can make in this world, last month in this section we featured the story of a man struggling to care for his teen son in the terminal stages of Duchenne ~Muscular Dystrophy disease. The story was about Tylar and Shawn Zielinsky. And the lack of help and support they were receiving, literally leaving the family to starve simply because the father refused to make his son live out the remainder of his life in a home instead of surrounded by his own loved ones in the comfort of their
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own home. Well I am happy to report that not only did they receive the food and help with bills they desperately needed, but, thanks to 8 caring members of the Mustang Club one of his wishes to ride in a mustang to school like other kids came true. On Friday, October 2011 Tylar (weighing less than 100 lbs) was placed on his fathers lap in the passenger seat of Richard Loyas Orange 1970 Shelby Mustang to ride to the school he hadnt been to in four years. Instead he gets his education thru skype online. Not only did Tylar get his wish, but he was greeted by Mayor Kim Flandor who declared October 14th Tylar Zielinski day in the Village! http://youtu.be/jI0luoA3klM

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Oh, and by the way, he now has not only help for his son tylar, and food, but a new job giving him some long needed relief and stability. For those of you out there that think that you cant make a difference just by supporting a cause or spreading word to others about it, KNOW THIS, even if you dont have money to help , YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Do what you can even if its only passing on the story to someone else~

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Second-class" Religion?

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO: bar courts and lawmakers from creating a "second-class" religion status for minority religions like Wicca & Neopaganism Currently in the Federal Court system of California, inmates who practice Pagan religions like Wicca and Druidry are suing for discrimination because they have been barred from practicing their religion which they had been legally allowed to practice. The State of California, with help of the Conservative Christian Dominionist group the Wallbuilders, is arguing that religions like Wicca are not worthy of being protected by the First Amendment. If a federal court rules that Wicca and other Pagan religions are not worthy of equal status it means that every Pagan in the US could be fired from their job, lose their churches and covens, and be otherwise discriminated against. Please do not let a federal court take
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our rights away, this country is for everyone of every religion.

Sadly this is the case in most states for those who are incarcerated and most states only WICCA is allowed any types of rights in the prisons and those being very minimum and all other religions are classed as gang related and in most states Satanism is not recoginsed at all.There comes a time were everyone has to put there ideas of religion aside and what one views as pagan and come together as a whole. The Pagan community is far to divided because we keep arguing who is right or who is wrong instead of coming together as a whole and accepting that we all can learn from each other and that there is truths in all of our beliefs. This year there was an arirticle that we posted on several sites and in our magazine and on face book dealing with how satanist in Texas were being labeled as gangs and that they couldn't have a pentagram tattooed on there body and if they did they would suffer fines jail time and be put on a gang watch list and the tattoo parlor that did it would be fined or closed down, on most sites this got no notice at all and what comments it got was that it basically doesn't effect us meaning wicca,druidism ect.. but in truth it did. As long as we keep to these views and don't unit and stand together we will never be able to stop these ridicules attacks and ideas against us. The true fact we are not the minority but are truly one of the top religions in the world when looked at as a whole. There comes a time when we have to put our diffrenses aside and unit as a whole on all issues only then can we make change and stop law makers and those that believe us to be a second class religion or citizen. I for one am no second class anything nor is my belief or practice and no court, or religion or dogma can take that away from me or any of you. In truth anyone who does not practice Catholism, Jewdaism, or Islam is consider a pagan, heathen, and heretic, so that includes all other forms of christianity since they are not of those 3 religions, but hey thats just the dictionary's point of view which can be argued in a court of law, but the
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true meaning to Pagan, Heathen, and Heretic is { country dweller or to choose or make a choice} So in the end the choice is ours, either come together as a whole or stay divided and continue to lose our freedoms and rights. The Choice is yours

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It seems the main issue in the news is the economy and the lack of jobs not just here but around the world. With up and coming elections next year, not even the candidates have much to say other than trying to blame the other party or just ignoring the fact of this matter all together. And for all of you that say it is not that bad ~well lets get to some facts that they don't talk about. Our unemployment rate is far more than what the numbers say, for the numbers do not calculate those who are no longer receiving unemployment because there unemployment has run out and are no longer eligible to get anymore and these numbers do not count those who are making minimum wage. What does this mean? It means that the real number is almost 40% higher if not more than what they actually say it is and each day there is some factory closing or some business going under. There just isn't enough jobs out there to meet the demand. There are protests springing up all around the world. Even here, people are protesting infront of wall street. The numbers are growing by the day ,as word
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spreads, more show up wanting change. Wanting the people we elect to do what they promised to do instead of doing nothing or growing fat of greed and taking money to pass unwanted bills. What happens when the middle class and the poor can no longer afford all the tax increases are the rich still going to protest and wine about their taxes being raised, and why do they get tax breaks for being rich? Shouldn't that be for the poor and middle class who now struggle to just get by and truthfully there not even getting by but falling farther in debt. Maybe what we need is change in legislation and that elective officials don't get paid. After all, they are there to represent our states and represent us ~not find ways to line there own pockets. They need to be made accountable for the promises they make during campaigns for elections and if they don't do as they promise they will be removed from office, for after all they are put in an office of trust, what happens to a doctor who violates his office of trust? Simple, he can no longer hold that position or practice medicine. I can remember when you walked into a store and bought something it was made here in America but now you will be lucky to find one thing made here in any store. The corporate sector has gotten so greedy and our elected congressmen and woman have done nothing to put an end to this over the years and now we see the end results. All of our top corporations have shipped there business over seas where it is cheaper to employ labour and less regulations which allows them to make even more money. But even that has finally caught up with them, with all the worlds economies entering recessions and deeply in debt. Maybe it is time that all these elected officials pay attention to what all of these protesters are saying and start making changes and find a solution to this growing catastrophe before we slip further into this vicious circle and it becomes too late for a chance to recover. And for all the politicians all I can say is I don't want to hear lies or broken promises! We are all tired of that and seeing no results... There use to be a time where anyone could run for President or congress and did not have to worry about having millions of dollars to do so. Right now it seems only the rich can afford to run. I think it is long overdue that we take the money out of
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politics, not letting large corporations and lobbiests' run this country, and let people that work hard each and everyday of there lives struggling to get by run this country. Equality is just not for the rich but for everyone or have we all forgotten this.

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50/50

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick and Anjelica Huston. Odds are 50/50 will net an Oscar nomination and earn a place as one of the crowded fall season's best movies.
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The thumbnail description a comedy about how a serious 27-year-old dude with cancer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his genial slacker best friend (Seth Rogen) deal with his diagnosis doesn't come close to explaining the film within. Nor should it be confused with the sappily sentimental The Bucket List. Written by Will Reiser, Rogen's real-life close pal, about the humour-tinged way they handled Reiser's cancer diagnosis six years ago and directed by The Wackness' Jonathan Levine, 50/50 is this generation's take on a Frank Capra film. An everyman tale with plenty of heart and honesty, the serious subject matter is regularly enlivened with jolts of genuine hilarity, some of it in delightfully questionable taste. It's also unashamedly moving; Reiser delivers stabs of sadness and fear without setup or cheap sentiment. Only the hardest-hearted will avoid misting up. After Seattle public-radio producer Adam (Gordon-Levitt) gets the worst news of his life in a ham-fisted way from a distracted doc, his co-worker and best buddy Kyle (Rogen) tries to lighten the mood by telling him his 50/50 survival odds are a Vegas dream. Adam's girlfriend Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard) vows to stand by him. And if his doting mom (a superb Anjelica Huston, shining in a small role) is acting more weird than normal, he can handle that. He's just fine. Really. Anna Kendrick plays Katherine, the newly minted, 24-year-old therapist assigned to Adam's case, whose nervous inexperience slowly grows on him as he finds he needs her more than he first imagined. Kendrick is sailing very close to her role in Up in the Air as a know-it-all masking inner vulnerability with apparent self-assurance, one of the detractions of 50/50.
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Levine wisely lets his actors improvise regularly and Gordon-Levitt and Rogen both excel at it, serving to give the film an immediate, documentary feeling that heightens realism. Scenes where the pals trash a piece of once-important memorabilia in a backyard rampage and the after-effects of pot-laden cookies scored at the chemotherapy clinic show loopily grinning Gordon-Levitt at his best. Kudos to Levine for not letting Rogen's very funny comedic bits overshadow the proceedings. The actor dials it down ever so slightly and isn't afraid to be the butt of jokes watch for Gordon-Levitt's spot-on Rogen impersonation. The suggestion a bald head and a cancer diagnosis could be the ultimate pickup leverage leads Adam and Kyle into funny territory. But the hilarity turns with the exploration of deeper relationships as Adam finds new friends among the genial stoners of all ages at the chemo clinic, including Matt Frewer and Philip Baker Hall in pleasing small roles. It won't be surprising to hear Gordon-Levitt's name crop up as Oscar season approaches. But what stops 50/50 shy of reaching loftier heights is the difficulty with the female characters. Neither relationship involving Kendrick and Howard feel credible, especially Howard as Adam's easily distracted girlfriend. Aside from Huston's small but impactful contribution, the men carry the picture. A cancer comedy may be an unorthodox premise but 50/50 proves there are times when things only stop hurting when you laugh.

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Demona Mortiss

There music is enticing and electrifying combined with some of the best musicians that I have heard in awhile, from lyrics that will draw you in and leave you in a state of bliss and almost hypnotic melodies that only a true metal fan can enjoy. This band is definitely one that everyone needs to check
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out and follow and trust me you wont be disappointed.

Biography Genre Visual / Industrial / Metal Members Elena Viadi (Vocals) Grey Soto (Guitars) Derek Jochmann (Bass) ''Demona Mortiss'' was founded in 2007 by Russian born-Los Angeles based musical artist and composer Elena Vladi. Intended to be a diverse metal, industrial and visual band, they incorporate a variety of elements into their sound - from black metal guitars and growling vocals to orchestral choirs, symphonies and clean, beautiful vocals. The band was finally put to life a as a live project when guitarist Grey Soto joined. Demona Mortiss has stayed elusive to the scene by only playing a few legendary live shows, remaining on hiatus for several months after a few lineup changes. They are currently in the studio working on their first full length album Angelic Parasite with several producers and looking to sign with a label for the release and to unleash their legendary stage shows to the world.

Up Coming Tours To follow and find out where the tours will be you can find them on Face Book:
http://www.facebook.com/demonamortiss?sk=info 107

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DemonaMortiss

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Once again I am happy to be able to bring you all one of our favorite writers that we so love and is very talented. Leigh M. Lane works are all visually striking and will leave you always wanting more, so please check her books out and help us support one of our own...

Please celebrate with me the paperback release of WORLD-MART, my dystopian thriller set in future Corporate America.

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About WORLD-MART Government and corporate business have merged in an attempt to keep the country from going bankrupt, the effects of global warming and antibiotic-resistant disease having caused a full collapse in infrastructure. The class divide has become profound, leaving most people trapped in an impoverished, working class world with little room for improvement. Complacency and corporate hierarchy control and confound the masses, run by the elite few, collectively referred to as "Corporate." George Irwin remembers a time before the Big Climate Change, back when the airlines were still in business and people still drove their own cars. Sadly, his children have only known an indoor world of endless reconstruction, public shuttles, recycled water, and limited energy. The world has changed much over his lifetime, but he still believes in the American Dream. When an alleged terrorist act lands his wife in the hospital, however, George stumbles upon a Corporate secret that could mean the end of all civilization. WORLD-MART is currently only available through Amazon, although there will soon be limited distribution through Barnes & Noble and other online retailers. http://www.amazon.com/World-Mart-Leigh-M-Lane/dp/0615555748/ref=ntt _at_ep_edition_1_4 Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/World-Mart-ebook/dp/B005VTN1OC/ref=ntt_at_e p_edition_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
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Classic Stuffed Turkey

Prep Time: 20 Min Cook Time: 3 Hrs 45 Min Ready In: 4 Hrs 5 Min Ingredients 2 large onions, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup butter 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
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1/3 cup minced fresh parsley 2 teaspoons rubbed sage 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/2 teaspoon pepper 12 cups unseasoned stuffing cubes Warm water 1 (14 pound) turkey Melted butter

Directions 1. In a large skillet, saute the onions, celery and mushrooms in butter until tender. Add broth and seasonings; mix well. Place bread cubes in a large bowl; add mushroom mixture and toss to coat. Stir in enough warm water to reach desired moistness. 2. Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey. Place any remaining stuffing in a greased baking dish; cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with melted butter. 3. Bake turkey, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180 for the turkey and 165 for the stuffing, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) 4. Bake additional stuffing, covered, for 30-40 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cover turkey with foil and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy. Yield: 12 servings (10 cups stuffing).
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Nutritional Information Classic Stuffed Turkey Servings Per Recipe: 12 Amount Per Serving Calories: 983 Total Fat: 46.8g Cholesterol: 335mg Sodium: 794mg Total Carbs: 22.5g Dietary Fiber: 2.3g Protein: 111.1g

Cornucopia
An easy Cornucopia centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. Fill the cornucopia with the assorted raw vegetables directly on table and let them spill out of opening NOTETo prevent this center-piece from absorbing atmospheric moisture, the baked cornucopia cone can be sprayed with shellac or clear enamel. If treated in this manner, the cornucopia will be inedible but can be preserved and re-used Prep Time: 20 Min Cook Time: 45 Min Ready In: 1 Hr 30 Min
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Ingredients 3 (11 ounce) containers refrigerated soft bread stick dough 1 egg 1 tablespoon water Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray a 17x14 inch (or lager) cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. 2. Tear off a 30x18 inch sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold it in half to 18x15 inch. Roll diagonally to form a hollow cone, about 18 inches long with a diameter of 5 inches at the widest end (Cornucopia opening). Fasten end with clear tape. Stuff cone with crumpled regular foil until form is rigid. Bend tail of cone up then down at end. Spray outside of cone with non-stick cooking spray. Place on cookie sheet. 3. Beat the egg with the water to make a glaze. Open and unroll the first can of breadstick dough on work surface. Separate breadsticks. Begin by wrapping one breadstick around tip of cone. Brush end of next breadstick with Glaze and press to attach to end of first breadstick. Continue spiral-wrapping cone, slightly overlapping dough until there are 3 breadsticks left. 4. Pinch one end of the 3 breadsticks together, then braid. Brush bread around opening of cornucopia with glaze. Gently press on braid. Brush entire cornucopia with glaze. 5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until bread is a rich brown. (If parts start to darken too much, cover them with pieces of foil.) 6. Remove from oven and let cool completely on cookie sheet on a wire rack. Carefully remove foil when cool. (If freezing, leave foil in bread for support. Remove when thawed.)
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Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider

Prep Time: 15 Min Cook Time: 25 Min Ready In: 40 Min Ingredients
2 quarts apple cider 6 cups cranberry juice 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 4 cinnamon sticks 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions 1. In a large pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon slices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove cinnamon, cloves, and lemon slices. Serve hot. Nutritional Information Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider Servings Per Recipe: 25 Amount Per Serving Calories: 79 Total Fat: 0.2g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 5mg
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Total Carbs: 20g Dietary Fiber: 0.6g Protein: 0.1g

Maple Walnut Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie has just a hint of maple and is served in a sweet graham cracker crust. A cinnamon walnut topping makes the perfect finish.

Ingredients 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk 2 eggs 1 teaspoon maple flavoring 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

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Walnut Topping: 1 (9 inch) Graham cracker pie crust or unbaked pie shell 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 2. In large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, maple flavoring, ginger, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Pour into pie shell. 3. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F; continue baking 30 minutes. 4. In medium mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts. 5. Remove pie from oven; top evenly with crumb mixture. Return to oven 10 minutes. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store covered in refrigerator. Nutritional Information Maple Walnut Pumpkin Pie Servings Per Recipe: 8 Amount Per Serving Calories: 555 Total Fat: 23.4g Cholesterol: 82mg
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Sodium: 565mg Total Carbs: 54g Dietary Fiber: 2.8g Protein: 7.2g

Hallowe'en Barmbrack
The ancient Celtic festival Samhain was celebrated on November 1 the first day of winter. In Christian times the celebrations were transferred to the night before Hallowe'en, which is still one of the liveliest festivals of the year. As children we always had a Hallowe'en party, as many Irish children do today. We had the greatest fun planning it for weeks before. We tormented a local farmer until he gave us a few turnips which we hollowed out with sharp spoons to make masks with eerie toothless grins. These were lit with stumps of candles and put up on the gate post outside the house where the party was held. On the previous day all the children participated in the making of the barmbrack, a rich fruit bread with a long history. The word barm comes from an old English word, beorma, meaning yeasty fermented liquor. Brack comes from the Irish word brac, meaning speckled which it is, with dried fruit and candied peel. Hallowe'en has always been associated with fortune telling and divination, so various objects are wrapped up and hidden in the cake mixture a wedding ring, a coin, a pea or a thimble (signifying spinsterhood). After dark children dress up, often as witches or ghosts in hats and masks and black shawls, light turnip lanterns in the windows and go from house to house collecting fruits and nuts. After hours of merriment and Hallowe'en games the feast began. We ate huge plates of colcannon, a delectable Irish potato dish made with fluffy mashed
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potatoes, scallions and cabbage with a pool of melted butter in the centre (see recipe). After that there were slices of warm apple cake fresh from the oven with cream and soft brown sugar, and finally it was time to cut the barmbrack. Everyone longed for the ring which meant certain marriage before the year ended even if you were only five! Then the older people started to 'draw down the past' and tell ghost stories in hushed tones, into the early hours. Eventually we made our ways home clutching on to a grown-up and terrified on the least squeak - but not before we had put out a plateful of colcannon with a knob of butter in the centre for the fairies and the ghosts. DIRECTIONS 1. Sieve the flour, spices and salt into a bowl, then rub in the butter. 2. Cream the yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the tepid milk; it should soon froth slightly. 3. Pour the remaining tepid milk and the egg into the yeast mixture and combine with the dry ingredients and the sugar. Beat well with a wooden spoon or knead with your hand in the bowl until the batter is stiff but elastic. 4. Fold in the dried fruit and chopped peel, cover the bowl with a damp cloth or pure clingfilm and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. Knead again for another 2-3 minutes and divide between two greased 1 lb loaf tins. 5. Add the charms at this stage, making sure they are well distributed. Cover again and leave to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough comes up to the top of the tin. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 1 hour. Test with a skewer before taking out of the oven. 6. Glaze the top with the sugar dissolved in the boiling water. Turn out to cool
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on a wire tray and when cold cut in thick slices and butter generously. Barmbrack keeps well, but even when it's stale it is very good toasted and buttered. Recipe Source: Festive Food of Ireland, The by Darina Allen, Kyle Cathie Limited, 1992 INGREDIENTS 4 cups white flour 1/2 level teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice 1/4 level teaspoon nutmeg pinch of salt 1/2 stick butter 3/4 oz yeast (or 2 teaspoons dried yeast) scant 1/2 cup caster (fine) sugar 1 1/4 cups tepid milk 1 egg, beaten 1 cup sultanas 1/2 cup currants 1/4 cup mixed chopped candied peel Charms 1 pea 1 ring 1 silver coin 1 short piece of matchstick, each wrapped in greaseproof paper Glaze 1-1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 2-3 tablespoons boiling water Details Yield: 2 loaves barmbrack Prep Time: 3 hours Difficulty:
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Featured Articles Honoring Life Changes-The Wisdom of Fear

by Persephone The Wisdom of Fear Anything really worth doing in our lives will always have some fear attached to it.

Anything worth doing will always have some fear attached to it. For example, having a baby, getting married, changing careersall of these life changes can bring up deep fears. It helps to remember that this type of fear is good. It is your way of questioning whether you really want the new life these changes will bring. It is also a
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potent reminder that releasing and grieving the past is a necessary part of moving into the new. Fear has a way of throwing us off balance, making us feel uncertain and insecure, but it is not meant to discourage us. Its purpose is to notify us that we are at the edge of our comfort zone, poised in between the old life and a new one. Whenever we face our fear, we overcome an inner obstacle and move into new and life-enhancing territory, both inside and out. The more we learn to respect and even welcome fear, the more we will be able to hear its wisdom, wisdom that will let us know that the time has come to move forward, or not. While comfort with fear is a contradiction in terms, we can learn to honor our fear, recognizing its arrival, listening to its intelligence, and respecting it as a harbinger of transformation. Indeed, it informs us that the change we are contemplating is significant, enabling us to approach it with the proper reverence. You might wish to converse with your fear, plumbing its depths for a greater understanding of the change you are making. You could do this by sitting quietly in meditation and listening or by journaling. Writing down whatever comes up Your worries, your sadness, your excitement, your hopes is a great way to learn about yourself through the vehicle of fear and to remember that fear almost always comes alongside anything worth doing in your life. http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2011/30604.html

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The History of Pumpkins by Persephone

Pumpkins are believed to have originated in Central America. Seeds from related plants have been found in Mexico, dating back over 7000 years to 5500 B.C. Native American Indians used pumpkin as a staple in their diets centuries before the pilgrims landed. When white settlers arrived, they saw the pumpkins grown by the Indians. Pumpkin soon became a staple in their diets, too. They also brought seeds back to Europe, where they quickly became popular. Just like today, early settlers used pumpkins in a wide variety of recipes, from desserts to stews and soups. In addition to cooking with pumpkins, they also dried the shells and cut strips to weave into mats. Early settlers made pumpkin pie by filling a hollowed out shell with milk, honey and spices, then baking it.Whether they learned this from Native Americans is not known. History of the Jack O'Lantern
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The Irish brought the tradition of the Jack O'Lantern to America. But, the original Jack O'Lantern was not a pumpkin.The Jack O'Lantern legend goes back hundreds of years in Irish History. As the story goes, Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who liked to play tricks on everyone: family, friends, his mother and even the Devil himself. One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. Once the Devil climbed up the apple tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. The Devil was then unable to get down the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses and let the Devil down. Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and too cruel and had led a miserable and worthless life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell. Now Jack was scared and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell. He asked the Devil how he could leave as there was no light. The Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out Turnip, one of his favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. For that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his "Jack O'Lantern". On all Hallow's eve, the Irish hollowed out Turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack O'Lanterns. In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that Pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for Jack O'Lanterns.

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As the story goes, several centuries ago amongst the myriad of towns and villages in Ireland, there lived a drunkard known as "Stingy Jack". Jack was known throughout the land as a deceiver, manipulator and otherwise dregs of society. On a fateful night, the devil overheard the tale of Jack's evil deeds and silver tongue. Unconvinced (and envious) of the rumors, the devil went to find out for himself whether or not Jack lived up to his vile reputation. Typical of Jack, he was drunk and wandering through the countryside at night when he came upon a body on his cobblestone path. The body with an eerie grimace on its face turned out to be the Devil. Jack realized somberly this was his end; the devil had finally come to collect his malevolent soul. Jack made a last request: he asked the devil to let him drink ale before he departed to hell. Finding no reason not to acquiesce the request, the devil took Jack to the local pub and supplied him with many alcoholic beverages. Upon quenching his thirst, Jack asked the devil to pay the tab on the ale, to the devil's surprise. Jack convinced the devil to metamorphose into a silver coin with which to pay the bartender (impressed upon by Jack's unyielding nefarious tactics). Shrewdly, Jack stuck the now transmogrified devil (coin) into his pocket, which also contained a crucifix. The crucifix's presence prevented the devil from escaping his form. This coerced the devil to agree to Jack's demand: in exchange for the devil's freedom, the devil had to spare Jack's soul for 10 years. Ten years later to the date when Jack originally struck his deal, he found himself once again in the devil's presence. Same as the setting before, Jack happened upon the devil and seemingly accepted it was his time to go to hell for good. As the devil prepared to take him to the underworld, Jack asked if he could have one apple to feed his starving belly. Foolishly the devil once again agreed to this request. As the devil climbed up the branches of a nearby apple tree, Jack surrounded its base with crucifixes. The devil, frustrated at the fact that he been entrapped again, demanded his release. As Jack did before, he made a demand: that his soul never be taken by the devil into hell. The devil
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agreed and was set free. Eventually the drinking and unstable lifestyle took its toll on Jack; he died the way he lived. As Jack's soul prepared to enter heaven through the gates of St. Peter he was stopped. Jack was told that because of his sinful lifestyle of deceitfulness and drinking, he was not allowed into heaven. The dreary Jack went before the Gates of Hell and begged for commission into underworld. The devil, fulfilling his obligation to Jack, could not take his soul. To warn others, he gave Jack an ember, marking him a denizen of the netherworld. From that day on until eternity's end, Jack is doomed to roam the world between the planes of good and evil, with only an ember inside a hollowed turnip ("turnip" actually referring to a large swede) to light his way. A will-o'-the-wisp /wl wsp/ or ignis fatuus (play /ns ftus/; Medieval Latin: "foolish fire"), also called a "will-o'-wisp", "jack-o'-lantern" (or "jack-o'-the-lantern"), "hinkypunk", "corpse candle", "ghost-light", "spook-light", "fairy light", "friar's lantern", "hobby lantern", "ghost orb", or simply "wisp", is a ghostly light or lights sometimes seen at night or twilight over bogs, swamps, and marshes. It resembles a flickering lamp and is sometimes said to recede if approached. Much traditional, non-scientific belief surrounds the phenomenon, giving rise to the wide variety of names. However, according to the Oxford Dictionary of English folk lore: "Certainly Samhain was a time for festive gatherings, and medieval Irish texts and later Irish, Welsh, and Scottish folklore use it as a setting for supernatural encounters, but there is no evidence that it was connected with the dead in pre-Christian times, or that pagan religious ceremonies were held. The Irish myths which mention Samhain were written in the 10th and 11th centuries by Christian monks. This is around 200 years after the Catholic church inaugurated All Saints Day and at least 400 years after Ireland became Christian.
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The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even ("evening"), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. Although the phrase All Hallows is found in Old English (ealra hlgena mssedg, mass-day of all saints), All-Hallows-Even is itself not attested until 1556.

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Featured Group
Gyspies and Nomads

Created by Bliden http://paganunderworld.com/group/gyspiesandnomads

This group is about Gypsies and other people that travel the world. Members: 77

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Featured Member Articles Abhartach

by: Porcelain Doll It has always been assumed that the original Dracula story, written by the Irishman Abraham (Bram) Stoker in 1897, was based on the Transylvanian folk hero Vlad III Tepesh Dracula, known as the Impaler because of his favorite method of punishment. However, an alternative inspiration for Stoker's story was put forward by Bob Curran, lecturer in Celtic History and Folklore at the University of Ulster, Coleraine, in the Summer 2000 edition of History Ireland, a peer-reviewed
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journal edited by historians, where he suggested that Stoker may have derived his inspiration from the legend of Abhartach, but who was Abhartach? In the north Derry area, between the towns of Garvagh and Dungiven, a district known as Glenuilin (glen of the eagle) might give us a clue as to Dracula's origins. In the middle of a field in the remote townland of Slaughtaverty, is an area known locally as the 'Giant's Grave' but which may be more properly described as Leacht Abhartach (Abhartach's sepulchre). On the grave itself is a curling thorn bush under which lies a large and heavy stone. Originally there were more stones, the remnants of an old monument, but these have been removed over time by local farmers for building purposes. There is little doubt that the sepulchre was once an imposing place and that it has given the townland its name. During the fifth and sixth centuries, the Glenullin area was a patchwork of petty kingdoms, each with its own local ruler or 'king'. These kings may have been little more than tribal warlords and there is ample evidence of their rule, for the countryside is dotted with hill forts, ancient raths and early fortifications which marked their respective territories. Abhartach, according to tradition, was one of these chieftains. Local descriptions of him vary. Some say that he was a dwarf, others that he was deformed in some way, but most agree that he was a powerful wizard and was extremely evil. So evil, in fact, that those over whom he ruled wished to get rid of him. However, so terrified of him were they that they would not kill him themselves and so they persuaded another chieftain, Cathn, to perform the deed for them. Cathn slew Abhartach and buried him standing up in an isolated grave. However, the following day Abhartach returned, evil as ever and demanded a bowl of blood, drawn from the veins of his subjects, in order to sustain his vile corpse. In great terror, the people asked Cathn to slay him once more. This Cathn did, burying the corpse as before. But the following day, Abhartach returned again, demanding the same gory tribute from his
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people. Cathn was puzzled and consulted a local druid as to why Abhartach could not be killed. The venerable old man listened long and hard to the chieftain's tale. 'Abhartach is not really alive', he told the astonished Cathn. 'Through his evil arts he has become one of the neamh-mhairbh (the undead). He is a dearg-dililat, a drinker of human blood. He cannot actually be slain but he can be restrained.' He then proceeded to give Cathn instructions as to how to 'suspend' the vampiric creature. Abhartach must be slain with a sword made from yew wood and must be buried upside down in the earth, thorns and ash twigs must be sprinkled around him and a heavy stone must be placed directly on top of him. Should the stone be lifted, however, the vampire would be free to walk the earth once more. Cathn returned to Glenullin and did what the druid told him. Abhartach was slain with a wooden sword and was buried upside down with thorns placed all around the gravesite. On top of the actual grave, Cathn built a great leacht or sepulchre which could be seen for miles around. This has now vanished but the stone remains and a tree, which grew from the scattered thorns, rises above it. The land on which the grave is situated has acquired a rather sinister reputation over the generations. Locally it is considered to be 'bad ground' and has been the subject of a number of family disagreements over the years. In 1997, attempts were made to clear the land and if local tradition is to be believed workmen who attempted to cut down the tree found that their brand-new chain-saw stopped without reason on three occasions. When attempting to lift the great stone, a steel chain suddenly snapped, cutting the hand of one of the labourers and, significantly, allowing blood to soak into the ground. Although legends still abound in the locality of the 'man who was buried three times' and of a fantastic treasure which was buried with him, few local people will approach the grave, especially after dark. This is the legend of Abhartach in Irish Folklore. Could this be the influence
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of Bram Stokers Dracula? Although most cultures have vampire stories, such tales have a particular resonance in Ireland. Here, interest in and veneration of the dead played a central part in Celtic thinking. It was the historian and folklorist Patrick Weston Joyce who actually made connections between Abhartach and the Irish vampire tradition. Joyce enthusiastically recounted the legend in his own book A History of Ireland (Dublin 1880). This was seventeen years before Dracula was published and it is believed that Stoker, then a Dublin civil servant, read Joyce's work (and presumably the Abhartach legend) with some relish. Around the same time, manuscript copies of Geoffrey Keating's History of Ireland(which made much of the neamh-mhairbh, the un-dead) were placed on public display in the National Museum in Dublin. They were on loan from Trinity College Library (which possessed two manuscript copies) and the display included chapter ten on the un-dead. Although Stoker himself could not read Irish, he had many friends and acquaintances that did and he may have received at least part of the work in translation. Could the legend of the vampire-king coupled with the strong tradition of blood-drinking Irish chieftains and nobles recounted to him as a child by his Sligo-born mother and the Kerry maids who worked about his Dublin home, have eventually coalesced into the idea of Count Dracula? Bram Stoker was not writing from any great experience of Eastern Europe. He had never been there and was relying heavily on tourist accounts of the region. His experiences may have come more directly from Irish folklore. Even the name Dracula has Irish resonances. In Irish, droch-fhoula (pronounced droc'ola) means 'bad' or 'tainted blood' and whilst it is now taken to refer to 'blood feuds' between persons or families, it may have a far older connotation. So can we really consign the vampire to some remote part of Eastern Europe, where he is unlikely to do us any harm?

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Based loosely on an interview for the Swedish National Radio station.

by Hetty We are all powerful! All men and women are individuals with unique qualities and gifts. None of us truly fit into any mold, although many certainly try. No one is perfect and no one is normal. It is true that some of us pretend well, but none of us is truly a follower of anyone else, as we have our own experiences in life that make us different. Why do we not accept this and let others live as they wish? Why can we not accept each other as valid human beings worthy of free thought and choices? Perhaps fear is the only answer to that question. Some of us fear change and the unknown. Some of us fear what we do not understand. If we all spent more time asking questions and researching the beliefs and lifestyles of others than we spend judging and destroying others, we may realize that a different person does not equal and dangerous person. We might build on ourselves and become the people we wish to be if we concentrated on our own lives and let others live as they wish. Feminists don't have to fit anyone's stereotypes! We are mothers, sisters, daughters, straight, lesbian, bisexual, and all colors. We are scientists, housewives, wives, mistresses, waitresses, dancers, doctors, lawyers, feminine, masculine, and everything in between. When we picture a strong woman, we picture pantsuits, scant make up, and general androgyny. Some of us dress in flannel, some in sensible shoes, and some of us wear corsets and heels. What I mean is that we are all feminists. We all stand up for our rights, no matter what job, sexuality, or relationship, we choose. The point is, WE choose! We must be careful that we do not oppress each other because of the way we dress and conduct our own lives. If we fight for our right to be ourselves and make our own choices, we are feminists I am a feminist and a Satanist. I follow my own path. I do not speak for
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other feminists or Satanists. I do not follow one path in either belief. I am no sheep, not even a black sheep. I suppose I am more of a polka dot unicorn, if I had to classify myself. I work. I go to college to better myself and to set an example for my children. I take care of my family and have fun in everything I do. I raise my daughters to be strong, brilliant, and caring. Other than that, I encourage them to be themselves. They have pride and self-respect and expect respect from others. What else can a mother do? I am nurturing, but never over-bearing. I am never here to judge, but to give honest advice when needed. They know that ultimately they need to make decisions that will have a lasting impact on their lives. They have a sense of personal responsibility for their own actions. They know they are beautiful, in and out, and strong and that no one has the right to make them believe anything other than that. I do not care if they are gay, straight, a chef, a housewife, or a doctor. I only care that they are joyous in the life that they choose. If more people were raised to know that, perhaps we would not have bullying, wars, fighting, and critical judgment. Feminism is not based on the hatred of men or on the hatred of our feminine side. Not all feminists are lesbians who have been abused by men. Some are, of course, but again, I cannot speak for each woman individually. And if that is the case, who am I to judge? Feminists are vastly different from one another. Feminists are not trying to make others hate men. We are not all trying to be men and control the world. How often I hear that women hate strong men. We do not wish to castrate men and have them do our bidding. We do not want men to be slaves and conform to our own evil will. I hear that feminists like weak men and emasculate the strong ones. That is ridiculous. I myself like a strong, smart man who knows who he is and is not ashamed to be that person. I work towards equality of all people. Men, like women, are completely unique from one another. I like to be with a man who can support himself and his mate (as his mate takes care of himself/herself and him), be sensitive when he needs to be, and can feel free to engage in activities that please him. Other enlightened men and women like a man who is completely different than that. All people are worthy of love and
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respect (yes, I say that a lot) no matter who they are. There are branches of feminism just are there are many branches of Satanism. That makes it nearly impossible to generalize either group. I will speak only of my own views, whenever possible. I see a few similarities between general feminism and Satanism. Both groups are concerned with equal rights and individualism. Both groups strive for independence and self-worth. Satanists may believe in the self as most important, while some feminists believe in the entire human race. However, both are vastly misunderstood and feared by many. I have been asked if I am out of the Brimstone closet. Well, I have been out of the broom closet for many years. I have faced ridicule, anger, and cynicism. I have been laughed at and ignored. I have been treated as if my IQ was non-existent. Most of this was from members of my own family. It seems that they do not wish to even listen to any of my ideas. I learned early in life, as I have always followed my own path, to never waste my time explaining things to people that will never understand, simply because they do not wish to. I know my truth. That is enough. I answer questions if I am asked and have a website where I feel I am able to speak freely. I never force my opinions on others, but will no longer subject myself to the amusement of others who think that both feminism and Satanism is a phase I am going through. I am a reverend and have a doctorate of divinity. I am a veteran. I like to learn about everything. I am silly and I am serious. I am becoming a Psychologist and I do spiritual readings and photograph spirits. I am eclectic and eccentric, but I am neither crazy nor stupid. I know how I feel. I am constantly learning and making informed decisions about my own life. I change occasionally, a bit, as I learn every day. I face ridicule from other Satanists sometimes, because I am too good. I volunteer. I am forgiving, I understand and accept others. Why is that so unusual? Satanism is about individuality. I like helping people. It fulfills me. I take care of myself too, of course, and my own family. I feel good when I make others feel good. If I stopped doing that because I wanted to please others in my faith, then I would certainly go against everything Satanists stand
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for in general. That said, I am no doormat and I will be fierce when I need to be. That is about free will as well. No one can tell me what I truly feel or what my relationship to my deities is. I am a Pagan by tradition and a Satanist by faith. I have my own practices, some of them solitary, family tradition practices, and group practices. I am me, like it or not. Either way, I do not care. Your opinions do not define me or change the way I live. I face ridicule by other feminists. I am not a stereotypical feminist. None of us are, really. I like lingerie, make up and heels. I like raising my children. I liked when I stayed home with my kids when I was married. I like to cook. I like to make my partner happy. I like to be feminine. I like that I am attractive. I like that I surprise people who think I am dumb. I used to get upset about that. I used to believe that I couldnt be myself and still be taken seriously. That is not so. I am entitled to my own beliefs and my own lifestyle choices. I like to feel protected, even though I know I can protect myself. I like having the door held for me. I respect those who do not as well. We all like different things and have different opinions on roles we should play in society, if there are any. From my site; theshadowoftheblackrose.com: We, as women, have definitive roles in society, religions, and organizations of every kind. We are equal to men, but not the same. We have different needs, different gifts, and different roles in society. Sound old-fashioned? Maybe a bit. Women can be anything professionally that a man can be. We are strong, just, honorable, brilliant, organized, and everything a man is. But why do we feel the need to be exactly the same as men? Why must we act the same as men?

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Why do we feel the need to men exactly the same as we are? Men are not the same. Some men like the same things as women stereotypically do. Some men sew, cook, go shopping, dance, like pink, stay home and take care of the kids, etc. Some men like football, poker games, cigars, NASCAR, beer, etc. My point is, not all men fall into stereotypical roles, but some do. That is ok. Why do we feel the need to emasculate them or make them more manly? Cant a man just be without constant criticism? Why cant they be whatever they wish to be? This goes for women too. Some women like stereotypical man things. That is fine. They can be whoever or whatever they wish. They can wear whatever they wish, play football, bring home the bacon, and refuse to have kids. They can do as they wish. But, some of us like to wear nice old-fashioned garters and lingerie, heels, and make up. Some of us like to be barefoot in the kitchen, have babies, serve dinner to our partners when they get home from work. Some of us do both: work and take care of the home like a 50s wife. Why are we criticized as being anti-feminist? If everyone conformed to all of the modern rules, then some of us would be very unhappy. No woman should be forced to fit a role. No woman should be forced to serve her partner, but she shouldnt be forced to be any other way either. We have fought too long for anyone to tell us who we are. If we were forced to conform either way, we would be oppressed in the manner that many feminists see women as being treated before Womans Lib. Womans Lib is meant to allow a woman to be whatever she wishes, not be what feminists or chauvinists want her to be. My point? Stop judging! Start living! Take care of yourself! Certainly if a woman was forced to serve her man and he was abusive and controlling, speak up! Help your friend to find herself and stop being a doormat. But, if a woman wants to be Mrs. Cleaver in her home, why does she need to
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apologize? Why does she need to feel like she is against womens rights? She may work, take care of kids, and help her partner in other ways. Who are we to judge? We dont live with them. We dont set the rules in their relationships. Every person who votes, takes care of his/herself and his/her own family, and hurts no one else (etc) is a productive part of society. They can be gay, straight, bi, black, white, purple, fat, skinny, old, young, whatever, and it makes no difference. We are all allowed to be what we wish, no matter what anyone else has to say about it. Why not just accept people the way they are?~me I found that I can be blond and busty and dress how I like and still be who I am inside. I can be feminine and sweet and still be a feminist and a Satanist. If someone underestimates me because I fit a stereotypical mold in one way or another, then that person deserves the shock when they realize I am not an idiot. I have thoughts. I speak out. I VOTE! Some of my family understands me. I have relatives that have shown me much about being myself and being a strong Pagan woman. We have an eclectic family tree and eclectic faiths. One side of my family is extremely accepting of one another and tries to instill basic values into their children, but never judge. I am lucky that way. My great-grandmother was very strong as a woman and in her faith, which she told me about often. She taught me to be me, whatever and whoever that is. My grandmothers were both very strong, one ultra feminine, one not. Both taught me so much about strength and integrity and using what I have: beauty, strength, intelligence, to get what I need and want in life. It took me a while to find my full strength, but once I did, my entire life changed for the better. I still work to get even better, but the improvement so far has been amazing. That got me through years of abuse as a child and as a woman in a few short-lived relationships. Other family had me in Catholic school to save my soul and to look right to others. It did teach me a great deal about inequality, real values, and even more about Pagan rituals. I learned to be strong, to take valuable information and process it with my own mind and heart, and to strive to be the kind of free-thinker I
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am. I learned this through good and bad examples, but I learned. I learned to be strong enough to stand up for my beliefs. Feminism and Satanism both are about that strength. We must accept what and who we are while striving to be better. We must preserve ourselves and honor ourselves. It is not about perfection. It is not about never having a past or making a mistake. It is about taking responsibility for ourselves. It is about standing up, learning from our mistakes, and fixing them. The difference between feminism and Satanic Feminism? Feminism, I suppose, deals with the greater good. All people are considered. The fight is for the entire world of people. Satanic Feminism is a fight for our own self and our own. Either way, the fight is for acceptance and respect and freedom for all to be whoever they wish to be. It is true that more men than women are Satanists and there are some men who are sexist. That is true anywhere. Any faith has sexism and prejudice. It is our responsibility as women in the faith to behave such that those men see our worth, intelligence, and strength. Of course, the ideal situation will be when women are no longer subjected to this and when all people are equal and no one needs to fight to get equal treatment. In Satanism, if we are to atone, we do so of our own free will because we feel we want to. We do not have scapegoats. We do not have a confessional to hide in and be absolved. We are responsible for ourselves. I love Anton LaVeys quote, It is too bad that stupidity isnt painful. We must be smart enough to care for ourselves. We must learn from our mistakes so that we grow and improve. We must use what we have to be the people we wish to be. I must mention Anton LaVey and the influence that his book, The Satanic Witch had on my life. This book is seen as anti-feminist and as anti-Satanic, as it supposedly embraces biblical beliefs, that women are evil and have feminine wiles and power to seduce men and get what they want. I dont see it that way. His ideas may be a bit dated. His basic premise, the one that helped to shape me as woman, is that all women are worthy of whatever they want in life. We also are all able to be influential with our own gifts and strengths. Many criticize him for telling women to embrace their sexuality
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and to use it to get what they want. My question is why? What is the harm in using our own gifts? As long as we do not depend on our gifts to live in every way, what is the harm? Do we not dress nicely to get a job? Why not dress how we wish to get what we wish? He makes it clear that all women are sexy unless they are so hideous as to stop traffic. Even in that case, we can use that to attract people, as someone unusual. The point is what if we use what we have to get in the door? Does that mean that we have nothing of substance to give after that? If I want a man or woman, would I not bat my eyelashes a bit and smile sweetly to entice them to come speak to me? Or maybe I have different approach. The point is it is natural to use what we have. Birds puff their colorful feathers to entice the opposite sex to mate. I am not simply talking about only sexuality and mating. I am using that as an example. My point is, why sit around moping while we wait for good things to come to us? Why use only a few parts of who we are and hope it is enough? Why not use all we have (as long as we stay true to ourselves and our integrity, of course) to achieve what we want in life? Women should feel empowered, not weak. We do not have to follow his book exactly, of course not. However, he makes sense about personal acceptance and embracing what we are as women, feminine, masculine, or somewhere in the middle. Blanche Bartons ideas of Satanic Feminism are also quite interesting. I recommend her article. She is extremely clear on womens worth and rights in it. I have been asked my views on Christianity, Judaism, and Muslims. As any religion, there are fundamental beliefs. There is dogma. There are writings that many accept as law. There are many different sects of these religions as well. For me to say how I feel about all of these faiths would take all day. I feel that if any scripture or dogma tells someone to harm another because that person is different, then that written word is nothing but the ranting of an angry, unreasonable person. That is the kind and diplomatic version. I am not a follower of the bible. I do believe that all scripture and religious writing has some value in some ways. The bible, for example, has a few good guidelines to follow. Jesus, spoke of acceptance and kindness. He believed in
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the value, innocence, and divine qualities of children. Satanists believe that too. The OT was full of great stories. The 10 Commandments were pretty smart guidelines for a lawless group of people. I read many writings from many religions. I love to learn. I have found much in common between religions and many differences. I do not accept any doctrine as law, however. I have grown up learning about things like the crusades, religious wars, terrorism, and have seen first-hand much prejudice and cruelty. Women are portrayed as nave or evil. A disobedient woman is viewed as dangerous and must be taught to obey the smarter, stronger male. I do believe that anything that encourages that behavior from anyone is not worth the paper it is written on. That said, when I am asked what I think of the biblical stories of Satan and God, my answer is simply, I dont. I dont give it any credibility at all. I do find the Christian (again, not all Christians, but many) belief that all feminists are Satanists that are led by the devil to defy the biblical God and take over the world. Women are seen as evil and led by the devil I they do not blindly obey their husbands, denounce homosexuals, and say no to having as many children as their husbands wish for them to have. Christians often denounce some Muslims for radical behavior towards women and children, but in many homes, it the exactly the same. I do think that extremists, in any religion, especially those that are accepted blindly because they have large numbers, are extremely dangerous if we do not all stand up and speak up. This could get me talking all day. I will include this in another article. No religion, in my opinion, is better or worse than another, they are simply different. I do believe that both of these religions need to reevaluate and examine their treatment of women, but that is another article. The oppression of women (anyone, for that matter) should never be abided for any reason. Aleister Crowley Author and occultist: "The supreme satisfaction is to be able to despise one's neighbor and this fact goes far to account for religious intolerance. It is evidently consoling to reflect that the people next door are headed for hell."
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I have some dear friends that I am sure, differ than I about these topics, but I feel I must mention them as they are supportive and knowledgeable as well. Diane Vera and Rev. Jake Nicholson are quite well-known and have been extremely helpful to me in finding the strength to stand up and speak out about my beliefs. To conclude this; I am a feminist and a Satanist. I do not eat babies or castrate men. I stand by my Feminine Feminist ideals and stand by everyone who has the strength to stand up and be himself/herself. I make my own rules where my faith is concerned. I am not easily led or influenced by anyone and fight for equal rights and respect for all. I am, good or bad, myself. . Stand up, sisters! No matter who you are, you are one of us! Hillary Clinton: "In every religion, there are those who would drape themselves in the mantle of belief and faith only to distort its most sacred teachings -- preaching intolerance and resorting to violence."

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Week starting on week of the 31st You want to be number one, sure ... but at what cost? Keep your values firmly in mind as the week begins, and be clear about your priorities -- work, personal life, health, philosophy. Starting later on Tuesday, getting together with friends who share your outlook -- and complement it in great ways -- is inspiring. And you'll want to have your weekend fun early, because Friday and Saturday are best for remaining calm and getting rest. Life may be a bit frustrating now; the way out, though, isn't annoyance. Instead, put some positive energy out there. By Sunday, things are looking up!
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Week starting on the 7th You're an activator, an instigator, maybe even an agitator on Monday. Get stuff started! And -- thank your lucky stars -- you're better than usual about following through around Tuesday and Wednesday. Add nice little details to your plans and convince a certain someone that your way's the best way. Talk about lucky -- if you've got love on your mind around Thursday (and you probably do), you've got a way with compliments and general wooing right on time. Just keep it sweet and light, and save the big questions and answers for later. This weekend brings pertinent emotional developments.

Week starting on the 14th f you've got something to say, think it through and get it off your chest on Monday. You're a great communicator now, but for the next couple of days, your attention is likely turned inward. Dealing with stuff around your place while mulling things over might be the best plan. Save the socializing (and the romance!) for Thursday and Friday, when you're 10 kinds of hot. Get physical, too; being active gives you even more of a glow. This weekend there's a choice to be made and priorities to set. A friend can help. Week starting on the 21st Monday through Wednesday, you run the risk of becoming completely enamored with your own point of view. No one doubts your ability to state where you're coming from and back it up with evidence. But can you do the opposite? Can you see the other point of view, and back that up convincingly too? That's what you need to do -- exhibit a little understanding of the other side of the argument -- during the first half of the week. It will work. People just want to feel understood. Thursday and Friday, nothing will work, but
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don't let it get to you. The weekend is full of heart-pounding fun. Week starting on the 28th You're so focused on a goal (or plural ones) as the week gets going, you might be a little oblivious to the impact you're having while you're going after it. Check in with the pertinent people in your life -- without them, who'll help you enjoy getting there? And the stars say that is indeed the fun part, especially around Thursday and Friday this week! The process ought to feel good now, whether it's a work project, a relationship, volunteering or a new fascination. But be warned: If you're expecting to make big strides in any particular direction this weekend, the universe has other plans.

Week starting on 31st Rock-steady -- that's what you are as the week begins. With your own feelings sorted out and your feet on the ground, you can do a little reaching for the stars now! But starting later on Tuesday, something may be standing in your way -- or is it? Try investigating further and talking it out, sans preconceptions and assumptions, prior to beginning battle. This may not be as hard as you're about to make it. Then, on Friday or over the weekend, you might think you know best, but you might also be surprised by what others can add to your understanding.
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Week starting on 7th Approaching an issue with creativity gets much better results than going with the default option on Monday -- it's time well spent, not wasted. And while your best days for romance this week may be Tuesday and Wednesday (aren't you sexy!), your energy around Thursday isn't too shabby either. Hint: Share how you're feeling, but keep the plans short term. Let the heavy stuff take care of itself rather than getting ahead of yourself -- all in good time! When the weekend comes, you just might have a revelation about how to handle a certain situation. Call it a gift from the stars. Week starting on 14th Don't hesitate to offer your opinion or let your feelings be known at the beginning of the week. Even -- or especially -- if it feels a little risky, it's the right thing to do. Around Tuesday and Wednesday in particular, people are likely to embrace what you do and say. At the end of the workweek, however, your words are more powerful than you know. A little tact helps a great deal, so tone things down. This weekend, on the other hand, is the perfect time to turn it up. What is 'it'? That's up to you. Romance, maybe? Week starting on 21st Something's up during the first half of the week -- everything's a slightly different shade, or everyone's slightly more energetic, or all the small things just go more smoothly than they usually do. Whatever it is, it's working for you. Plus, you have these great ideas about how to spend little pockets of free time. A boring walk is made more eventful by a detour through a library. Thursday and Friday, the emphasis is on your inner world -- your feelings -over the world outside you. And Saturday and Sunday you're more philosophical than usual.
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Week starting on 28th Play it safe on Monday, whatever it may be; you'll have a much better idea about what direction to take over the next couple of days. Your efforts at developing a better understanding before you decide what to do show the universe that you care, and it'll return the favor now. But look out: The energy around Thursday and Friday isn't quite as favorable to your undertakings. Is someone or something standing in your way? Will you keep pushing, or is a little sidestep a possibility? When the weekend comes, minimize your fear factor; it's all about giving it a try.

Week starting on 31st Find out what's really going on as the week begins. Don't ignore your confusion -- take it as a cue to apply yourself and learn more, whether it's work, your personal life or something else entirely. Starting later on Tuesday, you've got the ability to make all kinds of connections -- between ideas, with people and more. Pay attention, because there's something here you'll want to take deeper. If you want to have a big talk or send a clear message, your best bet is to hold off on Friday and Saturday; Sunday's much better suited for getting through.

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Week starting on 7th You're thinking so fast on Monday that you might really benefit from bouncing your ideas off somebody. Then, if information's en route or a secret's circulating around Tuesday and Wednesday, don't get so caught up that you fail to look at things critically. Does it all add up? Is it worth getting all wound up about? Love's in the air around Thursday. You can thank the stars later, as you ought to be busy making the most of your love interest through Friday (you're still extra hot, and they know it). When the weekend comes, though, are you clinging to something or someone? Week starting on 14th You're so on it on Monday that it's practically scary. It's the perfect day to make plans and make moves -- and make your feelings known. The next few days look far more low-key, or maybe they should. Take it easy and seek clarity in your thoughts; clear thinking could be elusive now. You can get back in action on Thursday and Friday, when work looks fun and your time after hours looks amazing. Anyone who can keep up with you is lucky as heck to be by your side. The weekend's about sorting through a lot of communication to find the kernel you seek. Week starting on 21st Monday through Wednesday have all the right ingredients. Romance? Check. Lots of brilliant thoughts? Check. More energy than you know what to do with? Double check. What will you do with your time? More than likely, you start a bunch of things. You start a band, a book group, a project at work, a new class -- fun, interesting things. Thursday and Friday you're less rapid fire, more reflective, more of a detective than a conqueror. This weekend, you turn your detective skills toward your personal life. You're trying to figure out if
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someone should be your new right-hand pal. Week starting on 28th Consider the prolonged sound of your own voice a red flag as the week gets going. Asking smart, caring questions is a lot more meaningful than launching into a monologue -- after all, you already know what you have to say. The increase in understanding can take your breath away, especially after the stars kick in a little turbo power starting Thursday. Are you ready to rocket into your future? Evolve your personal and big-picture vision at lightning speed now. And be warned: People are taking what you say this weekend particularly seriously. Make sure you mean it!

Week starting on 31st Appearances aren't everything, but do pay attention to how you're coming across as the week begins. Smile and be polite, even if you're not feeling it; saying something positive instead of negative can have surprising effects. Starting later on Tuesday, your heart may be speaking loud and clear, but you'll have to translate it into stuff others (or a certain someone) can understand. A little logic might help! On Friday and Saturday, though, you're getting it and they're getting you. These are awesome days to explore. On Sunday, you'll want to slow it down.

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Week starting on 7th What happens when you're even more emotional than usual? Find an outlet for it all, or you'll find out on Monday. Kick your traditional side to the curb around Tuesday and Wednesday. Why? Because the more original you are in your thinking -- and in what you choose to do -- the better. Bonus: People will love it -- and you. Around Thursday, be warned: Your efforts in the love department may go awry. The stars say to be very clear in conveying your feelings -- or reschedule the romantic stuff for the weekend, when you're hot stuff. Week starting on 14th Get busy on Monday. Work hard to get some tasks and chores out of the way, because the energy you've got coming around Tuesday and Wednesday is frighteningly great. Your instincts have rarely been better, and acting on them is absolutely favored. Romance? Go for it! Watch out for overdoing it at the end of the workweek, though, especially if you're contemplating a financial extravagance. How will your actions now impact the future? This weekend, the little things, like sweet interactions and intervals of peace and quiet, mean a lot. Week starting on 21st
Monday through Wednesday is not a cakewalk, but you come up with a

couple of strategies for dealing with people that will serve you well into the future. If you and someone else aren't on excellent footing but you can't figure out why, don't think that starting a new project with them will restore your friendship. (It would probably have the opposite effect.) In other words, pay attention to your gut. That's easier said than done on Thursday and Friday, though, when your gut can't decide what it's trying to tell you. Saturday and
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Sunday, relax. Week starting on 28th Conserve your resources and rest up a bit at the beginning of the week. Life looks rather busy now, and overdoing it or stressing out about it all won't help. A sensible friend can help you prioritize and provide support! But if you've got money matters mixed into a friendship or another relationship, look out around Thursday or Friday. Be crystal clear about who's paying or who's getting paid back when (and even then it may not be pretty). But when the weekend comes, set your sights on big, beautiful things -- you're in synch with your world (and maybe a certain someone!)

Week starting on 31st Getting all enthusiastic about something is great, but be aware of developing staying power, too, as the week begins. Are you going to lose interest? Think it through. Starting later on Tuesday, your individualism sets you apart -- and you may have to make a conscious effort to connect on a personal level. Give someone a block of your time, sans noise and distraction. They love your attention. You've got a learning opportunity on Friday and over the weekend -- and learning can be fun. Curiosity definitely doesn't kill the cat now.

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Week starting on 7th Fit in a little fun on Monday to get your week off to a good start -- try lunch with a friend, a movie, an impromptu outing to somewhere new. Over the next couple of days, you're likely to be entangled in work, and you may feel somewhat inflexible. Doing something to loosen up physically (yoga, anyone?) helps your whole being. And guess what? Your hopes and desires come into play around Thursday -- and the stars favor a risk. Take a romantic idea and run with it! This weekend, if at first you don't succeed, don't just blindly try again: Heed your intuition about what to do next. Week starting on 14th The big lion's just a kitty cat as the week gets going. You may even be a little bit oversensitive. Let your natural warmth and affection show, and it'll be returned in kind. And when Thursday and Friday come, look out! That warmth turns seriously hot, with your charisma making any and all situations electric. If you've got an idea at work or in romance, get it out there now. As for the weekend, your money may be uppermost in your mind. It might be a good time to eliminate extravagances and enjoy the simpler things in life Week starting on 21st It's hard to top yesterday. That's what you're going to be thinking on Tuesday morning. Then, much to your disbelief, you think the same thing on Wednesday morning. Then, to your further disbelief, Wednesday turns out to be the best day so far. During the first half of the week, the stars are aligned such that chemistry with other people, happiness, romance, action and getting your needs met all figure strongly. Thursday and Friday shift to a minor chord, but nothing dramatic transpires. You might acquire a piece of furniture. Saturday and Sunday are 'hold onto your hat' romantic
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Week starting on 28th Saying what you mean is a fine idea in many a situation, but at the beginning of the week, know when you're crossing a line. A hint from the stars: Put the shoe on the other foot, see how the message feels and adjust accordingly. Then, a certain relationship requires some thought around Thursday or Friday. Whether it's your boss, your mom or your significant other, your patience and vision makes the process more of a compromise than a clash. And it's the more ephemeral, abstract stuff that'll interest you most this weekend -- think art, music and the ever-ineffable love!

Week starting on 31st Is that love that's in the air as the week begins? You've got an awesome vibe, and while you may love your job, you'll want to bring it into play in your personal affairs now, too. Starting later on Tuesday, the stars give you an opportunity to shake things up a bit. Over the next few days, thinking and doing things a little differently has big effects. Turn to that quirky friend of yours, who might have an idea or two of what to do. And now that you've shaken, let things settle on Friday and over the weekend. See how it's all sorting out before you judge

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Week starting on 7th Those around you may drive you nuts on Monday, but could it be that you're expecting too much of them? Around Tuesday and Wednesday, the stars send an opportunity your way, but you'll need to do your part, too. Seek out inspiration, make your world an interesting place and embrace existence. If you've got love on your mind around Thursday, you'll already have the good karma going to take advantage. Just choose your words (or your flowers) with your customary care. When the weekend comes, you're the one to organize something that everyone loves. Put it together and get mad props! Week starting on 14th You're all over the details as the week begins, but are you neglecting the implications of the bigger picture? Get help from a friend or mentor -someone with the great vision to match your current fine focus. You've definitely got something to offer them in turn. Whatever concrete plans you have toward the end of the workweek, whether they're for business or pleasure, are in no way set in stone. Can you adapt? As far as the weekend goes, it's just a matter of what you want to do with the awesome energy the stars are sending you. You're fabulous. Work it! Week starting on 21st You can rationalize a big purchase any number of ways, but the question remains: Do you really want to buy this thing? Is it worth what you'll be paying for it? You're more than likely making this purchase -- or considering making it -- with a partner, and you talk about almost nothing else Monday through Wednesday. Thursday and Friday, delving deep and really analyzing something is in the stars. The more information you have, the better equipped you'll be to decide. Saturday and Sunday, you want to act impulsively but you
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wisely keep yourself from doing so. Week starting on 28th No, you don't wanna do anything crazy, but the stars are calling on you to put your heart into it as the week begins! Whether it's work, a relationship, a secret hope or something else entirely, show the universe your passion. Then, if you're really ready for something new, you can start making it happen on Thursday. Check out alternative perspectives in everything you do; opposites in particular hold clues. And this weekend's prime for improving your karma. Do good now, and not only will it feel warm 'n' fuzzy, it'll come back to you!

Week starting on 31st If you're feeling a little off-kilter as the week gets going, exercise will help by giving you time to think things through. And from sometime on Tuesday through the next couple of days, the stars send some most welcome love energy your way. Do you want to be social and share your interpersonal wealth, or is there a certain someone you'd like to concentrate on? It's better to give than to receive on Friday and over the weekend -- but if you get your good karma going, you'll be doing both before you know it. Week starting on 7th Your usual diplomacy may go right out the window on Monday -- and that's not necessarily a bad thing. If saying what you mean and meaning what you
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say causes a ruckus, you can smooth it over around Tuesday and Wednesday. The benefits of laying it on the line can be long lasting. Around Thursday, here comes Cupid, and he isn't stupid -- expect (or create!) new developments in your love life now. How about sharing a deep feeling to get things going? When the weekend comes, though, you may want to keep to yourself. You're cute when you're shy. Week starting on 14th Move new agenda items, both at work and in your personal life, to Monday, when your brainpower is up and you're feeling experimental. Over the next few days, you're more focused on emotional angles. It looks like you're helping someone else out with a problem, but don't forget to work in some time for you, too. Around the end of the workweek, your creative capabilities are highlighted. This is a fabulous time for finding fresh solutions and finessing interpersonal stuff -- and for fun, too. Your personal touch only gets better this weekend. Reach out! Week starting on 21st One relationship takes center stage this week, and there's a chance it's not even a romantic one. It could even be about something going on at work. Whatever it is, Monday through Wednesday, you start off on the right foot by coming across as more interested in them than you are in yourself. Thursday and Friday, take you-know-who out for some food. It doesn't have to be a fancy restaurant -- even a taco truck can be the perfect setting for one-on-one time, especially if a casual approach is what you're after. This weekend, you two can talk about anything and everything -- and you do.

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Week starting on 28th While Monday might find you with your head in the clouds or even on cloud nine, the next couple of days bring you back to earth with a bump and some turbulence, too. It's time to get serious, with work and relationships demanding lots of care and feeding. Save the fun plans for Thursday and Friday, when your time ought to free up a bit. Could have something to do with your boundless energy and renewed interest in everything! The stars smile on you -- and your love life -- now. But get ready: On Saturday and Sunday, up is down, down is up and it's all topsy-turvy. This could be fun with the right attitude!

Week starting on 31st Yes, you're fierce (in a good way) and you're independent (also a great quality), but you're also working and playing particularly well with others as the week begins. Team up and partner up, on the clock and off! Later on Tuesday or over the next few days, an issue may crop up with a parent, your boss or another authority figure (or someone who thinks they've got authority over you). Can you be respectful, stand up for yourself and see a unique solution? You're hot stuff on Friday and Saturday. Romance takes some interesting turns with you at the wheel. On Sunday, rest up.
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Week starting on 7th You're a bit accident-prone on Monday, so go slow, be methodical, back your work up and keep track of your keys. You're a force to be reckoned with around Tuesday and Wednesday -- but can you acknowledge your sensitive side along with your strength? Forcefulness is fine if you can also see when to relent and when to be gentle. And while going out on a romantic limb may seem like the normal thing to do around Thursday, don't get carried away. You're far from normal (in a good way!), and your own timing and understanding of matters of the heart will be much better when the weekend comes. Week starting on 14th If you've got the urge to make an unusual move or finally say something you've been thinking, slow down at the beginning of the week. A little extra instinct kicks in around Tuesday or Wednesday, informing your timing and actions rather beautifully. Give the credit to increased powers of observation and sensitivity -- and try your utmost to carry them over into the end of the workweek. Career matters look tricky now, and finesse is better than flamboyance. When the weekend comes, though, you'll be able to relax and de-stress. A sweet secret for you is also in the stars. Week starting on 21st It's hard to figure out where you stand during the first half of the week. You feel strongly about things, but your thoughts are all in conflict. The simplest solution -- giving in to what someone else wants -- might be the best way to go (at least someone will be happy!). Otherwise, be patient. Let the chips fall where they may. Thursday and Friday, you don't have to do anything to draw people toward you. They move toward you as if pulled by some magical force.
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Saturday and Sunday will be a melee. Trust your instincts. Week starting on 28th Think and plan long-term as the week begins. What have you got going on that you'd like to see more of, and what are you ready to jettison? Let others in on what you come up with, at work and elsewhere. By Thursday and Friday, it's time for you to take a particular interest in what others say; if you ignore the messages coming your way, conflict will be inevitable. Tune in, and things can only get better -- especially over the weekend, when all forms of creativity are favored, including love!

Week starting on 31st Take an anti-consumerist stance as the week begins. Buying things isn't nearly as interesting as the free exchange of ideas and low-budget fun you can uncover. And the good karma you cultivate starting later on Tuesday -- your generosity, your interest in others, your warmth -- creates an atmosphere that might best be described as electric. Part of what's coming back to you: Amazing (and actionable) ideas. And if the stars ask you to look at the past on Friday or Saturday, you can rest assured that Sunday's about the future -- and maybe about romance, too

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Week starting on 7th Getting into a great groove ought to be easy on Monday, especially if you're stretching your imagination's wings. Find time to follow your nose to a discovery now. You're all about drilling down, reading the fine print and finding out more around Tuesday and Wednesday. This detail-oriented side of you is unusual, so use it before you lose it! If you're sending any romantic messages around Thursday, be sure you're not overstating your case. The response may surprise you. This weekend, things are in flux. Can you go with the flow? Week starting on 14th Even you might find what's going on around you unusual at the beginning of the week. Certainly there are more questions than answers, and the exploring might be fun at times, and a little scary sometimes, too. Keep your values firmly in hand and be ready for anything. Thursday and Friday look just plain lucky for you, though. If you're making romantic plans, these are the days to choose! Your sense of humor makes you very popular now, one-on-one or in a group. This weekend, hurrying is a major don't. Do things slowly, and do them right the first time. Week starting on 21st During Monday through Wednesday, you're loved by your pals so much that one of them may actually blurt out: 'I couldn't go on without you!' It's meant to be funny, but there's an element of truth to it, too. Laughter, fairness and the big picture all figure in the stars at this time. You're so tired at work on Thursday and Friday that you can barely keep your eyes open. Plus, your subconscious has been throwing so much vivid stuff around that the idea of sleep is mighty tempting. Try to snap out of it! This weekend, an adventure
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gets your energy levels up again. Week starting on 28th You'd rather not sweat the small stuff, but when it comes to finances as the week begins, there are no minor matters. Pay attention to receipts, to getting good value and to all the decimal points in work budgets, too. It's not very exciting, true, but if it's fun you want just wait until Thursday, when the stars kick off a couple of stellar interpersonal days for you. If you're looking to make or build on a connection of any sort, now's the time to shine! Get out there, because this weekend you're liable to be stuck running errands or playing catch-up.

Week starting on 31st Dress sharply, keep your eyes open and don't hesitate to make the first move as the week begins. Your cosmic profile's very high right now, so be confident and go on with your bad self! Starting later on Tuesday and over the next few days, beware of knee-jerk responses. If you're about to say 'no' to something, ask yourself whether 'yes' or even 'maybe' might be possible. And get some food for thought -- your mental capacity's awesome on Friday and Saturday, and the more you've got to mull over, the more you'll come up with. Plan ahead to avoid worrying about work on Sunday.
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Week starting on 7th Anything out of your comfort zone or out of the blue is liable to throw you for a loop on Monday, but don't freak out. Rather than sounding off, hit 'save' instead of 'send,' keep your head down and sleep on it. Tuesday and Wednesday bring some much-needed perspective and a way for you to push on through -- and maybe even a little romantic action! Hand out the love notes and flowers -- you're hot right now. Around Thursday, you'll still be warm; just keep it sweet and simple. With the weekend comes some ups and downs. Can you handle it? Yes, you can. Week starting on 14th A new idea (or is it a new person?) deserves in-depth consideration at the outset of the week. It may take a concerted effort to find the time to concentrate on it (or them), especially because social stuff's favored on Tuesday and Wednesday. But this exploration is totally worth your time. Ideas of ownership come into play at the end of the workweek. What's yours is yours, right? If you're clinging too tightly, maybe the answer should be no -or maybe. This weekend, your trust is rewarded, and life looks steady and sweet. Week starting on 21st Work is the center of your life from Monday through Wednesday, but no matter how much you put into it, you don't see immediate results. That said, your impatience is helpful -- as long as it doesn't take on an emotional dimension. Think of work as a collection of intellectual challenges, and (especially on Thursday and Friday) as an opportunity for friends to give you advice. You're in the mood for advice, what with how you're taking the wide-angle view on things this week. Saturday and Sunday, you begin to
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figure out a plan of action for all your as-yet-unrealized goals. Week starting on 28th Monday may start out a little bumpy, but you know what to do: Keep on keeping on, and the stars will be on your side soon! In fact, the next couple of days are all lined up in your favor, with what you've been after right within your reach. Then again, it hardly feels like a stretch when you're this good! Be sure to leave yourself a little leeway on Thursday and Friday, though; things will take longer than they should. You're thinking about the future now, but save the major brainstorming -- and communicating -- in that realm for this weekend.

Week starting on 31st Can you embrace your routine and stick with your schedule as the week begins? It's not very exciting, but you can get a lot done (or, conversely, spend a lot of time spinning your wheels). Starting later on Tuesday, the excitement you seek is on the way -- or is it you who's creating it? You've got extra attraction factor over the next couple of days, at work and at play. Hot! If you've been looking to lay something to rest, the stars help you find the way to compassionately move forward on Friday and over the weekend. Bonus: You make a new discovery, maybe on Sunday.

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Week starting on 7th You have an urge to be free on Monday, but do cancel stuff instead of leaving people hanging -- it's only polite. Then past, present and future intersect in interesting ways on Tuesday and Wednesday. Where's your head? How about your heart? It's definitely time to live in the moment, to seize the day and embrace possibilities around Thursday -- and the stars say the romantic sparks can really set things afire now. Your beauty plus your brains equals an awesome combination. When the weekend comes, though, get into a groove instead of going out on a limb. Week starting on 14th Wear something different and speak your mind with self-confidence on Monday. What's unique about you sparkles right now even more than usual, especially interpersonally. Life may not be totally easy for a day or two after that. Be proactive about staying healthy, centered and supported, and you'll be ready for an influx of what could be extraordinary stuff around Thursday and Friday. It looks like a relationship could be very positively impacted! Take care of little things this weekend. It'll be immensely satisfying. Week starting on 21st You find yourself giving someone the benefit of the doubt in the first half of the week, someone you might never suspect would have something to teach you. In fact, you end up being rather impressed by what they have to say. It's another lesson in the benefits of not being aloof. Tuesday and Wednesday are full of newness -- mostly new people. Don't be aloof! Thursday and Friday, you don't have a lot of energy for new people. As a matter of fact, you're in the mood for some privacy, for not talking to anyone. This weekend, a party of some kind brings you back out of your shell.
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Week starting on 28th Take full advantage of a cosmic window of opportunity first thing on Monday, because it's gonna slam shut and leave you just looking over the next couple of days. A hint from the stars for this stymied time? A little self-discipline helps a lot. And don't get too wound up about it all, because Thursday brings all kinds of possibilities for better things. If you've been thinking about making a change of the forward-looking, positive sort, it's all systems go! When the weekend comes, though, you'll need to try harder to stay on track -- or just relax by the wayside.

Week starting on 31st Get your workspace, your home and your headspace in order as the week begins -- and don't forget to let others help you. You've got unusual and imaginative (and maybe chaotic) mental energy starting later on Tuesday. Give yourself time regularly over the next couple of days to be free-form, to let it take shape -- this can result in some amazing stuff. On Friday and Saturday, you're hot! It's great timing, and your own knack for what to do and say is activated, too. Settle in on Sunday. Your own little world's a nice place to (temporarily) be.

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Week starting on 7th Allow for changeable moods and evolving relationships on Monday. Letting go of an illusion and seeing things as they are makes room for some reality-based greatness. You'll have energy to get it going, too, around Tuesday and Wednesday. Your romantic (not to mention work) instincts are amazing right now, so listen to them and just go with it. When Thursday comes, it's inadvisable to have too many expectations or get too specific -- just relax and you won't be disappointed. You're burning hot this weekend. Have your own celebration of love! Week starting on 14th It might seem like opposite day on Monday, with people saying the reverse of what they mean, left looking like right and up seeming down. Hold on, because the next couple of days, while also mysterious, make sense to you in odd ways. Unmask somebody -- or let your real self be revealed! You might be taken as overbearing at the end of the workweek, even if you're just telling it like it is. Think about the delivery as well as the message. This weekend, feel free to speak off the cuff, act impulsively and have a terrific time. Week starting on 21st Choose a path and stick to it on Monday, or at least make all appearances of sticking to it. You're moving decisively these days, and it's getting a good response. If someone owes you something -- money? -- now is the time to collect. Thursday and Friday, however, steer clear of financial arrangements. Stay especially clear of any sort of financial documentation. That's just not where your head is. Saturday and Sunday, you may feel like you don't know what you're doing, but that's valuable; it keeps you on your toes. Pay attention to the world around you.
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Week starting on 28th Who's in charge here? While you don't have complete control over, say, who your boss is, the beginning of this week gives you the chance to make choices a-plenty. Whose guidance really helps you? A little great counsel is always welcome. Just don't expect big things around Thursday and Friday, when trying to do too much means none of it gets done well. What're your current -- and longer-term -- priorities? Whatever you focus on this weekend gets assistance from some serious star treatment. And look at you -- you're all aglow!

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The stars will support your financial interests and will give your business a fresh drive. You'll feel a great desire to love and being loved, and your wishes will be fulfilled. You'll get a renewal of tonus, energy, and optimism. All during this month your children will need your presence, your advice, and your encouragement. Your prestige will be increased: you'll be appreciated, admired, and it'll be a
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pleasure for people to be agreeable to you; nevertheless stay modest.

You'll undergo certain financial constraint, and it'll be necessary to think about ways of spending less while still preserving your lifestyle. You'll have the possibility of definitely settling certain problems within your couple. Risks of heavy legs; avoid very hot baths, do some hiking. You can count on your friends. A most stimulating astral climate: take full advantage of it so as to assert yourself and take the professional initiatives that are likely to develop and give good results in the near future.

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Your daily humdrum routine's going to experience a small pleasant upheaval. Beware of the risks of food poisoning; see to it that the products are perfectly fresh. A little nervousness at work, but your good inspirations will render you completely efficient. Avoid people who are too talkative. Thanks to the favorable influxes, you won't be disappointed with your affections; a small change in your everyday life will prove to be beneficial to your couple. Don't forget your friends; give one of them the help he/she needs.

You'll change your moods with incredible speed, which would complicate your relations with others.
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There'll be gnashing of teeth in your household because of your exacerbated authoritarianism. Good month for falling in love at first sight, or for entering a durable union following a love at first sight. Your food will have to be light. Watch out for the banana skins that somebody will try to throw under your feet: you'll be doubly vulnerable to those this time; in businesses, don't be sentimental and don't give your confidence to anybody.

Diffuse anguishes will invade you; try to remain lucid in order to avoid dramatizing. In your work, you could be tempted to go ahead of schedule, but your time hasn't come yet. If you have a problem with your weight, make a small cure of cereals; macrobiotic's could also be of great help to you. On the heart's side, you'll be sensual and enthusiastic, especially if you're single; but if you're married, be careful not to get excited without thinking, otherwise beware of very troublesome consequences!

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You'll be a prey to intensive urges: you'll fall in love unexpectedly, or you'll yield to your unreasonable desires for spending. Recrudescence of hepatic and biliary disorders, but sleep troubles in clear diminution. Your professional future will seem promising; you'll work with efficiency. You're going to have huge successes in friendly and mundane meetings; your successes will be so bright that they'll give birth to the greenish snake of jealousy; watch out!

Don't turn down the help that one of your close relations offers you: this helping hand will be extremely useful to your career.
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Increased nervousness: intensify alertness in your movements and especially at the driving wheel of your car. You'll show an outstanding intellectual curiosity, and you'll enlighten yourself about everything, by all possible means. You can't refrain from imagining the worst incidents in your affective life; you'll be anxious, on the defensive, and this attitude will only contribute to complicate your relationships with your close relations.

Beware of a lack of lucidity: don't embark on utopian projects, don't let yourself be taken in by alluring work offers or training courses. Risks of difficult digestion, stomach wind, rumbling in the intestines. Harmonious relationships with your children. Friends will offer you a priceless assistance. You'll be tempted to make extravagant expenses in order to calm down certain anguishes, completely forgetting that your bank account is not inexhaustible; promptly get hold of yourself to avoid a catastrophe.

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On the heart's side, you'll be at crossroads but you'll be able to choose the right direction. Beware of excessive spending's that you'll have a hard time resisting! This time, you'll sort out your relations so as to retain only the surest ones. At work, don't fear changes, they'll be beneficial to you. You'll tend to indulge in food excesses, and your stomach will very likely have to pay for the consequences; you'll avoid a lot of troubles by following a small diet.

If you're single, you'll be in a hurry to get married; still take time to think about it. Changes in your work; try to adapt yourself to the new situation. Sometimes you'll be a prey to anguish; show common sense and courage to
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get out of it, don't resort to tranquilizers! Excellent material prospects: expansion and consolidation will be on the schedule; several interesting projects can be set up, but take your time to start them.

You'll have the energy and audacity necessary to sweep obstacles off your road and to achieve important professional goals. If your spouse and children dream of calmness at home, they'll be disappointed, because you'll compel your whole small world to surpass themselves. If you feel tired, sleep more. Love and money won't get along well: think about it, otherwise you'll have problems. On the material plane, try to find a right balance between too risky operations and traditional investments. .

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This time you'll be very determined to take your destiny into your own hands; you won't be any longer afraid of obstacles. You'll undergo a slight setback in your business and some financial restrictions. If you continue to idealize your beloved one, you're finally likely to be disappointed. It would be about time to relax yourself if you want to avoid exhausting your reserves. Tense contacts with your close relations; don't look too far for the cause: your anticonformist and even provocative attitude won't smooth things over; if you want peace, then show diplomacy.

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Cards used: Deviant Moon (Used with the Deviant Moon Spread)

3 of wands

The Inquirer: Present Day - self and all circumstances in your present position in life Divine Meaning of card: Anxiously waiting the rewards of labour. Reflections on ones efforts.

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Queen of wands

Past Influences - events from the past that shape the present Inverted Meaning of card: Vindictive person, one who brings conflict, infidelity, and revenge.

Emperor

Subconscious Influences - Underlying forces in the inquirer's mind, dreams, subconscious thoughts Inverted Meaning of card: Incompetentece, weakness and indecision.

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Tower

Secret Desires and Wishes - Hopes and dreams not yet realized Divine Card meaning: sever or abrupt change, lose or accidents, traumatic event, ruin, upheaval.

7 of cups

Hidden Influences - Unseen powers that affect the inquirer Divine Card Meaning: Imagination, daydreams, having thoughts of fantasy's.

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The Moon

Events to Come - Future happenings in the inquirer's destiny Inverted Cards meaning: Avoiding reality, strange forces, delusional thoughts, lies and despair.

Ace of Wands Surrounding Environment - Elements of home, work, community, etc. Divine Card meaning: Creativity, passion love, new life, potential, good things about to begin

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Judgement

Influence of Others - how those you meet or deal with affect your persona Divine Card meaning: Accountability for ones actions, New beginning, awakening.

6 of Pentacles

Spiritual Forces - Effects of spiritual influence over your question Divine Card meanings: Charity, gift, sharing one's wealth, material generosity.

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Magician

Final Outcome - Culmination of Events - result/answer to question Inverted Card meaning: Putting ones gift to ill use. Lack of imagination. Confusion, uncoordinated efforts. Unable to learn new skills.

10 of swords

Influence card- cards that may have fallen out while shuffling Divine Card Meaning: Absolute ruin, misery, unbearable sorrow, physical or mental turmoil.

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185

Elves, Do They Exist?

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Some would rather let elves live in the fantastical world of Middle Earth and Tolkien's imagination or in the holiday dreams of children imagining Santa's little helpers. But do these magical little people have any bearing in reality? Legends of dwarves, elves, and faeries are found worldwide. There are the famed trolls of Scandinavian folklore, the wealthy leprechauns of Irish lore, and other mischievous elves who mainly live in (fiction) literature, but numerous sighting's are actually reported by surprised individuals throughout the world. Native Americans of the United States and Canada have similar legends as well. The majority of "evidence" of these miniature humanoid beings are the numerous eye-witness testimonies. Encounters with elf-entities usually occur when the elf approaches a home and requests food or shelter. If the resident refuses to comply with the elf's demands, they would bring misfortune upon the greedy person. Unless harassed, elves are said to generally avoid contact with humans. The majority of Elven legends throughout the world confine these beings to the deep forest, where they lead a reclusive, mysterious life. Although the sworn testimonies of those who claim to have encountered elves on occasion or spotted them in the forest are easy to dismiss as fantasy or hallucination, scientific, archaeological discoveries cause one to think twice...at least for a minute or two. In 1932, a 14-inch tall mummy was found by gold prospectors in the Pedro Mountains 60 miles southwest of Casper, Wyoming (USA). The tiny mummy was found sitting on a ledge in a small granite cave. Its legs were crossed and arms folded on its lap. It had a flat nose, low forehead, and a broad, thin-lipped mouth. The mummy was x-rayed and analyzed. The Anthropology Department of Harvard University certified the mummy as genuine and believed by some to be of a 65-year old man. A more skeptical Dr. George Gill speculated that the mummy could have been an infant
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afflicted with anencephaly, a congenital abnormality which causes tiny adult proportions. Since its discovery, the mummy changed hands several times and, unfortunately, disappeared. It is interesting to note that Shoshone and Crow natives that inhabited the area where the mummy was found had legends of "little people" in their ancient folklore. Perhaps the most spectacular and baffling find was in the later 1800s. Hundreds of tiny flint tools were found in the Pennine hills of east Lancashire, all of which were no larger than half an inch long. The tiny tools included scrapers, borers, and crescent shaped knives. The craftsmanship of such tools were extremely fine, and in many cases, a magnifying glass needed to be used to detect the evidence of flaking used to bring them to a sharp point. None of these tiny tools were practical for performing the tasks that the regular sized ones were intended for. Because of this, some speculated they were ritualistic replicas...but why, and why so small? Were these tools made by similarly small people? As with the elf legends, tiny tools similar to the ones found in Lancashire have been found worldwide including Devon and Suffolk, England, Egypt, Africa, Australia, France, Italy, and India. It would seem that if elves did/do exist, more evidence or contact with these strange miniature people would be collected or reported. However, if giant 6-8 foot tall bipedal huminids such as Sasquatch and Yeti can keep their existence unknown, how much easier it would be for elves to do the same, being just inches tall!

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A Drugged Child Horror Story

From CrazyRn 7-7-3
http://www.rense.com/general38/drugged.htm

If a stranger on the street came up to me and my child with a package of cocaine and offered to give my child a free month's supply, I'd have him arrested. AFTER I beat the living mess out of him. How DARE someone I don't know offer dangerous, mind altering drugs to my child with me standing right there? Yet I sat there in that school psychologist's office when my son was a mere five years old listening to this woman I'd never met before tell me my son had
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Attention Deficit Disorder and needed to be put on Ritalin so that he could concentrate more in class, stop fidgeting and disrupting. I sat forward in my seat, a confused look on my face. Fidgeting? Disrupting? Lack of concentration? I voiced my concern to the psychologist that there was a health problem with my son, that two years earlier he and our family had suffered through a severe toxic poisoning of carbon monoxide for almost three months that left everyone dazed for some time afterwards. Perhaps, I told her, he was simply having after effects of the poisoning and wasn't quite himself yet. I'd already heard from a neurologist that toxic poisoning can cause possible brain damage, concentration difficulties and irritability. Could that not be a possibility? Definitely not, she stated. She had observed Daniel in class many times and he had all the classic signs of ADHD, and was certain it was Daniel's difficulty. She said that she had spoken with the teacher and the teacher agreed with her. No, she said, Daniel needed to be put on Ritalin to control his outbursts and concentration problems. She gave me a form she had filled out showing a long list of symptoms, each with a nasty little check mark beside it that she had filled out and signed while observing Daniel, and I was to give it to the pediatrician when asking for my son to be put on the medication. Still skeptical, I didn't make an appointment for my son right away. I saw no signs of ADHD at home. Yes, he had a temper, but what child doesn't? Yes, he fought with his brother and sisters. But what child doesn't? He could sit and watch an entire thirty minutes of cartoons on Sunday, he could sit and look at a comic book about Spiderman for over twenty minutes and not make a peep. My son? ADHD?? Not in this lifetime, I remember thinking. Two weeks later, the school psychologist called me at home asking me if I'd had a chance to get to the pediatrician. I told her I was still thinking about my options. To this day, I can remember the chill down the back of my neck when the next words out of her mouth were a stern "Now, Mrs Rosecrans, refusing to cooperate with the school system is not benefiting you or your son. We may have to move him to a Special Education class if you're not willing to put his
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education first, and in some states that's considered child abuse." I gripped the phone hard. The mere words "child abuse" brought on visuals of social service workers poking through my house, asking me millions of questions about how I fed the children, how I disciplined the children, forcing me and my husband to take parenting classes, and the possibility that they could even yank my child out of my home. I'd seen it happen to others. I'd heard the horror stories at Head Start a year earlier from other parents who dared go against the school. I was TERRIFIED. Just the mere thought of my little boy's face laying on a bed in some foster home crying because Mommy wasn't there filled my eyes with tears instantly. I choked out quietly that I would speak to the pediatrician as soon as possible. Satisfied, the psychologist let me go. I sent a letter to the school the very next morning confirming that I would do as I was asked and take Daniel to the pediatrician for a checkup and possible medication. Once again, though, a few days later, the horrors of pumping my child with medications without a full research into other possibilities scared me worse. So I began my own research into brain injury due to toxic poisonings, near drowning's and asphyxiation. Sure enough, my son had symptoms related to brain injury, and we already suspected his father had possible brain injury as well. Not even two weeks after the call, I got a letter from my son's teacher, stating that she had received my note about taking my son to the doctor and seeking advice on medications, and that she had not heard anything about it yet and needed to know more. I felt pushed again. I called my son's teacher, who told me that since the school psychologist who was trained to recognize ADHD stated Daniel was definitely an ADHD child, he simply had to be placed on medication that would CERTAINLY help him and help his grades or be placed in a special education class. Again, I felt severely pressured, the undertones being "OR WE"RE GOING TO REPORT YOU". So I made an appointment with my son's pediatrician. Without so much as five minutes alone with my son, she handed me a prescription for Ritalin, smiled, and told me to contact her in two weeks to give an update on his progress. Then she
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simply left the room. Fearing reprisal by Child Protective, and after an assurance from my son's pediatrician that Ritalin was prescribed daily for thousands of children all over the United States, I reluctantly asked my baby to put medication in his mouth and tiny body that was made from a derivative of cocaine. No information from the doctor about side effects, nor from the pharmacist. Just a cold piece of paper that read like scientific reports not meant for lay people to understand. Well..that and the words "Effectiveness in children under the age of 18 has not been established". Yeah, that one got me scared, but not as scared as having my son yanked from me. The first two weeks, my son was a zombie. Just what they wanted, a quiet, compliant child. But there was no warmth there anymore. No heart. No fire. He didn't even seem like my son anymore. After that, the symptoms came back, this time with a vengeance. Another drug, Adderall, was added. Then another, Clonadine. Then the Ritalin was discontinued, and Wellbutrin added. Adderall removed, Xyprexa added. It seemed that the more medicine they used, the worse he got. OH he'd be fine for a few weeks. But then it was like uncaging a monster. He started screaming. Waking up in the middle of the night hearing "voices". Psychotic episodes began to get more frequent. He had intense rage episodes brought on by nothing, destroying furniture and trying to kill himself and others. Finally, I removed my son from all medications. During the withdrawal, my son got worse. His father was going through the same thing, and suddenly I have a knock on my door from Social Services, stating my son has reported being belted by his father and that my son is not on medications as he is supposed to be. OH MY LORD, I thought, I"VE BEEN REPORTED FOR CHILD ABUSE!!! A check of everything from our bedrooms, our bathrooms, even to our closets and refrigerators left them satisfied that my kids were at least healthy and happy, but they were concerned about the medicine situation. I told the workers that I felt my son was being harmed by it. They said I needed counseling and that they would be back in touch. Fearing the worse, I packed
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up my two boys and left the state. Situations had already gotten so bad between their father and I we could no longer hold a decent conversation without either him or our son losing their temper and going into a rage. There was no more marriage. All my energy had been focused on a child who was threatening death and a husband that fed off my son's anger with his own. Once I got to New Mexico, and my son off the drugs, he seemed to calm some. Even start showing signs of the sweet, funny, delightful little boy I knew I'd given birth to. After a month or so, it became obvious to me that my marriage was over. I wanted my two girls who I had left in New York with their father and grandmother to be with me. So a nasty custody battle ensued, with Child Protective, this time in New Mexico, combing every inch of my house to assure the children were safe. Daniel again started having difficulties in school, unable to concentrate, and fidgety. Again, the same nightmare. Yet this school system was contacted by Child Protective in NY who advised them that my son should have been on medications, and again I was immediately pushed into drugging my son. The strain was simply too much for the little fellow and he ended up in a psychiatric hospital for a few weeks to gain control of his emotions, brought on I suspected, by the new drug they had him on. SEREQUEL, a wonder drug, I was told. Since my son was in the hospital and I was unable to attend the child custody hearing in New York, I lost custody of my precious babies. Their father, accused of child abuse by me and by Child Protective, was given custody of my children simply because I could not be there due to my son's emergency hospitalization by a judge who never met me, never heard my side, and never gave me a chance to reschedule. Five agonizing months later, I was given custody back of my children due to their father's inability to control Daniel and happily took them back to New Mexico. Once I got my son back to New Mexico, I found out another psychiatrist had agreed my son was ADHD and had put him on Tegretol and Clonipine. I immediately removed the medicine and it brought out rage episodes while my son was detoxing from its effects. By this time, my son had several "labels"
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by different doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists. The main one being ADHD. They added Bipolar, ODD, IDS, and even Learning Disorder, completely ignoring my pleas that the child be checking for brain injury due to the carbon monoxide poisoning. They all seemed certain that my son was indeed ADHD and no one wanted to buck the trend. Finally worn out from fighting Child Protective and school systems in two states, I felt myself wearing down, near to collapse. I moved me and my four children across country to Atlanta, Georgia to be with my mom and get her help. I had figured that if I said NOTHING to the schools, simply put my son in the age appropriate classes and show him security, love and affection, he'd do much better. I'd also made a promise to myself to find the best neurologist in the area and get his brain checked for damage. When the records arrived from the other state, my son was instantly labeled "ADHD" by the school system, yanked from his normal class and put in Special Education. Once again Child Protective from THIS state came out to the house to demand I let them investigate to make sure the family was safe. They demanded I follow the instructions of the school psychiatrist and put my son on Zoloft, Risperdal and Adderal to control his outbursts, lack of concentration and his ADHD. I felt so defeated. So abused by three states and their systems put in place to PROTECT families and children. Despite everything I had to go through in the last three years, losing my home, losing my security, having to support four children on my own financially and emotionally, despite having no social life and no one to turn to, I was still considering an unfit mother and under Child Protection once again in a third state, pushing me to medicate my son. After three more emergency hospitalizations, four different medications including Depakote, Clonadine and Neurontin, trying to convince dozens of teachers, psychiatrists and psychologists that my son had possible brain injury and NOT ADHD, after losing every dime I had taking care of four children with no child support, after months of research into brain injured children, I gave up. I knew I had to move my children back to the State of New York where my ex husband would be forced to help me take care of their financial
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needs, their health needs, and their emotional needs. So back to NY we went. Immediately, I was placed back on Child Protective with the local county. Almost as fast, my son again started having psychotic episodes that forced hospitalizations, one in a hospital over 80 miles away due to, I was convinced, OVERMEDICATION. I continued my research into brain injury and made my thoughts known to the psychiatrist on staff at the hospital my son was taken to, who dismissed it as ridiculous. At that center, he was abused, forced to wipe with shower curtains, locked in time out rooms until he wet his pants, given shots of Thorazine along with doses of Benedryl by an under trained staff to shut him up. After my complaints went unnoticed, I complained to the Office of Mental Health, who did a surprise inspection on the site, and found all the atrocities I and other parents had complained about and immediately forced the center to stop accepting children until the difficulties were resolved. Three weeks of living hell for my baby, who by this time had been poked, prodded, examined and stolen from his mommy and siblings over seven times. A child who now longer trusted or wanted to comply with staff. Placed on Serequel and Neurontin, he became a zombie again. Seeing my son on a visit that day suddenly made me ANGRY. AND I MEAN I GOT MAD. I suddenly found myself demanding my son be given more attention. Demanding I get to talk to my son more often. Demanding to see his records, to which I was denied three times by the staff. Demanding that he be given a brain scan to test for injury before upping the dosage on his medication. To this day, I still have a recording of the doctor telling me that a brain scan would never be done at that facility and I should check into another venue for that, yet refused to decrease my son's medication for it. I was even told by the staff social worker that Daniel's problems were EMOTIONAL, caused by parents that were divorced, a mother that drug them across country three times, and a dysfunctional family life. I sure chewed her butt out that day, let me tell you. It felt GOOD. Then the hospital threw my son out after three weeks because I was getting
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PUSHY. They claim the insurance company refused to pay for any further treatment, but the insurance company denied their statements, saying their own social worker had called to cancel Daniel's treatment. Three weeks after I weaned my son of yet another drug cocktail, he began symptoms of withdrawal, became violent. He was taken from me again and put in a hospital over 3 hours away. My heart still breaks everytime I imagine that boy's horror in that long ambulance drive taking him away from mommy again. There, the doctor listened to what I had to say about possible brain damage causing difficulties and medications causing symptoms to worsen. I even mentioned Dr. Gary Sach's report concerning the "kindling effect" of medications being stronger and stronger until a raging fire spewed that was nearly uncontrollable. He was sympathetic, but uninterested. He placed my son on Zoloft and a week later, I had him back. And again, the same pattern. Once again, back in my arms, I knew that medication was not working for my son. Yet this time I was under Social Services scrutiny almost daily, demanding to know whether or not I was giving my son the medication the doctor had prescribed. By this time, though, years of over-medication had brought on psychotic episodes and dangerous outbursts. I contacted KidsPeace in Romulus, NY, who agreed to accept the child to help me straighten out the medication difficulties, help me get a brain scan to determine if it was medical or emotional, and give my son needed counseling and assistance in controlling himself. Seemed like a WONDERFUL setup. Finally, somebody willing to help me. A facility willing to listen to ME. The only difficulty was that all entrants had to be under foster care through Social Services. Breaking my heart badly, I broke down and asked the local Social Services to temporarily take custody of my son so that he could be placed in this residential treatment center to help him detoxify and learn the real cause of his troubles. Over 80 miles away, we drove with our son, all of us crying, and placed our
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baby in these people's 24 hour care. At first, everything was great. For three weeks he liked being secure, but the psychiatrist took him off all other medications and immediately put him on Zoloft and Risperdal. I spoke with the psychiatrist about my concerns of medications and why we couldn't try brain scans and therapy. What a SEVERELY different attitude I got from the day I signed my son over to these people. Suddenly once again I was told to mind my own business. That I was a mere mother, not educated in medicine or children's therapies. I was told that they needed to stabilize him first, then brain scans would come later. Heartbroken, and basically told "dont call us, we'll call you", cut off from my son except for two fifteen minute calls a week and two visits for a few hours twice a month, I became determined to find out for myself my rights. I put my full soul and heart into research. For four months, I spent hours on the computer reading anything I could about medications, ADHD, Bipolar, therapy, brain injury and even parental rights. I started getting MADDER. The fight came back. The determination to be a part of my son's therapy and treatment went to front burner. Again, I was met with extreme prejudice. Met with barriers and statements to stop being so pushy and let them do their jobs. My son got physically abused and sexually abused at the site. The psychiatrist REFUSED to remove the Risperdal from my son, but reluctantly removed the Zoloft after I threatened to drive to the site, find him in his office and sit on him and force him to read pamphlets stating Zoloft was NOT meant for children. I was SERIOUS, too, lemme tell you. That tone came through the phone CLEARLY. After all, THIS IS MY son. NOT Child Protective's. NOT KidsPeace. After the Zoloft was removed, he showed a remarkable difference. It was like night and day. He was suddenly able to participate in groups more often, enjoying things like reading and TV again, and even laughing more. To further enforce my rights, I demanded more visitation rights. Demanded more phone calls. I refused to back down. Daniel started getting Excellent's and Goods instead of Poor and Failing's. I also arranged for my son to be
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taken to Syracuse for a proper brain scan thanks to my ex husband's insurance on my son. HALLELUIAH, we finally had the proof we needed. My son was INDEED brain injured as I'd been SCREAMING about to Child Protective, doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, nosy social workers, under trained overworked teachers, neighbors and bus monitors. I was yelling it to ANYONE that would listen. He was NOT ADHD, OR Bipolar. I IMMEDIATELY demanded my son be taken OFF all medications and rely only on therapy and ways to help him. The new staff psychiatrist refused, stating she needed a full neuropsychiatric workup to prove he didn't have ADHD. So I set up a full battery of tests through Dr. Thomas Griffiths of Syracuse, an expert in brain injury. Sure enough, my son's tests proved that he simply could not ingest information as quickly as other children due to brain injury, could not retain that information as easily, and would get frustrated because he was a gifted child who knew something was wrong. BINGO. THE PROOF I NEEDED. MY SON WAS NOT ADHD, or BIPOLAR. I HAPPILY and personally presented that proof to Child Protective, the staff at KidsPeace (who by now resented my interference with their program, resented my pushiness to be involved with my son's treatment, and resented my stern warnings that I would no longer be treated like a second class citizen.) to neighbors, to anyone in three states that had EVER given me static about being a lowly mother. I was certain that now I would finally get the right treatment for my son. You'd think so, right?: WRONG. The psychiatrist STILL refused to take my son off the Risperdal, even after a full team meeting I had to sit through and listen to her tell me and the full staff that what was WRONG with my son was emotional, that his parent's difficulties and divorce and instabilities were driving Daniel's emotions, listen to her state the 'wonderful benefits" of the Risperdal and how Daniel was doing SO much better on it. With Child Protective listening in on the phone, I firmly and angrily stated that not only did we have PROOF that Daniel was a brain injured child and NOT ADHD, we had PROOF that I'd downloaded and printed out showing the facts that
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certain medications actually bring ON psychotic episodes in children. CAUSED aggravations. I had PROOF that the medicine he was on wasn't even supposed to be USED by children under 18 and PROOF from Daniel's neuropsych reports that he simply couldn't function in a regular class and needed more one on one, and circumstantial proof that by removing the Zoloft, Daniel was responding better, not that the Risperdal was working better. I laid in to each and every member on that staff that had given me a stone wall before I got that proof. The last six years of pain and feeling of uselessness came pouring out and I asserted my rights as my son's mother. THIS TIME, I knew, I would NOT BACK DOWN. The psychiatrist held her ground. Risperdal was simply doing him good. The next thing I have to listen to is her psychologist partner, a Sigmund Freud wannabe who obviously did not have the research and background experience I had on the topics of toxic poisoning, brain injury and ADHD tell me that it was his professional opinion that my son's brain injury had nothing to do with his outburst, that he'd "studied" carbon poisoning online and found nothing to tie in Daniel's symptoms with the actual disease, and that he agreed with the psychiatrist, it was simply us as parents who failed our son by divorcing, by child abuse and by moving cross country and that he was going to turn over all the information to a doctor he knew in Upstate NY that was an expert. I looked at this Bugs Bunny figure of a staff psychologist and smirked "Well..you know what? His DOCTOR seems to think he DOES have brain injury, and those little dark specks on his SPEC scan sure AIN"T SPIDERWEBS, are they." Child Protective suddenly became compliant. They backed me at that meeting. So the psychiatrist agreed reluctantly to remove one milligram of the four my son was on for a month to see if it made a difference. Then she had the nerve to tell me that my son would defiantly show signs of withdrawal and was I prepared to increase the dosage to keep him from hurting himself or others? I looked at this woman with a disbelief in my eyes I'm sure she saw, shook my head sadly and said "Hun, what do you think WITHDRAWAL of drugs IS? OF COURSE he's going to have symptoms. Like ANY addiction,
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whether it's alcohol, nicotine or drugs. How ridiculous can you be?????" With that, the meeting ended, and once I got home and had time to think, I called the psychiatrist who REFUSED to read medical reports, look at proof of brain injury or heed advice from another psychiatrist who specialized in brain injured children and left a rather harsh message, stating she had SIX WEEKS to wean my son from the Risperdal or I was coming in full barrel with a lawyer and a malpractice suit. The very next day, I was called by Child Protective, who has now agreed to give me my son back, stating they agreed with me that I was right all along on my son's actual diagnosis. On that day, I sat on the floor, unable to answer, phone still in my hand, years of fighting, years of severe anger outbursts from a child over-medicated and not knowing why his little body was hurting so bad, missed weeks and weeks of not being able to hold my baby boy, and years of battling for my rights as the child's parent, nights and nights of holding a crying child because he didn't know what was happening, years of struggling just to make ends meet and constantly worrying about rent, utilities, food, years of research to finally prove my point all came flooding out, silent tears flowing down my cheeks as I'd finally, I'd FINALLY won. Or HAD I? Just earlier that week, I had a note from my youngest boy's teacher, who stated my little clown could not and would not sit still in class, and perhaps could benefit from a drug like Ritalin. I busted out laughing, still holding the phone, not caring if Child Protective heard or not, and FRANKLY, my dear, I didn't give a damn .

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http://rainbowconstruction.ning.com/

Rainbow Construction is by far thee best theme site that I have ever seen and one that we are happy to support and be a part of. It has some of the best themers's on the web. But what makes this site so much more is that everyone there is willing to help and teach and will always answer any of your questions and give you advise and tips. So for those that want to learn this is the place to be, for those that want a place to show off there work, this is were you want to be. All there groups are for helping you with
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ideas to code tweaks, even to finding the right site to find pic's and cursors. You will not find any site out there that as everything you need to create a work of art and the help and support that will help you as you go along and learn. They also have themes in many categories that you can use for your ning pages some may need there codes updated so just follow this saying and you will have a perfect theme for your page: "Seasons change and so do codes so if you have an issue with a theme please let the creator know and they will fix"

So please stop by and check this wonderful site out if your looking to learn or show off your work then this site is for you..... One thing we do ask is that if you join please be respectful for the people that are there are serious and dedicated to there work, and if you join just to use themes that are available please send a thank you or leave a comment for it does mean a lot to all of them.....

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Bikers Against Child Abuse International Breaking The Chains Of Abuse

http://bacaworld.org/about/mission/

MISSION BACA Mission Statement Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional
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support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle. How BACA Works Bikers Against Child Abuse, Inc. (BACA) is organized with a central contact person to receive calls from referring agencies and individuals. A recognized, authorized agency with which the child has had contact determines that the child is still frightened by his or her environment. The agency representative contacts BACA, or refers the individual to contact BACA and the name and address of the child is given to our BACA/Child Liaison. The Liaison determines that the case is legitimate, meaning that the authorities have been contacted, and the case in being processed within the system. The Liaison contacts the family and an initial ride is organized to meet the child at their home or in some other location. The entire BACA chapter rides to meet the child and he/she is given a vest with a BACA patch sewn on the back. The child is free to wear the vest or not, and we support their decision. The child is also given bumper stickers, and other gifts that are generally donated by the public. These initial visits generally last about a half an hour. Following this initial contact, the child is given the name and number of two BACA members residing geographically closest to them, who then become the childs primary contact person(s). Prior to becoming the primary contacts for the child, the bikers are cleared for participation by clearing an extensive background check, have ridden with the Chapter for at least a year, and have received special instructions from the Licensed Mental Health Professional. Anytime the child feels scared and feels the need for the presence of his new BACA family, the child may call upon these bikers to go to the childs house and provide the necessary reassurance to feel safe and protected. BACA members and supporters also support the children by: providing escorts for them if they feel scared in their neighborhoods; riding by their homes on a regular basis;
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supporting the children at court and parole hearings; attending their interviews, and; staying with the children if they are alone and frightened. The BACA members never go to the childs house alone and never without the knowledge or permission of the parents. Our mission is not to be permanently engaged as the childs power. Our mission is to help the children and their families learn how powerful they can be. Our presence will be available as long as the child needs us. BACA also holds other functions for the children such as Bar-B-Ques, and parties. Level 1 Intervention Will consist of the organization deploying a ride, uniting as many BACA members as are able to attend. We will ride as a group to the childs house where the parent(s) / Guardians will be present to assist us in presenting the child with a patch, stickers, and a photograph of the child with his/her new biker family. If the child is afraid, it is our hope the child will use the photograph as a comfort to convey the message I am not alone, and you dont want to mess with my family. Level 2 Intervention If Level one is not sufficient to deter further abuse or harassment, several BACA members will be sent for further exposure. This group of BACA members will create a presence at the home of the child, being visible at times when the family might be the most vulnerable. The purpose of BACAs presence is to deter further abuse and to protect the children and the family, if necessary. Level 3 Intervention If the physical presence of our BACA members at the residence of the childs home does not deter the abuser, a formal letter will be drafted by the Chapter President or Vice-President in the area in which the abuser lives. This letter will be written on BACA letterhead. The substance of the letter will be to explain to the perpetrator that we are prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to become the obstacle to further abuse.
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Level 4 Intervention While it is against the purpose of BACA to purposely engage a perpetrator, we will ask for the general geographical location of the offender, and conduct a Neighborhood Awareness Ride in which we will ride to the general location given to us and go door to door letting people know who we are, hand out stickers to kids, and distribute our literature regarding our mission and how we function. If the location or address of the perpetrator becomes known to any BACA Member, we will immediately withdraw our physical presence to avoid any contact. BACA does not condone, support or participate in the use of aggression, violence or physical force in any manner. If, however, ANY person should seek to inflict harm on one of our BACA Members, we will respond with commitment and loyalty to protect our Member. Our Court Appearances We also attend court with our wounded friends. The sole purpose for our physical presence is to assist the child in being less intimidated and frightened, and subsequently give an accurate testimony regarding his/her abuse. If the child requests our presence in the courtroom, the parent or guardian for the child must petition the childs attorney, who then will intercede on behalf of the child to the presiding Judge. Absolutely no physical confrontation of the perpetrator will be tolerated by BACA, and anyone acting in such a manner will be acting outside of the scope of BACA and will be held completely and solely accountable for his/her actions. When possible, the two bikers assigned to the child as his/her primary contacts should be in attendance. Given that it is not always possible for the primary contact bikers to be in attendance, a petition may be made to the general membership for their attendance and support. A listing of the court dates and times will be kept and updated on the BACA hotline at all times. BACA Creed I am a member of Bikers Against Child Abuse. The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I wont look back, let
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up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past has prepared me, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. Im finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I dont have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by the faith in my works, and lean on the strength of my brothers and sisters. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with power. My fate is set, my gait is fast, my goal is the ultimate safety of children. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are tried and true, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I wont give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and showed up for all wounded children. I must go until I drop, ride until I give out, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me, for He will see my BACA backpatch and know that I am one of His. I am a member of Bikers Against Child Abuse, and this is my creed.

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Chapters

United States

Select a state (states in gray do not yet have a BACA chapter): Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connectic ut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachus etts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

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http://globalconspiracytheories.socialparadox.com/main

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Anthrax and Testament

Tuesday Nov 1, 2011 6:00 PM Anthrax and Testament House Of Blues Orlando - Orlando, FL

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Wednesday Nov 2, 2011 7:00 PM Anthrax and Testament Revolution - Fort Lauderdale, FL Friday Nov 4, 2011 7:50 PM Anthrax and Testament House of Blues Myrtle Beach - North Myrtle Beach, SC Saturday Nov 5, 2011 8:00 PM Anthrax and Testament The Fillmore - Charlotte - Charlotte, NC Sunday Nov 6, 2011 7:00 PM Anthrax and Testament The Fillmore Silver Spring - Silver Spring, MD

Tuesday Nov 8, 2011 7:00 PM Anthrax and Testament Northern Lights - Albany NY - Albany, NY

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Thursday Nov 10, 2011 8:00 PM Anthrax and Testament Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA Friday Nov 11, 2011 8:00 PM Anthrax and Testament Palladium-MA - Worcester, MA Saturday Nov 12, 2011 7:00 PM Anthrax Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ Sunday Nov 13, 2011 7:00 PM Anthrax and Testament The Paramount - Huntington, NY

Tuesday Nov 15, 2011 6:00 PM Anthrax and Testament Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY

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Thursday Nov 17, 2011 7:00 PM Anthrax and Testament Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA Friday Nov 18, 2011 8:00 PM Anthrax and Testament House of Blues Cleveland - Cleveland, OH

Korn

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Thursday Nov 3, 2011 7:00 PM Korn House of Blues Boston - Boston, MA Friday Nov 4, 2011 7:00 PM Korn Roseland Ballroom - New York, NY Saturday Nov 5, 2011 8:00 PM Korn Tower Theatre-Upper Darby - Upper Darby, PA Sunday Nov 6, 2011 7:00 PM Korn The Paramount - Huntington, NY

Wednesday Nov 9, 2011 8:00 PM Korn Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater - Miami Beach, FL

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Thursday Nov 10, 2011 8:00 PM Korn Hard Rock Live-Orlando - Orlando, FL

Friday Nov 11, 2011 8:00 PM Korn Stadium Green Iguana - Tampa, FL Saturday Nov 12, 2011 9:30 PM Korn Wild Bills - GA - Duluth, GA Wednesday Nov 16, 2011 8:00 PM Korn Brady Theater - Tulsa, OK Saturday Nov 19, 2011 8:00 PM Korn Verizon Wireless Theater-TX - Houston, TX

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Sunday Nov 20, 2011 7:30 PM Korn The Palladium Ballroom - TX - Dallas, TX

Avenged Sevenfold Buried Alive tour

Wednesday Nov 23, 2011 7:00 PM Buried Alive Tour feat. Avenged Sevenfold Germain Arena - Estero, FL Tickets
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Friday Nov 25, 2011 7:00 PM Buried Alive Tour feat. Avenged Sevenfold Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena - Jacksonville, FL Tickets Saturday Nov 26, 2011 6:30 PM Buried Alive Tour feat. Avenged Sevenfold Augusta Richmond County Civic Center - James Brown Arena - Augusta, GA Tickets Monday Nov 28, 2011 6:30 PM Buried Alive Tour - Avenged Sevenfold Von Braun Center Arena - Huntsville, AL Tickets Tuesday Nov 29, 2011 6:30 PM Buried Alive Tour feat. Avenged Sevenfold Eastern Kentucky Expo Center - Pikeville, KY Tickets

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Wednesday Nov 30, 2011 6:30 PM Buried Alive Tour feat. Avenged Sevenfold Allen County War Memorial Coliseum - Fort Wayne, IN

Judas Priest

Tuesday Nov 1, 2011 6:30 PM Judas Priest Shaw Conference Centre - Edmonton, AB Tickets

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Wednesday Nov 2, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB Tickets Friday Nov 4, 2011 6:30 PM Judas Priest Maverik Center - Salt Lake City, UT Tickets Saturday Nov 5, 2011 6:30 PM Judas Priest 1stBank Center - Broomfield, CO Tickets Tuesday Nov 8, 2011 7:00 PM Judas Priest U.S. Bank Arena - Cincinnati, OH Tickets

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Wednesday Nov 9, 2011 7:00 PM Judas Priest Prairie Capital Convention - Springfield, IL Tickets Thursday Nov 10, 2011 7:00 PM Judas Priest Family Arena - Saint Charles, MO Tickets Saturday Nov 12, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest The Venue at Horseshoe Casino Hammond - Hammond, IN Tickets Sunday Nov 13, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Joe Louis Arena - Detroit, MI Tickets

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Tuesday Nov 15, 2011 7:00 PM Judas Priest Quicken Loans Arena - Cleveland, OH Tickets Friday Nov 18, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Izod Center - East Rutherford, NJ Tickets Saturday Nov 19, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Cambria County War Memorial Arena - Johnstown, PA Tickets Sunday Nov 20, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Tsongas Center - Lowell, MA Tickets

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Tuesday Nov 22, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Air Canada Centre - Toronto, ON Tickets Thursday Nov 24, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Bell Centre - Montreal, QC Tickets Saturday Nov 26, 2011 6:30 PM Judas Priest Sovereign Center - Reading, PA Tickets Sunday Nov 27, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest Winston-Salem Entertainment Sports Complex - Winston Salem, NC Tickets

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Wednesday Nov 30, 2011 6:00 PM Judas Priest 1-800-Ask-Gary Amph at The FL State Fairgrounds - Tampa, FL Tickets

Mushroomhead

Friday Nov 4, 2011 7:00 PM Mushroomhead Piere's - Fort Wayne, IN Tickets

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Sunday Nov 6, 2011 7:30 PM Mushroomhead Beaumont Club - Kansas City, MO

Five Finger Death Punch

Sunday Nov 6, 2011 7:00 PM Five Finger Death Punch Murat Egyptian Room at Old National Centre - Indianapolis, IN Tickets
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Tuesday Nov 8, 2011 7:00 PM Five Finger Death Punch House of Blues Houston - Houston, TX Tickets Saturday Nov 12, 2011 7:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch The Palladium Ballroom - TX - Dallas, TX Tickets Monday Nov 14, 2011 7:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA Tickets Tuesday Nov 15, 2011 7:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch Greensboro Coliseum Complex - Greensboro, NC Tickets

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Wednesday Nov 16, 2011 7:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch Bi-Lo Center - Greenville, SC Tickets Friday Nov 18, 2011 7:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch Jannus Live - Saint Petersburg, FL Tickets Saturday Nov 19, 2011 7:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch Hard Rock Live-Orlando - Orlando, FL Tickets Tuesday Nov 22, 2011 7:45 PM Five Finger Death Punch Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA Tickets

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Wednesday Nov 23, 2011 7:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch Best Buy Theatre - Times Square - New York, NY Tickets Friday Nov 25, 2011 6:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA Tickets Sunday Nov 27, 2011 6:30 PM Five Finger Death Punch Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ Tickets

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Goth and Religion

As I have stated in other pages on this website, goths do not have a mass religion. However, many goths do follow a religion of their own personal choice, and some religions are more widespread in the scene than others. This page discusses (briefly); various religions which goths are drawn to, the relationship that goths have with religion, and misconceptions that many people have about goths and religion. Oh, and a quick mention of the infamous GodHatesGoths site. Disclaimer: nothing on this page is said in an attempt to 'convert' anyone else to any religion or faith. I am not against nor biased towards any particular religion. I follow my own faith, I am happy with my choice, and I don't wish to force it on anybody else. Thanks XD. I will begin by saying that studies have shown that a majority of goths follow a Christian religion. But, in the scene, minority faith groups such as Shamanism, Buddhism, Wicca and other Neopagan traditions are well represented. Of course, not all goths are religious. Many are atheists or agnostics. Satanism? Few goths seem to actually be practising Satanists although many mallgoths and wannabes claim to be in an attempt to seem dark and spooooooky. This would probably be a reasonable time to mention that Satanism is not quite what the mainstream thinks it is. (I have been informed of this by my Satanist friends - none of whom are goth, by the way. 'My Satanist friends' that makes me laugh for some reason. Anyway...) It does not involve sacrifices (chicken, goat, human or any other kind), cannibalism, or ninety-nine per cent of the myths that the media associate with it. That's about all I'm going to say here as I'm no expert on the subject, anyone who wants to know more
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should probably Google it. I'm just trying to point out that the whole 'dark evil Satanist goths who eat babies and sacrifice goats' stereotype, is, basically, a load of bull. Many goths often wear religions symbols - for example crosses, crucifixes, pentagrams/pentacles, ankhs etc. These are sometimes worn as an expression of the wearer's faith, sometimes for satire, sometimes for the meaning of the symbol, and sometimes just because they like the appearance. (For example, I personally sometimes wear a pentacle as a symbol of protection, I wear a crucifix occasionally for satire, and I wear ankhs because I like the way they look.)

Religion and life after death are frequently discussed on gothic news groups, and many songs, band names and album titles have Christian themes. Even
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Nancy Kilpatrick's The Goth Bible has a section devoted to religion. Goths are often deep thinkers, and therefore do not shy away from considering 'the next step', as it were. (This, in part, has probably given rise to the common misconception that all goths are 'obsessed' with death.) The public incorrectly associates goths with Marilyn Manson, who "publicly presents himself as a follower of the Church of Satan... He was ordained a priest in the Church of Satan by the [late] founder, Anton LaVey. Many fans refer to him as the Rev. Marilyn Manson." Actually, Manson is not a follower of that Church; he was simply appointed as a Reverend within the Church by its founder, Anton LaVey. From this Satanic connection, the perception that goths are all Satanists has grown still further. As I have said, there are a few Satanists who are also goths, but they are rare. Here I'm going to mention the GodHatesGoths parody website, which most of you have probably stumbled across at some point. I've noticed that many people haven't realized that this website is a satire - which it is. It's written from a seriously exaggerated fundamentalist Christian viewpoint, and claims to be the official website of the Parents Against Goth organization (which, by the way, does not exist) and is master-minded by the fictional character Revered R.G. Green. This website has caused much anger throughout the goth scene. It states: "GOTHS ARE PROUD OF THEIR SIN, PROUD TO PARADE AROUND LIKE SICK HALLOWEEN FREAK-SHOWS, PROUD TO DEGRADE THEIR BODIES WITH TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS, PROUD TO ENGAGE IN FILTHY SEXUAL PERVERSIONS, AND IN THAT PRIDEFUL STATE THEY CANNOT REPENT - YOU CANNOT REPENT OF SOMETHING YOU'RE PROUD OF. PRIDE IS ONE OF THE 7 ABOMINABLE SINS WHICH ARE HATED BY GOD. THE GOTHS' ONLY HOPE IS TO HAVE THE UNAMBIGUOUS TRUTH PREACHED TO THEM, AND PERHAPS GOD WILL SOFTEN THEIR HEARTS AND GRANT THEM REPENTANCE TO DEPART FROM THEIR SIN AND NAME THE NAME OF CHRIST. NOT VERY LIKELY, THOUGH, SINCE GOD HAS GIVEN UP ON THEM. HE HAS ABANDONED THEM. HE
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SHALL MOCK THEM WHEN THEY SUFFER, AND LAUGH AT THEIR DEMISE. WHEN A GOTH DIES, GOD LAUGHS." I'm grateful it's not the real deal..

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Welcome my kinky friends! And another packed month of fetish fun to keep yourselves more than amused ;)

On a personal note if anyone goes to any of these events please oh please let me know and maybe send me a pic or a little write up on it so I can let others know whats hot and whats not! Happy Playing my beloved friends TQ

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November 4-6
Rubber Blowout Weekend / Mr.International Rubber Chicago, Illinois, USA www.mirubber.com

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2011 Noon - 7:00 pm The MIR Kink Market and Social Billie Jean King Recreation Center of The Center on Halsted Vendors from around the globe will be offering their wares for sale and trial in our kink market. Meet some new friends in the Kinkster Lounge, watch or participate in a demo in our rubber playground The Center on Halsted is located at 3656 North Halsted Street. Get a map from Mapquest Noon - 7:00 pm MIR2012 Registration and Individual Ticket Sales The Harris Family Foundation Reception Hall of The Center on Halsted Pick up your weekend package at the Center on Halsted beginning today. 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm The Greet the Meat Cocktail Party
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The Harris Family Foundation Reception Hall of The Center on Halsted You are are invited to a cocktail party prior to the start of the MIR2012 Contest. Socialize with attendees, contestants and judges. Contestants will draw their order of competition and prizes will be given away to a few lucky weekend package holders. 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm The Mr. International Rubber 2012 Contest - Part 1 The Hoover-Leppen Theater of The Center on Halsted The fun and erotic entertainment begins as the contest swings into action. Contestants compete in the first two judged categories of the competition, including "Rubber Image" and the return of the 'Wet Rubber" competition.. SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2011 Noon - 7:00 pm MIR2012 Registration and Individual Ticket Sales The Harris Family Foundation Reception Hall of The Center on Halsted Pick-up your weekend package at the Center on Halsted. Noon - 7:00 pm The MIR Kink Market, Social and Chicago Rubbermen Gear Sale The Billie Jean King Recreation Center of The Center on Halsted Vendors from around the globe will be offering their wares for sale and trial in our kink market. Meet some new friends in the Kinkster Lounge, watch or participate in a demo in our rubber playground. If you have fetish gear that you haven't worn in a while and are looking to sell it, don't waste your time with online auctions, sell it at the Chicago Rubbermen Gear Sale! TBA MIR2012 Kink Workshops and Discussions The Center on Halsted, 2nd Floor Meeting Room TBA MIR2012 will offer workshops and discussions on various kink and fetish
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related topics. Specific topics, presenters and locations will be announced at a later date. if you are interested in presenting, please provide a brief description of your 1 hour presentation/discussion topic along with a listing of previous presentations your have given including the location and conference to info@mirubber.com. Please use the subject MIR2012 Workshop. 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM The MIR Rubber Pup Rumpus The Billie Jean King Recreation Center of The Center on Halsted The rubber pups and their handlers take over the demo space for the second annual Rubber Pup Rumpus. Let your primal urges be your guide as your animal instinct takes over. Pups and handlers both welcome. Rubber encouraged, but all pups are welcome. The Rubber Pup Rumpus is a presented in partnership with the Chicago Puppy Patrol. (www.chicagopuppypatrol.org) 7:00 - 9:00 pm Black Carpet Arrivals and Cocktails The Harris Family Foundation Reception Hall of The Center on Halsted Get your picture taken on the black carpet and enjoy cocktails with the contestants, judges and fellow attendees prior to the part 2 of the MIR2012 contest! 9:00 pm Mr. International Rubber 2011 Contest - Part 2 The Hoover Leppen Theater of The Center on Halsted The exciting conclusion to the Mr. International Rubber Contest. Includes judging of on stage question, "mystery-bag" and audience participation. A new Mister International Rubber will be sashed this evening! SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2011
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Noon - 5:00 pm The MIR Kink Market, Social and Chicago Rubbermen Gear Sale The Billie Jean King Recreation Center of The Center on Halsted Vendors from around the globe will be offering their wares for sale and trial in our kink market. Meet some new friends in the Kinkster Lounge, watch or participate in a demo in our rubber playground. If you have fetish gear that you haven't worn in a while and are looking to sell it, don't waste your time with online auctions, sell it at the Chicago Rubbermen Gear Sale! 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Lubed Up Latex Wrestling The Billie Jean King Recreation Center of The Center on Halsted It may be the last day of MIR, but there are a few rumbles left to be settled. We invite YOU to join in our Lubed Up Latex Wrestling in the demo area. If you are wrestling in lube with another man in rubber, let the demo space coordinator know. It's a bracket tourney, and winner takes all!

November 5-12
Kink in the Carribean Jamaica www.kinkevents.com

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FRIDAY, 11/5 FLESH + FETISH + FANTASY = ? KINK GROUP XCURSION CATAMARAN PARTY & SNORKLE CRUISE Leaves: 9:00am, Returns: 1:00pm 12:00pm 1:00pm Impact Play, Location: Disco 1:00pm 2:00pm Workshop: Fire Play, Location: Disco 1:00pm 4:00pm Daily Swin N Spanx Location: Lewd Pool 2:00pm 3:00pm Workshop: Fire Cupping, Location: Disco 4:00pm 5:30pm Workshop:Suspension Bondage, Location: Disco 4:00pm Glide The Slide! The K9 Kamikazi Water Slide Team. Bring Your Most Outrageous & Restrictive Latex Gear! 7:00pm Dinner Is Served!. Main Dining Room DRESS TO IMPRESS! 9:00pm FLESH+FETISH+FANTASY RAVE, Location: Disco 12:00am KINKY KARAOKE MADNESS, Location: Piano Bar 12:00am 4:00am Play Party, Kink Play Space SATURDAY, 11/6 10:00am Farewell Brunch Gathering, Location: Main Dining Room 12:00pm Check-Out * This Schedule is Tentative and Subject To Change Without Notice. DAILY ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE (Non Fetish Activities) OCTOBER 30 NOVEMBER 6, 2010 Sunday Theme School Reunion / Retro 1:30 pm Naughty School Girls Vs Boys Game Show Main Stage PRUDE BEACH 7:30 am Trading post Opens 11:30 am Pop Culture Trivia 12:00 Noon Horse Shoe Throwing Contest 12:30 pm School Girls Vs School Boys Naughty Beach Games 3:30 pm School Boys Vs Girls Beach Volleyball 4:00 pm Line Dance Lessons 4;30 pm Miniature Golf Tournament
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5:00 pm Nude Tube Take Over (Waterslide) NUDE BEACH 11:30 am Find Your Mate Contest 12:00 Noon Naughty Nude Twisters 12:30 pm Retro Trivia 1:00 pm Naughty School Girls Vs Boys Pool Volleyball 3:30 pm Pimpers Paradise Pool Party 5:00 pm Nude Tube Take Over (Waterslide) EVENING EVENTS 7:30 pm Resident Band Blast Dinner Interlude 8:30 pm Name That Old Song Contest 9:00 pm Blast From The Past Retro Showcase 9:45 pm Battle Of The Sexes Games & Costume Contest 10:30 pm Piano Bar Sing Along Piano Bar 10:30 pm Naughty School Reunion Retro Party Club Hurricane Monday Theme Jamaica Jamboree Dress Code: Wear Jamaican Colors Black / Yellow / Green 1:30 pm Island Mix And Madness Main Stage PRUDE BEACH 7:30 am Trading Post Opens 11:30 am Reggae Island Scavenger Hunt 12:00 Noon Jamaica Corner Patois Lessons / Jamaica Trivia 12:30 pm Reggae Dance Class 3:30 pm Rum Mixology 4:00 pm Jamaica Vs The rest Of The World Beach Volleyball 5:00 pm Irie Mon Beer Games NUDE BEACH 11:30 am Jamaica Corner Patois Lessons / Jamaica Trivia 12:00 Noon Booty Shaking Lessons 12:30 pm Bob Marley Trivia 1:00 pm Naughty Beer Games 3:30 pm Jamaica Me Crazy Pool Party
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5:00 pm Naked Beach Volleyball EVENING EVENTS 7:30 pm Resident Band Blast Dinner Interlude 8:30 pm Steel Pan Band 9:30 pm Cultural Explosion 10:15 pm Jamaica Jamboree 10:30 pm Kinky Karaoke Piano Bar 10:30 pm We Be Jammin Jamaica Escape Club Hurricane Tuesday Theme Temptation Tuesday / Pajama Party Dress Code: Sexy Wear / Lingerie 1:30 pm Couples Game Show Main Stage PRUDE BEACH 7:30 am Trading post Opens 11:30 am Dirty Minds Trivia 12:00 Noon Naughty Scavenger Hunt 12:30 pm Erotic Body Painting Contest 3:30 pm Mr. Wet Shorts Contest 4:00 pm Naughty Luck Dip Games 5:00 pm Strip Me Beer Games NUDE BEACH 11:30 am Dirty Minds Trivia 12:00 Noon Erotic Body Painting Contest 12:30 pm Naughty Scavenger Hunt 1:00 pm Miss Nude N Naughty Contest 3:30 pm Human Sundae Contest 5:00 pm Body Shots & Chants Party EVENING EVENTS 7:30 pm Resident Band Blast Dinner Interlude 8:30 pm Sultry Fashion Show 9:30 pm Sensual Seduction Cabaret Showcase 10:30 pm Piano Bar Sing Along Piano Bar 10:30 pm Sultry Lingerie Party Club Hurricane
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Wednesday Theme Fetish Factory Dress Code: Fetish Wear 1:30 pm Wildin Out Fetish Games PRUDE BEACH 7:30 am Trading post Opens 11:30 am Truth Or Dare Game 12:00 Noon Spin The Bottle Naughty Games 12:30 pm Risky Business Ring Toss 3:30 pm Find Your Mate Contest 4:00 pm Wild Side Luck Dip 4:30 pm Miniature Golf Tournament 5:00 pm Hot Tub Have You Ever 6:00 pm Repeat Guest Cocktail Party Piano Bar NUDE BEACH 11:30 am Pin The Body Party Contest 12:00 Noon Naughty Beach Games 12:30 pm Ladies Booty Shaking & Striptease Contest 1:00 pm Male Lap Dance Contest 3:30 pm Wildin Out Beach Party 5:00 pm Male Lap Dance Contest EVENING EVENTS 7:30 pm Resident Band Blast Dinner Interlude 9:00 pm Fetish factory Showcase 10:30 pm Piano Bar Sing Along Piano Bar 10:30 pm Alter Ego Exposed Fetish Party Club Hurricane Thursday Theme Staff Vs Guest / Cesars Revelry Toga Party 1:30 pm Staff Vs Guest Floor Games / Toga Tying Demonstration PRUDE BEACH 7:30 am Trading post Opens 11:30 am Staff Vs Guest Ping Pong Tournament Games Room 12:00 Noon Staff Vs Guest Pool Tournament Games Room 12:30 pm Staff Vs Guest Tennis & Squash Tournament Tennis Courts
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3:30 pm Staff Vs Guest Beach Regatta Kayak / Swimming Contest 4:00 pm Staff Vs Guest Beach Games & Beer Drinking Contest 5:00 pm Staff Vs Guest Beach Volleyball NUDE BEACH 11:30 am Dirty Horoscope 12:00 Noon Toga Tying Demonstration 12:30 pm Pool Olympics 1:00 pm Pool Volleyball 3:30 pm Best Male Tan Contest & Miss Nude Aphrodite Contest 5:00 pm Body Shots & Chants Party EVENING EVENTS 7:30 pm Resident Band Blast Dinner Interlude 8:30 pm Staff Vs Guest Awards Presentation 9:00 pm Staff & Guest Talent Show 9:45 pm Cesars Revelry Toga Party 10:30 pm Piano bar Sing Along Piano Bar 10::30 pm Post Toga Party Club Hurricane Friday Theme Rock Star Dress Code: Dress Like A Rock Star 1:30 pm Wet T-Shirt Contest PRUDE BEACH 7:30 am Trading post Opens 11:30 am Beach Bingo Bonanza 12:00 Noon Black Jack Casino Games 1:00 pm Casino Games Auction 3:30 pm Frozen T-Shirt Contest 4:00 pm Party Like A Rock Star Beach Party 5:00 pm Red Stripe Beer Beach Volleyball NUDE BEACH 11:30 am Rock Stars Music Trivia 12:00 Noon Frozen T-Shirt Contest 12:30 pm Ultimate Hunk Of Hedo Contest
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3:30 pm Rum Mixology 5:00 pm Nude Tube Take Over (Waterslide) EVENING EVENTS 7:00 pm Chefs Gala Buffet 7:30 pm Resident Band Blast Dinner Interlude 8:30 pm Rock Stars VJ Cinema 9:00 pm Rock Stars Rock Riders Showcase 10:00 pm Costume Contest 10:30 pm Kinky Karaoke Piano Bar 10::30 pm Party Like A Rock Star Club Hurricane Saturday Theme Futuristic Fashionistas Dress Code: Futuristic Costumes Saturday Theme Futuristic Fashionistas Dress Code: Futuristic Costumes 1:30 pm Ladies Oil Wrestling Contest 3:30 pm Freakasonic Pool Party Main Pool PRUDE BEACH 7:30 am Trading Post Opens 11:30 am Fish A Prize Challenge 12:00 Noon Water Balloon Volleyball 1:00 pm Best Tan / Burn & Peel Contest NUDE BEACH 11:30 am Slippery When Wet Contest 12:00 Noon Golden Shower Beer Drinking 12:30 pm Rum Runners Scavenger Hunt HEDONISM II ATTRACTIONS EVENING EVENTS 7:30 pm Dinner Saxophone Serenade 8:30 pm Meet The Stars 9:00 pm Starlicious Spotlight Showcase 10:30 pm Piano Bar Sing Along Piano Bar 10::30 pm The Next Level Dance Party Club Hurricane
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THE TERRACE BUFFET DINING Breakfast Buffet 7:30 am 10:30 am Lunch Buffet 12:30 pm 3:00 pm Continental 10:30 am 11;00 am Dinner Buffet 7:00 pm 10:00 pm MUNASAN RESTAURANT (Japanese Cuisine) Dress Code: Elegant Opens Everyday Except Friday 6:30 pm-10:00 pm (Reservations Required) Tour Desk MARTINOS RESTAURANT (Italian Cuisine) Dress Code: Elegant Casual Opens everyday Except Friday 6:00 pm9:30 pm (Reservations Required) Tour Desk NUDE BEACH GRILL 11:00 am 7:00 pm Daily PRUDE BEACH GRIL 11:00 am 6:00 pm Daily (Restaurant Schedules Are Subject to Change)

November 5-12
The Geeky Kink Event
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Piscataway, New Jersey, USA www.thegeekykinkevent.com Also... if you are here, and you have not heard of Wicked Faire, you should probably check it out. This much-beloved event has been called "A wonderland of geek, fantasy and fun for mature but whimsical people to gather and play." Sounds awesome, yes? MISSION: As the worlds first full-scale, weekend-long event for geeky, nerdy, and otherwise brainy kinky people, our goal is to show you a ridiculously insanely good time. We will shamelessly use every means at our disposal to help you have a fun, interesting, informative, thrilling, fascinating weekend, even if it means we have to read fanfiction. Because thats how much we love you. EXPERIENCE the delectations of learning cool, new things, making amazing stuff (coming soon), sharing your knowledge and skills, and otherwise stimulating and delighting your brain! ENJOY a splendid variety of gatherings, hangouts, celebrations, festivities, and general merrymakeries geared toward deeply satisfying the primatological urge to be social...oh, and make new friends, have great conversations, and find new partners, colleagues, and chums.

FROLIC in our playspaces! (For various definitions of frolic, some of which involve bruises, tears, rope marks, elf-poking, tentacles, readings from the Necronomicon, Vogon poetry, autokineton-roleplay, and hitting people, to name a few.) We will have at least a quite good dungeon with some excellent equipment. It might be even better than that--were working on it. I mean, technically we will have the most enjoyable and unique dungeon ever
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designed for an event of this kind

November 4-6
Gulf Coast Leatherwoman Dallas, Texas, USA www.gulfcoastleatherwoman.com

Gulf Coast Leather Woman Contest consists of the following regions: Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The contest will be held on November 4-5, 2011 in Dallas, TX at: The Dallas Eagle 5740 Maple Ave Dallas, TX 75235

November 10-13
Palm Springs Leather Pride Palm Springs, California, USA www.desertleatherpride.com
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"Palm Springs Leather Order of the Desert welcomes you and invites you to take a look around. We think we have created a weekend full of activities sure to please, and all for just $99.00 per person! Included you'll find everything you may want to know about Desert Leather Pride, so take a look at the menu and find all the Information designed for our Visitors, including our new, expanded schedule and the ability to purchase your tickets onlineright now! We hope you join the ranks of last years attendees who came from 26 states and 4 countries! You can also check out the special sections for our incoming Contestants, Vendors, Sponsors and the Press. If you find that we've missed something just click on Contacts and you can quickly get in touch with the appropriate person. As is our tradition, Leather Pride will once again be held on the weekend following the Greater Palm Springs Pride Festival so that guests who wish to make an extended vacation to Palm Springs may enjoy both celebrations. Please consider joining us for a wonderful week in our Desert Valley Oasis. Again thank you for stopping by and we hope to see you soon! By the way, if you happen to be in town you're welcome to come to any of our monthly meetings or join us at our monthly beverage benefit. You can check out the schedule and much more about PSLOD atpslod.org." George Puddephatt, President, PSLOD
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Bill Spinney, Leather Pride Chairman 2011

November 11-13
Fetish Fair Fleamarket (tm) Houston Houston, Texas, USA www.fetishfairfleamarket.com

Welcome to the Fetish Fair Fleamarket (TM) central information site. The Fetish Fair Fleamarket (also known as the FFF), originally began in the Boston area in 1992 and has been held twice yearly in New England since then. The founder and creator of the event, Cecilia Tan, has joined forces with Danny of Leather by Danny and other activists, community builders, vendors, and event producers to bring the FFFand the benefits the event has afforded the New England leather/fetish/BDSM communityto other parts of the country, including Atlanta, Charlotte, and other areas. The Fetish Fair Fleamarket serves many needs in each community including the following: The event provides a safe, neutral environment where the kink-curious can learn about the community and leather/fetish/BDSM lifestyles. The event is the most economical, low-cost event of its kind. Other conventions charge hundreds of dollars per person just to walk in the door. We keep our entry price low so everyone can be a part of things and attend our educational programs. The event creates an opportunity for many segments of the community to come together for a common goal, whether singles or couples, men or women, gay or straight, old guard or new styleeveryone needs to shop! The event spurs the economic growth of our community and supports
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the growth of our community businesses. The event is an unparalleled opportunity to educate both the public and to share ideas within our communities, meet new people, and network.

November 11-13
Leather Reign Seattle, Washington, USA www.leatherreign.org
Leather Reign 2011 - November 11-13, 2011 in Seattle, WA After four years of growth with excellent, nationally acclaimed presenters and most importantly you, the conference participants, we are back in November with new, exciting program bringing new perspectives in our lives and creating new friendships. Please join us in the intimate environment for a weekend of mental, emotional and spiritual growth.

Friday Schedule

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Registration: 12:00pm - 9:00pm Opening Ceremony: 7:30pm - 8:30pm Workshops: 2:00pm - 3:30pm 4:00pm - 5:30pm Playroom: 9:00pm - 2:00am Vendors: 3:30pm - 7:00pm Hospitality Suite: 4:30pm - 7:00pm 9:00pm - 2:00am Photo booth by Distinct Glimpse Photography: 9:00pm - 12:00am

Saturday Schedule

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Registration: 8:30am - 2:00pm Keynote dinner: 6:30pm - 8:30pm Workshops: 9:00am - 10:30pm 11:00am - 12:30pm 2:00pm - 3:30pm 4:00pm - 5:30pm Brown bag discussions: 12:45pm - 1:45pm Playroom: 9:30pm - 2:00am Vendors: 9:00am - 6:00pm Hospitality Suite: 8:30am - 6:00pm 9:30pm - 2:00am Photo booth by Master Abacus: 9:00pm - 12:00am

Sunday Schedule

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Lunch talk: 12:00pm - 1:30pm Workshops: 10:00am - 11:30pm 2:00pm - 3:30pm 4:00pm - 5:30pm MAST meeting: 9:00am - 10:00am Vendors: 9:00am - 2:00pm Hospitality Suite: 9:00am - 11:30am

November 18-20
Erotica Olympia, London, England, UK www.erotica-uk.com TAKE YOUR PARTNERS TO STRIPLY EROTICA! This year our three-day extravaganza is dedicated to the most delicious and
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daring dance forms imaginable. From basic ballroom, cheeky cha cha chas to passionate paso dobles join us as we explore the erotica of dance and how it has evolved. Dance in essence is the very language of love and sex, said Savvas Christodoulou, Erotica supremo. Millions are captivated watching couples master the art each week and we want to push back the boundaries as far as possible. We may even teach visitors some passionate moves of their own. Several high profile Strictly names from the world of dance are in discussion with Erotica Executives to participate. Strictly stars Andrew Cuerden and his lovely Finnish partner Hanna Haarala will lead the dazzling dances of delight with a group of top professionals. And a leading choreographer from the show is advising on the routines. The pair, who wowed audiences on Tv's Strictly Come Dancing, are poised to go where no TV show can go. It will be great to really explore the sexuality of dance, said Andrew. We want to break a few boundaries! More than 200 exhibitors are already onboard offering a vast array of gadgets, gizmos, furniture and fashion items from around the World to give British love lives a lift. And Striply Erotica will mount the biggest exhibition of erotic art under one roof. More than 50,000 adults are expected to waltz their way to the wonderful weekend.

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November 25
The Laether Masked Ball Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA www.leathermaskedball.org Grab your gear and get ready to party!! November 25, 2011, the hottest Leather Party in South Florida returns for its sixth and best year yet! Leather Mens Brotherhood is proud to announce BOOM Nightclub as the venue for The Leather Masked Ball Six! For the first time ever you will be partying the night away in the center of Wilton Manors, South Florida's gay mecca! Get your dancing boots shined and ready to rock with DJ/Producer John LePage from San Francisco! VIP Lounge, bootblacks, silent auction, Live BDSM demonstrations! There is something for everyone to enjoy at The Leather Masked Ball! Every year 100% of The Leather Masked Ball proceeds are distributed to local and national charities. This years grants include: $10,000 to the Broward House Gay Teen Suicide Prevention Program
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$10,000 to The Leather Archives and Museum to archive and preserve the history of the leather lifestyle In its six year history The Leather Masked Ball will have distributed more than $110,000 to community non-profits. The ball is run by the all-volunteer Leather Mens Brotherhood, an established 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Check out the links for ticket and hotel information, related events and information on the Leather Men's Brotherhood, and well see you in November!

November 25-27
Brimstone Edison, New Jersey, USA www.brimstonenj.com Yes! the most incredible Scene event ever is on again - this time with a larger, nicer and better equipped venue! Last year's BrimStone was a breakthrough event, one of those events that everyone in the scene was talking about all year. But sadly, with success often
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comes trouble - we outgrew the old hotel before we even opened the doors. So for the last nine months we've been talking with hotels - and as everyone knows, My team does not put on "just any event" - it has to be the sexiest, most exciting, most fun and most rewarding event you've ever been to. Sure we have classes, sure we have playspace - but we also have social spaces, meet and greet parties and special events designed to get you to meet new people, try new things and in general improve your entire scene life. Now I've been going to kink events since the 1990's - and I've done house parties, hotel events, street fairs, camp events and convention center events in fact my team and I created the first the convention center event. And i can honestly say, this new venue is the finest location for a scene event I have ever seen True, it's a hotel, but not just any hotel - it's a 1920's Grand Hotel that was just fully renovated - and it's absolutely gorgeous. it was updated last year with all modern features - all the rooms were redone, all new heat and A/C, new elevators, WiFi and a computer center. Unlike most hotels it has more than 30,000 SF of Dungeon and classroom space. That's FOUR TIMES the space most hotels have, so we don't have to tear down the playspace to do a class and vending isn't so tight you can't turn around. Also, the on site restaurants and bar are first class but if you want something different (or cheaper) there are lots of restaurants in the area, From fast-food to four star dining. There is train and bus access, plus free parking in the hotel lot and low-cost on street parking as well Compared to a Big Hotel event we have the whole place, so no worrying about pre-teens in the elevators and lobby, and no cramped vending areas. Free parking in the hotel lot, on-street parking at minimal cost. Compared to a small hotel event no need to tear down the playspace to make room for classes, do what you want when you want. Its all available, all the time. And the view out your window isnt an industrial park or an interstate highway. Unlike a camp event - you get a real TV and your own bathroom, and the mattress isn't covered in vinyl. Plus, actual heat and A/C.
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Unlike a convention center event - your room is an elevator ride away - Push the button and you're in your own private room to take a break or for some "private fun". No need to drive or wait for a shuttle. Plus, the floors are carpeted and the restrooms are clean and classy. As usual, the event will be non-profit (NJ Registered 501(c)4 educational) and will be open to all ALT communities - Het, Gay, queer, pony, ageplay, M/s. D/s, SM, BD, Cosplay and more. Yes, it will be a little more expensive than last year - but I can assure you it will be worth it in spades Of course, even the best things have their limits - so to make sure the event isn't crowded and everyone has the absolutely best experience possible, we're limiting attendance to the first 600 people. If you've been in the scene a while, you know my events generally sell out so register early.

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What is Safe, Sane and Consensual?

By Andrew

Safe Sane Consensual is a term you will hear throughout the BDSM communities. To me as a Dom this is important but what is Safe Sane and Consensual to me and my Partner may not be for others. To me it revolves around trust and knowing my partner fully and how far I can push her boundaries and when to stop. There most be good communication between Top and Bottom and everything should be able to be discussed before and after in turn this will make your experience that much better and let you open up to other areas and scenes. And to me safety is very important and ca never be over looked or taken lightly. But I also find that SSC can be used by a sub/slave as away to not go farther and explore other areas that my interest them but they have a fear of it and will not let those boundaries be pushed, for
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those of us that practice more of an extreme form of BDSM this becomes an issue and sometimes what we consider SSC isn't what the majority see's it as. It is about TRUST unconditional Trust! This takes time to build and once it is there the sub/slave is more open to new things and has that Trust that the Dom/Master wont go to far, because in truth once I have you bound, gag, hooded, your in no position to do anything and that is why trust is so important and why you can't always go by that someone say's I follow and practice SSC. You need to get to know them ask questions even have them perform a scene for you if you still are in doubt, set your rules and be very open to what you like, don't like and to what an absolute NO is. But don't limit your self to your fears because of what to other SSC means but work your way up to those things till you find out if it is what you want or don't.

What is Safe Sane Consensual?

Safe "Safe" means that we take care of each other as best we can, that no matter how we want our scenes, however gentle or rough, we do them in ways that do not injure our partners. "Safe" means that we take the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases seriously and use our best efforts to minimize those dangers. What can you do? Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can so that you can do safe scenes. That means read books, take classes, and ask others about specific techniques that interest you. Want to learn to use a cane? Ask an expert. Want to swing a flogger? Practice first on a pillow. Whether you're driving a car or tying somebody up, safety should always come first. It's especially important to not let your desire rule your good sense, so think about the specifics of your scenes outside of the scene. "Don't think with your groin."
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Sane Power exchange is about trust -- trust that the person who has the power in a scene will use it responsibly. If you are the Top then it is up to you to use the power your Bottom has granted you in a respectful and sane way. Your Bottom has given you a gift of trust, and you are honor-bound to repay it with good judgment. If as the Top you are so involved in your scene that you can't make good judgments, then you are not in control of yourself, and you have no business being in control of someone else. Sanity is about control, and self-control comes first. Consensual Everything that happens in a scene between people must be acceptable to all concerned. If you aren't sure that your partner has consented -- has said 'yes' -- then you need to talk until you are sure. The best way to get to 'yes' is to make sure that 'no' is an equally acceptable answer. This holds true in every situation, whether asking someone for a phone number or negotiating a scene. The less pressure you apply, the more likely that a 'yes' will come and will be a sincere answer. It's dangerous to play with someone who has said 'yes' for the wrong reasons. You can quickly end up in a situation that is neither safe, sane, nor consensual. To protect against this, refrain from pressuring anyone, and if you feel you are being pressured, set limits and stand by them. You should always feel free to say 'no.' Consensual means that you are sceneing because you want to, with someone who wants to, that everyone involved is willing to go ahead with the scene. If you are in the least bit unsure, stop and talk. Heres a list of terms and meanings regarding this:

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1. Safe This refers to physical safety. This is one of the basic and most cherished tenants of any D/s relationship. 2. Safer Sex AIDS awareness and adherence to safer sex guidelines Sex has always involved risk, besides the obvious risk of pregnancy, there has always been a risk of sexually transmitted disease. That's why condoms were invented for in the first place! In this age a disease has appeared, for which at this time, death is the only known cure that disease is HIV or AIDS. However, HIV and AIDS are not the only things out there, we all know the only truly safe sex is no sex at all, and as we all know that just is not going to happen. This link http://www.thebody.com/safesex.html has a lot of very good information on HIV, and other STD's. It even has an interactive quiz to help you rate your risk of contracting a STD. 3. Playing safe You and your chosen slave are deeply involved in a suspension scene, when, crack, she suddenly falls, injuring herself, putting a damper on any future play (to put it mildly). All because you failed to check the braces in the ceiling to see if they would hold before you began. Did you even think about putting a mat or something underneath them just incase this might happen? Thinking and planning for the unexpected, is the responsibility of both the Top and the Bottom. (Think like a Boy or Girl Scout, and be prepared). In other words, make plans, check your equipment; you should at least have some provision for quick release from any restraint in case of trouble. A sudden leg cramp, equipment failure, or even your Mother walking in the front door are all cases in which would demand a quick release. Check your toys before you play with them. Are they clean and if necessary sterile? If you are playing away from home, a play party for instance, did you
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yourself check to see how they were cleaned? Did you check to see if the supports, chains, or other suspension equipment was strong enough to take the type of play that you have intended? If you are using something non-traditional as a toy, like a plastic spatula, is it strong enough to use as you intend, or will it splinter and cut that up turned ass that you so enjoy spanking? What type of knot do you plan to use? Is it designed for quick release? Or is it meant to hold without slipping? Are you using the correct one for its designed task? If you have someone in chains, there should be a pair of bolt or chain cutters there in easy reach. For rope, cloth, or leather, etc a pair of ambulance scissors should be near in case of emergency. Its one thing to be carried away in the heat of the moment, but dont allow that to become a risk to the health and well being of your partner or yourself. As for the toys, so too first aid. You do have one, and you do know how and when to use it? You do have on hand alcohol, peroxide, betadine, etc in the playroom? Band-Aids? Bandages? Smelling Salts? Paper towels? There are several complete First-Aid kits available for sale, and at reasonable prices, there is no reason not to have one. Buy one and learn how to use it. Also, learn CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary-Resuscitation) it is easy to learn, and is cheep insurance as well. If you have questions about your partners well being, ask; if in doubt ask again. No responsible person will object to your questions. 4. Protection of Vital Organs No activity, which injures vital organs The body is a wonderful thing, it is padded in all the right places for play, but where do you start, at the beginning of course, with the differences between men and women. Women have more fatty tissue than men do on their bodies; therefore women tend to bruise more easily than men do. A womans breast need to be treated with a little more care than a mans does. A womans vagina is a great breeding ground for infection, but so is the foreskin of an uncircumcised
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man. Women tend to be a little more aggressive at the physiological and physical levels than a man. Any area of the body can be an erogenous zone. The primary ones are the tits, genitals, and the nine openings of the body. Everybody has them, and everyones are different, finding them is the fun part 5. Types of play and their effects on the body Percussion Implements for percussion play can be broken down into their characteristics and how they are used. No matter what or how they are used, it is important to avoid the joints, and the eyes. Paddles These can bruise deeply and transmit the force of the blow well into the body. The only areas that would be appropriate to paddle would be the well-muscled ones. The ass is a wonderful area to paddle. It is well protected by muscle and the pelvic bone. The only organ in that area is the rectum, and it is well protected by muscle and bone. Rods and or canes For rod work, the ass is a safe target. For light rod work, the ass and upper back around the shoulder area is safe. If working on the legs and thighs, care should be taken with the knees and other joints. If fatty tissue is present, care should be taken, as fatty tissue can rupture easily and bleeding can occur deep inside. A man can have his pectorals worked on, but this is not advisable for women. Whips and floggers These have a short, sharp focus of energy on the skin, which may break the skin depending upon the type of whip or flogger, and the technique that used. As with rods and canes, the ass, and the upper back are safe areas upon which to use a whip or flogger. Care should be taken to avoid the lower back, as the rib cage does not extend as far down as one may think, and one could bruise
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or even damage a kidney with a blow to this area. A weight lifters leather belt will help protect this area. Again a man can have his pectorals worked on, but, with women, the breasts should not be whipped nor flogged, if they are, they should be reserved for only the lightest work. If whipping the legs and thighs, care should be taken with the knees and other joints. If fatty tissue is present, care should be taken, as fatty tissue can rupture easily and bleeding can occur deep inside. Bondage Now we get to the good stuff you grab your chosen "victim" tie their wrists and ankles to the bed and begin to Sorry, nope, not yet, because you have to think about how you tie your playmate up. The important thing about bondage to remember is that depending upon where the knots are tied, how the knots are tied, and what is used as the restraint, rope, metal etc. causes different types of pressure on the skin and the underlying tissues. We dont want to damage our playmates do we? One of the most common areas for bondage is the wrist. The radial nerve, which runs along the thumb side of the forearm and terminates here, controls the thumb. If the bondage restraint used is to tight around the wrist, be it rope, fabric, metal or other material, the result, within minutes, is a numb thumb. Depending on how long the restraint has been applied, a few minutes, and the numbness could only last for a week or so, because the nerve would only be bruised and not permanently damaged. Longer than a few minutes of a too tight restraint could lead to damage to the radial nerve, and result in permanent damage to the thumb. When playing, remember to check for feeling in the thumb, if there is no sensation, loosen or release the restraint. Knots place extra pressure on the skin where the two meet, so they should never be placed on the thumb side of the wrist. The front side of the wrist, the less hairy side, has tendons, one nerve in the center, and arteries. Given the structure of the front of the wrist, you can apply some pressure here, just remember to check the fingers from time to time for blood flow and feeling. Inexperienced players will often attempt to hang or suspend someone by
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passing a rope under their arms and around their chest, this method is incorrect. If the arms are held above the head, the major nerves and arteries that supply the arms are exposed, these run deep in the hollow of the armpit. If you apply pressure to the hollow of the armpit, you are likely to cut off circulation, and bruise the nerves to the arms. When you are going to wrap any form of bondage to this area, pass the rope or whatever, over the tops of the arms, not under them where the nerves and blood vessels may be affected. In the lower leg, there is a superficial nerve that runs around the top of the fibula, the small bone just below the outer side of the knee. If pressure is applied to this area, bruising of the nerve may occur, causing a "dropped foot". The foot will be unable to be lifted. This is because this nerve supplies the muscles of the foot and provides sensation from the foot. This condition could last for several weeks; therefore you should avoid applying pressure on the outside of the knee just below the knee joint. In the area of the groin, the major arteries and nerves run from the aorta down into the legs crossing the groin in the mid-point between the pubis and outer hip bone. In the area of the crease of the groin, there are several major tendons but you are well away from nerves and blood vessels, so you can put traction here. You may cause pain, or maybe some tendentious, but you will not impact the nerves or blood vessels that supply the front of the leg. Mummification As we walk and move about, we are constantly fighting gravity. When we walk our leg muscles contract, pumping blood from the lower limbs, through the veins, back to the heart. When we stay in one standing position for to long, blood begins to pool in the lower limbs, cardiac out put falls, blood pressure drops, and we begin to feel light headed, and faint. This happens to some military men at attention in formation for long periods of time. There is a similar hazard when you put someone into vertical mummification. When you vertically mummify a person, they cant move, restricting the normal pumping action of their legs, this may cause blood to pool in their lower extremities. While the person you are playing with is mummified, you
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should stay in contact with that person, so that any dizziness or fainting can be dealt with immediately. When a person is released from mummification, pooling of the blood may have occurred elsewhere in the body, and, as the pressure of the wrappings is released, the person may faint almost immediately. Therefore, it is wise when finishing mummification, to have the person horizontal, or be prepared, to place them in a horizontal position, incase the person faints. Anal Insertion Never ever insert a glass object into the rectum, vagina, or penis! This goes for the hard brittle types of plastic as well. No matter how strong you think the object is, there is a chance that the muscles of the rectum maybe stronger and the resulting injury from cutting these tissues lets say that embarrassment would be the least of your worries! If something does break during ass play, seek treatment at your local hospital. Dont feel embarrassed about going there, Emergency Rooms have seen most everything you can think up, and maybe some things that youd never dream up. No Meaningful Damage No irreversible damage, nor any kind or degree of pain that the submissive did not request or knowledgeably consent to... This is self-explanatory. 6. Sane Limits A good player knows their limits, whether they are playing the bottom in a scene (victim, slave, baby, kidnapee, or whatever) or the top (villain, master, mommy, pirate captain, etc.) Everybody has limits. It is all well and good to dream of wide-open spaces, where every thing is possible. The truth is, when we bring our fantasies into reality, we bring them into a world thats full of limits, the limits of our knowledge, our experience or our desire often even our equipment and all of these things need to be dealt with.
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If a person is turned off by sticky sensations, it is a good idea the other party knows this before they paint on the honey and begin licking it off with their tongue. Some people have limits concerning past trauma in their lives, others about anything they find disturbing, or too scary, or just simply not erotic, or anything else that may cause problems in a scene. Tops have limits also, limits of experience, as well as what ever is uncomfortable or undesirable for them. We have physical limits as well. It maybe contact lenses, asthma, or a host of others, all of which need to be discussed openly, and understood before anyone gets tied up. This concept is crucial to understanding both safe and sane S/M play. To respect limits means that a Dominant will honor a submissive's personal boundaries - in both physical limits (degree or type of stimulus) and psychological limits (degree or type of role-playing). Respecting a partner's limits is the foundation for trust... 7. Consensual That means with consent freely and happily given, not coerced through intimidation, emotional black mail, bullying, or rape, tactics that unfortunately, are more common in the world outside the kinky one. For us, because we explore a world that carries with it such potential risk, such consent is sacred. Kinky play, roles and scenes, limits and safety issues are complex and are best discussed well in advance and, outside the scene area. That means discussing your plans before beginning to play, say at breakfast, or even better, in a neutral area away from any pressure of the scene, where both players can think clearly. 8. Consent Consent means more than one participant telling the other to "go ahead and do what you want": thoughtful consent is much more detailed than this. Consent means that both players have a line item veto over any item that is proposed.
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It is important to understand the nature of informed consent. Unless we fully understand something, to which we agree, then, our consent is neither proper, nor complete; i.e. we are not qualified to give it. This is a useful yardstick during the negotiation of any S/M scene: If you dont understand what you are getting into, then dont do it. Consent works much like a traffic light. It has its red, yellow, and green lights. Here is how it works: You have negotiated a scene, all the lights are green, this is exactly what you want, and you are excited. Then at some point during the scene, someone suggests something you did not negotiate, or you are unsure about, or uncomfortable with. Your light goes instantly to yellow. For example, you know that your Top is great say with electricity, and he/she takes out a whip to use, you may be a little concerned that they lack expertise in this area. (Just because a person is skilled in one area dont assume that they are equally as skilled in all others.) Whatever the reason for your yellow light, and the reasons behind it, you should either slow the scene down or stop it, to reassess your levels of consent, and do any renegotiating that may be necessary. One or both of you may need to reassure the other that every thing will be all right. If you want you can do this while still in your roles. In any situation you earn respect, and give consent. Trust develops in a relationship over time, sometimes it takes a long time, and with that trust comes consent. When the trust is lost, consent is lost also; and trust can be lost in an instant. In most cases, trust and consent go hand in hand, measure for measure. 9. Old enough and sober enough Since you have reached this point, it should be clear that S/M play involves some very complex adult decisions. It also involves a high degree of ethics, emotional sophistication and communication. Thus doing any sexual activity with someone that is under the legal age of consent in your area or country is not only illegal, but also frankly a very bad idea. It takes a long time to develop the level of emotional sophistication and
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intellectual ability, to make truly informed choices about sexual behaviors; they also rarely have enough real world power to take care of themselves if they are being subjected to adult exploitation and abuse. It is our job, our responsibility, as adults to see that this does not happen. It is also important that everyone involved in any alternative sexual practice be able to give meaningful, well-considered, informed consent. If drugs or alcohol has altered someones mood or judgement, then their consent does not mean much at all. Most kinky communities discourage intoxication. Feeling "no pain" usually means feeling no pleasure also. 10. Negotiation There is no right way or wrong way to go about negotiating an S/M scene; every one goes about it differently. One way to negotiate a scene is by the use of questionnaires. A "yes", "no", "maybe so" approach. You will find such a questionnaire on this site. Each player goes through the list of activities, ones that absolutely under no circumstance will he/she try they mark it "No." If he/she would try something if they felt safe enough, turned on enough, or whatever, they mark it "Maybe." A "Yes" means willing, ready and able. When do we start! This questionnaire is also broken into two categories, fantasy or "have you thought of trying", and reality, you have done this. If each person is honest with himself or herself as they answer, well, you can get a good idea of areas you have in common, your partners limits, as well as their level of experience in S/M activities. The partners then exchange list, comparing responses, they then can begin to make a simple plan to implement a few of their "yes" answers, and save the "maybe's" for another time. As they start easy, the partners gain experience with each other, they begin to grow, adding variety to their repertoire of kinky skills, and learning more about each others likes, dislikes, and limits. There is also a questionnaire for a Bottom and a Top on this site, it asks if there are any medical conditions that the other needs to be aware of. There is no need to rattle off all your medical history, a complete list of aches or pains.
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You should however, insure any medical information pertaining to the scene is known and understood by all who are participating. Different scenes may require varying degrees of information. Make sure you are comfortable with what you have told your partner, and they understand it, especially about any physical handicaps, physical limits, or other potential impediments, you may have that could affect the out come of the scene before it begins. Make sure that you discuss what is relevant. For example food allergies are not important in a whipping scene, where a history of seizure disorder would be, and should be discussed in full.

In the end to me TRUST is LAW followed by SAFETY so have fun and enjoy yourselves.....

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Pleasure & Pain

By Andrew A trickling of blood followed by a soft wet kiss, Shrouded in darkness, In a state of suspension, Bound and vulnerable you appear to be, As your breast raise with each breath & anticipation of what is to come, You can almost hear the drips of wax, As it hits your flesh with such burning desire, And slowly glides over your curves, Slowly working the wax down to your folds of blissful wetness, But yet a new sensation to be felt, As you anticipate the next and most pleasurable burning sensation, Gasping in waiting for it to reach your inner most sensual spot, I can see the pleading & begging in your eyes, As I comply and bring the candle closer And watch as the ice cube starts to melt from your warmth, Such joy reaches your eyes at the feel of what your mind takes to be hot dripping wax, With an arched back, You scream out in pleasure, As I slowly run the melting ice back and forth, Adding to your wetness, & pleading cries, You begin to feel the coolness over the heat, Bring you to the brink of rapture, As your breath escapes you as your mind realizes what has happen, but bring
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you even more pleasure, Knowing that your master as only yet begun, What more lies in store as you feel the bitter sting of leather across your breast, Bringing a pleading cry, Harder plzzzzzzzz, As you brace for the next with wanting anticipation, As I reward your desires, With a brush a of a feather across the tenderness of your redden breast, Leaving you in a state of heavenly rapture, As I undo the blind fold & your bindings, Taking you into my arms ever so caressingly, As I lay you down covering you in my love & kisss a plenty For you are my canvas & goddess, One that knows the true meaning of pleasure & pain.

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(Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender community)

SLDN Files DOMA Challenge, Seeking Equal Benefits for Same-Sex Military Spouses
Posted by Chris Geidner | October 27, 2011 11:05 AM | Permalink [Photo: Service members Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis, left, speaks at a news conference on Oct. 27, 2011, announcing the organization's filing of a lawsuit challenging the Defense of Marriage Act, as several of the lawsuit's plaintiffs wait to speak. (Photo courtesy of SLDN.)]

Today in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, Service members Legal Defense Network filed a federal lawsuit against three cabinet secretaries, asserting that the denial of "same recognition, family support and benefits" for service members with same-sex spouses and their children is unconstitutional. To the extent that the Defense of Marriage Act prohibits
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such equal treatment, the complaint filed this morning argues, DOMA is unconstitutional. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of several service members and veterans and their spouses, leads off in simple terms: "This is an action by current and former active duty members of the United States armed forces seeking equal benefits for equal work." At a later point in the complaint, the lawyers take a rhetorical strike at DOMA, stating, "Rather than a 'defense of marriage,' DOMA would require the Plaintiffs to divorce and marry someone else of the opposite sex to obtain spousal benefits." The lead plaintiff, Maj. Shannon McLaughlin is in the Massachusetts National Guard and serves as a Judge Advocate General. According to the complaint filed today, she has served for 13 years and is married in the State of Massachusetts to her partner of more than three years, Casey McLaughlin. They have ten-month old twins, Grace and Grant McLaughlin. Among the benefits denied to same-sex couples currently and at issue in the lawsuit are medical and dental benefits, basic housing allowances, travel and transportation allowances, family separation benefits, military ID cards, visitation rights in military hospitals, survivor benefit plans, and the right to be buried together in military cemeteries. The lawsuit names Attorney General Eric Holder, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki in their official capacity. However, the complaint notes the administration's position that Section 3 of DOMA -- the federal definition of "marriage" and "spouse" -- is unconstitutional and states, "The Plaintiffs do not anticipate that the United States will contest this suit because the government agrees that Section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional." The complaint also claims that the plaintiffs do not expect Panetta to "oppose the relief sought" in the lawsuit. Department of Defense spokeswoman Eileen Lainez told Metro Weekly, "We will carefully evaluate the complaint and we will consult [the Department of Justice]. In the meantime, we will continue to follow the law."
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The lawsuit, in which SLDN has been joined by lawyers from Chadbourne & Parke LLP, lays out previous military statements opposing differing treatment for different service members, as well as post-DADT guidance sent out by the various service branches noting the military's "zero-tolerance policy" for harassment or discrimination. The complaint then argues, "Given the military's 'zero tolerance' for discrimination based on sexual orientation, it is unconscionable that DOMA forces the military to engage in the very discrimination that it prohibits its service members from engaging in through its 'zero tolerance' policy." In addition to arguing that such treatment violates constitutional equal protection guarantees, the complaint claims that such treatment violates "the fundamental right to marry," "the Tenth Amendment and constitutional principles of federalism" and bills of attainder -- which are prohibited by the Constitution and which the lawsuit defines as "any law that legislatively determines guilt and inflicts punishment upon an identifiable individual without provision of the protections of a judicial trial." Today's lawsuit, McLaughlin v. Panetta, was filed in the same federal court where Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders filed a challenge to Section 3 of DOMA in a non-military context. That lawsuit, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, resulted in a decision at the district court that Section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional. That decision is now on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, where DOMA is being defended by the Republican leadership-controlled House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group. As to the Department of Defense's current treatment of service members, Lainez told Metro Weekly, "Service members continue to have some benefits for which they may designate beneficiaries regardless of sexual orientation. Eligibility for a number of other benefits is restricted by applicable statutes, including the Defense of Marriage Act. In connection with 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal, the Defense Department is engaged in a careful and deliberate review of the possibility of extending eligibility for benefits, when legally permitted, to other individuals including same-sex partners." [UPDATE @ 12:15P: Log Cabin Republicans executive director R. Clarke
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Cooper -- whose organization challenged DADT in a federal case that resulted in a historic ruling in September 2010, since vacated, striking down the military law as unconstitutional -- voiced support for the lawsuit in response to an inquiry from Metro Weekly. Cooper wrote, "Log Cabin Republicans is considering filing an amicus brief in support of the SLDN suit. As LCR v U.S. challenged the DADT statute and lead to legislative repeal, the DOMA suit will highlight the inequities of a stratified benefits system which runs counter to military culture." The Human Rights Campaign issued a news release supporting the lawsuit as well. HRC president Joe Solmonese said in the statement, "Today's legal action shines a light on the difficulties that the so-called Defense of Marriage Act creates for lesbian and gay military families. HRC applauds the bravery of these service members and thanks Service members Legal Defense Network and Chadbourne & Parke LLP for making sure they will get their day in court." A White House spokesman has not responded to a request for comment.] Read the SLDN complaint: DOMA Complaint ECF FILED.pdf

~That's All Folks~ If you have a site you would like featured in our next issue or would like to contribute an article contact keepersmagazine@live.com ~Thanks For Reading~

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Disclaimer and Fair Use

Disclaimer - The posting of stories, commentaries, reports, documents and links (embedded or otherwise) in this Magazine does not in any way, shape or form, implied or otherwise, necessarily express or suggest endorsement or support of any of such posted material or parts therein. The myriad of facts, conjecture, perspectives, viewpoints, opinions, analyses, and information in the articles, stories and commentaries posted in this magazine range from cutting edge hard news and comment to extreme and unusual perspectives. We choose not to sweep uncomfortable material under the rug - where it can grow and fester. We choose not to censor skewed logic and uncomfortable rhetoric. These things reflect the world as it now is - for better and worse. We present multiple facts, perspectives, viewpoints, opinions, analyses, and information. As with all controversies, we stand ready to post any and all rebuttals and responses from people mentioned in the
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material we post. Journalism is (or used to be) the profession of gathering and presenting a broad panorama of news about the events of our times and presenting it to readers for their own consideration. We believe in the intelligence, judgment and wisdom of our readers to discern for themselves among the data which appears in this magazine that which is valid and worthy...or otherwise.

The idea of a free press in America is one that we hold in the highest regard. We believe in bringing our readers the widest possible array of information that comes to our attention. We have great trust and respect for the American people, and our worldwide audience, and believe them to be fully-capable of making their own decisions and discerning their own realities. Among the thousands of articles posted here for your consideration, there will doubtless be some that you find useless, and possibly offensive, but we believe you will be perceptive enough to realize that even the stories you disagree with have some value in terms of promoting your own further self-definition and insight. Our magazine is a smorgasbord of material...take what you wish and click or scroll right past that which doesn't interest you. We suggest you don't make 'assumptions' about our official position on issues that are discussed here. That is not what this Magazine is about. We believe it to be unwise to sweep controversy under the carpet. We also firmly believe people should not only read material which they agree with. The opinions expressed through the thousands of stories here do not necessarily represent those of the Editors. We are not going to censor the news and information here. That is for you to do.
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We strongly recommend not 'assuming' anything. Read, consider, and make your own informed decisions. People 'assumed' the Warren Commission report was accurate. People 'assumed' the Federal Government would never conduct biochemical experiments on the general populace. People 'assumed' the world was once flat. One more time... Keepers Of The UnderWorld Magazine does not necessarily adhere to, or endorse, any or all of the links, stories, articles, editorials, or products offered by sponsors found on this magazine. All of the materials and data offered in this Magazine are for informational and educational purposes only. And remember: it's all free to you Thank you for reading. Enjoy. Sweet, Andrew, Persephone and Oak

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