ISSUE 15

Contents:
Welcome Events for August Crafts and Rituals Paths and Disciplines Meditation Knowledge and Principals The Green Witch Humor Poetry Featured Stories Personal Journeys Witches Rant Around the NingVerse Persephone's Movie Review UnderWorld's Music Box The Cheshire mad book reviews Recipes Pagan UnderWorld Member Articles Pagan UnderWorld Featured Groups UnderWorld Featured member of the month Shadow, Heart, & Soul of the Black Rose Member Articles Shadow, Heart, & Soul of the Black Rose Featured Groups

Page:
4 5 18 37 42 53 62 66 69 73 79 87 90 92 95 106 108 113 121
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146 136

This Months Horoscopes And Chinese Astrology Urban and Folk Legends The Truth Portal Featured Sites Metal shows Events

138 173 179 183 193

Lifestyles

Crusty Punks Tool Queens Fetish Balls and Events Fetish Article's LGBT

202 205 234 250

We would like to dedicate this issue to all the families that lost loved ones on 9/11 and to all the soldiers that have lost their lives honoring those that died on 9/11. We would also like to thank all that on that day and the weeks that followed who came to offer aid and to all those who were at ground zero risking there lives to save others and who have lost there lives do to illness from all the debris that was in the air and those that still suffer from it. You will never be forgotten, and our hearts and prayers are with you and your memories will live on through each of us. Also, to all those who have been affected by Hurricane Irene, you are in our thoughts and we hope recovery is swift for all of you, our beloved sisters and brothers!

Moon Phases

First Quarter 09/04/2011 Full Moon 09/12/2011

Last Quarter 09/20/2011 New Moon 09/27/2011

Farmers Almanac for September

Farmers Almanac-September

Skywatch.Mercury's best morning apparition of 2011 occurs during the first 2 weeks of the month,with it's optimum brightness/height combination on the 9th-11th.The tiny orange planet is very close to the blue star Regulus on the 9th.Saturn is still very low in the sky,but Jupiter keeps brightening and rises by 9:00 p.m.at midmonth.The Moon joins Jupiter on the 15th and 16th.Uranus,in Pisces,is closest to the Earth in 42 years.Virgo hosts a party on the 27th:The Moon,Mercury,Venus,and Saturn crowd invisibly near the Sun.Fall arrives with the autumnal equinox on the 23rd,at 5:05 a.m.EST. Moon phases. First quarter.4th day at 13:39 Full Harvest.12th day at 5:27 Last quarter.20th day at 9:39 New moon.27th day at 7:09 Comet. Name.Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova. Maximum magnitude.7. Honda-Mrkos-Pajusakova has moved into the northern sky and will reach

it's peak brightness on the 28th.Near Regulus in Leo.It may just be visible to the naked eye in the morning sky.Binoculars will reveal a fuzzy star with a short tail. The Sun in the Constellation.Virgo,September 17th to October 31st. Wiccan Full Moon Ritual. Realize your goals and rejoice in attaining them.Clean out any emotional,spiritual,mental,or physical clutter in your life.Now is the time to harvest and accept your rewards. Birthstone. A maiden born when autumn leaves Are rustling in September breeze, A Sapphire on her brow should bind, "Twill cure diseases of the mind.

Labor Day 09/05/2011

The first Labor Day in the United States was observed on August 26, 1878, in Boston, by the Central Labor Union of New York, the nation's first integrated major trade union. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date originally chosen by the CLU of NY and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespread International

Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair, which it had been observed to commemorate. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday. Pattern of celebration The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civil significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties. Speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key than May 1 Labor Day celebrations in most countries, although events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office, especially in election years. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer recess. Similarly, some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school, although school starting times now vary.

Patriot day 09/11/2011

Let us not forget the price of freedom, let us never forget the day when our very own reality of peace and security came to a crashing end. This year we finally caught the man behind the attacks that rocked the world and every US citizen to their core, and some may say that with his death justice is still not done, but let us hope that at least the victims and families of 911 may now have some peace and closure. Lets remember all those who lost their lives on that tragic day and all that have lost their lives fighting for this country's security so we may never have to live thru this again. But let us not forget how it brought us all together and brought unity amongst a nation in mourning, and let us always remember those that were there helping and risking their lives to save people in this tragic event. It showed what kinda of nation and what kind of people we are.

U.N. International Day of Peace 09/21/2011

The International Day of Peace, also known as the World Peace Day, occurs annually on September 21. It is dedicated to peace, and specifically the absence of war, such as might be occasioned by a temporary cease-fire in a combat zone. It is observed by many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples. The first year this holiday was celebrated was 1981.

To inaugurate the day, the "Peace Bell" is rung at UN Headquarters (in New York City, United States). The bell is cast from coins donated by children from all continents. It was given as a gift by the United Nations Association of Japan, and is referred to as "a reminder of the human cost of war." The inscription on its side reads: "Long live absolute world peace." Individuals can also wear White Peace Doves to commemorate the International Day of Peace, which are badges in the shape of a dove produced by a non-profit in Canada.

Mabon 09/23/2011

Also known as: Fall or Autumn Equinox, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Alban Elved (Druid), Alban Elfed (Caledonii), Winter Finding (Teutonic) Date: Fall Equinox, usually about September 21-23 Symbols: Apples, Wine, Vines, Garlands, Gourd, Cornucopia, Burial Cairns Deities: Wine Gods, Harvest Deities, Aging Deities Colors: Brown, Orange, Russet, Maroon, Fall Colors Herbs: benzoin, marigold, myrrh, sage, and thistles may be burned; acorns, astors, ferns, honeysuckle, milkweed, mums, oak leaves, pine, and roses may be used as decorations.

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Mabon (MAY-bone or MAH-bawn) is named for the Welsh God and it is seen as the second of the three harvests, and particularly as a celebration of the vine harvests and of wine. It is also associated with apples as symbols os life renewed. Celebrating new-made wine, harvesting apples and vine products, and visiting burial cairns to place an apple upon them, were all ways in which the Celts honored this Sabbat. (Avalon, one of the many Celtic names for the Land of the Dead, literally means the "land of apples".) These acts symbolized both thankfulness for the life-giving harvest, and the wish of the living to be reunited with their dead. Taken from "Celtic Myth and Magick" by Edain McCoy

Here are a few suggestions for Mabon activities that can be incorporated into the Sabbat or done during the day.

Make a protection charm of hazelnuts (filberts) strung on red thread.

Hang dried ears of corn on the front door, door posts, or outside light

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fixture (hang the corn so it does not come into contact with the heat of the light bulb).

Serve a Mabon meal of wine from the God and beans and squashes from the Goddess.

Collect milkweed pods to decorate at Yuletide and attract the faeries.

Call upon the elemental's and honor them for their help with (N-earth) home and finances, (E-air) school and knowledge, (S-fire) careers and accomplishments, (W-water) emotional balance and fruitful relationships.

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Rosh Hashanah 09/29/2011

), (literally "head of the year"), is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim ("Days of Awe"), celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is described in the Torah as a day of "Zikhron Trua" ("remembrance of the blowing of the horn"). Rosh Hashanah marks the start of a new year in the Hebrew calendar (one of four "new year" observances that define various legal "years" for different purposes as explained in the Mishnah and Talmud). It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts. The Mishnah also sets this day aside as the new year for calculating calendar years and sabbatical (shmita) and jubilee (yovel) years. Jews believe Rosh Hashanah represents either analogically or literally the creation of the World, or Universe. However, according to one view in the Talmud, that of R. Eleazar, Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of man, which entails that five days earlier, the 25 of Elul, was the first day of creation of the Universe. The Mishnah, the core text of Judaism's oral Torah, contains the first known reference to Rosh Hashanah as the "day of judgment." In the Talmud tractate on Rosh Hashanah it states that three books of account are opened on Rosh Hashanah, wherein the fate of the wicked, the righteous, and those of an intermediate class are recorded. The names of the righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life, and they are sealed "to live." The middle class are allowed a respite of ten days, until Yom Kippur, to repent and become righteous; the wicked are "blotted out of the book of the living forever." In Jewish liturgy Rosh Hashanah is described as "the day of judgment"

(Hebrew:

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(Yom ha-Din) and "the day of remembrance" (Yom ha-Zikkaron). Some midrashic descriptions depict God as sitting upon a throne, while books containing the deeds of all humanity are opened for review, and each person passing in front of Him for evaluation of his or her deeds. The Talmud provides three central ideas behind the day: "The Holy One said, 'on Rosh Hashanah recite before Me [verses of] Sovereignty, Remembrance, and Shofar blasts (malchuyot, zichronot, shofrot): Sovereignty so that you should make Me your King; Remembrance so that your remembrance should rise up before Me. And through what? Through the Shofar.' (Rosh Hashanah 16a, 34b)"This is reflected in the prayers composed by the classical rabbinic sages for Rosh Hashanah found in all machzorim where the theme of the prayers is the strongest theme is the "coronation" of God as King of the universe in preparation for the acceptance of judgments that will follow on that day, symbolized as "written" into a Divine book of judgments, that then hang in the balance for ten days waiting for all to repent, then they will be "sealed" on Yom Kippur. The assumption is that everyone was sealed for life and therefore the next festival is Sukkot (Tabernacles) that is referred to as "the time of our joy" (z'man simchateinu).

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Awareness For the Month of September

Awareness Event Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month Arthritis Awareness Month Muscular Dystrophy Month Sickle Cell Awareness Month National Sickle Cell Month Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month National Cholesterol Education Month

Coverage Canada

Related Organization National Ovarian Cancer Association Arthritis Society Muscular Dystrophy Canada Sickle Cell Society Sickle Cell Disease Association of America National Ovarian Cancer Coalition NHLBI

Canada Canada

United Kingdom United States

United States United States

Gynecologic United States Cancer Awareness Month

Women's Cancer Network

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Reye's Syndrome Awareness Week Children's Eye Health and Safety Month National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month Event National Asthma Week Suicide Prevention Week Migraine Awareness Week National Stroke Week National Eczema Week Event Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Awareness Day Suicide Prevention Day

United States

National Reye's Syndrome Foundation Prevent Blindness America Recovery Month

United States

United States

Worldwide

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Nation Australia Organisation The Asthma Foundation of Victoria American Association of Suicidology Migraine Action Association Stroke Foundation The National Eczema Society Organization FAS Day

September 2011 Health Current Events - Weeks Date 1st Sep - 7th Sep

2nd Sep - 8th Sep

United States

6th Sep - 12th Sep 15th Sep - 21st Sep 17th Sep - 21st Sep Date 9th Sep

United Kingdom Australia United Kingdom

September 2011 Health Events - Days Nation Worldwide

10th Sep

Worldwide

World Health Organization

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Worldwide Lymphoma Awareness Day World Alzheimer's Day Ataxia Awareness Day World Heart Day

15th Sep

Worldwide

Lymphoma Coalition Alzheimer's Disease International Ataxia Awareness World Heart Federation

21st Sep

Worldwide

25th Sep 28th Sep

Worldwide Worldwide

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Crafts
Reverse Decoupage Angel Plate
Turn an ordinary clear glass plate into a work of art using the reverse Decoupage technique. What You Will Need: Clear Glass Plate Paper Doily (to fit plate) Victorian Cut Out Art Clear Drying Craft Glue or Decoupage Medium [if

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using craft glue, mix together one part water to one part glue for easier application] Gold Glass Paint Rubbing Alcohol or White Vinegar Window Cleaner Craft Instructions: Select a Victorian angel image for this project. You can find Victorian cut out art in craft stores, but you could also use pictures cut from calendars or magazines providing you take care to cut out the image cleanly and immerse the picture in a bowl of water to relax it before using. angel-plate-back (10K) Wash the glass plate with soap and water and rinse well. Dry completely and wipe with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar to remove any oil residue from your fingers. Apply an even coat of Decoupage medium or craft glue to the entire underside of your plate.

Note: If you are using craft glue to Decoupage this project, mix the white glue with an equal amount of water and mix together thoroughly before proceeding. Place your cut out image as shown, right side down, at the center of your plate and apply another coat of medium to the back of your cut out, pressing out any air bubbles that may have formed. Immediately place a paper doily, again with right side down, on the top of your cut out and apply another even coat of medium over the entire doily. Press out any air bubbles. angel-plate-how (9K)Set the plate aside to dry completely. Once the medium is completely dry, dampen a paper towel with window cleaner and

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use it to wipe away any medium residue that has adhered to the clear glass area only. If you don't remove this excess glue, the paint finish may be a little foggy when viewing from the right side of the plate. Be careful not to disturb the edges of your doily when removing the glue. Once again, wipe the clear glass area only with alcohol or white vinegar and allow to dry. Apply an even coat of gold paint to the entire underside area of your plate. Allow the paint to dry and apply additional coats as necessary. Two to three coats of paint should be fine. Be sure to allow each coat of paint to dry before applying the next. Although this plate cannot be immersed in water, the top can be wiped clean, so it's the perfect compliment to any tea service or simply to hang as a decorative accent.

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Faux Stained Glass Window

Glass paints make it possible to create all kinds of faux stained glass effects. In this example, you paint the design on a glass picture frame - but there's nothing to stop you from painting it on plexiglas, or a clear plastic sheet protector or transparency, then cutting out the design once it is dry to fasten to a window. How to Paint on Glass Supplies: glass paint, in your choice of colors liquid leading glass picture frame printed pattern (or your choice of pattern) Caulking 2 small nails wire picture frame Faux Stained Glass Window Instructions: 1. Print out the pattern that you have chosen, adjusting the picture size to fit the size of your picture frame.

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2. Tack two small nails to the back of the picture frame, placing one in each top corner. 3. Remove the backing from the frame and slide the pattern under the glass. 4. Begin tracing the pattern with liquid leading and let dry. Fill in the design with your choice of colored glass paints and let dry. 5. Remove the pattern. Caulk around the gap at the back of the frame so the glass is held in place, and let the caulking dry. 6. Wrap a length of wire around each of the nail heads to form a hanger. Hang in a sunny window. Enjoy!

Chocolate Milk Bath

What could be a better gift for chocolate lovers than a chocolate milk bath recipe? Bathing in chocolate, of course, is a seductively decadent idea - but oh, so very tempting! Luxurious as it is, this simple chocolate milk bath recipe won't break your diet or your budget, but it does help soften and exfoliate your skin.

Chocolate Lover's Milk Bath Mix

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2 cups powdered milk 1/4 cup cocoa 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon Mix together all ingredients and place in a glass jar or shaker jar. Print the chocolate milk bath label shown below and glue it to the front of your container. Decorate the top of the jar with ribbon, raffia, or a circle of fabric held on with an rubber band.

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Rituals

Special Notes: Balance of light and dark. Time of rest after labor, completion of the harvest, thanksgiving. A good time for meditations on reincarnation in preparation for Ancestor Night or Halloween (Samhain). Altar Supplies: incense; burner; chalice of water; salt; pentacle; dagger or sword; 4 Element candles; chalice of wine; wand; autumn-colored ribbons tied on the dagger. Autumn leaves for decoration. Three candles (white, red, black) set around the cauldron. Ivy in the cauldron.

With casting the circle as your basic starting point, perform the same ritual illustrated in the Sample Ritual, inserting the following steps where the Sample states "proceed with your planned spellwork or ceremony." Light the three candles around the cauldron. Say: I call upon the blessed Lady, queen of the harvest, Giver of life and plenty since before time began.

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Bestow upon me your joy and beauty, power and prosperity. I do ask. Salute the ivy-filled cauldron with your dagger or sword. Say: I call upon the Lord of the harvest, sacred King, giver of riches and protection since before time began Bestow upon me your strength and laughter, power and prosperity, I do ask. Take the ribbon-tied dagger in your power hand, the wine chalice in the other. Say: Always has life fulfilled its cycle and led to Life anew in the eternal chain of the living. In honor of the Old Gods, I mark the fullness Of my life and the harvest of this year's lessons. Walk three times clockwise around the circle, beginning in the east. Chant: The year-wheel turns, and bounty comes. Move back to the altar and lay aside the dagger. Set the wine chalice briefly on the pentacle. As you make the following toast, raise the chalice high each time before taking a sip. To the good seasons that have gone, And to the good ones yet to come. Blessed Be! To the Goddess! May she bring peace And fulfillment to all her children. Blessed Be! To the God! May he protect his followers And bring me prosperity and happiness. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again! Blessed Be.

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Spell to Find Your Spirit Guide

Items Needed Altar Candle Day Candle (Monday-white, Tuesday-red, Wednesday-purple, Thursday-blue, Friday-green, Saturday-black, Sunday-yellow) Offertory Candles - 3 Violet Candles 3 White Candles Tools Athame to inscribe candles Crystal ball or clear glass of water Incense anise, cardamon, and coriander. Oil jasmine, lemon, rose and sandalwood Timing Best done during the Mercury hour of the day, although any hour should work. Any moon phase is appropriate. Preparation Breathe deeply and build a ball of protective light around you. While soaking in your ritual bath, meditate on the whole ritual: the steps you will take and what you wish to say to your spirit guide when you make contact.

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Ritual Enter the circle in the Hour of Mercury. Light the incense. With the oil, dress the Altar Candle and the Day candle while concentrating on the purpose of the ritual. Light your Altar Candle and Day Candle and state your intent: I am here to make contact with my Spirit Guide, and to acknowledge him or her. With your athame, inscribe Violet Candle #1 with the word "Spirit". Dress it with oil. Light the Violet Candle #1, direct your energies into it and say: Here do I light the first Lamp of Spirit. May its light reach out across the barriers from this world to the next. May it make contact with that World of Spirit into which we will eventually enter. Take your censer or incense wand and swing it around, censing the whole area around the altar while rhythmically repeating the word "Merge" and building up energy to focus. Replace the censer and pick up Violet Candle #2. Inscribe it with the word "Spirit" and dress it with oil. Put it back on the altar, light it and say: Here do I light the second Lamp of Spirit. May its light also reach out across the barriers from this world to the next. May it make contact with that World of Spirit and help spread the light, illuminating the passageway between our worlds. Again take the censer or incense wand and cense the entire area around while chanting the word "Merge." Build up your energy to focus. Take Violet Candle #3, inscribe it with the word "Spirit", dress it with oil, charge with your energy, light it and say: Here do I light the third Lamp of Spirit. May the light from these three lamps blend and grow, dispelling all darkness and lighting the way that my Spirit Guide may come to me and speak with me here today. Inscribe the three white candles with the word "Truth" and anoint each candle with oil. Light the three candles in the order of 1, 2, 3, and say: Here do I build Truth. As these candles burn throughout this ritual, their power generating nothing but truth in all that transpires between this world and the next. Through these candles there is truth in all communications that come to me.

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Again cense the altar area while chanting "Merge." Replace the censer and continue chanting. Sit comfortably while chanting, and gaze into the crystal ball, or the clear glass of water. Continue chanting until you feel it is right to let the chant taper off. Continue to quietly look into the crystal ball or glass, not trying to picture anything. Keep your mind blank, so whatever comes will appear and will come in it's own free will. Gaze into the centre of the crystal, there is no need to try not to blink. Look into the crystal and blink naturally. Try not to notice anything in your peripheral vision, just the centre of the crystal. Eventually a face or figure will appear. This may take a long time, or it may appear almost immediately. If it doesn't come at all within approximately 20 minutes, abandon this attempt, extinguish the candles in the order in which they were lit, leave the altar set up, and try this ritual again in three days. You should have results within a month at most. When a figure does appear, ask if he/she is your Spirit Guide. You will hear an answer, you may not hear it out loud or even see the figures lips move, but you will be aware of the answer. This is how most conversations will proceed. You will ask your questions mentally (or out loud) and the answer will be clear inside your mind. Ask if you have more than one Spirit Guide. If yes, ask them to appear also. You may ask anything you wish to know, but it is better to establish a connection first where your Spirit Guide may appear to you at any time, or at specific times, so that you can converse with any other spirits through him/her. When you have finished speaking with your guide, thank him/her, then sit for a moment with your eyes closed, meditating on all that you have learned. Extinguish the candles in reverse order to clear the circle.

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The Ritual of the Hexagram

The Hexagram represents the workings of the Seven Planets under the presidency of the Sephiroth and of 'Ararita', the divine name of Seven letters formed of the Hebrew initials of the following sentence: "One is his beginning. One is his individuality. His permutation is one". The Hexagram is sometimes called the Signet or Symbol of the Macrocosm, like the Pentagram is called the Signet Star or Symbol of the Microcosm. * Hexagram rituals are for working with the forces of the Planets, the Sephiroth and the Zodiac. The Planets er attributed to the angles of the Hexagram according to their position upon the Tree of Life: The Sun/Tiphareth in the centre, Saturn/Binah at the very top (representing the Supernals), Jupiter/Chesed top right, Mars/Geburah top left, Venus/Netzach bottom right, Mercury/Hod bottom left, and Moon at the very bottom (representing Yesod and Malkuth). Learn these directions by

heart before you continue. * The Hexagram is composed of two triangles of Fire (points up) and Water (points down). Invoking Hexagrams are traced following the course of the sun in their current (clockwise), and banishing hexagram are traced in the opposite direction, from the same starting point (angle) of the Hexagram. * The Hexagram of any particular planet (or Sephiroth) is traced in two triangles, the first starting from the angle of the planet in focus, the second starting opposite to the angle of the first. Then the symbol of the Planet is traced in the centre, and the God-name of the corresponding Sephirah is vibrated into it. Always face the Planet's actual position while

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doing the ritual. *

When working with the Moon, always trace a symbol for the Moon that

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corresponds with its actual position - increase (the right half is visible, favorable!), decrease (the left half is visible), full (shining circle) or new (dark circle). * In working with the Sun, you need to trace all six Hexagrams of the six Planets surrounding the Sun in their Sephirotic order (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Moon). In all six Hexagrams the normal symbol and God-name of each Planet is replaced with the symbol and God-name of the Sun. *

If you wish to work with a number of forces at a time, trace the circle and the Hexagrams in an undifferentiated manner - e.g. the Saturn Hexagrams used for more general rituals - then invoke each planet or Sign facing the Quarter of heavens where they are actually located. * Here it comes: the lesser ritual of the hexagram 1 Chose a Planet to work with. Use the Hexagrams of Saturn in general or unimportant operations. * 2 Face East (preferably, make East the Quarter of the Heavens where the Planet in focus is located). Perform The Qabalistic Cross. *

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3 Invoke the planetary powers at the four quarters. * A East, the position of Fire in the Zodiac Towards the East, you trace a form of the Hexagram where the lower triangle is flipped vertically and lowered so that the angle of the Moon now pointing upwards - is positioned exactly in the centre of the upper triangle: * Trace one triangle first, beginning clockwise (invoking) at the angle of the Planet or Sephiroth in focus(banishing runs opposite). Then trace the other triangle, beginning at the angle of the Planet which in a normal Hexagram is opposite to the one which started the first triangle. (Normal opposites are: Saturn/Moon, Jupiter/Mercury, Mars/Venus) * Point the figure and vibrate "ARARITA". * B South, the position of Earth in the Zodiac, the Sun at its culmination at noon Expand the circle towards the South with your magical weapon. * Trace an ordinary Hexagram: First triangle beginning (invoking) with the Planet in focus, second triangle starting at the angle of its opposite. * Point the figure and vibrate "ARARITA". * C West, the position of Air in the Zodiac Expand the circle towards the West with your magical weapon. * Towards the West, you trace a form of the Hexagram where the lower triangle is lowered just below the upper triangle, their lower (Venus-Mercury) and upper (Jupiter-Mars) sides respectively, almost touching. Again, trace the first triangle from the angle of the Planet in focus and the second from the angle of its opposite (trace clockwise when invoking). * Point the figure and vibrate "ARARITA". * D North, the position of Water in the Zodiac Expand the circle towards the North with your magical weapon. * Towards the North, you trace a form of the Hexagram where the (normally) lower triangle is raised above the "upper" triangle until the bottom angle of the Moon is positioned exactly at the angle of Saturn on top of the "upper" triangle. Begin with the Planet in focus and its opposite (All planets are in their normal position). *

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Point the figure and vibrate "ARARITA". * 4 Close the circle with your magical weapon by expanding it towards the starting point at the East. Feel the workings of the specific energy attracted by the invocation. * 5 Banish all powers by performing the ritual again, but counter clockwise, going back to the Hexagram in the North, through West and South towards the East. In each Hexagram, the currents in both triangles are traced counter clockwise. * (Example of banishing hexagrams in a ritual where Saturn has been invoked:)

6 Close the ritual by performing The Qabalistic Cross. * the supreme ritual of the hexagram This 'Supreme' version of this ritual attracts not only a planetary force, but also the Sign of the Zodiac in which the Planet is positioned at the moment. It implies two extensions of the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram:

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- You trace both the sign of the planet AND the sign of the particular Zodiac Sign into the centre of each Hexagram. * - Into each Hexagram you vibrate three names: 1: The Divine Name of the Sephiroth ruling the Planet you are working with 2: "ARARITA" 3: the Letter of A-R-A-R-I-T-A corresponding with the number of the Planet (the first Letter "A" for Saturn, "R" for Jupiter, and so on). *

Positive Energy Ritual

Note: This ritual is very very old and there are many different versions. I do not know exactly where it originated but I do know that it works! Enjoy my friend! A powerful energy-invoking exercise used to bring down the Light of the Golden Dawn, the vivifying Light, into the body and home of the Initiate. Once the Light has been installed in the Heart (point 9 below), it may effectively be channeled outward as healing and transformative energy. When used in this fashion, the Golden Dawn Light that has been installed in the Heart center in point 9 is channeled through the palm of the hand as a pure white Ray of force, towards whatever object is intended as recipient. This exercise stands by itself as an energy focusing work, and may be utilized by any Initiate on a regular basis -- and certainly ought to be activated before attempting any transmittal of healing energy or conjuring of a Djin. For this to work, you are going to need to go deep into your mind, and mediate on this great right. You are going to need to see this in your mind. Around you, inside you and in your home!

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1. Stand in the Temple (The center of each room is the temple) facing West. (This will allow the Golden Dawn energy to come in from the East, source of the Light of the Golden Dawn as it manifests on the Earth plane.) Arms are stretched out straight to both sides. On your right (the North) is the Black Pillar of Severity; on your left (the South) is the White Pillar of Mercy. You stand in between as the Middle Pillar of Balance (you become the pillar). 2. A blindingly brilliant white light, the Light of the Infinite God (Ain Soph Aur) originates far above your head, coming from the Crown. (Saharshra). 3. The light descends to the top of your forehead, forming a sphere the size of your head. Vibrate, strongly: EH-EI-EH ("I AM") 4. When this is felt strongly, allow the light to descend to the Daath center (throat chakra).) Vibrate: YHVH ELOHIM (I Am the One That Follows God) 5. Allow the Light to descend further to the heart center (Tiphareth/Anahatta chakra). Vibrate: YHVH ELOAH VE-DAATH. (I Am the Lord of Knowledge) 6. Allow the Light to descend through the Solar Plexus, down to the Svadisthana Chakra (generational center) at Yesod. Vibrate: SHADDAI EL-CHAI (Lord of Life) 7. Allow the Light to descend further, through the Muladhara Chakra (root center) and all the way down to the earth, gaining density as it progresses. Vibrate: ADNI HA-ARETZ (Lord of the Earth) 8. The Light of the Golden Dawn now surrounds the whole body of the Initiate. 9. Allow it to ascend back up to center it in the Heart, where it becomes established in fullness. 10. From this Center the Light may be channeled as a healing energy, through the palm of the right hand, as a white ray of force aimed at an object. The Light may also be established in the Heart and utilized as a catalyst for meditative states and visions, if it is meant to be so. Now that you have mentally completed this ritual, you have positively charged yourself and your surrounds with a very powerful, positive energy. Very powerful indeed! It may take you some time to be able to visually see this in your mind, and once you become comfortable with

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these rights, you will be able to see this great power, this great light not in your mind, but visually right in front of you. This positive energy will assist you in all that you do! Help you focus and feel good about yourself and your life. This will also help you create the right kind of energy that you need to bring out the spirits that you desire.

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An Introduction to Alchemy
By Oak Credit for this detailed introduction must go to Mark Stavish. Whose dedication and tutelage under some of the greatest known alchemists of our time initiated my personal journey into magic. Alchemy is among the most mysterious of mystical arts. Visions of old men in funny hats bent over ovens for hours seeking to turn lead into gold, find the Elixir of Life, or create the Philosophers Stone are commonplace in the popular imagination as well as in occult circles. However, far from being an ancient pursuit whose goals are obscured through the mists of time, alchemy is very much alive and has much to offer our current age. In short, alchemy offers us the opportunity to relieve suffering, ignorance, and fear of death through direct experience of the invisible worlds and understanding how they relate to the physical world of matter. The alchemical path can bring us peace of mind, a positive outlook on life, and increased vitality and creativity. In alchemy, inner transformation is accomplished by using a dual process of transpersonal and technical methods. The transpersonal methods are

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the meditations, prayers, studies, and inner work that the alchemist undertakes. The technical methods are the physical techniques and preparations the alchemist uses to produce herbal and mineral tinctures, which can be used as ritual aids or medicinally. This dual approach develops a positive feedback loop in which the action in the lab reinforces meditative practices and meditative practices enhance energy for transforming products in the laboratory. In the end, the alchemist transforms him or herself by experimenting with Natures subtle energies and thereby awakening the Inner Light. If you are a beginning or intermediate student of occultism, consider the following points: 1. Alchemy helps us to understand the fundamental unity of the cosmos and our place in it by weaving together the various occult disciplines into a cohesive whole. 2. Alchemy is ideal for the solo practitioner with limited time who does not have access to, or is reluctant to join, esoteric groups. 3. Alchemical products can be stored---and their ability to induce deeper meditative insights, lucid dreams, and spiritual initiation can be repeated---without any loss in strength or potency. 4. Alchemical products are helpful even if the recipient does not believe in energetic healing, magic, or other forms of esotericism. It all began in Egypt (Khem). While many civilizations have possessed religious institutions, no other country has so thoroughly created a culture in which the spiritual world ruled every aspect of daily life. The ancient Egyptian language did not have a work for religion as we know it, only magic---and more precisely, magical power. Egyptian life focused around the ever-present energies of life and how to harness them for now and the afterlife. While we attribute Egypt with being the home of alchemy and its god Thoth, or Hermes in his Greek incarnation, with being the father of alchemy, other lands have contributed as well. China and India have highly developed alchemical laboratory traditions that have been practiced in unbroken lines since their inception. It is in the West however that we have seen some of the most fascinating aspects of the Great Art developed. Babylonian, Chaldean, Egyptian

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Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic methods were worked side by side and amalgamated in an attempt to discover the process for creating the Philosophers Stone, or Stone of the Wise. Said to confer the ability to transmute base metals into gold, prolong life, and cure all diseases, the Philosophers Stone was a mineral creation made most famous by the fourteenth century French alchemist Nicholas Flamel and his wife, Perenelle. With it, it is said; they created the Elixir of Immortality and were seen alive three hundred years after their recorded deaths. Alchemy seeks to demonstrate the reality of cosmic truths in the daily life of its practitioners. While a nominal amount of Qabala and astrology are traditionally studied in concert with practical alchemy, students of any system of magic will quickly see the relationship between magic and alchemy, the most obvious and useful of those links being between what we often call natural magic and the creation of specialized herbal tinctures. Natural Magic is the use of astrological and planetary cycles in connection with magical or alchemical experiments to direct the greatest amount of psychic energy with the least amount of effort. When applied to the creation of alchemical products from herbs, the process is known as spagyrics and is only slightly more complicated than making standard herbal products---the key difference being in the Hermetic practice of separating the gross from the subtle. This separation is energetically similar, if not identical, to the process of banishing and invoking done in ritual magic, preparing tools for consecration, and creating a talisman. In an alchemical product, however, once the process of separating (banishing) and recombining (invoking) is completed, the process will repeat and will continue on its own until the next phase of work is undertaken. Through the simple and well-known astrological and Qabalistic laws, the process of refining the energetic content and structure of an alchemical product, whether herbal or mineral, will continue on its own after the alchemist has initiated the process. The study of astrology, for the timing of experiments, and the use of esoteric meditation, for the raising of spiritual energy known as the Secret Fire (kundalini), are part of the alchemists discipline. The alchemist is in

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essence a mystic, an astrologer, and a magician. This is a critical point, for to attempt to separate out the physical actions of the alchemist without the interior exercises is to reduce alchemy to mundane chemistry. Alchemy sees Nature as powerful, intelligent, and creative---but slow moving in her evolution of self-consciousness. By carefully observing and imitating Natures methods, the alchemist is able to speed up the process of inner and outer evolution through the three realms of mineral, plant, and animal without violating any of Natures laws. For the aspiring alchemist, the majority of the work will take place in the plant kingdom, as the plants worked with are nontoxic, the temperatures are low, and the work carries the same technical risks as making dinner on a stovetop. If you can boil water, you can do plant alchemy. In alchemy, everything is composed of three parts: sulphur (soul or individualized essence), mercury (life force), and salt (physical body). It is the work of the alchemist to separate and recombine these three basic principles as often as necessary until they are in perfect proportion and harmony with each other. Qhen this harmony is achieved, the creation of a Stone, or physical object used in the physical and spiritual transformation of the alchemist, will result. When working with plants, the physical body of the plant itself is the salt, its essential oils are the sulphur, and alcohol (and occasionally water) is the mercury. The aspiring alchemist seeks to separate these three parts and recombine them, giving rise to the word used by Paracelsus, spagyrics. Spagyrics is Greek for separate and recombine and is the term given to plant work, or the Lesser Circulation. The Greater Circulation consists of metallic and mineral work; its process follows the same principles as plant work, and it is generally undertaken only after a certain degree of plant mastery has been attained. This ends the introduction to alchemy or the Royal Art.

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41

Buddhism - Beliefs and Practices

by Glen Boulden Edited and revised by Toolqueen Hello and Welcome to this, what I hope will be the first in a series of articles on Buddhism - Beliefs and Practices.

To begin with I would like to say that the form of Buddhism I practice is Tibetan, although I also have experience with Zen and Therava'den forms. Please bare in mind that because of this, Tibetan Buddhism forms the reference for alot of this and future articles.

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Now the premilinaries are out of the way let us get to the theme of this months article and what better way to start than the life story of the Buddha, (in simplified form).

Siddartha Guatama was born around 2500 years ago, to the King and Queen of the Sa'kya Clan in North East India. This is why he is also referred to as Sa'kyamuni - literally meaning the sage of Sa'kya's. His birth occurred at a place called Lumbini and was supposedly full of miracles. It was foretold that the young prince would be a world conqueror or either the political/warrior or spiritual kind. His father wanted him to be a political/warrior world conqueror and tradition has it that the prince was held a virtual prisoner in his fathers palace so that this would happen

Prince Siddartha was surrounded by luxury and given all the best in education (scholarly and military) but he was not happy.

Prince Siddartha snuck out of the palace on 4 occasions and witnessed what are known as the 4 signs. 1) An Old Man (signifying ageing) 2) A sick person (sickness) 3) A dead man ( death and dying) 4) A Holy man (spirituality)

These sights caused the prince to renounce his life of luxury and leave the palace to practice a life of severe austerity with 5 other companions. After some years he realized that this was not getting him any closer to enlightenment, so leaving his companions behind he sat beneath the Bodhi tree at Bodh-Gaya and vowed not to move until he had gained enlightenment.

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Eventually he gained insight into the true nature of reality and how to end suffering. Prince Siddartha was now THE Buddha!

After rising from under the Bodhi tree the Buddha resumes his wandering, eventually encountering his former companions. To begin with they decide to ignore him but quickly came to realize that he had gained enlightenment and beseeched him to teach the things he had learned.

At first the Buddha refuses but eventually relents and so at the deer park at Sarnath the Buddha gives his first teaching (The first turning of the wheel of dharma). His companions then became the Buddha's first disciples. The Buddha traveled around with his disciples teaching the middle way, otherwise known as Noble eightfold path until he was eighty.

It was at Kushinagar that the Buddha passed from this life leaving his disciples with his last teaching. Decay is inherent in all compound phenomena! Work diligently for your liberation.

This is just a brief outline of the life Buddha Sa'kyamuni for more information, an internet search will turn up many options.

I would like to end with a quick dedication. Till next time.

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By the merit derived from writing/reading this text May all sentient beings b free from suffering and the causes of suffering. And may all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. PEACE LOVE AND LIGHT

The Omnil Formula

By Andrew Omnil is a combination of the two Latin words omnis (everything) and Nihil (nothing). Out of the emptiness out of the nothing, everything can develop, everything I can create. In this so-called phase-zero, we experience the same distance to all forms of existence. The formula is a method for centering and for recognition at the same time, it serves to create of ones own universe. The Universe The Everything is created out of nothingness and in between is where magick and all of life itself takes place. So the 1st thing we need to do is realize our Nihil potential called chaos in chaos magick before we can start applying it to truly become god/dess, which is the goal of most magical systems. The 1st step is reaching the Nihil is to thoroughly banish everything that has no meaning or place in our universe, because the power of chaos can only develop fully and freely in complete emptiness. Therefore we have to start at zero if we want to turn our magical cosmos into reality, because if the remains of the other cosmos are still floating around, this will muddle our creation and it wont be entirely our own. This is described quit clearly with the ritual question, what is the most of all? God/dess. What is more important than God/dess? Nothing is more

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important than God/dess. Therefore let nothing come before god/dess. We now see the esoteric significance of the injunction to! Have no other god before me. That is not a comment to abolish idols or other God concepts than IHVH but a positive instruction to start from the Nihil or zero-point before any concept of deity whatsoever. (Note: I feel I need to elaborate a bit more on this, for so many may read this and say that this is being one sided or that it implies that we can not believe in any other God/dess, that is not what it is saying at all, it is just saying that we need to start at a point where there is no God/dess for if you think on it has a whole we are the creator and are creating our own personal universe, so there for only put in it what you believe and what has meaning to you. As far as God/dess goes best way to look at it is There are many faces and names of God but they are of all the one true God A very wise druidic saying, for in all things there is a duality, both male/female, light/dark, love/hate, and the list goes on, so do not limit your self, for by do so you are denying yourself and your spiritual growth.) In a place where you wont be disturbed, stand facing east or north, focus your attention on the Supreme (divine) above you and to the life that exists below you. With the energy of your awareness now focused, draw a horizontal circle around you. This circle is zero-time. You may use a wand or dagger if you wantlol. But then again if we want to do his right then use the one you where born with, thats right your hand. Now draw a lateral circle at the Zenith (the top of your head) to the right continue to the Nordic and then back up along the left side until you reach the Zenith again. This is zero-space. Then draw a vertical circle starting at the Zenith and down in front of body going back up your back till you reach the Zenith again. This is zero-event. Make sure you draw all circles clockwise. Ideally you should draw or project all three simultaneously. Which will become easier each time you practice. After a little practice, the whole exercise shouldnt take more

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than a split second. It is extremely powerful. I will only give you a few aspects of this formula; concentration aid, for centering yourself also in large rituals as well part of the LBR, and it also hardens the aura. It can be also used with the IAO vibrating powerfully and respectively as each circle is drawn.

The Opening of The Third (Ra) Eye Ritual According to the Book of the Damned

Perform this ritual to improve psychic powers and to open the eye of Ra, or The Third Eye. This ritual is from the Egyptian Book of the Damned as is the other ritual that I am including for you. These rituals have been translated for you and I have included the orginal text scanned from the books themselves. Begin by brewing a strong magickal tea made from yarrow (this is an herb that stimulate the psychic senses, if you need help with this, please let me know) and then light 8 candles to help attract psychic influences and form them in the shape of the Star (the name of this star cannot be translated). Drink the tea and then gaze fixedly into a magick black mirror, glass full of water, crystal ball, or crystal pyramid as you chant the following

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incantation 8 times: "I invoke you oh Ra. Eye to the directions of sight. And seer of all matters. I ask now to open my eye (3rd). And show me what I havent yet seen. Let me see what is coming. Let me see has gone. Let me into the hearts and souls. And the lands that Ra sees. Let me see and make sense of this. Of the sights that can been seen. From the directions of the Ra. Give me sight. After chanting, relax, breathe slowly and concentrate on opening your Third Eye. Do not permit any negative thought to affect you while you are involved in this ritual. This ritual is permitted to be done at any time you feel the need of knowledge. The need of knowing something not easily known.

Astral Projection

First some terms. There are many types of "projections" going by different names. The ones I use are; MENTAL PROJECTION - Where the practitioner projects just his

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consciousness to some other place, beyond the physical body. It's similar to a day dream only much stronger. You see a mental picture, like watching a movie, but there are no senses per se, taste, feel, hearing, smell etc. ASTRAL PROJECTION - This is where the Consciousness & the Astral body separate together from the physical body. The practitioner has use of all fives senses plus those used by the Astral body. You may have a sense of flying or floating. Vivid dreams are often natural AP during sleep. It's perfectly safe. Nothing can enter the physical body while on an Astral projection as only you have the exact key. At any sign of danger the Astral body is "reeled in" rather quickly. ETHERIC PROJECTION - This is where the Consciousness, the Astral body & the etheric body separate together from the physical body. The ectoplasm of the Etheric body can been seen other. The physical body is reduced to a state of near catalepsy during the projection and must be protected from sudden shock or disturbance as there is a rare occurrence of physical death. BILOCATION - This is where the Consciousness, the Astral body, the Etheric body & the Physical body are in TWO different places at the same time. This is only to be used by advanced Magi and then rarely. It involves time & place distortion with a host of other things. Mental projection is by far the easiest. Just focus the consciousness anywhere the will directs. Astral Projection requires a little more. There are as many techniques & systems as there are people. Here are some guild lines & methods; METHOD 1 In a quiet place sit in a straight backed chair, up against a wall or on the floor with spine erect. Relax, get comfortable. Inhale & exhale slowly a couple of times. DO NOT FALL ASLEEP!! Use 2/4 breath to start, that is;

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empty your lungs, easily, then inhale to a mental count of four, hold mental count of two, expel in a four count, pause for a two count, then inhale to a four count etc, etc. Picture an image in the mind's eye of a yourself in a ball of light about 3-5 feet away from you. Continue, slowly, rhythmically while focusing your attention on the image in the mind's eye, see it clearly then shift your consciousness or point of awareness ...awareness of self, selfhood; the observing I etc. to the ball of light. Including the senses first touch, move your Astral feet & arms, then hearing, then smell, then taste & last of all when you have your other senses plugged in open your eyes and look around. Each sense further focuses your point of awareness in the Astral body. Astral sight doesn't depend on the physical eyes. The reason it is listed last on the list is practical. Sometimes for novices the act of opening the eyes in the Astral body triggers a reflex of opening the eyes in the physical body, without the other senses to anchor it the consciousness shifts back to the physical body and you lose the AP. Don't worry about your Astral sight at the very start. Work first on being sure of shifting the consciousness. That is the first step to success. The rest of the senses MUST follow. If you have to break it down even further, work on hearing, smell, touch or Small Astral body movements one at a time first. Then work on sight. METHOD 2 Start a mental projection and will your Astral body along. METHOD 3 Imagine that your Astral body is separating from your physical body out the head chakra. You will sense a rapid vibration with a rising or floating sensation. Let it happen. Don't block it. When complete check your five senses in the described order. Using the Astral body requires only that you mentally shift gears into it, no matter what method you use. Astral projection takes patience, practice & persistence. Several things govern how quickly you can gain mastery: - noises & distractions - how relaxed you are - breathing technique - how

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well focused you are - achieving the mental imagery necessary - transfer of consciousness - practice "Astral Projection" is not one experience but a complicated amalgam of many types and levels of experience. AP experiences can be very sharp and clear, foggy and dreamlike, intense, mild, convincing, and confusing all at once. The common modern view of AP is that is has three (or four) basic forms; Mental, Astral, Etheric, (and rarely Bilocation). However, my experience is that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of variations of typical "astral travel" experiences and that breaking them up into a few categories is more convenient than accurate. Two of the most common reasons for not achieving a clear AP are foggy imagery & problems with shifting Consciousness to the Astral body. First the image in the ball of light must be clear & fixed. You must have a clear mental image of the Astral body to begin with. Second, the Consciousness must be fully shifted or transferred from the physical to the Astral body!! It shouldn't be shuttling between the two. It's a very common problem. But you can't drive two cars at the same time! This may show up as poor Astral vision or partial or full loss of Astral senses. Sort of like poor TV reception with static & snow. Probably because of uneasiness about the unknown. Relax!! Your physical body will be just fine, really! Remember you can't swim hanging on to the side of the pool!!!! Let go!!! Trust me. The single most important factors shaping the nature of the AP experience are practice & "Instructions" for the "voyage" given by very deep areas of the subconscious mind, "co-ordinates", if you will, that the projecting "Selfhood Program" uses for guidance in this journey through all the possible universes. These "co-ordinates" can be suggested to the one pointed or focused mind through ritual, meditation, visualization, and many other techniques. Without training, and developing the strength of the "psychic muscles", most people aren't able to give adequate co-ordinates to the focused mind. They are in the position, one might say, of being able to turn their psychic computers on, but they are not yet able to load in a program that takes advantage of the computers powers. The thing just sits there and hums blindly. They have

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some interesting thoughts or twists of perception while they do their practices, but don't usually make the shift. The "trick" of astral projection lies in the TRANSFER OF YOUR POINT OF AWARENESS...awareness, selfhood; "the observing I". It is "like" a vortex, an 'atom' of consciousness, which "rides" the physical body. It is not the Ego, not the "higher self"; it is more like a natural force, or quality, in the way that "weight" is a quality of gravity. One of the keys is focus & intensity. You should become oblivious to everything except transferring your point of awareness, complete & undivided attention, focus or consciousness. Use your other senses as a check list, in the order described. Anxiety or fear of the unknown often causes problems...like swimming or riding a bike, RELAX. You won't fall or drown! If you tense up, it won't happen. This is a natural, easy process. Don't push or force, focus & guide. When trying to ascertain if you have a true Mental or Astral project check to see if the contrary is true. If the scene you are in is one of a friend reading a book, imagine him ironing or doing dishes. If the scene changes immediately to him doing dishes or ironing, it not a true Mental or Astral projection. If progress or success is occasional or uneven then check the list above and eliminate the cause of the problem. Try these techniques every day or night for three months. Record all experiences, in detail, in a journal to study later. Stick to the schedule (three months), patience, practice & persistence are the key.

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The Paradigms of Magic The Psychological Model: A Mixture By: Andrew

The impact that Mesmer and his successors made in the 18th century is comparable to that of Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein, in the 29th century. Freud and Einstein were revolutionary pioneers of a fundamental, radical change in thinking that drastically shock up the mechanistic views of the world until it eventually burst. In a certain sense, Freud thesis were derived and developed from Mesmers concepts and it is no coincidence that the founder of psychoanalysis originally focused on the study of hypnosis and hysteria. What Mesmer public demonstrated in Europe just before the French Revolution with displays and exbitation is what Freud and in particular Georg Groddek (the founder of psychosomatic medicine)

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tried to prove scientifically a good hundred years latter, the realization that many, if not all illnesses have mental causes, and the mind is able to affect and influence the body. Since were not going into the comprehensive details here, this brief information will have to suffice. Manly it is meant to illustrate the effect that this development has on magical practice. The 1st well known magicians to apply psychological or psychoanalytical thought to a greater degree were A. Crowley and Austin Osmar Spare. Crowley toyed with the psychological model for quite some time, especially in his middle age years, although he latter became a firm supporter of the Spirit model. Spare on the other hand went just the opposite direction- some of the thesis in his magical writings seem to be taken from a textbook on psychoanalysis. Strictly speaking, the psychological model is just an empirical mixture since it doesnt really go beyond the spirit and energy model, but instead strengthens the homocentric of the latter while disputing the basis of the spirit model by denying the existence of spirits in an objective, internal sense- but not in a subjective psychological one. In addition it doesnt explain magic with the new or different mechanisms, but instead it just relocates its place of origin namely deep inside the psyche with out really explaining the way it works. Of coarse such a claim needs to be proved. According to the psychological model, magic is merely an animistic phenomena. Everything that the magician perceives or does while performing ones act take place inside the psyche where a certain mechanism (thats never more closely defined) causes the desired (or undesired) results. The authority responsible for magic is the unconscious mind (or accordingly to Spare who uses Freuds geromonolgy, the subconscious-mind) this is where all magic activity takes place. The supporters of this theory (and these include nearly all modern-day authors of magic) Ive mentioned a word about how the subconscious activity performs this miracle. But above all with this model the magician becomes a psychonaut. While one need to be a spirit trader and latter an energy traveler, one now becomes a Journey to the Soul. By exploring the internal realm of the psyche and mapping it out, one learns the laws that can help take magical control over ones own life and the world around. (This is why we do things with such repetition till

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it is no longer memory but thought through action, The most powerful of spells are the ones done through silence for it is not spoken out load but spoken through thought from our true will.) The mixed form nature of psychological model can be recognized by the fact that- as practice has shown- it can be superbly combined with the other two models the we have discussed so far, which is indeed done quite frequently. The next model I will be covering well be The Chaostheric Paradigm

Symbology of Symbols and Words

By: Andrew We live in a day of age where there are many teachings and many different beliefs. With this comes many different meanings for symbols and usage of words, but what isnt taught is that what may look like a Wicca image or a Satanist image is in fact something completely different to every one. For our goal is to take each symbol or words & to make them unique and a part of us, that is the true definition of a Magus or any true practitioner, for by doing so we give that symbol or word more power for it has now been created by the magician and is a part of him/her which is what magic is all about, not what path or what religion you belong to, but the act of creating something that is solely yours, LBR is taught in almost every magical belief and practices but what is not mentioned is that all most all that use it change it to fit them and make it theres and a part of them.

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Way to many people now days put to much importance on what, where, or who, a symbol or word comes from, and when they see it is not of there belief they become way to close minded to see something or learn something new, all because it belongs to something that they feel is completely against what they belong to or practice, woe to these people that have such beliefs for you let your selfs fall into a very dangerous place and in the end all you are doing is stopping your spiritual growth and closing your subconscious mind of. For in truth we all follow both paths, and many will argue by saying all I do is heal, well then you practice necromancy and there for you practice dark magic..lol.. Sorry guys there should be no color or ideal of light or dark, it is all a part of us and should be embraced and excepted, just like one should not call themselves something when in truth there is many truths to be found in all religions and beliefs, we all need to stop being closed minded to this, and stop complaining or arguing who is right or wrong, but yet learn from it all with an open mind. If you see an inverted pentacle upon me you will say I am evil or a Satanist, or if your see one up right with the tri scale moons you say I am Wicca, why such titles have we forgotten what an inverted pent & upright pent stand for. Thats right they are protection symbols nothing more, one against evil the other against good, just like the seal of Solomon. Maybe one should look deeper into what is being worn and the energies that are in place, that should be your first reaction, not judging what that person may be. When we use symbols and words no matter what there origin is, the purpose of there use is 1) Is a focal point 2) a trigger for open that part of the mind 3) a form of protection 4) especially with (sigils) away to trigger memory of what is to be done or said.

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5)Pagan, Heathen, yes words that encompass us all, so tired of hearing these 2 words used by those that dont know there true meanings. Pagan just means heathenlol now heathen means one that does not follow the 3 and only 3 true recognized religion in the world, And that is Roman Catholic, Judaism, & Islam. So that means there is a lot more heathens than would claim to be, so please when using words know what they really mean before calling someone something because they do not follow your beliefs. And dont be so blind as to think that there isnt nothing to learn in any of them, every religion has there mystical sides, and you will learn that most tell of the same story just with different names. So in short our true goal is to learn and grow and make those things that we learn a part of us and unique to only us, for that is what gives words and symbols there true meanings and power not what book they came from or what religion they came from. Maybe we all should study our Greek culture a bit more and deeper, things are meant to be shared and philosophized and debated not argued or condemned some of the best teachings came from this time period and great things came from it. Look at the world around you we live in a time were we are more free than they ever where and we can learn so much more as long as we have open minds, and stop trying to put things in boxes or giving things titles which only gives them power over you, & you may say no thats not true, but it is & it is your mind giving it power not you. Everything has a story to tell even a symbol, It may just be in the energy that is on it, but you would not know that if you did not look.

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The Oran Mr
By Frank Mills Oran Mr and text, Frank Mills, 1998 Author: * Draoi-man Brigantes - 5 Posts on this thread out of 146 Posts sitewide. Date: Feb 5, 2009 - 18:45 I reproduce this article for study only... it can be difficult to find even online and I hope that Frank Mills doesn't mind. All credit due to him.

The primordial myth of Creation, common to all people, tells of a mighty melody the very breath of the primordial god that sang Creation into existence. To the Celts it was known as the Oran Mr, "The Great Melody"1, a melody that did not cease with the initial creation, but goes on and on and on, inspiring Creation along its holy pilgrimage of giving and receiving blessing. It is this primordial myth that, like a Celtic knot, weaves throughout the entire corpus of the Celtic mythos, knitting an interwoven, cohesive mythology. The Oran Mr, as the primordial "sea melody,"2 flows through the myths and legends of submerged lands, mystical springs, life-giving cauldrons, and holy grails. As Wisdom it "fills the head," and gives meaning to the severed heads that so disturbed Caesar. It is the "creative melody," always creating, both in the hearer and in the one singing. It is the myth of Uaithne and Boand who bear the three strains of music: innocence, sorrow, and joy3. It is The Song of the Three Cauldrons giving and receiving creative blessing in its song. The words of the song are as diverse as there are people to hear it; always taking their meaning from

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their divinely breathed sound, never from that design which we impose. The Oran Mrs divine sound gives meaning to no, creates the Celtic languages. These are languages that provide us melodious words such as Cruithear, yr wyddor, and grammeria to role on our tongues and savor; words that have no import apart from the divine melody4. Ultimately, the divine song, as with Percival, gives form to, and rises up within us the basic question of Celtic myth "Why do you suffer?" It is this question, this song, which interprets not only Celtic myth, but also Life! The Oran Mr, as Celtic myth attests, is nothing more or less than the creative energy of the primordial god. Call the song "Grace." Here is the divine energy whose various numinous aspects are revealed not only in the Continental and the Insular gods of the Celts, but in Creation herself. The Oran Mr as the numinous music energy sings Creation into existence, and becomes the holy, mystical song of Life sang in the seasonal festivals and rituals of sovereignty of the Celtic peoples. It is this holy song of Creation that fills humankind and gives meaning to history, making mythical history objective. It is this song that drives us to pilgrimage and simultaneously brings about the hiraeth, that indescribable yearning for home. It is gorfoleddu5 in the midst of oppression. The Oran Mr is still being sung today, but, alas, we live in an age that no longer hears, or even listens for, that primordial divine Melody of Creation. This is an age that serves up soul-less science and life-less religion, each noisily clamoring to be heard over the other. It is an age runctiously marked by fragmented, in your face, individualism, an individualism so tumultuous that it robs the Self of its very ease. No longer, in the discordant noise of this age, can the Great Melody be heard. If it is heard, ever so slightly, it is seldom recognized for what it is. All we hear is the contentious noise of conflicting "realities". And, thus, we wander restlessly with a sorely dis-eased soul, through a clashing wilderness of antagonistic

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half-truths, each demanding to be heard as the Melody of Life. In this fragmentation, we have lost our way, our holy nature, and have profaned the holiness of both Creation and the Creator. We have failed to live up to our potential as co-creators, with the divine, and in so doing have compounded the profanity and brokenness of a holy Creation. However, all is not lost. Deep within each of us lies a yearning for our lost (w)holiness. Thus, we discover our co-creative role within divinity, and with it, the holiness of Creation. We learn to ask the right question, which is simply, "Why do you suffer?" There is however, one problem. We are incapable in our fragmented state to accomplish the quest on our own. We need a hero. It is when we find our hero in truth, our divine nature with which we have been created that is within and allow it to be our Advocate in a jointly fought struggle with suffering (and profanity) that we find holiness and with it our wholeness. Not merely a wholeness within This-World, but the original wholeness both within and between This-World and the Other-World. In other words, we re-enter into the One-World of Celtic Paradise. To live sustainable, in the fullest sense of the word, we need to learn to live once again within the One-World of Celtic Paradise. To live sustainable demands the full participation of our senses. It is the Oran Mr, in Celtic myth, which gives vitality to the senses. For the Celt, as it is for us all, there are five senses: sights, touch, sound, taste and intuition. All are God-given, all are to be celebrated. It is, however, intuition, or The Sight (as the Celts know it), that rises from the "deeper nature" of the Oran Mr. For the Song has the uncanny ability to recognize herself as she is sung throughout Creation. It is in the recognition of herself that she (Oran Mr) stirs up within our being "The Sight." In hearing the Song being sung beyond us, the Song within wells up seeks herself. We might say that She seeks her original wholeness. And in the seeking the Song within makes our head/heart to hear the other, and in so doing, gives us "The Sight", or understanding, of

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that which is to come, that which has been, and that which is. To live according to "The Sight" is not to live with one foot in This-world and the one foot in the Other-World, but to live as Celtic myth demonstrates with both feet simultaneously in both worlds. The Oran Mr assures us that which we need to do so is already within waiting to be heard and applied creatively. To do so is to begin to re-enter the One-World of Celtic Paradise.

Notes -------------------------------------1"Oran" = Song, "Mr" = Great 2"Mr" = "Mr" = Sea 3"Uaithne" = Harmony (mortal), "Boand" = Melody (supernatural). Their three children were, in order: "Goltriaghe" (sorrow), "Giantriaghe" (joy), and "Suantriaghe" (peace). From prenatal innocence comes sorrow, then joy, then mystical peace, or the renewal of innocence. 4"Cruithear" = Creator (God), Scotch Gaelic; "yr wyddor" = alphabet, Welsh; "grammeria" = grammar (Welsh). Each have either song/music or water as their primitive root. 5An ecstatic rejoicing that flows from, and in the midst, of sorrow.

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The Basics of Tincturing

By:Oak

Throughout the ages tincturing has been used by herbalists, physicians and alchemists as a method of extracting and preserving the concentrated essences of natural herbs. Though tincturing is not suitable for all herbals, it is the appropriate method for the great majority.

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The definition of a tincture for our purposes is an alcoholic extract of leaves or other plant material. In herbal medicine, alcoholic tinctures are often made with various concentrations of alcohol, 25% being the most common. In alchemical pursuits the alcohol concentration is much higher, 95% being the most desired. Glycerin and vinegar can be substituted for alcohol as a solvent in tincturing but both have their disadvantages. The neutral pH of alcohol makes it the most versatile for use with both acidic and alkaline constituents. This article will deal only with alcohol as the solvent and dried herbs as the material. The process of tincturing is actually very simple to perform and will keep your concentrations preserved indefinitely if proper storage is followed. The materials required are easily obtained and low cost. I encourage everyone interested to try tincturing for their own medicinal use. The key requirement, where you cannot make short cuts is in the quality of the herb. Purchase only organically grown herbs from reputable sellers or simply grow and dry your own for quality assurance. Aside from the herb, most of the other needs can be substituted as needed or to fit your budget. Materials list: Note Book Mortar and Pestle Coffee grinder (optional) Alcohol (100 proof Vodka). Other clear alcohols may be substituted but not recommended. 1 Quart glass jars with large mouth and lid (Ball Mason are my preferred). 1 Quart graduated measuring cup. Waxed paper or Freezer paper Masking tape (for labeling) Cheese Cloth or a fine strainer Scale (digital preferred) Gallon of Distilled Water (I would not substitute here if possible) Amber or Green bottle with a good seal (for storage of tincture). I find that

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Grolsch beer bottles work perfectly and you get to enjoy the beer first. The Process: To begin, you will open your notebook and jot down the date, time, type of alcohol and herb you are working with. Notes are important for future reference. Next you will make your herb ready by removing any chaff or debris that does not belong. We want only good quality herb for our work. After you are satisfied with your herb you will measure out the amount you desire to work with and make an entry in your notebook. I recommend no more than 25 grams or 1oz., for your first tincture of every herb you work with. Now place your desired amount in your mortar and use your pestle to grind the herb as well as you can. The finer the grind, the better its essences will release (avoid reducing the herb to a powder as you may have difficulty in separation later). If working with an herb that is difficult such as woody herbs or roots, the coffee grinder may be used make the task easier before finishing with the mortar & pestle. Now, touch the herb with your hands, feel its energy. Smell the essence. Personal contact is very beneficial to your work. Carefully pour your herb into your glass jar. Guesstimate the amount of liquid you will need to completely cover your herb. This is why I like the Mason jars as they have measured lines on the newer ones. Since we are working towards a medicinal tincture in this lesson we will create a 50/50 mixture of alcohol and distilled water which will reduce the alcohol content to 25%. That, and good alcohol is not cheap. Take your guestimation in half and pour that amount of alcohol into your graduated quart followed by the same amount of distilled water. Record these amounts in your notes. Now, add some of the mixture to your herb. Allow it to soak in for a few moments and see what level you have maintained. The solvent should reach 1 finger (about a half inch) above the level of the herb. If not then add more solvent until this level is reached. If you run short then guesstimate again and mix more solvent. If the herb is not completely covered, you run the risk of spoilage in the upper portions. Make a note of the total amount of solvent needed as different herbs will need differing

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amounts of solvent due to absorbency. You should always leave at least a third of the jar empty for air and expansion. Once you have the correct (or close) level of solvent, it is time to close up your jar. Cut a square of wax (or parchment) paper that will easily cover the top of your jar and use a ring or lid to seal it. Label your jar and set it in a dark, cool place for 14 days. You can vary the time as you like between 7 days and whenever as long as the herb remains completely covered by the solvent. You should check your jar daily for coverage and to give it a swirl to stir it up. This not only assists in removing more of the beneficial essence but keeps you in personal contact with your tincture. It is now time to strain and bottle your new tincture. I generally fold 3 or 4 layers of cheesecloth for this, but if you have a fine strainer available this should work as well. Holding your cheesecloth or strainer over a large bowl, pour the contents of your jar through your strainer and into the bowl (you may need an extra set of hands for this). When the jar is empty, set it aside for washing and press or squeeze as much of the remaining liquid from your herb as possible and safely dispose of the plant material. You may get small particles through the strainer. This is not a concern as you may strain again through a coffee filter if desired (though not necessary for quality). Use a funnel to pour the tincture into your green or amber glass storage container. Amber or green glass will prevent UV light from reducing the quality of your tincture over time. Be sure to label your tincture and finish adding any notes. This completes the process; you will now have captured the concentrated essence of your herb.

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A Test
A first-grade teacher, Ms Brooks, was having trouble with one of her students. The teacher asked, 'Harry, what's your problem?' Harry answered, 'I'm too smart for the 1st grade. My sister is in the 3rd grade and I'm smarter than she is! I think I should be in the 3rd grade too!' Ms. Brooks had had enough. She took Harry to the principal's office. While Harry waited in the outer office, the teacher explained to the principal what the situation was. The principal told Ms. Brooks he would give the boy a test. If he failed to answer any of his questions he was to go back to the 1st grade and behave. She agreed.

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Harry was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he agreed to take the test. Principal: 'What is 3 x 3?' Harry: '9.' Principal: 'What is 6 x 6?' Harry: '36.' And so it went with every question the principal thought a 3rd grader should know. The principal looks at Ms. Brooks and tells her, 'I think Harry can go to the 3rd grade' Ms. Brooks says to the principal, 'Let me ask him some questions..' The principal and Harry both agreed. Ms. Brooks asks, 'What does a cow have four of that I have only two of?' Harry, after a moment: 'Legs.' Ms. Brooks: 'What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?' The principal wondered why would she ask such a question! Harry replied: 'Pockets.' Ms. Brooks: 'What does a dog do that a man steps into?' Harry: 'Pants.' The principal sat forward with his mouth hanging open. Ms. Brooks: 'What goes in hard and pink then comes out soft and sticky?' The principal's eyes opened really wide and before he could stop the answer, Harry replied, 'Bubble gum.' Ms. Brooks: 'What does a man do standing up, a woman does sitting down and a dog does on three legs?' Harry: 'Shake hands .' The principal was trembling. Ms. Brooks: 'What word starts with an 'F' and ends in 'K' that means a lot of heat and excitement?' Harry:

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'Fire-truck.' The principal breathed a sigh of relief and told the teacher, 'Put Harry in the fifth-grade, I got the last seven questions wrong.

After The Honeymoon

A young couple got married and went on their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride immediately called her mother. "Well," said her mother, "how was the honeymoon?" "Oh, mama," she replied, "the honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic..." Suddenly she burst out crying. "But, mama, as soon as we returned Sam started using the most horrible language - things I'd never heard before! I mean, all these awful 4-letter words! You've got to take me home... PLEASE MAMA!" "Sarah, Sarah," her mother said, "calm down! You need to stay with your husband and work this out. Now, tell me, what could be so awful? WHAT 4-letter words?" "Please don't make me tell you, mama," wept the daughter, "I'm so embarrassed they're just too awful! COME GET ME, PLEASE!!" "Darling, baby, you must tell me what has you so upset. Tell your mother these horrible 4-letter words!" Still sobbing, the bride said, "Oh, Mama ... he used words like: dust, wash, iron, cook..." "I'll pick you up in twenty minutes," said the mother.

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The Light Within

By: Andrew

Your words & voice are what feed my heart, You are the light that shines so bright within me,

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Each day I long to see you, To feel that love that we share, You are my hope & reason to be, You are perfection, even in your times of need, When you feel joy it vibrates the heavens, Giving a spark of life to those in need, For your soul & heart are truly divine, You are what make my light shine so bright, Your love is what radiates, & guides my way, You are the giver of hope, When I thought there was none to be, That is why my heart will always belong to thee, And my love will always shine through you, As you have done for me.

Hiding Myself
As I cover the handprints up with make up I try not to notice the sadness in my eyes I hope no one sees What if they know? What if they sense my shame? What if they ask the questions I cant answer? I can hide the bruises on my face and neck Until they heal But the damage inside cannot be healed Isolation Hiding in the corner Keeping quiet Makes it easier for you To break your promises Never again

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Im sorry I love you I love you The dirtiest phrase known When said with conviction These things never happen in the first place When said lightly They keep happening And escalating Until I beg for death If you do it I dont have to worry About Karma But you wont You stop Hug me Hold me Kiss my tears Until next time But until then I smile I cover it up I make excuses for you I make excuses for myself But what about when the make up Wont hide your sins? hek ------------

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DREAMING OF A SHOOTING STAR By;Andrew

Dreaming of a full moon nite, And a warm soft gentle breeze, Embracing the one that I love, As the moon, & stars shine down a pawn us, Kindling our hearts & fueling our love, Just waiting for the first shooting star to make a wish, That this nite will last forever, & our love sealed for all eternity, With our kiss the heavens shine bright, The moon & stars illuminate us with there light, The inner glow within pulsates, as time stands still, The beat of our hearts is as one, Our breath is in harmony, As we look into each others eyes, We see our love reflected within each other, And for the first time we see, That our souls are as one, Pulsating with each passionate kiss, I do not wish to let go, As tears start to glisten, & fall gently down, For I know soon I will awake, And my heart will yearn to be back in your arms, Wishing a pawn that shooting star, That this dream will become alive, And you'll be there in my arms with the moon & stars.

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Fenris the Wolf

Told By Darin Morgan The wind howled almost as loudly as the cub Fenris did. The young cub was no older than one year, and already he was larger than any of the other wolves his age. He knew not who his parents were. He had been adopted by a small pack of mountain wolves before he could remember and had traveled with them ever since. Fenris's life began by being protected by the pack, but even at the age of one, he was more like their protector. He ate no differently than the rest, was no different in any regard that could be seen, and yet he grew twice as fast as they did; and he was nearly as strong as the full grown wolves in the pack. Once they had been feasting on a deer that the pack had brought down the day before when they were attacked by a troll. Three of the older wolves launched at its throat, but the huge troll merely swept them aside with a

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tree trunk that it swung as a club. One of the wolves that Fenris had learned to call "brother" latched onto the trolls back leg. Fenris howled in rage and grief as he heard his brother's back snap when the troll brought its hand down on the young wolf. Fenris dug his back legs into the ground and leapt with tremendous power. He struck the troll in its chest and it toppled backwards, loosing its weapon. The troll brought its fist to Fenris's ribs, but they did not break. It hit him again and again, but Fenris did not break his hold; he merely sunk his teeth in deeper and deeper into the wretched creature's throat. The troll's arm finally sunk to the earth as the life ebbed from his body. Fenris released his grip, black blood dripping from his hairy muzzle, running down his neck, and staining his paws. Fenris let loose a mighty howl that shook the very ground. The other wolves regarded him in fear, a wolf of only one year old, and yet today had proven stronger than any wolf that had ever been written about in legend, maybe that ever existed. Not even the wolves of Odin could kill a troll by themselves. Fenris tried to live among the pack, but they all feared him, and none thought of him the same. Fenris left the warmth of the pack and slowly walked into the cold black night, the snow swirling around him. Fenris wandered the hills for many nights, never finding rest. When his body growled for food Fenris started putting his nose to the ground sniffing for a trail. Ahead in a clearing he caught site of a rabbit nibbling on some grass that was sticking through the snow. As Fenris crept toward it though, it seemed not to see him but to sense him and it turned to face him. It however did not run, it stared at him, seeming to almost smile. Fenris growled. He smelled the change before he saw it, but the rabbit did change. It leapt forward, and in mid leap became a man, clothed in a garb of different shades of grey. The man had a black beard and mustache and dark shifty eyes. Fenris not so much saw, but felt, or smelled, the dishonesty and deception that seemed to hang on the man thicker than his grey coat of animal skin. Yet, there was something about him, a familiarity. "Hello, Fenris. I have been waiting for you. You're a hard wolf to find despite your many differences from the others of your kind." The hair on Fenris's back stood upright, and he growled, "Who are you?

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What differences?" The black-haired man laughed, "I am Loki, and you are blind if you see no differences between you and the mere wolves of these mountains." "I am the same--" Fenris' words were cut off by the sound of a third person suddenly speaking. "Enough Loki! We do it my way." Fenris had a sudden thought of anger toward himself for not detecting the second man in the trees to his left. He managed to turn his head enough to catch a glimpse of a splendidly dressed man in golden armor. His red beard hung down to the top of his breast plate and was neatly braided into two thick braids. This was all he saw before a spinning hammer struck him in the side of the head. As he slipped into unconsciousness he heard the two strangers talking. "You never did have much patience, did you Thor?" Thor laughed, "We don't have time for you to talk him into unconsciousness, we're only immortals" Fenris slipped into darkness. He had a foggy memory of being carried through the woods. He also remembered dimly seeing a castle and more people gathered around looking down at him. When he finally awoke he looked around and saw he was being kept in a cage. He howled with anger and growled as he looked around his prison. One day Odin came to pay him a visit. Fenris growled through the iron bars, "Why am I here? How long are you going to keep me?" Odin laughed, "You are here because it was seen that you and your family would destroy the world, if something was not done." "So you plan on keeping me here for all eternity?" "No, we will only keep you here as long as it takes us to figure out how to kill you. Unfortunately you don't die as easily as the rest of your pack." Fenris who had lain down to show this one-eyed man he wasn't afraid of him, now lept to his feet. His words were almost intelligible from a growl, "What?" "I sent the troll, and when it failed to kill you I sent Thor and Loki. It was seen that your family would also be part of the destruction of the world, so they all had to die."

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Fenris saw his brother's dead-yellow eyes staring at nothing and heard the words of Odin all too clearly in his head again, They all had to die.' Fenris leaped forward, the bars bent like butter as he thrust his head through, snapping his jaws at the man's head. Odin drew back in astonishment and was just saved. There was a gaping hole in the bars, but they still held. Fenris launched again, and again at the bars. Odin turned and hastily left the room, locking the door behind him. Fenris lifted his head and howled.

The days passed, and he was moved to a stronger cell. The only one of the Norse men and women who dwelled in this fortress however that were brave enough to feed him was the one they called Tyr. Fenris never tried to kill him, and never had a desire to. He almost liked the young Norseman, except for his coarse jokes about wolves that he seemed to come up with overnight. Fenris spent most of his time thinking about Odin and how he could kill him. One day as Tyr was opening the door to feed him, Fenris caught site of Odin out in the courtyard. The two inch metal bars snapped as the giant wolf thrust himself against them. He made it to the door. Tyr tried to close it, but the wolf rammed past him. Tyr was head and shoulders taller than any mortal man, but the force by which Fenris hit the door sent him flying backward as if he weighed nothing. The door was burst into splitters. Odin was accompanied by Thor, Balder, and Skadi. Skadi saw the wolf first and her spear of ice appeared in her hand as she yelled a warning to the others. She then hurled the spear with the accuracy of a goddess. Although the spear could normally pierce any metal or stone, the speed with which Fenris ran and his shear strength shattered the ice spear upon impact. Fenris growled at the pain and launched forward again. Thor had his hammer in hand and dealt a earth shattering blow to the massive wolf's side. Fenris rolled to the side, got up, shook it off, and walked straight for Odin. Fenris was now large enough to look at Odin at eye level. Loki, watching from the wall, jumped off and in mid-air his arms molded into great wings. By the time he reached the fight there was nothing human about him, only the form of a great hawk, who closed its talons around the shoulders of Odin lifting him

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off the ground and to safety. Thor had his hammer raised, Skadi had produced another spear, and Balder had his sword drawn. All were waiting to strike. Fenris ignored them all he kept his gaze ever on Odin. Tyr ran toward Fenris a massive chain in hand. Fenris was yelling after Odin, "I will sink my teeth in you before I die! That I promise you!" While Fenris was distracted Tyr through the chain around the wolf, but Fenris shook and pulled and the chain split at every link. All stepped back none wanting to face this beast. Dropping Odin upon the wall Loki swooped back to earth, landing a few steps in front of Fenris. "I am sorry, my friend. I have always been on your side, but alas...Odin is a companion of mine so I was indebted to help him. I do believe that you are the strongest of all creatures, and could easily break any chair or cord fashioned to hold you, but I happen to have a cord fashioned by the dwarves. They claim that it is unbreakable. Now if you will allow me to test their words, and if you will allow me to bind you with it, I will make you a deal. If you break the cords, then you are indeed worthy of doing battle with Odin, and you may face him in combat. However, if you fail to break my dwarven- made cord you must leave this place and never return, not to seek your revenge on Odin or to trouble us ever again." "How do I know you will release me if I cannot break your cord? I will agree to your test if one of you will place their right hand in my mouth. That way if you go back on your word..." Fenris snapped his massive jaws to finish the sentence. Loki was a bit aggravated at being outwitted, and was about to try to dissuade the wolf, when Tyr stepped forward and pulled his sleeve back from his arm. Loki looked Tyr in the eye and shook his head ever so slightly, but Tyr only nodded in answer and held his hand out, steady and unflinching. Fenris had a pang of regret. He had not thought that anyone would take him up on the offer, least of all the only one that he liked, but Fenris knew he had made the deal and he could not go back on his word. So he firmly placed his jaws around his caretakers arm. Loki pulled a cord from his cloak. It seemed to change colors in the sun, shifting from blue to green

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and back again. Once the cord was securely fastened, Loki stepped back and nodded for Fenris to attempt to break free. The great wolf flexed, pulled, struggled with every ounce of energy he had. He struggled all night long. His hate for Odin was strong enough to push him to the edge. Finally, as the sun rose Loki again spoke. "You can not break free?" The great wolf shook his head, ever mindful of Tyr. Then I am sorry my friend, but you are to never be freed." Fenris is his rage then bit down till his teeth clacked together and Tyr writhed in pain. Balder and Thor grabbed Fenris and hauled him to a great rock chaining his now helpless body to it. Fenris opened his mouth wide attempting to bite one of the two. It was then that Balder took his sword and lodged it in the wolf's mouth. If he was to bite down he would end his own life. Loki was the last person to leave the rock. As he left he said, "Worry not my Fenris, you will not be chained forever. I may have need of you when Odin has outlived his usefulness. In that day you will howl once again." With that Loki left, his dark grey cloak turning pitch black for a split second.

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This month we would like to dedicate personal Journeys in remembrance to all those that lost their live's on 9 11 and to all there families and loved one's. It was a day that shock our very ideas on safety of our very nation and one that brought us all together as well as other countries under one cause and we also wish to remember all of those that have died fighting and serving in these wars. On this day and the days that followed we saw everyone come together and we saw and heard stories of heroism from all the firefighters and rescuers to the people around the world sending aid, contributing to the red cross, and many nations sending aid. And let us remember all those that were at ground zero and who have now died or suffer from illness related to the air-born debris. And let us remember and in remembrance to all that have died and those that still suffer you will never be forgotten nor will your memories ever be in vain, but from your

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memories we have and will continue arise from the ashes stronger than before united against terrorism and oppression and through your memories your light and dreams will live on through each of us. Nearly 3,000 victims and the 19 hijackers died in the attacks. Among the 2,753 victims who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center were 343 firefighters and 60 police officers from New York City and the Port Authority, and 8 private emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Another 184 people were killed in the attack on the Pentagon. The overwhelming majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries

Operation Iraqi Freedom We would also like to remember all the soldiers who have died overseas fighting and honoring the memories of all those that lost their lives on 9 11 and their loved one's. Your sacrifices well not be forgotten nor will your memories be in vain, for you have fought for all those that lost their lives on 9 11 and have fought for our very own freedoms and fought so no one will have to live in fear from terrorism or those that wish to be oppressors. And let us not forget those that have returned and the wounded we are greatfull and thankful for your service and sacrifices and all that you have done. Our hearts and prayers go out to all and everyone that has been touched by these events.

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United States: 150,000 invasion 165,000 (Deaths: 4,474) United Kingdom: 46,000 invasion (Deaths: The UK has lost 179 soldiers in Iraq as of 12 February, 2009: 136 in roadside bombings, firefights, and rocket attacks. Out of the remaining 43, the cause of death included accidents, 'friendly fire' incidents, illnesses, and suicide.) Australia: 2,000 invasion (Deaths: There have been several injuries but no deaths of Australian troops in Iraq attributed to hostile action, however, a SASR commando was killed in a vehicle accident inKuwait, and a soldier named Jacob Kovco, assigned to the Baghdad SECDET, died from an accidental discharge of his pistol) Romania: 730 peak (Deaths: Three Romanian soldiers had been killed during their mission, and at least eight were wounded) El Salvador: 380 peak (Deaths: El Salvador lost five soldiers in Iraq, four in hostile incidents and one in an accident. 20 soldiers were wounded.) Estonia: 40 troops (Deaths: Two soldiers were killed in Iraq in separate insurgent attacks, 18 soldiers were wounded.) Bulgaria: 485 peak (Deaths: 13 soldiers were killed during this deployment. At least 5 Bulgarian contractors were also killed by insurgents.) Moldova: 24 peak (Deaths: 0) Albania: 240 troops (Deaths: Five soldiers were wounded during the deployment ) Ukraine: 1,650 peak (Deaths: Ukraine suffered 18 fatalities: twelve in

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attacks, three in accidents, two in suicides and one as a result of a heart attack, while 33 were wounded or injured) Denmark: 545 peak (Deaths: Denmark has lost seven soldiers in Iraq; one to friendly fire, one in a vehicle accident, and five to hostile incidents, while several more have been wounded) Czech Republic: 300 peak (Deaths: One Czech soldier died in May 2003 from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in Iraq.) South Korea: 3,600 peak (Deaths: 1) Japan: 600 troops (Deaths: There were no Japanese military casualties during the Operation.) Tonga: 55 troops (Deaths: 0) Azerbaijan: 250 peak (Deaths: One soldier, Rafael Seyidbala Agayev, died during the mission due to an unspecified cause)

Singapore: 175 offshore (Deaths: 0 ) Bosnia and Herzegovina: 85 peak ((Deaths: 0) Macedonia: 77 peak (Deaths:0 ) Latvia: 136 peak (Deaths: During their final posting, three Latvian soldiers were killed in action) Poland: 200 invasion2,500 peak (Deaths: Twenty-two Polish soldiers were killed in Iraq, along with three security personnel and two journalists, )

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Kazakhstan: 29 troops (Deaths: One soldier was killed in 2005 ) Armenia: 46 troops (Deaths: 0) Mongolia: 180 peak (Deaths: 0) Georgia: 2,000 peak (Deaths: As of July 2008, five Georgian soldiers had died in Iraq (one in a vehicle accident, one committed suicide, while three were killed in combat) and 19 were wounded) Slovakia: 110 peak (Deaths: Four Slovak soldiers were killed by mortars and roadside bombs during their deployment in Iraq.) Lithuania: 120 peak (Deaths: 0) Italy: 3,200 peak (Deaths: The Military of Italy lost 33 soldiers in Iraq.) Norway: 150 troops (Deaths: 0) Hungary: 300 troops (Deaths: While in Iraq, one Hungarian soldier was killed in an insurgent attack.) Netherlands: 1,345 troops (Deaths: The Netherlands lost 2 soldiers in separate attacks.) Portugal: 128 troops (Deaths: 0) New Zealand: 61 troops (Deaths: 0 ) Thailand: 423 troops (Deaths: Thailand lost 2 soldiers in Iraq in an insurgent attack. )

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Philippines: 51 troops (Deaths: three Filipino soldiers were wounded in an insurgent attack, although none died) Honduras: 368 troops (Deaths: 0) Dominican Republic: 302 troops (Deaths: 0 ) Spain: 1,300 troops (Deaths: While in Iraq, Spain lost 11 military personnel: ten killed in insurgent attacks and one in an accident.) Nicaragua: 230 troops (Deaths: 0) Iceland: 2 troops (Deaths: 0)

Operation Enduring Freedom

Country Australia Belgium Canada Czech Denmark Estonia Finland

Total 29 1 157 4 41 8 2

Country Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Romania South Korea

Total 25 3 10 30 2 19 1

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France French Georgia Germany Hungary Italy Jordan Latvia Lithuania NATO

73 1 9 53 7 39 2 3 1 3

Spain Sweden Turkey UK US Total

33 5 2 379 1747 2689

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Facebook Against BDSM

A UK BDSM club called Collared has taken on Facebook over its total ban on all kink and BDSM pages and groups, and has won a review of the policy. Last week Facebook wrote to Collared to confirm that it was actively enforcing a total ban on all fetish and BDSM content and that all fetish related groups and pages on its site will be subject to deletion

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without exception. Collared had sought clarification of the policy followed the removal of the Facebook Collared Events page on February 4th. The Collared page was deleted by Facebook following a complaint from a site user. However following extensive communication with senior staff of the company Collared has successfully lobbied the Internet giant to review the ban. Facebook is currently engaged in a wide ranging internal dialogue to clarify the prohibition and to determine whether a total ban is justified. Collared will be consulted throughout this process. Facebook has reiterated that the review process will not necessarily result in a reversal of the ban. Instead it may focus on creating greater consistency, clarity and transparency in the enforcement of the prohibition. The deletion angered and mystified many Collared members and supporters. As a community non-profit organization with a well-known and proven focus on safety and socialization the Facebook page was used merely as a means of communication between members. There was no explicit imagery or sexual content of any kind and the page was secret. The Page strictly followed the Facebook Terms at and especially condition (3.7); You will not post content that: is hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence. One of Collareds representatives immediately contacted Richard Allan, Facebooks Head of Policy for Europe and asked for an explanation for the action, and that the deletion decision be reviewed. To its credit, Facebook responded swiftly, but the companys explanation was, at best unsettling and at worst institutionally discriminatory and ignorant. Richard Allan contacted the Review Team responsible for the decision and was told Any content that is primarily related to sexual activities is deemed to be in breach whether or not the there are any overtly explicit photos on the Facebook page. This applies whether the content is a closed or open group and whatever the nature of the sexual activity. In other words, Facebook deleted the page on the basis of its perception

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of the groups intent and motivation even though there was no sexual discussion or imagery on the page. The position is radically more severe than the Facebook terms specify, i.e. pornographic and nudity. That is, where the Facebook terms lay down guidance based on published content, the company has arbitrarily extended this prohibition to include motivation and intent. This apparent policy shift should concern the entire fetish and BDSM community as it signals a discriminatory and inconsistent application of an unethical policy. Facebook subsequently wrote to us arguing that: When it comes to fetish content this is generally regarded as always sexual rather than social in nature and removed from the site. This position is grossly unfair. It is also deeply offensive as it assumes that anyone interested in fetish has not only no interest in socializing, but has no right to socialize through Facebook. This is an attitude we might have expected from homophobes in the 1950s. This same position was adopted by the US military in its discredited Dont ask, dont tell practice. People interested in fetish are clearly seen as soft targets for persecution. In a subsequent email to Richard Allan of 15th February we pointed out: I cant tell you that fetish has no sexual dimension because to do so would be a lie. What I can tell you is that the purpose of the Collared page was to support and communicate to people with a fetish interest in a non-sexual way much the same as countless other groups which is more than can be said about the countless drool pages on FB dedicated to hottest guys and hottest women. Does the Review Team concern itself over whether people masturbate over these posting's and images? Or does the Review Team believe people exercise a purely academic interest over Jodie Fosters thighs? We are not interested in the Collared Facebook page being reinstated under these dangerous and unfair conditions. We will instead work with Facebook to ensure that the policy is amended to guarantee that enforcement action is based on measurable content rather than a twisted moralistic perception. You can find more info on Collared official website.

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I most say I think we all saw this coming, Ning selling out and looking for someone to buy them out. We all knew something was up when they started to buy back all their shares that they had previously sold to stay afloat and then going on an advertising spree, then the raise of price, it was quite obvious that they were getting desperate for funds and as we see it was a last stitch effort to look good for the buyers. In the last year it as been one bad business decision after another, from firing all their top tech's to launching a new platform before it was ready, not focusing on the problems with the networks and basically ignoring all the bugs. They focused on new things that most site's to this date don't even use. With the last price increase, that just was the final straw for many site's once more... What does this mean for us? Well it could be good or it could be bad. If a buyer does buy them out and can fix some of the major problems that Ning just ignored, we could be looking at a platform that will be one of the best on the net. Unfortunately I don't see google buying them with their efforts to create a social site like Face Book, and Linked in banking everything on the stockmarket and being the 1st to do so leaves us with the others that may not be so willing to take a big gamble, and that could

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mean the very end of Ning and all our sites. The bottom line is Ning is going under and this is their last resort to get out and make a bit of money as they do. So the best we all can hope for is that one of these companies see the potential of this platform and see with proper business sense the full potential of this site and make it even better and more affordable for people. Then they would do what no other network has been able to do or create. So all we can do is hope for the best....

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FRIGHT NIGHT:

A surprisingly good vampire movie at a time when even barely decent vampire movies are rare, Craig Gillespies Fright Night manages to remake the 1985 original effectively, while being very much its own film in the

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bargain. How that will play to viewers who have enshrined the original as some kind of classic is another matter altogether. I rarely see the point in getting upset about remakes, as theyve been around about as long as movies have. The big difference now is that movies dont go away like they used to. When Tod Browning remade his London After Midnight (1927) in 1935 as Mark of the Vampire, no one complained. Most didnt even realize it was a remake. Anyway, the worst thing a remake does now is draw attention to the originaleven if it gets the appeal of the original wrong. Or maybe more so if it gets it wrong. I was never much of a fan of the original Fright Night. Who knows? I simply thought it was OK, with a few clever moments and better-than-average performances. But it made enough of an impression on me that I remember it with surprising clarity. Id say the remake is easily as good and possibly a little better. Of course, that probably wont be the case with those who are all a-dither over the 1985 one. The new film retains the basic set-up of teenager Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) discovering that his new next-door neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Colin Farrell), is a vampire. It also keeps most of the same charactersalbeit often significantly alteredand more-or-less follows the structure of the first film. But there are enough changesintelligent onesto keep this one from feeling like a stale retread. Moving the story to Las Vegas is probably a nod to The Night Stalker (1972), but it also makes topical sense with the housing market, which in turn makes logical sense in that missing persons are likely to be presumed to have just moved on. In that regard, its the perfect setting for a vampireespecially this vampire. Colin Farrells vampire isnt very much like Chris Sarandons 1985 bloodsucker. Farrells creature of the night is much less concerned with the pose of being the charming new neighbor. In fact, he makes only the most perfunctory attempt at keeping his vampire status secret, which works in the context of the films notions of the vampire as sociopathic serial killer. It also helps to cut down on the usualand often rather tedioustime spent convincing other characters that the vampire is, in fact, a vampire. Its not at all hard to convince your mother (Toni Collette)

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and your girlfriend (Imogen Poots) that the guy next door is at the very least bad news when he pulls the gas pipes out of your yard and blows up your house and throws a motorcycle through the rear window of your fleeing car. Theres been some purist complaint over changes to the Evil Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) character, but I always found the character a bit much and the alterations here strike me as both effective and moving. The biggest complaints, however, center on changing Peter Vincent (David Tennant) from a has-been actor turned TV horror host. Even in 1985, the idea of a TV horror host was on the quaint side. Nowunless youre talking the snarky post-modern crap from MST3K and its progeny, which is nothing like Peter Vincentits something that exists only in the form of nostalgia. Turning the character into a cheesy Vegas performer simply makes senseand ultimately works. Bottom line for me is that this Fright Night is fun. Its scary enough and funny enough and clever enough to qualify for a good time at the movies. I was hoping for nothing more and expecting considerably less. Rated R for bloody horror violence, and language including some sexual references.

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This month we would like to bring you Straight Line Stitch it's another one of those bands that many are just now getting to hear or are still not familiar with, for those that have had a chance to catch the major concerts like Rock star Mayhame festival you have seen this band. There music is powerful followed with some killer vocals that will leave you wanting to hit the mosh pit and just let go. They hit the main stream in 2006 with there album To Be God Like and have continued to bring some killer music that leaves us transfixed wanting more, and this year they realized there newest album Fight For Our Lives and have been touring none stop gaining more fan base with each tour, and is becoming

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definitely one of the top five female vocalist to date. They are definitely a most to see and if you haven't heard there albums you are really missing out and do need to check them out you will not be disappointed when you do...

Heavy metal and hard rock fans are a fickle and discerning bunch. Bands that attempt to make a career for themselves by trend jumping with half-hearted devotion do not last. Straight Line Stitch has been steadily ascending the ranks of metal and hard rock through authentic and impassioned performances, an organic evolution of their writing and recording, and a tried and true road warrior mentality towards touring. The band defined who they were early on in their career and held steadfast to their beliefs while making the natural progressions and growth of a committed touring band. While being genuine at the core of a band's being is an absolute necessity for credibility and longevity, it gets you nowhere fast if the songs do not matter. The SLS sound is commanding and universal, engaging casual fans of hard rock and satiating the most stringent fans of metal. The tenacious musicianship is on full display upon first listen, quickly establishing the virtue of the players. The balance between aggressive punch and highly charged hook goes a long way to explaining the wide and diverse range of devoted SLS loyalists. Whether sharing the stage with the titans of metal like Slayer, or playing a coveted slot at the Punk driven Warped Tour, Straight Line Stitch captivates and levels all in attendance. Vocalist Alexis Brown is a blazing persona that demands the attention of a room. Throughout their songs, Alexis navigates a seamless shift from harrowing screams to heartfelt melody that adds depth and sincerity to their music. Her clean vocal parts never

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take a back seat to the punishing screams, as they are sung with an assertive power and spirit that soar mightily. Straight Line Stitch's decision to never waiver from their mission or jump onto the scene's hot trend had reaped them early rewards. Supporters of metal and hard rock profoundly embraced their sound and style. The band's peers in the industry took note as well, resulting in bigger and better opportunities coming their way. They had a chance encounter with Dale "Rage" Resteghini, owner of Raging Nation Films, through Rages wife Kim. Rage has directed and produced a multitude of seminal music videos for some of the elite in the industry like Fall Out Boy, Lil Wayne, and Hatebreed. In order to raise awareness surrounding Straight Line Stitch and ultimately get them signed, Dale decided to produce and direct the standout video "Remission", off of the band's self-released The Word Made Flesh. It was the founding of a relationship that would pay big dividends for the band. Straight Line Stitch would go on to be the very first signing of Raging Nation Records, Dale's own record label, which is an imprint of E1 (formerly Kotch records). The band secluded themselves in a remote town and endured grueling sessions to record their Raging Nation Records debut, When Skies Wash Ashore. The band featured videos off of the album like "Black Veil" and "What You Do To Me", which provided the perfect visual complement to the widely touted and commercially successful album. Iconic metal stalwart Jamey Jasta, front man for Hatebreed, lent his voice to the track "Taste of Ashes", providing the perfect hell-bent complement to Alexis vocals. It was in support of this album that the band saw their touring and resulting audiences grow bigger and better, like the "Bound by the Road" tour with Napalm Death, DevilDriver, and 36 Crazyfist. The band also became a thriving headlining act around this time, completing several successful tours since the album's release. The future is boundless and burning bright for Straight Line Stitch. Recognizing this upward trajectory that the band is on, Rage Resteghini brought Good Fight Entertainment (Cannibal Corpse / Children of Bodom) into the fold for co-management, thus firming up the team surrounding the band. The band also recently recorded a brand new studio album titled:

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The Fight Of Our Lives. They were joined during the writing and recording process by Johnny K., a renowned artist, producer, and engineer. He has been at the helm of some of the most celebrated and triumphant releases in rock and metal with bands like Disturbed and 3 Doors Down. The end result of their sessions is a monumental testament to the growth and development of the bands signature sound. The album will also be the perfect platform, to launch the band back out on the road. They are set to embark on their most comprehensive and high profile touring plans to date. While Straight Line Stitch has achieved some remarkable feats in their storied career, they are poised for an explosive next chapter. With The Fight Of Our Lives set to be unveiled in the spring of 2011 along with their subsequent touring, Straight Line Stitch shall secure their rightful place amongst the forerunners of metal.

Up Coming Tours

Sep 30 Colchester Arts Centre w/ 36 Crazyfists Colchester Arts Centre w/ 36 Crazyfists Colchester, Essex, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 1 O2 Academy Oxford 2 w/ 36 Crazyfists O2 Academy Oxford 2 w/ 36 Crazyfists Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM Oct 2 Concorde 2 w/ 36 Crazyfists Concorde 2 w/ 36 Crazyfists Brighton (UK), UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM

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Oct 4 Lemon Grove Exeter University w/ 36 Crazyfists Lemon Grove Exeter University w/ 36 Crazyfists Exeter, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 5 Wedgewood Rooms w/ 36 Crazyfists Wedgewood Rooms w/ 36 Crazyfists Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 6 Old Fire Station w/ 36 Crazyfists Old Fire Station w/ 36 Crazyfists Bournemouth, Bournemout, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 7 O2 Academy Bristol w/ 36 Crazyfists O2 Academy Bristol w/ 36 Crazyfists Bristol, UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM Oct 8 Fibbers w/ 36 Crazyfists Fibbers w/ 36 Crazyfists York, York, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 9 Rescue Rooms w/ 36 Crazyfists Rescue Rooms w/ 36 Crazyfists Nottingham, Midlands, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 11 Corporation w/ 36 Crazyfists Corporation w/ 36 Crazyfists Sheffield, Sheffield, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM

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Oct 12 O2 Academy Newcastle w/ 36 Crazyfists O2 Academy Newcastle w/ 36 Crazyfists Newcastle, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 13 King Tuts w/ 36 Crazyfists King Tuts w/ 36 Crazyfists Glasgow, Scotland, UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM Oct 14 The Doghouse w/ 36 Crazyfists The Doghouse w/ 36 Crazyfists Dundee, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 15 The Tunnels w/ 36 Crazyfists The Tunnels w/ 36 Crazyfists Aberdeen, Aberdeen C, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 16 Club Academy w/ 36 Crazyfists Club Academy w/ 36 Crazyfists Manchester, UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM Oct 18 The Cockpit w/ 36 Crazyfists The Cockpit w/ 36 Crazyfists Leeds, Leeds, UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM Oct 19 Sugamill w/ 36 Crazyfists Sugamill w/ 36 Crazyfists Stoke-on-Trent, Stoke-on-T, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM

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Oct 20 Norwich Waterfront w/ 36 Crazyfists Norwich Waterfront w/ 36 Crazyfists Norwich, UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM Oct 21 Islington Academy w/ 36 Crazyfists Islington Academy w/ 36 Crazyfists London, UNITED KINGDOM 7:00 PM Oct 22 O2 Academy 2 Birmingham w/ 36 Crazyfists O2 Academy 2 Birmingham w/ 36 Crazyfists Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM - 7:00 PM Oct 24 La Maroquinerie w/ 36 Crazyfists La Maroquinerie w/ 36 Crazyfists Paris, FRANCE - 7:00 PM Oct 25 Doornroosje w/ 36 Crazyfists Doornroosje w/ 36 Crazyfists Nijmegen, NETHERLANDS - 7:00 PM Oct 26 Trix w/ 36 Crazyfists Trix w/ 36 Crazyfists Antwerp, BELGIUM - 7:00 PM Oct 27 Die Rohre w/ 36 Crazyfists Die Rohre w/ 36 Crazyfists Stuttgart, GE, GERMANY - 7:00 PM Oct 28 Luxor w/ 36 Crazyfists

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Luxor w/ 36 Crazyfists Cologne, GERMANY - 7:00 PM Oct 29 Matrix w/ 36 Crazyfists Matrix w/ 36 Crazyfists Bochum, GERMANY - 7:00 PM I'm going I want to go Oct 31 Logo w/ 36 Crazyfists Logo w/ 36 Crazyfists Hamburg, GERMANY - 7:00 PM Nov 1 Batschkapp w/ 36 Crazyfists Batschkapp w/ 36 Crazyfists Frankfurt, GERMANY - 7:00 PM Nov 2 Kantine w/ 36 Crazyfists Kantine w/ 36 Crazyfists Augsburg, GERMANY - 7:00 PM Nov 3 Szene w/ 36 Crazyfists Szene w/ 36 Crazyfists Wien, Wien, AUSTRIA - 7:00 PM Nov 4 Dynamo w/ 36 Crazyfists Dynamo w/ 36 Crazyfists Zurich, Switzerland, SWITZERLAND - 7:00 PM Nov 5 Rock Planet w/36 Crazyfists Rock Planet w/36 Crazyfists Ravenna, ITALY - 7:00 PM Nov 8 Salamandra w/ 36 Crazyfists

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Salamandra w/ 36 Crazyfists Barcelona, SPAIN - 7:00 PM Nov 9 Ramdall w/ 36 Crazyfists Ramdall w/ 36 Crazyfists Madrid, SPAIN - 7:00 PM

Kyuss

Kyuss (pronounced /ka.s/ KYE-s) is the corner stone of what is known as stoner rock or desert rock. Although deriving influence from 70s hard rock, Kyuss churned out a unique sound. This was primarily because guitarist Josh Homme often tuned to a low C, a major third below standard pitch, but also singer John Garcias paint stripping vocals. The band was originally formed in 1989 in Palm Desert, California under the name Sons of Kyuss. They took the name from a monster in Dungeons and Dragons. Shortly after the release of their self-titled EP, the name was shortened to just Kyuss. The quartet gained popularity around the desert due to their famous generator parties. These were parties fueled by gas generators in the canyons and isolated desert surrounding the small valley towns.

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The group disbanded in 1997. They felt that they were in a decline and felt it best to call it quits before it escalated into something that could not be fixed. The line up had shifted dramatically between 1989 and 1997. Josh Homme, John Garcia, Brant Bjork, and Chris Cockrell were the original members. Chris was replaced by Nick Oliveri during high school. That line up recorded Wretch (released in 1991) and Blues for the Red Sun (released in 1992), after which Nick soon left. The eight year older, but very able Scott Reeder from The Obsessed was brought in. This line up recorded the famous self-titled album Kyuss (released in 1994; due to the album front cover often referred to as Welcome To Sky Valley, a small town outside of Palm Desert wrongly labelled by many). Brank Bjork left after this due to personal reasons.

Up coming shows Kyuss Lives! Tue Sep 20 - THE PALLADIUM - Worcester, MA Wed Sep 21 - Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA Fri Sep 23 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY Sat Sep 24 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC Sun Sep 25 - Orange Peel - Asheville, NC Mon Sep 26 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA Wed Sep 28 - HOUSE OF BLUES - New Orleans, LA Thu Sep 29 - Warehouse Live - Houston, TX

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105

The 33
by: Jonathan Franklin

I was asked to read this and after I did I felt the need to share it and give a review. And I think it is fitting for this issue. For those who are not familiar with Jonathan Franklin he was the CNN reporter that we all came to now as the days and weeks unfolded. I think many of you will enjoy this book, I know I have. Franklin sets this human drama against the bigger issue

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of the worldwide plight of miners, and the miserable conditions in which they work. As he writes, "it was a combination of fate and last-minute decisions that led each of the 33 miners to enter the San Jos mine on 5 August, 2010". One man missed the bus and never got to work. Another was not a miner but a CD seller moonlighting to support his baby daughter. Another was 63 years old and had survived for days as a stowaway in a boat. Chance brought them together on that day, and has made them all famous. All miners are unsung heroes. Their work is arduous and dangerous. There is long-term exposure to grit and toxic fumes; the trauma of being exposed to avalanches; the low pay for massively dangerous work. It is the story of poverty and of wealth the wealth of the mining companies that employ, and often exploit, the men, whether they are mining diamonds in Lesotho or copper in Congo. Committed photojournalists such as James Nachtwey and Sebastio Salgado have captured the horrendous lives of these workers in heartbreaking images.

I give this book 4 stars an enjoyable read and well researched it left me in awe at the miracle that happened and also showed how dangerous there job really is, such detail that I have not seen in a long time. So if you get a chance do take the time to read and check this book out.

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Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Sauce

Ingredients 1/2 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup bourbon whiskey 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

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1/2 tablespoon salt 2 cups ketchup 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/3 cup cider vinegar 2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste Directions 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and whiskey. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Mix in the ground black pepper, salt, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce. 2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Run sauce through a strainer if you prefer a smooth sauce.

The Best Steak Marinade

Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

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1/4 cup soy sauce 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons minced garlic salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Footnotes Cook's Note Marinate steaks for at least 2 hours for best flavor.

Honeysuckle Pineapple

Ingredients 4 slices fresh pineapple 1 1/2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons cherry brandy 1 teaspoon lemon juice Directions 1. To Marinate: Combine honey, brandy and lemon juice in a nonporous glass dish or bowl. Mix together and add pineapple; coat well with marinade mixture. Cover dish and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. 2. Preheat grill to medium heat and lightly oil grate. 3. Remove pineapple from dish or bowl, discarding any leftover

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marinade. Place pineapple wedges directly on rack or in a basket and grill for about 10 minutes, turning, until pineapple is hot and caramelized.

Campfire Banana Splits

Ingredients 6 large bananas, unpeeled, stems removed 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 (10.5 ounce) package miniature marshmallows Directions 1. Preheat the grill for high heat. 2. Spray 4 sheets of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap bananas, with cooking spray. 3. Slice the peel of the banana from stem to bottom, while slicing the banana inside lengthwise. The bananas can be cut into slices instead if you like, (while still in the peel) for easier handling later. 4. Carefully open the banana just wide enough to place the chocolate chips and marshmallows inside the peel with the banana. Stuff with as much of the chocolate chips and marshmallows as desired. 5. Wrap the bananas with the aluminum foil and place on the grill or directly in the coals of a fire. Leave in long enough to melt the chips and the marshmallows, about 5 minutes. Unwrap bananas, open the peels wide, and eat with a spoon.

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Featured Member Articles

In Line with Spirit Staying on Track
In a world where we have routines to get everything done, we rarely have a routine for our spiritual self. In a world where we have routines for nearly everythingour route to work, our physical fitness regimen, and our weekday scheduleits amazing how many people forget to create a routine for meeting their spiritual needs. We run around in an attempt to be at our many appointments on time and meet our many obligations. In our efforts to be as productive as possible, however, our spiritual needs tend to take a backseat. After all, taking care of our spiritual needs doesnt directly pay the bills or tone our abdominal muscles. We may even wonder who has time to meditate or write in their journal when there are more pressing

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matters to see to. The truth is that nurturing ourselves spiritually is what gives us the energy and grounding that we need to make sure that our lives stay on track. How you choose to nurture yourself spiritually is a personal choice. For some people, meditating once a day may be what they need to stay centered. While spending 10-20 minutes with your eyes closed and your brain devoid of thought may seem like a lot of time doing nothing, this state of nothingness actually allows you to stay calm and focused so you can be as productive as possible. Writing in your journal everyday lets you stay in touch with yourself so that you are always tuned in to your feelings. Repeating affirmations for success, happiness, and well-being on a regular basis can help you live with optimism and enthusiasm and create what you want in life. Having a routine for nurturing your spirit that you do each day lets you feed energy to your soul and can serve you well if your life suddenly takes an unexpected turn into a difficult period. This kind of routine grounds your spirit in your body so that you stay anchored in yourself as you move through each day. Nurturing yourself spiritually allows you to not only stay on track in your life, but it allows for your life to stay on track with what your spirit wants.
http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2011/29763.html

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The Merseburg Incantations

Posted by El Chupacabra, SFW Are allegedly two ancient Germanic charms written in a 9th century Carolingian (Old High German) manuscript from Fulda. This document was discovered by Georg Waitz in the library of the Merseburg Cathedral in 1841 and published for the first time by Jacob Grimm in 1842. Eiris sazun idisi sazun hera duoder. suma hapt heptidun, suma heri lezidun, suma clubodun umbi cuoniouuidi: insprinc haptbandun, inuar uigandun. Once sat women, They sat here, then there. Some fastened bonds, Some impeded an army, Some unraveled fetters: Escape the bonds, flee the enemy! Phol ende uuodan uuorun zi holza. du uuart demo balderes uolon sin uuoz birenkit. thu biguol en sinthgunt, sunna era suister; thu biguol en friia, uolla era suister; thu biguol en uuodan, so he uuola conda: sose benrenki, sose bluotrenki,

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sose lidirenki: ben zi bena, bluot zi bluoda, lid zi geliden, sose gelimida sin. Phol and Wodan were riding to the woods, and the foot of Balder's foal was sprained So Sinthgunt, Sunna's sister, conjured it. and Frija, Volla's sister, conjured it. and Wodan conjured it, as well he could: Like bone-sprain, so blood-sprain, so joint-sprain: Bone to bone, blood to blood, joints to joints, so may they be glued. While it is assumed to be the earliest written record of a Germanic magical verse, the rarity of such early manuscripts is largely due to the simple fact that tribal cultures in continental Europe adhered exclusively to oral traditions. Runes and other petroglypic markings were still coveted as secret symbols of magical empowerment, at least until the Saxon and Norse invasions introduced more complex runic systems evolved for the sake of written language. In fact, written language was never considered a necessity until the Romans turned up. While some Celtic pantheons readily adapted to commercial influences of Roman culture, this was not the case for the Germans as they were more a transient folk of herders and hunters at the time- and why German remains a non-latin language. They simply could not be integrated, given their two entirely different perspectives of existence and self realization. For instance the word "Geist" in the German sense not only refers to a ghost, spirit, or soul spirit, but a conscious realization and communication of self and its will ability to design and manifest. In that sense "Zeitgeist" refers to the collective spirit and mentality of a particular period in time. In this it can be seen the German mind generally inclined to perceive existence in terms of spiritual relativity. In essence, spirit is not described as anything immaterial, rather, understood as a life force that generates the construct, the magical power to realize itself in the physical. Thus in a shamanic sense, the journey to the nine worlds represented a journey in conscious realization on so many

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levels, whereas Ragnarok illustrates that all things are subject to change in order to maintain continuity. As we say in Germany, "that which rests, rusts". Now having given you some idea of the Germanic mentality, imagine the time Carolingian monks had trying to convert these people. It's one thing to conquer a foreign culture, but another to even get them to understand what you're talking about. Schools and churches only permitted the use of Latin, and a higher education in early Christian society inclined to be reserved either for orphans raised in monasteries, or the sons of rich nobles unfit for battle or marriage for that matter. In the feudal system, serfs were seldom allowed this "privilege" for obvious reasons.Aside from having to farm to earn their keep, they also had to defend the kingdom from rivals when called upon. Especially this left the monks with a problem of communicating their theology according to scriptural standards. Thus they made use of local folkloric allegory in the form of illustration, adapting folk heros and deities into the more devoted role of "patron saints", each represented by a particular animal familiar playing a part in the allegory. Here is a typical example:

Nonetheless, it didn't keep the common folk from carrying on their oral traditions, as much of their allegorical verse retained everything from herbal pharmacopea and agrarian wisdoms of planting, harvesting and weather reading, down to the treatment and use of materials for buildingmuch of which was inseparable from their mythical associations. In that respect, Roman Catholicism ended up having to absorb it, if it was to be in anyway practical to the locals.

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In the

Merseburg Incantations, however, the second verse reads more like a Frankish reinterpretation of a Saxon galderdict to include the patrons of other tribes. In academic circles, however, the controversy is over the meaning of "Phol". No deity by that name could be found in any of the oral traditions. Throughout the Teutoberger Forest in Westphalia there are countless remnants of neolithic grave chambers suggesting it was once central to an indigenous megalithic culture. Amongst these, in the vicinity of Bippen are the obscure remnants of a stone circle in what was once an open heath. This circle is one with a phallic center stone named the

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"Pfaohlenstein". This name has misled numerous academics to assume some association to the "Phol" in the Merseberg Incantations. There was even a bronze plaque mounted there on that assumption. While the Teutoberger Forest is also well known as an important heritage site of the Teutonic peoples to this day, the Pfaohlenstein reference is more apt to define "Phallic Stone" than some forgotten local deity. The fact is the west Germanic peoples never even had a fertility god named "Baldr". This is more likely to have been Frey, and this is where the problem began in course of Carolingian conversion. Namely trying to put Frey into a context of Jesus as illuminator and protector of his flock.

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Featured Groups
Divination Group
Created by WikkedDemon~WOE~ http://paganunderworld.com/group/divinationgroup all about tarot, divination, esoteric and many other forms of divination

Divination and fortune telling have been around as long as humanity. The methods used can be as uncomplicated as scratches in the sand to the complex calculations of intricate astrological charts. Mankind has used knucklebones, entrails, sticks, stones and shells to divine the future. Even marks drawn in the dust were consulted for portents of what was to come. Later, dice and other man-made objects were used for the same purpose. Virtually anything can be used for the purpose of divination, as long as you are consistent.

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Over the centuries, these divinatory arts have consistently and reliably revealed the strengths and weaknesses of individuals as clearly as if the information was written in ink on their forehead. Love, money, fate and fortune are all revealed using these tried and true methods

Meditation Music What Is Yours

Created by Persephone

http://paganunderworld.com/group/meditationmusic The focus will be music but I will put down basics of meditation. Please put your favorite meditation music down.

Music can be an integral part to a person's meditation routine. The lack of visual sensations when the eyes are closed can amplify the other senses, and the auditory sense is certainly no exception. Yet, not all meditation is aimed at the same goals. Different music is best for different types of meditation. Classical Music for Meditation It should only be used as soothing music for meditation by those who

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appreciate it and enjoy it. In general, classical music played with only the piano sounds sadder and more relaxing, while music played with the full orchestra sounds more upbeat and exciting. Ambient Music Some associate it with calm introspection, others see it as wild music, and still others think of it as nothing but strange noises. Most use it to create a relaxing atmosphere. Ethnic Music Meditation Ethnic music is the music from native cultures around the world. This can include native North American traditional music, music from the early Irish culture, African dance music, music from India, or ancient Chinese instruments. . Each new foray into the sounds of the ancient cultures can produce a new kind of meditation experience. Heavy Metal Music Meditation While heavy metal is rarely used for traditional meditation, many who attend heavy metal concerts often experience something akin to meditation. The music itself is often devoid of clear notes and lyrics, only displaying its rhythmic sounds. Different kinds of music can produce different kinds of meditation. This is especially true considering that most people have biases and preconceived notions about certain genres of music before they listen to it. Listening to different kinds of music during meditation can broadened the meditative experience, and even broaden the very definition of the meditative experience itself.

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Featured member of the month

Willa Nyoka

When coming into Pagan UnderWorld community what do enjoy doing first, heading to your favorite group, reading the newest discussion, greeting members, interacting with friends? GREETING MEMBERS FIRST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WELCOME TO BE HERE.AND THEN INTERACTING WITH FRIENDS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE LOVE BY ALL HERE. Give us an idea of how you came about your beliefs and what you do to express them?

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MY BELIEFS WAS FROM WHAT MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME AS I WAS GROWING UP. AND FROM MY NATIVE AMERICAN BROTHERS & SISTERS & THE ELDERS AS WHAT ALL HAVE TAUGHT ME. MY BELIEFS ARE 1ST NATIVE AMERICAN AND WICCA AND PAGAN. I EXPRESS THEM TO ALL PEOPLE THAT WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE OLD WAYS. Express yourself on yourself! A quote, A prose, A personal belief, An interesting Fact. I EXPRESS MYSELF THOUGHT WHAT I HAVE LEARN AND TAUGHT BY OTHERS. AND MOST OF ALL I BELIEVE IN LIVE AND LET LIVE AND TO HELP ALL THAT I CAN HELP WHOEVER NEEDS MY HELP. AND I BELIEVE IN THE OLD WAYS OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS. What have been some fascinating things you have come across in one of the Groups you belong to? MY FASCINATES ME WHICH ARE SEVERAL THINGS AND ONE IS MY ROOTS FROM THE NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTION AND HOW MANY WANT TO LEARN THE WAYS OF MY HERITAGE AND CULTURE. AND THE WAY THAT THE NATIVE AMERICANS AND PAGANS ARE SO MUCH ALIKE. We considered you a good member to feature; this is your chance to voice your opinion on anything you wish. WHEN I FIRST CAME ON PAGAN UNDERWORLD I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THEM BUT I HAVE LEARN ALOT FROM EL, PERSEPHONE, & BLIDEN AND ALOT OF THE MEMBERS AND I AM BLESS TO BE HERE AND I WANT TO LEARN AS MUCH AS I CAN ABOUT MY BELIEFS. NATIVE AMERICAN I KNOW MORE OF BECAUSE OF ME BEING CHEROKEE AND MY GOAL IS TO LEARN AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE AS I CAN. BLESSINGS TO ALL AND LOVE TO ALL OF YOU AND BLESSED BE. MAY YOU LIVE IN PEACE LOVE AND LIGHT. WILLA NYOKA

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Featured Member Articles

Incense Recipes for the Goddess/God/Elementals and the Circles

Posted by Storm Newman There is nothing like making your own incense for your ceremony, ritual, incantations or even just for everyday use. The following incense recipes are common ones that once mixed together you will need to store in an air tight container away from light until use; make sure it is completely dry before sealing them up. If you mix your incense using oils then you need to let it stand over night to dry. In order to burn these incense you will need to use a self-igniting charcoal.

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Some recipes will only say equal parts your measurement is up to you as to the amount you want to make. Air Incense 4 parts rosemary 2 parts mugwort 1 part chicory 1/2 part coffee beans Other air-related herbs and plants include benzoin, elm bark, lavender, parsley, sage, spearmint, use the herbs that appeal to you and work with the smell to see which fits you. Air is the other masculine element and it is usually associated with east. Areas governed by this element are education, communication, weather magic, general power raising, and music magic. Aphrodite Incense 3 parts pink rose petals 3 parts red corn poppies 3 parts myrrh resin 3 parts cedarwood 1 part cinnamon powder 10 ml. magnolia oil per 8 oz. dry ingredients Other herbs that can be used are rose petals, lavender, frankincense, copal, dragon's blood and/or violet oil Diana of the Moon Incense Equal parts: gum mastic, jasmine, mandrake root, orris root, few drops

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wintergreen oil

Earth Incense 3 parts patchouli 2 parts pine 1 part bistort 1 part vervain Other earth-related herbs and plants include barley, cedar, corn silk, juniper, magnolia, oak bark, soybeans and wheat. Earth is usually associated with the direction of north. This element is feminine in nature, and its attributes include stability, fertility, prosperity, grounding, money, planting, home life, the Mother Earth herself, and many types of healing. Fire Incense 4 parts frankincense 3 parts cinnamon 1 part dried orange peels 1/4 part thyme Other fire-related herbs and plants include allspice, basil, bay, black pepper, clove, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, onions, and thistle. Fire is a masculine element, one usually associated with the south in the Northern Hemisphere. Its energies govern the areas of protection, employment, sex magic, the law, exorcism, strength and courage, and profound transformations or change. Gaia Incense

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1 part pine resin 1 part wormwood 1 part damiana 1 part patchouli leaves 1 part dandelion root

Hecate Incense - 1 1 tb. cinnamon 1 tb. dittany of crete 3 allspice berries 1 pinch fennel seed 2 pinches rosemary 1 1/2 pinches mullien 2 pinches benzoin gum 2 tb. witch hazel bark 2-4 pinches potassium nitrate 6 drops cinnamon oil 6 drops hyacinth oil pinch cedarwood Hecate Incense - 2 1/2 tsp. bay leaves 1/2 tsp. mint 1/2 tsp. thyme pinch myrrh pinch frankincense 13 drops cypress oil 3 drops camphor oil Isis and Osiris

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1 pinch cedar 1 pinch cinnamon 1 pinch rose buds 4 drops myrrh oil 4 drops sandalwood oil 4 drops frankincense oil Isis Incense 3 parts myrrh 2 parts sandalwood 1 part frankincense 1 part rose petals few drops lotus oil Kali Incense 1 oz sandalwood chips 1 oz Dried jasmine flowers or 6 drops jasmine oil 1/2 oz dried rose petals 2 drops of your own menstrual blood Blend and use for private meditation during the onset of your menstruation. This is an individual and personalized incense, for attunement to your own Dark of the Moon. Osiris Incense 3 parts myrrh 1 part oak bark 1 part orris root 2 parts rue herb 10 ml musk oil per 8 oz. dry herb

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10 ml neroli oil per 8 oz. dry herb Ra Incense 2 parts sunflower petals 3 parts gum arabic 3 parts gum acacia 10 ml jasmine oil per 8 oz. dry herbs 10 ml bergamot oil per 8 oz. dry herb Sacred Space 1 tbsp cedar chips 1 tsp thyme 1 tbsp sage 2 tsp rosemary 1 tsp cinnamon 1 pinch salt 1 pinch tobacco as. allspice To clear and make pure an area.

Venus Incense 1 part benzoin 1 part rosepetals 1/2 part orris root 1 part burdock root 1/2 part thyme Water Incense

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3 parts lavender 1 part willow bark 1 part catnip 1/4 part valerian Other water-related herbs and plants include cypress bark, jasmine, kelp, lotus, moss, myrtle, myrrh, rue, sandalwood chips, seaweed, and vanilla. Water is usually assigned to the direction of west. This is the element of the natural psychic, one related to pregnancy, birth, rebirth, death, regeneration, divination, purification, psychic endeavors, spirit contact, and past life exploration. Water is the other feminine element.

Top Astral Projection Mistakes

Posted by SunKat **If you feel like you've been trying to project for a long time and seem to be getting nowhere, you may need to review your techniques and adjust accordingly. The following are the most common mistakes people make while trying to learn to astral project. While these really aren't "mistakes" because they work for some people, they do seem to slow progress down. 1. Trying at night. If you try to project at night, especially before you go to bed, nine times out of ten, you will fall asleep. You've had a long day, your body is worn out, so how can you expect to achieve Focus 10 or Focus 12 (body asleep, mind awake)? You need to either try earlier in the afternoon, or switch to weekends when you can sleep in. If you switch to the weekends then you're very relaxed and can slip back into sleep, yet the mind is refreshed and more likely to get into Focus 10. Try it and see.

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2. Fear. Are you afraid you are going to die? That someone will cut your cord? You'll be possessed? Any of these fears will keep you thinking about this, and not letting yourself project. Always address your fears before expecting any results. 3. Inner dialog. Are you talking the whole time? Saying things like, "Is this right?" or "I wonder if I'm close?" To induce the vibrations, you have to have no thoughts. Your thoughts need to be narrowed down to a single thread. When you are trying to get your body asleep, stop talking to yourself and "listen". Listen to the faint ring in your head, but don't analyze it. Listen, but don't talk. When I induce the vibrations, my body has fallen asleep, the ringing has faded (because now I'm asleep), and I'm gently focusing on my third eye. All my thoughts are gone. This takes a while to master, but is necessary. Also, if you do slip off onto other thoughts, just let that happen, but gently pull your thoughts back to the single thread and keep focusing on your third eye. 4. Not understanding relaxation vs. body asleep. To leave your body, you have to reduce the magnetic pull to the point that separation can occur. All things electrical create a magnetic pull. Even thinking sends out electronic pulses and creates magnetism. Pulse and heart rate also creates energy. Do not confuse "relaxation" with Focus 10. Focus 10 is Body Asleep. You have to learn how to fall asleep physically, but keep your consciousness from slipping into a dream. When the body falls asleep, everything slows down which reduces your bodies magnetic pull. Then, if you can master the "no thought" part, the vibrations will rush in. And when they do, you still have to keep your thoughts to a minimum because the excitement will increase the heart and pulse rate. Most of the primary chakras are in the head and torso region which is why your head is the last to separate. So excited thoughts only make it harder. "Get out of your head!" To tell if your body is asleep, you should no longer feel it, shouldn't be able to hear, and hypnogogic imagery will start appearing. Don't fight the images, just don't let them take over or you'll start to dream. Always gently bring your consciousness back to the project at hand. 5. Impatience. Conscious astral projection can take months or even years to accomplish. If you are expecting results in days or weeks, you will more

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than likely give up or doubt its existence. Astral projection takes discipline, dedication, and a ton of patience. It will happen, but be prepared for the long haul. It's worth the wait and effort. These five are the top reasons, but others can include not removing distractions (kids, pets, phones, spouses), or not getting enough sleep so that when you do sleep you sleep like a log and can't keep the mind awake.

4 Powers of the Magus

Posted by Hetty on August The Four Powers of the Magus are the personal attributes traditionally necessary and required for the successful use and practice of magick. These are - To Know, To Dare, To Will, and To Be Silent. Without these four attributes combined, the individual will never be successful in magick. The reasoning is quite simple; none of the attributes mentioned are enough in themselves, as all four attributes must be present to balance each other out. For instance: To Know - Knowledge is no good, without the will and audacity to see magick done. To Dare Audacity is no good, without the knowledge and will to see magick done. To Will Will power is no good, without the knowledge and audacity to see magick done. To Be Silent What good are the above, without the discretion to remain silent until the magick is done? To reveal your magick before it is done, dissipates its power and effectiveness. The Four Powers of the Magus are the personal attributes traditionally

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necessary and required for the successful use and practice of magick. These are - To Know, To Dare, To Will, and To Be Silent. Without these four attributes combined, the individual will never be successful in magick. The reasoning is quite simple; none of the attributes mentioned are enough in themselves, as all four attributes must be present to balance each other out. For instance: To Know - Knowledge is no good, without the will and audacity to see magick done. To Dare Audacity is no good, without the knowledge and will to see magick done. To Will Will power is no good, without the knowledge and audacity to see magick done. To Be Silent What good are the above, without the discretion to remain silent until the magick is done? To reveal your magick before it is done, dissipates its power and effectiveness.

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Featured Groups
Gypsy Magick and Traditions

Created by Hetty

http://shadowheartandsouloftheblackrose.ning.com/group/gypsy-magickand-traditions This group is one of the new groups that deals with Gypsy magick and there traditions, it is group that will teach new insights and open your mind to a tradition that has spanned time for many centuries and one that is rich in knowledge and an energy that will just captivate you, so do check it

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out.... Dark Arts Created by Hetty

http://shadowheartandsouloftheblackrose.ning.com/group/dark-arts Witchcraft (some types), Satanism (all types), Voudoun, "Black Magick", Myths and Truths, and so much more! This group is rich in knowledge dealing with the darker paths, there is many great articles. For those that seek the darker paths or wish to learn more about them, this is a wonderful group for just that and it will even satisfy those already on the dark path....

The Elements Created by Tanya M. Bryson Founder

http://shadowheartandsouloftheblackrose.ning.com/group/the-elements

This is for everything about the elements Earth, Air Fire Water and Spirit! The element's is apart of everything we do, it is so much apart of us that sometimes we might not realize it and in this group you will learn about each element and the spirits of each and how to draw there energies into all the things you do and the knowledge that can only be found trough working with each element.

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Week starting on September 5 You're not one to follow the crowd, and Monday's no exception. Your best ideas are the unusual ones now. Then while everyone else is all about all things romantic around Wednesday, you're probably all about work and career. If you've got a sweetie, don't forget to show you care! You're future-oriented on Thursday and Friday; new technology, fresh ideas and big plans are emphasized, and help and resources are available to speed you on your way. This weekend, commitments are problematic. Avoid signing contracts, making major purchases or upping the ante in relationships.

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Week starting on September 12 You are playing more of a supportive role early in the week -- which should work out just fine, as far as you are concerned! Try helping friends and family with their troubles or their big projects, and you should rack up quite a few points with little effort. By Thursday, you'll be ready to take off and do your own thing, though calling in a few of those favors you earned won't set you back. The weekend brings financial matters to the forefront, and you should try to handle them all as quickly as possible.

Week starting on September 19 Arguments take up more of your time than you'd really like on Monday and Tuesday, but there's more to them than you may realize at first, so engage with your usual vigor and gusto. After they are settled, you should be able to fly through work or chores midweek -- stuff at home is especially appealing and easy to take care of. Early this weekend, you need to make the call about what you and your people are doing, and your initiative should help everyone get the most out of their downtime. Reserve judgment on Sunday.

Week starting on September 26 It's kind of a slow week overall, but that doesn't mean it won't be interesting! Take your time on Monday and Tuesday, as you need to be sure to get all the details exactly right before moving on. Once that's behind you, gear up for some good, if low-key, social adventures before the weekend kicks in. Your natural charm is on display, and people love it. Saturday and Sunday are best spent in quiet pursuits, maybe puttering around the house or reconnecting with old friends or family members.

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Week starting on September 5 Choose substance over style on Monday -- it may take some extra thought to determine which is which. Then you're given a stellar ability to step into someone else's shoes and see how they feel. The kind of deep understanding you can achieve now could get downright hot on Wednesday -- you're extremely lovable now. Around Thursday and Friday, something's funny, and probably more funny-peculiar than funny-ha-ha. It could be annoying; get to the bottom of it. Enacting a wild idea is favored this weekend, so what have you got in mind? Week starting on September 12 You seem to be living in the future for the first half of the week, as new technology makes your life easier or more interesting, and you find yourself wondering how you managed for so long without it. Keep looking ahead! You may want to lock up your wallet later on, as Thursday and Friday aren't auspicious for making purchases beyond the basics. Stick to groceries and you're fine. Over the weekend, you should find yourself enjoying events even more than you had hoped, and your energy is definitely infectious! Week starting on September 19

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This week is heavy on listening and observation -- you can learn a lot! Slow down on Monday and Tuesday, and make sure you're not jumping into any large or long-term projects without thinking them through quite thoroughly, getting all the information you can about them. Midweek sees your intuitive side opening up in a big way, and you should be able to read your friends and family quite easily. Though you know what's going on, avoid the temptation of saying 'I told you so' this weekend, as most people are ready to slide into resentment at a moment's notice! Week starting on September 26 Early in the week, your good energy endears you to someone you really want to get closer to, so make sure you're spending time with the right people. It won't take much, though. Wednesday through Friday fills you with a need to shop that you haven't felt so strongly in quite some time. If your finances can take it, stock up -- otherwise, distract yourself with online browsing or some other (more or less) safe activity. Romance can blossom or deepen this weekend if you decide you're with the right person.

Week starting on September 5 Resist telling what you can show on Monday. A demonstration's worth a thousand words. Something's hidden around Tuesday and Wednesday, whether literally or figuratively -- could it have to do with the love

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department? Maybe it's time to lay your heart on the line or insist that someone else does. On Thursday and Friday, your always-open mind can grasp new viewpoints with even more alacrity than usual. Make sure that what you're agreeing with agrees with your true values. Watch out for mixed messages or misunderstandings this weekend; comprehension takes creativity now. Week starting on September 12 You are concerned with how others see you early this week -- maybe a bit too much for your own good. Some things are beyond your control, and as long as you're the person you want to be, you need to let the spin take care of itself every now and then. Listen to your friends on Thursday and Friday, as they may offer you some golden advice without even realizing what they are doing. The weekend is best spent on practical matters, like paying bills, doing chores and following up on the week's activities. Week starting on September 19 Your fun, flirty energy is a joy to behold early this week, and you should be able to charm anyone from new clients to potential dates -- even if they pretend to themselves that they can resist! Lay the groundwork for good times to come, but don't be too surprised if a bit of mental fatigue hits you on Wednesday. You should shake it off pretty quickly, but your thinking is a bit fuzzy and confused for a day or two in the meantime. At some point on Friday you sharpen right back up, and may find yourself taking sides in an argument you never really cared about before.

Week starting on September 26 Expect minor miscommunications, especially with family members, early in the week. The best you can do is be clear and up-front with everyone --

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subtle signals are almost certain to be misread. That should all wash away pretty quickly Wednesday morning, and the next several days are full of great, brainy energy. Apply it to work or school and watch old problems fade away to nothing. Your emotional state consumes your attention this weekend, and you may need to work on letting go of old baggage.

Week starting on September 5 Know what to keep to yourself on Monday; the less said, the better. The energy's changeable around Tuesday and Wednesday, and you have a profound impact on how it all goes. Bring positive energy to the table, especially when it comes to romantic matters, and you'll be looking very good indeed. On Thursday and Friday, money or a budget may be a point of contention. Be objective rather than emotional, and make a sensible case for your point of view. You're clicking with others this weekend, and both philosophical conversations and day-trips to new spots are fun and fruitful. Week starting on September 12 Your intuition is strong during the first half of the week, and you should be able to read people with great ease. You may need to take a step back at some point to get perspective, but the details shouldn't be too hard for you to deal with. As the weekend looms, you may find more stress at work as your boss -- or the faceless bureaucracy -- makes life just a little more difficult. You're in charge this weekend, though, so you should be able to

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do whatever it takes in order to relax and enjoy yourself! Week starting on September 19 You need to examine the little details of your work or home life on Monday and Tuesday, even if you thought they were already under control. It never hurts to double-check, and you've got the mental focus to really nail them. Midweek is much more personal for you, and your great emotional energy should help you pursue whatever interests or projects you have been putting off for a little too long. Make sure that the weekend's activities include at least some in which you excel -- the impulse to show off is irresistible, and you may as well feel confident while you do so! Week starting on September 26 Something small catches your eye on Monday or Tuesday and gets you thinking about friends or family. It's a good time to repair relationships that have been unraveling for a while. Watch out for a rebound later in the week, though, as unintended consequences pile up and require extra attention. You can handle them as long as you set aside the time. The weekend brings good emotional energy, but you may encounter opportunities that are too good to be true. Be wary and trust your intuition to guide you in the right direction.

Week starting on September 5

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Don't wait until later in the week to celebrate the power of love; on Monday, you're burning hot, and all things romantic are very much favored. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, bold moves of all sorts may be appealing, but you could come across as brash or insensitive. The simple solution? Listen up rather than lecturing (and before taking action). Your ability to come up with an entirely different option on Thursday or Friday might just make you a superstar -- exercise that bulging creative muscle of yours! And this weekend, keep your finances separate from others' as much as possible. Week starting on September 12 You might feel like the only sane person in the room this week, especially through Wednesday. Early on, people are easily freaked out and might overreact to tiny stresses that you can see are short-lived and practically meaningless. You are much more engaged on Thursday and Friday, learning new things about your friends and family and making life easier for everyone involved. By the time the weekend rolls around, you may have decided to take charge -- especially if your people are still dealing with Monday's stress! Week starting on September 19 Talk with people -- especially, but not exclusively, friends -- about what you want to do next month or next year. You should be able to articulate your dreams in a new way, and thus bring them a little closer to reality. Midweek is quiet time for you, though there may be some drama around the home to deal with. Your low-key energy is the answer, and at least one person should find a new kind of respect for you. On Friday, you should wake up feeling like a million bucks, and even total strangers will look twice when you stroll by. Week starting on September 26

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Take a break early this week and let others catch all the flack. You'd rather sit back and watch someone else take an active part in the events of the day. You certainly deserve it! Your energy ramps up in a big way on Wednesday, and you should have a big smile on your face through Friday, thanks to nothing in particular. Share the good times with those you love and you'll all coast into the weekend feeling fine. Make sure you've got one eye open for those who don't have your best interests at heart on Saturday and Sunday -- your trusting nature could land you in trouble otherwise!

Week starting on September 5 Don't wait until later in the week to celebrate the power of love; on Monday, you're burning hot, and all things romantic are very much favored. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, bold moves of all sorts may be appealing, but you could come across as brash or insensitive. The simple solution? Listen up rather than lecturing (and before taking action). Your ability to come up with an entirely different option on Thursday or Friday might just make you a superstar -- exercise that bulging creative muscle of yours! And this weekend, keep your finances separate from others' as much as possible. Week starting on September 12 You might feel like the only sane person in the room this week, especially through Wednesday. Early on, people are easily freaked out and might

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overreact to tiny stresses that you can see are short-lived and practically meaningless. You are much more engaged on Thursday and Friday, learning new things about your friends and family and making life easier for everyone involved. By the time the weekend rolls around, you may have decided to take charge -- especially if your people are still dealing with Monday's stress! Week starting on September 19 Talk with people -- especially, but not exclusively, friends -- about what you want to do next month or next year. You should be able to articulate your dreams in a new way, and thus bring them a little closer to reality. Midweek is quiet time for you, though there may be some drama around the home to deal with. Your low-key energy is the answer, and at least one person should find a new kind of respect for you. On Friday, you should wake up feeling like a million bucks, and even total strangers will look twice when you stroll by. Week starting on September 26 Take a break early this week and let others catch all the flack. You'd rather sit back and watch someone else take an active part in the events of the day. You certainly deserve it! Your energy ramps up in a big way on Wednesday, and you should have a big smile on your face through Friday, thanks to nothing in particular. Share the good times with those you love and you'll all coast into the weekend feeling fine. Make sure you've got one eye open for those who don't have your best interests at heart on Saturday and Sunday -- your trusting nature could land you in trouble otherwise!

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Week starting on September 5 Ask away on Monday -- the answers you get are overwhelmingly positive (or at least very revealing). Around Tuesday and Wednesday, the sentimentality in the air may have quite an effect on you; try to keep it all (especially the love-related stuff) in perspective! Time spent with a friend with a good sense of humor is definitely in order. Then your personal energy's great on Thursday and Friday, with social activities favored and your brain in high gear. Watch for an excellent idea. Finish off a project this weekend rather than starting a new one. Week starting on September 12 You need to exercise some of your world-famous flexibility early this week -- and keep it up for a few days! It's not as hard as you'd think, but you may need to reach out and help some others who are flailing while you're sailing. You're all business on Thursday and Friday, and it's easier than ever to get things done, especially when you need to persuade people to join you, or at least support you. Your social power is strong this weekend, and it's easy for you to call in favors or expect help, even from those who may not know they're on your side yet. Week starting on September 19 Your great mental energy helps you make plans and develop new ideas on Monday and Tuesday, and you also ought to impress someone with the

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quality of your thinking. Keep up the patter, and make sure others are involved! You hit a slow patch midweek, but if you turn your attention outward, you can help your friends or family with their simpler needs. It's a good time to think about changing home arrangements. Your hopes are out in the open this weekend, and if you remain optimistic, you may find a friend who can help you with what you need. Week starting on September 26 The week begins with your sharp eye noticing details that elude everyone else, making it a good time for business deals, politicking and finishing up negotiations of all kinds. Your good energy flares up in a big way on Wednesday, so take time out to enjoy life later in the week. You may find that people are more willing than usual to see things your way and give you the latitude you need. The weekend is the best time to get started on those big changes you want to make in your life.

Week starting on September 5 Weigh any risks very carefully on Monday; a wait-and-see approach is warranted now. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, you're full of bright ideas and you're communicating like a dream. If you focus your awesome powers on the realm of romance, well, who can say what kind of sweet results you'll get? You or someone close to you may be advocating for some radical reenvisioning on Thursday and Friday, whether at work or elsewhere. And this weekend, your mystical, passionate, creative side is ready and willing. Give it something to work with!

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Week starting on September 12 Your emotional energy is geared toward romance for the first half of the week, so it's a great time to spend re-courting your partner or, if you're unaccountably single, looking for someone new. Your easy charm makes life sweet for all. You may be inspired to start a new fitness routine on Thursday, or something similar that benefits your physical or mental health. The weekend pulls at you from too many different directions, and you might get greedy for some alone time. Try to find a balance between your obligations and your needs.

Week starting on September 19 Something small but important pops up early in the week, and you might be the only person who recognizes it for what it is. Don't waste any time explaining to others -- just deal with it as quickly as you can and then move on. Let go of your worries on Wednesday and Thursday, as they should prove unfounded soon, and are certainly keeping you from realizing your full potential. You don't have to control every aspect of the situation! Work problems may arise this weekend, and your boss or primary client is almost certainly to blame.

Week starting on September 26 Your social life improves a bit on Monday and Tuesday, even if that doesn't seem possible. You may make a new friend or take an existing friendship to a new level. You spend more time waiting than you may like later in the week, but your patience is rewarded in the long run. Try to find positive ways to fill your time. The weekend is perfect for romance -- or for any endeavor that needs other people to work out. Your personal energy is so intense that most folks find you deeply fascinating now.

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Week starting on September 5 You're an all-star on Monday, and whatever you put your mind to is a shoo-in. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, it's your unique approach that wins you bonus points -- and hearts! When it comes to romance, let others go the red-roses route; you've got different, more original, better ideas. Then pick up some new concepts from other sources -- people, books, art, blogs and more -- on Thursday and Friday. Your own thinking can expand exponentially now. This weekend, to call you absentminded would be putting it mildly; try to keep your wits about you!

Week starting on September 12 You're much more thoughtful than usual early this week, and might dream up all sorts of new ideas, only a few of which will ever see the light of day. Still, it's a good time for brainstorming and also for showing friends how you feel about them. By Thursday, you ought to be back in action, and plowing through projects with wild abandon! It's a good time for you to be bold and assertive. The weekend gets a bit thorny, especially as far as social obligations are concerned, but you can deal with any stresses.

Week starting on September 19 You need to make a decision early this week, which shouldn't be too hard,

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but may have profound implications for your people. The outcome is entirely up to you, even if it feels as if you are constrained somehow. Try not to worry too much if you and a family member are at odds on Wednesday or Thursday -- it's just a short phase of being out of synch, and as long as you don't take it seriously, it passes quickly. Your natural advantages are accentuated this weekend, and your fiery energy should make everything more fun!

Week starting on September 26 It's a thoughtful week for you for the most part. Early on, you need to focus on small details in work or home projects, as your mindset is just about perfect for juggling them and bringing them in line with each other. A minor legal issue may pop up on Wednesday or Thursday, and will require your full attention. But it should be resolved quickly and painlessly. The weekend is a great time for reflection on the past week's events -- you can learn quite a bit that will come in handy later.

Week starting on September 5 Temper your ideals with some realistic considerations on Monday. Perfectionism only gets you so far in an imperfect world. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, it looks like you may get some well-deserved recognition

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-- maybe at work, perhaps for your lusciously loyal style of loving. Things look hot for singles now, so work it. Short-term plans might go awry on Thursday and Friday, but take the longer view and recover gracefully. A slight change of tactics is in order. This weekend, different methods of communicating get different results -- think about your medium.

Week starting on September 12 You might be the only person functioning at full capacity for the first half of the week, and that should draw out your compassionate side in a big way. While you might have your own work to complete, you just can't bear to see your people struggling -- so everyone ends up ahead when you step in. You may have to make a short-term work decision that affects your time spent with family on Thursday or Friday, but the weekend helps you mend fences. In fact, you should find things returning almost exactly to normal.

Week starting on September 19 Things may seem a bit off-kilter this week, so at least have some fun during the wild ride! On Monday and Tuesday, you've got more to do than time to do it, and might find yourself unable to focus on any one task for very long. Just try to do your best. Your emotions range a lot higher and lower midweek, which could be exhausting, but shouldn't last for so long that you want the ride to stop. Work-related issues pop up on Friday and stay with you for a bit; it seems that at least one person (maybe a competitor) will do anything to get ahead.

Week starting on September 26 Your inquisitive mind is ready for new information as you begin the week,

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so seek out a few new sources and see what you can dredge up. You may finally solve a problem that has been nagging you for weeks! Your job or career path takes up more time than usual from Wednesday through Friday, and you should be ready to follow up with new leads and new opportunities quickly. You're called on to settle a dispute this weekend, and your answer may cement your reputation as someone who can maintain objectivity.

Week starting on September 5 Networking's very fruitful on Monday, whether it's of the work-related or social variety (or, even better, a synergy of the two). If you feel low-energy around Tuesday and Wednesday, be proactive about getting rest, exercise and healthy foods. What'll lift your spirits even more is letting those in your life know how much you care -- love is truly in the air. On Thursday and Friday, you should be all powered up, and you can use that power for an electric brainstorming session. Watch out for being extravagant this weekend; there's the future to consider.

Week starting on September 12 Offer assistance to anyone who needs it early this week -- the good karma should come back to you quickly and powerfully! Your decision to forego your own needs (temporarily, of course) catches the attention of the

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universe, and that could mean that things get a little crazy on Thursday and Friday. Expect new ideas to pop up from out of nowhere, many of which are well worth pursuing. The weekend brings a blast from the past that almost certainly carries an important, if cryptic, message for you.

Week starting on September 19 The week starts with a bang, as your mental and romantic energies are in near-perfect synch and you may find yourself drifting into a new love connection. If that's what you're looking for, go for it of course! It's a good time to strike up new friendships, as well. On Wednesday and Thursday, your dealings with people you know well could become quite heated, so try to make sure you aren't overreacting. It's hard to get much work done on Friday, what with the constant interruptions -- just about everyone has something to tell you, and that could last through the weekend.

Week starting on September 26 Things aren't quite what they seem on Monday and Tuesday, and you may want to look into matters more closely before committing to any particular course of action. Once you know what you're dealing with, go for it! Your social energy picks up in a big way midweek, and for the next few days you find yourself meeting new people at a prodigious rate -- especially folks you might never have had contact with under ordinary circumstances. Take a long, slow weekend if you can, and try your best to take it easy without pushing any one activity too hard.

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Week starting on September 5 You may want to challenge an authority figure on Monday, but in the next couple of days you'll be glad that you took a diplomatic approach. Those in high places come to your aid now, and as far as the love energy goes on Wednesday, Cupid may be aiming right at you from on high. Be a ready and willing target! On Thursday and Friday, your thoughts may be confusing, but your dreams are a source of power. Allow time to let it all evolve within you. This weekend, the stars say you can transform your world in fantastic ways. What would you like to change?

Week starting on September 12 Monday through Wednesday is a time of great power and possibility for you. If you've been aching to make a transformation, now is the time to get busy and see what happens -- most likely, it takes less time and energy than you thought it might, and the results should be great. Life might get puzzling for a while after this, as you try to figure out how to operate under the new rules, but you should do fine. By Saturday, you'll be feeling great and be ready to recommit to your partner, or head out and find a new love.

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Week starting on September 19 You're of two minds early this week, and that could make it hard to be sympathetic with those who have made their choices. You're still on the fence, but eventually you need to join one side or the other. Wednesday and Thursday bring a surge of fun energy, and might make your choice clear. If not, you're more than content to simply enjoy the vibe and postpone everything else for a while. Someone important loses their patience on Friday, though, so you should probably flip a coin or do whatever it takes to get them off your back at that point. Week starting on September 26 Your friends and family need you as the week begins, but it's almost certain that they're too confused or proud to let you know. Ask or observe until you see what needs to be done, then take care of it. On Wednesday, your life may feel a wee bit out of balance, but it should only take a couple of days for you to figure out how to realign all the elements and get rolling again. You feel great this weekend, but may not want to do much of anything. Follow your instincts or let your friends make the call.

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Don't believe yourself to be a victim of bad luck; actually, you're much better off than many others. Think about privileging your family life; invite your parents or parents-in-law, spend more time with your children. Your relationships with your beloved one will be placed under the sign of passion. Don't buy anything on credit.

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You'll have problems of communication with your friends; sometimes very secretive, sometimes expansive, you'll baffle without knowing it; and there'll be misunderstandings.

~At work, luck might come unexpectedly: keep your eyes and ears wide opened.~ ~Beware of overwork! In friendship, don't be too particular and demanding.~ ~If you water down your wine, harmony will return in your home and you can then count on your close relatives' support.~ ~Risks of backaches or toothaches.~ ~Tackle the problems that you've shelved aside, especially if they relate to your finances, the stability of which is leaving much to be desired.~

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You'll be assured of success in everything that you undertake if you're careful about your uncontrolled imagination. Give priority to your love affairs: the joy of being two, important encounter or, on the contrary, separation will be in the program; the events will be to your advantage. You'll be exposed to an emotional stress, which is likely to disturb your stability. You'll have a better opinion of yourself, and you'll have a better estimation of your financial possibilities; learn how to make the right choices that'll lead you to success.

Above all don't touch the family's budget to satisfy one of your desires, otherwise watch out! It's in your duty to stick to your commitments, even if

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you have over-estimated your possibilities: your credibility will depend on it. If you suffer from excessive weight, try auricular therapy. Show respect towards elderly people. A romantic climate will reign, and your heart will be on fire; physical accord as well as spiritual communion will be reached; fill yourself up with sensual pleasures.

You'll glow with freshness and vitality; your energy will be at a climax. Concerning love, try to free yourself from the past and to enjoy the present fully. Be careful, religious sects could have some appeal to you! It's useless to kick over the traces: show patience, because in time and place everything will be sorted out. Superb social life in view: it'll be animated, varied, and full of pleasant surprises; you'll be able to shine with all your flickers; some of you can even attain an envious position.

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You'll be inclined to introspection; this will help you to consider what you really want in life, but this can also make you more obnoxious towards your close ones. Don't try to settle your disputes in a shattering way: give your preference to amicable solutions. At your work, a low profile will prove to be a good tactic. Brilliant, attractive, you'll be a real heart breaker; if you're married, you'll have a difficult time resisting temptations, and your spouse will have difficulty forgiving you.

You'll have a hard time coping with boredom; indulge in some kind of hobby that you have a passion for.

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Your present feeling of emotional insecurity will push you to tie very strong bonds. If you suffer from excessive weight, try the associated diet; talk to your doctor or your dietician about it. Stop smoking. The stars will give you the opportunity to affirm your ambitions and to achieve some of your projects; thus don't hesitate to dash ahead while taking moderate risks; success will be guaranteed.

Possibility of stress and nervousness; take magnesium and calcium. Couples will have arguments, particularly because of their divergent attitude concerning the use of mutual funds. You'll make a charming encounter, which will open new horizons to you. A friend will prove his exemplary loyalty towards you. Your work will be very much favored. The stars will encourage you to devote a maximum of time to the management of your material assets; only beware of the advice one of your close relatives.

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A month very favorable to the happy conclusion of a business matter or the crowning of a long-drawn-out effort. Don't react violently to the provocative attitude of your children; wait until things calm down. Propitious climate for peaceful love affairs, far from jealousy and from screams of hate and passion. Pleasant friendly encounters. Failures concerning your blood circulation could begin to appear; don't ignore the symptoms, and don't hesitate to consult a specialist so as to get a clear idea; no ostrich policy!

This month will be favorable to mental curiosity and inventiveness.

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A colleague at work will try to play a nasty trick on you. A muddled family matter that has been going on for a long time will be settled to the satisfaction of all. This month will provide you with new sensations in your love relationships. Persistent cough. Don't put yourself in the wrong: this will be the best way to keep a peaceful atmosphere; seek the company of young and cheerful people, without paying the slightest attention to your moods and those of others.

The stars will protect you, and nothing serious can bring you down. Possibility of friction with your spouse or partner; try to be much more tactful so as to improve things. Your cholesterol level could increase; get a blood test made, replace meat with fish more often and butter with vegetable oils. You can count on some valuable friendly support, which will give you the means of carrying out a project that you have so close to your heart.

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You'll be able to make new friendly relationships under the sign of good-heartedness. An extremely favorable month for matters of the heart; you'll live your love affairs on a rosy cloud. Ideal moment to carry out financial transactions. In family, you'll be compelled to take your close relatives' viewpoints into consideration; tackle negotiations. You'll be concerned about your health; but your suspicion concerning food dyes isn't justified; actually, they're very strictly controlled and do not imply any danger for health.

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10 of cup card one in the position of Inquirer, or present day: inverted: card: A wounded Soldier returning from war is embraced by his loving family. 10 cups rise up over a full moon in celebration of this joyous reunion New relationships. Return of a past friend

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The moon second card in the position of past influences: Inverted: card : The Deviant Moon casts its powerful influence over the city, controlling minds like a puppeteer avoiding reality, strange forces, delusional thoughts, lies and despair

the sun 3rd card in the position of supconscous influences Divine: card: twins meet by the city wall, they came as two individuals, yet the sun above unites them into a single soul successful solcial relationship, friendship, engagement, happy times, pure joy

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5 cups card 4 in the position of secret desires and wishes: divine: the card: the wretched shrew berates her husband over three spilled cups, the contents of which empty spill onto the floor. A rose Lies in the rememberanceof the romancethat once flourished there. Two cups still upright, for in spite of the wall that has come between man and wife, some hope for love still remains Unhappiness in spite of success. apathy, disappointment in ones life, boredom

heirophant card 5 in the position of hidden forces inverted: the card: the heirophant prays for the souls of the city, his position wields more than spirituality, for religion holds a man like a doll in a pocket. unorthodox ways, impotence, poor advice

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4 of sords 6th card in the position of events yet to come inverted: the card: The girl in the ground is dreaming again. Her visions illuminate the tomb and keep four roses in bloom. Three swords are plunged into the earth to mark her place of sleep. A fourth sword lies buried inside her... renewed vigor, a return to daily life and events, activity

fool 7th card in the position of surrounding environment inverted: the card: Unaware of his surroundings, the fool begins his journey by wandering into the canal. He has no experience with life, therefore he has no fear of it. failure to seize the moment, unsure actions, uncertainty

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9 of swords 8th card in the position of influence of others Divine: the card: unable to fall asleep, an old woman sits up in her bed. nine swords hang in her thoughts as she is tortured by worry and nightmares. anxiety, worry, stress, misery, despair

king of wands

9th card in the position of spiritual forces divine: The Card: The King of wands leads his children on an exciting adventure thru the woods. His fatherly guidance inspires his offspring down the path of life, for he is always sets good examples for them to follow. a father, loving paternal qualities. A married Man, Wise leader

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knight of wands 10th card in the postion of final outcome reversed: card: is the daring knight rushes across a grassy field ready to meet his troubles head on little does he realize, his rash and impulsive reactions to life are the cause of his conflicts. unforeseen disruption, sudden change of plans, interruption, delay

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Here there be Dragons

By: Oak This be a tale of dragons in the old west; before the time of flying machines, Dungeons & Dragons or even the model T Ford. This tale begins in the 1830s and continues until 1890. The activity centers on Elizabeth Lake near Palmdale, CA which just happens to lie directly above the San Andreas Fault. The Legend tells that the Devil himself created the lake and placed one of his own pets inside it. If you swim deep enough, eventually you will find a secret passage direct to the underworld. Supposedly Spanish missionaries dubbed the lake Laguna del Diablo and Indian Legend also supports the rumors that the Devil created the lake. The devils pet has been described by the natives as having bat wings, the neck of a giraffe, the head of a bulldog, six legs, a length of at least fifty feet, and emitting a horrible nauseating stench. This tale begins when Don Pedro Carillo purchased the land around La Laguna del Diablo and built a hacienda, barn and corral by the lake in the mid 1830s. He disregarded the superstitions about the place, but only 3

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months after construction was completed a fire of unknown origin burnt every structure to the ground in a single night. Don Pedro abandoned the place after stating that there were supernatural beings nearby and he could not live there any longer. The land remained vacant for the next two decades and even after the Americans came to the region the lake was shunned as a cursed spot. Which I am sure suited the pet just fine. Some years later, Don Chico Lopez settled on the property and what occurred next was told in a manuscript by Don Guillermo Embustero y Mentiroso, who was a guest at the Lopez ranch. According to Don Guillermo, a great agitation took place during his visit. Around noon one day, Lopez's foreman, Chico Vasquez, rode up to the hacienda very upset. He told of strange happenings at the lake and everyone saddled their horses and rode out to the shore. They arrived to find the water calm and quiet and Lopez began berating his foreman for bothering them with foolishness but then stopped as a terrifying scream came from some brush at the edge of the lake. The plants whipped back and forth and the account stated that they were so close to whatever was lurking in the brush that they could smell its foul breath. The men were startled when their horses reared up and began running in fright. As they brought their horses back under control, the men turned and looked back to the lake. Silhouetted against the sky was a large creature with enormous wings. The creature flapped them over and over again as it tried to rise from the mud. It roared and screamed and churned up the water around it. The horses and men fled in a panic. The next morning, all of the vaqueros on the ranch were mustered, armed and sent down to the lake to investigate. There was no sign of the winged monster but it was said that the smell of it still lingered in the air. In 1883, the Lopez horses and cattle began to vanish. At first, bears or wolves were thought to be responsible but then one night, there was a terrible uproar in the corral. When the vaqueros came running, they found that ten mares and foals had been slaughtered. They said that, outlined against the sky, they saw the huge flying creature as it flapped away into the darkness. Soon the residents had multiple sighting's of the beast. Bullets reportable bounced off the creature's hide. As ranch hands quit,

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and animals kept disappearing, the land was eventually sold and the ranch abandoned. Dragon two, settlers zero. Here is where the tale differs. I will tell you the tall tale first and save the more believable for later. Miguel Leonis, a Basque immigrant purchased the ranch next. Leonis was a large and burly man who controlled a large amount of land throughout Southern California. He ruled over it like a dictator, and squatters were often severely dealt with through either lawsuits or armed force. Several months after he purchased the ranch on Elizabeth Lake, the creature began eating his animals as well. But Leonis would not have it. He lay in wait for the beast and then savagely attacked it when it emerged at night. As bullets bounced off its tough hide, he engaged it closer, beating it with his rifle butt across the nose and then punching it in the eye. So taken back by the ferocity of the attack, that the creature retreated back to the lake, and there lay resting, healing its injured eye. Eventually, it fled from the lake heading east towards Arizona. Oh my, I can see it now. Man beats up fire breathing dragon with his fists.LMAO. Now, I will relate the far more believable version. In 1886, the newspaper reported more strange happenings at Lake Elizabeth. The reports stated that a creature had been feeding on cattle, horses, sheep and chickens and had caused terror and excitement among the local inhabitants. On one occasion, the beast had tried to devour a large steer but as the animal bellowed and kicked, the sound attracted the attention of its owner, Don Felipe Rivera. The steer put up a fierce fight and managed to free itself. The angry creature then retreated but not before Rivera got a good look at it. He said that it was at least 45 feet long and had wings that laid flat on its back when not expanded. He pursued the monster as it started towards the lake and fired at it with his Colt revolver. Rivera said that when the bullets struck the monster's side, it sounded as if they were hitting a "great iron kettle". But Don Felipe was nothing if not enterprising and he made immediate plans to try and capture the creature and sell it to the circus. He even signed a contract with Sells Brothers, who agreed to pay him $20,000 to deliver the beast to him alive. Don Felipe never managed to capture the

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creature, although it was reportedly seen several times in 1886. The creature was last seen, according to Horace Bell, winging away to the east. Well either way both tales relate that the dragon left the area heading east and was never seen at Lake Elizabeth again. The dragon finally gave in to the encroachment of the settlers and fled for more quiet surroundings. But the story does not end here. It continues in Tombstone, AZ in 1890, and once again with two conflicting versions. I will again report on the least likely one first. This is the exact reprint of an article in the Tombstone Epitaph dated April 26, 1890. FOUND IN THE DESERT A STRANGE WINGED MONSTER DISCOVERED AND KILLED ON THE HUACHUCA DESERT A winged monster, resembling a huge alligator with an extremely elongated tail and an immense pair of wings, was found on the desert between the Whetsone and Huachuca mountains last Sunday by two ranchers who were returning home from the Huachucas. The creature was evidently greatly exhausted by a long flight and when discovered was able to fly but a short distance at a time. After the first shock of wild amazement had passed, the two men, who were on horseback and armed with Winchester rifles, regained sufficient courage to pursue the monster and after an exciting chase of several miles succeeded in getting near enough to open fire with their rifles and wounding it. The creature then turned on the men, but owing to its exhausted condition they were able to keep out of its way and after a few well directed shots the monster partly rolled over and remained motionless. The men cautiously approached, their horses snorting with terror, and found that the creature was dead. They then proceeded to make an examination and found that it measured about ninety-two feet in length and the greatest diameter was about fifty inches. The monster had only two feet, these being situated a short distance in front of where the wings were joined to the body. The head, as near as they could judge, was about eight feet long, the jaws being thickly set with strong, sharp teeth. Its eyes were as large as a

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dinner plate and protruded about half way from the head. They had some difficulty in measuring the wings as they were partly folded under the body, but finally got one straightened out sufficiently to get a measurement of seventy-eight feet, making the total length from tip to tip about 160 feet. The wings were composed of a thick and nearly transparent membrane and were devoid of feathers or hair, as was the entire body. The skin of the body was comparatively smooth and easily penetrated by a bullet. The men cut off a small portion of the tip of one wing and took it home with them. Late last night one of them arrived in this city for supplies and to make the necessary preparations to skin the creature, when the hide will be sent east for examination by the eminent scientists of the day. The finder returned early this morning accompanied by several prominent men who will endeavor to bring the strange creature to this city before it is mutilated. End of Article. Interestingly, a reprint of the original article that appeared in Old West magazine caused a reader to remember another strange incident. He wrote to the magazine in the summer of 1970 and gave a firsthand account of a separate flying monster incident that also occurred near Tombstone. The writer had met two cowboys who told about seeing a similar creature around 1890, although they had shot at and chased the creature until their horses refused to go any further. This giant bird was not killed. Considering the fact that there was never any evidence or follow-up article to substantiate the previous report of killing and recovering the body, I would imagine that this is the accurate account of the happenings that day near Tombstone. Surely if they had dragged a 90 foot dragon into town there would have been a great story and photos for proof. Where the dragon flew from here is anyones guess. But he/she did not die that day at the hand of man, of that I am quite certain.

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The Water We Drink

By: Oak

This is a rather lengthy article but I wanted to share all the facts. I sincerely hope you take the time to read it. Good dental hygiene can be achieved through correct brushing with fluoride toothpaste and a healthy diet. Do not swallow the toothpaste. Check your toothpaste label, it says do not swallow. The facts about fluoridation are not well known and there are companies that wish it to remain this way. The addition of fluoride to municipal water supplies began back in 1945 and this practice has continued without much ado ever since. The AMA and the ADA tout this procedure as critical to maintaining healthy oral and dental health. Everyone want to have good strong teeth right? Well I am here to say that this is bunk. Every statement I will make can be verified for its legitimacy. Many nations do not medicate their water supplies and yet their oral and dental health is every bit as good as it is in America. So, what may I ask is the reason for this and why do we continue to use this outdated and unhealthy method of medication? Just follow the money to the special interests.

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First let me give some background on the chemicals known as fluoride. Fluorine (F) is a naturally occurring element in the environment. Fluoride (F2) is the name given to soluble fluorine. Fluorine is a highly reactive chemical that readily forms compounds with the majority of the other elements including the noble gases. Since fluorine creates bonds so easily with other elements, it is used in many industrial processes including water treatment in the form of sodium fluoride (NaF). Once the bonds are made with other elements, they are there for life. Fluorine is the most reactive of all elements and no chemical substance is capable of freeing fluorine from any of its compounds. Sodium fluoride is listed as highly toxic in the MSDS which clearly states that ingestion can lead to poisoning and even death. The majority of water municipalities (90%) use the more available and cheaper fluosilicic acid and sodium fluorosilicate in place of sodium fluoride. Fluosilicic acid and sodium fluorosilicate are EPA regulated toxic by-products of the industrial smelting processes. Fluosilicic acid and sodium fluorosilicate are both listed as toxins in the MSDS which recommends medical attention if ingested. The FDA has never approved any of these compounds for ingestion, and for good reason. Without the ability to sell these byproducts as a water additive, companies would need to pay millions for the disposal of these toxic wastes. Now you are seeing the picture. Trace amounts of fluoride (3-5 mg per day) are recommended, though not necessary, for maintaining the health of teeth and bones. This amount is naturally present in many water supplies without need of additional supplements. Currently, the majority of municipal water supplies supplement their water with an additional 1ppm of soluble fluorine, fluosilicic acid or sodium fluorosilicate to reduce dental carries. Agricultural irrigation is generally performed using non-fluorinated water. But, food, beverage, cosmetic and hygiene product manufacturers use fluorinated water in their production and packaging process. These added factors introduce immeasurable amounts of accumulating fluoride into the human body. A 2002 report by the CDC noted a 9% increase in dental fluorosis in the past 20 years and recommended timely surveillance to monitor fluoride

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exposure from multiple sources. This report was updated in 2007 with the following results: 41% of children aged 12-15 now have some form of fluorosis, whereas 36% of children 16-19 have fluorosis (CDC, 2007). The presence of fluorosis in teeth, while only a cosmetic defect, is a clear indicator of fluorine overexposure in our children. Dental fluorosis is an irreversible condition caused by overexposure to fluoride during tooth forming years. Overexposure to fluoride can give rise to crippling skeletal fluorosis. Clinical trials have formed a definitive link between excessive fluoride exposure and osteoporosis in humans in areas of municipal fluorination. There has been an alarming rate of increase (55%) in osteoporosis fractures between 1999 and 2005. It was estimated that 29.5 million women and 11.7 million men in the United States were afflicted with osteoporosis in 2002. As of January 7, 2011 the Department of Health and Human Services has recognized the connection between Stage II skeletal fluorosis and fluoride overexposure and recommended a reduction in fluoride additions to water. There are definitive studies linking fluoridation to increased lead uptake in humans. Lead poisoning is shown to cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems in youth and adolescents, as well as contribute to dementia and Alzheimers disease in adults. Prior to 1995, fluoride was thought to only affect teeth and bones. Laboratory studies have demonstrated the central nervous system is vulnerable to fluoride and could lead to lowered IQs and learning disabilities. Many pediatricians currently counsel parents to avoid using tap water for the mixing of baby formula due to the toxic effects of fluoride on infant neurology. The ADHD/ADD epidemic which was completely unheard of before the 1950s has grown to 13% (6 million) of the nations schoolchildren. This estimate does not include the numerous undiagnosed cases that are yet unaware of their condition. Although it is difficult to estimate the effects of fluoridation on the rise of Alzheimers and dementia cases because of humanitys increasing longevity obscuring the results, evidence does point to a likely increase due to fluorination and increased lead absorption. Fluoride is a persistent bio-accumulator. To date, fluoride has received

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relatively little attention as a contaminant of the ecosystem. When fluoride leaches into soil it forms strong bonds with the soil that prevent it from leaching. This makes it continually available for plants to uptake along with their required nutrients. When absorbed by plants along with other nutrients, it accumulates mainly within the leaves making it available at concentrated levels for livestock consumption. The chemical fluorine has been under heavy scrutiny for many years concerning its addition to municipal water supplies. Even the EPAs own union members have openly opposed fluorination because of its toxicity. A resolution voted unanimously by EPA professionals, As professionals who are charged with assessing the safety of drinking water, we conclude that the health and welfare of the public are not served by the addition of this substance to the public water supply. So, basically we have a largely unnecessary, unhealthy and increasingly dangerous toxic chemical being given to our families for no better reason than to dispose of toxic waste and get paid for it. If you found this disturbing as I did and wish to read my academic papers with citations and links you may access them at this address.
http://apus.academia.edu/ThomasSipes/Papers/500326/Environmental_and_ Economic_Impact_of_Fluoride_in_Drinking_Water

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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://wetstags.ning.com

http://globalconspiracytheories.socialparadox.com/main

http://broomriders.ning.com/

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http://shadowheartandsouloftheblackrose.ning.com/

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http://kroq.radio.com/2011/06/21/event-details-kroq-presents-epicenter-f eaturing-limp-bizkit-staind-papa-roach-and-more-september-24th-at-the-veriz on-wireless-amphitheater/

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KROQ PRESENTS EPICENTER

Southern Californias Rock Festival Saturday, September 24th Verizon Wireless Amphitheater LIMP BIZKIT STAIND PAPA ROACH FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH BUCKCHERRY PUDDLE OF MUDD SKILLET P.O.D. ASKING ALEXANDRIA REDLIGHT KING MIDDLE CLASS RUT DRIVE A

KROQ Epicenter Sat. Sep 24, 2011 12:00 PM Verizon Wireless Amphi.. Irvine, CA Buy Tickets

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THE BIG FOUR

The Big 4 - Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax Wed. Sep 14, 2011 4:00 PM Yankee Stadium Bronx, NY Buy Tickets

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Bush and Chevelle

Bush and Chevelle Tue. Sep 27, 2011 6:30 PM 4th And B San Diego, CA Buy Tickets

Bush and Chevelle Wed. Sep 28, 2011 8:00 PM Grove of Anaheim Anaheim, CA Buy Tickets

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Devildriver

Devildriver
Wed. Sep 7, 2011 7:30 PM The Norva Norfolk, VA Buy Tickets

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Morbid Angel

Morbid Angel Fri. Sep 23, 2011 7:00 PM House Of Blues Sunset .. West Hollywood, CA Buy Tickets

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Uproar Festival is like the softer cousin of Mayhem Festival, featuring hard rock acts such as Avenged Sevenfold, Three Days Grace, Bullet For My Valentine, Seether, & Escape The Fate on the main stage, with Sevendust, Black Tide, The Art Of Dying & The Black Cloud Collective on the second stage. The party kicks off in late August in Camden, NJ running through early October. Here are the current dates:

09/03 Tampa, FL 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre 09/04 Biloxi, MS Mississippi Coast Coliseum 09/05 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 09/10 Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center 09/11 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre

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09/14 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre 09/16 Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion 09/17 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 09/21 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center 09/23 Omaha, NE WestFair Amphitheater 09/24 Kansas City, MO Sandstone Amphitheater

Chevelle

Chevelle Fri. Sep 9, 2011 7:00 PM Lifestyle Communities .. Columbus, OH Buy Tickets

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"I'd just rather sleep under the stars."

I gave it a shot. I did what everyone told me would make me happy. Got an

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apartment. Got a job. I wasn't happy, so I started traveling. I haven't stopped since. I've been doing it for like six years now. I love it. It's what makes me happy. I've tried to settle down. Can't do it. I'd just rather sleep under the stars. One of my favorite places I've ever been to is Nicaragua. It was really eye opening. I mean I'm an anarchist. I fucking hate capitalism but as much as I hate this country, after going to a third world country it actually made me appreciate a lot of shit about America that I didn't before. Well you know people live in poverty here in the states but you can still go to McDonalds and get a dollar double cheeseburger everyday. You can still get food stamps. You can still dumpster dive.

"My mom's a Czechoslovakian whore."

I'm a product of the American foster care system. My mom's a Czechoslovakian whore and my dad was a sand nigger. His name was Ahmad something or other. I grew up in the foster care system till I was three. So I woke up one day and I was fucking fifteen years old, ran away from the fucking group home. Decided it was in my best interests to become a crack head on the streets. And spent the last two years losing my mind in Oklahoma City.

I started traveling after I got clean off of meth and was discovered by some hippies on the street.They asked me what I was doing on the street. I said, "I was trying to score another bag of meth." They said, "hey, you want to go somewhere with us?" I said, "where are you going?" And they said, "does it really matter?" And I said, "no I guess no it doesn't really matter." At that point I was eighteen years old and I went on my first trip to Knoxville. Stayed with all these crazy bio diesel hippies. They make bio diesel out of corn. That's when I figured out you could travel. That

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homelessness didn't mean you had to stay in one place and rot away or be a drug addict. That you were actually allowed to move around and do something interesting and explore the world. You know you didn't have to be stationary and miserable. So I took up to hang out with hippies and fucking drunks and train riders and made my way around America. Met a few interesting people. A few not so interesting people. Got in a couple of fights. Got my ass kicked a couple of times. Break my glasses about every six months due to one of those events. It's really hard actually being blind on the road. I'm legally blind.

I also appreciate not getting hit on every twenty seconds of the day by crazy old men who think they can get into my pants because I'm dirty looking. My plans are to one day not be miserable and to quit doing drugs and not killing so many brain cells.

Ketchup

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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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September 2 - 4 Montreal Fetish Weekend Montreal, Canada www.fetishweekend.com Montreal is a city unlike any other and the Montreal Fetish Weekend is a round the clock celebration featuring themed events, workshops, an expo and some fabulous social fun in an open, fetish-friendly city! Welcoming hundreds of enthusiasts and talented artists, models and designers from around the world, the event offers a selection of affordable hotels mere steps from our host venue Take it to the next level of entertainment and intensify your summer! Cabaret Kink is a grand fashion gala, Latextacy is an all-out ultra-glam fantasy ball, Night of Masks is a sensual victorian masked ball. Join us where fantasy meets the city! BUY YOUR TICKETS : QUESTIONS : PRINT-READY SCHEDULE

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CLUB SIN, Thursday September 1st, 10pm, Cabaret Cleo, 1230 St-Laurent (2nd floor) KABARET KINK, Friday September 2nd, 10pm, LOlympia, 1004 Ste-Catherine East (*) LATEXTACY, Saturday September 3rd, 9pm, LOlympia, 1004 Ste-Catherine East (*) NIGHT OF MASKS, Sunday September 4th, 10pm, LOlympia, 1004 Ste-Catherine East (*) FAREWELL SUPPER, Monday September 5th, 6pm (VIP exclusive, location upon confirmation) ACTIVITIES : Hotel des Gouverneurs, 1415 St-Hubert (ballroom, 4th floor, 11am-9pm) EXPO KINK / WORKSHOPS (11am-6pm) + KINKY LOUNGE, Sat. & Sun. Sept. 3rd & 4th FETISH BOWLING, Saturday September 3rd, 3:30pm (departs from hotel lobby) T-GIRL COCKTAIL, Saturday September 3rd, 7-9pm (KINKY LOUNGE) RED LIGHT WALKING TOUR, Sunday September 4th, noon (see online information) EXHIBITIONIST PHOTO TOUR, Sunday September 4th, 2pm (departs from hotel lobby) AFTER-PARTIES: Circus, 917 Ste-Catherine East, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 3-10am (*) fetish dress code: leather, latex, pvc, lingerie, Xdress, glam, goth, wetlook, uniforms SHOPPING : great selection of latex, leather, vinyl, lingerie, masks and accessories Boutique Sexe-Cit, 6325 St-Hubert (Beaubien metro station), 514.277.5470 CONTACT : Eric Paradis, producer . 1.514.917.6729 . eric@fetishweekend.com

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September 2 - 5 FetFest Maryland,USA www.fetfest.com Fetfest is going to be the biggest, best, and most affordable event of 2011. FetFest is a 2 Day, 3 Night Festival in Maryland over Labor Day Weekend (Sept 2nd5th). Why not come out and party, learn and play with your friend list in person? Whether you opt for a tent, cabin or hotel, youll get to enjoy a world class education program, one of the best vending areas ever assembled and over 70,000 sq ft of Indoor/Outdoor Dungeon Space. Come play under the stars in rural Maryland! With tickets starting at $99, its too hot to miss! FetFest is not an official Fetlife event. It is independently organized by Born Lucky Productions, Inc. The name and logo for FetLife are trademarks of BitLove Inc. Special Events The FetFest team and village organizers are busy creating lots of compelling special events throughout the weekend to make this the vacation of a lifetime. Here is a glimpse of some that are already being

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planned...

Schedule of Main Events Friday September 2nd 06:00PM - 06:30PM Opening ceremony (Amphitheater) 06:30PM - 07:00PM Orientation (Amphitheater) 07:00PM - 08:30PM Village Open Houses (All Villages) 08:30PM - 09:00PM Swinging Beam Hook Suspension (Main Dungeon) 09:00PM - 10:00PM FetFest Meet and Greet (Vending Village) 10:00PM - 11:30PM Live Music: Black Tape for a Blue Girl (Amphitheater) 11:00PM -12:00PM Boots, Cigars and Chocolate - National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, $5 donation (Pavilion) 12:00AM - 3:00AM Luckys Club (Above the Swimming Pool) Saturday September 3rd 11:00AM - 07:00PM: Vending (Vending Village) 01:00PM - 7:00PM: DJ's Spinning All Afternoon (Poolside) 10:00AM - 11:30AM: Classes (See education grid) 12:00PM - 01:30PM: Classes (See education grid) 01:00PM - 02:30PM: BBQ (free for everyone) 02:30PM - 04:00PM: Classes (See education grid) 04:30PM - 06:00PM: Classes (See education grid) 07:00PM - 03:00AM: Live Music (Amphitheater) 08:00PM - 10:00PM: Slave Auction (Pavilion) 10:00PM - 12:00PM: Saturday Royal Ball (Fuckingham Palace) 10:30PM - 12:30PM: Night in Flames - Human Torches (Pool) 11:00PM - 01:00PM: The Floating World After Party (Pavilion) 11:00PM - 03:00AM: Amateur Night at Lucky Gentlemen's Club 12:00AM - 03:00AM: Feternity House Toga Party (White House Lawn)

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Sunday September 4th 11:00AM - 07:00PM: Vending (Vending Village) 01:00PM - 4:00PM: Latex Pool Party 01:30PM - 07:00PM: NCSF Flea Market & Silent Auction (Dining Hall Lobby) 10:00AM - 11:30AM: Classes (See education grid) 12:00PM - 01:30PM: Classes (See education grid) 01:00PM - 03:00PM: Slip N Slide (White House) 02:30PM - 04:00PM: Classes (See education grid) 04:30PM - 06:00PM: Classes (See education grid) 08:00PM - 09:30PM: NCSF Celebrity Auction (Amphitheater) 10:00PM - 11:30PM: CoCo Monroe's Drag King Revue (Pavilion) 11:00PM - 03:00AM: Live Sex on Stage at Lucky Gentlemen's Club 09:00PM - 08:00AM: From Dusk Til Dawn Titty Twister Fetish Party (Vending Village) Monday September 5th 08:00AM: Dungeon Breakdown 12:00 Noon: Event closes (Attendees should have left the event by this time) Special Events FRIDAY FetFest Meet and Greet, Sponsored by For your Nymphomation A new kind of meet and greet that will surely get you talking! I'm looking forward to introducing you to my "Kinky Ice Breaker Button Game" to help you meet new people or share fun stories with people you already know. Swinging Beam Hook Suspension Sacred Mark Sanctuary and Primal Arts Village present: Rev. Decay with The Hook is Family A Spinning Beam Suspension ritual performance that will leave you gasping for more!! Come witness as our professional suspension artists weave a spell for all of amazement, intoxicating intensity and beautiful pleasure through pain as our artists fly spinning past you on a journey of endurance, energy exchange and embracing the power within.

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Black Tape for a Blue Girl Dark rock outfit Black Tape For A Blue Girl kicks off the weekend with a collection of sinister character sketches performed in theatrical cabaret style. Sam Rosenthal, the groups founder/keyboardist (and resident kinkster) wrote these songs with an eye to the scene. Cuckholding, Dom/sub, public sex, polyamory..... it's all here in the music of Blacktape. Sam is joined by vocalist Athan Maroulis and guitarist/vocalist Valerie Gentile (formerly of The Cruxshadows). Boots, Cigars & Chocolate Party, Benefit for NCSF, $5 donation Get your boots done, enjoy the light refreshments being served, enter the Sexxxy Boot Contest, or just come to relax and get your weekend off to a great start. ($5.00 recommended donation at the door) FRIDAY 11pm SATURDAY Saturday BBQ

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Sponsored by the Camp Owner, Hosted by British Lucky Paul This is the moment of the weekend where the whole community comes together for a group meal to share stories and make plans for the time ahead. Slave Block Auction Bring your slaves, submissive's, and bottoms to the auction block. Our skilled and entertaining auctioneer will sell you for LuckyDollars to the highest bidders. Signup early and be sure to list your interests and limits. Saturday Royal Ball at Fuckingham Palace Wear your Royal Best and come out to the ball of the season. Ball or be balled, but please do cum and be a part of it all. Snacks, surprises and sex with your new and old favorite people. It is going to be a ball!

Night in Flames - Human Torches - Fire Play to the EXTREME!! This is a body rite of passage that weaves spirit, flesh, fear, and triumph together. It is about fulfilling your fantasies and/or confronting your fears and finding victory and accomplishment. You will achieve this by having your full body being put on fire for a split second before you leap into the swimming pool. The rush of excitement you will feel is over the top! This event is not a top/bottom/master/slave activity, nor is it a macho, ego, pain, or power trip. No matter how you define yourself in BDSM, this will take you flying. So everyone is encouraged to participate in this event. Please bring a bottle of 70% rubbing alcohol, a dry towel, and clean skin (no oils, lotions, hair product, or perfumes etc). Come watch or come try. This is one event you wont want to miss! The Floating World After Party Come and catch up with your fellow Floating World attendees and swap stories from the event while chilling pool side at the Official After Party on Saturday afternoon. Missed it? Come on by and learn all about the event from those that made it and make plans for next year.

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Feternity House Toga Party, Hosted by British Lucky Paul "We got to do something...You know what we are gonna do? Toga party!" Horny frat boys and slutty college girls come out to play at the Delta Tau Chi Fraternity House for some kinky Animal House mischief. We expect individual acts of perversion SO profound and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here. SUNDAY Wet Lube it Up! Naked Slip n' Slide, White House Lawn It's wet, its slippery and its clothing optional ...'nuff said! Latex Pool Party, Sponsored by Passional Slip into your sexiest latex and head to the pool for an afternoons fun with your fellow latex fetishists. Dont have any latex? Head to the Vending Village where Passional will be happy to help you. NCSF Celebrity Auction Come out to the Celebrity Auction and bid on that hottie you've been crushing on for a while now. The auction will feature both play AND educational sessions with "Celebrity" players and hopefully a few presenters too. All money raised will go to benefit NCSF. SUNDAY 8-9:30pm

CoCo Monroes Drag King Revue Come out to the Celebrity Auction and bid on that hottie you've been crushing on for a while now. The auction will feature both play AND educational sessions with "Celebrity" players and hopefully a few presenters too. All money raised will go to benefit NCSF. SUNDAY

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8-9:30pm From Dusk til Dawn Titty Twister Fetish Party Welcome to the Titty Twister, a Fetfest favorite from which no one returns. From the creators of The Metro Underground & DC Fetish Ball, we offer an evening of enticement, enchantment, & eternal possibility. Top DJs, Exotic Dancers, Fire Performers, Feeding Vamps, & probably a human sacrifice or two will all come together to create a night of epic proportion. So please join us for one of the weekend's biggest events & a night you won't want to miss. This is the Body This is the Blood Your Communion Awaits!

September 2 - 5 Master/Slave Conference Washington, DC, USA www.masterslaveconference.org THE MASTER/slave CONFERENCE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The Master/slave Conference is an exploration of ideas and customs concerning the practice of consensual Master/slave relationships. As

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such, the Conference welcomes everyone seeking to learn about and support consensual Master/slave relationships. There is no requirement for attendees to currently be in an M/s relationship. The primary purpose of the Master/slave Conference is to provide education and training for individuals interested in or already living alternative lifestyles and relationships. The Conference setting will ensure safe space for like-minded individuals to discuss and define their own self-mystique. The Master/slave Conference embraces diversity in every context including ideas. It is possible that you will not agree with everything you hear. Please respect each other's right to their own opinions. The Master/slave Conference does not endorse any perspective or opinion. Whether you have just begun your journey or you are well on your way; join us for the weekend in an atmosphere of self-discovery and individual growth within healthy relationships.

Meet our keynote speaker, Guy Baldwin Gay author, pioneering psychotherapist, activist and Leather icon, Guy Baldwin, will be the Keynote Speaker during the Opening Ceremonies on Friday, September 2. Baldwin is the author of Ties that Bind and SlaveCraft and International Mr. Leather 1989. He has been a recipient of numerous awards, and in 2000 was recognized by the Leather Archives and Museum as one of 20 individuals whose service to the Leather Community was the most significant in the 20th Century. Friday's program will be preceded by a Meet & Greet Reception in the Kennedy Ballroom. Our Traditions Live!

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On Saturday evening, we continue our tradition of celebrating our history. We will have a full program to commemorate our rich leather and Master/slave traditions. Race Bannon, author of Learning the Ropes, will be delivering the main speech on Saturday evening during the Our Traditions Live! program. Bannon is also founder of the Kink Aware Professionals (KAP), now under NCSF, and the founder of Daedalus Publishing Company, the first publisher dedicated to non-fiction books about Leather and BDSM sexuality.

Northeast MASTER/slave Contest Sunday evening is the time for the Northeast Master/slave 2011 Contest. The winner will represent our region at the International Master/slave Contest in February 2012 in Dallas, Texas. MsC 2011 is looking for Master/slave couples of any gender and sexual orientation with at least a year together (by the time of the contest) willing to participate in the Contest.

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Breakfast with Raven Kaldera and his boy Joshua During Mondays Master/slave Flag Breakfast, authors Raven Kaldera and his boy Joshua from Massachusetts, will do a Q&A session. Kaldera is the author of Dark Moon Rising: Pagan BDSM and the Ordeal Path, Dear Raven and Joshua: Questions and Answers About Master/slave Relationships, and Double Edge: The Intersections of Transgender and BDSM. Those interested in attending will have to purchase the breakfast ticket or the full meal package.

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Great presenters, Great classes MsC 2011 brings the best of the top presenters on Master/slave Relationships in the country, which makes us the finest educational event on Master/slave relationships. This year, we will have around 60 workshops and ten roundtables.

Keeping our history alive! For the sixth consecutive year, the Master/slave Conference welcomes the Carter/Johnson Leather Library at our event. The MsC experience is not complete without a visit to Mama Vi and her awesome library: the best kept secret of our event! This year, MsC will host a special exhibit for the Leather Archives & Museum in the Fetish Marketplace area (Lincoln Ballroom). The space was donated by Artisan Reign Design.

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On Saturday evening, we will have out traditional fund-raiser for both the Carter-Johnson Leather Library and the Leather Archives and Museum.

MsC 2011 Welcomes TNGs MsC 2011 has formed a team of TNG leaders headed by Sir Ross from New York City and Master Jake from Virginia to create a welcoming environment for TNGs attending the Conference. Special activities include a Welcome and Orientation on Friday afternoon offered by the TNG Team Leaders and Pool Party on late Friday evening. There will be also an informal lunch, and a special session with Vi Johnson at the Carter-Johnson Leather Library.

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September 2 - 5 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, Nevada, USA www.shadowlane.com

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September 9 - 11 The Central Ohio Perversion Excursion Central Ohio, USA www.adventuresinsexuality.org Check your calendars and make plans for an Event that totally rocks your socks! Clear everything Sept 9 & 10 because The Central Ohio Perversion Excursion C.O.P.E. is coming! Thats right. You have heard rumors about it, your friends have told you about it, or you have fond memories from the last one, so make sure you are ready! Registration opened to the Kink Public on June 4 (Or more specifically 12:01am just after Friday midnight!) and tickets sold like crazy! In fact, As you may have found out, we have already SOLD OUT. But, don't let that deter you! Lots of things can and will happen between now and september. Many times, slots open for the first 20-30 people on the ticket waiting list. So if you aren't on the COPE2011 waiting list and you want to go? You might want to get on it! Just go to the COPE Ticket Page and click "Add to Waitlist" We are so excited! This one is going to be totally amazing. AIS has

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planned a great mixture of Rope, M/S & D/S, and Woo! We have locked in some great presenters and you are going to love 'em! Want a sneak peak? Well here ya go: Rope Pioneers The Two Knotty Boys Author & Shaman Raven Kaldera Acclaimed Author Douglas Kent Author and Leatherman Jack Rinella Wildman with a grin Unkle P Sexuality Guru Cheri Michael Marvelous Bootblack Bootpig From Beyond Leather - Sir Top & slave bonnie Kinky Pagan Dominant Damarchus and many more But thats not all. We are planning out lots of new things to keep the thrills going. Like what? Well how about a couple new pieces of kink furniture from AIS Kink Labs? We are planning out several pieces that have never been seen around! We would love to describe em for ya, but you will have to wait to see the prototypes. Also, there will be lots of your favorites there. We will be bringing the newly premiered Second Wave, the Bondage Ladders, The Octobeam, the Bubbles Bench and so many more! We will also still be moving out some of the older AIS kink labs furniture, to make room for all new pieces! So there is a good chance to get great prices on some of the AIS Kink Labs furniture! Still not enough? Havent you been saying you needed a new corset, or a brand new flogger? We thought so! Just for you, we have brought in 2 huge rooms full of vendors? Thats all kinds of kinky shopping for your pleasure. Come check 'em out cause we have some brand new vendors we are bringing in, along with many of your favorites. Come out and join everyone for 25 fantastic classes, the return of the Scarlet Sanctuary, new theme rooms, and of course - 2 nights of play, food, friends, fun, frolics, fantasy, and lots of other Fs! You can count on that great AIS Fun and Community energy!

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September 9 - 11 Loving More New York City, New York, USA www.lovemore.com Loving More 2011 Retreat Schedule his is the preliminary schedule. The weekend is designed to be a cohesive experience that brings our relationships to the next level of conscious awareness. Facilitator Team Friday September 10th

3:30 6:30 PM Check in

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4:30 6:00PM Newcomers Circle New to Poly or Loving More Retreats? Orientation is a great place to get your questions answered and hear basic information on Loving More and the conference, as well as polyamory. Jesus Garcia and Robyn Trask 6:00 7:00 PM Dinner 7:30 10:15 PM Opening Circle and Orientation Opening Circle/Orientation We request that all attendees be present for the opening circle and orientation, even if you have attended a Loving More Retreat in the past. We will use this time for all of us to get to know one another, talk about the weekend events and create a safe container to explore deeply. The evening will include discussion, body movement, skits and a few exercises to open our hearts and let go of the outside

world. 10:30 11:30 PM Talking Circle

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Saturday September 11th

Spend the day participating in wonderful workshops or simply relax and enjoy poly community and Easton Mountains facilities. 8:00 9:00 AM Breakfast 9:00 10:00 AM Announcements/ Group Check in Announcement of the days schedule and small group check in. Morning Session 10:15am-12:15am Making Polyamory Sustainable and Lifelong Tools for creating long term poly relationships and community as well as deep intimate bonds that can last through the ups and downs of life. 12:30 1:30 PM Lunch Afternoon Session 1 1:45pm-4:15 pm Advanced Communication Skills for Sustainable Communities and Polyamory by Developing Bio-energetic Awareness in Relationships through Non-Verbal Communication 6:00 7:00pm Dinner Evening Session 8:00pm 10:00pm

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Sensual Playshop An evening of exploring and awakening the senses. 10:30-11:30 PM Talking Circle Sunday September 13 8:00 8:45 AM Breakfast 9:00 10:15 AM Announcements and Groups Check In Morning Session 10:30am-12:00pm Creating A Line-Family

Poly Paradise? A discussion of the real possibilities for building poly community and co-housing. 12:15pm-1:15pm Lunch . 1:15pm-2:45pm Closing Circle Synthesis bringing it all together. Where do we go from here? Taking what we have discovered into a vision of our own future and the impact polyamory may have on the culture of our world.

4:00pm Departure Time and check out

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September 15 - 18 Twisted Tryst Midwest, USA www.twistedtryst.com The themes for September 2011 will be 'Prison Night & Haunted House'. Twisted Tryst strives to offer education in a broad scope of human sexuality and to then provide the freedom and venue to practice the things youve learned. We are open to all walks of life: singles, couples, triads, leather families, swingers, gay, lesbian, transfolk etc. This list is endless! If you have an open mind and a desire to explore your sexuality, we are the place for you. Come discover yourself at Twisted Tryst!

Play Space Your playground is limited only by your imagination! Weve outfitted spacious dungeon space and a great deal of the grounds with custom

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furniture brought to you by Dungeon Gnomes Local 469. The dungeon, lake, and woods are open to your devious machinations from the moment you land at your kinky vacation until you pull away still flying from the weekend. Special Parties and Events at Twisted Tryst Opening Ceremonies Trysted House of Horrors Daycare & Kennel Trysted Correctional Facility D/s Formal Aphrodite Orgy The Exploratorium Closing Ceremonies

September 16 - 18 Twisted in Tulsa Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA www.twistedintulsa.com Welcome! Twisted in Tulsa is a Leather/BDSM Conference held annually in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This year's event is September 16 - 18, 2011. Announcements:

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Check out the schedule and start planning your weekend. There are some really great classes going to happen and unfortunately you can't attend them all. Make it easy on yourself and start thinking about it now. Twisted in Tulsa is raffling off a 42" television to help raise funds for the event. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. Drawing will take place on Sunday, Sept 18th at the Round Table discussion. You do NOT have to be present to win. Added a Cigar Social to the calendar. Smoke 'em if you got 'em! Twisted Events is going to rock your world. We have worked hard to ensure that this is an extraordinary experience and one that you will want to add to your calendar and return each year. What does Twisted in Tulsa have to offer? Hands on workshops, demos, discussion panels, informative workshops, vendors market, fantastic play parties and much, much more! Come out and join us for a wonderful weekend!

September 16 - 18 Spanking Weekend with Margaret Davis and friends New York, USA www.msmargaretdavis.com/weekend.html

Spanking Weekend in the Mountains with Ms. Margaret and Friends At resort, built in the 1940's, near Allentown, PA.

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The weekend is for lovers of playful and disciplinary adult spanking. Lots of privacy since no one else is on the resort but us. For those who _choose_, classes at St. Margaret's Academy will be back in session on Saturday for a few hours around lunch. Otherwise you can make yourself at home on the 85 acre resort or explore the Poconos. Included in the price is your room, meals, privacy, a woodshed and two evening parties. Costs range from $255-$585. How you enjoy the weekend is your choice just bring a smile and good manners. What happens on the mountain stays on the mountain. Some of us will be arriving on Thursday and staying over Sunday, but that is a separate fee with the resort. The academy is not 'school' in the role play sense but more a way to meet other guests. It is interacting, communicating and spanking before Saturday night. (If you choose the school colors are Maroon, White and Pink. (www.frenchtoast.com: burgundy plaid or gray skirt, white blouse and maroon accessories) Some musicians bring their instruments for a jam session on Saturday afternoon. Otherwise you may enjoy time in the hot tub with the woods chirping around you. Most of all there is time to just sit on the big front porch and chat with people who have the same interests and needs as you.

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September 17 - 18 Behind Closed Doors Tuscon, Arizona, USA www.bajaarizonaleather.org Schedule Saturday, September 17th 8:30 Registration - Vendors Open 9:30 11:0 Stack the Odds in Your Favor - Robert Dante 0 Needle and Staple Art: Fallen Angel Karen Yew and stunt bottom codi Power Exchange and Authenticity Master Obsidian and slave namaste 11:3 0 1:00 Dynamics and Considerations for Rope Bondage Suspension - Michael Sol Tantra and BDSM - Daddy Stan Leather: Who Needs It? - Patrick Mulcahey 1:00 2:30 2:30 Lunch Break 4:00 Primal Play - Master Dennis Pup Play 101 - Daddy Kenneth Chrysalis: Building the Master/slave Environment Part One Master George and slave bren 4:30 6:00 Get to the Point - Big Bad Jim

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Playful and Predicament BDSM Stefanos, Chey and Nerine Chrysalis: Building the Master/slave Environment Part Two Master George and slave bren Sunday, September 18th 11:00 Rape Fantasy Role-play Tim Woodman and Emily Prior What the Hell Do You Mean Youre a Little? Now What Do I Do? Parts One and Deux - Master Dennis The Story of V, Victimized or Victim? The Secret Underlying Abuse in Our Lifestyle slave kelly 11:3 0 1:00 Electric Stapling Sensation Play - Master Z NeuroLinguistic Programming 201: Other Than Conscious Control - Sir Jim Bliss Understanding Submission Mistress Cyan 1:00 2:30 2:30 Lunch Break 4:00 CBT: Youre Doing What, Where???????!!! - Leonora Ma'am From the Knees Down - Julian Wolf Practical Protocols and Ritual Master Obsidian and slave namaste 4:00 Closing Ceremonies with Keynote by Master Z

9:30

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September 23 - 25 Folsom Fringe San Jose, California, USA www.folsomfringe.com Welcome to smOdyssey Inc's 12th Annual FolsomFringe '11 Heroes and Villains September 23-25, 2011 * Dungeon Play Parties and Socials * Vendors * Workshops * Field Trip to the San Francisco Folsom Street Fair * And Much More! FolsomFringe is the signature event of smOdyssey, Inc. It is held every year on the same weekend as the world famous Folsom Street Fair. It's is a wonderful complement to other Folsom Street Fair activities for leather folks of all persuasions. - Great Classes! FolsomFringe's reputation for some of the best educational offerings anywhere continues this year with a fabulous mix of presenters and topics. There really is something for everyone! - Two Parties ON-SITE! What can we say about the parties? HUGE dungeon! HOT play! - New Larger Vendor Area. - Four on-site socials and mixer throughout the weekend. -Buses to and from the San Francisco Folsom Street Fair. A comfy ride (as usual) to the Folsom Street Fair on Sunday! (Be sure to visit our booth for rope suspension action!) We're back at the Doubletree in San Jose. Enjoy 3 days of activities in ONE SINGLE LOCATION!

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Breath Play when used in Role Play By Andrew

For me and my partner breath play is probably one of our most favorite forms of play and one that we try to incorporate into every scene which we play out, and we have found that mixing it into our role play makes it that much more fun to do that will drive both of us to push each other farther and really does turn the role play into a more extreme form of play than the typical role play, and the not knowing when or how it will be incorporated really drives her nuts, in a since it is the complete control and surrender for the Dom now has complete control and the sub has given complete surrender and and trust to the Dom for she/he now has complete control and your sub's very life is in your hands. To me and many this scene is one of the most dangerous and most will not venture into this area, and as a Dom I do not recommend anyone to venture here

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with an unexperienced partner or someone that you do not trust, because it requires trust but most of all requires you to know your partner fully, by that meaning how long she/he can go with out air before they will pass out and how far they hold there breath while in the midst of an orgasm, for the more the sub gets into it and the more she is pleased the less she will be able to hold her breath, and for me as a rule I will not take them past the point of passing out but right to the edge of it before letting them catch there breath and continuing once more. Before I get into the ways this can be incorporated into the role play I have to cover the safety of this type of play so all know what they are getting into.

THE MEDICAL REALITIES OF BREATH CONTROL PLAY by Jay Wiseman

Greenery Press website (http://www.greenerypress.com/)

Author of "SM 101: A Realistic Introduction" For some time now, I have felt that the practices of suffocation and/or strangulation done in an erotic context (generically known as breath control play; more properly known as asphyxiophilia) were in fact far more dangerous than they are generally perceived to be. As a person with years of medical education and experience, I know of no way whatsoever that either suffocation or strangulation can be done in a way that does not intrinsically put the recipient at risk of cardiac arrest. (There are also numerous additional risks; more on them later.) Furthermore, and my biggest concern, I know of no reliable way to determine when such a cardiac arrest has become imminent. Often the first detectable sign that an arrest is approaching is the arrest itself. Furthermore, if the recipient does arrest, the probability of resuscitating them, even with optimal CPR, is distinctly small. Thus the recipient is dead and their partner, if any, is in a very perilous legal situation. (The authorities could consider such deaths first-degree murders until proven otherwise, with the burden of such proof being on the defendant). There are also the real and major concerns of the surviving

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partner's own life-long remorse to having caused such a death, and the trauma to the friends and family members of both parties. Some breath control fans say that what they do is acceptably safe because they do not take what they do up to the point of unconsciousness. I find this statement worrisome for two reasons: (1) You can't really know when a person is about to go unconscious until they actually do so, thus it's extremely difficult to know where the actual point of unconsciousness is until you actually reach it. (2) More importantly, unconsciousness is a symptom, not a condition in and of itself. It has numerous underlying causes ranging from simple fainting to cardiac arrest, and which of these will cause the unconsciousness cannot be known in advance. I have discussed my concerns regarding breath control with well over a dozen SM-positive physicians, and with numerous other SM-positive health professionals, and all share my concerns. We have discussed how breath control might be done in a way that is not life-threatening, and come up blank. We have discussed how the risk might be significantly reduced, and come up blank. We have discussed how it might be determined that an arrest is imminent, and come up blank. Indeed, so far not one (repeat, not one) single physician, nurse, paramedic, chiropractor, physiologist, or other person with substantial training in how a human body works has been willing to step forth and teach a form of breath control play that they are willing to assert is acceptably safe -- i.e., does not put the recipient at imminent, unpredictable risk of dying. I believe this fact makes a major statement. Other "edge play" topics such as suspension bondage, electricity play, cutting, piercing, branding, enemas, water sports, and scat play can and have been taught with reasonable safety, but not breath control play. Indeed, it seems that the more somebody knows about how a human body works, the more likely they are to caution people about how dangerous breath control is, and about how little can be done to reduce the degree of risk. In many ways, oxygen is to the human body, and particularly to the heart and brain, what oil is to a car's engine. Indeed, there's a medical adage

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that goes "hypoxia (becoming dangerously low on oxygen) not only stops the motor, but also wrecks the engine." Therefore, asking how one can play safely with breath control is very similar to asking how one can drive a car safely while draining it of oil. Some people tell the "mechanics" something like, "Well, I'm going to drain my car of oil anyway, and I'm not going to keep track of how low the oil level is getting while I'm driving my car, so tell me how to do this with as much safety as possible." (They may even add something like "Hey, I always shut the engine off before it catches fire.") They then get frustrated when the mechanics scratch their heads and say that they don't know. They may even label such mechanics as "anti-education." A bit about my background may help explain my concerns. I was an ambulance crewman for over eight years. I attended medical school for three years, and passed my four-year boards, (then ran out of money). I am a former member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a former American Heart Association instructor in Advanced Cardiac Life Support. I have an extensive martial arts background that includes a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. My martial arts training included several months of judo that involved both my choking and being choked. I have been an instructor in first aid, CPR, and various advanced emergency care techniques for over sixteen years. My students have included physicians, nurses, paramedics, police officers, fire fighters, wilderness emergency personnel, martial artists, and large numbers of ordinary citizens. I currently offer both basic and advanced first aid and CPR training to the SM community. During my ambulance days, I responded to at least one call involving the death of a young teenage boy who died from autoerotic strangulation, and to several other calls where this was suspected but could not be confirmed. (Family members often "sanitize" such scenes before calling 911.) Additionally, I personally know two members of my local SM community who went to prison after their partners died during breath control play. The primary danger of suffocation play is that it is not a condition that gets worse over time (regarding the heart, anyway, it does get worse over

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time regarding the brain). Rather, what happens is that the more the play is prolonged, the greater the odds that a cardiac arrest will occur. Sometimes even one minute of suffocation can cause this; sometimes even less. Quick pathophysiology lesson # 1: When the heart gets low on oxygen, it starts to fire off "extra" pacemaker sites. These usually appear in the ventricles and are thus called premature ventricular contractions -- PVC's for short. If a PVC happens to fire off during the electrical repolarization phase of cardiac contraction (the dreaded "PVC on T" phenomenon, also sometimes called "R on T") it can kick the heart over into ventricular fibrillation -- a form of cardiac arrest. The lower the heart gets on oxygen, the more PVC's it generates, and the more vulnerable to their effect it becomes, thus hypoxia increases both the probability of a PVC-on-T occurring and of its causing a cardiac arrest. When this will happen to a particular person in a particular session is simply not predictable. This is exactly where most of the medical people I have discussed this topic with "hit the wall." Virtually all medical folks know that PVC's are both life-treating and hard to detect unless the patient is hooked to a cardiac monitor. When medical folks discuss breath control play, the question quickly becomes: How can know when they start throwing PVC's? The answer is: You basically can't. Quick pathophysiology lesson # 2: When breathing is restricted, the body cannot eliminate carbon dioxide as it should, and the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood increases. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) exist in equilibrium with what's called carbonic acid (H2CO3) in a reaction catalyzed by an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase. (Sorry, but I can't do subscripts in this program.) Thus: CO2 + H20 <carbonic anhydrase> H2CO3 A molecule of carbonic acid dissociates on its own into a molecule of what's called bicarbonate (HCO3-) and an (acidic) hydrogen ion. (H+) Thus: H2CO3 <> HCO3- and H+ Thus the overall pattern is: H2O + CO2 <> H2CO3 <> HCO3- + H+ Therefore, if breathing is restricted, CO2 builds up and the reaction shifts

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to the right in an attempt to balance things out, ultimately making the blood more acidic and thus decreasing its pH. This is called respiratory acidosis. (If the patient hyperventilates, they "blow off CO2" and the reaction shifts to the left, thus increasing the pH. This is called respiratory alkalosis, and has its own dangers.) Quick pathophysiology lesson # 3: Again, if breathing is restricted, not only does carbon dioxide have a hard time getting out, but oxygen also has a hard time getting in. A molecule of glucose (C6H12O6) breaks down within the cell by a process called glycolysis into two molecules of pyruvate, thus creating a small amount of ATP for the body to use as energy. Under normal circumstances, pyruvate quickly combines with oxygen to produce a much larger amount of ATP. However, if there's not enough oxygen to properly metabolize the pyruvate, it is converted to lactic acid and produces one form of what's called a metabolic acidosis. As you can see, either a build-up in the blood of carbon dioxide or a decrease in the blood of oxygen will cause the pH of the blood to fall. If both occur at the same time, as they do in cases of suffocation, the pH of the blood will plummet to life-threatening levels within a very few minutes. The pH of normal human blood is in the 7.35 to 7.45 range (slightly alkaline). A pH falling to 6.9 (or raising to 7.8) is "incompatible with life." Past experience, either with others or with that same person, is not particularly useful. Carefully watching their level of consciousness, skin color, and pulse rate is of only limited value. Even hooking the bottom up to both a pulse oximeter and a cardiac monitor (assuming you had either piece of equipment, and they're not cheap) would be of only limited additional value. While an experienced clinician can sometimes detect PVC's by feeling the patient's pulse, in reality the only reliable way to detect them is to hook the patient up to a cardiac monitor. The problem is that each PVC is potentially lethal, particularly if the heart is low on oxygen. Even if you "ease up" on the bottom immediately, there's no telling when the PVC's will stop. They could stop almost at once, or they could continue for hours. In addition to the primary danger of cardiac arrest, there is good evidence

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to document that there is a very real risk of cumulative brain damage if the practice is repeated often enough. In particular, laboratory studies of repeated brief interruption of blood flow to the brains of animals and studies of people with what's called "sleep apnea syndrome" (in which they stop breathing for up to two minutes while sleeping) document that cumulative brain damage does occur in such cases. There are many documented additional dangers. These include, but are not limited to: rupture of the windpipe, fracture of the larynx, damage to the blood vessels in the neck, dislodging a fatty plaque in a neck artery which then travels to the brain and causes a stroke, damage to the cervical spine, seizures, airway obstruction by the tongue, and aspiration of vomitus. Additionally, there are documented cases in which the recipient appeared to fully recover but was found dead several hours later. The American Psychiatric Association estimates a death rate of one person per year per million of population -- thus about 250 deaths last year in the U.S. Law enforcement estimates go as much as four times higher. Most such deaths occur during solo play, however there are many documented cases of deaths that occurred during play with a partner. It should be noted that the presence of a partner does nothing to limit the primary danger, and does little or nothing to limit most of the secondary dangers. Some people teach that choking can be safely done if pressure on the windpipe is avoided. Their belief is that pressing on the arteries leading to the brain while avoiding pressure on the windpipe can safely cause unconsciousness. The reality, unfortunately, is that pressing on the carotid arteries, exactly as they recommend, presses on baroreceptors known as the carotid sinus bodies. These bodies then cause vasodilation in the brain, thus there is not enough blood to perfuse the brain and the recipient loses consciousness. However, that's not the whole story. Unfortunately, a message is also sent to the main pacemaker of the heart, via the vagus nerve, to decrease the rate and force of the heartbeat. Most of the time, under strong vagal influence, the rate and force of the heartbeat decreases by one third. However, every now and then, the rate and force decreases to zero and the bottom "flatlines" into asystole --

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another, and more difficult to treat, form of cardiac arrest. There is no way to tell whether or not this will happen in any particular instance, or how quickly. There are many documented cases of as little as five seconds of choking causing a vagal-outflow-induced cardiac arrest. For the reason cited above, many police departments have now either entirely banned the use of choke holds or have reclassified them as a form of deadly force. Indeed, a local CHP officer recently had a $250,000 judgment brought against him after a nonviolent suspect died while being choked by him. Finally, as a CPR instructor myself, I want to caution that knowing CPR does little to make the risk of death from breath control play significantly smaller. While CPR can and should be done, understand that the probability of success is likely to be less than 10%. I'm not going to state that breath control is something that nobody should ever do under any circumstances. I have no problem with informed, freely consenting people taking any degree of risk they wish. I am going to state that there is a great deal of ignorance regarding what actually happens to a body when it's suffocated or strangled, and that the actual degree of risk associated with these practices is far greater than most people believe. I have noticed that, when people are educated regarding the severity and unpredictability of the risks, fewer and fewer choose to play in this area, and those who do continue tend to play less often. I also notice that, because of its severe and unpredictable risks, more and more SM party-givers are banning any form of breath control play at their events. If you'd like to look into this matter further, here are some references to get you started:

I am sorry for the lengthy article but it is the best one I have found and dealing with this subject I feel it is a most to be added so all know what

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they are getting into and this is the main reason I will not let my partner go past the point to where she passes out.

There is so many ways to incorporate breath control into any type of role play and trust me I keep coming up with new ways all the time, but the lovely thing about it is that it goes well beyond choking by hand or use of ropes albeit those are fun as well, but not as fun as using the things that you have before you with the type of role play that you are doing from using a rosary while paying the part of priest and nun to using there very own clothes such as the habit veil to use to choke. Or if it is a beach at nite then you can bring in water play into this nothing like a romantic evening and a walk on the beach with a full moon that leads to standing by the edge as the tides come in and your sub's face in the sand as the surf comes in forcing her/he to hold the breath as you please them, or taking them out into the water and holding them under as you continue to satisfy them. Even role playing the torture and interigation scene u can use such techniques as putting a towel over there mouth and nose as you power water over it. Or the use of a gas mask which many ways it can be used to control air flow, and if you want to throw an extra twist to it paint the plastic all black so they can not see and use just the tube to control the air by breathing into it when it is needed or letting them breath on there own, after a bit of play you can then use that hose and hook it up to the water hose and fill up the mask. Or in the bed room with a silk sash and some rope making a nose out of the silk sash and running the rope through an eye hook as you pull it tight and have them choke them selves as they try to please you. These are just some of the many ways you can incorporate breath control into any role play scene.

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Punishment Must It Always Be So Physical?

Few topics in the BDSM world generate as much debate as does the issue of punishment. Whatever form it takes, it is an integral part of every D/s relationship, and is the source of much misunderstanding. Its important to understand one fundamental thing about punishment. By its nature, it is something that is not enjoyable. It is unwelcome, to be avoided, and acts as negative motivation (Ill not do this because if I do, something I dont like will happen to me.) Many novices confuse punishment for something that is erotic and enjoyable: a spanking, a flogging something desirable. But it is not. Punishment is not play. Punishment is meant for one reason only: to alter behavior. It is a useful and necessary tool, and exists in some form in every close relationship we have. With it, dominants can teach submissive's how to behave and help submissive's modify their behavior to better please. There is only one fundamental offense: displeasing the dominant. Failing to do so or intentionally displeasing the dominant is grounds for punishment, and it is the dominant alone who makes the decision as to whether or not the submissive has been pleasing. Punishment can take many forms from a disapproving look to a beating and is limited only by your imagination and how well you know your submissive. Is there too much corporal punishment in the scene? It is the easy way out for many dominants. Often it is a reaction, rather than something that is considered. It takes much more effort to come up with a non-physical method of correction. Many of us were brought up with corporal punishment, learning that misbehavior should lead to physical pain. Those social influences can be very powerful. In the long run, however, physical punishment is usually the least effective way to alter behavior. So lets work backwards one step. Ultimately, the goal is never to have to punish the submissive. Given their druthers, most subs would really rather not disappoint or disobey. Most dominants would prefer that they didnt, as well. From that premise, you can prevent a great deal of misbehavior

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by positively reinforcing the things you desire, rewarding the types of behaviors that you wish your submissive to repeat. This sends a clear message: I like this! Do it more! We all know, however, that submissive's are not perfect and the time will come when she or he displeases you. In these cases, the dominant must take action. Failing to do so teaches a submissive that he or she can get away with unacceptable behavior that you are not serious about your limits or rules. As unpleasant as it is for us to punish the ones we love, it is part and parcel to being a dominant. What we often fail to do, however, is to consider intent. An honest mistake should generally be treated more lightly than outright disobedience. And just how fair would it be to punish for something a submissive does when you had not taken the time beforehand to properly instruct him or her on how to act properly? If not corporal punishment, then what? First, whatever the punishment, it must fit the offense. Being too hard or too lenient are equally counter-productive. Use only the degree of punishment needed to achieve the desired results: behavior change. Something you should know is that merely learning that theyve displeased is all the punishment many submissive's are likely to need. Often, you need only point out how to please you and your submissive will make the desired change. The emotional pain your submissive may feel as a result of disappointing you is very often much harsher and more effective than anything you could reasonably come up with. One alternative to corporal punishment is withdrawal. In this case, when faced with displeasing behavior the dominant stops the activity, points out the error, and by some means deprives the submissive of the dominants presence. It is critically important, however, that the length of that time should be clearly stated. Without doing so, the submissive may be left wondering if you will ever return, if you have abandoned them. It risks, at the least, an erosion of trust and possibly worse: emotional trauma. Such physical separation can have a tremendous impact on a submissive, so use it very carefully. Another alternative is introspection. You should make known to your

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submissive that he/she has failed to please you, encourage him/her to discover what he/she did, and then provide him/her the tools to overcome that behavior. It is vital that the submissive, if at all possible, search for and find the behavior that was displeasing. This can be very effective in helping the sub take the lesson to heart; much more so than a smack from the crop. Physical pain doesnt encourage. It only sets up an association between a particular behavior and a painful consequence. The tools are something that submissive can carry with, physically or mentally, and apply to a variety of situations when needed. The old adage of Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime comes to mind. Corporal punishment is the fish, introspection is the teaching to fish. Is physical punishment ever acceptable? In limited situations, yes. If the submissive raises the issue on his or her own, expresses a need to be physically punished as part of the healing process, then, perhaps, it would be acceptable. It is often true that the sub would rather endure physical pain than the emotional pain of your disapproval or withdrawal. If this is the case, use it wisely. Ultimately, what form the punishment takes is your choice to make as the dominant. Combining elements of correction from several methods can also be effective. For example, if the submissive violates a term of your contract, you could have the submissive kneel (physical discomfort) while reading the contract (introspection) while you move to another room (withdrawal) for a specified period of time. One common error you must avoid is intimate sexual contact immediately following physical punishment. No sex. Why? Because it teaches submissive's that if they misbehave, they will get exactly what they want: Pleasure. For dominants who are emotionally involved with a submissive, punishment may be a difficult task. They may understand that it is needed, but hate to cause their beloved one pain other than in an erotic context. They may feel guilty afterwards or fear that their submissive will think the dominant no longer cares. These internal conflicts can lead some to move directly into erotic stimulation from punishment in hopes of reassuring the

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submissive. At first blush, that seems good, because it is important to reassure loved ones that we dont punish because they are bad, but because we love them enough to correct misbehavior. There must be, however, a significant pause between the two events. If in one breath you are punishing your submissive harshly with a crop and then in the next, before the sting of the last stroke subsides, you are caressing him or her erotically, what are you really teaching? You are teaching your sub that if she or he can only endure this harsh, non-erotic pain for a few minutes, pleasure will be the reward. If you continue that behavior long enough, and you may well give birth to a pain slut (which is good, if that is what you both want, but isnt good if you dont). If you find that you are sexually aroused from administering punishment, you will need to exert considerable control over yourself so that you do not unwittingly reinforce the wrong behavior. Know, too, that the submissive will probably feel remorse for displeasing you and will want to get back on your good side as soon as possible. One very obvious way of pleasing you is with sex. Once again, however, you need to ensure a significant pause between punishment and gratification yours or your submissives. This will take tact and understanding, since most of us do not take well the refusal of our sexual advances. In addition, following punishment, the sub will likely be particularly emotionally vulnerable. Ending a relationship as a form of punishment can cause severe emotional trauma to both parties, particularly the submissive. In only the most extreme cases should the relationship be terminated as a form of punishment. There may be some actions which are unforgivable. Those things should be clearly discussed early on. Dont invoke it or the threat of it casually. Whatever method you use, remember that correction is an opportunity for you to grow closer, to try to resolve disputes and preserve the relationship. Out of it, the submissive should grow, not have his or her self-esteem destroyed. Being cruel doesnt make you a better Dom, but it could very well erode the foundation of trust upon which D/s relationships must be built. Punishment is a tool of last resort. Use it carefully.
Source

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Are you ready to take that final step?

My Mistress Muse, My Queen to be, How much torture can you take, Shall I take you further than you have been before, Shall I increase the pain in which I pleasure you with, As I bend you over the horse, And binding your writs and feet, With the flogger dripping wet, As it smacks across your back, Harder and harder, With each placed strike, With bit and bridle, I stave your crys, As I now place you in your cage, As your world turns upside down, With prod and cane, I bring your body to life, With a towel and hose, I take you to yet another extreme, As the towel is placed over your face, And the water begins to poor, Watching you ever so carefully, Waiting till the time is right,

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To give you the breath that you desire, After our play, I lay you down, Tending to your every need, You pleased me well upon this night, You are my Mistress Muse, And Queen to be, Are you ready to take that final step?

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

Transgender Woman Forced Into Men's Prison After Alleged Assault By Diane Anderson-Minshall Jovanie Saldana | ADVOCATE.COM A transgender woman in Philadelphia who has been spent the last 14 months incarcerated at Riverside Correctional Facility, the city's only prison for women, is now being moved to the mens prison after she complained that a corrections officer forced her to perform oral sex. Prison officials apparently did not know that Jovanie Saldana, 23, is transgender. But, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, while examining her allegations of assault, investigators recorded Saldana's phone conversations and overheard the inmate's mother chiding Saldana into telling authorities the truth about her gender. After that, Saldana who has been living and dressing as a female since she was 12 years old was transferred to a mens prison. Saldana's cousin, who did not want to be identified, said that Saldana

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called and asked her to three-way-call Saldana's mother, who lives in New Jersey. Their conversations were in Spanish, she said, adding that after 14 months in the women's prison she believes Saldana was transferred primarily because of the accusation against the guard, not because of gender. Saldana was charged with several felonies June 11, 2010, including armed robbery. Prison officials say Saldana, who has not had sex-reassignment surgery, should have undergone a cavity search during the initial intake into the prison system and after each subsequent outing for court appearances. Astonishingly, Lorenzo North, president of the union representing corrections officers, claimed the goof proved that the officer whom Saldana accused of sexual abuse is innocent. Pre-operative transgender prisoners like Saldana those whose bodies may not match their actual gender presentation almost always housed with prisoners of the opposite sex and are particularly vulnerable to abuse and assault. Transgender women are more likely to end up in prison than virtually anyone else, says Tali Woodward of the San Francisco Bay Guardian. The oft-quoted statistic about African-American men that one in four has a history of incarceration is dwarfed by the available stats on people who are male-to-female, or MTF, Woodward says. A San Francisco Department of Public Health survey conducted in 1997 found that almost two thirds of MTF respondents had been incarcerated. More than 30% had spent some time behind bars during the preceding 12 months. Most people agree that the high incarceration rate is due mainly to the difficulty trans people have finding and keeping work, Woodward says. Many turn to underground economies like sex work, drug dealing, or other illegal forms of moneymaking and, in the process, greatly

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increase their risk of arrest.

Preteen Drag Queen Is a Hit With His Town and Family By Jeremy Kinser Redvers Stokes | ADVOCATE.COM "Naughty Nora," the busty blond drag persona of a 12-year-old English boy named Redvers Stokes, is a hit with both local villagers and his parents, reports London newspaper The Sun. Stokes's transformation into "Naughty Nora" requires slipping a tight pink dress over his mother's bra, donning blond wig and high heels. Stokes and his family live in Sticker, a town in England's Cornwall region with a population of approximately 1,000 people, which began a drag queen competition two years ago because there weren't enough females competing to be carnival queen. Stokes won the title against other men dressed in women's clothing singing songs by Dolly Parton and Michael Jackson. "Naughty Nora" is now a popular personality at local events. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it, I think it's really funny," he says. "And my friends think it's really cool. I've always been open to new things. I might like dressing up in women's clothes but I still like girls. It's just a little hobby of mine." Stokes's mother, Georgia, agrees. "I couldn't be more proud," she says. "His 'Naughty Nora' routine is very convincing. I've never been concerned. Redvers just loves being the center of attention. He has no plans to make it a career."

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~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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