Dear Mirror

Hello,

This is a poem I wrote back in Burma. It is not long and it does not rhyme that well but I just wanted to put up something that I wrote on to my blog. The poem's name is "Dear Mirror" just like the magical mirror from "Snow White". Here is the poem.

"Dear Mirror , please tell me what's my error.

Dear viewer , I can show you what's your error.

But you won't see your error

Unless you have eyes of a mirror.... "

Thanks for visting my blog and reading my poem. By the way, this is my 20th posting. Finally.

Hernia

Hi,guys and girls,

This entry is about the word "Hernia" from the story "Betrayal" by "Patrica Duncker". That story was kinda hard to understand when I read it first time, especially because of the sex of characters involved in the story. I could not figure out one is male or female the first time.

Well, hernia is basically like a bubble or ball sticking out from a bigger object of the same material. Technical terms follows.

"A hernia is a protrusion of a tissue, structure, or part of an organ through the muscular tissue or the membrane by which it is normally contained. The hernia has 3 parts: the orifice through which it herniates, the hernial sac, and its contents."

"A hernia may be likened to a failure in the sidewall of a pneumatic tire. The tire's inner tube behaves like the organ and the sidewall like the body cavity wall providing the restraint. A weakness in the sidewall allows a bulge to develop, which can become a split, allowing the inner tube to protrude, and leading to the eventual failure of the tire."

source>www.wikipedia.com

G-string

Hi,everyone.
I guess this entree will get more attention and comments.jk. This entry is for those who don't know what a "G-string" is. The word is from the "G-string" by Nicola Barker.Actually, this entry relates to cultural knowledge because women in many of the countries in the world wear it. Basically, it is a narrow piece of clothing material that women wear. It is so thin that it covers the genitals and passes between the buttocks. It is worn usually when one tans or swim. The references are below. Seriously, it is cultural.=)

"A G-string or thong is a narrow piece of cloth or leather, or plastic that covers the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by both men and women. The two terms G-string and thong are often used interchangeably; however, they can refer to slightly distinct pieces of clothing: The primary difference between the two garments is that a g-string has less material between the legs and buttocks, hence a string-like appearance. Variants of the thong or G-string include the V-string, a thong with a triangle "v" of cloth with the G-string between the legs, and the T-string, where a single string passes around the waist and between the legs, forming a T between the buttocks."
source>www.wikipedia.com

Jibeuro

Hello,everyone

"Jibeuro"(집으로) is the name of the movie we watched,"The Way Home" directed by "Jeong-hyang Lee". It is a very good movie and worth watching. It is about a 7 yr old kid left with his grandma in a very rural village.The child is very obnoxious and the grandma is so kind and understanding. The story unfolded the developments of their relationship throughout the film.The human nature and power of love/kindness can be seen clearly.Here are some of the comments and reviews on the film.

"I deeply admire the grandmother character. I know I can never be like her. I am a selfish and demanding person that easily complain about a lot of little things, just like the grandson though not as annoying (I hope). It is HER alone that made this movie incredibly and realistically moving.

"The film has shown her inability of complex thoughts. She attempts to play with the wood blocks, but unable to put the different shapes through the matching shaped holes. She has no concept of shapes, but that doesn't describe her as unintelligent, it rather suggests a untrained/simple mind. Unable to work the blocks, she simply tilts her head and walks away with no complaint or anger, which I don't think I can take the defeat so well. Whatever happens, good or bad, but life goes on. Grandson knocks over the rice bowl in anger, but Grandma immediately bends over and scooped the rice back in the bowl. Rice falls, needs to pick it up and eat it. Grandson rollerbladed around the room, dirties the floor. There is dirt, needs to wipe it off. As simple as that."

source>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312841/

Helix

Hello,

As soon as I saw the title of the story, I became interested because Helix is the name of a Russian battle chopper which I like best in a game I play. well, back to the topic. It is from the story "Helix" by "Banana Yoshimoto".

"A helix (pl: helices), from the Greek word έλικας/έλιξ, is a twisted shape like a spring, screw or a spiral (correctly termed helical) staircase. Helices are important in biology, as DNA is helical and many proteins have helical substructures, known as alpha helices."

"Helices can be either right-handed or left-handed. With the line of sight being the helical axis, if clockwise movement of the helix corresponds to axial movement away from the observer, then it is a right-handed helix. If counter-clockwise movement corresponds to axial movement away from the observer, it is a left-handed helix. Handedness (or chirality) is a property of the helix, not of the perspective: a right-handed helix cannot be turned or flipped to look like a left-handed one unless it is viewed through a mirror, and vice versa.
Most hardware screws are right-handed helices. Points on the surface of an (American) football thrown by a right-handed quarterback (usually) travel in a right-handed helix. The alpha helix in biology as well as the A and B forms of DNA are also right-handed helices. The Z form of DNA is left-handed."

What tнē #$*! Ďө ωΣ (k)πow!?

Hi,

This one's about he film "What the bleep do we know?", a wonderful documentry film, directed and produced by William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, and Mark Vicente.released in 2004. I got so interested in the ideas and hypothesies the film introduced. The part of the wedding was most interesting and amusing of all, in my opinion.combines documentary interviews and a fictional narrative to posit a connection between science and spirituality based upon the Ramtha's School of Enlightenment of JZ Knight/Ramtha, of whom the three directors are devotees. The facts are as follows.

"The topics discussed in What the Bleep Do We Know!? include neurology, quantum physics, psychology, epistemology, ontology, metaphysics, magical thinking and spirituality. The film features interviews with individuals presented as experts in science and spirituality, interspersed with the story of a deaf photographer as she struggles with her situation. Computer-animated graphics feature heavily in the film. The film has received widespread criticism from the scientific community. Physicists, in particular, claim that the film grossly misrepresents the meaning of various principles of quantum mechanics, and is in fact pseudoscience.[3]"

"In the fictional part, Amanda, a deaf photographer (played by Marlee Matlin) acts as the viewer's avatar as she experiences her life from startlingly new and different perspectives.
In the documentary part of the film, a number of purported scientific experts in quantum physics, biology, medicine, psychiatry, and theology discuss the roots and meaning of Amanda's experiences. However, viewers are not told the credentials of the experts until the credits at the end of the film. The comments of the scientific experts converge on a single theme: "We all create our own reality." Although not widely held by the scientific community, this point of view correlates with the subjective experience. "

Cassava

Welcome, viewers

"Cassava" is a word I was curious to find out about from the "Reflections fo Spring" by "Duong Thong Huong". It is the name of a plant whoose root can be eaten. Its scientific name is Manihot esculenta. It is also called yuca, casava and manioc. It is widely grown and eaten,mostly in Asia and Africa,I think.I believe I have eaten it before in my country ,too.

"The cassava, casava, or manioc (Manihot esculenta) is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to South America that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrate."

"The root is long and tapered, with a firm homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about 1 mm thick, rough and brown on the outside. Commercial varieties can be 5 to 10 cm in diameter at the top, and 50 to 80 cm long. A woody cordon runs along the root's axis. The flesh can be chalk-white or yellowish; raw cassava tastes like a mixture of potato and coconut flesh, it breaks like a carrot, and darkens quickly upon exposure to the air. For this reason, the skinned root must be kept under water until it is ready to be cooked. The root's flavor spoils in a day or so, even if kept unskinned and under refrigeration, which is a problem for supermarkets. A solution is usually to freeze it or seal it in wax."

source>www.wikipedia.com

Bactrian Camel

Hi, guys and girls,

I became interested in knowing more about the "camels" from the movie "The Weeping Camel". I found out that these camels are called Bactrian Camels technically. The scientific name is "Camelus bactrianus" . This type has two humps on the back while its cousins Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius) has only one. The latter is also called Arabian camels. Below are facts. enjoy.

The Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus) is a large even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of eastern Asia. The Bactrian camel has two humps on its back, in contrast to the Dromedary, also known as the Arabian Camel, which has one.

The Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius) (often referred to simply as the "Dromedary") is a large even-toed ungulate native to northern Africa and western Asia, also the land of east Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.

sources>www.wikipedia.com

###########################################

Taliban

Hello,
This one is about "Taliban" from the movie "Osma". Of course, we are familiar with word Taliban and have a general idea of what it is. I decided to blog it coz I wanted to have a factual brief explanation of it. The Taliban means "Seekers of Knowlege" in Afghan. It was formed when the Russians invaded in 1979. The Russians lost after 10 years because of the support of US and Europe. However, the Taliban turned into a dictatorship like government and opperessed the people. Below is the brief history and some definations.

"The Taliban, or Taleban, (Pashto: طالبان, "students," literally seekers of knowledge) are a Sunni puritanical Muslim and Pashtun movement that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, and are currently engaged in a protracted guerrilla war against NATO forces and their local allies within Afghanistan."

"Afghanistan is slightly smaller than the state of Texas. It's primarily a rural country."

"The Taliban, which means "religious students," came to the "rescue." At first, they seemed determined to stamp out corruption. But once they took control in 1996, it was a different story. They began to institute their own brand of government—under the guise of Islam—that was particularly repressive to women. "

sources>http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_past_20011011_b.jhtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Innwa

Hi,

This one is about the city "Innwa" from the story "Innwa" by "Theik Pan Maung Wa". I just wanted to make a posting about the title because no one knows about the city and how powerful our country was during that dynasty reign. It was the capital city of Myanmar during 1364-1841. The Burmese rule expaned to Thai in the east a part of Bingaladish and even a part of Yunaan of China. Well, the following explanations are more precise.I think knowing about the city history would help us all understand more of the writer's opinions in the story.

"Innwa (Burmese: ; MLCTS: ang: wa. mrui.; formerly Ava) is a city in the Mandalay Division of Myanmar, situated just to the south of Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. It is also called Ratanapura, which means City of Gems in Pali. The name Innwa means mouth of the lake, which comes from in , meaning lake, and wa , which means mouth."

source>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innwa

Sashimi,

Watup,everyone,


This one's about the word "Shisami" in the "Helix" by "Banana Yoshimoto" of Japan. Hope you likes sushi because Shisami is similar to sushi in a way. I think it is like a bigger and more decorative sushi with other servings such as rice and sauce. It has mostly fresh raw seafood. Man, I wanna try some right now.Well, here's the complete explanation.



"Sashimi (Japanese: 刺身) is a Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of very fresh raw seafoods, thinly sliced into pieces about 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide by 4 cm (1½ inches) long by 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick, and served with only a dipping sauce (like soy sauce with wasabi paste and thinly sliced ginger root, or ponzu), and a simple garnish like shiso and shredded daikon radish."

"The name sashimi literally means "pierced body." "刺身=sashimi" consists of "刺し=sashi(pierced/sticked)" and "身=mi(body/meat)". It may have come from the former practice of sticking the tail and its fin of the fish on the slices, to let it be known which fish one was eating. Another etymologic idea is that because 切り身=kiri-mi(cut body/meat) is reminiscent of cutting a person with 刀=katana(Backsword), the word sashimi was chosen intentionally instead."
source>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sashimi
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Hi,my friends,

This one is about the word "Bistro" from "A Riddle" by "Antonio Tabucchi" from Italy.The story was exactly as the title suggests. A riddle, it is indeed.(yoda style,lol). It basically means a fast-food small restaraunt but the word is used in France mostly. Here's the explanation and history.

"A bistro is a familiar name for a type of small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in an unpretentious setting, especially in Paris, France. A bistro may not offer professional service or printed menus, and it will usually specialize in simple
classic dishes such as steak au poivre, French onion soup, and coq au vin. "
"The term is possibly derived from the Russian: бы́стро (IPA:
[bɨstrə]) which means 'quickly.' Russian soldiers occupying France after the Napoleonic Wars would frequently demand that French civilians serve their food quickly, shouting the
word that evolved into the neologism 'Bistro' at them. This etymology is disputed, however: Cossack soldiers occupied Paris in 1815 but the first recorded use of the word appears in 1884, almost seventy years later, and in 1892 ("bistrot"). "

source>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bistro

Htee Ka Yone Pin (Mimosa sensitive plant)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hello,everyone.

This posting is about 'the Mimosa plants' which I found from "The Child who Raised Poisenous Snakes" by Can Xue from China. I had seen that plant and even played with it a few times since it grows naturally in my country. It is called " Htee Ka Yone Pin" in my language. This plant's leaflets curl up when being touched.It is interesting to look at how the plant reacts to the touch. Below are the technical definitions. I beg you to try the source link 1 coz it got a video of the plant moving.Enjoy..=)

"The scientific name is Mimosa pudica though there are other varients"

"The leaves of Mimosa have the capability to display thigmonasty (touch-induced movement). In the sensitive plant, the leaves respond to being touched, shaken, heated or rapidly cooled."

" In Mimosa, the mechanical or heat stimulus induces an electrical signal, similar to the electrical potentials in nerve cells, that can move from cell to cell at a high rate. When the electrical potential reaches specialized "motor cells" in pulvini at the base of each leaflet, the folding is caused by a rapid efflux of potassium followed by rapid water transport out of the motor cells. "

source1>> http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/plantmotion/movements/nastic/mimosa/mimosa.html

source2>>

http://www.aboutgardenplants.com/Mimosa_pudica.shtml

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Quote I Like

When I read through the list of quotes given, this one stood out among others for me because it looks like a defination of a sientific equation. I felt like a scientist who has discoverd a phenomenon but unable to draw a theory/formula of its nature. I smiled and laughed because this quote is the formula defination I was looking for. It is one of the Swedish Proverbs.

" Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief. "
-Swedish proverb

Above is the proverb I am talking about. The photo beside is my two best friends and me. Please dont mind it.=)haha. I believe everyone who enjoys friendship have felt the increase in joy and decrease in grief when they are with their friends. I have felt it alot but could not define it. I believe the quotes we can relate to are the ones that will make sense the most to us. I guess there is nothing left to explain except to state that I like this short and simple quote so much and that is all. Thank you for reading and enjoy the other entries also.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

>##########################################################<

"Ogaden"

Hello,my friends,

This posting is about the region "Ogaden" from the story "My Father, the Englishman and I" . We can know from the story that this region is in Africa but we dont know where it actually is, big or small. Ogaden is the region of the Ogaden Somali, a sub-clan of the Darod. It was put into Ethiopia officailly by the British after the war, as far as I know. The map and regional flags are shown ,too. The references are below and enjoy reading. =)

>"Ogaden (pronounced and often spelled Ogadēn, Somali: Ogaaden) is a part of the Somali Region in Ethiopia. Sometimes known as "Abyssinian Somaliland," some locals refer to it as Ogadenia (Somali: Ogaadeeniya). The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim; most of these Somali inhabitants belong to the Ogaden Somali, a sub-clan of the Darod.
The region, which is around 150,000 to 200,000 square kilometres, borders Djibouti, Kenya, and Somalia, and has a population of 5,500,000 people.[citation needed] Important settlements include Kabri Dahar, Jijiga, Godey, Dhagah bur , Warder,and Shilabo.
The region is at the center of the volatile Horn of Africa."

>"It was colonized by Great Britain as a protectorate from the last quarter of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, before it was annexed by Ethiopia, although the boundary of British Somalia was one of the first to be fixed by treaty (June, 1897)."

source->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogaden

>DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD>

"Kimono"

Hi,everyone,

This posting is about the word "Kimono" from the strory "A Family Supper" . First, I thought of doing "Fugu" but I think it is done already by many.

The word "Kimono" is a familiar word for me since women in my country wear traditional dresses made of the same material as Kimono. But, I did not know the real defination of Kimono before though I knew it is a Japanese word. In Japanese, Kimono basically means clothing but is often refered to as Japanese traditional dress which is mostly worn in cultural festivals or ceremonies. Below is the reference. Hope you enjoied reading my blog.

>"Kimono (着物, Kimono? literally "something worn", i.e., "clothes") are the traditional garments of Japan. Originally kimono was used for all types of clothing, but it came to refer specifically to the full-length garment that is still worn by women, men, and children. Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes that fall to the ankle, with collars and full-length sleeves. The sleeves are commonly very wide at the wrist, perhaps a half meter. Traditionally, on special occasions unmarried women wear kimono with extremely long sleeves that extend almost to the floor. The robe is wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right, and secured by a wide belt tied in the back, called an obi. Kimono are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially geta, thonged wood-platform footwear; and zori, a type of thong-like footwear) and split-toe socks called tabi. Beneath the outer kimono, another shorter kimono is worn as underwear, called a nagajuban."

>"There are styles of kimono for various occasions, ranging from extremely formal to very casual. The level of formality of women's kimono is determined mostly by the pattern and fabric, and also the color. Young women's kimono have longer sleeves and tend to be more elaborate than similarly formal older women's kimono. Men's kimono are usually one basic shape and are mainxly worn in subdued colors. Formality is also determined by the type and color of accessories, the fabric, and the number or absence of kamon (family crests). Silk is the most desirable, and most formal, fabric. Cotton is more casual. These days there are polyester kimonbo as well; they are generally more casual."

source-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimono

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Hello,everyone,

This is one of the class assignments. When I read the story "My Mother's Memoirs, My Father's Lie, and Other True Stories" by Russell Banks, I did not find anything interesting. But, I found the word 'pajamas' in it and wanted to post about it.

Though almost everyone in US and Europe wears pajamas, not every country has the tradition of wearing pajamas. For example, we dont wear pajamas in my country.When I tried to learn more about it, I was a little surprised to know that pajamas started from Asia, most likely from China, India and other Muslim countries.

Since the British and other Western countries had colonial presence in Asia, it is no wonder the design spread.Below is the refrence

History

"
The original pajamas — loose, lightweight drawstring trousers tied around the waist and worn in South and West Asia.[1]
A loose, two-piece garment derived from the preceding garment, worn as (especially men's and boys') sleepwear, in Britain, the United States, and other countries. Pyjamas in this sense consist of a jacket and trouser combination, made of a lightweight non-stretch material, similar to materials used in bed sheets, with the jacket closing down the front with buttons. These first appeared in Britain as a result of British colonial presence in South Asia in the 18th and 19th centuries, and by the early 20th century had replaced nightshirts as the dominant style of sleepwear for men and boys there. (In South Asia these are known as night suits.) "

"Such a garment is used by various persons in India e.g. by women of various classes, by Sikh men, and most by Mahommedans of both sexes. It was adopted from the Mahommedans by Europeans as an article of dishabille and of night attire ... It is probable that we English took the habit like a good many others from the Portuguese. Thus Pyarard (c. 1610) says, in speaking of Goa Hospital: "Ils ont force calsons sans quoy ne couchent iamais les Portugais des Indes" ... The word in now used in London shops. A friend furnishes the following reminiscence: "The late Mr. B—, tailor in Jermyn Street, some 40 years ago, in reply to a question why pyjammas had feet sewn on to them (as was sometimes the case with those furnished by London outfitters) answered: 'I believe, Sir, it is because of the White Ants."[4] "

>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pajamas

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

"Valentine's Day"

Hi,

Just as the title suggests, this is about the valentine's day. Throught my research, I found out that it is named after the saint Valentine who was imprisoned. The legend has it that he was later sentenced to death. During his imprisonment, it is said that people sent prayer notes for him and the habit spread. Though it is a legend, it is accepted by most people as the source of the valentine's day. Below is a nice valentine's day poem the refrence-

=) =======================================================(=

->From a Secret Admirer<-

(After Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening")

Whose gift this is you cannot know.

My heart is in your keeping though.

You will not mind my writing here

To tell you that I love you so.
I know that you must think it queer

For me to love and not come near

But linger by some frozen lake

This most romantic time of year.
I sometimes give my head a shake

And ask if there is some mistake.

It's lonely out here 'mid the sweep

Of bitter wind and icy flake.
My love for you is dark and deep,

But it's a promise I will keep

As from afar I watch and weep,

As from afar I watch and weep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>"Saint Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day is on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending Valentine's cards or candy. It is very common to present flowers on Valentine's Day. The holiday is named after two men, both Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

History

Catholic Origins
The legend of St. Valentine is not absolutely clear, which is also why we refer to this history as "legend." One legend portrays him as a priest who refused the Roman Emperor Claudius II's law, ordering that young men remained single. It is argued that Claudius II did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young Catholic men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Fr. Valentine arrested and thrown in jail.Claudius, and he sentenced Valentine to death. While imprisoned, one of the jailors had a blind daughter, whom he brought to the jail often, and she spoke at length to Fr. Valentine. Just before he was put to death, he sent her a small card and signed it, "From your Valentine."
Another story has it that while Fr. Valentine was imprisoned, people would leave him little notes, folded up and hidden in cracks in the rocks around his cell. He would find them and offer prayers for them."
Either way, the origin of the modern "Valentine Card" came from notes either to or from Fr. Valentine while he was in prison.
Fr. Valentine was put to death on February 14, 270 AD (some sources say 269, others 273 AD).History"<>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_day

Hi, everyone,

My first posting is about the word " Pygmy ". It basically means an adult who is very short compared to a man of average height. Among different meanings and usages of the word, it usually refers to some specific tribes in Africa. One of the tribes is the Bambuti.

According to a book I read, it is said that the Bambuti hunters has a special metabolism that allows them to move so fast in the forests. In the Egyptian history records, they are even described as guardian spirits of the forests in Africa because it was impossible to capture or track them. Their agilty has confused the strangers to a level that people believed they could disappear into thin air. I will try to put more information resources about the word. Below is the data from Wikipedia.

"A Pygmy is a member of any human group whose adult males grow to less than 59 in. (150 cm) in average height. The name is also sometimes loosely applied to the Bushmen (San) of southern Africa and the so-called Negrito peoples of Asia (such as the Philippine Ilongot). Besides their short stature, Pygmies are notable in having the highest basal-metabolism rate in the world and a high incidence of sickle-cell anemia. The Bambuti of the Ituri Forest are a well-studied example."

>Wikipedia(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy)

Opening of the blog =)

Hi, everyone!

I just put up this blog.Hope we will have a fun semester.