Violence

Flashes of memory stream into my consciousness. They take me back thirty years plus. I was a boy then, a newcomer to a poor and tough neighborhood. My parents, of moderate means and daring to a fault, had decided to move there after my father had accepted an editing job in the federal government. They had taken a lease on a low-rent brick house, which was also run-down, covered in filth, and littered with trash. I do not mince my words: Previous tenants had been pigs that got along with bugs and rats.

"The house has potential," my mother had said to reassure me, seeing that I was aghast at its sordid aspects. Its one redeeming feature, besides its solid construction, was a large woody front yard, neglected, allowed to become a large dumping ground, as weedy as it was woody, but potentially attractive and pleasant, to be sure.

My mother was a hard worker with a great deal of stamina, creativity, and tastefulness. She mastered the art of doing wonders with little money. After three months of intense labor - which for the first week involved a carpenter and two garbage collectors plus two dump trucks - the house was transfigured, quite presentable, even nice, much to my amazement. It now contrasted sharply, cuttingly, with the slums at the rear of the house and on the left of it. On the right was a school and at the front, across the street, was a nunnery on a large piece of land. My parents had conveniently focused their attention on these establishments, as if the good education and good disposition of their teachers and sisters could shield us from the evils of the slums.

Needless to say, they did not. Violence was rampant in this neck of the woods and I was elected punchbag with only one dissenting vote: mine! At the root of this violence was malevolence, which grows from resentment, after one has been subjected to mistreatment. As much as my family projected an image of distinction, the neighborhood boys were malevolent and violent toward me. To them this image of distinction was an act of humiliation; their feelings were hurt and it was natural for them to hurt me. Of course it is a lot worthier to elevate oneself than to abase someone else. It is also a lot harder, and nature spontaneously levels everything the easy way. Moral excellence relates to culture, is an acquired trait, by virtue of which a human is courageous and just, worthy of praise.

One winter evening, I was crossing the field next to the rink where I had played hockey, when a gang of hoodlums encircled me like a pack of wolves. There were six of them, one of whom - a weakling who always relied on others to feel powerful - lived three doors down, east of my house, across the back street. The leader stepped forward and turned around with a snicker. "Hey shithead, come and kiss my ass." I was tempted to kick it, not kiss it. "No thanks. Please let me go; I don't care for trouble." As I was finishing my sentence, one of the boys lunged toward me from behind and shoved me forward. I dropped my hockey equipment and braced myself to fight and suffer. I was big for my age, but big is small when outnumbered by six to one.

Again the leader took the initiative; the fight was on. With several thrusts, punches, and kicks, I repelled my assailants momentarily, until I was knocked and wrestled to the ground. Fists and feet hit me everywhere, nonstop, from all directions. Suddenly I heard a menacing shout and everyone slipped in a last blow before fleeing. A brave and kind man had caught sight of their misdeed and chosen to intervene, armed with a hockey stick. I was hurt but saved.

A few days later, still aching all over, I saw the weakling, alone by his house - his hovel to be exact, which was covered with old imitation brick, torn in places, and infested with cockroaches, rats, and woodworms. His face was bruised and wet from weeping, as he screamed with rage, "Fucking bastard, fucking bitch, fucking life, fuck, fuck, fuck!" My anger was now tempered with compassion. I unclenched my fists, prompted by a desire to spare him. I could not demean myself to add pain to his pain, already so excessive that it overflowed in streams of tears and curses.

His father was an illiterate and idle drunkard who collected welfare and spent considerable time and money at the tavern. At home, slouching in an armchair, he forever watched TV and drank beer or liquor. When grossly intoxicated, he sometimes vomited before reaching the bathroom and, without cleaning up his mess, fell unconscious on his bed, the armchair, the floor, or wherever. He was also vulgar and brutal. He often battered his son and his wife, and heaped insults on them.

His wife was an abusive and sluggish woman who had grown obese from attempting to fill her inner void with chips, cookies, and pop. Day after day she wore the same tattered nightgown and constantly found reasons for bawling out her son and swiping him. She drove him insane, then used this insanity as another reason for persecuting him.

These two loathsome and pitiful parents rendered his life at home unbearable. He usually roamed the streets with fellow-sufferers from similar - miserable and violent - backgrounds. Together they ganged up and took their resentment out on other kids such as me. My aggressors, first, were victims.

My insight into the origin of violence came to me at that time and has never left me. I saw then and still see a victim in every aggressor. Some say there is such a thing as gratuitous violence, committed by individuals whose youth was favorable to all appearances. Violence for the sake of violence, an exercise in brutality at the expense of others, without provocation, past or present? I beg to differ.

Appearances are not a valid means of assessing someone's youth, whose favorableness or unfavorableness is a subjective, not objective, matter. Circumstances have no value in themselves, but in relation to people who consider them favorably or not. Attitude is here the only relevant concept. Also, brutality cannot be exercised at the expense of others unless these others are viewed heartlessly as expendable. This heartlessness is greatly suspicious, unlikely to belong to someone who regards humans with favor, thanks to a feeling of solidarity, of mutual benefit.

In my opinion, aggressiveness is triggered by hostility, without which it is dormant: a mere potentiality incapable of harm. It may include an abnormal sensitivity or intellect that intensifies or alters someone's perception of the environment. The fact remains hostility, as perceived by someone who feels painfully antagonized and proportionally victimized, is always a factor. Therefore, aggression cannot be dissociated from victimization, not only that of the victims but also that of the aggressors. These aggressors are victims of their sick minds or of the ill treatment they have endured. They deserve compassion, besides indignation.

They are liable to a punishment that ought to be effective and exemplary, not vengeful. Vengeance and violence are one and the same thing. Both are resentful and harmful. Both are reprehensible. The harm inflicted does not remedy the harm suffered; it simply compounds one harm with another, and invites yet another harm. It lengthens the chain of savagery from x (a frightening number of savage links) to x+1, potentially +2, +3, +4, etc., instead of breaking it and helping to free humanity from it. There is no worse slavery than savagery. The best course is to make every effort to get over a wrong and forgive it, while bringing the wrongdoer to justice.

In sum, justice should not serve to avenge people. It should serve to prevent crime and protect the public, by intimidating or incarcerating those who are a menace to others except under threat or behind bars. It should never push the severity of this mandate to the point of cruelty, in which case it would be a perversion of justice, an ominous sign of barbarity. On the contrary, it should be a jewel in the crown of civilization and foreshadow the coming of a better humanity, more consistent with its true nature and purpose - in a word, more humane.

The difference between severity and cruelty is radical yet subtle; it must be emphasized. Cruel law enforcers delight in the punishments they inflict and readily overstep the mark. They are vicious and blameworthy, like the criminals they punish. Law enforcers who are severe, but not cruel, administer punishments reluctantly or regard them as a necessary evil they would gladly forgo if they could. They deplore the criminal element in society and strive to neutralize it through intimidation, or incarceration as a last resort, and preferably through reformation, a fundamental change of the criminal mind for the better. Their ideal, as unattainable as it is elevated, is the supremacy of justice without the institution of justice: no threats, no prisons, only people who deeply understand and freely exercise the principle of justice.

Impossible as this supremacy is, it is usefully pursued. The institution of justice can become less and less necessary for the manifestation of justice, which can become more and more customary. This progress depends on the wisdom and willpower of its proponents who make it their duty to educate, assist, and encourage potential followers. It also presupposes that these potential followers take an active part in this endeavor. They cannot be actual followers unless they welcome this education, assistance, and encouragement, and display intelligence and determination of their own.

How much can we collectively be civilized - that is, mutually respectful and helpful, in the knowledge that this high goal can unite our wills toward a common good of colossal proportions? In other words, what is the ceiling of our possible civilization, which implies responsibility and solidarity, an elevation of life to love? Nobody knows the limit, so none should be set but the sky!

Generally, in a loving environment, human beings show humanity as naturally as fruit trees give fruit in the summer. Love is to these beings as sunshine is to these trees. It helps them grow into what they are meant to grow into (unless their nature is flawed from the start, which is an exception to the rule): beautiful and bountiful creations, as opposed to ugly and puny aberrations. Yet, beware of love; it can be possessive and manipulative, selfish and devilish! Yes, some angels have horns, unnoticeable at first sight under their pretty hair; their paradise is hell.

True love is in the image of God* (by God I simply mean the fundamental cause of everything. It brings us into existence and, within the limits of its might, supports us in our quest for fulfillment). It is a desire to nurture, not to capture. Under its divine rule, one always has the other's best interests at heart. No one, however, should be supportive to the point of being an accomplice in someone's oppressive or destructive acts of egocentricity, folly, or injustice. These evils should not be loved and served; they should be hated and combated.

Hate is legitimate toward them, whereas the people who embody them are worthy of love because they exceed them by their ability to do good. They are indeed greater than the sum of their evil ways; they include the power to improve them. Therefore hate is directed at these ways, and love at this power: It promotes the people's ability to do good. What if a person who is oppressively or destructively egocentric, foolish, or unjust never responds to this love? In that case it is lost and the life of this person shamefully amounts to a waste of soul.

By a stroke of luck, my parents were bright and warm people who helped me blossom into a joyful and respectful individual. Their love was true and so was the love of many others who took part in my life. I was also lucky enough to be a good seed. I was a strong and healthy boy, extremely lively and moderately clever, cheery and gentle-natured, though impatient and self-assertive. In my eyes, until my family moved to the poor and tough neighborhood, civility was the norm among the members of society; it made sense. Barbarity, on the other hand, was a stupefying rarity. The abused weakling gave me an understanding of barbarity - which was common in this neighborhood - and replaced my stupefaction with commiseration.

* God, in the Genesis, is first and foremost the creative and ruling force of the universe. As such, it is unspecific and uncontroversial. People of different philosophical or religious persuasions recognize with one accord that the universe is as it is because it has the power to be so. This power can be called God, in the unspecific sense of the word. It provides a legitimate answer to the ultimate question, which is twofold: "Why is there a universe instead of nothing, on the one hand, and why is there order in it instead of chaos, on the other hand?" Essentially, it is a cause that accounts for the existence and the nature of everything, while its presence remains totally unaccountable. There is no point in trying to elucidate this mystery since, to this end, one would need to postulate another cause that would itself be unaccountable, and so on ad infinitum. Consequently, the cause that gives the universe the power to exist and evolve, according to laws, is best described as a prime and timeless cause that can be ascertained through its manifestation in the form of changing things and beings, but never explained.

By Laurent Grenier

The Masked Fool

The Fool

My first direct experience of the fool in masking was watching Morris Dancing here at home in Yorkshire, England. The Morris dancers were dressed up in their usual dancing shoes with bells and baggy pants. To be absolutely honest I have always found Morris men a bit funny! Perhaps I should explain about Cecil Sharp, no I'll leave that to a footnote.

The Boars Head Morris Men were dancing in a pub car park. ( Pub short for Public House a place for drinking beer etc. in the UK.) They were doing the usual dances that are related to fertility, good crops and harvests etc. But of course they really don't quite have the pagan beliefs off pat. Mind you when you see them drink ale in the quantities that they did then you would realise that they had perhaps fully understood the pagan ways of having a good time. ( Not to say all people who follow the pagan ways drink lots of ale, just a convenient concept )

What you are probably asking by this juncture is this to do with fools?

Well the Boars Head Morris Men had a masked fool. He was complete with boars mask pantaloons and boars headed stick. He also carried a bucket for collecting cash donations for charity, or maybe beer money. He followed the dancers mimicked them and cajoled the watchers for change to fill his bucket.

Interestingly I knew the fool quite well and in real life, with out the mask, he would never do what he did with the mask. Being English he was just far too polite!

The Boars Head stick became a threatened cudgel, never used, just pointed and waved. The mask was a place to hide behind, for a normal everyday person. As you will find by looking further on this site the mask allows people to change personalities. He bullied and pranced and enjoyed his dual mission to collect money and to protect the dancers from the crowd. Sometimes the children get too close. That is not allowed. Sometimes the dancers space is threatened by cars entering the parking space. Wow! That is not a good idea!

But suddenly the fool sets off in pursuit of three attractive women. He rattles his bucket and rounds them up as a sheep dog would. They are pressed into donating generously. He just leaves his dancers unprotected to fend for themselves. The next ten minutes is exchanged in good natured banter. ( The wife of the fool is present! )

The above is from memory, probably about 20 years ago. In terms of mask traditions that is very recent. For mask traditions can be traced back at least 25,000 years. I am certain they go back to the time of the first questioning peoples; 50,000.................or more years?

What then is this reference to fools and masking traditions. Well as you dig through this site you will find that the fool crops up in several other traditions.

In Masquerade the fool is an essential figure. On the surface he, occasionally she, is the one who keeps order. He controls the children, he stops their prying eyes invading the dressing room. His stick maintains the performance area. He cracks jokes, entertains, juggles pulls faces and GETS VIOLENT. He chases the children with a whip and hits them mercilessly if he gets the chance. He tries to seduce women, and does if he can!

Suddenly he becomes bored and goes away to sit and talk philosophically with a group of friends from his unmasked time. As the conversation progresses he introduces new ideas. He begins to ridicule the accepted norm. He questions the accepted reality. He attempts to turns arguments on their heads

The Ubiquitous Fool

The fool is a ubiquitous. The fool occurs in the masking traditions of North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, China, ........................ if you know some more please fill in my blank.

Universally the fool treads the line between normality and the incongruities that the world. The fool is both sensible and totally none-sensible. Not that he does not use his senses he just uses then in a different way. He questions and cajoles. He jokes and makes fun of others. Yet when someone over steps the arbitrary boundary, (who decided ) he changes. Suddenly he becomes the quiet hearth cat, the sleeping feline, domesticated, sleek and silky. And as you stroke and pleasure the cat she begins to become claws and teeth and worse growls. He becomes the raging tiger, claws and teeth.

What is the role of the fool?

The fool traditionally questions. S/He challenges the norm. S/He goes beyond the routine and everyday. S/He crosses the boundary between the physical and the spiritual. The fool knows both sides but sadly does not understand either. The fool is beyond judgement but is incapable of judging. The fool is a go-between, a hinderer, a creator and destroyer. He sets things up only to break them down.

To be honest I love the fool, because I feel I am one, at times. The fool embodies the contradictions of the world. He accepts our human frailties and simultaneously challenges them. For those of you who know the symbols on the tarot cards consider the fool, for those of you who do not make some time to find out.

Some Examples of Fools in Masquerade Italy In Masks the Art of expression Cesare Poppi describes the Carnival at Moena in the Italian Dolomites. Two Arlechign, a local version of Harlequin, lead the masked group. They are dressed in chequered costumes, with a tall pointed cap below which is a loose veil giving them a featureless appearance. They carry horse whips. Around them the crowd of cheering young boys follows their moves. Suddenly the dash into the youths slashing fiercely with the horse whips, striking vicious blows to the confused youngsters. Panic ensues. A pleasing village scene has suddenly been turned upon its head.

China In China, or your local China Town, when the New Year is celebrated the Lion Dance is performed. This often acrobatic masked dance is performed by, usually two dancers accompanied by two Happy Face dancers wearing their papier mache masks complete with large grins painted on them. As the dance progresses through the streets the dragon collects lettuces and money to help bring luck in to the New Year. Around the dragon the two fools pester the crowd for money and simultaneously keep the crowd, especially the children, at a safe distance.

Pacific West Coast

Noohlmahl

During Kwakwaka'wakw Potlatch ceremonies in the West Coast Areas of Canada another fool prowled around. He is Noohlmahl. A filthy creature with a long nose from which snot streams he is up for a laugh but should the watchers mention his state, especially his nose, a violent reaction can be expected.

Iriquois False Face Society

The Iriquois False Face Society also have a fool mask to support the processes of healing that they undertake. These corn husk mask are relatively simple and disposable. As with other traditions the fool plays his amusing and organising role.

Playfulness has a major place in many masquerades.

In our lives we all play the fool, despise the fool in others and love the fool who entertains. Sadly the fool who entertains can also be torn apart by internal mental divisions.

The masked fool is the one who maintains order and at the same time questions it and sometimes on a whim destroys it. Traditionally the fool treads a fine line between the known and the unknown, the acceptable and the unacceptable. Even without the mask I am sure you recognise the fool in your life.

The fool is a universal being. Today (15/12/04) I lost my fool, she was our cat. If you wish to know she died of old age. She had the soft luxury of a purring fur to stroke and in a moment she transformed into a fanged biter. She had the gourmet taste of a French chef yet licked her own arse. She refused to go outside when the wind blew, because it was cold, yet sat happily on the wet grass when it was raining and blowing a gale. Tango, the cat, was my fool, just as I was hers when playing hide and seek. I loved her affection and was saddened by her rejection of the food I gave her. All in all Tango, our family cat, was all contradiction and beautifully herself. She is a very missed little being.

Footnote

Cecil Sharp collected folk sings in the British Isles. Amongst folk enthusiasts he is something of a hero as he preserved may folk songs and traditions. He was instumental in helping preserve the hundreds of different Morris dances. Yet as with the song lyrics he collected they were purged for naughty bits. Anything that went against his strict Victorian morality was censored. The whole of British folk tradition was made "nice".

Inspired by Masks the Art of Expression ed. John Mack ISBN 0-7141-2530-X and other sources that I have read and internalised long ago.

By Ian Bracegirdle

Tribal Masks

Original Tribal masks are often seen by unknowing eyes as art objects in themselves. That is not the case, unless of course they are modern copies. A tribal mask has embued power and is alive during the ceremony for which it is used. An African visitor to a London museum stated, "This mask is dead." He was seeing the mask out of context, it had lost its power for the people who created it and the the magic had died.

To the collectors eyes the very appearance of the mask and the story behind it leads to the magic. The mysterious art forms drawing on the imagination and a need to interpret. As a piece of art it has the power to involve the observer in fathoming meaning to reach an understanding. This can move the viewer into a different frame of reference. Touching a life style that is at once strange and distance, yet it has the feel of something closer to home. A paradox that seems to arise in studying older tribal ways. In a collection this is magic.

It is also important to appreciate that nearly all masks are part of a full costume. Often the costume is made from less durable materials and does not survive. Indeed some masks are also made of less durable materials, such as the basketery Yam mask, created by the Abelam in Papua New Guinea. And again some masks are destroyed as part of the ceremony for which they are used.

The commonality in masking traditions

Delving back into the earliest recordings, historically, a visit to the caves of Trois Feres in France is enlightening. Picture this painted Paleolithic scene.

A central figure stands wearing the head and antlers of a deer. He stands, shaman like, surround by animals. Animals that are important to the culture he represents. Some of the animals no longer exist in this area. Ibex, reindeer, bison, stag and horses. The shaman, for that is what he seems to be, stands, a human figure amongst the potential food. What magic he is creating or ancestors he is communicating with we do not know. Yet from our knowledge of tribal people studied in times closer to ours it is possible to understand the links. The need to hunt for food is essential to survival. The gods link all matters, stay in good standing with the gods and food will be available. Take only what can be used fairly and do not violate the natural laws. Life goes on, following the seasons. There is a balance to life and death. The link between them is maintained by the magician, shaman, wizard, witch doctor, whatever you wish to call him.

During my studies of masks this relationship between the magical and the shaman constantly arises. There is a commonality between the ancient cultures of the Pacific West Coast of North America ( now Canada and Alaska ) and the tribal traditions of Africa. Fertility, the hunted animal, ancestors, initiation, circumcision, cannibalism real and symbolic, healing and crossing over into the spirit world for guidance and healing powers or to appease the gods or ancestors. All these occur in different traditions spread around the world.

As you allow yourself to delve into the traditions surrounding masks in Europe something interesting arises. Here the traditions have been sanitised by the surrounding culture and the church. Yet when you delve back and attempt to understand the masking traditions, now displayed as folk lore, ineresting parallels are revealed. Whilst in Belgium I witnessed a processions depicting witches and and modern giants. Other masquerades also have links to witchcraft and by implication to shaman. One powerful link is the seasonal nature of many traditions. The Green man and the Hobby horse being two examples.

Forgive me. I could continue to wax lyrical about the links in our current traditions seen as folk lore to those of our ancient ancestors. To me there is a tremnedous link which is bound up with the very nature of the people we are and how we have developed. Our formative roots live in our societies now. That is why I find masks so powerfully evocative. Along with other forms of primitive and traditional art we can trace our own links to earlier times. Even today the shaman / magician exists following ancient magik rules.

Even modern latex masks contain some of the same magic, because they are linked back to the same collective unconcious and traditions of masquerade, disguise and the spirit world. As a school teacher I have come across some quite vociferous reactions by parents to having Halloween in school. Some see its pagan links and reject it. The seam runs deep into the modern psyche. Perhaps the most potent place to view this link is in the Mexican Day of the Dead Celebrations. This festival combines a mix of Christian and Pagan practices. In particular Halloween has a juxtaposition between the dead and children. Here children are masked to scare away the evil spirits and look after the dead. By this means a link with the ancestors and children is perpetuated.

Another fascinating link between the masks of many cultures is the fool. The fool has many characteristics, the most noticeable of which is paradox. The fool can be wise and foolish; handsome and ugly; playful and barbaric. He straddles the line between the extremes of the other masks switching from one role to the other. Perhaps the fool simply represents the many dualities and paradoxes in life.

Also the fool plays a full part in the staging of the ritual. Noohlmahl in the Kwakwaka'wakw rituals is a grotesque creature covered in hair with snot pouring from his nose. He struts about entertaining the crowd, making jokes and anticipating reponses. Should the reponses become too familiar a violent response could be expected. Of course the responses to the watchers comments could be of another more humourous nature. Surprise and paradox are essential to the nature of all fools. Another of his jobs is to control the children. He treads the line between clowning for them and ensuring that they do not disrupt proceedings. As with the inappropriate comments from adults a violent response can be provoked should the children, literally, over step the line.

To return to my original point masks are a way into the very nature of our being. The mythology of the Palaeolithic times is linked directly to tribal mask and western folk lore masks. For me this is why the mask holds such power and magic. The mask allows us to physically touch and share our past in a way which few objects can do. Tribal Masks carry a universal signature that appeals to our nature.

By Ian Bracegirdle

The Crisis of Human Survival

Environmental Pollution

1. Damage to The Ozone Layer Causes Radiation Pollution

The hole in the ozone layer above the North Pole is becoming larger, allowing large volumes of ultraviolet radiation to fall directly on the Earth's surface, causing destruction and harm to humanity, and resulting in skin cancer and other bodily ailments. At the same time, it reduces the rate at which green plants photosynthesise, thereby reducing oxygen content in the atmosphere.

This has extreme negative effects on the Earth. Health organisations all over the world are continuously researching on ways of reducing such harmful effects on humanity. In a direct attempt to address the issue, many are actively looking into the effects of radiation, and taking measures to rectify the situation, such as through modifying the coolant compartments in automobiles and refrigerators, and setting up new guidelines for certain products.

2.Acid Rain

The emission of pollutants and toxic gases into the atmosphere has resulted in chemical reactions, which cause acid rain. Acid rain damages the environment by, for example, corroding the metals we use in car doors and buildings. It also harms human health; the first sign of prolonged exposure to acid rain is the onset of skin ailments.

3.Agro-Chemicals

Many of the agricultural products, which we consume regularly, are sprayed with chemical pesticides that are harmful to humans. Some of these products may reach the consumer before an interval of time that is necessary for them to be safe and fit for human consumption. Consumers may unwittingly purchase these quick-to-the-market agricultural products, still tainted with chemicals, and expose their family to the harmful effects of these pesticides. Prolonged accumulation of these chemicals can cause irreversible damage to our health.

4. The Contamination of Western Medicine

Frequently, we see a new phenomenon. Whether is it among a family member or in the office, as soon as someone catches a cold or cough, it will inevitably spread quickly to someone else. Besides the highly contagious nature of the virus, the body's low resistance to viruses also plays a part. The abusive use of antibiotics has resulted in viruses' resistance to medicines as well as deterioration of the human body's immunity system. The rates of contagious diseases are thus on the rise.

Air Pollution

Rapid worldwide industrialisation has increased the daily emission of toxic waste and gases. Vehicle exhaust fumes and dust are increasingly trapped in our environment and this is exacerbated in densely populated cities where smog blankets and traps polluted air.

Tobacoo SmokeÿPublic Places ÿ

The harmful effects of nicotine found in tobacco smoke are well documented. Passive smokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke in public places can also suffer from the same ill effects as smokers themselves - lung diseases, damages to our brain cells, heart problems, strokes, poor blood circulation and high blood pressure are some of the more well known illnesses associated with tobacco smoke.

Indoor Air Pollution

On average, we spend 80% of our time indoors. The high cost of living and pressure for space have resulted in smaller living areas, with a higher tendency of congestion and poorer ventilation. Coupled with an enclosed indoor environment, these living conditions often come with pollutants such as cigarette smoke, dust, fungi and spores, droppings from dust mites, chemicals from photocopying machines and construction materials (glue, paint) and smoke from cooking. Sustained exposure to these elements can cause cancer, respiratory ailments such as asthma, hypersensitive rhinitis, hypersensitive dermatitis, and deterioration of the immune system.

1. Cooking Smoke (Kitchen and Restaurant)

Research reveals that cooking a meal is equivalent to smoking six cigarettes. Although the proportion of women in China who smoke is small, the mortality rate of these women who suffer from pulmonary diseases is high. Epidemiologists suggest that there is a strong correlationship between this and the inhalation of smoke and oily fumes while cooking.

2. Recycling of Accumulated Carbon Dioxide (Office and Bedroom)

Prolonged inhalation of carbon dioxide in an enclosed or badly ventilated office can result in fatigue and lack of concentration among office workers. Fatigue felt after a long journey in the car is also similarly caused by poor circulation of air where there is insufficient oxygen to replace the carbon dioxide.

3. Bacteria and Fungus Found Living In Air Conditioners (Office Buildings, Hospitals, Homes, etc)

It is essential to clean the filters of all air-conditioning systems regularly, be it centralised or single units. Filth in the units will lead to the growth of micro-organisms which will flow into the room through the inlet duct when the air-conditioner is switched on. Many cases of asthma today is closely related to allergy to these micro-organisms.

4. Air Pollution by Chenical Substances (Home, Office)

The scents and odours of household products like insecticides, detergents, deodorisers, mosquito coils, hair gels, hair sprays, glue, correction fluid, calcium carbonate, etc, are sometimes unhealthy. They may even be cancer-causing.

The Change in Lifestyle

1. Changes In Diet

In the modern diet, chemical additives occupy nearly 65% of all daily food content. In addition, fashionable trends in fast food resulted in people taking in excessive animal fats and food with high cholesterol contents. Such changes in eating habits resulted in people consuming too much unhealthy products and thus health is affected.

2. Lack of Exercise

Oxygen is important to the body. With exercise, oxygen will help to strengthen cardiac and lung functions. Exercise will also help to burn excess fats and reduces intravascular LDL ( low density lipoprotein cholesterol) to prevent arteriosclerosis. Exercising will benefit the health but when done excessively, it will result in hypoxia and overproduction of free radicals causing physiological imbalance.

3. Mental Stress

Changes in the present living environment: reductions in natural greens making way for the metropolis jungle, inter-personal relationships becoming increasingly superficial. As life's pressures build up, so does stress in the workplace. The world of feelings and EQ succumb to imbalance. Many modern people suffer from the sickness of melancholy and this constitutes another concern of living in the modern society.

The Origin of Virus and Allergy

Man's endless devastation to Mother Nature has resulted in severe environmental pollutions, and nature is reacting. The constant mutation of bacteria and virus variations, coupled with the bustle of world trade, has lent favor to virus broadcast. With developments in aviation and frequent travel, viruses are being disseminated at lightning speed across the globe. Strange illness abound, the pace of medical research cannot keep up with the unexpected speed of viral mutation. Plagues continue to endanger lives of humans and livestock. Life on earth is seriously threatened.

In addition, while most allergies do not endanger life, they can cause a person to live unhealthily or become unhappy. An example is dust allergy. Asia has the world's highest incidences of asthma, 90% of such cases arises due to dust allergy. The common symptoms of dust allergy include: habitual early morning sneezes, running nose, blocked nose, cough, rhinitis, asthma, allergic conjunctivitis and uncommon dermatitis.

The above-mentioned issues constitute factors that threaten the survival of humanity, cause deterioration of health and increase mental stress, leading to unhealthy and unhappy lives.

By Nur Syahid

How I lost A million Dollars In A Bank Robbery

The Million dollars was my life-savings earmarked for prime the pump money for my biotech start-up. I am the Gerald Armstrong the owner of Gen Cells Cures?Gen Cells Cures is focused on private medical research for the individual. Searching for cures for incurable diseases and aging. Of course, with the best scientific technologies on the planet! With President Bush trying to ride the middle of the road on stem cell research and his rejection of therapeutic cloning. I packed my bags and went offshore. A great place to go, but leave your money at home. I transferred the money to a carribean island and the local banker stole every last penny.

The local government gave me back the money, but in their currency then devalued the currency almost 100% and I walked away almost flat broke. The banker also robbed 2.2 billion dollars of the local folks money. He bought himself out of the scandel and is enjoying my million along with the other billions he robbed and his new helocopters and yahts in his home-country! I am pretty sure he will show up on the Forbes billionaire list next year. Not a bad business?Robbing banks, if you have the conscience for it! Don't worry about the country, the International Monetary Fund stepped in to replace the stolen money, no questions asked. The American Embassy screamed for justice in the scandel but to no avail.

After the electric company cut my lights for non-payment I lost all of my cell lines and had to shut down the lab. Chris Reeve had expressed an interest in helping me get back on track before his untimely passing. I had to give up my small scale philanthropy of giving food to the poor people that I had met on the island. My favorite individual charity was a young lady and her three children whose husband had died of cancer in his early 60's. She and her children are on the street. I have discontinued her support because I don't have the $200 monthly it takes for her food and housing costs. I have contacted several billionaires for help in opening my doors again (the biotech and my food charity) while at the same time looking for their future cures. I was turned down flat by the Annenberg's from Pennsylvania, Jeff Skoll, Pierre and Pam Omidyar and Carl and Eloise Pohlad from Minnesota. James and Virginia Stowers never answered my letter. I was hoping for maybe some hand me down michroscopes from their biotech.

Hey but Jim Pattison the owner of "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" from Canada is considering us, and Kirk Kerkorian appreciated it, and Richard Branson is keeping us in mind in the event that he needs our services, however, Richard Branson probably has some of the best genes that any one could ever want ?living life like a teenager at 54 with all of his famous stunts. I wouldn't be surprised if he lives to be over 100 years old without Gen Cells Cure's help. But a little help from Gen Cells Cures medical scientists could guarantee that he sees 100 plus! Plus! But let's wait to see what Donald has to say about the idea?That is Donald trump. So far not one penny is back in the Gen Cells Cures coffers.

Article by Gerald Armstrong- scientist0707@yahoo.com Gerald is the owner of Gen Cells Cures- http://www.msnusers.com/cures
Visit his site for information on cures for incurable diseases and aging.

You have my permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

By Gerald Armstrong

How to Make Your Civil War Uniform Shirt

Your own shirt designed and made by you for your own Civil War Uniform Impression is easy and economical. Follow these simple directions, and your Civil War uniform shirt will be exactly how you want it.

Take all of your girth measurements.

Using a tape measure, measure your chest, stomach and note the bigger of the two measurements. Write it all down in inches. Do not suck your stomach or chest in. Be sure you are in a comfortable position, so your shirt will fit properly.

Next, measure from top of shoulder to mid-thigh, so you can tell how long you want the shirt to be. Next, measure then from shoulder tip to wrist with arm bent at a 90 degree angle, so the sleeve will have enough room in it for you to move freely and comfortably.

Measure your bicep and wrist.

Measure your neck.

Start looking for material but don't buy anything until measurements are completed

Look at original photographs and decide which type of shirt you like and would be comfortable wearing on the march. Look at the collars and variations on how the neck is done. The collar is an easy part of the shirt to change also. A standard placard front with a slit for the head is desirable and very accurate.

Purchase a shirt pattern. Follow assembly procedures.

Now you are ready to choose your material. 100% cotton or Osnaburg is recommended. Muted colors are more of what was worn during the Civil War. If I were going to do a shirt just starting out, I would go with a red, white and/or blue homespun. I would stay away from real bright colors. Use muted-color fabrics. I think it looks much more accurate that way. The reason I said red, white, and blue is that both armies were patriotic and those color combinations were popular in the Civil War Era.

Hand topstitch around the pocket and neck. Your hand topstitching should be about 6 - 8 stitches per inch. If you do this hand stitching, you have just doubled the value of your shirt and jacket.

You probably will not start the hobby out as much of a tailor. My first few handmade items were a joke, but eventually I got to where I can put together a good uniform. I would stay away from shirts that were real fancy. If you don't want to make your own shirt, purchase a shirt that is already made that has machine buttonholes in it and rework the buttonholes to make it look more authentic. Take a seam ripper and pick out the buttonholes and handwork them. I would pick out and redo by hand all exposed machine stitching. Someone can show you how to do that in about 15 minutes. You have just doubled the value of your shirt and made it more authentic.

For photographs of shirt designs, patriotic combinations, and topstitching, go to http://www.civilwaruniforms.net/shirts.htm

Next, get yourself some good buttons. Stay away from plastic and modern buttons. Go with glass, bone, shell, metal, porcelain, 2-hole cat's eye or Mother of Pearl. Metal buttons are authentic, but they have the potential to rust and stain your fabric. Some of the sutlers that sell fabric and sewing items have buttons.

Or I have a ton of buttons I might be talked into parting with. Buttons can also be found at flea markets, antique stores, in old button baskets, tins or jars. Frequently, you can buy a whole jar of buttons for $3 - check out the buttons in it, and if you find a substantial antique buttons, it certainly is worth it. Sometimes the jar is as valuable as the buttons! I have found jars full of buttons with a hundred dollar button in it. Small items like buttons can make a huge difference and increase the value of your shirt, jacket, pants, etc.

http://www.civilwaruniforms.net/civilwarshirtbuttons.htm

Try to get solid brass buttons. Waterbury is good. Original buttons are a bit pricey but not out of the question. If you are getting U.S. Eagle buttons, sutlers have them. Stay away from the ones that are plated. I personally just use coin buttons. If you are doing a state regiment, you want to go with state seal buttons. "I" buttons are a good generic impression. For late war buttons, go with the Tate Script "I" which were coming in later in the war. U.S. buttons can go U.S. or Confederate. It would not be unusual to see an Eagle button on a Confederate uniform.

For more information on making your Civil War Uniforms Shirt and, send an email to shirt@civilwaruniforms.net Learn how to make your own wooden buttons!!

By Coach McCoach

The Crisis of Human Survival

Environmental Pollution

1. Damage to The Ozone Layer Causes Radiation Pollution

The hole in the ozone layer above the North Pole is becoming larger, allowing large volumes of ultraviolet radiation to fall directly on the Earth's surface, causing destruction and harm to humanity, and resulting in skin cancer and other bodily ailments. At the same time, it reduces the rate at which green plants photosynthesise, thereby reducing oxygen content in the atmosphere.

This has extreme negative effects on the Earth. Health organisations all over the world are continuously researching on ways of reducing such harmful effects on humanity. In a direct attempt to address the issue, many are actively looking into the effects of radiation, and taking measures to rectify the situation, such as through modifying the coolant compartments in automobiles and refrigerators, and setting up new guidelines for certain products.

2.Acid Rain

The emission of pollutants and toxic gases into the atmosphere has resulted in chemical reactions, which cause acid rain. Acid rain damages the environment by, for example, corroding the metals we use in car doors and buildings. It also harms human health; the first sign of prolonged exposure to acid rain is the onset of skin ailments.

3.Agro-Chemicals

Many of the agricultural products, which we consume regularly, are sprayed with chemical pesticides that are harmful to humans. Some of these products may reach the consumer before an interval of time that is necessary for them to be safe and fit for human consumption. Consumers may unwittingly purchase these quick-to-the-market agricultural products, still tainted with chemicals, and expose their family to the harmful effects of these pesticides. Prolonged accumulation of these chemicals can cause irreversible damage to our health.

4. The Contamination of Western Medicine

Frequently, we see a new phenomenon. Whether is it among a family member or in the office, as soon as someone catches a cold or cough, it will inevitably spread quickly to someone else. Besides the highly contagious nature of the virus, the body's low resistance to viruses also plays a part. The abusive use of antibiotics has resulted in viruses' resistance to medicines as well as deterioration of the human body's immunity system. The rates of contagious diseases are thus on the rise.

Air Pollution

Rapid worldwide industrialisation has increased the daily emission of toxic waste and gases. Vehicle exhaust fumes and dust are increasingly trapped in our environment and this is exacerbated in densely populated cities where smog blankets and traps polluted air.

Tobacoo SmokeÿPublic Places ÿ

The harmful effects of nicotine found in tobacco smoke are well documented. Passive smokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke in public places can also suffer from the same ill effects as smokers themselves - lung diseases, damages to our brain cells, heart problems, strokes, poor blood circulation and high blood pressure are some of the more well known illnesses associated with tobacco smoke.

Indoor Air Pollution

On average, we spend 80% of our time indoors. The high cost of living and pressure for space have resulted in smaller living areas, with a higher tendency of congestion and poorer ventilation. Coupled with an enclosed indoor environment, these living conditions often come with pollutants such as cigarette smoke, dust, fungi and spores, droppings from dust mites, chemicals from photocopying machines and construction materials (glue, paint) and smoke from cooking. Sustained exposure to these elements can cause cancer, respiratory ailments such as asthma, hypersensitive rhinitis, hypersensitive dermatitis, and deterioration of the immune system.

1. Cooking Smoke (Kitchen and Restaurant)

Research reveals that cooking a meal is equivalent to smoking six cigarettes. Although the proportion of women in China who smoke is small, the mortality rate of these women who suffer from pulmonary diseases is high. Epidemiologists suggest that there is a strong correlationship between this and the inhalation of smoke and oily fumes while cooking.

2. Recycling of Accumulated Carbon Dioxide (Office and Bedroom)

Prolonged inhalation of carbon dioxide in an enclosed or badly ventilated office can result in fatigue and lack of concentration among office workers. Fatigue felt after a long journey in the car is also similarly caused by poor circulation of air where there is insufficient oxygen to replace the carbon dioxide.

3. Bacteria and Fungus Found Living In Air Conditioners (Office Buildings, Hospitals, Homes, etc)

It is essential to clean the filters of all air-conditioning systems regularly, be it centralised or single units. Filth in the units will lead to the growth of micro-organisms which will flow into the room through the inlet duct when the air-conditioner is switched on. Many cases of asthma today is closely related to allergy to these micro-organisms.

4. Air Pollution by Chenical Substances (Home, Office)

The scents and odours of household products like insecticides, detergents, deodorisers, mosquito coils, hair gels, hair sprays, glue, correction fluid, calcium carbonate, etc, are sometimes unhealthy. They may even be cancer-causing.

The Change in Lifestyle

1. Changes In Diet

In the modern diet, chemical additives occupy nearly 65% of all daily food content. In addition, fashionable trends in fast food resulted in people taking in excessive animal fats and food with high cholesterol contents. Such changes in eating habits resulted in people consuming too much unhealthy products and thus health is affected.

2. Lack of Exercise

Oxygen is important to the body. With exercise, oxygen will help to strengthen cardiac and lung functions. Exercise will also help to burn excess fats and reduces intravascular LDL ( low density lipoprotein cholesterol) to prevent arteriosclerosis. Exercising will benefit the health but when done excessively, it will result in hypoxia and overproduction of free radicals causing physiological imbalance.

3. Mental Stress

Changes in the present living environment: reductions in natural greens making way for the metropolis jungle, inter-personal relationships becoming increasingly superficial. As life's pressures build up, so does stress in the workplace. The world of feelings and EQ succumb to imbalance. Many modern people suffer from the sickness of melancholy and this constitutes another concern of living in the modern society.

The Origin of Virus and Allergy

Man's endless devastation to Mother Nature has resulted in severe environmental pollutions, and nature is reacting. The constant mutation of bacteria and virus variations, coupled with the bustle of world trade, has lent favor to virus broadcast. With developments in aviation and frequent travel, viruses are being disseminated at lightning speed across the globe. Strange illness abound, the pace of medical research cannot keep up with the unexpected speed of viral mutation. Plagues continue to endanger lives of humans and livestock. Life on earth is seriously threatened.

In addition, while most allergies do not endanger life, they can cause a person to live unhealthily or become unhappy. An example is dust allergy. Asia has the world's highest incidences of asthma, 90% of such cases arises due to dust allergy. The common symptoms of dust allergy include: habitual early morning sneezes, running nose, blocked nose, cough, rhinitis, asthma, allergic conjunctivitis and uncommon dermatitis.

The above-mentioned issues constitute factors that threaten the survival of humanity, cause deterioration of health and increase mental stress, leading to unhealthy and unhappy lives.

By Nur Syahid