A brazier is a container for fire, generally taking the form of an upright standing or hanging metal bowl or box. Used for burning solid fuel, braziers principally provide heat and light, but may also be used for cooking and cultural rituals. Braziers have been recovered from many early archaeological sites, for example the Nimrud brazier recently excavated by the Iraqi National Museum, which dates back to at least 824 BCE.
History
Braziers are mentioned in the Bible. The Hebrew word for brazier is of Egyptian origin, suggesting an invention imported from Egypt. The only reference to it in the Bible is in Jeremiah 36:22-23, where braziers heat the winter palace of King Jehoiakim. In some churches a brazier is used to create a small fire, called new fire, which is then used to light the Paschal candle during the Easter Vigil.
The Roman Emperor Jovian was poisoned by the fumes from a brazier in his tent in CE 364, ending the line of Constantine. But despite the risks associated with burning charcoal on open fires, braziers were widely adopted as a source of domestic heat, particularly in the Spanish-speaking world. Fernando de Alva Cortés Ixtlilxochitl notes that the Tepanec Tlatoani in New Spain slept between two braziers because he was so old he produced no natural heat. In many areas they used to be considered healthier than fireplaces and chimneys, and continued to be one of the primary means of heating houses in Spain until the early 20th century. Gerald Brenan described the widespread habit in Spain in the 1920s of placing a brazier beneath a cloth-covered table to keep the legs and feet of the family warm on winter evenings.
When burned moist, rose and grapevine trimmings produce a pungent, sweet-smelling smoke, and make very good charcoal. When the charcoal fumes became overbearing, however, aromatics (lavender seeds, orange peel) were sometimes added to the embers in the brazier. A brazier used exclusively for burning aromatics (incense) is known as a censer or thurible.
A brazier holds a base layer of charcoal, over which loose incense can be sprinkled, and will produce more copious smoke than an open censer. A ventilated cover is common on brazier-styled censers, especially if you happen to find a Far Eastern design.
The Lost Bearded White Brother
Principles of CIT
Based on this theory, Taub developed a set of treatment principles designed to counteract learned non-use and enhance the underlying residual abilities of the impaired limb.
There were three treatment principles:
- 1. Constraint – avoid the compensation, in this case, by tying down the good limb (paw) of the animals he studied;
- 2. Forced use – require use of the impaired limb by placing the animals in circumstances where they needed to use it to achieve a meaningful goal (for example, acquiring food pellets); and
- 3. Massed practice – require the constraint and forced use every day and all day long.
In the last decade, Dr. Taub and many others have applied these three principles to humans. Results of these experiments suggest CIT is helpful in some cases. Emerging results of a randomized controlled trial by Dr. Steve Wolf of Emory University and others endorse the value of this approach at least with regard to arm rehabilitation.
CIT and Aphasia
Recently these same CIT principles have been applied to aphasia rehabilitation. In speech therapy, constraint means avoiding the use of compensatory strategies such as gesturing, drawing, writing, etc. Forced use means communicating only by talking; and massed practice refers to therapy occurring 2-4 hours per day.
The activities used in applying CIT principles to aphasia rehabilitation don’t differ substantially from what might be found in more traditional treatment approaches. However, what does differ are the demands placed on the speaker in the context of relevant, communicative exchange.
Preliminary investigations suggest that CIT principles may be effective in aphasia rehabilitation. However, this investigation is only beginning, and we are not able to say any more about its efficacy than that in some cases it appears to be helpful. Not only will further study be needed to confirm that CIT is effective with aphasia, these same studies are needed to confirm its safety. For example, some of the animal work by Dr. Tim Shallart and colleagues suggested that intensive CIT may be harmful when performed too early after a stroke. Thus the application of CIT to aphasia rehabilitation must be pursued with both enthusiasm and caution.
Evaluating new treatment approaches
Whenever a new intervention or approach to rehabilitation is considered, it is best to gather as much information as possible. Before beginning any rehabilitation program, you should determine that the provider is qualified, informed and experienced. However, when considering a product or program that is new or experimental, such as CIT applied to aphasia rehabilitation, it is equally important to evaluate how the program is portrayed and the evidence that supports it. Testimonials on promotional materials and uncontrolled case reports are considered the lowest level of evidence and should be supported by research published in professional journals.
Norma
Charcoal is a light, black residue, consisting of carbon and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen (see char and biochar). It is usually an impure form of carbon as it contains ash; however, sugar charcoal is among the purest forms of carbon readily available, particularly if it is not made by heating but by a dehydration reaction with sulfuric acid to minimise the introduction of new impurities, as impurities can be removed from the sugar in advance. The resulting soft, brittle, lightweight, black, porous material resembles coal.
Wiccan Charcoal
Long-burning, easy lighting charcoal tablets for use with incense burners, resin incenses, and powder incenses. Packaged in foil tubes, well sealed against moisture & dust. Charcoal for ritual and incense burning is a must have. Traditionally used in churches to burn incense within their services, you can use these self-igniting disks for your own purposes. Do you prefer loose or resin-type scents and smokes? Then these briquettes are convienent items to have in your witch’s bag! Our charcoal and charcoal accessories are sure to provide everything you need in your special and everyday practice.
Historically used as an antidote to poisoning – it actually absorbs the poisons – activated charcoal is great for removing toxins, both psychic and physical. In this manner, it works very well for purification rituals. It is known for its cleansing and protective abilities and is used to render a harmful situation neutral. It is also a commonly used incense ingredient to aid in burning.
How to use charcoal discs:
- You will need a heat proof plate or dish.
- Charcoal disc.
- Using a pair of tweezers or similar hold the charcoal disc, as they tend to light better this way I have found. (please do not use your fingers)
- Hold the flame to the edge of the charcoal disc, the disc will ignite and start to spark across the surface.
- Place the charcoal disc, well side up, onto your heatproof dish. Wait about 3 mins for your charcoal disc to heat up, you will see it turning grey.
- Now you are ready to add your incense to the well of the disc.
Charcoal discs get very hot so never hold directly when lighting. Always make sure the disc is completely cold before disposing of. Keep away from children and pets. Never leave unattended.
The Lost Bearded White Brother
Remember, when someone has aphasia:
- It is important to make the distinction between language and intelligence.
- Many people mistakenly think they are not as smart as they used to be.
- Their problem is that they cannot use language to communicate what they know.
- They can think, they just can’t say what they think.
- They can remember familiar faces.
- They can get from place to place.
- They still have political opinions, for example.
- They may still be able to play chess, for instance.
The challenge for all caregivers and health professionals is to provide people with aphasia a means to express what they know. Through intensive work in rehabilitation, gains can be made to avoid the frustration and isolation that aphasia can create.
For most, a stroke has a startling and life-altering effect on both the survivor and family members. All involved find themselves trying to come to terms with changes ranging from physical and sensory loss to loss of speech and language.
For many survivors, this loss or change in speech (dysarthria, apraxia) and language (aphasia) profoundly alters their social life. Ironically, research has shown that socializing is one of the best ways to maximize stroke recovery. Many experts contend that socializing should begin right away in the recovery process.
For many people living with aphasia, dysarthria or apraxia, the question then becomes: How can they socialize if they can’t communicate the way they used to?
Here are some tips you can use to begin your recovery:
- Educate yourself about aphasia so you can learn a new way to communicate.
- Close family members need to be involved so they can understand their loved one’s communication needs and begin to learn ways to facilitate speech and language.
- Experiment with strategies that facilitate social interaction during your rehabilitation.
- Many stroke survivors with communication challenges compensate by writing or drawing to supplement verbal expression, or use gestures or a picture communication book, or even a computer communication system.
Family members can facilitate communication with some simple techniques:
- Ask yes/no questions.
- Paraphrase periodically during conversation.
- Modify the length and complexity of conversations.
- Use gestures to emphasize important points.
- Establish a topic before beginning conversation.
Your environment also can help support successful socialization. Survivors have told us that it is easiest to begin practicing conversation in a one-on-one situation with someone they are comfortable with and who understands communication disorders.
In addition:
- Practice conversation in a quiet, distraction-free environment.
- As you become more confident, slowly add more conversational partners but continue to limit distractions such as background noise (music, other talking, TV).
- As you become more comfortable in one-to-one or small group interactions, explore less-controlled social situations with your speech-language pathologist, close friends and family, or other stroke survivors.
- Before you attend these gatherings, practice common things discussed in a variety of situations. For example, “How are you?” “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”
Practice a few statements about current events: “Did you see the basketball game?” or “Boy, we are having beautiful weather!” - The more you practice this script, the greater your chances for success.
- Family members can prepare written cues, or organize pictures to promote interactions.
Once you achieve a level of comfort with close family and friends, you can start getting involved in the community by:
- Going to familiar large group activities such as church events or weekly social gatherings.
- Volunteering, returning to work or joining a new interest group.
- Remembering there’s no rush. You should step into this stage at a comfortable pace.
- Attending a stroke support group.
Speakeasy’s tips for communicating with speech and language limitations in social settings:
- Try, try, try to get your point across no matter what anybody says or thinks.
- If waiters speak too fast when you go out to dinner, ask them to slow down.
- Try one-on-one conversations.
- When talking on the phone with a new person, repeat, “I’m a stroke survivor… can you understand me?”
- Make a point to go out and interact with people – socializing is an important part of recovery.
- No matter who tells you that you can’t, it’s always possible to keep recovering!
Remember that the speech and language changes stroke survivors experience can last a lifetime in some form or another. As life circumstances change, and your speech and language needs evolve, reevaluate what works and what has not worked in social situations. And continue to expand your horizons.
Norma
Common salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in its natural form as a crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantities in seawater, where it is the main mineral constituent; the open ocean has about 35 grams of solids per litre, a salinity of 3.5%. Salt is essential for animal life, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes. The tissues of animals contain larger quantities of salt than do plant tissues; therefore the typical diets of nomads who subsist on their flocks and herds require little or no added salt, whereas cereal-based diets require supplementation. Salt is one of the oldest and most ubiquitous of food seasonings, and salting is an important method of food preservation.
Some of the earliest evidence of salt processing dates to around 8,000 years ago, when people living in Romania were boiling spring water to extract the salts; a salt-works in China has been found which dates to approximately the same period. Salt was prized by the ancient Hebrews, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Hittites and the Egyptians. Salt became an important article of trade and was transported by boat across the Mediterranean Sea, along specially built salt roads, and across the Sahara in camel caravans. The scarcity and universal need for salt has led nations to go to war over salt and use it to raise tax revenues. Salt is also used in religious ceremonies and has other cultural significance.
Wiccan Salt
“Salt! Oh, salt. Okay, consider me braced.”
So, in folklore, salt has always been a way of warding off “evil spirits”. It was always thought that a ring of salt around a area would protect it.
Salt has also been thought of as an energy absorber. This is why people often use it to cleanse ritual space. These two reasons contribute most to the tradition of putting a ring of salt around a ritual a read. A circle of salt around an area prevents negative entities and demons from crossing into it. You can make a line of salt along a door or windowsill to make it impassable.
I’ve found that the most common tool recommended is salt, and I trusted this information because it was generally agreed upon by the magical community. I believed this until it was tested, and it failed. I guess that’s the way all things work.
So I did some research and I did some testing, and most of all, I did some thinking. Salt is normally used as the physical representation of the circle, it is used in cleansing solutions for tools, it’s used to protect against anything that goes bump in the night, but why is it used for all of these things?
Many different magical traditions call for the use of salt in spells and ritual. For centuries, it’s been known as a very magical – and also very valuable – ingredient. But why is salt such a magical item? Let’s look at some of the history behind the use of salt in magic, and some of the ways it’s commonly used in folklore and legend.
In many Eastern belief systems, such as Buddhism and Shintoism, salt is used both as a purifier and to repel evil.
In parts of Germany, Normandy, and Scotland, salt is used in or around a butter churn to keep witches from souring the butter or harming the cow from which the cream was obtained.
Irish folk remedies include the use of salt, combined with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, to cure those who might have been “fairy-struck”. A similar story comes from Bavaria and the Ukraine, in which salt is used to determine if a child is bewitched.
Egyptian caravans setting out on a journey across the desert used to perform a ritual that involved burning salt on hot coals. This was done to ensure that evil spirits wouldn’t get in the way of the travelers.
Often, salt is used in purification spells. It can be incorporated into smudging and asperging, and in some NeoWiccan traditions it is used on the altar to represent the element of earth. It should be noted that some groups associate salt with water, because of its origins in the sea.
Wiccan Black Salt
Black salt, which is a blend of regular salt and other ingredients, is used in protection magic in some traditions. Now I know you are asking yourself. “Witch… Why would I need black salt when Supernatural shows us that plain salt is just fine?”
Well, Let me Explain.
Black Salt is normally used to banish or drive away negative things. It can be used to protect your home and garden area by sprinkling it around the property line. To protect from things general getting in your house you can put Black Salt in the corners of the room or across the door step. It is also used to remove negative spells that have been cast on a person. In general, Salt itself is a great purifying agent. Black Salt is more about protection and the banishment of all things negative.
You can use anything dry that has a black tone. Charcoal, Ashes, Scrapings from your cauldron/cast iron bowl or skillet, even Pepper is often used.
The Lost Bearded White Brother
Chapter 12
Early in the morning, the word from the scouts was that traces of Nathalia’s passage were found in the vicinity of the small fishing village of Dugra, near the enchanted forest. She was travelling quickly with one guard and Lady Maria. After a short rest in Dugra she headed into the forest. This news was good. Ludger decided to travel to Dugra then into the forest, retracing Nathalia’s steps. He would leave by midday accompanied by Balnor, Dregnar and Bacchus. They would take the truck to speed up their travel.
He loaded his equipment in the back of the truck and checked all the fluids’ levels. He refilled the gas tanks with his spare containers, while Dregnar helped Bacchus into the back of the truck. They settle themselves amongst the equipment. Balnor eyed the passenger seat with suspicion. Under Ludger’s prodding he finally climbed into it.
When Ludger started the engine the sound frightened the scribe. His reaction was similar to Dregnar’s when he had first been a passenger, he jumped out of the truck. It took a great deal of persuasion on Ludger’s part to convince him to retake his seat. After a long argument, that Dregnar was not helping by laughing hysterically, Balnor finally relented. They eventually got under way.
They wound their way slowly through the streets of the city, under the glazed stares of the crowds, working to reconstruct the broken buildings. They exited the city through the southwest gate. The air was heady with the fish aroma of the docks. The sea was gently rolling and the activity was abnormally subdued at the fish market. As they followed the coast they met many groups of fishermen or peasants with their families and possessions, who were moving grimly toward the city.
They stopped one of these families, whose patriarch nervously acquiesced their request for information. The sturdy old man sitting in front of the rickety cart, holding in his hands the reins of the two large placid oxen, told them.
“We are running away from the pillaging of the evil armies. They are rumoured to haunt the region.” He slapped without looking, one of the dirty youngsters, who was climbing on his back, and continued. “I think we have a better chance of survival in the city. We can help rebuilding the fortifications and my eldest sons can join the dwindling ranks of the army.”
Ludger sent them off with his blessing. He was proud of those people who had decided not to resign themselves to their faith. It furthered his resolve to help them as best as he could.
After a restless night in an abandoned beach hut, where their sleep was interrupted regularly by strange noises from the sea, they resumed their progress early in the cold misty morning. By mid-morning, as they crested a rolling hill, they saw -on the horizon- the telltale dark band of the elven forest. They hoped to be there by the next day. Their progress was growing increasingly difficult, due to the frequent thaws -due to the closeness of the warmer sea- breaking the already damaged surface of the road.
At the end of the day they stopped to stretch their legs by a deep fissure in the side of a low hill. Ludger was leaning against the grill guard, watching Bacchus lick one of her forepaws. Suddenly her ears turned toward the fissure. She excitedly bolted into the dark crack. Sounds of a vicious fight soon reached Ludger’s ears. He instructed his friends to return to the relative protection of the truck. He grabbed his sword and dashed in the direction of the noise.
When he was about to reach the fissure a large cat-like animal ran out, tail between its legs. With one mighty surge it jumped at him. Ludger dropped to one knee. He thrust his ready sword in the centre of the creatures body. The dark feline lifelessly collapsed on him, knocking his body off balance in the muddy snow. He pushed the twitching remains of the cat off him and stood up slightly dazed. Loud barks brought him back to reality. He dived into the crack to investigate.
After only a few yards, the narrow fissure widened into an elongated semi-circular area where a drama was unfolding. A tall elegant man of slender built, wearing tracker’s greens, was laying down, wounded. He was fighting for his life, with the help of Bacchus, against a large hairy, deformed beast in tattered clothing. The creature was wielding a large spiked club and bashing at the fallen man. If it was not for Bacchus’s distracting attacks the combat would have been over a long time ago.
Ludger quickly assessed the situation. He lunged at the creature sword held high. The husky creature, with lighting reflexes that its bulk did not promise, flicked its club at Ludger’s sword and knocked it out of his hands. A second blow landed square in the middle of Ludger’s chest, lifting him right off the ground. He landed hard amongst the rocks. If it had not been for his chainmail, Ludger was sure that he would have perished from massive internal injuries.
The creature, sure of having disposed of Ludger, returned its attention to the fallen man. Ludger pulled out his long kukri and stealthily approached the creature’s back. He jumped at it. While he wrapped his legs around the creature’s thick middle, he slipped his left arm around its neck. The muscles of the creature felt like rippling steel under its leathery hide. Fingers as powerful as a vice dug into Ludger’s arm. He groaned loudly at the painful, crushing grip. With his free hand he brought his curved blade to the creature’s neck. With a jerk he pulled it toward him. The creature lurched wildly. Slowly, the hulking beast fell backward. After a bone crushing crash, Ludger was pinned under the bulk of the creature. He struggled and finally managed to roll it of his chest.
Panting, Ludger slowly stood up. He wiped his bloody blade on the creatures tattered clothing and sheathed it. He retrieved his sword and turned toward the fallen man. The tall man was fighting Bacchus’s affectionate attacks.
After Ludger regained his breath, he called Bacchus to attention. He bowed deeply and said to the man.
“Let me introduce myself. I am Ludger of the Mist of Dreams at your service. My friends and I were passing nearby, when my dog heard a scuffle. She led me to your help. Whom might I have the privilege to address.”
Ludger felt very proud of his statement. The fallen man replied.
“Thank you, Sir Ludger. My name is Lynor, son of Valnor of Elvanor.”
“I am pleases to make your acquaintance, Your Highness.”
“Please call me Lynor, There cannot be any formality between us, I owe you my life.”
“If you prefer, Lynor. Let me have a look at your ankle.”
Ludger crouched and examined the swollen ankle of the young Prince. He continued.
“It seems to be only a sprain. I will help you back to my vehicle and tend to your injuries.”
Ludger helped the Prince back to his foot and supported him as he hobbled back to the truck. Luckily the tall man was slender and his weight was negligible on Ludger’s shoulders. When they exited the fissure, Balnor and Dregnar ran to their help. The scribe was surprised when he recognized the Prince, but not as much as Lynor when he saw the truck. He looked at it mouth agape, then back to Ludger. He said.
“Then, it is true. Our elders had sensed a disturbance in the universal fabric and there has been rumours of a hero from another world helping us against the evil hordes.”
“Hero is a big word, I am just doing my best to help you since I now have to share your world.”
Ludger opened the tailgate of the Suzuki and installed the Prince as comfortably as was possible on his bedroll, amongst the equipment. He taped his ankle with a wide elastic bandage. He then filled a large plastic bag full of snow, sealed it and placed the Prince’s swollen ankle on it. He gave Lynor some strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory tablets.
Ludger moved the vehicle to a secluded area that Lynor assessed to be safe. With the help of Dregnar he raised the soft top over it. He lit a small catalytic heater and a camp stove. He then prepared a hasty meal. They would rest for a few hours and listen to the Prince’s tale, then slowly proceed toward Dugra.
Over a steaming cup of herbal tea, Lynor told his story.
“For the last few months, rumours of a massive army of dark elves assembling in front of the Gates of Doom, have circulated around our Kingdom. These blood relative of ours have eschewed the elders and turned to the dark forces. They would make a vicious enemy to any army. Then, last week, we heard rumours from Dugra about fighting mermen that were attacking the coast with the help of ogres and their fighting sand-cats. My father, King Valnor, sent me to investigate these rumours.
I had confirmed my father’s suspicions and was following a group of ogres, when I slipped and sprained my ankle. I slipped in the fissure to recuperate. I was awaiting the departure of the ogres, who had set up camp in a nearby clearing. A scouting ogre cornered me with his sand-cat. These creatures are trained to viciously attack humans. Only the judicious arrival of your dog saved me from the sand-cat and yours from the ogre.”
“I am glad to have been of any help. We are, ourselves, following in the path of Princess Nathalia, who was last seen near Dugra. Have you found any traces of her?”
“She is sound and safe in Elvanor with her friend, Lady Maria. She was rescued by a party of our trackers from an attack by trolls and goblins. She was brought back to my father’s palace.”
“We would be honoured to drive you to Elvanor ourselves. We were looking for the Princess, but are also on a diplomatic mission from King Arexis to request aid from your father, King Valnor.”
“I will gladly guide you into Elvanor and arrange an audience with the King.”
The conversation soon died down. The men arranged themselves as comfortably as possible to take a short rest. Ludger reclined his seat back and showed Balnor how to do so with his own. He set the alarm on his watch for a few hours hence. Soon the only sounds heard in the truck were the regular breathing of its passengers and the soft whistling of the catalytic heater.
Ludger awoke to the cheerful musical chimes of his watch’s alarm. He angrily turned it off. He had always hated alarms of any sort. He normally woke up on time without their help, but now he was too tired to do so. He turned on the overhead bezel light. He woke up his crew, who protested loudly. As he brewed some herbal tea, he made a mental note to bring back some coffee from the Mist on his next visit home. He could not stand the bitter tea of these parts.
They partook in a cold lunch. After everything was stowed safely, Ludger announced his intention to proceed to Dugra. Balnor protested.
“How can we travel at night. It is so dark on this cloudy night, that we cannot even see a yard in front of us.”
Ludger started the engine and said.
“Let there be light.” As he switched on the headlights.
A gasp of amazement came from his passengers, but the biblical allusion was lost on them. In turn, Ludger turned on the powerful auxiliary driving lamps and wide beam fog lights. The wooded rolling hills in front of them were better illuminated than by daylight. Taking a handheld spotlight from its bracket under the dashboard, Ludger said.
“And if we want to see on the side or back, we use this.”
He rolled down his window and flicked on the light with his thumb. The powerful beam of the searchlight petrified a group of goblins that were standing less than 10 feet from the truck. They were as startled as Ludger was. He switched the light to his left hand and grabbed the silenced MAC 10 from the floor. As soon as it was pointed in the general direction of the ungainly creatures, the small submachine gun hiccupped in his hand and laid devastation in its path. The leading goblin literally exploded in a spray of bloody gore. Ludger dropped the empty magazine to the floor. He put, grip up, the empty gun on his lap. As he reached for a loaded magazine in a pocket in his door, he yelled to Balnor.
“Roll down your window”
He slammed the magazine in place and handed the searchlight to the scribe. Leaning to the passenger side he emptied the gun in the direction of his attackers. He dropped the empty gun on Balnor’s lap, switched off the searchlight, put the truck in gear and raced out of the clearing. They bounced heavily through deep ruts. As they passed under some low laying branches, the screaming shape of a troll jumped at them. He landed hard on the bonnet. He hung at the side mirror trying to get in. Ludger tried to push the creature off but it was hanging on for dear life. Finding his action futile, Ludger finally grabbed his 45 from his hip and thumbed the safety off. As the troll tried to get in, he punched it in the chest with the muzzle of the gun. He jerked the trigger twice in succession. Twin tongues of fire jetted from the handgun’s compensator. They were accompanied by a deafening report. The creature’s chest exploded as it fell backward, arms flailing, into the darkness.
Ludger put the safety back on and holstered his gun. He concentrated on his driving before their escape ended down a hill or around a tree. They reached the muddy road. Ludger, using all of his skills as a rally driver, took the way to Dugra. He was pushing at the limit of control on this unfamiliar path. The Suzuki was more often than not flying through the cold winter air and landing heavily with a resounding crash. He was going through the curves, skidding sideways with his front wheels in opposite lock. His passengers and equipment were getting battered. They were relentlessly thrown back and forth. Ludger felt like he had all the daemons of hell pursuing him. In a way he was not far off. After many long minutes of this infernal rate of progress, sanity slowly came back to him. The adrenalin rush faded and he decided that their was no reasons to kill them all. He slowed down imperceptively bellow the ragged edge. A few minutes later he slowed down, to the great relief of his companions, to a more comfortable pace.
He drove silently for close to two hours. In the middle of a long stretch of road, where they could see to the limit of his driving lights’ illumination, he rolled to a stop. He turned on a rear facing halogen light. With a sigh Ludger slumped forward on the steering wheel. Balnor inquired about his health. After a few long, silent, minutes Ludger raised his head and said with disgust.
“I could have killed us all. I should never have gone to sleep without posting a guard first. This was shamefully stupid of me. I jeopardized our mission. I am not cut off for this kind of work.”
Lynor who was disentangling himself from the equipment, said.
“Do not blame yourself, everybody was tired and needed rest. I am the one who chose that area as safe to set camp. If it had not been for your quick reflexes, we would all be troll sustenance by now.” Looking at Dregnar he continued. “Nothing personal of course.”
Balnor, always his calm self, said.
“I totally agree, no one is to be blamed. We are lucky to have escaped and that is the most important. I suggest that we rearrange ourselves more comfortably, then proceed calmly to Dugra.”
Everybody agreed gruffly. Ludger reloaded his firearms and stepped out of the truck. He went to the back to help restack the equipment. He emptied Lynor’s snow pack, that was now mostly water by now, and refilled it with fresh snow. When everything was secured, he pulled out a wineskin and some chocolate confections. He squirted some wine in his mouth and broke off a few pieces of the chocolate. He passed the rest around. After closing up the back, he returned to the driver’s seat.
Balnor handed him back the wine. He took a few more gulps and passed it back. He turned off the back light and the small bezel on the rollbar. With a sigh he put the truck in gear and accelerated on the slippery road. Large lazy snowflakes soon made their appearance, cheering up the bleak landscape. They thudded wetly on the windscreen. Ludger was forced to turn on the wipers. He went on slowly with only the regular squeaks of the wipers and a quartet of light snores breaking the monotony of the trip.
They reached Dugra at dawn. The little village was deserted. Many houses showed signs of combat. Broken windows, doors hanging crookedly from their hinges and collapsed, burnt outbuildings added to the oppressive gloominess of this place. The only sign of life was present on the quays. Only one fishing boat remained in the protected inlet around which was built the village. A few silhouettes were moving around it.
They decided to investigate. Ludger drove down the main street to the edge of the water. He parked the truck near the end of the dock where the fishing boat was moored. Ludger helped Lynor out of the truck. With the Prince leaning on his shoulder they walked toward the boat. They had decided to leave Dregnar and Bacchus hidden in the truck, not to arouse any suspicions.
A crusty grey haired man with powerful, callused hands hailed them. He was accompanied by a couple of burly young men. They were looking at them with misgivings. Lynor returned the greeting.
“I am Lynor of Elvanor, could you tell me what happened to mayor Myrtle and the rest of the villagers?”
The grey haired man replied.
“The ones that survived the combined attacks of the mermen and the ogres, fled by boat to the capital a few days ago. We are the only ones remaining.”
“Why have you stayed here?”
“Me and my sons were born here and we plan to die here. Our boat is strong. We do not fear the mermen and the ogres cannot reach us at sea. We plan to remain here and make their life miserable for as long as we can.”
“May the Gods help you in your endeavour. I wish you many victories against our enemies.”
Lynor and Ludger turned away. They left these determined idealists to their faith. Ludger wished them well but could see the futility of their efforts. The he realized that his own efforts were not based on much firmer grounds. He murmured to himself.
“I guess that each of us need his own windmills to attack.”
Lynor looked strangely at him. Ludger shook his head to discourage any comments on the Prince’s part. They climbed back in the truck. Lynor told the sad news to his companions. Ludger slowly drove out of town. An hour later they were in the enchanted forest.
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From 1990: One Way Ticket To Talenthar
The Sass
Wernicke’s Aphasia (receptive)
People with serious comprehension difficulties have what is called Wernicke’s aphasia and:
- Often say many words that don’t make sense.
- May fail to realize they are saying the wrong words; for instance, they might call a fork a “gleeble.”
- May string together a series of meaningless words that sound like a sentence but don’t make sense.
- Have challenges because our dictionary of words is shelved in a similar region of the left hemisphere, near the area used for understanding words.
Broca’s Aphasia (expressive)
When a stroke injures the frontal regions of the left hemisphere, different kinds of language problems can occur. This part of the brain is important for putting words together to form complete sentences. Injury to the left frontal area can lead to what is called Broca’s aphasia. Survivors with Broca’s aphasia:
- Can have great difficulty forming complete sentences.
- May get out some basic words to get their message across, but leave out words like “is” or “the.”
- Often say something that doesn’t resemble a sentence.
- Can have trouble understanding sentences.
- Can make mistakes in following directions like “left, right, under, and after.”
“Car…bump…boom!” This is not a complete sentence, but it certainly expresses an important idea. Sometimes these individuals will say a word that is close to what they intend, but not the exact word; for example they may say “car” when they mean “truck.”
A speech pathologist friend mentioned to a patient that she was having a bad day. She said, “I was bitten by a dog.” The stroke survivor asked, “Why did you do that?” In this conversation, the patient understood the basic words spoken, but failed to realize that the words of the sentence and the order of the words were critical to interpreting the correct meaning of the sentence, that the dog bit the woman and not vice versa.
Global Aphasia
When a stroke affects an extensive portion of the front and back regions of the left hemisphere, the result may be global aphasia. Survivors with global aphasia:
- May have great difficulty in understanding words and sentences.
- May have great difficulty in forming words and sentences.
- May understand some words.
- Get out a few words at a time.
- Have severe difficulties that prevent them from effectively communicating.
Norma
Glock 21
Remarkable for its accuracy and light recoil, the GLOCK 21 delivers the legendary stopping power of the .45 AUTO round with a 10/13 round magazine capacity. Countless law enforcement units swear by the G21 pistol, and that’s why this powerful, lightweight, all climate workhorse is standard issue from the North to South Poles.
Glock pistols chambered for the .45 ACP feature octagonal polygonal rifling rather than the hexagonal shaped bores used for models in most other chamberings. Octagonal rifling provides a better gas seal in relatively large diameter rifled bores, since an octagon resembles a circle more closely than a hexagon.
The Glock 21 is a .45 ACP version of the Glock 20 designed primarily for the American market. Compared to the Glock 20 chambered in 10mm Auto, the slide of the Glock 21 is lighter to compensate for the lower-energy .45 ACP cartridge. The standard Glock 21 magazine is of the single-position-feed, staggered-column type with a capacity of 13 rounds.
The Glock 21SF is a version of the Glock 21 that utilizes the Short Frame (SF) which is based on the standard G21 frame (same width), but reduces the trigger reach from the back of the grip by 2.5 mm (0.098 in) and the heel of the pistol is shortened by 4 mm (0.16 in) so the trigger can be reached and operated better by users with relatively small hands.
The Sass
A mirror is an object that reflects light in such a way that, for incident light in some range of wavelengths, the reflected light preserves many or most of the detailed physical characteristics of the original light. This is different from other light-reflecting objects that do not preserve much of the original wave signal other than color and diffuse reflected light.
Mirror Magick
Samhain is a time to do some serious divination – it’s the time of year when the veil between our world and that of the spirits is at its thinnest, and that means it’s the perfect season to look for messages from the metaphysical. Scrying is one of the best known forms of divination, and can be done in a variety of ways. Basically, it’s the practice of looking into some sort of reflective surface — such as water, fire, glass, dark stones, etc. — to see what messages, symbols, or visions may appear. A scrying mirror is a simple black-backed mirror, and it’s easy to make one yourself.
Any mirror can be enchanted by the Sun to become a magick mirror. They can be portals into other realms, they can be used for divination, or for spells, and they can be used to reflect a spell back onto the sender. I personally don’t recommend using a mirror to reflect baneful energy back to the sender and I wouldn’t post a spell that can cause harm to another.
Why not use a mirror to reflect back baneful energy? Here are some reasons:
- 1. Sometimes, the problems we are encountering are not actually being created by an outside force, but are manifestations of unhealthy habits or thoughts from within ourselves. If you use mirror magick to reflect back the unwanted energy to it’s source, then you would be attacking yourself. You would be causing harm to yourself.
- 2. Sometimes we are effected by a stream of energy that has been unintentionally directed at us. A person who is not adept at witchcraft could easily send out baneful energy willy-nilly after unwittingly creating a Cone of Power though intense anger or rage without conscious intention of harm. If you, as a witch consciously return that energy to the sender, you are harming someone who meant you no harm.
- 3. The Law of Three will return the harmful energy you three-fold. The basic laws of magick are that everything you do causes something to happen. Whatever you do comes back to you.
- 4. If you are being consciously attacked by someone who is adept at focusing and channeling energy, then you can be sure that they are also adept at sensing the energy reflected back. So then, the attacker would reflect the reflected energy back at you, and then you would reflect the energy back. Do you see where this is going? You would end up with a battle of energy balls being fired back and forth forever.
- 5. If you consciously put up mirror barriers with the intention of sending back harmful energy, you will awaken the attention of the Watchtower Guardians. Mirror energy passes through the Astral Plane and comes to the immediate attention of the Guardians where it is dealt with immediately. If you are sending back harmful energy the Guardians perceive it as “attack” energy sent towards a specific target. The Guardians will follow the energy source back to you and deal with it.
The Lost Bearded White Brother
Language is much more than words. It involves our ability to recognize and use words and sentences. Much of this capability resides in the left hemisphere of the brain. When a person has a stroke or other injury that affects the left side of the brain, it typically disrupts their ability to use language.
Through language, we:
- Communicate our inner thoughts, desires, intentions and motivations.
- Understand what others say to us.
- Ask questions.
- Give commands.
- Comment and interchange.
- Listen.
- Speak.
- Read.
- Write.
A stroke that affects the left side of the brain may lead to aphasia, a language impairment that makes it difficult to use language in those ways. Aphasia can have tragic consequences.
People with aphasia:
- May be disrupted in their ability to use language in ordinary circumstances.
- May have difficulty communicating in daily activities.
- May have difficulty communicating at home, in social situations, or at work.
- May feel isolated.
Scientists and clinicians who study how language is stored in the brain have learned that different aspects of language are located in different parts of the left hemisphere. For example, areas in the back portions allow us to understand words. When a stroke affects this posterior or back part of the left hemisphere, people can have great difficulty understanding what they hear or read.
Imagine going to a foreign country and hearing people speaking all around you. You would know they were using words and sentences. You might even have an elemental knowledge of that language, allowing you to recognize words here and there, but you would not have command of the language and couldn’t follow most conversation. This is what life is like for people with comprehension problems.
People with comprehension problems:
- Know that people are speaking to them.
- Can follow some of the melody of sentences – realizing if someone is asking a question or expressing anger.
- May have great difficulty understanding specific words.
- May have great difficulty understanding how words go together to convey a complete thought.
Norma