Socyberty » august

Don’t Mix Up Your Ulstermans

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:01:47 +0000

Everyone in Triond has heard the username “Ulsterman.” However, not every Ulsterman is Ulsterman. Let us look at the use of this name in history and at present and discover some interesting things.

(1) Ulsterman 1

The Ulsterman formerly of Triond and who still is very much a part of Triond’s Hot Content List writes about US President Obama. He says that a White House insider informs him of all the goings-on there. It is felt by many that he is the political version of Triond writer Mnofdichotomy. The latter gives fake stories about “dead” celebrities while the former allegedly gives fake stories about the living celebrity in the White House. I emphasize the word “allegedly.”

See his Triond profile at http://www.triond.com/users/Ulsterman or his website at http://theulstermanreport.com/.

(2) Ulsterman 2

How many of you have heard about the great train robbery of August 1963 in Buckinhamshire, England? It is so called as it was one of the biggest train robberies in England if not the biggest. Fifteen men robbed a train while there were two key informants that were not at the scene. One of the key informants was a man known only as “the ulsterman.” Quoting Wikipedia it says:

“The two key informants who brought the idea to robbers’ attention were solicitor’s clerk Brian Field and the unknown “Ulsterman“, who has never been identified or caught.”

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Train_Robbery_%281963%29 . He was said to have had an Irish accent perhaps leading to the nickname “Ulsterman.” That leads us to the next term “Ulsterman.”

(3) Ulsterman 3

One of the four provinces of Ireland is Ulster. The provinces are Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster. Ulster is to the top of Ireland and is the red region in the picture below.

Image Source: Wikipedia

Any man coming from that Northern Ireland region can be called an “Ulsterman.”

So if you should hear that Ulsterman did this or that, in all fairness, do not be too quick to say that it was the Ulsterman of Triond fame. Do not mix up the Ulsterman that helped pull off a train robbery in August 8th 1963, with the Ulsterman that joined Triond in August 11th 2009. One has to do with a train the other with Triond though both can be regarded as informants. This is not a plug for Ulsterman but for fairness and to compare and contrast history. My sole interaction with him was when he commented on my wordplay quiz about top Triond writers entitled Take The Trionder’s Triond Quiz on Seven Top Content Writers | Writinghood.

You may be interested in reading the following articles:

The Hot Content List Writers and The Order They Joined Triond | Writinghood

Take The Trionder’s Triond Quiz on Seven Top Content Writers | Writinghood

Breaking News: Ulsterman May Not Have Left Triond | Webupon

Shelpeare’s Definitive Guide to When Triond Writers Joined | Writinghood

If you want to write online and earn royalties why not join Triond here:

Triond – Publish Writing, Poetry, Music, Video & Content Online

Dangerous Lyric by August

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 05:58:05 +0000

i can see how this led
you`re a charm, debonair
raise the flags, put up my guard
you`re a threat to the safety of my heart
now don`t you tell me to put my defenses down
i will not while you are around

you`re dangerous
i see the web you`re weaving
you`re dangerous
who do you think you`re deceiving
you`re dangerous
there`s no way i`ll give this heart up to a stranger
you`re a clear and present danger

i ain`t fooled by your disguise
you have intentions, it`s in your eyes
you`re using the friend card to infer trade
but i won`t fall victim, i won`t take the bade
no, so don`t you tell me to put my defenses down
i will not while you are around

you`re dangerous
i see the web you`re weaving
you`re dangerous
who do you think you`re deceiving
you`re dangerous
there`s no way i`ll give up this heart to a stranger
you`re a clear and present danger

you`re dangerous
danger, danger
you`re dangerous
danger, danger
you`re dangerous
danger, danger
you`re dangerous
danger, danger, danger

now you`re moving in quick
you`re going straight for the kill
you found your mark and not stopping until
you got me captive, you set up your trap
i fell, oh i fell

you`re dangerous
i see the web you weaving
you`re dangerous
who do you think you`re deceiving
you`re dangerous
there`s no way i`ll give up this heart to a stranger
you`re a clear and present danger

you`re dangerous
danger, danger
you`re dangerous
danger, danger
you`re dangerous
danger, danger
you`re dangerous
danger, danger, danger

Virgo

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:35:17 +0000

Anyway, for you archetypical Virgos, here’s your profile, according to the experts.

Now intelligent and analytical, we can agree with. It does say that we’re shy and can be difficult to land as a partner. Maybe that’s why we’re writing this on a Saturday night when all those Aquarius and Pisces are out there living it up.

The age of Virgo in the astrologers’ Great Year took place circa 13000-10750 BCE. Not too much going on there. It was the end of the Ice Age (well, we’re also considered cool and aloof – it figures). It was also marked by spawning the hunter-gatherer culture and clay pottery has been discovered in artifacts from this period of time. This also marked the first use of agriculture by Man…er, WOMAN. Virgo IS represented by a woman, you know. The only zodiac sign that does so.

The best match for Virgo is Capricorn and the worst is Aquarius. One thing some experts say about the Virgo is that while they appear cool and aloof on the outside, they may be hiding emotion that is almost too intense. We’re so grateful someone recognizes this that we may have to briefly disappear and weep in a corner somewhere for a few minutes.

Some of our favorite authors and other celebrated figures were also Virgos. Leonard Bernstein, Mary Godwin Shelley (author of “Frankenstein”), Margaret Trudeau and…Mickey Mouse!

Leo

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:23:15 +0000

The Age of Leo in the astrological Great Year was between 10750 and 8600 BCE. It was characterized by the Stone Age, and the first towns (Jericho).

A group of lions is called a pride, and this is a characteristic of the Leo personality as well, sometimes to its detriment. But Leos are also highly self-disciplined and will rarely allow any personality characteristic to get out of control.

They make warm-hearted and trusting partners, but can be extremely hurt and let down if this trust is abused. They have a strong sex drive which can make it difficult for them to stay with any one partner for long.

Leos like to be the center of attention and have powerful egos. They can be resentful if they’re not the center of attention. Leos occasionally need to remember that less is more and they can attract as much attention if they stop trying so hard to get it. It’s that pride thing, again.

There are many, many Leos in the arts and film. Some of them include Zelda Fitzgerald and Alexandre Dumas, Andy Warhol and Neil Armstrong, Roman Polanski and Robert DeNiro.

Which signs are the best and worst matches for the Leo. Surprisingly, the best match is Aries, although you’d think two headstrong signs like these two wouldn’t make a good pair. But it’s their strong character and passion that makes them a good pair. The worst sign for Leo is a Virgo. Leos tend to be a little more dominating than is good for a Virgo

GRANDEUR’S COARSE

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:46:44 +0000

“The word ‘Nigger’ cuts deep into the root of this country and should not be banished or ignored. The term ‘Nigga,’ so deeply embraced by current hip-hop culture, is the result of a generation in need of new intellectuals.”-Troi “Star” Torain Let’s talk about hate. No, I do not refer to just some reckless sense of playerhating. Rather, I mean full, pure, icy, burning Hate. Clear your mind of concerns about your shine getting confiscated or someone smudging your new shoes. Hate is similar to gravity: a weak force yet it still is capable of keeping your backside on the face of the Earth. If you haven’t already done so, you ought to understand how this emotion is best showcased on a YouTube screen near you (while the videos are still available). The “Unforgivable” series and companion videos like “The Visitor” and “The Long Afternoon” also produced by the videomakers Logan W. Hodge, Gunnar Fritz Stansson and Randall Haworth are responses to the current cultural climate where filth and the freshness of awareness strive to coalesce. At first glance the videos might send a shiver up your spine, arouse a twisted, toxic chuckle or just provoke a knee-jerk disapproval of the material altogether. The character Ricky (Stansson) a young male of color, spews Nigger Nonsense simultaneously with references to arcane and/or critically acclaimed artists and athletes and/or works and publications in the name of comedy. What is displayed is actually a boisterous, subtle and vicious critique of male-female relationships entangled with race relations. According to these videos, youths today seem to yearn to reach higher planes of thought. If viewed uncritically, however, the content might merely show members of an imperiled generation acting up, yelling out, and grasping at vapors in a foggy, dark abyss of doubt and uncertainty. The existence of Ricky is an exercise in starting with the display of familiar and appropriate behavior (”Visitor” and “Afternoon” serve as exceptions) such as eating at a restaurant in the mall or heading out on a camping trip or attending a Christmas party. This premise is then mixed with extremely coarse language, outrageous threats of violence, acts of force, and discussions of outlandish drug use and wanton sexual situations. While it is not clearly stated in the videos, Ricky’s “girlfriend” could be of any race or ethnic or socioeconomic background. Regardless, Ricky relegates her and her comrades to the classic derogatory titles found in the world of hip hop. He frequently references female reproductive parts in the most explicit and derogatory of ways. Any male Ricky encounters, no matter the skin tone, is a “Nigga” or a name reserved for a weak man or a slur related to male homosexuals. Amidst the trash, he refers to the films of David Lean, Federico Fellini, and Woody Allen. Author Johan August Strindberg’s Ms. Julie and Plato’s The Republic seem to be among Ricky’s literary favorites. He brings up tennis players Marion Bartoli and Roger Federer. Ricky apparently enjoys Frank Sinatra’s finest recordings and acknowledges tunes by the Cocteau Twins. With all of this said, Ricky appears to be an educated hooligan hell bent on corrupting others and destroying his own mind. Aside from Ricky’s bluster and rage, non sequiturs, atrocious diction, terrible grammatical phrasings, and misdirection, it’s his esoteric knowledge and gnarled logic that is missing from unofficial video remixes posted by some of the millions of viewers. Interestingly, however, most of the responses to the videos are from young women. The presence of these creations including female alternatives to Ricky at least compliments the videos ironically. While Boundless Productions puts effort into portraying Ricky in a vulnerable light and as an example of the names he hurls at his victims, no other production teams or performers can match the underlying cogent boldness of the original HodgeStansson crew. Not to mention, indications of the intellectual undertones and satirical intentions show up in scant comments pages and blogs. Still, virtually no discourse covers how debasement is a reflection of Ricky’s poverty. Perversion arises out of Ricky’s financial desperation. What’s sad is that Ricky feels that he is licensed to wreak chaos when and wherever he pleases merely because he is low on funds. Ricky growls and grumbles about his money woes but fails to remember that he must first produce in order to generate a single penny. Instead of trading with other men, he at one time or another intrudes, brandishes a knife, and steals or does both on his whims without conscious. Instead of attempting to develop an adult, proper relationship with his girlfriend, he forcibly demands that she hand over her cash, her respect, her virtues. Instead of regarding himself as a man capable of rational thought and therefore enabled to seek and fulfill a purpose, he stifles his abilities and slouches ever closer to degeneration. To find Ricky to be an overgrown adolescent would be an insult to young people at the brink of maturity who hold on to their childish yet more innocuous ways. Really, he is the archetype of the schooled buffoon and no more than a low-rent thug. Anyone willing to produce such fair reflecting the ultimate in where the gutter and high brow meet ought to do so just as Hodge, Stansson and Haworth have: with great lampoon and without saying sorry.

Full Steam Ahead! The Greatest Maritime Disaster in Peace Time

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:17:00 +0000

On The 15th of April 1912 the Titanic sank in calm but icy seas on her maiden voyage to New York.

The Titanic sank in a usually busy shipping lane and one might wonder how it came about that nobody went to the rescue of the distressed ship. People certainly wondered about the lack of assistance from The Californian who was present that same night!

Apathy or genuine error?

Flares were sent up by the sinking ship and Captain Lord of The Californian was awoken. He dismissed the flares while the Titanic tried in vain to contact the ship using Morse lamps.

Lord later testified that the sea was calm and he had mistaken the Titanic’s lights for stars. He resigned in August 1912; some sources say he was dismissed. He was never tried for any offences under The Merchant Ship Act, but his reputation is dubious.

Construction

Rivets and steel from the Titanic were recovered and analysed. The rivets were said to have been made of low quality iron which broke on impact. The steel was found to become brittle at freezing temperatures.

Lifeboats

Titanic carried more than the legal requirement of lifeboats according to the British Board of Trading Regulations. Of course they were not intended to accommodate passengers for any length of time but to ferry them to safety and return. The rescue mission seems to have been somewhat disorganized however. Lifeboat Seven carried 28 people with a capacity of sixty five. Lifeboat one was launched with only twelve passengers and Lifeboat Eleven was overloaded with seventy.

Bruce Ismay

Managing director of the White Star Line was under pressure from competitors which lead to a vested interest in the ship making the six day crossing.

Thomas Andrew

White Star requested that the six water tight compartments not go as high as they should because it compromised passenger living space. If Andrews had made the compartments to the correct measurements perhaps the Titanic would have arrived safely in New York.

Captain E Smith

Smith was on his retirement trip to new York and he wanted to get to America in record time. He ignored warnings of icebergs.

Chances of Survival

The 90’s film version of Titanic demonstrated how the upper classes had more of a chance of survival than those who were from the lower classes.

Three Places to Avoid Going to in New York If You are African-american

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:59:08 +0000

Hi guys this is a difficult subject to write on and I am not writing this article out of racism or with the intent to offend or ridicule anyone. Since I have become a New Yorker I have discovered three places it may be dangerous for an African-American to go and I just wanted to share those with you here.

Carroll Gardens on the G subway train. This subway stop is in Brooklyn is all right to go to if you are just sitting in the station to catch the F train. However, do not come up out of the train station as that is a 100% Italian neighborhood and they are very proud over there, capisce? If you do get approached by someone just say you are there to visit the D’Allesandro family and they will get off your back as there are quite a few D’Allesandros in that area.

Bensonhurst this is the area where an African-American teenager, Yusef Hawkins went to purchase a used car and was beaten and shot to death. Enough said.

Howard Beach is another racist area towards African-Americans. Don’t go there.

You can go to this next place but the largely white neighborhood really does not like to see African-Americans moving in and that is the “month” streets in Long Beach, NY. The month streets in Long Beach are like January Street, February Street and so on. Long Beach is not dangerous to go to if you are an ethnic person it is just better to reduce tensions by not purchasing a home there but you know what?! On the other hand, it’s a free country and they have to grow up, get over it and get with the times!

Official Web Submission
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Friday The 13th

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 06:11:39 +0000

The name of the fear of Friday the 13th is friggatriskaidekaphobia. Frigga is Friday, triskaidekaphobia is derived from Greek which is 13. Friday the 13th origins aren’t clear. Some believe because Jesus was crucified on a Friday and there were 13 people in the Last Supper. Others believe it is because the mass arrest of the Knights Templar occurred on Friday the 13th. Friday has always been an unlucky day, considering Black Friday and Jesus’ crucification. Also 13 is an unlucky number due to the fact it is irregular coming after 12, which some people claim as a number of completion.

3114 BCE- Mayan calendar begins

1521- Hernan Cortez conquers the Aztecs.

1831- Nat Turner leads a slave rebellion after seeing a solar eclipse killing 55 white people.

1899- Alfred Hitchcock the director is born

1921- Women are allowed to join the Marine Corps for the first time.

1928- Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionist, is born

1960- Central African Republic declares independence from France.

1969- Apollo 11 astronauts are finally released after being in a quarantine for 3 weeks

2004- hurricane Charley strikes South Florida

2008- Michael Phelps sets a world record of most gold medals

International Lefthanders Day is celebrated on this day since 1976

Edmonton’s Heritage Festival: Three Days is Not Enough

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:14:25 +0000

The first weekend of August in most Canada is The Civic Holiday known as Heritage Day. Canadians call this the August Long Weekend and many plan their vacations around it, as cities often plan events to coincide with this holiday. One such event is Edmonton’s Heritage Festival which takes place on three of the days of the August Long Weekend at Hawrelak Park. The Heritage Festival gives various ethnic groups a chance to share their cultures with others. At this event one can sample cuisine from all parts of the globe, enjoy performances by dancers and musicians, view artwork from folk artists, and see demonstrations of ethnocentric skills.

Image via Wikipedia

As you walk around The Heritage Festival you will see people dressed in the style of the their native countries. Women dressed in Salwar Kameez stroll past men dressed in Lederhosen who are standing near girls dressed up for a Croatian folk dance while a small boy walks by in a Dashiki. Music fills the air and at some points you will hear two or three pieces of music at the same time that mix together in strange and beautiful ways. This kaleidoscope of people and music is mixed with the smells coming from the tents serving delicacies from around the world.

Lao Community at The Heritage Festival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttlr40Mwz6Y

All types of food are available at this festival. One can sample something as simple at corn meal porridge at the Zimbabwe tent or wander next-door for Middle Eastern pastries at Iraqi tent. If you prefer European pastries you can stroll over to the Portuguese tent and sample their delicious pastries. Or stop by The Russian tent and get a glass of Kvass and then take a few steps to the Somalian tent to try camel stew served on rice pilaf. One can be more adventurous and can try marinated raw fish at the Polynesian tent or Takoyaki (octopus balls) at the Japanese tent. If you are not that adventurous where food is concerned there are still things for you. The French tent has crepes while the Dutch tent has pancakes. Many tents serve fresh fruits and corn on the cob, and of course the Canadian tent serves up those old favorites Nanaimo bars and Poutine. On second thought… Poutine is not for uninitiated or the faint of heart.

Arab Community at Edmonton’s Heritage Festival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_8COkVB5p4&feature=related

The Heritage Festival is one of my personal favorite things about Alberta. As I walked around this year I thought to myself “why can’t the world be like this every day”. Then I realized that in some places it is like that everyday. Go to the streets of many cities in the world or even here in Canada and one will see the same mix of people walking about, restaurants serving foods from all of the world, and music coming from shops and passing cars with a similar mix to that heard at Edmonton’s Heritage Festival.

Ireland Pavilion at Edmonton’s Heritage Festival

[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXnUa61YN7A ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXnUa61YN7A&feature=related

Why is it different at the Festival than every other day? Because during the Heritage Festival everyone is there to embrace and appreciate the differences. Sadly it seems like during the rest of the year those same differences that are embraced at Festivals like The Heritage go ignored or cause conflicts. Humans can do better than this. We can begin the appreciate the beauty of the differences all year round and not just at a three day festivals. Do not get me wrong I would still want there to be The Heritage Festival and others like it. I only feel that they will be even grander if we have a year round appreciation build up.

Image via Wikipedia

Different Holidays

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:20:06 +0000

There are so many different holidays in this world it is hard to keep up with all of them. Hopefully this list will help.

January/February
Chinese New Year (Jan.)
Martin Luther King Jr. (Jan.)
Black History Month (Feb.)

March/April
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) *Irish*
Passover *Jewish*
Easter *Christian*

May/June
Asian American Month (May)
Cinco de Mayo *Mexican*
African American Independence Day (June 19)

July/August
Canada Day (July 1)
Independence Day (July 4) *American*
Bastille Day (July 14) *French*

September/October
Mexican Independence Day (September 16)
Hispanic American Month (September 15 – October 15)
American Indian Heritage Month (October)
Mexican Heritage Day (October 12)

November/December
Dia de los Inocentes “Day of the Children” (November 2) *Mexican*
Thanksgiving *American*
Christmas *Christian*
Hanukkah *Jewish*
Kwanzaa *African*