Quintessential: Most typically representative of a quality, state, etc; perfect
Feasible: Capable of being done, effected, or accomplished
Vitiate: To impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil
Omnibenevolent: All-loving, or infinitely good
Svelte: Slender, especially gracefully slender in figure
Renowned: Celebrated; famous.
Antepenultimate: Third from the end
Anthropogenic: Caused or produced by humans
April 28, 2013
April 25, 2013
Charms in The Glass Palace
The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh, 512 pages
"How do you fight an enemy who fights from neither enmity nor anger, but in submission to orders from superiors, without protest and without conscience?"
"If you are strong enough to to face enemy bullets, you should be strong enough to hear them out."
"You want the pain to be simple, straightforward -- you don't want it to ambush you in these roundabout ways each morning, when you're getting up to do something else -- brush your teeth or eat your breakfast..."
"[I]f there was any tenet on which he'd wanted to build his life , it was that of never giving in to self-pity."
"This was what happiness was [--] your mind transformed into your body, your body instinct with the joy in your mind; this sensation of reality having met its end."
"How do you fight an enemy who fights from neither enmity nor anger, but in submission to orders from superiors, without protest and without conscience?"
"If you are strong enough to to face enemy bullets, you should be strong enough to hear them out."
"You want the pain to be simple, straightforward -- you don't want it to ambush you in these roundabout ways each morning, when you're getting up to do something else -- brush your teeth or eat your breakfast..."
"[I]f there was any tenet on which he'd wanted to build his life , it was that of never giving in to self-pity."
"This was what happiness was [--] your mind transformed into your body, your body instinct with the joy in your mind; this sensation of reality having met its end."
April 22, 2013
Charms in Divergent
Divergent by Veronica Roth, 487 pages (Divergent #1)
"[T]hose who want power and get it live in terror of losing it."
"We believe that preparation eradicated cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear."
"[P]oliteness is deception in pretty packaging"
"I like to think I'm helping them by hating them [...] I'm reminding them that they aren't God's gift to humankind."
"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others."
"Human reason can excuse any evil; that is why it's so important that we don't rely on it."
"I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."
"That is death -- shifting from 'is' to 'was.'"
"I am someone who does not let inconsequential things like boys and near-death experiences stop her."
"I traded cowardice for cruelty; I traded weakness for ferocity."
--
This book is 486 pages, I finished it in two days. It's very fluid. However, it's very similar to The Hunger Games. Dystopian society, brave girl who is different than all others, a revolution, her romantic interest at some point gets injected with a special serum so that he doesn't know who she is and tries to kill her (much like Peeta in Mockingjay)...But it's a good book, it's intense and entertaining.
"[T]hose who want power and get it live in terror of losing it."
"We believe that preparation eradicated cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear."
"[P]oliteness is deception in pretty packaging"
"I like to think I'm helping them by hating them [...] I'm reminding them that they aren't God's gift to humankind."
"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others."
"Human reason can excuse any evil; that is why it's so important that we don't rely on it."
"I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."
"That is death -- shifting from 'is' to 'was.'"
"I am someone who does not let inconsequential things like boys and near-death experiences stop her."
"I traded cowardice for cruelty; I traded weakness for ferocity."
--
This book is 486 pages, I finished it in two days. It's very fluid. However, it's very similar to The Hunger Games. Dystopian society, brave girl who is different than all others, a revolution, her romantic interest at some point gets injected with a special serum so that he doesn't know who she is and tries to kill her (much like Peeta in Mockingjay)...But it's a good book, it's intense and entertaining.
April 21, 2013
Words of Week 11
Insipid: Without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; dull
Stoicism: Repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain.
Exertion: Vigorous action or effort
Poignant: Affecting or moving the emotions
Negligible: So small, trifling, or unimportant that it may safely be neglected or disregarded
Xenophobe: A person who fears or hates foreigners, strange customs, etc.
Asphyxiated: To cause to die or lose consciousness by impairing normal breathing, as by gas or other noxious agents; choke; suffocate; smother
Stoicism: Repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain.
Exertion: Vigorous action or effort
Poignant: Affecting or moving the emotions
Negligible: So small, trifling, or unimportant that it may safely be neglected or disregarded
Xenophobe: A person who fears or hates foreigners, strange customs, etc.
Asphyxiated: To cause to die or lose consciousness by impairing normal breathing, as by gas or other noxious agents; choke; suffocate; smother
April 20, 2013
Boston Bigots
First off, I am deeply saddened by the tragic bombings in Boston. This week has been filled with horrible events, and I don't know which direction humankind is headed for, but it sure doesn't look bright.
While the people who are suffering from injuries, both minor and major, and the three families who lost a member mourn, the majority of the rest of the world is speculating that the bomber may be Muslim. A small percentage of people are helping, donating blood, volunteering at hospitals and trying to restore collective faith in humanity, but for me, it is done. I am done. I am done with the world, and its inhabitants.
Whenever something wrong happens, everyone blames the Muslims. It must have been the Muslims. Who else could do such a horrible thing? And that stupid stereotype invades people's privacy and goes unnoticed. Police officers see Saudi man running away, he is bruised, and hurting, but he is darker skinned, he is running away, and he definitely must be a suspect. What's your name? Oh, you are Muslim..all the more likely. We will search your house, although we don't have a warrant and you can't do anything.
People disgust me. Period. Today I heard on the radio, two other suspects were found, one is under custody. Guess what? The country they come from from is majorly Muslim. I am beginning to think, if something happens, and in no way it is related to Muslims, people will still find a way to relate it no matter how improbable and how ridiculous.
"Oh yeah, that American kid who shot people at an elementary school, had a cat. The cat was transported from France. There is a bakery in France that served its owner. Once, a Muslim came into the bakery and drunk coffee. So it must be that Muslim's fault because obviously he planted a mind-controlling chip on the cat-owner who unknowingly transferred it to his cat, who then rubbed off to the American kid. Yes, the fault belongs to the Muslims."
-Lots of deerstalkers,
Belle
While the people who are suffering from injuries, both minor and major, and the three families who lost a member mourn, the majority of the rest of the world is speculating that the bomber may be Muslim. A small percentage of people are helping, donating blood, volunteering at hospitals and trying to restore collective faith in humanity, but for me, it is done. I am done. I am done with the world, and its inhabitants.
Whenever something wrong happens, everyone blames the Muslims. It must have been the Muslims. Who else could do such a horrible thing? And that stupid stereotype invades people's privacy and goes unnoticed. Police officers see Saudi man running away, he is bruised, and hurting, but he is darker skinned, he is running away, and he definitely must be a suspect. What's your name? Oh, you are Muslim..all the more likely. We will search your house, although we don't have a warrant and you can't do anything.
People disgust me. Period. Today I heard on the radio, two other suspects were found, one is under custody. Guess what? The country they come from from is majorly Muslim. I am beginning to think, if something happens, and in no way it is related to Muslims, people will still find a way to relate it no matter how improbable and how ridiculous.
"Oh yeah, that American kid who shot people at an elementary school, had a cat. The cat was transported from France. There is a bakery in France that served its owner. Once, a Muslim came into the bakery and drunk coffee. So it must be that Muslim's fault because obviously he planted a mind-controlling chip on the cat-owner who unknowingly transferred it to his cat, who then rubbed off to the American kid. Yes, the fault belongs to the Muslims."
-Lots of deerstalkers,
Belle
April 19, 2013
a.theist
* This is a very personal post, and has critical religious content. Read if you feel comfortable with it.
Yesterday I read an article on the guardian by Glenn Greenwald, and I slowly watched my faith-in-humanity-bar as the scale lowered itself once again to absolute zero. The article is well written and I loved it. I am so happy that I found it and I read it because it helped me shape a few thoughts I have had from before into solid beliefs and theories. It is a little long, and without a bit of background knowledge you might find yourself walking into stranger territory but if you have time, and you are interested I would definitely recommend it. The article is about what Mr. Greenwald thinks of the "New Atheists" and specifically Sam Harris. Although he, himself, denies the claims, I personally believe that Sam Harris is in fact an Islamaphobe and sadly he has too much voice in the media and influences a bigger audience than one might expect. I am not going to summarize the article here, just read it if you want, and check the links in the article because they are essential to understanding the whole story.
--
I have been indeed in a battle with all of humanity from the beginning of time. The whole world right now, at this moment, is a mess. A jumble of moral decline, societal decline, and financial decline. We are going down.
Nobody can deny that we aren't fixing the issues we are creating and then imposing on ourselves. Little side organizations, volunteers, educated people who are trying to make a difference, are really paddling upriver and going nowhere. It is extremely sad, but we have to realize that to change the way we live, we need action on a bigger scale. A few people cleaning up trash doesn't really affect anyone, and has a near zero impact on society. I know people will argue against this notion of no achievement, but let's be honest - our attempts at fixing the world aren't the same as our attempts to get people to vote.
Every vote counts. So every individual makes a difference, not by themselves, but together because there are many individuals who constantly need to be reminded of their significance no matter how insubstantial. With voting, we have achieved our goal. With social welfare, justice, law enforcement, ethics -we are not quiet there yet.
Unfortunately, although the world's greatest nations keep bragging about their greatness, while living in the land of opportunities, I still face negative stereotypes, racist remarks, unfair assumptions, and plain inhumane treatment, because of my religion, my gender, and ridiculously enough my clothing choices.
Freedom of speech, I respect with all my heart, but respect for other humans, is the backbone of my ethical beliefs. Atheist bashing on religion, criticizing belief systems to the degree that the followers of those belief systems are deemed 'uncivilized,' judging and commenting on things they do not understand and then hurting people scores a major negative on the respect scale. Religious people arguing over their absolute truths, and ignoring each other's existence is also childish and unfathomable.
Respect. I don't care if you worship a crimson llama with an ice-cream hat who feeds on surf boards. I. Don't. Care. You are as much human as I, and therefore I will respect you and your choice. But I expect the same treatment.
Lots of droplets,
Belle
Yesterday I read an article on the guardian by Glenn Greenwald, and I slowly watched my faith-in-humanity-bar as the scale lowered itself once again to absolute zero. The article is well written and I loved it. I am so happy that I found it and I read it because it helped me shape a few thoughts I have had from before into solid beliefs and theories. It is a little long, and without a bit of background knowledge you might find yourself walking into stranger territory but if you have time, and you are interested I would definitely recommend it. The article is about what Mr. Greenwald thinks of the "New Atheists" and specifically Sam Harris. Although he, himself, denies the claims, I personally believe that Sam Harris is in fact an Islamaphobe and sadly he has too much voice in the media and influences a bigger audience than one might expect. I am not going to summarize the article here, just read it if you want, and check the links in the article because they are essential to understanding the whole story.
--
I have been indeed in a battle with all of humanity from the beginning of time. The whole world right now, at this moment, is a mess. A jumble of moral decline, societal decline, and financial decline. We are going down.
Nobody can deny that we aren't fixing the issues we are creating and then imposing on ourselves. Little side organizations, volunteers, educated people who are trying to make a difference, are really paddling upriver and going nowhere. It is extremely sad, but we have to realize that to change the way we live, we need action on a bigger scale. A few people cleaning up trash doesn't really affect anyone, and has a near zero impact on society. I know people will argue against this notion of no achievement, but let's be honest - our attempts at fixing the world aren't the same as our attempts to get people to vote.
Every vote counts. So every individual makes a difference, not by themselves, but together because there are many individuals who constantly need to be reminded of their significance no matter how insubstantial. With voting, we have achieved our goal. With social welfare, justice, law enforcement, ethics -we are not quiet there yet.
Unfortunately, although the world's greatest nations keep bragging about their greatness, while living in the land of opportunities, I still face negative stereotypes, racist remarks, unfair assumptions, and plain inhumane treatment, because of my religion, my gender, and ridiculously enough my clothing choices.
Freedom of speech, I respect with all my heart, but respect for other humans, is the backbone of my ethical beliefs. Atheist bashing on religion, criticizing belief systems to the degree that the followers of those belief systems are deemed 'uncivilized,' judging and commenting on things they do not understand and then hurting people scores a major negative on the respect scale. Religious people arguing over their absolute truths, and ignoring each other's existence is also childish and unfathomable.
Respect. I don't care if you worship a crimson llama with an ice-cream hat who feeds on surf boards. I. Don't. Care. You are as much human as I, and therefore I will respect you and your choice. But I expect the same treatment.
Lots of droplets,
Belle
April 17, 2013
Charms in Tiger Lily
Tiger Lily by Jody Lynn Anderson, 292 pages
"Someday you'll want to be a prisoner to someone other than yourself."
"Someday you'll want to be a prisoner to someone other than yourself."
"Still, the longer I was around her, the more I could see the colors of her mind and the recesses of her heart. There was a beast in there. But there was also a girl who was afraid of being a beast, and who wondered if other people had beasts in their hearts too. There was strength, and there was also determination to look strong. She guarded herself like a secret."
"She was fierce, to be sure, but she had a girl's heart, after all."
"She was like a bandage on his heart, and she tried to be the best bandage she could be, though what she was trying to help him heal from, she wasn't sure of."
"Sometimes I think that maybe we are just stories. Like we may as well just be words on a page, because we're only what we've done and what we are going to do."
--
This book was a different version of the Peter Pan story, and I think it's underrated. I definitely recommend it, it's an easy-read and it's very interesting, once you start, you won't put it down until you finish it.
Lots of melodies,
Belle
April 14, 2013
Words of Week 10
Wow, it's been 10 weeks already, it seems like I have just started this project yesterday...
Forte: A person's strong suit, or most highly developed characteristic, talent, or skill
Ephemeral: Lasting a very short time
Foible: A minor weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect
Boffin: (British Slang) A scientist or technical expert.
Specious: Apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible
Lethargy: Lack of motivation, state of laziness or sluggishness
Peccadillo: Tiny fault; slight transgression
Aesthete: Someone who is very sensitive to beauty
Fabulist: A liar; A person who invents or relates fables. (Don't you just love this word? I mean seriously, it sounds like fabulous, but it means an entirely different thing)
Forte: A person's strong suit, or most highly developed characteristic, talent, or skill
Ephemeral: Lasting a very short time
Foible: A minor weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect
Boffin: (British Slang) A scientist or technical expert.
Specious: Apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible
Lethargy: Lack of motivation, state of laziness or sluggishness
Peccadillo: Tiny fault; slight transgression
Aesthete: Someone who is very sensitive to beauty
Fabulist: A liar; A person who invents or relates fables. (Don't you just love this word? I mean seriously, it sounds like fabulous, but it means an entirely different thing)
April 7, 2013
Words of Week 9
Animus: Strong dislike or enmity
Ambrosia: Something especially delicious to taste or smell
Ethology: The study of animal behavior with emphasis on the behavioral patterns that occur in natural environments.
Docile: Easily managed or handled
Altruistic: Unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others
Cogitate: To think hard, to ponder
Misandry: Hatred of males
Equivoque: A play on words, a pun, double meaning, ambiguous
Ambrosia: Something especially delicious to taste or smell
Ethology: The study of animal behavior with emphasis on the behavioral patterns that occur in natural environments.
Docile: Easily managed or handled
Altruistic: Unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others
Cogitate: To think hard, to ponder
Misandry: Hatred of males
Equivoque: A play on words, a pun, double meaning, ambiguous
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