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Wormwood, from Banckes' Herbal [1525]
Apr. 5th, 2011 04:44 pmTranscribed from the facsimile in the Larkey & Piles 1941 edition.
Absinthum
This herbe is called wormwood. The vertue of this herbe is thus. It is good to comforte the herte and clense the stomake. Galyan sayth that this herbe hathe ii vertues. One is laxatyve / and the other is constiputatyve. therefore Galyan sayth / that yf this herbe gyven to an (evill) of which the mater is not fully defyed / it shall harde the stomake and let the dygestyon And yf ye the mater be typed/ it shall make a man laxatyve and easily put awaye the mater. If this herbe be dronken with Spiconarde / it aswageth of the stomake and of ye wove that is engendred of wycked wyndes. Also yf this herbe be tempered with hony / it wyll ease the swellynge in a mannes mouthe. Also it dothe awaye the blacke myste in a mannes eyes & clereth the syght. Also yf this herbe be powned with the gall of a Bull / and afterwarde put into a mannes eyese / it putteth away all maner unpedyments of the syght.
Absinthum
This herbe is called wormwood. The vertue of this herbe is thus. It is good to comforte the herte and clense the stomake. Galyan sayth that this herbe hathe ii vertues. One is laxatyve / and the other is constiputatyve. therefore Galyan sayth / that yf this herbe gyven to an (evill) of which the mater is not fully defyed / it shall harde the stomake and let the dygestyon And yf ye the mater be typed/ it shall make a man laxatyve and easily put awaye the mater. If this herbe be dronken with Spiconarde / it aswageth of the stomake and of ye wove that is engendred of wycked wyndes. Also yf this herbe be tempered with hony / it wyll ease the swellynge in a mannes mouthe. Also it dothe awaye the blacke myste in a mannes eyes & clereth the syght. Also yf this herbe be powned with the gall of a Bull / and afterwarde put into a mannes eyese / it putteth away all maner unpedyments of the syght.
Interesting...
Mar. 10th, 2011 03:20 pmand possibly useful for SCA communication...
Dealing with Internet Trolls: The Cognitive Therapy Approach:
http://shlomifish.livejournal.com/909.
Dealing with Internet Trolls: The Cognitive Therapy Approach:
http://shlomifish.livejournal.com/909.
Librarian science fiction?
Mar. 10th, 2011 10:46 amThe Biodocumentarian of the British Library:
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/fiction/
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/fiction/
Writer's Block: Copy and paste
Mar. 3rd, 2011 12:16 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
*laugh*
This happens All. The. Time.
Generally, I contact the publisher and author and explain to them that they've plagiarized my work, and I would like to be credited (assuming they have lifted off my name) or my entire work used. They usually haven't gotten any gains from it, so I don't bother asking for damages-- and it's usually semi-'innocent infringement' in that they're too butt-ignorant of copyright and/or plagiarism to understand the problem.
In only a few cases have I demanded that my work be removed from their website.
Generally, I explain copyright to them and usually they back down. Persistence works, though I imagine someday I'll have to invoke a lawyer.
Remember kids: everything written published after 1976 is copyrighted to the creator, and many things from before then back to 1923. Fair use is determined by the four-factor test:
"1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work"
as the U.S. Copyright office summarizes.
*laugh*
This happens All. The. Time.
Generally, I contact the publisher and author and explain to them that they've plagiarized my work, and I would like to be credited (assuming they have lifted off my name) or my entire work used. They usually haven't gotten any gains from it, so I don't bother asking for damages-- and it's usually semi-'innocent infringement' in that they're too butt-ignorant of copyright and/or plagiarism to understand the problem.
In only a few cases have I demanded that my work be removed from their website.
Generally, I explain copyright to them and usually they back down. Persistence works, though I imagine someday I'll have to invoke a lawyer.
Remember kids: everything written published after 1976 is copyrighted to the creator, and many things from before then back to 1923. Fair use is determined by the four-factor test:
"1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work"
as the U.S. Copyright office summarizes.
I'm an Ever-Was, yes I am
Feb. 21st, 2011 12:14 pm"at any given moment, our most complicated machine will be taken as a model of human intelligence, and whatever media kids favor will be identified as the cause of our stupidity."
"How the Internet Gets Inside us", Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/
"How the Internet Gets Inside us", Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/
And, if it was ever thus, how did it ever get to be thus in the first place? The digital world is new, and the real gains and losses of the Internet era are to be found not in altered neurons or empathy tests but in the small changes in mood, life, manners, feelings it creates—in the texture of the age. There is, for instance, a simple, spooky sense in which the Internet is just a loud and unlimited library in which we now live—as if one went to sleep every night in the college stacks, surrounded by pamphlets and polemics and possibilities. There is the sociology section, the science section, old sheet music and menus, and you can go to the periodicals room anytime and read old issues of the New Statesman. (And you can whisper loudly to a friend in the next carrel to get the hockey scores.) To see that that is so is at least to drain some of the melodrama from the subject. It is odd and new to be living in the library; but there isn’t anything odd and new about the library.
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/
One of the big things anti-government 'economic conservatives' keep throwing out as a counter to government funded public libraries are the Carnegie Libraries.
As if, somehow, U.S. Carnegie libraries didn't have to set up local funding to RUN the libraries that were built by the Carnegie grants, but just 'decided' to do come up with funding.
CARNEGIE GRANTS paid for BUILDINGS! In order to get a Carnegie grant, the local community needed to pony up about 10% of the building money per year for OPERATING and MAINTAINING the library.
http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/
"the said community shall pledge itself by a Resolution of Council, to support a Free Public Library, at a cost of not less than _______________ Dollars a year,"
In fact, some anti-government-supported-library guy pointing to the example of the Carnegie libraries POINTED PEOPLE TO THE WIKIPEDIA ENTRY that MENTIONS the required community contribution.
Please can we send these people back to picking coal, or selling newspapers? PLEASE? Clearly they checked out of education at the child labor level.
As if, somehow, U.S. Carnegie libraries didn't have to set up local funding to RUN the libraries that were built by the Carnegie grants, but just 'decided' to do come up with funding.
CARNEGIE GRANTS paid for BUILDINGS! In order to get a Carnegie grant, the local community needed to pony up about 10% of the building money per year for OPERATING and MAINTAINING the library.
http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/
"the said community shall pledge itself by a Resolution of Council, to support a Free Public Library, at a cost of not less than _______________ Dollars a year,"
In fact, some anti-government-supported-library guy pointing to the example of the Carnegie libraries POINTED PEOPLE TO THE WIKIPEDIA ENTRY that MENTIONS the required community contribution.
Please can we send these people back to picking coal, or selling newspapers? PLEASE? Clearly they checked out of education at the child labor level.
Splish splash
Feb. 15th, 2011 01:08 pm3rd-5th century Roman Bathhouse uncovered in Bosra:
http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.
http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.
Followup to "How to Lie with Statistics"
Jan. 10th, 2011 10:17 amThe CDC has updated me:
I am amused.
Hi,
Your entry here showed up in a Google link.
http://bunnyjadwiga.livejournal.com/
11:12 am - How to lie with statistics
The estimated total number of pregnancies for 2005 was 6.4 million.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_04.pdf
An update with a few more years of data is being worked on.
thanks,
[redacted]
rsb.dvs.nchs.CDC
I am amused.
How to lie with statistics
Jan. 7th, 2011 11:12 amJust so you all know: Vital Statistics when dealing with abortion: 2 statistics are often reported in ways that can be easily translated into percentages. One is the number of abortions performed divided by the number of women who are resident in the area-- fairly low: in 2006, 16.1 per 1000 women, i.e. 1.6% percent of the female population of the US between 15-44 had an abortion. That makes a useless statistic for politics, of course.
However, the most common statistics, the abortion ratio is
"number of abortions per 1,000 live births" -- that is, the number of abortions divided by the number of live births, times 1000.
What's wrong with this picture? It's usually reported in the news as "X percent of pregnancies" and the number seems to be the RATIO divided by 1000. Do the math.
Yup. By definition, the total number of *pregnancies* is going to be significantly larger than the number of live births-- it has to include live births, abortions, AND miscarriage. So, for instance, the 2009 abortion ratio for NYC would be 44%, as reported on the news, but when you correctly calculate what percentage of pregnancies in NYC end in abortions, it's 38%. (BTW, the number of miscarriages in NYC is also twice that of any other part of the state...)
In 2006, the CDC numbered 846,181 abortions in the US. I can't find a statistic for total pregnancies from the CDC, only teen pregnancies (and remember, the rate of teen pregnancies has *not* been 'skyrocketing' in recent years: CDC says "The US teen birth rate fell by more than one-third from 1991 through 2005, but then increased by 5 percent over two consecutive years. Data for 2008 and 2009, however, indicate that the long-term downward trend has resumed.")
However, the most common statistics, the abortion ratio is
"number of abortions per 1,000 live births" -- that is, the number of abortions divided by the number of live births, times 1000.
What's wrong with this picture? It's usually reported in the news as "X percent of pregnancies" and the number seems to be the RATIO divided by 1000. Do the math.
Yup. By definition, the total number of *pregnancies* is going to be significantly larger than the number of live births-- it has to include live births, abortions, AND miscarriage. So, for instance, the 2009 abortion ratio for NYC would be 44%, as reported on the news, but when you correctly calculate what percentage of pregnancies in NYC end in abortions, it's 38%. (BTW, the number of miscarriages in NYC is also twice that of any other part of the state...)
In 2006, the CDC numbered 846,181 abortions in the US. I can't find a statistic for total pregnancies from the CDC, only teen pregnancies (and remember, the rate of teen pregnancies has *not* been 'skyrocketing' in recent years: CDC says "The US teen birth rate fell by more than one-third from 1991 through 2005, but then increased by 5 percent over two consecutive years. Data for 2008 and 2009, however, indicate that the long-term downward trend has resumed.")
In other news
Dec. 15th, 2010 08:37 pmApparently Yale finally agreed to give back the Machu Picchu artifacts:
http://www.npr.org/2010/12/15/
And of course Yale's museum doesn't want anyone to get the idea that this is anything other than accommodating Peruvian patriotism, because they might have to give something else back. It only took HOW many decades? All I can see in it is a long-term "MINE MINE MINE!" fit on the part of the Peabody and Yale scholars. Where were these people's mothers? Heck, where were the lawyer's mothers?!
I admit being the oldest in my family makes me possibly overestimate the importance of drilling the concept of "NOT YOURS. STILL NOT YOURS." into children at a young age, along with "No, the fact that you have it now does NOT make it yours!" but c'mon.
http://www.npr.org/2010/12/15/
And of course Yale's museum doesn't want anyone to get the idea that this is anything other than accommodating Peruvian patriotism, because they might have to give something else back. It only took HOW many decades? All I can see in it is a long-term "MINE MINE MINE!" fit on the part of the Peabody and Yale scholars. Where were these people's mothers? Heck, where were the lawyer's mothers?!
I admit being the oldest in my family makes me possibly overestimate the importance of drilling the concept of "NOT YOURS. STILL NOT YOURS." into children at a young age, along with "No, the fact that you have it now does NOT make it yours!" but c'mon.
Definitely worth reading
Dec. 2nd, 2010 12:54 pmif rather long.
A Precise and Accurate History of Monday, Eleven Years Later
http://www.yuletidetreasure.org/
(_Good Omens_ fanfic)
A Precise and Accurate History of Monday, Eleven Years Later
http://www.yuletidetreasure.org/
(_Good Omens_ fanfic)
Guide for writers of lab reports
Nov. 30th, 2010 01:25 pmThis looks clear and promising
(review from AMSER):
A General Guide to Writing Scientific Research Reports
This reference provides instructions on how to write scientific reports. Topics include why we write reports, the basic format (introduction, methods and materials, results, and discussion, or 'IMRaD'), how to state a hypothesis, how to set up tables, graphs and figures, and how to write a discussion. There are also links to additional information, including a sample report, and a list of books on scientific writing.
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/
(review from AMSER):
A General Guide to Writing Scientific Research Reports
This reference provides instructions on how to write scientific reports. Topics include why we write reports, the basic format (introduction, methods and materials, results, and discussion, or 'IMRaD'), how to state a hypothesis, how to set up tables, graphs and figures, and how to write a discussion. There are also links to additional information, including a sample report, and a list of books on scientific writing.
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/
There was a medieval feast.
My friends, staff and shul are amazing, amazing people and I cannot live without their help.
Katherine de Staverton was a kick-ass speaker and everyone was very enthused about feeling they learned something.
Everyone loved the food.
Everyone loved the event.
We made some money for the shul! (Not as much as I wanted, but hey...)
We got great press:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen/
Previous press:
http://www.jstandard.com/content/item/
Nobody but me is apparently broken. I will not ever do cooking except in new-ish crocs, my period shoes with insoles, or sneakers EVER again. I feel, in the words of Douglas Adams, like a military academy, parts of me keep on passing out.
Our Synagogue President and Cantor washed about a million dishes. I couldn't even get in there to help, most of the time. Juliana van Altenfeld cooked up a storm, and so did our Synagogue President (I think I'm so exhausted from trying to keep up with her!). Evan helped with EVERYTHING and was moral support for me too! Alys washed and washed and washed dishes and equipment. Miss B. and Miss A. from the shul did serving, as did Sarah, but Sarah was my co-cook too. Juergen was a wonderful husband-beast and wrangled toddler for days on end so we could make this happen.
HURRAY!
My friends, staff and shul are amazing, amazing people and I cannot live without their help.
Katherine de Staverton was a kick-ass speaker and everyone was very enthused about feeling they learned something.
Everyone loved the food.
Everyone loved the event.
We made some money for the shul! (Not as much as I wanted, but hey...)
We got great press:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen/
Previous press:
http://www.jstandard.com/content/item/
Nobody but me is apparently broken. I will not ever do cooking except in new-ish crocs, my period shoes with insoles, or sneakers EVER again. I feel, in the words of Douglas Adams, like a military academy, parts of me keep on passing out.
Our Synagogue President and Cantor washed about a million dishes. I couldn't even get in there to help, most of the time. Juliana van Altenfeld cooked up a storm, and so did our Synagogue President (I think I'm so exhausted from trying to keep up with her!). Evan helped with EVERYTHING and was moral support for me too! Alys washed and washed and washed dishes and equipment. Miss B. and Miss A. from the shul did serving, as did Sarah, but Sarah was my co-cook too. Juergen was a wonderful husband-beast and wrangled toddler for days on end so we could make this happen.
HURRAY!
Jewish Convivencia Feast page is up
Oct. 6th, 2010 09:08 pmhttp://www.rtbi-online.org/feast.htm
Note that if you kindly volunteered to help, there will be NO CHARGE for the food (though you might end up eating in the back room!
Yeah, it's pricey, though in line with the regular fundraiser costs in our area of North Jersey. I guarantee attendees will get value for their money, and take home some doggie bags. :)
Brighid ni Charain who translated de Nola's Libro de Coch in the Florilegium has been asked to come and plans to be there to speak.
Note that if you kindly volunteered to help, there will be NO CHARGE for the food (though you might end up eating in the back room!
Yeah, it's pricey, though in line with the regular fundraiser costs in our area of North Jersey. I guarantee attendees will get value for their money, and take home some doggie bags. :)
Brighid ni Charain who translated de Nola's Libro de Coch in the Florilegium has been asked to come and plans to be there to speak.
Book review; how to ditch your fairy
Oct. 4th, 2010 12:02 pmIn a world where most people have a invisible, unsensible 'fairy', which gives good luck in a particular thing, not all fairies are created equal; and some can be downright difficult. Our heroine, attending a high school for sports stars, finds her parking fairy especially difficult to live with, and so she's taking steps-- by never riding in cars or other transport, she hopes to starve away her fairy. The unintended consequences of her plan tangle her up with a fairy expert, a girl with a boy-crazy fairy, and some difficult choices.
This is a fun, funny, teenage angst novel with magic-like elements, which is why our 11-year-old picked it up and enjoyed it. While there's some moral in here (our heroine finds out first hand why having a boy-crazy fairy isn't a good thing, and why the owner of such a fairy has social troubles, not to mention that her big, famous hometown might be just a *little* parochial), there's no heavy-handedness here. This is a fun read, and at least to me, reads true to teen thought processes. Adults may be concerned about some remarkably stupid choices of some of the characters, but again, that's true to life too-- even if it merits a family discussion among the readers.
This is a fun, funny, teenage angst novel with magic-like elements, which is why our 11-year-old picked it up and enjoyed it. While there's some moral in here (our heroine finds out first hand why having a boy-crazy fairy isn't a good thing, and why the owner of such a fairy has social troubles, not to mention that her big, famous hometown might be just a *little* parochial), there's no heavy-handedness here. This is a fun read, and at least to me, reads true to teen thought processes. Adults may be concerned about some remarkably stupid choices of some of the characters, but again, that's true to life too-- even if it merits a family discussion among the readers.
Someone I read complained about how unliberated the concept of this manga series was: a young girl wants to find the 'prince' who saved her life and cook him the best dessert in the world. I was intrigued, especially when I looked into it an discovered that the heroine also wants to be a world-class pastry chef like her parents.
All the females in our house plowed happily through all 10 cream-puff volumes of this series. The plot is frothy and with the usually girl manga elements-- which guy will she chose? How can she get along with the mean girls? How can she (and other characters) balance family, personal, and friend ties? What will she do with her life? On the other hand, there are serious touches (someone dies, for instance), and the heroine makes (good) life choices and uses food to bring folks together. MeMe Roth would disapprove of Kitchen Princess' comfort food focus, but her desire to teach others is a plus in my book.
Graphically presented recipes for the main dish in each episode appear at the end of the books. Dessert making isn't my thing, but I did like the presentation.
I don't feel the need to own this series, but it did get me started reading manga, and I thoroughly enjoyed these. And no, I didn't feel it was particularly unliberated, except in the usually tween-fluff way.
All the females in our house plowed happily through all 10 cream-puff volumes of this series. The plot is frothy and with the usually girl manga elements-- which guy will she chose? How can she get along with the mean girls? How can she (and other characters) balance family, personal, and friend ties? What will she do with her life? On the other hand, there are serious touches (someone dies, for instance), and the heroine makes (good) life choices and uses food to bring folks together. MeMe Roth would disapprove of Kitchen Princess' comfort food focus, but her desire to teach others is a plus in my book.
Graphically presented recipes for the main dish in each episode appear at the end of the books. Dessert making isn't my thing, but I did like the presentation.
I don't feel the need to own this series, but it did get me started reading manga, and I thoroughly enjoyed these. And no, I didn't feel it was particularly unliberated, except in the usually tween-fluff way.
