♫ Highway to Hell ♫'s definitions
Aversive magic can produce aversive side effects which may even harm the magician - aversive magic is dangerous.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 4, 2010
Get the Aversive Magic mug.The Norteños, also Norte, are affiliated with Nuestra Familia (Our Family), a coalition of traditional Latino gangs in Northern California. A member of these gangs is a Norteño (male) or Norteña (female); based on Spanish usage. In the late 1960s, Mexican-American inmates of the California state prison system began to separate into two rival groups, Norteños (northerners) and Sureños (southerners), according to the locations of their hometowns; the north-south dividing line was near Bakersfield. Part of the motivation for the split was the desire of the Norteños to be independent of "La Eme” a.k.a. the Mexican Mafia. As with many other gangs, Norteños have been involved in trafficking of drugs and contraband, and armed conflict with other gangs and with police. According to police investigators, a requirement for full membership in Nuestra Familia is committing at least one murder for the gang. Federal law enforcement agencies, long unable to infiltrate the group, began to step up their investigations in the late 1990s.
In 2000 and 2001, 22 members were indicted on racketeering charges, including several who were allegedly serving as high-ranking gang leaders while confined in Pelican Bay. Thirteen of the defendants pleaded guilty; the other cases are still ongoing. Two of the defendants face the death penalty for ordering murders related to the drug trade. The largest of the federal investigations, Operation Black Widow, caused controversy when it became public that some gang members were serving as FBI informants while still continuing to organize violent crimes. Norteño emblems and clothing are based on the color red. A typical Norteño outfit might include a red belt, red shoes, and red shoelaces. They will also favor sports team apparel that shows their affiliation through symbolism such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers football, UNLV, K-Swiss, and San Francisco 49ers. Norteños may refer to each other by using the term "Ene,” Spanish for the letter "N.” Norteños use the number 14 in tattoos and graffiti because "N" is the fourteenth letter of the alphabet. It is sometimes written as "X4” or in Roman numerals as "XIV". Some Norteños will tattoo themselves with four dots. Norteño derogatorily refers to a Sureño as a "Scrap" or "Sur (Sewer) Rat,” while a Sureño will likewise refer to a Norteño as a "Buster" or "Chap" (Chapete). Norteños also lay claim to images of the Mexican-American labor movement, such as the sombrero, machete, and "Huelga bird,” symbols of the United Farm Workers.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ December 29, 2009
Get the Norteños mug.A wide sash fastened in the back with a large flat bow, worn by women in Japan as a part of the traditional dress.
An obi is a type of belt, typically tied together rather than fastened with a buckle. Adapted from traditional Japanese fashion, obis are a popular method of adding Asian flair to modern outfits. An obi can be purchased or easily made with basic sewing skills. The obi, meaning “sash” in Japanese, was traditionally worn by both men and women, beginning around the 16th century. Men's sashes are typically narrow strips of fabric, while women's can be more than 12 inches (30 cm) wide. Obis can be very long, but may be doubled or tied in elaborate, decorative bows. There are dozens of styles of obi, each associated with traditional tying and tucking methods. Traditionally, an obi is made out of silk, cotton, or brocade, and may be plain or feature a decorative pattern on one or both sides. The color of the fabric can be significant to the wearer; modern Japanese brides, for instance, often wear a pure white obi with their wedding dress. An older custom also calls for white obis to be worn as mourning clothes by widows, but in modern times a black sash may be worn instead. Traditional obis are often made to match or complement a specific kimono, thus people may own several different varieties and colors to match a large wardrobe.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 12, 2011
Get the Obi mug.A Japanese stringed instrument resembling a banjo with a long neck and three strings and a fretted fingerboard and a rectangular soundbox; played with a plectrum.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 25, 2011
Get the Shamisen mug.A spirit full of mana often an inward mentor, a source of inspiration, and a moral guardian to an individual.
Daimon is the Greek derivative for the term demon. In this sense the term "demon" means "replete with knowledge." The ancient Greeks thought there were good and bad demons called 'eudemons' and 'cacodemons.' The term 'daimon' means "divine power," "fate" or "god." Daimons, in Greek mythology, included deified heroes. They were considered intermediary spirits between men and the gods. Good daimons were considered to be guardian spirits, giving guidance and protection to the ones they watched over. Bad daimons led people astray. Socrates said he had a life-time daimon that always warned him of danger and bad judgment, but never directed his actions. He said his daimon was more accurate than omens of either watching the flights or reading the entrails of birds, which were two respected forms of divination of the time.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 14, 2010
Get the Daimon mug.by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 25, 2011
Get the Sakura mug.Kama are the basis of the kusari-gama. Kama is just the sickle on it's own. They are usually used in pairs and swung in various arcs, crescents etc.
All sorts of slashing motions combined with the forward momentum of the ninja they can cause some devastating damage. The blade of the Kama is roughly around 11-12 inches. The handle is slightly longer. Original sickles had a longer blade and shorter handle.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 17, 2011
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