Shogun

Shogun was the ultimate rank one could achieve in Japan. The Shogun was the Supreme Military Dictator. Only one Daimyo (feudal lord) at a time could obtain the title. And only the His Imperial Highness, the reigning Emperor, the Divine Son of Heaven, who lived in seclusion with the Imperial Families at Kyoto, could grant the title. With the appointment of Shogun went absolute power: the Emperor's seal and mandate. The Shogun ruled in the Emperor's name. All power was derived from the Emperor because he was directly descended from the gods. Therefore any daimyo who opposed the Shogun were automatically in rebellion against the throne, and at once outcast and all his lands forfeit. The reigning Emperor was worshipped as a divinity because he was descended in an unbroken line from the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omikami, one of the children of the gods Izanagi and Izanami, who had formed the islands of Japan from the firmament. By divine right the ruling Emperor owned all the land and was obeyed without question. But in practice, for more than six centuries real power had rested behind the throne.

A Shogunate was the government, office, or rule of a Shogun. There was three shogunates in Japanese history.

1) Kamakura Shogunate (1192–1333)
2) Ashikaga Shogunate (1336–1573)
3) Tokugawa Shogunate (1603–1868)

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ May 12, 2011

Aversive Magic

The use of extraordinary materials, rites, and spells to ward off or destroy agents deemed harmful.

Aversive magic can produce aversive side effects which may even harm the magician - aversive magic is dangerous.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 04, 2010

Norteños

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

Obi

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

Isis

Isis, the Egyptian goddess of rebirth remains one of the most familiar images of empowered and utter femininity. The goddess Isis was the first daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, the goddess of the Overarching Sky. Isis was born on the first day between the first years of creation, and was adored by her human followers.

Unlike the other Egyptian goddesses, the goddess Isis spent time among her people, teaching women how to grind corn and make bread, spin flax and weave cloth, and how to tame men enough to live with them.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 04, 2010

Drum and Bass

Drum and Bass (commonly abbreviated to D&B or DnB) is a type of electronic dance music which emerged in the mid 1990s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats (typically between 160–190 bpm, occasional variation is noted in older compositions), with heavy bass, sub-bass lines, and occasional infra-bass lines. Drum and bass began as an offshoot of the United Kingdom rave scene of the very early 1990s. Over the first decade of its existence, the incorporation of elements from various musical genres lent to many permutations in its overall style.

Drum and Bass: Adam F, Goldie, London Elektricity, High Contrast, LTJ Bukem, D.Kay, DJ Fresh, DJ Dara, DJ Zinc, Shy FX, Drumsound & Bassline Smith, DJ Hazard, DJ Hype, Photek, Loxy, Sub Focus, Future Prophecies, Roni Size, Chase & Status, Ed Rush & Optical, DJ Ink, Andy C, Congo Natty, E-Z Rollers, J Majik, Source Direct, Erb N Dub, Dillinja, Danny Byrd, Concord Dawn, Brookes Brothers, Logistics, Matrix & Futurebound, Nu Tone, Sun King, Cyantific, Plug, TC, and Dirtyphonics.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ February 04, 2010

Jainism

An ascetic religion of India, founded in the sixth century BCE that teaches the immortality and transmigration of the soul and denies the existence of a perfect or supreme being. Both Jainism and Buddhism was rooted in dissatisfication with Brahmanic ritual and was founded by rough contemporaries in the 7th-6th centuries BCE by memebers of the kshatriya varna. It appealed to the masses by offering methods of salvation free from priestly control and rejecting the caste system. It Focuses on the need for extreme self mortification, the absence of possessions (including clothing) and the necessity of ahimsa, the practice of no-harm. They practice ahimsa to the point that they wear no shoes so that they do not step on insects and kill them. By doing bad deeds, they believe that karmic matter sticks to the soul. By doing good deeds, they believe that karmic matter loosens from the soul. Along with the act of ahimsa, Jains cannot lie, and commit sexual unchasity or infidelity. They must also guard against evils that can be avoided, observe regular meditation, observe regular periods of self denial, ocassionaly observe days as monks, control greed, and give alms (especially to ascetics).

The goal of Jainism is to rid one's soul of karmic matter and so escape samsara (cycle of re-birth/re-death) in moksha (release). There are 3 monastic sects - Digambaras (the Sky-Clad), The Shvetambaras (the White Clad), and The Sthanakvasis (those who reject idols and temples).

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ June 01, 2010