A formerly necessary wagon attached to the back of a train. The brake van was used to stop a train in case of an emergency (such as if a coupling had snapped, and the latter half of the train was rolling down a steep hill). On longer journeys, the brake van served as a temporary residency for the train crew.
Nowadays, most trucks (US:freightcars) are already equipped with brakes so they'll stop automatically should something go wrong. Some trains even have locomotives at both ends, further reducing the necessity of a brake van.
Synonyms: caboose(US), guard's van
Nowadays, most trucks (US:freightcars) are already equipped with brakes so they'll stop automatically should something go wrong. Some trains even have locomotives at both ends, further reducing the necessity of a brake van.
Synonyms: caboose(US), guard's van
*coupling snaps*
Driver: Cor! Look at that!!
*trucks rocket down a steep hill*
Fireman: I hope the guard (US: conductor) knows how to work the brake!!
Meanwhile, the guard sees a train coming, and he cranks the brake handle like mad. We see sequences of footage as the train and the brake van get closer and closer.
The guard, seeing his whole life flash before his eyes, shuts his eyes and waits for the impending crash-
Driver 2: Oi, mate, what're you doing? Gonna rub noses with our train for the day or what?
The guard notices he's still alive.
Guard: *wipes forehead* Phew! Thank God we had a brake van; this could have been quite nasty!
Driver: Cor! Look at that!!
*trucks rocket down a steep hill*
Fireman: I hope the guard (US: conductor) knows how to work the brake!!
Meanwhile, the guard sees a train coming, and he cranks the brake handle like mad. We see sequences of footage as the train and the brake van get closer and closer.
The guard, seeing his whole life flash before his eyes, shuts his eyes and waits for the impending crash-
Driver 2: Oi, mate, what're you doing? Gonna rub noses with our train for the day or what?
The guard notices he's still alive.
Guard: *wipes forehead* Phew! Thank God we had a brake van; this could have been quite nasty!
by TarkanAttila22 December 31, 2009
Get the Brake Vanmug. Obsessive devotion combined with thoroughly invasive attempts to convert people to whatever is being devoted to.
Devotion alone is not harmful. Teaching people about one's devotions or beliefs isn't harmful.
But people are completely out-of-line when they force people into unwilling bondage with the threat of death.
Usually, fanaticism is driven by power-hunger, corruption given by power, the strong desire to be considered right, misinterpretation of religious texts or other manifestos and documents, and/or insanity.
It's not often monetarily driven. That problem is usually called greed, an obsession with money. (Which I suppose might be a type of fanaticism.)
Devotion alone is not harmful. Teaching people about one's devotions or beliefs isn't harmful.
But people are completely out-of-line when they force people into unwilling bondage with the threat of death.
Usually, fanaticism is driven by power-hunger, corruption given by power, the strong desire to be considered right, misinterpretation of religious texts or other manifestos and documents, and/or insanity.
It's not often monetarily driven. That problem is usually called greed, an obsession with money. (Which I suppose might be a type of fanaticism.)
It is not belief, but fanaticism, that is the cause of many of the world's problems.
Some Christians either have a rather blasé attitude towards their faith, or they practise raving fanaticism which would be dangerous to the public at large if carried out in office. (Many Protestant churches are possesed by fanaticism.) These two stereotypes give Christianity a bad, bad, bad image that it's rather undeserving of, as most Christians are moderates, or are the blasé kind aforementioned.
Similarly, the Crusades and the Inquisitions were rather embarrassing fanatical events in history that have nothing to do with the message of Christ, but with the craze of power and being right.
Communism during the Cold War was sometimes fanaticism rooted in a state cult (like Stalinism), or in atheism. This fanaticism led to the deaths of many religious people, guilty of little to nothing else.
The fanaticism of the Ku Klux Klan led to the unwarranted deaths of many African Americans.
Nazi fanaticism killed Jews, communists, homosexuals, Catholics, and soldiers who could all have been doing something more useful than dying.
So, therefore, I believe strongly that it's not Christianity, Islam, Republicanism, Democratism, liberality, conservatism, Zionism, Judaism, capitalism, communism, socialism, dictatorship, or any other belief or circumstance which causes trouble. It is when these things hold too much influence over our lives and cause us to do horrible things. Or, fanaticism.
Some Christians either have a rather blasé attitude towards their faith, or they practise raving fanaticism which would be dangerous to the public at large if carried out in office. (Many Protestant churches are possesed by fanaticism.) These two stereotypes give Christianity a bad, bad, bad image that it's rather undeserving of, as most Christians are moderates, or are the blasé kind aforementioned.
Similarly, the Crusades and the Inquisitions were rather embarrassing fanatical events in history that have nothing to do with the message of Christ, but with the craze of power and being right.
Communism during the Cold War was sometimes fanaticism rooted in a state cult (like Stalinism), or in atheism. This fanaticism led to the deaths of many religious people, guilty of little to nothing else.
The fanaticism of the Ku Klux Klan led to the unwarranted deaths of many African Americans.
Nazi fanaticism killed Jews, communists, homosexuals, Catholics, and soldiers who could all have been doing something more useful than dying.
So, therefore, I believe strongly that it's not Christianity, Islam, Republicanism, Democratism, liberality, conservatism, Zionism, Judaism, capitalism, communism, socialism, dictatorship, or any other belief or circumstance which causes trouble. It is when these things hold too much influence over our lives and cause us to do horrible things. Or, fanaticism.
by TarkanAttila22 July 24, 2010
Get the fanaticismmug. by TarkanAttila22 August 18, 2009
Get the Emerald Islemug. SSAD is an acronym for "same-sex attraction disorder". In olden times - before common sense became a precious commodity - this is what doctors and psychologists used to diagnose anyone who, instead of having the natural inclination to procreate with a member of the opposite sex, had a sexual attraction to one of his or her own sex.
Among modern secular society, SSAD has fallen into disuse, as the mental state it describes is considered "normal" among the secular world. (Although, on a side note, many things once considered crude, lewd, and despicable are now considered "normal" in the modern secular world.)
Many Christian groups still consider same-sex attractions a disorder. Some even make attempts to fix SSAD. Almost all Christians, however, declare that while SSA is a disorder, and sodomy a sin, we must "love the sinner and hate the sin".
Among modern secular society, SSAD has fallen into disuse, as the mental state it describes is considered "normal" among the secular world. (Although, on a side note, many things once considered crude, lewd, and despicable are now considered "normal" in the modern secular world.)
Many Christian groups still consider same-sex attractions a disorder. Some even make attempts to fix SSAD. Almost all Christians, however, declare that while SSA is a disorder, and sodomy a sin, we must "love the sinner and hate the sin".
If the first humans had had SSAD from the beginning, it is unlikely that any of us would be alive.
SSAD is a disorder because it is a disorder. It is not normal for a man to want to try to procreate with another man - for two men do not have enough eggs between them to procreate! Nor do two women have even a single sperm between them to fertilize their eggs.
Even if SSAD is genetic, it is still abnormal and counterproductive to the natural reproduction of human species. For no species can continue existing without having a desire to procreate, and SSAD is averse to this most natural desire of all animals.
SSAD is a disorder because it is a disorder. It is not normal for a man to want to try to procreate with another man - for two men do not have enough eggs between them to procreate! Nor do two women have even a single sperm between them to fertilize their eggs.
Even if SSAD is genetic, it is still abnormal and counterproductive to the natural reproduction of human species. For no species can continue existing without having a desire to procreate, and SSAD is averse to this most natural desire of all animals.
by TarkanAttila22 October 26, 2011
Get the SSADmug. A Russian crocodile who plays the garmon (or garmoshka, a type of accordion). He has a little furry friend named Cheburashka.
Gena sings and plays his garmon:
And I'm playing,
my garmoshka,
I am playing,
loud and clear
It's a pity
that one's birthday
comes but once
a year.
And I'm playing,
my garmoshka,
I am playing,
loud and clear
It's a pity
that one's birthday
comes but once
a year.
by TarkanAttila22 October 16, 2010
Get the Genamug. The cause of the persecution and extermination of all religion and religious people in Albania, as well as the persecution of Moslems, Jews, Orthodox Christians, Catholic Christians, ETC., during the Cold War.
Many atheist states have persecuted the religious in the way many atheists have condemned Christians for doing back in the Middle Ages.
Need I say more?
Many atheist states have persecuted the religious in the way many atheists have condemned Christians for doing back in the Middle Ages.
Need I say more?
Quote: "From year 1967 to the end of the totalitarian regime, religious practices were banned and the country was proclaimed officially atheist, marking an event that happened for the first time in world history."
Making an atheist state will not solve the problems of the world.
Making an atheist state will not solve the problems of the world.
by TarkanAttila22 December 31, 2009
Get the atheist statemug. A Catholic supplement to the Bible. Despite the fact that many Catholics (and Christians for that matter) rarely read the Bible, much less the catechism, BOTH books are incredibly important to understanding the Catholic faith.
It is analogous to reading the Tanakh, the Mishna, and the Talmud - which is what studious, ambitious, pious Jews do to develop their faith and be better Jews.
Similarly, reading and understanding the Bible AND the Catechism of the Catholic Church will strengthen the faith of Catholics.
It is analogous to reading the Tanakh, the Mishna, and the Talmud - which is what studious, ambitious, pious Jews do to develop their faith and be better Jews.
Similarly, reading and understanding the Bible AND the Catechism of the Catholic Church will strengthen the faith of Catholics.
All Catholics should be knowledgeable in three things: the Bible, the Catholic Catechism, and Sacred Tradition.
These three things will take us far.
These three things will take us far.
by TarkanAttila22 July 16, 2010
Get the Catholic catechismmug.