The Female Sex part 2
Once again, sloggers, I do sincerely apologize for the delay in slogging. The Slogverse has been waiting patiently and I do not intend on keeping them waiting any longer. Onward into part 2:
The revolutions which took place during the sixteenth century in the condition of the female sex, were not less important than those which it produced in church and state, in religion, in the arts and sciences, in academical institutions, in commerce and manufacturers, in the sentiments and manners of the most celebrated nations, in the mutual relations of the countries of Europe, and in the situation of the latter with regard to the other divisions of the globe. These changes cannot be duly appreciated, except by those who are acquainted with the condition of the sex in the preceding centuries.
Among nations of different origin, the condition of the female sex principally depends on the natural qualities of the heart and mind, by which each of them is distinguished. On the contrary, among nations of the same origin, such as the Germans, and all those that were either descended from, or conquered by the Germans, the state of the women is determined by the particular constitutions, customs, manners, and refinement of each nation, and also by the situation, power, and disposition of their sovereigns. As a great change took place in all these points, among the European nations, during sixteenth century, so the condition of the sex underwent an equal revolution with the causes by which it is governed.
One of the principal causes of the peculiar situation of the female sex in the middle ages, was the mode of life which the kings and princes were compelled to adopt by the state of anarchy which pervaded their dominions. The sovereigns of former times possessed less real power than their later successors, though they committed acts of much greater violence. The superior clergy were everywhere independent of the secular power, or at least struggled to render themselves so.
Until next time sloggers!
A response to the Slogverse
Greetings sloggers,
I've received this email correspondence from someone named Kevin Smith:
"Yesterday I, Kevin Smith, director of such films as Mallrats and Jersey Girl attempted to post a comment on your blog about you impersonating my best friend, Scott. My comment is still "Awaiting Moderation". Have you not noticed it yet or are you too afraid to post the comment and admit that your site is a fake? Even My pal Mosier said it was fake on twitter: http://twitter.com/smosier (it's the fifth tweet down). Did you really think you could fool me and all my fans? I demand an explanation and an apolagy."
I would like to address this email as well as some of the comments that have been received on the slog.
First off, I would like to apologize for any delay you sloggers have been experiencing in comments being posted. Alas, I was deep in research for my next installment of the female sex series. Unfortunately, I have never been much of a multitasker. I promise to put forth a concentrated effort to push out these much needed comments to the Slogverse. These are times in which comments such as these should be considered the cornerstone, keystone, and millstone of a functional democratic society.
Now on to the main issue. In response to the current debacle and goings on in the Technoverse (this is the verse which surrounds the Slogverse), I would like to cite a particularly interesting era of Russian history.
For those who are curious, the Russian name occurs familiarly on the page of history as the denomination of a people, a state, and a country. The origin of the term is quite uncertain, though the conjectural derivation from Russaki is probable (the goddesses of the waters and forests) in the mythology of the Sclavonians. But I digress...
As in western Europe, the chieftains of Scandianavia conducted predatory excursions from the shores of Britain and France to those of Spain and Italy, so in eastern Europe the conquerors from the Baltic rapidly pushed southward, seeking new fields of adventure, fresh provinces and accumulated spoil. Oleg, the immediate successor of Rurik, advanced and transferred the seat of government from Novgorod to Kiev, attracted by the milder climate, and proximity to the coveted wealth and luxury of the Greek empire. Descending the river with his barbarians in boats, and crossing the Euxine, this potent warrior reached the gates of Constantinople, and wrung from the emperor an enormous booty as the price of his retreat. Igor, the third sovereign, twice engaged in a similar expedition. Thus early did Russian princes trace the road to Byzantium, and become as formidable to the Greek imperial family as their descendants have been to the Ottoman sultans.
Until next time sloggers!
The Female Sex part 1
Today I'd like to start on another multi part series. This time tackling the topic of the history of the fairer sex, which I'm hoping will allow us to all understand them in a new light.
First off, I would like to discuss the powerful influence of the female sex at courts and on public affairs throughout the ages.
From the most remote periods, the women of the ancient European nations possessed a more powerful influence over the men, than the females of any other people, on account of their superior advantages, natural and acquired. This influence could not but be greatly increased when the women most distinguished for birth and beauty assembled at the courts of kings and princes, and attained to a degree of intellectual cultivation, often surpassing that of the sovereigns and their friends, whom they fascinated. After the sixteenth century, the observation, or rather the complaint, that women were, in general, the causes of the greatest revolutions in states was more frequently made.
Statesmen and generals as often repeated the wish that princes and their confidants would check the tongues of the ladies, that they would beware of their suggestions, and exclude them as much as possible from all participation in public affairs, because, by their loquacity and their passions, they often involved men of the highest merit in ruin, and frustrated the most important undertakings. In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the charms and the talents of females, their virtues, foibles, and vices no where produced greater effects than in France, because the ladies of no other court were so numerous, so accomplished, and so fascinating. The dominion of the sex, scarcely sustained any diminution, when the kings and their ministers were not in the power either of fondly cherished wives or ambitious mistresses.
The ladies sometimes ruled with the most unlimited sway, during periods when the supreme authority was in the hands of men who professed the utmost aversion and contempt for the sex, and were the greatest enemies to their influence over political affairs.
Continued in Part 2
Until next time sloggers!
On ‘The Earth’ part 4
My apologies for the delay in finishing off this series, Sloggers. The Street Hockey Tourney was a blast but it took away from my blog-centric duties. Without further adieu, here is part four of The Earth series:
15. Fluorine exists chiefly in fluor spar, combined with calcium ; also in small proportion in hornblende, and in many varieties of mica, and consequently in most of the unstratified rocks.
16. Nitrogen exists chiefly in the atmosphere and in animal bodies, and is generally diffused through the vegetable kingdom in small proportion.
And for those of us who are interested in knowing these simple substances, in order of their abundance:
Oxygen - 50%
Silicon - 25%
Calcium - 7%
Aluminium - 5%
Magnesium - 3%
Iron - 2%
Carbon - 2%
Potassium - 1%
The remaining five percent consists mostly of hydrogen, sodium, manganese, chlorine, phosphorus, fluorine and nitrogen.
Finally, for those who found this earth series a little dry. I thought I would throw a little MTV style action into the mix, which will also segue nicely into my next topic: the female sex! I had this poster hanging in my apartment many years ago and thought it would be fun(ny) to share:
Until next time sloggers!
On ‘The Earth’ Part 3
I know I told you that I would fill up this post with a whopping SIX new elements to discuss and I wasn't lying! Let's do this:
7. Carbon exists mostly in combination with oxygen forming carbonic acid, in the proportion of six parts of carbon and sixteen parts of oxygen. This gas constitutes about 1/3600th of the atmosphere, but is chiefly locked up in a solid state in combination with lime, magnesia forming the carbonates of those bases. Carbon also exists in a free state in the various kinds of mineral coal. Nearly two per cent of the earth’s crust is carbon.
8. Potassium exists in nature almost wholly in combination with oxygen, forming potassa, of which it constitutes about five sixths. Potassa exists chiefly in feldspar and clay, in the soil. Potassium forms nearly five per cent of the unstratified rocks, being about one tenth of the feldspar in them, and constitutes about one per cent of the total earth’s crust.
9. Hydrogen resides chiefly in water, of which it forms one ninth parts. Water exists not only in the ocean and in lakes, rivers, and the atmosphere, but is widely disseminated in a solid, dry state, in many rocks and minerals. The waters of the ocean are sufficient to cover the earth to a uniform depth of more than two miles. This is the principal repository of hydrogen, including which the total quantity is less than one half per cent of the earth’s crust
10. Sodium is next in abundance and exists chiefly in common salt, in albite and basalt.
11. Next is Sulphur, which exists in a free state in volcanoes, but most abundantly in combination with many metals, as iron, lead, copper, antimony, etc. It also enters largely into the combination of gypsum. In minute proportions it is diffused through all soils, and exists in all animal and vegetable bodies.
12. Manganese is almost universally disseminated through the rocks and soils, but with an average proportion not exceeding 3/10000ths of the whole.
That's it for part three of The Earth saga. Part four coming soon!
On ‘The Earth’ Part 2
Alright let's jump right into it this time. Coming at you with the next three substances of the Earths crust:
4. Aluminium exists in nature only in combination with oxygen, in nearly equal parts, forming alumina. This compound constitutes one fifth of feldspar, and exists in most minerals and rocks. Probably about five per cent of the earth's crust is aluminium.
5. Magnesium exists in nature mostly in combination with oxygen, forming magnesia, of which it constitutes about three fifths. Magnesia forms about forty per cent of serpentine, and ten to twenty per cent of dolomite. Probably about three per cent of the earth's crust is magnesium.
6. Iron is rarely, if ever, found native, except in meteoric stones. It is mostly combined with oxygen, frequently with sulfur and sometimes with carbon. It forms nearly two per cent of the crust of the globe.
Keep checking back because next time I'll be giving you a big chunk to go through with six more elements!
Until next time sloggers!
On ‘The Earth’ part 1
As some of you may know, I'm currently out on a tour across the country and beyond into our neighbo(u)ring country and my native land, Canada. So today I thought I would do part one of a four part series on the Earth!!! More specifically, the earth that we walk on every day.
The chemical constitutions of the Earth - Of the sixty-two simple substances which are known to chemists only sixteen constitute the greater part of the earth's crust. The other forty-six exists for the most part in rare minerals, or are disseminated in very minute proportions through the more common substances.
1. Oxygen is the most abundant of all elementary substances. In a free state it constitutes one fifth of the atmosphere. In combination it forms eight ninths of water, and two fifths to one half of all the solid materials of the globe. It enters largely into the composition of all the earths, and of most of the earthy minerals and ores of the metals.
2. Silicon permanently exists in nature only in combination with oxygen, in nearly equal parts, forming silica, which is also called silicic acid. This compound constitutes forty-five to fifty per cent of the earth's crust, one quarter of which is therefore silicon. Pure quartz is silica, and consequently silicon exists in most of the rocks and minerals.
3. Calcium exists chiefly in combination with oxygen, forming lime, of which it constitutes nearly two thirds. The lime exists mostly in combination with carbonic acid, forming carbonate of lime. About seven per cent of the earth's crust is calcium.
So there you have it. Stay tuned because in part 2 I'll be discussing the next three substances of the Earth's crust and you won't want to miss it.
Until next time sloggers!
Considering the climate
Greetings. Another day is upon us and I thought I would share some sobering information which was passed on to me from a trusted source.
This video got me to thinking about what I could do to help with the always looming issue of climate change. Far too often do we frivolously cut down and harvest plants which should be kept in the lush bosom of mother nature. So I thought I would share some pointers on the art of wax flower making. Hopefully these tips will contribute to the greater good.
The pupil being furnished with the foregoing articles, will do well to observe, before commencing to model, the following hints:
The artiste should not attempt to make or color any flower without having a natural one to look at; it will be advisable to obtain two flowers as nearly alike as possible, one to be taken to pieces, and the other to assist the artiste in its formation.
A difference will be observed in the surfaces of the sheets of wax, one side being rather glossy, and the other dull and slightly grained. In cutting out a flower, the pattern must always be placed on the dull side of the wax, and should never be cut across the grain.
For some flowers it is necessary for the wax to be thicker than the ordinary sheets; to obtain this, press firmly the shining sides of two sheets together.
No water, color, or grease, should be allowed to come near any portion of the wax which has to adhere to any part of the flower.
A sheet of paper should be laid on the table, on which must be placed the necessary articles for the flower intended to be produced.
A glass of warm water should be at hand, in which to dip the scissors and pins, as neither must ever be used without being moistened.
A seat should be chosen in a warm situation, and if the hands are too cold, they may be washed in warm water, and must always be kept clean.
Until next time sloggers!
A Journey Begins
Hi There. So I've taken the first steps on what I expect to be a wonderful and fulfilling journey.
So many blogs are filling up the techno-verse with mindless and, for the most part, useless information. My goal is to teach with every post. Each entry will share facts about various topics that I've obtained in my travels and I expect you to walk away feeling fulfilled. My journey into self discovery and education will be shared with all of you! I envy you. Let's begin.
To what does the excess of interest obtained at present over the whole Empire amount beyond what was obtained under the dynasty of Tang, nine centuries ago? Let us take it at ten millions of ounces of silver. Who would object, if the State should demand such a sum as this, over and above the ordinary imposts, for the purpose of providing for the interests of commerce in the interior of the Empire? Well, this decree authorizing a rate of thirty per cent. Interest for money, has created such a tax, and the State yields it to those who lend their money to their fellow-citizens for the purposes of commerce. It is on the profits of trade, and not on the public at large, that this tax is levied, and in the most advantageous manner, since every one pays it in proportion to his consumption.